Our prediction for this World Cup 2026 match:
Wednesday’s football game at Astana Arena pits together Kazakhstan and Ukraine. The Kazaks are still eyeing their first win of the process, and they are likely to fight tooth and nail in the midweek qualifier. The two teams played out a 1-1 draw in Kiev in March, which is surely giving home fans a reason for optimism ahead of the third group game.
The Ukrainians, on the other hand, did well to make it to the EURO 2020 quarter-finals, meaning that they are high on confidence ahead of the trip to Nur-Sultan. West Ham United attacker Andrii Yarmolenko will be the man to watch in the away team, but the share of spoils is on the cards as Kazakhstan are tough to beat at home. New Ukraine boss Oleksandr Petrakov has left Dnipro attacker Artem Dovbyk out of the squad due to injury.
Highlighted Player (Dmitri Shomko):
Born in Ekibastuz, Kazakhstan on March 19, 1990 Dmitri Andreievich Shomko is a defender who plays for Astana. Shomko is a product of his home-town club Ekibastuzets, but he started his senior career at Batyr Ekibastuz.
As expected, the 182-cm tall footballer returned to his boyhood club and it has to be noted that he made nine appearances in the league for Ekibastuzets. Dmitri Shomko then moved to Irtysh Pavlodar and he played for the Kazak club from 2009 to 2014. In 2011 he was sent on loan to Astana and three years later he signed a permanent deal with the Blue and Yellows. His main position is left-back, but he is used as a left midfielder as well.
Over the years Shomko has established himself as a first-team regular at Kazakhstan national football team and he made his debut for the Hawks on February 2, 2011 in a 1-1 draw with Belarus. Shomko came as a substitute for Nurgaliev in the 85th minute of the match. He has 17 caps for the U21 team as well.