<p>It’s down to four in the race to be crowned this season's A- League champions.</p> <p>The craziest, most bonkers league in the world continues to battle through its life support and endless other problems it keeps encountering to produce endless drama and football to make your sport-loving heart sing.</p> <p>And didn’t last week have it all?</p> <p>We had a team brushing aside a team with ease to make the second round of the finals. We had a team progressing on a penalty shootout (we’ll get to that, don’t worry Vuck fans). And we even had a team that was meant to be on a bye but off playing and winning a trophy in Asia.</p> <p>This leaves us with two mouth-watering matchups taking place over two big legs. The Wellington Phoenix will play Melbourne Victory while the Premiers, The Central Coast Mariners will face off with the big team from down the motorway, Sydney FC.</p> <p>Who will make it through to the Grand Final?</p> <p>For the latest odds, news, and tips, check out our A-League predictions and tips for the semi-finals below.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>Sydney FC vs Central Coast Mariners</h2> <p><strong>Leg 1: Friday, May 10, 7:45 pm AEST – Allianz Stadium</strong></p> <p><strong>Leg 2: Saturday, May 18, 7:45 pm AEST – Central Coast Stadium</strong></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>It’s a matchup that the scriptwriters will say belongs in the main event of the most recent Wrestlemania.</p> <p>The once undesirable, become undeniable Central Coast Mariners taking on Australian football powerhouse Sydney FC.</p> <p>They were the battling underdogs who everyone laughed at. But they found a model that worked for them and continually built themselves up to the point that they became the best story in Australian sport and everyone’s second team.</p> <p>And much like Cody Rhodes at Wrestlemania, The Mariners are coming up against the Australian Football equivalent of Roman Reigns. Sydney FC. They’re powerful, The most successful, all-conquering team whose gravitas continues to hold sway in the competition despite the route they may have taken to get there.</p> <p>The Sky Blue’s run of form continued into their Elimination Final where they brushed Macarthur aside with ease 4-0.</p> <p>The high press game style that Ufuk Talay has worked wonders for his squad and how powered them into a position where they are a round away from yet another final.</p> <p>The Sky Blues will also be confident knowing their recent record over the Mariners, winning three of the last four meetings, including the two clashes this season.</p> <p>Their quest though will now need to be completed without star Englishman Joe Lolley who has been ruled out of the finals with a hamstring injury.</p> <p>Despite claiming the premiers’ plate, the Mariners were in action this weekend instead of enjoying their week off, were away in Oman claiming the AFC Cup to bring back to their growing trophy cabinet.</p> <p>Despite the travel weariness and the danger of their opponents coming to the cauldron of Allianz Stadium first up, The Mariners should still be too good here. If they emerge from the opening leg with something, they should be too good to overcome the dangerous Sky Blues and secure their second consecutive Grand Final.</p> <p><strong>Head-to-head Prediction:</strong> Central Coast Mariners (2-0)</p> <p><strong>Betting Tip: </strong>Alou Kuol anytime goalscorer</p>

<h2>Melbourne Victory vs Wellington Phoenix</h2> <p><strong>Leg 1: Sunday, May 12, 4:00 PM AEST – AAMI Park</strong></p> <p><strong>Leg 2: Saturday, May 18, 4:30 AEST -&nbsp; Wellington Regional Stadium&nbsp;&nbsp;</strong></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>The Great Wall of Paul Izzo is standing tall.</p> <p>After a performance between the sticks that put the Victory shot-stopper into club folklore to ensure the remarkable journey of this season continues, the attention quickly turns to their rivals across the ditch.</p> <p>This makes this series even more delectable, knowing that the Victory fans will still be riding high, feeling the glow, and will come in masses to cheer their team on. At home or away.</p> <p>The Nix though, have been so good for so long this season, only tasting defeat four times this season to go with their eight draws. Two of them have been against the Victory but claimed success as recently as April over their Melbourne-based opponents.</p> <p>Local boy and player of the year Kosta Barbarouses, Polish star Oskar Zawada, and Bulgarian Mid-forward Bozhidar Kraev have been reliable scorers up front for Giancarlo Italiano’s side all season, which has made the Nix so dangerous all season.</p> <p>But that’s almost immediately canceled out on the other side when you look across the park and standing there are the likes of Bruno Fornaroli, Daniel Arzani, Zinedine Machach, and Nishan Velupillay coming off the bench for that extra push.</p> <p>With Jake Brimmer back from injury, they are linking up with Ryan Teague and now dual Victory Medallist Damien Da Silva, the boys in blue, despite their rollercoasters are not an opponent to be sneezed at or taken lightly.</p> <p>It wasn’t long ago that the knives were out for Tony Popovic when they were languishing in second last spot. Has the fairytale ride got a few more stops left to go for the Victory juggernaut?</p> <p>You’d have to be a brave person to write them off, considering what they have done and the positions they have come to win from in the past.</p> <p><strong>Head-to-head Prediction: </strong>Victory (3-1)</p> <p><strong>Betting Tip: </strong>Jake Brimmer anytime goalscorer</p>

<h2>A-League Championship 2023-24 Odds</h2>