CSKA Sofia beats Maccabi Tel Aviv 3-0 in Europa League qualifier

CSKA Sofia defeated Israeli side Maccabi Tel Aviv 3-0 in the first leg of the third qualifying round of the Europa League. The match was played behind closed doors at the Adjarabet Arena in Batumi, Georgia, after UEFA imposed a sanction on Maccabi for previous pyrotechnic incidents. Leandro Godoy opened the scoring in the 9th minute and doubled the lead in the 29th, while Joël Zwarts added a third goal in stoppage time.

The victory gives the Bulgarian club a strong advantage ahead of the second leg in Sofia on 13 August, where they will face OFI Crete for a place in the play‑offs. Coach Christo Yanev praised the performance despite recent criticism, and sport director Valentin Iliev highlighted the team's discipline and hinted at possible new signings to maintain the level.

CSKA’s win also secures at least a spot in the Europa Conference League group stage, pending the outcome of the return fixture.