Aberdeen 7 - 0 Sion

Aberdeen were at the zenith of their glory days in the first half of the 1980s and this match with Sion of Switzerland was the first leg on the route that was to end in Gothenburg. 11 years on perhaps the Dons will have another surge through a Cup-Winners' Cup campaign. 13,000 witnessed this successful clash. There was plenty of drama in the opening two minutes. Doug Bell broke through on his own but the keeper managed to deflect the ball into the side-netting. A minute later the keeper became the villain when he broke the four-step carrying rule and gave away an indirect free-kick just inside the penalty box. Neil Simpson's shot from Gordon Strachan's pass was deflected into the air for Eric Black to head goalwards, and Pittier allowed the ball to squirm over the line. Sion's first attack in 16 minutes ended with Bregy shooting wide. Pittier again breached the four-step rule, but Strachan lofted his lob over the bar. A goal was only delayed till the 21st minute when Strachan dispossessed Bregy 35 yards out and moved in to drive an angled shot past the keeper. A minute later the Dons were three ahead. Black just failed to connect with a Mark McGhee cross and the inrushing John Hewitt slammed the ball home. Aberdeen's continued pressure brought a fourth goal in 34 minutes. Simpson had a shot blocked, but he gathered the rebound and made room for himself to beat Pittier with a right foot shot. Jim Leighton had his first real save in 37 minutes when Luisler sent in a 30 yard rocket to test the keeper. With a lead of four goals the home team would have no pressure on them when they went to play the return game in Switzerland. Sion's tactics after the interval were immediately obvious as they concentrated on trying to play the offside game in an effort to thwart the Dons. The homesters continued their surge and goal number five arrived in 56 minutes when Balet, under pressure from Black, turned the ball past his own keeper. It seemed an "own goal" though Black was happy to accept his team-mates' congratulations. Aberdeen then substituted Doug Rougvie for Bell and the goal procession continued in 62 minutes. Alex McLeish met a Strachan flag kick beyond the far post and headed the ball back for Black to dive and head the ball against the base of the upright, McGhee had the simple task of side-footing the ball across the goal-line. In a Sion breakaway in 71 minutes Bregy sent a low free-kick across the goalmouth to Cucinotta, who had replaced Luisler, but McLeish made a timely intervention at the expense of a corner. Two minutes later Peter Weir replaced Black. With Sion appealing for offside Stewart Kennedy broke through from a Hewitt pass in 81 minutes to complete the scoring. Six different Dons had scored in this very comfortable victory.

Source: Match Programme, 29th September 1993