In a rain-soaked spectacle on January 24, 2026, Aberdeen triumphed 6-2 over Livingston, bringing a chaotic match to an emphatic conclusion at Pittodrie. The game saw both teams finish with ten men, with red cards, VAR controversy, and an explosion of late goals defining a memorable encounter.
VAR Drama and Red Cards Add to the Fire
The match began with Aberdeen under pressure, having gone six games without a win in the league. But they opened the scoring in the 9th minute, with Kenan Bilalovic capitalizing on a flicked corner to break a 399-minute scoring drought. The early goal was greeted with a roar from the home crowd, just under 18,000 strong, giving the Dons a much-needed lift.
Livingston, however, refused to be overwhelmed. Despite sitting at the bottom of the Premiership and being winless for 23 matches, they responded fiercely. Mahamadou Susoho equalized in the 28th minute after a deflection, and just four minutes later, Robbie Muirhead gave them a surprise 2-1 lead, following a rebound off Aberdeen goalkeeper Dimitar Mitov.
But Aberdeen weren’t deterred. In the 16th minute, Kevin Nisbet thought he had scored an equalizer, only for the goal to be ruled out by VAR for a marginal offside. The decision seemed controversial, but the drama didn’t end there. In the dying seconds of the first half, Aberdeen struck back. Stuart Armstrong’s cross found debutant Mitchel Frame, whose low ball was converted by Nisbet for the equalizer. Just moments later, Nisbet repeated the feat, scoring again off a low cross from Topi Keskinen. The Dons entered halftime with a 3-2 lead, sending the crowd into raptures.
The second half saw tensions rise, and Livingston manager David Martindale’s frustration with the officiating boiled over in the 63rd minute, when he was sent off for his animated protests at referee Ross Hardie. Martindale, later reflecting on his actions, said, “I thought the referee never had control of the game… but that’s not the reason we lost. That’s on me.” His admission came after criticizing the VAR process, especially the inconclusive camera angles on Nisbet’s disallowed goal.
Five minutes after Martindale’s dismissal, the match became even more volatile. A confrontation between Aberdeen’s Jack Milne and Livingston’s Jeremy Bokila turned physical, leading to both players receiving red cards. The fiery atmosphere on the pitch only intensified as the teams were reduced to ten men each.
Late Goals Secure Dons’ Dominance
With the game spiraling out of control, Aberdeen seized the opportunity. Substitute Sivert Nilsen rose highest to head home a corner from Frame in the 75th minute, effectively putting the game beyond Livingston’s reach at 4-2. The Dons continued their onslaught in the final moments, with Keskinen adding a brace. His first came in the 85th minute, with a deflected shot from the edge of the box beating Livingston keeper Jerome Prior. Then, in the dying seconds, Keskinen rounded off his performance by intercepting a pass and weaving through defenders to score his second and Aberdeen’s sixth goal.
For all the drama and goals, the match also featured notable player absences and debuts. New signing Toyosi Olusanya made his debut, replacing Nisbet to a standing ovation. Meanwhile, Livingston missed key players like Scott Arfield and Cristian Montano, with Babacar Fati starting on the bench.
The loss leaves Livingston in a perilous position, still stuck at the bottom of the league with only 11 points from 23 games. They are now three points adrift of Kilmarnock and eight behind St Mirren, who have a game in hand. Martindale’s harsh self-assessment continued after the game: “Defensively, we’re all over the place… The structure, the shape, me getting sent off, never helped the group. So I’ve got to take accountability for that.”
Aberdeen, on the other hand, can breathe a sigh of relief. The victory, their first league win in over a month, helps them stay in the hunt for a top-six finish. Manager Peter Leven will be pleased with his side’s attacking resurgence, especially their improvements from set pieces, an area that has been a weakness in the past. As one observer noted, “A weakness was suddenly becoming a strength under Leven.”
Despite the chaos, the night ultimately belonged to Aberdeen, who will savor a night of attacking brilliance and managerial reckoning. For Livingston, the search for answers continues as their battle for survival in the Premiership intensifies.
