
Audio By Carbonatix
Winger Micah Hamilton scored on a dream Manchester City debut as he helped his side beat Red Star Belgrade and reach the Champions League last 16 with a 100% record.
Hamilton, 20, has been with the club since the age of nine and put City ahead after 19 minutes in a hostile atmosphere in Serbia.
Matheus Nunes found him down the right wing and Hamilton, who has represented England at under-16 level, got into the penalty area and shifted the ball to create space before powerfully firing into the roof of the net.
On a great night for City's academy, 20-year-old Oscar Bobb also scored his first goal for the club with a jinking run at the home defence, before curling in the second on 63 minutes.
Hwang In-beom pulled one back for Red Star when he got free of marker Kalvin Phillips and shot low past Stefan Ortega.
But Phillips made amends when he converted a penalty, after the impressive Hamilton had been fouled.
Aleksandar Katai headed in a late second for Red Star, but European champions City were not to be denied and follow in the footsteps of Real Madrid to advance into the last 16 with six wins from six group matches.
Pep Guardiola's side become only the second English team to achieve this, after Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool in 2021-22.
The draw for the last 16 will be held at Uefa's headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland at 11:00 GMT on Monday, 18 December.
City will face one of the sides to have progressed as group runners-up, with one of their potential opponents being Inter Milan - the team they beat in last season's final.
From ball boy to Champions League goalscorer
City boss Guardiola was delighted with Hamilton's performance and said: "What a goal and what a game.
"I'm so happy for him. He's training often with us and we saw his skills one against one. He scored a fantastic goal and made a penalty."
During the match, footage from September 2017 emerged on social media showing Guardiola talking to a then 13-year-old Hamilton, who was a ball boy during City's 5-0 win over Crystal Palace.
Hamilton said it felt "surreal" to now be scoring for the club and was excited for his future.
"The manager has given us the opportunity in training and in the game. Playing with the best players, you always improve," said Hamilton.
"He put me on the right wing, something different for me. I'd not really played there. I saw it as a challenge and I took it and I enjoyed every moment.
"It's definitely just the start and [I want] to kick on from here."
Latest Stories
-
Ibrahim Mahama moves to support young AI developer Naamgwinaa Samuel
4 minutes -
Evacuations in Guam as super typhoon Bavi approaches
1 hour -
Unbeaten in 34 matches – why Morocco are World Cup contenders
1 hour -
Former NAFCO CEO’s lawyers move to cite AG for contempt over airport arrest
2 hours -
Moment of destiny for France’s Le Pen in verdict to decide her future in presidential race
2 hours -
Chinese underground church figure Jin Mingri freed from prison
2 hours -
Flood mitigation: PRINPAG urges urban planning reforms, attitudinal change
2 hours -
Protect children against infections, flooding risks during rainy season — Paediatrician
2 hours -
‘A wilful violation of court order’ – Godfred Dame slams airport arrest of Hanan Abdul-Wahab
4 hours -
Show the evidence – Dame dares Deputy AG over frozen bank account allegation in Hannan arrest
4 hours -
GFA looks to the future after Colombia humbles Black Stars
5 hours -
US marks its 250th birthday with fireworks, flyovers and extreme weather
6 hours -
‘Degree to nowhere’: Dr Adutwum questions relevance of some university programmes
6 hours -
Parliamentary Select Committee on Education worries over exorbitant distance education fees
7 hours -
KMA begins sanitation summons initiative as Zoomlion launches city-wide clean-up to prevent flooding in Kumasi
7 hours