Guillermo Ochoa’s AEL Limassol debut ended in disaster, as the Mexican goalkeeper conceded five goals in a heavy 5-0 loss to Omonia on Monday.

This incident capped a turbulent summer for Ochoa, where he served as a Gold Cup backup and experienced a collapsed move to the Spanish side Burgos before finally landing in Cyprus to pursue regular playing time.

It took him four long months to make it back onto a professional pitch, but his long-awaited debut in Cyprus turned disastrous. His last official match was in May for AVS in Portugal’s Primeira Liga, a 3-0 loss to Moreirense.

This defeat dropped AEL Limassol from the top of the Cypriot league, with the club now ranked third on goal differential, tied on points with Omonia and the league powerhouses APOEL.

Ochoa only lasted 21 minutes in his first start, as Senou Coulibaly opened the scoring with an unstoppable strike. The experienced goalkeeper initially showed great poise, directing his defense, but repeated lapses from their back line left him exposed.

The pressure escalated after halftime. Willy Semedo doubled Omonia’s lead in the 50th minute, and then the floodgates opened with goals from Evangelos Andreou (75’), Ioannis Kousoulos (78’), and Angelos Neofytou (83’). Ochoa made several notable saves to prevent an even bigger defeat, yet the lopsided score highlighted a rocky start to his adventure in Cyprus.

Ochoa Pursuing World Cup History

Ochoa has set his sights on making history by competing in a record sixth World Cup. He joined AEL Limassol to secure consistent playing time and regain his form, aspiring to convince Mexico coach Javier Aguirre that he deserves a place in the squad for next summer’s tournament.

Mexico is set to face Colombia on October 11 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, as part of an upcoming FIFA window. Four days later, they will take on Ecuador at Estadio Akron in Guadalajara.