League

Ludogoretz Stadium
Spectators: 7501 (Terracing: 5626, Seating: 1725, VIP seats: 150) The sun was shining, the grass was green and the audience cheered when Presiyan Topurov got the match started through his kick off. After a defensive mix-up in Lazgrad Bulgaria's zone, Donato Frutos stole the ball and had only the goalie to beat. Sasho Lishev came out of the goal and Donato Frutos tried to chip the ball over his head. To his dismay, the ball went over the crossbar and out of play. Krasen Hadzhistefanov took the ball and in the 6 minute, shot a rapid shot to the right of a surprised Sasho Lishev. Sasho Lishev dived to the right, and did manage to get a hand on the shot, but it still went into the right corner making it 0-1. In the 8th minute Donyo Kusev shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Sasho Lishev saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. 11 minutes had been played when some careless play by Lazgrad Bulgaria's defense caused the ball to cross the line for a corner. Nacho Golev was slow to take the kick. During this time NIKOLA FC's players had a chance to rest. The corner led NIKOLA FC's Nacho Golev to fire away a dangerous shot which Sasho Lishev despite some difficulties managed to get hold on the ball. With 13 minutes on the clock, Evstati Vushev commited a dangerous tackle. The referee had no choice but to show him the red card. 12 minutes into the game, one of NIKOLA FC:s players got tackled near the goal, and the referee blew for a penalty. In the 15th minute there was a penalty for Lazgrad Bulgaria. Brunko Kiradzhiev stepped forward and shot the ball to the right of a diving Dobromir Panagonov. 1-1. Teofan Genchovski recieved an excellent pass in front of the goal in the 20th minute. Unfortunately, he received the ball on his off foot and could only manage a weak shot that went over the goal. Krasen Hadzhistefanov scored 1-2 in the 24th match minute with a shot that went into the goal to the right of Sasho Lishev, who was just a little too slow in reacting to the shot. After 31 minutes of play, NIKOLA FC's Donato Frutos made it 1-3 when he simply outclassed the defender marking him and hit a curling shot into the right side of the net. Sasho Lishev was left in no man's land by his defense there! A collision led to NIKOLA FC getting a freekick after 34 minutes play. Nacho Golev hit a great ball. 37 minutes into the game, Donato Frutos cracked a shot to the right of the goalkeeper, 1-4. Sasho Lishev was not in position, and could only watch the ball fly in. The crowd was extremely unhappy with the home team's performance in the first half. They were losing 1-4.

The wind increased when Krasen Hadzhistefanov made the kick off in the second half. Jozef Slobodník recieved an excellent pass in front of the goal in the 60th minute. Unfortunately, he received the ball on his off foot and could only manage a weak shot that went over the goal. Lazgrad Bulgaria's Sasho Lishev played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Donato Frutos in the 65th minute of play. A hard shot 67 in the game by Krasen Hadzhistefanov from a close distance when the talented Sasho Lishev managed to make a qualified save. Lazgrad Bulgaria's players were relieved. Krasen Hadzhistefanov sent away a hard shot on goal in the 68th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. After having played for 72 minutes, Krasen Hadzhistefanov managed to get in a good position for a shot on goal. NIKOLA FC's supporters crossed their fingers, but Krasen Hadzhistefanov was, after a quick turn that froze the defenders, out of balance and shot the ball just to the right of the goal. Lazgrad Bulgaria's Sasho Lishev proved his good apprehension of play when he, in the 75th minute of the match, managed to save Lazgrad Bulgaria from getting a goal against them. The audience thought a goal was coming when Krasen Hadzhistefanov got free with Sasho Lishev in the 77th minute, but the goalkeeper managed to catch the ball with a huge effort. With a little luck, Lazgrad Bulgaria's Sasho Lishev got control of the ball when Krasen Hadzhistefanov tried to sneak it across the goal line. 81 minutes in the game, the ball went up into the seats when NIKOLA FC's Krasen Hadzhistefanov fired away a shot that was just a little bit too high. He walked away shaking his head. With a couple of smart ball manuevers Donato Frutos in the 83rd managed to get into a good position. With a left leg Sasho Lishev saved Lazgrad Bulgaria from getting behind. Through an outstanding action, after 91 minutes, Sasho Lishev successfully got his hands on the ball before it slid into the goal at the right post. In the 91st minute Donyo Kusev suffered a thigh injury and had to be helped off the field. Stoyan Uliverov's late challenge caught a NIKOLA FC's player on the shin and left him crawling around in pain. The referee blew his whistle and produced the yellow card. Stoyan Uliverov helped the player get up and apologised. A collision led to Lazgrad Bulgaria getting a freekick after 93 minutes play. Stoyan Uliverov hit a great ball. Krasen Hadzhistefanov could have scored with his fast shot on goal in the 96th minute of the match, but Sasho Lishev made a huge save. NIKOLA FC played a much better game than Lazgrad Bulgaria and deserved their victory. The Lazgrad Bulgaria players were clearly disappointed as they left the ground.