Asen Panchev Explained

Asen Panchev
Birth Date:1 October 1906
Birth Place:Sofia, Bulgaria
Position:Left wing
Youthclubs1:Asparuh Sofia
Youthclubs2:Levski Sofia
Years1:1921–1934
Clubs1:Levski Sofia
Caps1:107
Goals1:60
Years2:1934–1935
Clubs2:Bohemians Praha
Years3:1935–1936
Clubs3:Levski Sofia
Nationalyears1:1926–1936
Nationalteam1:Bulgaria
Nationalcaps1:39
Nationalgoals1:17

Asen Panchev (Bulgarian: Асен Панчев) (1 October 1906 – 17 December 1989) was а Bulgarian footballer who played as a left wing.

Early life

He was born in Sofia, Bulgaria. He started his career in the local club Asparuh Sofia. Later moved to the youth club of Levski Sofia.

Club career

In Levski he stayed thirteen seasons, played in 107 games and scored a total of sixty goals. He played one season (1934–1935) for Bohemians Praha. After the end of the season, he returned to Levski, where he spent one more year before being forced to retire.

International career

In his stay in the national team of Bulgaria during the period 1926–1936 he took part in thirty-nine games, scoring seventeen goals. He was an inseparable part of the glorious pair with Asen Peshev. He has been compared to a flying arrow. His nickname was "Pancheto". On 9 June 1932, he managed to score a second-half hat-trick for Bulgaria against the powerful France, unfortunately, they went down only as consolation goals as they still lost 3–5. But the highlight of his international career came in the 1931 Balkan Cup, where he was the top goal scorer with 3 goals, having scored a brace against Turkey and a late winner against Yugoslavia that gave the title to his nation, and with it, Bulgaria's first piece of silverware.[1] He was also part of the Bulgaria team that won the 1932 Balkan Cup, contributing with 2 goals. He also scored twice in the 1934–35 and 1936 editions, although his efforts proved useless to help Bulgaria win another Balkan Cup title. With 10 goals in the Balkan Cup, he is the shared third all-time top goal scorer in the competition's history. At the end of 1936 he was crippled and permanently became invalid.

Managerial career

He coached Levski in 1939–1940 when the team won the silver medals. In 1941–1942 he won the championship and cup with Levski Sofia. For a short period of time coaches Levski in 1952.

International goals

Bulgaria score listed first, score column indicates score after each Panchev goal.

List of international goals scored by Asen Panchev[2]
scope=colNo.scope=colDatescope=colVenuescope=colOpponentscope=colScorescope=colResultscope=colCompetition
scope=row style=text-align:center110 May 1931Stadionul ONEF, Bucuresti, Romania5–25–21929–31 Balkan Cup
scope=row style=text-align:center230 September 1931Yunak Stadium, Sofia, Bulgaria2–15–11931 Balkan Cup
scope=row style=text-align:center34–1
scope=row style=text-align:center44 October 19313–23–2
scope=row style=text-align:center527 March 1932Leoforos Alexandras Stadium, Athens, Greece1–12–1Friendly
scope=row style=text-align:center630 March 19321–02–2
scope=row style=text-align:center724 April 1932Yunak Stadium, Sofia, Bulgaria1–01–1
scope=row style=text-align:center89 June 19321–51–5
scope=row style=text-align:center92–5
scope=row style=text-align:center103–5
scope=row style=text-align:center1126 June 1932Beogradski SK Stadium, Belgrade, Yugoslavia2–02–01932 Balkan Cup
scope=row style=text-align:center1230 June 19322–03–2
scope=row style=text-align:center1325 December 1934Leoforos Alexandras Stadium, Athens, Greece4–34–31934–35 Balkan Cup
scope=row style=text-align:center141 January 19352–12–1
scope=row style=text-align:center1521 May 1936Stadionul ONEF, Bucuresti, Romania1–15–41936 Balkan Cup
scope=row style=text-align:center165–2
scope=row style=text-align:center1712 July 1936Beogradski SK Stadium, Belgrade, Yugoslavia1–11–3Friendly

Awards

Player

Levski Sofia

International

Bulgaria

Individual

Coach

Levski Sofia

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Balkan Cup 1931 results. EU-football.info. 7 June 2022.
  2. Web site: Asen Panchev. football.eu. 6 June 2022.