First Team
Match Report | Rangers 1-1 Dundee United
23rd November 2024
United lined up in the familiar 4-4-2 formation with Euan McLean in goal, behind a back four of Stuart Abbot, Garry Kenneth, Ross Gardiner and William Easton. The midfield consisted of Greg Cameron, David Robertson, Kieran McAleenan and Barry Callaghan whilst Nicky McDonald and Joe Andrew formed the strike partnership.
United started brightly and Callaghan had a shot deflected clear just before McAleenan was denied when the Dundee keeper saved at his feet. But it was the visitors who took the lead on five minutes after Voigt was awarded a penalty and he fired the spot kick in himself. Six minutes later United were denied what looked like a clear penalty when McAleenan was pushed over in the box as the young Tangerines made a number of chances without creating a clear cut shooting chance. Dundee replied mid way through the first half with a Reilly shot and a Peasley header, both well wide of goal.
With twenty five minutes played United could have levelled, but, from a well placed Callaghan corner, no United player was able to connect cleanly. Five minutes later Andrew just failed to direct another Callaghan corner goalwards with his head and the ball skimmed away. Almost immediately McAleenan played a good one-two with McDonald and with the goal inviting he slipped his shot past the keeper but it rebounded off the post. Five minutes later a superb United flowing move ended with Robertson feeding the ball right into the path of McDonald who was then in the clear but the referee stopped play after Robertson went down with a head knock in the process. In the last five minutes of the half ,Cameron saw his effort deflected, McAleenan was twice denied by Murray in the Dundee goal and finally McDonald had a net bound shot blocked.
Half Time: Dundee United 0 Dundee 1
The second half opened with Peasley's shot deflected away and then Robertson pounced on a loose ball at the other end and fired just wide, but the equaliser was not far away. It came from the spot after Robertson was upended as he burst into the box and the midfielder converted himself. United went looking for another goal and looked the better side although the Dark Blues were dangerous on the break. Callaghan whipped in a dangerous cross that eluded everyone as it zipped across goal and then a McAleenan curler from the edge of the area was only inches wide.
For a brief spell with around an hour played, Dundee had the upper hand but Voight had no luck with two long range drives that McLean held well. An almighty scramble in the Dundee box with twenty five minutes left could have seen any one of five United men score but the ball was eventually cleared. Then, Robertson, McAleenan and McDonald were all out of luck before Dundee snatched the lead from a quick break with twelve minutes remaining. Reilly took the final pass to beat McLean. Thereafter it was virtually all United as they went all out to equalise. In the final ten minutes Andrew was clean through but had his shot blocked by the diving Murray. Another penalty claim was denied, Hay cleared a shot by the trialist Cream and finally Andreoni fired wide and then over. In the last minute a melee on the Dundee line after Murray lost the ball, saw United's last chance disappear and Dundee lost a player to a red card.
Full Time: Dundee United 1 Dundee 2
This match continued a trend that has been evident for some weeks with United just not capitalising on their superiority over the whole game. There is no lack of creativity in the side but they were unable to turn some good passing play into goals and ended up losing a match they really should have won.
United started brightly and Callaghan had a shot deflected clear just before McAleenan was denied when the Dundee keeper saved at his feet. But it was the visitors who took the lead on five minutes after Voigt was awarded a penalty and he fired the spot kick in himself. Six minutes later United were denied what looked like a clear penalty when McAleenan was pushed over in the box as the young Tangerines made a number of chances without creating a clear cut shooting chance. Dundee replied mid way through the first half with a Reilly shot and a Peasley header, both well wide of goal.
With twenty five minutes played United could have levelled, but, from a well placed Callaghan corner, no United player was able to connect cleanly. Five minutes later Andrew just failed to direct another Callaghan corner goalwards with his head and the ball skimmed away. Almost immediately McAleenan played a good one-two with McDonald and with the goal inviting he slipped his shot past the keeper but it rebounded off the post. Five minutes later a superb United flowing move ended with Robertson feeding the ball right into the path of McDonald who was then in the clear but the referee stopped play after Robertson went down with a head knock in the process. In the last five minutes of the half ,Cameron saw his effort deflected, McAleenan was twice denied by Murray in the Dundee goal and finally McDonald had a net bound shot blocked.
Half Time: Dundee United 0 Dundee 1
The second half opened with Peasley's shot deflected away and then Robertson pounced on a loose ball at the other end and fired just wide, but the equaliser was not far away. It came from the spot after Robertson was upended as he burst into the box and the midfielder converted himself. United went looking for another goal and looked the better side although the Dark Blues were dangerous on the break. Callaghan whipped in a dangerous cross that eluded everyone as it zipped across goal and then a McAleenan curler from the edge of the area was only inches wide.
For a brief spell with around an hour played, Dundee had the upper hand but Voight had no luck with two long range drives that McLean held well. An almighty scramble in the Dundee box with twenty five minutes left could have seen any one of five United men score but the ball was eventually cleared. Then, Robertson, McAleenan and McDonald were all out of luck before Dundee snatched the lead from a quick break with twelve minutes remaining. Reilly took the final pass to beat McLean. Thereafter it was virtually all United as they went all out to equalise. In the final ten minutes Andrew was clean through but had his shot blocked by the diving Murray. Another penalty claim was denied, Hay cleared a shot by the trialist Cream and finally Andreoni fired wide and then over. In the last minute a melee on the Dundee line after Murray lost the ball, saw United's last chance disappear and Dundee lost a player to a red card.
Full Time: Dundee United 1 Dundee 2
This match continued a trend that has been evident for some weeks with United just not capitalising on their superiority over the whole game. There is no lack of creativity in the side but they were unable to turn some good passing play into goals and ended up losing a match they really should have won.
