Universiade competitions start on June 30th, a day before the official opening ceremony of Universiade Belgrade 2009, with men’s and women’s football matches.
There are 16 matches scheduled for the first competition day. At FC Srem stadium in Jakovo, football teams of Brazil and Thailand are to meet at 10:30 am.
The Thai football team does not know much about their first opponents in the group; however, they are certain that they would be able to hold their own against the South Americans. At the Universiade 2007 in Bangkok, the home team beat Canada in a penalty shootout and won the bronze medal.
– We worked hard. We have finished the last training before the start of competitions. The Universiade football tournament in Bangkok was very exciting. We will put in all we have got and make a mark at the Universiade from the start, said the team manager of Thai delegation, Akom, adding humorously that their tactic was to keep the ball in their possession for as long as possible.
Students from the land of football and samba are concentrating on the start of the tournament. Their team got together a month ago in Brasilia, where they began preparations for the Universiade. The final preparations were carried out in Belgrade.
– Preparations were very exhausting. We trained twice a day. We get along well, we have known each other for some time because ten of us go to the same university, while the other ten at other Brazilian universities. The only thing we know about our opponents tomorrow is that they are very fast and play well with their head. One of our team members, Andre, played in Bangkok two years ago and told us all about them. We have watched their videotaped matches. They seem to be very focused. We are looking forward to playing with them, said Brazilian footballer Robson Goes, the player who has won Brazilian champion’s title in the national football tournament.
Goes commended the Village training amenities and expressed a wish, shared by other team members, to see Kalemegdan.
The Ukraine national team is the Universiade defending champion. They will meet with Moroccan team at FC Smederevo stadium.
Serbia’s women football selection is the first to go into battle. They will play at FC Oblic stadium against Canadians, while men’s national football team will play a little later on the same day with Ghana, at OFK Beograd stadium.