OFI Crete secures historic Europa League qualification against CSKA Sofia

OFI Crete has achieved a historic qualification for the Europa League League Phase after defeating CSKA Sofia 2-0 in Bulgaria on August 27, 2026. Following their 3-0 victory in the first leg at the Pankritio Stadium, the Greek team completed a dominant 5-0 aggregate win. The goals in the second leg were scored by Nuss in the 37th minute and Theodosoulakis in the 78th minute, ensuring the club's first-ever entry into the main stage of a European competition.

Despite a strong start from CSKA Sofia, which included significant scoring attempts from Eto and Gbamene in the opening minutes, OFI displayed defensive resilience. Key interventions, such as Nikolaou’s 11th-minute save, helped settle the visitors. Manager Christos Kontis had emphasized the importance of maintaining focus and treating the match as a scoreless tie despite their first-leg advantage. The team was supported in Sofia by club owner Michalis Bousis.

Following this victory, OFI now awaits the official draw on August 28, 2026, at 14:00, where they will learn the names of their eight opponents for the upcoming League Phase of the Europa League.