DUTV
STORY OF THE MATCH | RANGERS (A)
25th November 2024
For this surreal occasion, Manager Peter Houston not surprisingly rang the changes following last Sunday's poor performance against Inverness Caley Thistle.
Perhaps surprisingly, the two to pay the price were skipper Jon Daly and David Goodwillie.
Replacing them were Danny Cadamarteri and David Robertson, but with only one striker, Houstie switched from a 4-4-2 to 4-5-1 with Garry Kenneth taking over the captain's armband.
The defence was unchanged, but David Robertson playing wide right clearly with instructions to get forward to support Cadamarteri.
AEK also made just two changes which also included their skipper Nikos Liberopoulos and defender Traianos Dellas and there places were taken by former Potsmouth striker Papa Bouba Diop and Nikos Georgeas.
For this unique occasion on which only away fans were present, the 500 or so Arabs in good voice in the tiny quadrant of the ground, the team, at Uefa's insistence, lined up in white shorts to avoid a clash with AEK's black.
But although the attendance was so small with Olympiakos only agreeing to stage the match if no AEK fans were allowed entry, it wasn't the smallest ever crowd to watch a European tie - just 263 saw the away leg in Iceland in 1990.
Mind you, on a hot still night in Athens, the temperatures couldn't have contrasted more vividly from that match 20 years ago!
The pace initially was dead slow and Leonardo burst into the box to hit a low drive that Dusan Pernis did well to block at his near post for a corner.
And two minutes later Lagos Panagiotis hammered a 25-yard drive inches over.
Inside the opening ten minutes, the Greek side had carved out three chances; Scocco, under pressure from Sean Dillon fired over.
Lagos Panagiotis was the first player to be booked after downing Danny Cadamarteri as United broke quickly.
With United getting behind the ball at all times, AEK continued to dictate, but ironically just as United were getting a foothold in the game, AEK scored and it was a goal that followed a carelessly conceded corner.
From Scocco's kick, Jahic Sanec nodded it on Diop who diverted it home from close range.
A huge blow it may have been, but United began to impose themselves and twice Conway got crosses into the box as confidence grew.
Jahic Sanec became the second AEK to see yellow after 26 minutes.
A Craig Conway free-kick, albeit staright into the arms of Saja Sebastian was United's first effort on target, but at the other end Kafes Pantelis drilled in a low shot that Pernis collected with too much trouble.
The Greeks introduced Gentsoglou Swas as the second half began and just three minutes later Houston made his first change bringing on David Goodwillie for the willing Cadamarteri.
After 52 minutes David Robertson picked up a booking for a foul on Leonardo.
Now it was United's turn to take the play to the Greeks with Craig Conway causing the AEK defence problems.
The home side were happy to scramble one of his free kicks clear as United looked increasingly more assured.
Djebbour, who scored the goal at Tannadice came off after 57 minutes.
And the rash of substitutions continued with Danny Swanson coming on to replace the hard-working David Robertson for what was his first appearance of the season two minutes later with Jon Daly coming on for Morgaro Gomis.
And those changes almost brought United a goal with David Goodwillie's overhead kick from Prince's cross finding Jon Daly whose shot on the turn was blocked for a corner.
It was undoubtedly United's best chance so far and the Greeks were having to do more and more defending.
However, Pernis had to keep out a Scocco shot and then a Manolkas Kostas effort was blocked after 73 minutes.
With 15 minutes left, Blanco got on the end of what was nothing more than a punt up the park but fortunately for the noisy Arabs, his parting shot went well wide.
Then with 12 left, United fans had something to cheer about.
Paul Dixon played a long ball from just inside his own half which Daly ran on to and he eventually forced the ball over the line despite Jahic's efforts to keep it out.
It was game on now because United needed just one to go though and they almost got it with eight minutes left.
The ball fell to Danny Swanson just outside the box and he took it on his chest and sent a volley just a yard wide.
"Attack, attack, Attack" chanted all of the supporters in the ground!
But hard as they might, they just failed to add to the long list of the club's famous European nights.
Summary:
It was always a big ask, trailing to a side of AEK's quality and then going behind in the heat.
But Houstie's side stuck to their game plan, grew in confidence and started to pass the ball with the kind of tempo that had been the hallmark of their play last season.
And when Jon Daly bravely pulled one back with 12 minutes left, United really did like pulling the irons out of the fire.
Unfortunatley, it wasn't to be but it was glorious failure and made the long journey worthwhile.
Man of the Match: Many candidates on the night, but skipper Garry Kenneth led by example, hardly putting a foot wrong.
AEK Athens
Saja, Manolas, Jahic, Georgeas(Gentsoglou 46), Kafes, Leonardo(Karabelas 89), Makosyellow card, Lagos, Diop, Djebbour(Blanco 58), Scocco.
Dundee Utd
Pernis, Dillon, Dixon, Kenneth, Watson, Conway, Robertson, Robertson(Swanson 59), Buaben, Gomis(Daly62), Cadamarteri (Goodwillie 48)
Perhaps surprisingly, the two to pay the price were skipper Jon Daly and David Goodwillie.
Replacing them were Danny Cadamarteri and David Robertson, but with only one striker, Houstie switched from a 4-4-2 to 4-5-1 with Garry Kenneth taking over the captain's armband.
The defence was unchanged, but David Robertson playing wide right clearly with instructions to get forward to support Cadamarteri.
AEK also made just two changes which also included their skipper Nikos Liberopoulos and defender Traianos Dellas and there places were taken by former Potsmouth striker Papa Bouba Diop and Nikos Georgeas.
For this unique occasion on which only away fans were present, the 500 or so Arabs in good voice in the tiny quadrant of the ground, the team, at Uefa's insistence, lined up in white shorts to avoid a clash with AEK's black.
But although the attendance was so small with Olympiakos only agreeing to stage the match if no AEK fans were allowed entry, it wasn't the smallest ever crowd to watch a European tie - just 263 saw the away leg in Iceland in 1990.
Mind you, on a hot still night in Athens, the temperatures couldn't have contrasted more vividly from that match 20 years ago!
The pace initially was dead slow and Leonardo burst into the box to hit a low drive that Dusan Pernis did well to block at his near post for a corner.
And two minutes later Lagos Panagiotis hammered a 25-yard drive inches over.
Inside the opening ten minutes, the Greek side had carved out three chances; Scocco, under pressure from Sean Dillon fired over.
Lagos Panagiotis was the first player to be booked after downing Danny Cadamarteri as United broke quickly.
With United getting behind the ball at all times, AEK continued to dictate, but ironically just as United were getting a foothold in the game, AEK scored and it was a goal that followed a carelessly conceded corner.
From Scocco's kick, Jahic Sanec nodded it on Diop who diverted it home from close range.
A huge blow it may have been, but United began to impose themselves and twice Conway got crosses into the box as confidence grew.
Jahic Sanec became the second AEK to see yellow after 26 minutes.
A Craig Conway free-kick, albeit staright into the arms of Saja Sebastian was United's first effort on target, but at the other end Kafes Pantelis drilled in a low shot that Pernis collected with too much trouble.
The Greeks introduced Gentsoglou Swas as the second half began and just three minutes later Houston made his first change bringing on David Goodwillie for the willing Cadamarteri.
After 52 minutes David Robertson picked up a booking for a foul on Leonardo.
Now it was United's turn to take the play to the Greeks with Craig Conway causing the AEK defence problems.
The home side were happy to scramble one of his free kicks clear as United looked increasingly more assured.
Djebbour, who scored the goal at Tannadice came off after 57 minutes.
And the rash of substitutions continued with Danny Swanson coming on to replace the hard-working David Robertson for what was his first appearance of the season two minutes later with Jon Daly coming on for Morgaro Gomis.
And those changes almost brought United a goal with David Goodwillie's overhead kick from Prince's cross finding Jon Daly whose shot on the turn was blocked for a corner.
It was undoubtedly United's best chance so far and the Greeks were having to do more and more defending.
However, Pernis had to keep out a Scocco shot and then a Manolkas Kostas effort was blocked after 73 minutes.
With 15 minutes left, Blanco got on the end of what was nothing more than a punt up the park but fortunately for the noisy Arabs, his parting shot went well wide.
Then with 12 left, United fans had something to cheer about.
Paul Dixon played a long ball from just inside his own half which Daly ran on to and he eventually forced the ball over the line despite Jahic's efforts to keep it out.
It was game on now because United needed just one to go though and they almost got it with eight minutes left.
The ball fell to Danny Swanson just outside the box and he took it on his chest and sent a volley just a yard wide.
"Attack, attack, Attack" chanted all of the supporters in the ground!
But hard as they might, they just failed to add to the long list of the club's famous European nights.
Summary:
It was always a big ask, trailing to a side of AEK's quality and then going behind in the heat.
But Houstie's side stuck to their game plan, grew in confidence and started to pass the ball with the kind of tempo that had been the hallmark of their play last season.
And when Jon Daly bravely pulled one back with 12 minutes left, United really did like pulling the irons out of the fire.
Unfortunatley, it wasn't to be but it was glorious failure and made the long journey worthwhile.
Man of the Match: Many candidates on the night, but skipper Garry Kenneth led by example, hardly putting a foot wrong.
AEK Athens
Saja, Manolas, Jahic, Georgeas(Gentsoglou 46), Kafes, Leonardo(Karabelas 89), Makosyellow card, Lagos, Diop, Djebbour(Blanco 58), Scocco.
Dundee Utd
Pernis, Dillon, Dixon, Kenneth, Watson, Conway, Robertson, Robertson(Swanson 59), Buaben, Gomis(Daly62), Cadamarteri (Goodwillie 48)
