Aberdeen take baby step in right direction after five-goal thriller against Shakhtar Donetsk

Away from domestic travails in the relative sanctuary of the Conference League, Jimmy Thelin's men put up a fight against illustrious opposition in Shakhtar Donetsk. In the end, the Ukrainians emerged with a 3-2 win but they left Pittodrie knowing they had been in a game.

Aberdeen netted not once but twice, ending a six-week scoring drought. Sitting bottom of the Scottish Premiership with one point and a big fat zero in the goals for column, the hope will be for manager Jimmy Thelin that they can take some momentum from this game into Sunday's league clash at home to Dundee.

The good news for Aberdeen is that they are unlikely to face a team of such technique in Scotland. With six Brazilians in their starting XI, Shakhtar showed some signs of brittleness, but on the ball they were a joy to watch and at times made the Dons look very ordinary. It is therefore a testament to Thelin's side that they ran them so close.

Aberdeen took the lead on six minutes through a Jesper Karlsson penalty before Shakhtar landed three goals via Yehor Nazaryna, Lucas Ferreira and Pedro Henrique. Nicky Devlin's header on 69 minutes set up a grandstand finish, but it was not to be.

Dismayed by their deficiencies and form this season, Aberdeen fans have been quick to boo a team that back in May gave many of them their greatest day in football by winning the Scottish Cup. Such a triumph facilitated them being in the Conference League and this time, it was only applause at the end.

Channelling some Aberdeen history

Aberdeen's only other encounter with Ukrainian opposition came in 2007 when they ousted Dnipro over two legs to qualify for the group stages of the Europa League. Darren Mackie was the hero over in Dnipropretrovsk as they edged through 1-1 on away goals. Ahead of kick-off, the highlights of that match were played on the Pittodrie big screen, perhaps in attempt to channel positive energy to the current crop.

Shakhtar are a significant step up in reputation from Dnipro. Arda Turan's men have not lost a match this season. Their last visit to Scotland was in 2022 when they drew 1-1 with Celtic in the Champions League group stages. They are a club more accustomed to the top table of European football and the maiden entrants to UEFA's third-tier tournament are understandably one of the favourites to be in May's Leipzig final.

It was therefore surprising to watch Shakhtar start this match poorly. They fell behind on eight minutes - although the concession was largely of their own doing.

Aberdeen earned a corner, which was swung in by Karlsson. Kaua Elias looked under little pressure but he inexplicably blocked the delivery with his arm. Referee Duje Strukan was quickly advised to check the monitor for review by VAR and he almost instantly awarded a penalty. Bologna loanee Karlsson drilled the spot-kick it into the bottom corner.

The visitors' first sight of goal came on 13 minutes. Nazaryna's corner was devilish in the wind and big centre-half Valeriy Bondar should have done a whole lot better than flick the ball wide from close range.

It started a sustained period of Shakhtar dominance as they moved the ball around skilfully, at times too exuberant with their play. Aberdeen had every player behind the ball as they tried to maintain their shape. They stood firm - until the 39th minute.

Aberdeen’s resistance is broken

Nazaryna swung over a corner that Aberdeen keeper Dimitar Mitov fisted away. Pedrinho sent the ball back into the penalty box and Stuart Armstrong's weak headed clearance landed straight at Nazaryna's feet. From an acute angle, the playmaker drilled the ball in via the post.

Aberdeen needed the interval to regroup. Shakhtar were clearly the more dangerous side and containing them for another 45 minutes seemed a tough ask.

Their second-half resistance only lasted nine minutes. Aberdeen gave it away cheaply. Marlon Gomes' cross from wide left was met by Ferreira at the far post, who had ghosted past a ball-watching Topi Keskinen. Mitov made his job easier by coming out into no-man's land and Shakhtar had the lead.

Aberdeen had to open up now, and Shakhtar gleefully accepted the space. Imbued with self-assurance, a 23-pass move that started from goalkeeper Dmytro Riznyk in his own six-yard box was finished by Henrique on 59 minutes.

Aberdeen desperately needed the next goal and it came to them ten minutes later. Serbian striker Marko Lazetic showed why AC Milan signed him as a teenager with an excellent swivel and shot that was turned on to the bar by Rinzyk. Devlin reacted quickest and plunged a diving header into the net to ensure a lively finish.

Aberdeen had their tails up. Rinzyk had to look smart and land on a Keskinen effort on 74 minutes. Shakhtar's swagger had gone. Now they needed to show some resilience.

Aberdeen pressed until the end but two goals was all they were going to get. Baby steps and all that. Now to take a leap forward in the Premiership before they return to continental football later this month away at AEK Athens.