Borac and Levski drew in Banja Luka: the first match left the return leg in Sofia completely open
Borac Banja Luka and Levski Sofia played 1:1 in the first match of the first qualifying round of the UEFA Champions League 2026/27, played on July 7, 2026, at the City Stadium in Banja Luka. The duel began at 20:30 local time in Bosnia and Herzegovina, or at 18:30 Central European Time according to UEFA’s match schedule. Borac took the lead in the early phase of the match through Luka Juričić’s penalty goal in the 9th minute, while Levski equalized in the 55th minute through Armstrong Oko-Flex. The draw left the outcome of the two-legged tie open, and the decision on progression to the second qualifying round will come on July 14 at the Georgi Asparuhov Stadium in Sofia. In its official qualifying overview, UEFA states that the winner of this pairing in the second qualifying round will face the better side from the Vitebsk - Universitatea Craiova tie.
An early penalty changed the rhythm of the match
According to Levski’s official report, the key moment of the first half occurred as early as the 7th minute, when Nikola Serafimov stopped Stefan Savić in the penalty area after a mistake in the visiting team’s build-up play. Referee Mehmet Türkmen, whom UEFA lists as the main referee of the match, pointed to the spot, and Luka Juričić accurately converted the penalty two minutes later for 1:0. Such a development gave Borac a result it could defend in front of its supporters, but at the same time forced Levski to take more initiative very early. In its report, the Sofia club stated that after conceding the goal, the visitors tried to respond with a series of blocked shots by Everton Bala, Maicon and Oliver Kamdem, but without a quick change in the score. In that phase, according to the same source, Borac mostly looked for chances through occasional transitions toward attack, trying to avoid an open exchange of blows.
The first half therefore had a clear balance in terms of the score, but not complete balance in terms of play. Borac had the most important thing, the lead, while Levski had a greater need to speed up possession and bring the match into a rhythm that suited it better. In the 42nd minute, Akram Bouras threatened with a shot past the goal, which was marked in the Bulgarian club’s official report as one of the more concrete away situations before the break. Juričić received a yellow card in the 43rd minute, so Borac had to play the continuation with caution around its most advanced goalscorer. At halftime it remained 1:0, a result that gave the home side an advantage in the two-legged tie, but did not create the impression that the opponent from Sofia was out of the match.
Oko-Flex changed the picture of the second half
Levski entered the second half with a substitution that proved decisive for the final result. According to the Sofia club’s report, Armstrong Oko-Flex came on instead of David Kuss, who left the game after an injury, and coach Julio Velázquez later explained that the substitution was made on the recommendation of the medical staff. Already in the first minutes of the second half, Levski increased the pressure and tried to reach the final third through quicker combinations down the flanks and between the lines. In the 54th minute, Everton Bala had an attractive attempt after a pass from Serginho, and only a minute later the visitors equalized. According to Levski’s official description, Maicon carried the ball forward and combined with Bala, who found Oko-Flex, and the winger scored for 1:1.
The equalizer changed the psychological framework of the match. Borac no longer had a result it could simply protect, while Levski received confirmation that it could pose a more serious threat in a more open game. In the continuation, according to the Sofia club’s report, the visitors continued looking for a second goal, and among the better chances highlighted were Maicon’s cross toward Reinaldo in the 67th minute, Kristian Dimitrov’s attempt after a corner in the 75th minute, and Akram Bouras’s shots in the closing stages. Borac managed to withstand periods of pressure and preserve the draw, but the second half clearly showed that the return leg will require a different plan than merely defending the initial result. Since the first match ended level, neither team will carry a scoreboard advantage to Sofia.
Levski’s coach believes his team could have won
After the match, according to Levski’s post from July 8, Julio Velázquez said that his team came to Banja Luka with the intention of winning and that, in his opinion, it deserved more than a draw based on what it showed. The Spanish coach assessed that the early goal conceded significantly determined the course of the encounter, but emphasized his team’s reaction, especially in the second half. According to his words, Levski was better positioned after the break, more dangerous when looking for depth in attack, and more frequently present in the final third of the pitch. Velázquez also stressed the importance of substitutions in modern football, stating that a player can be equally important whether he plays five or ninety minutes, which in Banja Luka was directly reflected in Oko-Flex’s impact.
At the same time, the visiting coach warned that the return leg will not be simple just because it is being played in Sofia. According to the club post, Velázquez said that the second match will bring different circumstances and demands and that his team must find the right response. He particularly emphasized that the time until the return leg will be important for integrating new players and improving communication within the team. Levski, according to its own report, had five official debutants in the blue shirt in Banja Luka: David Kuss, Reinaldo, Serginho, Mehdi El Moubarik and Alex Centelles. That fact gives additional context to the match, because the Bulgarian team entered the competitive rhythm with a series of new elements in the squad.
Borac kept its chances in a two-legged tie against one of the tougher opponents
Borac entered this duel with the clear expectation that Levski would be a demanding opponent. On the official website of the Banja Luka club, after the draw held on June 16, coach Vinko Marinović stated that there are easier opponents, but that the Champions League qualifiers are a level at which nothing is simple. Captain Srđan Grahovac emphasized in the same post that Borac had drawn one of the toughest possible opponents at this stage, but also that the team had enough experience and players who had beaten strong opponents. Miloš Jojić said at the time that Borac had to focus on its own game and try to impose its qualities, which remains relevant even after the draw in the first match.
From a sporting point of view, the 1:1 result has a double meaning for Borac. On the one hand, the club from Banja Luka did not use its home ground to create an advantage before the return leg, even though it took the lead very early. On the other hand, it avoided defeat against an opponent that created more clear situations in the second half and will play in Sofia in front of its own supporters. Borac’s task in the return leg is therefore clear: it must find a way to be more stable during phases of Levski’s pressure and at the same time maintain a threat through forwards such as Juričić. The draw is not ideal for the home side from the first match, but in a two-legged tie without a score difference it still leaves real room for progression.
A duel with a serious European background
This pairing stood out in the first qualifying round because of the tradition and regional recognizability of both clubs. According to Levski’s official website, the Borac - Levski match was the first European meeting between these two teams. In its preview, Levski highlighted Borac as one of the biggest clubs in Bosnia and Herzegovina and stated that the Banja Luka club is a four-time national champion and winner of the Cup of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Borac’s official website also lists in its club trophy overview four titles in the Premier League of Bosnia and Herzegovina, one national cup, seven Cups of Republika Srpska, five titles in the First League of Republika Srpska, the Yugoslav Cup and the Mitropa Cup. Such context explains why this duel attracted the attention of the broader football public in the early phase of qualifying.
Borac is also entering the European season with experience from a recent continental campaign. Levski’s official website, in its draw preview, recalled that Borac reached the round of 16 of the UEFA Conference League in the 2024/25 season. That information is important because it shows that the Banja Luka club is no longer exclusively an outsider in European qualifiers, but a team that already cleared several European obstacles in the previous cycle. At the same time, Levski carries the weight of a major Bulgarian name and the ambition of returning to the wider European stage. In such a balance of strength, the 1:1 from the first match leaves room for different interpretations: Borac can point out that it remained unbeaten against a strong opponent, while Levski can claim that it failed to capitalize on a better second half.
What the return leg in Sofia brings
According to UEFA’s schedule, the return leg between Levski and Borac is played on Tuesday, July 14, 2026, at 19:30 Central European Time, while Levski’s official website lists 20:30 as the local time in Sofia. The Bulgarian club also announced that the match will be played at the Georgi Asparuhov Stadium, where the home side will try to make use of the advantage of familiar surroundings and support from the stands. However, the result of the first match means that the two-legged tie is completely open: victory for either team in the regulation time of the return leg leads directly to the second qualifying round, while a new aggregate draw would open the additional scenario of extra time and possible penalties. UEFA, in its explanation of the rules, reminds that tied two-legged ties are no longer decided by the away goals rule.
In practice, this means that Levski does not have a separate advantage from the goal in Banja Luka of the kind it would have had under the old system. Oko-Flex’s goal is important because it brought the equalizer and psychological momentum, but it is not worth extra in the event of an aggregate level score. Borac, on the other hand, does not have to chase a specific number of away goals, but needs the same basic condition for progression as Levski: victory in the second match. According to UEFA’s competition system, the winner of the pairing goes into the second qualifying round of the champions path against the better side from the Vitebsk - Universitatea Craiova tie, while the loser moves into the second qualifying round of the UEFA Conference League champions path. For that reason, the return leg in Sofia is not only a battle to continue the dream of the Champions League, but also a match that determines the European route for the rest of the summer.
Match summary
- Competition: UEFA Champions League 2026/27, first qualifying round, first match.
- Venue: City Stadium Banja Luka, Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
- Result: Borac Banja Luka - Levski Sofia 1:1.
- Goals: Luka Juričić 9th minute, penalty; Armstrong Oko-Flex 55th minute.
- Return leg: Levski Sofia - Borac Banja Luka, July 14, 2026, Georgi Asparuhov Stadium, Sofia.
Sources:
- UEFA – official data on the Borac - Levski Sofia match, the stadium, officials and context of the encounter (link)
- UEFA – schedule, results and explanation of the 2026/27 Champions League qualifying system (link)
- UEFA – draw for the first qualifying round of the 2026/27 Champions League and confirmation of the Borac - Levski Sofia pairing (link)
- UEFA – explanation of the abolition of the away goals rule in UEFA club competitions (link)
- PFK Levski Sofia – official report from the Borac - Levski 1:1 match, description of the goals, course of the encounter and lineup of the visiting team (link)
- PFK Levski Sofia – statements by coach Julio Velázquez after the draw in Banja Luka (link)
- FK Borac Banja Luka – official preview of the two-legged tie with Levski and reactions from the club after the draw (link)