Bulgarian champions Ludogorets Razgrad made a strong start to their Europa League campaign with a 2-1 away win against Malmö on Thursday night.
The victory ended an eight-game winless streak in European competitions and injected renewed confidence into the squad. Despite fielding no Bulgarian players in their starting lineup, coach Rui Mota’s men displayed control and composure in a tricky away fixture.
Malmö, Sweden’s reigning champions, showed signs of decline both on and off the pitch, struggling in sixth domestically and playing before a half-empty stadium.
Ludogorets struck first in the 10th minute after VAR intervention ruled that Edvin Kurtulus fouled inside the box. Petar Stanic converted the penalty with composure, giving the Bulgarian champions an early advantage.
The visitors doubled their lead in the 24th minute when Erick Bile capitalized on Malmö goalkeeper Robin Olsen’s misjudged charge, slotting into an open net.
The Swedes attempted to respond through physical play and aerial pressure, but Ludogorets remained disciplined. Goalkeeper Sergio Padt denied Hugo Bolin in a crucial one-on-one to preserve the two-goal cushion.
Just before halftime, controversy struck as Adrian Skogmar escaped a red card after a reckless high boot on Pedro Naressi. Moments later, Caio Vidal rattled the crossbar with a thunderous strike.
In the second half, Ludogorets threatened repeatedly on counterattacks. Vidal and Stanic tested Olsen, while defender Dinis Almeida twice went close from corners. Malmö finally pulled one back in the 78th minute when Lasse Johnsen’s effort deflected off Naressi, wrong-footing Padt.
The final stages saw Malmö pressing for an equalizer, but Ludogorets wasted chances to kill the match, with substitute Stanislav Ivanov missing in stoppage time.
Nevertheless, the Bulgarians held firm to secure all three points in Group C, where they face tough upcoming games against Betis, Young Boys, Ferencváros, and Celta.
Post-match, tensions surfaced within Ludogorets’ camp. Defender Dinis Almeida reacted angrily when substituted, exchanging words with coach Rui Mota. Meanwhile, Caio Vidal’s provocative celebration towards home fans triggered a brief scuffle, though it ended without escalation.
Despite these incidents, the night belonged to Ludogorets. The win not only revived their European ambitions but also marked an important psychological breakthrough after a barren run on the continental stage.
For Malmö, it was another setback in a season marred by inconsistency, leaving them with difficult questions as they continue their European campaign.