St Mirren manager Stephen Robinson praised his “outstanding” side as he focused on the positives after a late blow against Aberdeen cost them top spot in the cinch Premiership.
Saints fought back to lead 2-1 thanks to Greg Kiltie’s penalty and a strike from substitute Alex Greive and were moments away from a seventh straight win.
But a VAR review led to a penalty for handball against Alex Gogic and Bojan Miovski levelled 10 minutes into stoppage-time.
St Mirren had recovered from a late blow in the first half when Jonny Hayes’ free-kick nestled in the far corner in Aberdeen’s first attack of note in the 42nd minute.
And Robinson wants his players to quickly brush off the last-gasp setback.
Robinson said: “I thought we dominated the game from start to finish. We created all of the chances and luck didn’t go our way with certain things.
“All I can ask for is that level of quality and I got that. Some of the football we played and the quality of the chances we created were a credit to that group of players. I would rather talk about them than about decisions or things that went against us.
“That’s all I can ask of those boys who are very, very talented and I’m very proud of them.
“They feel that they should have another two points but ultimately we don’t.
“If we play like that, as we have done for the last seven games, we’ll be fine. We controlled the game and passed the ball really well and opened up an Aberdeen side which has spent a lot of money.
“They are a very good side, make no mistake about that. They are doing very well and doing very well in Europe but we made them look average because of our performance. They are a good side but our quality was outstanding.
“All I can say to the boys is to keep going as we are heading in the right direction.”
There was further drama after Miovski hit the net as the striker’s penalty was subjected to a VAR check for a “double touch”.
Robinson, whose side had two goals disallowed for offside, said: “You’re always going to have that throughout games and these things happen sometimes. It didn’t go our way. It would be wrong for me to make a comment as it wouldn’t be an educated comment as I’ve not seen it from any great angle.”
Aberdeen were a shadow of the side that drew 2-2 with Swedish champions BK Hacken in Gothenburg on Thursday.
Manager Barry Robson said: “First and foremost credit to St Mirren. I thought they were excellent.
“We looked a yard off it all over the pitch. But, when you can’t win it then you don’t lose it. I thought we hung in there and fought right until the end.
“It was hard to go from the high of Hacken to playing the form team in Scotland. They had won their first six games this season and we have been on the road for a long time.
“I think the fans helped us in the end. We needed to get something out of the game and thanks to them we did. We probably got a few VAR decisions as well.”
Meanwhile, Robson claimed he was “hugely” confident that Miovski would still be at the club next week amid reports Southampton are preparing a bid for the North Macedonia striker.
Hurtig the hero after late goal sends Arsenal into Champions League quarters
Lina Hurtig's 89th minute winner ensured Arsenal progressed to the quarter-finals of the Women's Champions League after edging Juventus 1-0 on Thursday.
After being frustrated for large parts of the encounter, Hurtig bundled home from close range after Martina Lenzini's poor clearance to book the Gunners' place in the last eight.
Despite Arsenal dominating the early exchanges, it was Juventus who had the first sight of goal, though Eva Schatzer's effort was easy for Daphne van Domselaar to gather.
In a first half that saw just two shots on target, both coming from the visitors, Renee Slegers' substitutes proved to be the difference for Arsenal.
Slegers introduced Beth Mead, Stina Blackstenius and Hurtig late on, with the latter somehow putting Kim Little's cross over the bar from five yards out.
However, the Swede would atone for her earlier error, combining with fellow substitute Blackstenius to net against her former club and send them out of the competition with two group games remaining.
Meanwhile, in Group D, Barcelona edged closer to the quarter-finals of the competition with a convincing 4-1 victory over St. Polten at the Generali Arena.
The reigning champions are still three points behind Manchester City following their 2-1 win over Hammarby, and know a win against the Swedes next month will see them progress.
Kika Nazareth opened the scoring in the 20th minute after capitalising on a mistake by Kamila Dubcova, notching her second nine minutes later from close range.
Barca found themselves three goals up at the break when Vicky Lopez netted her first goal in the competition to put the result beyond doubt.
There was also a landmark moment for Alexia Putellas, who netted her 200th goal for the club with a well-taken effort into the far corner.
Valentina Madl took some of the shine off an otherwise impressive display from the visitors, who have now taken their tally to 20 goals from their four matches in the competition.
Guardiola agrees two-year contract extension with Man City
Pep Guardiola will be Manchester City manager for at least two more seasons after 2024-25, after he signed a two-year contract extension on Thursday.
The 53-year-old was coming to the end of his City deal, which was due to expire at the end of the current campaign, but he has opted to remain at the Etihad Stadium.
The deal itself will take Guardiola's tenure at the club to over a decade, making him City's longest-serving manager since Les McDowall in 1963.
There had been suggestions that he may leave at the end of the season following the announcement that director of football Txiki Begiristain was on his way out.
Guardiola was strongly linked with the England job after Gareth Southgate resigned in the wake of their Euro 2024 final defeat, but the Football Association appointed Thomas Tuchel last month.
“Manchester City means so much to me," Guardiola said. “This is my ninth season here; we have experienced so many amazing times together. I have a really special feeling for this football club.
“That is why I am so happy to be staying for another two more seasons.
“Thank you to everyone for continuing to trust and support me – The Owner, The Chairman Khaldoon, Ferran, Txiki, the players and, of course, the fans… everyone connected to Manchester City. It has always been an honour, a pleasure and a privilege to be here.
“I have said this many times before, but I have everything a manager could ever wish for, and I appreciate that so much.
“Hopefully, now we can add more trophies to the ones we have already won. That will be my focus.”
Having been appointed in 2016, Guardiola is by some distance Manchester City's most successful manager of all time, having won 18 major trophies during his time at the club.
That list includes their first-ever Champions League triumph in 2023 and six Premier League titles, including an unprecedented four on the spin.
He also boasts a 72.04% win percentage across all competitions, which is unsurprisingly the highest of any full-time City manager in history.
Shaw at the double as Man City progress in Champions League
Khadija Shaw scored twice as Manchester City beat Hammarby 2-1 to seal their place in the Women's Champions League quarter-finals.
Gareth Taylor's team entered Thursday's game with a perfect record in Group D, and their fourth win in as many European matches ensured they finished in the top two.
Shaw—the leading scorer in the Women's Super League this season with eight goals—put them ahead in the 31st minute, driving into the area after taking in Yui Hasegawa's pass before seeing her shot deflect into the top corner.
Shaw was booked for celebrating in front of the home fans despite appearing to have objects thrown at her from the stands, and Hammarby should have levelled when Julia Blakstad fired wide 10 minutes later.
The hosts did draw level three minutes into the second half as Ellen Wangerheim tapped home while City's Laura Blindkilde Brown was down appealing for a free-kick.
That parity was short-lived, though, as Shaw blasted into the top corner from 25 yards out, taking her overall tally for this season to 12 goals in all competitions.
In Group C, meanwhile, Bayern Munich lost their perfect record as they played out a 1-1 draw with Valerenga, boosting Arsenal's hopes of topping the pile.
Jovana Damnjanovic came off the bench to put Bayern ahead 15 minutes from time in Norway, but Elise Thorsnes headed home following an 88th-minute corner to snatch a point for the hosts.
Arsenal could now move within a point of Bayern when they face Juventus in Group C's other match later on Thursday.
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