Peace defeats war in soccer clash

The Peace Studies team was not afraid to put in some tough tackles

Peace overcame war in a hard-fought footballing contest between two university teams in Bradford.

Bradford University's Peace Studies FC beat Kings College London's War Studies FC on penalties after the two-legged match ended in a 1-1 stalemate.

Peace FC's 4-3 shoot-out win saw them lift the Tolstoy Cup at the Intersonic Stadium, Valley Parade, on Sunday.

David Curran, 25, a PhD student on the Peace team, said: "It was a very competitive game of football."

Brazilian presence

About 200 spectators witnessed Peace FC stumble to a 1-0 defeat.

It was great to be on a good pitch at a good ground David "D Lama" Curran

However, the team carried a 1-0 cushion into the clash after winning the London leg of the match on 26 February.

Mr Curran, who wore a football shirt bearing the name "D Lama", added: "Having Valley Parade was brilliant.

"It was great to be on a good pitch at a good ground.

About 200 people soaked up the unusual atmosphere

"It was a really good day - everybody enjoyed themselves."

Mr Curran added that about £250 had been raised for charity.

The Peace Studies side was drawn from players at all academic levels, including undergraduates, MA and PhD students.

The team boasted a mix of nationalities, including players from Japan, Angola, Germany and Brazil.

Bradford's Peace Studies department, founded in 1973, is claimed as the largest such academic centre in the world, with 400 students from 40 countries.

The event was part of Bradford City's Community Week, which got under way as the regular football season finished.