Lokomotiv deny Dons

Aberdeen were held to a 1-1 draw by Lokomotiv Moscow in their Uefa Cup clash at a snowy Pittodrie.

Aberdeen were held to a 1-1 draw by Lokomotiv Moscow in their Uefa Cup clash at a snowy Pittodrie. Zander Diamond gave Aberdeen the lead on 27 minutes with a fine header from Barry Nicholson's corner. Lokomotiv drew level right on the stroke of half time when Branislav Ivanovic headed home from close-range. Both sides had chances to win the game in the second half but neither team could find the finishing touch to take the three points. Aleksandr Samedov mishit the first chance straight at Jamie Langfield but Aluko soon had the home fans out of their seats with an electrifying run past two men before he was tripped. Scott Severin struck the 25-yard free-kick into the wall and Aluko blazed the rebound over from a tight angle. Lokomotiv dominated possession in the first quarter without threatening but the game burst into life when Lee Miller squandered a superb chance in the 23rd minute. Lokomotiv goalkeeper Ivan Pelizzoli flapped Aluko's cross into the path of the onrushing striker but he blasted just wide from 16 yards. The Russians immediately hit back and Langfield tipped over Peter Odemwingie's 25-yard free-kick before Chris Clark cleared Sychev's header off the line from the resulting corner. The Dons broke quickly with Barry Nicholson and Aluko combining well to give the youngster a shooting chance, but he had to make do with a corner.

Opener

But that was good enough for the Dons as Diamond rose eight yards out to head home Nicholson's centre. Lokomotiv reassumed control of possession and Langfield was exposed six minutes before the break after a slick move down the right from the visitors, but Sychev's shot came off the base of the post. However, the Moscow side equalised with the last action of the half as Ivanovic headed home from an injury-time corner by Samedov. Langfield saved from Sychev and Dmitry Sennikov in the opening stages of the second half after good passing moves. Play opened up as both sides sought a winner. The Dons had a decent spell of pressure but Miller could not control Nicholson's cross to the penalty spot and Lokomotiv broke forward. Bilyaletdinov played a brilliant one-two with Nigerian Odemwingie but Langfield got down well to save his powerful strike. The 22-year-old shot wide after an identical move moments later after Aluko lost possession.

Pushed forward

The Dons pushed more men forward in the closing stages but could not find the right delivery into the box. The point kept Aberdeen ahead of FC Copenhagen, who lost at home to Panathinaikos, but they may need a result in Madrid to keep their hopes alive.