Celtic Show Grace in Defeat After Scottish Cup Final Loss to Aberdeen
Aberdeen staged a dramatic comeback to win the Scottish Cup, and despite the heartbreak, Celtic captain Callum McGregor and his teammates displayed a touch of class in the aftermath.
Brendan Rodgers’ side were left stunned at Hampden as Jimmy Thelin’s men battled back to force extra time, before emerging victorious in a nerve-wracking penalty shootout. Dons goalkeeper Dimitar Mitov was the hero, saving crucial spot-kicks from both McGregor and Alistair Johnston.
Rodgers was seen consoling his captain, who was visibly distraught after his opening penalty was saved in front of the Celtic fans. That miss set the tone, while Aberdeen showed nerves of steel, converting all of their attempts and sealing a historic victory—their first Scottish Cup triumph in 35 years.
McGregor, devastated at missing out on what would have been a sixth Treble in nine seasons for Celtic, was comforted by both Rodgers and goalkeeper Scott Bain. Despite the pain of defeat, Celtic’s players and coaching staff showed their sportsmanship by applauding every Aberdeen player as they climbed the Hampden steps to lift the trophy.
While Rodgers had previously led Celtic to shootout wins against both Aberdeen and Rangers at the national stadium, this time it was the Dons who rose to the occasion, showing resilience and belief to claim a memorable win.
