Aberdeen seal cup semi slot after penalty shootout drama
Aberdeen manager Derek McInnes praised his players' resilience after they triumphed on penalties over Hibernian to reach the Betfred Cup semi-finals.
Hibs substitute Thomas Agyepong proved the fall guy as his spot-kick bounced back out off the underside of the crossbar to hand Aberdeen a 6-5 shoot-out win following a goalless quarter-final at Easter Road. Both goalkeepers had saved one spot-kick each.
The hosts had the better chances in the 90 minutes but Stevie May and Niall McGinn both missed good opportunities to win it for the visitors in extra-time.
McInnes said: "When it goes to extra-time and penalties, it doesn't become about just being a good footballer, it becomes about so much more.
"I've never been one to buy into this 'it's a lottery, penalty kicks'. It's not. It's technique, it's mental strength, courage to take that kick and be confident with it, and I thought we were very good.
"When you have a goalkeeper like Joe Lewis, you always feel confident anyway.''
Both Lewis and Adam Bogdan made one save each in the shoot out and the finest of margins cost Hibs in sudden death.
The goalless scoreline did not do justice to a cup tie full of tension from the start.
The Hibs defence scrambled clear Andrew Considine's effort after an early free-kick but Stevie Mallan and Emerson Hyndman began causing problems for Aberdeen. They first combined to send Florian Kamberi clear but the Swiss striker shot wide after rounding Lewis.
The midfield pair both had efforts off target before Dom Ball's 25-yard free-kick hit the underside of the bar at the other end.
Hibs enjoyed the better of the latter stages of the first half. Lewis saved unconvincingly from both Hyndman and Oli Shaw, and Boyle threatened several times.
The winger had the ball in the net following Mallan's searching ball but referee Steven McLean ruled he had used to hand to control the ball and there were few complaints from the Hibs man.
Moments later Hyndman played Boyle clear with a pass inside Max Lowe but the winger curled well wide. Boyle was soon free of the wing-back again and saw a deflected effort spin just wide.
Gary Mackay-Steven got in behind the Hibs defence early in the second half but Bogdan got down well to save and Kamberi shot over from a good position after fooling Michael Devlin with a dummy.
Lewis then foiled Paul Hanlon from close range following a free-kick.
Lowe was struggling to cope with Boyle and he made way for Niall McGinn as Derek McInnes switched to a flat back four, but it was Hibs who had the better late chances to avoid extra-time.
Hyndman twice came close from 20 yards after good moves and Boyle again had the ball in the net after Mallan's flick but this time the offside flag denied him. Moments later Hyndman played Shaw through for a glorious chance but the striker shot wide of the far post.
Aberdeen squandered two great chances in the first period of extra-time. Sub Stevie May dragged his shot wide after a quick break and McGinn sliced high and wide after passes from Mackay-Steven and Ball had opened Hibs up.
Mackay-Steven went down inside the box under the attention of Efe Ambrose after over-running the ball but McLean was unimpressed.
A crucial clearance from Considine kept the tie goalless following Agyepong's cross and set up the dramatic finale.