- Sydney Olympic U20 have lost all of their last 5 NPL NSW U20 matches, and failed to win any of their previous 18 league games in 2026.
- Rockdale Ilinden U20 have won 5 of the last 10 NPL New South Wales U20 head-to-head clashes, with Sydney Olympic U20 winning only 2 and drawing the remaining 3.
- Sydney Olympic U20 sit bottom of the 2026 NPL NSW U20 table with 3 points from 18 matches, while Rockdale are 14th with 18 points.
Sydney derby should produce a few goals
Two teams in the NPL New South Wales U20 competition meet on Monday when bottom club Sydney Olympic U20 take on Rockdale Ilinden U20 at Belmore Sports Ground. Both sides could use the three points to improve their season, which have been disastrous for Olympic and average for Rockdale.
Rockdale are sitting pretty in 14th spot with 18 points, but they won't want to take their foot off the gas in this Sydney derby. Sydney Olympic, on the other hand, are on a torrid run of five straight defeats with no wins all year, so they need to start digging themselves out of last place.
The odds for this game are pretty stark, with Rockdale 1.43 favourites to win while Sydney Olympic are listed as 5.17 minnows with the draw available at 4.75. Sydney Olympic did pull a shocker over Rockdale on the last round of matches, winning 2-1, so there is an outside chance that they could get another result from this clash.
Rockdale can control and create
Rockdale are a disciplined and patient side, as their two youth coaches Steven Bozinovski and Spase Najdoski are experienced and know the value of a good structure on the pitch. Their side will look to control the ball and dictate the pace, overlapping their full-backs and looking to play through the thirds at pace. They also have a couple of players who can make things happen in the final third.
In the middle, Josh Le Mare has been a constant presence this season, providing the spine for the team to hang off, while his runs from deep can help to start attacks. Up front, Marcus Nacovski and Lucas Ribarevski are two creative players who can play the killer ball from wide positions, or cut inside and create for themselves.
Sydney Olympic have struggled following a senior coaching change in April 2026, and that has filtered through to the youth ranks. They've been pretty conservative and reactive, sitting deep and looking to hit teams on the break or from set-pieces, but their defence has been a problem all season, so they will need to come out strong against Rockdale's full-backs and creative midfielders.
Upset potential if Olympic have an attacking talent
Both teams to score is heavily backed at 1.4 for this match, and we think it's worth taking that bet in what should be an open match in front of the fans on a fine day at Belmore. Rockdale will dominate the ball and can stretch the game wide, so an open game is likely. We're going to take Rockdale to get the three points, but if Sydney Olympic have an in-form attacking talent, then they can find the back of the net and cause an upset.