FK Sevlievo - OFK Tryavna 2-2 in the first round of Bulgarian Treta Liga - North-West Group

Sunday, the 11th of August 2019, 18:00 local time (15:00 UTC), Rakovski Stadium, Sevlievo, Bulgaria, the first round of Treta Liga (Third League), Severozapadna (North-West Group).

OFK Tryavna started well the new season, with an unexpected draw, away at Sevlievo. The match raised a lot of interest also because it is a local derby between two clubs of Gabrovo Province. FK Sevlievo are at least theoretically involved in the fight for promotion to the Second Professional League, as they finished third last year, much the opposite of OFK Tryavna, which barely escaped relegation.

As a consequence, FK Sevlievo started the match as favorites. Nevertheless, the visitors defended well and scored early, on a counterattack, finalized by Ivaylo Hristov: 0-1 (8').

The home side dominated the game and attacked almost continuously, and this eventually paid off, as the referee awarded them a penalty for a hand ball of a Tryavna player inside his own area. Atanas Georgiev transformed the penalty and equalized: 1-1 (25').

The match intensified in the last ten minutes. After a lot of possession and many attacks, FK Sevlievo succeeded to score again: Atanas Georgiev crossed the ball and Rostislav Donchev headed it into the net: 2-1 (82').

It looked like the winning goal for the home side, but the visitors disagreed and during the additional time they equalized, much to the astonishment of the home crowd: Vasil Andreev crossed the ball from a free kick and Alex Zgriparov scored: 2-2 (90'+3').

It is a good result for OFK Tryavna, which would try to avoid the last year experience, when they were saved from relegation in the final round. They will play the next game at home against OFK Pavlikeni, another team considered better. OFK Tryavna and OFK Pavlikeni played a friendly game in pre-season, exactly in Tryavna, and Pavlikeni won 2-1. In the first round, OFK Pavlikeni were one of the performers, as they crushed Bdin 1923 Vidin 5-1, quite a surprise, especially because of the score.

So it looks like OFK Tryavna would be again the outsider, even if they play at home.

Full results of the first round and fixtures of the second round in Severozapadna Treta Liga (Third League - North-West):

Round 1 (11 August 2019)

Akademik Svishtov – Kom Berkovitsa 5-0

FK Sevlievo – OFK Tryavna 2-2

OFK Pavlikeni – Bdin 1923 Vidin 5-1

OFK Lokomotiv Mezdra – Parva Atomna Kozloduy 2-0

Lokomotiv 1927 Dryanovo – Partizan Cherven Bryag 2-1

FK Drenovets – Vihar Slavyanovo 2-0

Yantra 2019 Gabrovo – Juventus 95 Malchika 4-0

Round 2 (18 August 2019)

Kom Berkovitsa – Juventus 95 Malchika

Vihar Slavyanovo – Yantra 2019 Gabrovo

Partizan Cherven Bryag – FK Drenovets

Parva Atomna Kozloduy – Lokomotiv 1927 Dryanovo

Bdin 1923 Vidin – OFK Lokomotiv Mezdra

OFK Tryavna – OFK Pavlikeni

Akademik Svishtov – FK Sevlievo