It was a case of razor-thin margins in Portugal this evening as Sporting CP knocked a bullish Aberdeen side out of the Europa League.

The European giants were matched toe-to-toe by their Scottish Premiership opponents who certainly did not look out of place at Estadio Jose Alvalade. Derek McInnes will undoubtedly be pleased with his charges who were as fearless as they were unfortunate not to upset the apple cart further.

Ryan Hedges and Jonny Hayes in particular shone for the visitors while centre-halves Tommy Hoban and Ash Taylor were impressive throughout in shackling a young and vibrant forward line for Sporting. All the talk before kick-off was about the Portuguese side's build-up to the third-round tie, having dealt with seven players and members of their coaching staff testing positive for coronavirus. But Aberdeen were unsettled by the off-field issues faced by their opponents.

Dons had their own issues pre-match this week after being battered 3-0 at home by Motherwell last Sunday. But they looked a completely different team from that afternoon at Pittodrie - albeit they started similarly slowly. In fact, the game was only seven minutes old when Aberdeen found themselves a goal down. The hosts won a 50/50 in the midfield area and youngster Tiago Tomas was eventually slipped through inside the area. Dons' defenders failed to step-up in time to make use of the offside trap and the playmaker swept it home past Joe Lewis for the opener.

It was a cruel blow to McInnes's men who had started the game well but, in fairness to the visitors, the strike did not overwhelm them as they grew into the action. Dylan McGeouch swung in a dangerous delivery which forced Antonio Adan to touch it over his crossbar. Hedges then almost got on the end of a teasing cross but the ball evaded him as Aberdeen pushed forward.

As they ventured into the Sporting half, though, they were desperately close to being caught on the counter. Winger Jovane Cabral was thwarted by Lewis inside the six-yard box as the stopper dived at his feet to prevent a second.

After the break it was Sporting who were back on the front foot and they should have doubled their lead five minutes after the restart. Some pressure from the attacking players eventually allowed Pedro Porro to swing in a wicked cross from the right-flank. His cross found an unmarked Tomas but, under no pressure from Ash Taylor inside the area, the 18-year-old got his header all wrong and sent it off target when he should have at least troubled Lewis between the sticks.

Hayes then wasted a very decent opportunity from a Dons breakaway. The Irishman got in behind the home defence and, when the moment called for composure, the former Celtic winger instead blazed high and wide to the chagrin of his better-placed teammates waiting for a cross along the six-yard line.

As Sporting began to look a bit leggy towards the end, McInnes rolled the dice and threw on Leeds loanee Ryan Edmondson and Connor McLennan to add to his attacking options. Referee Nikola Dabanović, frustrating throughout with his apparent desperation to use his whistle, irked Dons even more when he blew for a foul despite a seemingly fair header from Hoban which looked to put Hayes through.

But with around three minutes to go it was an Aberdeen man who frustrated his side most when he blew a huge opportunity to level proceedings. Substitute Scott Wright did brilliantly to find Hedges with a slick pass on the bounce, but the Welsh international sent his half-volley wide of the mark.

Sporting used their experience in Europe to see out the victory but did have to soak up a lot of pressure as Dons pushed and probed in search of a vital equaliser. It wasn't to be, in the end, but it certainly was not the walkover some had written it off as when the draw was made.