Kairat Almaty head coach Rafael Urazbakhtin commented on goalkeeper Temirlan Anarbekov's performance in the penalty shootout in the second qualifying round of the Champions League against Cypriot side Omonia, reports infohub.kz.
In the return leg in Almaty, after the aggregate score stood at 1-1, the match went to penalties. Kairat won the shootout 6-5, with Anarbekov saving two spot-kicks. The Kazakhstan national team goalkeeper had previously made crucial saves in a penalty shootout against Celtic in last season's Champions League, helping Kairat defeat the Scottish side and reach the group stage of Europe's premier club competition for the first time.
“Before the penalty shootout, I encouraged Temirlan. I told him not to worry and to stay calm. He knows that and has been in these situations before. Penalties are his thing — just like last year when he helped us… It felt a bit like déjà vu, especially since it was the same goal as against Celtic. Of course, after the win, the guys congratulated Temirlan. He did his job, and now we all have to move forward. The moment of success is short, and there are many interesting games ahead, so we won’t celebrate for long,” Urazbakhtin said.
In the third qualifying round of the Champions League, Kairat will face Bulgarian side Levski Sofia.