Competition: A-League
Market: Sam Cosgrove over 0.5 shots on target
Odds: 4/7 @ Pribet
In what is a heavyweight A-League showdown on Friday morning, Melbourne City will welcome Auckland to AAMI Park.
Starting with the hosts, embarking on what has become a public A-League nightmare this season, Melbourne City have rightfully come under a tremendous amount of scrutiny. With only their goal difference keeping them in the play-off places, Aureilo Vidmar’s men have continued to show a string of glaring issues on either side of opening the New Year. Last seen making an immediate return to losing ways as they slumped to a shock 1-0 loss at home against Newcastle, the Sky Blues will be bracing themselves for another stern examination at AAMI Park on Friday morning. In fact, despite landing a hard-fought 1-0 victory against Brisbane earlier in the month, that is the only win that Melbourne have registered from any of their previous seven appearances across all competitions. Getting 2026 underway with a 0-0 stalemate against historic rivals Sydney, it should also be highlighted that Vidmar’s downbeat squad have bagged just a single A-League strike in any of their last three straight outings.
As for the visitors, embarking on what was an iconic maiden A-League campaign last season, Auckland certainly gained a fearsome reputation. Storming their way to domestic honours, Steve Corica’s men have once again come flying out of the traps since opening up the 2025/26 campaign. Last seen securing a gritty 2-0 victory away at Brisbane, the Black Knights are leading the chase at the top of the A-League table. Suffering just a sole defeat from any of their 12 top-flight showdowns this season, Friday’s guests find the mood in their camp at a red-hot high. Signing off 2025 with another 2-0 win against Western Sydney, Auckland will also be excited by their extended success away from the Go Media Stadium. Along with registering 13 points from their last five A-League matchups on the road, they are also unbeaten in all of their first six away fixtures (four wins, two draws). Likewise, the reigning champions have also shipped just a single strike on their travels in over 400 minutes of action.
Bet: Sam Cosgrove over 0.5 shots on target against Melbourne City 4/7 for Friday’s A-League showdown @ Pribet
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