Ludogorets defeated Malmo but dropped out of the Champions League

The Bulgarian champion fought against Malmo and won with a 2:1 score but dropped out of the Champions League. Still, Ludogorets will compete in Europa League.

Nedyalkov scored the first goal in the 10^th minute. Ricks’ following goal was cancelled thanks to VAR.

VAR decided that Ludogorets has the right to a penalty kick in the 60^th minute and Sotiriou scored. The guest team kept stalling the game in the final minute.

The Swedish team earned a penalty in the first minute and Birmancevic kicked the ball. It went to Nilsen who tried to score but failed. Colak tried the same but Kahlina kicked the ball out. Ikoko cleared it into a corner.

Despodov received the ball and tried to send it into Malmo’s gate but a defender cleared it into another corner. Nedyalkov scored next, and VAR confirmed the goal. Malmo evened the score in the 16^th minute when Ricks scored. VAR was used again and the referee Turpen decided there was an offside and canceled the goal.

Dambrauskas replaced Oliveira in the 31^st minute when Inocent and him fought on the pitch. Yankov took Cauly’s place. Minutes later, Sotiriou received the ball from Despodov and sent it out. Ricks tried to score again but Kahlina saved. Dalin was injured and Diavara replaced him in the 39^th minute.

Yankov fouled a player and the Swedish team evened the score from the direct free kick. Birmancevic scored the goal. Wanderson attacked the competitor’s gate and decided to go for it alone. The assistant referee decided there was an offside.

Dambrauskas replaced Ikoko and Badji with Santana and Cicinho during the halftime. Nedyalkov tried to score as soon as the second half began but Diavara saved. Sotiriou almost scored in the 55^th minute but the ball went very near the woodwork.

Ludogorets received the right to a penalty kick in the 59^th minute. Sotiriou scored for 2:1.

Four minutes later, Kahlina saved Birmancevic’s goal attempt. The same happened in the 74^th minute. Tchibota replaced Wanderson next. He sent the ball to Malmo’s penalty zone from the medium but nobody took advantage of that. Five minutes before the end, Tchibota claimed he was kicked in the head but the French referee showed a yellow card to one of Dambrauskas’ assistants after he denied it.

Malmo stalled the game in every way in the final minutes and the referee only added five minutes to the regular time.

LUDOGORETS – MALMO 2:1

1:0 Nedyalkov (10’)
1:1 Birmancevic (42’)
2:1 Sotiriou (60’)

LUDOGORETS: Kahlina, Ikoko (46 – Cicinho), Plastun, Verdon (63 – Sa), Nedyalkov, Oliveira (31 – Yankov), Badji (46 – Santana), Goncalves, Despodov, Sotiriou, Wanderson (74 – Tchibota)

MALMO: Dalin (39 – Diavara), Levitski (90+1 Rakip), Ahmedhodzic, Nilsen, Brorson, Birmancevic, Inocent, Christijansen, Ricks, Colak (90+1 – Abubakari), Berget

Yellow cards: Badji, Yankov, Sotiriou (LUDOGORETS), Ahmedhodzic, Ricks (Malmo)