Claudio's silver lining

Sunday Herald, The, Oct 15, 2000 by Frank Gilfeather

ABERDEEN 0 DUNDEE 2. At Pittodrie. Referee D Somers.: THIS was always going to be Claudio Caniggia's game. Even when he was warming up during the first half there was a sense of excitement and expectation that the wiry Argentinian internationalist would produce something special when he came on.

And while it was no surprise that he scored, it took him until virtually the last kick of an entertaining, but frequently bad- tempered match, to hit the net.

Speaking through an interpreter after the game, the 48-times capped former team-mate of Diego Maradona, admitted his fitness is not what it should be, but that he was pleased not only to score but to win the match.

He said: "We deserved the three points and I was very happy to get a goal. I had only one opportunity and in this league I know you have to take your chances when they are presented to you.

"I have to get fitter. I have been working on my own for months and I feel good. But I need practice and to get to know my team- mates as well as to find my football rhythm again. As we get to know each other we will improve and I look forward to producing better performances in times to come."

Of his future at Dens Park he added: "As things go it could be that I will stay an extra year with Dundee, but I have not looked that far ahead. My main aim is to get fit and perform well with this team."

Playing alone up front for most of the second half after Dundee re- shaped their line-up following Gavin Rae's ordering off in the 58th minute for a retaliatory kick at Philip McGuire - he's the seventh member of his squad to be red-carded this season - Caniggia needed only a sniff at goal to mark his debut for the Dens Park side.

It came as referee Somers glanced at his watch in anticipation of the final whistle and having played almost the full four minutes stoppage time. Substitute Giorgi Nemsadze made all the running, stretching the Aberdeen defence then slipping the final pass to Caniggia who completed an excellent move by placing the ball well out of the reach of Ryan Esson, sending the visiting fans wild and the heads of the Dons players down.

By then McGuire, booked for that earlier clash with Rae, had also been sent to the dressing room, picking up a second yellow card in the closing minutes for an over-zealous challenge on the Argentinian.

Despite their handicap, however, Dundee had never looked like losing control of this match, even though Aberdeen's Cato Guntveit had two clear first-half chances within the space of three minutes to put the Dons on easy street.

On both occasions he failed to hit the target from close range when Robbie Winters, a singular problem-maker for the edgy-looking Dens defence, and then Chris Clark, had set up the Norwegian midfielder.

These opportunities arrived after Dundee had taken the lead, player-manager Ivano Bonetti netting his first goal for the club in 28 minutes with a delightful chip borne of Serie A.

Juan Sara had done the spadework, manoeuvring himself in behind the home defence then placing the pass back for his boss who saw Esson off his line and lofted the ball from 18 yards high over the head of the despairing young goalkeeper.

It was a goal which, in essence, summed up the difference between the sides; the young, enthusiastic bucks of Aberdeen versus the more cultured and experienced men of the world wearing the dark blue of the visitors. Dons manager Ebbe Skovdahl did not disagree with that assertion.

He said: "We were up against a quality team with loads of experience and a side which is probably more clever than we are.

"Their experience was the difference between the sides. Dundee showed us how to hold the ball and kill time. When they were down to 10 men and one goal up they always had nine men behind the ball, which is what we are used to seeing from Italian teams in the old days many years ago.

"You have to be clever to penetrate such a defence and create scoring chances."

Skovdahl's counterpart was angry that Rae had been sent off, saying the player had put pressure on the team at a time when they were in command and in the lead.

"Rae's ordering off could have put us in trouble, but we beat a very good young side and we continue to aim for the top end of the SPL," he added.

With three high-calibre foreign footballers sitting on the Dundee bench with a total of 109 international appearances between them, it was always going to be difficult for the Pittodrie youngsters to cope with the level of expertise and good old-fashioned savvy of the Dark Blues as Bonetti and his men served up an array of moves and passes that were a joy to watch.

The Dundee fans who stayed behind long after the final whistle voiced their sorrow at the departure of goalkeeper Robert Douglas to Celtic, although it was Caniggia who was the talk of the town last night as those supporters now believe they can compete with the best and fulfil their ambition for a place in European football next season.