Dundee United produced another epic performance here last night to reach their first European final. The Taysiders who cost a total of less than £750,000, with £165,000 Eamonn Bannon their most expensive player, confirmed they are now one of the European elite in the Bokelberg stadium.

They called on all their experience in the UEFA Cup semi final against the multi million pound German side, defying the hostile atmosphere and a dodgy Portugese referee. This was every bit as fine a performance as the one which knocked out Barcelona in the quarter finals. For United are the first foreign team to win a European tie in the Bokelberg. There is surely now no reason why they will not join Aberdeen, Celtic and Rangers as European winners by taking the trophy in the second leg of the final on May 20th against Gothenburg at Tannadice. Manager Jim McLean had said before thr match that football successes snowball. United's magnificent run this season now resembles an avalanche.

There is no doubt United were aided by the band of around 1500 fans of their own in the 35,000 capacity crowd. The celebrations at the finish were superb as the fans greeted their heroes and the players went to them to offer heartfelt thanks. United had seconds earlier capped their triumph just as dramatically as they did in Spain; Sub Kevin Gallacher made a fine run on the right, held up his pass perfectly, and swerved the ball to Ian Redford. THE EX-RANGERS PLAYER -TOOK HIS TIME, TEED IT UP AND THEN CALMLY STRUCK HIS SHOT PAST UWE KAMPS. It was the last kick of the ball and, as the dejected Germans drifted away, the Scottish celebrations began. United did not have a bad player in a performance full of concentration, skill and spirit.

The atmosphere would surely have affected less experienced sides but not a team who have seen it all before. They had to handle some poor refereeing from Jose Rosa dos Santos of Portugal. He booked lain Ferguson and Paul Sturrock and the yellow card for Ferguson means he will miss the first leg of the final on May 6 in Sweden. Billy Thomson once again provided inspiration for his team-mates by handling the early Borussia pressure with complete confidence. His one real save of the first half came from Criens in 24 minutes. But even by then United had demonstrated a threat of their own.

They could so easily have been ahead early when Eamonn Bannon just failed to beat Uwe Kamps at the rear post from a low Dave Bowman cross. BUT TWO MINUTES BEFORE HALF-TIME IAIN FERGUSON'S 28th GOAL OF THE SEASON POINTED THE WAY TO THE FINAL. Borussia failed to clear a Paul Sturrock corner from the left, Bannon headed the ball to the far post, and Fergie headed it cleanly past Kamps. That goal was a superb reward for manager Jim McLean, who had boldly played only Ferguson of the men who scored against Barcelona in the quarter final. He left out John Clark and Kevin Gallacher to produce a side capable of taking them into their first European final.

United did not make the mistake of trying to defend the lead they had worked so hard to gain. They continued to push forward at the start of the second half with Paul Hegarty heading a Redford free-kick JUS! Over the bar and Ferguson heading a Billy Kirkwood cross past. The Germans soon showed signs of- panic as they realised they were on the way out. Their shooting became erratic and Thomson continued to handle every dangerous ball that came his way. There was really only one moment in the second half when it seemed Borussia mighl equalise. A powerfully struck shot by Uli Borowka cracked against the base of Thomson's right-hand post. They also showed their frustration with Uwe Rahn the man who had hoped to win the trophy for Borussia booked for wasting time at a free kick.

Borussia: Kamps, Winlhold, Frontzceck, Herlovsen, Hochstatter, Borowka, Bruns, Rahn, Thielelienen, Criens Substitutes: Thorstvedt, Jung, Brandts, Krauss, Eichen