All in yellow, Kazakhstan—ranked 114th by FIFA—posed a tough challenge on the artificial pitch in Astana. Their last victory in World Cup qualifying came nearly 12 years ago, a narrow win over the Faroe Islands, but this was far from an easy match for Wales.
By the final whistle, the opportunities had piled up, with Craig Bellamy’s team holding on as Kazakhstan’s substitute, Serizkhan Muzikov, struck the crossbar with a free-kick in the 95th minute. The visitors were ultimately thankful for Kieffer Moore’s first-half goal, which secured the win and kept their hopes alive for direct qualification from Group J.
The goal came from a free-kick earned and taken by Harry Wilson. Liam Cullen redirected Wilson’s sharp left-footed cross, and Kazakhstan’s debutant goalkeeper, Temirlan Anarbekov, could only push the ball to the edge of the six-yard box, where Moore reacted fastest.
Anarbekov was among four Kairat Almaty players in the starting lineup. Bellamy had recently noted his interest in Wrexham’s rise to the Championship under their high-profile ownership, and Moore, earning his 50th cap, became the first Wrexham player to represent Wales since Steve Evans in 2008, when the club was outside the league system.
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