St Mirren progressed to the quarter-finals of the Premier Sports Cup as Hearts’ perfect start to the domestic campaign came shuddering to a halt with a 5-4 penalty shootout defeat in Paisley.
The Jambos had won their previous 10 matches in all competitions, including each of their six outings this season under recently appointed boss Derek McInnes.
But their momentum was halted – and their long wait for a first League Cup triumph since 1962 extended – as the Buddies prevailed in the shootout following a 1-1 draw in which Oisin McEntee’s 78th-minute equaliser cancelled out Alex Gogic’s first-half opener for the hosts.
Hearts forward Claudio Braga was the only one of the 10 penalty takers who failed to score after his kick was saved by Shamal George.
The victory served as a form of revenge for Saints after they lost a similarly hard-fought Scottish Cup tie at home to the Jambos on spot-kicks in February.
Buddies boss Stephen Robinson – fresh from agreeing a contract extension until 2028 – made one change to the Saints side that started the goalless draw at home to Motherwell as Jonah Ayunga replaced Roland Idowu in attack.
There were three changes to the Hearts team that kicked off the 3-2 win at Dundee United, with Blair Spittal, Alan Forrest and Braga dropping to the bench. Alexandros Kyziridis was drafted in alongside Tomas Bent Magnusson, who was handed his first start, and debutant Pierre Landry Kabore.
Saints made a strong start and Zander Clark had to make good saves to deny Mikael Mandron and Killian Phillips in the opening half hour.
The visitors’ first notable attempt came in the 31st minute when Craig Halkett headed over from Harry Milne’s corner.
Saints deservedly went ahead three minutes later when Phillips rolled a free-kick to his right to Declan John, who whipped in an inswinging left-footed cross and Gogic got himself free in the box to blast home an acrobatic volley from seven yards out.
Hearts defender Stuart Findlay headed over from Kyziridis’ corner in first-half stoppage time, but the Edinburgh side had struggled for most of the half and it came as little surprise to see McInnes make a triple change for the start of the second half. Summer signings Magnusson, Kabore and Kyziridis were all hooked, with Braga, Beni Baningime and Elton Kabangu sent on.
After Clark got down to save another Phillips strike from just outside the box in the 49th minute, the Jambos started to grow into the game, with Kabangu, Lawrence Shankland and Milne all threatening from headers, and Braga going close twice.
The equaliser came with 12 minutes remaining when McEntee powered home a header from Milne’s corner to maintain Hearts’ trend of scoring from a set-piece in every match they have played this term. Ultimately, it proved futile as George’s penalty save sent the Buddies through to the last eight.
