Aberdeen 3-4 Celtic: Scott Sinclair hat-trick helps the Hoops edge thriller

A Scott Sinclair hat-trick helped Celtic to a 4-3 victory over Aberdeen in a thrilling encounter at Pittodrie on Boxing Day.

After just six minutes, it was Celtic who took the lead. Ryan Christie found a pocket of space and released Callum McGregor down the left. McGregor raced towards the byline and fired in a low cross. Ball was at the back post and attempted to clear but his touch dropped for Scott Sinclair who tapped home from six yards.

In the 20^th minute, Celtic had a good chance to make it 2-0 but Christie smacked the ball straight at the Dons goalkeeper after he had received a cross into the box from Lustig. However, that miss did haunt the visitors as Aberdeen equalised in the 24th minute. Aberdeen forward Stevie May scored from the spot after Emilio Izaguirre had clattered into Niall McGinn.

Just after the half-hour mark, Joe Lewis made a vital stop to save Scott McKenna’s blushes. McKenna’s wayward diagonal pass went straight to Sinclair, who slipped the ball to Christie on the left side of the area. Christie’s low shot was saved by Lewis before McKenna cleared the rebound away.

Brendan Rodgers took off Izaguirre and put in Jonny Hayes after the break, while Scott Wright replaced McGinn for Aberdeen. The Hoops started the second half with more possession but they were finding it really difficult to create chances as Aberdeen stayed compact and disciplined.

With just more than 15 minutes left in the game, Sinclair’s long-range free-kick was well kept out by Dons goalkeeper Lewis. But Lewis couldn’t do anything in the 76^th minute when Sinclair converted a James Forrest cross.

But Aberdeen made it 2-2 from the penalty spot through Cosgrove after Lustig appeared to trip Shinnie inside the box. The parity, however, lasted until the 86^th minute as substitute Odsonne Edouard lifted the ball into the right corner from 10 yards after McKenna had cut out a Forrest cross.

Two minutes later, it was 4-2 as Sinclair completed his hat-trick with a tap-in from an Edouard pass. However, Aberdeen weren’t done yet as Lewis Ferguson made it 4-3 in the 90th-minute to set up a thrilling three minutes of added time.

But Rodgers’ Celtic held their nerves and also clung onto three crucial points at Pittodrie.

“Announce Sinclair statue”, “Bhoys on top”: Some Celtic fans delighted after thrilling 4-3 win + Match report

Aberdeen 3-4 Celtic: Scott Sinclair hat-trick helps the Hoops edge thriller

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