CIS semi-final Preview

Admin (Mon-Pari-Sportif.com)  - The Dons of Aberdeen face Dundee United tonight at Tynecastle, in what should be a tight encounter for two sides on the look for a place in the final to be played against rangers, through last week thanks to a 2-0 win over Hearts.

Very bad news for Jimmy Calderwood and his Aberdeen side, playmaker Jamie Smith is out of tonight’s game, after sustaining a new hamstring injury at training, but with 24 players fit, the tactician has actually more players available than when last Tuesday, intial date of the encounter before postponement. Byrne is also out for the Dons, so is Duff, ineligible to face his former club.

On United side, things could also be better for Craig Levein, as goalie Grzegorz Szamotulski is out, Grainger, Swanson and O'Brien are cup-tied, and the quartet de Vries-Flood-Dillon-Hunt have yet to prove their fitness. Noel Hunt could be dearly missed tonight, the Premier League’s third best scorer having proved his abilities in front of the goal this season.

But the absence of skipper Barry Robson gone to Celtic last week for £1m, remains the main news for me. The playmaker has been very influential for United this season, his versatility and striking skills (best scorer for United and second best scorer in the Premier League with 11 efforts), and no doubt Levein will be hoping his side can perform without him.

Verdict: Neutral venue for this one. Should be tight, but without Robson, and potentially Hunt, Aberdeen should edge it. I will go for them with a Draw no Bet @ 1.80.

CIS semi-final Preview