As the old song It’s United goes, they’re the Premier team with class and style.
At Hampden on Saturday, however, the Tangerines proved they are about a lot more than that as they reached their second successive major final.
Into the mix you can add the character they displayed to hang on in there when Aberdeen had them on the ropes for a long period after half-time, with the Dons grabbing the lead through Donervan Daniels during a scary spell of dominance in this Scottish League Cup semi-final.
Then there was the physical strength personified by big Callum Morris as he seemed to single-handedly brush the opposition defence aside to get his forehead on the end of a Gary Mackay-Steven corner to level on the hour.
By then we had seen intelligence make its mark in the form of impact substitute Ryan Dow, whose spark of ingenuity earned him the space from which he won the corner that led to the equaliser. Oh and manager Jackie McNamara can share in the smartness having taken the decision to throw Dow on for Charlie Telfer just a couple of minutes earlier.
Then came the ruthlessness of the winning goal, with Nadir Ciftci so cruelly ruled out of the final pouncing to head-flick Paul Paton’s cross past hapless Dons keeper Scott Brown with just six minutes remaining as the Aberdeen defence tried to play him offside. It should also be noted that referee Steven McLean deserves a pat on the back for playing an advantage after Stuart Armstrong was fouled just before the ball got to Paton’s feet.
They rode their luck at times as well, with Jarek Fojut rescuing his Polish compatriot Rado Cierzniak by booting the ball off the line after the goalie had flapped at a corner and allowed the ball to fly through to David Goodwillie, whose shoulder guided the ball goalwards.
That would have been a hammer blow to Cierzniak, who didn’t exactly cover himself in glory as Daniels’ header lopped over him for the opener. It should also be said, though, that the big man later redeemed himself somewhat with a superb leap to push a Ryan Jack shot over the bar.
Then there was the Adam Rooney “goal” with the score at 1-1, which the Dons felt should have been allowed despite the striker clearly getting a hand on United’s Calum Butcher and giving him a shove before heading into the net.
Fortune, though, didn’t favour the Tangerines when Armstrong’s shot was deflected on to the bar by the body of Daniels during a first half that was just edged by Jackie McNamara’s team.
Mackay-Steven then had a “goal” ruled out for offside in the second period despite there being a touch from Daniels as the ball made its way through to him. There were also other close offside decisions, particularly one just minutes before the winner when a slide-rule pass from Mackay-Steven sent Dow clean through on goal.
Also, United were left cursing like Kim Sears when Dow’s net-bound flick was clipped off the line by Mark Reynolds, who was making up for his error with a short, nodded backpass to his goalie.
The biggest bit of bad luck, however, turned out to be the booking for Ciftci. Hardly anyone even the player himself realised at the time that his challenge on Aberdeen’s Jonny Hayes would prove so costly.
So there was a lot more than class and style on show from the Tangerines and it was all enjoyed by the 9,000 or so United fans who made the trip through to the national stadium.
They may have been outnumbered by more than two to one but they made as much noise if not more than the 20,000 who made the even longer journey to Glasgow to back Derek McInnes’s men.
Now those United supporters and a few more besides will head back to Hampden on March 15 to see if they can go one better than they achieved in the Scottish Cup final last May, which they lost so disappointingly to deserved winners St Johnstone.
Maybe they will choose to wear their lucky black and white strips against Celtic/Rangers (please delete as appropriate), which they donned against the Dons despite being the “home” team.
They certainly didn’t look off-colour in the opening minutes when Ciftci went on a great run inside the box only for his shot to get blocked.
On four minutes, the Turk played a quick freekick and released Mackay-Steven on the left side of the box but the Celtic-bound winger could only shoot high and wide.
The Dons were winning a few corners but United were playing well and on 17 minutes they almost took the lead.
Armstrong played a one-two with Butcher just outside the box, looked up and then sent in a shot that was deflected on to the bar and away for a corner.
Armstrong had yet another shot blocked before mayhem inside the United box almost ended with the Dons moving ahead. As the ball spun around the area, it finally landed at the feet of ex-Tannadice favourite Goodwillie, who looked a likely scorer until his strike was blocked.
The second half was only four minutes old when Aberdeen took the lead.
It was a long throw-in from Andrew Considine from the left that caused confusion in the United defence and Cierzniak was all at sea as Daniels’ header sailed over him and into the net.
The United goalie looked shaky again as another cross came over but thankfully Fojut was there to clear off the line after the ball had struck Goodwillie’s shoulder.
Tangerines boss McNamara made a change on 58 minutes when he brought on Dow for Charlie Telfer, who had struggled to impose himself despite terrific recent form.
Dow’s introduction had an immediate impact on the match as a neat piece of skill earned a corner out on the right. Mackay-Steven took it and the ball flew to the back post and Morris was there to head home to make it 1-1.
Rooney had the ball in the net but the headed “goal” was chalked off for a foul on 64 minutes.
After Ciftci was booked, Cierzniak then rode to the rescue with an outstanding stop to keep out a Jack shot on 71 minutes.
Dow was proving to be a great substitute for United and when he pounced on Reynolds error and clipped the ball past the advancing Brown it looked like 2-1. However, the ball was booted off the line by Reynolds.
Then, up at the other end, Goodwillie’s header flew down and the up and over Cierzniak’s bar as Aberdeen attacked.
On 81 minutes, Dow was sent clear by a Mackay-Steven slide-rule pass but he was flagged offside. It was another tight decision against the Tangerines.
Just three minutes later, though, United took a dramatic lead when Ciftci got on the end of a cross from Paton. The Turk stretched his neck out as the Dons defence stood static looking for another flag and flicked the ball just beyond the flailing arm of Brown.
The fans behind Brown’s goal went wild and all their team had to do was see out the closing minutes.
They did that reasonably comfortable and now it’s bring on Celtic/Rangers.
Attendance: 29,608.
Dundee United: Cierzniak, Dillon, Fojut, Paton, Ciftci (Anier 89), Armstrong, Mackay-Steven, Morris, McGowan, Butcher, Telfer (Dow 58). Subs not used: Szromnik, Townsend, Rankin, Erskine, Connolly.
Aberdeen: Brown, Logan, Considine, Reynolds, Rooney, McGinn, Hayes, Pawlett (Smith 85), Goodwillie, Jack, Daniels. Subs not used: Langfield, Flood, Robson, Robertson, Masson, Wright.
Referee: Steven McLean.