Nestory Irankunda Strives to Elevate His Game in World Cup Qualifiers
Rising Star: Nestory Irankunda's Journey
Nestory Irankunda will head back to Bayern Munich determined to quickly improve so he can "dominate" World Cup qualifying and salvage the Socceroos' flagging campaign. The teen sensation was a clear bright spark in his second start, and fourth cap overall, as Australia slumped to a frustrating 0-0 draw with Indonesia in Jakarta on Tuesday night.
Impressive Performance and Future Goals
Irankunda, 18, will now return to the Bundesliga powerhouse, where he has impressed since signing earlier this year, ahead of October's matches against China and Japan.
- Improvement: "I felt like a better player compared to my first start," Irankunda said.
- Creating Chances: He created multiple opportunities during the match.
- Determination: "Hopefully, I can go back over to Germany, work on my craft and try some new things," he added.
Frustration and Hope
Irankunda's performance, as a second striker alongside Mitch Duke, included a scintillating first-half strike that just clipped the post before it deflected off Indonesia's goalkeeper to safety. "It was just a bit unlucky," he mentioned. With 19 shots, the Socceroos were left frustrated by the draw.
- Efforts: "We should have won it," Irankunda conveyed.
- Persistence: Despite the setbacks, he remains positive.
- Next Steps: "One point is OK but we would have liked to have three," he concluded.
As hopes of a top-two finish in Group C fade, Irankunda plays down concerns, saying, "No, we're not panicking at all."
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