Belgium's hopes of securing immediate qualification for the 2026 World Cup were dramatically put on hold after a resilient and heroic performance from Kazakhstan and their goalkeeper, Temirlan Anarbekov, in a 1-1 draw.
The Astana Arena witnessed a stunning upset in the making as the home side took a surprise lead and then relied on a series of spectacular saves to deny the heavily favoured Belgian squad the victory they needed to book their ticket to the tournament.
Teenager Stuns Belgium Before Anarbekov Takes Centre Stage
The match took a shocking turn early on when 17-year-old Dastan Satpayev capitalised on a sloppy pass from Belgian defender Arthur Theate. The teenager seized the opportunity, driving towards goal and slotting the ball past Matz Sels at his near post to send the home crowd into a frenzy.
What followed was a relentless period of Belgian pressure, but they found themselves repeatedly thwarted by the exceptional Kazakhstan goalkeeper, Temirlan Anarbekov. In a stunning first-half display, Anarbekov produced fine saves to deny efforts from Hans Vanaken, Leandro Trossard, and Charles De Ketelaere, keeping his team in the lead against all odds.
Vanaken Levels Before Late Drama Unfolds
Belgium finally found a way through early in the second half. Just three minutes after the restart, captain Hans Vanaken expertly guided a header from Timothy Castagne's cross into the net, leaving Anarbekov with no chance and levelling the scores.
The task for Kazakhstan became even more difficult when they were reduced to 10 men for the final 11 minutes. Islam Chesnokov was initially shown a yellow card for a trip on Jérémy Doku, but after a review by Lithuanian referee Donatas Rumsas, the decision was upgraded to a red card.
Despite being a man down, Kazakhstan held firm. In a heart-stopping final minute, Belgium thought they had snatched the win and qualification when Nicolas Raskin found himself with a golden opportunity in front of goal. Yet again, Anarbekov emerged as the hero, pulling off a miraculous point-blank save to secure a famous draw for his team.
Qualification Picture Across Europe
The result leaves Belgium two points clear of second-placed North Macedonia in Group J. Their qualification fate will now be decided in their final group game at home to Liechtenstein on Tuesday, where a win would still see them through.
Elsewhere in European qualifying, the focus turns to other groups where several nations can confirm their places. Spain can qualify from Group E with a victory in Georgia, while Austria lead Group H and face a crucial match in Cyprus. Denmark and Switzerland are also in strong positions to secure their berths with positive results in their respective final fixtures.
