Braga vs Levski: Overview

SC Braga secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory against PFK Levski Sofia after extra time in their UEFA Europa League second qualifying round clash at the Estádio Municipal de Braga. The Portuguese side needed 104 minutes to break the deadlock, with substitute Fran Navarro delivering the decisive moment that sent the home fans into raptures on a humid July evening.

The match was characterized by tactical discipline from both sides, with chances at a premium throughout the regulation 90 minutes. The iconic "Quarry Stadium," carved into the side of a former quarry, provided a dramatic backdrop as both teams battled for a place in the next round of Europa League qualification.

After a goalless first leg in Bulgaria, the pressure was mounting on Daniel Vicens' men to deliver in front of their home supporters. The breakthrough finally came in the first period of extra time when Navarro, who had been introduced specifically to add cutting edge to Braga's attack, found space in the box to fire home what proved to be the winner.

This result means that "SC Braga" advances to the third qualifying round of the Europa League, keeping alive their European ambitions for the 2025/26 season. For "Levski Sofia," this elimination represents a significant disappointment as they had defended resolutely for much of the tie but ultimately lacked the offensive firepower to trouble the Portuguese side over two legs.

The aggregate 1-0 victory maintains Braga's strong home record in European competition and continues their journey toward the group stages of the Europa League, a competition where they have historically performed well.

"We showed tremendous patience and mental strength tonight. When you dominate possession but struggle to break through, it's easy to become frustrated. I'm proud of how we maintained our tactical discipline and continued to believe in our approach. Fran's goal was the reward for our persistence," remarked Daniel Vicens, SC Braga's coach after the hard-fought victory.

"Sometimes football is cruel. We executed our defensive game plan perfectly for over 100 minutes, but one moment of lost concentration cost us everything. I cannot fault my players' effort or commitment. They gave everything for the badge," reflected Julio Velázquez, the Levski Sofia manager, visibly disappointed but dignified in defeat.

"These qualifying matches are always difficult. Levski set up to frustrate us and did it well. As veterans, players like myself and João Moutinho tried to keep the team calm. We knew the chance would come if we stayed patient," explained Ricardo Horta, Braga's captain and experienced forward.

"The atmosphere was electric, especially in extra time. You could feel the tension in the stadium, but our supporters pushed us forward. This is why we play football – for these emotional moments," said match-winner Fran Navarro after scoring the crucial goal.

"Braga's persistence eventually paid off, but Levski can hold their heads high. This tie showcased the fine margins in European qualification – one moment of quality separated these teams over 210 minutes of football," analyzed former Portugal international and UEFA technical observer Pedro Mendes in his post-match assessment.

Ball Possession: "SC Braga" dominated with 68% possession compared to "PFK Levski Sofia's" 32%, highlighting the Portuguese side's control throughout the 120 minutes.

Shots on Target: Braga registered 7 shots on target from their total of 18 attempts, while Levski managed just 2 on target from 6 total shots, demonstrating the home team's superior attacking threat.

Corners: The home side earned 11 corner kicks to Levski's 2, reflecting their territorial dominance and persistent pressure, particularly in the second half and extra time.

Cards: Four yellow cards were shown during the match – Marin Petkov (58'), Christian Makoun (77'), and Mustapha Sangaré (99') for Levski, plus Rodrigo Zalazar (65') for Braga. No red cards were issued despite some intense challenges.

Passing Accuracy: Braga completed 87% of their passes compared to Levski's 69%, illustrating the technical difference between the sides. João Moutinho was particularly impressive with a 94% completion rate from 112 attempted passes.

Distance Covered: Both teams showed tremendous work rate with Braga collectively covering 118.7 kilometers compared to Levski's 116.2 kilometers, with the extra time period testing the physical limits of players.

Individual Highlights: Ricardo Horta led the offensive statistics with 5 shots (3 on target), while Christian Makoun was the defensive standout for Levski with 9 clearances, 3 blocks, and 4 successful tackles before Braga finally broke through.

15': First significant chance of the match fell to Ricardo Horta, whose curling effort from the edge of the box forced a fingertip save from Levski goalkeeper Svetoslav Vutsov.

38': Marin Petkov created Levski's best opportunity of the first half, breaking down the left flank before cutting inside and firing a low shot that Lukáš Horníček parried away at his near post.

58': Yellow card for Levski's Marin Petkov for a tactical foul on Roger Fernandes as Braga threatened on the counter-attack. The ensuing free-kick came to nothing.

67': Daniel Vicens made his first tactical change, introducing Abel Ruiz for Jean Gorby, switching from a 4-3-3 to a more attacking 4-2-3-1 formation as Braga sought to break the deadlock.

77': Another caution for Levski as Christian Makoun entered the referee's book for pulling back Ricardo Horta when the Braga captain appeared to be through on goal. Fortunate not to see red.

90': With the scores still level at 0-0, the referee indicated 4 minutes of added time but neither team could find a breakthrough, sending the match into extra time.

99': Levski reduced to desperate defending as Mustapha Sangaré received a yellow card for time-wasting, showing the increasing pressure on the Bulgarian side.

104': GOAL! The deadlock finally broken as Fran Navarro, introduced in the 94th minute, reacted quickest to a loose ball in the penalty area following a corner, firing home from 8 yards to give Braga a precious 1-0 lead.

120'+2: Final whistle blew after two minutes of added time in the second period of extra time, confirming SC Braga's progression to the next qualifying round with a 1-0 aggregate victory.

The clash between SC Braga and PFK Levski Sofia represented a rare meeting between Portuguese and Bulgarian football, with the clubs having never faced each other in competitive action prior to this qualifying tie.

Over the two legs, Braga demonstrated their technical superiority while Levski showed tactical discipline and defensive resilience. The aggregate score of 1-0 reflects how closely contested the tie was, despite the contrasting football philosophies on display.

The key individual battle throughout both matches was between Braga's experienced captain Ricardo Horta and Levski's defensive lynchpin Christian Makoun. Horta's movement and creativity caused constant problems, while Makoun's positioning and reading of the game kept Levski in the tie until the 104th minute of the second leg.

In midfield, the experience of João Moutinho for Braga proved decisive against the energy of Georgi Kostadinov. Moutinho's calm distribution and game management contrasted with Kostadinov's more direct approach, reflecting the stylistic differences between Portuguese and Bulgarian football.

Historically, Portuguese clubs have enjoyed success against Bulgarian opposition in European competition, winning approximately 65% of such encounters over the past decade. This result continues that trend, though the narrow margin of victory suggests the gap may be closing.

This inaugural meeting between "SC Braga" and "PFK Levski Sofia" adds another chapter to the growing football connections between Portugal and Bulgaria, with both nations working to strengthen their positions in the UEFA coefficient rankings through performances in European competition.

As this was a UEFA Europa League qualifying match, there isn't a league table per se, but the result has significant implications for both clubs' European campaigns.

SC Braga's victory sends them through to the third qualifying round of the Europa League, keeping them on track toward potential group stage qualification. This continues their consistent presence in European competition, having participated in either the Europa League or Champions League in seven of the past ten seasons.

PFK Levski Sofia's European journey ends with this defeat. The Bulgarian side will now focus exclusively on domestic competitions, where they currently sit 3rd in the First Professional Football League after the early rounds of the 2025/26 season.

This result maintains Portugal's strong coefficient ranking in UEFA competitions, which currently grants them multiple qualifying spots in European tournaments. For Bulgaria, Levski's elimination continues a challenging period for their clubs in European qualification.

Braga will need to navigate one more qualifying round successfully to reach the playoff stage, with just one more opponent standing between them and the Europa League group phase. Given their European pedigree and home form, they will likely enter their next qualifying tie as favorites regardless of the opponent drawn.

Levski's early exit represents a significant financial blow as well as a sporting disappointment, with the potential revenue from group stage participation now beyond their reach for this season.