CHIKHURA ABERDEEN

Aberdeen lost yet an other defender to injury but they did not wilt in the heat of Georgia as Sam Cosgrove’s goal from the penalty spot earned his side a draw and an away goal against Chikhura Sachkhere.

This Europa League second qualifying round tie was notable for meaty challenges and two penalty kicks rather than goalscoring chances, but Dons boss Derek McInnes will be happy to return to Pittodrie with the away goal – despite his side failing to get out of second gear.

The first-round tie against RoPS saw chances squandered in both legs. The first leg of the second round required the Dons dig deep and grind out a result.

McInnes made one change for the trip to Tbilisi, with new signing Funso Ojo coming in for his debut in place of Dean Campbell, who dropped to the bench.

Craig Bryson was also among the substitutes.

The Boris Paichadze Dinamo Arena is usually filled to its 54,000 capacity for international matches but it was eerily quiet for this fixture with an estimated 70 fans of each club inside the stadium with the remaining crowd made of Tbilisi locals.

There was precious little goalmouth incident

in the first half but there were more than enough contentious moments to keep Romanian referee Horatiu Fesnic occupied.

Aberdeen may have been the away team but it was the Georgians who tried to play on the counter and their main threat was Irakli Lekvtadze.

His influence proved telling by the interval – as was that of Dons new signing Ojo.

Lekvtadze was booked for a foul on Lewis Ferguson before finding himself on the receiving end of a clattering challenge from Ash Taylor which led to a caution for the Dons defender.

However, Taylor injured himself in the process and he soon limped off while appearing to be in considerable pain.

Following the loss