Guangzhou Evergrande to debut at HKFC Soccer Sevens

Guangzhou Participates in Hong Kong Soccer 7s Competition

The club yesterday announced that the u-17 youth team would participate in the HKFC Citibank International Soccer Sevens 2014.

It’s a traditional football competition held in Hong Kong every year. This year it will be from 23 to 25 of May. Other participants are Chelsea, Manchester City, Newcastle, Aston Villa, Sunderland,Leicester City, Rangers and Hong Kong local teams.

Guangzhou Evergrande u-17 youth team was invited and Zhou Sui’an, a famous local coach, will lead the team in this competition. It will be an excellent opportunity to play with European teams.

 

Asian champions Guangzhou Evergrande will make their tournament debut at this year’s HKFC Citibank Soccer Sevens, which will be held at Hong Kong Football Club from May 23-25.

Winners of the Chinese Super League for the last three years, Guangzhou Evergrande will feature among the top eight seeds with English Premier League clubs Chelsea, Manchester City, Newcastle United, Aston Villa and Sunderland, holders Leicester City and Scottish giants Rangers, who will all field youth and academy sides.

Experienced coach Zhou Suian will manage the young Guangzhou Evergrande side, as the club make their tournament debut just months after winning the AFC Champions League for the first time and finishing fourth in the FIFA Club World Cup.

“As the reigning Asian champions, Guangzhou Evergrande are proud to be making our tournament debut at the HKFC Citibank Soccer Sevens,” Zhou said.

“Our senior team have won the Chinese Super League for three years and made China proud with our AFC Champions League victory, so we’re very excited to compete in Hong Kong, although we also feel a responsibility to perform well.

“We’ll have a very young side and it will be our first time, so it will be difficult against so many famous clubs from England, Scotland and Hong Kong, but we’ll do our best.”

Last November, Guangzhou won their third straight Chinese Super League title by 18 points before edging FC Seoul on the away goals rule to win the AFC Champions League final and become China’s first continental champions since Liaoning in 1990.

Zhou, 53, said Guangzhou Evergrande’s participation in the popular Hong Kong tournament reflects their growing international profile, yet is still convenient for a club who only need to take a bus to reach the city.

“This tournament is very international with many world-famous clubs, but it’s almost local for us because Hong Kong is so close,” Zhou said. “We hope to have a few supporters join us at the tournament and hopefully we’ll make some new friends when we’re there.”

Tony Bratsanos, Chairman of the HKFC Citibank Soccer Sevens Organising Committee, believes the addition of Guangzhou to the tournament has created a unique line-up for football fans.

“Guangzhou Evergrande’s participation in the HKFC Citibank Soccer Sevens for the first time is a sign that the event is evolving and widening its scope. As the reigning champions in China and Asia, they are a huge addition and we are excited they will be among eight pro clubs coming to Hong Kong,” Bratsanos said.

“Chelsea are currently leading the Premier League, so our 16-team Main competition currently features the best of England, the best of Asia, the best of China and the best of Hong Kong, which is a real coup.

“There’s a great range of top teams to watch and support. We will soon confirm the line-up of teams in the Masters tournament, which will again feature a wide range of famous international stars.”

Chelsea last played two years ago, while the six other British clubs competed last May, when Leicester beat 2012 champions Newcastle 2-0 in the Cup final.

Most of the British clubs will be fielding players between the ages of 17 to 21 as they bid to win a tournament that each year features future Premier League and international stars. Aston Villa have won the event a record five times.

Four HKFA teams will be confirmed nearer the time, while amateur sides Hong Kong Football Club, HKFC Captain’s Select, Yau Yee League Select and Singapore Cricket Club will also compete in the 16-team Main competition. The line-up of the 12-team Masters competition will be announced soon and ticket details will be confirmed in April.

The tournament will start with the opening round of Masters pool games on Friday evening, May 23. All the Main group matches and the remaining Masters pool games are held on the Saturday before the knockout stages for both competitions take place on Sunday.

Future stars who have competed in the Main competition include Gabriel Agbonlahor, Glen Johnson, Marc Albrighton, David Bentley, Anton Ferdinand, Sammy Ameobi and Shaun Maloney.

The Masters tournament has featured former England internationals Peter Beardsley, John Barnes, Chris Waddle, Teddy Sheringham, Des Walker, Andy Cole and Matt Le Tissier, German legends Jurgen Klinsmann and Pierre Littbarski, former France winger Didier Six and Finnish icon Jari Litmanen.

Citibank has title sponsored the event since 2011 and other sponsors this year include British Airways, Nike, Aegon and The Excelsior.