World Cup 62 - The RP thread

[Kinitaria]

HIGH FIVE FOR KINITARIA
That's more like it! Cambirano routed, Kinitaria back on track

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Posted by Admin, 5 hours ago

A break from my regular coverage now, since I had the good fortune (and the money) to go to the Central Stadium for the first time since Polar Islandstates played there (Vacarestič scored and we got beat 2-1). Today provided quite a different standard of opposition in Cambirano, who were taking part in their first ever qualification cycle. They'd only won one in five games prior to their trip here, so we were expecting not to be troubled. We said that before the Javahe Islands game too, on the other hand...

I actually live closer to the Central Stadium than I do to the Orasii, so it wasn't much of a trek to get there. I can get there in 30 minutes, but make that two hours after a quick pit stop at one of the pubs outside the ground, then it was inside to watch the football. I've got a contact who works in the Federation so I was able to get seats in the middle of the south tribune, almost directly behind the goal. I got in about 20 minutes before kickoff, and here's one of the things I love about football fans in this country - heading for a qualification match which would surely be no more than a training exercise, and the fans were already in buoyant mood. I can't wait to see what the atmosphere's going to be like if we actually get somewhere notable. Like the World Cup Final... well, I can dream, no?

So it was on with the match. The stadium was packed to the rafters and the Cambirano players looked terrified. Our boys laid into them straight away, and Kovačev - he'd been recalled for this game, even though he doesn't play much these days thanks to his age - stamped his authority onto the game with a tackle some would call a "crowd-pleaser". Others would call it assault. Referee Claude Renault was straight over with a yellow card in hand. That was essentially the pattern of the first 20, we got right into the opposition and made them scared to come into the tackle, the midfield enjoyed more and more freedom and so it was no surprise when Cantacuzino scored on the half-hour. I've always liked Cantacuzino, I would have liked to have seen him at City a couple of years ago. He certainly got himself noticed today, fantastic distribution and some superb tackles. Anyway, Sabčot grabbed his customary goal a couple of minutes before half-time, a curled shot into the top corner, and as beautiful as it looked, he could have just tapped it into the net. I suppose Sabčot's allowed to be cocky like that.

So it was 2-0 at half-time, time to head down to the concourse for some light refreshment. There's not many grounds in which you'll find home fans singing on the concourses, but that's the sort of sporting culture we have in this country. On the other hand, you'll not find halved shorts in many grounds either. Nice try, I suppose.

Second half, same as before, let them know we're still there. Shame about the ref, I thought he did ruin the flow of the game on occasion, constantly calling play back for petty little incidents. Football's a contact sport and all that. Anyway, nothing could stop us today. It wasn't long before Sabčot grabbed his second, a cheeky little backheel from about two yards after the ball ricocheted to him at a corner. Then he celebrated like he'd just won the World Cup, which didn't impress our friend in the black. Meanwhile, Cambirano were awful, there's no other word for it. It's staggering to think that we were at that sort of level just two cycles ago. I can hardly believe the progress we've made since then. The fourth came through Mihalcič just after the hour, Scott Mandel accidentally passing to the Kinitaria striker on the edge of the box, and Mihalcič doesn't miss those, so that was 4-0. We sort of eased up after that, the game was clearly won, and there was nothing to play for except goal difference. Still, goal difference is important, and we got a boost to ours when Sabčot claimed his hat-trick from 25 yards, slamming a first-time shot right past Theo Walden. It was just about playing out time after that, which we managed successfully. Another clean sheet for Petran. Just after the final whistle, the news came through that Yesopalitha and Filopines had finished 2-2, which lifts us to second, ahead of Filopines on goal difference, and just a point behind top spot.

If only we'd beaten the Javahe Islands, things would look so much different now. But we can't do anything about that result now. What we can do is go to the Filopines and make sure we win. If we do that, we'll be in a commanding position in the group going into the second half of qualification, and I honestly think our second set of fixtures is easier than the first, in terms of who we play home or away. Victory against the Filopines guarantees we'll be three points clear of third place with a much better goal difference. Sadly I won't be there, I'll have to watch at home, but I'll still be bringing you my thoughts after the game - I'll be there in spirit, of course.

Thanks for reading!

Showing comments 39-43 of 43

43. limacič35 said:

it's gonna be tough to get to the wc. 2nd is the best we can hope for in the group, then there's a playoff to get to.

42. Anonymous said:

5-0 is a good result, sure, but it's just covering up errors in the previous two games... I'm still to be convinced by Evinov.

41. miato-nefilant said:

Enjoyable read, keep it up. I'm surprisingly confident ahead of the Filopines game, I think this is the cycle in which we finally reach the promised land!

40. ilir.m said:

Evinov should have brought on some of the younger squad members when it was clear we were going to win, give them a bit of match experience and an easy introduction... better than throwing them in if we're 1-1 against Yesopalitha and need a win.

39. Anonymous said:

We looked a bit too aggressive for my liking. Too many silly fouls. Sure Cambirano can't make anything of them, but better teams will. And that's the level we supposedly want to be at.

[Wight]

.

[Polar Islandstates]

Prologue
The Bjarnese Problem
The Boy in Blue
A New Partner
Detective Roadblock
Terrace Chants
The Bjarnarey Floater


Marian Nordberg

I eyed Marian. He eyed me back.

“Nice coat.” I scoffed, looking at his tweed and woollen concoction.

“I could say the same for you.” he retorted.

“Clever. Don’t you usually come up with your own quips?” I asked. “Not like you to steal other people’s work. Oh, wait, it is.”

“Why whatever do you mean, Wolfgang?” he smirked.

“You really are repulsive, Marian. You stole my cases and ruined my career.” I was seething. “You are a swine. You knew exactly what you were doing.”

“Calm yourself, Wolfgang. You’re getting all het up,” he smarmed. I could smell the arrogance pouring off him like dry ice tumbling from a hair rock band’s stage show. “It was a simple misunderstanding. We bumped into each other in the canteen. You picked up my briefcase, and I picked up yours.”

“You barged into me, swiped my case, and ran off,” I said through gritted teeth.

“It was a couple of hours before I was following a lead I didn’t make, honest mistake. I tried to find you to correct the mistake but you were undercover or something.”

“No. You were hiding.”

“Well, be that as it may, both cases got solved, so what’s the problem?”

“You recovered a lost tablet of runes and got a feature film, and I found a lost cat.”

“Does that not work for you?” he asked his eyes the picture of innocence.

I didn’t dignify that with a response, but instead clung on tighter to my briefcase. He started to walk around me slowly.

“So, Wolfgang, what have you got your hands on here, eh? Quite a big case, as I understand it. Some murders, some thefts. A bit of mystery, a bit of intrigue? Sounds like a big case. Sounds interesting. Sounds like it could be a good film, in fact. Or maybe a book? A lot of good films start with a good book. Perhaps I could give your notes a quite read now, for you? Give you a few pointers?”

I clung on tighter. The urge to shoulder barge him into the canal was almost unbearable.

“You’re not getting your hands on this. Not this one.” I grunted back at him.

“Oh, come on, Wolfgang. We both know who looks the best on film out of the two of us. Why, I heard you don’t even do your own stunts…”

“Stunts? You want to stop thinking about cases in terms of the silver screen, my friend.” I hissed, hiding the fact that I desperately wished to have the chance to have my own film.

“Well, is that not the purpose of all of this? Solve the case, get the girl, make the money?”

He paused, having walked back in front of me. The wind rustling and lifted the flaps of that ridiculous deerstalker hat. He realised he was silhouetted in front of me and lifted his pipe back up to his mouth with a flourish, holding it there pensively. I was now convinced that he had somebody taking pictures of this confrontation.

“Get lost, Marian.” I said, losing patience with the conversation. “I’m bored.”

“Well, give the case to me, and I’ll just be off.”

“No.”

“Give it to me.”

“Marian, no.”

“Wolfgang.” he hissed, taking a menacing step towards me. I took a step backwards. Annoying or not, he probably was stronger than me, and in a straight fight I didn’t fancy my chance.

Then all of a sudden, footsteps and the sound of two women giggling approached us from behind.

“Who’s this guy then?”

Skye.

“Who are you?” asked Marian, affronted.

“This is my new partner,” I said smugly, quietly quite happy that Skye had arrived to back me up at such a crucial moment.

“Partner?” asked Marian, almost disbelievingly. He seemed almost offended that I’d found someone to work with me.

“That’s right.” I answered affirmatively, now much more confident.

“Detectiveberg. Pleased to meet you.” said Skye, taking a step forwards from behind me and moving into my vision. It would appear by the woman on each arm that Skye had completely skipped ‘solve the case’ and proceeded directly to ‘get the girl’. Or girls, as it may be. “And you are?”

“’Detecti-…’ Are you for real?” asked Marian, incredulously.

“Yes, yes he is.” I answered, nodding. I was quite enjoying the evident jealousy written all over Marian’s face. It wasn’t often I got one over on the guy. I was going to milk it. “And, in fact, he’s twice the detective you’ll ever be. So, between us, that makes five of you, versus you. So, hop it.”

Marian did not hop it, but instead turned to square up to Skye. Undaunted, Skye pulled one arm from around one of the girls, and slammed a quick, sudden, and unanticipated punch squarely into Marian’s stomach. Winded, Marian bent double and tried to catch his breath, his hat tumbling off his head. I hated to admit it, but it was actually an improvement that way.

“Who is this Sherlock Twat?” asked Skye, looking round.

“This, is Marian Nordberg.” I answered.

“Ah, him.”

“Yes, him.”

Marian looked up, and noticed as I the amount of sheer charisma that seemed to be pouring off Skye now he was full of confidence and flanked by two beautiful women. Apparently fearing this new union between a man who was basically everything he aspired to be and the one person he’d taken advantage of to attempt to do just that, Marian stood up and turned to leave.

“Well,” he spat, looking over his shoulder, “I guess I’ll just have to make my own enquiries then, won’t I?”

“You can try.” I answered rather smugly. I was enjoying myself.

“The Cuttle Lodge, was it?” He smiled. Apparently he thought my visit there had been for the case, and not just to meet Skye for the first time. I wasn’t about to correct him, and instead attempting to fake a look of shock. Marian laughed. “Pass me my hat, I’ll be seeing you later, you can count on it.”

Unfazed, Skye said nothing, but without moving his gaze from Marian’s, deftly swung his foot sideways, toppling the wretched deerstalker into the canal.

Marian sniffed, and turned on his heels. As he left I saw him take a phone from his pocket and dial a number.

“Johannes? Yeah. You can stop filming now.”

I knew it.

And with that, Marian had gone. I chalked that up as one-nil to me.

I turned to Skye.

“And I don’t even want to know where you found these two at this time of the morning.”

“Oh, they’re staying on your corridor. You should get out more, Wolfgang, have some fun.” Skye was apparently rather enjoying being a private eye himself. I sighed.

“So, are you going to go and do some detective work, then?”

“Already done some,” he said, raising an eyebrow in such a way to make the girls swoon a little. Between the three of them, I considered, they were putting feminism back about forty years. Such is life with a relic like Timo Skye, I supposed.

“The Cuppet?”

“The Cuppet.”

“And?”

“Well, nothing much of interest. But there was one team that might be important.”

“Oh?”

“They played with mobilised, dead, rotting bodies.”

“You don’t say…” I pondered, thinking of the pollution that Tor Gewandchel had been marking on that map before heading for that concrete building by The Barge.

“Timo, we have work to do…” I said dynamically, striding away and hoping Skye would leave the women and come with me to investigate. I looked back over my shoulder. I was right. It was time to start investigating these deaths. Starting with a trip to that building…


The story will continue in... The Dockland Monument.

[Mesoland]

MBC Sports News
Coverage of the LXII World Cup in Carpathia-Ruthenia and Astograth

DREAMS OF QUALIFICATION TAKE ANOTHER HIT AS BEARS ARMED SUBJECT THE BLUEBIRDS TO A SIX GOAL DRUBBING

Bears Armed 6
Darma’s-darthhrr 7, 22, 25, Sunwatcher 49, 66, Lightning 90+2

Mesoland 0

As you can imagine, Mesoland had little hope of coming away from Bears Armed with anything but a loss, however the boys were given a serious wakeup call last night after they were subjected to a six goal thrashing by the world number 10s. Maybe the fact that they were playing against a team full of sapient bears put them off a little? Maybe the Meso challenge cup between Ilungwe City and 1892 Tabarak Blues (which City won 4-2) took its toll on some of the players, despite it being held five nights before the match? Who's to say?

The Bears dominated the whole of the first half, Mesoland's only time on the ball spent ferrying it back several metres. The bears' gargantuan forward, Darma's-darthhrr, struck first for the Bears after barging Majukalile into the dirt before sending a volley rocketing into the net, Akazambaa only able to watch in stunned silence as the ball blitzed past his head (some say that the net actually burst a little as the shot hit it). Fifteen minutes later, after the bears had finished toying with the Meso defence, Darma's-darthhrr struck again, blitzing past Ugadu to squeeze a
neat little shot in at a ridiculous angle. Three minutes following this, the bears won a corner which Darma's-darthhrr rose to greet, rounding off her hattrick to bring home the third goal of the night. Although Mesoland held off the bears for the next twenty minutes, it obviously wasn't going to be long before the next goal arrived...

Obviously satisfied that her work was done, Urra ‘Honey’ SunBlesséd, the bears' coach, had replaced Darma's-darthhrr with Sarrathrie Sevens, while Bert Giazanba had brought Nukaba off for Noël, pushing into the back line as an LCB (changing the Meso formation into a 5-4-1 style). This change in formation and style didn't really do much for the bluebirds, because 4 minutes after the second half whistle blew, Sunwatcher had converted a free kick to take her team's tally up to four. Even when Nazakofye dropped back behind Miaku (who completely centred himself in the midfield) to become a defensive midfielder, the formidable ursines continued to pound forward. The bears were too strong and agile for the humans of Mesoland, and they eventually conceded another Sunwatcher goal, this one a tap-in at the near post following a poorly-defended corner.

Giazanba, who had already retired to the technical room back inside the tunnel in his despair, decided to leave his team as-was, not wanting to waste any more players on the already hopelessly lost cause. Although the blues sort of began to fight back during the last ten minutes, they were still unable to prevent Lightning from striking during stoppage time with a powerful shot blasted from 25yds out. Bears Armed ran out the comfortable winners, pleased that they had managed to overcome a fairly successful team like Mesoland by six whole goals, while the blues left the field feeling dejected and demoralised.

This latest setback pushes Mesoland down into the bottom half of the group, lying in fifth, no thanks to good ol' goal difference. The bluebirds will need to score plenty next time they play as they face the failing side from Super-Llamaland down on the Tabarak seafront in front of a projected sell-out crowd at the Pekolé Stadium.

All World Cup and CoH news and results can be found on the MBC website, http://www.mesolandbc.mz, under the sports section. Article by Jonjo Tikali.

[Carpathia and Ruthenia]

RP CUTOFF FOR MATCHDAY SEVEN

Scores for the day can be found here

[Maklohi Vai]

"Well, that was rather horrid, wasn't it?"
"Two goals allowed! Who the bloody hell are we, the US?"
"Calm down. At least people like football in our nation."
"Football. Bloody football."
"Well, I'm angry too, but I wanted to put my thoughts of the team into a ballad form, so I wrote one."
"What are you jabbering about?"
"Look:

And so the Vaian warriors trotted out, clothed as they were in shimmering silks of blue.
But their courage was already present on the pitch, as their hearts' desires were nothing new.
Yet their feet did not amend, their legs did not run.
For only if there was hope on the pitch, this match might yet have been won.
These brave men, eleven strong, did work together as a team.
But this unit did not match the opponent's scream.
For the defense had an issue, with Smith and Powers and Jones and such.
What could our valiant men do? Not much.
And so Smith scored at 49, with Jones following a dime hence,
And with the deft Powers assisting, Makai cold not be a mensch.
And lo, their fortunes dashed, this Vaian team did leave the pitch,
it being with great sorrow. Yet hopes were not in a ditch,
For Maklohi Vai would rise again, this time to heights not yet seen.
For their efforts mustered would keep their dreams aloft and green.
This Vaian team has yet to quit, they shall fight to the end
As their ancestors did, friend by friend by friend."

"Why are you still in a pub when you can write like that?"
"Do you think freelance writers get paid a lot?"
"Oh yeah. Right..."

Maklohi Vai 0-2 Equatorial Sarmen
(Smith 49, Jones 59)

[Jeruselem]

Princess Melody Song Dallas (맬로디 성 달라스 공주) and Melody Gee from Naked News Jeruselem

MG: Hi, this is Melody Gee for Naked News Jeruselem at Dazza Dallas Stadium. I'm with Jeruselem captain Princess Melody, well the one that isn't playing.
맬로디 성 달라스 공주: Hello everyone
MG: Wight, the group 2 leader came here to show it deserved to be leader but the Princesses put Wight down.
맬로디 성 달라스 공주: We've been playing badly recently and not to our full capablity.
MG: 3-1 win, good for us as it closes the gap to Wight
맬로디 성 달라스 공주: Ah yes, we played the best today. Our best game for this campaign.

MG: You're not playing still
맬로디 성 달라스 공주: Doctor's orders
MG: Things are turning around
맬로디 성 달라스 공주: Yes, we beat the group leader. Hard to beat a team on roll.
MG: Still, we're still 3rd
맬로디 성 달라스 공주: But we closed that gap in points which was a bit large

MG: I noticed the cheerleaders today we're doing Bubble Pop by Hyuna.
맬로디 성 달라스 공주: Perfect cutey sexy song for cheerleading
MG: Any news when you get back into the team?
맬로디 성 달라스 공주: No, ask my doctor.
MG: Your knee looks OK, I mean ... it looks fine
맬로디 성 달라스 공주: On the outside, still a little pain when I overdo things.

MG: Today was a big danger game.
맬로디 성 달라스 공주: If we lost, it would have been really bad.
MG: So it just confirmed we've been underperforming.
맬로디 성 달라스 공주: I guess so, Wight have been overperforming
MG: Still plenty of time left to get better
맬로디 성 달라스 공주: I guess so. If this was in the 2nd half of qualifying, I'd be worried.

MG: I noticed you're holding a book "Korean for Bimbos"
맬로디 성 달라스 공주: I have to do something while I'm not playing
MG: How is progress?
맬로디 성 달라스 공주: My sister is doing better than me. She is younger though, learns faster
MG: Good luck with everything
맬로디 성 달라스 공주: Thanks Miss Gee

MG: Oh don't forget to vote for your fave anchor on our web site
맬로디 성 달라스 공주: Vote for me !!!
MG: Don't worry folks, she's always like that.
맬로디 성 달라스 공주: I'm allowed to.
MG: And remember, there's two Melodies ... me and then her.
맬로디 성 달라스 공주: That makes a song.

[Megadia]

A boring old day in Megadian Parliament you would presume, but it turned out to be far from it...

"I'd just like to take a moment to reinforce my support of our national football team in their valiant pursuit of world cup qualification, we should use this opportunity to unify the nation and make Megadia great again!" announced Sir Edgar Freshwater, a kind but unusual man who currently holds the position of Prime Minister of Megadia. His son, Austin Freshwater-Blake is the team's top striker and he suggested that this be brought up in parliament as the team's lack of support from fans was preventing the team from getting motivated.

This suggestion was immediately met with scepticism; Megadia is a sport-mad nation but this sort of thing wasn't considered worth talking about in parliament where more serious issues should be discussed. Even the Minister of Sport wasn't so keen, preferring to discuss development at grassroots level as the solution rather than sending a bunch of "drunk football hooligans over to Astograph to embarrass Megadia in front of the world" but Sean Norville, a lower league footballer before venturing into politics as the leader of the Megadian Liberal Democrats was very supportive of this idea and had an even better suggestion, merging both ideas together "I agree that more needs to be done at grassroots level but I also agree that the amount of support were giving our national sports teams is unacceptable so firstly, I think we need to lower ticket prices and secondly I think we should hold a talent show on national TV searching for Megadia's next big football prospect to get more people interested in the team. I'd also like to form an U16's National Team and I will voluntarily manage them for no fee, I do know a thing or two about football you know!". These ideas proved very popular and it was also agreed that the winner would be making his debut in this years world cup qualifiers...

A 14 year old, short, skinny boy with a football made of rags called Jhulio heard this from a radio whilst walking down the dusty, cobbled streets of Uizasd, he began to juggle his football along with a tennis football and he soon drew a crowd of about 30 people, all in dreamy admiration of his footballing talent. They all knew this boy was international standard already, even at the age of 14 (though he will probably need to strengthen a little as well), this competition would be his only shot at footballing glory so they grouped together all their coins and they just had enough to pay the 10Megadon entry fee. Before long, he was on an old bus on his way to the national football centre in Megatropolis, where the competition awaited. He was listening to Megadia being ruthlessly thrashed 4-1 by Jeru FC on the radio, would he be the one to change the team's fortunes?

[Vilita]

Jaded Returns, Victorious against Mashiki

After disappointingly giving up a weak goal against New West Guiana that cost the Jungle Cats their perfect start on Matchday 5, Aranora Jaded returned between the sticks for the Vilitan National Team against Mashiki on Matchday 7.

Just one game removed from the critical Group 19 victory over growing rivals Saugeais from the region of Rushmore, first choice goalkeeper Nycflala Kater got the day off and did not travel with the squad to Arcticala for the match against Mashiki.

While Jaded was hoping to get the nod against Mashiki on his home turf, he knew there was other competition for the spot - especially after his gaff against New West Guiana had cost the team two points.

Jungrii Canopii was the hot thing during World Cup 60 Qualifying, virtually single-handedly leading the team to the World Cup Finals with a string of playoff shutouts. Canopii hadn't featured at all for the Jungle Cats during World Cup 62 qualifying in the first 6 matchdays, much to the surprise of many pundits who expected that Canopii was ready to challenge Nycflala Kater for the #1 position.

Then of course there was Jaqe Planst, the Cednia Beach AFC goalkeeper who was trained in Arcticala along side of Aranora Jaded. Planst was given the nod for the opening match of the campaign against the Royal East America side but hadn't suited up since under Calaesa Mitaroka.

Canopii was in Arcticala, but arrived in plain clothes and stayed that way. It would be between Planst and Jaded for the starting position.

The position went to Planst. Or so it seemed. When the players arrived in the locker room, the squad sheet showed Planst as the started and Jaded on the bench. The players kitted up, went to the pitch for warmups and returned to the locker room with that knowledge in the back of their minds.

Then coach Mitaroka took the two keepers aside.

"I want Aranora between the sticks tonight" Mitaroka said.



The decision worked out. It was a tight match, well played by the upstart Rushmori side. In the end, however, the Jungle Cats were victorious.

Aranora Jaded kept a clean sheet, emphasizing, in his own mind, his claim for a spot within the World XI.

After getting flack for instilling namesake Kiroki into the squad, coach Mitaroka's decisions seemed to be right on the mark as Inland Peaks' Kiroki Mitaroka dominated the play throughout the match, making the plays and really outworking the Mashiki midfielders.

Despite the strong play - the Jungle Cats hadn't even allowed Mashiki to earn a single corner kick - the score was level at the half. Unlike the New West Guiana match, however, the fans could sense the goal was coming, and it would come off the foot of Retiso Buran in the 55th minute.

Unsurprisingly, superb play in midfield from Kiroki Mitaroka won the ball which was dished out to Cristoh Nrubari who was looking to impress in his first match of the campaign. Nrubari had a chance to take the ball up the line to put in a cross but instead played a ball square to Retiso Buran who unleashed from 20 yards out, catching Mashiki goalkeeper Dimitor Vashalka off the mark and giving Vilita the goal it needed to walk away with all three points.

Buran was substituted shortly after the goal to a standing applause from the home supporters followed soon by Nrubari who's return to the National Team ended after a little more than an hour in a strong performance that will have done nothing to harm the players chances for for matches in the first team under Calaesa Mitaroka.

The win ensures the unbeaten Jungle Cats remain atop the Group 19 table at the mid-way point in the campaign, with no room for error however, as rivals Saugeais remain just one point behind in the race for automatic qualification to the World Cup 62 Finals.

	Mashiki
:: Goalscorers :: :: 55' Retiso Buran	:: Goalscorers :: -None-
:: Best Player: Kiroki Mitaroka :: Worst Player: Viji-mara Lawaai :: Shots on Target: 5 :: Corner Kicks: 5	:: Best Player: Milark Devina :: Worst Player: Magia Hantulo :: Shots on Target: 2 :: Corner Kicks: 0

Vilita Jungle Cats (3-(1-4)-2) ::
[GK] Aranora Jaded, [D] Niubo Deneli, [D] Miiara Makose, [D] Sipaao Vereaoao, [DMC] Retiso Buran, [ML] Riksa Valjariia, [MC] Jomur Hulyer, [MC] Kiroki Mitaroka, [MR] Cristoh Nrubari, [FC] Sirkii Moliaudo, [FC] Viji-mara Lawaai
BENCH::
[FC] Lita Adjei, [FC] Erocka Lorei, [M] Jian Lejsrma, [M] Relmar Winauat, [U] Tujamu Treola, [D] Uajiala Pulkki, [GK] Jaqe Planst

Vilita Substitutions::
(45) - Sirkii Moliaudo >>> Lita Adjei
(63) - Retiso Buran >>> Erocka Lorei
(64) - Cristoh Nrubari >>> Jian Lejsrma

(For Future Statistical Reference)
GK :: Aranora Jaded 6

D :: Niubo Deneli 8
D :: Miiara Makose 7
D :: Sipaao Vereaoao 7

DMC :: Retiso Buran 9

ML :: Riksa Valjariia 6
MC :: Jomur Hulyer 7
MC :: Kiroki Mitaroka 7
MR :: Cristoh Nrubari 6

FC :: Sirkii Moliaudo 5
FC :: Viji-mara Lawaai 5

Vilitan Subs Bench:
FC :: Lita Adjei 6
FC :: Erocka Lorei 5
M :: Jian Lejsrma 6
M :: Relmar Winauat DNP
U :: Tujamu Treola DNP
D :: Uajiala Pulkki DNP
GK :: Jaqe Planst DNP

Group 19
Felix Terra (340)
West Guiana (88)
Saugeais (25)
Vilita (17)
Royal East America (316)
Bergnovinaia (47)
Northern Sunrise Islands (155)
Mashiki (131)

MD 1: v. Royal East America
MD 2: @ Bergnovinaia
MD 3: v. Northern Sunrise Islands .
MD 4: @ Felix Terra
MD 5: v. West Guiana
MD 6: @ Saugeais
MD 7: v. Mashiki

MD 8: @ Royal East America
MD 9: v. Bergnovinaia
MD 10: @ Northern Sunrise Islands
MD 11: v. Felix Terra
MD 12: @ West Guiana
MD 13: v. Saugeais
MD 14: @ Mashiki

[Qazox]

(ooc to my opponent: If there is anything here that you disagree with, TG me before the next cutoff, and I will change it)

Hello once again NSverse 1.0 (if you are not currently located within NSverse 1.0, please insert the correct NSverse version as appropriate for your local spatial-linear time frame), I'm Dr. John Laeter of the University of Qazox (Qazox City). As stated before, I am allowing unprecedented access to historical spatial-linear time frames other than the main one your specific nation resides in currently for research in historical and/or sociological differences between different spatial-linear time frames of your nation. Last night, Qazox beat Darmen 4-0, despite in the vast majority of other SLT's the score was 2-1 or 3-2. Darmeni history has been notorious for being convoluted, as most of its history was never written down, but passed on as legends and tales of past battles. But one particular event early on in Darmeni history is of interest.

NSVerse 1.00 Darmen, c. 1350 ACE
The SnowStorm during the Battle of Nauti.
RESULT: A coalition of forces, mainly from Northern Darmen met the forces of South-west Darmen near Nauti in the late fall of 1350. During an attack from the Southwestern forces, a 3-day long blizzard swept through the area, blinding both sides. The SW forces, trying to retreat towards modern day Rouen, became trapped in a snow-bound valley. With provisions low and temperatures in the low teens; the SW forces were forced to leave over 30% of their troops in the valley, either dead or nearly so. When the storm broke, the Northern forces had found themselves out-flanking the retreating army and after a week of battle, had opened the southwestern lands for conquest. The Northern forces, by 1475 had conquered almost all of the current Darmeni city-states, Tempala being the lone execption, being a holy site. With the totality of Darmen under the Northern control, they quickly became a power in the Rushmori Region. By 1750, Darmen had one of the 4 largest GDPs in the region and was one of the founding members of the Southern Rushmore International Treaty of Defence Organization (SRITDO). Today, Darmen is a leader in aerospace techonology and is one of the larger tourist destinations in Rushmore.


NSVerse 8.93: Darmen, c. 1350 ACE
The SnowStorm during the Battle of Nauti.
RESULT: A coalition of forces, mainly from Northern Darmen met the forces of South-west Darmen near Nauti in the late fall of 1350. During an attack from the Southwestern forces, a 3-day long blizzard swept through the area, blinding both sides. The Northern forces, attempting a out-flanking manouver towards modern day Rouen, became trapped in a snow-bound valley. With provisions low and temperatures in the low teens; the Northern forces were forced to leave over 30% of their troops in the valley, either dead or nearly so. When the storm broke, the Southwestern forces had found themselves out-flanking the Northern army and after a week of battle, had repelled the invading force. By 1368, a treaty between the two fighting sides had been established, affirming the existance of Darmen and Campala. The two nations became bit players in the greater Rushmore region, as both countries clashed over natural resources, leading to at least 4 more wars between the two nations. Campala, in 1698, was crushed by Carmadin after Campala attempted to invade eastern Carmadin for access to Oil preserves found there. Darmen, in 1710, conquered the eastern part of Campala; while Carmadin annexed the western half. Modern Darmen is a leader in weapons and nuclear technology, and is not part of the Southern Rushmore International Treaty of Defence Organization (SRITDO). The country is hostile to forgieners, and is currently ruled by a Military junta.

QAZOX SPORTS
Eagles slam Darmen 4-0.

A dominating win over 2nd placed Darmen leaves Qazox alone atop the Group 9 standings heading into the mid-qualifying break. Goals from Brooke Chen (19'); Quentin Rashaad (33'); Alberto Esperanza (78') and Grady Reed (90+2') lead the way, as Eve Wallace earned yet another shutout. With 3 weeks between now and the resumption of the qualifiers, Qazox' players will be spending the break in Sativaville, going through the Sativaville Marine Corps JROTC train course, in a team building exercise.

[Mapletish]

The World Cup LXII Podcast, The Sour Kind ....

The Islands of Qutar 2-2 Mapletish, a little pinch of salt but not really a pinch.

If you have not yet feel the pinch on the Lions now, you are too late for the real deal, the Lions are hanging loosely on their toes now in the supposed "Group Of Death".

Today's podcast features The Sour Kind and sports analyst John Smiths, or the name that everybody know John by, the Football Kaki

The Sour Kind [SK] - Hello awesome people, it is me again The Sour Kind or TSK, tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk . Oh well that's a little lame joke from me, today we have John Smiths, your football kaki with me for a little conversation on his thoughts on the Mapletish National Team. I know the current squad hasn't been up to standard and below par for now, since their best performance in the World Cup Qualifying campaign a cycle ago.

John Smiths [JS] - Hello SK thank you for inviting me here today for your World Cup installment of the Lions' journey. To everybody's knowledge, the Lions certainly hasn't perform well and the team is lacking in form rather than quality, the addition of new players might have help the play by quite a bit, but the momentum isn't there yet and I suppose, it will never be there.

SK - How do you rate the chances of Muain Newtons being able to bring the Lions to the World Cup?

JS - This cycle would be another hopeless cycle, with maybe a Cup Of Harmony after the qualification.

SK - Will Muain Newtons face an early exit, following his second stint with the Lions?

JS - Probably yes, this would give Heinz the assistant manager a chance to put his skills back in place, Heinz has been quite promising with his daring exploits, but to more conservative Sports Congress members he is not the manager that will bring Mapletish success.

SK - If the Lions end up in the Cup Of Harmony, will they win it?

JS - A high chance no, the Lions have a weak record in the Cup Of Harmony and when it comes to qualifying from the group stage, they are just outsiders.

SK - If the Lions are in the World Cup, how do you see the chances of getting a win?

JS - A disappointing zero percent, they might end up getting thrashed by other world class teams, and for me just look at their style of play and predict the outcome, the Lions are doomed.

SK - Will they experience a huge reshuffle like the ice-hockey team by the Mapletish Sports Federation?

JS - I hope they do, the Minnows have done us proud by reaching the knockout stages after the huge reshuffle of the team and a huge reshuffle of the Football team will do them good too.

SK - Do you think the Lions will qualify for the World Cup?

JS - This is a huge and yet easy question, I suppose the Lions will not qualify for the World Cup until they reached their tenth attempt then we shall see.

SK - Do you think the Lions will perform well in the subsequent Copa Rushmori?

JS - The Lions have failed to deliver the promise of winning the Copa Rushmori on their third attempt and they have never came close to. Therefore, the Lions are planning to fail so let alone performing well in the Copa Rushmori.

SK - There have been negative thoughts about the Lions, will these negative thoughts affect the Lions on the international sporting arena?

JS - Certainly, the Sporting Lions will be affected, you see the Community Games yet?

SK - I certainly did. Well thank you for being here today for the podcast and thank you for sharing with us your thoughts.

JS - Yeah thanks to you too, it has been a pleasure to be here.

SK - Mapletish has been complacent on the international sporting scene, delivering huge promises on their debut, the Sporting Lions have failed to fulfill those promises. If you are disappointed in them, you are not alone because a recent poll shows that 95% of those 3 million interviewed feel the same way too. Once again I would like to thank John for speaking today and take care due we meet again.

[Slembana]

DBK Sports - Football - Aguazul 3-1 Slembana

Written by Temi Temi Dagens

How despicable. We have just lost 3-1 to Aguazul in a World Cup 62 qualifier. It may have been expected, as Aguazul won four of the last eight World Cups, but it means we have lost three games in a row. It also means that our manager, Gavin Stockwell, has been sacked. The former captain of our national team only became our manager back in August (it's now November 2014), but lost seven of his twelve games in charge, which is pretty awful.

We took the lead in the 2nd minute. Who scored? You got it - Val Kylx, that's who! The 19 year-old superstar volleyed past Aguazul's female goalkeeper, Xiomara Durán, to score, putting us 1-0 up and sending our fans totally bonkers. We almost scored another in the 5th minute, only for Durán to palm away a brilliant bicycle kick from Eddie Barlow, our other striker. Aguazul had a good chance to score in the 11th minute, when striker Juan Mario Pedroso saw a great header palmed over by our goalkeeper, Toby Gapman.

After a period of dominance for our opponents, they equalized on 27 minutes, when Pedroso headed home a great cross from Ramón Galindo, Aguazul's left-winger. This made the score 1-1. Barlow tried to hit back with a goal which would have given us the lead, but failed to do so with a great low shot. Aguazul's other striker, Arturo Benavides, hit the post with a backheel volley in the 43rd minute. Half-time arrived with us drawing 1-1.

The second half almost began perfectly for us, when Kylx slotted a shot against the post. Just minutes later, Benavides saw a great volley palmed over the bar by Gapman, before Barlow smashed a great header against the free-kick. It was looking promising for us, as we were making many good chances in the second half, and another goal seemed to be coming for us.

However, we cocked up the game in the 59th minute. Barlow received a great through ball from Jyvx Dagens. The player ran past Aguazulian centre-back Tadio Juarez, before diving to the ground in an attempt to win a penalty. Instead, Babbagian referee Margaret Svoboda sent Barlow off for a second yellow card. As Barlow walked off the pitch, he was mickey-taken by the Aguazulian fans, while our fans wound him up by singing "Oh, Barlow is shite." He is pretty shite - 23 goals in 48 internationals is not a good record.

Aguazul took the lead in the 78th minute, when Benavides curled a great shot past Gapman to score, making it 2-1 to Aguazul. Then, in the last minute, we lost the ball from a counter-attack. The ball found midfielder Merlín Salomón of Aguazul, who played it up to Benavides. The player hit a great volley past Gapman to complete our miserable match. As already mentioned, Stockwell has been SACKED.

[Warkus]

Ultimate Glory
Part X

"Well, we did pretty well last game."

"Thanks, Captain Obvious. We drew with a team ranked 61st."

"We need to keep this up, then we can get a decent finish in the qualifiers."

"Yeah, no more second-to-last for us!"

"I think we should have a look at the match footage."

"Yeah, you're right! Then we can figure out what we did right!"

"We've got a TV here, and the clip."

"Let's set it up then, we've got plenty of time."

The lads proceed to watch their game against Armed Bears, on their small and old television. I will never understand why the TV was so horrible.

"I think I understand. It's our attack."

"Yeah, we do better when playing more offensively."

"That, and the way we moved the ball across the field was fantastic."

"I think it's best that we work on our attacking movement and tactical play a lot more before the next match."

"Agreed. I'll take it up with the manager tomorrow."

"Alright, then. See ya."

[Apox]

(OOC: Supersonic is a dual themed program. The first half is an email program that is widely used in Apox. The second half is like a fusion between MSN/Group Chat/Twitter/Instant Messaging where you and your mates create a room to chat. You can also "Follow" people or things, that will automatically post into your chat room. This is a random chat room of a bunch of football mad mates during Apox vs Nopspri.)

<Booting up room>
<Gavin1532 online, Fred_MATE online, Jonno online, LadsOnTour (Steve) online, Jessie online, Fala online>

Fred_MATE: I have actually never heard of these guys before, what was it Sopri, Nopsi?
Fala: I think it was Nopspi.
Fred_MATE: Right, odd name though.
Gavin1532: Completely.
APXSportsUpdate: Welcome to today's game against the bottom ranked, Nopspri. We are hoping that this game should be little more than a formality.
LadsOnTour: Ah, Nopspri, that's how it's spelt.
Jonno: I'm bored of these minnows, give us some bigger fish.
Gavin1532: We lost to all of the 'bigger fish' Jon.
Jessie: This is true.
Jonno: Meh

APXSportsUpdate: Ok, Nopspri, will be kicking off, let's go!
LadsOnTour: Come on team!!!
Fred_MATE: If we lose this one I will actually kill someone.

APXSportsUpdate: Early strike, we stole the ball off the Nopsprian attacker straight away from kick-off, and GOAL! Dravid Scott opening the scoring!
LadsOnTour: YEAH!!!!
Gavin1532: I have the feeling this is going to be quite a 1 sided game.
Fred_MATE: I hope it is, I could do with an ego boost.
Fala: No Fred, you really don't.

APXSportsUpdate: Nopspri managed to keep the ball there for a few minutes, passing it around amongst their defenders, however, Olim Benzari, ran in, and stole it, took a shot, GOAL! 2-0.
Jonno: These guys are s**t.
Fala: Some of our club teams could beat them.
Gavin1532: 2-0 up and only 16 minutes in, that's gotta be a record.
Jessie: I have the feeling quite a few records are gonna be made today.

APXSportsUpdate: A wildly optimistic shot on goal from the half-way line there by a Nopspri player. However, I think it may have been a clearance to give them time to re-group. On with the attack!
LadsOnTour: WE'RE MUCH BETTER, WE'RE MUCH BETTER, WE'RE MUCH BETTER THAN NOPSPRI!
Fala: For once Steve, I'm gonna have to agree with you.

APXSportsUpdate: Another Goal for Apox! It had a sense of inevitability to it, we'd been gathering in their half for about 4 minutes. Eventually, Dan Weekes got the ball in to Fran Gracie, who got her head to it, and GOAL.
Fred_MATE: YES FRAN!!
Gavin1532: Come on your dragons!

APXSportsUpdate: A foul, John Carpenter on Nopspri player no.7, which will mean the Nopspri's can kick the ball as far up as possible. They haven't even gone attacking, they're only got two players in our half for this kick.
Fala: Not sure, they're realised it's a free kick, why are their players still grouped around the goal?
LadsOnTour: God only knows.
Gavin1532: Well, I know it's only 35 minutes in, but I think it's safe to say we won.
Fala: Yep, I'm going for a snooze, I'll rejoin near the end.
<Fala is offline>
Fred_MATE: Fair enough, It's not exactly competitive.

APXSportsUpdate: And Dravid Scott's second goal comes just before the break, a long powerful shot, which was not going to be stopped, a great effort!
Gavin1532: YES, 4 GOALS BEFORE HALF TIME?!?!
Jonno: Quite nice to be comfortably winning.
APXSportsUpdate: And that's half time, very exciting stuff here!
Fred_MATE: Loving the goal fest!

APXSportsUpdate: And now their back, Apox will have kick-off now. The question is, how many can we score?
Gavin1532: I'm gonna go with 6.
Fred_MATE: 12.
LadsOnTour: 12? That's ridiculous, nah, 7 goals.
Jessie: This is quite exciting to be fair.

APXSportsUpdate: A sub for Nopspri, someone's going off and another's going on, and I don't know who these players are cos I didn't get a team sheet.
Fred_MATE: Sounds about right then.

APXSportsUpdate: Apox have found the net for the 5th! time this game, Chris Maarsden getting himself on the scoresheet, by getting his head on a cross.
Jonno: YES CHRIS, YOU DUDE!
LadsOnTour: Did you see how high he jumped there? F**king unbelievable!
Gavin1532: Goals goals goals.

APXSportsUpdate: And it's gone in again, that's 2 goals in 3 minutes! Dravid Scott once again, this time quite a messy goal which Dravid eventually gets his foot on. That means he's got the first ever Apox hat-trick.
<Fala is online>
LadsOnTour: Can't believe you missed that Fal....
Fala: What happened? What'd I miss?
Gavin1532: Dravid just got a hat-trick.
Fred_MATE: Hat-trick for Drav, now 6-0.
Fred_MATE:Ninja'd damn...
Fala: Sounds exciting!
LadsOnTour: Almost overly...

APXSportsUpdate: It's a corner, 85th minutes, and for a laugh Jarvis Staniels is up as well, oh what a poor penalty, is gone to the Nopspri player, he's passed it back to the forward, he's through on goal! I don't believe, goal to Nopspri!!?
Fred_MATE: Hahaha, that's actually quite funny.
LadsOnTour: Still got a 5 goal lead.

APXSportsUpdate: Played is restarting with 3 minutes of actual time + 2 injury minutes. Is it over, or is there more excitement?
Gavin1532: Well, we've got my total of goals, don't think we'll score 12 though.
Fred_MATE: Hmph.

APXSportsUpdate: Jarvis Staniels is back up again, it's late play, he's scored, JARVIS STANIELS HAS SCORED!! A great header to be fair.
Fala: What??
LadsOnTour: hahaha, that's mental.
Gavin1532: What a ridiculous game...
LadsOnTour: And 7, I predicted 7, haha lol!
APXSportsUpdate: Full time here and a 7-1 whipping of Nopspri by Apox. That was crazy and an experience that will never leave me. Therefore, at the half-way stage we are 4th, with 12th points. Where will we finish? Who knows, hopefully 3rd!
Jonno: I'm in shock, just a lil bit.
APXSportsUpdate: Team Sheet from the game (scorers in bold)
GK - Jarvis Staniels
RD - Jack Forster
CD - Chris Neguwa
LD - Jennie Scott
RM - Olim Benzari
CM - Ken Rickwright
CM - Fran Gracie
LM - Cas Newan
ST - Chris Maarsden
ST - Dravid Scott x3
ST - MArlon Vetta

[Milchama]

"Hey dude when does the World Cup start?"

"I don't know, I keep looking but I keep seeing nothing."

"Yeah it's weird because I keep seeing prediction articles"

"Hey will you look at that"

"What?"

"The World Cup started"

"Oh cool how many matchdays are we in 1,2, something like that"

"Seven"

"What? Say that again"

"Seven"

"Really?! Show me"

*Shows him the most recent table*

"No way"

"Yep seven matchdays"

"Holy crap how the hell did that happen?"

"I have no idea, we were watching so semi-closely"

"And now we missed half of the qualifying campaign! Goddamnit! Well how is Milchama doing?"

"Third place with a lot of ground to make up"

"How much?"

"6 points on second place, 7 on first"

"Damnit! Who is ahead of us?"

"Valladares and Michael VII"

"We're better than Michale VII"

"Yeah but we lost to them head to head I think, look a half-campaign long news blackout really destroys qualification chances"

"True, also with all those new guys who know how they would do with the pressure"

"Yep"

"Well, whatever, we'll just have a great second half of qualifying and win it"

"Yeah, that could work"

"Milchama the comeback kings just like baseball"

"Certainly possible"

"Definitely"

"So hopefully we can get the second half campaign off to the right start"

"I certainly hope so"

"Me too"

"Think it will happen?"

"You never know"

"Fair"

"So let's see"

"Ok"

"Come on You Warriors!"

"Let's Go Milchama!"

[Conclespia]

The stadium was packed.

The roar of the crowd in particular was deafening, so loud at times that Daniel Saegerson had to cover his ears from the supporter's chants ringing in his ears and distorting his hearing. Not that it helped the national team's game plan at all. The combination of a water-clogged surface and the rough physicality of the Polar Islandstates side presented The Blues with a challenge beyond their limits. The opposition seemed content on parking the bus in front of goal and protecting their precious one-goal lead with 25 minutes left on the clock, and for all the Conclespians' possession, they just couldn't break through this ... Pythagorean. Blue Thunder was frantically waving around and shouting at his players from the touchline, but he seemed a million miles away as Daniel received the ball, the bright stadium lights in his eyes and the endless hymn of the supporters putting him in a sort of trance.

The young midfielder barely touched the ball before his legs were swept out from underneath him, crashing to the wet grass as he saw Jorgen Hauge dribbling away from him. His vision was instantly blurred with red and he picked himself up, racing back to recover for the break. Sprinting towards the captain, he caught up to Hauge in a few steps and shouldered the defender away, snatching the ball back and instantly playing it through towards Benjamin Hunslaar, who was racing down the left flank. The fullback received it and muscled his way past Zacharias Juul, continuing his run down the wings. The defender took one look up, and with an uncanny sense of ease, crossed an inch-perfect ball into the box like he was flipping a coin into the air.

Headstrong had somehow made his way into the penalty area, charging into the box like a rampant bull. The cross was right in front of him. The centerback seemed to fly with the speed of an eagle, diving to receive the ball and powering the header past the outstretched arms of Jan Rasmuus and into the back of the net.

Daniel raised his arms in the air and roared with joy, running alongside his teammates to congratulate Headstrong, who had picked the ball up and was jogging back to the center circle with a sense of urgency about him. Saegerson high-fived him and slapped the defender's back.

He pumped his fist in the air, looking at Headstrong. "Come on, we can nick it here!"

The last twenty minutes of the match was one of the most intense Daniel had ever played, with the tide of the game swinging back and forth as the Conclespians tried to force their way through the Polarians' iron defense, while the opposition was lightning-quick in the counterattack. Matthew Peterson was forced into some brilliant saves as the Askern FC No. 1 saved what was seemingly destined to be a goal for Ellis Elmsvikur as he athletically stretched to parry away a curled 25-yard effort by the striker. It wasn't until the 89th minute when Daniel received the ball from his skipper, who had a look in his eyes that seemed to be telling him that this was his moment.

He would be completely shocked by what he did next.

The defensive midfielder nutmegged Nipo Lepka and danced around his tackle, sprinting past him in chase of the ball. Seeing Hauge closing in, there was only one option left. The goal seemed a million miles away, with a million bodies between Daniel and the target. Time seemed to slow down as his vision zoomed in on the net, his mind entering a frosty zen-mode as all time stopped, rendering all other people inanimate, him being the only person who could resist it. He steeled himself, and let rip with a shot from 25 yards.

The ball tore through the mass of players between him and the goal, rocketing into the top left corner of the goal and leaving a helpless Jan Rasmus watching it fly into the net. Daniel could almost hear the commentator's voice in his head, the crowds of supporters back home's roar as he pumped his fists in the air, kissing the national team's badge as he ran towards the corner flag.

"It's Saegerson ... AND WHAT A GOAL! OHHHHH, WHAT A BEAUTIFUL STRIKE FROM DANIEL SAEGERSON! IF THAT HASN'T WON IT FOR THEM, I DON'T KNOW WHAT WILL!"

The midfielder slid on the wet grass, saluting the nearly-crazed fans as a mixture of screaming and yelling and shouting and cheering emanated from the stands, and he was mobbed by his teammates and tackled to the ground. Even Matthew Peterson ran all the way over from his goal and was the last person to jump on the dogpile, his voice hoarse with his ecstatic celebration. Daniel could imagine what it was like back home, with the entire nation in high spirits as they proudly watched their team achieve the impossible. Conclespia had claimed victory against the Polar Islandstates.

(OOC: Daniel Saegerson is my nominee for the World XI. Previous posts referencing him can be found here, here, and here.)

[Branta Island]

"So it's the middle qualifying break, signore. Did you want to go over your analysis of the team?"

"Sure, why not," said Edoardo Gaspari, "I have time to do so."

"Right now we sit at 2-0-5, six points in the group. A little below initial predictions, but not last place, which I had mentioned previous. With the majority of the teams bunched together in the middle, a good run of form could put us into 4th place. It won't be enough to make the Finals or even the playoffs, but a good, strong finish would give a nice boost in squad morale, not to mention world rank as well."

"Mhm, and if we ever want to catch up to our mainland counterparts, we need to develop better talent. I've set up a couple of academies here, only time will tell if we get any great prospects come through."

Gaspari looked down at his match notes from Milchama.

"We already have the foundation," he said. "Look at what we did against Milchama."

"We were lucky against Milchama, signore."

"Sometimes luck is what we need, especially considering our stature. Giovanni Valentini and Orsino Rocca scored just barely, richocheting off the posts. Thankfully the Holy Empire referee team was spot on with their calls, as the shots were just over the line."

"Rocca is our leading scorer with 3 goals out of the 5, Valentini has the other 2. Maybe Rocca should convince him to become a full time footballer as well. It would sure help him develop his game more than carpentry would."

"I'll mention it to him," responded Gaspari. "For now though, I'm not getting my hopes up too much. The situation has promise, granted, but we need more....everything. And I realize we can't reach that now, but we'll do the best that we can."

"I'm sure you will lead the glory one day, signore. Buona fortuna."

[Blouman Empire]

THE EMPIRE TIMES

THREE FROM THREE

The Eagles made it three wins in a row to put them in a good position for the second half of the qualifying campaign with a 3-1 win over Ossidiacqua. After winning their past two games against bottom dwellers Quebec and Thaulandi the Eagles were full of confidence to take on the better performing Ossidiacqua, despite their poor start. Within the first 3 minutes Ossidiacqua opened the scoring and continued to put pressure on the defence for most of the first half as the Eagles failed to show any organisation and failed to keep possession. Whatever Harry Malsomp said in the changerooms had an effect on the team as they started the second half with increased vigor that not only allowed the team to maintain possession but leveled the score in the 50th minute with a 25 yard shot from Schmitz. Schmitz followed this goal up with his second in the 67th minute. The third goal followed with a header from of Milken in the 81st minute which ended the comeback and gave the Eagles a further three points.

With half the qualifying campaign over the Eagles are currently in 5th spot, 8 points behind automatic qualification, however, only 3 points behind second place which would place them into the playoffs. With four other teams in close contention for second spot the Eagles are going to have to fight in every game to get there. Malsomp spoke to a waiting media pack on the return legs, "I believe that the Eagles have a strong chance in making second spot, we have gained some good momentum and last nights win shows that we are able to beat stronger teams. Provided we don't drop must win games the Eagles will only fail to make it if the Lady looks unfavourably on us". With the Eagles set to play New Montreal States, the team will be looking at making it four wins in a row as they continue to fight for the playoff spot.

[Cuboneland]

Cuboneland Times

The Cuboneland Raging Cubones performed well in their 1-1 tie against Kiryu-shi despite the absence of their usual goalkeeper, DJ Holloway. The Raging Cubones started off strong with a 22 minute goal by Xavier King. Cuboneland then prevented any Kiryu-shi goals until Tziganes d'Arányi managed to make a goal past an exhausted Tim Asha at 83 minutes to tie the game up.

The fact remains, however, that Cuboneland just tied the #2 seed in our group. This shows the boys out there are capable of many things, even if it means facing a big team like Kiryu-shi

---

Jolt and Savior met after the match in the street, people bustling past and cars rolling by.

"Did you see him, too?" Savior asked. Jolt nodded. Both of them were still confused about what had transpired last night.

"So Hannibal really tried to kill Ace?" Jolt asked, though they both knew the answer.

"There's only one way to get to the bottom of this," Savior told him, "Pon."

Jolt nodded in agreement, "Pon."

[West Angola]

NAMIBE REGISTER

UPSET HO! FREE SOUTH CALIFAS UPENDS WEST ANGOLA 3-1 IN FSC!

Last night West Angola was utterly humbled by Free South Califas, the most likely team in the group ranked lower than us to beat us. Add that to the fact that we were on the road and at the end of a long run, and you get a good formula for an upset. Bela Ceh played extremely well, slipping past West Angola's normally stingy defense on multiple occasions to score twice in the first twenty minutes of play. Down 2-nil, West Angola's defense appeared to get its act together, and did a much better job protecting the goal from Ceh's attack. Michael Larssen and James McDaniels redoubled their attack for the remainder of the half, and several times appeared on the verge of breaking through. Unfortunately, Frida Rubaiyat and Falerina Jomphe managed to snatch the ball away each time, and Larssen was allowed only a single shot in the entire first half, a forty yard lob at the end of time which was easily saved by Christine Gonzalez.

Following the resumption of play, West Angola was far more fluid in their efforts, penetrating the Califan defense on a few occasions, and Larssen's goal in the 57th Minute brought the small contingent of West Angolan fans who made the trip to their feet. The momentum was now fully going West Angola's way, and the roar of the West Angolan faithful grew even louder when Larssen appeared to equalize in the 64th Minute, but the goal was disallowed due to a foul called on James McDaniels. McDaniels argued the foul, claiming the contact had been "completely inadvertent," and was shown the yellow for his trouble. Hurried off the field before he earned a stiffer penalty, McDaniels brief absence was enough to swing the momentum back to FSC. The loss of half of the dynamic tandem that was attempting to power the squad to qualify, even if it wasn't for the full match, took the air out of the West Angolan comeback and allowed Ceh to break through again in the 69th Minute and put FSC up 3-1. West Angola kept trying, and even broke through a couple times after McDaniels returned, but Gonzalez made a series of excellent saves that kept the score static for the remainder of play.

In a post-match press conference, coach Phillip Garren looked a bit subdued, a departure from his normally sunny (and annoying) cheery optimism:

"We just lost our margin for error. Since we beat Phoenigetuzstha, we would qualify even if we lost the return leg to them. Now, we have to either beat them in the second half, or upset Eura, something we couldn't do at home, and will most likely not do on the road. If we can manage to defeat one of them and qualify, it will be because of the resilience and heart of the guys on this team, they have more pluck than any players I've ever seen. We're grateful for the break, it will give us an opportunity to regroup and come back swinging in the second half of qualifying. We can still do this!

[Yelvoldia]

YBC Sports - Football - Anollasia 2-2 Yelvoldia

Written by Tom Nitwick

In our last World Cup 62 qualifying game before the mid-qualifying break, we have drawn 2-2 away with Anollasia. This is quite a decent result, considering Anollasia are about 100 places higher than us in the rankings.

We took the lead in the 1st minute, when our star striker, Roger McLeod, slotted past the goalkeeper from close range, giving us a 1-0 lead. This was McLeod's 8th goal in qualifying so far. Three minutes later, in the 4th minute, Anollasia's star striker saw a great header palmed away by our goalkeeper, Herman Barton. In the 10th minute, McLeod almost bagged another, only to see a great low curler palmed away by the Anollasian goalkeeper. Anollasia had another good scoring chance in the 13th minute, when their other striker smashed a scissor kick onto our crossbar. However, from that point on, we were totally dominant, coming close to scoring almost every minute. This good spell was rewarded with a second goal for us, on 29 minutes.

Connor Evans, our other striker (and a badger), received a great lobbed ball from Jack Brown, our defensive midfielder, and another badger. Evans jinked inside the Anollasian players, before smashing a great shot past the goalkeeper from 25 yards. Anollasia had a few chances to score after that, but they were mostly poor, and half-time arrived with us 2-0 up.

The second-half began awfully for Anollasia. Firstly, their star striker pulled up with a hamstring injury, after 46 minutes. He was taken off. Then, their centre-back was red-carded for deliberate handball, which was in the 52nd minute. Finally, their playmaker was struck by lightning after 55 minutes. He had to be taken off too, and was rushed to a nearby hospital.

Despite all what had happened to Anollasia, they scored in the 65th minute, when their substitute striker toe-poked past Barton from 6 yards out. McLeod hit the post in the 78th minute for us with a curling shot, before Evans hit the bar with a great header, as we were dominating, and looked as if we would score again. However, Anollasia's other centre-back half-volleyed past Barton in the last minute to end the game at 2-2.

[The Babbage Islands]

Sporting Magazine Interviews Arna-Maggra o Wirrenne

We sit down with Bumblebees manager Arna-Maggra o Wirrenne at the midpoint of World Cup qualifying to talk football. Before accepting the helm of the national team Arna-Maggra was in the Belgium system for over 25 years as player and manager, during which the club won eight national championships. She was also a starting lynchpin for the Bear-Belles.

Sporting: Thank you for taking time to speak with us.
Arna-Maggra: It's my pleasure.
Sporting: First things first. Seven points back with seven to play. Your thoughts?
Arna-Maggra: The Tiger Eaters are having the breakout tournament that's been predicted for a decade or more. They've been top 25 for a while, and with things going rrright for them they could be championship calibre.
Sporting: And make life difficult for us.
Arna-Maggra: This last draw, home to Itturrrributa, is disturrrbing. The big differrrence between dropping five points and dropping seven is now we need outside help twice to win the group. We have to beat Akbarrrabad when they come to Cardston, that's a given or we don't deserve to win. But making up the other four points means the Tiger Eaters have to be nicked twice more.
Sporting: And that assumes we can run the last seven.
Arna-Maggra: Oh, we can rrrun the table. But I wouldn't prrredict it.
Sporting: What are our chances?
Arna-Maggra: I don't think that way. Just go and play, and results happen. Look at the tables. They've scored 22 goals, we have 22. They've given up 7, we've yielded 8. Almost a dead-on match. But we're seven points back. Hail Margaret!
Sporting: A bit odd for a good church-goer like you to utter.
Arna-Maggra: Oh, not all that odd. God knows irony when he hears it, and the legend of Margaret transcends nations.
Sporting: Okay, we can't do much about the Tiger Eaters except for one match. But what do we need to do to get those last seven wins?
Arna-Maggra: Mostly what we've been doing. The defence is tight. Ava Gillespie has been magnificent at lynchpin, and everyone in back is handling the new style just fine. Valentine and Emily keep scoring, we average over three a game. Really, there's little reason we couldn't be at 18 points.
Sporting: Except we're not.
Arna-Maggra: Right.
Sporting: Feeling the heat yet?
Arna-Maggra: Since the day I was hired. It's in the job description. But I recall that the World Cup 55 squad were beat out by Qazox and had to fight to the last day to take second in group.
Sporting: They did.
Arna-Maggra: And they went on to the World Cup final. It doesn't matter how you get there if you get there.
Sporting: Shifting gears here. How's the new captain working out?
Arna-Maggra: At first I was surprised that Saturnino didn't take the armband. When Nancy Svoboda was player-manager he filled in as captain. And he's our most-capped player. But he's the one who nominated Ava in the team meeting. And she had no opposition. Really, she's so upbeat and carrring. Respected. And an inspirrration -- she almost died from that cancer a few years back. You know she used to rrroom with Nancy on the road?
Sporting: Yes, we knew that.
Arna-Maggra: Birrrds of a featherrr. You can't find two more inspirrring women in all the islands. Or in all of sport.
Sporting: Thirty years.
Arna-Maggra: What?
Sporting: Thirty years, and the Ursine accent is still there. But not much of it.
Arna-Maggra: Only when I get emotional. Or hang out with a lot of bears back home. You should hear me at a clan gathering.
Sporting: Speaking of which, you've got a Golden Honeycomb match coming up.
Arna-Maggra: Yes, in the Zion Financial cup. We play at the dome in Zamenhofa Urbo.
Sporting: Both teams favoured, and both coming off draws in their openers.
Arna-Maggra: So one team will be really unhappy. I'll always be a Bear-Belle in my heart, but this time I root for the dark side. I have an excuse. (laughs)
Sporting:Well, good luck with the Honeycomb and with qualifying.
Arna-Maggra: Thank you.

[Bears Armed]

(from the ‘Sports’ section of ‘The Bear Necessities’…)

WORLD CUP ROUND-UP

And so the first half of the qualifying series for World Cup #62 draws to a close, with the Belles heading their group as we hoped — and as could hrreally, despite how things went last time around, have been expected of them anyhows — although unfortunately only on the basis of goal-difference hrrather than down to points gained: The team of Swartaz, the group’s second seeds, are actually level with our girls on points, both sides with totals of twoEights-and-one points won for these seven matches, but with the Belles farrr ahead (at plus twoEights-and-six goals to just plus oneEight) on hwhat — after these teams drew against each other in their first-leg game — is currently the deciding factor.

Let’s take a quick look at each of the qualifying games that our girls have played this year _

Match-day One: versus Fanchnopolis (347) (home)
Win, five-to-none.
An easy victory for the Belles, to open the series: The visitors played bravely, but just weren’t up to the competition.

Match-day Two: versus Timfen (210) (away)
Draw, two-to-two.
But then our girls’ first away match had a hrrather more disappointing hrresult, as the team’s new line-up just failed to gel properly against their individually-unidentifiable opponents. Still, the Belles seem to have one bad game like that in every World Cup’s qualifiers, and at least this time around it was only a draw hrrather than a defeat.

Match-day Three: versus The Jahistic Unified Republic (524) (home)
Win, five-to-none.
Home again, and another happy steam-hrrollering of the opposition… whose players might have put up a better game if they hadn’t, it seems, all partaken heavily of some recreational drug shortly before the game opened: Then again, that inhaled herbal smoke might have been hwhat made their playing style out on the pitch so unpredictable and consequently led to the Belles playing in a somewhat more defensive style than usual…

Match-day Four: versus Super-Llamaland (420) (home)
Win, five-to-one.
Still at home, but this time in NorthPort and against a slightly tougher squad than the week before’s visitors: Still a verry hrrespectable hrresult for our girls, though.

Match-day Five: versus Swartaz (33) (away)
Draw, three-to-three.
Away to the group’s second seed, a team hwith hwhich the Belles already have some established history although it’s actually been a few years since they last met, was always expected to be the toughest game in the entire double-series of qualifying games. Swartaz played very well, with the strong level of support that they hrrecieved from the crowd apparently lending them extra vigour, and our girls were verry lucky to come away back home with a point. Still, a draw there suggests a decent possibility of a win for the Belles hwhen Swartaz come here instead next year…

Match-day Six: versus Mesoland (83) (home)
Win, six-to-none
And now hrrather a surprise: Not the fact that our girls won, of course, but — bearing in mind their guests’ KPB ranking — the actual scale of that win. It seems that the Mesolander players were just a bit too worriec about facing Bears to play at their best.

Match-day Seven: versus Soviet Canuckistan (103) (away)
Win, three-to-one.
And finally yesterday’s match. Again a win for the Belles could hrreasonably have been forecast, but against a hrrealtively well-ranked team playing at its own home the possibility of another draw — or maybeso even, if play went hrreally badly against our girls, a narrow loss — couldn’t an-eightSquared-in-the-yonkh (OOC: = “sixty-four in sixty-four”, i.e. “100%”) “be hrruled-out. A win by this sort of margin, after skilful and determined play from both sides, was hokay.

(Rest of the group, page S-3.)
(Other Groups, page S-5.

[Slembana]

DBK Sports - Football - New manager for our national team

Written by Pierre Darezi

We have appointed a new manager for our national team. Gavin Stockwell, our previous manager was sacked on Monday 14 November 2014 for a run of poor results. Three days on, on Thursday 17 November, our FA have appointed 57 year-old Colin Blackwell of Eura (the FSSO) as our new manager.

Blackwell last managed Dashturnbein of the Silver League of Eura. He likes attacking football, and will play in a 4-3-3 formation. He will use a +3 style modifier while managing us. Blackwell won the FSSO National Cup when managing Workers Union, and has taken both Dashturnbein and Workers Union to the Gold League on separate occasions. We had an interview with the new gaffer at our state-of-the-art training compound.

(Key: Bold is Blackwell, Italics is the interviewer.)

Hey Colin. Congrats on becoming our new manager.

Thank you.

How happy are you at getting the job?

I am very happy to take the reigns of the Slembanan team. They had been struggling, and I'm coming in to help them out a bit.

That's good, Colin. We hear you are a fan of attacking football, and that you would prefer to use a +3 style modifier when managing us. Who do you think you'll play? Have you read over factfiles of our players yet? Or met them?

Yes, I have done both. I will play Toby Gapman in goal. Callum Potts, Don Adobe, Dennis Valfern, and Norris Rawlinson will be in defence. Jyvx Dagens and Zorro Pullman shall be our attacking midfielders, flanking defensive midfielder Follin Maxet. Finlay Yalnif and Yuppë Tárnix will be our wingers. And Val Kylx will obviously be up front, being flanked by Yalnif and Tárnix.

One last thing. Do you hope to win a trophy?

Of course I do. I might want to cheekily nab the CoH, but that probably won't happen.

Thank you for the interview, Colin. Good luck as our manager. Bye.

Bye and thanks.

(OOC EDIT: I will confirm the style modifier change by telegram.)

[Alasdair I Frosticus]

OOC - I'll be adapting several famous (and more obscure) tales and epics from RL to tell the story of the Holy Empire in WC62 as if taken from excerpts of an academic paper on the subject. First person to send me a TG correctly identifying the original source each match day can have their country as the source of the next inscription/epic used; you may specify some RP details about the site/period/etc relating to the inscription.

OOC 2 - Nobody guessed Matchday 5 correctly; it was taken from Spain's Song of the Cid - ie, El Cid; I'm therefore choosing the MD 7 setting myself

OOC 3 - New Montreal States has correctly identified the Communist Manifesto

ORDINARY REALITY HISTORY
A Journal of the Imperial Institute of Mundy Studies

Dreamed Realm Figures in Mundy Myth
A Case Study of Juan Tzimisces and World Cup 62

Zoe Argyro
Department of Mundy Studies
The Imperial University

Matchday 7 - Western Cuba

Curiously, there seems to be no obvious example of mythic bleed relating to the sixth World 62 matchday, during which the Holy Empire defeated Cosumar at home 2-0. It may be that the match was so pedestrian, uncontroversial, and predictable, that none of the events were seen as being in any way noteworthy enough to bleed through to Ordinary Reality. Matchday 7, on the other hand, was a different issue, with an unexpectedly close and pulsating encounter with Western Cuba providing fertile ground for the mythic bleed phenomenon.

Curiously, one of the most striking examples comes not in fictional literature, but rather in a document relating to a political movement that achieved some currency in Svecia in that nation's high industrial period of development. It seems to posit a hypothetical case whereby the brave 'Western Cubans' will struggle against the oppressive 'Imperials', losing narrowly, but looking forward to the return fixture:

Position of the Western Cubans in Relation to the Various Existing Opposition to the Imperials

The Western Cubans fight for the attainment of the immediate aims, for the enforcement of the momentary interests of those who would struggle against oppressors who consider first in the table to be theirs as if by right; but in the movement of the present, they also represent and take care of the future of that movement. In Allandium, the Western Cubans ally with Cosumar against the conservative and radical Imperials, reserving, however, the right to take up a critical position in regard to phases and illusions traditionally handed down.

In The Arcadian Islands, they support a more radical approach, without losing sight of the fact that this nation consists of antagonistic elements who also seek qualification via the playoffs.

In Cevalo Nacio, they support those that insist on a revolution in football tactics as the prime condition for group emancipation.

In Falconwhereveryouare, they fight with the national team whenever it acts in a revolutionary way against the absolute group monarchy, the feudal squirearchy, and the petty bourgeoisie so amply represented by the oppressive Imperials.

But they never cease, for a single instant, to instill into their won squad the clearest possible recognition of the hostile antagonism between their team and the Imperials, in order that the Western Cuban team may straightway use, as so many tactical weapons against the Imperial opposition, the conditions on the field that the Imperials must necessarily introduce along with its supremacy, and in order that, even if they must lose in their first test, the fight against the Imperials itself may continue in the return match.

The Western Cubans turn their attention chiefly to the Holy Empire, because that country is on the eve of a group victory that is bound to be carried out under more advanced conditions, and with a much more developed tactical approach than that of other teams in the group.

In short, the Western Cubans support every revolutionary movement against the existing social and political order of things in their group.

In all these movements, they bring to the front, as the leading question in each, the question of why so many other opponents simply give up against the Imperials, no matter what its degree of development at the time.

Finally, they labour everywhere for the agreement of all countries drawn against the Imperials.

The Western Cubans disdain to conceal their views and aims. Though they recognise that their chances of victory in the first leg are poor, they openly declare that their ends can be attained only by the forcible overthrow of all existing presumptions of inevitable Imperial victory. Let the group's Imperial ruling class tremble at a Western Cuban revolution. The Western Cubans have nothing to lose but their chains!

Some have suggested that this is some form of extended sporting metaphor to make a political point. And indeed this may be true. Extensive searches through Svecian archives suggests that the author of this document cannot have been possibly aware of the majority of nations mentioned here. Though Svecia and the Holy Empire did play each other in the World Cup, at the time this document was written (in Svecian linear chronology), the Empire had withdrawn from contact with Ordinary Reality, and must have seemed a legendary presence to the few who were aware of its existence; and besides, with the exception of a single reference to the 'Holy Empire', all other references are to the 'Imperials'. Nonetheless, it seems likely that the author of the document, while sincere in his or her political beliefs, was in some manner subconsciously influenced by the events of World Cup 62 in incorporating them into the broader sport/political metaphor....