Football Trader’s Tips: Australian A-League and Belarusian Premier League
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The best of Friday’s football fixtures
The top European leagues may be out of action, but there’s still plenty of football going ahead.
Here, our traders give us a rundown of the main things to look out for from Australia to Eastern Europe.
A-League
The Central Coast Mariners are having a tough time. They find themselves seven points adrift of 10th place at the bottom of the table.
And it’s not hard to see why. The Mariners lost their last nine league games by a combined score of 26 goals to seven.
Visitors Melbourne City are second, 10 points behind runaway leaders Sydney FC and are 4/9 to win. Melbourne City are part of the ‘City Football Group’ who also own Manchester City.
City boast some familiar faces if you follow the European game. Their top scorer Jamie Maclaren has played in Scotland for Hibs and ex-Cardiff winger Craig Noone and Spain international Markel Susaeta are also on their books.
Brisbane Roar are in the mix for a Final Series play off spot and host a Newcastle Jets side with little to play for.
That being said, the Jets are unbeaten in their last six with three wins and three draws, their best form of the season.
Scott McDonald – ex-Celtic, Middlesbrough and Motherwell, among others – leads the line for the Roar who are marshalled at the back by English lower league stalwart Tom Aldred.
The Jets have ex-Wales captain Joe Ledley in their ranks as well as a forward line that includes Ireland international Wes Hoolahan and ex-Sunderland striker Roy O’Donovan. The Jets are 29/20 to win.
Belarusian Premier League
It’s the first round of fixtures in Belarus.
Dinamo Brest won last season’s title ahead of BATE Borisov with the help of 12 goals from Dzyanis Laptsew and Pavel Nyakhaychyk.
Laptsew remains at Dinamo Brest while Nyakhaychyk has signed for BATE Borisov on a free transfer.
Smolevichy are a newly promoted side and will hope Evgeni Barsukov can help them make an instant impression in the top tier. An away win is 22/1.
Dinamo Minsk finished fourth last season, just outside the European places.
They also welcome a promoted side in Ruh Brest who beat Dnyapro in a two-legged play off game to reach the top flight.
Minsk come into the game having lost 5-3 on aggregate to BATE Borisov in the Belarusian Cup, and are 2/5 for the win.
All odds and markets correct as of date of publication.
