League

Pirates Arena
Spectators: 8786 (Terracing: 6500, Seating: 2136, VIP seats: 150) The field was rather wet after several days of rain when Ignacio Alvarez took the kick off in the first half of the match. In the 4th minute GARGOYLES were awarded a corner. Naycho Dotzov went to the cornerflag to take it. After taking down the ball on GARGOYLES's corner Naycho Dotzov fired away a hard shot, but the defenders efficiently covered the most dangerous angles and Ognyan Pironkov quite easily take care of the ball. In the 8th minute, Nickolaj Nickerson got an opportunity to score, but he didn't get a solid hit on the ball and ended up kicking it wide of the goal. Ognyan Pironkov showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Slavyan Mechkuev, who was totally free with the ball in the 11th minute. After 12 played minutes FC Pirates got a freekick which was hit by Spas Maslev. 16 minutes into the match, FC Pirates's Nickolaj Nickerson sent off a blazing shot straight on target, a shot that Andoni Zubizarreta narrowly saved just below the crossbar. 18 minutes into the match, GARGOYLES's goalkeeper Andoni Zubizarreta had to clear away a ball on his right side after a cunning shot by Nickolaj Nickerson. Ognyan Pironkov took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Antonio Sciotto, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. In the 24th minute GARGOYLES were awarded a corner. Naycho Dotzov went to the cornerflag to take it. The audience was convinced that Slavyan Mechkuev's extremely hard shot when he got free in front of the goal was going in, but Ognyan Pironkov was relentless in the 29th minute of the game. In the 31st minute Slavyan Mechkuev shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Ognyan Pironkov saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. The audience thought a goal was coming when Nickolaj Nickerson got free with Andoni Zubizarreta in the 37th minute, but the goalkeeper managed to catch the ball with a huge effort. Ognyan Pironkov showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Ignacio Alvarez, who was totally free with the ball in the 39th minute. The fans had the chance to grab some refreshments as the whistle went for half-time. The score stood at 0-0 after a close first half.

When the second half was about to start, both teams quickly lined up and Nickolaj Nickerson made a kick off. The referee was alert and spotted a serious foul by Antoni Proshev during the 56th minute. The player immediately received a yellow card. After 56 played minutes GARGOYLES got a freekick which was hit by Antoni Proshev. Andoni Zubizarreta showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Nickolaj Nickerson in the 57th minute of the match. FC Pirates's Nickolaj Nickerson managed to work through GARGOYLES's defense and was going for an easy goal, but he hit the shot with his toe and the ball flew outside the goal. Nickolaj Nickerson dejectedly held out his arms as if to ask why the ball hadn't gone in. GARGOYLES's Andoni Zubizarreta played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Nickolaj Nickerson in the 62nd minute of play. Ognyan Pironkov made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Slavyan Mechkuev in the 65th minute of play. Nickolaj Nickerson received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 69th minute. Andoni Zubizarreta tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. Ognyan Pironkov made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Slavyan Mechkuev in the 72nd minute of play. 73 minutes into the match, GARGOYLES's goal looked a bit too open when Nickolaj Nickerson came free, but Andoni Zubizarreta reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. In the 82nd minute, Toshko Dzhorgov hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. In the 85th minute of the match GARGOYLES got a corner. FC Pirates's goalie ran out to the linesman to protest the call, but the linesman resolutely pointed his flag at the cornerflag. Naycho Dotzov ran over to the corner to take the kick. A nice corner shot did that Naycho Dotzov got away a dangerous shot. Despite this Ognyan Pironkov quite easily got ahold of the ball to make the save. In the 87th minute, Ignacio Alvarez got an opportunity to score, but he didn't get a solid hit on the ball and ended up kicking it wide of the goal. Valko Nanyov fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 89th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Ognyan Pironkov having to interfere. Ognyan Pironkov made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Ignacio Alvarez in the 91st minute of play. The audience thought a goal was coming when Valko Nanyov got free with Ognyan Pironkov in the 94th minute, but the goalkeeper managed to catch the ball with a huge effort. Valko Nanyov could have scored with his fast shot on goal in the 95th minute of the match, but Ognyan Pironkov made a huge save. In the 96th minute, Valko Nanyov made a precise shot to the right of Ognyan Pironkov. FC Pirates's defense was at fault, and the scoreboard reflected the new score, 1-1. Both teams had looked equal from kick-off, and no-one was surprised when the match finally ended in a draw.