CSKA Sofia vs Qarabag: Tactical Analysis of the 4-1-4-1 and 4-2-3-1 Formations

CSKA Sofia’s 4-1-4-1 under Hristo Yanev was built to compress space centrally and survive long spells without the ball, while Qarabag’s 4-2-3-1 under Qurban Qurbanov sought to dominate territory and rhythm. Over 120 minutes at Vasil Levski National Sports Academy, the structural contrast was clear: CSKA defended deep and vertically compact, Qarabag accumulated pressure and volume, yet neither side converted their territorial ideas into goals before the shootout.

Without an explicit goalkeeper in the CSKA Sofia starters list, the defensive platform effectively began with the back four of Pastor, Teodor Ivanov, F. Rodriguez and Ángelo Martino, screened by J. Gbamin. The grid positions show a classic flat back four with a single pivot (Gbamin on the third line), ahead of which M. Ebong, S. Sensi and Bruno Jordão formed the interior and half-space links, with I. Pittas and Leandro Godoy tasked with stretching the last line. The intention was to have five outfielders (back four plus Gbamin) behind the ball early, with the second line ready to jump into counters once possession was recovered.

Qarabag’s 4-2-3-1, by contrast, had a clear double pivot in Pedro Bicalho and M. Jankovic, with O. Kashchuk, Kady Borges and A. Zoubir supporting lone forward Z. Sawo. The structure, coupled with 58% possession, underpinned a patient, circulation-heavy approach. The ten corner kicks and seven blocked shots underline how often Qarabag managed to pin CSKA back, working the ball into shooting lanes around and inside the box, even if the “Total Shots” and “Shots insidebox” fields are not specified numerically.

The statistical split – Qarabag with 5 shots on goal to CSKA Sofia’s 3, and a 10–2 advantage in corner kicks – speaks to a territorial and chance-volume edge for the visitors. Their higher share of the ball allowed the full-backs, especially E. Cafarquliyev before his substitution, to push high and create wide overloads, with the double pivot holding rest defence positions to guard transitions. Seven blocked shots suggest CSKA’s centre-backs and screening midfielders were often in good positions to close down shooting lanes, even if they were defending close to their own box.

CSKA’s 42% possession and only two corners paint a picture of a side that accepted a reactive role. The 4-1-4-1 was compact horizontally, with Jordão and Sensi narrowing to help Gbamin, while Ebong and Pittas were important as first outlets in transition. However, with six yellow cards to Qarabag’s three and a foul count of 26–14, CSKA’s defensive strategy increasingly relied on breaking up play with infractions once they were late to second balls or overrun in midfield. The booking timeline – starting with Bruno Jordão at 39' and extending into extra time with cautions for Ángelo Martino, Teodor Ivanov and Joël Zwarts – underlines how the physical and mental load of defending for long stretches accumulated as the match wore on.

In contrast, Qarabag managed their aggression more selectively. Fourteen fouls and three bookings across 120 minutes reflect a side largely in control of tempo, able to press in organized waves rather than scramble. The yellow cards for Marko Janković and Bence Várkonyi around the 50–55' mark hint at a brief phase where CSKA’s attempts to accelerate transitions forced tactical fouls in midfield, but this did not fundamentally destabilize Qarabag’s structure.

Substitutions sharpened these trends. For Qarabag, the 70' change with R. Cephas (IN) for Kady Borges (OUT) injected fresh energy between the lines and in the channels, offering more direct running to exploit a tiring CSKA block. The triple change at 82' – B. Langa (IN) for E. Cafarquliyev (OUT), J. Mouaddib (IN) for O. Kashchuk (OUT), and C. Makreckis (IN) for B. Huseynov (OUT) – rebalanced the side for the closing stages, maintaining a high pressing and possession intensity while refreshing both full-back and central zones. Later, J. Montiel (IN) for A. Zoubir (OUT) at 90+2' and M. Qurbanly (IN) for Z. Sawo (OUT) at 100' further emphasized control of territory and ball rather than all-out risk, with Montiel’s subsequent booking at 107' a by-product of late-game duels rather than systemic disorder.

Yanev’s response was more about survival and legs than changing the game’s geometry. J. Eto'o (IN) for B. Jordao (OUT) at 71' and J. Zwarts (IN) for L. Godoy (OUT) at 89' re-energized the front line but did not significantly alter the underlying 4-1-4-1 shape. M. Brahimi (IN) for Ángelo Martino (OUT) at 99' was a like-for-like change on the flank, keeping the defensive line intact while adding fresh running power. Yet CSKA’s inability to generate more than three shots on goal and two corners suggests that these substitutions mainly served to maintain defensive intensity rather than unlock Qarabag.

The penalty shootout victory for CSKA Sofia, 5–4 after 120 goalless minutes, therefore sits in contrast to the open-play balance of power. Qarabag’s superior possession, chance volume (more shots on goal and significantly more blocked efforts) and set-piece count point to a side that executed its territorial strategy effectively but lacked the final action. CSKA, by contrast, leaned into a low-possession, high-discipline defensive plan that was increasingly strained – as reflected by the 26 fouls and six bookings – yet remained structurally coherent enough to reach penalties.

In tactical terms, CSKA Sofia’s success came from a clear, if reactive, game model: a compact 4-1-4-1, heavy central protection through Gbamin and the interior midfielders, and a willingness to absorb pressure and commit fouls to prevent Qarabag from converting possession into clean chances. Qarabag’s 4-2-3-1 demonstrated control, width and depth, but the lack of a decisive edge in the box meant their statistical superiority did not translate into goals, leaving the tie to be settled by the margins of the shootout rather than the dynamics of open play.