Early ambitionpublished at 2 mins
Celtic 0-0 Astana
Igor Shitov crosses from the right as the visitors take the game to Celtic. Mikael Lustig stays calm to ease the danger as the move breaks down.
Summary
Shitov own goal and Forrest add to Celtic rout
Sinclair twice converts after getting in behind Astana defence
Postnikov knocked in Rogic shot for opener
Winners of tie progress to group stage
Astana top of the Kazakh Premier League, 23 games into campaign
Early ambitionpublished at 2 mins
KICK-OFFpublished at 19:46 British Summer Time 16 August 2017
Celtic 0-0 Astana
And we're under way.
'Nervous energy'published at 19:45 British Summer Time 16 August 2017
Celtic v Astana (19:45)
Chris McLaughlin
BBC Sport Scotland at Celtic ParkQuote MessageThe Champions League group stage is tantalisingly close and you could sense a nervous energy here in the East End of Glasgow. This stadium rocks the way only Celtic Park can on nights like these. Brendan Rodgers says his team are better than a year ago when they narrowly defeated Astana. Is he right? We're about to find out.
Here they comepublished at 19:43 British Summer Time 16 August 2017
Celtic v Astana (19:45)
The teams make their way on to the pitch. Celtic are in their green and white hoops, Astana in canary yellow. The atmosphere is crackling as the Champions League anthem gets an airing.
Compare and contrastpublished at 19:41 British Summer Time 16 August 2017
Celtic v Astana (19:45)
Celtic's line-up against Astana a year ago: Gordon, Brown, Griffiths, Armstrong (Touré 61), Janko, Lustig, Roberts (Johansen 31), O’Connell, McGregor, Forrest (Dembélé 75), Tierney.
Celtic's line-up this evening: Gordon, Lustig, Bitton, Simunovic, Tierney, Forrest, Ntcham, Brown, Sinclair, Rogic, Griffiths. Subs: De Vries, Armstrong, Benyu, Ajer, McGregor, Ralston, Miller.
'I don't think about losing'published at 19:38 British Summer Time 16 August 2017
Celtic v Astana (19:45)
"It makes or breaks our season if we get to the Champions League," said fit-again Celtic striker Leigh Griffiths at yesterday's media conference.
"Last year it set us up on a great platform. We knew it was a difficult group but having Champions League football back at Celtic Park after two disappointing years previously was massive for everybody involved.
"If we can get back into the group it will put everyone on a real high. The fans will be shouting from the rooftops and it will make the start we've made to the season worthwhile.
"I don't think about losing. I only think about the Champions League group stages. I don't think about the Europa League."
Expecting to be on the ballpublished at 19:34 British Summer Time 16 August 2017
Celtic v Astana (19:45)
Richard Wilson
BBC Scotland at Celtic ParkQuote MessageBrendan Rodgers' starting line-up tells us he believes his side will dominate possession but will need the creativity and attacking intuition of Tom Rogic to break Astana down. Celtic will believe they can progress even if they don't win tonight, but carrying a victory into the second leg would ease the pressure next week. This Celtic side, though, is built on a foundation of self-belief, even during moments of tension there is no sense of alarm. That will serve them well across both legs.
A long way from Kazakhstanpublished at 19:33 British Summer Time 16 August 2017
Celtic v Astana (19:45)
The Astana players have completed their warm-up at Celtic Park, cheered off the pitch by the small band of travelling fans.
Image source, SNSCeltic story so farpublished at 19:29 British Summer Time 16 August 2017
Celtic v Astana (19:45)
Celtic eased past Linfield in the second qualifying round, beating the Belfast side 6-0 on aggregate, before a tense tie with Rosenborg.
The Norwegians passed up a few great chances in a goalless draw in Glasgow, while James Forrest struck the precious only goal of the tie in Trondheim.
Image source, SNSImage caption, Forrest celebrates his goal against Rosenborg in the previous round
Armstrong - one small step (closer)published at 19:27 British Summer Time 16 August 2017
Celtic v Astana (19:45)
My colleague Chris McLaughlin brought us this story a short while ago...
Stuart Armstrong is ready to sign a new deal and commit his future to Celtic.
Talks between the club and the midfielder's representatives had stalled in recent months.
Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers even said the uncertainty was affecting the 25-year-old's performances.
But talks have been ongoing in the past 24 hours and a new long-term deal could be signed before Saturday's meeting with Kilmarnock.
Image source, SNSImage caption, Midfielder Stuart Armstrong has scored 24 times for Celtic
The form bookpublished at 19:22 British Summer Time 16 August 2017
Celtic v Astana (19:45)
Tonight's visitors to Glasgow have a slightly poorer record than Celtic in their last five matches. Astana have won four and lost one, while Celtic have won four and drawn one. The Kazakhs' defeat was a 1-0 loss away to Legia Warsaw on 2 August. Since then, in the Kazakh Premier League, they have beaten Ordabasy and Aktobe.
Tonight's officialspublished at 19:20 British Summer Time 16 August 2017
Celtic v Astana (19:45)
The four officials at Celtic Park this evening are from Romania. Ovidiu Haţegan is the referee, assisted by Octavian Șovre and Sebastian Gheorghe, with Radu Ghinguleac the fourth official. If you plan to make Uefa officiating your specialist subject on Mastermind some time soon, then you ought to commit those names to memory.
Another close shavepublished at 19:17 British Summer Time 16 August 2017
Celtic v Astana (19:45)
Having played Astana last year, this is Celtic's third brush with Kazakh opponents in five years.
There was more stoppage-time drama when James Forrest's goal shattered Shakhter Karagandy, who had brought a 2-0 lead to Glasgow.
Kris Commons and Georgios Samaras were also on target on a tumultuous evening at Celtic Park that ensured group stage qualification.
Image source, SNSImage caption, James Forrest celebrates scoring Celtic's third against Shakhter Karagandy in August 2013
A team used to winningpublished at 19:13 British Summer Time 16 August 2017
Celtic v Astana (19:45)
Richard Wilson
BBC Scotland at Celtic Park"Celtic are not used to losing, they are used to winning. Against Rosenborg they didn't panic, there was a sense that they believed they would prevail. That confidence and belief was built up last season. What carries them over the line is the belief that they will get there, that Scott Sinclair or James Forrest will pop up with a goal, because they've done it time and time again."
Big games, big namespublished at 19:11 British Summer Time 16 August 2017
Celtic v Astana (19:45)
Image source, SNSImage caption, Liverpool favourite Steven Gerrard and former Celtic striker John Hartson are at the match this evening, flanking Celtic's main goal threat, Leigh Griffiths
A trio of tiltspublished at 19:07 British Summer Time 16 August 2017
Celtic v Astana (19:45)
This is Astana's third tilt at the Champions League. They made their debut in 2015-16 when they went from the second qualifying round to the group stage. Unfortunately for them, they were in a group with Atletico Madrid, Benfica and Galatasaray and finished bottom of the table. However, they were anything but disgraced, with three draws in their home matches, plus one draw and two defeats on the road.
Last season, they were knocked out 3-2 on aggregate by Celtic in the third qualifying round.
One Aussie discusses anotherpublished at 19:06 British Summer Time 16 August 2017
Celtic v Astana (19:45)
Quote MessageTom Rogic gives you that final pass, which is what Leigh Griffiths will be wanting tonight, and he's a goal threat. It's going to be very tough tonight, it should be a great occasion, the fans will be right up for it. Celtic haven't really been tested so far. Astana are going to camp in and hit on the counter. I believe Celtic will need to take a lead into the second leg.
Scott McDonald, Former Celtic striker speaking on BBC Radio Scotland
50-50 play-off record for Celticpublished at 19:03 British Summer Time 16 August 2017
Celtic v Astana (19:45)
Celtic have played in six Champions League play-offs, with a record of three wins and three defeats.
They made the group stage with victories against Helsingborgs in 2012-13, Shakhter Karagandy the following year and Hapoel Beer-Sheva last season.
However, they lost to Arsenal in 2009-10, Maribor in 2014-15 and Malmo two seasons ago.
Image source, SNSImage caption, Georgios Samaras helped Celtic to a play-off win over Helsingborg five years ago
Familiar foespublished at 19:00 British Summer Time 16 August 2017
Celtic v Astana (19:45)
These two met in the previous qualifying round last season and it was a very close contest.
Moussa Dembele converted a dramatic stoppage-time penalty to give Celtic a 3-2 aggregate success.
Leigh Griffiths scored in both legs, while goalkeeper Craig Gordon produced some fine saves in a testing first leg trip to the Astana Arena.
Image source, SNSImage caption, Dembele fires in the winner against Astana last year, the first goal also coming from the penalty spot
LINE-UPS AT CELTIC PARKpublished at 18:53 British Summer Time 16 August 2017
Celtic v Astana (19:45)
Celtic: Gordon, Lustig, Simunovic, Bitton, Tierney, Brown, Ntcham, Forrest, Rogic, Sinclair, Griffiths.
Subs: De Vries, Armstrong, Benyu, Ajer, McGregor, Ralston, Miller.
Astana: Mokin, Shitov, Logvinenko, Postnikov, Shomko, Kleinheisler, Muzhikov, Tomasov, Maevski, Twumasi, Kabananga.
Subs: Eric, Anicic, Grahovac, Beysebekov, Tagybergen, Maliy, Murtazayev.