Brisbane Roar vs Adelaide United Prediction: Reds to inflict another L on Lions

After four rounds of fixtures, Brisbane Roar remain the only club in the Australian A-League Men's without a point to their name, albeit the Lions have played a game fewer than most of the division. Adelaide United, meanwhile, are one of just three sides still unbeaten in the competition.

The two teams meet each other at Allianz Stadium on Saturday (06:00, TNT Sports 1) as part of the A-Leagues' Unite Round, which sees all ALM clubs play at Sydney FC's stadium on the same weekend. Below you can find my Brisbane Roar vs Adelaide United prediction, complete with all the latest team news and match odds.

Team News

Scott Neville and Neicer Acosta remain injured for Brisbane Roar, who could make changes to the starting XI that lined up in the 2-0 defeat to Melbourne Victory last time out.

Antonee Burkey-Gilroy, Rafael Struick and Adam Zimarino all came on in the second half at AAMI Park and are in contention to play from the beginning on Saturday.

Football Odds

Adelaide United have a couple of injury absentees of their own with Jordan Elsey and Luke Duzel still in the treatment room, while Ryan White is on international duty with the Australia U20s and will miss this weekend's game.

Josh Cavallo comes into the squad to replace the 20-year-old, looking to feature for the first time since February 17 when he lasted just 10 minutes of a 2-1 defeat to Sydney at Allianz Stadium.

Brisbane Roar vs Adelaide United Odds

*Please click on the link above to be taken to the main Brisbane Roar vs Adelaide United page on betfred.com (or app) for all the live betting prices on this match.

Brisbane Roar are 13/8 to get off the mark with a victory on Saturday, which gives the Lions an implied win probability of 38.1%, while Adelaide United are 5/4, or a 44.4% chance, to triumph for the third time this month.

The draw is available at 5/2, both teams to score at 2/5, and over 3.5 total goals at 6/5.

Adelaide United teenager Luka Jovanovic, who scored in back-to-back wins against Western Sydney Wanderers and Western United, is 8/5 favourite to net anytime in this contest, with another 19-year-old forward, Brisbane's Thomas Waddingham, next up in the market at 13/8.

Match Result & Both Teams to Score - Adelaide United & Yes @ 12/5

Three losses from three games paint a pretty bleak picture for Brisbane Roar, who failed to even get on the scoresheet in 2-0 defeats away to Auckland and Melbourne Victory, either side of a 3-2 loss at home to Sydney. In fairness to the Lions, Victory and Sydney are likely to be two sides competing for the Premiership title, while ALM newbies Auckland have a 100 per cent record so far.

Adelaide United, meanwhile, aren't expected to be competing for first after finishing eighth last season, one place and two points better off than Brisbane, who will be targeting all three points on Saturday to kickstart their campaign.

The Reds have lost several key players in the off-season, notably Nestory Irankunda (Bayern Munich) and Hiroshi Ibusuki (Western United), while Ben Halloran, Harry Van der Saag and Ben Warland all departed for Brisbane and will be lining up for the Roar this weekend, looking to get one over their former club.

However, Veart's side have made an encouraging start to the season, drawing 1-1 at home with Central Coast Mariners before winning 4-3 away at Western Sydney Wanderers and 2-1 at home to Western United.

As ever with Adelaide, the goals have been flowing, with both teams scoring in all three of their contests, and that's expected to continue on Saturday against Brisbane.

The Reds and the Roar have enjoyed some enthralling games over the years, particularly their last meeting at Suncorp Stadium in April when United ran out 4-3 winners and BTTS - Yes has landed in four of the last five competitive head-to-heads. There was also a goal apiece in a pre-season friendly between the pair on October 5 when they played out a 1-1 draw, Acosta opening the scoring in the first half before Adelaide full-back Ryan Kitto equalised in the second period.

At a neutral venue this weekend, I'm fully expecting both sides to get on the scoresheet in what should be an entertaining contest at Allianz Stadium. BTTS - Yes is only priced at 2/5, however, so I'm adding in an Adelaide win to take the odds up to 12/5.

The Reds have won two of the past three meetings between the teams and have started this season in fine form, whereas the Roar are sure to be lacking confidence following three successive defeats.

I don't think it will be a breeze for United but their firepower should see them through to victory in this one.

Bet Builder - Luka Jovanovic (ADU) & Thomas Waddingham (BBR) Anytime Goalscorers @ 9/2

I fancy a few goals in this fixture, so why not pick out the most likely goalscorer for each and combine them in a 9/2 Bet Builder?

Adelaide's Jovanovic has stepped up superbly to fill the void left by last season's 15-goal top scorer Ibusuki, who failed to agree on a new contract with the Reds. The 19-year-old opened the scoring in the 10th minute against the Mariners in United's first league fixture on October 26 before repeating the feat in the fourth minute against the Wanderers a week later.

Western United denied the teenager from taking his tally to three league goals last time out but he will back himself to get back in the goalscoring groove on Saturday against a Brisbane side that has shipped seven goals already in the ALM - at least two in all three games.

Waddingham, meanwhile, has one strike to his name this term, netting the Roar's first in their 3-2 defeat to Sydney on November 1. Like Jovanovic, Waddingham seems to be his side's main man at the top end of the pitch now, and that reassurance should stand him in good stead.

The Australia U23 international already has a goal in this fixture having scored within nine minutes of his introduction from the bench in Brisbane's 4-3 defeat to the Reds in April and he looks well-placed to strike in back-to-back games against Veart's side.

Offers

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