- Sorrento U23 have beaten Stirling Macedonia U23 once and drawn once in the last two encounters in the WA U23 NPL.
- Stirling Macedonia U23 have won 4 of their last 5 matches in the WA U23 NPL, including a 5-0 home victory.
- Sorrento U23 have won only 1 of their last 5 league matches, drawing 2 and losing 2.
Perth rivals face off in NPL U23
Saturday's Western Australia U23 League 2026 clash between Stirling Macedonia U23 and Sorrento U23 is more than just another mid-table affair. The local bragging rights of this derby clash and the development of both clubs' youth pathways make this a fixture of great significance in the Perth area.
Ago Mujic's Stirling Macedonia U23 have taken 4 wins from their last 5 U23 NPL WA games, most notably the 5-0 home win and the 3-0 away win. Their 4-2-3-1 system is tailored for a high-tempo attacking game with a pressing system that is designed to force turnovers and make it count in transition.
Sorrento U23 will be the first to exploit any over-extension from Stirling Macedonia U23's high pressing game as they prefer to sit deep, maintain a tight defensive block and then counter-attack with clinical efficiency. They will also look to frustrate Stirling in wide areas and on set-pieces, where they can cause a lot of danger.
Sorrento U23 may frustrate Stirling
Stirling Macedonia U23 are 2.29 favourites with the bookmakers for this game, with Sorrento U23 coming in at 2.4. This seems a bit short for the hosts given the form book for these clubs. Sorrento have been inconsistent and lack discipline on the ball, but they are a well organised unit that can be very frustrating to break down.
Sorrento U23 will need to win this one to bridge the gap to the top half of the table as they currently stand 8th, 14 points from 13 fixtures, and a - 7 goal difference.
There's plenty to suggest that this could be a tight game, and possibly a counter-attacking clash where the first goal could be pivotal. The clash of two contrasting systems will make for an interesting chess match.
Zak Efthymiou has been a livewire for the U23 side for the Blue Tigers this season, scoring in the 5-0 win, where Benjamin Stevenson and Vinícius Magnusson were also on the scoresheet. This trio should give the home team the edge in the forward play.
Franco Vila has been Sorrento U23's most dangerous attacking player this term, while captain Dean Cummings has been the link-up play from deep. When they have had to, they can sit deep and be really tough to break down, and with wide-ranging forward Kyunghwan Kim to hit the counter, they will fancy their chances in this one.
The weather is supposed to be cool and cloudy with possible showers, which could affect the pace of the game and the quality of the surface. A game with over 2.5 goals is favored at 1.2, so we're expecting a fairly open game with chances at both ends.
We're backing the more in-form team, Stirling Macedonia U23, to snag a win in this game. However, Sorrento U23 have a solid defensive structure and could make this a close encounter.