Western Sydney Wanderers vs. Wellington Phoenix – A-League, May 26, 2021

Eighth-place Western Sydney welcomes ninth-place Wellington to Bankwest Stadium on Wednesday, May 26, for a vitally important battle in the race for a Finals Series berth.

Boasting an identical record (W8-D7-L8), the two sides find themselves locked on 31 points on the A-League ladder – three points outside the top six. With only three regular-season matches remaining, the stakes could not be higher.

Join me as I discuss the A-League odds and analyze the teams before sharing my Western Sydney Wanderers vs. Wellington Phoenix prediction and betting pick.

As the A-League ladder suggests, there is very little to separate Western Sydney (2.30) and Wellington (2.80) at the moment. The leading online sportsbooks view the Wanderers as home favorites, although the Nix aren’t far behind.

The teams produced a 2-2 draw back in February before WSW sealed a memorable 4-3 victory over Wellington in March. When you consider the recent meetings between the sides, the high price for the draw (3.60) is tempting.

In all honesty, it is difficult to predict exactly how Western Sydney will fare on Wednesday.

Carl Robinson’s men appeared to have turned a corner earlier in the month, securing impressive wins over Sydney FC (3-2) and Western United (5-0) in quick succession. But since then, they have suffered two damaging defeats.

After scoring five goals against Western, the Wanderers conceded five against Perth a week later. In their previous match, the Sky Blues regained the Sydney bragging rights and condemned WSW to back-to-back losses.

Looking at the bigger picture, Robinson’s men have only managed to win two of their last ten games. During that period, three draws and five losses have hindered the club’s chances of securing a top-six finish.

Bruce Kamau has bagged six goals and two assists in the last eight matches. If the Wanderers are to overcome in-form Wellington, expect the winger to be at the heart of the action.

Following a 433-day wait without a game at Sky Stadium, the Nix enjoyed an unforgettable homecoming clash in front of over 24,000 fans on Saturday.

Goals from Clayton Lewis, Reno Piscopo, and Tomer Hemed saw Wellington crush Western 3-0 on home soil – extend the club’s unbeaten streak to eight matches in the process (four wins, four draws).

Ufuk Talay’s men endured an inconsistent mid-season spell, but they have upped their game recently. In fact, they last tasted defeat almost two months ago, with impressive victories over Perth and Adelaide coming along the way.

The Kiwis have scored over 1.5 goals in five of their last eight games. But perhaps more importantly, they have kept three clean sheets in their previous four.

With just three regular-season games left to play, it feels like Wellington is peaking at just the right time.

Having extended their unbeaten streak to eight matches, the Nix will be brimming with confidence. Talay’s men look strong in every department at the moment, so I expect them to exploit an unpredictable Western Sydney outfit.

The Wanderers know they must win to keep their top-six dreams alive, but I can see them crumbling under pressure. With four defeats coming in their past six outings, Robinson’s men look set to struggle against Wellington.