Despite playing with many reserves and academy youth players, Ludogorets drew 2:2 with Arda.
The visitors took the lead with their first chance of the match. It came in the 6th minute after a mistake by Nikolay Nikolov, who failed to clear the ball twice with his head and once with his foot, setting it up for Stanislav Ivanov, who fired a powerful shot that left Damyan Hristov with no chance – 1:0 for the team from Kardzhali. Immediately after, Tonislav Yordanov could have scored a second, but missed the target from a great position. Then, the home side’s goalkeeper Damyan Hristov saved a shot by Shinyashiki. In the 14th minute, the Brazilian from Arda took a spinning shot, but the crossbar saved the “Eagles.”
In the 28th minute, Arda nearly scored a second. Stanislav Ivanov stole the ball from Emerson Rodriguez and made a brilliant pass to Andre Shinyashiki, whose ball ended up with Bobi Tsonev. He went past the goalkeeper, but young Simeon Shishkov cleared the ball off the line.
In the 33rd minute, Ludogorets equalized! After a fast attack down the right, Nikolay Nikolov crossed the ball, which struck Borislav Tsonev’s hand. Referee Vladimir Valkov, officiating his final professional match, logically pointed to the penalty spot. Tekpetey stepped up and made no mistake – 1:1.
At the end of the first half, Ludogorets coach Igor Jovicevic received bad news. During an aerial duel, Vyacheslav Velev elbowed Tekpetey badly, causing him to collapse. The Ghanaian could not continue and had to be stretchered off. He will remember his return for the goal – and unfortunately, a not-too-serious injury that forced his substitution.
At the start of the second half, Damyan Hristov made a mistake while clearing the ball, gifting it to Serkan Yusein, who shot immediately, but the keeper corrected his error. The home team responded with a dangerous shot from Todor Nedelev, which flew over the bar. In the 65th minute, Nedelev shot powerfully again, but once more missed the target. In the counterattack, Chinonso Offor headed the ball, but also failed to hit the mark. In the 70th minute, Anatoliy Gospondinov saved his team when Georgi Rusev fired a surprise shot from about 20 meters out, but the Kardzhali keeper was alert.
Ludogorets completed the comeback in the 77th minute. Todor Nedelev delivered a corner to Ivan Yordanov, who volleyed the ball. After a deflection, it landed at the feet of an unmarked Erick Bile, who scored from close range – 2:1. Shortly after, Emerson Rodriguez came close to scoring, but Anatoliy Gospondinov made a difficult save.
Arda, however, didn’t give up and managed to equalize. After an attack from the left, Borislav Tsonev crossed perfectly to Tonislav Yordanov, who outjumped Deny Gropper and made it 2:2. Toward the end, the visitors logically pressed forward, and in stoppage time Damyan Hristov made a brilliant save after a powerful shot from Borislav Tsonev, stopping Arda from claiming third place and sending them into a playoff against CSKA.
