The Penalty Chaos That Shocked Bulgarian Football

Throwback to 2022 the year some Bulgarian football fans won’t easily forget.

Grab your pop corn lets gist you about the bizarre and heartbreaking story of Tsarsko Selo, a club fighting for its life in the top flight. In what can only be described as one of the most dramatic ends to a season, Tsarsko Selo’s fate was sealed not just by missed chances on the pitch, but also by chaos, confusion, and a last-minute penalty that turned into a circus.

Tsarsko Selo entered their final game of the season against Lokomotiv Sofia needing all three points to avoid relegation. Anything less than a win would see them drop to the lower division.

The match was intense. Despite all their efforts, Tsarsko Selo couldn’t break the deadlock beyond a 1-1 draw.

They threw everything they had at the opposition. Attack after attack, shot after shot, yet the goal refused to come. Fans, desperate for a miracle, even started sprinkling olive oil on the pitch from the stands in the hope of divine intervention. Still, the scoreline remained unchanged.

Then came a moment of hope in the dying minutes, In the 94th minute, the referee awarded a penalty to Tsarsko Selo. Relief washed over the fans because they have finally seen the golden chance to stay in the top flight. But instead of celebrating, chaos erupted.

Two Tsarsko Selo players, Martin Kavdanski and Yusupha Yaffa, both insisted on taking the penalty.

Yaffa pleaded with Kavdanski to let him take it, arguing that he was more confident and better at penalties. Kavdanski refused.

Tensions boiled over as the two teammates began arguing right on the pitch. In a shocking twist, Yaffa forcefully snatched the ball from Kavdanski, determined to take the kick himself.

But before he could place the ball, the club’s owner, Ivo Andreevski, stormed onto the pitch. In an unprecedented and frankly surreal moment, the owner physically took the ball out of Yaffa’s hands and handed it back to Kavdanski, declaring that Yaffa wasn’t good enough to take the penalty.

With the clock ticking, Kavdanski finally stepped up to take the spot-kick. All eyes were on him. One goal would mean survival. But fate had other plans. He struck the ball and the goalkeeper saved it.

The final whistle blew seconds later. Tsarsko Selo’s players sank to the ground, devastated. That one moment of indecision, ego, and chaos had cost them their place in Bulgaria’s top league. The missed penalty wasn’t just a failure in execution, it symbolized everything that had gone wrong at the club.

From the bizarre interference by the owner to the lack of leadership on the pitch, Tsarsko Selo’s relegation was written in that final scene. It remains one of the most talked-about moments in Bulgarian football history, a tragic comedy that proved how one penalty kick can define an entire season.