A-League: Wellington Phoenix out to keep title race alive

Wellington Phoenix must pick up the three points against Macarthur FC if they are to have a chance of winning the minor premiership.

Wellington Phoenix.
Wellington Phoenix. Picture: Kai Schwoerer/Getty Images

The Nix sit one point ahead of Central Coast Mariners heading into their final game of the regular season and are priced at 3.50 to win the minor premiership.

However the Mariners have played a game less and can be backed at 1.28 to finish in top spot.

Central Coast are also in action on Saturday when they take on the Newcastle Jets away from home, and there is a chance the title could be decided.

Just to make Saturday even more interesting, Western Sydney Wanderers are in need of a win to keep their slim top-six hopes alive.

They are 9.00 to make it but must win at Melbourne Victory and then hope that Melbourne City lose at home to Western United on Sunday.

Mariners close in on title

. What: Newcastle Jets v Central Coast Mariners
. Where: McDonald Jones Stadium, Newcastle
. When: 17:15 (AEST), Saturday 27th April 2024
. How to watch: Paramount+, 10Bold
. Odds: Newcastle Jets 3.80, Draw 4.00, Central Coast Mariners 1.85

Central Coast Mariners have won the last three games on the bounce, and another against the Jets could wrap up the minor premiership.

It will not be easy though against a Jets side that are unbeaten in the last four and held Wellington Phoenix to a 1-1 draw last weekend.

The Mariners have won the last four games against the Jets, including a 1-0 win at McDonald Jones Stadium last month.

Another 1-0 win for the Mariners can be backed at 10.00.

For the Jets, Apostolos Stamatelopoulos has scored two in the last three games, and 16 this season.

He can be backed at 6.00 to score the first of the game.

Must-win game for Phoenix

. What: Wellington Phoenix v Macarthur FC
. Where: SKY Stadium, Wellington
. When: 17:15 (AEST), Saturday 27th April 2024
. How to watch: Paramount+
. Odds: Wellington Phoenix 1.70, Draw 3.80, Macarthur FC 4.75

The Phoenix may have a one-point lead over the Mariners, which could be enough to win them the minor premiership.

However they really need to beat Macarthur and then hope the Mariners slip up in their remaining two games.

Phoenix have won the last three games against the Bulls, 2-1, 3-0 and 1-0. Games between these two are usually high scoring and over 2.5 goals can be backed at 1.50.

Macarthur head into the game on the back of two wins and could be peaking just in time for finals.

Valere Germain is always a threat for the visitors and is priced at 3.20 to score at anytime.

Three points a must for Wanderers

. What: Melbourne Victory v Western Sydney Wanderers
. Where: AAMI Park, Melbourne
. When: 19:45 (AEST), Saturday 27th April 2024
. How to watch: Paramount+, 10Bold
. Odds: Melbourne Victory 1.90, Draw 3.50, Western Sydney Wanderers 4.00

The Wanderers simply have to win to have any chance of making the top six, but have lost the last three games on the bounce.

They were also on the wrong end of a seven-goal thriller earlier this season, when Victory ran out 4-3 winners at CommBank Stadium.

Bruno Fornaroli scored all four goals for Victory that day and is priced at 4.50 to score the first goal of the game on Saturday.

The last time the two sides met at AAMI Park in 2022, the Wanderers won 1-0 and are priced at 15.00 to pull off the same result again.


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