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Young talent Nestory Irankunda scored for the second match in a row, while goalkeeper Paul Izzo produced a stellar display to help the Socceroos to a narrow 1-0 victory over Canada.

Game Overview

After a dull first half controlled by the Canadian team, the Australian side found their rhythm with the introduction of late substitutes Jordy Bos, Lewis Miller, and Patrick Yazbek. Ultimately, Irankunda who made the difference in the second half.

Goalkeeper Paul Izzo, starting ahead of skipper Maty Ryan, made key stops, featuring a world-class effort to stop Jacob Shaffelburg in the 90th minute, ensuring Australia's seventh-straight victory.

NESTORY IRANKUNDA SCORES US IN FRONT IN MONTREAL! 🔥

🇨🇦 0 - 1 🇦🇺

Key Moments

• During the early stages, Tajon Buchanan charged into the penalty area, but captain Alessandro Circati made a perfectly timed challenge to clear the danger.
• Eight minutes later, Irankunda beat multiple opponents and passed to Max Balard, whose attempt was deflected.
• During the opening 45 minutes, the Australians struggled to maintain the ball, with Buchanan causing problems on the wing.
• Even with dominance from the hosts, the organized Australian backline stood strong, limiting chances before the halftime.

Post-Interval Improvement

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

Substitutions in the 57th minute brought instant energy, with Irankunda capitalizing on a deflected clearance and setting up Toure, who fired wide.

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

In the 70th minute, after a scramble in the defensive area, the Australians cleared the situation.

Winning Moment

Soon after, Connor Metcalfe released Toure on the right, and the striker cut the ball back into a promising zone.

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

Final Drama

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

Emotions flared in stoppage time, leading to Irankunda getting a booking and being substituted amid a fracas.

During a spiteful final few minutes, the Australian backline and Izzo stood their ground to secure the result.

Looking Ahead

Having already secured a spot for the next World Cup, the Australian squad are ramping up their readiness with warm-up matches against Canada and the USA, with a fixture scheduled in Colorado on Wednesday.