Stellar matches in women’s quarterfinals, last four confirmed in eSports Challenge

On Tuesday, 14 July, the spotlight of the 2020 FISU eSports Challenge was firmly on the women. While the day session showcased men’s quarterfinals, the marquee evening session was reserved for the ladies and they lived up to the top billing.

The first woman marching into the last four of this inaugural eSports Challenge was Jessica Au of Monash University, Australia. She was up against one of the tournament favourites, Paria M’arefi, from Islamic Azad University, Iran.

With the quarterfinals played over two legs, the first game was a tense one, in which both players were gauging each other’s strengths and skills.  Both entered very diversified teams, with several star players, including many of the same ones.

The first half was very technical, but without goals. After a few substitutions, in the second half, the level of the game was raised. M’arefi, who had a lot of support from the audience watching on FISU Twitch, opened the scoring with a goal from Kanté. Au then equalized with a great goal from Trezeguet. Not to be left behind, the Iranian then scored again, only for the Australian to level the score once more. The first game thus ended at 2-2.

The second game surprisingly turned out to be a rout! M’arefi was very offensive at the beginning of the match, but Au opened the scoring with the Portuguese player Bruno Fernandes. The Australian then continued to dominate the entire game and opened up a difference of six goals! Even though the Iranian scored a goal towards the end, it was too little too late. Final score: 6-1 for Jessica Au, 8-3 on aggregate.

The second featured quarterfinal on the live stream was Nur Fatihah Abdul Rahman from Malaysia University of Science and Technology versus Alexssandra Cristina Batista Pereira from UniAteneu, Brazil.

Rahman, the student of Culinary Sciences, who has been very strong throughout the tournament, scored first in the 33^rd minute through Neymar. That’s how the scoreboard remained in the first half, but Batista the Architecture student equalized early in the second half, with Antoine Griezmann. Then in 72^nd minute, she went ahead by 2-1 and finally a 90^th minute goal by Mbappé sealed the first game 3-1, for the Brazilian.

In the second leg, Batista ran away with the match. With some great goals through Antoine Griezmann, Ben Yedder and Emmanuel Petit, Batista completely dominated the match, winning it 6-2 and becoming the second woman into the semifinals. In the last four, she will take on Jessica Au.

The second women’s semifinal will be fought between Maha Saif Salem Albreiki of Zayed University, UAE and Najd Fahad of Al-Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Albreiki beat Maria Soledad Lopez of La Matanza, Argentina (11-2), while Fahad got past Khaalidah Bilqees Mohammed of University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa (10-3).

SF line-up (women)

Jessica AU, Monash University (AUS) v Alexssandra BATISTA, UniAteneu (BRA)

Maha Saif ALBREIKI, Zayed University (UAE) v Najd FAHAD, Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University (KSA)

SF line-up (men)

Masih MOHAFEZATKAR, Qazvin University of Medical Sciences (IRI) v Natthawich KONGKIJPIPAT, Rangsit University (THA)      

Amran AL DHUHLI, Modern College of Business and Science (OMA) v Dillon HENRIQUES-GOMES, Swinburne University of Technology (AUS)

Matches will be streamed live on FISU Twitch at 14:00 CEST (12:00 GMT) and 22:00 CEST (20:00 GMT). The full result of all the games can be found  for the men and  for the women. Stay tuned to our social media channels to follow everything!