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Promising prodigy Nestory Irankunda scored for the consecutive fixture in a row, as shot-stopper Paul Izzo produced a stellar display to help the Australian national team to a tight 1-0 result over Canada.

Game Overview

After a uneventful first half controlled by the hosts, the Socceroos came to life with the introduction of second-half replacements Jordy Bos, Lewis Miller, and Patrick Yazbek. It was Irankunda who scored the decider in the 71st minute.

Keeper Paul Izzo, starting in place of captain Maty Ryan, made multiple saves, featuring a world-class effort to stop Jacob Shaffelburg in the dying moments, ensuring Australia's seventh consecutive win.

NESTOR IRANKUNDA SCORES US IN FRONT IN MONTREAL! 🔥

🇨🇦 0 - 1 🇦🇺

Notable Actions

• In the early stages, Tajon Buchanan burst into the penalty area, but defender Alessandro Circati made a perfectly timed tackle to clear the threat.
• Shortly later, Irankunda dribbled past two defenders and set up Max Balard, whose shot was deflected.
• Throughout the opening 45 minutes, the Australians struggled to maintain the ball, with Buchanan causing issues on the wing.
• Despite dominance from the hosts, the disciplined Socceroos backline stood strong, restricting opportunities before the halftime.

Post-Interval Improvement

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

Substitutions in the 57th minute injected instant energy, with Irankunda capitalizing on a poor pass and finding Toure, who fired wide.

Soon after, Miller delivered a lovely cross to Yazbek, who flicked toward Circati, but the captain shot over the bar.

During the 70th minute, following a scramble in the defensive area, the Australians cleaned up the situation.

Winning Moment

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

As a opposition defender hesitated, Irankunda slid in from the unmarked position to score his third strike.

Final Action

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

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

During a spiteful final few minutes, the Socceroos defense and Izzo stood their ground to seal the win.

Looking Ahead

Having now qualified for the upcoming World Cup, the Australian squad are ramping up their readiness with warm-up matches against North American opponents and the United States, with a fixture set in Colorado on Wednesday.