Celts draw a blank in UCL play-off clash with FC Kairat | OneFootball

UEFA Champions League play-off, first legWednesday, August 20, 2025Celtic Park, Glasgow

CELTIC…0

FC KAIRAT…0

Celtic were held to a goalless draw against FC Kairat at Celtic Park tonight in the first leg of the play-off round for this year’s UEFA Champions League.

As ever, the noise inside Paradise before kick-off was immense as the Celtic faithful made themselves heard over the UCL anthem.

With the atmosphere at fever pitch and a place in the league phase of the competition to play for, the stage was set for what everyone hoped would be another memorable European night at Celtic Park.

FC Kairat started the game brightly and within the first few minutes, they had forced the Celts on to the back foot and had won two corners, both of which the Hoops were able to deal with.

It was clear that Celtic were looking to dominate the play as they so often do, but the visitors were on a mission of their own, and were able to disrupt Celtic’s passing moves as they looked to hit the Hoops on the break.

The Kazakh side had the ball in the net through Edmilson with just over 10 minutes played, but there was an air of relief around Celtic Park when the offside flag went up to deny the visitors the lead.

Brendan Rodgers’ men stuck to their plan and, on several occasions throughout the first 45 minutes were able to break in to the visitors’ box, but a mixture of good defending from the visitors and some slack final passes from the Hoops meant that no opportunities presented themselves.

Whilst the Celts came through the first 45 minutes unscathed in terms of goals conceded, an injury to Alistair Johnston saw the right-back leave the field of play on a stretcher.

Brendan Rodgers made one change at half time, bringing Yang on for Adam Idah, and the Celts came flying out of the traps in the second half.

Almost immediately from kick-off, James Forrest had a shot on goal after Yang picked him out on the edge of the box, but Kairat’s keeper was equal to the effort and pulled off a good save down to his left.

Reo Hatate then had a shot which drifted just wide as the Hoops kept the pressure on Kairat in the early stages, but the visitors were able to survive the early onslaught in the second half.

As the match wore on, it became apparent that the visitors were happy with the scoreline as it was, and at any opportunity, Kairat’s players went down and wasted as much time as possible.

Celtic continued to hunt for the goal that, on the balance of play over the course of the match, they more than deserved, but they were unable to make their dominance count.

The referee added 10 minutes on at the end of the match, and deep into injury-time, Daizen Maeda had a huge opportunity to clinch victory for the Hoops when he broke through one-on-one against the Kairat keeper, but his shot was comfortably saved by the keeper

With the scoreline in the tie locked at 0-0, it is all to play for in next week’s return leg in Kazakhstan. Before then, however, the Celts will turn their attention to the visit of Livingston to Celtic Park on Saturday.