In the 102nd minute, beyond five o’clock, an extraordinary encounter came to an end. The final act was a remarkable goal-line block by Duk, denying Alistair Johnston. Celtic pushed hard to score in the fifth minute of added time, aiming to create a gap between themselves and Aberdeen at the top of Scotland’s Premiership. The draw felt fitting, considering Aberdeen’s role in this epic match. Whether Jimmy Thelin’s revitalization of Aberdeen will lead to major honors remains uncertain, but this game, as the season’s best, is unlikely to be surpassed. Sir Alex Ferguson, who specialized in bringing Aberdeen teams to Glasgow and delivering defeats, must have approved. Even Celtic’s fans should not resent Aberdeen’s point. They should, however, be concerned about what might happen in Bergamo on Wednesday if Celtic’s defense remains generous against Atalanta. Without Cameron Carter-Vickers, who missed this game due to injury, Celtic’s back line is vulnerable. Brendan Rodgers’ reluctance to speculate on Carter-Vickers’ situation with Atalanta in mind did not sound optimistic. Rodgers acknowledged Celtic’s carelessness, stating, “We got punished for being careless.” Thelin made attacking substitutions at halftime, completely altering the match’s flow. Aberdeen’s resilience during 12 minutes of stoppage time was impressive. Thelin has a strong team at Pittodrie, and they passed the toughest test. At halftime, even the most optimistic Aberdeen fans could not have predicted what was to come. Dimitar Mitov’s indecision allowed Kyogo Furuhashi to assist Reo Hatate, who scored from 12 yards. Kyogo added Celtic’s second. Hatate’s shot was blocked by Gavin Molloy’s arm, likely leading to a penalty. Furuhashi scored without needing a VAR check. Celtic Park celebrated as if Aberdeen’s glory days were over. Thelin correctly identified that the best defense against Celtic is to attack. Ester Sokler and Duk provided mobility in forward areas. Sokler’s first act was to score past Kasper Schmeichel. Celtic ignored the warning. A Daizen Maeda error allowed Graeme Shinnie to score, aided by a deflection. Aberdeen thought they had completed a stunning comeback when Slobodan Rubezic’s header found the net via Duk, but Duk had used an elbow, and the goal was correctly disallowed. The sight of 10 minutes on the fourth official’s board caused anxiety among the visiting supporters. James Forrest forced Mitov into a good save as Celtic rallied. Auston Trusty missed a great chance from a Paolo Bernardo corner. Adam Idah scored, but Mitov had been fouled. Luke McCowan won a Celtic free-kick just inches from the penalty area. Mitov saved brilliantly from Idah before Celtic claimed a penalty for handball from Duk’s intervention. Thelin, calm by nature, smiled as he reflected on “crazy moments” as the clock ticked on. “The players sacrificed themselves,” he said. “They tried with everything they had. I am proud of them.” He should be equally proud of himself. Aberdeen in this form are made of strong stuff. Celtic have only a few days to regain their strength.
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