Nessebar qualified for the 1/16 finals of the Sesame Cup of Bulgaria, after eliminating Rodopa Smolyan 3:1 after extra time. The match in Smolyan, however, was marked by serious tension and several controversial refereeing decisions.
In regular time, the two teams failed to produce a winner, and the key moment came in the 90th minute. The chief referee Nikolay Zapryanov awarded a penalty in favor of Nessebar, which caused a violent reaction in the stands.
The tension escalated, with bottles and bombs flying onto the pitch, and fans invaded the pitch to seek an explanation from the refereeing team. The police had to enter the field and take action to control the situation. The entrance to the stadium was also closed for a certain period.
After the final referee's signal, the situation escalated again. Some of the supporters invaded the field again, and serious threats were heard from the stands against the referee. Zapryanov was chased by players and had to leave the field quickly to avoid a physical confrontation.
In the end, Nessebar managed to take advantage of its opportunities in extra time and reach the 3:1 victory, which secured a place in the next round of the tournament.
The match in Smolyan will certainly remain in the field of view of the disciplinary authorities because of the incidents during and after the match.