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Aston Villa Win 2023 Soccer Sevens

Aston Villa secured a record-extending seventh HKFC Soccer Sevens title on Sunday as the Premier League outfit defeated Hong Kong’s Tai Po FC 3-0 at a packed Hong Kong Football Club to claim the trophy for the first time since 2016.

Omari Kellyman scored twice in the first half before Lee Ka-ho’s red card for a foul on the 17-year-old left Tai Po short-handed, with Frankie Ealing hitting his side’s third ahead of Luizinho’s late sending-off, which saw the Hong Kong side finish the game with five players.

“At the start of the tournament we had a disappointing result against Tai Po, so to bounce back and win all the games after that hasn’t been an easy thing to do,” said Kellyman, who ended as the tournament’s leading scorer with five goals.

“But we did it and I’m proud of the boys. It’s been a great experience. The tournament has been all about experience and to come out here and play the game I love has been great.

“The physical side of the game, the heat is very different from England. Coming out here, you’ve got to run the hard yards and do everything to the best of your ability. It’s been great.”

Tai Po had pulled off a surprise 1-0 win over Villa in the group meeting between the teams on Saturday but there was to be no repeat of that result as the Premier League side raced into an early lead.

Kellyman gave Villa the perfect start when he bent the opener into the top corner with less than two minutes on the clock and, five minutes later, he doubled the advantage with another strike from outside the area, steering a low left-foot shot beyond Tse Ka Wing.

Lee’s clumsy attempt to halt Kellyman in the ninth minute saw him receive a direct red card and Villa exploited their advantage, with Ealing netting his side’s third from close range after a miss-hit attempted clearance by Tse.

Luizinho received a second yellow card seven minutes into the second half to leave Tai Po with only five players and effectively ensure Villa were crowned champions once again.

Earlier in the day, defending champions Newcastle United crashed out in the quarter-finals, losing 2-0 to Aston Villa, who took on Kitchee in the last four after the Hong Kong Premier League champions had seen off Queens Park Rangers.

Tai Po, meanwhile, notched up a 1-0 win over Leicester City to set up a semi-final meeting with Brighton & Hove Albion following their 1-0 win over fellow Premier League club Fulham.

The Hong Kong Premier League outfit eliminated Brighton & Hove Albion in a penalty shoot-out as Villa beat Kitchee to set-up the decider, with the English club ultimately emerging victorious.

In the Masters Event, defending champions Wallsend Boys Club retained the title with a 2-1 sudden-death extra-time win over 2018 winners Ampcontrol Discovery Bay in the final, with Kim Dong-jin netting the winner.

Wallsend had seen off Rio Cricket Association Athletic to advance to the final for the second tournament in a row while Ampcontrol Discovery Bay defeated Hong Kong Football Club Masters to progress to the decider.

This year’s HKFC Soccer Sevens was the first since 2019 after the event was forced to take a three-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The 2023 HKFC Soccer Sevens has been a resounding success and I would like to thank all of our sponsors, the teams, Hong Kong Football Club members, and the fans who turned out in fantastic numbers to support this very special event,” said Hong Kong Football Club Chairman Neil Jensen. “We hope through future editions we can continue to showcase the positive qualities of our unique city and its love for this remarkable game.”

Soccer Sevens
Date: 26-28 May, 2023
Venue: HK Football Club
Tickets: $200 (Weekend pass), $120 (Day ticket), Free (Friday night)
More info:
22 May (Fri): 6 – 9pm; exhibition youth matches start at 4.30pm
23 May (Sat): 9am – 7.40pm
24 May (Sun): 8:30am – 6pm

images: HK Soccer Sevens

Soccer Sevens Return

Defending back-to-back champions Newcastle United and six-time winners Aston Villa headline the Premier League clubs competing at this weekend’s Soccer Sevens, which returns for the first time in four years.

This year’s Soccer Sevens is the 21st edition of the competition, first held in 1999, and runs from 26-28 May featuring 26 teams across a main event and masters tournaments at Hong Kong Football Club.

Sixteen teams will compete in the main competition, with Aston Villa looking to win a record-extending seventh title and their first since 2016, while Newcastle will be aiming to become the first club to win the trophy at three consecutive events.

“We are delighted to be returning to the HKFC Soccer Sevens,” Mark Harrison, Aston Villa’s academy manager, said. “We are looking forward to defending our record at the tournament and our players and staff are excited to come and experience all that the tournament has to offer.”

Other clubs coming to take part include Leicester City, who have won the event twice, as well as Brighton & Hove Albion and Fulham.

They will be joined by Scottish giants Rangers as well as a Hong Kong Football Association representative side, while domestic champions Kitchee and WoFoo Tai Po will fly the flag for the city’s top flight.

In the master’s tournament, the Citi All Stars will take on defending champions Wallsend Boys Club in a 10-team event that will also boast sides representing the Portuguese Football Association and the Professional Footballers’ Association.

Neil Jensen, the HKFC chairman, said the club was “absolutely thrilled” to bring the Soccer Sevens back to the city “The last three years have been challenging for everyone, but the love of football runs deep in Hong Kong and we are looking forward to seeing some of the finest young talent in the global game back on the pitch at Hong Kong Football Club.”

Match schedule here

Soccer Sevens Cancelled

The 2020 edition of the HKFC Soccer Sevens scheduled for 22-24 May has been canceled due to the ongoing issues in Hong Kong.

Tournament director Chris Plowman said “the difficulty in securing the necessary commitments to be able to deliver an event of the scale and quality that is expected of the Soccer Sevens” left the organising committee no alternative.

Plowman continued “Naturally we are very disappointed and we would like to thank all the teams, sponsors, stakeholders and fans who had committed to the 2020 event. We will be back in 2021,”

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2019/HK-Soccer-Sevens-HK-Football-Club-18-May-2019/i-KXsGgZx

Images: HK Soccer Sevens

Newcastle United Win Twentieth Anniversary Soccer Sevens

Captain Owen Bailey scored an extra-time winner as Newcastle United defended their HKFC Soccer Sevens title defeating Scotland’s Rangers 4-3 in a thrilling final at Hong Kong Football Club on Sunday.

In a repeat of the 2018 final, Rangers raced into a two-goal lead at half-time courtesy of a brace from Andrew Dallas only for Bailey and Luke Charman to restore parity.

Elias Sorensen completed the comeback for Newcastle from the penalty spot only for Rangers’ Josh McPake to force extra-time, setting the scene for Bailey’s dramatic winner to hand Newcastle a third title.

“We’re really happy because we’ve worked really hard over the weekend, defended really well and I think we’ve got the result we deserve,” said Bailey, who was also part of the triumphant 2018 team.

“At 2-0 down at half-time it didn’t seem like we had much chance because it’s so hard to score in these kind of games, but we got two goals, we got the job done and we’ve won it again.

“I can’t remember much about the goal, it just came back to me and I thought I’d have a go; thankfully it went in and we got the result we wanted.”

Newcastle, who also won the title in 2012, had earlier beaten Portugal’s Portimonense in the last eight and Hong Kong’s Kitchee in the semi-finals as Ben Dawson’s side posted an unbeaten record from their six games.

Rangers were forced to settle for a fourth runner-up finish having also lost in extra-time to Newcastle in 2018 despite earlier beating two-time champions Leicester City and West Ham United in the knockout stage.

“We started the game so well and missed a few chances to kill it, and losses of concentration then affected us,” said Rangers captain Cameron Palmer.

“But we’ve done so well this tournament so we’ve got to be proud of ourselves and hold our heads up high. We’re devastated but we just need to focus, not let it bring us down and look ahead to next year.”

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Two-time runners-up Wallsend Boys Cub, meanwhile, won the Masters title for the first time after beating Citi All Stars 2-1 after extra-time in the final following a brace from striker Craig Dundas.

“I feel elated! With the team being in the final twice and not winning it, it was really time to bring it home and it feels really good,” said Dundas, who was making his debut in the tournament.

“To get the two goals is a beautiful feeling. A few of the guys are crying so you know how much it means to everyone.”

Debutants Wolverhampton Wanderers, meanwhile, won the Main Shield after beating Leicester 2-1 after extra-time in the final.

And six-time champions Aston Villa won the Main Plate following a 2-0 victory over Hong Kong’s Kerry Yau Yee Select in the final.

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2019/HK-Soccer-Sevens-HK-Football-Club-18-May-2019/i-dR6MWkb

Additional reporting and images: HK Soccer Sevens

HK Soccer Sevens @ HK Football Club – 18 May, 2019

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There was plenty of good football, cracking goals and wonderful goal line clearances at the Twentieth Anniversary Hong Kong Soccer Sevens being held at the HK Football Club. bc was there to capture the action.
Click here or on any photo for a full gallery of images.

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Soccer Sevens Celebrates Twenty Anniversary

Seven-a-side football might not have become an Olympic sport and global sensation like it’s rugby namesake, but the Hong Kong Soccer 7s – which celebrates it’s Twentieth Anniversary this year on 17-19 May – has become an important tournament for clubs and players across the globe.

The twentieth tournament sees newcomers Fulham and Portimonense face off in the group stage. The English and Portuguese sides will be joined in Group A by competition regulars West Ham United and local outfit HKFC Captain’s Select for the tournament.

Newcastle United begin the defence of their title, having beaten Rangers in the 2018 final, alongside Brighton & Hove Albion, current AFC Champions League holders Kashima Antlers from Japan and Hong Kong side Yau Yee League Select in Group C.

Six-time winners Aston Villa will go head-to-head with two-time champions Leicester City in Group B in a repeat of the 2017 final, with the duo joined by nine-time Hong Kong champions Kitchee and Singapore Cricket Club.

Finally, in Group D, Rangers return in search of their maiden title against newcomers Wolverhampton Wanderers, HKFA Red Dragons and Hong Kong Football Club in Group D.

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“The group that intrigues me the most is Group A in the Main tournament which sees West Ham, who are always a strong side, and two newcomers in Portimonense and Fulham, so who knows how strong they’ll be,” said HKFC Soccer Sevens Tournament Director Chris Plowman. “They’re going to be going up against our HKFC Captain’s Select team, so if there’s a group of death, I’m guessing that’s the one.

“Leicester and Villa in the same group will be interesting and Kitchee as a local side are always very strong. Singapore Cricket Club have got some tough matches on their hands.”

“It’s wonderful.” said Hong Kong national team coach and former Finland international Mixu Paatelainen “There’s history to this tournament and you can see there are big clubs from England taking part.” Mixu added “the tournament will be valuable for Hong Kong’s youngsters to play against hopefully the future stars of the Premier League.”

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In the Masters tournament, defending champions Discovery Bay have been paired in Group A with two-time winners Citi All Stars, last year’s runners-up Nottingham Forest Mobsters, HKFC Chairman’s Select and Singapore Cricket Club Masters.

In Group B, meanwhile, playonPROS will play competition regulars Wallsend Boys Club, and Hong Kong sides Eleven FC, HKFC Masters and Kowloon Cricket Club Veterans.

“It is a very exciting draw and you can see from the line-up it will be very fierce competition,” said Wayne Fong of sponsors Citi Hong Kong. “We like that the tournament changes every year and invites teams from all over the world to make it more diverse, allowing this tournament to be better and bigger.”

Soccer Sevens
Date: 17-19 May, 2019
Venue: HK Football Club
Tickets: $300 (Weekend pass), $160 (Day ticket), Free (Friday night)
More info:
17 May (Fri): 6 – 9pm; exhibition youth matches start at 4.45pm
18 May (Sat): 9am – 7.40pm
19 May (Sun): 9am – 6pm

Additional reporting and images: HKFA Soccer Sevens

Leicester City Win Soccer Sevens

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Leicester City claimed the Soccer Sevens for a second time defeating defending champions Aston Villa 3-0 in Sunday’s final at Hong Kong Football Club.

The tournament’s leading scorer 18 year-old Josh Eppiah scored twice, while Joshou Gordon was also on target as Leicester produced a dominant performance to add to their 2013 title.

Eppiah’s brace took him to eight goals for the competition, edging Villa’s seven-goal Harry McKirdy for the top scorer accolade. The forward was also named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player to cap an excellent three days.

“I’m over the moon and proud of myself. I took my chances well but the team and the staff around me have helped,” said Eppiah, who also scored twice in the 3-1 quarter-final win over West Ham United and once in the semi-final victory against Glasgow Rangers.

“This whole tournament has been amazing and I’d love to come back next year because I’m still a youngster and have more years to come back and do the same as I did today,” Eppiah added. “The boys fought, held on, came back and in the final we were all up for it so we came out and gave it everything we have.”

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Six-time winners Villa had impressed on the way to the final defeating Italian debutants Cagliari Calcio 3-0 in the last eight and French newcomers Olympique Marseille in the semi-final.

But Leicester had also looked strong over the weekend after winning all five of their games, and captain Hamza Choudhury’s man-marking of McKirdy in the final proved key as the Foxes nullified Villa’s main threat before running out deserved winners.

Runners-up in the previous two edition, West Ham enjoyed success this time around by lifting the Shield following a 2-0 victory over Cagliari in the final. After being eliminated by Leicester in the Cup quarter-finals, the Hammers dropped down to the Shield and returned to form to beat local side HKFA U-23s in the semi-final, before Joe Powell and Jaanai Gordon netted in the final against Cagliari.

Tournament debutants Bayer Leverkusen were crowned Plate champions as goals from Julijan Popovic and Berkan Arik helped claim a 2-1 win over Wellington Phoenix in the final. The German side defeated hosts Hong Kong Football Club and Kashima Antlers in the quarter- and semi-finals before seeing off the New Zealanders.

Citi All Stars retained their Masters Tournament title after Jamie Cureton scored his second goal of the game at the death to clich a dramatic 3-2 victory over Wallsend Boys Club in the final.

The match-winning strike capped an excellent weekend for the former Norwich City forward, who claimed the top scorer award with nine goals before being named the Masters Tournament MVP.

“We’ve played well throughout the entire tournament and from the second half [in the final] I thought we performed really well and deserved to win it,” said Cureton. “It’s my job to score goals, I didn’t expect to get as many as nine, but I’m very pleased. I came three or four years ago and we didn’t do very well, so I’m hoping the nine goals and winning will get me an invite again next year.”

Tournament debutants, and major disappointments, playonPROS won the Masters Shield after Emile Heskey scored a sublime free-kick to claim a 3-2 victory over Discovery Bay in the final.

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2017/Soccer-Sevens-HK-Football-Club-28-May-2017/i-jKpFB5M

Additional reporting and images: HKFA Soccer Sevens

Soccer Sevens: Sunday 28 May, 2017

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The anticipation and expectation levels were high, the sun was out – but in truth much of the football was poor and rather dull over the first couple of days of the Soccer Sevens. And it showed on Sunday with the public stand only about half-full for the finals…
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