Aberdeen 3-0 Raith Rovers: Bojan Miovski scores on debut as Kirkcaldy side exit Scottish League Cup
- Published
Bojan Miovski scored on his Aberdeen debut from the penalty spot
New signing Bojan Miovski took just six minutes to open his Aberdeen account as they reached the Scottish League Cup last 16 with four straight group wins.
The striker, who arrived in Scotland on Friday, won and thumped home a penalty against visitors Raith Rovers.
Ross McCrorie fired a superb second and Jonny Hayes slotted the third either side of the break.
Defeat ended Rovers' hopes of progress, leaving Queen of the South to secure the final place in the next stage.
As the Kirkcaldy side missed out on being one of the three best runners-up, Aberdeen made sure of a seeded place in the last 16 draw, being handed a trip to League 2 side Annan Athletic, by topping their group without conceding a goal.
Manager Jim Goodwin had been forced to wait for almost a month since signing Miovski from MTK Budapest because of visa problems.
The North Macedonia striker made his mark immediately, earning a penalty after being caught from behind by Sam Stanton as the ball deflected into his path just outside the six-yard box.
Stealing the ball off team-mate Matty Kennedy, Miovski fired the spot-kick high into the junction between post and bar.
Draws with League 2 sides Stirling Albion and Dumbarton had hampered Rovers' chances, but the Championship side would still have progressed had they managed a draw, and taken a penalty shootout bonus point, and they responded pluckily to that early blow.
Jamie Gullan sent a flick spinning dangerously across the face of goal before forcing a good save from goalkeeper Kelle Roos with a shot on the turn, while strike partner Dario Zanatta had a low drive deflected just wide.
However, midfielder McCrorie's thundering drive in off the underside of the crossbar from 22 yards shortly before the break settled the nerves of a fragile-looking home defence and took the wind out of the visitors' sails.
After Hayes slotted home on the break when Miovski cleverly left the ball for the wing-back as the Rovers defence waited for an offside flag against the striker, it was a case of Rovers goalkeeper Robbie Thomson battling manfully to keep the score down.