A moment of magic from loan star Leighton Clarkson fired Aberdeen to a 1-0 friendly win against Atlanta United in the United States.
In a close match at MLS club Atlanta’s $60 million training complex, Dons boss Jim Goodwin gave game time to the club’s emerging teen talent.
Rising under-18 stars Blessing Oluyemi, Blair McKenzie, Alfie Bavidge, Findlay Marshall, Dylan Lobban, Liam Harvey and Adam Emslie all shone in the States.
Atlanta United fielded a side comprising players from their second tier side and Academy – that is because no players with MLS contracts are eligible to play friendlies.
Such was the competitive nature of this match there were five bookings… in a friendly.
Here are five things we learned from the clash:
Rising teenage stars impress in USA
Aberdeen boss Jim Goodwin used the friendly to run the rule over a number of talented U18 players.
Goodwin took the teens to the United States to bulk up the squad as several first team stars did not fly out, with some on international duty.
The young stars were also taken to Atlanta as reward for their superb form this season.
Blessing Oluyemi, Blair McKenzie, Alfie Bavidge, Findlay Marshall, Dylan Lobban, Liam Harvey and Adam Emslie all came on as substitutes.
They all impressed, with Lobban and Emslie in particular shining.
Teen striker Alfie Bavidge, who has hit five hat-tricks for the U18s this season, also put in a strong shift.
Towering centre-back Jack Milne started and produced a rock solid performance at the back. Milne was dominant in the air and composed in possession when playing out from the back.
The teen stars underlined the Aberdeen youth academy is continuing to produce exciting talent – and it looks like Atlanta are doing similar.
No scoring statement from Ramirez
There was to be no goalscoring statement from Christian Ramirez on his return to the United States.
The frozen-out USA international striker has played just 57 minutes of the 15 Premiership games to date.
Ramirez, 31, last started in the 5-0 League Cup win at Stirling Albion on July 19, scoring once.
The striker has since fallen down the pecking order behind in-form strikers Bojan Miovski and Luis ‘Duk’ Lopes.
With Miovski not in the States due to international duty with North Macedonia, this was a chance for Ramirez to show his goal scoring credentials.
Almost a year ago to the day, on November 19, Ramirez had underlined his desire to break back into the United States international squad. He was on nine goals for the season and hoped to end a two-and-a-half-year absence from the US squad – with the World Cup a year away.
Fast forward a year and he is frozen out at Aberdeen.
However, he struggled to really threaten keeper Sebastian Guerra. That was primarily down to the paucity of quality service to the striker and not his lack of effort.
There was a moment of concern when Ramirez had to receive treatment following a challenge by Kofi Twumasi in the 17th minute.
He was fit to continue before being replaced by Adam Emslie at half-time.
Return to action of keeper Joe Lewis
Long-serving keeper Joe Lewis returned to the starting line-up for the first time this season.
Lewis had started 262 games and been Aberdeen’s first-choice keeper for six seasons until this campaign.
The 35-year-old delivered a clean sheet and was a calm, dominant, controlling figure within the penalty box.
Lewis only had to deal with two shots on target during his time on the pitch.
The first came in the 17th minute when he comfortably saved a shot from Daniel Sebhatu.
Midway through the second half he then dived low to his right to save a 20-yard shot from Nwogu Emenike.
This was not an opportunity for Lewis to prove what he can do, though – after six years as a first-team starter, we all know what he can do.
It is a strong position for Aberdeen boss Jim Goodwin to be in – to have two keepers in Kelle Roos and Lewis battling it out for that No.1 spot.
The performance of Lewis in this rare start was never likely to impact on that battle, though.
Lewis was replaced by teenage keeper Blessing Oluyemi in the 79th minute.
The young keeper was immediately called into action and made a confident save.
🇺🇸 👋
Good to see you Red Army! pic.twitter.com/vIB97hZkye
— Aberdeen FC (@AberdeenFC) November 16, 2022
Frustration for Vicente Besuijen
Attacker Vicente Besuijen failed to shine in his first start for almost a month and was then forced off injured after just 31 minutes.
The Netherlands attacker was drafted into the starting line-up for the first time since a 4-1 League Cup defeat of Partick Thistle on October 19.
Dutch star Besuijen was one of the Dons’ most potent attacking threats in the early months of the season.
He was exciting with his direct runs, skill, pace, assists and goals.
However, Besuijen has fallen out of the starting XI since boss Jim Goodwin switched to a 3-1-4-2 formation.
This was an opportunity to shine, but Besuijen failed to grab it.
There were some flashes of skill from the 21-year-old Netherlands attacker, but with minimal end product.
Besuijen was replaced by Luis ‘Duk’ Lopes when he was forced off.
When you need quality call Clarkson
When a game needs a touch of magic to light it up, inevitably on-loan Liverpool midfielder Leighton Clarkson delivers.
An inexperienced, young Atlanta United XI had gone toe to toe with Aberdeen – until Clarkson stepped up.
In the 67th minute, Matty Kennedy delivered a corner kick from the left towards Clarkson who was loitering unmarked 22 yards out.
Clarkson met the corner and brilliantly unleashed an unstoppable right-footed volley that left keeper Sebastian Guerra with no chance.
It was a set-piece straight off the training ground… scored at a training ground.
Clarkson has a habit of scoring sensational goals, having netted a sublime long-range strike against St Mirren and a sensational free-kick against St Johnstone.
This was another cracking strike to add to Clarkson’s show-reel.
ABERDEEN XI: Lewis (Oluyemi 79), McCrorie (C), MacKenzie, Milne (McKenzie 79), Coulson (Marshall 59), Morris (Lobban 59), Clarkson, Besuijen (Duk 31) (Harvey 79), Watkins (Bavidge 68), Kennedy, Ramirez (Emslie 46)
Subs not used: Hayes.
ATLANTA UNITED XI: Guerra, Okunlola, Cobb (C), Twumasi, Brick, Carleton, Emenike, Villal, Brennan (Nickerson 80), Smith, Sebhatu.
Subs not used: Onate (GK), de Gannes, Gonzalez, Lanza, Orji, Pama, Sandoval, Trager, Tambadou
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