Unite Round 2024 will be unforgettable in more ways than one for 17-year-old Dylan Leonard, who scored and was sent off in Western United’s 3-1 win over Perth Glory.
Western’s youngest-ever debutant had a day to remember at Allianz Stadium, scoring his side’s first goal in a come-from-behind win before receiving a red card in the dying stages of the game.
Leonard became the youngest player in Isuzu UTE A-League history to both score and receive a red card after an eventful second half at Allianz Stadium for the Western teenager.
Youngest players to score and be sent off in an Isuzu UTE A-League game
- Dylan Leonard (Western United): 17 years, 192 days
- Apostolos Stamatelopoulos (Adelaide United): 19 years, 363 days
- Aiden O’Neill (Central Coast Mariners): 20 years, 233 days
- Kye Rowles (Central Coast Mariners): 20 years, 300 days
- Hamish Watson (Wellington Phoenix): 22 years, 309 days
MATCH REPORT: 17yo makes history as Ibusuki shines in Western United’s comeback win over struggling Glory
The highly-rated defender has been one of the standout young players of the 2024-25 Isuzu UTE A-League season to date and when he tucked home his first-ever goal to level the score at 1-1, he became Western’s youngest goalscorer in club history – and by some margin.
The previous record holder, Oliver Lavale, held the honour for eight months… having scored his first Western goal at 19 years and 16 days of age.
Western United’s youngest-ever goalscorers – Isuzu UTE A-League
- Dylan Leonard: 17 years, 192 days
- Oliver Lavale: 19 years, 16 days
- Matthew Grimaldi: 20 years, 25 days
- Abel Walatee: 20 years, 59 days
- Nicolas Milanovic: 20 years, 79 days
Of Western’s five-youngest goalscorers, the top four (Leonard, Lavale, Grimaldi, Walatee) are all part of the club’s 2024-25 Isuzu UTE A-League squad.
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After surging to the top of Western’s youngest-goalscorers leaderboard, a day to celebrate turned sour for the young defender who received a straight red card in the 90th minute of his side’s win over Perth.
Leonard saw red after dragging down Glory winger Cristian Caideo as he looked to receive possession in the final third for Perth.
Incredibly, at 17 years at 192 days, Leonard is not the youngest player to have received a red card in the Isuzu UTE A-Leaague.
MATCH REPORT: 17yo makes history as Ibusuki shines in Western United’s comeback win over struggling Glory
Former Adelaide United winger Mohamed Toure still holds the record, having been sent off in a 2021 fixture at just 17 years and 35 days of age.
Leonard now sits second on the all-time list. Both he and Toure are two of five 17-year-olds to have been sent off in the competition’s history, along with Tommy Oar, Nestory Irankunda and Ben Kantarovski.
Youngest players to receive red cards – Isuzu UTE A-League
- Mohamed Toure (Adelaide United): 17 years, 35 days
- Dylan Leonard (Western United): 17 years, 192 days
- Tommy Oar (Brisbane Roar): 17 years, 256 days
- Nestory Irankunda (Adelaide United): 17 years, 268 days
- Ben Kantarovski (Newcastle Jets): 17 years, 355 days
- Tyler Boyd (Wellington Phoenix): 18 years, 2 days
- Aaron Calver (Sydney FC): 18 years, 34 days
- Kerrin Stokes (Melbourne City): 18 years, 54 days
- Mark Natta (Western Sydney): 18 years, 133 days
- Alex Gersbach (Sydney FC): 18 years, 217 days
