Pirin won with 1:0 the champion Ludogorets as a guest in a match of the 22nd round of the First League. This was the third success for our team in the season and the second in a row as a guest of this opponent, after at the end of 2021 year "Eagles" won with 5:3.

In the added time of the first part, Preslav Yordanov scored for us from a penalty, convicted of a violation against Danilo Kondrakov by Franco Russo. Initially, the side judge raised his flag for offside the striker. VAR had to intervene and after a long review of the situation a penalty was eventually awarded.

The second half started with a good opportunity for Igor Thiago. However, he failed to head a pass from the left. Nedelev then fired powerfully from the penalty spot, but a defender blocks the shot. In the 65th minute, Todor Nedelev set the ball on his left foot and shot dangerously past the goal. A minute later, Kovalev intervened brilliantly after a strong blow by Kiril Despodov. Pirin's guard showed great reflexes.

In the 70th minute, after a breakthrough on the right flank, the ball reached Igor Thiago. He tried a heel shot, but Kovalev was careful and parried the blow. In the 73rd minute, the former player of Botev Plovdiv dangerously crossed the ball from a corner kick and the Ukrainian guard intervened. Three minutes later, the goalkeeper showed his class again after Igor Thiago's left-footed shot.
In the 84th minute, Todor Nedelev shot with his right foot. Good pass for Igor Thiago, but the attacker failed to tap.

Two minutes later goalkeeper Kovalov presciently stepped forward and outside his penalty area in an attempt to clear the ball after a long pass to Thiago. The guard shook his head, and subsequently remained on the ground, which forced the referee to stop the game. This made the football players in green nervous and it came to a standoff between the two teams.

In the fifth minute of added time, Kiril Despodov was very close to equalizing, but inches separated him from the goal with his right-footed attempt. Two minutes later, Kovalev closed his door again after a shot from the edge of the penalty area. In the last minute, Marcel Bibishkov came face to face with Sergio Padt, but couldn't beat the keeper.

LUDOGORETS – PIRIN 0:1
0:1 Preslav Yordanov (45+1 e)

LUDOGORETS: Sergio Padt, 2. Pippa, 14. Danny Grouper, 7. Paradise Nascimento De Oliveire, 8. Claude Gonsalves, 9. Igor Tiago, 11. Kirill Despodov, 22. Franco Rousseau, 23. Manuel Kafumana, 24. Olivier Verdon, 88. Todor Nedelev;

PIRIN: 12. Maxim Kovalev, 11. Andrey Yordanov, 72. Ryan Senhaji, 29. Martin Bachev, 19. Vyacheslav Velev, 10. Slavcho Shokolarov (90+1 – 8.Dmytro Semeniv), 18. Martin Smolensky (90+1 – 73.Ventsislav Bengyuzov), 20. Chebrails Makreckis, 26. Ivan Tasev (76-25.Marcel Bibishkov), 9. Preslav Yordanov (70-24.Boris Tyutyukov), 14. Daniil Kondrakov;

STADIUM: "Huvepharma Arena", g. Razgrad

JUDGE: Evelyn Zanev