Astana vs Zimbru: Europa Conference League Prediction (24.07.2025)

On Thursday, July 24 at 21:00 WIB, the local football club will host Zimbru Chișinău in the first leg of the UEFA Europa Conference League 2025–2026 qualifying tie at Astana Arena. The hosts enter the European competition at this stage as silver medalists of the 2024 Kazakhstan Premier League. The visitors claimed bronze in the 2024–2025 Moldovan Super League.

In the Astana vs Zimbru matchup, bookmakers give the Moldovan team very little chance of success. A bet on a home win is offered at odds of 1.28, and Astana’s qualification to the next round is valued at 1.22. For Zimbru, the same markets are priced at 10.50 and 4.00, respectively. Experts expect a moderately high-scoring match: over 2.5 goals is priced at 1.73, while both teams to score is offered at 2.17.

Astana

The main goal for Grigori Babayan’s team this season is to bring the championship title back to Astana. So far, they are in a tight battle with Kairat for the top spot in the KPL. Ahead of their European opener, the Yellow and Blues erased the bitter memory of a 0:1 away loss to Ordabasy with a crushing 7:0 home win over Turan.

It will be interesting to see if Astana’s coaching staff fields a similarly aggressive attacking line against the Moldovan side. In the game against Turan, goals came from Usman Kamara, Jeffrey Chinedu, and Marin Tomasov, while young Nurali Zhaxylyk even bagged a brace.

Zimbru

Although the Moldovan league follows a fall-to-spring schedule, Oleg Kubarev’s team is not on a summer break. The new season began on June 21. With a new head coach, the club suffered two early defeats—0:3 against Milsami and 1:2 against Petrocub. On Saturday, Zimbru played a 1:1 away draw against modest side Bălți. They were down to ten men from the 52nd minute but managed to score first. After the match, the coach said it was a good rehearsal for the trip to Astana, where they will likely spend most of the game defending.

Stats and Head-to-Head Record

These teams have never faced each other before.

Prediction

It is ideal for Astana to secure progression in this home leg, and they are fully capable of doing so. The opponents have promised to “park the bus”, so Astana must be prepared. We trust in the attacking potential of the Yellow and Blues and recommend betting on Astana with a -1.5 handicap at odds of 1.86.