Levski Sofia took the first clean step in UEFA Champions League Qualification Round 2, beating Universitatea Craiova 1-0 at Vivacom Arena Georgi Asparuhov. The only goal came in the 8th minute, and that early strike gave Julio Velazquez's side a lead they never surrendered. For readers in Malta, the result arrived in the Wednesday 22 July, 19:30 CEST window, with the fixture sitting squarely in the European night slot that local fans could track through the available match coverage.
That early breakthrough shaped the entire contest. Levski Sofia were already in front before the first quarter-hour had passed, and the 1-0 half-time score showed how quickly the home side had moved into control. Universitatea Craiova, coached by Filipe Coelho, had to chase the game from that point, but the scoreline never changed. In a cup tie where the smallest edge mattered, Levski Sofia used the 8th-minute goal to set the terms and protect them until the final whistle.
The line-ups reflected two different approaches: Levski Sofia were set up in a 4-4-2, while Universitatea Craiova used a 3-4-3. That contrast was visible in how the match developed, with the home side defending a narrow advantage and the visitors trying to find a way through. The cards also told a story of pressure and control: Universitatea Craiova were booked in the 34th and 42nd minutes, Levski Sofia were booked in the 42nd, 50th, and 90th minutes, and the second half stayed tense enough to keep the result on a knife edge. For Malta supporters following the match, the compact scoreline made the evening feel like a classic qualification tie.
- Levski Sofia led 1-0 from the 8th minute and kept that margin through half-time and full-time.
- Universitatea Craiova, under Filipe Coelho, lined up in a 3-4-3 and could not recover after the opening goal.
- Julio Velazquez's Levski Sofia used a 4-4-2 and managed the decisive lead at Vivacom Arena Georgi Asparuhov.
- The booking pattern underlined the tension: two yellow cards for Universitatea Craiova and three for Levski Sofia.
At the venue, Vivacom Arena Georgi Asparuhov, the home side's advantage was built early and defended with discipline. The 1-0 score at ordinary time matched the half-time state, which shows how little room Levski Sofia gave Universitatea Craiova after the opening goal. In UEFA Champions League Qualification Round 2, that kind of control matters as much as flair, and this was a result built on timing rather than volume. For Malta fans, the match also fit neatly into the evening broadcast window, making it an easy one to follow live without the score ever moving beyond that early breakthrough.
For Universitatea Craiova, the defeat leaves the first leg in need of a response, while Levski Sofia can take confidence from a result that was established in the 8th minute and then protected for the rest of the night. Julio Velazquez will value the way his team held the 1-0 line, and Filipe Coelho will know the next step has to come quickly after the home side's early strike. For Malta readers, the takeaway is simple: this was a narrow qualification result decided early and then managed until the finish.
The tie now moves on with Levski Sofia holding the advantage from a result that was never overturned after the opening goal.
