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Emerging prodigy Nestory Irankunda scored for the consecutive match in a row, while goalkeeper Paul Izzo delivered a superb display to lead the Socceroos to a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Canada.

Game Overview

Following a uneventful opening period controlled by the Canadian team, the Australian side came to life with the arrival of late replacements Jordy Bos, Lewis Miller, and Patrick Yazbek. It was Irankunda who scored the decider in the 71st minute.

Goalkeeper Paul Izzo, starting ahead of captain Maty Ryan, produced multiple stops, featuring a brilliant effort to stop Jacob Shaffelburg in the dying moments, securing Australia's seventh-straight victory.

NESTORY IRANKUNDA SCORES 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 challenge to clear the danger.
• Eight minutes later, Irankunda beat two opponents and passed to Max Balard, whose shot was deflected.
• Throughout the opening 45 minutes, the Socceroos found it difficult to maintain the ball, with Buchanan causing issues on the right flank.
• Despite pressure from Canada, the disciplined Australian backline held firm, restricting opportunities before the break.

Post-Interval Shift

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

Changes in the 57th minute brought instant energy, with Irankunda pouncing on a deflected pass and finding Toure, who fired wide.

Soon after, Miller sent in a precise cross to Yazbek, who flicked toward Circati, but the skipper shot over the bar.

During the closing stages, after a scramble in the defensive area, the Australians cleaned up the danger.

Winning Goal

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

When a Canadian player dithered, Irankunda slid in from the blind side to tap in his third international strike.

Late Action

Although failing to add a second goal, the team were saved by Izzo's late heroics.

Emotions boiled over in injury-time, leading to Irankunda receiving a yellow card and being substituted amid a scuffle.

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

Next Steps

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