This UEFA Champions League encounter pits the Kazakhstani champions, Kairat Almaty, against the Cypriot champions, Pafos FC, in a clash of debutants looking for their first points in the competition's league phase.
Match Details | Information |
|---|---|
Competition | UEFA Champions League, League Phase - Round 3 |
Date | Tuesday, October 21, 2025 |
Time (UTC) | 16:45 UTC |
Venue | Ortalyq stadıon, Almaty, Kazakhstan |
Referee | Chris Kavanagh (England) |
Team Status & Form
Both Kairat and Pafos have found the Champions League group stage challenging so far, suffering heavy defeats but showing resilience in other fixtures.
Kairat Almaty (Kazakhstan)
Champions League Standing: 36th (0 points, 1:9 goal difference)
Recent UCL Results: Heavy defeats to Sporting CP (1-4) and Real Madrid (0-5).
Domestic Form: Kairat is currently leading the Kazakhstan Premier League, indicating strong domestic form that they will hope to translate into European success. Their recent run includes wins against FC Kyzylzhar Petropavlovsk (1-0) and Zhetysu Taldykorgan (5-0).
Pafos FC (Cyprus)
Champions League Standing: 32nd (1 point, 1:5 goal difference)
Recent UCL Results: Started strongly with a 0-0 away draw against Olympiacos, but then suffered a 1-5 home loss to Bayern Munich.
Domestic Form: Pafos is in excellent form in the Cypriot First Division, sitting near the top of the table. Their strong form is highlighted by recent domestic victories over Ethnikos Achnas (4-0) and AEK Larnaca (4-2).
Key Talking Points
Search for the First Win: This match is hugely significant as it represents the most realistic opportunity for either side to claim their first-ever Champions League group stage victory or a crucial three points.
Home Advantage vs. Stability: Kairat will rely heavily on the long travel time and their home pitch in Almaty to put pressure on Pafos. However, Pafos has shown a slight edge in defensive resilience (with a draw against Olympiacos) despite their heavy loss to Bayern.
Head-to-Head: This will be the first-ever competitive meeting between Kairat Almaty and Pafos FC.
Predicted Lineups (Likely Formation)
Kairat Almaty (4-4-2) | Pafos FC (4-2-3-1) |
|---|---|
Goalkeeper: Kalmurza | Goalkeeper: Michael |
Defense: Tapalov, Martynovich, Sorokin, Mata | Defense: Luckassen, Goldar, David Luiz, Pileas |
Midfield: Mrynskiy, Kasabulat, Arad, Gromyko | Midfield: Pepe, Sunjic |
Attack: Jorginho, Satpaev | Attacking Mid/Wings: Jajá, Dragomir, Oršić |
| Striker: Anderson Silva |
This looks set to be a tightly contested, low-scoring affair as both teams prioritize not conceding in their attempt to secure a historic win.
