On Sunday, fans of Hearts and Hibernian will make the same journey to Hampden but the Edinburgh rivals have been on different paths so far this season. Hearts sold out their initial allocation for the Premier Sports Cup semi-final in three days, then snapped up a second wave to take their numbers over 23,000. That a few seats will be empty at the other end of the national stadium signals a degree of trepidation among followers of Hibs.
Still, more than 18,000 will be there to cheer on the team sitting second bottom of the Premiership, having taken a mere two points from their past eight outings. Hearts lie third and enjoyed their third successive derby victory in early September. Hearts can also boast a 100% record in derbies played at Hampden, all coming in the Scottish Cup.
The teams have been going at it since Christmas Day 1875 but had to wait until 2006 for a first meeting in Glasgow's Southside. Paul Hartley scored a hat-trick in a 4-0 semi-final triumph, while Hibs had two players sent off. Then came the 2012 final, a 5-1 demolition, with a double from Rudi Skacel and a red card for the losers.
The past two contests were closer, Hearts prevailing 2-1 each time in the semi-finals of 2020 and 2022, with yet another Hibs dismissal in the latter to go with the pain of a missed penalty in the former. Premier Sports Cup semi-final: Hearts v Hibernian Live commentary on BBC Radio Scotland, follow the action on BBC Sport app and website. Reedijk denied first Hibs win by late St Mirren leveller This is a first competitive match between managers that were on track to meet in the Belgian top flight this season before stepping away.
Wouter Vrancken steered Sint-Truiden to third, their best finish in 60 years, while Marink Reedijk enjoyed a remarkable 'invincibles' second tier title success with Beveren. Reedijk is still waiting for his first Hibs victory, a drab draw at St Mirren on Wednesday following three defeats for the Dutchman who replaced David Gray and has set about implementing a new style at Easter Road. While the structure is evolving, Hibs remain defensively fragile, without a league clean sheet, and have been blunt in attack.
In Reedijk's first game, Hibs had four efforts on target, then three, then two, while the goal at St Mirren came from the only one. In their past four domestic outings, Hearts have had 22 attempts on target and that includes a 7-1 mauling at Celtic. Vrancken's side have 24 league goals to Hibs' 11, three of those coming at Easter Road when they completely bossed the first half, showing far greater energy and intensity than the hosts.
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