2019-04-14: Celtic 3-0 Aberdeen, Scottish Cup

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Review

(haitch of KDS)
Football 3-0 Boxing/Wrestling/MMA/Insert any combat sport here.

Definitely our most complete 90 minutes so far under Lenny’s interim reign partly due to our attacking players showing up. Edouard led the line well. Hayes put in a shift and had some moments of quality. Forrest was excellent and scored another vital and this time incredible goal. Rogic really came onto a game in the second half which bodes well for the run in. Brown absolutely bossed them and Simunovic had his best game since Anderlecht away.

A comfortable afternoon and looking forward to breaking Hearts in the final.

On a side note the reaction every time we win a big game these days is incredible. McInnes trying to blame sectarianism for his lack of discipline is hilarious. Maybe he should work on that and his players discipline will also improve. Can’t believe his ex player Christie was taken to hospital and he’s saying it should have been a yellow for the thug Ball. Ferguson was an absolute disgrace and his hatred for us in his DNA.

They all absolutely hate us though and it’s fantastic. We have broken Scottish football.

Teams

Aberdeen

1Lewis
21BallBooked at 36mins; red card (2nd yellow)
4ConsidineBooked at 54mins
5McKenna
29LoweBooked at 64mins
19FergusonBooked at 67mins; red card (straight red)
24Campbell
17May Substituted forDevlinat 43'minutes
7Stewart Substituted forGleesonat 70'minutes
27McLennan
16Cosgrove Substituted forWilsonat 85'minutes
Substitutes
8Gleeson
9Wilson
14Halford
18Devlin
20Cerny
33Ross
34Virtanen

Celtic

29Bain
23Lustig
5Simunovic
35Ajer
63Tierney
8Brown
42McGregor
49ForrestBooked at 23mins Substituted for Weah at 75'minutes
17Christie Substituted for Rogic at 42'minutes
15Hayes Substituted for Sinclair at 75'minutes
22Edouard

Substitutes
2Toljan
11Sinclair
18Rogic
21Ntcham
24de Vries
30Weah
32Benkovic

Goals
· Forrest (45'+2 minutes),
· Edouard (61' minutes pen),
· Rogic (69' minutes)

Referee:
Craig Thomson
Attendance:
46,773

Articles

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Stats

Possession
Home32%
Away68%

Shots
Home2
Away24

Shots on Target
Home0
Away10

Corners
Home0
Away10

Fouls
Home17
Away12

Articles

Aberdeen 0 – 3 Celtic: Lennon’s men cruise into final past 9-man Dons

Stephen Halliday
Published: 15:53 Sunday 14 April 2019
https://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/competitions/scottish-cup/aberdeen-0-3-celtic-lennon-s-men-cruise-into-final-past-9-man-dons-1-4907181
The most sustained period of domestic dominance Scottish football has ever known shows no sign of abating.

READ MORE – ‘That was horrific’: Fans react to Dom Ball red card in Aberdeen v Celtic semi

Celtic are now tantalisingly close to completing an astonishing ‘treble treble’ after sweeping aside an imploding Aberdeen side to secure their place in next month’s Scottish Cup Final against Hearts.

Neil Lennon’s prospects of upgrading his interim management status to a longer term second spell in charge of Celtic surely received a significant boost as goals from James Forrest, Odsonne Edouard and Tom Rogic kept him firmly on course to complete the job started by Brendan Rodgers.

For Derek McInnes, it was another unhappy afternoon at Hampden. The Aberdeen manager saw his team reduced to nine men with the dismissals of Dominic Ball and Lewis Ferguson, while he and his assistant Tony Docherty were both sent to the stand by referee Craig Thomson.

McInnes was punished for his reaction to sectarian chanting directed at him from a section of the Celtic support, the depressing recent trend of such incidents sadly adding a sour note to an otherwise memorable day for the cup holders.

On a day when many observers had fancied Aberdeen’s chances of finally halting the silverware-collecting juggernaut which Celtic have become over the past three seasons, the champions were clearly determined to remind everyone they have no intention of loosening their vice-like grip on any of the trophies they currently hold.

They imposed their authority on the tie from the very start and Aberdeen had to ride their luck to avoid the concession of an early goal.

Barely a minute was on the clock when Forrest and Edouard got in each other’s way as they tried to get on the end of a Callum McGregor cross, allowing Andrew Considine to slide in and make a saving challenge.

Aberdeen appeared nervy and hesitant in those opening exchanges. In the fourth minute, Jozo Simunovic was allowed to charge through the middle without facing any meaningful resistance. The big Celtic defender found himself on the edge of the Dons penalty area and his low left foot shot forcefd a fine save from Joe Lewis who got down to turn the ball behind.

From the resulting corner kick, Simunovic was presented with another clear sight of goal and this time he wastefully shanked his effort wide from close range.

On what would prove a demanding afternoon for referee Thomson, he opted to take no action at the first flare-up in proceedings when Edouard and Ferguson clashed angrily off the ball.

But he produced his yellow card for the first time shortly afterwards when he sanctioned Forrest for simulation after the winger threw himself to the deck dramatically after the slightest of touches on him from Considine on the edge of the penalty area.

Ball then collected his first fateful booking in the 26th minute for a clumsy foul on Jonny Hayes who was again preferred to Scott Sinclair in the Celtic starting line-up.

While McGregor fired a shot just over after being set up by Edouard, the early vibrancy and tempo of Celtic’s play had dipped a little. Aberdeen gradually made themselves known as an attacking force and top scorer Sam Cosgrove volleyed just wide of Scott Bain’s right hand post after getting on the end of a Ball cross.

But Aberdeen’s attempts to gather some momentum suffered a major setback with Ball’s departure in the 37th minute. Despite his protests, the on-loan Rotherham player had no credible case for complaint. Any claims over a lack of intent were negated by the reckless and dangerous nature of Ball’s aerial challenge on Ryan Christie which left the Celtic playmaker stricken and in need of lengthy treatment before he was carried off on a stretcher.

Tom Rogic replaced Christie, while Aberdeen withdrew Stevie May and sent on an extra defender in Mikey Devlin as they reorganised with 10 men. When play finally resumed, the short-handed Dons actually threatened first when Ferguson headed wide from a Greg Stewart cross.

But in the second of six additional minutes allotted at the end of the first half, Celtic made their fully deserved breakthrough. It was another moment of big occasion magic from Forrest as he collected a short pass from McGregor before turning away from the hopelessly wrong-footed Max Lowe and guiding a brilliant left foot shot beyond Lewis from around 25 yards.

McInnes waited to confront Thomson after the half-time whistle before he was ushered up the tunnel by the referee. It later emerged Docherty was sent to the stand for comments he made to the match officials as they made their way to the dressing rooms.

Any prospect of Aberdeen mounting an unlikely salvage operation disappeared completely as their afternoon fell into even greater disarray within a five minute spell midway through the second half.

Celtic doubled their lead from the penalty spot in the 62nd minute after Devlin got caught on the wrong side of Hayes. The winger went down under what was the lightest of touches from Devlin but although it was a soft award, it was correct. Edouard made an emphatic job of converting from 12 yards, Lewis unable to keep out the striker’s venomous effort despite diving the right way.

Five minutes later, Aberdeen found themselves down to nine men. It was a simple decision for Thomson to make, the referee going straight to his top pocket for the red card after Ferguson lunged in on Rogic with raised studs.

From the subsequent free-kick, Celtic made it 3-0. Mikael Lustig’s effort was blocked but the Swede collected the loose ball and rolled a pass to Rogic who steered a left foot shot beyond Lewis’s left hand from around 20 yards.

BBC

By Tom English

BBC Scotland at Hampden

4 hours ago From the section Scottish Cup

James Forrest scores
James Forrest's 17th club goal of the season put Celtic in front

Neil Lennon's Celtic continued their bid for a treble treble by sweeping aside nine-man Aberdeen to set up a Scottish Cup final against Hearts.

Dominic Ball was shown a second yellow after a sickening aerial challenge on Ryan Christie and Lewis Ferguson was shown a red for lunging at Tom Rogic. Boss Derek McInnes and assistant Tony Docherty were also sent to the stand.

James Forrest put Celtic ahead against the 10 men in first-half stoppage-time, Odsonne Edouard converted a penalty, and Rogic struck after Ferguson walked.

Celtic will meet Hearts at Hampden on 25 May – the first time they have met in a Scottish Cup final since 1956 – and the Scottish Premiership leaders need two more league wins to secure an eighth straight top-flight title.

The victory also moves Lennon a step closer to being given the manager's job on a permanent basis this summer.

'Aberdeen flattened by hooped juggernaut'

It wasn't just a Celtic landslide, it was an abject Aberdeen humiliation. Three goals conceded, two players sent off, a manager and an assistant manager sent to the stand – an utter collapse on the field and off in the face of opponents that were on it from the first whistle.

This was Celtic's 26th straight win in domestic cup competition, their 21st clean sheet, their 79th, 80th and 81st goals in this extraordinary run, while only seven have been given away at the other end.
Graphic of Celtic's cup run

They didn't just make the cup final, they strolled it in the kind of canter that brought a broad smile to Lennon's face and a haunted look on that of his counterpart McInnes as he sat in the stand alongside his assistant Docherty, the pair of them having been ordered off – Docherty during the break, McInnes 16 minutes before full-time.

The McInnes dismissal requires context. The Aberdeen manager was subjected to sectarian abuse from Celtic fans and he reacted to it, unwisely by his own admission. The twisted morality of these things in Scotland may now see McInnes up on a Scottish FA charge, while those guilty of abusing him will likely hear no more about it.

So many things had to go right for Aberdeen to halt this hooped juggernaut and the omens were grim even before a ball had been kicked when rumours of a Niall McGinn ankle injury in training on Saturday were confirmed. McGinn, in fine goalscoring form of late, missed this semi-final and will miss the rest of the season to boot.

Already shorn of suspended captain Graeme Shinnie and injured duo Gary Mackay-Steven and Shay Logan, the underdogs failed to muster even a yelp. The only bite they possessed was the kind that saw their discipline fall apart around their ears.

Jozo Simunovic, of all people, had two big chances to score inside the opening few minutes, Joe Lewis denying him the first time and, from the resulting corner, the centre-half side-footing wide when straight in front of the goal.

The Dons were under the cosh. They had a youthful team on the pitch and they were bossed from start to finish. The first of the reds came just after the half-hour when Ball, already booked for a silly trip on Jonny Hayes, arrived hopelessly late to an aerial duel with Christie and slammed his head into the midfielder's face. It was a horrible incident. Ball got a second yellow but the concern was all about Christie, who was tended to for six minutes before being taken away on a stretcher.

Rogic replaced Christie, Mikey Devlin came on for Stevie May and the Aberdeen horror show cranked up another notch.
Aberdeen's hopes all but evaporated after Dominic Ball was dismissed
Aberdeen's hopes all but evaporated after Dominic Ball was dismissed
Three going on four, five, six

Cast the mind back to the last meeting of these sides at Hampden – the League Cup final earlier in the season – and a sickening head injury to Gary Mackay-Steven was followed in rapid order by a Celtic goal deep into first-half injury time. History repeated here, only this time it was Forrest who got that opener.

What a sumptuous goal it was, Forrest getting away from Max Lowe on the right before firing magnificently into Lewis's top right-hand corner. Brilliant and unstoppable. Forrest came close to making it two soon after.

Docherty got put to the stand during a half-time contretemps and Celtic piled on the heat from there. They had an urgency about them that Aberdeen struggled to live with when they had 11 men and two coaches. With 10 and one, they had no chance.

The second goal came when Devlin allowed a cross to drop over his head, a terrible piece of non-defending that had calamitous consequences when he brought down Hayes in an attempt to recover. Edouard tucked away from the penalty spot.

Aberdeen's heads had gone. Ferguson dived in recklessly on Rogic and got what he deserved – a straight red. From the free-kick, Celtic got what their dominance deserved – a third goal. Mikael Lustig's initial effort came off the defensive wall, but when the ball came back to him he laid it off to Rogic, who planted a precise shot beyond Lewis.

Three could have been four, five or six. In the midst of all this, McInnes was ordered off – a fourth departure on a most dismal day.

Celtic's victory was as emphatic as any of the 25 that preceded it. It has also bolstered Lennon's case for getting the job on a permanent basis. The treble treble is very much on. Only Hearts can stop them now.

Match ends, Aberdeen 0, Celtic 3.
Full Time
Posted at 90'+3'

Second Half ends, Aberdeen 0, Celtic 3.
Posted at 90'+2'

Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Connor McLennan.
Posted at 90'

Attempt missed. Tomas Rogic (Celtic) left footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the right following a corner.
Posted at 90'

Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Joe Lewis.
Posted at 90'

Attempt saved. Odsonne Edouard (Celtic) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top left corner.
Posted at 89'

Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Connor McLennan.
Substitution
Posted at 85'

Substitution, Aberdeen. James Wilson replaces Sam Cosgrove.
Posted at 85'

Attempt missed. Jozo Simunovic (Celtic) right footed shot from the left side of the box is close, but misses to the right.
Posted at 84'

Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Michael Devlin.
Posted at 84'

Attempt blocked. Scott Sinclair (Celtic) right footed shot from a difficult angle on the left is blocked.
Posted at 83'

Attempt saved. Scott Sinclair (Celtic) right footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
Posted at 83'

Attempt saved. Timothy Weah (Celtic) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner.
Posted at 81'

Attempt blocked. Scott Sinclair (Celtic) right footed shot from a difficult angle on the left is blocked.
Posted at 79'

Foul by Tomas Rogic (Celtic).
Posted at 79'

Stephen Gleeson (Aberdeen) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Posted at 78'

Foul by Jozo Simunovic (Celtic).
Posted at 78'

Dean Campbell (Aberdeen) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Posted at 77'

Foul by Scott Sinclair (Celtic).
Posted at 77'

Connor McLennan (Aberdeen) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Posted at 76'

Foul by Kristoffer Ajer (Celtic).
Posted at 76'

Sam Cosgrove (Aberdeen) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Posted at 76'

Attempt missed. Jozo Simunovic (Celtic) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the right.
Substitution
Posted at 75'

Substitution, Celtic. Timothy Weah replaces James Forrest.
Substitution
Posted at 75'

Substitution, Celtic. Scott Sinclair replaces Jonny Hayes.
Posted at 72'

Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Stephen Gleeson.
Posted at 71'

Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Joe Lewis.
Posted at 71'

Attempt saved. Jonny Hayes (Celtic) left footed shot from a difficult angle and long range on the left is saved in the top left corner.
Substitution
Posted at 70'

Substitution, Aberdeen. Stephen Gleeson replaces Greg Stewart.
Goal!
Posted at 69'

Goal! Aberdeen 0, Celtic 3. Tomas Rogic (Celtic) left footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Mikael Lustig following a set piece situation.
Posted at 69'

Attempt blocked. Mikael Lustig (Celtic) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Dismissal
Posted at 67'

Lewis Ferguson (Aberdeen) is shown the red card.
Posted at 67'

Tomas Rogic (Celtic) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Posted at 67'

Foul by Lewis Ferguson (Aberdeen).
Posted at 65'

Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Greg Stewart.
Posted at 65'

Attempt blocked. Odsonne Edouard (Celtic) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Posted at 65'

Attempt blocked. Odsonne Edouard (Celtic) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Booking
Posted at 64'

Max Lowe (Aberdeen) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Posted at 64'

Scott Brown (Celtic) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Posted at 64'

Foul by Max Lowe (Aberdeen).
Posted at 63'

Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Lewis Ferguson.
Goal!
Posted at 61'

Goal! Aberdeen 0, Celtic 2. Odsonne Edouard (Celtic) converts the penalty with a right footed shot to the bottom left corner.
Posted at 61'

Penalty Celtic. Jonny Hayes draws a foul in the penalty area.
Posted at 61'

Penalty conceded by Michael Devlin (Aberdeen) after a foul in the penalty area.
Posted at 60'

Foul by Odsonne Edouard (Celtic).
Posted at 60'

Lewis Ferguson (Aberdeen) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Posted at 58'

Odsonne Edouard (Celtic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Posted at 58'

Foul by Sam Cosgrove (Aberdeen).
Posted at 55'

Attempt blocked. Odsonne Edouard (Celtic) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Booking
Posted at 54'

Andrew Considine (Aberdeen) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Posted at 54'

Odsonne Edouard (Celtic) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Posted at 54'

Foul by Andrew Considine (Aberdeen).
Posted at 53'

Foul by Mikael Lustig (Celtic).
Posted at 53'

Sam Cosgrove (Aberdeen) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Posted at 52'

Attempt blocked. Callum McGregor (Celtic) left footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked.
Posted at 52'

Jonny Hayes (Celtic) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Posted at 52'

Foul by Connor McLennan (Aberdeen).
Posted at 50'

Foul by Scott Brown (Celtic).
Posted at 50'

Greg Stewart (Aberdeen) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Posted at 47'

Kristoffer Ajer (Celtic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Posted at 47'

Foul by Lewis Ferguson (Aberdeen).
Second Half
Posted at

Second Half begins Aberdeen 0, Celtic 1.
Half Time
Posted at 45'+7'

First Half ends, Aberdeen 0, Celtic 1.
Posted at 45'+6'

Attempt saved. Mikael Lustig (Celtic) header from the right side of the box is saved in the top right corner.
Posted at 45'+4'

Stevie May (Aberdeen) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Posted at 45'+4'

Foul by Kristoffer Ajer (Celtic).
Posted at 45'+4'

Attempt saved. James Forrest (Celtic) right footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
Goal!
Posted at 45'+2'

Goal! Aberdeen 0, Celtic 1. James Forrest (Celtic) left footed shot from outside the box to the top left corner. Assisted by Callum McGregor.
Posted at 45'

Attempt missed. Lewis Ferguson (Aberdeen) header from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the right.
Substitution
Posted at 43'

Substitution, Aberdeen. Michael Devlin replaces Stevie May.
Substitution
Posted at 42'

Substitution, Celtic. Tomas Rogic replaces Ryan Christie because of an injury.
Posted at 37'

Delay in match Ryan Christie (Celtic) because of an injury.
Dismissal
Posted at 36'

Second yellow card to Dominic Ball (Aberdeen) for a bad foul.
Posted at 36'

Ryan Christie (Celtic) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Posted at 36'

Foul by Dominic Ball (Aberdeen).
Posted at 36'

Attempt missed. Sam Cosgrove (Aberdeen) right footed shot from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the left.
Posted at 31'

Scott Bain (Celtic) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Posted at 31'

Foul by Lewis Ferguson (Aberdeen).
Posted at 30'

Attempt missed. Callum McGregor (Celtic) left footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses the top left corner.
Posted at 28'

Callum McGregor (Celtic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Posted at 28'

Foul by Dean Campbell (Aberdeen).
Booking
Posted at 27'

Dominic Ball (Aberdeen) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Posted at 27'

Jonny Hayes (Celtic) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Posted at 27'

Foul by Dominic Ball (Aberdeen).
Posted at 25'

Attempt blocked. Odsonne Edouard (Celtic) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
Booking
Posted at 23'

James Forrest (Celtic) is shown the yellow card.
Posted at 23'

James Forrest (Celtic) has gone down, but that's a dive.
Posted at 21'

Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Max Lowe.
Posted at 20'

Kieran Tierney (Celtic) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Posted at 20'

Foul by Sam Cosgrove (Aberdeen).
Posted at 19'

Ryan Christie (Celtic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Posted at 19'

Foul by Lewis Ferguson (Aberdeen).
Posted at 16'

Jozo Simunovic (Celtic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Posted at 16'

Foul by Stevie May (Aberdeen).
Posted at 15'

Foul by Ryan Christie (Celtic).
Posted at 15'

Lewis Ferguson (Aberdeen) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Posted at 14'

Foul by Lewis Ferguson (Aberdeen).
Posted at 14'

Scott Brown (Celtic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Posted at 9'

James Forrest (Celtic) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Posted at 9'

Foul by Greg Stewart (Aberdeen).
Posted at 8'

Greg Stewart (Aberdeen) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Posted at 8'

Foul by Scott Brown (Celtic).
Posted at 7'

Attempt missed. Ryan Christie (Celtic) left footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right.
Posted at 5'

Odsonne Edouard (Celtic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Posted at 5'

Foul by Andrew Considine (Aberdeen).
Posted at 5'

Attempt missed. Jozo Simunovic (Celtic) right footed shot from very close range is close, but misses to the left following a corner.
Posted at 4'

Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Joe Lewis.
Posted at 4'

Attempt saved. Jozo Simunovic (Celtic) left footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the bottom right corner.
Posted at 1'

Lewis Ferguson (Aberdeen) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Posted at 1'

Foul by Ryan Christie (Celtic).
Kick Off
Posted at

First Half begins.

Lineups are announced and players are warming up.