Live: Irankunda rattles crossbar with ‘deadset outrageous’ free kick as VAR denies Toure hat-trick

Tony Popovic’s Socceroos keep their 100 per cent record in tact for the calendar year with an impressive performance!

Not only has Australia retained the ‘Soccer Ashes’, they’ve put New Zealand to the sword with one of the most exciting attacking displays from a Socceroos side in recent memory.

New Zealand trying to press for at least one more goal as we head into stoppage time.

The fourth official indicates that we’ve got another two minutes, which certainly seems on the low end, given all the action in this half.

Two more substitutions from Tony Popovic.

Paul Izzo has been replaced by Joe Gauci, while Nestory Irankunda is taken off for Nicolas Milanovic.

Connor Metcalfe is also taken off, with Ajdin Hrustic coming on.

Metcalfe has been absolutely outstanding tonight and finishes with a pair of assists.

Two more subs for New Zealand. Sarpreet Singh is replaced by Luke Brooke-Smith, and Francis De Vries is replaced by James McGarry.

OH MY GOODNESS IRANKUNDA!

Irankunda is MILES out, at least 35m, as he takes this free kick, but goes for another knuckle ball and gets every bit of it.

The ball looks like it’s going to fly into the top left corner, but cannons off the the crossbar and stays out.

“This is deadset outrageous,” says Harper on commentary.

That would have been a Puskas contender had that gone in.

With Toure off, Irankunda is now playing as the No.9 for the Socceroos.

Mo Toure’s fantastic outing comes to an end as he’s replaced by Martin Boyle.

What a marker he’s put down to Tony Popovic ahead of next year’s World Cup!

The Aussies aren’t happy here and the referee steps in!

Tyler Bindon with a sliding challenge that flattens Nestory Irankunda.

Irankunda writhes on the floor in pain for a little bit, but the good news is he’s back on his feet.

The on-field call is a red card, but there’s a bit of a stoppage as VAR has a look.

Replays show Bindon might’ve gotten to the ball first here and his studs didn’t appear to be unreasonably high.

The referee Dom Robertson is told to head to the monitor to take a look himself.

“If I’m getting sent for this, I’m really disappointed,” says Andy Harper on commentary.

Robertson rescinds his red card and shows a yellow instead and we can all move on now.

The All Whites decide to ring some changes.

Chris Wood comes off for Jesse Randall, while Callan Elliot replaces Tim Payne.

Ben Old is replaced by Logan Rogerson, while Ryan Thomas is replaced by Callum McCowatt.

We’ve got a brief lull here and some changes are being made by Tony Popovic.

I can’t keep up with all this action.

Anyway, Patrick Yazbek and Jordan Bos are on replacing Lewis Miller and Max Balard.

TOUREEEEEEEEE!!!!

You could be forgiven for thinking Mo Toure is Alexander Isak out there because he is putting some absolutely elite No.9 football together.

Toure puts in a through ball to Lewis Miller, who cuts it back in from the byline and Toure taps it in for his hat-trick.

We’ve had four goals in eight minutes.

But wait, VAR chimes in and denies Toure’s hat-trick due to an off-side call!

We’ve just seen a replay and Miller was well offside when he was played in by Toure.

Mo Toure restores Australia’s two-goal lead with a quite sublime bit of footwork!

A lovely little touch from Connor Metcalf puts the ball into Toure’s path at the edge of the box, and Toure drives with his left foot and finishes with aplomb.

Absolutely lethal finishing from Australia’s No.9 tonight.

I’ll tell you what, we’re in for some exciting, exciting times with Toure and Irankunda up top.

Hang on, New Zealand aren’t done quite yet because Chris Wood has a goal!

A ball is curled in from the left wing and it catches Milos Degenek in an awkward position.

Degenek tries to go for an overhead clearance, but barely makes contact with the ball, and Wood running in behind, toepokes it past Izzo into the right corner.

We’ve got a game on now!

NESTORY IRANKUNDAAAAAA!

Oh how good is this from the Aussie phenom?!

After briefly threatening a few minutes earlier, he runs at Tyler Bindon and gets him leaning the wrong way after a lovely stepover and then finishes with a low strike into the left corner of the goal.

Irankunda rips out the backflip in celebration as well.

Gosh that is so exciting if you’re an Aussie fan.

A lovely ball in from the right hand side from Circati finds Mo Toure rising up, but he can’t quite get enough power on the header.

It’s an easy save for Crocombe that time.

A very nervy start to the second half by Australia and Paul Izzo is forced into another diving save!

Ryan Thomas with a left-footed volley on goal from outside the box that had quite a bit of power behind it.

Degenek did well to clear after the save, ensuring Chris Wood wouldn’t strike.

Izzo’s been damn near Australia’s man of the match so far, I reckon.

Tom Izzo in full command of his box tonight.

The Kiwis put in another enticing ball over the top of the Socceroos defence, and Izzo comes out and chests the ball at the edge of his box before clearing it with his left boot.

Incredible composure there from the Aussie keeper!

New Zealand kicks off to start the second half.

No changes to the Socceroos line-up during the break.

The home side is also continuing with the same XI.

Loading

I wouldn’t worry too much Phillip. This is a very, very young Socceroos outfit and missing several big names who will start the World Cup opener next year.

It’s a good ploy by Popovic to get guys like Irankunda and Toure some serious minutes.

When you’ve got such a young line-up out there, they’re bound to have a nervy moment or two.