Matchday II of the Freedom QJ League W: What the Players and Coaches Said

Aktobe – Kairat, 1:7

Oksana Kokhannaya, Head Coach of Kairat

– Not everything went according to plan right away. The first half was quite tough – it was pretty hot in Aktobe. But then the girls pulled themselves together, and I’m satisfied with the performance. In the second half, we got exactly what we wanted – both in terms of the score and the quality of play.

Angelina Oster, forward of Kairat

– Thank you. The start of the game was tough. We weren’t focused, everyone was frustrated, and the heat really took a toll. But in the second half, we regrouped and scored our goals.

Azamat Zhitpisbayev, head coach of Aktobe

– The first half went well: we scored a goal and controlled the ball. But an unlucky deflection changed the course of the game. Thanks to the girls for their commitment, and to the fans – a big rakhmet. We’re used to this weather, but perhaps we lacked a bit physically. Now we’re preparing for the next match.

Alua Kaliyeva, forward of Aktobe

– It was really hard. We tried our best to win, but there were a lot of mistakes. Our left side was vulnerable, and we had issues in attack too. But we are a team – we’ll stick together and keep playing. I dedicate my goal to “Izbushka”, Dilnaz.

Irtysh – Ordabasy, 0:2

Yerbol Sarman, Head Coach of Ordabasy

– The opponent was very strong. Our girls are young, born in 2011. Irtysh is a very good team, and today’s match wasn’t easy. We got lucky in some moments – that’s football. Thanks to the League, the organization was excellent.

Sabina Ussen, goalkeeper of Ordabasy

– It was a tough match. The opponent was strong. The win didn’t come easy. Thanks to everyone for the game.

Kseniya Postovaya, head coach of Irtysh

– In terms of the game – we have our structure, and technically we’re quite strong. But our mindset for this match failed us. That was very obvious already in the first half. I think this will be a lesson for us.

After a spectacular first match in front of a full crowd, perhaps the girls didn’t expect they’d need to play even harder. The mood in training throughout the week wasn’t great. Maybe it’s because we just entered a new weekly cycle. We’ll keep working.

I believe this loss is a good “wake-up call” for both the team and the coaching staff. We need to prepare better and more thoroughly.

Stella Baburchina-Luklyanets, goalkeeper of Irtysh

– We couldn’t convert our free kicks, corners, or shots on goal. We were just a little short. The takeaway? We need to focus, prepare the team and ourselves, and play better. My mood is okay. You have to know how to accept defeat.

Zhetisu – Astana, 1:7

Bolat Saginbayev, Head Coach of Astana

– We prepared specifically for this opponent. Thanks to them for the game. The girls followed the game plan and played exactly as we had intended. I want to highlight the entire team. The weather was tough – it was very hot. But the players endured it. Well done.

Alziya Zhambyl, midfielder of Astana

– The first half was easy, but the second was full of emotions. It was tough to play both halves in such heat, but we made it through. Overall, aside from the weather, everything we planned worked out.

Kanat Sagimov, head coach of Zhetisu

– Thanks to the League for organizing the tournament – it was a real football celebration. Astana is a mobile, solid team – the players understand each other well. It’s clear they’ve been playing together for years. For us, it’s all new, so I believe our time to celebrate a win is still ahead. We’ll work on our mistakes. The conditions are good, we have a proper place to play. We’ll improve our fitness and aim for better performances. Hopefully, we’ll make our fans happy in the future.

Nuray Bolatova, midfielder of Zhetisu

– We were very tired. Many of our players got injured, and some lacked game experience. I want to thank everyone who supported us – huge thanks to our fans. We hope to deliver a better result next time.

Shakhtyor – Tobol, 6:2

Vladimir Pavlyuk, Assistant Head Coach of Tobol

– First of all, congratulations to Shakhter on the win. Our team, overall, stuck to the game plan. This was our second away match, and the girls were clearly nervous. We’ll work on our mistakes and focus on the upcoming home game – we’ll aim to pick up points there. Early in the match, we missed two clear chances. And in football, there’s that rule: if you don’t score, they’ll score on you.

Shakhter is a strong opponent with well-coordinated play. The girls did well – they have national team players, as do we. Wishing them the best in the upcoming weeks.

Amura Karabayeva, midfielder of Tobol

– It was a decent game. I want to thank my teammates – they played and fought until the end. I’m really proud of them. Whenever we play against Shakhter, it always turns into a battle – it’s a pleasure to face them.

Playing away isn’t ideal, but we’re ready to fight both on the road and at home.

Sergey Polenov, Head Coach of Shakhtyor

– First of all, I want to thank the girls for their performance. After the tough "slap" in the first round, they weren’t fully prepared psychologically, but we worked on that during this microcycle. They did great. Despite a large number of injuries, those who stepped onto the pitch gave it their all. Of course, there were mistakes. We’ll analyze them and move forward.

Unfortunately, in the first match, our main goalkeeper Darina Karabekova suffered a meniscus tear and is now preparing for surgery. She’s a young girl, agile like a cat, always eager to fight. We hope she recovers quickly – the same goes for our other injured players. Football is a high-risk sport, and no one is immune to injuries.

Aiym Dikhanbay showed herself quite confidently. Of course, there were nerves, but she didn’t make any major mistakes. With her effort and work ethic, she has the potential to become a solid goalkeeper.

Anastasiya Zelenina also picked up an injury, and our medical staff is working with her. Sander just returned from national team duty and missed two matches. The girls who were considered backup players are now getting chances – and making the most of them. That’s healthy competition within the squad.

Regarding our commitments for the 2008 birth year players (our "jokers"), we are fulfilling them all. We'll be playing primarily with 2009–2010 born players, focusing on development. The girls chant “no one but us,” step onto the field, and take on the challenge. Step by step, we’ll keep improving – both individually and as a team.

Damira Maksat, forward of Shakhtyor

– The team prepared really well, and we approached the game seriously. I think we redeemed ourselves in front of our fans, showed good football, and didn’t let the coach down – we followed the game plan. The loss in Pavlodar is already behind us. We came out against Tobol with renewed energy. Honestly, I don’t think it was particularly difficult.

When we won the free kick, Dana told me to take it. At first, I thought about curling it, but it seemed too far – I didn’t think I had the strength. So I went for power instead. I dedicate the goal to my mom.