Dundee United keep Conference League dream alive with victory in Luxembourg

Dundee United have defeated UNA Strassen 1-0 to take a step closer to the Conference League.

The Tayside club will now have at least another two European games after booking their place in the third qualifying round with a 2-0 aggregate win.

Jim Goodwin’s men took a one goal lead into the second-leg clash following their victory at Tannadice last week.

And they remained ahead on aggregate at half-time following a cagey first 45 minutes in Luxembourg on Thursday.

Their lead was doubled on the hour mark when defender Iurie Iovu rose highest in the box to head Zac Sapsford’s cross into the net to make it 1-0 on the night and 2-0 in the tie.

Much was made of the fact that the United side last week did not contain a Scottish player at kick-off.

For the return game Goodwin drafted in Scot Craig Sibbald and Panutche Camara for Isaac Pappoe and Ryan Strain.

The unchanged home side had their fair share of opportunities in the first half, starting in the ninth minute when Dundee United goalkeeper Yevhenii Kucherenko had to save a powerful drive from Eric Brandenburger before Daryl Myre thrashed the rebound over the bar.

United responded with a series of sprightly attacks and in the 16th minute Sapsford mishit a cross from Bert Esselink just eight yards out and the ball flew over.

At the other end, UNA Strassen’s Edis Agovic got the break of ball 25 yards out and sent a drive wide of the target.

In the 36th minute the visitors carved out a good chance when Sibbald played in Ivan Dolcek but his powerful drive was parried by home keeper Koray Ozcan.

However, again the home side came back and in a swift counter-attack, Matheus De Souza raced clear down the right but screwed his shot across the face of Kucherenko’s goal and past the far post.

Both sides went at each other after the break but it was low quality fare.

However, when Sapsford got fouled to the left-hand side of the UNA Strassen penalty area, he floated in the free-kick and Iovu had time and space to nod in from close range, to effectively seal the tie and give the travelling supporters something to cheer.

The spirited home side kept going and in the 73rd minute Kucherenko made a decent save from substitute Nicolas Perez’s drive and the Taysiders had to work until the final whistle to keep the clean sheet.

United will now play either Rapid Vienna in the next round, following the Austrian side’s victory over Decic.

But before that, they will turn their attention to domestic matters when they kick off their Premiership campaign away to Falkirk on Sunday.