Sydney FC’s young guns showed their quality in front of 40,000 people on Tuesday night as they sealed a stunning result against Championship outfit Wrexham AFC. So who are they?
When Ufuk Talay made nine substitutions in one hit to bring on a raft of his untested youngsters against Wrexham AFC, few would have even considered that Sydney FC could hold on for a draw, let alone win – but that’s exactly what happened.
The Sky Blues walked away 2-1 winners over the Welsh outfit as 18-year-old midfielder Joe Lacey stole the headlines with a beautifully taken goal.
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In the 27 minutes they were on the pitch, Sydney’s youngsters more than held their own, which is particularly impressive when you consider the gulf in experience between the finishing XIs of the two sides, even if it was just a pre-season friendly.
Sydney’s finishing XI had an average age of just 19.2 and even that figure is a slight misrepresentation, given goalkeeper Harrison Devenish-Meares is 28 years old.
Meanwhile, Wrexham’s finishing XI had an average age of 28 and included veterans Jay Rodriguez (35), Matty James (33), Elliott Lee (30), Dan Scarr (30) and Jack Marriott (30), who boast nearly 2,000 combined career appearances in pro football.
So, who are the young guns who took it to the Championship outfit at Allianz Stadium?
Right-back: Will Kennedy
Age: 20
Born and raised in Sydney’s northern suburbs of Balgowlah and Mosman, Kennedy has been a part of the Sky Blues’ setup since he was just 12 years old.
After a brief stint with Manly United, he joined Sydney FC’s academy in 2018.
From there, he progressed through the ranks, earning his place in the first team, signing a three-year professional contract in January.
A versatile player, Kennedy has transitioned form a ball-winning midfielder to a left-back and has six competitive senior appearances under his belt to date.
“What sets Will apart is his competitiveness,” said Sydney FC youth technical director Kelly Cross.
“He’s an absolute winner, someone who takes no prisoners on the field.
“He reminds me of Roy Keane in many ways—a player you hate to face but love to have on your team.”
Centre-back: Jared Middleton
Age: 19
Yet to make his senior debut for the club, Middleton is a promising centre-back who is a key part of Sydney’s current NPL setup.
The left-footer was able to celebrate the win over Wrexham with his twin brother Lachie, who also came off the bench to feature in midfield.
Alongside his brother, Jared is an Australian U17 international and was selected for the Australian Schoolboys U18s tour of UK and Ireland in 2023.
Centre-back: Tyler Williams
Age: 17
A composed and confident ball-playing centre-back who has been with the Sky Blues since Under-13s, Williams is a player Sydney FC have high hopes for.
Already signed to a professional contract at the age of 17, he made his senior debut for the club back in December, playing 45 minutes in the AFC Champions League Two against Kaya Iloilo.
Williams has represented Australia at the under-20 level.
“When I first saw him at 12 and spoke to his parents, I was convinced Tyler wasn’t here just for a couple of years. I told them he was here for the long term,” Cross said.
“What’s always impressed me about Tyler is his calmness and composure. Nothing bothers him.
“That’s why it’s no surprise to see him step onto the field in a Champions League game at such a young age and look so comfortable.”
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Left-back: Nicholas Zdrilic
Age: 18
The nephew of Socceroos great and current Perth Glory head coach David Zdrilic, the 18-year-old recently returned to Australia after stints in Croatia and Italy.
A product of the Sydney United academy, Zdrilic represented Australia at Under-16 level.
Midfield: Joe Lacey
Age: 18
Teenage midfielder Lacey stole the show against Wrexham with his brilliant goal – and Sydney FC clearly rate him highly after handing him a pro contract at just 16.
Born in the Northern Beaches, the 18-year-old became the first player to develop from Sydney FC’s Academy Training Program (ATP) into the Academy under 13 squad and onto the club’s Isuzu UTE A-League team.
“He is a very technically gifted number 10, he scores goals and is equally adept using both feet,” head coach Ufuk Talay said when he was signed.
To make his moment for the club even more special, Lacey’s mother is actually Welsh and his entire family is on holiday in Wales, while his aunt works at Wrexham on gamedays as a paramedic!
Debut goals don’t come much more special than that.
Midfield: Marin France
Age: 18
France joined Sydney FC as a 12-year-old back in 2019 and was called into training with the club’s first team at the end of the 2023-24 season after impressing in the academy’s matches in Germany.
An attacking midfielder or winger who grew up idolising the likes of Alessandro Del Piero, Alex Brosque and Milos Ninkovic, he lived out his boyhood dream when he signed his first pro deal in June 2024 at the age of 17 after winning the club’s Rising Star award.
“Marin’s x-factor is his desire to beat his immediate opponent as often as he can, and this desire is matched by a high success rate in individual duels,” Cross said.
Midfield: Lachie Middleton
Age: 19
Sydney FC signed the other Middleton twin to his pro contract in April, five years after he joined the club at the age of just 13.
A central midfielder, who can play either defensively or with an attacking mindset, the teenager’s preferred role is box to box as a number eight.
The former Manly United junior has represented Australia at Under-17 level and was part of the Sydney FC under-16 side who won the title in 2023.
“He has been at a consistently high level technically throughout his time with the Sydney FC Academy and is one of our best two footed players,” Cross said.
“His range of passing off both feet is exceptional and he has an innate ability to find space and get shots on goal, as well as great vision and a tremendous work rate.
“His height and long legs means he has the ability to win the ball and be competitive but he is also one of the most intelligent players we have.”
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Midfield: Matthew Scarcella
Age: 21
Incredibly one of the elder statesmen in Sydney’s mass substitution against Wrexham at age 21, Scarcella is back at the club after a stint on loan with Newcastle Jets.
After starting his career at Sydney Olympic, the defensive midfielder became a key cog in the Sky Blues’ NPL side and is now looking to break into their Isuzu UTE A-League outfit.
Scarcella has made eight senior appearances for the club to date as well as another 16 for the Jets, where he was primarily used off the bench.
Forward: Mathias Maccalister
Age: 18
One of the most exciting young strikers in Australia, Macallister has burst onto the scene in recent months with a string of devastating performances in NPL New South Wales.
The 18-year-old scored a hat-trick against Hakoah in Sydney FC’s first hit-out of pre-season and has a wide variety of avenues to goal in his kit bag.
Macallister, the son of former Isuzu UTE A-League star Dylan, has been with the Sky Blues since age 12 and appears ready to make his mark at senior level in the coming years after signing his first pro deal last week.
“Mathias is a very talented young striker with a great eye for goal,” Talay said.
“He’s got natural instincts in the box, good pace, and a strong work ethic, which is what we’re looking for in young players.
“We’ve seen what he can do in the NPL and now it’s about helping him take that next step into the A-League and reach his full potential.”
Forward: Akol Akon
Age: 16
Signed recently from the Western Sydney Wanderers, Akon is one of the hottest young prospects in the country, aged just 16.
Akon rose to national prominence earlier this year with a stunning hat-trick in the Joeys’ 4-0 demolition of Saudi Arabia in Dubai, when he was just 15-years-old.
The youngster is capable of playing across the front line—on either wing or through the centre— and brings pace and flair to the Sky Blues’ attack.
A Western Sydney boy of South Sudanese descent, Akon hails from St Marys and began playing football at just four years old.
His journey has taken him from St Marys to Melbourne, Orange, as well as stints with Nepean and Southern Districts, before joining the Wanderers Academy.
Akon made his NPL debut at just 15 and looks set for a huge future.
“I’d say I love to dribble,” he said after signing with Sydney.
“I like to take players on one v one, get shots off when I can, and I’m always looking to create something.
“That’s my game and that’s what I’m here to do. I want to show myself more and go at players every chance I get.
“Neymar has always been my idol. The way he takes players on, regardless of the score or situation, is something I admire. He’ll lose the ball and just go again—that’s inspiring.”
| Sydney Finishing XI | Age |
| Harrison Devenish-Meares | 28 |
| Will Kennedy | 20 |
| Jared Middleton | 19 |
| Nicholas Zdrilic | 18 |
| Tyler Williams | 17 |
| Matthew Scarcella | 21 |
| Joe Lacey | 18 |
| Marin France | 18 |
| Lachie Middleton | 19 |
| Akol Akon | 16 |
| Mathias Macallister | 18 |
| Average age | 19.2 |
| Wrexham Finishing XI | Age |
| Callum Burton | 28 |
| Sebastian Revan | 22 |
| Jacob Mendy | 28 |
| Dan Scarr | 30 |
| Max Cleworth | 22 |
| Thomas O’Connor | 26 |
| Ryan Longman | 24 |
| Matty James | 33 |
| Elliott Lee | 30 |
| Jay Rodriguez | 35 |
| Jack Marriott | 30 |
| Average age | 28 |
