CSKA Sofia vs Derry City
- Aggregate:
- Derry City 3 5 CSKA Sofia
- Advances:
- CSKA Sofia
Match recap
CSKA Sofia beat Derry City 3–2 in their UEFA Europa League fixture.
Fipster’s pre-match call
Predicted
1-2 Derry City win
Actual
3–2
Outcome probability
The 1st Qualifying Round clash between CSKA Sofia and Derry City promises an intriguing battle. Both sides have shown attacking intent recently, setting the stage for a competitive encounter.
Match factors
Derry City's attacking midfield strength
Derry's midfielders Chapman and Olayinka have recent goals and assists, providing creative edge.
CSKA Sofia's Pittas prolific vs Derry City
Pittas scored multiple goals in recent matches against Derry, showing strong scoring form.
CSKA Sofia's recent scoring consistency
CSKA Sofia has scored in 4 of last 5 matches, indicating positive attacking momentum.
No confirmed injuries for either team
Both teams have full squads available, so no impact from missing key players.
The context
CSKA Sofia have a decent record in this competition with three wins, two draws, and one loss from six matches, scoring nine goals and conceding six. Derry City, on the other hand, have struggled with two losses in two matches, netting three goals but conceding five. Historically, CSKA Sofia have won both head-to-head meetings against Derry City, adding an extra layer of rivalry to this fixture.
Key insights
- I
I. Pittas
CSKA Sofia
Pittas has been prolific against Derry City, scoring multiple goals and posing a constant threat.
UEFA Europa League 26/27Multiple goals in recent matches vs Derry City
- L
L. Boyce
Derry City
Boyce is Derry City's top scorer with a strong goal threat and good conversion rate, key to their attack.
UEFA Europa League 26/27Top scorer for Derry City in recent matches
- E
E. Chapman
Derry City
Chapman contributes creatively with goals and assists, providing a vital attacking spark.
UEFA Europa League 26/27Scored and assisted recently for Derry City
- P
Patrick McClean
Derry City
McClean is a defensive stalwart, crucial for containing CSKA Sofia's attackers.
UEFA Europa League 26/27Regular starter with important defensive duels and interceptions
Analysis
CSKA Sofia boast a prolific forward in I. Pittas, who has scored multiple goals against Derry City and is a key attacking threat. Midfielder S. Sensi also provides creativity with consistent assists. Derry City's top scorer L. Boyce and creative midfielder E. Chapman offer a strong attacking midfield presence, crucial for breaking down CSKA's defence. Defensively, Patrick McClean is vital for Derry City to contain CSKA's forwards. Both teams have full squads available, so no injury concerns will affect tactics or selection.
Key facts
- 1.CSKA Sofia have played 6 matches in this competition (W3 D2 L1, GF 9 / GA 6).
- 2.Derry City have played 2 matches in this competition (W0 D0 L2, GF 3 / GA 5).
- 3.CSKA Sofia have won both previous head-to-head meetings against Derry City.
- 4.I. Pittas has scored multiple goals against Derry City, highlighting his threat.
- 5.Derry City's L. Boyce is their top scorer with a strong conversion rate.
- 6.Both teams have full squads available with no confirmed injuries.
- 7.Derry City's midfielders Chapman and Olayinka provide creative attacking options.
Prediction
Despite CSKA Sofia's historical edge and home advantage, the prediction leans towards an away win for Derry City with a 2-1 scoreline. This reflects Derry's attacking midfield strength and ability to exploit chances, making them the likely victors in this tightly contested qualifier.
Player Insights
Standout players Fipster expects to impact the match — curated highlights, not full squad lists
Home — CSKA Sofia
Away — Derry City
No standout risk players flagged for Derry City
The verdict
Expect a lively encounter with goals at both ends. While CSKA Sofia will push hard, Derry City's creative midfield and clinical finishing should see them edge this one. A 2-1 away win for Derry City is the cautious call in what promises to be an entertaining qualifier.
Prediction generated 13 Oct 2026, 11:48 UTC · Fipster Model v1.163
Team Comparison
Season shape — attack, defence, form, clean sheets & win rate
Home vs Away comparison
Goal difference in each of the last few fixtures — above the line is a net win, below is a net loss
Season comparison
Goals scored & conceded, goal difference and clean sheets across the season
Halftime Performance
What each side does once the whistle goes for half time
Streaks
Recent-form runs — each side’s most-recent game meets in the middle
Head to Head
Goal
Goal
Goal
Goal
Unknown
Unknown
Unknown
Unknown
Yellow Card
Unknown
Unknown
Goal
Match Statistics
CSKA Sofia
4-3-1-2Starting XI
- 2PastorD
- 6Bruno JordãoM
- 8S. SensiM
- 9S. GodoyF
- 14T. IvanovD
- 17Á. MartinoD
- 21F. Lapoukhov
- 28I. PittasF
- 30P. PanayotovM
- 32Facundo Santiago RodríguezD
- 94I. Solet BomawokoM
Substitutes
- 3Tamimou OuorouD
- 5J. GbaminD
- 10J. ZwartsF
- 11M. BrahimiM
- 19A. YordanovD
- 25D. EvtimovG
- 34V. KaymakanovM
- 38Léo PereiraM
- 77A. PiedrahitaM
- 80G. ChorbadzhiyskiM
- 91A. TunchevD
- 99J. Eto'o
Derry City
4-4-2Starting XI
- 1B. MaherG
- 2B. CotterM
- 3Patrick McCleanD
- 6R. SlevinD
- 7M. DuffyM
- 14E. ChapmanM
- 22C. BarrD
- 23C. DummiganD
- 25Christy GroganD
- 27L. BoyceF
- 28J. OlayinkaM
Substitutes
- 4J. StottD
- 13Tom NorcottG
- 16J. McCleanM
- 17N. TwiskM
- 20C. WinchesterM
- 21Kévin SantosM
- 26S. CallisterG
- 32T. DohertyF
- 35L. KellyM
Prediction Q&A
- Who did Fipster predict to win CSKA Sofia vs Derry City?
- Fipster's AI model predicted Derry City to win against CSKA Sofia.
- What score did Fipster predict for CSKA Sofia vs Derry City?
- Fipster predicted a final score of CSKA Sofia 1–2 Derry City.
- What were the win probabilities for CSKA Sofia vs Derry City?
- Fipster's model gave CSKA Sofia a 28% chance of winning, Derry City a 44% chance, and a 28% chance of a draw.
- How confident was Fipster in this prediction?
- Fipster's model assigned this prediction 44% confidence — a low-confidence call.