So Close, Yet Not Close Enough
Derry gave everything they had at Brandywell on Thursday. Wasn’t enough, though. A brutal own goal deep into stoppage time sent CSKA Sofia through 5-3 on aggregate, and the tie finished 1-2 on the night. Coming into this one already needing to claw back a deficit, Derry always had a tough ask in front of them. They just came up short.
Truth is, the tie was probably already gone after the first leg in Sofia. CSKA won that one 3-2 — a proper end-to-end game, Pittas and Jordão scoring for the home side, Boyce pulling one back for Derry in between, before CSKA nudged ahead again late on. That result meant Derry needed something big just to drag this thing into extra time, never mind actually winning it outright.
A Great Start, Then CSKA Hit Back
Give Derry credit, they came out of the traps fast. Two minutes into the second half, Ellis Chapman buried one and the crowd went up — genuinely felt for a moment like Brandywell might get its fairytale. Didn’t last, unfortunately. CSKA had an answer ready. Pittas, who’d already got on the scoresheet in leg one, popped up again in the 62nd minute, and just like that the Bulgarians had their cushion back and Derry’s momentum was gone.
Derry kept throwing bodies forward right to the end, chasing the goal that would’ve forced extra time. Never came. Deep into added time, with everyone up the pitch, the ball took an awkward bounce in the box and Barry Cotter turned it into his own net. Brutal way to go out, honestly. That was the tie, right there.
What Comes Next
CSKA move on 5-3 across the two legs, and fair play, it was tight the whole way — could’ve gone either way at multiple points in both matches. For Derry, it’s a campaign to be proud of even in defeat. They matched CSKA blow for blow for long stretches across both games and just couldn’t find the one extra goal they needed. Ending it on an own goal in the last few minutes stings more than most.
Match Summary
Derry City 1-2 CSKA Sofia (CSKA Sofia win 5-3 on aggregate) UEFA Europa League, First Qualifying Round, 2nd Leg — Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium, Derry Thursday, 16 July 2026
Goals: 47′ Ellis Chapman (Derry City) 1-0 62′ Ioannis Pittas (CSKA Sofia) 1-1 90+4′ Barry Cotter (Derry City) 1-2 (own goal)
Result: CSKA Sofia advance 5-3 on aggregate to the next round of Europa League qualifying.
For live Europa League qualifying scores and coverage, visit fawanews. Full results and bracket at the official UEFA Europa League website.
