Di Bradini Cup 25/U21WC46 RP/Roster/Scores Thread

by **Mytannion** » Sat Nov 24, 2012 4:27 pm

Atletik Thessia Winter Transfer Window: Replacements through the Di Bradini Cup?

Top League sides have traditionally been very quiet in the January transfer window and Atletik are no exception. In the last three seasons Atletik have only made one signing in the January transfer market for the first team and that was bringing in club (and national), legend, Robin Hjik. He was brought in an emergency reinforcement and served his purpose well, showing he can still compete at the top of the game at age 36. January of 2015 looks like it will continue in the same vein, as all their main weaknesses/shortcomings in the first eleven have seemingly been eradicated in the summer.

Ismet van Huijgevoort was brought in from CDSA Decraa for £10 million to replace the outgoing Mirko Tasecchi and that was really all that was needed. Nobody else was going out and Ondrej Knizek was coming back from his loan spell at Dtykiga and after his performances there, it is expected that Atletik will come back with a 3-5-2 formation just to be able to shoehorn his goalscoring ability in the squad. This meant that they didn't really need anything else, their squad is loaded across the board and the bench is even full of talent.

In spite of the squad's quality and depth, there have been many rumours linking Atletik players with moves away from Maine Road, in various positions. We're going to try and find some replacements from the Di Bradini Cup, which fits with the club's general ethos of buying young players to sell on and to then rinse and repeat whilst still managing success. We're going to assess each player that has been rumoured to be moving away from the Citizens and try to find replacements for them whilst analysing the rumours that have already been going around to do with incoming players.

Rumoured to be leaving: Pekka Gottschalk, Goalkeeper, 28, Falconwhereveryouare.
It is thought that club officials and manager, Marius Sadowsky were not too happy with the performances of Pekka Gottschalk after his transfer from Marriet, with £2.5 million spent on the goalkeeper. He did help the team to their 14th Top League title, but they conceded 29 goals in the process, much more than they had expected. They had been trying to keep the goal tally under 20 last season - and it has to be said that the defence was pretty solid the whole time - a lot of mistakes were made by the 'keeper. He's been rumoured with moves to sides such as Dinamo Esca and Liria Prizren.

#1 Target: Iulian Kirilaunen, FC1. Surtsey Island Gulls, 18, Polar Islandstates.
We're ruling out Atletik's own Lukasz Domansky here, but with good reason. Kirilaunen may be third choice for the Polarian under-21 squad, but Domansky is third choice for the Mytanars - and a Polarian third choice is better than a Mytanar one at the moment. Kirilaunen would be a good one for the future and already has experience, he was on loan at Mariussa Viking before returning to his parent club. He looks calm and confident, with composure well beyond his years between the sticks. This could be a good step-up for the Citizens who have Gottschalk - who looks edgy almost permanently - and Kirilaunen could stay there for years. He could also be easily sold on for big profit, back to a Polarian club or elsewhere. He could be brought in for a fairly low fee, so this would maximise the profits for Atletik.

Other Targets: Lukasz Domansky isn't really a target, but we'll include him here. Looking abroad, Darmeni goalkeeper Eric Brock could be brought in. He's a bit older but his fee would probably be even cheaper, he comes from a less prestigious league than Kirilaunen and so this would mean the Citizens could easily get him on the cheap and sell him on for even bigger profit - as they seem to do with most players these days.

Rumoured to be leaving: Radim Pelech, Left/Centre Back, 30, Mytannion.
Pelech has been a loyal servant for the Citizens, but it is rumoured that he wants a move to somewhere sunnier to enjoy his retirement. Whether that means going down south to somewhere on Nasto, or abroad, remains to be seen. He's reliable and there's no real reason for him to leave, except his own desire to and the fact that he's getting on a bit now. It is rumoured that Atletik will be changing to a 4-5-1 formation too and having someone who is more suited to playing three at the back doesn't really facilitate that. He's been linked with moving to Dtykiga to add some steely experience to their defence. But a move abroad does look more likely.

#1 Target: Joseý Daokō, Fragardallians, 19, Farfadillis.
The young centre back looks like he has the talent and the versatility to one day make the step-up to a squad with the quality and history that Atletik have in their ranks. Daokō could easily slot into Pelech's position and perform admirably, his heading and tackling are very good. He also seems to be fairly good at making surging runs from defence, reminiscent of liberos of bygone eras. He could easily make the step up and because of the likelihood that Pelech will leave, this should really be a deal that the Citizens try to get done soon.

Other Targets: Well, if they do go back to a 4-5-1 formation then Atletik will be looking at signing Rob Fridrich from 1.FFC Turbine Decraa, the left back is in the Mytanar under-21 squad and is expected to be a massive talent. He wouldn't command the biggest fee either. Other options are Svengardan defender Launo Kulmala and Warku full back Iwan Rhys-Evans.

Rumoured to be leaving: Snerik Oiskha, Attacking Midfielder, 19, Mytannion.
The creative heartbeat of Atletik Thessia and a player with 33 appearances for the national team, scoring 7 goals. He's a real silky player, almost ghosting through teams when he dribbles and he gets up to some speed as well, with the ball seemingly glued to his feet. His passing is truly superb, the accuracy allowing him to thread passes through and really get involved in moves. He'll be moving abroad somewhere - although there has been rumours of an audacious bid from the now cash-rich 1896 Ebor, but we can't see that working. Oiskha has the quality to go to one of the top leagues and could really be a star on one of them teams.

#1 Target: Koldobika Benitzazin, Echegoyan FC, 21, Astograth.
Benitzazin looks to be the sort of player who would suit the Atletik 4-5-1 perfectly, being a player who seems to be able to link up with the striker well. He doesn't start for the Astograth under-21 squad, but that would benefit Atletik, who would probably have to pay less to sign him because of this - with him not being as high profile a player. Also, and this is purely opinion, but he has an outstanding name so that's a plus one all round.

Other Targets: Alex Gannot, an 18 year old from Sicoutimont could also fit the bill quite nicely and could even be brought in for free! He's less high profile and is a more direct player, this being characterised by the runs he makes at defenders and the long-range shots which he seems to enjoy attempting.

by **Yesopalitha** » Sat Nov 24, 2012 8:08 pm

1-1 reads the final score, and 1-1 it will go down in history, but to me, Jing Wang, the score might as well be 8-0 in favor of the Pasargans.

People tend to tell me that my tendency to pursue perfection only hurts myself as perfection is in fact unattainable, and my efforts to achieve this goal only leads to self-criticism and such things that just bring myself down as I try to nitpick everything that I could've done to stave off failure.

In this case, it was the goal that I let in in the beginning minutes of the second half. I apologize to the Pasargan players, but I cannot remember any of their names. When Jonah Calhoun of the national team told us that he cannot remember names of players, I can understand. I am the same way. Anyways, one of them scored from at least thirty yards out. My brain knew that the ball was coming to my left, but when I tried to move my body left, my body moved right, letting in the goal.

I thought that I had this problem under control. I've been dealing with it for more than five years now, and been to therapy many times with different therapists to try to get better. To have an episode occur at the international stage - albeit in the U-21 level - is not something that I can tolerate... It was embarrassing.

Of course, I cannot tell my teammates or my manager. I just told them that I miscalculated the kick and that I was sorry. Thankfully, my body behaved itself in conjecture with my mind for the rest of the match, and we were able to come away with a tie. If this problem persists, however, I may become dangerous again, and that would not be the best thing to happen in any circumstance, but especially now.

They don't need to know what my nickname used to be in the slums of Freedom's Altar at nights while I played in the fields at daytime during my early teen years. No one needs to know that I have a condition in my brain that actually causes me to become quiet and reserved. There is a reason that I do not speak. There is a reason that I am on my best behavior at all times.

And it seems that the wall that I have built around me to contain myself is starting to cave again, which is something that I just cannot, must not, will not tolerate.

The only thing that I can do for now, though, is wait to see if another episode occurs. If it does, I may have to ask for help again, opening another can of worms...

Sigh. Why can't it just disappear?

by **Conclespia** » Sun Nov 25, 2012 3:22 am

The pitch was slick, the rain gushing down in torrents as I, alongside 21 other players, tripped and slid on the mud-clogged turf. Back in Conclespia, fields in Starblaydia are renowned for their world-class standards, but even the great quality of the pitch was worn down by the heavy rainfall that was pouring down on us. It's not like the unintelligible screaming and roaring of both sets of fans and the glaring spotlights helped at all, either, and I can definitely say that I was not having my best night out there. With the opposition having steamrollered through our defense in the 20th minute and with us unable to respond, I'd thought that we were in for a beating.

I guessed wrong.

I stared at the scoreboard, taking my eyes off what was happening for a split second as the bigger picture registered in my mind. It was the 81st minute and we were down by one goal to nothing. There was still hope that we could at least snatch an equalizer, albeit an-absolutely, pea-sized one.

Glancing up, I was momentarily disoriented by the gigantic, waving blue flags that our fans bore before I came to my senses, receiving the ball and playing it to Fred Watson, who was lingering on the right side of the pitch. Just as I released the ball I felt an acute pain on my left ankle, and the world was black as I crashed face-down onto the sodden, soaked grass.

The next thing I know, Harsh Hooves planted his hoof onto Kevin Harris's scrotum as I was pulled up by my teammates, getting him yellow-carded but leaving my assailant writing on the ground in pain. I grinned and fist-bumped my teammate as the match resumed, but the dull pain still remaining in my foot as we passed the ball outside the opposition's penalty box, waiting like a python for our chance to strike.

Two minutes later, we were level as Sandy Steamroller slotted in from 6 yards, having been played through by Thunder Storm. We were back on track.

Just after kick off, we were laying siege to Boring Paradise's penalty box, with repeated lobbed balls through and crosses whipped in spit out by the resilient opposition defense, who were certainly playing a physical game with repeated fouls and crunching tackles. I was starting to lose hope. Until the last 20 seconds of normal time.

Sandy Steamroller drifted out wide and sent a short pass through to Breeze McMane, who dribbled his way through 2 defenders and cut into the box. He looked up, saw me, and crossed back.

Time seemed to halt entirely as I drilled a shot through the defense and past Nikita Guldbrandsen's outstretched fingers. Holeeeeee shit. Two days later, I'm still smiling as I think back to that moment, as I'm mobbed by my teammates with the roar of the crowd echoing through my ears ...

Fuck that. I sound like a hopeful, 12 year-old girl writing a script for a soap opera. As my dad always tells me, one game ain't going to win you anything ... unless it's the final of the world cup. But still.

-Excerpt from James Zhang's diary, as featured in Anthony Quaker's award-winning book, The Thoughts of Our Bright and Young Football Prospects

by **Kiryu-shi** » Sun Nov 25, 2012 11:00 am

As Enéh d'Erdélyi walked down a busy street in Jhanna, she was grateful for the relative anonymity that was afforded to her by playing in Kiryu-shi. She knew perfectly well how football was treated in other nations, how stars were public figures, prolifically consumed by an adoring public. And she had received a taste of that treatment four years ago.

But she wasn’t as young as she was then, and she wasn’t the same girl. Or woman. Whatever. And now she could window-shop in Starblaydia as she pleased, walking down one of the busiest streets on the entire continent and there were not too many stares, not too many whispers passed around about who she was and what she was doing. This was definitely one of the thrills before the tournament started four years ago, and she was happy she was able to hold onto it a bit again this time.

Even after she scored the only goal of the match two days ago against St Lucoa, she didn’t feel much of any recognition. While she was sure that there were those fans in Starblaydia who were concerned with how Kiryu-shi would perform after last year’s final, St Lucoa were just not high profile enough for the match to garner that much attention, at least judging by the capacity at Foundation Road. The next two matches, against Taeshan, who knocked the senior Kiri side out of the World Cup, and against an up and coming Svengarda squad, would likely create a lot more publicity, and the possibility of greater notoriety.

Of course, there were those few die-hard football fans who had recognized her instantly. She had signed little pieces of paper for two pubescent boys who both seemed to be in disbelief that she wasn’t getting mobbed. And then there was the one shop owner who, as she left, made a comment thanking her for not knocking down any of the merchandise with her left foot. Which definitely made her smile. After all, there had to have been at least a few people who saw her score from the direct free kick, the shot that had kept the St. Lucoa motionless as the ball grazed the pole and dove into the back of the net. She could shoot from that distance 50 times during practice before making such a nice shot, but her one and only real opportunity this match was pretty much brilliant.

That being said, this tournament didn’t have the same feeling that the last one did; she supposed it was because she had already been here before, and she was slightly more mature and slightly less prone to being caught up in the emotion of the moment. And there was the fact that the government had provided more coaches this time around, which meant that there were fewer moments when the entire team was up at three in the morning after curfew had supposedly ended, crammed into a single hotel room listening to music and eating Starblaydian take-out that they had smuggled in… This felt much more professional, which she supposed was good. But there was definitely something missing.

And against a team like Taeshan, who themselves had made it to the quarterfinals four years ago, and held what was supposed to be a formidable defense, she didn’t have that same confidence she remembered from last time. Even though, looking back, she was perfectly aware that they had lost their first match of the tournament last year before winning every subsequent match to take home the trophy.

As d'Erdélyi started to walk back to the hotel, she looked down at her legs hitting the cement sidewalk, taking in the pattern of her feet moving over unfamiliar ground. The differences between Kiryu-shi and Starblaydia were incredible, and even could be felt in such small details as the view of her feet walking outside. She wondered how long she’d feel those differences this time. And she wondered how long she’d be able to walk down any old street like this, without worrying about the constant scrutiny of the entire footballing world.

by **Polar Islandstates** » Sun Nov 25, 2012 2:42 pm

From the diary of Alexis Zeljeznicar, 18

What a thrill!

Okay, so I didn't get on the pitch, but my first international game was still fantastic. The fans, the noise, the atmosphere, the standard of play, even the pace of the game... everything just seemed more thrilling! And in Starblaydia as well! I can't think of many more esteemed places full of history and footballing legend than here. Possibly Valanora, I guess. Or maybe The Holy Empire. But, I can't anticipate going to the Dreamed Realm anytime soon. So, Starblaydia it is instead, and I am loving it.

The match against Ko-oren was a good one, for the team anyway. I'm not used to sitting on the bench, at home or abroad, but nonetheless I've been asking David for tips on how to survive. Likewise with Jean-Eric.

They played well yesterday, the both of them. David is a true captain, a real leader on the pitch. It would be an inspirational experience to play with him, I'm sure. Hopefully I'll get the chance to do so later on in the tournament. For now, I'll just get on with things from the bench and try my best in training.

Wojciech took his goal well. Not sure I could do that. Maybe in three years myself, but it just goes to show how big and exaggerated the difference a few years can make at this stage in a player's development. He's only three years older than me, really, but the strength he showed to muscle through onto that ball and fire a shot of that ferocity... wonderful technique. I'd do well to learn from him. Kjartan was the one who came on, and that was to be expected, I suppose, but I'm glad Wojciech got a good run out and a goal first. One day it will be my turn. Or the stay.

The second goal was rather more surprising, however. Alexander doesn't score many goals, so I'm told, but this whole attacking full backs thing is rather in vogue in the full team, so perhaps he's been working on getting forwards with an eye to making the jump in the future. Who knows. All I know is, he's got a sweet left foot on him for a right back, and we were all delighted on the bench. It really is so nice to be cheering and celebrating with Polarian voices again. The camaraderie is fantastic. If this is international tournament football, then sign me up for more!

Anyway, should turn the light out now - Jean-Eric has already thrown four balls of socks at me. Early morning bike ride tomorrow, then training for the Mytannion match after that. A chance to impress, perhaps!

by **Equestrian States** » Sun Nov 25, 2012 2:58 pm

The Pony Republic of Equestrian States
National U-12 Hoofball Team - Di Bradini Cup 25 Roster

Team Background
After a somewhat disappointing finish in the 3rd Brevity Challenge Cup, the Equestrian U-12s return to the Di Bradini Cup, this time without the help of the older players.

The U-12 team was first sent to the Greg Jackson Charity Cup, where they were expected by most to fail miserably and likely fail to advance beyond the group stage. However, the fillies and colts of the team performed extraordinarily well, advancing to the quarterfinals ahead of several reserve and U-21 squads. Though the foals would fall to the eventual runners-up, the team's victories provided entertainment to those fans that enjoyed watching older and more experienced players fail to stop the youth of the Equestrian States.

When the NESC¹ was determining a team to compete in the second Brevity Challenge Cup, they decided to send the U-12 squad once again. Despite the success of the team in the Greg Jackson Charity Cup, the colts and fillies weren’t expected to make it very far in the invitational tournament. To the pleasant surprise of many, the team drew twice in the group stage before falling against Princess Beatrice Island. Relegated to the Copper Plate bracket, the team Equestrians would win three straight games to capture the Plate and finally get some domestic news coverage.

Looking to offer the team another chance at success, the U-12s were selected by the NESC to compete in Equestria Cup III² as the national team was in the midst of a run at qualifying for World Cup 60. However, against the ambitious national teams in the regional tournament, the team would struggle. Finishing with a record of 0-2-2, they failed to advance beyond the group stage, though they did gain some respect from the region’s teams for their performance.

The team would go on after the Equestria Cup to participate in the 24th Di Bradini Cup as the majority of the official Equestrian U-21 team that also included members of the national team. In the tournament, the Equestrians advanced to the knockout stage after finishing second in their group with a record of 2-1-0, their one draw coming against the group’s winner. However, the run was halted in the next match by the tournament’s eventual champions Kiryu-shi in penalty kicks after letting an early lead escape them.

Following their exit from the Di Bradini Cup, the Little Ponies returned to the Brevity Challenge Cup. While the team displayed considerable dominance during the group stage, finishing second in their group, they could not finish as strongly as before, dropping two straight matches in the secondary bracket to earn only a Pewter Spoon.

All-Time Stats and Info³
Nickname: The Little Ponies
Style Modifier: -4.5
Record: 11-7-12 (0-1-1 at DBC 25)
Achievements: Quarterfinals at the Greg Jackson Charity Cup, Copper Plate Champions at Brevity Challenge Cup 2

Group B
Bears Armed
Swyftlandre
Estope
Equestrian States

Tournament Schedule

Group Stage
MD1: Equestrian States 1, Swyftlandre 1 at Hallad City Stadium (cap. *Unknown*) in *Unknown*, Starblaydia (Draw)
MD2: Bears Armed 2, Equestrian States 1 at Bekkside Arena (cap. *Unknown*) in *Unknown*, Starblaydia (Loss)
MD3: Estope vs. Equestrian States at Hallad City Stadium (cap. *Unknown*) in *Unknown*, Starblaydia

Roster
Pos. - Name (Species - Gender) - Age - School

Starters (4-3-3 Formation)
GK - Shooting Star (Pegasus - Male) - 9 - Ponyville Elementary School
DF - Shady Daze (Earth Pony - Female) - 8 - Ponyville Hoofball Academy
DF - Apple Bytes (Unicorn - Male) - 10 - East Canterlot Elementary School
DF - Rose Petal (Pegasus - Female) - 9 - Ponyville Elementary School
DF - Tiny Ice (Pegasus - Male) - 9 - Cloudsdale Flight School
MF - Dizzy Doo (Unicorn - Female) - 11 - Ponyville Elementary School
MF - Zoey (Earth Pony - Female) - 10 - Stalliongrad Hoofball Academy
MF - Checkered Flag (Unicorn - Male) - 9 - Canterlot School for the Gifted
FW - Archer (Unicorn - Female) - 12 - Ponyville Hoofball Academy
FW - Shining Star (Pegasus - Male) - 9 - Cloudsdale Flight School
FW - Orion Comet (Pegasus - Male) - 12 - Cloudsdale Flight School

Reserves
GK - Cyan Skies (Pegasus - Female) - 9 - Cloudsdale Flight School
DF - Twist (Earth Pony - Female) - 10 - Ponyville Elementary School
MF - Alula (Pegasus - Female) - 9 - Weatherdon Flight Academy
MF - Flash (Earth Pony - Male) - 10 - Stalliongrad Hoofball Academy
MF - Peachy Pie (Earth Pony - Female) - 9 - Appleoosa Elementary School
FW - Sun Glimmer (Unicorn - Female) - 8 - Royal Canterlot Academy
FW - Appleshine (Earth Pony - Female) - 9 - Ponyville Elementary School

Staff
Head Coach - Tornado (Pegasus - Male) - 47 - Father of Checkered Flag
Assistant Coach - Thunderlane (Pegasus - Male) - 22 - Starting Forward on the National Team
Team Mom - Ditsy Doo (Pegasus - Female) - 33 - Mother of Dizzy Doo

RP Permissions
My opponent, if they RP first, may do the following…
Choose my goalscorers: Yes
Godmod scoring events: Yes
Roleplay injuries to my players: Yes - You may only RP the way the player was injured, not the severity
Godmod injuries to my players: Yes - See Above for Restrictions
Hand out yellow cards to my players: No - Unless you have my approval, which I would include as a note in my own RP
Hand out red cards to my players: No
Godmod other events: Yes - Please consider the age of my players before doing anything weird

by **Equestrian States** » Sun Nov 25, 2012 3:26 pm

The Foal Free Press
1-1 Tie Against Swyftlandre
By: Hotshot (Grade 3)

STARBLAYDIA - It was a good game for my friends on the hoofball team. They played against some bigger kids from some country named Swyftlandre and scored one time on their goalie. I don’t know what his name was, but he did a okay job stopping some shots from going in the goal. The other players were alot bigger than my friends, but my friends did good and got a tie. Shooting Star is my cousin and he did a better job stopping the kids from Swftlandre from scoring because he stopped more shots than the other guy. I don’t know any of the kids from Swftlandre’s names because coach Tornado said they were being bullies not telling us how and who they was playing.

Teacher says I need a paragraph here because I would hurt her eyes with a blok of words. My friends and I are all here in Starblaydia for a hoofball game or two and we get to sleep in a hotel room together. I hope that they win their next game against some Bears Armed, whatever they are. I think the kids from Bears armed are bears with arms, but I am not sure about that because coach Tornado said something about them being big and stuff. My older brother Thunderlane said the kids from Bears Armed are not very diferent from some team he played in his last World Cup. I hope my friends win, and I hope they make it far.

-Hotshot (Grade 3)

by **Starblaydia** » Sun Nov 25, 2012 4:29 pm

MD2 RP Cutoff

by **Starblaydia** » Sun Nov 25, 2012 4:38 pm

OOC: From now until the cut-off for Matchday Three (Tuesday Night) there will be a special Double RP Bonus period.

Matchday Two
Scores. Tables tomorrow.

Group A
Farfadillis 2-0 Maklohi Vai
Free Swiss States 1-1 Starblaydia

#                        Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
1 Free Swiss States       2    1   1   0     3    1   +2     4
  Starblaydia             2    1   1   0     3    1   +2     4
3 Farfadillis             2    1   0   1     2    2    0     3
4 Maklohi Vai             2    0   0   2     0    4   −4     0

Group B
Estope 2-1 Swyftlandre
Equestrian States 1-2 Bears Armed

#                       Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
1 Bears Armed             2    2   0   0     3    1   +2     6
2 Estope                  2    1   0   1     2    2    0     3
3 Equestrian States       2    0   1   1     2    3   −1     1
  Swyftlandre             2    0   1   1     2    3   −1     1

Group C
Pasarga 1-1 Boring Paradise
Conclespia 1-0 Yesopalitha

#                       Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
1 Conclespia              2    2   0   0     3    1   +2     6
2 Pasarga                 2    0   2   0     2    2    0     2
3 Boring Paradise         2    0   1   1     2    3   −1     1
4 Yesopalitha             2    0   1   1     1    2   −1     1

Group D
Warkus 0-2 Wight
Saugeais 1-1 Geisenfried

#                       Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
1 Wight                   2    2   0   0     4    1   +3     6
2 Warkus                  2    1   0   1     1    2   −1     3
3 Saugeais                2    0   1   1     2    3   −1     1
4 Geisenfried             2    0   1   1     1    2   −1     1

Group E
Burchadinger 2-2 Vilita & Turori
Vettrera 2-2 Slembana

#                       Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
1 Burchadinger            2    1   1   0     3    2   +1     4
2 Vettrera                2    0   2   0     3    3    0     2
  Vilita & Turori         2    0   2   0     3    3    0     2
4 Slembana                2    0   1   1     2    3   −1     1

Group F
Darmen 0-0 Astograth
Groteberg 0-2 Mapletish

#                       Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
1 Darmen                  2    1   1   0     1    0   +1     4
2 Mapletish               2    1   0   1     2    1   +1     3
3 Astograth               2    0   2   0     1    1    0     2
4 Groteberg               2    0   1   1     1    3   −2     1

Group G
Ko-oren 1-1 Sicoutimont
Mytannion 2-3 Polar Islandstates

#                        Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
1 Polar Islandstates      2    2   0   0     5    2   +3     6
2 Sicoutimont             2    1   1   0     2    1   +1     4
3 Ko-oren                 2    0   1   1     1    3   −2     1
4 Mytannion               2    0   0   2     2    4   −2     0

Group H
St Lucoa 1-2 Svengarda
Taeshan 0-2 Kiryu-shi

#                       Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
1 Kiryu-shi               2    2   0   0     3    0   +3     6  Q
2 Svengarda               2    1   1   0     3    2   +1     4  Q
3 Taeshan                 2    0   1   1     1    3   −2     1
4 St Lucoa                2    0   0   2     1    3   −2     0

by **Maklohi Vai** » Sun Nov 25, 2012 5:32 pm

Part 1

"Why couldn't you stop those shots by Mêrí at 16 and Di Stefano at 72?"
"I just wasn't focused, man. I'm sorry. And these guys are 5 years older than us, too."
"I don't know. You just seem distracted out there."

64's mind had wandered. He was focused on evading the thugs when he got home, not on the match at hand.

"You listening?"
"Huh.. sorry."
"Dude, coach is gonna bench you if you don't shape up."
"I know. I just can't focus on this right now."
"Hey, you're from SoWak, right?"
"Yeah, South Wakita."
"Must be interesting living there."
"Yeah, yeah... Real interesting."

In reality, 64 was dreading the first time out at home. It would be best, he though, if he just didn't have to go outside at all. When he landed, it was straight to the team van, and then home. No problems so far.
"Hey Dad."
*silence*
"Dad, you home?"
"Oh, hey. I'm just... thinking."
"Dad, you can't get hung up on Mom. You didn't do anything wrong."
"I know. That's why I think. I don't know why she left if I didn't do anything wrong."
His dad's pessimism was so enveloping that 64 realized he would have to get out at some point. Night was not the best time, but it had to happen. They needed milk too. So at the brightest point in the day, 1pm, 64 ventured out. One block there, buy the milk, one block back. It was only a matter of a minute before 64 saw his first thug. He didn't spot 64, though. Safe for now. Coming back, the same thug was still there, but this time he was alert.
"AY! Where you goin?"
"Home."
"Why don't you wait a bit?"
"No, I need to go home."
"Alright, go home to your weak family."
"------"
64 thought better and decided not to say anything. It remained to be seen as to what would happen after the next game.

by **Free Swiss States** » Sun Nov 25, 2012 6:03 pm

No, not the sensation of repressed longing which filled him now, but the smoke. God! It was all inside of him, filling up through his belly and spilling out his nostrils. To think such drugs could exist. To be alive!

Cris Bartoloměj opened his mouth and said, "By God! I can't describe it!" In fact, he didn't say anything like that at all. Communication is impossible in the grips of hagalshuut. In fact, to a great extent all means of perception of the outside world are shut off. Hagal is nothing if not introspective substance abuse.

Vilhjalmsson floated in the corner, where he had begun the journey though not where he would end it. "I know what you did," his voice said to Cris, even though his lips moved imperceptibly, as if whispering.

Cris shuddered as the grips of fear bouted upon him. The devil take them all, he wondered. What if not a name? How would they find out? The devil in the corner, damn him, turned and said "You should run, brother."

Why? Why would he run now, when in all things he had made equal and they were but two steps from the wildest frontier? To retrace the footsteps of his brother and sister and dear lover he would do anything, give up anything, though now the devil was speaking once again and her eyes were golden like sundrops landing upon the terraced balconian heights.

"You thought you stood there, as the wind whipped around you and the people below you looked on with wonder as you, aye, you, held sacrificial knife in hand and brought down in bloody glory with the voice of the Lonely Shepherd around you, but you were wrong, brother. There is no eternity in fame, no perpetuity that can penetrate the cyclicalian depths, no, God. There is only the devil and the ocean and the struggle, fool, for thinking any different! We all die in the end."

No! It could not be. Even now, he saw in her eyes, scorched like deserts, who did he refer to? What godforsaken wasteland had we wandered onto? There, fay grass blowing like seaweed across the valley of truth, there she stood, pleading. Nausicaa! There, at once the innocent and the absolved, not the sinner but the sin. But what kind of angel dressed in rags come out to play. for when chaos even falls apart there is naught left but the wicked truth laid bare. there is no greater fear not even that of the end of all things then the terrible knowledge, that which no man could know or ever know but which she knew, goddess of the sun who was cruel and kind in the same word who lifted her subjects up with one hand and crushed them in the other because she of all knew that without the finish there can be no start the lord have mercy on his soul for he could not but hark the sounds of bells tolling like gunshots, putting ends to days as they brought ones anew for there can be no life without death for when the darkness take you and you come to a close you are only flowered in the loins of the earth

By god... his head hurt... where...

His hands landed, scrabbling... what eternity had he gone through... what was that foul taste? His senses were returning to him at last... his taste? Something strong lingered on his tongue. He licked out, desperate for any measure on which to hold himself against the world... iron, wood and iron. God what could it be? If only his damn eyes would work...

He cried out in frustration as his efforts met nothing. In great heave, he pushed himself backwards from the surface... only to be pulled back against it. Ropes? No, no... No wall, but the floor! He lifted up, rolled over. God, was that... sticky? Something was sticky. Sticky and wet, and in his hair and across his face, and his eyes...

He opened his eyes, finally. The grains of the floor, mixing together. How long had he lay? His eyes followed the trail, upwards and winding. A great pool of something. But what? If only he could put two and two together... but... it didn't make sense. Was he still in the grip of that terrible drug? Why were red droplets running down his face? Why was there a pool in front of him and why was it... why was it...

The body of Pétur Vilhjalmsson lay before him. From the nose up the head had been crushed inwards, like a soda can in a car compactor. He lay propped up against a wall, a great mist of blood spread out behind him like spray paint. And slow rivers of blood trickled down across folds of clothes to form a small puddle on the wooden floor.

The man was unquestionably dead.

by **Burchadinger** » Mon Nov 26, 2012 12:50 am

The door opened.

Inside one of the Jhanna City Recreational Ground changing rooms, the chatter amongst teammates died down as Siegfried Stahler and Florin Alexe walked in, both not looking too pleased. The players, most still donning their soaked jerseys and perspiring, straightened their bodies. The door closed behind the two men in charge. Near the back of the changing room, Laurentiu Matei placed his head in his hands, still wearing his gloves. Inside, he knew he was to blame for a lot that happened a few minutes ago. Siggy continued chewing the piece of gum inside his mouth, while maintaining his gaze on Matei. Gradually, the entire team turned their heads towards the #22. Siggy walked towards the trash bin, and spat out the gum he'd been chewing for the last half hour. He turned his look towards Lukas Gramlich, who seemed somewhat oblivious to everything that was happening around him.

"Luke...", the sudden mentioning of his name sprung him to attention. "Erm... Yes boss?"
"Tell me honestly what you thought of our performance today."

Gramlich's answer was direct, without a hint of hesitation. "We should have won", he said bluntly. Siggy's response began almost simultaneously with his defender's last word. "Then why didn't we?"

The team looked down, staring blankly at the floor. Siggy turned his look back to Matei. "Now I know you can blame Laurent as much as you want, and you have every right to, because honestly Laurent? That was amateurish! What the fucking hell was that? You get the ball, you hold on to it! That wasn't even a bloody shot! A misplaced pass and you let it slip! Bullshit!"

Inside his gloves, Matei's eyes began watering up slightly. He knew he shouldn't have let the ball slip, the ball meant for BandaBot was coming at him with decent pace, but no keeper at this level would have messed it that bad. Matei's brain flashed back to the event, he could remember it clearly. Gripping the ball, letting it slide, and seeing a rushing BandaBot steal it, and touch the ball in. That levelled the game for Vilita. There would be no winning goal for either side. But Burchadinger had lost the game to a mistake you'd expect from a kid in the park. If this was the mistake that would prevent Der Wunderteam from progressing to the knockout stage, he'd never be forgiven.

Siggy returned his gaze to Gramlich. "But he's not the only one to blame! What the fuck was that Luke? You shouldn't have played him onside in the first place! Not only that but by right you should have been sent off after just a minute in the 2nd half! You're a lucky bastard you know that!" The manager paused. "You know something lads? I will not sugarcoat it! We owned the first half, we dominated! I could understand it when they pulled one back, that was a stunner of a volley. BUT EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU SWITCHED OFF AFTER THAT! YOU DON'T DO THAT! EVER!" He paused again, before continuing with a somewhat calmer tone. "Now, will someone please tell me who told you all to stop attacking." A sense of shock seemed to enter the room. Siggy continued. "Now, I would like to know, because I know I didn't tell you to sit back and park the bus, I know Florin didn't, I know none of the coaching staff did. So will someone kindly tell me who told you to do so." Near the back, someone stood up, Siggy recognised the boy as Timothy Libor.

"Timothy! Really? You scored a wonderful goal I must say.", Siggy said in a somewhat sarcastic tone.
"Well... Thanks boss."
"So tell me why you told the lads to sit back."
"I...", before he could answer, Siggy interrupted.
"No. First of all, tell me who gave you the authority to give the command."

The room fell completely silent. "Nobody sir", was the pitiful response. "Exactly Timothy. Exactly. Sit down." The 19-year old centre-forward, who had scored with a brilliant scissor-kick in the first half to put Burchadinger in front, complied. Siggy made his annoyance clear. "Now you know what pisses me off?", looking at Adrian Branescu, the team captain. "Why did ANY of you. Why did any of you listen to the small bugger?" A couple of players broke a slight smile, but their boss was in no mood for jokes. He continued. "The chain of command has been made clear time and time again. On the pitch, it's Adrian, and then Nick. Timmy here has no authority whatsoever. Let me guess, you followed him because he's our... 'best' player?"

More than half of the souls in the room nodded slowly. Siggy only had a single word to say.

"Pathetic."

The 48 year-old stormed off, leaving the room and slamming the door shut behind him. Florin stood alone, facing his team of boys. He was popular with the team. He was their head coach, the one who was there day in and day out, training the squad, and also the one giving the motivational speeches before matches. He opened his mouth several times in a space of a minute, struggling to find the words.

"Look, we've been through this a lot. On the pitch, you only listen to Adrian and Nick, or whoever the captain is.", the 37 year-old's strong accent in full voice. "But not only should you have disregarded whatever Tim said, but I'm looking at you Adrian. You're captain, you have authority. You just went ahead with what he said without even discussing it. You answer to the boss, and then me. You don't just go ahead with what a small prick like Tim says!", he said half-jokingly. The entire team cracked a smile, along with Florin. "But you do get what I'm trying to say, don't you?"

Adrian nodded.

"Good... good. Alright then, I'll see you lads on the bus. Hurry up then, we're leaving in 10 minutes."

As he walked out, Florin stopped, and looked back.

"Nice goal by the way, Rudy!"
The 16 year-old, in for Christian Bruchhagen at right-back, grinned. "Thanks Flor!"

Florin smiled, and walked off.

by **Slembana** » Mon Nov 26, 2012 9:01 am

"We've drawn, Jyvx."

"We have, Aaron. It's so disappointing. Our hopes of reaching the knockout stages of the 25th Di Bradini Cup are very slim."

"What was a score."

"We drew 2-2."

"Who were our opponents?"

"Vettrera. It's disappointing to draw against them, especially as they are less interested in football. Or "soccer", as they say."

"Who were our scorers?"

"Ashley Vale scored our first goal with a 43rd minute penalty. Oliver van der Young scored our second goal after 75 minutes."

"Vale was great in the Under-15 World Championship back in 2013."

"He sure was, but he was terrible in the final. He was injured, and didn't play his best in that match. Vale being injured probably stopped us from winning the tournament. He played, of course, but he had to be subbed off after a horrific tackle."

"Who do we have next in this DBC?"

"Vilita & Turori."

"Shit. They're a good team. We're going to lose that game, and finish bottom of the group with 1 point. In our first DBC, we reached the quarters, only losing to a last-minute goal from host team Starblaydia."

"We sure did, dude. Good piece of footballing knowledge there! Bye Aaron."

"Bye Jyvx."

by **Svengarda** » Mon Nov 26, 2012 12:17 pm

Two late Ranta goals secure points for Ice Hawks

DBC25, Starblaydia

After a stale 1-1 draw with Taeshan in the previous matchday, the Svengardan side were looking to increase thier chances of qualification with a match against arguably the weakest side in the group, St Lucoa. The midfield had performed well against the Knights, with 17-year old winger Kimi Ranta stealing the show with several brilliant runs and perfect cross, one of which set up Arvo Jokela for his 61st minute equaliser. In defence, Teppo Pentti was brought in at centre back for Sakari Aalto, whilst Elias Olzonish got his first start, replacing Maarten Danielsen.

Svengarda, doring their Cup of Harmony kits, kicked off playing from right to left. An early chance fell for Ranta, as a defensive mix up left him with a 50/50 chance, racing with the goalkeeper to reach the ball on inside the 6-yard box, but the keeper reached it first, pouncing on it. Only for him to be struck by Ranta, and knocked unconcious. He was stretchered off after just 8 minutes and the replacement keeper came on. Svengarda played fluently with the ball, playing in tight triangles and with a high tempo. Jokela came close 10 minutes later, when a cross from Ranta found its way all across the face of the penalty area, but he scuffed the shot and the ball went wide.

St Lucoa came close when their striker was played in behind the Svengarda defence, but he cut back and the resulting shot was easily stopped by Jarvinen. They came so close after 31 minutes, when a St Lucoan got his head to it before Mustanen, and Jarvinen had to make a fantastic diving save to parry the ball off the line and onto the post, where Kulmala smashed it down field, where Jaap reached it ahead of the defender, before playing in Jokela, only for his 20 yard shot to narrowly miss the right hand up-right.

Just before the break, after a long period of Svengardan possession, St Lucoa broke, and their striker rolled home a through ball after a three-on-two situation, leaving the Svenga defence red-faced and very undeserving of the defecit after playing much better than a second-rate St Lucoan side.

The second half started brightly, with the Ranta's powerful shot being hit away by the reserve keeper, and Jokela couldn't pounce on it. Svengarda oiled the pressure onto the tiring Lucoan defence, and they lost their temper in the 54th minute, after a St Lucoan defender floored Arvo Jokela off the ball, earning himself an early bath. The resulting scuffle also saw yellow for another defender. Ranta missed the resulting free-kick.

Svengarda began to get frustrarted through the lack of an equaliser, and they began to make mistakes and leave gaps in the defence, which Lucoa very nearly exposed, when a well-timed chip from the striker was pipped over the bar by a diving Jarvinen. But amidst all the frustration, a cool-headed, rising star that is Kimi Ranta took centre stage. Firstly, on 74 minutes, he took the ball excellently from a Timo Laathi pass, rounding a defender superbly, before shifting the ball again to Seppanen and making a darting run into the box. Seppanen read it perfectly, and slid the return back to Ranta, drawing the keeper out, but he took the ball past him, and around another defender, before smashing into the gaping net. 1-1, and the Ice Hawks could smell blood.

The blood flowed 6 minutes later when Ranta struck again. This goal was expertly taken by the side, straight of the training pitch. Svengarda had a corner, and Jaap was going to take it. As he stepped up, Ranta made a run from the near post, right round the area, leaving his marker. It was flicked on by Venäläinen and straight into the path of a chraging Ranta, who slammed in into the top corner, leaving the keeper stranded on his near post spot. A beautiful, well taken goal.

The game ended with the same scoreline, with Ranta getting Man of the Match, and leaving Svengarda just needing to draw with Kiryu Shi to qualify.

by **Yesopalitha** » Mon Nov 26, 2012 12:29 pm

Group C                 Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
1 Conclespia              2    2   0   0     3    1   +2     6
2 Pasarga                 2    0   2   0     2    2    0     2
3 Boring Paradise         2    0   1   1     2    3   −1     1
4 Yesopalitha             2    0   1   1     1    2   −1     1

I can see it all falling apart.

My football career as a goalkeeper. My life as a jubilant teenager. I have heard it said to me numerous times that I have a lot left to live for, and that negative thoughts are not the way to go, but who are the people that are telling me those things to know and understand what it is that I go through every day? Nobody truly knows the pain inside, do they?

We lost to Conclespia by a score of 1-0, and barring a miracle of Conclespia defeating Pasarga and we defeating Boring Paradise in the next match, we will be heading home early, which is not something the Yesopalithans are wanting after our national team made it to the Quarterfinals of the last World Cup Proper.

Does it make me feel better knowing that it wasn't all my fault? That the offense has been anemic, that the passing hasn't been smooth, that the Conclepians thoroughly outplayed us in every level and that nothing that I could've done would've changed that? No. Not really. You know why? Because it was me that still let that one goal in. Hence, I am the reason that we lost.

Yeah, sure. Maybe I should play a different position so that I don't feel so directly responsible about every stinking outcome. But my personality is such that even if I was a fan watching the game from the sideline, I'd feel responsible because, who knows? If I would've rushed the field, a player on the opposing team could've been distracted, and hence lose the match for that side.

I know what this may seem like. People are starting to avoid me in team meetings, like I'm crazy or something. Which, I suppose, if they don't know the full story, which they cannot because I cannot tell them due to so many reasons, they would think that I'm such a weirdo for not talking too much, for being obsessed with football, but still letting in the goals that are getting this team out of this tournament.

What would they know of trying to move one way and your body moving another? Trying to say words that your mouth will not concede? Trying to...

Ugh. I'm just going into complaining mode, aren't I? I should stop. Yes. Stop, Jing. Meditate. Calm down... Focus on the next match. And the next. And the next. Until you retire from the game or die playing, there will always be the next match.

And as long as there is another one to come... there is still hope that things may change for the better in the future. That the past can remain the past, buried in time. That I don't need to face things alone...

Or do I?

by **Groteberg** » Mon Nov 26, 2012 1:38 pm

Claes should've seen it coming!
The Grotebergish U21 team was at the..... (I forgot!) when we lost to Mapletish because our goalie Claes Holland is so dumb he barely sees things coming.
Goal Scorers: Tyson Ingolf, Tyson Ingolf

Yellow is Groteberg
Brown is Mapletish

by **Free Swiss States** » Mon Nov 26, 2012 4:15 pm

"Well, son, you're in deep shit now."

Cris' hands were folded and his head rested against the metal edge of the table. The thin, wiry man pulled over a seat at the opposite end and opened a briefcase. He flipped through a couple papers before retrieving a manila folder and a pen. "Hmm..." he glanced up at Cris. "Cris Bartoloměj, yes? Sorry if I'm skewering your name here."

"Yeah, that's me. You got it right, 'cept for the last bit... it's supposed to rhyme with 'day.' Yeah."

"Alright. Duly noted." The man cleared his throat and scribbled something. "Now, son... I don't need to tell you this isn't a good situation. But for now this whole, ah... mess... has been kept away from the media." He paused, as if thinking. "You can.. ah... call me Mr. Hudson. Now... we're operating by Swiss law... Staryblaydi authorities handed it over to our government, figured Swiss in, Swiss out, anyway... I'm going to ask you a few simple questions... as there is no attorney present you have the right to dismiss any interrogation... do you wish to proceed?"

"Yeah," Cris said.

"Alright. First question... do you know this man?" he held up a photo.

"Yes. It's Pétur Vilhjalmsson. He plays... played... for our team. He was a friend of mine."

The man gave a little cough and put the photo back into his briefcase. "Okay. Second question. Were you in the vicinity of this man at any time yesterday evening?"

"Yes."

"What were you doing?"

"We were... uh.... he was showing me... we were smoking hagalshuut."

The man gave Cris a judgmental glance and shook his head. "Son... well, it's not the time or place, but... ah, screw it. Third question... why'd you do it?"

"Do... what?"

"Don't play coy with me, son. I've been in this business for twenty years. Why'd you take a Austerlitz .58 and blow the top half of his head to kingdom come? Drug-induced mania? Sure, that might sell. You'll probably shave ten or twelve years off the sentence. Temporary insanity? Might get away with it, but you'll end up in an asylum. So what's it gonna be?"

"You... you don't understand, sir. I didn't do it!" Cris said.

"Oh, yeah?" the man said. "And what's the jury going to think when they find out you spend hours on the shooting range? When you've been diagnosed two nonconsecutive times with psychopathy? What about the fact you were high as a mug? You think that's gonna work in your favor? You're wrong, kid."

"I don't care. I didn't do it! I woke up, and he was there, alright? I don't give a shit what anyone thinks!" Cris' hands were balled up into fists.

The man sighed. He ruffled around in his briefcase and pulled out a cigar. "You really don't get it, do you, kid?" he said. "It doesn't matter whether you did it or not. I mean... what I'm saying is, doesn't matter whether you killed the son of a bitch or not." He stood up, faced the wall. "You could be the fucking Mother Teresa for all I care, kid. Any jury in the country is going to eat you alive out there." He lit the cigar. "Better you confess now. It'll make it easier."

"Unless..." Cris' voice quavered. "Unless you're wrong."

"Oh yeah?"

"Because... if I'm not the murderer... then whoever it is... is still out there. And... what's going to stop him from killing someone else? What... are you going to do... when someone else dies?"

The man turned around. He sighed. Smoke curled around his nostrils. Cris watched and felt a sickness in the pit of his stomach. "People die every day, kid," the man said. "The trick is finding someone to pin it on."

He walked over, gathered his papers, put them in the briefcase. "There's the crime, and then there's the punishment." He looked at Cris. "Now's as good a time as any to learn that they don't much have to do with each other." He walked out, and left Cris inside, alone. The door slammed shut.

by **Farfadillis** » Mon Nov 26, 2012 6:32 pm

The Ferdullaele Post

Vai Vai Maklohi*

And today the little Farves settled out for three valuable points that we should cherish. Still, even though this win gives us true hopes for a possible upset against Free Swiss States, it's highly unlikely. Despite how succesful our senior team may be when compared to Free Swiss States', their youth system is apparently much better. Need I write about how almost none of our current national team's players came out our youth system? With Dandalleion never actually going through a youth system at all? Need I mention he now plays for Jungle Strike? Exactly, our youth system has little to nothing to do with out success, but we still seem to care about this U-21. Maybe it's because not having any senior matches makes us at least want to watch some young players, who are pretty close to the national team's players age anyways, playing some kinda shitty football. The thing is, Free Swiss States would be difficult to upset and we shouldn't take our team too seriously, really. About the match....

We started playing some quality football against the unkown Maklohians. Really unkwon. Specially because their identities can't be revealed. Crazy foreigners. Anyways, the team was aminly lead forward by Daokō from the defense. He was the one who managed to constantly create chances, instead of Ragnere or Østergård, surprsinigly. He even managed to get an assist to Mêrí on the 16th minute. He took the ball outside the box and dribbled two Maklohians, before sending a through pass to Mêrí, who chipped it over the goalkeeper. This goalkeeper, who happens to be one more Maklohian that doesn't have an official name apparently, went down in a rather clumsy way and gave us a nice gift: the lead. The team kept playing some quality football. Daokō, who recently signed for Atletik Thessia (Mytanar side), kept generating chances till the thirtieth minute when the manager (what was his name again?) changed tactics a bit. He apparently didn't like the fact that we were playing much better than the unkowns and he started playing more defensively. Still, as Østergård started waking up, so did we. Once he started generating chances as well, there was noone who could stop him. The Maklohians often found themselves running around passes by him, chasing the ball like dogs. Sure, it may have had something to do with the enormous age difference, but I'm willing to overlook said fact to at least be a bit happy that we won a game, ok? Anyways, the best chance we had on the first half after the goal was one by Østergård himself. De Leon sent him a through pass and he one-touch shot from the box's side, surprising the short teen goalkeeper. The shot was pretty powerful for the awkward position from which he shot, but it hit the crossbar. However, no more shots would hit the crossbar after that one, not like our players suffer from Val Kylx syndrome afterall. When the referee blew the whistle after seven minutes of injury time, probably because of the incompetence of U-21 World Cups' referees, our players went to half time giving us, the many Farves back here, some hope for the future of our football. We had been playing really well, but we still depended on the select few young talents, not Ragnere this time, but the other two still were pretty much the reason why we were winning.

And so the second half started. The Maklohians were apparently tired. A good tip for them: try not to exhaust yourself while being a 12-year-old, playing against 20-year-olds can be really hazardous if you do, specially during the second half. Anyways, Ragnere was the third to wake up and it was then when the match was officially over. Now Maklohi Vai couldn't get past their half, and we were doing much better than them. Although that's pretty expected due to the physical difference. I'm pretty surprised by how good those kids were, they look like they've got some future. Maybe one with a name, even. When Ragnere started playing well, we could start talking about how abusive he ended up being. He kept on doing tricks, specially the sweepball, as well as tackling the poor little Maklohians. We were getting really near to the second goal and to extend our lead. And it eventually arrived. Di Stefano (that sounds awfully familiar, RLStates maybe?) scored a header on the seventy-second minute that left us with 100% chances of winning. Mêrí sent a cross from the flank, which found Østergård's head. He headed it violently, but the goalkeeper somehow managed to stop it. The rebound, however, was left to Di Stefano to head in. The goalkeeper could be blamed for the goal, but the fact that he stopped the header inclines me to congratulate him instead, regardless of where the rebound ended up. After that, we sort of gave up the attacking and had some mercy to the poor no-ID kids. We stll got some chances, but we didn't score them. I like to believe it was because our players thought it was disrespectful and not because they completely suck and can't score a few more goals against players that are at the very least five years younger than them. The game ended with no major upsets or comebacks from Maklohi Vai, as expected. This way Maklohi Vai was officially knocked out of the tournament with zero points out of six and, until now, no goals scored. I hope they do a bit better in the last match against Starblaydia. But that's probably because we need that, should we get a miraculous draw against the Free Swiss States.

This time, the players got off the pitch with obvious rejoice and maybe even euphoria in their faces. Must feel good to win an international game, even an U-21 one. Specially when you suck that much. We were left with some hopes. You know what that means? They can now disappoint us. What's the point of leaving us with hopes? Making us suffer more? I hope not, but the first match against Starblaydia makes me think otherwise.

Best Player
Joseý Daokō
10/10

To be honest, this was a hard one. All Ragnere, Mêrí, Daokō and Østergård played really well, but I felt inclined to choose Daokō because of the vital role he played in the first minutes, specially the goal. There was extra merit as well for being a defender and leading the attack, which is really difficult to do, specially now-a-days. His way of dribbling and passing today made me think we actually stand some chance in the future with him as maybe even captain. His talent was incredible today. ~~It's almost as if he was based on Franz Beckenbauer!~~

Worst Player
Jens Krupin
6/10

Yeah, Krupin once again. However, this time, he didn't suck. He was just the least good, to put it in a less mean way. He still played in a not so horrbile way as last time and that certainly is progress. However, the fact that he got a six out of ten when playing against the kids from Maklohi Vai makes me shudder when I think about how he might perform against the Free Swiss States next match. He's still not grasping the idea that the ball can be passed but he didn't commit any error today, just in order to say something positive.

*: In Farf, where vowels don't need to be pronounced in a hit-or-miss way, Vai is pronounced approximately the same as bye.

by **Conclespia** » Tue Nov 27, 2012 3:46 am

I'd never liked the rain.

We'd never gotten much in Lumminense, with the perpetual snowfall and all. Our equivalent of a summer heat wave was a day of 22-25 degree temperatures. Besides, playing with a torrent of water streaking down your boots and soaking the pitch doesn't exactly help you keep your balance while playing as intense a sport as football. I guess the playing in the snow did kind of prepare me for playing in the rain, though.

The memories of last night's victory were still buzzing around in my head as I stalked onto the training pitch, with the afternoon sun beaming down on the absolute beauty of a field, lush, green, and most importantly, well-trimmed (much unlike many of the pitches back in Conclespia). That epic last-grasp winner, when I played Sandy through and he tapped it in, would be ingrained in my memory banks as long as I lived. Yesopalitha tended to play a conservative game, though, so we sure got a lot of space, just playing our passing game right outside their box.

Oh, and another thing that you should know about me is that I'm a real training freak. My friends tend to call me a "pitchworm" (unsurprisingly cheesy, I know) because whenever I'm not goofing off with them, I'd tell anyone that if they wanted to find me, I'd be on the pitch. And no, it's not to impress my coaches, but that is a nice little side effect too.

So even as the sun was waving goodbye as it shrunk down beneath the white-capped mountains and nightfall lurked ever so closely, I was just getting started, knocking the ball around as I wanted to hone my passes as close as a 100% completion record as possible. Well, as a holding mid, who doesn't want to be a fine passer of the ball? Unless you're talking about those people who just pass the ball sideways and don't get anywhere, but you know what I mean.

I had set up those plastic cutouts of opposition players around me in a circle, and a set of small, circular targets behind them (yes, the ones with the bullseyes). A timer had been set up, and triggers had been placed on each of the targets. I stood in a ring of balls as I held the timer in my hand, shivering in my wool jacket and track pants as an icy sliced across the face of the pitch. I steeled myself, and started the timer. I had 60 seconds to hit 30 targets.

I coolly slotted each ball through the legs of the cutouts, the spheres not even skimming the edges of the newly-painted yellow figures as they whizzed past the legs of each cutout and slammed into the targets. I descended into a quick rhythm, kind of like break dancing, or doing the limbo, or something. Sorry, that was weird, but yes, that's what I think of whenever I practiced like that.

I was just accelerating into what seemed like a breakneck pace before my little bubble of serenity and zen was burst by a man's voice coming from behind me. Stopping abruptly and nearly tripping over in surprise, I spun around and saw a tall and handsome man, who I could've mistaken for a movie star if I didn't know that he was my head coach. The tall, well-built frame, brown hair and blue eyes of Ryan Dasforth was standing right outside my little barrier of cutouts and targets, motioning for me to step outside.

Puzzled, I stepped outside. "What's the matter, Ryan?" I asked, scratching my buzzcut of black hair.

He shrugged nonchalantly. "Oh, nothing, I've just been noticing that you've been coming out to practice a lot recently by yourself. It wasn't called for by me or any of the coaching staff, you know." Both of us, as well as the majority of the team, despise sticklers to grammar. As long as you understand what the other guy's saying, who gives?

I laughed in embarrassment. "Oh, yeah, well, you know what they say, practice makes perfect, or permanent, but ... yeah, whatever."

He chuckled coolly.

"Well, anyways," he reached into the pocket of his black trench coat. "I've been noticing your performances on your pitch lately, and I've observed how hard you work for your team -" Is that a circular object in his pocket? No way. "and also, you've demonstrated pretty decent leadership skills out there. Well, you certainly command the respect of your fellow teammates. I'm pretty certain that Boring Paradise player's scrotum is still aching after it's ... unfortunate incident with Harsh Hooves' hoof."

We both roared in laughter. After our guffaws died down, he looked at me in all seriousness. "Well, Jason, after much evaluation and observation, I've decided that you'd be a great captain of the team. Sandy and I both agreed that he'd only be ... say, an interim captain before I found a suitable candidate for the job." He handed me a bright, yellow armband with a white "C" inscribed on it. "Congratulations," he said, before turning and walking away.

I could feel myself growing younger as I became six again, grinning giddily as I ripped open my Frostlight presents, cradling them as if they were gleaming diamonds worth a million bits. I could see my parents' warm smiles of pride, my older brother ruffling my hair in approval. I was captain of the Howlers.

by **Vilita** » Tue Nov 27, 2012 8:42 am

Robothings Draw Again

Vilita & Turori 2-2 Burchadinger

It was a lacklustre first half performance for the Robothings as Burchadinger ran out to a 2-0 lead after 45 minutes and controlled much of the play. After the first goal, the Robothings had an opportunity to level the score through MbidzoBot against the run of play but the effort was pulled just wide of the net, the only meaningful scoring opportunity for the Vilita & Turori side that once again featured no Turorian Bots in the lineup.

It was widely expected that, at the very least, IobabaoBot would get a serious run out during the Di Bradini Cup after an impressive trial period at Turori Robotics and promising integration tests in Arcticala.

In fact, officials at Turori Robotics were told that IobabaoBot would be playing, at the very least, from the subs bench against Burchadinger but the Bot was no where to be found, leading to more questions about whether the Turori Robotics players would be included at all through the remainder of the Di Bradini Cup.

The goalscoring started in the 15th minute when Burchadinger's Timothy Libor connected with an audacious scissor kick that CorsiBot had no chance with, the algorithms quickly determining that it was not possible to reach the ball with the trajectory it had and preventatively opted not to attempt the grueling dive across the face of goal, instead, CorsiBot simply turned and walked toward the back corner of the goal to collect the ball and begin the process of returning it to the center circle.

Things got worse for the Robothings on a corner kick in the 34th minute where Rudolf Lindner came up from the back to double Der Wunderteam's advantage, a scoreline that would remain through into the break.

The Robothings would make one change at the half with MitarokaBot replacing StottBot and the impact was instant with MitarokaBot earning a free kick almost as soon as play resumed.

From the resulting freekick, MitarokaBot found and unmarked KeckerBot who volleyed home to pull one goal back for Vilita & Turori.

Further changes saw BaledrokadrokaBot replaced by DogbéBot and RamziBot replaced by DuPontBot, adding a bit of freshness and a different look for the Robothings, pressing more on the attack to try to level the scores.

The pressure continued as Burchadinger appeared to be sitting on its 2-1 advantage, but despite multiple opportunities, the Robothings weren't getting the golden chance to equalize.

Then, a poorly weighted pass by DogbéBot caught Burchadinger goalkeeper Laurentiu Matei unawares who fumbled the interception attempt directly into the path of BandaBot.

BandaBot could not miss from there, leveling the scoreline at 2-2, a result which would stand through the end of the match.

Vilita & Turori can now clinch a place in the knockout round with a victory over an under-impressive Slembana side which seems to have already conceded defeat and their ticket back home. The Robothings need not take anything for granted, however, as another draw may not be enough to see them through.

	Burchadinger
:: Goalscorers :: :: 47' KeckerBot :: 82' BandaBot	:: Goalscorers :: :: 15' Timothy Libor :: 34' Rudolf Lindner
:: Best Player: BandaBot :: Worst Player: KeckerBot :: Shots on Target: 6 :: Corner Kicks: 11	:: Best Player: GK :: Worst Player: D :: Shots on Target: 6 :: Corner Kicks: 11

Vilita & Turori Robothings (3-(1-4)-2) ::
[GK] CorsiBot, [D] AfrikkaBot, [D] AhatBot, [D] AlianaBot, [DMC] RamziBot, [ML] KeckerBot, [MC] BaledrokadrokaBot, [MC] NerniBot, [MR] StottBott, [FC] MbidzoBot, [FC] BandaBot
BENCH::
[FC] MumambaBot, [FC] DuPontBot, [M] MitarokaBot, [M] DogbéBot, [U] OllirgBot, [D] AdikaBot, [GK] IssahBot

Vilita & Turori Substitutions::
(45) - StottBott >>> MitarokaBot
(63) - BaledrokadrokaBot >>> DogbéBot
(68) - RamziBot >>> DuPontBot

by **Polar Islandstates** » Tue Nov 27, 2012 10:19 am

From the diary of Alexis Zeljeznicar, 18

I got on the pitch! My first ever minutes in international football! I'm so proud of myself.

No goals, no assists, and yeah, perhaps I didn't play my best football ever, but... yeah. I got on the pitch. That's the main thing. That's what I was focusing on. And I got to be on the pitch when we scored the winner. Throwing both me and Kjartan on in the last ten minutes in a bid to score the winner was a bold play from van der Riise, I must say, not sure I'd have had the nerve to try that. I'm glad he did though, as it meant I got on. Plus, we won, so...

Celebrating on the pitch with Kjartan after he netted from Nikita's pass was just so good. Like, I have no words. I felt like I was part of the team, part of the act, part of the whole damn world. It was just awesome. Just, awesome. Watching the whole match was exciting, even from the bench - the tit for tat nature of the Mytanar-Polarian relationship dictating that when they went ahead, we came back, and that when we took the lead, they equalised again. We just won't let them get an inch over us and they won't let us get an inch over them. Except that we did in the end. Thrilling match. Thrilling atmosphere. You'd have to be born in the dark ages to be unaware of the old passions that get stirred up by the Mytannion-Polar Islandstates fixture, so it was no surprise to see the fans up for it. Well, I knew they'd be out in force anyway. The ferocity and volume still came as something of a surprise - just imagine what it'd be like at the Nasjonale!

So, we're through to the knockout stages, which is exciting in itself, but, but, even more exciting is that van der Riise is going to be resting a few players in the next match... And that means I get to start. I, am going to be starting, an international football match. Me.

Yes.

I dunno who else will be getting a game, but I can't wait, either way. Sicoutimont is the team, and I am the guy. Time to put in a stronger performance, the one I know I can give, and the one I know van der Riise wants to see from me. Time to hit my A game.

** ** ** ** **

Team for next match
-------------------------- Kirilaunen --------------------------
------------------- Elden --- Wien --- Salo -------------------
-- Haagenstadt -------- Kaaselainen -------- Vaaraniemi --
------------------- Villeneuve - Toiviainen ------------------
---------- Dagfinnursson ------------- Zeljeznicar ----------

by **Kiryu-shi** » Tue Nov 27, 2012 12:23 pm

One of the most gratifying things about playing all of the group matches in Jhanna was the opportunity to catch some of the other matches going on in Starblaydia. When Enéh d'Erdélyi first learned that all of Group E’s matches would be played in the same city that her team would be staying in, she was initially fairly unimpressed. She had seen the robots from Vilita and Turori four years ago in a nice two to one victory in their group stage; Slembana seemed to be looked down upon internationally despite their moderately successful runs in the World Cup; Burchadinger, despite a footballing history, was not a nation she recognized from more recent football tournaments; Vettrera was a last minute addition to the tournament after what seemed to be some bureaucratic or diplomatic failings in the nation Tyrants. And yet, when the scheduling happened to work out so that she had the time to head out to the Jhanna City Recreational Ground to watch those Robot-Things take on Buchadinger, she didn’t hesitate to make sure she would be able to watch the match.

And she wasn’t disappointed by the theatrics, as a fast paced match was punctuated by an incredibly athletic goal by Timothy Libor and two dramatic second half goals by the Robots. It was everything she had hoped for, with high-quality football and late tension. And four total goals in the match, more than the combined scoreline from Kiryu-shi’s first two shut-out wins.

It’s not that Enéh was disappointed by the first two matches, exactly. Even though she was held goalless against a surprisingly inefficient Taeshan defense, her presence had likely contributed to Achior’s pretty first half goal when she drew two defenders towards the right side of the pitch, allowing him a relatively free run down the middle. There was just something that was missing, a feeling that every game hung delicately in the balance between a dominating victory and humiliating defeat, a feeling that luck, fate, magic, or some combination of those forces were the only things keeping the squad from imploding on the pitch. This team was finely tuned and calibrated to maximize possession and create opportunities to score. Each player had a set, defined role and expectations that they would play to their strengths and weaknesses would be disguised as best possible. Contrasted to four years ago, when it seemed that every player around her was deeply flawed, and the team was simply outplaying their own talent.

She could even see it in her own play. She was passing up shots that she would have taken four years ago, shots that she knew she would likely miss, distance shots where she had neither a good angle or nice balance. She didn’t flinch last time, rocketing shots into the stands left and right, but this time she was making the smart play, moving the ball around, waiting for the time to strike. It was smarter, she knew. But it was not the same.

And next week they would be playing Svengarda. This was a team with passion, a team that seemed to draw from deep energy and emotion in their come from behind victory against St Lucoa, a team that seemed to have a truly threatening midfielder combination in Timo Lathi and Kimi Ranta. Not to mention that their second-half heroics drew to Enéh’s mind a similar match against the Robot-Things four years ago, and the two-second half goals that they managed to push through to inspire the magic that lasted throughout the rest of the tournament.

While the second goal that Kiryu-shi scored against Taeshan was a bit more unpredictable, when Sean Smith got lucky and broke down Lawson Street and Gabriel Gorzon before finishing with a wild but effective shot that ricocheted off of Logan Watson’s knee en route to the back of the net, it had come after twenty or thirty minutes of constant pressure, and it seemed more like a reward for the team’s collective hard work rather than a moment of divine inspiration. To Enéh, it even felt like the rest of the team thought they deserved that second goal.

No matter. As much as she ruminated over the psychological capability of her teammates, the Vilita/Turori and Burchadinger match had reminded her of one thing most of all: she was here to defend her championship. She fully intended to complete the Group H sweep with a victory against Svengarda. And if they did, they would have to face a Group E opponent, which could very well be one of the two teams she had spent her spare evening matching. And while she wasn’t sure about the rest of her teammates, she would be ready. And she was not about to let up.

by **Pasarga** » Tue Nov 27, 2012 2:00 pm

"We're never going to win this competition again are we?! I mean, back to back draws and now facing off against the group leaders! It's a poor a situation as I can think of for our sides."[/color]

While the situation for Young Wanderers was indeed dire, the team itself seemed upbeat. It was only a few editions removed from having lifted the trophy in Valanora over High Heels. And who was this new side who was leading the group anyways, some nation that no one and their grandmother had heard of that's who! It was the Wanderers that people knew about, though maybe that was what made them predictable and this new side dangerous.

"Look see, they are playing as if their lives depend upon it! Maybe they actually do, maybe they live in some authoritarian dictatorship where a loss means more than just a loss! Meanwhile look at how our kids are playing, uninspired and unenthused, they are ripe for the taking. There's little evidence to believe that the side is going to reverse the current form, though I do dearly hope so. To be bested by this debutant would be something of a major embarrassment."

"Come on now, we're not doing that bad, a win and in scenario, what more can you ask for at this stage after a pair of draws? We've still got our destiny in our own hands and can push through to the knockouts with a solid performance that we all know this squad can be capable of."

"Perhaps if we actually used all club based players we'd not be in this mess anyhow."

"That's neither here nor there at this point. The manager has picked their players and now it is up to them to perform, as it is expected of them when they pull on that kit."

by **Wight** » Tue Nov 27, 2012 2:10 pm

by **Sicoutimont** » Tue Nov 27, 2012 3:18 pm

It is a late, rainy afternoon in the Sicoutian economic capital of St-Simeon. The largest city in the nation is also home to GamTek, the top video game makers in all of Sicoutmont. Developer Jean-Jacques Hughes steps out the door. He has been given 1 task: make a video game, based on sports, that will make Sicoutimont the envy of all nations in the gaming industry. He floated a few ideas in his head. The one popular with Sicoutians would be HockeyChamps, but the entire world? World Cup 63: The Video Game. What could be better than that? Around 170 teams in qualifing, online play to duke it out with people all over the world. Control whatever team you like, from Sicoutimont to the top nations, like Starblaydia and The Holy Empire. It was a great idea. But how to execute it? Hughes rushed home, and began coding a small idea. Then, he pulled it up on screen. The graphics were glitchy, the players and motions horribly buggy. But the idea was there. Di Bradini Cup 25 was his small project. The 2 teams available? Sicoutimont and Ko-oren. Staying up all night, and continuing on to the next day, more revisions were made. GamTek liked his idea so much they filed a copyright for both Di Bradini Cup: The Video Game, and World Cup 63: The Video Game. Later that day, version indev 0.1 was released to a few small testing teams. World Cup 63: The Video Game's release was set for the day of the World Cup Draw. The team would begin coding the small information immediatly, it would be a hefty task.

One of those "beta testers" was Stan Sarault. Sitting in the hotel room in Starblaydia, he received an email from Hughes, his old friend from high school, that the game was indev, and if he wanted to test it. Sarault immediatly said yes. Opening the game, he could tell that although it was in colour and had alright gameplay, the graphics and motions needed a lot of improvement. For example, he thought, players were just blue blobs for the Sicoutians and yellow for Ko-oren. The ball was a small white pixel. "Time to beat those dang Ko-oreners," he thought. It had just been last night the team tied Ko-oren. This left the team at 4 points. Ko-oren had 1, Polar Islandstates 6, and the Mytanars eliminated with 0 points. Ko-oren had to beat Mytannion, Polar Islandstates beat Sicoutimont by more than 2 goals, and the Ko-oren victory to be higher than 2 goals, for them to advance. It seemed guarenteed they would qualify, but nothing was certain yet, and the Polarians would be a tough opponent for the final group stage game. 3 years ago, the Polarians had stompted Girard Giroux and Co. on their way to taking the Copa Rushmori. Now, Stan Sarault and his team looked to avenge that. Striking it past the blob that morphed around in the Ko-oren net to give the virtual team a 6-0 lead, and he left the game to prepare for the final match. He'd strike it past those Polarians like he just had the virtual-Ko-oreners. He had to. The team might not advance if he didn't.

Di Bradini Cup 25/U21WC46 RP/Roster/Scores Thread

DBC-25 MD2

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