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Emerging prodigy Nestory Irankunda netted for the second game in a row, as goalkeeper Paul Izzo produced a superb display to lead the Australian national team to a hard-fought 1-0 win over Canada.

Match Overview

Following a slow first half dominated by the hosts, the Australian side improved with the arrival of second-half substitutes Jordy Bos, Lewis Miller, and Patrick Yazbek. It was Irankunda who made the difference in the 71st minute.

Goalkeeper Paul Izzo, selected ahead of captain Maty Ryan, produced several stops, including a world-class effort to deny Jacob Shaffelburg in the 90th minute, ensuring Australia's seventh-straight victory.

NESTORY IRANKUNDA PUTS AUSTRALIA AHEAD IN MONTREAL! 🔥

🇨🇦 0 - 1 🇦🇺

Key Moments

• During the third minute, Tajon Buchanan burst into the penalty area, but captain Alessandro Circati executed a perfectly timed tackle to clear the threat.
• Eight minutes later, Irankunda beat multiple opponents and set up Max Balard, whose attempt was deflected.
• During the opening 45 minutes, the Australians struggled to keep the ball, with Buchanan causing problems on the wing.
• Despite dominance from the hosts, the disciplined Socceroos backline stood strong, limiting opportunities before the break.

Second Half Turnaround

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

Changes in the second half injected immediate energy, with Irankunda capitalizing on a deflected clearance and finding Toure, who shot wide.

Soon after, Miller sent in a lovely cross to Yazbek, who flicked toward Circati, but the skipper shot high.

During the closing stages, following a pinball situation in the box, the Socceroos cleared the situation.

Decisive Goal

Soon after, Connor Metcalfe sent Toure on the right, and the forward cut the ball back into a promising zone.

As a opposition player dithered, Irankunda slid in from the unmarked position to score his third strike.

Final Drama

Although unable to score a another, the Socceroos were rescued by Izzo's last-minute heroics.

Tempers flared in injury-time, leading to Irankunda receiving a booking and taken off amid a fracas.

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

Next Steps

With now qualified for the upcoming World Cup, the Socceroos are ramping up their preparation with friendlies against North American opponents and the USA, with a fixture set in Colorado next.