Sydney FC vs Adelaide United Betting Tips & Preview

The match will also serve as a prelude for the FFA Cup Final between the same two teams in the same stadium 11 days later.

The Reds finished last season in 5th spot during the regular campaign, some 25 points behind Sydney, but bowed out at the Elimination Finals stage with a 2-1 defeat away to Melbourne Victory at AAMI Park.  Victory then accounted for Sydney at the Allianz Stadium, as they won 3-2 after extra-time on their way to becoming champions.

Adelaide do look weakened by the off-season departures of key defenders Tarek Elrich, Ersan Gulum and Ben Garuccio, but they look to have more options in attack, with the signings of Craig Goodwin, Ken Ilso and Ben Halloran.

There have been several changes to key personnel at the Sky Blues during the close season, with Head Coach Graham Arnold departing to take the reins with the national team to be replaced by Steve Corica.

Corica also lost the services of Polish attacking midfielder Adrian Mierzejewski (the reigning Johnny Warren Medalist) to China’s Chanchun Yatai and the prolific veteran Brazilian striker Bobô to Turkey’s Alanyaspor.  The pair scored 40 of Sydney’s 64 goals between them last season and were also responsible for a fair few assists too.  

Siem de Jong (on loan from Ajax Amsterdam) and Adam Le Fondre (Bolton Wanderers) are high-profile replacements, while Trent Buhagiar is another quality addition to their ranks.

At the other end, they could well miss defender Jordy Buijs, although Jop van der Linden has come in from Willem II to replace him.

In last season’s three league meetings, Sydney won twice and drew once, keeping a clean sheet on each occasion.

On this occasion, you can get betting odds of 3.25 on an Adelaide win with bet365*, while the draw is on offer at 3.40 with Unibet and Sydney can be backed at 2.30 also with Unibet.

At this stage Sydney don’t look quite the force they have been in the past couple of A-League seasons, but their run to the FFA Cup Final suggests they are still the team to beat and they look the best bet here.

* Odds correct at the time of writing