Aberdeen defeats Hearts 2-1 in Scottish Cup semi-final

Aberdeen secured a 2-1 victory over nine-man Hearts in extra time to reach the Scottish Cup final, with substitute Oday Dabbagh scoring the decisive goal in the 118th minute. The match saw Hearts reduced to ten men just before halftime after Michael Steinwender was sent off for a last-man foul, but they managed to hold Aberdeen to a 1-1 draw through regular time. Hearts' resilience faltered in extra time after Cammy Devlin received a second yellow card, allowing Aberdeen to capitalize on their numerical advantage. Aberdeen manager Jimmy Thelin highlighted his side’s patience and composure, contrasting it with their previous struggles against 10-man Rangers. The win marks Aberdeen's first Scottish Cup final appearance since 2017, where they will face either Celtic or St Johnstone. The result adds pressure on Hearts manager Neil Critchley, whose team also failed to make the top six in the league.