Kairat U19 produced a commanding display to defeat Mladost DG U19 5-0 in the UEFA Youth League quarter-finals on Monday. The visitors from Kazakhstan opened the scoring in the 35th minute and never looked back, cruising into the semi-finals with a performance that showcased their attacking depth. And here's the thing — this wasn't the Kairat that had struggled in earlier group stages, this was a side that finally found its rhythm.
R. Chernomorets gave the hosts early trouble with a goal in the 35th minute before A. Kalikulov doubled the lead just six minutes later. Y. Kerimkhan added a third in the 43rd minute, and though the hosts showed brief resistance, A. Zhilkaidar made it four in the 72nd minute before S. Nurbolat secured the result with a late strike in 90+2 minutes.
Kairat made eight substitutions across the second half, bringing on fresh legs to see out the game. K. Kaluderovic, Y. Petrik, R. Chernomorets, Y. Kerimkhan, J. Roganovic, A. Kalikulov, K. Malayev, B. Causevic and P. Begovic all featured at various stages. Two yellow cards were shown — V. Kostic for Mladost DG in the 30th minute and Kalikulov for Kairat in the 64th minute.
The result came as something of a surprise given Kairat's recent form. They sit 28th in the competition table with just four points from six games, having won only once and drawn once. Their last five matches read 2-0 against Olympiacos, 2-2 with Copenhagen, 0-3 to Inter Milan, 1-3 to Pafos and 1-4 to Real Madrid. To be fair, this performance suggested they had finally put those struggles behind them.
Kairat now advance to the semi-finals with a 5-0 aggregate advantage, something they will no doubt look to build upon in the return leg. The goal difference of five goals stands as a significant buffer, though cup football has its own rules. What matters now is maintaining the momentum they showed in this first encounter.