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Young sensation Nestory Irankunda scored for the consecutive game in a row, while goalkeeper Paul Izzo delivered a stellar display to lead the Socceroos to a hard-fought 1-0 win over Canada.

Match Overview

Following a dull opening period controlled by the hosts, the Australian side came to life with the arrival of late substitutes Jordy Bos, Lewis Miller, and Patrick Yazbek. It was Irankunda who broke the deadlock in the 71st minute.

Keeper Paul Izzo, selected in place of skipper Maty Ryan, made multiple stops, including a world-class effort to stop Jacob Shaffelburg in the 90th minute, ensuring Australia's seventh-straight win.

NESTORY IRANKUNDA SCORES AUSTRALIA AHEAD IN CANADA! 🔥

🇨🇦 0 - 1 🇦🇺

Key Highlights

• In the third minute, Tajon Buchanan burst into the penalty area, but defender Alessandro Circati executed a perfectly timed tackle to avert the danger.
• Eight minutes later, Irankunda dribbled past multiple defenders and passed to Max Balard, whose shot was deflected.
• Throughout the opening 45 minutes, the Australians found it difficult to maintain the ball, with Buchanan creating issues on the wing.
• Even with pressure from the hosts, the organized Australian defense stood strong, limiting opportunities before the halftime.

Second Half Turnaround

Early into the second period, Irankunda went on a impressive run, evading Derek Cornelius and firing the ball toward the near post, where Mohamed Toure missed his attempt.

Substitutions in the second half injected immediate impact, with Irankunda pouncing on a poor clearance and setting up Toure, who fired off target.

Later, Miller sent in a lovely cross to Yazbek, who backheeled toward Circati, but the captain shot high.

In the 70th minute, following a pinball situation in the box, the Socceroos cleared the danger.

Winning Goal

Soon after, Connor Metcalfe released Toure on the wing, and the striker pulled the ball back into a dangerous zone.

When a Canadian defender dithered, Irankunda slid in from the blind side to score his third international strike.

Late Drama

Despite unable to add a another, the Socceroos were rescued by Izzo's last-minute saves.

Emotions boiled over in injury-time, resulting in Irankunda getting a yellow card and taken off amid a scuffle.

During a heated final few minutes, the Socceroos defense and Izzo stood their ground to secure the result.

Looking Ahead

Having now secured a spot for the upcoming global tournament, the Socceroos are intensifying their readiness with friendlies against North American opponents and the United States, with a game scheduled in Colorado next.