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Weekend Soccer Odds & Picks: Australian A-League & Belarus Premier League

Ryan Metivier

by Ryan Metivier in Soccer News

Updated Mar 16, 2021 · 9:18 AM PDT

Belarus
BATE players hold the trophy after winning the Belarusian Cup final soccer match between BATE Borisov and Dynamo Brest in Minsk, Belarus, Sunday, May 24, 2020. BATE Borisov has won the Belarusian Cup with thousands of fans watching in a rare case of a soccer trophy being decided during the coronavirus pandemic. Belarus has not stopped holding public gatherings with spectators. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits)
  • Nearly every soccer league across the globe has officially postponed their seasons
  • The Turkey Super Lig, Russian Premier League and Honduran Liga Nacional are some of the most recent to shut down their operations
  • See which leagues are still playing this weekend below, including some stats, odds and previews from matches in the Belarus Premier League and Australian A-League

While nearly every sports league around the world has come to a grinding halt during the coronavirus outbreak, there are still some leagues defiantly playing on. In a sport played all over the globe, soccer has been one of the few sports where bettors can still find some action, as some leagues (albeit relatively obscure ones) continue.

Last week Mexico’s Liga MX proved to be the main attraction for soccer bettors and bettors in general. However, after Sunday night’s Clasico Joven between Club America and Cruz Azul, the league decided to postpone the rest of the season. Russia and Turkey also gave bettors action last weekend, but have also shut their doors.

So who does that leave left? Well not much. As of now, action junkies can look to Australia, Belarus, Brazil, Ukraine, Palestine, Angola, Aruba, Haiti, Singapore, Hong Kong or Myanmar to try to get a bet down. I won’t pertain to be an expert on these leagues but I will try to pull out a few nuggets for this weekend for those who are so inclined to find something to bet.

Australian A-League to Condense Season

Australia is proving to be a haven for bettors as not only is the A-League still playing, but Aussie Rules Football also kicked off on today. In soccer, the A-League has elected to play nearly all their remaining games in Sydney and Melbourne. This will allow for less travel and for the schedule to be revised to play games closer together. And of course, no fans will be present. This weekend sees five matches across Friday, Saturday and Monday.

Australian A-League Odds

Team Spread Moneyline Odds Total
Central Coast Mariners +1.0 (EVEN) +475 O 3.0 (-125)
Melbourne City FC -1.0 (-120) -190 U 3.0 (EVEN)
Draw N/A +345 N/A
Team Spread Moneyline Odds Total
Brisbane Roar 0.0 (EVEN) +165 O 3.0 (+110)
Newcastle Jets 0.0 (-120) +160 U 3.0 (-135)
Draw N/A +255 N/A
Team Spread Moneyline Odds Total
Western Sydney Wanderers FC +0.5 (-130) +240 O 2.5 (-140)
Sydney FC -0.5 (+110) +105 U 2.5 (+115)
Draw N/A +255 N/A
Team Spread Moneyline Odds Total
Newcastle Jets 0.0 (+120) +190 O 3.0 (EVEN)
Melbourne City 0.0 (-150) +130 U 3.0 (-120)
Draw N/A +255 N/A
Team Spread Moneyline Odds Total
Perth Glory -1.0 (+110) -160 O 3.0 (+110)
Western United +1.0 (-130) +400 U 3.0 (-140)
Draw N/A +315 N/A

All odds taken Mar. 19

Western Sydney Wanderers vs Sydney FC

There’s a derby match in Sydney and it’s first-place Sydney FC who have found themselves on the wrong side of the results in recent matches.

Western Sydney has struggled overall this year in eighth with a record of 7-4-9. They’re winless in their past two but have defeated Sydney 1-0 in both matches this year.

The teams also tied 1-1 last April. These two losses are the only ones on the year for Sydney FC who lead the league with 47 points (ten more than second-place Melbourne City) and are just eight points away from clinching the title. No team has three-straight wins against the other historically so I’d look to Sydney FC at +105 odds or the Under 2.5 at +115.

Newcastle Jets vs Melbourne City

Early Monday morning at 4:30 am EST, Melbourne faces Newcastle. Melbourne will be coming off a Friday match against last-place Central Coast and a 1-1 draw to Western Sydney Wanderers last Saturday. Newcastle also plays Friday to Brisbane, and previously won last Sunday, 3-0 over Adelaide. Heading into these Friday matches, both teams have scored in three-straight Melbourne matches and 4/5 Newcastle matches.

Head-to-head, Over 2.5 goals have cashed in 4/5 between these two with Melbourne winning 2-0 and 4-0 already this season. I’d back some goals: BTTS (-205) could be good to include in a parlay, or BTTS and Over 2.5 (odds TBA). Despite that Melbourne success, their 30 goals allowed are the most of any team in the top six and Newcastle are riding a six-match undefeated streak entering Friday.

Belarus Premier League Kicks Off

Against all odds, the Belarus Premier League (Vysshaya Liga) is not only playing this week but also starting. Six more matches will take place from Friday-Sunday.

Belarus Premier League Odds

Team Spread Moneyline Odds Total
Dinamo Brest -2.0 (-125) -800 O 3.0 (EVEN)
Smolevichi STi +2.0 (-105) +1500 U 3.0 (-130)
Draw N/A +550 N/A
Team Spread Moneyline Odds Total
Dinamo Minsk -1.0 (-140) -250 O 2.5 (-105)
Rukh Brest +1.0 (+110) +600 U 2.5 (-130)
Draw N/A +315 N/A
Team Spread Moneyline Odds Total
Vitebsk -0.5 (+115) +115 O 2.0 (-125)
Gorodeya +0.5 (-160) +240 U 2.0 (-105)
Draw N/A +205 N/A
Team Spread Moneyline Odds Total
Isloch Minsk -0.5 (-105) -105 O 2.5 (+115)
Neman Grodno +0.5 (-125) +265 U 2.5 (-155)
Draw N/A +230 N/A
Team Spread Moneyline Odds Total
SFC Slutsk 0.0 (-135) +145 O 2.0 (-150)
Slavia Mozyr 0.0 (EVEN) +185 U 2.0 (+115)
Draw N/A +205 N/A
Team Spread Moneyline Odds Total
Belshina Bobruisk +0.5 (-160) +215 O 2.5 (+110)
FC Minsk -0.5 (+120) +125 U 2.5 (-145)
Draw N/A +220 N/A

Dinamo Brest vs Smolevichi

The biggest favorite on the board is Dinamo Brest who looks to be -800 favorites ar home to Smolevichi-STi on Friday morning at 11:00 am EST. Why the disparity in the odds? Well, Brest were Vysshaya Liga champs last year with a 23-6-1 record (70GF/22GA). While Smolevichi is a newly-promoted side from the Pershaya Liga (second division but referred to as 1.Division). They finished second in that league with a 19-7-2 record (60 GF/15 GA) and lost just once in their past 17 matches.

FC Vitebsk vs FK Gorodeya

While these teams have been involved in some high-scoring pre-season matches, they both struggled mightily to find the back of the net last season. Gorodeya were seventh in the league, but scored just 31 goals in 30 matches, allowing 29. Vitebsk had the second-fewest goals scored with 24. Head-to-head, Under 2.5 goals has cashed nine of their past ten games. The “Under” could be a play, yet oddsmakers have set this one extremely low at two goals already.

Promoted Teams

In addition to Smolevichi, Rukh Brest and Belshina also join the league after being promoted.

Rukh Brest was third in the Pershaya (15-11-2) and has never played their Friday (1:00 pm EST) opponents Dinamo Minsk who finished fourth in the top-flight last year.

Belshina won the Pershaya with 68 points and a 21-5-2 record and will close out the weekend card at home to FC Minsk who finished ninth (9-9-12 and 36GF/44GA). These teams have played each other several times over the years with Minsk undefeated in six of their past seven competitive matches. They last played in a 2019 Cup match which Minsk won 3-1. I see Belshina having a chance to contribute to the scoresheet here in their home debut in the league and BTTS at -120 odds looks like some decent value.

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