Even as recently as a month ago, few would have predicted that this would be the makeup of the A-League Semi Finals but the draw has served up a pair of tantalising ties over the coming fortnight.

It kicks off in Sydney on Friday night as the Sky Blues host the Mariners, with the visitors still buzzing after their continental triumph early Monday morning.

Then on Sunday, fresh off their dramatic derby victory in the Elimination Final, Melbourne Victory will host Wellington Phoenix with the visitors out to continue their miraculous run in season 2023/24.

The following weekend brings a huge Saturday double header first in Wellington and then in Gosford, after which we will know the two participants in the 2024 A-League Grand Final.

On the pitch it has been a very entertaining season and it is going to continue over the final five fixtures, so read on and see our best bets for each A-League Semi Final below.

Second Legs

FIRST LEG: 0-0 Draw

Let’s call the first leg of this tie a necessary evil to set up this make or break clash in Wellington.

The only highlight to come out of Melbourne was the pregame violinist performance and to be fair, bringing in that musical talent has provided more highlights than the Victory’s football over the last month.

With last week finishing as a 0-0 draw, it was the third time in their last five matches that the Victory have been held scoreless.

Another one of those matches came away to Wellington in mid-April and with the team looking bereft of ideas in attack, it is a real conundrum working out how they are going to score here.

There is a real case to be made that their only hope of advancing in this tie is to hold on for 120 minutes and steal the win on penalties.

Despite the Victory’s shortcomings, they still are a slight favourite in the match result and to qualify market at publish.

Of course, Wellington has been on the wrong end of the market way more than a team playing this well should have.

Three of the four meetings between these teams this season have ended in draws and extra time is very much on the cards but there is only one team that looks like it will be capable of winning this one.

I’ll take the Nix to qualify for the Grand Final rather than win in 90 minutes just for a bit of cover if this match turns out to be another cagey affair, but I’m fully expecting the home team to give their home crowd something to cheer for on Saturday night.

Wellington to Qualify @ $1.95

FIRST LEG: Central Coast 2-1

For about 45 minutes last Friday night, it was all going the way Sydney FC was hoping it would, with a 1-0 lead heading into halftime.

Then Josh Nisbet popped up with an equaliser in first half stoppage time, Mikael Doka converted a penalty 10 minutes into the second stanza and a pair of Sydney players were shown red cards that were for pretty clear infringements.

Unfortunately for the Sky Blues, that match was their chance to advance to the Grand Final, taking on a Central Coast side on short rest and a long haul flight.

Now the Mariners are coming home, playing in front of an expectant crowd in Gosford and Sydney will be even more depleted with Jack Rodwell and Corey Hollman suspended.

Add in the likes of Joe Lolley out with injury and Luke Brattan battling his own ailments while still soldiering on, it’s tough to see how Sydney will be able to muster up the energy to stop this rampant Mariners team.

12 months ago the Mariners won the first leg of their Semi Final in Adelaide 2-1 before taking out the home match 2-0 and I’m expecting something similar here as Central Coast secures their first proper home Grand Final in club history.

Central Coast to Win (90 Minutes) @ $2.20

First Legs

Having been the mostly dominant force in Australian football over the last six or so months, Central Coast has only two more obstacles to clear before completing a historic treble.

Unfortunately the one bogey side they have had domestically during their remarkable run is standing in the way between the Mariners and the Grand Final.

Since November 24, they have lost two matches in all competitions, both of which were against Sydney FC.

When they faced off in Gosford in early February, Sydney won 3-1 and then they repeated the feat in late March, recording a 2-0 victory at Allianz Stadium.

The absence of Joe Lolley will hurt Sydney’s chances by making them less potent in attack, but the Mariners are in a bad spot with this match set for Friday evening.

Early Monday morning they were in Oman winning the AFC Cup Final and the long trip back to Australia, combined with the short turnaround has me thinking they might not be at their best here.

Sydney should win this match and give themselves something to defend heading up to Gosford in a week’s time and there is value to be had taking the Sky Blues.

Sydney FC to Win @ $2.05

How much do the Victory have left in the tank ahead of their Semi Final against the Nix this weekend?

As entertaining as their penalty shootout win in the Elimination Final was, it would have taken plenty out of them not just because of the extra time and emotion of beating their local rival.

Star Frenchman Zinedine Machach was sent off after 37 minutes and he will miss both legs of this Semi Final, leaving a big hole for the Victory to fill.

Perhaps the one cause for optimism is that goals have been very scarce in the three meetings between these two sides this season.

They played out a pair of 1-1 draws before a 1-0 Nix win just over a month ago, which suggests these two sides will cancel one another out.

Another arm wrestle is certainly on the cards, with the under looking like the best value play in this market.

Under 2.5 Goals @ $2.20

2023

We are down to the final four in the 2022/23 A-League season and over the next two weeks there will be a pair of fascinating Semi Final ties set to unfold.

Reigning champions and three-time premiers Melbourne City will be out to continue their dynastic run when they face the side they supplanted at the top of the A-League hierarchy in Sydney FC.

Then on the other side of the draw it is Adelaide United and the Central Coast Mariners, two of the league’s more entertaining sides across the season and there will be Socceroos aplenty on show.

Check out our best bets and previews for both A-League Semi Finals below!

First Legs

If you think Sydney’s derby win over the Wanderers meant a lot to them, imagine the reaction if they can knock off the reigning premiers and the side that defeated them in the 2021 A-League Grand Final.

However you have to wonder if they have enough in the tank to tackle this dominant City team over 180 (or 210) minutes.

While it still was not exactly in the dominant fashion we became accustomed to, City started to shake off the mid-season malaise that at one point threatened to disrupt their coronation.

But no team had a better run into the finals than Sydney, commencing a winning streak that coincided with the return to health of Jack Rodwell.

The former Everton and Manchester City defender might be enjoying a late season renaissance however he is just one man and City have too many attacking options for him to shut down.

Melbourne City to Win @ $2.45

Normally the rule in the A-League is as follows: Friday nights at Coopers Stadium leads to chaos.

While this match is being played on a Saturday, the fact it is a finals game means we should be in for more craziness in the City of Churches.

The Mariners and Adelaide finished second and third on the ladder respectively, but they also finished in those same positions with 55 and 53 goals this season.

Across both teams there is no shortage of attacking talent with the likes of Craig Goodwin, Nestory Irankunda, Jason Cummings and Marco Tulio, with the latter scoring a brace at this same venue a fortnight ago.

Normally the first legs in these sorts of ties can be quite cagey but considering the attacking talent on both teams, not to mention Adelaide looking to erase a pair of big losses to the Mariners this season, suggests we could see both teams opting to go for it.

There’s a bit of a premium to be had on the over but if they decide to go for it, this will look like a steal.

Over 3.5 Goals @ $2.10

Second Legs

Both matchups are well and truly still in the balance this weekend with the aggregate scores being 1-1 between City and Sydney and 1-2 in the United v CCM fixture.

On Friday night The Sky Blues will try and break the hearts of City fans at home for a place in the Grand Final and the Mariners will attempt to hold on to their slim lead at home.

Here’s how I see it going down this weekend.

City come into this Friday night clash as clear favourites, they’re $1.88 to Sydney’s $3.60, given that the score is essentially 0-0 we should see a fairly exciting contest.

Melbourne have a really (and I mean really) good home record against Sydney FC at the moment. They’ve won each of the last five games these two sides have played at AAMI Park and I’m struggling to make a compelling argument for Sydney FC.

Will it be a City win after 90 minutes? I’m leaning towards yes and while it’s a lame pick, I don’t mind a $1.88 play at it.

Back Melbourne City @ $1.88

Not only do they have a one goal advantage, but they also have the home crowd on Saturday night. The Mariners will look to hold onto their lead and book themselves a spot in the Grand Final for the first time since 2013.

Adelaide have been an incredible side this year but have their backs up against the wall, they’re $3.50 to be winning at the 90 minute mark compared to CCM’s $1.83.

The Reds have won each of their last six games against the Mariners following a loss but CCM at home with a goal advantage could be too much in my eyes.

I’m backing the Mariners here, lets get Cumdog into the GF!

Back the Mariners H2H @ $1.83

2022

The A-League Semi Finals are upon us and we are set for some cracking midweek fixtures!

All three Victorian clubs and Adelaide United are fighting for a spot in the big dance. To get there, they will have to get it done over two legs this week Champions League style.

You can find our tips for the Semi Finals below!

Western United got it done against the Phoenix over the weekend and did it with only 38% possession, thanks to a pearler of a volley from Prijovic but were unlucky not to convert a few more of their chances.

It’s a short turn around for United having only played three days ago and they’re up against a Melbourne Victory team who have had a ten day rest period to recover and prepare for this first leg.

The last time these two teams met each other, 90 minutes of football couldn’t split them and we finished up at 1-1.

The other interesting thing to note is that the Victory haven’t kept a clean sheet since their clash with the Roar over a month ago.

If they want to put their hands on the trophy, they’re going to have to fix that problem.

I think the Victory will get it done but I’m expecting something along the lines of a 2-1, 3-1 situation so I’m going to throw together a cheeky little 2 leg SGM for this one.

SGM: Victory to Win & Both Teams to Score @ $4.09

Adelaide vs Central Coast was a matchup I was very keen for over the weekend, I thought it could go either way but the Reds completely dismantled the Mariners.

It will be an uphill battle for United this week as they take on a Melbourne City side that has been the best team in the comp for majority of the season.

The Reds are on a six game winning streak and that momentum will be incredibly valuable when they face off against the top seeded team.

City will be coming into this match after a well deserved week off and it’s hard to see them not winning this match up. They open up at $1.92 and that’s hard to look past.

Back Melbourne City to Win @ $1.92

The Victory go into this second leg clash with a one goal advantage and will look to expand that lead when they take on Western United once again.

The bookies are backing the Victory to get it done in this one, they looked class against United in the midweek fixture and Western United will need to put a very strong showing on if they want to book a spot into the big dance.

I’m backing Tony Popovic’s men to get in done in this one. United have fallen off in recent times and I think it might be just a little too hard for them to crawl back into this one.

Back the Victory to Win @ $1.85

90 minutes of mid week football couldn’t split these two sides and we are set for a very exciting second leg. First plays fourth once again and they’re is everything at stake.

The Reds are very tall odds, at $5.40 there is definitely a case to be made for them getting up especially after they’re performance in Leg 1.

Adelaide has won four of its last five A-League matches as an away underdog and City have struggled this season against the top 4 teams.

This could be a huge upset and why not have a punt on the underdog Reds, City can’t win everything, give someone else a go.

Back Adelaide United to Win @ $5.40

2021

We are down to the final four in the 2021 A-League Finals Series ahead of this weekend’s Semi Finals.

For the first time since the A-League went to its current six-team format, both away sides won the Elimination Finals.

That set up two enticing A-League Semi Finals this weekend as Sydney FC and Melbourne City enter the fray after their first round byes.

We have previewed both matches below including our best bets for both fixtures.

Adelaide United will be full of confidence after going up to Brisbane and becoming the first team to defeat the Roar in a home final thanks to a brace from striker Tomi Juric.

Their next assignment will be even tougher with a visit to face a red-hot Sydney FC side that is seeking its third straight A-League Championship.

With the addition of marquee striker Adam Le Fondre, the Sky Blues have the firepower to overcome the absence of their Socceroos and are on a five match winning streak which includes four clean sheets.

Thanks to the A-League fixturing, this will be the third time these sides have faced off in under two months with the most recent meeting finishing 4-1 in favour of Sydney FC.

Le Fondre scored a brace in that meeting and will be the main danger man here and if Adelaide allow him and his teammates as many chances as they did in Brisbane, this could turn into a rout.

Even without their leader Craig Goodwin, Adelaide still has the attacking talent to get after Sydney as well and a healthy Juric is a huge asset for Adelaide.

Sydney should take care of business inside 90 minutes but I can’t see them keeping a clean sheet.

SGM: Sydney FC to Win & Both Teams to Score @ $3.13

Macarthur is one win away from continuing one of the A-League’s strangest pieces of history.

Every Sydney based club has made the Grand Final in its debut season and the Bulls are a much better chance to reach next Saturday’s decider than the market would suggest.

The big question is how much they will have left in the tank after a draining 2-0 extra time win in Gosford last Saturday night where they played 45 minutes with 10 men.

Melbourne City is hardly in Premiership winning form since claiming regular season honours with three of its key players in the Middle East on Socceroos duties.

Their final three regular season games yielded a solitary point and manager Patrick Kisnorbo will be ruing a pair of injuries suffered in their final match against the Newcastle Jets.

Attacker Andrew Nabbout and veteran utility Rostyn Griffiths both left that match early and any more absences may just be too much for City to overcome.

Both sides will be happy to head into this match with a fairly defensive approach and one goal may be enough to win it.

There is value on offer for Macarthur in the 90 minutes market ($6.20) but I’ll back a slightly safer option and back a low scoring match.

Back Under 2.5 Goals @ $2.25

2020

We are down to the final four teams in the A-League season after a pair of drama filled Elimination Finals over the weekend.

It sets up a massive night at Bankwest Stadium in Parramatta with the two semis set to take place back to back before Sunday’s Grand Final.

In the early kickoff, it’s Melbourne City with the best chance in club history to claim their first A-League silverware when they take on Western United before a 2019 Grand Final rematch between premiers Sydney FC and Perth Glory.

Read on for our previews and best bets for both A-League Semi Finals this week.

Just over 10 years since their first A-League match as Melbourne Heart, the City side may never have a better chance to claim their first A-League trophy in their history.

They take on a Western United side who will be coming off a draining and bruising Elimination Final win over Brisbane and have the confidence of winning all three meetings against them this season.

With less than 72 hours to recover from that 1-0 over the Roar, courtesy of Allesandro Diamanti’s spectacular free kick, it’s hard to see Western United having the legs to compete with City here.

The only thing that will stop City running away with this one is their own level of composure seeing the finish line so close.

But with the A-League golden boot winner Jamie Maclaren on fire at the moment, he has the ability and the temperament to pull out a moment of magic to get things going.

All three meetings during the season had three or more goals and we’ll also back that outcome here as City’s fresh legs make all the difference late.

Back Melbourne City to Win (90 Minutes) @ $2.02

Back Jamie Maclaren Anytime Goalscorer

Back Over 2.5 Goals @ $1.72

Sydney’s form since the restart can best be described as patchy as they have sauntered into the finals on the back of their comfortable premiership margin.

Now is the time for them to flick the switch and get ready for crunch time as they try to defend their A-League championship.

Up next is the side they defeated to win the Grand Final in 2019, Perth Glory with the latter coming off a resilient 1-0 win over Wellington on Saturday evening.

Not to mention the fact Sydney has won 12 of their last 14 matches against the Glory, everything about this points to the premiers marching on to the Grand Final, ending their five-match winless run.

Back Sydney FC to Win (90 Minutes) @ $1.91

Back Both Teams to Score @ $1.62

2019

The A-League Semi Finals bring the top two sides into the mix and Perth will be eager to show that week off did nothing to slow their momentum.

They will take on Adelaide United as they look to make their first A-League Grand Final since their 2012 loss in Brisbane and Tony Popovic’s fourth as a manager since 2013.

In the other semi final we get another Big Blue as Sydney FC and Melbourne Victory try to replay that dramatic, gripping game from last April.

Check out our previews and plays for both A-League Semi Finals this weekend.

Just five days after playing 120 minutes against Melbourne City, Adelaide now has to travel to Perth and take on a Glory side that went into the finals on a massive high and fresh off a weekend off.

Only twice in A-League history has the Premiership winner not made the Grand Final, the first season with Adelaide United and last year with Sydney FC, so the numbers certainly favour the Glory to advance here.

During the regular season, Adelaide did not score a single goal against Perth and they did not exactly look too threatening against City in the Elimination Final.

Marco Kurz has always preached fitness for his team and they can take it to Perth but if the Glory get on the scoreboard early, this could get ugly.

Bottom line is I have zero faith in Adelaide’s ability to score here so I’ll back Perth to win, keep a clean sheet and lock in a home grand final.

Back Perth to Win to Nil @ $2.70

This will be the 50^th A-League meeting between these two powerhouse clubs as Sydney and Melbourne both back up from midweek Champions League engagements.

Sydney has the edge playing at home for this game having ended a three game losing run to the Victory last month, that streak included their memorable 3-2 Semi Final last season.

Because of that, you know the Victory will go into this clash full of confidence, especially since they have perhaps the biggest x-factor in this game in Ola Toivonen.

While both sides will have their chances, I’m expecting extra time in this game as they both struggle to pull ahead.

Draw (90 Minutes) @ $3.30

2017/2018

We are down to the final four in the 2017-2018 A-League Season after Brisbane Roar and Adelaide United saw their seasons ended last weekend.

Two more sides begin their holidays this weekend as Sydney FC and Newcastle enter the fray after earning a bye week.

All eyes will be on Besart Berisha though and whether or not he can replicate his miraculous match winning bicycle kick against Adelaide.

Read on for our previews and predictions for the A-League Semi-Finals.

Any concerns over the Jets and their ability to flick the switch ahead of the finals was put to bed with their ruthless destruction of Central Coast in Round 27.

They will find themselves ruing the draw however as they drew the toughest possible opponent from last week’s Elimination Finals.

Melbourne City has won the two meetings in Newcastle this season with a 2-2 draw in Melbourne as the third contest.

We saw the attacking capability of Melbourne City last week against Brisbane even if they were quite wasteful in front of goal, missing several chances to put the Roar away.

They will need to be much more efficient with their chances this weekend if they want to spring an upset, they will still be feeling the pressure in this match as they look for their first Grand Final in team history.

What Ernie Merrick has done with this team is nothing short of phenomenal this season but unfortunately for me the fairytale ends here as Melbourne has the firepower to shoot them down.

Back Melbourne City to Qualify @ $1.90

A fourth and final Big Blue for the 2017-2018 A-League season and a rematch of last season’s Grand Final.

These teams met a fortnight ago at Allianz as Sydney raised the Premiers’ Plate and extended their unbeaten run in this fixture to eight matches.

Victory have had just two draws in that time after 90 minutes, in February 2016 and last year’s Grand Final which was decided on penalties.

If the Victory are going to have any hope of springing a massive upset, they need their forwards to fire and take advantage of the opportunities given to them.

Besart Berisha is the man made for the A-League Finals and I like his chances of finding the net but Sydney should still have too much quality to drop this game.

Back Sydney FC to Win and Both Teams to Score @ $3.10

2016/2017

The 2017 A-League Semi Finals get underway this weekend and there are now only four teams left in contention for the A-League Championship.

The Brisbane Roar kept alive their campaign with a thrilling shoot-out victory over the Western Sydney Wanderers, while the Perth Glory were simply too good for Melbourne City.

Perth face a much tougher challenge against a dominant Sydney FC this weekend and the Roar will need to improve their lacklustre record in Melbourne to account for the Melbourne Victory.

We have closely analysed both games set to take place this weekend and our 2017 A-League Semi-Finals tips can be found below.

Sydney FC have been the team to beat throughout the A-League season and it is no surprise that they will start this clash as clear favourites.

Sydney FC have only lost the one game this season and they have recorded comfortable wins in their past four games against the Perth Glory.

They have won 10 of their past 13 games as home favourites and really do look as though they will be extremely tough to beat.

Perth head into this clash on the back of three straight victories and they have found form at the right time, but beating Sydney in Sydney is a very tough assignment.

The Glory have won three of their past 11 games as away underdogs, but their record against Sydney really not does inspire a great deal of confidence.

Sydney FC will be the first side to book a place in the A-League Grand Final and they should do so in a very comfortable fashion.

Back Sydney FC To Beat The Line (-1 Goal)

This looks likely to be the more competitive semi-final, but Melbourne Victory are still dominant favourites to account for the Brisbane Roar.

Melbourne have struggled for consistency so far this season, but one position in which they have thrived is as home favourites and they are 10-1-3 as home favourites.

Another factor in their favour is their outstanding record against the Brisbane Roar in Melbourne and it has been several seasons since they lost to the Roar in front of their home fans.

The Roar required a penalty shoot-out to beat the Western Sydney Wanderers last weekend and they would likely need to improve on that effort to have any chance against the Victory.

Brisbane have won just one of their past eight games as away underdogs and stringing together back-to-back wins has been easier said than done so far this season.

This really is Melbourne’s game to win and they are a safe bet to set-up another Grand Final showdown with Sydney FC>

Back Melbourne Victory To Win @ $1.85

2016

The A-League Semi Finals will decide which two teams meet in the A-League Grand Final.

Adelaide United and the Western Sydney Wanderers secured their places in the A-League Semi Finals after finishing first and second on the ladder, while the Brisbane Roar beat the Melbourne Victory in thrilling fashion and Melbourne City were too good for Perth Glory in their respective elimination finals.

The Brisbane Roar are the only team left in the competition that have previously won the A-League Championship and Adelaide United, Melbourne City and the Western Sydney Wanderers are all chasing their first title.

Adelaide United finished the regular season on top of the A-League ladder to claim the Premier’s Plate and they go into their semi final clash with Melbourne City as clear favourites.

Adelaide United have recorded three wins on the trot and in their last game against Melbourne City they proved far too good for their rivals.

The Reds finished the A-League season with a profitable 13-4-3 record as favourites and they were 9-3-2 as the punters elect in front of their home fans at Cooper Stadium.

Melbourne City returned to winning form with a 2-0 victory over Perth Glory – thanks mainly to the outstanding Bruno Fornaroli – and they played some good football in doing so.

Melbourne City finished the regular season with a 4-4-5 record as underdogs for a narrow loss, but their record against Adelaide United as underdogs is excellent and they have two of the past three games played between the two sides.

You can make a case for both teams here and there is data that suggests Adelaide United will prove far too strong for their rivals, but it is tough to discount a team with the talent of Fornaroli and Aaron Mooy and the $3.50 currently on offer does appeal.

Recommended Bet: Back Melbourne City To Win @ $3.50

It has been an incredible fortnight for the Brisbane Roar.

They blew a golden opportunity to win the Premier’s Plate when they were unable to score against the Brisbane Roar in the final game of the regular season before they came from a goal down with less than three minutes remaining to earn their place in the semi finals.

Despite their heroics, the Roar will start this game against the Western Sydney Wanderers as a clear underdogs and their record in this position this season has been very poor.

The Roar won just three of their 14 games away from home this season and their record as away underdogs is a very poor 2-1-6.

The Western Sydney Wanderers have not been the safest betting team in the A-League this season, but they were still a profitable 8-2-4 as home favourites this season and backing them in each of their games against the Roar would have delivered you a very nice profit.

The style of football played by the Wanderers is perfect for the high stakes of finals and they are a safe bet to get the job done this weekend.

Recommended Bet: Back Western Sydney Wanderers To Win @ $2.20