Aberdeen crash out of Europe despite battling draw at PAOK
Though still hoping to somehow relive the glory days of their 1983 Cup Winners' Cup success under Sir Alex Ferguson, Aberdeen had precious little to show for their opening trio of group stage matches. But they took less than a quarter-hour to potentially change that, despite the passionate Toumba Stadium crowd being in full voice.
Finishing off a free-flowing counter-attack, Duk converted Nicky Devlin’s whipped cross from the right-hand side on 14 minutes, giving the Scottish side an unlikely advantage in Thessaloniki.
The sight of Aberdeen taking the lead followed the pattern from the return fixture just two weeks earlier, when Barry Robson’s side raced to a two-goal advantage.
A late comeback would deny them that day, and PAOK mounted an attempt to execute another win from behind before Aberdeen could settle. Catching the Dons short in defence, Kiril Despodov cut the ball back to his wing partner Taison, who needed no invitation to sweep home the equaliser.
An important reprieve before the half-time break, Taison’s goal provided the platform for PAOK to go and edge their noses out in front shortly after the restart. Much to the dismay of the Aberdeen coaching staff, it was a scrappy goal that gave the home side the advantage, with substitute Mbwana Samatta on hand to glance home from inside the six-yard box.
But out of nowhere, a stunning Jamie McGrath free-kick from 25 yards out put the Dons back on level terms, sparking scenes of pandemonium in the away end and on the Aberdeen bench.
However, it had looked as if Abderdeen’s chances of taking from the game would be once again crushed late on, when referee Juxhin Xhaja pointed to the spot, for what looked like a foul committed by McGrath on Giannis Konstantelias.
However, a VAR check would indicate Konstantelias had in fact dived, with the decision eventually overturned.
It would prove the closest PAOK came to stealing the three points, but despite the stellar showing in Greece, results elsewhere confirmed Aberdeen’s fate.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Jamie McGrath (Aberdeen)
