Australia began their 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign in impressive fashion with a 2-0 victory over Turkey in Vancouver, as rising star Nestory Irankunda etched his name into the nation’s football history.
The Watford forward became Australia’s youngest-ever World Cup goalscorer after opening the scoring in the first half, helping Tony Popovic’s youthful side secure a memorable win in their Group D opener at BC Place.
At 20 years and 125 days old, Irankunda surpassed the previous record held by Brett Holman, who scored against Ghana at the 2010 World Cup aged 26 years and 84 days. The goal marked another milestone in the rapid rise of the former Bayern Munich player, who was one of 10 World Cup debutants named in Australia’s starting line-up.
Popovic’s team fielded the youngest Australian side to appear at a World Cup since 2018, and their youthful energy was evident throughout the contest. Irankunda’s breakthrough came after he expertly controlled a pass from Paul Okon-Engstler, cut inside his marker and calmly fired a low shot beyond the Turkish goalkeeper.
Turkey, making their first World Cup appearance since 2002, enjoyed long spells of possession and created several promising opportunities but struggled to break down a disciplined Australian defence.
Their best chance of the first half came when defender Abdulkerim Bardakci unleashed a powerful long-range effort that forced an excellent save from goalkeeper Patrick Beach, who tipped the ball onto the post.
Beach, handed a surprise start ahead of veteran Mat Ryan and making his first competitive international appearance, continued to impress after the break. The goalkeeper denied Arda Guler from a dangerous free-kick before producing another fine stop to keep out Zeki Celik’s close-range attempt.
Australia sealed the victory in the second half when Connor Metcalfe capitalised on a defensive mistake by Turkey. The midfielder reacted quickest to loose possession before drilling a low strike into the bottom corner, ensuring the Socceroos claimed all three points and the perfect start to their World Cup journey.
