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Nestory Irankunda feeling 'unreal' after debut for Australia in FIFA World Cup
Born in a refugee camp in Tanzania before moving to Australia, Irankunda continues to be one of the country's most exciting young talents. His performance against Turkey underlined his growing influence on the international stage.
The 20-year-old winger was one of the standout performers in Vancouver as the Socceroos claimed an impressive win in their opening Group D match. Irankunda broke the deadlock after 27 minutes before Connor Metcalfe added a second-half goal to seal all three points.
Australia's victory was made even more remarkable by bold decisions from head coach Tony Popovic before kick-off. The Socceroos boss left out experienced captain and goalkeeper Mathew Ryan, handing a surprise start to rookie Patrick Beach. Vice-captain Jackson Irvine was also omitted, but Popovic's selections proved inspired as Australia delivered a disciplined and clinical performance.
Irankunda, who plays for Watford after a spell with Bayern Munich, caused problems throughout the match and gave Turkey's defence little time to settle. After scoring, he celebrated by recreating former Australia captain Tim Cahill's famous corner-flag boxing routine.
Speaking after the game, Irankunda described the experience as unforgettable.
"It's unreal," he said. "It's a dream come true. We've got the win now, we worked extra hard, we fought till the end, and it's just a moment."
The young forward also revealed that Australia had been motivated by comments from Turkey before the match, with their opponents suggesting they had more quality and talent than the Socceroos.
Irankunda felt Australia answered those claims in the best possible way.
"We don't like to hear people talk about us because we're a great team," he said.
"People underestimate us a lot, but we showed them today we can play.
"They kept the ball a lot more, but who scored the goals?"
Australia's attention now turns to a tough test against co-hosts the United States in Seattle on Friday, with the Socceroos aiming to build on a memorable start to their World Cup journey.
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