The following are previews with betting tips for Matchweek 13 of the 2021/22 A-League Men season.
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Tuesday, February 01
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Macarthur FC vs Western United FC7:45PM AEDT, Campbelltown Stadium |
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A win at home would shoot the ‘Bulls’ all the way into first position on the table and given they’ve won seven of their past twelve matches, is a real possibility. However clashing head-to-head against a rejuvenated ‘Green & Black’ side should prove no easy task, as they reside in second place, having triumphed in five of eight games on the season. Will Ante Milicic, or John Aloisi take the cake right here?
It’s a travesty that due to covid reshuffling, this match is being forced to be played on a weekday, given a high number of passionate supporters will unlikely be unable to attend due to the fixture timing. Both teams are incredibly defensively stoic at the moment and it’s on display for the rest of both Australia and New Zealand to watch in awe. Macarthur have kept teams to zero or one goals in six of their past eight clashes overall. Meanwhile for Western, they’ve already kept City scoreless twice this season. Great defensive acumen will be on display right here!
Betting tips: Choose the ‘Bulls’ to win at $2.40 (Sportsbet)
Also choose them to fashion the games first goal at $1.83 (Sportsbet)
Wednesday, February 02
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Western Sydney Wanderers FC vs Perth Glory FC7:45PM AEDT, CommBank Stadium |
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Carl Robinson is gone, with Mark Rudan now in charge of the bewildered Wanderers. It has been a very tense past couple of days for the ex-Asian Champions League winners, with the former Jets coach tenure cut significantly shorter then both he and the club would’ve liked at 33-matches in total. As for the Glory, COVID continues to throw their season into disarray along with the decisions of WA Premier Mark McGowan. With that in mind you can expect both sides to come out supercharged and ready to go in this all-in exciting affair. Can the ‘Red & Black’ finally get this one right, or is it the Glory’s time to shine?
Sides generally tend to perform well, at least initially, in the aftermath of their coach being let go. So, based on past history, it’s safe to expect a solid Wanderers performance in this game, even if they aren’t able to claim all three-points up on offer. Luckily for them, they’ve been pitted against a Perth side that look a shell of the players that are listed on paper. Andy Keogh is scoreless in three games so far, while Brandon O’Neil has taken just two shots over the course of three games. And there’s also Daniel Sturridge, the moneyman signing, who’s sole shot at goals this entire season has been off target. That, combined with Perth’s overall rustiness due to lack of gametime this season should work well in Western Sydney’s favour.
Betting tips: Look for the Wanderers to win at $2.14 (Unibet)
Also choose both teams to find the back of the net at $1.57 (Unibet)
Thursday, February 03
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Newcastle Jets FC vs Brisbane Roar FC7:45PM AEDT, McDonald Jones Stadium |
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Newcastle’s latest game in the Hunter Valley saw them leading 1-0 against Adelaide headed into the 88th minute, come the end of the 91st they were down 2-1 to a determined ‘Reds’ side. Their humiliating capitulation in which a 15-year-old bagged a stunning effort against them, sees them languishing in 12th on the table, far from where Arthur Papas would’ve envisioned them being at the start of the season! For Brisbane, Nikola Mileusnic struck twice in his sides 3-0 thrashing of Western Sydney at Dolphin Stadium. Their five-star performance resulting in a thoroughly deserved victory, which sees them sitting on the edge of a Top Six berth, an unthinkable proposition just a few rounds ago. Can the Jets rebound with a solid weeknight effort, or will the Roar continue on with their newfound momentum?
The Jets have lost four of their past seven games and they haven’t posted back-to-back victories since August 2020. Regardless of some of their more positive results this season, the task to rebuild the club that is the Newcastle Jets is an incredibly immense one and it will take more then just this season to do so. As for the Roar, Warren Moon has had significantly more time than Papas to implement his vision at his club and it paid off with a visit to the finals last season and it appears to be happening again. Brisbane is a lot further along in their project then the Jets are, no caps it’s as simple as that.
Betting tips: Look for the Roar to pounce and win at $2.95 (Unibet)
Also back Nikola Mileusnic to score anytime at $4.35 (Unibet)
Friday, February 04
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Adelaide United FC vs Sydney FC7:45PM AEDT, Coopers Stadium |
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This seasons Men’s competition is currently playing witness to Adelaide in third position. While their counterparts in the form of Sydney are struggling to stay afloat in sixth on the ladder. They are just four points ahead of the Central Coast who have three games in hand, while a host of other sides on the outside looking in, also have a decent mathematical advantage over them. However, linking back to the ‘Reds,’ they’re undefeated in their past five domestic games, with three victories to their name. Their most recent result coming in the form of a shock 2-1 away win over Newcastle, as 15-year-old Nestory Irankunda became the clubs youngest ever goal-scorer with a superb free kick in the 88th minute, before Hiroshi Ibusuki scored his second strike of the season to round things off in the 91st minute, after the divine assist from Joshua Cavallo. Will the ‘Sky Blues’ continue to flounder, or can they find an escape rout from their horrible rut?
With Joel King having now departed to Denmark, the ‘Sky Blues’ have been left in a very fragile place defensively. Ryan Grant no longer appears to be his former self, Alex Wilkinson is ageing, James Donachie has a tendency to perhaps go in slightly too hard sometimes, while Connor O’Toole still needs to get fully adjusted under Steve Corica, amongst other issues. It’s not easy for last years runner ups and it may get harder before it gets better. If Adelaide pulls out a victory here, don’t be surprised in the least.
Betting tips: Look for the match to produce over 2.5 goals at $1.72 (Unibet)
Also look for Bobo to make the back of the net bulge at $2.32 (Unibet)
Saturday, February 05
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Western Sydney Wanderers FC vs Western United FC5:05PM AEDT, CommBank Stadium |
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As Western United pay a visit to Parramatta to play the Western Sydney Wanderers it pits second position up against eleventh place in what may well prove to be a severely one-sided battle. However, in an extremely interesting footnote attached to this encounter, inaugural United ‘gaffer’ Mark Rudan has now been named the latest coach in a quickly growing (sigh) list for the Wanderers. Coaches going up against their former sides normally result in pretty hectic affairs and given Rudan’s history with the opposition this one should be no different. + With Western coming in off the back of an animated 1-0 win over City, that should only add to the entertainment value surrounding this game. Can Rudan claim a first-up win as the Wanderers head coach, or will John Aloisi have something to say with regards to that?
The Wanderers have lost four of their last five appearances and have conceded 2+ strikes every time. They are struggling to cope, but at the present time it appears there’s not all that much they can do to stop them from sinking even further. During their most recent H2H against the Roar, they leaked 7/17 shots on target, while prior to that it was 4/20 against City. And the Mariners also had 5/13 before that. It would be one thing if they were at least etching their way to draws and/or wins but their playing style isn’t even resulting in that. Let the Mark Rudan era begin because they need it badly! And a firing Wanderers team is beneficial overall to the rest of the league.
Betting tips: Look for Western United to come in hot for the triumph and score first whenever the match odds become available.
Sunday, February 06
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Wellington Phoenix FC vs Macarthur FC4:05PM AEDT, Campbelltown Stadium |
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When you look at the campaign Wellington have had to date, it’s safe to say it’s been rather shaky. They’ve won just 2/7 A-League games and have tasted defeat four times. And most recently they were bundled out of the FFA Cup semi-finals via a heavy 4-1 loss to the Victory, that despite them owning a one-goal buffer at one stage. Yet most recently in the league it was an entirely different story, as earlier this month they toppled Western United 2-1 at Wollongong Stadium, thanks to goals via Gael Sandoval (16th minute) and Gary Hooper (35th minute). Meanwhile for Macarthur, their latest result was a hefty 3-0 loss to Sydney FC in Campbelltown, a loss which the less said about it the better. Can Ufuk Talay’s men build upon their WIN Stadium win, or are the ‘Bulls’ here to spoil the party?
The ‘Nix’ have previously triumphed in five of their last seven games played at home, a statistic which should be a massive confidence booster, as they look to upset one of the A-League’s surprise packets of this year. As for the ‘Bulls’ to their credit they’ve had a lot of people write them off, but they stood tall in the absence of their home ground, as well as rival fans mocking them online and it has paid off handsomely! They are one of the competitions most feared sides, as Ulises Davilla prepares to lock horns with his former club (no pun intended). Either side would be worthy winners of this clash, that’s for sure.
Betting tips: Pick Macarthur to claim a slim margin of victory at $2.95 (Unibet)
Also pick the game to have over 2.5 strikes within it at $1.72 (Unibet)
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Melbourne City FC vs Perth Glory FC6:45PM AEDT, AAMI Park |
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Melbourne playing Perth at AAMI Park this Sunday is the perfect example of how fluctuating the A-League can be. Or perhaps inconsistent in order to be less harsh. City made the rest of the competition fall on their knees last season en route to a famous Premiership/Championship double. Yet most recently they fell to Western United 1-0 at home. That was despite them attempting ten shots, yet on the flipside they gave up a massive thirteen fouls to the oppositions three. As for the Glory, their latest efforts resulted in a massive 2-1 win over the ‘Sky Blues’ at Jubilee Stadium, yet their previous two encounters before that both resulted in losses. Will it be Melbourne, or Perth who put up their hands to go for the win?
Tom Glover was beast in goals for Melbourne City last round against Western United, as he produced a fine five saves in total, stopping the match from ballooning out into a significantly bigger score line then that of what it actually was. While his dive to deny Allesandro Diamanti’s spot kick was nothing short of special. With Melbourne perhaps weakened again due to international duty for this game, The ‘Terrace’ can take solace in knowing that he’s defending strongly and precisely out at the back.
Betting tips: Choose City to win at $1.54 (Unibet)
Also look for both teams to score at $1.68 (Unibet)
Best Bets of the round Newcastle Jets FC vs Brisbane Roar FC:
Look for the Roar to pounce and win at $2.95 (Unibet)
Also back Nikola Mileusnic to score anytime at $4.35 (Unibet)