With the traditional Christmas Melbourne Derby fast approaching, aleagues.com.au sat down with Melbourne City defender Peter Antoniou ahead of this weekend’s blockbuster against Victory at AAMI Park.
No matter which club you support, the idea of scoring against your bitter rivals to win a derby is something most people can only dream about.
Some would have celebrations planned, others would sprint off and soak up the adoration of a roaring crowd whose weekend has just been made all the sweeter by your goal.
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Melbourne City’s Peter Antoniou lived that moment.
“It took a while to kind of take in. I didn’t fully feel it til the next morning,” smiled Antoniou, when reflecting on his goal which sealed a 2-0 win for City against Victory in Round 4.
“But I think just in the moment you hear the crowd roar and have the sudden realisation that you just scored in the derby.
“I think every every City player, every academy player, dreams of that moment, so then to do it… Yeah, amazing really.”
What made that moment even more special for the 18-year-old is that it was just his second-ever appearance in the Isuzu UTE A-League, having made his domestic debut the previous weekend against Brisbane Roar.
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Peter Antoniou celebrates scoring his goal
Replacing an injured Nathaniel Atkinson in just the 15th minute of the clash at AAMI Park, Antoniou was thrown on and tasked with swimming amongst the sharks in what is one of the Isuzu UTE A-League’s most intense fixtures.
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But the 18-year-old academy graduate didn’t just survive. He thrived. And with good reason.
“When you start through the academy, we have games where every age group plays Victory,” said Antoniou, as he sat down to chat with aleagues.com.au before an early morning training session.
“It’s always a massive day for the club, but for individual players in the teams, you just want to win and get those bragging rights.
“But you know, as you go up through under-14’s to the senior academy, then to the A-League, it just gets even bigger when the fans are involved.
“It’s just amazing. It’s a great feeling.”
Antoniou’s journey from academy product to first team player is one that’s been shared by many of his teammates over the course of the last 12 months.
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Forced to contend with an unprecedented run of injuries last season, City head coach Aurelio Vidmar had little choice but to put his faith in the crop of talented youngsters blossoming within the confines of the City academy, in order to plug the gaps left in a first team squad decimated by injury.
But far from being exposed, the City youngsters shone and ultimately played a pivotal role in helping Vidmar’s side claim the Championship.
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Peter Antoniou (R) in action against World Cup winner Juan Mata
For Antoniou, training with the first team squad during their Championship-winning season was an experience that will no doubt shape him for the rest of his career.
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Moreover, the fact he was able to live and breathe the highs and lows of a professional first team environment with people he’s grown up with through the ranks at City, made the whole ride even sweeter.
“Yeah, 100%. You look around at the boys that have been with you through the academy. I know my good mate, Loz (City midfielder Lawrence Wong) is my best mate.
Peter Antoniou with the City fans
“We played SSV (School Sport Victoria), under-12s, played 14s together and we went through high school together. Just to grow up with him through the academy ranks is something really special.”
Aged 17, Antoniou penned his first contract with the club at the beginning of the 2024-25 campaign, thus becoming the third player in club history to progress through City’s entire Player Development Pathway.
But aside from now being one of the club’s most prized young players and indeed a fan growing up, Antoniou’s links to City were cemented long before he inked his first pro contract, due to a life-changing encounter with an icon of Australian football.
“My Mum just entered me into a competition to do a training session with Tim Cahill… and I was fortunate enough to win!” laughed Antoniou.
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Antoniou meets Tim Cahill
A thrill for the youngster
“I got to spend the day there with him with a few other boys and it was a really, really cool experience at the old CFA. It’s something I’ll never forget.
“Tim Cahill has always been a hero for me growing up. He was my favourite player in the Socceroos. I played SSV at under-12s and I kind of then got scouted through there to City.”
Cahill aside, there was also another member of Australia’s elite sporting community who helped a young Antoniou fall in love with football.
That person is AFL side Adelaide Crows small forward Josh Rachele, who also happens to be Antoniou’s cousin.
“He used to play at Melbourne City. So I grew up watching him play soccer, and that was how I kind of fell in love with it.
“Seeing him at City, I wanted to play here too! I wasn’t fortunate enough to play with him here, and he obviously chose AFL, but he’s done very well for himself.
Antoniou (L) and Rachele (R)
“He had some injuries this year, and some difficult patches, and he worked through that really well. (For me) it’s always good to have that person in your ear, kind of someone there to help you with professional sport.
“He’s a really hard worker, so definitely someone I look up to. He still supports City and watches the games. I think he’s been at a few Adelaide United games too, so we’ve got to get him (back) across here!”
Melbourne City take on Melbourne Victory this Saturday night at AAMI Park. Click here to get your tickets.
