The team of Botev (Plovdiv) finished 0:0 with the team of CSKA 1948. The match from the XXVIIIth round of the efbet League was played at the “Hristo Botev” stadium. It was the third match in a row without a defeat and without a goal conceded for Dušan Kerkez’s team.
The two teams were evenly matched for most of the first half. The most unpleasant moment of the meeting occurred in the 22nd minute, when Botev’s forward Georgi Nikolov left the field due to an injury, the seriousness of which is yet to be clarified.
The first more dangerous situation in front of either goal opened in the 25th minute. Nikolay Minkov took a shot from over 20 meters, sending the ball just under the crossbar, but the CSKA 1948 goalkeeper made a great save to keep the shot away.
10 minutes later, Samuel Akere entered the penalty area from the right flank and shot, but the visitors’ keeper intervened again and blocked. By the end of the half, there was no more danger and the score remained 0:0.
The Canaries started the second 45 minutes strongly. At the start of the second half, captain Ivelin Popov entered the guests’ half and was fouled. Balogiannis stood behind the ball, shot, but again the good intervention of the goalkeeper of CSKA 1948 preserved the tie.
In the 70th minute, Christian Nachukwu had a great opportunity after a mistake in the “red” defense, but his shot from the edge of the penalty area was blocked by the visitors’ goalkeeper.
The best situation for Botev was the work of Mohamed Brahimi. In the 73rd minute, the striker launched a great shot from the edge of the penalty area, but his shot hit the crossbar.
In the closing moments of the match, Dusan Kerkez’s players were more assertive, but Hidayet Hankic had to save the goal for the “canaries” on several occasions. In the 85th minute, Pedrinho shot dangerously from a direct free kick, and Hankic failed to catch, but only deflected the ball, which was subsequently cleared by a defender in “yellow and black”.
The end of the match was marked by a very controversial situation in the penalty area of CSKA 1948. Deep in added time, Faustas Steponavicius took advantage of a mistake in the opponent’s defense to break away alone against the goalkeeper and ended up on the grass with claims that he was fouled in the penalty area. However, the referee overlooked the situation and did not award a penalty in favour of Botev, in order to preserve the final 0:0.
In the next round, Botevists host Botev (Vratsa). The match is on April 12 at 17:45 at the “Hristo Botev” stadium in Plovdiv.
BOTEV’S STARTING LINE-UP: 1. Hidayet Hankic – 17. Nikolay Minkov, 5. Jonas Tamm, 79. Atanas Chernev, 38. Konstantinos Balogiannis – 15. James Eto’o (74′ – 18. Dimitar Papazov), 6. Dylan Martens (74′ – 30. Lachezar Baltanov) – 16. Samuel Akere (67′ – 14. Faustas Steponavičius), 10. Ivelin Popov (K), 31. Ume Emmanuel (67′ – 40. Christian Nwachukwu) – 93. Georgi Nikolov (24′ – 7. Mohamed Brahimi)
RESERVES: 32. Matvey Igonen – 4. Ehije Ukaki, 42. Ivaylo Videv, 44. Biser Bonev
