Apollon came out firing and nearly stunned the hosts inside the opening minute. Zmrhal’s strike looked destined for the net, but Ivusic produced a brilliant save to keep it out. That early warning woke Pafos up, and by the 14th minute, they had the lead through Anderson, who struck cleanly for 1–0.

The joy was short-lived, though Apollon hit back almost immediately, with Sagal equalizing in the 15th minute. The game quickly turned into an open contest, both sides trading blows, but with few clear chances until the 41st minute, when Pafos reclaimed the advantage. Sema forced a save from Leeuwenburgh, and Dragomir pounced on the rebound to make it 2–1. That scoreline held until the break.

The second half began with Apollon pushing hard. Santos went close with a header in the 47th minute, before the real flashpoint arrived just minutes later. Duodu burst into the box in the 50th minute and appeared to be pushed to the ground. Apollon screamed for a penalty, their bench erupted, but the referee backed by VAR waved play on. Replays suggested the visitors had every reason to feel aggrieved.

Pafos took full advantage of that reprieve. In the 58th minute, Oršić stepped up to a free kick and curled it superbly past Leeuwenburgh to stretch the lead to 3–1.

Apollon refused to go quietly, with Youssef denied by another brilliant save from Ivusic in the 65th minute, but Pafos struck again on the break. Oršić, brimming with confidence, netted his second of the night in the 70th minute, effectively sealing the tie at 4–1 and sending the home crowd into raptures.

Even then, the drama wasn’t finished. In the 74th minute, a chaotic scramble saw the ball ricochet off the crossbar before Sarlija inadvertently bundled it into his own net. Ivusic tried to claw it out, but VAR confirmed the ball had crossed the line, cutting the score to 4–2 and giving Apollon a glimmer of hope.

The Limassol side pushed forward in the final stages, but Pafos managed the game smartly, shutting down spaces and keeping Ivusic’s goal safe. The final whistle confirmed a 4–2 triumph, one that gives Pafos a commanding advantage in their quest for a place in the Cup final.