![\"Soccer-Toure](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/1757415975_716_ht-generic_sports3_1751287397748_1751287408612.jpg\" "\\"Soccer-Toure")
Soccer-Toure double fires Australia to Ashes win over New Zealand <\/p>\nBy Ian Ransom <\/p>\n
Soccer-Toure double fires Australia to Ashes win over New Zealand <\/p>\n
Sept 9 – Rookie striker Mohamed Toure scored two goals in a new-look attack for Australia as the Socceroos beat New Zealand 3-1 in a friendly in Auckland on Tuesday to complete a 2-0 sweep of their “Soccer Ashes” series. <\/p>\n
Starting up front with teenage dynamo Nestory Irankunda, 21-year-old Toure slotted his first international goal on a counter-attack in the 34th minute before adding his second on the hour mark with a crisp, left-foot finish. <\/p>\n
Watford forward Irankunda also made the most of his recall for the series with a 54th-minute strike as the Socceroos flexed their muscles against their 82nd-ranked neighbours in front of a crowd of 18,213 at Mount Smart Stadium. <\/p>\n
“In the second half, every attack we had we were pretty dangerous,” said 21-year-old defender Alessandro Circati, given the captain’s armband by coach Tony Popovic. <\/p>\n
“They had a few gaps, a few holes, a few errors. <\/p>\n
“So it’s just important to maybe take a little risk playing the ball in behind.” <\/p>\n
Beaten 1-0 in the series-opener in Canberra, New Zealand broke a 15-year scoring drought against Australia when striker-captain Chris Wood found space and toed in a goal three minutes after Irankunda’s. <\/p>\n
But Toure crushed the rally with his second goal, stepping around New Zealand centre back Finn Surman and slotting his left-foot shot inside the far post. <\/p>\n
Two minutes later, Toure thought he had a hat-trick when he banged in a Lewis Miller cut-back pass but the goal was ruled out by VAR, with Miller offside. <\/p>\n
With both teams having qualified early for the 2026 World Cup, the series gave the coaches a chance to experiment with youth. <\/p>\n
Seventeen-year-old Luke Brooke-Smith became New Zealand’s second youngest international with a run off the bench and gave the hosts a spark in his late cameo. <\/p>\n
New Zealand coach Darren Bazeley said the loss hurt, particularly after the All Whites dominated the first half-hour without scoring. <\/p>\n
“Today they had those few moments and hurt us and we had some and didn’t take them,” he said. <\/p>\n
“It’s disappointing to lose two games in a row especially when I feel we had two pretty strong performances.” <\/p>\n
Inspired by the long-standing cricket series between Australia and England, the trans-Tasman Soccer Ashes was revived as a concept in 2023 when its 100-year-old trophy was recovered, having been missing for nearly 70 years. <\/p>\n
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