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Hearts run riot again, one top-flight club in big trouble, free-scorers hit eight goals
Hearts run riot again, one top-flight club in big trouble, free-scorers hit eight goals

Scotsman

time12 hours ago

  • Sport
  • Scotsman

Hearts run riot again, one top-flight club in big trouble, free-scorers hit eight goals

Latest from Premier Sports Cup as clubs bid to join Celtic, Rangers, Hibs, Dundee Utd and Aberdeen in last 16 Sign up to our Football newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Hearts scored four goals for the third successive Premier Sports Group E match as they all but secured their place in the last 16 of the competition. Hot on the heels of beating Dunfermline Athletic 4-1 and Hamilton Accies 4-0, Derek McInnes' Jambos were in good form as they easily swatted aside League 2 opponents Stirling Albion 4-0 at Forthbank Stadium. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Hearts are six points clear at the top of the pool ahead of their final group match at home to Dumbarton on Wednesday and can only be overhauled if they lose to the Sons and there is an improbable goal-difference swing. Stuart Findlay scores Hearts' fourth goal at Forthbank. | SNS Group Defender Craig Halkett headed Hearts into a 13th-minute lead from an Alexandros Kyziridis cross and then Claudio Braga added a second goal with a diving header ten minutes later. Kyziridis, making his Hearts debut, netted himself seven minutes before the break to put the Jambos on easy street, and while the second half was largely underwhelming, centre-half Stuart Findlay scored his second goal in as many games on 80 minutes. 'We did some good stuff, but I'd like us to be better,' said McInnes afterwards. 'I wanted us at half time to set a marker, but I didn't enjoy as much I wanted, but we didn't have any scares. But we've scored 12 goals and are top of the group, so there are a lot of encouraging things.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Chastening day for Dundee Earlier in the day, Steven Pressley suffered a second defeat as Dundee manager as Alloa left their visitors' hopes of Premier Sports Cup progression in ruins. Dundee were on the end of another 1-0 defeat at the Indodrill Stadium after losing their opening game against Airdrie. The decisive moment came midway through the second half when Luke Graham could only turn Steven Buchanan's shot into his own net as he tried to clear in the goalmouth. The result moved Alloa on to nine points at the top of Group C, three ahead of Airdrie with a game more played. It was not a good day for Steven Pressley and Dundee. | SNS Group 'We weren't good enough,' said Pressley afterwards. 'I've talked a lot about how we need reinforcements, but the reality about today is that with the personnel we had on the pitch, we could do much, much better. And that's my responsibility, I take ownership of that. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'I felt we lacked intensity. I think the fitness of certain players needs to improve. And just our decision-making ... on too many occasions we didn't get that right. We have to improve on that, we must move forward.' Mikael Mandron hit a hat-trick as St Mirren started and finished strongly in an 8-2 home win over Annan. St Mirren find their shooting boots Mandron put Saints three up inside nine minutes following Killian Phillips' double but trialist Myles Gaffney pulled two goals back for the visitors before Richard King converted a penalty on the hour mark. Stephen Robinson's side went goal crazy in the final 10 minutes with Mandron completing his treble and Jayden Richardson and Roland Idowu also on target. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Ayr are a point behind Saints with a game in hand in Group D after Curtis Main hit a double in a 4-0 home win over Arbroath. Uche Ikpeazu scored the winner for St Johnstone. | SNS Group Falkirk could not follow up their seven-goal thrashing of Brechin as they were held to a goalless draw by Cove in another trip to the North East. The Bairns gained a penalty shoot-out bonus point but Spartans moved top of Group A with a 2-0 win at Glebe Park. Stephen O'Donnell hit the only goal as Motherwell moved top of Group G with victory over Stenhousemuir at Ochilview. O'Donnell had earlier had a goal disallowed and Callum Slattery hit the bar from a free-kick before the defender converted from a back-post corner four minutes before the break. Livingston bounced back from defeat by Kilmarnock in Group H with a 2-0 home win over Brora Rangers. Danny Wilson opened the scoring with an overhead kick just after the half-hour mark and Zak Rudden headed the second with six minutes left. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad County win in Dumfries Ross County cut the gap on Group B leaders Partick Thistle to two points after Jay Henderson's second-half winner in a 1-0 victory over Queen of the South at Palmerston. East Kilbride moved top of Group F as they followed up their shock triumph over Raith Rovers with a 4-1 win at Elgin with the help of Jack Leitch's first-half double. St Johnstone joined the SPFL newcomers on six points after Uche Ikpeazu's 90th-minute goal – his first for the club – earned a 1-0 win at Inverness.

Morocco's Ayoub Amraoui Leaves Nice to Join Al-Ahli Sports
Morocco's Ayoub Amraoui Leaves Nice to Join Al-Ahli Sports

Morocco World

time3 days ago

  • Sport
  • Morocco World

Morocco's Ayoub Amraoui Leaves Nice to Join Al-Ahli Sports

Rabat – Ayoub Amraoui has officially signed a deal with Qatar's Al-Ahli Sports, coming from OGC Nice, seeking a new challenge far from Ligue 1. The Moroccan international made his senior-team debut in the 2022-23 season, making 12 appearances, before joining SC Amiens on a loan spell in 2024, where he played nine games in League 2. Last season, the 21-year-old joined FC Martigues on loan with no option to buy. He has spent the season with the newly promoted outfit in League 2. Amraoui made a total of 33 appearances with FC Martigues in all competitions, scoring three goals, providing six assists, and ensuring eight clean sheets. He has also played with Morocco at the youth level and won 12 caps with the U23 national team, including the U-23 Africa Cup of Nations. The full-back will now join the Doha-based club, which delivered a good campaign, finishing fourth in the Qatar Stars League last season. Tags: African footballAl Ahli Dubai

Motherwell must 'increase tempo' after 'tricky' start
Motherwell must 'increase tempo' after 'tricky' start

Yahoo

time7 days ago

  • Sport
  • Yahoo

Motherwell must 'increase tempo' after 'tricky' start

Jens Berthel Askou said Motherwell's draw with Clyde in the Premier Sports Cup was an example of how "tricky" football can be. The Aksou era kicked off with a 2-2 draw with the League 2 side, though the Steelmen did secure the bonus point with a penalty shoot-out win. Advertisement "It just shows how tricky football is in general," he the manager told club media. "There'll always be surprises in football, especially in the cup tournaments, there will be things that don't go as expected. "We didn't get the result we wanted, obviously. A few other clubs, as far as I've heard, didn't do that either. "And that's just football in general. You have to be there on the day." James Hilton fired the Bully Wee ahead after just 16 minutes and although a double from Tawanda Maswanhise had the Steelmen in front, Liam Scullion levelled with a header to force penalties. Advertisement "I think in terms of effort and structure, we were good," he added. "In terms of intensity, I think we pressed them with intensity. "Every time we tried to press, they put the ball in behind. I think we should have dealt better with some of their direct play. "That's something to improve on, definitely and then it's about getting the tempo up, but I'm sure that Fir Park will give us the possibility to play at a much higher tempo."

Motherwell must 'increase tempo' after 'tricky' start
Motherwell must 'increase tempo' after 'tricky' start

BBC News

time7 days ago

  • Sport
  • BBC News

Motherwell must 'increase tempo' after 'tricky' start

Jens Berthel Askou said Motherwell's draw with Clyde in the Premier Sports Cup was an example of how "tricky" football can Aksou era kicked off with a 2-2 draw with the League 2 side, though the Steelmen did secure the bonus point with a penalty shoot-out win."It just shows how tricky football is in general," he the manager told club media."There'll always be surprises in football, especially in the cup tournaments, there will be things that don't go as expected."We didn't get the result we wanted, obviously. A few other clubs, as far as I've heard, didn't do that either."And that's just football in general. You have to be there on the day."James Hilton fired the Bully Wee ahead after just 16 minutes and although a double from Tawanda Maswanhise had the Steelmen in front, Liam Scullion levelled with a header to force penalties."I think in terms of effort and structure, we were good," he added. "In terms of intensity, I think we pressed them with intensity."Every time we tried to press, they put the ball in behind. I think we should have dealt better with some of their direct play."That's something to improve on, definitely and then it's about getting the tempo up, but I'm sure that Fir Park will give us the possibility to play at a much higher tempo."

Carlisle turn down place in National League Cup
Carlisle turn down place in National League Cup

BBC News

time08-07-2025

  • Sport
  • BBC News

Carlisle turn down place in National League Cup

Carlisle United have opted not to take up their spot in the National League Cup this discussions between club representatives and supporter groups, the relegated Cumbrians have declined their competition relaunched last season featuring 16 teams from the National League and 16 Under-21 teams playing in Premier League 2, with group stages and then knockout stages from the quarter-finals onwards."The board held discussions internally and reached the view that given the nature of the competition and previous experience in the EFL Trophy, the right choice was not to enter," chief executive Nigel Clibbens told the club's website, season's competition was won by Leeds United's Under-21s who beat Sutton United in the final.

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