Hart’s spot-kick redemption seals Celtic win over Aberdeen in classic semi-final

Celtic fans are known to have a delicate nature. They may take offense to any negative comments about their team, which is currently on the brink of achieving a domestic double after making it to the final of the Scottish Cup. This narrow-minded way of thinking has hindered the club's progress in recent years.

Should Brendan Rodgers succeed in accomplishing the task ahead of him, it would be considered one of his greatest accomplishments since he has very limited resources available. This would give Rodgers the ability to set higher standards for his team’s performance before the next season begins. As of now, his team has reached their limit and will not advance beyond Gretna, but it is likely that Rodgers is aiming for more significant achievements.

Aberdeen almost caused a huge shame for Celtic, had they won the penalty shootout. It wouldn't have been unfair if they had won.

The Celtic team depended on the experienced James Forrest to keep them going. They also had a player on loan from Norwich who was a good choice for attacking physically. There were some average players in the team, like the wide players, centre-backs and full-backs. The only players who stood out were Cameron Carter-Vickers and Alistair Johnston. So, it was understandable that they felt great about beating Aberdeen in a penalty shootout. To be fair, this is not the same Aberdeen team from back in 1983; they are currently ranked ninth in the Premiership, and even their caretaker manager, Neil Warnock, quit due to the team's poor performance.

Celtic experienced a significant shock when they had to remove Forrest, who was already a substitute, during the final few moments of extra time. Their attempt to win the game was unsuccessful, and the situation was quite chaotic. It's definitely safe to say that!

Don't let Celtic's weaknesses detract from what was a truly wild and crazy game at this stadium. The shootout was the epitome of this sentiment. During the shootout, Aberdeen's goalkeeper, Kelle Roos, had to seek medical attention. Meanwhile, Celtic's goalkeeper, Joe Hart, who usually enjoys trying to throw off his opponents, decided to take a penalty himself, but unfortunately hit the post. Finally, in sudden death, Hart managed to save the shot that would determine the game from Killian Phillips.

Rodgers expressed that the focus of the day was reaching the finals. He commended the players for their immense courage and determination. He even joked that after such a grueling match, the players might need a counseling session rather than a football session. The coach was spot on in highlighting the team's remarkable character, which is undeniable.

It seemed like a long time ago when Bojan Miovski managed to score first for Aberdeen. The Macedonian player took advantage of Celtic's defensive vulnerability and managed to receive a pass from Leighton Clarkson which he flicked past the advancing Hart.

The Celtic football team managed to level the game due to an error by Angus MacDonald who tripped over the ball while they were struggling. This enabled Kyogo Furuhashi to quickly take advantage of the situation. Even though Stefan Gartenmann was able to save Furuhashi's attempted shot, Nicolas Kühn seized the opportunity to grab the loose ball and make it an equal score.

During the end of the first half, Aberdeen requested for a penalty when Liam Scales moved the ball with his hand. The present rule considered this an unlawful act, which caused aggravation. However, the VAR verified that the defender had placed his arm away from the area, and no penalty was awarded.

After taking over for the ineffective Yang Hyun-jun, Forrest showed he meant business by darting into the center of the field and attempting a shot that was ultimately thwarted. However, he persisted and successfully executed the same maneuver later on. Forrest is determined to win his 24th and 25th domestic awards in the upcoming weeks.

At least Warnock was able to arrange Junior Hoilett's transfer to Aberdeen. The experienced player was left alone for a while until he received a high cross from Ester Sokler. Although Adam Idah had an opportunity to secure the victory for Celtic, he missed his chance.

Under normal circumstances, a goal by Matt O'Riley that curled into the net would have secured a victory for Celtic with a score of 5-1. Nonetheless, the uninspiring quality of their performance was illustrated when MacDonald received a pass from Hoilett and managed to score a goal, tying the game at 3-3 in the final minute of extra time.

Aberdeen initially believed that they were awarded a penalty, but the VAR technology detected a foul that had occurred before Carter-Vickers collided with Hoilett.

Rodgers continues his winning streak at Hampden and is yet to be defeated. The next challenge for him would be against either Rangers or Hearts on 25th May.