Botev Plovdiv and Beroe Stara Zagora drew 0:0 in a match from the 20th round of the First League. The match was played in front of about 6,000 spectators at the Hristo Botev Stadium in Plovdiv.
The two teams lived up to the expectations for a derby and played the most interesting match of the round in the domestic championship. The Plovdiv team can regret the missed success more, after they had control of the match and missed a number of chances.
Before the match, some of the greatest legends of the “Canaries” received a standing ovation on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the 8:1 victory over Beroe. Symbolically, the opening kick was taken by the little hero Denis Eminov.
In the first minutes, the two teams were more likely to scout each other and there were no dangers in front of the two goalkeepers. In the 23rd minute, a long-range shot by Lucas Araujo was cleared by the “green” guard.
7 minutes later, Jaume Valens again saved a sure goal, after a powerful shot by Nikolay Minkov. In the 40th minute, Daniel Naumov made a superb save, parrying a very dangerous shot by Alberto Salido.
In the 41st minute, Nikola Iliev’s shot flew wide of the target. In the remainder of the first half, luck turned its back on Botev, after three consecutive shots were miraculously parried by the “green” goalkeeper.
After the break, the guests focused on stalling time, using all sorts of tactics to achieve their goal. The “Yellow-Blacks” had a strong territorial advantage and attempted attacks on the flanks and through the center.
Shots by Nedelev and Baloyannis failed to score. Instead, the guests were close to scoring, but the duel between Kuhinya and Naumov was won by the Plovdiv goalkeeper.
The massive pressure of the “Canaries” continued with every minute, and the best situation came deep at the end of extra time, when Nikola Iliev shot into the near corner, but the goalkeeper intervened brilliantly.
On Thursday afternoon, Botev faces Lokomotiv in the city derby of the 1/4 finals of the Bulgarian Cup.
Botev’s starting lineup: Daniel Naumov, Nikola Soldo, Nikola Iliev, Todor Nedelev, Pedro Igor, Nikolay Minkov, Franklin Mascotte, Konstantinos Baloyannis, Ivaylo Videv, Lucas Araujo, Simeon Petrov
Subs: Hristian Slavkov, Gabriel Noga, Gabriel Zlatanov, Aleksa Maras, Emerson Rodriguez, Samuil Tsonov, Carlos Algarra, Edson Silva, Samuel Kalu
