Inverness CT 4 - 1 Aberdeen

Challenge Cup - KDM trophy
Tuesday, August 26th, 2025, 7:45 PM at Caledonian Stadium
Attendance: 507
Referee: George Calder
Inverness CT  Aberdeen

Goalscorers
Chanka Zimba (12)
Chanka Zimba (77)
Chanka Zimba (82)
Billy Mckay (89)
Tristan Stephen (9)

Team Managers
Scott Kellacher Stuart Duff

Starting Eleven
Logan Ross
James Clark
Matthew Strachan
Mitchell Robertson
Sam Thompson
Remi Savage
Adam Mackinnon
Robbie Thompson
Jordan Alonge
Chanka Zimba
Liam Sole
Rodrigo Vitols
Noah McDonnell
Lewis Carrol
Aaron Cummings
Dylan Ross
Dylan Lobban
Cooper Masson
Zak To
Ryan Duncan
Josie Teasdale
Tristan Stephen

Substitutes
Ross Munro
Archie Kerr
Oscar MacIntyre
Daniel Devine
David Wotherspoon
Calum MacLeod
Joe Chalmers
Luis Longstaff
Billy Mckay
Bradley Chikomo
Oliver Green
Sam McLean
Jack Searle
Theo Simpson (GK)

Substitutions
Luis Longstaff for Liam Sole (62)
Archie Kerr for Adam Mackinnon (73)
Billy Mckay for Chanka Zimba (89)
Jack Searle -> Ryan Duncan (45)
Oliver Green -> Dylan Lobban (63)
Sam McLean -> Aaron Cummings (63)
Bradley Chikomo -> Cooper Masson (75)

Bookings
Chanka Zimba (45)
Adam Mackinnon (73)
Cooper Masson (55)

Red Cards
None. None.
Appearances & Goals To Date
Logan Ross (GK) 2 apps -
James Clark 2 apps -
Matthew Strachan 33 apps -
Mitchell Robertson 3 apps -
Sam Thompson 3 apps -
Remi Savage 69 apps2 goals
Adam Mackinnon 39 apps3 goals
Robbie Thompson 44 apps1 goal
Jordan Alonge 9 apps -
Chanka Zimba 5 apps3 goals
Liam Sole 9 apps1 goal
Archie Kerr (sub) 3 apps -
Billy Mckay (sub) 345 apps121 goals
Luis Longstaff (sub) 75 apps8 goals

Starting Lineup
Youngest Player:James Clark (17 years 66 days)
Oldest Player:Jordan Alonge (26 years 244 days)
Average Player Age:21 years 334 days
Domestic Players:7 (63.64 % of starting eleven)

Matchday Squad
Youngest Player:James Clark (17 years 66 days)
Oldest Player:Billy Mckay (36 years 317 days)
Average Player Age:24 years 95 days
Domestic Players:13 (65.00 % of matchday squad)

First Team Debuts

Milestones

Young Dandies caught late


Neither side had the benefit of using either of the Alfie's in this Challenge Cup tie. Inverness were looking for their second win with the Young Dons searching for their first points after defeat to Peterhead last time out. Keeper Rodrigo Vitols has just been called up to the Latvian u19 squad for two upcoming friendlies. Inverness had a superstrong bench just in case, but had Sole, Zimba, Alonge, MacKinnon and Robbie Thompson as a strong attacking force on from the start.

The Young Dons gave a good account of themselves and opened the scoring through Tristan Stephen. It took the Caley Jags just three minutes to draw level through Chanka Zimba. We struggled to break them down thereafter before Zimba completed a late hat-trick and Billy Mckay scored a fourth just after replacing the big striker for his obligatory 89th minute round of applause.

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A bright start for the hosts with Zimba having an effort saved but it was the visitors that opened the scoring after ten minutes through Tristan Stephen as he shot high into the net from inside the box. Adam MacKinnon tried to respond moments later but his effort was just too high. Zimba would not be denied though and the big Striker scored minutes later to level the tie after tremendous work down the left by Liam Sole. Vitols saved from a Robertson header midway through the half. Inverness were dominating the play but the score still remained level after half an hour with Liam Sole close to finding the top corner. Vitols denied Zimba again ten minutes before the interval and the sides went in all square at the break.

HALF TIME: 1-1

One change for the Young Dons as Searle replaced Duncan but it was the hosts that almost took the lead when Jordan Alonge hit the woodwork from distance a couple of minutes after the restart. He fired a free kick just wide as we searched for a second goal and Zimba shot wide before Searle did likewise for the Dons. Vitols saved once more from Zimba on the hour and just after that Sole's night was done as Longstaff entered the game. Alonge had another effort saved by Vitols. Into the final twenty minutes and Inverness were still finding it difficult to break down the resolute Dons defence. However, with ten minutes left, Zimba got his second of the night with a first time strike from the edge of the box followed closely by his third. He was replaced by Billy Mckay in the final minute to receive the applause and Billy promptly scored the fourth goal to end the game after a great ball forward by Longstaff.

FULL TIME: 4-1

Match report written by tm4tj

None.