One down 49 to go. Socceroos striker Kusini Yengi raised some eyebrows this week when he declared himself to be the talisman striker the nation has craved since the retirement of Tim Cahill.
“It will be me. I’m a confident kid. I back myself and believe in my abilities,” said Yengi in response to questions about the Cahill succession. On Tuesday he got his first Socceroos goal two minutes into the 5-0 World Cup qualification win over Lebanon that secured Australia’s passage to the next stage untroubled.
While Yengi got his breakthrough, the game was bossed by irrepressible Graig Goodwin, Yengi’s former Adelaide teammate, who scored two and had one assist and should have had at least one more. The pair celebrated the goal together in a beautiful and promising moment for the national team.
“He assisted my first goal in the A-League and now he’s assisted my first goal for the Socceroos,” Yengi said. “He’s an amazing player.”
“He stole the night,” said former Socceroo Luke Wilkshire on 10, of Goodwin’s performance.
“He came in, he made all the difference. And for me he was the man of the match.”
Graham Arnold added: “Goody’s just got such great calmness in front of goal and such good delivery.”
At least Yengi is dreaming big – even if there is a massive gulf between his nascent national team career and that of the man who scored 50 goals in 108 games – including memorable strikes in three different World Cups.
Kusini Yengi of Australia celebrates with team mates after scoring a goal during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifier match between Australia Socceroos and Lebanon at GIO Stadium on March 26, 2024 in Canberra, Australia. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
Yengi has been prolific for Portsmouth in recent weeks, scoring four times in his last seven games, including a Panenka penalty earlier this month – another clear sign of a healthy level of confidence.
His debut Socceroos goal was far from a classic. It came within two minutes in Canberra as Goodwin delivered a peach of a left foot cross from wide on the left. Yengi met it on the half volley. He couldn’t miss, but almost did – the ball hit a post and then back onto his shin before it settled in the net.
Goodwin missed the win over the same team last week with a virus. He recovered brilliantly and his energy was infectious – and he produced arguably his best performance in a Socceroo shirt.
“I was sick, so I only had a couple of training sessions before the game, but I spoke with the boss and it felt good and he chucked me in,” Goodwin said.
“There was still a little bit of, let’s say sloppiness within the performance, but there was more cutting edge in the final third, so that was really positive.”
He should have had a second assist right before halftime when a delicious cross with the outside of his boot left the Lebanon defence reeling. Harry Souttar rose well enough but his header skimmed the outside of the post.
The Socceroos might have been out of sight at the break – Connor Metcalfe blew an outstanding opportunity when played in one-on-one with the keeper – but went in with a 1-0 lead, as they had last week.
But the second half was less than two minutes old when Goodwin sparked a second. His curling freekick was headed on by Souttar. Lebanon goalkeeper Mostafa Mattar parried the attempt into a teammate and the ball dribbled across the line.
Goodwin then added a sublime third. Ajdin Hrustic dinked a through ball towards the top of the box and Goodwin took it under control then crashed a volley across the keeper and into the side netting.
Hrustic, who had missed the Socceroos’ previous 11 matches through injury before coming on as a substitute in Sydney last week, was badly hacked down by a clearly frustrated Alee Tneich, three minutes after the third goal.
The Lebanese player was lucky to escape a red card after raking his studs down the back of Hrustic’s leg and the Socceroo cut a dejected figure as he was helped from the field.
“We saw how much pain he was in,” said Wilkshire. “He’s been through a tough time. To see that happen is devastating for him and the Socceroos.”
His removal opened the door for Patrick Yazbek – a player coveted by Lebanon who has chosen the Socceroos – to make his debut and the firsts kept coming.
One of Yazbek’s first contributions was to tee up John Iredale for his first-ever Socceroos goal in his second international, with Iredale close to tears after turning the ball in from close range.
Diminutive Josh Nisbet, all 1.60m of him, also got on for his debut as Graham Arnold made sweeping changes with 25 minutes to play.
Goodwin, though, stayed on to torment the visitors and he arrived at the back post, almost untroubled to tap in a fifth. Arnold and his men were criticised for failing to smash Lebanon in Sydney last week. That won’t be an issue in the wake of this one-sided romp.
Arnold admitted he was frustrated when he went to the sheds at the break.
“We showed them some clips,” said Arnold. “We should have been up 3-0 or 4-0, and game’s over, and we’re letting the opposition stay in the game.
“This is the whole thing I’ve been saying to the boys for quite a while now – we need to raise our standards. We do great against top opposition, and we probably don’t win, and I’m over it. I want to win.”
The Socceroos are guaranteed a berth in third-round qualifiers which start in September, where a top-two finish in a six-team group will carry them to the 2026 showpiece tournament.
chris1
Roar Rookie
What have the AFL done now? If they're not leeching off the taxpayer or sabotaging other sports, they are covering up illicit drug taking by their players. What a wonderful advertisement they are for us all to follow.
NoMates
Roar Rookie
FOOTBALL: SOCCEROOS V LEBANON 10 627,000
Grem
Roar Rookie
It’s fascinating reading Munro Mike’s comments on the AFL drugs cover up topic. What an absolute hypocrite. Apparently Andrew Wilkie is a football lover who wants to damage AFL. He wanted football as the only national code. Our Code is trying to kill AFL. And they call us paranoid and delusional.
Lionheart
Roar Rookie
Kieren Perkins is bidding for a major upgrade to AIS as an Brisbane Olympics legacy. Might not get the full stadium, how about a lap pool instead?
Lionheart
Roar Rookie
He's a quality player, has been at schoolboy level, youth at Roar academy and Joeys. I think he'll come home soon.
Lionheart
Roar Rookie
— COMMENT DELETED —
Leon
Roar Rookie
I have not been given to throw my toys out the pram in response to recent Socceroo performances which many have criticized, and I am not about to succumb to raptures of joy and relief about the 5 0 victory over the world’s 115th ranked team. Beating Lebanon by five goals was a good result. But compared with the very creditable Socceroo performances in the last world Cup, against more fancied oppositions, this performance should not give us too much comfort. These two games in the second of three qualifying rounds have been useful, not only in terms of achieving progress to the next round, but towards the rebuild towards 2026. A win is a win, but my point is that there are more games to play, and much work still to do. It took very decent performances by Craig Goodwin and Ajdin Hrustic (until he was scythed down) to open up a gap in quality between Australia and Lebanon which ultimately enabled a convincing win as it turned out. The good news is that we can hope both players will be part of the 2026 world cup squad; assuming we qualify. The challenge is that we need more than these two to step up. Apart from these two, and probably Ryan, Souttar and Irvine (who was not at his best), I suggest that the remaining twenty-one spots are up for grabs. A few players did not hurt their chances of being there in 2026, but this side needs to improve drastically over the next two years. Individually, each player has a lot to play for. Graham Arnold’s task is to mould a team that peaks and is fit for purpose at the next World Cup, whilst along the way achieving the required results to get us there. Inevitably at times, this will not always be pretty. It certainly will not be easy. So far so good.
Hudddo
Roar Rookie
Kuol is a finisher that's why his there.
Hudddo
Roar Rookie
Disagree, Nizzy had impetus to try the incisive pass from the beginning, it put pressure on there defence to stay back. He ran to space, if you look at alot of the runs forward at the end he was extremely open. It wasnt a bad start, compare that to Yazbek that had a blinder but still struggled with his first touch. I think nizzy has a huge amount of potential.
Grem
Roar Rookie
He is one of my favourites at FC now.
Grem
Roar Rookie
Good to see football comments. You can add teams such as Canberra and Wollongong if they are able to meet the financial commitment and have an ownership group. However, relocating those two clubs (WU and Macarthur) wouldn’t work as the owners, who seem to have deep pockets, are committed to those present areas – football fields/stadium/s for WU shows commitment to Tarneit. The Macarthur owner also has business in the Macarthur area. And as Nick wrote, both clubs are showing growth, but it is small and slow.
Waz
Roar Rookie
Arnie’s Socceroos play with fear. That’s his fault.
Tufanooo
Roar Rookie
WU moving to Tarneit is not something to be proud of. Ditch them. Other teams have been ditched. Life goes on.
Brainstrust
Roar Rookie
His first touch is better than Metcalfe and Irvine though, which is the issue I see of more concern. The thing I noticed about Holman when I watched him playing in Holland his teammates seemed to know his limitations , they would pass to the 9 or the wings when they were marked and under pressure hold the ball up. What they generally did is pass the ball into space knowing Holman gets to the ball first with his pace. Irvine and Metcalfe are like Holman with their first touches but have pace.
Punter
Roar Rookie
Not surprised you are here, all the criticism by you of the A-League in recent weeks, now we have the murky waters of the AFL horrible culture, with all their issues, far safer to hide here.
Jordan Sports Fan
Roar Rookie
2x early AL games with NZ hosting Aus sides into Easts/Dragons + Pies/Bombers into Storm/Warriors would be joyous (on a solemn day). NZ timezone should be leveraged wherever possible.
Jordan Sports Fan
Roar Rookie
Nick Garcia said yesterday APL are now implementing a football first strategy (or however he worded it). TBD what that actually means, but a fairly quick fix would be to play at night in locations that are not conducive to playing in the day time in Summer. Which is most of Australia.
Grem
Roar Rookie
And Chris – as discussed before, I grew up on a diet of rugby league and cricket. They were indoctrinated into me from a young age, which means I still don’t mind some of the formats they use. It’s only been in the last few years that I have started to wean myself off State of Origin. I used to think it was such a big game (yes, it’s extremely popular), but I can’t get past the fact it’s just NSW v QLD now! I now realise where that actually sits in the world of sport.
NickA
Roar Rookie
agree with BT - he's too old to make the move to a top 5 league now and he probs wouldn't for family reasons anyway. But he is 100% good enough.
NickA
Roar Rookie
rankings are shocking indicators, but also super important. rather be ovverranked than underranked!