There were plenty of upsets in the first round of the new A-League Men’s season, setting things up for an enthralling campaign.
Round 2 promises more twists and turns, with Brisbane Roar and Sydney FC kicking the weekend off on Friday night.
Check out our Round 2 preview and A-League betting tips below.
A-League 2023-24 Round 2 Betting Tips
Brisbane Roar vs Sydney FC
Friday 27th October, 7.45pm (AEDT)
Neither Brisbane nor Sydney was able to launch their campaign in winning style last weekend, settling for a draw and loss, respectively.
It was a particularly disappointing result for the Sky Blues, who went down 0-2 to Melbourne Victory despite entering the match as hot favourites.
Nevertheless, the punters fancy Sydney again this Friday for their trip up north to Brisbane.
Recent history supports this – Sydney have not lost to the Roar this year, recording two victories and a draw in three matches. Furthermore, both wins came in Queensland, so Sydney won’t mind hitting the road for this one.
With that and Brisbane’s projected performance in mind, I’m picking the Sky Blues to get their season rolling on Friday.
Sydney FC to Win
$2.29 (2 Units)
Wellington Phoenix vs Perth Glory
Saturday 28th October, 3.30pm (AEDT)
Wellington and Perth also come into this one winless, both having recorded draws in Round 1.
Perth were the more promising side on the opening weekend, putting two goals past Newcastle before letting in an injury time equaliser. On the other side of the country, the Phoenix had their colours lowered by Western Sydney, restricted to just one shot on target as the game finished up goalless.
However, the trip across the Tasman is always a difficult one, and Perth have not won on NZ soil since 2020.
In that period the Phoenix have managed to win two and lose two, so I think the draw presents great value in this fixture.
Western Sydney Wanderers vs Western United
Saturday 28th October, 7.30pm (AEDT)
A duel will determine the ‘best of the west’ on Saturday night, when the Wanderers host Western United.
Both teams performed well on the opening weekend of the campaign, with Western Sydney outplaying Phoenix and Western United beating powerhouse Melbourne City 2-1.
All the talk surrounded United’s big signings heading into this season, but it was young striker Noah Botic who stole the limelight, scoring from the spot in the 87th minute to seal a memorable win.
The men in green are every bit a finals side in my eyes, but the Wanderers are no slouches, so this should be a cracking contest. Considering the early form of both sides, I’m going to hedge my bets with a double chance tip in this one.
As well as sporting an improved player roster this season, Western United also have great recent history against the Wanderers, so they should be capable of taking at least one point from this encounter.
Western United or Draw
$1.95 (3 Units)
Central Coast Mariners vs Macarthur
Sunday 29th October, 3pm (AEDT)
Well, the Mariners certainly didn’t get their title defence off to a good start. They suffered the biggest defeat of all losers in Round 1, falling 3-0 on the road against Adelaide.
Still, the Mariners will be confident they can bounce back on their home deck, as that’s where they did the bulk of their damage last season, amassing a 7-3-3 record in the regular season.
Elsewhere, Macarthur tried hard in their home opener against Brisbane in a fixture that ended up all square at 1-1. It was an attacking contest and one that could’ve easily netted a few more goals.
The Mariners, despite losing last week, are the deserving favourites on their home deck and should be beating teams of Macarthur’s quality.
Central Coast Mariners to Win
$1.65 (3 Units)
Melbourne Victory vs Newcastle Jets
Sunday 29th October, 5pm (AEDT)
Arguably the best performers in Round 1, Melbourne Victory will be looking forward to their home opener this weekend.
Victory were able to take care of the highly-touted Sydney FC last weekend, defeating them 2-0 despite being the road underdogs. Both goals came in the second half and both were well deserved.
Likewise, the Newcastle Jets were able to find the back of the net twice in their first outing, although they also conceded a double and had to settle for a share of the points against the Glory.
Based on last weekend’s results it’s no surprise to see the Victory as heavy favourites to double the dose. As long as they can play something close to the level they produced last weekend, then they should be coming away with another three points.
Melbourne Victory to Win
$1.75 (3 Units)
Adelaide United vs Melbourne City
Sunday 29th October, 7pm (AEDT)
Adelaide United began the season with a bang, destroying last season’s champions in the Mariners by three goals to nil.
The Reds will remain on their home deck this weekend, which is a big positive considering their home record last season (7-3-3) was far superior to their road results (4-6-3).
This season’s top fancies, Melbourne City, couldn’t get off the mark in their first game of the season. They were trumped 2-1 by Western United despite having the home support on their side.
Although it’s a very small sample size, there’s a lot to like about this Adelaide United outfit. They’ll be brimming with confidence after last weekend’s performance and are decent enough odds to back in again this weekend.
Adelaide United to Win
$3.10 (1 Unit)
