AFTER banging their head against this particular glass ceiling for the past three seasons, Aberdeen may well be about to finally make the breakthrough. The third and penultimate qualifying round of the Europa League has marked the final stop of their European odyssey in every campaign since 2014, Derek McInnes’ side unable to muster aggregate victories over any one of Maribor, Kairat Almaty or Real Sociedad.

This time, though, it might be different. Paired with Apollon Limassol, Aberdeen did what they had failed to muster on those three previous attempts by recording a first-leg victory. Granted, it was only by a solitary strike, while the concession of an away goal also makes an already difficult return under a red-hot Cypriot sun next week even trickier. This win, in front of a raucous, pumped-up Pittodrie crowd, at least gives them a platform to try to finally reach the play-off round where a match-up with one of Europe’s second-tier elite would await. It must count as progress at this point.

The winning goal after 78 minutes was a sublime effort from Graeme Shinnie, captain and hometown hero, and gave the entire place a lift just as it seemed the match was drifting towards a deflating 1-1 draw. Picking up possession around 25 yards out, Shinnie laced his left foot through the ball and watched it arc away from goalkeeper Bruno Vale and into the corner of his net. It was one of those shots you knew was in as soon as it left his boot.

Their first goal, after just five minutes, was easy on the eye, too. Andrew Considine won the ball then supplied Ryan Christie, another who excelled on the night. The on-loan Celtic player sprayed a pass wide to Gary Mackay-Steven then ran into the penalty box to meet the subsequent cross with the deftest of headers that arced beyond the goalkeeper.

So much for the good news. The lingering regret will be the away goal conceded around the hour mark that threatened to alter the balance of the tie. Having failed to build on their early lead, Aberdeen let Apollon become more prominent in the contest and it was no real surprise when they finally drew level just shy of the hour mark after several other near things.

The scorer was Jander Santana, turning in substitute Antonio Jakolis’ cross at the back post with the Aberdeen defence posted missing. That gave Apollon a much-needed jag in the arm, although they had their manager Sofronis Avgousti sent off for spending too long celebrating on the pitch, taking a seat close to where Mark McGhee spent his moment of cameraphone infamy last season.

He was not the last Apollon man to depart the game prematurely, defender Esteban Sachetti joining him 10 minutes later for a second booking for catching Christie with a flailing arm off the ball. Given the Argentinian should have been already sent off for a wild challenge on Greg Stewart in the first half, he could have no complaints about this decision, although he and his team-mates did so vigorously anyway.

Aberdeen huffed and puffed looking to add to their tally but had to do so without Adam Rooney, the striker ruled out after sustaining a hamstring injury in training the day before. There is every chance the Irishman will miss out on the return, too, something that must be considered a sizeable blow. Nicky Maynard offered honest toil in his stead but never really looked entirely convincing in front of goal during his hour on the field, while his replacement Jayden Stockley also missed a late chance to embellish Aberdeen’s lead.

Based on their UEFA coefficient, Apollon were the easiest of the six sides unseeded Aberdeen could have drawn at this juncture but strength at this level is all relative. On the European front especially the Cypriot cup winners have an impressive pedigree, twice reaching the Europa League group stage in recent seasons by defeating Nice in 2013 and Lokomotiv Moscow a year later. Most Scottish sides, outside of Celtic, can only dream wistfully of ever making it that far these days, although Aberdeen may yet hold out hope that this could be their year.

Like many Cypriot sides their squad comprises a hotch-potch of nationalities, although there was no place in the matchday squad for 20 year-old Scot Ally Reynolds. The smattering of South Americans, Spaniards, Portuguese and French who did make the starting line-up, however, combined a robust defensive presence with the ability to counter-attack at lightning pace. Aberdeen did well to contain them to just the one goal. They will have to hope they can be just as watertight in the return next week.

It was a niggly, bad-tempered encounter at times. Referee Mattias Gestranius chose to book Shinnie in the second minute for what was a fairly innocuous challenge and it set the tone for what was to follow.

Every Apollon foul, thereafter, brought howls of derision from the sell-out Pittodrie crowd seeking parity, while the visitors sensed the chance to take advantage of an officious referee by tumbling theatrically to the ground at every turn. Mercifully it never spilled over to the point of ruining what was an enthralling spectacle, one that ended with the Aberdeen fans going home happy. That hasn’t always been the case in European games in recent seasons but they have at least given themselves a chance this time around.