A Game With Almost Nothing In It
Ninety minutes of not much, and then a moment right at the death decided the whole thing. Levski Sofia and Kairat Almaty played out a tense, low-event first leg at Georgi Asparuhov Stadium, and it looked destined for 0-0 until deep into stoppage time, when Sergio Miguel Lobo Araujo popped up to snatch a 1-0 win for the home side in this Champions League third qualifying round opener.
Both teams came into this in good form. Levski, back in Champions League qualifying for the first time in sixteen years after ending Ludogorets’ long reign at the top of Bulgarian football, arrived unbeaten in three across all competitions and had already won all four of their home games this season, three of them by clean sheet. Kairat, fresh off surviving a wild penalty shootout against Omonia in the previous round with ten men, came in on a run of their own. Neither side wanted to give an inch, and for long stretches, it showed — a cagey, tightly-fought game where clear chances were hard to come by for either side.
Araujo Delivers Right at the Death
The breakthrough, when it finally came, arrived almost cruelly late for Kairat. Deep into second-half stoppage time, Araujo found the net to make it 1-0, sending the home crowd into celebration in the very last moments of the match and denying Kairat any real chance to respond. It was Araujo’s second goal in as many matches, having also been on the scoresheet in Levski’s 3-0 win over Septemvri the weekend before.
What It Means Next
A slender but valuable lead for Levski heading into the second leg in Almaty on 11 August. Given how tight this first leg was, and how well both sides have been playing coming into the tie, there’s no guarantee Levski’s advantage holds up on the road — but a clean sheet and a late winner is about as good a platform as they could have hoped for. For Kairat, it’s a frustrating way to leave Sofia, having matched Levski for large stretches of the game only to be undone in the final seconds.
Match Summary
Levski Sofia 1-0 Kairat Almaty UEFA Champions League, Third Qualifying Round, 1st Leg — Georgi Asparuhov Stadium, Sofia, Bulgaria Tuesday, 4 August 2026 Referee: Donatas Rumsas
Goal: 90+3′ Sergio Miguel Lobo Araujo (Levski Sofia) 1-0
Result: Levski Sofia win the first leg 1-0, taking a narrow aggregate lead into the second leg in Almaty on 11 August.
For live Champions League qualifying scores and coverage, visit fawanews. Full results and bracket at the official UEFA Champions League website.
