Derek McInnes finally broke his winless run as the new boss of Rangers by guiding his side to a commanding 5-1 triumph over defending champions St Mirren, securing a place in the Scottish League Cup quarter‑finals where they will face arch‑rivals Celtic. The match opened with a surprise selection: Ryan Naderi, chosen ahead of captain Lawrence Shankland, found the back of the net for the first time since April, giving Rangers an early lead.
Not long after, recent signing Vanja Dragojevic stunned the crowd with a spectacular long‑range volley, marking his inaugural goal in a Rangers shirt. St Mirren responded swiftly. On the half‑hour mark, Chris Mochrie unleashed a brilliant strike that seemed to hint at a possible comeback, but Rangers quickly reasserted their dominance in the second half.
Newcomer James Penrice displayed sharp vision, threading a clever pass to Djeidi Gassama for the third goal, before turning the tables himself and scoring his own goal in the 54th minute, a fitting way to cap an impressive debut. The pressure on the visitors intensified when substitute Ross McCausland, making his first appearance for Rangers in 16 months, tucked away a goal shortly after Ivor Pandur, the Rangers goalkeeper, denied Killian Philipps from the penalty spot.
The final whistle confirmed a comprehensive victory for McInnes’s side and set up an eagerly anticipated showdown with Celtic. In other fixtures, both Heart of Midlothian and Hibernian secured their places in the next round without difficulty, while a remarkable upset saw lower‑league side Stenhousemuir eliminate last season’s semi‑finalists Motherwell.
The dramatic extra‑time winner was supplied by Euan O'Reilly, whose strike propelled the Scottish Championship club into the last eight and extended manager Marvin Bartley’s unbeaten run to seven matches in charge of the Warriors. The excitement continued at Tynecastle Park, where Wouter Vrancken’s Hearts endured a nervous moment against second‑tier Inverness Caledonian Thistle.
After falling behind, the Edinburgh side rallied spectacularly, scoring four late goals to complete a 6‑2 victory. Goals came from Christian Borchgrevick, Rogers Mato, James Wilson and Claudio Braga, while makeshift left‑back Calvin Miller, enjoying an unexpected spell in attack, netted a brace.
Across the city, David Gray’s Hibernian also edged past Championship opposition. A first‑half strike from Owen Elding proved decisive as Hibs held on to beat Partick Thistle and move forward in the competition. The round‑of‑16 fixtures also featured Stenhousemuir versus Heart of Midlothian, Ross County against Hibernian, and Kilmarnock taking on Aberdeen, each match promising further drama as the tournament progresses. Beyond the on‑field action, fans are reminded they can stream the Scottish Premiership on their mobile devices and enjoy free highlights of the league.
For those looking for a little extra excitement, a Super 6 competition offers a chance to win £1 million, with entry available at no cost. Overall, the latest batch of results has reshaped the League Cup landscape. Rangers, now bolstered by a fresh wave of confidence under McInnes, will look to harness their attacking firepower against Celtic, while Hearts and Hibs aim to maintain momentum. Meanwhile, Stenhousemuir’s giant‑killing of Motherwell serves as a reminder that in cup football, anything can happen, and lower‑division clubs can still dream of top‑flight glory.
The upcoming quarter‑finals promise high‑stakes encounters, and supporters across Scotland are gearing up for what could be a thrilling climax to the early stages of the competition.