Brisbane Roar vs. Adelaide United – A-League, June 13, 2021

The second Elimination Final of the 2021 A-League Finals Series takes place on Sunday, June 13, as Brisbane welcomes Adelaide to Moreton Daily Stadium.

The Roar finished just a single point ahead of Adelaide on the ladder, with both sides claiming a victory in this fixture during the regular season.

Both Brisbane and Adelaide head into the finals in questionable form. Warren Moon’s men have lost four of their last eight games, while the Reds have only managed to win two of their previous ten outings.

Below, I discuss the A-League odds and take a closer look at both teams before sharing my Brisbane Roar vs. Adelaide United prediction and betting pick.

Although Brisbane has enjoyed mixed success on home soil this year (W5-D5-L3), the betting sites favor the Roar to triumph on Sunday.

On the flip side, the Reds have struggled on their travels throughout the campaign (W4-D2-L7). Carl Veart’s men have also conceded goals at a rapid rate, so they will need to bring their best defensive game to Queensland.

With 11 wins, seven draws, and eight losses to their name, Moon’s men have posted an identical regular-season record for the second year running. However, their scoring record has improved this term dramatically.

Brisbane’s upturn in the attack has coincided with the arrival of Japanese loanee Riku Danzaki. The 21-year-old has enjoyed an outstanding debut season in the A-League, netting nine goals while contributing to the team in other areas.

Dylan Wenzel-Halls (seven goals, three assists) and Jay O’Shea (four goals, three assists) have also chipped in consistently throughout the campaign.

At the other end of the pitch, goalkeeper Jamie Young has kept six clean sheets this term – achieving a 25% shutout rate. As a result, Brisbane boasts the second-best defensive record in the league.

By contrast, Adelaide heads into the finals carrying the fifth-worst defensive record. Having conceded 41 goals in 26 games (1.6 goals per game), even last-place Newcastle has let in fewer goals than Veart’s side this year.

Only four teams have netted more goals than Adelaide, though. The South Australians have bagged 39 goals this season and will fancy their chances of outscoring Brisbane.

Although Stefan Mauk and Tomi Juric have both scored seven goals this term, Craig Goodwin has undoubtedly been Adelaide’s standout performer.

Regardless of all their attacking firepower, there is no hiding from the fact that Veart’s men head into the Elimination Finals on the back of a below-par stretch of results.

Having registered three wins, five draws, and five losses in their previous 13 matches, the Reds will need to up their game on Sunday.

When it comes to betting on Brisbane Roar vs. Adelaide United, it is difficult to ignore the teams’ contrasting defensive records. I mean, the Queenslanders have only conceded 28 goals this season, while the Reds have let in a whopping 41.

Moon’s men have only scored three goals less than Adelaide, too. Boasting the superior all-around game, Brisbane should be able to dispatch Adelaide and reach the last four.