Aktobe or not to be?

AK Aktobe need just one more win to seal their first Kazakhstan Superleague title as they hold a four-point lead over FC Tobol Kostanay with two games remaining this season.

Kairat Almaty encounter
Tobol defeated the leaders in October to close the gap, but look likely to come up short having previously drawn crucial games against FC Kairat Almaty, FC Zhenis Astana and FC Ekibastuzets. Aktobe face a tough match away to Kairat Almaty, but will be confident of taking all three points on the final day at home to FC Vostok, who have lost 19 of their 28 league encounters - although they have won the other nine.

New territory
Neither Tobol nor Aktobe has won the domestic league before, with the latter having never finished higher than fourth, while defending champions Kairat Almaty can no longer win the title and will probably end up a disappointing third. They can salvage their season with a victory against FC Zhenis Astana in the Kazakhstan Cup final on 11 November.

Race for fourth
If they do so, then the fourth-placed team will earn a place in the Intertoto Cup. The position could go any one of three ways, with FC Shakhtyor Karagandy, FC Ordabasy Shymkent and five-time champions FC Irtysh Pavlodar all in the hunt. While it would represent a fine achievement for Shakhtyor or Ordabasy, Irtysh would see fourth as a scant consolation having won the title in 2002 and 2003 and finished as runners-up last season. They have struggled since losing coach Dmitry Ogai to Tobol.

Alma-Ata safe
At the bottom, FC Alma-Ata have secured their top-flight status next season at the expense of FC Zhetysu Taldykorgan, who will finish in 15th position. Bottom club FC Bolat MSK Temirtau have picked up just one point from 28 matches.