Round 22 Review – League One Men’s
Round 22 will be reflected upon as the round in which the top five broke away from the teams below in the FNSW League One Men’s competition in 2026.
Four of the top five won their games, while a draw for Dulwich Hill could prove costly for Bankstown City. Plenty to cover, with our Match of the Round seeing Canterbury Bankstown prevail in a tight contest at Penshurst.
Match of the Round: Hurstville Zagreb 1-2 Canterbury Bankstown
Canterbury Bankstown stretched their unbeaten run to eight games with a 2-1 win over Hurstville Zagreb in our Match of the Round at Penshurst Park.
A John Fotopoulos goal before half-time gave them a first-half lead before William Kounnas doubled their advantage early in the second half. Hurstville Zagreb then applied pressure late, getting a goal back through new signing Max Buratto.
It was the Berries who looked the more likely to open the scoring in the early stages of the contest. Their first notable chance came inside ten minutes when Patrick Savor shot over the bar after beating his defender.
Hurstville Zagreb’s best moment of the first half came twenty minutes in, with Allesandro Lacalandra putting a first-time effort wide after Luke Grenfell parried a Michael Vakis shot into his path.
Canterbury Bankstown took the lead shortly after through John Fotopoulos, who tapped home from close range after a Fikret Berisha ball across the face in the 24th minute. A second nearly followed through a Nicholas Azzi cross-cum-shot which was palmed onto the crossbar.
The hosts nearly had their equaliser three minutes before the break when Michael Vakis sent a shot just past the left post after a deflection fell kindly inside the area. It was a tight contest chance-wise, with the Berries perhaps edging it at the break.
The visitors added their second early in the second half, with William Kounnas continuing a sensational season in front of goal with a one-touch finish across goal from a Dennis Jang ball into the box from the right.
Canterbury Bankstown were then happy to sit on their two-goal lead for the remainder of the fixture while still threatening on the break, with Hurstville Zagreb throwing more and more caution to the wind.
Two good chances fell the way of Lacalandra, who headed over, and Jesse Gagro, before Hurstville scored a late consolation. That goal came through Max Buratto in the final minute of regulation with a floating header into the far side of the net.
The Berries also lost a player in injury time, with John Fotopoulos sent off. They now sit four points behind Northern Tigers in second, with Prospect United at home next. Hurstville Zagreb travel to Eastgardens to take on Hakoah.
Hurstville Zagreb 1 (Buratto 89’)
Canterbury Bankstown 2 (Fotopoulos 24’, Kounnas 52’)
Elsewhere
Hills United 1-2 Northern Tigers
Northern Tigers claimed a big three points courtesy of a second-half comeback to overcome Hills United on the road. After a difficult first half, Ryan Attard and Daniel Kepot found the back of the net to secure their fourth away win of the season. Hills took the lead early through Jordan Small, but were unable to capitalise despite controlling large periods of the game. The turning point came early in the second half, with Hills hitting the post through Brooklyn Mallia before Attard equalised seconds later. Kepot then struck ten minutes later to complete the turnaround, with goalkeeper Matteo Scali also making key saves to preserve the lead.
Hills United 1 (Small 6’)
Northern Tigers 2 (Attard 54’, Kepot 65’)
Bulls FC Academy 2-3 Western City Rangers
Western City Rangers boosted their survival hopes with a 3-2 away win over Bulls FC Academy. Recent signings Chan Yelchan stole the show with a brace after Reuben Awaritefe opened the scoring early. Bulls had led 2-1 at the hour mark after Jordan Graoroski equalised and Ali El-Sabeh converted from the spot, but Yelchan’s quick double around the 70th minute turned the match on its head. Rangers held firm late to secure a crucial three points.
Bulls FC Academy 2 (Graoroski 24’, El-Sabeh 52’)
Western City Rangers 3 (Awaritefe 3’, Yelchan 69’, 70’)
Macarthur Rams 3-2 Inter Lions
Macarthur Rams produced a comeback win to stay in touch with the top two, defeating Inter Lions 3-2 at Lynwood Park. The visitors led at the break through Jordan Morfitis and James Khoury, but the Rams responded with goals from Paul Soravia, Michael Martin, and debutant Thomas Lopez. Lopez struck the winner shortly after Martin’s equaliser in a strong second-half response.
Macarthur Rams 3 (Soravia 25’, Martin 69’, Lopez 75’)
Inter Lions 2 (Morfitis 19’, Khoury 42’)
Blacktown Spartans 7-2 Newcastle Jets
Blacktown Spartans produced a dominant second-half display, scoring six goals after the break in a 7-2 win over Newcastle Jets. After a tight first half, the Jets led briefly through Jake Goodwin before Aedon Kyra equalised. The second half exploded into life with Spartans scoring seven unanswered goals overall, including braces for Kyra and D’Agostini, plus a late double for Darcy Ellem.
Blacktown Spartans 7 (Kyra 42’, 72’, D’Agostini 50’, 70’, Taleb 76’, Ellem 80’, 92’)
Newcastle Jets 2 (Goodwin 41’, Brideson 56’)
Central Coast Mariners 1-2 Rydalmere Lions
Rydalmere Lions secured an important 2-1 away win over Central Coast Mariners. First-half goals from Marcus Sparacino and Kaito Satori gave the visitors control, before Harry Thorpe pulled one back in stoppage time for the Mariners. Despite late pressure, Rydalmere held firm to claim their fifth away win of the season.
Central Coast Mariners 1 (Thorpe 93’)
Rydalmere Lions 2 (Sparacino 16’, Satori 42’)
Bankstown City 2-2 Dulwich Hill
Dulwich Hill fought back twice to earn a 2-2 draw against Bankstown City at Jensen Park. The hosts struck early through Alec Urosevski, but Marcus Lal equalised before Jesse Photi restored Bankstown’s lead just before half-time. Dulwich Hill responded again in the second half through Samuel O’Connor to secure a well-earned point in an evenly matched contest.
Bankstown City 2 (Urosevski 1’, Photi 45’)
Dulwich Hill 2 (Lal 30’, O’Connor 79’)
Prospect United 1-1 Hakoah FC
Prospect United were held to a 1-1 draw by a ten-man Hakoah FC side. After the visitors were reduced to ten players in the first half, Prospect took the lead through Leo Hirose early in the second half. However, Hakoah responded through substitute Sam Young to secure a share of the points in a hard-fought contest.
Prospect United 1 (Hirose 53’)
Hakoah FC 1 (Young 65’)
-By Justin Smith
