Duk was the toast of a packed-out Pittodrie as he returned from exile to assist Aberdeen eke out a 3-2 victory over 10-man Hearts and preserve their excellent begin to the marketing campaign underneath Jimmy Thelin.
The Dons prolonged their outstanding profitable run to 13 matches in all competitions however solely after being given an enormous scare by bottom-of-the-table Hearts, who had been on high for lengthy intervals till Jorge Grant was despatched off within the seventy fifth minute with the match poised at 2-2.
Duk was given an enormous ovation from the house help as he got here on for his first look of the season on the hour mark after being briefly suspended by the membership for going AWOL in the summertime.
The striker was the person fouled by Grant as he picked up his second yellow earlier than he laid on an 88th-minute winner for fellow sub Ante Palaversa, sparking delirious scenes amongst a house help who spent the closing phases singing about their crew “going to win the league”, and “bring on the Celtic”, a reference to their subsequent opponents after the worldwide break in what guarantees to be a mouth-watering top-of-the-table showdown.
Thelin despatched out the identical crew that began the 2-1 win at Dundee the earlier week, whereas interim Hearts boss Liam Fox made six adjustments to the facet that began the Convention League win over Dinamo Minsk in Azerbaijan on Thursday.
Aberdeen’s Duk was given a standing ovation at full-time
Aberdeen received off to the proper begin within the second minute when Topi Keskinen’s shot from the sting of the field took a major deflection off Kye Rowles and eluded Craig Gordon on its means into the online after Stephen Kingsley had been caught in possession.
The guests responded strongly and Lawrence Shankland spurned two large possibilities to equalise earlier than Jamie McGrath made a significant intervention to cease Grant knocking in Daniel Oyegoke’s cross.
Rowles needed to get again to make a significant block on Dons striker Kevin Nisbet however Hearts continued to be the extra threatening facet, with a few teasing, inswinging Yan Dhanda crosses from the left simply eluding Grant after which Frankie Kent.
A excessive, looping effort by Dhanda from 25 yards out was tipped over by Dimitar Mitov within the thirty fifth minute, leading to a nook from which Hearts equalised. James Penrice’s supply discovered its option to Shankland, who cleverly dinked the ball again throughout purpose for Kent to nod house.
Shankland – who had been booked on the half-hour – was lucky to keep away from a second yellow after a few fouls simply earlier than the break.
The guests spurned a wonderful likelihood to go forward within the 53rd minute when Kenneth Vargas darted clear on purpose after capitalising on hesitancy between Jack MacKenzie and Gavin Molloy, however – with the choice of squaring to Shankland – the Costa Rican opted to try to chip Mitov, and the ball drifted over the bar.
Duk entered the fray to rapturous applause on the hour however Hearts remained the facet within the ascendancy they usually took the lead within the 63rd minute when Blair Spittal rifled in a low shot from the sting of the field.
The guests’ benefit lasted simply two minutes, nonetheless, as Nicky Devlin – making ready to affix up with the Scotland squad this week after incomes his first call-up – shot house from 20 yards out. Grant was booked for dissent within the aftermath of the purpose and he was then proven his second yellow for chopping down Duk.
Hearts’ Jorge Grant appears to be like dejected after being despatched off for a second yellow offence
The Dons out of the blue had the higher hand and after a sustained spell of stress Palaversa lashed a shot excessive into the online from a Duk cutback.
