CSKA Sofia's Tactical Masterclass Against Qarabag
CSKA Sofia’s penalty shootout win over Qarabag at Vasil Levski National Sports Academy was built on defensive resilience, vertical transitions and a willingness to suffer without the ball. Over 120 minutes the hosts accepted a 42% share of possession, absorbed sustained pressure, and relied on their back four and single pivot in the 4-1-4-1 to protect the penalty area. Qarabag, in a 4-2-3-1, controlled territory and tempo, but their territorial dominance and 10 corners could not be converted into a breakthrough before the tie was decided from the spot.
CSKA Sofia's Structure
Structurally, CSKA Sofia’s 4-1-4-1 was clear from the opening whistle. F. Lapoukhov anchored the last line, screened by J. Gbamin as the lone holding midfielder. Full-backs Pastor and Ángelo Martino stayed relatively conservative, rarely advancing in tandem, which helped compress the central lane against Qarabag’s number 10 Kady Borges and the wide playmaker A. Zoubir. The two central midfielders, M. Ebong and S. Sensi, operated as shuttlers either side of B. Jordao, tasked with jumping to Qarabag’s double pivot while still tracking back to form a compact 4-5-1 block.
In Possession
In possession, CSKA Sofia were direct and vertical. With only 2 corner kicks and limited sustained pressure, their attacks were built around early balls into the front pair of I. Pittas and L. Godoy, with wide midfielders breaking beyond. The shot profile underlines the approach: 3 shots on goal from a relatively low overall volume, complemented by 3 blocked efforts, suggests sporadic but dangerous surges rather than continuous waves. When they did manage to play through the thirds, it was often via Sensi’s short combinations and Ebong’s ball-carrying into half-spaces, trying to isolate Qarabag’s full-backs.
Out of Possession
Out of possession, CSKA Sofia were aggressive and sometimes overzealous. The foul count—26 to Qarabag’s 14—and 6 yellow cards show a side willing to disrupt rhythm and break up transitions early. The timing of the bookings is revealing: Bruno Jordão’s caution at 39' came as Qarabag’s midfield began to dictate, while later cards for Ángelo Martino, Teodor Ivanov and Joël Zwarts in extra time reflected the physical toll of defending deeper against fresh Qarabag substitutes. The accumulation of cards was the cost of maintaining compactness and denying Qarabag clean entries into the box.
Qarabag's Approach
Qarabag’s 4-2-3-1 was the more proactive structure. With 58% possession, 5 shots on goal and 7 blocked shots, they consistently worked the ball into advanced areas. The double pivot of Pedro Bicalho and M. Jankovic provided a stable platform, recycling possession and feeding the attacking trio of O. Kashchuk, Kady Borges and A. Zoubir behind lone striker Z. Sawo. Their 10 corner kicks underline how often they managed to pin CSKA Sofia back and force clearances around the box.
Tactical Analysis
Tactically, Qarabag used width and rotations between the lines to unbalance CSKA Sofia’s midfield. Zoubir drifted inside from the left, allowing E. Cafarquliyev to overlap, while on the right Kashchuk alternated between hugging the touchline and underlapping into the right half-space. The result was repeated overloads against CSKA’s full-backs and Gbamin, forcing the hosts’ wingers to track deep and further limiting their counter-attacking threat.
However, Qarabag’s dominance had two structural drawbacks. First, the high volume of blocked shots (7) suggests that while they reached shooting positions, CSKA Sofia’s central defenders—particularly T. Ivanov—held a deep line and were quick to step into shooting lanes. Second, with so many players committed forward, transitions against them were potentially vulnerable, even if CSKA Sofia did not fully exploit these moments. The relatively low foul count (14) and only 3 yellow cards for Qarabag indicate a more controlled, positional approach to counter-pressing rather than repeated tactical fouling.
Substitution Patterns
The substitution patterns reflected the tactical battle. Qurban Qurbanov’s triple change at 82'—introducing B. Langa, J. Mouaddib and C. Makreckis for E. Cafarquliyev, O. Kashchuk and B. Huseynov—was a clear attempt to inject fresh legs and maintain intensity on the flanks and in midfield heading into extra time. Later, the introduction of M. Qurbanly for Z. Sawo at 100' added a different profile up front, aiming to stretch CSKA Sofia’s tiring centre-backs with more depth runs.
Hristo Yanev’s adjustments were more conservative and reactive. J. Eto'o replacing B. Jordao at 71' and J. Zwarts coming on for L. Godoy at 89' signalled a desire to maintain energy in the front line and midfield pressing without altering the basic 4-1-4-1 structure. M. Brahimi for Ángelo Martino at 99' also hinted at a late shift towards fresher legs on the flank, with defensive responsibility still paramount.
Discipline and Match Statistics
Discipline became a key sub-plot. With CSKA Sofia accumulating 6 yellow cards to Qarabag’s 3, the hosts walked a fine line in the closing stages. Yet the absence of any red cards or penalties conceded suggests that, while aggressive, their tactical fouling remained just inside the limits set by the referee. Qarabag, by contrast, managed their aggression more selectively, picking moments to press rather than engaging in constant duels.
Statistically, the match profile is of a classic qualifier: one side (Qarabag) controlling the ball, territory and set-piece volume, the other (CSKA Sofia) prioritising structure, defensive density and game management. The lack of goals across 120 minutes, despite Qarabag’s superior shot and corner metrics, underlines CSKA Sofia’s effectiveness in the defensive phase. Ultimately, the shootout rewarded the team that had embraced a low-possession, high-discipline defensive game plan and executed it with enough precision to keep Qarabag at bay until penalties decided the tie.
