Europa League

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Europa League | First Qualifying Round

Jul 10, 2014 at 5.30pm UK

Daugava Riga
0-3
Aberdeen

FT(HT: 0-3)

Rooney (22', 40', 45')

Build-up

Match Report

Football

Adam Rooney hat-trick downs Daugava Riga

By Shane Callaghan, Reporter | 10 July 2014

Adam Rooney scores three times as Aberdeen move into the second-round qualifying stage of the Europa League off the back of a 8-0 aggregate win over Daugava Riga.

Adam Rooney struck a first-half hat-trick as Aberdeen thumped Daugava Riga 8-0 on aggregate to seal their place in the second round of Europa League qualifiers.

By virtue of a 5-0 first-leg victory, Derek McInnes's side travelled to Latvia this evening knowing that their place in the next stage was all but assured.

The 26-year-old, who bagged a brace in that five-goal mauling at Pittodrie last week, picked up where he left off and fired the Scots ahead on 22 minutes with a tidy finish inside the area.

The Dons doubled their advantage five minutes before the break, with Rooney turning home Niall McGinn's low cross, before the Irishman then sealed his treble on the stroke of half time by sweeping Jonny Hayes's teasing ball past goalkeeper Janis Krumins.

Aberdeen shot-stopper Jamie Langfield had to be alert to deny Riga a consolation, producing a tidy save after Emil Knapsis burst into the area and fired goalbound.

McInnes's troops tried in vain to snatch a fourth on the night, but it was not to be as the Scottish Premiership outfit still move into the next round in style.