DUTV
STORY OF THE MATCH | MOTHERWELL (H)
31st October 2024
ABERDEEN 1-0 DUNDEE UNITED
CINCH PREMIERSHIP
6PM SATURDAY 12TH NOVEMBER 2022
TANNADICE PARK
Attendance: 17,035
Aberdeen wrapped up the points in the Northeast thanks to Bojan Miovski’s 36th-minute penalty.
ONE CHANGE
There was one change to the eleven that put Kilmarnock to the sword in midweek.
Craig Sibbald was in for Arnaud Djoum as Liam Fox opted for an air of freshness to the midfield.
SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE
There was a lot of toing and froing in the opening ten, with neither side troubling the opposition goalkeeper.
Glenn Middleton’s teasing ball across the six-yard box was United’s first foray forward, but his delivery was just in front of Steven Fletcher inside the area.
Just before the clock hit 15 minutes, Matty Kennedy send a wild half-volley into the stands from the 18-yard line after the ball was recycled out following a corner.
ABERDEEN HIT THE FRONT
It took until after the half-hour mark for the game to open up. The hosts took the lead soon after through Miovski.
The Dons picked up a slack pass in their own half and broke forward at pace through their number 9. Miovski slipped in Duk who broke into the United box before being brought down by Mark Birighitti.
Willie Collum pointed to the spot and after confirmation from VAR, Miovski stepped up and sent Birighitti the wrong way from the spot.
It should have been two for the Dons minutes later.
A ball behind Ross Graham found Duk racing through one on one. He lofted the ball towards goal but it dropped just wide of Birighitti’s right-hand post.
The two flashpoints were the only real moments of note as the first half fizzled to a close with one minute of stoppage time.
ROSS RESOLUTE
Ross Graham was on hand to deny Miovski two further goal-scoring opportunities in quick succession.
In the 52nd minute, a headed clearance from Graham stopped Aberdeen’s Macedonian forward from reaching a cross - with a carbon copy following just six minutes later.
As the ball made its way back in from the corner, Kieran Freeman denied Ross McCrorie with a clearance off the line.
UPPING THE TEMPO
Liam Fox made two changes after 67 minutes, culminating in United’s best spell of the half.
It was Middleton and Sibbald who made way for A.Sadat and Ian Harkes as we looked to pose more threat.
The American was almost involved straight away, looking for Fletcher at the back post but his ball was just ahead of our number 9.
Fletcher did get on the end of a cross in the following move, heading an effort goalward which unfortunately for United Kelle Roos was equal to.
He was involved once more in a quick flurry of chances, connecting with a volley at the back post but he couldn't direct his shot on target.
United continued their heavy pressure as the clock ticked on.
Graham almost had us level with a sweetly struck half-volley from the edge of the area, but Roos was on hand to tip it over.
FIZZLING OUT
The final chance of the match fell to the hosts as Kennedy raced through on goal. Birighitti came out to close the angle and Aberdeen’s number 33 blazed the ball over the bar from inside the box.
It's a result that sees us sit bottom of the table as we head into the World Cup break.
TEAMLINE
Starting XI: Birighitti, Smith, Graham, Fletcher, Edwards, Sibbald (Harkes 67'), Middleton (A.Sadat 67'), Behich, McGrath (Pawlett 84'), Levitt (Meekison 90'), Freeman
Unused subs: Eriksson, McMann, Niskanen, Djoum, Watt
NEXT UP
There are five weeks until the Terrors are back in action - travelling to the Tony Macaroni Arena on December 17th to take on Livingston.
You can also keep an eye on Dylan Levitt and Aziz Behich over the break - they’ll be on the big stage in Qatar for Wales and Australia respectively.
