Kairat Almaty Held to Goalless Draw Against Pafos Despite Numerical Advantage
Kairat Almaty failed to secure their first-ever Champions League victory, settling for a goalless draw against Pafos, despite having the numerical advantage for most of the match.
Pafos faced a significant setback in their pursuit of a first win in the competition when Joao Correia was sent off just four minutes into the game.
The Cape Verde international received a red card after kicking Luis Mata in the face with a high leg, as English referee Chris Kavanagh acted swiftly to penalize the foul.
In the 72nd minute, Vlad Dragomir appeared to have scored the winning goal for Pafos with a long-range shot that hit the crossbar and deflected off Kairat goalkeeper Temirlan Anarbekov. However, the goal was disallowed for offside in the build-up.
Shortly after, Ofri Arad came close to scoring for Kairat, hitting the woodwork as both teams sought a decisive goal.
Despite being reduced to ten men, Pafos had the best chance of the first half when captain Dragomir broke free on goal but shot directly at Anarbekov.
After halftime, the Cypriot champions continued to pose a threat, with Kairat's captain Aleksandr Martynovich making a crucial goalline clearance, and Anarbekov executing a superb fingertip save to deny David Luiz.
The former Chelsea and Arsenal defender later squandered a prime opportunity, directing the ball straight at the Kairat keeper with just over 20 minutes remaining.
Kairat currently sits 33rd in the 36-team league phase table and will face Inter Milan in their next Champions League match on November 5. Meanwhile, Pafos, ranked 26th, will host Spanish side Villarreal on the same day.
Highlights of every Champions League game will be available from 22:00 on Wednesday on BBC iPlayer, as well as on the BBC Sport website and app.
Additionally, a Champions League Match of the Day will air on BBC One on Wednesday from 22:40 to 00:00.