Xi'an Eurasia University Wins the Championship of 2023 Shaanxi University Football League Level III

On June 5, the month-long 2023 Shaanxi University Football League came to an end at Xi'an Olympic Sports Center Stadium. The team of Xi'an Eurasia University defeated the team of Shaanxi Institute of Technology 2:1 in the final of the men's level III league (higher vocational school group) ended on May 25, winning the championship with a complete victory. This was the first time that Xi'an Eurasia University had won the championship in this competition. In addition, He Xiangshen, captain of the football team of Xi'an Eurasia University, was named Best Player; Pu Zhenan and Wang Yun won the trophies of Best Scorer and Best Goalkeeper, respectively. Xi'an Eurasia University also won the Sportsmanship Award.

\

(Fig. 1) The team of Xi'an Eurasia University stepped on the podium at Xi'an Olympic Sports Center Stadium

The league was co-sponsored by the Education Department of Shaanxi Province, the Sports Bureau of Shaanxi Province, the CPC Shaanxi Provincial Committee of the Communist Youth League, and Xi'an Municipal People's Government, and undertaken by 16 provincial and municipal departments such as Shaanxi Student Sports Association, Shaanxi Football Management Center, Organization Department of the CPC Xi'an Municipal Committee, and Xi'an Sports Bureau. The league was held in Xi'an Olympic Sports Center Stadium and relevant colleges and universities from May 8 to June 5, with a total duration of 28 days. The groups were divided into the men's group, women's group (each composed of 11 players), level I league (super group), level II league (ordinary group), and level III league (higher vocational school group). The competition was divided into the group match, cross-elimination match, and finals. More than 3,000 atheletes from 102 teams of 70 universities in the province participated in the competition, reaching a record high in team and player numbers.

The team of Xi'an Eurasia University was led by Ma Zhenke, Director of the Department of Sports Service of the School of Higher Vocational Education, Xi'an Eurasia University, and head coached by Li Meng. 22 students were sent to participate in the competition, including Wang Yun, Yang Zeyu, Li Jingrong, Li Bairuiqing, Guo Zhenwei, Gao Yapeng, Wang Shilong, Song Zheng, He Xiangshen, Ma Xiaonan, Jin Hanzheng, Liu Yongjie, Li Jintao, Qi Dan, Yang Yifan, Li Hui, Zhu Penghui, Zhang Jing, Pu Zhenan, Liu Xialiang, Hasaram and Ding Lei.

(Fig 2) Highlights of Xi'an Eurasia University Team at the Opening Match

On May 8, the opening match kicked off at Xi'an Eurasia University Football Stadium. The members of the Xi'an Eurasia University team were energetic and cooperated tacitly. Through the penalty shot by captain He Xiangshen, the team narrowly defeated Yan'an Vocational & Technical College 1:0. This auspicious start became the first step for the Xi'an Eurasian University football team to be qualified to compete at Xi'an Olympic Sports Center.

The opponent in the second round was the Shaanxi Energy Institute team. With the experience of winning the first match, the players were quickly ready to compete. Pu Zhenan, Hasaram, Gao Yapeng, and Song Zheng stood out. Finally, the Xi'an Eurasia University team won this round 6:1. By this round, the team had won 6 points and 6 goal differences, laying a solid foundation for the team to qualify for the next round.

In the crucial third round of the group match, the Xi'an Eurasia University team drew with its opponent in 90 minutes due to goals from Qi Dan and Li Hui. In the end, with stronger psychological quality and more stable performance, the players defeated the last champion team of Shaanxi Institute of Technology through a penalty shootout. This victory greatly boosted the morale of the team.

(Fig. 3) After the penalty shootout, goalkeeper Wang Yun was thrown high.

In the final round of the group match, facing such an unfamiliar team as Shaanxi Post and Telecommunication College, the Xi'an Eurasia University steam did not underestimate its opponent. According to the tactics assigned by head coach Li Meng before the match, it finally defeated its rival at home with a score of 6:0. Hasaram and Ma Xiaonan each scored one goal. No. 27 player Pu Zhenan scored four goals in this round, making great contributions to the team's qualification.

On May 20, the team of Xi'an Eurasia University met the team of Shaanxi Police College in the quarter-final knockout round. After only 16 minutes, the Xi'an Eurasian University team led 2-0 with goals from Wang Shilong and Li Hui. However, due to the hot weather on that day, the physical advantage of their opponents gradually emerged in the second half of the game, and the score was tied at 2-2 in a short time. Nonetheless, the players did not choose to give up. Instead, they encouraged each other and adjusted their mentalities. In the 87th minute of the game, No. 29 player Hasaram scored a killing goal in front of the gate. Finally, the Xi'an Eurasia University team narrowly beat its rival by 3:2 to enter the final four.

In the semi-final, the players from Xi'an Eurasia University were not quickly ready when competing with the team of Shaanxi Institute of Mechatronic Technology, ending the first half by 0:0. At half-time, head coach Li Meng quickly adjusted the planning, and captain He Xiangshen shouldered his responsibilities, encouraging all players to support each other and do as well as they did in their daily training. In the second half, the teams changed sides and competed again. With the goals of Zhu Penghui and Gao Yapeng, the Eurasia team beat the opponent 2:0, making them qualified for the final. It marked a step further toward the dream of winning the championship.

(Fig. 4) Highlights of the Finals

On the drizzling day of May 25, the main referee sounded a whistle to mark the start of the level III league final in Xi'an Olympic Sports Center Stadium. In the face of the familiar opponent team of Shaanxi Institute of Technology, the team members, despite physical injuries and fatigue from continuous intense operations, were energetic, showing the high morale and good spiritual outlook of the students of Xi'an Eurasia University. The score was 1:1 until the 74th minute when Qi Dan scored with a left corner hammer in the goal area, making the score 2:1. In the last 15 minutes of the match, the opponent team used long passes to threaten the goal many times and even created an opportunity to score a goal by one player alone. However, all these crises were solved one by one by goalkeeper Wang Yun. Finally, the team of Xi'an Eurasia University defeated its opponent by 2:1 and won the championship of 2023 Shaanxi University Football League Level III in the men's group, setting the best record for the university's football team to have competed in provincial competitions.

Looking back on the whole competition process, Ma Zhenke said: "The victory is attributed to our coach and our 22 classmates. Their love for football and their courageous fighting spirit have made more people get to know Xi'an Eurasia University through the competition and further understand our university's sports development."

(Fig. 5) Group Photo of Teachers and Students of Xi'an Eurasia University Team

Surveys showed that most of the students in the championship team of Xi'an Eurasia University were those majoring in sports operation and management at the School of Higher Vocational Education. Since its establishment, the Sports Service Department of the School of Higher Vocational Education has taken active action to cooperate with many professional sports institutions, special sports associations, and management centers both within the province and across China and has pursued university-enterprise cooperation in schooling. This competition also provides a larger and higher platform for students to comprehensively improve their theoretical and practical literacy.

(Fig. 6) Red Cross Society of Xi'an Eurasia University

As one of the competition venues of the 2023 Shaanxi University Football League, Xi'an Eurasia University won praise from coaches, athletes, and referees of the competition for its rigorous attitude, professionalism, and hospitality exhibited in holding the event. Notably, the Red Cross Society of Xi'an Eurasia University, which was primarily composed of teachers and students from the School of Higher Vocational Education, undertook the important task of first aid in this competition. All members of the organization had obtained the Red Cross First Aid Certificate, with professional first aid theoretical knowledge and practical ability. They provided guarantees for the smooth progress of the competition and the life safety of athletes. The red and white first aid signs became a beautiful scenery beside the football pitch.