Tamm comes close, but Olimpija fail to capitalize in the first leg game at home

Estonian national team striker Alex Matthias Tamm, making his UEFA Champions League debut, struck the post and had a goal disallowed as his club, Olimpija Ljubljana, settled for a 1–1 home draw against Kazakhstan’s FC Kairat in the first leg of the Champions League first qualifying round.

Tamm, who started the match, found the net in the 23rd minute, but the goal was ruled out for offside. Despite the setback, Olimpija dominated much of the encounter, nearly tripling Kairat’s shot attempts by halftime.

However, it was Kairat who broke the deadlock in the 59th minute through a quick counterattack, clinically finished by 16-year-old wonderkid Dastan Satpayev, who has already been signed by Chelsea and is expected to move there in 2026. The hosts responded swiftly as Diogo Pinto leveled the score just seven minutes later with a low, close-range strike after receiving a pass from Digo.

Tamm nearly turned the tide in Olimpija’s favor in the 72nd minute when his powerful header struck the post. His evening came to an end in the 81st minute when he was substituted.

The decisive second leg will take place on July 15 in Almaty, Kazakhstan, where both sides will be eager to secure a place in the next round. If Tamm and Olimpija advance, they will face either Finnish champions KuPS or Moldovan champions Milsami in the second qualifying round. The first leg between KuPS and Milsami in Finland ended with a 1–0 home win for KuPS.