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SEAT RELEASE DEADLINE APPROACHING!
28th April 2024
DUNDEE UNITED 0
KILMARNOCK 3
7:45PM WEDNESDAY 24TH MAY
CINCH PREMIERSHIP
TANNADICE PARK
Attendance: 10,406
United on the brink of a return to the Championship after Killie take three points at Tannadice.
THE TEAM TALK
There were four changes to the side that started at the Tony Macaroni Arena on Saturday - including a return for Steven Fletcher after recovering quickly from a groin strain.
Jack Newman was named in between the sticks for his third United appearance with Ross Graham and Peter Pawlett also featuring from the start.
Aziz Behich missed out after being dismissed at the weekend and Mark Birighitti, Glenn Middleton and Rory MacLeod all dropped to the bench.
KILLIE LEAD
The men in tangerine never really found any rhythm - the visitors dominating the opening exchanges with a number of long throws and balls into the box.
Kilmarnock centre back Ash Taylor will feel he should have done better on eleven minutes when he sliced an effort over the bar from a corner - the first sighting at goal for either side.
The visitors did however open the scoring inside fourteen minutes courtesy of Kyle Vassell.
Loick Ayina initially looked composed inside the United box as he dragged the ball away from two blue shirts before driving forward. It was probably one man too many however, and the ball was pinched at the edge of the box. It fell for Rory McKenzie and was blocked on route to goal by Graham before sitting up perfectly for Vassell after a deflection off of Sibbald. The Killie striker made no mistake and drilled his low effort beyond Newman.
EFFORTS BOTH WAYS
United looked to respond moments later as Scott McMann broke free down our left after a clever touch from Pawlett found him round the corner. His low cross ended up at the feet of Fletcher on the penalty spot but he could only guide his effort over the bar.
On twenty-one minutes, Vassell once again had a strike at goal, this time from just inside the United half. It looked unorthodox from the Killie number 23 but a smart stop was needed by Newman to save any United blushes.
Pawlett went close to equalising five minutes before the break. Following a United corner, Graham helped the ball back into the danger area and Pawlett, in space, went for the acrobatic effort. Harkes almost connected to turn it home before it was cleared of any danger.
VASSELL AT THE DOUBLE
The Kilmarnock striker could hardly believe his luck as he notched his second of the afternoon with two minutes of the first half remaining. After looking like he’d evaded any danger, Ilmari Niskanen went backwards to find Ayina, but Christian Doidge nipped in first to steal the ball. As he broke into the box, the on-loan Hibs striker lifted it over Newman and the onrushing Vassell couldn’t miss as he poked it home from four yards.
SECOND-HALF
After a timid first 45 from United, Jim Goodwin responded by making two changes at the break: Harkes and Niskanen were replaced by Glenn Middleton and Dylan Levitt.
After twenty minutes of very little action, there were two more United changes: Pawlett and McMann replaced by Kai Fotheringham and Rory MacLeod.
The first second-half sighting at goal came on 70 minutes, Doidge blasting over the bar for the visitors.
United never created any chances until we entered the last quarter of an hour. Fletcher was unlucky as his glancing header from Graham’s cross landed wide of the post before a powerful drive from Levitt was deflected on its route to goal.
NO WAY BACK
With seven minutes to go, Derek McInnes’ side had their third after a sweeping counter. Rory McKenzie broke free before sliding the ball across the box for substitute Innes Cameron who side-footed the ball home to make it three for the visitors.
It’s a result which gives us little chance as we head into Sunday’s match against Motherwell.
POST-MATCH THOUGHTS
Jim Goodwin gives his reaction to DUTV following this evening's 3-0 defeat at Tannadice. pic.twitter.com/kmRiRvmZUm
— Dundee United FC (@dundeeunitedfc) May 24, 2023
TEAMLINE
Starting XI: Newman, McMann (64’ MacLeod), Mulgrew, Graham, Niskanen (45’ Levitt), Pawlett (64’ Fotheringham), Fletcher, Sibbald, McGrath, Harkes (45’ Middleton), Ayina
Unused subs: Birighitti, Djoum, Edwards, Freeman, Thomson
NEXT UP
The Terrors travel to Motherwell in our final match of the 2022/23 cinch Premiership campaign.
