Aberdeen 2-1 Dundee United

May 4 2008 Gordon Waddell At Pittodrie

Proud Karim Dedicates Goal To His Daughter

KARIM TOUZANI dedicated his first Aberdeen goal to baby daughter Lina - and insists he's glad she didn't have to wait three years for it! The Dutch defender's header put Aberdeen 2-0 up and he celebrated by mimicking Brazilian star Bebeto's baby-rocking move from the 1994 World Cup.

But he confessed he was more worried his kid would be at school by the time he had the chance to do it.

And he'll never score a more crucial goal as it gave Dons breathing space following Ricky Foster's 30th-minute opener.

It ensured Danny Swanson's miracle counter just 30 seconds later meant nothing and helped Jimmy Calderwood's men stay in the hunt for a European place.

They face Motherwell at Fir Park on Saturday and Touzani insists they've still got a UEFA Cup spot on their minds.

He said: "The league's not finished for us yet. We'll fight for everything and can only hope it goes down to the last game.

"Every goal is important but for me this one was extra special.

"I celebrated it for my daughter Lina. She was born three months ago - but I suppose I'm happy that's all I had to wait before I got the chance to do my celebration.

"Considering how often I score she could have been three by the time it happened."

She wouldn't have been the only one aged by a terrific game that only really caught fire after the opener.

The incentive was there for both after Motherwell's early afternoon defeat by Celtic - but you would never have known it in a desperate first half hour.

Craig Levein had drafted playmaker Swanson back in after a three-game ban in a bid to turn the eight draws they'd managed in their past 11 games into wins.

But neither he nor Willo Flood, shackled by an intriguing Foster man-marking job, could get their front two into the game.

And at the other end the Dons were just as poor until they finally found some life with the opener.

Derek Young's strike from the right edge of the box took a nick off Darren Dods but Lukasz Zaluska's judgment was poor as he parried it right back into the traffic arriving behind the penalty spot.

Foster was right there and kept a cool head to bury a shot low and hard past the keeper's right hand.

However, Dons couldn't build on it and the Arabs finally put a fire under themselves.

Jamie Langfield pulled off a spectacular stop from a Lee Wilkie header at the back post and Mark Kerr left him static with a 20-yarder that fizzed inches past the post.

And the keeper was on his toes again in injury time when he turned away a clever Swanson free-kick that saw United build a full wall of their own right in front of the Dons wall.

Levein hooked Noel Hunt at the break in favour of 18-year-old Johnny Russell in a bid to turn the tide - but within three minutes found himself in even deeper water.

His defence left Touzani unmarked at the back post from a corner and the Dutchman nodded home his first goal for the club. It looked like game over - inside 30 seconds though, it was game on.

Finally pocket rocket Swanson broke free and we saw fireworks.

He was 50 yards from goal when he gathered. He shook off Scott Severin, blew past another three red jerseys on his way then drilled an unstoppable effort home off the inside of Langfield's right post.

But despite bossing the ball for long spells after that United couldn't break down the Dons.

And the more they pushed on at the end the more vulnerable they got at the back.

Touzani volleyed one wide, Lee Miller had a magnificent 14-yard header tipped out of the top corner by Zaluska and Josh Walker tested the Pole at the death as well.

Bottom line, though, is that the Dons moved to just three points away behind Well.

And despite a poorer goal difference, at the rate their rivals are tossing points down the drain, nothing is impossible.

Boss Jimmy Calderwood said: "Motherwell are still favourites. If they win one game, third place is pretty much theirs.

"But we're in the equation and it's something we haven't been all season.

"It says a lot for the players how they've recovered from the cup defeat by Queen of the South and the fact we were missing eight players.

"I couldn't even fill the bench."

REF WATCH

BRIAN WINTER produced one of his best displays of the season. He bossed sensibly, talked when he had to and despite giving plenty free-kicks, never lost a grip on the game. Rating: 8/10.

MATCH FACTS

SHOTS ON 3

SHOTS OFF 6

OFFSIDE 8

FOULS 17

CORNERS 8

BOOKINGS 2

SHOTS ON 3

SHOTS OFF 4

OFFSIDE 3

FOULS 16

CORNERS 2

BOOKINGS 2