Tim Cahill stands head and shoulders above other Socceroo goal scorers, both in terms of quantity and quality – and the national team has longed for the discovery of a player capable of emulating his goal-scoring feats between 2004 and 2018.

As Graham Arnold’s current squad advances to the third stage of Asian qualification for the 2026 World Cup, the performances of Kusini Yengi have some wondering whether Australia has finally found the player destined to become the next great Socceroos striker.

It was a stellar night for the 25-year-old against Palestine on Tuesday in Perth, two goals and a sparkling performance in the front third had plenty excited about his presence up top.

Yet the more significant reality of the need for the Socceroos to acquire a Cahill-like presence in the attacking area, something that has been seemingly impossible to achieve since the great man retired, has a few good judges wondering whether Yengi might well be the one we have waited for.

The entire Star Wars trilogy and subsequent films were based around two significant characters, their father and son relationship and the need for a re-balancing of the galaxy that one would be responsible for.

Without attempting to heap too much pressure on the Adelaide-born Yengi, I am wondering whether he, based on the improvement in his game over the last two seasons, might have the potential to do something similar for Australian football.

As part of an attacking unit that includes A-League 2023/24 Golden Boot winner Adam Taggart, Martin Boyle, Mitchell Duke and the reborn Daniel Arzani, Yengi has earned the coach’s faith and been given plenty of opportunities to prove his worth in recent Socceroo matches.

A second-half goal against Bangladesh on June 6 was followed by two goals against Palestine in the 5-0 thrashing dished out on Tuesday evening, with Yengi and Taggart combining superbly up front and looking as dangerous as an Aussie duo has done for some time.

Whilst much of the international talk around Australian players has focussed on the far younger and German-bound Nestory Irankunda, Yengi has made a serious mark in the UK with Portsmouth, as a key part of a team now headed into the Championship.

Nine goals in 25 games is a decent return and based on the standard of competition, perhaps the best haul by any Australian around the globe during the season just passed.

Four goals in eight games for the national team and a coach believing in his talents has the tall striker riding a wave of success that potentially presents him as the great attacking hope for the Socceroos; a team tired of waiting for a player capable of even near repeating the exploits of Cahill.

A goal every other game is a brilliant return for a striker at international level. At club-level things might get a little more lavish as some dominate and clock up big tallies against the lesser clubs on a consistent basis.

And whilst goals against Bangladesh and Palestine might not exactly be strikes on the biggest stage and against premium opposition, plenty of Cahill’s goals came in matches against similar countries.

What Cahill understood in spades, was that a goal is a goal and one scored in Asian qualification was often even more important than a wonder strike against the bigger nations once qualified.

Many a time, Cahill saved the Socceroos from embarrassment and disaster, with strikes on goal that seemed easy when delivered by him, yet have proven very difficult to come by for others after his retirement.

Kusini Yengi ain’t no Tim Cahill just yet, but his time with the Reds and the Wanderers displayed a kit bag of skills that Portsmouth liked and has now parlayed into a Championship player.

As Socceroo supporters we wait with baited breath to see exactly what Garang Kuol and Nestory Irankunda become, yet with plenty of kilometres still required in their legs and a heap of disappointments and challenges certain to come their way in the coming years, Kusini Yengi looks to be the man most likely right now.

Arnold’s faith in him has proven to be worthwhile and he is almost certain to be the man leading the line in September when the third round of qualification begins.

Could he be the one we have been waiting for? Let’s hope so.