Bulgaria part company with coach Penev

Bulgaria coach Luboslav Penev has left his position in the wake of Sunday's 1-1 UEFA EURO 2016 qualifying draw at home to Malta, the team's third successive game without a win in Group H.

The decision to part company with the 48-year-old was announced after a meeting of the Bulgarian Football Union (BFS) executive committee, with president Borislav Mihaylov explaining: "We have time to look for Penev's successor as our next qualifier is not until next March, against Italy in Sofia. All I will say is that the next coach will not be a foreigner."

Former PFC CSKA Sofia, Valencia CF, Club Atlético de Madrid, SD Compostela and RC Celta de Vigo forward Penev took charge of Bulgaria in November 2011, extending his contract until the end of the current batch of European Qualifiers in November 2013. His side kicked off Group H with a 2-1 victory in Azerbaijan, but a 1-0 home loss to Croatia and 2-1 defeat in Norway raised the pressure before the weekend draw with Malta, which left Bulgaria fourth in the section, trailing third-ranked Norway by five points. Penev's previous coaching assignments include holding the reins at CSKA, PFC Litex Lovech and PFC Botev Plovdiv.