Adelaide United vs Newcastle Jets
Adelaide United will continue their cup defence when they host Newcastle Jets on Tuesday in the first match of the quarter finals as we head towards the business end of the competition. Newcastle will be heading into this game with a big derby win under their belt following their dominant display in a 5-1 win over Edgeworth Eagles. Whereas the home side will be looking to put in a better performance this round after a scrappy affair in the Round of 16 where they defeated Brisbane Olympic 2-3.
Key Players:
Adelaide United – Al Hassan Toure
Adelaide have always struggled for quality strikers over the years and their fans tend to have little faith in whatever visa striker the club brings in every season. Al Hassan Toure announced himself to the fans of Adelaide United by scoring their first goal in their 5-2 rout against Melbourne Knights and signed a scholarship contract with the club just two weeks later. The young forward backed this up by scoring two crucial goals against Brisbane Olympic in the Round of 16. If he is looking to cement his place in the squad for the upcoming season then a strong performance against Newcastle is an absolute must.
Newcastle Jets – Wes Hoolahan
Newcastle Jets announced former Premier League player Wes Hoolahan over the off season and the Irish international made an immediate impact with a goal in the Round of 16 over Edgeworth Eagles. The former Norwich playmaker has plenty of quality to offer and he will be crucial for Jets if they are looking to walk away from this week’s game with the win.
Prediction: Adelaide United 2 – Newcastle Jets 3
Hume City vs Central Coast Mariners
Central Coast will head to Victoria this weekend to take on Hume City as they look to continue their impressive cup run. The Mariners have traditionally struggled against NPL sides when it comes to the domestic cup but this year they have proven they are not here to mess about. The Mariners picked up a win against Brisbane Roar where they defeated them on penalties in the Round of 16 whilst Hume City defeated Adelaide Olympic 3-1.
Key Players:
Hume City – Marko Delic
The defence of the Mariners has improved hugely since last year and Hume City will need to score early if they want to get a win over the Gosford based team. Hume City forward Marko Delic scored a hattrick in the Round of 16 win over Adelaide Olympic and his team will be looking towards him to do the same this week when they host the Mariners.
Central Coast Mariners – Mark Birighitti
The Mariners added former Socceroos shot stopper Mark Birighitti to their ranks this season and he’s already proven himself to be a crucial player for the side. The former Jets and City goalkeeper made many crucial saves in the Round of 16 win against Roar and stepped up big time during the penalty shootout. He will need to be on his A game when his side travel to Broadmeadows as they look to book their place in the semi final.
Prediction: Hume City 0 – 2 Central Coast Mariners
