Hibs Cup goal hero 'dreaming' of trophy joy at Hampden as strike pairing with club record signing assessed
Highland win put Hibs into first semi-final in three years - so can they go all the way?
Cup goal hero Ante Suto admits Hibs players are already dreaming about the club’s first Hampden semi-final since 2023. And the striker, who bagged the crucial third in Saturday’s 3-0 quarter-final win over Ross County in Dingwall, says having David Gray as gaffer provides an extra level of motivation as the current team look to emulate their manager’s finest hour in football.
Victory in the Highlands put Hibs into the last four of the Premier Sports Cup, with the semis on the weekend of October 31 and November 1. They’ve not played in a national semi-final since season 2023-24, when they reached the same stage of the then-Viaplay Cup.
Suto inspired by gaffer’s glory moment
Gray, who famously lifted the Scottish Cup as Hibs captain in 2016, consistently talks to his team about the lure of lifting silverware. And the message is getting through.
“Everyone dreams of the trophy,” said Suto. “It would be a big thing for us, for the club and we'll try our best to win it. Of course, I want to win everything. We'll try our best.
“He (the manager) always says enjoy these moments because you never know if it's going to happen again. So I think, if we win it, we're going to for sure enjoy it.”
Beaten opponents ‘not a League One team’
Asked if players were already talking about their trip to the national stadium in the wake of the win in Dingwall, Croatian-born Socceroos hopeful Suto revealed: “Of course. We were talking before the game as well. We knew how big of a game this was.
“I'll be honest, this Ross County team is not a League One team. They should play in a higher league because they were very good. It's always tough in these cup games.
“When you come in, they're playing in front of the home crowd. They have nothing to lose, so all the pressure is on us. But yeah, we were calm.
“We set the tempo from the start. We showed we are a better team. We showed why we were favourites. It was a team effort.
“We could have scored more, I could have scored more, but job done and we're through to the semi-final. I always had confidence. You miss one, you score the other one. It's like that.”
Suto and club record signing Thibault Klidje were given a first real outing as a strike partnership, with Gray mixing up his starting XI – and seeing the gamble pay immediate dividends with a blistering start, Hibs going two up within 15 minutes and adding a third before the break.
Klidje’s opener – his first Hibs goal since December – was a source of obvious joy among his team-mates, Suto saying: “I mean, we as a team are pleased for everyone Whoever scores, we are happy. Today it was him, me and Adam (Mayor). We are all happy for everyone.
“I mean, I can play with everyone, so whoever plays, we know each other well. We are together for a few months now. Yeah, I like to play with Thibaut.
“But my first thought is not to score goals. It's to help the team. When you do all these things, goals come. So yeah, no pressure. When I'm playing, I'm enjoying myself.”