Champions League: FC Kairat 0 Celtic 0 (0-0 on aggregate, Kairat win 3-2 on penalties)
Beyond midnight, many miles beyond the borders of Europe, a rookie goalkeeper by the name of Temirlan Anarbekov wrote his name into Celtic infamy, the 21-year-old making the penalty shoot-out saves that guided Kairat Almaty of Kazakhstan into the Champions League group stage.
Adam Idah, Luke McCowan and Daizen Maeda saw their attempts saved by a keeper turned to in emergency. Kasper Schmeichel, his opposite number, could only offer congratulations as Celtic incurred the heavy cost of a poor performance and even worse composure from the spot.
The Celtic board’s unpopular decision to wait to do transfer business until Champions League qualification was banked now appears prudent, though a lack of fresh attacking talent looked the team’s problem. Where this failure leaves Brendan Rodgers’ reign is another question. The Champions League group stage was worth four times the qualification revenue and win bonuses of the Europa League. The greater weight of history and destiny lay with Kairat. From Kazakhstan, only Astana, a decade ago, had previously reached the Champions League group stage.
RM Block
Domestic dominance allowed rotation and rest from a weekend defeat of Livingston but a lack of quality peers is suboptimal for a key engagement so early in the campaign. A lack of sharpness and fresh talent had caused fretting among Bhoys supporters, 300 of whom travelled 3,500 miles to Central Asia. It continued in Almaty.
Celtic were chasing their first win in Kazakhstan in four visits, the furthest the club has travelled for a competitive fixture since 1967 and the Intercontinental Cup wrestling with Racing Club. A hot evening in an open-plan, hostile stadium saw Rodgers’ team struggling to break down an opponent as compact as they had been at Parkhead. Celtic’s hopes of dominating possession were thwarted by energetic opponents.
It was midway through the first half when James Forrest had the first Celtic chance, his header created by Reo Hatate and Maeda, saved by Anarbekov, laying his early marker. That was as exciting as it got within a drab first half, high stakes flatlining entertainment value, Celtic failing to exert superiority over motivated opponents.
Amid humidity and high altitude, their levels dropped even from the first leg. Callum McGregor’s blocked shot was their second, and last, effort of the half. Such scrappiness continued beyond the break. Rodgers made copious notes during the first half but his team still lacked fluency. Schmeichel almost came to grief when McGregor volleyed the ball back in his direction. In panic, the keeper punched the ball. An indirect free-kick resulted, on the edge of the six-yard box. It was slipped to Jorginho who could only clatter into a mass of hooped shirts. Calls that Maeda had handball the shot were taken to the video assistant. Not given to the relief of Celtic.
As Celtic’s discomfort continued, the chance that a single goal would decide it increased. Rodgers’ team did not create nearly enough chances, the passing radars malfunctioning. On came Idah and Arne Engels. That brought added control in midfield but a first second-half attempt on the Kairat goal did not arrive until the 77th minute, Engels blazing over.
Extra-time and midnight local time beckoned, only for a golden chance to fall Maeda’s way. Played clean through by McGregor, Anarbekov surging out, a wealth of options were presented but the finish lacked composure. Thus, 180 minutes of stalemate completed, another 30 followed. When Idah seized on a loose ball, Hatate’s goalbound shot was blocked. McGregor, in space, blazed over. Benjamin Nygren also forced a save as Celtic stepped it up against tiring opponents who had recognised their best chance of progress lay in the shoot-out.
The second half of added time saw the substitute McCowan skid a shot at Anarbekov, Maeda unable to scramble home the rebound. Nygren had another shot saved at the near post, as concerted Celtic pressure at last arrived but Kairat held them at bay, Penalties would decide the far less lucrative fork in the road Celtic must now take. – Guardian
