Aktobe came from behind to beat Kaisar 2-1 in the Premier League's regular season round 22 on Saturday. The visitors took the lead before half-time and held on through a stormy second half to move closer to the top four. Kaisar's hopes faded after their opening goal was cancelled out and then overturned.
V. Moses gave the home side the lead in the eleventh minute, but Aktobe responded through D. Sosah who scored in the seventy-eighth and then twice more in stoppage time. Sosah completed his hat-trick in the ninety-fourth minute to turn a tight contest into a comfortable victory. The match picked up bookings on both sides, with six yellow cards in total before the final whistle.
And here's the thing about the statistics — Aktobe had 67 per cent possession and registered nine shots on target against Kaisar's two. The home side managed only two shots on target from 46 attacks, while the visitors pressed forward with 78 attacks and nine corners. It was a match where one side controlled the ball and the other relied on moments, though by then it mattered little.
Kaisar dropped further down the table to fifteenth place on 20 points from 24 games, their record reading three wins, 11 draws and 10 defeats. Aktobe climbed to fifth with 38 points, having won 11 and drawn five times. The result ended Kaisar's unbeaten run from their previous five matches, which had included a 3-1 win over Zhenis and two draws.
Aktobe's recent form has been mixed, with losses to Qyzyl-Zhar and Astana among their last five results. But the victory over Kaisar at least keeps them within touching distance of the places that matter. Sosah's three goals were enough to settle what had been a closely contested affair.