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Emerging prodigy Nestory Irankunda scored for the second fixture in a row, while goalkeeper Paul Izzo produced a stellar performance to guide the Socceroos to a tight 1-0 victory over Canada.

Game Breakdown

Following a dull first half dominated by the Canadian team, the Australian side came to life with the introduction of late replacements Jordy Bos, Lewis Miller, and Patrick Yazbek. Ultimately, Irankunda who scored the decider in the second half.

Keeper Paul Izzo, starting in place of captain Maty Ryan, made multiple stops, including a world-class intervention to stop Jacob Shaffelburg in the dying moments, securing Australia's seventh consecutive win.

NESTOR IRANKUNDA SCORES AUSTRALIA AHEAD IN MONTREAL! 🔥

🇨🇦 0 - 1 🇦🇺

Key Actions

• In the third minute, Tajon Buchanan charged into the penalty area, but captain Alessandro Circati made a well-timed challenge to avert the danger.
• Shortly later, Irankunda beat two defenders and set up Max Balard, whose shot was blocked.
• During the first half, the Australians found it difficult to maintain the ball, with Buchanan causing problems on the wing.
• Despite dominance from the hosts, the disciplined Australian backline stood strong, limiting opportunities before the halftime.

Second Half Improvement

Early into the second period, Irankunda went on a impressive dribble, beating Derek Cornelius and firing the ball toward the goal, where Mohamed Toure scuffed his shot.

Changes in the second half brought instant impact, with Irankunda capitalizing on a deflected pass and finding Toure, who fired off target.

Later, Miller delivered a lovely ball to Yazbek, who flicked toward Circati, but the captain blasted high.

During the closing stages, following a pinball situation in the defensive area, the Australians cleaned up the situation.

Winning Goal

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

When a opposition player dithered, Irankunda slid in from the unmarked position to tap in his third international strike.

Final Drama

Although failing to score a second goal, the Socceroos were rescued by Izzo's late saves.

Tempers boiled over in injury-time, resulting in Irankunda receiving a yellow card and taken off amid a fracas.

In a spiteful final few minutes, the Australian defense and Izzo stood their ground to secure the win.

Next Steps

With already secured a spot for the upcoming global tournament, the Socceroos are intensifying their preparation with warm-up matches against North American opponents and the USA, with a fixture set in Colorado next.