PLZEN, Czech Republic (Interstat) — Levski Sofia recovered from conceding an equalizer and defeated Plzen 2-1, with Reinaldo delivering the decisive goal and an assist. Reinaldo set up Everton Bala for the opening goal and then scored the winner, while Maicon supplied the assist on Reinaldo’s finish. Christophe Kabongo scored for Plzen, with C. Souare credited with the assist, but the home side could not find a second goal after falling behind for the second time. The visitors protected their narrow lead through the closing stages, and Plzen could not produce the final pass or finish needed to level the match again.

The match shifted in a brief stretch early in the second half. Kabongo pulled Plzen level in the 62nd minute after Souare created the opening, canceling out Bala’s 44th-minute goal for Levski Sofia. Reinaldo had assisted Bala’s opener, and he restored the visitors’ lead in the 66th minute from Maicon’s assist. The quick response kept Plzen from building on its equalizer and forced the home team to chase the game over the final quarter-hour. Levski Sofia’s back line held firm as Plzen pushed forward in search of another goal. The visitors managed the closing minutes by slowing the pace and keeping Plzen from finding space in the final third.

Soula M. of Levski Sofia received the game’s first yellow card in the 20th minute. Pirgic S. of Plzen was booked in the 87th minute. Levski Sofia made a substitution in the 60th minute, with Soula M. leaving the match, and Plzen made two changes at the same stage involving Visinsky D. and Hrosovsky P. Levski Sofia then replaced Bala in the 74th minute, while Plzen made two substitutions in the 74th minute involving Ladra T. and Paliscak T. Plzen made another change in the 77th minute when Kabongo C. was substituted, and Levski Sofia used substitutions in the 82nd minute that removed Moubarik M. and Reinaldo. The changes gave both teams fresh options, but neither side added another goal. Plzen’s late push produced pressure but no clear breakthrough, and Levski Sofia held on for the win.

Levski Sofia’s season record in the competition is now 1 win, 0 losses and 1 draw. Plzen’s competition record is 0 wins, 2 losses and 0 draws. Across all competitions, Levski Sofia is 3-0-1, while Plzen is 2-2-0. Levski Sofia entered the match after wins at Spartak Pleven and Cherno More and a draw at Nijmegen. Plzen had won at Jablonec and at home against Mlada Boleslav, but it had lost at Ferencvaros. The result kept Levski Sofia unbeaten across all competitions and left Plzen without a competition victory. Levski Sofia’s away form continued a strong run, while Plzen was unable to turn its domestic results into a competition result.

Reinaldo’s performance stood out in the attacking line: he played 82 minutes, scored once and assisted once. Bala played 74 minutes and scored Levski Sofia’s first goal. Kabongo played 77 minutes and scored Plzen’s only goal. Souare recorded an assist for Plzen, and Maicon recorded an assist for Levski Sofia. Those contributions shaped a match that was decided by the visitors’ ability to answer Plzen’s equalizer within four minutes. Reinaldo’s goal came after Plzen had drawn level, making the response the defining moment of the contest. His assist and finish gave Levski Sofia the margin it needed.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Plzen 1, Levski Sofia 1. Interstat’s ELO system had projected Levski Sofia with a 92.7 percent probability to win. Plzen had been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of -0.5. The total score of 3 went under the over/under line of 2.5.