ABERDEEN 0 KILMARNOCK 0 SPFL Premiership Saturday September 5 2026 Pittodrie Ref: John Beaton Attendance: 14,824 An afternoon that was high on endeavour but short on quality ended in a goalless stalemate between the Dons and Kilmarnock at Pittodrie. Stephen Robinson made four changes to his side after the 3-0 defeat at Celtic, bringing in wingers Lewis Smith and Tony Yogane, along with Mitchy Ntelo and Dan Happe. Mats Knoester, Alexander Briedl, Ayoub Mouloua and Gavin Molloy started on the bench, as did Ante Palaversa and new signing Daniel Klein. Kilmarnock lost 1-0 at home to St Mirren on Wednesday night and made three changes, Jamie Brandon, Aaron Tshibola and Djenairo Daniels replacing Johnly Yfeko, Mark O’Hara and Tyreece John-Jules. On a bright but very breezy day at Pittodrie, the Dons were quick out of the blocks and causing trouble in the Killie box after just 100 seconds, sharp passing between Stuart Armstrong and Kevin Nisbet opening things up, but there was perhaps one pass too many, allowing the visitors to clear their lines. Killie were on the break on 12 minutes, Chris Cadden covering well to snuff out the initial danger, but they continued to press, Hugill firing wide from 20 yards. A brilliant block from Nesta Guinness-Walker kept it goalless after Ntelo gave the ball away 40 yards from his own goal. That was symptomatic of a sloppy opening 25 minutes from both sides. Cadden and Ntelo combined well on 28 to feed Smith, but his shot from just inside the box was always rising over the bar. The Dons were gradually upping the tempo, but without finding the final ball. A run of corners from the left proved fruitless, Killie breaking again from one on 36 minutes, Cadden getting booked as Kiltie went over his outstretched leg. Tshibola followed him in a minute later. The Dons were inches away from the opener in the 40th minute. Good control from Yogane worked space for a shot on the left edge of the area, the winger arcing a shot across goal that had Stryjek completely beaten, only for the ball to bounce back into play off the inside of the post. Killie responded quickly with Hugill driving one across the face of goal from their right, Muller making a good save at full stretch. HALF-TIME: ABERDEEN 0 KILMARNOCK 0 Three changes for the Dons at the break, Knoester, Mouloua and Toyosi Olusanya replacing Nisbet, Ntelo and Yogane, Knoester taking the armband as Aberdeen went with a back three. Twenty seconds in, Guinness-Walker threaded a lovely ball through the six yard box, Olusanya and Cadden both stretching in vain to get a touch. There was a hint of handball on 50 as Smith tried to play a cross in, VAR concluding there was no penalty. Referee Beaton began jogging to the touchline, but it was only to book Neil McCann. From the resulting corner, Mouloua was up with a good header that Stryjek clutched on the line. He then threw the ball out, Mouloua getting up to block, only to be booked for his trouble. Patient passing play from the Dons got the ball inti Cadden in the box, the full-back claiming he’d been fouled in the box. Killie broke from them, Knoester booked for breaking things up. Findlay Marshall replaced Smith for Aberdeen on 62, Killie removing Daniels for McKenzie. Muller was in acrobatic form again, pawing a McCarthy header over the bar from a Killie corner in the 65th minute, the visitors first opportunity of the half. The big German kept Kilmarnock at bay again in the 70th minute, a diagonal ball to the back post finding Kiltie, Muller standing tall to push the ball away. Aberdeen’s final change was Molloy for Guinness-Walker in the 74th minute. Lewis May was booked a minute later for cutting across Ring on the edge of the Aberdeen box. Ring was then replaced by John-Jules. From the free-kick, Muller was up well to push Tshibola’s effort over the bar. The Dons were given a boost when Killie went down to ten men in the 82nd minute, Tshibola jumping into a tackle on Knoester and getting his second yellow card of the game. Killie immediately took off Kiltie, O’Hara coming on. Armstrong stepped up to take the free-kick, but it flew over the bar. Good possession from Aberdeen pushed Killie back and it culminated in Marshall spearing a cross into the near post, Olusanya only able to jab a shot just wide in the 85thminute. Armstrong was booked for hauling down Hugill a minute later. ABERDEEN: Muller, Cadden, Mayo, Happe, Guinness-Walker (Molloy 74), Yogane (Knoester 46), Aremu, Armstrong, Smith (Marshall 62), Ntelo (Olusanya 46), Nisbet (Mouloua 46). Subs not used: Klein, Briedl, Palaversa, Milne. Booked: Cadden, Mouloua, Knoester, Mayo, Armstrong KILMARNOCK: Stryjek, Brandon, McCarthy, Stanger, Ring (John-Jules 76), Tshibola (O’Hara 84), Lowery, Larsen, Kiltie, Daniels (McKenzie 62), Hugill. Subs not used: Ferrie, Kamson-Kamara, O’Hara, Meier, Clescenco, Owen, Rice. Sent off: Tshibola Booked: Tshibola, Lowery