Irankunda Silences Brazil With a Free Kick Golazo as Australia Dreams Until the Final Minute

A left-footed strike over the wall, the ball nestling just inside the post, and then a backflip that has already traveled around the world. That's how Nestory Irankunda summed up his night in Townsville, Queensland, where Australia drew 1-1 with Brazil on Friday in a match that came within a whisker of producing the biggest upset imaginable.

The young winger's goal, which stole the spotlight from names like Vinicius Junior, Raphinha and Bruno Guimaraes, came from a free kick won by Paul Okon-Engstler. Irankunda stepped up, curled the ball over the Brazilian wall and beat goalkeeper Hugo Souza. Australia took the lead and dared to dream of a historic win, but Rayan popped up with the last kick of the game to make it a 1-1 final, sparing the Selecao a huge scare.

The funny thing is that, according to Irankunda himself, the whole play started almost by accident. "I was trying to help Junior [Okon-Engstler] up," he said with a laugh after the match. "I told Junior to get up so I could take the free kick. And then, obviously, what happened happened. Really happy with the goal," the winger added.

I was trying to help Junior up. I told Junior to get up so I could take the free kick. And then, obviously, what happened happened. Really happy with the goal.Nestory Irankunda

A Talent Still Growing in Europe

Irankunda arrives at this match in the middle of a transformation. After starting three games for Australia at the World Cup and becoming the youngest player in Socceroos history to score at a World Cup, he sealed his move away from Watford to Sporting in Portugal during the last transfer window, in a deal reported to be worth up to 17 million pounds (roughly 32.4 million Australian dollars).

His arrival in Lisbon was no red-carpet welcome: four appearances off the bench to start, his first start only in the last match before the international break (a 2-2 draw against Arouca), and minutes shared in the locker room with players like Geny Catamo and Luis Suarez. Nothing handed to him, everything to be earned.

For Australia coach Tony Popovic, that demanding environment is already showing results. "He went to a bigger club and there's a clear difference in Nestor; he matured very quickly in a short time, in terms of what's expected of him at Sporting," the coach explained after the match.

He went to a bigger club and there's a clear difference in Nestor; he matured very quickly in a short time, in terms of what's expected of him at Sporting. What he's learning is that the transfer is only one part. Now you arrive at a new club. Minutes aren't given to you. Nothing is guaranteed. You have to earn everything.Tony Popovic

Popovic went further, daring to imagine the winger's ceiling. "You can picture him at 24 or 28, if he stays healthy and keeps playing and playing and playing, improving physically, and now that he's understanding the game," he said. "It's normal. It's evolution. He's 20 years old; he's well ahead of where I expected him to be at this point."

Irankunda, for his part, didn't hesitate to return the credit to his coach. "He deserves the credit," he said of Popovic. "He's pushed me. He's trying to help me become a better player and be the best I can be. Sometimes he's tough on me, and that's fine, as long as I know his intentions are good."

He's Not the Only One Who Left for Europe

Irankunda's case isn't isolated within the Australian squad. Since the penalty-shootout elimination against Egypt, Patrick Beach left Melbourne City to join Ligue 1 side Troyes, Okon-Engstler moved from Sydney FC to FC Cologne, Alessandro Circati went from Parma to Benfica, and Lucas Herrington jumped from the Colorado Rapids to Premier League club Hull City.

Popovic also highlighted the growth of those young players. "Herrington has improved. No doubt about it. We saw a big change in just a few months. That comes from the training, the daily level and the competition he's playing in," he noted. "We also saw a change in Ale [Circati]. Physically he looks different. He went to a big club with big expectations. Now we have that with Patrick, with young Pauly and with Nestor."

Irankunda himself, now settled in Europe, said he was glad to see so many teammates making the jump, though he left a clear message about what comes next. "It's good to see all the boys moving from the A-League to Europe. What I want most is for them to stay there, to hang in there instead of coming back to the A-League and starting all over again. At the end of the day it's up to them. But we want to see more Australian players in Europe."