CSKA Sofia Cruise to 3-0 Win Over Maccabi Tel Aviv

CSKA Sofia produced a commanding performance to beat Maccabi Tel Aviv 3-0 in the first leg of their Europa League third qualifying round tie. Max Ebong opened the scoring in the 9th minute, Leandro Godoy doubled the lead with a stunning volley in the 30th, and Joel Zwarts wrapped things up in the final minute of regulation time.

The Bulgarian side put in a strong shift at the Adjarabet Arena in Batumi, taking a major step toward the next round, where OFI Crete await. Should Hristo Yanev's side see off their Israeli opponents, they'll guarantee themselves at least a place in the Conference League's main phase.

Yanev kept faith with the same starting XI that faced Qarabağ the previous week, with Fyodor Lapoukhov in goal and Ioannis Pittas and Leandro Godoy leading the attack. CSKA broke the deadlock in the 9th minute when Pittas squared to Ebong, who fired home from the edge of the box. Godoy nearly doubled the lead moments later but couldn't control a similar pass.

The second goal arrived in style in the 29th minute — after David Pastor's effort was parried behind for a corner, Godoy met the resulting delivery with a brilliant first-time volley to make it 2-0. Maccabi pushed for a way back into the game after the break, with captain Dor Peretz heading narrowly wide from a corner in the 62nd minute, but CSKA held firm.

Substitutes made an impact late on, with Joel Zwarts — on for Pittas — sealing the win in the 90th minute, firing into the corner to make it 3-0 and leave Maccabi with a mountain to climb in next week's return leg at Vasil Levski National Stadium in Sofia.

Maccabi Tel Aviv 0-3 CSKA Sofia
0-1 Max Ebong 9'
0-2 Leandro Godoy 30'
0-3 Joel Zwarts 90'

Maccabi Tel Aviv: Ofek Malika, Itay Ben Hamo, Raz Shlomo, Mohamed Ali Camara, Shahar Rosen, Ido Shahar, Yusuf Sissoko, Itamar Noy, Dor Peretz, Helio Varela, Sayed Abu Farhi

CSKA Sofia: Fyodor Lapoukhov, Angelo Martino, Facundo Rodríguez, Teodor Ivanov, David Pastor, Jean-Philippe Gbamin, Bruno Jordão, Max Ebong, Stefano Sensi, Ioannis Pittas, Leandro Godoy