DUTV
STORY OF THE MATCH | RANGERS (A)
25th November 2024
A miserable afternoon for Dundee United at Pittodrie saw them leap-frogged in the table by their north-east rivals Aberdeen, who strolled to a convincing victory.
Goals from Kari Arnason, Youl Mawene and Andrew Considine meant United slumped to their first defeat at Pittodrie since 2008, despite a spirited spell late in the game when they looked like they might find a way back into the match.
United have now lost three goals in each of their last three SPL matches - a statistic that will be causing great concern to manager Peter Houston.
In the absence of Keith Watson with injury, midfielder Willo Flood filled in at right back with Scott Allan brought back from a period on the sidelines to take the Irishman's place in midfield. Johnny Russell, fresh from national under-21 duty, also replaced Ryan Dow. The home side lined up with an attacking-looking 4-4-2 headed by the powerful partnership of Rory Fallon and Scott Vernon.
For the first time this season, United swapped the tangerine away shorts to give them an all-black outfit and started brightly. Within the first few minutes a Paul Dixon cross from deep on the left was sliced behind uncomfortably from Youl Mawene, then the Danny Swanson in-swinging corner had to be nodded away from the danger area by Osbourne. Johnny Russell then got on the end of an uncomfortable touch on the edge of his area by Andrew Considine and his effort had to be tipped over the bar by David Gonzales.
Aberdeen threatened for the first time in the eighth minute, when a Ricky Foster free kick from the left had to be well handled by Dusan Pernis. Six minutes later the home side took the lead when some good work between a one-two between Ryan Jack and Kari Arnason had to be intercepted by Dixon. The resultant corner from Fraser Fyvie was met by the head of Rory Fallon. Dusan Pernis palmed his header away but only to the feet of Arnason, who knocked the ball high into the net from close range.
Shortly before the half hour, Aberdeen felt they should have had a penalty when Fallon went down under a challenge from Willo Flood just inside the box, then a minute later a Fallon will have felt he should have done better when a Fyvie cross from the right landed in front of him but he failed to finish from close range..
United were failing to create many chances but thought they had a lifeline six minutes before the break when Russell played a clever through ball with the outside of his foot to Swanson, who went down under a challenge from Ryan Jack. United fans howled for a penalty only for referee Willie Collum to rule there had been no contact. But Swanson was unable to recover from the impact of the challenge and was replaced by Lauri Dalla Valle.
Half time: Aberdeen 1 - 0 United
It had been a promising first 10 minutes for United but, after that, they struggled to create any chances and allowed Aberdeen to gain the momentum. However, United will feel aggrieved at not being able to get the chance to level from a penalty following the challenge on Danny Swanson late in the half.
Aberdeen had continued to look dangerous in the early stages of the second half and they extended their lead six minutes in when Ricky Foster flighted in a dangerous cross from the left which Mawene met with head to glance beyond Pernis. They could have had a third when good work from Milsom saw him dance past a challenge then fire in a long range shot that Pernis held well.
Another goal looked almost inevitable and it came just before the hour mark when Andrew Considine pounced on a goalmouth scramble to force in a mis-hit effort that Pernis parried into the roof of his net.
United had another shout for a penalty midway through the second half when Dalla Valle went down under a challenge from Ryan Jack but the half-hearted pleas were waved away. Then a long range effort from Mackay-Steven had to be palmed behind by Gonzalez.
With 12 minutes to go, United gave themselves a glimmer of hope when some good work from Mackay-Steven on the left led to him picking out Dalla Valle at the far post to tap home. Within a minute, Jon Daly had a golden opportunity just outside the six yard area following a Flood cross but Mawene got in a block just when he looked about to score. Then an in swinging cross from Dixon on the right caused all sorts of problems in the Aberdeen defence but a Daly header went just wide. Armstrong, who was looking lively since coming on, then did well to pick out Flood with a ball to right flank, with his cross being glanced over by Dalla Valle.
In the last minute a Mackay-Steven cross was met by Daly but his header across the box failed to find a black shirt and it was not to be United's day.
Full time: Aberdeen 3 - 1 United
A disappointing afternoon for the 1500-plus travelling support that made the journey north. After getting in front, Aberdeen never really looked like being pegged back and there were few positives for United to take from the game. However, United will look back on the controversial decision not to award them a penalty late in the first half, which could have turned the game.
Man of the match: Willo Flood. Not a game when there were many candidates to choose from but the Irishman did relatively well in an unfamiliar position and was United's best player going forward in the brief spell near the end of the match when they were looking dangerous.
TEAMS:
Aberdeen: Gonzales; Jack, Foster, Mawene, Considine; Milsom, Arnason, Osbourne, Fyvie (Clark, 77), Vernon (Mackie, 89), Fallon (Magennis, 73)
Subs: Brown, McArdle, Clark, Mackie, Pawlett, Chalali, Magennis
Dundee United: Pernis; Flood, Dixon, Kenneth, Gunning; Robertson, Rankin, Allan (Armstrong, 72); Russell (Mackay-Steven, 53), Swanson (Dalle-Valle 39); Daly
Subs: Banks, Douglas, Amstrong, Mackay-Steven, Dalla Valle, Dow, Hilson
Attendance: 10,236
Goals from Kari Arnason, Youl Mawene and Andrew Considine meant United slumped to their first defeat at Pittodrie since 2008, despite a spirited spell late in the game when they looked like they might find a way back into the match.
United have now lost three goals in each of their last three SPL matches - a statistic that will be causing great concern to manager Peter Houston.
In the absence of Keith Watson with injury, midfielder Willo Flood filled in at right back with Scott Allan brought back from a period on the sidelines to take the Irishman's place in midfield. Johnny Russell, fresh from national under-21 duty, also replaced Ryan Dow. The home side lined up with an attacking-looking 4-4-2 headed by the powerful partnership of Rory Fallon and Scott Vernon.
For the first time this season, United swapped the tangerine away shorts to give them an all-black outfit and started brightly. Within the first few minutes a Paul Dixon cross from deep on the left was sliced behind uncomfortably from Youl Mawene, then the Danny Swanson in-swinging corner had to be nodded away from the danger area by Osbourne. Johnny Russell then got on the end of an uncomfortable touch on the edge of his area by Andrew Considine and his effort had to be tipped over the bar by David Gonzales.
Aberdeen threatened for the first time in the eighth minute, when a Ricky Foster free kick from the left had to be well handled by Dusan Pernis. Six minutes later the home side took the lead when some good work between a one-two between Ryan Jack and Kari Arnason had to be intercepted by Dixon. The resultant corner from Fraser Fyvie was met by the head of Rory Fallon. Dusan Pernis palmed his header away but only to the feet of Arnason, who knocked the ball high into the net from close range.
Shortly before the half hour, Aberdeen felt they should have had a penalty when Fallon went down under a challenge from Willo Flood just inside the box, then a minute later a Fallon will have felt he should have done better when a Fyvie cross from the right landed in front of him but he failed to finish from close range..
United were failing to create many chances but thought they had a lifeline six minutes before the break when Russell played a clever through ball with the outside of his foot to Swanson, who went down under a challenge from Ryan Jack. United fans howled for a penalty only for referee Willie Collum to rule there had been no contact. But Swanson was unable to recover from the impact of the challenge and was replaced by Lauri Dalla Valle.
Half time: Aberdeen 1 - 0 United
It had been a promising first 10 minutes for United but, after that, they struggled to create any chances and allowed Aberdeen to gain the momentum. However, United will feel aggrieved at not being able to get the chance to level from a penalty following the challenge on Danny Swanson late in the half.
Aberdeen had continued to look dangerous in the early stages of the second half and they extended their lead six minutes in when Ricky Foster flighted in a dangerous cross from the left which Mawene met with head to glance beyond Pernis. They could have had a third when good work from Milsom saw him dance past a challenge then fire in a long range shot that Pernis held well.
Another goal looked almost inevitable and it came just before the hour mark when Andrew Considine pounced on a goalmouth scramble to force in a mis-hit effort that Pernis parried into the roof of his net.
United had another shout for a penalty midway through the second half when Dalla Valle went down under a challenge from Ryan Jack but the half-hearted pleas were waved away. Then a long range effort from Mackay-Steven had to be palmed behind by Gonzalez.
With 12 minutes to go, United gave themselves a glimmer of hope when some good work from Mackay-Steven on the left led to him picking out Dalla Valle at the far post to tap home. Within a minute, Jon Daly had a golden opportunity just outside the six yard area following a Flood cross but Mawene got in a block just when he looked about to score. Then an in swinging cross from Dixon on the right caused all sorts of problems in the Aberdeen defence but a Daly header went just wide. Armstrong, who was looking lively since coming on, then did well to pick out Flood with a ball to right flank, with his cross being glanced over by Dalla Valle.
In the last minute a Mackay-Steven cross was met by Daly but his header across the box failed to find a black shirt and it was not to be United's day.
Full time: Aberdeen 3 - 1 United
A disappointing afternoon for the 1500-plus travelling support that made the journey north. After getting in front, Aberdeen never really looked like being pegged back and there were few positives for United to take from the game. However, United will look back on the controversial decision not to award them a penalty late in the first half, which could have turned the game.
Man of the match: Willo Flood. Not a game when there were many candidates to choose from but the Irishman did relatively well in an unfamiliar position and was United's best player going forward in the brief spell near the end of the match when they were looking dangerous.
TEAMS:
Aberdeen: Gonzales; Jack, Foster, Mawene, Considine; Milsom, Arnason, Osbourne, Fyvie (Clark, 77), Vernon (Mackie, 89), Fallon (Magennis, 73)
Subs: Brown, McArdle, Clark, Mackie, Pawlett, Chalali, Magennis
Dundee United: Pernis; Flood, Dixon, Kenneth, Gunning; Robertson, Rankin, Allan (Armstrong, 72); Russell (Mackay-Steven, 53), Swanson (Dalle-Valle 39); Daly
Subs: Banks, Douglas, Amstrong, Mackay-Steven, Dalla Valle, Dow, Hilson
Attendance: 10,236
