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Players of Croatia celebrate after Bulgaria scored an own goal during their UEFA Euro 2016 qualifier in Sofia, Bulgaria 10 October 2014. Photo EPA/BGNES
Croatia beat Bulgaria 1-0 in a Euro 2016 Group H qualifier in Sofia last night after an own goal from Nikolay Bodurov nine minutes before the break.
Croatia's Ivan Rakitic floated a free-kick into the penalty area and Ivan Perisic headed it down, only for Bodurov to send the ball into his own net.
Bulgaria's Ivelin Popov and Vladimir Gadzhev both missed chances before the break and in the second half, Georgi Iliev’s strike from a long distance on 68 minutes was deflected off target, failing to create an equaliser.
This was Croatia’s second win from two games in Group H. The country is now second in the group behind Italy who also have two victories from as many games. Both teams have six points apiece, followed by Norway and Bulgaria with three points each.
The match was interrupted for a few minutes halfway through the first half after Croatian and Bulgarian football fans hurled fireworks at each other and flares were tossed from the stands.
Croatia coachNiko Kovac said: “We scored from a corner – we've been practising set pieces in the past few days and it paid off.”
Bulgaria coachLuboslav Penev said he accepted the defeat, but not the manner of it.
“Key players did not show their true qualities,” Penev said.
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