DUNDEE 2 ABERDEEN 0 SPFL Premiership Saturday August 8 2026 Dens Park Ref: Calum Scott

Aberdeen’s poor away record continued at Dens Park as some good football from the hosts and some wasteful finishing from the Dons conspired to see them beaten. There were two changes to the Aberdeen side that won in dramatic fashion against Hearts, Brad Lyons and Connor Ronan both out injured. They were replaced by Alex Briedl and Stuart Armstrong. Nicky Devlin, Findlay Marshall and Cooper Masson were added to the subs with Dylan Lobban missing out. Dundee slipped to a narrow 1-0 defeat at Celtic Park on Monday night and were unchanged for the visit of the Dons. It was uphill work for the Dons in the first half, a swirling wind against them too. Good persistence from Nesta Guinness-Walker first ended a Dundee attack and then had the Dons going forward in the fifth minute. He found Armstrong, but his cross through the area was behind three advancing Aberdeen attackers. Dan Happe was caught in possession 25 yards out a minute later. That gave Joe Bevan a look at goal but from just inside the box, he pulled his shot into the side netting. Bevan was the instigator in the ninth minute as the home side hit the front. Curling the ball in from the Dundee right, Westley got in front of the defence to guide the ball into the far corner with an excellent finish. Briedl went into the book in the 12th minute, pulling Reilly down as he advanced into the Aberdeen half. Chris Cadden went pouring forward in the 16th minute before sending in a cross. Both he and Kevin Nisbet appealed loudly for hand ball as the cross was cut out, but nothing was given. Aberdeen were guilty of overplaying on the edge of their area after 20 minutes, Westley clean through as a result. Muller made a good save from him, but Westley was quickest onto the loose ball, setting up Murray. Thankfully, he didn’t get a proper connection on his shot, and it was easy for Muller to gather the ball in. Aberdeen were living dangerously at this point, and there were a number of last ditch blocks from the Dons defence at a 28th minute corner to keep the deficit at just the single goal. The Dons were nearly all-square on 35 from an Armstrong corner. Happe got up to it at the back post, Goodman getting just the slightest touch on the header to turn it onto the bar, Dundee scrambling the ball away from there. The hosts were straight up the other end, Muller out quickly to deny Murray. A minute later, Dundee launched another long ball forward to get Joe Bevan away again. Cutting inside, Muller came to narrow the angle but rather than squaring the ball for a colleague, Bevan toe poked a shot across the face and wide of the far post. A minute late, Mayo was booked for winning the ball with a full blooded tackle. Bevan had another opportunity after 40 minutes, bending the ball around Guinness-Walker, Muller going full stretch to his right to parry the ball away to safety. Mayo had to make a fine interception inside the six yard box in the 44th minute, Bevan again causing havoc with a low cross. Mayo was able to scoop the ball away as Murray stood waiting for a tap in at the back post. It meant that Aberdeen were able to get into the dressing room just a goal behind, a score line that was something of a relief in light of the game. HALF-TIME: DUNDEE 1 ABERDEEN 0 Aberdeen made two changes at the break with Ayoub Mouloua and Lewis Smith replacing Afeez Aremu and Tony Yogane. Toyosi Olusanya took a tumble in the box on 55 minutes as he chased a ball forward. He got the first touch as Goodman came across him, but VAR concluded there was no penalty. Seconds later, Dundee were 2-0 up. Again, the Dons weren’t able to tidy things up on the edge of their own box, then Mayo tried to clear Reilly’s cross, only for his header to fall at the feet of Joe Bevan, all on his own a dozen yards out at the far post. He thumped a shot back across goal, giving Muller no chance. The Dons responded quickly, but from Armstrong’s cross, Mouloua’s glancing header at the near post went over the bar. Aberdeen saw a chance thump off the bar again in the 64th minute. Great work down the left by Olusanya opened up the Dundee defence and his cut-back found Cadden coming into the box. He jabbed a shot at goal that had Goodman beaten, but the woodwork came to his rescue. Aberdeen then made their next changes with Marshall and Jack Milne replacing Briedl and Mayo. Dundee took the opportunity to take off Murray and Reilly, Hay and Robertson joining the fray. A long clearance from Goodman had Hay in behind in the 69th minute, but with just Muller to beat, the goalkeeper made an excellent save to keep the Dons in the game. Aberdeen were architects of their own problems again on 72, Armstrong robbed by the corner flag, Robertson finding Hay, whose shot on the turn was just wide of the goal. Yet the Dons continued to come close, Happe’s downwards header at a Smith corner almost squirming in, only for Goodman to save with his feet, Smith putting the follow up into the side netting. On 75, a chance for Kevin Nisbet. More good work on the left from Olusanya got him to the by-line, and his cross picked out Nisbet perfectly, but from around the penalty spot, his header was straight at Goodman. Forrest replaced Joe Bevan in the 77th minute. Olusanya was the threat again on 78, a lovely first time cross on the volley running through the six yard box, but there was no white shirt there to take advantage. Hay and Westley both needed treatment in the 80th minute, Dundee then bringing on Besir for Finnigan, Westley replaced by Halliday. Aberdeen continued pushing forward, good possession ending with Cadden having a ferocious shot at goal blocked, claims for a hand ball going unheeded again. Olusanya was replaced by Fasanya in the 87th minute. Milne was booked for obstruction two minutes later. The Dons were down to ten for the final two minutes of added time as Cadden received treatment. On 93, Fasanya went darting into the left side of the box, only for his shot to be blocked away by a defender.

FULL-TIME: DUNDEE 2 ABERDEEN 0 DUNDEE: Goodman, Wright, Astley, Owen Bevan, Odutayo, Joe Bevan (Forrest 77), Hamilton, Finnigan (Besir 81), Reilly (Hay 65), Westley (Halliday 81), Murray (Robertson 65). Subs not used: Bland, Crombie, Forrest, O’Hara, Oosenbrugh. Goals: Westley (9), Joe Bevan (56) ABERDEEN: Muller, Cadden, Mayo (Milne 65), Happe, Guinness-Walker, Aremu (Smith 46), Briedl (Marshall 65), Yogane (Mouloua 46), Armstrong, Olusanya (Fasanya 87), Nisbet. Subs not used: Mitov, Devlin, Molloy, Masson. Booked: Briedl, Mayo, Milne.