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Preston Lions vs South Melbourne Tips & Live Stream - Hellas backed to win Australia Cup quarter-final

andrew-hendrie
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Last updated: Tue 25 Aug 2026 09:09
Preston Lions and South Melbourne face off in the Australia Cup quarter-finals in a tightly contested all-NPL Victoria encounter. Preston boasts a 13-game unbeaten streak and impressive cup comebacks, while South Melbourne has recovered from a slow start to go unbeaten in 9 of their last 10 matches. Despite Preston’s strong form, the recent head-to-head record favors South, making them a value pick for an upset, particularly in Double Chance and H2H betting markets. Expect a close match with South Melbourne holding a slight edge.
Andrew Hendrie 2 hours ago
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  • South Melbourne unbeaten in 9 of last 10 games
  • Preston Lions on 13-game unbeaten streak
  • South Melbourne have a slight H2H edge and are tipped for an upset
south melbourne Australia Cup
South Melbourne are backed (Getty Images)
brand Preston Lions v South Melbourne Live StreamWatch live online at bet365 > Soccer > Australia Cup. T&Cs apply. Watch and bet Geo-restrictions apply. You must have a funded account or to have placed a bet in the last 24 hours. Over 18s only. T&Cs apply.


Preston Lions vs South Melbourne Verdict


Two NPL Victoria sides meet in the Australia Cup quarter-finals and South Melbourne are value for an upset on the road. The Hellas have won two of the last three meetings and are backed in the Double Chance and H2H markets.
  • South Melbourne are unbeaten in nine of their last 10 games
  • South Melbourne have won seven of their last 10 games
  • South Melbourne are unbeaten in their last three encounters vs Preston, winning two
  • Preston are unbeaten in their last 13 games, winning 10
  • South Melbourne are 2-0 in previous Australia Cup quarter-finals

Head To Head

South Melbourne have fared well in this H2H since Preston got back to the NPL Vic, going unbeaten in the last three matchups - although the most-recent clash ended in a 0-0 stalemate last month. South came away with a big 3-0 win on the road to Preston in April.

Preston Lions Form

Preston have emerged as an NPL Victoria powerhouse over the last couple of seasons and they continue to impress.

Zoran Markovski's side have wrapped up a finals spot in the league after a 13-game unbeaten run, winning 10 of those fixtures - however, their most-recent game ended in a 0-0 draw with Dandenong City this past weekend.

But it's the Australia Cup where Preston have made headlines, coming back from 2-0 down to conquer reigning champions Newcastle Jets 3-2 in the R32 before easing past Brunswick Juventus 4-1 in the R16.

Jonas Markovski, Lleyton Brooks, and Jamal Ali all got on the scoresheet in that win, along with an own goal.

South Melbourne Form

It was a slow start to the NPL Vic season for South Melbourne, but they've hit some good form over the last couple of months, going unbeaten in nine of their last 10 games in all comps.

That form has propelled Siniša Cohadzić's side into fifth spot on the ladder and a place in the finals, while they've also excelled in the Australia Cup.

The Hellas started with an impressive 2-1 win over three-time winners Adelaide United before edging past Fremantle City 3-3 on penalties in the R16.

It was a rollecoaster game, with South losing the lead and then coming back to force extra-time after goals from Arran Cocks, David Yoo and Bul Juach. South then prevailed 3-1 in the shootout to advance into their third Australia Cup quarter-final. 

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Verdict

South hold the value in this all-NPL Victoria quarter-final clash.

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Best Bet2: South Melbourne Win Full-Time Result @21/10 at dabble - 1 Unit
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andrew-hendrie
Andrew Hendrie

Sports Editor • 20+ years betting experience

Andrew has been writing about sports for over a decade now after graduating with a double degree in 2013. In that time he has covered a wide range of sports, including NRL, AFL, Football (soccer), Tennis, NBA, NFL and more.


As a fan of Manchester City (since the 90s, he’s not a bandwagoner so they say), Canterbury Bulldogs and the Newcastle Jets, he’s experienced the highest of highs and the lowest of lows throughout the last few years.

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