Aberdeen boss Jimmy Thelin insists Topi Keskinen is already showing why the club splashed out £860,000 to sign the Finnish winger.
Keskinen, 21, was secured from Finnish top flight HJK Helsinki on a four-year-deal.
The transfer fee paid for the Finnish under-21 international is the second most expensive in the Dons’ history.
Introduced off the bench for a Dons debut near the hour mark, Keskinen scored a superb injury time winner in the 1-0 victory against Queen’s Park in the last 16 of the Premier Sports Cup at Pittodrie.
The wing king’s cup heroics fired the Dons into the quarter-finals and extended Thelin’s 100% winning start to the campaign – and his Dons career.
Under Thelin the Dons have won a magnificent seven out of seven games in all competitions.
Thelin said: “It was his first game and Topi hadn’t done so many sessions with the team yet.
“He showed why we brought him here – his running in behind and also his skills in dribbling and finding spaces between the lines.
“Topi had some really good runs in behind to stretch them and give more space to the other players.
“He is a good complement to the squad. It was a good impact and start for him.”
Keskinen is the second highest transfer fee paid by Aberdeen, just behind the club record £1m paid for Paul Bernard in 1995.
Thelin said: “I don’t think about the transfer fee, I think about the player.”
Thelin praises fans for their patience
Facing Queen’s Park was the Dons’ first game since striker Bojan Miovski transferred to Spanish La Liga side Girona.
It was a club record transfer fee that could bank the Pittodrie club up to £9m with achievable add-ons and sell-on clauses.
It is very early days but the hope will be Keskinen can follow that same player trading model that was so successful with Miovski.
Light up the first team for a couple of seasons before being sold for a significant profit.
Thelin said: “It was a difficult game as Queen’s Park had some opportunities.
“In the second half we tried to attack more from the sides and with crosses.
“That was our solution but still it was 0-0 but the team stayed calm and did not let frustration take over.
“We tried and tried to get that winning goal.
“I’m really happy with how they performed because it is easy to let frustration take over but they didn’t.
“Also the fans didn’t get frustrated as they stayed with us and pushed us to the last minute.
“Which is why we get that extra energy to win these games.”
Croatian midfielder an unused sub
Croatian midfielder Ante Palaversa was an unused substitute in his first appearance in a match-day squad.
Palaversa signed on a one year-deal from French club ES Troyes for an undisclosed fee.
Aberdeen have the option of two more years on the deal if Palaversa, who Manchester City paid £6m for in 2019, impresses.
Centre-back Jack Milne, 21, came in for his first start under new manager Thelin to replace suspended Slobodan Rubezic.
Dons in deadlock during first-half
Aberdeen created the first opportunity in the sixth minute when Nicky Devlin’s low five yard drive at the near post was blocked by keeper Calum Ferrie.
Queen’s Park went close in the 17th minute when Zak Rudden’s effort was goal-bound but Milne cleared in front of an open goal.
Aberdeen were denied the opener by a superb save to deny Pape Gueye’s header in the 37th minute.
Keskinen becomes immediate hero
At half-time Thelin replaced Gueye with Vicente Besuijen who went wide left, with Jamie McGrath moving inside behind Sokler.
Aberdeen pushed forward but Jack MacKenzie and Devlin all spurned decent chances by shooting wide from inside the box.
Keskinen was introduced in the 57th minute for Shayden Morris with the Finn welcomed with a standing ovation and raucous applause from fans.
He left the pitch at full-time to the same.
With injury time looming Keskinen stepped up to immediately install himself as a Dons hero with a superb debut winner.
A patient move that involved McGrath and Shinnie finished with Heltne Nilsen sliding a pass to Keskinen in the box.
The Finnish winger took a touch with his right, spun sharply and unleashed a superb 12 yard drive that bulleted into goal.
It was a superb goal that announced a major talent to Aberdeen fans and Scottish football.
ABERDEEN (4-2-3-1): Mitov 6; Devlin 6, Milne 6, Molloy 6, MacKenzie 6 (McGarry 78); Heltne Nilsen 6, Shinnie 6; Morris 5 (Keskinen 57), Gueye 4 (Besuijen 46), McGrath 6; Sokler 6 (Ambrose 78)
Subs not used: Doohan, Jensen, Palaversa, MacDonald, Bavidge
QUEEN’S PARK (3-5-2): Ferrie 6; Thomson 6 (McLeish 63), Ujdur 6 (Fieldson 63), Kerr 6 ; Longridge 6 (McGregor 65), Turner 6, Welsh 6, Murray 6, Scott 6 (MacKenzie 74); Thomas 6, Rudden 6
Subs not used; Wills, Hinds, Connolly, McDonnell, McGinlay
Referee: Colin Steven
Attendance: 8,939
Man-of-the-match: Sivert Heltne Nilsen (Aberdeen)
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