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Classy Germans End Dons Dream

21 February 2008

No luck for plucky Dons

Aberdeens’ European dream ended in Munich tonight as the Dons crashed out to the German giants. The Germans dominated the the first half but Aberdeen looked more composed after the break. The reds received little help from the match officials and controversial decisions at key times in the game didn’t help the plucky Scots. Aberdeen were two behind at the interval with four players walking a tight rope because of soft yellow cards. Mackie had a great chance to level at 1-0 but his shot scraped past the far post. After the break the striker did have the ball in the net but the goal was controversially chalked off and Bayern added two further strikes as the Dons chased the game. Kahn then denied Nicholson before substitute Lovell ghosted in at the back post to head a de Visscher free kick past the keeper. A late strike from the classy Germans sealed the 5-1 win but Aberdeen can look back on this campaign with pride and there is no shame in going out to a team of this quality.

Aberdeen kicked off but Langfield got an early touch of the ball as the Germans poured forward. Bayern almost went ahead in the 2nd minute when Toni produced a lovely lay off to Podolski who in turn crashed the ball off the bar with Langfield well Beaten. A Bayern free kick two minutes later was comfortably dealt with by the Aberdeen defence and a second set play in the 7th minute was wasted by the home side. The Germans continued to dominate and Langfield had a comfortable save from Podolski in the 9th minute before Severin had the Dons first shot at goal when he fired well over in the 11th minute. Seconds later Maybury was harshly booked and Munich won a free kick 20 yards out as Kroos and the Dons wing back tangled.

From the resultant free kick the Germans went ahead when the ball was rolled to Lucio and he bulleted it into the net. Langfield got a hand to the ball and might have felt he should have done better. The keeper redeemed himself in the 18th minute when he made a great block from Altintop after the Turk had been released by Podolski. Aberdeen ventured forward in the 22nd minute but a Severin throw was comfortably dealt with. A minute later Walker almost threaded the ball through to Nicholson but Jansen blocked him off. Seconds later Mackie almost levelled when a long ball over the top split the Munich defence and the striker drilled his effort inches wide.

A mistake from Considine in the 25th minute gave Toni a chance and Langfield made another fine block. A series of corners were then desperately defended by the Dons before Walker was penalised by the assistant for controlling the ball with his hand. The young Englishman was then booked for kicking the ball away in frustration. Another series of Bayern corners ensued after Considine was inches from turning the ball into his own net. The pressure eased when Langfield collected the ball as the home side appealed a hopeful penalty award.

Langfield had another save from a long range effort from Ottl then Miller was penalised as he looked to have comfortably turned his marker. Aberdeen’s frustration was clear to see in the 36th minute as the home side were awarded a throw in that was clearly Aberdeen’s. As the bench berated the fourth official Aluko made a rash challenge to concede a free kick and collect a booking. Like the earlier incident with Maybury this free kick produced a goal and once again Langfield will have felt he could have done better. As the free kick was swung in Van Buyten headed home from six yards.

Walker had an effort from distance a few seconds later but it didn’t trouble Kahn. The Dons were getting very few decisions from the Polish official and at this stage they would need to get the next goal to have any chance of survival. Nicholson received a harsh booking in the 42nd minute when a German clearly controlled the ball with his hand then fell over next to Mackie. As the referee awarded Munich their umpteenth free kick Nicholson asked the referee why no award was given. He received a yellow card for his troubles. A minute from the interval Langfield saved from Altintop then the Germans hit the post again with their last kick of the half.

Altintop went in late on Langfield with his studs showing in the opening minute of the second half but the Turk was not spoken to. A minute later Miller was clearly felled but the home side were allowed to continue their attack unabated. Mackie broke on the right in the 50th minute and when the ball fell to Maybury he went for goal from 30 yards out but was well wide. A minute later Lee Miller won a free kick and an ironic cheer went up from the noisy Aberdeen support. Walker was penalised for another soft free kick in the 53rd minute but Langfield punched clear. A minute later Aluko hit the bye line and delivered a decent cross but the danger was cleared as Miller lurked.

At the other end Langfield made another block before Aluko was felled on the edge of the Bayern box and won nothing. Mackie had the ball in the net in the 56th minute when he latched on to an Aluko cross but the goal was controversially ruled out for offside against Miller. Mackie was then booked for bouncing the ball into the ground in anger. At the other end Toni clearly pushed Diamond as they waited for a corner and the referee gave Diamond a severe lecture. Chris Maguire replaced Walker in the 62nd minute and three minutes later Kroos became the first German to be booked for pulling back Nicholson.

Aberdeen were certainly giving a better account of themselves in the second half but the Germans still looked dangerous and Langfield made another fine stop in the 67th minute. The Dons European adventure ended in the 71st minute when Podolski pounced on a Langfield block to blast the ball into the net. Mackie was then replaced by de Visscher and it was harsh luck on the Dons who had looked a real threat since the interval. Six minutes later Podolski added a fourth from a corner as the Dons European dream lay in tatters. Lovell replaced Aluko in the 79th minute as the Dons looked for a consolation in front of the 66,000 crowd.

With the game won the Polish official was more forthcoming with free kicks for the Dons but de Visscher wasted a chance in the 81st minute. Kahn then denied Nicholson a minute later as he drilled a Lovell cut back towards the top corner. Kahn was beaten for the second time in the 83rd minute and this time the goal stood. Substitute de Visscher delivered a much better free kick and Lovell ghosted in at the back post to head past Kahn. Munich hit back two minutes later when a low drive by Van Bommel gave Langfield no chance as it fizzed low into the net.

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