CSKA Sofia Dominates Maccabi Tel Aviv 3-0 in UEFA Qualifier

Maccabi Tel Aviv 0-3 CSKA Sofia at Batumi Arena leaves the Israelis with a heavy home defeat in this UEFA Europa League 3rd Qualifying Round tie, as CSKA carry a commanding three-goal advantage into the return leg. A ruthless Bulgarian display in both boxes, built on early goals and superior shot volume (7 shots on target to 2), put Maccabi in deep trouble in their bid to reach the group stage.

Match Report

On 9', CSKA Sofia struck first. Maccabi Tel Aviv failed to deal with an early attack, and the visitors capitalised: CSKA Sofia goal — M. Ebong (assisted by L. Godoy) finished clinically from inside the area to make it 0-1.

The tone grew combative on 18' when B. Jordao (CSKA Sofia) — yellow card (Holding) was booked for halting a Maccabi transition.

CSKA doubled their lead on 29', again punishing loose defending. CSKA Sofia goal — L. Godoy (assisted by I. Pittas) as Godoy timed his run perfectly to meet Pittas' pass and steer the ball beyond Ofek Melika for 0-2.

Maccabi's frustration surfaced on 31' with S. Abu Farkhi (Maccabi Tel Aviv) — yellow card (Holding) after a late challenge in midfield. On 43', M. Camara (Maccabi Tel Aviv) — yellow card (Holding) followed, reflecting the home side's increasing desperation before the interval.

Maccabi Tel Aviv made a double change at half-time to reset their shape: on 46', N. Ben Harush replaced S. Rosen (Maccabi Tel Aviv), and moments later T. Asante replaced I. Ben Hamo (Maccabi Tel Aviv) as Kenny Miller sought more energy and width down the flanks.

CSKA's own attacking focal point I. Pittas went into the book on 54' — I. Pittas (CSKA Sofia) — yellow card (Holding) for a tug back as Maccabi tried to break.

The 66' mark brought a flurry of substitutions. For CSKA Sofia, J. Eto'o replaced B. Jordao (CSKA Sofia) to refresh the midfield, while J. Zwarts replaced I. Pittas (CSKA Sofia) up front, adding fresh legs in attack. At the same time, Maccabi Tel Aviv tried to inject creativity and goal threat: O. Davida replaced I. Shahar (Maccabi Tel Aviv), and E. Sokler replaced S. Abu Farkhi (Maccabi Tel Aviv) as the hosts chased a way back.

On 77', Maccabi made another attacking tweak with E. Madmon replacing H. Varela (Maccabi Tel Aviv), pushing more numbers into advanced areas. CSKA responded on 78' by adding fresh pace on the wing: M. Brahimi replaced L. Godoy (CSKA Sofia), the earlier goalscorer and provider.

Tempers flared again on 85' with back-to-back bookings: J. Zwarts (CSKA Sofia) — yellow card (Unsportsmanlike conduct) after a tangle off the ball, swiftly followed by R. Shlomo (Maccabi Tel Aviv) — yellow card (Unsportsmanlike conduct) as both sides clashed.

CSKA Sofia then killed the tie in regulation time. On 90', CSKA Sofia goal — J. Zwarts (assisted by Pastor) as the substitute forward latched onto a precise pass from the overlapping right-back Pastor to slot home and stretch the lead to 0-3.

Immediately after his assist, Pastor was withdrawn on 90+1', with Leo Pereira replaced Pastor (CSKA Sofia) to see out the final moments. The last notable incident came on 90+4', when S. Sensi (CSKA Sofia) — yellow card (Tripping) was cautioned for a late challenge as Maccabi tried one last forward surge.

Fixture Statistics & Tactical Audit

• xG: not available vs not available
• Possession: 49% vs 51%
• Shots on Target: 2 vs 7
• Goalkeeper Saves: not available vs not available
• Blocked Shots: 0 vs 6

The 3-0 scoreline aligned with CSKA Sofia's territorial and defensive control, even without precise xG values. They edged possession (51% to 49%) but, more importantly, generated far more danger, registering 7 shots on target to Maccabi Tel Aviv's 2. CSKA's back line and midfield block were highly effective, evidenced by 6 blocked shots, repeatedly shutting down Maccabi attempts around the box, while the hosts failed to record a single block. Maccabi's attacking structure in the 4-2-3-1 rarely broke CSKA's compact 4-3-3 mid-block, leaving their forwards isolated and reliant on low-percentage efforts. CSKA, by contrast, turned their pressure into clear chances at key moments, converting three of their seven efforts on target to put the tie firmly in their hands.

Standings Update & Seasonal Impact

With no league standings data provided, the impact of this result is best understood within the context of the UEFA Europa League 3rd Qualifying Round. CSKA Sofia's 3-0 away win gives them a substantial aggregate advantage and a strong platform to progress to the play-off round, allowing them to manage the second leg with greater tactical flexibility. Maccabi Tel Aviv now face the daunting task of overturning a three-goal deficit away from home, likely forcing them into a far more aggressive setup in the return match, which could expose them further to CSKA's counter-attacking threat.

Lineups & Personnel

Maccabi Tel Aviv Starting XI

• GK: Ofek Melika
• DF: Itai Ben Hamo, Mohamed Camara, Raz Shlomo, Shahar Rosen
• MF: Itamar Noy, Ido Shahar, Issouf Sissokho, Dor Peretz, Hélio Varela
• FW: Saied Abu Farchi

CSKA Sofia Starting XI

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

Post-Match Verdict

CSKA Sofia delivered a disciplined and efficient away performance, combining defensive solidity (6 blocked shots and restricting Maccabi Tel Aviv to just 2 shots on target) with incisive attacking play (7 shots on target, 3 goals). Their 4-3-3 shape controlled central zones, with Ebong and Jordão breaking up play and Sensi dictating tempo, while Godoy and Pittas repeatedly exploited spaces between Maccabi's centre-backs and full-backs. The visitors' ability to strike early and then manage the game on their terms underpinned a result that felt fully justified on the balance of chances.

Maccabi Tel Aviv, by contrast, produced a vulnerable display in both penalty areas, conceding twice in the first half and failing to convert their limited attacking moments (only 2 shots on target and 0 blocked shots, indicating a lack of sustained pressure). The half-time and second-half substitutions injected some energy but did not fundamentally alter the pattern: CSKA continued to find better shooting positions, while Maccabi's 4-2-3-1 struggled to create high-quality opportunities against a compact, well-drilled back four. Unless Maccabi can significantly raise their attacking output and tighten defensively in the second leg, CSKA Sofia look strong favourites to advance.