Unexpected Winners: Hibernian 2016 Scottish Cup
After the first part of our unexpected winners series on Montpellier we’re following it up today with the Hibernian side that won the Scottish Cup in 2016. The Hibees started the season in the Scottish Championship and the main goal was promotion back to the top flight of Scotland.
The Edinburgh based club had won the Scottish Cup on two previous occasions in 1887 and 1902 but were now suffering a 114 year drought having lost their last 10 finals including back to back finals in 2012 and 2013 to Hearts and Celtic respectively.
Hibs entered the competition at the fourth round stage and beat fellow Championship side Raith Rovers 2-0. They then faced their fierce Edinburgh rivals Hearts in the fifth round drawing the first game 2-2 at Tynecastle before winning the replay 1-0 at Easter Road via a Jason Cummings goal. They then faced the current cup holders Inverness Caledonian Thistle in the quarter finals and once again needed a replay to beat them after drawing the first game 1-1 at Easter Road. They then edged past them 2-1 in the replay to set up a semi-final tie with Dundee United.
The semi-final was far from a classic but in the end Hibs saw off the Tangerines with a 4-2 win on penalties to set up a third final appearance in five years against the Glasgow giants, Rangers. The Gers themselves had joined the competition at the fourth round after they had been attempting to the climb back up the Scottish leagues following their administration and subsequent relegation.
They had already swept aside Cowdenbeath, Kilmarnock, and Dundee before beating Old Firm rivals Celtic on penalties in the semi-final. It was the 131st Scottish Cup Final and the first ever to be contested by two teams outside of the Scottish top tier.
The Hibees took the lead through a very early Anthony Stokes goal, who was on loan from Celtic, before Kenny Miller equalised, heading in James Tavernier‘s cross. Andy Halliday then put Rangers ahead with an absolute screamer in the 64th minute only for Stokes to get his brace and level the score with ten minutes to go. In the second minute of injury time, David Gray headed in brilliantly from a corner to win the game for Hibs and secure their first Scottish Cup title in over a century.
There was a wave of green relief inside Hampden Park on the final whistle, with the great drought finally ending. Rangers would go on to win the Championship title that season and get promoted back to the top flight, a feat Hibernian would manage a year later powered by the goals of Jason Cummings and the magic left foot of John McGinn.
A record breaking final that will be remembered for a long time.