CSKA Sofia beat Dunav Ruse 2-1 in the Bulgarian First League on Saturday evening. The result keeps the hosts on course after three matches, while the visitors remain rooted near the bottom of the table. It was not a game of fireworks, but the home side made sure to take their chances when they came.
Radoslav Apostolov opened the scoring in the tenth minute, a quick strike that set the tone. Dunav fought back through Joel Zwarts just seven minutes later, but CSKA did not let the lead slip. By then, the visitors had already shown they were not going to concede without a fight.
The second half brought more friction than clarity. A. Piedrahita picked up a booking in the thirty-first minute, and V. Vidakovic followed suit after the hour mark. Substitutions came thick and fast: T. Ivanov, Leo Pereira, K. Boychev, A. Valino and M. Dilchovski all entered the action before the final whistle.
And here's the thing — the decisive moment arrived late. Facundo Rodriguez scored in the seventy-ninth minute, a goal that paid for all the pressure the home side had applied. Dunav threw bodies forward after that, but CSKA held firm despite yellow cards for V. Kaymakanov and I. Pittas in stoppage time.
The numbers tell their own story. CSKA had 184 attacks to Dunav's 76, with possession sitting at 0.71 against 0.29. Ten shots on target for the hosts compared to just one for the visitors, and the accuracy rate reflected the difference — 0.5 versus 0.25.
After three rounds, CSKA sit third with 17 points from five wins and two draws. Dunav remain fourteenth, with only one victory and six defeats after eight games. The gap in quality was visible throughout, and this result should not surprise anyone watching closely.