Derry City vs CSKA Sofia prediction: teams form analysis, possible lineups on July 16, 2026

Both teams will score

Author:

Benjamin Mcneil, betting expert

Published: 13 Jul 2026, 10:29

Math prediction 1 X 2

Derry City

-

CSKA Sofia

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3.24 Linebet 14 Jul 12:00 3.08 + 0.16 13 Jul 20:00 3.8 -0.72 13 Jul 08:00 3.63 + 0.17 12 Jul 20:01 3 + 0.62 11 Jul 20:00 3.63 -0.63 3.72 Linebet 14 Jul 04:00 3.84 -0.12 13 Jul 08:00 3.76 + 0.12 11 Jul 20:00 3.84 -0.09 2.04 Linebet 14 Jul 12:00 2.11 -0.07 13 Jul 20:00 1.83 + 0.24 13 Jul 08:00 1.9 -0.07 12 Jul 20:01 2.14 -0.23 11 Jul 20:00 1.88 + 0.26

29% 25% 46%

32 TIPS

Tournament Europa League

Venue Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium (Derry)

Date & kick-off time 16 jul 2026, 13:30

In the Europa League qualification round of 16 on July 16, 2026, the second leg between Derry City and CSKA Sofia will take place. The visitors only need a draw to advance.

Derry City vs CSKA Sofia – Team News and Expert Analysis

The club from Ulster was the Premier League runner-up in 2025, narrowly losing out to Shamrock Rovers, who finished a couple of points ahead. However, they have now slipped to mid-table, losing any realistic chances even for third place. Currently, after a defeat by Waterford, they sit in sixth position.

The Sofia club finished fourth in their national championship but confirmed their reputation as a cup team. After a five-year wait, they managed to regain the trophy by beating Lokomotiv Plovdiv on penalties. In friendly matches, they mostly registered wins, though there were some losses as well.

Last week in Bulgaria, the teams played a remarkable match. The hosts scored in both halves, but the visitors fought hard and ended up losing narrowly away, 2-3.

Previous matches: Derry City vs CSKA Sofia

In 2009, as part of the UEFA Cup qualification, the Bulgarians managed a 1-0 home win and then pragmatically drew away.

The visitors are considered favourites. However, the hosts will not give up easily – it is worth betting on "both teams to score" (odds – 1.72).

Derry City vs CSKA Sofia: Key Stats and Trends

• Derry City have won just one of their last five matches
• On average, Derry City score 1.28 goals and concede 1.24 goals per match
• 64% of Derry City matches end with goals from both teams and the average total goals per match is 2.52
• CSKA Sofia have won two of their last three matches
• The team scores an average of 1.31 goals per match and concedes 0.83.

Derry City vs CSKA Sofia: Probable Starting Line-ups

Derry City play in a 1-4-4-2 formation (probable line-up): Maher – Slevin, McClean, Grogan, Barr – Dummigan, Cotter, Duffy, Olayinka – Chapman, Boyce

CSKA Sofia play in a 1-4-3-3 formation (probable line-up): Lapoukhov – Martino, Rodriguez, Ivanov, Pastor – Sensi, Jordao, Panayotov – Sole, Pittas, Godoy

Place your bets on the upcoming match and follow your team's progress in the Europa League qualification standings

Our Pick

Game Prediction Both teams to score - Yes

1.72

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Benjamin Mcneil

betting expert

He is an analyst in the world of football who doesn't mind adding to his budget with a lucky bet, something he has been doing for the last 10 years. I don't believe in luck, but I believe that the motivation of the opponents and their kit plays a big role, and any sensation is explainable. I prefer to play cautiously, because it is better to win 5 out of 5 bets at odds of 1.6-1.7 than to lose 2 out of 3 bets at odds of 2.2.

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