Friendlies Clubs· Season 2026
Etar Veliko Tarnovo beat Botev Plovdiv 2-1 in a pre-season friendly at Komatevo. Goals from Tsanev (4') and Petrov (65') gave Etar the win; trialist John scored late for Botev.
Match Analysis
AI SummaryHow it unfolded
Etar struck inside four minutes. A corner kick was headed home at the near post by Tsvetomir Tsanev, who was left completely unmarked to give the visitors an early lead. Almost immediately, Botev's Lucas Araujo saw a shot cleared off the goal line by a covering defender.
Botev manager Stanislav Genchev fielded a heavily experimental lineup featuring several trialists, and the hosts struggled to find rhythm. In the 19th minute, Samuil Tsonov tested Etar goalkeeper Nikola Videnov, who saved comfortably. The best chance of the half for Etar came in the 31st minute when Chavdar Ivaylov broke clean through one-on-one, only for Botev keeper Hristiyan Slavkov to stand tall and make the save. Just before the break, Nikola Iliev dragged a shot wide of the far post.
Etar controlled the early stages of the second half. Slavkov was forced into a sharp close-range save in the 47th minute, and his replacement Nikolay Prundzhev — introduced on the hour — was also called into action quickly.
The decisive moment arrived in the 65th minute. Atanas Atanasov was found in the Botev penalty area and laid the ball across to Petar Petrov, who turned his marker and fired past Prundzhev to double Etar's lead.
Botev's pressure told only in the 89th minute. Trialist Alex John combined neatly with fellow trialist Dera Anyacho and finished calmly to reduce the deficit to 2-1, but it was too late for a equaliser.
The turning point
Petar Petrov's goal in the 65th minute was the killer blow. Botev had weathered the early Etar pressure of the second half and were beginning to establish themselves, but the quick combination between Atanasov and Petrov sliced through the defence. It forced Genchev's experimental side to chase the game, and although John's late goal gave the scoreline some respectability, the second goal effectively ended the contest as a competitive affair.
Key performers
Tsvetomir Tsanev (Etar): Opened the scoring with a well-taken near-post header from a corner in the 4th minute. His movement caused problems throughout his time on the pitch.
Petar Petrov (Etar): Scored what proved to be the winner with a composed turn and finish in the 65th minute, showing sharp instincts in the box.
Hristiyan Slavkov (Botev Plovdiv): Kept Botev in the match during the first half with a crucial one-on-one save from Ivaylov in the 31st minute and another close-range stop early in the second half.
Alex John (Botev Plovdiv — trialist): The trialist brightened Botev's late display with a well-taken goal in the 89th minute, combining neatly with Dera Anyacho.
Player of the match: Petar Petrov — his decisive goal proved to be the winner, and his link-up play was a constant threat.
By the numbers — interpreted
Botev Plovdiv's experimental XI, featuring trialists Michael Kelechi, Semedo Mendes, and Ifena Dorghu from the start, struggled for cohesion. The 4th-minute concession put them on the back foot immediately. Etar's two goals came from open-play combinations rather than set pieces beyond the opening corner, suggesting defensive disorganisation that Genchev will want to address before the new efbet Liga season. Botev's goal came from a trialist combination late on — a positive individual moment but not indicative of sustained pressure. The home side's inability to create clear chances before the 89th minute reflects the experimental nature of the lineup.
What it means
Botev Plovdiv suffered their first pre-season defeat of the summer after previous wins over Chernomorets Burgas (4-0, interrupted by rain) and Arda Kardzhali (2-1). The club had a second friendly scheduled for Saturday evening against Spartak Varna at 19:00 local time at Stadion Hristo Botev — those were the final pre-season tests before the start of the new efbet Liga campaign. For Etar, who also played Ludogorets on 26 June (losing 7-4), this result provides a shot of confidence as they prepare for the Second Professional League season.
Verdict
A deserved win for Etar, who were sharper in both boxes and capitalised on Botev's disjointed, experimental lineup. With the Bulgarian First League season approaching, Genchev will want more organisation from his first-choice XI. For Etar, this result — against top-flight opposition — is a meaningful early-season marker.
Match Events
Key match events between Botev Plovdiv and Etar Veliko Tarnovo — 3 goals and 0 cards recorded during the match.
Rivalry since 2018
Botev Plovdiv vs Etar Veliko Tarnovo Head to Head Results· 11
Botev Plovdiv and Etar Veliko Tarnovo have met 11 times — Botev Plovdiv won 7, Etar Veliko Tarnovo won 1, with 3 draws. Their rivalry dates back to 2018. Botev Plovdiv leads the head-to-head with 7 victories from 11 meetings. A combined 26 goals have been scored across these fixtures, averaging 2.36 per match (19 for the home side, 7 for the visitors). Both teams scored in 4 matches (36%). Over 2.5 goals landed in 4 games (36%), making it a fixture that tends to produce goals. Botev Plovdiv are currently unbeaten in the last 9 meetings. The highest-scoring encounter finished 2–4 in 2023.
Statistics are for informational purposes only. Past performance does not guarantee future results.
API data: 4 Jul 2026