Bulgaria round-up: CSKA lose unbeaten record

Bulgarian Premier League leaders PFC CSKA Sofia suffered their first league defeat of the season as PFC Cherno More Varna earned a 2-1 away victory.

Penalty opener
The home side took the lead after 28 minutes after Emil Gargorov converted a penalty awarded for a foul on Velizar Dimitrov. CSKA created chances to double their lead, but were pegged back a minute into injury time as Kosyo Mirchev’s right-wing cross was deflected into his own net by Svetoslav Petrov.

Unexpected winner
CSKA were in total control of the game in the second half, with Petrov hitting the crossbar, but in a rare counterattack, Cherno More substitute Georgi Iliev was left unmarked in the CSKA penalty area 14 minutes from time and scored the winning goal with a low shot past goalkeeper Stoyan Kolev, and the away side held on despite losing Vladimir Gerasimov to a late red card.

Untidy goal
Second-placed PFC Levski Sofia cut the gap at the top to four points with a 1-0 at PFC Naftex Burgas. In an open game, Elin Topuzakov and Todor Kolev both hit the crossbar for Levski, but Kolev scored the decisive goal after 29 minutes, finding the net after a goalmouth scramble. The away side had Omonigo Temile sent off four minutes before the hour, but managed to preserve their slender advantage.

Two for Bornosuzov
PFC Litex Lovech moved third with a comfortable 4-1 home win against PFC Botev Plovdiv. Zhivko Zhelev opened the scoring in the very first minute, and Atanas Bornosuzov doubled the advantage after 29 minutes. Second-half strikes from Bornosuzov and Desislav Rusev sealed the three points, with Botev’s Avtandil Gvianidze getting a late consolation goal.

Slavia slip fourth
Meanwhile, PFC Slavia Sofia dropped to fourth, two points behind Litex, after suffering a 1-0 defeat at PFC Spartak Varna. Stanislav Zhekov scored the only goal in the fourth minute, before Slavia’s Blagoy Georgiev saw an 85th-minute penalty saved.

Penalty dramas
PFC Lokomotiv Plovdiv earned a comfortable 4-0 win at home to struggling PFC Chernomorets Burgas, with Martin Kamburov, Ekundayo Djayeoba, Doncho Donev and Rosen Petrov all finding the net. The final margin could have been even wider, as Petar Kolev and Ekundayo Djayeoba both missed penalties for the home side, although Chernomorets’ Petar Stanev was also unable to convert from the penalty spot.

Two-goal victories
Elsewhere, PFC Lokomotiv Sofia defeated PFC Marek Dupnitza 2-0 at home after two Ivaylo Pargov goals late in the first half, while PFC Dobrudzha Dobrich moved off the bottom with a 2-0 win away to PFC Rilski Sportis Samokov, who slipped to last place. Goals at either end of the match from Kaloyan Genchev and Ventsislav Zhelev earned Dobrudzha an important victory.