WATCH: University World Cup, Men’s Semifinals

INSIDE SCOOP TO THE TEAMS MAKING IT TO THE MEN’S SEMIFINALS

Following topsy-turvy quarterfinals at the KELME 2019 FISU University World Cup – Football that saw all four group stage leaders relegated to the ranking rounds, today’s two showcase semifinals feature the four contending teams left in the chase for the championship. Games get under at 14:00 local time / 06:00 GMT with the non-stop action running until 22:00 local / 14:00 GMT.

Autonomous University of Mexico State provided perhaps the most late-game heroics. After falling behind Paulista University 1-0 in the 58th minute, Mexico State tied it up late and then won 3-2 on penalty kicks to secure their place in the semifinals. In the semifinals, they take on the University of Wollongong. The Australian team qualified for the quarterfinals with a 2-0 stunner over previously unbeaten Smolensk State Academy of Physical Culture, Sport and Tourism.

The other side of the bracket looks just as competitive with the University of the Republic from Uruguay going up against Myongji University of South Korea. As the first edition of the University World Cup – Foot event comes after the Napoli 2019 Summer Universiade, several of the collegiate players also represented their university national teams at the event this past July.

“So far, we were only focused on this quarterfinal game but tomorrow we will look at some games of the Koreans,” University of the Republic captain Santiago Pallares said after their 2-0 win over the University of Malaga. “Some of us were in Napoli in July playing for Uruguay at the Summer Universiade and the Koreans were a very tough team there, too.”

TODAY’S GAMES

SEMIFINAL MATCH-UPS

UNIVERSITY OF WOLLONGONG vs AUTONOMOUS UNIVERSITY OF MEXICO STATE

LOCAL TIME 18:00 / GMT 10:00

UNIVERSITY OF THE REPUBLIC vs MYONGJI UNIVERSITY

LOCAL TIME 20:00 / GMT 12:00

RANKING ROUNDS: 5th – 8th

UNIVERSITY OF MALAGA vs BANGKOK THONBURI UNIVERSITY

LOCAL TIME 18:00 / GMT 10:00

SMOLENSK STATE ACADEMY OF PHYSICAL CULTURE, SPORT AND TOURISM vs PAULISTA UNIVERSITY

LOCAL TIME 20:00 / GMT 12:00

RANKING ROUNDS: 9th – 16th

JULIUS-MAXIMILIANS UNIVERSITY OF WURZBURG vs BORYS GRINCHENKO BYIV UNIVERSITY

LOCAL TIME 16:00 / GMT 08:00

UNIVERSITY OF SPLIT vs BEIJING INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY