National cups are something special for many teams and supporters. Today's match will decide whether it's Kilmarnock or Hearts that keep their silverware dream alive.
There’s little time for restitution or working hard at the training pitch these days, with both teams having played their last game less than four days ago.
Kilmarnock form and stats
Last season, Kilmarnock's League Cup journey ended in the semi-finals.The home supporters can't complain about results here at BBSP Stadium Rugby Park as Kilmarnock have scored 28 goals to get 37 points from 18 games. The overall stats in the League Cup are 12-1-5 (wins-draws-losses).
Kilmarnock travelled for their previous game, a trip to Dundee that ended 2-2. Midfielder Armstrong was the best player on the team with a rating of 9.34 (out of ten) in that game. Armstrong scored two goals and hit five key passes.
Preceding that game was the home draw versus Hibernian that ended 2-2.Another home game is coming up fairly shortly for the hosts, as St. Mirren are coming to town in four days.
The Kilmarnock fans have had their share of opportunities to cheer home goals this season, having seen 28 goals in 18 league matches. Kilmarnock have only conceded 14 from their league home games. For more goal stats, check the Statistics tab above.
Hearts form and stats
It might be tough going out on the road again for Hearts, facing their second straight away game. Especially as the previous game, ended with a defeat 0-1 versus St. Mirren. Kent, who plays in defense, got the "man of the match" on his team with the rating 8.45. Kent won 11 of 13 duels.
Prior to that match, a home win 2-0 against Aberdeen in the Premiership.There might be some complaints about the fixture list from the Hearts manager Naismith as the team has another away game coming up in only four days, this time against Ross County.
Head 2 Head
H2H stats regardless of arena (last ten matches): Kilmarnock six wins, two draws and Hearts two victories. As for goals, six matches ended with three or more goals (over 2,5), four games had two or less.
Top Goalscorers
  D. Armstrong 2 goals |   Y. Oda 2 goals |  B. Lyons 1 goals |
Kilmarnock missing players
Hearts missing players
| Kilmarnock | Hearts | ||||||
| Total | Home | Statistics | Stat | Away | Total | ||
| 25 | 12 | Played | P | 13 | 25 | ||
| 10 | 6 | Won | W | 2 | 7 | ||
| 6 | 3 | Drew | D | 3 | 5 | ||
| 9 | 3 | Lost | L | 8 | 13 | ||
| 31 | 18 | Scored | S | 11 | 30 | ||
| 26 | 13 | Conceded | C | 20 | 32 | ||
| 92% | 100% | Over 0.5 | O 0.5 | 100% | 96% | ||
| 68% | 67% | Over 1.5 | O 1.5 | 69% | 72% | ||
| 44% | 50% | Over 2.5 | O 2.5 | 46% | 44% | ||
| 20% | 33% | Over 3.5 | O 3.5 | 23% | 24% | ||
| 4% | 8% | Over 4.5 | O 4.5 | 0% | 4% | ||
| 40% | 50% | BTTS | BTTS | 38% | 40% | ||
| 36% | 33% | Clean Sheets | C S | 15% | 20% | ||
| 32% | 17% | Failed to Score | F T | 46% | 44% | ||
| 4.8 | 5.3 | Corners for (avg) | C F | 4.8 | 5.8 | ||
| 4.7 | 5.1 | Corners against (avg) | C A | 4.2 | 4.5 | ||
| 1.6 | 1.7 | Yellow cards (avg) | Y C | 1.9 | 1.8 | ||
| 3 | 3 | Red cards | R C | 1 | 4 | ||
| 12.2 | 12.9 | Shots (avg) | S ( | 8.9 | 11.4 | ||
| 3.8 | 4 | Shots on Target (avg) | S O | 3.6 | 3.8 | ||
| 33% | 38% | Goal Efficiency | G E | 23% | 32% | ||
| 10 | 10.2 | Shots against (avg) | S A | 11.5 | 11.3 | ||
| 3.6 | 3.8 | Shots on Target against (avg) | S O | 4.5 | 4.2 | ||
| Total | Home | Away | |||||||||||||||||||
| # | Team | MP | W | D | L | F | A | MP | W | D | L | F | A | MP | W | D | L | F | A | +/- | P |
| 1 | Kilmarnock | 36 | 20 | 7 | 9 | 50 | 27 | 18 | 12 | 1 | 5 | 28 | 14 | 18 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 22 | 13 | 23 | 67 |
| 2 | Arbroath | 36 | 17 | 14 | 5 | 54 | 28 | 18 | 9 | 8 | 1 | 32 | 14 | 18 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 22 | 14 | 26 | 65 |
| 3 | Inverness CT | 36 | 16 | 11 | 9 | 53 | 34 | 18 | 10 | 3 | 5 | 30 | 17 | 18 | 6 | 8 | 4 | 23 | 17 | 19 | 59 |
| 4 | Partick Thistle | 36 | 14 | 10 | 12 | 46 | 40 | 18 | 9 | 4 | 5 | 17 | 13 | 18 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 29 | 27 | 6 | 52 |
| 5 | Raith Rovers | 36 | 12 | 14 | 10 | 44 | 44 | 18 | 5 | 8 | 5 | 23 | 26 | 18 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 21 | 18 | 0 | 50 |
| 6 | Hamilton Academical | 36 | 10 | 12 | 14 | 38 | 53 | 18 | 5 | 5 | 8 | 16 | 28 | 18 | 5 | 7 | 6 | 22 | 25 | -15 | 42 |
| 7 | Greenock Morton | 36 | 9 | 13 | 14 | 36 | 47 | 18 | 3 | 9 | 6 | 23 | 27 | 18 | 6 | 4 | 8 | 13 | 20 | -11 | 40 |
| 8 | Ayr United | 36 | 9 | 12 | 15 | 39 | 52 | 18 | 5 | 7 | 6 | 21 | 25 | 18 | 4 | 5 | 9 | 18 | 27 | -13 | 39 |
| 9 | Dunfermline Athletic | 36 | 7 | 14 | 15 | 36 | 53 | 18 | 5 | 8 | 5 | 22 | 24 | 18 | 2 | 6 | 10 | 14 | 29 | -17 | 35 |
| 10 | Queen of the South | 36 | 8 | 9 | 19 | 36 | 54 | 18 | 4 | 5 | 9 | 13 | 19 | 18 | 4 | 4 | 10 | 23 | 35 | -18 | 33 |
