Derek McInnes finally broke his opening‑season duck as the new Rangers boss, guiding his side to a commanding 5-1 triumph over the defending champions St Mirren and securing a place in the Scottish League Cup quarter‑finals. The victory sets up a high‑stakes clash with arch‑rivals Celtic later in the tournament. The match got off to an early spark when Ryan Naderi, who was deployed ahead of the regular captain Lawrence Shankland, found the back of the net for the first time since April. His goal gave Rangers the initial lead and was quickly followed by a spectacular long‑range effort from recent summer acquisition Vanja Dragojević.
Dragojević’s thunderous volley, struck from well outside the box, marked his inaugural goal in a Rangers shirt and left the St Mirren defence reeling. St Mirren attempted a reply on the half‑hour mark when Chris Mochrie unleashed a dazzling strike of his own, but the visitors had already begun to dominate possession and territory. As the first half progressed, Rangers continued to press, and the pressure eventually paid off.
New signing James Penrice displayed clever vision by laying the ball off to Djeidi Gassama, who tapped in to make it 3-0. Penrice then celebrated his own debut goal in the 54th minute, further extending the lead and cementing his impact on the team. The onslaught did not stop there. Substitute Ross McCausland, making his first appearance for Rangers in 16 months, added another tally, tapping in a quick finish after Ivor Pandur, the Rangers goalkeeper, had just denied Killian Phillips from the penalty spot.
By the end of the match, the scoreline read a decisive 5-1, confirming Rangers’ superiority and sending them through to face Celtic in the next round. In other fixtures, the Edinburgh clubs Heart of Midlothian and Hibernian also secured their places in the next stage of the competition, while the biggest surprise of the evening came from Stenhousemuir. The tiny club from the Scottish Championship pulled off a remarkable upset by eliminating last season’s semi‑finalists Motherwell. The drama unfolded in extra time when Euan O'Reilly netted a winner, ensuring Stenhousemuir’s progression to the last eight and extending manager Marvin Bartley’s unbeaten run to seven matches in charge of the Warriors.
The televised coverage continued with a reminder that fans can watch the Scottish Premiership on their mobile devices and enjoy free highlights of the league. At Tynecastle, Wouter Vrancken’s Hearts overcame a nervous start against Inverness Caledonian Thistle, a side from the second tier. After conceding an early goal, the Hearts squad responded with a flurry of late goals, ultimately winning 6-2. The scoring sheet featured Christian Borchgrevink, Rogers Mato, James Wilson and Claudio Braga, each finding the net, while makeshift left‑back Calvin Miller impressed by scoring a brace.
Across the city, David Gray’s Hibernian also managed to edge past a Championship opponent. Owen Elding’s first‑half strike proved decisive as Hibs held on to a narrow victory over Partick Thistle, ensuring their continued run in the cup. The upcoming fixtures include Stenhousemuir versus Heart of Midlothian, Ross County taking on Hibernian, and Kilmarnock meeting Aberdeen.
Fans are also invited to participate in the Super 6 competition for a chance to win a £1 million prize, with entry available at no cost. Overall, the night highlighted the unpredictable nature of cup football in Scotland. While Rangers reaffirmed their status as a dominant force with a comprehensive win, the shock defeat of Motherwell by Stenhousemuir reminded everyone that lower‑division teams can still produce stunning results. The quarter‑finals now loom, promising more excitement as the remaining clubs vie for a place in the final and a shot at lifting the coveted League Cup trophy.