"I Have Been Working Towards This For A Long Time": Kazakhstan Premier League Title Inspires National Team Player

Talgat Kusyapov has expressed his delight after winning the Kazakhstan Premier League title with FC Astana.

The defender played a key role in Astana's success, helping them to keep 14 clean sheets in 26 games.

Kusyapov has been in impressive form for both club and country in recent months, and he is now hoping to help Kazakhstan qualify for their first major tournament.

“I have been working towards this for a long time,” said Kusyapov. “It is a dream come true to win the league title with Astana.

“I am so proud of my team-mates and the coaching staff. We have worked so hard all season and we deserve this success.

“I hope that this title win will give us confidence going into the upcoming international matches. We have a good team and we are capable of qualifying for the Euros.

Kusyapov’s comments come after Astana secured the league title with a 3-1 win over Tobol on Saturday. The victory gave Astana an unassailable lead at the top of the table with just two games remaining.

Astana’s title win is their sixth in the last seven years. They have also won the Kazakhstan Cup three times in that period.

Kusyapov has been a key player for Astana since joining the club in 2018. He has made over 100 appearances for the club and has won four major trophies.

The defender is also a regular for the Kazakhstan national team. He has made over 20 appearances for his country and was part of the squad that reached the semi-finals of the 2019 AFC Asian Cup.