Newcastle Jets vs Sydney Prediction: End of the road for Sky Blues

Sydney FC drew first blood in their Australian A-League Men’s semi-final tie with Newcastle Jets, taking the lead in the 50th minute of last week’s first leg, but the visitors responded eight minutes later with an equaliser at Allianz Stadium, leaving the play-off finely poised heading into Saturday’s second leg at McDonald Jones Stadium (10:40 BST, TNT Sports 8).

Read on for my Newcastle Jets vs Sydney predictions, together with the latest team news and match odds.

Team News

Newcastle Jets' treatment room is still housing the talents of Christian Bracco, Oscar Fryer, Alexander Badolato, Noah James (all ACL) and Thomas Aquilina (hamstring).

Football Odds

Al-Hassan Toure is the only player in Sydney's medical bay, and like his Jets counterpart Mark Milligan, Sky Blues boss Patrick Kisnorbo could name the same starting XI that lined up in Newcastle last weekend.

Newcastle Jets vs Sydney Odds

Newcastle Jets are 5/4 to triumph in regulation time on Saturday, implying a 44.4% probability of success, with Sydney 13/8, or a 38.1% chance, and the draw, which would send the tie to extra-time at McDonald Jones, offered at 11/4.

Total Cards Over/Under +4.5 - Over 4.5 @ 6/5

Just two cards, both of a yellow variety, were shown in last week's 1-1 draw at Allianz Stadium, but second legs tend to be spicier as the teams get more desperate closer to the finishing line.

Four cards were shown in the Jets' 2-0 victory over the Sky Blues at McDonald Jones Stadium in December, and in the next meeting between the two teams, at Allianz Stadium in March, when the visitors triumphed 2-1, seven yellows were dished out, four to Sydney and three to Newcastle.

Today's Football Fixtures

There were 21 fouls recorded in the first leg, and timewasting is likely to come into play this Saturday, increasing the likelihood of more cards being shown.

Match Result - Newcastle Jets @ 5/4

The Jets boast the superior record in this season's head-to-head, winning half (two), losing the first and drawing the fourth and most recent meeting.

The Sky Blues did batter their hosts 4-1 at McDonald Jones Stadium in November, but that was only the third week of the season, and Newcastle have improved significantly since then, exacting their revenge the following month with a 2-0 win.

Sydney have lost since 22 March, when the Jets triumphed 2-1 at Allianz Stadium, but four of their last six games have finished level (W2).

The Jets aren't in great form themselves, winning just one of their last five matches (D3, L1), but they thrashed Central Coast Mariners 4-0 last time out on home soil, and the support of their crowd on Saturday should see them through to the final.

Kisnorbo has made Sydney difficult to break down, but the Jets have so many weapons in attack, and I'm backing at least one of their forwards to lead them to success in regulation time.

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