League one side Ross County host Premiership outfit Hibs with a spot at Hampden up for grabs.
Ross County hold a respectable home record against their Saturday opponents. The Staggies are unbeaten in their last five home meetings with Hibernian, one win and four draws, with the most recent one coming in January 2025, in a 1-1 draw. Current Motherwell midfielder Levitt opening the scoring towards the tail end of the first period, but his strike was cancelled out on 87 minutes by a strike from Hale, who went on to finish the season on twelve Premiership goals, eighteen in total across the campaign. The sides met two more times across the 2024/25 campaign, which was a season which saw County relegated to the Championship. In December 2024, Hibernian beat County 3-1 at Easter Road, courtesy of goals from Gayle, Youan and Campbell. And in the first meeting between the sides in 2024/25, the game finished in a score draw in Dingwall.
The last time County played at the National Stadium was back in 2016, in the same competition, against the same opponent. The Staggies beat the Hibees 2-1 in the League Cup final courtesy of a last minute winner from Schalk. A memorable day out for the Ross County support, who will be keen to get back to Hampden to have more moments like that.
Hibs’ last match at Hampden Park was less memorable to say the least. The Edinburgh outfit lost 1-0 to an Aberdeen side who were reduced to ten men just moments before Miovski netted to book Aberdeen’s spot in the League Cup final.
County come into this fixture off the back of a disappointing midweek defeat at the hands of Aberdeen B, losing narrowly in a seven-goal thriller, however, Kettlewell did make eleven changes to the side that drew to East Fife three days prior. Despite drawing in their last league game, County still sit in a healthy position in League One. The Dingwall outfit sit second, four points ahead of Alloa Athletic and Montrose who sit third and fourth respectively and three points behind league leaders Hamilton Academical, while having played a game less than all teams mentioned.
Hibernian come into this cup tie off the back of back-to-back Premiership defeats, the first of which coming at the hands of city rivals Heart of Midlothian at Easter Road, and the second coming against newly promoted St Johnstone at McDiarmid Park. David Gray’s side sit eighth, on six points, after five games, but do have games in hand over St Johnstone and Dundee, who both sit one point ahead of them. Following the start to the campaign, Saturday’s cup tie is a huge match for David Gray, with pressure mounting.