Kristers Tobers made his Scottish Premiership debut for Aberdeen F.C. today as they hosted Heart of Midlothian F.C. Unfortunately, Aberdeen extended their winless streak to 11 league games with a goalless draw.
The Latvian National team captain, who was announced as a new signing earlier this week, was placed directly into the starting lineup by manager Jimmy Thelin. Kristers formed a center-back partnership with experienced Norwegian player Sivert Heltne Nilsen, who usually plays as a midfielder but filled in due to a shortage of center-backs caused by injuries and suspensions.
Kristers nearly had a dream start at the beginning of the game when he came close to scoring. Just 40 seconds in, during the first corner kick, a scramble in front of the net allowed the ball to reach him. Unfortunately, he could not strike it cleanly from close range, and his effort was saved by Craig Gordon.
Aberdeen appeared more dangerous in the first half; and another best chance came for The Dons Finnish winger Keskinen who failed to convert a one-on-one chance as the first-half ended scoreless.
The second half continued in a similar fashion, with Aberdeen creating more opportunities and Tobers looking comfortable and assured in defense. In the 66th minute, Kristers’ debut came to an end when he was substituted by the manager.
This substitution was anticipated, as Kristers’ last game in the Swiss Super League was over a month ago, and he was still working on regaining match fitness. It’s also important to note that Aberdeen has a crucial match on Wednesday against Rangers at Ibrox, where Kristers will be greatly needed.
After Tobers was substituted, Hearts created several dangerous chances. The Aberdeen goalkeeper made a fantastic save, and one of the Hearts players also hit the woodwork. At the end of the game, Aberdeen’s Heltne Nilsen committed a reckless foul in the penalty area, resulting in a penalty kick being awarded to Hearts. However, the penalty was saved by Aberdeen’s goalkeeper Doohan, allowing the Dons to escape with a draw.
Despite the draw, Aberdeen remains 4th in the league table, and Kristers Tobers next match will be a challenging one as they travel to Glasgow for the game against Rangers.