Round 19 of the A-League may only feature just the five games, but there’s no shortage of cracking contests.
From a Valentine’s Day showdown between Melbourne Victory and the Nix to the much-anticipated clash between Western United and Auckland, it’s a short round—but it’s a sweet one.
Can we find some value for punters this weekend?
Read on in our A-League Round 19 preview below.
What better way to spend Valentine’s Day than at AAMI Park, watching sixth-placed Melbourne Victory take on 10th-placed Wellington Phoenix?
Victory will be eager to bounce back at home after a 3-0 loss in Newcastle, while the Nix will be looking for more than just a draw after sharing the points with lowly Brisbane Roar last week.
We’re kicking off the weekend with a Same Game Multi, finding some value to show our love.
Don’t expect a goal fest—each of the past six meetings between these sides has gone under 2.5 goals, making the $2.20 on offer a solid bet.
And since it’s Valentine’s Day, what could be more fitting than A-League stalwart, Wellington’s own Kosta Barbarouses scoring against his (two-time) former club, Melbourne Victory? A romantic touch
Melbourne City will be desperate to snap a three-game losing streak and push back into the top six when they host 12th-placed Perth Glory at AAMI Park on Saturday.
Last weekend, City fell 1-0 to Adelaide, while the Glory managed a draw at home against the Mariners.
City enters this clash as clear $1.25 favorites in the head-to-head market, while Perth’s away form has been dismal, reflected in their $9.50 odds.
An interesting trend to watch—both teams have not scored in any of City’s past six regular-season A-League matches.
At $1.85, that streak looks like good value to continue this weekend.
We’re in for a cracking contest at the ever-scenic car park that is Ironbark Fields, as third-placed Western United hosts ladder-leaders Auckland FC.
Western United have shared the points in their last two outings, while Auckland come in with strong form—winning three of their last four, including a 2-1 home victory over Macarthur last weekend.
This is only the second-ever meeting between these sides, with Western United dominating their first encounter, securing a 4-0 win in Auckland just before Christmas.
With both teams priced at $2.55 in the head-to-head market, this could turn into a high-scoring affair.
However, the draw at $3.40 looks like a solid value play, either way, we’re in for a beauty!
Despite their impressive 3-0 win over Melbourne Victory last week, the Newcastle Jets face a tough challenge against Adelaide United at Coopers Stadium.
The Reds returned to the winner’s list with a gritty 1-0 home victory over Melbourne City and have been one of the A-League’s standout teams this season, battling it out with Auckland FC for top spot of the table.
History isn’t on the Jets’ side either—they’ve lost eight of their last nine against Adelaide and head into this clash as $5.50 H2H outsiders.
However, Coopers Stadium has been a happy hunting ground for away goals.
Despite Adelaide’s dominance, the “both teams to score” market has hit in 14 of the last 15 games where the Reds started as favourites.
That’s good enough for me to throw into a Same Game Multi—Adelaide to win and both teams to score.
Should do the job!
The Wanderers will be filthy after letting a 3-1 lead slip late in the Sydney Derby, ultimately sharing the points with the Sky Blues in injury time.
Now, they take on Macarthur who also settled for a draw against Western United last weekend in what many dub the Temu version of the Sydney Derby.
It should be a fascinating encounter.
Home-ground advantage is on the Wanderers’ side, but don’t rule out the Bulls pulling off an upset at RBB on Sunday.
The data suggests there’s a bit of a trend when Macarthur enters a match as an underdog after a draw, they tend to win.
In fact, they’ve done it in their last four attempts, which included their 3-2 victory over the Wanderers at Commbank Stadium on back New Year’s Day.
I’ll take the $3 on offer for the Bulls.