Match Centre

CSKA Sofia's 2-1 victory was a fair reflection of the match's tight balance, with the crucial difference being their ability to capitalize on their key moments. The visitors secured their win through Ioannis Pittas' 75th-minute strike and a 90+18th-minute own goal from Derry City's Barry Cotter, after the hosts had initially taken the lead via Ellis Chapman's 47th-minute goal. Despite the lack of available shot data, CSKA's higher yellow card count (4-1) suggests a more aggressive defensive approach that ultimately disrupted Derry's rhythm.

The match turned in the final quarter-hour with Pittas' clinical finish assisted by Dimitar Evtimov, demonstrating CSKA's efficiency in transition. Derry's substitutions failed to shift momentum, with Chapman withdrawn shortly after scoring. The decisive stat was CSKA's defensive resilience, conceding just once despite Derry's early second-half surge, before pinching the points through Cotter's unfortunate late intervention.