Aberdeen manager Derek McInnes 'confident' of Europa League progress
- From the section Football
Aberdeen manager Derek McInnes is convinced his side will finish off Europa League opponents Apollon Limassol in Cyprus next week.
The Dons take a 2-1 advantage into the game, which has been switched to the AEK Stadium in Larnaca.
Ryan Christie put them in front after four minutes of the first leg, and Graeme Shinnie hit a stunning winner on 78 minutes after Jander's equaliser.
"We go over to Cyprus confident of getting the job done," said McInnes.
"We are disappointed to lose the away goal, but we thoroughly deserved to win the game."
McInnes said he was always confident his side would score goals, no matter who they are playing.
"We will be ready for them having more of the ball and we have to take the heat over there into consideration as well," he said.
"But we have had a couple of big wins when we have played against good teams like Rijeka and Siroki Brijeg in hot temperatures, so we can do that again."
McInnes is wary of having conceded an away goal but believes his team has the firepower necessary to reach the play-off round for the first time.
Striker Adam Rooney missed Thursday's match with a hamstring injury, but his manager has not given up hope of having his most reliable goalscorer fit to play in the return leg.
The hosts will be without Esteban Sachetti after the Argentine midfielder was sent off at Pittodrie, while coach Safronis Avgousti was sent to the stand.
McInnes hoped his side would have pressed home their numerical advantage, but added he was not shocked by the quality of Apollon's play.
"I'm not surprised they scored as they are a good team, but I was always confident that we would score at least two goals," he said.
"We finished the game strongly and, if it had gone on for another 10 minutes, I think we would have scored more.
"It was a very good team performance and we are beginning to show what we can be capable of in the season ahead.
"I can't not mention the sell-out crowd as well as they are a real asset to us and I just wish we could have that backing in every game at Pittodrie."
