The following are previews with betting tips for Week 17 of the 2021/22 A-League Men season.
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Wednesday, March 02
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Melbourne City vs Perth Glory7:05PM AEDT, AAMI Park |
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Both teams are heading into this clash off the back of vastly contrasting results, with City having dramatically beaten Sydney 2-1 away from home, thanks to Matthew Leckie’s late 90+1 powerful winner. While Perth was humbled 2-0 in Tasmania by Western United. The Glory shot an atrocious 2/12 on target! That despite them owning 62% possession of the ball. City are still flying high, while the Glory are struggling to stay afloat. And with the Glory having kept just a single clean sheet over their past eight games, it remains to be seen how they’ll stop the might of Melbourne at home (four wins + two draws from eight games this season).
Did you know that five of Melbourne and Perth’s last seven fixtures have produced three or more goals in each one. While funnily enough, the other two combined have fashioned just the lone strike. Meanwhile when it comes to individual brilliance between these two rivals, Jamie Maclaren can’t be beat, as he’s made the back of the net bulge three times from his most recent three appearances against the Western Australian side.
Betting tips: Pick City to win at $1.30 (Sportsbet)
Also back them to score over 1.5 goals at $1.33 (Sportsbet)
Friday, March 04
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Melbourne Victory vs Macarthur Bulls7:45PM AEDT, AAMI Park |
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This promises to be an exceedingly difficult game for Macarthur, as the Victory are far from slouches this season. They’ve claimed a domestic cup already this year and with their games in hand, they’re not all that far off 2nd spot (if they were to capitalise upon them of course). This is where former Blacktown Spartans Attacker Lachlan Rose comes into play. Across thirty-six games for the Spartans, he struck the back of the net X10. And now he’s doing similarly good things as of late for the ‘Bulls’ too. He’s scored three goals this season, equal with Tomislav Uskok in leading the Macarthur goals scored department. Whilst he’s also registered seven shot assists and as a nice bonus, he’s won 50% of his attempted tackles, good for 3/6. He has a certain rangy pace with the ball and it’s skills like that and players like Rose that’ll give the Campbelltown side a shot of brewing up a result.
Did you know the ‘Bulls’ have scored two + goals in six of their last seven matches and they haven’t been kept scoreless since their heavy 3-0 defeat to the ‘Sky Blues’ late last year. In comparison for the hosting Victory, they are the polar opposite, having scored just the solo goal in three of the last four times of asking. Meanwhile it was less then two weeks ago when they suffered their unexpected 2-0 shock defeat to the Wanderers. A poor effort which saw Tony Popovic’s men shoot just 1/6 on target in total.
Betting tips: Look for both sides to score at $1.61 (Bet365)
Also look for there to be over 2.5 goals scored within the match at $1.72 (Bet365)
Saturday, March 05
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Western United vs Newcastle Jets3:05PM AEDT, Mars Stadium |
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Most recently another clinical ‘Green & Black’ performance saw them topple Perth with ease 2-0 at UTAS Stadium. Meanwhile for the Jets, they played out one of the games of the season in a highly thrilling 2-2 draw against the ‘Bulls’. Beka Mikeltadze struck home his eighth goal of the season in style with a calmly converted penalty in the 33rd-minute and their second came through a strongly forced Lachlan Rose OG in the 79th-minute of the match. Along the way this season Newcastle have caused a bit of a ruckus. Just last week they bested Western Sydney 1-0, a squad that was built by their formerly departed coach Carl Robinson and one that contained several ex-Novocastrians. While not long before that they conjured up a 2-1 win over the Victory. And no one can forget them erasing a 2-0 deficit vs Sydney in Sydney earlier on in the season to draw 2-2! John Aloisi’s men are tight all-round, but if anybody is capable of masterminding an upset then Arthur Papas is certainly capable of doing so.
Did you know Western United are currently in the midst of a club-record seven-game unbeaten run. Not only that, of their fourteen matches contested so far, seven have been clean sheets! And Jamie Young is a big part of all of that, with the former A-League Goalkeeper of the Year averaging a phenomenal 3.15 saves per match, while having fashioned forty-three on the season in total, including seventeen from outside the box, as his side sit one-point clear in 1st place, with a game less played than 2nd.
Betting tips: Back Western United to prevail at $1.85 (Sportsbet)
Also look for H2 to witness over 1.5 goals within it at $1.83 (Sportsbet)
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Central Coast Mariners vs Brisbane Roar5:05PM AEDT, Central Coast Stadium |
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In the 92nd-minute of their last clash against Adelaide at Coopers Stadium, the Mariners ceded the winner to 16-year-old sensation Nestory Irankunda. Two games prior, it was Nishan Velupillay who fashioned a 94th-minute winner. The game before, Daniel Stynes produced the 93rd-minute equaliser and yep you guessed it, the same thing occurred before that vs Macarthur. As after scoring what appeared to be the winner through Moresche in the 86th-minute, Craig Noone produced the bullet strike, to equalise only four-minutes later. And before that was their cup final matchup vs the Victory at AAMI Park and we all know what went down there. This late, late drama has constantly been working against Nick Montgomery’s men and engulfing them. So, this is where the game will be decided, in the final 10-15 minutes of the match. The rest of the clash will just be building up towards that ultimate stage!
Did you know the Roar are unbeaten in their last five appearances against the Mariners and have kept them scoreless in each and every one in the process. Most recently at Dolphin Stadium, the Central Coast witnessed eleven of their twenty shots be blocked by the opposition defence. While prior to that in Gosford they were put through the ringer, going down 4-0! Despite the home side putting up 4/11 attempts on target. And prior to their lone FFA Cup (now Australia Cup) penalty shootout defeat to the Mariners, the match before their five-game hot streak, the Roar hadn’t lost in fifteen tries against the team from Central Coast Stadium.
Betting tips: Back the Mariners to finally break the drought at $2.05 (Bet365)
Also look for only the Central Coast to score at $2.10 (Bet365)
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Western Sydney Wanderers vs Sydney FC7:45PM AEDT, CommBank Stadium |
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What was once a packed-out atmosphere and intense game of Football has fizzled out in recent years and now, we’re in the 2022 campaign, where both teams are struggling to stay within touching distance of the Top Six, despite both being amongst the biggest clubs in the league. Both teams have had fairly catastrophic seasons to date and they’re badly paying for it. Carl Robinson was sacked mid-season to make way for the arrival of Mark Rudan, while many passionate SFC supporters want to see Steve Corica be sacked as well! It’s tense times at both franchises and as a result expect to see a fairly drab game of A-League Men Football, lit up by only a few moments of individual brilliance via the likes of Dimi Petratos and Milos Ninkovic.
Did you know the Wanderers have failed to score in their last two consecutive appearances against the ‘Sky Blues.’ Meanwhile both sides are currently down on confidence, with each on a two-match losing streak. Additionally, Western Sydney have won just two of their previous seven games at CommBank Stadium, while Sydney have triumphed in just two of their last six games on the road. As for their goal-scoring woes that’s another issue entirely, with Tomor Hemed leading the hosts with three on the season and Bobo with a paltry four. Those seven combined strikes aren’t even enough to displace the 2nd highest Men’s goal scorer this season (eight).
Betting tips: Pick Sydney to etch out a tough Derby win at $2.45 (Sportsbet)
Also pick Sydney to score 1+ goals in H1 at $1.91 (Sportsbet)
Sunday, March 06
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Wellington Phoenix vs Melbourne City4:05PM AEDT, Leichardt Oval |
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It’s easy to talk about the form of Jamie Maclaren, but Matthew Leckie should be getting more recognition with the form he’s in at the moment. Last round against Sydney in Kogarah, in subpar conditions, the well-versed attacker placed his shot well and scored the 90+1-minute winner, much to the delight of the small contingent of ecstatic travelling City supporters. That was his fifth strike of the season to date, while he also has thirteen shot assists as well. Both Maclaren and Andrew Nabbout have been lighting up Australia for years now, but Leckie’s only just returned. However, it’s safe to say that he’s well and truly making his name re-known to thousands of supporters across the country. With the form he’s been in, all eyes will be on him to see what sort of captivating performance he puts in against Wellington.
Did you know the ‘Nix’ are undefeated in six of their last nine contested clashes against City and they most recently knocked them out of the FFA Cup (now Australia Cup) on penalties in what was a humongous coup for Ufuk Talay and his men. And with nine goals having been scored over the previous two fixtures prior to that knockout blow, you just know this game is set for similar scintillating heights. And if Wellington were to win their three games in hand, they would be just one-point off 2nd placed City. With the race for finals berths and top two spots heating up massively, this promises to be another classic encounter.
Betting tips: Pick both teams to score at $1.57 (Bet365)
However, when push comes to shove pick City to win at $2.30 (Bet365)
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Perth Glory vs Adelaide United7:05PM AEDT, HBF Park |
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It’s been a long time coming, but Perth’s sacrifices are finally being rewarded as they’ll go into battle this round at HBF Park for the first time in far too long. The Glory are a different proposition at home, and everybody knows that. Now in front of an undoubtedly large crowd they’ll attempt to get their season back on track. Bruno Fornaroli is one superstar who thrives playing at home. As he’s scored X4 during his last six A-League outings at HBF Park. While Liam Reddy is obviously another too who excels when placed in front of their large group of raucous fans. Watch out Adelaide, the Glory are a force to be reckoned with given the unusual circumstances surrounding their return to home!
Did you know Perth’s match against Adelaide is the first game they’ve been able to hold in Perth since their RD1 1-1 draw, also against Adelaide, at the start of this campaign. Since then, they’ve spent around three long gruelling months on the road, winning just 3/10 in the process and accumulating only ten-points. Meanwhile as of late, the ‘Reds’ have been pretty potent away from home, winning three of their last five, with a draw in there as well. 7-3 Being the collective score line of their victories!
Betting tips: Pick Perth to win at $2.87 (Sportsbet)
Also look for both sides to rattle the back of the net at $1.67 (Sportsbet)
Best Bets of the week – Western Sydney Wanderers vs Sydney FC
Pick Sydney to etch out a tough Derby win at $2.45 (Sportsbet)
Also pick Sydney to score 1+ goals in H1 at $1.91 (Sportsbet)