Aberdeen are 45 minutes away from being dumped out of this season's Europa League, following a goalless first half in the second leg of their clash with Kairat.

Kairat headed into the match with a 2-1 lead and Gerard Gohou threatened in the opening minute for the visitors, but his low shot across goal was held by Danny Ward.

The Kazakhstan outfit worked another chance moments later when Stanislav Lunin was slipped through on goal by Gohou, before seeing his effort blocked by Ward.

Aberdeen then thought that they should have been given a penalty when Peter Pawlett went down inside the box, but the referee waved away their appeals.

The Dons began to grow into the match and Jonny Hayes fired in a powerful strike that Vladimir Plotnikov managed to hold on to.

Hayes was soon involved again when he latched on to a flick from Pawlett and drilled a strike from the edge of the box inches wide of the post.

However, the visitors almost extended their lead in the tie just before half time when Mikhail Bakayev fired in a shot towards the corner that Ward saved at full stretch.