ST JOHNSTONE 0 ABERDEEN 0
SPFL Premiership
Saturday 15th March 2025
McDiarmid Park
Ref: Chris Graham
Attendance: 7,733
Aberdeen fought out a 0-0 draw on a pitch that made good football difficult, and a stalemate largely inevitable, despite plenty of endeavour from both sides, at St Johnstone’s McDiarmid Park.
Following the 4-1 win over Queen’s Park in the Scottish Cup last Saturday, there was just one change for the Dons, Leighton Clarkson replaced by Jack MacKenzie, with Graeme Shinnie moving back into midfield. Clarkson was among the subs, along with Nicky Devlin and Ester Sokler, both back from injury.
St Johnstone won 1-0 at Livingston on Monday night to advance to the semi-finals of the Scottish Cup as well, and they also made just the one change, Drey Wright coming in for Jonathan Svedberg.
A neat passing move through the middle almost had the Dons in after eight minutes of a game that went end to end early on, but without the creation of any real chances.
Dimitar Mitov was the first goalkeeper in action on 11 minutes, a brilliant sprawling save away to his right after Kirk got behind the Dons defence and looked certain to score from 10 yards out. It was an outstanding save from Mitov on his return to McDiarmid Park.
A dreadful kick out from Fisher was intercepted by Shayden Morris some 30 yards out on 19 minutes, giving the Dons chance to build an attack. Morris played into Kevin Nisbet whose hit on the volley from 15 yards was straight at Fisher. Moments later, a run from Topi Keskinen gave Nisbet another chance, but his shot from the left corner of the box was well held by Fisher.
There was a brief scramble in the Dons’ box in the 43rd minute before Mats Knoester cleared his lines, a rare piece of goalmouth action in a quiet half of football.
HALF-TIME: ST JOHNSTONE 0 ABERDEEN 0
The Dons came out with purpose and Oday Dabbagh glanced a header just wide of the target from Alexander Jensen’s cross four minutes into the second half. A minute later, Morris got in behind but as he prepared to shoot from a tight angle, Douglas was able to get back to block.
The hosts made the first change of the game after 56 minutes, Sidibeh replaced by Griffith. Aberdeen responded with Jeppe Okkels and Clarkson coming on for MacKenzie and Morris in the 63rd minute. Clarkson sparked a counter-attack a minute later, carrying the ball 50 yards before finding Keskinen, but his shot was pulled wide.
Knoester almost broke the deadlock in the 68th minute with a clever flicked header from an Ante Palaversa free-kick out on the left, the ball flying just wide of the far post. The Dons immediately replaced Dabbagh with Pape Gueye.
Duke-McKenna and Kirk were taken off on 72 minutes, Carey and Kimpioka joining the fray. Carey almost made an immediate impact, but his free-kick from 25 yards out sailed over the bar.
Aberdeen crafted the best chance of the game on 79, a neat header from Shinnie putting Keskinen beyond the defence, but he delayed his shot and St Johnstone were able to bundle the ball behind.
Sokler returned to action as the final change for Aberdeen, replacing Keskinen in the 83rd minute. Douglas went down needing treatment three minutes later and his race was run for the day, Steven coming on in his place.
FULL-TIME: ST JOHNSTONE 0 ABERDEEN 0
ST JOHNSTONE: Fisher, Balodis, Mitchell, Douglas (Steven 87), Curtis, Sprangler, Holt, Wright, Duke-McKenna (Carey 72), Sidibeh (Griffith 56), Kirk (Kimpioka 72).
Subs not used: Sinclair, Svedberg, Clark, McPake, Watt.
ABERDEEN: Mitov, Jensen, Dorrington, Knoester, MacKenzie (Okkels 63), Shinnie, Palaversa, Morris (Clarkson 63), Keskinen (Sokler 83), Nisbet, Dabbagh (Gueye 69).
Subs not used: Doohan, Devlin, Polvara, Milne, Boyd.
