Sporting CP vs Kairat Almaty prediction: EUROPE: Champions League – League phase betting tips on match 2025-09-17 19:00.
[p]Kairat Almaty will travel approximately 7,200 km to Lisbon to take on Sporting CP in a game that will mark their debut in the UEFA Champions League (UCL) group stage/league phase.[/p]
[p]Match News and Current Form[/p]
[p]After winning consecutive Portuguese league titles for the first time since 1953/54, Sporting have started this season with four league wins in five games (L1). Head coach Rui Borges will look to improve their fortunes in Europe in his first full season in charge, as they look to halt a six-game winless run (D2, L4) in the UCL. A good start isn’t out of their reach going by history, as the Leões have won on matchday one in three of their last four UCL campaigns (L1), including a 2-0 victory at home last season.[/p]
[p]Kairat became just the second team from Kazakhstan to qualify for the UCL proper after Astana did so in 2015/16. Their previous participation in Europe didn’t go according to plan as they finished bottom of their group in the 2021/22 Conference League (D2, L4), but they will hope for better fortunes this time around. Having started their journey in the first qualification round this season, Rafael Urazbakhtin’s men arrive here with four consecutive clean sheets in competitive action (W3, D1), including shutting out Celtic in both legs of the play-off round, which suggests they can’t easily be ruled out.[/p]
[p]Head-to-Head History[/p]
[p]This will be the first-ever H2H between the pair, but Sporting have played Kazakhstani opposition twice before (W1, D1), while Kairat are playing a Portuguese club for the first time.[/p]
[p]Hot Stats and Streaks[/p]
[p]Sporting have scored fewer than two goals in their last six UCL matches.[/p]
[p]At home, Sporting have lost only two of their last nine UEFA games (W4, D3).[/p]
[p]Kairat have failed to score in five of their last six UEFA away games.[/p]
[p]Seven of Kairat’s last eight competitive matches produced under 1.5 goals during regular time.[/p]
[p]Key Players to Watch and Missing Players[/p]
[p]Pedro Gonçalves scored a 22nd-minute goal for Sporting last weekend and could once again look for an early contribution, as his four UCL goals have come at home and between the 30-40 minute mark. Dastan Satpaev scored the only goal in Kairat’s 1-0 win at the weekend and could look to strike first once again, as his three UCL goals this season have been match openers.[/p]
[p]Rui Silva sat out Sporting’s last game due to a knock, but could be available for selection here. Nuno Santos and Daniel Bragança continue to be their long-term absentees. Aleksandr Zarutskiy has missed Kairat’s last three matches and remains an injury concern.[/p]
[p]For all the latest team news, please check the Flashscore match centre.[/p]
[p]Betting Analysis[/p]
[p]Kairat have proven to be a tough nut to crack in recent European games and may limit the goals here, so backing under 2.5 goals could be a winning pick.[/p]
[p][i]Author: Sridhar Bhamidi[/i][/p]