Botev (Plovdiv) started the pre-season friendlies with a 1:0 win over Beroe, and Emmanuel Umeh scored the only goal. The match was played at the “Hristo Botev” stadium and the entrance was free, with a large number of supporters of the “canaries” watching their favorites from the stands.
The “yellow and black” created the first clear-cut situation of the match, but Christian Nwachukwu hit the post in the 17th minute. Three minutes later, Ume made it 1:0 with a precise shot into the far corner. Beroe responded with a header from Pineda, but Matvei Igonen’s intervention preserved Botev’s lead.
In 30′, Dusan Kerkez made a triple substitution. Goalkeeper Hans Christian Bernat, Matthias Remeikis and Martin Sekulic appeared on the field, and Igonen, Nikolay Minkov and Alexa Maraš gave up their places.
The Danish keeper of the “yellow-black” was tested a little later, but saved Sagardia’s effort from distance. By the end of the first half, Jonas Tamm also had a chance to score, but his header hit the post.
For the start of the second half, Atanas Chernev, Siriki Diabate, Kostas Balogiannis, Antonio Perera, James Eto’o, Ehije Ukaki, Alain Korošets and a football player on trials appeared on the field. After an hour of football, Nikola Iliev, Christian Cassi, and Daniel Kaiser also took part in the game. Despite the three chances in front of Botev in the second half, another goal was never achieved.
Four of the Canaries’ new signings took part in the friendly with Beroe. For Maraš, Korošec and Bernat, it were their first minutes with the “yellow-black” jersey, while Iliev played for the first time at the Hristo Botev Stadium.
On Sunday (June 23), the team leaves for a camp in Pravets and will stay there until July 1. Botev will play four more matches until the end of his training — on June 25 with Cherno More in Pravets and on June 28 with CSKA 1948 in Bistritsa. After returning to Plovdiv, Botev will meet Botev II on July 2 at the Nikola Shterev-Starika football complex, as well as Krumovgrad FC at the Hristo Botev stadium on July 3.
Botev’s starting line-up: 32. Matvey Igonen, 17. Nikolai Minkov, 5. Jonas Tamm, 19. Antoine Conte, 18. Dimitar Papazov, 3. John Emmanuel, 28. Yanis Karabelyov, 10. Ivelin Popov (C), 40. Christian Nwachukwu; 31. Emmanuel Umeh, 44. Alexa Maraš
