Aberdeen eliminated by Preetz's late header

Hertha Berlin 1 Aberdeen 0 Hertha Berlin win 1-0 on agg

A cruel last-minute goal from Hertha Berlin substitute Michael Preetz ended Aberdeen's interest in the Uefa Cup here last night, in a first round, second-leg game which saw both teams reduced to 10 men.

With the game goalless – as the first leg had finished – and poised for extra time, Preetz, the club captain who had only been on the pitch for four minutes, rose to glance a Marcelinho cross into the corner of the goal. It was tough on Aberdeen as they had battled hard throughout the tie and the least they deserved was 30 minutes of extra-time to attempt to secure a result.

Aberdeen were without the services of their midfielder Ross O'Donoghue who left the squad to fly back to Glasgow to be at the bedside of his ill mother. It seemed to upset their composure, as in the early stages of the game the visitors were pinned in their own half by Hertha.

The Brazilian Marcelinho was causing problems for the Scots and in the 15th minute his curling shot from outside the penalty area flew narrowly past Peter Kjaer's right-hand post. Moments later, the Dons goalkeeper had to react quickly to block from the striker Luizao, another Brazilian in the German team, as he shot from close range after a Marcelinho cross found him unmarked.

After 30 minutes, the Hertha midfielder, Andreas Neuendorf found some space for himself at the edge of the box but his low drive was well saved by Kjaer. However, eight minutes later Neuendorf was involved in a brawl which saw him sent off. He had earlier been shown a yellow card after protesting at the booking of the Belgian international Bart Goor but seconds later received a straight red for head-butting the Dons defender Phillip McGuire.

It gave Aberdeen the advantage and they came out after the half-time break full of confidence. Two minutes after the restart Darren Mackie and Derek Young linked up well at the edge of the Hertha area but Young's cut back was slack and the Germans easily cleared. However, in the 55th minute the home side nearly stole the lead when a Luizao header from Goor's cross went narrowly over the bar.

The game was becoming increasingly ill-tempered and Aberdeen's one-man advantage was cancelled out 10 minutes later when Eric Deloumeaux, after being booked in the first half, was shown a second yellow for a foul on Hertha defender Dick van Burik.

Suddenly, it was the home side who were looking the more likely to score and Marcelinho and Luizao had several efforts between them from outside the area all of which went high or wide. In the 82th minute Aberdeen nearly snatched the lead but Russell Anderson's header from six yards out was cleared off the line by the Hertha substitute Pal Dardai, who had come on for Thorben Marx.

Then, in the 89th minute the home side got the goal which sent them through to the second round. Marcelinho sent a vicious cross in from the right and Preetz beat Anderson to divert the ball home.