Rangers 0
Dundee Utd 1
League (SPL)

Match Report

Dundee United tonight completed an amazing Glasgow double by following Saturday's semi-final victory with a stunning win at Ibrox, thus lifting themselves off the bottom of the league. Manager Gordon Chisholm re-shaped his side following the win over Hibs, reverting to four at the back and bringing in Mark Kerr to replace the suspended Derek McInnes. Collin Samuel was a surprise inclusion in the starting eleven - in place of Stevie Crawford - but his pace and trickery on the right side of a five man midfield proved a useful outlet for United's weary defence as Rangers piled forward following Duff's early opener.

Only seven minutes were on the clock when McIntyre won the ball at the left corner flag. His cut-back found Duff racing into the box and though Waterreus parried his first effort, the midfielder kept his composure to head home the rebound. Rangers fought back and on the quarter hour mark Novo missed the first of two great chances for the equaliser, blazing over from six yards after a good cross by Prso. Yet his miss was to be trumped three minutes later: Namouchi dummied Bullock and squared for Prso but the Croatian somehow slid the ball wide with an open goal at his mercy. United regrouped and for much of the rest of the half looked solid at the back, though launching only occasional counter attacks.

Straight after the break Bullock was called back into action, pulling off an amazing one handed save to deny Novo from six yards. At the other end Rangers continued to look shaky. Kyrgiakos misjudged a long clearance to allow McIntyre to lob Waterreus from sixteen yards, and his shot just scraped the top of the bar and went behind. That half chance apart, United were struggling to break out of defence and, when Bullock was found in no-man's land after punching a cross clear, Novo looked certain to score with a looping header - but Paul Ritchie pulled off a tremendous goal-line clearance, heading away from just under the bar. Then with less than a minute remaining there was still time for Bullock to pull off another two top class saves to deny Prso and Kyrgiakos. Grady replaced McIntyre to run down a few seconds of injury time, but it was clear this was to be United's night. Away from the bottom of the table, a Uefa cup spot secured and a cup final reached - not a bad four days work!