The 7th matchday of the Nicosia League is almost complete (only tonight’s game between Macedones and Old Timers is pending), and the picture is beginning to clear regarding the Categories to which the 20 teams will qualify for the 2nd Phase.
While two more matchdays remain until the end of the 1st Phase, in some cases, the standings have been mathematically determined, while in others, the probabilities are clearly increased in favor of one scenario or another.
The data for 5 out of the 6 spots for the teams that will play in the Gold Category are quite clear. From the “Kyrenia” District, we already know the 3 teams that will go to Gold: ESOBGA, PN99, and the Warriors. From the “Morfou” District, Think Colour and P&P have locked in their spots.
The 6th spot remains pending and is essentially being contested by the UNIC Senior Eagles, EAK, and Famagusta Ballers.
The Old Bulldogs also have mathematical chances, but they face the most difficult schedule of all in the final matchdays and did not defeat any of the top six teams, so they lose in any tie-breaker.
Among the teams tied for 4th place, EAK has serious chances of surpassing UNIC in the standings, as they won their head-to-head game on the opening day (thus holding the tie-breaker advantage) and have a theoretically easy schedule (against Macedones and Nicosia Municipality), while UNIC will play against the undefeated, but indifferent, Think Colour on the final matchday.
For the Famagusta Ballers to qualify, a scenario of a three-way tie (with UNIC and EAK) is needed, a scenario that is not particularly far-fetched. In such a possibility, the Famagusta team holds the tie-breaker advantage based on the point difference in the games between the 3 teams and would finish in 3rd place, with EAK in 4th and UNIC in 5th.
In any case, however, qualification primarily rests in the hands of the UNIC Senior Eagles, who if they secure 2 wins in the final matchdays, they will directly advance to the Gold Category regardless of the other results.
