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Dundee United
have work to do at Tannadice In two weeks after a difficult night
in France. Their new look side including former Bournemouth left-back
Chris Sulley lost their UEFA Cup first-leg tie to a goal scored
just before half-time. And, although they dominated for long spells
in the second half, the Tay-siders came perilously close to facing
a bigger deficit near the end. In the dying minutes Dewilder struck
a post before substitute Hanini shot inches wide.
United also
had to contend with frustrating offside tactics. Some of the decisions
which ended promising moves were certainly dubious, and the most
controversial came in 62 minutes. Young Kevin Gallacher clearly
thought he had added to his impressive start to the season when
he netted following a free-kick but yet another flag ruled it out.
Just after this Maurice Malpas moved up on the right to meet a cross
from Eamonn Bannon and had a header cleared -off the line with Huard
missing. For much of the second half-United appeared capable of
coming from behind, just as they had done regularly this season.
But that dangerous
finish will remind the Tannadice squad they should not be fooled
into thinking the deficit will be easily recovered. The French were
skilful and aggresive going forward with striker William Njo-Lea
a threat throughout the game. He was behind most of the moves which
forced Billy Thomson to make several fine first half Thomson was
blameless when Lens did beat him three minules before half-time.
Njo-Lea trailed the ball in from the right and whipped it on to
Daniel Carrenp, who turned sharply and fired a fine right foot shot
into the net.
New boy Sully
signed from Bournemouth during the close season collected the only
booking of the game for a first half foul on scorer Carreno.
Lens:
Huard, Sikora, Catalano, Deplanche, Dicot, Krawczyk,
Lefebvre, Dewilder, Njo-Lea, Oudjani, Carreno Substitutes:
Pagal, Hannini, Lagrange, Dubios, Gardie.
Dundee
United:
B
Thompson, Malpas,
Sulley, Narey,
Beaumont,
Hegarty,
Bowman,
Gallacher, Bannon,
Sturrock, Milne
Substitutes:
McLeod,
Holt, Coyne,
McInally,
S Thompson
Ref:
J. Domgeroud (Denmark)
Attendance:
11,330
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