Lokomotiv Plovdiv and CSKA Sofia played out a 1:1 draw in the Bulgarian First League at Lokomotiv Stadium on Sunday. The result leaves the visitors still sitting second in the table, while the hosts remain in eleventh place after ten matches. Parvizdzhon Umarbaev opened the scoring for the home side in the tenth minute, before Ioannis Pittas found an equaliser for CSKA just eight minutes later.
And here's the thing — Lokomotiv held that lead for nearly half an hour. The visitors pressed through the first period but could not find a way past the home defence. Ryan Lucas picked up a booking for the hosts in the forty-third minute, and the game opened up after the break when D. Mrankov came on for Lokomotiv in the forty-sixth.
By then the yellow cards had started to accumulate. Junior Burban and Umarbaev were both cautioned in the sixties, and Lokomotiv brought on Christ Longville, Efe Ali and David Samuel Custódio Lima in quick succession. CSKA responded with changes of their own, bringing on Teodor Ivanov and James Eto'o, while Barry Cotter received a yellow card in the eighty-fifth minute.
The statistics tell a familiar story. CSKA dominated possession at 68 per cent and registered 148 attacks compared with 78 for Lokomotiv. They also won the corner count 12 to 1 and took more shots, though accuracy was similar at around 20 per cent for both sides. Lokomotiv were more clinical in front of goal, converting one of two shots on target, while CSKA scored from four attempts.
The draw does little to shift the standings. CSKA remain clear at the top of the table with 24 points from seven wins and three draws, without a defeat. Lokomotiv have only seven points from two victories and one draw, and seventh place remains a long way off. To be fair, the result reflects a game where the visitors had more of the ball but the hosts took their chances when they came.
