DUNDEE UNITED 3 ABERDEEN 2 SPFL Premiership Saturday October 24 2026 Tannadice Ref: David Dickinson Attendance: 10,697

An Aberdeen side hit with injury and illness had strong spells at a storm lashed Tannadice, and had numerous opportunities inside the United area, but despite coming from behind twice, they slipped to a 3-2 defeat.

The Dons made four changes to the side that beat St. Mirren 3-1, with Toyosi Olusanya and Lewis Smith on the bench, Lewis Mayo and Mats Knoester both out with injury. In came Gavin Molloy, Jack Milne, Ayoub Mouloua and Stuart Armstrong, making his 50th appearance for the Dons. Findlay Marshall, Tony Yogane and Dan Happe were missing through illness. Dundee United drew 1-1 at St Johnstone last Saturday and made one change, Idjessi Metsoko replaced by Zach Sapsford. Pouring rain greeted the sides at Tannadice, but it was a slick start from Aberdeen, Connor Ronan’s bending shot headed behind for a corner in the first minute. Armstrong’s delivery reached Nesta Guinness-Walker, his volley blocked by Sapsford, claims for handball ignored by the officials. Lyons and Forbes tangled at the by-line, the two of them sliding into the advertising boards behind the goal in the eighth minute, the United man needing some treatment as the Aberdeen corner was taken. He eventually resumed with a hefty bandage around his head. Aberdeen were producing some really good football in the opening minutes, keeping the hosts penned back without forcing a clear opportunity. It was United who found the first goal though, 14 minutes in, a strike out of nothing from Zidane Iqbal some 25 yards out. His fierce drive first clipped Afeez Aremu, then cannoned onto Milne, just taking the ball away from the dive of Marius Muller and into the far corner. Brad Lyons was in the book three minutes later, he and Cameron sliding in for the ball together, the United man just getting there first. Aberdeen got a deserved equaliser on 25, through Guinness-Walker as he grabbed his first goal for Aberdeen. Armstrong’s free-kick was headed across goal by Ronan. Aremu swooped down on it, his shot deflecting to Mouloua. He passed into Kevin Nisbet who, back to goal, laid the ball into the path of Guinness-Walker, and he rifled home from a dozen yards out. The Dons weren’t level for long though, United going ahead two minutes later. Initially, Muller spilled the ball in his six yard box, Guinness-Walker on hand to turn it behind. From the resulting corner from Ciubotaru to the back post, Tait volleyed home. A VAR check followed, but the goal stood. Mouloua could have levelled it up on 35, Armstrong’s corner picking him out ten yards out, but his glancing header drifted just wide of the frame, a great chance missed. A looping header from Lyons suffered the same fate a couple of minutes later. HALF-TIME: DUNDEE UNITED 2 ABERDEEN 1 Lewis Smith replaced Aremu for Aberdeen at the break. There was constant pressure from the Dons coming down the slope in the opening few minutes, Nisbet coming closest, manufacturing an overhead kick from a dozen yards out that Forbes blocked. Forbes had to be alert again on 54, blocking a Smith effort from close range after he’d been fed by Mouloua. Seconds later, Nisbet headed a cross back across goal, but it drifted wide. The goal had been coming, and it arrived in style on 55 minutes. Ronan exchanged passes with Smith and then, from 25 yards out, he clubbed a shot into the bottom corner beyond the despairing dive of Walton. Aberdeen kept pressing and Lyons was inches away, slinging in a cross that eluded Walton but thumped against the bar in the 58th minute. From the corner that followed, a flick header from Nisbet went just over. It was all Aberdeen now, but on the break, United were seemingly back ahead on 62 minutes. Tearing down the right, Randall played a precise low ball into the box where Sapsford was running onto it to smash a shot beyond Muller, though Bennie was in front of him and clearly in the line of the goalkeeper’s sight. A VAR check for offside followed, the goal chalked off for Bennie’s part in it. Bennie was immediately replaced by Farrugia, Olusanya coming on for Mouloua at the same time as the wind and rain intensified. Sapsford did get his goal on 72 though, a fine glancing effort from a Tait cross that bulleted across Muller and in, giving the hosts the lead for the third time in the game. Sapsford and Cameron made way for Rose and Yoro in the 74th minute. Aberdeen responded by bringing on Hicham Mahou for Armstrong. Rose could have sealed things in the 77th minute, a Farrugia miskick presenting him with a chance just four yards out, but he ballooned it over the bar. A Cadden cutback on 82 almost found another leveller, the ball clipping Tait but as it looped up, it spun away from the far post to safety. With Aberdeen throwing everything forward, a United break gave Rose another chance to seal victory, but he was denied by a Cadden clearance in the six yard box as we went into added time. FULL-TIME: DUNDEE UNITED 3 ABERDEEN 2 DUNDEE UNITED: Walton, Rawlins, Esselink, Forbes, Ciubotaru, Tait, Cameron (Yoro 74), Zidane Iqbal, Randall, Sapsford (Rose 74), Bennie (Farrugia 65). Subs not used: Amissah, Iovu, Graham, Camara, Naamo, Metsoko. Goals: Zidane Iqbal (14), Tait (27), Sapsford (72) ABERDEEN: Muller, Cadden, Milne, Molloy, Guinness-Walker, Lyons, Armstrong (Mahou 76), Aremu (Smith 46), Ronan, Mouloua (Olusanya 65), Nisbet. Subs not used: Klein, Devlin, Briedl, Ntelo, Gyamfi, Fasanya. Goals: Guinness-Walker (25), Ronan (55) Booked: Lyons