Aberdeen got off to the perfect start in only the fourth minute of the match. A Chris Clark through ball released Paul Sheerin, who calmly slotted past Pieckenhagen in the Hamburg goal. The Dons continued their bright start to the game, with Derek Young efforts, sandwiching a Meijer header, bringing saves out of Pieckenhagen.

SV Hamburg scorned their best chance of the match in the 17th minute when Jacobsen could only blaze the ball over from a tight angle. The visitors didn't have to wait long to please their small, but noisy, band of fans. Groth raced to the touchline, cutting the ball back for Romeo to add the finishing touch to draw the Germans level.

Hamburg continued to press the Dons, and almost took the lead in the 34th minute. A short corner was played back to Groth, and Kjaer had to be at full stretch to tip the shot over the bar. The second for Hamburg wasn't long in coming though. From the resulting corner, Baur bulleted a Rahn corner past the helpless Kjaer. In the 38th minute, Derek Young tested Pieckenhagen, with a firm header from a Hart cross. It was the Germans though who went closest to scoring again in the 34th minute. Baur flicked on a Groth corner, and Kjaer was only able to gather after a furious scramble.

The Dons got back into the game in the 56th minute. A Clark cross was dropped by Wachter at the feet of Derek Young, who prodded the ball home from close range. The Dons were pushing for an equalising goal, and it was Paul Sheerin who went close in the 66th minute, but his low drive was saved by Wachter. The Dons pushed for an equaliser, but couldn't find a way though the German defence, for what would have been a hard fought draw.