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Young talent Nestory Irankunda scored for the consecutive fixture in a row, while shot-stopper Paul Izzo produced a stellar performance to lead the Socceroos to a hard-fought 1-0 win over Canada.

Match Breakdown

After a uneventful first half controlled by the Canadian team, the Socceroos found their rhythm with the entry of late replacements Jordy Bos, Lewis Miller, and Patrick Yazbek. It was Irankunda who scored the decider in the 71st minute.

Goalkeeper Paul Izzo, selected ahead of skipper Maty Ryan, made several stops, featuring a spectacular intervention to stop Jacob Shaffelburg in the 90th minute, securing Australia's seventh consecutive victory.

NESTORY IRANKUNDA SCORES AUSTRALIA AHEAD IN MONTREAL! 🔥

🇨🇦 0 - 1 🇦🇺

Notable Highlights

• During the early stages, Tajon Buchanan charged into the box, but defender Alessandro Circati made a perfectly timed tackle to avert the threat.
• Shortly later, Irankunda dribbled past two defenders and passed to Max Balard, whose attempt was deflected.
• Throughout the first half, the Australians struggled to keep possession, with Buchanan creating problems on the wing.
• Even with pressure from Canada, the disciplined Australian backline held firm, restricting chances before the halftime.

Second Half Shift

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

Changes in the second half injected instant impact, with Irankunda pouncing on a poor clearance and setting up Toure, who fired wide.

Later, Miller sent in a precise cross to Yazbek, who flicked toward Circati, but the captain blasted over the bar.

During the 70th minute, following a scramble in the defensive area, the Socceroos cleared the situation.

Decisive Goal

Moments later, Connor Metcalfe released 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 tap in his third strike.

Final Drama

Despite unable to score a another, the Socceroos were rescued by Izzo's late heroics.

Emotions boiled over in stoppage time, resulting in Irankunda getting a yellow card and being substituted amid a fracas.

During a spiteful conclusion, the Socceroos defense and Izzo held firm to secure the result.

Next Steps

Having now qualified for the next World Cup, the Socceroos are ramping up their preparation with warm-up matches against Canada and the United States, with a fixture scheduled in Colorado on Wednesday.