More and more players are being exposed to professional football in Australia, and emerging talent is making an impact in the Isuzu UTE A-League.
Just look at the number of goalscorers aged 18 or younger this season – six. It is a figure that surpasses most of the top five European leagues.
While France’s Ligue 1 also has six scorers 18 and under, England’s Premier League and the German Bundesliga have only four in 2022-23, while Italy’s Serie A (three) and LaLiga in Spain (two) are next best.
So thanks to Adelaide United pair Nestory Irankunda and Luka Jovanovic, Sydney FC’s Adrian Segecic, Archie Goodwin of Newcastle Jets, Melbourne City forward Max Caputo and former Central Coast Mariners sensation Garang Kuol, the Isuzu UTE A-League have more than Serie A and LaLiga combined.
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Nestory Irankunda (Adelaide United)
The 17-year-old has lit up the competition this season, despite not starting a match.
Called into the Socceroos squad for international friendlies against Ecuador last month, Irankunda has scored four goals in 2022-23 for Carl Veart’s high-flying Reds.
Aged 16 years, 11 months and 26 days at the time, he remains the youngest scorer this season after finding the back of the net against Brisbane Roar on February 4.
Since then, Irankunda has gone on to score against Melbourne Victory, Melbourne City and Newcastle Jets.
Max Caputo (Melbourne City)
He is the second-youngest scorer this season after emerging as Melbourne City’s unlikely saviour last week.
Caputo came off the bench in the 90th minute and two minutes later, the 17-year-old headed home a last-gasp equaliser to salvage a 1-1 draw against Newcastle at AAMI Park on Sunday afternoon.
READ: A-Leagues prodigy announces himself with two minutes of magic
Aged 17 years, seven months and 16 days, he also became the club’s youngest-ever male scorer.
Luka Jovanovic (Adelaide United)
Another talented Red and 17-year-old, Jovanovic is enjoying more game time at Coopers Stadium.
In his first start for Adelaide last month, he scored as the Reds overpowered the Jets 4-2 in the Hunter Valley.
READ: The next prodigy off Adelaide United’s production line has arrived
At the time he was aged 17 years, nine months and 19 days, making him the third youngest Isuzu UTE A-League scorer this term.
The following week in Round 21, Jovanovic also scored in the 5-1 rout of Wellington Phoenix as he capped his Coopers Stadium bow with a goal.
Garang Kuol (Central Coast Mariners)
Before being snapped up by Premier League giants Newcastle United and representing the Socceroos at the 2022 FIFA Men’s World Cup, Garang Kuol was making waves in the A-Leagues right up until the start of January.
The prodigy, who is currently on loan at Hearts in the Scottish Premiership, scored twice for Central Coast Mariners prior to his big move abroad.
READ: He was almost lost to the system, now Garang Kuol is off to the world’s richest club
Both goals came against Macarthur FC in November, when the winger was 18 years, one month and 29 days old. He is still the fourth-youngest scorer this season.
Archie Goodwin (Newcastle Jets)
He is the local Newcastle product highly rated in the Hunter region, and he is the third youngest scorer in A-Leagues history after his goal in 2021-22.
This season, Goodwin ranks fifth following his effort in a 4-0 drubbing of Brisbane Roar in January.
He was 18 years, two months and 20 days when he completed the rout at McDonald Jones Stadium.
Goodwin also salvaged a 2-2 draw away to Perth Glory the following week in February.
Adrian Segecic (Sydney FC)
The Young Socceroo is growing in stature in the Harbour City, where he has amassed 12 appearances for Sydney FC – the most of his senior career.
Segecic also has a goal to his name – the match-winning effort to sink Macarthur 3-2 in October.
Aged 18 years, four months and 27 days, he is the only other 18-year-old to get on the scoresheet during the 2022-23 Isuzu UTE A-League campaign.
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