Round 21 presents another huge weekend of A-League action! Western United, the reigning champions, are on the move after a third win on the trot, while Adelaide are also pressing their title credentials.
We bring you our Matchday 21 preview and A-League betting tips below, and if you're looking for a new sportsbook, why not try Betr?
2022-23 A-League: Round 21 Preview & Betting Tips
Adelaide United vs Wellington Phoenix
Friday 17th March, 7.45pm (AEDT)
Two of the form teams in the league will clash on Friday night, with Adelaide United hosting Wellington Phoenix at Hindmarsh Stadium. Neither team has lost in a month, and both look likely to play in the finals in 2023.
Adelaide have been an attacking force this campaign, scoring 39 goals at nearly two per game, ranking them third in the league. On the other hand, Wellington Phoenix have been more successful defensively.
Unsurprisingly, these teams have been closely matched in recent years, with both teams claiming a victory in four matches last year. As such, this is a tough call, but Adelaide were so impressive last week away from home against Newcastle that I can’t tip against them on home soil this Friday.
Adelaide United to Win
$2.05 (2 Units)
Brisbane Roar vs Western United
Saturday 18th March, 5.00pm (AEDT)
Cellar dwellers Brisbane Roar will welcome a resurgent Western United to Queensland this Saturday, the latter having won three consecutive matches.
Western United are now just two points outside of the top six, so their season is well and truly alive, while the Roar are likely to finish near the foot of the table.
Brisbane simply can’t put the ball in the back of the net – they have scored just 18 goals, a league low by some margin. While that doesn’t bode well for their chances this weekend, the Roar will be buoyed by the fact that United have struggled in defence, conceding 36 goals.
Nevertheless, Western United are on a tear and Connor Pain has been providing silver service to the strikers. As such, Brisbane will do well to walk away with a draw from this one.
Newcastle Jets vs Perth Glory
Saturday 18th March, 5.00pm (AEDT)
I backed Newcastle last week and was left empty handed, so I’m hoping to see a response from the Jets this weekend.
While Newcastle have lost their last three matches, they scored in each of those affairs and should be able to penetrate Perth’s shaky defence this Saturday. The Jets have not lost to Perth in six previous matches, and have scored at least two goals in the last four of those games. As such, this will be a tough mountain to climb for the Glory, who have scored just three goals over the last three weeks.
Both teams are a possibility to make the top six, so this game is very much do or die, and with a vocal home crowd behind them, I expect the Jets to come good and take all three points here.
Newcastle Jets to Win
$2.20 (3 Units)
Sydney FC vs Western Sydney Wanderers
Saturday 18th March, 7.45pm (AEDT)
Both Sydney and Western Sydney will be aiming to bounce back from the 1-0 defeats they suffered last weekend when they reignite their rivalry on Saturday night.
The Sky Blues couldn’t find the back of the net against Wellington when failing to score for the first time in seven league matches. Still, they remain inside the top six but only by two points.
Meanwhile, the Wanderers were upset by a determined Perth Glory outfit last weekend, which snapped a mini two-game win streak they’d built. The Wanderers are currently in fourth spot on the table and only three points behind second.
Although the matches have been entertaining, this matchup has had very few goals scored in recent clashes. The Under 2.5 Goals market has hit in five of their last six meetings, and considering neither team managed to score last weekend it seems we’re in for another low-scoring affair.
Under 2.5 Goals
$1.95 (3 Units)
Melbourne Victory vs Central Coast Mariners
Sunday 19th March, 5.00pm (AEDT)
Melbourne Victory’s miserable season continued last weekend when they went down to rivals Western United 2-1 at home. They’ve now lost two in a row and have only secured one point from their last three games, which is why they’re glued to the bottom of the table and surely won’t be playing finals this season.
The Mariners are enjoying a strong season and ticked another box last weekend with a 4-1 thrashing of Macarthur. The Mainers have been finding the back of the net with regularity this season and are the second highest scoring team in the competition.
Considering this is 3rd vs 12th and the Mariners have a better road record than Victory do home record, I simply cannot understand why Victory are favourites for this Sunday night clash. The Mariners are clear value in the head-to-head market and I expect them to be winning this game.
Central Coast Marines to Win
$2.87 (2 Units)
Macarthur FC vs Melbourne City
Sunday 19th March, 7.00pm (AEDT)
The final fixture of Round 21 looms as arguably the most one-sided of all six fixtures this weekend.
Macarthur are coming off another big loss and this time it was the Mariners who put four past them. They’ve now lost four of their last six games and in three of those losses they’ve conceded at least four goals.
In contrast, Melbourne City were victorious in Round 20 by two goals to one against Brisbane Roar. City have now won four of their last six games and are sitting pretty at the top of the table. One are they’ll look to tidy up is their defence, as they’ve now gone six league matches without a clean sheet.
City are by far the better team in this matchup and they proved that only last month when they smashed MacArthur 6-1, and while this time around should be at least a little bit closer than that, I’m still expecting City to be too good.
Melbourne City to Win
$1.60 (3 Units)
