Three incredible Champions League dramas

There’s something a little unfulfilled about playing the first leg of the Champions League Play Off at Celtic Park.

The stadium lends itself to drama although the feeling of getting knocked out by Maribor is best avoided and forgotten about.

Sadly in the modern era of football the drama of qualifying for the group phase is almost as good as it gets with the need to negotiate three qualifiers while striving towards match fitness adding to the difficulty.

Fortunately Brendan Rodgers and his squad are 12 months wiser and more experienced, a year that has saw them develop a level of sophistication in European competition, especially away from home.

Draws at Monchengladbach and Manchester City were welcome signs while the win in Rosenborg suggested that this was a Celtic side that wouldn’t folk when it came to the crunch away from home.

The two games with Astana will be as much about character as ability- does the team have the mentality to stay strong when under pressure and the edge to strike when the opportunities come their way.

Over 180 minutes against Hapoel Beer Sheva we saw about four different Celtic sides in action with Kolo Toure the unlikely hero that steered the team through to the finishing line in Israel.

As we look forward to facing Astana again there are three special play-off nights that everyone would love to see repeated.

SPARTAK MOSCOW

The Russian side were a real top notch outfit, packed with emerging players, in mid season and at home on an artificial pitch.

Paul Hartley scored a crucial goal away from home but in the return leg the scores were quickly evened up with Lee Naylor and Artur Boruc close to trading blows as the teams came off at half time level at 2-2.

The second half saw chances exchanged at each end but the hoops appeared to gain an advantage when the Russians were reduced to ten men but a missed penalty from Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink deflated the fans and the team.

Gary Caldwell, Vennegoor of Hesselink, Derek Riordan and Maciej Zurawski scored from the penalty spot with Boruc the hero sparking incredible scenes of celebration featuring Tommy Burns.

SHAKHTAR KARAGANDY

This one could have been all over in the first leg but despite a second half collapse Celtic remained in the tie despite being 2-0 down.

Karagandy defended resolutely during the first half but close to half time Kris Commons whipped in a 25 yard shot to half the deficit.

A win looked a certainty when Georgios Samaras levelled the scores five minutes into the second half but despite that scoring burst Karagandy refused to buckle and had chances of their own to score.

There was little between the teams as extra-time approached but James Forrest put us out of our misery with a goal in the closing minutes to send Neil Lennon racing down the touchline.

HELSINGBORG

This is the proper way to reach the group phase, win the first leg 2-0 away from home then repeat it on home turf.

The away win was a real tonic and opened the door towards the group phase after a four year gap.

Goals in either half from Gary Hooper and Victor Wanyama made sure of a comfortable 4-0 aggregate with both men going on to play significant roles in the group phase as Neil Lennon’s team came of age.