ST MIRREN 0 ABERDEEN 1 Saturday 18 October 2025 William Hill Premiership The SMISA Stadium Referee: Lloyd Wilson
A magnificent goal from Marko Lazetic with virtually the last kick of the ball saw the Dons to victory at St Mirren. You’ll be watching that one on social media all week!
After the 4-0 win over Dundee before the international break, Jimmy Thelin made just one enforced change, with Gavin Molloy in for the injured Emmanuel Gyamfi at left-back. Kjartan Mar Kjartansson replaced Sivert Heltne Nilsen among the subs.
St Mirren lost 2-0 at Kilmarnock in their last fixture and make four changes to their side with Richard King, Liam Donnelly, Roland Idowu and Jonah Ayunga all dropping to the bench to be replaced by Marcus Fraser, Keanu Baccus, Mark O’Hara and Dan Nlundulu.
The home side made a swift start, winning a second minute corner that culminated in Kevin Nisbet clearing a Baccus effort off the line for the Dons. Aberdeen responded and were close themselves on four minutes. A lovely ball forward from Adil Aouchiche got Jesper Karlsson in behind. He held the ball up then laid it back into Aouchiche’s run, but his curling shot was too high.
It was part of a bright Dons opening, producing some neat passing football to get deep into St. Mirren territory without quite finding the final ball. Nonetheless, after that early scare, Aberdeen were in complete control of the opening 20 minutes. That was emphasised when Freckleton was booked after 22 for pulling down Aouchiche as he looked to break clear. Jensen followed him in on 24 or a foul on John – both cards looked harsh.
Nicky Devlin produced a dangerous moment after 26 minutes, racing forward to get on the end of a Karlsson pass, hitting his shot first time from 25 yards out, George saving at full stretch, low to his right.
The Buddies finally created something on 39, a free-kick played short by Phillips, then lifted into the box. Phillips had gone chasing forward after taking and he was there to collect a header back across goal, but he ballooned his own header way over the bar from a dozen yards out. That signalled a strong end to the half for St Mirren, but the sides were back into the dressing rooms at 0-0.
HALF-TIME: ST MIRREN 0 ABERDEEN 0
Mats Knoester needed treatment after 50 minutes, just after Richardson appeared to push him into the advertising boards. Fortunately, he was able to continue after having his hand strapped up.
After St Mirren started the half the stronger, good possession got the Dons up the pitch on 55. Alexander Jensen played the ball through to Aouchiche dummying cleverly. That let the ball reach Karlsson, but as he tried to bend the ball across goal and into the top corner, he put it narrowly wide of the target.
But it was the Buddies who were first to get the ball in the net on 58. A questionable St Morren corner was given and then half cleared, but Baccus got hold of it and danced into the box before clipping a shot into the near post, where Gogic produced a terrific glancing header to divert the ball into the far corner. A lengthy VAR check ensued and the goal was chalked off for Nlundulu’s foul on Dimitar Mitov, while in an offside position.
Marko Lazetic was Aberdeen’s first change of the afternoon, replacing Nisbet on 63 minutes as the Dons looked to recapture the control they’d had in the first period.
Aberdeen should have been in front on 67. Aouchiche’s marauding run down the right ended with the ball being worked through to Armstrong, giving him an opportunity from a dozen yards out. George saved well, the rebound worked to Jensen who with the goal at his mercy, blasted his effort over the top.
St Mirren’s first changes came on 68 with Nlundulu and O’Hara replaced by Ayunga and Idowu. Aberdeen replied with a triple change two minutes later, Shinnie, Aouchiche and Karlsson replaced by Dante Polvara, Ante Palaversa and Topi Keskinen.
The changes almost brought immediate dividends, a precise pass from Palaversa picking out Keskinen. His low cross reached Polvara, but he couldn’t get enough on his shot.
Molloy went down injured after 77 minutes, seemingly with a thigh problem, Alfie Dorrington replacing him.
There was chaos on 80, Palaversa booked for a foul on Richardson as he sprinted down the right. But in retaliation, Richardson then took a kick at Palversa on his way down and was booked as well, though that might have been worse for the ex-Don. Armstrong was booked in the aftermath for dissent, presumably for pointing that out. The referee was then called to the monitor and rightly upgraded Richardson’s card to a straight red. George was booked for sarcastically applauding the referee afterwards and got a real telling off from Gogic for his pains too.
A good Aberdeen move ended with Polvara swiping a shot over the bar from 25 yards on 88 minutes. St Mirren then replaced Mandron with McMenamin. More good possession was squandered by Aberdeen when Palaversa smashed a long range shot into the crowd as we went into seven added minutes, Tanser coming on for John in the wake of that.
The Dons won it at the death, an absolutely outstanding goal from Lazetic in the 96th minute. Chasing down a long ball, he just about kept it in at the by-line. Impressive enough, but there followed a Cruyff turn past the defender with barely a spare blade of grass to work in, just about kept the ball in again, and then from a non-existent angle, he smacked his shot across George and into the far corner, breaking all the known laws of geometry and physics. A first Dons goal for Lazetic and a first Aberdeen win in Paisley for seven years.
As a postscript, Stephen Robinson was red carded at the final whistle for disagreeing with the referee at point blank rage.
ST. MIRREN: George, Fraser, Gogic, Freckleton, Richardson, Phillips, Baccus, O’Hara (Idowu 68), John (Tanser (90+1), Nlundulu (Ayunga 68), Mandron (McMenamin 88).
Subs not used: Mullen, Dijksteel, King, Donnelly, Calvin.
SENT OFF: Richardson, Robinson.
BOOKED: Freckleton, George
ABERDEEN: Mitov, Jensen, Devlin, Knoester, Milne, Molloy (Dorrington 77), Shinnie (Polvara 69), Armstrong, Aouchiche (Palaversa 69), Karlsson (Keskinen 69), Nisbet (Lazetic 63).
Subs not used: Suman, Kjartansson, Milanovic, Clarkson.
GOAL: Lazeti (90+6).
BOOKED: Jensen, Palaversa, Armstrong, Lazetic
