Crete Locals

OFI beats CSKA Sofia 3-0 in Europa League play-off first leg

· By CreteLocals Editorial Team
OFI beats CSKA Sofia 3-0 in Europa League play-off first leg

OFI defeated CSKA Sofia 3-0 at Pankritio Stadium in Heraklion on August 20, in the first leg of a Europa League qualifying play-off round, taking a strong advantage into next week’s return match in Bulgaria.

The team coached by Christos Kontis opened the scoring in the 19th minute through Fountas, who converted after Aitor’s cross deflected off defender Pastor’s arm. Fountas doubled OFI’s lead in the second half, converting a penalty awarded after a VAR review for a second handball by Pastor. Sources differ slightly on the exact minute of the penalty, placing it between the 48th and 51st minute of the match.

CSKA Sofia pushed for a way back into the match in the final half hour and had several chances, but goalkeeper Christogeorgos made a series of saves to preserve OFI’s lead. The visitors were reduced to ten men in the 81st minute when Brahimi was sent off for a foul on Aitor. OFI sealed the result in stoppage time, in the 90+5th minute, when substitute Dikman scored from an assist by Nikolaou to make it 3-0.

What comes next

OFI will now travel to Sofia for the second leg of the play-off tie, scheduled for August 27 at 21:00. Before that, the club opens its Stoiximan Super League season at home against Volos on August 23 at 19:30.

OFI lined up with Christogeorgos in goal; Sielis, Pougouras and Kostoulas (Nikolaou, 86′) in defence; Athanasiou, Bouchalakis (Karachalios, 66′), Androutsos (Kanellopoulos, 76′) and Apostolakis in midfield; and Aitor, Fountas (Dikman, 66′) and Nous (Iseka, 76′) in attack. CSKA Sofia, coached by Stanimir Stoilov, fielded Lapoukhov in goal; Pastor (Itu, 57′), Ivanov, Rodriguez, Gbamin and Yordanov (Pereira, 75′) in defence; Senci and Embong in midfield; and Pittas, Eto’o (Brahimi, 57′) and Godoy (Svartz, 64′) in attack.

The match was officiated by referee Srdjan Jovanović of Serbia, with assistants Uros Stojkovic and Filos Simovic, fourth official Novak Simovic, and VAR officials Momcilo Markovic and Jelena Cvetkovic.

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