Four contenders for one spot: who will claim the silver medals in the Freedom QJ League?

Zhas Kyran

For a while, Sergey Kirov’s team looked like a confident favorite for second place, but the final stretch has been shaky – only seven points in the last five matches. Still, Zhas Kyran remains in the best position, currently holding the coveted second spot – one point ahead of the two closest rivals. However, their schedule doesn’t look easy: tough games against Irtysh and Astana await them.

Astana

The capital side sits on 36 points – one behind Zhas Kyran. Astana can secure second place if they beat the Almaty club in the final round, but before that, they must avoid dropping points against Ordabasy.

Shakhtyor

The Karaganda team also has 36 points but trails Astana on goal difference. On the bright side, their remaining fixtures are somewhat easier – only Tobol and Ordabasy are left to play. In the last two seasons, Shakhter narrowly missed out on the top three, so the team will be highly motivated not to repeat that disappointment for a third time.

Ordabasy

The Shymkent side’s chances for silver are slimmer compared to the others – they currently trail Zhas Kyran by three points and also lose on head-to-head record. Still, Kanat Mussatayev’s men, the reigning Freedom QJ League runners-up, have a great opportunity to finish at least third, as they will face both Astana and Shakhtyor in the remaining matches.

The league is on an international break – Freedom QJ League action returns on October 18.