Defending champions Kairat Almaty suffered a shock 4-1 home defeat to Tobol Kostanay in matchday 26 of the Kazakhstan Premier League 2026, falling behind Ordabasy Shymkent once again in the race for gold, reports infohub.kz.

After the Shymkent side's 1-0 win over Astana yesterday, Kairat were expected to keep pace. But Rafael Urazbakhtin's men failed to leapfrog Ordabasy. The unexpected home collapse against Tobol left the Almaty club second in the title chase.

Kairat's only goal came from Mark Gual. The Spaniard's strike came between goals from Serbia's Uroš Milovanović, who beat Temirlan Anarbekov twice before the break.

The hosts' attempts to fight back after the interval came to nothing. Moreover, Belarusian Vitali Lisakovich and Venezuelan Luis Guerra completely undid the reigning champions. The heavy defeat at Central Stadium could prove fatal to Kairat's title defence.

KAZAKHSTAN PREMIER LEAGUE 2026

Matchday 26

September 13

⚽ KAIRAT (Almaty) – TOBOL (Kostanay) 1-4 (1-2). Goals: Milovanović 18 pen (0-1), Gual 40 (1-1), Milovanović 44 (1-2), Lisakovich 63 (1-3), Guerra 80 (1-4)

⚽ IRTYSH (Pavlodar) – OKZHETPES (Kokshetau) 2-1 (2-0). Goals: Kalil 17 (1-0), Kalil 33 (2-0), Omirtaev 72 (2-1)

⚽ ULYTAU (Zhezkazgan) – ALTAI (Ust-Kamenogorsk) 0-3 (0-0). Goals: Dodev 58 (0-1), Popov 72 (0-2), Popov 88 (0-3)

September 12

⚽ ORDABASY (Shymkent) – ASTANA 1-0 (0-0). Goal: Amir 78

⚽ CASPIAN (Aktau) – AKTOBE 1-2 (0-1). Goals: Sosa 39 (0-1), Ojo 72 (0-2), Morgado 87 (1-2). Missed penalty: Shushenachev (A, 39) saved by goalkeeper

⚽ ELIMAI (Semey) – ZHETISU (Taldykorgan) 2-1 (2-1). Goals: Zivanović 7 (0-1), Plakka 17 (1-1), Murtazaev 21 (2-1)

⚽ ZHENIS (Astana) – KYZYLZHAR (Petropavl) 3-1 (1-1). Goals: Imnadze 31 (1-0), Urošević 35 (1-1), Imnadze 74 (2-1), Elder Santana 90+3 pen (3-1)

⚽ KAISAR (Kyzylorda) – ATYRAU 1-0 (0-0). Goal: Cuckić 83. Sent off: Muhamed (K, 90+2)

The upset in Almaty was not the only surprise on the second day of matchday 26. Irtysh and Altai, both fighting relegation, won in unison. The Pavlodar side beat Okzhetpes 2-1 at home, while the Kokshetau club still hopes for bronze. Altai dismantled Ulytau 3-0 in Zhezkazgan. Both matches produced braces, each for the winners: Brazilian Leo Kalil of Pavlodar and Ust-Kamenogorsk's Saif Popov.

Matchday 27 of the KPL 2026 is scheduled for this Thursday and Friday. On September 17, Astana will face Kairat, Atyrau will play Ordabasy, and Tobol will meet Elimai. On September 18, the fixtures are Okzhetpes vs Zhenis, Aktobe vs Ulytau, Zhetisu vs Caspian, Altai vs Irtysh, and Kyzylzhar vs Kaisar.