Alashkert host Yelimay Semey at the Yerevan Football Academy on 9 July 2026, with kick off between 16:00 and 18:00 UTC, in the first leg of their UEFA Europa Conference League first qualifying round tie. Home advantage counts for something here and Alashkert's European pedigree counts for more: they were the first Armenian club to reach the Conference League group stage, back in 2021. Yelimay, meanwhile, arrive having won seven of their last sixteen league games, their most recent a 1-0 victory over Kyzylzhar Petropavlovsk on 4 July.
Vahe Gevorgyan has been in charge at Alashkert since mid 2025, working alongside assistants Artur Hovhannisyan and Sergey Zenevich and organising the side in a high press 4-2-3-1. Andrey Karpovich has managed Yelimay since November 2023 (his contract runs to the end of 2026) and tends to shift between a 4-2-3-1 and a back three shape, either a 3-5-2 or 3-4-3, with wing backs given significant licence to push forward and the two managers have never faced each other.
Seven wins from sixteen league outings is a solid return and it is Yelimay who arrive in the better competitive shape. Alashkert have less to point to after a mixed pre season, so home advantage and their experience of European knockout rounds are the more meaningful arguments in their favour.
Yelimay travel without forward Aybar Zhaksylykov (torn ligaments) and goalkeeper Nikita Pivkin (Achilles), both long term absentees, while Alashkert report no injuries or suspensions. Alashkert are expected to line up in their 4-2-3-1 with Arsen Beglaryan in goal, a back four of Cézar, Yaroslav Matyukhin, Davit Terteryan and Arsen Sadoyan, midfielders Karen Nalbandyan, David Kirakosyan, Juan Campos and Rafael Jesus and a front line of Khalil Ahmad Sammani, Olawale Farayola, Momo Touré, Joseph Sabobo Banda, Philip Ejike, Domi Massoumou and Usman Ajibona. Yelimay are likely to deploy a 3-5-2 or 3-4-3, with Ivan Konovalov or Egor Tsuprikov in goal, Ivan Miladinović and Adilbek Zhumakhanov in defence, Ramazan Orazov and Arsen Ashirbek in midfield and Roman Murtazaev, Euloge Placca Fessou and Duban Palacio leading the line.
Alashkert's high press and quick wide transitions will run directly into Yelimay's wing back system and tendency to overload central midfield. Forwards like Sammani, Farayola and Banda will target Yelimay's full backs in behind, while the contest between Alashkert's double pivot and Yelimay's centre pair figures to shape the game's tempo. For the visitors, Roman Murtazaev (around eight league goals this season) and Euloge Placca Fessou (roughly six) are the names Beglaryan's backline will need to track.
We're calling 2-2. Alashkert's home advantage and European experience should help them get in front through their pressing forwards but Yelimay's domestic form and the quality of Murtazaev, Orazov and Fessou give the Kazakhs a strong case for goals of their own. Karpovich's flexible wing back setup is built to absorb pressure and hit on the counter and seven wins from sixteen league games is enough of a track record to take seriously.
Ryan Baldi
Football Writer
Ryan Baldi is a professional football writer with years of experience and has been featured by respected outlets such as the BBC, The Guardian, Sky Sports, DAZN, FourFourTwo, ESPN, Yahoo Sport and Football365. He has also written several books including Arsène Who?.
