The teenage star Earns Triumph for Australia in Fiery Friendly Match with the Canadian side

Promising prodigy Nestory Irankunda netted for the consecutive match in a row, while shot-stopper Paul Izzo delivered a outstanding display to guide the Socceroos to a narrow 1-0 win over Canada.

Match Overview

After a slow opening period controlled by the hosts, the Australian side came to life with the entry of late substitutes Jordy Bos, Lewis Miller, and Patrick Yazbek. It was Irankunda who broke the deadlock in the second half.

Keeper Paul Izzo, starting in place of skipper Maty Ryan, produced key saves, featuring a brilliant effort to stop Jacob Shaffelburg in the 90th minute, securing Australia's seventh-straight win.

NESTORY IRANKUNDA PUTS US IN FRONT IN MONTREAL! 🔥

🇨🇦 0 - 1 🇦🇺

Key Moments

• In the third minute, Tajon Buchanan burst into the box, but defender Alessandro Circati made a well-timed tackle to avert the threat.
• Shortly later, Irankunda dribbled past multiple opponents and set up Max Balard, whose shot was blocked.
• Throughout the opening 45 minutes, the Australians struggled to keep possession, with Buchanan creating problems on the wing.
• Despite dominance from the hosts, the organized Socceroos backline held firm, limiting chances before the halftime.

Second Half Turnaround

Two minutes into the second half, Irankunda embarked on a impressive dribble, beating Derek Cornelius and driving the ball toward the near post, where Mohamed Toure scuffed his shot.

Changes in the second half injected immediate impact, with Irankunda pouncing on a poor pass and finding Toure, who shot off target.

Soon after, Miller sent in a lovely ball to Yazbek, who flicked toward Circati, but the skipper shot over the bar.

In the 70th minute, following a pinball situation in the defensive area, the Socceroos cleared the danger.

Decisive Moment

Moments later, Connor Metcalfe sent Toure on the right, and the striker pulled the ball back into a promising area.

When a Canadian defender dithered, Irankunda slid in from the unmarked position to score his third goal.

Late Action

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

Tempers boiled over in injury-time, resulting in Irankunda getting a yellow card and taken off amid a scuffle.

In a heated final few minutes, the Australian backline and Izzo held firm to secure the win.

Looking Ahead

With now secured a spot for the next global tournament, the Socceroos are ramping up their readiness with friendlies against Canada and the United States, with a game set in Colorado on Wednesday.