David Pejicic took another big step forward in his rapid rise through the ranks when Andrea Sottil handed him a starting berth against Al Rayyan.
The 16-year-old impressed with the U19s last season and didn't look out of his depth with the seniors in Saturday's 2-1 friendly win either.
“I'm happy I got to start the game,” the midfielder said afterwards. “We played well. We rolled our sleeves up after they scored and earned the win."
Pejicic almost got his own name on the score sheet but was denied by the woodwork.
“I wanted to score but the ball didn't want to go in! Credit to my team-mates – it was a great move."
The youngster added that he feels perfectly at ease with the first team.
“I like it. The players are more mature and they're helping me a lot. I feel comfortable here.”