Motherwell 2-0 Dundee Utd: Tawanda Maswanhise scores twice to earn hosts' victory
Report as Motherwell beat Dundee United 2-0 in the Scottish Premiership; Tawanda Maswanhise's brace moved the hosts to within a point of third-placed Celtic; Dundee United's top-six hopes suffered a blow as they now trail Falkirk by 12 points with five games to play before the split
Saturday 28 February 2026 20:56, UK
Tawanda Maswanhise's brace earned Motherwell a routine 2-0 victory against Dundee United and moved them to within a point of third-placed Celtic.
The Zimbabwean striker's 37th-minute penalty and deflected strike 60 seconds after the restart made for a comfortable success and took his tally for the season to 21.
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Jens Berthel Askou's entertainers were not required to be at their mesmerising best to take the points as they made it one defeat in their last 20 William Hill Premiership matches.
Dundee United's top-six hopes suffered a near fatal blow as they now trail Falkirk by 12 points with five games to play before the split.
United survived a couple of early scares before growing into the game.
Iurie Iovu's well-timed lunge stopped Ibrahim Said from pulling the trigger right in front of goal after neat work from Callum Slattery and Maswanhise.
Slattery flashed an effort right across goal when teed up by Elijah Just.
United had no wish to suffer the same fate as St Mirren who were thrashed 5-0 by Well last Saturday.
Jim Goodwin packed the midfield and tried to prevent Elliot Watt and Lukas Fadinger dictating from deep.
The visitors fashioned openings from winning the ball high up the pitch.
Calum Ward saved from Max Watters and Luca Stephenson and Julius Eskesen dragged a good chance wide.
Motherwell took the lead from the spot after a lengthy VAR check on a penalty-box flashpoint. Maswanhise took a blow to the ribs from Vicko Sevelj's elbow and a penalty was given.
Maswanhise was fully recovered in time to send Ashley Maynard-Brewer the wrong way.
Motherwell went direct to trouble United - and that was the route to their second goal.
Watt's free-kick from his own half found Maswanhise on the edge of the United penalty area and a great take and turn allowed him to fire towards goal. A deflection was enough to beat the goalkeeper.
Maswanhise was released again in the 50th minute but he sent his hat-trick chance bobbling wide.
Goodwin made a quadruple substitution just after the hour and one of those introduced, Kristijan Trapanovski, hit the far post direct from a corner.
That apart, Motherwell and their fans enjoyed playing with a lead.
The excellent Slattery whipped a superb attempt inches wide from 25 yards, while at the other end Stephenson got in behind the defence, only to clip an effort just past the far post.
What the managers said...
Motherwell boss Jens Berthel Askou:
"It's fantastic to have a player [Maswanhise] who can score a penalty every time, then know he'll get chances during the game.
"He was a little bit lucky, but you have to play the luck and force the luck by having a go.
"He deserved a goal or two. He does so well to break free of the tight marking and physical duels that go on around him, which can be a mental test."
Dundee Utd boss Jim Goodwin:
"A decision like that really takes it out the players. A coming together of two players like that happens 100 times in football.
"But that's what we're used to this season with the way games are being refereed.
"Players in general have to take some responsibility.
"We had a similar incident against Hearts when the Hearts player went down holding his face like he'd been hit hard and conned the ref.
"And Maswanhise went down like he'd been punched with full force in the ribs.
"It gives VAR something to look at, but I'd love a referee to see it again and say 'that's not a penalty' and play on.
"He obviously didn't deem it violent conduct because he gave him [Sevelj] a yellow.
"It's not a penalty and I wouldn't want penalties like that given.
"We seem to be saying the same things about refereeing in this country. It's going from bad to worse."
