Airdrieonians v Cove Rangers: Forecast, Odds and Bets
The second leg of the Scottish Championship play-off final between Airdrieonians and Cove Rangers is scheduled for 17 May 2025. Fans in Italy, Germany, France and Spain can catch the action at 18:30 CEST, while it kicks off at 17:30 BST in the UK.
A tight aggregate situation awaits at Excelsior Stadium after Airdrieonians secured a narrow victory in the first leg at Balmoral Stadium. With promotion on the line, both sets of supporters will be eagerly anticipating a decisive performance under the floodlights.
How are both teams coming into this?
Airdrieonians head into the return fixture with confidence, having taken a slender advantage into the second leg. Their home form has been impressive throughout the season, conceding few goals at Excelsior Stadium and showing tactical discipline under pressure.
Cove Rangers arrive knowing they must overturn the deficit to keep their promotion hopes alive. While they have been solid in attack at Balmoral, their away record this term has featured defensive lapses that Airdrieonians will look to exploit.
Our forecast
We expect a cautious start as Cove Rangers probe for opportunities, but it’s likely Airdrieonians will regain control through structured build-up play. The hosts can rely on their defensive organisation to frustrate the visitors and hit on the counter.
Given the nature of the tie, we’re backing under 2.5 goals and a tight home win. A final scoreline of 1-0 or 2-0 looks plausible, with the margin of victory just enough to seal promotion for Airdrieonians.
