Temirlan Anarbekov has saved three penalties to achieve a 3-2 shootout victory for Kairat after a 0-0 draw with Celtic, so that they were on the Champions League for the first time.
Neither parties could find a breakthrough about the two legs, and the waste of Celtic was punished when the Kazakh side wrote history in the play-offs on Tuesday.
It was a Cagey start for both parties, although Kairat had the first clear opening when Ricardinho Racete behind the back line of Celtic. Kasper Schmeichel ran out to smother it, although the offside flag was finished.
Seconds later, James Forrest almost found a breakthrough with a pounding header from a corner, but Anarbekov threw him brilliantly over the bar.
Six minutes after the break, Celtic gave away an indirect free kick after a decline in concentration saw Schmeichel Callum McGregor's Backpass pick up. Jorginho's beaten shot from the set piece hit Diben Maeda, who survived a handball appeal.
The Japanese international then had the opportunity to win it in the 86th minute; He ran forward on a sizzling counterattack, but from the edge of the box he adorned his effort and sent it over the bar.
Two minutes later, Ofri Arad rose high on the rear pole on a right -sided free kick to nod an attempt to the bottom corner, but Schmeichel went down sharply to deny him.
Celtic tried and managed to find it in extra time, despite increasing their level, and that would eventually cost them. They first stepped up, but Adam Idah and Luke McCowan both saw their bad efforts saved by Anarbekov on either side of Valeri Gromyko's Panenka that crashed from the bar.
The next five spot kicks were perfect, but with the pressure on Maeda to keep Celtic in the shootout, he also sent his effort too close to Anarbekov.
Reports about penalties for Celtic in Almaty.#Kairatceltic | #Ucl | #CelticFC pic.twitter.com/ps0qmv5wyw
– Celtic Football Club (@CelticFC) 26 August 2025
Debrief data: Quality is missing in Almaty
Both legs of this Champions League qualifying match were far from classics, but Kairat eventually got the job in the shootout.
The parties placed a combined 0.16 expected goals (XG) in the first half, although Celtic finally ended with 1.17 in 120 minutes, compared to Kairat's 0.58, where the hosts had no shot in the second half of extra time.
In the end that did not matter, thanks to the 21-year-old Anarbekov, who made five Saves in the second stage before he ended his performance with three more in the shootout.