ABERDEEN 0-0 LIVINGSTON Saturday 13 September 2025 Scottish Premiership Pittodrie Attendance: 17,088 Referee: Nick Walsh
Returning to domestic matters after the international break, Jimmy Thelin made seven changes to the Dons’ side that lost to Falkirk before the break. In came new signings Jesper Karlsson and Kevin Nisbet plus Emmanuel Gyamfi, who also made his debut after recovering from injury. Captain Graeme Shinnie, Sivert Heltne Nilsen, Adil Aouchiche and Alfie Dorrington were also resorted to the starting XI. Stuart Armstrong was named on the bench.
Livingston were beaten 2-1 by Heart of Midlothian in their last game before the break and on their return to action, David Martindale opted for one change, Hearts loanee Macaulay Tait coming back into the side. The team also included former Don Adam Montgomery with Connor McLennan and Stevie May named on the bench
The 50th meeting of the sides, as Topi Keskinen made his 50th Aberdeen appearance, kicked off at Pittodrie in September sunshine but there was a strong breeze.
Kicking towards the RDS in the first half, Aberdeen cleverly used the wind to their advantage when a cross field ball from Mats Knoester held up and allowed Shinnie to win possession and Adil won the first corner in the second minute. A well worked set piece saw Shinnie play a one two with Keskinen before the ball was laid into the path of Karlsson and his first effort just went over the bar. It was very nearly the perfect start from the Swede.
After a spell of defending, in the sixth minute a great ball found Karlsson who twisted and turned inside the area before his shot was blocked for a corner. But the offside flag then went up.
A minute later a long throw from Gyamfi found Nisbet who did really well to feed Aouchiche and his shot just went past. The home side continued the pressure and a really good corner from Karlsson on top of the keeper was not dealt with but Nick Walsh then blew for a foul.
Back came Livingston and in 11 minutes they won their first corner. The ball over saw Mitov go to ground but no foul this time, and in the end it was Nisbet who did well to block a shot at the back post at the expense of another corner. This time the outswinger from Robbie Muirhead was better defended. The West Lothian side continued to attack and a long throw saw Yengi get a shot on goal from close range but again it was Nisbet who was well positioned to make a vital block.
Great play by Gyamfi then as he produced a good run and cross, Nisbet not far away. Already the winger was linking up well with Karlsson and also Aouchiche who was drifting over to that side to create an extra man.
On 17 minutes Nisbet was the first player to be booked, pulling the shirt of Tete Yengi. Three minutes later Karlsson stepped inside and fired a shot over.
Up to this point it had not been a completely fluid performance, but some encouraging signs nonetheless.
After 22 minutes Knoester with a good throwball which found Karlsson and cross looking for Nisbet to the front post had to be well defended. Again, the flag went up for offside.
Alexander Jensen very nearly gave Aberdeen the lead on 27 minutes after great hold up play by Nisbet, the Dane putting his low shot across the keeper but Jerome Prior produced a brilliant fingertip save to push the ball wide. It was therefore a surprise when the referee pointed for a goal kick.
On the half hour mark smart thinking by Alfie Dorrington as his quick free kick over the top found Karlsson who took the ball away from the keeper with his first touch but with Prior in no man’s land, his volley from a difficult angle found the side netting.
The Dons were getting closer.
But on 37 minutes a chance for the men in black as Yengi produced strong run and it took some excellent defending from Dorrington save the situation.
A minute later Karlsson won a free kick and Daniel Finlayson was booked. Aouchiche then drew a foul and yellow card for Danny Wilson. Both set plays were wasted by the Dons. Sylla also went into the referee’s book for handball on the stroke of half-time.
After a promising start, the game had become very stop start which was not allowing the Dons to get any pace into the proceedings.
Half-Time: Aberdeen 0 Livingston 0
During the interval Livingston replaced Lewis Smith with Andy Winter.
At the start of the second half Aouchiche won a second ball, then Karlsson produced some fine play but no openings for Nisbet who was being well marshalled by the Livi backline. The defence also did well to clear a corner on 50 minutes.
Just signs that the some of the Dons creative players were beginning to find some space after picking up the tempo.
57 minutes in, a Nilsen free kick found Jensen who found Keskinen who produced good footwork before being crowded out. This led to another corner which landed at the feet of Aouchiche on the edge of the area, his curling effort had Prior scrambling but the ball went past the post. On the hour mark Karlsson played it wide to Aouchiche but his cross failed to beat the first man. On the other side Nisbet chested it down for Jensen who had two chances for crosses, neither of which troubled Prior.
Jimmy Thelin made his first change on 63 minutes, with Stuart Armstrong replacing Gyamfi and Shinnie moving to left back. The German can certainly be pleased with his debut.
Keskinen almost got on the end of a Nisbet flick, then at the other end a Winter cross had to be pushed behind by Mitov. Armstrong was booked on 65 minutes before he was joined in midfield by Ante Polvara and Leighton Clarkson, taking the place of Nilsen and Aouchiche.
Polvara’s first contribution was a shot from 30 yards which had to be pushed over the bar by Prior. Frustratingly Karlsson’s corner saw Walsh blew up straight away. At the other end a shot from Sylla almost crept in but Mitov had watched the ball closely come through a ruck of bodies and made the save.
Two more changes with about twenty minutes to go. Marko Lazetic and Dante Polvara replacing Nisbet and Karlsson. Like Armstrong Lazetic was booked straight away. Aberdeen then produced some crosses but Prior did well to push clear a Clarkson cross from close range.
77 minutes gone, a loose back pass from Palaversa almost gifted Livingston with a goal but Knoester, who did well not to jump in, and then Palaversa, did well to recover the situation. With ten minutes to go, Livingston were looking the more likely to break the deadlock as the Dons had lost their way a bit. But on 83 a good break by Aberdeen allowed Keskinen to put the ball right across the face of goal but neither Clarkson or Lazetic could get a touch.
With five minutes to go the game became very stretched as both teams believed they could still find a winner.
Then in injury time the Dons had their best two chances.
Finally, they got the break of the ball as it fell to a red shirt in the area, Clarkson did everything right, but Wilson made a brilliant block to defect his shot from five yards over the bar. Then with the last touch, Lazetic turned and hit a rocket towards goal, but the ball came crashing off the post.
It would have been some finish, but it was not to be.
Full-Time: Aberdeen 0-0 Livingston
ABERDEEN: Mitov, Jensen, Knoester, Dorrington, Gyamfi (Armstrong 63), Shinnie (c), Nilsen (Palaversa 67), Karlsson (Lazetic 72), Aouchiche (Clarkson 67), Keskinen, Nisbet (Polvara 72).
Subs not used: Suman, Bilalovic, Molloy, Milne.
BOOKED: Nisbet 17, Armstrong 66, Lazetic 73
LIVINGSTON: Prior, Montgomery, McGowan (c), Pittman, Muirhead (May 80), Smith (Winter 46), Finlayson, Sylla, Tait (Susoho 72), Wilson, Yengi. (McLennan 94)
Subs not used: Hamilton, Susoho, Carey, McLennan, Winter , May, Robinson, Shinnie, Kabongolo.
BOOKED: Finlayson 38, Wilson 40, Sylla 45
