Players of Beroe (green and white jerseys) and Radnik Bijeljina (blue jerseys) in action in the first leg of the first qualifying round of the Europa League. Photo: BGNES
The two football teams representing Bulgaria in the first qualifying round of the UEFA Europa League achieved a victory and draw in the first leg played on Thursday.
Both Slavia and Beroe were hosts in the first leg and will be visitors in the return matches next week.
In Sofia, Slavia defeated Polish Zaglebie Lubin with 1:0 with the only goal scored by Serder Serderov in the 85th minute.
Thus the oldest team from the Bulgarian capital returned with its style after being absent for twenty years from the European tournaments.
The precious victory came as Slavia recorded its fiftieth appearance in European tournaments.
In Stara Zagora, Beroe disappointed with its performance in a goalless draw with Radnik Bijeljina from Bosnia and Herzegovina.
If the Bulgarian teams proceed to the second qualifying round, Slavia will face Partizan Belgrade, while Beroe will play the winner from the encounter between Lithuania’s Atlantas and Finland’s Helsinki.
The third Bulgarian team participating in the Europa League qualifiers, Levski, will begin from the second qualifying round. The team from Sofia will face Slovenian Maribor, first being visitor on July 14 and then host a week later.
Bulgaria‘s reigning football champion Lugogorests will play in the second qualifying round of the Champions League.
The team from Razgrad will host the first match against Mladost Podgorica from Montenegro on July 12 or 13 and will be visitor a week later.
