SPARTA PRAGUE 3 ABERDEEN 0
Thursday 18 December 2025
UEFA Conference League Matchday 6
Epet Arena
Attendance:
Referee: David Smajc
Aberdeen’s European campaign reached its end with defeat in Prague, as five of the Dons’ opponents finished in the top nine of the Conference League.
Following Sunday’s 2-1 win over Kilmarnock, Jimmy Thelin made four changes to his starting XI with Nicky Devlin, Alexander Jensen, Topi Keskinen and Stuart Armstrong all on the bench. Into the side came Graeme Shinnie, Dylan Lobban, Alfie Dorrington and Leighton Clarkson.
It was a sharp start from Aberdeen, Clarkson and Kevin Nisbet linking neatly in the opening minute before Sorensen came across to clear. Shinnie was in the book two minutes later for a pretty innocuous foul on Haraslin on the edge of the Sparta box.
The Dons were knocking the ball about crisply, a back to front move seeing Adil Aouchiche play Shinnie in behind after six minutes. His dangerous low cross was blocked by Sorensen, but these were encouraging signs from Aberdeen.
Mats Knoester took a stray elbow in the face from Sevinsky after 12 minutes, the Sparta man maybe lucky to escape any VAR check or punishment. Knoester needed prolonged treatment before being allowed to continue. By this early stage of the game, the pitch was cutting up really badly, divots being taken out of it at regular intervals.
After a good start, the Dons found themselves behind on 16 after a Dimitar Mitov clearance was intercepted by Mannsverk some 30 yards out. He played it out wide to Kaderabek on the Sparta right and on to Mercado. He drifted inside and bent a perfectly placed shot across goal and inside the far post.
It was 2-0 on 29. Sparta’s corner from the right came in and though Aberdeen looked to have cleared, Clarkson’s header on the edge of the box found Mannsverk, picking up the loose ball again. He pushed it out to Haraslin who danced inside before unleashing a shot from the same spot as Mercardo. This was more central than the first goal, but the Sparta skipper hit it with such ferocity that it flashed past Mitov who was completed unsighted.
From there, Sparta passed the ball around comfortably enough, but the Dons were able to keep a decent shape to repel them. What they couldn’t do was get in the other half of the field to get a bit of respite.
The weight of pressure nearly told on 45, a neat move ending with Mannsverk’s acrobatic overhead volley going wide of the target. In added time, Rrahmani driving at goal after being fed by the impressive Eneme, Mitov just getting enough of a touch on the shot to see it over the bar. An outstanding save.
HALF-TIME: SPARTA PRAGUE 2 ABERDEEN 0
The hosts brought on Kuol for Mercado, while Marko Lazetic replaced Nisbet at the break.
Haraslin arced another dangerous shot across goal after cutting in from the left this time, the ball thankfully passing wide in the 48th minute. Moments later, Mitov had to clutch a header from Rrahmani as he got on the end of a Haraslin cross.
Adil Aouchiche had a pop at goal on 50 minutes, coming onto a lay-off from Lazetic, but his shot drifted wide. Kuol responded with a fierce drive eight minutes later, Mitov grabbing it at his near post.
As Aberdeen enjoyed a good spell Lazetic made a surging run forward on 59, only to be bundled over on the edge of the box. Instead of a free-kick, he was penalised for handling the ball as he fell, Jesper Karlsson booked for his reaction to the decision.
Sparta brought on Kuchta and Sadilek for Rrahmani and Eneme, while Polvara and Knoester made way for Devlin and Emmanuel Gyamfi on 65 minutes. The players had barely got on the pitch when Aberdeen got caught out while playing out from the back. Milne’s ball out was intercepted and, from there, two passes found Kuol standing all alone to slam the ball into the roof of the net.
Clarkson had a shot at goal on 80, screwing his shot across the face and wide. Lazetic was closer a minute later trying to shape a shot into the far corner but not getting quite enough bend on it as it went a couple of feet wide.
The Dons introduced Ante Palaversa and Sivert Heltne Nilsen for Aouchiche and Shinnie in the 86th minute as Haraslin was down getting treatment after falling to the ground off the ball. He was replaced by Birmancevic.
Another run from Lazetic gave Gyamfi a chance to put in a cross, but Vindahl snaffled it at his near post as the game fizzled out.
Sparta Prague: Vindahl, Sevinsky, Sorensen, Vydra, Kaderabek, Mannsverk, Eneme (Sadilek 65), Zeleny (Suchomel 80), Mercado (Kuol 46), Rrahmani (Kuchta 65), Haraslin (Birmancevic 88).
Subs not used: Milla, Panak, Penxa, Preciado, Rodriguez, Surovcik, Karinen.
Goals: Mercardo (16), Haraslin (29), Kuol (66)
