A-League Round 8 betting tips & best odds – December 16-18, 2022

The A-League heats up in round eight, headlined by a Melbourne derby that should deliver some of the thrills and tension of World Cup semi-final. We have uncovered some strong tips across the six matches including Sydney FC and Macarthur who appear to have too much firepower for their round eight opponents.

Wellington Phoenix vs Adelaide United

Saturday, December 17 — 1pm AEDT
Westpac Stadium, Wellington

Wellington played a hard fought 1-1 draw against the Wanderers in round seven courtesy of a Bozhidar Kraev goal in 61st minute. The Phoenix have had no trouble finding the back of the net with 13 goals across the opening rounds. They continue to defy pre-season expectations where they were listed as likely wooden spoon contenders.

Adelaide have started the season brightly and will be disappointed with the 1-1 draw in Brisbane. They sit third on the ladder, having also scored 13 goals, but with a superior defensive record to the Phoenix. Despite being on the road again, we like their chances to emerge with all three points from this encounter.

Central Coast Mariners vs Sydney FC

Saturday December 17 — 5pm AEDT
Central Coast Stadium, Gosford

Central Coast disappointed against the Jets and spent large portions of the game appearing lacklustre and uncoordinated. They have generated a mere seven premiership points at this stage and sit eighth on the ladder, only three points above the bottom ranked Western United.

Sydney FC delivered an impressive 2-1 result against Melbourne City in round seven and have a strong record against the Mariners having won their last three encounters. Sydney are now fourth on the ladder and appear to have some nice momentum heading into this clash.

Melbourne City vs Melbourne Victory

Saturday, December 17 — 7:45pm AEDT
AAMI Park, Melbourne

The high-flying City left the points on the table after taking the early lead against Sydney in round seven. They still top the ladder and have looked the most assured squad during the opening rounds. Form counts for little in hotly contested derbies, and this should be another hard-fought battle between bitter enemies.

Melbourne Victory grabbed the spoils against Macarthur with a late goal courtesy of substitute Ben Folami. After a slow start to the season that has yielded an unimpressive eight goals, Victory will be fired up for this clash and the chance to upset their cross-town rivals.

Western United vs Western Sydney Wanderers

Sunday, December 18 — 3pm AEDT
AAMI Park, Melbourne

Western United slumped to the bottom of the ladder with a loss to Perth in round seven and have the competition’s worst defensive record with 18 goals conceded thus far. The condensed nature of the ladder’s bottom half still offers them hope of jumping a few rivals with a quick turnaround. Scoring has not been a problem with 11 goals to their credit, but their work behind the ball needs to improve rapidly.

The Wanderers have somehow parlayed a return of seven goals into second spot on the ladder. This scoring total places them third last in goals scored, ahead of only Brisbane and Perth, but tight defence and good fortune are on their side. With a chance to go atop the table, we suspect the Wanderers might find their scoring boots here.

Macarthur FC vs Perth Glory

Sunday, December 18 — 5pm AEDT
Campbelltown Stadium, Campbelltown

Macarthur held the Victory scoreless for 84 minutes in round seven and look to be improving as the season progresses. They boast a strong record over Perth, having knocked them off in their last four encounters. Despite sitting mid-table, we expect them to prevail at home against the hot and cold Glory.

Perth relished the return to home soil and bagged the points over Western United with a satisfying 2-1 result. They waited until the very last minute to finish the job, but all football fans love a late winner. We suspect they may fall back to earth in a tough fixture on the road here.

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