Kazakhstan were fortunate to salvage a point from their home game against Azerbaijan despite being reduced to 10 men thanks to defender Maksim Zhalmagambetov's expulsion due to violent behavior. Kazakhstan started the Euro 2008 qualifier game in fine fashion and would have been ahead after 20 minutes when Dmitriy Byakov found Zhumaskaliyev, but the resulting shot went wide off Azerbaijan keeper Jahangir Hasanzade's goal.

Jeykhun Sultanov of Azerbaijan then sent in a teaser of a shot from 20 yards out as Kazakhstan keeper David Loria appeared to be stranded. But his shot went wide as did another one from 12 yards out. Right on the half hour mark Sultanov's inswinging corner managed to ferret out Vugar Nadyrov, whose precise tap sent the ball into the bottom corner.

Just before half time the game turned into a nightmare as referee Albert Toussaint sent away Zhalmagambetov, thus reducing Kazakhstan to 10 men. After the break, the home team tried to put up a semblance of a fight, but they were very lucky to break even in the 53rd minute when Nurbol Zhumaskaliyev's left-wing cross went over the line thanks to shoddy defending by Azerbaijan defender Samir Abbasov and enterprising footwork by Kazakhstan midfielder Ruslan Baltiev.

Baltiyev also had a chance to turn the game in Kazakhstan's favor, but his shot late on just went off wide of the Azerbaijan post. The game ended in a stalemate and Kazakhstan happily settled for a point after being reduced to 10 men.

Kazakhstan are on the seventh position in Group A with six points from eight games, while Azerbaijan are on the last spot with five points from eight matches played so far. Kazakhstan v Azerbaijan finished 1-1.