Aberdeen exited the Conference League without a win and a game to spare despite a spirited display in their defeat to leaders Strasbourg at Pittodrie.
The Scottish Cup winners knew they needed to win against the Ligue 1 side - and Sparta Prague next week - to give themselves any chance of remaining in European football after Christmas.
Jimmy Thelin's side appeared to get off to the perfect start when defender Mats Knoester nodded the hosts in front, but his first Aberdeen goal was disallowed by a video assistant referee (VAR) check after the ball glanced off his arm.
Should it have stood, it would have been nothing less than the Dons deserved in an impressive performance. But their profligacy proved costly.
Against the run of play, and minutes after the influential Adil Aouchiche went close, Aberdeen were cut open on the counter attack and Martial Godo pounced on Nicky Devlin's fresh-air swipe to suck the energy out of Pittodrie.
Still, the Scottish Premiership side probed, with Knoester powering a strong header on target while Marko Lazetic inexplicably laboured at the close-sight of goal twice.
Devlin, who was captain for the night, conceded a penalty by falling into goalscorer Godo.
The former England under-20 international didn't get the chance to take the spot-kick as he was immediately switched for Joaquin Panichelli to do so. He wasn't allowed to take it either, though, with Ismael Doukoure eventually being denied by a fine Dimitar Mitov stop.
It didn't matter in the end, though, as Liam Rosenior's competition contenders escaped the north east of Scotland with a win while eliminating their hosts in the process.