The Battle Between “Ordabasy” and “Astana” Continues in the European Cup
The excitement in Kazakh football continues. While Aktobe withdrew from European competitions in mid-July, Kostanay’s Tobol lost to Swiss side St. Gallen last week and also exited the scene. However, our clubs Astana and Ordabasy continue their European campaigns with determination.
The 3rd qualifying round of the Conference League begins today, but our clubs will take to the field tomorrow, on August 7th. Ordabasy will face Pyunik at 20:00 Kazakh time, while Astana will take on Corvinul Hunedoara at 23:00. Both clubs will play their home matches in Almaty.
Ordabasy’s Tough Road
Ordabasy ranks third in the Kazakhstan championship, conceding fewer goals than other teams. Their journey in Europe has been challenging. The team was eliminated by Moldovan side Petrocub in the first round of Champions League qualifiers but secured a “parachute” chance to continue in the Conference League. They advanced to this round by defeating Differdange at home in a penalty shootout after losing narrowly in the first leg.
Ordabasy’s opponent, Pyunik, is the most successful club in Armenia. Pyunik has previously faced Kazakh teams with notable success. This match is crucial for both teams.
Astana’s Struggle
Astana is currently eighth in the local league. The team entered the European scene at the end of July and advanced to this round by defeating Moldovan side Milsami. They now face Romanian team Corvinul Hunedoara, which plays in Romania’s second-strongest league and has achieved sensational results in Europe this season. Astana will seek a victory against this formidable opponent.
The Road Ahead
The third qualifying round is not the final stop before the group stage. Both of our teams must take one more step to reach the group stage. In the play-off round, Ordabasy might face teams such as KI Klaksvik from the Faroe Islands, Borac from Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Celje from Slovenia. Astana’s potential opponents include Botev from Bulgaria, St. Mirren from Scotland, and Brann from Norway.
In this exciting battle of Kazakh football on the European stage, we wish both of our teams the best of luck. We hope that Ordabasy and Astana advance to the next round and represent our country in Europe in the best possible way.