‘Disappointing’ Celtic fluff Champions League chance in Kazakh shoot-out
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Kairat's Jorginho and teammates celebrate after winning the penalty shootout on Aug 27.
PHOTO: REUTERS
ALMATY – Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers said it was “hugely disappointing” that his side crashed out of the Champions League play-offs on Aug 26, after missing three spot-kicks in a humiliating penalty shoot-out loss to Kazakh side FC Kairat.
Kazakh Premier League champions Kairat, who had already come through three qualifying rounds, go into the hat for the Aug 28 draw for the Champions League proper for the first time.
There they can hope to rub shoulders with the likes of superpowers like defending champions Paris Saint-Germain of France and La Liga giants Real Madrid.
Celtic, meanwhile, must console themselves with a place in the Europa League.
“It’s hugely disappointing and I really feel for the supporters who have travelled all the way to be here, the effort and commitment they’ve shown to be here,” said Rodgers.
“We’re bitterly disappointed for them as well as ourselves.”
With neither side able to score in 210 minutes of football across the two legs, it came down to penalties which Kairat won 3-2.
Celtic, the 1967 European Cup winners, are faced with a 5,600km trip home from Kazakhstan ruing two dreadful stalemates and a badly fluffed shoot-out.
Japan forward Daizen Maeda missed the decisive penalty after Celtic had been left reeling when Kairat goalkeeper Temirlan Anarbekov saved Irish forward Adam Idah’s opening effort and then Scottish midfielder Luke McCowan’s weak second spot-kick.
Rodgers blamed the quality of the pitch for his team’s failure to score, while the home side were cheered on in an electric atmosphere.
“The pitch made it awful. We were defensively okay but couldn’t quite make the breakthrough,” he said.
Arne Engels and Callum McGregor converted their penalties but to no avail.
“They made it stuffy and credit to them, over the two games they defended really well,” said Celtic captain McGregor.
“Over the two legs, we didn’t do enough to hurt them.”
The game was locked after the first-leg goal-less draw at Celtic Park and the two sides played out a second 0-0 stalemate, despite a late flurry from the visitors in extra time.
Maeda was through on goal as full time approached but sent a shot over the bar with just the goalkeeper to beat.
“We had good chances, especially in the second half,” Rodgers added. “When it goes to penalties, anything can happen.”
Elsewhere, Bodo/Glimt of Norway beat Austria’s Sturm Graz 6-2 on aggregate despite a 2-1 defeat.
Pafos of Cyprus beat Red Star Belgrade 3-2 overall by holding the Serbian side to a 1-1 second-leg draw.
The winners of all seven play-off ties advance to the Champions League, while the defeated sides drop to the Europa League. AFP
