The indifferent Helsinki and Aberdeen did not freeze and offered a spectacle

In a real ‘thriller’, indifferent Helsinki and Aberdeen drew 2-2 in the Finnish capital for matchday five of Europa Conference League Group Seven, with the Scots sitting +1 in the standings ahead of the final matchday on 14 December.

Helsinki went 2-0 up through Balde and Hostika, but the 1983 European Cup winners equalized through MacDonald and Lopes.

The match

The Finns started the stronger and began to create chances in the Scots goal with all the attacking Scandinavians threatening the Brits. Thus, the goal was a matter of time and it came in the 16th minute, when Peltola passed to Bande, who with a nice individual energy and a strong shot made it 1-0. Lopes threatened in the 26th minute for Aberdeen, but in the 33rd minute, Lindman passed to Hostika, who made it 2-0 from the area. Aberdeen’s answer came in the 39th minute, when MacDonald made it 2-1 with a direct free kick from 25 meters. At 45’+2′, Lopes missed an opportunity to equalize.

Aberdeen pressed at the start of the replay and without conceding the opponent’s goal managed to equalize in the 56th minute, when Jensen took a corner and Lopez from inside the area sent the ball into the net. The goal “froze” the home team and Aberdeen missed a chance with Sockler in the 59th minute to make it 2-3. Helsinki “woke up” and started to press, missing an opportunity with Hetemai in the 73rd minute. There the match was abandoned due to heavy snow and the unsuitability of the pitch and snowplows were brought into the pitch to clear it so that the match could resume, which happened a quarter of an hour later.

In the 79th minute, McGrath missed a good chance to make it 2-3, as did Sockler in the 86th minute. In the 91st minute, Miovski’s near post was blocked by Maenpaa and the match ended in a draw.

Grading:

The next matchday (14/12):

PAOK-Helsinki-

Aberdeen-Eintracht