SOFIA, Aug 4: Bulgarian referee Momchil Vraikov has been banned for three matches after making mistakes in the national Super Cup match, Bulgaria's Football Union (BFU) said on Friday.

Cup winners CSKA Sofia beat champions and bitter city rivals Levski 3-0 on penalties in Sunday's curtain-raiser to the new season after playing out a goalless draw.

The BFU's refereeing commission said Vraikov had “committed statistical errors concerning the cards shown during the match.”

Vraikov produced 12 yellow cards during a tense game and also sent off two Levski players.

The 32-year-old Vraikov, who began his refereeing career in 1999, is one of Bulgaria's most respected match officials.

His ban will not take immediate effect as the referees for the first two rounds of the Premier League have already been named.

He will be in charge of Vihren Sandanski's game against Lokomotiv Sofia on Saturday and will be the fourth official when Rilski Sportist host Litex Lovech the following weekend.—Reuters