Aberdeen 5-0 Livingston
It was an afternoon to forget for Livingston at Pittodrie as Aberdeen took full advantage of Livingston’s red card in a 5-0 thrashing.
The day started so positively for Livi who were determined to bounce back from last weekend’s disappointing defeat at Motherwell.
On four minutes, Joel Nouble had a good chance after a Jason Holt cross found him inside the box, but the striker headed wide.
The Lions were controlling the game, and about ten minutes later found themselves with another opportunity through Nouble. The striker was free at the back post, but dragged a shot across goal and wide of the target not troubling Kelle Roos.
Livi would trouble Roos later in the half though, and forced the Dons keeper into an incredible stop to prevent Ayo Obileye from making it 1-0. A nice delivery from Holt was met by the head of the defender from around the six yard box, but Roos reacted brilliantly to get down and tip away.
The save would prove to be pivotal in the match with the goalkeeper keeping the score at 0-0. Up the other end, a very positive and dominant start from the visitors turned into disaster five minutes from the break.
Shamal George’s pass to Jack Fitzwater was pressed by Vicente Besuijen, who capitalised on the defender’s poor touch and slow reaction. The winger was dragged back by the Livi defender, resulting in a penalty for the hosts and a red card for Fitzwater.
Up stepped Bojan Mivoski from the spot, the North Macedonian slotting home calmly from 12 yards. After such a strong start from Livi who probably should’ve been in front, they now found themselves a man down and a goal down.
Jayden Richardson should’ve made it two from close range shortly after. Besuijen’s cross found the right back at the far post, but he couldn’t divert his first time finish towards goal.
Into the second half, and the Dons ramped up the pressure as they looked to seal the game early with a killer second goal. Sean Kelly was withdrawn for Phill Cancar, but the man advantage told for the hosts.
Mivoski should’ve had a second on 47 minutes. The striker was found in front of goal by Besuijen, but on the stretch couldn’t head into the empty net.
It took just 13 first half minutes for Aberdeen to make it 2-0, and from there Livi capitulated. Montaño’s clearance only travelled as far as the edge of the box where Ross McCrorie was waiting. The midfielder took a touch and smashed the ball into the top corner off the crossbar to give his side a two goal cushion.
A third followed just four minutes later when Luis ‘Duk’ Lopes was brought down in the box by Phill Cancar. Unselfishly, Mivoski handed the ball to teammate Besuijen to take, and the Dutchman netted his first league goal of the campaign.
Aberdeen were relentless, and making the ten men of Livi pay. 60 seconds later, it was 4-0. Jonny Hayes’ brilliant pass slipped in Mivoski, and the striker slotted beyond the onrushing George for his second of the game.
There would be no hat trick for Mivoski, but his replacement Ryan Duncan would add the fifth and final goal for the hosts four minutes from time. What appeared to be a cross from the youngster travelled untouched all the way to the back post, before hitting the woodwork and spiralling into the back of the net for 5-0. It was the academy graduate’s first senior goal for Aberdeen.
The result was Livi’s second worst defeat since returning to the top flight in 2018, marking a day to forget for the visitors despite such a positive and promising beginning to the match. Up next is the visit of Dundee United in the last 16 of the Premier Sports Cup.
Match Report: Calum Brown
Aberdeen: Roos, Richardson, Stewart©️, Scales, Coulson (MacKenzie 79), McCrorie, Ramadani, Besuijen (Kennedy 73), Clarkson (Duk 56), Hayes (Morris 72) , Miovski (Duncan 79)
Subs not used: Lewis, Watkins, Polvara, Milne
Goals: Miovski (41 pen, 63), McCrorie (58), Besuijen (62 pen), Duncan (87)
Livingston: George, Devlin©️, Fitzwater ▊, Obileye, Montaño ▊ (Longridge 67), Holt ▊ (Penrice 67), Omeonga, Kelly (Cancar 45), Shinnie (Brandon 67 ▊), Pittman, Nouble (Gonçalves 67)
Subs not used: Konovalov, Hamilton, Bitsindou, Mullin
Referee: Colin Steven
HT: 0-1
Att: 13,739
