Scottish Cup
2025-07-26 - Airdieonians vs Alloa Athletic
A Sports Betting Pick by Auls
Football: Scottish League Cup Group Stage
Saturday 26th July 2025 - Kick Off 3pm
Preview
After taking over this League Cup Group from Seed Dundee, who have been beaten by both Airdrieonians and Alloa Athletic, these two clubs meet in what is a decider for top spot and guaranteed progression into the Second Round.
All three League Cup Group fixtures have been won by both Airdrieonians and Alloa Athletic and so they are in a position where they may even secure one of the best Runners Up spots. However, the goal difference is not one that can guarantee that place for a losing team and some may feel that a draw would suit both parties.
10 points should be good enough to progress and it does raise one or two doubts, but Scottish League action is getting underway next week and there should be plenty of motivation for both Airdrieonians and Alloa Athletic to win this game and head into the season behind a perfect record.
It is Scottish Championship Airdrieonians who will be hosting this final Group game and they did end this Stage with a 100% record two years ago. Two second half goals were enough to get the better of Montrose on Wednesday and the momentum is with the higher Division club.
Airdrieonians did beat the likes of Stenhousemuir and Cove Rangers in their Relegation Play Off last season, which shows they are capable of handling League One opponents. Those performances along with the start made to this campaign means Airdrieonians are unbeaten in 7 games in all competitions and they have won 6 of those fixtures.
Credit has to be given to Alloa Athletic for putting some solid form of their own on the board either side of the off-season and they have won 6 of their last 8 games in all competitions. The side have suffered a single defeat in that run, although that was in Alloa Athletic's last away game of last season at Kelty Hearts.
Their sole away game in this Group has been at Bonnyrigg Rose and Alloa Athletic were able to hold onto an early lead taken.
This time they are facing a much tougher opponent and in the 2022/23 season Airdrieonians and Alloa Athletic were in the same Division. In that League One season, Airdrieonians won 3 of the 4 League games played, including both here, and they have now beaten Alloa Athletic in 4 straight home games.
However, that run began after losing a home League Cup tie against Alloa Athletic in October 2020.
Prediction
There is a slight concern that the two teams could end up settling for a point if the game is level with the belief that 10 points would be enough for both to progress into the League Cup Second Round.
However, the qualities of the home team may shine through before that and Airdrieonians have won all four League Cup ties just two years ago.
They will likely push to keep the momentum behind them before the Scottish Championship begins next week and Airdrieonians should have enough about them to edge past an Alloa Athletic team that have done very well to get up to 9 points after three wins in this section.
Two of those have been at home though and Alloa Athletic have a pretty big gap to bridge if they are to avoid a fifth straight defeat when visiting this part of Airdrie.
The Pick :
Airdrieonians 2-1 Alloa Athletic
