- Astana are unbeaten in 5 home matches in all competitions (W5, D0, L0).
- Dinamo Tirana are winless in their last 5 away matches in all competitions (D1, L4).
- Astana have won their last 3 games in a row, including a 1-0 away win over Dinamo Tirana on Tuesday.
Astana have the edge in Conference League Qualification 2026
FC Astana are clear favourites at 1.42 ahead of Dinamo Tirana at 7.5 and the draw at 4.2, and the hosts earned a 1-0 win in Albania two days ago in this UEFA Conference League Qualification 2026 tie.
This will be a battle of styles as the hosts are a compact, organised 4-2-3-1 side under Grigori Babayan. The visitors are a high-energy pressing unit that have toggled between 4-2-3-1 and 4-3-3 under Ilir Daja, preferring to create chaos and win the ball high up the pitch before their wide players race into space behind the opposition full-backs.
However, Dinamo don't have the most effective attacking players to exploit that, so that plan will be tested on Thursday. Ramazan Karimov is Astana's danger man so far in this competition, but Marin Tomasov and Bauyrzhan Islamkhan are the playmakers to watch for the home side as they will get the ball in the half-spaces when the visitors press.
Astana have been ruthless at home
The Kazakh side are a very reliable team with a methodical playing style. They have won their last 5 home games in all competitions, conceding an average of 0.60 goals per-game and scoring an average of 2.20, while they have won 3 of their last 5 in all competitions (D1, L1).
The Shirokii Zmei beat FK Aktobe 3-2 at home last weekend after their win in Tirana, so they look ready for the return leg. Dinamo are in a rough patch with 4 defeats in a row after successive losses to KF Egnatia and Astana have left them wobbling.
They have drawn 1 and lost 4 of their 5 away matches in all competitions this season, scoring only 3 times. They are also short on momentum across their last 10 matches in all competitions (W2, D3, L5), so the momentum really isn't with them.
Astana will edge this one and the odds back a home win in what could be a close encounter.
