18-year-old keeper pulls off ‘unthinkable’ save on debut in extraordinary duel – ‘He’s tricked him!’

Sherkhan Kalmurza will have at least one fond memory from FC Kairat's UEFA Champions League debut against Sporting Lisbon at the Estadio Jose Alvalade. The FC Kairat goalkeeper made one of the most unorthodox penalty saves in Lisbon, but ultimately could not prevent his side from falling to a defeat. Francisco Trincao netted a brace, while Alisson Santos and Geovany Quenda were also on target.

Thursday, September 18, 2025 will go down as arguably the most historic night FC Kairat’s history, and goalkeeper Sherkhan Kalmurza marked their UEFA Champions League debut in style.

The Kazakh champions progressed to the main draw of the competition following a dramatic penalty shootout victory over Celtic in the play-off round, after frustrating Brendan Rodgers' side across two legs.

Rafael Urazbakhtin's side arrived at the Estadio Jose Alvalade, taking on a Sporting Lisbon team making their 12th appearance in the main draw.

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This was the visitors' reward following an eight-match journey to reach the main draw, which began in the first qualifying round against Slovenian side Olimpija Ljubljana.

KuPS and Slovan Bratislava were then dispatched in the second and third qualifying rounds respectively, before they faced Celtic.

Many would be forgiven for thinking that only the second Kazakh side to compete in either a group stage or league phase are there just to complete the numbers.

Try telling that to Kalmurza, who made one of the most unconventional penalty saves you are ever likely to see.

The man bamboozled from the spot was Denmark international, Morten Hjulmand, as he looked to fire the hosts in front.

Hjulmand took a fairly straight run up and Kalmurza elected to stay in a central position himself, manoeuvring his body quite brilliantly to keep the ball out with his right leg.

It was a piece of goalkeeping that had commentator Dave Farrar in disbelief on the microphone, marvelling at the latest chapter in FC Kairat’s marvellous journey in Europe’s premier cup competition.

He said: "He [Kalmurza] faces a Champions League penalty. Could he do the unthinkable and save it? It's Morten Hjulmand, he does save it!

"Kalmurza does save it. What a moment. It was penalties that got them this far, and again, a spot-kick is central to the drama.

"And how clever was that? He waited, he didn't fully commit and Hjulmand tried to roll it down the middle, but he was smart enough to flick it away.

"It's a great penalty save. It looks a poor penalty, but the goalkeeper has tricked him there!"

Kairat’s joy was relatively short-lived though, after failing to make it to half-time without their defence being breached.

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Video credit: TNT Sports

Francisco Trincao fired the Portuguese champions in front with a sublime left-footed curling effort to dash Kalmurza's hopes of a clean sheet.

Trincao would go on to add a second, before further goals from Alisson Santos and Geovany Quenda put Rui Borges' side into a 4-0 lead, ahead of Edmilson's late consolation.

The result ended a six-match winless run for Sporting in the Champions League, before heading to Napoli on October 1.

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Following Thursday's match in Lisbon, Kairat host 15-time winners Real Madrid in what will be an incredible occasion in Almaty on September 30.

That comes ahead of arguably their most winnable game on paper against Cypriot side Pafos, before clashes against Inter Milan, FC Copenhagen, Olympiacos, Club Brugge and Arsenal to complete the League Phase.

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