Levski vs Lokomotiv: Controversial Penalty & VAR Judge Link to Clubs

A late penalty decision has ignited controversy following Levski Sofia’s narrow 1-0 victory over Lokomotiv Plovdiv in a tense Bulgarian First League encounter. The win, secured by an 89th-minute spot-kick from Everton Bala, maintains Levski’s nine-point lead at the top of the table over Ludogorets.

The penalty, awarded for a foul on Armstrong Oko-Flex, has become the focal point of post-match debate. Questions are now being raised about the impartiality of the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) official, Martin Markov, due to his past involvement with a Levski Sofia-affiliated futsal team.

Markov reportedly played for Levski Sofia-West’s futsal team several years ago, a connection that has fueled accusations of potential bias. However, journalist Zhelyu Stankov of “Tema Sport” newspaper has offered a counterpoint, revealing that Markov is, in fact, a youth product of Levski’s rivals, CSKA Sofia, and holds a strong allegiance to that club. As it turned out regarding VAR, the Anti-Levski coalition brought up the connection of the man in the booth, Martin Markov, with the blue team’s futsal team. The referee nicknamed Root played for money in that team about 10 years ago, as he played in other futsal teams for money. Conveniently, no one shares that Markov is a youth player of CSKA and is quite red in sporting conviction, Stankov wrote.

The match itself, played at the Georgi Asparuhov Stadium, was described as a hard-fought affair lacking in quality. Levski, under the guidance of head coach Julio Velazquez, struggled to break down Lokomotiv’s defense for much of the game. The first half saw Levski dominate possession but fail to create clear-cut chances. The second half continued in a similar vein, with the home side pressing for an opener without finding a breakthrough.

The breakthrough finally arrived in the dying moments of the match. Oko-Flex was brought down in the penalty area, and Everton Bala calmly converted the resulting spot-kick to secure the victory for Levski. This goal also propelled Bala to the top of the league’s goalscoring charts.

Despite the win, Velazquez acknowledged that his team’s performance was below par. The team’s struggles to create opportunities and overcome Lokomotiv’s defensive setup were evident throughout the match. The victory, felt more like a relief than a dominant display of football.

Lokomotiv Plovdiv, managed by Dushan Kosic, adopted a heavily defensive approach, aiming to frustrate Levski and potentially snatch a point. Kosic made only one change to the team that suffered a heavy 5-0 defeat to CSKA 1948, replacing Julien Lamy with Andrey Kindrish. This conservative tactic proved effective for long stretches of the game, limiting Levski’s attacking threat.

Velazquez, meanwhile, handed a debut to new signing Stipe Vulikic, replacing Kristian Makun in the starting lineup. He also gave a starting role to Asen Mitkov, who played behind the striker. These changes, however, failed to significantly improve Levski’s attacking fluidity.

The result leaves Levski in a commanding position in the league title race, holding a significant nine-point advantage over second-placed Ludogorets. Lokomotiv Plovdiv remain in sixth place with 35 points. The controversy surrounding the penalty decision, however, is likely to linger, casting a shadow over Levski’s hard-fought victory and potentially fueling further debate about the integrity of officiating in the Bulgarian First League.

The incident highlights the increasing scrutiny faced by match officials in modern football, particularly with the introduction of VAR. While intended to eliminate clear and obvious errors, VAR decisions often remain contentious, and the perceived impartiality of officials is constantly under examination. The revelation of Markov’s past connection to a Levski-affiliated futsal team, even if balanced by his CSKA youth background, adds another layer of complexity to the situation.

Levski will undoubtedly be looking to improve their performance in upcoming matches, aiming to build on their lead at the top of the table. However, they will also be hoping that the focus shifts back to their on-field displays, rather than the off-field controversies that have overshadowed their recent victory.