Nestory Irankunda scores brace as Australia thrash Curacao in World Cup warm-up

[p]Livewire ‌forward [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/irankunda-nestor/OdWRR5EU/"]Irankunda[/a] struck twice in a five-minute burst from 80 minutes as the Socceroos ran ‌riot with four goals after the break against the smallest country ‌to qualify for the World Cup finals.[/p][p]Jordy Bos and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/circati-alessandro/x0EJsbc8/"]Alessandro Circati[/a] also grabbed ‌second-half goals at Melbourne Rectangular Stadium after [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/curacao/bLLGpOkQ/"]Curacao[/a]'s [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/martha-arjany/jD6wkPIH/"]Arjany Martha[/a] scored ‌for the visitors on 50 minutes, cancelling out [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mabil-awer/EZJnz8L7/"]Awer Mabil[/a]'s 23rd-minute strike.[/p][p]It was a more reassuring performance for the Socceroos, who won struggled in a stodgy 1-0 win ‌over [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/cameroon/zk1uVG2D/"]Cameroon[/a] in a friendly on Friday.[/p][p]They were ⁠also disjointed for much of the ‌first half, struggling with forward transition and needing keeper [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/ryan-mathew/YBLvziIh/"]Mat Ryan[/a] to save ​them twice.[/p][p]But they settled after 23 minutes with a touch of fortune.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/trewin-kai/GGToShT2/"]Kai Trewin[/a] pressed forward and swooped on a loose pass ​from Curacao captain [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/bacuna-leandro/lfGzIOJg/"]Leandro Bacuna[/a], sending a cross in to [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/juric-deni/Sb3wQ9CI/"]Deni Juric[/a], whose back-heel took a kind deflection off a defender, allowing Mabil to ⁠poke the ball into ​the right corner.[/p][image alt="Match stats" id="4227c19b-91a6-4e04-9af3-9c255e5f17ed" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="aa67d7bb-ce29-4d49-bff3-8f5307fbeea3" original-width="1200" original-height="1200" /][p]Ryan was forced into a fine save before the break when a Bacuna through ball found [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/antonisse-jeremy/Q19pA573/"]Jeremy Antonisse[/a] who sent a low shot into the diving keeper's arms.[/p][p]The Socceroos nearly doubled their lead on 43 ‌minutes when [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/hrustic-ajdin/phFkXFtU/"]Hrustic[/a] curled in a long cross to Mabil but his volley thumped into the right post.[/p][p]Curacao started the second half brimming with energy and were rewarded after 50 minutes when substitute [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/kastaneer-gervane/G2zMycep/"]Gervane Kastaneer[/a] headed the ball to release Martha who streamed forward and beat Ryan one-on-one with a low shot.[/p][p]But Circati responded 17 minutes later with his first international goal, diving in for a header after a curling cross from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mcgree-riley/nqCW2QeG/"]Riley McGree[/a].[/p][image alt="Nestory Irankunda (R) celebrates after scoring" id="bcd32df1-d76a-4af0-bf64-809d2c344aa8" credit-line="WILLIAM WEST / AFP / AFP / Profimedia" guid="3481a722-5746-4e28-adde-bf9bebafdf42" original-width="1250" original-height="833" /][p]Bos, who scored in the win over Cameroon, produced a lovely ‌finish, curling in a right-footed shot.[/p][p]Substitute Irankunda, injected in the second half, ​wrapped up the match with a flourish, using quick feet to ‌beat defender [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/gaari-jurien/SMJcD0at/"]Jurien Gaari[/a] before smashing a fierce shot that deflected off keeper [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/room-eloy/QkUYeBt5/"]Eloy Room[/a] and rolled into the net.[/p][p]Four minutes later, he soaked up another round of cheers from home fans with a crisp finish into the left corner.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/australia/xSrf6qMM/"]Australia[/a] play their opening World ⁠Cup match on June 13 against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/kosovo/v1DTPQwI/"]⁠Kosovo[/a] or [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/turkey/QeijuHo5/"]Turkey[/a], who meet ‌in a playoff later on Tuesday.[/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/australia-xSrf6qMM/curacao-bLLGpOkQ/?mid=xYZOaL8b"]Check out the full match stats here[/a][/b].[/p]