Botev and Lokomotiv ended in a 2:2 draw in the 119th edition of the Plovdiv derby. The two teams met in a match of the second round of the First League and offered a spectacular clash in front of about 15,000 spectators at the “Hristo Botev“ stadium.
Nikola Iliev gave an advance to the “yellow-black“ in the 17th minute, and in the 56th, Michy Ntelo equalized. "The Yellow and Black" took the lead again in the 72nd minute with a goal from Ehije Ukaki, but in the second minute of stoppage time, Julien Lamy gave his team the point, capitalizing on a mistake by Botev's keeper Hans Christian Bernat.
The Plovdiv derby was marked by several incidents, after before the start of the match there was a clash between the supporters of the two teams, and in the 70th minute of the match some of the fans of the “canaries” fought with each other in the South Stand and this necessitated the intervention of the police.
Before the start of the meeting, Radina Velichkova was awarded from Botev (Plovdiv), who won a gold medal in the girls' 100 meters at the European Athletics Championships for juniors and girls under 18 in Banska Bystrica, Slovakia.
The hosts started the match more actively and in the 13th minute they were very close to a goal. Nikolay Minkov crossed from the right flank into the penalty area, where two Lokomotiv defenders lost the ball and it fell to the feet of Nikola Iliev, whose shot from about 11 meters was deflected by Martin Lukov with his foot.
Four minutes later, however, the teenager of “yellow and black“ gave his team the lead. Konstantinos Balogiannis crossed from the left to Akere, he chested down to Iliev, who beat two opposing players and technically overcame Lukov for 1:0.
In the 34th minute, Jaime Eto‘o tried a shot from over 25 meters, which fell right into the hands of the Lokomotiv keeper.
Thus, the break came with a goal lead for the “yellow-black“, as the “black-and-white“ did not have a single shot on goal in the first half.
However, the second part started with an excellent chance for the “railwaymen”. Even before 60 seconds had expired and after the resumption of the game, Lyuboslav Penev's players launched a quick counterattack, at the top of which Michy Ntelo ended up. The Belgian striker was brought on by Dimitar Iliev alone against Hans Christian Bernat and tried to trick him, but was slow and his finishing shot was blocked with a header by Antoine Conte.
In the 48th minute “the Smurfs” they were close to an equalizer again. The ball was crossed from the left flank to Martin Petkov in the penalty area, he brought down around the penalty spot to the uncovered Georgi Karakashev, who, however, shot over the crossbar.
In the 56th minute, Lokomotiv equalized. Again, Dimitar Iliev made a clever pass behind Botev's defense and brought Michy Ntelo from the left into the penalty area, and this time the batter managed to drop the ball under Bernat's dive and scored for 1:1.
„The Canaries” tried to answer in the 66th minute. Minkov broke through the center and combined on the right with Ehije Ukaki, who controlled and passed parallel to the goal line, where two of his teammates missed the ball.
In the 72nd minute, Dusan Kerkez's players took the lead again. Konstantinos Balogiannis received from the left in the penalty area and returned to the second post to the uncovered Ukaki, who intercepted in Lukov's net for 2:1.
Immediately after the resumption of play from the center, Dimitar Iliev received a penalty around the penalty spot and attempted a shot that was blocked, and then Vladimir Medved shot wide of the target.
In the 75th minute, Ivelin Popov brought Martin Sekulic alone from the left into the penalty area, but the Croatian's finishing shot went wide of the post.
Eight minutes later, James Eto‘o tried to find Christian Nwachukwu with a long pass behind the defence. Martin Lukov came forward and cleared with a header, but the ball fell to the feet of Ivelin Popov, who tried to convert into the empty goal with a shot from over 35 meters. However, the guard of Lokomotiv recovered his position in time and managed to cope.
In the second minute of the added nine as a continuation of the match, Lokomotiv equalized. Martin Haydarov shot treacherously from about 25 meters, the ball fell in front of Hans Christian Bernat, who failed to catch it, and in the extra time, Julien Lamy scored into the empty goal for 2:2, thus forming the final score.