Motherwell 2 Aberdeen 1: Steelmen reach Scottish Cup last eight with brilliant Dons comeback

Motherwell fought back to win in 90 minutes for this first time year in a super 2-1 Scottish Cup fifth round win over Aberdeen.

Christian Ramirez opened the away side's scoring after two minutes before Kevin Van Veen netted his third goal of the season against Aberdeen.

Connor Shields completed the home turnaround in first half stoppage time and it proved a winner for the Steelmen, who reach the last eight just like last season.

Graham Alexander's 'Well side had registered two 2-0 victories over Stephen Glass' Dons earlier in this season and inflicted more misery upon the Pittodrie club in ML1.

The draw for the quarter-finals of the competition is on Monday, with Motherwell and Aberdeen to do it all over again at Fir Park next Saturday on Premiership business.

Nathan McGinley, Callum Slattery, Jordan Roberts, and Kaiyne Woolery drop out of the Motherwell starting XI that lost to Dundee United in the league on Wednesday.

In came forwards Kevin van Veen and Connor Shields, plus left-back Jake Carroll, while midfielder Mark O'Hara returned from injury for his first start since early November.

Adam Montgomery and midfielder Funso Ojo were put back in the Dons team after a 3-2 loss to Celtic, with Dylan McGeouch and Calvin Ramsay making way.

There was one win in 90 minutes between them in 2022 prior to kick-off. One had a sole goal in five games, the other had one clean sheet in six matches.

It didn't exactly have the traits of a cup classic but somebody had to win in a game that was vital not just for progression, but for restoring some confidence amid faltering runs this year.

Things couldn't have started worse for Motherwell in the wind and rain. Vicente Besuijen got far too much space on the right and Ramirez had two