Slovakia vs Kazakhstan: First Place Is Already Within Reach in Košice

Slovakia enter the second round of League C Group 3 with three points already secured and a clean sheet behind them.
Vladimír Weiss’s side opened the campaign by beating Moldova 2-0, with Ivan Schranz and Ondrej Duda providing the goals before the break.
Kazakhstan, meanwhile, began the group with a 1-1 draw away to the Faroe Islands after Temirlan Yerlanov cancelled out the early opener.
That leaves Slovakia top of the section on three points, while Kazakhstan and the Faroe Islands sit on one point each and Moldova have none.
The match is scheduled for 29 September at the Košická Futbalová Aréna, with kick-off at 20:45 CET according to the Slovak Football Association’s pre-match information.
With promotion to League B available to the group winner, the early table gives this meeting a clear competitive dimension without needing to look beyond the opening two matchdays.

The tactical contrast begins with Slovakia’s need to turn possession and territorial control into more decisive finishing.
Weiss said before the match that his team had been finding goals somewhat difficult despite scoring twice in every match under his current spell, making efficiency in the final third an explicit point of attention.
Kazakhstan showed against the Faroe Islands that they can threaten through quick vertical attacks, even while holding more possession during periods of the match.
John van ‘t Schip has also stressed the importance of using the spaces created when Slovakia lose the ball, identifying the home side’s transition game as one of the dangers his team must manage.
The Slovak midfield contains experienced control through Stanislav Lobotka and Ondrej Duda, while the forward group includes Ivan Schranz, Lukáš Haraslín and David Strelec.
For Kazakhstan, Nuraly Alip, Yan Vorogovskiy, Ramazan Orazov, Maxim Samorodov and Galymzhan Kenzhebek are among the players included in the official match squad list.

🚑 Injury & Availability Report

The latest official Slovak federation information confirms that the players who featured against Moldova remain available for the Kazakhstan match.
Mario Sauer and Hugo Pavek have also joined the senior group after appearing for Slovakia Under-21 against Ireland.
Matúš Bero is the clearly documented injury absence, with the Slovak federation reporting that a stress fracture of the foot ruled him out before the Nations League campaign began.
The current UEFA squad list for the match does not include Bero, while the federation’s latest pre-match report states that Weiss has the players from the Moldova match available.
For Kazakhstan, the Kazakhstan Football Federation’s official 28-man final squad contains the players registered for this Nations League window, and UEFA’s match-day squad list contains the players available for this fixture.
No separately named current injury absence for Kazakhstan is identified in the official federation material reviewed for this preview, so no unverified third-party injury has been added.

Kazakhstan’s official federation squad announcement names 28 players for the September and October Nations League programme, including the group travelling to Slovakia.
The squad is being managed by John van ‘t Schip, who took charge in August and has been working to establish a new playing structure in a short preparation period.
His first competitive match produced a 1-1 draw in the Faroe Islands, where Kazakhstan recovered from conceding after 15 minutes and earned a point through Yerlanov’s equaliser.
Van ‘t Schip subsequently described Slovakia as the group favourite because of their experienced players and recognised the danger of their counter-attacking game.
Weiss has an unusual personal connection with the visitors after previously coaching Kairat Almaty, meaning he knows several elements of Kazakh football and has spoken publicly about the development of the country’s league and academies.
The coaches’ pre-match comments therefore point toward a contest built around Slovakia’s attacking organisation against Kazakhstan’s ability to exploit open spaces after turnovers.

📋 Matchday Squads & Key Personnel

The official starting XIs had not been released in the UEFA squad information available for this pre-match article.
Rather than presenting predicted formations as confirmed team news, the tables below use only officially listed personnel and established roles.
Slovakia’s current UEFA squad includes Martin Dúbravka, Dominik Greif and Jakub Surovčík in goal, with Milan Škriniar, Dávid Hancko, Denis Vavro and Martin Valjent among the defenders.
Lobotka, Duda and Tomáš Rigo form part of the recognised midfield group, while Haraslín, Strelec, Schranz, Suslov and Boženík are among the available attacking options.
Kazakhstan’s official squad includes goalkeeper Stas Pokatilov, defenders Nuraly Alip and Yan Vorogovskiy, midfielders Ramazan Orazov and Georgi Zhukov, plus attackers Maxim Samorodov and Galymzhan Kenzhebek.
The final starting lineups should therefore be treated as pending until the official team sheets are released close to kick-off.

🗞️ The Pre-Match Conversation

The official pre-match discussion has centred on Slovakia’s position as the side expected to control more of the contest and Kazakhstan’s capacity to make that control uncomfortable.
Weiss has repeatedly spoken about respecting Kazakhstan’s mentality and work rate while demanding that his own players combine organisation with greater courage in attack.
Van ‘t Schip has acknowledged Slovakia’s experience and transition threat, but said Kazakhstan have enough confidence to compete and want to improve on their performance in the Faroe Islands.
The Slovak coach also expects the Košice crowd to provide additional energy, with the federation reporting more than 8,000 tickets sold on the eve of the match.
The historical record adds another layer: Slovakia lost both previous competitive meetings with Kazakhstan in the 2022 Nations League, including a 1-0 defeat in Slovakia and a 2-1 defeat in Kazakhstan.
That history is relevant background rather than a prediction, while the immediate sporting picture is defined by Slovakia’s three points and Kazakhstan’s opening draw.

• Competition: UEFA Nations League 2026/27, League C, Group C3
• Match: Slovakia vs Kazakhstan
• Date: 29 September 2026
• Venue: Košická Futbalová Aréna, Košice
• Kick-off: 20:45 CET
• Slovakia’s opening result: Slovakia 2-0 Moldova
• Kazakhstan’s opening result: Faroe Islands 1-1 Kazakhstan
• Group position before kick-off: Slovakia 1st, Kazakhstan 2nd
• Official starting XIs: Not yet released in the available pre-match squad information