Friendlies Clubs· Season 2026
Montana beat Spartak Pleven 3-1 in their final pre-season friendly at Stadion Ogosta, with Olcay Aliev scoring twice after Vasil Simeonov saved a crucial penalty.
Match Analysis
AI SummaryHow It Unfolded
Montana ended their pre-season campaign with a convincing 3-1 win over Spartak Pleven at Stadion Ogosta on Saturday, as Olcay Aliev scored twice in a dominant first-half display.
The match turned inside two minutes just before the quarter-hour mark. Spartak Pleven were awarded a penalty in the 17th minute when Stefan Kamenov was adjudged to have handled the ball, but Preslav Antonov saw his spot-kick saved by Montana goalkeeper Vasil Simeonov.
Montana punished the miss immediately. From the resulting attack, Olcay Aliev's shot was parried by Spartak goalkeeper Petar Petrov, and Hristo Ivanov followed up to slot home the rebound in the 18th minute.
Olcay Aliev took centre stage from there, making it 2-0 in the 28th minute before adding a third in the 39th — his second of the afternoon and third in two friendly appearances after also scoring against Slavia Sofia on 11 July.
Spartak Pleven pulled one back in the 59th minute when Montana defender Dejan Kuzmanovic, attempting to pass back to his goalkeeper, inadvertently turned the ball into his own net.
The Turning Point
Simeonov's penalty save in the 17th minute completely flipped the momentum. Spartak Pleven had the chance to take the lead away from home; instead, Montana scored on the counter-attack within 60 seconds, and the floodgates opened. Three goals in 22 minutes effectively killed the contest before half-time.
Key Performers
- Olcay Aliev (Montana) — Two goals (28', 39') in a clinical first-half display, taking his pre-season tally to three. His movement between the lines caused constant problems for the Spartak defence.
- Vasil Simeonov (Montana) — The crucial penalty save from Antonov in the 17th minute kept the scores level at a pivotal moment.
- Hristo Ivanov (Montana) — Opened the scoring with a poacher's finish in the 18th minute, reacting quickest to the rebound.
By the Numbers
Montana led 3-0 at half-time having scored three times in a 22-minute spell bookended by a saved penalty. The second half was a more even affair, with both sides making numerous substitutions. No cards were issued across the 90 minutes — a reflection of the friendly nature of the contest. The xG data is not available for this fixture, but the three first-half goals came from five shots in the period.
What It Means
Montana finished their pre-season programme with two wins (3-1 vs ABF, 3-1 vs Spartak Pleven), one draw (1-1 vs CSKA II) and two defeats (0-1 vs Vihren, 2-7 vs Slavia Sofia) from five friendlies. The team was presented to supporters before kick-off ahead of their 2026/27 Second League campaign.
Montana's first competitive fixture is away to Sportist Svoge on Saturday 25 July 2026 at 18:30 local time. Spartak Pleven's pre-season schedule continues ahead of their own league campaign.
Verdict
A pre-season friendly decided by a pivotal penalty save and a ruthless first-half counter-punch. Aliev's double underlined his value as a goal threat ahead of the season, but the defensive lapses that led to the own goal offered a reminder of the work still needed before the Second League opener.
Match Details
Competition: Friendlies Clubs (World), Season 2026 Date: 18 July 2026 Venue: Stadion Ogosta, Montana Score: Montana 3-1 Spartak Pleven (HT 3-0)
Scorers: Hristo Ivanov 18', Olcay Aliev 28', 39' — Dejan Kuzmanovic 59' (og)
Missed penalty: Preslav Antonov 17' (saved)
Montana XI: Vasil Simeonov, Matyu Kingsli, Dejan Kuzmanovic, Petar Atanasov, Mario Balakov, Boril Grigorov, Hristo Ivanov, Olcay Aliev, Daniel Rangelov, Stefan Kamenov, Martin Milushev
Subs: Yulian Veskov, Vladi Laskov, Kristiyan Valkov, Dimitar Avramov, Georgi Karakashev, Petar Todorov, Hasan Strandzhev, Radoslav Slavchev, Velislav Vasilev
Cards: None
Match Events
Key match events between Montana and Spartak Pleven — 5 goals and 0 cards recorded during the match.
Missed Penalty
Rivalry since 2019
Montana vs Spartak Pleven Head to Head Results· 8
Montana and Spartak Pleven have met 8 times — Montana won 6, Spartak Pleven won 2, with 0 draws. Their rivalry dates back to 2019. Montana leads the head-to-head with 6 victories from 8 meetings. A combined 14 goals have been scored across these fixtures, averaging 1.75 per match (10 for the home side, 4 for the visitors). Both teams scored in 1 match (13%). Over 2.5 goals landed in 2 games (25%), making it a fixture that tends to produce goals. The highest-scoring encounter finished 2–1 in 2024.
Statistics are for informational purposes only. Past performance does not guarantee future results.
API data: 19 Jul 2026