Derby win can kick-start United's season

AS WE reach the international break, Dundee United have something to smile about after successfully coming out on top in the first city derby of the season.

Always a tense affair, Jim Goodwin’s side were never really troubled across the street with Dundee recording one solitary shot on goal during the 90 minutes. The Dark Blues’ tactics of the long ball for Simon Murray to chase proved fruitless with United’s towering Dutch centre-half Bert Esselink easily winning that dual all day long.

United went ahead early on after a cross from the by-line from Luca Stephenson was met by Zac Sapsford to claim his first league goal in tangerine. The game was put to bed on 78 minutes when United’s Ivan Dolček slammed home his fourth goal of the season and on this form United could well pulling out all the stops to make the Croatian’s loan move a permanent fixture.

So, maybe not the most entertaining of matches but a welcome first league win from United’s first three games and a clean sheet to boot.

The club’s other fixtures saw a 2-2 draw at Falkirk on the opening day of the season and a defeat against Hearts where they were undone by two set plays and a penalty in a disappointing 3-2 loss at Tannadice.

United have been on the go in the Europa Conference league since late July, having seen off UNA Strassen of Luxembourg in the second qualifying round by winning both ties 1-0.

Next up for the Tangerines though would be a sterner test with euro regulars Rapid Vienna lying in wait.

The first leg produced a fine result for Goodwin’s side as they came away with a credible draw despite being behind twice in the game with goals from front pairing Max Watters and Sapsford. Back at Tannadice in the second leg, it was all looking good on the night with a brace from Watters putting the Tangerines 2-0 ahead at the break.

Unfortunately, it was all change in the second-half though beginning with the withdrawal of Sapsford—who had assisted in both goals—being forced off at half-time with an ankle injury. United’s troubles got worse when striker number two, Watters, also had to withdraw leaving United with 18-year-old substitute Owen Stirton up top as their only recognised striker. Rapid’s Euro experience showed through and a goal seemed inevitable. They pulled one back through an own goal and the second was soon to follow. After extra-time with the score again 2-2—4-4 on aggregate—came the dreaded penalty shoot-out, where Rapid would emerge as victors, netting all of their five spot-kicks to take the tie 5-4 on pens.

It was heart-breaking for the Arabs, but Goodwin and his swiftly assembled side gave those 1000 or so fans fortunate enough to secure tickets some great memories from trips to Luxembourg and Austria this season. Rapid, who were quarter-finalists in this competition last year, would then go on to qualify for the league stages of the Conference League, seeing off Gyor of Hungary in the process.

Just a few days later, United went out of the League Cup, falling 2-1 to Kilmarnock. It was the sides’ seventh game in three weeks and Goodwin’s men took to the field with no fewer than seven players out through injury so early in the season. No wonder, then, after the exertions of the marathon that was the Rapid game they delivered a pretty flat performance on the synthetic surface and they exited their second competition in just four days.

With Aberdeen in European action and a postponed game, it was a welcome week off enabling re-focus and medical assessments. On the injury front, club captain Ross Graham is still out, but is hopeful of a return to fitness in September, as is striker Watters. Close behind them should be full-back Ryan Strain and winger Kristian Trapanowski. A knee injury to midfielder Issac Poppoe, however, has brought his season to a premature end.

After the break United face the tough challenge of a trip to Easter Road and will be hoping to have a few players on the mend pretty soon to give Goodwin a rare selection headache to take on the Hibees and into the next set of games.