Plenty of early front-foot pressing from the hosts.

They win a free-kick in a promising position as Andrew Shinnie is clattered by Jake Girdwood-Reich.

It's deflected out for a corner that's easily caught by Matty Connelly, though.

It remains goalless at Tynecastle then, but that is a huge wake-up call for Hearts.

This game won't be nearly as easy as some predicted.

Owen Elding breaks clear of the visiting defence but the ball gets caught under his feet before his scuffed shot is saved by the legs of Liam McFarlane.

Hibs threaten as a cross from Adam Mayor lands for Jamie McGrath but his shot is blocked well.

Away we go at Easter Road, Tynecastle and Ochilview.

Partick Thistle boss Mark Wilson tells BBC Scotland: "I don't like thinking it's a free hit because I want us to get through but the pressure is on the Premiership side. I know that fine well.

"I've been there plenty of times so it's up to us to make it as tough as possible for a very good Hibs side. I believe we've got the players and energy to do that.

"Last season we showed we can compete at this level but we need to take the next step and that's winning these games. At the top level, in the Premiership, it is ruthless. Hopefully we create a couple of chances, take them and keep things locked out at the back."

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Hibs manager David Gray tells BBC Scotland: "It's a massive opportunity to try and get into the next round of the cup.

"We rotated mostly for freshness. This is a top championship side we're playing against and we need to show exactly why we believe we're a top Premiership side.

"A couple of the changes have been for freshness, but Callum [Wright] had a bit of a spike, missed a lot of pre-season and that was his first start away from home in Europe. We're not taking a risk with him so he misses out mostly through precaution more than anything else, Jordan Obita is the same."

Hearts head coach Wouter Vrancken explains his five changes to BBC Scotland: "It's fatigue, as it was a big game on Thursday. Some guys have a chance to prove themselves, show what they can bring to the team.

"It's always a difficult game when you are the favourite. The opponent has nothing to lose, especially here at Tynecastle. But it's also a good chance to see how players handle these situations, the extra pressure.

"It's all about consistency now. We must show again, that in every game, that we'll go out and try to win."

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Inverness CT manager Scott Kellacher tells BBC Scotland: "We've had a real tough two or three years, so to come back to a stadium like this and be involved in an occasion like this, it shows you how far the club has come.

"It's been hard going but we're making small steps in the right direction. We're really looking forward to it. It's going to be a really difficult game, Hearts are a very good side.

"We need to enjoy the occasion but execute our game plan as best we can. We'll need a little bit of luck today."

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Motherwell manager Alfred Johansson tells BBC Scotland his many team changes "have nothing to do with Thursday" [first leg against Freiburg].

"Today I put the team that I believe is the right one to win the game today," says the Swede.

"There are some guys, whose number of minutes they have played already is beyond dangerous, so I had to choose either last Thursday against Helsinki or today, and I chose today.

"We will do changes in the second half to maintain that core.

"The cups are massive in Scotland, in the UK, much bigger than back home in Scandinavia, and it's something we take massive pride in playing those games.

"We are putting all the respect on the table that we can, which is trying our utmost best to win the game over 90 minutes or more."

Stenhousemuir manager Marvin Bartley tells BBC Scotland: "It's a cup game, in terms of our preparation with the games we've had so far, and being unbeaten, you hope to continue that today.

"We understand we are up against a very, very good Motherwell team, but all we can do is put our best foot forward.

"It's a fantastic game for our players and as a staff as well to challenge ourselves against a really good manager who has come in and kept Motherwell going in the right direction."

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The last meeting between these two was in this tournament back in 2021.

Jamie Walker grabbed the only goal in a win for the Jambos that day.

Hibs and Thistle haven't met since they were top flight rivals in 2017-18 when the Edinburgh side won all three games.

Alex Miller and John Lambie were the managers when they last met in this competition in August 1993. That one was a 2-2 draw at Firhill, with Hibs edging through on penalties.

Motherwell visit Ochilview for the second successive year.

Much has changed since Stephen O'Donnell scored the only goal in what was the third game of the Jens Berthel Askou reign, with 'Well now aiming for group stage European football and Stenny in the Championship for the first time.

Good times for both clubs.

Stenhousemuir manager Marvin Bartley makes two changes to his side from their 2-0 win over Greenock Morton.

Dale Carrick and Callum Penman drop out for Leyton Grant and Andrew Shinnie.

Motherwell make eight changes from the side that beat HJK Helsinki to set up a Conference League play-off tie with Freiburg in the coming week.

Out go Alex Paulsen, John Koutroumbis, Martin Moorman, Emmanuel Longelo, Lukas Fadinger, Oscar Priestman, Alex Lowry, and Regan Charles-Cook.

Matty Connelly, Luca Ross, Jamie Knight-Lebel, Ewan Wilson, Joe Hodge, Olly Whyte, Mikey Booth, and Willy Vogt all come in for Alfred Johansson's side.

Connelly, Ross, Wilson, Whyte and Booth all came through the club's academy, and it is a debut for Vogt.

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Hearts make five changes from the side that drew 1-1 with Benfica on Thursday night, with Blair Spittal dropping to the bench for the first time this season.

Christian Borchgrevink is in at right-back, Tomas Magnusson comes into midfield, and Sabah Kerjota and Rogers Mato are named on the wings. Up top, there's a start for Amadou Ba-Sy.

Oisin McEntee, Claudio Braga, Jordi Altena, Spittal and James McPake are rested.

That means Jamie McCart takes the armband. There's also a first matchday squad appearance this season for Yan Dhanda.

Liam Sole drops out for Caley Thistle in their only change for the trip to the capital.

Paul Allan - no, not the Dorsia-reserving investment banker from American Psycho - comes in to replace him.

This Paul Allan is the former Dunfermline midfielder.

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Hibs make four changes from their 0-0 draw away to Shkendija, with Kanayo Megwa, Jack Iredale, Joe Newell and Jamie McGrath coming in.

Felix Passlack and Miguel Chaiwa are on the bench, while Jordan Obita and Callum Wright are not included.

It will be McGrath's first start of the season, while Nicky Cadden is fit for a place among the subs.

Just one alteration for Partick Thistle as Tony Watt takes over from Alex Samuel up front.

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Hibernian: Sallinger, Megwa, O'Hora, Kerr, Iredale, Mayor, Mulligan, Newell, McGrath, Elding, Lowe.

Substitutes: Smith, Boyle, Chaiwa, Klidje, Cadden, Suto, Passlack, Campbell, Abdulai.

Partick Thistle: McFarlane, McPherson, Loughrey, O'Reilly, Reading, Lets'osa, Smyth, Drozd, Crawford, Fitzpatrick, Watt.

Substitutes: Budinauckas, Logan, Dempsey, Samuel, Ingram, Falconer, Stanway, Miller, Horn