- South Melbourne FC are the underdog to win in this A-League vs NPL cup clash at 3.58.
- Adelaide United FC's most recent result was an away win over Melbourne City FC 2-1.
Cup clashes are unpredictable
Adelaide United FC are the short price to win on Thursday (1.86), which is about right but I'm not having a punt at that price on the away team.
South Melbourne FC are the long shot at 3.58 and whilst I won't be having a flutter on them either, there is definitely a live game here.
The styles of the two sides seem perfectly suited to cause problems for one another, with Adelaide United FC preferring to control, while South Melbourne FC are more direct and disruptive.
Adelaide are a tough nut to crack
Airton Andrioli has done a decent job at Adelaide United FC since taking the helm on 26 May 2025, making them hard to break down and keeping things fairly tight in terms of results.
In their last 10 games across all competitions, Adelaide United FC have picked up three wins, six draws and just one defeat, which may not be the best sequence of results but they're undefeated in six straight games on the road.
Adelaide United FC are a patient side, who like to build from a back four through the midfield lines, they don't press all over the pitch but do pick their moments, which is a far cry from South Melbourne FC, who are far more direct.
South Melbourne are direct
Sinisa Cohadzic was appointed on 5 May 2025, and since then, South Melbourne have been in decent form. The South Melbourne FC have won three, drawn one and lost one of their last five matches, while in the cup they have backed up a 0-0 home draw with Preston Lions with back-to-back away victories over Dandenong City (2-0) and Oakleigh Cannons (2-1). They're more direct and disruptive and will look to cause turnovers and hit Adelaide United FC early on in transition. They score plenty but concede a lot too and their home record across all competitions is (W1, D1, L4) and they've conceded 13 goals in their six home games.
Cup clash and a good score
I'm expecting Adelaide United FC to play the smart game and get the win, but the price suggests they face a competitive cup tie, rather than a walk in the park.
Instead, I'm going for the slightly safer option of Adelaide United FC to get the three points and over 2.5 goals, which is a smart move as there is a clear away edge, but also covers Adelaide's recent 2-1 away win, while the 1.62 price for over 2.5 is just about the value for a cup game between these two.
Both Teams To Score - Yes, which is 1.54, is also very tempting, but I'll be going for the away edge and a couple of goals at a better price.
