First Team
Match Report | Rangers 1-1 Dundee United
23rd November 2024
The Young Terrors welcomed Rangers to Gussie Park as they returned to league action following a hard-fought Scottish FA Youth Cup victory at Rugby Park.
Line-Up
Just one change was made to the side which overcame Killie seven days prior, as the impressive Ollie Simpson made way for Nairn Lowe at left-back. 15-year-old Scott Constable kept his place in the side after a classy display in the middle of the park, whilst Stuart Heenan led the line against a physically imposing Rangers back four.
Frantic
A frantic opening ten minutes ensued as both sides contested a fierce midfield battle. United found themselves hemmed into their own half for the majority of the early exchanges, as they attempted to cope with Rangers’ rapid transitions from defence to attack.
The visitors looked to push their full-backs as high as possible, with their wingers inverting into the half-spaces to occupy the United defence, opening space in the wider regions. This also led to Kerr Robertson dropping in to form a makeshift back three, offering balance to an attack-minded Gers side.
With seven minutes down, Tyler Pasnik forced a save from 15-year-old Lewis Haldane with his drilled strike across goal after a perfectly-weighted, defence-splitting pass from Robertson.
United managed to fashion a half-chance thanks to tenacious pressing from Alan Domeracki as he pickpocketed Paul Nsio on the halfway line before feeding Connor May making up ground to his right but the striker’s effort from 20 yards failed to trouble the keeper.
First Blood
The hosts managed to limit their opponents’ sightings of goal from open play, and therefore it took a set-piece to break the deadlock. After a lengthy delay took the sting out of proceedings, Pasnik curled a 25-yard free-kick through the United wall into the bottom right corner past an unsighted Haldane.
Almost immediately after the restart, United harried Zak McKay into a miscued back pass which rebounded back off his own upright but unfortunately trundled out for a corner kick.
Then Pasnik tried his luck from range once more as his ferocious drive flew narrowly over Haldane’s crossbar.
A youthful Young Terrors side found some difficulty in tracking runners, a well-oiled Rangers machine dragging their opponents out of position with runs in behind to stretch the game and also to open pockets of space up for midfielders charging forward from deep.
Nsio should’ve doubled his side’s advantage when he collected a half-clearance from Constable inside the United box but blazed well over the bar under little pressure.
Haldane’s gloves were warmed once more by Pasnik as he produced an unorthodox but effective save to clear a wicked delivery from the left.
On 33 minutes, a clever free-kick routine involving Moore, Mwangi and Bertie culminated in the latter having a go from the edge of the area, and the rebound fell to Constable on the penalty spot. The midfielder went for goal first-time but his bouncing effort whistled past the top left corner.
Pasnik Perfection
United continued to limit Rangers’ chance creation from open play but another stunning free-kick from Pasnik gave the Young Terrors a mountain to climb heading into the second period. The Gers number seven was fouled by Mwangi wide on the left and dusted himself down before whipping an unstoppable effort over the wall and into the postage stamp.
Three minutes before the interval, Heenan received a low ball from the right in the centre of the area and deceived his man with a sharp turn, however lost his composure at the crucial moment and blasted over the crossbar with only the keeper to beat.
After the restart, United had the Glasgow outfit on the ropes with a willingness to engage them much higher up the pitch. Ryan Moon’s side cemented their defensive line on the half-way line, compacting the game into the Rangers half.
A deceptive free-kick from Bryan Mwangi on 66 minutes was the first action of note in the second half, as the midfielder saw his cheeky effort from the right of the area bounce off the near post with Samuel Kane in the Rangers net nowhere near the ball.
Merely 60 seconds later, it looked as though United’s high press had offered them a lifeline when Constable stole the ball from Christian Mulindwa and fed Heenan in the area. The 17-year-old beat the keeper with his low, right-footed strike but Kristian Webster was on hand to clear as the frustration continued.
2008-born Scotland U15s star Josh Holt and 15-year-old Zeke Cameron were introduced into the centre of midfield, both a calming presence in the closing stages.
Quickfire Double
Despite an energetic display throughout, the final nail in the tangerine coffin was delivered with 14 minutes to play under dubious circumstances. A miscue from Bertie allowed Cameron Cooper to run through on goal, however the United number five appeared to have recovered brilliantly as he made a sliding challenge to clear the danger. Unfortunately, the referee pointed to the spot, and Pasnik sent Haldane the wrong way to wrap up his hat-trick.
Rangers added a fourth in style, Robertson’s ball from deep intelligently dummied by Nsio and Cooper finished high into the roof of the net as he bore down one-on-one with Haldane.
Deserved Consolation
United did get the consolation their performance merited though, as Heenan whipped a vicious, 18-yard free-kick past the despairing dive of Kane deep into stoppage time.
Teamlines
United: Haldane, Borland, Lowe, Moore, Bertie, Constable, Domeracki, Mwangi, May, Carnwath, Heenan (Stirton, McGuire, Emslie, Cameron, Holt)
Rangers: Kane, Hutton, McKay, Webster, Grant, Robertson, Pasnik, Bell, Roberts, Nsio, Cooper (Rogerson, Mulindwa, Curtis, Willox, Pollard, McQuarrie)
