- Sunshine Coast Wanderers U23 have taken 10 points from their last 12, winning their last three league games.
- North Star U23 have conceded five goals in each of their last two games and have failed to win any of their last four U23 Queensland Premier League games.
- The only U23 Queensland Premier League match between these two clubs this season finished 2-2, and a similarly exciting game is expected.
Wanderers to nick an open, goal-heavy encounter
Sunshine Coast Wanderers U23 currently sit 4th in the Queensland Premier League U23 standings with 21 points from 11-12 games, narrowly ahead of North Star U23 who are 5th with a similar number of points from one more game.
A win for either side this weekend would give them a push into the top-four race mid-season, making this a critical clash at this point in the season.
The Wanderers, led by senior coach Richard Hudson, tend to play a more structured, possession-based style, building play from the back and playing a wider game with a focus on building play and exploiting wide areas. Their senior side's focus on technique and development has seen the U23 side play a similar style.
Sunshine Coast's key attacking players have been key, with the club relying on a compact defence to keep it tight at the back and their forwards to finish efficiently. They've scored 19 and conceded just 10 so far in the league.
North Star U23, on the other hand, play a more direct, flexible style with a greater focus on transition football. They're capable of hitting the opposition quickly and playing vertical passes, making them a constant threat on the break.
North Star’s direct style and key attacking talent can break down stout opposition
North Star have averaged 2.3 goals per-game so far this season, though their backline has been equally leaky. Their players are more of a direct threat and they score a greater proportion of their total goals through their talented forward players, which makes for a more open style of game.
The Wanderers are 2.04 favourites for this game, whilst North Star are 2.81. The hosts are in better form, though, and have a much tighter backline than North Star. We think that the visitors can keep things close, but we're going for a home win.
The Over 2.5 goals option is heavily priced at 1.27, but the style clash and the fact that only a slight chance of afternoon showers is expected to disrupt play should lead to a high-scoring game in Buderim. The Wanderers will look to control the tempo, and North Star will look to pinch goals on the counter. This clash should be open, fast-paced, and should see both sides on the scoresheet.