A place in the second qualifying round of the Champions League remains up for grabs on Wednesday evening when Sutjeska Niksic welcome Kairat to Montenegro for the decisive second leg of their first-round tie.

Kairat travel to Gradski Stadion holding a slender 2-1 advantage after a dramatic first meeting in Almaty, where Marc Gual struck deep into stoppage time to hand the Kazakh champions a valuable lead. Sutjeska, meanwhile, know victory is essential if they are to keep their Champions League dream alive and avoid dropping into the Conference League pathway.

Waiting in the next round are Cypriot side Omonia, adding further incentive for both clubs as European ambitions collide once again.

Sutjeska hoping home advantage can inspire a comeback

Despite leaving Kazakhstan empty-handed, Sutjeska have every reason to believe this tie remains alive. Marko Mvaljevic’s late equaliser appeared to have earned the Montenegrin champions an excellent away result before Kairat snatched victory with virtually the final kick of the game, turning the mood dramatically inside the away dressing room.

The challenge facing Milorad Pekovic’s side is now clear. Sutjeska must win on Wednesday night to force extra time or progress outright, while defeat or a draw would bring their Champions League campaign to an immediate end.

European football has rarely been kind to the club. Sutjeska have never reached the latter stages of UEFA competition and have repeatedly fallen at the early qualifying hurdles, making this one of the biggest matches in recent years for the Niksic outfit.

The Montenegrin champions have yet to begin their domestic title defence, meaning full focus can remain on overturning the deficit. Pekovic is unlikely to make wholesale changes, although greater attacking intent appears inevitable given the circumstances.

Vasilije Cavor once again carries much of the attacking responsibility after finishing as the club’s leading scorer last season, while Jamaican winger Kenroy Campbell could finally make his European debut after missing the first leg. The hosts know caution is not an option.

Kairat’s European experience proving valuable once again

Kairat’s recent European experiences may ultimately prove decisive in this tie. The Kazakh champions became one of last season’s surprise stories when they reached the Champions League league phase for the first time in their history, famously eliminating Celtic along the way before testing themselves against some of the continent’s elite.

Although the campaign ultimately produced just a single point, the experience gained from competing at that level has clearly benefited Rafael Urazbakhtin’s squad.

The late winner in the first leg was a perfect example of that composure. Rather than settling for a draw, Kairat continued pushing forward and were rewarded when summer signing Marc Gual struck in stoppage time.

The Spaniard has made an immediate impact since arriving in Kazakhstan, contributing six goals or assists in as many appearances and quickly establishing himself as a key figure in the attack.

Domestic form has also remained strong. Kairat sit second in the Kazakhstan Premier League, just one point behind leaders Ordabasy, and have suffered only a handful of defeats throughout the entire campaign.

Their away form offers further encouragement, with only two defeats suffered across their last 12 matches in all competitions.

Jorginho and Marc Gual will once again provide the main attacking threat, while experienced captain Aleksandr Martynovich marshals a defence that coped well with much of Sutjeska’s pressure in the opening encounter.

Verdict

The late goal in Almaty may yet prove decisive. Sutjeska will be backed by a passionate home crowd and are likely to approach the match with considerably greater urgency than they showed for large periods of the first leg. That approach should create opportunities, but it may also leave spaces for Kairat to exploit on the counter-attack.

The visitors possess greater European experience, arrive in stronger domestic rhythm and have already demonstrated their quality over 90 minutes against the Montenegrin champions.

Sutjeska are unlikely to make life easy, but Kairat appear well placed to navigate another difficult European evening and continue their journey towards the league phase.

Tip

Kairat to qualify

The tie remains finely balanced, but Kairat’s superior experience at this level and their ability to manage difficult moments in the first leg give them the edge heading into the return match in Montenegro.