Mark O’Hara and Toyosi Olusanya scored in stoppage time to earn St Mirren a 2-1 home win and deny Neil Warnock his first league victory as interim Aberdeen manager.
Connor Barron’s goal after just 62 seconds looked set to earn the Dons a first league win for two months.
But substitute Olusanya won a penalty after a long VAR delay that was converted by O’Hara before just moments later the striker volleyed in what proved to be the winner to improve Saints’ top-six chances.
St Mirren were unchanged from the team that started their midweek draw away to Ross County, with Conor McMenamin fit enough for a place on the bench.
Aberdeen, in turn, made four changes after losing to St Johnstone.
In came Nicky Devlin, Junior Hoilett, Killian Phillips and Luis ‘Duk’ Lopes, with Jack Milne, Jonny Hayes, Jamie McGrath and Leighton Clarkson all dropping out.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino took a seat in the main stand after attending the IFAB AGM at Loch Lomond earlier in the day.
He was treated to a stunning goal after just 62 seconds as Aberdeen took an early lead.
Duk made a great run down the right wing before putting in a cross that was knocked out by Alex Gogic but only as far as Barron, who lashed a shot high in the net from 25 yards.
St Mirren rallied but a Greg Kiltie header from Scott Tanser’s cross was easily saved by Kelle Roos.
The home side should have drawn level when Zach Hemming’s deep free-kick was pushed on to the post by opposite number Roos after being helped on by Tanser.
The ball ran across the face of the goal but Lewis Jamieson couldn’t finish from close range. VAR checked for a penalty but it wasn’t given.
The forward tried a more spectacular attempt in Saints’ next attack only for his volley to clip the bar and go over despite his protests that Roos had saved it.
Aberdeen replied with a Barron header from a corner that went just wide before Mikael Mandron was similarly off target at the other end. Again VAR checked for a penalty for a foul on Mandron but once more it wasn’t given.
The visitors had been kept quiet for much of the first half but had a chance early in the second, Hoilett crossing for Bojan Miovski who headed over.
St Mirren had a chance to equalise but Elvis Bwomono sliced his shot wide at the back post while, in a rare Aberdeen attack, Phillips volleyed high into the stand.
Aberdeen looked like holding out for the win but Nicky Devlin tripped Olusanya and, after a three-minute delay, VAR decided it had been inside rather than outside the box.
O’Hara finished from the spot but Saints weren’t done there as McMenamin crossed from the right and Jonah Ayunga headed it back across for Olusanya to volley past Roos.
'I know my worth and I will show it' – Antony vows to silence Man Utd critics
Manchester United winger Antony has pledged to silence his critics after ending his long wait for a Premier League goal on Saturday, saying: "I know my worth and I will show it."
Antony has struggled since swapping Ajax for Old Trafford in an £86million ($108m) deal last year, only managing five goals and three assists in 52 Premier League appearances.
The Brazilian failed to net in his first 26 league games this season before ending his goal drought against Burnley on Saturday, though Zeki Amdouni's late penalty earned the Clarets a 1-1 draw.
Antony was also roundly criticised for taunting Coventry City's players in the aftermath of United's FA Cup semi-final win over the Sky Blues earlier this month, with the Red Devils inching through on penalties after surrendering a 3-0 lead in a 3-3 draw.
Having struggled to live up to expectations since arriving in England, he was asked by The Athletic whether his price tag had put him under additional pressure, but he says that is not the case.
"It doesn't really impact me because I know my worth," Antony said. "The money is the money and obviously everyone speaks about it, but no one would if the performances were at the top.
"It's just a way of working harder, knowing I can get better, I know my worth and I will show it. The critics are going to exist, and they make me want to work harder and prove it to myself first.
"I'm going to keep working, giving everything for the group because it's most important to have a good mentality and to be focused."
Saturday's draw officially ended United's hopes of a top-four finish, heightening speculation regarding the future of manager Erik ten Hag.
While Antony accepts United have not been good enough this season, he is hopeful they can end the campaign on a high with another FA Cup final against Manchester City to come.
"It's been a very tough year for me and the team, the results are not ones we expected," Antony added.
"I am someone who takes criticism very well and I want to work on it, and I think we all have to focus on finishing the season the best we can.
"We still have five games and we have to think game by game, get better and go into the final in the best way possible to win it."
Bayer Leverkusen's Puerta sets sights on Copa America
Gustavo Puerta's first season with Bayer Leverkusen could not have gone any better and the 20-year-old midfielder hopes his experience with the undefeated German side will earn him a place in Colombia's Copa America squad this summer.
Puerta has made eight appearances this season for Bundesliga champions Leverkusen, who are unbeaten in 46 matches across all competitions under Xabi Alonso.
Leverkusen will play Roma in the Europa League semi-finals and are also through to the DFB-Pokal final.
"This year has been wonderful for me and for my career, I hope to keep winning titles and get minutes at the end of the tournament," Puerta, who has made five Bundesliga appearances, told Reuters.
Puerta enjoyed success with Colombia's under-20 side and has received his first call-up for the national team's friendlies against Spain and Romania in March.
He hopes to make an impression on coach Nestor Lorenzo with the Copa America on the horizon. The tournament takes place in the United States across June and July.
"Being in this team with an undefeated run is very important to be considered for the national team if the coach (Lorenzo) thinks I can contribute," he added.
"We haven't talked much about it, but he told me that he's keeping an eye on me, that he wants to see me play. I hope to get minutes in the end because it is a privilege to be in the national team, I want to wait for the call-up."
The Colombian added that playing for one of the top 10 teams in the world has not only improved his game but also given him confidence in his abilities.
"It helps you mature, spending time with great world-class players on a daily basis and training with them is important, they are very experienced and that makes a difference for someone as young as me," he added.
Puerta said he felt supported by the club and that he would be able to reach his full potential under Alonso.
"It was historic, very nice, very crazy to have won my first title in one of the top five leagues in Europe," he added.
Emotional Thiago Silva confirms Chelsea departure but vows to return 'in another role'
Thiago Silva will leave Chelsea at the end of the campaign, but hopes to return down the line in another role.
Silva, who joined Chelsea as a free agent after leaving Paris Saint-Germain in 2020, has made 151 appearances for the club and helped them win the Champions League, Club World Cup and Super Cup.
The 39-year-old, however, will not be staying at Stamford Bridge for a fifth campaign.
In an emotional interview with the club's media channels, the Brazilian said: "Chelsea means a lot to me. I came here with the intention of only staying for one year and it ended up being four years.
"Not just for me but for my family, too. My sons play for Chelsea so it's a source of great pride to be a member of the Chelsea family.
"I hope my sons can continue with their careers here at this victorious club that many players wish to be a part of.
"I think everything I did here over the four years, I always gave my all but, unfortunately, everything has a start, a middle and an end.
"It's an indescribable love. I can only say thank you."
However, Silva is set on returning to the club once his playing days are over.
He added: "That doesn't mean that this is a definitive end, I have to leave the door open so that in the near future I can return, albeit in another role here.
"Obviously, when I started here, it was during the pandemic, so there weren't any fans in the stadium, but through social media it became something very special to me and then when the fans started coming back, and life was getting back to normal, I started to feel a lot of affection and respect for my story and for my start here.
"So, it is already hard saying goodbye in the most normal of circumstances, but when there is a mutual love, it's even harder. But once a Blue, always a Blue."
Silva has worked under a variety of managers during his time at Chelsea, including Mauricio Pochettino, Graham Potter, Thomas Tuchel and Frank Lampard, who brought him to the club.
"The way in which I came here, with the support of the club, I got to be a leader of the club having arrived as the new guy," Silva continued.
"It's always difficult to integrate, but bit by bit, I became part of the group and Lampard played a big part in that, so I am grateful to him for that.
"Not even in my wildest dreams did I imagine that I could achieve such great things and win one of the best professional titles, the Champions League, at one of the biggest clubs in the world.
"Goodbyes are for those that leave and don't come back. I intend on coming back one day."
Silva will be hoping to bid farewell to Chelsea on a high note by propelling them to European qualification.
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