Mackie scores as Langfield keeps Dnipro out.

Aberdeen marched into the group stages of the UEFA cup as they went through on away goals for the first time in their history. This was also the first time the Dons have overturned a home draw in a historic night for the club. Darren Mackie scored in the first half when he bulleted a Foster cross into the net and although they conceded a fluke of a goal 15 minutes from time they held out with a great backs to the wall performance that brings another four European ties at the least to look forward to in the months ahead.

Dnipro kicked off and won the first corner of the match in the 2nd minute. Nazarenko failed to threaten the defence as he fired the ball into the side netting, but a minute later Langfield was forced into a fine save as he dived to the right to palm a Lyopa shot away from goal. Mackie then won a free kick in a dangerous area but the set play was wasted as possession was tamely surrendered. Aberdeen produced some great play in the 8th minute as Nicholson and Mackie combined to set up Smith, but his shot was deflected for the Dons first corner of the match, which in turn was well defended.

Aberdeen had settled after the early scare and were now starting to probe forward and ask some questions of the home side. Foster did well to get back and cover as Dnipro broke quickly in the 15th minute and Nazarenko was showing a lot more than he offered at Pittodrie. With 20 minutes gone Dnipro had taken control again without looking like scoring. Aberdeen were defending well and trying to hit on the break, but the French referee was sometimes guilty of being a bit fussy.

Aberdeen threatened again in the 25th minute when Nicholson went wide right and as Mackie and Smith went for the ball the referee tested his whistle once again. Aberdeen then grabbed a sensational lead in the 28th minute when Foster did well on the left and whipped in a cross that was bulleted into the back of the net by Darren Mackie for the 50th goal of his career. The home side were clearly rattled but won a free kick on the half hour mark. Nazarenko’s effort was easily held by Langfield and he quickly cleared up field.

Darren Mackie chased the clearance and the keeper had to come out 40 yards to clear from the feet of the striker. Dnipro continued to probe and won a corner in the 38th minute when a long range shot was deflected wide. The corner was defended well but the dangerous Lyopa threatened a minute later and it took a great tackle from Hart to stop the youngster, despite his lame appeals for a spot kick. Dnipro threatened again down the left and Hart was forced into conceding a corner. Severin eventually cleared but the home side were building up momentum before the interval.

Aberdeen won a free kick on the edge of the box as the game moved into the two minutes of injury time. Smith looked set to try and bend it round the wall, but tapped it to Scott Severin who was closed down quickly as he unleashed a low drive. The first half had gone to plan and Aberdeen would be hoping to finish the job in the second half. One negative at the end of the half was that Jamie Smith looked to have picked up a knock.

Lee Mair replaced the injured Smith at the interval and the pattern of the play continued much the same as the first half. Dnipro were awarded an indirect free kick inside the box in the 50th minute when Diamond was adjudged to have passed the ball back to Langfield. Fortunately for Aberdeen the execution was poor and Aberdeen cleared. The French referee then awarded Dnipro a very soft free kick 25 yards out when Considine was adjudged to have handled the ball deliberately. It certainly looked harsh but Langfield held the shot easily. Lyopa then made an outrageous dive in the box and was lucky to escape a yellow card.

A minute later Considine looked to have made a good challenge and somehow found himself in the referee’s book. At this stage Aberdeen were getting forced deeper and they were struggling to create anything at the other end. Dnipro were starting to shoot from distance as they couldn’t find a way past the Dons defence and Langfield made another comfortable save on the hour mark. Aberdeen had a rare second half venture forward a minute later, but neither Mackie nor Young could get on the end of Foster’s cross. Rusol almost levelled in the 63rd minute when he headed a corner on to the bar with Langfield beaten.

Lyopa hit a screamer in the 65th minute that went inches wide of the post but once again the shot came from distance. Two minutes later Langfield made a great fingertip save from a Kravchenko shot and the resultant corner caused the Dons all sorts of problems before the ball was fired over the bar. Lovell replaced Mackie in the 71st minute just as they won their first corner of the second half. The resultant corner saw Diamond head a Nicholson delivery wide. Aberdeen then lost an unlucky goal in the 75th minute when Considine’s clearance was blocked by Vorobey and spun into the net past the helpless Langfield.

A minute later Nazarenko rattled the cross bar as the home side took fresh hope from their goal. A free kick wide right was a potential threat in the 84th minute but fortunately the delivery was too deep and went tamely out of play. The red army’s hearts were fluttering again in the 87th minute when Langfield just managed to touch the ball on to the bar as he faced a fierce shot that moved significantly in the air. The Dons fans in the stadium could hardly believe it when the fourth official signalled four minutes of injury time at the end of the game. The final minutes were agony as Dnipro threw everything at the Dons, but they held out and now move into the group stages.