Easy does it for teenage sensation Mohamed Toure

In a season that has been lit up by a host of young stars, few have shone brighter than Adelaide’s 16-year-old sensation Mohamed Toure.

Adelaide United’s 16-year-old striking sensation Mohamed Toure

In a season that has been lit up by a host of young stars, few have shone brighter than Adelaide’s 16-year-old striking sensation Mohamed Toure.

The teen star came off the bench to net the matchwinner and his third goal of the season for the Reds in their 3-2 away win over Western Sydney on Saturday afternoon, showing the composure that continues to excite fans.

But those who are clamouring to see more minutes for Toure and perhaps a starting role up front for the Reds will have to remain patient, with Adelaide coach Carl Veart insisting he’ll remain an impact player for now.

“He’s still 16 years of age, he doesn’t have the fitness to play 90 minutes at this level because the A-League is a very fast-paced game and his strength is his speed,” Veart said.

“When you can run over 36km per hour it takes a little while to recover from that, so he needs to develop that, which will take time.”

“We have to be careful, he’s very young and has all the potential but he has to put the work in. That’s what we keep pushing, that he has to work hard and it’ll come. We’ll look to give him 20, 30 minutes every game just to keep building that confidence in himself and believing in himself.”

While the wait for Toure to lead the Adelaide line from the first minute continues, his coolness in front of goal was again on show in the Reds first away triumph of the season.

“He’s got a very calm head on his shoulders for a young kid, he’s very good with his finishing, he takes his time and thinks about it,” Veart said.

The win over Western Sydney may have been sealed by Toure, but it was sparked by Craig Goodwin in his first game for the club since returning from Saudi Arabia.

His goal after just 90 seconds set the Reds in motion, but it was his all-round performance that reminded Adelaide fans and the rest of the competition of just how big of an asset he can be.

“Everyone’s seen Craig before in the A-League,” said Veart. “He has quality and it’s not just his goal, his touches around the park bring other players into the game. He’s very calm in possession and will only get better as well.”