Preview: Kazakhstan vs Wales - prediction, team news, lineups

Sports Mole previews Thursday's World Cup Qualifying - Europe clash between Kazakhstan and Wales, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.

Wales will resume their attempt to reach a second successive World Cup on Thursday, when they meet Group J outsiders Kazakhstan in Astana.

Four games down the road to next year’s finals, the Dragons won the reverse fixture 3-1 in Cardiff and currently sit second in the table.

Match preview

Wales have made a fine start to life under Craig Bellamy, as after winning promotion to the UEFA Nations League’s top tier at the end of last year, they claimed seven points from their first four World Cup 2026 qualifiers.

Also the top scorers in Group J so far, with 10 goals on the board, the Dragons followed an opening win over Kazakhstan by snatching a last-gasp point in North Macedonia, where David Brooks saved their skin.

Then, after cruising to a 3-0 home win over Liechtenstein, Wales came close to stunning group favourites Belgium, fighting back from three goals down in Brussels before Kevin De Bruyne's late strike consigned them to defeat.

Bellamy's nine-match unbeaten streak therefore came to an end, but his team still sit second in the standings, just a point behind leaders North Macedonia - albeit Belgium have two games in hand.

Having won only two of their last 14 away matches, Wales now face a long trip to the Kazakh capital - but victory is surely essential if they are to eventually claim a top-two finish.

So, before completing the current international window with a friendly against Canada in Swansea, Bellamy’s boys will aim to take maximum points at Astana Arena.

Kazakhstan have only met Wales once before - coming out second-best back in March - and they trail Thursday’s visitors by four points in Group J.

Currently ranked 114th in the world by FIFA - 31 places lower than their best-ever ranking - their next opponents also sit 83 spots above them in the global standings.

Only scoring three goals so far, Ali Aliyev’s side have recorded one win and two losses: after their 3-1 reverse in Wales, they went on to beat Liechtenstein 2-0 before losing 1-0 to North Macedonia.

The Hawks have now lost 13 of their last 16 matches across all competitions, with their only other success during that time coming in a friendly against Curacao.

Stretching further back, the Kazakhs last won a World Cup qualifier on home turf some 12 years ago, further highlighting the size of their task.

Kazakhstan World Cup Qualifying - Europe form: L W L

Kazakhstan form (all competitions): L W L W L L

Wales World Cup Qualifying - Europe form: W D W L

Wales form (all competitions): D W W D W L

Team News

Craig Bellamy has left Cymru captain Aaron Ramsey out of his squad for this month’s camp due to a lack of match fitness, while two more Wales regulars will also miss out.

Goalkeeper Danny Ward was taken off injured during Wrexham's weekend win at Millwall, and he joins Leeds United’s Ethan Ampadu on the sidelines.

Unlikely to feature on Thursday, Cardiff City duo Dylan Lawlor and Ronan Kpakio have been included for the first time, along with Coventry City midfielder Kai Andrews, who is also uncapped at senior level.

Both set to start, Harry Wilson has scored six times since Bellamy’s arrival, while Sorba Thomas has also stepped up recent months, notably making two assists in the reverse fixture; they should join Brennan Johnson in the final third.

Meanwhile, Russia-based forwards Maksim Samorodov and Bakhtiyar Zaynutdinov provide Kazakhstan’s attacking threat - the latter scores at a rate of one goal per three games for his country.

The Hawks will be without former captain Askhat Tagybergen - who scored from the spot in Cardiff but subsequently retired from international football - and injured Kairat goalkeeper Alexander Zarutskyi.

So, FC Astana's Mukhammedzhan Seysen should start between the posts at his home ground.

Kazakhstan possible starting lineup: Seysen; Tapalov, Alip, Maliye, Kairov, Vorogovskiy; Chesnokov, Muzhikov, Orazov, Zaynutdinov; Samorodov

Wales possible starting lineup: Darlow; Williams, Mepham, Rodon, Davies; James, Sheehan; Johnson, Wilson, Thomas; Moore

We say: Kazakhstan 1-2 Wales

Keeping themselves in contention for a top-two finish - and therefore at least a playoff - Wales can do the double over Kazakhstan.

Never an easy trip to undertake, the Dragons may be made to sweat in the Kazakh capital before winning by a single goal.

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