Competition: A-League
Market: Both teams to score
Odds: 2/3 @ Pribet
Hoping to find a route into the play-off places, Western Sydney will welcome Central Coast to the CommBank Stadium on Friday morning.
Starting with the hosts, while Western Sydney might have opened the New Year with an action-packed 3-2 loss at the hands of Macarthur, it appears that was just a minor blip for the Wanderers. Last seen earlier in the week clinching a 2-1 victory away at Perth, Alen Stajcic’s side now have their sights set on finding a route into the play-off spots. Signing off 2024 with a dramatic 3-2 win against Adelaide, the ex-Central Coast boss will be desperate to get one over on his former employers. Losing just one of their previous seven A-League appearances, Western Sydney will also be excited by their free-scoring performances in the final third. Despite failing to record a single clean sheet since the end of November, Friday’s hosts have notched at least a pair of goals in all of their last 10 consecutive showdowns. However, it should also be highlighted, Stajcic’s side have seen 11 of their 12 A-League appearances so far this season finish with both teams finding the net.
As for the visitors, although Central Coast might have made real history last season as they suffers fully defended their A-League crown, the Mariners have come crashing back down to earth this time around. Enduring what has been a public struggle, Mark Jackson’s men are desperately seeking some kind of boost. Putting in a nightmare performance last weekend as they slumped to a 4-1 drumming at the hands of Sydney, the Gosford-based outfit have recorded just a single victory from any of their last six A-League appearances. With their glaring issues underlined by another 4-1 defeat against Auckland last month, Central Coast have also recorded just a trio of victories across all competitions so far this season. Opening this weekend’s showdown sat six points adrift of the play-off places, Friday’s guests have also shown their own extended defensive struggles. It should be noted, Jackson’s side have failed to muster a single clean sheet on their travels over the past nine months.
Bet: Both teams to score at Western Sydney Wanderers vs Central Coast Mariners 2/3 for Friday’s A-League matchup @ Pribet
