Botev Враца secured a 3-2 victory over Септемврий София at the Национален стадион "Васил Левски" on Friday, moving into the upper half of Bulgaria's First League table. The result extends Botev's unbeaten run to two games after five consecutive defeats, while Септемврий's three-match unbeaten streak came to an end.
Септемврий dominated possession at 59 per cent and created more chances, but Botev's efficiency told. Martin Smolenski opened the scoring for the hosts in the 41st minute, capitalising on a moment of space in the box. Pedro Igor equalised just after the break, finding the net in the 53rd minute as Botev began to settle into the game.
Галин Иванов put the visitors ahead in the 73rd minute, a well-taken goal that shifted the momentum. By then, the visitors had sensed blood, pressing forward despite being outplayed in possession. Септемврий responded with urgency, with two late goals in the 86th and 89th minutes to complete the comeback.
The statistics paint a picture of a match where chances were not always converted. Септемврий registered 121 attacks with 8 shots on target, while Botev managed 101 attacks and 4 shots on target. To be fair, the visitors took their moments more clinically, converting three of their four on-target efforts.
Substitutions tell part of the story, with both managers reshaping their sides. Botev brought on Kassim Hadji and Vladislav Naydenov in the 84th minute, while Септемврий introduced Preslav Borukov and Galin Ivanov's replacement. The final whistle brought a substitution for Kubrat Onasci, closing out a frantic ten minutes.
Септемврий remain in sixth place with 9 points from 8 games, while Botev move up to 10th with 5 points. The gap between them narrows, though both sides have room to improve. Three or four moments decided this match, not the possession figures or the attack counts.
