The climax of the golden race in the Kazakh football championship unfolded on the second matchday of the 29th round. Ordabasy became uncatchable for Kairat after the Almaty side failed to win away at Aktobe – 2:2. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing Kursiv Media.

The day before, the Shymkent side unexpectedly dropped points in a home match against Zhens – 1:1. To prolong the race for gold, Kairat absolutely had to win in Aktobe.

The first dangerous moment in the game was created by the visitors. Yerkin Tapalov on the 3rd minute, finding himself in a goal-scoring position, hesitated and missed the moment to shoot. But the English Aktobe player Sheyi Ojo in a similar situation shot without thinking. The ball, glancing off the same Tapalov, slipped into the corner of Temirlan Anarbekov's goal – 1:0.

It took Kairat half an hour to equalize. Azamat Tuyakbayev struck a free kick beautifully – 1:1. However, just four minutes later the Argentine Agustin Pastoriza again put the hosts ahead – 2:1.

After the break, Igor Cherevchenko's charges initially looked more preferable, missing more than one clear chance to increase the score. Having fought back, the Kairat players equalized for the second time. A solo run by the Spaniard Marc Gual on the 70th minute left most of the opponent's defenders and ex-Kairat player Aleksandr Zarutsky helpless – 2:2.

The initiative passed to the Almaty side after the substitutions made by Rafael Urazbakhtin, who added extra speed. On the 76th minute Zarutsky saved his team after a close-range shot by the same Tuyakbayev.

The end of the match was played in end-to-end attacks. The final whistle of referee Bulat Sariyev recorded a draw – 2:2. Ordabasy, four points ahead of Kairat with one round to go, won the KPL gold again after three years.

⚽ AKTOBE – KAIRAT (Almaty) 2:2 (2:1). Goals: Ojo 5 (1:0), Tuyakbayev 34 (1:1), Pastoriza 38 (2:1), Gual 70 (2:2)

⚽ ALTAI (Ust-Kamenogorsk) – YELIMAI (Semey) 2:2 (1:1). Goals: Stoisavljevic 39 penalty (1:0), Belancic 45 (1:1), Dodjev 47 (2:1), Orazov 57 penalty (2:2). Sent off: Ilic (Y, 90+7)

⚽ ATYRAU – IRTYSH (Pavlodar) 2:3 (1:1). Goals: Mamadou 14 (0:1), Pantelic 45 (1:1), Yudenkov 51 own goal (2:1), Mukhametzhanov 61 (2:2), Yudenkov 72 (2:3)

⚽ ASTANA – KAISAR (Kyzylorda) finished later

⚽ ORDABASY (Shymkent) – ZHENS (Astana) 1:1 (0:0). Goals: Kilama 46 own goal (0:1), E. Astanov 70 (1:1). Sent off: Amir (O, 66)

⚽ OKZHETPES (Kokshetau) – CASPIY (Aktau) 3:0 (1:0). Goals: Kuzmichev 9, Vasilyev 54, Nurgaliyev 83 penalty

⚽ ZHETYSU (Taldykorgan) – TOBOL (Kostanay) 1:1 (1:0). Goals: Baltabekov 14 (1:0), Talal 70 (1:1)

⚽ KYZYLZHAR (Petropavlovsk) – ULYTAU (Zhezkazgan) 1:0 (1:0). Goal: Baoken 41

Atyrau and Irtysh played a goal seesaw in the survival match. During the encounter both teams took turns leading. The winning goal on the 72nd minute was scored by the Belarusian Pavlodar player Ruslan Yudenkov. He had also scored an own goal 20 minutes earlier.

The East Kazakhstan derby ended in a fighting draw. Altai twice led in the score, but Yelimai fought back – 2:2.

In the 30th final round of KPL-2026 the matches will be: Irtysh – Ordabasy, Kairat – Altai, Zhetysu – Astana, Tobol – Aktobe, Yelimai – Okzhetpes, Ulytau – Atyrau, Caspiy – Kyzylzhar and Zhens – Kaisar. All games on October 31 will start at 15:00.