Dundee United beat Hibernian 1-0 in Marink Reedijk’s first match

Marink Reedijk’s first match as Hibernian manager ended in a 1-0 defeat at Dundee United, with Daniel Bennie scoring the winner at Tannadice. BBC Scotland reported that Bennie struck in the 35th minute, while Hibs finished the game with 10 men after midfielder Jacob Devaney was dismissed for denying Neil Farrugia a goalscoring opportunity.

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The result left Hibernian tenth in the Scottish Premiership and marked the fourth time this season they had failed to score. Reedijk arrived after leading SK Beveren to an unbeaten title-winning campaign in Belgium’s second division last season, but his introduction to Scottish football brought an immediate league defeat. His new side were unable to recover from Bennie’s first-half goal.

Reedijk used a back four, changing from the three-man defensive structure favoured by predecessor David Gray. Hibs put together some promising early passing moves, including one involving Callum Wright that nearly produced an opening goal for Josh Mulligan. They were unable to convert that start into a lead, however, and subsequently struggled to make their attacking positions count.

New signing Rabbi Matondo gave the visitors an attacking lift for a period after half-time, but United continued to create opportunities. The hosts registered 17 shots, including 10 from inside the Hibernian penalty area, according to the BBC report. Devaney, who is on loan from Manchester United, was then sent off in the closing stages, leaving Hibs a player short as they sought an equaliser.

Speaking to BBC Scotland afterwards, Reedijk identified a lack of precision and decisiveness around the final third as central problems. He said loose passes had allowed United to counter-attack and contributed to uncertainty within his team. The manager also pointed to defensive details surrounding the winning goal as mistakes that Hibernian needed to prevent, despite having created some openings of their own.

Reedijk expressed particular disappointment that his side had not rewarded the 2,500 supporters who travelled from Edinburgh. His first outing therefore ended with both an attacking blank and a late dismissal, rather than a winning start. Bennie’s goal proved sufficient for Dundee United, whose first-half advantage survived Hibernian’s changes and attempts to respond after the interval.