RoboCup 2026 Quarter Final! - HTWK Robots vs. CAU Mountain & Sea

[00:00:10]Um the game has officially started with Canton Z on the kickoff. Um now we'll see how HWK tries to defend from this as H count tries to mount a very offensive attack. Um in the terms of obstacle avoidance for the robots, they might not have um a lot of avenue there. Um number four from C Mountain seems to be very good at attacking but um both teams have very strong behavior. Um at the moment HWK seems to have seems to be on the corner as um they try and defend against um the attackers of Cam Mountain and see it's a go for blue. Um playing has resumed and now we're going to try and see how HK can bounce back in this one.

[00:00:54]So the go pushing is trying to be called and now the referee is stopping the game trying to analyze what has happened.

[00:01:02]>> Um yeah we have some calls here and um some calls to legal position. Um and now it's a very good thing that um you can actually see the rules being enforced strongly. Um now has the possession and now they have a chance to bring the offensive to count and see. Um, here we have a bundle of robots at the middle, but there you go. One robot just died and which resulted to many other robots falling, but the ball seems to have been kicked a bit too strongly. Uh, stop playing has been called and uh, the Tantis would have to untangle the mass of robots from the middle of the field. Um, this gives HLK a massive advantage in offense as they would now have to um, make those robots recover.

[00:01:49]Um and H2K is very close to scoring a goal and that is it.

[00:01:56]We have our first goal for the game. Um you can see that with these very powerful robots um with um good behavior as well. You can see how easily you can go from >> some rules are some rules are being um called by HWK um incapable there. um robots will have to be picked up which means that the defense of mountain you see will have to decrease as well. Um we can really appreciate the localizations the robustness of localization of the HWK here. Um we each robot can obviously tell where they are exactly in the field >> or at the very least to a very high degree of accuracy. Um seems to be cam mountain and seas kickoff.

[00:02:46]However, >> there you go. There was seems to be a bit of confusion about um >> Yes. Um there you go. There was a bit of confusion about who had the free kick and um it seems to be count's free kick, but um there you go. Um the offensive is HK. They might yet score the second goal only to be intercepted by another robot from Mountain and Sea.

[00:03:12]>> Um there we go. It's it's very intense.

[00:03:15]This is a quarter finals. Um both teams rocking K1 from the booster robotics um platform which is a very famous platform for um very good platform for hardware robustness in odometry. Um there you go.

[00:03:31]Um CNC is able to mount and attack go out at the moment.

[00:03:37]>> Throw in this cold.

[00:03:40]>> It's very fastpaced game here. Both teams have very good attack and defending behavior. Um, you can see where they try and fight the position of the ball. It's very intense here. HWK has the upper hand. Let's see if they can make the ball to the goal. Um, at the moment's out, there's a bundle of robots here. So, now that the league has actually powerful robots to work with, the problem of obstacle avoidance will be very imperative in the coming years.

[00:04:10]Um you got the referee is just going to >> he's just um trying to argue if a robot should be picked up or not.

[00:04:19]>> You're not allowed to touch your touch.

[00:04:25]>> Here you go. Um yeah, >> there seems to be a bit of an argument about um enforcing the rules again. Um >> and uh TC is being called and um as it is very important match to ensure that the results are valid. Um these rules have to be tight being enforced >> and you can see that one of the go the goalies number three of Tennessee is just stuck in the net.

[00:04:59]Unfortunately, they're not smart enough to get out of that by themselves yet.

[00:05:04]>> Uh, now >> we just see um the ball is at the corner. UK is still on the offense.

[00:05:10]They're going to try and get this to the goal, but Canton, he has pretty good behavior, too. Um, and all it takes is just one kick, one very accurate kick from HWK. That's our second goal of the game. Let's play.

[00:05:24]>> Um >> we can see that actually when you get these K1 robots out of the box, they're not that good in terms of the reinforcement learning walk. But um HWK seems to have trained a new policy for uh these robots and they can effectively run um long distances which is very amazing.

[00:05:42]>> Um they've been outside.

[00:05:46]>> Yep. Some robots holding over there. Um some robots maybe misloized.

[00:05:51]Um some robots getting picked up and pushed. Um robots that are illegally positioned. Um number three from HWK here seems to be a bit lost. Um so we'll see how we go. That will most likely be called for illegal positioning and will be picked up. The more robots picked up for the field, uh the weaker the defense gets. So hopefully um none of the robots misloiz again.

[00:06:18]Um, we still have four defenders from C Mountain andC to worry about, but HWK also has four robots on the field. Um, kickoff is with Mountain and C. They have a pretty strong kick that just makes the goal to HWK.

[00:06:38]Fortunately, it's an ongo um number two is trying to defend but unfortunately keep the ball into their own goal. Um unfortunately it does happen.

[00:06:51]Um number three is about to get in after the penalty. Um hopefully they can mount a tighter defense and a stronger attack with this robot into the field.

[00:07:02]Um currently this standing is 2-1 in favor of HWK.

[00:07:07]um H man Tennessee is not making it very easy for them with their very fast attacks and um just very robust attack behavior in general. So um this is a new league um and the league has evolved and they're starting to adapt these powerful the robots. Now the difference will be in the code that is used by both teams.

[00:07:35]So playing has been called. Um we will now play for the third goal or fourth goal rather of the game. Um >> HWK seems to have this behavior where they try and kick the ball towards their team instead of giving possession to the other um team. Um which is very uh brilliant since they just make make sure that they maintain possession of the ball. Um now there's pretty strong attackers here that can make it through HWK's defense and um HDW again scored an old goal unfortunately um tight defenses but uh unfortunately that ball just makes it into the goal.

[00:08:20]So HBK's robots will have to be a bit more careful when the ball is near the goal, their own goal rather.

[00:08:29]>> Um it's ideal to not do any explosive movements.

[00:08:35]It's there. But currently um it's uh to all another robot might be picked up.

[00:08:46]>> You go. I'm number four from HWK has been picked up. Number 30 seems to have misloized again. Um, we'll see if it eventually recovers.

[00:09:04]>> Some of Tennessee's robots tend to stick close together like one, five, and four.

[00:09:08]Um, and HW case number three is picked up as it is in a legal position but before set. Um, hopefully it goes back in pretty quick. The problem with this is the more penalties you rack up, the longer it takes to place a robot back in, which is really really brutal on the players. They have to make sure that they don't misloize or um make sure that they're actually um not falling in here. It seems like uh the HWK strategy of like pushing the ball towards their team is kind of like um backfiring a bit where um the count teams is able to gain space um and by doing so they can just rush towards HWK's field and press the attack towards them which makes it very very quick. Um however HWK's behavior accounts for that.

[00:10:07]Um, and it seems like the first half is about to end.

[00:10:17]>> There you go.

[00:10:19]>> One powerful kick from the booster robots makes it in. And now the currently the score is 32. So plays like that are still allowed as long as the robot is touching the ball even though time has run out. Now the teams will now have to call their robots back and it will be this um 10 minutes before the second half.

[00:10:41]>> Eric, first knockout round, first game, first half. How was it?

[00:10:47]>> Um it's really really unnerving. Um so this is a really close game and um could could go either way. Um it's quite exciting to see um how all the teams have improved and um yeah let's just hope that the second half goes our way but um yeah we have we also have a lot of things we still have to improve. So we saw a lot of things um that um that are still to do. So let's hope um we can yeah do them for the next game if we advance.

[00:11:12]>> Thank you very much.

[00:11:14]>> Thank you.

[00:11:20]legal position is better >> for the peak of human soccer for Roboc 2026. Now we see HWK's passing behavior again where instead of giving possession to the enemy team by kicking the ball forward during kickoff kick towards the team indirectly >> they just score a goal against CNC. The current score is 4 and2.

[00:11:55]Apparently there are um some incapable robots being called um but that one doesn't look incapable. I just got up.

[00:12:03]Um now localization seems to have a bit of drift to some um for some other teams it relies on the geometry but HWK's one seem to be very um consistent and we can notice here that they've changed their formation when they scored a goal which means that um this must be their defensive formation against uh uh when the enemy kicks off which is uh quite amazing to See how robust behavior is.

[00:12:37]>> Now we're playing Contoff.

[00:12:40]Um HWK intercepts and is able to get the ball to the other side. Number five rushing towards the ball. Is this going to be the fifth goal? Unfortunately not.

[00:12:48]That ball goes straight out of field.

[00:12:50]However, it's not over yet. It's still in the side of C.

[00:12:55]>> We're going to see if they can make it through. Number two from Cant trying to intercept. trying to get desperately the ball away from their field.

[00:13:04]>> We're going to try and get the ball to the goal number two from HWK.

[00:13:10]It's very intense game. Um very solid defense from Cal and this number two robots slightly not balanced. Um and their defense is uh just a tad bit too strong with just one attacker available.

[00:13:24]Um number five waiting for it. Waiting for the chance. And there you go.

[00:13:30]That is just another goal for Hilo.

[00:13:33]Score is currently two and five. Now the bigger this gap can be um the more they can guarantee their spot in the finals.

[00:13:43]So HWK will have to keep those goals coming and Cam Tennessee will have to keep those goals and catch up to HWK so they can have a chance. They must score at least three goals by this point in the game. Um if they do score exactly three, we'll have some sort of penalty shoot out or another half and they have to play for it.

[00:14:07]There we go. Um we can see again this wonderful running policy almost where um yep HW case localizations just robust enough to keep the robots at a very accurate position to what they meanted to be and they just have this wonderful like kind of like star formation that's like um two defenders horizontally vertically and one goalie which is really amazing. cow of the moment really doesn't have to um seem to have any sort of like formation, but we'll see if that works in their favor.

[00:14:41]They rush to the ball um intercepted by number five. Number one just gets the ball into their side of the field.

[00:14:46]Pressure on to Ho. A ball goes out to the field.

[00:14:57]Goal kick for blue is called. Um now he should be will have to try to get this ball out of here as quick as they can.

[00:15:04]Count to seem to back off unfortunately.

[00:15:08]Um number four from red count seem to be not doing much. Um let's try and keep this offense if they want to score goals and make sure that they can keep themselves into get themselves at a spot into the final. Um actually case number five are getting the ball onto the side of cow and two robots from count to see one in four seem to have troubles uh avoiding each other. So um seems like HWK's um robot avoidance is just better than at the moment. Cow might be slightly faster. However um they were able to thwart the attack and get back.

[00:15:54]So they're in our team. A bit of arbitration going.

[00:16:01]Um Hennessy is now going to have to try and defend it as hard as they can in order to avoid that gap from getting bigger.

[00:16:13]Seems to be a bit of a conversation amongst the referees. Um we'll see how this goes. some ball has been placed and they will resume playing shortly.

[00:16:30]>> Another thing is seems to be very common is they don't tend to avoid goals now.

[00:16:33]Number three just goes out and um >> yeah they seem to be an incapable robot from the side of the mountain and see now again pickups like this is very hard. Now they will have to wait um for that robot to either get up or pick it up to the side of the field which decreases them defenders and they will need it especially the UK is on the offense against Scandin position it in a slightly favorable angle. Number four rushing toward the ball. Number four from count kick it.

[00:17:18]Goalie axe intercepts.

[00:17:21]The number three kicks the ball to the side of the field.

[00:17:26]>> Throwing for Blur is going to try um and get this out of their side of the field.

[00:17:36]>> Seems to be a couple of incapable robots being called.

[00:17:40]Um Canters seem to have this behavior of backing off and they should be on the attack. Um I don't know if that's supposed to be behavior or not, but um they're still on the attack here. Robo trying to calculate the angle to keep the ball to. There seems to be a bit of passing action there.

[00:17:58]We go number five just rushing to get that ball to the other side of the field and it passes directly to red five.

[00:18:08]Uh, blue five trying to get to the ball and take back the offense. Um, now they're going to have to defend the ball on HWK side number five. Is it going to go?

[00:18:21]There seems to be a couple of kick attempts happening here, but there are clump of robots in the middle. Um, there you go. Just bit by bit trying to defend. They go through the case. Robots successfully get it out.

[00:18:35]>> Unfortunately, number four does. Number two gets the ball out and HDWK remains safe and how mountain and sea still unable to close that gap unfortunately.

[00:18:48]>> Corner kick for red. No, number four is going to have to pivot really really quickly. It is the only attacker amongst three robots here. It's an incapable blue number four. They'll have to pick that up. Pivoting quickly. They go.

[00:19:00]There seems to be bit of a tangle. One robot tripping after another.

[00:19:07]Incapable robot referee telling Johannes to pick it up gets picked up playing. He seems to be one se robot just uncapable at the side.

[00:19:30]Unfortunately, >> the ball just doesn't quite get angled into the goal.

[00:19:38]>> There you go. Um, they're going to have to keep defending their goal or either that or have to kick the goal to the other side of the field, >> but it seems a bit hard as teams really both teams really like close quarters.

[00:19:54]Now we have a bunch of robots toning onto the ball like you can throw in the to. Um number four is still waiting to be um waiting to go in. Number one is trying to get up. Robots falling. Um number four still on the attack.

[00:20:12]Number two trying to get the offense back. Um number five and number one seem to be having troubles navigating with one another.

[00:20:22]H the ball out. cannot still blue number two be a throw in for red.

[00:20:30]>> Now all number two has to do is keep it quickly as the goal looks open.

[00:20:35]Unfortunately we this seems to be a recurring problem where the robots get stuck into the nets of the goal.

[00:20:47]>> We can see um blue number four is like laying on the ground here. There is go number five trying to mount an offense.

[00:20:55]Now we can see that most of KC's goal is open.

[00:20:59]>> So the question is whether this is going to be the sixth goal for HWK or can see get the offense back.

[00:21:07]>> Incapable blue and blue for unfortunately they would have to be picked up. Now the penalty is going to be a long wait time before they can go back in. Um, >> they have to go literally and um they really have to be very careful picking up robots.

[00:21:29]>> There's a countdown to end the >> weights from playing. Unfortunately, number five just couldn't quite make that. Number four is too quick for it. Um, both teams are very quick um walk the ball behavior.

[00:21:43]Um, number three just seems to be a bit stuck. Um, and goalie is trying to defend number one as it pivots the ball and tries to kick it back to the other side of the field. And that is it. Match is over. HTWK5 and TC2.

[00:22:04]Congratulations HWK for progressing to the quarterfinals.

[00:22:10]>> Thank you.

[00:22:11]>> Yeah. Thank you. I thank you very much.