CSKA Sofia's Tactical Resilience in Penalty Shootout Victory
CSKA Sofia’s 4-1-4-1 at Vasil Levski National Sports Academy was built first and foremost to absorb pressure and stretch the tie to a penalty shootout, which they ultimately won 5-4 after 120 minutes of a goalless draw. Qarabag’s 4-2-3-1, with more of the ball and more attempts on goal, dictated the territorial battle, but never fully broke CSKA’s compact block despite a clear statistical edge in possession and shots.
Out of possession, CSKA’s structure was conservative and vertically short. With F. Lapoukhov behind a back four of Pastor, Teodor Ivanov, F. Rodriguez and Ángelo Martino, plus J. Gbamin screening in front, they effectively formed a 5-man defensive spine. The line of four ahead – M. Ebong, S. Sensi, Bruno Jordão and I. Pittas – rarely pressed high; instead, they dropped to compress central zones, inviting Qarabag to circulate in front of them. The foul count – 26 for CSKA against 14 for Qarabag – underlines how often the Bulgarians chose to break rhythm with contact rather than step out collectively.
Qarabag, by contrast, used their 58% possession to build patiently. With Pedro Bicalho and M. Jankovic as the double pivot and full-backs Matheus Silva and E. Cafarquliyev providing width, they created a broad attacking platform. Kady Borges as the central playmaker, flanked by O. Kashchuk and A. Zoubir behind Z. Sawo, gave them a classic 2-3-4-1 shape in sustained attacks. Their 5 shots on goal to CSKA’s 3, and a 10-2 advantage in corners, show a side that pinned the hosts back and repeatedly worked the ball into crossing and second-ball situations.
The defensive contrast was stark in the blocked shots column: Qarabag registered 7 blocked efforts to CSKA’s 3. That figure reflects Qarabag’s willingness to shoot through traffic around the box and CSKA’s deep line, which forced attackers to pull the trigger from congested areas. CSKA’s 3 shots on goal from limited possession and only 2 corners suggest a game plan focused on selective, direct breaks rather than sustained pressure. L. Godoy as the lone striker, supported by Pittas and late-running midfielders, looked for quick transitions rather than combination play; the relatively low number of offsides (2) for CSKA and zero for Qarabag indicates that both teams were cautious about running beyond the last line.
In-Game Management
Hristo Yanev’s in-game management was clearly geared towards energy and defensive resilience as the match wore on. The first CSKA change came at 71', when J. Eto'o (IN) came on for B. Jordao (OUT), adding fresh legs and directness in the attacking line but also another aggressive presser from the front – reflected later in Eto'o’s yellow card. At 89', J. Zwarts (IN) replaced L. Godoy (OUT), giving CSKA a fresher reference point up front to chase long balls and contest clearances as they prepared for extra time. The 99' substitution – M. Brahimi (IN) for A. Martino (OUT) – subtly reshaped the left flank, sacrificing a starting full-back for a midfielder who could help carry the ball out and relieve pressure, while the back line adjusted around Pastor, Ivanov and Rodriguez.
Qarabag's Changes
Qurban Qurbanov’s changes for Qarabag were more about sustaining their attacking volume and maintaining control. At 70', R. Cephas (IN) replaced Kady Borges (OUT), injecting pace and a more vertical threat in the No.10 channel. The triple change at 82' – B. Langa (IN) for E. Cafarquliyev (OUT), J. Mouaddib (IN) for O. Kashchuk (OUT), and C. Makreckis (IN) for B. Huseynov (OUT) – refreshed both the back line and the attacking midfield band, allowing Qarabag to keep their pressing intensity high and to continue pinning CSKA back with overlaps and rotations. At 90+2', J. Montiel (IN) for A. Zoubir (OUT) maintained creativity between the lines, and at 100', M. Qurbanly (IN) for Z. Sawo (OUT) offered a different profile at centre-forward, more focused on penalty-box presence in the closing stages of extra time.
Discipline and Cards
Discipline became a structural theme. CSKA accumulated six yellow cards – Bruno Jordão (39'), Leandro Godoy (48'), James Eto'o (75'), Ángelo Martino (95'), Teodor Ivanov (105+3') and Joël Zwarts (112'). Even though the reasons are not specified, the timing and volume of bookings point to repeated tactical fouls and last-ditch interventions as Qarabag tried to accelerate combinations around the box and down the flanks. Qarabag’s three yellows – Marko Janković (50'), Bence Várkonyi (55') and Joni Montiel (107') – were more evenly spread and consistent with a side occasionally stopping counters or arriving late in duels, but not living on the edge structurally.
The statistical profile supports the tactical reading. Qarabag’s 58% possession and 10 corners to CSKA’s 42% and 2 corners indicate sustained territorial control and a higher volume of attacking phases. Their 5 shots on goal versus CSKA’s 3 underline that they created the clearer volume of attempts, while the 7 blocked shots confirm CSKA’s low block and emergency defending. The foul differential (26 vs 14) and card count (6 vs 3) show a home side that accepted defensive risk and physical expenditure to drag the game into a penalty scenario.
Without explicit xG or passing data, the broader pattern is still clear: Qarabag’s overall form on the night, in terms of control and chance volume, was stronger, but CSKA’s defensive index – deep positioning, high block count, and willingness to foul – was high enough to keep the scoreboard at 0-0 through 120 minutes. From there, the tie shifted from tactical control to psychological execution, where CSKA Sofia’s 5-4 success in the shootout rewarded their disciplined, attritional approach.
