The Bulgarian champion Levski Sofia started the defense of their trophy in the efbet Supercup 2025 tournament with a convincing victory. Vladо Nikolov's "Blues" defeated Beroe 2016 (Stara Zagora) 3:0 (25:17, 25:23, 25:17) in the first semifinal, played in the "Levski Sofia" hall.
Match Development
Already in the first set, the hosts imposed their will. Svetoslav Gotsev's block and Gordan Lyutskanov's powerful pipe gave an early lead. Despite attempts by Plamen Shekerdzhiev and Velizar Chernokozhev to bring back the intrigue, Lyutskanov and Skrimov's series secured a comfortable lead. The set ended with a counter-attack by Nikolay Nikolaev – 25:17.
The second set was far more evenly matched. Beroe took a 4:2 lead after an ace from Chernokozhev, and Jessie DeLancey distinguished himself with powerful attacks from zone 4. Gradually, Levski stabilized their reception, and Skrimov and Lyutskanov turned the score around. After a dramatic exchange of points and an ace from Lyutskanov at the end, the hosts snatched the set 25:23.
The third set was entirely dictated by the "Blues". Pipe attacks from Skrimov and Lyutskanov, blocks from Gotsev and Buchkov, as well as excellent defensive saves by Damyan Kolev, provided a comfortable lead. Skrimov's service run at the end (including an ace) sealed the final 25:17 and 3:0.
Top Scorers
| Player | Team | Points | Ace | Block |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gordan Lyutskanov | Levski Sofia | 14 | 2 | 3 |
| Todor Skrimov | Levski Sofia | 13 | 2 | 1 |
| Jessie DeLancey | Beroe 2016 | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| Branislav Hanushek | Beroe 2016 | 8 | 0 | 0 |
Comment:
The pair Skrimov – Lyutskanov once again was the backbone of the 'blues'' attack. Both showed high efficiency in attack as well as from serve. For Beroe, a player capable of taking responsibility in decisive moments was missing – no one exceeded the 10-point mark.
Levski qualified for the Supercup final, where tomorrow they will face the winner of the second semifinal.Lokomotiv Avia (Plovdiv)–Neftochimic (Burgas).
photo: Nikolay Varadinov
