First Team
EVERY WORD | JACK WALTON LOOKS AHEAD TO IBROX TEST
21st November 2024
United progress to the last eight in the Premier Sports Cup!
Dundee United 1 (Graham 34')
St Mirren 0
2pm Sunday 18 August 2024
The CalForth Construction Arena at Tannadice Park
Premier Sports Cup Round 2
Attendance: 4,285
Team News
Jim Goodwin made two changes following last weekend's draw in Dingwall.
Vicko Ševelj missed out through injury whilst Miller Thomson dropped to the bench. After arriving on loan from Liverpool in midweek, Luca Stephenson was handed a start in his first outing while Ross Graham was the natural replacement at centre-back.
it meant there was a slight change in shape with Kevin Holt featuring as a holding midfielder.
Welcome news came in the form of Ross Docherty, who makes his first matchday squad of our competitive campaign.
Four DUFC Academy Graduates were involved in this afternoon's matchday squad.
Finding our Feet
It took us the best part of ten minutes to get a real foothold in the game, the hosts going close early on as Alex Iacovitti forced Jack Walton into a strong save.
Craig Sibbald almost broke the deadlock ten minutes in as the ball broke to our number 14 on the edge of the area, but his effort crashed off the crossbar.
Walton was again forced into action, tipping a looping header over the bar to keep the score level.
Glancing Graham
Our number 6 caused confusion inside the area when his powerful long throw evaded everyone and came back off the crossbar - eventually being turned behind for a corner. A sign of things to come, Will Ferry's wicked in-swinging delivery was met by Graham but he could only find the side netting.
The opener eventually came on 34 minutes by the same feat, as this time Graham's glancing header was inch-perfect to find the far corner.
?? Graham’s glancing header is the difference so far
— Dundee United FC (@dundeeunitedfc) August 18, 2024
???? 1??-0?? ???? | #UTDSTM | #DUFCpic.twitter.com/C6B6W6vzLf
From then on out, it was a relatively comfortable conclusion to the half as we went in a goal to the good at the break.
More of the Same
There was little action of note in the opening second-half exchanges.
Graham and Ferry were both cautioned on either side of Olutoyosi Olusanya also seeing yellow for simulation inside the United penalty area.
Almost Paying Off
We made our first change on 67 minutes, Louis Moult was on in place of Jort van der Sande.
It almost paid off five minutes later as a delightful through ball from Trapanovski found Moult racing through down the left. Aware of his surroundings, he chopped inside and let fly but his effort crashed off the bar and was cleared off the line!
Seeing It Out
Despite a late scare following a penalty area stramash, we were comfortable in the end to secure our place in the Quarter Final against Motherwell at Fir Park.
TEAMLINES
Dundee United
Starting XI: Walton, Holt, Graham, Trapanovski, Babunski (c), Ferry, Sibbald, Adegboyega, Stephenson, Van Der Sande, Gallagher
Subs: Richards, Moult, Odada, Middleton, Fotheringham, Docherty, Thomson, Cleall-Harding, Meshack
St Mirren
Starting XI: Balcombe, Tanser, Iacovitti, Smyth, Mandron, Idowu, Gogic, Rooney, Olusanya, Fraser (c), Taylor
Subs: Urminsky, Taylor, Ayunga, Scott, Brown, Kenny, Mooney, Sutherland, Bwomono
POST-MATCH THOUGHTS
?? Merited victory
— Dundee United FC (@dundeeunitedfc) August 18, 2024
?? Defensively solid throughout
?? Selection headaches all over the park
?? Seven unbeaten
Post-match reaction from #DUFC Manager Jim Goodwin after steering his side into the Quarter-Finals of the @PremSportsTV Cup ???? pic.twitter.com/WLXo1CqeNy
NEXT UP
We're back on home soil next weekend as St Johnstone make the short journey to Tannadice Street.
