Dons battle to the finish but their Euro dream dies as Burnley escape
EUROPA LEAGUE
IN THE old mill town of Burnley, a modestly assembled Scottish club served a reminder that they have European football running through the very fabric of their existence.
On an absorbing, but ultimately agonising, night in Lancashire, Derek McInnes’ Dons came closer than they had any right to weaving a dream result against English Premier League multimillionaires.
Given the stratospheric financial gulf between these two Battle of Britain rivals, finally going down in extra-time to Sean Dyche’s side is no disgrace.
The Dons may be out of Europe but they were a credit to Scottish football as they gave a team that finished seventh in the English top tier last season a run for their money.
It looked ominous for Aberdeen when Burnley’s record £15million signing Chris Wood fired the hosts into an early lead.
But teenager Lewis Ferguson’s stunning first senior goal — a magnificent overhead kick — turned this second leg on its head.
A virtuoso second-half goalkeeping display by Joe Lewis took this compelling contest into extra-time. But his stubborn resistance — and Aberdeen hearts — were finally broken by Jack Cork’s headed winner in 101 minutes.
A late penalty from Ashley Barnes made the final score look a more comfortable evening than it had actually been for Burnley.
McInnes had made just one change from the side that drew 1-1 at Pittodrie. Out went Dom Ball and in came Andy Considine.
Burnley made two: goalkeeper Anders Lindegaard started after the shoulder injury to England squad keeper Nick Pope at Pittodrie and, after his first-leg equaliser, Sam Vokes was given the nod ahead of Jeff Hendrick.
It was to prove a horrible start for Aberdeen as they found themselves behind after just six minutes.
Captain Graeme Shinnie was dispossessed on the halfway line and Ashley Westwood sent a long ball over the top.
Wood beat Scott McKenna to the ball, dragged it to the side of Lewis and rifled high into the net.
It was Turf Moor’s first European goal in 51 years and the noise from the locals threatened to tear the roof off. It was no less than the hosts deserved for a strong start.
But Aberdeen’s task had not changed. The Premiership side still needed to score a goal. The problem was it was hard to see where it would come from. Their best move of the first half saw Considine’s ball from the left find Gary Mackay-Steven at the back post. The winger’s shot was blocked by Aaron Lennon for a corner that came to nothing.
Then the game turned on its head with a magical moment to remember from young Ferguson — son of former Rangers and Hearts midfielder Derek.
Mackay-Steven’s cross from the left was carelessly headed back across his own goal by Burnley scorer Wood.
Ferguson tracked the ball’s progress then sent an overhead kick into the top left-hand corner of the net to stun Turf Moor.
The 18-year-old summer signing from Hamilton Accies ran off to celebrate with a lovely mixture of astonishment and amusement written across his face. It was game on.
On the cusp of half-time, it took a fine fingertip save from Lindegaard to stop Shinnie putting Aberdeen into the lead from 20 yards.
At the break, Dyche replaced Woods with Barnes and his side were nearly in front within 60 seconds but Lewis made a fine save to turn round a 20-yard shot from Johann Gudmundsson.
Up at the other end, Niall McGinn pulled the ball back for Shinnie but his shot from the edge of the box flew just over.
It then required a save from Lewis to prevent Barnes making it 2-1 from close range. But the Dons keeper’s best was yet to come.
After Shinnie saw a fierce drive turned round for a corner, Lewis somehow pushed a Vokes header on to the bar. There will be few finer saves by any keeper between now and the end of the season.
This was every inch the compelling cup tie, with neither side giving an inch and crunching tackles by either side being let go by Italian referee Massimiliano Irati.
Neither team could find a winner in regulation time, so another 30 nerve-shredding minutes were required.
Disaster struck for Aberdeen 11
minutes into the first half of extra-time when Cork nodded home. And when McKenna was adjudged to have handled a cross from Gundmundsson, Barnes completed the scoring.
This was Aberdeen’s fifth consecutive European season under McInnes. The previous four had seen them conquered by Apollon Limassol, Maribor, Kairat Almaty and Real Sociedad.
Burnley are now added to that list and it is the English side that head to Turkey to face Istanbul Basaksehir in the next round.
McInnes and his men were given a standing ovation at the end by their noisy travelling support.
The Dons players looked shattered as they were hailed by their fans. But there will be precious time to dwell on this heartbreak.
On Sunday, they host Steven Gerrard’s Rangers at Pittodrie as the curtain comes up on the Scottish Premiership season.