Kazakhstan strive to gain first points
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
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One of only two teams yet to score in UEFA EURO 2012 qualifying, Kazakhstan are looking to break their duck as they tackle Azerbaijan in Group A.
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Kazakhstan will look to get points on the board at the sixth attempt as Azerbaijan cross the Caspian Sea to take on the back markers in UEFA EURO 2012 qualifying Group A.
• While Miroslav Beránek replaced Bernd Storck as Kazakhstan coach in early 2011, he could not spark an immediate upturn in his side's fortunes, as they lost 4-0 against Germany in Kaiserslautern in his first competitive game in charge on 26 March.
• Kazakhstan are one of six sides yet to secure a single point in UEFA EURO 2012 qualifying along with Andorra, Liechtenstein, Malta, San Marino and Wales – and one of two, along with San Marino, yet to score a qualifying goal.
• Azerbaijan sit one place above their opponents, their three points having come in a win against Turkey on 12 October.
• This will be the sixth game between the two former Soviet republics, who first met in a 28 April 2004 friendly game in Almaty, which Azerbaijan won 3-2. Kazakhstan avenged that defeat in a friendly in Shymkent on 9 March 2007, winning 1-0.
• The sides' only previous competitive meetings were in qualifying for UEFA EURO 2008, when they drew 1-1 in Baku on 6 September 2006 and 1-1 in Almaty on 6 June the following year.
• Their most recent meeting - in Antalya, Turkey on 3 February 2008 – ended goalless.