Dundee United suffered a painful late collapse to lose 2-1 at Hearts, a result that extends their poor run of form. Steven Pressley's side led for over an hour at Tynecastle but conceded an 86th-minute penalty and a 96th-minute winner.
The afternoon started disastrously for the visitors. Trying to defend an early Hearts corner, Joe Westley landed awkwardly and had to be stretchered off. That lengthy stoppage seemed to unsettle Hearts, and Dundee United grew into the game. They took the lead in the 17th minute. Imari Samuels' bending ball up the left flank took Jordi Altena out of the game, and Bradley Fink finished the move to put his side ahead. Dundee United were composed and defended their lead until the interval.
Their resistance was broken with six minutes of normal time remaining. VAR official Andrew Dallas identified a handball by Owen Bevan from a cross into the box. Claudio Braga stepped up and dispatched the penalty past Owen Goodman to level the score. As the game entered stoppage time, United's task became even harder when Zan Besir was shown a red card for a scything challenge on McPake. Hearts then worked a short corner in the 96th minute, and substitute Sabah Kerjota took aim and found the far corner for his first goal for the club, sealing a dramatic comeback.
The loss was compounded by a severe injury crisis that unfolded during the match. Joe Westley's early exit was just the beginning. Ryan Finnigan and Finlay Robertson also had to be substituted due to injuries, with Robertson stretchered off. That meant United finished the game with ten men after Besir's dismissal, having already used substitutes to replace three injured players. This leaves the squad stretched ahead of their next match, with Miller Thomson also currently sidelined according to the club's injuries list.
This defeat is the latest setback in a difficult period for the Tannadice club. Their recent form shows three consecutive losses. The broader picture sees Dundee United sitting sixth in the Scottish Premiership with seven points from six matches. They have scored seven goals and conceded six, leaving them with a goal difference of +1. They are eight points behind leaders Celtic in the standings.
Steven Pressley pointed to fatigue in his assessment. "They looked weary as Hearts worked a short corner in the 96th minute and were done for the instant Sabah Kerjota took aim and found the far corner for his first goal in maroon," he said. He also praised his team's effort, adding, "They stuck to the task for long enough. Hamilton's block to prevent Braga's strike from working Goodman was typical of their bravery."
The team must now regroup for their next fixture, a home match against Motherwell on September 19th. Motherwell are currently fifth in the table, one place and one point ahead of United, making it a significant encounter. Fans can check the full schedule on the club's fixtures page.
