Perth Glory Vs Melbourne Victory
Saturday 8 August 2020 – 08:00 Kick-Off
Australian A-League
Pick: Over 2.5 Goals
Odds: 4/6
Bookmaker: BetVictor
(All betting odds correct at time of writing: 5 August 2020)
Preview: Two of this season’s biggest underachievers in Australia’s A-League meet in the penultimate fixture when Perth Glory welcome Melbourne Victory to Jubilee Oval in Sydney this Saturday.
Australian A-League Betting at 22Bet
Table of Contents
Perth Glory Preview – Remaining fixtures to serve as Final Series prep?
The Glory (5th – W10 D7 L7) were among the slowest to get going when the A-League was handed the green light to resume midway through July. A slender 1-0 victory at home to the poorest performing side in this season’s competition, Central Coast, was soon followed by back-to-back losses as last season’s regular season champions shipped a combined seven goals in defeats to Wellington Phoenix (1-2) and Adelaide United (5-3).
Continuing their theme for high-scoring duels. Perth Glory would eventually return to winning ways, overcoming a desperate Western Sydney Wanderers at Bankwest Stadium in midweek. The 3-1 success may have been only their third in their past eleven league fixtures – a run which featured both teams among the goals on no fewer than eight occasions – but is likely enough to secure their place in the upcoming Final Series.
Realistically, Tony Popovic’s side are unlikely to be caught, with only Western United, whom they host next Wednesday, remotely capable of doing so outside the current top-six. Therefore it remains to be seen how much motivation this team, which has endured an underwhelming campaign thus far on the back of last term’s highs, retains in its final two encounters before the Final Series begins in earnest on 22nd August.
Melbourne Victory Preview – Could last-place beckon for lackluster Victory?
Very few clubs are able to offer up the level of sustained consistency of Melbourne Victory (10th – W5 D5 L14). Prior to this season, the club qualified for the end-of-season Final Series in seven straight seasons and were seldom at risk of not making the cut. Unfortunately, 2019/20 has been a brutal departure from the norm. The club set to record its lowest-ever A-League finish since coming home in eighth of ten teams in 2011/12.
If a result could sum up their season to date, it was Monday’s 3-2 loss at home to Central Coast Mariners, a side that had previously failed to register a win in its last thirteen A-League matches. A club-record fifth consecutive league defeat for the Victory, who contrived to throw away a 2-1 lead with only five minutes of the contest remaining and are now at serious risk of seeing out a dismal campaign bottom of the pile.
Melbourne Victory have two games in which to avoid the ignominy of a last-place finish, currently only two points better off than the hapless Mariners. Apart from failing to score only once in eight outings, there is little to suggest a final swansong is imminent. For this is now a side with one win to its name in twelve (W1 D2 L9), having not managed one on their travels since beating locals Melbourne City in December of last year (D2 L4 since).
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Perth Glory Vs Melbourne Victory Betting Advice
With little tangible at stake for either side in the close stages of the season, it is now a matter of pride, as teams which have massively underperformed throughout 2019/20 meet in the penultimate A-League fixture for both outfits. Melbourne Victory arguably need a result more, however. The visitors desperately trying to avoid a sixth-straight defeat that would put them at risk of finishing at the very foot of the standings.
Perth Glory Vs Melbourne Victory – Key Facts
- In A-League matches this season whereby they were the designated home team, Perth Glory have netted at least once in all eleven said matches, netting two or more in six of the last eight.
- Five consecutive defeats represents the worst such run in their history for Melbourne Victory, who have won only two of eleven away outings in 2019/20 thus far (W2 D2 L7).
- However, the Victory remain unbeaten in three A-League meetings with Perth Glory who needed a late leveller to earn a 2-2 draw when hosting their Melbourne rivals in February.
In truth, neither side can be trusted. Perth Glory boasting just three wins in twelve while Melbourne Victory can lay claim to having won only once in thirteen league outings. Alternatively, then, back goals. Perth Glory’s four matches since the resumption have averaged four goals, with only one failing to deliver Over 2.5 Goals. Meanwhile, the Victory’s previous ten A-League encounters produced three or more strikes on nine occasions.
Best Betting Odds – Perth Glory Vs Melbourne Victory
Perth Glory – 13/20 (BetVictor)
Draw – 16/5 (Boylesports)
Melbourne Victory – 9/2 (Bet365)
