Bulgaria bolster bid with first group win over battling Cyprus

BULGARIA overcame the absence of star striker Dimitar Berbatov and reignited their hopes of World Cup qualification with a hard-fought win over Cyprus in Sofia to claim their first victory in Group Eight yesterday.

An early goal from Ivelin Popov and a second in injury time from Dimitar Makriev took the hosts to seven points in the group in a game in which Cyprus will feel they deserved more.

Bulgaria, without injured Manchester United striker Berbatov, were the more dangerous in the early stages of the first half with Dimitar Rangelov and Blagoy Georgiev a constant threat to the Cypriot defence but they failed to stamp their mark on the remainder of the game.