Irankunda stunner cancelled out as Rayan rescues Brazil in Townsville 1-1 draw
Australia came within touching distance of one of the great nights in their footballing history, only for Bournemouth forward Rayan to burst the party with a stoppage-time header that earned Brazil a 1-1 draw in Thursday's international friendly at Queensland Country Bank Stadium in Townsville.
Carlo Ancelotti had billed the fixture as the beginning of a new generation for Brazil, and the Selecao arrived with some of the planet's biggest names in tow — Bruno Guimarães, Raphinha and Vinícius Júnior in the starting XI, with Endrick leading the line and Estêvão out on the flank. But on an evening of descending stars, the limelight was stolen by Australia's own star boy, Nestory Irankunda.
A free kick made for Irankunda
It was a moment that almost everyone in the sold-out stadium of 25,440 probably felt coming — the kind of collective premonition that comes with watching a special talent. When Paul Okon-Engstler won a free kick some 23 yards out from goal, the set piece was screaming out to be hit. And when Irankunda stood over it, there was no doubt what was coming next; the 20-year-old is many things, but lacking in confidence isn't one of them.
He delivered in the 68th minute. A perfectly placed free kick dipped over the Brazilian wall, leaving goalkeeper Hugo Souza with nothing to do but watch wistfully as it nestled in the back of the net. Out came the back flips as Irankunda raced towards the corner flag, a wry grin spreading over the face of Tony Popovic in the dugout.
The most precocious of Australia's talents still has a long way to go in his game, but moments like that reiterate just how good he is going to be for the Socceroos. In the process, he became only the second Australian to score against Brazil, after Shaun Murphy back in June 2001 — a remarkable feat given the opposition on show.
Brazil's VAR heartbreak at the break
Brazil had thought they had taken the lead on the stroke of half-time. A neatly composed one-two between Endrick and Estêvão saw the rising 19-year-old finish past Patrick Beach into the back of the net — only for the VAR to rightly call it back after a foul by Bruno Guimarães on Harry Souttar in the build-up. A burst of acceleration by Vinícius Júnior had earlier set the scene for Estêvão to have a shot deflected away, while Raphinha, in the form of his life for Barcelona, created space outside the box before dragging a shot wide just past the hour mark.
Connor Metcalfe had helped Australia make a quick start, his shot whistling over Souza's crossbar after Vinícius Júnior was cheaply dispossessed by Jacob Italiano, while a deep first-half corner just evaded Alessandro Circati at the far post. Irankunda also fired way wide in the opening period before Australia's defenders put their bodies on the line to keep out Vinícius and Raphinha.
Rayan's last-gasp rescue
Irankunda's stunning strike sparked a late flurry of activity from Brazil, who hurled themselves forward in an attempt to avoid the potential embarrassment of falling to a perceived lesser-footballing nation. Their persistence was rewarded in the fifth minute of second-half stoppage time: a corner swung in from the left by Raphinha found the head of Rayan, whose thunderous header was sent goalward with enough power that even a touch from Patrick Beach couldn't prevent it from ricocheting off the crossbar and crossing the goalline.
Rayan's goal ensured Ancelotti's side felt deserving of the result. They finished with an expected goals (xG) total of 1.15 from their 16 shots, against Australia's tally of 0.45 from just seven attempts. The two sides will square off once again next Tuesday at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane.
Herrington and the Socceroos' young guns
With both nations playing their first matches since their respective exits from this summer's World Cup, many predicted Brazil's quality in the final third would prove too much for Australia. But Popovic's side showed they are more than capable of mixing it with the established nations, combining moments of defensive heroics and dogged determination with periods of assertiveness in possession, defending higher up the pitch and showing the gumption to run at their man and take him on.
Australia's combative performance at the back was spearheaded by Lucas Herrington. After becoming the youngest player to start a knockout match at the World Cup for the Socceroos this summer, he proved why he earned his switch to the Premier League with Hull City, winning all three of the duels he contested while only Circati (eight) and Souttar (six) made more clearances than his four. He also made two interceptions — but it was Irankunda, handed a third consecutive start and his longest such run for Australia, who shone at the other end of the pitch.
Still, the Socceroos will be frustrated at being undone by a set piece. There was also a second opponent on the night: the ice-rink of a surface at Queensland Country Bank Stadium, which only degraded as the evening went on despite having been unused for 20 days since a North Queensland Cowboys NRL and NRLW double-header. The brief moments of hesitation and deliberately cautious movement showed neither group of players was truly confident in the surface beneath them — several still took tumbles as the night progressed.