While three Australian teams still remain in the AFC Champions League, all of them will need a minor miracle to advance past the Group Stage which, this week, moves into its third week of action. Brisbane, Adelaide and Western Sydney were all defeated two weeks ago, to leave them on the bottom of their respective groups going into this weekend’s matchups on Tuesday and Wednesday night (AEDT).
Kashima Antlers vs Brisbane Roar (Tuesday 9pm AEDT)
The Brisbane Roar will have the daunting prospect of travelling to Japan to take on the Kashima Antlers on Tuesday night Australian time. The Antlers currently sit 2nd in Group E with one win and one loss, however, their win came against Korean team Ulsan FC who decimated Brisbane 6-0 in their matchup a few weeks ago.
Brisbane proved they could match it with the top Asian teams when they were victorious over Shanghai Shenhua back in February to win a spot into the Champions League, but since then have been fairly average, with a nil-nil draw against Thai team Muangthong United followed by the defeat to Ulsan.
It’s been a pretty rough stretch of scheduling for the Roar, who will play their 2nd away game in a row in the ACL after having travelled to China, South Korea, Perth and Melbourne all in the last month. That factor, combined with a current long list of injuries has me struggling to find a way in which they compete here.
TIP: Kashima Antlers -1 - $2 at Sportsbet
Adelaide United vs Jeju United (Wednesday 8pm AEDT)
The worst A-League team of the 2016-17 season hasn’t been much better in the ACL so far. After a 3-0 loss to Japanese team Gamba Osaka, the Reds went down in a hard fought 2-1 loss to Chinese team Jiangsu FC which features former Chelsea player Ramires.
This week Adelaide face off against Korean team Jeju United, who had a convincing 4-1 win over Gamba a few weeks ago. While they don’t face any of the star international power that some of their Asian counterparts do, Jeju are a well drilled Korean team who currently sit on top of their domestic league albeit after only 2 games.
It’s hard to make a case for Adelaide in any game now let alone a game against the powerhouses of Asian football, their form in all competitions has been woeful. The one positive here is that they’ll be the only Australian team who will have a home game this week, but the stats suggest they’ll be in for a long night. Adelaide have won only one of their last nine games while Jeju are rolling, having won their last three. Look for those trends to continue here.
TIP: Jeju United to win - $1.75 at Ladbrokes
FC Seoul vs Western Sydney Wanderers (Wednesday 9.30pm AEDT)
Although both teams facing off in this clash sit 0-0-2 in the group so far, FC Seoul are a juggernaut of Asian football and consistently finish around the top of the K-League. It’s a testament to how strong this group is that they have suffered two defeats at the hands of the Urawa Reds and Shanghai.
Western Sydney will be travelling for this match which will give the Korean team a massive advantage as they look to open their account in this year’s ACL. It’s a little disappointing that the dominant teams of last year’s A-League season have been pretty lacklustre this year. Adelaide’s poor run combined with the fact that Western Sydney have won just one of their last six games doesn’t bode well for Australia’s representatives in Asia.
I would be much more willing to have confidence in the A-League if it were Sydney FC as well as the two Melbourne teams competing this year, but like last round with these three teams, it’s hard to envision them pinching a solitary point between them.
TIP: FC Seoul to win to nil - $2.60 at Sportsbet
Take note: Any of the tips in this article are simply the author’s opinion, so bet at your own risk and always gamble responsibly. Also be sure to check out the Before You Bet Twitter Page for all our thoughts in the lead up to bets! Happy punting!
