Joe McConnell
Aberdeen made it six wins out of six in all competitions under new manager Jimmy Thelin, defeating a combative St Mirren 3-1 in their first home game of the Scottish Premiership season.
Dons duo Pape Habib Gueye and Jamie McGrath scored before and after Toyosi Olusanya’s close-range equaliser for the Saints, with substitute Vicente Besuijen adding a final-minute diving header.
With just one change from the team that beat St Johnstone, Aberdeen benched Bojan Miovski, who had joined from Girona, and replaced Gueye.
St Mirren have shaken up the squad following their home draw with SK Brann in the Europa Conference League qualifiers, also handing Olusanya a starting place after his last-minute equaliser in midweek.
Aberdeen started well, with Shayden Morris coming in from the right to bring in Ester Sokler. The Slovenian touched the ball and was pushed away by Alex Gogic, but the challenge was deemed fair.
Gogic was involved again when McGrath was forced off by a Nicky Devlin through ball, but again there was no apparent foul.
Pape Habib Gueye celebrates his goal with his teammates
Olusanya’s pace was causing problems for the Dons defence and he fired a wild shot towards goal for a throw-in before hitting the side netting from close range, only to see the offside flag raised.
The home side responded when Gueye received a fine touch from Graeme Shinnie’s pass and beat his opponent before shooting into the side netting.
Toyosi Olusanya (second right) celebrates the goal that brings the score to 1-1
The Buddies will rue the manner in which they conceded the first goal, when goalkeeper Ellery Balcombe’s clearance was blocked by Sokler, who eventually forced a corner.
Balcombe then deflected McGrath’s pass and Gueye took advantage to head home from close range.
Equally disastrous was St Mirren’s equaliser in first-half injury time.
Vicente Besuijen extends Aberdeen lead
Under pressure from Olusanya, Gavin Malloy failed to deal with a long, high ball and neither Slobodan Rubezic nor goalkeeper Dimitar Mitov gained control of the situation, allowing the striker to score inside the penalty area.
However, Aberdeen regained the lead shortly after the break, winning possession deep in the opposition half and forcing their way into the area where Morris was shouting out a pass from Sokler.
The winger missed his line but his misplaced shot fell to McGrath who kicked the ball past Balcombe from 12 metres.
The flow of play was disrupted by a series of substitutions as both teams cooled down, but Sokler was unlucky to see a shot deflected over before Besuijen leapt behind Elvis Bwomono to turn in Shinnie’s cross from the far post with a fine diving header.
Miovski entered the game just in time for what will likely be his final appearance for the Dons.
