Hibernian: Neil Lennon rues wayward finishing in League Cup loss to Aberdeen
- Published
Hibernian substitute Thomas Agyepong's spot-kick hit the bar to send Aberdeen through to the League Cup semi-finals
Hibernian manager Neil Lennon blamed "missing schoolboy chances" for his side's Scottish League Cup quarter-final defeat on penalties to Aberdeen.
Lennon felt his side should have converted one of several opportunities created before the game went to extra-time.
"We missed easy chances, and that's what cost us," Lennon said.
"There were some simple chances and that's my bone of contention with the players. I've made that clear to them."
Martin Boyle had two goals disallowed during the 90 minutes, while Florian Kamberi, Oli Shaw and Ryan Porteous all missed good opportunities.
Stevie Mallan and Aberdeen's Niall McGinn both had spot-kicks saved during the shootout, before Thomas Agyepong hit the crossbar with a sudden death penalty that sent Aberdeen into the last four.
"We should have been looking at a semi-final but we're not," Lennon said.
"The quality of football was great, we penned Aberdeen back for long periods of the game and we deserved to score.
"Aberdeen didn't look like threatening, maybe the odd set piece here and there, and we cut them open at will. We didn't have our shooting boots on and that needs to be addressed.
"We had two goals disallowed, border line decisions both, strange refereeing performance, it beggars belief how Aberdeen finished the game with 11 men when you consider some of the yellow cards that we got.
"He wasn't the main reason we lost the game, far from it, but it was still a bizarre performance at times."
'Hibs' players will be kicking themselves' - Analysis
Former Hibs forward Tam McManus on BBC Radio Scotland:
"Over the piece Hibs deserved to be in the semi-final. They were probably ahead on every statistic but the most important one in cup football is winning the game.
"Aberdeen defended really strongly, their two centre-backs were excellent and they rode their luck at times, but they got the victory.
"Neil Lennon and the Hibs players will be kicking themselves because they had four or five great chances to score.
"It was one of the best 0-0s I have seen for a long time. It was a great game."