A season which started in depressing fashion is suddenly brightening by the day for Aberdeen, who booked a CIS Cup final place by overcoming Dundee United at Dens Park.

Having climbed off the foot of the Scottish Premier League last week with victory over St Johnstone, Aberdeen are a vastly different proposition nowadays.

Given the importance of this semi-final to both sides a dull tie never quite came alive, but its sharpest moment sealed the contest when Arild Stavrum reacted fastest to score after 78 minutes.

His alert finish to a mishit shot from Hicham Zerouali was enough to claim the Dons a Hampden final place on March 19 and further bolster manager Ebbe Skovdahl's hopes of an extended contract.

The Dane cut a bewildered figure earlier this term, but since the winter shutdown he and his rebuilt team have looked more self-assured and finally lost the unwanted tag of being pushovers.

United were without Jason De Vos, on Gold Cup duty with Canada, meaning veteran Maurice Malpas stepped in, while Siggi Jonsson failed a late fitness test on a hamstring injury.

They almost moved ahead with only 50 seconds played when Jan Telesnikov's cross from the right picked out Joachim Ferraz unmarked at the far post.

It was a clear chance for the Portuguese striker with Aberdeen goalkeeper Jim Leighton stranded, but he placed his header into the side-netting and the opportunity to dictate the game was lost.

Zerouali was well shackled by the United defence from the outset and found no sympathy from referee John Rowbotham when he collapsed under challenge from Antoine Preget in the area.

It was proving a sterile affair but United were still the more threatening attacking force, Ferraz heading a Steven Thompson cross straight at Leighton.

Moments before that David Hannah had sent an effort wide from distance and Preget was the next to try his luck with an ambitious effort which drifted well over the bar.

Thompson was lively up front for United and he did well on the half-hour mark to twist away from Derek Whyte before unleashing a 20-yard drive which Leighton did well to tip over.

From the resulting Craig Easton corner, Ferraz was again wasteful from close range as he glanced a header the wrong side of the upright when in position to have done better.

Aberdeen were offering little but could have snatched the lead when Andy Dow found the time and space to send a fierce angled drive narrowly wide of the mark with keeper Alan Combe beaten.

After 50 minutes Easton's cross from the right was missed badly by Ferraz before the ball ran loose at pace towards Preget, who sidefooted off-target.

Zerouali adopted a more forward role after the restart as the Dons switched to a 4-3-3 formation, but snatched at an opening moments later and sent a wayward drive well over.

Ferraz was enduring something of an off-day for United and was again out of touch in the 55th minute when Preget's cross reached him, sending another weak header away from goal.

Aberdeen were slowly finding their momentum and from a Dow corner Bernard's firm 57th-minute header was hacked to safety by Preget with the aid of keeper Combe as it remained goalless.

Zerouali was now coming into the game more and had Combe scrambling in Aberdeen's next attack as he rifled a shot narrowly wide after being fed by Stavrum on the right.

As the stalemate persisted, United introduced young striker Stephen McConalogue with 15 minutes remaining for midfielder Preget in a bid to force the issue.

But it was Aberdeen who finally broke the deadlock after a fluid move on the left between Zerouali and Dow created a rare opening.

Zerouali fired a left-foot shot which was probably aimed for the top corner, but once dragged across the face of goal it became the ideal pass for Stavrum to net at the far post.

United introduced Alex Mathie and Tassos Venetis to try and force a comeback and the former player had a chance with four minutes remaining only to scoop his shot wide.

Paul Sturrock's men had the ball in the net in injury time but only after Mathie had bundled Leighton over the line, which meant Aberdeen held on to maintain their recent revival.

Teams:

Aberdeen (0) 1 Dundee Utd (0) 0

Aberdeen: Leighton, Anderson, Whyte, Solberg, McAllister, Bernard, Guntveit, Dow, Winters (Rutkiewicz 90), Stavrum,Zerouali (Belabed 87).

Subs Not Used: Perry.

Goals: Stavrum 78.

Dundee Utd: Combe, Pascual, Malpas, Patterson, Partridge, Hannah, Easton, Telesnikov (Venetis 81), Preget (McConalogue 74), Ferraz (Mathie 81), Thompson.

Booked: Partridge, Thompson.

Att: 9,500

Ref: John Rowbotham (Scotland).