Aberdeen manager Barry Robson claimed it was a case of job done after his side booked their place in the quarter-finals of the Viaplay Cup with a 2-1 win over Stirling.
The Dons boss alluded to last season’s embarrassing Scottish Cup defeat against non-league Darvel when insisting the main objective had been progressing in the tournament.
But the Pittodrie outfit were made to battle hard for the victory after Greig Spence’s late strike for Stirling set up a grandstand finish – just when Aberdeen looked comfortable following goals either side of the break from Bojan Miovski and Leighton Clarkson.
With attention now turning to Thursday’s Europa League play-off against Swedish outfit Hacken, Robson said: “I knew how difficult it would be and we let the players know that.
“This club’s had a few bad results over the last couple of years and we didn’t want that to happen again.
“But we managed to come here and win the game. I’m just glad we dealt with it.
“Credit to Stirling, they’ve been in great form and we knew they would bring everything to the game and they put on a really good show. They should be proud of how they played.
“But my main aim was to get through. It was about playing a strong team and winning.
“The players showed a good mentality as cup football is always tough. People wanted to see an upset and rightly so, that’s the magic of the cup.
“But we are through and now we focus on Thursday night.”
He added: “I have five reports on Hacken and I will watch three live games. I have had scouts over in Sweden watching them and getting every detail.
“We need to know what they are all about and we will. They are a good side, it will be difficult and let’s go and see what we can do there.
“Credit to all the Scottish clubs for performing well in Europe this week and hopefully we can do the same.
“We are trying to build something here and we will prepare well this week.”
Stirling Albion manager Darren Young insisted his side should have had a late penalty when Ross Davidson was taken out after shooting over the crossbar in the 90th minute.
But he was proud of the way his League One team pushed their Premiership visitors all the way in a narrow defeat.
He said: “It was a stonewaller. I think if it was outside the box, he (referee David Munro) would probably have given it.
“He (Davidson) has got the shot away and he’s taken him out – he’s absolutely nowhere near the ball.
“I’ve seen penalties given for it and obviously tonight we’ve seen it not given. These things happen.
“I think we were in the ascendancy in the last 10, 15 minutes. We were pressing, we were pushing and we were very unlucky not to get an equaliser.
“There’s loads to take from the game. We pushed a full-time team and they’re going to play in Europe on Thursday night, and we pushed them all the way.”
Borussia Dortmund 4-0 Darmstadt: Reus stars in farewell game
Marco Reus scored and assisted in his final Bundesliga game for Borussia Dortmund as they thrashed already-relegated Darmstadt 4-0.
The German teed up Ian Maatsen for the opener on the half-hour mark before scoring a stunning free-kick eight minutes later to put Dortmund in control.
Donyell Malen scored his 13th goal of the season to round things off after substitute Julian Brandt had latched onto Jadon Sancho's ball for a third.
Dortmund could have had more as Reus, Malen and Marcel Sabitzer struck the woodwork in either half, but it did not matter as Darmstadt struggled to show a threat.
Edin Terzic's side finished fifth in the final Champions League spot, while Darmstadt are relegated as the bottom club.
Data Debrief:
Reus has been directly involved in 251 goals in the Bundesliga (156G 95A in 391 games), making him just the third player to reach 250 goals and assists since his Bundesliga debut in August 2009, behind Thomas Müller 318 and Robert Lewandowski 367.
The German bids farewell to Signal Iduna Park having scored nine goals and assisting seven in all competitions this season, though he will be hoping to add to that tally in his final match for Dortmund - the Champions League final against Real Madrid on June 1.
Chelsea edge out Man City to claim fifth straight WSL title with thumping win at Old Trafford
Mayra Ramirez turned in a stellar performance to propel Chelsea to the WSL title in Emma Hayes' final match in charge as the Blues thrashed Manchester United 6-0.
Earlier in May, Hayes – who is ending a 12-year stint in charge of the Blues to become the United States coach – had all but given up on claiming a fifth straight WSL crown.
Yet Chelsea's 8-0 victory over Bristol City two weeks ago, combined with Manchester City's defeat to Arsenal, opened the door, and after beating Tottenham in midweek, the Blues knew a win, while maintaining their positive goal difference, would be enough.
And they made sure there was no room for error with an incredible first-half display inspired by Ramirez, who scored twice and set up goals for Johanna Rytting Kaneryd and Sjoeke Nusken at Old Trafford.
Melanie Leupolz got in on the act early in the second half as Chelsea's celebrations began in earnest, with Fran Kirby netting late on to complete the rout on her farewell appearance.
Ultimately, City – likely deflated by the news coming from Old Trafford – held up their end of the bargain, but shorn of top goalscorer Khadija Shaw, Gareth Taylor's team could only beat Aston Villa 2-1.
City were constantly chasing their title rivals, with Ramirez and Rytting Kaneryd putting Chelsea 2-0 up at United inside eight minutes.
Mary Fowler nudged City ahead at Villa Park, though when Taylor's team went in at the interval, they will have seen additional goals from record signing Ramirez and Nusken had all but sewn up the title for Chelsea already.
Leupolz has scored her first WSL goal in over two years to add further gloss for Chelsea when they came back out from the restart in Manchester, and City were then hit by a further blow when Rachel Daly equalised for Villa.
Lauren Hemp, who had assisted Fowler's opener, restored City's lead, though it was never going to be enough, with Kirby's farewell goal ensuring Chelsea finished with a goal difference of 53 compared to their rivals' 46.
Chelsea are now unbeaten across their last nine WSL games that have come on the final day of the season, while the Blues are now nine WSL matches without loss against United, having won eight of those fixtures.
Hoffenheim 4-2 Bayern Munich: Tuchel bows out on defeat thanks to Kramaric hat-trick
Bayern Munich squandered a two-goal lead to slump to a 4-2 loss at Hoffenheim courtesy of a second-half Andrej Kramaric hat-trick in Thomas Tuchel's final game.
Early goals from Mathys Tel and Alphonso Davies saw the injury-depleted Bavarians go 2-0 up by the sixth minute.
Hoffenheim, however, pulled a goal back through Germany international Maximilian Beier just two minutes later, with the hosts gradually taking some of the early pace out of the game.
Bayern's injury troubles were further compounded when they lost Aleksandar Pavlovic to injury in the 35th minute, and struggled to cope with Hoffenheim's threat in the second half.
Kramaric then delivered a stunning 19-minute hat-trick with the Bayern defence in ruins, ending a disappointing season in third place with 72 points.
Bayer Leverkusen finished in top spot on 90 points. VfB Stuttgart finished runners-up on 73 with a 4-0 demolition of Borussia Moenchengladbach, while Hoffenheim finished seventh, in the Europa Conference League place.
Data Debrief:
Thomas Muller made his 473rd Bundesliga appearance for Bayern on Saturday, drawing level with Sepp Maier as the club's record appearance maker in the competition.
Bayern failed to have a single shot on target in the second half, while Kramaric ran riot to subject Bayern to their worst league finish since 2011.
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