Kazakhstan
PREMIER LEAGUE
Astana won their sixth straight crown but they made heavy weather of it, losing no fewer than eight times and only ending the season one point ahead of runners-up Kairat.
Hot favourites Kaysar had to dig deep to break the spirited resistance of relegated Atyrau in the Final. One-nil down, Kaysar equalised in the 88th minute and won 2-1 in the 123rd minute of extra time.
Astana will begin next season’s European odyssey at the first qualifying stage of the Champions League. Kairat, third-placed Ordabasy and cup-holders Kaysar are bound for the Europa League primaries.
Aktobe would have gone down with Atyrau even if they hadn’t been deducted 12 points for unpaid debts to former players. Taraz survived a relegation play-off against Akzhayik. Kyzylzhar and Caspiy go up from the second tier.
Astana’s Croat winger Marin Tomasov was simply irresistible, not only winning the league’s Golden Boot with 19 goals but also creating 14 more. He was responsible for almost half of his side’s end product.
Andrei Karpovich did a fine job in keeping promoted Okzhetpes out of the relegation mire. His side were well organised and enterprising to boot. He is famous for scoring Kazakhstan’s first goal in a competitive international.
For someone who only appeared in 10 league games, lively and inventive Kairat winger Sultanbek Astanov caused quite a stir, so much so that he was promptly drafted into the national under-21 set-up.