THE REFEREE BLOWS FOR FULL TIME! A comfortable 4-0 victory in the end for the home side. Goals from Embolo, Gonzalez, Gashi and Suchy giving Basel all three points in this Group B clash.
90'
Not long left now for Basel to see out. The away side will be looking forward to the final whistle after a poor showing in a crucial Group B matchup. Two additional minutes are to be played!
87'
CHANCE FOR A FIFTH! Embolo finds himself through on goal after getting on the end of a deflected pass on the left. The striker, having already scored in this game, is unable to bag another with his shot going straight at the goalkeeper.
85'
Schar launches a long ball forward for Embolo to control. The striker does so as Basel try to push up the pitch. Diaz is seeing a lot of the ball, he tries to release Embolo with a through ball but the pass is cut out.
84'
Marcelinho gets yellow.
83'
Abalo is penalised in the Basel half but Ludogorets win back possession. Diaz, in the Basel midfield, is having a good game since being introduced moments ago. A tackle on him from Marcelinho is met with a yellow card from the referee.
81'
M. Díaz enters the game and replaces F. Frei.
Xhaka plays the ball inside for Diaz as Basel keep possession deep in their own half. The atmosphere inside St Jakob Park is electric with the home side leading by four goals!
79'
The captain Frei is making way for the returning Chelo Diaz. Frei has been exceptional tonight, playing a part in the first two goals for Basel.
78'
Schar has to make a sliding clearance as Ludogorets nearly find a way through the Basel defence. Delgado picks up a short pass on the left from Embolo but he loses control before getting a shot away.
76'
Marcelinho, who has had a very quiet game, retains the ball under pressure as Ludogorets try and force a breakthrough on the right. Good spell of possession now for the trailing side.
Minute
Description
74'
M. Delgado enters the game and replaces S. Gashi.
73'
Basel slowing the tempo of the game down now, this will come as a relief to Ludogorets who look to have run out of steam in the final stages of the second half. Schar's challenge on Abel is given as a free kick on the left wing.
71'
Gashi's effort from inside the box is blocked down and the away side break with Abalo on the right flank. Caicaro does well to get into a crossing position on the right of midfield but he puts too much power on his delivery and the attack fizzles out.
69'
D. Callà enters the game and replaces D. González.
On closer inspection of Suchy's goal, there seemed to be a handball offence from the defender. The Ludogorets protests were waved away by the referee. Basel are pressing for a fifth goal now, Embolo is looking extremely dangerous as he holds it up in the Ludogorets half.
67'
Embolo is causing more trouble for Ludogorets, he has drifted out to the right wing where he crossed for the third goal. This time he loses the ball as the away side try to get a grasp on this second half.
65'
M. Suchý has scored a goal for Basel!
GOOOAAALLLLLL! The Basel defender Suchy was on hand to tap in from close range after a corner wasn't properly cleared by the away side. Basel now lead by four goals!
64'
Anicet enters the game and replaces Fábio Espinho.
62'
There is no let up for Ludogorets as Basel continue to press high up the pitch and put the away defence under pressure. Frei tries to pick out Gonzalez on the right wing but his ball skids off the surface and goes out for a throw in.
60'
The home side are in complete control of this Group B clash. With Liverpool trailing against Real Madrid, this result would mean the Swiss side move into the second qualification place.
59'
S. Gashi has scored a goal for Basel! Assist by B. Embolo.
IT'S A THIRD FOR BASEL! Embolo again is involved, his low driven cross from the right is connected with by Gashi who had made a brilliant run into the box. The winger slots home from close range to give his side a three goal advantage!
55'
Aleksandrov marches forward on the right and picks out Abalo, the winger goes down and pleads for a free kick but no decision is given. Embolo holds the ball up very well for Basel at the opposite end, the build up gifts the striker a chance to let fly with a thumping effort on goal which is saved!
53'
Dyakov picks the ball up on the edge of the box after a Ludogorets corner is cleared, the midfielder sends a poor shot wide of the Basel goal. The away side starting to create a few chances in this second half!
51'
Lovely close play in midfield from Basel leads to a cross from Xhaka, he picked out Gashi on the other wing who releases a thunderous volley on goal. The shot goes just over the top of the crossbar!
49'
Embolo is picked superbly again with a lofted pass from Frei on the left, his acrobatic effort is easily dealt with by Stoyanov. Basel take control of possession in their own half.
GOAL RULED OUT! Gonzalez thought he had a second but his chipped finish is ruled out as the winger was offside.
47'
Embolo strongly wins the ball in the Ludogorets half but his pass is cleared. The away side break down the right flank with Caicara, his low driven cross is blocked before finding Bezjak. A better start to this half from the trailing team!
46'
H. Younès enters the game and replaces R. Bezjak.
45' +3
HALF TIME! Basel lead Ludogorets by two goals to nil with goals from Embolo and Gonzalez. It's been an easy ride for the home side thus far! Join us back at St Jakob Park in 10 minutes for the second half of this Group B clash.
45' +2
Three minutes added on as Frei brings down Marcelinho in midfield. The free kick is easily gathered up by Vaclik again in the Basel goal. At the other end Gashi unleashes a strong shot but it goes high and wide as the referee blows for half time!
45'
Basel under some pressure in their own area for the first time in this game. Aleksandrov is picked out after a lovely timmed run in behind the defence but he sends his shot straight at Vaclik.
The second period is underway as Ludogorets get the game going again! The Bulgarian side have a lot of work to do to overturn a two goal deficit.
43'
The space being given to Frei in the Basel midfield has been the undoing of the away side, both goals coming after two superb passess from the playmaker. Ludogorets, so far, have no answer to the midfield play of Basel as Gonzalez breaks down the right again. His run is stopped this time around.
42'
D. González gets yellow.
41'
D. González has scored a goal for Basel! Assist by F. Frei.
GOOOAAAALLLLLLL! BASEL HAVE A SECOND! It's another outstanding pass from Frei in the centre, this time he finds the run of Gonzalez on the right. The winger finishes it clinically into the bottom right corner. 2-0 to the home side.
39'
Play is stoppped because of a clash of heads between Embolo and Aleksandrov, they both went down after contesting the ball in the Ludogorets box. Both players get back to their feet as Basel take possession again!
37'
Basel making a few unforced errors as Schar plays a poor ball forward towards Embolo but it goes too close to the defender and gets cleared. Abalo is having to track back to defend the run of Gonzalez on the right flank as Basel get a corner.
35'
Ludogorets under all sorts of pressure now, the away side can't keep the ball at all. Frei is pulling the strings in the middle as he tries to find Gonzalez but this time his pass goes too far and out for a throw in.
34'
B. Embolo has scored a goal for Basel! Assist by F. Frei.
GOOOOAAALLLLLLLLL! Frei again has room in the middle of midfield, he picked out Embolo with a fantastically weighted pass in the air. The striker holds off the defender and controls with his chest before slotting the ball under the goalkeeper!
31'
Zuffi's corner on the right fails to beat the first man, the away side break but are quickly closed down again. Frei has acres of space in the centre of midfield to get his head up and pick passes towards Gonzalez and Gashi on the wings.
29'
Neither goalkeeper have yet been truly tested as we approach half time. Xhaka loses the ball too easily on the right wing but his defensive partner Schar is there to sweep up.
28'
At the other end Aleksandrov fires low at the Basel goalkeeper but his shot is punched clear!
27'
CLOSE! El-Nenny drags his shot just wide of the goalkeeper's right post after he had made a great run forward on the right side of midfield!
25'
Caicara makes a bursting run across the pitch from right back and finds Abalo on the opposite flank. The winger lets a shot fly but it goes high and wide! Moments later the winger is found again in the box but it's the same end result as his shot goes well off the target.
23'
Basel's defence are pushing very high up the pitch, almost crossing the half way line with possession. Frei in the middle is beginning to find more space as they search for an opening goal. Zuffi controls it in the Ludogorets box but is closed down before unleashing an effort on goal.
21'
A. Aleksandrov enters the game and replaces C. Moți.
A poor backpass from Terziev puts the goalkeepr under some unwanted pressure as he has to clear quickly. The away side win the ball back from the proceeding throw in and attack down the right with Dyakov.
19'
Lovely close control from Frei and Safari leads to Embolo being set free on the left for a moment before he is closed down. Luogorets under some pressure as Frei plays the striker Embolo in again but this time he is caught offside.
17'
Ludogorets are forced into an early change, the earlier tackle from Moti on Embolo has injured the away side's defender. They are down to 10 men for the time being!
16'
Bezjak goes down under a heavy challenge from Schar on the edge of the Basel penalty box. He escapes any further action from the referee as Moti is flagged for offside after trying to get on the end of the set piece.
13'
Basel now starting to take more control of the game in the centre of the pitch with Frei pulling the strings. Safari finds Embolo in the penalty area and is clattered into by Moti as he stretched to control the delivery. Both players go down for a moment before regaining their feet.
11'
Basel break through the middle with striker Embolo but he fails to get his head up and look for Gonzalez who was in a better position. At the other end the home side defend a lofted cross from the right from winger Abolo, the delivery is cleared before it could reach lone striker Bezjak.
9'
The away side are finding it difficult to string passes together in the opening stages. They are limited to playing it around the back four as Basel press high with Embolo. Abolo and Aleksandrov drop deep to help out and get the play moving at a faster pace.
7'
Embolo picks it up in the away sides penalty area, he swivels on to his right but is unable to get a shot away. Ludogorets goalkeeper Stoyanov gets down very well to his left to save a long range free-kick from Zuffi.
5'
Gonzalez is proving to be the main source of danger for Basel, his run through the middle is cut out by Moti but the home team keep the ball in Ludogorets' half. The away team win a free-kick deep in their own half after a wreckless tackle from Xhaka.
3'
Gonzalez finds his way through on the right wing and this time unleashes a shot which stings the goalkeepers hands and goes for a corner. Basel dominating the opening stages here with the captain Frei keeping control of things in midfield.
2'
The home side are put under some very early pressure from the Ludogorets forwards. Frei tries to release Gonzalez down the right flank but the attack is cut out and Basel end up in possession again.
1'
We are underway here in St Jakob Park! Basel kick-off in their familiar red and blue strip with the home side playing from right-to-left in the first period.
Hello and welcome to live coverage of tonight's Champions League clash between FC Basel and Ludogorets. As we head into matchday four in the group stages, both sides have a massive opportunity to progress from a tight Group B. Real Madrid are flying high at the top but the second qualification spot is very much up for grabs as both of tonight's opponents and Liverpool all sit level on three points.
Some team news for you ahead of the line-ups, Basel coach Paulo Sousa must do without midfielder Geoffroy Serey Die following his red card in Sofia and forward Marcos Streller is sidelined because of a slipped disc. Some good news, though, as midfielder Marcelo Diaz is available again after completing a three-game ban held over from a dismissal in last season's Europa League quarter-final against Valencia.
Ludogorets defender Yordan Minev is the only absentee for the away side tonight after the Bulgarian picked up a suspension for seeing his third yellow card of the campaign on matchday three.
Basel and Ludogorets both have the chance to take a huge step closer towards a surprising place in the last-16 of the Champions League with a victory at St Jakob Park tonight. The holders Madrid are clear at the top of Group B with nine points from three consecutive victories and are again expected to see off the threat of Liverpool at the Bernabeu, having eased to a 3-0 success on Merseyside a fortnight ago.
Ludogorets secured a dramatic 1-0 home success over Basel last time out after a stoppage-time goal from defender Minev downed the visitors who had earlier been reduced to 10 men. The result was an historic one for Ludogorets as it was the first ever win by any Bulgarian side in the Champions League group stage.
Ludogorets will come into tonight's game with renewed confidence that they can upset the form book yet again. Basel are now back at the top of the Raffeisen Super League after beating Grasshoppers and Zurich's surprise defeat to bottom side Luzern. They shocked Liverpool at home on matchday two and with the return game at Anfield on December 9, the fixture is expected to be most likely to decide the runners-up spot. Ludogorets, meanwhile, will host the Reds at the end of November, before closing their group campaign in Madrid.
Ludogorets lost 2-0 on their previous visit to Basel last August as they slumped to a 6-2 defeat on aggregate by the Swiss side in the 2013/14 Champions League play-off round. They will be hoping for a better result tonight as we approach kick-off here at St Jakob Park!
Basel lead 2-0 at the break against a struggling Ludogorets side. Frei is running the game in midfield, the playmaker found two massive gaps in the away side's defence to pick out Embolo and Gonzalez for the goals.
An easy 4-0 win for Basel over Ludogorets at St Jakob Park tonight has sent the Swiss side into the second qualification spot in Group B after Liverpool were beaten 1-0 by Real Madrid. A brilliant opportunity for Basel to qualify for the last-16 now with only two more matchdays remaining in the group stages.
It's been a pleasure describing the events from St Jakob Park tonight. I've been Lee Gormley and thanks for joining me!
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