Matchweek 1 of the Freedom QJ League W: What the Players and Coaches Said

Irtysh – Shakhtyor, 5:1

Sergey Polenov, Shakhtyor Head Coach

– First of all, congratulations to the opponents. It seems we weren't mentally fully prepared, especially after the missed penalty. We didn’t manage to play a proper 11-on-11 friendly beforehand for various reasons.

There's a lot to work on – this is only the beginning, the first steps. We’ll see. Honestly, I didn’t expect such a heavy loss, but the championship has just started. We’ll keep working, fix our mistakes, grow, and improve our play.

The atmosphere in the stadium was brilliant. Probably the home ground helped Irtysh. But I take full responsibility – for the game and the result. We'll keep working.

Saida Dyusembayeva, Shakhtyor Midfielder

– It’s upsetting, of course. We fought, we tried. But we still have work to do if we want the scoreboard to reflect better results. We'll keep preparing.

We were really looking forward to the League’s start – we just wanted to play. The opponent was very strong. Maybe we didn’t fully match them to level the score. We really wanted to come back quickly. But it is what it is.

My goal? I’m not even sure – it just happened. A cross came in, bang – and that’s it. The main thing was to get back to the centre right after.

Hi mum, hi dad! I tried my best. I got knocked around completely – everything hurts.

Kseniya Postovaya, Irtysh Head Coach

– The match went just the way we planned. We had specific preparations for this game. In fact, we still have two trump cards up our sleeve – let’s keep them a secret for our next opponents. Big thanks to the girls – they executed our game plan perfectly after a whole week of work.

The atmosphere was incredible. I’ve fulfilled a dream, no point hiding that. Thanks to everyone – the fans, the city, for coming and supporting us.

Aruzhan Ospanova, Irtysh Midfielder

– Congratulations to everyone on the win! Thanks to all the fans who came to support us. We followed the coach’s instructions to the letter, and that’s why we won.

My two goals? The emotions are indescribable. I was very nervous before the game, but thanks to the coach’s guidance, I managed to score twice. And thanks to the team.

The atmosphere was fantastic. Thanks to the League – everything was on the highest level. Hi mum, hi family, hi everyone!

Kairat – Zhetysu, 11:0

Almas Mukazhanov, Zhetysu Assistant Coach

– First of all, congratulations to everyone on the start of the season. As for the match – congratulations to Kairat on the win. They showed football of a very high level. For now, our team lacks the experience and quality to play at their level. There were many mistakes. We will work on them and prepare for the next match.

Malika Toktar, Zhetysu Defender

– It was a very good, very tough game. The girls did their best, and I’m grateful for their effort. Of course, the first matches of the season are always tough, and it was especially difficult for our team. But I’m endlessly thankful to the girls for playing to the end and giving it their all.

Sofia Yagudina, Kairat Midfielder

– It was an intense match, and we prepared for it for a long time. I want to thank everyone who played, as well as the coaches, parents, and fans.

Darya Tsai, Kairat Midfielder

– It was a really intense match. The opponents pressed well. We had been preparing for this for a long time. I’m happy that we won our first game in the Freedom QJ League.

Astana – Tobol, 2:0

Denis Safronov, Tobol Head Coach

– I'm really happy the long-awaited Freedom QJ League season has finally started. I want to express my deep gratitude to the League itself, Timur Turlov, and everyone involved in organising this competition. Not just the women's tournament, but the League as a whole.

As for the match – maybe the long anticipation played a role, and it showed. The girls were probably a bit nervous. There’s increased attention to the League and the players. Maybe that explains the early nerves. What happened afterwards – I don’t yet have an explanation. Football can be unpredictable.

Varvara Tsoy, Tobol Midfielder

– First of all, thanks to my team. We fought till the end, everyone did great. I think the red cards affected us. We’ll move forward, keep working, and aim for better results.

Asyl Pazyl, Astana Forward

– Today’s game was tough. Tobol played well. But we showed grit and character and won 2–0.

Bolat Saginbayev, Astana Head Coach

– We were waiting for this celebration, and it finally happened. We’d been training for half a year. Freedom QJ League is a huge opportunity for girls to prepare for professional football. The competition is now held weekly – it’s a new standard. Everything’s great. We played decently. Of course, there were nerves, but overall I’m satisfied with the performance.

Ordabasy – Aktobe, 3:0

Aslan Bokenbay, Aktobe Assistant Coach

– It was a good, competitive match. There were good moments. Since it was the first game, you could feel a bit of tension. Some of the girls gave their all; others still need time to adapt. Thanks to everyone. It’s great to see such matches being held for the girls’ future. Huge thanks. We’ll see what happens in the second game – we’re preparing with a new squad, a new approach. Everything is ahead of us. This is just the beginning.

Aziza Talap, Aktobe Forward

– Today’s match was really tough. I think we lacked team cohesion. There’s still work to do. I’m confident this will be our first and last game like this. Next time, we’ll come back stronger.

Adina Shurenova, Ordabasy Defender

– It was really tough, but we did it. We exceeded our expectations. We’ve been working towards this for a long time. I’m really happy. Congratulations to the whole team on the win. Thanks to everyone for the match.

Timur Valeev, Ordabasy Assistant Coach

– It was a tough match – you all saw it. Big thanks to our opponents – they put up a good fight. Our girls stood strong under pressure. Big thanks to them. Congratulations to Ordabasy on the win, and thanks for the game.