Aberdeen 5-0 Daugava Riga: Dons thrash Latvians to make winning start
- adamhigginsuk
- Jul 3, 2014
- 6 min read
ABERDEEN launched their 2014-15 campaign with a thumping 5-0 win over nine-man Daugava Riga in the first leg of their Europa League first qualifying round tie.
Barry Robson missed an early penalty before Shaleum Logan headed the opener and Niall McGinn doubled the lead after the break when his initial shot had been saved.
Adam Rooney added a third from the penalty spot and Johnny Hayes was also on target before a close-range Rooney flick sealed the emphatic win in stoppage time.
The Latvian top-flight outfit, making their debut in European competition, had two players sent off as Vitalijs Zils saw red in the second half.
It was a comfortable evening for the Dons, who were forced to start their first European adventure in five years at the first hurdle after finishing third in the Scottish Premiership last term.
Derek McInnes’s men were in action less than eight weeks after their final-day defeat to Motherwell but showed no signs of rustiness as they established an unassailable advantage ahead of next Thursday’s return leg with Dutch side FC Groningen awaiting the winners in the second round.
Daugava, who sit seventh in their 10-team division with just five wins from 17 games, resorted to cynical tactics and picked up nine yellow cards as they struggled to contain the rampant Scottish League Cup holders in the Granite City.
? DID YOU KNOW ?
Aberdeen's win over Daugava Riga is the biggest European victory by any Scottish side since Motherwell beat Flamurtari 8-1 in 2009.
Aberdeen suffered a shock European defeat to Latvian minnows Skonto Riga 20 years ago but the well-prepared Dons, who put seven past Arbroath in a friendly last weekend, looked determined to avoid a repeat from the outset.
With a healthy crowd of over 15,000 supporters inside Pittodrie, Robson saw a shot saved inside 40 seconds before a succession of crosses caused problems for their lesser opponents.
One dangerous delivery led to a spotkick on 14 minutes when French referee Nicolas Rainville spotted a nudge in the back from Edijs Joskts on Rooney.
Robson stepped up however the 35-year-old’s spot-kick was too central and allowed Emilijus Rubas to save before the goalkeeper brilliantly blocked Rooney’s follow-up.
The pressure applied by the enterprising Dons continued as McGinn had three harmless efforts at goal which failed to seriously trouble Rubas.
Peter Pawlett burst through although his cutback could not find Rooney, who then mistimed a free header from Ryan Jack’s cross.
But the onslaught eventually led to the breakthrough on 33 minutes when a deep cross from Hayes found Logan completely unmarked and the full-back, who has now made his move from Brentford permanent, sent a diving header into the corner of the net.
McGinn came close from a free-kick but Aberdeen suffered a blow when Pawlett went off injured just after half-time.
The ex-St Johnstone winger failed to recover from a kick to his Achilles by Lithuanian international Giedrius Tomkevicius, who was fortunate to escape any further punishment, and was replaced by Cammy Smith.
The loss did not hamper Aberdeen’s attacking quality and McGinn converted from close range at the second attempt after Jack played a low cross into the six-yard box.
McGinn soon rattled the woodwork from six yards after a good run from 18-year-old substitute Smith and the Dons moved three ahead after Joksts gave away his second penalty of the evening.
The full-back was deemed to have handled a McGinn cross and Rooney took the responsibility to fire low into the bottom corner beyond the keeper’s reach.
? DID YOU KNOW ?
Aberdeen won for just the second time in their last 14 matches in European competition, drawing six and losing six.
The Dons were playing in Europe for the first time since a chastening 8-1 defeat to Sigma Olomouc on aggregate in 2009.
Daugava, who have already played 17 games in their domestic season, rarely troubled Dons goalkeeper Jamie Langfield and their opportunities were further weakened when Vitalijs Zils received a second yellow card for a crude foul on Robson.
Hayes headed over from six yards after Robson's cross had found him unmarked but the Irishman atoned when he slotted home after Rooney had headed another Robson cross back into the goalmouth.
Aurimas Kucys then followed Zils down the tunnel after a ludicrous challenge on McGinn to receive his second booking.
And Rooney made the Latvians pay further in the second minute of stoppage time with an expert flick following good work from Hayes to round off a perfect evening for the Dons.
Next up for McInnes’s side is a 2000-mile trip to Eastern Europe where they will hope to complete the job with another rampant attacking display.
Thursday 3rd July 2014
UEFA Europa League First Qualifying Round 1st leg
Pittodrie (Aberdeen, North-East Scotland)
Aberdeen 5-0 Daugava Riga KO 7:45pm Live on Aberdeen TV/HD (HT 1-0)
Logan 33 McGinn 48 Rooney 52 (pen), 90+2 Hayes 73
Aberdeen: (4-3-3) 1 Langfield - 8/10, 29 Logan - 8.5/10, 4 Anderson (C) - 8/10, 6 Reynolds - 8.5/10, 11 Hayes - 8.5/10, 22 Jack - 7.5/10, 8 Flood - 8/10, 15 Robson - 8/10 (Wright 78 - 2.5/10), 16 Pawlett - 7/10 (Smith 50 - 6.5/10), 9 Rooney - 9/10, 10 McGinn - 8.5/10 (McManus 89 - 1/10).
Subs not used: 20 Brown (GK), 3 Considine, 5 Taylor, 18 Low
Booked: Rooney (38)
Daugava Riga: (4-1-4-1) 32 Zubas - 5.5/10, 33 Borovskij - 5/10 (Markevicius 83 - 2.5/10), 5 Ribokas - 5.5/10 (Blanks 57 - 4.5/10), 12 Tomkevicius - 6/10, 26 Mendy - 5.5/10, 27 Knapsis - 6.5/10, 7 Savenas (C) - 6/10, 10 Kucys - 4.5/10, 99 Vitor Flora - 5/10 (Abdelaziz 58 - 3.5/10), 21 Joksts - 5.5/10, 13 Zils - 4/10.
Subs not used: 67 Krumins (GK), 8 Kacanovs, 17 Vitolnieks, 11 Apins
Booked: Borovskij (15), Zils (16), Knapsis (19), Vitor Flora (45+2), Kucys (52), Savenas (53), Joksts (59)
Sent-off: Zils (55), Kucys (81)
My Man of the Match: Adam Rooney (Aberdeen) - Rating 9/10
My Poorest Performer of the Match: Vitalijs Zils (Daugava Riga) - Rating 9/10
Referee: Nicolas Rainville (France) - 8/10 Assistant referees: Laurent Stien (France) and Philippe Jeanne (France) Fourth Official: Amaury Delerue (France)
Attendance: 15,184
Match Facts
Possession: Aberdeen - 64% Daugava Riga - 36%
Shots: Aberdeen - 23 Daugava Riga - 3
Shots on target: Aberdeen - 9 Daugava Riga - 0
Shots off target: Aberdeen - 14 Daugava Riga - 3
Corners: Aberdeen - 3 Daugava Riga - 0
Fouls: Aberdeen - 5 Daugava Riga - 17
Offside: Aberdeen - 1 Daugava Riga - 1
Assists: Aberdeen - 4 (Hayes, Rooney, Jack, Wright) Daugava Riga - 0 (None)
MANAGER & PLAYER REACTION:-
Aberdeen manager Derek McInnes:
“The players’ approach allowed us to have control from start to finish. We scored some good goals, we should have probably scored more. We had plenty of shots but I can’t praise the players more because that’s the reward for their hard work during the close season, and the work they put it in during pre-season. They were ready to play at a tempo that made us difficult to play against. The game ran away from them, they lost their discipline, and I was just glad to get off the pitch without any more injuries. I thought the referee tried to keep a lid on it, the officials did well. We just tried to concentrate on finding ways to break them down. [On Peter Pawlett’s injury], his ankle has thickened up with swelling, we will see how that responds in the next few days.”
Aberdeen defender Shaleum Logan:
"I have been around European football but I've never actually played in it. I was on the bench against Hamburg and Real Socediad in 2009 [for Manchester City] and it was unbelievable. I'd never really experienced it and then suddenly it was like 'wow'. There is nothing better than playing in Europe and it will always live with me that I have scored in European football. I'll get a lot of stick [because of the somersault celebration], my friends wind me up about it but I got it from my brother who was also a footballer. I'm glad it came off but the physios and doctors cringe when I do it and they have a little word in my ear when I come off. The most important thing was to take a 5-0 lead to Riga and, hopefully, we can make it as comfortable as possible. It takes a bit of pressure off us going there but the manager won't let us give anything less than 100 per cent going into the next game. Some of the fouls weren't particularly good and it's going to be one of those games over there where they probably know they won't go through. But we're in their backyard and anything can happen, so it's not over. We've done the first bit but we have to go there with the same mentality."
Aberdeen forward Niall McGinn:
"We are in Europe so we have to enjoy these occasions. I think it's the start of something special for the club and there will be greater and harder challenges ahead. We'll just approach it [the second leg next week] the same way we did tonight. We'll go out there and enjoy the game as well as learn. We have a job to do and we need to finish off the second leg. We will be high on confidence. It's another game we are looking forward to."
Last updated: 3 July 2014 22:34pm
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