DOUBLE DELIGHT
Dons buck the Scottish trend with some joy in Europe
JUST when Scottish football needed a boost, it arrived in style last night as goals from Aberdeen’s new signings Greg Stewart and Gary Mackay-Steven secured the Dons’ passage to the third qualifying round of the Europa League for the fourth year in a row.
Celtic’s progress against Linfield in the Champions League the previous evening may have been taken as read, but Derek McInnes’ men had left themselves with a real mountain to climb here at a sweltering Pecara Stadium after last week’s 1-1 draw at Pittodrie.
That they eventually made it through with something to spare spoke volumes for the spirit of Scotland’s second-best team, especially near the end of a miserable month when both Rangers and St Johnstone crashed out of the same tournament at the first hurdle.
Yes, time had been running out for Aberdeen here in Bosnia and Herzegovina, with the game still poised goalless well into the second half.
They didn’t panic, however, and up stepped on-loan Celtic star Ryan Christie, with two superb assists for Stewart and then Mackay-Steven to book their place in the next round against Cypriots Apollon Limassol.
It was the perfect end to a trip which had been marred by attacks on Aberdeen supporters by masked thugs in nearby Mostar.
Siroki issued an apology to the visitors before the game, even though the attack wasn’t carried out by their own fans. And, thankfully, there was no sign of trouble outside the ground as around 200 Scots supporters mingled happily with the locals.
McInnes had opted for an attacking line-up by giving former Dundee star Stewart his first start instead of Greg Tansey, while Jayden Stockley replaced Adam Rooney.
Temperatures were still in the mid-30s as the game kicked off amid a raucous atmosphere, and the home fans nearly had cause for celebration in the fourth minute as Ivan Krstanovic lashed a quickly taken corner into Joe Lewis’ sidenetting.
Lewis had more of a tester shortly afterwards but saved a Dejan Cabraja header.
Aberdeen were let off the hook midway through the first half when Kenny McLean misjudged a header and the ball skidded straight into the path of Cabraja, who was right through on goal.
Thankfully for the Dons, he took a dreadfully heavy first touch and the ball went through to the onrushing Lewis.
When Shay Logan wasted a free-kick in a promising position, it proved the perfect time for the Scots to take an agreed water break in the oppressive temperatures and to regroup.
It took Aberdeen half-an-hour to win their first corner, allowing them to attempt a training-ground routine. Anthony O’Connor’s delivery found McLean at the edge of the box but his volley was deflected away. At last McInnes’ men were starting to enjoy some possession and Andrew Considine hit the upright with a far-post header, even if the whistle had long gone for a foul by the Dons defender.
The same player then sparked controversy when he went in hard on Siroki’s Luka Menalo, with home fans and players claiming he went over the ball. The Danish referee ignored their pleas.
Siroki keeper Luka Bilobrk was tested for the first time two minutes after the restart when Considine could not get enough purchase on his header from a Christie free-kick and the keeper comfortably gathered.
But Aberdeen had by far their best chance of the match on the hour mark as Christie injected some real quality into the game.
Picking the ball up, he drove at pace at the Siroki defence before unleashing a low, fizzing drive, which Bilobrk could only push out into the path of Stewart. The on-loan Birmingham City forward was off balance, though, and shot over from the rebound.
Christie wasted arguably an even better chance a couple of minutes later when he tamely headed an inviting cross from Mackay-Steven wide. Aberdeen were, at last, turning the screw.
They needed a fabulous save from Lewis to stay level when Krstanovic struck a brilliant volley at goal, which the English keeper tipped over.
It was to prove vital as the Dons finally made the breakthrough with 18 minutes left.
Christie was the architect with a brilliantly disguised reverse pass into the path of Stewart, who calmly finished to send the Dons fans behind the goal into ecstasy.
They had more to celebrate six minutes later, with a vital second goal essentially leaving no way back for Siroki.
Again Christie was the provider, spotting the run of former Celtic team-mate Mackay-Steven in the box before making a telling delivery. The new boy coolly slotted home for his first Dons goal.
‘Are you watching Ryan Jack?’ sang the jubilant Dons fans — to their former captain now with Rangers — after their team had given Scottish football a much-needed shot in the arm.