Recap
Aberdeen were reduced to ten men, after Ryan Hedges was sent off midway through the first half against Rangers at Pittodrie.
Matty Kennedy scored a consolation goal in response to two goals from Alfredo Morelos, but with Rangers in most of the possession, we couldn’t muster anything despite a late rally from the Dons to level the score.
There were three changes to the side that drew 0-0 against Dundee Utd. Ross McCrorie wasn’t available due to the terms of his loan deal with Rangers.
Also dropping to the bench was Niall McGinn and Matty Kennedy.
Scott Wright started following his double hernia surgery and he joined Sam Cosgrove and Dean Campbell into the starting line-up.
A mistake from Ash Taylor nearly handed Rangers an early minute opener after he misjudged a high ball and Alfredo Morelos ran through at goal, but the striker mishit his effort but it was a lucky break for the Dons.
Sam Cosgrove had an effort shortly after, after getting in behind Connor Goldson, but he hit is shot over.
Ianis Hagi fired a shot inches over the bar from outside the penalty area.
Scott Wright had an effort, but his low cross went across the face of goal and went out for a corner.
The early pressure from the Dons was undone in the 26th minute, after Ryan Hedges was shown a straight red for clipping Morelos in the box.
Luckily the penalty kick taken by Tavernier went wide, leaving the score level at 0-0.
However, Alfredo Morelos scored the first of his two goals of the game in the 32nd minute, Ryan Kent crossing the ball to Morelos for the striker to beat Joe Lewis to make it 1-0.
Curtis Main was booked in the 41st minute for a silly high footed challenge on Barisic, which resulted him being replaced a couple of minutes later by Shay Logan.
Not long into the second half and Alfredo Morelos scored his second, Joe Aribo putting in a low cross into the box which was flicked on by Kent to Morelos, who then fired the shot beyond Lewis.
It didn’t look as if there was any recovery from this, but thanks to a Cosgrove cross to Hayes, Jonny slid a pass into the path of Matty Kennedy who fired his shot in beyond Allan McGregor.
Rangers had a couple of efforts late on in the game, Ryan Kent and Glen Kamara going close in the final stages of the game.
Commenting on the game, Derek McInnes said: “Up until the penalty incident, I thought we were very good – there was nothing in the game.
“My assessment [of the penalty and red card] at the time, and now since I’ve seen it, is that Ryan Hedges has done everything not to bring him [Alfredo Morelos] down. You would think that would have some bearing on the decision. But [referee] John Beaton explained to me at half-time he had nowhere to go with the decision.
“I said to my staff ‘we’ll find out a lot about my team in the second half’ because the last team you want to go a man down to is Rangers. I thought the players were excellent. We’re just disappointed not to have got anything from the game. A lot of teams would have folded at the second goal.”
