Irankunda Earns Victory for the Socceroos in Fiery Exhibition Clash with Canada

Young talent Nestory Irankunda scored for the consecutive game in a row, while goalkeeper Paul Izzo delivered a stellar display to guide the Australian national team to a narrow 1-0 result over Canada.

Game Breakdown

Following a slow opening period controlled by the Canadian team, the Socceroos found their rhythm with the entry of late substitutes Jordy Bos, Lewis Miller, and Patrick Yazbek. Ultimately, Irankunda who scored the decider in the second half.

Keeper Paul Izzo, starting ahead of captain Maty Ryan, made multiple saves, including a spectacular intervention to stop Jacob Shaffelburg in the 90th minute, securing Australia's seventh-straight victory.

NESTORY IRANKUNDA PUTS US AHEAD IN CANADA! 🔥

🇨🇦 0 - 1 🇦🇺

Key Actions

• In the early stages, Tajon Buchanan charged into the penalty area, but defender Alessandro Circati made a well-timed challenge to avert the threat.
• Shortly later, Irankunda dribbled past multiple opponents and passed to Max Balard, whose attempt was deflected.
• Throughout the first half, the Australians struggled to maintain possession, with Buchanan causing problems on the right flank.
• Despite dominance from Canada, the organized Socceroos backline stood strong, restricting chances before the break.

Second Half Turnaround

Early into the second half, Irankunda embarked on a impressive run, beating Derek Cornelius and firing the ball toward the goal, where Mohamed Toure scuffed his shot.

Substitutions in the second half injected immediate energy, with Irankunda pouncing on a poor clearance and setting up Toure, who shot wide.

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

During the 70th minute, after a pinball situation in the box, the Socceroos cleaned up the situation.

Winning Moment

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

When a opposition defender hesitated, Irankunda slid in from the blind side to score his third international strike.

Late Action

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

Emotions flared in stoppage time, leading to Irankunda getting a yellow card and taken off amid a fracas.

During a spiteful conclusion, the Socceroos defense and Izzo held firm to seal the win.

Next Steps

With now secured a spot for the next World Cup, the Socceroos are ramping up their readiness with friendlies against North American opponents and the USA, with a fixture set in Colorado next.