The Hampden goal that will be cheered in Palestine

For overmuch of nan 120 minutes astatine Hampden, location was precious small hint of nan beautiful communicative to come, nan heart-warming endgame to a Scottish Cup semi-final that wasn't ever easy connected nan eye.

From a grind to a point of glory for Aberdeen and their match-winner, Oday Dabbagh, a Palestinian, calved successful nan Old City of Jerusalem.

We waited and waited for a communicative and, boy, did we get one.

Dabbagh came connected to nan transportation successful nan 81st infinitesimal erstwhile Aberdeen were mid-toil. Very small wit, very small imagination, very fewer signs that they had it successful them to return advantage of their numerical superiority.

Hearts had been down to 10 men since conscionable short of half-time. It took a dreary Aberdeen different 58 minutes to get their first changeable connected target. Moments later, they had a second.

Dabbagh, and chap substitute Dante Polvara, were opening to make a difference. The Palestinian forced a terrific prevention from Craig Gordon and slow Aberdeen started to move nan screw.

Alexander Jensen had a chance, Jeppe Okkels had 1 of his own. Penalties loomed, but truthful did Dabbagh.

When he tucked distant nan extremity that sent Aberdeen to nan last - conscionable 2 minutes short of penalties - he wheeled distant to beryllium pinch his supporters. On full-time, his team-mates went to him, 1 by one.

Later, amid nan bedlam, he said astir it all.

"It's a really unthinkable feeling, I can't explain," he said. "I'm happy to people nan winning goal, I'm happy to beryllium successful nan final. Thank you to nan fans.

"I want to convey nan unit and my team-mates for believing successful me. They said I would yet get nan extremity and I did."

This was Dabbagh's 10th crippled for Aberdeen since he joined connected indebtedness from Charleroi astatine nan move of nan year.

A 90th-minute victor against Kilmarnock, a double against Queen's Park successful nan cup, and now this, a different stratosphere to nan others.

It's a extremity that will mean much to him and shot group successful his homeland than we'll perchance ever know.

His communicative is rather something. As a kid connected nan cobbles of Jerusalem, he idolised Robin van Persie. At nan property of 16 he was playing for, and excelling with, Hilal al-Quds successful nan West Bank Premier League.

He won convention titles there. In 2018-19 he was nan competition's apical scorer.

At 19, he played for his nationalist team. A teenager, yes, but 1 who had already seen a batch - excessively much.

Matches delayed while teams were held astatine checkpoints. Tear-gassing of stadiums. Players who mislaid homes successful bombings. An world team-mate, Sameh Maraaba, spending 8 months successful an Israeli jail. Administrative detention, it was termed.

Dabbagh's estimation grew and he moved to Kuwait, collapsed a collarbone, sewage Covid and still won trophies and a aureate boot.

When winning a convention title, he dedicated it to home: "To my country, Palestine, which is difficult to break. For my group who garbage to succumb to humiliation, who do not cognize nan meaning of surrender aliases defeat."

In August 2021, astatine nan property of 22, Dabbagh was signed by Arouca successful nan Portuguese apical flight. He made his debut disconnected nan chair against Porto and Pepe was his marker.

Arouca mislaid 3-0, but nan value didn't travel pinch nan result, it came pinch Dabbagh's quality - nan first homegrown merchandise of Palestinian shot to scope 1 of Europe's large leagues.

Just arsenic he said astir his happiness astatine Hampden, he said past astir his pridefulness successful reaching specified a level "not conscionable for maine but for each Palestinians. I dream I tin beryllium an ambassador for Palestinian players".

Palestinian shot commentators and societal historians remarked connected what Dabbagh had done successful Portugal, really shot was tied up successful nan psyche of nan Palestinian group and really Dabbagh, nan caller pioneer successful overseas fields, embodied that spirit.

In nan summertime of 2023, he moved to Charleroi successful Belgium, played Asian Cup for his state and had a ace astatine nan World Cup qualifiers.

But game-time for his nine grew limited. When Aberdeen were looking for a indebtedness striker, their investigation threw up his sanction - a subordinate who had mislaid his measurement a little, but 1 who had still plentifulness to springiness successful nan correct environment.

And nan situation was ne'er much correct than astatine Hampden successful nan 118th infinitesimal of a tight scrap that seemed destined to extremity successful penalties until Dabbagh did his thing.

Aberdeen are now successful nan last having faced Elgin (third successful League Two astatine nan time); Dunfermline (who were eighth successful nan Championship); and Queen's Park (fifth successful nan aforesaid 2nd tier).

That was a charmed way to Hampden and nan breaks continued for Aberdeen erstwhile Hearts went down to 10 and past 9 men, unjustly successful nan lawsuit of Cammy Devlin, galore would say.

Still, Jimmy Thelin's broadside needed a leader and, for each their possession and each of their territory, it didn't look for illustration they had 1 successful their ranks - until Dabbagh pounced.

In that infinitesimal of triumph nan roars of nan fans won't conscionable person carried each nan measurement location to Aberdeen. Around 3,000 miles away, passionate shot group mightiness person been listening and cheering, too.