Irankunda's wonder strike makes him Australia's youngest World Cup scorer as Socceroos lead Turkey

Nestory Irankunda became Australia’s youngest ever World Cup goalscorer with a stunning solo goal that gave the Socceroos a 1-0 lead over Turkey at half-time in their World Cup 2026 Group D match, despite the Australians being heavily outplayed in terms of possession and chances.

Turkey dominated the opening 45 minutes with 69% possession and 10 shots to Australia’s four, yet it was the Socceroos who went into the break ahead — entirely thanks to a moment of individual brilliance from the 20-year-old Watford winger.

In the 27th minute, Irankunda received the ball down the left flank, used a delicate touch to dink a bouncing ball inside the covering defender to get central, and then calmly tucked a right-footed finish just inside the left post. The goal was his own creation from start to finish.

The result was all the more striking given the contrasting form heading into the fixture. Turkey arrived having won six of their last seven games, largely through World Cup qualifying. Australia, by contrast, had managed just two wins from their previous seven, suffering four defeats along the way.

Analysing the goal at half-time, former Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou highlighted Irankunda’s pace as the decisive factor. “It doesn’t matter what level of football you’re playing,” Postecoglou said. “If you have this kind of speed, you’re always going to be a threat. It’s exactly what Popovic would have wanted. They are always a threat on the counter attack, as exemplified by the goal.”

Postecoglou also spoke to the broader significance the moment could hold for the teenager’s career. “Sometimes in World Cups, you just need a couple of good weeks and your whole world changes,” he said.

Irankunda, who is 20 years and 124 days old, now holds the record as the youngest Australian to score at a World Cup — a milestone that arrives at a tournament where the Socceroos had been given little chance of troubling a Turkish side in strong qualifying form.