Popular Portsmouth striker Kusini Yengi's season reaches exciting new heights after important international breakthrough moment

Someone grab the telescope - because Kusini Yengi’s rising star status has reached another eye-catching new level!

A relative unknown outside his native Australia this time last year, the past eight months have seen him establish himself as a firm fan favourite on the other side of the world at Fratton Park and become a regular in Graham Arnold’s international set-up.

Now to accompany the 11 goals he’s notched for League One leaders Pompey, the 25-year-old has bagged his first goal for his country. It came in the Socceroos’ 5-0 World Cup qualifying demolition of Lebanon in Canberra, with Yengi opening the scoring in the second minute following a cross from the left from team-mate Craig Goodwin.

The important goal came in the forward’s sixth run-out for the Australian national side, who have now booked their place in the third round of Asian World Cup qualifying.

A place at the 2026 World Cup in North America now looks increasingly likely for Yengi, who caught the eye of the Blues while playing for Western Sydney Warriors. Before that, though, the popular Aussie has the small matter of helping Pompey return to the Championship, with John Mousinho’s side next in action on Friday, when the Blues travel to Wycombe.

Yengi came off the bench to net Pompey's winner in their last game at Peterborough as the league leaders put down an important marker heading into the international break and the all-important Easter bank holiday fixtures. His winner at the Weston Homes Stadium was also his third in two games, with the Aussie recording a brace in the 2-1 win against Burton Albion just days earlier.

There’s no doubt Mousinho will be hoping to call upon the front man for the trip to Adams Park as the Blues look to retain their five-point lead at the top of the table. He’ll therefore be pleased to see Yengi withdrawn from the action against Lebanon just after the hour mark as he now sets about heading straight back to the UK.