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Kairat Almaty and Anderlecht will kick off their Europa League playoff tie in the first leg on Thursday, with a place in the league phase up for grabs.
The visitors have fought through two rounds to reach this stage, while their hosts drop into the final stage of Europa League qualifying after a defeat in their pursuit of a Champions League spot.
Read our prediction, preview and betting tips for the game below, and make sure to check out our today's betting tips page for more of our expert predictions.
Kairat Almaty vs. Anderlecht key stats
- Kairat Almaty have scored 42 goals and conceded 15 in 21 Kazakhstan Premier League matches this season.
- The two teams have no H2Hs on record.
- Anderlecht's loss at the weekend was their first since May.
- Anderlecht have won three and drawn one of their Europa League qualifying games so far this season.
Kairat Almaty vs. Anderlecht preview: League-phase place on the line
Kairat Almaty vs. Anderlecht — Tale of the Tape
| Kairat Almaty | vs | Anderlecht |
|---|---|---|
| 2nd (Kazakhstan Premier League) | Position | 8th (Belgian Pro League) |
| 48 | Points | 3 |
| 42 | Goals For | 2 |
| 15 | Goals Against | 2 |
| 9 | Clean Sheets | 0 |
| 4th | Home / Away Rank | 15th |
Kairat Almaty will pick up their European campaign with new surroundings on Thursday, as they join Europa League qualifying at the final stage, with just a playoff tie between themselves and the league phase.
They began in the Champions League first qualifying round as champions of Kazakhstan's top flight in 2025 – their second consecutive title and the fifth in their history, in a bid to again reach the league phase of Europe's top competition after a successful qualifying run.
That did utlimately end in a bottom-placed league-phase finish having managed just one point from eight games, but they would again advance through two rounds in 2026-27 qualifying, beating Sutjeska Niksic and Omonia Nicosia on aggregate, with the latter coming after a penalty shootout, before they were beaten 2-0 over two legs by Levski Sofia in the penultimate stage, losing each game 1-0.
The Sary-Qaralar since returned to domestic action last weekend and beat Ulytau 3-1 at home to make it seven straight league wins in their defence, scoring 23 goals in those matches, but they remain four points off top spot having managed 48 from their 21 games in 2026 thus far, even while conceding a league-low tally of 15 goals.
Now turning their focus back to European football, and fresh off the departure to Chelsea of young forward Dastan Satpaev, who had not featured since June anyway, Kairat Almaty will hope to make the most of home advantage and go ahead in their playoff tie, having earned 24 points from 10 home league games, while only conceding five goals in those, and won two of three home legs in Champions League qualifying.
That is no easy task, though, as the visitors arrive in form on the continent with a near-perfect record thus far.
Anderlecht's fourth-placed finish in the 2025-26 Belgian Pro League earned them entry into Europa League in the second qualifying round, and they have progressed to the final stage in impressive fashion, winning three and drawing one of their four legs across the second and third rounds while scoring eight goals and only conceding four.
That started with a 4-2 aggregate triumph over Hammarby, before Vitor Bruno's team met PAOK and won 1-0 away from home and 3-2 in the decisive home leg including a third goal in qualifying for Danylo Sikan.
Unlike the hosts, the 34-time Belgian champions are only in the very early stages of the domestic campaign and search to end a 10-year wait for a top-flight title, most recently losing their second match of the term 1-0 in a trip to Beveren, with the 2026-27 term coming as a fresh start under the new management of Bruno and with the likes of Thorgan Hazard, Nathan De Cat, Luis Vazquez and Yari Verschaeren departing while Lukas Ambros, Oliver Antman, Leo Petrot and Giulian Biancone have arrived to bolster their ranks with the latter two partnering up in defence in their last continental game.
Anderlecht now head to Kazakhstan aiming to continue their unbeaten record in qualifying this season and gain a foothold before their home leg next week.
Kairat Almaty vs. Anderlecht form guide & betting tips
| Kairat Almaty | vs | Anderlecht |
|---|---|---|
WWLLW |
Form | WWWWL |
| 6 | Goals For | 9 |
| 4 | Goals Against | 5 |
N/A |
Europa League qualifying | DWWW |
Whispers predicts: Kairat Almaty 0-1 Anderlecht
Anderlecht only scored one goal in each of their away legs in the prior two rounds of European qualifying, instead doing most of the heavy lifting on Belgian soil, while their hosts were shut out in both legs of their Champions League qualifying third-round tie. We do not anticipate a high-scoring encounter therefore, and fancy under 2.5 goals at 17/20 (1.85).
Indeed, Kairat Almaty did only manage one goal across their four legs of Champions League qualifiers, before geting the better of Omonia in a penalty shootout. Coming up against a strong Anderlecht unit who won in their away leg against PAOK 1-0, we can see the hosts' attacking struggles continuing and tip Both Teams to Score – No at 10/11 (1.91).
In their first four Europa League qualifiers, Anderlecht have won just 15 corners – 10 of which came in a home leg against Hammarby in which they were chasing the game after conceding an early goal, with the three others only producing five. While Kairat Almaty have earned more set pieces while often fighting from behind, we see a low corner count with the visitors likely to control the ball. Under 9 corners is priced at 5/4 (2.25).
> Under 2.5 goals at 17/20 (1.85) | Likelihood: Probable
> Both Teams to Score – No at 10/11 (1.91) | Likelihood: Probable
> Under 9 corners at 5/4 (2.25) | Likelihood: Possible