SORE LOSER! Derek McInnes Left Whining After Scottish Cup Upset at Celtic Park!
Aberdeen manager Derek McInnes was left smarting after his side’s Scottish Cup defeat to Celtic at Celtic Park on Sunday. The Dons boss was less than gracious in defeat, choosing instead to focus on the winning goal, which he claimed should not have stood.
Celtic’s 2-1 victory was secured thanks to a stunning strike from Odsonne Edouard in the 68th minute. However, McInnes was adamant that the French forward was offside when he received the pass that led to the goal.
“I’m very disappointed with the goal,” McInnes said in his post-match press conference. “I think it’s a clear offside. The linesman’s got a great view of it, and I’m not sure why he didn’t give it.
“It’s a big moment in the game, and it’s a big decision. I think if we get that decision right, it’s a different game. We might have gone on to win it, or at least take it to extra time.”
McInnes’ complaints about the officiating were not limited to the winning goal. He also felt that his side were denied a clear penalty in the first half when Celtic defender Kristoffer Ajer appeared to handle the ball in the box.
“We should have had a penalty in the first half,” McInnes said. “It’s a clear handball. The referee’s got a great view of it, and he’s not given it.
“I’m not saying that we would have won the game, but I think we would have had a better chance of getting something from it. As it was, we were chasing the game, and we couldn’t quite get back into it.”
Despite his side’s defeat, McInnes was keen to praise the efforts of his players. Aberdeen had taken the lead in the 38th minute through a stunning strike from Niall McGinn, and they had looked good value for their advantage until Celtic’s equalizer just before halftime.
“I’m very proud of the players,” McInnes said. “They gave everything they had, and they left everything on the pitch. We were up against a very good Celtic team, and we knew it was going to be a tough game.
“We started the game well, and we got our noses in front. We were looking good, but Celtic are a top team, and they’re not going to lie down. They came back at us, and they got their equalizer just before halftime.
“In the second half, we knew it was going to be tough. Celtic were pushing hard for the winner, and we were trying to hold on. Unfortunately, we couldn’t quite do it, and they got their winner.”
Celtic manager Neil Lennon, on the other hand, was delighted with his side’s victory. The Hoops had been under pressure to deliver a win after their disappointing defeat to Rangers in the Old Firm derby last weekend.
“I’m thrilled with the win,” Lennon said. “It was a great performance from the players, and I’m very proud of them. We knew it was going to be a tough game, but we were confident that we could get the win.
“We started the game a bit slowly, but we grew into it as the game went on. We got our equalizer just before halftime, and that gave us a big boost. In the second half, we pushed hard for the winner, and we got it through Odsonne’s great strike.
“It’s a big win for us, and it gets us back on track after last weekend’s defeat. We’ve got a lot of big games coming up, and we need to keep performing like this if we want to achieve our goals.”
The win takes Celtic into the quarterfinals of the Scottish Cup, where they will face a trip to either Hearts or Falkirk. For Aberdeen, the defeat brings an end to their Scottish Cup campaign for another season.
Despite the disappointment of defeat, McInnes is keen to focus on the positives. His side have been in good form in the Scottish Premiership, and they will be looking to bounce back from this defeat when they face Kilmarnock at Pittodrie on Wednesday.
“We’ll pick ourselves up, dust ourselves down, and get ready for the next game,” McInnes said. “We’ve got a big game against Kilmarnock on Wednesday, and we need to make sure we’re ready for it.
“We’ll take the positives from today’s game, and we’ll use them to drive us forward. We’ve got a good squad, and we’ve got a lot of confidence. We’ll bounce back from this defeat, and we’ll keep pushing forward.”