UEFA Champions League Qualifying Round 2

Kairat Almaty 1 - 0 PEN 6-5 Omonia Nicosia

Central Stadium

Match previews and recaps to help you decide which games are worth watching

Futmetrix Verdict
77
FT
Wed, Jul 29
Kairat Almaty
1-0 (PEN 6-5)
Omonia Nicosia
⚡ Intensity 85
⚖️ Balance 22
🏆 Stakes 40
🎲 Upset 0
Penalty shootout ends Kairat's relentless siege.

Win Probability

  • Kairat Almaty 43%
  • Draw 28%
  • Omonia Nicosia 28%

Futmetrix AI estimate

Tension at Central Stadium: Kairat Survive Nine-Man Omonia's Defensive Masterclass

Highly Entertaining Futmetrix Score: 77/100. Our verdict: A relentless attacking siege finally broke through nine-man Omonia's heroic resistance, culminating in a breathless sudden-death penalty shootout.

The Siege Commences

The early exchanges at Central Stadium were tense, but the entire complexion of this vital Champions League qualifier changed in an instant. Omonia's game plan shattered when A. Kakoullis saw a straight red for roughing in the 26th minute. The Intensity spiked immediately as Kairat Almaty grabbed the tie by the scruff of the neck. Smelling blood in the water, Edmilson found the crucial breakthrough in the 37th minute, finishing brilliantly after being fed by L. Mata. From that moment onward, the hosts dominated possession with a suffocating 70% share of the ball. They turned the pitch into an absolute shooting gallery, racking up 26 attempts to Omonia's mere two. The local supporters roared their approval as their team piled on the pressure, winning 13 corners to further squeeze the visitors into their own penalty box.

The Nine-Man Stand

Despite facing an endless barrage, Kairat lacked the clinical sniper's edge to put the match to bed in normal time. Omonia's goalkeeper became a one-man wall, pulling off nine incredible saves to miraculously keep his team alive in the fixture. The Stakes grew increasingly unbearable as the match bled into a grinding, exhausted period of extra time. Clinging on by their fingertips, Omonia's impossible task became even harder when S. Coulibaly received their second red card in the 111th minute. Defending with just nine men against an attacking avalanche, the visitors entirely abandoned any offensive ambition. Every block and tactical foul was cheered like a goal by the beleaguered away bench as they somehow survived to force the ultimate lottery.

Sudden Death Drama

The shootout tested the absolute limits of Balance, as both sides felt the crushing weight of European progression. Edmilson stepped up first and confidently dispatched his kick. The narrative twisted wildly when J. Balkovec missed for Omonia Nicosia, only for O. Baybek to immediately fail to capitalize for Kairat. A. Martynovich and A. Tuyakbaev held their nerve during the marathon before the climax arrived in sudden death. In the crucial seventh round, M. Birkurmanov confidently slammed his penalty home for the hosts, shifting all the pressure onto N. Panagiotou. The tension finally proved too much for the Cypriot defender, whose resulting miss sparked wild celebrations in Almaty, sealing Kairat's 6-5 shootout triumph.

Key Questions

How did the red card for A. Kakoullis impact the match?

It forced Omonia into a desperate defensive block, allowing Kairat to dominate 70% of possession and rack up 26 total shots.

Was the penalty miss by N. Panagiotou the turning point?

Yes. After M. Birkurmanov scored in sudden death, Panagiotou's crucial miss ultimately sealed the shootout 6-5 in Kairat's favor.

What is the Futmetrix Score?

The Futmetrix Score is our 0-100 verdict on how entertaining a match is. We look at intensity, balance, stakes, and star quality to tell you if it's worth your time.

Match Statistics

Possession
70%
30%
Kairat Almaty 70%
Omonia Nicosia 30%
Shots
26
2
Kairat Almaty 26
Omonia Nicosia 2
Shots on Target
10
0
Kairat Almaty 10
Omonia Nicosia 0
Corners
11
2
Kairat Almaty 11
Omonia Nicosia 2
Yellow Cards
3
2
Kairat Almaty 3
Omonia Nicosia 2
Red Cards
0
2
Kairat Almaty 0
Omonia Nicosia 2

Match Events

24' 🟨 Oiva Jukkola
36' 🔄 ↓ D. Kasabulat ↑Edmilson
36' 🔄 ↓ L. Kurgin ↑I. Bekbolat
37' ⚽ Edmilson (L. Mata)
HT
↓ M. Mayambela ↑L. Diony 🔄 65'
↓ M. Tankovic ↑A. Chatzigiovanis 🔄 65'
67' 🟨 Gustavo Mendonca
Senou Coulibaly 🟨 68'
72' 🔄 ↓ G. Mendonsa ↑O. Baybek
72' 🔄 ↓ Kairat Almaty ↑A. Tuyakbaev
↓ Ewandro ↑I. Kousoulos 🔄 76'
↓ S. Simic ↑A. Christou 🔄 76'
80' 🔄 ↓ O. Jukkola ↑M. Birkurmanov
Mateo Marić 🟨 96'
102' 🔄 ↓ Lucas Africo ↑A. Shirobokov
Senou Coulibaly 🟨 111'
Senou Coulibaly 🟥 111'
↓ Omonia Nicosia ↑A. Neofytou 🔄 114'
FT

Player Cards

Our take on every player in this match

Kairat Almaty

Goalkeepers
Temirlan Anarbekov
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Defenders
Aleksandr Mrynskiy
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Aleksandr Martynovich
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Lucas Áfrico
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Luís Mata
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Lev Kurgin
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Midfielders
Damir Kasabulat
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Gustavo Mendonça
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Oiva Jukkola
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Jaakko Oksanen
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Forwards
Marc Gual
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
BENCH
D. Buch
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Sherkhan Kalmurza
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Erkin Tapalov
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Aleksandr Shirobokov
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
A. Nurgaliev
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Daniyar Tashpulatov
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Adilet Sadybekov
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Olzhas Baybek
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Azamat Tuyakbayev
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Edmilson
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
M. Birkurmanov
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Ismail Bekbolat
👻 Invisible Nothing to note

Omonia Nicosia

Goalkeepers
Fabiano
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Defenders
Stefan Simič
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Senou Coulibaly
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Nikolas Panagiotou
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Jure Balkovec
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Midfielders
Ewandro
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Panagiotis Andreou
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Mateo Marić
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Mihlali Mayambela
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Muamer Tankovic
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Forwards
Andronikos Kakoullis
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
BENCH
Francis Uzoho
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Pantelis Michael
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
C. Konstantinidis
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
C. Panagiotis
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Carel Eiting
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Jaden Montnor
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Anastasios Chatzigiovanis
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Ioannis Kousoulos
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Angelos Neophytou
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Loïs Diony
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
A. Christou
👻 Invisible Nothing to note

Head to Head

Date Home Score Away Competition Venue
07/22/2026 Omonia Nicosia 1 - 0 Kairat Almaty UEFA Champions League GSP Stadium
12/09/2021 Omonia Nicosia 0 - 0 Kairat Almaty UEFA Europa Conference League Neo GSP
09/16/2021 Kairat Almaty 0 - 0 Omonia Nicosia UEFA Europa Conference League Ortalıq Stadion
07/22/2026
UEFA Champions League GSP Stadium
12/09/2021
UEFA Europa Conference League Neo GSP
09/16/2021
UEFA Europa Conference League Ortalıq Stadion
Kairat Almaty Win
Omonia Nicosia Win
Draw

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