Mohamed Toure’s brace and a stunning goal from Nestory Irankunda powered Australia to a 3-1 victory over New Zealand at Go Media Stadium. Despite a bright start from the hosts and a goal from Chris Wood, Australia’s clinical finishing and a solid defensive display secured the win. The Socceroos’ coach, Anthony Popovic, will be encouraged by his young team’s performance, marking a significant step forward for the squad.
Auckland's Go Media Stadium witnessed an enthralling encounter as Australia emerged victorious against New Zealand, securing a 3-1 win in their latest showdown. Spearheaded by Mohamed Toure's impressive brace and a stunning solo goal from Nestory Irankunda, the Socceroos continued their winning form following a narrow 1-0 victory on home soil against the All Whites the previous week. New Zealand's Chris Wood managed to pull one back for the home side, but Australia's clinical finishing proved decisive.
The match began with New Zealand displaying early dominance, putting pressure on the Australian defense and forcing goalkeeper Paul Izzo into action with several crucial saves. However, against the run of play, Australia seized the lead in the 35th minute. A well-weighted through ball from Connor Metcalfe found Mohamed Toure, who skillfully evaded a challenge from Finn Surman before calmly slotting the ball past Max Crocombe, giving the Socceroos a 1-0 advantage.
Australia extended their lead in the 54th minute through a moment of individual brilliance from Nestory Irankunda. The young winger showcased his dribbling prowess, weaving past Tyler Bindon and Francis de Vries on the right wing before unleashing a powerful low shot that nestled into the far corner of the net, making it 2-0 to Australia.
New Zealand responded swiftly, with Chris Wood reducing the deficit just three minutes later. De Vries turned provider, delivering a precise cross that Wood expertly converted, offering the home fans a glimmer of hope.
However, Australia quickly extinguished any hopes of a comeback as Mohamed Toure completed his brace on the hour mark. Once again, Connor Metcalfe played a pivotal role, providing another incisive pass that found Toure in a promising position. The striker made no mistake, slotting the ball past Crocombe for his second goal of the match, restoring Australia's two-goal advantage.
Toure thought he had secured a hat-trick just two minutes later, combining well with Lewis Miller in a give-and-go move, but his celebrations were cut short as the goal was ruled out for offside following a VAR review. Adding to the drama, a late red card initially shown to Tyler Bindon was overturned after the referee consulted the pitch-side monitor, sparing the New Zealand defender from an early shower.
FT | Goals from Mo Toure (35′, 60′) and Nestor Irankunda (54′) secure the #SoccerAshes for the CommBank #Socceroos! #NZLvAUS #ForeverGolden pic.twitter.com/1yHZniQYoh
— CommBank Socceroos (@Socceroos) September 9, 2025
Despite the scoreline, New Zealand will rue their missed opportunities, particularly in the early stages of the match. According to data analysis, New Zealand accumulated 1.16 expected goals (xG) from eight shots, compared to Australia's 0.84 xG from 13 attempts, highlighting their profligacy in front of goal.
Australia's coach, Anthony Popovic, will undoubtedly be pleased with his young side's performance and their ability to secure another significant victory. The average age of Australia's starting lineup was 25 years and 331 days, marking the youngest Socceroos lineup since June 2017 against Cameroon at the FIFA Confederations Cup (25 years and 266 days). Further, this marks the fourth consecutive men’s ‘A’ international outside Australia where the Socceroos have scored more than one goal; the last time they scored 2+ goals in more consecutive games on the road was a six-match span from November 1967 to October 1969, signaling a promising trend for the team's attacking prowess on foreign soil.
The Socceroos' ability to capitalize on their chances and maintain composure under pressure proved to be the difference, ultimately securing a well-deserved victory in this trans-Tasman rivalry clash.