ABERDEEN 2 DUNDEE UNITED 0 Saturday 9 May 2026 SPFL Premiership Pittodrie Attendance: 18,163 Referee: Duncan Nicolson The Dons closed the gap to seventh place to just three points with a solid victory over Dundee United, the win inspired by an outstanding individual display from Toyosi Olusanya who also grabbed his first goal for the club to confirm the win. There were two changes at the back for Aberdeen following the 2-2 draw at Livingston, Mats Knoester and Emmanuel Gyamfi coming in for Alexander Jensen and Mitchel Frame. Frame was on the bench with Jensen missing out. Nick Suman was among the subs after injury in place of Per-Kristian Bratevit, Nicky Devlin and Kenan Bilalovic also returning. After losing 3-0 at Kilmarnock last Saturday, Dundee United made three changes with Ryan Strain, Iurie Iovu and Vicko Sevelj coming in for Sam Cleall-Harding, Max Watters and Pauntche Camara. The game began in bright sunshine as the Dons attacked the RDS, but amid a scrappy opening, the first real action was a yellow card for Iovu for scything Dennis Geiger down in the sixth minute. The German hoisted the ball to the back post from the free-kick, but Jack Milne’s header was comfortable for Richards. A defensive mix up for United saw Toyosi Olusanya pounce on a ricochet, but Richards did well to come out and smother his shot in the eighth minute. Aberdeen were keeping decent possession early on, but without fashioning a real opportunity until the 19th minute when they found the killer blow. A ball forward from Geiger looked to be petering out, but the pace and strength of Olusanya gave him the chance to brush Keresztes off the ball, giving him the chance to pull the ball back for Stuart Armstrong. He took a touch and then produced a precise finish across goal and just inside the far post. There were claims for a penalty a minute later as Kevin Nisbet tried to cut inside. The ball struck the hand of Iovu, but it was rightly adjudged to be accidental by VAR. It was Olusanya the creator again in the 24th minute, skinning Iovu down the left. He pulled the ball back to Gyamfi and his shot was deflected behind. Olusanya caused chaos again three minutes later, bustling forward and forcing Agyei to pull him down 20 yards out, the United man going into the book. Nisbet’s effort from the set piece deflected wide off the wall. From Armstrong’s corner, Liam Morrison headed over. HALF-TIME: ABERDEEN 1 DUNDEE UNITED 0

There were two changes for United at the break, Watters and Eskesen replacing Naamo and Keresztes. The first chance went Aberdeen’s way though, on 49 minutes. Milne produced a fine cross from the right flank, picking out Olusanya in space a dozen yards out, but he glanced his header wide of the post. He was in again a minute a later, his drive from the edge of the box deflected behind by Agyei. The visitors thought they’d levelled it up on 55, Sapsford popping up on the left to slot in, but fortunately the offside flag had gone up earlier on in the move. They should have been on terms two minutes later though. Picking up a loose ball in midfield, United constructed a good passing move down their right that took them into the Dons area before Watters blazed the ball over. Dolcek immediately replaced Farrugia. Geiger was booked on the hour for a foul just inside the Aberdeen half, injuring himself in the process and needing treatment before initially carrying on. Dolcek followed him in a couple of minutes later for hacking down Olusanya in full flight. Graeme Shinnie replaced Geiger on 66, Gymafi making way for Frame at the same time. The visitors were sent off on the break by a long kick from Richards in the 73rd minute, Afeez Aremu producing a fine saving tackle on Dolcek inside the box. The game continued, Strain booked for a foul on the edge of the area, but then there was a VAR check for a penalty, which ruled in Aremu’s favour. Lyall Cameron and Nicky Devlin replaced Armstrong and Milne in the 75th minute. Cameron was quickly involved high up the pitch, providing a shooting opportunity for Olusanya, but his effort to bend the ball inside the far post was blocked. After Dolcek ballooned a 25 yard free-kick into the RDS, Russell and Camara replaced Sapsford and Sevelj in the 79th minute.

A flowing Dons move down the length of the pitch featuring Frame, Shinnie and Cameron ended with Olusanya firing over the bar at the near post from just inside the box. Moments later, Aremu made way for Ante Palaversa in Aberdeen’s last change. The pace of Olusanya caused panic in the United ranks again on 84, inducing Agyei to come across and cut him down on the halfway line. It was a second yellow for the United man, leaving his side down to ten men for the last few minutes. Nisbet opened up the United defence with a run inside after taking a pass from Cameron after 86 minutes. He pulled the ball across the face for Devlin, but he mishit his effort wide as Aberdeen still couldn’t quite put the game to bed. It arrived on 89 minutes. Palaversa and Olusanya combined well to set Nisbet away down the left. He pulled it back for Cameron who drilled in a shot from 25 yards. Richards made a good save but the ball dropped nicely for Olusanya who smashed the ball into the roof of the net from eight yards, the goal that his excellent all round display had thoroughly deserved. It was shots-in for Aberdeen as we headed into added time, Frame and Palaversa both driving efforts just wide of goal. But it was a third straight home win with a third clean sheet as the Dons continued to end the season in strong form.

FULL-TIME: ABERDEEN 2 DUNDEE UNITED 0 STATS Aberdeen: Mitov, Milne (Devlin 75), Knoester, Morrison, Molloy, Gyamfi (Frame 66), Geiger (Shinnie 66), Armstrong (Cameron 75), Aremu (Palaversa 82), Olusanya, Nisbet. Subs not used: Suman, Keskinen, Blilaovic, Bwomono. Goal: Armstrong (19), Olusanya (89) Booked: Geiger Dundee United: Richards, Iovu, Graham, Keresztes (Watters 46), Naamo (Eskesen 46), Strain, Agyei, Ferry, Farrugia (Dolcek 58), Sevelj (Camara 79), Sapsford (Russell 79). Subs not used: Adams, Sibbald, Stirton, Cleall-Harding. Sent off: Agyei Booked: Iovu, Agyei, Dolcek, Strain