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Promising prodigy Nestory Irankunda scored for the second fixture in a row, while goalkeeper Paul Izzo produced a stellar performance to help the Australian national team to a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Canada.

Game Summary

Following a uneventful first half dominated by the hosts, the Socceroos came to life with the introduction of second-half substitutes Jordy Bos, Lewis Miller, and Patrick Yazbek. Ultimately, Irankunda who broke the deadlock in the second half.

Goalkeeper Paul Izzo, selected ahead of skipper Maty Ryan, made multiple saves, including a world-class effort to deny Jacob Shaffelburg in the dying moments, ensuring Australia's seventh-straight victory.

NESTORY IRANKUNDA SCORES US IN FRONT IN CANADA! 🔥

🇨🇦 0 - 1 🇦🇺

Notable Actions

• During the third minute, Tajon Buchanan burst into the box, but captain Alessandro Circati executed a well-timed challenge to clear the danger.
• Eight minutes later, Irankunda dribbled past two defenders and passed to Max Balard, whose shot was blocked.
• During the opening 45 minutes, the Socceroos struggled to keep possession, with Buchanan causing problems on the wing.
• Even with pressure from the hosts, the disciplined Socceroos defense stood strong, limiting chances before the break.

Second Half Turnaround

Two minutes into the second period, Irankunda embarked on a wonderful dribble, beating Derek Cornelius and firing the ball toward the goal, where Mohamed Toure scuffed his shot.

Substitutions in the second half brought instant impact, with Irankunda capitalizing on a poor pass and setting up Toure, who shot wide.

Soon after, Miller sent in a precise cross to Yazbek, who backheeled toward Circati, but the captain blasted over the bar.

In the 70th minute, following a pinball situation in the defensive area, the Socceroos cleared the situation.

Winning Goal

Moments later, Connor Metcalfe released Toure on the right, and the striker pulled the ball back into a dangerous zone.

As a opposition player hesitated, Irankunda sneaked in from the unmarked position to tap in his third international strike.

Late Drama

Although failing to add a another, the team were rescued by Izzo's last-minute saves.

Emotions boiled over in injury-time, leading to Irankunda getting a yellow card and being substituted amid a fracas.

In a heated conclusion, the Australian backline and Izzo held firm to secure the win.

Looking Ahead

Having now secured a spot for the next World Cup, the Australian squad are ramping up their readiness with warm-up matches against North American opponents and the USA, with a fixture scheduled in Colorado next.