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20.03.2025 at 21:45 Stadion Hristo Botev Plovdiv Attendance: 7835
Bulgaria 2 - 1 Republic of Ireland
Referee: Benoit Bastien UEFA Nations League-match

Goalscorers
Marin Petkov 6 mins, Finn Azaz (21)
Matt Doherty (42)
Opening squads
Dimitar Mitov
Zhivko Atanasov
Anton Nedyalkov
Alex Petkov
Fabian Nürnberger
Ilia Gruev
Filip Krastev
Kiril Despodov (captain)
Andrian Kraev
Marin Petkov
ForwardLukas Petkov		 Caoimhin Kelleher
Nathan Collins
Matt Doherty
Jason Knight
Dara O Shea
Ryan Manning
Robert Brady
Josh Cullen
Finn Azaz
Troy Parrott
Mikey Johnston
Substitutes
Plamen Iliev
Dimitar Sheytanov
Valentin Antov
Nikolay Minkov
Simeon Petrov
Ilian Iliev
Vasil Panayotov
Stanislav Shopov
Bozhidar Kraev
Radoslav Kirilov
Vladimir Nikolov		 Mark Travers
Gavin Bazunu
Jimmy Dunne
Jake O Brien
Roco Vata
Andrew Moran
Mark Sykes
Jack Taylor
Evan Ferguson
Adam Idah
James Abankwah
Sinclair Armstrong
Substitutions
Plamen Iliev for Dimitar Mitov 46 mins,
Bozhidar Kraev for Lukas Petkov 72 mins,
Nikolay Minkov for Fabian Nürnberger 72 mins,
Ilian Iliev for Filip Krastev 86 mins,
Vladimir Nikolov for Andrian Kraev 86 mins;		 Evan Ferguson -> Troy Parrott (76)
Mark Sykes -> Mikey Johnston (76)
Jack Taylor -> Finn Azaz (76)
Jake O Brien -> Ryan Manning (79)
Roco Vata -> Jason Knight (79)
Yellow cards
Andrian Kraev 59 mins,
Zhivko Atanasov 61 mins,
Anton Nedyalkov 85 mins,
Nikolay Minkov 90+5 mins,		 Finn Azaz (47)
Mikey Johnston (51)
Jason Knight (61)
Roco Vata (79)
Red cards
None None.
Other statistics
0 Shots 0
0 Shots on goal 0
0 Offsides 0
0 Corner kicks 0
0 Free kicks 0
0 Penalties 0
Match report
The Republic of Ireland came from behind to beat Bulgaria in the first leg of their Nations League promotion/relegation play-off at the Hristo Botev Stadium.

They had a terrible start in Plovdiv as they fell behind to Marin Petkov's sixth-minute goal.

Heimir Hallgrimsson's side rallied, though, and levelled on 21 minutes through Finn Azaz's close-range finish for his first international goal, before Matt Doherty headed them into a 42nd-minute lead.

The Republic saw out the stop-start second half to take a narrow lead into Sunday's second leg in Dublin.

Azaz headed home his first international goal to level for the Republic of Ireland

The Republic enjoyed a bright start in what was an action-packed first half, as Ryan Manning went close, heading straight at Dimitar Mitov after meeting Azaz's inviting cross.

The hosts then opened the scoring with their first foray forward. Lukas Petkov was afforded too much time and space to pick out Filip Krastev and he neatly backheeled the ball to Petkov, whose low first-time strike from the edge of the area went in off the post.

Manning went close again with another header at the other end, before the visitors equalised with a well-worked move.

Robbie Brady's deep delivery from the left fell to Troy Parrott at the back post and he cushioned the ball into Azaz, who had a simple headed finish.

They were inches away from taking the lead on 34 minutes as Mikey Johnston took a quick free-kick to slip in Parrott on the right-hand side of the box and he drilled the ball across the face of goal, just evading the slide of captain Nathan Collins.

The Republic did take a half-time lead as Josh Cullen clipped the ball forward to Doherty, who darted inside and bravely beat Mitov to head into the empty net.

The second half was a much scrappier affair, with neither side able to fashion clear-cut chances on a pitch that cut up greatly.

Watford teenager Rocco Vata came on for his international debut in one of five second-half changes that added little going forward, but the Republic saw the game out, with a crucial second leg to follow at the Aviva Stadium.
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