Martins lifts Olympiacos to first Champions League win
Olympiacos sealed its first win of the 2025-2026 Champions League campaign as Gelson Martins's 73rd-minute winner was enough to beat Kairat Almaty 1-0.
Both sides knew the importance of a win if they were to finish inside the play-off places, and Olympiacos got over the line to sit two points adrift of the play-off places.
Jose Luis Mendilibar's side were dominant from the start, and only a Temirlan Anarbekov save stopped Ayoub El Kaabi's header from opening the scoring in the 19th minute.
El Kaabi then had the ball in the back of the net three minutes later when he smartly turned Chiquinho's cross across the six-yard box home, but the goal was ruled out for offside.
Olympiacos continued to turn the screw in the first half but without reward, with the influential El Kaabi seeing his left-footed shot brilliantly tipped around the post by Anarbekov.
Both sides struggled to create any clear-cut chances after the break, but the deciding moment came with 17 minutes to play at Astana Arena thanks to Martins' near-post finish.
After being played into the box by Mehdi Taremi, Martins took his time before wrapping a right-footed strike past Anarbekov, who will perhaps feel he should have done better.
El Kaabi should have made sure of the three points in the 90th minute, but after rounding Anarbekov and with the whole goal to aim at, his shot struck the base of the left post.



























