Adelaide United vs Perth Glory Prediction: Early riser Jovanovic to strike first

The Australian A-League Men's returns to normality this week following last week's 'Unite Round' which saw all 12 teams in action play at Sydney FC's Allianz Stadium. Kicking off the action in round five on Friday (08:35, TNT Sports 2) are Adelaide United and Perth Glory, who meet at the former's Coopers Stadium.

Read on for my Adelaide United vs Perth Glory prediction, complete with all the latest team news and match odds.

Team News

Jordan Elsey, Ethan Cox and Bailey O'Neil remain unavailable for Adelaide United, who haven't named former Fulham and Millwall midfielder Ryan Tunniclife in the extended squad. Tunnicliffe played the latter stages of the Reds' Australia Cup semi-final defeat to Melbourne Victory on September 21 but hasn't been selected in an ALM matchday squad yet this season.

Ryan White is back from international duty with the Australia U20s and has replaced Tunnicliffe in the long list.

Head coach Carl Veart could name an unchanged XI for a third straight game after following up a 2-1 win over Western United on November 9 with a 3-2 victory over Brisbane Roar in Sydney last weekend. In fact, 10 players have started their last three matches, the first of which was a 4-3 triumph at Western Sydney Wanderers on November 2. Following that win at CommBank Stadium, Spaniard Isaias Sanchez dropped out of the lineup for Dutch defender Bart Vriends, who has kept his place in the backline.

Football Odds

Perth Glory are still hampered by the absences of injured pair Mustafa Amini and Nikola Mileusnic but appear to have a fully fit squad otherwise.

Changes could be in the offing, however, following last Friday's 3-1 defeat to Western United, the Glory's fourth defeat in five ALM games. David Zdrilic, who was only unveiled as their new head coach in June, is already under pressure after a winless start to the season that saw them knocked out of the Australia Cup by NPL Queensland side Moreton City Excelsior and take just a point in the league heading into round six this week.

Last season's ALM Golden Boot winner Adam Taggart, who struck 20 times in 2023/24 despite the Glory finishing rock-bottom of the standings, is yet to find the net this term and is cutting an increasingly isolated and frustrated figure up top. His place in the starting XI shouldn't be questioned, but some of his teammates may not be quite so lucky.

Cristian Caicedo dropped down to the bench against Western United but could earn a recall to the starting XI on Friday, while the likes of Brandon O'Neill, Adam Bugarija and Abdelelah Faisal are also options if Zdrilic wishes to make several alterations.

Adelaide United vs Perth Glory Odds

*Please click on the link above to be taken to the main Adelaide United vs Perth Glory page on betfred.com (or app) for all the live betting prices on this match.

Adelaide United are big favorites at 4/11 on Friday, giving the hosts an implied win probability of 73.3%, while Perth Glory are 11/2, or a 15.4% chance, to triumph for the first time under Zdrilic.

The draw is priced at 18/5, both teams to score at 4/9, and over 2.5 total goals at 1/3.

Adelaide United striker Luka Jovanovic, who scored in his side's first two ALM games of the season against Central Coast Mariners and Western Sydney Wanders before blanking in his last two, is favourite in the anytime and first goalscorer market, at 19/20 and 4/1, respectively. Taggart is first in both markets for Perth Glory at 8/5 and 13/2, respectively.

Half-time/Full-time - Adelaide United/Adelaide United @ 21/20

It's hard to see past Adelaide easing to victory at Coopers Stadium this week. United have made a terrific start to the season, holding reigning Premiership champions Central Coast Mariners to a 1-1 draw before overcoming Western Sydney Wanderers, Western United and Brisbane Roar.

The Reds had to come from 2-1 behind at the break against the Roar and were level at 1-1 heading into half-time with Western United before beating them, so it hasn't been all plain sailing for Veart's side.

However, they were leading at the interval against the Mariners and the Wanderers, going on to take all three points against the latter, so they do know how to start strongly as well as recover from setbacks.

The Glory, meanwhile, were behind at the interval in their first three ALM defeats of the season. They were hit for five in the first half by Macarthur on the opening weekend of the campaign before eventually losing 6-1 to the Bulls, and six days later, they were 1-0 down at half-time against Wellington Phoenix, who walked away from Perth with a 2-0 win. Then, in a 5-0 home thrashing at the hands of Melbourne City, Zdrilic's side were two down after the opening half.

Perth were on level terms at half-time against Western United last week before losing 3-1, so I guess the fact that they kept a clean sheet for the first half and even opened the scoring in the 52nd minute is a relatively encouraging sign. However, it should be noted that their opponents on the day only finished four points ahead of them last season and hadn't won a game until last week.

Adelaide should provide an even sterner test of their credentials, particularly at Coopers Stadium, as opposed to last Friday's neutral venue, Allianz Stadium.

The Reds have a terrific recent record against the Glory having not lost since May 2021, and they've won five of the last seven meetings since the start of 2022 including their last head-to-head on April 7, when Veart's charges fought back from an early Taggart brace to win 4-2 at HBF Park, with three of their goals arriving before half-time.

United were also in the lead at the interval in last season's corresponding fixture on February 9, with Hiroshi Ibusuki - now at Western United - and Zach Clough netting in the first half, although Taggart did get a goal back on 31 minutes which helped the visitors to eventually earn a 3-3 draw.

I can see the Reds making another fast start on Friday with the Glory in such dire straits. Take on Adelaide to be winning at half-time and by the end of the referee's final whistle at 21/20.

First Goalscorer - Luka Jovanovic (ADL) @ 4/1

I backed Jovanovic at 8/5 to score anytime in Adelaide's ALM opener against the Mariners on October 26 and the 19-year-old duly delivered, grabbing the first goal of the game in the 10th minute. He was on target again a week later against the Wanderers, once again opening the scoring early on, this time in the fourth minute.

He's blanked in back-to-back matches since, however, bad news for me as I tipped him - alongside Brisbane's Thomas Waddingham - to find the net anytime in last week's United Round.

Nevertheless, I'm keeping my faith in the teenager this week and not just backing him to fire a third goal of the season but to open the scoring at Cooper Stadium.

Both of his league strikes this term have been the first of the match and going back to last season, his last three in the competition have been the game's opening goal, while the last four ALM contests he has scored in have been Adelaide's first or opening strike.

With the Glory low on confidence and Jovanovic netting both of his 2024/25 ALM goals in the first 10 minutes, the Reds striker is decent value at 4/1 to prey on Perth's vulnerabilities and get himself on the scoresheet early on.

Offers

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