We recap the action from Matchweek 13 of Freedom QJ League B.
Jaiyq and Khan-Tengri close in on Zhenis
The Matchweek’s central fixture took place at Astana Arena, where Jaiyq defeated Zhenis 1-0 to cut the gap to the leaders to three points. Iliyas Bekmukhanov scored the only goal of the game in the 10th minute.
It was only Zhenis’ third defeat of the season – interestingly, the tournament favourites have failed to score in all three of their losses. Two of those defeats came against Jaiyq: back in Matchweek 4, the Uralsk side claimed a 2-0 home victory.
Zhenis now have 30 points, while Jaiyq are on 27. The capital club’s pursuers continue to boast the best defensive record in the competition, having conceded just 11 goals in 13 matches.
However, there is another team on 27 points – Khan-Tengri. The Almaty side stayed in the title race with a 2-0 victory over Kyzylzhar in Petropavl.
Timur Deshko opened the scoring in the 49th minute, before an own goal by Madi Askar in stoppage time sealed the result. The closing stages were particularly difficult for the hosts: Tamerlan Akimbek received his second yellow card in the 84th minute, leaving Kyzylzhar to finish the match with ten men.
Semenyuk inspires Okzhetpes comeback
The Kokshetau side recorded their second consecutive victory, beating Atyrau 2-1 despite conceding first.
The visitors took the lead in the 22nd minute through Alikhan Serikkali. The score then remained unchanged for a long spell before Okzhetpes turned the game around in the space of just two minutes in the second half. Daniil Semenyuk equalised in the 71st minute and then provided the assist for Dinmukhamed Zhakupov two minutes later. Zhakupov had entered the pitch only three minutes earlier.
Okzhetpes strengthened their hold on fourth place with 23 points. Atyrau remain seventh with 15.
Dauletuly scores crucial hat-trick
In Balpyk Bi, Zhetysu defeated Yelimay 3-2, with Aibyn Dauletuly scoring all three goals for the hosts in the 20th, 80th and 83rd minutes.
The victory did not come easily for the Taldykorgan side. Shortly after Dauletuly’s opener, an own goal by Grigory Kopeikin restored parity, before Alibek Turysbek put the visitors ahead early in the second half. But the closing stages belonged to the hosts, as Dauletuly struck twice in four minutes.
The forward took his tally to six goals for the season and moved into the competition’s top five scorers. Zhetysu are fifth with 19 points, while Yelimay suffered their fifth consecutive defeat and remain eighth on 12 points.
Altay rescue a point late on
The only draw of the Matchweek came in Ust-Kamenogorsk, where the teams shared the points in a 2-2 result. Ontustyk led through goals from Arda Mukhtarov in the 51st minute and Alzair Rais in the 83rd, but the Shymkent side were unable to hold on to their advantage.
Dias Kuangan pulled one back for the hosts in the 86th minute, before Akhmet Kabdulmanat found the net in the 90th to secure the final score. Remarkably, both Altay goalscorers had come on as substitutes at the same time in the 55th minute.
For the hosts, who have managed just one victory in 13 Matchweeks, it was a valuable point. However, they remain six points behind second-bottom Kyzylzhar. Ontustyk sit sixth with 17 points.
Top scorer after Matchweek 13: Zhanadi Zhumabek (Khan-Tengri, 9 goals).
Top assist provider after Matchweek 13: Nuraly Sabyrzhan (Okzhetpes, 5 assists).
