Night for rising stars of City's academy

YOUNGSTERS COME GOOD AS GUARDIOLA THRUSTS THEM ON TO EUROPEAN STAGE

- SIMON BAJKOWSKI

YOU can see Hamilton at Manchester's Palace Theatre for the next few months, but you may well be seeing the name at the Etihad for much longer.

City's latest debutant marked his first start with a terrific goal, crashing the ball past the Red Star Belgrade goalkeeper with the team's first shot of the game to show there really is no such thing as a dead rubber. Even when the big picture doesn't change, there is always space to go up or down in Pep Guardiola's estimations.

Micah Hamilton has definitely gone up after showing a blend of cool head and redhot feet to mark his first appearance in professional football with a special moment. Having worked his way up from the academy's Under-9s, here was more proof courtesy of the 20-year-old from Crumpsall that there is a path into the best team in world football for any youngster with enough talent and commitment.

Hamilton's first-half strike was wildly celebrated in the stands by his teammates and youth coaches at the front of one of the stands, having concluded their UEFA Youth League campaign earlier in the day.

In a season of more mixed results than usual, here was more vindication for the academy.