2018–19 Scottish League Cup group stage

2018–19 Scottish League Cup (Group Stage)
Country Scotland
Dates 14 July 2018 – 28 July 2018
Teams 40
Matches played 64
Goals scored 175 (2.73 per match)
Top goal scorer(s) Stephen Dobbie
Lawrence Shankland
(7 goals)
2019–20 →
All statistics correct as of 25 July 2018.

The 2018–19 Scottish League Cup group stage was played from 14–28 July 2018. A total of 40 teams competed in the group stage. The winners of each of the eight groups, as well as the four best runners-up progressed to the second round (last 16) of the 2018–19 Scottish League Cup.

Format

The group stage consisted of eight groups of five teams. The four clubs competing in the Champions League (Celtic) and Europa League (Aberdeen, Hibernian and Rangers) qualifying rounds were given a bye through to the second round. The 40 teams competing in the group stage consisted of the other eight teams that competed in the 2017–18 Scottish Premiership, and all of the teams that competed in the 2017–18 Scottish Championship, 2017–18 Scottish League One and 2017–18 Scottish League Two, as well as the 2017–18 Highland Football League and the 2017–18 Lowland Football League champions. The teams were divided into two sections – North and South – with each section containing four top seeds, four second seeds and twelve unseeded teams. Each section was then drawn into four groups with each comprising one top seed, one second seed and three unseeded teams. The winners of each of the eight groups, as well as the four best runners-up progressed to the second round (last 16), which included the four UEFA qualifying clubs. At this stage, the competition reverted to the traditional knock-out format. The four group winners with the highest points total and the clubs entering at this stage were seeded, with the four group winners with the lowest points unseeded along with the four best runners-up.

The draw for the group stages took place on 25 May 2018 and was broadcast live on BT Sport 2.[1] Seedings for the draw were confirmed two days in advance.[2]

Teams

North

Seeding

Teams in Bold qualified for the second round

Top seeds Second seeds Unseeded

01. Heart of Midlothian
02. St Johnstone
03. Dundee
04. Ross County

09. Dundee United
10. Dunfermline Athletic
11. Inverness CT
12. Falkirk

South

Seeding

Teams in Bold qualified for the second round

Top seeds Second seeds Unseeded

05. Kilmarnock
06. Motherwell
07. Hamilton Academical
08. Partick Thistle

13. St Mirren
14. Livingston
15. Queen of the South
16. Greenock Morton

North

Group A

Pos Team Pld W PW PL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification ROS ARB ALO DUN ELG
1 Ross County (Q) 4 3 0 0 1 6 4 +2 9 Qualification for the Second Round — — — 1–0 2–0
2 Arbroath (X) 4 2 1 0 1 9 6 +3 8 Possible Second Round 4–1 — — — 2–0
3 Alloa Athletic 4 2 1 0 1 8 5 +3 8 0–2 4–2 — — —
4 Dundee United 4 1 0 2 1 6 3 +3 5 — 1–1p 1–1p — —
5 Elgin City 4 0 0 0 4 0 11 −11 0 — — 0–3 0–4 —
Source: [3]
Rules for classification: 1) goal difference, 2) goals scored, 3) away goals scored, 4) matches won, 5) away matches won, 6) drawing of lots.[4]
(Q) Qualified; (X) Advances to best runners-up.

Matches

Group B

Pos Team Pld W PW PL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification STJ FAL MON FOR EFI
1 St Johnstone (Q) 4 3 1 0 0 5 1 +4 11 Qualification for the Second Round — 1–0 — — p0–0
2 Falkirk (X) 4 2 0 0 2 4 3 +1 6 Possible Second Round — — 0–1 2–0 —
3 Montrose 4 2 0 0 2 3 4 −1 6 0–1 — — — 1–0
4 Forfar Athletic 4 1 1 0 2 5 7 −2 5 1–3 — 3–1 — —
5 East Fife 4 0 0 2 2 2 4 −2 2 — 1–2 — 1–1p —
Source: [5]
Rules for classification: 1) goal difference, 2) goals scored, 3) away goals scored, 4) matches won, 5) away matches won, 6) drawing of lots.[6]
(Q) Qualified; (X) Advances to best runners-up.

Matches

Group C

Pos Team Pld W PW PL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification HOM INV COW COV RAI
1 Heart of Midlothian[lower-alpha 1] (Q) 4 3 1 0 0 13 2 +11 9 Qualification for the Second Round — 5–0 5–0 — —
2 Inverness Caledonian Thistle (X) 4 3 0 0 1 9 8 +1 9 Possible Second Round — — — 2–0 2–1
3 Cowdenbeath 4 2 0 0 2 5 10 −5 6 — 2–5 — 1–0 —
4 Cove Rangers 4 1 0 0 3 3 5 −2 3 1–2 — — — 2–0
5 Raith Rovers 4 0 0 1 3 2 7 −5 1 1–1p — 0–2 — —
Source: [8]
Rules for classification: 1) goal difference, 2) goals scored, 3) away goals scored, 4) matches won, 5) away matches won, 6) drawing of lots.[9]
(Q) Qualified; (X) Advances to best runners-up.
Notes:
  1. ↑ Heart of Midlothian were deducted two points for fielding an ineligible player against Cove Rangers on 18 July 2018.[7]

Matches

Group D

Pos Team Pld W PW PL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification DNF DND BRE STI PET
1 Dunfermline Athletic (Q) 4 4 0 0 0 14 2 +12 12 Qualification for the Second Round — — — 3–1 3–0
2 Dundee (X) 4 3 0 0 1 8 1 +7 9 Possible Second Round 0–1 — 2–0 — —
3 Brechin City 4 1 0 1 2 3 10 −7 4 1–7 — — — 0–0p
4 Stirling Albion 4 1 0 0 3 4 9 −5 3 — 0–4 1–2 — —
5 Peterhead 4 0 1 0 3 0 7 −7 2 — 0–2 — 0–2 —
Source: [10]
Rules for classification: 1) goal difference, 2) goals scored, 3) away goals scored, 4) matches won, 5) away matches won, 6) drawing of lots.[11]
(Q) Qualified; (X) Advances to best runners-up.

Matches

South

Group E

Pos Team Pld W PW PL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification AYR PAR GMO STE ALB
1 Ayr United (Q) 4 4 0 0 0 12 1 +11 12 Qualification for the Second Round — — 3–1 5–0 —
2 Partick Thistle (X) 4 3 0 0 1 6 3 +3 9 Possible Second Round 0–2 — 2–1 — —
3 Greenock Morton 4 2 0 0 2 9 5 +4 6 — — — 2–0 5–0
4 Stenhousemuir 4 1 0 0 3 4 9 −5 3 — 0–2 — — 4–0
5 Albion Rovers 4 0 0 0 4 0 13 −13 0 0–2 0–2 — — —
Source: [12]
Rules for classification: 1) goal difference, 2) goals scored, 3) away goals scored, 4) matches won, 5) away matches won, 6) drawing of lots.[13]
(Q) Qualified; (X) Advances to best runners-up.

Matches

Group F

Pos Team Pld W PW PL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification LIV AIR HAM ANN BER
1 Livingston (Q) 4 3 1 0 0 5 1 +4 11 Qualification for the Second Round — — — 1–0 2–0
2 Airdrieonians (X) 4 2 0 1 1 9 4 +5 7 Possible Second Round 1–2 — — 4–1 —
3 Hamilton Academical 4 1 1 1 1 5 2 +3 6 0–0p p1–1 — — —
4 Annan Athletic 4 2 0 0 2 6 5 +1 6 — — 1–0 — 4–0
5 Berwick Rangers 4 0 0 0 4 0 10 −10 0 — 0–3 0–4 — —
Source: [14]
Rules for classification: 1) goal difference, 2) goals scored, 3) away goals scored, 4) matches won, 5) away matches won, 6) drawing of lots.[15]
(Q) Qualified; (X) Advances to best runners-up.

Matches

Group G

Pos Team Pld W PW PL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification MOT QOS EDC CLY STR
1 Motherwell (Q) 4 3 0 1 0 11 2 +9 10 Qualification for the Second Round — 2–0 5–0 — —
2 Queen of the South (X) 4 3 0 0 1 12 5 +7 9 Possible Second Round — — — 3–0 5–3
3 Edinburgh City 4 1 1 0 2 5 12 −7 5 — 0–4 — — 4–2
4 Clyde 4 1 0 1 2 5 8 −3 4 1–3 — 1–1p — —
5 Stranraer 4 0 1 0 3 7 13 −6 2 p1–1 — — 1–3 —
Source: [16]
Rules for classification: 1) goal difference, 2) goals scored, 3) away goals scored, 4) matches won, 5) away matches won, 6) drawing of lots.[17]
(Q) Qualified; (X) Advances to best runners-up.

Matches

Group H

Pos Team Pld W PW PL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification KIL STM DUM QPA SPA
1 Kilmarnock (Q) 4 3 0 1 0 9 2 +7 10 Qualification for the Second Round — 0–0p — 2–0 —
2 St Mirren (X) 4 1 3 0 0 8 2 +6 9 Possible Second Round — — 6–0 — p2–2
3 Dumbarton 4 1 1 0 2 3 10 −7 5 2–4 — — 1–0 —
4 Queen's Park 4 1 0 1 2 2 4 −2 4 — 0–0p — — 2–1
5 Spartans 4 0 0 2 2 3 7 −4 2 0–3 — 0–0p — —
Source: [18]
Rules for classification: 1) goal difference, 2) goals scored, 3) away goals scored, 4) matches won, 5) away matches won, 6) drawing of lots.[19]
(Q) Qualified; (X) Advances to best runners-up.

Matches

Best runners-up

Pos Grp Team Pld W PW PL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 G Queen of the South (Q) 4 3 0 0 1 12 5 +7 9 Qualification for the Second Round
2 D Dundee (Q) 4 3 0 0 1 8 1 +7 9
3 H St Mirren (Q) 4 1 3 0 0 8 2 +6 9
4 E Partick Thistle (Q) 4 3 0 0 1 6 3 +3 9
5 C Inverness Caledonian Thistle 4 3 0 0 1 9 8 +1 9
6 A Arbroath 4 2 1 0 1 9 6 +3 8
7 F Airdrieonians 4 2 0 1 1 9 4 +5 7
8 B Falkirk 4 2 0 0 2 4 3 +1 6
Source: [20]
Rules for classification: 1) goal difference, 2) goals scored, 3) away goals scored, 4) matches won, 5) away matches won, 6) drawing of lots.[21]
(Q) Qualified.

Qualified teams

Team Qualified as Qualified on Notes
Ross County Group A Winner
St Johnstone Group B Winner Seeded in Round 2 draw
Heart of Midlothian Group C Winner
Dunfermline Athletic Group D Winner Seeded in Round 2 draw
Ayr United Group E Winner Seeded in Round 2 draw
Livingston Group F Winner Seeded in Round 2 draw
Motherwell Group G Winner
Kilmarnock Group H Winner
Queen of the South Best 4 Runners Up
Dundee Best 4 Runners Up
St Mirren Best 4 Runners Up
Partick Thistle Best 4 Runners Up

Top goalscorers

As of matches played on 29 July 2018
Rank Player Club Goals
1 Scotland Lawrence Shankland Ayr United 7
Scotland Stephen Dobbie Queen of the South
3 Scotland Jordyn Sheerin Cowdenbeath 4
England Myles Hippolyte Dunfermline Athletic
Scotland Kris Boyd Kilmarnock
6 15 players 3

References

  1. ↑ "Date set for Betfred Cup draw". SPFL. 14 May 2018. Retrieved 14 May 2018.
  2. ↑ "Betfred Cup draw: seedings & numbers". SPFL. 23 May 2018. Retrieved 23 May 2018.
  3. ↑ "Tables". SPFL. Retrieved 15 June 2017.
  4. ↑ "Format". SPFL. Retrieved 15 June 2017.
  5. ↑ "Tables". SPFL. Retrieved 15 June 2017.
  6. ↑ "Format". SPFL. Retrieved 15 June 2017.
  7. ↑ "Hearts sanctioned at SPFL hearing". SPFL. 23 July 2018. Retrieved 23 July 2018.
  8. ↑ "Tables". SPFL. Retrieved 15 June 2017.
  9. ↑ "Format". SPFL. Retrieved 15 June 2017.
  10. ↑ "Tables". SPFL. Retrieved 15 June 2017.
  11. ↑ "Format". SPFL. Retrieved 15 June 2017.
  12. ↑ "Tables". SPFL. Retrieved 15 June 2017.
  13. ↑ "Format". SPFL. Retrieved 15 June 2017.
  14. ↑ "Tables". SPFL. Retrieved 15 June 2017.
  15. ↑ "Format". SPFL. Retrieved 15 June 2017.
  16. ↑ "Tables". SPFL. Retrieved 15 June 2017.
  17. ↑ "Format". SPFL. Retrieved 15 June 2017.
  18. ↑ "Tables". SPFL. Retrieved 4 June 2018.
  19. ↑ "Format". SPFL. Retrieved 4 June 2018.
  20. ↑ "Tables". SPFL. Retrieved 15 June 2017.
  21. ↑ "Format". SPFL. Retrieved 15 June 2017.
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