Dundee United's Francisco Sandaza is mobbed after his penalty winner
Dundee United secured their opening victory of the season and won their first SPL game in 13 with Francisco Sandaza's 46th-minute penalty.
Tommy Wright inexplicably handled Craig Conway's corner inside the area at the start of the second half.
Referee Calum Murray pointed to the spot and the Spanish striker made no mistake, beating Jamie Langfield down the middle.
Aberdeen had their chances but the visitors held on for victory.
The first half began at breakneck pace. Sone Aluko looked lively for the Pittodrie team with runs down the wing and his side should have taken the lead after six minutes.
Former Dundee United striker Lee Miller won a free-kick 25 yards out and his effort was deflected into the path of Gary McDonald, who shot over with the goal in his sights.
Dundee United ventured forward a couple of minutes later, but Jon Daly could not find the target after racing on to a Craig Conway cross.
The game simmered down after a frenetic start and Aberdeen's Miller had the next notable effort on 23 minutes when he sent a header from Charlie Mulgrew's corner wide.
United were next to threaten when Daly sent in a teasing cross towards Sandaza which Ricky Foster had to head over his own bar.
Craig Levein's side had another opportunity when the ball fell to Scott Robertson after some ping-pong in the Aberdeen box and he fizzed an effort wide of Jamie Langfield's left-hand post.
However, it was Jimmy Calderwood's side who had the final chance of the first 45 minutes as McDonald again fired over after the ball fell to him following a neat Chris Maguire effort, which was well saved by Lukasz Zaluska.
The second half got going at the same tempo as the opening period had started and the lively Sandaza forced Langfield to tip the ball wide for a corner.
However, it was not long before the Spanish striker would get another opportunity to open the scoring.
Conway whipped in a corner on 46 minutes and Aberdeen striker Wright inexplicably handled to gift Dundee United a penalty kick.
Sandaza coolly waited for Langfield to commit himself and stroked the ball low down the middle and give Levein's team the lead.
Dundee United should have doubled their advantage when Sandaza, who had spurned a good opportunity of his own with a heavy touch a minute earlier, crossed for Daly but the Irishman could not keep his acrobatic effort down.
Wright had the chance to make amends after 55 minutes following an intricate passing move involving Foster and McDonald, but he clipped his effort wide from inside the area.
That was to be his last meaningful action as he was replaced for Darren Mackie after an hour.
Aberdeen could have found themselves further behind when Conway found Daly at the back post, but the striker could not divert his shot goalwards.
However, there was no more scoring and United held on for victory.
Aberdeen manager Jimmy Calderwood:
"It was a game we absolutely dominated in the first half, we created a few chances. The thing that's doing us in is individual mistakes.
"It started at the start of the season, and its not finished yet. I know we can play a lot better.
"Goals change games, it suited United to play on the counter-attack, but it just wouldn't break for us.
"You get days like that in football, but individual errors are costing us big time."
Dundee United manager Craig Levein:
"It's just the way it happens sometimes. We didn't play particularly well today. It was a scrappy match for spells. But we dug out the result, which is what we needed to to.
"There was a touch of nerves and anxiety in both teams which was evident by the passing, if either of us had managed to put some passes together in the first half, we might have established a lead.
"It was an error that won it for us, but I just don't care, I'm happy for the lads, they must have defended 20 corners and 20 last-third free-kicks and they showed real grit and determination.
E-mail this to a friend 
Printable version 
Bookmark with:
What are these?