Astana beat Kairat to lift Kazakh Super Cup

Kazakh league champions FC Astana have started the new season on a winning note by defeating FC Kairat Almaty on penalties in the Kazakh Super Cup.

With neither team able to find the net during 120 minutes of play at the Astana Arena, the trophy was decided from the spot – and ultimately Stanimir Stoilov's side came out victorious, goalkeeper Nenad Erić saving three times in the 3-2 shoot-out win.

Kairat were competing for the trophy for the first time and both teams were eager to start the season on a positive note, with Astana the more threatening throughout. Despite that dominance, they were unable to beat Vladimir Plotnikov in the opposition goal, but Plotnikov was no match for Erić when it came to penalties, the 32-year-old saving half of the six he faced.

The winning penalty was scored by 22-year-old Abzal Beisebekov, who wore the armband in the absence of injured captain Tanat Nusserbayev, but it was the latter who received the trophy from Kazakhstan's president Nursultan Nazarbayev.

"Shoot-outs are always something special for a goalkeeper," Erić told UEFA.com. "I'm really happy we were able to win this important match. The Super Cup is just the beginning of the season, and I am glad we are starting it in a great mood. I want to thank all our fans as the atmosphere at the stadium was fantastic."