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Emerging prodigy Nestory Irankunda found the back of the net for the consecutive fixture in a row, as goalkeeper Paul Izzo produced a outstanding display to lead the Socceroos to a tight 1-0 result over Canada.

Match Overview

After a slow opening period dominated by the Canadian team, the Socceroos found their rhythm with the arrival of late replacements Jordy Bos, Lewis Miller, and Patrick Yazbek. It was Irankunda who broke the deadlock in the 71st minute.

Goalkeeper Paul Izzo, selected ahead of skipper Maty Ryan, made key stops, featuring a brilliant intervention to stop Jacob Shaffelburg in the 90th minute, ensuring Australia's seventh consecutive victory.

NESTORY IRANKUNDA PUTS US IN FRONT IN CANADA! 🔥

🇨🇦 0 - 1 🇦🇺

Notable Highlights

• In the early stages, Tajon Buchanan charged into the box, but defender Alessandro Circati executed a perfectly timed tackle to clear the danger.
• Eight minutes later, Irankunda beat multiple defenders and passed to Max Balard, whose shot was blocked.
• During the first half, the Australians struggled to maintain possession, with Buchanan creating issues on the wing.
• Despite dominance from the hosts, the organized Socceroos defense stood strong, restricting chances before the break.

Second Half Improvement

Two minutes into the second period, Irankunda embarked on a impressive run, evading Derek Cornelius and firing the ball toward the near post, where Mohamed Toure scuffed his attempt.

Substitutions in the second half brought instant energy, with Irankunda capitalizing on a deflected pass and finding Toure, who shot wide.

Later, Miller sent in a precise ball to Yazbek, who backheeled toward Circati, but the skipper blasted over the bar.

During the 70th minute, after a scramble in the box, the Australians cleaned up the situation.

Decisive Moment

Moments later, Connor Metcalfe released Toure on the wing, and the forward pulled the ball back into a promising area.

As a Canadian defender hesitated, Irankunda slid in from the blind side to score his third international goal.

Late Drama

Although failing to score a another, the Socceroos were saved by Izzo's late heroics.

Tempers boiled over in stoppage time, leading to Irankunda getting a booking and taken off amid a scuffle.

In a spiteful conclusion, the Australian backline and Izzo stood their ground to secure the result.

Next Steps

With now secured a spot for the next World Cup, the Australian squad are ramping up their preparation with warm-up matches against Canada and the United States, with a game scheduled in Colorado next.