Whatever Aberdeen manager Jim Goodwin’s pre-match plan was for the visit of Rangers will remain a mystery.
But if this was Plan B then it undoubtedly was an exciting change of script as Aberdeen and Rangers served up a Pittodrie thriller.
Their hand may have been forced by the loss of an early goal but Aberdeen’s braver, bolder stance should have paid a handsome dividend.
Instead, an incredible defensive collapse in stoppage time left them with nothing to show for their efforts.
The formation was unchanged with the Dons lining up in the same 3-5-2 formation they used against Celtic on Saturday.
But for a brief couple of minutes there was a difference in the approach from the Dons to what they offered in their 1-0 home defeat three days earlier.
Dons stung by loss of early goal
There was little more than a minute on the clock when Bojan Miovski saw his shot blocked by Rangers defender James Sands.
The rousing cheer from the home fans, starved of anything to get excited about against the Hoops, told the story.
But if it was a signal of intent from the Dons the visitors took no notice as they duly broke the deadlock in the 11th minute.
It had been coming too, with the Aberdeen backline put under pressure before conceding.
The ease at which the Gers cut through the Aberdeen backline was the big concern with Fashion Sakala scoring at the second attempt and his early goal ensured this would be no repeat of the weekend loss to Celtic.
The defeat to the champions had come after the Hoops had worn down the Dons’ resistance before finding the breakthrough three minutes from time.
Rangers needed next to no time at all to breach the Dons here, leaving the home side with little option but to commit men forward in an attempt to get back into the game.
As a spectacle, it made for compelling viewing.
A magical moment from Duk
Hayden Coulson and Jayden Richardson were attacking threats down the flanks for the Dons while Rangers’ attacking players came close to exploiting the gaps they left behind.
As contrasts go to what was on offer just days earlier, it was stark.
Aberdeen mustered just two shots at goal against Celtic, neither of which were on target.
They managed five before the break here with the final one, a stunning free kick from Luis ‘Duk’ Lopes, putting them back on level terms in the final minute of the first half.
Attack the best form of defence in the second half
Goals change games as they saying goes, and Aberdeen, buoyed by their equaliser, upped the ante after the break.
Richardson and Coulson were so far forward they looked like wingers as their attacking forays effectively gave Aberdeen a four-pronged attack at times.
With the game being played firmly in Rangers’ half it allowed the Dons backline to push up too.
Central defender Liam Scales needed no encouragement as he strode forward before playing in a ball which James Sands failed to clear, allowing Leighton Clarkson to fire the Dons into the lead.
Dons let victory slip from their grasp in nightmare finish
Aberdeen had firmly turned the game around, prompting Gers boss Michael Beale to make a quadruple substitution before the hour mark in an attempt to regain a foothold in the game.
Goodwin responded with a triple change of his own, sending on Marley Watkins, Shayden Morris and Jonny Hayes.
The trio’s introduction, allied to the four made by the visitors minutes earlier, resulted in a scrappy, disjointed affair thereafter with passes going astray and play breaking down.
That suited the Dons who looked to have done enough but there was to be an almighty sting in the tail.
With five minutes of injury time played Kelle Roos could not hold a Ryan Kent shot and Scott Arfield converted the rebound to earn Rangers a point.
Aberdeen were stunned. But it got worse, much worse, as Arfield struck again 60 seconds later to give his side victory.
The scenes of dejection among the crestfallen players said it all.
For all the talk of tactics this game had been settled by lapses in concentration.
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