Dens Park, UEFA Under 21 Championship Qualifying Group B, 27/3/26
One of my favourite things with the Wee Man is watching Sportscene as he studies the game. It’s a great learning for him and he takes a lot in. Sometimes he even wants to watch games more than once to re-watch incident and good goalkeeping. Off the park he had mentioned on numerous occasions we should go to Dens Park, this since last season at least. Finally he got his wish tonight, although I would have preferred to go to the Dundee Stars v Sheffield Steelers match up the road, which would have been the case if this game at Dens was not on.
Something I enjoy is watching the future of the game whether its Aberdeen youth teams, the Scottish Youth Cup or in tonight’s case the Scotland U21s. I have actually watched the U21s more than the full team in my life (to be honest that’s not hard when I don’t and never have followed international football). With the two Aberdeen contingent in Mitchell Frame and Dylan Lobban in the squad tonight it was an added bonus as you want your own to kick on. Both started too.
Getting down to Dundee with a bit of time to burn we had a wander about the area, complete with Wee Man’s mind being blown by the proximity of Dena and Tannadice. Think Danny Dyer and not managing to get his nut round it. Jake has been to Tannadice before but to be fair it was midweek and dark so he couldn’t really see Dens, he knew they were close but his reaction was quality tonight. That was probably the highlight of the night unfortunately.
The signs were there for this to be a poor night before a ball was kicked. To start the temperature dropped rapidly to a wintery chill which worsened ten fold when darkness crept in. The second was wading into the toilet on entry of the Bobby Cox Stand and being blown away by the most incredible shit fog I have witnessed, you could taste it. This could have been bottled and used for chemical warfare such was the suffocating nature of the haze. Then the third, the pie I was served was shite and I gave up on it. This being something I have done on as many occasions that I could count on one hand during my life on the terraces. It was so bloody salty it didn’t taste of pastry, gravy or steak. Three bites and I had to jettison it. No doubt I will wake up with a mouth like Prince Andrew’s oxter during the night.
Then came the fitba, another 0 v 0 witnessed. Three in a week for me personally. Formartine United v Huntly on Saturday, Brechin City v Formartine United and now the young Scots v young Czechs. I don’t think I have ever been subjected to three in a row let alone three in a week. The game started with Czechs on the front foot who knocked the ball around the navy shirts with ease early doors. (To be noted they were very good on the ball all game and very seldom opted for lifting the ball) Scotland did not look up to it, this summed up when Barney Stewart was sent through out on the left, as the white shirts of the visitors dropped back nobody bust a gut to help the Falkirk man leaving him to be closed down and lose the ball which frustrated me no end as it did Stewart himself who going by his gesticulations was infuriated too.The Czechs looked the far superior team early but to be fair to the young Scotland lads, they grew into this game. The first chance came for the away side who from a corner saw a Vojta header unorthodoxly cleared off the line by Andrew Tod. The Dunfermline man managed to get himself so low to the ground his nuts must have touched the grass. This helped by some hyperextension of his body parts. It worked though. The next big chance came for the away side again when after some naive defending left a chasm in the back line but the effort from Planka was well saved by Adams. Talking of smart saves , Koutny had to be aware late in the half to save from point blank range when his defender tried to clear but could only smash the ball off Tod, the reactions from the Czechia keeper were impressive and he saved with his pink sock.
HT 0 v 0
Half time was a shambles. It was freezing and everyone was wanting a coffee but there was one snack bar open, manned by two people. We moved in the queue around two meters in 10 minutes so gave up and braved the cold without a coffee/hot chocolate. Scotland rung the changes at the break and brought on three and changed formation and I thought they looked better for it. They were clearly causing more problems. Barney Stewart had a big chance when he had a header go wide from ten yards out, but credit to the defender who gave him enough of a nudge to put him off. Another plus point of the second half saw the drum that was being vexingly stuck with no tempo or flow in the first 45. An added bonus for sure. The game continued to be even as it had all game but with nothing hugely of note in terms of talking points until late on. Czechia* were the better team in the closing stages and had a few worrying moments, including an effort from Ambros saved and another deflected effort that left Adams in the Scotland goal beaten, left watching the ball go over him but luckily land on the top of the net. If and that was a big if, anyone looked likely to score was the visitors, however it never came. Scotland had a couple of late free kicks in dangerous positions but they came to nothing and we left with consecutive nil-nils, me on three and Wee Man on two but he was not to care as he guessed the correct score tying up the score for the season at 3 v 3.
On the players, I liked the look of Jeremiah Chilokoa-Mullen who looks like he will be a good player in the future. Big, commanding and reads the game well(did cause the chasm mentioned above though). I really liked the energy of Kyle Ure in midfield. Like a dog chasing a tennis ball at times, very determined. The two Dons did well enough at both full back positions despite not getting forward too much. But on the whole the team defended well overall. The better 0 v 0 of the three this week but still, I am not amused. But Wee Man was happy to finally get to Dens so not all bad.
If anyone from Thornton Hibs or Lochore Welfare are reading, just geez a goal tomorrow please.
*Why did the country change it’s name?
Entrance – Me £10, Wee Man £5
Attendance – Unsure
Pie – £12.50, pie, coffee, juice, popcorn
Pint – N/A
Score Prediction – Me 1 v 1, Wee Man 0 v 0
Season Score Prediction Totals – Me 3 v 3 Wee Man
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