Belgium’s hopes of confirming their place at the 2026 World Cup were postponed after they could not overcome a determined Kazakhstan side.

The group leaders arrived expecting another straightforward outing following their dominant six-goal display in the previous encounter.

However, the match took an unexpected turn when the home team struck first, with 17-year-old Dastan Satpayev finding a gap at Matz Sels’ near post.

Despite sustained pressure, the away team struggled to break through before the interval.

Belgium fight back but fall short

Kazakhstan’s goalkeeper, Temirlan Anarbekov, repeatedly frustrated Belgian attempts, producing several important interventions.

The breakthrough finally arrived shortly after the restart, when Hans Vanaken guided a header into the net from a Timothy Castagne delivery.

Belgium increased the tempo as they hunted a decisive goal but continued to meet resistance across the pitch. Manchester City winger Jérémy Doku came closest, dragging an inviting chance wide as time began to run out.

Kazakhstan hold on with ten men

The hosts faced a tougher challenge late in the contest after Islam Chesnokov received a red card, forcing Kazakhstan to finish a player down.

Even with the numerical advantage, Belgium could not turn possession into a match-winning strike.

Kazakhstan remained compact and disciplined, securing an unexpected result that halted the group leaders’ celebrations.

Belgium still sits at the summit and can book their ticket with a victory against Liechtenstein on Tuesday.