Copa Rushmori XIX - Everything Thread

[Vjaalsburg]

Eagles One, New Ponyville One - Rapid Reaction
Vjaalsbürg picks up first points, Larsen nets beautiful goal

Dat volley tho.

Vjaalsbürg picked up their first goal and first point today, drawing one-all with New Ponyville to pick up their first points of the tournament. New Ponyville looked strong in their first match, readily defeating Bissone four-one, and we'll look forward to Bissone as well next matchday, meaning we have a good chance at staying in the mix with four points and two matches to play should we win.

The compact 4-3-3 that the opponents trotted out (heh, get it?) was to face off against Anders Walquist's playbook 4-2-3-1. However, Walquist, to the surprise of many, left out the captain Magnus Ericsson at striker, instead opting for the twenty-year-old Simon Wictorssen, who had performed well in a forty-five-minute audition the match before.

Meanwhile, Yellow Pansy kept the lineup that had defeated Bissone. The captains Pie and Larsen, acting in Ericcson's stead, trotted onto the field, and the ball was kicked off two minutes later.

New Ponyville, still ecstatic after their victory the match before, played upbeat, attacking ball, forcing the Blue Eagles back to keep the ball from the net. As the formation crumpled further and further in under the Crusader's hail of passes, Nyman and Karjalainen were forced to play as wingbacks.

But it couldn't last forever; the Crusaders' attack eventually tired, and the Blue Eagles had kept them from scoring. The Vjaals began to push back, and by the twenty-third minute they had forced three corner-kicks in five minutes. It was Rupert Andersen to take the third, the first two being bungled by a lack of finish. The exclusion of Magnus Ericcson in the starting eleven was certainly starting to bite back, the younger Wictorssen unable to convert opportunities Ericcson would have pounded home.

Andersen, this time, opted for a short pass, dealing it to Sebastian Lindberg, who had missed a wide-open potential equalizer late against Taeshan. This time, Lindberg spun and lofted a cross into the box. The center-back earth pony Emelie got to the ball first and sent a volley out, but it was Drew Karjalainen who responded, slamming a thunderous retort on two bounces into the box. But it was Emelie again, this time making sure to loft it to the side, away from the wavemaking Karjalainen and Nyman, and hope that the wingbacks could get to it.

But instead, it was Johannes Larsen who rushed to the left side of the Vjaal attack. Larsen focused, glanced at the ball, and swung his foot in time, making perfect connection and smashing the devastating shot off the right post for a goal that left Apple Hangover gawking. The Blue Eagles had their first lead of the tournament, and there were still fifty-one minutes to play.

---

After halftime, the Crusaders realized they were staring a loss to the putative group minnows and swapped Nocturnal Rest out for the more attacking Blistering Forge. The Blue Eagles, for their part, decided to give foundering captain Magnus Ericcson another shot (certainly preferable to Simon Wictorssen's poor first-half showing, Anders Walquist must've thought) swapping out Oscar Nyman to make room. Wictorssen, never a real finisher, was slotted back to attacking midfield, and the Blue Eagles trotted out a spacious 4-1-4-1 to start the half, looking to widen their lead.

But Blistering Forge had more of an effect than the Vjaals expected. The unicorn proved a cogent addition to the roster, helping force back the would-be devastating six-man attack the Vjaals had created. Alongside the other attackers, left halfback Indigo Storm and captain Berry Pie in particular, the Crusaders forced back any follow-up the Blue Eagles had prepared and forced them to bring back as many men as they could. But the versatile pony halfbacks created a six-man attack, while the halfbacks of the Blue Eagles were depressingly unprepared, many of them wingers or strikers pushed back to embolden a push.

Anders Walquist, for his part, was quick to react, and Sofia Karlsson quickly came in for the ineffective Wictorssen, turning the Blue Eagles into a quasi - 5-4-1. But the team wasn't as fast to adjust, and Blistering Forge slipped through the resulting gap and found a wide-open Chrysanthemum dashing in barely onsides for an easy kick. One-all, fifty-first minute.

Worse, the Crusaders kept pushing, forcing the Eagles manager to give up the hope of a six-man counterattack and sub out Anton Børg for Rupert Anderssen. Yellow Pansy for her part added pegasus Sunset Orange to the mix, breaking the 4-3-3 formation by removing center back Peter Smith and going even more towards offense. With seven players attacking at once, the Blue Eagles barely held. But hold they did, although Andreas Olsen made a handful of brilliant saves to keep the score tied.

The 6-3-1, Walquist's last resort, held firmly. The rest of the game was a possession-fest, although Yellow Pansy's final sub, adding counter-friendly Apple Nut to the mix in exchange for Glimmering Jewel on the back three, meant that neither side had any more subs to turn the tables further. Any Crusader attempt was stopped by Olsen if not the six men in front of him, while Vjaalsbürg's four-man attack limped through the game.

[Electrum]

The Next Generation

It was an unprecedented move by the Electrum Football Association, with the EFA announcing that most of the players in the Electrum national team would be retiring at the end of the football season after the players were getting tired getting days off work to play football. And no one could blame them. The first team was entirely composed of respectable amateurs who went into several try out sessions before some of them were picked too be in the team. It was going to be a massive shakeup with some of Electrum's best talent to come through the development camps being developed.

One of those talents is Mikelis Emsis, an eighteen year old from the suburbs of Centralis. Talent scouts had an eye for him for a few years now after scoring two decisive goals in the Schools Championship to win it for his high school. But, that was not his concern at the moment. To make it through to the football development course, he would have to prove that he had leadership qualities, fantastic football skills and academic merit. He passed the first two with flying colours. And the third? Well that was going to be decided today.

Ladies and Gentlemen. Today's examination is the Physical Education subject. When you walk into the room, you must not talk. Examination rules state that when you sit down, you must not cheat, copy off another student's paper or make it easier for another student to do so for you. You must present your identification on the front of your table for authentication. You must....

The inviligator was taking an extremely large amount of time reading the rules, the do and don'ts of examination. Most of it was commonsense anyways so Mikelis just zoned out.

Your fifteen minutes reading time... starts now.

There was a rush of papers being flicked all around him. "How hard could it be?" he thought, "PE is my thing."

Question 1 A runner competes in a marathon. The first three 10km splits are timed at approximately 50 minutes, with the last 10km being recorded as being an hour long. Give a biological explanation as to why the last split was much longer than the first three.

"What the? Did I even study for this stuff at all?"

[Sameba]

The World Cup 69 Qualifying Squad of the most revered Republic of Sameba

Manager: Elgar Derei (Sameba, 55)
Assistant Manager: Meya Gelton (Sameba, 50)
Style Modifier: +3

Permissions
My opponent, if they RP first, may do the following:

Choose my goalscorers – YES
Godmod scoring events – YES
RP injuries to my players – YES
Godmod injuries to my players – YES
Hand out yellow cards to my players – YES
Hand out red cards to my players – YES
Godmod other events – YES

The 25 Man Squad

Shirt number – name – position – age – senior caps – senior goals – club (nation)

1 – Roman Ayebler – GK – 28 – 68 caps – 0 goals – Lajuno (Eura)
13 – Lucio Boni – GK – 24 – 5 caps – 0 goals – Samebus

2 – Fabio Quella – RWB – 24 – 35 caps – 1 goals – Directus (Eura)
6 – Asey Vella – CB – 31 – 84 caps – 4 goals – Hornchurch (Eura)
5 – Levi Andetel – CB – 24 – 57 caps – 2 goals – Falourr (Eura)
3 – Mario Andella – LB – 24 – 57 caps – 1 goals - Aspel
21 – Dario Ragili – RB – 30 – 61 caps – 1 goals – Oakstone (Eura)
15 – Massimo Dini – CB – 22 – 24 caps – 0 goals – Workers Union (Eura)
19 – Dibo Lori – CB – 23 – 12 caps – 0 goals – Aspel
23 – Ben Esposito – LWB – 25 – 16 caps – 0 goals – Blueway United (Itor)

7 – Pablo Dohi – RW/ST – 27 – 72 caps – 26 goals – Holdenberg (Eura)
18 – Renato Capion - RW - 21 - 14 caps - 2 goals - Borkin
4 – Luis Aldardo – CDM – 28 – 65 caps – 3 goals – Ulsa (Eura)
8 – Alan Dabix – CM – 26 – 66 caps – 10 goals – Bastion (Eura)
10 – Huele - AM/ST - 20 - 9 caps - 3 goals - Borkin
16 – Roman Mayalla – CM – 23 – 32 caps – 4 goals – Holdenberg (Eura)
22 – Vince Padovesi – CM – 27 – 19 caps – 0 goals – Honeybadgers (Eura)
24 – Maurice Arcuri - AM - 21 - 2 caps - 0 goals - Marketville (Eura)
11 – Eugene Sabattini – LW – 23 – 12 caps – 1 goals – Farrenton Athletic (Eura)
17 – Gavino Lungun – AM – 25 – 8 caps – 0 goals – Rivet
20 – Pedro Corrigan – CM – 18 – 0 caps – 0 goals – Whitepill (Eura)

9 – Julius Carrera – ST – 29 – 73 caps – 33 goals – Bastion (Eura)
14 – Michael Sarado – ST – 24 – 35 caps – 14 goals – Honeybadgers (Eura)
12 – Andres Silva – ST – 24 – 12 caps – 4 goals – Samebus

Starting Lineup

GK - 1. R Ayebler
RWB - 2. F Quella
RCB - 6. A Vella
LCB - 5. L Andetel
LWB - 3. M Andella
CDM - 4. L Aldardo
RCM - 8. A Dabix
LCM - 16. R Mayalla
RAM - 7. P Dohi
LAM – 10. Huele
ST - 9. J Carrera

Subs

13. L Boni
21. D Ragili
15. M Dini
23. B Esposito
24. M Arcuri
22. V Padovesi
11. E Sabattini
14. M Sarado
12. A Silva

Player Roles

Captain: Luis Aldardo
Vice Captain: Asey Vella
Direct free kicks: Julius Carrera (Right)
Indirect free kicks: Luis Aldardo (Right)
Right corner: Pablo Dohi (Either)
Left corner: Pablo Dohi (Either)
Penalties: Julius Carrera, Michael Sarado, Pablo Dohi, Alan Dabix, Huele

Kit

[Pravenna]

A couple of months ago, Medea Sgouros walked out of the local bakery for the last time. As a worker, at least.
She'd balanced part-time work with her footballing duties since she was 17. A state league player in Sabrefell, she'd made it through the Starling academy (a solid First/Second Division team) but failed to make the cut. But when the Nepharim league was expanded, one of the state league giants, Diamondqueen, was promoted to the new Conference East. Now needing enough players to cover a 38-match league as well as the cup fixtures they needed, Sgouros was brought on for depth - and for a decent wage by her standards.
Injuries happened in key places, and Sgouros was very quickly needed as a starter. Her performance was enough that she made that place her own that entire season, as Diamondqueen raced to promotion.
She followed Constantine Katsaros' Twitter. Largely this was due to his outbursts at refereeing decisions and the world in general, but one day she awoke to the news that he was looking for anyone of Pravennan background to compete in the Copa Rushmori.
Medea had smirked as she gave her own details. She hadn't expected a reply - she was a Conference East centreback, after all. She was hardly strong of physique - 5'5" and more skinny than athletic. Her current most meaningful contribution to society was still her ability to make really good danishes. And she didn't speak a word of Greek.
She noticed him in the stands in Diamondqueen's next match. And the one after that. On the third week, she got the reply she'd never dared expect.
And things had just kept getting better since then. She was voted one of the best players in the league that season. And after their promotion, she got something she'd never dreamed of... a professional contract. Not exactly a king's ransom but enough, at least, to tie her to football full-time.

And now, here she was. On the bench in a match against Sicoutimont.
She'd been fourteen years old when Nephara had gotten annihilated 7-0 by Sicoutimont, and she was, for all intents and purposes, a Nepharim. She'd been confused at the time, watching it on the television - like many Nepharim of the time, their insular viewpoint on the footballing world had lead them to believe they could stand toe-to-toe with the best the multiverse had to offer. And, well, they'd gotten annihilated.
Pravenna were currently holding them at nil-all. And Niko Stavros had fallen, and wasn't getting up.
She didn't expect to be next up. But Constantine Katsaros turned to the fourth official. "Right. He's crocked. Three's off, sixteen's on."
Stavros had to be stretchered off - which saved her giving encouraging words to a man she didn't share a common language with. And now she had to join a three-man defence to hold back Sicoutimont - secondary world power, regional powerhouse, and an attacking threat that would give any team pause.
They'd just about held out so far, but it'd been a dicey affair. And there were still forty minutes to go...

And here she stood. A twenty-five year old who'd played last season in the fifth tier of the Nepharim league, forced to go toe-to-toe with the likes of Demaru, Gannot and de Terre. Truly there was nothing quite like international football...
And Medea liked to think she held her own, too - she had nowhere close to the technique of the Sicoutians, but she had the spirit to give it her best. And much to her own surprise, her best - and that of Augustine and Eudoxia alongside her - was actually good enough.
And when ninety minutes had past, and the referee blew the whistle, the dream gave way to reality. They'd held out - geniunely survived, not just 'respectably defeated' - against Sicoutimont's ferocious attack.

The question was... what could top that performance?
Well, that was a bridge to burn when they got there. For now, Medea Sgouros had the chance to swap shirts with someone of that quality (who'd seemed surprised to hear her broad Sabrefell accent) and part as equals.

OOC: Namedropping some of the younger first XI players from the WC69 roster. I needed someone to fill those blanks.

[Polar Islandstates]

Alexis Zeljeznicar was a man of immense patience. He'd had to be.

From an early age, being watched whilst at training with the Franz Josef Young Boys first team at just fourteen years old and trying desperately to hide the SK Nasjonale Hauker emblems embroidered into his socks, he'd been pointed at by men in suits and track jackets. The Next Big Thing, they'd whisper. He'd hear the capital letters in the intonation, even if nobody ever said it to himself or wrote it down for his benefit. His emergence in the youth squad a few years later coincided neatly with Young Boys' burst into the top flight, and the people in charge of the club, yet more men in suits, convinced him not to make the move to one of the bigger youth teams in the Federation. He trusted them. And then Young Boys got relegated. All of a sudden, his top flight future was at risk, until he was rescued by Polarian connections in Astograth. More men in suits.

Young Boys were contractually powerless to halt an approach from overseas, and so when South Factory, managed by former Tern Svennis Moller, approached him, off he went. Goals, assists, a growing reputation, a move to the giants of Ituraitz FC, and then the call-ups to the Terns. He had the phone number of his hero, Timo Skye, in his mobile phone. Life was good. He'd moved to the Goose Coast and found the Multiverse at his feet.

So. Where did it all go wrong?

The fantastic performances at club level never translated into world-beating performances for the Terns. The transition of Jean-Eric Villeneuve to an attacking midfielder had coincided with Alexis' own move from striker back into the supporting position, and suddenly he was under a lot of pressure for his position. He was no longer at the top of the pile. He wanted to be, and he was used to being just that, but this was a fight he wasn't used to, and he didn't like it. He didn't respond well to it, and things got worse.

A phonecall from Timo Skye hadn't helped. He used to look up to Skye. He admired him. Skye was an easy person to admire and be bewitched by, and once upon a time Alexis had thought that that was the lifestyle he'd wanted. The two had become friends of a sort after Skye's retirement and Alexis' own rise to fame, but a phonecall intended to give reassurance to Alexis only held false promises. He saw behind the curtain at the lifestyle Skye led, and the path it took him on. He realised it wasn't for him after all, and the rockstar lifestyle faded away.

All of a sudden, Alexis was an exemplary example to the other players in training, and he helped to propel Ituraitz to greater and greater heights. A Terns comeback was on the cards, until the rise of the troubles in Astograth. It became harder and harder to concentrate on his work, and he found himself having to move back to the Federation, clubless. He had to be patient once again.

But the patience had its rewards. Guus Tuulari was making waves in Polarian management, and who better than to help him make waves in Divisjon One than the old wave-maker himself; Alexis Zeljeznicar. He found himself landing on his feet at the Spires, and even though he was denied a Terns callup by the allegiance switching of former Astograthian star Luar Dardan, that particular snub only inspired him onto bigger and better things. As part of a 4-3-2-1 formation, Alexis was his team's top scorer from attacking midfield that season, and East Franz were catapulted back to the top table of Polarian football.

And now, at the age of twenty-nine, he was finally back in the Terns starting eleven. After playing for two other capital-based clubs, he was finally playing from the home dressing room at the stadium he'd visited so many times as a child; Kungsdocks. He was finally the talk of the town. He was finally the vital cog in the masterplan. He was finally enjoying his football. He was, at least at the moment, the current Big Thing.

Two goals already against Oberour Ar Moro had seen him celebrate in front of the fans, and now a free kick thirty yards out on the left with five minutes remaining. He had a choice; take a shot, or curl in an outswinger. He'd never scored a hat trick for his country, and the chance to shoot was mightily tempting. In fact, he'd never even scored twice in the same match for his country. He'd already made the assist for Victor Larsen earlier in the match, and a third goal would complete a personal victory. He had the chance. And at Kungsdocks, no less.

But no. He saw the players in the box, and he knew what the right thing to do was. Wolff, Bickermann, Nordenberg, Navarro, Geirsson. Every man a giant, and every man a target. Alexis took two steps, and whipped in the outswinger. The hat trick would have to wait. He was good at waiting. He'd come this far, why rush things now?

At the back of the six yard box, Rauno Bickermann leaped highest to head in a goal on his debut, the second Tern to do such a thing in two matches. As Zeljeznicar celebrated the team's fifth goal with the goalscorer and the rest of the players in front of the famous Beckenstand, he wondered if Bickermann, at just twenty-one years old, was now the nation's Next Big Thing. He decided to have a word with him later that evening at the team hotel about the whole idea. He'd certainly have a few things to tell him about passion, talent, ambition, and patience.

Patience; it was a virtue that hadn't come easy to Alexis, but it was one for which he was now reaping the benefits.

[Eura]

Everyone had read the article now, even Dave, and he wasn't one to read the papers. This small Polarian newsagents on durr durr durr had been getting all of its tourist tat out as foreigners descended on the area. From books about "'pytt i panna'" to postcards of icebergs and Polarian maritime heritage, it was all reassuringly bottom of the rung crap that you would expect; reassuring because it meant you were not in somewhere unfamiliar to your own country. Especially when the place in question was not just some cut and paste tourist town gig. The newspaper fluttered in front of Dave as he stood amongst a massive mass of Euran fans gathered along the waterfront. He stared down at the headline of Simon Banning's massive piece in the Emplor, one of the few foreign papers being sold outside of proper hotels if you look hard enough.

THE BATTLE OF THE ENDEMANS - EURA AND SAMEBA SET FOR FIRST COMPETITIVE CLASH IN DECADES

This was only a Copa Rushmori group match, but it was highly anticipated throughout Eura and Sameba and indeed elsewhere, hence it getting the top billing on many television networks. They had played plenty of warmup friendlies in the past twenty years, which Eura had always won, but this was the first time in a long time that they would play each other in a competitive environment. Certainly the first time in a Copa Rushmori, while they have never played in WCC sanctioned tournaments - though they have come close to doing so. The second thing generating excitement was that Eura were not the favourites. The bookies were offering the best odds on a draw! Sameba hadn't been in the Copa for a long time, but they performed well in both qualifying sessions for the last two World Cup's even if they didn't qualify. Eura had qualified on the occasion before last comfortably but then flopped in the tournament hard, while Dave and everyone else knew how much of a disaster the last World Cup had been. Kelly Sporadic had resigned and gone on gardening leave from management for a few months, jumping before he was pushed but nevertheless with his head held high and unending respect within Eura.

The third thing that was notable about this fixture, and this was the thing that concerned Dave the most, was the fact that it was a riot waiting to happen. Euran fans are usually a law abiding bunch, if a bit loud, while the Sameban's are pretty tame when they are not at home. Yet when Eura and Sameba came out of the draw in the same group, the Polarian authorities must've had a big collective panic attack. What's more, they were due to play in a tiny ground, the high quality but only just under 9,000 seater "Felt" in Skarpnack. They were glad at least that a lot of Euran tourism would be dragged in, what with the island of Victorrinn's rich history of shipbuilding and naval prominence. The Sameban's on the other hand were a bit more closed off from the locals, preferring to stick with their own, especially in what many of them (those who were in favour of their own government that is) considered to be a hostile country. So on this significant but still small island, the Polarian's had to bring out extra police and security to manage the two groups of fans and keep them apart as far as was reasonably possible. It had worked, for now.

Now, a few thousand luck fans from both sides were swarming towards the stadium, including the ever so lucky Dave. He was trying to push through the crowd in the fishing port that makes Skarpnack famous, aside from a shipbuilding facility or two and some nice scenery. He hadn't finished his fish and chips, but he didn't seem to care that it was falling apart in his hands. He had to get to this game! A much larger amount of fans from both sides, mainly Euran, had not got tickets for this game but were lining the streets of Skarpnack and watching on big screens elsewhere too. He'd even heard rumours that some local entrepreneur had set up an outdoor cinema within view of the beautiful great lake at the centre of the island. It was heaven if you owned a restaurant, a hotel or an ice cream van, but for the average fisherman in this place or any other local, it was a tad annoying. Still, most of them were staying in Aasiaat so it would surely not be this bad all of the time. Plus some of them even had an interest in the Euran team, as it had several players and staff who had played and coached in the Valhallan Union, and Eura's interim boss was the Polarian Johannes Kallstrom.

The Felt's floodlights came into view, along with the silhouette of its stands. They were pretty much uniform in shape and all rather boringly flat looking, typical of small but modern stadiums throughout the lower leagues of the footballing world. 8,392 seats was simply not enough. The area surrounding the ground was packed to the hilt with both sets of fans, whom had simply blown away the demand that the local fan park. They were being segregated, the blue gold and red kept apart from the green and blue, by everything from ordinary officers on the beat to intimidating mounted officers, and a dozen or so riot vans were already ready just in case. Suddenly Dave realised he was lost once he had managed to exit the surge of the crowd in one direction, finding himself in a small square with a number of fans and instantly regretting leaving the mob. Surprisingly the fans on the square were from both sides, and were joined there by some emergency vehicles.

Someone had rather unsubtly draped a Sameban flag over a local monument, but it wasn't that the police car and ambulance parked on the usually vehicle-free square were concerned about. They were tending to a man in a Revolutionaries shirt with six gold stars painted on his head, lying on the floor with blood pouring out of his knee. Meanwhile a Sameban fan was sat looking very much drunk and disorderly on a bench with handcuffs on. His mates were still screaming at two police officers while various fans heckled them from a distance. There had clearly been some sort of brawl, which from Dave's experience in the Comrade's mob of Revolutionaries usually ended (at least in Eura) with one side taking a few more knocks than the other and one side crying foul to the police much more convincingly. In this case, the Euran fans had won the day as one of the "dirty sammies" tried to go toe to toe with the man mountain of a police officer in front of him. It was slightly tubby Sameban lout versus a six foot three blonde and blue eyed stereotypical Polarian hard man, and there was only ever going to be one winner as the rowdy fan found himself quickly pinned on the floor with a baton held threateningly over his gut.

Dave looked around for someone who could give him directions, and thankfully found one of these translators that traveled with the local policing operation. Even so, he tried to give multilingualism a try. 'Err, hallo, ants-kissy, erm, ollie meantatt...' The helper looked at him and his awful pronunciation with an amused grin, but avoided being condescending as she responded. 'How may I help you sir?' Dave might've been a bit brighter than most football fans ahead of a rival game with a few pints in them, but he hadn't cottoned on yet that her English was probably as good as his. 'Somme vague 'till the stadium?' She couldn't help but laugh this time. 'Let me help you. Som vägen till stadion, say it back to me.'
'Somme wagen until stadion?'
'Better, sort of. If you take a left up there you'll find yourself at the ticket office, from there you should be able to find your gate. Do you need anything else?'
'No, thank yo- wait, takk! Takk.' After a few minutes walk, the stadium was in sight. This was it. He could already see the mixture of blue and gold and red and gold flags fluttering in the stand as he rounded the corner to his gate. It was going to be a hell of a game.

[Polar Islandstates]

CUTOFF

[Polar Islandstates]

1  Polar Islandstates        3   3  0  0   11   0 +11    9
2  Electrum                  3   3  0  0   12   3  +9    9
3  Dixhuitiles               3   2  0  1    2   3  −1    6
4  Alianza Albos             3   1  0  2    3   4  −1    3
5  Norrehavn                 3   0  0  3    2   9  −7    0
6  Oberour Ar Moro           3   0  0  3    0  11 −11    0

1  Kernansquillec            3   2  1  0    8   0  +8    7
2  Taeshan                   3   2  0  1    3   1  +2    6
3  Vjaalsburg                3   1  1  1    2   2   0    4
4  New Ponyville             3   1  1  1    5   9  −4    4
5  Valladares                3   1  1  1    2   2   0    4
6  Bissone                   3   0  0  3    1   7  −6    0

1  Eura                      3   2  1  0    5   1  +4    7
2  Sameba                    3   2  0  1    3   4  −1    6
3  Saintland                 3   2  0  1    5   2  +3    6
4  Eastfield Lodge           3   2  0  1    3   2  +1    6
5  Mareibat                  3   0  1  2    1   4  −3    1
6  Stvoto Latoli             3   0  0  3    0   4  −4    0

1  Sicoutimont               3   1  2  0    3   1  +2    5
2  Zenic                     3   1  2  0    2   0  +2    5
3  Mapletish                 3   1  2  0    4   3  +1    5
4  Darmen                    3   1  1  1    3   4  −1    4
5  Pravenna                  3   0  3  0    0   0   0    3
6  Dutch Semarland           3   0  0  3    2   6  −4    0

1  Saugeais                  3   2  1  0    9   3  +6    7
2  Filopines                 3   2  1  0    6   3  +3    7
3  Sarrbia                   3   1  2  0    5   1  +4    5
4  Falcus                    3   1  1  1    2   3  −1    4
5  Olastor                   3   0  1  2    2   8  −6    1
6  Dulaanluut                3   0  0  3    2   8  −6    0

1  Isula ĝe Ru               3   2  1  0    3   1  +2    7
2  Pasarga                   3   2  0  1   11   3  +8    6
3  Sargossa                  3   1  2  0    6   3  +3    5
4  Salchar                   3   1  1  1    4  11  −7    4
5  Eastern Sunrise Islands   3   0  1  2    0   2  −2    1
6  The Kytler Peninsulae     3   0  1  2    3   7  −4    1

[Zenic]

“GAH! We actually could have won that game!”

Sanders was walking through the tunnel towards the locker room. He had stayed on the sideline a bit after the game to talk with the media and other such things. The match against Sicoutimont had been a long, drawn-out contest with a few moments of brilliance from both sides. Ultimately, both sides failed to gain any ground and came away with a draw. For Sicoutimont, it would probably be seen as a bit of a failure while Sanders and his team would see it as a moral victory. An even match from such a new team in the international scene against a top team in the world and the history of the Copa Rushmori allowed Sanders to show something he normally didn’t: hope.

The following game was against Mapletish in Brighthelmstone, meaning that the team wouldn’t have to travel to another archipelago this week. However, Mapletish would have to come back from the Svalbard archipelago so that did give Sander’s team a bit of an advantage in being more well rested. However, Mapletish were still a talented team and Sanders knew he would have to get his players to focus as hard against them as they did for Sicoutimont.

Suddenly, a hand came down on his back followed by a cheerful voice. “You cannot win every game, Michael. I am sure certain we will get them next time. Now, let us celebrate this great performance from our guys,” spoke Golovkin. Golovkin patted Sander’s back before heading over to the locker room to celebrate. Sanders knew he couldn’t stop thinking about the next two games of the group stage and how important they were especially since they were against very talented and experienced teams. More draws would be good but wins would be amazing and seal Zenic’s spots in the knockout stages.

But, he figured he could stop worrying for a few minutes.

[Taeshan]

Purple Knights Shock Valladares

It isn't every day you beat the 6th ranked team in the world, but last night the Purple Knights managed to do just that defeating their opponents from across Rushmore, Valladares, in the third match of this years Copa Rushmori. Apparently the fourth time is the charm as the Knights managed to not only get their first points ever against Valladares but also get all of the spoils with their 2-0 defeat of the heavily favored squad from Valladares. Not only that but they dominated the squad in all facets of the game even managing to out manage them behind Gwyn Juniper. The 14 Knights that hit the field vastly outplayed their opponents and deserved all the points and their rise to second place in the group.

It started off well for the Knights as the Xander McDrew proved rather difficult for the Valladares defenders to control. The 47th ranked Knights managed to get out to an early lead thanks to their young striker when he put in a nice pass to Lysander Ying Uing who managed to score his third goal as a Purple Knight in his 33rd cap for the team. McDrew would eventually however be stopped by a foul late in the first and had to be replaced to start the second half by Javier Yon. The injury seemed minor, but we will see what it leads to. The second half was tense with the Knights barely holding on to their slim lead, but with the additions of Isaac Benoit and Gabriel Gorzon the defense managed to stay solid late in the game and the offense managed to put the game out of reach with a brilliant piece of work when Karl Llana pumped a cross in for Yon who managed to beat his defender and the goalie with a rather powerful header to give the Knights a 2-0 edge in the end.

[Isula ge Ru]

Anneka Bau gave a grim smile, and slapped a manilla folder onto the lap of Mitu Maria Albu Saida. He nodded calmly. Mitu was happy to say that he had played the game at full strength, fully rested and well indeed...invigorated. He raised an eyebrow to complement the nod when he saw the seal on the folder, four green triangles surrounded by official-looking ornamentation.

"Is this...did you...what?"

"Relax". Anneka grinned at him. "No, this is a public government document on my homeland, the Kuril Arkhipelago"

Mitu opened it, breaking the seal, and leafing delicately through the papers. "Lovely and fair enough. It seems to be a nice place, if not a little...frosty."

Mitu's phone buzzed, and he swiftly pulled it out of his pocket. putting one finger in his ear and placing the folder on the table in front of him. He walked briskly to a corner, where he began speaking in rapid Isulan. Anneka, her interest piqued by the brusque manner in which Mitu had made his exodus, strained her ears to catch words, but recognized only pleasantries before Mitu shifted into a language which she could not recognize. How extraordinarily odd. Perhaps, Anneka thought, this was a call from family, a foreign friend. She didn't know what she suspected, but she knew it was a little odd. She contented herself with sifting through the files on her homeland while she waited for Mitu's call.

It seemed to take forever to finish. His voice dragged on into the phone, so furtive and soft it took difficulty just to tell that it was foreign. Finally, he sat back in his chair, his back a little straighter and muscles a little more tense than when he'd left.

"And what was that all about?"

Mitu's smile, at least, came easy. "Family back home to wish me luck in the match. All these chances have my homeland hungry for a goal."

Anneka nodded. "Your fans here would be content with a win, I know it". Why was she so suspicious? What had Mitu been discussing, and in what language? Who had called?
Were these questions she should be asking herself, or Mitu? There was no harm in a simple inquiry. She was almost sixty-one years old, and had been making simple inquiries all her life. No harm at all. But maybe the answers to the questions were answers she could find out herself.

Her face and manner, luckily, didn't betray her thoughts, though that could probably be attributed more to Mitu's attention being focused on the papers in his hand, not her trademark old, kindly stillness.

"It says here your...Arkhipelago has the largest independance movement in the Federation. What do you support?"

"Oh, certainly Independance. Absolutely and without a doubt, though as I grow older the logistics become more clear". And I need to cover shit up if I want to keep a government job

"Yeah, yeah I understand. Listen, I need to go. Two nights ago might have been sleepless, but tonight has to be the opposite. But I feel like I need to tell you something. I'll send you something after the game. Night."

And with that, Mitu left Anneka sitting amongst strewn papers and neatly typed independance struggles, wondering what on earth was going on in the complex life of Mitu Maria Albu Saida.

---

The game went like this

Isula ĝe Ru 1-0 Eastern Sunrise Islands

18' Ala Samuél Ĝea goal (ISR)

[Pravenna]

So it might just have been the Under-21s. But Mapletish were still a proper team. And Constantine Katsaros could feel the tides turning.
For the first time, the Lions were having the better of the match. The pressure was anything but constant, but allowing Mapletish to overextend before hitting them rapidly on the counter? That was paying off, and it was a combination of a strong performance from Ralph and indifferent finishing from a tired-looking Taskasaplidis that had so far denied them. And they were resolute in defence, as resolute as any three-man defence containing two semi-professionals had any right to be (Sgouros had retained her starting place after her impressive showing). Xenophon had been denied by a post. If Katsaros had his way, Xenophon would be on the pitch for every minute of this campaign - even an exhausted Francisca Orient striker was better than the fresh replacements he had access to.
The final whistle blew soon after, as Teodoro skied a shot from twenty yards out. It was a third scoreless draw in three games - Pravenna was yet to have a goal to their name. But while the previous matches were defined by a desperate defence trying to hold back an endless tide of technically superior attackers, this had been Pravenna edging a match, with plenty of opportunities to show off the skills they did possess - Taskaplidis and Xenophon as a well-oiled strike partnership, Zoe Merochite's runs down the right wing and her incisive crosses, Vatskalis and Dorcas Merochite's box-to-box runs linking the play through the centre. And their best chance had come when Stern Katsalidis, centreback by trade, leftback when needed, and currently presiding at left wingback for the national team, had risen unmarked from a corner. Sadly, he'd headed it straight at Ralph.
The score was the same as before. But the portents were even brighter.

[Polar Islandstates]

HOST NOTICE:

I'm running a little behind today, so anybody planning on writing probably has about two hours until I cutoff.

[Saintland]

After he had finished introducing the new version of the Real Soccer Simulator, Prince Andreas knew that his next announcement would be a big deal for the crowd assembled in Tohoko, Noburu Taiyou to watch Prince Andreas reveal the new software lineup for the Saint (via satellite). He decided that the best thing to do was to get on with the task of introducing it, rather than hold it off any longer. Besides, he had an even bigger announcement, for the Taiyouese crowd, to close out the press conference.

Prince Andreas - Our next software title is the latest chapter in one of the truly great entertainment series of all time and I am pleased to announce that it will be released exclusively for the Saint. To tell you more, here's Mirai Tani of Rectanglesoft.

Tani walked onto the stage. A 30-year industry veteran, Tani was a celebrity in these circles. By this point, the assembled crowd started to get an idea of what was about to be announced, but Tani threw them a curveball:

Mirai Tani - Thank you for the ovation. I am pleased to announce the upcoming lineup from Rectanglesoft. I wish to start with a new title that we hope you will enjoy:

The trailer began with an overhead view of the main city of Omega Fantasy XXVII, as it appeared following the events of that game. Then, it slowly zoomed in and showed several of the characters from that game (including all of the female characters) dancing, with buttons popping up on the screen from time to time. It was clearly a rhythm game based on Omega Fantasy XXVII. Much of the crowd groaned, disappointed that they hadn't seen Omega Fantasy XXVIII. The trailer ended with the title of the game ("Omega Fantasy XXVII: Dancing to End of Time") and the release date (October 31st in all regions).

Mirai Tani - I hope you will all purchase and enjoy Omega Fantasy XXVII: Dancing to End of Time.

As he said that, another trailer began. This one took place in a medieval city, rather than the cyberpunk-inspired world of Omega Fantasy XXVII. The Taiyouese in attendance recognized it as Omega Fantasy XIX. The camera zoomed in, once again, revealing that the game was a fighting game, clearly set after the events of Omega Fantasy XIX, but before the events of Omega Fantasy XIX-2. After the events of Omega Fantasy XIX, the characters returned home to their respective villages, but they would meet again just a few months later for the annual fighting tournament on that world. As with the previous trailer, it flashed the title ("Omega Fantasy XIX: Fight for Glory") and the release date (October 14th in Taiyou).

Mirai Tani - Omega Fantasy XIX: Fight for Glory will fill in the gaps in the story of the Omega Fantasy XIX saga. We apologize to international users, but the release outside of Taiyou will be delayed until next year. The reason for this is-

As he was speaking, a graphic flashed on the screen behind him, announcing "Omega Fantasy XIX/XIX-2 Remastered" releasing in all regions on January 6th.

Mirai Tani - For the first time ever, users outside of Taiyou will have the opportunity to experience the legendary Omega Fantasy XIX saga. We will be closely monitoring the performance of this title to determine our future strategy in international regions. Finally, we have one more announcement...

---

Several days later, the Saintland National Team faced Stvoto Latoli. The match remained scoreless at halftime. However, early in the second half, a Prince Andreas pass found its way to the foot of Herakles Karoki and Karoki put it into the net for the first goal. A little past 80 minutes into the match, Nicolaus Poenius executed a perfect sliding tackle to steal the ball from Baja'khirušu Mha. The ball rolled over to Lucas Aufidius and Aufidius launched it down the pitch to Stephanus Vagionius. Vagionius broke away from the Stvoto Latoli defense and put it into the back of the net to give the Sanctii a 2 goals to nil advantage. They held onto it, for their second Copa Rushmori win in 3 matches. Next, they had an important match against Mareibat, which would be followed by a showdown with Eura on the final day of the group stage. At this point, the only thing that mattered for their hopes of advancing past the group stage was that they continued to win...

[Polar Islandstates]

The social networks make for depressing reading recently, which is particularly unfortunate because the reason they make for depressing reading is entirely the same reason I've got so much time to be doing nothing else but reading them. My name's Lisa Tengstrom, and I'm glad you could join me. As you can see, there's nobody else to talk to round here at the moment. I joined Sekkur straight out of university and had hoped for a lifestyle that was slightly more exciting that this, to be honest, and I frequently find myself regretting not joining the Navy when I'd had the chance. Especially with the expansion of the VU recently, the scope for travel even of regular tours is even higher than it had been when I'd been weighing up university or the Navy after college. In the end it was the chance to study whilst continuing my sporting career that swayed things in favour of university - Franz Josef State - but, well. Do you see me in the Olympic skiing team? No. You do not. Precisely.

Not that I can complain too much, I've had some brilliant postings during my time with Sekkur. Protecting the President Elect after the election results, posted on guard to some pretty famous film stars, partying with the musicians of the Multiverse after the awards ceremonies in the capital... Just, I'd hoped for something a little more exciting out of the Copa Rushmori. I mean, I know I'm very much in the minority when it comes to not being all that bothered about football - skiing was always my sport, even if I've put on a bit of weight since quitting - but I can appreciate a good hustle when I see one and I had hoped to be a little busier than this. I'm no idiot, 2:i in international studies, thank you very much, and I knew that the Nasjonale Stadion was the big dog of the stadia in the tournament. I tore open that envelope, saw the stadium I'd be posted to, saw the people I'd be working with, and was very exciting indeed. What I hadn't realised, was that this tournament wouldn't be making the trip to the Nasjonale until the final. Not even for the Terns.

So, what have I been doing so far this tournament? Sweet bugger all. I've had a handful of bored teenagers looking for something to do of an evening, and I've had some tourists gotten lost off the tours, but that's about it. The city is alive with raucous fans and Sekkur colleagues keeping them at bay, and I'm guarding an empty stadium. In such a thing as visible as the Copa Rushmori final it's likely we'll see the police march in and take all the credit on the day, too. Tchah.

All of which is made worse, much worse, by the fact my main occupation these days of checking the social networks is polluted with posts from my friends and colleagues all over the Federation having an absolute ball keeping fans separated at the smaller stadia. Check the monitors, hit refresh. Check the monitors, hit refresh. It's all I've been doing.

Here, I'll read you some now:

"Anne-Marie Wernstrom - Hoping for an early night tonight, something a little quieter than keeping the Alianza Albos fans from ripping up seats at The Graduate last night, anyway!" Bitch.

"Marc Dufrenier - Never seen McAvery party like that before! Spent my whole shift keeping rabid Kernansquillec fans away from their heroes in the team. Seven-nil! No wonder they wanted to party!" Git.

"Karl Fraanzig - Had to stop a brawl in the concourse tonight, some fans just can't get to grips with our currency and keep thinking they're getting short changed! Kept two fans in custody until the police arrived and got a fat lip for my troubles." He was in a fight! But Karl's a skinny pen-pusher! He doesn't deserve a scrap! Oh, what I'd give for some action. Maybe I can taunt that fox over there into a scuffle.

"Penny Korvalainen - Got given so many gifts by the visiting fans, tonight. Really nice bunch! And best of all is Norregaard Park is just a short walk from home so I can sleep on my own sheets tonight! #bestpostingever." Yeah, well, I know for a fact she's seeing the area manager in secret so I bet that's how she got that posting. Wonder if she'll be alone on those sheets tonight...

"Piotr J Adamski - Turns out Kapital Stadium is small, but not too small for a fight. Great match on the field, apparently, not that I was able to see it thanks to a bunch of fans trying to get in without tickets." No tickets here yet, either. No match, no fans, no nothing.

"Artur Dietar Jensen - Wow! What a ni-" oh, Thor's Beard, he's written an essay, hang on - "What a night! Euran and Samebans fans all crammed into a tiny stadium, what a disaster from whoever scheduled it! We've had pitch invasions on both sides, seats ripped up, missiles thrown, the police called in the riot squad before the match even finished, I was busy trying to keep the match officials safe from harm throughout all of this and by the time we get outside, there are running kettles in the street as fans of both sides are trying to get out and get at each other. I don't even know who won! Later on, just as I was getting the referee's into their seaplane back to Franz Josef, what do I see but the Coastguard getting scrambled! Apparently some Eurans had managed to get out and had chased a load of Samebans into the sea, where they were currently sitting, soggy and cold, up to their shoulders in water and needing a rescue. You know a tournament's getting tasty when the Coastguard are getting called! What a night!"

Twat.

And then there's dear brother Isaac, darling of the family. 'He was born with brains, that one. He got the brains, and his little sister Lisa got the brawn', they used to say. Many a happy day in our childhood was spent with him taking the mick out of me and me putting him in a headlock. He and his nerdy friends were all scared of me at school, and he was mocked for it. Ah, good times. Sadly, that's not really acceptable behaviour when you're both in your thirties, and we have a much more boring relationship now without any scrapes or arguments. Still, got himself a job with one of the ministries after university, didn't he? He's currently working his way around the nation with the Terns; booking hotels, organising transport. That kind of thing. Certainly looks exciting, I have to say. Meanwhile, whilst he's "enjoying my five star suite at the Glacier Bay Hotel, Spitsbergen, before the Terns' match tomorrow", I've on my fifth pre-packaged pasty of the shift, and there's an actual tern on top of the securty box, squawking away. He's no doubt in a bespoke fitted suit with the FPIFA emblem on it, and I'm in a big old jacket and have spilt gravy down the FPIFA crest on our badge of affiliation for the tournament. So, I think we all know who's winning the battle for glamour there, don't we.

Still, I bet Isaac's never had to wipe kir royale off a music award before the paparazzi arrive. So there's that, I suppose.

Check the monitors, hit refresh. Only four hours to go, Lisa, only four hours to go.

[Polar Islandstates]

CUTOFF

NB: Cutoffs may be a similar time for the rest of the tournament, but they will never go earlier than the time in the OP.

[Polar Islandstates]

1  Polar Islandstates        4   4  0  0   19   1 +18   12
2  Electrum                  4   4  0  0   15   4 +11   12
3  Dixhuitiles               4   2  0  2    3   6  −3    6
4  Alianza Albos             4   1  0  3    4  12  −8    3
5  Norrehavn                 4   1  0  3    4   9  −5    3
6  Oberour Ar Moro           4   0  0  4    0  13 −13    0

1  Kernansquillec            4   3  1  0   10   1  +9   10
2  Taeshan                   4   3  0  1    5   1  +4    9
3  Valladares                4   2  1  1    3   2  +1    7
4  Vjaalsburg                4   1  1  2    2   3  −1    4
5  New Ponyville             4   1  1  2    5  11  −6    4
6  Bissone                   4   0  0  4    2   9  −7    0

1  Eura                      4   3  1  0   10   1  +9   10
2  Saintland                 4   3  0  1    6   2  +4    9
3  Sameba                    4   2  0  2    3   5  −2    6
4  Eastfield Lodge           4   2  0  2    3   7  −4    6
5  Stvoto Latoli             4   1  0  3    1   4  −3    3
6  Mareibat                  4   0  1  3    1   5  −4    1

1  Sicoutimont               4   2  2  0    4   1  +3    8
2  Zenic                     4   1  3  0    3   1  +2    6
3  Mapletish                 4   1  3  0    5   4  +1    6
4  Pravenna                  4   1  3  0    2   0  +2    6
5  Darmen                    4   1  1  2    3   6  −3    4
6  Dutch Semarland           4   0  0  4    2   7  −5    0

1  Saugeais                  4   3  1  0   12   4  +8   10
2  Filopines                 4   3  1  0   10   6  +4   10
3  Sarrbia                   4   1  2  1    8   5  +3    5
4  Falcus                    4   1  1  2    3   6  −3    4
5  Olastor                   4   1  1  2    3   8  −5    4
6  Dulaanluut                4   0  0  4    2   9  −7    0

1  Isula ĝe Ru               4   3  1  0    6   3  +3   10
2  Pasarga                   4   2  0  2   11   5  +6    6
3  Sargossa                  4   1  2  1    8   6  +2    5
4  The Kytler Peninsulae     4   1  1  2    5   8  −3    4
5  Salchar                   4   1  1  2    5  13  −8    4
6  Eastern Sunrise Islands   4   1  1  2    2   2   0    4

[Zenic]

In silence, Sanders and Killian sat in the visitor’s locker room of the Kapital Stadium in Brighthelmstone.

Both were exhausted from the tense 1-1 draw against Mapletish: Killian from playing in the game and Sanders from all of the yelling and motioning he did from the sideline. As usual, the team had struck first as Ayaode scored his 26th international goal in the 14th minute of the game. The team held onto the lead until the 44th minute when Casimiro Aurelio scored the equalizer from a loose ball in the box. The worry and disappointment Sanders felt could be heard from out in the hallway during halftime. The second half proved to be pretty physical. There were 26 fouls through the second half compared to the 7 in the first half. Luckily, once the whistle blew, both sides showed good sportsmanship and showed that they realized each were simply trying to win.

After the team meeting, the players showered and got dressed. The rest of the team went to back to the hotel to rest as their flight to Spitsbergen in the Svalbard archipelago was in the morning. Killian was about to join them when he had seen the manager sitting alone in the locker room and had joined him. They sat like that for a while before Sander broke the silence.

“Do you think I’m a good manager?”

Killian was caught off guard slightly. He was aware of Sanders’ condition, as was the rest of the team, but Sanders had always tried his best to appear as “regular” as he could. “Of course. We wouldn’t be in such a good position without you,” he replied, honestly. “Anyone can be a manager, not everyone can be a great one. Few have been as successful early in their international career and fewer have a Baptism of Fire trophy and I don’t believe any of them have done it with a condition or illness.” Sanders looked over at Killian intently.

“There’s a reason you were chosen to be captain, Luke: You have many qualities I don’t have any more or never had. You’re strong physically and mentally, you listen well and you’re a born leader. How can a manager be a good leader without those qualities?”

Killian pondered the answer for a bit. Once he had it, he placed his hand on Sanders’ shoulder. “Because a good leader knows what he’s not good at and finds a way to fix them. In the case of managers, they find players and staff members who can fill in those gaps and still form a solid foundation. That’s why we have: Dr. Wakahisa, who’s disciplined as hell and keeps us healthy, Golovkin who can help us unwind from a loss or tense draw and savor a victory, even Mr. Valjborn who knows the language of the Polar Islandstates and helps us get around. They all help in something you are willing to acknowledge that you are weak in and that’s a strength alongside the technical knowledge and football intuition. So many people don’t know when to ask for help and to admit they don’t know or can’t do something. But you do and you let us know that it’s okay.”

Sanders was a bit lost by the last statement. “It’s okay? How so?”

“It means it is okay for Ayaode’s passing to be irratic, it’s okay for the defense to be a little under the average height of other defenses and it’s okay to lose a step on your speed due to age. All we need to do is focus on what we can do to the best of our ability and to trust in our teammates who can pass better or are taller or are both young and fast. Together, we can become a complete team that’s difficult to beat. And the reason we all know this is because of you and how you’ve dealt with your condition so don’t worry about it: you have our support. This is your team.”

Sanders smiled widely, not realizing the extent that his players trusted in him. Maybe he did still have those great coaching skills everyone talked about from when he was with FC Virtus. “Thanks, Killian, I needed that,” he said, standing up with Killian following suit. “It’s good to know the team still believes in me.” Killian chuckled, perplexing Sanders. Luke Killian spoke. “You assume we had stopped believing in you.”

Sanders nodded, signaling for Killian that it was time they headed back to the hotel. After all, Sanders’ team was waiting for him. And Darmen were waiting for them at Holsten Lane. But Zenic would win, Sanders thought with uncharacteristic confidence.

After all, it was his team.

[Isula ge Ru]

Mitu Maria Albu Saida flicked briskly through the small booklet on his lap, rapidly strewing papers about as he searched frantically for...something. His toungue was working at his lip, poking out studiously from the faint coat of fuzz that graced his face thanks to the limited shaving time the Copa Rushmori offered. Finding whatever it was that he was working to find, he slipped a ten-sol note into the book, scrawled something on it, and slapped the book shut. Whether the banknote was a bribe, a gift, or a bookmark, who could tell? He sat back in his chair, seemingly at odds with himself over his little book. His head slumped into his hands, and he rummaged behind his cusions.

So it was that Anneka Bau entered the room to see Mitu letting a lighter fall away from the glowing cigarette in his mouth. He managed a small, sweaty smile when he heard the door creak, the type that let the smoke drift uneasily to the ceiling, where it lazily hung, the only witness to the events. Anneka raised an eyebrow at the cigarette, an eyebrow that turned her face into the dissaproving team Liason Officer she would be to Mitu for only seconds longer.

"It's a special Esiruan blend. Straight tobacco, mint, and a hint of marijuana. Nothing better for calming the nerves." Mitu was immediately on the defensive about his smoke.

"I could have deduced that from the smell. The mint, I'm sure, does nothing to freshen the breath."

Mitu nodded, a little haphazardly, and realized too late that there was no ashtray in sight. Ash swirled onto the hotel carpet as he swore. It was clear that, however badly he wanted to seem the hardened, rich, dashing young freedom fighter, the nineteen-year-old boy was a novice to smoking as well as so many other, greater things.

"Did you call me in here in the dead of night to show me that you can smoke a special cigarette?"

"No. Here." Mitu wasn't talking much tonight, it seemed. His words were in the smoke now filling the room, and the book that Anneka now held in her lap.

Anneka raised an eyebrow at the banknote, but said nothing as she turned to the marked page. Another eyebrow went up at the only thing written on the crisp white paper she'd arrived on.

"It's a phone number"

"It is indeed. Call it and tell them you know me, then give them an email address. It'll be wonderful having an actual live foreigner for us, and especially wonderful not having to keep this damn secret throughout the tour."
Mitu took a long drag, letting the smoke wash over the neatly scrawled numerals, and opening his eyes to see Anneka taking out her mobile phone.

"God dammit, no. Calls can be traced. Use a payphone."

Anneka hit a button, and raised the phone up to her ear.
"You want me to be that kindly old woman who's secretly a badass. I better start playing the badass part, yes? I pity the second-rate Isulan police officer who tried to track this number down. I like this game. Should I start carrying a revolver?"

Before Mitu could spit out his somewhat-panicked negative reply, Anneka was on the line with who Mitu knew to be Biitoru Calha Eselanhu, quite high up in the Esiruan independance movement, and a contact Mitu was lucky to have.

The exchange went as smoothly as sketchy foreign recruitments of people you've know for a little over a week to dubious militant causes can go. Anneka gave her email address, a false one she had created for this very purpose ten minutes ago. Within five minutes of her hanging up, her phone vibrated again. It was an electronic message, containing information about what she'd just done. It was remarkably civil for a group that, to hear Mitu tell it and to judge by his secretness, could get you arrested by Polarian police just by mentioning its name. The message looked quite official, with a stylish Holly Leaf heading, and the text seemed reasonable. It outlined people one could contact if captured, those who should be killed and those who should be simply kidnapped if encountered. Really, it was fairly routine stuff.

Of course, Anneka doubted that anything would go down on her side of things. In her head, the role she'd created for herself was a kind of secondary one, an extension of her Liason Officer duties. Mitu Maria Albu Saida was clearly involved in some pretty illegal stuff, by the laws of his on-paper homeland, and being a footballer could only make that more difficult. She could use this newfound position in the movement against a nation she'd visited once in her life to try and make things easier on Mitu and the entire team.

"How many of your teammates know about this?"

Mitu looked taken aback at the question, like he hadn't considered this at all. It rapidly became clear that he hadn't.
"I've...got no idea. I've never confided in any of them. From what I've found, confiding in people tends to end with a knife in your skull"

Lovely. Anneka nodded sagely, and left the room wondering what she'd gotten herself into. This may be heavier than thought.
"Hey Mitu, let's kick Sargossa's ass, yes"

Mitu dropped his head back over the back of his chair, pulling the smoke out of the cigarette until the orange glow had almost reached his fingers, and let what remained of the butt crumble into more ash in his hands. He opened his mouth, letting a waterfall of slowly swirling smoke wind around in a tendril-laced spire. It was a long time before he spoke, the fingered cloud above him having almost dissipated and the door having long shut.

"I'll work on it"

---

"A titanic battle for the midfield and for the Group

Isula ĝe Ru 3-2 Sargossa

45' Mitu Maria Albu Saida out, Aier Ser Sol in (ISR)
47' Saturnín Quinteros goal (SAR)
70' Aier Ser Sol goal (ISR)
75' Micaíl ĝ'O Isula Maria goal (ISR)
75' Micaíl ĝ'O Isula Maria yellow card (ISR)
83' Bilha Saidomarcu Domique goal (ISR)
90+1' Stefano Bustos goal (SAR)

---

It's the final matchday of the first stage of the Nineteenth Copa Rushmori, and that means that there are thirty-six teams across the continent who will be fighting for a chance to qualify for the final Sixteen. Some of those thirty-six are already eliminated, and will play tomorrow for pride only, or the chance to bring a rival down with them. Some have already qualified, and play for the chance to heighten their seeding and cushion their path to the final at the Nasjonale. Some are still in the hunt, whether it be for a garuanteed spot or one of the four rickety, unstable third-place wild-cards. But the important thing is that every nation has something to play for going into Matchday Five. This is...

Qualification Scenarios-Copa Rushmori XIX

Group A

Polar Islandstates and Electrum qualified. Either takes first with win, Polar Islandstates takes first with draw
Dixhuitiles takes third with 9 points with win.
Dixhuitiles takes third with 7 points with draw.
Dixhuitiles takes third with 6 points with loss and Norrehavn loss or draw or win with margin of less than +2
Norrehavn takes third with 6 points with win with margin of more than +2 and Dixhuitiles loss
Alianza Albos takes third with 6 points with win with margin of more than +6 and Norrehavn loss and Dixhuitiles loss

Group B

Kernansquillec qualified, takes first with win over Vjaalsburg, or draw and Taeshan draw or loss, or loss and Taeshan and Valladares loss.
Taeshan qualifies with win, or draw and Valladares loss or draw. Takes first with win and Kernansquillec loss or draw.
Valladares qualifies with win and Taeshan loss and +5 or greater goal margin.
Taeshan takes third with 9 points with loss and Valladares win and makeup of goal margin
Valladares takes third with 10 points with win and Taeshan win or draw
Valladares takes third with 8 points with draw
Valladares takes third with 7 points with loss and Vjaalsburg loss or draw or win without making up goals and New Ponyville loss or draw or win without making up goals.
Vjaalsburg takes third with 7 points with win and Valladares loss and New Ponyville loss or draw or win without making up goals and +2 margin
New Ponyville takes third with 7 points with win and and Vjaalsburg loss or draw

Group C

Eura qualified, takes first with win or draw against Saintland.
Saintland qualifies with win or draw against Eura, takes first with win.
Sameba qualifies with win and Saintland loss and +6 goal margin.
Eastfield Lodge qualifies with win and Saintland loss and +9 goal margin.
Sameba takes third with 9 points with win and Saintland win or draw or loss with less than +6 margin
Eastfield Lodge takes third with 9 points with win and Saintland win or draw or loss with less than +9 margin.
Saintland takes third with 9 points with loss and Sameba win with more than +6 margin or Eastfield Lodge win with more than +9 margin.

Group D

Sicoutimont qualifies and wins group with win, qualifies with draw and Zenic loss or draw and Pravenna loss or draw.
Zenic qualifies with win and Mapletish loss or draw and Pravenna loss or draw.
Mapletish qualifies with win and Zenic loss or draw and Pravenna loss or draw.
Pravenna qualifies with win and Mapletish loss or draw and Zenic loss or draw.
Sicoutimont, Zenic, Mapletish, and Pravenna can all tie at nine points and then it'll be up to goal differential.
This one's wildly complex. Anyone who could work out subtle nuances, go ahead.

Group E

Saugeais and Filopines qualified, either wins group with win, Saugeais wins group with draw.
Sarrbia takes third with 8 points with win.
Sarrbia takes third with 6 points with draw and Falcus loss or draw and Olastor loss or draw.
Falcus takes third with 7 points with win and Sarrbia loss or draw and Olastor loss or draw or win without +2 margin.
Falcus takes third with 5 points with win and +6 margin and Sarrbia loss and Olastor loss or draw.
Olastor takes third with 7 points with win and Sarrbia loss or draw and Falcus loss or draw.

Group F

Isula ĝe Ru qualfied and won group.
Pasarga qualifies with win or draw.
Sargossa qualifies with win.
The Kytler Peninsulae takes third with 7 points with win
Salchar takes third with 7 points with win and Kytler loss or draw
Eastern Sunrise Islands takes third with 7 points with win and Salchar loss or draw.

[Darmen]

If there was one word that could describe the Darmeni dressing room prior in the depths of Holsten Lane, it was turmoil. The Equipment Manager was having a tough time finding Darmen's alternate uniforms that they were to wear for the game, the coaching staff was in a bitter argument over the team's bill following an extravagant dinner they'd had the night before, and the players were complaining that there was no hot water in the showers.

On top of that, Darmen sat fifth in Group D, two points behind the three teams level on six points in second through fourth place. In order to advance to the Round of Sixteen, as was the bare minimum expected of such a side, they would need to defeat Zenic by a decisive margin and hope that Mapletish and Pravenna floundered in their matches.

Darmen had faced Zenic twice before, winning both matches, but this was the only thing that gave the All Greens hope. Under the management of the Guayabalan Roberto Cornejo for the first time, Darmen was struggling to find its rhythm. In fact, one might say that there wasn't any to be found in the first place. Darmen had scored just three goals in its four matches, a clear underachievement that surely couldn't be blamed on the players who took over while the Olympic squad was further south in the warmer climate of the Kytler Peninsulae.

Finally, the showers were fixed, the coaches had agreed to send the bill onto the DSF rather than pay it themselves, and the Equipment Manager was busy unpacking the kits. Cornejo, who usually left the speaking to Assistant Manager Adrian Kok, got up to speak.

"I know its been a tough Copa," he started, with a Darmeni accent that was slowly replacing his old Guayabalan one. "We've got to win today. If we don't, we're out, and no one wants to be out." Cornejo looked around the room into the faces of the sixty players in the squad. "Most of you won't be able to play, I know, and most of you won't play any big games for three or four years with this team. But that doesn't mean you don't have a job to do. Once again, we're playing in a very small stadium. I doubt there will even be 2,000 Darmeni fans out there today, so for those forty of you who sit on the bench in your track suits, I want you to add yourselves to that number of fans. I want you to yell and scream, hell, start a fight with the Zenic fans if you want to. Do anything and everything you can to create an atmosphere the Zeni team isn't prepared for. Make them fear us!"

As he yelled the last bit, he turned to walk toward's the pitch, with the rest of the coaching staff following close behind. The starting eleven made their way towards the tunnel where they would queue up with the Zeni team prior to the entrance onto the pitch and national anthems. But the reserve players, they stuck around for a few moments in the dressing room, there finally being a bit more room for them to spread out. Many of them stretched after being packed into a corner to allow space for the starters and bench players to suit up.

The Equipment Manager looked at the sorry bunch as he walked towards the exit himself. "You fellows going to watch the match or stay in here all day?" he asked. The players grumbled in reply. "Well, I'm off to get some Grogg, you can join me if you'd like."

Every single player rushed to join the Equipment Manager, so much so, that the Equipment Manager had to scurry out of the doorway lest he be crushed by the players. When he was out of the stadium and heading towards the pub, he smiled as he looked back to find the players all following him, laughing and joking. Things hadn't been this fun since von Kriesler had left, and the Equipment Manager wondered if this little adventure might turn the teams fortunes around in future competitions.

His smile slowly disappeared however when he realized it might be a challenge getting all forty players back to the stadium and the dressing room prior to halftime for Cornejo's lecture on what was going wrong so far in the match. He was certain Cornejo wouldn't be too pleased if over two thirds of the team was missing.

[Polar Islandstates]

HOST ANNOUNCEMENT:
Cutoff will definitely be late tomorrow. I'm not sure at which point exactly, but I'm going to say no earlier than 1600 GMT, so that'll be the cutoff, with the proviso that it will in all likelihood actually be later than that.

[Pravenna]

Faintly, Juliet Vatskalis sensed that destiny was on her side.

It came after a gruelling 55 minutes, with the Lions just about holding on in defence but threatening with every counterattack. Siesman had been inconsistent in goal, sometimes spectacular and sometimes fumbling weak shots. So far, Pravenna hadn't capitalised. But it was coming.
Siesman was having a good moment, however, when Xenophon was threaded through on goal by Vatskalis' pass. The Francisca striker rifled a shot low and hard that the goalkeeper did well to palm away. Taskasaplidis, wrong-footed, tried to stick out a foot but missed the ball - Calisto Matraxis, all pace and no technique, beat her defender to get to the ball but her first touch was abysmal. But it rolled on to Vatskalis...
Juliet Vatskalis had not had a distinguished career - last season had ended in United getting destroyed in the A-League, coming last, for the second time in three years. She'd been a regular starter, but no clubs were really looking to pick her up - she was a decent player at that standard, no better. But here, her technique was a huge asset to the team - only she could fill the role of playmaker, with good pace and stamina to back it up. And her shot wasn't half bad, when she had the room...
She lashed the ball forward, high and strong. And as Siesman leapt for it, it arced hopelessly over her palms...
For a moment, she thought she'd missed.
But then the roar of the crowd told her otherwise.
Pravenna had scored a goal for the first time in its history. And, again for the first time, it was on course for a victory.

Isadora Xenophon, to tell the truth, hadn't really been optimistic of Pravenna's chances before the tournament. Not just of progression (after all, who had been?), just of getting a point. Or a goal, for that matter - she was all too aware that the majority of that burden fell on her slim shoulders.
Xenophon was a pace merchant, a good finisher, and great with the ball at her feet. She was a good player in the Brenecian A-League, but the Copa Rushmori was a showcase of international quality and class at the highest level. Someone who netted fifteen in thirty-five for Francisca Orient wasn't making anyone's dream team.
But she could put the ball in the net. She might not have the immense talent of some other leading lights in the tournament, but she could do the job required.
She'd been defied - again - by Siesman, who'd desperately palmed her volley over the bar. And that paved the way for a corner - Zoe Merochite going up to take it.
What Xenophon was decidedly not was a physical presence. So she made do with lurking just inside the box as the big units went right up in the Darmeni defenders' faces. The makeshift right wingback floated the corner high and well across goal.
Big Ange Taskasaplidis of Kensey Town collided in midair with Rydzik, and the ball came bouncing awkwardly away. Surprisingly, however, Matraxis desperately stabbed a leg at it... putting it right in Xenophon's path.
The route to goal suddenly, gloriously, opened up.
And Xenophon wasn't one to look a gift horse in the mouth. She trusted her instincts, she let fly, and... Pravenna were two up with three minutes to go.

Truth be told, Frida Schmidt was amazed.
She'd met the squad at first - they were a mess of morale, with a cantankerous Nepharim giving team talks in two different languages. They had twenty-three players, of whom eleven (including sweeper and goalkeeper) were local semi-professionals and a twelfth, who later became a fixture of the defence after Stavros' injury, was in her first year as a full-timer. At the age of 25. Tactics were down to damage control.
And they hadn't conceded a goal in four matches. No other team had done that. And with a win here against Darmen, who were attacking freely with the freedom given by desperation... but they couldn't break through. And the referee blew the final whistle.
There weren't many Pravennans in the stand - but when the final whistle blew, they went mad with joy, waving flags and screaming for blood. And Schmidt, a stout Polarian bureaucrat, was shouting right along with them.

[Saintland]

The press conference at the Tohoko Games Show was still in progress. Mirai Tani of Rectanglesoft had just announced several new games in the Omega Fantasy series, but he was now ready for the most important announcement:

Mirai Tani - Finally, we have one more announcement...

As he said this, a trailer showed a city that looked like a real-life modern day city. Soon, it zoomed in on a male character whose most recognizable feature was his unusually elaborate hairstyle. Soon, it began to rain, just to showcase the realistic effects that the rain had on the character's hair. The trailer soon progressed to show the character meeting 3 of his friends, all clearly male. Then, the characters got into a car and the trailer showcased them driving the car to a neighboring city.

Upon their arrival, the city was attacked by a giant monster. The 4 men took out their weapons and began fighting the monster. The combat was, surprisingly, real-time, seamless and action-oriented. This made the game more similar, in a lot of ways, to a Republican RPG than to a traditional Taiyouese RPG. After a long, drawn-out, battle, the monster was slain and the trailer concluded with a logo screen. The logo screen read: "Omega Fantasy XXVIII: Coming Next Year, Exclusive to Saint and SaintPhone"

Mirai Tani - Yes, the latest chapter in the Omega Fantasy series will only be available for the Saint. At Rectanglesoft, we considered a release for other platforms, but we decided to make Omega Fantasy XXVIII a Saint exclusive because the Saint is simply the most powerful and most fully-featured hardware on the market today. In the process of development, we realized that aiming for a multi-platform release would compromise our vision for Omega Fantasy XXVIII and we at Rectanglesoft have always believed in delivering the best software possible to satisfy our fans. We hope that everybody will buy Omega Fantasy XXVIII. Thank you for your support.

Tani left the stage. Prince Andreas returned to the video screen to continue the conference. He was relieved that Mirai Tani had decided to make up that story when the truth was that RCES and RepublicSoft had won a bidding war against Taiyouese home console maker Miktondo to obtain exclusive rights to the Omega Fantasy main series. Technically, it was timed exclusivity, but Omega Fantasy XXVIII through XXX would all be exclusive to Saint for the first year and Rectanglesoft was not permitted to announce those games for any other platform prior to 9 months after release for Saint.

Prince Andreas - I want to thank Mr. Tani-San and Rectanglesoft for such a massive announcement. If I may, for a moment, I wish to talk about the phenomenal success of SaintPhone. As you know, earlier this year we launched SaintPhone, a version of the Saint that includes cellular phone service. In a matter of months, SaintPhone has become the market leader not only in Saintland, but also in the Holy Republican Empire, Irad, Taxachusetts, Acedonia and many other regions, last but certainly not least among them, Taiyou. This shows that our commitment to a product of the highest quality at an affordable price has paid off. We wish to thank our customers for making SaintPhone the #1 phone and we hope to continue increasing our market share as we launch in more regions throughout the multiverse. To thank our customers for making the Saint and SaintPhone so successful, I wish to announce the introduction of a new subscription service, to be entitled Saint Platinum, which will be available at an affordable rate and will entitle subscribers to an instant software collection of 2 titles per month, chosen by us. Digital copies of these titles will be automatically credited to the accounts of all subscribers and will remain accessible as long as you remain a subscriber to Saint Platinum. In addition, members of Saint Platinum will be permitted to use our new cloud backup service, automatic patch downloads and access to exclusive demos of upcoming Saint software. More details will be announced soon. One of the first titles available to Saint Platinum members will be the following:

To Be Continued...

---

The Saintland National Team had picked up another victory in the CR, this time grinding out a goal to nil victory against Mareibat. Josephus Flaccus, finally, scored the winner in the 83rd off of a Prince Andreas assist. Mareibat desperately tried to equalize, but Antonius Avidius, who was playing because Prince Andreas decided to give Seius a day off, played especially well on this day, saving 7 shots on goal, 3 of them after the lone goal was scored. This set up a showdown with Eura.

Eura and Saintland had met once before, way back in World Cup 66, on the final day of the group stage. Previously, Saintland had defeated Farfadillis and lost to Vilita. Eura had drawn both Farfadillis and Vilita. When the Farves, ultimately, defeated Vilita, that meant that whomever won the Saintland-Eura match would finish atop Group G, assuming that there was a winner. A draw would eliminate both nations. In the end, Eura prevailed on that day.

In the first meeting between the 2 nations, the Sanctii had jumped out to an early lead thanks to Silvester Flaccus, but Eura equalized before half. Silvester Flaccus scored a second goal to put Saintland in the lead, but a hot-headed Lucas Aufidius conceded a penalty in the 71st minute. Eura converted and later scored a match winner. They went on to win that edition of the World Cup.

For Saintland, that would be their last WCC-sanctioned match until Cup of Harmony 59. The "Holy Casaran" World Cup bid followed and narrowly lost to a bid from 2 nations who were not on particularly good terms with Saintland. While the Sanctii reports of corruption in the host vote had never been substantiated and, quite honestly, were never taken seriously by anybody outside of Saintland, they did boycott World Cup 67 Qualifying, only returning to WCC competition after the Vanorian Cup of Harmony organizers mistakenly sent a Cup of Harmony invite intended for the Feministvs Sanctvsterra team that had competed in World Cup Qualifying to the Sanctii government. The Sanctii government entered the tournament, pretending that it was the World Cup (and that a friendly tour was World Cup Qualifying). Indeed, the people of Saintland believed that they had qualified for World Cup 67 until after the assassination of King Paulus XV and ascension of King Petrus XX, who admitted the truth about that situation to the people of his Kingdom.

This was definitely on the minds of the Sanctii players as they went into a match against Eura, needing only a draw to advance in the CR. To a man, they all knew that none of them would be satisfied with anything less than victory. That same victory that had been within their grasp before, in the World Cup, only to be ripped away from them...

[Polar Islandstates]

It had been a great victory. No, to call it merely 'great' would be to do a disservice to other victories. It had been a stupendous victory. A fantastic victory. A momentous, impressive, deliriously emphatic victory. The only 'issue' with the victory was that last, late consolation goal from Bauza past Rzatkowski's desperate dive; the last petulant kicking out of a foe that had been beaten, and beaten well. That goal was the only thing preventing Alianza Albos from joining Eura and Bleak Rock as a third joint recipient of the heaviest defeats doled out by the Terns. This, however, was the Terns' biggest ever win in the Copa Rushmori, and Morten Rasmussen was finding it hard to concentrate on the brown folders in front of him so vivid were the memories still dancing around his recent memory.

Larsen's double, Wolff's tap in, Holzhauser's powerful header, Navarro's half volley in the box, Zeljeznicar's stunning free kick, Geirsson's tap in at the far post, and then finally Bickermann's second goal in as many appearances. It had been a superb evening at Lokomotiv Park, and the twenty-thousand Twitchers in the crowd could never in their wildest dreams have imagined they'd be seeing the opposition goalkeeper pick the ball out of his et eight times. Poor Fuentes... And that late shot from Bauza that squirmed off the knee of Navarro and deflected past Rzatkowski was scant consolation for a side who'd hosted the Terns to victory at the last edition, but were finding the hospitality of the Terns rather less enjoyable this time around.

Rasmussen smiled. The Terns had been free-scoring so far this tournament, and even if it had left them a little more open than he preferred to play at the other end he had to admit that a little blow-out like this every now and then was good for morale. They'd lost the title of the tightest defence to Pravenna thanks to Bauza's goal, but he could deal with that so long as his attackers were averaging almost five goals a game so far. He sat back in his chair with a smile on this face, and then sternly told himself to focus on the job in hand. He shook himself, metaphorically and literally, and leaned forwards again as his chair squealed its protestations in the dim light of his room at the Eagles' Rest, Resolute (4*).

The lamp on his desk was the only source of light in the hotel bedroom save for the dim blue light of his phone charging in the corner, and the constant red flash of the readout on an alarm clock tea-maker in the corner of the open wardrobe by the bed that was destined to never show the correct time. His lamp blasted down vivid white light onto the impressively heavy walnut table that was scattered with brown cardboard folders, each of which was crammed with scout reports and information on the possible opponents the Terns could draw in the next round.

Dixhuitiles - again, Valladares, Taeshan, Vjaalsburg, Sameba, Mapletish, Sargossa... All in all, there were a dozen folders on the table, each of them containing information on the teams that could end up as one of the bottom seeds in the last sixteen. A lot of this was guesswork and educated extrapolation of the possibilities the last matchday held within its fixtures, but Rasmussen didn't mind that so much. Some of the teams required less swotting up than others, so the extra workload created by trying to get ahead of the game wasn't something he couldn't handle. The possibility of playing Sargossa or Valladares on home soil for a spot in the quarter finals in particular was a potential scenario that he was already looking forward to.

He sighed and flicked through the pages in the Sarrbian folder. Rather than employ a direct member of his coaching staff whose role it was to provide opposition scouting information, like his predecessor at the helm of the Terns - Joachim Schwartz - had done, Rasmussen preferred to use a team of scouts that all travelled to the matches for him, and then provided him with the data to go through. It meant more work for him, yes, but it also meant he wasn't relying on the conclusions of anyone else to instruct his agenda for the next match. With a chief opposition scout, he'd have had to respect the opinions and resolutions that they came to. With a fleet of scouts, not only did it mean less travelling for him, but it meant he had reams and reams of data to pile through before drawing his own conclusions. It was a system that suited him down to the ground. It was a lot of work, but it was satisfying. Most of all, he liked data.

Key passes, assists, runs. Everything that his scout were instructed to take down, he could drag indicative information out of. Game plans could form before his very eyes. Not in the way that Alexsandr van Sorensen was able to visualise the very mechanics of the physical realm they all lived and played football in, but in a much more calculated, much less instinctive way. He'd had to train himself to do it, but the benefits had been huge. He'd achieved more with Axel Heiburg and the Terns than any manager ever had done before or, in the case of the Argonauts, since. He was proud of his track record, and he wasn't about to change it now. Especially if that animal Tuulari was after his job. he wanted to make sure that, should that day ever come, he'd set the highest possible standards for that leech to try and emulate.

He looked at the front of the folder again. Group E. Sarrbia's had been perhaps the least eventful so far, with pretty much everything going according to skill and to form. The no hopers were pretty much out of the running, and Saugeais were at the top. He pitied whoever drew Saugeais in the next round, and idly wondered whether anyone in the Terns' group stood a chance of that.

He frowned suddenly, and realised that this speculative scouting of potential opposition relied solely upon the assumption that the Terns finished as one of the top seeds. Twelve points so far meant they were in with a good chance of that, but Electrum also had twelve points, and Electrum were up next.

He flicked through the pile of folders he had yet to read. Nope. Nothing there. With a tang of realisation that hit his gut like a hammer blow, he realised Electrum's file was in with the rest of the folders he'd had created for the group stage. Back at the office in Franz Josef City. He'd had Dixhuitiles' taken out especially for this preparation session, but had neglected to think to have Electrum's sent over as a refresher. He sighed. It was an uncharacteristic black mark in an otherwise exemplary record of preparation, but he wasn't going to let that stop him. There were two days left until the match at Home Lane, he could get them sent over.

Rasmussen leant back in his chair again and plucked his phone from its charging rack, hitting a hot key in one fluid motion with his thumb as he did so.

"Hello? Silja? Hi, it's me. Are you busy? Could you sent me electronic copies of all the documents in the Electrum folder as soon as possible? Thanks. Ha det."

Turning neatly, he threw his phone deftly onto the bed and checked the time on the alarm clock team-maker. Still midnight, according to its neon red flashing. Never mind There wasn't training until after lunch the next day, he could afford a late night, whatever time it was. He got up and walked to the side of the bed, lying back delicately and reaching for the television remote. He may have been without hard data, but that didn't mean he couldn't be doing research.

Fortunately, the Eagles' Rest, Resolute (4*) had a state of the art entertainment system available in each room, and as he dialled up the entire re-run of Electrum's three-one win over Dixhuitiles from the FPIBC on-demand service - specially extended in terms of broadcast rights for the duration of the tournament hosting - a plan for the next day's training was formulating before the teams had even kicked off...

---

OOC Host Announcement: I was about to cut-off, but I'm about to get on a train. So that wouldn't be a very fair amount of suspense to leave you in, so anyone in the middle of writing has about an hour and a half or so, I'm guessing.

I'll confirm this information and firm it up later, but after adjusting the schedule to a more "correct" one, and then having been given my university timetable this morning, it isn't workable. To make up for this late scorination and to give you all a chance to RP before the knockouts start, I'll probably skip everything back a day. I'll announce that formerly along with the knockout fixtures when they come.

[Mapletish]

Denis Veum - Through My Eyes



"Ar gameo de futbol?" The Maplish equivalent of "a game of football?" The game that brought people from all walks of life together, whether you are rich or poor, young or old, the game runs in the blood of many. But, cut my veins open and there flows the blood of a true Valhallan. Growing up in Mapletish, I was immersed in the Maplish culture and at times, it diluted my identity as a Polarian. I moved back to the Federation after graduating from secondary school and had never set foot on the Union again. If my love for the Union could be summarised it would be the love of football. I love football, especially Maplish football with an ever burning passion. Without a doubt, passion fueled my desire to succeed at Djax. Walking into the dressing rooms of Djax for the first time, I was met with lines of narrow grey lockers with a mini-padlock to each. Rows of benches neatly arranged in front of the lockers. One locker was distinctive, its door was left hanging open at the far end. I whispered softy to myself, "It's time." As I looked into the locker, the all white Djax kit appeared like a work of art, shone on by the dim lights of the dressing rooms. Folded neatly beneath were the shorts and socks. Muffled conversations passed the room, as I grabbed the Djax jersey. I took my time to get myself changed as I got swept by my thoughts. I folded my clothes and placed them neatly in the locker room. I made my way to the side mirror and had a good look at myself. This's the Djax uniform and there's a new adventure waiting for me, a new objective to be fulfilled.

Those were the days when Djax were at the bottom few divisions of the football league pyramid and I'd half expected it to be this decent. For that I came to realised, the undying love for sports in the Union. I've only been here in Djax for nearly 24 hours, as the family settle down and begin a new life. My Måriussa Viking FK contract had just expired then and the club got a phone call from Djax. Negotiations got underway and I put pen on a new deal that will bring me down the diameter of Rushmore down to the South. And there I meet the country where I spent the bulk of my childhood in. Now, the adventure has begun.

Moving into a new club was unnerving, but into a familiar country, it wasn't as nerve-wrecking. There's no language barrier, cultural awkwardness, or the little things that foreigners find confusing with in the country, But what's different now was that, my family were moving in with me. I am a family guy honestly, and I would really want us to be together. To reckon that, I really need the support from them. Excitement and anxiety had roughly built up for a month or two ahead of my trip to the Union. I just knew it. Once I stepped out of the Arrival Hall, I had the emotional support that I had always desired. Kaelia, Martino and Jacko were here with me, of course we weren't expecting some celebrity welcome from a Polarian player who just barely made it into the team from the lower divisions of a football loving country. The transfer to the Djax wasn't really a large story for the media to run reports on or warrant an escort by a group of motorcycle policeman surrounding us. I met up with the Djax club representative and we exchanged formalities as we got onto the waiting limousine at the waiting lines outside of the airport.

The traffic at midday was rather smooth. No paparazzi, screaming fans, snapping camera flashes or anything fancy to worry about. The schedule read that my first stop was the hospital where I was due to have my medical. However, I do have other concerns on my mind. When I first spoke to Djax, I thought that it was only fair if they know that I was uncertain on whether I would be able to perform to the best of my ability in my assigned role. Despite my familiarity to the Maplish culture, my wife and children weren't. If they were to have a hard time in Mapletish then how would I feel settled enough with the club and put heart and soul on football? I knew I could have troubled a small club too much with my words but it hardly came as a surprise for them. "If we have the means to acquire you from Polaria (PIS), we shall carry the responsibility for you to settle down." Mr Edriff, the club president replied.

"We would of course ensure that your family settle down in Mapletish just fine and that they will be as happy here with us as you are. Denis. Save those worries."

They took it in their stride to make us comfortable even though I might well have already felt at home since it was my home for a bulk of my childhood to being with. As Kaelia and the boys were off to look at some properties that suit our liking, I half wondered, just how wealthy the club was. Surely they wouldn't and shouldn't go to such extent on a third rated player. Their hospitality were indeed a bit overstretched, but then I realised Mr Edriff had decided to invest large amounts of cash into the club to bring the best out of the club and to use heavy incentives to motivate his players. I wished I could have gone with Kaelia and the boys for house hunting but I reckoned that I would have some time to catch them a little bit later the day. While they head off to the city centre, I had an appointment with the Djax Royal Hospital with Mr Sander.

We raced through the medical from the essential parts such as cardiovascular, bio mechanism, blood, diseases check, cardiogram, scans and some x-rays with the dedicated and experienced specialists. When everything was done and accounted for in two hours, I got into training kit and got through a series of mini-physical tests specially designed by Sander himself, a so called the "Beep Test". A photographer from Djax followed us as he went snapping away, capturing the best moments of me (hopefully) and have them published on the front page in the next issue of the club's magazine. I started to take care of image but I let it run on its own. Of course nobody at the hospital would hardly recognise who I am, let alone know which country I come from. There was however a teenage boy who could recognise me. He sounded Polarian and we had a little chat and had a photograph taken with him.