- A fast-paced attacking clash is in the offing as Oakleigh Cannons U23 will have a go while Heidelberg Utd U23 are equally comfortable on the front foot.
- Heidelberg U23 are around third on 33 points, Oakleigh U23 are in the 4th spot on approximately 31-32, so this one is a top-four tussle.
- Oakleigh have had the better of Heidelberg in recent seasons, winning 5-1 in March 2026 and also edging Heidelberg 3-2 and 2-1.
Stick to Goals & Both Teams to Score in NPL Victoria U23
Over 2.5 goals is well fancied at 1.17 but both teams to score looks the sharper angle at 1.2 for the Sunday clash between Heidelberg Utd U23 and Oakleigh Cannons U23 in the Victoria NPL Youth League 2026 season.
Heidelberg have been banging in goals all over the park in recent weeks and their 10-1 victory over Dandenong City U23 was some way to prove that they can get out of control when the floodgates open. A subsequent 6-1 thrashing of Bentleigh Greens U23 was similarly emphatic, but the Utd have also suffered close defeats.
Adam Inglese's Oakleigh side are an equally entertaining watch when on the ball, but they have become a little blunt of late, losing four and drawing one of their last five matches. The U23 Cannons were also shut out in a clean-sheet loss to St Albans Saints U23, so there is a little bit of a hole in their defense that Heidelberg can exploit.
Oakleigh have the edge in H2H but Heidelberg are on fire
Heidelberg U23 coach Alon Dahan is a strong coach that doesn't get enough credit for the job he is doing at U23 level. His side are disciplined, compact and patient in a 4-2-3-1 or 4-4-1-1 system. Dahan likes to control the tempo, punish teams on the counter-attack and create goals from set-pieces, but the addition of Asahi Yokokawa and Max Bisetto to the club have added a bit of senior bite to his squad and they are capable of outclassing teams when their front three are clicking. Oakleigh play on the front foot, pressing high, looking to break with pace and width, so the tempo should be hot from the first whistle. Jesse Juach has been Heidelberg's danger man of late, capable of scoring any type of goal. Oliver Chernikeeff is Oakleigh's standout name after he got on the scoresheet against Melbourne City U23, proving he can still be a nuisance for teams at this level. Oakleigh have the edge in this fixture over recent years, but the momentum is firmly behind Dahan and the Utd, who can win 2-1 here or take the spoils in an even draw.
