This week the Christmas and New Year youth football tournament of the Russian-African Club of Moscow State University took place in Moscow.
Nine teams took part in the tournament: 4 teams from higher educational institutions (Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia, Higher School of Economics, MISiS University of Science and Technology and Moscow Polytechnic University), as well as 5 countries: Central African Republic, Cameroon, Ghana, Zambia and Chad .
The teams included players from the Central African Republic, Cameroon, Ghana, Zambia, Chad, Burkina Faso, Russia and other African countries. More than 150 fans from Moscow higher educational institutions and public organizations came to support the players. Representatives of the embassies of Burkina Faso, Equatorial Guinea, and the Central African Republic were present; also among the guests were leaders of the African diaspora in Russia and stars of Russian and African football.
In the final of the tournament, the student team of Ghana played against the student team of Cameroon. The main time of the match ended in a draw (3:3), and the Cameroon team won in the penalty shootout, which became the leader of the youth tournament. The team of the Russian Peoples’ Friendship University took 3rd place in the tournament, beating an opponent from the Moscow Polytechnic University with a score of 3:1.
The tournament was opened by the chairman of the commission for work with African diasporas of the Russian-African Club of Moscow University, President of the Cameroonian diaspora Louis Gouend.
The famous Soviet and Russian football coach Valery Kuzmich Nepomnyashchy spoke at the opening ceremony of the tournament. It was he who led the Cameroon team in 1990 at the World Cup in Italy, when for the first time an African team was able to reach the quarter-finals of the World Cup. Valery Kuzmich noted the great potential of African football and expressed confidence that African teams must become world champions. The honored coach wished success to the players and noted that he loves to watch exactly the kind of football like at today’s tournament, when teams play for the love of football, and not for awards.
Then the football player of the national women’s team of Russia and the Dynamo Sports Club (Moscow) Diana Pamen-Tchato took the floor. Diana herself is the personification of the unity of Russia and Africa, since her father is African, and her mother is Russian, an athlete, and wished the players a good and interesting game.
A bright and fiery atmosphere reigned during the tournament, Russian and African musicians performed, and the audience warmly supported the players. The players spared no effort and showed true skill. All participants of the event received memorable prizes and awards. The event concluded with a Christmas dinner featuring African and European dishes accompanied by African music.
The main achievement of this tournament was the atmosphere of a truly sports festival, filled with friendship and solidarity of Russian and African students of Moscow higher educational institutions, and, in general, this event became a clear indicator of strong friendly relations between Russia and Africa.