Dundee United 2 Rapid Vienna 2 (Agg: 4-4, pens 4-5) – agonising night for Jim Goodwin's men as side drop two-goal lead

Scottish Sun

2 days ago

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FOR a moment it looked like former removal man Max Watters was about to send Rapid packing.
Then it was goodnight Vienna for Dundee United.
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Rapid Vienna players celebrate
Credit: Getty
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Jim Goodwin couldn't bare watching the penalty shootout
Credit: Kenny Ramsay
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Goodwin with his players at full-time
Credit: PA
This was as memorable and stirring a Euro night as Tannadice has seen in decades.
Sadly for Jim Goodwin's men it ended in agonising elimination on penalties.
Forty-one years on from Davie Dodds dumping the Austrians out of the European Cup, Watters looked set to pen his name into Tannadice folklore too as his double saw the Terrors lead at the break.
But two Rapid goals in the space of 13 minutes levelled the tie on the night and on aggregate.
Then after neither side was able to score in extra-time, Amar Fatah was the shootout sinner as his missed first kick saw United crash out.
Make no mistake though. Despite their KO this was a titanic performance from a Terrors team ravaged by injury.
Watters kept his cool to finish, United's midfield worked like trojans, their defenders timed their challenges impeccably and goalie Yevhenii Kucherenko pulled off some incredible saves.
All the time roared on by a packed out Tannadice crowd.
It just wasn't quite good enough to edge them through to a play-off clash with ETO Gyor.
With a sell-out of more than 14,000 packed inside Tannadice, this felt like a throwback as the atmosphere crackled before kick-off.
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United carried that out onto the pitch and started brightly. They fizzed the ball around and moved and pressed like their lives depended on it.
Rapid beat Austrian champs Sturm Graz on the weekend and skipper Matthias Seidl stoked things up pre-match by claiming they would show they were better than the Terrors this time.
United had to be fully focused and not make any slip-ups to stand a chance of making it through.
But Bert Esselink nodded a Rapid ball forwards straight to Janis Antiste and needed Yevhenii Kucherenko to bail him out with a save.
Zac Sapsford has become a fans' favourite for his goals and assists in Europe and was finding joy when he drifted out into the left channel.
When he picked out Ivan Dolcek the Croatian could only spoon wide.
Dolcek then turned creator and dug out a cross that Watters should have buried but nodded over.
In between times Rapid threatened when Antiste spun and rifled in a shot which Kucherenko was relieved to see hit the side netting.
How they rated
Kucherenko 9, Esselink 8, Iovu 7 (Fotheringham, 90 3), Keresztes 8, Sevelj 8, Camara 8 (Constable, 115 1), Sibbald 8, Ferry 8, Dolcek 7 (Thomson, 71 4), Sapsford 6 (Fatah, 46 5), Watters 8 (Stirton, 71 4).
French frontman Antiste looked a danger and when he was played in again it needed a superbly timed tackle from Krisztian Keresztes to halt him.
Down on the touchline United boss Goodwin exuded calm. Out on the pitch his team had the same sort of air about them.
Then, on 26 minutes, Watters stayed cool to put them in front. What a great move it was too.
Ferry did well to pick him out with a cross from the left but Watters had already done the hard work by peeling away from his marker so he was all alone to head home.
Watters was too ill to face Hearts on the weekend but Rapid were feeling sick all of a sudden as the on-loan Barnsley striker made it three goals in as many games.
Rapid responded with Mamadou Sangare's shot being beaten away by Kucherenko but Sapsford drilled wide at the other end.
The Australian created an even better opening five minutes before the break as he bustled past Rapid defenders.
But as things opened up he tried to square to Watters instead of unleashing a shot himself.
His touch was too heavy and for a moment United fans thought the chance had gone.
But Sapsford was caught by Serge-Philippe Raux-Yao as he'd played his pass and VAR Angelos Evangelou ordered ref Tasos Sidiropoulos to have another look.
It was a penalty all day long and Watters produced the perfect kick as he drilled low into the left corner.
What was said
Rapid boss Peter Stoger said: 'We expected a difficult opponent. At half-time we spoke about creating one against one situations and it was much better.
'In this stadium with this crowd we showed talent and character and I'm very happy.
'It was a close result and a close game. In these two games maybe we had more chances but they played two great games."
United paraded Luca Stephenson before the game after he completed a season-long loan return from Liverpool yesterday.
Stephenson said: 'I felt I came on as a player here last year and when Liverpool wanted to send me out on loan again this was the only place I wanted to come.'
United's fans must have been struggling to believe what they'd seen in that opening 45.
Sapsford had been caught earlier in the first half too and couldn't return so Amar Fatah was sent on.
United continued to spray the ball about with confidence and Ferry scooped over from Dolcek's cross but they missed the option of an out-ball to Sapsford.
A slick Rapid move saw Petter Dahl crash in a vicious strike which Kucherenko again did well to save.
But on 64 minutes they pulled one back as Antiste nodded home Bendeguz Bolla's corner.
Rapid boss Peter Stoger had lost at Tynecastle as a player with Austria Vienna and at Parkhead as Ferencvaros manager and he was booked for protesting a decision.
Sub Ercan Kara thought he was about to level but Kucherenko produced another unbelievable stop but with 13 minutes left he did beat the goalie as he flicked on Nikolaus Wurmbrand's cross.
Fatah came close to scoring soon after when his shot deflected wide as extra-time beckoned.
Sub Owen Stirton was played in for a great chance to score but was denied by Niklas Hedl's save and the game went to kicks.
Fatah's first kick smashed off the post and despite Ferry, Esselink, Vicko Sevelj and Keresztes all slotting home, all of Rapid's takers netted to send them through.
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