Jim Goodwin cannot hide disappointment after Dundee United exit Europe

Jim Goodwin admitted “major disappointment” after Dundee United exited the Conference League in a penalty shoot-out after giving up a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 with Rapid Vienna at Tannadice.

Following a 2-2 draw in the first leg of the third qualifying round in Austria, United striker Max Watters headed the home side in front in after 25 minutes and grabbed his second with a penalty three minutes before the break.

However, Rapid attacker Janis Antiste reduced the deficit in the 63rd minute with United defender Iurie Iovu involved in the ball finding the net and half-time substitute Ercan Kara levelled in the 77th minute to take an open game into extra-time and then penalties.

After United’s Amar Fatah hit the post with the first penalty, Will Ferry, Bert Esselink, Vicko Sveljt and Krisztian Keresztes all scored for the home side but so did Kara, Claudy Mbuyi, Andrija Radulovic, Serge-Philippe Raux-Yao and Bendeguz Bolla for a 5-4 win for the visitors.

Goodwin said: “Of course there’s major disappointment within the group, having been 2-0 up at half-time, but we never for one minute thought that the time was over.

“We respect the opposition. They’re a very, very good team, full of quality.

“And we knew that the next goal was going to be really important.

“Had we got it, then I think we progress, but credit to Rapid Vienna, they penned us back there for large periods in the in the second half and they got their goals.

“Disappointing one for us is that it’s another set-play that’s cost us.

“The second goal, is a brilliant delivery, a really difficult ball to defend, and it’s the slightest touch from the striker.

“But I have to give my players a huge amount of credit, they didn’t allow their heads to go down at that point, we changed the shape going into the latter stages of the game and I think that served us well and we came back into the game, we grew back into it.

“But of course, the main emotion is one of disappointment.”