Aberdeen manager Mark McGhee has told Sone Aluko he must wait before leaving for Nigeria's Under-20s World Cup campaign, after the winger failed to convince him of his fitness during Monday night's goalless draw at Falkirk.

Aluko was a 55th-minute substitute after returning from a Nigerian training camp with an Achilles problem, but almost set up a late winner when his break ended with Peter Pawlett hitting the bar from 20 yards.

The 20-year-old was due to leave on Tuesday for the tournament in Egypt, but McGhee is not sure whether he will release him at all as he said: "Certainly not after that - he won't be going (on Tuesday)," said McGhee. "I've still to decide whether he's going or not."

He added: "I'll respect Sone's wishes. But he has got to convince me he's 100% fit and he has not done that.

"I've got to take Aberdeen into account. We can't afford him to come back injured - so I've got to be convinced that, before he goes, he's 100%."

While McGhee is not satisfied with Aluko's input, he blamed himself for Aberdeen's failure to take three points.

The Dons boss handed Michael Paton his first start as he introduced the 4-3-3 formation that brought him so much success at Motherwell, but he changed back to a 4-4-2 when Aluko came on.

Although both sides had chances in the first half, it was Dons goalkeeper Jamie Langfield who was forced into the more spectacular saves.

"I think the system stymied us," said McGhee. "Sometimes managers have to take responsibility, and the 4-3-3 just didn't work for us.

"We were trying to get in behind them but we did it from the back rather than through the midfield. There is a lot more work to be done before we can play a three again."