EUROPEAN QUALIFIERS - 2014/16 SEASON MATCH PRESS KITS Astana Arena - Astana Tuesday 9 September 2014 18.00CET (22.00 local time) Kazakhstan Group A - Matchday 1 Last updated 05/06/2015 08:32CET

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Head coach 2 Legend 3

1 Kazakhstan - Latvia Tuesday 9 September 2014 - 18.00CET (22.00 local time) Match press kit Astana Arena, Astana

Head coach Kazakhstan: Yuri Krasnozhan Date of birth: 7 June 1963 Nationality: Russian Playing career: PFC Spartak Nalchik, FC Avtozapchast Baksan Coaching career: FC Avtozapchast Baksan (assistant), PFC Spartak Nalchik, FC Lokomotiv Moskva, FC Anji Makhachkala, FC Kuban Krasnodar, FC Terek Grozny, Russia B, Kazakhstan • An unremarkable player with Nalchik and Avtozapchast, Krasnozhan moved into coaching in the 1990s, making his name during a six-year spell in charge of Nalchik, whom he led into the Russian top flight on a modest budget after finishing second in the second tier in 2005. • A sixth-placed finish with Nalchik in 2010 prompted Lokomotiv to bring Krasnozhan to Moscow, but he lasted just six months. He took the Anji helm in 2011, yet stepped down after only two months with the ambitious Dagestan club. • Similarly inconclusive spells in the Kuban and Terek dugouts followed for the former coach of Russia's B national team. • Having struck up a relationship with the Football Federation of Kazakhstan (KFF) the previous year – visiting to watch the Super Cup – Krasnozhan replaced Czech Miroslav Beránek as Kazakhstan boss in February 2014, signing a two-year deal. Latvia: Date of birth: 5 August 1976 Nationality: Latvian Playing career: FK Pārdaugava, Skonto Metall FC, Skonto FC (twice), Southampton FC, Anorthosis Famagusta FC, FC Jūrmala Coaching career: Skonto FC, Latvia Under-21s, Latvia • Born in the village of Chornobai in central Ukraine, he moved to Latvia – his parents' homeland – while young and undertook his football education in before making his senior debut at Skonto in 1995. He won the league title in each of his first four seasons, and the double in three of them. • Transferred to English Premier League outfit Southampton in 1999, where the diminutive forward became a firm fans' favourite. Known as the 'Latvian Owen' after England striker , he spent seven successful years with the Saints, despite a succession of injuries. • After a year with Anorthosis, lifting the Cypriot Cup, Pahars returned to Latvia and Skonto, ending his career at Jūrmala in 2009. He accepted a role as assistant to at Skonto the following year. • Skonto claimed the 2010 championship and Pahars replaced Starkovs at the helm the next year. His first term in the hot seat brought the Latvian Cup and a runners-up finish in the First Division, though Pahars soon left as Skonto were suffering off-the-pitch problems. • Pahars was out of football for just two months before taking charge of Latvia's U21 side. His tenure lasted a solitary game as Starkovs' unexpected decision to step down as senior team boss last summer prompted the younger man's immediate promotion on a contract until 2018.

2 Kazakhstan - Latvia Tuesday 9 September 2014 - 18.00CET (22.00 local time) Match press kit Astana Arena, Astana Legend

:: Previous meetings

Goals for/against: Goal totals include the outcome of disciplinary decisions (e.g. match forfeits when a 3-0 result is determined). Goals totals do not include goals scored during a penalty shoot-out after a tie ended in a draw

:: Squad list

Qual.: Total European Qualifiers appearances/goals for UEFA EURO 2016 only. FT: Total UEFA EURO 2016 appearances/goals in final tournament only. Overall: Total international appearances/goals. DoB: Date of birth Age: Based on the date press kit was last updated D: Disciplinary (*: misses next match if booked, S: suspended)

:: Team facts

EURO finals: The UEFA European Championship was a four-team event in 1960, 1964, 1968, 1972 and 1976 (when the preliminary round and quarter-finals were considered part of qualifying).

From 1980 it was expanded to an eight-team finals and remained in that format in 1984, 1988 and 1992 until 1996, when the 16-team format was adopted. UEFA EURO 2016 is the first tournament to be played as a 24-team finals.

Records of inactive countries A number of UEFA associations have been affected by dissolution or splits of member associations. For statistical purposes, the records of these inactive countries have been allocated elsewhere: therefore, all Soviet Union matches are awarded to Russia; all West Germany – but not East Germany – matches are awarded to Germany; all Yugoslavia and Serbia & Montenegro matches are awarded to Serbia; all Czechoslovakia matches are allocated to both the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

Abandoned/forfeited matches For statisical purposes, when a match has been started and then abandoned but later forfeited, the result on the pitch at the time of abandonment is counted. Matches that never started and were either cancelled or forfeited are not included in the overall statistics. Competitions Other abbreviations (aet): After extra time pens: Penalties No.: Number og: Own goal ag: Match decided on away goals P: Penalty agg: Aggregate Pld: Matches played AP: Appearances Pos.: Position Comp.: Competition Pts: Points D: Drawn R: Sent off (straight red card) DoB: Date of birth Res.: Result ET: Extra Time sg: Match decided by silver goal GA: Goals against t: Match decided by toss of a coin GF: Goals for W: Won gg: Match decided by golden goal Y: Booked L: Lost Y/R: Sent off (two yellow cards) Nat.: Nationality N/A: Not applicable Disclaimer: Although UEFA has taken all reasonable care that the information contained within this document is accurate at the time of publication, no representation or guarantee (including liability towards third parties), expressed or implied, is made as to its accuracy, reliability or completeness. Therefore, UEFA assumes no liability for the use or interpretation of information contained herein. More information can be found in the competition regulations available on UEFA.com.

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