Scottish Cup
2025-07-12 - East Fife vs Livingston
A Sports Betting Pick by Auls
Football: Scottish League Cup Group Stage
Saturday 12th July 2025 - Kick Off 3pm
Preview
Six consecutive seasons of playing in the Scottish Premiership came to an end at the conclusion of the 2024 season, but Livingston made sure it was only a one year absence from the top flight.
Play Off wins over Partick Thistle and Ross County has restored Livingston to the top flight and they will be hoping to keep the momentum going through to the start of the new season. The League Cup may not be a big priority for the club, but they have usually made it through to the Second Round.
However, that was not the case for the first time last season when Livingston were upset by The Spartans in the last Group fixture and ended up eliminated behind the League Two club. All Livingston needed was to avoid defeat to The Spartans in the last Group game at home, but they conceded in the 85th minute in a 0-1 defeat.
Fortunately the players did not allow that to impact their season and they will be looking forward to mixing it with the biggest names in Scottish Football. A positive League Cup performance will keep the momentum behind the team having come through those late season Play Off matches in May, and Livingston have played well in these early Cup ties, especially away from home.
They are taking on an opponent who will be feeling pretty good about themselves after East Fife worked their way through Relegation Play Offs of their own to earn promotion to League One. They beat Edinburgh City and Annan Athletic to do that having finished 2nd in League Two, but East Fife know the difficulties of coming out of the League Cup Group Stage while being placed alongside much stronger teams.
Each of the last five League Cup runs have ended in this Round, but East Fife were in the running to progress until the final Group game last season, which ended in a 5-1 loss at St Johnstone. It was more of the same a couple of years ago when losing at Motherwell in the final round robin of fixtures, but East Fife may take encouragement from having the chance to host this Scottish Premiership opponent.
East Fife have won their last 5 competitive home fixtures and they have beaten Livingston in each of the last three meetings.
However, the last of those was in the 2016/17 season when both clubs were playing in League One and there is no doubt the improvement that Livingston have made across the last eight years.
Prediction
This is not going to be an easy game for Livingston against a confident East Fife team that have had some decent home results in the League Cup Group Stage.
It is partly down to the draw with East Fife hosting the 'weaker' teams in the Group at home in the last couple of years, but this is a real test for them.
Livingston's record in the League Cup Group Stage cannot be ignored and they have been very strong when playing away from home.
We may see more of that here with the side expected to come through with a late goal to put a gloss on the final scoreline.
The Pick :
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