Dabbagh's Extra-Time Heroics Set Up Aberdeen vs Celtic/St Johnstone Final
What a rollercoaster it was at Hampden! Hearts and Aberdeen went head-to-head in a Scottish Cup semi-final that had absolutely everything—goals, red cards, drama, and a last-gasp winner. The tension was sky-high as both teams fought for a place in the final, but it was Aberdeen who emerged victorious, edging past nine-man Hearts 2-1 in extra time, thanks to a clinical 118th-minute strike from Oday Dabbagh.
From the opening whistle, Hearts looked determined to prove a point. They were aggressive, sharp, and pushed Aberdeen back early on. Craig Gordon was solid between the posts, but a touch of bad luck gave Aberdeen the lead when Papa Gueye’s header ricocheted off the crossbar, hit Gordon, and ended up in the back of the net. Hearts responded swiftly. A pinpoint cross from Penrice found Lawrence Shankland, who smashed it through Dimitar Mitov's legs to level the score at 1-1 before halftime.
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But then came the turning point—Michael Steinwender saw red for a foul on Topi Keskinen, leaving Hearts a man down just before the break. That red card tilted the momentum. Neil Critchley, Hearts’ boss, reshaped his team into a more defensive setup, sacrificing attacking options to survive the Aberdeen pressure.
Despite dominating possession, Aberdeen struggled to find clear chances. Hearts, to their credit, defended valiantly with 10 men, and even when down to nine after Cammy Devlin received a second yellow card, they looked like they might hang on for penalties.
Then came the heartbreak. With penalties looming, Craig Gordon made a superb save to deny Dante Polvara, but Oday Dabbagh was there—right place, right time—to bury the rebound into the roof of the net. Cue bedlam in the Aberdeen end. It was Dabbagh’s moment, and what a time to deliver.
Credit to Hearts—they showed grit and character throughout, but the red cards ultimately proved costly. For Aberdeen, it’s jubilation. They’re into their first Scottish Cup final since 2017 and now await the result of Celtic vs St Johnstone. With Celtic having lifted the trophy five times since that 2017 final, they’ll be favorites—but don’t count out a shock from St Johnstone, who’ve never lost a Scottish Cup final.
May 24th is now circled in bold on the calendar. The Dons will be dreaming of ending a 35-year Scottish Cup drought.
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