Inverness Caledonian Thistle vs Arbroath betting tips: Scottish Premiership play-off semi-final first leg preview, predictions and odds

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Inverness have won three of their last five meetings with Arbroath, including a 3-0 victory when they last met in March. Arbroath have only ever won two of 20 visits to Caledonian Stadium, these victories coming in 2019 and last year.

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Both teams to score is 10/11.

Draw and both teams to score is 15/4.

Arbroath to qualify for the play-off final is 5/6.

Match preview

Will Arbroath's fairytale campaign continue. or can Inverness remain on course for a Premiership return?

Arbroath narrowly missed out in the Championship title this season, finishing two points behind champions Kilmarnock.

This is largely because the Red Lichties suffered a heartbreaking 2-1 defeat against Killie in the penultimate game of the season.

Nevertheless, ending up second is a remarkable achievement for Dick Campbell's men.

The Smokies were in League One as recently as 2019 and are the only part-time team currently operating in Scotland's second-tier.

So, they're just four games away from reaching the top-flight for the first time ever and promotion would be a true sporting miracle.

Standing in their way in this tie are Inverness Caledonian Thistle, who certainly feel they should be back amongst Scotland's elite.

Caley Thistle were relegated from the Premiership in 2017 and have been rooted at this level ever since, falling at this stage of the 2019 play-offs.

Billy Dodds' side finished third in the regular season, six points behind Arbroath, so had to win a quarter-final tie to get this far.

In the first leg, Inverness came from behind to beat Partick Thistle 2-1 at Firhill with Shane Sutherland and Austin Samuels the scorers.

Then, on Friday night, Samuels was on target again, wrapping up a 3-1 aggregate victory.

Now though, the Caley Jags face a two legged tie in which they are underdogs and at home first.

Who will take a giant step towards the play-off final at Caledonian Stadium, with last year's double cup winners St Johnstone lying in wait.

Inverness Caledonian Thistle team news

Austin Samuels scored off the bench in Glasgow last Tuesday, earning himself a start on Friday night, scoring the only goal in the second leg.

Before this, he'd only scored one goal for Caley Thistle since joining on loan from Wolves in January.

He, Logan Chalmers, Billy McKay and top-scorer Shane Sutherland will continue as a fearsome attacking quartet.

Arbroath team news

Dick Campbell's side haven't played for 11 days given that they enter the play-offs at this stage.

James Craigen and Michael McKenna both scored off the bench against Morton in their last game, so could have earned a start for this one.

This is especially the case for McKenna who is their top-scorer having netted 15 in 34 Championship appearances during this campaign.

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