2013-08-20: FC Shakhter Karagandy 2-0 Celtic, European Cup

Match Pictures | Matches: 2013 – 2014 | 2013-14 Pictures

Trivia

• European Cup 2013-14
• Champions League qualifiers/Play-off, first leg of two.
• First leg of two
• First time Celtic playing opposition from Kazakhstan; furthest that side have ever got into the European Cup (second time qualified).
• Cue lots of jokes about Borat ad nauseum ("yekshemash", "nice" etc)
• Acc to BBC reporter, a sheep was sacrificed in stadium tunnel before Shakhter training. It was to be eaten for good luck. Local tradition apparently.
• No sponsor name on Celtic strips due to restrictions on alcohol promotion in Kazakhstan. Tipperary Mineral Water logo instead.
• Trip to Shakhter: Glasgow to Astana is 4782km, if Celtic flew in the other direction for same distance then Celtic would reach Boston (USA).
• The first time that Shakhter have faced a team of 'European trophy-winning pedigree', they only played their first European competition matches in 2006.
• Shakhter have already raised eyebrows during their run to the play-offs thanks to an unexpected win against FC BATE Borisov in the second qualifying round. Viktor Kumykov's men posted two 1-0 victories over BATE [who beat 2013 European Cup winners Bayern Munich last season] and then got past Albanian title holders KS Skënderbeu in the third qualifying round, winning 3-0 at home before a 3-2 away loss.
• Local journalist reported in Kazakhstan saying if Shakhter Karagandy win against Celtic, local people will run naked through the street.
• Estimated only 50 Celtic fans travelling from Glasgow for trip, some were also ex-pats working locally (-ish).
• Shakhter Karagandy management were banned for 5 years in 2008 for match fixing which takes us right up to 2013.
• Summertime and the transfer window is underway.
• Out so far: Miku, Lassad, Rogne, Wanyama, Hooper, Daryl Murphy, Wilson
• In so far: Amido Baldé, Van Dijk, Mouyokolo, Boerrigter

Review

(Mackin of KDS)
Last night was utterly pathetic. I cant believe I made it home without knowing the score and then sat through it.

I know getting to scout that team was difficult, but I have read on here for 10 days that they are big, good at defending set pieces and like long throws Rory Delap style. How could our manager miss it?

They had 1 tactic. ONE! Throw the ball like a dart into the box. They did it from the first minute, scored in the twelfth and it took until 86 minutes for Samaras to stand in front of the guy taking the throw in.

I'm not going to blame the centre half pairing as quite frankly, it probably would have been more if Ambrose played. I also agreed pre-match with Mulgrew in midfield to defend against their height. Again, after about 10 minutes it was clear this wasnt needed as they were dreadful, but we needed someone to create something to break them down.

We will never do anything meaningful in Europe while Mulgrew and Brown play in our midfield. They just aren't good enough and are symptomatic of everything that is currently wrong with Scottish football.

Going forward, we knew they would put 5 big guys at the back with 4 big guys in front of them. What did we do? Have Izzy put in crosses from the 18 yard line to noone. Commons tried hard, but ultimately couldnt create anything as there was noone to give the ball to who was any good. Again, we played Forrest in a 3 when he cant play that role.

The substitutions were horrendous. How many times has our starting right back completed a game? It doesn't matter if Lustig or Matthews starts, the other finishes.

Izzy was the only player putting anything into the box with noone getting on the end of it. With 10 minutes to go, we put a guy on who we bought to be a target man and who does the manager take off? The only effing player providing any sort of effing service.

The football under Lennon has been dreadful for the past year and he has shown no signs of being able to motivate players to play against lesser teams, nor does he seem to have learned anything at all from Ross County 2010, or Inverness 2011.

If a certain other ginger manager has presided over last nights farce, there would be pitchforks at Glasgow Airport waiting for him this morning.

Peter Lawwell has again gambled a few quid by not buying a striker and that is going to cost £20m+. What a businessman, and absolute master negotiator. Im sorry Peter, but you are an utter

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Stats

Shakhter Karagandy Celtic
Possession
61% 39%
90mins
Shots
10 14
On target
4 4
Corners
3 6
Fouls
12 6

Articles

BBC

By Andy Campbell BBC Sport Scotland
Comments (522)

Celtic's hopes of reaching the Champions League group stage suffered a severe blow as Shakhter Karagandy took control of their play-off tie.

The Kazakh side gained an early lead through Andrei Finonchenko's close-range finish.

Kris Commons struck the bar and Georgios Samaras headed wide as the visitors tried to force a leveller.

Emilio Izaguirre and James Forrest also threatened for Celtic before Sergey Khizhnichenko headed Shakhter's second.

Celtic will seek to overturn their deficit in next Wednesday's return meeting in Glasgow.
Shakhter Karagandy v Celtic

Celtic could not capitalise on their early chances

The first-leg fixture took place at the 30,000-seat Astana Arena in Kazakhstan's capital instead of Shakhter's smaller capacity ground in Karagandy.

And, like Celtic's previous two qualifying rounds, the Scottish champions were playing their away leg on an artificial surface.

Neil Lennon's side had secured aggregate wins against Cliftonville and Elfsborg without conceding a goal but a new defensive line-up looked vulnerable as Shakhter took the lead.

Nikola Vasiljevic headed on Gediminas Vicius' long throw-in and Finonchenko slid in to tuck the ball past goalkeeper Fraser Forster.

Earlier, Virgil van Dijk had twice threatened to mark his first Celtic start with a goal.

Aleksandr Simcevic cleared off the line after the Dutchman outmuscled keeper Aleksandr Mokin at a corner before the 22-year-old had a header saved.

And the home side had another narrow escape when Commons' superbly struck shot hit the underside of the bar and bounced back into play off the goal-line, with the officials deeming the ball had not gone in.
Play media

Neil Lennon hopeful despite Celtic's Champions League loss

Samaras headed Charlie Mulgrew's free-kick narrowly wide moments later.

Izaguirre may have done better after latching on to Commons' diagonal ball early in the second half, the full-back scooping his shot over from near the penalty spot.

Throw-ins from Vicius continued to cause Celtic problems and Shakhter's confidence in open play was evident as Khizhnichenko tested Forster at the end of a sweeping move.

And, after Mokin did well to block Forrest's header from an inviting Izaguirre cross, Khizhnichenko rose to direct Vicius' wayward shot past Forster.

Celtic's late push for an away goal proved fruitless with Mulgrew unable to keep his header down in injury time.

Shakhter will now travel to Celtic Park hopeful of reaching the group stages of the competition for the first time, while Lennon's men will drop into the Europa League if they cannot recover the deficit.

Celtic suffer shock Shakhter defeat

ESPN staff
August 20, 2013
Celtic have a tough task on their hands to qualify for the Champions League group stage © Getty Images
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Celtic have left themselves with it all to do to reach the Champions League after a surprise 2-0 defeat to Kazakhstan champions Shakhter Karagandy in the first leg of their play-off at the Astana Arena.

Having started the game well, Celtic found themselves behind in the 12th minute when Andrei Finonchenko took advantage of some slack defending to score from close range.

Kris Commons rattled the bar with a thunderous drive in the 19th minute with the ball bouncing down on to the line but Celtic struggled at times with the route-one approach taken by a home side who looked limited in other aspects of their game.

Celtic had the best of things again in the second half with James Forrest missing a chance from six yards. But in the 77th minute Sergei Khizhnichenko headed in a second to leave shell-shocked Celtic having to make amends in next week's second leg in Glasgow.

Neil Lennon, though, will be puzzled as to how Celtic have work to do against a basic team who themselves may wonder how they managed to emerge from the tie with a win.

Two of Celtic's summer signings, Virgil van Dijk and Steven Mouyokolo, made their European debuts and started in central defence together for the first time as Efe Ambrose dropped to the bench.

Mikael Lustig replaced Adam Matthews at full-back, the defender recovering from a hamstring injury but only finding a place as substitute as Forrest came in for Beram Kayal.

Shakhter, the first Kazakh side to reach the play-off round of the competition, were playing 114 miles away from home in the 30,000-capacity national stadium, which was close to full with a couple of dozen Celtic fans in one corner behind a goal.

Celtic dominated the early stages on the artificial surface and indeed could have been two ahead before they fell behind. Shakhter escaped in the fourth minute after keeper Aleksandr Mokin fumbled a Charlie Mulgrew corner and Van Dijk and Commons tried to get the ball in but it was scrambled away for another corner.

When Commons flighted the ball into the box from the other side, Van Dijk powered a header in which was parried by Mokin and Shakhter somehow survived again.

Shakhter were probably as surprised as anyone when they forced their way into the lead with what was a basic goal. A long throw-in from the left by midfielder Gediminas Vicius was headed on by Nikola Vasiljevic and Finonchenko stole past Joe Ledley to knock the ball past Fraser Forster from close range.

The home fans could not believe their luck and they cheered every attack in the moments following but Celtic stabilised and when Commons hit the woodwork it reminded them their side remained under threat.

In the 29th minute, just after Shakhter defender Sergei Maliy had headed a cross from Aleksandar Simcevic over the bar from 14 yards, Georgios Samaras skimmed a header from a whipped-in Mulgrew free-kick just inches past the far post.

Celtic had another opportunity four minutes from the break when Van Dijk got on the end of a Mulgrew corner but his header was directed straight at Mokin.

Celtic came out for the second half with some purpose and set about getting themselves level. Emilio Izaguirre should have netted in the 51st minute after taking a Commons pass and burrowing his way into the box but he slashed at his shot which flew over the bar.

Shakhter were defending in numbers and relying on the occasional break for respite. One break ended with Khizhnichenko getting a shot away which lacked the power to really test Forster but which brought thunderous cheers from the home fans, by now sensing a famous victory.

Celtic continued to press and in the 72nd minute Forrest had a glorious chance when Izaguirre planted a cross on his head six yards from goal but his effort was straight at Mokin who gratefully blocked to safety.

The closing stages were frantic but again Celtic were slack when conceding the second. Mouyokolo did well to block a goal-bound shot from Khizhnichenko but when the ball was crossed back in to the box by Vicius he steered a header past Forster from 10 yards.

Celtic were stunned and the final minutes passed in something of a blur for the visitors with Mulgrew heading over from six yards in the final minute.

After getting past Cliftonville and Elfsborg in the previous two qualifiers, Celtic now need to pull something special out of the bag next week, although in front of their own fans that is far from unlikely.
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