MELBOURNE (Reuters) -Life is moving fast for 15-year-old winger Akeem Gerald who is targeting regular football for Melbourne City after becoming the youngest player to feature in an Asian Champions League match this week.
The club's academy prodigy only signed a professional contract two weeks ago but came off the bench in the 84th minute of Wednesday's 1-0 away defeat by Japanese champions Vissel Kobe.
Gerald was going through team tactics on the sidelines when coach Aurelio Vidmar called him over and offered a few simple words: "Good luck, just have fun and be yourself."
"It was probably the best feeling of my life," Gerald said.
"As I walked onto the pitch, I just felt nervous. But as I was running and I got a feel for the ball, I just got into it."
Gerald is among a crop of academy products being promoted by the reigning A-League champions, who claimed their second title in May with a 1-0 victory over arch-rivals Melbourne Victory in the season-ending Grand Final.
He was part of a City team dominated by juniors that was bundled out of the Australia Cup, the national knockout competition, by Sydney-based second division side APIA Leichhardt in July.
But Kobe was his first tour with the senior City team, who shut out the hosts until Koya Yuruki tapped in from a fortuitous deflection in stoppage time.
"Being with older boys, seeing how they prepare, it's just really good for me to plan for my future," said Gerald, whose pace and technical skill have impressed City's staff.
"My next goals would be to push as hard as I can in training, try and press (for) more opportunities – either in the A-League or other competitions."
City kick off their 2025/26 A-League season at Western Sydney on October 18.
(Reporting by Ian Ransom in Melbourne; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
