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Celtic have plenty of work to do to reach the league phase of the Champions League after drawing a blank in a 0-0 first-leg draw of their play-off against Kazakh side Kairat Almaty at Parkhead.
Frustrations at Celtic Park boiled over off the pitch too, as the home fans chanted ‘sack the board’ throughout after an underwhelming summer transfer window so far.
In Brendan Rodgers’ 800th match as a manager, there was no traditional early onslaught by the Hoops as the accomplished Kazakh champions more than matched their hosts.
However, with Hyun-Jun Yang on for Adam Idah and Daizen Maeda moving to centre forward at the start of the second half, Celtic stepped up the pace and piled on the pressure in the later stages, but could not find a way through despite 10 added minutes.
After Saturday’s home Scottish Premiership game against Livingston, Celtic will get ready for the return leg in Kazakhstan next Tuesday night, which involves a 7,000-mile round trip, knowing qualification requires perhaps more work than many anticipated.
But Kairat will be without 17-year-old Chelsea-bound Dastan Satpayev for the return leg after he was booked in stoppage time to earn a suspension.
The visitors settled early, and in the 11th minute, captain Aleksandr Martynovich had the ball in the Hoops’ net from close range but was offside.
With Satpayev influential, Kairat attacked fluidly and at pace on the counter, dampening the mood of the expectant home support.
In the 32nd minute, Celtic defender Alastair Johnston pulled up with what looked like a hamstring injury as he backtracked and was taken from the field on a stretcher, replaced by Anthony Ralston.
Moments later, Kairat goalkeeper Alexandr Zarutskiy saved from Maeda when Celtic at last got through, but at the other end Ofri Arad’s powerful drive flew just wide of Schmeichel’s post.
Within a minute of Yang coming on, he set up James Forrest, whose shot was touched onto a post and then gathered by Zarutskiy.
In the 58th minute, after some sloppiness by Carter-Vickers in the Hoops defence, Brazilian striker Edmilson tried a speculative shot from 40 yards and it landed on the roof of Schmeichel’s goal.
In stoppage time, Celtic’s Maeda spurned a chance when he ran through alone and could only manage a tame shot which was easily saved, and there were boos at the end from irate supporters.
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