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Promising sensation Nestory Irankunda scored for the consecutive game in a row, while goalkeeper Paul Izzo delivered a outstanding performance to lead the Socceroos to a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Canada.

Match Breakdown

After a dull opening period dominated by the Canadian team, the Australian side found their rhythm with the arrival of second-half replacements Jordy Bos, Lewis Miller, and Patrick Yazbek. Ultimately, Irankunda who scored the decider in the second half.

Keeper Paul Izzo, starting in place of captain Maty Ryan, produced key saves, featuring a spectacular effort to deny Jacob Shaffelburg in the dying moments, ensuring Australia's seventh-straight win.

NESTORY IRANKUNDA SCORES US AHEAD IN MONTREAL! 🔥

🇨🇦 0 - 1 🇦🇺

Notable Actions

• In the third minute, Tajon Buchanan burst into the box, but defender Alessandro Circati made a perfectly timed tackle to clear the threat.
• Eight minutes later, Irankunda beat two opponents and set up Max Balard, whose shot was blocked.
• During the opening 45 minutes, the Australians struggled to maintain the ball, with Buchanan creating problems on the right flank.
• Despite dominance from Canada, the organized Socceroos backline held firm, limiting chances before the break.

Second Half Improvement

Early into the second half, 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 immediate impact, with Irankunda capitalizing on a poor clearance and setting up Toure, who shot off target.

Soon after, Miller delivered a lovely cross to Yazbek, who flicked toward Circati, but the skipper shot over the bar.

During the 70th minute, after a scramble in the defensive area, the Socceroos cleaned up the danger.

Decisive Goal

Moments later, Connor Metcalfe sent Toure on the wing, and the striker cut the ball back into a dangerous area.

When a opposition defender dithered, Irankunda sneaked in from the blind side to tap in his third international goal.

Final Drama

Despite unable to add a another, the Socceroos were saved by Izzo's last-minute saves.

Emotions flared in injury-time, resulting in Irankunda getting a yellow card and taken off amid a scuffle.

In a heated final few minutes, the Socceroos defense and Izzo held firm to seal the result.

Next Steps

With already secured a spot for the next global tournament, the Australian squad are ramping up their preparation with warm-up matches against Canada and the USA, with a game scheduled in Colorado next.