Spirited Aberdeen lose out at Balmoral

Aberdeen 2 Glasgow City 3 – SWPL1 – Balmoral Stadium – 15th October 2023

Aberdeen came close to shocking the champions Glasgow City as the visitors came back from behind to win an exciting game 3-2 at the Balmoral Stadium. Brenna Lovera’s opener was cancelled out just before half-time by a stunning Eva Thomson strike. Hannah Stewart had the Dons 2-1 in front just after the interval but a quick-fire double from Lovera and Kinga Kozak saw the points head back to Petershill.

There was one change to the Aberdeen side who lost at Dundee United a week ago with Aimee Black coming into defence in place of Hannah Innes. Glasgow City were forced into a change before the teams came out as Abbie Larkin was forced to drop out at the last minute with Lisa Forrest replacing her in the starting eleven.

It was a bright start by the visitors with Amy Muir forcing Annalisa McCann into a diving save in the opening minutes when she headed on goal. City looked dangerous from set-piece opportunities with a lot of height in their team and Kenzie Weir got her head to an early corner which was straight at McCann in the Aberdeen goal.

The hosts started to settle after the opening period of City pressure with Eva Thomson doing well to rob Mairead Fulton of possession and winning a free kick, which they were unable to capitalise on. At the other end the visitors still looked threatening, Kinga Kozak went close with a shot the just slipped past the post.

The champions went in front on 24-minutes in somewhat fortuitous fashion. Francesca Ogilvie looked to run onto a through ball but Anna Oscarsson got there first. The defender’s clearance set Brenna LOVERA on her way into the penalty box and the striker took her effort early, placing a low shot beyond McCann.

Aberdeen looked to bounce back from going behind and almost had an opportunity through Bayley Hutchison. Eilidh Shore did well to pounce on a loose ball in the middle of the park before threading the ball through for Hutchison. The striker looked to have timed her run perfectly but as she went through on goal the assistant’s flag went up for offside.

Glasgow came within inches of doubling their lead before half-time. Polish international Kozak tried her luck from twenty-five yards and with McCann beaten the ball rebounded off the junction between post and crossbar and away to safety.

Deep into first half stoppage time the Dons stunned the visitors with an equaliser. Hutchison picked up the ball in the Glasgow half and played a clever pass wide to Eva THOMSON who looked like she might square it for Hannah Stewart but instead fired a powerful shot high into Lee Gibson’s net for her second goal of the season.

HT ABERDEEN 1 GLASGOW CITY 1

Aberdeen got the second half off to the perfect start as they took the lead two minutes after the restart. Good work down the left between Thomson and Hutchison released STEWART through the middle and the striker steadied herself before curling a composed finish beyond Gibson and into the bottom corner.

The champions responded to falling behind as they hit back with two quick fire goals to regain the lead. LOVERA pulled one back when she intercepted a short Ogilvie back pass to round McCann and score her second of the game. Just sixty seconds later it was 3-2 as KOZAK fired a dipping shot beyond McCann from just inside the box.

The frantic start to the second period almost produced a fourth goal when Shore got her head to a corner but she saw her looping effort drop just wide of the target. Mairead Fulton was the next to go close as the Glasgow midfielder tried her luck from distance but saw her shot clip the top of the crossbar on its way over.

Young striker Darcie Miller replaced Aimee Black as Aberdeen looked to get back on level terms and the striker almost had an instant impact. Stewart played the ball down the line for Miller to chase and with Gibson coming out her box to collect, Miller was obstructed by City substitute Megan Foley. Chloe Gover took the resulting free kick, but her curling effort floated over the bar.

City were on the back foot as the game entered its final fifteen minutes as the Dons went in search of an equaliser. A brilliant ball over the top by Miller found Hutchison running through, the striker twisted and turned her way into the box but Gibson did just enough to smother her attempt on goal.

It looked as if City were hanging on whilst Aberdeen replaced Nadine Hanssen with Hannah Innes for the final few minutes. Despite their late pressure the Dons couldn’t force an equaliser as the game ended 3-2 to Glasgow City.

FT ABERDEEN 2 GLASGOW CITY 3

Thomson, 45

Stewart, 47

Lovera, 24, 50

Kozak, 51

Aberdeen:

20. Annalisa McCann 4. Jessica Broadrick 7. Eilidh Shore 8. Chloe Gover 9. Hannah Stewart 10. Bayley Hutchison 13. Francesca Ogilvie 15. Madison Finnie 18. Eva Thomson 23. Aimee Black (Darcie Miller, 67) 24. Nadine Hanssen (C) (Hannah Innes, 90)

Subs:

25. Marika Bereznaka (GK) 11. Hannah Insch 12. Darcie Miller 16. Hannah Innes 19. Amelie Martindale 21. Emma Lawson

Glasgow City:

29. Lee Gibson 3. Amy Muir 4. Hayley Lauder (C) 7. Mairead Fulton 9. Brenna Lovera 14. Lauren Davidson (Cori Sullivan 58) 16. Kinga Kozak 20. Kenzie Weir 22. Charlotte Wairdlaw (Megan Foley 63) 24. Lisa Forrest 27. Anna Oscarsson