The Celtic fans sang Joe Hart’s praises at Hampden as Celtic booked their place in the Scottish Cup final after a thrilling encounter that had ended 3-3 after extra-time. ‘Super Joe,’ though, had flirted with disaster in the penalty shoot-out before making the decisive save to take Celtic through and ensure he did not blot his copybook.
The keeper missed a spot-kick when he hit the post after Ryan Duncan had done similarly with the kick before. He redeemed himself with a save from Jack Milne as Celtic claimed a 6-5 penalty victory.
Twice Celtic had led in this game with Aberdeen twice pulling themselves back into it, first in the dying minute of regulation time and then again in the closing stages of extra-time.
By that stage it had seemed like a lifetime ago when they had landed a bloody nose on a soporific Celtic side who were caught napping as the opening stages unfolded. By the end of the game as Celtic prevailed to go through, the lingering feeling from those watching will be that this is a team with as many deficiencies as attributes.
Aberdeen lit the fuse in just the second minute when ball over the top from Leighton Clarkson sent Bojan Miovski in between Cameron Carter-Vickers and Liam Scales with the striker netting his 24th goal of the season.
It rattled Celtic. Yang, ineffective for the hour he was on, headed over from Kuhn’s delivery and Kyogo forced a save from Kelle Roos after Scales had picked him out but Celtic struggled to find their groove after the early setback.
When it came, it was Aberdeen’s turn to doze. Angus MacDonald dithered on the ball to allow Kyogo to nick it off him. The striker looked certain to net as he bore down on goal only for Stefan Gartenmann to slide in and make the block. Kuhn was quick to latch on to the break of the ball and drill his low effort past the exposed Ross to restore parity.
McGregor tried his luck from distance with an effort that sailed just over the bar but neither side could exert any real control of the game in the middle of the park.
Alistair Johnston dragged an effort wide of the target although Gartenmann had a glorious chance to re-establish Aberdeen’s lead when he got himself on the end of Clarkson’s free-kick with Joe Hart making the crucial block.
Still Aberdeen continued to come at Celtic who seemed spooked by the menace of Miovski.
Aberdeen were aggrieved not to get a penalty after Scales seemed to use a hand to brush the ball just in line with the penalty box. A VAR check ruled the offence was outside the box and, with no whistle going, there was no means then to bring back play and award a free-kick much to the frustration of Aberdeen.
Celtic rang the changes on the hour mark with James Forrest and Tomoki Iwata introduced for the ineffective Yang and Callum McGregor.
Forrest was on the park for less than a minute before he had driven an effort at goal; within two he had put Celtic in the driving seat as he cut inside and curled an effort into the corner, low and precise past Ross. He was Celtic’s best player for the time he was on the park.
Aberdeen responded with Junior Hoilett brought on for Duk while Adam Idah took over from Kyogo.
The Dons ought have levelled when they exploited the gaps Celtic had left at the back. Miovski teed the ball on a plate to Hoilett, but his first touch was poor and his effort was inches wide with only Hart to beat.
It seemed to energise Aberdeen, however, as they launched a late flurry to put Celtic under pressure.
Scales might have sealed it with a header just over the bar in the closing stages, a miss that became crucial as the Dons levelled the tie.
Hoilett’s cross to the back post was met by Sokler who beat Scales to head it past Hart.
Celtic lifted themselves again. Forrest, again, was pivotal to their third of the afternoon as he slipped the ball into the path of Johnston who delivered for O’Riley inside the six yard box who took a touch before lifting his effort high into the net.
Idah had the ball in the back of the net as Celtic thought they had a fourth only for VAR to rule, correctly, that try striker was well offside.
There was a reprieve for Celtic at the other end as Aberdeen had a strong shout for a penalty when Carter-Vickers caught Hoilett; a foul on Johnston in the build-up let Celtic off the hook. It proved to be a stay of execution. MacDonald levelled with minutes remaining to take the game to the lottery of penalties.
Celtic proved to have the stomach for the shoot-out.
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