At the Central Stadium in Almaty, a long-awaited UEFA Champions League group stage match took place, reports Adyrna national portal.
The clash between Kairat and one of Europe’s strongest clubs, Real Madrid, drew the attention of football fans.
From the very first minutes, the Madrid side took control of the game. In the 25th minute, Kylian Mbappé opened the scoring from the penalty spot, putting Real ahead. Soon after, his speed and attacking presence pressured the Kazakh team’s defense. Mbappé struck two more times, completing a hat-trick.
In the 70th minute, Rodrygo netted the fourth goal, and near the end of the match, Brahim Díaz scored the fifth, sealing the victory.
Kairat’s 18-year-old goalkeeper, Sherkhan Kalmyrza, caught the eye of fans with several crucial saves. He managed to stop shots from some of Real Madrid’s star players, preventing an even bigger defeat. After the game, social media was filled with messages of support for him.
One user wrote: “It felt like Real Madrid were playing against Sherkhan alone.” Another added: “Sherkhan is a lion… With a good coach and proper support, he could become a top goalkeeper. After yesterday’s match, if one of the European clubs shows interest in him, his career might just take off!”
Real Madrid captain Thibaut Courtois also mentioned Sherkhan in his own post about the match: “A very confident performance on the road to a big victory. Stepping onto the field as captain of the world’s best club is an emotional moment.”
At the end of the game, Courtois and Sherkhan exchanged jerseys — a moment that quickly spread across social media.
The Central Stadium was packed inside and out with spectators. A few days before the match, it had been reported that Kazakhstan’s former leader Nursultan Nazarbayev would attend the game with his family. However, although some social media pages claimed he was present during the match, the information was not confirmed.
