Australian teenager Antonio Arena made a stunning impact on his debut for Roma, scoring with his first touch in an Italian Cup clash against Torino. The 16-year-old came off the bench in the 80th minute and headed home an equaliser in the 81st to level the score at 2-2.
Despite Arena's heroics, Torino snatched a 3-2 victory in the round-of-16 match with a 90th-minute goal from Emirhan Ilkhan. The result dampened an otherwise memorable evening for the young Australian, who had been called up from the bench by Roma coach Gian Piero Gasperini.
Speaking after the match, Gasperini praised the teenager's performance. 'He is certainly a player who has a great competitive drive, despite his young age. He has a lot of energy to offer and he is not afraid to put himself out there,' he said.
Arena, born in Sydney, holds dual Australian-Italian citizenship and has represented both countries at youth international level. He began his career at the Western Sydney Wanderers before moving to Pescara, where he became the youngest ever goalscorer for the club at 16 years and 25 days old.
The forward signed for Serie A side Roma in July 2025 and made his long-awaited debut on Tuesday. Arena is considered one of Australia's brightest young prospects, having previously played for the Australian under-16 side and later the Italian under-16 team.
