Joe Hart is spot-on as Celtic win penalty shoot-out to reach Scottish Cup final | OneFootball

Scottish Gas Scottish CupSemi-finalSaturday, April 20, 2024Hampden Park, Glasgow

CELTIC… 3(Kuhn 21, Forrest 63, O’Riley 105)

ABERDEEN… 3(Miovski 2, Sokler 89, MacDonald 119)

Celtic win 6-5 on penalties

It was a dramatic afternoon of Scottish Cup football at Hampden, with Celtic’s place in next month’s final eventually booked following a penalty shoot-out.

The game had finished 3-3 after extra-time, and it was the Hoops who triumphed 6-5 on penalties after Joe Hart produced a superb save in sudden death.

The Celtic goalkeeper had already been presented with an opportunity to win the tie when he took Celtic’s fifth penalty in the shoot-out, but his effort hit the post.

Hampden was mainly a sea of green and white at kick-off but it was the red and white of Aberdeen who were celebrating just two minutes after kick-off.

Bojan Miovski latched on to a ball threaded through the Celtic defence and he lifted it over Joe Hart and into the net to give the Dons an early 1-0 lead.

It was a goal which stunned the Hoops, but the players dominated possession as they looked to carve a way back into the game.

And on 12 minutes, they had their first real sight of goal. Liam Scales lifted a ball over the top which was well-controlled by Kyogo, whose subsequent shot was saved by Kelle Roos in the Aberdeen goal.

Nine minutes later, Brendan Rodgers’ side grabbed an equaliser through Nicolas Kuhn.

Kyogo did well to dispossess an Aberdeen defender and surged through on goal, and though his effort was saved, Kuhn followed up and slotted the ball into the net to make it 1-1.

Towards the end of the first-half, Celtic had two efforts from outside the area through Callum McGregor and Alistair Johnston, but they both went wide.

And at the other end, Joe Hart came to Celtic's rescue to deny Stefan Gartenmann at the back post after a free-kick finds its way to the Dons player.

There was also a VAR check for a potential handball penalty against Liam Scales, but the incident was ruled to have happened outside the area.

Aberdeen had an early half-chance after a free-kick into the box fell to Jamie McGrath, but he couldn’t keep his shot down.

At the other end, the ball was fed through to Yang inside the area. He cut back inside on to his right foot and fired in a shot which was blocked, as was the follow-up effort from Kuhn.

Just after the hour mark, Brendan Rodgers made a double change, bringing on Tomoki Iwata for Callum McGregor and replacing Yang with James Forrest.

And within two minutes, Forrest had given Celtic the lead. After an effort from the edge of the box was cleared, seconds later, the winger was once again fed the ball and he glided an effort beyond Roos and into the net to make it 2-1 to the cup holders.

It was the perfect introduction for a player who has scored many important goals at the National Stadium, and having gained the lead, Celtic pushed forward in search of a third goal.

Forrest was continuing to cause the Aberdeen defence problems, and he had another effort from inside the area saved by Roos.

However, Aberdeen continued to remain dangerous on the break and they passed up a great opportunity to equalise in the 79th minute.

Miovski latched on to a ball over the top and then slotted across into the path of substitute, Junior Hoilett.

His first touch was a heavy one, and as Joe Hart raced out to block him, he fired an effort that hit the side-netting.

The same player came even closer five minutes later following a scramble inside the area, but his effort was blocked on the line.

However, he turned provider in the last minute, curling a ball to the back post for Ester Sokler to head home to make it 2-2.

Celtic still had one last chance in added time following good work between Tomoki Iwata and Adam Idah, but the Irishman’s effort from eight yards out was blocked.

Into extra-time and it was Aberdeen who had the first chance when Sokler raced in on goal but his effort went just wide of Joe Hart’s left-hand post.

It was a tight and tense first period of extra-time which came alive in the last minute. James Forrest and Alistair Johnston combined well on the right flank, and the Canadian cut the ball back for Matt O’Riley who took a touch before firing the ball into the roof of the net from 12 yards out.

It gave Celtic a 3-2 lead which they could have added to in the second period, with chances falling to Idah and O’Riley, but just when it looked as though the Hoops would see the game out, Aberdeen equalised again in the last minute.

It was a similar goal to their previous equaliser, with a ball to the back post headed home by captain Angus MacDonald.

It meant the tie would be decided on penalties, and Joe Hart proved to be the Hoops hero, saving a spot-kick in sudden death to book Celtic’s place in next month’s Scottish Cup final.