Csaba Laszlo able to laugh off Deniz Mehmet’s self-inflicted injury in Terrors win

Posted Saturday, May 05, 2018 by PA

Dundee United manager Csaba Laszlo was able to laugh about his goalkeeper’s self-inflicted injury after his side came from behind against Dunfermline to keep their promotion hopes alive.

Deniz Mehmet injured himself while celebrating Scott McDonald’s 57th-minute equaliser and had to go off for Harry Lewis.

But the substitute goalkeeper made several good saves and Sam Stanton netted a 70th-minute winner to give United a 2-1 Ladbrokes Premiership play-off quarter-final aggregate victory.

Mehmet was limping about on crutches as United celebrated after the final whistle but Laszlo afforded himself a smile.

“If I write a book this will be the funniest thing in my life, that the goalkeeper injured his knee in a goal celebration,” he said. “This is absolutely the funniest thing I’ve seen. It was really stupid.”

Mehmet will be a major doubt for Monday’s semi-final first leg against Livingston at Tannadice and his absence could be a blow after he helped keep United in the game with a string of saves following Declan McManus’s 14th-minute close-range opener.

Laszlo said: “The team showed good character and spirit. The second half, especially after 2-1, I think we controlled the game, so I want to congratulate the team because they did a good job.

“It was a very good play-off, good football and a lot of effort, and we had the character you need in the play-offs. And I wish all the best to Dunfermline, they were a good opponent.”

Pars boss Allan Johnston was left to rue a string of missed chances with McManus and Nicky Clark failing to convert in acres of space.

United offered little until McDonald netted from three yards after a corner but Dunfermline’s chances dried up after Stanton’s goal.

Johnston said: “I think it’s a bit harsh on the boys, they gave everything and were so unlucky not to score more goals. We had four really good chances where you are expecting to score.

“We have let in two poor goals as well when we were in total control. It looked at 1-0 in the second half that they had gone, they could have played all night and not scored, but we gave them a massive lift with the goal from the corner.

“Stanton actually miscontrols it when he goes through, and sometimes you need a bit of luck.”