North-Eastern Metrostars vs Macarthur: who will reach the Australia Cup quarterfinals?
North Eastern Metro Stars
Macarthur FC
In the Round of 16 of the Australia Cup, North-Eastern Metrostars will host Macarthur at home. The match is scheduled for Monday, August 11, with kick-off at 12:00 PM Central Australian Time. Here’s my take on this intriguing encounter.
North-Eastern Metrostars vs Macarthur: match preview
North-Eastern Metrostars compete in the NPL South Australia and have been in scintillating form this season. After 21 rounds, they sit atop the table with 51 points, having already secured first place with just one regular season game remaining. Heading into the playoffs as the top seed, Metrostars look like the team to beat. In the Australia Cup, the Metrostars have played just one match so far, thrashing Canberra Croatia 4-0 in the Round of 32.
Macarthur, meanwhile, have yet to kick off the new A-League season. Last campaign, they narrowly missed out on the playoffs, finishing eighth—just five points adrift of sixth place. In their Australia Cup Round of 32 clash, Macarthur cruised past Raiders with a commanding 5-0 victory, having bypassed the preliminary round. Notably, Macarthur are the reigning Australia Cup champions, having edged out Melbourne Victory 1-0 in last season's final. They also lifted the trophy in 2022, making it two titles and positioning Macarthur among the most decorated clubs in Australia Cup history.
Match facts and head-to-head
- North-Eastern Metrostars are on a five-match winning streak.
- The Metrostars have scored at least two goals in each of their last five games.
- Macarthur are the current holders of the Australia Cup, boasting two titles.
- These teams have never faced each other before.
Probable lineups
- North-Eastern Metrostars: Godley, Solagna, van Dommele, Polizena, D’Aloisio, Grelli, Callisto, Barbiero, Wooding, Negus, Tunbridge.
- Macarthur: Kurto, Jurman, Scott, Adamson, Uskok, Boli, Brattan, Hollman, Ikonomidis, Sawyer, Jakoliš.
Prediction
North-Eastern Metrostars are in excellent form at the moment, but Macarthur have the edge in squad quality and will be fresher, since their season is yet to begin. My prediction: an away win with odds of 1.6.
