The Peruvian First Division will start on 12 March with two groups for Stage 1

The 2021 Peruvian First Division will eventually start on 12 March, postponed from 26 February, due to the problems caused by a new COVID-19 wave in Peru.

However, today, the date scheduled initially for the start, the competition had some sort of start, as the two groups meant for Stage 1 were established according to a drawing of lots. The competition has been somehow changed for 2021, as the ”normal” Apertura and Clausura tournaments were replaced by the so-called Stage 1 and Stage 2, followed by the championship play-off. Stage 1 will be shorter, as teams are divided in two groups of nine, and there will be only 9 rounds, followed by the Stage 1 final, to be played between the winners of the two groups. The winners of Stage 1 will qualify for the play-offs and for the next year Copa Libertadores. Stage 2 will only be played in the second half of the year (after Copa América) and will involve a single round robin, where every team will face every other team once, in a total of 17 rounds. The winners of Stage 2 have the same rights as the winners of Stage 1, so they qualify for the play-offs and for Copa Libertadores. If the same team wins both stages, they are declared champions and no play-offs are to be played. If not, the two winners, along with the top two teams in the aggregate table of the two stages (if others than the two stage winners), qualify for the play-offs, which might involve semifinals and a final. The bottom two teams in the aggregate table will be relegated to Liga 2, while the team classified 16th qualifies for a relegation play-off.

Regarding the drawing of lots, teams were first aggregated in pairs of two, according to location and rivalry, and it was decided that these teams should be each in a different group, and they will play a ”classic” match between them, when they are both not scheduled to play in their group. Given that groups are made of an odd number of teams (nine), in every round there is one team from each group which does not play; these two teams are those paired from the very beginning. The 2020 play-off finalists, Universitario de Deportes and Sporting Cristal, formed the first pair and they are also the favorites of their group. The two groups for Stage 1 are the following:

Group A

Universitario de Deportes
Academia Cantolao
Universidad de San Martín
Cienciano
FBC Melgar
Alianza Atlético
Carlos A. Mannucci
Ayacucho FC
UT Cajamarca

Group B

Sporting Cristal
Sport Boys
Deportivo Municipal
Cusco FC
Deportivo Binacional
Carlos Stein
Sport Huancayo
Universidad César Vallejo
Alianza Universidad

Matches will be played Fridays, Saturdays and Mondays. There will be no matches on Sundays, due to traffic restrictions and other limitations. It is supposed that teams will be allowed to host matches on their own stadiums, unlike the previous season, when all matches were played in Lima and Callao. All games will be broadcasted by Gol Perú.

Round 1 (12-15 March 2021)

Group A

Carlos A. Mannucci - Academia Cantolao
Ayacucho FC - Universidad de San Martín
Cienciano - UTC
Universitario - FBC Melgar

Group B

Sport Boys - Universidad César Vallejo
Deportivo Municipal - Sport Huancayo
Alianza Universidad - Cusco FC
Binacional - Sporting Cristal

”Classic” match

Alianza Atlético (Group A) - Carlos Stein (Group B)

In the second round, the classic match will be played between Cusco FC and Cienciano.

FK Sevlievo won 2-0 away at OFK Tryavna in local derby

Sunday, the 21st of February 2021, 2 pm local time (12 noon UTC), Angel Kanchev Stadium, Tryavna, Bulgaria, the 18th round of the Bulgarian Third League - North-West Group.

The spring season started early for the teams included in the North-West Group of the Bulgarian Third League. Amid challenges regarding COVID-19 pandemic, the cold weather and snow-covered pitch, the first round of the second half of the season also featured the first local derby, involving two teams located in Gabrovo District, OFK Tryavna and FK Sevlievo. However, the two teams are really at the opposite ends of the table, as OFK Tryavna are second to last, and fight to avoid relegation, while FK Sevlievo are second, and still have hopes for promotion.

During the winter break, OFK Tryavna brought some reinforcements, and no less than five new players started the game: Ivaylo Iliev, Tihomir Marinov, Georgi Georgiev, Todor Chirpanov and Radoslav Baichev, with other newcomers on the bench.

However, in the field, FK Sevlievo proved to be the better team, which controlled the game most of the time. The match was very much disputed, especially in midfield, where the fight for ball possession was fierce. There were few real goal opportunities and the first half ended 0-0.

In the second half, Oktay Azisov (Tryavna) suffered a serious injury after a rough contact with one of the opponents. The visitors pressed harder and eventually scored, by means of Atanas Georgiev: 0-1 (62'). OFK Tryavna tried to come back in the game, but all hopes were lost for Tryavna when Galin Stoyanov, who came in as a substitute, doubled the advantage for Sevlievo: 0-2 (66').

The situation remains complicated for OFK Tryavna, which are in the relegation area. Despite the defeat, their play improved and they might get better results in the coming matches. Their next game will be away at Etar 2 Veliko Tarnovo, next Sunday. FK Sevlievo maintain the 7-point gap between them and leaders Levski 2020 Lom, and they will face Spartak Pleven at home next week.

OFK Tryavna: Miroslav Kirov (cpt.) - Georgi Atanasov (Tomislav Kolev 81'), Vesko Karakolev, Oktay Azisov (Tsanko Slavov 52'), Ivaylo Iliev, Tihomir Marinov, Georgi Georgiev, Todor Chirpanov (Lachezar Kazakov 81'), Vasil Andreev (Stanislav Atanasov 86'), Radoslav Baichev, Martin Shirtev (Anatoly Kikov 46'). Manager: Daniel Hristov. Unused subs: Delyan Arabadzhiev and Aleksandar Damyanov.

FK Sevlievo: Dimitar Pantev - Atanas Fidanin, Georgi Pavlov, Ivaylo Ivanov, Pavlin Ivanov, Ilian Trifonov, Stefan Ivanov (Nikolai Nikolaev 51'), Hristian Vassilev, Atanas Georgiev, Milen Ivanov, Nikolai Banov (Galin Stoyanov 64', Stanimir Andreev 77'). Manager: Ivan Stoyanov. Unused subs: Hristo Lalev - Christian Kolev, Stevian Makaveev.

Referee: Ventsislav Koznichki.

Yellow cards: Georgi Georgiev 29', Ivaylo Iliev 65' - Georgi Pavlov 20', Ilian Trifonov 82'.

 

Full results, table and fixtures:

Round 18 (20-21 February 2021)

 

OFK Levski 2007 – Etar 2 Veliko Tarnovo 4-0

Bdin 1923 Vidin – Spartak Pleven 1-1

OFK Tryavna – FK Sevlievo 0-2

Parva Atomna Kozloduy – Lokomotiv 1927 Dryanovo 1-3

Akademik Svishtov – Vihar Slavyanovo 2-2

Levski 2020 Lom – Yantra Polski Trambesh 2-1

OFK Pavlikeni – OFK Lokomotiv Mezdra 0-0

Partizan Cherven Bryag – Peshtera Galata 4-1

Botev 2 Vratsa – FK Drenovets 5-1

 

Table

 

1	Levski 2020 Lom	18	13	5	0	39-6	44	Promotion to Vtora Liga
2	FK Sevlievo	18	11	4	3	36-14	37
3	Botev 2 Vratsa	18	11	3	4	40-18	36
4	Partizan Cherven Bryag	18	11	2	5	33-21	35
5	Vihar Slavyanovo	18	10	4	4	35-16	34
6	Yantra Polski Trambesh	18	10	3	5	30-19	33
7	Spartak Pleven	18	10	2	6	40-19	32
8	OFK Pavlikeni	18	8	5	5	21-13	29
9	Lokomotiv Dryanovo	18	9	0	9	39-41	27
10	OFK Lokomotiv Mezdra	18	7	3	8	24-21	24
11	OFK Levski 2007	18	6	5	7	25-21	23
12	Akademik Svishtov	18	6	1	11	22-33	19
13	FK Drenovets	18	5	4	9	28-42	19
14	Parva Atomna Kozloduy	18	5	3	10	23-29	18
15	Etar 2 Veliko Tarnovo	18	5	3	10	19-33	18
16	Peshtera Galata	18	4	3	11	30-49	15
17	OFK Tryavna	18	2	2	14	11-43	8	Relegation to regional leagues
18	Bdin 1923 Vidin	18	2	2	14	13-70	8	Relegation to regional leagues

 

Round 19 (28 February 2021)

 

Botev 2 Vratsa – Bdin 1923 Vidin

FK Drenovets – Partizan Cherven Bryag

Peshtera Galata – OFK Pavlikeni

Yantra Polski Trambesh – Akademik Svishtov

Vihar Slavyanovo – Parva Atomna Kozloduy

Lokomotiv 1927 Dryanovo – OFK Levski 2007

FK Sevlievo – Spartak Pleven

Etar 2 Veliko Tarnovo – OFK Tryavna

OFK Lokomotiv Mezdra – Levski 2020 Lom

Sohag - Fayoum 1-0 in the 14th round of the Egyptian Second Division - Group A

Saturday, the 20th of February 2021, 2.30 pm local time (12.30 pm UTC), Sohag Stadium, Sohag, Egypt, the 14th round of the Egyptian Second Division, Group A.

Fayoum SC had a difficult game away at Sohag. The home side started very well and scored relatively early, by Ahmed Hatem, in the 15th minute of the game, with a long-range shot. Fayoum tried hard to equalize, but Sohag defended well and preserved their advantage until the end. With this result, Sohag climbed above Fayoum in the table.

Fayoum starting line-up: Islam Emad Risha - Mahmoud Kamal ”Schmeichel”, Ayman Mazika, Hamad Al Hanbali, Ahmed Abd Elhakim - Hussein Khaled, Ahmed Emad Dabbash, Karim Al Shafei - Mohamed Adel Gomaa, Anas Shendy, Adham Hassan. Manager: Ahmed Bakri.

Adham Hassan (Fayoum SC, in blue) struggled a lot, but Fayoum strikers did not find a way to score at least one goal. Source: Fayoum SC Facebook page

In the next round, the last of the first half of the season, Fayoum will face Telephonat Beni Suef at Alassiouty Sport Resort, while Sohag will play away at Media.

Full results, table and fixtures:

Round 14 (20 February 2021)

 

Shaban Qena – Qena 0-1

M.S. Samasta – El Minya 0-1

Eastern Company – Asyut Cement 2-0

Aluminium – Tahta 3-0

Telephonat – Beni Suef 2-0

Sohag – Fayoum 1-0

Asyut Petroleum – Media – to be played on 22 February

KIMA Aswan – Dayrout – to be played on 22 February

 

Table

 

1	Eastern Company	14	10	3	1	20-9	33	Promotion to the Premier League
2	El Minya	14	8	4	2	15-7	28
3	Aluminium	14	7	4	3	19-12	25
4	Dayrout	13	6	4	3	25-17	22
5	Media	13	5	6	2	18-9	21
6	Beni Suef	14	5	5	4	14-13	20
7	Sohag	14	5	5	4	9-8	20
8	Fayoum	14	5	4	5	12-12	19
9	Shaban Qena	14	3	8	3	8-8	17
10	Qena	14	4	4	6	11-18	16
11	Telephonat	14	3	5	6	8-10	14
12	Asyut Petroleum	13	3	5	5	7-9	14
13	M.S. Samasta	14	3	4	7	8-12	13	Relegation to the Third Division
14	KIMA Aswan	13	2	6	5	11-15	12	Relegation to the Third Division
15	Tahta	14	2	5	7	10-24	11	Relegation to the Third Division
16	Asyut Cement	14	0	6	8	9-21	6	Relegation to the Third Division

 

In case that two or more teams are equal on points, the main ranking criteria are the results of the head-to-head matches.

 

Round 15 (27 February 2021)

 

Beni Suef – Aluminium

Asyut Cement – M.S. Samasta

El Minya – Shaban Qena

Dayrout – Asyut Petroleum

Media – Sohag

Fayoum – Telephonat

Tahta – Eastern Company

Qena – KIMA Aswan