Nigerian forward Bamidele Yusuf found the net, but it was not enough as Ferencváros suffered a 2-1 defeat against Ludogorets Razgrad in the first leg of their UEFA Europa League knockout phase play-off on Thursday night.
The 24-year-old scored in the 27th minute to restore parity, cancelling out Kwadwo Duah’s opener just four minutes earlier. Despite drawing level, Ferencváros were unable to seize control as the home side regained the advantage after the break.
Spanish fullback Son restored Ludogorets’ lead in the 67th minute, and this time, the Bulgarian champions held firm, denying Ferencváros any chance of a second equaliser to secure a crucial edge heading into the return leg.
Yusuf’s evening came to an end in the 86th minute when he was replaced by Hungarian striker Zsombor Gruber. The goal, however, offered personal encouragement for the Nigerian, ending a four-match drought and taking his tally to 11 in all competitions this season.
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Ferencváros will now turn their focus to the decisive second leg at home next Thursday, where they will aim to overturn the deficit. The Hungarian side previously recorded a 3-1 victory over Ludogorets earlier in the campaign and will hope to replicate that result to keep their European hopes alive.
For Ludogorets, the win marked their sixth consecutive victory in all competitions. With momentum on their side, they head into the return fixture knowing that even a draw would be enough to book their place in the Europa League round of 16.
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