HIBERNIAN 2 ABERDEEN 0 Tuesday 30 December 2025 SPFL Premiership, Easter Road Attendance: 18,848 Referee: Dan McFarlane
The Dons fell to defeat at Easter Road, but it might have been different had a very marginal VAR call gone the other way when Kevin Nisbet had a late goal ruled out with the score at 1-0.
After the 1-1 draw with Dundee United on Saturday evening, Jimmy Thelin made four changes to the team. Alexander Jensen, Emmanuel Gyamfi, Marko Lazetic and Kjartan Mar Kjartansson — making his first start for the Dons — all came into the starting XI. Graeme Shinnie, Topi Keskinen, Kevin Nisbet and Dante Polvara were on the bench, with Alfie Dorrington replacing Leighton Clarkson among the subs.
Hibs, who won the Edinburgh derby 3-2 on Saturday, made two changes to their starting XI with Nicky Cadden and Kieron Bowie replaced by Thibault Klidje and Josh Campbell.
Aberdeen started brightly. Neat combination play between Adil Aouchiche and Lazetic released Jesper Karlsson in the fifth minute, but his cross was cut out. At the other end, a long pass sent Boyle in behind, but his lob from inside the area dropped onto the roof of the net.
From there, the game settled into a sparring match until Jensen might have put Aberdeen ahead on 17 minutes. Gyamfi sparked the move from midfield, Karlsson fed Stuart Armstrong, and his floated ball to the back post found Jensen, who mistimed his jump and headed over from eight yards.
The game drifted again until the 33rd minute when Armstrong volleyed high and wide after a cleared corner. Moments later, Boyle went down on the edge of the Aberdeen area under no challenge and was forced off. Hibs enjoyed their best spell while temporarily down to ten men, Mitov saving from Klidje as Youan took time to get ready to come on.
Karlsson came close in the final minute of a promising half for Aberdeen, pouncing on a deflection. His first touch tightened the angle, allowing Sallinger to block with his body.
HALF-TIME: Hibernian 0 Aberdeen 0
Jensen made an important intervention early in the second half, cutting out a low cross that looked destined for Youan. The Hibs forward threatened again in the 50th minute, flashing a shot across goal and wide.
Hibs came out strongly, pinning Aberdeen back. Shinnie replaced Kjartansson on 55 minutes to help regain control.
But on the hour, Youan led a swift counter-attack after Aberdeen lost the ball on the edge of the Hibs box. He carried it from halfway, exchanged passes with McGrath, and squared for Klidje to finish from six yards.
Aberdeen might have equalised on 65 minutes when Karlsson broke through after Hanley stumbled. One-on-one, he shot straight at the goalkeeper and was then penalised for tripping Hanley. Sallinger was booked for protesting that he should have had a free-kick earlier. Immediately after, Lazetic, Armstrong and Karlsson were replaced by Nisbet, Kenan Bilalovic and Keskinen.
Megwa nearly doubled the lead on 70 minutes, looping a header onto the roof of the net. Devlin was booked shortly after for a foul on Youan, before Hoilett replaced Klidje.
Hoilett almost scored within minutes. Aberdeen failed to clear a corner, Hibs recycled the ball, and Youan crossed for Hoilett, who volleyed over. Mitov then required five minutes of treatment after taking a stray boot from Jensen to the face, suffering a bloody nose but continuing.
Nicolas Milanovic replaced Gyamfi in the 83rd minute. Aberdeen had the ball in the net almost immediately, Nisbet finishing from close range after Jensen’s mishit shot. The offside flag went up, though Nisbet appeared yards onside. VAR judged him marginally offside in the buildup.
Keskinen drove forward in the 89th minute and pulled the ball back, but somehow threaded it between several red shirts at the near post, and the chance evaporated.
As eight minutes of added time began, Hibs sealed the win. Hoilett struck from a tight angle at the near post, the ball squirming through Mitov’s grasp. Newell replaced Campbell shortly after.
Aberdeen kept pushing. Keskinen again created danger, pulling the ball back for Bilalovic, who dragged his effort wide of the far post. More good play down the left between Aouchiche and Keskinen opened Hibs up, but Aouchiche’s shot was deflected wide. From the resulting corner, a goalbound shot was blocked by Milne, summing up Aberdeen’s night.
Hibernian: Sallinger, Megwa, O’Hora, Hanley, Iredale, Mulligan, Barlaser, Campbell (Newell 90+1), McGrath, Klidje (Hoilett 73), Boyle (Youan 41). Subs not used: Smith, Mitchell, C. Cadden, Levitt, Alasana, Molotnikov. Goals: Klidje (60), Hoilett (90+1). Booked: Sallinger.
Aberdeen: Mitov, Jensen, Devlin, Knoester, Milne, Gyamfi (Milanovic 83), Kjartansson (Shinnie 55), Aouchiche, Armstrong (Keskinen 66), Karlsson (Bilalovic 66), Lazetic (Nisbet 66). Subs not used: Suman, Polvara, Heltne Nilsen, Dorrington. Booked: Devlin, Aouchiche.
