EUReflect Met with Kairat Almaty

The EUReflect team had the opportunity to meet with Kairat Almaty during their visit to Belgium, ahead of their UEFA Europa League play-off against RSC Anderlecht. Our director, Derya Soysal, spoke directly with several members of the squad before the match, discussing the tie, the experience of representing Kazakhstan on the European stage, and the wider state of Kazakh football today.

The meeting gave a rare and personal look at a team carrying the hopes of a country that is still building its reputation in European competition. Kairat, the reigning Kazakh champions, knew the odds of progressing were slim, but the players spoke with pride, ambition and a clear sense of what the occasion meant. Derya Soysal interviewed three Kazakh players, goalkeeper Temirlan Anarbekov, Adilet Sadybekov and Damir Kasabulat, alongside two Finnish players of Kairat, Oiva Jukkola and Jaakko Oksanen. The conversations covered their emotions ahead of the match, their preparation, and their determination to put on a strong performance for the supporters who had come to watch them in Belgium.

Speaking before the game, the players were honest about the challenge in front of them. They acknowledged that the chances of qualifying for the league phase were small, given the strength of Anderlecht and the demands of European football at this level. Yet the message from the squad was consistent. They wanted to compete, to represent Kairat and Kazakhstan with dignity, and above all to give something back to the fans who had travelled and who followed the club from home. For the Finnish players, the tie was also a chance to test themselves in a high-pressure European environment and to contribute to a project that continues to grow season after season.

What Comes Next

The tie itself proved difficult for the visitors. Kairat lost both legs by an identical 3-0 scoreline, going down at home at the Central Stadium in Almaty on 20 August and again at Lotto Park in Brussels on 27 August, for a 6-0 aggregate defeat. Rafael Urazbakhtin's side were unable to break through a well-organised Anderlecht, who progressed to the next stage. The result, while disappointing, does not close the door on European football for the Kazakh champions this season.

Kairat will now continue their journey in the UEFA Conference League, where the league phase draw held in Monaco on 28 August handed them a demanding set of opponents. Rafael Urazbakhtin's side will face Atalanta from Italy, Panathinaikos from Greece, Twente from the Netherlands, Universitatea Craiova from Romania, Mjällby from Sweden and Riga from Latvia. Panathinaikos, Universitatea Craiova and Mjällby will travel to Kazakhstan, while Kairat will play Atalanta, Twente and Riga away. For a side still establishing itself in continental competition, the chance to measure themselves against opponents of this calibre, and against a name as significant as Atalanta, is valuable in itself.