Anarbekov’s save ranked among best in UEFA Champions League round

The match between Kairat and Pafos took place in Almaty on October 21. Despite the 0–0 draw, the match was full of action, with Kairat’s goalkeeper Temirlan Anarbekov standing out as one of the key players. It was his first appearance in the main round, as he had missed the previous games against Sporting and Real Madrid due to a jaw injury.

In the match against Pafos, Anarbekov made several crucial saves that kept his team in contention, with one of them later recognized by UEFA among the best saves of the UEFA Champions League round.

In the key moment highlighted by UEFA, Anarbekov rushed off his line to block a powerful shot from Vlad Dragomir. He managed to deflect the ball, but it struck him in the face — hitting his upper jaw and ear. Medical staff quickly came to his aid, while fans held their breath, fearing another injury-related substitution.

Fortunately, Anarbekov recovered quickly and completed the match without any issues, helping his team secure a hard-fought draw.

It’s worth noting that Kairat spent most of the match with a man advantage and created several good scoring opportunities. However, the Almaty side ultimately had to settle for a draw, earning just one point. After the game, Kairat’s Giorgi Zaria commented on the team’s inability to turn their advantage into a win.

As reported earlier, Kairat has beaten Kyzylzhar in penultimate round of the Kazakhstan Premier League in Petropavl.