Astana stun Apoel to become first Kazakh team in Champions League

Astana has become the first Kazakh soccer team to qualify for the group stage of the Champions League, Europe's premier club competition, rferl.org reports.

Astana tied APOEL 1-1 in Cyprus on August 26, getting a goal in the 84th minute by Nemanja Maksimovic. That was enough to go through 2-1 on aggregate after winning the first game in Kazakhstan 1-0.

Astana, a team backed by Kazkahstan's sovereign-wealth fund Samruk-Kazyna, is the most remote of all the clubs in the group stage.

Source: rferl.org