The squad of the Cambridge University Association Football Club (CUAFC) travelled to China earlier this summer to take part in the inaugural World Elite University Football Tournament (WEUFT), hosted by Tsinghua University.

The eight-team tournament, organised by the Chinese university, was the first of its kind and welcomed sides from across the world, including Melbourne, Hong Kong and the University of Southern California, with Renmin, Peking and hosts Tsinghua making up the Chinese contingent. The Dark Blues from Oxford also managed to gain permission to feature. 

For the Light Blues, it was their first summer tour for over 20 years, and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to take on football sides from across the world. And with the matches broadcast live on the internet, professional officials and an Olympic-style opening ceremony overseen by dignitaries from the Chinese government and the Football Association, this was not any average university football sojourn.

But Cambridge faced a number of difficult challenges too – none more prevalent than the oppressive heat and humidity, regularly surpassing 35 degrees and 90 per cent respectively. Throw in nauseating levels of pollution emanating from the host city of Beijing, and CUAFC’s fitness levels were set to be put under a microscope: a restful summer vacation had to give way to intense training beforehand.

Indeed, the format of the tournament meant the Blues really were to be put through their paces. With eight sides split into two groups and the top two of each progressing to the semi-finals, the Blues would ultimately play five 90-minute matches in just eight days, interspersed with rest days that were in essence anything but – climbing the Great Wall of China and exploring Beijing’s historical sites did little to help tackle any fatigue.

However, CUAFC did not shy away from the challenge. Following on from the opening ceremony, the Light Blues were given the honour of kicking off the tournament against host university Tsinghua, in front of a thousand-strong crowd. And the Blues, after a shaky start, put on a performance, coming back from two goals down to win the game 3-2, courtesy of strikes from the inexhaustible Max Burley, who bagged a brace, and the French wizard, Arthur Toby.

The Light Blues’ group, alongside hosts Tsinghua, included the two contrasting teams of Melbourne and Hong Kong. The former, boasting players linked to professional A-League sides, always look set to do well in the competition, while the latter boasted considerably younger players who would ultimately be battered 9-0 by both Melbourne and the Cambridge tourists.

The Light Blues faced Melbourne in their second clash of the tournament, a full 24 hours after their opening fixture. It proved to be a tight affair, with the Aussies stealing the game after some excellent work from their tricky left winger.

Nevertheless, Cambridge progressed from the group in second place courtesy of their drubbing of Hong Kong, meaning they would face Group B winners Renmin, also of Beijing. Like Melbourne, the Chinese boasted players linked to professional sides in the Chinese Super League, though it would have been impossible to know that from how the semi-final started. The Light Blues started at a blistering pace, completely outplaying their opponents: they created three excellent openings which they failed to take and also slammed the post, all within the opening 15 minutes.

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Then came the turning point, and oddly, it worked against CUAFC. The unsporting behaviour of Renmin had already seen them earn one red card in the tournament against Oxford, and they went on to earn a second as Max Burley was elbowed off the ball. But from then on, CUAFC struggled to create any openings and sat off the ball, allowing the Chinese side to nick what proved to be the only goal of the game before half-time from a free-kick.

CUAFC piled on the late pressure but the heat began to take its toll, and so it would be Renmin who would progress through to the final. For Cambridge, meanwhile, a clash against Oxford for the honour of third place lay in waiting. But that turned out to be a game to forget: after a dismal first half, the Blues went into the break 2-0 down and, despite a much better second period, the damage had already been done. CUAFC would end the tournament on a disappointing low note.

Nonetheless, CUAFC still have every reason to look back on their trip to China with fond memories. The Light Blues can be proud of their performance: they were within touching distance of making the final and participating in an Anglo-Australian showdown against Melbourne, the talented Aussie team who would ultimately finish runners-up to Renmin – the eventual tournament winners.

And the chance to see some of Beijing’s most famous sites, meet footballers from across the world and take part in what is hoped will be a permanent tournament meeting will be something the players will never forget.