A round-up from the Premier Sports Cup as Celtic, Kilmarnock, Dundee United and Motherwell reach the quarter-finals; Holders Celtic head to Motherwell in the next round, Rangers drawn against Dundee, Kilmarnock take on Dundee Utd and Aberdeen face Partick Thistle
Wednesday 31 August 2022 22:12, UK
Skipper Callum McGregor sent Celtic on their way to the Premier Sports Cup quarter-finals as the much-changed holders beat Ross County 4-1 in Dingwall.
With games against Rangers and Real Madrid to come in the following six days, Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou made nine changes to the team that secured a club-record 9-0 away win against Dundee United on Sunday.
But there was little disruption to the dominant manner of Celtic's early-season form as they recorded a sixth victory from six games.
McGregor and Giorgos Giakoumakis netted in a one-sided first half and Daizen Maeda quickly restored the two-goal cushion after Alex Iacovitti scored his second goal of the season past the champions.
That allowed Postecoglou to introduce new signing Sead Haksabanovic for an impressive cameo.
Another substitute, James Forrest, netted his first goal of the season in stoppage time as Celtic made it 21 goals from four away games this season.
Dundee United recovered from their 9-0 defeat to Celtic and the subsequent sacking of manager Jack Ross to defeat Livingston 2-1 and book their place in the last eight of the Premier Sports Cup.
First-half goals from Steven Fletcher and Ian Harkes had the visitors well in control before the home side, who dominated the second half, got one back from Kurtis Guthrie to make it more tense.
With the home side desperate to take the tie to extra-time, Sean Kelly struck a post with a free-kick in the final minute of regulation time but it was not to be.
Kevin van Veen helped himself to a hat-trick as Motherwell breezed into the Premier Sports Cup quarter-finals with a comprehensive 4-0 win over Inverness.
The Dutch striker scored for the fourth game in a row in the ninth minute with a close-range finish at Fir Park.
Caley skipper Danny Devine put through his own goal after 26 minutes before Van Veen scored from the spot in the 38th and 66th minutes to make it seven goals in six games for the commanding cinch Premiership outfit.
Steven Hammell had called for a response to their 2-1 defeat at Kilmarnock on Saturday, his first after officially taking over as boss, and he certainly got that from his team against Billy Dodds' Championship side who were effectively out of the cup by half-time.
Innes Cameron scored a first-half winner as Kilmarnock pulled off a spirited 1-0 victory over Hearts at Tynecastle to reach the last eight of the Premier Sports Cup.
The hosts had the majority of the chances over the course of the tie but the 22-year-old's header in the 21st minute ultimately proved decisive for the visitors.
Remarkably, it was Kilmarnock's fifth consecutive victory away to Hearts.
