ABERDEEN 1 MOTHERWELL 1 Sunday 9 November 2025 SPFL Premiership Pittodrie Stadium Attendance: 17,843 Referee: Steven McLean
A moment of brilliance from Jesper Karlsson gave Aberdeen the lead just after the hour mark but slack defending from a corner minutes later gifted the visitors a point which over the course of the ninety minutes they deserved.
Jimmy Thelin made two changes to the side who impressed in Cyprus on Thursday. Captain Graeme Shinnie came in for his 300th Aberdeen start, replacing Adil Aouchiche and Emmanuel Gyamfi went to left back instead of the injured Alexander Jensen.
Motherwell also made two changes to the team that played at Hampden in the Premier Sports Cup Semi-final against St Mirren, Stephen Welsh and Callum Slattery returning to the XI.
Ahead of kick-off there was a minute’s silence to mark Remembrance Sunday. The silence was also a mark of respect to former players Bobby Wilson and Willie Young who passed away recently.
The game started in mild conditions for November, with a slight drizzle. Aberdeen shooting towards the RDS.
Gyamfi was forced into an excellent tackle on Tawanda Maswanhise in the second minute as the visitors dominated the early possession. The Dons then twice gave the ball away in dangerous positions but got away with it. On six minutes a ball over the top almost found Maswanhise but the ball skipped away from the wide man on the wet surface.
Two minutes later Mats Knoester did well to block a Slattery shot before Dante Polvara made two good tackles inside the box. On nine minutes there was an emotional minute’s applause for young Dons fan Olivia Edwards who tragically passed away last week from both sets of fans.
After 11 minutes Dimitar Mitov had to look lively to get to a cross ahead of Stamatelopoulos. Three minutes later Polvara headed a free kick away and then Elijah Just put over a dangerous low cross from the left. 15 minutes in, Gyamfi was booked for a late tackle on Maswanhise. A minute later Mitov produced a brilliant stop after Slattery had chested the ball down and volleyed a shot at goal from about eight yards out. Shinnie claimed he was pushed in the back which gave the Motherwell midfield space Jack Milne then made a good clearance as the one way traffic continued.
Finally on 20 minutes Aberdeen enjoyed some territory in the Motherwell half and after working the ball from side to side, Marko Lazetic was not far away from Nicky Devlin’s cross.
Motherwell won a third corner on 24, the ball broke to Maswanhise and his powerful drive from the edge of the area was deflected inches past. Another corner followed but this time it was defended better.
After 27 minutes Polvara lifted a clever ball over the back line for Gyamfi who ran in on goal but John Koutroumbis did well to recover and prevent the left back from getting a proper shot away. On the half hour mark Elliot Watt should have done better with his effort from the edge or the area as he had space. Another corner was headed over by Stephen Welsh.
After a long ball, good play Lazetic, Armstrong and Shinnie forced Aberdeen’s first corner 33 minutes in. Karlsson’s first effort was cleared at the front post, as was his second. On 36 minutes a great piece of play by Lobban created an opening down the right but the young wing back saw his cross deflected into the path of keeper Calum Ward. Devlin then won a free kick about 30 yards out. Karlsson delivered the perfect ball in which found the run of the unmarked Lazetic but the striker could only watch as his touch went inches past the post with the keeper beaten. Two minutes before half time a Motherwell free kick was again well defended by the Dons rear-guard.
Half-Time: Aberdeen 0 Motherwell 0
Aberdeen made two changes to the interval, Gavin Molloy replacing Emmanuel Gyamfi and Topi Keskinen came on for Stuart Armstrong.
After 50 minutes a booking for Watt for a foul on Keskinen as the flying Finn looked to break. Motherwell then cleverly carved Aberdeen open as Stamatelopoulos almost had a chance, the ball just running away from him slightly which allowed Devlin the chance to get back and put a foot in. Watt then had good chance after a strong run from Emmanuel Longelo, his shot going well wide.
Back came the Dons, Lobban setting up Karlsson who was able to get a shot on target from a tight angle but it was blocked. 54 minutes, Lobban the latest player to be booked as the visitors tried to break.
The Dons were now being more direct and any balls over the top were causing problems. After 57 minutes Molloy’s cross found Lobban and his chip back into the danger zone forced a corner which found Molly at the back post unmarked but he could not find the connection needed.
An hour in the game was starting to open up.
On 61 minutes a great Shinnie through ball set Karlsson free down the left, the winger cut inside before firing a right footed shot low into the bottom corner with the keeper completely wrong footed. A piece of brilliance from the Swede and Aberdeen had the lead.
It did not last long.
Motherwell won a corner on 63 minutes, it was taken quickly with the ball played in early and Watt, who was completely unmarked fired home from about eight yards out. A really poor goal after Aberdeen switched off.
On 67 minutes they almost had a second, substitute Callum Hendry who had just come on, fired over. Three minutes later the same player tried his luck from distance and Mitov did well to adjust his feet and make the save.
With fifteen minutes to go, an Aberdeen corner found Jack Milne but the big defender could not get a shot away. Graeme Shinnie was booked with ten minutes to go. The skipper then won a free kick two minutes later, Karlsson curled in a great ball but Milne could not quite get his head on it.
Aberdeen fans were unhappy on 88 minutes as Lazetic broke clear before being hauled back. Referee Steven McLean played advantage but when the striker lost the ball, no free kick was given. With a minute to go a triple change with Clarkson, Aouchiche and Nisbet coming on.
Five minutes of injury time were played, but neither team could work a final chance.
Aberdeen: 1. Dimitar Mitov, 38. Dylan Lobban, 2. Nicky Devlin, 5. Mats Knoester, 22. Jack Milne, 77. Emmanuel Gyamfi, (21. Gavin Molloy 46 mins) 4. Graeme Shinne (C) (7. Adil Aouchiche 81 mins), 8. Dante Polvara (10. Leighton Clarkson 91) 16. Stuart Armstrong (81. Topi Keskinen 46 mins) 17. Jesper Karlsson, 27. Marko Lazetic (15. Kevin Nisbet 89 mins).
Unused Subs: 13. Nick Suman (GK), 9. Kusini Yengi, 14. Kenan Bilalovic, 29. Kjartan Mar Kjartansson.
Motherwell: 13. Calum Ward, 8. Callum Slattery (77. Regan Charles-Cook 79 mins), 9. Apostolos Stamatelopoulos (66. Callum Hendry 65 mins) 12. Lukas Fadinger (25. Oscar Priestman 79 mins), 16. Paul McGinn (C), 18. Tawanda Maswanhise (90. Ibrahim Said 65 mins) 20. Elliot Watt, 21. Elijah Just (24. Detlef Osong 91 mins), 22. John Koutroumbis, 45. Emmanuel Longelo, 57. Stephen Welsh
Unused Subs: 31. Matthew Connelly (GK), 4. Liam Gordon, 5. Kofi Balmer, 7. Thomas Sparrow.
