CSKA Sofia Advances in UEFA Europa League After Penalty Shootout Win

CSKA Sofia 0-0 Qarabag (5-4 on penalties) at Vasil Levski National Sports Academy in Sofia ends with the hosts edging through to the next stage of the UEFA Europa League 2nd Qualifying Round after a tense shootout. With no league standings data available, the significance is purely knockout: CSKA convert all five of their spot-kicks to eliminate Qarabag, who are undone by a single miss in an otherwise finely balanced tie.

Match Report

The first half unfolded as a tight, physical contest with few clear chances and growing tension. The tone was set in the 39th minute when Bruno Jordão (CSKA Sofia) received a yellow card for tripping, underlining the combative nature of the midfield battle.

Just after the restart, the pattern continued. In the 48th minute, Leandro Godoy (CSKA Sofia) was booked for unsportsmanlike conduct, reflecting CSKA’s aggressive pressing approach. Qarabag responded with their own disciplinary issues: in the 50th minute, Marko Janković (Qarabag) picked up a yellow card for roughing, and five minutes later, in the 55th minute, Bence Várkonyi (Qarabag) was also shown a yellow for roughing as duels intensified across the pitch.

The first major tactical changes arrived on 70 minutes. Renaldo Cephas replaced Kady Borges (Qarabag), adding fresh legs and more direct running in the attacking line. A minute later, at 71', CSKA Sofia made their own adjustment as James Eto'o came on for Bruno Jordão, aiming to inject energy into midfield and support transitions.

CSKA’s substitute quickly entered the referee’s notebook: in the 74th minute, James Eto'o (CSKA Sofia) received a yellow card for roughing, emblematic of CSKA’s high-contact defensive work. Qarabag then reshaped their side with a triple substitution in the 82nd minute: Cebrail Makreckis replaced Bədavi Hüseynov, Bruno Langa came on for Elvin Cafarquliyev, and Jaly Mouaddib replaced Olexiy Kashchuk. The visitors sought to refresh both their back line and creative options ahead of the closing stages.

CSKA made a late attacking change in regular time as Joël Zwarts replaced Leandro Godoy in the 89th minute, looking for a different profile up front to threaten in behind. Qarabag’s final change of normal time came in stoppage time at 90+2', when Joni Montiel replaced Abdellah Zoubir to add a new playmaker for potential late chances and, crucially, the looming shootout.

Extra time began with the bookings continuing. In the 95th minute, Ángelo Martino (CSKA Sofia) was shown a yellow card for holding, a consequence of Qarabag’s attempts to build down the flanks. Four minutes later, at 99', CSKA adjusted again, with Mohamed Amine Brahimi replacing Ángelo Martino to restore freshness on the left side.

Qarabag’s last substitution came in the 100th minute, as Musa Qurbanlı replaced Zakaria Sawo, providing a different focal point up front for the final 20 minutes. The physical toll of the match remained evident: in the 105+3' minute, Teodor Ivanov (CSKA Sofia) received a yellow card for roughing, followed swiftly by another Qarabag caution in the 106th minute when Bruno Langa was booked for roughing. The final card of the night came in the 112th minute as Joël Zwarts (CSKA Sofia) was shown a yellow for unsportsmanlike conduct, capping a bruising encounter.

With the match finishing 0-0 after 120 minutes, the tie moved to a penalty shootout, recorded in the 120th minute plus added time segments. The sequence unfolded as follows:

At 120+1', Qarabag struck first in the shootout: Marko Janković (Qarabag) converted his penalty (unassisted), giving the visitors an early edge. CSKA immediately replied at 120+1' as Ioannis Pittas (CSKA Sofia) scored his spot-kick (unassisted), levelling the shootout at 1-1.

The turning point arrived at 120+2'. Matheus Silva (Qarabag) stepped up but missed his penalty (unassisted), a crucial lapse under pressure. CSKA capitalised instantly at 120+2', with Teodor Ivanov (CSKA Sofia) converting his penalty (unassisted) to move CSKA 2-1 ahead in the shootout.

The next round at 120+3' saw Qarabag stay alive as Jaly Mouaddib (Qarabag) scored his penalty (unassisted), before Jean-Philippe Gbamin (CSKA Sofia) kept CSKA in front by converting his own effort (unassisted), making it 3-2 to the hosts in the shootout.

At 120+4', Renaldo Cephas (Qarabag) held his nerve and scored (unassisted), but Stefano Sensi (CSKA Sofia) responded with another successful penalty (unassisted), preserving CSKA’s advantage at 4-3.

The fifth round at 120+5' demanded perfection from Qarabag, and Joni Montiel (Qarabag) delivered, scoring his penalty (unassisted) to make it 4-4 and force CSKA to convert their final kick. James Eto'o (CSKA Sofia), already booked earlier, completed his evening decisively by scoring the final penalty (unassisted), sealing a 5-4 shootout victory for CSKA Sofia and their progression after a goalless 120 minutes.

Fixture Statistics & Tactical Audit

• xG: CSKA Sofia — not available vs Qarabag — not available
• Possession: CSKA Sofia 42% vs 58% Qarabag
• Shots on Target: CSKA Sofia 3 vs 5 Qarabag
• Goalkeeper Saves: CSKA Sofia — not available vs Qarabag — not available
• Blocked Shots: CSKA Sofia 3 vs 7 Qarabag

Across 120 minutes, Qarabag were the more territorially dominant side (58% possession) and carried the greater attacking volume with 5 shots on target to CSKA Sofia’s 3, plus a clear edge in blocked efforts (7 vs 3), suggesting they spent more time in advanced areas and forced CSKA into last-ditch interventions. CSKA, by contrast, operated more reactively, accepting a lower share of the ball and relying on compact defending and fouls (26 vs 14) to disrupt Qarabag’s rhythm. Without xG data, shot quality cannot be precisely measured, but the distribution of shots and possession indicates Qarabag had the more sustained pressure, while CSKA’s game plan hinged on defensive resilience and surviving to the shootout, where their flawless 5/5 conversion rate ultimately justified that conservative approach.

Standings Update & Seasonal Impact

As this was a UEFA Europa League 2nd Qualifying Round tie and no league standings data is available for either CSKA Sofia or Qarabag, the impact is binary rather than positional. CSKA’s penalty success sends them through to the next qualifying stage, extending their European campaign and the associated financial and sporting benefits. Qarabag, despite controlling more of the ball and generating more attempts, exit the competition on the narrowest of margins, their season in Europe curtailed by a single missed kick in the shootout.

Lineups & Personnel

CSKA Sofia Starting XI

• GK: Fedor Lapoukhov
• DF: Pastor, Teodor Ivanov, Facundo Rodríguez, Ángelo Martino, Jean-Philippe Gbamin
• MF: Max Ebong, Stefano Sensi, Bruno Jordão
• FW: Ioannis Pittas, Leandro Godoy

Qarabag Starting XI

• GK: Mateusz Kochalski
• DF: Matheus Silva, Bədavi Hüseynov, Bence Várkonyi, Elvin Cafarquliyev
• MF: Pedro Bicalho, Marko Janković, Olexiy Kashchuk, Kady Borges, Abdellah Zoubir
• FW: Zakaria Sawo

Post-Match Verdict

CSKA Sofia’s progression owed more to defensive resilience than attacking fluency, as evidenced by their limited attacking output (3 shots on target, 42% possession) and high foul count (26), but their approach was effective in denying Qarabag clear breakthroughs over 120 minutes. Their penalty execution was clinical (5 converted from 5 attempts in the shootout), with contributions spread across Ioannis Pittas, Teodor Ivanov, Jean-Philippe Gbamin, Stefano Sensi and James Eto'o, all handling the pressure flawlessly.

Qarabag will view this as a missed opportunity: they were the more dominant side in general play (58% possession, 5 shots on target, 7 blocked shots) and forced CSKA into repeated defensive interventions, yet lacked the incisiveness to turn territory into goals. Ultimately, the decisive detail was Matheus Silva’s missed penalty in the shootout, the only failure in an otherwise composed series. Tactically, Qarabag’s control and volume did not translate into a knockout blow, while CSKA’s compact shape, physical commitment, and perfect penalties delivered the marginal gains needed to survive and advance.