Olympiacos won its first victory in the Champions League this season, after beating Kairat 1:0 at "Astana Arena", sportal.bg reported.
Gelson Martins scored the only goal in the 73rd minute, but the Greek team created many more good chances. Temirlan Anarbekov's great interventions, as well as the goalposts three times, saved the hosts from defeat. Kairat remains with only one point and no longer has any chance of getting among the top 24 teams. Olympiacos now has five.
Olympiacos had a pretty serious advantage in the first half. Ayoub El Kaabi had several opportunities to open the score. In the first situation, he headed Podense's cross from several meters away, but Anarbekov reacted brilliantly and knocked it into a corner. In the 21st minute, the Moroccan sent the ball into the goal after intercepting a low pass from Shiquinho at the near post, but the goal was disallowed due to the Portuguese being offside. Shortly afterwards, El Kaabi fired a dangerous shot from the edge of the penalty area, but Anarbekov saved again.
The hosts did not have a single shot before the break.
In the second half, the game went much more evenly until about the 60th minute, with Kairat also trying to attack. Edmilson made a good breakthrough, but was blocked and failed to hit a shot. Then Olympiacos took the initiative again.
In the 60th minute, Shiquinho fired a good shot from long range, but Anarbekov once again did well and cleared it.
In the 73rd minute, Gedson Martins finally gave Olympiacos the lead. Taremi found him on the right, after which the Portuguese player from a small angle delivered a very strong and precise shot, which brought the guests ahead.
In the following minutes, Olympiacos had two more great opportunities to increase their lead. First, a shot by Taremi hit the post after another intervention by Anarbekov, and then the goalkeeper once again showed great reflexes and saved a close-range header by Martins. Then Taremi failed with the extra time, but he was offside anyway.
In the 79th minute, the post, this time the crossbar, saved the hosts for the second time after a shot by El Kaabi. Again, before that, there was also an intervention by the Kairat goalkeeper.
In added time, El Kaabi shot at the post again, and Anarbekov made another save.