Ludogorets is back as the overall leader in First League after defeating Etar with a 4:1 score. Keseru was the best player of the game and scored three goals.

Ludogorets’ coach Antoni Zdravkov did his best and included the players who took a break from the game against Slavia – Marcelinho, Keseru, Moti, Nedyalkov, Campanharo, Lukoki and Renan.

Both teams hesitated to attack at first because they wanted to avoid making a mistake. Mane tried to surprise Renan but he failed. Ludogorets was close to a goal in the 19th minute but Moti’s kick sent the ball into the gate beam. A couple of minutes later Ivanov had no chance after Campanharo passed to Keseru who got in control of the ball and scored. The champions added the second goal in the 25th minute. Keseru passed to Lukoki and he was faster than Etar’s defense. He passed to Marcelinho who scored easily. Lukoki outran the defense once again in the 35th minute and passed to Keseru, but Ivanov saved.

Etar returned a goal in the following counter attack. Dyakov made a split but calculated the maneuver wrong. Bojaj outplayed Moti and passed to Mane who scored for 1:2. Ludogorets added the third goal after Cicinho passed to Keseru. Skerlev slipped and Keseru scored with his right foot. Batrovic, Sarmov and Wanderson each tried to score by the end of the first half but both keepers saved.

Keseru added his third goal in the 65th minute. Marcelinho passed to him and the Romanian kicked the ball which hit the ground and the crossbar, after which it went straight into the gate. Keseru had a chance for another goal immediately after that. This would have been enough to surpass Kostov for the scorer prize, but Keseru missed. Campanharo’s goal in the 58th minute was cancelled due to an offside situation.

Paulo tried to surprise Ivanov from the foul point in the 71st minute. The ex-Botev player tried to score twice after that but the keeper saved each time. The pace slowed down in the last minutes of the game and Zdravkov decided to replace Marcelinho, Dyakov and Wanderson. He wanted to save their strength for the upcoming game against AEK Larnaca. Lukoki passed to Keseru three minutes before the end, but he sent the ball high above the crossbar.

The score was a proof that Ludogorets is Etar’s toughest competitor because the team from Razgrad won all six games between the two clubs.

ETAR (VELIKO TARNOVO) – LUDOGORETS  1:4

0:1 Keseru (21')

0:2 Marcelinho (25')

1:2 Mane (36')

1:3 Keseru (38')

1:4 Keseru (54')

Etar: Ivanov, Skerlev (47 – Artyunin), Stoyanov, Mane, Galabov, Sarmov, Kolev (61 – Rumenov), Atanasov, Pocanski (74 – Stoyanov), Batrovic, Bojaj

Ludogorets: Broun, Natanael, Cicinho, Moti, Nedyalkov, Campanharo, Dyakov (77 – Swierczok), Wanderson (65 – Paulo), Marcelinho (73 – Sasha), Keseru

Yellow cards: Mane (Etar); Cicinho (Ludogorets).