Aberdeen and Hearts played out a goalless draw at Pittodrie on Sunday afternoon.
Head coach Neil Critchley made three changes from the side that defeated Dundee United at Tannadice last time out as Daniel Oyegoke, Beni Baningime and Jamie McCart came into the XI with Kye Rowles and Adam Forrester moving to the bench, with Liam Boyce completing a January move to Derry City.
With a couple of new signings in their line-up, there was a buzz around Pittodrie at kick-off and it was almost the dream start for the home side as debutant Kristers Tobers was presented with a golden opportunity inside two minutes, but he was denied at point-blank range by Craig Gordon following a dangerous in-swinging corner from the left.
It was an interesting tactical battle in the early exchanges with both sides trying to play out from the back and the opponents pressing high. That meant there was space in behind for both teams and when Ante Palaversa lofted a ball over the top for Tobi Keskinen, his left-foot shot cannoned off his other foot, as the ball flew well wide of Gordon’s goal.
The Jambos were struggling to create many openings, despite seeing plenty of the ball themselves and Keskinen squandered another golden opportunity for the home side on 33 minutes. Curving a clever run infield from the right wing, he latched on to Kevin Nisbet’s through ball, but slid his effort wide of the onrushing Gordon.
It wasn’t a 45 minutes littered with openings in truth and despite Hearts growing into the half as it went on, they didn’t test Ross Doohan in goal and it was scoreless at the break.
Half-time: Aberdeen 0-0 Hearts
A clever corner kick routine from the Jambos brought about the first opening of the second period, as James Penrice teed up Blair Spittal on the edge of the box but he curled over on 53 minutes.
Cammy Devlin was next to go close for Hearts just minutes later. After nicking the ball back in a dangerous area, the Aussie played a smart one-two with Jorge Grant and burst into the penalty box down the left wing, but his effort lacked composure and it flew high and wide.
Aberdeen introduced Duk shortly after the break and he let fly with a goalbound effort on the hour mark which was excellently blocked by McCart.
Both sides continued to make changes in search of a winner as Elton Kabangu was introduced on 65 minutes for his Hearts debut and he almost opened the scoring six minutes later. Daniel Oyegoke did well to release Jorge Grant down the right wing and his deep cross was met by the striker, whose powerful header was well saved by Doohan.
From the resulting corner, the Jambos came even closer as McCart rose highest at the back post but saw his header come back off the post before the rebound was blocked by a red shirt.
Kabangu’s introduction through the middle was certainly causing the home side some issues and he had a shout for a penalty waved away 14 minutes from time after latching on to James Wilson’s low cross, but referee Steven McLean wasn’t interested.
Shayden Morris was brought on for the home side to add more pace to the Dons attack as the game edged closer to a goalless draw but the closest the winger came to providing the winner was when he fired a right-foot shot into the side netting from an acute angle.
The Jambos were given the perfect chance to snatch all three points in stoppage time as Silvert Nilsen was adjudged to have fouled Kenneth Vargas in the penalty box. Jorge Grant stepped up to take the spot kick, but saw his effort saved by Doohan, who ensured it ended goalless in the Granite City.
Aberdeen: Doohan, Devlin, Shinnie (C), Nilsen, Nisbet (Duk, 55), Clarkson (Polvara, 65), McGarry, Okkels (Morris, 79), Palaversa, Tobers (McGrath, 65), Keskinen
Subs: Ritchie, McGrath, Polvara, Duk, Morris, MacDonald, Boyd, Ambrose, Enem
Hearts: Gordon, Halkett, Oyegoke (Forrester, 90), Baningime (Vargas, 83), Grant, Devlin, Spittal (Dhanda, 83), Wilson (Forrest, 90), Penrice, McCart, Drammeh (Kabangu, 65)
Subs: Fulton, Rowles, Forrest, Boateng, Kabangu, Dhanda, Neilson, Forrester, Vargas
