Australia Bomb Five In Against Palestine

Australia capped off their second-round FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifying campaign with a dominant 5-0 victory over Palestine at HBF Park on a rather crisp and cool evening in Perth. The result sealed a perfect group stage for the Socceroos, who won all six matches in Group I, scored 22 goals, and did not concede once. Graham Arnold’s side showcased their attacking firepower, tactical discipline, and squad depth, while also giving younger players a platform to impress. Palestine came into the match already in second place and while the defeat was heavy, they had already done enough in the earlier matches to progress to the next phase of qualification.

 

Australia made a fast start, earning a penalty in the 5th minute when Aziz Behich was brought down in the box. Kusini Yengi stepped up and slotted home to make it 1-0. In the 26th minute, Martin Boyle delivered a pinpoint cross that found Adam Taggart, who made no mistake to double the lead in front of his hometown crowd. Before halftime, Boyle again turned provider, threading a perfect through ball for Yengi to score his second and give Australia a 3-0 cushion at the break. The Socceroos maintained their intensity in the second half. In the 53rd minute, Yengi turned playmaker, releasing Taggart who then squared it unselfishly to Boyle for a simple tap-in. The scoring was capped off in the 87th minute when debutant Nestory Irankunda converted a penalty after a handball by Yaser Hamed. The 18-year-old marked the moment with his signature backflip celebration, becoming the youngest goalscorer for Australia in the modern era and highlighting why Bayern Munich have signed him.

 

Australia’s campaign was as clinical as it was commanding. With 22 goals scored and none conceded, the Socceroos cruised through Group I with confidence and cohesion. Big wins, including a 7-0 thumping of Bangladesh, underlined their attacking prowess and squad depth. Players like Kusini Yengi and Martin Boyle were instrumental, and emerging talents like Irankunda added excitement for the future. The team will now progress to the third and final round of Asian qualifying, set to begin in September, where tougher tests await.

 

For Palestine, the loss in Perth did not overshadow a historic achievement. Finishing second in the group means they progress to the final round of Asian qualifiers for the first time in their history. While outclassed on the night by a sharper Australian side, their earlier performances—including wins over Bangladesh and Lebanon—were enough to see them through. Palestine will now compete among Asia’s final 18 teams for a potential place at the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

 

Now back to the food and drink. I have said many times before that I try and you should also try to avoid the food and or drink at the venue as they are somewhat expensive, but also rather lackluster. The flavour to price ratio is just simply not worth it when you try and rationalise your purchase. But when you are with your younger ones, you just have to make those exceptions and when they are hungry and thirsty you just have to go with the votes.

 

I bought a meat-box for 20 dollars and it was not too bad, but the chips are just not quite right with just how poorly they are salted and they just all  rather stuck together and a mushed mess. You need the cheese lightly melted, but not too much. You need the chili and garlic sauce to compliment this and then you need the right amount of crunch of the chip batter as well as the salt levels to add to the flavours of the sauces and the cheese. It was just a bit lacking but with what we paid it was just passable.

 

For drinks it was the Pepsi for 6.50 and a Captain Morgan mid strength, because we are not allowed to have any fun in Australia, was 13.50. So while nothing excitingly different there, it was enough to just satisfy us during the cool winter's evening while watching Australia take complete control of the match.

 

Another game done and dusted at Perth Oval, Australia punch in another win and move on-wards. Hopefully Perth do well this season and maybe, just maybe I might have the odd drink or maybe there's something nice on offer at the ground. 

Kangaroos Hop Towards First Win

North Melbourne visited Optus oval in Perth to take on much improved West Coast in a highly competitive game that was in the balance right up to the final minutes of the match. North Melbourne have been showing some fight and some promise. However their inexperience and their lack of match stamina has cost them the chocolates as they say in Aussie rules circles but they do seem to be improving and not far off from securing a win. This would be their chance to do so for the first time this season, though it was not an easy contest and they had to work hard and fight hard for the vital 4 points. 

Was a rather low scoring affair and North Melbourne didn't get off to the start they were hoping for by being kept goalless in the first quarter. However, to the Kangaroos' credit their defensive lines were resolute and determined and were able to smother any attack the Eagles made when they were venturing within their attacking 50 metre arc. They were only able to score 10 points and kick one goal and four points. North Melbourne were on track to keeping the Eagles goalless too but this goal was kicked in the dying stages of the quarter to so possible signs that the defensive lines of the Shinboner's might be put to the test and could be teetering.

The second quarter started strongly with North Melbourne opening their account scoring their first goal and a few behinds to bring the scores level. in the 9th minute West Coast kicked one and things looked concerning for the visitors. However their dogged determination and their ferocious tackling and their close quarters tagging had cramped up the Eagle's style of play and had resulted in West Coast being shut down and unable to break away from the Kangaroos. This was resulting in North Melbourne being able to gain the ascendancy and began to turn the screws on the hosts and began to stamp their authority. Though they ran into the main break with an 8 point lead at half time 29 to 21.

North Melbourne had turned on the heat and the third quarter was all Kangaroos. They kept West Coast goalless and only allowed them to score 6 behinds where North Melbourne had kicked four goals and one behind to head to the three quarter change with a 27 point lead. North Melbourne were 54 to 27. It looked like North Melbourne had broken the Eagles and the game was going to go all North's way. West Coast looked deflated and bereft of an idea. Though This is North Melbourne and they have struggled to finish teams off or maintain the pace with their opposition. So would have to wait and see how the final quarter would pan out.

Well West Coast had turned the game on its head as North Melbourne simply looked like that they had run out of petrol in their tanks and more and more unforced errors had culminated in West Coast completely shutting down the visitors. West Coast kicked 6 unanswered goals and had smashed the defense of North. It was rapidly slipping away until the 25th minute with North Melbourne finding just enough juice in their tank to snag two vital goals to seal the match and clinch a 9 point victory to finally record their first win of the season.

Now after all that onto the food and beverages. Mid-strength Bundaberg and cola and Matso's ginger beer were both 13.50. Now I have said this many times. But for mid-strength alcohol the price is too high for a slightly reduced content. But I digress before I once again go down that rabbit hole of ranting and raving about that issue. It was enjoyable to have either way during the match. Water was highway robbery at 5.40 and that is ridiculous, especially when they bang on about responsible service of alcohol and the reduction in trying to not allow people who are consuming alcohol to not become intoxicated and to remain sober. Having water at such a price is ridiculous, especially for children and people who do not consume alcohol.

The Italian steak sandwich was a bit expensive at 22 dollars but certainly tasted rather delicious. Though it probably should be 5 dollars cheaper. The pork loaded fries were 14.50 and I think the portion to price ratio was suitable and I think the price for this is somewhat fair for what is on offer. This was finished with a bulleit bourbon for the same price and the Bundaberg and Matsos. Again, my same complaints and it is also mid-strength.

This was also my first game at Optus stadium to watch a North Melbourne game and the first time since I think about 2007 since I have seen North Melbourne win a game in Perth. Also it has been 12 years since I saw a North Melbourne win in person since I was on the Gold Coast back in June of 2012. Another game and another outing to Optus stadium. A very good venue, some complaints about pricing, though I think that this is just the way it will always be and sadly wont change. Though I will always make a point about it.

Royals Reign Against Floundering Falcons

A Foundation Day encounter between modern Western Australian Football League (WAFL) clubs of West Perth Falcons and the East Perth Royals at a cool and pleasant afternoon at Joondalup Arena was the stage for the high fancied 2024 premiership visitors East Perth against the touted finals challengers and often a dark horse in this competition being the hosts of this match, West Perth. East Perth have been playing some good and solid football so far at this stage, although there have been signs for the Royals that the wheels may be wobbling and the bus towards the 2024 premiership might be spluttering and struggling to close out matches. West Perth on the other hand do not have the same pressures as the Royals and have been showing signs of promise as they aim to rebuild and take a shot at the flag in their own time with no added pressures of expectations unlike previous seasons. However, West Perth, especially at home in Joondalup are to not be taken lightly and will always be a tough encounter. Given this encounter will be especially challenging with Foundation Day and being East Perth.

It was a challenging affair, though East Perth were in control for most of the game and would ensure that there was a slight buffer of a lead as they would run into the quarter time break with a two goal lead and were off to a good start.West Perth would claw their way back into the contest for the second quarter making East Perth work hard for their lead. It was being whittled away and East Perth were determined to hang in there at the main break with the lead at 6 points.

West Perth had found gaps in the Royal's defensive lines and were able to break them down, scoring two goals and two points, with the lead building to a possible 20 plus point lead towards three-quarter time, it looked like West Perth had broken them down and the game was there to be won for the hosts. West Perth went into their team huddle for the three-quarter break only 6 points ahead. It was going to be a close last quarter with it being a kick in it. This was going to be a war of attrition and a battle. Both sides simply couldn't land a knock-out blow to build upon any lead to make them into more comfortable ones. This was also due to both sides being highly wasteful with the ball, poor connections of kicks and hand-passes, strong defensive lines being able to break down attacking pushes into their attacking 50 metre arcs and just simply both sides not being able to flow and gel together and build upon good passages of play into something greater.

East Perth scored two goals early in the last quarter with West Perth holding firm and preventing the Royals from breaking open the game, but also wasteful possession and passing from the visitors would make the last quarter that much harder for themselves. West Perth kicked a goal and had hit the lead towards the end of the match with East Perth snatching a victory from the jaws of defeat with a well times goal immediately after West Perth's crucial goal and would run out 3 point winners. This means that it would be my first experience of an East Perth win at the Joondalup Arena in quite some considerable time. I would say over ten years if I could accurately document that.

Now the food and beverages. We did not have any food on this occasion as the queues for food and drinks were too long and the match was a really close encounter we were simply glued to our seats. But my dear old father and I did manage to get an ice-cream and eventually a cool drink. Dad had a double hedgehog chocolate cone with nuts. I simply had a single chocolate one with a flake, as we both had a can of coke. The double was 8 dollars and the single was 6 dollars with the cans being 3 dollars. They weren't bad and went down well while watching the football. But all-in-all another good match between these two and was nice to head up to Joondalup to watch some football with Dad. Hopefully we can do it all again sometime soon.