A-League Round 18 tips, best odds & value bets – Feb 24-26

Round 18 of the 2022/23 A-League season is headlined by a clash between ladder leaders Melbourne City and bitter instate rivals Sydney FC at AAMI Park. Both sides disappointed in round 17 and will be keen to hit back. The second-placed Mariners host Wellington in another contest with title implications. Following a weekend that produced 23 goals, fans be hoping to witness another round of positive and attacking football.

Central Coast Mariners v Wellington Phoenix

Friday, February 24 — 7:45pm AEDT
Industree Group Stadium, Gosford

The Mariners ($1.90) emerged from their trip to Perth with a fortuitous premiership point. They trailed by two goals deep into the second half until a pair of penalties were converted by the sure-footed Jason Cummings. Until that point the Central Coast were no match for the home-ground intensity of the Glory, and they will consider the outcome a lucky escape. The draw sees the Mariners remain locked in a battle for second place with Adelaide United, shading their southern rivals on goal difference only.

The Phoenix ($3.70) revelled in the chilly conditions in Launceston to thump a hapless Western United 0-3 and maintain their solid away record. The win sees the Kiwis climb to an improbable fifth position on the ladder. This has been driven by an attacking mindset that sees them average 1.7 goals per game. A tighter defensive unit would see Wellington challenge for a top-three position. They face another tough assignment here, but their chances cannot be dismissed in what might be a free-scoring affair.

Newcastle Jets v Western United

Saturday, February 25 — 5pm AEDT
McDonald Jones Stadium, Newcastle

Newcastle ($2.35) tidily dispatched Macarthur in round 17 to stretch their unbeaten streak to seven games. A goal in the eighth minute was enough to grind out the victory and the side displayed commendable discipline to protect an early advantage. The Jets will enjoy a return to home soil and will be confident of collecting another three points against the league’s bottom-placed side.

Western United ($2.90) looked listless and impotent against the Phoenix and produced few meaningful attacking forays. They face another stern test here and will need to find significant improvement to be competitive. They have the competition’s leakiest defence, having conceded 33 goals across 17 fixtures. The sides met in round 12 at Mars Stadium, where a 1-1 draw was the outcome.

Melbourne City v Sydney FC

Saturday, February 25 — 5pm AEDT
AAMI Park, Melbourne

Melbourne City ($1.80) let the pressure of the derby atmosphere get the better of them in round 17 and were no match for the Victory. City still command a seven-point lead at the top of the table with a game in hand, so there is no need to hit the panic button following the 3-2 defeat. While not a derby, this game also contains an intense rivalry and City will need to get back to basics and focus on the imposing their gameplan.

Sydney ($4) produced the most disappointing effort of round 17 when they were lucky to grab a late draw against the Roar at Allianz Stadium. Alex Parsons landed the equaliser in the 94th minute, much to the relief of the restive home fans. The stumble halts Sydney’s momentum and keeps them in a logjam for fifth spot on the ladder. There will be no better way to bounce back than a bold showing against the high-flying City. Online bookmakers are forecasting a high-scoring affair, but we beg to differ.

Western Sydney Wanderers v Macarthur FC

Saturday, February 25 — 7:45pm AEDT
CommBank Stadium, Parramatta

Wanderers ($1.75) delivered an uncharacteristic four-goal haul in round 17 and still only managed to draw the match. Their season has been typified by an inability to generate enough scoring opportunities, so A-League fans were stunned by this output. Wanderers have scored 21 times to date, but this includes a pair of four-goal games, leaving just 13 goals from their other 15 matchups. Who knows how this recent score-fest will affect their mindset, but they did flatten Macarthur when the sides met in round 10.

Macarthur ($4.30) came back empty-handed from their trip to Tasmania as their inconsistent form continues. Producing successive winning efforts has proved challenging; they have only managed it once, in rounds eight and nine. The club has faced its off-field issues with mid-season changes in coaching personnel, and this turmoil has seemingly affected the team’s on-field efforts.

Melbourne Victory v Adelaide United

Sunday, February 26 — 3pm AEDT
AAMI Park, Melbourne

Melbourne Victory ($2.15) emerged with bragging rights from their derby clash and should enter round 18 with improved confidence levels. The season has been lamentable thus far, but the club will be driven to close out the campaign with a strong finish, especially in front of home fans. Scoring duties were pleasingly shared against City with Damien Da Silva, Bruno Fornaroli, and Joshua Brillante all finding the back of the net.

Adelaide ($3.20) played out an eight-goal thriller in round 17 and could be considered unlucky not to extract maximum reward for their efforts. Wanderers found their miracle equaliser in the 95th minute to break hearts at Coopers Stadium, but the match was a high-quality shootout that solidified Adelaide’s top-three standing. They have been good away from home losing just two matches on the road this campaign and should enter this contest with a win-at-all-costs mentality.

Brisbane Roar v Perth Glory

Sunday, February 26 — 4pm AEST
Kayo Stadium, Moreton

After six weeks of sub-standard efforts, Brisbane ($2.05) produced an excellent display in round 17 and were unlucky not to knock over Sydney at Allianz. They return to home soil for this matchup and will be confident of closing out an overdue win. The Roar’s form at Kayo Stadium has been far superior to their efforts interstate and they should be competitive in this clash.

Perth ($3.60) kept their season alive with a 2-2 draw in round 17 and only late ill-discipline in the box cost them all three points. They have struggled on the road this season with only a single win to their credit. This occurred back in round three when they surprised the Mariners 1-2 at the Industree Group Stadium. Otherwise, Perth has saved their best efforts for Macedonia Park, where they enjoy strong crowd support.

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