Nicholson makes late cameo as Motherwell falls 2–0 to Aberdeen

Aberdeen secured a 2–0 victory over Motherwell at Pittodrie Stadium on Wednesday, advancing in the FA Cup. The Dons bounced back from their weekend defeat to the Steelmen, relying on an early strike and a second-half insurance goal to seal the win.

Match recap

Aberdeen wasted no time getting on the scoreboard in front of their home crowd. In just the fourth minute, Kevin Nisbet found the back of the net to give the hosts an early 1–0 advantage.

Motherwell pushed for an equalizer while maintaining the majority of possession throughout the match, but they were unable to break through the Aberdeen defense. The hosts ultimately put the game out of reach in the 63rd minute when Graeme Shinnie doubled the lead with an assist from Mitchel Frame. The 2–0 victory eliminates Motherwell and sends Aberdeen through to the next round of the cup competition.

Nicholson’s performance

Former Loon Sam Nicholson was called upon late in the match to make an impact for Motherwell. The Scottish winger entered the pitch in the 80th minute, logging nine minutes of regular action.

Despite the brief cameo, he was heavily involved in the attack, recording 14 touches with four of those coming inside the opposition box. He was efficient with the ball at his feet, successfully completing his only dribble attempt and making one pass into the final third without being dispossessed. He also completed six of his eight pass attempts for a 75 percent completion rate while generating 0.01 expected assists.

Nicholson also put in a massive defensive shift to help close out the match. He won all five of his ground duels, made one tackle, and recorded one recovery. His physical play frustrated the opposition, as he drew three fouls during his time on the pitch.

Up next

Nicholson and Motherwell will look to bounce back from this cup exit as they prepare to return to Scottish Premiership action.