DUNDEE 1 ABERDEEN 3 Saturday 6 December 2025 William Hill Premiership Dens Park Attendance: 7,402 Referee: Grant Irvine
A Dens Dons double for Adil Aouchiche set Aberdeen on their way to victory over Dundee, extending their unbeaten run to eight games, six in the league, and moving back into the top six.
There were two changes for the Dons in the wake of the 3-3 draw with St Mirren, Jesper Karlsson and Marko Lazetic starting at the expense of Topi Keskinen and Kevin Nisbet, who were on the bench. Alfie Dorrington was also among the subs in place of the injured Gavin Molloy.
Dundee lost 1-0 at Celtic on Wednesday and made three changes, Clark Robertson, Findlay Robertson and Imari Samuels replaced by Ryan Astley, Billy Koumetio and Tony Yogane.
It was a sharp start from the home side, winning a free-kick and then a corner in the opening couple of minutes, but the Dons defended their goal well. Playing down the hill, the Dons swiftly responded with a corner of their own on four minutes, but that too came to nothing, but it was the start of Aberdeen penning their opposition into their own half.
Stuart Armstrong worked McCracken in the sixth minute with a low shot across the face, the goalkeeper at full stretch to turn it away. Dundee had another free-kick on the right corner of the box after 11 minutes, Dhanda’s direct effort just over the bar.
Westley went down clutching his left ankle in the 13th minute. He was clearly in some pain, and a stretcher was quickly called for. He ignored the stretcher and tried to hobble around the pitch and back to the dressing room. Jones replaced him.
Aberdeen were in front seconds later. Hamilton gave the ball away in the Dundee half with a blind pass straight to Karlsson. He played forward to Lazetic, whose excellent first touch put him in on goal. He went looking for the far corner, McCracken saving his shot at full stretch, but Adil Aouchiche was following in and placed his first time shot through the goalkeeper to make it 1-0.
Hamilton tried to make amends with a low 25 yarder in the 21st minute, but it was straight at Dimitar Mitov.
Armstrong was inches away from doubling the lead in the 26th minute. From a free-kick on the angle of the box on the left hand side, he took it direct and beat the wall, beat McCracken, but not the post, the ball smacking into it and bouncing clear.
It was 2-0 on the half hour though, and it was Aouchiche again. Dundee played themselves into trouble in their own box, giving the ball away. Karlsson’s shot from the edge of the area was partially blocked, but it trickled towards goal and it was Aouchiche who was quickest to react, pouncing on the loose ball and clipping it over McCracken.
Seconds later, Aouchiche won the ball in midfield again and set Lazetic on his way, but Koumetio got in a vital block to deny his shot, the home fans booing loudly as their side was sliced apart. The corner drifted to the back stick where Dylan Lobban was onto it. He looked set for his first Aberdeen goal with a fierce drive, but McCracken saved well with his feet.
Lobban was booked in the 40th minute for a late lunge on Yogane. Wright was similarly carded for a late tackle on Lobban in the first minute of added time. Karlson picked out Armstrong from the free-kick but he ballooned his effort over the bar.
HALF-TIME: DUNDEE 0 ABERDEEN 2
Armstrong nearly sealed it in the 54th minute. Dante Polvara won the ball well in midfield and played into Karlsson. Armstrong took it from there and shaped a curling shot around McCracken, but just wide of the far post.
The game was back in the balance on the hour though. Dundee got a corner on their right and from Congreve’s delivery, Astley squeezed a header inside the near post to make it 2-1. Nisbet replaced Lazetic four minutes later.
A brilliant block from Nicky Devlin prevented Murray levelling it up on 68, the Dundee skipper firing at goal from eight yards out, his Aberdeen counterpart getting in the way.
Aouchiche went looking for a hat-trick a minute later, McCracken making a juggling save from his strike from 20 yards, the chance set up in part by a delightful flick from Armstrong. Karlsson and Lobban made way for Shinnie and Keskinen on 70. Shinnie quickly made a great overlapping run and drilled a low pass through the six yard box, but there were no takers in red shirts, a golden chance wasted.
Dundee made a double change after 83 minutes, Jones and Wright taken off, Robertson and Hay joining the battle. Robertson was booked within six minutes for a blatant trip on Polvara as the Dons continued to manage the game comfortably enough.
It was more comfortable still in the 92nd minute as Nisbet made it 3-1. Armstrong picked him out just inside the box and with the outside of the right boot, he arced the ball around the defender and inside the far post. Job done.
Dundee: McCracken, Wright (Hay 83), Graham, Koumetio, Astley, Congreve, Dhanda, Hamilton, Westley (Jones 15 (F Robertson 83)), Yogane, Murray.
Subs not used: O’Hara, Ingram, Donnelly, Digby, Acquah, Samuels.
Goal: Astley (60).
Booked: Wright, F Robertson.
Aberdeen: Mitov, Lobban (Shinnie 70), Devlin, Knoester, Milne, Jensen, Polvara, Aouchiche, Karlsson (Keskinen 70), Armstrong, Lazetic (Nisbet 64).
Subs not used: Suman, Heltne Nilsen, Clarkson, Bilalovic, Kjartansson, Dorrington.
Goals: Aouchiche (16, 30), Nisbet (90+2).
Booked: Lobban.
