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Emerging talent Nestory Irankunda scored for the consecutive fixture in a row, as goalkeeper Paul Izzo produced a outstanding performance to guide the Australian national team to a narrow 1-0 result over Canada.

Fixture Overview

After a slow first half dominated by the hosts, the Australian side came to life with the entry of second-half substitutes Jordy Bos, Lewis Miller, and Patrick Yazbek. It was Irankunda who broke the deadlock in the 71st minute.

Goalkeeper Paul Izzo, starting in place of skipper Maty Ryan, made several stops, featuring a brilliant effort to stop Jacob Shaffelburg in the dying moments, securing Australia's seventh-straight win.

NESTOR IRANKUNDA SCORES AUSTRALIA AHEAD IN MONTREAL! 🔥

🇨🇦 0 - 1 🇦🇺

Notable Moments

• In the third minute, Tajon Buchanan burst into the penalty area, but defender Alessandro Circati executed a perfectly timed challenge to clear the threat.
• Shortly later, Irankunda dribbled past multiple defenders and passed to Max Balard, whose attempt was deflected.
• Throughout the opening 45 minutes, the Socceroos struggled to keep the ball, with Buchanan causing issues on the right flank.
• Despite dominance from Canada, the organized Australian defense held firm, limiting chances before the halftime.

Post-Interval Shift

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

Substitutions in the second half injected instant impact, with Irankunda pouncing on a poor pass and setting up Toure, who shot wide.

Later, Miller delivered a lovely ball to Yazbek, who flicked toward Circati, but the captain shot high.

In the closing stages, following a scramble in the defensive area, the Socceroos cleaned up the situation.

Winning Goal

Soon after, Connor Metcalfe released Toure on the right, and the forward pulled the ball back into a dangerous area.

As a opposition player dithered, Irankunda sneaked in from the unmarked position to tap in his third goal.

Final Drama

Although unable to add a second goal, the Socceroos were saved by Izzo's last-minute saves.

Emotions flared in injury-time, leading to Irankunda getting a yellow card and being substituted amid a fracas.

In a heated conclusion, the Australian backline and Izzo stood their ground to secure the win.

Looking Ahead

With already secured a spot for the upcoming global tournament, the Australian squad are intensifying their preparation with friendlies against North American opponents and the United States, with a game scheduled in Colorado on Wednesday.