Key events
Thanks for following along this evening. Grab a cup of tea and try to contain the excitement in Joey Lynch’s report:
Nestory Irankunda is speaking to Paramount about the Socceroos’ performance and his very nearly-wonder goal.
We started off slow. It happens. We got into the groove after the first goal to Mohamed.
9.5 out of 10 [for the free kick shot]. I’ll have to look at that afterwards. That would have been the best goal of my career, for sure.
I’m so happy for [Toure]. When he scores, it’s like I’m scoring. We train every day together in the off-season. To do it for the national team together is just amazing. We worked hard this off-season, me and his brothers, for opportunities like this. And we’ve shown the country what we can do.
Tony Popovic hoped the next generation would take their opportunities in two games against the All Whites. After the Socceroos failed to impress until the dying stages in the first leg in Canberra, he could only be pleased with Mo Toure and Nestory Irankunda combing for three goals in Auckland.
Full-time: New Zealand 1-3 Australia
Australia retain the Soccer Ashes with a hugely promising second-half performance against New Zealand in Auckland. Mo Toure finished with a brace after only being denied a hat-trick when Lewis Miller strayed offside in the build up. Nestory Irankunda was also on the score sheet and almost added a second with a wonder strike from a free-kick.
Chris Wood broke New Zealand’s 15-year goalscoring drought against Australia, but the Socceroos were otherwise out of reach the longer the game went on. The 3-1 victory for the Socceroos makes it 10 straight games without defeat under Tony Popovic.
90 mins: The sting has largely gone out of this contest. Two minutes of added time are all that remains.
88 mins: Nicolas Milanovic sprints forward to split the New Zealand centre-backs but is brought to ground before he can enter a dangerous area. Martin Boyle is rather insistent that was a free kick. I tend to agree.
85 mins: New Zealand are finishing full of running as they take control of the midfield. Paul Izzo might have an issue as he steps off the pitch for Joe Gauci. Tony Popovic swings a couple more changes with Irankunda and Metcalfe making way.
83 mins: New Zealand line up a free kick in a dangerous area but Joe Bell doesn’t take it on. A chipped cross is easily cleared by Cam Burgess. I guess not everyone can try a shot like this.
81 mins: New Zealand introduce Luke Brooke-Smith while Chris Wood is done for the day (night).
79 mins: A little reminder that Nestory Irankunda is making a name for himself with his stunning free kicks.
77 mins: A free kick to the Socceroos in a dangerous area and up steps Nestory Irankunda. The teenager fires a rocket at the New Zealand goal and keeper Max Crocombe can get nowhere near it. Only the crossbar denies Irankunda what would have been one of the great Socceroos free-kick goals.
75 mins: Mo Toure was denied a third goal when Lewis Miller strayed offside in the build up. The 21-year won’t be claiming a hat-trick tonight in Auckland, as he makes way for Martin Boyle.
73 mins: Red card for Tyler Bindon! Temporarily, anyway. The All Whites No 4 dives in to win a loose ball as Nestory Irankunda closes in from the other direction. Bindon gets his right boot to the ball first as a trailing left knee takes out the young attacker. Var calls for the referee to check the replay and reconsider and the red card is overturned.
70 mins: Jordy Bos stays down after a robust coming-together. The wing-back has been quieter tonight but there is nothing but relief as he finally stands up.
68 mins: Connor Metcalfe tries his luck from very long-range. The attempted chip over the keeper is worth a punt, but never looks like testing Max Crocombe.
68 mins: The All Whites take a moment to hold onto the ball with some neat passing around the back. But with a two-goal deficit ahead of them, surely some more proactivity is called for.
66 mins: Away from the action in Auckland, it is looking increasingly likely that Ange Postecoglou will return to the Premier League with Nottingham Forest.
64 mins: A hat-trick for Mo Toure! No. Var has intervened. It has been a powerful performance from the 21-year-old and he is almost rewarded with a third goal. Lewis Miller’s cross comes in from the right and Toure times his run to tap home. The forward was well onside, so the infraction obviously came during the build up.
GOAL! New Zealand 1-3 Australia (Toure ’60)
Mo Toure has his second and Australia quickly have their two-goal lead back. The 21-year-old collects at the top of the box and nudges the ball into space on his left. The ball travels a bit further than he might have liked but once again with brute force he holds off the New Zealand defender then slices the ball in under the keeper.
59 mins: New Zealand are now well aware of the danger that Nestory Irankunda presents and Tim Payne refuses to give him any room to run. The young Australia is not too happy with the attention.
GOAL! New Zealand 1-2 Australia (Wood ’57)
The All Whites get one back and no surprise whose boot it comes off. Milos Degenek fails to deal with a curling cross and Chris Wood pounces to toe poke past Paul Izzo. That is a 45th goal for Wood in his 86th international.
56 mins: Not everything has gone the way Australia and Tony Popovic would have wanted but he will not complain about his two young attackers making the most of being given a start.
GOAL! New Zealand 0-2 Australia (Irankunda ’54)
A fantastic goal from Nestory Irankunda comes after the young attacker is released into space down the right. The 19-year-old’s footwork is too much for the All Whites defence as he dribbles into the box and snakes right to get a shot away past keeper Max Crocombe.
Paul Izzo could hardly have been more impressive over the past two-and-a-bit hours with a Socceroos shirt on. Russell Yong is calling for Tony Popovic to turn to the keeper longer term. He presents a very strong case!
“Izzo is Australia’s best worst-kept secret, isn’t he? Inexplicable he’s taken this long to work his way into consideration as he’s been the only export keeper actually playing regularly for the last two seasons. Others may be at clubs at higher levels, sure, but when Ryan’s drifting from club to club, Glover and Gauci barely getting games (Gauci’s played more on loan in League One than for Villa and Glover doesn’t even have a club at the moment) and no one else is getting a look-in, it’s arguable that it really should’ve happened for Izzo much sooner, at least two international windows earlier.
“Personally l hope they stick with him. His is a situation wherein, as games get harder, they’ll be waiting for one bad mistake to drop him for Ryan, but that would be the wrong thing to do, speaking as someone who watched Schwarzer, Jones, Kalac and Langerak all drop howlers while playing for the Socceroos. Ryan would arguably feel entitled to his spot, but it’s worth noting his establishment in the team came about while Aus were playing a style to which they’re no longer wedded, and as long as his club career keeps going in fits and starts, it cannot be treated as if it’s his to just walk into.”
50 mins: The Socceroos respond with an attack down the left flank. Mo Toure and Tyler Bindon come together for the first time since the young Australian scored the opener. But this time the All Whites defender levels the contest as the ball dribbles out for a corner.
48 mins: The All Whites keep chipping away at the Socceroos defence. Paul Izzo is called into action yet again with a diving save after Lewis Miller fails to deal with a bouncing ball. Chris Wood comes bustling through a sea of defenders but can’t quite latch onto a shot as Izzo is left to clear. A bright start for New Zealand.
46 mins: The All Whites get the second half under way.
The Socceroos hold back on the substitutions for now. As do the All Whites. Australia’s defence has held up well and New Zealand now need two goals to take the Soccer Ashes to penalties at least. Here we go with the second half …
The All Whites have edged the possession 52-48% while the shots are even at 6 (2) after the Socceroos had their moments late in the half. But the state of the game, outside of the 0-1 scoreline, is perhaps shown by New Zealand dominating the final third entries 38-11.
New Zealand are always going to have some hope of mounting a comeback while Chris Wood is still on the pitch. The All Whites and Nottingham Forest forward might have his allegiances stretched in the near future if a certain Australian manager takes charge of his club side.
Mo Toure’s first goal for Australia will send a warning shot to any international defence as the 21-year-old powers over the top of and past the New Zealand centre-backs. The right-foot snap is the sort of clinical finish the Socceroos have been searching for as well.
The All Whites have controlled enough of the possession to create a handful of chances but, in a repeat of the first leg, they just haven’t been able to find a way into the Socceroos net. That task has been made all the harder with Paul Izzo playing out of his skin across the one-and-a-half games so far.
Half-time: New Zealand 0-1 Australia
The Socceroos take a narrow lead into the break after Mo Toure scored a wonderful solo goal but the All Whites have had their chances.
