Irankunda Secures Victory for the Socceroos in Heated Friendly Match with the Canadian side

Emerging talent Nestory Irankunda netted for the consecutive fixture in a row, while goalkeeper Paul Izzo delivered a superb display to lead the Australian national team to a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Canada.

Fixture Breakdown

Following a dull first half dominated by the hosts, the Australian side found their rhythm with the entry of second-half substitutes Jordy Bos, Lewis Miller, and Patrick Yazbek. Ultimately, Irankunda who broke the deadlock in the 71st minute.

Goalkeeper Paul Izzo, selected in place of skipper Maty Ryan, produced several saves, featuring a world-class intervention to deny Jacob Shaffelburg in the dying moments, securing Australia's seventh consecutive win.

NESTORY IRANKUNDA PUTS US AHEAD IN CANADA! 🔥

🇨🇦 0 - 1 🇦🇺

Notable Actions

• In the early stages, Tajon Buchanan burst into the penalty area, but defender Alessandro Circati made a perfectly timed challenge to clear the danger.
• Eight minutes later, Irankunda beat multiple opponents and passed to Max Balard, whose shot was blocked.
• Throughout the opening 45 minutes, the Socceroos found it difficult to keep the ball, with Buchanan creating issues on the wing.
• Despite dominance from the hosts, the disciplined Australian backline held firm, restricting chances before the halftime.

Post-Interval Improvement

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

Substitutions in the second half brought immediate energy, with Irankunda capitalizing on a deflected clearance and setting up Toure, who shot wide.

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

In the closing stages, following a scramble in the defensive area, the Australians cleared the danger.

Winning Moment

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

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

Final Action

Despite failing to score a second goal, the Socceroos were saved by Izzo's last-minute heroics.

Emotions boiled over in stoppage time, leading to Irankunda getting a yellow card and taken off amid a scuffle.

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

Looking Ahead

With already qualified for the upcoming global tournament, the Australian squad are intensifying their readiness with warm-up matches against North American opponents and the USA, with a fixture set in Colorado next.