Scottish Premiership
AberdeenAberdeen1Dundee UtdDundee United0

Aberdeen 1-0 Dundee United

By Scott DavieBBC Scotland at Pittodrie

Adam Rooney's 27th goal this term clinched European football for Aberdeen next season and moved them to within five points of league leaders Celtic.

The striker met Mark Reynolds' cross shortly before the break.

The Dons saw the game out comfortably against struggling Dundee United, despite finishing with 10 men.

Veteran midfielder Barry Robson, a former Tannadice favourite, was given a straight red card for catching Charlie Telfer with a flailing elbow.

United remain six points behind Inverness Caledonian Thistle, who occupy the final European place in the Scottish Premiership.

Rooney showed why he is the top marksman in the top flight this season with a moment of opportunism.

Aberdeen midfielder Barry Robson is sent off against Dundee United
Robson (centre) was dismissed in the second half

Dons captain Reynolds showed real persistence to chase a Robson free-kick from deep that Jaroslaw Fojut thought was going out of play.

The defender's slackness was punished as Reynolds forced the ball across goal and Rooney was lurking to clip in his 17th league goal of the season.

It also made him the first player since Duncan Shearer in 1993 to score 27 goals in a single season for the Pittodrie club and enhanced his credentials for the end of season player of the year awards.

The Irishman went close a couple of times in the second half as well while United's injury problems intensified when Mario Bilate limped off with a hamstring pull early in the second period.

Robbie Muirhead took over and the former Kilmarnock winger at least forced Scott Brown into some serious action with a shot the Dons goalkeeper dived left to save.

That apart, the visitors, who were without John Rankin, Ryan Dow and Paul Paton, rarely troubled the Aberdeen defence as they slipped 22 points behind a team that they were within three points of at the end of January.

Aberdeen protested that Robson's contact with Telfer did not merit a red card and there seemed to be no malice in the incident but Derek McInnes's side had to play the final 20 minutes a man down.

Line-ups

Aberdeen

Formation 4-4-1-1

  • 20Brown
  • 2Logan
  • 5Taylor
  • 6Reynolds
  • 3Considine
  • 11Hayes
  • 8FloodSubstituted forDanielsat 90+1'minutes
  • 15RobsonBooked at 72mins
  • 10McGinnSubstituted forJackat 75'minutes
  • 7McLean
  • 9Rooney

Substitutes

  • 1Langfield
  • 14Smith
  • 16Pawlett
  • 17Goodwillie
  • 22Jack
  • 25Shankland
  • 28Daniels

Dundee Utd

Formation 3-5-2

  • 1Cierzniak
  • 5Fojut
  • 14Morris
  • 20ButcherBooked at 38minsSubstituted forCooteat 77'minutes
  • 16McGowanBooked at 58mins
  • 4Souttar
  • 21Telfer
  • 17Erskine
  • 3Dixon
  • 7Ciftci
  • 19BilateSubstituted forMuirheadat 48'minutes

Substitutes

  • 2Dillon
  • 10Muirhead
  • 23Smith
  • 24Spittal
  • 26Szromnik
  • 30Anier
  • 43Coote
Referee:
Bobby Madden
Attendance:
12,619

Match Stats

Home TeamAberdeenAway TeamDundee Utd
Possession
Home61%
Away39%
Shots
Home10
Away5
Shots on Target
Home3
Away3
Corners
Home13
Away2
Fouls
Home9
Away9

Live Text

  1. Post update

    Match ends, Aberdeen 1, Dundee United 0.

  2. Full Time

    Second Half ends, Aberdeen 1, Dundee United 0.

  3. Post update

    Corner, Aberdeen. Conceded by Callum Morris.

  4. Post update

    Corner, Aberdeen. Conceded by John Souttar.

  5. Post update

    Attempt missed. Nadir Ciftci (Dundee United) right footed shot from outside the box is just a bit too high.

  6. Substitution

    Substitution, Aberdeen. Donervorn Daniels replaces Willo Flood.

  7. Post update

    Corner, Aberdeen. Conceded by John Souttar.

  8. Post update

    Foul by Andrew Considine (Aberdeen).

  9. Post update

    Nadir Ciftci (Dundee United) wins a free kick on the left wing.

  10. Post update

    Andrew Considine (Aberdeen) wins a free kick on the right wing.

  11. Post update

    Foul by Robbie Muirhead (Dundee United).

  12. Post update

    Foul by Willo Flood (Aberdeen).

  13. Post update

    Nadir Ciftci (Dundee United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  14. Post update

    Attempt missed. Callum Morris (Dundee United) right footed shot from outside the box is just a bit too high.

  15. Post update

    Corner, Dundee United. Conceded by Ryan Jack.

  16. Post update

    Attempt missed. Adam Rooney (Aberdeen) right footed shot from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the left.

  17. Post update

    Corner, Aberdeen. Conceded by Radoslaw Cierzniak.

  18. Post update

    Kenny McLean (Aberdeen) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  19. Post update

    Foul by Paul Dixon (Dundee United).

  20. Substitution

    Substitution, Dundee United. Alistair Coote replaces Calum Butcher.

As It Stood

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1Celtic32244468165276
2Aberdeen33225654282671
3Inverness CT32167944331155
4Dundee Utd32154135247549
5St Johnstone33146132932-348
6Dundee321111104443144
7Hamilton33127144248-643
8Partick Thistle33108154138338
9Kilmarnock33108153546-1138
10Ross County33107163956-1737
11Motherwell3394203357-2431
12St Mirren3363242259-3721
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