Sporting CP vs Kairat Almaty: Predictions , Preview, Lineups, H2h for September 19, 2025

One of the matches in the opening round of the 2025/26 Champions League group stage will be held on Thursday at the José Alvalade Stadium in Lisbon, where Sporting will face Kairat. Here’s an overview of what to expect in this match.

Match preview

The Portuguese team returns to this major competition as national champions, looking to break a long winless streak in the Champions League. In their last six games in the tournament, Sporting has not managed to win, and at home, they have only won two of their last seven matches. This points to ongoing issues with their performance at home.

Nonetheless, Rúben Borges’s team has strong players and a reliable attacking approach. Sporting usually scores in most matches but often does not score more than two goals, reflecting a cautious strategy.

Kairat is making history by reaching the Champions League group stage for the first time. To achieve this, they successfully eliminated teams like Slovan and Celtic in the qualifying rounds. This is a significant achievement for both Kairat and Kazakh football.

However, Kairat has faced challenges when playing away. They have not won any of their last six Champions League matches on the road, and their scoring has generally been limited to one goal per game. Their disciplined defense, however, allows them to remain competitive against stronger teams.

Probable lineups

• Sporting: Virgínia, Vagiannidis, Inácio, Debast, Mangas, Yulmann, Kochorashvili, Araújo, Gonçalves, Suárez, Trincão
• Kairat: Kalmyrza, Martynovich, Sorokin, Mrynskiy, Tapalov, Gromyko, Arad, Gleizer, Edmilson Filho, Jorginho, Satpayev

Match facts and head-to-head

• Sporting are winless in their last 6 Champions League matches.
• Kairat are making their debut in the Champions League group stage.
• In 5 of Kairat’s last 6 away Champions League games, there have been no more than two goals scored.

Prediction

Kairat is expected to play defensively and remain compact, aware of the strength of their opponent and the importance of each point. Sporting has the skill and experience, but they often struggle to break through strong defenses. A competitive match is anticipated, with Sporting likely in control, but a high-scoring game seems unlikely.