No one that endured Celtic’s Champions League exit to Maribor two years ago will need reminding of how precarious a 1-1 first leg draw is.
Astana will present problems next week at Celtic Park but after the first leg defeat from Lincoln Red Imps no one was complaining about yesterday’s 1-1 draw.
While the scoreline was very welcome there was plenty of encouraging signs with the youthful trio of Patrick Roberts, Kieran Tierney and Eoghan O’Connell handling the occasion with style.
If nothing else, under Ronny Deila Celtic were predictable, very predictable, but that has changed under Brendan Rodgers who is prepared to alter the formation, change tactics and also make telling substitutions.
The feel good factor following Rodgers appointment was badly punctured by the defeat to Lincoln Red Imps but last night’s performance renewed hope that this season’s Champions League group stage can be reached.
Celtic are three matches away from entering the draw for the group stage- if they can finish the job against Astana CLICK HERE for the list of potential opponents they will face in the play-off round.
The top seeded team that Celtic could face is the brilliantly named BATE BORISOV
of Belarus although Dundalk will have something to say about that.
Bate won the home leg 1-0 thanks to a 70th minute goal from Mikael Gordeichuk but face a difficult task at Oriel Park on Tuesday night.
In the second round Bate enjoyed a 4-2 aggregate win over Finnish champions SJK Seinajoki, winning the first leg 2-0 at home before drawing 2-2 in the return match.
Like Astrana Bate have reached the group stage of the Champions League in each of the last two seasons.
Legia Warsaw don’t need much of an introduction to Celtic fans
after attempting to cheat their way past Ronny Deila’s side two years ago by using Bartosz Bereszynski who was suspended for the match.
The fact that Bereszynski only appeared for a few minutes isn’t a factor but regardless of the rules Legia whipped their fans into a frenzy to deflect from the club’s own failings.
Last night Legia won 1-0 away to Slovakian champions FK AS Trencin who included former Celt Rabui Ibrahim in their side. In the second qualifying round Legia defeated HSK Zrinjski of Bosnia 3-1 on aggregate.
Dinamo Zagreb had their third round qualifying tie
against Dinamo Tiblisi and look on course for the play-off round after enjoying a 2-0 home win thanks to first half goals from El Arabi Hilal Soudani and Ante Coric.
In the previous round Dinamo enjoyed a 5-3 aggregate win over FK Vardar thanks to wins in each leg.
Last season Dinamo reached the group stage of the Champions League but after beating Arsenal on matchday one they lost their five remaining matches.
Ludogorets are the third round seeded side most in danger of missing out on a play-off place
after drawing 2-2 at home to FK Crvena Zvezda, better known as Red Star Belgrade, in the first leg.
Two seasons ago Ludogorets reached the group stage of the Champions League where they picked up four points from beating Basel at home and a 2-2 draw at Anfield while Brendan Rodgers was in charge of Liverpool.
In the second qualifying round they dismissed FK Mladost Podgorica on a 5-0 aggregate.
FC Kobenhavn look on course to justify their seeding after securing a 1-1 draw away to Astra of Romania
following a resounding 9-0 aggregate victory over Crusaders from Belfast.
Last season they lost out on away goals to Finnish side Jablonec at the third qualifying round of the Europa League.
Celtic played FC Kobenhavn in the 2006/07 Champions League group phase with each side winning their home leg.