Central Coast Mariners vs. Melbourne Victory – A-League, Wednesday, March 9, 2022

There are three A-League games taking place this Wednesday, March 9. In the early kick-off, Central Coast Mariners and Melbourne Victory go head-to-head in Gosford.

The Mariners picked up a much-needed win at the weekend, beating Brisbane Roar on home soil. However, they still find themselves tenth on the A-League ladder – seven points behind fifth-place Victory.

This Central Coast Mariners vs. Melbourne Victory betting preview contains odds, analysis, my prediction, and a free pick for Wednesday’s clash. Let’s get right into it.

As you can see, the odds gap for this matchup is notably narrow. Melbourne Victory (2.50) is the marginal favorite, while Central Coast (2.70) is the outsider.

It is worth noting, however, that Nick Montgomery’s men have lost just one of their six home games this season. On the flip side, the Boys in Blue have managed to win only two of their five away outings.

That’s what the A-League betting sites make of this clash. Before we still on a Central Coast Mariners vs. Melbourne Victory prediction, we need to take a closer look at both sides.

When the Mariners won three of their opening five matches, they set themselves up for another successful season. But the good times didn’t last long.

Thankfully for Montgomery’s men, they came up against Brisbane last time out. The Queenslanders had lost seven of their 12 games before visiting Central Coast on Saturday – and they ended up leaving Gosford with another defeat to their name.

The Mariners ended their seven-match winless run with a 2-1 victory. Beni N’Kololo and Nicolai Muller both scored early in the second half before Juan Lescano netted a consolation goal for the Roar.

Although the Coasties find themselves third from bottom in the standings, they are only four points behind sixth-place Sydney FC. They also have games in hand over many of their rivals, so they will be confident of climbing the ladder in the coming months.

Meanwhile, Victory clinched an impressive 3-1 win over Macarthur FC last time out. Nicholas D’Agostino bagged a first-half brace before Marcos Rojas completed the scoring midway through the second half.

D’Agostino has netted six goals in 13 A-League outings this season. Ben Folami, Francesco Margiotta, and Nishan Velupillay have all scored twice this term, but there is no denying that D’Agostino has been the star of the show up to now.

However, Victory heads into Wednesday’s clash on the back of two straight wins. Funnily enough, they beat Central Coast 1-0 three weeks ago before getting the better of Macarthur in their previous game.

When you look at the bigger picture, the Boys in Blue have only lost four of their 13 A-League clashes this season. Despite their recent wobble, they remain in a strong position.

Since Victory has one of the stingiest backlines in the A-League, Wednesday’s clash is destined to be a low-scoring affair. Let’s not forget that Central Coast and Victory have both scored 19 goals this season.

On February 19, Victory claimed a 1-0 win over the Mariners. If it weren’t for Velupillay’s 94th-minute goal, however, the teams would have shared the points. When you look at the statistics from that game, there was very little between them.

Although Victory sits seven points ahead of Central Coast, I can see the Coasties getting something from this clash. Not only did the hosts push Victory all the way last month, but they also beat Brisbane in their previous match.

I really like the look of the price for the draw here. The Mariners have been performing better than the A-League ladder suggests, so I expect them to give Victory a run for their money on Wednesday.

Montgomery’s men invariably up their game on home soil, too. With the Central Coast locals cheering them on, they should be able to avoid defeat. Claiming all three points could be tricky, but they are more than capable of snatching a draw.