Socceroos manager, Graham Arnold made his first substitution of the night during Tuesday’s 5-0 win over Palestine by bringing on Apostolos Stamatelopoulos to make his debut as number #644.
According to Socceroos.com.au it was the sixth clean sheet the team recorded in this round of qualifying seeing them finish atop the group with 18 points and 22 goals from the six games.
Two goals from Kusini Yengi and one each from Adam Taggart, Martin Boyle and Nestory Irankunda sealed the three points in front of 18,261 fans in Perth.
Graham Arnold made eight changes to the side that defeated Bangladesh last week and the rotated squad got to work quickly.
A penalty was awarded in the third minute when Aziz Behich was fouled in the box by Yaser Hamed. Kusini Yengi stepped up and slotted home to make it 1-0.
Australia vs. Palestine score, result from FIFA World Cup qualifier in Perth. Photo: Socceroos Australia.
Both wide players were involved early on with Martin Boyle and Mathew Leckie both pinging crosses into Yengi and hometown hero Adam Taggart.
Despite a few forays from Palestine, the Socceroos were in control of proceedings and in the 26th minute they doubled the advantage.
2023/24 A League top scorer and Perth-local Taggart finished neatly in the corner after receiving a well-placed cross from Boyle.
In the 38th minute, across HBF Park, fans applauded to remember Dylan Tombides, the Perth-born, Australian youth team star who sadly passed away in 2014 after a three-year battle with testicular cancer.
Yengi doubled his tally in the 41st minute when he slammed home from close range after Boyle twisted and turned his way through two defenders in the box before finding the pass.
At the break it was 3-0 after what was a strong half of football from Australia, finishing with 60% possession and seven goal attempts.
The Socceroos started the second half with the same enthusiasm and scored again in the 53rd minute, this time Taggart returning the favour with a cutback to Boyle allowing him to tap home into an empty net.
Stamatelopoulos replaced Taggart at this point in the game, and at the same time, Connor Metcalfe came on for Baccus.
In the 70th minute Nestory Irankunda came on to the pitch for his debut on Australian soil, replacing Boyle who finished on two assists and a goal.
More substitutions followed 12 minutes later with Jordy Bos and Cammy Devlin entering the fray for Yengi and Leckie respectively.
Palestine started to threaten with a few dangerous attacks as the match went on however this left them open at the back.
And after some quick passes, Australia got the ball into the attacking box where it deflected off a defender’s arm and the referee awarded another penalty in the 87th minute.
Up stepped Irankunda who smashed his penalty into the corner to make it 5-0 and make him the second youngest goal scorer in Socceroos history at the age of 18 years and 123 days.
The final whistle blew shortly after and brought to an end this round of qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which fittingly starts two years to the day.
Australian passengers have been caught up in a travel nightmare in Athens after they boarded a plane they say was “billowing smoke” just hours earlier.
According to 7News Qatar Airways flight QR-204 was due to depart Athens, Greece, at 2 p.m. on Monday and fly to Doha, Qatar, with many passengers expected to continue on to Melbourne.
The flight never left the tarmac, however, and passengers, including 7NEWS employee Jodie Grocock, labelled the entire ordeal as “appalling”.
Passenger, Louise Morfis (left). Photo: 7News.
The smoke was extinguished, but the passengers were still boarded on the flight with “no communication” about what had happened, Grocock said.
Grocock stated that it was a 35-degree day in Greece, but it felt like 45 degrees on the plane since the air conditioning and restrooms were not working.
Passenger Louise Morfis caught the smoke rising from the plane on video and said she tried to bring it up with officials, but they informed her there was no smoke.
“I was a little bit anxious. I actually asked the ground staff in Greek if it is safe to board, and he looked at me like: ‘What are you on about?’” Passenger Louise Morfis said.
Grocock said the passengers were given a letter to request compensation but doesn’t know what it would be. 7NEWS has contacted Qatar Airways for a response.
Popular YouTube sensation from Cyprus, Fidias Panayiotou has officially been elected as an independent MEP to the European Parliament.
According toBBC, the 24-year-old, self- described “professional mistake maker” 24-year-old has over 2.6 million subscribers and – despite having zero political experience – garnered the third-largest number of votes with 19.4%.
“It was a shock what happened, a miracle,” said Panayiotou.
“The parties should take it as a warning that they must modernise and listen to the people.”
Youtuber Fidias Panayiotou. Photo: mpasho.co.
Panayiotou celebrated his win on Sunday with a gathering at Eleftheria Square in Cyprus’ capital of Nicosia, where he said: “We are writing history. Not just in Cyprus, but internationally.”
It was back in January that Panayiotou declared he would run in the polls, later submitting his candidacy in April.
On Cypriot TV, Alpha Cyprus Panayiotou admitted that he had never voted, knew little about politics and the EU, yet that he could no longer stand the continued rule of “nerds” in Brussels, as reported byBBC.
Panayiotou is said to have won 40% of the votes from the 18-24 age group and 28% of votes from the 25-34 group, coming in third overall behind the conservative DISY (25%).
Australian firefighting aircrafts have been dispatched to Cyprus to assist with wildfires that broke out on Paphos on Tuesday, June 11.
Cyprus’ Agriculture Minister Maria Panayiotou first confirmed on Tuesday, June 4 that four planes would be arriving from Australia to help the island fight wildfires. Two have now been dispatched to Paphos.
According to KNEWS, a fire that broke out around 12:39pm on Tuesday afternoon between the communities of Psathi and Polemi on Paphos is still uncontrollable, and has now spread to the communities of Kourtaka, Lemona, and Choulou due to strong winds and rugged terrain.
“There are several active fronts, and we are trying to establish firebreaks. Ground forces will be operating during the night to contain the fire,” said Fire Service Spokesman, Andreas Kettis.
Υπεράνθρωπες οι προσπάθειες που καταβάλλονται από όλες τις αρμόδιες υπηρεσίες, για κατάσβεση της πυρκαγιάς στην επαρχία Πάφου. Η Αστυνομία προχώρησε σε ανάκληση προσωπικού. pic.twitter.com/iSWqbL8v70
Due to the radical nature of the fire, the National Fire Plan was activated, and the relevant Ministerial Committee was mobilised, including the Ministers of Justice, Agriculture, and Defence, including Fire Chief Nikos Longinos, Chief of Police Stelios Papatheodorou, and Forestry Department Director Savvas Iezekiel, as reported by KNEWS.
Police have closed roads, recalled workers, and missing people from a livestock refuge in the vicinity have contacted authorities to say they are in good condition.
The origin of the fire has been linked to illegal waste dumping, a recurring issue in the region.
Greece’s Interior Ministry has declared the country’s first postal voting ahead of last Sunday’s European Parliament elections a success, despite a lower-than-expected turnout and some issues with the system.
According to Ekathimerini, 202,515 people registered to vote by mail between mid-February and end-April when the platform for the procedure was open. However, just 152,216 managed to do so successfully, of which 115,571 were in Greece and 36,645 abroad.
First postal vote hailed as a success, but wasn’t without bumps in the road. Photo: InTime News/Ekathimerini.
The cause for the failed vote is said to be in the processes, which included not just filling out the ballot delivered by registered mail to voters’ doors, but also a signed statement of participation and a photocopy of their identity cards. Many voters are believed to have overlooked one or more of these processes.
The ministry will be examining what exactly went wrong and what can be improved for future as it plans to expand postal voting into the next parliamentary elections.
Greece’s Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis has ruled out the possibility of an early election despite the disappointing result for his conservative party.
According to Ekathimerini, Mitsotakis also indicated that he had acknowledged the voters’ message and, hinting at a cabinet reshuffle, said he would make “corrective moves.”
PM says ruling party did not reach goal it had set. Photo: Ekathimerini.
“Ministers either change position or leave… there is no possibility of a snap election,” Kyriakos Mitsotakis said.
“We will proceed with the great reforms, we will step on the gas, not the brakes”.
This was the seventh ballot that was held in Greece since 2019.
Darwin’s Greek Glenti festival put on another fantastic display over the King’s Birthday long weekend, with traditional music, dancing, costumes, and cuisine crammed into Bicentennial Park.
According to Courier Mail, queues for drinks and food snaked between tables piled high with plates of grilled meat and salad, as families celebrated Darwin’s Mediterranean community.
All photos copyright: Georgia Politis Photography.
Nik Halkitis, president of the Darwin Olympic Soccer Club, stated that the event was well attended.
“Another great turnout that’s for sure… also (a lot) of volunteers…plenty of people getting behind it,” Halkitis said.
Photo copyright: Georgia Politis Photography.
Mark Collier, a tourist who attended on the day was pleasantly surprised by Darwin’s multiculturalism.
“I didn’t know this was on, I looked out the hotel window and saw there were gazebos and stalls being pitched and wanted to see what was happening,” Collier said.
All photos copyright: Georgia Politis Photography.
“It’s a nice event, I didn’t know Darwin had much of a multicultural community.”
The Darwin Greek Glenti is recognised as North Australia’s biggest Greek festival which takes place each year.
*All photos supplied by Georgia Politis Photography.
A seminar aimed at helping parents raise bilingual children became the Pharos Alliance’s latest call to action for the preservation of Modern Greek in Victoria.
Professor Joseph Lo Bianco’s workshop, titled “Language in the Home: Raising Greek-English Bilinguals in Australia,” aimed to help parents raise bilingual children. Organised by the Pharos Alliance at the Greek Centre in Melbourne, the event saw a small turnout of just two parents and a handful of educators, highlighting the challenges faced in maintaining the language across generations.
The lament and the spark
Despite the low turnout, the event ignited a passionate discussion among the attending educators, frustrated by the decline of Modern Greek. Professor Lo Bianco acknowledged the difficulties yet emphasised the crucial work of the Modern Greek Teachers’ Association of Victoria (MGTAV) and the Pharos Alliance.
Professor Joseph Lo Bianco believes there are systemic problems to Modern Greek language learning, but knows that the situation can be reversed. All photos copyright The Greek Herald / Mary Sinanidis.
“The Greek community is facing the same issues of post-war migration communities,” Professor Lo Bianco said. “But because of Pharos’ work, only the Greek community has a comprehensive approach in tackling language loss. Reversing the trend will not be easy, because there are systemic problems. I interview many people, and unfortunately, some say things like ‘oh, it’s too late’ or ‘it is gone now’. That is a defeatist attitude. If people believe that you may as well pack up and go home because nothing can be done. If in your mind you’ve given up you can forget about it.”
Where governments have failed, it’s visionaries like Professor Lo Bianco working to save the language with the MGTAV, a professional organisation that supports teachers and promotes Greek language education throughout Victoria. Pharos, a community initiative formed in collaboration with the MGTAV, takes a broader approach. It aims to revitalise Modern Greek in Victoria by focusing on key areas such as capacity building to teach Greek, expanding opportunities to use Greek and fostering a stronger connection with Greek language and culture among young people.
Two parents and educators attended the workshop at the Greek Centre.
Reversing the tide: Strategies and Challenges
During the workshop, Professor Lo Bianco offered the two parents who attended practical strategies to create a bilingual home environment with Greek TV shows, games, and daily routines. Recognising the lack of parents present, the conversation shifted to educators’ efforts to immerse students in language.
Examples included an Oakleigh Grammar kindergarten teacher who created a Greek salad with students, and Alphington Grammar teacher and MGTAV Committee Member Denise Diakodimitriou’s annual immersive camp with VCE students, where Greek is spoken and bonds are forged to keep students motivated.
MGTAV Committee Member Denise Diakodimitriou and Professor Joseph Lo Bianco.
Professor Lo Bianco pointed to successful language immersion programs offered by other communities, such as the Latvian camps in Australia for 30 years. In Korea, the government took immersion a stop further by creating English immersion camps for students, who would be given a passport and enter an English-speaking world.
“There was some criticism in Korea that English was very elitist and only wealthy children were getting the benefits through travel. The government created a local experience,” he said. “We have been looking for it here, but don’t as yet have resources. We are hoping to get Greek businesses to subsidise Pharos to do this. We thought we could do three or four a year.”
Collaboration is key
The discussion emphasised the need for a united front. Iakovos Garivaldis, Director of Zenon Greek School, advocated for collaboration between schools, sharing resources, and creating partnerships. His school has been sharing its own interactive resources online for all to use for free.
Iakovos Garivaldis and Denise Diakodimitriou.
“We believe in the need to work together, to pool our resources, for schools to help each other offer the best possible education to students,” Iakovos told The Greek Herald. “That is why we are sharing our resources. But it can’t just be one school. We can’t just think of our own gain. We need to work together, exchange materials, create sister schools.”
Professor Lo Bianco echoed this sentiment, stressing the importance of community advocacy for better language policies. He outlined plans to work to preserve the Greek language with other states and territories but also to work with other community languages.
Eva, Frederiki and Iakovos are three teachers working hard to save the Greek language in Victoria.
“Decline is across-the-board, and even Chinese language learning is in decline,” he said.
“I was part of a new national policy of languages presented in May last year, and they did nothing with it,” he said, adding that communities need to work together.
“There’s a lot of work in trying to push for a better policy but unfortunately we have a moment where governments have decided that languages are too hard and there is not enough push from the community.”
The downward trajectory will continue, Professor Lo Bianco predicts, unless Greek Australian community organisations work together with the MGTAV and Pharos, and community languages band together to preserve multiculturalism. Meanwhile, a polar opposite shift is happening to languages in Europe where European integration has caused a rise in language learning.
Professor Lo Bianco and a handful of teachers cannot save modern Greek, but they are working hard to find more advocates.
Professor Lo Bianco gave the team an activity to try with their own children.
“Pharos is speaking, but nobody appears to be listening,” Eva Hehir, teacher of Northcote High School, lamented. As a teacher she has seen a steep decline in Modern Greek to the point that the language will soon be discontinued.
Held at the Goodwood Community Centre, the event brought together families, friends and supporters to participate in the rich traditions and contemporary expressions of Hellenic culture.
The night was filled with laughter, music, dance, and a deep sense of community, showcasing the Greek Lyceum’s mission to preserve and promote Greek heritage in SA, as well as its commitment to fostering a sense of community togetherness and identity.
Families enjoyed the Greek Lyceum of SA’s Family Fun Night. All photos copyright The Greek Herald / Peter Tantalos.
Approximately 200 guests gathered to support the Lyceum, enjoying a night filled with dance, a fun quiz that added an interactive element to the evening, and a variety of activities designed to entertain and engage attendees of all ages, such as a coin-tossing competition.
One of the highlights of the night was the series of dance performances by the Lyceum’s dancers, from juniors to seniors. Dressed in traditional costumes, the dancers showcased a repertoire that spanned various regions of Greece.
The performances were particularly poignant as they focused on the theme “Footsteps of Migration,” which, under the guidance of director Marie Arvanitakis, has been the central theme of the Lyceum’s dance program for the past two years. The dancers illustrated the journey of Greek migrants through their movements, highlighting the struggles and triumphs of migration and the importance of upholding traditions in the diaspora.
Special recognition was given to the SA Department of Premier and Cabinet: Multicultural Affairs for their grant assistance program which is crucial in enabling the Lyceum to continue hosting events that celebrate and preserve Greek culture. The grant received will go towards procuring handmade traditional costumes, enhancing the authenticity and visual appeal of future performances.
The Greek Lyceum of SA stands as a vital, living link ensuring the rich traditions of Hellenic folk culture continue to thrive in contemporary Australia, bridging the rich Hellenic inheritance of the past with the present, and ensuring it is preserved for the future.
As the Greek Lyceum of SA looks to the future, it remains steadfast in its mission to educate and inspire. The school has taught approximately 1,500 students over the past two decades, spanning three generations of South Australians of Greek heritage. The Lyceum has grown to become one of South Australia’s premier Greek dance schools, with approximately 60 to 70 students aged 4 to 30 years.
*All photos copyright The Greek Herald / Peter Tantalos.
Dylan Tombides – a former Australian youth national team player – was diagnosed with testicular cancer in 2011, following a random drug test at the U-17 FIFA World Cup which uncovered a tumour in one of his testicles.
Dylan fought the illness bravely for three years, even managing to make his professional debut for West Ham United FC during that period but passed away with his family by his side in April 2014 at just 20 years-of-age.
According to Football Australia, DT38 Australia was established in memory of Tombides, with a vision to change the way testicular cancer is diagnosed by implementing best practice diagnostic guidelines for patients who present with testicular symptoms.
It also aims to arm future generations of young men with the necessary knowledge about testicular cancer, enabling them to be confident when taking health matters into their own hands.
Several initiatives have already been planned as part of DT38 Australia’s involvement in the Subway Socceroos match against Palestine, including specially designed warm-up t-shirts and in-game fan tributes.
A number of match-worn jerseys will also be made available for auction as part of fundraising efforts from the Subway Socceroos to support the work of DT38 Australia.
LONDON, ENGLAND – APRIL 19: Players, fans and officials observe a minute’s applause for Dylan Tombides of West Ham, who died following a three-year battle with testicular cancer during the Barclays Premier League match between West Ham United and Crystal Palace at Boleyn Ground on April 19, 2014 in London, England. Photo: Christopher Lee/Getty Images.
Football Australia CEO, James Johnson said he was proud to see the Subway Socceroos supporting such an important message and organisation.
“Dylan was a much-loved and hugely respected figure within the Australian football community, and we wanted to not only support the work of DT38 Australia, but honour Dylan’s memory in his hometown of Perth,” Johnson said.
“It’s been ten years since Dylan’s passing and it’s incredible to see the work DT38 Australia has done in raising awareness about testicular cancer through their many programs and initiatives, using Dylan’s love of football as a vehicle to unite communities and spread their important message.
“The hard work of Tracy, Taylor and Jim Tombides and their team has seen Dylan’s legacy live on and they should be extremely proud of what they’ve already achieved in proactively impacting the health of young men across Australia,” Johnson concluded.
DT38 Australia Head of Media and Operations, Donna Giuffre said she was looking forward to partnering with Football Australia for this fixture.
LONDON, ENGLAND – APRIL 19: Players, fans and officials observe a minute’s applause for Dylan Tombides of West Ham, who died following a three-year battle with testicular cancer during the Barclays Premier League match between West Ham United and Crystal Palace at Boleyn Ground on April 19, 2014 in London, England. Photo: by Christopher Lee/Getty Images.
“This partnership is set to honour the legacy of our hero, Dylan Tombides in this upcoming Socceroos match, celebrating his enduring impact on and off the field,” Giuffre said.
“His story of resilience and determination continues to inspire the football community, reminding us of the importance of early detection and awareness in the fight against testicular cancer.
“We thank everyone at Football Australia for their commitment to the cause,” Giuffre concluded.
Subway Socceroos Head Coach, Graham Arnold said his squad was looking forward to lending their support to this important men’s health message.
“First and foremost, we want to honour Dylan’s memory. To lose someone to testicular cancer at his age is incredibly sad,” Arnold said.
“While many of our current squad didn’t play in junior national teams with Dylan, they crossed paths with him at different times and of course know his story and the work of DT38 Australia very well – it’s a cause and an organisation close to the heart of all Australian footballers.
“I’m pleased we can play a small role in supporting the Foundation’s ongoing work and contribute to spreading their message on testicular cancer awareness for men of all ages,” Arnold concluded.
