The feat of Caspiy, a thriller in Astana: what you need to know about the XII week of the Freedom QJ League

The Week’s Biggest Upset

The biggest sensation of the week was undoubtedly Kairat’s draw in Aktau. The main underdogs of the championship managed to take points from the sole leaders – and until now, only the still-unbeaten Zhas Kyran had managed to draw with the “yellow-blacks.”

The hero of the match was Abilkaiyr Zharmukhamet, who scored a quick brace in front of hundreds of spectators – in the 3rd and 11th minutes. Despite Kairat’s attempts to regain control, they only managed their first goal just before halftime – Ismail Bekbolat found the net. Interestingly, it was the 17-year-old forward’s first appearance in the League this season.

The stats didn’t reflect the scoreboard: after Zharmukhamet’s double, the hosts didn’t have a single shot on target, while Kairat had eight shots on goal in total – but only managed to equalize in the 80th minute, when Gani Alimbek beat Arnat Beketayev. That was the last successful attack of the match – the final whistle confirmed a 2-2 draw.

Abylay Toleukhan did not take part in this match – instead, he was involved in Kairat-Zhastar’s First League game.

Now Caspiy has 7 points – the same as Tobol, who still has to play their rescheduled match against Zhas Kyran in August.

Astana and Aktobe Draw

Another thriller that ended in a hard-fought draw took place in Kazakhstan’s capital. Astana hosted Aktobe, and the match at the House of Football certainly delivered a spectacle for football fans.

In the 41st minute, Astana striker Yermukhambet Bessengaliyev opened the scoring. But the joy didn’t last long – shortly after the break, Islam Nuradinov equalized for Aktobe, assisted by Robert Asryan.

The next goal came only in the 81st minute, when Sanat Satenov, after a pass from Tamerlan Yeltayev, put Astana back in front. However, in the dying moments of the match, Aktobe managed to snatch a point – Mark Bogachev scored the equalizer.

The capital side continues to struggle – five matches without a win and now trailing Zhas Kyran (who has a game in hand) by four points.

Makridov Keeps Racking Up Points

The team from Karagandy had no trouble in their home match against Atyrau – the Miners secured a 3-0 victory. The goals came from Naiman Satenov, Ilya Gezik, and Gleb Makridov.

Makridov contributed both a goal and an assist, which made him the sole leader in the assists race. He now trails Abylay Toleukhan by two in the combined goals + assists tally – 16 versus 18.

Shakhter remains in second place, and although their gap behind Kairat has narrowed, it’s still significant – eight points. Atyrau, on the other hand, has now gone six matches without a win.

Another Draw for Kaisar

After two wins against teams from the top half of the table, Ordabasy had to settle for a draw with Kaisar in Shymkent. The visitors responded to Zhanali Yesenaliev’s early goal with a precise strike from Aisultan Tokmaganbet.

By dropping two points, the Shymkent club missed the chance to overtake Astana in the standings – the capital side, currently fifth, still holds a narrow one-point lead. The “Wolves,” meanwhile, recorded their third consecutive draw and will face Caspiy in the next week.

Irtysh Snatches Victory

Pavlodar hosted a tense home match against Taraz, with most of the game passing without any goals. The outcome was decided in the 89th minute, when the hosts earned a penalty, confidently converted by Ruslan Rakhmetov.

Thanks to this hard-fought win, Irtysh climbed to third place in the standings and prevented Shakhter from pulling away – the gap between them remains just one match. However, it’s worth noting that Pavlodar is only two points ahead of Zhas Kyran – and if the Almaty side wins their rescheduled match, that advantage will disappear.