Hardy Aberdeen Fans Make Longest Away Trek In European Football History To

Aberdeen manager Derek McInnes has accused his players of “lacking bravery” in their Europa League third-round qualifier against Kairat. Unlike in Croatia when we were not punished, we were here with two bits of real quality that we knew Kairat had.

He said: “An away goal is massive in Europe as we’ve shown already and it was good to get it”. On that day I possibly picked the wrong team.

“We said before the game how important the away goal could be”, McInnes said.

Goals from Mikhail Bakaev in the 13th minute and the impressive Bauyrzhan Islamkhan in the 22nd, who scored an absolute rocket from 30 yards out past on-loan Liverpool goalkeeper Danny Ward, made it seem like the Dons’ European adventure was coming to a close – in Asia – but subsitute Kenny McClean thumped home a goal in the second half to keep them in the tie.

“I think Kairat are still the favourites as we still have to score”. They didn’t roll over and they came out fighting. I think at home we can do the same.

The club chartered a 44-seat private jet to make the trip, costing some £200,000 – far exceeding the potential £100,000 they’d have received in prize money for actually winning the match.

McLean also netted in Aberdeen’s 3-0 win at Rijeka in the previous round and McInnes felt the January signing from St Mirren was again rewarded for his positivity.

In the second half, with the Dons needing at least one away goal, McInnes turned to last season’s top goalscorer Rooney but it was McGinn who got that away goal at the midway point of the second half. “But when there is a fee involved everyone expects more”. He always backs himself to score and now he has two goals and people start to recognise the qualities he has got. I believe what I said at half time that if we won the second half, which we did, we can be confident we can get the job done in Aberdeen. This season he is starting afresh. We played like the Aberdeen team I wanted to see the first minute.’.