HOLDERS Celtic have been drawn away to Partick Thistle in the Betfred Cup this afternoon. Chris Sutton and Michael Stewart picked out the teams, like on BT Sport.
The sides playing in European football were not part of the summer groups that ended this afternoon – Hearts beat Inverness Caley Thistle 5-0 in the main event today to eliminate the Highlands from the competition. Hearts were deducted only 2, rather than 3 points by the SFA for fielding an ineligible player. The strange decision effectively eliminated ICT from the cup.
Celtic have won the competition in both of the seasons in which Brendan Rodgers has been manager, defeating Aberdeen in November 2016 and Motherwell a year later in the two finals.
And the team will be aiming to make it 3 Betfred Cups in a row and the road to Hampden starts with the game at Firhill.
Elsewhere in the draw last year’s losing finalists Motherwell will play Livingston while the season before last’s losing finalist Aberdeen play St Mirren.
Six years to the day after their first ever game, Rangers have been given a tie against Kilmarnock at Rugby Park.
The ties will be played on 18/19 August.
Livingston v Motherwell
Dundee v Ayr United
Dunfermline Ath v Hearts
Kilmarnock v Rangers
Aberdeen v St Mirren
Partick Thistle v Celtic
Hibs v Ross County
Queen of the South v St Johnstone
