Australia 2 Lebanon 0
A lovely thursday night in Parramatta, and the Socceroos continued the winning start to their World Cup 2026 campaign against Lebanon at a busy Commbank Stadium. A cross that went in from Keanu Bacchus (not Patrick Yazbek) early in the game set the stadium alight and despite dominating it remained 1-0 at the break. The second half saw a sliced shot from Kye Rowles go in off the post for another strange goal and Australia were in the box seat. They took their eye off the game late on though, and Maty Ryan was very fortunate to maintain a clean sheet as the visitors pounced on any loose play at the back. The win was sufficient, but definitely not convincing, and it sets up an intriguing second game with Lebanon on Tuesday when our national team have an away game in Canberra.
The change in venue for pre-game in Parramatta to the Royal Oak was a winner – so much closer to the stadium, lighty and airy with plenty of room for everyone, and a happy hour til 6pm that was taken advantage of by the growing group of Socceroos fans. Got to fix that front door though. The odd Lebanon fan was dotted through the yellow, and the reunion of Australian football die-hards from around the world was a thing of beauty. Leaving with more than enough time to get to the stadium – it’s still not just next door – we descended on the stadium at the same time as pretty much everyone else.
The scene was reminiscent of the Sydney derby fiasco when the gates opened late, and the queue for Gate E stretched almost to Gate C, the whole width of the stadium. Getting in wasn’t as straightforward either – the patient lady at the gate showing me the trick of how to hold my mobile phone ata specific angle to scan through, and she had to do that pretty much for everyone. Kick off was 15 minutes away, the stadium was filling up, but not as much as Football Australia had us believe it would (“Looking forward to a full house”), and we joined the Socceroos active supporters in the Wanderers home end to enjoy the pyrotechnics and welcome the players to the field.
Lots of familiar faces from A-League games around the country, from Matildas and Socceroos games across the years, the flags were out, the drum in place and we were ready to belt out the national anthem. The Lebanon anthem was first though, and there was clearly a big contingent scattered throughout the stadium, many voices singing along, but the best was saved for the Aussie anthem, which filled the stadium with noise.
The Aussie line-up seemed attacking, with Adam Taggart and Kusini Yengi up front, and they started well, Yengi seeming to have extendable legs to win the ball ahead of his opponent to keep the ball. We’d obviously lost the toss and were switched around to shoot towards our fans in the first half. Only five minutes in we already had the breakthrough; the ball was won on the right and Bacchus shaped to swing in a big cross, but it was too close to the keeper. It looked as though it might be dangerously close to the goal though and we watched with hope and increasing belief as the ball sailed over the keeper’s head, hit the post and went in. Amazing. Ronaldinho against England all over again. The Socceroos with the lead. Pandemonium in the Active bay.
Any fans expecting a deluge of goals from that moment was to be disappointed though. Riley McGree hobbled off early, Lebanon played the role of Asian football opponent to the letter, players spending ages on the floor after winning non-existent free-kicks, and it was a half of frustration. When early sub Jordy Bos was clearly pushed into the turf with no free-kick awarded, he seemed hurt, and after some treatment and a few minutes to try and play on, he made way for Ajdin Hrustic, the sub subbed before half-time – you don’t see that very often. Australia had a series of corners that caused mayhem, at one point the ball falling to Connor Metcalf in space outside the box, an ideal opportunity for the long-range speculator, but he chose to go wide instead of risking row Z with the shot.
Half-time at 1-0 was fair, but Lebanon had done all they could to break up the game and they were still well and truly in the game. The active bay had been fun. The Croatian Wanderers Family had moved in and were loving life, the Aussie Aussie Aussie chants failed to catch on thankfully, despite many attempts, and I’m pretty sure one of the guys at the front was trying to convince those around him that a Mexican wave was a good idea. It was a little unhinged and off-chops at time, and made for an enjoyable atmosphere, even though some of the fans didn’t seem interested in the football at all. A few Newy chants, the Sydney FC goal tune and some Wanderers-esque tunes helped the game along too; the A-League was united in harmony.
There were presentations for former Socceroos players as the half-time heroes filled the field. I got my hands on a Stone and Wood lager at the break – a mid-strength brew but my goodness, what a delightful beer! Back for the second half with plenty of time to spare, the post half-time lull was broken by Michelle, who grabbed the drumsticks to whip up the crowd again and get things underway in the stands.
The second half was only a few minutes old when the Socceroos got their second, and it was a corner that bobbled around a little until Rowles put his boot through it, or across it maybe, and the ball swerved onto the left-hand post and in for a slightly freakish goal. It took the crowd by surprise and perhaps now we’d see the floodgates open. Alas, it wasn’t to be. Lebanon seemed to get a foot-hold in the game and we started to see too much play in our half. Two outrageous backheels set up a chance that flashed across Ryan’s goal, and then Harry Souttar played a loose ball across the backline that was pounced on, and Lebanon poured into the box, the shot hitting the inside of the post, but this time the ball stayed out.
The paper airplanes were raining down from above by now, there were cheers when one hit the field, and clearly the younger fans had given up on the football below.
A late free-kick right on the edge of the area which could easily have been in the box saw everyone hold their breath, but the shot was just over, and with it went Lebanon’s last chance of a goal. The final whistle couldn’t be heard, with the crowd at full volume, and the players made their way to the eastern stand where friends and family usually congregate, and stayed there for a long time until they were ushered around the home end and on to the tunnel.
This was the day to get your Socceroos signatures. The players were surprisingly relaxed and available, and ready to chat. Security was ushering people out before the players had all left the field, Tarni didn’t get the shirt from Bruno Fornaroli, but got a promise of one on her next football trip to Wellington to watch Victory, Kelly got her photo with Mitch Duke, while Thomas Deng missed the boat and had a quiet walk to the tunnel after the last of the fans had gone.
This was a smashing Socceroos game. The collective desire by the Active fans to be active was great to be amongst, the way most fans restrained from club rivalries to form a single cause was commendable, and the football had us entertained if not enthralled. A routine victory will be the headline, although in reality, it could have been a lot closer had one of Lebanon’s chances gone in at the end.
Now who’s coming to Canberra on Tuesday? Our nation’s capital, home of the next A-League men’s team, hopefully, scene of the final Sydney FC women’s away game for the season on Wednesday. Don’t miss it, it will be a different experience altogether. Come on you Green and Gold!