Summary

  • Rangers now guaranteed European football post-Christmas but could drop into Conference League

  • Babicka runs on to ball over the top and rounds Butland to slot Aris ahead

  • Cantwell replaced in first half for McCausland, who nets leveller after break with low 20-yard strike off post

  • Davies & Souttar replace absent centre-backs Goldson & Balogun as Lammers also starts

  • Conference League: HJK Helsinki 2-2 Aberdeen - Dons hit back from two down with MacDonald wonder strike & Duk header

  1. Postpublished at 19:33 Greenwich Mean Time 30 November 2023

    HJK Helsinki 2-2 Aberdeen

    Ooft, that's a sore one.

    Dante Polvara takes an elbow right on the chin and wins a free-kick in the process.

    Wouldn't be surprised if VAR have a good look.

  2. GREAT SAVE!published at 19:32 Greenwich Mean Time 30 November 2023

    HJK Helsinki 2-2 Aberdeen

    Kelle Roos has been brilliant again.

    He makes another huge stop to deny HJK a third.

  3. KICK-OFFpublished at 19:29 Greenwich Mean Time 30 November 2023

    HJK Helsinki 2-2 Aberdeen

    For the third and, hopefully, the final time, we kick back off in Finland.

    Clock is ticking towards 74.

  4. Postpublished at 19:28 Greenwich Mean Time 30 November 2023

    The players are back out at the Bolt Arena and Bojan Miovski is stripped, as is Nicky Devlin.

  5. As they standpublished at 19:27 Greenwich Mean Time 30 November 2023

    Rangers v Aris Limassol (20:00)

    There's no downplaying it. This is a biggie for Rangers.

    Three points will guarantee them second spot at least, meaning Ibrox will experience European football after Christmas this season.

    Group CImage source, SNS/BBC
  6. Wait - that's the Plow King's music!published at 19:25 Greenwich Mean Time 30 November 2023

    HJK Helsinki 2-2 Aberdeen

    A tractor clears the snowImage source, SNS
  7. Can Rangers catch Aris cold?published at 19:24 Greenwich Mean Time 30 November 2023

    Rangers v Aris Limassol (20:00)

    Andy Campbell
    BBC Scotland at Ibrox

    It's a cold, cold night in Govan as Rangers seek the win that will guarantee progress from Europa League Group C.

    Cypriot visitors Aris Limassol may not be as well accustomed to the temperatures as their hosts but boast a win over the Ibrox side earlier in the competition.

    For Aris, they really need a win to keep alive their hopes of remaining in European competition into 2024.

    But to do that, they will have to end Philippe Clement's unbeaten record as Rangers manager, which stands at six wins and two draws out of eight.

    Currently all four teams in the group can finish in the coveted top two positions or take the consolation prize of a Conference League place by finishing third.

    All that could change tonight depending on the results in Glasgow and Prague, where Sparta host leaders Real Betis.

    Rangers players Tom Lawrence, John Souttar and John LundstramImage source, SNS
    Image caption,

    Rangers trio Tom Lawrence, John Souttar and John Lundstram arriving at Ibrox earlier

  8. Postpublished at 19:22 Greenwich Mean Time 30 November 2023

    May as well use this time to look ahead to the next game, eh?

  9. Postpublished at 19:21 Greenwich Mean Time 30 November 2023

    Tyrone Smith
    BBC Scotland in Helsinki

    I have to say, in 25 years of covering football, this is a first for me.

  10. Postpublished at 19:20 Greenwich Mean Time 30 November 2023

    HJK Helsinki 2-2 Aberdeen

    Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen seem to be driving these things.

    They're rapid.

  11. Postpublished at 19:19 Greenwich Mean Time 30 November 2023

    HJK Helsinki 2-2 Aberdeen

    Okay, the players are now off the pitch for the tractor break our man Tyrone suggested.

  12. 'How's he missed?'published at 19:18 Greenwich Mean Time 30 November 2023

    HJK Helsinki 2-2 Aberdeen

    Stephen Craigan
    Former Motherwell captain on TNT Sports

    I can't understand how he's missed. It's an absolute sitter. All he has to do is keep it on the ground.

    For the first time in a while in this game, Aberdeen were at sixes and sevens.

  13. 'Really bad miss'published at 19:17 Greenwich Mean Time 30 November 2023

    HJK Helsinki 2-2 Aberdeen

    Rory Loy
    BBC Scotland in Helsinki

    It is a bit of a sitter there. The goal is gaping, all he has got to do is pass it into the side netting. Maybe the pressure got to him?

    That's a really bad miss, Aberdeen should be behind.

  14. CLOSE!published at 19:17 Greenwich Mean Time 30 November 2023

    HJK Helsinki 2-2 Aberdeen

    That's an absolute sitter.

    Radulovic rolls one back from the bye-line for Hetemaj, who has an open net to smash the ball into, but he somehow hits it over.

  15. Postpublished at 19:15 Greenwich Mean Time 30 November 2023

    HJK Helsinki 2-2 Aberdeen

    Tyrone Smith
    BBC Scotland in Helsinki

    You can barely see any green on the surface again, with both sets of players really struggling to keep their footing.

    You have heard of a water break, perhaps we should have a tractor break?

  16. Postpublished at 19:14 Greenwich Mean Time 30 November 2023

    HJK Helsinki 2-2 Aberdeen

    At least 20 minutes play and I have no idea how it's going to go.

    The snow is just adding to the madness.

  17. Postpublished at 19:10 Greenwich Mean Time 30 November 2023

    HJK Helsinki 2-2 Aberdeen

    HJK wing-back Soiri drills in a brilliant ball but Aberdeen hack clear at the last second.

    The hosts are coming back into this.

  18. GREAT SAVE!published at 19:07 Greenwich Mean Time 30 November 2023

    HJK Helsinki 2-2 Aberdeen

    How's that not gone in?

    Radulovic latches on to a loose ball over the top, forces Kelle Roos into another top save, then gets put under too much pressure by Angus MacDonald on the rebound.

    Looked a mile offside anyway.

  19. Souttar & Davies back as Rangers make three changespublished at 19:05 Greenwich Mean Time 30 November 2023

    Rangers v Aris Limassol (20:00)

    Three changes for Rangers tonight, with John Souttar and Ben Davies forming a new centre-half pairing in the absence of the suspended Connor Goldson and Leon Balogun, who is not on the club's Europa League squad list.

    Further up the pitch, Sam Lammers replaces Tom Lawrence in midfield and forward Kemar Roofe is among the substitutes.

    The Aris Limassol line-up shows two changes from the side that started against Rangers in October.

    Brazilian defender Caju replaces Eric Boakye and Aleksandr Kokorin starts in attack instead of Yannick Gomis.

    Rangers players, Sam Lammers, Robby McCrorie, Kemar Roofe and Todd CantwellImage source, SNS
    Image caption,

    Sam Lammers (far left) returns to Rangers' starting line-up

  20. The 'Jekyll & Hyde' Donspublished at 19:03 Greenwich Mean Time 30 November 2023

    HJK Helsinki 2-2 Aberdeen

    Rory Loy
    BBC Scotland in Helsinki

    Aberdeen are a Jekyll and Hyde team.

    It was the same against Hacken, not a great first half but they were unplayable at times in the second half.