A-League Betting: Sydney FC can rebound from defeat with ‘Win to Nil’ against Newcastle Jets
Recommended Bet: To Win to Nil – Sydney FC @ 21/10 (3.10) with Sportsbet
Defending champions Sydney FC play host to current A-League leaders Newcastle Jets at the Allianz Stadium on Saturday evening in a game that could be hugely significant for both teams.
Sydney lost just one league match throughout a dominant campaign last term, but come into this clash having gone down to a hugely surprising 2-0 defeat at Central Coast Mariners last time out. It was the first time in 19 months that the Sky Blues had conceded more than one goal and lost a match. How they react to that defeat could shape the rest of their campaign.
It was a fully deserved victory for the Mariners, whose youthful team had too much pace and intensity for Graham Arnold’s men and it was a defeat that cost Sydney top spot in the table, with the Jets taking advantage to replace them with a 2-1 win at Adelaide United.
Impressively, it was a game in which the Jets rallied from going a goal down early on and was a further indication of the improvement under new coach Ernie Merrick for the team that finished last in the A-League standings last season.
The Jets have also been in excellent goalscoring form this season to date, with 15 goals registered in their six matches and Irish striker Roy O’Donovan leading the individual scoring table with seven goals to his name.
Great though those stats are, neither is realistically sustainable in the long run and with the trip to Sydney being as tough a test as it gets, that dip could start on Saturday.
A reaction to last week’s defeat has to be expected from Sydney. They haven’t lost an A-League game at the Allianz Stadium since April 2016 and can be backed to win at a reasonable 4/6 (1.66) with Sportsbet.
They’ve not looked quite so solid defensively this season as last, but Arnold should have his team fully focused after last week’s defeat and the Jets could fire their first blank of the season as a consequence. A Sydney ‘Win to Nil’ is on offer at 21/10 (3.10) with Sportsbet and looks a decent punt.
