Scottish Cup quarter-finals: What to look out for & how to follow on the BBC
- Published
Rangers, who host Raith Rovers on Sunday, are looking to retain the Scottish Cup
Attention turns to the Scottish Cup this weekend as the competition reaches the quarter-final stage.
Inverness Caledonian Thistle and Kilmarnock kick off the action on Friday night before the remaining three ties take place over Saturday, Sunday and Monday.
Can Celtic keep their hopes of a treble alive in the tie of the round at Tynecastle? Why is Raith Rovers' visit to Ibrox so significant for Rangers manager Michael Beale? And who should you be keeping a close eye on when Ayr United travel to Falkirk?
Tie of the round - Hearts v Celtic
Just three days after facing off in Glasgow, Hearts and Celtic go at it again on Saturday (12:15 GMT). This time, it's in the capital.
Wednesday's 3-1 victory was Ange Postecoglou's 100th game in charge of the current Premiership leaders, but the Australian's first domestic match will be in the Celtic manager's mind when his side make the trip along the M8.
That game, a 2-1 win for Robbie Neilson's men on the opening day of last season, is the only Hearts victory in the last 17 meetings between the sides.
However, that match, plus last October's seven-goal thriller - which Celtic won 4-3 - will serve as a warning for Postecoglou. Hearts also gave Celtic a scare on Wednesday by taking a first-half lead and making life difficult for the hosts.
The last time the pair met in the Scottish Cup provided arguably one of the competition's greatest finals, despite being played behind closed doors at Hampden. A pulsating 3-3 draw ended with Celtic winning the trophy on penalties, sealing a historic fourth straight treble.
More goal-laden drama at Tynecastle on Saturday will do nicely.
Watch the highlights as Celtic beat Hearts
Why Sunday is significant for Beale
It has been a while since a Rangers game against lower-league opposition was hyped with such magnitude.
Following last month's Viaplay Cup final defeat to Celtic, who lead the Premiership by nine points, retaining the Scottish Cup is now the Ibrox club's most realistic chance of silverware this term.
Despite being appointed mid-season, there is still an expectancy on Beale to deliver a trophy this campaign. Not only is that driven by the club's and fans' demands, but lifting the Scottish Cup in June would guarantee Celtic do not complete a domestic treble.
To reach Hampden for the third time this season and move another step closer to retaining the cup, Rangers will have to navigate past a Raith side who have already dumped out top-flight opposition.
Ian Murray's men, who sit seventh in the Championship, dispatched Motherwell 3-1 to set up their quarter-final at Ibrox, but travel to Govan on a stuttering run of form.
The visitors will take inspiration from Partick Thistle's efforts in the previous round, though, after Rangers had to come from behind to earn a 3-2 win against the Championship club.
Player to watch - Dipo Akinyemi
Ayr boss Lee Bullen hailed Dipo Akinyemi as the "find of the season" on Wednesday night. No wonder. The 25-year-old, who signed from Welling United last summer, scored his 20th goal of the campaign in Ayr's midweek win at Morton.
John McGlynn's Falkirk defence will have to keep a close eye on the striker, who also has 10 assists this term, totalling a mightily impressive tally of 30 goal contributions in 34 games.
Goals dried up slightly for the forward, who failed to score in seven league games throughout January and February, but two strikes in his last two outings has Akinyemi back on form as the former Stevenage man looks to fire Ayr to a first Scottish Cup semi-final in 21 years.
"It's a hell of a return for a lad that was playing non-league football last year," Bullen added. "It's all credit to him for taking the opportunity - and the chance - to come up here and prove himself.
"He has a very big future in front of him and we're just delighted with the impact he's having here."
How to follow the action on the BBC
Inverness CT v Kilmarnock (Friday, 10 March) - watch live on Sportscene on BBC Scotland channel from 19:30
Hearts v Celtic (Saturday, 11 March) - listen to Sportsound on BBC Radio Scotland Extra from 11:30 GMT
Rangers v Raith Rovers (Sunday, 12 March) - listen to Sportsound on BBC Radio Scotland from 12:00
Falkirk v Ayr United (Monday, 13 March) - watch live on Sportscene on BBC Scotland channel from 19:30
Follow live text commentary of all last-eight ties on BBC Sport website & app
Highlights of all the action on Sportscene on Saturday (19:30, BBC Scotland) and Sunday (19:15, BBC Scotland)