Defensive changes for Bulgaria
Thursday, April 22, 2004
Article summary
Bulgaria coach Plamen Markov has turned to PFC Lokomotiv Plovdiv's Vladimir Ivanov for the friendly against Cameroon.
Article body
By Stoyan Georgiev
Bulgaria coach Plamen Markov has turned to PFC Lokomotiv Plovdiv defender Vladimir Ivanov for next week's friendly against Cameroon in the hope of solving his right-back conundrum.
Kishishev missed
Markov has been looking for a defender to fill the gap left by the international retirement of Radostin Kishishev, who has excelled in the English Premiership with Charlton Athletic FC. The 31-year-old Ivanov, who was capped twice in 1996, is the latest player after Martin Stankov, Daniel Borimirov, Ilian Stoianov and Elin Topuzakov to be tried out in the problem position.
Kotev chance
Another surprise call-up is Ivanov's Lokomotiv colleague Kiril Kotev, 22, who is in line for his international debut. Kotev will take the place of injured PFC Litex Lovech defender Rossen Kirilov. The Cameroon match will be played in Sofia on Wednesday 28 April.
Bulgaria squad
Zdravkov, Ivankov, Stoyanov, Topuzakov, Zagorcic, Pazin, Kotev, Ivanov, I Petkov, Hristov, M Petkov, S Petrov, Yanchev, Dimitrov, Peev, Lazarov, M Petrov, Jankovic, Berbatov.
