Dundee United 1, Hibs 0: Visitors dominate proceedings but Behich goal enough for United

Dundee United brought Hibs’ winning run to an end in an enthralling match at Tannadice on Tuesday night.

Australian internationalist Aziz Behich scored the only goal of the game after 11 minutes but the visitors dominated the 90 minutes and had both teams taken their chances we might have been treated to a high-scoring spectacle.

Hibs will point to Mykola Kukharevych’s effort on 34 minutes, ruled out for an unspecified infringement, as a turning point in the game but they were guilty of profligacy in front of goal.

There was an early warning for the visitors when Glenn Middleton’s effort ruffled the side-netting from Dylan Levitt’s ball.

Paul Hanlon had Hibs’ best chance of the opening exchanges when he wasn’t far away with a header from Martin Boyle’s corner.

With 11 minutes on the clock it was Boyle’s international team-mate Behich who went one better than Middleton, and in some style. Playing a neat one-two with Levitt, the Socceroos wingback slalomed through the Hibs defence with alarming ease and rifled it past David Marshall.

Behich nearly turned provider for Tony Watt but his cross was cleared, as the hosts threatened to add to their lead.

Kukharevych hassled Ryan Edwards into misjudging Nohan Kenneh’s long ball forward and although the striker did well to create space for a shot, he might have been better off squaring it for Boyle who was lurking on the edge of the six-yard box.

Ryan Porteous of Hibs tackles Dundee United forward Tony Watt during the Tannadice encounter

Shortly after the half-hour mark Boyle should have levelled as he pounced on a loose ball following Behich’s slip but his low shot was expertly blocked by Eriksson.

Minutes later Hibs thought they had equalised. Élie Youan’s scissors kick from Chris Cadden’s cross fell to Kukharevych who steered it into the net but as he wheeled away, the referee’s whistle cut short the celebrations.

There was confusion over the incident – the linesman hadn’t flagged but match official Euan Anderson appeared to have seen something and play continued with a free kick. United nearly capitalised on the chaos, Watt driving forward and the ball eventually falling for Middleton who blazed over amid claims for a penalty for a foul on Jamie McGrath.

Johnson introduced Ewan Henderson and Harry McKirdy at the break, with Kenneh and Youan making way – but again it was United who threatened first, Liam Smith’s ball across the box just evading the arriving Watt before Middleton went close with another deflected effort.

At the other end McKirdy, chasing a lofted Newell pass, elected to shoot instead of picking out one of three team-mates in the area and a swift counter from Hibs started by Kukharevych ended with Henderson clipping the ball just wide from close range.

Kukharevych then latched onto a wayward Craig Sibbald passback but Eriksson foiled the striker once again, continuing their personal battle. Boyle then volleyed over after Newell’s long throw had fallen for him on the edge of the area.

Hibs continued to pepper the United goal, McKirdy forcing a save from Eriksson and Porteous seeing two headers blocked.

The impressive Finn then pulled off a fine save to tip over a Kukharevych bicycle kick from the edge of the area and that was as good as it got for Hibs, who will wonder how they didn’t take anything from this game.