In a dramatic turn of events, Aberdeen secured their spot in the Scottish Cup final with a late extra-time goal from substitute Oday Dabbagh, overcoming a resilient nine-man Hearts team.
As the semi-final match at Hampden Park was level at 1-1 just before half-time, Hearts' Michael Steinwender was given a red card for a foul on Topi Keskinen, reducing his team to 10 players.
Despite being a man down, Hearts managed to take the game into extra time, but their chances took a hit when Cammy Devlin also received a red card in the 116th minute. Capitalizing on this advantage, Aberdeen's Dabbagh scored the winning goal, securing a 2-1 victory.
Aberdeen will now await the winner of the upcoming semi-final between Celtic and St Johnstone, with the final set to take place on May 25 at Hampden Park.
Despite Hearts' valiant effort with a numerical disadvantage, the defeat adds pressure on Hearts manager Neil Critchley, who aims to win back the support of the fans following a disappointing league campaign.
Both teams made changes to their lineups from their previous matches, with Aberdeen's goalkeeper Dimitar Mitov returning from injury, and Hearts making three alterations to their starting eleven.
After a shaky start, Aberdeen took the lead in the 18th minute through Pape Gueye before Hearts equalized with a goal from Lawrence Shankland. The match took a turn in Aberdeen's favor when Hearts were reduced to nine men before extra time.
With a man advantage, Aberdeen pushed for a winner in extra time, and Dabbagh's goal ultimately sealed their place in the final.