Soccer Ashes First Leg: Australia Beats New Zealand 1-0 in Canberra

The Socceroos secured a narrow 1-0 victory over New Zealand in the first leg of the Soccer Ashes series at GIO Stadium in Canberra, with debutant Max Balard scoring the decisive goal shortly after being subbed on late in the game. Despite New Zealand's dominance in possession and more shots on goal, Australia's young and experimental squad, coached by Tony Popovic, showed resilience, although Popovic acknowledged the team still has progress to make ahead of the World Cup. New Zealand's head coach Darren Bazeley fielded a strong side including the returning Ryan Thomas, and the All Whites created several clear chances but failed to convert, leading to frustration as they seek to break a long losing streak against Australia. The teams will meet again in the second leg in Auckland, with the aggregate score deciding the Soccer Ashes winner, and New Zealand looking to overturn the deficit. The match highlighted Australia's ongoing process of team building under Popovic, who is focusing on integrating new and returning players to reach a competitive level for upcoming international tournaments.