Destiny! Petar Marinov was not supposed to play in the penalty shootout

CSKA 1948 beat Spartak Trnava 5-3 on penalties at the Vasil Levski National Stadium in Sofia on 28 July, advancing to the third qualifying round of the UEFA Conference League. Both the first leg in Slovakia and 120 minutes of the second leg had ended 0-0, leaving the shootout to settle the tie. The UEFA Conference League is UEFA's third-tier club competition.

A goalkeeper who almost never took the gloves

Goalkeeper Petar Marinov saved a penalty from Marin Lausic to tilt the shootout in CSKA 1948's favour. He was not supposed to be in goal for the spot-kicks. As Gong reports, fellow goalkeeper Dimitur Sheytanov was considered better at saving penalties and was set to come on, but a late injury to another player meant the squad had used all its substitutions. Marinov stayed on the pitch by circumstance.

Speaking after the match, Marinov said the team had practised penalties before the game and that he tried to cover all four corners of the goal. He added that he does not keep personal statistics on shootouts, according to Gong. He also noted that CSKA 1948 have a league match against Arda coming up and that focus now shifts there.

A full rotation and a clean sheet that counted

Head coach Aleksandar Aleksandrov made a complete eleven-man rotation for the second leg, resting every player who had featured in the weekend league win over Botev Vratsa. The five successful CSKA 1948 penalties were converted by Lasha Dvali, Elias Franco, Hector Cuellar, Frederic Maciel and Atanas Iliev, Gong reports. Spartak Trnava's coach acknowledged after the game that his side had been the better team across both legs but accepted the result.

In the next round, CSKA 1948 will face the winner of the tie between Panathinaikos and Paksi. Gong notes that Panathinaikos won the first leg in Hungary 2-1, with the Athens return scheduled for 30 July. If the Greek club progresses, CSKA 1948 would travel to Athens on 6 August, with the home leg in Bulgaria on 13 August.

Following the match from abroad

For Bulgarians outside the country, European ties involving domestic clubs are rare occasions to follow the home game on the continental stage. Marinov saved the decisive kick after being kept on the pitch only because substitutions were exhausted. Gong's photo gallery documents the evening at Vasil Levski.