A goal in the snow earns him a new contract

Midfielder Július Szöke will continue playing for Shakhter Karagandy next season

Great satisfaction! Július Szöke, the 21-year-old defensive midfielder for Kazakhstan’s Shakhter Karagandy, is wrapping up his first season with the club this weekend, and he already has every reason to feel positive. In their last match, Shakhter defeated Zhetysu 4–1, securing their place in the league—thanks in part to an opening goal from the Hnúšťa native. “We were expecting a very tough match, mainly because of how important it was. It was a classic six-pointer. Three days before the game, heavy snow fell in Karagandy, and as the more technical team, we could have been slowed down by that. But we controlled the match from the first minutes and were up 2–0 by halftime,” says Július Szöke.

His moment came in the 12th minute. “The Dutchman Desley Ubbink sent in a free kick to the far post, where the Belarusian Ivan Sadovnichiy won the aerial duel and directed the ball toward goal. I reacted quickly and, in a sliding effort, managed to tap the ball past the keeper. Despite the heavy snow, we dominated the entire match and added a third and fourth goal. The one goal we conceded late on was simply due to a lapse in focus,” Szöke smiles.

This was his third goal for Shakhter in a short span. In September, he scored against Zhetysu away, followed by a goal in Oral against Akzhayik, and now another goal against Zhetysu at home. After the match, celebrations broke out. Shakhter—featuring fellow Slovaks Štefan Zošák and Filip Serečin, as well as Slovak fitness coach Michal Lacena—had officially secured their top-flight status. Saturday’s game at FC Taraz will be a formality for Shakhter, though not for Taraz, who still need points. “Even now, several months later, I can say I made the right decision. I don’t regret going to Kazakhstan,” Szöke says.

Earlier this week, Július Szöke signed a new contract with Shakhter. “I was really happy. The negotiations went smoothly, and I’m grateful to my agent, Jozef Tokos, for that. It all came together with the signature, and I have to say everyone is satisfied. I’m already looking forward to the new season,” adds Szöke, who will soon be heading back to Slovakia for a visit.