What to Expect from the Last Weekend of April: Preview of Matchweek II in the Freedom QJ League

Taraz vs. Irtysh: Can Rakhmetov Shine Again?

16-year-old Pavlodar midfielder Ruslan Rakhmetov was the standout star of Matchweek 1, scoring a hat-trick and providing two assists in a 7:2 win over Aktobe. His brilliant performance earned him the first CHANGAN MVP OF THE SEASON Player of the Week award, and even a call-up to train with the senior team.

Taraz, meanwhile, began their campaign with a confident 2:0 win over Caspiy in Aktau. As for head-to-head history, last season Taraz defeated Aksu twice, both by a score of 3:1.

Kairat vs. Caspiy: Can the Visitors Find the Net in Almaty?

Kairat opened their season with a 7:0 thrashing of Kaisar at home. Yevgeny Petrik, who scored a brace, made it into the top five players of the week. Caspiy, on the other hand, suffered a home defeat to Taraz.

Last season in the U-17 category, the Aktau side lost heavily to the yellow-and-blacks in both matches. While they did score twice at home (2:6), they were thoroughly beaten away without scoring a consolation goal (0:5). Will Konstantin Chernyavsky’s side become the first to breach Kairat’s defense this season?

Atyrau vs. Shakhtyor: Will the Miners Take Their Third Win?

Last season, the two teams born in 2008 – Atyrau and Shakhter – saw the Karaganda side dominate both meetings.

Atyrau started the new season with a heavy 1:6 loss to Astana, while Shakhtyor had to fight hard for a 2:2 home draw against Zhas Kyran.

A key figure in Shakhtyor’s comeback was their joker, Gleb Makridov. The 18-year-old midfielder, now in his third league season, scored both goals for his side – the second one in added time. His performance earned him a spot in the top five players of the week. Atyrau will have to work hard to neutralize this threat.

Aktobe vs. Astana: Can the Red-and-Whites Recover?

Aktobe had a rough start to the season with a 2:7 defeat in Pavlodar. Astana, on the other hand, showed they remain ambitious, just like last year, with a dominant 6:1 win over Atyrau.

Two Astana players – midfielder Nail Mynzhasarov and defender Meirzhan Serik – were named in the Team of the Week. Will they pose a major challenge to Aktobe on Sunday?

Zhas Kyran vs. Tobol: In Search of a First Win

Both teams picked up a point in their opening matches: Zhas Kyran held Shakhter to a thrilling draw away from home, while Tobol played out a 1:1 draw with Ordabasy.

Ordabasy might have won had it not been for Tobol goalkeeper Dastan Amirbek, who made nine saves and only conceded once – a performance that earned him a spot in the top five players of the week.

Head-to-head between these two sides is currently even: last season in the U-17 category, Zhas Kyran lost 1:2 away but bounced back with a 4:0 win at home. Now they meet in the main competition – and anything can happen.

Kaisar vs. Ordabasy: Will There Be an Upset?

Kaisar opened the season with a crushing 0:7 defeat to Kairat, while Ordabasy failed to beat Tobol despite having numerous shots on target.

Last year, the Shymkent side defeated Kaisar twice in the U-17 tournament – 7:0 and 3:1. However, in 2024, Kaisar managed a big win over Astana, so an upset could be in the cards this time around.

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