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Daily Record
Sport
Callum Carson

Livingston pick up first win of Premiership season thanks to Cristian Montano at Tannadice

Livingston picked up their first points of the Premiership season as Cristian Montano's stunner gave them all three points at Tannadice against Dundee United.

Following a brutal first half that featured no shots on target from either side, the Colombian produced the spark needed with a fizzing effort from outside the box that flew past Mark Birighitti.

United had plenty of chances to get back into the game but were unable to replicate any magic from their Europa Conference League win over AZ Alkmaar from three days earlier.

There was just one change to the Livingston line-up from last weekend's defeat to Rangers with Cristian Montano coming in at left-back for Phillip Cancar. That meant Joel Nouble continued being the focal point of the Lions' attack following his man of the match display in their Premiership opener.

The Lions created the first chance of the contest when Stephane Omeonga stole the ball off former team-mate Craig Sibbald 25 yards from the United goal with Nouble then teeing up Sean Kelly on the edge of the box. His effort was dragged comfortably wide, however.

United grew into the game after a slow start with Ryan Edwards no doubt hoping to have at least tested the keeper with a tame header over the bar on 16 minutes.

The game was being played at a sometime pedestrian pace with neither side looking to have much urgency when on the ball. The one instance where that wasn't the case led to a decent chance for the visitors on 35 minutes as Montano launched a counter-attack.

His one-two with Nouble set the Colombian full-back on goal but his angled drive didn't threaten Mark Birighitti in the United goal.

The two would be at the heart of the action as the Lions took the lead in the early stages of the second half.

Nouble's wonderful close control allowed him to fashion a chance out of nothing which was smartly saved by Birighitti - only for the rebound to fall into the path of Nicky Devlin who teed up Montano to rifle home his first goal for the club from 20 yards.

United almost instantly replied as Tony Watt got away from his marker barely two minutes later but was unable to get the better of Shamal George with the keeper parrying behind at his near post.

Having lacked urgency in the first half, the hosts showed much more of it after falling behind and twice went close in quick succession just after the hour mark. Ryan Edwards saw his effort deflected wide before veteran striker Steven Fletcher had his hooked effort saved under his bar by George.

Tony Watt then tried his luck as the Terrors looked for a way back into the game with his strike from the edge of the box flashing agonisingly wide of the woodwork.

Livi promptly went up the other end and missed a glorious chance to give themselves some breathing space as Scott Pittman was sent clear by Nouble only for the midfielder to fire straight at the onrushing Birighitti.

Mathew Cudjoe brought a spark to proceedings for the home side after his introduction and he nearly levelled things up with a piledriver from distance that George was able to get his fingertips to a deflect over the bar. He would go close again from long-range as the game ticked into injury-time but that was as close as the hosts would get.

Dundee United: Birighitti; Smith, Edwards, Graham, McMann; Sibbald (Niskanen 53), Levitt, McGrath; Middleton (Cudjoe 53), Fletcher (Clark 82), Watt. Subs not used: Eriksson, Chalmers, Meekison, Freeman, Fotheringham, MacLeod.

Livingston: George; Devlin, Fitzwater, Obileye, Montano (Longridge 85); Holt, Kelly (Bitsindou 90), Omeonga; Pittman, Shinnie (Brandon 77); Nouble. Subs not used: Konovalov, Bahmaboula, Anderson, Goncalves, Mullin, Cancar.

Goal: Montano (48).

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