Neftochimic 2010 (Burgas) created the first major comeback of the new volleyball season. The holder of the Bulgarian Cup escaped from a seemingly hopeless situation against CSKA and after more than two hours of battle won 3:2 (23:25, 22:25, 25:21, 25:23, 15:12) in the second semi-final of the WINBET Supercup 2026 in the "Levski Sofia" hall.
Thus, instead of the clash between the two capital giants expected by many, the final will see a repeat of the rivalry between Levski and Neftochimic. Earlier, the champions convincingly dealt with Lokomotiv Avia (Plovdiv) with a 3:0 (25:21, 25:21, 25:16) victory.
For two sets, CSKA had every reason to believe they would play for the trophy. Aleksandar Popov's team demonstrated greater precision in crucial moments, and the second set was particularly indicative. The "Reds" were trailing 18:19 but managed to turn the tide and close the set 25:22.
Just when it seemed that Neftochimic had no answer, the match changed its direction. Ivan Stanev managed to stabilize his team's play, and the Burgas team's block started to create more and more problems for the capital team.
Martin Krastev played a significant role in the change. His interventions at the net at the end of the third set, including two consecutive blocks against Dimitar Dimitrov, gave Neftochimic the necessary confidence. The Burgas team won the set 25:21 and re-entered the match.
The fourth set showed that the psychological advantage was now on the other side of the net. Neftochimic reached 24:19, but instead of calmly finishing, allowed CSKA to come within a point. Still, the Burgas team withstood the pressure and leveled the sets.
In the tie-break, Ivan Stanev's squad did not lose the initiative. The two-point lead at the change of ends proved sufficient for Neftochimic to control the final rallies. CSKA found the strength to reduce the deficit to 11:12, but never managed to equalize.
For the capital team, the defeat is particularly painful because after the first two sets, they were only one won set away from the final. The return of national player Dimitar Dimitrov in the red jersey also proved insufficient to avoid the comeback.
For Neftochimic, the victory has value beyond just the qualification. The Burgas team showed character in their first official match of the season, overcoming not only their opponent but also their own initial hesitations.
Now, Ivan Stanev and his volleyball players face a significantly different challenge. Levski enters the final after a convincing victory and three played sets, while Neftochimic must recover after a five-set battle that lasted 136 minutes.
The two teams will determine the winner of the first trophy in Bulgarian club volleyball for the 2026/27 season.
photo: Nikolay Varadinov
