MOTHERWELL 2 ABERDEEN 0
SPFL Premiership
Sunday 5th January 2025
Fir Park
Ref: Nick Walsh
Attendance: 5,308
It was a fifth defeat in a row for the Dons, this one in a game which they largely controlled, outwith a costly 15 minute spell at the end of the first half where they shipped two poor goals and saw Slobodan Rubezic red carded for violent conduct.
Jimmy Thelin made four changes to the Aberdeen side beaten by Ross County, with Ante Palaversa, Sivert Heltne Nilsen and Rubezic straight back into the side after suspension, and Kevin Nisbet joining them after his goal against the Staggies. Ester Sokler and Gavin Molloy were out injured, while Leighton Clarkson and Jamie McGrath were among the substitutes.
Motherwell lost 1-0 at Tynecastle on Thursday, and there were four changes to their side with Stephen O’Donnell, Shane Blaney, Thomas Sparrow and Harry Paton replaced by Kofi Balmer, Davor Zdrakovski, Ebiye Moses and Marvin Kaleta.
There was a brisk start from the Dons, Topi Keskinen galloping onto a long pass from Palaversa, Oxborough down well to cut out his cross in the opening minute. Good play from Nisbet four minutes later set Jack MacKenzie away down the left, Graeme Shinnie arriving to jab his cross wide.
Zdrakovski was yellow carded for a foul on Palaversa on eight minutes, VAR checking as to whether it should have been red, before play rightly continued.
Shinnie was ratting away in midfield, winning the ball twice in succession on 13 minutes to set Duk away, but his shot was comfortably handled by Oxborough. From a corner a minute later, Nisbet headed over as the Dons made a positive start to matters.
Maswanhise was booked for upending Heltne Nilsen on the quarter hour, then fouled MacKenzie three minutes later, the home striker walking something of a tightrope.
Motherwell should have been in front on 20 minutes, Casey ghosting in behind Shinnie at the back post to get a free header from a Halliday cross, but, with the goal gaping, he somehow put it wide of the target, a real let off for the Dons. Two minutes later, Nicky Devlin was well up at a corner, bulleting a header at goal, Oxborough saving well to his right.
The Steelmen began to come into the game around the half hour and had two good breaks into the Aberdeen box, but on both occasions they overplayed in the area and the Dons were able to clear their lines.
There was no mistake on 34 though, Wilson charging in at the back post to collect Watt’s low cross through the six yard area and crash the ball into the roof of the net.
Aberdeen responded by penning Motherwell in for the next few minutes, but on 43 minutes, the Dons courted disaster when Rubezic was red carded following an argument with Watt. There was initially a foul that left Rubezic on the ground, and then Watt bent over him and started screaming in his face. Rubezic got up, pushed his head towards Watt’s face, then pushed him over. It was naïve from the Aberdeen man after Watt had clearly been looking to wind him up.
VAR upheld Rubezic’s red card and within 30 seconds, things went from bad to worse as it was 2-0 to Motherwell. A long ball forward from Gordon saw Maswanhise run away from MacDonald, collect the ball with a neat first touch and then drill a shot past Ross Doohan, an all too simple goal for the Steelmen.
HALF-TIME: MOTHERWELL 2 ABERDEEN 0
Aberdeen made two changes at the break, Leighton Clarkson and Dante Polvara replacing MacDonald and Nisbet, Polvara dropping in at the back alongside Heltne Nilsen.
The Dons should have been back in the game on 51 minutes. From a Motherwell corner, Polvara released Keskinen who stormed away down the left. Pulling the ball back for Duk, the striker couldn’t get his feet right and ended up pushing the ball wide from close range.
There was another break from Aberdeen on 55, Keskinen chasing down a seemingly lost cause to win possession and then feed Clarkson, but Duk could not get on the end of his cross.
Aberdeen were penning Motherwell in now, swinging the ball from side to side inside the box on the hour, Devlin hitting a swerving cross-cum-shot through the box, Duk hurling himself at it but just unable to get the crucial touch at the back post as the ball flashed inches wide. Ebiye was replaced by Vale for the home side on 68 minutes, then Palaversa was booked two minutes later for a foul on Maswanhise.
Aberdeen were still pressing and Clarkson shimmied into space for a strike on goal on 71, his 20 yard rocket smacking against the bar and bouncing away to safety, summing up the way things for going at present.
Immediately afterwards, James McGarry and Shayden Morris came on for Keskinen and MacKenzie. Motherwell brought on Sparrow and Nicholson for Zdrakovski and Maswanhise after 78 minutes, before Palaversa made way for Peter Ambrose two minutes later. Shinnie was booked for a late challenge on 85, his sixth of the season, then the Steelmen brought on McGinn and Slattery for Balmer and Watt.
Morris slashed a shot into the side netting from distance in the 88th minute as Aberdeen looked for a consolation, but none was forthcoming as it was another defeat for the Dons.
MOTHERWELL: Oxborough, Casey, Gordon, Balmer (McGinn 86), Kaleta, Halliday, Zdrakovski (Nicholson 78), Wilson, Ebiye (Vale 68), Maswanhise (Sparrow 78), Watt (Slattery 86).
Subs not used: Hegyi, O’Donnell, Blaney, Koutroumbis.
GOALS: Wilson (34), Maswanhise (45+1)
BOOKED: Zdrakovski, Maswanhise
ABERDEEN: Doohan, Devlin, Rubezic, MacDonald (Clarkson 46), MacKenzie (McGarry 72), Shinnie, Heltne Nilsen, Palaversa (Ambrose 80), Keskinen (Morris 72), Duk, Nisbet (Polvara 46).
Subs Not Used: Ritchie, McGrath, Enem, Boyd.
SENT OFF: Rubezic
BOOKED: Palaversa, Shinnie
