Match ends, Aberdeen 2, Hamilton Academical 0.
AberdeenAberdeen2HamiltonHamilton Academical0
Aberdeen began their Scottish Premiership campaign with a deserved victory over Hamilton Academical.
Anthony O'Connor cleverly headed home Greg Tansey's free-kick to open the scoring after 26 minutes at Pittodrie.
Accies' Xavier Tomas was shown a second yellow card after the interval for a cynical block on Ryan Christie.
And the dominant, but profligate Dons killed the game in the final minute of normal time when Miles Storey curled the ball across Gary Woods.
Manager Derek McInnes made four changes to the Aberdeen side that started the Europa League third round qualifying defeat by Apollon Limassol on Thursday with Kari Arnason, Tansey, Nicky Maynard and Scott Wright drafted in.
It was an attempt to freshen the team up after the physical and emotional demands of that disappointing loss, but also a chance to judge the strength of the squad for the season ahead.
The performance of Wright in particular must have been a source of satisfaction for the Dons boss, who has backed the winger to exert a big influence during the domestic campaign.
The teenager linked up well with the equally impressive Christie, while his pace and directness was a constant threat to the Hamilton back three, particularly Georgios Sarris, who was booked after sending Wright sprawling with a wild challenge.
In fact all three Accies centre-backs were cautioned during a fiercely-contested match and it seemed inevitable that one of them would also see red.
Tomas only had himself to blame for two fouls on Christie in the space of just 10 second-half minutes.
That was the last thing Accies manager Martin Canning needed when his side were trailing by a single goal, and showing encouraging glimpses in attack.
Canning will have been disappointed too at the manner of Hamilton's first concession, his team failing to defend a Tansey free-kick from the left, allowing O'Connor to flick the ball into the far corner.
Wright, Christie and Kenny McLean all went close to increasing that lead before the break, while it took two decent saves from Joe Lewis to deny Dougie Imrie a goal either side of the interval.
At the other end, Dons defender Shay Logan saw a volley saved, the impressive Wright had a shot blocked only for Graeme Shinnie to steer the rebound wide and substitute Massimo Donati denied Maynard after he had rounded the keeper.
There was nothing Accies could do to prevent substitute Storey scoring the second in the last minute, even though they claimed in vain for a foul on David Templeton in the build-up.
Storey struggled last season after moving from Inverness, but he bent in a sublime goal to seal the win - only his second strike for the club.
Line-ups
Aberdeen
Formation 4-4-1-1
- 1Lewis
- 4Considine
- 5O'Connor
- 14ArnasonSubstituted forReynoldsat 60'minutes
- 2Logan
- 16Tansey
- 3ShinnieBooked at 13mins
- 7McLean
- 15Wright
- 22ChristieSubstituted forStewartat 80'minutes
- 10MaynardSubstituted forStoreyat 86'minutes
Substitutes
- 6Reynolds
- 8Stewart
- 11Mackay-Steven
- 20Rogers
- 21Harvie
- 25Ross
- 39Storey
Hamilton
Formation 4-4-2
- 1Woods
- 3McMannBooked at 27mins
- 5TomasBooked at 62mins
- 89SarrisBooked at 22mins
- 2SkondrasBooked at 58minsSubstituted forDonatiat 67'minutes
- 7Imrie
- 11Crawford
- 8Docherty
- 18MacKinnon
- 9BinghamSubstituted forLongridgeat 71'minutes
- 30BoydSubstituted forTempletonat 60'minutes
Substitutes
- 6Gillespie
- 10Redmond
- 12Fulton
- 16Templeton
- 17Longridge
- 21Donati
- 22Lyon
- Referee:
- Euan Anderson
- Attendance:
- 15,165
Match Stats
Home TeamAberdeenAway TeamHamilton
- Possession
- Home51%
- Away49%
- Shots
- Home17
- Away5
- Shots on Target
- Home7
- Away3
- Corners
- Home3
- Away2
- Fouls
- Home10
- Away17
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Aberdeen 2, Hamilton Academical 0.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Louis Longridge (Hamilton Academical) left footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked.
Goal!
Goal! Aberdeen 2, Hamilton Academical 0. Miles Storey (Aberdeen) right footed shot from the left side of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Graeme Shinnie.
Substitution
Substitution, Aberdeen. Miles Storey replaces Nicky Maynard.
Post update
Foul by Ali Crawford (Hamilton Academical).
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Kenny McLean (Aberdeen) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Louis Longridge (Hamilton Academical).
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Mark Reynolds (Aberdeen) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Attempt missed. Greg Tansey (Aberdeen) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the right.
Substitution
Substitution, Aberdeen. Greg Stewart replaces Ryan Christie.
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Louis Longridge (Hamilton Academical) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Shaleum Logan (Aberdeen).
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Attempt saved. Darian MacKinnon (Hamilton Academical) right footed shot from very close range is saved in the top centre of the goal.
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Darian MacKinnon (Hamilton Academical) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Foul by Graeme Shinnie (Aberdeen).
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Attempt blocked. Shaleum Logan (Aberdeen) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
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Foul by Dougie Imrie (Hamilton Academical).
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Shaleum Logan (Aberdeen) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Post update
Georgios Sarris (Hamilton Academical) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
