The floodlights at Celtic Park burned bright on a cold, wet Saturday evening as Celtic and Dundee FC clashed in a dramatic fourth-round Scottish Cup tie that had fans on the edge of their seats until the very last whistle. For Celtic, the stakes were high—the Scottish Cup represented their best hope of silverware this season after falling six points behind Hearts in the Premiership title race, and memories of last May’s heartbreaking penalty shootout loss to Aberdeen still lingered. Interim boss Martin O’Neill, chasing his fourth Scottish Cup with the Hoops, was determined to make amends, and his January transfer window reinforcements gave the squad a fresh look and renewed optimism.
Celtic entered the match off a week’s rest, their midweek Premiership fixture against Aberdeen postponed due to weather. Their previous outing, a 2-0 win over Falkirk, had given O’Neill the chance to experiment with his lineup, and he took full advantage again for this knockout clash. Five changes were made from the Falkirk game, with Viljami Sinisalo given the nod in goal over Kasper Schmeichel—Sinisalo’s performance in the previous cup round against Auchinleck Talbot had been a talking point, but O’Neill showed faith in the young keeper.
The starting defense saw Julian Araujo, Auston Trusty, Liam Scales, and Kieran Tierney line up across the back. In midfield, Callum McGregor anchored alongside Reo Hatate and Paulo Bernardo, with Joel Mvuka making his debut on the wing. Hyun-Jun Yang and Tomas Cvancara completed the forward line. Notably, new signings Junior Adamu, Joel Mvuka, and Benjamin Arthur were available, with Adamu and Arthur arriving on loan just before the transfer window closed. Meanwhile, Daizen Maeda and Benjamin Nygren, both regular starters, were named on the bench, giving O’Neill options for later in the match.
Dundee, managed by Steven Pressley, arrived in Glasgow fresh from a mixed run of form—a 2-1 Scottish Cup win at Kilmarnock, a goalless draw at St Mirren, and a heavy 3-0 defeat to Rangers at Ibrox. Their league match against Motherwell had been postponed midweek due to torrential rain, but the Dark Blues were eager to bounce back. Dundee had also been busy in the transfer market, bringing in Lewis Montsma, Scott Wright, and Aldahir Valenzuela, all of whom were hoping to make an immediate impact.
The match began with both sides battling for control, but it quickly became apparent that Dundee were not at Celtic Park just to make up the numbers. The visitors defended compactly, frustrating Celtic’s attempts to break through, while looking to hit on the counter. As the minutes ticked by, the tension in the stands grew palpable. Dundee’s discipline paid off in the 31st minute, when a slick move down the right saw Scott Wright whip in a dangerous cross. The ball ricocheted in the box, and Dundee’s Yogane pounced, firing past Sinisalo to give the underdogs a shock 1-0 lead.
The goal stunned the home crowd and injected belief into Pressley’s men. Celtic responded by pouring forward in waves, but Dundee’s back line held firm, with goalkeeper McCracken pulling off a string of fine saves. The home fans grew restless as the clock wound down, their frustration mounting with each missed opportunity. The atmosphere around Celtic Park was tense—many supporters had already begun heading for the exits, resigned to another disappointing cup exit.
But football has a knack for late drama, and Celtic were not done yet. Deep into stoppage time, with five minutes added on, O’Neill rolled the dice—Junior Adamu, the new loan signing, was thrown on for his debut, replacing Cvancara. The move paid off in spectacular fashion. In the dying seconds, Sebastian Tounekti—another substitute—drove down the left flank and delivered a low cross into the box. Adamu, showing a striker’s instinct, met the ball with a deft backheel, sending it spinning into the bottom corner. Celtic Park erupted as the Hoops rescued the tie at the death, leveling the score at 1-1 and forcing extra time.
"That was over the five minutes of stoppage time, but Tierney was down for a spell. You can understand the relief amongst the players and the fans, but it's no real time for celebration from the home team. They have dodged a serious bullet and the job is not done," noted a reporter from the Daily Record, capturing the mood perfectly.
With momentum now swinging their way, Celtic pressed forward in extra time. The introduction of fresh legs, particularly Tounekti, made a visible difference. According to the Daily Record, "Tounekti has made all the difference since coming on and he cuts inside to beat McCracken with a fierce drive at the near post." The Tunisian winger’s confidence was on full display as he scored the decisive goal, giving Celtic a 2-1 lead early in the second half of extra time.
Dundee, exhausted but valiant, pushed for an equalizer, winning a late corner that nearly forced penalties. However, Celtic’s defense, marshaled by Scales and Trusty, held firm. Kieran Tierney, who had been involved in a nasty collision earlier, was substituted due to concussion protocols, with Marcelo Saracchi coming on as a concussion sub. The Hoops managed the closing stages well, ensuring there would be no late heartbreak this time.
The match featured a flurry of substitutions and tactical tweaks from both managers, with O’Neill using the depth of his squad to good effect. Mvuka’s debut was promising, while Adamu’s instant impact will give fans hope that the January signings can be difference-makers as the season progresses. For Dundee, there was disappointment but also pride in a performance that pushed the favorites to their limits.
When the final whistle blew, Celtic had secured a 2-1 victory after extra time, booking their place in the fifth round of the Scottish Cup. The win was a huge relief for O’Neill and his players, who had been seconds away from a humiliating exit. Instead, they live to fight another day, their quest for silverware very much alive.
As the rain-soaked supporters filed out of Celtic Park, the story of the night was clear: Celtic’s new faces had delivered when it mattered most, and the Hoops’ Scottish Cup dream endures—at least for now.