Apollon Limassol 3-2 FC Zürich

An own goal from Zurich defender Philippe Koch handed Apollon Limassol a 3-2 victory in their Europa League Group A opener as both sides finished with 10 men.The hosts took an early lead through Fotis Papoulis and after Zurich twice went close, Limassol doubled their advantage with a spectacular 30-yard effort from Spanish midfielder Marcos Gullon.Zurich, though, regrouped at the break and pulled a goal back through Avraham Rikan before Gilles Yapi Yapo cracked in an equaliser.Gullon was shown a second yellow card with 10 minutes left, but Limassol snatched victory after Koch put the ball into his own net, before Zurich midfielder Yassine Chikhaoui was also sent off for two cautions.It was a bright start at the GSP Stadium in Nicosia by Apollon, who beat Lokomotiv Moscow in the play-off, and they were ahead on nine minutes when Papoulis converted after a deep free-kick from Camel Meriem had been knocked down by Jan Rezek.At the other end, Zurich defender Ivan Kecojevic was denied by a save from Bruno Vale.When the Apollon keeper was beaten on 29 minutes, Chikhaoui's effort came back off the woodwork.After Papoulis had dragged a shot wide when in on goal, Vale was alert to deny first Davide Chiumiento and then Rikan.The Cypriots looked to have taken control of the tie when Gullon lashed in a brilliants second from 30 yards five minutes before half-time.However, Urs Meier's side sparked a comeback following the restart when Israeli forward Rikan volleyed in Chiumento's left-wing cross on 50 minutes.Zurich were level three minutes later when Ivory Coast midfielder Yapi Yapo finished off a sweeping move with a 20-yard drive into the top corner.The visitors - leaders of the Swiss league with six wins from eight matches - continued to press, as Rikan and Amine Chermiti both had efforts saved.During the closing stages, however, the match became somewhat bad-tempered, and, with 10 minutes left, Welsh referee Lee Evans showed Gullon a second yellow card for a foul on Chikhaoui.Limassol snatched victory with just three minutes left when Rezek's cross was deflected into the Zurich net by Koch.In stoppage time, Chikhaoui picked up a second caution for a foul on Rezek.ends