• Third day at the FIFAe Club World Cup 2022 provides close round-of-16 and quarter-final matchups

• Ninjas in Pyjamas stroll through to the last four without conceding

• MGCF Esports - RMA Tech complete upset over touted favourites Fnatic to make final day

Day three of the FIFAe Club World Cup 2022™ presented by EA SPORTS™ has come to a close here at the Bella Arena in Copenhagen, Denmark and through the conclusion of the first rounds of the Knockout stage, the final four has been confirmed for the final day of the tournament: who will lift the trophy in Copenhagen in week two of the FIFAe Finals 2022? 

Round-of-16

The competition day kicked off at 11am with the first round-of-16 matchups. The pick of the matchups came between Ninjas in Pyjamas and ANKAAEsports, as a goal from the former in the last minutes secured a tough 3-2 aggregate win and continued their unbeaten start to the tournament.

They were quickly joined by EXCEL, progressing comfortably over Mkers. The surprise of the round came as Team Heretics knocked out the unbeaten Reply Totem Esports by holding onto their 2-0 first leg lead. The Brazilian-based MGCF Esports - RMA Tech succeeded in the South American derby, knocking out the Argentines of KRÜ Esports to progress forward to the quarter-finals.  

Also joining the quarter-final stage was the Tuga810 and AndoniiPM duo representing Riders, as well as the winner of the battle of the German organisations FC Schalke 04, who prevailed over the DullenMIKE-led Team NEO on penalties. Fnatic sailed through convincingly over KoraGate Geekay Esports, but the pick of the last matches was between SAF and GBX Esports Team, with momentum swinging both ways throughout the tie, but SAF eventually came out victorious on aggregate 6-5.

View all Knockout stage standings so far on FIFA.GG.

Quarter-Finals

We were treated to the matchup of EXCEL and Riders as our first Quarter-Final matchup, and it was Riders who dominated leg one, playing intricate direct football. However EXCEL climbed back into the match with green-timed long-range finesses and extra-time was required to separate the two clubs, with Riders prevailing on penalties to secure the first spot in the final day.

MGCF Esports came out firing in their first leg matchup against Fnatic, doubling their lead to 2-0 in the first 30 in-game minutes. Fnatic would get back into the game, but ultimately the first leg would finish in favour of MGCF, 3-1 - and this difference would prove insurmountable in the second leg, as MGCF Esports completed the upset by knocking out Fnatic and progressing to the last four.

In matchup three, Ninjas in Pyjamas took on FC Schalke 04. It was the duo of Levi de Weerd and Ollelito of NiP who played with intent and confidence, and jumped out early in the first leg to a 2-0 lead - and gained more confidence as the clock ran down in the second leg to close out comfortably over the Germany-based club.

The last quarter-final matchup came between Team Heretics and SAF - and it was the Argentinian and Spanish combo of Matiasbonanno9 who kicked off the action early in the first leg, and it took over 150 in-game minutes for SAF to equalise late in the second leg. There would be late drama as a deep cross was green-timed from SAF to take the lead with only five minutes left. This would prove too little time for Team Heretics to respond, and SAF complete the final four.

Remember to view the final four of the Knockout stage bracket already live here.

Make sure to view all the results so far on day three and continue to watch all the live matches as the tournament progresses and heats up on the hub of FIFAe. - FIFA.GG.