Dundee came from behind twice to deny Dundee United victory on their Scottish Premiership return in a frantic derby.
There was a guard of honour for Jim Goodwin’s side as they unfurled the Championship flag before Kristijan Trapanovski fired them ahead in the first meeting between the city rivals since 2022.
That sparked 10 minutes of chaos as Seb Palmer-Houlden pounced to force in a loose ball from three yards out after Jack Walton could only tip Simon Murray’s angled strike across the goalmouth to equalise for the visitors.
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Kristijan Trapanovski’s goal erupts Tannadice Park in the Dundee derby!
Miller Thomson then tapped in Will Ferry’s cross at the back post to put the hosts back in front with his first goal for the club.
David Babunski drove just wide from 15 yards out in the 31st minute before sending a deft chip from the edge of box just over as the interval approached. His fellow North Macedonian midfielder Trapanovski was then denied by McCracken in the last action of an exhilarating first half.
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Miller Thomson puts Dundee United back in the lead in with a well-worked goal
Trapanovski had a brilliant chance to stretch United’s lead in the 57th minute when he got himself clean through and clipped the ball beyond McCracken but Cameron managed to get back to prevent it rolling over the line.
Ross Graham brought down Simon Murray in the box as he raced towards goal in the second half, with referee David Dickinson pointing to the spot after a VAR check with captain Luke McCowan calming firing straight down the middle for 2-2.
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VAR gave Dundee a penalty for a foul on Simon Murray, allowing Luke McCowan to equalise
Murray and substitute Curtis Main had late chances for the Dee as they looked for their first win at Tannadice since 2004 with Richard Odada firing over for United just before the final whistle as they took home consolation from extending their unbeaten run over their city rivals to seven matches.
Plenty of positives for Goodwin, but one chance will ‘haunt’ him
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Jim Goodwin says Kristijan Trapanovski’s chance to score will haunt the team and he has no issue with awarding Dundee United’s penalty that led to their equaliser.
Dundee United manager Jim Goodwin on Sky Sports:
“Disappointment is the initial reaction.
“We had a brilliant opportunity at 2-1. Hit them on the counter-attack from the corner. Trapanovski is through one-on-one and I think he’s probably caught in two minds. I thought at the time when the keeper was up he could have rounded him and rolled it into the net, but I can’t be too hard on him.
“I think the equaliser is a really disappointing one from us because we knew Dundee would try and get balls down the sides of our centre-backs. I thought first half we denied them that and the penalty is poor from us. I thought by back three were excellent but in that moment we didn’t manage as well as we should have.
“I can’t argue too much with the penalty but I think that chance from Trapanovski will probably haunt us for a few days.
“Obviously we’re a very new team. We’ve made a lot of new signings and it does sometimes take these guys time to get used to the Scottish game. Some of the foreign players we brought in are probably used to playing at a slower tempo and that showed in the first half.
“The big concern for me was could we handle the physicality of Dundee and I thought we did that in the main.
“There are plenty of positives to take. It’s a point on the board but we’re disappointed not to take all three.”
A ‘fair result’ but Docherty ‘wants more’
Dundee boss Tony Docherty on Sky Sports:
“I thought it was a real good derby, everything I expected a derby to be.
“Dundee United got the better of the first half when I thought they set up to stop us playing. I was disappointed with our players that we didn’t find the solutions on the pitch, so credit to Dundee United.
“I then thought we got a hold in the game in the second half, changed the system to allow us to get into areas where our more influential players could affect the game. From then on I thought we looked like the team that were going to go on and win it.
“I think a draw was probably a fair result but obviously I want more. I thought our fitness levels were excellent, our competitiveness and I was just looking to get that winning goal.
“Tinged with a wee bit of ‘we could have had more’, but I think I’ve got to be happy coming away with a point.”
The pundit’s analysis
Dundee’s Simon Murray and Dundee United’s Ross Graham
Former Dundee United defender Charlie Mulgrew:
“The new signings looked really good, I think that was the difference. They’ll have a huge part to play for Dundee United this year and huge credit to the manager for identifying the talent and signing them.
Former Scotland striker James McFadden:
“Dundee at times were struggling to play out and get forward to cause problems but when it clicks you can see they’re going to be a dangerous side. I think both sides will look at defending in certain instances and they could do better.”
