Ostapenko helps Kazakhs make history
Wednesday 20 August 2008
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Sergey Ostapenko celebrates a goal against Andorra (©Nikita Bassov)
Kazakhstan kicked off the European qualifying campaign with their first FIFA World Cup win as a UEFA nation, 3-0 against Andorra in Almaty.
European first
Two goals from Sergey Ostapenko and a third before half-time by Roman Uzdenov gave Arno Pijpers' side a winning start in Group 6, as well as a first World Cup qualifying victory since the former Soviet republic switched from the Asian Football Confederation in 2002. Kazakhstan competed in European qualification for the 2006 World Cup but failed to win a game, collecting a solitary point.
Ostapenko double
Striker Ostapenko scored his first of the night after 14 minutes, drilling the ball low past Andorra goalkeeper José Antonio Gómes. The hosts underlined their authority at the Tcentralny Stadium as the 22-year-old reacted first to a loose ball in the area to lash in Kazakhstan's second goal on the half-hour. Uzdenov then met a Ruslan Baltiev cross with a powerful header deep into first-half added time to make it 3-0.
Comfortable victory
Things picked up slightly for the visitors five minutes after the restart when Xavier Andorrà almost reduced the deficit but his header from Marc Pujol's free-kick was tipped round the post by Kazakhstan goalkeeper David Loria. However, that was as close as Andorra came to pulling a goal back as a relaxed Kazakhstan team cantered home.
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