HKFC Soccer Sevens: Premier League’s Brighton survive bizarre play-off after humbling by Hong Kong Rangers
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Hong Kong Rangers put up the performance of the day at the HKFC Standard Chartered Soccer Sevens, overcoming Brighton & Hove Albion as they went unbeaten in the group stage.
That 1-0 loss for Brighton, and a later draw with Yokohama F. Marinos, meant that they finished level on every metric with the Japanese, behind group winners Rangers, forcing a dramatic four-a-side golden-goal play-off with Marinos that the side from England won.
Rangers will play Newcastle United in the quarter finals at 11.30am on Sunday, while Brighton will face Leicester City, newly promoted to the English Premier League.
Brighton stayed alive by the skin of their teeth after Luca Barrington struck to earn a 1-1 draw with Marinos in the final minute of the teams’ closing group match.
Both sides earlier lost 1-0 to Rangers, the local side celebrating notable English and Japanese scalps, then beat Singapore Football Club by the same scoreline.
Forward Luizinho headed home a dinked second-half delivery from Lau Chi-lok for the goal that earned Rangers’ landmark victory over Brighton.