The Famagusta derby delivered plenty of drama as Nea Salamis and Anorthosis Famagusta played out an entertaining 2-2 draw in their pre-season friendly on 13 August 2026. With local pride at stake, neither side held back, producing an open, competitive match that ended with honours even.

Anorthosis battle back twice

Nea Salamis started with great energy and opened the scoring, using the home advantage to push Anorthosis onto the back foot. Yet Anorthosis showed the resilience expected of a club with their ambitions, finding an equaliser to reset the contest. The same pattern repeated after the break: Nea Salamis regained the lead, only for Anorthosis to hit back once more and secure the draw.

Pre-season with a competitive edge

• Both managers will have valued the intensity of a local derby, even in a friendly.
• Nea Salamis showed good attacking invention, especially from wide areas.
• Anorthosis demonstrated the character to recover whenever they fell behind.

What the result means

For Nea Salamis, the performance offers reason for encouragement. They created the better chances in spells and will be pleased with the tempo they set early in each half. Anorthosis, meanwhile, will take confidence from their ability to respond under pressure – a trait that matters once league matches begin.

While pre-season results are not the ultimate indicator, the shared goals and competitive intensity made this a useful workout for both Famagusta clubs. The rivalry remains healthy, and this 2-2 draw suggests the two teams could be closely matched in the campaign ahead.