Lokomotiv G. Oryahovitsa secured a 1-0 victory over Spartak Pleven in the fourth round of the Second League on Saturday evening. The result keeps the visitors in 11th place with 10 points from seven matches, while Spartak remain 15th on 7 points. It was a match decided by efficiency rather than dominance, with the away side taking their opportunity when it came.
The decisive moment arrived in the 22nd minute when Z. Ivanov fired home for Lokomotiv. Spartak had dominated possession with 59 per cent and registered 143 attacks against their opponents' 108, but they struggled to find the net. The hosts managed only two shots on target all evening, while Lokomotiv were more clinical with three attempts on goal.
The match grew increasingly physical as it progressed. Lokomotiv picked up five yellow cards compared to Spartak's three, with cautions coming at regular intervals from the 54th minute onwards. There were three substitutions for Spartak around the hour mark, including Georgiev, Matos, and Kozhuharov, but they could not find a way back into the game.
Both sides made changes in the closing stages. Spartak brought on Spasov, Rangelov, and Ivanov, while Lokomotiv introduced Avramov in the 79th minute. The visitors also worked two corners compared to Spartak's eight, suggesting the hosts pushed forward in search of an equaliser but lacked the cutting edge to trouble the Lokomotiv defence.
The result extends Lokomotiv's unbeaten run to three matches, though they have only won one of those. Spartak's poor form continues, and they are now four points from safety with three defeats in their last four league outings. The gap between the sides remains clear, but this was a match where three or four moments could have gone either way.