Hibernian head coach Marink Reedijk had a simple request after his side’s memorable Scottish League Cup semi-final triumph over Heart of Midlothian: “I want music, I want beer.”

Speaking in an official Hibernian dressing-room video following the victory at Hampden, Reedijk captured the mood of a club finally enjoying a long-awaited moment of relief. Had he ventured into Leith that evening, he would surely have found plenty of supporters willing to provide both.


The Dutch coach secured his first win since taking charge at Easter Road in only his fifth match. Player of the match Joe Newell summed up the significance of the occasion, saying he would gladly have accepted four earlier defeats if this was the moment everything finally came together.

For Hibs, the victory carried far more weight than a routine cup success. The club had not beaten Hearts at Hampden since 2006, losing each of their previous four visits to the national stadium against their Edinburgh rivals. That frustrating sequence is now over, and the sound of Sunshine on Leith ringing around Hampden will live long in the memory of the green-and-white support.


Reedijk, who has described himself as an “ice king,” embraced the emotional celebrations but stressed the need to stay focused. He acknowledged that, amid the “lovely atmosphere,” his role is to make calm and rational decisions as Hibernian attempt to climb away from the bottom of the Scottish Premiership.


From despair to celebration

Few inside Hibernian would have predicted such an outcome before kick-off. On the eve of the semi-final, Hibs had dropped back to the foot of the league table after Kilmarnock earned a point at home against 10-man St Johnstone.

Their season had been turbulent: a failure to qualify for Europe, no home league victory, and a change of manager. Yet around 19,000 travelling supporters still made the journey west, determined to back their team.


They were finally rewarded. Fans who had travelled to Warsaw the previous year only to see Hibs exit on goal difference against Legia, and those who returned from Gent in August with renewed hope before disappointment followed at Easter Road, finally had a moment to savour.

When Jordi Altena’s deep free-kick in the 93rd minute was gathered by goalkeeper Raphael Sallinger, the Hibs end erupted. Hearts supporters, many of whom had already begun heading for the exits, could only watch as the Hibernian players and fans celebrated together.


Newell placed his hands on his head in disbelief. Boyhood Hibs supporter Jason Kerr fought back tears, while Nicky Cadden sang with full voice. Arm in arm, the squad celebrated a result that felt years in the making.


Early setback, powerful response

The afternoon had begun in the worst possible way for Hibernian. Claudio Braga scored with a strong header after barely two minutes, leaving many Hibs supporters still settling into their seats.

Newell admitted that the early goal immediately raised fears of a repeat of the 2012 Scottish Cup final, when Hearts defeated Hibernian 5-1 at Hampden, a result that remains one of the most painful days in the club’s modern history.


“Oh no, here we go,” Newell recalled thinking at the time.

He explained that the original game plan had to be abandoned almost immediately. However, he believes the manner in which Hibs responded made the performance even more special.

“You go to bed the night before imagining how the game will unfold, and then they score after two minutes,” he said. “But it shows the character in the group and made the performance even more special, not just the win.”


That resilience and determination will be the biggest takeaway for Reedijk and his players. Any team can win a knockout match, but Hibernian demonstrated the grit, unity, and depth required to reach a major final against Rangers next month.


Cup final cannot distract from league fight

The showpiece final is still six weeks away, and Hibernian know better than most how quickly circumstances can change in that time.

They face as many league fixtures before the final, with the last of those matches serving as a dress rehearsal when Derek McInnes’ Hearts side visit Easter Road. While the players admitted it will be difficult not to think about their return to Hampden, where they will chase the club’s first major trophy since beating Rangers in the 2016 Scottish Cup final, the immediate priority is improving their league form.


Hibernian have recorded only two wins from 11 league matches. Their upcoming schedule includes a trip to struggling Aberdeen, who were beaten in Saturday’s other semi-final, followed by home games against both Dundee clubs. Away fixtures against Motherwell and Kilmarnock come before the final league meeting with Hearts.


The hope within the dressing room is that the Hampden victory can act as a turning point in their bid to move up the table.

“It’s huge,” said Newell. “You almost forget there is a cup final after that because the feeling is so massive. These games are always huge, but we have to kick on now.

“We need to use this result and hopefully it gives everyone confidence, because it should. We were outstanding.”


If Hibernian can carry this belief into their league matches and repeat the result against Rangers on 13 December, Reedijk and his players may never struggle to find music and beer in Leith again.