We are set for another five exciting matches when Week 16 of the A-League gets underway from Friday night.
Newcastle Jets vs Brisbane Roar
Round 16 of the A-League is underway in Newcastle tonight when the high-flying Jets host a disappointing Brisbane Roar outfit.
The Jets have been simply outstanding this season and they appear to be one of the few teams capable of challenging Sydney FC. A 1-1 draw with the runaway leaders was franked with a comfortable 2-1 win over old rivals the Central Coast Mariners in Tuesday night’s F3 Derby and they are faced another ‘soft kill’ in the form of Brisbane.
The Roar have managed only three wins in fifteen matches this season and are really only playing for pride now. They will need to have a big shake-up of their roster come season’s end and subsequently, many of their veterans including captain Matt McKay are probably playing for their future.
There’s still value for the Jets in our win-draw-win market and they are subsequently our best bet in Week 16 of the A-League
Tip: Back the Jets to win @ $1.75
Wellington Phoenix vs Western Sydney Wanderers
The last-placed Phoenix are another team attempting to salvage pride and nothing else this season, and they face another stern task in the form of the Wanderers on Saturday afternoon.
With only two wins from fourteen matches this season, the Phoenix are firmly anchored to the bottom of the table, with really no scope of going anywhere. They did manage to capitalise on a ten-man Melbourne Victory on Wednesday night, but they did fall behind after Rhys Williams was sent from the ground and it is tough to see them emulating that performance.
The Wanderers continued an undefeated run of form alive with a gritty 1-1 draw against Adelaide at home on Wednesday. They are a team that has continued to build to the task since Josep Gombau took charge and they are offered a great opportunity to post another win here.
While Wellington are slightly better at home than they are away, it is simply too difficult to trust them from a betting perspective.
Tip: Back Western Sydney to win @ $2.55
Melbourne Victory vs Perth Glory
The Melbourne Victory will look to atone from a Round 15 shocker when they host the Perth Glory on Saturday night.
The Victory found a good and consistent run of form leading up to the new year, but an eighth-minute red card to Rhys Williams in Wellington on Wednesday night ultimately proved too great a blow to his side, who slumped to a 2-1 loss to the cellar-dwellers. Their biggest issue ahead of this game is finding a replacement for Williams, who has been one of the side’s best this campaign.
The Glory have been quite terrible of late and they will enter this match off the back of consecutive losses to Sydney, Adelaide and Melbourne City. They have completed lacked composure in front of goal and will struggle to break through a sturdy Victory defence.
Tip: Back ‘No’ in the Both Teams To Score market @ $2.30
Central Coast Mariners vs Melbourne City
The penultimate match of the round will see the Central Coast Mariners square off with Melbourne City on Sunday afternoon.
The Mariners are another team that have struggled for goals of late and despite holding their own for plenty of Tuesday night’s match with the Jets, they were let down by their lack of potency in attack and walked away on the wrong end of a 2-0 score line.
City returned to winning form via a dominant performance in the nation’s west on Tuesday night. Captain Ross McCormick led from the front with an impressive brace and in what could be a good omen for the club, netted the winner the last time these two sides met.
City are well and truly over the odds at their current quote and they can keep the pressure on the Jets with a win here.
Tip: Back Melbourne City to win @ $1.90
Adelaide United vs Sydney FC
Adelaide United will have their work cut out for them when they host league-leaders Sydney FC on Sunday evening.
Sydney have been truly brilliant this campaign and they are on their way to an easy premiership and likely championship. Week-in, week-out they make light work of their opposition and that on show again on Tuesday evening when they easily put away Brisbane, to the tune of 3-0. That was actually not one of their better performances recently and they will need to be better if they are going to produce a similar score line against the Reds.
Adelaide are a tough away trip and they boast several quality players of their own, but Sydney are specials in every match they contest and represent good value here.
Tip: Back Sydney FC to win @ $1.75