[ad_1]
Champion Ludogorets became the first team to beat Lokomotiv Plovdiv for the Bulgarian Cup since the end of October 2017. This happened after the “Eagles” defeated 2: 1 after overtime the two-time winner of the Bulgarian trophy. Plovdiv, who had last lost to previous winner Slavia in the “whites” championship campaign for the Bulgarian Cup in the 2017/18 season, and that was 1240 days ago.
The drama in regular time was great. Pieros Sotiriou gave the Eagles the lead in the 47th minute when he opened the door guarded by Ilko Pirgov. However, in the last seconds of the three minutes added by referee Dragomir Draganov, the trophy winner scored the match in overtime, after Georgi Minchev tied at 93. However, Mavis Chibota put Razgrad back on track victory with a goal in the 114th minute and qualified Ludogorets for the semifinals of the race. After the match, the two teams fought as referee Dragomir Draganov sent Jordan Ikoko of the hosts and Paulo Urtado of Plovdiv with a direct red card.
The two teams played a very strong match at the Huvepharma Arena in Razgrad, but in the end Valdas Dambrauskas’ rotations for the “greens” helped Ludogorets eliminate the “smurfs”, who will definitely return sad to Plovdiv.
Comments after the game:
Dambrauskas: We lost concentration in seconds, but we continue deservedly
Kahlina: We weren’t scared because we’re from Ludogorets
Tunchev: We didn’t give a chance, but we had two oversights.
After just three minutes of play, the young “Smurfs” Nikolay Nikolaev received a yellow card after abruptly entering at the feet of Bernard Tekpetei. The first blow of the match was on behalf of the “eagles”, and Alex Santana fired after an assist from Wanderson from the edge of the area, but Malembana blocked the experience of the Brazilian with a Bulgarian passport. In the seventh minute, Ilko Pirgov was called into action. Bernard Tekpetei used his speed from the left and followed a great cross to the right in the penalty area for Elvis Manu. He hit his head, but Pirgov stopped the ball in front of him.
link1 “>
An equal game followed in Razgrad, as both teams expected quick attacks, which was logical in view of the similar structures of the teams on the field, with three defenders on defense and full-backs. In the 36th minute, Dinish Almeida had a great opportunity to open the scoring. The defender received a perfect pass from Lucas Salinas after a foul, but the defender missed the ball with his head and flew out of the Kahlina-out door.
A minute later, the Smurfs launched a textbook attack. Karagaren spotted Nikolay Nikolaev on the right, who sharply crossed Georgi Minchev. The guest forward overtook Grigore and struck, but it was inaccurate and didn’t bother Kahlina. In the 40th minute, “Eagles” captain Wanderson led Jordan Ikoko down the right, but Ilko Pirgov came out well and caught the ball before the Razgrad defender shot towards his goal. Seconds later Manu combined with Wanderson, but the Ludogorets captain did not handle the ball well in the Pirgov penalty area and went to mark the “Smurfs”.
One minute before the end of the first half, Manu shot at the guest door with a direct free kick, but the ball flew over the crossbar – out. In the 45th minute, Conor Rouen could have found Georgi Minchev, who was behind the penalty spot much better, but the pass was long for the Bulgarian striker and the “eagles” defense faced danger.
The second part started dizzyingly for Ludogorets. Bernard Tekpetei invaded Lokomotiv’s penalty area from the left. He tried to cross, but Malembana cleared the ball and it landed on the grass. Tekpetei immediately spotted Sotiriou, who hit Pirgov close with his head – 1: 0.
Seconds after falling behind, Lokomotiv was able to equalize. Karagaren was removed in the scheme and returned the ball to Conor Rouen, passing the ball between the legs of Georgi Terziev. The Englishman fired, but goalkeeper Kahlina made a brilliant save. Chibota tried to block Ilko Pirgov, and the ball bounced off Malembana’s feet, but Pirgov caught it.
An hour after kick-off, Lokomotiv was able to reach the tying goal. Karagaren was taken out and ran away between Verdon and Terziev and fired, but there was a rebound and the ball went to a corner. Behind him the ball was kicked forward and Momchil Tsvetanov shot hard with his left foot, but at the last possible moment Kahlina intervened brilliantly and saved.
In the 65th minute Verdon intercepted a header from a corner, but Malembana did not allow the ball to go to Lukov’s goal. Ten before the end, Lokomotiv reserve, who is also injured, Lucas Masoero, received a yellow card after a ball was kicked in the direction of the field. This is a card №5 for the midfielder and he will miss the next match in Plovdiv.
Three before the end, the hosts’ goalkeeper Kahlina again denied Lokomotiv a goal. Dimitar Iliev returned to the edge of the penalty area for Momchil Tsvetanov, who made a strong left foot strike, but Kahlina showed a perfect reaction.
In the third minute of added time, Lokomotiv Plovdiv escaped elimination in regulation time. Dinish Almeida received the ball in the penalty area and gave a pass to the far post for Georgi Minchev, who scored point-blank from an empty goal, and this time Christian Kahlina had nothing to do – 1: 1.
Dinish Almeida attacked the Smurfs and passed Momchil Tsvetanov to the right. The defender landed in the penalty area and Tsvetanov passed him with a cross. He played with his head, but Kahlina made another save in the match. In the 102nd minute Dimitar Iliev fired in the direction of Ludogorets’ door, but Grigore launched into the split. The leader in Loko Plovdiv called for a penalty for his team, but the repetitions showed that the ball hit the Romanian’s hand, but after a rebound in his body. One minute before the end of the first half, Tekpetei spotted Chibota on the edge of the penalty area, and immediately continued towards Claudiu Kesheru to the left of Pirgov’s gate. The Romanian was left completely alone and shot very hard, but the ball did not find the contours of Plovdiv’s goal.
At the end of the first overtime, Kahlina made a save after a kick with the left foot of Christian Ilyich. In the 114th minute of the game, however, Mavis Chibota again put the “eagles” ahead. He advanced through the Lokomotiv defense and shot with his right foot, neutralizing Pirgov’s attention – 2: 1 for Ludogorets.
In the 116th minute, Tekpetei tried a powerful shot from long range, but Ilko Pirgov succeeded. This was the last football touch of the match, and after the match Jordan Ikoko and Paulo Hurtado argued and both received red cards.
AET / LOCOMOTIVE LUDOGORETS 2: 1 PLOVDIV
1: 0 Pieros Sotiriou (47)
1: 1 Georgi Minchev (90 + 3)
2: 1 Mavis Chibota (114)
Referee: Dragomir Draganov (Varna)
Stadium: Huvepharma Arena (Razgrad)
Initial lineups:
Ludogorets: 1 Christian Kahlina 5 Georgi Terziev 7 Alex Santana 10 Elvis Manu (66 ‘- Cowley Oliveira) 19 Pieros Sotiriou (96’ – Claudiu Kesheru) 21 Dragos Grigore 🟨 22 Jordan Ikoko 🟥24 Olivier Verdon 25 Stefan Badji (86 ‘- Abel Anise) 37 Bernard Tectepei 88 Wanderson (46’ – Mavis Chibota 🟨)
Bookings: 23 Plamen Iliev 12 Anise Abel 13 Mavis Cibota 28 Claudiu Kesheru 32 Josue Sa 64 Dominik Jankov 95 Cowley Sousa
Coach: Valdas Dambrauskas
Lokomotiv Plovdiv: 1 Ilko Pirgov 61 Dinis Almeida 5 David Malembana 4 Christian Gomis 11 Conor Rouen (107 ‘- Parviz Umarbaev) 44 Nikolay Nikolaev🟨 (69 ‘- Dimitar Iliev) 34 Petar Vitanov 16 Lucas Salinas (79’ – Paulo Hurtado 🟥) 7 Momchil Tsvetanov 9 Birsent Karagaren (89 ‘- Christian Ilyich 🟨) 10 Georgi Minchev
Bookings: 81 Christian Tomov 25 Lucas Masoero 🟨 6 Christian Ilic 23 Paulo Urtado 39 Parviz Umarbaev 19 Alexander Ivanov 14 Dimitar Iliev
Coach: Alexander Tunchev
Follow us anywhere and anytime with the Gong.bg mobile app. You can download it from Google Play, App Store and AppGallery.
