CSKA experienced a real European nightmare, which fortunately ended with a happy ending. The “Army“ lost with 1:3 by Israeli Maccabi Tel Aviv in the second leg of the third qualifying round of Europa League, played in front of over 20,000 spectators at the National Stadium “Vasil Levski“. Despite the defeat at home, the home team continues to the playoff phase of the tournament thanks to its memorable 3:0 triumph in the first match in Georgia a week ago.
The match offered exceptional drama and immense tension for CSKA fans, who saw how the huge lead of their favorite team melted to a minimum.
A penalty cancelled, a crossbar and an early shock for CSKA
The match started at an extremely high speed under the leadership of German referee Daniel Schlager. In the 7th minute, the Israelis were given the right to take a penalty after Varela fell in the penalty area after contact with Jean-Philippe Gbamen. However, after the VAR intervention, the referee saw obvious simulation and overturned his decision, the sports portal Sportal.bg (https://sportal.bg/news-2026081317002097412).
Immediately after that, CSKA had a golden chance to decide everything. Striker Leandro Godoy advanced powerfully, overcame a defender and shot hard, but the visitors' goalkeeper Ofek Malika knocked the ball and it bounced off the left post.
Instead of the hosts taking the lead, in the 12th minute Maccabi Tel Aviv opened the scoring. Osher Davida crossed perfectly into the penalty area, where the “reds“ defense fell asleep, and the visitors' captain Dor Perets intercepted the ball past the helpless Fyodor Lapouhov for 0:1, the platform reports in detail about the goal Gong.bg (https://gong.bg/bg-football/evrouchastnici/perec-otkri-za-makabi-tel-aviv-sreshtu-cska-902489).
Israeli pressure and a goal of hope for the “army“
In the second half, the guests increased their pressure in search of a complete sensation. In the 61st minute, Esther Sokler managed to double the lead for Maccabi – 0:2, bringing real panic to the stands.
Hristo's graduates Yanev, however, reacted quickly. The big star of the “army men“ Stefano Sensi proved to be the most resourceful in the penalty area and returned a goal for CSKA, reducing to 1:2. This goal seemed like a consolation, but the drama was yet to come, the chronology of events from BNT News (https://bntnews.bg/news/na-zhivo-cska-makabi-13-sensi-varna-chervenite-v-igrata-1407919news.html).
A nightmarish mistake by Lapouhov sent the match to the brink
In the 68th minute, a curious and shocking situation came to the Bulgarian goal. Elio Varela broke through on the left flank and sent a cross, which ricocheted slightly into David Pastor. CSKA goalkeeper Fyodor Lapouhov was totally surprised, he failed to intervene at his best. way and literally put the ball in his own net for 1:3. A video of the curious situation was published in their report by Gong.bg (https://gong.bg/bg-football/evrouchastnici/multimedia/video/shokirashta-greshka-na-lapouhov-makabi-tel-aviv-pak-vkara-na-cska-902498).
By the end of the match, the Israelis threw all their strength into the attack, and the total score was 4:3 for CSKA. The Bulgarian team held off the final assault at the cost of a lot of nerves, tactical violations and good defensive interventions to seal their ticket to the Europa League playoff round.
After this thriller, Hristo Yanev will have to quickly analyze the blunders in defense, as in the next phase the stakes will be entering the group stage of the second strongest European club tournament.