CSKA Sofia vs OFI Prediction 27 August 2026
🔊 CSKA Sofia and OFI meet in the second leg of their Europa League qualifying play-off. The first match in Heraklion ended in a comfortable 3-0 win for the Greeks, leaving CSKA in a very difficult position. The Bulgarians need to overturn a three-goal deficit just to force extra time. The winner of the tie will advance to the Europa League group stage, while the loser drops into the Conference League.
Head-to-Head
📊 The two sides had no previous history before meeting for the first time on 20 August, when OFI won comfortably 3-0. Taxiarchis Fountas scored twice, one in each half, and Lorenzo Dickmann added a third late on.
Head-to-head statistics CSKA Sofia - OFI
CSKA Sofia Team Overview
The 0-3 first-leg defeat leaves CSKA with an extremely difficult task. That said, the scoreline doesn't fully reflect the nature of the first match: CSKA had the ball for roughly half the game and created chances, but couldn't convert them. Things were made worse when Mohamed Amine Brahimi was sent off in the 81st minute, after which OFI added a third goal in stoppage time.
CSKA came into the playoff with meaningful European experience already behind them, having come through several qualifying rounds. Now they need to draw on that experience in a very different situation: they must overturn a three-goal deficit at home to take the tie to extra time.
Home support will be a significant advantage. The second leg takes place in Sofia at the Vasil Levski National Stadium. However, CSKA will need to be careful not to throw everything forward from the first minute - with a deficit this large, they have to chase goals while also preventing OFI from exploiting the space left open for counter-attacks.
Match Results: CSKA Sofia
OFI Team Overview
OFI took a near-perfect step towards the Europa League group stage, winning 3-0 to give themselves a commanding advantage ahead of the second leg. CSKA created more chances on the night, but the hosts were more clinical and made better use of their opportunities.
The standout performer in the first match was Taxiarchis Fountas. The forward opened the scoring late in the first half, then converted a penalty after the break. Lorenzo Dickmann added a third in stoppage time, effectively settling the tie.
OFI can now afford to be pragmatic. With no need to push forward in numbers, they will likely focus on staying compact defensively and hitting on the counter. And if they score once, CSKA would need four goals to stay alive in the tie.
Match Results: OFI
⚽️ Goals Prediction
CSKA will need to push forward from the first minute. Having lost 0-3 in the first leg, they must score at least three times, meaning even an early goal won't allow them to ease up. They'll have to increase the pressure and take risks as the match progresses. Total Goals - Over 2.5 has landed in six consecutive CSKA Sofia matches.
OFI, by contrast, come in with a comfortable cushion and can look to hit on the counter. In the first leg, the Greeks were highly efficient, scoring three goals from just four shots on target. The space in behind CSKA's defence could be their main source of danger here.
Given this setup, both sides have good reason to contribute to a high-scoring match. Our pick: Total Goals - Over 2.5 at 1.85*.
🚩 Corners Prediction
The match scenario should push CSKA to attack heavily. The Bulgarians need to overturn the deficit, so the hosts are likely to dominate territorially. In the first leg, CSKA already earned four corners to OFI's one. Total Corners - Under 9.5 has landed in five consecutive OFI matches. We're backing this market at odds of 1.85*.
🟨 Yellow Cards Prediction
In the first leg, CSKA picked up two yellow cards and a red, while OFI went through the match without a booking. The return fixture should be an emotional one, particularly if the Bulgarians score early. Prediction: Total Yellow Cards - Over 2.5.
*Odds are indicative and may vary depending on the bookmaker.
⭐️ Editor's Pick
CSKA Sofia are in an extremely difficult position. After losing 0-3, they now need to score at least three goals while keeping a clean sheet. OFI got exactly the result that allows them to sit back, give up the ball and hit on the counter.
The home factor could help the Bulgarians. CSKA will need to be far more aggressive than they were a week ago and create enough chances to score. But overturning a three-goal deficit against a side that has already shown they can hurt you going forward will be very hard. We're predicting a final score of 3-1. The key bet is a CSKA Sofia win.
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Betting Tips: CSKA Sofia - OFI
in 8 of last 9 home games.
in 6 of last 7 CSKA Sofia home games.in last 17 OFI games.in last 8 OFI away games.in 6 of last 7 home games.in 7 of last 8 away games.in 20 of last 22 home games.Comparison of Teams Stats
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