Manly United FC have booked their place in the NPL NSW Men’s Grand Final, with a sensational victory over Sydney Olympic FC that finished 4-3 in penalties after regular time concluded 1-1.
Olympic’s Sam McIllhatton scored the first goal of the match in the 107th minute, giving the hosts the lead, but Manly secured another last minute goal to even the score just before the final whistle, this time through Bruno Mendes in the 122nd minute.
The penalty shoot-out provided plenty of excitement as Manly secured a 4-3 victory, sending them and their loyal fans into raptures as they celebrated their incredible feat.
While the victory sees Manly United with a place in the Grand Final at CommBank Stadium, Sydney Olympic will have to take on Blacktown City for their chance at the big show.
The Samian Brotherhood of Sydney & NSW ‘O Lykourgos’ held its annual dance on Saturday, August 13 at The Grand Roxy in Brighton-le-Sands to mark the 198th anniversary of the Battle of Samos.
The dance was attended by over 150 members and friends of the Samian Brotherhood, including a number of representatives from local Greek community organisations and the Publisher of The Greek Herald, Dimitra Skalkos.
Attendees enjoyed a three-course meal whilst the emcee for the night, Takis Triadafillou, welcomed the President of the Samian Brotherhood, Emanuel Valageorgiou, and Vice President, Soula Gerasimou, to the stage to give small speeches.
Mr Valageorgiou and Ms Gerasimou thanked everyone for attending and both gave a brief history of the Battle of Samos, which saw the islanders rebel against the Ottomans and claim victory during a naval battle on August 5 – 17, 1824.
At the conclusion of the speeches, everyone was encouraged to dance to traditional Greek music and there was also a small auction and lucky-draw giveaway.
*All photos copyright The Greek Herald / Andriana Simos.
Sydney must rebrand to attract tourists, according to a report commissioned by the city’s peak business chamber Business Sydney.
The Creating Australia’s Arts and Cultural Capital report says Sydney is missing out on tourists because it downplayed “its distinctive people, histories, culture, diversity and creativity.”
In the interview, Mr Nicolaou said Sydney had “relied too heavily for too long on icons like the bridge, the beaches and Opera House to lure tourists.”
Sydney Opera House.
“By bringing together our arts and cultural attractions we can attract a broader mix of tourists,” he added.
Sydney is home to the Museum of Contemporary Art, the Australian Museum, and the Sydney Opera House, but Mr Nicolaou said the cost of parking and reliability of public transport needed to be addressed to attract visitors to the CBD.
Business Sydney is also calling for a Sydney Arts Precinct linking the city’s cultural institutions under an identifiable brand and collaborative body.
In a statement to the SMH, a spokesman for Arts and Tourism Minister, Ben Franklin, said the NSW government aimed to make the state the “premier visitor economy” in the Asia Pacific.
His Eminence Archbishop Makarios of Australia has issued a message today to mark the Dormition of the Theotokos.
FULL MESSAGE:
Most honourable Brother Fellow Bishops and my beloved children,
Today, all Orthodox Christians reverently come before holy icons of the Most Holy Theotokos in order to venerate and honour the person who, like no other, has been identified with Life.
“You, the Mother of Life himself, have passed on to immortal life by your most exalted Dormition,” we hear chanted on this blessed day during the service of Matins.
These few words are enough to show us the reason why, today, “all in heaven are jubilant” and “all on earth rejoice celebrating”, and why the Dormition of the Theotokos is indeed a feast and a glorious celebration and not mourning, sorrow and pain.
Our pious people, who harbour profound respect for the most holy person of the Theotokos, today experience deep-seated feelings of genuine joy for the fact that Mary, the one full of Grace, was transported to the heavens, to her Son’s Kingdom.
It is a joy of justification and validation but also a joy of hope for the human race. Joy of justification because the Mother of our Lord and God, and Mother of us all, although mortal like every human being on earth, tastes the divine gift of victory over death; the gift of eternal life.
And joy of hope because with her Dormition and departing “the tomb has become a ladder leading to heaven.” She who cooperated in the Birth of the God-Man, uniting heaven and earth as a living ladder now, for the second time, is transformed into a noetic ladder, offering corruptible humanity the prospect of eternal and real life.
Truly, my dear brothers and sisters, with deep faith we seek refuge in our holy Panagia, daily, asking for her intercessions concerning our difficulties, trials and sorrows in this present life. At the same time, however, let us keep in our minds and hearts, the hope-filled message of today’s great feast. And let us make it our aim to imitate the virtues of the Most Holy Theotokos in this present life so that we may be counted worthy to walk on that noetic ladder, which leads to the heavenly life.
City of Port Phillip council Mayor, Marcus Pearl, has apologised to devastated members and female players of the Port Melbourne Soccer Club after the council withdrew its support for the Club to be a training venue for the 2023 Women’s World Cup.
Less than six months after being selected by FIFA as one of 13 official training venues for the tournament, Port Melbourne SC was surprised to learn that council had withdrawn the site.
According to ABC News, a planned upgrade to facilities at the JL Murphy soccer pitch as part of FIFA’s legacy investment in women’s football was agreed to by the council, only to be reneged last week.
In a statement to the national broadcaster, the chief executive of Port Phillip council, Peter Smith, said upgrades to the ground, which included the installation of a $500,000 drainage system on Pitch 1, a lighting upgrade costing $120,000 and improvements to make bathroom facilities more ‘female friendly,’ were thought to be achievable until June this year.
“These three non-negotiable requirements totalled $700,000,” Mr Smith said.
“While FIFA offered to contribute $100,000 towards these drainage works, there is currently no council budget to make up that shortfall.”
This sudden U-turn by the council has led Port Melbourne FC members and female players to question whether the council’s commitment was ever genuine.
In response, those left disappointed by council’s decision held a meeting with Mayor Pearl on Sunday morning at the Club and voiced their concerns.
Club player, Gabrielle Vittori, said the council’s decision to withdraw support was “heart breaking” and called for more support for female football players.
“This is not about me, this is about the girls that I play with that are much younger. This is about the young girls that are coming through in our community that want to play for years and years,” Ms Vittori told ABC News.
An ex-President of the Club was also present at the meeting and said the dispute with the council over the stadium has been ongoing for over 20 years.
“Back in the day, we had VPL women’s team, the highest level of the state women’s team, we lost those women back then because of Pitch 2. Pitch 2 has not been touched for 20 years,” the ex-President said.
For his part, the Port Phillip Mayor apologised to those in attendance.
“We’re sorry for the way this has been handled and it’s unacceptable and I apologise for that,” Mayor Pearl said at the meeting.
The Mayor added that the council will continue working on the female-friendly changing room upgrades and ensuring the lighting is suitable for community sport.
While the council’s decision appears to be final, the local football community said they are prepared to fight on hoping the girls and women of Port Melbourne SC can have their ground returned to the FIFA Women’s World Cup legacy program.
Anthony Liveris and his fiancé, Amelia McKinnon, have bought a house in Sydney’s eastern suburbs for $10.2 million, according to The Sydney Morning Herald.
The purchase of the Edgecliff Victorian semi by the couple was mortgage-free, the newspaper reports.
The couple’s new home is a five-bedroom house with a swimming pool that was recently sold under the hammer by The Agency’s Ben Collier on behalf of Carlie Millar, the wife of urologist Dr Carlo Yuen.
The house bought by Anthony Liveris and his fiancé. Photo: Domain.com.au.
Anthony is the son of Andrew Liveris, who was for decades the head of US multinational Dow Chemical and an adviser to former US presidents, Donald Trump and Barack Obama.
Records show the 30-year-old, who is the chief executive of biotech incubator Proto Axiom, has previously been living in the Macquarie Apartments building.
South Melbourne FC have secured the National Premier Leagues Victoria Men’s Premiership with a sensational 1-0 defeat of Dandenong City at Melbourne’s Lakeside Stadium on Saturday.
Marcus Schroen scored the winning goal on the day to give the Club a valuable three points and a well deserved Premiership after the home and away season.
South Melbourne coach, Esteban Quintas, said after the match that he was very “happy” with the outcome.
“I’m happy for the boys because they work very hard. It’s fantastic, they deserve it,” Quintas told South Melbourne FC TV (SMFC TV).
“The fans are fantastic and now we need them in the semi-final. We need them with us. These players deserve it.”
Esteban becomes only one of ten managers across the history of the Club who has taken home the Premiers Plate for finishing top of the table.
The win is the first time in six years the Club has won the Premiership.
Greece’s Foreign Ministry has issued condolences after a fire broke out at a church in Giza, Egypt where at least 41 people were killed, including at least 10 children, on Sunday.
The fire ripped through a packed Coptic Orthodox church during morning services in Egypt’s capital just before 9am.
As many as 16 people were injured, including four policemen involved in the rescue effort.
The cause of the fire was not immediately known. Photo: Getty Images.
The cause of the blaze, which produced huge amounts of smoke in the Abu Sefein church in the neighbourhood of Imbaba, was not immediately known.
According to a police statement, an initial investigation pointed to an electrical short-circuit.
In a statement, the Greek Foreign Ministry said it is “deeply saddened by the tragic loss of life in a fire at a church in Giza, Egypt.”
Deeply saddened by the tragic loss of life in a fire at a church in Giza, Egypt.Our heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families &wishes for a swift recovery to the injured. At this difficult time,#Greece stands in full solidarity w/our close friends the people &Gov't of #Egyptpic.twitter.com/dgVgZV04Pt
Greek police issued a statement on Sunday about the 40 refugees reported by aid groups to have been stranded for days on a river islet inside a restricted military zone at the border with Turkey.
In the statement, the police said the refugees are located at a point “outside Greek territory.”
“…the investigation shows that the point mentioned in the complaints is outside Greek territory and that it has informed the Turkish authorities twice,” the statement adds.
According to AlJazeera, the refugees said they were forced on the islet by Turkish authorities on August 7.
Greek authorities have been notified of their location and activists have made emergency calls on their behalf to police, but officials said in their statement that they have not been able to locate the group.
Greek police said the refugees are located at a point “outside Greek territory.”
“At the same time, the coordinates were given to the competent services of the armed forces, which pointed out that it is a location outside Greek territory,” the statement said.
The Greek police subsequently briefed the Turkish authorities at the Kapitan Andreevo checkpoint in Bulgaria.
The Evros land border is a frequent crossing point for those wishing to claim asylum in Europe, but many reports have documented violent Greek pushbacks in recent months, as well as incidents where people have been made to cross by Turkish authorities.
Hydra has become the destination for creatives, being used as a locational muse for artists from Henry Miller to Leonard Cohen.
It was 62 years ago that a young, undiscovered Leonard Cohen purchased a dilapidated three-storey house on the town’s upper edge.
Leonard Cohen playing guitar on Hydra in 1960.
The island may be a far cry from the image of primitive simplicity that first drew bohemians of the likes of Cohen, but it still represents an artist’s mecca.
“So many of our heroes, so many of our idols were here,” Alexis Veroukas, a Greek painter who moved to the island a decade ago, told The Guardian.
“It is not too much to say it is a holy place, the Mount Athos for artists.”
In agreement is British painter William Pownall who says the rugged natural beauty has played a vital role in anchoring him in Hydra.
The 87-year-old was not only a friend of Cohen’s but has fond memories of the island’s incomparable hospitality.
British painter William Pownall in his Hydra studio. Photograph Helena Smith / The Guardian
“The Greeks were very good to us foreigners,” he recalls in his waterfront studio, canvasses stacked along the walls.
Speaking of the life on the island, Pownall speaks of the early wake-ups, the midday rests and the sound of water.
“It can bring the tranquillity you are looking for when you are trying to convey peace and stillness,” the artist says.
The essence of the island and its metaphysical dialogue between the contemporary and the ancient can be perfectly encapsulated in Jeff Koon’s Apollo exhibition which is on show until October 31.
The exhibition features the iconic image of Apollo’s wind spinner as well as contemporary offerings to the sun god in the form of feasts and polychrome bronze sneakers.
Jeff Koons, Nike Sneakers (2020-2022). Photo: Eftychia Vlachou
Koons promises an immersive multi-sensory experience. To get more of the full effect, French journalist Judith Benhamou-Huet’s video from the site is worth a look.
