A prestigious appointment for local referee Ishmael Barbara who is currently in China to officiate in the FISU University World Cup.
Barbara, a FIFA badge match official, took charge of the tournament's opener between Chinese side Hohai University and Argentina's University of La Matanza with the hosts clinching a narrow 1-0 victory with a penalty at the death.
The match was played at the Jinjiang Football Training Centre in front of 8,000 spectators.
The competition will end on October 31 with 12 universities vying for the men's title while 8 universities compete in the women's category.
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