- Playford Patriots are the form team of NPL South Australia 2026, currently 3rd on the ladder with 13 points from 6 games (W4 D1 L1) while Adelaide Comets are 11th with 1 point from 6 games.
- Adelaide Comets have lost their first 3 home games of the season.
Patriots out to end hoodoo at Adelaide
Playford Patriots are enjoying a decent start to NPL South Australia 2026, taking 13 points from their first 6 matches to place 3rd in the table, but this Friday’s visitors will face a stern test away at Adelaide Comets who currently occupy 11th with just 1 point from 6 games.
The odds for this game are heavily stacked in favour of the form favourites, Patriots, at 1.67 with Adelaide being an attractive odds-on 3.9 and the draw available at 4.05, and it’s difficult to find a reason to go against the visitors here.
Patriots are playing proactive, high-tempo, attacking football, employing wide players and overlapping fullbacks to stretch their opponents in a 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 shape. The Comets are a more pragmatic outfit, preferring to sit deep, absorb pressure and hit on the break in a slightly more narrow 4-2-3-1 or 4-4-1-1 system.
Patriots to press and progress
With 1 win, 1 draw and 1 loss from their 3 away games so far this season, Playford Patriots are consistent on the road and are scoring plenty of goals. The visitors have scored 6 in 3 away games and with their pressing approach and direct style on the transition, they’ll have a good chance of opening up the Comets’ deep defence on Friday.
The hosts have failed to win at home this season, losing all 3 of their matches at this venue, and have conceded 5 times in that run. Adelaide have lost 4 and drawn 1 of their last 5 in the league (W0), including a 2-2 draw at Croydon Kings and heavy defeats at the hands of Adelaide United Youth and Adelaide City.
Patriots may have to work for a result here and will surely be frustrated by the hosts’ tactic, but with an array of attacking talent and plenty of momentum in the current campaign, the Patriots should have what it takes to finally get their hoodoo-breaking win away at Adelaide.
However, Comets have the psychological edge in this fixture, winning the last 2 head-to-head clashes including a 4-3 thriller here 8 months ago, so we’re going to take the Patriots at a short price and add BTTS - Yes into the mix at 1.44 for an entertaining encounter.
