Astana 1-1 Celtic: Leigh Griffiths's crucial away goal gives Hoops advantage

Leigh Griffiths scored a crucial away goal as Celtic drew 1-1 with Astana in the first leg of the Champions League third round qualifier in Kazakhstan.

After a solid start, Brendan Rodgers's side fell behind in the 19th minute when Yuriy Logvinenko got ahead of Craig Gordon to head Patrick Twumasi's corner home.

The visitors looked destined for a first-leg deficit but with 12 minutes remaining the impressive Patrick Roberts teed up Griffiths, who finished brilliantly to beat the hosts' goalkeeper Nenad Eric at his near post.

Astana had one final chance deep into injury time to take a 2-1 lead to Celtic Park but Roger Canas headed over from close range as Celtic held on to secure an away-goal advantage ahead of the second leg on August 3.

Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers had found himself with defensive problems ahead of the long journey to Astana for a match on an artificial surface, on which the home side looked more comfortable. 

With five central defenders either out injured or trying to catch up on fitness, the former Liverpool boss gambled by giving a European debut to 20-year-old Eoghan O'Connell.

The young defender was put alongside the often-criticised Efe Ambrose with Mikael Lustig and Kieran Tierney either side as full backs and amid a promising start for the Hoops, it was Griffiths who had an effort on the turn from 20 yards which trundled wide.

By that time O'Connell had flattened home forward Twumasi and then gave possession away 30 yards from goal but at no cost.

However, there was a heavy price to be paid when Ambrose allowed a tame cross from Twumasi to go through his legs with Lustig having to concede a corner, and when Twumasi's set-piece came in, Logvinenko got in front of keeper Craig Gordon to head in with O'Connell also culpable.

After Moussa Dembele went down in the Astana box under pressure from Igor Shitov - penalty claims were ignored by Italian referee Paolo Mazzoleni - the Hoops' goal had to survive a couple of more dangerous corners.

Gordon had to make a good save on the stretch from Azat Nurgaliyev's attempted lob, before denying Junior Kabananga at his near post, while Roberts was providing Celtic's most potent threat down the right wing but coming up short around the Astana box.

At the other end, every high ball into the Parkhead side's penalty area had the small band of travelling fans nervy, those nerves not helped early in the second half when Gordon made hard work of holding on to a long drive from Twumasi. Celtic were wobbling.

In the 52nd minute Nurgaliyev clipped the top of the bar with a drive after Abzal Beysebekov had got past Tierney all too easily.

Midfielder Nir Bitton replaced Dembele just after the hour mark to leave Griffiths foraging alone but still Astana drove forward with menace.

There was more drama when Roberts won the ball back from Dmitri Shomko and set up Griffiths to rifle his shot past past keeper Nenad Eric for what could be a crucial goal.

In a frantic finale, Gordon saved from Kabananga and Canas headed over but it was Celtic who held on to take a positive result back to Celtic Park.