Aberdeen FC

[DavidMc]

Celtic 3-2 Aberdeen
Scottish Premier League
Saturday 27th September 08
Celtic Park

Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink scored a last-gasp, close-range winner to take Celtic top of the SPL after a fantastic match with Aberdeen in Glasgow.

The Dutchman scored his first of the season as he swept the home side into the lead on 14 minutes.

Charlie Mulgrew drove home an equaliser 12 minutes after the break then scored a second with a great free-kick.

Substitute Scott McDonald headed Celtic level on 78 minutes before Vennegoor of Hesselink sealed the points.

Both sides started slowly as they struggled to get going on a gloomy afternoon in Glasgow.

However, an early flicker of light was Georgios Samaras, whose power and pace with the ball at his feet caused problems for Aberdeen all afternoon.

And the Greek was assisted by some poor Dons defending as Celtic opened the scoring.

Samaras drove forward but lost control of the ball only for Mark Kerr and Richard Foster to get in each other's way in an attempt to clear.

Scott Brown picked up the loose ball, laid it back to Vennegoor of Hesselink, who slotted his first goal of the season inside goalkeeper Jamie Langfield's far post.

The goal might have served as a sign for Aberdeen to exercise more caution but instead was the jolt the visitors needed.

Despite leaking four first-half goals in midweek, the Dons went on the offensive, Zander Diamond's having a header cleared off the line by Marc Crosas.

Lee Miller chased a through-ball into the Celtic area, but the danger was averted as goalkeeper Artur Boruc raced off his line for the first of several times in the half.

Under-fire Aberdeen boss Jimmy Calderwood was forced to make an early change when Scott Severin left the field injured after only 27 minutes.

On came Mulgrew and the former Celtic player's first task was to strike a free-kick that Borc held with ease.

But Celtic were looking dangerous whenever they advanced, with Shunsuke Nakamura and Vennegoor of Hesselink finding space in the visitors' penalty area.

Lee Mair slid in to take the heat off Nakamura's shot, while Vennegoor of Hesselink's header lacked punch and Langfield caught it easily.

The Dons were having some good spells inside the Celtic half but were unable to find an end product.

Lee Naylor then tried to bulldoze his way through a line of Aberdeen players on his way towards goal, eventually slicing his shot wide, and Celtic went in a the break a goal to the good.

Langfield was tested early after the re-start, diving low to push a Samaras shot past the post, and then scrambling to reach a Nakamura free-kick.

But the Dons got back level as Mulgrew punished his former club.

Lee Miller flicked on Jared Hodgkiss' cross and the substitute had time and space to drill the ball under Boruc from 14 yards.

And, moments later, the former Parkhead prodigy stepped up to curl a trademark free-kick over the wall and past Boruc as Aberdeen went 2-1 up.

The home side immediately injected more urgency, with Glenn Loovens coming close twice from headers.

Celtic manager Gordon Strachan then sacrificed Marc Crosas in midfield and threw on striker McDonald.

Aberdeen retained possession well as Celtic chased the match and, when the home side got the ball, they were surrounded by red shirts.

However, a game of inspired substitutions continued, as Aiden McGeady curled in a crossed that McDonald nodded over the line from a yard out.

Aberdeen defended desperately and looked to have secured a priceless point, but at the death Vennegoor of Hesselink bundled the ball over the line.

Darren Mackie had the chance to score an injury time leveller but put his shot narrowly past the post when one-on-one against Boruc.

[DavidMc]

Dundee United 2-1 Aberdeen
Scottish Premier League
Saturday 8th November 08
Tannadice Stadium

Dundee United strengthened their grip on third position after coming out on top against Aberdeen at Tannadice.

Craig Levein's men made a storming start and Franciso Sandaza beat Zander Diamond to net on eight minutes.

Warren Feeney doubled United's advantage six minutes later with a close-range effort to put the home side in control.

However, Aberdeen rallied in the second half and Darren Mackie netted before having a late strike disallowed.

United looked dangerous from the outset and Feeney was not too far away with a glancing header across the face of goal after being set up by a cross from the right from Willo Flood.

Sandaza then had the net bulging only for the effort to be disallowed after Feeney was deemed to have fouled goalkeeper Jamie Langfield in the build-up to the strike.

But, with eight minutes on the clock, Sandaza had the ball in the back of the net again and this time there were no complaints from the referee.

The move began with a long ball from Sean Dillon before Morgaro Gomis played through Sandaza, who outmuscled Diamond to slot home.

United doubled their advantage six minutes later. This time Paul Dixon's cross zipped along the bye-line and was missed by Sandaza, who failed with a wild swing before the ball fell to Feeney, who rolled it into the net from close range.

The game should have been all but beyond Aberdeen with 20 minutes gone when Sandaza exchanged a one-two with Flood before seeing his shot blocked by Langfield. The ball fell kindly to the feet of Feeney, who somehow managed to hook over with the gaping net at his mercy.

The Dons had a chance to haul themselves back into the match when De Visscher collected a Sone Aluko ball only to see his shot swerve wide of target. MY SPORT: DEBATE
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A foul on De Visscher just outside the box provided another opportunity to threaten, but Lukasz Zaluska did well to touch Lee Miller's well-struck free-kick on to the post before the United defence cleared the danger.

Aberdeen made their first change at the break, with Derek Young withdrawn for the introduction of Mulgrew.

The Dons were still searching for the goal that would give them hope of a point and there was concern for the home side when Lee Wilkie's attempts at clearing an Aluko cross saw him head dangerously across the face of his own goal.

The defender was involved again at the other end, with a quick free-kick met by Wilkie nodded on to Darren Dods for a strike that was smothered by Langfield.

Mackie came close for Aberdeen with a powerful header that flashed wide of the upright.

But he was on target with 66 minutes gone when a deep cross from Aluko was nodded back across goal by Miller into the path of his striker partner, who sent his own firm header into the back of the net from close range.

Aberdeen's increasing confidence could have been shattered by another United goal when Scott Robertson slipped a lovely ball through to Sandaza only for the striker to stab wide of the post.

But the visitors kept pressing until the end and a cross-come-shot from Charlie Mulgrew was deflected wide by Wilkie as United fought hard to retain their advantage.

Aberdeen then thought they had finally claimed the equaliser when Mackie turned a Miller header into the back of the net with just three minutes to go - but the offside flag was already raised.

[DavidMc]

Rangers v Aberdeen
Scottish Premier League
Saturday 22nd November 08
Ibrox Stadium, Glasgow

Rangers will be without Kenny Miller for their meeting with Aberdeen due to a calf injury.

Madjid Bougherra and Sasa Papac have also been rated as doubtful while Steven Davis could also be missing for family reasons.

Darren Mackie is a doubt for Aberdeen after suffering a hamstring injury in last week's 2-2 draw away to Hibernian.

Long-term absentees Jamie Smith, Stuart Duff, Bertrand Bossu and Tommy Wright all remain on the sidelines.



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Rangers: (from) McGregor, Broadfoot, McCulloch, Weir, Whittaker, Mendes, Ferguson, Adam, Novo, Boyd, Alexander, Edu, Dailly, Lafferty, McMillan, Shinnie, Darcheville, Beasley.

Aberdeen: (from) Langfield, Considine, Severin, Diamond, Foster, Aluko, Kerr, Young, Hodgkiss, Miller, Mackie, Bateman, Mulgrew, De Visscher, McDonald, Stewart, Maguire, Mair.

This season: Aberdeen 1-1 Rangers

[DavidMc]

Rangers 2-0 Aberdeen
Scottish Premier League
Saturday 22nd November 08
Ibrox Stadium

Rangers overcame some nervous moments before goals from Jean-Claude Darcheville and Kris Boyd ensured victory over Aberdeen.

The Dons' Derek Young had been denied by a fine Allan McGregor save during an even first half.

Opposite number Jamie Langfield prevented a Lee Mair own goal.

But Darcheville forced the ball home from close range and, after Pedro Mendes cleared off Rangers' line, Boyd settled the game with a neat header.

It meant that Rangers remain four points behind Scottish Premier League leaders Celtic, who had put the pressure on with victory over St Mirren in the day's early kick-off.

Rangers could have taken the lead within a couple of minutes when Boyd blasted over from a tight angle after being picked out superbly by Mendes.

Injuries to Kenny Miller and Steven Davis meant starts for Darcheville and Kyle Lafferty up front for Rangers.

With Sasa Papac and Madjid Bougherra still missing through injury injury, manager Walter Smith continued to experiment with striker Lee McCulloch in defence.

And there were early moments of panic at the back as Aberdeen pushed forward.

However, there was controversy at the other end when Andrew Considine played the ball against his own hand as he tried to clear a Charlie Adam drive before hastily booting the ball upfield.

Referee Craig Thomson waved away the claims for a penalty, but that and a long-range curling effort from Boyd were rare moments of danger for an Aberdeen who had started without the injured Darren Mackie.

Adam was fortunate that a late stamp on Sone Aluko's ankle was missed by the officials after the midfielder had cleared his lines.

It was the home support's turn to be incensed when Thomson blew his whistle for a head knock suffered by Derek Young as Barry Ferguson continued the play by slotting the ball into the net from 22 yards.
Darcheville opened the scoring against Aberdeen

The two best efforts of the first half came in the dying seconds.

A Young drive forced a fine save from Allan McGregor, whose opposite number, Langfield, then did well to tip the ball over the bar after an Adam free-kick was steered towards the underside of the crossbar off the head of Dons defender Lee Mair.

Rangers had laboured against an Aberdeen side in which Charlie Mulgrew, Gary McDonald and Mair had replaced Richard Foster, Jared Hodgkiss and Darren Mackie.

But Dons boss Jimmy Calderwood's tactics were undone when the Dons failed to clear an Adam corner, Darcheville forcing the ball home from four yards after the ball had been prodded forward by first Kirk Broadfoot then Boyd.

Mendes headed off his own line when Zander Diamond's effort looked destined for an equaliser.

And, with Boyd poised to be replaced with DaMarcus Beasley, the striker sent a cheeky header into the net after Lafferty had stepped over another dangerous Adam corner.



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Rangers manager Walter Smith: "It was a good game, a close game. Aberdeen had a lot of set-pieces, long throws played into the box and they were dangerous in that respect.

"In the second half of the game we started to impose ourselves on the game and obviously we were delighted when we managed to get the breakthrough. I felt with the second half performance that we deserved to shade it.

"But credit to Aberdeen; it was a good first half from them and with all the changes in our side we took a while to settle.

"We lost four players who've been playing regularly for us - Sasa Papac, Majdid Bougherra, Kenny Miller and Steve Davis - and that little bit of disruption meant we weren't as cohesive as usual."

Aberdeen manager Jimmy Calderwood: "I thought we dominated the first 45 minutes. We didn't create too many chances but we were causing massive problems and they weren't causing us too many problems at all.

"Rangers had a problem with our passing, culminating with a great chance for wee Derek (Young) and Allan McGregor has made a wonderful save just before half-time.

"I think if we'd gone 1-0 ahead at that moment, with the Rangers fans getting a bit restless, well...

"The first goal is so important and both goals Rangers got were scruffy, from two corners, three yards from goals - it's hurting us big time.

"We had to open up and Zander (Diamond) had a header cleared off the line and (Mark) Kerr went through - I still thought we had a chance.

"But credit to Rangers although we didn't deserve to lose. If there was any time to break that 18, 19-year record..."



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Rangers: McGregor, Broadfoot, Weir, McCulloch, Whittaker, Ferguson, Mendes, Adam, Darcheville (Novo 77), Boyd (Beasley 69), Lafferty. Subs Not Used: Alexander, Edu, Dailly, Niguez, Kinniburgh.

Booked: Broadfoot.

Goals: Darcheville 52, Boyd 68.