Archive · 2026 · From the print edition of Sunday 11 October 2026, Vol. 34, No. 10,512
SportTulpar held, Neftchi close to four: title to be decided in Nurzhan
Tulpar could only draw 1-1 at home with Temirjolchu, and Neftchi beat Attelkom Talas 3-1. Two rounds left, four points in it, and the last match is the derby.
TALAS — Tulpar Talas's lead at the top of the Irad League was cut to four points yesterday when the leaders were held 1-1 at the Silk Road Arena by Temirjolchu Nurzhan, while Neftchi Nurzhan beat Attelkom Talas 3-1 at the NurGaz Stadium.
Two weeks ago, after a 7-0 win at Naryn Tash-Kömür, Tulpar were six points clear and the title seemed settled. Yesterday the railwaymen defended deep, equalised from a corner twenty minutes from the end and survived a long last quarter-hour of Tulpar pressure. "We had the ball, they had the point," said Tulpar's coach.
In Nurzhan, Neftchi were two goals up at half-time and cruised through the second half to the sound of their supporters singing about the last day of the season. That falls on 31 October, when Tulpar travel to the NurGaz Stadium for the Kara-Ak derby. With four points between them and six still to play for, the derby looks likely to decide it.
"The league has written its own script," said a Neftchi official. "Thirty-one October, in our house. We could not have asked for more."