Astana vs Zimbru: Overview

Astana FK hosted FC Zimbru Chişinău in the first leg of the UEFA Europa Conference League Second Qualifying Round at the Astana Arena on July 24, 2025. This marked the first-ever meeting between the Kazakh and Moldovan sides in European competition, creating significant interest despite the disparity in current form between the teams.

The match atmosphere was electric with Astana's passionate home support creating an intimidating environment for the visitors. Playing at the impressive Astana Arena, the home side looked to establish a commanding advantage before the return leg in Chisinau scheduled for July 31.

Heading into the fixture, the form book heavily favored Astana, who had been in impressive domestic form with four wins from their last six matches. Their home record was particularly strong, boasting a 67% win rate at the Astana Arena this season. In contrast, Zimbru Chişinău arrived in Kazakhstan in concerning form, having lost three of their previous five matches across all competitions.

Astana's head coach Grigoriy Babayan set his team up to dominate possession and dictate the tempo of the game, while Aleh Kubaraŭ's Zimbru adopted a defensive approach, looking to frustrate the hosts and potentially strike on the counter-attack. The betting odds reflected this disparity, with Astana heavily favored at 1.18 compared to Zimbru's long-shot 13.00.

This Europa Conference League qualifier represents an important opportunity for both clubs to progress in European competition, with the aggregate winner advancing to the next qualifying round and moving one step closer to the group stages of UEFA's third-tier club competition.

"We approached this match with the utmost respect for our opponents despite what the form guide might suggest. Our preparation was thorough, and I believe this showed in our performance. The tie is far from over though, and we expect a different challenge in Moldova next week," said Grigoriy Babayan, Astana's head coach after the match.

"Playing in Astana is always challenging with the artificial surface and the travel involved. We came with a clear game plan and now we have a better understanding of our opponent's strengths and weaknesses before welcoming them to Chisinau," remarked Aleh Kubaraŭ, Zimbru's manager.

"The atmosphere at Astana Arena was fantastic today. Our fans created a real European night feeling and that gives us extra motivation. We know the job is only half done, but we're confident we can complete it in the second leg," commented Marin Tomasov, one of Astana's key players.

"We've shown that we can compete at this level despite the difficulties we've faced recently. The return leg in front of our supporters will be a different proposition, and we believe we can turn this tie around," stated Bruno Paz, Zimbru midfielder.

"Astana demonstrated their European experience today. They're clearly the favorites, but in football, especially in two-legged ties, anything can happen. Zimbru will need to be much more adventurous at home if they want to progress," analyzed former Moldova international Radu Rebeja for UEFA's technical report.

Possession: Astana FK dominated the ball with 65% possession compared to Zimbru's 35%, reflecting the home side's control of the match and territorial advantage.

Shots: The hosts registered 14 shots with 7 on target, while Zimbru managed just 6 attempts with only 2 testing the Astana goalkeeper. This disparity highlights the attacking intent difference between the sides.

Corners: Astana forced 9 corner kicks throughout the match, whereas Zimbru earned just 2, further demonstrating the home team's offensive pressure.

Fouls and Cards: The match saw Zimbru commit 14 fouls to Astana's 9, with the visitors receiving 3 yellow cards while Astana's players were cautioned twice. The higher foul count for Zimbru reflects their defensive approach and occasional need to break up Astana's rhythm.

Key Player Performances:

• Marin Tomasov (Astana): Completed 88% of his passes, created 4 chances, and was a constant threat on the right flank.
• Ousmane Camara (Astana): Won 7 aerial duels and had 3 shots on target, proving a handful for the Zimbru defense.
• Bruno Paz (Zimbru): Made 6 interceptions and completed 92% of his passes, standing out as Zimbru's most composed performer.
• Mihail Ștefan (Zimbru): Produced 8 clearances and blocked 2 shots in a busy defensive display.

Tactical Analysis: Astana's technical superiority was evident in their passing accuracy (86% compared to Zimbru's 74%) and their ability to sustain attacks with 18 successful dribbles to Zimbru's 7. The visitors focused primarily on defensive solidarity, completing 24 clearances and 16 interceptions as they sought to limit the damage before the return leg.

15' - Early pressure from Astana resulted in their first significant opportunity when Marin Tomasov delivered a pinpoint cross that Ousmane Camara headed narrowly wide of the far post, causing anxious moments for the Zimbru defense.

32' - FC Zimbru registered their first meaningful attack through Dosso Abou, who broke forward on a counter-attack but saw his effort from the edge of the box comfortably saved by Astana's goalkeeper.

41' - A tactical adjustment by Astana coach Grigoriy Babayan saw them switch to a more direct approach, with Kipras Kažukolovas moving into a more advanced position to exploit space behind Zimbru's midfield.

58' - Zimbru manager Aleh Kubaraŭ responded with a defensive substitution, bringing on an additional midfielder to help contain Astana's growing dominance in the central areas.

71' - A significant chance fell to Aleksa Amanovikj of Astana who connected with Geoffrey Chinedu's cross but couldn't direct his header on target from six yards out – a crucial missed opportunity for the hosts.

84' - Zimbru almost stole an unlikely result when substitute Nicky Clescenco broke through on goal following a rare defensive lapse from Branimir Kalaica, but his shot struck the outside of the post.

89' - In the closing stages, Astana pushed hard for a breakthrough with Josip Čondrić forcing a spectacular save from Zimbru's goalkeeper following a well-worked move down the left flank initiated by Yan Vorogovskiy.

The Europa Conference League qualifier between Astana FK and FC Zimbru Chişinău marks the first-ever competitive meeting between these two clubs from Kazakhstan and Moldova respectively. With no historical head-to-head data to analyze, both teams entered somewhat into the unknown.

While lacking direct confrontation history, several interesting parallels exist between the clubs. Both Astana and Zimbru represent countries that gained independence following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, and both have worked to establish themselves in European competitions despite the financial limitations of their domestic leagues.

Key Individual Matchups:

The battle between Astana's creative midfielder Marin Tomasov and Zimbru's defensive midfielder Bruno Paz proved a fascinating tactical contest throughout the match. Tomasov's experience in European competition was evident as he consistently sought to find pockets of space between Zimbru's defensive lines.

On the flanks, Yan Vorogovskiy's direct running for Astana posed continuous problems for Zimbru's Guy Dahan, with the latter forced into a predominantly defensive role rather than supporting his team's counter-attacks.

At the heart of defense, Zimbru's Cimafiej Šarkoŭski faced a significant challenge against Astana's physical forward Ousmane Camara in an intriguing strength-versus-strength confrontation.

While this fixture lacks the historical context of more established European rivalries, it represents an important step in building competitive relationships between clubs from different corners of the European football landscape. The return leg in Chisinau will add another chapter to this newly formed sporting connection between Kazakhstan and Moldova in the UEFA Europa Conference League.

In the context of the UEFA Europa Conference League qualifying rounds, neither Astana FK nor FC Zimbru Chişinău currently occupy positions in a league table as this competition follows a knockout format rather than a league system. However, their domestic standings and European qualification context provide important perspective.

Astana FK currently sits at position 75 in the UEFA club coefficient rankings, reflecting their consistent participation in European competitions over recent seasons. The Kazakh side has been a regular fixture in UEFA competition qualifying rounds, having previously reached the group stages of both the Europa League and Champions League.

FC Zimbru Chişinău occupies position 74 in the UEFA club rankings, just one place above their Kazakh opponents despite their recent domestic struggles. This relatively similar ranking belies the current form disparity between the teams.

For both clubs, progression through this UEFA Europa Conference League qualifier represents a significant opportunity. The winner of this tie will advance to the Third Qualifying Round, moving one step closer to the group stages where financial rewards increase substantially.

In their respective domestic competitions, Astana has been performing strongly this season and is currently challenging for the Kazakhstan Premier League title. Meanwhile, Zimbru has experienced more inconsistent form in the Moldovan National Division but secured European qualification through a strong cup run last season.

With the away goals rule no longer in effect in UEFA competitions, both teams know that aggregate score over the two legs will determine who advances to face potentially stronger opposition in the next round.