ALMATY – Kazakhstan’s FC Kairat Almaty delivered a spirited performance but fell just short in a dramatic 3:2 defeat to Arsenal in their final match of the UEFA Champions League league stage on Jan. 28 in London.
Urazbakhtin thanked the fans for their support, noting that even in the 60,000-seat Emirates Stadium, the team could clearly hear their traveling supporters. Photo credit: FC Kairat.
Despite sitting at opposite ends of the standings as Arsenal entered the round, top of the table, while Kairat were last, the match turned into a tense contest in which the Kazakh side pushed the English Premier League giants to the limit and nearly snatched a draw.
Arsenal struck early, opening the scoring in the second minute through Viktor Gyökeres. Kairat responded quickly, with Jorginho converting a penalty in the seventh minute to level the score.
The hosts regained control midway through the first half. Kai Havertz made it 2:1 in the 16th minute, and Gabriel Martinelli extended Arsenal’s lead to 3:1 in the 38th minute.
Jorginho after converting a penalty in the seventh minute to level the score. Photo credit: FC Kairat.
The second half saw a far more disciplined display from the visitors, who denied Arsenal space and limited clear chances. One Arsenal goal was ruled out for offside, keeping the contest alive.
Kairat’s persistence paid off late in the game when Ricardinho scored to make it 3:2, setting up a nervy finish. The Almaty side pushed forward in the closing minutes but ran out of time to find an equalizer.
A notable moment came when Kairat head coach Rafael Urazbakhtin made several substitutions, resulting in seven Kazakh players on the field at once.
Alongside starters Aleksandr Mrynskiy, Temirlan Anarbekov, Aleksandr Shirobokov, and Adilet Sadybekov, substitutes Damir Kasabulat, Lev Kurgin, and Ramazan Bagdat also featured. Another Kazakh player from the starting lineup, Yerkin Tapalov, was later replaced by a foreign player.
The match marked the end of Kairat’s Champions League campaign for the season. Speaking after the game, Urazbakhtin described the European run as an invaluable experience for the club and for Kazakh football.
“Our football fairytale is over. We are very happy about the priceless experience we gained. We played against top teams and brought these top clubs to Kazakhstan,” he said.
The coach noted that Kairat’s participation had helped boost fan interest in football at home and, in his view, gave fresh momentum to the development of the sport in the country.
Reflecting on the match, Urazbakhtin acknowledged Arsenal’s quality but praised his players’ commitment.
“We played against a top team, and for us this was an invaluable experience. The guys did well — we thanked them for their dedication. In the first minutes we were a bit unsettled, maybe due to nerves. We planned to push the opponent to the flanks, close the center and not allow vertical passes, but we made an early mistake and conceded a quick goal,” he said.
He also thanked the fans for their support, noting that even in the 60,000-seat Emirates Stadium, the team could clearly hear their traveling supporters.
“It was important for us to pass this test — a match against a top club. I said the players would leave everything on the field, and I believe we did that. We played this match with dignity,” the coach said.
For reaching the Champions League group stage, Kairat earned 18.62 million euros (approximately US$22.3 million). A draw in the league phase brought the club an additional 700,000 euros (US$840,000), reported the Sports.kz news agency.
In total, Kairat’s European campaign has raised 19.32 million euros (US$23.18 million). Additional payments from television and marketing rights will be added after the end of the European season.
