CELTIC TIME IT TO PERFECTION
Rogic’s dramatic late winner makes it a storybook ending as Celtic hold off brave Dons to clinch an historic Treble
CELTIC men never forget their anniversary. The club that won the Double in their Centenary year and beat Barcelona to toast the 125th celebrations in stunning style found a wave of new romantics here yesterday.
A wonderful week of Lisbon Lions nostalgia 50 years on is now bookended by the Invincibles league feat and the sealing of the domestic Treble, only the fourth in their illustrious history, following a breathtaking William Hill Scottish Cup final.
It is storybook stuff, impeccable timing again. For Celtic, the happy ending was scripted with the ultimate Hampden drama to decide a thriller just as a bolt of lightning flashed in the sky above the national stadium.
The gift was delivered by an injury-time gallop and goal from Tom Rogic, whose legs were just that bit fresher than an outstanding Aberdeen defence after he replaced Kieran Tierney on 29 minutes.
That settled a quite sensational game as these teams put on an absorbing show.
Made fascinating by the tactical call from Aberdeen manager Derek McInnes to play Jayden Stockley up front and his refusal to let Celtic adopt their preferred approach with relentless hassling and aggressive pressing.
Made so entertaining by the two best teams in the country trading end-to-end opportunities to add to two early goals before Celtic landed their 37th Scottish Cup in the 92nd minute.
The rest of Scottish football has been dismantled by Brendan Rodgers and his inexorable squad. But what a fright Aberdeen handed them after losing 12-2 on aggregate in five previous meetings this season.
McInnes can do little more and that must be so maddening. He has tried a few alternative methods. Each one has met with defeat.
No wonder when Celtic can win the game with a talent like Rogic off the bench and leave a £30millionrated striker sitting there.
Leigh Griffiths started instead of Moussa Dembele. The striker selection that stood out, though, was Stockley being handed his 13th start and what an impact he made.
His work in the air manoeuvred Aberdeen into position to storm into a ninth-minute lead. Jonny Hayes won a corner off Stockley’s knockdown and Niall McGinn took a well-rehearsed kick.
Certainly, Griffiths wasn’t in on the move. For McGinn’s delivery was schemed to bypass the big guys at the heart of the penalty box and drop for the arrival of Hayes.
That plan was timed beautifully as the Irishman slipped the attention of Griffiths to hit a first-time volley from eight yards past goalkeeper Craig Gordon.
Celtic stung Aberdeen within two minutes, though. Stuart Armstrong’s movement is a nightmare to pick up, as Aberdeen were reminded a few weeks ago at Pittodrie.
His 16 goals before yesterday showed that he is lethal when afforded a chance to strike.
Callum McGregor hurdled a couple of challenges and referee Bobby Madden played a good advantage as Ryan Jack lunged.
Armstrong strode on to the edge of the box and unleashed the sweetest of left-foot shots into the bottom left-hand corner of Joe Lewis’ net. The Celtic midfielder was not closed down quickly enough as Shay Logan sat off. The goalkeeper wasn’t even close.
But Aberdeen refused to be discouraged and enjoyed nine firsthalf chances. Perhaps Stockley’s threat stayed in the mind of Scott Brown, who crunched into a challenge on him after 15 minutes.
No luck there in negating Stockley’s strength and Tierney soon knew all about that power. The big striker caught the Scotland star with a swinging arm that smashed into his mouth.
Taking out one of Celtic’s best players after 20 minutes wasn’t quite what McInnes had in mind with his Stockley selection, but the bloody mess left on Tierney forced the champions into a significant reshuffle.
And with the perpetrator escaping any punishment to go with the three red cards brandished in his first Scottish season, he was able to spearhead a terrific Aberdeen first half as Celtic dealt with the blow.
McGregor covered for Tierney and Aberdeen sniffed more blood. Gordon twice sprang to his left within a minute to beat away strikes from McGinn and Jack, who produced an outstanding display on his farewell appearance without the captain’s armband.
Stockley was in a superb position to head Aberdeen back in front, with a McGinn corner again the route to opportunity, but failed to guide the attempt either side of Gordon, who scrambled a save.
Aberdeen were convinced they had Celtic rattled a few weeks ago. A strange thing to say after a 3-1 defeat but it was their best effort against a Rodgers side by far after the sorry first 11 minutes were stripped away. They continued where they left off.
At the other end, a Griffiths freekick fizzed narrowly wide. But at the golden moment they could have stolen a half-time advantage, the opportunity was spurned. McInnes said he needed a perfect performance and some breaks. His men produced. In first-half stoppage time came a real let-off.
Celtic probed their way around a packed Aberdeen defence, Griffiths threw over a devil of a delivery and the Player of the Year prodded it over the bar from five yards.
Scott Sinclair had been scoring these in his sleep all season. The battleground became more ferocious in the second half. A gorgeous pass from Rogic connected with a ghosting run by Sinclair. Lewis spread himself superbly at the near post to stop the Englishman shooting Celtic in front. Hayes then hustled McGregor out of possession from a poor Brown pass and raced in front down the right. Kenny McLean was
all alone and bawling for the pass. It arrived just behind his stride, he misconnected and 24,000 Aberdeen hearts sank.
For there just had to be more Celtic chances. And once Stockley came off on 62 minutes, replaced by Adam Rooney, they became more frequent.
Armstrong lashed a shot from the left that Lewis powered away. Then a fingertip save from the keeper to glance Patrick Roberts’ 22-yard effort on to the post had the winger still shaking his head minutes later.
Lewis conjured a save that was its equal with 15 minutes remaining to deny Griffiths, only after Gordon tried to steal the goalkeeping show.
His stretch and punch to match a fierce Graeme Shinnie drive was the Celtic keeper at his finest.
On 71 minutes, Dedryck Boyata’s free diving header should have been buried. Incredibly, Sinclair had another seemingly simple task laid at his feet to score his 26th of the season. He fluffed with his studs and the ball rolled at Lewis.
As the waves of Celtic pressure rushed in amid more thundery rain, every Aberdeen block was a personal triumph against fatigue.
Sadly for them, they had no more to give once three minutes of stoppage time were signalled.
As an Australian international, Rogic is used to surviving stamina tests with his travelling plans.
Here, his stride allowed him to glide away from Anthony O’Connor and then an exhausted Andrew Considine before slamming home the classiest of finishes to win it.