Derry City
- By contrast, Derry arrive on the back of a two-game losing streak after a 4-2 home defeat to Waterford FC in the Premier Division 2026 was followed by that 3-2 loss in Europe.
- Their 4-2-3-1 is compact and they can be difficult to break down with 5 goals conceded in their last 5 home matches.
CSKA Sofia
- The Eagles can play in the front foot and have the firepower to keep the opposition pinned back with a high press that can force turnovers.
- Yanev's side have 3 wins, 0 draws and 2 defeats from their last 5 away games across all competitions so they can definitely travel well.
- CSKA Sofia have 2 wins, 1 draw and 2 losses from their last 5 games (all comps).
Head-to-Head
PFC CSKA Sofia will be the happier camp after edging out Derry City 3-2 in UEFA Europa League Qualification 2026 just a few hours ago, putting the Bulgarian side ahead in the head-to-head race to qualify .
Key Players
- Ioannis Pittas has 2 goals in CSKA's last 5 games and 2 in 1 game in this comp, so he is the danger man for the visitors.
- Michael Duffy is Derry's 'engine' and has 4 assists in his last 5 matches, but James Olayinka is their finisher with 1 in 1 in Europe.
Betting Insights
- CSKA are a clear 1.75 with Derry City 4.2 and the draw 3.7.
- Both teams to score at 1.6 looks good, especially given the 3-2 scoreline of the first leg, while over 2.5 goals at 1.62 looks attractive given CSKA's attacking output and Derry's need to press forward.
Prediction
CSKA are more likely to edge this because of their control and finishing touch, although Derry could still have their moments.
