Dundee United’s hopes of finishing third in the Premiership were washed away in rain-soaked Inverness.
On a wet and windy night at the Tulloch Caledonian Stadium, victory for Caley Thistle opened up a seven-point gap between them and fourth-placed United with only three games to go.
A fabulous long-range lob from Robbie Muirhead on just two minutes had the Tangerines dreaming of catching their Highland hosts.
However, ICT gradually got used to the conditions and turned the game on its head.
Edward Ofere levelled on 38 minutes and Danny Williams made it 2-1 a couple of minutes before half-time, with no further scoring in the second half.
Realistically if not arithmetically, the Tangerines needed to take three points back down the A9 and now they go on to Saturday when the battle for fourth place between them and St Johnstone will rage at McDiarmid Park.
United were unchanged from the side that kicked off the 1-0 home win over Aberdeen at the weekend.
For the hosts, the man whose winning goal against Celtic got them to the Scottish Cup final, right-back David Raven, was suspended.
The weather was terrible and the hope was that it wouldn’t spoil a game that was so important to both sides.
However, it wasn’t long before the ball was getting stuck in puddles.
So it wasn’t a surprise when the rain played a starring role in what was a stunning opener for United after just two minutes.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=CfSCfvnRn4I%3Frel%3D0
A passback from Danny Devine was held up by the water as Nadir Ciftci chased it. Goalkeeper Ryan Esson kicked it upfield but only as far as Muirhead, who lifted a beautiful lob into the empty net from 45 yards with his “wrong” right foot.
Muirhead nearly made it 2-0 on eight minutes when he hit the bar with a cross over from the right after being played in by Blair Spittal.
After Graeme Shinnie was fouled by United captain John Rankin on 12 minutes, Greg Tansey fired in a freekick from the edge of the box that took a deflection but was saved by keeper Rado Cierzniak.
With United adapting to the sodden surface better than their opponents in the early stages, Muirhead stung the hands of Esson with a freekick from just outside the box after ICT defender Gary Warren had fouled Charlie Telfer.
A Tansey rocket shot flew over the Tangerines’ bar on 26 minutes then Muirhead tried a volley at the other end but was flagged offside.
On 36 minutes, Ciftci went on a great run, nutmegging Devine and then running forward only for Ross Draper to get back and make a great challenge.
On 38 minutes the hosts drew level. It was a well-worked goal that saw Shinnie slide the ball forward to Marley Watkins, who squared it across from the left for Ofere to shoot home from close range.
Inverness moved ahead two minutes before the break thanks to a wonder goal from Williams. There didn’t seem too much threat when the ball hung in the air for him 30 yards out but he swung his left boot at it and volleyed it past the helpless Cierzniak.
The second half was only three minutes old when Ofere missed a sitter at the far post for Inverness then Watkins sent a glancing header past the far post as the home team dominated.
United lost Ryan McGowan to injury on 53 minutes he was replaced by Sean Dillon and they had a chance to get level on the hour after a John Souttar’s pass split the home defence only for Ciftci to fluff his attempt on goal.
The Tangerines brought on Chris Erskine and Henri Anier as they chased the game, with Spittal and Telfer making way.
ICT also made two substitution, with Ryan Christie and Nick Ross coming on as they looked to make the match safe.
Rankin sent a shot over from just outside the penalty area but Meekings came much closer to equalising for United on 88 minutes when he hooked the ball just wide of his own post with Esson beaten.
The visitors had four minutes of added time in which to try to clinch a draw but when Ciftci pulled the ball across goal from a good position on the left side of the box that was pretty much that.
Attendance: 2,426.
Inverness: Esson, Shinnie, Vincent (Ross 87), Warren, Meekings, Ofere, Draper, Devine, Watkins (Doran 90+2), Tansey, Williams (Christie 81). Subs not used: Mackay, Tremarco, Polworth, Kink.
Dundee United: Cierzniak, Dixon, Souttar, Fojut, Ciftci, Rankin, Muirhead, Morris, McGowan (Dillon 53), Telfer (Anier 72), Spittal (60). Subs not used: Szromnik, Butcher, Connolly, Smith, Anier.
Referee: Calum Murray.