Adelaide United vs Auckland Prediction: Reds to reign supreme in top-of-the-table clash

Adelaide United take on Auckland at Coopers Stadium on Wednesday (08:30, TNT Sports 1) in a top-of-the-table clash in the Australia A-League Men's. The Reds are a point out in front of the Black Knights, but the Kiwi club will have gained great confidence from beating previous leaders Melbourne City 3-0 on Saturday, knocking them down to third spot.

Below is my Adelaide United vs Auckland prediction, complete with all the latest team news and match odds, ahead of this first-ever meeting between the two sides.

Team News

Adelaide United head coach Carl Veart has made one change to his extended squad for Round 14, bringing in Fabian Talladira for Luke Duzel.

Jordan Elsey is close to being available, having returned to full group training, but will have to wait a little longer for his first appearance of the season.

Bailey O'Neil, meanwhile, is still in individual training, while Panasha Madanha misses out again with a hamstring injury.

Archie Goodwin hasn't scored in his last three games so Veart could swap the 20-year-old striker for a forward one year his junior, Luka Jovanovic, who has come off the bench and notched in two of United's last three matches.

Football Odds

Auckland captain Hiroki Sakai is back in the Black Knights' squad after observing concussion protocol following a head injury sustained in the 1-0 defeat to Perth Glory on January 11. The 34-year-old should come in at right-back in place of Callan Elliot, who did a fine job covering for the veteran last Saturday.

Scott Galloway has been left out of Steve Corica's extended squad which also has no space for returning midfielder Adama Coulibaly, who was back available for selection after serving a one-game ban for his red card against the Glory.

Dan Hall, who hasn't featured since Auckland's 2-1 win over Wellington Phoenix on December 7, remains out with an ankle injury.

Adelaide United vs Auckland Odds

Adelaide have won all three of their games in 2025, triumphing 2-1 away at both Macarthur and Wellington Phoenix before overcoming a goal deficit to beat Melbourne Victory 3-2 at Coopers last Saturday. The Reds are 9/10, or a 52.6% chance, to make it four victories in a row on Wednesday, while Auckland are 12/5 (29.4%) to record back-to-back wins for the first time since early December.

The draw is priced at 5/2, both teams to score - which has won in 16 of Adelaide's last 18 ALM home games - at 1/2, and over 2.5 total goals at 4/7.

Match Result & Both Teams to Score - Adelaide United & Yes @ 11/5

Both teams have scored in 83 per cent (10) of Adelaide's 12 ALM games this season and 100 per cent of their six home matches. The Reds have only won two of those six at Coopers but have only lost once and beat Melbourne Victory there a few days ago.

Veart's side have won 66.7 per cent (eight) of their league games and six of those, including their last three and the two home victories, have seen both teams score.

Adelaide rank second in the ALM BTTS table, in stark contrast to Auckland who sit bottom of the pile with both teams finding the net in just 25 per cent (three) of their 12 contests since joining the league at the start of the season. BTTS - Yes hasn't been a winner in any of their three games this calendar year but two of those took place at Go Media Stadium which has hosted seven matches but just one that has ended with a goal on either side.

However, two of Auckland's five away games have seen both teams score and they have come in their last three away trips. The Black Knights have netted nine times on their travels and considering Adelaide have shipped 12 goals at home, Wednesday's visitors should back themselves to get on the scoresheet at Coopers.

United have kept just two clean sheets this season so you can't rely on the Reds to shut out the opposition, but one thing you can count on them to do is score - a lot. Only Sydney (32), who have played two games more, have struck more times in the league than Adelaide (29) this season, and with Auckland's defence a shadow of the one that started the campaign with five straight clean sheets, conceding eight goals in their last six, Veart will be quietly confident of his players hitting two or three past on-loan AFC Bournemouth goalkeeper Alex Paulsen and claiming all three points for a fourth successive match.

First Corner Team - Adelaide United @ 4/6

Adelaide have won the first corner in nine of their 12 ALM games this season, including five of their six at home. Only Sydney have beaten the Reds to the first corner at Coopers, with Veart's side usually starting quickly in a bid to take an early lead.

Auckland have taken the first corner in eight of their 12 but only half (two) of their last four away from Go Media Stadium and will likely sit and and soak up the pressure at the start on Wednesday.

I'm expecting the hosts to go hunting for an early goal and that should mean the Reds firing off a few attempts and crosses from the get-go, which could see them win an early corner.

Offers

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