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Emerging prodigy Nestory Irankunda scored for the second match in a row, as shot-stopper Paul Izzo put in a superb display to help the Australian national team to a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Canada.

Match Breakdown

Following a dull opening period controlled by the Canadian team, the Australian side found their rhythm with the introduction of second-half substitutes Jordy Bos, Lewis Miller, and Patrick Yazbek. It was Irankunda who scored the decider in the second half.

Keeper Paul Izzo, starting in place of skipper Maty Ryan, produced multiple saves, including a spectacular effort to deny Jacob Shaffelburg in the 90th minute, ensuring Australia's seventh-straight win.

NESTOR IRANKUNDA SCORES US IN FRONT IN MONTREAL! 🔥

🇨🇦 0 - 1 🇦🇺

Key Actions

• During the early stages, Tajon Buchanan burst into the box, but captain Alessandro Circati executed a well-timed challenge to avert the danger.
• Shortly later, Irankunda dribbled past multiple defenders and passed to Max Balard, whose shot was deflected.
• During the first half, the Australians struggled to maintain possession, with Buchanan creating problems on the wing.
• Despite dominance from the hosts, the organized Socceroos backline held firm, restricting opportunities before the halftime.

Post-Interval Shift

Early into the second period, Irankunda went on a wonderful run, beating Derek Cornelius and driving the ball toward the near post, where Mohamed Toure missed his shot.

Substitutions in the second half injected immediate impact, with Irankunda capitalizing on a deflected clearance and finding Toure, who fired wide.

Later, Miller sent in a lovely ball to Yazbek, who backheeled toward Circati, but the captain blasted high.

During the closing stages, following a pinball situation in the defensive area, the Socceroos cleaned up the situation.

Decisive Moment

Soon after, Connor Metcalfe sent Toure on the wing, and the striker pulled the ball back into a promising zone.

When a opposition defender hesitated, Irankunda sneaked in from the unmarked position to tap in his third strike.

Late Drama

Despite unable to add a another, the Socceroos were saved by Izzo's last-minute heroics.

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

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

Looking Ahead

Having already secured a spot for the upcoming global tournament, the Australian squad are intensifying their preparation with warm-up matches against North American opponents and the USA, with a fixture scheduled in Colorado on Wednesday.