Falkirk 1-0 Aberdeen: Dons boss Jimmy Thelin under further pressure after Filip Lissah winner
Report as Filip Lissah scores to move Falkirk back into the Scottish Premiership top six; Defeat for Aberdeen piles further pressure on Dons boss Jimmy Thelin
Saturday 3 January 2026 20:44, UK
Falkirk claimed a thoroughly deserved 1-0 win over Aberdeen to move into the top six in the Scottish Premiership and increase the pressure on Jimmy Thelin.
The hosts were completely dominant against a Dons side who looked completely uninterested as Falkirk leapfrogged their opponents in the table.
After the hosts spurned numerous opportunities in the first half, Filip Lissah was the hero with the Swansea loanee heading home his first goal for the club on 58 minutes.
- Teams | Stats
- Got Sky? Watch now on the Sky Sports app 📱
- Not got Sky? Get instant access with no contract 📺
- Scottish Premiership table | Watch Premiership highlights for free
Falkirk completely merited their seventh league win of the season to consolidate their impressive return to the top flight but Dons boss Thelin must now face intense scrutiny.
It was yet another insipid display, highlighted by failing to register a single shot on target, and the travelling Aberdeen made their feelings abundantly clear about their Swedish manager.
Falkirk were all over the visitors during the opening 15 minutes with Barney Stewart involved heavily on his return from a hugely successful loan spell at Dunfermline.
Liam Henderson forced Dimitar Mitov into a comfortable save from a flicked header before Calvin Miller's curled free-kick was clawed behind by the Aberdeen goalkeeper at full stretch.
Falkirk had seven shots during their impressive start and all Aberdeen could muster was a flashed cross that narrowly evaded Kevin Nisbet.
Kyrell Wilson, also on loan from Swansea, was the next Falkirk attacker to sting the palms of Mitov but the Aberdeen stopper gathered his effort at the second attempt.
Adil Aouchiche limped off for the visitors on 38 minutes before Calvin Miller blasted over the bar after Mitov punched a corner clear.
Incredibly, Aberdeen could have opened the scoring on the stroke of half-time, completely against the run of play. Mitov's long kick bounced over the Falkirk defence and perfectly into the path of Nisbet but the 28-year-old blazed wildly over.
The second half was virtually a non-event for the opening 10 minutes and the home support began to grow restless as they were unable to convert their dominance into the opening goal.
At the other end, Henderson produced an excellent block to deny Stuart Armstrong from scoring for Aberdeen and it proved pivotal as Falkirk deservedly opened the scoring just before the hour mark.
Lissah was inexplicably left completely unmarked six yards out from a corner and he headed home Miller's pinpoint delivery.
The former Chelsea starlet made a crucial intervention just minutes later to prevent Nisbet from tapping home.
The travelling support made their displeasure known towards Thelin on 69 minutes, urging the Aberdeen boss to leave the club just as Nisbet clipped the outside of the post with a header.
The Dons failed to exert any sustained pressure in their attempts to find an equaliser and Falkirk almost consolidated all three points when Henry Cartwright hit the post late on.
What the managers said
Aberdeen boss Jimmy Thelin: "The thing we talk about after a game is that we have some games in a row now that we have too much ego on the pitch. We have to play more for each other and for our club.
"Sometimes football is strategy, tactics and technique and these kinds of things. But I think the last couple of games we have lost because the opponents have more desire in critical moments of the game and some decisions on the referee.
"Right now the opponents are fighting us down in some moments and that's hurting us a lot emotionally and also when you lose a game in that way."
Falkirk boss John McGlynn: "[A] great three points for us and to beat Aberdeen home and away. Delighted with that.
"I thought it was fully merited. I think the first half was a really, really good performance from us. The only thing that was missing was goals.
"I think it was a fully merited win. The three points, just adding points, adding points all the time to get ourselves into the top six.
"We're delighted to be there. We know there's a lot of hard work to get done. We've picked up 12 points now within these rounds of games. We picked up 15 points in the first round of games [against all 11 opponents].
"Now we've got 12 points with two games to go against St Mirren and Celtic. We're within touching distance of that 15-point target that we set. If we could get that, that would be amazing.
"However, we're delighted that we got the three points today. It's got us up on the 27-point mark."
