Aberdeen 0 - 0 Dundee

A second straight goalless stalemate brought the pre-split season to an end as Aberdeen lacked inspiration in front of goal on a blustery afternoon at Pittodrie.

There were two changes for Aberdeen from the side that drew 0-0 at Livingston last Saturday, Duk and Angus MacDonald coming in for Richard Jensen and Junior Hoilett, who started from the bench. Fit again Killian Phillips was among the subs in place of Shayden Morris.

Dundee named an unchanged side after losing 3-2 at home to Motherwell last weekend.

The visitors made a good start in bright but breezy conditions, and the Dons had to dig the ball out in the midst of a goalmouth scramble just two minutes in. A minute later, Duk was on the counter-attack, charging down the left only to be hacked down by Portales who collected the game’s first yellow card. Leighton Clarkson’s free-kick from 25 yards out was pawed over the top by McCracken.

On six minutes, Nicky Devlin won a free-kick with a similar dash down the right, It was the man in the mask who got his head on the ball in too, but it looped up comfortably for McCracken to take.

Aberdeen should have been ahead on 13 minutes when a ball over the top from Devlin had Bojan Miovski on the run. McCracken did well to drive him wide, but it meant that when Miovski pulled the ball back, Clarkson had a glorious opportunity with the goalkeeper out of position. Unfortunately, he scuffed his shot and put it wide of the target.

On the quarter hour, Duk forced another Dundee booking with a driving run, Costelloe the offender this time, his second foul of the game having hauled back Devlin earlier.

Kelle Roos had to be alert on 20 minutes after Connor Barron was dispossessed in midfield. McCowan set Cameron up for the shot, but Roos narrowed the angle and made a good block, Barron chasing back to tidy up the loose ball.

Duk then forced a third booking of the afternoon, McGhee rugby tackling him in the 23rd minute, the Dundee defence incapable of handing his power and pace by fair means.

Another driving run by Devlin caused trouble down the right on 29 minutes, only for his cross to be headed away, but Aberdeen were certainly causing problems down both flanks.

Bakayoko had a swing at goal on 39 minutes, but it was a wild effort that went awry when he had more time than he thought. Graeme Shinnie then went in the book for a foul.

Dundee were inches away from a goal in the final minute of the half, Cameron given too much time on the edge of the area to take a touch and then hit a vicious swerving shot that clipped the bar on its way into the Red Shed.

HALF-TIME: ABERDEEN 0 DUNDEE 0

Boateng replaced Sylla for Dundee at the break as the wind continued to pick up.

The visitors started the half well, McCowan curling a free-kick wide of the target after 48 minutes. Devlin then had to make a perfectly timed tackle to stop Tiffoney on the edge of the box, injuring himself in the process. A bit of treatment did the trick, and he was able to continue. McCowan had another pop at goal on 54, but it was well wide.

Duk forced a fine save on the hour, Devlin playing the ball into him, Duk hitting it on the turn, McCracken tipping the ball wide at his near post.

Dundee looked sure to be in front on 69, McCowan and Tiffoney combining well down their right, Tiffoney pulling the ball back for Cameron. Six yards out, with the goal at his mercy, he stabbed the ball goalwards, only for MacDonald to produce a terrific block on the line. Two minutes later, it was Barron making a solid block as Cameron drove a shot at goal. Cameron then picked Devlin’s pocket, only for Bakayoko to poke weakly wide from his pass.

Dante Polvara and Ryan Duncan replaced Clarkson and Barron in the Dons’ first change after 74 minutes. Main came on for Costelloe a minute later. He was motoring towards goal almost immediately, Jack MacKenzie coming across to make a vital block. Main did have the ball in the net in the 77th minute following a long throw, but Bakayoko had clearly pushed Roos as he challenged for the ball, having initially been offside anyway. It took VAR two minutes to confirm the obvious and disallow the goal.

Seven minutes from time, Devlin had to make a good block then Roos had to tip an effort over as Dundee went in search of the win that would confirm them in the top six. Tiffoney made way for Mellon after 85 minutes. As he was settling in, Polvara produced some neat footwork to set up Miovski, but his touch was poor and the chance disappeared.

Duk had a good opportunity on 89, having started the move by shovelling the ball out to Duncan on the right. His cross picked out Duk six yards out, but he couldn’t get enough on his header and McCracken made a simple save.

In added time, Dundee brought on Dodgson and Lamie for Bakayoko and Donnelly as the visitors now only needed a draw for the top six after Hibs conceded a late equaliser at Motherwell. Stefan Gartenmann almost ruined those ambitions on 95 minutes, produced an acrobatic overhead kick that flashed just over the bar after Miovski had nodded down a MacKenzie cross.

In the 96th minute, Shinnie was clumsy with a tackle on Boateng and collected a second yellow card for the afternoon.

1 minute added at end 1st half.
8 minutes added at end 2nd half.