Nestory Irankunda Earns Victory for Australia in Heated Friendly Encounter with the Canadian side

Promising talent Nestory Irankunda found the back of the net for the second match in a row, while goalkeeper Paul Izzo produced a outstanding display to guide the Socceroos to a narrow 1-0 result over Canada.

Game Summary

Following a slow first half controlled by the hosts, the Socceroos came to life with the arrival of second-half substitutes Jordy Bos, Lewis Miller, and Patrick Yazbek. Ultimately, Irankunda who made the difference in the 71st minute.

Goalkeeper Paul Izzo, starting in place of captain Maty Ryan, produced several saves, including a world-class intervention to deny Jacob Shaffelburg in the 90th minute, securing Australia's seventh-straight victory.

NESTOR IRANKUNDA PUTS US AHEAD IN CANADA! 🔥

🇨🇦 0 - 1 🇦🇺

Key Actions

• In the early stages, Tajon Buchanan burst into the box, but captain Alessandro Circati made a perfectly timed tackle to clear the danger.
• Eight minutes later, Irankunda beat two defenders and passed to Max Balard, whose shot was blocked.
• Throughout the first half, the Australians found it difficult to keep possession, with Buchanan causing problems on the right flank.
• Despite dominance from Canada, the disciplined Socceroos backline stood strong, restricting opportunities before the break.

Post-Interval Improvement

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

Changes in the 57th minute brought instant energy, with Irankunda pouncing on a poor clearance and setting up Toure, who fired off target.

Soon after, Miller delivered a precise ball to Yazbek, who flicked toward Circati, but the skipper shot over the bar.

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

Decisive Goal

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

When a opposition defender dithered, Irankunda sneaked in from the blind side to score his third international goal.

Late Action

Despite unable to score a another, the team were saved by Izzo's last-minute saves.

Emotions boiled over in stoppage time, resulting in Irankunda getting a booking and taken off amid a scuffle.

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

Looking Ahead

Having now qualified for the upcoming World Cup, the Australian squad are ramping up their readiness with warm-up matches against North American opponents and the USA, with a game set in Colorado next.