Ludogorets, the Bulgarian champions, advanced to the third qualifying round of the UEFA Champions League following a thrilling 3:1 victory in extra time against Croatian champions Rijeka. The first leg in Croatia ended without goals, and the return match in Razgrad concluded 1:1 after regular time, necessitating extra minutes where Ludogorets took advantage of Rijeka's reduced numbers.

Match Highlights

Jakub Piotrowski opened the scoring for Ludogorets early in the match with a penalty kick awarded after a VAR review. The incident occurred when a shot from Son was deflected by Rijeka defender Stjepan Radelić, leading the Scottish referee to consult the pitchside monitor before pointing to the spot. Piotrowski converted the penalty with assurance.

Following the goal, Bernard Tekpetey created a significant opportunity, but both Vidal and Erick Marcus failed to capitalize on promising chances. Rijeka attempted to respond with long-range shots and a notable attack that ultimately did not result in a shot on target. Just before halftime, Rijeka sought a penalty for a potential handball by Verdon, but the referee allowed play to continue.

Second Half Drama

Rijeka nearly equalized at the start of the second half when Tony Fruk struck the post from a corner kick. Shortly after, Luka Menalo missed a chance to score against goalkeeper Simon Sluga. The equalizer came in the 71st minute when substitute Amer Gojak converted a sharp cross from Lasickas, leveling the match at 1:1. However, Rijeka's momentum was quickly halted as Gabrijel Rukavina received a straight red card for kicking Munir Chouillard, a decision confirmed by VAR.

Ludogorets thought they had taken the lead again in the 85th minute when Ivaylo Chochev found the net after a sequence involving Son and Chouillard. However, VAR ruled that Stanislav Ivanov was offside, disallowing the goal. As the match approached the end of regular time, Ludogorets continued to press for a winner. Piotrowski and Filip Kaloc both had goals ruled out for offside, and in added time, VAR caught Toni Fruk stamping on Piotrowski’s ankle, resulting in another red card for Rijeka, leaving them with nine players.

With a two-man advantage, Ludogorets dominated possession and created multiple chances in extra time. Early attempts from Marcus and Verdon went wide, but the hosts were poised to capitalize on their numerical superiority.