Kairat Ashirbekov made the breakthrough two minutes into the second half, and Nurbol Zhumaskaliyev doubled the advantage just after the hour mark to put the hosts on course for their first win of the qualifying campaign.

Racing Santander striker Nikola Zigic pulled one back for Javier Clemente's visitors midway through the second period to ensure a nervy end, but Kazakhstan held on for a famous victory.

Zigic let his frustrations get the better of him in injury time and was given his marching orders for violent conduct.

Despite their lowly position in the group table, the home side started brightly with Vladimir Stojkovic forced to parry Zhumaskaliyev's left-footed drive in the eighth minute.

Murat Suyumagambetov also tested Stojkovic from distance, but the Serbia goalkeeper was equal to his effort.

After a goalless first half, the game sprung into life immediately in the second period when Ashirbekov fired a right-footed shot into the bottom-left corner to put Kazakhstan ahead.

Serbia looked for an instant response through Milos Krasic, but the CSKA Moscow man saw his close-range shot tipped to safety by home keeper David Loria.

Manchester United defender Nemanja Vidic was next to go close when he met Krasic's corner but his header flew just over the bar.

Kazakhstan were keen to protect what they had, and were in no rush to keep the game moving. Loria was cautioned for time-wasting before even an hour had passed.

However, in the 61st minute, the home team had a two-goal cushion when Ruslan Baltiyev's inswinging corner was headed high into the centre of the goal from six yards out by Zhumaskaliyev.

The advantage was soon reduced back to one when Zigic headed Milan Stepanov's long pass into the bottom-right corner seven minutes later to give Serbia hope.

But they could not find the equaliser and slipped to their first defeat of the qualifying campaign.

Sergey Skorykh even came close to extending Kazakhstan's lead seven minutes from time but was denied by a brilliant save from Stojkovic.

Serbia's misery was compounded in the fourth minute of stoppage time when Zigic was shown a red card for a nasty foul on Skorykh.