Aberdeen 0 – 3 Rangers SWPL1 Balmoral Stadium Sunday 21st December
The Dons closed out 2025 at the Balmoral Stadium with a visit from Rangers, looking to deliver an early Christmas present with a win over Leanne Crichton’s side.
Scott Booth made one change to the team which lost 4-0 to Celtic in Glasgow, Kerry Beattie replacing the injured Toni Leigh Finnegan, with the visitors unchanged from their 3-0 win against Partick Thistle.
Report
Aberdeen started the game brightly, fashioning their first opportunity 5 minutes in, courtesy of quick thinking from Katie Cox. After collecting the ball, the Chelsea loanee quickly released Francesca Ogilvie, who slipped Kerry Beattie in down the Rangers left flank. Beattie’s cross was charged down by the onrushing Abi Tobin who couldn’t get a solid connection on the ball, allowing the Rangers defence to clear.
A few minutes later, the visitors would find their first opening. Shin Ji’s curling pass from 30 yards found the feet of Sabajo who, bearing down on goal, was fantastically denied by Cox.
Midfielder Shin Ji continued to cause the Dons problems, this time dispossessing Jess Broadrick 25 yards from goal and finding Eilidh Austin unmarked. Austin’s effort was expertly saved by Katie, who swiftly rose to her feet to spring across her goal-line and unbelievably deny the follow up attempt.
Aberdeen came back with a big opportunity of their own with 20 minutes played. Fantastic footwork from Eva Thomson in the middle of the park allowed her to break away from the Rangers midfield and release Abi Tobin. Her whipped cross from the found Beattie, whose header from 12 yards narrowly rose over Fife’s crossbar.
Despite the Dons showing real attacking threat throughout, it was the visitors who would take the lead in the 23rd minute. A backpass from Maddie Finnie fell straight to Austin, who had time and space to feed Wilkinson, with Katie unable to prevent the visitors top scorer from finding the bottom right corner. .
Aberdeen’s bright start was now a distant memory, as the visitors found their second 5 minutes later. Shin Ji controlled a fizzing ball 30 yards from the Dons goal, before quickly turning and releasing Laura Berry, who made no mistake and extended the away side’s advantage.
With the Aberdeen goal under siege, Cox continued to showcase her shot-stopping prowess, denying Laura Berry a second with a full stretch save after the attacker tried her luck 25 yards from goal.
That would prove to be the last action of the half, with the Dons promising attacking moments overshadowed by a handful of defensive errors.
Half-time: Aberdeen 0 – 2 Rangers
The second half began in similar fashion, and it didn’t take long for the away side to find their third of the afternoon. An inswinging corner from Shin Ji on the 57th minute evaded all those in red, including Cox, her outstretched arm unable to prevent the ball from sailing directly into the back of the Aberdeen net.
The Dons finally managed to generate a chance of their own, albeit an offside one. Francesca Ogilvie’s cross from the right flank found an unmarked Abi Tobin who was unable to release her shot before the linesman raised his flag.
With 20 left to play, Scott Booth made a hattrick of substitutions, looking to inspire a Dons fightback, Hannah Stewart, Kerry Beattie and Aimee Black making way for Bridget Galloway, Darcie Miller and Holly Daniel.
Maddie Finnie was replaced 10 minutes later by Alex Clarke, after the defender suffered a knock and was unable to continue.
Rangers continued to control the ball without causing much threat to Katie Cox’s goal, with the Dons looking far more assured in defensive areas, yet lacking the cutting edge going forward which they possessed in the first half.
The referee’s whistle brought an end to what was an uneventful half, as Aberdeen ended 2025 in defeat. The Dons will be hoping the new year break provides a spark to the side, who have struggled for form in the league since the beginning of the campaign.
Full-time: Aberdeen 0 – 3 Rangers
STATS
ABERDEEN – Cox (GK), Broadrick, Black (Daniel, 69’), Stewart (CP) (Galloway, 69’), Ogilvie, Finnie (Clarke, 79’), Ilijoski, Thomson, Tobin, Christie, Beattie (Miller, 69’)
SUBS – Prawer (GK), Mendez, Noble, Daniel, McEvoy, Clarke, Miller, Carrol
RANGERS – Fife (GK), Docherty (CP) (Connolly-Jackson, 66’), Pegram, Rafferty, Sabajo (Lafaix, 66’), Mcaulay, Austin (O’Donnell, 82’), Berry, McLeary (Cruft, 45’), Wilkinson (Mengwen, 58’), Kim
SUBS – Ivarsdottir, Mengwen, Lafaix, Cruft, Connolly-Jackson, Coyle Morrow, O’Donnell.
GOALS – Wilkinson 23’, Berry 29’, Shin Ji 57’
