Game is over and the final score is Sporting CP 4-1 Kairat Almaty. Here is the match report.
2025/2026 UEFA Champions League
4-1
Match Report
Sporting cruised to a 4-1 home win over Kairat Almaty in their Champions League opener on Thursday, sealing the result with three goals in a four-minute second-half burst.
The visitors from the city of Almaty in south-eastern Kazakhstan undertook the longest journey ever recorded between two clubs in Champions League history, and they struggled to find their rhythm in the first half as Sporting quickly took control.
Sporting were handed a penalty after 21 minutes when Aleksandr Mrynskiy brought down Luis Suarez, but Morten Hjulmand’s strike was kept out by 18-year-old Kairat goalkeeper Sherhan Kalmurza, saving with his legs.
The hosts had to wait until the 44th minute for their breakthrough, when Francisco Trincao curled a left-footed strike into the top corner to send Sporting into the break ahead.
Kairat tried to challenge their opponents after the break but they eventually ran out of energy around the hour mark.
In the 65th minute, Sporting struck on the counter as Ivan Fresneda broke into the box and squared for an unmarked Trincao, who calmly slotted home to double the lead.
Two minutes later Alisson Santos sealed the result with Sporting’s third, firing a well-placed low shot from the edge of the area.
Sporting’s four-minute frenzy concluded when Geovany Quenda showed fine footwork to move forward before picking out the bottom corner for their fourth in the 68th minute.
Four minutes from time, Edmilson pulled one back for Kairat with a superb volley after being left unmarked by the Sporting defence.
Match Events
0' The match is about to start!
6' Highlight from Sporting CP vs Kairat Almaty
21' Penalty Missed! (Morten Hjulmand)
24' Match Event for Sporting CP vs Kairat Almaty
34' Highlight from Sporting CP vs Kairat Almaty
37' Match Event for Sporting CP vs Kairat Almaty
43' GOAL! Sporting CP 1-0 Kairat Almaty
48' Match Event for Sporting CP vs Kairat Almaty
65' GOAL! Sporting CP 2-0 Kairat Almaty (Francisco Trincão)
67' GOAL! Sporting CP 3-0 Kairat Almaty
68' GOAL! Sporting CP 4-0 Kairat Almaty (Geovany Quenda)
85' GOAL! Sporting CP 4-1 Kairat Almaty
Line-ups
Sporting CP XI: Giorgi Kochorashvili, Luis Suárez, Francisco Trincão, João Virgínia, Pedro Gonçalves, Maxi Araújo, Morten Hjulmand, Eduardo Quaresma, Gonçalo Inácio, Iván Fresneda, Geovany Quenda
Subs: Matheus Reis, Ricardo Mangas, Fotis Ioannidis, Hidemasa Morita, Georgios Vagiannidis, Zeno Debast, Alisson Santos, Rodrigo Ribeiro, Lucas Anjos, Diego Callai, Rayan Lucas, João Simões
Kairat Almaty XI: Aleksandr Martynovich, Erkin Tapalov, Luís Mata, Egor Sorokin, Valeriy Gromyko, Ofri Arad, Jorginho, Damir Kasabulat, Aleksandr Mrynskiy, Dastan Satpaev, Sherkhan Kalmurza
Subs: Edmilson, Jug Stanojev, Aleksandr Shirobokov, Ricardinho, Adilet Sadybekov, Lev Kurgin, Olzhas Baybek, Bakhtiyar Aldashev, Dias Reimov