Hearts make Dons pay the penalty to reach Betfred Cup semi-final

Heart of Midlothian 2 Aberdeen 2 (Hearts win 3-0 on
pens)

Betfred League Cup Quarter-Final – Wednesday 25^th September 2019 – Tynecastle Park

Hearts
are heading back to Hampden after a pulsating Betfred Cup quarter final victory
over Aberdeen at Tynecastle on Wednesday evening.

Craig
Levein’s men did it the hard way, coming back twice from behind to force extra
time which saw no further scoring. The Maroons then triumphed 3-0 in the penalty
shoot-out.

After
Sunday’s victory in the Edinburgh derby at Easter Road, Hearts sprang out the
traps on a balmy autumn evening in Gorgie. In the opening minutes Uche Ikpeazu
hit the Aberdeen crossbar before Meshino forced Dons keeper Lewis into a fine
save.

However,
Hearts defensive frailties came to the fore once more. In the 12^th
minute captain Christophe Berra fouled Hedges inside the Hearts penalty box.
Cosgrove made no mistake with the resultant penalty and the Dons were ahead
against the run of play.

Hearts
deservedly drew level midway through the first half when the Dons showed their
own defensive weakness when Devlin failed to deal with Damour’s cross leaving
Steven Maclean with the freedom of McLeod Street to pick his spot to level the
tie.

But
the home side then gifted the visitors the lead again ten minutes later. This
time Damour lunged in on Wilson inside his own penalty box. Yet again, Cosgrove
converted the penalty.

Despite
heavy Hearts pressure and Aberdeen looking dangerous on the counterattack it
looked like the Dons would hold on for a 2-1 win. But then, in stoppage time,
Jake Mulraney delivered a cross into the Aberdeen penalty box where Craig Halkett
headed home to make it 2-2 and take the game to extra-time.

With
no further scoring it was down to a penalty shoot-out.

Cosgrove
may have scored two penalties in the first half, but he blazed his kick in the shoot-out
high into the Gorgie Stand – as did McGinn. Hearts Glenn Whelan and Michael
Smith made no mistake with their spot kicks. When Hearts keeper Joel Pereria
saved Anderson’s kick it was left to young Aidan Keena to clinch victory with his
spot kick. Hearts won the penalty shoot-out 3-0 – and will now face Rangers in
the semi-final at Hampden Park on either 2^nd or 3^rd
November.

Hearts: Pereira, Smith, Berra,
Mulraney, Whelan, MacLean (Clare, 68′), Ikpeazu, Damour (Keena, 74′), Halkett,
Hickey, Meshino (Morrison, 79′ – Irving, 113′)).

Aberdeen: Lewis, Logan, Leigh,
Considine, Devlin (Anderson, 118′), Hedges, Cosgrove, McLennan, (McGinn, 63′)
Ferguson, Campbell, (Vyner, 77′), Wilson (Gallagher, 51′).

Referee: Kevin Clancy

Attendance: 12,866

Top Man: Glenn Whelan