Brighton & Hove Albion's under-23s' Hong Kong Citi Soccer Sevens campaign came to an end after a 3-0 defeat to West Ham United in the main shield section of the tournament this weekend.
Simon Rusk’s side made impressive progress in the competition, finishing top of Group D, consisting of HKFA Red Dragons, Singapore Cricket Club and Leicester City.
Albion began with a 1-1 draw against local side HKFA Red Dragons in their first game of the group stages on Saturday, before beating Singapore Cricket Club 1-0.
The day’s action was rounded off with a 2-0 victory over Leicester City in the final group game, which saw Albion claim top spot and qualify for the knockout stages of the main cup tournament.
However, a 3-1 defeat to Italian side Cagliari Calcio in the quarter finals on Sunday meant Albion dropped down into the main shield section of the tournament – contested by the losing quarter finalists in the main cup knockout competition.
After overcoming one fellow English side in Leicester City, Albion were then beaten by another, as West Ham recorded a 3-0 victory to end the side’s journey in the competition.