Sydney vs Auckland Prediction: Sky Blues hero Corica to do the double over old side

A 3-2 win at Adelaide United last Saturday moved Sydney FC level on points with the Reds and above Carl Veart's charges on goal difference. The Sky Blues are now sixth and in control of their destiny as they eye up next month's Australian A-League Men's finals.

Next up for Ufuk Talay's side is a home game against leaders Auckland FC, who have stumbled to four draws in their last five matches but remain five points clear of nearest challengers Western United with four rounds of fixtures remaining. Read below for my Sydney vs Auckland predictions, complete with all the latest team news and match odds, ahead of Saturday's contest at Allianz Stadium (08:00, TNT Sports 1).

Team News

Saturday's match comes in the middle of an AFC Champions League 2 semi-final with Lion City Sailors for Sydney, who lost the first leg of their continental tie 2-0 in Singapore on Wednesday.

The return fixture is just around the corner (Wednesday), so Talay could be forced into changes against Auckland, even though a top-six finish is also hugely important for his side this season.

Douglas Costa played the duration of that defeat in Kallang and could be dropped down to the bench on Saturday to avoid overload.

Football Odds

Adrian Segecic, who scored the winner off the bench against Adelaide last weekend, could earn a promotion to the starting XI for the visit of the Black Knights, as could Anas Ouahim, Wataru Kamijo and Zachary De Jesus.

Alexander Popovic missed Sydney's last league game but started in Singapore on Wednesday and could start against Auckland.

However, Aaron Gurd (collarbone), Jaushua Sotirio and Kyle Shaw (both hamstring) remain in Sydney's treatment room.

Auckland forward Jonty Bidois, who has made three appearances for the Black Knights this season, was named in Steve Corica's extended squad for last Saturday's 1-1 draw with Western Sydney Wanderers but has been omitted for the trip to Sydney.

Liam Gillion was left out against the Wanderers but replaces Bidois in the long list this weekend.

Sydney vs Auckland Odds

Sydney's victory against Adelaide was just their second in the last six league matches, and they were twice pegged back by the Reds before Segecic's injury-time winner.

The Sky Blues are 23/20 to make it three in seven on Saturday, implying a 46.5% probability of success, while Auckland are 15/8, or a 34.8% chance, to make it four wins from their last five away games.

The draw is priced at 12/5, both teams to score at 1/2, and over 2.5 total goals at 4/7.

Sydney's joint-leading ALM goalscorer this season, Patryk Klimala (10), heads the anytime market at 13/8, followed by teammate Joe Lolley and Auckland's eight-goal marksman Guillermo May (both 9/5).

Match Result - Auckland @ 15/8

Auckland and Sydney are separated by 13 points in the ALM table, and the consistency of the former - and the inconsistency of the latter - has been clear for all to see this season.

Granted, the Black Knights have stumbled slightly since the start of March, drawing four of their five games, but they're unbeaten since January 11 and have lost just twice in 2024/25.

October's reverse fixture in New Zealand saw Auckland win 1-0 thanks to a strike from Nando Pijnaker in the seventh minute of second-half stoppage time, and Sydney hero Corica, who lifted numerous titles with the Sky Blues as player and manager, will be desperate to get the better of his old club for a second time this season.

Western United's win against Perth Glory cut Auckland's lead at the top to five points and Corica will be wary of John Aloisi's side making up further ground this weekend, so a victory could be vital in their bid to win the Premiers' Plate.

Sydney, meanwhile, may have one eye on Wednesday's AFC Champions League 2 semi-final second leg, and they've won just two of their last six league games.

Auckland look a big price to do the double over Sydney, so I'm taking an away win here.

Anytime Goalscorer - Logan Rogerson (AUC) @ 12/5

Auckland forward Logan Rogerson has enjoyed a fruitful ALM campaign, scoring seven times and registering two assists in 22 appearances (18 starts).

The 26-year-old hasn't scored in his last four league games but hit a hat-trick in the Black Knights' 6-1 thrashing of Wellington Phoenix on February 22 and followed it up a week later with a strike in a 4-4 draw against Adelaide United.

Rogerson shot three times in October's reverse fixture with Sydney, forcing a save with his first effort, and he looks decent value to get on the scoresheet this Saturday against a Sydney side that has conceded five goals across their last two matches.

Offers

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