The grand opening of the mini-tournament of the All-Russian complex football competitions of the 2023 National Student Football League took place at the Locomotive stadium.
The fans applauded the teams of the Group A of the Top Division – the champion of the first group of the 2019-2020 season Sevastopol State University, the three-time winner of the NSFL SSU, the winner of the Group B of the 2022 NSFL the Povolzhsky Institute of Management named after P.A. Stolypin, and the team of Luhansk State University, which is participating in the competition for the first time.
At the opening ceremony, the Minister of Youth Policy and Sports of Saratov Region Oleg Dubovenko, President of the NSFL Andrei Stukalov, Chair of the Council of Student Sports Leagues, RSSU, Roman Olkhovskii, Vice-President of the International Student Football Union Alexander Meitin, and rectors of Saratov universities made welcoming speeches.
Oleg Dubovenko, in his address to the participants of the tournament, marked that it was honourary for Saratov to host such significant NSFL games, in which Saratov was represented by two sports teams at once. ‘Football is a significant sport for us. I sincerely thank the leadership of the League for the trust placed in Saratov, and I am sure that student sports will continue to be supported by the Governor of the region and the Ministry of Youth Policy and Sports, and will develop in our region. The participants, I hope you will have bright emotions and uncompromising struggle. May the strongest win!’
Andrei Stukalov thanked Saratov for the warm welcome and recalled the bright victories of the SSU football team. ‘There was a covid period when the League was not in the regions. And finally, with the help of the administration of the region and the participating universities, we have returned to the regional tournaments. I would like to thank both the two Saratov universities and the administration of the region for receiving our teams from Sevastopol and Luhansk with great respect and honour. Thanks! I have already seen in the young team of Saratov State University the features of that great SSU team with which we started 10 years ago. Who was a three-time NSFL vice-champion, who won the world championship two times in Rome and Barcelona. Let's remember those names that are inscribed in golden letters in the history of the NSFL!’
The incredible atmosphere at the stadium was noted by Roman Olkhovskii. ‘Not every professional match in Russia today can boast of such an atmosphere. Thank you very much! Turning to the teams, I would like to assume that football and sports for many of you will not become the subject of your professional activity, but for someone it will. I hope that you will remember your time in the NSFL, in football, and as a student for the rest of your life, and whatever you will do next, so that you remain true to believe in the principles that you gained doing sports. The Russian Student Sports Union celebrates its 30th anniversary this year. In this significant year, football continues, the league is developing, for which I thank you all very much!’
Chair of the Rectors’ Union of Saratov region, SSU Rector Aleksei Chumachenko in his speech wished success. ‘Everything that has been done so far is our joint work in order to host strong teams in Saratov and hold matches. Special thanks to NSFL President Andrei Stukalov. You are bringing football back to university cities. Thank you for Saratov becoming one of the competition venues. Thanks to the teams of Sevastopol and Luhansk for coming here. We are rivals only on the field, but outside of it you will meet new friends. Enjoy your football matches!’
Under the Russian anthem of Russia, the flags of the Russian Federation and Saratov Region were hoisted by a sports veteran, referee, coach of football players Anatolii Surovtsev and the winner of the NSFL Golden Ball award Andrei Surovtsev.
At the end of the ceremony, the participating teams received memorable prizes.
In the first match, the teams of two Saratov universities met – SSU and the Povolzhsky Institute of Management named after P.A. Stolypin. The score in the first time was 0:0, and at the beginning of the second time the football player of the Saratov State University team Dmitrii Weber scored a goal. The match involved extra time – 3 minutes. The victory was won by the SSU team with a score of 1:0.
In the second match, the teams of Luhansk State University and Sevastopol State University played. The first goal was scored by an LSU midfielder, a football player Nikita Sevostyanov. The match ended with an extra time of 2 minutes and a score of 1:0 in favour of Luhansk State University.
On Tuesday, the tournament will continue with meetings of SSU and Sevastopol State University, as well as Povolzhsky Institute of Management named after P.A. Stolypin, and Luhansk State University.
