Last updated on .From the section Football

By Alasdair Lamont BBC Scotland at the Astana Arena

Celtic take a valuable away goal back to Glasgow

Celtic emerged from a testing visit to Astana in which they were largely second best with a commendable draw.

Looking to reach the Champions League group stage for the first time since 2013, they found the Kazakhs tough opposition.

In Brendan Rodgers' third competitive game in charge, they fell behind to a Yuri Logvinenko header.

But after heavy Astana pressure, Leigh Griffiths struck a potentially crucial away goal on 78 minutes.

Griffiths had scarcely been involved in the match, his partnership with Moussa Dembele failing to gel.

But the striker, whose 40 goals last year earned him multiple awards and medals, showed his worth with a fantastic equaliser.

Patrick Roberts, Celtic's brightest player on the night, won possession near the byeline and picked out Griffiths inside the penalty area.

With barely a glance up, Griffiths rifled the ball past Nenad Eric to change the complexion of the tie.

Such an outcome had looked unlikely as a makeshift Celtic defence had to deal with a barrage of Astana chances.

With Erik Sviatchenko added to an already extensive list of injured defenders, Rodgers brought in 20-year-old Eoghan O'Connell for his European debut and Efe Ambrose was reintroduced to a three-man backline alongside Mikael Lustig.

Ambrose was fortunate not to see a lapse of concentration punished as he missed a Patrick Twumasi cross altogether, with Junior Kabananga inches away from connecting and Mikael Lustig nervously knocking the ball clear.

Gordon kept Astana at bay before Griffiths found the equaliser

But from the 19th-minute corner, O'Connell was left for dead by Logvinenk, who headed unchallenged into the net.

Although there were several further scares for the small travelling support, the majority of Astana's opportunities came from distance, with Craig Gordon looking assured.

As they often have, Celtic had their goalkeeper to thank for keeping the deficit to just one goal until Griffiths' leveller.

The Scotland international again produced save after save to help ensure Celtic are in the driving seat going into next week's second leg.

He somehow clawed away an awkward Azat Nurgaliyev chip after another Ambrose error, parried a ferocious 40-yard Twumasi drive, touched a dipping Nurgaliyev shot on to the crossbar and kept out a Kabananga effort with his legs.

Those interventions could prove vital as Celtic aim for a win in Glasgow next week to reach the Champions League play-off stage.

Line-ups

Match Stats

Live Text Line-ups FC Astana 1 Eric

14 Shitov

27 Logvinenko

5 Anicic

77 Shomko

6 Maksimovic

88 Cañas

15 Beysebekov Substituted for Ibraimi at 85' minutes Booked at 90mins

13 Nurgaliev Booked at 28mins Substituted for Muzhikov at 62' minutes

23 Twumasi

30 Kabananga Substituted for Despotovic at 86' minutes Substitutes 7 Muzhikov

8 Tagybergen

9 Ibraimi

10 Despotovic

12 Najarian

25 Maliy

35 Mokin Celtic 1 Gordon

23 Lustig

4 Ambrose

34 O'Connell

63 Tierney

27 Roberts

42 McGregor Substituted for Rogic at 77' minutes

8 Brown Booked at 90mins

14 Armstrong Substituted for Forrest at 72' minutes

10 Dembele Substituted for Bitton at 62' minutes

9 Griffiths Booked at 76mins Substitutes 3 Izaguirre

6 Bitton

7 Ciftci

18 Rogic

22 Janko

38 Fasan

49 Forrest Referee : Paolo Silvio Mazzoleni Attendance : 29,000 Match Stats Live Text Post update Match ends, FC Astana 1, Celtic 1. Full Time Second Half ends, FC Astana 1, Celtic 1. Booking Scott Brown (Celtic) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul. Booking Agim Ibraimi (FC Astana) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul. Substitution Substitution, FC Astana. Djorde Despotovic replaces Junior Kabananga. Substitution Substitution, FC Astana. Agim Ibraimi replaces Abzal Beysebekov. goal Goal! Goal! FC Astana 1, Celtic 1. Leigh Griffiths (Celtic) left footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Patrick Roberts. Substitution Substitution, Celtic. Tomas Rogic replaces Callum McGregor. Booking Leigh Griffiths (Celtic) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul. Substitution Substitution, Celtic. James Forrest replaces Stuart Armstrong. Substitution Substitution, Celtic. Nir Bitton replaces Moussa Dembele. Substitution Substitution, FC Astana. Serikzhan Muzhikov replaces Azat Nurgaliev. Second Half Second Half begins FC Astana 1, Celtic 0. Half Time First Half ends, FC Astana 1, Celtic 0. Booking Azat Nurgaliev (FC Astana) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul. goal Goal! Goal! FC Astana 1, Celtic 0. Yuri Logvinenko (FC Astana) header from very close range to the top right corner. Assisted by Patrick Twumasi following a corner. Kick Off First Half begins. Post update Lineups are announced and players are warming up.