OFI secured a resounding 3-0 victory over CSKA Sofia, advancing to the next round and eliminating their opponent from the Europa League.
OFI defeated CSKA Sofia 3-0 at the Pagritio stadium in the UEFA Europa League play-off round thanks to goals from Fountas and Dickmann, officially securing their place in the next round, while CSKA Sofia were eliminated.
- 0'The match has started.
OFI hosts CSKA Sofia.
- 19'T. Fountas scores against CSKA Sofia, OFI opens the scoring.
19th minute,T. Fountasto break the deadlock and bring about a breakthrough.OFIThey took a 1-0 lead against CSKA Sofia. The early opening goal at Pankritio Stadium gave the home team a crucial advantage in the UEFA Europa League play-off match.
- 38'OFI maintained their 1-0 lead.
Approaching the 38th minute,OFIThey are still holding onto their 1-0 lead against CSKA Sofia. The match is extremely tight, with the corner kick count between the two sides remaining at 0-0, while CSKA Sofia has committed 0-2 fouls to disrupt their opponent's attacking play.
- 45'End of the first half
At the end of the first half, the score was 1-0.
- 46'The second half has begun.
The second half has begun.
- 51'T. Fountas scored the penalty to double the lead.
51st minute,T. FountasOFI calmly converted a penalty, giving CSKA Sofia a 2-0 lead. OFI then doubled the lead with a valuable goal.
- 51'OFI holds the lead over CSKA Sofia.
At the 51st minute, OFI still maintained their 1-0 lead in a match that hadn't produced many tense moments. Neither team had any corner kicks (0-0), while CSKA Sofia committed more fouls with a ratio of 0-2.
- 53'S. Sensi received a yellow card.
53rd minute,S. SensiCSKA Sofia's player was shown a yellow card by the referee for unsportsmanlike conduct. This is a sign that the visiting team is under added pressure after conceding two goals.
- 54'T. Ivanov received a yellow card, CSKA Sofia lost their composure.
In the 54th minute, the referee issued a yellow card.T. Ivanov(CSKA Sofia) after a brutal foul. Being 2-0 down to OFI seems to be causing the visiting team psychological problems, leading to a series of heated actions on the field.
- 56'CSKA Sofia makes a personnel change, M. Brahimi comes on.
In the 56th minute, CSKA Sofia decided to make a substitution.M. BrahimiHe was brought on to replace Pastor. The visiting team's coaching staff were forced to make adjustments as they were trailing OFI 2-0 and had received several yellow cards.
- 56'CSKA Sofia brought C. Itu on to replace J. Eto'o.
56th minute,CSKA SofiaThere was a personnel change whenC. ItuHe was brought onto the field to replace the previous player.J. Eto'oWith their lead now 2-0 and having received two consecutive yellow cards, the visiting team's coaching staff were forced to make adjustments to improve their performance.
- 63'OFI maintained a comfortable 2-0 lead against CSKA Sofia.
At the 63rd minute, OFI was still in control of the game with a lead.2 - 0Against CSKA Sofia, the visiting team struggled to get close to the opponent's goal, with the corner kick count remaining low.0 - 0, and at the same time there was0 - 2fouls committed on the field.
- 64'CSKA Sofia brought J. Zwarts onto the field in an attempt to find an equalizer.
In the 64th minute, CSKA Sofia made a substitution whenJ. Zwartswas brought on as a substitute.L. GodoyTrailing OFI 2-0, the visiting team desperately needed a fresh impetus in attack to have any hope of turning the tide in the remaining time of the match.
- 66'OFI makes a substitution, Karachalios comes on.
66th minute,OFIA substitution was made, with Z. Karachalios coming on to replace T. Fountas. Holding a 2-0 lead, the home team began to consider personnel changes to strengthen their defense in the following minutes.
- 66'OFI makes a substitution: L. Dickmann replaces A. Bouchalakis.
66th minute,OFIThe decision to make personnel changes when launching...L. Dickmanncame onto the field as a substitute forA. BouchalakisWith a 2-0 lead, the home team wanted to add more youth and freshness to maintain control of the game for the remainder of the match.
- 75'CSKA Sofia makes personnel changes: Leo Pereira replaces A. Yordanov.
In the 75th minute, the CSKA Sofia coaching staff decided to substitute...Leo Pereiracame onto the field as a substitute forA. YordanovWith OFI trailing 2-0, this substitution was expected to bring a fresh impetus to help the away team find a goal to reduce the deficit.
- 76'OFI refreshes its attack with the arrival of A. Leya Iseka.
76th minute,OFIThe decision to make a personnel change upon withdrawal.T. Nusstake a break to make room forA. Leya IsekaWith a 2-0 lead, the home team wanted to maintain pressure and conserve energy for the remaining minutes of the match.
- 76'OFI made a personnel change, with G. Kanellopoulos coming on in the 76th minute.
In the 76th minute, OFI club made a substitution.G. Kanellopouloswas brought onto the field to replaceA. AndroutsosThe home team proactively refreshed their lineup in order to maintain control of the game and protect their 2-0 lead for the remainder of the match.
- 76'OFI maintained their 2-0 lead in the 76th minute.
In the 76th minute, OFI continued to maintain their dominance and a comfortable 2-0 lead against CSKA Sofia. The match unfolded relatively calmly, with the corner kick count remaining at 0-0 and CSKA Sofia having a slight advantage in fouls (0-2).
- 81'CSKA Sofia were reduced to ten men, with M. Brahimi receiving a red card in the 81st minute.
81st minute,M. BrahimiCSKA Sofia received a red card and were sent off for unsportsmanlike conduct. Trailing OFI 2-0, the red card in the final minutes made the visitors' hopes of turning the game around extremely slim.
- 86'OFI makes last-minute personnel changes.
86th minute,OFImake personnel changes whenD. NikolaouHe was brought onto the field to replace the previous player.K. KostoulasWith a 2-0 lead and their opponent CSKA Sofia reduced to ten men after a red card in the 81st minute, the home team proactively refreshed their squad to maintain their advantage for the remainder of the match.
- 88'OFI came close to victory in the 88th minute.
The match entered the 88th minute.OFIcontinue to maintain the lead.2-0Against CSKA Sofia, the visiting team appeared quite frustrated, with the corner kick count remaining at 0-0 and CSKA Sofia conceding 0-2 fouls in their attempts to contest the ball in the penultimate minutes.
- 90+5'L. Dickmann extended OFI's lead to 3-0.
At minute 90+5,L. DickmannOFI increased the score to 3-0 with an assist fromD. NikolaouThe goal in the final minutes of injury time capped off a triumphant performance from the home team against CSKA Sofia.
- KTFinal score: OFI 3-0 CSKA Sofia
The match ended with a score of 3-0.
Updated at 02:53 on August 21, 2026
OFI will face CSKA Sofia at 01:00 on August 21, 2026, at Pankritio Stadium in the UEFA Europa League. This is a knockout match: the winner advances, while the loser is eliminated.
The do-or-die nature of the game means the margin for error is very small. Instead of having time to correct the result as in the group stage, both teams must manage every moment of the match, from their approach to their ability to remain calm when the game changes.
CSKA Sofia continues its positive run of form.
CSKA Sofia entered the match with a record of 3 wins, 1 draw, and 1 loss in their last 5 games. This run of results shows the team's ability to maintain a stable rhythm of play and have also managed to secure victories in some matches.
Notably, CSKA Sofia's most recent result was a victory. Prior to that, they had a draw, followed by two wins and a defeat in their most recent match in the provided series. This development creates a positive morale boost ahead of their away game at Pankritio Stadium.
The match was decided by the ability to control the pressure.
In a knockout match, CSKA Sofia could rely on the confidence from their recent form to take the initiative. However, a good run of results doesn't automatically guarantee an advantage on the field; what matters is how the team reacts to pressure and crucial moments.
For OFI, the home advantage at Pankritio Stadium creates a setting where the home team can challenge the tempo and intensity of the game. With no room for an unfavorable result, the match is likely to demand tightness, discipline, and efficiency in every decision.
Assessment
CSKA Sofia has the advantage of three wins in their last five matches, but OFI will be playing at Pankritio Stadium in this knockout round. The balance of the match will depend on which team controls the pressure better, as only a win will determine qualification.
*This article was created with the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI).
