The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
Hard work paid back in Lew time
Aberdeen will head into this Sunday’s Scottish Cup semifinal against Celtic with plenty of belief after a thrilling 3-3 draw against the Hoops.
The Dons led twice in a pulsating contest, but looked to be heading for defeat before man of the match Lewis Ferguson slotted home his second penalty of the game.
In a topsy-turvy tussle, a Ferguson spot- kick gave the Dons the lead at the break before Ryan Hedges cancelled out Callum McGregor’s equaliser.
The Hoops looked to have made an impressive comeback through a Leigh Griffiths strike and a Ryan Christie penalty, only for Ferguson to plunder a point for the Dons with a spot-kick in time added on.
The result has ramped up the pressure on Celtic boss Neil Lennon, who has to take his side to France to face Lille on Europa League duty on Thursday before meeting the Dons on Sunday, while Aberdeen have a free week to prepare for Hampden.
After going so close to a first Pittodrie win against Celtic since 2016, the Dons will head to Glasgow with a spring in their step and boss Derek McInnes felt a point was the least they deserved for their efforts.
He said: “It would have been an absolute travesty if we didn’t take something from the game. We were so good in the second half for long spells.
“We have conceded late winners against Celtic and the whole world falls in when they get a late winner.
“You get a few pats on the back and plaudits for putting up a good show, but I couldn’t be doing with that today. We needed to get something and I am glad we did as it was no more than we deserved.”
There was an unusual sense of expectation on Aberdeen as they welcomed Celtic, who were looking to avoid a third successive defeat inside 90 minutes for the first time since January 1994.
The Dons knew a victory would take them level on points with the Hoops and back into third spot above Hibs. They were boosted by Jonny Hayes being fit enough to start, despite limping off in Tuesday’s 4-2 win against Hamilton with a groin injury. The only change saw Ross McCrorie step in for Scott Wright.
Lennon shuffled his pack with four alterations from the Celtic team that started Thursday’s Europa League 3-1 loss against AC Milan.
Goalie Vasilis Barkas was an absentee, while Scott Brown, Leigh Griffiths and Stephen Welsh dropped to the bench. In their place came former Dons Scott Bain and Ryan Christie, as well as Mohamed Elyounoussi and Tom Rogic.
The game kicked off following a minute’s silence in memory of former Aberdeen boss Ebbe Skovdahl, who died on Friday at the age of 75.
The Hoops dominated early on, but the Dons defence looked calm and composed, although Olivier Ntcham almost caught out Dons goalkeeper Joe Lewis with a fierce long- range drive which clipped a post.
The Dons were forced into a change with 26 minutes gone when Dylan McGeouch limped off with a groin injury and Connor McLennan entered the fray.
Just as the half was trundling towards its conclusion, carelessness from Ntcham gifted Aberdeen the lead two minutes before the break.
The Fr e n c h m a n wa s penalised for a clumsy challenge on Ferguson and the midfielder dusted himself down before smashing home the spot-kick. It took Celtic only seven minutes of the second half to restore p a r i ty with Mc G r e g o r exchanging passes with Rogic before firing beyond Lewis.
T he Dons made two enforced changes soon after, with the injured Wa t k i n s and Ryan Edmondson, who crashed into the advertising hoardings following a collision with Shane Duffy, replaced by Wright and Sam Cosgrove. It was Cosgrove’s first appearance of the season following his return from a knee injury.
Wright capitalised on an error from Duffy to find Cosgrove, who worked a yard of space in the Celtic box for a shot. Bain managed to save but Hedges was in the right place to prod home the rebound.
Celtic responded by throwing on Brown and Griffiths for Ntcham and Albian Ajeti and the change had the desired effect.
Rogic fed Griffiths who unleashed a hit which took a deflection off Ash Taylor on its way into the top corner after 76 minutes.
The Hoops were ahead two minutes later when Christie converted from the penalty spot after Tommie Hoban had fouled Elyounoussi.
All over? Not quite.
In the dying embers of a rip-roaring contest, McLennan was brought down by McGregor and Ferguson calmly rolled home the penalty to earn his side a point.