McCrorie and Hedges On Target As Dons Progress In Europe

Two Europa League Qualifers down, two wins, as Aberdeen progress to the third round following our win against Viking FK in Stavanger this evening.

It’s our sixth win in a row after Ross McCrorie opened the scoring for the Dons late in the first half and Ryan Hedges secured our second from a corner kick.

Aberdeen made one change to the side that defeated Kilmarnock 1-0 last weeked.  Dylan McGeouch came on for the injured Matty Kennedy.

Viking came out of the blocks all guns firing, when Zymer Bytyqi hit a powerful shot into the side netting within the first minute of the game.

Marley Watkins came close in the sixth minute, when Jonny Hayes burst down the left flank crossed to Marley but his header was pushed over the bar by Iven Austbo.

Scott Wright was nearly on target, playing clean through on goal in the 15th minute, bit Austbo blocked with his legs as he attempted to shoot low and wide across him.

Andy Considine saved the Dons blushes in the 20th minute, when Yildren Ibrahimaj was denied after a great tackle from Andy inside the penalty area.

Ibrahimaj had another efforted shortly after only for McCrorie to head his shot wide.

Lewis Ferguson was close in the 29th minute, his shot firing wide off the far post.

Aberdeen were keeping up the pressure, with Scott Wright crossing to Marley Watkins in the 33rd minute only for his shot to be saved by the keeper.

But the pressure paid off in the 44th minute, after a low drive from Scott Wright was deflected to Ross McCrorie at the edge of the box, and he unleashed a brilliant volley into the near corner.

It wasn’t clear cut, after the assistant referee called over ref, Filip Glova to raise an issue about Andy Considine’s position in the box.  But the referee awarded the goal to put the Dons ahead.

Into the second half, and in the 47th minute, Veton Berisha hit a low drive wide on the half-volley after connecting with a corner kick.

Aberdeen went 2-0 ahead in the 78th minute with a goal direct from a corner kick.  It was beautfiul to watch.

Ryan Hedges whipped an inswinging shot from the corner, which went beyond the keeper into the far top corner of the net.

Whilst the second half was a more laboured affair, it lines up a cracking tie against Sporting Clube de Portugal next Thursday.

Sporting are suffering from a coronavirus outbreak with seven players and manager Ruben Amorim and two backroom-staff having all test postivie.  All are currently self isolating and will be ruled out for our match.