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Kairat Almaty welcome Levski Sofia to Turkestan Arena on Tuesday knowing that they must overturn a 1-0 deficit if they are to reach the UEFA Champions League play-off round.
The Kazakh champions will need to find a way through a Levski defence that has been extremely difficult to break down in recent weeks, while the Bulgarian champions can progress with a draw after Serginho's stoppage-time winner settled the first leg.
The winner will face AEK Athens in the play-off round, with a place in the Champions League league phase at stake.
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 vs Levski Sofia key stats
- Kairat are unbeaten in their last 11 home matches across all competitions.
- Kairat have lost only two of their last 12 matches in all competitions, winning nine during that sequence.
- Levski have remained unbeaten in their last 16 matches, winning 11 and drawing five.
Kairat vs Levski Sofia preview: Hosts must find an attacking solution against a stubborn defence
Kairat vs Levski Sofia — Tale of the Tape
| Kairat | vs | Levski Sofia |
|---|---|---|
| 2nd in Kazakhstan Premier League | Position | 1st in First League |
| 45 | Points | 12 |
| 39 | Goals For | 9 |
| 14 | Goals Against | 2 |
| 10 | Clean Sheets | 2 |
| 5th | Home / Away Rank | 5th |
Kairat arrive at Turkestan Arena with the advantage of playing on home soil, but their preparations for the decisive second leg have been complicated by the change of venue.
The Kazakh champions were originally scheduled to play at Almaty Central Stadium, but the venue was required for a Kanye West concert on August 14, leaving insufficient time to prepare the pitch for another major event.
Kairat therefore had to move the match to Turkestan Arena, where they will attempt to produce the performance required to overturn the first-leg deficit.
Rafael Urazbakhtin's side were frustrated throughout the opening meeting in Sofia, failing to register a single shot on target before Serginho struck in the second minute of stoppage time.
That attacking performance was well below the level Kairat have shown during an otherwise impressive run of results.
They have won nine of their last 12 matches across all competitions and have also won each of their last five home fixtures, meaning there is plenty of evidence to suggest that they can make life considerably more difficult for Levski on Tuesday.
Kairat also showed their ability to cope with pressure in the previous qualifying round when they eliminated Omonia Nicosia on penalties after a 1-1 aggregate draw.
They now require at least a two-goal victory to progress inside 90 minutes, although a 1-0 win would be enough to take the tie into extra time.
Levski travel to Kazakhstan with one foot in the Champions League play-off round after taking a narrow advantage from the first leg.
Julio Velazquez's side have continued their outstanding form since winning the Bulgarian title for the first time in 17 years, following up their 1-0 victory over Kairat with a 2-0 league win against Lokomotiv Plovdiv.
That latest success extended their unbeaten run to 16 matches, with 11 victories and five draws during a sequence that has also produced a lot of clean sheets.
Levski have already negotiated two qualifying rounds on their route to this stage, overcoming Borac Banja Luka 5-1 on aggregate before edging past Universitatea Craiova 3-2.
A draw would be enough for Levski to advance, which should allow Velazquez to adopt a more cautious approach as the match develops. The visitors have also kept clean sheets in their last two games, increasing the likelihood that they will attempt to frustrate Kairat rather than commit large numbers of players forward.
Kairat vs Levski Sofia form guide & betting tips
| Kairat | vs | Levski Sofia |
|---|---|---|
W
L
W
W
L
|
Form | W
D
W
W
W
|
| 6 | Goals For | 10 |
| 4 | Goals Against | 3 |
L
W
L
|
UCL Qualification | W
D
W
|
Whispers predicts: Kairat Almaty 1-1 Levski Sofia
Kairat's strong home form makes a response possible, particularly after failing to register a shot on target in the first leg, but Levski's current defensive record makes a comfortable turnaround difficult to envisage.
Under 2.5 goals at 8/13 (1.66) and Levski Sofia to qualify at 1/3 (1.33) are decent options for this clash.
> Levski Sofia to qualify at 1/3 (1.33) | Likelihood: Likely
> Kairat Almaty to score under 1.5 goals at 4/9 (1.44) | Likelihood: Probable
> Under 2.5 goals at 8/13 (1.66) | Likelihood: Possible
> Correct score – Kairat Almaty 1-1 Levski Sofia at 19/4 (5.75) | Likelihood: Outsider