Claudio Braga scored twice in the second half, securing a 3-0 victory for Hearts against Kilmarnock at Rugby Park. This win extends Hearts' lead to five points at the top of the William Hill Premiership standings. Craig Halkett opened the scoring, netting his third goal in as many games, while Portuguese striker Braga added two more around the 60th minute, marking the team's fifth consecutive win. Hearts also recorded their fourth straight clean sheet and will face champions Celtic at Tynecastle in the next round. Kilmarnock, starting the day in third place, had to make a forced change with former Chelsea goalkeeper Eddie Beach debuting due to a health issue with Max Stryjek.