Ludogorets (Razgrad) achieved a home success against Botev (Vratsa) with 2:1 in a match from the third round of the Bulgarian football championship and equalized on points with the leader in the standings Levski (Sofia), BTA reported.
Thus, both teams have 9 points after three matches played, but due to their better goal difference, the "blues" retain their first place. Vratsa remains in 11th position with one point from the first three rounds of the championship.
Bernard Tekpetei and Ruan Cruz brought the victory to the "eagles" with two goals before halftime, and the guests from Vratsa managed to respond through substitute Preslav Borukov in the second half. The hosts had to finish the match with a man less after midfielder Emerson Rodriguez was sent off with a straight red card for dangerously stepping on Milen Stoev's feet.
Ludogorets got a chance to open the scoring in the second minute, when Simeon Shishkov made a breakthrough on the left flank of the attack, crossed to Petar Stanic, who was in Botev's penalty area, but the Serb was not accurate with his header attempt.
In the 11th minute, after a mix-up in the visitors' penalty area, the "eagles" They had another chance to take the lead, but a ricochet from Ruan Cruz's foot went over the bar.
The home team's pressure eventually led to the first goal in the 22nd minute, by Bernard Tekpetei, who got the best of a header from Razgrad captain Ivaylo Chochev, who forced goalkeeper Marin Orlinov to save. The rebound fell in front of Tekpetei's head, who sent the ball into Botev's net from close range.
By the end of the half, Ludogorets' players had created several more dangerous chances - in the 37th minute, Tekpetei was again in the spotlight when he brought Ruan Cruz alone against goalkeeper Orlinov, but the Brazilian striker shot wide of the goal. A few minutes later, the Brazilian had another chance, but this time he was off-target with his header.
In the added time of the first half, the team from Razgrad doubled their lead precisely through Ruan Cruz, who, on his third attempt within ten minutes, this time made no mistake. When Stanic crossed from a corner, Chochev deflected the ball to Tekpetey, who hit the top post. Ruan Cruz was the most resourceful and scored with a header.
At half-time, the visiting coach Todor Simov resorted to substitutions, replacing two of his offensive players - Daniel Genov and Kasim Hadzhi, with Martin Smolenski and Preslav Borukov. The only more dangerous situations until the middle of the second half for Botev were in front of Saynei Sanyang, whose shot was saved by Henrik Bonman, and shortly after, Borukov, who came on as a substitute, shot over the crossbar.
In the following minutes, Vratsa were the more dangerous of the two teams, and their attacks paid off when in the 72nd minute, Preslav Borukov received a cross from Martin Smolenski and headed a precise shot towards the goal of Henrik Bonman, who was unable to react.
The hosts had to finish the match under pressure, after in the 84th minute, midfielder Emerson Rodriguez came in with his buttons at the foot of Vratsa central defender Milen Stoev. Initially, the referee only gave a yellow card, but a review of the situation with the video assistant referee (VAR) system led to a change in the card and Rodriguez was sent off with a straight red card, leaving his team with a man less.
In the ten remaining minutes, including the four added by the referee, Botev failed to score an equalizer and Ludogorets earned a valuable three points, which brought them level with Levski at the top of the standings.