A-league Round 14 was a weekend of controversy with a few referee decisions coming under a lot of scrutiny with the top two teams being on the wrong end of the decisions. Continue reading for our 2015-16 A-league Round 15 Preview and Betting Tips.
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Melbourne Victory vs Brisbane Roar (Friday 7.40pm AEDT)
The Roar moved to the top of the table after leaving Wellington with a point, however they would have wanted more and they were unlucky to miss out on a penalty that was taken away from them. It is a short turn around for them with just the five days break before taking on the Victory on the road. The Roar will still be full of confidence despite facing the defending champions as they have gone five games without a loss and have only lost one in their past 11 matches. However, they have lost their last three matches against the Melbourne side.
Victory were caught napping last week against the Mariners as they allowed a season high three goals in the first half. During the break they were able to compose themselves as they fought back to tie the game and return home with a point. It is danger signs for a side that has wishes to go back-to-back and with the side down on confidence and playing poorly we are predicting these two teams to play out a draw.
TIP: Draw @ $3.60 with Palmerbet
Adelaide United vs Central Coast Mariners (Saturday 5.15pm AEDT)
The Mariners shocked a lot of people last week when they were able to take a 3-0 lead into the break against the defending champions. However, that excitement was short lived as they fell apart in the second half and their defence again let them down which has been the story for the side this season. They have conceded 32 goals in 14 matches, which is on average more than two goals a game. If they are to improve they need to lock things up at the back.
Meanwhile Adelaide’s resurgence has continued as they are now six matches without a loss and have picked up four wins over that period. The team took a while to gel this season but everything seems to be paying off for the side now as their confidence is lifting and they are creating quality chances and finishing them off. This match could end in a similar result to last week with the Reds to pick up a big victory.
TIP: Adelaide @ $1.42 with Sportsbet
Western Sydney Wanderers vs Sydney FC (Saturday 7.30pm AEDT)
The Sydney derby promises to be a big one with the two sides separated by just three competition points. The Wanderers are coming off their first loss in nine matches after a controversial decision to disallow a goal led to the side losing 3-2 to Melbourne City. However, the side can take a lot out of the contest as they were strong in attack whilst it took solid attack to crack their defence. Mitch Nichols was at his attacking best in the midfield as he created plenty of chances whilst Romeo Castelen was constantly dangerous down the right flank.
The Sky Blues were able to keep their strong record intact against the Newcastle Jets last week as they won convincingly. They kept a clean sheet in their victory as they proved they have one of the strongest defences in the league whilst they were able to find the back of the net on two occasions. However, Sydney have been inconsistent this season and when they have come up against the strong teams they have failed to perform – because of this we be backing the Wanderers to win at home.
TIP: Wanderers @ $2.03 with Crownbet
Perth Glory vs Melbourne City (Saturday 9.40pm AEDT)
Melbourne City picked up a huge victory against the Wanderers last week that kept them in third place and within four points of the top of the table. They will head into this match with their heads high as they were able to defeat Perth earlier in the season 5-1 which kickstarted an incredible run of form for the City team that has by far the best attack in the league with 35 goals. That attack will see them penetrate the Glory defence on multiple occasions as you can expect Aaron Mooy to dominate the midfield and Bruno Fornaroli to find his name on the scoring sheet as the Glory’s struggles this season will continue.
TIP: City @ $2.18 with MadBookie
Newcastle Jets vs Wellington Phoenix (Sunday 5pm AEDT)
The final match of the round has two of the most out of form sides up against each other and they will both want to turn their seasons around. The Phoenix have only been able to score four goals in their last seven away matches which has contributed to them being unable to pick up an away win since round 2 of this season – since then they have lost five matches and picked up two draws.
However, it isn’t great signs for the Jets as they have failed to score a goal this season in the opening 60 minutes of play with all of their four home goals coming in the 61st minute or later. They have also struggled to create and convert chances as they have the worst attack in the league with just 9 goals – 3 of those coming in one match. We can’t see this match being very exciting and the contest will end with both sides splitting the points.
TIP: Draw @ $3.45 with WilliamHill
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!
