Match ends, Aberdeen 1, Dundee United 0.
AberdeenAberdeen1Dundee UtdDundee United0
Calvin Zola scored his second goal of the season to get Aberdeen back to winning ways against Dundee United.
Jackie McNamara's side dominated much of the game, and David Goodwillie and Keith Watson both went close with efforts.
However, they continue without a win at Pittodrie since 2009 after Zola's early second-half strike settled an entertaining battle.
The scoreline also means Aberdeen have not conceded at home since 17 August.
Just under 2,000 United fans made the trip up the A90, with a chance to leapfrog their North-east rivals at stake.
A fixture that is always fiercely contested was given extra spice with three ex-Dundee United men in the home side.
Willo Flood was the only one of the trio to make the starting line-up as manager Derek McInnes made three changes from the 1-0 defeat to Ross County. Barry Robson and Nicky Weaver both started as substitutes.
Morgaro Gomis, in his second spell at United, also had to make do with a place on the bench, while Gavin Gunning came in for John Souttar.
It was the visitors who started the better of the two teams. David Goodwillie found himself one-on-one with Jamie Langfield but appeared to be wrongly ruled offside. Three minutes later John Rankin's low shot was deflected just wide by Mark Reynolds.
United continued to camp inside the Dons half, and Stuart Armstrong hit a left-foot shot just wide on the half-hour mark.
That sparked Aberdeen into life, and when Ryan Gauld was slow to react after Gavin Gunning's poor clearance, Jonny Hayes nipped in ahead of him and tested Radoslaw Cierzniak with a fierce strike.
Ryan Jack then fired over a free-kick which Joe Shaughnessy managed to nod into the path of Niall McGinn, who almost squeezed it in at the far post.
The game was beginning to swing from end to end now, and Keith Watson sent an acrobatic scissor kick just wide after Gavin Gunning's knockdown.
It was a different Aberdeen who came out for the second half, beginning on the front foot, and they got their reward when Peter Pawlett drove through the middle of the park and found McGinn on the left. The Northern Irishman's first time ball across goal gave Zola an easy finish.
Dundee United bounced back and eventually got back into their stride. Armstrong and Nadir Ciftci both fired good efforts wide, and Jamie Langfield had to race off his line to deny Goodwillie after Gary Mackay-Steven had picked him out in the box.
However, Aberdeen held firm as, despite United finishing the stronger of the two, they failed to find a breakthrough.
Line-ups
Aberdeen
Formation 4-4-2
- 1LangfieldBooked at 86mins
- 2ShaughnessyBooked at 17minsSubstituted forRobsonat 65'minutes
- 6Reynolds
- 8Flood
- 4AndersonBooked at 75mins
- 5ConsidineBooked at 8mins
- 11Hayes
- 22JackSubstituted forHectorat 80'minutes
- 7Zola-MakongoSubstituted forVernonat 77'minutes
- 10McGinn
- 16Pawlett
Substitutes
- 9Vernon
- 14Smith
- 15Robson
- 17Wylde
- 18Low
- 20Weaver
- 27Hector
Dundee Utd
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 1Cierzniak
- 12Watson
- 26Robertson
- 6Paton
- 2Dillon
- 5Gunning
- 21Ciftci
- 8Rankin
- 7GoodwillieSubstituted forDowat 80'minutes
- 10S ArmstrongSubstituted forGrahamat 74'minutes
- 19GauldSubstituted forMackay-Stevenat 56'minutes
Substitutes
- 4Butcher
- 9Graham
- 11Mackay-Steven
- 16Wilson
- 18Dow
- 25McCallum
- 27Gomis
- Referee:
- Bobby Madden
- Attendance:
- 12,654
Match Stats
Home TeamAberdeenAway TeamDundee Utd
- Possession
- Home55%
- Away45%
- Shots
- Home4
- Away15
- Shots on Target
- Home3
- Away2
- Corners
- Home7
- Away9
- Fouls
- Home15
- Away18
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Aberdeen 1, Dundee United 0.
Post update
Foul by Jonathan Hayes (Aberdeen).
Post update
Andrew Robertson (Dundee United) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Post update
Corner, Aberdeen. Conceded by Andrew Robertson.
Post update
Corner, Aberdeen. Conceded by Sean Dillon.
Post update
Attempt missed. Brian Graham (Dundee United) right footed shot from outside the box is too high from a direct free kick.
Post update
Foul by Russell Anderson (Aberdeen).
Post update
Nadir Ciftci (Dundee United) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Post update
Foul by Scott Vernon (Aberdeen).
Post update
Gavin Gunning (Dundee United) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Post update
Attempt missed. Keith Watson (Dundee United) header from the centre of the box is too high.
Post update
Corner, Dundee United. Conceded by Michael Hector.
Post update
Corner, Dundee United. Conceded by Jonathan Hayes.
Post update
Foul by Barry Robson (Aberdeen).
Post update
Ryan Dow (Dundee United) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Booking
Jamie Langfield (Aberdeen) is shown the yellow card.
Post update
Willo Flood (Aberdeen) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Post update
Foul by Brian Graham (Dundee United).
Post update
Corner, Aberdeen. Conceded by Radoslaw Cierzniak.
