Australia’s national football team, the Socceroos, celebrated a hard-fought 1-0 win against Canada. This victory marked their seventh consecutive win, extending their unbeaten streak to 12 matches.
Nestory Irankunda scored the decisive goal in the second half at Stade Saputo. Despite having only 40% possession and an expected goals (xG) of 0.54 from five attempts, Australia managed to secure the win.
Tony Popovic praised his team’s resilience and grounded nature after the match. “I’m very proud of the group; they should be very pleased with their work,” he stated. He highlighted the effort of both defenders and attackers, emphasising that every international victory is significant and worth celebrating.
Paul Izzo played a crucial role in Australia’s success by making eight saves, a record for any Socceroos goalkeeper since Opta began tracking in 2016. His most notable save came in the final minute when he prevented Jacob Shaffelburg from scoring an equaliser. Izzo expressed his satisfaction, saying, “I’m really happy, especially in a game like this.”
Despite Canada’s dominance in possession and creating numerous chances, they suffered their first defeat in regular time after ten matches. Head coach Jesse Marsch acknowledged missed opportunities in the final third but praised his team’s ideas and connections on the pitch.
Mathieu Choiniere reflected on Canada’s performance, noting that they managed the game well but made a costly mistake. He believed Canada was the better team overall, creating several scoring opportunities that could have changed the outcome.
The match was significant for Canada as it was their first game in Montreal since 2017. Despite controlling large portions of play with an xG of 1.64 from 17 shots, they couldn’t find a way past Australia’s defence.
This result highlights Australia’s defensive strength and ability to capitalise on key moments despite limited possession. The Socceroos’ ability to maintain composure under pressure was evident throughout the match.