FC Kairat Almaty and Maccabi Haifa will cross swords for the second time on Wednesday, July 14, at Almaty Ortalyk Stadium, after parting ways with a 1-1 draw in their opening bout last week. Maccabi Haifa will travel to Kazakhstan expected to win; however, the long trip the players need to take combined with questionable fitness could make this match much closer than expected.
FC Kairat Almaty vs Maccabi Haifa
When: Wednesday, July 14 – 20:00 EKT
Where: Almaty Ortalyk Stadium in Almaty, Kazakhstan
Weather: Heavy Rain, 26°C
Referee: Viktor Kopiyevsky (UKR)
The first leg of the doubleheader between FC Kairat Almaty and Maccabi Haifa ended in a 1-1 draw. That game was played in Israel a week ago. This time, they’re heading 5,000 km east to Almaty, where Kairat are going to be the hosts.
FC Kairat Almaty have not tasted defeat at home since November 2020. This fact, however, probably doesn’t scare Maccabi Haifa players as they’ve been fantastic on the road – they are without an away defeat since February.
FC Kairat Almaty Plan to Keep the Good Run Ongoing
FC Kairat Almaty are without a single defeat at home since November, which is excellent; however, we must also touch on their superb form. Kirill Keker’s men have been a force to be reckoned with in the domestic championship, where they hold a 10-7-2 record with 37 points, which is good for a third place in the standings.
The Kazakhstan Premier League is currently on a break, with the remaining seven rounds set to be played in September/October. Until then, FC Kairat Almaty will have to play in the Kazakhstan Cup, which is scheduled for the next couple of weeks.
What all this means is that FC Kairat Almaty players are physically in good shape at the moment, which explains why they’ve been great in all aspects of the game.
FC Kairat Almaty have proven to be sturdy at the back, but their offence is what’s really taking them forward. In the last five games across all competitions, FC Kairat Almaty have put away 14 goals.
This shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone who’s familiar with FC Kairat Almaty’s players in the final third. Artur Shushenachev, Jose Kante, and Vagner Love are Kairat’s key men, having produced 28 goals between them on the season.
Maccabi Haifa Have Good History with Kairat
Maccabi Haifa are without a single defeat against Kairat Almaty in history. A week back, the Israeli team managed a 1-1 draw, while in their first-ever matchup, Maccabi Haifa won 2-1 at home. It happened last September when the two were competing in the Europa League.
However, this time, Maccabi’s chances to improve their head-to-head record with the Kazakhstani side don’t look too great. There are several reasons for this, starting with a long trip Maccabi Haifa will have to take for tonight’ match – the Israeli team need to fly over 5,000 kilometres to reach Kazakhstan.
Secondly, Maccabi Haifa’s players likely aren’t as physically fit as their rivals, considering that their domestic league is on pause at the moment. Besides their first leg bout, Maccabi Haifa haven’t played a single competitive match since late May, while Israeli Ligat ha’Al resumes in about six weeks.
FC Kairat Almaty vs Maccabi Haifa Betting Picks
The fitness level of Maccabi Haifa players isn’t very good. However, even if that wasn’t the case, it’s hard to undervalue the experienced players of Kairat Almaty who have the talent to outplay the visitors.
In fact, you could argue that FC Kairat Almaty were the better last time out but were unlucky not to use their chances more effectively. This time, however, with the home ground advantage, they should be able to get the job done.
Pick: FC Kairat Almaty -0.50 Asian Handicap
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