ABERDEEN 0 FALKIRK 1 Sunday 31 August 2025 Scottish Premiership Pittodrie Attendance: 18,380 Referee: Ross Hardie
A second VAR decision inside three days saw the Dons again condemned to play more than a half of football with ten men, the challenge proving too much as they slipped to a 1-0 defeat to Falkirk.
After Thursday’s Europa League play-off in Bucharest, Jimmy Thelin made three changes to his side. Leighton Clarkson, Nicolas Milanovic and Kusini Yengi all started in place of Graeme Shinnie, Adil Aouchiche and Ester Sokler, the first two starting on the bench, alongside Marko Lazetic, named in the Dons matchday squad for the first time. Nicky Devlin skippered the side.
Falkirk last played a fortnight ago when they lost 4-1 at Celtic in the Premier Sports Cup and they make just one change with Scott Arfield coming in for Alfredo Agyeman.
It was a bright and breezy Pittodrie as the Dons kicked off towards the Red Shed with both sides producing some decent passing football in the opening minutes. The first strike on goal came in the ninth minute, Topi Keskinen putting a low cross through the box that found Alexander Jensen coming in from the right. He got a good connection from the edge of the box, but the ball was comfortably clutched by Bain.
Yengi chased a long ball forward on 10 minutes, colliding with Bain as the offside flag went up, Bain needing treatment in the aftermath. He needed to look sharp a couple of minutes later, first saving Yengi’s shot with his legs, then getting up quickly to claw the ball away from the head of Milanovic as he tried to follow up.
Devlin was next to create on 18 minutes, curling a cross to the back post from the left, Jensen up for the header but directing his effort into the side netting. Keskinen then shaped a low shot through the box from the left edge of the area, forcing Bain to go full stretch to his left to push the ball to safety.
Milanovic got in behind down the left from Yengi’s quick throw-in on 25 minutes, drilling a shot across goal from a tight angle that flew past the far post as the Dons tried to up the tempo. But it was Falkirk who struck next, neat passing around the Aberdeen box culminating in Dimitar Mitov being called into action for the first time, leaping to his right to push the ball behind for a corner.
Jack Milne got the game’s first caution, sliding in on MacIver 30 yards out after 29 minutes. Clarkson won the ball well in his own half on 32 and produced a lovely pass forward to get Keskinen away on the counter. The Finn flew into the Falkirk box, but Bain was equal to the shot once again.
The Dons were knocking on the door again after 36 minutes, Milanovic arcing a delightful free-kick through the box. At full stretch, Yengi couldn’t quite get a touch, but the ball reached Milne, whose shot from beyond the back post was blocked behind.
Bain made another big save in the 40th minute. Clarkson played it forward down the right, Dante Polvara flicked on and Milanovic smashed one at goal, Bain pushing the ball behind at his near post. Devlin went in the book after 41 minutes, after seemingly winning the ball from Miller, his follow through catching the Falkirk man on the knee. It then went to VAR and Devlin was red carded, the Dons down to ten men for the second game in a row. Mats Knoester took on the captaincy.
McCann was booked for a high foot on Milanovic as we went into added time.
HALF-TIME: ABERDEEN 0 FALKIRK 0
Gavin Molloy came on for the Dons at the break, replacing Yengi, with Polvara playing up top.
Cartwright left Ante Palaversa in a heap and needing treatment following a late challenge in the 48thminute, the Falkirk man lucky to escape a card.
On 51, Mitov made a fine save to deny Tait, sprawling away to his left to save, Molloy completing the clearance. Clarkson was injured in the move and needed treatment. With the Dons down to nine men, Arfield’s corner came to nothing. Even after the Dons cleared their lines, Clarkson was not allowed back on, Falkirk allowed to build another attack and put the ball behind from what initially looked a dangerous cross before Clarkson was waved back on.
Palaversa and Milanovic were replaced by Shinnie and Aouchiche on 54 minutes. Five minutes later, Lazetic came on for his Aberdeen debut, replacing Polvara. He won a free-kick within 30 seconds, Tait going into the book for the foul.
Mitov had to make a fine save from close range from Arfield on 61, then as Spencer followed in, Milne cleared the ball off the line, the clearance striking Jensen and going behind.
Miller was booked on 66 minutes after he sliced through Keskinen. The Bairns made their first change on 68, Miller and Arfield coming off, Agyeman and Wilson coming on. Cartwright was booked a minute later for a very late challenge on Clarkson. Knoester was booked for handball after the ball struck him on the ground after 72 minutes. While that was going on, Bain called for the physio and he was quickly replaced by Hogarth.
Falkirk were ahead in the 75th minute. The Dons gave the ball away on the right about 30 yards from goal, and quick, intricate passing between Wilson, MacIver and Tait opened up the defence for Wilson to drill a shot under Mitov from a dozen yards.
Kenan Bilalovic made his Aberdeen debut on 77, replacing Clarkson. Falkirk made their final changes on 81, MacIver and Cartwright replaced by Samuel-Ogunsuyi and Allan. Keskinen was booked for a foul on Tait in the 86th minute, Allan getting a card for hauling Keskinen down as we went into five minutes of added time.
The Dons won a corner in the 91st minute but it couldn’t clear the first man. Falkirk broke and Mitov had to come off his line to clear, only to find Agyeman. Fortunately, he couldn’t get enough on his shot and Mitov was back to save, but it was all in vain as the Dons could not muster another attack.
ABERDEEN: Mitov, Jensen, Milne, Knoester, Devlin, Palaversa (Shinnie 54), Clarkson (Bilalovic 77), Polvara (Lazetic 59), Milanovic (Aouchiche 54), Keskinen, Yengi (Molloy 46).
Subs not used: Suman, Dorrington, Heltne Nilsen, Kjartansson.
SENT OFF: Devlin
BOOKED: Milne, Knoester, Keskinen
FALKIRK: Bain (Hogarth 74), Adams, Neilson, Henderson, McCann, Miller (Agyeman 68), Cartwright (Allan 81), Spencer, Tait, Arfield (Wilson 68), MacIver (Samuel-Ogunsuyi 81).
Subs not used: Graham, Mackie, Oliver.
GOAL: Wilson (75)
BOOKED: McCann, Tait, Miller, Cartwright, Allan
