Newcastle Jets vs. Sydney FC – A-League, Friday, March 25, 2022

Sydney FC will be looking to extend their winning streak to three games when they face Newcastle Jets at McDonald Jones Stadium this Friday, March 25.

The Sky Blues find themselves fifth on the A-League ladder – six points ahead of tenth-place Newcastle. Having lost three of their previous four outings, the Jets will be eager to close that gap.

Keep reading to discover my prediction and betting pick for Newcastle Jets vs. Sydney FC. First, let’s check out the latest odds for Friday’s clash before analyzing the teams.

Sydney FC (2.30) heads into this one as the bookmakers’ favorite, leaving Newcastle (2.90) as the underdog. Still, the high odds suggest that neither side is expected to dominate proceedings.

You can get a tasty price if you want to back the draw (3.30). I have also included a couple of goal-based markets for you to consider, given that both teams have been pretty inconsistent this season.

The prices above are courtesy of Betway. If you like the look of these odds, why not head over to Betway’s sportsbook?

The Jets ended their three-game losing streak in spectacular style last time out, claiming a 4-0 victory over Wellington Phoenix. Following a goalless first half, they scored four goals after the break – exhibiting their attacking firepower.

Newcastle racked up a whopping 20 shots against Wellington, seven of which hit the target. If it weren’t for a series of Alex Paulsen saves, the hosts would have scored even more.

Olivier Boumal bagged a brace in the thrashing, taking his tally for the season to four goals and four assists. Meanwhile, Beka Mikeltadze netted his ninth goal of the campaign. The Georgian is keeping pace with Jamie Maclaren in the Golden Boot race.

Only one team – Melbourne City – has scored more goals than Newcastle. However, the Jets also have the second-worst defensive record in the competition. Macarthur FC is the only side that has conceded more than Newcastle’s 28.

Although the Jets are capable of outscoring even the best teams in the league, they can’t seem to keep the ball out of their own net.

It wouldn’t be unfair to say that Sydney FC has been the most inconsistent team in the A-League this season. Indeed, a record of six wins, six draws, and six losses tells you everything you need to know about the Sky Blues’ inconsistency.

Steve Corica’s boys ended a five-game winless run in February, recording back-to-back draws before suffering three straight losses. However, they head into Friday’s clash on a two-game winning streak.

The Sydneysiders secured a 2-0 victory over Perth Glory earlier this month, with Kosta Barbarouses and Patrick Yazbek grabbing the goals. Last time out, they crushed Western United 3-0 – thanks to strikes from Milos Ninkovic, Luciano Narsingh, and Mustafa Amini.

With four goals to his name, Bobo is Syndey FC’s top scorer in the A-League this season. That said, the Brazilian has failed to score in each of his last five appearances.

The Sky Blues won both the premiership and championship in 2020 before finishing as runners-up to Melbourne City last year. As it stands, they find themselves 13 points behind first-place City on the A-League ladder. Talk about downturns!

In all honesty, it is difficult to pick the winner of this clash. Although the Sydneysiders lead Newcastle by six points, the Jets have two games in hand over Sydney FC.

Both sides head into Friday’s game on the back of big wins, too. Sydney FC dispatched Western United 3-0 last weekend. Meanwhile, Newcastle hammered Wellington 4-0 on home soil.

There is no denying that Sydney FC’s squad is stronger than Newcastle’s, but the Sky Blues have flattered to deceive on numerous occasions this season. For that reason, I recommend steering clear of the moneylines.

The over 2.5 goals wager feels like the best bet for Newcastle Jets vs. Sydney FC for a number of reasons. First, only one of Newcastle’s 16 games has produced under 2.5 goals this season.

On top of that, the Jets have the second-worst defensive record in the comp. Given that Corica’s boys have netted ten goals in their past three games across all competitions, they shouldn’t struggle to score on Friday.

It is also worth noting that both teams have scored in four of Newcastle’s previous five games. With that in mind, I’m confident that Newcastle and Sydney FC will produce a high-scoring thriller.