Aberdeen under-19s boss Scott Anderson has urged the club’s young guns to show their true quality in their Uefa Youth League return leg in Hungary.
The Dons’ debut in the prestigious tournament ended in disappointment as they went down 5-1 to Puskas Akademia in a second round first leg clash at Pittodrie.
They now have a monumental mountain to climb in a bid to overhaul the huge deficit in the return leg in Hungary on Wednesday, November 6.
At stake is a clash against either Genk (Belgium) or CSKA Sofia (Bulgaria) in the next round.
Aberdeen’s cause was not helped by key players being ruled out for the Euro showdown due to an SFA ruling.
Anderon said: “The boys are disappointed but hopefully we can go and show what we are really like when we go across to Hungary.
“We found it difficult and tough.
“We always knew it was going to be a young group against a team where a lot of them are out playing senior football.
“However, we didn’t really help ourselves as we were masters of our own downfall as the goals we conceded were very poor.
“It was very difficult to get a foothold in the game off the back of losing some poor goals.
“But we need to move on and get ready for the second leg.
“We will dust ourselves down and try to learn from it.”
SFA rule denies Aberdeen key players
Reds under-19s boss Anderson was without key players for the Euro clash due to SFA rules.
Alfie Bavidge, Adam Emslie, Findlay Marshall, Dylan Lobban and Blair McKenzie were all ruled out as they are currently on loan at Scottish lower league clubs.
SFA rules prevent on-loan players from featuring for their parent club in the Uefa Youth League.
On the SFA ruling, Anderson said: “I was more frustrated for the boys themselves.
“Those guys put us in this position with their hard work last season.
“For me it is a silly rule as this would be another game that would help in the education of these young players who are out playing in the Scottish League.
“It is a frustration for every one of us.
“We finished the game with nine under-17 players.”
European big guns in the tournament
The Dons under-19s earned their place in the prestigious European tournament by winning the CAS Scotland Elite U18 League title last season.
Aberdeen boss Jimmy Thelin and many of his first-team stars were at Pittodrie to watch the young guns’ Euro bow.
The Uefa Youth League is effectively the Champions League of youth football with Europe’s top clubs competing.
Youth teams of giants like Real Madrid, Barcelona, Manchester City, Liverpool, AC Milan, Juventus and Bayern Munich are involved in the Champions League Path.
Aberdeen qualified in the Domestic Champion Path due to their league title win.
Both paths are played separately this year, then merge for the knockout phase in 2025.
Aberdeen were cheered on by a sizeable crowd with a noisy Red Shed creating a boisterous atmosphere.
The Uefa Youth League is an U19s tournament.
That allowed players to feature who helped Aberdeen qualify for Europe last season but are now too old for the U18s.
As a result, Brendan Hamilton, Cameron Wilson and captain Alfie Stewart – too old to feature for the U18s – all started.
Fraser Mackie nets European goal
Aberdeen created the first chance in the 10th minute when Stewart won possession deep in midfield before sliding a pass to Fraser Mackie at the edge of the box.
Mackie found Fletcher Boyd with a lay-off, but the attacker’s 20-yard drive was saved by Bendeguz Lehoczki.
The woodwork denied Puskas Akademia soon after when Artem Tyshchuk’s vicious 18-yard drive cracked off the near post.
The Hungarians went ahead in the 16th minute when a shot from Bence Vekony took a deflection off Victor Enem to send it spinning into goal.
Aberdeen levelled in the 22nd minute when Stewart fired a cross into the penalty area.
It found Mackie, who drilled a vicious, clinical first time shot into the roof of the net from 12 yards.
Puksas Akademia regained the lead in the 29th minute, though, when a cross from the left by Adam Umathum found Bence Vekony.
Attacker Vekony sent a glancing header beyond keeper Rodrigo Vitols from six yards.
Hungarians extend their advantage
The Hungarians extended their lead in the 40th minute when Kevin Mondovics was played in one-on one with the keeper.
He rounded advancing keeper Vitols and shot home from 15 yards.
It was 4-1 in the 46th minute when Mondovics raced on to a long ball and beat keeper Vitols to possession.
He headed beyond the keeper at the edge of the box then smashed a shot into an empty net from six yards
Puskas Akademia further increased their advantage in the 59th minute when a shot from Domonkos Miskolczi was saved by keeper Vitols.
The loose ball fell to Mondovics, who converted from six yards.
ABERDEEN (4-3-3):Vitols; Enem (Teasdale 66), Carrol, Akindileni, Hamilton (Ross 60); Clark (Mcdonell 60), Masson, Stewart; Wilson (To 81), Mackie, Boyd.
Subs not used: Simpson, Searle, Green
PUSKAS AKADEMIA FC (4-2-3-1):Lehoczki; Orjan, Pal, Umathum, Vitalyas; Asvanyi, Dymitriev (Varga 81); Tyshchuk, Miskolczi (Osadchyi 71), Vekony (Antal 71); Mondovics
Subs not used: Bozo, Szojma, Magyarics, Zahoran
Referee: Lukasz Kuzma (Poland)
Conversation