ABERDEEN 1 HIBERNIAN 0
William Hill Premiership
Saturday 26th April 2025
Pittodrie
Ref: David Dickinson
Attendance: 17,396
We didn’t have to wait quite as long as at Hampden for a winner, but it was every bit as sweet when it came in the 80th minute, Kevin Nisbet putting his old side to the sword with an immaculate finish to square the two sides up on 53 points.
After beating Hearts in the Scottish Cup Semi-final last Saturday, Jimmy Thelin named an unchanged Aberdeen side, Jack MacKenzie returning among the substitutes.
Hibs beat Dundee 4-0 at Easter Road in the final game before the split, and made three changes to their side with Warren O’Hora, Kieron Bowie and Josh Campbell replacing Junior Hoilett, Lewis Miller and Mykola Kukharevych.
Aberdeen made a bright start, a teasing cross from Shayden Morris winning a third minute corner. Two minutes later though, they were playing themselves into trouble at the back, gifting Boyle a shooting chance from 20 yards, which thankfully fizzed wide.
Campbell had a glorious chance to give the visitors an 11th minute lead. Obita’s deep free-kick to the back post found him all one, but with a free header, the Hibs man’s header hitting the outside of the post. Two minutes later, a Hibs corner was played deep to Campbell at the back post. Peeling away, he was given too much time to guide a header back across to Triantis, but fortunately, his volley was deflected over by the bar by Bushiri in the six yard box.
Better from the Dons on 18 minutes as they were away down the left, Bushiri busying himself with blocking away shots from Pape Gueye and Topi Keskinen. That began a period of territorial domination for the rest of the half for the Dons, but they struggled to create any clear opportunities, Morris frustratedly swiping one wide from outside the box on the half hour.
Kevin Nisbet had a shot on target in the 35th minute, receiving the ball with his back to goal from Morris before turning swiftly and getting a low effort away that was easily dealt with by the goalkeeper. Palaversa was booked for pulling a Hibs shirt on 43 minutes.
HALF-TIME: ABERDEEN 0 HIBERNIAN 0
Campbell was the first to have a look at goal in the second half, heading wide at the near post from Cadden’s delivery in from their right in the 49th minute. Mats Knoester produced an important clearing header three minutes later as Boyle was closing in behind him.
Aberdeen made their first changes on 57 minutes, Jeppe Okkels and Jamie McGrath replacing Morris and Gueye. Hibs responded four minutes later as Gayle came on for Bowie. Keskinen was booked for a foul on Obita in the 63rd minute. Boyle swung in the free-kick from the left touchline, Dimitar Mitov tipping the ball behind. From the corner, Bushiri had a free header just four yards out, but he thundered it over the bar.
Aberdeen had the ball in the net on 69, Okkels galloping onto Graeme Shinnie’s ball down the left before squaring for Nisbet to fire in, but Okkels was given offside in the build up. The visitors then withdrew Levitt for Nicky Cadden, Dante Polvara and Obay Dabbagh replacing Palaversa and Keskinen in the 74th minutes as the Dons tried to find the breakthrough.
It came in the 80th minute, Kevin Nisbet finding it and having no qualms about celebrating in front of his old club. Shinnie’s ball in from the left was headed clear by Bushiri, but he got little distance on it and it fell for Nisbet 16 yards out. Taking it on his chest, as the ball came down, he produced the most exquisitely placed lob across goal and into the top corner to beat Smith and make it 1-0.
Iredale was booked on 84 for hacking down McGrath before Hibs made their final changes of the afternoon, Hoilett and Kukharevych replacing Iredale and Chris Cadden.
Good control from Okkels earned him a shooting opportunity on 86, but Smith was down smartly to make a comfortable save. Moments later, Polvara broke up a Hibs attack and then made a driving run out of defence, coming 50 yards forward with Kukharevych desperately trying to foul him, until he finally succeeded and got a yellow card.
Dabbagh almost sealed it in the 91st minute, a lovely pass from Okkels setting him on his way. The striker did everything right with an angled drive across the goalkeeper, but Smith made a brilliant save to tip it past the post.
Polvara was booked for time wasting at the corner, then responded by hammering in a low drive that Smith had to put behind again, Okkels once more the provider. Polvara and McGrath combined to win another one as the clock ticked down, this one eventually finding its way back to Nisbet, 25 yards out, his shot flying over.
Hibs finally got the ball up the other end, Triantis shooting from distance, Knoester heading over. The Dons broke from the corner, Dabbagh eventually dispossessed on the edge of the Hibs area. The opposition’s never going to score from there, and so the game, and three huge points, were won, Hibs’ unbeaten run ending at 17.
ABERDEEN: Mitov, Jensen, Dorrington, Knoester, Shinnie, Clarkson, Palaversa (Polvara 74), Morris (Okkels 57), Keskinen (Dabbagh 74), Nisbet, Gueye (McGrath 58).
Subs not used: Doohan, Milne, Boyd, Devlin, MacKenzie.
GOAL: Nisbet (80)
BOOKED: Palaversa, Keskinen, Polvara
HIBERNIAN: Smith, O’Hora, Bushiri, Iredale (Hoilett 84), C Cadden (Kukharevych 84), Triantis, Levitt (N Cadden 70), Obita, Campbell, Boyle, Bowie (Gayle 61).
Subs not used: Bursik, Alasana, Ekpiteta, Moriah-Welsh, Whittaker.
BOOKED: Iredale, Kukharevych
