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Young prodigy Nestory Irankunda found the back of the net for the consecutive match in a row, while shot-stopper Paul Izzo produced a outstanding performance to lead the Socceroos to a tight 1-0 victory over Canada.

Game Breakdown

After a dull opening period controlled by the hosts, the Australian side improved with the arrival of second-half replacements Jordy Bos, Lewis Miller, and Patrick Yazbek. It was Irankunda who made the difference in the second half.

Goalkeeper Paul Izzo, starting ahead of captain Maty Ryan, produced key stops, including a world-class intervention to stop Jacob Shaffelburg in the 90th minute, ensuring Australia's seventh consecutive victory.

NESTORY IRANKUNDA PUTS US IN FRONT IN MONTREAL! 🔥

🇨🇦 0 - 1 🇦🇺

Notable Actions

• In the early stages, Tajon Buchanan burst into the box, but captain Alessandro Circati made a well-timed tackle to clear the threat.
• Shortly later, Irankunda beat multiple opponents and passed to Max Balard, whose attempt was deflected.
• During the opening 45 minutes, the Australians found it difficult to maintain possession, with Buchanan creating problems on the wing.
• Despite pressure from the hosts, the organized Socceroos backline stood strong, restricting opportunities before the break.

Second Half Turnaround

Early into the second half, Irankunda went on a wonderful run, beating Derek Cornelius and driving the ball toward the goal, where Mohamed Toure missed his attempt.

Changes in the 57th minute brought immediate impact, with Irankunda capitalizing on a deflected clearance and setting up Toure, who fired off target.

Later, Miller delivered a precise cross to Yazbek, who flicked toward Circati, but the captain shot over the bar.

In the 70th minute, following a pinball situation in the defensive area, the Australians cleaned up the situation.

Winning Moment

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

As a opposition defender hesitated, Irankunda sneaked in from the unmarked position to tap in his third strike.

Late Action

Despite failing to score a another, the Socceroos were rescued by Izzo's last-minute saves.

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

During a heated conclusion, the Australian backline and Izzo held firm to secure the result.

Next Steps

Having now qualified for the upcoming global tournament, the Australian squad are ramping up their preparation with warm-up matches against North American opponents and the United States, with a game scheduled in Colorado next.