- 1 Ross County vs Hibernian: ten wins in 13 games for a third-tier side
- 2 Ross County, a winning machine slowed at the worst possible time
- 3 Hibernian, three defeats in their last four matches
- 4 Football prediction Ross County vs Hibernian
- 5 First up, a word on our free predictions
- 6 No commitment from us
- 7 Information changes
- 8 Your responsibility
- 9 Responsible gambling first
- 10 Legal age
- 11 About the images…
Ross County vs Hibernian: ten wins in 13 games for a third-tier side 
Ross County have played 13 competitive matches this season and won 10 of them, with two draws and just one defeat. And yet the club only plays in League One, the third rung of Scottish football.
That mismatch between division and output shapes the whole read on this quarter-final. Hibernian, a Premiership side, arrive with numbers that are a lot less impressive.
David Gray’s team have five wins, two draws and five defeats from 12 games in all competitions. Three of those losses have come in their last four outings.
Kick-off is set for Saturday 12 September at 16:00 Paris time at the Global Energy Stadium in Dingwall. A place in the Premier Sports Cup semi-finals is on the line over 90 minutes.
Ross County reached this stage by seeing off Dunfermline 2-1, while Hibernian got past Partick Thistle 1-0 in the second round. Neither run has exactly sparkled, which makes today’s balance of power look even less straightforward.
Stuart Kettlewell, back in charge since December 2025, comes into this one with a team in rhythm. Gray, by contrast, is still trying to find the right blend after a stop-start beginning to the season.
Recent history in Dingwall only makes life harder for the visitors. Hibernian are now five trips without a win at the Staggies, with defeat tucked into that run as well.
The memory of 2016 also hangs over the fixture. Ross County claimed their only major trophy by beating Hibernian 2-1 in the final of this same League Cup. No wonder this one has more bite than the league standings suggest.
Ross County, a winning machine slowed at the worst possible time 
Ten wins, two draws and one defeat from 13 matches: Ross County’s record since the summer leaves no room for argument. One of those draws was even turned into a penalty shootout win.
That consistency starts with Stuart Kettlewell, who returned to the dugout in December 2025 for a second spell. His summer work gave the squad a proper launchpad.
The attack has matched the numbers. Four against Banks O’Dee, four more at East Kilbride, three at Airdrieonians: the Staggies have got into the habit of killing games early.
Their League Cup run has followed the same pattern. Four wins and a draw came before this quarter-final, with the draw converted into a penalty shootout success.
The 2-1 win over Dunfermline booked this tie. Ross County have not lost in the competition since August.
The run did finally end in the ugliest way possible against Aberdeen’s reserves. Ross County had just levelled at 3-3 through Luke McCarvel when Joseph Teasdale struck the winner in the 94th minute.
Kettlewell is expected to bring back the regulars he rested that night. Brian Graham, Jamie Lindsay and Adam Emslie all started on the bench and should be in the XI.
The centre-back pairing of Lewis Reid and Akil Wright should stay intact in front of Bradley Foster, who returns in goal. If the hosts are going to stand up to the pressure, it’ll be on that defensive base.
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Hibernian, three defeats in their last four matches 
Hibernian have lost three of their last four competitive games. The form line is the exact opposite of their opponents’.
That slide began with Conference League playoff elimination against Gent. After a 0-0 draw in Belgium, the Scots lost 3-2 at Easter Road.
The league then kept the wobble going. A 2-1 win at Dundee was followed by a 3-1 derby defeat to Hearts, then a 2-1 loss at St Johnstone.
Across 12 matches in all competitions, the record stands at five wins, two draws and five defeats. For a club aiming at the upper reaches of the Premiership, that is not good enough.
Nathan Lowe did at least open his league account at St Johnstone. The striker should keep his place leading the line on Saturday.
David Gray also has two absences to deal with. Rocky Bushiri is out with an Achilles injury and Jordan Obita remains a doubt.
The European schedule has taken its toll too. The two-legged playoff against Gent was followed by three Premiership matches in 10 days.
Progress in the League Cup is still the only real bright spot. The 1-0 win over Partick Thistle in round two came by a single goal.
Ross County likely XI: Foster ; Smith, Wright, Reid, Strapp ; Randall, Lindsay ; Chin, McCarvel, Emslie ; Graham
Hibernian likely XI: Sallinger ; Passlack, Kerr, Hanley, Mayor ; Boyle, Mulligan, Devaney, Chaiwa, McGrath ; Lowe
Football prediction Ross County vs Hibernian
Our prediction: Hibernian to win
Two divisions separate these sides, and the gap shows up most in squad depth over 90 minutes. Ross County have built their run against East Kilbride, Banks O’Dee and Airdrieonians, opponents nowhere near today’s standard.
The Staggies’ only real test ended in a 4-3 defeat to Aberdeen’s reserves, with three goals shipped. Hibernian have enough quality up front to punish that kind of fragility, starting with Nathan Lowe, who scored last time out.
The visitors are in a rough patch, no question, but it has come against Gent, Hearts and St Johnstone, not a third-tier side. Hibernian should get through and book a semi-final place.
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