PLAY-OFF CRUNCH
with one half volley just wide. Midfielder Serikzhan Muzhikov also cracked one straight at Craig Gordon after a bit of home sloppiness.
Ticking through the half-hour mark it had been about patience. At that point a double blast was sparked to establish the 2-0 interval lead.
The Aussie was majestic for the first. Rogic skipped past challenges and into the box before flicking an effort to the far post. The shot might have been going wide but a touch from backtracking defender Evgeni Postnikov did Celtic a turn and it nestled in the net.
The centre-back was helping Rodgers’s team at every turn. Not only did he touch the ball into his own net he was booked for decking Rogic earlier and also missed an absolute sitter with a header from a corner not long after the opener.
It was a major let-off, a warning and how Sinclair made the Kazakhs pay with a second just before the interval.
There was no finesse in the build-up. Rogic had lost control of the ball yet the Came from the ref rather than a player. The Romanian whistler’s decision to play advantage at the third goal when Tom Rogic was wiped out was bang on – and it turned a good lead to take away from home into a great one. Big moment in the tie. block tackle on him squirted the ball into the attacker’s path with a clear run at the target.
Sinclair took a couple of touches, kept his composure and planted a finish past the weak right hand of Astana keeper Aleksandr Mokin.
At the break there was no buoyant jubilation. Punters had been here before – 2-0 up on Malmo at the same stage two years ago,yet went out. And 3-0 up against Hapoel Beer Sheva 12 months previously almost wasn’t enough.
Work was still to be done but boy they did it. It started as the age-old stick-or-twist scenario – push for a couple more goals and try to finish the tie or consolidate the position and try to ensure nothing was given away.
Celtic opted for the former. And they killed it by blowing Astana away totally.
Sinclair gave them a third on the hour. If the opener was about Rogic’s skills this one was about his bravery – going up for a high ball knowing he’d be clattered. Ref Ovidiu Hajegan saw it but also saw the two on two for Celtic as a Brendan Rodgers’s trust in Nir Bitton was well placed. Playing him at the back was a risk but his sure-footedness with the ball – and his play without it – played a big part in the victory. massive advantage. He played on, Sinclair fed Griffiths, took the return pass and drilled a finish between the legs of Mokin. Rogic had spilt blood for the cause.
It was his last act. He was replaced by Callum McGregor, his job done.
Now it was there to be killed. Griffiths dodged offside and sprinted clean through only to slash high and wide.
Forrest didn’t miss. Olivier Ntcham was brilliant in the middle of the park, pinging a through ball to Griffiths. The striker reversed Forrest into the box and he drilled home.
Griffiths had the final word, racing into the box and slamming a shot that deflected off Igor Shitov and in.
It was an incredible outcome and a phenomenal show. Surely there can be no doubt. Everyone else’s faith in Rodgers himself has been equally well placed. His management of this group of players to get them to this point in their evolution has been phenomenal. If a team is only as strong as their bench Celtic have work to do before the window closes. If they get to the groups they are short of the quality needed to go through a six-game campaign at that level.