Aberdeen picked up their first Conference League point of the season with a gritty goalless draw with AEK Larnaca in Cyprus.

Jimmy Thelin's side lost 3-2 against Shakhtar Donestsk in their opening match of the league stage before a chastening 6-0 defeat by AEK Athens.

Meanwhile, Larnaca opened with impressive wins over AZ Alkmaar and FA Cup holders Crystal Palace.

But despite those contrasting starts, Aberdeen held their own with a disciplined defensive display, keeping Larnaca at arm's length and relying on counter-attacks.

The Cypriot hosts went close in the first half as centre-back Hrvoje Milicevic hit the base of the post with a powerful shot from distance before curling another long-range shot inches wide soon after.

The visitors also had chances through Jack Milne, who skewed a shot well wide and headed well over the top, and Jesper Karlsson, whose deflected effort went wide.

The match looked to be fizzling out in the second half, but both teams could have won it at the death.

Aberdeen winger Topi Keskinen drove into Larnaca territory in the 90th minute before picking out Nicolas Milanovic unmarked at the back post.

He fluffed his lines though, slicing a shot wide with the goal at his mercy.

Then, deep into added time, Larnaca substitute Karol Angielski inexplicably put a close-range header wide.

The last time Aberdeen played in the Conference League, they suffered their heaviest-ever European defeat as they shipped six goals against AEK Athens.

After this, club legend and BBC Scotland pundit Willie Miller praised the defensive solidity and tenacity and the visitors did limit Larnaca to shots from tight angles or long range.

It was a much-improved showing from the trip to Greece, but the worry for those of an Aberdeen persuasion is in possession, where there is a lack of discernible style and cutting edge.

They are the lowest scorers in Scotland's top flight and it wasn't clear at any stage how Thelin's team were trying to break Larnaca down, beyond giving it to Karlsson and asking him to produce something from nothing.

Marko Lazetic huffed and puffed up front without much support and Milanovic's late miss summed up Aberdeen's woes in front of goal.

Gone is the high-pressing, high-octane side that took Scotland by storm in the first few months of Thelin's tenure.

With a challenging run of fixtures between now and the new year, Thelin desperately needs to find an attacking spark from somewhere.

Aberdeen manager Jimmy Thelin: "The way the players behaved today was as a team - the tactical discipline and we got good opportunities in transitions.

"It was two big chances - we had one and they had one at the end. We are going in the right direction. We need to keep working.

"[Dylan Lobban] has worked so hard. Sometimes when you get an opportunity, you have to take it and he was one of the best players on the pitch.

"It's important to be in European competition every year and we should never give up. Now it's about recovery and doing everything we can to get the players ready."

Aberdeen host Motherwell in the Scottish Premiership on Sunday (15:00 GMT) before the international break.

Their next Conference League game is against Armenian side Noah on 27 November (20:00) at Pittodrie.