Borac Banja Luka vs Levski Sofia

The match exploded into life inside the opening 10 minutes. Levski Sofia defender Nikola Serafimov was booked in the seventh minute for a foul in the box, and from the resulting penalty, Luka Juričić stepped up and fired a right-footed shot high into the centre of the net, past goalkeeper Svetoslav Vutsov, to give Borac the lead from the spot.

The early goal settled the hosts, who controlled much of the first half without creating a glut of clear chances. Juričić was himself booked in the 43rd minute for a foul, but Borac carried their 1-0 advantage into the interval.

Levski manager Julio Velázquez acted at the break, replacing David Kusso with Oko-Flex at half-time. The change paid dividends inside 10 minutes of the second half. In the 55th minute, Portuguese midfielder Serginho slipped a pass through to Oko-Flex, who beat Borac goalkeeper Nikola Ćetković with a right-footed finish from the centre of the box to level the scores.

Sandi Ogrinec was booked for a bad foul in the 60th minute as the game became stretched. Both managers emptied their benches — Borac introduced Ante Roguljić and Amar Milak in the 64th minute, while Levski sent on Juan Perea, Álex Centelles and Christian Makoun. Neither side could find a winner, though Levski finished the stronger of the two.

Velázquez's half-time substitution was decisive. David Kusso, the Angolan forward making his competitive debut for Levski after signing in pre-season, struggled to impose himself in the first half. His replacement, Oko-Flex, required only 10 minutes to find the equaliser — a clinical finish that completely shifted the momentum of the tie. The 23-year-old Irishman, formerly of West Ham United and Celtic, showed the composure that convinced Levski to bring him to Bulgaria this summer.

Luka Juričić (Borac Banja Luka) — The striker converted his penalty with authority and occupied the Levski defence throughout. His yellow card was a minor blemish on an otherwise strong shift. Substituted in the 88th minute for Dani Romera.

Armstrong Oko-Flex (Levski Sofia) — Introduced at half-time, scored within 10 minutes and changed the complexion of the game. His movement off the ball gave Borac's backline problems they had not faced in the first half. Clear candidate for player of the match.

Serginho (Levski Sofia) — The Portuguese midfielder, one of five new signings unveiled by Levski in pre-season, provided the assist for Oko-Flex's equaliser and was a composed presence in the centre of the pitch. Completed 90 minutes before being substituted.

Sinisa Saničanin (Borac Banja Luka) — The Borac captain marshalled the backline effectively, particularly in the first half when Levski struggled to create clear openings.

The raw statistics tell a clear story of two distinct halves. Levski Sofia dominated possession with 57% and registered 16 total shots to Borac's six, but only two of each side's efforts found the target — a reflection of stout defending rather than poor finishing. The visitors' seven corners to Borac's three underline their territorial advantage, particularly after the break.

Borac's early penalty and a disciplined first-half defensive structure were the foundations of their performance. Levski's shot volume in the second half (the majority of their 16 attempts came after the interval) reflects the momentum shift Velázquez's changes produced.

The tie is perfectly balanced heading into the second leg on 14 July at Georgi Asparuchov Stadium in Sofia. Levski will have home advantage and the momentum of a strong second-half display, but Borac will take encouragement from a competitive performance on their own turf. An away goal for Borac in the second leg would force Levski to score twice to advance.

The winner of this tie progresses to the second qualifying round.

For Borac, this was their first competitive match of the 2026/27 season — their pre-season included an 8-0 win over Jedinstvo Putevi (20 June) and a 1-3 loss to Akhmat Grozny (29 June). Levski entered the tie on the back of an impressive pre-season campaign that featured five wins and a draw from six friendlies, including a 5-0 win over Radnik Surdulica (30 June) and a 6-0 victory over Etar.

A fair result on the balance of play. Borac will rue not building on their early advantage, while Levski will feel they could have snatched a potentially decisive away win given their second-half dominance. The second leg is too close to call, with Levski's home advantage likely to be the slenderest of margins — but Borac's discipline and organisation on the road should not be underestimated.

Player of the Match: Armstrong Oko-Flex (Levski Sofia)