Dabbagh sends Aberdeen past nine-man Hearts and into Scottish Cup final
Aberdeen's Oday Dabbagh celebrates his late winner at Hampden Park.
Photograph: Andrew Milligan/PA
This most curious of Aberdeen seasons will end in Scottish football's showpiece occasion. Time will tell whether this outcome proves fatal for the Hearts manager Neil Critchley, who has a damaging habit of falling on the wrong side of fine margins. Celtic or St Johnstone lie in wait for Aberdeen on 24 May. Jimmy Thelin's team opened the campaign by going 16 unbeaten. A 12-game stretch where they could not win was to follow. The Scottish Cup final will round off their 2024-25.
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Oday Dabbagh was Aberdeen's hero, scoring the odd goal in three with less than two minutes of extra time remaining. Hearts played the entire second half with 10 men following Michael Steinwender's red card. They were later reduced to nine after Cammy Devlin collected a second yellow. Hearts were sturdy and stuffy enough but, like so often this season, lacked punch.
Aberdeen's lead had come against the run of play. Leighton Clarkson's inswinging corner found the head of Pape Habib Guèye. The forward's attempt crashed back from the Hearts crossbar from where it hit Craig Gordon. The ball duly found the net via the unwitting actions of the Hearts goalkeeper. Jamie McCart and Elton Kabangu had already missed chances to put the Edinburgh side in front at that point.
Hearts were to draw level by the half hour. A deep cross from James Penrice evaded all Aberdeen defenders. Lawrence Shankland, who had been lurking at the back post, slammed home through the legs of Dimitar Mitov. First half parity was fair.
There was, however, drama before the break. Steinwender was slow to react as Topi Keskinen raced through on the Hearts goal. The Austrian defender upended Keskinen, 40 yards from goal, with a red card the straightforward outcome. Steinwender had prevented a clear scoring opportunity.
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Hearts had no apologies whatsoever to make for a dour, attritional second half. Aberdeen created very little against 10 men. Penrice curled narrowly wide of the Aberdeen goal. Clarkson did likewise at the other end, via a Frankie Kent deflection. Extra time felt inevitable long before it arrived.
Aberdeen were the dominant force in that spell. Gordon saved superbly from Dabbagh and Alexander Jensen volleyed wide before the crucial moment. Gordon spilled the substitute Jack Mile's low shot, with Dabbagh on hand to force home the rebound. Celtic – the most likely final opponent – will not be worried by Aberdeen on this evidence. Aberdeen for now have no cause to care.
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