MATCH REPORT: DUNDEE UNITED V RANGERS

Dundee United went down fighting at Tannadice against an undefeated Rangers outfit. United scored a stunning team goal in the first half, but two quality Rangers strikes saw the visitors take all three points.

United displayed a confidence and a positivity in the opening twenty minutes. They pressed the fast-passing Rangers at every chance, and whenever they won the ball, they held on to it well.

This confident play saw all three central defenders join Shankland in the Rangers box for our first corner. A crisp delivery from Spörle found Connolly’s feet. The defender rattled off two strikes as the ball twice rebounded off a Rangers wall of bodies. This began a chain of three corners, United coming close with efforts on each occasion. On another day, or perhaps against any other defence in the league, The Terrors would have found the back of the net. 

Rangers looked like a team who have by far and away the best goal difference in the league. In the opening stages they displayed lethal link up play and movement, fashioning several chances on goal. Temperamental Colombian frontman Morelos showed both sides of his game when he struck a sharp snapshot from the edge of the box, narrowly wide, then moments later threw an elbow into the head of Mark Connolly, earning a yellow card. Replays showed it could easily have been a red.

Rangers took the lead on 26 minutes. James Tavernier the freescoring fullback struck a stunning dead ball from more than 30 yards out. The ball thundered into the very top corner.

United replied just minutes later. In a glorious passage of play, Ian Harkes strode towards a wall of Rangers bodies strung across the edge of their half. The American took them out the game as he swung a pinpoint pass far down the line where the tangerine streak of Our Academy Graduate Jamie Robson was hurtling. Robson took the ball perfectly in his sprinter’s stride with his first touch, and with his second touch he knocked an exquisite pass over the Rangers defence. Liam Smith arrived at the tightest of angles on the six-yard box and fired the ball home. On 33 minutes, the score was an absolutely deserved 1-1.

The Tangerines showed great discipline and ambition as the half wore on. The defence was organised and aggressive, and the team were always looking to get the ball down and play.

Rangers’ ability from the set piece saw them take the lead just on half time. A Tavernier delivery found the head of centre half Conor Goldson who thundered the ball into the net. Whilst frustrating for the home side, it was a second moment of real quality from the visitors.

The second half saw Rangers apply intense pressure. Kent, Roofe, Morelos and Arfield all barrelled at the United rearguard, trying to prise them apart and create chances. The Terrors stood firm. Our Academy Graduate Jamie Robson in particular impressed, regularly picking the pockets of the multimillion-pound opponents and playing United out of trouble. Benji Siegrist was called into action, and the secure Swiss was equal to it, making several vital interventions. Our Academy Graduate Darren Watson made his first appearance, replacing Spörle on 85 minutes.

There were threats from United at times. Defensively they displayed a bloody-minded tenacity to stick together and work hard for the team from the first moment to last. Neither their structure nor their spirit wavered in the face of the best team of Scotland.

DUNDEE UNITED: Siegrist, L. Smith, Sporle, Connolly, Reynolds (c), McNulty, Edwards, Robson (AG), Harkes, Shankland, Fuchs. SUBS: Deniz, Powers, Neilson (AG), Watson (AG), Hutchinson (AG), Duffy (AG), K. Smith (AG), Malcolm (AG).  

RANGERS: McGregor, Tavernier, Goldon, Balogun, Barisic, Kamara, Davis, Arfield, Kent, Roofe, Morelos. SUBS: McLaughlin, Bassey, Helander, Patterson, Zungu, Aribo, Hagi, Defoe, Itten