Spartak Trnava and CSKA 1948 Sofia played out a tense, goalless draw in the first leg of their UEFA Europa Conference League first qualifying round tie at Štadión Antona Malatinského on 23 July 2026. The result leaves the tie finely balanced heading into the return leg in Bulgaria.

Match Overview

Both sides approached the opening encounter with caution, knowing that an away goal would be particularly valuable in this early stage of European competition. Spartak Trnava, the Slovakian cup winners, enjoyed the better of the early exchanges but found a well-organised CSKA 1948 Sofia defence difficult to break down. The Bulgarian visitors, making their first appearance in continental qualifying under new manager Lyuboslav Penev, were content to absorb pressure and hit on the counter-attack.

Key Moments

• 12th minute: Spartak's Erik Daniel fired a low shot from the edge of the box that was tipped around the post by CSKA goalkeeper Hristo Ivanov.
• 34th minute: CSKA's best chance of the half came when Carlos Algarra's curled free-kick forced a sharp save from Dominik Takáč.
• 58th minute: Trnava substitute Milan Ristovski headed wide from a corner – the closest either side came to breaking the deadlock.
• 78th minute: A late surge from the hosts saw Martin Mikovič's shot cleared off the line by Petar Vitanov.

Tactical Story

Spartak Trnava dominated possession (62%) and created the majority of chances, but their final pass was often lacking. Manager Michal Gašparík set his team up in a 4-3-3 formation, relying on width from full-backs Tomáš Košút and Lukáš Stetina. CSKA 1948 Sofia, in a compact 4-4-1-1, looked to exploit the pace of winger Georgi Minchev on the break. The Bulgarian side's discipline in midfield, particularly from captain Radoslav Tsonev, ensured Trnava's creative players had little space to operate.

Standout Players

• Dominik Takáč (Spartak Trnava): The goalkeeper made a crucial first-half save and commanded his area well on crosses.
• Hristo Ivanov (CSKA 1948 Sofia): His agility and organisation at the back earned his side a valuable clean sheet away from home.

Second Leg Outlook

The tie remains wide open as it moves to the Stadion Bistritsa in Sofia on 30 July. CSKA 1948 will be favourites with home advantage, but Spartak Trnava will believe they can score the away goal that would put them in control. The winners advance to the second qualifying round of the UEFA Europa Conference League.