The following are previews with betting tips for Round 26 of the 2022/23 A-League Men season.
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Friday, April 28
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Adelaide United v Central Coast Mariners7:45pm AEST, Coopers Stadium |
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Both Adelaide and the Central Coast could enter Week 1 of the Finals in 2nd-place, however alternatively they could also each finish the round as low as 4th. So with a clash between two high-scoring and thoroughly entertaining teams set to open the final weekend of the regular season, combined with everything that there is to play for, we’re in for one hell of a firecracker bonanza!
Latest Results; Adelaide drew 4-4 vs Perth @ HBF Park and the Central Coast beat Newcastle 3-1 @ McDonald Jones Stadium.
Latest H2HS; Central Coast won 4-0 @ Industree Group Stadium and before that Adelaide won 3-1 @ Coopers Stadium.
It would feel like such a travesty if either side weren’t to finish the regular season 2nd on the ladder such is how well they’ve each played throughout the campaign. Adelaide have won 11/25 matches and the Central Coast are currently at 12/25. And meanwhile despite youth talent absolutely bursting at the seams throughout both teams, they’ve forged excellent goal differences being at +10 and +17 respectively. How do you pick apart these sides? Well you don’t. However both Carl Veart and Nick Montgomery will have their troops well prepared for this one. And only making things exceedingly more difficult to predict is when you throw the likes of Socceroos superstars Craig Goodwin and Jason Cummings into the mix, with both Attackers being absolute game changers. Both rivals are going to be cooking here!
Betting tips: Pick over 2.5 goals to be scored at $1.40 (Bet365)
Also pick 7 + corners to be fashioned at $1.11 (Bet365)
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Melbourne City v Western Sydney Wanderers7:45pm AEST, AAMI Park |
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Just last weekend Melbourne wrapped up their third consecutive Premiership via Jamie Maclaren’s record breaking night, breezing past arch-rivals Western United 3-1 at AAMI Park. Whilst Western Sydney competing at their fortress of CommBank Stadium curtailed Wellington in what was a dominant 4-0 triumph. Goals will no doubt come a flying in what should be another spectacular affair of Football.
Latest Results; Melbourne won 3-1 vs Western United @ AAMI Park and Western Sydney won 4-0 vs Wellington @ CommBank Stadium.
Latest H2HS; They drew 1-1 @ CommBank Stadium and before that Melbourne won 3-1 @ CommBank Stadium.
As mentioned before, their latest battle was a 1-1 stalemate at Parramatta. However as always the stats didn’t paint the full picture as City took 31 shots to the ‘Red & Blacks’ two and they also owned 66% possession of the ball to the hosts 34%! However this time around you can expect a much more even display of Football. Such as what we’ve become accustomed to witnessing under former inaugural Western United manager Marko Rudan in recent weeks. Because very much to the ‘Aussies’ credit, his club have only lost three times from their last 10 clashes, whilst they have also scored 14 goals from their last five affairs. A ballistic number of shots won’t rear its head again here. Yet a close, cool encounter should undoubtedly emerge from all of this as well. Something to keep a close eye on.
Betting tips: Back both teams to feature on the score sheet at $1.56 (BoomBet)
Also pick there to be 7+ corners at $1.16 (Bet365)
Saturday, April 29
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Sydney FC v Newcastle Jets5:00pm AEST, Allianz Stadium |
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Newcastle need to WIN and they need to WIN BIG against the hosts on early Saturday evening, as only by doing that and that alone will they have a slim chance of participating past this round, plus they might be hoping for a handy favour from Macarthur as well ‘wink wink’. Against a ‘Sky Blues’ side that will be resting Robert Mak and perhaps a few others as well, stranger things have happened in the A-League in what will no doubt continue on this fantastic weekend of Football.
Latest Results; Sydney won 2-0 vs Brisbane @ Suncorp Stadium and Newcastle lost 3-1 vs the Central Coast @ McDonald Jones Stadium.
Latest H2HS; Sydney won 2-0 @ McDonald Jones Stadium and before that Newcastle won 2-0 @ McDonald Jones Stadium.
The Jets have most definitely not been all that this season. However they have had quite the unlikely trio of Attackers emerge that have somewhat kept them afloat throughout the campaign. And they would be 2X capped Georgian international Beka Mikletadze who has registered 6 goals/3 assists. Then there’s former Sydney wonder kid Trent Buhagiar, who has produced 5 goals/4 assists. Meanwhile despite not always being at his best this year, you’d be hard pressed to find a harder worker then A-Leagues veteran Jaushua Sotirio who’s come up with 3 goals/3 assists. The ‘Sky Blues’ will be missing some influential Men towards the final third of the field and so this is where Newcastle’s Three need to strike hot early and maintain pressure on Sydney for large periods of the game. We all know Steve Corica’s gameplans can crumble more quickly than a Kid with some paper shouting Kobe. So Jets fans this’ll be a nervy one, but your hopes are far, far from being dashed.
Betting tips: Back Sydney to triumph at $1.66 (BoomBet)
Also back them to score first at $1.44 (Bet365)
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Macarthur FC v Wellington Phoenix5:00pm AEST, Campbelltown Stadium |
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Macarthur have won just 7/25 games this campaign, meanwhile for the ever fighting Wellington all they need is a single point to secure their place in the Top Six, just in time for Finals Football. And they’ll no doubt fancy their chances of doing exactly that having won three of their last five tasty affairs against the ‘Bulls’ by convincing scorelines of 4-1, 3-1 and 3-0! Ufuk Talay ‘the Magician’ will have his side ready to pull out a myriad number of tricks in South-West Sydney.
Latest Results; Macarthur lost 2-1 vs Melbourne @ AAMI Park and Wellington lost 4-0 vs Western Sydney @ CommBank Stadium.
Latest H2HS; Macarthur won 2-1 @ Campbelltown Stadium and before that Wellington won 4-1 @ Westpac Stadium.
When Macarthur toppled Wellington 2-1 earlier this year, their latest meeting against one another, they did so in what was an extremely topsy turvy affair. Three penalties were missed, whilst a strike was also disallowed in the games dying stages. Ulises Davila, a former ‘Nix’ player who scored 19 goals over two seasons across the ditch turned ‘Bulls’ captain was one of the players to fluff their spot kick opportunity. Bozhidar Kraev also scored just four-minutes into the affair for Wellington courtesy of his whipping strike. Whilst all in all a humungous 31 shots were peppered away, with an impressive 15 finding the target. The ‘Bulls’ collapse this season post them winning the Australia Cup has been nothing short of woeful. And Wellington have certainly lacked charm throughout parts of the year as well. So it’s difficult to predict the outcome of this game, but anything close to its predecessor and I’ll be happy.
Betting tips: Back a Wellington win at $1.95 (BlueBet)
Also back Oskar Zawada to score any time at $2.07 (BoomBet)
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Melbourne Victory v Brisbane Roar7:45pm AEST, AAMI Park |
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According to Oxford Languages the definition of the word pride is a feeling of deep pleasure or satisfaction derived from one’s own achievements, the achievements of those with whom one is closely associated, or from qualities or possessions that are widely admired. The Victory to their credit and despite their deplorable campaign to date are currently well on the road to 24k members. Meanwhile the Roar pulled in over 12,000 spectators at their latest home affair, they too despite what they’ve dished up this season. Expect them both to play their absolute hardest in a valiant attempt to give their supporters some sort of pride, because they deserve it!
Latest Results; Melbourne won 2-1 vs Macarthur @ AAMI Park and Brisbane lost 2-0 vs Sydney @ Suncorp Stadium.
Latest H2HS; Brisbane won 1-0 @ AAMI Park and before that they drew 0-0 @ Kayo Stadium.
Lleyton Brooks! Cometh the man, cometh the hour, as the 22-year-old Forward produced the biggest moment of his 35-game career to date. As his bullet header sunk Macarthur at home in the 90+4th minute to deliver his side a pulsatingly crazy 2-1 win, just their eighth of the campaign. However with that being said, perhaps their most memorable! And with the Victory’s season dead and buried, you’d hope that this clash will be used an excise to give a young talent of his caliber a fair amount of minutes, or perhaps even start it. And based on the merits of last week he’s certainly earned it! He’s pacy, skilled and has decent vision with the ball at his feet. You can help build a team around somebody like him. And given Brisbane’s defensive weaknesses he should definitely be looking to add to his tally come game day.
Betting tips: Look for there to be 1+ goals scored in the first half at $1.28 (Bet365)
And look for the total goals to be at 2+ via 1.16 (Bet365)
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Perth Glory v Western United10:00pm AEST, HBF Park |
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The difference between the Glory in 7th and the Phoenix in 6th is just three-points and two goals. As a result the hope of playing Finals Football is very much alive for the Western Australia based outfit at this stage. They know how to score goals, having done so 4X in their latest clash versus Adelaide at HBF Park. And not to mention they’ve also come out on top in two of their last three home matchups against the ‘Green & Black’, winning 2-1 and 3-0. If they can draw some inspiration from those memorable moments then anything is possible. The A-Leagues never lies.
Latest Results; Perth drew 4-4 vs Adelaide @ HBF Park and Western United lost 3-1 vs Melbourne City @ AAMI Park.
Latest H2HS; Western United won 2-1 @ Mars Stadium and before that Perth won 2-1 @ Macedonia Park.
The Glory have a new never say die attitude and that was on full display at HBF Park last Sunday as the hosts scored two goals in stoppage time to end up with an incredible 4-4 draw against Adelaide. First it was Adam Zimarino with his bullet right foot, then Adam Taggart after George Blackwood provided him with the classy pass. However they will have to counter that of the incoming retirement from Alessandro Diamanti, a classy, classy addition to the league and a Championship victor with Western United. The 17X capped Italian is undoubtedly a goat of the A-Leagues and his teammates would love nothing more then to send him out on the high in which he deserves to go out on. This clash right here, well just grab a seat and whip out the popcorn, because things are about to get good!
Betting tips: Look for a Glory win at $2.00 (BlueBet)
Also look for 1+ goals to be scored in each half at $1.48 (UniBet)
Best Bets of the Round – Adelaide United v Central Coast Mariners
Pick over 2.5 goals to be scored at $1.40 (Bet365)
Also pick 7 + corners to be fashioned at $1.11 (Bet365)