Aberdeen 1-2 Rangers
SPL
10/01/21
Aberdeen suffered only their fourth defeat in twenty-one league games losing to Rangers at Pittodrie as Ryan Hedges was sent off midway through the first half.
Two goals by Alfredo Morelos either side of the half were enough to maintain Rangers’ undefeated record in the SPL this season.
The Dons gave a good account of themselves and were massively hampered when Hedges was sent off after accidentally clipping Morelos to deny the striker what was deemed a goalscoring opportunity.
Matty Kennedy pulled one back for the hosts but it wasn’t enough and means the Dons remain third on 39 points, four behind Celtic and three ahead of Hibs who play each other at Parkhead tomorrow.
Reaction
McInnes: “It’s such a severe punishment”
Derek McInnes told Sky Sports after the game:: “My feeling is Ryan is doing everything he can not to make a challenge and sod’s law if he makes the challenge he gets a yellow card and gives away a penalty. It’s accidental which is such a severe punishment.
“My team were fantastic and to a man they stuck to their task.”
Gerrard: “We played walking football”
Rangers boss Steven Gerrard told Sky Sports: “I’m very pleased with the result. Credit to Aberdeen staying in the game. I thought we were excellent until two-nil and after that we changed our mind set and started playing walking football.
“That is something for us to look at but to take nine points from nine against Aberdeen is a good effort.”
1st half – Hedges sees red card before Tavernier misses penalty
There was a prophetic feel to it before the game with all the facts and figures bandied around about Rangers near perfect first half of the season.
The prophecies were close to being realised as early as the first minute when Rangers right back goalscoring machine James Tavernier played a ball over the top which was misjudged by Ash Taylor and allowed Alfredo Morelos to get a shot away, but the Colombian’s strike was weak and an easy save for Dons captain Joe Lewis.
It’s not all lie down and die against the big two in Scottish football and this was very much a game Aberdeen were looking to win.
Even though McCrorie was ineligible to play against his parent club McInnes was aggressive in his team selection, playing three at the back and starting both Curtis Main and centurion Sam Cosgrove with the Dons boss trying to answer his own claim before kick-off that Aberdeen’s performances have fallen well short of what he expects against Rangers.
The statement seemed to galvanise his players who started brightly.
Straight after Morelos’ early chance Cosgrove was played in by Curtis Main and got himself a clear sight at McGregor’s goal, but ran wide and eventually ballooned his shot over.
Probably the most notable pre-game stat to put in context the task facing Aberdeen today was that Rangers last loss in the league came in February 2020 against Kilmarnock.
The Light Blues are so far ahead in the table (23 ahead of third placed Dons) they don’t need any help, but are still getting it after Ryan Hedges was harshly sent off by referee John Beaton for tripping Morelos as the Columbian bared down on goal.
On 26′ Hedges tried to get across the back of Morelos but accidentally clipped the striker’s heel sending the big Columbian sprawling to the turf. Beaton sent Hedges off presumably for denying a goalscoring opportunity because there was no malice in the challenge.
The saving grace for the Dons was Tavernier missing the spot kick which was surprising since the right back is the deadliest player in Scottish football this season leading the scoring charts with 11.
Saving graces, there are only so many, and Aberdeen would not be saved a second time when, ten minutes after the penalty, Ryan Kent found Morelos in the box and the Colombian squeezed his shot between Wright and Taylor and past Lewis to score.
It would be interesting to hear what McInnes will eventually say to Curtis Main after blanking him as the striker made way for Shay Logan with two minutes left of the half. Partly a tactical substitution replacing a striker with a defender, partly because the big number nine made a rather rash challenge on Borna Barisic competing for the ball with studs showing which received a yellow card but, perhaps if Hedges hadn’t already been dismissed, might have seen red.
Further articles:
–Aberdeen’s last game: McInnes expects a lot more as Dons frustrated by United 0-0. Reaction
–Why the hatred? Find out from Aberdeen supporters why there’s such animosity between the Dons and the Gers
–Celtic and Rangers dangle £1m carrot to try introduce ‘colts B sides’ in the league
–Bayern Munich lose to Borussia Monchengladbach in a thriller: Match report
–Sancho one and Haaland two see Dortmund beat RB Leipzig 3-1 and make ground on rivals: Match report
2nd half – Substitute Kennedy responds for the Dons
Morelos got himself on for a hat-trick on 49’ with a low finish that squirmed under substitute Shay Logan and past a sprawling Joe Lewis. The flick by Kent to divert the ball into Morelos’ path in the build up has to be mentioned as it was delectable.
Under Gerrard in the past year Kent has flourished and the forward showed more of his quality with a 20 yard sighter on 55’ which Lewis did well to save.
Two minutes later Cosgrove did brilliantly with a loping run that drew a foul from Steven Davis. The Dons took it quickly catching the Rangers defence cold which allowed Jonny Hayes, searching for his fiftieth goal in Scottish football, to get a strike away which was saved by McGregor.
Matty Kennedy came on for the impressive Wright midway through the second half, partly to protect Wright for more agreeable battles in the future as the Aberdonian forward continues to make his comeback from a hernia op.
It was Kennedy who finally scored Aberdeen’s first goal in the Dons three attempts against Rangers this season.
With twenty minutes to go Cosgrove released Hayes down the right flank and Hayes squared it for Kennedy to send McGregor the wrong way from eighteen yards.
MOTM: Sam Cosgrove
The big man’s work up top would be infrequent against a dominate Gers side but his contributions were always telling. The striker did well to work himself a shot in the first minute, made a great run down the flank in the second half to allow Hayes to shoot, and played a pivotal part in Kennedy’s goal.
Aberdeen FC, 3-4-1-2: Lewis (GK) (C), Considine, Hoban, Taylor (->89′), Hayes, Hedges, Campbell, Ferguson, Wright (->58’), Main (->43’), Cosgrove,
Subs: Woods (GK), Logan (->43’), Ojo, Kennedy (->58’), Anderson, Virtanen, Edmondson (->89′), McGinn, Ngwenya
Rangers FC, 4-3-3: McGregor (GK), Tavernier (C), Goldson, Balogun, Barisic, Kamara, Aribo, Davis, Kent, Hagi (->82′), Morelos
Sub: McLaughlin (GK), Bassey, Helander, Patterson, Zungu (->82′), Barker, Stewart, Defoe, Itten
Goals: Morelos 32’, 49’, Kennedy 67’
Up next: Livingston away
Aberdeen play their rescheduled Premiership clash against Livingston on Wednesday 13th, KO 19:45.
Harry Jamshid Reporter Sports Pages 