Freedom QJ League is back: preview of Matchweek 1 in the flagship tournament

Shakhter vs Taraz

Shakhter’s team, made up of players born in 2009, won the bronze medals in Freedom QJ League last season, while Taraz finished only eighth. At first glance, the favorite seems obvious, but a closer look at the head-to-head meetings makes the picture less straightforward: the southern side won at home, although they later suffered a heavy defeat in Karaganda.

It is also worth mentioning that the Miners’ squad includes a number of “jokers” who impressed in last season’s flagship tournament — among them QJL All Star participants Nurkhan Kagazbayev and Ilya Gezik, as well as Daniyal Nazarov, who was named Best Midfielder of the Season while playing for Astana. Another notable name is Miras Kuat, who received multiple Best Goal of the Round awards.

KFF Academy vs Zhas Kyran

The League A debutants, who finished second in Freedom QJ League B last season, are set to face the Zhas Kyran academy players, who placed fourth in the U-17 tournament.

Zhas Kyran have kept three “jokers” in their squad: goalkeeper Ramazan Bayramov, midfielder Ramzes Rashidov and forward Bekzhan Khafizov. As for KFF Academy, there is not a single player born in 2009 in their roster — most of the squad will only turn 16 this year.

One KFF Academy player who deserves special mention is Anuar Tolendi. The forward, who turned just 15 over the winter, scored 7 goals in 8 Freedom QJ League B matches, although he ended the season on a three-game goalless run. Will he make an impact in the opening round?

Kaisar vs Tobyl

This match will be the headline fixture of the opening week, as the game in Kyzylorda will become the 1,000th match in Freedom QJ League history.

Both teams were among the strugglers in last season’s U-17 tournament, but the head-to-head record clearly favors the Kostanay side — Tobyl won both at home and away.

Kaisar are certainly motivated to begin the new season with a home win at their new stadium, and the festive atmosphere surrounding the League’s milestone match could well help the Wolves achieve that goal.

Ordabasy vs Aktobe

Last year, the Shymkent side confidently won the silver medals in the U-17 tournament, including handing champions Kairat their only defeat of the season. Aktobe finished fifth, but in one of the rounds the Red-Whites managed to trouble Ordabasy — their Matchweek 15 meeting ended in a goalless draw. That game, however, took place in Aktobe, while on home soil the southern side handed their opponents a heavy defeat. How will it play out this time?

Interestingly, all of Aktobe’s “jokers” are midfielders, including QJL All Star participant Azamat Musayev. Will the experienced midfield help the Red-Whites begin the season with a positive result? We will find out very soon.

Caspiy vs Astana

Two teams that did not enjoy the best of campaigns in last season’s Freedom QJ League U-17 will meet in Aktau: Astana finished ninth, while Caspiy ended the season second from bottom.

The head-to-head statistics point to Astana’s advantage. However, a year ago the capital side left Aktau with only a narrow win, and the only goal came from the penalty spot. That means the upcoming match could go either way.

Kairat vs Irtysh

The Freedom QJ League U-17 champions will begin the new season with a home match against Irtysh — the only flagship tournament fixture scheduled for Sunday. As a reminder, the Pavlodar side ended last year in sixth place, losing heavily to Kairat in both head-to-head meetings.

Among Irtysh’s “jokers”, Ruslan Rakhmetov is undoubtedly the standout name. The QJL All Star participant recorded 11 goals and 3 assists in 18 rounds of the flagship tournament. However, the 17-year-old Ruslan has also been involved with Irtysh’s senior team in the Kazakhstan Premier League, so the extent of his involvement in this League season remains uncertain.

A similar situation applies to Kairat forward Abylai Toleukhan — last season’s Best Forward had already appeared in a First League match against Shakhter in April.

Fantasy QJ League: hurry up and build your optimal squad!