Aberdeen 2 - 0 Kilmarnock

Pape was the daddy for the Dons at Pittodrie as Aberdeen maintained their 100% start to the season with a dominant win over Kilmarnock that saw the home side camped in their opponents’ half for long stretches of the game.

After beating Queen’s Park last weekend in the Premier Sports Cup, Jimmy Thelin made two changes to his side, Slobodan Rubezic returning from suspension and Topi Keskinen starting after grabbing the late winner last Saturday. Jack Milne and Shayden Morris started from the bench, alongside new signing Kevin Nisbet.

Kilmarnock lost 2-0 away to FC Copenhagen on Thursday night and Derek McInnes made two changes to their starting XI with Robbie Deas and Daniel Armstrong replacing Joe Wright and Kyle Vassell.

The visitors betrayed no early evidence of their midweek exertions and made a bright start in a swirling wind, an Armstrong effort deflected up and onto the roof of the Aberdeen net in the fifth minute.

The Dons had their first chance on 11 minutes, Jack MacKenzie getting in behind and drilling in a low cross that was just in front of Ester Sokler as he slid in at the back post. Aberdeen recycled the ball, allowing Jamie McGrath to loop a cross into the box, Gueye not getting enough on his effort as he tried to direct it goalwards. More good pressure from the Dons a couple of minutes later ended with Keskinen dragging a shot wide.

Keskinen wasn’t far away from an 18th minute corner, the ball dropping to him 14 yards out. The Finn made a powerful connection but Watkins made a superb block in the six yard box to divert the ball wide of goal. It was all part of a growing domination of the game by the Dons.

Killie did respond midway through the half, Watson picking the ball up on the angle of the box and forcing Dimitar Mitov into a save at his near post, but on 23 minutes, the goal that the Dons had long been threatening arrived through a Gueye header. Graeme Shinnie was the supplier, curling in a left footed cross from the angle of the area, Gueye rising on the edge of the six yard box to ram his header past O’Hara.

Kilmarnock made their first change on 31 minutes, Anderson replacing Watson, but the Dons continued to set up camp in front of the RDS as Kilmarnock struggled to get out of their own half amid wave after wave of red shirts descending upon them. For all that, Aberdeen couldn’t manufacture another clear opportunity before the sides trooped off at the break.

HALF-TIME: ABERDEEN 1 KILMARNOCK 0

Killie started the second half in more positive mood, Lyons with a tough challenge on Sokler after 53 minutes that earned him a booking. The referee was sent to the monitor by VAR and decided to upgrade it to a red card, reducing the visitors to ten men. Killie responded by replacing Armstrong with McKenzie on 56 minutes.

It could have been 2-0 after 59 minutes, Jamie McGrath spotting MacKenzie’s run and finding him with a precise pass. MacKenzie crossed on the run, putting the ball into Sokler’s feet seven yards out, but first time, the striker put the ball over the bar and into the Red Shed.

The second goal did arrive after 65 minutes, Gueye grabbing it again, another header doing the job. McGrath’s corner was placed onto the edge of the six yard box in the middle of the goal. Coming back from the goal-line, Gueye produced a perfectly placed header that arced into the far corner.

McGrath was booked a couple of minutes later for a high tackle on Donnelly before Watkins almost got Killie back into the game with a near post header that drifted just wide. Vicente Besuijen replaced Keskinen in the 71st minute, before Cameron, Ndaba and Polworth came on for Watkins, Deas and Kennedy for Kilmarnock in the 75th minute. Nisbet made his Dons debut after 79 minutes, joining the fray with Peter Ambrose as Sokler and Gueye made way.

Aberdeen continued to pen Kilmarnock in, a couple of quick corners culminating in MacKenzie driving a diagonal shot through the area but wide of the far post in the 81st minute. McGrath was close two minutes later, just pulling his shot on the turn wide of the frame.

Morris and Ante Palaversa, making his Dons debut, were sent on in the 88th minute, McGrath and Sivert Heltne Nilsen replaced in what looked to be the game’s final changes. Within seconds though, there was a nasty clash of heads in the centre circle between Ambrose and Findlay which left both needing lengthy treatment. Findlay couldn’t continue and was replaced in a concussion substitution by Bainbridge. Palaversa was booked a minute later after a late challenge. Rubezic followed him into the book for a foul on Anderson, a minor irritation on another excellent day for Aberdeen.

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