Akhmetov takes control

By Aleksandr Keplin

Askar Akhmetov is the new general secretary of the Football Union of Kazakhstan, replacing Roman Kopytin after he stood down due to ill health. The 33-year-old former foreign office minister has vowed to pay close attention to the club licensing programme as well as other FIFA and UEFA initiatives.

Celtic test?
No Kazakh clubs fulfilled UEFA's financial criteria last season - particularly in terms of competing in club competitions - and only the title-winners FC Kairat Almaty met the requirements in time for the 2005/06 campaign. They will meet FC Artmedia Bratislava of Slovakia in the first qualifying round of the UEFA Champions League with the winners advancing to a high-profile tie against Celtic FC.

Aktobe on top
Kairat are third in the Superleague after 13 matches, two points behind FC Tobol Kostanay and four adrift of the pacesetters FK Aktobe Lento. All 16 teams were in action on Wednesday, with Aktobe defeating FC Zhetysu Taldykorgan 2-1 to go some way towards making amends for their 3-1 loss to FK Almaty the previous weekend. Kairat were 5-0 winners against FC Bolat MSK Temirtau, while Tobol saw off FC Ordabasy Shymkent 3-0.

Zhenis slip
Ordabasy have slipped to fifth from second, although they continue to punch above their weight on the basis of their 13th-placed finish in 2004. The opposite applies to FC Zhenis Astana. Considered pretenders to Kairat’s crown, they are languishing in 12th after registering just two points in the three games since their 1-0 win at FC Shakhtyor Karagandy on 12 June.

Under pressure
The Zhenis coach Vladimir Mukhanov had high hopes of replicating his success with Tobol in recent years at his new club after recruiting a number of players with top-flight experience in his native Russia. Mukhanov is now under pressure to arrest the club’s decline and will hope to avoid becoming the fourth coach to lose his job this season.

Joor hired
One replacement saw Antonius Cornelius Joor appointed Almaty coach earlier this month. The Dutchman has made a positive early impression, taking seven points from a possible 12 - the only blemish being a 2-0 loss at FC Vostok on 18 June.

Cup semi-finals
Finally, FK Atyrau, Zhenis, FC Taraz and Kairat are through to the semi-finals of the Kazakhstan Cup. The two legs will be played on 6 July and 6 August, with the final scheduled for 11 November.