Bulgaria 1-2 Ireland · UEFA Nations League
Bulgaria lost to Ireland 1-2 in the UEFA Nations League. Full match statistics, the goal timeline and both lineups are below.
Bulgaria fixtures and results · Ireland fixtures and results · UEFA Nations League table
Match report
Bulgaria and Ireland met in the UEFA Nations League at Hristo Botev Stadium in Plovdiv on Thursday, 20 March 2025.
Goalscorers
Bulgaria: M. Petkov 6'. Ireland: F. Azaz 21'; M. Doherty 42'.
How the match went
The referee showed 8 yellow cards (4 for Bulgaria, 4 for Ireland).
Line-ups
Bulgaria started in a 4-4-2: Dimitar Mitov, Anton Nedyalkov, Zhivko Atanasov, Alex Petkov, Fabian Nürnberger, Marin Petkov, Andrian Kraev, Ilia Gruev, Kiril Despodov, Filip Krastev, Lukas Petkov.
Ireland started in a 4-4-2: Caoimhin Kelleher, Matt Doherty, Nathan Collins, Dara O'Shea, Robbie Brady, Mikey Johnston, Jason Knight, Josh Cullen, Ryan Manning, Finn Azaz, Troy Parrott.
More from this competition: UEFA Nations League fixtures, results and table.
Minute by minute
- 6'Goal! Bulgaria 1-0 Ireland. M. Petkov (Bulgaria) scores, assisted by F. Krastev.
- 21'Goal! Bulgaria 1-1 Ireland. F. Azaz (Ireland) scores, assisted by T. Parrott.
- 42'Goal! Bulgaria 1-2 Ireland. M. Doherty (Ireland) scores, assisted by J. Cullen.
- 45'Half-time. Bulgaria 1-2 Ireland.
- 90'Full-time. Bulgaria 1-2 Ireland.
Full commentary (43 lines)
- 1'Kick-off: Bulgaria vs Ireland.
- 5'Attempt saved. R. Manning (Ireland), header. xG 0.11.
- 6'Goal! Bulgaria 1-0 Ireland. M. Petkov (Bulgaria) scores, assisted by F. Krastev.
- 13'Attempt saved. K. Despodov (Bulgaria), right-footed shot. xG 0.05.
- 17'Attempt missed. R. Manning (Ireland), header. xG 0.08.
- 21'Goal! Bulgaria 1-1 Ireland. F. Azaz (Ireland) scores, assisted by T. Parrott.
- 29'Attempt blocked. M. Petkov (Bulgaria), left-footed shot on the counter. xG 0.10.
- 34'Attempt missed. T. Parrott (Ireland), right-footed shot from a set piece. xG 0.05.
- 36'Attempt blocked. R. Brady (Ireland), left-footed shot. xG 0.08.
- 40'Attempt saved. A. Nedyalkov (Bulgaria), left-footed shot. xG 0.06.
- 42'Goal! Bulgaria 1-2 Ireland. M. Doherty (Ireland) scores, assisted by J. Cullen.
- 45'2 minutes of added time.
- 45'Half-time. Bulgaria 1-2 Ireland.
- 46'The second half is under way.
- 46'Substitution, Bulgaria: P. Iliev comes on for D. Mitov.
- 47'Yellow card for F. Azaz (Ireland).
- 51'Yellow card for M. Johnston (Ireland).
- 59'Yellow card for A. Kraev (Bulgaria).
- 60'Attempt missed. N. Collins (Ireland), left-footed shot from a set piece. xG 0.34.
- 60'Attempt missed. D. O'Shea (Ireland), header from a set piece. xG 0.03.
- 61'Yellow card for Z. Atanasov (Bulgaria).
- 61'Yellow card for J. Knight (Ireland).
- 70'Attempt missed. N. Collins (Ireland), header from a corner. xG 0.15.
- 71'Attempt blocked. A. Kraev (Bulgaria), right-footed shot. xG 0.03.
- 72'Substitution, Bulgaria: N. Minkov comes on for F. Nürnberger.
- 72'Substitution, Bulgaria: B. Kraev comes on for L. Petkov.
- 74'Attempt blocked. D. O'Shea (Ireland), header from a corner. xG 0.07.
- 76'Substitution, Ireland: M. Sykes comes on for M. Johnston.
- 76'Substitution, Ireland: E. Ferguson comes on for T. Parrott.
- 76'Substitution, Ireland: J. Taylor comes on for F. Azaz.
- 79'Substitution, Ireland: R. Vata comes on for J. Knight.
- 79'Substitution, Ireland: J. O'Brien comes on for R. Manning.
- 81'Yellow card for R. Vata (Ireland).
- 81'Attempt missed. D. O'Shea (Ireland), header from a set piece. xG 0.05.
- 83'Attempt missed. F. Krastev (Bulgaria), right-footed shot from a corner. xG 0.03.
- 85'Substitution, Bulgaria: I. Iliev comes on for F. Krastev.
- 85'Substitution, Bulgaria: V. Nikolov comes on for A. Kraev.
- 85'Yellow card for A. Nedyalkov (Bulgaria).
- 88'Attempt missed. R. Brady (Ireland), left-footed shot from a free kick. xG 0.05.
- 90'5 minutes of added time.
- 90+5'Yellow card for N. Minkov (Bulgaria).
- 90+5'Attempt blocked. B. Kraev (Bulgaria), right-footed shot. xG 0.06.
- 90'Full-time. Bulgaria 1-2 Ireland.