League

Христо Ботев
Spectators: 7620 (Terracing: 5716, Seating: 1752, VIP seats: 152) The field was rather wet after several days of rain when Radul Margitov took the kick off in the first half of the match. Lopusna's Denimir Abrashev played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Radul Margitov in the 3rd minute of play. Yosif Dogandzhiyski's late challenge caught a Ботев Пловдив's player on the shin and left him crawling around in pain. The referee blew his whistle and produced the yellow card. Yosif Dogandzhiyski helped the player get up and apologised. Yosif Dogandzhiyski kicked well hit freekick during the 3rd minute of the match. In the 4th minute, Radul Margitov 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. After a defensive mix-up in Lopusna's zone, Velcho Pogonchev stole the ball and had only the goalie to beat. Denimir Abrashev came out of the goal and Velcho Pogonchev tried to chip the ball over his head. To his dismay, the ball went over the crossbar and out of play. The crowd rose to their feet as Ботев Пловдив's Radul Margitov slotted home a wonderful shot that went in to the left of Denimir Abrashev. That made the score 1-0 after 13 minutes of play. The referee was alert and spotted a serious foul by Stoyan Tzutzumanov during the 16th minute. The player immediately received a yellow card. Stoyan Tzutzumanov hit a great freekick 16 minutes into the match. Lopusna's Denimir Abrashev proved his good apprehension of play when he, in the 18th minute of the match, managed to save Lopusna from getting a goal against them. Stoyan Tzutzumanov 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. 23 minutes into the match, Lopusna's goal looked a bit too open when Radul Margitov came free, but Denimir Abrashev reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. Denimir Abrashev showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Radul Margitov in the 28th minute of the match. The supporters of Ботев Пловдив booed when Lopusna was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 29 match minutes in a wonderful position. Yosif Dogandzhiyski didn't get a good kick on the ball. Radul Margitov recieved an excellent pass in front of the goal in the 30th minute. Unfortunately, he received the ball on his off foot and could only manage a weak shot that went over the goal. 37 minutes into the match, Ботев Пловдив's goal looked a bit too open when Yanko Brúmchev came free, but Simeon Gornenski reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. In the 41st minute Lopusna were awarded a corner. Chudomir Enchev went to the cornerflag to take it. A nice corner shot did that Chudomir Enchev got away a dangerous shot. Despite this Simeon Gornenski quite easily got ahold of the ball to make the save. After 48 minutes of play, Lopusna's Stoyan Tzutzumanov made it 1-1 when he simply outclassed the defender marking him and hit a curling shot into the right side of the net. Simeon Gornenski was left in no man's land by his defense there! After fighting hard for a draw in the first half, the players were able to take a much needed rest.

Both teams looked relatively alert before the second half when the referee blew his whistle to tell Stoyan Tzutzumanov to make the kick off. After a rather tough play, Ботев Пловдив's Mavrudi Berberov got a free kick in the 53rd minute. Stoyan Tzutzumanov received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 56th minute. Simeon Gornenski tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. Through an outstanding action, after 59 minutes, Simeon Gornenski successfully got his hands on the ball before it slid into the goal at the right post. Ботев Пловдив's Simeon Gornenski played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Stoyan Tzutzumanov in the 60th minute of play. During the 63rd minute of the match Yosif Dogandzhiyski completely mistimed his tackle and brought down his opponent. The referee gave Yosif Dogandzhiyski a yellow card, his second in the match, which meant he could no longer take part in the game. Velcho Pogonchev succeeded in the game's 65th minute to shoot an unreachable shot under the crossbar and scored - 2-1. When Yanko Brúmchev came up free with the goalie in the 71st minute, the Lopusna fans jumped to their feet. But the shot missed the goal by a fraction of an inch, and the fans sat back down disappointed that Yanko Brúmchev couldn't finish the play. Metodi Kúchev sent away a hard shot on goal in the 72nd minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. Simeon Gornenski made a fantastic save in the 77th minute, when Yanko Brúmchev sent off a good shot on target. Yanko Brúmchev fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 79th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Simeon Gornenski having to interfere. When Stoyan Tzutzumanov was, once again, overly rough in his play he received his second yellow card and was ordered off the ground. 86 minutes had been played. After a rather tough play, Lopusna's Stoyan Tzutzumanov got a free kick in the 87th minute. Delyan Belichev took a chance and fired a shot far from the goal in the 88th minute, but it turned out to be a dangerous situation for Denimir Abrashev. Lopusna's goalkeeper really had to stretch himself to stop the ball from crossing the goal line. 92 minutes into the match, Lopusna's goal looked a bit too open when Radul Margitov came free, but Denimir Abrashev reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. In the 93rd minute, Velcho Pogonchev 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. A collision led to Lopusna getting a freekick after 96 minutes play. Yanko Brúmchev hit a great ball. Lopusna's players left the field with heads hung low after losing a match that had been finely balanced throughout.