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Young prodigy Nestory Irankunda found the back of the net for the consecutive game in a row, while goalkeeper Paul Izzo put in a outstanding performance to lead the Socceroos to a tight 1-0 win over Canada.

Fixture Summary

Following a slow first half controlled by the Canadian team, the Socceroos came to life with the introduction of second-half substitutes Jordy Bos, Lewis Miller, and Patrick Yazbek. It was Irankunda who broke the deadlock in the 71st minute.

Keeper Paul Izzo, selected in place of captain Maty Ryan, made key saves, including a brilliant intervention to deny Jacob Shaffelburg in the 90th minute, securing Australia's seventh consecutive victory.

NESTORY IRANKUNDA SCORES US AHEAD IN MONTREAL! 🔥

🇨🇦 0 - 1 🇦🇺

Key Moments

• In the early stages, Tajon Buchanan burst into the penalty area, but defender Alessandro Circati executed a perfectly timed tackle to avert the danger.
• Shortly later, Irankunda dribbled past two defenders and passed to Max Balard, whose shot was deflected.
• During the first half, the Australians found it difficult to keep possession, with Buchanan causing problems on the wing.
• Even with dominance from the hosts, the disciplined Australian backline stood strong, limiting opportunities before the break.

Post-Interval Improvement

Two minutes into the second period, Irankunda went on a wonderful dribble, beating Derek Cornelius and firing the ball toward the near post, where Mohamed Toure missed his shot.

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

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

During the closing stages, following a scramble in the defensive area, the Australians cleared the situation.

Winning Moment

Moments later, Connor Metcalfe released Toure on the wing, and the forward pulled the ball back into a promising area.

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

Final Drama

Although unable to score a another, the Socceroos were saved by Izzo's late saves.

Emotions boiled over in injury-time, resulting in Irankunda receiving a booking and being substituted amid a fracas.

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

Looking Ahead

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