CSKA Sofia Beats Bottom-Ranked Dunav Ruse Ahead of Maccabi Tel Aviv Clash

CSKA Sofia secured a 2-1 victory over Dunav Ruse, the league's bottom team, in Bulgaria ahead of their upcoming Europa League third qualifying round match against Maccabi Tel Aviv on August 6, 2026. After conceding an early goal in the 10th minute, CSKA Sofia rallied with goals in the 17th and 79th minutes to complete the comeback. The Bulgarian side has now recorded their second league win in three rounds.

Coach made several lineup changes from their previous Europa League match against Qarabag, notably starting Dutch striker Joel Zwarts, who scored the equalizer and played the full 90 minutes. This goal marked Zwarts' third in the domestic league this season, following a brace against Botev Plovdiv. Cypriot forward Ioannis Pittas, who has been in excellent form with four goals and an assist across all competitions, is also expected to start in the upcoming European fixture.

Local media highlighted the challenging match, noting that Dunav Ruse "played with fire" and nearly caused an upset, but CSKA Sofia ultimately secured the win and valuable points. The winner of the tie between CSKA Sofia and Maccabi Tel Aviv will advance to the next stage, guaranteeing European competition for the season, either in the Europa League or the Conference League.