Kilmarnock has advanced to the semi-finals of the Premier Sports Cup
OKBET BALL SPORTS : After defeating Dundee United 2-1, Kilmarnock FC advanced to the semifinals of the Premier Sports Cup for the first time since 2012. Kyle Lafferty put Killie ahead from the penalty spot in the eighth minute, and Daniel Armstrong scored the game-winning goal in the 73rd minute.
With a 2-1 victory against Dundee United, Kilmarnock secured a spot in the semi-finals of the Premier Sports Cup.
After eight minutes, Killie went up thanks to a penalty kick from Kyle Lafferty, but Dundee United immediately responded with a goal of their own thanks to a shot from Glenn Middleton from 12 yards out.
Daniel Armstrong scored from a Jordan Jones cross in the 94th minute to send Kilmarnock to Hampden for the first time since 2012, when they won the League Cup by defeating Celtic in the championship game.
Derek McInnes reshuffled his lineup for the second half of the scoreless draw with St. Mirren and brought on Christian Doidge and Lewis Mayo.
Dundee United manager Liam Fox made one change from their 1-1 draw with Ross County, starting Frenchman Arnaud Djoum.
Both teams have recently overcome adversity to enter the match with a perfect 3-0 record.
In the eighth minute, the home team seized the lead when they were granted a penalty when Liam Smith, a defender, was called for a handball. Lafferty calmly converted the spot kick.
But within two minutes, Middleton evened the score with a swivel and shot into the far corner.
Kilmarnock kept pressing the United defense, and twice they were within a goal of taking the lead again.
First, Mayo’s header went wide, and then, when Armstrong crossed, the winger’s attempt almost found the upper corner but for Carljohan Eriksson’s diving stop.
In the second half, Dundee United played with greater urgency and looked more dangerous as they pushed more players forward.
When Tony Watt fell within the Kilmarnock penalty area, other players yelled for a penalty, but the referee, Kevin Clancy, waived their claims away.
On the other end, Armstrong left a couple of United defenders for dead as he cut in from the right, but his low left-footed shot missed the far post by a hair.
As the pressure of expectation mounted on both sides, the play became sloppy, but Kilmarnock regained the lead after 73 minutes on a goal by Armstrong, who was left unmarked to head in a cross from the left by Jones.
Kilmarnock FC 2-1
The away team made a determined effort in the last minutes, but Kilmarnock’s defense held firm and they lost the game.
