Scottish Cup
2025-07-19 - Alloa Athletic vs Dundee
A Sports Betting Pick by Auls
Football: Scottish League Cup Group Stage
Saturday 19th July 2025 - Kick Off 3pm
Preview
The appointment of Steven Pressley has given Dundee Football Club a lift, but the manager has admitted that this is a tough job to take on and especially having spent so long away from the sidelines as a manager. Opening up with a very disappointing 0-1 home defeat to Airdrieonians will have stung, but Dundee still have an opportunity to make some noise in this League Cup Group and build some momentum into the new Scottish Premiership season.
The domestic campaign begins in a little over two weeks time and so it does feel like the next three League Cup fixtures are pretty important for Dundee to find some rhythm under their new manager.
Despite the defeat last weekend, the positive for Dundee is that they have faced the 'toughest' of the four fixtures that were handed to them and this squad has a big chance to bounce back. Overlooking an opponent would be a mistake though and especially one in Alloa Athletic that have begun the section with wins over Bonnyrigg Rose and Montrose.
The League One club are hoping to push at least one place higher than last season when missing out on the Play Offs to earn promotion back into the Championship. They made some noise in the League Cup Group Stage last season when Alloa Athletic finished behind St Johnstone with 8 points earned and they are well on the way to surpassing that total and potentially progressing to the Second Round this time around.
Alloa Athletic even beat St Johnstone at home last season, which is something the fans will remember, and so they deserve plenty of respect for a team in transition like Dundee.
A 2-1 win over Montrose has gotten Alloa Athletic moving at home and that does mean they have won half of their last 8 games here in all competitions. However, the other half have all ended in defeats and this Dundee team will arrive having had a full week to prepare and bounce back from the opening defeat.
Dundee reached the Quarter Final of the League Cup last season and have managed to progress to that Round in three of the last four years. However, two seasons ago they were dumped out in the League Cup Group Stage.
They secured some important away wins down the stretch in the Scottish Premiership last season and that helped Dundee avoid a bottom two finish in the Division. There is a quality advantage in favour of Dundee in this fixture and they will also note that they have scored three goals in each of their last 4 visits to Alloa Athletic, while winning 3 of those games by the same 0-3 scoreline.
Prediction
This is still a stage of the season in which teams are just working their way up to full fitness.
For some, like Dundee, it is also a pre-season of change with a new manager at the helm and that can make performing at the right levels even tougher to achieve.
A reaction has to be expected this weekend though, especially after losing at home last weekend.
Respect will have to be given to Alloa Athletic who have won both Group games played this month, but the League One team have yet to face either of the top two teams in the Group. Last season they did upset St Johnstone here, so Dundee will have to be wary, but the Scottish Premiership team may just be a little more focused after losing the opening match.
With a week to prepare, Dundee can be much better on Saturday and earn Steven Pressley his first win of the season.
The Pick :
Alloa Athletic 0-2 Dundee
