Bulgaria round-up: CSKA preserve three-point lead

Bulgarian Premier League leaders PFC CSKA Sofia maintained their three-point lead at the top of the table after defeating bottom side PFC Dobrudzha Dobrich 3-0.

Deadlock broken
CSKA’s Svetoslav Petrov and Agnaldo both hit the crossbar before the home side finally opened the scoring in the 60th minute when Agnaldo headed in from close range. Yordan Todorov and Hristo Yanev were also denied by the bar, before Emil Gargorov increased the lead from the penalty spot 15 minutes from time and substitute João Paulo Brito completed the scoring in added time.

Comfortable margin
PFC Levski Sofia, seven points behind in second place, comfortably overcame PFC Botev Plovdiv 3-0 away, taking the lead when a mistake from goalkeeper Lilcho Arsov allowed Todor Kolev to score in the 33rd minute. Sasa Simonovic and Georgi Chilikov added a goal each in the second half.

Important success
PFC Litex Lovech overtook PFC Slavia Sofia to move above their opponents into third with a narrow 2-1 home win. Litex began brightly and took the lead with an eighth-minute penalty from Kiril Nikolov after Hristo Yovov had been fouled. Yovov headed a Nikolov cross into the net to double the lead and, although Slavia gave themselves hope as Blagoy Georgiev pulled goal back from the penalty spot two minute before half-time, Litex held on for the win.

Derby win
PFC Spartak Varna defeated PFC Cherno More Varna 2-1 in a tense local derby, with goals at either end of the first half from captain Valentin Stanchev and Anatoli Nankov putting Spartak in command. Darko Spalevic brought Cherno More back into the game six minutes after the interval, but the away side were unable to find an equaliser.

Resounding victory
PFC Lokomotiv Plovdiv secured a comfortable 4-0 win at second bottom PFC Rilski Sportist Samokov, with second-half strikes from Ekundayo Djayeoba, Zarko Serafimovski and Doncho Donev adding to a third-minute own goal by Rosen Patnikov.

Home win
Elsewhere, PFC Lokomotiv Sofia overcame PFC Chernomorets Burgas at home, with Boyko Velichkov scoring two first-half goals, and Ivaylo Pargov making it 3-0 after half-time. Meanwhile, PFC Naftex Burgas drew 1-1 at home to PFC Marek Dupnitsa. Toni Pitoska opened the scoring for the away team after 73 minutes, but Todor Kiselichkov equalised for Naftex ten minutes from time.