2020 Scottish Cup Final
The 2020 Scottish Cup Final was the 135th final of the Scottish Cup and the final of the 2019–20 Scottish Cup, the most prestigious knockout football competition in Scotland. Played on 20 December 2020, the final was won by holders Celtic in a penalty shootout to beat Heart of Midlothian after the match ended 3–3 after extra time, claiming an unprecedented fourth successive domestic treble. The same teams had contested the 2019 Scottish Cup Final.[1][2]
| Event | 2019–20 Scottish Cup | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |||||||
| Celtic won 4–3 on penalties[1] | |||||||
| Date | 20 December 2020 | ||||||
| Venue | Hampden Park, Glasgow | ||||||
| Referee | John Beaton | ||||||
| Attendance | 0 | ||||||
Seven-month delay
The match was originally scheduled to take place at Hampden Park on 9 May 2020,[3] but was postponed prior to the semi-finals being played with no alternative date proposed at that point, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic in Scotland.[4] On 21 July, the final was rescheduled for 20 December.[5]
European place
On 1 May 2020, UEFA confirmed that the final would have to be played before the end of the 2019–20 season in early July in order to activate the usual place in the 2020–21 UEFA Europa League for the winners, with the qualification spot instead going to the team finishing fourth in the 2019–20 Scottish Premiership (either with fixtures completed or placings declared). That would adversely impact Heart of Midlothian or Hibernian who were due to meet in one semi-final and had no other route to European football, whereas in the other semi-final Celtic were certain to qualify for Europe from their position at the top of the league table, and fourth-placed Aberdeen had possibilities to do so either if the league continued and they climbed to third, or if Celtic won the Cup and its entry passed to the league.[6] On 22 May, the Scottish Football Association indicated their preference to complete the competition but to wait until such a time as spectators would be allowed to attend, primarily for financial reasons with three large attendances expected at the remaining matches.[7] The Premiership standings at the time of postponement were declared final[8] and three Europa League places, including one for Aberdeen, were duly allocated from the league.
Match
Summary
Prior to the game, Hearts announced they would honour their former Cup-winning captain Marius Žaliūkas after his untimely passing by having every player wear his number 26 on their shorts.[9] The match was played behind closed doors due to the COVID-19 pandemic. After a bright start by Hearts, Celtic began to create more opportunities, and in the 19th minute Ryan Christie scored with a curling left-footed shot from outside the penalty area, a goal very similar to the goal he scored against Aberdeen in the semi-final. As in that match, Celtic scored a second goal fairly quickly, via a penalty converted by Odsonne Édouard in a Panenka style, after an accidental but clear handball by Hearts captain Christophe Berra.[2]
Facing a tough task to get back into the contest, the Edinburgh side pulled a goal back early in the second half through Liam Boyce, and pulled level on 67 minutes from another header, this time by Stephen Kingsley; the ball crossed the line in mid-air by a matter of centimetres before being cleared by Christie, and the point was awarded by the referee via his wrist-worn goal detection device.[2]
In the final moments of the first period of extra time, Celtic captain Scott Brown's header was parried at close range by Craig Gordon and Leigh Griffiths turned the ball home to give the Glasgow side the lead again. With nine minutes remaining in the second period, Kingsley sent the ball across the Celtic goalmouth and Josh Ginnelly, who had chances to score earlier, found the net to square the contest at 3–3.[2]
In the penalty shootout, Christie was the first player to fail, veteran goalkeeper Gordon diving to his right to save, but inexperienced counterpart Conor Hazard then stopped attempts from Kingsley and Craig Wighton. Kristoffer Ajer converted the last kick for a 4–3 outcome from the spot, sealing a historic fourth consecutive Scottish Cup and a twelfth domestic trophy in succession for Celtic.[2][1]
All six goals and the shootout took place at the same (west) end of the stadium. The six goals scored tied the highest total since seven were scored in 1991; the two others both involved Hearts: a 5–1 loss to Rangers in 1996 and a victory over Hibernian by the same scoreline in 2012. No losing team had scored three times since Dundee United in 1991. Celtic manager Neil Lennon became the first person to win the domestic treble in Scotland as both a player and coach, having first achieved the feat with the same club in 2000–01.[10] Celtic became the first team to use six substitutions (five under temporary COVID-19 regulations and one additional change in extra time which was widely adopted two years earlier)[11] in a major competition in Scottish football.
Details
| Celtic | 3–3 (a.e.t.) | Heart of Midlothian |
|---|---|---|
| Report | ||
| Penalties | ||
| 4–3 | ||
          Celtic
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     Heart of Midlothian
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Match rules
- 90 minutes
- 30 minutes of extra time if necessary
- Penalty shoot-out if scores still level
- Nine named substitutes
- Maximum of five substitutions in normal time (a sixth substitute is permitted in extra time)
Media coverage
BBC Scotland and Premier Sports had the rights to broadcast the final, in what was the second season of a six-year deal in the United Kingdom to broadcast Scottish Cup matches from the fourth round onward.[12]
References
- "Celtic 3-3 Hearts". BBC Sport. 20 December 2020. Archived from the original on 19 December 2020. Retrieved 20 December 2020.
- Celtic win fourth straight Scottish Cup as Hazard's shootout saves break Hearts Archived 20 December 2020 at the Wayback Machine, Ewan Murray, The Guardian, 20 December 2020
- "2019-20 William Hill Scottish Cup Dates Confirmed | Scottish Cup | News". Archived from the original on 3 July 2019. Retrieved 2 March 2020.
- SFA update fans on Scottish Cup and Nations League play-offs after Uefa call Archived 29 March 2020 at the Wayback Machine, The Courier, 16 March 2020
- Scottish Cup: 2019-20 final scheduled for 20 December Archived 21 July 2020 at the Wayback Machine, BBC Sport, 21 July 2020
- Hibs and Hearts dealt Europa League blow as UEFA inform SFA of European placings procedure Archived 10 May 2020 at the Wayback Machine, Daily Record, 2 May 2020
- When Celtic, Aberdeen, Hearts and Hibs could finish the 2020 Scottish Cup Archived 9 June 2020 at the Wayback Machine, The Scotsman, 22 May 2020
- "Celtic champions & Hearts relegated after SPFL ends season". BBC Sport. 18 May 2020. Archived from the original on 6 October 2020. Retrieved 21 July 2020.
- "Hearts to honour Marius at Hampden". heartsfc.co.uk. 15 December 2020. Retrieved 23 December 2020.
- Celtic: Neil Lennon thanks board as he becomes first to win treble as player and manager Archived 22 December 2020 at the Wayback Machine, BBC Sport, 20 December 2020
- The significant change to substitutions which could impact Scottish football Archived 21 December 2020 at the Wayback Machine, Joel Sked, The Scotsman, 8 July 2020
- "Scottish FA Announce Scottish Cup Broadcasting Deals". Scottish Football Association. 12 November 2018. Archived from the original on 26 April 2019. Retrieved 2 March 2020.