The following are previews with betting tips for Round 22 of the 2016/17 A-League season.
View and compare the latest A-League bookmaker odds
View the A-League form guide
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Sydney FC v Melbourne Victory7:00 PM AEDT, Allianz Stadium |
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TEAM NEWS
Sydney FC are likely to remain unchanged after getting back to winning ways against Melbourne City.
Sebastian Ryall remains the only out with a hamstring pull.
Victory promote Fahid Ben Khalfallah to the matchday squad. The Tunisian has not played a single minute for almost a month. It is said that one more appearance will trigger a clause in his contract that will extend his stay at the 3-time champions, for another season. Watch this space!
VERDICT
Graham Arnold’s men can quash any doubt about their Premiership winning aspirations if they can conquer Victory, on Friday night. Following their first defeat of the season to Western Sydney, a fortnight ago, the league leaders bounced back in fine style at Melbourne City. Bobo scored a brace to steer Sydney FC to a 3-1 win, made easier after the home side were reduced to ten men on 39 minutes.
Melbourne Victory did enough to claim a 2-1 win over bottom of the table Adelaide United. Marco Rojas broke the deadlock with a finely executed free kick while Besart Berisha put the game beyond doubt with an equally spectacular, outside of the foot finish. A Jason Geria error made for a nervy finish but Victory deserved to bag all three points.
Melbourne Victory have 6 regular season games to overhaul Sydney FC’s 8 point lead. Not mathematically impossible but highly improbable in reality.
Nick’s tip: Sydney FC 0ah @1.5 (Bet365)
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Wellington Phoenix v Perth Glory5:35 PM AEDT, QBE Stadium |
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TEAM NEWS
Suspended Nix trio, Tom Doyle, Roly Bonevacia and Ryan Lowry, have been given a reprieve by the club following ‘unprofessional behaviour’ at the conclusion of Wellington’s 5-1 defeat to Melbourne City. Gui Finkler also returns following the birth of his new-born daughter.
Right full-back, Jacob Tratt, is out suspended while Marco Rossi is touch and go after pulling up with a hammy against the Roar.
Brandon Wilson has been included in the matchday squad despite leaving the field, in the 2-0 win over the Wanderers.
Kenny Lowe has a decision to make as to whether he sticks with Wilson, alongside Rostyn Griffiths, or move Rhys Williams up from central defense. The latter was very impressive last Saturday.
VERDICT
Wellington produced one of their best away performances in Brisbane, last week. Against all odds, goals from Shane Smeltz and Roy Krishna gave the Nix a much needed 2-1 win. Despite losing key defender Marco Rossi, on 19 minutes, Des Buckingham’s men showed great spirit to hang on in there after a late surge from the hosts.
Aside from an early scare, Perth were completely dominant against the Wanderers. The 2-0 scoreline belittles the home side’s superiority. Diego Castro is the hottest player in the A-League at the moment and his quality was on show again as he laid on another two assists. The only criticism that can be directed at Perth was their inability to finish off their chances, with Joel Chianese scoring the clincher four minutes into added on time.
Wellington must win their home games if they are to have any chance of a finals berth. The news that the Nix could be without up to 12 players (on international duty with New Zealand and Fiji) for the match against Newcastle, in a fortnight, places even more importance on this fixture.
Nick’s tip: Wellington -0.25ah @2.22 (Pinnacle)
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Western Sydney Wanderers v Adelaide United7:50 PM AEDT, Spotless Stadium |
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TEAM NEWS
Western Sydney welcome back Kearyn Baccus from suspension. On Tuesday, Baccus played 90 minutes against Shanghai SIPG so perhaps Popovic may opt for Terry Antonis or Bruno Pinatares.
Marcelo Carrusca may have played his last game for Adelaide United after his omission this week. The Argentine has made his feelings known after Guillermo Amor decided against including him in Adelaide’s roster for the ACL.
VERDICT
Currently occupying the much-coveted sixth spot on the ladder, Western Sydney are in four way battle to secure their finals’ participation, come April. The 2014 ACL Champions are looking anything but three years on after another embarrassing defeat on Tuesday, going down 5-1 to Shanghai SIPG. The constant tinkering by the manager can’t be doing the side any good while three defeats on the trot (in all competitions) with a -10GD is confidence sapping.
Not too dissimilar to their opponents, Adelaide United’s current exploits in the ACL have ended in defeat but they can at least take heart from their performances. On Wednesday evening, the A-League’s bottom club belied their standing on the domestic front to give big-spending Chinese outfit, Jiangsu Suning, a right old scare. The 2-1 defeat to last season’s Chinese Super League Runners Up was far from disgraceful with the January signings (Diawara, Kim and Babalj) already proving their worth.
Nick’s tip: Under 3 goals @1.81 (Pinnacle)
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Central Coast Mariners v Melbourne City5:00 PM AEDT, Central Coast Stadium |
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TEAM NEWS
Mariners versatile midfielder/forward, Blake Powell, is fit again after spending the better part of a month on the treatment table.
Left-back, Michael Neill, is pushing for a recall after been promoted to the matchday squad.
Michael Jakobsen and Nicolas Colazo are the big inclusions for the visitors as they aim to bounce back from last week’s disappointing defeat.
The fall guy for City’s loss to Sydney, Manny Muscat, is out for a week after been shown his marching orders at AAMI Park, last Friday.
VERDICT
In what was an open and entertaining F3 Derby, the 1-1 draw in Newcastle would have left Paul Okon feeling frustrated with wins a priority at this stage. The Mariners lie 4 points behind sixth-placed Western Sydney but with a much inferior goal difference. Defender, Scott Galloway, provided the unlikely source for the equalizer with a controlled 20 yard volley with his non-preferred foot, if you don’t mind!
City will hope to bottle up the first half hour of their 3-1 defeat to Sydney FC, until Manny Muscat figured he should spoil the party. Michael Valkanis’ side more than much the champions elect before Muscat conceded a penalty on 24 minutes, only to compound his errant ways, a quarter of an hour later, when he was handed a second caution for a pull back on Alex Brosque. On a positive note, Nick Fitzgerald continued his good recent form with a brilliantly taken, volleyed goal.
Nick’s tips:
Melbourne City -0.75ah @1.98 (Pinnacle)
Over 3 goals @1.79 (Pinnacle)
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Newcastle Jets v Brisbane Roar7:50 PM AEDT, Hunter Stadium |
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TEAM NEWS
The Jets recall a number of players from suspension, led by captain Nigel Boogard.
Goalkeeper, Jack Duncan, is also likely to be reinstated after missing last week’s F3 Derby with a slight knock.
Brisbane are likely to make a number of changes after their humbling experience in Korea Republic, on Tuesday. Corey Brown returns from injury to add some stability to a backline short on confidence.
Key man, Luke DeVere, is out for at least another 3 weeks with a pulled calf muscle.
VERDICT
Newcastle are without a win in four after their disappointing 1-1 result against the Mariners. Finnish striker, Aleksandr Kokko, scored his maiden goal for the club to send the Jets 1-0 up going into the break. What immediately followed the interval was a litany of errors from the home side and it was only after the Mariners drew level, that the Jets picked up their intensity again.
Brisbane suffered one of the worst defeats in the club’s history, going down 6-0 to Korean outfit Ulsan Hyundai. That was preceded, 3 days earlier, by a disappointing 2-1 home defeat to Wellington Phoenix. The Roar looked jaded against the Nix and only rallied when the visitors began to tire themselves. With injuries and ACL commitments, John Aloisi has had no choice but to thrust youth team members into battle. It’s safe to say that it’s had a negative impact on results.
Nick’s tip: Newcastle +0.25ah @1.83 (Pinnacle)
