Unexpected win from OFK Tryavna, 2-1 over Spartak Pleven, right before the winter break

Sunday, the 29th of November 2020, 2.30 pm local time (12.30 pm UTC), Angel Kanchev Stadium, Tryavna, Bulgaria, the 17th round of the Bulgarian Third League, North-West Group (Severozapadna Treta Liga).
The young OFK Tryavna team, last classified in the North-West Group of the Bulgarian Third League, produced the surprise of the last round before the winter break, winning 2-1 over Spartak Pleven, one of the candidates for promotion. It is interesting to note that Tryavna was unable to get at least one point from the previous four matches, against more ”accessible” teams, but did win unexpectedly in this round, to make their supporters happy before the winter celebrations.
Spartak Pleven had lots of opportunities, but it was the host team which was more efficient in front of the goal. OFK Tryavna took the lead after a corner, as Pleven's goalkeeper Dimitar Visochkov misjudged the ball and allowed Vasil Andreev to head it in: 1-0 (28'). A few minutes later, Hristo Tsonev could have doubled Tryavna's advantage, but was denied by Visochkov.
In the second half, Spartak Pleven started very strongly, decided to turn the match in their favour. The equalizer came also as a result of a corner, as Ivo Varbanov headed for 1-1 (53'). The pressure intensified, but Tryavna's defence resisted. After missing several opportunities, Spartak Pleven remained in ten men, as Stephen Slavkov received a second yellow card and was sent off (65'). This eased things up for OFK Tryavna, which started again to look for a winning goal. Despite missing a good chance, Hristo Tsonev eventually found the winning shot, which took a deflection out of a Pleven defender and tricked Visochkov: 2-1 (80').
Tryavna: Miroslav Kirov (cpt.) - Georgi Atanasov, Tsanko Slavov, Oktay Azisov, Vesko Karakolev, Hussein Veisov, Ilian Tosunov (Aleksandar Damyanov 90'), Stanimir Andreev, Delyan Donchev (Stansilav Atanasov 90'), Hristo Tsonev (Daniel Totev 88'), Vasil Andreev. Manager: Daniel Hristov.
Pleven: Dimitar Visochkov - Tsvetelin Ivanov, Ivo Varbanov, Lachezar Kovachev, Peter Vankov, Ivo Ivanov, Ivaylo Radentsov (cpt.), Stephen Slavkov, Aleksander Skorchev, Ivaylo Ivanov, Mitko Rusanov. Manager: Krassimir Bislimov.
Referee: Georgi Davidov.
Yellow cards: Hussein Veisov 37', Miroslav Kirov 54', Ilian Tosunov 61' - Stephen Slavkov 24', 65'.
Red card: Stephen Slavkov 65' (for the second yellow card).

Full results, table and fixtures:

Round 17 (27-29 November 2020)

 

Botev 2 Vratsa – Peshtera Galata 3-1

FK Drenovets – Bdin 1923 Vidin 4-1

Partizan Cherven Bryag – OFK Lokomotiv Mezdra 1-0

OFK Pavlikeni – Yantra Polski Trambesh 0-1

Levski 2020 Lom – Vihar Slavyanovo 0-0 – played at Chiprovtsi due to works at Lom stadium

Akademik Svishtov – Lokomotiv 1927 Dryanovo 0-1

Parva Atomna Kozloduy – Etar 2 Veliko Tarnovo 3-0

OFK Levski 2007 – FK Sevlievo 0-2

OFK Tryavna – Spartak Pleven 2-1

 

Table

 

1	Levski 2020 Lom	15	11	4	0	34-4	37	Promotion to Vtora Liga
2	FK Sevlievo	16	10	4	2	34-12	34
3	Botev 2 Vratsa	16	10	3	3	34-14	33
4	Yantra Polski Trambesh	17	10	3	4	29-17	33
5	Partizan Cherven Bryag	17	10	2	5	29-20	32
6	Spartak Pleven	17	10	1	6	39-18	31
7	Vihar Slavyanovo	16	9	3	4	30-14	30
8	OFK Pavlikeni	17	8	4	5	21-13	28
9	Lokomotiv Dryanovo	17	8	0	9	36-40	24
10	OFK Lokomotiv Mezdra	17	7	2	8	24-21	23
11	OFK Levski 2007	17	5	5	7	21-21	20
12	FK Drenovets	17	5	4	8	27-37	19
13	Parva Atomna Kozloduy	17	5	3	9	22-26	18
14	Akademik Svishtov	17	6	0	11	20-31	18
15	Etar 2 Veliko Tarnovo	16	5	2	9	18-28	17
16	Peshtera Galata	17	4	3	10	29-45	15
17	OFK Tryavna	17	2	2	13	11-41	8	Relegation to regional leagues
18	Bdin 1923 Vidin	17	2	1	14	12-69	7	Relegation to regional leagues

 

Postponed matches to be played (probably) in December 2020

 

FK Sevlievo – Levski 2020 Lom (round 14, scheduled on 2 December 2020)

Vihar Slavyanovo – Botev 2 Vratsa (round 14)

Levski 2020 Lom – Etar 2 Veliko Tarnovo (round 15)

 

Round 18 (February or March 2021)

 

Bdin 1923 Vidin – Spartak Pleven

OFK Tryavna – FK Sevlievo

OFK Levski 2007 – Etar 2 Veliko Tarnovo

Parva Atomna Kozloduy – Lokomotiv 1927 Dryanovo

Akademik Svishtov – Vihar Slavyanovo

Levski 2020 Lom – Yantra Polski Trambesh

OFK Pavlikeni – OFK Lokomotiv Mezdra

Partizan Cherven Bryag – Peshtera Galata

Botev 2 Vratsa – FK Drenovets

Rivera's hat-trick brought a 3-2 win for Cusco FC over Llacuabamba in their last match of the 2020 season

Saturday, the 28th of November 2020, 11 am local time (4 pm UTC), Iván Elías Moreno Stadium, Lima (neutral ground), the 9th (final) round of the Stage 2 (Clausura), Group B, Peruvian First Division.
Cusco FC and Deportivo Llacuabamba met in the first match of the last round of Stage 2, an official match which looked very much like a friendly, given the fact that there was nothing really at stake for any of them. Cusco FC were out of the relegation area but too far from either winning Group B of Stage 2 or classifying in the top eight in the overall table to get to a continental cup. Deportivo Llacuabamba were already relegated and could not avoid the last place in the overall table, regardless.
Cusco FC, with almost half the regular starters (Carando, Gonzales, Carranza, Atoche, Chávez) missing for various reasons, played very well in the first half, trying to counteract the steady advance and ball possession of Llacuabamba. After a corner, Delgado's header was deflected by a defender with his hand, so the referee gave a penalty to Cusco. Pósito missed however, as goalkeeper Prieto guessed correctly where his shot would be directed (28'). It seems like Cusco FC really has a problem with scoring from the penalty spot, as several other penalties were also missed this season (usually by Carando). Cusco FC took the lead nevertheless a few minutes later, after another corner: Toledo passed back to Rivera, whose shot from 15 metres went into the upper right corner, touching the crossbar before getting in: 0-1 (35'). They doubled the advantage on a fast attack, as Pósito passed to Ramúa, who left the ball for the same Rivera, whose shot, from the centre of the area, was perfectly placed near the post: 0-2 (42'). It all looked solved, but in the stoppage time of the first half, a beautiful collective action of Llacuabamba ended up in a goal, as Trauco finished from short range the assist provided by Bustamante: 1-2 (45'+1').

José Rivera's hat-trick was decisive for Cusco FC in this match. Source: ovacion.pe

In the second half, Deportivo Llacuabamba controlled the game and equalized rather early, as Segundo Acevedo transformed in great style a free kick from about 20 metres: 2-2 (50'). At 2-2, Deportivo Llacuabamba had the ball more and attacked more, but Cusco FC had the best chances, by Delgado and Rivera. It was in the last minute when the winning goal came from the foot of the same player, José Rivera, who finished from inside the area another pass back from Toledo: 2-3 (90').
Llacuabamba: Prieto - Ja. Vásquez, Di Laura (Olaya 85'), Ji. Vásquez, Raguso (Cerna 75') - Pachas, Paico - Bustamante (Pérez 66'), Acevedo, Trauco (Ruiz 85') - Valera (Otero 85'). Manager: Alberto Castillo.
Cusco: Pretel - Toledo, Saravia, Paniagua, Céspedes - Valenzuela, Delgado - Rivera, Ramúa (Velásquez 46'), Guidino (Morales 88') - Pósito. Manager: Carlos Ramacciotti.
Referee: Luis Ciriaco.
Yellow cards: Paniagua 18', Toledo 49', Guidino 79'.
Cusco FC finished fourth in Group B and either 11th, 12th or 13th in the overall classification, which is anyway their worse performance since they promoted to the Peruvian First Division in 2011. Carlos Ramacciotti would stay as manager for the next year and hopefully he and his team will find the ways to bring this team back among the top teams of the Peruvian First Division.

The Lebanese Premier League will resume on the 8th of December 2020. Hussein Tahan is the new assistant manager of Bourj FC

The Lebanese FA has decided to resume the Lebanese Premier League on Tuesday, the 8th of December 2020, after several weeks of break, caused by the matches of the national teams, and the national situation related to the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic in Lebanon. Only six rounds have been played so far, out of the 11 rounds initially scheduled to be played before the end of the year.

Last results, table and fixtures:

Round 6 (6-8 November 2020)

Ansar – Safa 6-1

Shabab El Bourj – Ahed 1-1

Shabab Al-Ghazieh – Shabab Sahel 0-2

Nejmeh – Al Akhaa Al Ahly Aley 1-1

Salam Zgharta – Tadamon Sour 0-2

AC Tripoli – Bourj 0-0

Table

 

1	Ansar	6	5	0	1	15-3	15	AFC Champions League
2	Al Akhaa Al Ahly Aley	6	4	2	0	7-2	14	AFC Cup
3	Shabab Sahel	6	4	2	0	6-1	14
4	Nejmeh	6	3	3	0	12-3	12
5	Shabab El Bourj	6	2	2	2	9-6	8
6	Al Ahed	6	2	2	2	6-7	8
7	AC Tripoli	6	2	1	3	4-7	7
8	Safa	6	2	1	3	8-13	7
9	Bourj	6	1	3	2	8-8	6
10	Tadamon Sour	6	1	1	4	2-5	4
11	Shabab Al-Ghazieh	6	1	0	5	2-11	3	Relegation to the Second Division
12	Salam Zgharta	6	0	1	5	2-15	1	Relegation to the Second Division

If two or more teams have the same number of points, the results of direct matches between them are the main ranking criteria.

Round 7 (8 December 2020)

Ansar – Salam Zgharta

Shabab El Bourj – Bourj

Shabab Al-Ghazieh – Safa

Al Ahed – Shabab Sahel

Nejmeh – Tadamon Sour

AC Tripoli – Al Akhaa Al Ahly Aley

In the meantime, Bourj FC brought Hussein Tahan as assistant manager, as the former assistant manager, Fouad Hijazi, became full manager after former manager Mohamad Dakka has been sacked at the beginning of November after a series of inconclusive results.

Hussein Tahan (in yellow, no. 8) is a former Bourj FC player and the new assistant manager of Bourj FC. Source: Bourj FC Facebook page

Hussein Tahan is a former Bourj FC player and is well-known to Bourj FC fans, who greeted his arrival at the club.