First Team
Match Report | Rangers 1-1 Dundee United
23rd November 2024
United failed to secure their first league win of the season, going down 2-0 at the hands of Kilmarnock in what was a frustrating afternoon for the home side at Tannadice.
Despite dominating large periods of the match, United failed to turn their possession into clear-cut chances and were made to pay when a goal in each half from Gavin Skelton and Danny Invincible saw Jefferies's men take all three points.
Craig Levein's charges started the game brightly and almost took the lead in the second minute of the match when a free-kick from the right was floated in by Sean Dillon. The ball fell to Gary Kenneth, who unleashed a volley from 25 yards out, only to see his effort crash off the crossbar with Alan Combe beaten all ends up.
Just after the half-hour mark, an excellent move down the right hand side brought United's best effort of the first half.
Scott Robertson, Francisco Sandaza, and Willo Flood exchanged passes as United broke forward. The ball then fell to Morgaro Gomis who played a perfectly weighted pass through to Warren Feeney, only for the striker to pull his shot just wide of the post.
Then, against the run of play, Kilmarnock took the lead in the 40th minute.
Former United striker David Fernandez swung in a dangerous cross from the right and Gavin Skelton rose above the defence to head past Lukasz Zaluska in the United goal to put Jim Jeffries' men 1-0 up.
The goal sparked an immediate reaction from Craig Levein's men.
Feeney broke down the left and played the ball through to Sandaza, who turned his marker inside out only to fire his shot wide with just the keeper to beat.
Eight minutes into the second half, United almost drew level.
A free-kick from Flood was spilled by Combe, but in the ensuing scramble, Sandaza failed to turn the ball home.
Then, another sucker-punch saw Kilmarnock go 2-0 up on the hour mark.
A clever one-two in midfield gave Taouil space to thread the ball behind the United defence into the path of Danny Invincible, who turned and struck a left-footed shot beyond Zaluska.
Craig Levein threw on Craig Conway, Jon Daly and David Goodwillie in the hope that they would enjoy some better luck than Feeney and Sandaza, but Kilmarnock were happy to sit back and soak up the pressure.
United huffed and puffed and with five minutes remaining, almost gave themselves a lifeline when a Swanson free-kick was met by Lee Wilkie, but the United captain's header fell kindly into the hands of the Kilmarnock goalkeeper.
And, with that, went any hope of United getting something from the game.
Teams:
Dundee United: Zaluska, Dillon, Grainger, Kenneth, Wilkie (c), Flood (Conway, 54) Feeney (Daly, 72) Robertson, Gomis, Swanson, Sandaza (Goodwillie, 76) (Subs not used: McGovern, O'Donovan, Kovacevic, Buaben)
Kilmarnock: Combe, Fowler (c), Hay, Lilley, Wright, Bryson, Taouil, Invincible, Skelton (Murray, 85) Fernandez, Pascali (Subs not used: Rascle, Gibson, Flannigan, Sammon, Nolan, Simmons)
Attendance: 6,823
Referee: Mike Tumilty
Click here for the full report by Baktosch Gillan.
Despite dominating large periods of the match, United failed to turn their possession into clear-cut chances and were made to pay when a goal in each half from Gavin Skelton and Danny Invincible saw Jefferies's men take all three points.
Craig Levein's charges started the game brightly and almost took the lead in the second minute of the match when a free-kick from the right was floated in by Sean Dillon. The ball fell to Gary Kenneth, who unleashed a volley from 25 yards out, only to see his effort crash off the crossbar with Alan Combe beaten all ends up.
Just after the half-hour mark, an excellent move down the right hand side brought United's best effort of the first half.
Scott Robertson, Francisco Sandaza, and Willo Flood exchanged passes as United broke forward. The ball then fell to Morgaro Gomis who played a perfectly weighted pass through to Warren Feeney, only for the striker to pull his shot just wide of the post.
Then, against the run of play, Kilmarnock took the lead in the 40th minute.
Former United striker David Fernandez swung in a dangerous cross from the right and Gavin Skelton rose above the defence to head past Lukasz Zaluska in the United goal to put Jim Jeffries' men 1-0 up.
The goal sparked an immediate reaction from Craig Levein's men.
Feeney broke down the left and played the ball through to Sandaza, who turned his marker inside out only to fire his shot wide with just the keeper to beat.
Eight minutes into the second half, United almost drew level.
A free-kick from Flood was spilled by Combe, but in the ensuing scramble, Sandaza failed to turn the ball home.
Then, another sucker-punch saw Kilmarnock go 2-0 up on the hour mark.
A clever one-two in midfield gave Taouil space to thread the ball behind the United defence into the path of Danny Invincible, who turned and struck a left-footed shot beyond Zaluska.
Craig Levein threw on Craig Conway, Jon Daly and David Goodwillie in the hope that they would enjoy some better luck than Feeney and Sandaza, but Kilmarnock were happy to sit back and soak up the pressure.
United huffed and puffed and with five minutes remaining, almost gave themselves a lifeline when a Swanson free-kick was met by Lee Wilkie, but the United captain's header fell kindly into the hands of the Kilmarnock goalkeeper.
And, with that, went any hope of United getting something from the game.
Teams:
Dundee United: Zaluska, Dillon, Grainger, Kenneth, Wilkie (c), Flood (Conway, 54) Feeney (Daly, 72) Robertson, Gomis, Swanson, Sandaza (Goodwillie, 76) (Subs not used: McGovern, O'Donovan, Kovacevic, Buaben)
Kilmarnock: Combe, Fowler (c), Hay, Lilley, Wright, Bryson, Taouil, Invincible, Skelton (Murray, 85) Fernandez, Pascali (Subs not used: Rascle, Gibson, Flannigan, Sammon, Nolan, Simmons)
Attendance: 6,823
Referee: Mike Tumilty
Click here for the full report by Baktosch Gillan.
