Bulgaria round-up: CSKA edge thriller

PFC CSKA Sofia beat PFC Neftochimik 3-2 in a thrilling A PFG encounter on Sunday.

Surprise lead
Neftochimik took a surprise lead after 18 minutes when a Stanimir Dimitrov shot took a hefty deflection and looped over CSKA's keeper. Vladimir Manchev equalised two minutes after the interval only to see Neftochimik retake the lead six minutes later through Milen Hristov.

First for Ricard
Three minutes later Manchev once again brought CSKA level and their pressure produced the winner in the 70th minute when Hamilton Ricard headed his first goal in th league. Neftochimik finished the game with ten men after Iliyan Tashev was dismissed for picking up two yellow cards.

Levski extend advantage
PFC Levski Sofia swept aside the challenge of PFC Lokomotiv Plovdiv 3-1 to stay eight points clear at the top of the table. Lokomotiv started the stronger, taking the lead in the eighth minute when Metodi Stoinev got on the end of a low cross from Trayan Dyankov. Levski took control of the game after that and, after Georgi Ivanov missed a couple of great opportunities to equalise, they drew level just before the break when Ivanov's miscued shot rebounded to Dalibor Dragich, who stabbed the ball in.

Bachev on target
Six minutes from time Ivanov made up for his earlier misses by heading the vital second goal, after meeting Iliyan Stoyanov's teasing cross. Levski sealed the win four minutes later when Georgi Bachev combined with Ivanov before firing the ball into the net from the edge of the area.

Litex in the hunt
Second-placed PFC Litex Lovech stayed in the hunt after beating PFC Slavia Sofia 2-0. Dede scored the opener after only eight minutes and Leonardo Enrique scored the second a minute from time.