Sokler and Shinnie strike as Aberdeen fightback for draw with Celtic

In the 102nd minute, well past five o'clock, the referee blew the whistle to conclude an incredible match. The last highlight was a brilliant goal-line clearance by Duk, who prevented Alistair Johnston from scoring.

Celtic worked hard in their quest to score a goal in the closing minutes and create some distance between themselves and Aberdeen at the top of the Scottish Premiership. The fact that there was no winner seemed fitting, considering Aberdeen’s impressive performance in this thrilling match. It’s uncertain whether Jimmy Thelin’s revival of Aberdeen will lead to significant trophies in the future. However, it’s evident that this match will be tough to surpass as the best of the season. It was held in front of Sir Alex Ferguson, who was known for guiding Aberdeen teams to Glasgow and causing some upsets. The legendary figure likely approved of what he saw.

Even Celtic fans shouldn't hold a grudge against Aberdeen for earning a point. They should be worried about what might happen in Bergamo on Wednesday if Celtic plays as defensively lax against Atalanta. The absence of Cameron Carter-Vickers, who was injured and missed this match, leaves the Celtic defense vulnerable. Brendan Rodgers' reluctance to comment on Carter-Vickers's condition with the match against Atalanta approaching didn’t inspire much hope. However, Rodgers was honest about Celtic's collapse after leading 2-0, stating, "We were punished for being careless." He appeared visibly frustrated throughout the post-match comments.

Thelin made aggressive changes to the lineup at halftime, which completely changed the momentum of the game. If that wasn't impressive enough, Aberdeen's determination to stand firm during the 12 minutes of added time was remarkable. Weaker teams might have given up under that pressure. Thelin has built something special at Pittodrie, and it continues to thrive even after facing its toughest challenge yet.

Neil Critchley had an incredible first match as Hearts' manager, leading the team to their first win of the season with a resounding 4-0 defeat of St Mirren. Kenneth Vargas opened the scoring after a well-executed team play, followed by Daniel Oyegoke’s stunning goal. Academy graduate James Wilson scored his inaugural professional goal, and Blair Spittal added another late in the game to ensure a much-awaited and well-earned victory.

Dundee United pulled off an amazing comeback, scoring two goals in injury time to clinch a thrilling 3-2 win against Hibernian at Tannadice. Sam Dalby put the home team ahead, but Warren O'Hora brought Hibs back on level terms before halftime. Then, substitute Dwight Gayle gave Hibernian the lead with a header. Late in the match, Hibs' captain Joe Newell received a red card, and just three minutes into stoppage time, Luca Stephenson equalized for Dundee United. To cap it all off, Meshack Ubochioma scored the winning goal six minutes later in a dramatic finish.

Dundee secured their first win in six games by narrowly defeating Motherwell in a messy match at Fir Park. Lyall Cameron scored the game's sole goal in the 37th minute.

Benjamin Kimpioka scored two goals in the first half, leading St Johnstone to their first home league victory of 2024 with a 3-0 win over a nine-man Ross County at McDiarmid Park. New manager Simo Valakari observed the match from the stands due to a delay in receiving his work permit. The Saints got off to a strong start when Adama Sidibeh delivered a cross, allowing Kimpioka to easily score.

County was left with only 10 players after Elijah Campbell received a red card for two yellow cards. Kimpioka took advantage of the situation, scoring another goal at the back post just before halftime. Nicky Clark had a goal disallowed by VAR, and things got worse for County when substitute Charlie Telfer was shown a straight red card during a tough game for the Staggies. In injury time, Makenzie Kirk added a third goal to secure the win.

Image credit: Mark Runnacles/Rex Features

At halftime, even the most hopeful fans of Aberdeen couldn't have predicted what was about to happen. Dimitar Mitov, the Aberdeen goalkeeper, hesitated as Arne Engels sent a pass to Kyogo Furuhashi. The Japanese striker took full advantage of the moment, passing the ball back to Reo Hatate, who scored easily from 12 yards out, giving Mitov no chance. Kyogo then scored Celtic's second goal. Hatate's shot was already likely to result in a penalty due to a handball by Gavin Molloy, but Furuhashi quickly capitalized on the rebound, eliminating the need for a video review. The atmosphere at Celtic Park erupted, indicating that Aberdeen's glory days were behind them.

Thelin correctly identified that the optimal strategy for countering Celtic is to be aggressive in attack. This is where Ester Sokler and Duk came in, providing movement in attacking positions. Sokler's first action was to capitalize on a pass from Jamie McGrath, putting it past Kasper Schmeichel. Celtic did not take the hint. A mistake by Daizen Maeda gave Graeme Shinnie the chance to take a shot, which went in past Schmeichel after taking a deflection. The crowd erupted in surprise.

Aberdeen thought they had pulled off a remarkable turnaround when Slobodan Rubezic's header from a free-kick by McGrath went in, thanks to deflections from Duk. However, it turned out that Duk had used his elbow to redirect the ball, so the goal was rightly disallowed.

Seeing "10 minutes" on the board from the fourth official likely caused a wave of anxiety among the loud traveling fans. James Forrest tested Mitov with a clever save as Celtic began to press harder. Auston Trusty squandered a fantastic opportunity following a corner from Paolo Bernardo. Adam Idah found the back of the Aberdeen net, but the goal was disallowed due to a foul on Mitov. Luke McCowan earned a free kick for Celtic just outside the penalty area. Mitov again stepped up, making an excellent save against Idah, moments before Celtic appealed for a penalty after an extraordinary handball by Duk.

Thelin, who has a naturally calm demeanor, smiled as he reminisced about the “wild times” while the minutes passed by. “The players really gave it their all,” the Swede noted. “They put in every effort they could. I’m proud of them.” He should also take pride in his own achievements. Aberdeen, playing like this, shows they have true quality.

Celtic has just a few days to regain their determination.