Aberdeen reach Hampden after shootout win, but face probe over pitch invasion
Aberdeen are through to the Premier Sports Cup semi-finals, but their celebrations could land the club in trouble.
The Dons beat Kilmarnock 3-1 in a penalty shootout in the quarter-final at Rugby Park after the tie finished 1-1 after extra-time. Extra-time means two extra periods of 15 minutes played when a knockout game is level after 90 minutes. A shootout then decides it, with each side taking alternate spot-kicks until a winner emerges.
Jack Milne struck the winning penalty to send Aberdeen through, according to BBC Sport. It was the kick that settled a long night in Ayrshire. One clean strike was enough to book a trip to Scotland's national stadium.
Joy spilled over at the final whistle. Some Aberdeen supporters left the stand and ran onto the pitch to celebrate with the players. It was the kind of outpouring that comes after a late-night cup win on the road, when relief and noise take over.
That outpouring is now the problem. Aberdeen could face disciplinary action over the invasion. Cup rules in Scotland place responsibility on clubs for the behaviour of their supporters, even in away grounds, and pitch invasions are treated as a safety and conduct issue.
The Scottish Professional Football League, which organises the competition, will investigate what happened at Rugby Park. It will also ask Aberdeen for an explanation over the use of pyrotechnics, a term that covers flares and smoke devices, by visiting supporters during the tie, BBC Sport reported. Pyrotechnics are banned from Scottish grounds because of the risk of burns, smoke inhalation and panic in crowded stands.
Aberdeen's reward on the pitch is a semi-final against Rangers at Hampden Park next month. Hampden, in Glasgow, hosts both semi-finals and the final as a neutral venue. Win there, and Aberdeen reach a national cup final. Lose, and the season narrows quickly.
Rangers bring size and noise to any Hampden occasion. They are one of Scotland's two biggest clubs alongside Celtic, so tickets will be in heavy demand and the atmosphere will be intense. For Aberdeen, it is a chance to test themselves against one of the favourites and to give their travelling support another day out together.
The SPFL has acted on crowd behaviour at Hampden before. Last season it cut the ticket allocations for Rangers and Celtic after widespread use of flares disrupted the League Cup semi-finals. Fewer tickets meant emptier ends and a direct hit on atmosphere and revenue. It was a clear warning that displays involving fire will carry a cost.
The wider picture is also moving. The SPFL and the Scottish FA, the game's governing body in Scotland, are looking into tougher measures on unacceptable conduct across the game. That work covers more than flares, but fireworks and pitch invasions sit near the top of the list because they delay matches and put stewards, players and fellow fans at risk.
For fans, this means two stories running at once. One is simple and happy, a winning penalty and a semi-final to look forward to. The other is slower and more serious, with letters, explanations and possible sanctions to come before a ball is kicked at Hampden.
