Zac Sapsford gives Dundee United advantage in Conference League opener

Zac Sapsford was Dundee United’s deadly debutant with the only goal of the game in their Conference League tie against UNA Strassen at Tannadice.

In Jim Goodwin’s first venture into Europe as boss, his side found the Luxembourg minnows no easy opponent in the first half of their second qualifying round clash.

However, attacker Sapsford, one of seven new faces in the home line-up, fired in from outside the box in the 47th minute and in the end it was enough to make the difference.

United’s appearance in Europe was reward for their fourth-placed finish last season and albeit their lead is slender, they will hope they have enough to progress in the return game next week.

Goodwin’s squad had been bolstered by 11 new players and Yevhen Kucherenko, Bert Esselink, Krisztian Keresztes, Sapsford, Iurie Iovu, Isaac Pappoe and Ivan Dolcek all started and, significantly, there were no Scots in the team.

Wing-back Will Ferry captained the Taysiders in the absence of injured defender Ross Graham, recently appointed skipper.

There was healthy crowd inside Tannadice which created a terrific atmosphere, albeit there was hush in the eighth minute when UNA Strassen, who finished 18 points behind champions FC Differdange 03 in their domestic league, almost stole the lead.

Daryl Myre escaped free of the home defence down the left and Kucherenko was lobbed as he raced out of his goal but the ball went wide of the far post.

United should have scored when Sapsford, at the edge of the box, cleverly played in Vicko Sevelj who only had Ozcan to beat but his drive was saved by the diving keeper and the ball flew to safety, with Sevelj minutes later sending a long-distance effort just past the post.

As the Tannadide men stepped up the pressure, Ozcan made a fine save from a Keresztes header following a corner but half time arrived goalless.

However, the home side got the breakthrough two minutes into the second half when Australian striker Sapsford, signed from Western Sydney Wanderers, took a pass from Dolcek, brilliantly turned his defender 25 yards from goal and drilled a low shot past Ozcan.

It was exactly the boost the Taysiders needed and they almost got a second from a Keresztes header, Ozcan acrobatically turning the ball over for a corner that came to nothing.

In the 72nd minute Ozcan pushed an angled-drive a from substitute Owen Stirton on to the post and behind for a corner but again United failed to capitalise.

The visitors sensed there might be something for them in the game going into the final stages and every entry into the United box had the home fans on edge, albeit Tannadice substitute Panutche Camara had a drive cleared away from goal by one of the many white-shirted defenders blocking the goal.

At the other end, in added time, United keeper Kucherenko had to save from Matheus De Souza, otherwise the outcome would have been very different.