Radio Bulgaria

After the end of the football World Cup in South Africa, the start of the European club tournaments has offered new emotions to the football fans. Bulgaria is represented by four teams – three of them will play in the Europa League, while one will take part in the Champions League. In its first match of the second qualifying round of the Champions League, the Bulgarian team of Litex Lovech won 1:0 against the Montenegrin team of Rudar Plevlja. Ivelin Popov scored the only goal in the 8th minute of the match. Litex will play against the winner of the match between Zilina (Slovakia) and Birkikara (Malta). Birkikara won 1:0 the first match played in Malta.

The Bulgarian football team of Levski Sofia won 6:0 against the Irish team of Dundalk in a match of the second qualifying round of the Europa League. With two goals each by Ismail Issa and Daniel Mladenov, as well as goals by Hristo Yovov and Garra Dembele, Levski qualified for the next round where the team will play against the winner of the match between Kalmar (Sweden) and Dacia (Moldova). The two other Bulgarian teams that participate in the Europa League - Beroe (Stara Zagora) and CSKA (Sofia) will start the tournament in the third qualifying round. The Bulgaria Cup winner Beroe will play against the winner of the match between Suduva (Lithuania) and Rapid Vienna. The Austrian team won 2:0 the first match and is expected to be the next opponent of Levski. The team of CSKA Sofia, which won the silver in Bulgaria, will play at home against the winners of the match between Cibalia (Croatia) and Cliftonville (Northern Ireland) Cliftonville won 1:0 the first match.

Three- time world champion Stanka Zlateva won the gold at the Baku wrestling tournament, part of the Golden Gran Prix series. In the final match, Zlateva won 2:0 against Guzel Manyurova (Kazakhstan).

Best Bulgarian tennis player Grigor Dimitrov triumphed at the tournament in Trier, Germany with a prize of 10 000 USD, winning 4:6, 6:1, 6:4 against David Goffin(Belgium). The Bulgarian player put an end to a period of 22 months without a victory at a singles tennis tournament. After the victory in Trier, the Bulgarian won 18 points for the world rank list, which will place him about 15 positions up the list. Dimitrov is expected to take the 290th position.

The Bulgarian men’s basketball team triumphed at the international tournament in Florence, winning 84-83 against the hosts Italy. Before that Bulgaria had to overcome the teams of Poland and Macedonia. This has been the second international tournament won by the Bulgarian basketball players this year after a victory in Belarus.

Bulgarian swimmer Maria Zlatkova won the gold among the women up to 24 years of age at the 22nd edition of the traditional swimming race on the Bosphorus entitled “Bosphorus Cross-Continental Swim 2010.” Bulgarian Vasil Andreev became first among the men above 60. A total of 764 swimmers from different countries took part in this year’s competition.

English version: Alexander Markov