A top-flight club in Bulgaria have apologised for holding a minute’s silence for a former player they thought had died, only to discover that he was still alive. Arda Kardzhali, who are currently fifth in the Bulgarian First League, mourned the apparent death of Petko Ganchev before Sunday’s game against Levski Sofia.
Players from both teams lined up around the centre circle and stood with their heads bowed in memory of Ganchev, who played for Arda between 2020 and 2022. It did not take long for the club to acknowledge their mistake, confirming at half-time that Ganchev was indeed still alive. They sent an email to broadcasters covering the match, explaining they had received ‘incorrect information’ and apologising for any distress caused.
A club statement read: « The management of PFC Arda would like to express its deepest apologies to the team’s former footballer, Petko Ganchev, and his loved ones, after the club received incorrect information regarding his death. We wish Petko Ganchev many years of health and to enjoy Arda’s successes. »
The two sides went on to play out a 1-1 draw, with the result keeping Arda in with a chance of of qualifying for European football next season. Levski, meanwhile, remain in second place but are unlikely to win the title as they trail leaders Ludogorets by 12 points.
The visitors took an early lead when Marin Petkov broke the deadlock after 22 minutes, his attempted cross sailing past everyone and nestling in the bottom corner. After the break, Arda were awarded a penalty with the ball striking the hand of a Levski defender.
The decision was only confirmed after a lengthy VAR review, with Tonislav Yordanov stepping up to take it. However, he got his bearings all wrong and fired his spot-kick well over the crossbar, ensuring Levski’s lead remained intact.
With less than 20 minutes remaining, a second booking for Jawad El-Jemili saw Levski reduced to 10 men for the remainder of the contest. Arda began to pile on the pressure and were rewarded for their persistence thanks to Stanislav Ivanov’s equaliser in the 82nd minute.
The 25-year-old latched onto a long pass and expertly rounded the goalkeeper with his first touch before sliding the ball into an empty net. Ivanov refused to celebrate his goal, having progressed through the Levski academy before leaving the club in 2021.
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