Stenhousemuir vs Hearts - prediction, team news, lineups

Stenhousemuir invited Hearts to Ochilview Park connected Friday for a Scottish League Cup quarter-final clash.

The hosts defeated Motherwell 1-0 to advancement to this round, portion the visitors bushed Inverness CT 6-2 successful the 2nd round.

Match preview

Stenhousemuir person made a flawless commencement to the 2026-27 season, remaining unbeaten successful their archetypal 10 matches of the caller campaign. 

The Warriors got the word underway by signaling 2 wins and 2 draws - winning some connected penalties - successful Group E of the Scottish League Cup, securing a first-placed decorativeness and their progression into the knockout rounds.

Marvin Bartley's broadside maintained that momentum astatine the opening of their archetypal Scottish Championship run successful the modern era, having secured promotion from League One past season. 

Stenhousemuir drew their archetypal Championship fixture 1-1 with Raith Rovers, followed by a 2-0 triumph against Greenock Morton, and they person since claimed different 3 wins successful the league, leaving them apical of the standings aft 5 matchdays. 

During that awesome commencement to the league season, Stenhousemuir besides claimed a fantastic 2-0 triumph implicit Premiership Motherwell successful the League Cup 2nd round, with Euan O'Reilly netting a 113th-minute winner. 

Now heading into the quarter-finals, Stenhousemuir volition beryllium hoping to propulsion disconnected different cupful upset by beating Premiership Hearts, and the hosts volition beryllium afloat of assurance fixed their five-game winning tally and 10-match unbeaten streak.

Hearts will, however, stay the favourites to grounds the triumph and unafraid progression into the semi-finals, particularly arsenic they are enjoying a winning streak of their own. 

The Jambos initially endured a miserable commencement to the campaign, losing each of their opening 4 fixtures, but person since bounced backmost with an eight-game unbeaten run. 

Wouter Vrancken's broadside person claimed 5 wins and 3 draws during that time, including booking their spot successful the Conference League league signifier and climbing to 2nd successful the Scottish Premiership. 

Hearts besides came from 2-1 down to triumph 6-2 against Inverness CT successful the Scottish League Cup 2nd round, with 4 goals successful the last 10 minutes ensuring their triumph. 

The Jambos volition present beryllium aiming to proceed their three-game winning tally by defeating Stenhousemuir, with Hearts eyeing their archetypal Scottish League Cup semi-final since a 3-1 nonaccomplishment to Rangers successful 2023-24.

Stenhousemuir Scottish League Cup form:

Stenhousemuir signifier (all competitions):

Hearts Scottish League Cup form:

Hearts signifier (all competitions):

Team News

O'Reilly is Stenhousemuir's apical scorer successful the League Cup with 2 goals, including the victor against Motherwell, and the guardant could commencement successful this one. 

Lewis Hodgkiss could beryllium the antheral to marque way, with Andrew Shinnie and Lewis O'Donnell keeping their spots successful onslaught alongside O'Reilly.

Meanwhile, Hearts are dealing with injuries to Ageu, Tom Renaud, Malachi Fagan-Walcott, Craig Halkett and Stephen Kingsley.

James Wilson has scored 3 goals successful his past 5 appearances for the Jambos, and the 19-year-old is apt to support his spot alongside Claudio Braga successful attack.

Stenhousemuir imaginable starting lineup:

Jamieson; Grant, Young, Bright; Meechan, Robson, Anderson, Bilham; O'Reilly, O'Donnell; Shinnie

Hearts imaginable starting lineup:

Reus; Altena, McEntee, Findlay, McCart; Magnusson, Mendy; Miller, Braga, McPake; Wilson

We say: Stenhousemuir 1-3 Hearts

Stenhousemuir person enjoyed a superb commencement to the season, but Hearts are experiencing a beardown tally of results and with their superior quality, the Jambos volition beryllium expected to look victorious.

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