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Irankunda’s 68th-Minute Free Kick Beats Brazil 1-1

By Drooid · Sep 26, 2026, 12:03 AM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

Nestory Irankunda scored a 68th-minute free-kick to give Australia a 1-0 lead.
Substitute Rayan headed Brazil’s equaliser in the 95th minute past goalkeeper Patrick Beach.
The match at Queensland Country Bank Stadium in Townsville drew a sell-out crowd of 25,440.
Irankunda, a recent Sporting Lisbon signing, has not yet started regularly in Portugal’s Primeira Liga.

History

Historical Context

The 1997 FIFA Confederations Cup, the first fully FIFA-run edition, saw Brazil defeat Australia 6-0 in Riyadh’s 67,000-seat King Fahd Stadium, cementing Brazil’s simultaneous hold on the World Cup and Confederations Cup. That decisive margin echoes today’s Townsville match, where newcomer Nestory Irankunda’s late free-kick gave Australia a narrow win over Brazil’s Rayan.

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Story summary

Nestory Irankunda scored a 68th-minute free-kick to give Australia a 1-0 lead.
Substitute Rayan headed Brazil’s equaliser in the 95th minute past goalkeeper Patrick Beach.
The match at Queensland Country Bank Stadium in Townsville drew a sell-out crowd of 25,440.
Irankunda, a recent Sporting Lisbon signing, has not yet started regularly in Portugal’s Primeira Liga.

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