Borimirov helps rescue Levski

Daniel Borimirov helped spark a PFC Levski Sofia revival as they came from behind to secure a 2-1 win against Udinese Calcio and progress to the last eight of the UEFA Cup.

Borimirov scores
The 36-year-old midfielder, a star of the Bulgaria side that reached the 1994 FIFA World Cup semi-finals, had not scored a European goal for Levski since finding the target against Rangers FC in the UEFA Champions League in 1993/94, but made his mark after 51 minutes to cancel out Fernando Tissone's opener. With the teams having drawn 0-0 in the first leg in Italy, it looked like that away goal might prove vital for Udinese until Igor Tomašić got on the end of a cross from fellow defender Lucio Wagner to head Levski's winner after 63 minutes.

Caught cold
Udinese, who left a number of key players at home in anticipation of crucial Serie A games, took the lead on 22 minutes when Roberto Baronio's free-kick caught the Levski defence cold, allowing Vidigal to flick on for Tissone to sweep a shot past Georgi Petkov. Hristo Yovov twice came close to levelling for Levski before the break, but the hosts started the second half in determined fashion and were thrown a lifeline by Borimirov. Cédric Bardon received the ball in space on the left and passed to Lucio, who laid it off for the former TSV 1860 München midfielder to beat Morgan De Sanctis with a low shot.

Nervous finale
Elin Topuzakov's close-range header was then saved by De Sanctis but the goalkeeper could do nothing to stop Tomašić's clincher two minutes later. De Sanctis subsequently had more work to do, with Udinese's best chance of a tie-winning equaliser being passed up when Fausto Rossini headed narrowly over. Levski therefore go through, although they will be without Richard Eromoigbe for the first leg of their last-eight tie after the Nigerian received his third yellow card of the competition.