Levski Sofia made the most of a tight opening at Vivacom Arena Georgi Asparuhov and turned it into a 1-0 win over Universitatea Craiova in UEFA Champions League Qualification Round 2. The only goal came in the 8th minute, and that early strike settled a match that stayed firmly in Levski Sofia's control on the scoreboard all the way to full time. For readers in Albania, the match arrived at Wednesday 22 July, 19:30 CEST, with the result always the central point of the night.
Julio Velazquez's side started with a 4-4-2, and the opening goal gave that shape immediate value because it allowed Levski Sofia to play from in front. Filipe Coelho's Universitatea Craiova lined up in a 3-4-3, but the away side never found the answer after conceding so early. The half-time score and the ordinary time score were both 1-0, which tells the story clearly: once Levski Sofia moved ahead, they protected the lead without needing to chase the game in a different way.
The match carried a physical edge as the cards built up around the hour and late stages. Away were booked in the 34th minute, then both sides saw yellow cards in the 42nd minute, before Home picked up another in the 50th minute and a final yellow in the 90th minute. That sequence matches the tone of a contest decided by one early moment rather than a flood of chances. At Vivacom Arena Georgi Asparuhov, the pressure sat with Universitatea Craiova to react, but the scoreline never moved away from 1-0.
- Levski Sofia scored in the 8th minute and stayed ahead from there.
- Universitatea Craiova conceded once and could not recover the gap.
- Both teams collected yellow cards, with Home shown two after the break and one at 90 minutes.
- The result was settled at Vivacom Arena Georgi Asparuhov on Wednesday 22 July, 19:30 CEST for fans in Albania following the tie.
The coaches' different setups made the evening feel like a test of control and response. Julio Velazquez's 4-4-2 had the cleaner return because the early goal rewarded the home plan, while Filipe Coelho's 3-4-3 was left needing a faster reply than the away side could produce. With the winner established by the 8th minute, Levski Sofia could manage the rest of the night through shape and discipline, and the scoreline never gave Universitatea Craiova a route back into UEFA Champions League Qualification Round 2.
For viewers in Albania, the match was also straightforward to follow through SuperSport Albania and RTSH, with the local kickoff at Wednesday 22 July, 19:30 CEST. The venue, the early goal, and the final 1-0 score combined to make this a concise European qualifying win rather than a long chase, and the timing suited supporters tracking the contest from Albania. The margin was small, but the effect was decisive because the match stayed at 1-0 from the 8th minute to the end.
That leaves Levski Sofia with a clean result from UEFA Champions League Qualification Round 2, while Universitatea Craiova have a defeat to absorb after conceding so early at Vivacom Arena Georgi Asparuhov. The next step in the tie will be shaped by that single goal in the 8th minute, which defined the entire night.
