Galatasaray secured their place in the Europa League after holding Astana to a 1-1 draw in their final Champions League Group C game.
The visitors seemed to be on course to leapfrog their opponents when Patrick Twumasi fired them ahead midway through the second half.
However, the lead lasted just a minute as Selcuk Inan responded immediately to ensure his side will compete in Europe after Christmas.
Relive the entertaining score draw in our minute-by-minute account below.
Hello! Thanks for joining me this evening for the game in Istanbul. Before we go any further, let's take a glance at the team news.
Galatasaray starting XI: Muslera; Sabri, Semih, Chedjou, Hakan; Olcan, Selcuk; Podolski, Sneijder, Yasin; Burak
Galatasaray subs: Cenk, Bilal, Umut, Jose, Sinan, Koray, Tarik
Astana starting XI: Eric; Anicic, Ilic, Postnikov, Shomko; Maksimovic, Kethevoama, Muzhikov; Canas, Twumasi, Kabananga
Astana subs: to follow
Galatasaray manager Mustafa Denizli has made seven changes from his their last Champions League tie, but he has kept big-hitters such as Lukas Podolski, Wesley Sneijder and Aurelian Chedjou is the starting XI.
As for the visitors, they've made two changes from the side that drew 2-2 with Benfica last time out, with Marin Anicic and Dmitriy Shomko coming into the side.
The state of play tonight is as follows; Galatasaray are third in Group C, one point and one place above Astana. The Turkish side will finish third - and therefore qualify for the Europa League - as long as they avoid defeat. Astana must win to leapfrog their opponents and avoid finishing bottom. Simple enough, eh?
This is Astana's first ever Champions League season and it will be a magnificent achievement if they avoid finishing bottom.
Having said that, I don't think that they'll have quite enough to secure all three points tonight. The Turk Telekom Arena is a difficult place to go and I'm predicting an entertaining 2-2 draw tonight - just like the reverse tie!
KICKOFF: Astana get us underway, kicking from right to left in their blue and yellow.
Galatasaray give the ball away on the halfway line asn Astana break, but Chedjou gets back to dispossess Twumasi.
Anicic gets his head to a corner, but he can't get a solid enough contact and it's not a problem for Galatasaray.
Galatasaray break down the other end and Oztekin steps inside his marker but drags a weak shot well wide of the near post from 15 yards.
Astana are pinned in their own half at the moment and have pulled everyone back bar Kabananga.
Sneijder whips in a dangerous cross, but Eric should catch inside his six-yard box. Instead he punches it clear a a throw in.
It's the first attempt on target of the game, but it's a weak one. Sneijder nods a ball back into the box and in the direction of Yilmaz, but the forward can't generate any power in his header from 12 yards which bounces twice before falling kindly into the arms of Eric.
Astana are defending stoutly enough but seem to panic when they regain possession, which simply results in Galatasaray coming forward again.
A rare foray forward for Astana, but Kethevoama's left-wing cross is cut out by Balta before Kabananga can reach it.
Twumasi forces a corner from Oztekin, but nothing comes of it. Not much happening here so far!
OFF THE POST! Kwumasi with a moment of real quality and he's so unlucky to not give his side the lead! The right-winger controls a crossfield ball and cuts inside onto his left foot before drilling a powerful 20-yard effort beyond the reach of Muslera, but it ricochets back off the foot of the post!
SAVE! Astana are growing into the game! Muzhikov slaloms around a couple of challenges and fires a shot at goal, but it's straight at Muslera, who pushes it into the ground before grabbing hold of it.
Back down the other end, Sneijder sees his goalbound effort closed down. The Netherlands playmaker wins a corner though.
CLOSE! Podolski controls a ball on the edge of the box before firing a vicious left-footed strike just wide of the post. It took a deflection though, so it'll be a corner. It's taken short and Sneijder takes on a shot from an impossible angle, but Eric is still forced to push it away to safety.
UPDATE: Both games involving the English teams are currently 1-1. A little bit more entertainment there it seems!
Podolski feeds the overlapping Sarioglu, but the full-back gets the ball caught under his feet and his weak cross is cut out at the near post.
CHANCE! A massive chance for the hosts! Sarioglu's cross evades Anicic at the far post, which Yilmaz miscontrols. However, Oztekin arrives from deep and connects with it ahead of the onrushing Eric, but can only volley over the bar on the stretch from a few yards out!
CHANCE! Galatasaray fail to clear a corner and it loops backs into the box. Anicic - with his back to goal - gets there first, but it sails over the bar.
Wow. Kethevoama tries a shot from 40 yards... which barely trickles towards Muslera. Not his finest moment! Podolski fares marginally better at the other end as his wild shot flies well wide.
Astana have a chance to test Muslera from a corner but it's a poor delivery. They work the ball wide again, but it falls to centre-back Anicic, who can only put it straight out of play. That's why he's a defender!
CHANCE! Twumasi again races past Balta and reaches the byline this time, but he can't pick out Kabananga and the ball flashes across the face of goal!
CLOSE! Astana are looking dangerous in attack and again Twumasi's involved. The right winger swings in a cross for Maksimovic, who nods a powerful header narrowly over the bar.
Galatasaray are looking a little rattled here. Every time Astana come forward they a posing a real threat.
It's a big chance for Yilmaz to put his mark on the game, but he mistimes his jump and his attempted header from Podolski's cross skews off his shoulder and out of play.
SAVE! It's the closest Galatasaray have come and it's on a breakaway. Oztekin arrows a shot towards the top corner from 20 yards, but Eric reaches to his right to get his fingertips to the ball and tip it behind. Great save!
OFF THE POST! So close for the hosts! Yilmaz advances through a gaping hole in the middle of the Astana defence and rolls the ball past the advancing Eric, but it clips the outside of the post on its way out.
HALF TIME: Galatasaray 0-0 Astana
The first 15 minutes of the tie were nothing short of woeful, but since then it's been pretty entertaining! Both sides have hit the woodwork and neither side are playing for the draw!
UPDATE: Two big ties for English sides tonight... and it's not going well for either. Man Utd trail 2-1 at Wolfsburg and are on the brink of elimination. Meanwhile, Man City's hopes of topping Group D seem pretty slim as they are 2-1 down at home to Borussia Monchengladbach.
Although the first half was goalless, there are definitely goals in this game! Astana have looked very good on the counter attack, while Galatasaray grew into the game in the final few minutes of the opening period.
KICKOFF: Here we go then! The final 45 minutes of Champions League football for both sides this season. But who will continue their European adventure in the Europa League. We'll know in less than an hour's time!
SHOT! It's a bright start to the second period by the hosts. Sneijder has a pop at goal which sails wide, but it's a sign of intent.
Ilic gains 80 yards for his side with a marauding run down the right flank. He has a chance to deliver, but waits too long and is tackled.
BOOKING: Muzhikov goes into the book for a cynical foul. The Astana midfielder was dispossessed by Inan and had to bring down his opponent before he advanced on the back four.
There's a chance for Astana to lead a three-on-two break, but a wayward pass gifts the ball back to the hosts. The wrong option!
A deep corner comes through to Oztekin, who blasts a wild shot high over the bar.
Twumasi puts his name into the hat for the worst cross of the year. A clever free kick finds him wide of the right wing, but he shins it out of play for a goal kick. That was atrocious!
SHOT! Galatasaray get themselves in a mess at the back as Balta kicks the ball straight into Adin. It breaks to Maksimovic, who attempts to curl a shot into the far corner with the outside of his boot, but it swerves narrowly too high.
Sneijder sends a poor cross straight into the arms of Eric and then underhits a pass straight to Postnikov.
Galatasaray think they've earned a corner, but Chedjou is penalised for a high boot as he challenged Anicic. The crowd aren't happy!
BOOKING: Twumasi becomes the second Astana player to pick up a yellow card for a stupid foul on Adin. It was deep in Galatasaray territory and there was simply no need to go flying in as he did!
SAVE! Sneijder stoops low to direct Adin's cross goalwards with his head. Eric does well to react and push it behind for a corner. It falls to Inan from the set piece and the midfielder sends a sweet volley towards the far post, but Eric again makes the save.
GOAL! Galatasaray 0-1 Astana (Patrick Twumasi)
Could this happen? Are Astana on the brink of their first ever Champions League win? Twumasi arrives unmarked at the far post to slam home Shomko's deep cross on the half volley!
GOAL! (Selcuk Inan) Galatasaray 1-1 Astana
What a response! Galatasaray go straight down the other end to equalise! Yilmaz connects with a cutback from the byline to send the ball goalwards, but Postnikov makes a fantastic block. However, it falls to Inan 12 yards from goal and the midfielder keeps his cool to steer it through a sea of bodies and inside the near post!
The diagonal ball to Twumasi is causing all sorts of problems for Adin. The Astana winger gets the ball caught under his feet this time though and he has to dig out a shot which curls high and wide.
SAVE! Twumasi again finds space and curls a wicked cross towards the far post. Sarioglu slides in to cut it out and Muslera dives to his right to collect. Was it a passback? The referee thought not, but I'm not so sure...
UPDATE: Both English sides still trail 2-1. Time is running out for Man Utd and Man City.
Astana are pretty lucky, as Sneijder's corner bounces off Postnikov, but Eric is there to gather.
SUBSTITUTIONS: A double change for the visitors, as Kabananga and Ketheoama make way for Dzholchiyev and Nuserbayev.
Galatasaray are piling on the pressure now and force another corner.
Sneijder's delivery has been pretty poor tonight and two successive crosses are cut out at the near post.
Podolski rolls his marker on the edge of the box and winds up a shot, but Inan gets in his way and the German forward scuffs his shot at Eric. He's not happy with his teammate!
Twumasi sends a free kick into the area, but Anicic arrives too early and sends a backwards header high over the bar.
SAVE! Oztekin moves inside before cleverly backheeling into the path of Adin, but the left-back shoots straight at Eric from 12 yards out.
SUBSTITUTION: That's Adin's last action, as he makes way for Rodriguez.
Someone was happy with their goal! Inan's equaliser keeps Galatasaray in third place as things stand.
A huge roar from @Galatasaray goalscorer @8Selcukinan! #UCL pic.twitter.com/TlaLFKXoqc
— Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) December 8, 2015
Anicic gets across well to slide in on Yilmaz as he looks to run away down the left.
Astana have less than five minutes to find a late winner, but they're knocking the ball round the back four!
SUBSTITUTIONS: Oztekin has had a bright evening, but he makes way for Bulut. Astana make their final change, throwing on Kazakhstan Young Player of the Year, Zhukov.
Astana have a free kick wide on the left flank in the final minute. Can they make this count?
BOOKING: Yilmaz earns a yellow card for that desperate tackle.
CHANCE! It breaks free to Twumasi on the edge of the box, but the winger lashes at the strike and it sails high and wide. So disappointing!
THREE MINUTES OF ADDED TIME
Astana need a goal, but they're struggling to get the ball in Galatasaray's half. It looks as though Twumasi's chance was their final hope!
FULL TIME: Galatasaray 1-1 Astana
What a great game! Congratulations to Galatasaray, who will compete in the Europa League in 2016. But huge credit must also go to Astana, who kept their debut Champions League campaign alive until the very death. They only lost twice in the competition, but finish bottom of Group C.
That's all from me tonight, but make sure to stick around on Sports Mole for all the reaction from some incredibly entertaining games involving Man Utd and Man City! Until next time!
Written by
Kristian Johnson
Kristian Johnson
