Northern Ireland ... 0 Bulgaria ... 1:Nigel Worthington's reign as full-time Northern Ireland manager got off to a losing start at Windsor Park last night.
Manchester City midfielder Martin Petrov did the damage when he broke through on goal after 38 minutes, although it was defender Jonny Evans who had the final touch in a desperate attempt to clear.
Northern Ireland's best chances fell to David Healy, but the team's most celebrated goal-scorer was unable to add to his international tally of 33. It was his side's first defeat on home soil in seven matches.
Healy, looking to put the frustrations of life on the Fulham periphery aside, had the first chance of the game as he turned and shot from the edge of the area, but his effort went wide.
And Healy again tried his luck again with an ambitious effort from long range, but the ball dropped comfortably into goalkeeper Georgi Petkov's arms.
Northern Ireland goalkeeper Maik Taylor was called into serious action for the first time after 24 minutes when he palmed over a strong Alexander Tunchev header from a well-flighted Petrov free-kick.
Yet, despite being increasingly pegged back, Northern Ireland did show some attacking intent and Kyle Lafferty narrowly failed to make contact with a Chris Brunt cross in the six-yard box.
Bulgaria should have claimed the lead nine minutes before the interval when Dimitar Berbatov set up Todor Yanchev, but his weak shot was blocked.
But the visitors deservedly went ahead after Petrov skipped past Keith Gillespie on the left and homed in on an exposed Taylor. The goalkeeper could do little as the City man fired across his body and Evans's desperate attempt to clear succeeded only in diverting the ball into the net.
Healy had two chances to equalise in the dying moments of the game, but he shot straight at substitute goalkeeper Dimitar Ivankov before firing over.
Bulgaria and the Republic of Ireland will meet in the 2010 World Cup qualifiers - with Italy, Cyprus, Georgia and Montenegro also occupying Group Eight.
NORTHERN IRELAND:Taylor (Mannus 83), McAuley, McCartney (Baird 46), Hughes, Evans (Craigan 46), Clingan, Gillespie (Thompson 78), Johnson (Davis 46), Healy, Lafferty (Paterson 60), Brunt. Subs Not Used: Sproule, Webb, Robinson. Booked: Paterson.
BULGARIA:Petkov (Ivankov 46), Angelov, Venkov (Zanev 73), Tunchev (Karaslavov 66), Tomasic, Milanov, Martin Petrov, Yanchev (Dimitrov 46), Georgiev, Berbatov (Domovchiyski 82), Lazarov (Popov 66). Booked: Zanev. Goals: Evans 38 og.
Referee:D McDonald (Scotland).
