Scottish Premiership side Aberdeen defeated Eintracht Frankfurt in the Uefa’s Conference League by a margin of 2-0 on Thursday night, at Pittodorie.
The German top-flight team rested 6 players, that defeated Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich over the weekend, but featured a strong side that featured the likes of goalkeeper Kevin Trapp and WC winner, Mario Gotze.
The Scottish Premiership side played mostly on the back foot and without the ball for the majority of the first half against Frankfurt and goalkeeper Kelle Roos was kept busy.
Aberdeen took their chance on the 43rd minute thanks to striker Duk, who fired in from close range following a late first half flurry of chances, sweeping in a low cross from Shayden Morris into the back of the Frankfurt net.
A lacklustre second half from the Bundesliga team allowed the Scottish team to counter on the break during the second half, with substitute Ester Sokler looping the ball over the keeper with an early shot sending the local fans into raptures, giving the home side a 2-0 lead.
Despite the Germans having 78% of possession for the match, Frankfurt could not find a breakthrough against a resolute Aberdeen defence who will now end their Conference League campaign in 3rd place, while Eintracht progress finishing in second in the group.
Post-match reaction:
Barry Robson, Aberdeen “It’s the emotion that takes it out of you, these games,” Robson Said.
“”We scored 10 goals in Europe. That is not easy to do against that quality of opposition. I am really proud of the players for performing the way they’ve performed.
“That’s a game they’ll always remember, playing against a World Cup winner in Mario Gotze. They have some top, top talent, they’ve spent millions. The boys will remember that game.”
Dino Toppmoller, “”I am disappointed we couldn’t get the result that we wanted. We couldn’t score then you lose the game because in the defence we made two easy mistakes.
“I have a lot of respect for Aberdeen but I think it was not the challenge of them that was too big. I think today we were not good enough to score and we had the chances.”
https://youtu.be/mSE5Ux5UzSU?si=HzesryaOGieZUEgW
Analysis:
Frankfurt started the first half the better of the two teams. Their striker Hauge testing Dons goalkeeper Kelle Roos, early with a low drive towards the keepers feet. Goalkeeper Roos’ was tested early regularly throughout the first half on corners, and kept the home side in the game. Only a break by Duk, passing moving and creating his own goal, scored the opener against the run of play.
Aberdeen grew into the second half as the German side waned, controlling a lot of possession but not turning chances into goals. A handball by the German opponents was waived away by the referee and quickly forgotten, as substitute Emre Sokler scored with his first touches of the game, with a lovely dink pass from the back, heading it to himself and chipping the keeper. Although this was on the 73rd minute, Einttact never looked like making a breakthrough through the Scoitths side’s defence.
