Digressive Celts

Matches › 2025/26

Falkirk 2–2 Dundee United

Sunday 3 August 2025, 14:00 · Falkirk Stadium · Round 1 · Half-time 0–1 · Referee John Beaton · Attendance 7,624

Falkirk Tait 50', Ross 73'

Dundee United Watters 40', Dolcek 71'

Post-match

Result and Expected Points

FalkirkDundee United
Goals22
xG2.021.19
Expected Points1.960.79

Falkirk 57%Draw 25%Dundee United 18%

Most likely score 2–1, 13%. Final score 2–2, 9%.

Dundee United goalsFalkirk goals0123456+0123456+2%3%2%7%7%2%8%9%2%5%9%5%2%2%3%2%12%13%Final score

Own goals have no xG.

xG race

01230153045607590HTMacIver on for Graham and Nesbitt on for Arfield, 58'Agyeman on for Miller, 75'Cartwright on for Tait, 79'Stirton on for Watters, 65'Thomson on for Pappoe, 83'Fotheringham on for Dolcek, 90+2'Tait 50'Ross 73'Watters 40'Dolcek 71'Falkirk 2.02Dundee United 1.1901230153045607590HTMacIver on for Graham and Nesbitt on for Arfield, 58'Agyeman on for Miller, 75'Cartwright on for Tait, 79'Stirton on for Watters, 65'Thomson on for Pappoe, 83'Fotheringham on for Dolcek, 90+2'Tait 50'Ross 73'Watters 40'Dolcek 71'2.021.19FalkirkDundee United

Each side's xG added up shot by shot through the match. Stoppage time is shaded as far as the last shot or event recorded in it. Triangles along the foot mark each side's substitutions.

Match stats

FalkirkDundee United

2.02xG1.19
1.72xG on target1.33
14Shots11
4Shots on target5
4Big chances3
31Touches in the opposition box23
52%Possession48%
397Passes380
81%Pass accuracy78%
56%Field tilt44%
41Final-third entries42
15Box entries16
20.9Passes per defensive action22.5
2Corners4
16Tackles21
3Interceptions2
29Clearances38
3Saves2
9Fouls13
2Offsides2

Field tilt is each side's share of the open-play passes completed in the final third; entries are completed open-play passes and carries into the final third and the box; passes per defensive action (PPDA) counts the opponent's passes in its own 60% of the pitch for each tackle, interception, challenge, or foul there.

Chance locations

Falkirk

Miller 21', 0.56 xGGraham 42', 0.35 xGNesbitt 90+7', 0.11 xGMacIver 70', 0.10 xGArfield 43', 0.08 xGMiller 59', 0.08 xGRoss 69', 0.05 xGNesbitt 85', 0.05 xGMiller 18', 0.03 xGSpencer 59', 0.02 xGMacIver 66', 0.02 xGRoss 3', 0.01 xGRoss 73', 0.35 xG, goalTait 50', 0.22 xG, goal45%0.90 xGSix-yard box: 2 shots, 0.90 xG, 0 goals42%0.85 xGCentral box: 5 shots, 0.85 xG, 2 goals1%0.02 xGWide in the box: 1 shot, 0.02 xG, 0 goals12%0.24 xGEdge of the box: 6 shots, 0.24 xG, 0 goals0%0.00 xGFurther out: 0 shots, 0.00 xG, 0 goals

Dundee United

Watters 27', 0.29 xGDolcek 44', 0.06 xGWatters 47', 0.05 xGDolcek 78', 0.05 xGSapsford 64', 0.04 xGWatters 29', 0.03 xGSapsford 57', 0.02 xGSapsford 88', 0.02 xGSibbald 88', 0.01 xGDolcek 71', 0.38 xG, goalWatters 40', 0.24 xG, goal32%0.38 xGSix-yard box: 1 shot, 0.38 xG, 1 goal58%0.68 xGCentral box: 5 shots, 0.68 xG, 1 goal8%0.10 xGWide in the box: 3 shots, 0.10 xG, 0 goals1%0.01 xGEdge of the box: 1 shot, 0.01 xG, 0 goals1%0.01 xGFurther out: 1 shot, 0.01 xG, 0 goals

Each area's share of the side's xG from open play and set pieces, with the xG in it. The two wide areas of the box count together, as on the club pages. Shots shows each of those shots instead, sized by its xG, with goals filled in.

Chance types

FalkirkDundee United

0.84 7 shots, 2 goalsOpen play0.80 8 shots, 2 goals
0.00 0 shots, 0 goalsCounter-attacks0.35 2 shots, 0 goals
1.18 7 shots, 0 goalsSet pieces0.04 1 shot, 0 goals

xG by type of chance, with each side's shots and goals beside it.

Game state

Level
85 min (88%) · Falkirk 1.03, Dundee United 1.08 xG
Dundee United ahead
12 min (12%) · Falkirk 0.99, Dundee United 0.11 xG

Line-ups

19235152183723297BainAdamsMcCannHendersonNeilsonTaitSpencerArfieldRossMillerGrahamYellow cardGoalGoal79'58'75'58'Falkirk 4-2-3-1John McGlynn1543248147036919KucherenkoSeveljIovuEsselinkKeresztesCamaraSibbaldPappoeWattersSapsfordDolcekYellow cardYellow cardYellow cardYellow cardGoalYellow cardGoal83'65'90+2'Dundee United 4-3-3Jim Goodwin

Falkirk substitutes

  • 58' Nesbitt for Arfield
  • 58' MacIver for Graham
  • 75' Agyeman for Miller
  • 79' Cartwright for Tait

Dundee United substitutes

  • 65' Stirton for Watters
  • 83' Thomson for Pappoe
  • 90+2' Fotheringham for Dolcek

Players

Falkirk

PlayerPosMinGAxGxAKPxTProgDef
BainGK900.000.0100.0760
Adams RB9010.000.2420.22810
McCannCB900.000.0100.0559
HendersonCB900.000.0100.0746
NeilsonLB900.000.0000.0686
TaitDM7910.220.1000.1251
SpencerDM9010.020.4740.0063
ArfieldRW580.080.040−0.0812
RossAM9010.400.1810.1451
MillerLW750.670.1600.1344
GrahamST580.350.0210.1212
NesbittMF320.150.0210.0532
MacIverFW320.120.0700.1004
AgyemanFW150.000.0210.0000
CartwrightMF110.000.0000.0211

Dundee United

PlayerPosMinGAxGxAKPxTProgDef
KucherenkoGK900.000.0000.0232
Sevelj RB900.000.0900.1458
Iovu CB900.000.1020.09511
EsselinkCB900.000.0100.12911
Keresztes LB900.000.0100.05410
CamaraCM9010.000.1620.1588
SibbaldCM900.010.0100.0749
Pappoe CM830.000.0300.0032
WattersRW6510.610.0110.0110
Sapsford ST900.080.0630.1163
DolcekLW9010.490.0410.1391
StirtonFW250.000.000−0.0100
ThomsonMF70.000.000−0.0100
FotheringhamMF00.000.0000.0020

Starters, then substitutes in the order they came on. KP is chances created and Def defensive actions (tackles, blocks, clearances, and interceptions). xT is the expected threat added by the player's completed open-play passes and carries, and Prog counts progressive passes and carries.

Pass networks

Falkirk

Adams and Tait: 4 passesAdams and Arfield: 4 passesSpencer and Graham: 4 passesMiller and Arfield: 4 passesRoss and Graham: 4 passesBain and Spencer: 5 passesAdams and Miller: 5 passesHenderson and Ross: 5 passesNeilson and Miller: 5 passesArfield and Graham: 5 passesSpencer and Miller: 6 passesAdams and Neilson: 7 passesTait and Miller: 7 passesTait and Ross: 7 passesAdams and Spencer: 8 passesHenderson and McCann: 8 passesHenderson and Spencer: 8 passesMcCann and Tait: 8 passesNeilson and Tait: 9 passesTait and Spencer: 9 passesNeilson and Spencer: 10 passesMcCann and Spencer: 12 passesBain and Neilson: 14 passesBain and Henderson: 17 passesHenderson and Neilson: 22 passesBain: 25 completed passesAdams: 18 completed passesHenderson: 37 completed passesNeilson: 36 completed passesMcCann: 23 completed passesTait: 23 completed passesSpencer: 37 completed passesMiller: 14 completed passesArfield: 11 completed passesRoss: 12 completed passesGraham: 6 completed passes19251532182937237BainAdamsHendersonNeilsonMcCannTaitSpencerMillerArfieldRossGrahamStarters until 58' · lines join pairs with 4+ passes

Dundee United

Esselink and Dolcek: 4 passesKeresztes and Camara: 4 passesPappoe and Sibbald: 4 passesPappoe and Watters: 4 passesCamara and Sibbald: 4 passesKucherenko and Sevelj: 5 passesSevelj and Camara: 5 passesSevelj and Watters: 5 passesPappoe and Camara: 5 passesCamara and Sapsford: 5 passesCamara and Dolcek: 5 passesIovu and Pappoe: 6 passesSapsford and Watters: 6 passesSevelj and Esselink: 7 passesIovu and Sibbald: 7 passesIovu and Camara: 8 passesEsselink and Pappoe: 8 passesEsselink and Sibbald: 8 passesKeresztes and Pappoe: 8 passesKucherenko and Esselink: 9 passesEsselink and Keresztes: 9 passesPappoe and Dolcek: 10 passesSevelj and Sapsford: 11 passesSevelj and Iovu: 12 passesKeresztes and Dolcek: 13 passesIovu and Esselink: 15 passesKucherenko: 11 completed passesSevelj: 21 completed passesIovu: 29 completed passesEsselink: 38 completed passesKeresztes: 24 completed passesPappoe: 26 completed passesCamara: 23 completed passesSibbald: 17 completed passesSapsford: 11 completed passesWatters: 8 completed passesDolcek: 15 completed passes1543237081493619KucherenkoSeveljIovuEsselinkKeresztesPappoeCamaraSibbaldSapsfordWattersDolcekStarters until 65' · lines join pairs with 4+ passes

Each starter at the average position of their passes and receptions until the side's first substitution or red card, sized by completed passes. Lines join pairs who passed to each other often, thicker for more passes.

Passing combinations

Falkirk

FromToPasses
HendersonBain15
BainHenderson14
HendersonNeilson12
NeilsonHenderson12
BainNeilson11

Dundee United

FromToPasses
IovuEsselink15
IovuSevelj15
EsselinkIovu12
KeresztesDolcek11
EsselinkKucherenko10

The five pairs with the most completed passes from one to the other over the whole match.

Defensive actions

Falkirk

376428944388143453242111311LessMore

Dundee United

588510543541441211111121512LessMore

Where each side made its tackles, interceptions, clearances, blocks, recoveries, challenges, and fouls, attacking up the page.

Threat

Falkirk

0.010.040.010.010.040.040.030.030.020.070.020.030.040.040.040.050.060.050.020.020.090.03−0.110.010.080.31LessMore

Dundee United

0.010.010.010.020.020.020.030.050.070.030.030.040.020.030.040.050.060.030.030.030.020.010.100.11LessMore

Expected threat added by completed open-play passes and carries, by where the move started, attacking up the page. Expected threat is the chance that possession in an area leads to a goal; a move adds the difference between where it ends and where it starts.

Ratings

0.51.01.52.02.5League average 1.38AttackFalkirk0.93 → 1.03Dundee United1.18 → 1.18Defence (lower is better)Falkirk1.82 → 1.75Dundee United1.46 → 1.49

The goals each side would score (attack) and concede (defence) per game against an average team, from the forecast ratings before this matchday (ring) and after it (dot); a lower defence number is better. Grey dots are the other clubs after the matchday, spread up and down only so they don't overlap. The change takes in the whole matchday.

League probabilities

ChanceBeforeWith this resultChange
Falkirk
Top six10%9%−1
11th16%16%0
Bottom49%49%0
Dundee United
Top six32%30%−2
11th10%11%+1
Bottom4%4%0
Dundee FC
11th25%24%−1
Bottom17%17%0
Livingston
Top six13%13%0
11th24%23%−1
Bottom20%20%0

From the forecast before the match (3 August 2025): each chance then, and across the simulations in which the match ended this way. The change is in percentage points.

Pre-match

As things stood before kick-off.

Forecast

FalkirkDundee United
Expected goals1.171.40
Win31%42%
Expected Points1.201.52
Clean sheet25%31%

Falkirk 31%Draw 28%Dundee United 42%

Most likely score 1–1, 13%. Both sides score 53%.

Dundee United goalsFalkirk goals0123456+0123456+8%7%3%1%8%9%4%1%5%7%5%2%2%3%2%10%13%

From the forecast as it stood on 3 August 2025: each side's attack and defence ratings in a Dixon–Coles score model, as on the Forecasts page.

League probabilities by result

ChanceNowFalkirk winDrawDundee United win
Falkirk
Top six10%16%9%6%
11th16%16%16%15%
Bottom49%38%49%58%
Dundee United
Top six32%23%30%40%
11th10%14%11%7%
Bottom4%7%4%2%
Dundee FC
11th25%22%24%27%
Bottom17%21%17%14%
Livingston
Top six13%12%13%14%
11th24%22%23%25%
Bottom20%22%20%17%

Each chance before the match and across the simulations ending in each result. Other teams are listed where a chance moves by at least 3 percentage points.

Form

Dundee United

  1. W2–117 MayAberdeen (H)xG 1.93–1.70
  2. L1–314 MayRangers (A)xG 0.78–1.69
  3. L0–210 MaySt. Mirren (H)xG 1.47–2.18
  4. L1–33 MayHibernian (A)xG 1.35–1.73
  5. L0–526 AprCeltic (H)xG 0.44–3.06
  6. W1–012 AprSt. Johnstone (H)xG 1.17–0.95

The last six league matches, newest first, with xG for and against.

Ratings

0.51.01.52.02.5League average 1.38AttackFalkirk0.93, 12thDundee United1.18, 9thDefence (lower is better)Falkirk1.82, 12thDundee United1.46, 9th

The goals each side would score (attack) and concede (defence) per game against an average team, from the forecast ratings before this matchday, with their rank among the league's clubs; a lower defence number is better. Grey dots are the other clubs, spread up and down only so they don't overlap.