Lokomotiv Plovdiv Beats Botev 2‑0 in Plovdiv Derby
In the 32nd round of the Bulgarian First League, Lokomotiv Plovdiv defeated city rivals Botev Plovdiv 2‑0 in Plovdiv. Joel Cvrč scored both goals, the first a header in the 15th minute after Emerson Rodriguez was sent off, the second a diagonal strike in stoppage time. Botev played most of the match with ten men after Rodriguez received a direct red card for striking opponent Luca Rian.
The loss kept Botev in eighth place with 43 points, while Lokomotiv moved up to fifth with 49 points and stayed in contention for the Europa league playoff. Botev also suffered an early injury to captain Todor Nadelev, who left the field in the 35th minute. The result leaves Lokomotiv’s European hopes alive and deepens Botev’s challenges in the second half of the season.