Kings' Cup I

[The Macabees]

[OOC: This is an IC thread; please ask OOC questions either through TG or on the World Cup Discussion Thread. Rosters will be linked on this page.]

Group A
Pacitalia
Akbarabad
Cravan
Dancougar

Group B
Cassadaigua
Lamoni
Starblaydia
Valipac

Matchday schedule:

MD 1 (August 5th): 1 vs. 4, 2 vs. 3 (Group A: Nantes Colosseum, Macabea, Imperial Stadium of Fedala ; Group B: Calartis Stadiums, Beda Fromm, Jermán Stadium, Sidi Rezegh)
MD2 (August 7th): 2 vs. 1, 3 vs. 4 (Group A: Calartis Stadium, Beda Fromm, Jermán Stadium, Sidi Rezegh; Group B: Imperial Stadium of Fedala, Nantes Colosseum)
MD3 (August 9th): 4 vs. 2, 1 vs. 3 (Group A: Nantes Colosseum, Macabea, Calartis Stadium, Beda Fromm; Group B: Imperial Stadium of Fedala, Jermán Stadium, Sidi Rezegh)

Semifinals (August 11th): Winner Group A vs. Runner-up Group B, Winner Group B vs. Runner-up Group A (Jermán Stadium, Sidi Rezegh, Calartis Stadium, Beda Fromm

Third Place Play-off (August 13th): Loser Semifinal 1 vs. Loser Semifinal 2 Nantes Colosseum, Macabea
Final (August 13th): Winner Semifinal 1 vs. Winner Semifinal 2 Imperial Stadium of Fedala

Top two in each group will qualify for the semifinals. Matches will be scored every other day, starting Wednesday. Roleplays will be scored based on both quantity and quality (you will not be penalized for posting more than one roleplay per match). All teams begin equal (zero points). There are a total of 25.4 points. Bonus will work as follows: Bonus_RP + Bonus_{World rank}. The former comes out to a total of twenty points: ¼x + ½x + x = 20. The latter is: X_Rank / 10. As a result, Starblaydia is the only team with the capability of having the highest aggregate score. Roleplaying remains a key method of winning. Scores will be put up around noon Pacific Time.

[Starblaydia]

The Starblaydia national football team are a Featured Article on NSwiki. If you've never bothered to read it, have a skim through it now, as it'll tell you more about the team, their style, culture, fans, and history than I can ever write in a roster post. Thanks.

I Give My Opponent Permission
(and actively encourage them) To:
====================
Choose My Scorers
GodMod Any Goalscoring Events
Yellow Card Players
GodMod Other Events for Humorous Intent
====================

Notes:
1) The best starting eleven are numbered 1-11 and are in bold
2) I actively encourage, nay nearly demand, that if you RP first you pick my scorers (if any).
3) † Denotes elf player, * denotes female player, ^ denotes Dwarf player.
4) Before each match, in between national anthems and kick-off, the entire 23-man squad (even the Elves, though with less passion than most) will perform the Raiigar, Starblaydia's traditional war-dance.
5) The style modifier is +2, for a fairly attacking formation.

Starblaydi Kings' Cup Squad
World Champions attend new tournament

A squad of World Cup stars, squad players and up-and-coming young talents has been assembled by Bazrador Drakkiborgo, a team which will pride itself on the experienced and talented midfield and attacking presence while introducing some younger defenders to the perils of ninety minutes at international level against some proven champions.

Manager
BD. Bazrador Drakkiborgo^, Manager, 49 - World Cup 41 Winner, AOCAF Cup 23 Winner, World Cup 47 Winning Manager
76 Caps, 2 Goals (7 Caps, 0 Goals at Under-21 level)
Bazrador Drakkiborgo has lifted Starblaydia back to being rated the best team in the world and, now, the most successful team in history. Drakkiborgo achieved his aim of knocking Valanora off their spot "beside their own hearths", which meant 'in their own back yard' to you and me, and as such will long be revered by Starblaydi football.

Goalkeepers
1. Dacil Taniquentar†, GK, 9,971 - Telcontarë - World Cup 47 Winner
12. Gareth Dixon, GK, 32 - Foxchester Raiders - World Cup 47 Winner
19. Stefanos Sophronia, GK, 25 - Basian Valley

Defenders
2. Elaine Threepwood*, RB/RM, 27 - Hanseong Gukjei (Daehanjeiguk) - World Cup 47 Winner
3. Gloria Villasenior*, R/LB, 24 - Marquez-Onwere FC (Candelaria And Marquez) - World Cup 47 Winner
5. Avanti Alfonso, C/LB, 28 - FC Farça - World Cup 47 Winner
6. Nathaniel King, CB, 28 - Veles - World Cup 47 Winner
13. Durin Golhirrim, RB, 24 - Karak Ungor Chiefs
14. Onome Agu, R/L/CB, 20 - Port Los Renato (Queer Poco el Mono Ara)
20. George Rosenthal, L/CB, 20 - Caires City (C&M)

Midfielders
4. Rafaelo, Captain, DM, 28 - Raynor City United (Valanora) - World Cup 47 Winner
7. Francisco Martinez, CM, 31 - Tenderville United (Nethertopia) - World Cup 47 Winner
8. Solomon Dante, C/LM, 27 - Cafundó do Juta (Cafundéu) - World Cup 47 Winner
11. Julius Starblayde, RW, 24 - Jhanna City
15. Makki Kaukonen, C/DM, 19 - Wow! Health & Fitness FC (Quintessence of Dust)
16. Francesa Harvey*, C/LM, 21 - WestPort Wanderers (Bears Armed)
21. Dallas Matranga, RM, 27 - Jhanna United
22. Gabrielle Johnson*, A/LM, 30 - Avidia City FC (Krytenia) - World Cup 47 Winner

Forwards
9. Soraya Roshanak*, SC, 26 - Corinthian Spirits - World Cup 47 Winner
10. Nicole Maitland-Banks*, SC, 20 - Hondo FC (Valanora) - World Cup 47 Winner
17. Lii Hyo-Jin, SC, 28 - Seoan Gukjei (Daehanjeiguk)
18. J.J. Suntaran, CF, 24 - Jhanna City
23. Kenwyn Lazaro, SC, 22 - Hatton Town (Ad'ihan)

Formation


Kits
created by:


Starblaydia's traditional all-white Home kit, and the all-purple Away kit with a touch of gold, now with the five gold stars above the Starblaydi Football Association logo.

[Valipac]

Formation:
3-4-3

Manager:
Terry Scott

Captains:
Captain - Leon King
Assistant Captain - Harry Burke
1st Alternate - Alexander Marsden (becomes Assistant Captain if one of the above is missing)

Roster (starters italicized):
Keepers:

#	Name	Age	Club
1	Harry Burke	29	Seminole Bay Gators [Newmanistan]
2	Callum Jenkins	22	Hainac International [Unreal229]

Defenders:

#	Name	Age	Club
3	Charles Stone	24	Engenheiro Peres [Cafundeu]
27	Aidan Wyatt	26	West Meon FC
34	Joe Alexander	32	Forsinthe United
00	Joshua Read	22	Mar Sara FC [Valanora]
21	Mohammad Baker	31	Blanefield Eagles

Midfielders:

#	Name	Age	Club
8	Taylor Haynes	29	Inglewhite United
5	Alexander Marsden	27	Forsinthe United
13	Leon King	24	Lagrina FC
12	Adam Hyde	22	West Hardwick United
18	Isaac Burton	19	Charlinch Lions
30	Callum Bevan	19	Hainac International [Unreal229]

Strikers:

#	Name	Age	Club
11	Nicholas Fitzgerald	20	Lagrina FC
10	Zachary Watts	23	Forsinthe United
9	Freddie Cross	32	Torridon Eagles
99	Aedan Kermeen	17	Hatton
15	Lawrence Hart	21	Eliptik [The Macabees]

Starting XI


Kits:

1st kit	2nd Kit	3rd Kit/Goalkeeper

Style Modifier:
+2

In the event my opponent posts an RP first, they may:
Select my scorers: Yes, definitely.
Give out yellow cards to my players: Yes, but please be realistic.
Give out red cards to my players: Yes, but the same as above applies
RP injuries to my players: Yes, but nothing too serious without my permission.
Godmod injuries: No
Godmod scoring events: If it is their goal, then yes. If it was my goal, then no.
Godmod other events: Possibly, please consult me first.

[OOC: Yeah, I know, completely the same starters as WC47, so sue me. 2 new backups from that squad and the backups of older players should get a lot more playing time, but the national coach isn't ready to throw them to the curb yet.]

[Dancougar]

Manager Shigeru Takeuchi will be taking a largely experimental roster to the Kings' Cup, although it does feature a few players with former World Cup experience. It is drawn entirely from the D-League with no special restrictions, unlike the Oxen Cup, which happens in the same summer according to the Dancougar calendar. The team prefers to play a 4-4-2 or similar and has a +2 style. Starters are bolded.

GK Brandom Millman (27): Port Vigilence FC
GK Taro Osagawara (28): Grandborough FC

D Neville Blumenthal (32): Sporting Lakeport
D Toby Garrido (31): Shuukyuu Kishin
D William Kabacinski (28): Sporting Kildare
D Rokuro Katayama (25): CF America Chuuoushi
D Samuel Passarino (22): Stoneridge United
D Al Resnick (29): Eastport United
D Martin Wildsmith (27): Yuki City Athletic

M Masao Amachi (32): Port Royal FC
M Arie Honjo (23): Port Royal FC
M Yasuo Ishihara (29): Shuukyuu Kishin
M Lincoln McFarland (26): Teknika Schlieffen
M Tatsuya Nemoto (23): FC Takano 1983
M Noriko Otawara (29): Sporting Kildare
M Louis Rathman (27): Eastport United
M Jerry Reisner (28): Sporting Lakeport

F Darrell DeLauter (24): King's Eleven Yuki City
F Kou Hirano (34): Yuki City Athletic
F Ivan Marchak (27): Dynamo Kalinsk
F Dennis Orlando (28): Port Royal FC
F Donny Saulsberry (31): Grandborough FC

[Cravan]

Manager: Jacob Prestley
Assistant Manager: Andrea Tillian

Coach: Sydney MacMillan
Assistant Coaches: Preston Grant

Nickname: The Royals

Team Roster
[starters in bold]

Goalkeepers:
01- Mark Phillpany
15- James Goldfein

Defense:
12- Peter Sanders
16- Victor Redford
02- William Agencourt
22-George Rousin
18- Kyle Franklin

Midfielders:
11- Michele Oullette
19- Michael Petters
20- Horatio Reynolds
24- Fred Thompson
13- Oliver Paxton
17- Eric Dovitt
23- Quentin Smith
30- Matt Gilbride

Strikers:
10- Cameron Donalds
02- Ashley MacBride
03- Alistair Courthart
25- Merlin Greddle
27- Jack Lylesworth
07- Jeremy Lyles

Colors:

Home and away, respectively.

Style Modifier: +1.5

Choose my goalscorers: Yes
Godmod Scoring Events: Yes
RP injuries to my players: Minor injuries, yes
Godmod injuries to my players: Preferred not
Hand out Yellow cards to my players: Yes
Hand out Red cards to my players: No
Godmod Other Events: Yes, however major events are preferred to be cleared via IM or TG.

[Lamoni]

Lamoni Hawks

In the event my opponent posts an RP first, they may:

Name my goalscorers: Y
Godmod Scoring Events: Y
Godmod other creative events (including injuries): Y (ask first, if possible)
Injure my players: N
Hand out Yellow cards to my players Y
Hand out Red cards to my players N

Formation: 3-5-2
Style Mod: 0
Manager: Felix Lopez

Home Kit



The Home Kit is made by the Ediraf company in Starblaydia, and displays the colors of the Lamonian flag. Lamonian uniforms are distinguishable by the addition of the Broad-winged Hawk ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Broad-winged_Hawk ) logo on both the shirt and the shorts, with the word "Lamoni" residing underneath the Hawk. The main colors are red, blue, and yellow.

Away Kit



The Away Kit is also made by the Ediraf company of Starblaydia. It carries the same Hawk logos as the Home Kit, but the main colors of this uniform are yellow, black, and red.

Starting 11

GK- Max Belford
CB- Max Iddings
LB- Kurt Lanphear
RB- Niel Schiavone
DM- Hugh Forand
RM- Darren Bavel
CM- Cody Rother
CM- Matthew Fetty
LM- Clayton Karam
LW- Julio Kriz
SS- Erik Heimann
RW- Neil Canto

Reserve 11

GK- Erik Kassel
CB- Niel Mart
LB- Julio Yelle
RB- Javier Belaire
DM- Darren Howery
RM- Guy Belles
CM- Nelson Matte
CM- Max Mundell
LM- Kurt Higgens
LW- Graham Savage
SS- Martyn Hill
RW- Paul Wade

[Akbarabad]

The Akbarabad team is the same as for the C.O.H

The starters
#1 Aminul Islam - (GK)
#2 Mahbub Alam - (DR)
#5 Shayaz Azam - (DL)
#3 Ihsan Akbar - (DC)
#4 Zakir Ahmed -(DC)
#6 Khaled Assad -(ML)
#8 Zeeshan Alam -(MR)
#7 Zohaib Khan - (MC)
#11 Hamid Kabir -(AMCL)
#9 Zahid Mohammed - (ST)
#10 Samin Akbar –( AM/F)

Substitutes bench:
#12 M.R. Matin (GK)
#13 Rashid Khan (DC)
#14 Adil Rahman (DC/L/R)
#15 Saeed Akbar (ST)
#16 Mohammed Rashid (MC)
#17 Vassily Zaitsev (MC/L/R)
#18 Kamrul Hassan (DMC)
#19Najmul Bari (AMCLR)
#20 Hassan Akbar ( DL)
#21 Hossain Ashraf (MC)
#22 Aleksandr Serov (ST)
#23 Shahid Hassan (GK)

Starting lineup will always be this unless stated otherwise.

Home Kit: Green, red and red socks.
Away Kit: Red, green and green socks.

If other people rp first then they can:
Choose my goal scorers Y
Everything else N

Style Modifier =+2

[The Macabees]

Matchday One

Group A
Pacitalia 2-3 Dancougar
Akbarabad 1-4 Cravan

Pos  Team                       P   W   D   L   GF   GA   GD  Pts
   1  Cravan                     1   1   0   0    4    1    3    3
   2  Dancougar                  1   1   0   0    3    2    1    3
   3  Pacitalia                  1   0   0   1    2    3   -1    0
   4  Akbarabad                  1   0   0   1    1    4   -3    0

Group B
Cassadaigua 0-1 Valipac
Lamoni 0-3 Starblaydia

Pos  Team                       P   W   D   L   GF   GA   GD  Pts
   1  Starblaydia                1   1   0   0    3    0    3    3
   2  Valipac                    1   1   0   0    1    0    1    3
   3  Cassadaigua                1   0   0   1    0    1   -1    0
   4  Lamoni                     1   0   0   1    0    3   -3    0

[Starblaydia]

Different Region, Same Result
Starblaydia defeat Lamoni in Kings' Cup opener

The last time Lamoni's Hawks got the better of Starblaydia was almost nineteen years ago, in the Final of the 24th AOCAF Cup. It was the last time Lamoni won the world's premier regional football competition, Starblaydia having gained their last title four years before, and since then the two sides have only met once. Twelve years ago, the 25th AOCAF Cup, saw Starblaydia face and defeat Lamoni in the Semi-Final in Allemenschen.

Since then Lamoni have gone on to new horizons, winning the inaugural Díenstad Cup and gaining themselves an invitation to this very tournament. While it was Pacitalia, however, who were invited to The Macabees as the defending Atlantian Oceania champions, Starblaydia are here because they are the World champions.

The secret is: Lamoni have ever really played the Starblaydi 'B' team. Until now.

With World Cup winners aplenty, along with the sort of rising stars that the Starblaydi AOCAF Cup side is used to, Starblaydia's line-up was at the very least a glamorous one. Whether it was the beauties of Roshanak and Maitland-Banks up front, or Julius Starblayde, the very brother of the new Lord-Protector, the cameras were out in force for the first appearance of the team in white and purple with the fifth gold star, shiny and new, sitting about their Football Association's badge. Starblaydia's midfield drive was evident, with the captain, Rafaelo, spurring the team on and winning the ball all over the centre of the field. It was Rafaelo, alongside midfield partner Francisco Martinez, who were really driving Starblaydia forward. It was some neat interplay between the two, along with Starblayde, which saw Martinez burst into the box and hit a low drive into the far corner, past the diving hand of Belford.

It was the only goal of the first half, though Julio Kriz's dipping shot nearly gave Gareth Dixon a fright, though he saved at the second attempt, smothering the ball before Heimann could latch on to the loose ball.The second half was more of the same, however, with the hulking JJ Suntaran coming on up front for Nicole Maitland-Banks, Starblaydia were obviously feeling that a direct route to goal through the centre of the Lamonian formation (OOC: Lamoni, you have listed 12 players on the pitch instead of 11) was the way forward. It evidently was, as a long ball from Dante was headed down by Suntaran to Martinez, who passed to his right, the ball met by the onrushing Julius Starblayde, who lashed the ball into the back of the net with fury. It was his senior debut and had marked it with a goal, joining a very select club indeed.

Two goals up and Starblaydia made two more changes, taking off Rafaelo and Dante for Makki Kaukonen and Francesa Harvey, with the armband now going to Martinez. It was the first time that Francisco had been named captain for his country, matching his position with Nethertopian club side Tenderville United. How sweet that it would be a two-goal victory against one of Starblaydia's oldest rivals. But it would not be two.

Seizing on a mistake by Niel Schiavone, Francesca Harvey rushed into the penalty area with the ball and, with great presence of mind, casually chipped the ball over the goalie, who was doing all he could to sprint out and smother the ball at her feet. A second debut goal for Starblaydia saw their three points sealed with three goals. They are all ready to meet Baptism of Fire champions Valipac on Matchday Two and Starblaydia, along with a couple of other teams, appear to want to add this new trophy to their resumé.

Final Score from Jermán Stadium:
Lamoni 0 - 3 Starblaydia
(None) - (Martinez 24, Starblayde 55, Harvey 78)

[Cravan]

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Royals Off to Fast Start at Kings' Cup

After a stunning run at Haven Cup III, the Royals are off to a fantastic start at Kings' Cup after a stunning victory against the Akbarabadi team.

The game started with an exciting opening as the Royals hit the ground running, with Alistair Courthart bagging the first goal of the game. This was followed in quick succession by another score by substitute Ashley MacBride, bringing the score to 2-0 within the first fifteen minutes of play. Following the opening spectacle, things calmed down as the Akbarabadi defense composed itself, and allowed its offense to mount an assault which saw them place one point against Royal keeper Mark Phillpany via Zahid Mohammed. Fans of the Akbarabadi team saw great hope at this point as they assumed the tide was about to turn, but such was far from the truth.

Following the Akbarabadi goal, George Rousin held back a second charge from the offense, and managed to slip the ball to midfielder Quentin Smith. Seeing the opportunity, Smith scored a third goal for the Royals at thirty-six minutes, showing that the tide was still in Cravan's favour. Wrapping up the game, Matt Gilbride and Michele Oullette pulled a famous double-team manouvre which had seen the downfall of the Midlauthian team at Haven Cup, and charged through the Akbarabadi defensive lines to end the match at a final score of 4-1 Royals.

After pleasantries were exchanged between the teams, striker Jack Lylesworth had this to say:

"It was a good match, and despite what the score may say about them the Akbarabadi really did give us a run for our money. We managed to pull it together, though, and pulled through just like we did against the Cohenians."

Fans of the Royals were shocked today, as it was unknown if Phillpany would choose to play after an altercation following Haven Cup III with several Cohenian team members who had taken some of his more controversial comments about them to heart. Phillpany only suffered minor injuries from the encounter, and was cleared of any fault from Cravan's Football Authority after a short investigation. Phillpany declared prior to today's match that he had to "bring back some dignity which [he] had lost" and that he "could not let down the team because of personal issues."

HM The Queen has announced that she will be attending tomorrow's game, and each subsequent game, however could not attend today's game due to an important meeting with First Minister Cartwright. She has said, however, that her schedule for the following week is now clear, and she will be in the Empire of the Golden Throne to support the Royals as they battle through the next two days', and hopefully beyond, matches.

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© Cravanian Broadcasting Network 2009

[Cassadaigua]

Style Modifier: +2

In the event my opponent posts an RP first, they may:

Select my scorers — Yes
Give out yellow cards to my players — Yes
Give out red cards to my players — Yes, no more then one per game.
RP injuries to my players — No
Godmod injuries — No
Godmod scoring events — Yes
Godmod other events — Yes, feel free to have fun just don’t kill anybody.

Our Kits: http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p ... ostcount=8 (Thanks, JMC!)

Starters in Green
Subs in Blue
Reserves in Red

*- Denotes a player signed to an international contract. By position, starters are lined up from left to right in the order in which they are listed.

Coach: Michelle Baynes, Age: 52. The only coach so far on any of our soccer teams (except DBC 10).

Goalies:
#1- Kristen Stockton*, Age: 32- Started DBC7 and WC46. Sub in WC44 & 45.
#21- Brittany Paxson*, Age: 25- Started DBC9, Reserve EC46.
#31- Allison Salamida, Age: 21- Started DBC 10.

Defenders:
#4- Courtney Poole*, Age: 32- Started DBC 7, WC 44-46, COH36.
#6- Michelle Garrett*, Age: 31- Started DBC 7, WC46, Sub WC45.
#3- Kiersten Reschke*, Age: 23- Started DBC 9 & 10 (Captain in 10). Sub in WC46.
#2- Ericka Giordano, Age: 18- Started DBC 10.
#7- Katie McDermott, Age: 27- Started WC 45, Sub WC46.
#8- Paige MacAdam, Age: 29- Reserve DBC7, WC 45 & 46.
#5- Erin Loucks, Age: 20- Started DBC 10.

Midfield:
#15- Meghan Burns*, Age: 33- Started DBC7, WC 44-46, COH36. 2nd time as TEAM CAPTAIN!
#12- Jennifer Lowry*, Age: 33- Started DBC7, WC 45 & 46; Reserve WC44 & COH36.
#9- Ashley Nolan*, Age: 31- Started DBC7, WC46. Sub WC45.
#18- Katie Cincoski*, Age: 26- Started DBC 9 (Captain of team) and WC46.
#13- Meaghan Bateman*, Age: 18- Started DBC 10.
#24- MacKenzie Skinner, Age: 20- Started DBC 10.
#46- Matthew Webb, Age 34- Reserve WC46. Yes, he returns.
#25- Valerie McCann, Age: 17- Sub DBC 10.

Forwards:
#10- Erika Daniels*, Age: 30- Starter DBC7, WC46. Sub WC 44 & 45, and COH36.
#14- Stacie Kerrigan-Fraser*, Starter DBC7, WC45 &46. Sub WC 44 and COH 36. Married to Secristan’s Eric Fraser.
#19- Kristen Spencer, Age: 33- Sub WC46. Reserve DBC 7 & WC 45.
#17- Jessica Schanke*, Age: 22, Starter DBC 9 & 10, sub WC 46.
#16- Hannah Barton*, Age: 22, Sub DBC9, Starter DBC 10.

[Cassadaigua]

Meghan's Space

A hangover, is what they call it. Come off a great championship and just maybe you aren't as mentally prepared for the next competition as you'd like to be. We were actually a double-qualifier for the Kings Cup (how many other people can say that?), having won the Cup of Harmony as well as the One Big Island Regional Tournament. Starblaydia didn't have to worry about this, because you see they are used to winning championships whereas we just don't have that kind of a tradition. After winning the title, since so many of us play professionally in places other then Cassadaigua, we wanted to actually spend time with our friends and families in our native country, and we did. We knew the Kings Cup was coming, and as it got closer Michelle's nagging of us did pick up quite a bit. We flew to The Macabees, and everyone knows what the first you think about what you think of The Macabees. Beer pong, of course. That was a thought that wasn't exactly going to help us get over our desire to celebrate and focus on winning another competition. This really showed in the way we played. Valipac didn't have to be good. I don't want to take anything away from what they did out there, but we were about as bad as we've been in months, and we are fortunate to have escaped with just a one goal loss. If we have any chance of advancement, we will have to beat Lamoni tomorrow, and doing so by a few goals would be nice. Then we'll have to get something against Starblaydia. Don't forget that we played Starblaydia in the semifinals of the Mike Sarzo Memorial Cup this past year, and where defeated. Who knew then that was a meeting between the eventual World Cup and Cup of Harmony champions? We can't look ahead to Starblaydia though, Lamoni is our first concern.

[Dancougar]

Dancougar News!!
Zeus threw his severed arm at Hades, and Hades exploded.
Shin Mazinger is so awesome.

Pacitalia pacified in Kings' Cup opener: Pacitalia may be an unknown on the world stage, but with two straight AOCAF titles, they're clearly a force to be reckoned with. Dancougar, too, is aligned with Atlantian Oceania, yet it has never taken part in the regional competition, making this the first-ever meeting between the two. With neither roster looking particularly threatening, the two nevertheless produced an entertaining game that was only decided in the final minutes, as the Wings emerged 3-2 winners at the Nantes Coliseum.

Although plenty of analysts have questioned the roster put together for the tournament, they showed some spunk in their tournament opener, producing eight shots on target from fifteen attempts. The workmanlike play drew praise from Shigeru Takeuchi, as the team won its first international since losing to Bazalonia on penalties in the World Cup round of sixteen. "We played solid football, nothing too fancy, and that gives us a good idea of where we stand," he said. "It doesn't do us any good to try and outpace ourselves when these players are in between seasons, so for now we're going to make sure we get the simple stuff right."

The D-League Apertura has been over for five weeks, so for the players, it's their first real action since in awhile. They've been fed a diet of exhibition games against summer league teams as part of their two-week training camp, so a slow start was expected against the Pacitalians. Ivan Marchak won a pair of chances in the opening fifteen minutes but put both wide of the frame, although it was good to see him get settled. "Ivan the Great," as they call him in Kalinsk, has more international goals than anybody on this team, although most of those have come in minor tournaments such as the Oxen Cup and Eternal Flame. With defenders keying on him, that opened up space for Jerry Reisner, the Lakeport midfielder who recently helped the team to its first D-League title. He struck in the 22nd minute from the top of the box, his shot curling around the 'keeper and in to make it 1-0.

Their opponents stormed back. Pacitalia were level in the 29th after poor marking for Rokuro Katayama allowed one forward to bear down on goal unopposed. It took some smooth ball movement to create the chance, but the ball was slipped between William Kabacinski's legs and Katayama was beaten by his man, who received it six yards from goal and punched it in from close range. There was little chance for goalkeeper Taro Osagawara to make a play on it, but the timidity he showed on the second goal had plenty of fans wondering how he'd managed to get on the team. While Osagawara has helped keep Grandborough afloat despite its depleting roster, he looked out of it in the 38th, when he waffled between staying on his line and running out to punch the ball clear. Instead, he wound up in a mess of bodies near the top of the six yard box and did nothing, creating a wide open lane for a headed goal. Dancougar were down 2-1 at the break.

"I thought I had a beat on the ball, and right after I came out, I realized it was coming in higher than I thought," explained Osagawara. "I got myself caught stranded." Still, there should have been help from his defenders, who let themselves get outjumped for the ball. Kabacinski was in the best position to play it, but he also misjudged the flight and jumped too early, allowing the Pacitalia forward a clean chance.

The Wings had it all to do in the second half, and Takeuchi started immediately with a defensive substitution, swapping Katayama for the stabler Toby Garrido, who has featured in the last two qualifying campaigns but didn't make either final roster. Garrido made an impact right away from clearing a dangerous-looking cross in the 51st that could have put the game out of reach, and while the Wings were now counting on a pair of 30-somethings at the back, it was working. Up front, Marchak narrowly missed the target once again, and the Wings were starting to pour on the pressure as they started to dominate possession with short passes and conservative movement. Darrell DeLauter came close in the 68th minute but saw his effort saved with an emphatic two-fisted punch.

"We were getting more good looks at goal," said DeLauter. "The 'keeper was starting to yell at his guys more for cover, which we took to mean that we were doing something right. We just had to finish."

Finish they did, as Marchak opened his account in the 77th minute. This one also threatened to squeak wide like his earlier shots, as he lashed it with the outside of his foot to send it curling away from the 'keeper. But Marchak took all the space he could, as the ball took a friendly bounce off the inside of the post to go in. He needed the assist, as the 'keeper was inches from tipping it wide. The Wings now had the momentum and figured, with stoppage time, that they had fifteen minutes to get the win. Before that, though, the Wings had to survive one more close call. Osagawara was called upon in the 81st minute after a Pacitalian breakout threatened to turn the tide. Unlike the corner kick goal, Osagawara came charging for the ball and threw himself on it just before the forward reached it, forcing him to leap over the sprawling 'keeper.

With the lead preserved, it was Dancougar pressing forward in the final minutes, and in the 85th minute, Lincoln McFarland created the game-winning chance. Reisner picked him out on an overlapping run but weighted the ball heavily. McFarland had a step on his defender and needed to get a second one in order to catch up to the ball, and to prevent it from going over the endline, he fired a cross back into the box with his right foot, sending him rolling to the turf. Surprisingly, it went all the way through to Noriko Otawara, and she made no mistake with a one-time shot into the roof of the goal. Frustration all around for the Pacitalia defense, as Otawara only got free at the last moment when it appeared like the ball would go out. By continuing her run, she got herself in a position to receive McFarland's hopeful ball.

"I couldn't really tell how close the ball was to the line," said Otawara, "so I just tried to get into a useful position. He only looked up at the last moment but we had a lane, and after that, I just had to concentrate on not whiffing at the end."

The Wings' next match is against the Haven champions Cravan, who thrashed Cup of Harmony runners-up Akbarabad 4-1 in their opener.

[The Macabees]

Matchday Two

Group A
Akbarabad 1-1 Pacitalia
Cravan 1-1 Dancougar

Pos  Team                       P   W   D   L   GF   GA   GD  Pts
   1  Cravan                     2   1   1   0    5    2    3    4
   2  Dancougar                  2   1   1   0    4    3    1    4
   3  Pacitalia                  2   0   1   1    3    4   -1    1
   4  Akbarabad                  2   0   1   1    2    5   -3    1

Group B
Lamoni 2-4 Cassadaigua
Starblaydia 3-0 Valipac

Pos  Team                       P   W   D   L   GF   GA   GD  Pts
   1  Starblaydia                2   2   0   0    6    0    6    6
   2  Cassadaigua                2   1   0   1    4    3    1    3
   3  Valipac                    2   1   0   1    1    3   -2    3
   4  Lamoni                     2   0   0   2    2    7   -5    0

[Dancougar]

Dancougar News!!
It's Gendo.

Wings draw in Kings' Cup: With the draw for the Oxen Cup a few weeks away and the D-League season waiting a few weeks beyond that, it seems like Dancougar's insatiable appetite for football will never be satisfied. Quite fitting, then, that they should attempt to address their cravin' with a match against Cravan, which ended 1-1.

It was another first for the Wings, a match against a team they've never competed against on the world stage but is nevertheless a formidable power in its own region. The Royals spent most of the match down a goal but were able to claw back after a bad foul by Yasuo Ishihara reduced Dancougar to ten men in the second half. They used the advantage to great effect, pushing forward in the attack and eventually creating the mismatch they needed to snatch a point and stay atop Group A.

"The referee made some questionable decisions, but that's something these players have to be used to and need to overcome," said Shigeru Takeuchi, who will likely start Louis Rathman against Akbarabad in Ishihara's place. "I agree that it was a foul, but I'm not sure it was worth a card."

Ishihara had been cautioned early in the second half for a late tackle on Alistair Courthart, and nobody argued the decision. The second call, coming in the 73rd, was up to more debate. Ishihara was caught tugging the shirt of Courthart and the two got their legs tangled. The referee, spotting the play from across the field, went immediately to his pocket for the second yellow, forcing the Wings to finish the match a man down. At that point, they'd been looking to build on their 1-0 lead, but Ishihara's dismissal marked a shift in strategy. From there, the team focused on defending the lead.

"We weren't capitalizing on our chances, and frankly, we couldn't afford to get caught in a counterattack," said forward Ivan Marchak. "It was coach's call."

The Wings had been pounding away at Cravan throughout the second half looking to add a cushion to their lead. The first goal came in the 33rd minute on a corner kick, with Noriko Otawara firing a swooping ball that was snapped in by Lincoln McFarland. The Wings controlled the rest of the half and looked sharp at the start of the second, as well.

Cravan equalized in the 78th minute when Merlin Greddle went on a diagonal run through the box which drew the attention of Al Resnick, who drifted in the same direction. That opened up the middle for Courthart, who received a pass from Horatio Reynolds and easily slid it past Taro Osagawara for 1-1. Cravan had a chance to steal the match ten minutes later from a free kick, but Reynolds' shot glanced off the crossbar after dipping late.

"There were some nervous moments at the end, but I think we were in control," said Osagawara. "We marked tighter and really didn't give them many good looks."

Dancougar's final match will be against Akbarabad, who they beat in both of their previous meetings. A draw will be enough to send the Wings into the semifinals against a team from Group B.

[Valipac]

Huge game faces Valipacians in inaugural Kings Cup

The national team stretches before practice

Fate doesn't entirely lie within the hands of the Valipacian national team. It sure seems that way though. With Cassadaigua playing Starblaydia, the world's number one team and reigning world cup champions, a loss seems inevitable. That means it is up to Valipac to determine their fate. A victory or draw, and it would seem certain they would advance. A loss, however, would prove near fatal to their chances. The Valipacian squad won their first game of the tournament 1-0 over Cassadaigua, but stumbled in their second game, falling 3-0 to Starblaydia. Now, they move on to face reigning Dienstadi champions Lamoni, who have lost the first two games of their tournament.

The Hawks run a unique 3-5-2 formation, which should match up interestingly against the Valipacians 3-4-3. Both teams play an offensive style from their formation, although the Valipacians are definitely the more aggressive and attacking squad. This should generate some counterattacking opportunities for the Hawks, but it should also leave a sea of offensive chances for the Valipacians, who's top 3 strikers match up favorably against Lamoni's back 3 defenders. Given the wealth of talent in the midfield, most experts expect the match to be dominated by midfield play with few opportunities on both sides, but if either team is able to successfully advance the ball, they will be able to have a lot of success in the game.

Valipacian manager Terry Scott noted that while the tournament "was not a WCC tournament," it still provided the opportunity for "Valipac to prove it's prestige and football prowess." As the 60th ranked team in the world, Scott noted that his players were still itching to prove that they "belonged with the best teams in the world" after an early exit from the Cup of Harmony when they failed to qualify for the World
Cup . "We want to show the world that the Baptism of Fire victory was not a fluke." Expect the Valipacians to bring their "a" game for this match, with their normal starters playing against the Hawks, rather than a back-up filled squad that can sometimes show in these tournaments.

[Cravan]

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Royals Draw Ever Closer

After a long battle between the Dancougari Wings and the Cravanian Royals, the match ended with a one to one stalemate between the two teams.

For the majority of the match, the Royals remained at a one point disadvantage against the Wings, until a call which sparked some controversy dropped the Wings down one man. Yasuo Ishihara, having a foul called against him for a minor tussle between himself and Alistair Courthart, forced the Wings to finish the match without a spare set of legs, and the Royals immediately set to work as the Wings shifted their strategy to defense of their lead.

At 78 minutes, exactly three-fourths an hour after the Wings scored their leading goal and five minutes after the Wings dropped Ishihara, Courthart slipped through the defenses after a pass from Horatio Reynolds and tied up the game one to one. The end of the game brought about several tense moments, however the Royals were unable to effectively steal themselves the lead after the Wings had dominated the game for so long earlier.

When asked if there was perhaps some hot blood between Ishihara and Courthart, the Cravanian striker waved the idea away with a snort.

"No, of course not, it was an honest mix-up. Was it worth a card? Personally, no," he declared after the match was over, "But I'm not about to dispute it. We played a beautiful match once we regained control of the situation."

HM The Queen arrived in-country after the game today, staying currently at the Cravanian embassy. Her staff has confirmed that she will be attending tomorrow's match, and that she is even more excited now about the Royals' achievements than before during the Haven Cup.

"Her Majesty is thrilled that the Royals are again playing outside of the Havenic region, and she has sent her warmest regards to the team for tomorrow's match."

Tomorrow's match is set to be the final match before the semi-final rounds commence, and at current standings it appears the Royals are going to be proceeding.

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[Starblaydia]

Moving to the Last Four
Starblaydia defeat Baptism of Fire Champions

It's no guaranteed quite yet but, thanks to a healthy six goals for and none against to go with their six points, Starblaydia should well cruise through to a tricky Semi-Final tie in this, the inaugural Kings Cup.

A fairly routine and uneventful game saw the World Champions teach the Baptism of Fire Champions a thing or two about football at the highest level, as three World Cup Winning ladies got themselves on the scoresheet in the delightful forms of Soraya Roshanak, Nicole Maitland-Banks and Gabrielle Johnson.

Roshanak was there at the back post just after the half-hour mark to tap in unmarked from close range, while it was her vision in the second half that provided the second goal, passing brilliantly to Maitland-Banks, who lashed the ball in, firing low across the face of goal. It was all wrapped up with twenty minutes to play as substitute Gabrielle Johnson proved that age is no barrier, as the thirty year old popped up in the penalty area to head home a high cross from Threepwood.

With Baptism of Fire and Greater Dienstad Cup winners beaten, Starblaydia turn their attentions to the third of the three WCC-sanctioned events: the Cup of Harmony champions Cassadaigua. The two sides last met in a the Semi-Final of the 4th Mike Sarzo Memorial Trophy, culminating in a 4-2 win for Starblaydia. Both teams have gone on to lift trophies since then - Starblaydia also lifted the MSMT for the third time - and the match will surely be one to relish as Starblaydia aim for the Semi-Final with a flourish, while Cassadaigua know that their destiny is in their hands because, if they can win, they should seal a Semi-Final berth too.

Final Score from Nantes Colosseum:
Starblaydia 3 - 0 Valipac
(Roshanak 35, Maitland-Banks 56, Johnson 68) - (None)

[The Macabees]

Matchday Three

Group A
Dancougar 4-0 Akbarabad
Pacitalia 0-4 Cravan

Pos  Team                       P   W   D   L   GF   GA   GD  Pts
   1  Cravan                     3   2   1   0    9    2    7    7  Q
   2  Dancougar                  3   2   1   0    8    3    5    7  Q
   3  Pacitalia                  3   0   1   2    3    8   -5    1
   4  Akbarabad                  3   0   1   2    2    9   -7    1

Group B
Valipac 1-4 Lamoni
Cassadaigua 0-5 Starblaydia

Pos  Team                       P   W   D   L   GF   GA   GD  Pts
   1  Starblaydia                3   3   0   0   11    0   11    9  Q
   2  Lamoni                     3   1   0   2    6    8   -2    3  Q
   3  Cassadaigua                3   1   0   2    4    8   -4    3
   4  Valipac                    3   1   0   2    2    7   -5    3

Semifinals

Cravan vs. Lamoni
Dancougar vs. Starblaydia

[Dancougar]

Dancougar News!!
I beat the sword master and all I got was this stupid T-shirt.

Akbara-bad as Wings roll into semifinals: Fans were expecting a mismatch, and they certainly got it. The Cup of Harmony runners-up were unable to match pace with the Dancougar Black Wings, bowing out of the inaugural Kings' Cup with a 4-0 loss that sent the Wings into the knockout stage.

Even in an abbreviated tournament, the team played with the kind of poise and drive that makes a manager's job easy. The selection process brought on board many players who have had strong careers in the D-League but could never quite cut it when it came time for World Cup qualifiers. Most of them will still never get that chance. So, having been given the opportunity to wear a Dancougar shirt, the team did everything they had to in order to guarantee themselves two more matches in The Macabees.

Samin Akbar was kept quiet by the defense and the Wings suffered no loss in ball movement despite the absence of midfielder Yasuo Ishihara. He was serving a one-game suspension for picking up two yellow cards against Cravan, who also won 4-0 in their final group stage game. Louis Rathman was chosen to start in his place, and Takeuchi also played with his options by introducing midfielder Arie Honjo. He pulled off defender Neville Blumenthal to bring the formation into the same 3-5-2 generally used by the first team in qualifying.

Takeuchi apparently liked what he saw. "Honjo gave us a little spark, I think, which is something I'd been seeing during the practices," he said. "He's had some inconsistencies at the club level, but I think if he shores up his game and plays the way he did today, he could definitely be in my plans two, maybe three, years from now."

Honjo helped set up the first goal in the 14th minute when he picked out a passing lane about thirty yards from goal that put the ball right on the foot of Darrel DeLauter, who didn't even have to break stride to punch the ball past goalkeeper Aminul Islam. Although he'd definitely put a lot of strength behind the pass, it was a minor miracle that not a single defender managed to get a foot to it as it rolled into the penalty area and through to DeLauter. But if the Akbarabad coach was angry with the first goal, he had to be beside himself on the second.

Lincoln McFarland won a free kick in the 18th and was set to take it himself. The ball curled around the wall and Islam made a great diving save as the ball threatened the bottom corner. But his defenders were caught ball watching, as he punched it straight into the path of two Black Wings, both onside. Jerry Reisner was the man who controlled it and with his chest and rolled it home to make it 2-0.

"If the 'keeper pushes it, it probably goes out for a corner, but it came off him at a weird angle," said Reisner. "I was just surprised that none of the defenders followed us when we crashed the net for the rebound."

Hamid Kabir gave his team's fans something to cheer about just before halftime, as Akbarabad finally enjoyed a spell of possession that led them get some shots on goal. Taro Osagawara was equal to the task, though, and took no chances with the incoming shots. He punched them up, he punched them out... it was anywhere but the goalmouth for him, and with Dancougar swarming to loose balls faster, it proved to be effective.

"They had control for maybe the last five minutes of the first and they had this one sequence where it was just bang, bang, one shot after another," said Osagawara. "And I wasn't worrying about where I was hitting the ball so long as it was away from me."

The comfortable lead was doubled shortly after the restart. Ivan Marchak picked up his second goal of the tournament with a low shot from just inside the area to make it 3-0. The opening was created by smart ball movement, and a give-and-go from McFarland gave Marchak the momentum he needed to muscle the ball home. He nearly got another goal in the 55th on a corner kick, but his header was straight at Islam, who grabbed it with confidence. For all the pressure he was under, Islam didn't look the least bit rattled by being three goals down.

His defense should have taken note. In the 61st minute, Honjo sparked another attack, this time feeding Marchak with a diagonal ball that the forward turned powerfully on frame. Islam moved to punch it clear but the ball clipped defender Shayaz Azam as it passed through the area. That bumped it past Islam's reach, even though he reacted to the change in direction with a dive at the post. Marchak had his brace and the Wings had their semifinal berth.

"We were just looking for opportunities to show what we can do," said Marchak. "These tournaments are a great chance to show off some of Dancougar's depth."

And they'll have to show it off against the world number ones, Starblaydia, in a match which pairs together the winners of the last two World Cups. Although both teams are 'B' sides, Starblaydia's roster features several World Cup-winning players, whereas Dancougar's only has a few games of combined tournament experience. Any number of players could be singled out as difference makers, but goalkeeper Osagawara has his eyes on someone unlikely: defender Elaine Threepwood.

"She's sneaky," he said. "She took my root beer! She said it was for some French guy, 'The Chuck.' He sounds important, but then I don't see why he can't get his own root beer."

[Starblaydia]

WC46 vs WC47
Starblaydia defeat Cup of Harmony Champions

Díenstad Cup: Check. Baptism of Fire: Check. Cup of Harmony: Check.

World Champions Starblaydia have swept the group stage with eleven goals in three matches, failing to concede a single one in return against any of the other Cup winners in Group B. Now they face the former World Champions (who lifted the title just five* years ago) of Dancougar, who have qualified for this tournament by way of winning the 11th Oxen Cup, who made it three Atlantian Oceania nations (plus one previous resident) participating in the eight-team Kings' Cup. Those eight are now down to four, and this side of the Semi-Final sees an all-AO match in which two teams who have lifted the World Cup square off against one another.

The other Semi sees the Haven regional 'power', Craven, take on former AOCAF Cup and defending Díenstad Cup Champions (a notable feat in of itself, to win two different regional titles) Lamoni, in what will be a somewhat less exciting match for the world at large, but surely a big draw for those living in the two regions. Seeing their champions on such a prestigious new global stage is surely something to celebrate for Haven and Greater Díenstad, but for the fans of Starblaydia and Dancougar, this is yet another opportunity to see the team try and lift another piece of silverware.

[float=right][/float]Thanks to Starblaydia's latest golden girl, Nicole Maitland-Banks (pictured right), is fast becoming the latest Starblaydi goalscoring sensation with a second hat trick against the Cassadaiguans. Not content with one during a 4-2 win in the Semi-Final of the Mike Sarzo Memorial Trophy, Nicole again netted three times past Kristen Stockton to really stake a claim to both an Oxen Cup 12 and World Cup 48 starting berth. At the other end of the age scale, Francisco Martinez scored again as his Indian Summer continues for another year - what chance of the Tenderville United Captain making another World Cup squad?

Maitland-Banks' hot streak of goalscoring started when she diverted a goal-bound Martinez shot into the next from close range, getting on the scoresheet almost by accident, instead of the precise strike of the Nethertopian-based midfielder. Within ten minutes she had made it two as a moment's hesitation by Michelle Garrett meant that Maitland-Banks could steal the extra yard and sidefoot the ball home. Two-nil at half time was the scoreline, with Gareth Dixon barely troubled in the second half. So much so, in fact, that when he did get to pick-up or kick out the ball he was cheered by the Starblaydi fans with a loud 'Olé!'. It was from one of his enormous kicks that Martinez scored, receiving a pass from Soraya Roshanak before firing into the back of the net to make it three.

The hat-trick was completed by a headed goal with fifteen minutes to go - Julius Starblayde providing the cross - and five-nil was confirmed when Solomon Dante's speculative shot from twenty-five yards struck the underside of the bar and cruelly fell into the net. The five-nil victory will, of course, give the players confidence as they go into the Dancougar match - as if they needed any more at this point - and this should hopefully carry Starblaydia all the way to the Final.

What chance a second meeting with Lamoni for the title?

Final Score from Jermán Stadium:
Cassadaigua 0 - 5 Starblaydia
(None) - (Maitland-Banks 29, 37 & 75, Martinez 63, Dante 81)

* OOC: I use the four years per Cup cycle, and have the Kings' Cup as taking place the year after the World Cup)

[Cravan]

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Royals Set Eyes on the Crown

The Royals qualified for the semi-final round after sweeping through the Pacitalian team with a score of four to nothing, allowing the Royals to maintain the lead of the Group A bracket.

The game started off to the Royals' favour, and saw an early lead at the seventeen minute mark as Jack Lylesworth maneuvered through the Pacitalian defence and easily overpowered their keeper. Two minutes later, a double-team effort from Lylesworth and Ashley MacBride saw MacBride score a second goal for the Royals.

The Pacitalians managed to fight back after the early two-point jump, and locked into heated battle with the Royal defence. A small mix-up between two Pacitalian strikers and Royal defender William Agencourt saw a yellow flag dropped, however the foul changed little as Horatio Reynolds wrenched the ball away from the Pacitalian strikers and brought it down with the assistance of Oliver Paxton and Cameron Donalds, giving Reynolds the opportunity to score the third goal of the match at the thirty-eighth minute.

Up until the final ten minutes, it appeared as if the Royals were going to win with a three to nothing victory as Pacitalian defenders moved to rush on any attempts for the Royals to break through. The opportunity came, however, for Merlin Greddle, who managed to fake out the opposing defence with the help of Ashley MacBride and speed through to the Pacitalian goal. With less than two minutes left, the Royals secured a four-zero victory over the Pacitalians, and maintained a firm hold over Group A's goal differential rankings.

Her Majesty the Queen was later seen in a photo opportunity with the team immediately following the match, before she was whisked away for a short state visit with His Majesty Emperor Fedor.

Meanwhile, the team gathered after the match for a short conference with manager MacMillan taking the lead.

"Our next two matches are dedicated to those affected by the fighting in and around Alacea," he declared when asked how he felt about the upcoming finals matches, "So these boys are going to fight their damnedest for that trophy. Of course this is all friendly competition, and after talking with the boys I know they really would like to face off against the Starblaydians."

When asked further how he felt they would fare against the juggernaut that was the Starblaydian team, he allowed MacBride to take the microphone, to which he replied with a devilish smile, "I'm pretty damn confident we can give them a run for their money."

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[The Macabees]

Semifinals

Cravan 5-0 Lamoni
Starblaydia 1-1 Dancougar (1-1 AET) (Starblaydia wins 1-0 on penalty kicks)

Third Place Play-Off
Lamoni vs. Dancougar; Nantes Colosseum

Kings' Cup Final
Cravan vs. Starblaydia; Imperial Stadium of Fedala

[Dancougar]

Dancougar News!!
CONCACAF qualification just got interesting.

Wings downed by champions: For ninety minutes, the Black Wings held firm against a relentless Starblaydi assault. They did the same for an additional thirty minutes. And when the dust settled on their semifinal tie, the world champions were moving on by the thinnest of margins after that rarest of occasions - a 'keeper's duel in penalties.

Starblaydia advanced to the final of the Kings' Cup over Dancougar by virtue of a 1-0 victory in the shootout after the teams drew 1-1. This produces a championship matchup between group winners after Cravan demolished Lamoni in the other semifinal. "We knew coming into the game that we were the underdogs, based on combined experience, pedigree, and most any other measure," said coach Shigeru Takeuchi. "But we played with confidence, and even when the momentum shifted, we kept our focus."

The Wings got off to a dream start by scoring in the ninth minute, as Lincoln McFarland started a counterattack and fired a cross into the area. Ivan Marchak had to dive forward to get his head onto it, but he managed to redirect the ball past Gareth Dixon to give the Wings a 1-0 lead. Dixon had sat back on his line and defender Avanti Alfonso had both started to slow up when the ball appeared to be sailing wide, so neither were in a position to react to Marchak's gangbuster run. It appeared like the team weren't the least bit shaken by the number of World Cup winners on the field.

"We needed to make good use of all of our chances, and I figured as long as I had a chance to get to the ball, I had to go for it," said Marchak.

That brought Starblaydia into the game, and from that point on, possession was completely dominated by the purple and white. Rafaelo started the comeback bid in the 17th minute with a long bomb that forced a save from Taro Osagawara, and in the 23rd, Nicole Maitland-Banks saw a shot deflected wide by defender Rokuro Katayama. The pressure was forcing the midfield to withdraw to provide assistance to the back line, and the abandoned Marchak and Darrell DeLauter found themselves drifting back, as well, in search of service.

Starblaydia drew level in the 32nd minute. Julius Starblayde found some space near the touchline and rifled a cross into the box. William Kabacinski got a head to it but only succeeded in redirecting it to the foot of Rafaelo, who slammed it in from 25 yards. Osagawara was screened and dove late, and Starblaydia were lucky not to have the lead minutes later when Rafaelo got a similar look.

"We were hanging back to avoid giving up a big play, and instead they just went for space and made good use of it," said Kabacinski. "We needed to get a little more aggressive."

The Wings only had a few second-half chances on counterattacks, but the lion's share of possession remained with Starblaydia. Maitland-Banks chipped away at Katayama's tight marking with strong off-the-ball runs, but she was unable to shake him free and create space for a shot. She forced one over the bar in frustration her midfield began to take charge of the attack. Starblayde and Rafaelo both had narrow misses.

The best chance to tie the game in regulation came in the 82nd minute, as Soraya Roshanak headed a corner kick straight into Osagawara, but the 'keeper fumbled the ball. There was a scramble in the box and Maitland-Banks took a crack at it, but she saw the ball careen off Kabacinski's leg and over the goal line. The resulting corner kick was punched wide in a panic by Osagawara.

In overtime, the Wings continued on the defensive as both managers began looking forward to penalties. The Wings lost one of their better marksman when Marchak was substituted in the 110th minute after having the wind knocked out of him in a collision with Solomon Dante. 34-year-old veteran Kou Hirano was brought on in his place with Takeuchi's final substitute, as two earlier changes had shored up the defense. Maitland-Banks had once final chance to prevent the shootout when she got her foot to a long ball sent over Katayama, but she directed it into the side netting.

"We were holding our own, although it was taking everything, and part of me was glad to get into penalties," said Osagawara. "I could tell the guys were getting tired and I did my best to keep them in the game."

Of the ten shooters lined up by Starblaydia and Dancougar, only one would find the net. Each 'keeper saved three shots while Hirano and Jerry Reisner both missed for Dancougar, with Hirano striking the crossbar after a stutter-step completely fooled Dixon. Starblayde, the second kicker for the World Cup champions, hit what turned out to be the winning kick.

"Taro did everything right, and we couldn't hit the net once," said Hirano after the game. "That was devestating."

The Wings will take on Lamoni for third place.

[Cravan]

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Royals Slide Into Finals

The Royals saw another victory yesterday against the Lamoni Hawks. The match started off in the favour of the Cravanians, and never moved from that.

"Honestly, I felt kind of bad for them," keeper Mark Phillpany said following the match, being unusually sympathetic in contrast to his usually aggressive nature, "I mean they're not a bad team, but they just had an off day."

The Royals made their first goal at the five minute mark, courtesy of Ashley MacBride whom had been subbed in as a starter over Merlin Greddle. From that point onwards, the Royals danced about the pitch with almost total supremacy of the ball, as whenever the Hawks managed to grab a hold of it, the Cravanian defence wrenched it right back. Four additional goals were made throughout the course of the match. At the fifteen minute mark, by Cameron Donalds, at the twenty-two minute mark, by Merlin Greddle, at the thirty-three minute mark, by Fred Thompson, and at the thirty-eight minute mark, by Michael Petters.

Following this string of goals, the Lamoni Hawks finally managed to get their game together and stop the onslaught. They were, however, unable to gain a foothold against the Royals, and the remainder of the game turned into a game of "keep-away."

"It was a great ego-boost for us," Eric Dovitt said jubilantly, "Considering we're going up against what's probably the best team in the world next."

On 13 August, the Royals will proceed to the finals against the Starblaydia, who are ranked best in the world at the moment. The Starblaydian team has thusfar ravaged its way through Group B and up to this point, and with five World Cup titles they are a force to be reckoned with and then some.

The Royals plan to spend the majority of tomorrow training, followed by a visit with Her Majesty and another press conference. Sports bars and pubs around Laurana plan for their busiest night since the Haven Cup championship, and plan to have perhaps twice the amount of patrons they received that night. Cravanians in Fedala are out in full force partying with the best of them, as the Cravanian team has never before seen success of this magnitude.

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