The Kazakh football club “Kairat” has earned a spot in the next stage of the Champions League after defeating the Scottish side “Celtic” in the playoff round of the final qualifying stage, reports Adyrna National Portal.
The two teams met in the playoff round of the qualifiers. The match, held at the Central Stadium in Almaty, ended 0:0 in regular time. According to the regulations, extra time was played.
Neither side managed to score during the additional two halves.
The winner was decided by a penalty shootout. Kazakhstan’s goalkeeper Temirlan Anarbekov saved Celtic’s first two attempts. On the home side, midfielder Valeriy Gromyko failed to score, hitting the crossbar.
After that, three Kairat defenders – Aleksandr Martynovich, Ofri Arad, and Yegor Sorokin – converted their penalties. Following his third save, Anarbekov secured a 3:2 victory for his team.
For the first time in history, Kairat has qualified for the Champions League group stage. Previously, the only Kazakh club to reach this stage was Astana, in the 2015/16 season.
This year, for the second consecutive season, the Champions League will be held in a unified format with 36 teams. Each club will play eight matches — four at home and four away. The draw to determine Kairat’s opponents will take place on August 28.
