Brighton & Hove Albion are in 7th Heaven!
Brighton & Hove Albion handed defending champions Aston Villa a 2-0 defeat in the final of the 2024 HKFC Standard Chartered Soccer Sevens at Hong Kong Football Club on Sunday as the English Premier League club claimed the trophy for the first time.
A goal in each half from Louis Flower and Benicio Baker-Boaitey sealed victory for Brighton, who stopped Aston Villa from winning a record-extending eighth title in the 25th-anniversary edition of the competition.
"This has topped off our season to be honest," said Baker-Boaitey.
"Last year, we came here and lost in the semi-finals, so our gaffer told us if we were to come here this year, we had to bring the trophy home."
Flower put Brighton in front in the seventh minute when he shot across Aston Villa goalkeeper James Wright, and Baker-Boaitey put the result beyond doubt when he rounded Wright to net with fewer than five minutes remaining.
"I was struggling with an injury but I asked if I could have the last five minutes to see if I could change the game," said Baker-Boaitey. "I wasn't thinking of going around the keeper, but I saw he was spread out already so I went around him and it was good to get the goal."
Brighton captain Luca Barrington lifted the trophy after his side squeezed into the quarterfinals with a golden goal win over Japan's Yokohama F Marinos in the group phase before seeing off Leicester City in the quarter-finals and beating Fulham to reach the final.
"Congratulations to the Champions, Brighton & Hove Albion, of this year's HKFC Standard Chartered Soccer Sevens tournament," said Stephen Man, Managing Director, Head, Wealth & Retail Bank, Hong Kong, Standard Chartered Bank (Hong Kong) Limited.
"We are thrilled to have been part of such an outstanding showcase of talent and sportsmanship. Thank you to everyone who made this event a success." Chelsea FC Soccer School won the first-ever Women's Tournament, defeating Kitchee 3-2 in a penalty shoot-out after neither side could find the back of the net in regulation time.
Chelsea's Hei Man Yiu hit the crossbar with a looping effort midway through the second half of a tight encounter that was decided in a shoot-out, with goalkeeper Yuen Ki Ng saving the opening penalty from Kitchee's Vicky Chung.
"This means we've made history," said Chelsea captain Yazmin Sung. "This is the first women's tournament, and we managed to win the cup, so it feels amazing. "It's a really big step forward for the team because we have a lot of big games ahead of us, so this will give us confidence.
"There have been a lot of kids around and I can see that they love football, so it's been important for the team to put on a good game for them, to show them that they can do this one day. That's an amazing feeling." In the Masters Tournament, the PFA All Stars won the title for the first time since 2017 when Leroy Lita scored both goals in his side's 2-1 win over the Singapore Football Club Masters.
Defending champions Wallsend Boys Club HK exited the competition in the semifinals when they were beaten 1-0 by the PFA All Stars in extra-time. "It was a tough game; conditions are tough, but we made it, and we got the job done," said Lita. "It was good to win."
The first one was my first goal of the tournament. I like scoring goals, and it was a bit frustrating, but we still got the result, and it's nice to score today."
Brighton's Barrington was named the Player of the Tournament in the Main Event, with Anke Leung of Chelsea FC Soccer School taking the award in the Women's Tournament, and Luis Boa-Morte in the Masters Tournament.
Photos - HKFC Standard Chartered Soccer Sevens