Round 5 of the inaugural Australian Championship means only two rounds are left in the group stage.
Victorian sports broadcaster, writer, and presenter Adam Palombi looks at the five big things to look out for in the penultimate round.
The Battle of the State Premiers: Avondale v Spirit
A classic was born when these two sides met back in Round 2, producing one of the most thrilling matches of the competition so far.
Six goals, split evenly at 3-3, told only part of the story.
Both teams led, trailed, and equalised in a contest which set the tone for chaotic nature of Group C.
At home, Avondale face NWS Spirit on Sunday with the result having the capacity to go a long way in deciding who qualifies into the Quarter Finals.
Cianci’s late equaliser with essentially the last kick of the game salvaged Avondale a dramatic point on the road, extending their unbeaten run but leaving plenty to ponder.
Spirit Head coach Luca Falcone said his side are ready for the challenge of travelling to the home of the Victorian premiers.
“We know Avondale are a top side who play to their strengths very well…and we’ll be ready for that,” he said.
“It’s the best against the best from each state, and we expect it to be a tough encounter.
“Neither the weekend’s result nor the first fixture against Avondale at home changes our approach.
“There were plenty of positives to take from both games, and while there might be a small tweak or two based on reflection - but our mindset stays the same.”
Make or Break for Preston
Remaining on the so-called “Group of Death”, this weekend proves decisive, as heading into the final week of the group phase all four clubs remain mathematically capable of reaching the Quarter Finals.
In Round 5 Canberra Croatia head to Genis Steel Stadium full of belief having claimed their only win of the Australian Championship against the Lions on their home soil back, in Round 2 at Deakin Stadium.
Croatia since then have been valiant despite falling short of adding to their points tally in their last two outings.
Should Preston finish second, they’ll be likely to face fierce NPL Victoria rivals South Melbourne in the knockouts.
The rivalry between the two clubs has been relit in recent years, drawing a combined crowd of more than 15,000 people across their two league meetings in season 2025.
But before a potential dream match in the Australian Championship can happen, Preston must first get a result against the side from the capital.
Wolves’ must-win mission at the Village
Wollongong need a win to keep their knockout hopes alive.
Standing in their way is a Heidelberg United side unbeaten in their last 21 home matches at Olympic Village.
The Bergers have turned their home ground into a fortress as they seek to extend their home record against the Wolves on Sunday, an unbeaten streak which stretches back to August last year.
When both sides first locked horns, Heidelberg displayed convincing football, winning 3-0 away from home at the Collegians Sports Centre.
In the process, they showcased both the quality and consistency which has made them one of the favourites to win the competition.
Wollongong however showed signs of character last week with a 3-2 victory against South Hobart at home, completing the double over the Tasmanian outfit.
A key attacker for Wolves is former Heidelberg United player Nicholas Olsen, who found the net 15 times in 30 NPL NSW appearances in season 2025.
This is a really tough game for the Wolves who are in need of all three points for a shout at finals football, at a venue where those who own it, play their best football upon it.
A late quarter-finals flurry for Sydney Olympic
Sydney Olympic co-captain Ziggy Gordon felt as if his side could’ve come away with more against South Melbourne on their first outing in October and it’s hard to imagine how he’s feeling now.
Last week Olympic led until the 82nd minute, which required South head coach Sinisa Cohadzic to roll the dice from the bench.
Substitute Bilal Habib struck in the 93rd minute to seal a dramatic comeback win for the visitors, in the Australian Championships second chapter of the Greek derby.
It’s an easy assumption to label Olympic's campaign so far as a frustrating one.
One win and three losses see them sitting on the brink of missing the final eight.
Their margin for error is extinguished, but the door to the Quarter Finals isn’t completely shut.
A win this weekend against Moreton City Excelsior could truly reignite their hopes, especially with the group table still delicately poised heading into the final round.
Ali Auglah has been their shining light, the driving force in attack, scoring crucial goals and showing flashes of brilliance throughout the tournament.
But for Olympic to pull off a late charge, they’ll need more contributors to step up; the kind of collective lift that defined their best moments in the NPL NSW season.
With pride and survival on the line, Sydney Olympic now enter must-win territory.
Their response this weekend will decide whether their story in this inaugural Australian Championship ends early or sparks to life again.
Two big outs for APIA as they look to qualify
The NPL NSW, and Australian Championship were left stunned when Dominic Costanzo swapped The Palace for Liechhardt Oval on the eve of Gameweek 1, but his start to life at APIA hasn’t quite hit the heights many expected.
Although the new Wests Apia signing found has found the net for his new side, the attacking midfielder was shown a straight red after only 30 minutes on the pitch against Metro Stars Fc last week when both sides played to a 1-1 draw.
In the same game, Jordan Segreto fell to the floor clutching his leg leaving APIA without two of their star men.
Insert Presley Ortiz, who shined in the NPL NSW competition this year scoring 17 goals in 26 appearances.
The 22 year-old has majority of the attacking responsibility for Wests tonight, and will need to be preforming at the levels he did throughout the NPL NSW competition if Apia are to pull away to security of a quarter finals birth in group D.