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Bulgaria allowed a 1-1 draw at the end of their debut match of the new edition of the League of Nations against Ireland. The match is also the debut of our national team in the times of the coronavirus. Bozhidar Kraev opened in the 56th minute after an excellent assist from Todor Nedelev. In the 93rd minute, as if out of nowhere, guest captain Shane Duffy equalized, scoring with a header from a corner kick.
In the National Stadium “Vasil Levski” there were less than 200 people together with the expanded teams of both teams and coaching staff, all officials. Only the selectors were near the field. The reserves were in the stands – in two areas of sector “A”. There were about twenty people in the official box. There were about 50 media representatives, with one person standing on the bench of a journalistic bench and in line. There are only around 15 photojournalists and videographers on the runway and behind the doors, ensuring live TV broadcast. Only one journalist and one photographer came to Sofia from Ireland. A dozen more lone butlers stood in the stands, watching one by one from the empty sectors. There is no family return of children’s balls. The national flags are not raised on the field, and during the anthems before the start of the match they are held by 4 children in the stands. The refereeing team and the medical team exhaust the audience in the stadium. Absolutely all the screams on the field are heard … This is the reality for international matches under the auspices of UEFA at this time according to the special protocol for the return of football and at the level of national teams after the coronavirus pandemic.
The Bulgarian national team had not played a game since February. The host of Ireland marked the start of a new campaign in the Nations League tournament, in which we lost in a group with Wales and Finland. The second meeting of the “lions” is on September 6 in Cardiff. These matches are also a dress rehearsal for the Euro soccer blitz, which was postponed until 2021.
On October 8, at the Vasil Levski stadium in Sofia, Bulgaria receives Hungary. If the “tricolor” win, on November 12 they will face the victorious Iceland – Romania in the final playoff of the European final phase, and the match would again be in Sofia.
The Bulgarian national team program until the end of the year includes 4 more matches for the Nations League: guests from Finland (October 11), hosts from Wales (October 14), hosts from Finland (November 15) and guests from Ireland (November 18).
The start of the new campaign in the tournament against Ireland in Sofia was Petar Zanev’s first game as captain of the national team after the retirement of Ivelin Popov. Coach Georgi Dermendzhiev chose the one who left “Levski” in the direction of the “Black Sea” Georgi Georgiev to start a starter at the expense of Nikolay Mihailov and Martin Lukov. Strahil Popov was preferred as a right back over Cicinho. Zanev and Christian Dimitrov started a center pair of defenders and Nedyalkov, a left defender. Kristian Malinov and Georgi Kostadinov came out as support midfielders. In front of them as playmaker and Todor Nedelev. Spas Delev and Galin Ivanov attack from the flanks, and Bozhidar Kraev overcame the attack, taking the number 10 of Ivelin Popov’s national team.
The Bulgarians debuted with their new teams. The first chance was for the “lions”, but a weak header from Galin Ivanov did not hinder goalkeeper Randolph. In the 9th minute, Zanev also tried to shoot his head, but lightly and directly at the guard.
In the 14th minute Christian Dimitrov made a mistake in the export, Connelly crossed and invaded the penalty area, but instead of choosing a goal pass, he shot and did not hit the door.
In the 29th minute an excellent opportunity opened up for Bulgaria. Anton Nedyalkov stopped an Irish attack and launched a Bulgarian one. He led Nedelev behind defense, the “Botev” star (Pd) dominated his chest, hit the ball before the goalkeeper came out across it, then passed Randolph, but also passed the gate.
10 minutes before the end of time Galin Ivanov was sent off down the left wing, and the guests’ goalkeeper had to leave the penalty area decisively. Throwing it forward to block Ivanov’s attempt to pass the ball into the gate, the Bulgarians called for a hand outside the penalty area, but a signal from nearby Austrian referee Schutengruber did not follow.
In the last minute of the first half, Ireland squandered an excellent opportunity. Stevens invaded the left wing and crossed O’Dow, who couldn’t catch in the net behind Georgiev.
In the 56th minute Todor Nedelev deftly misled an opponent and led Bozhidar Kraev into the penalty area, and the serious Danish “Midtjylland” player played in cold blood and sent the ball into the Irish net – 1: 0.
In the 79th minute, captain Zanev had to leave by force after an injury. Fifteen minutes earlier, he had experienced severe pain after a decisive intervention and a thread that prevented Ida from breaking. Zanev was replaced by his CSKA teammate Plamen Galabov, who flew to the national team in the last minute after Slovan (Bratislava) refused to release Vasil Bozhikov.
In the 81st minute, substitute Spas Delev Birsent Karageren came out just to the right of the goalkeeper, tried to squeeze the ball into the opposite angle, but missed the yawning part of the goal and sent the ball wide.
In the third minute of the total of five minutes of added time, Ireland almost accidentally managed to take a corner kick without putting pressure on the Bulgarian goal. However, tall defender Shane Duffy seized the cross, jumped on Galabov and sent the ball headfirst into the net behind Georgi Georgiev.
With a late goal, Wales won the visit of Finland 1: 0 in the other match in our group, against the host “dragons” of Bulgaria in Cardiff.
BULGARIA – IRELAND 1: 1
1: 0 Bozhidar Kraev (56)
1: 1 Shane Duffy (90 + 3)
BULGARIA: Georgi Georgiev, Strahil Popov, Kristian Dimitrov, Petar Zanev (79 – Plamen Galabov), Anton Nedyalkov, Kristian Malinov, Georgi Kostadinov, Spas Delev (76 – Birsent Karagaren), Todor Nedelev (83 – Alexander Tsvetkov), Galin Ivanov, Bozhidar Kraev
IRELAND: Darren Randolph, Matt Doherty, Shane Duffy, John Egan, Enda Stevens, James McCarthy (70 – Robbie Brady), Connor Hurricane, Jeff Hendrick, Aaron Connelly, Callum O’Dowda (74 – Callum Robinson), Adam Ida (77 – Shane Long)
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