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Young sensation Nestory Irankunda scored for the second match in a row, while goalkeeper Paul Izzo produced a stellar display to lead the Australian national team to a narrow 1-0 result over Canada.

Match Summary

After a dull first half controlled by the Canadian team, the Australian side found their rhythm with the introduction of late substitutes Jordy Bos, Lewis Miller, and Patrick Yazbek. It was Irankunda who scored the decider in the second half.

Keeper Paul Izzo, starting in place of captain Maty Ryan, made multiple stops, including a spectacular intervention to deny Jacob Shaffelburg in the dying moments, ensuring Australia's seventh consecutive win.

NESTOR IRANKUNDA PUTS AUSTRALIA AHEAD IN CANADA! 🔥

🇨🇦 0 - 1 🇦🇺

Key Moments

• In the third minute, Tajon Buchanan charged into the penalty area, but defender Alessandro Circati executed a perfectly timed challenge to avert the danger.
• Eight minutes later, Irankunda dribbled past two opponents and passed to Max Balard, whose attempt was blocked.
• During the opening 45 minutes, the Australians found it difficult to keep the ball, with Buchanan creating problems on the right flank.
• Even with pressure from Canada, the disciplined Australian defense held firm, limiting chances before the halftime.

Second Half Improvement

Two minutes into the second period, Irankunda embarked on a impressive run, evading Derek Cornelius and firing the ball toward the goal, where Mohamed Toure missed his shot.

Changes in the second half injected instant impact, with Irankunda capitalizing on a deflected clearance and setting up Toure, who shot off target.

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

In the closing stages, after a scramble in the box, the Australians cleaned up the situation.

Winning Moment

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

As a Canadian defender hesitated, Irankunda slid in from the unmarked position to score his third goal.

Late Drama

Despite failing to add a another, the Socceroos were rescued by Izzo's late saves.

Emotions flared in stoppage time, leading to Irankunda receiving a yellow card and being substituted amid a scuffle.

During a spiteful final few minutes, the Socceroos backline and Izzo held firm to seal the result.

Next Steps

With already qualified for the next World Cup, the Socceroos are intensifying their readiness with warm-up matches against North American opponents and the United States, with a fixture scheduled in Colorado on Wednesday.