Match ends, FC Astana 4, Celtic 3.
Celtic completed an 8-4 aggregate win to reach the Champions League group stage despite a scare in Astana.
Leading 5-0 from the first leg, Brendan Rodgers' side fell behind on the night when Dimitri Shomko's shot was diverted into the net by Kristoffer Ajer.
And though Scott Sinclair produced a stylish equaliser, Serikzhan Muzhikov and Patrick Twumasi (2) put the hosts 4-1 up with 20 minutes still to play.
But Olivier Ntcham and Leigh Griffiths made the tie safe for the visitors.
It is Celtic's first defeat in all competitions since losing to Barcelona in Glasgow on 23 November, but they can now look forward to their 10th appearance in the group stage.
The Scottish champions will be in the fourth pot of seeds for Thursday's draw in Monaco unless Liverpool fail to progress against Hoffenheim on Wednesday.
Rodgers has now led Celtic to the group stage in each of his two seasons as manager, his side having taken on Barcelona, Manchester City and Borussia Monchengladbach last year.
With Astana faced with such a sizeable first-leg deficit, Celtic may have expected an early onslaught from their hosts in Kazakhstan, but the visitors looked the more incisive early on.
After earlier chances for Sinclair and team-mate Callum McGregor, there seemed to be no imminent danger to Celtic's lead until Shomko's speculative shot was deflected by Ajer's outstretched foot to wrong-foot keeper Craig Gordon.
Astana had restored some belief but their enthusiasm was blunted when Sinclair collected on Celtic's left, drove at the defence and curled a sumptuous shot past Nenad Eric. It was the Englishman's third goal of the tie.
The home side needed six more goals at that stage and Marin Anicic's header was superbly clawed over by Gordon as half-time approached.
Astana capitalised on a poor Scott Brown pass to get ahead early in the second period, Srdan Grahovac's chipped ball deflecting into Muzhikov's path for a straightforward finish.
No sooner had Celtic taken the kick-off, they found themselves doing so again. Twumasi was left unmarked to nod in Shomko's cross.
Junior Kabananga should have converted from the edge of the six-yard box at the end of another flowing Astana move.
Rodgers introduced defender Anthony Ralston in place of McGregor and placed the substitute in a back three with Nir Bitton and Ajer in an attempt to weather the storm.
Griffiths had an excellent chance but got under his shot after chesting the ball down in the box.
Astana scored almost immediately, Twumasi gliding away from the Celtic defence on the right of the box and beating Gordon at his near post.
After Griffiths' free-kick was saved, Twumasi could have completed his hat-trick when the ball fell to him inside the area, but he got too much elevation on the shot.
Ntcham had been an assured operator in the Celtic midfield and he found the net with the aid of a deflection to ease Celtic's nerves.
Griffiths put earlier frustrations behind him with a fierce right-foot shot as Astana were again caught on the break.
Stanimir Stoilov's side restored some pride and can console themselves with the knowledge they will be in the Europa League group stage, the draw for which takes place on Friday.
Line-ups
FC Astana
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 1Eric
- 4Shitov
- 44PostnikovBooked at 70mins
- 5Anicic
- 77ShomkoBooked at 82mins
- 18Maevski
- 6KleinheislerSubstituted forGrahovacat 13'minutesBooked at 90mins
- 23Twumasi
- 7Muzhikov
- 14TomasovSubstituted forBeysebekovat 45'minutesSubstituted forTagybergenat 81'minutes
- 30Kabananga
Substitutes
- 8Grahovac
- 15Beysebekov
- 17Tagybergen
- 21Shaikhov
- 25Maliy
- 35Mokin
- 45Murtazaev
Celtic
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 1Gordon
- 23Lustig
- 35Ajer
- 6Bitton
- 63Tierney
- 21Ntcham
- 8Brown
- 49ForrestSubstituted forRalstonat 57'minutes
- 42McGregorSubstituted forRogicat 57'minutes
- 11SinclairSubstituted forS Armstrongat 65'minutes
- 9Griffiths
Substitutes
- 12Gamboa
- 14S Armstrong
- 15Hayes
- 18Rogic
- 24de Vries
- 56Ralston
- 59Miller
- Referee:
- Pavel Kralovec
- Attendance:
- 19,075
Match Stats
- Possession
- Home36%
- Away64%
- Shots
- Home16
- Away18
- Shots on Target
- Home10
- Away7
- Corners
- Home5
- Away3
- Fouls
- Home19
- Away6
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, FC Astana 4, Celtic 3.
Booking
Srdjan Grahovac (FC Astana) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Post update
Kristoffer Ajer (Celtic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Srdjan Grahovac (FC Astana).
Goal!
Goal! FC Astana 4, Celtic 3. Leigh Griffiths (Celtic) right footed shot from the right side of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Nir Bitton.
Post update
Corner, FC Astana. Conceded by Anthony Ralston.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Stuart Armstrong (Celtic) right footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Leigh Griffiths.
Post update
Foul by Olivier Ntcham (Celtic).
Post update
Igor Shitov (FC Astana) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Anthony Ralston (Celtic) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Post update
Foul by Dmitriy Shomko (FC Astana).
Post update
Nir Bitton (Celtic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Serikzhan Muzhikov (FC Astana).
Booking
Dmitriy Shomko (FC Astana) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Post update
Stuart Armstrong (Celtic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Dmitriy Shomko (FC Astana).
Substitution
Substitution, FC Astana. Askhat Tagybergen replaces Abzal Beysebekov because of an injury.
Goal!
Goal! FC Astana 4, Celtic 2. Olivier Ntcham (Celtic) right footed shot from the left side of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Stuart Armstrong.
Post update
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Comments
Join the conversation
Yeah Stan, just 5 goals short of the result you were looking for.
And who doesn't want Celtic in the CL? Certainly not legends of the game like Xavi and Gerrard, or other SPL teams since they all desperately need the cash. I would guess just you, big DJ, and maybe 40,000 bears still reeling from their heroes getting horsed by a Luxembourg painter & decorators 11.
Nervy few moments but pretty comfortable in the end. Astana are a decent team (yes they are) and to beat them so comprehensively is a great achievement.
Not much money around the Scottish set-up but Celtic are a youthful side, with a good Scottish core of players.
Congratulations Celtic.
Erm ... I don't quite know how to break this to you but they went through 8-4 on aggregate. Sorry to be the bearer of such bad news.
Didn't they draw with Man City twice in last year's competition? Just asking.
Just bitter jealous comments as always.
Anyways good job Celtic..