2024/2025 A-League Round 28 Preview

The penultimate weekend of the 2024/25 A-League season has some season defining clashes on the schedule.

It kicks off on Friday night with Macarthur hosting Melbourne Victory with the home side needing to win to keep their slim finals hopes alive.

Melbourne City and Western United are both hoping to secure a top two spot and a first round bye in the finals with the former still a minute chance of pinching the premiership.

However we could see that honour secured on Sunday afternoon when Auckland FC takes on Perth Glory with just a solitary point enough for the Black Knights to lift the trophy and they would surely love to do it on home soil.

Find our previews and best bets for every match below.

It seems like Melbourne Victory will be playing in the first round of the A-League Finals, it’s just a question of where and against whom.

To give themselves a good shot of a home game they need to defeat a side whose home form does not exactly inspire confidence.

Campbelltown has been a miserable place for the Bulls to play, with a grand total of seven points from nine games.

History is not exactly on their side either with their lone home win against the Victory coming in May 2021.

Melbourne Victory to Win @ $2.10

You can look at this market in one of two ways, either the Roar are getting a bit of credit for a productive Easter weekend that saw them beat Western United and draw with Adelaide, which is why they are $1.90 favourites.

Alternatively, you can take it as a slight against the Nix, installed as such clear outsiders despite winning twice as many games and sitting nine points clear of Brisbane.

While motivation is not exactly strong for either club, a win for the home side would ensure they avoid the wooden spoon, a small consolation for what has been a bad season.

The goals have been flying in for both clubs over the last few weeks, especially the Nix who have seen 17 goals across their last four, while Brisbane’s matches have accounted for 16 over the same span.

With neither side an overly appealing prospect based on their recent efforts, the over might be a better market to back.

Over 3.5 Goals @ $2.55

No need to overthink this one, only one team has something to play for in this match and it is Western Sydney.

While they are liable to slip up and have to settle for a draw from time to time, their ten game unbeaten run has them up into fourth place and chasing a home Elimination Final.

That is in large part down to a free scoring attack that has a league best 54 goals to date and has made them a dangerous prospect.

They are battling for finals seeding, Newcastle is just playing out the string, it’s a pretty easy choice.

Western Sydney to Win @ $2.05

It is a win or go home situation for Adelaide United, with a Round 29 bye making this their last chance to sneak into the top six and even then it might not be enough.

Realistically their hopes came to an end on Tuesday night with a draw in Brisbane, but they still have a path to the postseason and it starts with a win in this match.

However Melbourne City have started to play themselves into some real solid form, with three wins and a draw from their last four matches.

Not to mention City need to win this to keep their slim premiership hopes alive and also keep Western United at bay in the race for the top two.

They are not going to lie down for Adelaide and with the home side needing all three points, I’m happy to back them to take care of business.

Melbourne City to Win @ $1.80

It’s party time in Auckland (probably) with the club needing just one point from their clash with last placed Perth to clinch their first piece of A-League silverware.

Chances are Steve Corica will be showing them the footage of their shock 1-0 loss to the Glory from back in January to remind them what happens when they are off their game.

However this time it is at home, in front of a raucous crowd and you just know that they are going to want to win it in front of their own fans.

Given the stakes of the game, combined with the way Auckland tends to play, it might not be a huge win for the home side, but they should be able to keep Perth at bay, control the game and score a couple of goals to win it and kick start the celebrations.

Auckland to Win and Under 4.5 Goals @ $1.80

Coming off their “poorest performance” of the season according to John Aloisi, Western United will be hoping the mini-bye over the Easter break gives them a chance to reset and refresh ahead of the run home.

It is not the easiest final fortnight starting with this game against a Sydney team that needs something from this match as well as they battle for a top six spot.

A draw is probably the worst case scenario for both sides (although it might be enough for Sydney if Adelaide lose), but it is also the standout play in this market.

Neither side can afford to lose this one which might make this one play out like a de facto final and send both teams into their respective shells.

Draw @ $4.00