Preview:Kairat vs Pafos FC – prediction, team news, lineups

Kairat Almaty will aim to secure their first points of the Champions League campaign when they host Cypriot champions Pafos at the Almaty Central Stadium on Tuesday evening.

Both sides have endured difficult starts to their European seasons and will view this fixture as a vital chance to get their first win on the board.

Match preview

Kairat Almaty have found life tough in the Champions League so far, losing both of their opening matches in heavy fashion.

Rafael Urazbakhtin’s side were thrashed 4-1 by Sporting Lisbon on matchday one before suffering a 5-0 loss to Real Madrid at home, where Kylian Mbappe scored a hat-trick.

While the gulf in quality against Europe’s elite was evident, the hosts will see Tuesday’s home clash as their best opportunity yet to make an impact in the competition, having already faced two strong sides.

The Kazakh champions have dominated domestically this season, sitting top of the Kazakhstan Premier League with 58 points from 25 games, with one match remaining in the season.

They have registered 18 wins, four draws and just three defeats, leaving them on the brink of securing back-to-back league titles.

This season marks Kairat’s first appearance in the Champions League main draw after successfully navigating the qualifiers, and although their European debut has been punishing so far, a home fixture against a fellow newcomer presents a chance for redemption.

Urazbakhtin’s men head into this game in decent domestic form, having edged out their last league match 1-0 on Friday, and they will hope to build on that result with a statement performance in front of their home fans.

As for the visitors, Pafos are also competing at this level for the first time in their history after winning the Cypriot First Division last season.

Juan Carlos Carcedo’s side are currently top of their domestic table once again, amassing 18 points from seven matches with six wins and one defeat, scoring 16 goals and conceding only four.

In Europe, they have managed one point from their first two matches.

They began their campaign with a goalless draw against Olympiacos despite playing more than an hour with 10 men following Bruno Felipe’s early red card, before being thrashed 5-1 by Bayern Munich, with Mislav Orsic grabbing a consolation goal.

The Cypriot champions enter Tuesday’s clash on the back of a commanding 4-0 league win on Friday, and that result should provide confidence as they look to bounce back in continental competition.

Having reached the Europa Conference League round of 16 just last season, Pafos continue to grow in stature on the European stage.

Kairat Champions League form:

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Kairat form (all competitions):

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Paphos FC Champions League form:

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Pafos FC form (all competitions):

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Team News

Kairat could be without first-choice goalkeeper Alexandr Zarutskiy, who remains a doubt due to a minor knock.

Temirlan Anarbekov returned from injury in the last league match and is expected to start between the sticks.

Urazbakhtin will once again turn to in-form forward Dastan Satpaevwho has scored four goals in his last four matches across all competitions.

However, the hosts remain without injured Elder Santana and João Pauloboth sidelined with long-term ACL injuries and excluded from the Champions League squad list.

For the visitors, defender Pedrao is unavailable due to a cruciate ligament injury.

David Luiz is expected to partner with Derrick Luckassen and David Goldar in the backline, while Anderson Silva should spearhead the attack.

Kairat possible starting lineup:

Anarbekov; Tapalov, Martynovich, Sorokin, Mata; Mrynskiy, Kasabulat, Arad, Gromyko; Jorginho, Satpaev

Pafos FC possible starting lineup:

Michael; Luiz, Goldar, Luckassen; Pileas, Sunjic, Rodrigues, Jaja; Dragomir, Anderson, Orsic

We say: Kairat 1-2 Pafos FC

Despite both sides being newcomers at this level, Pafos look the more balanced outfit. Their experience from last season’s European campaign and strong start to the Cypriot league give them the edge.

While Kairat’s domestic dominance is impressive, their struggles in Europe expose a lack of experience at this level, and the visitors could make that count if they stay disciplined.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.

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