Sofia clubs set the pace

By Stoyan Georgiev

Early pacesetters PFC CSKA Sofia have dropped their first points of the season in the last four weeks and find themselves level with PFC Levski Sofia.

Derby date
The most significant match of the campaign to date came on 17 October when the two capital clubs met. Home side CSKA took a two-goal lead but allowed Levski to battle back for a 2-2 draw. CSKA then lost another two points with a repeat scoreline at PFC Marek Dupnitza last Sunday, but this time required an equaliser of their own.

Ognyanov emergence
CSKA have been joined on 32 points by Levski after their 4-1 success against PFC Spartak Varna on Saturday. Leading the way for Levski is 16-year-old midfielder Mariyan Ognyanov, who has featured in the last two games and scored twice against Spartak Varna.

Up to third
Another team on the rise are PFC Slavia Sofia. After early defeats by Levski and CSKA, new Bulgarian internationals Blagoy Georgiev, Chavdar Yankov and Dimitar Rangelov have propelled the club to third place although there is still an eight-point gap to the leaders.

Kamburov class
Champions PFC Lokomotiv Plovdiv are a further point adrift. However, one positive for them is the continued good form of Martin Kamburov, including a hat-trick in the 4-3 win against PFC Litex Lovech on 16 October. The club's sporting manager Hristo Bonev has left after a dispute with coach Eduard Eranosyan.

Mladenov departure
Cup holders Litex have seen their title ambitions dented by defeat in two crucial away games, that 4-3 defeat by Loko Plovdiv and then a 3-1 reverse at CSKA on 31 October. Those results led to the end of Stoicho Mladenov's reign after just four months at the helm.

All change
The managerial merry-go-round continued at PFC Naftex Burgas. With just one point separating the team from the relegation zone, Naftex parted with manager Francesco Schollio and joint-coach Claudio Maselli, with his partner Salvatore Bianchetti being moved into another position. Ognyan Radev has temporary charge of first-team matters.

Looking up
Finally, newcomers PFC Pirin Blagoevgrad, in eleventh, are also without a coach as Yordan Samokolvliiski resigned after the 4-1 home defeat by Loko Plovdiv on Saturday. Spartak Varna remain bottom despite a 1-0 home success against PFC Cherno More Varna on 30 October. The once-mighty PFC Lokomotiv Sofia are just two points better off, but have improved under Stefan Grozdanov.