Autonomous University of Mexico State open University World Cup with hard fought win over Beijing Institute of Technology

• Colourful Opening Ceremony highlights first day of the tournament

• All 16 men’s teams were in action as group stages begin

• Big wins for Borys Grinchenko Kyiv University (UKR) and Paulista University (BRA)

JINJIANG, China – The Autonomous University of Mexico State opened their account at the KELME 2019 FISU University World Cup – Football with a hard fought 1-0 win over Beijing Institute of Technology. Captain Wilson Graniolati was instrumental in defence, while Manuel Alejandro Lopez Palomares scored the winner in the 52^ndminute, ensuring the Mexicans’ first win on the opening day of action at the pathbreaking tournament.

The match between one of the host nation’s teams and the Mexicans took place immediately after a colourful Opening Ceremony that officially signalled the start of the tournament. The ceremony was full of local flavour, traditional dance, martial arts and acrobatics and set the tone for the event which promises to be distinctive in more ways than one. Not only is it unique in pitting universities against each other, but it is also a first in holding full tournaments for men and women simultaneously.

Matches started earlier in the day, with all four men’s groups in action. Three of the matches were emphatic wins – for Paulista University of Brazil, University of Wollongong from Australia and the Borys Grinchenko Kyiv University who each won with a margin of 4 goals or more.

The marquee match of the day though, was the one between Autonomous University of Mexico State and Beijing Institute of Technology that followed immediately after the Opening Ceremony. The host nation team seemed to have taken the visitors by surprise at the start, as they went in with their attack mode on. Some spirited defence from Mexico in the first half saved them a few scares, including a superb save from Captain Wilson Graniolati in the 10^thminute. For much of the first half, the pressure was constantly on the Mexicans but they went into half time at 0-0.

The game turner came in the 52^ndminute through a set play goal from Manuel Alejandro Lopez Palomares, which was good enough to last till the end for a hard fought 1-0 win.          

“I’m very happy right now,” said Palomares after the game. “Last night I dreamt that I scored a goal and that happened! I cannot explain it.”

“It’s like a dream to me,” he continued. “This is the objective of everyone in this tournament, to score the winning goal for their team. This was a tough game, it was really difficult.”

He also spoke of how the partisan crowd buoyed the home team especially in the first half. “The beginning of the match was so difficult with the full crowds. The first fifteen minutes were very difficult; once we survived this, the game came easier to us.”

The second day of action will see all the eight women’s teams in action. The tournament continues until 1 December when the men’s finals will be played one day after the women’s title game.

All matches will be streamed live on FISU.TV. Further information on the University World Cup – Football is available here.

Results