SD Raiders vs Macarthur FC Verdict
These sides met 12 months ago when Macarthur won 5-0 in the Australia Cup, but SD Raiders can put up much more of a fight this year.
Macarthur are going through a rebuild and I think SD Raiders can provide a scare and stay within the +1.5 handicap.
- Raiders have won their last 5 games
- Raiders have scored 1+ goal in 20 of their last 23 games
- Raiders have covered a +1.5 handicap in 16 of their last 17 games
- Macarthur have seen BTTS land in six of their last eight games
Head To Head
This will be the second meeting after Macarthur eased to a 5-0 victory in the Australia Cup R32 last year.
SD Raiders Form - First Time In Round of 16
It's been a great campaign in the top flight of the NSW NPL for the Raiders.
They are sitting in seventh spot after 27 games, only outside of the finals positions on goal difference.
The Raiders are making a late dash for the finals after putting together a four-game winning streak, including a most-recent 3-0 win over the Wanderers U21s.
It's also been a historic Australia Cup run as the Raiders advanced to the R16 for the first time with a 2-1 triumph over Rochedale.
Macarthur FC Form - New Beginnings For Bulls
It was a challenging A-League campaign for Macarthur, with the club balancing domestic duties alongside its AFC Champions League Two commitments.
The Bulls eventually finished seventh on the ladder, narrowly missing out on the finals after ending the season four points outside the top six.
A costly run of six defeats in their final nine matches saw their finals hopes slip away.
Macarthur will be aiming to bounce back this season and the Australia Cup has been kind to them over the years, winning the trophy in 2022 and 2024.
It wasn't the most convincing of starts, with Macarthur - who were $1.01 favourites - struggling to put away Azzurri United before closing out a 3-0 victory.