Aberdeen's Scottish Cup suffering is over: Thelin's tactical masterclass, new hero and sub-gate that played part

Many Aberdeen fans too might have been despairing. But they will take this lack of ambition every year as local boy Graeme Shinnie followed in the footsteps of Alex McLeish, the last Pittodrie skipper to lift the trophy, after one of the most remarkable turnarounds in Scottish Cup final history. This was a compelling demonstration of why it is so important to still be in contention towards the latter stages, even if having contributed little in an attacking sense up to that point.

As in 1990, when they last won the trophy, penalties were kind to the Pittodrie side. Dimitar Mitov is the new hero, with the Bulgarian goalkeeper saving from Celtic skipper Callum McGregor and, decisively, from Alistair Johnston as Aberdeen rectified a terrible breach in their history. The Scottish Cup has eluded them for far too long although few imagined there might an amendment to their honours list would be required here.

The last time the trophy was in their possession Gazza was preparing to leave his mark on Italia 90. Few outside of Italy had heard of Toto Schillaci. Nobody in the current Aberdeen squad had even been born.

The celebrations when Johnston’s kick was saved by Mitov spoke of a great, desperate yearning. It was not unlike Hibs in 2016 although there was slightly less of the so-called exuberance that led to a broken crossbar. Some Aberdeen fans did spill onto the trackside after the unlikely equaliser that completely altered the dynamics of the afternoon when, with eight minutes of normal time left, Kasper Schmeichel inadvertently scooped substitute Shayden Morris’s cross behind him into his own net.

Aberdeen fans behind the press seats pawed the backs of journalists. Mobile phones clattered to the floor. All merry hell broke loose. And this was just the equaliser. Imagine the scenes when Mitov dived to his right to claw away Johnston’s penalty.

35 years of hurt

It wasn’t like this in 1990 because even though that victory was supremely welcome, Aberdeen had been favourites. Celtic, their opponents that afternoon as well, had finished fifth in the league. The Parkhead side had done well to take it to a shootout.

The same applied to Aberdeen here but the fact they had reached the point where it came down to five kicks made one wonder whether something was truly afoot. A Mitov save from Daizen Maeda in injury time, when the Celtic forward looked set to win the final for his side, had also served as a portent.

Not long earlier Aberdeen had looked completely bereft of ideas. With 15 minutes of the regulation 90 left, manager Jimmy Thelin sent on three players and watched as four walked off.

It was shaping up to be that kind of afternoon. Referee Don Robertson drew attention to his unusual tactical rearrangement. Ante Palaversa was instructed to stay on - and just as well. He’d have a role to play when required to convert Aberdeen fourth penalty, which he did – high to Schmeichel’s right.

This sowed the seeds for the harvest of Celtic’s dark destiny. Johnston’s failure to score saw Brendan Rodgers’ hopes of becoming the first Celtic manager to win three trebles disappear. The Celtic fans vacated soon afterwards. This wasn’t the party anticipated.

The green and white flags they had brought to hail the treble had ended up being used to distract Aberdeen penalty takers. Football, bloody hell, as someone with skin in this game once said. It must be noted that Rodgers and his defeated players remained to clap the Aberdeen players as they made their way up the steps. They seemed to be blinking in disbelief at what they were watching.

Celtic’s brush with woodwork

Arne Engels had hit a post with a drive just after the hour mark, which would have made it 2-0 to Celtic. Substitute Jeffrey Schlupp hit the crossbar in extra time – the bar had barely stopped shaking when McGregor, at the same end, watched in horror as Mitov saved his opening kick in the shootout. The final had taken another lurch in Aberdeen’s favour.

All this after Alfie Dorrington’s shoulder had seemed set to become enshrined in Celtic folklore. The unfortunate Aberdeen defender scored an own goal eight minutes before half time. It remained the difference for longer than seemed possible given the Parkhead side’s dominance. The ball bounced off Dorrington and crept in off Mitov's far post after Cameron Carter-Vickers flicked on a corner.

Aberdeen remained in the equation but there are no medals given out for remaining in the equation when the score finishes 1-0 to the opposition. While this might have been represented a better outcome than many Dons fans had feared, it was a long way from the glory game. It was a long way from Alex Ferguson standing on the Hampden turf and berating his players for a substandard performance after winning the trophy.

Over 20,000 Aberdeen fans had made the journey down on this latest occasion. It was a persuasive reminder to the authorities that the ticket allocations for such occasions should always be as close to 50-50 as possible. The atmosphere was leaving more of an impression than the game.

Thelin tweaked the stand free motto adopted by the Aberdeen fans and repurposed it as stand firm. He opted for five at the back and while this tactic seemed sound, it was married to the almost complete absence of attacking intent. Remarkably, Schmeichel in the Celtic goal did not have a serious touch of the ball until the 45th minute. Such lack of involvement might have explained what happened later, when he inexplicably failed to gather Morris’s cross.

Not that Aberdeen were caring. Indeed, all their troubles, all the years of striving – including seeing goalkeeper Jim Leighton carried off in 2000, watching Tom Rogic half-volley in an injury-time winner in 2017 - melted away in an instant when Mitov dived low to his right to save Johnston’s penalty. Although it was unfortunate for the Canadian full back, Aberdeen will argue they have suffered for long enough.