This weekend, West Ham United U21s were involved in the 2024 Hong Kong Football Club Soccer Sevens.
Our ten-man squad comprised players across the Club's U18s and U21s teams, with Northern Ireland international Michael Forbes named as skipper for the tour of the Far East.
West Ham progressed from Group A, with two wins and one defeat on Saturday 25 May, but fell to defeats by Fulham and Leicester City (on penalties) to exit the Shield competition at the semi-final stage.
You can watch the highlights and read reaction from the final day below, while a round-up of our group-stage wins is available here.
Forbes' rush-goalie heroics in 4v4
After falling to defeat by Fulham in the Cup quarter-finals, West Ham entered the Shield at the semi-final stage and faced Leicester City.
A 2-2 draw followed in normal time, before the format switched to 4v4 from 7v7 for a golden goal period of four extra minutes.
To create an overload in attack, Michael Forbes took the gloves, and even with his involvement at both ends of the pitch, and a few lung-busting sprints in between, West Ham couldn’t get over the line and eventually fell to defeat on penalties.
The West Ham skipper though reflected on the tournament as a whole and was pleased with the Hammers showing across the three-day competition.
“It has been an unbelievable experience,” the defender-cross-rush-goalkeeper explained. “It is really, really, warm and humid but the tournament overall has been a real positive.
“It has been tough because none of us have played this format before but hopefully we can learn from it if we play in it again next year.
“In the final game, you saw the fans getting involved which we don't really get at U21s football, so it is good to play under that pressure.
“[Mark] Phillips said at full-time 'you’re going in goal' [to create an overload with the ball], and I ended up running two lengths of the pitch to keep us in it and had a shot saved at the other end as well!
“Even though we lost on penalties, it’s been a positive season for the U21s, and being in Hong Kong has been a nice way to finish it.”
Reflecting on the tournament, lead coach Phillips added: “It's a different format to what we are used to, but you could see from the effort they have given – especially the performances in the extra-time against Leicester City, and Michael taking the gloves as well – that we have given it a real go and just come up just short on penalties.
“There have been some great individual performances with Gideon’s hat-trick on Saturday and Sean’s superb goal today, so we are pleased with how we have got on in Hong Kong.
“The support has been great out here as well and it’s been a real privilege to represent West Ham!”
Match 69, West Ham United 2-2 (p) Leicester City (Shield semi-final)
Goals from Gideon Kodua and trialist Brad Dolaghan saw West Ham equalise twice in normal time against Leicester City, although the drama continued with a search for a golden goal in extra time.
Despite half-chances for the Hammers to find the winner in a four-minute golden goal period, and a swashbuckling run back from Forbes to stop the Foxes, penalties were needed to decide the victor of an enthralling tie.
Here, Leicester progressed to the Shield final by a 4-3 scoreline on spot-kicks.
Starting VII: Terry, Forbes ©, Mayers, Akpata, Jones, Kodua, Dolaghan
Subs: Moore, Tarima, Kelly
Golden Goal IV: Forbes, Tarima, Kelly, Kodua
Goals: Kodua, Dolaghan
Match 57, West Ham United 1-3 Fulham (Cup quarter-final)
Having progressed from Group A, West Ham United fell to a defeat by Fulham in the Cup quarter-final.
Fulham took the lead early on, before the Cottagers missed a penalty to allow West Ham back into the fixture.
Sean Moore scored a stunning equaliser in the 12th minute, but two further goals gave Fulham victory, although West Ham will still be involved in the competition - the Shield, made up of those to suffer defeat in the quarter-finals of the cup.
Starting VII: Terry, Forbes ©, Mayers, Kelly, Tarima, Moore, Kodua
Subs: Akpata, Jones, Dolaghan
Goal: Moore
