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Dundee are the only side to have secured qualification so far
There are still 10 qualifying places up for grabs as the Premier Sports Cup group stage enters its final round of fixtures this weekend.
Only Dundee have so far booked their spot in the last 16, where European qualifiers Celtic, Rangers, Heart of Midlothian, Kilmarnock and St Mirren will await in Sunday’s draw.
Seven other group winners and three best runners-up will join them, with East Fife, Airdrieonians and Partick Thistle leading the second-placed sides and Dundee United and St Johnstone the worst-placed of six Premiership sides who could yet miss out.
Only one of the groups is capable of producing a runner-up with more than nine points – and the Fifers would need to win away to Saints to do that – so plenty of teams will be desperately trying to improve their goal difference.
Here is the state of play across the eight groups…
Group A
Top-flight Aberdeen just need a point at home to Dumbarton to secure top spot but cannot afford a defeat considering second-top Airdrieonians currently have the same goal difference.
The Championship team, who currently have the best goal difference of all the second-placed sides, and League 1 visitors Queen of the South can both match the Dons’ current nine points with a victory.
Group B
Dundee United sit top with nine points but have already played their four games and could drop to third come Saturday evening.
League 1 champions Falkirk and second-tier rivals Ayr United both have six points and any win for the Bairns at home to local rivals Stenhousemuir would take them above Jim Goodwin’s side.
Scott Brown’s Ayr need to win by three goals at home to Highland League champions Buckie Thistle to move above United and would need to out-score Falkirk by three goals to top the group if John McGlynn’s team also win.
Group C
Hibernian remained top in midweek after League 1 side Kelty Hearts failed to follow up their shock win over David Gray’s Premiership side when they lost to fourth-tier Peterhead.
The Blue Toon and Queen’s Park are also on six points, but Hibs have the clear advantage on goal difference ahead of Peterhead’s visit to Easter Road.
Championship side Queen’s Park will be hoping Hibs slip up as they host Kelty, while second spot might also allow them through.
Group D
Dundee have already won the group ahead of facing Inverness Caledonian Thistle at the Premiership side’s temporary Glebe Park home – and none of their group opponents can join them in the second round.
Group E
Forfar Athletic have been handed a 3-0 win after Cove Rangers were sanctioned for fielding a suspended player in two group games, but it has not altered the fact that Livingston and The Spartans will face off for top spot in West Lothian.
David Martindale’s Championship side have nine points and only need to draw, but an unlikely win for the League 2 visitors will take them through instead on goal difference.
Cove had played striker Grady McGrath, who had a two-match suspension from his time with Brechin City, in their 5-0 defeat by Spartans and a 1-1 draw with Forfar, who then took the penalty shoot-out bonus point.
The altered result means Forfar are now level with Spartans, but the Angus side have already played all four games.
Meanwhile, Cove were also fined £1000, £750 of it suspended until next June.
Group F
St Johnstone sit third after their midweek defeat by League 2 hosts Alloa Athletic, but Craig Levein’s Premiership side could still top the group.
They will need to beat League 2 visitors East Fife, who are a point ahead, and hope leaders Alloa do not beat Greenock Morton or claim a penalty shoot-out bonus point after a draw.
A win would take the Fifers through even if they finish second.
Group G
Clyde will top the table on Saturday night if they beat League 1 visitors Montrose, but the League 2 side will then have to wait to see how current group leaders Motherwell fare on Sunday.
If Ian McCall’s side win, top-flight Well will need at least two points when they host Partick Thistle to top the group, but if the Championship visitors secure the three points, it could come down to goal difference between them and Clyde.
Group H
Ross County only need a point at home to League 2 visitors Stirling Albion to finish on top.
If the Premiership side suffer a surprise defeat, Raith Rovers would win the group with a home win over Championship rivals Hamilton Academical. That victory might need to be by a few goals if the Kirkcaldy side are to go through as runners-up.
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