Hibernian manager Nick Montgomery praised Paul Hanlon after the experienced defender returned to help his side to a clean sheet in Saturday’s 1-0 win at Livingston.
Martin Boyle’s first-half goal put Hibs in front but they had to weather a storm in the second half as the hosts threw balls into the box.
Montgomery hailed Hanlon, who was making his first start since mid-October, and his centre-back partner Will Fish, who were both impressive in a tight match.
He said: “I thought the whole back four stood up really well. It was a real team performance.
“You can’t come to places like this and have passengers because you know you’re going to have to pick up those second balls and win those direct balls at the throw-ins, corners and free-kicks.
“They’ve got some real quality and some real height.
“Paul coming back into the team, I thought he was solid. Him and Will Fish. I thought he led the line really well and there was also big character from Will Fish too as he had a pretty big cut on his head and got stitched up at half-time and continued to head those balls.
“The wind was swirling around and it was really difficult conditions but it was important we stayed composed. We didn’t get dragged into a fight and I thought we played some really good stuff in the second half.”
The victory moved Hibs above Edinburgh rivals Hearts and into fourth, but Montgomery insisted he is only thinking about his own side as he praised their togetherness.
He added: “I don’t really concentrate on anyone else. I just concentrate on ourselves, but we know that if we win games of football, that’s going to lift us up the table.
“It’s important in a good team that you know the moments when you have to stick together and fight and get through situations that are a bit uncomfortable. I thought we did that.
“But the team also has quality. We’ve got a good team spirit and a good camaraderie and everyone has seen that. In the first week when I came in and I got to know the players, I could see that they all care for the club.”
Livingston boss David Martindale was frustrated that his side were not awarded a penalty after Kurtis Guthrie went down under a challenge from Joe Newell in the first half.
He said: “The disappointing one for me is there’s one in the first half where Kurtis Guthrie is fouled and Grant (Irvine) has not had the opportunity to go to the screen.
“We got told Kurtis initiated the contact but I’m not sure that’s my view on it. I’m a wee bit disappointed that Grant’s not had the opportunity to go and look at that.
“You’re then allowing VAR to decide and you’re not allowing the on-field referee to use the technology to decide. That’s what I want to happen in football. If there’s any dubiety at all.
“It’s all subjective but it shouldn’t be subjective to someone sitting in a sterile room who isn’t watching the game. So I’m a wee bit disappointed with that but I’m not making excuses.”
Tuchel and Bayern fume at 'absolute disaster' after contentious offside call
Thomas Tuchel and Bayern Munich were left fuming after Matthijs de Ligt's contentious late strike was disallowed in their semi-final defeat to Real Madrid.
Bayern crashed out 4-3 on aggregate at Santiago Bernabeu after a dramatic double from substitute Joselu saw the hosts snatch victory to advance to the final on June 1.
Tuchel's side thought they had forced extra-time when De Ligt had the ball in the net, but the referee had already blown his whistle after the linesman raised his flag, so VAR could not intervene.
The replays showed that the original decision was closer than first thought, and the head coach bemoaned the lack of consistency after Madrid's second goal was awarded following a VAR review.
"I think it's pretty clear and there is no doubt that is against the rules of modern football," he said. "A disaster. An absolute disaster.
"With Real's second goal, they let the play continue. The clear rule is that the scene must continue. The first mistake was made by the linesman, the second by the referee."
Bayern had taken the lead through Alphonso Davies at the midway point in the second half, before Joselu's late intervention denied them a crack at a seventh title against compatriots Borussia Dortmund at Wembley.
De Ligt said the linesman had apologised to him after the game.
"[It is] very difficult. Of course, as sportspeople, we accept it," Tuchel said. "But it is a semi-final, it's not for two such mistakes.
"Everyone has to be at their limit. The referees have to be there as well. That is what we expect, so the apology does not really help."
Super sub Joselu 'the perfect reflection of Madrid', hails Ancelotti after Bayern brace
Carlo Ancelotti saluted Joselu after the striker climbed off the bench and scored twice against Bayern Munich to send Real Madrid through to their 18th Champions League final.
Following Alphonso Davies' earlier strike at Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid trailed Bayern 1-0 on the night and 3-2 on aggregate when Joselu replaced Federico Valverde with nine minutes of their pulsating semi-final tie remaining.
The 33-year-old, who is on loan from second-tier Espanyol, turned the tie on its head with two dramatic late goals.
First, he pounced on a rare mistake by Bayern keeper Manuel Neuer to stab in an 88th-minute equaliser, before volleying home Antonio Rudiger's cross in the first minute of stoppage time.
This was Joselu's eighth substitute appearance in this season's Champions League and Ancelotti praised the professionalism of his striker, who has now netted 17 times across all competitions, despite spending much of the campaign on the bench.
"He's a player who's contributed a lot this season, even if he hasn't played many minutes," the Italian said.
"But he's the perfect reflection of what this squad is: players who contribute a lot without losing confidence [if they're not playing] and the idea that they can offer the team something."
Ancelotti, whose side will play Borussia Dortmund in his sixth Champions League final as a manager on June 1, also hailed the character demonstrated by his players during another "magical" Madrid performance.
"It's happened so many times now, it's something inexplicable," he added. "It's happened again [thanks to] fans that push [us], a fantastic atmosphere and players who never stop believing that they can do it. It's something magical, there's no explanation for it."
Journeyman Joselu takes long, winding road to Champions League final
Real Madrid striker Joselu was in dreamland after he came on in the dying moments of their Champions League semi-final against Bayern Munich on Wednesday and turned the game on its head with two goals to snatch a stunning victory.
Joselu, whose journeyman career has included spells at clubs such as Hoffenheim, Eintracht Frankfurt, Hannover 96, Stoke City and Newcastle United, only touched the ball a few times in their 2-1 second-leg win, but it was a night he is likely to remember for a long time.
He pounced on a rare mistake by Bayern keeper Manuel Neuer, stabbing the ball into the net to equalise for Madrid in the 88th minute, and just under three minutes later, he volleyed them into the lead from a cross by Antonio Rudiger.
"I don't know anything about being a hero, but I'm very happy... You can imagine," he said. "It was incredible, something spectacular. This team never gives up, it's in its blood to fight to the end and that's what we've done.
"You always dream of this kind of performance, but not even my most beautiful dreams are as big as what happened today."
On loan from second-division side Espanyol, Joselu's journey to becoming the semi-final hero has been long and winding in a career involving a dozen clubs across Europe.
He began his career at Celta Vigo before being bought in 2009 by Madrid, where he excelled in their B team but rarely made it to the first team.
He was sold to Bundesliga side Hoffenheim in 2012 and then loaned to Eintracht Frankfurt before joining Hannover 96 in 2014.
In 2015, he moved to Premier League side Stoke City, playing 27 times and scoring four goals, before spending two seasons at Newcastle United. He returned to Spain with Alaves, where he scored 36 times in three seasons.
He signed as a free agent with Espanyol in the summer of 2022, and a year later was loaned to Madrid and has scored nine goals in 32 appearances this season in LaLiga.
Joselu, born in Stuttgart, Germany, made his debut for Spain aged 33, coming off the bench against Norway to score twice in two minutes in March 2023.
"I don’t think Joselu will be sleeping much tonight, he’ll be useless in training tomorrow!" team-mate Jude Bellingham said. "He deserves it all, he’s been an amazing member of the squad all season, and it’s his night."
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