Kairat Almaty defeated Celtic in a penalty shootout to reach the Champions League qualifying rounds. Temirlan Anarbekov saved three penalties to seal the victory after a 0-0 draw over two legs. The match was cagey, with few clear-cut chances. Celtic missed several opportunities, and Anarbekov’s heroics secured a historic win for Kairat.
In a night of high drama and unwavering tension, Kairat Almaty secured their place in the Champions League qualifying rounds for the first time in their history, defeating Celtic in a penalty shootout after a grueling 0-0 draw over two legs. Goalkeeper Temirlan Anarbekov emerged as the hero, saving three penalties to seal a 3-2 victory in the shootout, leaving Celtic to rue their missed opportunities.
The match, played in front of a passionate home crowd in Almaty, was a cagey affair from the outset. Both teams were cautious, understanding the magnitude of the occasion. Kairat, however, had the first real sniff at goal when Ricardinho found space behind the Celtic defense. But, his run was deemed offside, nullifying the threat. Moments later, Celtic responded with James Forrest rising highest to meet a corner, his powerful header was brilliantly tipped over the bar by a fully stretched Anarbekov.
The second half mirrored the first in terms of intensity, but clear-cut chances remained scarce. Six minutes after the restart, Celtic gifted Kairat an indirect free-kick inside their own penalty area. Kasper Schmeichel, under pressure, picked up a backpass from Callum McGregor, a costly lapse in concentration. Jorginho took the resulting free-kick, his powerful shot striking Daizen Maeda, who was fortunate not to concede a penalty for handball. Maeda himself had a golden opportunity to win the game for Celtic in the 86th minute. He broke free on a counter-attack, but his shot from the edge of the box sailed high over the crossbar, a moment he would soon regret.
As the clock ticked down, Ofri Arad nearly snatched a late winner for Kairat. The defender met a right-sided free-kick at the back post, directing his header towards the bottom corner, but Schmeichel was equal to the task, diving low to make a crucial save. Extra time failed to break the deadlock, with Celtic unable to find a way through Kairat's stubborn defense. The Scottish giants upped their tempo and created a few half-chances, but Anarbekov remained unbreachable, the Kazakh side held firm.
The match then went to a penalty shootout. Celtic stepped up first, but Adam Idah's tame effort was easily saved by Anarbekov. Luke McCowan followed suit, his penalty also comfortably stopped by the Kairat goalkeeper. Valeri Gromyko then added to Celtic's pain, as his audacious panenka attempt crashed off the crossbar.
Defeat on penalties for Celtic in Almaty.#KairatCeltic | #UCL | #CelticFC pic.twitter.com/pS0qMV5WYw
— Celtic Football Club (@CelticFC) August 26, 2025
With the pressure mounting, the next five penalties were all converted, leaving Maeda with the responsibility of keeping Celtic in the shootout. However, his effort lacked conviction and was saved by Anarbekov, sparking scenes of wild celebration among the Kairat players and fans. The 21-year-old goalkeeper's heroics had secured a historic victory for his team.
Data Debrief: Quality Lacking in Almaty
Both legs of this Champions League qualifier were far from classics, but Kairat eventually got the job done in the shootout.
The sides posted a combined 0.16 expected goals (xG) in the first half, though Celtic eventually finished with 1.17 across 120 minutes, compared to Kairat’s 0.58, with the hosts failing to have a shot in the second half of extra time.
In the end, that did not matter, thanks to 21-year-old Anarbekov, who made five saves in the second leg before capping his performance with three more in the shootout.