Bitesize Prediction: Melbourne Victory vs Wellington Phoenix – 14/02/25

Competition: A-League

Market: Kosta Barbarouses Over 0.5 shots on target

Odds: 3/5 @ 1xBet

Looking to shore up their spot in the play-off chase, Melbourne Victory will welcome Wellington to AAMI Park on Friday morning.

Starting with the hosts, putting in a nightmare display last week as they fell to a 3-0 drumming at the hands of Newcastle, Melbourne are seeking an immediate response here. Despite claiming respective 2-0 victories against Perth and Sydney on either side of opening February, the Victory have continued to show some extended inconsistencies over the past couple of months. Signing off 2024 with another 3-0 defeat against Sydney, Arthur Diles’ camp have won just a pair of their previous nine A-League appearances. With that run stemming all the way back to a 2-0 win against Perth on December 8th, Melbourne are desperately seeking some kind of stability. Nevertheless, still battling it out in the play-off places, Friday’s hosts will take some solace from their extended success on home soil. Aside from a dramatic 4-3 loss against Western United last month, that is the only A-League defeat that Diles’ side have suffered at AAMI Park so far this season.

As for the visitors, although Wellington might have claimed a silver medal finish last season, the Phoenix have come crashing back down to earth this time around. Despite clinging a much-welcomed 2-1 victory against Macarthur last month, that is the only A-League win that Giancarlo Italiano’s camp have collected from their previous six appearances. Scrapping it out at the foot of the table and facing an uphill battle battle in the race to punch a play-off ticket, Friday’s guests have won just a pair of their previous 10 A-League appearances – a rut that stems all the way back to November 24th. Suffering a collapse at the Sky Stadium last week as they eventually had to settle for a 1-1 stalemate against Brisbane, Wellington should also be concerned by a nightmare record at AAMI Park. In fact, on a rut that stems back over the past eight years, Italiano’s camp have failed to win any of their previous 12 straight trips to Melbourne.

Bet: Kosta Barbarouses Over 0.5 shots on target against Wellington Phoenix 3/5 for Friday’s A-League matchup @ 1xBet