Aberdeen suffered devastating Europa Conference League heartache when blowing a two-goal lead to lose 3-2 to Group G leaders PAOK.
The Dons had the win they needed to reignite their hopes of qualifying from the groups in their hands – but threw it away.
Leading 2-0 with just 17 minutes remaining, the Reds were on course for a memorable victory against the Greek Super League side.
Goals from Bojan Miovski and Dante Polvara had Aberdeen in dreamland and on course to blow open the group wide open.
However, they were hit by three sucker punches, with the cruellest blow a converted injury time penalty following a VAR review.
Aberdeen were denied a penalty when 2-1 up when Jack MacKenzie was fouled in the box.
The Dons were frustrated there was no spot-kick, nor a VAR review for what seemed a stonewall penalty.
That bad call by the referee and VAR officials was a sliding doors moment that turned the outcome of this fixture.
This painful defeat has left Aberdeen’s qualifying hopes hanging by a thread.
That thin thread can be snapped by PAOK in Greece in two weeks’ time.
Aberdeen have now taken just one point from the opening three group games and were dealt another brutal, painful Euro lesson late in this match.
The Dons showed they could go toe-to-toe with European big hitters against Eintracht Frankfurt in Germany, only to lose 2-1.
This time went toe-to-toe with a PAOK team that reached the Europa Conference League quarter-finals in 2021.
And again they failed to get a result. For all their endeavour in Europe, the Dons should have more than one point.
Supporters battle for vocal supremacy
There was a battle off the pitch with the Dons fanbase, predominantly in the Red Shed, trying to out-sing and chant the near 1,500-strong PAOK support.
The Red Army edged it.
Boss Barry Robson made two changes to the side who drew 0-0 with St Johnstone in the Reds’ previous game, almost three weeks ago.
Dante Polvara and Jack MacKenzie came in with Duk and Jonny Hayes dropping to the bench.
PAOK rattle Kelle Roos’ post
The woodwork denied PAOK in the 13th minute following sublime close skill from Ioannis Konstantelias in the penalty area.
He danced into the box and then did an audacious step-over to evade two challenges before finding a route through a congested box by rolling a low shot from 10 yards at goal.
It cracked off Kelle Roos’ right-hand post.
PAOK began to dominate possession with quick, incisive passes and slick movement in a bid to stretch and breach the Dons’ backline.
The rear-guard held their discipline and held firm.
Yet again the impressive Konstantelias burst into the box and evaded two challenges in the 39th minute, but Roos saved his 10-yard chipped shot.
Aberdeen had just 30% of possession in the opening 45 minutes and registered zero shot on target.
Miovski goal stuns group leaders
With home advantage in a game they had to win to retain hopes of progressing from the groups, more attacking intent was needed.
The Dons delivered in a devastating salvo with two quickfire goals to leave PAOK shell-shocked.
Within three minutes of the restart Aberdeen registered their first shot on target when Polvara’s 15-yard header was saved by the keeper.
Two minutes later, Aberdeen stunned the group leaders by going ahead.
A cross from MacKenzie from the left was helped on by Barron towards Bojan Miovski.
The striker took a superb touch to set himself up then fired a clinical eight-yard low shot beyond keeper Dominik Kotarski.
North Macedonian international Miovski has now scored in four of Aberdeen’s five European games this season.
That form on the European stage will surely bring interest from clubs.
Unfortunately in the aftermath of Miovski’s goal, a pyrotechnic was thrown on to the pitch-side from the Red Shed area.
Only a few hours prior to kick-off Aberdeen released a statement warning the club will take the “toughest steps” against fans who use pyrotechnic devices at games.
Aberdeen have received Uefa charges over supporters’ behaviour in three of the four European games this season – against BK Hacken, Frankfurt and HJK Helsinki.
A probe was launched by German police into a pyrotechnic allegedly thrown from Dons end into a section housing Eintracht Frankfurt fans in the 2-1 loss last month.
That led Aberdeen being hit by five-figure fine.
The Dons warned further incidents are likely to lad to more severe Uefa sanctions including restrictions on Dons fans or sections of the ground.
Polvara shoots Dons into dreamland
Aberdeen left the group leaders shell-shocked by doubling their advantage in the 58th minute.
The impressive Barron burst forward to instigate a swift counter-attack before passing to Miovski.
Striker Miovski swept the ball to Polvara, who raced upfield and superbly dinked a finish slightly above the keeper.
Polvara scored in the 2-1 loss at Eintracht Frankfurt, and he is developing a knack of scoring against the group’s big-hitters.
It should have been enough to secure a memorable win. It wasn’t and Aberdeen’s game management in the final phase of the game cost them dearly.
PAOK hit back in the 73rd minute when Richard Jensen slipped and Konstantelias took advantage to race through on goal.
He then picked out substitute Kiril Despodov, who tapped in.
Aberdeen suffered a hammer blow when PAOK equalised in the 84th minute as the ball broke to Vieirinha on the right of the box from a poor header by Jonny Hayes.
The PAOK captain smashed it beyond Roos in the 84th minute, with the effort deflecting off Hayes.
PAOK were awarded a penalty in injury time for a foul by Rubezic on Despodov that went to a VAR review
Stefan Schwab converted with the last kick of the game to break Aberdeen hearts.
ABERDEEN (5-4-1): Roos 6; Devlin 6, Gartenmann 6, Rubezic 6, Jensen 6, MacKenzie 6; Polvara 7 (Hayes 72), Shinnie 7, Barron 7 (Clarkson 73), McGrath 7; Miovski 7 (Duk 73).
Subs not used: Doohan, Gueye, Williams, Sokler, Duncan, MacDonald, Milne, Dadia, Marshall.
PAOK (4-2-3-1): Kotarski 6; Vieirinha 7 , Troost-Ekong 6, Koulierakis 6, Rafa Soares 6; Tsingras 7 (Ozdoev 63), Schwab 7; Zikovic 7, Kontantelias 7, Taison 7 (Despadov 73); Brandon 7 (Sanatta 73).
Subs not used: Zivkovic, Talichmanidis, Michailidis, Murg, Kedziora, Lyratzis, Baba, Vrakas, Tzimas.
Referee: Sebastian Gishamer (Austria)
Attendance: 16,089
Man of the match; Ioannis Konstantelias (PAOK)
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