FC Twente v Aberdeen talking points as Toyosi Olusanya miss and denied penalty contribute to Dutch defeat

Aberdeen were left to rue a cringe-inducing Toyosi Olusanya miss as they finished off their week-long Dutch pre-season training camp with 1-0 defeat to FC Twente.

Stephen Robinson’s Dons, who have spent the week training in the eastern Dutch city of Delden, took on last season’s fourth-place Eredivisie finishers at the ground of nearby amateurs GFC Goor.

There was a good crowd and party atmosphere – including around 100 of the Red Army – for what was a competitive bounce game played in hot and sunny conditions and which was settled by Lucas Vennegoor of Hesselink’s finish on the rebound just after the half-hour mark.

How it unfolded in Goor:

The first half between Twente and Aberdeen was played with a Dutch league ball before a switch to the new Puma-made Scottish Premiership ball in the second half.

Despite the Dutch ball, Aberdeen worked Twente’s Lars Unnerstall inside a minute – Topi Keskinen getting on the end of Brad Lyons’ curled delivery to the back post.

It took until 12 minutes for Twente to have their first shot, a timid, angled effort from right-back Bart van Rooij which Dimitar Mitov, making his first appearance of pre-season after groin surgery in the closing weeks of last term, easily smothered.

Aberdeen were giving as good as they got against Europe-bound Twente, and two minutes later, Lewis Mayo headed just wide of the near post from an Alexander Briedl corner.

On 31 minutes, though, Twente scored. Mitov couldn’t hold a rasping low strike from Marko Pjaca – who in 2016 moved from Dinamo Zagreb to Juventus for 30 million euros. Vennegoor of Hesselink (son of former Celtic striker Jan) scooped home the rebound.

The Twente forward almost made it two soon after, running on to a long ball and flicking it over Mitov, but Mayo got back to hook clear.

Twente changed their entire team at half-time, while the Dons made a triple swap, and straight from the restart, ex-Rangers player Sam Lammers fired a warning shot into Dons half-time goalkeeping change Nick Suman’s right side-netting.

There was then a horrible moment for another Reds sub, Olusanya, with the striker chasing down an errant touch from Twente replacement keeper Yannick Gerritsen, but then blazing over from just a few yards out with the goal gaping.

Ultimately, it was a huge chance for the permanent summer signing which could have earned Robinson’s rebuilt Aberdeen a creditable draw against opposition who will soon be participating in Europa League qualifying.

Another trio of Aberdeen subs, the second half water break and four more Aberdeen subs (the joy of pre-season friendlies) then brought a stop-start nature of proceedings.

On 75 minutes, Findlay Marshall took the ball off the toes of Daouda Weidmann in the middle of the park, and had a free run at the Twente goal, but waited too long to shoot and his effort was intercepted harmlessly into Gerritsen’s hands.

With Twente threatening a second up the other end, Aberdeen fans protested for a late penalty on 85 minutes, when Olusanya, after a powerful run, was challenged – it appeared unfairly – by Ruud Nijstad.

With a minute left, Twente looked to seal victory after Suman’s save from an earlier shot led to the Dons not quite clearing their lines and Lammers crashed a follow-up effort off the crossbar.

Red Army see Connor Ronan for first time

Midfielder Connor Ronan was playing in front of Aberdeen fans for the first time following his move from Colorado Rapids, having missed last weekend’s friendly win over Cove Rangers.

The Press and Journal spoke to Dons fans before the game, and they pinpointed Ronan as the signing they are most excited about for the season ahead.

The Dons midfield started fluidly against Twente, with Ronan – a goalscoring creator during his 2021/22 loan spell at St Mirren – playing no.10.

In a first half where he was Aberdeen’s brightest spark, he was at times dropping deepest of the midfield three to get on the ball.

It’s early days, but the energetic efforts of Ronan to pull the strings for the Dons and link the play was promising following his return from the US.

Another clean sheet denied by Twente

Aberdeen couldn’t make it four consecutive clean sheets in pre-season.

After a 5-0 closed-door win against Highland League Formartine United to kick off pre-season, the 1-0 win over League One Cove at the Balmoral Stadium and Wednesday’s 1-0 closed-door victory over German fourth-tier FC Bocholt, who have also been in camp at Aparthotel Delden, Eredivisie big-hitters Twente were always going to be a sterner examination of the backline.

However, new centre-backs Lewis Mayo (from Kilmarnock) and Dan Happe (Leyton Orient) did impress with their physicality and composure against opponents of decent pedigree.

Goalkeeping duo

Robinson will be delighted to have no.1 keeper Mitov back playing well in time for the Premier Sports Cup kicking off at Brora Rangers on Tuesday, July 14.

The Bulgaria international has recovered from surgery and did well against Twente – though he didn’t hold the strike in the build-up to the winning goal.

Australian Nick Suman, too, after waiting all season for his debut on the last day of last term, in part due to long-term injury, looks like he is going to have the trust of the head coach to be Mitov’s back-up this term.

At one point, the mood music felt like both goalies were going to move on this summer, but both now look like staying put despite the expected outgoings in the days ahead from Pittodrie.

TEAMS:

Twente (4-2-3-1): Unnerstall; Van Rooij, Lemkin, Meilink, Kurowski; Nagel, Kjolo; Taha, Hlynsson, Pjaca; Vennegoor of Hesselink.

Subs: (4-3-3) Gerritsen; Adelgaard, Nijstad, Bruns, Peixoto; Van den Belt, Weidmann, Kuster ; Rots, Orjasaeter, Lammers, (all 45).

Aberdeen (4-2-3-1): Mitov; Devlin, Mayo, Happe, Molloy; Lyons, Breidl; Yogane, Ronan, Keskinen; Nisbet.

Subs: Suman (Mitov 45), Aremu (Lyons 45), Olusanya (Nisbet 45), Bilalovic (Yogane 62), Milne (Happe 62), Marshall (Ronan 62), Lobban (Devlin 69), Stewart (Keskinen 69), Frame (Molloy 69), Palaversa (Briedl 69).

Devlin came back on for Mayo on 86 minutes. Lyons came back on for Bilalovic on 91 minutes.

Subs not used: Armstrong, Vitols.

[Source: Press and Journal]