BEIJING, China – A fourteen hour flight, a couple of partial monsoons and sixty percent humidity wasn't enough to slow down the UBC Thunderbirds as they stormed to victory in their opening game of the World Elite University Football Tournament (WEUFT).
Â
Â
UBC used an inspired four-goal performance from second-year striker
Luke Griffin to dismantle Peking University 9-0. So dominant were the 'Birds over their opponents, the game was locked up after only 26 minutes, with UBC ahead 5-0.
"It was nice to get the tourney started and we certainly started with a bang getting one in the first minute and then right away again. I think we certainly shocked our opponents," said UBC Head Coach
Mike Mosher. "The games will get much more difficult from here, as Melbourne will be good tomorrow and then whomever we get in the crossover game for the quarter final will be a very tough game. Renmin (Beijing) are defending champions and the Tubingen team from Germany look good as well."
Â
The week-long tournament, hosted by Tsinghua University in Beijing, is a prestigious affair which draws teams from the top academic universities from around the world. The tournament is made up of three groups of three teams, who will play a two game round robin. The top two teams from each group will advance to the second round.
UBC Scoring Summary
UBC:
Luke Griffin 4 (1st, 21st, 69th, 80th),
Kerman Pannu (3rd),
Mackenzie Cole (15th),
Manraj Bains (26th),
Brian Im (56th),
Kyle Sohi (86th).
GK:
Jason Roberts SO (2 saves)
Â
The Thunderbirds have drawn a group with Peking University and the squad from the University of Melbourne (Australia). Oxford, Cambridge and USC are also playing for the WEUFT title.
Â
The Thunderbirds will play next on Saturday, June 24th at approximately 6pm PT against the University of Melbourne.
Â
The game can streamed live, free of charge by clicking on this link.
Â
