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Showing posts with the label Kazakhstan

Celtic left frustrated in Champions League play-off

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Celtic 0 - 0 Kairat Celtic’s Champions League prospects remain finely poised after they were held to a goalless draw in Glasgow by a spirited Kairat side. Author | Sean M Stadium | Celtic Park The £40m prize now depends on navigating a testing return leg, with Brendan Rodgers ’ team facing a decisive trip to Almaty on Tuesday. The Scottish champions must contend not only with a long journey of more than 3,500 miles but also the challenge of performing in unfamiliar conditions close to the Chinese border . It might have been worse for Rodgers’ side, who were relieved to see an early Kairat strike ruled out for offside. Their nerves were tested again when Edmilson’s long-range effort, following a mistake from Cameron Carter-Vickers , drifted narrowly over the bar. Celtic were almost undone by an own goal late on, with some desperate defending required to keep Kairat from snatching a winner. READ MORE | Live text commentary from Super Local Sports News An early setback came when ri...

Chelsea qualify for Conference League knockout stage

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Astana 1 - 3 Chelsea Former Barcelona player Marc Guiu made a big impression as Chelsea secured their spot in the UEFA Conference League knockout stage with a victory over Astana in freezing Kazakhstan. Author - Lauren W The Blues embarked on the 3,600-mile journey to Almaty, where they faced challenging conditions, including biting temperatures of -11°C. However, a heavily rotated Chelsea side showed their mettle, wrapping up the win with three first-half goals. Eighteen-year-old Spanish youth international Guiu was among several young players given an opportunity to shine, and he seized it. In the 14th minute, he opened the scoring with an impressive solo run, calmly finishing to put Chelsea ahead. Just four minutes later, Guiu's effort from Pedro Neto's cross was deflected in by Aleksandr Marochkin, doubling the lead and putting Chelsea firmly in control. Renato Veiga added a third just before half-time with a well-taken header – his second goal of the season. Spurs 3 - ...