Manager: We had to work really hard to book our place in the final

Celtic F.C.

·20 April 2024

Manager: We had to work really hard to book our place in the final

Brendan Rodgers maintained his perfect Scottish Cup record as he saw his Celtic side make it 16 wins out of 16 with a semi-final victory over Aberdeen at Hampden today (Saturday).

It was a win secured in the most dramatic of circumstances, with the Hoops win 6-5 on penalties after the game had finished 3-3 following 120 minutes of action.

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Joe Hart proved to be the shoot-out hero, saving a spot-kick to set up a Scottish Cup final appearance on May 25.

Nicolas Kuhn scored an equaliser after Aberdeen scored an early opener, while the Hoops twice led through James Forrest and then Matt O’Riley in extra-time. On both occasions, the Dons managed to grab an equaliser, forcing the game into a dramatic conclusion.

The Celtic manager was delighted to have reached another Scottish Cup final, which his team achieved after showing a great degree of resilience throughout the match.

Speaking to Celtic TV after the game, Brendan Rodgers said: “It feels great to get through and we had to work really hard. Big credit to both teams who put on a really good spectacle and thankfully for our supporters, they can look forward to another final.

“I was disappointed with the start. Aberdeen worked it well and we were too passive, there was too much space, and their striker, who’s a good player, finished it well.

“So from a couple of minutes in, we were chasing the game but we got ourselves back in, and from that we created opportunities in the game and then we went 2-1 up.

'Jamesy came in and added that class and quality to the game.'

"We had other chances to wrap it up and make it 3-1, but we’ve conceded twice more from crosses into the box, which wasn’t so good from our perspective.

“Matt’s goal was a great example of what we should have done a little bit more – we built it out, worked our way up the pitch and got into a great space and Ali Johnston pulled it back.

“When Matt scored, it was then a case of looking after the ball and managing it. We stuck on another centre-half at the end because we knew the balls were going to come into the box, but sadly we still conceded from another cross into the box.

“But the guys showed great nerve and big heart, when they could have been really disappointed, and so we get to the final.”

When the semi-final went to a shoot-out, Joe Hart had the opportunity to score the winning penalty as he was down to take Celtic’s fifth spot-kick, but his effort hit the post.

However, the Hoops keeper still proved to be the hero as he saved Killian Phillips’ effort to put Celtic into the final.

“The work’s done beforehand so you can still prepare and it’s something we work on over the course of the season,” explained the manager, “and in particular, the last couple of days all the players have taken penalties.

'But then it’s the nerve of the player and thankfully that held out and they scored some very good penalties, and then Joe made the critical save.'

“It’s funny how football worked. Joe dragged his penalty too far to the keeper’s right – I can see what he was thinking. Their keeper looked injured so he was trying to move him as much as he could to find the corner, but it didn’t quite work out.

But he got up, he’s a really top guy who then puts that to the side and makes the critical save.

“The history of this club is built on Scottish Cups but for now, we can put that to bed. We’ve got a great game to look forward to on May 25th and we’ve got to come into that in the best form that we possibly can, and look towards Dundee next week now.”