Jackie McNamara declared himself happy with the progress his Dundee United squad is making despite a 2-0 defeat by German Bundesliga Division Two side Energie Cottbus in the second and final game of the German leg of their pre-season preparations.
Only in the early and latter stages of the game were United second best to the hosts, who were every bit as fluent and fast as first opponents Union Berlin.
The United boss will want to have another look at defenders Graham Carey and Ismo Vorstermans who, along with Nadir Ciftci, were all in the starting XI.
McNamara, who also revealed a 20-year-old French defender will join up with the squad on the Spanish leg of their tour next week, said: “I was happy enough with that. You could see the progress we’ve made even from Sunday night’s game.
“They are a good side but we competed well against them for long spells in the match. It was a good test and I thought Calum Butcher looked really good. He’s strong, has pace and is aggressive.”
McNamara added: “We lost concentration at the two goals, but that will come.”
After missing Sunday’s game at 1FC Union in Berlin, Radoslav Cierzniak and John Rankin made their first appearances of the season.
Newcomer Vorstermans in central defence didn’t have the best of starts, with the 24-year-old Dutchman caught out after just 36 seconds as John Mosquera muscled his way through on goal, but fortunately Cierzniak cleared his low effort with his feet.
The Tangerines’ defence was again in disarray when Michael Schulze found Alexander Bittroff, but he hammered his effort into the side net.
United should have taken the lead after 11 minutes as Rankin initiated a move from which David Goodwillie’s neat flick left Ryan Gauld with only keeper Robert Almer to beat, but the youngster delayed and the Austrian international blocked.
The Germans grabbed the opener in 15 minutes after catching the United defence napping.
Alexander Bittroff cut the ball to Erik Jendrisek who evaded Vostermans before gliding a shot into the far corner from 16 yards.
Seconds later, another raid saw Mosquera stab an effort at Cierzniak, who blocked it.
With eight minutes left before half-time, Cottbus skipper Uwe Mohrle lit up the stadium with an acrobatic volley from 30-yard shot that crashed against the post.
Seconds from the break, Vosterman’s chances of a contract were strengthened with a last-ditch tackle on Mosquera, which prevented his side from going two behind.
The only change in the United line up as the teams reappeared for the second half was Gary Mackay-Steven, who came on for Gauld.
In the seventh minute a dangerous cross from Jendrisek went across the face of the goal, but there were no takers.
Thereafter both sides made wholesale changes, United making three after 61 minutes with the Germans outdoing them by substituting no fewer than eight after 69 minutes.
Two of the substitutes combined to bring the side, of which German Chancellor Angela Merkel is an honorary member, a third goal 10 minutes from time.
Andre Fomitschow cut the ball back from the left and Christian Bickel curled it home with the outside of his right foot from 10 yards.
It might have been even worse for United, with Marco Stiepermann smashing a 25-yarder against the crossbar three minutes from time.