Match ends, Aberdeen 1, Dundee United 0.
AberdeenAberdeen1Dundee UtdDundee United0
Adam Rooney's 27th goal this term clinched European football for Aberdeen next season and moved them to within five points of league leaders Celtic.
The striker met Mark Reynolds' cross shortly before the break.
The Dons saw the game out comfortably against struggling Dundee United, despite finishing with 10 men.
Veteran midfielder Barry Robson, a former Tannadice favourite, was given a straight red card for catching Charlie Telfer with a flailing elbow.
United remain six points behind Inverness Caledonian Thistle, who occupy the final European place in the Scottish Premiership.
Rooney showed why he is the top marksman in the top flight this season with a moment of opportunism.
Dons captain Reynolds showed real persistence to chase a Robson free-kick from deep that Jaroslaw Fojut thought was going out of play.
The defender's slackness was punished as Reynolds forced the ball across goal and Rooney was lurking to clip in his 17th league goal of the season.
It also made him the first player since Duncan Shearer in 1993 to score 27 goals in a single season for the Pittodrie club and enhanced his credentials for the end of season player of the year awards.
The Irishman went close a couple of times in the second half as well while United's injury problems intensified when Mario Bilate limped off with a hamstring pull early in the second period.
Robbie Muirhead took over and the former Kilmarnock winger at least forced Scott Brown into some serious action with a shot the Dons goalkeeper dived left to save.
That apart, the visitors, who were without John Rankin, Ryan Dow and Paul Paton, rarely troubled the Aberdeen defence as they slipped 22 points behind a team that they were within three points of at the end of January.
Aberdeen protested that Robson's contact with Telfer did not merit a red card and there seemed to be no malice in the incident but Derek McInnes's side had to play the final 20 minutes a man down.
Line-ups
Aberdeen
Formation 4-4-1-1
- 20Brown
- 2Logan
- 5Taylor
- 6Reynolds
- 3Considine
- 11Hayes
- 8FloodSubstituted forDanielsat 90+1'minutes
- 15RobsonBooked at 72mins
- 10McGinnSubstituted forJackat 75'minutes
- 7McLean
- 9Rooney
Substitutes
- 1Langfield
- 14Smith
- 16Pawlett
- 17Goodwillie
- 22Jack
- 25Shankland
- 28Daniels
Dundee Utd
Formation 3-5-2
- 1Cierzniak
- 5Fojut
- 14Morris
- 20ButcherBooked at 38minsSubstituted forCooteat 77'minutes
- 16McGowanBooked at 58mins
- 4Souttar
- 21Telfer
- 17Erskine
- 3Dixon
- 7Ciftci
- 19BilateSubstituted forMuirheadat 48'minutes
Substitutes
- 2Dillon
- 10Muirhead
- 23Smith
- 24Spittal
- 26Szromnik
- 30Anier
- 43Coote
- Referee:
- Bobby Madden
- Attendance:
- 12,619
Match Stats
Home TeamAberdeenAway TeamDundee Utd
- Possession
- Home61%
- Away39%
- Shots
- Home10
- Away5
- Shots on Target
- Home3
- Away3
- Corners
- Home13
- Away2
- Fouls
- Home9
- Away9
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Aberdeen 1, Dundee United 0.
Post update
Corner, Aberdeen. Conceded by Callum Morris.
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Corner, Aberdeen. Conceded by John Souttar.
Post update
Attempt missed. Nadir Ciftci (Dundee United) right footed shot from outside the box is just a bit too high.
Substitution
Substitution, Aberdeen. Donervorn Daniels replaces Willo Flood.
Post update
Corner, Aberdeen. Conceded by John Souttar.
Post update
Foul by Andrew Considine (Aberdeen).
Post update
Nadir Ciftci (Dundee United) wins a free kick on the left wing.
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Andrew Considine (Aberdeen) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Post update
Foul by Robbie Muirhead (Dundee United).
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Foul by Willo Flood (Aberdeen).
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Nadir Ciftci (Dundee United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Attempt missed. Callum Morris (Dundee United) right footed shot from outside the box is just a bit too high.
Post update
Corner, Dundee United. Conceded by Ryan Jack.
Post update
Attempt missed. Adam Rooney (Aberdeen) right footed shot from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the left.
Post update
Corner, Aberdeen. Conceded by Radoslaw Cierzniak.
Post update
Kenny McLean (Aberdeen) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Paul Dixon (Dundee United).
Substitution
Substitution, Dundee United. Alistair Coote replaces Calum Butcher.
