Macarthur FC, founded in 2017 and debuting in the top division in 2020, quickly became a source of unexpected results. The Bulls from Campbelltown (New South Wales) are known for their aggressive attack and ability to cause sensations.
Victory over Melbourne Victory in the 2024 Australian Cup final: odds 6.50
One of Macarthur's most memorable triumphs came on 1 October 2024 in the Australian Cup final at AAMI Park in Melbourne. They faced the league favourites, Melbourne Victory, multiple A-League champions with a strong squad and the support of 13,289 spectators. Before the match, bookmaker Morospin AU rated Macarthur's chances as minimal, with odds of around 6.50 for their victory.
The match started tensely. Macarthur, led by coach Dwayne Russell, came out in a defensive 4-3-3 formation, with an emphasis on counterattacks. Victory dominated the first half, with 7 shots on goal against 2 for the visitors and 62% possession. Macarthur goalkeeper Josh Giddings made several dangerous saves, including a shot by Nikola Dovit from 25 metres in the 18th minute. The Bulls rarely crossed the halfway line, but in the 35th minute, Valère Germain broke through on the wing and crossed the ball, which ricocheted off a defender and hit the post.
The second half turned the game around. In the 52nd minute, after a corner from Jed Drew, Walter Sandoval picked up the ball and opened the scoring with a powerful shot from 20 metres out — 1-0. Victory threw everything into attack: in the 65th minute, Facundo Magallanes hit the crossbar, and in the 78th minute, Rahmat Akiva was saved by Giddings' jump. Macarthur defended, using fouls to slow down the pace (5 yellow cards). In added time (90 3), Victory missed a chance: Akiva's penalty was saved by Giddings. The final score was 1-0, Macarthur's second Cup in three years.
This victory was a sensation: Macarthur beat the favourites without losing a single shot at key moments. Bets on a clean victory for the Bulls brought winnings of up to 650% of the bet amount.
Perth Glory's defeat in the opening game of the 2024/25 A-League: odds of 8.00 on the exact score
The 2024/25 A-League season kicked off on 19 October for Macarthur with a match against Perth Glory at Campbelltown Stadium. The visitors from Western Australia were favourites with odds of 1.80 to win, given their experience and squad featuring players such as Adam Taggart. Macarthur, following a match-fixing scandal (three players suspended in May 2024), had odds of 4.50, and the exact score of 6-1 was around 8.00. The match drew a crowd of 5,127, and no one expected a rout.
The first half was evenly matched: Perth had 55% possession, but Macarthur scored first. In the 12th minute, Markell Wise broke through on the right flank and passed to Jed Drew — 1:0. Glory responded in the 28th minute: Taggart equalised after a defensive error. But the Bulls exploded in the second half. In the 48th minute, Valère Germain doubled the lead with a long-range shot. In the 55th minute, Uskok headed in from a corner to make it 3-1. In the 62nd minute, Jakolis completed his brace after a solo run. Perth collapsed: in the 71st minute, Gallman scored from the penalty spot, in the 80th minute, Golding scored after a counterattack, and in the 85th minute, Yacolis completed his hat-trick. The final score was 6-1, a record home victory for Macarthur in the history of matches against Glory (the previous maximum was 3-1).
The statistics are impressive: 18 shots (10 on target) against 9 for the visitors, 7 corners. It was a perfect start for the Bulls, ending a series of 4 defeats. Bets on over 5.5 goals or the exact score brought huge odds - winnings exceeded 700% for daring bettors.
Triumph over Sydney FC on 9 December 2023: odds of 5.50 in the derby
In the Greater Western Sydney derby on 9 December 2023 at Allianz Stadium, Macarthur faced A-League giants Sydney FC. The hosts, the 2022/23 champions, had odds of 1.60, while the Bulls had odds of 5.50. The match, part of Round 7, drew 18,000 fans, and the tension was immense due to the geographical proximity (30 km between the bases).
Sydney started aggressively: in the 8th minute, Pachtalidis hit the post. Macarthur responded in the 22nd minute — Matt Derbyshire equalised after a pass from Milligan. The first half ended 1-1, with the hosts having 58% possession. In the second half, Sydney increased the pressure: in the 55th minute, Goodwin scored from a corner kick — 2-1. But the Bulls did not give up. In the 68th minute, Yacolis equalised after a solo run. The key moment came in the 82nd minute: a counterattack, a pass from Brennan to Derbyshire, who scored his second goal to make it 3-2. Sydney threw everything forward, but Hiddings saved Borallo's shot in the 89th minute. The final score was 3-2, Macarthur's first derby win of the season.
It was a match with 22 shots (12-10), 6 corners and 4 yellow cards. Macarthur ended their streak of 3 defeats to Sydney. Winnings on bets on the Bulls 1.5 goals or victory reached 550%, especially given the context of the scandal. David and Bacchus' players were later suspended on suspicion of manipulation, but the match was deemed clean by Football Australia.