- Kairat's last 5 matches in all competitions = 5 wins, 0 draws, 0 defeats.
- Sutjeska's last 5 matches in all competitions = 2 wins, 1 draw, 2 defeats.
- Kairat beat Sutjeska 2-1 in UEFA Champions League Qualification 2026 just 24 hours ago.
Sutjeska’s momentum has gone at the wrong time
Kairat Almaty will take a huge psychological advantage into the second leg of their UEFA Champions League Qualification 2026 tie with FK Sutjeska Niksic after they nicked the tie 2-1 on Wednesday. That result means that the away side comes into this match with better momentum as the visitors while the Montenegrin side are looking to rebound after back-to-back defeats.
Sutjeska are usually a very pragmatic and compact side under Milorad Pekovic, who has been in charge since 9th March 2026, they've won 5, drawn 2 and lost just 3 of their last 10 in all competitions. That record is still, but it's hardly a side to fear. Sutjeska play a 3-5-2 or a compact 5-4-1 system, looking to remain narrow and make the pitch small. They're not a high-pressing side, rather they look to soak up pressure and then release pressure on the wings or with set pieces.
Kairat on the other hand, are a possession-based side under Rafael Urazbakhtin, who has been at the helm since 6th September 2024. The Kazakh side have an organised 4-2-3-1 system where they play with the ball and press to win it back, they win the ball back in high areas and they play quickly going forward. Kairat are simply the hotter of the two sides here and look to have the winning formula for this clash.
Away victory, but a close run
Kairat are the odds-on favourites, but Sutjeska are 3.38 while the draw is 3.92. Kairat should have the advantage given that they're in better form and have already beaten Sutjeska, but they're priced short. The under 2.5 goals bet makes more appeal at 2.25 here as the compact nature of this away-day will likely ensure that we won't be watching a free-flowing shootout.
Kairat will look to overload the game and pin Sutjeska deep into their own half if they can break the first wave of press, which should suit the visitors, but Sutjeska are a tough nut to crack. Kairat's away record in all competitions (3-1-1 from 5 matches, 2.20 scored, 1.40 conceded) is better than Sutjeska's home record (2-1-1 from 4 matches, 1.75 scored, 1.00 conceded), so we're backing Kairat to win in a tight game.
Marko Mrvaljevic is Sutjeska's main threat, he has 4 of the team's 7 goals in his last 5 appearances and has scored 1 goal in 1 UEFA Champions League Qualification appearance. Kairat's Lucas Africo has a similar profile, he has 1 goal in 1 UEFA Champions League Qualification outing, so he's our pick for an anytime scorer here.
