Brighton creating Hong Kong dynasty, as Celtic old-boy savours beating Rangers
English Premier League side claim second sevens title in three years following commanding victory over Yokohama F Marinos
Brighton & Hove Albion are threatening to create a HKFC Standard Chartered Soccer Sevens dynasty after they cruised past Yokohama F Marinos 2-0 on Sunday to secure their second title in three years.
In a one-sided final, forward Tyler Silsby crashed a sixth-minute opener inside the near post of Yokohama keeper Go Saita. Midway through the second-half, Saita allowed a long-range Jesse Middleton strike to squirm through his grasp.
Beaten in last year’s final by AZ Alkmaar, Brighton also won the tournament in 2024.
“The club values the tournament very much, and there’s pressure from within to win here,” Lorenz Ferdinand, the Brighton goalkeeper, said. “The gaffer [Shannon Ruth] demands a lot, and we expect a lot from ourselves.”
Ferdinand said his father, the former Manchester United and England defender Rio Ferdinand, had been watching online. “He’s been giving me a few tips, especially when I was trying to defend out wide of my goal,” the 18-year-old said.
Victorious in all three group matches on Saturday, Brighton began Sunday by brushing aside Rangers 2-0 in their quarter-final. In the last four, they recovered from 1-0 down to dispatch Alkmaar 2-1 and avenge their heartache from 12 months ago.