Olympiacos secured their first victory of the 2025-26 Champions League season with a narrow 1-0 win over Kairat Almaty. Gelson Martins' decisive goal in the 73rd minute ensured the win on Tuesday. Both
teams understood the significance of a win to remain in contention for play-off spots, and Olympiacos managed to edge closer, now just two points away from those positions.
Jose Luis Mendilibar's team dominated early on, with Ayoub El Kaabi nearly scoring in the 19th minute, only for Temirlan Anarbekov to make a crucial save. Shortly after, El Kaabi found the net by converting Chiquinho's cross, but it was disallowed due to offside. Despite consistent pressure from Olympiacos in the first half, they couldn't find a breakthrough.
The second half saw limited clear chances for both sides until Martins broke the deadlock with 17 minutes remaining at Astana Arena. After receiving a pass from Mehdi Taremi, Martins calmly slotted his shot past Anarbekov at the near post. Anarbekov might feel he could have done better to prevent it.
El Kaabi had another chance to secure victory in the final moments. However, after rounding Anarbekov, his shot hit the left post instead of finding the net. This miss left Olympiacos fans on edge until the final whistle confirmed their win.
This victory marked an end to Olympiacos' 10-match winless streak in Champions League play. It was their second-longest run without a win in major European competitions. Their performance deserved more than just one goal, as they recorded an expected goals (xG) total of 2.37 from 20 shots compared to Kairat's mere 0.2 from five attempts.
The match also ended Olympiacos' long wait for an away win in the Champions League since October 2015 when they defeated Dinamo Zagreb 1-0. They had endured 12 consecutive away losses before this triumph and secured their first away clean sheet since that same game against Dinamo Zagreb.
Martins' Growing Influence
Gelson Martins has become increasingly influential for Olympiacos in recent matches. He has now scored twice in his last three Champions League appearances for them, surpassing his tally from his previous 16 games combined, which included one goal for Sporting CP against Olympiacos back in September 2017.
This victory not only boosts Olympiacos' confidence but also keeps them within reach of advancing further in the competition. With improved performances like this one, they aim to continue their positive momentum and secure more wins as they progress through this season's Champions League campaign.
