Kairat Almaty 0-0 Celtic Player Ratings and Analysis
- By LIAM McBRIDE
- Aug 27
- 4 min read
ACSOM's Liam McBride gives us the rundown on the player by player ratings for what was a very difficult watch for Celtic fans last night.
For the first time since 2021/22, Celtic will play in UEFA's younger brother tournament: the Europa League. That’s thanks to an embarrassing exit at the hands of Kazakhstani outfit Kairat Almaty. Credit where it is due, they defended resolutely and frustrated the Hoops for 210 arduous minutes and will now play amongst Europe’s elite for the first time in their history.
However, this was as much about Celtic's mismanagement, both on and off the park, as it was about any good work that the home side did. A day after the disappointment, it is time to analyze how the individuals fared.
Celtic Player Ratings
Kasper Schmeichel - 5
Similar to the first leg, he had very little to do throughout the tie. However, when a penalty shootout came calling, he really disappointed. Like the Scottish Cup Final, the Dane constantly dove the wrong way, giving himself no chance of stopping Almaty’s takers.
Anthony Raltson - 4
Celtic dreadfully missed Johnston on the right-hand side. Ralston was constantly caught out of position in defence, finding himself much too central, leaving a gap of space on the attacker's left-hand side. In possession, in the moments he got forward, his crossing was slack. To put it simply, Colby Donovan provided more in his fifteen-minute spell than Ralston did for 105.
Cameron Carter-Vickers - 4.5
The American didn’t look his usual assured self throughout the match. On occasions when a simple pass was available, he often opted to play recklessly long or simply punt it out of the pitch. His distribution was slow and safe in an all-around poor display.
Liam Scales - 6
The 27-year-old was the best man in the Celtic defence, not that he had incredible competition. Out of the centre back pairing, he was the only one willing to commit to space and was more positive in his passing. However, at times, he did get caught when progressing or stepping up to a duel, and instead of slotting back into defence, he chased the ball like a dog going for a bone. In his brief period at left back, he played to a decent level, playing some incisive passes through to the Celtic forward line.
Kieran Tierney - 5.5
Defensively, the fullback was solid, with Almaty having little joy down Celtic’s left-hand side. Tierney also made an important back-post header to deny an excellent goal-scoring chance for the hosts deep into the first half. However, he failed to influence the game in an attacking sense and was slack on the ball from time to time. In games of this magnitude, you would expect more from him.
Callum McGregor - 6
He got better as the night progressed. In the opening stages, he stayed too deep, making it difficult for the Celtic defence to push up. He was also run off easily out of possession, providing little defensive resistance in a position where that is all so important. As the game developed, he began to be more aggressive both on and off the ball, and played a wonderful pass through to Maeda towards the end of the ninety. Moreover, he exorcised his Scottish Cup Final demons with a terrific penalty.
Reo Hatate- 5.5
Hatate failed to get into the game. In the early stages, his touch was off and the moments where he did get the ball, he failed to trouble the opposition. The Hoops played better in the second half when the Japanese was able to find himself in space and progress the play, but ultimately he never hit the heights all night.
Benjamin Nygren - 5.5
Nygren started the game well, with a great turn on the left-hand side, seeing him skip away from three players and get into a crossing position. He also seemed the most comfortable of the Celtic midfield at taking the ball in tight areas, turning and progressing the game forward. However, as the game progressed, his quality faded, with poor decision-making and slack fouling at the forefront. Most notably, he had an opportunity in the second half to set Yang through on goal, but hesitated before losing possession.
James Forrest - 5
He came close with a header that was tipped over the bar by opposing stopper Temirlan Anerbekov. That was as much as the 34-year-old got involved, though. In defence, he rarely tracked back, leaving Ralston exposed to Almaty’s full left-hand side. In the moments where he found possession, he was much too negative.
Daizen Maeda - 5
It was ultimately a slack performance. In the early stages, he was given no service. Yet, when offered a gilt-edged opportunity, similar to his one at Ibrox last season, and the Scottish Cup final against Aberdeen, again, he lacked composure and blazed over the bar. It was also a poor penalty that put the curtains on this year's Champions League Campaign.
Yang Hyun-Jun - 5.5
A performance that sums up his Celtic career to date. There were moments of skill and promise paired with frustrating decision-making that baffled. You couldn’t knock the effort from the most dangerous attacker on the night, but the lack of quality and composure was evident from the outset.
He seemed nervous early on, frequently mis-controlling the ball and overhitting a simple pass down the left-hand side by an incredibly large margin. He found his feet deep into the first half and brought some attacking joy for Celtic, but ultimately faded until exiting on the seventieth minute.
