Alistair Johnston has been reliving the nightmare of having to take part in a penalty shoot out.
Saturday’s Scottish Cup semi-final against Aberdeen might have been a thriller for neutrals to watch but having to take a penalty in front of 50,000 inside a stadium on live television isn’t Johnston’s idea of fun.
After Ryan Duncan sent his penalty off the post Joe Hart had the chance to win the tie and save Johnston from having to step up- but also struck the woodwork.
The drama continued, discussing his thought process the Celtic defender told the Sun:
My first thought was, ‘I’m going to have to take a penalty’. I’m just happy that the thing went in.
There was relief when Joe made the save. He had the chance to win it and then big Carter- Vickers said, ‘This is going to be a fairytale for Joe’.
I said, ‘You can’t say that out loud, you’ve jinxed it’. Then he hit the post. I knew I was going to take the sixth penalty and that I was next. Cheers mate! I was just begging for the final whistle and then, of course, they scored.
Johnston stepped up and scored with a very composed penalty, ticking his shot in low as Kelle Roos dived to the other side.
Tomoki Iwata scored before Hart saved from Cillian Phillips, Celtic went through saving Carter-Vickers, Greg Taylor and Maik Nawrocki waited on their fate.
I was so bloody nervous that I went a spin in ma motor while it was on and asked ma old mama mia that I’m visiting just now to come to the window near the parking apron at the bottom of the driveway with a smile on her face or a glum dip whatever way it panned out…
Thankfully she had a big smile for me and the THUMBS UP sign !
Even though she’s a St. Mirren supporter – She detests Sevco and all they stand for !!!