Botev (Plovdiv) managed to turn the score against Beroe with a man less and won its visit to Beroe with 2:1 in a match from the fifth round of the First League championship, BTA reported.
In the first half, Stara Zagora had more scoring chances than its opponent, but the result was opened a minute after the game resumed, when Nene scored his first goal for Beroe. Emil Martinov from Botev received a direct red card in the 54th minute and left his team with a man less. Dimitar Mitkov equalized in the 81st minute, after he headed in Todor Nedelev's cross from a corner kick. The success for Plovdiv came in the last minute of the match, when after another corner, Carlos Algara scored an own goal for 2:1 in favor of Botev.
Staro Zagorje is in 9th place in the standings with an asset of 5 points, while Botev is in 10th position with 4 points.
Both teams started the match very actively and by the 5th minute there were serious dangers in front of both goals. Even before the end of one minute from the start of the match, Alberto Salido crossed into the opponent's penalty area, and there Juan Salomoni hit a header, which was cleared in front of the goal line by Nicola Soldo.
In the counterattack, the ball was dangerously crossed into the penalty area of Beroe, where Artur Mota cleared it, but at the feet of the onrushing Steven Petkov. After a kick to the striker's leg, the ball went inches over the crossbar.
Juan Pineda took a shooting position in the 5th minute and fired a shot that was blocked by Daniel Naumov.
In a new dangerous attack for Beroe, Daniel Naumov blocked a shot by Nene, who in the 16th minute received the ball from Tijan Sona and immediately shot from the edge of the penalty area.
A minute later, Juan Pineda also found the goal line after a shot from outside the penalty area, but again the Botev guard intervened.
Again, the hosts had the opportunity to open the score first. In the 21st minute, Salido received after a blunder in the defense of Plovdiv, but left alone against Naumov, he sent the ball over the goal.
A shot by Todor Nedelev from distance in the 34th minute was saved by Artur Mota, and in the counterattack Alberto Salido was brought out with one touch by Nene behind the defense and shot from close range, but Daniel Naumov cleared it for a corner.
Beroe took the lead only 55 seconds after the game resumed. Then Nene received in the penalty area from Salido and sent the ball into the far corner of the goal - 1:0
Botev responded with a strong shot by Steven Petkov from about 20 meters, which hit the crossbar. The ball fell to Todor Nedelev, who also shot into the top right corner of Mota, but the home goalkeeper saved.
Plovdiv were left with a man less in the 55th minute. VAR intervened after a foul by Emil Martinov and referee Martin Velikov sent off the Botev player after reviewing the situation.
In the 75th minute, Todor Nedelev controlled a long pass into the opponent's penalty area, elegantly feinted a defender and shot from a small angle, but Artur Mota cleared it for a corner.
Botev equalized in the 81st minute, when Dimitar Mitkov headed Todor Nedelev's cross from a corner – 1:1.
The complete turnaround came in the last minute of the match, when after another cross from a corner, Carlos Algara scored an own goal - 1:2.
This is how Beroe recorded its fourth consecutive loss in Stara Zagora against this rival in the championship and continues to be unsuccessful in the "Derby for Thrace" for 11 consecutive matches in the championship.
In the next round, Beroe hosts the champion Ludogorets on August 25 at 9:15 p.m., and Botev was supposed to host Levski, but the match was officially postponed by the Bulgarian Football Union.