Kazakhstan vs North Macedonia

North Macedonia Eye Top Spot as They Face Kazakhstan in World Cup Qualifier

North Macedonia could leapfrog Wales into first place in their World Cup qualifying group with a win over Kazakhstan on Monday at Astana Arena.

Currently, the hosts sit third in the group with three points from two matches, while North Macedonia are just two points behind Wales with five points from three games—boosted by an impressive 1-1 draw against Belgium on Friday.

Kazakhstan, meanwhile, come into this match off the back of a 2-0 victory over Liechtenstein on March 25, where they dominated defensively, limiting their opponents to just three shots—none after the 33rd minute.

However, their defensive record remains a concern, having conceded 24 goals in their last 10 matches. Under manager Ali Aliev, Kazakhstan have never qualified for a World Cup as an independent nation, and with powerhouses like Belgium and Wales in their group, their chances for 2026 look slim.

Recent form hasn’t been kind to The Hawks—they’ve lost 12 of their last 15 matches, winning only twice. While they did secure a 2-0 home win over Curaçao on March 19, their record at Astana Arena before that was shaky, with three defeats and one draw in their previous four outings.

North Macedonia Riding a Wave of Momentum

Despite being outpossessed (32%) against Belgium, North Macedonia held their own, matching the Red Devils’ two big chances and restricting them to just one second-half shot inside the box.

Manager Blagoja Milevski will be thrilled with his team’s recent form—they’re unbeaten in nine matches (winning six), including hard-fought draws against Wales and Belgium.

Their defense has been solid, keeping six clean sheets in those six victories. However, it’s worth noting that those wins came against lower-ranked opponents—Armenia (twice), Latvia (twice), the Faroe Islands, and Liechtenstein—with Armenia being the highest-ranked at 102nd in FIFA’s standings.

The last meeting between these two sides saw North Macedonia cruise to a 4-0 win in June 2021, though Kazakhstan played most of the match with 10 men after a first-half red card.

While Milevski’s men have been strong on the road recently (three wins and a draw in their last four away games), they had lost five straight before this run.

Will North Macedonia seize control of the group, or can Kazakhstan pull off an upset at home? Monday’s clash could be decisive.