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Young sensation Nestory Irankunda found the back of the net for the consecutive fixture in a row, while goalkeeper Paul Izzo put in a stellar performance to guide the Socceroos to a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Canada.

Match Overview

After a slow first half dominated by the Canadian team, the Australian side 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 in place of skipper Maty Ryan, made several saves, featuring a brilliant effort to stop Jacob Shaffelburg in the 90th minute, ensuring Australia's seventh-straight victory.

NESTOR IRANKUNDA PUTS US AHEAD IN CANADA! 🔥

🇨🇦 0 - 1 🇦🇺

Notable Highlights

• During the early stages, Tajon Buchanan charged into the penalty area, but captain Alessandro Circati executed a perfectly timed challenge to clear the threat.
• Shortly later, Irankunda dribbled past multiple opponents and set up Max Balard, whose shot was blocked.
• During the first half, the Australians found it difficult to maintain possession, with Buchanan causing problems on the wing.
• Despite dominance from the hosts, the disciplined Australian defense held firm, limiting opportunities before the halftime.

Post-Interval Turnaround

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

Changes in the second half injected instant energy, with Irankunda pouncing on a poor pass and setting up Toure, who shot wide.

Later, Miller sent in a lovely ball to Yazbek, who flicked toward Circati, but the skipper shot high.

In the closing stages, following a scramble in the defensive area, the Australians cleaned up the situation.

Decisive Goal

Soon after, Connor Metcalfe sent Toure on the wing, and the striker cut the ball back into a promising area.

When a Canadian defender hesitated, Irankunda slid in from the blind side to tap in his third goal.

Late Drama

Despite unable to score a another, the team were rescued by Izzo's late heroics.

Emotions flared in stoppage time, leading to Irankunda getting a booking and taken off amid a fracas.

In a spiteful final few minutes, the Socceroos backline and Izzo stood their ground to seal the win.

Looking Ahead

With now qualified for the upcoming World Cup, the Socceroos are ramping up their preparation with warm-up matches against North American opponents and the United States, with a game set in Colorado on Wednesday.