Aberdeen’s Europa League campaign gets started tonight when RoPS Rovaniemi of Finland visit Pittodrie.
It’s the sixth successive season that the Dons have played in Europe under boss Derek McInnes.
The first of those Continental adventures was five years ago when Latvians Daugava Riga were the opposition in the second qualifying round.
In the first leg in the Granite City the visitors were physical and robust and often had to resort to fouling the Reds to stop them in their creative tracks.
Just before the quarter hour French referee Nicolas Rainville pointed for a penalty after Valdemar Borovskij pushed Adam Rooney, but keeper Emilijus Zubas saved the powerful effort from Barry Robson.
That only delayed the inevitable and in the 33rd minute Jonny Hayes’ cross from the left was headed home by Shay Logan.
The lead was doubled on 49 minutes when energetic play by Ryan Jack set up Niall McGinn to fire home at the second attempt after his initial strike was blocked.
Four minutes later Edijs Jokts handled Cammy Smith’s cross in the box and this time Rooney converted from 12 yards.
Hayes got in on the scoring act, pouncing on a Rooney knockdown with 16 minutes left and then Rooney completed the rout in stoppage time.
Gaffer McInnes said: “I would have taken a 5-0 victory before the game, so I’m delighted.”
This article originally appeared on the Evening Express website. For more information, read about our new combined website.