RoboCup: ZJUNlict vs. RoboDragons

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The second game of the day is ZJUNlict vs. RoboDragons. The clear favorite here is ZJUNlict, although they had some issues with their robots here and there. You can find the link to the live ticker as always on Twente’s YouTube platform or at this link

First Half

05:00 The game starts with a half-hour delay. ZJUNlict is in yellow, RoboDragons in blue.
04:33 Shot on goal by ZJUNlict, but the ball was at 7.2 m/s, clearly too fast, the limit is 6 m/s. Therefore, it remains 0-0
04:26 Counterattack by RoboDragons, but the ZJUNlict goalkeeper clears with a chip kick. Maybe the game will be more exciting than expected.
03:43 Many game situations in the midfield and the RoboDragons’ half; the game is running very smoothly so far. ZJUNlict’s dribbler is as expected ridiculously good; apparently, they use almost no dribbler damping and consider this a secret to their success.
02:53 Very dangerous situation in RoboDragons’ field. Only a few millimeters were missing for a goal, but the goalkeeper can clear at the last second. Let’s see how long that holds up; the dominance of ZJUNlict is clearly recognizable.
02:53 RoboDragons now take a timeout.
02:12 Currently, the game is meandering along; there are no real eye-catchers at the moment.
01:17 Attacks on both sides, but both teams have been able to clear so far.
00:16 Not much of the initial dominance can be seen at the moment. A very dangerous situation in ZJUNlict’s half, but it remains without consequences.
00:00 And so it goes into halftime without any goals. While RoboDragons have been impressive, showing significant progress compared to previous years, ZJUNlict disappoints: Instead of strong dominance, fast play, and clever use of their dribbler, there are many missed passes and defensive maneuvers in their own half. However, ZJUNlict is a wildcard; they showed excellent performances in the two test matches against TIGERs Mannheim (unfortunately not recorded).

Second Half

05:00 The game continues with the second half; neither team colors nor sides have changed.
04:42 And now, finally, the first goal is scored, as expected by ZJUNlict.
ZJUNlict 1 : 0 RoboDragons
03:40 The game is meandering along again. RoboDragons now take another lengthy timeout.
03:30 And another timeout by RoboDragons; the game is a bit sluggish right now.
02:32 While RoboDragons isn’t achieving much right now, ZJUNlict isn’t shining either.
02:14 At least there was another shot on RoboDragons’ goal, although a bit lackluster. It’s not going to be a 2-0 like this!
01:03 After the game was very sluggish for a long time, things are moving forward again now. But the shot on RoboDragon’s goal is too weak, and the goalkeeper can save it.
00:47 Timeout for ZJUnlict.
00:31 Brief moment of shock: It rattles in ZJUNlict’s goal. But it was either Ball Placement or Double Touch. In any case, the goal doesn’t count, and it remains 1-0 for ZJUNlict.
-00:08 One last exciting situation in ZJUNlict’s half: After an unsuccessful clearance from ZJUNlict’s robot from their corner, RoboDragons win the ball and make one final attempt on goal, but the keeper can save it. Thus, the game ends 1-0 for ZJUNlict.
00:00 Overall, RoboDragons delivered a very good performance. ZJUNlict, on the other hand, was disappointing; much more was expected. There weren’t too many attacks, and they couldn’t shine in ball and passing control.

RoboCup: RoboDragons vs. ER-Force

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After finishing in 3rd place in our group during the group phase, we’re now playing the first game of the knockout phase. Unfortunately, SRC couldn’t participate in the tournament due to VISA issues, which has made the schedule somewhat strange, so we’ll have one more game after this one regardless of whether we win or lose.

You can find the link to the live ticker as always on Twente’s YouTube platform or at this link.

First Half

05:00 The game begins. We’re playing in blue with 8 robots, and RoboDragons are in yellow with 8 robots as well.
04:02 Surprisingly smooth gameplay so far. However, some robots, including our 9, are mostly motionless on the field. Soon, they and another robot are taken off the field, leaving us with only 6 robots.
03:02 Intense battle in front of our penalty area. Unfortunately, this battle ends successfully for our opponent, and it’s 1-0 for RoboDragons.
RoboDragons 1 : 0 ER-Force
02:54 And now, there are only 4 robots left.
02:43 The game is primarily taking place in our half, although “taking place” is an exaggerated expression, given the limited playing time.
01:53 Unfortunately, there are fewer new ER-Force robots and more old ones because the robots are having problems with the new radio equipment.
01:39 Attack on our goal, but our goalkeeper managed to catch the ball and chip it away.
01:29 And another goal for RoboDragons, making it 2-0 now. We’re also playing with only 3 to 4 robots.
RoboDragons 2 : 0 ER-Force
00:50 Minor interruptions in the live ticker, as we’re currently busy soldering so much that there’s no time for updates. We’re trying to fix the radio issues with the old robots to replace the new robots with old ones. It’s a shame, but there’s nothing we can do.
00:50 Unusual interruption of the game: lizard on the field. It takes a few seconds to catch the lizard and peacefully remove it from the field.
00:05 And another goal against us. Initially, the goalkeeper defended very well, but then he simply stood still and let the ball roll in.
RoboDragons 3 : 0 ER-Force

Second Half

05:00 And the second half kicks off.
03:30 Another goal is scored, making it 4-0 for RoboDragons. Considering that we’re playing with very few robots, it’s highly unlikely that we’ll recover from this deficit.
RoboDragons 4 : 0 ER-Force
03:30 At some point, another goal must have been scored, so it’s already 5-0…
RoboDragons 5 : 0 ER-Force
00:00 At some point, the sixth goal is scored; the exact timing isn’t clearly visible in the stream. The game ends 6-0 in favor of RoboDragons, and we move to the lower bracket of the tournament.
RoboDragons 6 : 0 ER-Force

Overall, it’s very unfortunate that we’ve had so many radio problems. This meant that we played with a significant numerical disadvantage, making it disproportionately difficult to hold and defend goals.

We’re now trying to switch as many new robots as possible to old radios, although this is somewhat frustrating. We’ll see tomorrow at 2:00 PM in our potentially final game how well we manage and if it makes a difference – after all, our old radio wasn’t very good either.

RoboCup: ZJUNlict vs. KIKS

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Soon, the last group game between ZJUNlict and KIKS will take place. The important thing for us is that ZJUNlict doesn’t win because then we’ll remain in 3rd place in our group and play against RoboDragons at 3:30 PM. You can find the link to the game as always on Twente’s YouTube page or at this link.

First Half

05:00 The game starts with a 5-minute delay. ZJUNlict plays with 11 robots in yellow, and KIKS with 10 robots in blue.
04:52 Right after the kickoff, ZJUNlict already has to replace a robot, as it’s having obvious problems with ball placement.
03:47 Intense battles in the midfield. Neither team seems to gain a clear advantage. But ZJUNlict has to replace 2 more robots, so they are now down to 8 players.
03:15 Very nice and fluid play in KIKS’ half. Eventually, ZJUNlict manages to break through and successfully score a goal. The score is now 1-0 for ZJUNlict.
ZJUNlict 1 : 0 KIKS
03:07 Completely botched kickoff by KIKS, allowing ZJUNlict to take possession.
02:05 Still a hotly contested ball, although the game has calmed down somewhat, and there are more out-of-bounds situations. Overall, there’s a lot happening in the midfield, indicating a balanced team matchup. The player count is almost back to being equal, with ZJUNlict having 8 robots and KIKS with 9.
01:17 Hot shot on goal by ZJUNlict, unfortunately, it hits the post. Close!
00:31 Another shot by ZJUNlict. The balanced game is shifting in favor of ZJUNlict again, with KIKS mostly on the defensive and not getting the chance to launch an attack themselves.
-00:15 After a very long attempt, ZJUNlict finally manages to score a very nice goal just before halftime.
ZJUNlict 2 : 0 KIKS
00:00 Overall, ZJUNlict is noticeably the stronger team, and even the majority of the time being in a numerical disadvantage couldn’t change that. Accordingly, the two goals of the first half are likely not the only ones, and we can probably expect a game between ER-Force and RoboDragons at 3:30 PM.

Second Half

05:00 And the second half starts. Neither colors nor sides have been changed during halftime.
04:21 Exciting duel in KIKS’ penalty area. The result: a goal for ZJUNlict.
ZJUNlict 3 : 0 KIKS
03:26 Now ZJUNlict means business: after a longer duel in the opponent’s penalty area, they increase the lead to 4-0!
ZJUNlict 4 : 0 KIKS
02:45 Again, very long and beautiful passing plays and duels in KIKS’ half.
02:04 For a change, an attack on ZJUNlict, but the ball doesn’t get close to the goal; instead, it’s cleared out of bounds.
01:06 Eventually, an attack must lead to a goal: 5-0 for ZJUNlict.
ZJUNlict 5 : 0 KIKS
00:42 After the ball has once again been shot out of the field, there’s a longer break, which is used, among other things, for a substitution action. Directly after this break, ZJUNlict calls a timeout.
00:00 With a final score of 5-0, the game ends calmly and leisurely, confirming that ER-Force will play against RoboDragons at 3:30 PM.

RoboCup: TIGERs Mannheim vs. Twente

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The next game of the day is TIGERs Mannheim against RoboTeam Twente. Because the last game lasted incredibly long, the game will start with a significant delay. But that’s not a problem since games with TIGERs Mannheim always save the schedule, as TIGERs Mannheim invariably destroys all its opponents, making the games quickly come to an end. Twente won’t have much of a chance, they should be lucky if they even get to touch the ball once. You can find the link to the game as always on Twente’s YouTube page or at this link.

Despite the highly anticipated, very one-sided game, we are still curious whether Twente can play with more robots now and if some of their bugs have been fixed. Among other things, Twente often had trouble shooting the ball during kickoff, as they repeatedly caused a double touch, which is forbidden by the rules to prevent individual robots from making “marches” through the field.

First Half

05:00 The game starts with a half-hour delay. Surprisingly, TIGERs are playing with all 11 robots in blue (just kidding), while Twente is playing with 3 robots in yellow.
04:45 Shot on goal by TIGERs Mannheim, but Twente manages to save it! That was unexpected.
04:39 Okay, it didn’t take long, goal for TIGERs.
TIGERs Mannheim 1 : 0 RoboTeam Twente
04:22 Another successful shot on goal, it’s already 2-0 for TIGERs Mannheim.
TIGERs Mannheim 2 : 0 RoboTeam Twente
04:14 This is happening too fast. Another goal, I can’t keep up with writing. They should play slower.
TIGERs Mannheim 3 : 0 RoboTeam Twente
04:02 While this would be expected from other teams, TIGERs is making some major mistakes in this game: they are occasionally not receiving their own passes. Meanwhile, Twente is holding up quite well; they can kick off, and in defense, they are shaky, although it’s still a David vs. Goliath situation.
03:55 The few passes that go wrong for TIGERs don’t stop them from immediately shooting another goal: 4-0 for TIGERs.
TIGERs Mannheim 4 : 0 RoboTeam Twente
03:44 5-0 for TIGERs…
TIGERs Mannheim 5 : 0 RoboTeam Twente
03:10 Now, the TIGERs bots have flexed a bit, playing long passing maneuvers with various chip kicks, only to shoot past the goal at a sharp angle. Still very nice to watch.
03:02 And, of course, they immediately make up for what they missed earlier: 6-0 for TIGERs Mannheim.
TIGERs Mannheim 6 : 0 RoboTeam Twente
02:53 This game may never see the second half: 7-0 for TIGERs Mannheim.
TIGERs Mannheim 7 : 0 RoboTeam Twente
02:33 Due to a ball placement, the next goal has been delayed a bit this time, but, of course, it eventually comes, and now it’s 8-0 for the robots from Mannheim.
TIGERs Mannheim 8 : 0 RoboTeam Twente
02:33 Twente is now taking a timeout, let’s see what they make of it.
02:25 And the game continues. Not much has changed; TIGERs is steadily heading towards the finish line with a score of 9-0. One more goal, and the game will end prematurely.
TIGERs Mannheim 9 : 0 RoboTeam Twente
02:12 The game could have been over in less than 2 game minutes (16 real minutes), but TIGERs Mannheim’s shot was too fast at 6.8 m/s, so it doesn’t count.
01:58 But now: 10-0 for TIGERs Mannheim, the game is officially ended with TIGERs’ victory dances and a robot version of “Eye of the Tiger”.
TIGERs Mannheim 10 : 0 RoboTeam Twente

RoboCup: Immortals vs. KIKS

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After our game lasted for one and a half hours, the next game, Immortals vs. KIKS, follows directly. You can find the link on Twente’s YouTube page or at this link

The outcome of this game determines whether we are displaced to the fourth place. If KIKS loses the game, we will remain temporarily and presumably in the 3rd place (theoretically, we could also be displaced to the fourth place in the game ZJUNlict vs. KIKS, but we expect that ZJUNlict will win this game decisively). In case of a draw or a win, however, KIKS displaces us, at least due to their better goal difference.

First Half

05:00 The game is kicked off with a slight delay, Immortals playing with 8 robots as the yellow team, KIKS with 9 robots as the blue team.
04:03 Not much exciting is happening during the game, the robots often just wobble a bit. Immortals now takes a timeout to check their robots.
03:37 Although the game is on the quieter side, it’s more enjoyable to watch than our game against ZJUNlict. Only the frequent long breaks are a bit annoying.
02:52 Short attacking session after a very quiet game, but the attack doesn’t lead to anything.
01:33 Many exciting ball exchanges and duels in KIKS’ half of the field. They can hold their own against Immortals for a long time, but eventually, the goal is scored: 1-0 for Immortals!
Immortals 1 : 0 KIKS
01:27 And again, the game stands still… The frequent interruptions are disruptive; the actual game looks quite nice.
00:35 Back and forth in midfield, but no real results come from it.
00:00 Thus, the first half ends. Overall, Immortals dominates the game, but neither of the teams could shine through with technology or AI. Let’s see how the second half will be. If the game ends in favor of Immortals, we will stay in our group’s third place; in case of a draw, KIKS will displace us to the 4th place due to their better goal difference.

Second Half

05:00 The second half continues directly with a shot on goal by Immortals, but the ball hits the outside of the goal.
03:46 The game is currently so sluggish and slow that it’s not fun to watch. The audience has noticed this too, which is why there are fewer and fewer spectators.
03:46 Endless minutes have passed, but not a single second in the game. Overall, the current situation can be summarized concisely with the following sentence: Incredibly boring.
03:25 Why is it always me when the ball is shot out of the field? In general, such shots happen very frequently in this RoboCup, so it’s dangerous to live close to the field. Additionally, the robots seem to be losing parts.
02:07 A goal is scored for Immortals. How, no idea; the attention span of most people has already been exhausted.
Immortals 2 : 0 KIKS
00:00 Somehow, we survived it; the game is finally over. Towards the end, it even went quite fast, but the damage was already done: a boring game. The good thing for us is that KIKS lost, and we remain in the 3rd place, at least for now.