Ante Palaversa, Topi Keskinen, Vicente Besuijen and Kevin Nisbet all struck in the second half as Aberdeen defeated Dundee 4-1 at Pittodrie to move top of the Scottish Premiership. Simon Murray missed a penalty late in the first half for the visitors but partially atoned with a header to make it 2-1 midway through the second period.
Besuijen, though, netted just a minute later to restore Aberdeens two-goal advantage before Nisbet added the fourth late on to ensure Jimmy Thelin sides 100 per cent record at home remained intact. How the teams lined up | Match statsLive Scottish Premiership table | Watch Scottish Premiership highlights for freeThe victory lifts Aberdeen three points clear of Celtic at the summit and 12 points clear of third-placed Rangers, with both Glasgow teams in action on Sunday afternoon.
How Aberdeen thumped DundeeAberdeen made two changes from the side beaten 6-0 by Celtic in the Premier Sports Cup semi-final. Out dropped Sivert Heltne Nilsen and Jamie McGrath, replaced by Palaversa and Leighton Clarkson.
Dundee also made two switches following their win over Kilmarnock. Jordan McGhee and Josh Mulligan made the starting line-up in replace of Ethan Ingram and Antonio Portales. The home side started promisingly.
Jack MacKenzies effort from distance sailed high over the crossbar before Oluwaseun Adewumi came close at the other end after being picked out by Lyall Camerons searching ball. Aberdeen responded and Duks attempt from a tight angle was saved by Jon McCracken, before another drilled shot from the same player was similarly repelled.
Dundee continued to look a threat on the break and from another Cameron pass, Murray could only shoot into the goalkeepers arms. The visitors then wasted a brilliant chance to go in front just before half-time.
Gavin Molloy tried to shepherd the ball out for a goal-kick but ended up hauling down Murray in the process. The striker took the penalty himself but Dimitar Mitov dived to his left to save it. Aberdeen had one final chance in the closing seconds of a frantic first half but again McCracken was equal to Keskinens curling shot.
The home side made the breakthrough seven minutes into the second half. Clarksons corner was only half-cleared and Palaversa pounced to thrash a shot past McCracken. Duk then hit the post with a header before Aberdeen grabbed their second goal in the 57th minute.
Nicky Devlins throw-in was flicked on by Sokler and, after Clark Robertson messed up an attempted clearance, Keskinen drilled a low effort into the far corner. Dundee grabbed a lifeline when Murray atoned for his earlier penalty miss by heading Scott Tiffoneys cross past Mitov with 20 minutes remaining.
Hopes of a comeback, though, were snuffed out within 60 seconds. Nisbet, only just on the pitch, took a quick free-kick and fellow replacement Besuijen was onto it in a flash to finish. Nisbet claimed his sides fourth in added time, his shot taking a deflection off Ryan Astley on its way past McCracken.
What the managers said…Aberdeen boss Jimmy Thelin: Every game is difficult so the performance was the most important thing to get the result. I have to say the character of the team [makes it] so nice to get this experience with these players, how they find their way back into games.
Obviously it was a difficult first half. We were quite open in our structure and the position was not really where we wanted it to be. And the fans stayed with us and supported us, even if it was not the perfect half.
In the dressing room we talked about how to adjust small things, not panic, to have better positions, find better rhythm inside the game, and more stability in how to defend the transitions. And I think the players answered that really well.
That says a lot about the character of the players that we didnt change everything or stress ourselves in these situations. Dundee manager Tony Docherty: I think if wed gone in at half-time 2-0 up it wouldnt have been an unfair reflection on the game.
Sometimes you come in at half-time and dont want to praise the players too much. You just want to continue what youre doing. But I cant get away from my disappointment and frustration at the nature of the goals we lost.
Aberdeen didnt need to do a lot to score those goals and I think thats self-inflicted. Its been a wee bit of a story this season. Ive got a really young group and its about developing and improving them.
But there comes a time theyre making too many mistakes, individual errors, and its costing the team. So as a manager, I need to address that. Whats coming up in the Scottish Premiership?Aberdeen fixturesDundee fixturesScottish Premiership fixtures
