World Cup 70 - RP Thread

[Hicana]

 
Hicaña (3 - 4 - 3)
GK - Aaron Castro
LB - Kathryn Mikkelson
CB - Jenni Sanchez 
RB - Francois Riverie 
DM - Christian Fernandez 
DM - Carlos Herrera 
CM - Albert Castro 
CM - Matthieu Rhoderick 
LW - Emily da Silva 
RW - Ignacio Castelliho 
ST - Miguel Ansierra

Milchama (3 - 3 - 4)
GK: David McEll
D: George Tourson
D: Kim Slant
D: Yaakov Ishmatav
M: Denny Urian
M:Uri Kam
M: Valerie Losach
F: Exter Flern
F: Barry Grodon
F: Ittai!
F: Alex Torrance

MatchStats
HIC       MIL
1 - goals - 0
7 - shots - 7
5 - shots on goal - 3
62 - possession - 38
1 - yellow cards - 0

GOALS - Ansierra 45+2

  Group 18              Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
1 Pasarga                13    8   4   1    25   10  +15    28
2 Antoletia              14    8   4   2    38   20  +18    28
3 Hicaña                 14    9   0   5    32   14  +18    27
4 Kazamatsuri            13    8   3   2    38   28  +10    27
5 Gylias                 13    5   2   6    23   24   −1    17
6 Sumaltheria            13    4   4   5    15   27  −12    16
7 Milchama               13    4   3   6    22   19   +3    15
8 Racao                  14    2   1  11    18   46  −28     7
9 Carpathia & Ruthenia   13    1   1  11    12   35  −23     4

[HopNation]

Somewhere in HopNaiton…

some faint music is playing in the background as a couple of guys sit in a local pub watching sporting news on the TV and mixing words over a couple pints

“What the hell do you mean this next match could make or break our chances?”

“I’m saying if we can’t find a way to win we’ll have no chance of making to the World Cup Proper.”

“I bet we can still make it even if we lose this match.”

“How do you figure?”

“We could draw here and have those lads from the Holy Republic Empire lose on one of their last match day. That could happen you know, then we would just need that final win to keep us ahead of them.”

“I guess it could but I just think we need to win and lock things up here. Being four points up with, having only one match to play would be a much better outlook than having to hope and being down on points.”

“I suppose your right, but I’m just saying that it could still be possible for us to finish in second of even first in the event that Farfadillis craps out.”

“Ha, like that would happen. Have you seen them play?”

“Sure, they blew us out of the brew pot in that first meeting but we managed alright on the second leg.”

“What about the other teams?”

“What about them they aren’t of any concern at this point.”

“None of them?”

“Nope, none. We just have to make out good in our final two matches so we have a fighting chance at making to the playoff or better yet the World Cup Proper outright, then we can start worrying about other teams again.”

“You sure we don’t have to worry about anyone before then. I mean we do still have to play United Eastedge or whatever they are.”

“Sure we need to worry about them, but like I said we just have to worry about our two final matchs and nothing else. They are one of our final two matches, LISTEN would you.”

“Hey, settle down I’ll buy a round maybe that will help you a bit.”

“I’m calm, I’m calm but yep I do need another pint.”

“Bar keep, another for my friend and I. Can you turn the channel on this TV over here too? I hear there is a bikini ball game coming on.”

“Coming right up guys, same as before or something new?”

“Same for me.”

“Me too and it’s not bikini ball, there is a sand volleyball game being televised and it is a fundraiser of sorts for the new indoor sport park over in Zorg.”

“Eh, whatever it’s hot chicks in little to no clothes what does it matter what it’s for.”

“You crack me up sometimes, no wonder I love coming in here with you prior to the Hops matches.”

“Makes two of us mate and I’ll drink to that.”

“That volleyball game better be over by the time the match kicks off that’s all I have to say.”

“We’ll have em change it before then if it’s not don’t worry.”

“Shall we get something to eat too?”

“Sure, my treat this time.”

The bartender changes the channel and give the two a menu to look through as they wait for the volleyball game to get started and as they wait for the Hops match against the Holy Republican Empire.

[Garifunya]

Een Goed Debuut, Maar Nog Niet Voorbij (A Good Debut, But Not Over Yet)

Klaas Werten, De Frederykvil Dagblad

Well, it has been quite a ride, hasn't it? De Dolfijnen are almost done with their maiden campaign in the 70th World Cup qualifiers. Although not mathematically eliminated, it's all but over for our boys, as they sport a record 6-1-6, good for 19 points and 6th place in the group. The mighty bulls of Audioslavia have already clinched first place in the group at 11-2-0, beating De Dolfijnen 6-2 and 2-0 along the way. As for the rest, Pine Island are in the same spot as Garifunya, 6-1-6, and nineteen points. The ones that actually have a chance at that second spot are Electrum (25), Ceni (25), Darmen (24), and Neu Engollon (23). The Goats of Neu Engollon are in the worst position, 5th place and having played fourteen games to the others' 13. They also dropped a golden opportunity for three points, as De Dolfijnen defeated the Goats 1-0 in Telleursville, Neu Engollon, in their last match. The 36th ranked team certainly didn't look like it, as Assane Diakite was able to easily weave his way through the defenders and give his team the lead in the 60th minute. Considering that De Dolfijnen also edged the Goats 3-2 in Frederykvil, it's fair to say that Garifunya may be the reason Neu Engollon does not qualify.

With De Dolfijnen essentially eliminated, and already having played spoiler to Neu Engollon's hopes, the least they can do is try to do the same thing for the other sides they face. Up next is Electrum, who dismantled De Dolfijnen 8-1 in their last meeting. Our boys will be out for revenge for that game, but also to spoil Electrum's chances of advancing. It certainly won't be easy, as Electrum is averaging three goals per match, but I think it's safe to say that those eight goals were an aberration caused by having to play with nine men. John Ayensu should be able to get things under control and keep his team from earning silly red cards, which should make it a match. I even hear Uli Maneschijns has personally vowed to keep a clean sheet in this match. Bold words from the veteran keeper. Let's hope it pays off for him.

In the next match, De Dolfijnen will travel to Darmen. The Darmeni side is strong, but we were able to hold them to a 2-2 draw in Frederykvil, courtesy of a late penalty from captain David Diallou. Darmen will also have their hopes up, as just about everyone has a good chance of claiming that second spot. De Dolfijnen have struggled in away matches, but hopefully they can repeat their performance against Neu Engollon in a different setting.

Their final match is against Rejistania, whom they defeated 3-1 away last time. A home match against the 1-1-11 team will be the perfect way to end the campaign on a high note, in front of the fans, while also giving Ayensu a chance to evaluate some of his subs and younger players. No playoff implications here, just good old-fashioned fun football. If De Dolfijnen finish 1-0-2, as is probably expected, it will not be the end of the world. De Dolfijnen have already exceeded expectations, I think. Nevertheless, playing spoiler would be wonderful and I wish each and every one of the players good luck. We'll all be watching and cheering you on.

[Isula ge Ru]

The crowd jostled. On the way in, it had been respectfully parted, but now the flashbulbs knocked him back and forth. Mitu hadn't planned on this.

Some were congratulating him. His status had changed in forty-five seconds. No longer was he the footballing terrorist. With his confession to conspiring to murder the leader of the Esiruan Independence Movement, he had pushed himself high into the graces of everyone prosecuting him. His trial, which had been a looming, impending doom just a few minutes ago, would now be little more than a formality. He was a protected witness now, and a warrior for the Isulan cause of freedom.

Some of those in the throng, however, hissed with displeasure at him. There were clear ethnic Esiruans who booed him, and one man who pressed a bearded face to his ear and growled, telling Mitu that he'd "open his traitor bastard motherfucking throat" before his assailant was pulled away by police. Mitu watched him go. Two months ago, that would have been him, in the clutches of Isulan police and terrified for his life.

Escorted on all sides by gleaming halberds, he entered the transport, where his football-happy driving friend was waiting for him.

There were no mentions of "right cracker of a match" now, though. They drove in silence, and when Mitu returned to the prison, he did not change.

It was explained to him by a guard that due to intense pro-Esiru sentiment in the cells, he was going to be isolated from his cellmates in the interest of his own safety. There were those who would take it as a point of great honor to kill the footballer who had conspired against Marĉu's life.

He walked the halls in a suit to the sound of hisses.

[The Royal Kingdom of Quebec]

@DrCocoPorn
@Kachenstein
+Andreas|MVT
+Michel
+Regaway
Mikalev
RougeGris
ShowerOfXylocarps
Tsula|CathayRanger


Status | #teenangst  |#avalaria | Reginald-FAS |
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
Oh, Sami boy, Oh Sami boy, I love you so...... -Reginald- 
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
[08:50] == Coconutstan [webchat@71-54-837-669.cable.quebecom.que] has joined #nssport
[08:50] == Reginald|FAS has changed nick to Regaway
[08:51] <Mikalev> It looks like the next few games will be exciting. Quebec with tough schedule, Yttribia with so-so and Nephara with an easy one.
[08:51] <Andreas|MVT> Yeah, Mikalev
[08:51] <Andreas|MVT> Should be exciting to watch tonight's game I guess.
[08:51] <Coconutstan> So yeah Kachenstein, my visit to Kingston changed everything aside from the top 
[08:52] <Kachenstein> \lol
[08:52] <Coconutstan> But I have yet to cement my preferences for Queen's or UofK, because I also have to rethink my area of preferences for history
[08:52] <Kachenstein> what do you want to do?
[08:52] <Vilnas> porn
[08:52] <Vilnas> 
[08:53] <Coconutstan> Study two of: International Relations, History or Classics
[08:53] <Vilnas> sounds /fun/
[08:53] <Coconutstan> But then the thing is Kache, my area of study and her area of study(the Cornwall gal) are totally different 
[08:54] <Kachenstein> :/
[08:54] <DrQuebPorn> I mean dude, she's doing UFron Con-Ed, with major in Mathematics. She's also the one who takes all the hardest maths courses in Q. 
[08:54] <DrQuebPorn> So she's pretty much the keener, but then so is 75% of my friends 
[08:54] <Kachenstein> and too serious about it
[08:55] <Kachenstein> but I thought you said that you were over her
[08:55] == Vilnas has quit #teenangst [Trojana! Trojana!]
[08:55] <Delosia> Guys, I'll be off to showers for now
[08:55] <Delosia> Ping me when the game starts
[08:57] == Delosia has changed nick to ShowerOfXylocarps
[08:55] <Michel> Okey dokes, Delosia
[08:55] <DrQuebPorn> Eh
[08:55] <DrQuebPorn> Not completely
[08:56] <DrQuebPorn> But then it's not in high mode right
[08:56] <DrQuebPorn> now
[08:55] == Coconutstan has changed nick to DrCocoPorn
[08:56] <Kachenstein> ouch
[08:57] < DrCocoPorn> So it might come back sometime
[08:57] <Kachenstein> bro she still wont go out with you tho
[08:59] < DrCocoPorn> I drink and drink because of that, Kachenstein
[08:59] < DrCocoPorn> The chances might be there but they're too low to make me feel positive about it
[08:59] <Kachenstein> I feel for you
[08:59] < DrCocoPorn> But then I know it can happen
[08:59] < DrCocoPorn> Just.....I feel very nervous about it.
[09:00] <Kachenstein> just start by asking her to go watch a movie with you sometime
[08:57] == DrCocoPorn has changed nick to DrCocoMeal
[09:00] <Kachenstein> if you go to UFron
[09:00] <DrCocoMeal> Dude, Cornwall's 3 hours drive/train ride
[09:00] <DrCocoMeal> And Of course
[08:57] == Mikalev has joined #teenangst
[09:00] <Mikalev> LET'S GO GRIM REAPERS
[09:00] <Mikalev> WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
[09:00] <DrCocoMeal> I know some of her old friends(back in my school, who are now there) and a bestie there......Now only if there's a way.
[09:01] <Kachenstein> just wear her down I guess
[09:01] <DrCocoMeal> Didn't work with G, Kache 
[09:04]  * Mikalev gives Andreas|MVT 1093 FAS kits
[09:04] [09:04] * Mikalev gives Andreas|MVT 1093 FAS kits <--- Ew
[09:05] <Andreas|MVT> Add a fuck FAS or what's that and then a little thingy 
[09:05] <Mikalev> Why fuck FAS? They're awesome
[09:05] == RougeGris has joined #teenangst
[09:06] == DrCocoMeal has changed nick to DrCocoPorn
[09:06] <RougeGris> Alianza? hahahaha

[Ceni]

Today on Collections: The Gas Station

---

In the scalding sun and the desert heat
Lies a gas station off the beaten path -
Two ramshackle pumps, all rusted and decayed
At the only place for miles around
A small convenience store sells soda, snacks,
Fizzling grape pop - whatever the owner can get
The sign on the door says, "Bienvenidos" - Welcome -
To this small piece of sanctity in the middle
Of this never ending desert -
Whenever a car drives up, the whole town -
All two streets of it -
Breathes a sigh of relief -
The gas station's income is greatly appreciated

[Mizuyuki]

Here is your cutoff for MD16. Is qualification secure for your team? Or are they hanging on by the thinnest skein of thread? All will be revealed ... in good time.

MATCH DAY 16 RP CUTOFF FOR GROUPS 1-10

RESULTS

[Eura]

Howard's back darted up into a straight position as his alarm woke him, piercing through the quiet and cold night in this distant town. Pratley was barely a town by Euran standards, home to only ninety thousand people. It was uncomfortably quiet at night out here for Howard, a regular city dweller from Falourr, and the lack of activity compared to home made him jumpy, hence his reaction to the alarm. In his expensive flat on the east coast he could hear all sorts during the night; the heavy late night industrial traffic of the motorway not far down the hill, the chattering, cheering and screaming of the revelers down on the waterfront less than half a mile away. Even occasionally you would get an early morning fly by from the naval aircraft flying to and from their carriers in the dockyard. Pratley had no such atmosphere. You might occasionally hear a car pass, a dog bark, or wind blowing the trees about outside. At last he could appreciate the visual change. To the north of Pratley were the windswept and snowy mountains of the north western frontier, and surrounding the town was a rare sight in Eura - acres and acres of farmland.

By most standards, it had been a crap day and a crap week. His daughter was still not talking to him and Eura had succumbed to an embarrassing 2-2 draw away in the Western Borderlands. He had been stuck up those mountains he could see all day anyway for work. Its nice and all that they provide such a phenomenal view, but when you spend all day at a cold facility made of boring gray concrete and prefabricated buildings doing a stressful job without enough resources, you don't really have time to pose for tourist snaps and admire the view. Howard did get to use a camera, but he was taking long lens shots of the state of previously abandoned Sameban fortifications, not selfies with him and his wife. Of course, she was at home regardless, occasionally writing to him to ask when he was going to come back. The answer would have to be "not soon". Ever since he had started working for a private military analysis think tank and quit his cushy job in the civil service, he'd enjoyed the benefits of having few working rights and an extremely long hours job. A bigger pay packet had come at a crushing price.

Now, Howard was being awoken in the early hours of the morning - 2am, to be exact - to continue doing that job. As he'd gone over his troubles in his head, he'd gone into a sleep deprived autopilot, dressing himself and making a cup of coffee and some toast. This rented house was kept by a cleaner who didn't do her job properly either. Howard scoffed and turned away as he entered the living room to find a half full bucket next to an unremoved stain on the sofa, with a note next to it scrawled in a rush using some sort of highlighter pen.

Sorry how, had to run, will fin tomorrow
Sela

'Next time I'm not getting a bloody Sargossan to do this job.' He discarded the note with a frustrated flick of the wrist and took a seat, flicking on the news to see what was happening this morning. Nothing, of course. Just late night porn and 24 hour news channels trying to fill time in the slot that nobody except drunk students and city financiers were watching. He rose once more, returning to the kitchen to get his toast and prepare it to eat. Mundane, mundane, mundane. My life could not be more mundane. His thoughts were, as he would probably admit, very negative at times. He was a bitter man. That's probably why he tried to keep his thoughts to himself usually, even if he was on his own, though that bloody cleaner was the exception to the rule. On this occasion though he couldn't contain himself. 'Its moved...what on earth?'

Howard's gaze had drifted to look out of the patio window doors at the garden when he noticed that the drinks table had moved, and his paper had fallen on the floor. It hadn't just been blown along by the wind or something though, that was impossible. It was too heavy, surely? The way it had moved was odd as well. It was perfectly placed almost, too perfectly set down and angled by the edge of the patio paving so that it didn't fall off. It had been moved, deliberately, by someone or something. Alas, Howard shook his head and tried not to think anything of it. He was knackered and was probably imagining things. There was no way his life could get that exciting that quickly, it was never going to happen. He turned to leave the house, welcoming the fresh night breeze waking him up as he threw on his big coat. Just as he slipped on some leather gloves and approached his car in the driveway, he saw a woman emerge from the side door out of the natural cloak provided by the blackness. He couldn't believe his eyes.

'Sela! Sela, what on earth are you doing here? Don't you people sleep in Sargossa?'
'I'm not fucking Sargossan, you Euran cockroach!' She pulled on a balaclava and before Howard knew what was going on, a car accelerated down the street. Its driver flung the side door open and two men rushed out in disguise too, like Sela, brandishing rifles.
'Sela what the hell is this?'
'This? This is war.' She pulled out a small, compact sub machine gun from just under her elbow, the strap for which Howard had mistaken for a handbag. He instinctively threw himself to the ground as she opened fire, strafing his car. Earlier he had been forced to do some repair work on the back right hand wheel and then he'd been kicking himself for forgetting to bring the toolbox in when he went to bed. Now though he was grateful for his own short mindedness. He looked in it for a weapon while Sela tried to lean down and shoot at him under the car. A hammer? Too far away. A wrench? Same problem, what was he going to do, charge at her and scream "freedom"? Then he saw it, a nail gun! He had no idea if this would work but he stood up and squeezed himself behind the tire arch and the side of the car as Sela shot under it, clipping the wheel and some of the bottom of the car but not Howard. Now came his chance.

As she backed off from the car to reload and the other two men approached, he pointed the nail gun over the car and shot with one eye closed. Somehow, he made it, and got her in the shoulder. Adrenaline kicked in as he sprinted away while she screamed in agony and retreated to her two comrades. However Howard was now caught in the open in his front garden, and he was forced to dive back through the front door. He tripped on the ledge at the bottom of the door and was sent flying face first. Then came the storm. Wall paint and cladding splintered and electrics burst like fireworks around him as the men outside opened fire in the general direction of the front door, one bullet audibly whistling right by his ear and striking a beautiful painting he had hung above the shoe rack. Howard surprised the pain incurred by falling over and sprinted deeper into the house as the men reloaded. He found himself now in the kitchen, expecting them to come inside any moment. He picked out the biggest knife he could find from the knife rack, but realised he would stand little chance if they entered unless he got the drop on them. Yet no-one came. He might've been pushing fifty and had a dodgy left knee, but Howard appeared to have fought them off.

He cautiously exited the kitchen, trying to peer out of the living room window and see where they were. The car now had its doors closed and they appeared to be leaving, but just as he was about to breathe a sigh of relief, Sela popped up from an open window holding something. Surely that's not...a machine gun? It was. A light machine gun, Sameban built, fed by a canister containing 105 rounds. She took aim at the front room, seeing his silhouette inside the window, and held down the trigger. Once again Howard went through what he did before, but this time, when the seemingly endless stream of bullets ceased to pour into his living room, he stayed down. This was partly because he had realised that playing dead might be a better option until the police came, but it was mainly because he had been hit in the foot and now three of his toes were pointing in the wrong direction while his bone stuck out and blood went everywhere. Finally there was a screech of tires as they drove away. It was over, and as the intermittent blue flash of police lights illuminated the room, he finally relaxed and had a sigh of relief.

[San Jose Guayabal]

We are near to the end, we can see some teams qualified today, good luck!

MATCH DAY 16 RP CUTOFF FOR GROUPS 11-19

Music

RESULTS!

[Jeru FC]

Jeru FC coach Princess Amy and player ROAW after winning 2-0 at home against rival Crystal Empire

Amy: That's it boys, no goals conceded and we beat the 3rd placed team. Now we are the 3rd placed team. 1 point off 2nd place boys.
ROAW: Well, I guess we are actually going places.
Amy: The Calanian Union are only 1 point ahead of us. We're 2 points ahead of Crystal Empire and 5 ahead of Britonsea.
ROAW: Wow, we're that close.
Amy: Makes you think how well we could have done if we had won a few extra games huh or at least drawn them
ROAW: Oh yes, 1 point would so painful to miss out on 2nd place by

Amy: I'm not here just get 3rd or 4th spot to say we were close, I want to be in playoffs! There's no room for losers in the world cup
ROAW: Don't worry, we know we're in brawl and we could pull of an upset
Amy: It pretty much means two wins boys, two wins. Because anything less would mean The Calanian Union grab the playoff spot
ROAW: I can't believe we're still in the game considering our crap start
Amy: Focus on the future! We can't afford to look back to our failures.
ROAW: I guess we got the right coach

Amy: Not by choice, but I'm not here to make up numbers. I want to win ... something
ROAW: Even our keeper kept to the script today
Amy: I wouldn't say he was perfect but a lot better than he used to be
ROAW: And two goals from me! Hero of the day
Amy: Yes, I would give you a kiss but I'd look a bit like a MILF on TV
ROAW: I'd would take one anytime coach

Amy: I'll get my daughter to give you one, not today. She's not here.
ROAW: I'd like something else too, if you know what I mean
Amy: Hey, I'm not doing that. I'm not that desperate
ROAW: If you change your mind
Amy: Hoi, keep it clean young man.
ROAW: That's hard when your coach is a MILF

Amy: One of our best games today, it's not often we don't concede any goals
ROAW: Yes, although there were a few moments of silliness
Amy: Yes, disaster can strike any moment with our keeper
ROAW: Say, we hear you might want to leave
Amy: Yes, it's nothing against you but I can't deal with these idiot management people for another whole cup
ROAW: What if we qualify? Will you change your mind?

Amy: I'll be demanding a few changes if we do.
ROAW: They don't listen to us
Amy: I guess that's my job to represent you
ROAW: What if they sack you and get someone who works for free?
Amy: Good luck getting people to work for free.
ROAW: We do

Amy: Not quite but pretty close to it
ROAW: Any news for Cup of Harmony funding?
Amy: Nada zip nothing ditto void
ROAW: That's no
Amy: We don't need if you lot qualify for the cup
ROAW: Always an if in these things

Amy: Oi, what's the perv lover guy doing?
ROAW: Don't ask me, being a grub as always
Amy: He's got his hand up someone's skirt
ROAW: He's pretty good at that
Amy: I think I smacked him in the head last time he tried it on me
ROAW: He should really ask before he does these things

Amy: I think he got kicked in the nuts when he tried on my daughter
ROAW: I saw that, that was funny.
Amy: Teach him a lessson, us Dallas girls don't hold back!
ROAW: She had high heels on too, that would have hurt
Amy: He was talking like girl for a while
ROAW: Yeah, that was great.

[Mizuyuki]

---

Shirakiin Kurumi

---

"Lunch can wait, Shirazaka. I'll need to take a look at the players before I do anything else."

"Of course, Shirakiin-san. Your arrival was timed well; the players have a one hour break for lunch at the moment. If it pleases you, we can quickly go over our latest training techniques in my office."

I allowed a brief smile to break my stoic mask.

"Excellent work, Shirazaka. You're doing a good job of repaying my trust in you. Keep it up."

"That goes without saying, Shirakiin-san. One more thing - as per your request, we've assiduously maintained a database of relevant data pertaining to measurements of player sporting aptitude. You might also wish to take some time in order to peruse these data - although, appreciating the fact that you have many demands upon your time, I have taken the liberty of collating the data that are most likely to be of interest into a single document."

Sweeping into the living quarters, accompanied by the efficient camp administrator-cum-manager Shirazaka, I quickly located my designated room and deposited what little luggage I carried with me, in the form of a simple carry bag, in a closet. Removing my jet black suit, I nonchalantly threw it over a nearby chair, before adjusting my tie with a few flicks of my wrist.

"You never fail to impress, Shirazaka. Very good - I think I shall spend some time going over your document later. But not before we take a session together. I take it the players have been notified of my presence here today - no doubt they will be falling over themselves to impress me."

I let out a quiet snort. It was always the same with the aspiring footballers of today; let them know the senior manager was going to be taking a gander at them, and they would all be beside themselves with anticipation and nerves. Not that I could fault them for that; I had, myself, been a greenhorn like them, and I had quaked in my boots at the thought of the then senior manager, Sariwana Rukia, running her practised eye over my play.

"I assume that is the case, Shirakiin-san. Nonetheless, I believe I have sufficiently impressed upon our players the import of your visit to our humble camp, and I trust that they will perform to the best of their ability. I will arrange for the U21 players are assembled at Pitch C at two o'clock sharp for your inspection. Will you be needing any special equipment for the session?"

"I will require nothing out of the ordinary, Shirazaka. I think what you do have on-site will suffice for today; should I require any supplementary equipment during the course of my stay here at Kinokomura, rest assured that I will notify you at my earliest convenience."

Shirazaka produced a spiral notebook from her blazer and quickly made a few notations with a ballpoint pen, her hand flying across the surface as she noted down the essential points our conversation had covered.

"Very good. I shall make the necessary arrangements right away."

"Will do, Shirazaka. I'll be ten minutes changing; I would appreciate it if you could meet me in the communal dining hall in fifteen minutes."

Stepping a couple of lengths backwards, the ponytailed Shirazaka executed a slight bow, her black hair falling like a waterfall across her delicate features.

"Understood. I will meet you in fifteen minutes' time, then."

As the oak-paneled door swung shut behind Shirazaka, I picked at my tie with a manicured fingernail, loosening the tight knot. Kirigiri knew I had to present a sharp, respectable figure in front of my subordinates and peers, but I could afford to be more casual than usual in the privacy of my own room.

Quickly traipsing across to the minibar that the camp admins had thoughtfully installed, I reached inside and removed a bottle of pure mineral water. I flopped down on the fluffy bed and let loose a tired sigh, taking the time to contemplate my luxurious surroundings with a wearied eye as I poured myself a glass of the clear liquid and downed it in a single gulp.

The five hour jaunt from Kirayuki could not have been, by even the most relaxed of standards, described as comfortable. Thanks to the nature of WCQ scheduling, we had been forced to take an overnight flight from Kirayuki to Koshigaya, on the northern peninsula, and then endure a bumpy bus trip to the secluded village that housed the Kinokomura camp. The trip had took a lot out of many of us - the players most of all, since some of them they had played a full ninety minutes of multiversal-class competitive football barely twenty-four hours ago. And if the five hour trip had left me feeling physically and mentally drained, the players certainly had it worse than I had.

I reached across the fresh sheets and retrieved my phone, swiping a finger across it to check the time, and was somewhat surprised to discover that barely two minutes had elapsed since Shirazaka had left me. It certainly felt like it had been longer; perhaps the jet lag was affecting my perception of time. Whether it was to my benefit or not, I couldn't decide.

"Huh ... guess I'd better take a quick shower before I head out to meet Shirazaka. I have time enough for that."

Loosening a button on my shirt, I picked up a towel and a fresh change of clothes before padding towards the en suite bathroom.

I can afford to spend ten minutes away from football.

[Abanhfleft]

Part One
Part Two
Part Three
Part Four

Payday, Part Five

Somewhere in Trendstart

...Three days after four masked robbers went into the First National Bank of Abanhfleft's branch in Riuwiee, the manhunt for these four robbers is still in full force, and everyone is being reminded by the Fleftic National Police that these four individuals are armed and very dangerous. Witness reports from the hostages inside the bank during the heist are sketchy, but the consensus is that three of the robbers were women, and that they were being led by a man with dark skin. CCTV footage from within the bank during the heist shows that all of the robbers were wearing masks, making identification very hard in the meantime. Crime scene investigators are busy trying to search for any evidence of who these robbers were, but so far all of their efforts have proved fruitless. Ballistics are also trying to match the bullets fired during the shootout with guns that have been used in previous crimes, and while results are still expected to be far in the future, the FNP is saying that it is a step in the right direction. The FNP is almost expected by the public to not deal with these robbers lightly, as they have been responsible for the deaths of at least seven police officers, and the injuring of at least dozens more during the shootout--

"Turn it off, Lexie," Cornelius said. "I can't concentrate." Alexandra reached for the minivan's radio and turned it off. "Thanks," Cornelius told her.

It had been three days since the four of them had committed the heist. They had all known that killing would be inevitable once the police moved in on them, but that didn't make it any easier for them to deal with the circumstances. They were soldiers, after all, and they were trained to kill their enemy, not their fellow countrymen. After they broke through all the FNP checkpoints in Riuwiee, they hightailed it over to neighboring Releinthi, which was much larger than the Fleftic capital, and where they could easily blend in with the seething mass of humanity in Abanhfleft's largest city. And they did exactly just that. No one noticed when they drove into the city in a beaten-up minivan that matched the description of the getaway vehicles used by the perpetrators of the First National Bank heist. Releinthi was full of beaten-up minivans that matched the description of the perps' getaway vehicle.

Alexandra had driven her van over to her brother Justin's place, who, being a machinist's mate in the Navy, knew how to patch up a lot of things, cars included. While Justin fixed the van, Cornelius patched up Destiny's injured hand. "You're lucky I was a medic in the Army before all this," he had told her while he fixed up her left hand, which had had a trench gouged out by a lucky bullet from a policeman. After that, they had given Justin his share of the take for helping them out with the thermal drill. They then went over to Dylan and Jack's places, and gave the two men their cut, because they also helped out with the drill. Dylan did give them a warning, though.

"Y'all better get out of the country, and quick," he had told them. "You're better off escaping the crocs in the colonies."

Luckily Cornelius had considered that possibility. He had just inherited a small warehouse in Trendstart from his late colonist uncle. The warehouse was right next to a self-service gas station that was barely breaking even, and he was sure that no one would notice if he dropped by to check out the property. No one had to know that he was gonna hide a fuckton of money there.

The trip to the ass end of Trendstart had taken them two days at most. The four of them had helped each other in stashing the money, and after that they had to wait while Cornelius had to make the rounds with his relatives in the town, just because he felt like he had to do something more than just stash cash in his late uncle's place.

"All right, let's go over the game plan again, girls," Cornelius said, now that they were back in the van and driving back to Abanhfleft proper. "Nobody here takes any money from the stash, or uses it. Got that? Can't risk getting tripped up by the crocs just because somebody used a single bill from the cash we stole."

"Oh, don't worry about it, Cory," Destiny said. "We all know that. Still, my kingdom for some painkillers..."

"Yeah, yeah," Cornelius muttered. "But you know, guys, I've been thinking..."

"I'll buy you a card to commemorate the day," Alexandra said.

"Very funny, Lexie," Cornelius said. "But I'm serious, though. I counted the money before we went here to Trendstart."

"What!?" Allison said. "Why the hell would you do that?"

"Look, I'm not trying to cheat anybody out of any money," Cory defended himself. "It's just that I had this gut feeling when I saw the money. Now what I'm about to say may sound like good news to you, but it's definitely bad news for me."

"Oh, really?" Allison retorted. "I'll be the judge of that!"

"All right, here goes," Cornelius sighed. "We were supposed to get one hundred million penenks, right? Well, we actually got three hundred million penenks."

"Wait a minute, three hundred million?" Destiny chimed in. "Am I hearing you right, Cory?"

"Yeah, y'all heard me right," Cory shot back. "Three hundred million new penenks! That means someone somewhere stashed two hundred million penenks in that bank without anyone knowing. With our luck, it's probably gonna be the Ministry of State Security." The Ministry of State Security of Abanhfleft was like a combination of the American CIA and the Soviet KGB. It was the agency responsible for intelligence both within and without the Democratic Republic. It was also notorious among the common public as being a glorified secret police service. It was rumored to hold large amounts of cash within the country's banks for its black projects and stuff like that.

"Okay, Cory, you're right," Allison said. "I take it back. We're all fucked."

"Well, look at the bright side," Destiny said. "If it was indeed the MSS, then they would have found us by now already."

"Whoa," Cornelius said. "No need to be redundant, Miles."

"Oh, come on, man, what's this truck doing here?" Alexandra suddenly said. While the four of them had been talking, a large truck had moved up alongside their minivan and kept up with them, blocking Alexandra's view of the left side of the road. Lexie stuck her arm out of the window and waved it forward, indicating for the truck driver that he could overtake them. Instead, the truck slowed down, and Alexandra took the van just a hair above the speed limit to overtake the truck. "Well, fuck you too," she muttered.

"Wake me up when we get home, guys," Allison said. "I'm tired as hell."

"Yeah, I would try to sleep, too, but my hand still hurts," Destiny said. "Oh, well. I've slept through menstrual cramps before. This should be nothing."

Suddenly, something hit the minivan from behind. "What the hell!" everyone in the van shouted at the same time. Before they could even look around for what could have possibly hit them, the truck that had tried to overtake them before struck the rear of the minivan again.

"Shit!" Alexandra shouted. "Are they crazy?"

"No," Cornelius replied. "They're MSS!"

"I tried to let them pass!" Alexandra shouted again. "I tried to let them pass!"

"I think you just made them angry!" Cornelius said.

"Watch out!" Destiny shouted. "Here comes the exit ramp!"

"OOOOOHHHHHHH, SSSSSSSSHHHHHHHHIIIIIIIIITTTTTTTTTT!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

The minivan went through the rusty steel divider separating the road from the surrounding grasslands and flew for a short distance before landing on the exit ramp road. The truck struck them one more time in the rear, and the minivan spun around and ended up facing the truck. Alexandra slammed down hard on the brakes in reflex.

While the four of them were disoriented from the crash, men dressed in black jumped out of the truck and surrounded their van. "Oh, shit!" Allison said. "We're about to get kidnapped!"

"Forget kidnapping," Cornelius said. "MSS is gonna torture us!"

The kidnappers forced open the van's doors and roughly hauled the four out of the vehicle. Destiny and Allison started to scream, but the kidnappers stuck rags into their mouths. Black sacks were thrown onto their heads, and the kidnappers shoved them into the truck. MSS's reputation for torturing to get all kinds of information from their captives was legendary, even though the ministry would never officially admit it, and the only evidence of said tortures were from those Wikileakers guys. Still, it wasn't very good to think about these things.

Cornelius could only think, My God, what have we gotten ourselves into this time?

(OOC: Oh, look. Post no. 666. Fear me! )

[Brenecia]

Securing an interview with Catherine Bardsley, one day ahead of the Apox match, had been a coup for Radio 397. And the radio host, Lukas Shadwell, was starting to realise he was well over his head.
"Back on air in ten seconds," came the announcement. Lukas nodded, and mopped his brow.
"... You alright?" asked Bardsley, frowning. She looked genuinely concerned.
"Yeah yeah, 's fine," he mumbled, then swept the hair from his eyes.
"Three, two, one..."
"Aaaand we're back online with Britty and Shads, Rozelle FM, with none other than Patriots manager Catherine Bardsley sitting across us! Cathy - can I call you Cathy?"
"I prefer Kate, if we're going to be informal."
"Riiight, okay then, well... you were telling us before that this could be an iconic match for Brenecia?"
She chuckled. "Well, if we win, yes. Otherwise it mightn't last so long. Still, it's important to remember that we're only three wins away from automatic qualification..."
"'Only' three. Right."
"Well, any game's winnable. I'd back us to beat Quakmybush or Queer Poco without hesitation. If we can beat Apox, we can beat anyone. And we can beat Apox."
"What makes you so confident?" asked Lukas' co-host; the rough, abrasive Luna Britliff.
"We beat them in a friendly," Bardsley pointed out. "And that was away. Then we drew 'em away. All of our first-choice attacking players play in Apox besides, bar our captain. You don't get twelve goals in thirty matches in the Apox National League without picking up a thing or two about unlocking Apoxian defences."
"So you're looking to continue focusing on the attack..."
"Yes, as always."
"... at the cost of the defence?"
"No. Just because we look to win convincingly every match and keep to our strengths doesn't mean we have a weak defence. We're blessed with some fantastic talents going forward, and with all due respect to my squad, Faulkner is likely the only defensive name that stands out to foreign audiences. Augustine Breton too, perhaps, but he's just as useful for his deep playmaking skills as his ability to break down attacks." Bardsley leaned back. "So we play to our strengths. That's all, and it isn't a crime."
Lukas got the vague sense Bardsley's temper, normally well in check but known to be volatile, was lurking just under the surface. So he cut his co-host off quickly; "Ssso, Kate, flat-out, do you expect to qualify for the World Cup?"
"Our chances are good. They're fantastic if we win this match, but I won't set anything in stone until tomorrow night."
"Fair enough."
"Assuming we do make it?" pressed Luna. "Realistic expectations?"
"Most would probably say that they're to go down swinging, and I'd agree we'd probably have to punch above our weight to progress. Still... I have faith in this group of players." She smiled - warmly and sincerely. Really, Lukas reflected, it was a shame that smile would never get to camera. "We'll do Brenecia proud. I promise you that."

Bardsley had said a lot of things during that radio interview, and even she didn't know how much she'd believed them at the time.
She sure as hell believed them now. Brenecia scored early through Isadora Cullen, before a long period of Apoxian dominance culminated in a powerful drive by Kaj Aurora, a more than deserved equaliser. The away team had had the better of the first half, but the Patriots came back with a vengeance in the second. After several good saves from Seabrooke, the hosts - spurred on by most of a 58,000 capacity crowd - went in for the kill, and it was ultimately the unlikely figure of Fiona Berenger whose neat one-two with Cullen put her in an ideal position to smash it past Seabrooke. It was a striker's finish from the right-back, and one that lead to a ferocious midfield battle as Apox tried to get an equaliser and Brenecia tried to hammer another nail in. The combative Underwood replaced Purrington, the muscular Kilgallon helped defend the right wing.
She felt proud.
This was the culmination of everything she'd worked for. A stadium pulsing with life for a team built to play football and win, not just sit back and defend... and now, with just a couple more victories, they were going to the World Cup.
But it was those eleven players on the field, and the twelve on the bench, who'd done the work and run the yards. The sturdy but underappreciated defence, the battling and efficient midfield, the swift and flamboyant attack. Camden across to an all but unmarked Miriam Spitfire, who'd been there from the start, who shaped herself as she took a step forward to put that thunderous left foot through that ball...
As it rippled the net, Bardsley was lost in the emotion with all the rest, knee-sliding down the technical area, screaming wordlessly. This was football!

[Nephara]

THE BRINEMOUTH HERALD
CHAMPIONS OF WORLD CHANGERS FOUND OUT ON INTERNATIONAL STAGE - AGAIN
by Theodora Kenway
Oaklands: Callum; Inton (Harera 50'), Burns, Yacht, Larple; Goodge, Fife (c), Thompson (Vaclav 65'), Ramp (Stokes 45'); Cannock, Serpent
Nephara: Ballard; Kellen, Martyn, Marlowe, Stockinger; Brandon (c); Ashdown, Murdoch (Carragher 72'); Mathias; Bittencourt, Rowland
Goals: Mathias 15', Bittencourt 44', Rowland 81'

The Cormorants strolled to victory against a weak Oaklands side that seems to be on a hiding to nothing this cycle, after showing initial promise. Diandra Ballard deputised in goal, but if Jess Mortlock aimed to give the Endeavour goalkeeper more match practice, it was undermined by the Barkers' failure to strike more than a single shot on target all match.

That strike came in the ninth minute, where the outmatched Oaklands briefly managed to hold their own in the face of the visitors' pressure. Callum was forced into some good saves from Bittencourt and Murdoch, while in a rare attack, David Goodge of Poydras Town struck down the right wing before putting a decent cross for Cannock to head, but Ballard rose well for the header to claim it with ease. It took just six minutes from that point, however, for Ashdown to lay a brilliant pass for her Brinemouth teammate, Mathias, that played him past the flat-footed and ineffectual Thompson (allegedly playing in the second tier of his domestic league) into the hole between midfield and defence. Bittencourt played himself offside as the defence moved up, but fortunately Mathias saw, and after a one-two off Rowland's head laid a shot perfectly across Thomas Callum and into the net.

While a few good saves from Callum denied the Nepharim for nearly another half-hour, they couldn't hold the gates forever, and the first warning sign came as Pajukas Sport defender Aidan Martyn missed a golden opportunity to open his scoring account for the Cormorants, heading a corner against the crossbar. Still, it was another defender in leftback Catheline Stockinger who put Bittencourt unmarked and in possession on the edge of the box. He still had both centrebacks to beat, but showing his trademark technique and pace, he did so with ease before firing low under Callum for the second.

This goal came in the 44th minute, and set up a rather more sedate affair in the second half. It was helped by the Barkers being more composed at the back, and three good substitutions to bring on Stokes, Harera and Vaclav all helped to stem the tide. But Keith Rowland was yet to put his foot on the mark, and given an inch of space by Peter Burns, used it to round his man and fire high over Callum, narrowly skinning the underside of the crossbar on its way in. A great goal, one of three, and Nephara marches on to an almost certain victory against Arvenia. As Quebec won their match against Pays d'en Haut, they still hold the reins thanks to their game in hand, but with Filopines and the Saint James Islands still to play, Nephara's still in with a respectable chance of first place, and the much-cherished prospect of automatic qualification.

[Electrum]

Having heard each of the stories on how the coaches got their jobs, including an interesting yarn (or maybe not) by Archie Chapman, Risa Shigaraki excused herself from the table to go to the bathroom. Instead of going to the bathroom however, she made a beeline for her room, where she took out some presents and walked back into the private dining room.

"Look, I know it's only the first day, but I think myself and Archie owe a great deal of thanks to you Fuu-san, Kaede-san, for hosting us and for putting up with our players. I think the training sessions we both held were very successful, as well as that match with the combined teams. Truly well done." Archie was in agreement to what was being said and nodded. "So, I would like to, on behalf of Electrum Football and the guests would like to give you four bottles of our finest red wine made in the vineyards of Agri. Please accept our token of appreciation."

On a little aside, Shigaraki leaned towards Fuu-san and said, "Sorry about Mitch making a mess... I heard about it from Kaede-san. I never knew you were both a manager and a cleaner! That's just too funny." Fuu-san playfully poked Shigaraki and said, "That Mitch boy! He was the bane of my existence. Anyways, yeah it is tough work for just the two of us in charge here, but we're always happy to host. The more the merrier I say."

Kaede-san shot a quick glare at that last statement to Fuu-san, obviously still not impressed about her unexpectedly inviting three different delegations to join them at such short notice in their humble abode. Fuu-san then said, "Well, I hate to see this red go to waste. So let's have a drink! Cheers for the hard work we've done so far!"

All the coaches agreed as they poured themselves a drink. Kaede-san herself wasn't that much of a drinker, and only poured a glass out of sheer courtesy. They had a good time and all of them drank the wine sparingly. Well... maybe except Fuu-san who was dragged off by Kaede, who had sensed that Fuu had enough to drink.

---

Northcote Oval, Prescott

Milo Wilkinson stood up, sensing the feeling and tension in the air. It was five minutes to go before Electrum's match against Pine Island, yet another must win.

"Gents. I know it has been a tough ride this cycle - but this is it. We got a great opportunity to play at home before we say goodbye to our most loyal fans before our final journey in Ceni. Let's make it happen, because this time Pine Island are there to be dominated by us. It's time to prove those haters out there wrong - It's time to finally be the first to crack the playoffs - Gent's it's time and you know it. I'm not going to say a lot now, but we need to make this count. Don't worry about the other team, focus on yourself. We need to repent for our mistakes. We need to stand up for our loss against them.

Attack, do what you do best and hit them where it hurts. Teamwork guys, pass along, remember the fundamentals, exploit their mistakes. We've gone through this many times now, and I expect you to know what is needed. Defense, stay strong and - do the opposite - don't make any mistakes. You cannot be sloppy. You can not be sent off the field. You just can not. Gentlemen, we are so close now. We are so close to breaking history. These playoffs can be ours. It's up to you."

[Jeruselem]

Jeruselem coach Jayden Bella and Naked News Jeruselem's Kira Sallad ...

Kira: Hey, I heard you're selling your unit
Jayden: Yes, I need the money for a bigger place. Can't raise my kids in a small unit
Kira: Well, I'm renting. I can't afford to buy a place of my own.
Jayden: I thought you Dallas girls were rich?
Kira: Um, not me. I'm not rich.
Jayden: I thought your porn career was pretty good pay.

Kira: Well, depends on what you do. It's pretty competitive, because there's a lots of girl who might work for less.
Jayden: So that's why do you Naked News?
Kira: It's a regular income and the hours aren't weird. You have to work funny hours making movies.
Jayden: Being a football coach means you work funny hours too
Kira: And all that travel
Jayden: The travel is the killer, and it takes a bit to organise

Kira: When's the place on the market?
Jayden: Err, not yet. I haven't exactly finished work yet with this world cup.
Kira: I'll be interested. I don't like renting.
Jayden: I guess you can't really make a rental place home, because you don't own it.
KiraL Need permission to make changes, that's really annoying.
Jayden: Because you don't own it

Kira: I'm simple, just need a small place of my own. Not a big place.
Jayden: why don't you live with Mum?
Kira: Oh that, she sold her place and moved to the countryside.
Jayden: Too far out?
Kira: Yes, it's nice out there but I don't want to travel too much
Jayden: I can't give my place away

Kira: Well, I might need a loan although banks don't like people like me with my unreliable income
Jayden: I need more money for my bigger place.
Kira: I'm sure we can get something organised. I guess not yet now.
Jayden: Thats the problem being a single Mum, one income.
Kira: I guess that's why Dallas girls prefer to be married. You can dump the kids with Dad when you go overseas.
Jayden: They have aunts, grandma and other relatives you can dump the kids too.

Kira: Just say the results, we're back in 4th still and now Starblaydia are so close to 2nd place.
Jayden: Yes, I know. All we can do is win two games and hope the other three lose some.
Kira: Doesn't seem possible the others will continually lose games.
Jayden: No, I think we're in trouble but we're close in case someone trips over
Kira: You see that Jeru FC did today?
Jayden: I'm amazed they are still in the battle there

Kira: They were goners at half time
Jayden: I guess that's football. You can't give up in case someone has a bad day or two
Kira: We need our opponents to have two bad days
Jayden: We can only pray for that kind of luck
Kira: You know there's going be pressure if say Jeru FC manage to qualify on you
Jayden: Maybe it's time for a younger person to take charge.

Kira: I guess you need to a bit of dragon to manage a team of young men like that
Jayden: I wouldn't cope
Kira: Hopefully we can make the playoffs for you sake
Jayden: I don't feel so optimistic about that
Kira: You need pay rise to buy your new place
Jayden: I know, but one can pray for a miracle.

Kira: Yes, the longer the cup goes - the more extra money I earn
Jayden: I guess all of us here want that too including the players and me
Kira: Saving up for my own place.
Jayden: I did that when I was a young lady too.
Kira: Unless I marry someone really rich hey
Jayden: Good luck

[New Drakonika (Ancient)]

________________________________
|Conversation with JsnfdRvrs313|
|                              |
|You: Dude, I need to talk.    |
|Them: What about?             |
|You: I think I'm disgusting   |
|because of a certain aspect   |
|of my life...                 |
|Them: What? Tell me, or I'll  |
|cry for you day and night for |
|no apparent reason other than |
|being sad for you.            |
|You: I'm..... oh god, how do  |
|I say this? I'm a deviant.    |
|Them: Deviant? We all know    |
|that!                         |
|You: No, in the sexual way    |
|Them: Oh, what's the deviance?|
|You: I... kinda... lust for...|
|Them: Go on man, no matter    |
|what you say, you're my BFF!  |
|You: Okay, I lust for dracons.|
|Them: You got worked up for   |
|that? Man, my cousins a cross-|
|species lover, she fell in    |
|love with some Gardevoir from |
|the Sunrise Islands, chillax! |
|You: Oh thank god man!      |

[Atrua]

The Most Holy Times

Late Run Continues

It’s as if the start of the second half was a jump start for the Atruan squad in the 70th edition of the world cup. After a very slow start with the team’s first point coming in its 5th match, the second half surge continues with a lone loss to Vilita to open things being the only blemish on the team in the second half. The unbeaten streak reached five matches now with this week’s action.

In the first match, Atrua completed the home and home sweep over cellar dwelling Valientus with a 2-1 win. The surprising aspect here is that for once Gordon “the Hammer” Toren did NOT score both goals for Atrua as this time Ken Drake got the first goal of the match in minute 37 when, after a diving save by the Valientus keeper, Drake found himself with a completely open half of the net to shoot at. Shock no doubt caused him to almost overhit that 15 footer as it bounced off the underside of the crossbar into the net. After Valientus tied it in minute 50, Atrua and Toren came back with the game winner in minute 66. This result found the team a ridiculous 4 points out of third somehow and four points up on chasing Patistan.

The second match was the true shocker but Atruan home cooking came through again as they battled second place, second seeded one loss Mizuyuki to only their second draw of the tourney with a scoreless defensive duel. Some think, having clinched their spot in the qualifiers and knocking off Vilita the day before that the Mizuyuki squad may have let up some in this match being more concerned with staying healthy and this would be a trap game for them. However others argued that being only 3 points of first place Vilita going into the match they were looking for a chance to win the group and so wouldn’t be taking any breaks against lower seeded opposition. Whichever the case may be, the draw dropped Mizuyuki five points back with two matches to play and Atrua moved to within 3 points of 4th as Sandwich Territories win over Patistan put them 6 points up on Atrua and out of reach even with two wins for our team as the goal differential and head to head results both favor the folk from Sandwich. Valientus’ shocking upset of Cata Larga though keeps them only 3 points clear.

While too little too late may be the theme for this second half, it will truly be great if Atrua can pull off the max points against two potentially winnable games at this point , Patistan on the road and HAUAHUHAU at home, and finish the group stage in the top half of the group in this their first try at international play. Patience being a virtue seems to be the case here and with a potential invitation to the much more aptly named Cup of Harmony looming after this strong second half’s play, it’s our hope that the Atruan squad finishes up at the high level they’ve been at in this second half of the world cup

May the Lord bless you and yours this and every day

[Gregoryisgodistan]

Gregoryisgodistan Draws 1-1 With Wolfbenz, Eliminated from Qualifying

Gregoryisgodistan has drawn 1-1 with a feisty Wolfbenz team, which, combined with a Sargossa victory over Valladares, eliminates the Foot Slaves from World Cup Qualifying. They will still have one qualifying match left, tonight, where they will be playing for pride, but Gregoryisgodistan will not advance to World Cup 70. Their only hope is the Cup of Harmony.

After the game, Lord Almighty Gregory gave a speech saying "This performance is unacceptable. Fortunately for Horse Beater KFIU9140', his contract only runs until the end of the Cup of Harmony and World Cup, so we would not have to fire him in order to get rid of him. He will be our coach heading into the Cup of Harmony most likely, but I want to make it clear that he must at least make the semifinals, as we have done the last two Cups of Harmony, if he wants to retain his job. Otherwise, we will not renew his contract. This is not the same as being fired, meaning his brother Horse Beater LAL9120 will be safe and so will he, but he will not have a job as a coach, only as a horse beater. And it's a shame he wont be able to go to the Equestrian States and practice beating horses there. He's a horse beater and that's what horse beaters do best. Now that there's no possibility of him going to the Equestrian States and getting arrested, I can say what I want. Horse Beater KFIU9140' would have loved to go to the Equestrian States and beat the horses there, in every sense of the word. Well, not in every sense. He wouldn't play music on them. There are some horse beaters who like to beat horses like you beat drums, but Horse Beater KFIU9140' is not one of them. He's not particularly musical. He just beats horses for a living. It is a shame he won't get to go to the Equestrian States to live his life's mission for real. However, he will almost certainly get to lead his team to the Cup of Harmony in Felix or Mizuyuki, and hopefully will manage to lead them to the semifinals, finals, or even a championship. Two Cups ago, we made the semifinals of the Cup of Harmony. Last time, we made the final and lost on penalty kicks. Thankfully, the clown who missed the last penalty kick has been executed. And he was actually a clown, or at least a soccer jester, so yes, my language is justified. Anyway, this time, I hope we can lift the Cup of Harmony trophy.

"The Cup of Harmony is not just a Cup of Losers. If we win this Cup of Harmony, then the Championship Trophy will be displayed in the Gregoryisgodistan Sports Hall of Fame right along our World Cup of Hockey Trophy and our five International Baseball Slam trophies. Furthermore, we will hang a championship banner from the rafters in Lord Almighty Gregory National Stadium to commemorate this win, just as we have championship banners in our ice arena and just as we have those IBS banners at Pervert Chaser NAUSJW Ballpark. Of course, those aren't the same banners as we had at the old National Baseball Stadium before it was destroyed by Wolfopian terrorists, but we managed to make replicas. That is our baseball stadium now and it gets the banners. We do not consider the Cup of Harmony to be a second-rate tournament and will proudly display a championship banner alongside any future World Cup championship banners we may win. On the other hand, should we fail to be invited to the Cup of Harmony, we will decline to enter the Runner Cup, because that is a second-rate tournament. It is an insult to us to be playing in the Runner Cup and we would rather be playing nowhere than in the Runner Cup. That being said, I am confident we will get a Cup of Harmony invitation. We are one of the best teams in the multiverse that will not be heading to the World Cup, and our media remains very active in covering the sport, which I'm told is another factor. The fact is that we will almost certainly be heading to Felix or Mizuyuki shortly, and probably as a top seed and favorite to win the group. That would be a major change from past tournaments where we have been placed into tough groups with teams like The Archregimancy. This will be a major opportunity for us to go all the way and hoist the nice, shiny Cup of Harmony trophy and I encourage our players and our coaches to do everything within their power to make sure it happens. All of Gregoryisgodistanis watching you, fellows. Make sure you do your job."

Gregoryisgodistan's ranking will likely go down slightly following the end of qualifying due to a relatively poor performance, but with a win tonight, it will only drop about three quarters of a point. That might drop them a few spots in the rankings, but probably not enough to take them out of the seeded teams in the Cup of Harmony. Regardless, we all are rooting for Gregoryisgodistan tonight, but the real fun starts with the Cup of Harmony in a short while. Let us cheer on the Foot Slaves with all our heart, with all our soul, and with all our might, with the same passion that we love Lord Almighty Gregory.

[HopNation]

---

HopNation Sports

---

12-8-14

HDT|2014|v.342

---

---

SECOND HALF – PART 5

---

---

---

Leagues – take two

HopNation Football Federation (HFF) Leagues
Bondporter Vereinigung
Liga de Copperwies
Konföderation Dunklevine
Hefebayern Liga
HopNation Champions League (HCL)
HopNation Champions League Cup (HCLC)

Let’s continue and finish up with the HopNation Football Leagues, shall we.

Just to catch you up we have already covered Bondporter Vereinigung a league which has some rules in place so that clubs have to maintain proper facilities, they even had a few teams that got dropped from the league due to those rules. That league also had one team involved in some sketchy behavior and be removed from the league mid-season. Then we covered Liga de Copperwies, a league that hopes to expand to 20 teams someday and have a structure where lower divisions have a shot at moving up while upper divisions need to avoid the dreaded relegation line.

Next, we’re looking at covering the last two senior leagues as well as getting some details on the HopNation Champions League and it’s HopNation Champions League Cup.

Konföderation Dunklevine
The smallest of the HopNation Federation Football League is Konföderation Dunklevine and like its name suggests is located in the HopNation State of Dunklevine. This league has some heavy weights that have dominated the HCL in recent years, now granted none of them have won it recently but a club from this league has finished in the top three for the last four seasons. This includes to runners up the prior two seasons, those two seasons also saw third and fourth place being captured by the teams from this league. The league also prides itself on the development programs it has in place that feed the senior squads within the league. They try to secure talent as soon as possible and they try to give every opportunity they can to the youngsters living with in Dunklevine with many youth teams being open to anyone from around HopNation. They also focus the youngsters on different things depending on their age, which they feel helps further their development and understanding of the game. They first start the kids out with nothing but fun activities; they might not even be related to football but is rather a major introduction to sports and participating together as a functional unit. This stage starts as young as 3 and goes up to around the age of 8 or 9, sure there are a lot of football focused activities but they don’t just zone in on football and leave it at that. They allow these youngsters to develop all around athletics by letting them have as much structured fun as they can have, sort of like guided learning while allowing them to play together. Next, starting with 10 year olds and going up to 12 or 13 they enter the skill or technical portion of the development program. This is where they shift from just simply playing any fun game or activity to focusing on football and all of the technical aspects of the individual game. They focus a lot on first touch and passing as well as getting into some communication fundamentals. The youngsters still do not learn individual positions as they really only focus on individual technique. From 14 to 16 they start to focus on match and position understanding, this is where each player learns the difference between a forward and a defender, the relationship between each, and how each role develops into the team aspect of the game. Sure they know the positions well before this stage but here they really focus in on the tactical side of each position and the many formations each fits into. The next stage is where they get into competitive matches and really start to test what they have learned up to this point. This stage of competition starts at 16 and goes up to 18 or so and they enter tournaments or other competitions at this time. They have played many games prior to entering this level of development but now they are more focused on winning than just learning from the games, yes they still are learning but it is highly fixated at this point. Finally they reach the point were they will start to be taken seriously by the senior team and hopefully be signed by one of them if they have developed well through all stages. Because of this program they feel, even though they are the smallest league, they are the best league in all of HopNation.

Hefebayern Liga
The last major league in HopNation is the Hefebayern Liga. This league is not considered to be a powerhouse and has yet to produce a HCL Champion. They have had a couple teams place in the top five of the HCL, but other than that nothing to noteworthy has happened in terms of major competitions. The one great thing to come from this league is our National Team Manager, Coach Schmidt who if you recall has been around the game for rather a long time but not overly long in HopNation. If I had to pick a best team from this league it would probably have to be the Fire of York FC or perhaps the Ghilies of Guile FC. Both of those squads seem to do the best in the HCL year in and year out. They do have some new comers in the ranks that are trying to stir things up including the Dragons of Fahrer United and the Bucks of Byn FC but we’ll have to see how they fair in the upcoming season after strong finishes in their inaugural season last year (fifth and sixth respectively). The league contains 18 total teams so it is the second largest league at the moment and they have produced some good National Team players in the past, so we’ll see what they can do in the future. The league is similarly structured like that of the Dunklevine league and that it has a strong youth development program and many club academies producing top senior team players along the way. But due to their pay structure the academies are not open to all youths, which tends to stifle the true talent that could be hidden amongst some of the not so wealthy families within Hefebayern. Some top officials in the league are trying to change this but seeing as some teams in this league are hard on cash they are making little to no headway in eliminating that pay-to-play aspect of the academies.

HopNation Champions League
Lastly let’s see what the HopNation Champions League (HCL) is all about and what the HopNation Champion League Cup is. The HCL is what all senior teams strive to qualify for and in order to do so they must finish in the top four of their respective leagues. Once they do make it into the HCL they are divided into two 8 team divisions, randomly I’ll add so teams could face a league rival within their division. They will play 14 games, two legs against division mates, and then they will play each team in the opposite division once. Ultimately the teams are trying to finish atop their division so they can play for the HopNation Champions League Cup (HCLC), which the top three teams from each division will play for. The top team in each division will receive a division trophy and a nice sum of money for their club as well as receiving a first round bye in the HCLC. The HCLC has the second place team from division 1 play the third place team from division 2 (quarterfinal 1), and conversely they second place team from division 2 plays the third place team from division 1 (quarterfinal 2). The next round sees quarterfinal 1 winner taking on the first place team from division 2 (semifinal 1), while the winner of quarterfinal 2 faces the winner of division 1 (semifinal 2). Finally we’ll see the two semifinal winners face off to crown our ultimate champion. The winner gets the prestigious HCLC Trophy, a very sizable chunk of cash, and a youth academy bonus if they happen to have a youth academy. The runner up will get a conciliation award and a rather small bonus, compared to the winner’s bonus.

Well there you have it, a brief overview of the senior leagues within HopNation.

---

Match Summary
Republican National Team vs Hops @

Image not available but details here

(cap. 122,406)

Score
Holy Republican Empire 1 – 1 HopNation

Goals
12’ Pech Schytaing
90’+2 Kyle Bolton

Subs
None

Bookings
80’ █ Pheir Droimpol

Brew On! Brew Well Hoptonians!
Ringwald Griffinsmith
HopNation Sports Writer

[Barunia]

BaruniainSports.com.bu
The Number One website for Barunian Sports Fans

Best Chants of the Blue and Yellow Army (Part Two): The Heroes
Article by John DonaldsonjohnD_08@baruniainsports.com.bu

Chanting for your team is great, but theres nothing like adapting a song to work in the name of your star player. In this instalment of our favourite chants from the Blue and Yellow Army, we look at the best player related chants from this World Cup campaign.

#3

He's Forever the John Bubble
Tune: I'm forever blowing bubbles
He's forever the John Bubble,
John Bubble's in attack,
He flies so high
and in the sky,
he heads the balls
and keeper's cry.
There's no other Bubble,
I've looked everywhere
He's forever the John Bubble,
John Bubble's in attack!

A staple of many football fans' repertoires, there was no difficulty in adapting this one to suit the Barunian attacking midfielder John Bubble. Kudos to the Army however, for managing to meld the rest of the song to fit. We especially like the bit about the crying keepers.

#2

One-Man Wall
Tune: Wonder Wall by Oasis
Bainbridge,
He'll be the one to save it,
He's our one-man wall,
He's our wonder wall

It's rare to see a chant paying homage to the skills of a goalkeeper, but if any keeper deserved a chant, it would be Paul Bainbridge. We love the sheer audacity of changing "baby" to "Bainbridge". Yet it works really well, the rest of the song fits perfectly, and the overall theme suits Paul Bainbridge to a tee. Plus it sounds incredible with a whole stadium singing along. One of the best ever.

#1

Sub on Me
Tune: Let it Be by the Beatles
When I find myself in times of trouble,
Yohan Marris comes to me,
Speaking words of wisdom, sub on me
Sub on me, sub on me
Sub on me, sub on me
Whisper words of wisdom,
Sub on me, sub on me.

And when the broken hearted players
See that 37 in green
They will have their answer, sub on me
He'll make their spirits soar,
There's no doubt that he will score,
Yeah, he will be the answer, sub on me
Sub on me, sub on me
Sub on me, sub on me
Whisper words of wisdom,
Sub on me, sub on me.
He will be the answer,
Sub on me, sub on me.

One of the songs I'll still be singing after I leave the stadium. This one has actually been around for as long as Yohan Marris has played for the Suns, though it's dropped off in recent years with his promotion to starter. While occasionally Marris' name has been replaced with another player's over the years, this song really resonates with Marris and his legendary status as a super-sub.

Now back in vogue with Marris back on the bench, this song still sounds resonates with Suns fans, both old and new. When you hear this go up in a stadium, and Marris is on the bench, its a safe bet that the Suns are in need of a saviour, and the fans want their hero, the man who has saved them so many times, to provide it. As much as a request to Joric Ruskin as anything, this chant raises Marris to the status of a legend. What more could you ask from a football chant?
My favourite line? "The 37 in green". It's clever, intelligent, punchy, and it works. 10 out of 10.

[Starblaydia]

Landsberg Keeps Dream Alive
Play-off place - or more - beckons for Starblaydia

Group 10 Standings, Matchday 16

   Group 10                        Pld    GD   Pts
 1 Ko-oren                          14   +17    33
 2 Karditan                         15   +14    30
 3 Starblaydia                      14   +11    29
 4 Jeruselem                        14   +11    26

Everything is up for grabs for the four teams fighting it out at the top of Qualifying Group 10 and two teams can take the top spot. What we weren't expecting at this stage, however, is that one of them would be Starblaydia. As much as we'd hoped, the early poor form of Lena Kochanska's Starblaydi squad, with their losses to Karditan, Jeruselem and Ko-oren along with a succession of uninspiring 1-0 draws, put paid to most Starblaydi hopes of even qualifying. Since their loss to Ko-oren, however, Starblaydia are undefeated and have dropped just four points from a possible eighteen. By cutting out the overly defensive mindset, the Starblaydi forwards have been unleashed and started to knock the goals in, including a famous five in a barnstorming victory against Jeruselem and four against their next opponents, bottom-of-the-table Somstratzka.

But they wouldn't be in this position, two wins from automatically qualifying for the World Cup, without the sensational strike from Stephen Landsberg. The thirty year old collected the ball just outside the box, looked up, and proceeded to chip the Reibijan 'keeper with an exquisite shot that dipped just under the bar, just inside the far post. It was a match that Starblaydia, like most of their games in the second half of Qualifying, dominated from the outset, but just couldn't seem to find their way through a dogged and well-organised defence. Reibija had set their stall out to pray for a 0-0 from the moment of the first whistle and, if it hadn't been for Landsberg's sixty-sixth minute inspiration, Starblaydia would be looking up at quite a different table.

As it stands, though, they can still win the group. Against all reason, rank and recent history, Starblaydia are in with a more than decent chance. Sure, they have to overcome Somstratzka, but they sit at the bottom of the table without a win to their name, while Starblaydia are aiming for World Cup 70 and are right on Ko-oren's heels for the right to go directly there.

[Greater Watford]

Rivalries in Greater Watford Part 2

5. Green Derby Leavesden Rovers FC-Leverstock Green Rovers FC
Leverstock Green Rovers FC and Leavesden Rovers FC have shared a long-standing rivalry due to their proximity on the East Coast. Whilst Cassio and Cassiobury are between the 2 cities, both Leavesden Rovers FC and Leverstock Green Rovers FC were members of the GWNFA Super League for a long time, with Leverstock Green Rovers FC one of the first expansion teams. Furthermore, they have often been close in performance, meaning that the fans see each other as rivals.

The Green Derby is something of a misnomer up until recently, due to the GWNFA’s kit rules, netiehr team played in green home shirts for the whole of the GWNFA era. Now, in the GWFA era, green and white are the colours of both sides. On matchdays, a sea of green can be seen in the crowd, along with passionate chants, as both sets of players look to get the upper hand on their rivals. A rivalry that can sometimes flare up on the pitch, but is calmer off the pitch. At the moment, with Leavesden Rovers FC winning 2 league titles in a row, it is becoming a little more one sided.

4. Hornets-Saints Derby Watford FC-St Albans City FC
One of the 3 “Big 3” rivalries, the Hornets-Saints rivalry is unsurprisingly played between Watford FC and St Albans FC. These 2 sides have a lot of history, from way back in the Tri Series to the modern day. It has even gone international, both sides claiming a victory in the International FireStorm Cup. To beat the other side means a lot for either side, although it has to be said that beating the third of the Big 3, Hemel Hempstead, is considered a better achievement.

Geographically, it’s a tough derby as well. On opposite corners of the nation, long away trips are considered the norm. Driving all the way across and up the country can be tiring, despite the spirit of the thousands of away fans. In recent years, the teams have begun to fly out to the games, to try and avoid tiredness from the long journey. Nevertheless, in terms of atmosphere, only a few derbies can beat this.

3. Second City Derby Hemel Hempstead FC-St Albans City FC
Hemel Hempstead and St Albans are both rival cities to Watford, the capital. This is where the origin “Second City” comes from. Sometimes known as the M2 Derby, due to the M2 connecting both cities, this is a tough fought match. A match that for many years in the GWNFA was fought at the top end of the table, many times being crucial to deciding the champions. Again, this game has history stemming all the way back from the Tri Series, so it is an integral part of any football fans season.

Many fans from outside of Greater Watford may be bemused to see these teams as such rivals. Some question whether their united dislike of Watford FC should unite them. It is far from the case, and their dislike of Watford FC is just about the only thing they agree on. Both cities have deeply different cultures, St Albans famous for its arts and creativity, and more recently commercialism, whereas Hemel Hempstead was an old fashioned industrial city, until it developed its own banking quarter. With huge away followings for these matches, the rivalry is intense, and both sides know that they can’t afford to lose.

2. Hornets-Reds Derby Watford FC-Hemel Hempstead FC
Watford FC and Hemel Hempstead FC was the very first match ever played. Since 89BU, a long standing rivalry has existed. First, in the Tri Series, then in the GWNFA Super League, and now in the GWFA Super League, these 2 sides have always been at the top, fighting between each other. The fiercely passionate supporters want nothing more than to beat each other when they face off. It’s one of the few rivalries that has almost spilled over into violence between spectators, although thankfully such incidents are rare.

On the pitch, this match can be a brutal encounter, and red cards are not uncommon. As recently as a few years ago, a large fight broke out when Ryan Warthon elbowed Milo Gregory. This feud almost tore apart sections of the national team, and some cynical Watford FC fans feel it’s the fault of Warthon that Milo Greogry left the club and moved abroad. Other incidents have tainted games between the clubs, but at the same time, great memories have also come from this game. For foreign fans, a match between these 2 sides at Hornet’s Nest or Highland Road is a spectacle to behold.

1. Langley Derby - Abbots Langley FC-Kings Langley FC
The most intense rivalry in Greater Watford exists between these 2 sides. Abbots Langley and Kings Langley used to be 2 cities united under the name Langleybury. Their split in 72BU proved to raise some tensions between the 2 cities. As founding members of the GWNFA, this rivalry expanded onto the pitch, with some tough games. Kings Langley FC’s only league title in 35BU was matched by Abbots Langley FC’s league title in 33BU.

The rivalry came to a head in 28BU, when Robby Henderson upset Kings Langley FC fans. In the return fixture, the fans, aided by some pre-game booze, triggered a full-blown fight, tearing up one of the stands, damaging the pitch, and causing the GWNFA to make sweeping changes in its way of handling rivalries. Since then, the game has been played with a heavy police presence. On the pitch, it is a brutal game, not helped by Kings Langley FC having a reputation for being a tough team at the best of times. It speaks volumes of the rivalry, that no player even dare consider trying to play for one of the other sides.

[Red Blackiland]

Ultras Chronicles Blog

Roster Apresentation

Article 1

Article 2

Article 3

Article 4

Article 4.5

Article 5

Article 6

Article 7

Article 7.5

Article 8

Article 8.5

Article 9

Article 10

Article 11

Article 12

Article 13

Article 14

Article 15

Article 16

Article 17

---

Summary - Article 18
- The one of two last games : the game vs. Sameba!
- About Fidelity
- Poem of the day : The act
- Modern Fables II - The boy who cried ''WOLF!''

---

Article 18 : D-Days : The first day

Decision atmosphere in the game against Lymantatia

---

The one of two last games : the game vs. Sameba!

Red-Black fans : vs. Lymantatia game

---

The team has good memories of the last game against Sameba, the great and invigorating 3-1 win in the first round of qualifying to be the key to the pretense and team goals again, this second half.A victory will be crucial to the last round the final decision against Semarland team to tell if the team will have means of qualifying for the World Cup, and with playoff or directly, even though remote chances for directly.
  We will play in a cramped field and not very big, with a median crowd, we do not have much information, the local press of Sameba does not reveal many details except those that you can see in video-conference.
  The coaching staff uses these videos for better technical and tactical analysis that is one of the functions of modern technical software that some teams around the world, and even the team of Red Blackiland has used and is one of the things that is helping the team to do a beautiful campaign in the qualifiers making it possible for fans to dream of a place in the World Cup, who knows?
  Are estimated 2,000 fans of Red Blackiland in the visitor section fans in Sameba, which will go to the stadium in a march with the team bus, all together going to the stadium to give the ultimate incentive for the team in this great game, where we expect a win and a beautiful position in the group before the last fixture.Can the 'Dark Lions' complete one more mission? The pitch is ours, Red-Black !!

---

About Fidelity

Who does not love betrays. Man is man is faithful. It may have three wives lifelong four dated simultaneously. You can change religion, cursing the priest, hit the pastor, harm the rabbi. You can change neighborhood. You can choose another brand of beer and drink gallons of it in a pub. Just can not change your team.
Citizen trading team is bad character. Has no respect for the most striking thing about the early days of his childhood. Change team is as dishonoring parents. It is offending the very Almighty God. Do not change team, under any circumstances, even under torture. Not that the old squad is demoted to Serie D. Or to lose 7 x 0 pro biggest rival. You have every right to have the technical anger, the players, the president, whoever it is. But can never change team. Unless you're a bastard, bastard and without morals.
To love a club is to walk beside him for a lifetime. Crossing earthquakes, tsunamis and hailstorms. Battling financial crisis, corrupt leaders and taunting defeats. Who does not suffer in times of sorrow, has no right to celebrate the moments of glory. After all, true fans know it: he who loves not betray.This written from a skeptical fan and much more '' cold ''.

---

Poem of the day : The act

Were shaky, nervous, breathless
Sweating, Moaning, Louding
You looked deep into my eyes
As if you tried to read the future
Through the desperate comfort I pretended to pass you

Pressing my hands
Scratching my arms
Biting my shoulders
As if you could understand the suffering
I left not disclose the smell of my skin

I tried to hold you
In vain I covered your mouth
Until explodiste ecstatic
A joy translated into joy
A pleasure for both indecipherable

It was magical, unique, unforgettable
A moment that transcend eternity itself
But promise me, love
Never, ever, at any time
Go back to celebrate a goal of our team
In the middle of opposing fans

---

Modern Fables II - The boy who cried ''WOLF!'' (SOCCER)

Beto Marola began playing football in the beaches of the south of the country.Son of fishermen, in its conception, through the sport a unique chance for social ascention. Life at sea was difficult and work full of competitors, since old age or away from remember the golden days when the farms were generating wealth and power, which meant that more and more people leave the field and ventured on ships out to sea in search of sustenance.
The talent of Beto with the ball at his feet caught the attention of professional clubs of the capital and soon the boy had a chance to take a test. One problem, however, had to be overcome by it, and not a few who advised. Marola had a nasty habit of simulating faults and his reputation as a bandeau was end to end known.
Coming to The Strip, traditional club of the state of The Strip, Beto Marola was approved in the tests and it was not to get his chance in the first team. The old habit, however, did not abandon him, and he, whenever he had the opportunity, simulated faults and abused the pretense. Both made the team coach called for a private conversation.
'' Boy, you know the story of the boy who cried wolf? When night fell, he cried, telling people of his village that a wolf was among them. The excitement was huge, until they realized that there was no wolf. But he did not care and repeated the joke every night. Over time, people found out that was a lie and have stopped looking for the wolf. Until a dark winter night, a hungry wolf came and saw the boy. He screamed, shouted and roared desperate. But no one in the village cared. The wolf then, fierce and hungry, devoured the boy, who paid for so many lies he had told. '
'' Good story, but what I got out of it? Here in Bahia has no wolf - said Beto Marola, with a mocking grin on his face. '
'' Yes, no wolf. But if you keep pretending that receives faults when receiving, really, no one will believe. '
Marola did not care much for the history of the old coach and continued his work on the team. As it was very skilled and had a natural talent for dribbling, he started throughout the Nacional.A Championship fame bandeau, however, never left him, and the referees knew that Bob was able to simulate a penalty, even if could afford to continue standing and make a goal.
Now is the day of the great end of the season, and the Avenidão stadium was packed to the classic between The Strip and Ferentásctvaros.O game was still 0-0, a result which gave the title to the strip when, 45 minutes from time, Beto Marola invaded the area and took a strong defender kick in the ankle. The pain was such that Beto fell at the time, rolling on the field, with his hand on the wound site. The referee did not believe Marola and did not score penalty. The game ended 0-0 and the Ferentásctvaros lost the title chances.
The Beto revolt was immense, but he did not find support in any of his teammates, who also found that he had simulated even seeing the swollen ankle pretender. The old coach looked at Marola with disapproval nor fanatical fans of Ferentásctvaros cursed the judge.
Disappointed, Beto Marola abandoned football and turned fisherman in Outer Bigtopia.Nunca seen again. Some say he died eaten by a shark, after several false alarms the boat radio. The day no one came to his aid, the shark appeared and dined the liar.

[Ko-oren]

The Dragonflies took their places in the stadium where they were just about to kick off against Karditan. A progress report that was awfully moderate, not positive and not negative, did not faze any player enough: the Ko-orenite press seemed to have no bigger hobby than to dissect all the little things that happen during the training and during all the games. At least the Ko-orenite press did not discover writing about all the nonsense that happens in private lives yet. Anyhow, the progress report might as well not have existed: it was a little bit negative about players, and it was a little bit positive about the team's chances, all while the Dragonflies were just 90 minutes away from securing a playoff spot. And it angered nobody more than Erik Koning, who took his seat in the dugout for the fifth time this qualifying campaign, but he already felt like... a king (OOC: you'll find Koning translates to King...). He fought off Rilasthaunden who was the one leading Ko-oren to the World Cup in the first place, and now it was his team that the press was not being positive about. Wasn't it him who told the players to revolt? Wasn't it him who finally gave some autonomy to the players, and wasn't it him to appointed all the good coaches in the right places and wasn't it him, Erik Koning, who was completely responsible for Ko-oren yet again occupying the first place in a tough group in the World Cup qualification phase?

A cameraman walked by, and Erik made sure to smugly grin at the camera. That'll make him look good for the folks at home, as well as for the bigwigs in the stadium and right after the cameraman walked past, he glanced upwards to the stadium screens to catch a glimpse of his confident smile. The referee blew his whistle, Chuluun and Wakefield kicked off, and the game was under way. He put Chuluun back in the starting 11, he was sick of Leroux in there, who got just a little too confident to his taste. Wakefield was never gone from the starting 11, but she wasn't as rebellious as most of her team mates, so she was in. He never dared take Eregrent out: the backlash of taking out Ko-oren's second best attacking player in recent history was something Erik didn't even dare to do. The rest of the midfield was fair game though, and today Bagaurunir played with Nascimento in a physical defensive midfield. There would be fouls today, but hopefully no reds. And in defence, as was almost a given, self-proclaimed captain Davenport played with just-a-little-bit-too-talented Juliasterinthen and the slow Ólafursson. Van der Heijden, Aoki and Enshadilsa completed the lineup.

Just fifteen minutes in, Chuluun missed a sitter, and Erik vowed to take her out as soon as the referee would blew his whistle for half time. That was thirty minutes away though, and the head coach managed to calm himself and waited for the second big mistake and he'd decide later who he would sub out after 45 minutes. This would be Ólafursson, who let his man walk away and almost surprise Enshadilsa. The latter's golden reflexes saved the Greenblues today, again. Ólafursson though, he wouldn't complain loudly if substituted. Yes, Erik said to himself, he'll make a good scapegoat this game. With just three yellow cards for the Greenblues (who taught themselves to treat every chance as the last one they'd get, in order to not be subbed out whenever the coach felt like it, at the cost of bookings), the team made it to the second half without too many problems. The head coach threw a fit, then took out Chuluun for Leroux anyway, and left Ólafursson for the 60th minute sub.

His assistant coach Yekaterina Nikitn ('no, she's in charge of offence, she's not an assistant, she can't replace me' as Erik said during a recent press conference) then told him off for the move, but he told her to shut up and enjoy the game. Meanwhile Guillaume Riou, the defence coach, walked over to the sidelines to shout some Koning-approved tactics to the back line ("Don't let them get behind you!"), and the 60th minute was rapidly approaching. He told Shi Zhang to run a bit, 'do whatever you do to get ready, I dunno' to sub him in for Ólafursson. But something else happened before that could occur. Ólafursson had a flash of brilliance, hooved (as they were playing in Karditan of course) the ball forward and Wakefield scored her third of the qualifying campaign. Erik Koning cursed internally, then celebrated the goal, told Zhang to sit back down as he contemplated who to sub out. Juliasterinthen would be a death sentence: he's just too good. Davenport is the only remaining option as far as centralbacks were concerned, so she had to get off the pitch before the Karditan players got the ball back into play.

His last deed for the day was getting Ólafursson out anyway, for Min, who wasn't really a centreback, or even up to the job of guarding the tough Karditan strikers, but she was the only option. Five minutes remained, and it looked like Erik Koning would make it through the day with a win, and even if Karditan scored, a tie which was more than anyone bargained for for the away game at Karditan anyway. But Nascimento brought the ball over to the Karditan goal himself, utilising his phenomenal stamina (something the Karditan players also had enough of... but not the players that Nascimento encountered), then missed the chance. Out of subs, Koning had no chance but to let him stay on for the rest of the game, but the rebound found Eregrent, who didn't hesitate and slotted home the 2-0. "That's a job well done, they know I'm the coach this team needs", Erik thought, and then waited impatiently for the final whistle. But that didn't happen before he was sent to the stands for yelling at the referees too much, but it wasn't his fault that they let the game run on for 96 minutes instead of the indicated 94, even if Eregrent was taken down in frustration by one of the Karditan midfielders, and the medical staff came onto the pitch briefly. Loudly cursing he slowly walked to the stands, and after 98 minutes (the referees waiting for the Karditan team to score 2, no doubt, thought the head coach), the final whistle finally sounded.