- 1 Kairat Almaty vs Anderlecht: seven qualifying games for one side, four for the other, and no history between them
- 2 Kairat Almaty: two scrap-throughs, then a Bulgarian wall
- 3 Anderlecht: four games, four times the same 4-2 aggregate
- 4 Europa League prediction Kairat Almaty vs Anderlecht
- 5 First, a word on our free picks
- 6 No commitment from us
- 7 Information can change
- 8 Your part
- 9 Responsible betting first
- 10 Legal age
- 11 About the visuals…
Kairat Almaty vs Anderlecht: seven qualifying games for one side, four for the other, and no history between them 
Kairat Almaty are into their seventh European qualifier since July 8. Anderlecht have played four, all in the Europa League.
The two clubs have never met in a competitive match. This first leg kicks off on Thursday, August 20 at 17:00 CET at the Central Stadium in Almaty.
The return leg is set for August 27 in Brussels. The winner reaches the Europa League league phase, while the loser drops into the Conference League.
Kairat have come through the back door here. Knocked out by Levski Sofia in the Champions League third qualifying round, the Kazakhstan champions have been pushed into the Europa League playoff.
Anderlecht, by contrast, have taken the direct route. Two ties won, against Hammarby and then PAOK, with the same 4-2 aggregate score both times.
The time difference and the distance are a real factor for the Belgian side. Almaty means a long trip, an awkward pitch and an unusual kick-off time for a Jupiler Pro League team.
That is exactly where Kairat have built their continental reputation in recent seasons. The Kazakh side have already dumped out better fancied visitors at home in recent summers.
So the read on this one is pretty simple: Anderlecht’s technical quality against the Kazakh conditions. The last six weeks give us enough to make a call.
Kairat Almaty: two scrap-throughs, then a Bulgarian wall 
Kairat have already come through two Champions League qualifying rounds this summer. First up was Sutjeska, beaten 2-1 and 2-0 for a 4-1 aggregate.
The second round was far tighter. Beaten 1-0 in Cyprus by Omonia, the Kazakh club turned it around at home before winning 6-5 on penalties.
That run tells you what this team does well. They can flip a tie in Almaty. The crowd and the altitude do a lot of the heavy lifting.
The third round, though, exposed their attacking ceiling. Against Levski Sofia, Kairat failed to score over two legs.
They lost 1-0 in Bulgaria and 1-0 at home, going out 2-0 on aggregate. Drawing a blank on your own patch in a knockout tie is the ugly part of their summer.
Across the whole run, Kairat have scored only five times in six qualifiers. That is a poor return for a side that has already survived two rounds.
Still, they remain unbeaten in normal time at home this summer, with two wins and a one-goal defeat. That solidity is their main card before Anderlecht arrive.
Their campaign has also been built on damage limitation. In six qualifiers, Kairat have never conceded more than once.
That defensive discipline explains why both rounds they survived came by the narrowest of margins. It remains their most reliable weapon ahead of this clash.
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Anderlecht: four games, four times the same 4-2 aggregate 
Anderlecht entered the Europa League in the second qualifying round at the end of July. The Brussels club cleared both hurdles without losing a game.
Against Hammarby, they came back from Sweden with a 1-1 draw before finishing the job with a 3-1 win at Lotto Park. The final aggregate was 4-2.
The third-round tie with PAOK told us more about where this side really stands. Anderlecht went to Thessaloniki and won 1-0, a result plenty of visiting sides would happily take on that ground.
The second leg backed it up with a 3-2 home win, again for a 4-2 aggregate. Two goals conceded at home is worth noting, though.
Across four European matches, they have scored eight and conceded four. That is a much stronger attacking return than Kairat can point to.
Anderlecht have not lost once in this continental campaign. Against opponents of different levels, that consistency is their biggest strength.
The trip to Almaty is the real test of the summer. This is a far cry from the usual routine for the Belgian club.
They have scored in all four of their European outings this summer. Neither of their two ties has needed extra time or penalties.
They have also shown they can protect an away lead. The 1-0 win in Thessaloniki was turned into qualification without any wobble.
Probable Kairat Almaty line-up: Not released at the time of publication.
Probable Anderlecht line-up: Not released at the time of publication.
Europa League prediction Kairat Almaty vs Anderlecht
Our pick: Anderlecht win
Kairat have failed to score in their last two European matches, including one at home. A side that cannot score on its own pitch in a knockout game is not a serious attacking threat.
Anderlecht, meanwhile, come in unbeaten across four matches and with eight goals to their name. They have already shown in Thessaloniki that they can win away in a hostile setting.
Five goals in six qualifiers underlines the gap in attacking output between the two sides. Anderlecht have the tools to shut that down.
Anderlecht to win in Almaty and take a big step towards the return leg at Lotto Park. Backing the Belgian side offers the best blend of logic and price.
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