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Emerging sensation Nestory Irankunda netted for the second match in a row, while shot-stopper Paul Izzo delivered a stellar display to guide the Socceroos to a hard-fought 1-0 result over Canada.

Fixture Summary

Following a dull opening period controlled by the hosts, the Socceroos improved with the arrival of late replacements Jordy Bos, Lewis Miller, and Patrick Yazbek. It was Irankunda who scored the decider in the second half.

Keeper Paul Izzo, selected ahead of skipper Maty Ryan, made multiple saves, featuring a world-class effort to stop Jacob Shaffelburg in the 90th minute, securing Australia's seventh consecutive win.

NESTOR IRANKUNDA PUTS US IN FRONT IN CANADA! 🔥

🇨🇦 0 - 1 🇦🇺

Key Highlights

• During the early stages, Tajon Buchanan charged into the penalty area, but defender Alessandro Circati made a well-timed challenge to avert the danger.
• Shortly later, Irankunda dribbled past multiple defenders and set up Max Balard, whose shot was blocked.
• During the opening 45 minutes, the Socceroos struggled to keep the ball, with Buchanan causing issues on the right flank.
• Despite dominance from the hosts, the disciplined Socceroos backline held firm, restricting chances before the halftime.

Post-Interval Turnaround

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

Changes in the 57th minute injected immediate impact, with Irankunda capitalizing on a poor clearance and finding Toure, who shot wide.

Later, Miller delivered a precise ball to Yazbek, who flicked toward Circati, but the captain shot high.

During the 70th minute, following a scramble in the defensive area, the Australians cleaned up the danger.

Winning Moment

Soon after, Connor Metcalfe sent Toure on the right, and the striker pulled the ball back into a dangerous area.

When a opposition player dithered, Irankunda slid in from the blind side to score his third goal.

Late Drama

Although failing to score a second goal, the Socceroos were rescued by Izzo's last-minute saves.

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

During a spiteful conclusion, the Socceroos defense and Izzo held firm to secure the result.

Next Steps

With already qualified for the upcoming global tournament, the Australian squad are intensifying their readiness with friendlies against Canada and the United States, with a fixture set in Colorado on Wednesday.