Aberdeen defender Shaleum Logan has set his sights on reaching the Europa League group stages after last night’s superb 5-0 win against Daugava Riga.
The Dons outclassed the poorly disciplined Latvians, who ended the first round qualifier with only nine men after Vitalijs Zils and Aurimas Kucys were sent off for second bookable offences.
Logan got the scoring under way with a terrific 33rd-minute diving header after midfielder Barry Robson had missed a penalty.
Goals from Niall McGinn, Jonny Hayes and an Adam Rooney double – one from the penalty spot – ensured the Dons supporters can start booking flights for the second round qualifier against Dutch side Groningen.
There is still next week’s second leg in Riga to complete before then, of course, but Logan is already aiming for a lengthy run in the competition.
He said: “Hopefully we can make it through a couple of rounds. We can make the group stages. We have a willingness to win and the manager and Tony Docherty do not allow us to let our standards slip.
“They want 100% from us whoever we are playing. Every game is exactly the same and we don’t want to lose, whoever we are against. We want to go as far as we can and we have given ourselves the best possibility to do that.
“The tie is not over yet, although we would certainly have taken 5-0 before the game. We have done the first part well and we kept a clean sheet. It is going to be really difficult for them.”
Logan, who joined the Dons on a permanent deal in the summer after impressing on loan from Brentford last season, is not known as a prolific goalscorer but the Englishman was delighted to get on the scoresheet last night.
He added: “It was my first goal in European football, so I am really pleased with it. It was an important goal as Barry had missed the penalty. I felt the way the game was going a goal was coming. The manager has told myself and Jonny Hayes to keep getting forward whenever possible.
“I can’t really remember too much about the goal but it was a good header and, luckily, it went in.”