It’s been an exciting A-League season to date and it’s about to get even better this weekend with two elimination finals on the cards. First up it’s Adelaide United vs Wellington Phoenix on Friday night, then it’s Western Sydney Wanderers vs Sydney FC on Saturday night.
We bring you our A-League betting tips for the first week of finals below and good luck to everyone following!
Also, if you’re unfamiliar with the new A-League finals format, make sure to check out the graphic at the bottom of the article which shows you each team’s potential route to the Grand Final!
2022-23 A-League: Elimination Finals Preview & Betting Tips
Adelaide United vs Wellington Phoenix
Friday May 5th, 7:45pm (AEST)
Adelaide looked a sure thing to secure a top two spot and automatic qualification into the semi-finals a couple of weeks ago, but a disastrous finish to the season saw them slip to third and they now have to do it the hard way.
The Reds secured only two points from their last four regular season fixtures and three of those were played on their home deck. This all came after they went on a massive 12-game unbeaten run from Rounds 12-23, so to say a third-place finish is a disappointment would be an understatement.
Wellington also finished the season in poor form but managed to secure a finals berth in the final round of the season with a 1-0 win over Macarthur. Prior to that win the Phoenix had only picked up one win from their last five matches and had conceded a whopping 14 goals during that span.
Still, making the finals this season is a great achievement for Wellington considering their inferior budget compared to the bigger clubs in the competition. They’ll now be aiming to make it past the first week of the finals for the first time since the 2011-12 season.
Neither of these teams will be happy with how they finished the home and away season, but it’s Adelaide who clearly have the more upside of the pair. They had the third best home record in the league this season, while the Phoenix only won four times on the road. I have the Reds booking their ticket into the semi-finals in regulation.
Adelaide Win in Normal Time
$1.80 (2.5 Units)
Western Sydney Wanderers vs Sydney FC
Saturday May 6th, 7:45pm (AEST)
Western Sydney had a chance to finish second on the ladder if they notched a big win against Melbourne City in the final round, but ultimately lost the game 3-2 and had to settle for fourth spot.
Regardless of what happens in the finals, it’s been a tremendous bounce-back season for the Wanderers who finished 10th last campaign. They added 13 goals to last season’s total of 30 which resulted in five extra wins.
Sydney finished the home and away season in fantastic form with wins in each of their last three, as well as being unbeaten in their last five. Their 11/15 points from the last five rounds was the best return from any team in the competition, which is sure to give them some confidence ahead of this weekend.
Similarly, the Sky Blues enjoyed a resurgence up the ladder this season, improving three spots from their eighth-place finish from a season ago. Interestingly, they performed better when they left the border, winning six games on the road compared to five at home.
This rivalry has been a tough one to predict ever since its inception, and this weekend’s fixture is no different. Both teams enter this elimination final and good form and full of confidence, and I’ll be staying away from predicting a winner as a result.
Instead, I love the value of the Wanderers to kick at least two goals. They’ve been fantastic in attack this season, particularly over their past 10 games where they’ve netted 26 goals, including 2+ in 9/10 of those games. On top of that, the Wanderers banged in four goals when these teams last played a couple of months ago.
Western Sydney to Score 2+ Goals
$1.96 (2 Units)
