Aberdeen 2 - 1 Motherwell

Pape Gueye was the hero for Aberdeen as Jimmy Thelin’s team earned a tenth straight win from the start of the season, the Senegalese striker scoring a goal in each half to take his total to five goals for the season and put the Dons on 15 points from five games. 

Following the 1-0 win at Ross County before the international break, Jimmy Thelin made two changes to his Aberdeen side with Kevin Nisbet and Ante Palaversa both getting their first starts for the Dons. Ester Sokler started on the bench with Graeme Shinnie missing out with illness – Nicky Devlin took over the captaincy. Jack MacKenzie made his 100th appearance for the Dons while Leighton Clarkson returned to the matchday squad following his injury. 

Like the Dons, Motherwell enjoyed a late winner in their last game before the break as they beat St Johnstone 2-1. They named an unchanged starting XI.

It was a brisk start to the game from Aberdeen, keeping Motherwell penned into their own defensive third, but without creating an early opening. We had to wait for the 10th minute for that, Nisbet holding the ball up well and turning it back to Topi Keskinen. His neat pass gave Jamie McGrath the chance to turn quickly but he pulled his effort across goal and just wide of the far post. 

Aberdeen enjoyed a lot of good possession across the opening quarter of an hour, but Motherwell got plenty of men behind the ball in an effort to deny the Dons any space. The hosts almost had some joy on the counter-attack after 16 minutes, a long ball out of defence sending Keskinen on the gallop but again, the Steelmen defended the situation well, Wilson making the challenge.

Zdravkovski was booked on 23 minutes following a prolonged pull at McGrath’s shirt and O’Donnell and Sivert Heltne Nilsen joined him in the book almost immediately for an altercation that followed the initial foul.

On 27 minutes, Pape Gueye lit the game up with an absolute screamer that put Aberdeen a goal to the good. A superb first touch got a MacKenzie clearance under control just inside his own half. From there, he accelerated away down the left wing before cutting inside. With Oxborough expecting a shot across goal, from just inside the box, Gueye pivoted to lash a vicious drive in off the near post before unleashing a few ‘Saturday Afternoon Fever’ moves in front of the Red Shed. 

Gueye was on the chase again five minutes later before playing the ball inside to McGrath. He tried a one-two with Nisbet but as he came onto the return, his shot squirted wide under pressure from a defender. 

Another swift break had Gueye charging forward again on 43. His pass to Keskinen was initially overhit but the Finn recovered the ball and played it back for Nisbet, but his shot sailed over the bar. 

HALF-TIME: ABERDEEN 1 MOTHERWELL 0

Motherwell exchanged Zdravkovski for Vale at the break. Robinson was booked after 52 minutes for a sliding tackle from behind on McGrath. 

Aberdeen could have doubled the lead two minutes later, Slobodan Rubezic up to win Palaversa’s near post corner, but he got his angles wrong and planted his header wide of the upright. 

Gueye continued to be a complete nuisance to Motherwell on 55 minutes, bringing the ball forward and setting Keskinen on his way, but again Wilson was across to block his shot. From the resulting corner, Gueye and Miller clashed heads but both were quickly able to resume. 

There was a triple change for Motherwell on 59 minutes, O’Donnell, Maswanhise and Robinson being replaced by Jair, Watt and Kaleta. Aberdeen took the opportunity to replace Keskinen with Shayden Morris. Motherwell’s change almost bore immediate fruit, Watt’s header from eight yards saved by Dimi Mitov. 

Palaversa surprised Oxborough with a shot from fully 35 yards on 63 minutes, the opposition goalkeeper pawing the ball behind at the foot of his post. Rubezic was booked for a foul on Watt a minute later.

A swift Motherwell counter-attack opened Aberdeen up on 66 minutes, the move ending with Jair bending an effort across goal but well wide of the far post as the visitors began to threaten. Vale was booked on 67 minutes for a late, late lunge on Gavin Molloy. Sokler and Clarkson were introduced for Aberdeen after 69 minutes, Nisbet and Palaversa replaced as the Dons looked to re-establish their first half dominance. 

Morris was away down the right before firing in an inviting cross on 71 minutes, Gueye heading down for Sokler to hook the bouncing ball over the bar from ten yards out. Motherwell made their final change after 75 minutes, Ebiye coming on for Halliday. 

It was Gueye who finally doubled the Dons’ lead in the 80th minute. It started with great work by Morris on the right, cruising past Wilson before crossing for Devlin. He stabbed the ball at goal where Oxborough made a magnificent save at full stretch, but as the ball looped up, there was Gueye at the back post to force his header over the line for 2-0. 

Vicente Besuijen and Peter Ambrose joined the fray on 84 minutes, Gueye and McGrath replaced. 

The game wasn’t done yet though and on 88, Motherwell had a goal back. A pull back from the byline found Watt and he swept the ball across goal where Ebiye was on hand to turn the ball past Mitov from close range. Ebiye was then just fractions away from an equaliser in the 92nd minute as the game suddenly became a bit frantic, his curling shot drifting just wide. Besuijen was booked for time wasting a minute later. 

Mitov had to make a fine save on 93 minutes, clawing the ball away from the top corner as a Motherwell header from a corner looked like it might just float in. A nervy conclusion to the game was successfully navigated though, making it ten out of ten for Thelin.

2 minutes added at end 1st half.
5 minutes added at end 2nd half.