Central Coast Mariners vs. Brisbane Roar – A-League, April 28, 2021

Having enjoyed a weekend off, Brisbane returns to A-League action on Wednesday, April 28, with a trip to Central Coast Stadium on the cards.

The Mariners claimed a hard-fought 2-2 draw with Sydney FC on Saturday, enhancing their premiership hopes in the process. Alen Stajcic’s men currently sit second on the A-League ladder – eight points ahead of the Roar.

Below, I look at the odds for Wednesday’s match before sharing my Central Coast Mariners vs. Brisbane Roar prediction and betting pick.

The Mariners may hold a healthy lead over the Roar, but it is important to remember that Brisbane has three games in hand over Central Coast. On top of that, Warren Moon’s side heads into Wednesday’s clash on a four-match unbeaten streak.

The online betting sites have definitely priced up this game fairly. Central Coast is the deserved favorite, although Brisbane stands a decent chance of upsetting the odds.

It’s funny to think that Central Coast would be disappointed with drawing 2-2 against Sydney FC. After all, the Mariners have not been able to compete with the league’s top teams in recent years.

But having thrown away a 2-0 lead against the reigning champions on Saturday, Stajcic’s men will feel they should have claimed all three points last time out.

Marcos Urena put his team ahead inside six minutes, taking his tally to four goals and three assists for the season. Matt Simon doubled CCM’s lead with his eighth goal of the campaign, yet Central Coast could not hold on.

After failing to draw any of their opening 11 games this term (eight wins, three losses), the Mariners have now drawn four of their previous seven matches. Granted, they have suffered just two defeats in that time. But they have only managed to pick up seven points from a possible 21.

Stajcic’s men have scored over 1.5 goals in three of their last four outings, so it is surely only a matter of time before they return to winning ways.

Due to new COVID-19 restrictions, Brisbane’s clash against Perth was called off. The Queenslanders are currently enjoying a four-game unbeaten run, meaning Sunday’s postponement has kept their hot streak intact.

Having recorded four draws and three defeats in seven games, the Roar was in danger of missing out on a Finals Series spot. But back-to-back wins have changed the club’s fortunes.

Dylan Wenzel-Halls and Riku Danzaki both got on the scoresheet as Brisbane beat Macarthur 2-1 earlier in the month. The following weekend, Danzaki netted for the third game running as the Roar beat the Wanderers by the same scoreline.

Following two victories in quick succession, Moon’s men now find themselves just two points outside the top-six.

Given that they also have several games in hand over many of their rivals, they could easily move up the ladder and solidify their place in the top-six in the coming weeks.

Fresh from frustrating the defending champs, I’m backing the Mariners to pick up where they left off last weekend and get the better of Brisbane on Wednesday.

Don’t get me wrong; the Roar have upped their game recently. But I’m confident that Central Coast will be able to end a three-game winless run when the Queenslanders visit Gosford.

Ultimately, the Mariners have been immense on home soil throughout the 2020/21 campaign.