Sportist Svoge vs Botev Ihtiman

A largely even contest looked destined for a goalless draw until five minutes from time. Nachev — a recent arrival from Strumska Slava — found the net to settle the contest in front of the home crowd. The goal was the only one of the match, with the first half finishing 0-0.

Sportist Svoge had struggled for goals in pre-season, failing to score in their two preceding friendlies (0-2 vs Pirin Blagoevgrad on 1 July, 0-2 vs Vihren Sandanski on 11 July). Nachev's strike was therefore a timely breakthrough.

The 85th-minute goal was the match's decisive moment. Neither side created clear-cut chances of note until the closing stages, and the longer the game stayed goalless, the more it looked like a stalemate. Nachev's finish broke the deadlock and gave Sportist a lift heading into their final pre-season test against Israeli side Hapoel Petah Tikva two days later.

Daniel Nachev — the midfielder, signed from Strumska Slava during the summer window, was the match-winner with a composed finish five minutes from time. His goal was Sportist's first in pre-season since Antonio Popov's strike against CSKA II on 27 June.

A single goal from an xG perspective tells the story of a tight, low-chance friendly. The fixture's H2H history (5 previous meetings) had produced goals at both ends in every match and averaged 4.6 per game, making this 1-0 scoreline an outlier. Both teams were still building fitness, and the lack of sharpness in the final third reflected early-stage preparation.

For Sportist Svoge, managed by Zahari Sirakov, this was a morale-boosting result after three straight losses. They followed it up with a 2-1 win over Hapoel Petah Tikva on 17 July, ending pre-season on a two-match winning run. They open their Vtora Liga campaign against PFK Montana 1921 on 25 July 2026.

For Botev Ihtiman, a Third League Southwest side, the narrow defeat followed a 2-1 win over FC Bansko on 11 July. They continued their preparation with a 3-3 draw against Hebar Pazardzhik on 18 July, and face Bnei Yehuda on 22 July before their league season begins.

A predictable pre-season friendly settled by a single late goal. Sportist Svoge's first win of the summer was functional rather than flashy, but Nachev's finish provided a note of optimism ahead of their Second League return. Botev Ihtiman competed well and will take heart from a disciplined defensive display against a side two divisions above them.