The Bulgarian under-17 national team, which is led by Viktorio Pavlov, lost its second match against Azerbaijan with 0:2 in Group C of the “Granatkin Memorial” international football tournament which is held in Saint Petersburg (Russia). The Bulgarians who are a year younger than their opponents, played well for the most part of the game, showed aggression, will and devotion. They created 4-5 scoring opportunities which unfortunately they didn`t materialize.
The Bulgarians started attacking from the beginning of the match at a very high tempo with few passes. They were aggressive, the were pressing the opponent and had superior ball possession, as they created several good scoring opportunities and should have led in the result, but Kaloyan Krastev and Ivan Mitrev`s shots were saved by the goalie.
In the first minutes of the second part the Azerbaijanis were more active, but Mehdiyev and Nabiyev missed the target.
In the 68th minute Tabriz Hasanov`s players opened the scoring. Nabiyev crossed in to the penalty area, the defense cleared the ball, but it reached Guler who send it home after a ricochet from Andrea Hristov.
The Bulgarians tried everything to equalize, but Ivanov and Krastev weren`t accurate.
In the last minute the game Gadirzade shaped the final outcome after a fast counterattack.
In the other match of the group, Latvia and Slovenia finished 1:1.
Thus, after the end of the second matches, Slovenia and Azerbaijan have 4 points at the top of the table, followed by Latvia with 2 points. Bulgaria is in the last position with 0 points.
Bulgaria`s next game is against Latvia on 8th of January, Wednesday, at 13:15 hrs at Saint Petersburg sports and concert complex. In the other match of the group Slovenia confronts Azerbaijan at 18:00 hrs also at Saint Petersburg sports and concert complex.
Yellow cards: Kiril Nikolov, Dimitar Kostadinov, Petko Hristov (Bulgaria); Jeyhun Mukhtarl?, Oksuz Dogukan (Azerbaijan).
Bulgaria U17: 1. Dimitar Sheytanov – C., 3. Borislav Vakadinov (73 min. - Georgi Kostov), 14. Andrea Hristov, 15 Petko Hristov, 16. Dimitar Iliev, 8. Dimitar Kostadinov (46 min. - Stanislav Ivanov), 10. Nikolay Yankov, 11. Ivan Tilev (62 min. - Alexander Zlatkov), 20. Kiril Nikolov (73 min. - Angel Angelov), 17. Ivan Mitrev (59 min. - Ilian Yurukov), 13. Kaloyan Krastev
Head coach: Viktorio Pavlov
Azerbaijan: 1. Murad Popov, 2. Seyligli Huseyin, 3. Rijat Garayev, 4. Yusif Hasanov (80 min. - Ismayil Babayev), 5. Elchin Asadov - C., 7. Farid Nabiyev (90 min. - Arziman Rizvanov ), 8. Metin Guler (84 min. - Suleyman Ahmadov), 10.Pilagha Mehdiyev, 9. Oksuz Dogukan, 11. Murad Mahumudov (80 min. - Ibrahim Gadirzade), 15. Jeyhun Mukhtarli (46 min. – Jem Murat Akpinar)
Head coach: Tabriz Hasanov
Referee: Evgeny Mamoyko
Assistant referees: Mikhail Paspopov, Alexander Rodionov
Fourth official: Alexey Kuznetsov
You can watch the full match record here:
https://www.youtube.com/embed/QMT2OL6ZxQE
Department "Public Relations and Media"
