Riga vs Kairat prediction, odds and how to watch

Riga edged past KÍ 2-1 in a ferocious second leg, with substitute Salah Oulad scoring in the 89th minute to settle a match that produced nine yellow cards, one red, and absolute chaos in the closing stages.

Anderlecht were utterly ruthless at home, beating Kairat 3-0 to complete a comprehensive double over the Kazakh side in the UEFA Europa League. Kairat offered nothing in attack and were torn apart by an Anderlecht side that controlled every department of the match.

Anderlecht were three goals to the good by half-time in Almaty, with a third-minute own goal setting the tone for a structured, disciplined performance that Kairat never found an answer to. The game was effectively over before the home side had time to settle into any kind of shape.

KÍ and Riga played out a goalless draw in their UEFA Europa Conference League fixture, but the underlying structure of the match reveals a game far more nuanced than a blank scoreline implies.

Riga controlled large portions of this Conference League first leg in Hungary, only to be denied by a late 88th-minute equaliser that rescues a 1-1 draw for Győri ETO and keeps the tie very much alive heading into the second leg.

Levski Sofia won 1-0 in Almaty despite Kairat dominating possession, shots, and corners for large portions of the match. The detail nobody is talking about is just how well Levski's structure absorbed everything Kairat threw at them.

Riga host KÍ on Thursday 27 August in the UEFA Europa Conference League, and the numbers are pointing one way. Jay Thompson breaks down the form, the vibes, and yes, there might be an acca in here somewhere.

Anderlecht carry genuine momentum into their Europa League meeting with Kairat on 27 August, but the thing nobody is talking about is how Kairat's numbers on the ball tell a very different story to their results away from home.