Hearts (A) 0–1
Falkirk FC (H) 1–1 →The verdict
Event data: Opta
A defeat that matched the balance of chances.
8–18 shots · 2–3 big chances · 0.63–1.90 NPxG
Watch Highlights
SPFL YouTubeSummary
How the match was decided
The match in three battles
Chance qualitySTRONG OPPONENT EDGE
1.42 – 1.90
Expected goals · Aberdeen – Celtic
AFC xG baseline: 1.19 · non-penalty 0.63–1.90
0.18 – 0.11
xG per shot
8 – 18
shots
Aberdeen produced fewer attempts, but their average chance was far as valuable.
Territory & progressionOPPONENT EDGE
2.29 – 3.30
Expected threat created · Aberdeen – Celtic
AFC xT baseline: 1.88
47% – 53%
field tilt
65 – 69
final-third entries
Territory was relatively even, but Aberdeen's passing generated more threat than usual.
Defensive resistanceOPPONENT EDGE
1.90 xGA
chances conceded
0.34 worse than AFC baseline (1.56)
40 (base 25)
Celtic box touches
0.11
xG per Celtic shot
Aberdeen conceded better chances than they usually do.
ShapeAberdeen started 5-3-2 and changed to 4-3-3 on 82’. Celtic stayed in 4-2-3-1 throughout.
The match by half
| Aberdeen | Usual | Celtic | |
|---|---|---|---|
| xG | 1.42 | 1.19 | 1.90 |
| Big chances | 2 | 1.8 | 3 |
| Touches in box | 23 | 21.6 | 41 |
| Possession % | 38 | 48.1 | 62 |
Chance creation was fairly even across the two halves.
Usual = Aberdeen’s average for this half this season.
How this is measured
FotMob period stats. Usual = Aberdeen’s average for this half across 38 games in 2025-26. Green or red marks a figure clearly above or below our own norm, never a comparison with Celtic.
Lineups
Shots
Where the chances came from
xG timeline
Aberdeen 1.42Celtic 1.90GoalAberdeen above · opponent below · shaded = sustained pressure
24%
27%
48%
Match odds from simulating these shots at their own xG (20,000 runs) — for fun, not a prediction: it scores what should have happened, not what did.
Each step is a shot; the line climbs by that shot's xG. Steeper, sustained climbs (shaded) mark spells of real pressure.
Aberdeen shots
1 goal: 0 open play, 1 pen
Goal
Saved
Blocked
Post
Off target
8 shots
Celtic shots
2 goals: 1 open play, 1 corner
Goal
Saved
Blocked
Post
Off target
18 shots
Shot mix & shots over time
8shots · 2 on target · 1.42 xG
By situation
63%
25%
13%
Open play563%
Corner225%
Penalty113%
By body part
25%
25%
50%
Right foot225%
Left foot225%
Head450%
How this is measured
Every shot in one bucket only. Open play covers unassisted and assisted attempts; counter is a fast break; free kicks, direct set pieces and throw-in routines are grouped because there are rarely enough of any one of them in a single match to read separately. A mix heavy on corners and free kicks with few open-play shots means the side needed a dead ball to get near the goal.
Shots over timefull match · drag to focus a period
Aberdeen 8Celtic 18
0'HTFT
Drag across the chart to pick any window.
How this is measured
Five-minute buckets — a side takes roughly a dozen shots a match, so the two-minute bars used for passing would be almost all gaps. Use the buttons for the common windows, or drag across the chart for anything else.
In context
| Aberdeen | This match | This season 11 games | 5-year 196 games | SPFL average 132 team-games | Where that sits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shots | 8 | 13 | 12.2 | 14.5 | below usual · 37 of 196 lower |
| below usual · 37 of 196 lower | |||||
| Shots in the box | 8 | 8.7 | 8 | 10 | about normal · 100 of 196 lower |
| about normal · 100 of 196 lower | |||||
marker = 5-year mean
Passing
How the ball moved
Build-Up Play
Where Aberdeen's passes were and how they progressed the ball
Pass Territory
53.2%
30.7%
16.1%
Own Half
Middle
Final 3rd
Season avg: 46.1% own half
GK Distribution
GK Long Ball %
80.0%avg 60.8%
GK Total Passes
30avg 31
Build-Up Quality
Own-Half Accuracy
82.7%avg 86.1%
Progression
Progressive Passes
54avg 50
Directness
57.6%avg 57.9%
Season avg
Above avg
Below avg
In context · full match
| Aberdeen | This match | This season 11 games | 5-year 196 games | Where that sits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passes | 373 | 394.6 | 392.9 | about normal · 86 of 196 lower |
| about normal · 86 of 196 lower | ||||
| Pass accuracy % | 71.6 | 75 | 72.3 | about normal · 76 of 196 lower |
| about normal · 76 of 196 lower | ||||
| Passes into the final third | 20 | 30.3 | 25.4 | about normal · 60 of 196 lower |
| about normal · 60 of 196 lower | ||||
| Long balls | 61 | 57.3 | 57.9 | about normal · 115 of 196 lower |
| about normal · 115 of 196 lower | ||||
| Long balls, % of passes | 16.4 | 14.8 | 15.5 | about normal · 127 of 196 lower |
| about normal · 127 of 196 lower | ||||
marker = 5-year mean
Players
Player contributions
Player contributions
GK
M
D. MitovGK90'
2 saves
14/30
Pass
-
Duels
2
Saves
DEF
J
A. JensenDEF79'
24/32
Pass
75%
Duels
1
Tkl+Int
J. MilneDEF79'
6 clearances
43/52
Pass
60%
Duels
3
Tkl+Int
N
S. NilsenDEF62'
7 clearances
21/30
Pass
29%
Duels
2
Tkl+Int
G. MolloyDEF90'
4 aerials won
38/49
Pass
46%
Duels
1
Tkl+Int
F
M. FrameDEF90'
1 big chance created · 3 key passes
12/15
Pass
60%
Duels
3
Tkl+Int
MID
C
L. CameronMID90'
1 key pass · 4 dribbles won
35/41
Pass
60%
Duels
1
Key P
G
D. GeigerMID69'
24/30
Pass
50%
Duels
-
Key P
S. ArmstrongMID90'
1 key pass
30/39
Pass
64%
Duels
1
Key P
FWD
K. NisbetFWD90'
1 goal · 4 shots
7/16
Pass
20%
Duels
4
Shots
T. OlusanyaFWD62'
5/5
Pass
23%
Duels
1
Shots
Substitutes
M
L. MorrisonDEF28'
13/15
Pass
100%
Duels
1
Tkl+Int
B
K. BilalovicMID28'
1/1
Pass
50%
Duels
-
Key P
S
G. ShinnieMID21'
8/14
Pass
33%
Duels
-
Key P
L
D. LobbanMID11'
3/8
Pass
50%
Duels
-
Key P
K
T. KeskinenFWD11'
1/3
Pass
75%
Duels
1
Shots
Context
How this match compares
Where this performance ranks
Against Aberdeen’s other matches this season — only the standout highs and lows.
A middle-of-the-road performance by this season’s standards — no category stood out as a high or low.
Form:LLLDL(last 5)
Home this season: 7-5-7, 1.42–1.41 xG avg
Historical Context
Games at this ground, and how this match compares to the season so far
Vs Celtic at Home — every meeting on record
0-2-7(9 games)
0.85–2.07avg xG (n=8)
LLLDLLLLD
This match vs season so far
37 comparable games — each metric says how many of them actually have that stat.
xG
1.42avg 1.18
10th best of 38 · Highest 3.76, 14 December 2025 (2-1) · Lowest 0.32, 11 January 2026 (0-2)
xGA
1.90avg 1.55
12th worst of 38 · Highest 4.72, 21 December 2025 (1-3) · Lowest 0.10, 11 April 2026 (2-0)
Possession
38%avg 48%
8th worst of 38 · Highest 72%, 27 December 2025 (1-1) · Lowest 27%, 21 December 2025 (1-3)
Shots
8.0avg 11.4
14th worst of 38 · Highest 21.0, 6 December 2025 (3-1) · Lowest 5.0, 28 February 2026 (0-1)
Shots on target
2.0avg 3.4
18th worst of 38 · Highest 9.0, 5 October 2025 (4-0) · Lowest 0.0, 3 January 2026 (0-1)
Big chances
2.0avg 1.7
12th best of 38 · Highest 5.0, 14 December 2025 (2-1) · Lowest 0.0, 23 November 2025 (1-0)
Box touches
23.0avg 21.2
13th best of 38 · Highest 35.0, 24 January 2026 (6-2) · Lowest 7.0, 21 March 2026 (1-4)
Final third entries
65.0avg 55.1
11th best of 38 · Highest 85.0, 14 March 2026 (1-1) · Lowest 29.0, 21 December 2025 (1-3)
Key passes
5.0avg 8.2
14th worst of 38 · Highest 15.0, 5 October 2025 (4-0) · Lowest 3.0, 23 November 2025 (1-0)
Corners
6.0avg 4.6
6th best of 38 · Highest 11.0, 5 October 2025 (4-0) · Lowest 1.0, 10 August 2025 (0-2)
Tackles
10.0avg 16.0
6th worst of 38 · Highest 27.0, 9 November 2025 (1-1) · Lowest 6.0, 27 December 2025 (1-1)
Interceptions
14.0avg 8.4
3rd best of 38 · Highest 20.0, 28 February 2026 (0-1) · Lowest 2.0, 27 December 2025 (1-1)
PPDA
21.4avg 14.9
4th worst of 33 · Highest 31.4, 10 August 2025 (0-2) · Lowest 9.3, 11 January 2026 (0-2)
Counter-press rate
6%avg 5%
16th best of 33 · Highest 11%, 24 February 2026 (0-0) · Lowest 2%, 9 November 2025 (1-1)
avg
Above avg
Below avg