- Kairat Almaty are on a 5-game winning streak in all competitions, Sutjeska Niksic have lost their last 2 and are 2-1-2 in their last 5.
- Kairat Almaty beat FK Sutjeska Niksic 2-1 in the UEFA Champions League Qualification 2026 on Wednesday.
Kairat have the edge at both ends
Kairat have won 5 out of their last 5 games in all competitions and look to be the sharper of the two sides going into Wednesday's UEFA Champions League Qualification tie against Sutjeska, who have lost their last 2 and are 2-1-2 in their last 5.
Kairat's 4-2-3-1 system is built around an abundance of possession, fast vertical breaks and an organised press, which they use to get the ball back high up the pitch and keep their opponents out of the game. Rafael Urazbakhtin has done a fantastic job since taking over on 6th September 2024, and his side appear to be well-drilled, confident in possession and tough to break down.
Sutjeska have the complete opposite approach to Kairat and Milorad Pekovic's 3-5-2 or compact 5-4-1 system has been set up to absorb pressure, stay compact and counter. The problem for Sutjeska is that Kairat's 4-2-3-1 is set up to dominate teams that sit back, and they could get caught deep by Kairat's overloads if they don't get the counter play right.
Kairat have the upper hand in the head-to-head record following Tuesday's 2-1 victory over Sutjeska, and in general they have more to offer in terms of quality and momentum. Kairat's away record in all competitions is 3 wins, 1 draw and 1 defeat from 5 matches, scoring 2.20 goals and conceding 1.40 goals on average. Sutjeska have won 2, drawn 1 and lost 1 from 4 home matches in all competitions, scoring 1.75 goals and conceding 1.00 on average.
Kairat can win a tactical affair
Kairat will win this one, but the 87/100 odds on the away side are not too attractive at the time of writing. Sutjeska are a good team and will provide a challenge for Kairat on Wednesday, they've won 5, drawn 2 and lost 3 of their last 10 in all competitions, so they have form to compete with Kairat. However, the momentum is with Kairat and Sutjeska have lost their last 2 matches.
The 73/25 draw odds seem too high, and we're going for under 2.5 goals at 5/4 here, which should be a good fit for what is likely to be a close, tactical away-day performance for the visitors. Marko Mrvaljevic is Sutjeska's live wire in central midfield, he's scored 4 of his team's 7 goals across the last 5 matches and 1 goal in 1 UEFA Champions League Qualification appearance. Kairat's Lucas Africo is a similar type of player, he's also scored 1 goal in 1 UEFA Champions League Qualification match and gives them a live wire presence up top.
