At the Etihad Stadium, 17-year-old Floyd Samba turned a first-team debut into a night he will not quickly forget, scoring twice and taking the man-of-the-match award as Manchester City beat Norwich City 5-0 in the League Cup third round.
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Samba, an English midfielder developed in City’s academy, was handed an unexpected role as a centre-forward by coach Enzo Maresca after impressing for the club’s under-18 side last season.
He opened the scoring after 28 minutes with a well-placed header, then struck again early in the second half, curling an 18-metre effort into the top corner. The teenager’s double helped City complete a comfortable five-goal victory.
The young forward is the son of Christopher Samba, the former Blackburn Rovers centre-back and Congo international. His rapid rise from the academy made the occasion particularly striking, although he insisted it was only the beginning.
“A debut like that is incredible,” Samba said. “I could hardly believe it myself, but this is only the start. I have a big career ahead of me.”
He also credited City’s senior players for helping him settle into the occasion. “I spoke with all of them and they were brilliant. Their advice was to play my own game and be myself. That gave me confidence and helped me score the two goals.”
