CSKA and Levski ended in a draw 2:2 in a match from the 23rd round of the Bulgarian championship, played at the National Stadium “Vasil Levski“ in the capital. CSKA was leading 2:0 until the 95th minute, but allowed an equalizer.
In front of nearly 25,000 spectators at the National Stadium Vasil Levski, the "Reds" were close to success after goals by Ioannis Pitas and the teenager Petko Panayotov, but the "Blues" snatched the point with goals in the added time by the reserve Iliyan Stefanov and the Portuguese Aldair, BTA reported. CSKA remains in eighth position with 33 points, while Levski is in second position with 50 points, seven behind the leader Ludogorets.
Both teams started too cautiously, at a slow pace on a rainy Sofia afternoon and did not offer exciting football in the first 30 minutes. Everything more interesting in the first half happened at the end of the half.
In the 40th minute, Johannes Pitas scored his first championship goal for CSKA. Levski defender Kristian Dimitrov made a mistake in bringing the ball out and gave it to Ulaus Skarshem, who passed it to Pitas and the Cypriot with a classy play and a powerful shot under the crossbar gave the "reds" the lead. The "blues" response was late and in the 44th minute Maicon brought in Javad El Jemili, who sent the ball into the net, but after reviewing the situation with VAR, the goal was canceled due to a very "thin" offside by Jemili. In added time, Ioannis Pitas again shot powerfully, but this time goalkeeper Markovic managed to knock it out for a corner.
Levski went on the attack after the break in search of an equalizer, but the first good situation for the second 45 minutes opened up for CSKA, but Stanislav Shopov failed to hit the ball well. A comical mistake in the counterattack almost led to an own goal, after goalkeeper Ivan Dyulgerov cleared the ball into Thibaut Vion's head and after the ricochet the ball passed centimeters from the empty goal.
In the 84th minute, the star moment came for the teenager Petko Panayotov, who appeared in the game only a minute earlier on the field and with a nice breakthrough through the center and a precise shot into the lower left corner left no chances for the goalkeeper - 2:0. The goal was Panayotov's first for the CSKA representative team. "The Reds" decided that they had won the match and were punished in the added time. The hero for Levski was Iliyan Stefanov, who came on as a substitute. He pulled one back for 1:2, and in the 13th minute of the added time he assisted Aldair, who scored for the final 2:2. A minute before the second goal for Levski, there was a massive melee between the two teams, which ended with red cards for James Eto'o from CSKA and Fabio Lima from Levski.
CSKA youngster Petko Panayotov was left with mixed feelings after the 2-2 draw in the derby with Levski. The talented midfielder came on as a substitute and literally seconds later scored his debut goal for the representative team with a nice shot into the bottom right corner, giving the "reds" a 2-0 lead. In added time, Levski managed to equalize with goals from Iliyan Stefanov and Aldair.
"We gave our all. It's never good when CSKA doesn't win. At 2-0, it's our fault that we missed out on the victory. Incredible emotion when we scored the goal. While we were celebrating with my teammates, I felt like time had stopped. An incredible experience. "It's always good when in the Bulgarian championship, Bulgarian boys use their chances," said Petko Panayotov.