Australia Wins 1-0 Over New Zealand With Balard Debut Goal

Australia secured a 1-0 victory over New Zealand in an international friendly at Canberra's GIO Stadium, with Max Balard scoring the decisive goal just two minutes into his Socceroos debut. The match, part of the Soccer Ashes series, saw a largely experimental Australian side struggle until the final 15 minutes when coach Tony Popovic introduced energetic substitutes Balard, Nestory Irankunda, and Mohamed Toure, sparking the winning play. Balard, formerly of Central Coast Mariners and currently with Dutch club NAC Breda, calmly finished a setup from Toure to break the deadlock in the 87th minute. Goalkeeper Paul Izzo also impressed on his Australia debut, making crucial saves to deny New Zealand's Chris Wood and others. Jordan Bos stood out with dynamic runs as the left wing-back, while New Zealand showed strong early possession but failed to convert chances. The victory extends Popovic's unbeaten run as Socceroos coach to nine games and provides valuable insights ahead of the 2026 World Cup preparations.