Ghana international Bernard Tekpetey scored for Ludogorets Razgrad but it was not enough as they lost 2-1 to Dinamo Zagreb in their Uefa Champions League third round qualifying first leg meeting on Tuesday.
Dino Peric put Zagreb ahead in the sixth minute before Ludogorets goalkeeper Sergio Padt scored into his own net for a 2-0 result in favour of Zagreb. The 24-year-old Tekpetey then pulled a goal back for Ludogorets in the 22nd minute.
Despite Ludogorets playing at home - Ludogorets Arena - it was Zagreb, who took control of the game from the onset and with only six minutes played, they took a deserved lead when Peric dribbled past two defenders to slam the ball past Padt.
The goal somehow gave them more energy and they doubled their lead three minutes later when Padt turned in a cross from Mislav Orsic into his own net.
The Black Star, who had also played for German side Schalke 04, then reduced the arrears for Ludogorets after he made a great solo run from the middle of play before pulling the trigger and beating goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic with a strike into the right side of the goal.
In the 35th minute, Tekpetey got another great chance to level matters for Ludogorets but after being put through by Pieros Sotiriou, he saw his weak effort saved by Livakovic.
In the 60th minute, Tekpetey was yellow carded after a foul and was then replaced in the 73rd minute for Kiril Despodov. However, the Croatian side held on to carry the advantage heading into the return leg on August 9 at Stadion Maksimir.
Tekpetey and Ludogorets will shift their focus into the league action when they travel to face Slavia Sofia at Slavia Stadium on Friday. In the current campaign, Tekpetey has so far scored three goals from four appearances.
