A young, stand-in goalkeeper was the hero as Celtic suffered a devastating penalty shootout defeat in Kazakhstan, crashing out of the Champions League and into the Europa League.
On a difficult night in Almaty, a goalless 210 minutes of football culminated in a dramatic penalty decider. Kairat Almaty’s 21-year-old reserve keeper, Temirlan Anarbekov, made three crucial saves to deny Adam Idah, Luke McCowan, and Daizen Maeda from the spot, sending the Kazakh side through to the group stage.
For Celtic, the defeat represents a massive financial and sporting blow. Qualification for the revamped Champions League would have secured a revenue stream vastly superior to that of the Europa League. Instead, the Scottish champions were left to rue a performance their manager, Brendan Rodgers, described as “very frustrating.”
“We showed a glimpse of what we can do at this level a year ago,” a visibly disappointed Rodgers stated after the match. “But we haven’t been able to show that over the course of these two games.”
The match itself was a scrappy, tense affair with few clear-cut chances. Celtic struggled to break down a determined Kairat side in the humid, high-altitude conditions. Their best opportunity in regular time fell to Daizen Maeda in extra time, but with only the keeper to beat, he failed to convert.
Captain Callum McGregor summed up the mood in the camp. “We are so disappointed,” he said. “It shows you that on any given night you have to be on the level. If you don’t quite carry the luck and you’re not quite there, then you won’t go through.”
The result is sure to intensify scrutiny on the club’s board and its transfer strategy, with a pivotal derby against Rangers looming this weekend. For Kairat Almaty, however, the victory marks a historic achievement, making them only the second club from Kazakhstan to ever reach the Champions League group stage.
