- Hills United FC are 3rd in New South Wales League 1 with 13 points from seven games.
- Inter Lions are last of the standings with 0 points from 7 games played.
Hills have the structure to see off Inter
Hills United FC have been very impressive in New South Wales League 1 this season, posting the third-best record after seven games with 13 points on the board. Head coach Patrick Zwaanswijk has installed his Dutch-style defence-first philosophy on the squad and they’ve been very solid and tough to break down as a result.
Hills have lost just one of their last five, winning three and drawing the other, with their most recent results seeing them beat Hurstville Zagreb FC 3-2 at home and draw 1-1 away at Northern Tigers. Zwaanswijk’s system is pretty unique in this division, with the side playing a compact shape and looking to press in certain situations in midfield, rather than all over the pitch.
Their home form has seen them win one and lose one of their previous two, suggesting they can be got at, but they’ve also scored six goals in three games here. Inter Lions, although they bring a good blend of experienced pros and local talent together under the watchful eye of a pragmatic coach, will struggle to get at this Hills United side.
Inter Lions in freefall
The visitors are in freefall, losing five games in a row, with their latest results seeing them well beaten 5-1 away at Newcastle Jets Youth before a 1-0 defeat at home to Macarthur Rams. The Lions have made a name for themselves as cup giants in recent years, but they’ve failed to take that consistency into the league, where they currently sit at the bottom of the table.
The visitors have lost all four of their away games this term, suggesting that they will struggle in this trip. Inter Lions are direct and look to get on the front foot wherever possible, using set-pieces, fast counters and the odd moment of magic to hurt opponents, rather than looking to play the ball on the ground.
Hills to have the edge
Hills United are 1.55 favourites for this game, with Inter coming in as big underdogs at 4.55. However, given the absolute gulf in form and league positions, Hills should get the win in this one.
The clash of Hills’ structured, transitional football against the direct nature of Inter Lions could see Hills dominate the rhythm and Inter look to nick chances on the break. With over 2.5 goals at 1.4 and both teams to score at 1.47, a high-scoring affair is expected.
