Dundee United Archives - Page 4 of 6

Last Minute Stuart Findlay Winner Settles 5 Goal Thriller at Tannadice

Dundee Utd 2 – 3 Hearts Dolcek (22′ 40′) Shankland (19′ pen) Findlay (58′ 90+4′) Stuart Findlay’s 94th-minute winner completed a 2nd half Hearts comeback at Tannadice. Lawrence Shankland put the visitors ahead from the penalty box before a brilliant Ivan Dolcek double. Stuart Findlay levelled the game in the 2nd half with a towering header and won the game in the final minute, causing pandemonium in the packed out away end. Dundee United produced a gusty performance to draw 2-2 away against Rapid Vienna in Conference League qualifying on Thursday night. Jim Goodwin hailed his side’s character after the game, and would need more of the same as their injury list claimed another victim in Isaac Pappoe. Hearts enjoyed a perfect start to their league campaign on Monday night, Derek McInnes’s side defeating his old side Aberdeen 2-0 in Gorgie. He encouraged his side to take advantage of United’s lack of preparation following their European away trip 3 days ago. Hearts started the match well, Harry Milne’s teasing corner found Frankie Kent, who headed just over the bar for the first chance of the game. Dundee United quickly responded when Sevelj unleashed a powerful strike from the edge of the box. The shot forced Scottish international keeper Zander Clark to be alert and tip the ball around the post. Claudio Braga is quickly becoming a fan favourite in Gorgie, he linked up well with Milne but the deflected cross narrowly missed Alan Forrest at the back post. Moments later, the Portuguese number 10 showed clever movement to find space in the box, but his header lacked the power to trouble goalkeeper Kucherenko. Hearts took a deserved lead in the 19th minute. Stuart Findlay was dragged down in the box, winning a penalty. Club captain Lawrence Shankland calmly slotted home his first league goal of the season to put the Jambos ahead. However, Dundee United equalised just three minutes later. After winning a free-kick on the edge of the box, new signing Ivan Dolcek stepped up to whip a marvellous strike past Zander Clark. Harry Milne was involved in both Hearts’ goals against Aberdeen last Monday, he was once again a threat down the left flank. Despite the away side dominating possession for much of the half, they struggled to create clear-cut chances. The homeside, however, were growing more dangerous as the half concluded. After a turnover in possession, Zac Sapsford found space in the box, but the Australian’s strike was blocked by Craig Halkett. The home side continued to press, and soon after, Dolcek found space in the box and dispatched powerfully under Clark to give the home side the lead. Sapsford almost made it 3 soon after, but his shot was blocked by Clark. The away side had the final chance of the half. Braga was set up by a Shankland knockdown but Kuckerenko got down low to save. The game was entertaining and evenly matched, but the homeside held the advantage at halftime. Derek McInnes demanded a response from his team, making two changes at halftime. He brought off Alan Forrest for Alexandros Kyziridis, and introduced Steinwender for Kent. The second half started much like the first, with the visitors dominating possession but struggling to create a meaningful end product. A promising moment came when Lawrence Shankland found space on the edge of the box, but his strike was deflected away from goal. The visitors’ persistence paid off on the hour mark. Harry Milne delivered another teasing corner, which Stuart Findlay met with a towering header, delighting the away fans as the team drew level. Dundee United had a golden opportunity to equalise moments later. A misplaced pass from Zander Clark to Camara was seized upon, with the ball being played to the young Owen Stirton. His shot lacked the necessary curl and drifted wide of the post. Kyzridis looked lively off the bench, picking up the ball on the edge of the box, but his shot was blocked. As the match entered its final 15 minutes, the game was finely poised. Both teams battled for control, but neither was able to create any clear-cut chances. Vicko Sevelj tested Zander Clark in the first half with a powerful strike, he found space on the edge of the box again in the closing stages but couldn’t convert. But it was Hearts who would dramatically win the game. A corner kick from Kyziridis found its way to Stuart Findlay, who converted his 2nd headed goal of the game and the winner for The Jambos. The 2,000 travelling fans erupted. Dundee United welcome Rapid Vienna to Tannadice on Thursday night, the game is set up nicely after an entertaining 2-2 draw in the first leg. Hearts travel to Paisley next Saturday to face St Mirren in the League Cup, after four wins out of four in the group stage. The Jambos will hope to continue their positive form in the knockout rounds. Dundee United: Kucherenko Iovu Esselink Keresztes Thomson Dolcek Sevelj Camara (Fotheringham 66′) Sibbald Stirton Sapsford (Fatah 66′) Bookings: Keresztes 43′ Camara 50′ Hearts: Clark Findlay Halkett Kent (Steinwender 46′) Forrest (Kyziridis 46′) Milne (Kingsley 77′) McEntee Devlin Spittal (Kerjota 63′) Shankland Braga (Wilson 84′) Bookings: Milne 31′ Braga 83′ Findlay 90+4′ Attendance: 10,874

August 10, 2025

Dundee United Disrupt Rapid Vienna with Tremendous Away Draw

Rapid Vienna 2 – 2 Dundee United Dahl 27′ Seidl 44′ Watters 33′ Sapsford 75′ Dundee United produced a marvellous away performance, drawing 2-2 in the first leg of their 3rd round Conference League play-off against Rapid Vienna. Jim Goodwin made a single change to the side that drew 2-2 with Falkirk, bringing back Will Ferry for Ivan Dolcek. The visitors settled well in Vienna, limiting the home side to little more than long-range efforts in the opening 20 minutes. Deflected strikes from Sangare and Dahl were the closest Rapid came. A most frustrating moment for Jim Goodwin came when a midfield challenge forced Isaac Pappoe off with an injury, replaced by Ivan Dolcek. The substitute made his presence felt almost immediately, bursting down the right flank and delivering a low cross that nearly reached Max Watters at the back post. Rapid took the lead on 27 minutes. A whipped cross from the right was met by the well-timed run of Petter Nosakhare Dahl, who put the home side ahead. United, after settling so well, would be frustrated with how easily the goal was given up. Rapid could have doubled their lead when Antiste found space, but the angle was against him and he slammed his shot into the near post. Despite Rapid’s pressure, Dundee United hit back. Zac Sapsford drove to the left byline, showing great composure to cut the ball back to Max Watters, who slotted home. The traveling 1,000 Arab fans in the Allianz Stadion erupted. It was Sapsford’s third goal involvement for the club in Europe and Watters’s second goal in as many games—an excellent return for the new summer signings. Rapid continued to threaten, coming close from a corner routine where captain Seidl dragged his shot wide. However, they retook the lead on 44 minutes. Once again, a ball came in from the right. A United defender got to it, but the clearance was poor, leaving Matthias Seidl to ram the abandoned ball into the gaping goal just before halftime. With the home side threatening continually, it was key for the visitors to get in to the break only 2-1 behind. As they halftime whistle blew, Goodwin had 15 minutes to regroup his players. The home side finished 5th in the Austrian Bundesliga, Peter Stoger would have been pleased with large portions of their first half display. Dundee United started the second half on the front foot. Sapsford had the first real chance, latching onto a loose ball at the edge of the box, but his strike was hit straight at the Rapid goalkeeper. Rapid Vienna soon grew into the game, venturing forward at will. They created a good opportunity when Horn was released on the left side of the box, but his shot blazed over the bar. United were living dangerously. Camara, who had been a standout performer in a previous match against Falkirk, made a costly error on the ball. This allowed Sangare to feed Radulovic, whose shot was thankfully dragged wide of the goal. At this point, Dundee United had goalkeeper Yevhen Kucherenko to thank for keeping them in the game. He made a brilliant save to tip a header onto the crossbar and away, followed moments later by another good stop from Sangare’s curling strike. Kucherenko then gathered an audacious flick from Antiste to keep the scores level. Despite Vienna’s dominance, their finishing had been wasteful, and they were made to pay for it in the 75th minute. After United turned over possession, Ivan Dolcek slipped a ball through to Zac Sapsford. The Australian striker showed great composure, slotting his first-time strike across Hedl and into the bottom corner. It was a clinical finish from the away side, who had been pinned back for large portions of the second half. As the match entered the final ten minutes, both teams had a sense that a winner could be found. Craig Sibbald made a vital challenge in the box to stop Bolla from getting a shot away. Rapid continued to attack in waves as the game drew to a close, but United’s defence remained strong. They were fortunate, however, in the 88th minute when a well-worked cross from the right was deflected behind by Kucherenko. A long-range strike from Raux-Yao took a huge deflection off a United jersey but narrowly evaded the goal. Rapid thought they had found a late winner two minutes into stoppage time when Louis Schaub headed home at the back post, but the goal was correctly disallowed for an earlier offside. The final whistle blew on a brilliant result for Dundee United. Their players showed great character to come back from a goal down on two occasions and disrupt the Austrian giants. This sets up a tantalising return leg at Tannadice next Thursday. Rapid Vienna have an important match away to last season’s Austrian champions Sturm Graz. United are also back to league action on Sunday afternoon, welcoming Derek McInnes’ Hearts to Tannadice. Rapid Vienna: Hedl, Bolla, Cvetkovic, Roux-Yao, Horn, Sangare, Amane (Grgic 75’), Seidl (M’Buyi 87’), Dahl (Wurmbrand 75’), Antiste (Kara 87’), Radulovic (Schaub 61’) Bookings: Raux-Yao 72’ Dundee United: Kucherenko, Esselink, Iovu, Sevlj, Camara, Sapsford (Fotheringham 93’), Ferry, Sibbald, Keresztes, Watters (Stirton 64’), Pappoe (Dolcek 18’) Bookings:

August 7, 2025

SPFL Weekly – Matchday 1: Five Talking Points

Russell Martin blows his top after a lacklustre showing, Luke McCowan spares blunt Celtic with late heroics, and Derek McInnes’ Jambos breezed into pole position for title challenge. Kieron Bowie was the Starman at Den’s Park, and it was a level start on opening day for promoted sides. We’re back! Here’s our round-up of the big talking points from Matchday 1 in the 2025/26 SPFL season. Martin Fires Warning Shot The post-match talk to the press is rarely more explosive than the game. Yet the new man in the dugout, Russell Martin, let rip in his Sky Sports interview after their opening SPFL game at Fir Park, criticising the mentality of his squad. He accused some of his Teddy Bears of ‘reverting to type’ and needing to ‘drop their egos’. An impressive second-half performance from Motherwell saw Emmanuel Longelo’s powerful strike cancel out James Tavernier’s first-half header in the 1-1 draw. The Lanarkshire side could have won, too, with Jack Butland denying Tom Sparrow, who scored their winner at Ibrox in March, in the game’s dying moments. Martin admitted that his ex-Norwich teammate’s side, Jens Berthel Askou, who joined Motherwell in the summer as Head Coach, was ‘braver’ and more ‘aggressive’ than his side and was lucky to get a point. Their supporters booed off the Glasgow side at full-time, echoing déjà vu from last season. The Brighton man, who played for Rangers on loan in 2018, delivered similar criticism in context to Barry Ferguson’s comments last season. Although Martin said it was ‘not an attack on anyone personally’ ahead of tonight’s Champions League qualifier against Viktoria Plzen at Ibrox, he will need to be careful not to alienate his squad. They overcame Panathinaikos over two legs in the previous round of European qualifiers. However, the less-than-convincing performances and players playing out of position have baffled supporters. He said some players must ‘drop their ego’, but perhaps he should be the one to compromise on his tactics and do so willingly if he wants to succeed in Glasgow. He told Sky Sports: “We need to work out who really wants to be all in and who doesn’t.” Martin has been busy in the transfer window, with the recent arrival of Finnish international Oliver Antman, who arrives from Go Ahead Eagles in a £4m deal, pushing the total to nine signings. The gaffer will hope Antman doesn’t shrink under pressure but grows into a giant in attack. Loyal servant and club captain James Tavernier, who has been at the club for ten years, has been an ever-present in this so-called egotistical environment. Still, question marks remain about his ability to instil a positive culture. Maybe Martin, Tavernier, fresh faces, and player exits can finally push the club in a new direction. Rodgers Needs Firepower After McCowan Bailout Luke McCowan saved Celtic’s blushes with a deflected strike in the last ten minutes of the game against a stubborn St Mirren side at Celtic Park. It was hard to say what was less surprising: Stephen Robinson’s men, unbeaten in last season’s top-six split and fresh off a third consecutive top-half finish, proving they are no pushovers, or McCowan coming off the bench and positively changing the game for the Hoops. The Bhoys started with a party. A rousing rendition of You’ll Never Walk Alone rang out, Kris Boyd pleading for Scott Brown to keep talking on Sky Sports so he doesn’t have to hear it. Lisbon Lion John Clark, who passed away in the summer, had a tifo unveiled in his memory. And the club welcomed back 90s legend Paul McStay before he unfurled the league champions’ flag at Celtic Park. Unfortunately, that’s where the shindig faded. The home side struck the woodwork four times and saw a Callum McGregor second-half strike correctly ruled out for handball. It wasn’t until McCowan’s 12-minute cameo that the game came to life. The 27-year-old brought energy and the decisive flourish that Benjamin Nygren and the front three of Yang, Adam Idah, and Daezen Maeda lacked. He had a similar role last year, coming on as a substitute 17 times for Celtic in the league, scoring six goals and assisting seven times for his boyhood club. The narrow 1–0 win means the reigning champions have now won their opening league fixture in 17 of the last 18 seasons. It has been a successful period for the club, but Brendan Rodgers will only continue at Celtic beyond his contract, which expires at the end of the season, if the club continues to develop on and off the park. Rodgers wants attacking reinforcements, but Yang is less than convincing. James Forrest is ageing, and the injured Jota is not expected to return until the new year. Adam Idah continues to blow cold, and Jonjoe Kenny and new signing Shin Yamada are both untested in the league. On BBC’s Sportscene, ex-Celtic defender Charlie Mulgrew says the club needs two wingers and a striker, which is a fair assessment based on the manager’s recent comments. Hearts Weather the Wind and Bloom into Title Contenders The Jambos were back in league action after cruising in their League Cup campaign the past few weeks. Even Storm Floris caused chaos across Edinburgh, with Fringe shows cancelled, train services halted, and even the Military Tattoo called off. Still, it couldn’t disrupt Derek McInnes’ men with a 2-0 win over Aberdeen. They had no sympathy for the 650 Aberdeen fans attempting the journey south, or for Dons’ captain Graeme Shinnie, who put the ball into the back of his net in the early stages of the game from a Harry Milne cross. Jambos’ summer signing Stuart Findlay finished the scoring with a brave header past an onrushing Dimitar Mitov. Lawrence Shankland thought he had doubled their advantage in the first half with a wonder strike, which was disallowed for offside in the build-up. Managing his first league game for Hearts against a former club, Derek McInnes told Sky Sports afterwards that “we gave everything.” They will

August 5, 2025

Points Shared in The Bairns First Top Flight Match for 15 Years

Falkirk 2 – 2 Dundee United Tait 50′ Ross 73′ Watters 40′ Dolcek 71′ Newly promoted Falkirk and European hopefuls Dundee United shared 4 goals in a thrilling match. New signings Watters and Dolcek had twice put Jim Goodwin’s team ahead, but Dylan Tait and Ethan Ross hit back for The Bairns. Falkirk were playing their first top-flight game since May 2010, and started quickly. After working the ball well on the left, a whipped cross was inches in front of summer signing Brian Graham. Falkirk’s best chance came after 20 minutes, McCann’s cross from the left evaded Kucherenko, but Calvin Millar could not deflect goalwards. John McGlynn’s side were dominating the ball, but the final touch, pass, or strike was not sticking for them. Dundee United were coming off the back of their European away trip to Luxembourg. They looked lethargic at first but grew into the game after the 20th minute. New signing Camara drove down the right after Brad Spencer gave up possession, the onrushing Max Watters met his cross, but the header lacked power. The aforementioned Camara had been excellent in the first period; he was both physical and dynamic, regularly running at the Falkirk backline. Jim Goodwin looked a frustrated figure for much of the first period, but his side took the lead on 39 minutes. The ball dropped for Max Watters following a cross, and he powerfully dispatched it past Scott Bain. The home side responded with further pressure, but Brian Graham was unable to bundle a loose ball into the net. After Scott Arfield dragged a shot wide, the referee blew his halftime whistle. Despite being behind, there was plenty of encouragement for the Scottish Championship winners. Falkirk drew level at the start of the second half. Adams broke down the right-hand side, and his cross was laid off to Dylan Tait, who dispatched past Kucherenko. The Bairns were wasteful in the first period, but this move was slick from John McGlynn’s team. Veterans Brian Graham and Scott Arfield were brought off for Ross MacIver and Aiden Nisbett. Nisbett was involved in a corner kick move that left Ethan Ross in space, but his strike was straight at Kucherenko. Dundee United hadn’t been at their best for the opening hour, but looked threatening on the counterattack. Summer signing Zac Sapsford managed a goal and an assist over two legs against Strassen and was causing problems down the Falkirk left. He found space in the box after cutting in but dragged the left-footed shot wide. Falkirk threatened again through substitute Ross MacIver, Ethan Ross picked up the ball and played through the big striker, but his strike was dragged wide. The game sparked back to life after 70 minutes with two quick goals. New signings, Camara and Dolcek, linked on the left side of the box, the latter beat Bain at his near post to send the United fans into raptures. But Falkirk bounced back immediately, Keelan Adam’s low cross found Ethan Ross, and his deflected shot evaded Kucherenko. With five minutes of additional time, both support groups were hopeful of securing the victory. However, these two sides would have to settle for a draw. For Falkirk, they visit Livingston next weekend, and for United, a trip to Austria in the 3rd Round of conference league qualifying. Falkirk: Bain, Adams, Henderson, Neilson, McCann, Tait (Cartwright 79’), Spencer, Arfield (Nesbitt 58’), Ross, Miller (Agyeman 75’), Graham (Maciver 58’) Bookings: Adams 56’ Dundee United: Kucherenko, Sevelj, Iovu, Esselink, Keresztes, Dolcek, Camara, Sibbald, Pappoe (Thomson 83’), Watters (Stirton 65’), Sapsford. Bookings: Sapsford 49’ Keresztes 61’ Iovu 68’ Pappoe 74’

August 3, 2025

Our Writers Predict the 2025/26 Scottish Premiership

The William Hill Premiership is looming, with the opening weekend starting with Killie hosting the newly promoted side of Livingston on Saturday and concluding with the blockbuster clash on Monday when Aberdeen visit Hearts. Fresh optimism, big questions and plenty of intrigue await. Will Celtic continue their domestic dominance? Can Hearts, Hibs, or Aberdeen close the Old Firm gap? And who’s facing a scrap at the bottom? The transfer window is still open, and predictions may hinge on late window shenanigans. However, our team of journalists has examined all 12 clubs and offered their early predictions for this season. Aberdeen Callum Hart – 4th I’m tipping them to finish 4th. Cameron Caldwell – 7th Guaranteed European football until January will be a double-edged sword for Jimmy Thelin’s squad. Balancing these demands with the busy domestic calendar will be a struggle. Jack Cranmer – 5th Jimmy Thelin pulled off a shock by guiding Aberdeen to Scottish Cup glory and European group stage qualification. However, that European run could become a burden. The squad is decent, but its depth is questionable. Thursday-Sunday football has hurt clubs like Hearts, and Aberdeen may suffer similarly. Recruitment has been shrewd, but whether it’s enough to maintain a top-four challenge remains to be seen. Mack Kelly – 5th They have had a lot of activity in the transfer window this season, and Thelin is now properly putting his stamp on the squad. I think European football this season will act as a derailer for the Dons and hold them back in the table. That said, I can see the Reds going on a run in the Conference League. Michael Shuel – 5th The Dons have been busy in the transfer market, but losing Jamie McGrath on a free is a blow. Hopefully, their recruits can prove effective. The extension of Alfie Dorrington’s loan is a good move, as he will continue to develop into a top defender. They hope to continue last season’s success, which saw them pick up silverware. Ryan Niven – 5th Inconsistent last season, and with the addition of European football, I feel the Pittodrie club will struggle. Scott Bradley – 5th Despite the historic Scottish Cup win against Celtic last season, we can’t forget the Dons had a poor second half of the season, only managing to win five of their last 26 league games. The Dandies played in Europe under former boss Barry Robson, and they struggled to cope with that Thursday-to-Sunday schedule; the same could happen this season. Celtic Callum Hart – 1st Celtic still seems to be the better team between them and the Rangers; however, I think the gap will be closer this year than last. Cameron Caldwell – 1st While there’s still work to do in the transfer market, Celtic’s established core should be consistent enough to secure their fifth consecutive Scottish Premiership title. Jack Cranmer – 2nd Celtic remain favourites, but a storm may be brewing. Brendan Rodgers’ recent comments hint at dissatisfaction with the club’s backing during the summer window. Nicolas Kühn’s departure is a blow, and while Benjamin Nygren appears a capable replacement, it’s hard to argue he’s an upgrade on an in-form Kühn. If he stays fit, Kieran Tierney will be an improvement on Greg Taylor, but that’s a big ‘if’ across a 50+ game season. Up front, serious concerns remain: Jota won’t be fully fit until late in the campaign, Adam Idah is still unconvincing, Kyogo Furuhashi still hasn’t been truly replaced, and the new options lack the quality Celtic have had in recent years. Rodgers has a track record of third-season stagnation, and if he’s not backed, he could walk. If that happens, chaos could open the door to a Rangers resurgence. Mack Kelly – 1st It will be much tighter at the top end of the table this season, but I think the squad’s quality and experience will deliver the Celtics’ fifth consecutive title by no more than six points. Michael Shuel – 1st With the Rangers experiencing a tactical revolution (or mess, as some could call it) and the mastermind Russell Martin joining, the Celtics should be scared. Not really. It will take time for Rangers to gel, and the Hoops have too much quality in all areas of their squad. Could they do with more wingers now? Sure. But that’ll come. Are there question marks around Adam Idah? Look, he will still get 15-20 goals this season. If that’s what you call a flop (even at a staggering £9m), then so be it. Ryan Niven – 1st With the Rangers being rebuilt, Celtic will bring home another title. However, their lack of transfer business so far makes me believe it’ll be a closer title race than last season. Scott Bradley – 2nd Despite winning a double last season, Brendan Rodgers’ men have dropped in form and standards over the last few months. There doesn’t seem to be a real buzz and excitement surrounding the Scottish champions at this moment in time, and the lack of transfer business is a concern, especially amongst the Celtic faithful. I believe this will be Rodgers’ last season, and if he loses the first Old Firm game at Ibrox, the alarm bells will start ringing. Dundee Callum Hart – 12th After Dundee’s poor start to the campaign, I think it’ll continue into the league season. Cameron Caldwell – 12th Steven Pressley hasn’t been a manager since 2019. This lack of recent experience could prove problematic for a Dundee team that only narrowly avoided relegation last year. Jack Cranmer – 12th I don’t want to be too harsh on Steven Pressley; he’s done his homework at Brentford, but alarm bells are already ringing. Losses to Airdrieonians and Alloa in the League Cup, plus a narrow win over Lowland League Bonnyrigg Rose, don’t inspire confidence. Their recruitment, mainly from English lower leagues and loans from Brentford youth, looks risky. Pressley’s man-management has also been questioned, and losing Josh Mulligan and Lyall Cameron won’t help. If results don’t pick up soon, the

August 2, 2025

Solid starts in Europe for Dundee United and Hibernian

Dundee United and Hibernian kick started their European campaigns as United defeated Una Strassen 1-0 in their Europa Conference second qualifier and the Hibees got an important 1-1 draw away from home against FC Midtylland in their Europa League second qualifier. FC Midtylland 1-1 Hibernian David Gray’s men had a dream start in Denmark all thanks Jamie McGrath opening the scoring as his free-kick found it’s way into the net from the wide left of the pitch. The Danish side struggled to get to grips at the start, but grew into the game and pulled back an equaliser at the 72nd minute as Aral Simsir slotted away a lovely free-kick. Gray spoke after the game about how proud he was of his side’s performance: “We spoke about deserving the opportunity for how well we played last season and what we achieved last season. “But you need to come to these places and believe you can get a result and I think the way we started the game, every player definitely did that. “We were on the front foot straight away. The first 20 minutes I thought we were excellent. “We had to defend, I thought that was excellent. So really proud of the effort from every single player. “But I’ve just been very quick to remind everyone that it’s only part one, that’s half time in the tie.” Dundee United 1-0 Una Strassen Jim Goodwin’s men played in front of 11,000 people at Tannadice as seven of the nine signings made by the Terrors started the game. New summer signing Zac Sapsford got his United career off to a flying start as his strike went into the bottom left hand corner at the 47th minute. Goodwin’s team were fairly in control and he believes that his side should be in a more comfortable position going into the second leg. He said after the game: “We’re pleased with the clean sheet and we scored a really good goal with a bit of quality and it was a wonderful strike. “I think there are certain elements we need to do better in. We turned over possession far too cheaply which led to counters but defensively we were very good. “There were certainly moments in the game where we need to improve. I thought when we did move the ball quickly and found pockets, we looked a threat but we’ve left at least a couple of goals out there. “Vicko Sevelj had a great chance but credit to the keeper who made a good save. “The disappointment is more the fact we didn’t do ourselves justice in the second half. Our possession on the ball, we didn’t move it quickly enough.“ We were too sloppy and we’ll try to improve those things. It’s still very early days for this group of players but there’s a lot to work on going into next week. “I don’t mean to sound doom and gloom, I’m just disappointed we didn’t make it more comfortable.”

July 25, 2025

European Adventures Begin for Scottish Trio

Rangers, Hibernian, and Dundee United kick off their European qualification campaigns this week. Rangers welcome Panathinaikos to Ibrox, Hibernian travel to Denmark to face FC Midtjylland, and United host Luxembourg’s UNA Strassen. Greek Test in Martin’s First Competitive Match Russell Martin’s appointment has split the Rangers fanbase, some welcome his free-flowing style whilst others question his pedigree in taking the Ibrox’s top job. Tuesday’s match against Greek side Panathinaikos promises to be a baptism of fire for the former Southampton manager. Panathinaikos mirrored Rangers’ domestic performance last season, securing a second-place finish. Their recent European adventures saw them participate in the UEFA Conference League, where they finished 13th in the group stage before a pulsating Round of 16 clash that saw them narrowly lose 5-4 on aggregate to Fiorentina. For the Ibrox faithful, this encounter with Panathinaikos may stir fond memories. Their last meeting, in the 2008 UEFA Cup, saw Nacho Novo net an 81st-minute equaliser to send Rangers through on away goals. This tie was pivotal in Rangers’ memorable run to the 2008 UEFA Cup final, ultimately ending in a 2-0 defeat to Zenit St Petersburg in Manchester. Victory for Rangers would promote them to the third round of Champions League qualification, where they will meet Czech side Viktoria Plzen or Switzerland’s Servette. Defeat for Martin’s side would present a challenging draw against Besiktas or Shakhtar Donetsk in the Europa League third qualifying round. Danish Giants Await Gray’s Hibernian David Gray was the interim manager for Hibs’ last European match – a Conference League clash against Aston Villa. This season, they face another stern test against Danish giants FC Midtjylland. FC Midtjylland narrowly missed out on their domestic title, finishing one point adrift of champions FC Copenhagen. Their prior visits to Scotland have yielded mixed results: a 7-3 aggregate defeat to Rangers in the Europa League qualifiers and a 3-2 aggregate victory over Celtic in the Champions League qualifiers. The first leg is scheduled for July 24th in Denmark, with the decisive second leg taking place in Leith on July 31st. Victory of Midtjylland would present another Scandinavian challenge for Hibs, taking on Norway’s Fredrikstad in the Europa League 3rd Qualifying Round. Defeat would relegate them to the UEFA Conference League 3rd Round, where they would face Ukraine’s FC Oleksandriya or Serbia’s FK Partizan. European Reward for Jim Goodwin’s Men Following an impressive 4th place finish on their return to the Scottish Premiership, Dundee United’s season preparations are in full swing. Draws with Arbroath, St Johnstone, and Oldham, with a trip to the Netherlands in between, they welcome Luxembourg’s UNA Strassen on Thursday evening. Their UEFA Conference League 2nd round qualifier is the Arabs’ first continental outing since their memorable (albeit forgettable) 7-1 aggregate defeat to AZ Alkmaar in 2022. Victory over Strassen will pit Goodwin’s team against Decic of Montenegro or Rapid Vienna of Austria.

July 22, 2025

Graphic comparing Dundee and Dundee United's opening six fixtures for the 2025/26 Scottish Premiership season. Dundee are shown to have the toughest start, while Dundee United have the easiest, based on opponents' average league position last season. Club crests and fixture opponents are included.

Dundee Face Toughest Start as Fixture Difficulty Ranked Across SPFL Clubs

An analysis of the 2025/26 Premiership openers reveals contrasting fortunes for the Dundee clubs — and how each team’s early schedule could shape their season. With the fixtures published last Friday, Dundee face the most challenging opening six games of the 2025/26 Premiership season, based on the average league position of their first six opponents from last season (5.33). In contrast, city rivals Dundee United have the easiest run (7.83), offering a smoother start to top-flight football. Dundee couldn’t have been handed a more challenging test as they look to improve on last season’s 10th-place finish under new manager Steven Pressley, who succeeded Tony Docherty in the summer. Their daunting schedule begins with Hibernian at Dens Park, followed by a trip to Ibrox to face Rangers. A fiery Dundee derby arrives early, also at home, and is sandwiched between a visit to Kilmarnock and a clash with Motherwell. They round off the run with an away trip to St Mirren — a real test for Pressley’s new era. On the flip side, the Tangerines kick off with a trip to fellow newly promoted side Falkirk, followed by a home double header against Hearts and Aberdeen. That leads into the eagerly anticipated derby at Dens Park, before an away day at Easter Road to face Hibs and a home tie against Kilmarnock to round out their first six fixtures. With Dundee facing the toughest start and Dundee United the easiest, our statisticians analysed all 12 SPFL clubs based on the average league position of their first six opponents from last season. Unlike a recent BBC Sport article using Opta’s Power Rankings, this approach is more straightforward — but the takeaway is the same: some clubs face far tougher openings. It’s worth noting this method does not account for home or away advantage, which can also shape early-season momentum. Aberdeen share the same opening fixture difficulty rating (7.83) as Jim Goodwin’s Dundee United. Despite a testing Matchday 2 meeting with Celtic at Pittodrie, they will likely back themselves for a strong start. At the other end of the scale, St Mirren and Livingston (6.17) aren’t far behind Dundee regarding fixture difficulty. Livingston, promoted via the play-offs against Ross County and St Mirren, faces challenging opening blocks, with Celtic and Rangers among their first six opponents. As for the Glasgow giants, Celtic face a trickier start (6.5) than Rangers (7.67). In Edinburgh, Hibs hope to build on last season’s momentum with a relatively favourable opening run (7.17), while city rivals Hearts have a slightly easier stretch (7.68). Falkirk and Motherwell sit mid-table in terms of difficulty (6.5), with Kilmarnock not far behind on 6.67 — potentially benefiting from a softer start on paper. As the 2025/26 Premiership kicks off on the weekend of 2nd August, it’s contrasting emotions on either side of Tannadice Street — with Dundee bracing for impact, and United looking to hit the ground running. Across the league, early momentum could be crucial in shaping the season ahead.

June 26, 2025

European Draws Set for Scottish Trio

The European dreams of Rangers, Hibernian and Dundee United took a clearer shape on Wednesday, as all three Scottish clubs discovered their respective opponents in the qualifying rounds. The Champions League journey for Rangers begins in the second qualifying round, where they’ll face Greek giants Panathinaikos. All eyes will be on Russell Martin as he makes his competitive debut as head coach. The first leg is set for Ibrox on July 22nd, with the return fixture in Athens a week later. Panathinaikos mirrored Rangers’ domestic performance last season, securing a second-place finish. Their recent European adventures saw them participate in the UEFA Conference League, where they finished 13th in the group stage before a pulsating Round of 16 clash that saw them narrowly lose 5-4 on aggregate to Fiorentina. For the Ibrox faithful, this encounter with Panathinaikos may stir fond memories. Their last meeting, in the 2008 UEFA Cup, saw Nacho Novo net an 81st minute equaliser to send Rangers through on away goals. This tie was pivotal in Rangers’ memorable run to the 2008 UEFA Cup final, ultimately ending in a 2-0 defeat to Zenit St Petersburg in Manchester. Hibernian’s European journey begins in the Europa League 2nd Qualifying Round, a consequence of Aberdeen’s Scottish Cup glory. They face a challenging draw against Danish club FC Midtjylland. FC Midtjylland narrowly missed out on their domestic title, finishing one point adrift of champions FC Copenhagen. Their prior visits to Scotland have yielded mixed results: a 7-3 aggregate defeat to Rangers in the Europa League qualifiers and a 3-2 aggregate victory over Celtic in the Champions League qualifiers. The first leg is scheduled for July 24th in Denmark, with the decisive second leg taking place in Leith on July 31st. Following an impressive fourth-place finish on their return to the Scottish Premiership, Dundee United face FC UNA Strassen in the 2nd qualifying round of the UEFA Conference League. Tannadice will host the first leg on July 24th, marking the Arabs’ first continental outing since their memorable (albeit forgettable) 7-1 aggregate defeat to AZ Alkmaar in 2022. Manager Jim Goodwin and his squad will be determined to deliver a much more commanding performance against their visitors from Luxembourg.

June 19, 2025

Dundee United’s Dalby Replacement?

Dundee United have secured the services of 22-year-old Australian forward Zac Sapsford from Western Sydney Wanderers on a three-year deal, awaiting final approval. Sapsford, an Australia Under-17 international, previously found the net 11 times in 43 appearances for the Wanderers. His arrival is a crucial move for the Tangerines, who needed to replace the significant goal threat left by Sam Dalby. Dalby, who was on loan from Wrexham, bagged 15 league goals last season, including a vital penalty on the final day that secured a 4th-place finish for the Terrors. He has since made a permanent move to Bolton Wanderers. Manager Jim Goodwin expressed his satisfaction with the early acquisition of Sapsford, praising him as a “dynamic forward” with a “killer instinct” in front of goal. Goodwin highlighted Sapsford’s ability to score with either foot or his head, as well as his knack for intelligently involving his teammates in play.

June 10, 2025