SOFIA, Bulgaria (Interstat) — The latest chapter in Bulgarian football’s most storied rivalry delivered late drama as PFK CSKA Sofia scored deep into stoppage time to snatch a 1-1 draw against PFK Levski Sofia in a First League match Monday at Stadion Vasil Levski.

The match, a season opener for both historic clubs, appeared destined for a narrow victory for the visiting Levski side after Juan Perea broke a tense deadlock in the 71st minute. However, CSKA’s Santiago Godoy ignited the home supporters with an equalizer in the fourth minute of second-half added time, ensuring the Eternal Derby of Bulgarian football ended all square.

The result leaves both teams with identical records to start the domestic campaign: zero wins, zero losses and one draw. Their overall records across all competitions also mirror each other after the opening fixture.

The game defied the pre-match projections from Interstat. The organization’s game simulator had predicted a 1-0 victory for Levski Sofia, while its ELO rating system gave CSKA Sofia a 56.90 percent probability of securing a win. Neither forecast proved accurate as the teams split the points in a gritty, competitive encounter.

Played at the national stadium, a neutral venue that traditionally hosts this fierce derby, the match saw Levski Sofia strike first as the second half wore on. Colombian forward Juan Perea found the breakthrough, capitalizing on a defensive lapse to give the visiting Blues a crucial advantage. The goal seemed to set Levski on course for a valuable away victory against their archrivals.

CSKA Sofia, known as the Reds, pressed relentlessly in the closing stages in search of a reply. Their persistence was rewarded at the death when Argentine midfielder Santiago Godoy produced the decisive moment, scoring as the clock ticked beyond the 90-minute mark to salvage a point for the home side. The goal sparked frenzied celebrations among the CSKA faithful and ensured the match ended in a stalemate.

The draw continues a pattern of closely contested matches between the two Sofia giants, whose rivalry is considered one of the most intense in European football. The result provides each team with a single point as they begin their pursuit of the First League title, setting a tone of parity for the new season. Both clubs will look to build from this result, with CSKA taking heart from their resilient finish and Levski likely ruing missed opportunity to claim an early statement win on their rival’s ground.