SACK THE BORED

Celts fire blank in yawnfest with minnows as directors get it in the neck for a failure to spend money on the team

- BY RONNIE ESPLIN

CELTIC still have plenty of work to do to reach the Champions League after drawing a blank in the first leg of their playoff against Kairat Almaty at Parkhead.

In Brendan Rodgers' 800th match as a manager, there was no traditional early onslaught by the Hoops as the accomplished Kazakh side more than matched their hosts.

However, with Yang Hyun-jun on for Adam Idah and Daizen Maeda moving to centre forward at the start of the second half, Celtic stepped up the pace and piled on the pressure in the later stages but could not find a way through despite 10 added minutes.

After Saturday's home William Hill Premiership game against Livingston, Celtic will get ready for the return leg in Kazakhstan next Tuesday night which involves a 7,000-mile round trip knowing qualification requires perhaps more work than many anticipated.