UECL: Shakhtar Donetsk Wins 3-2 Against Aberdeen in Conference League Thriller

Aberdeen's winless run continues with 3-2-2 loss to Shakhtar Donetsk

Aberdeen's winless streak extended to eight games after a thrilling 3-2 loss to Shakhtar Donetsk in their UEFA Conference League opener at Pittodrie.

Shakhtar Donetsk maintained their momentum after halftime, dominating possession and eventually turning the game...

Aberdeen's winless run extended to eight games with a 3-2 loss to Shakhtar Donetsk in the UEFA Conference League. The Dons had a brief respite from their poor domestic form, courtesy of a gift from their opponents in the opening minutes.

Boyle's early penalty gave Aberdeen the lead, but Shakhtar Donetsk staged a comeback to secure a 3-2 win. The match was a thrilling encounter with five goals, showcasing the competitive spirit of both teams in their Conference League opener.

A corner seemed destined to sail harmlessly out for a goal kick, but Kaua Elias inadvertently nudged it with his elbow, changing its course. After a VAR review, a penalty was awarded. Despite the ball being blown off the spot by the wind several times, Jesper Karlsson remained composed and slotted the penalty past Dmytro Riznyk into the bottom corner.

🔥 A real show in the Conference League 😍

🧡 #Shakhtar defeated Aberdeen in a thrilling match in Scotland! 👏

⚽️ Nazaryna ⚽️ Lucas ⚽️ Pedro Henrique

⚡️ The next #UECL game is vs Legia in Kraków on October 23.#AberdeenShakhtar @Conf_League pic.twitter.com/OMxXpH9Smc

— FC SHAKHTAR ENGLISH (@FCShakhtar_eng) October 2, 2025

Despite conceding the penalty, Shakhtar Donetsk took control of the first half, dominating possession, but struggled to create clear-cut chances. Their persistence paid off in the 39th minute when a recycled corner found Yehor Nazaryna, who fired the ball past Dimitar Mitov from a narrow angle via the far post.

Shakhtar Donetsk maintained their momentum after halftime, dominating possession and eventually turning the game around on 54 minutes. A well-executed move ended with Marlon Gomes delivering a cross to the far post, where Lucas Ferreira capitalized on Topi Keskinen's hesitation to head the ball home from close range.

Aberdeen's hopes began to fade further when Pedro Henrique scored on the hour mark, finishing a sumptuous strike past Mitov after Marlon Gomes had headed the ball down. However, the home side refused to give up and forced their way back into contention with 20 minutes remaining. A dramatic sequence saw Riznyk tip Marko Lazetic's volley onto the bar, only for Nicky Devlin to capitalize on the rebound and slash the ball into the net, reducing the deficit to 3-2.

In the final 10 minutes, Aberdeen pushed hard for an equalizer, but Shakhtar Donetsk's tactics to slow the pace effectively stunted the home side's attacking momentum. Ultimately, the Ukrainians held on to win 3-2, extending their unbeaten run to nine games (7 wins, 2 draws) and starting their campaign with a perfect victory.

Shakhtar win five-goal thriller in Aberdeen 😤#UECL pic.twitter.com/kNOC6dDFRf

— UEFA Conference League (@Conf_League) October 2, 2025