Dons end Dubai trip on high note

ABERDEEN

Hayes 1, Shinnie 75

FC BUNYODKOR

Javokhir 33

2

Aberdeen rounded off their week-long training camp in Dubai yesterday with a win over Uzbekistan outfit FC Bunyodkor.

Goals by Jonny Hayes and Graeme Shinnie secured the morale-boosting victory at the Jebel Ali Centre of Excellence, before the Dons turn their attention to Saturday’s Scottish Cup clash against Stranraer.

“From a training point of view it has been excellent,” said manager Derek Mcinnes of the trip to Dubai. “We’ve had six good training sessions on good surfaces, and we’ve done some pool work

0 Graeme Shinnie: Winner. and some work off the pitch with our sponsors. Both on the field and off the field it has been so worthwhile.”

Aberdeen started with a near full-strength line-up in front of around 200 expat Dons supporters, and it showed as Hayes opened the scoring with just 56 seconds on the clock.

Shinnie went on a surging run through the midfield and laid the ball off to Hayes, who expertly side-footed the ball into the net.

Bunyodkor came into the game as the half wore on, though, and they levelled on 33 minutes. Aberdeen were sloppy at trying to clear a corner and Esankulov Javokhir capitalised by thumping the ball past goalkeeper Joe Lewis.

Shinnie pounced on a loose ball in the box with 15 minutes remaining to clinch the victory.

“It was good to get through the game with no injuries and get the players moving in a proper game,” added Mcinnes, whose squad travel back to Aberdeen today. “To win the game by scoring a couple of goals and against good opposition was an added bonus.”