- Peninsula Power are clear favourites with three consecutive clean sheet wins ahead of Friday's cup clash.
- North Star sit mid-to-lower in the QPL 1, one division below Peninsula Power, with around 10-11 points after 12-14 games.
- Peninsula Power have won their previous meetings with North Star, including a 2-0 victory in a friendly in December 2025.
Power to take the cup
Peninsula Power's 2026 season is going swimmingly so far, with Power sitting top of the ladder in NPL Queensland with 32 points from 14 games.
Their recent results, which includes a 4-0 thrashing of Gold Coast United, have come at a time where they have shown great defensive fortitude, keeping multiple clean sheets, while also putting three goals or more on the board.
Aaron Philp's side play a structured, compact game with a high-press and rotate their attackers efficiently while their defence is a compact unit that can vary between a two-line block or a 4-3-3.
Royce Brownlie's North Star have had a mixed bag of results in the last few weeks, with their 2-0 win over Gold Coast United on 26 May seeing them through to the Australia Cup qualifying rounds.
They play a pragmatic, compact system with a preference for the 4-4-2 and build up patiently through a number of midfield overloads while they dictate the tempo.
With a win in the cup to North Star, being a landmark upset that would cap a fantastic season for the club, and a routine win to Peninsula Power, this game could be a tight, tense cup clash.
North Star have been effective in the attacking third in the Australia Cup, but their defensive frailties are still evident in their 1-3 home loss to Brisbane Strikers.
It is difficult to see the hosts being able to outscore a free-flowing Peninsula Power attack on Friday, especially if the rain arrives.
Peninsula Power are a clear favourite with the bookmakers and with short odds for the win and a consensus selection with the multi-tipsters, we can only see one result on the cards.
We will side with the 'Over 2.5 goals' option and an away win in the correct score market, as both teams are capable of scoring with regularity, while an upset or extra time is not out of the question for North Star's Australia Cup momentum.
Peninsula Power's aerial prowess could be key if the pitch is damp and Ethan Kovach and Niyah Joseph could both be key threats in this one.