Irankunda thrills as Australia put five past Curaçao
Cameroon and Kazakhstan join the Socceroos in pocketing wins on the final day of FIFA Series 2026 men's action.
- Australia put five past Curaçao in final pre-World Cup outing on home soil
- Cameroon ease past China PR to end on a high
- Kazakhstan collect a second victory, seeing off Comoros in Astana
Socceroos starlet Nestory Irankunda showed just why he is so highly regarded down under, with another dazzling attacking display to cap a thumping win over fellow FIFA World Cup™-bound side Curaçao. The Watford wizard struck the fourth and fifth goals and was later named player of the tournament in the Australia phase of the FIFA Series 2026™.
Earlier in the day, Cameroon signed off in style with a 2-0 win over China PR and Kazakhstan edged Comoros in Astana to round out the slate of men's matches. Action on the women's side of the FIFA Series gets underway in Côte d'Ivoire on 9 April.
Watch the FIFA Series live and free on FIFA+
FIFA Series 2026 - Australia
Australia 5-1 Curaçao
Australia goals: Awer Mabil (23), Alessandro Circati (67), Jordan Bos (71), Nestory Irankunda (80, 84)
Curaçao goal: Ar'jany Martha (50)
Making his first start since March 2023, it took Awer Mabil less than half an hour to make his impact felt, racing onto a Deni Juric flick and chipping Eloy Room from close-range to hand the Socceroos a first half lead.
A tidy Ar'jany Martha finish through the legs of Mathew Ryan pulled Curaçao level shortly after the interval before a back-post Alessandro Circati header restored the Socceroos' advantage. The electric Jordan Bos then came off the bench to score for a second straight FIFA Series match, cutting back on his left and curling an effort around a ripple of Blue Wave defenders.
Bos then teed up Nestory Irankunda for a fourth, capped off with a silver-gloved Michael Jackson celebration, before the Watford starlet pounced again late on to complete an eye-catching Socceroos win.
Cameroon 2-0 China PR
Cameroon goals: Karl Etta Eyong (3), Saidou Alioum (9)
A youthful Cameroon side impressed in holding Australia until late on in their Sydney opener last week and it was some early Melbourne magic from Aboubakar Nagida that helped them ease past China PR.
The 20-year-old Rennes left-back produced two wonderful assists, the first a fine through-ball to release Karl Etta Eyong and the second a whipped cross that Saidou Alioum lashed home at the back post.
That put the Indomitable Lions in charge and only some wayward second-half finishing from the first-term goalscorers prevented the final margin from being even greater.
FIFA Series 2026 - Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan 1-0 Comoros
Kazakhstan goal: Ramazan Orazov (4)
Kazakhstan pipped Comoros to round out a perfect tournament where they won both matches without conceding a goal.
In Astana, local-born Ramazan Orazov’s early strike was enough for the hosts to bank maximum points and continue an impressive run of form that’s seen them lose just once in their past half-a-dozen outings.