Again-up goalkeeper Temirlan Anarbekov made three saves in a penalty shootout as Kairat edged previous Celtic in Almaty to grow to be the second Kazakh membership in historical past to succeed in the Champions League correct.
After a forgettable tie that ended 0-0 on combination, 21-year-old Anarbekov stopped spot kicks from Adam Idah, Luke McCowan and Daizen Maeda to ship the reigning Kazakhstan Premier League champions via.
Maeda had one of the best probability of standard time when the ahead fired over the bar after being performed via by Callum McGregor with 4 minutes remaining.
Was that their second? 😱
Daizen Maeda misses a HUGE late probability to ship Celtic into the UCL league section 🫣 pic.twitter.com/xGKu12D7dV
— Amazon Prime Video Sport (@primevideosport) August 26, 2025
Celtic vs Kairat: Champions League shootout
The primary half was a colorless one amid an electrical ambiance at Almaty’s Central Stadium, the place a lot of the crowd of virtually 23,000 had been hoping to see Kairat emulate Astana’s achievement in 2015.
Anarbekov, who began as a result of Alexander Zarutsky was injured at Celtic Park, tipped James Forrest’s header over the bar in the one incident of notice through the first half, which ended with an anticipated targets tally of 0.06 for Kairat and 0.1 for Celtic.
Kairat appealed for a penalty shortly after the break when Kasper Schmeichel punched Callum McGregor’s backpass on the expense of a free-kick that led to Maeda blocking Jorginho’s fierce shot, though the Japan worldwide was adjudged to have finished so legitimately.
There was extra to return from Anarbekov earlier than his heroics within the shootout, thwarting photographs from McCowan and Nygren throughout additional time because the Hoops missed out on qualification for the primary time in 4 seasons.
Practically a calamity for Celtic 😬
They survive a close-range oblique free kick and subsequent penalty enchantment to stay degree on combination in opposition to Almaty 👀 pic.twitter.com/pDkgY3ongh
— Amazon Prime Video Sport (@primevideosport) August 26, 2025
Celtic beginning crew vs Kairat
Celtic made six adjustments, bringing in captain McGregor, Kieran Tierney, Cameron Carter-Vickers, Reo Hatate, Maeda and Forrest.
Celtic beginning XI: Schmeichel, Ralston, Carter-Vickers, Scales, Tierney, McGregor, Hatate, Nygren, Forrest, Maeda, Yang
Substitutes: Sinisalo, Doohan, Simpson-Pusey, Idah, McCowan, Yamada, Osmand, Kenny, Engels, Bernardo, Murray, Donovan
Kairat: Anarbekov, Luis Mata, Jorginho, Martynovich, Arad, D Glazer, Tapalov, Mrynskiy, Gromyko, Sorokin, Ricardinho
Substitutes: Reimov, Kalmurza, Kassabulat, Kurgin, Sadybekov, Baibek, Shirobokov, Stanojev, Gadrani, Bekbolat, Tuyakbayev, Bagdat
When is the Champions League league section draw?
The draw will happen on Thursday, August 28 – a day after the play-off ties come to a near determine the final groups to qualify.
The draw ceremony will begin at 17:00 BST / 12:00 ET / 09:00 PT.
The best way to watch the Champions League draw: TV channel, reside stream
The draw shall be proven reside and without cost on UEFA.com, in addition to on UEFA’s YouTube channel and BBC Sport’s website and iPlayer.
TNT Sports activities may even broadcast the draw by way of Discovery+ and YouTube.
Champions League format
In a change from the earlier group stage format carried out till 2023/24, every crew now performs eight matches within the league section, all in opposition to totally different opponents.
4 of these matches shall be at residence and 4 away, with the opponents decided in line with 4 seeding pots break up by rankings.
Groups will play two opponents from every of these pots – one in opposition to a crew from every pot at residence and one away. The outcomes determine the general standings in a single league.
The highest eight sides within the desk qualify robotically for the spherical of 16. The groups ending in ninth to twenty fourth will compete in a two-legged knockout section play-off to succeed in the final 16.
Groups ending twenty fifth or decrease are out of Europe for the season.
Champions League schedule, fixtures 2025/26
The brand new league section runs till the top of January, with the play-offs in February and the remainder of the knockout stage earlier than the ultimate happening between March and early Could.
Matchday 1: September 16-18 2025
Matchday 2: September 30 – October 1 2025
Matchday 3: October 21/22 2025
Matchday 4: November 4/5 2025
Matchday 5: November 25/26 2025
Matchday 6: December 9/10 2025
Matchday 7: January 20/21 2026
Matchday 8: January 28 2026
When is the Champions League knockout section?
Knockout section play-offs: February 17/18 & 24/25 2026
Spherical of 16: March 10/11 & 17/18 2026
Quarter-finals: April 7/8 & 14/15 2026
Semi-finals: April 28/29 and Could 5/6 2026
Ultimate: Could 30 2026 (Budapest)
When are the Champions League attracts?
League section: August 28 2025
Knockout section play-offs: January 30 2026
Spherical of 16, quarter-final, semi-final and remaining: February 27 2026
When is the Champions League remaining?
The ultimate will happen on Could 30 2026 on the The Puskas Area in Budapest, which opened in 2019 and is residence to Hungary’s nationwide crew.
The world hosted a dramatic 2022/23 Europa League remaining, when Sevilla beat Roma on penalties following a 1-1 draw after additional time.
