Kairat Almaty left Nikšić on Wednesday night with a 2-0 win that sealed a 4-1 aggregate triumph over Sutjeska Nikšić in the UEFA Champions League first qualifying round. Rafael Urazbakhtin’s side struck through Ismail Bekbolat in the 68th minute and Jorginho in the 83rd to ensure the second leg matched their authority from the first.
Milorad Peković’s Sutjeska tried to press from the outset but rarely unsettled Kairat’s structure. The visitors kept their block compact in front of Temirlan Anarbekov, with full backs Lucas Áfrico and Luís Mata shutting down the wide channels whenever Deni Hočko looked for passing angles through midfield.
Jaakko Oksanen anchored the tempo, circulating possession quickly enough to pin Sutjeska deep and keep Marc Gual, Jorginho, and Bekbolat supplied between the lines. That control translated into the decisive spell midway through the second half when Bekbolat arrived to finish a flowing move for the opener before Jorginho’s late strike ended the contest.
Sutjeska struggled for fluency. Marko Šimun and Aleksa Golubović spent long stretches chasing the ball, leaving Petar Aničić and Marko Mrvaljević isolated against Áfrico’s covering runs. Frustration culminated in Andrija Ražnatović collecting two yellow cards, the second on 80 minutes, which removed any hope of a late response.
The disciplined display means Urazbakhtin can look ahead to the next qualifying round, while Peković and his staff face the task of rebuilding quickly after a campaign-ending defeat.
Statistics:
- Final score: Sutjeska 0-2 Kairat Almaty
- Aggregate score: Sutjeska 1-4 Kairat Almaty
Kairat’s command on the road mirrored several away successes elsewhere in this round, underlining how effectively they managed the tie from start to finish.
