Second-half goals from Giorgi Nemsadze and Fabian Caballero ensured top-six
status for Dundee on the day the Scottish Premier League split into two
divisions.
Victory at Pittodrie - and Kilmarnock's defeat of Dunfermline - put Ivano
Bonetti's side in the top echelon.
Dundee's hopes of making the top six seemed to have been dealt a blow before
kick-off when striker Claudio Caniggia was ruled out with a hamstring injury.
His place was taken by Caballero.
The visitors pressed forward from the start and were almost rewarded after six
minutes when Caballero found himself clear inside the area. His lob from 12
yards beat Ryan Esson but was headed clear.
Aberdeen's response was immediate. Derek Young was sent free on the right, and
his driven cross from the edge of the area was cleared.
With 14 minutes played Aberdeen missed the best chance so far. Robbie Winters
brilliantly played in midweek hat-trick hero Arild Stavrum who shot narrowly
past the upright.
Gavin Rae picked out Juan Sara, who advanced into the area before unleashing a
tremendous shot which crashed off the bar and away to safety.
Confusion in the Dundee rearguard almost let Young in on goal - but the ball
was eventually scrambled away to safety.
Good interplay between Sara and Caballero on 36 minutes almost led to the
breakthrough Dundee so desperately wanted - but Sara was closed down by the
Dons' defence as he was about to shoot.
Urged on by a large travelling support, Dundee continued to hold the upper
hand without being able to make the most of the few chances that were in the
game.
The first chance of the second half fell to the Dons, but Stavrum's weak cross
from the edge of the area was easily dealt with by the Dundee defence.
Dundee finally broke the deadlock on 52 minutes when Nemsadze took the ball
off Young in midfield before advancing forward and firing home from 20 yards.
In an effort to change the game Aberdeen boss Ebbe Skovdahl made two changes
on 58 minutes, introducing Mackie and Rachid Belabed for the ineffective
Guntveit and Young.
But that did not change the flow of the game, and with 63 minutes gone it was
the away side who went further ahead. Caballero's shot was deflected past Esson
to the obvious delight of the Dundee support.
Caballero almost made the Dons defence pay for their indecision when he picked
up the loose ball inside the area, but his chipped shot went just wide.
Even so he and Nemsadze had already done enough.
Teams:
Aberdeen: Esson, Solberg, McGuire, Whyte, McAllister (Dow 69),
Guntveit (Belabed 58), Rowson, Darren Young (Mackie 58),
Stavrum, Derek Young, Winters.
Subs Not Used: Preece, Lilley.
Dundee: Langfield, Khizanishvili, Tweed, Coyne, Marrocco,
Artero (Garrido 23), Nemsadze, Rae, Carranza, Sara, Caballero.
Subs Not Used: Hankinson, Fatello, Del Rio, Falconer.
Booked: Coyne.
Goals: Nemsadze 52, Caballero 63.
Att: 11,805
Ref: K Toner (Scotland).
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