World Cup LXXV - AK75 - The RP Thread

by **Savalen** » Mon Jun 27, 2016 12:59 pm

Social unrest is rare in Savalen- it's small and genrally happy populace is pretty much always calm and composed. But there is one place that seems to ring with the sounds of fight, of pride and of strength. And that place is Røros Dome. Røros is a mining city that is surprising going strong in such a hyper-developed nation. It is the engine, heavy work and togetherness all rolled into one in a small city of just 150,000 people, where during the week, niceties between friends, family and strangers are all commonplace. But come the weekend, more specifically 3pm on a Saturday, which is by law the kick off time for teams playing at The Dome. Here the Røros dragon rears its head and spurts fire, bares teeth and squishes their opponents with their teeth. This is that corner of Savalen where all of the unlawdul things go, in one place, in one small pocket, where it can be contained and protected from the outside world, even if it goes looking for it.

But then things change. A national match moved because of the floods which have covered Savalen to a small hilly region, where 30,000 or so fans will be hoping to see their team qualify in a hypercharged atmosphere, even more than an average division one match. What could go wrong?

[hr]
Somewhere far, far away
A happy lynx is a fed lynx. A good stomach goes a long way - it keeps you alive, fit, alert and friendly. The male lynx plodded out from the forest, paws barely makinga sound as he carefully and quietly stepped over the newly-sprouted grass. Spring was always late in Savalen and it was completely sudden as usual. The snow was here one day and the next it was gone, which meant that all the wildlife came out to enjoy the warming weather under the northern sun.

But there is a problem. The small blue and wet in Summer, Autumn and Winter turns into big white wet as is flows down from the large grey, which stand tall and proud on the horizon. The cold white melts into the big white wet when the yellow hot in the sky appears. And the prey hides and the lynx cannot find his food, his prey, his energy. A happy lynx is a fed lynx, but an angry lynx is a hungry lynx. Here they don't stop at anything. Beware, tall animal on two legs. Be a very weary ~~bear~~ human.

by **Chromatika** » Mon Jun 27, 2016 1:59 pm

Prelude, Book I Part I Part II Part III Part IV Part V Part VI Interlude Part VII Part VIII Part IX Part X Part XI

The Rainbow Revolution
Book I: The Sparks
Part XII: The Anomaly I

"It's in the anomalies that nature reveals its secrets" - Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe

Urrheddiao. A port city located in the southeast corner of the main island of Chromatika, both a major fishing port as well as an important business heartland. And now, the site for one of the most important meetings to be ever held in Chromatika concerning the Chromatik Party and the future of the nation... to be held in a small produce store called Igsi's Produce.

Brigadier General Sergio Cavani flew in, the Red Enclave fresh on his mind, wondering if the mysterious Dark Queen would indeed answer the myriad of questions he had about both what the government was up to and what the opposition was planning to do. Real Admiral Penelope Mier flew in, Kuro and her past in her mind, wondering how she could banish the demons of her past. Igsi de Or came to his store, having had a week in the mysterious company, learned a few things that a Green should never get to learn, and looking forward to passing it down the pipeline of the Urrheddiao ROYG secret learning community. Alina Krasnikova came, knowing this would be one of the most important days of her career, and also of the existence of the Shadow Writers. Kéirâ Andìsorì came, having received Lisa Amos's blessing to come as the Messager de la Paix to the meeting. She had had a bunch of her people scout the place and make sure that the meeting would not be recorded in any way and asked for all of her guests to come dressed in common garb; it would seem like they were just some passersby doing their everyday shopping. General Cavani and Admiral Mier had actually shed their entourage for this meeting, citing a need for personal time.

It was time to unveil the plan.

A timely strike by Meagan Kelly, the first goal of the cycle scored by a midfielder for the Anomalies, handed the Chromatiks a 1-0 lead over Saarbia in the first leg of their Playoffs tie; now, they only need to draw or win away at Saarbia to secure the win. If they lose 0-1, it will go to extra time; any other score of losing by one goal will give the Anomalies the win due to away goals.

The defense of the Chromatiks was solid, and will be heavily leaned on in the return fixture. They are one game away from making it to the World Cup Proper and continue defying the norm that is being put on them by the government.

by **Bonesea** » Mon Jun 27, 2016 2:10 pm

by **Gregoryisgodistan** » Mon Jun 27, 2016 3:07 pm

Lord Almighty Gregory's Speech to the People

"Good evening, ladies, gentlemen, and slaves. I speak to you today of events in a most wicked nation, a nation known as Bonesea. This Bonkers Bonesea nation has dared to insult my holy name, with not one but seven false names given to me, including "Greggoryistubbystan" and several far more insulting ones that I will not repeat. Furthermore, the Bonkers have somehow, by some black magic, managed to bring a deceased Gruelmaker goalkeeper back to life after we had him executed for his sins. They dare blaspheme my Holy Name and they dare use black magic to bring heathen fools back to life. These are serious crimes committed by Bonesea. Worst of all, they have a name that sounds like Britonisea, an Enemy List nation, so they're obviously one of Britonisea's little friends and probably secretly the same nation. Britonisea, we don't believe Grand Britonish Kingdom is really a separate nation, and we don't believe Bonesea is either. (OOC: All allegations that Bonesea and Britonisea are the same are IC only. GBK is a confirmed and declared puppet of Britonisea.)

"Therefore, the Bonkers of Bonesea will be added to the Enemy List, effective immediately. This means that the killing of their heathen citizens is legal in Gregoryisgodistan and the killer will get one billion greggygodbucks. Naturally, their soccer team is exempt, but any fans are not. To be fair to them, since they may already be in transit, upon arriving in Gregoryisgodistan for tonight's playoff, they will be informed of the Enemy List addition and given the option to be returned to Bonesea without threat, or to go through customs and immigration and enter Gregoryisgodistan, at which point they are subject to being killed by our glorious heroes.

"But, most importantly, I am putting a ten trillion dollar bounty on the head of Gruelmaker Whatever. Any citizen who captures him, dead or alive, in any country, will receive that prize. If he is captured alive, he will be executed via the Brownie Cutter of Death, again. If he is killed, his body will be sliced with the Brownie Cutter of Death anyway. Afterwards, the chopped up pieces will be set ablaze with a flamethrower and left to burn for all to see what happens to those who defy me.

"And, most importantly of all, our beloved Foot Slaves will beat Bonesea tonight, and they will qualify for the World Cup. And then, we will win the World Cup. We will win every World Cup ever to be played, and show the world the Awesome Power of the Lord. I am the Lord, and you will call me Lord Almighty Gregory and you will call Gregoryisgodistan Gregoryisgodistan and not some heathen name that you give it because you are a heathen. Bonesea must pay for insulting our nation and my Holy Name, and indeed they have. They are now on the Enemy List.

"Death to Bonesea! Death to Bonesea! Say it with me, this time! Death to Bonesea! Secret spy cameras are watching, I'll know if you say it with me, and if you don't, you'll be executed too! Death to Bonesea! Death to Bonesea! Death to Bonesea! Thank you for joining me in that moment of hate.

"And, by the way, Shirley Phelps-Roper, your country of Associated Godlands has been marked for destruction and we will soon be nuking it into oblivion. I would love to do the same to Dumpy O'Rumpy's Free Republics, but may or may not have that opportunity. But surely, Shirley's land will be destroyed. Her players will be spared while at the World Cup, but we will look to extradite Shirley for crimes against humanity and "Jesus" for impersonating God. They will both be executed via the Brownie Cutter of Death if they are sent to Gregoryisgodistan. I hear several other countries, including our enemy Valladares, want to extradite Shirley as well. We will not invade them to get her back, as long as she is adequately punished and not rewarded or something. But we do want her sent here so she can pay with her life. Then she, like Gruelmaker of Bonesea, will be sent to the Land of Eternal Punishment, where all sinners go after they die. They will be slowly and repeated sliced with the Brownie Cutter of Death for all eternity, breaking up, getting put back together, and immediately, slowly, gruesomely being sliced up again. Do not sin or you will be sent to the Land of Eternal Punishment for all eternity, for I am the Lord Your God!

"Good night, and Go Foot Slaves!"

by **Ethane** » Mon Jun 27, 2016 3:59 pm

Earth's Death

The day everything died, it was a sad solemn day,
The shadows took over, and the world turned grey,
A world so beautiful, the sun an orange ball
was gone. Just death. Nothing left at all.

Grey clouds scattered everywhere ashen rain,
The world, bare, the grass gone, all plain,
The buildings derelict, the history faded away,
For human devastation, the world has to pay.

Once a home for many a kind,
Glory and beauty. But now all you can find
is the scattered bricks from ages gone by,
Grey from the ashes, deep down the earth cries.

Garden of Eden was the promise of the Earth,
But Satan appeared as a snake, that was human's curse,
They left into desert, dry horrid sun,
Human's created weapons, knives and guns.

But before long, it happened, the Earth destroyed,
With the Earth for too long had the human's toyed,
Now all that was left, rubble and burnt skies,
And remains the planets, crying for their brother, above they fly.

A Journey to Escape - Part 1 (follow on)

Outside, the streetlights lit up the road. It was dark, pitch black in fact, and the whole world was sleeping - or so it seemed.
A man walked up to a red door, not that the colour was that visible in the lighting, and turned the key and opened the door and walked inside and then walked upstairs to where her son was asleep. Innocent and cute. The boy stirred in his sleep, disturbed by the presence in the room.

Daddy? he said, opening his eyes.
I'm here.
I know.

He sat up, moving into his father's arms, who sat on the edge of his bed.

Do you love me? the man asked.
Yes, Daddy, why? the boy replied.
I did something bad.
What did you do?
It doesn't matter.
Okay.
I have to go though.
Why can't you stay?
Because if I stay, I'll get into trouble.
Can I come with you?
It'll be dangerous.
I know.
Okay.
Okay what?
You can come with me?
Thank you Daddy.
That's okay.
When do we leave?
Now. Pack your things.
Okay.

The man and his boy packed their belongings into a bag - only taking what they could carry, and set off out the door. They had a long journey ahead of them to escape trouble, and it would not be easy. They stepped out of the house into the desolate street and strolled down the street towards the bus, where they waited for a bus.

They took the first bus that arrived.

''Where are you heading for?'' the bus driver asked.
We're heading for Loweshire, the man said.
''That'll be £5.00 for the both of you'' the bus driver responded, holding out his hand to collect the money.

The man took the money out of his pocket and handed it over, exchanging it for 2 white tickets, scrawled with the information about their destination. He grabbed the boys hand, and pulled him on to the bus, sitting on the seats just next to the door. The doors closed on the bus, and the bus pulled out of the stop, heading towards their destination, the whine of the engine like a screaming child beckoning for their mother. The boy rested his head on his father's shoulder.

Why did mummy disappear?
She didnt love me no more, the man replied.
Why not?
I don't know, son.

He drifted off on the mans shoulder, tired from being woken up in the darkness of the night.

-----------------

The Loweshire Times

POLITICIAN MURDERED: SUSPECT ON THE RUN

In a deadly state of affairs, late last night, a politician from the Green Socialist Party was murdered in West Lowes. The exact member is not to be revealed at this stage, and more details will be released later.

A witness to the crime scene, a friend, who was walking them home from school, witnessed the crime scene, and was unable to save her, due to the gunman wielding a knife at him. It is reported by him that the murderer shouted ''For Lord Almighty Gregory'' when he was killing the politician, who has been involved with some form of conflict with Gregoryisgodistan.

It is understood that the man in question is on the run, although the exact identity is unknown, but it is understood that a man and a child were seen heading towards the bus stop to head towards the countryside in the north of the island, carrying a lot of stuff, and is understood that it is the man with the child that is responsible for the death of the politician. Keep updated for further news.

''We can hope and dream''

It has not been long since the Ethanian team last played Banguela, having been drawn in the same group as them in the world cup prior to this. It is no coincidence that the two have been drawn against each other in the playoffs yet again, and this makes for an interesting game.

The team is certainly very different from the one that took only a point in the last world cup cycle, drawing at home and losing away to Banguela in the last world cup, but the mentality is by no means a different one - the team aims to get out there and play their best.

A far stretch from the ultra-defensive 5-3-2 formation that was played throughout last cycle, with a -5 modifier, the team now follows a very different 4-1-2-1-2 formation, with 3 strikers, and a -2 formation. The new pool of players that have been able to be picked, including the majestic play of Thomas Peone, and the youthful bundle of energy in Samuel Mitchell has allowed Ethane to adapt and change the way that the team plays, to increase the chances of the team.

Dewayne Boivin remains a pivotal player in the squad though, and perhaps still the most feared by other teams, for his prolific goal scoring record. With the new formation, his attack just proves an even more deadly force for reason, and brings with it a punch on goal - something that was lacking in the predominantly defensive lineup that haunted a whole cycle of Ethanian football.

Banguela remains a much less threatening prospect for the team after the successes they have had, and while the Banguelans do have a world cup last 32 under their belts already, they are beatable, as shown in the first match against them.

Having beaten Banguela at home 2-1 in the first leg, the path for Ethane to the world cup remains but yet a hope, a dream, and still a shakey prospect, because Banguela is a decent side. However, with momentum behind them, and the will of the nation, the dreams of Ethanians could finally be fulfilled, and Ethane could replicate the successes of Banguela, in qualifying for their first world cup in only their second attempt. Anyone can hope and dream, but after the surprise victory on the last day against The Holy Empire, three goals to one, the team knows they can do it, and are ready to do it.

by **COCANEFA** » Mon Jun 27, 2016 4:04 pm

CUT OFF

by **The Saint James Islands** » Mon Jun 27, 2016 8:37 pm

world cup 75 qualifying: omerica 0–0 electrum (0–1 aggregate)
amid disintegrating sporting culture, miraculous home draw proves omerica’s last game

Philibiscostal — Electrum walk away with their first World Cup play-off victory against a desperate and uninspired Omerica that was lucky to even be at this stage of the competition to begin with and lucky not to concede in Philibiscostal.

gk—d’aramitz (c)
ld—mansfeld
lcd—molineaux
cd—tea
rcd—françois
rd—christophe
lm—de jöng
lcm—goddard
rcm—volkner
rm—turi
cf—konani

lemona—gk
mcgann—ld
watkins—lcd
ficker—rcd
young—rm
ramirez—lm
ingram—lcm
(c) fernando—rcm
henry—rm
fielding—cf
latham—cf

omerica
electrum
0–0
2
1
7
5
2
3
0
10
40%
12
10
2
4
5
0
0
1
60%
shots
on target
fouls
offsides
corner kicks
yellow cards
red cards
saves
possession

With Omerican clubs and governing bodies collapsing under the weight of growing corruption scandals, the nation’s state of incredulity at the national team’s progress was vindicated in the first leg in Electrum, where an ugly, desperate and hamstrung Omerica, who had lost most of their best players to retirements and boycotts and were facing the looming sword of a court-ordered dissolution upon their elimination, emerged with a one-goal deficit that looked utterly miraculous. Only the heroics of Ethan d’Aramitz could keep a thoroughly dominant home side from scoring more than once, as a defensive line the likes of which bottom-ranked teams could tear apart like wrapping tissue gave the Electrumites an absurdly large number of chances for the goals they walked away with.

Even Omericans had turned against their own national team, frustrated with a perceived lack of progress and a corruption scandal that had already taken down the national federation. Many of the few Omericans who had travelled to the Arena la Rouge were sporting Electrumite jerseys and scarves, visibly hoping that the national misery of the TAO corruption case would finally be put to rest with an elimination that Omerica had been lucky to avoid in the qualifying group stage.

“The Omerica team didn’t deserve to be here,” former Omerica fan Georges Mikäelssen told UCN Sports before the match. “Schiavonia were the better team all the way through that last qualifying match and we only got through to here on an own-goal and a penalty. No question in my mind that Electrum are more worthy of going through. They’ve fought hard for it and they have a bright future and I hope they make it.”

The home leg in Philibiscostal proved to be a more thorough humiliation for a nation whose sporting infrastructure was falling apart around them. With the home nation largely staying away and the visiting fans dominating the crowd at the Arena la Rouge, neutral observers would be forgiven for thinking Electrum had been the hosts. An immediate attack from the visitors was the first scare of the match, nearly putting Electrum up inside two minutes but for the goaltending of d’Aramitz. The resultant corner proved to be little threat, but Omerica could barely hold on to possession before the next Electrumite attack began, starting a recurring pattern that would have ordinarily sent Omericans into a riotous outrage.

Omerica’s only chance of the first half would come in the 33rd minute, when Ekeaka Konani volleyed past Derek Young and Peter Ficker, only to find his shot about six metres wide of Frances Lemona’s goal. The first booking of the match would follow soon after, when Lükas Mansfeld took down Jess Felding just outside of the box in a desperate and poorly-executed challenge. The appeals for a penalty would rightfully go unheeded by the referee, with Electrum’s resultant free kick heading off the head of captain Tyler Fernando and straight into the arms of Ethan d’Aramitz, leaving Omerica to pass the ball about for much of the rest of the half, interspersed with an occasional Electrumite interception.

The second half proved no better for Omerica, with the few home fans present booing every home team touch and cheering with the Electrumite visitors. The visitors thoroughly dominated the last forty-five minutes of the tie, scaring the Omerican players on several occasions with near-misses. Omerica, in a fit of desperation to keep the national team alive for three more matches, collected two more bookings courtesy of Jean-Marie Molineaux and Guillaume François. By the 85th minute, Ethan d’Aramitz had pulled off his tenth save of the match—compared to just one for Frances Lemona—and Electrum were looking increasingly assured of a place in the World Cup finals against a shambolic Omerican team. By the whistle, a mix of frustration and elation washed over the visitors, simultaneously disappointed that their efforts could not produce a goal and thrilled that their play-off curse had finally been shattered.

“Words cannot describe it,” Fernando told UCN Sports after the match. “What’s happening here is terrible and I feel bad for all the players, but at the same time, to break our play-off curse is incredible. I’m utterly lost for words right now.”

“We went out there and tried our best,” Ethan d’Aramitz said in a UCN interview, “but Electrum were the superior team in both legs and fully deserved to go through. It’s dark days ahead of us now, but we have to rebuild and move forward and hopefully we can try again for the next World Cup. I’m not optimistic about that, but I will try my damnedest to do whatever I can do to help us be here two years from now.”

With that, the future of Omerican sport looks completely and utterly bleak and Electrum will be disappointed to have not walked away with one goal, let alone the two or three they deserved. What happens now is anyone’s guess, but it may be a long time before Omerica returns to the world stage, if it ever happens at all.

for your reading pleasure
▶ EDITORIAL: Omerica’s national psyche has shattered in the wake of the sport scandals
▶ Fassalina Meillard elected President as Anatarea Mahana falls from grace in TAO corruption case
▶ Basketball federation ordered dissolved by Kalsden Sessions Court after match-fixing scandal
▶ Commonwealth sells off Arena la Rouge, Stadium Saint George for conversion to flats

by **Northern Sunrise Islands** » Mon Jun 27, 2016 10:08 pm

This effort to out-graph the current hosts is being presented to you by the Unified Sunrise Islands.

As the multiverse prepares for the massive World Cup event, Snowflake Games releases another add-on to one of its' most cherished titles. Fans of Pokémon League now can play as a group of... special trainers. We now present you (oh dear), the Pokémon World Cup DLC!

NOTABLE OMISSIONS DLC

Straight out of the lab, here's some additional trainers that didn't make the cut. Good thing they're still up for a mod.

This mod comes on a cheap I$ 0.75 to celebrate for the 75th World Cup and will remain under said price until the World Cup final. Have fun, kids!

楽しいスノーフレークと永遠です
- ブラジルの海岸の北部日

by **Saintland** » Tue Jun 28, 2016 5:54 am

Kingdom Moves Overnight, Again

(SP) The Kingdom of Saintland woke up this morning to discover that our nation had returned to its former location, far to the north of the Free Republics in the part of the multiverse that has now been reclassified as the Greater Republica region by the World Assembly. The SP has learned that the government of the Free Republics recently paid a pretty substantial bribe to the WA in order to remove itself from Esportiva on the official maps. However, even after the recent reclassification, our Kingdom was still located in Rushmore, where we had been for the past few years ever since we mysteriously ended up there. But, while the Kingdom slept last night, we mysteriously ended up back in our former location, as if we had never been moved to Rushmore in the first place. "Today, our Kingdom has returned to its rightful place on the map, well to the north of the Free Republics. My Government's best scientists will continue to investigate the reason behind our mysterious change of location and hopefully I will be able to provide an answer to these bizarre occurrences someday." - King Petrus XX

Our Kingdom's move back to Greater Republica diminishes the region of Rushmore's influence on the international stage and deprives the region of its reigning regional soccer champion. Already, Deputy Prime Minister Censorina Polus has promised that the Copa Rushmori trophy "will be staying in the Kingdom of Saintland forever" because "we won it fair and square and we will not relinquish it without the opportunity to defend it." Many soccer fans in the Kingdom question whether this abrupt regional move will affect the National Soccer Team's preparation for the upcoming World Cup, where they will seek to bring the World Cup trophy home and put it right next to the CR trophy and the Strongnesse Cup trophy. Many observers believe that their 1 goal to nil away victory over Nephara in the Strongnesse match back during the mid-qualifying break illustrated that the Sanctii are one of the favorites to win it all this time around.

Olympic Council removes Olympics from Ilyseum, Polus Severs Diplomatic Ties with 'Misogynistic' Parapana

(SP) The Olympic Council has announced that the city of Ilysea, Ilyseum will no longer be permitted to host the Games of the XI Olympiad after the Ilysea Olympic Organizing Committee missed a deadline for sending in a mandatory progress report to the Olympic Council by thirty seconds. The Olympic Council's Executive Committee, who were weary about permitting the untested city to host an Olympic Games, decided to move the Games to Paripana instead. The first move of the new host was to controversially cancel several demonstration events, most notably women's baseball. This move was quickly denounced as misogynistic by Deputy Prime Minister Censorina Polus as Feministvs Sanctvsterra rammed through, with support from Veritas MPs, a measure to sever all diplomatic ties with the new host nation of the Olympic Games and statutorily prohibit the Kingdom of Saintland from entering any future Olympic Games. "Now that the Olympic Council has shown that their professed commitment to gender equality is nothing more than a farce and that they are indeed the Backward Games, as the Cassadagan press famously said, I have taken the initiative to pass legislation prohibiting Saintland from entering the Backward Games ever again. I have also passed legislation stripping Paripana of all diplomatic recognition and expressing support for the international boycott of the so-called 'Games of the XI Olympiad' that Paripana is hosting. Parliament will not tolerate misogyny as long as I am the Deputy Prime Minister." - Censorina Polus

The announcement of a Sanctii boycott of the now-relocated Olympics comes on the heels of announcements by the governments of Falatulu and Ilyseum that both nations will be suing the Olympic Council over the removal of the Olympic hosting rights from Ilyseum on a technicality and boycotting any Olympic Games that is not held in Ilyseum. Ilyseum has also announced that they will instead by hosting the I Olympia Games, a smaller version of the planned festival focused on events of interest to the host. The government of Falatulu has already expressed their intent to enter the I Olympia Games and our sources indicate that our own government is seriously considering doing so as well.

Free Republics Announces 'Connection' with Taxachusetts

(SP) Taxachusetts is now, once again, part of the Federation of Free Republics. Today, Republican Consul Kaleb O'Reilly made a rare appearance on international television to announce the historic change, which expands the territory of the Free Republics even further. "Today, we are on the cusp of a New Era for on this historic day, I have taken the next step toward Making Republica Ever Greater. Today, it is my privilege to announce that the Connection will be taking place and that Taxachusetts will once again be part of the Free Republics. Yes, I keep Making Republica Ever Greater. As a result of the Connection taking place, the people of Taxachusetts now have real hope for the future once again as I will do everything in my power to Make Taxachusetts Great Again, just as I have made the rest of the Free Republics Great Again and as I will, one day, Make the Entire Multiverse Great Again." - Kaleb O'Reilly

While Consul O'Reilly's statements could be construed as a threat, intelligence experts suggest that he is uninterested in waging war or in trying to expand the Free Republics beyond its traditional boundaries. Experts also suggest that he is completely uninterested in reclaiming Falatulu, which he reportedly regarded as an endless source of trouble for his regime to begin with. Therefore, everybody should rest assured that the peace of the "Greater Republica" region is secure and that the Republicans have no desire whatsoever to engage in military aggression against their neighbors. King Petrus XX, Prime Minister Tuccius and Deputy Prime Minister Polus declined our requests for a comment on the events taking place in Taxachusetts.

by **Ko-oren** » Tue Jun 28, 2016 11:26 am

Games of the Union: Day 18

Ice hockey: Thaulandi v Nine Sisters
It's Friday 6 PM, and the first of the 15 finals starts. 3x20 minutes to go before we know the first champions of the weekend, and the team will help their nation in the overall medal table too. This part of the Games feels strangely different from the rest of the events. We're back to the familiar sports that are played throughout the year, that are played by different teams, dividing nations, cities, neighborhoods, families. Ice hockey is maybe not a sport you'd expect at the Games that have so far featured only summer sports. But no doubt this final will captivate millions. Thaulandians, Nonosororitans, but also Ko-orenites, Zakhozani and other ice hockey enthusiasts. Maybe some Dendronesians tune in to see what the sport is about, being from a nation that has never seen a temperature drop below 0.

Ryan Evans opens the score for Thaulandi. The Marinwood Oilers centre extends an uncontested slapshot down the middle and the crowd in the Renee Delacroix Stadium (technically not in Aminey) goes wild. The rest of the first period is summarised by a lot of unnecessary fouls and violence. While this isn't uncommon for the sport, it certainly is frowned upon in the Unionite game. From the resulting powerplays, no team manages to score as for most of it it was 5v5. We would have to wait until the second period for a goal: veteran Takumi Tachibana fires one from far away, but it hits nobody but the goalie's glove as it heads for the top corner: 1-1.

The third period would be when everybody goes nuts: Koen van de Borre scores two with 19:30 and 15:49 on the clock for a 3-1 lead for the Nine Sisters. Ryan Evans scores one to reduce the Nonosororitan lead to 3-2. Some amazing individual skill versus some beaten up and tired defensemen leads to the 3-3, with Zolnerovich for the Neftekhimik scoring with 38 seconds on the clock to end powerplay. In the remaining 38 seconds, we get it all: two chances for the Nine Sisters, two great saves, a counterattack by one man only, Brad Larsen, maybe the greatest talent ever from Thaulandi to play the game: 4-3. Thaulandi takes the first victory of the weekend.

Handball: Polaris v Thaulandi
There are three Polaris versus Thaulandi finals in the last weekend. This is the first, with bandy and lacrosse still to come. Thaulandians will enjoy the second final of the day. The first half is dominated by the 'Polar Bears', which isn't immediately visible as the Thaulandians, but that's their nickname nonetheless. Thaulandi goes into the break with a 15-9 lead. The Small Dipper (Polaris) come back to 22-22 and force their luck even further, to win 25-22. Polaris win their first final of the weekend, and Thaulandi is 1-1 from two finals already!

Baseball: Ko-oren v Nine Sisters
Basketball: Kang Rao v Santa Teresa
Ko-orenite Football: Ko-oren North v Ko-oren West
Gridiron: Ko-oren v Thaulandi
Rugby Union: Waratah v Protea
Rugby League: Ko-oren v Waratah
Soccer: Ko-oren v Nine Sisters
Lacrosse: Thaulandi v Polaris
Field Hockey: Ko-oren v Santa Teresa
Waratah Rules: Waratah v Fern
Bandy: Thaulandi v Polaris
Volleyball: Six Saints v Protea

Day 18:
10:00 to 18:00: tennis finals (mens' singles, womens' singles, mens' doubles, womens' doubles)
18:00: ice hockey
20:00: handball

Day 19:
09:00: water polo
11:00: volleyball
13:00: rugby union
15:00: baseball
18:00: lacrosse
20:00: gridiron

Day 20:
09:00: Waratah rules
11:00: bandy
13:00: field hockey
15:00: rugby league
17:00: soccer
19:00: basketball
20:30: Ko-orenite football

From here on out, forget the medal standings. It's teams with players that have always been each others' greatest rivals joining forces. It's great rivalries in all possible combinations. The Big 4 (Ko-oren, Thaulandi, Polaris, Nine Sisters) are present in a lot of them, as they are usually at each other's throat. In other sports, it's finally answered who has the best program. Kang Rao or Santa Teresa, in basketball? The Crux Island derby is on the board for Waratah Rules football - Waratah versus Fern.

by **Valladares** » Tue Jun 28, 2016 7:40 pm

VFA confirm Flabio Flórez leaves the Valladar NT by mutual consent

METROPOLIS (VAP) — Despite the Valladar national football team managed to claim their ticket to the upcoming World Cup finals after beating five-time World Champions Starblaydia on aggregate score in the play-offs, the Valladar Football Association decided to end Flabio Flórez's tenure of the national team. The decision was confirmed after an eight-hour long meeting with the manager and his staff at the VFA House in Cerro, after which the VFA announced through a press release the axing of Flórez from the managerial seat. An underwhelming performance in the qualifying stage, which saw La Nacional drop points to teams such as Associated Godlands, Red Blackiland, and Anthor, was the straw that broke the camel of the VFA Executive Committee.

Flórez, aged 57, replaced Juan Andrés Verzeri at the national team's helm at the beginning of the World Cup 73 cycle, preceded by a successful coaching stint with Marinos Metropolis, where he won three domestic titles in a row after a 40-year drought for the Marineros, and then took them to win the UICA Champions' Cup twice in a row. He became NT manager while also commiting to his duties at the Metropolitan club, getting Valladares to the quarterfinals of the last World Cup, held on Valladar soil. However, his results in the regional arena (Copa Rushmori) were far from satisfying, and La Nacional's overall offensive play during his tenure was not really appealing to the fans. The poor showing at this World Cup qualifiers where the Valladars were expected to qualify directly to the finals out of a relatively "easy" group and instead had to earn their berth in a playoff was the last chapter in Flórez's story with the national team.

In the press release, the VFA explained that "after evaluating the campaign of the Valladar national football team in the qualifiers for World Cup 75, both the Valladar Football Association and NT manager Flabio Flórez have concluded that, in the best interests of the national football team for the upcoming challenges, the best step to take from now onwards is to part ways amicably. We at the VFA would like to thank Mr. Flórez sincerely for all his efforts throughout his tenure of the national team and wish him well in the future".

According to sources in Marinos Metropolis, Flórez will continue as manager of the four-time Liga-1 winners for the next season. On the other hand, the VFA Executive Committee are confirmed to be currently reviewing CVs for a new manager and also announced that they are working swiftly in order to reach a decision on the matter before the start of the World Cup finals.

"The Copa Rushmori trophy is safe and sound", CRF

Following an statement by Saintland's Deputy Prime Minister Censorina Polus, in which she claimed that the Copa Rushmori trophy would remain in Saintland indefinitely after the Sanctii withdrew from Rushmore, the Confederación Rushmori de Fútbol went out to dispel all doubts about the future of both the regional competition and its trophy in quick fashion. In a press conference at the CRF's main headquarters in Metropolis, a CRF spokesperson delivered the entity's point of view on the matter.

"Of course that trophy will be staying forever in Saintland, because that one isn't the actual Copa Rushmori trophy but a real-size replica trophy like all the ones that every Copa Rushmori winner gets to keep in their trophy case. The original Copa Rushmori trophy is a property of the CRF and must be returned to the Confederación right after the final of every Copa edition. In exchange, the winners get that real-size replica for themselves to keep. The actual trophy is resting here at the CRF headquarters and will not be awarded to anyone eternally".

When asked about a possible decrease in quality for the upcoming Copa edition, since Saintland (last edition's winners) are likely to not sign up for it, the spokesperson stated that while it would not close the doors on a Sanctii return to defend their title, the CRF does not consider their absence as a lethal blow to the Copa's reputation and influence on the international footballing stage "given that Rushmore is still home to some of the multiverse's top national teams, such as Eura, Pasarga, and Valladares, while also having some other strong national teams in Electrum, Ceni, Szavoda, San Llera, and New Gelderland, among others. So we don't really think the competition's quality will decrease. The Sanctii are always welcome to return and defend their title, so long as they are in the region by the time the Copa comes up. Ultimately, it's their choice".

The CRF also confirmed that the signup and bidding process for Copa Rushmori 26 will open sometime during the upcoming World Cup finals.

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by **West Angola** » Wed Jun 29, 2016 7:10 am

NAMIBE CHRONICLE

PLAYING ON

Stephen Yates (right, #17) scored West Angola’s third goal to seal the win in Namibe

NAMIBE- West Angola completed its miracle run last night, overcoming Hasznia 3-2 in front of a euphoric crowd in Namibe to punch their ticket to World Cup 75. Peter Simmons and Paul Ramirez each scored in the first half after an early strike from Ed Miller, and Stephen Yates added a third in the 77th minute to put West Angola back ahead for good and silence any hope of a rally. After the final whistle sounded, thousands of fans in the stadium held up placards to form the Audioslavian and Krytenian flags and began chanting the name of manager Jan Pawel. Several players leaped over the wall into the stands to celebrate with their countrymen, and security at Warren Memorial Stadium was hard-pressed to keep the spectators from spilling out onto to the pitch.

On the heels of their 4-2 victory in Hasznia on Tuesday, West Angola entered the second match in high spirits, confident that they could secure the necessary result and advance to the World Cup. Hasznia, however, had other plans, and ruthlessly exploited that overconfidence in the opening stages of the match. Alex Hawkins and Ed Miller made a mockery of West Angola’s defense three times in the first five minutes, driving deep into the home side’s zone and only barely being kept out of the goal by Jeremy Thomas twice and Elsa Scott once. They couldn’t hold the intense Hasznian attack forever, however, and after thirteen minutes of near-constant pressure, Ed Miller netted a shot to put the visitors up 1-0. Alan Harrison, calling the match for EPSN, summed up the feeling at the stadium, “The life has just gone out of the crowd here at Warren Memorial as everyone realizes that Hasznia winning this match by three goals is not out of the question, based on what we’ve seen so far. West Angola needs to regroup quickly.”

The hosts did play better after the early goal, and the possession balance began to level out as both sides sought an opportunity to break through and score. Hasznia knew a second goal could break the match open for a rout and send them on to the World Cup, while West Angola was desperately seeking an equalizer to calm fluttering hearts in the stands, on the sidelines, and on the pitch. Twenty-six minutes in, Peter Simmons found that opportunity, firing a shot by Christopher Scott from just inside the eighteen-yard box to pull West Angola even. Giving up an equalizer to restore the two-goal aggregate lead appeared to take the wind out of the Hasznian sails temporarily, and Simmons nearly snatched a second goal on the ensuing West Angolan possession. His shot came after an almost unchallenged run down the right side, and Scott only just barely got a glove on it to push it wide and keep the score at 1-1.

Scott had only bought a small reprieve, however, as Glenn Santos’ delivery on the ensuing corner fell to Paul Ramirez, who out-jumped Ellis Holloway to head the ball past the line and put West Angola in the lead. The crowd exploded at the goal, chanting Ramirez’s name and jubilantly embracing one another. Alan Harrison commented on the change, saying “The mood here at Warren Memorial has completely flipped. After that early Miller goal you could hear a pin drop except for the Hasznian supporters, now I’m not sure if you all can hear us over the cheering. With how this crowd is celebrating you know in their minds this match is over, but Hasznia can strike very quickly even against alert opposition, so if West Angola relaxes they could find themselves right back in danger.” Jan Pawel on the sideline appeared to communicate much the same message to his players, and it apparently got through as West Angola continued to play tough football even after taking the lead, matching the Hasznians blow for blow and refusing to allow another easy goal.

If the visitors couldn’t get an easy goal, they would take a hard one, however, and Alex Hawkins scored on an excellent free kick taken from twenty-one yards out, curling the ball into the top of the net to equalize once more. The shot was picture-perfect, narrowly clearing the wall and dipping inches beneath the bar and Jeremy Thomas flew by helplessly underneath. The goal provided a small measure of hope to the visitors; perhaps a rally was still possible? Two scores would pull them to four away goals, which would force extra time if they could manage it. West Angola kept up solid defense for the remainder of the first half, with Jan Pawel pulling his players back to guard the favorable result. At halftime, the score still stood at 2-2, and Alan Harrison spoke on the look of the players as they headed into the locker room, “If I had to find a word to describe the team right now, it would be restless. They’ve never been in an international match where they had to sit on a lead before, and you can tell the forwards want to go on the attack. Credit Jan Pawel’s discipline that no one tried to run off on their own.”

The second half brought more stalemate, but Hasznia came out in a more cautious formation, seeking to draw the hosts into rushing forward recklessly. Twenty minutes of this failed to produce any counter-attacking chances for Hasznia, but did succeed in exhausting the midfielders, who controlled the ball for most of West Angola’s possession time. Ramirez and Nathan Gonzalez were subbed out in favor of Stephen Yates and Christopher Therris after sixty-six minutes, and Pawel used his third substitution to bring on Daniel Richardson for Wesley Reynolds, who was on a yellow card, at the sixty-eight-minute mark. The fresh legs on the attack would make the difference, especially as Hasznia was forced to push forward and open their formation up. A golden chance on the counterattack came in the 77th minute, with Therris pushing down the left in a four-on-three situation with Simmons, Ramirez, and Yates. A man short, there was little Hasznia could do to stop West Angola from scoring, and Yates put the home side in front with a beautiful chip over Scott that evoked memories of his goal for U-21 Southeast in the final of the Copa de Jovenes last Spring.

Hasznia completely deflated after conceding again, and while they kept up a dogged fight for the remainder of the match they never threatened to score again, and when the final whistle sounded West Angolan players flooded towards their manager to lift him above their heads as the crowd showered him with praise. The victory touched off a wild celebration in the stadium and outside in Victory Square, which fans without tickets had stuffed to capacity long before the match had even begun. Jan Pawel said of the team’s miracle run, “It was all about the players, these people have all the heart and all the grit in the world. They’ve been an honor to coach, and I’m excited beyond words to take them to Audioslavia or Krytenia to put on a show for you all. This is truly a magical moment for us, and it’s the culmination of years of hard work by everyone connected with this team.” Tears formed in the manager’s eyes as he beheld the sight, and Alan Harrison appeared choked with emotion as he described it for the television and radio audience.

West Angola, with the win, advances to World Cup 75 on an aggregate score of 7-4. Whether they will play in Audioslavia or Krytenia, and who they will face there, is still to be determined. West Angola has twice qualified for the competition before, in the 66th and 68th edition, but they have never advanced out of the group stage. Their closest showing was in World Cup 68, when for a few minutes on the final matchday they were in position to advance, but were unable to secure a win and failed to gain a favorable result from the other match. However the team performs in this Cup, they have already exceeded everyone’s wildest expectations, and even the most pessimistic among us must wonder just how far this team can go in the future.

West Angola (120) vs. Hasznia (255)   
                  0-1 14' Ed Miller
Peter Simmons 26' 1-1
Paul Ramirez 28'  2-1
                  2-2 36' Alex Hawkins
Stephen Yates 77' 3-2                 
Yellow: Reynolds 22'  57' Vick
Red:

Playoff Scores: Second Leg
Damukuni 1–5 (5-9) Pridnestrovia
Gregoryisgodistan 1–2 (1-3) Bonesea
United States of Devonta 3–4 (5-5a) Ficiscia
West Angola 3–2 (7-4) Hasznia
Valladares 3–3 (6-4) Starblaydia
Omerica 0–0 (0-1) Electrum
Jeruselem 2–2 (5-4) Brenecia
Sarrbia 2–2 (2-3) Chromatika
Banguela 1–0 (a2-2) Ethane
Savalen 2–1 (5-4) Ferret Civilisation

Chronicle writers Christopher Lauren and Paul Wilson contributed to this report.

by **Krytenia** » Wed Jun 29, 2016 4:47 pm

The voice boomed over the PA system. "Good evening everyone, and welcome to the draw for the seventy-fifth World Cup Finals, live from Cathair, Audioslavia! Please welcome your master of ceremonies, Jeremy Jaffacake!"

The stage set up in COCANEFA's cavernous media centre became ablaze with light as Audioslavia's most recognisable face walked confidently on the stage. His trademark trenchcoat, for once, was nowhere to be seen, instead replaced by a deep claret coloured suit - with green tie, naturally. There was something almost...off about seeing Jeremy smartly dressed; the earpiece-cum-microphone probably wasn't helping matters.

"Good evening to all of you, and welcome to half an hour of excitement, balls, and relentless sarcasm. It's a World Cup in Audioslavia, and you'd expect nothing less. Of course, behind every great man is a malleable lackey...and here's mine. Please welcome, from Emberton, Krytenia - via Farfadillis - Ronnie van Rijn!"

The lights went black. A song played over the PA. The total darkness was probably a relief for Jeremy, as it hid his face, which was a picture of utter bewilderment.

A spotlight lit up on one side of the stage, revealing an older-looking, tanned gentleman in a powder blue suit and navy tie.

It wasn't Ronnie van Rijn.

It wasn't even close to Ronnie van Rijn.

The house lights came back up, and Jeremy stood slack-jawed as he came face to face with his co-host. It was none other than Rami Niblick, a man that he'd shared retirement drinks with just seven years prior.

"You'd think I'd miss this party? No chance! Good evening every one, I'm Rameses Niblick the Third, and I can't believe I made it all the way here without anyone tipping off my co-host! Without any further ado, it's time for the moment you've all been waiting for; the World Cup Draw!"

Jeremy regained his composure, and attempted to carry on as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened.

"We start off with Pot One. This contains the six highest ranked teams in the tournament, which are Eura, San Jose Golazabal, Pasarga, Nephara, the R.K.Q., and Farfadeesis...Farafadilly....and the Farves. Krytenia are automatically allocated to Group A, and Audioslavia to Group E. Ronnie - Rami - "Jeremy shook his head,"will pick the teams for this pot. Whenever you're ready."

Rami picked out the first ball, and opened it. "Farfadillis" he said, ensuring the pronunciation was spot on before putting on his best shit-eating grin.

"And they go into Group B, playing their group games in Semarland and Quebec. Next one, smugtard?"

Rami chuckled as he opened the next ball. "For Group C...Nephara."

"The world champions go to the home of the five-time winners. One more then, please."

Another ball opened. "Pasarga."

"Off to Mertagne in Group D. Right, onto F now, in Schiavonia and Legalese. Rami?"

"It's Eura, Jeremy."

"Well, of course I'm a Jeremy. Hell, I'm the Jeremy!" Jeremy smiled; Rami shook his head sadly. "Let's move on shall we?"

"Lets. Team going to Group G is...San Jose Guayabal!"

"They're off to Cosumar, and this should leave us the Quebecois in Osarius for Group H."

"And it does. Good, we've not messed it up yet."

"Indeed you haven't. Still time though!" Jeremy retorted as the two swapped places for the next pot.

The next two pots proceeded without incident. Pridestrinova and Semarland were paired with the Krytenians, Savalen and Associated Godlands with Farfadillis, Abanhfleft and Chromatika with Nephara, Ceni and Ficiscia with Pasarga...Matthewsiania's pairing with Audioslavia drew audible sighs of relief from the Krytenian delegation, with Banguela joining them. Frenline Delpha and Brenecia joined Eura - with "Euran Opponent" puns traded - Electrum and lucky losers Bonesea joined the Guayabalense, and San Llera and West Angola were the "lucky" souls to face the Royal Kingdom of Quebec.

And so, to Pot Two. Rami announcing the teams, Jeremy picking the balls...

"OK, Jeremy. Let's see what we've got in Group A."

Jeremy opened the ball, looked at the team inside, and laughed. Hard. "Hahahahaha! VALANORA!"

"Foul!"

It was one of those nights. It was bound to be one of those World Cups.

And nobody would have it any other way.

by **San Llera** » Thu Jun 30, 2016 8:17 am

Group H Preview

The World Cup is upon us once again, and for the second consecutive time San Llera will be competing, this time drawn in Group H. Let's look at a preview of each of the San-Men's opponents:

Royal Kingdom of Quebec
Rank: 6
Manager: Jayson Dhanda (Osarius)
Key Players: ST Hazel Van Robben, LW Xavier Hertel, ST Angelo Gelinas
Prediction: 1st in Group H

Royal Kingdom of Quebec is one of the few nations that San Llera is familiar in playing World Cup soccer against, as they were a member of Group B in World Cup 74, and defeated the San-Men 3-2 on the second match day. A team perhaps better than those Grim Reapers comes out of Pot 1 to lead Group H. Managed by Jayson Dhanda of Osarius, they are a heavily attacking team, playing a bafflingly offensive 4-2-4 formation. Dhanda's tactics, while certainly out of the ordinary, worked well in qualifying, where Quebec dominated Group 12 in order to secure an automatic berth.

At the top of the 4-2-4 are the two central strikers, Angelo Gelinas and Hazel Van Robben, two of the most potent attacking threats in the world. Gelinas has performed spectacularly at Avenida Principal in Farfadillis, and has been justly rewarded a starting spot. Van Robben, meanwhile, is one of the biggest names in Quebecois soccer, from her excellent shooting and passing to her management of a weed conglomerate in everyone's favorite narcostate. Alongside those two, playing advanced wing positions, are Xavier Hertel and Gloire-Honore Mvouba III. Hertel is perhaps the best player Quebec can offer and will be a massive hassle for Antoni Belles at right back. He is known for his creating prowess, and links up very well with Van Robben and Gelinas. He, however, should not be expected to score much, unless it's with a nudist Jeruselemite princess.

The Grim Reapers' midfield is notable in the respect that it has two players, Philip-Michel Schneiderlin and Stewie Burns, both capable in their own right but who may struggle to perform their duties without help from teammates. Royal Kingdom of Quebec's success rests largely on whether Hertel and GMH3, two players who are very eager to go forward, can help out defensively as well. The back line is admittedly very strong, with Hye Min Jeong and Lorne Dunford in the center, two very commanding presences in the air and on the ground. Veteran Karl Varsteeg and Jannick Kontiola occupy the fullback slots, and will not go forward often, instead opting to stay back and defend. Turoki Tide's Ondrej Cech is a very solid goalkeeper.

It should be noted that the Quebecois may be hampered by the entire squad's copious consumption of marijuana.

Against San Llera, it is unfortunately very likely that the forwards will have their way. It was certainly like that two years ago, and without heroics from Fons they may have scored far more than three goals. Their defense is, however, suspect, not in individual skill but in numbers. If San Llera can consistently break the Quebecois high press, there is possession to be had among the two-man midfield. Once San Llera have possession, they can attempt to overwhelm Quebec. I see Marko Vujvic going with a 4-1-4-1 formation on Matchday 3, with Gasca and Cardona on the wings to emphasize possession, and Fonda or even Sires at defensive midfield to shuttle the ball between the back line and the midfield.

Do San Llera have a chance? Yes. Royal Kingdom of Quebec is not without their weaknesses. They are undisciplined tactically and emotionally, and may get a player sent off. However, the talent up top is too much to argue with. I predict they beat San Llera and finish top of the group.

Cosumar
Rank: 15
Manager: Gethin Ramsey (Nephara)
Key Players: GK Jakk Winterfyll, ST Anders Engstrom, RM Ole Ohman
Prediction: 2nd in Group H

Drawn into Group H from Pot 2 were the Azure Dragons of Cosumar, another soccer powerhouse and favorite to reach the knockout stages. The Cosumarite team, also known as the Vanquishers, vanquished Group 3 in qualifying, easily attaining first place and their third consecutive World Cup berth.

Nepharim managing veteran Gethin Ramsey leads the side into World Cup 75, and will play a high press not unlike that of the Royal Kingdom of Quebec. The Cosumarite midfield and strike pair will be constantly, tirelessly, working to steal the ball when they do not have possession, especially in San Llera's defensive third. Once they do so, they will strike clinically and immediately. The biggest threat on the team is striker Anders Engstrom, the undoubted superstar and one of the best in the world. The only thing he does better than set up goals is score them, and he does a lot of each, putting away ten and assisting on three more during the qualification campaign. His partner up top, Belarmin Worsaw, is not to be underestimated either. The Tir Snake Striker scored six times in qualifying, and his combination of strength and skill makes him a handful for any defender.

The midfield of Cosumar's 4-4-2 is asked to work very hard by Gethin Ramsey, and it pays off on the field, as each player will press high but still maintain their defensive responsibilities. Vareza Na'Noni in particular works tirelessly in the midfield, and to great effect, he is like a more physically imposing, smarter version of our own Hector Fonda, and perhaps the best defensive midfielder in the world. Allowed to roam ahead of him is Aziz Senturk, Maximum Rovers' creative attacking mid. He is capable of causing havoc with defenders, especially when combining with the two strikers and Ole Ohman. Ohman, another player based in Nephara, operates on the right wing and remains one of the team's best technical players. Stationed on the opposite side is Mauricio Sigler, whose pace may be cancelled out by Antoni Belles but also has the skill to back him up as a lethal winger.

The Cosumarite defense is led by keeper Jakk Winterfyll, a staple of their lineup for five cycles. His reflexes are among the best in the game. Ahead of him is an imposing center back pairing of Peter Svensson and Alexander Soarhaven. The two are both physical specimens and dominate set pieces. They also played together at the club level, and hence have impeccable chemistry. Their fullbacks are pacy and can be dangerous going forward, but are also disciplined and rarely reckless.

Much like against Quebec, San Llera must not make errors in order to succeed against Cosumar, as any slip will be capitalized on. San Llera's 4-2-3-1 may come out for this match, as two midfielders may both need to stay disciplined and play defensive roles. Look for Fonda, Alemany, Bou, Cardona, and Gasca to start in the midfield. That may be enough to restrict Cosumar to a goal or two, but not enough for a point. Cosumar should come in second.

West Angola
Rank: 77
Manager: Jan Pawel
Key Players: ST Peter Simmons, AM Paul Ramirez, GK Jeremy Thomas
Prediction: 4th in Group H

One team few expected to progress to this stage is West Angola, a team which was completely off the World Cup radar for several cycles and came into qualifying ranked 120th in the world. Their performance was, however, far beyond that rank, and they managed to squeeze in second in an upset-ridden Group 13. They entered a playoff against Hasznia, and scored a flurry of goals, defeating the Hasnians 4-2 on the road and 3-2 at home.

Managed by former player Jan Pawel, West Angola plays a 4-2-3-1 in which most of the strength lies in the attack. Up top is Peter Simmons, veteran Namibe United striker and the team's star man. He scored thirteen times over the course of qualification, and is expected to bag a few more during the World Cup proper. He does have help as the team's lone striker, however - Paul Ramirez in particular has broken out as an attacking midfielder, scoring seven and assisting on more. Those two will be the most dangerous going forward.

Defensively, West Angola has struggled at times, particularly in the playoff against Hasznia in which they let in four goals in two matches. The performances of Jeremy Thomas in goal will be integral to their success, as the Angolans have defeated the likes of Osarius and Falatulu on his "on" days, but struggled on the "off" ones. For West Angola to have any hope of reaching the knockout stages, he will need to have three "on" days.

For San Llera, this is a rare World Cup match against a team ranked lower than the San-Men, which is not to say that it will be an easy one. Simmons and Ramirez can torment any defense, it seems, and the back four will need to be at their best. I foresee Marko Vujvic using at least one defensive midfielder. West Angola is not terrific in possession, and San Llera should keep most of the ball, but we must watch out for counterattacking. Their 4-2-3-1 won't be easy to break down, but I have faith in the likes of Bou and Mestre. San Llera will draw or win.

by **Semarland** » Thu Jun 30, 2016 11:25 am

ANDREAS JANSEN CONFIRMS WC75 SQUAD AND MAKES MAJOR ANNOUNCEMENT
Just three hours after the draw for the group stages of the WC75 finals, Semarland manager Andreas Jansen confirmed the final 23 man squad, cutting 19 players out of the initial 42-man squad. Again, the Semars are in Group A where they face Krytenia & Valanora, plus newcomers Pridnestrovia. The biggest news though, was Jansen announcing he would not renew his contract after Semarland's involvement in World Cup 75 ended. Minutes later FC Kolberg made a statement confirming that he and assistant Tunde Ajayi would take the reins in East Semarland, to help them achieve promotion back into the LigAnaia top flight. It came as quite a shock considering most would expect the manager to announce such things after Semarland were out (or, if we won!), not before the tournament. Others were surprised too that the duo would leave a very well paid job to an R49 team, but both like a good challenge and Jansen was a fan favourite for Kolberg in his playing days. But the SFA didn't seem to mind and they are reported to be drawing up a list of suitable candidates for the role.

In terms of the actual squad, there weren't that many surprises. Devane Marylebone narrowly missed out on the final goalkeeping spot despite some notable moments including a clean sheet vs Electrum, and only five defenders were named in total. Jansen may employ the 3-defender formation he used in qualifying, and should full backs Matur Eiriksson or Nathaniel Oseni sustain an injury, Martell Chalobah has some experience at full back should Jansen want to continue with 4 at the back. Marcel Labonne, Demba Cisse, Tunji Tunde and Tunji Adebayo offer plenty of options in central midfield with creative support coming from Marc Strand, Rene Claro-Hunt and the usual quartet of wingers in Abel Nkutu, Diego Snow, Dequane Saint Etienne and Tre Mukondo. Five strikers were named, with the likely partnership being Jakob Lindesfarne and Kwame Nelson, with Reiss Claro-Hunt, Isaac Nketiah and Serge Mavididi also available if need be. Overall it's a solid squad that are expected to beat Pridnestrovia at least - and if they play cards right, could earn at least a point against Krytenia and Valanora.

One particularly pleasing thing is the quality of the attack. The caps/goals ratio is particularly pleasing for all five, and despite four being under 23, they've carried their club form onto the international stage superbly well, something that can't exactly be said for strikers like Yannick Simeone or Jakob Stretner. Midfielder Demba Cisse also noted that this would be his last tournament with Semarland, with the number 8 jersey set to be passed onto Tunji Tunde, who remarkably has over 70 caps at just 24 years old. Who will wear the number 14 shirt remains to be seen, with Tunji Adebayo, Kwame Cole, Lasse Pedersen and Jakob Poulsen all worthy competitors. Adebayo though is the only one of those in the final squad, having the most impressive campaign which included a stunning goal against The Sarian in qualifying.

Looking at the other groups, Semarland will host some games in Group B with the Stadion Jansberg and Quayside playing host to teams like Valladares, Savalen, Farfadillis and the controversial Association Godlands. The SFA decided against submitting the Natunolstadion as a host stadium, and many were surprised (and Krsthaven fans angered) that their ground (Stadion Metner) was not chosen instead of Quayside - considering the Metner is slightly bigger and host games in the tier above. But the SFA were adamant with their decision, citing that the upgrades to make it a larger stadium would not be complete in time anyway.

FINAL SQUAD:

No    Pos 	Name 	                Age ##   Club                   [NAT]   Caps   Goals
#1    GK        Marco Valbuena          Age 28   CSKA Quebec            [QUE]   51 
#2    DR        Nathaniel Oseni         Age 23   CSKA Quebec            [QUE]   38     1
#3    DL        Matur Eiriksson [jvc]   Age 28   St John's Arsenal      [QUE]   127    6
#4    DC        Martell Chalobah        Age 23   CA Paulinthal          [PAS]   45     3
#5    DC        Jakob Lunds [c]         Age 30   FC Kaldukosic          [COS]   127    3
#6    DMC       Marcel Labonne          Age 27   AFC Treason            [NPH]   65     8
#7    ML        Abel Nkutu              Age 30   Hastmead Diamante      [OSR]   59     7
#8    MC        Demba Cisse [jvc]       Age 32   West Gundar FC         [COS]   128    30
#9    ST        Jakob Lindesfarne       Age 30   Ulsa                   [EUR]   55     39
#10   ST        Kwame Nelson            Age 20   FC Jansberg            [SEM]   21     26
#11   MR        Diego Snow              Age 27   La Nueva Avenida       [FFD]   67     8
#12   GK        Blaise N'Zonzi          Age 28   Utica United           [OSR]   40
#13   DC        Amani Chimbonda         Age 20   Krsthaven              [SEM]   19
#14   MC        Tunji Tunde             Age 24   Eastal Lunar           [VIL]   72     11
#15   AMC       Marc Strand             Age 23   Telecontarë            [STB]   38     22
#16   ST        Isaac Nketiah           Age 21   Handon United          [SCH]   24     16
#17   ML        Dequane Saint Etienne   Age 20   Firewood City          [OSR]   27     7
#18   ST        Serge Mavididi          Age 21   Handon United          [SCH]   24     16
#19   AMC       Rene Claro-Hunt         Age 20   Hastmead Diamante      [OSR]   17     7
#20   MR        Tremaine Mukondo        Age 21   Firewood City          [OSR]   19     4
#21   ST        Reiss Claro-Hunt        Age 20   Hastmead Diamante      [OSR]   17     17
#22   GK        Marc Lindholm           Age 22   Alianza FC             [SJG]   15
#23   MC        Tunji Adebayo           Age 22   Trothwands Evolution   [OSR]   17     3

by **West Angola** » Thu Jun 30, 2016 1:53 pm

NAMIBE CHRONICLE

WORLD CUP 75: GROUP H PREVIEW

OSARIUS- West Angola’s miracle run to the World Cup surprised all the experts. At the start of qualifying, most predictions (including ours) picked the national side to finish no better than fourth in the qualifying group. Jan Pawel’s players surpassed all expectations, stunning Falatulu and Osarius twice and falling one goal short of winning their group outright. The team’s strong performances against the top seeds in the group have given rise to a wave of optimism among West Angola’ sporting pundits. Most notably, Radio West Angola’s Giani Fredolei predicted the team would advance out of the group, saying on Thursday that “Osarius was supposed to be one of the best teams in the multiverse, and we took six points from them. If we can do that, we can definitely beat San Llera and manage a draw against Cosumar. If Simmons and Ramirez score a lot of goals we’ll be in great shape at the end of this stage.”

Those who have already marked West Angola through to the Round of Sixteen, however, should take a long moment to look past the four best matches. Nestled in between the emotional victories over Falatulu and Osarius, however, are a series of disappointing results where the team underperformed, and if they do so again they are likely looking at a quick exit. Draws against Herendon and Legalese and an abysmal 2-0 defeat at the hands of Herendon to open the second leg all rightly raise questions about how the team will perform, and the loss to Frenline Delpha in the final match of qualifying does not bode well for prospects in high-pressure matches. Compounding the team’s difficulties is the locale for their matches. Playing in Cosumar, West Angola may attract hostile fans from nearby Osarius seeking revenge for the upsets their side suffered during qualifying. In summation, West Angola, a side which has underperformed as often as it has overperformed, is going into a group stage in which they are the fourth seed, in a nation whose fans don’t particularly like them. Third place in the group would be a miracle of biblical proportions, and that’s the hard truth of it.

Despite that stark reality, the seventy-four previous editions of this tournament have demonstrated that anything is possible. We’ll break down West Angola’s three Group H opponents, assessing the national team’s chances against them and each of their prospects in group play and beyond.

1. Royal Kingdom of Quebec (#6, 11-0-1, +28)
Jayson Dhanda’s Grim Reapers took no prisoners in qualifying, winning eleven of their twelve matches, losing only on the road to The Sword Bloke 3-2. Forty goals during qualifying speak to the formidable nature of Quebec’s attack, and the team’s sheet shows several lopsided results including 7-1 over Kingdom of Corellia, 4-0 over Amazonesta, 6-0 over Welcomzia, and 6-2 against The Sword Bloke. The Royal Kingdom didn’t just win their group, they utterly dominated it, and will be looking to do the same as the top seed in Group H. The roster is long on experience, with several well-known veterans playing in their final tournament before heading off into the sunset. That should create some extra urgency among the Quebecois players, but with the talent on the pitch and on the sideline the team should have no trouble finding its way through the group and into the Round of Sixteen. West Angola winning their match against the Royal Kingdom (the side’s opening fixture) is essentially out of the question, and Jan Pawel’s best chance will be to pull his players back and hope for a low-scoring draw.

2. Cosumar (#15, 8-3-1, +19)
Both Cosumar and the Royal Kingdom are members of COCANEFA, the association hosting the World Cup, but only Cosumar was granted the privilege of hosting their own team for Group H's matches, with citizens of Quebec instead watching Farfadillis, Valladares, Associated Godlands, and Savalen in their home stadiums. As far as this group is concerned Cosumar is playing the role of host, which should give them a rather substantial advantage in all three of their matches. Fans from the other teams in the group will be hard-pressed to find tickets for their nation's matches against Cosumar, so upending this side will require their opponent to overcome a severe discrepancy in support from the stands. For the all-important match against Quebec, Cosumar will be looking for any edge they can find to help them top the Grim Reapers, and with one match still to be played after their meeting the uncertainty of the final standings should lend a sense of urgency to both teams' play. We would normally give a bit more confidence to Quebec winning the fixture, but with the match being played in Cosumar we're going to rate this match as a complete toss-up, with the winner emerging as a clear favorite to win the group and face the second-place finisher from Group G.

Even if they fail to take first, however, Cosumar should be able to finish second without much difficulty. They remain a top-fifteen side and San Llera, while ascendant, still isn’t quite up to the level of competition they’ll find against Cosumar in our eyes. Should the third seed manage a draw, however, the Round of Sixteen berth could be determined by goal differential, meaning that the two sides’ results against West Angola and Quebec will become all-important. In that case, the geographical advantage falls fully to Cosumar. Cosumar will be hard-pressed to not advance out of this group alongside Quebec, and barring an upset by San Llera it’s hard to imagine a scenario where they won’t.

3. San Llera (#28, 8-2-2, +15)
Along with Damukuni, San Llera was a beneficiary of Polkopia’s catastrophic collapse during qualifying. Despite entering the campaign as the top seed, the Slashers managed only a 4-4-4 record and finished third in their group. San Llera took first over on goal differential over Damukuni, who were bounced in the playoff by Pridnestrovia, and are a possible dark horse pick to grab second place in the group. This is the side West Angola has the best chance of defeating, both because they are closest in rank and because they are the only other team in the group who is not a COCANEFA member. In fact, local fans coming out to cheer against West Angola might be mollified somewhat by discovering that West Angola’s opponents hail from Rushmore, Atlantian Oceania’s regional rival. All these factors combine to make the fixture the most favorable for the national side, but even that may not be enough to overcome a San Lleran group that is ascendant, skilled, and very very dangerous.

The San Llerans will be looking to take three points from West Angola in their match, then pull off the shock result against Cosumar to take second. We’ve already outlined their prospects for this match and concluded the most likely favorable result to be a draw, but if the San-Men can somehow manage a win, it isn’t out of the question to wonder if they could perhaps take down Quebec as well. If either of the top seeds melts down, San Llera will be on hand to take advantage, and could be dangerous anyway if Quebec or Cosumar come in overconfident. We’re not telling you to bet on this side off the bat, but they play Cosumar before Quebec, and if they surprise us in the first match keep an eye on them to potentially do so again in the third.

# Group H                    KPB   Rank
1 Royal Kingdom of Quebec   41.31    6
2 Cosumar                   31.58   15
3 San Llera                 22.43   28
4 West Angola                9.42   77

Chronicle writers Christopher Lauren and Paul Wilson contributed to this report.

Part One|Part Two|Part Three|Part Four|Part Five|Part Six|Part Seven|Part Eight|Part Nine|Part Ten|Part Eleven|Part Twelve|Part Thirteen|Part Fourteen

Part Fifteen: Cabinda II
Cabindan President Charles Sommers was not an intimidating figure. In his mid-forties, the statesman’s pale brown-white hair had retreated past the crown of his head, although his young daughter insisted it had only climbed down his face to settle on his chin. Slightly paunchy and famously bespectacled, he was the last person one would expect to find leading a nation. Similarly, he had been the last person one would expect to find leading a popular uprising against an occupying power, and his success despite the odds boded well for his prospects as President. In a short time in office, he had enacted a long list of progressive reforms, signed trade agreements with several neighboring nations, and halting an independence bid by the city of Belize with diplomacy rather than force of arms. With an approval rating that hovered just over eighty percent, he was a hero to Cabindans and an example to those outside it, and his success in avoiding dictatorship or further civil conflict was help up as an example to the region.

One of his most ambitious goals, however, was the formation of a political union with West Angola. Three months earlier, he had sent an envoy to Emily Parrish to propose just that. The political terms were not extensive, as while the treaty made the King or Queen of West Angola the ruler of Cabinda as well, the legislative structures of the two nations would remain entirely separate. The economic terms had caused the West Angolans to balk, however, as the Prime Minister refused to assume Cabinda’s national debt, of which West Angola was a major holder. Intense hush-hush negotiations had ensued trying to hammer out a deal, and the election of Karol Preszek as King had only added to the sense of urgency. While Robert Silva’s stance on Cabinda had been well-known, having said several times he would seek reunification with the breakaway province, Preszek was far more of an unknown quantity on the issue. On three separate occasions, Preszek had given contradictory answers to questions about Cabinda, telling a crowd in Zaire that he supported bringing the two nations back together, but later at a debate he had included Cabinda on a list of neighboring nations with poor human rights records. The charity worker had finally “clarified” his position in an interview with WANN, saying he supported reunification “in theory” but adding that there were several reforms Cabinda had to adopt before he would pursue such a measure.

While Preszek had been elected, he had yet to be officially crowned, and until the coronation Emily Parrish retained the powers of the monarch, which included signing treaties. Only a handful of people in the two nations knew of the treaty’s existence, and if they could finalize the process before Preszek ascended to the throne they could lock in the agreement without interference from the unknown quantity that was the future King. With the final draft completed, Emily and Sommers had come to Soyo, a small port on the northwestern coast of West Angola, to read and sign the document. The two had never met before, and Emily was surprised at how open and friendly he was. The man had given both of their security details a start when he ignored her offered handshake and straight in for a bear hug. It seemed that Sommers’ personality matched his grandfatherly image, and all in all he seemed almost too happy even for signing a treaty he’d proposed.

Ambassador Ryan Norris, apparently completely recovered from whatever malady had kept him from their initial conference before, handed each of them the final draft he and Jacob Hulcher, his West Angolan counterpart, had prepared, then began to quickly go over the terms. Hulcher had kept Emily updated on the progress of the talks, so she knew the basic content already, and unless anything had changed they would all be leaving satisfied. The issue of the debt had finally been settled when West Angola pledged to forgive their Cabindan debt holdings in exchange for exclusive rights to the nation’s offshore oil reserves for the next fifty years, which while still leaving the small nation with a large sum to repay, would reduce the amount by more than half and open them up to receiving more development aid from Namibe to pay off the rest.

The agreement was open to amendment every five years at mandatory review sessions, should either side decide they wanted to sever or expand the two nations’ political bond as time went on. West Angola wouldn’t change much outside of the debt issue, the dramatic effects would mostly be felt in Cabinda, which would once again swear allegiance to Namibe, albeit in a limited fashion, and whose President and Assembly would have to renegotiate their power-sharing arrangement with King Karol taking most of the authority previously held by Sommers. Ambassador Norris finished the reading, and he and Ambassador Hulcher opened the official copies for their leaders to sign. Emily wrote her name on the top line beneath the text on the final page, then exchanged documents with Sommers and put her signature beneath his. Their part in the proceedings concluded, the two diplomats departed, leaving the politicians alone.

Emily smiled at her Cabindan counterpart, “Well, President Sommers, I’d imagine you’re feeling quite satisfied now.”

The man laughed, it was rich and full, “Indeed I am, Madame Prime Minister. May I call you Emily?”

Emily was slightly taken aback at his familiarity, although given his earlier behavior she supposed she shouldn’t be, “Yes, I suppose you can…Charles.”

“Thank you. Matters of state are so stuffy and formal, it’s a relief to talk like people without throwing titles around everywhere. Yes, this is certainly a great moment for my country, and for me as well. You have no idea how long I’ve been working towards this goal.”

“Yes, I’d imagine there were a few people in Cabinda you had to win over to get close to this point.”

He laughed again, more than Emily’s joking understatement really deserved, “Just a few, yes. There were many in Cabinda who were opposed to the idea out of hand, and there still are, but I’ve managed to win over enough to be assured of its passage. The real challenge was ensuring things were acceptable to those I answer to.”

Emily was confused, “Those you answer to? Does the President of Cabinda answer to anyone?”

“Oh, you’d be surprised, Emily. The situation in Cabinda is…complicated, to say the least, even more so with the power-sharing agreement between my office and the Assembly heading into flux. Depending on who you ask, I am either the most powerful person in Cabinda or the least. You’d be very surprised to find who I have to check in with before I make a decision.” There was a mischievous glint in his eyes, and Emily decided to take the bait, “Like who, Charles?”

“Well, for starters, my wife.” They both laughed at that, Sommers longer than Emily, then he rose and extended his hand, “Thank you for allowing our nations to move forward together, Emily.”

Thankful to avoid another spine-crushing hug, Emily gladly shook his hand, “The pleasure is all ours, Charles. West Angola looks forward to a long and beneficial relationship with Cabinda.”

Emily nodded to her bodyguard, and William opened the door to the room. A group of WASABI men stood in the doorway along with several members of Sommers’ security detail waiting to escort their respective leaders back home. Sommers preceded Emily to the door, and as he passed through his foot caught on the uneven rug and he had to grab the shoulder of a WASABI agent for support. The agent, along with several Cabindans, helped the President regain his footing, and the group departed, leaving Emily to convince her government and her people, not to mention her King, that the treaty was the right move.

Unknown to Emily, nothing Sommers had done had been by accident. Robert Morris had been extremely busy during Emily’s supposedly secret meeting. As Minister of State, one of the many organizations under his purview was WASABI, and a few days after Emily had appointed him to his position he had been informed of an ongoing WASABI operation in Cabinda. Lieutenant David Nichols’ mission to assassinate President Michael Raven had only been the first stage, and all subsequent operations in Cabinda, including the kidnapping of Jon Blevit, had been designed with the goal of helping the second stage succeed. WASABI special agent Sam Watson had been inserted into Cabinda three days after Raven’s death, coming ashore under cover of darkness just south of Landana and quickly disappearing into the chaos sweeping across the small nation. His orders had been simple: become a leader in one of the infant partisan groups, lead it to victory, unify Cabinda, and then rejoin with West Angola

Things had not gone according to plan, Sommers had been discovered only a few months after arriving, and had been imprisoned by Thomas Lowell, the leader of his chosen partisan group. He had been declared MIA after four weeks of radio silence, and Queen Anna had ordered an invasion of Cabinda to bring the breakaway state back into the fold. Less than a year after the invasion, however, Anna had died of a mysterious illness, and the coup which followed had placed August II back in power. Defections from the occupation force to the Farreth Island government-in-exile had given the Cabindans a window to rise against their occupiers, and the new King’s heavy-handed rule gave them the public sentiment to pursue freedom. The WASABI network on Farreth had been stunned to receive communication from as asset they’d given up for lost, but Sommers was now in a position to complete his mission as a result of the occupation. Within a year, he was the leader of the Cabindan Popular Front, and when the Farreth Exiles invaded the province became too expensive for August to hold. Loyal to Farreth as he was, Sommers had waited until the Exiles were firmly in control before broaching the subject of unification, and in the meantime had busied himself with improving the nation’s civil and political freedoms and repairing the extensive damage to infrastructure resulting from nearly fifty years of war and occupation.

When he had been moved back from the Prime Minister after greeting her with a hug, he had slipped the WASABI agent a tiny computer disk on which he’d recorded a full report to the directorate. Morris and WASABI Director Camden Blain had reviewed the report and written up a response to their agent, which had been returned to Sommers while he was being helped back to his feet. It had taken twenty-five years, millions of African Pounds, and consumed more lives than anyone planning the operation had expected, but at long last Cabinda was once again politically linked to West Angola, and the mission was a complete success. As his security detail smuggled him to the waiting car, Sommers smiled. It was good to be home again, even if it was only for a short while. Once he was safely enclosed in the back of his vehicle he opened the envelope and withdrew a folded sheaf of papers. Unfolding the WASABI report, he began to read.

WASABI FIELD COMMUNIQUE

Encryption: Black-19

Agent:
Your success in OPERATION: OVERTHROW is impressive. The Directorate has reviewed your report and deemed your objectives complete. Your new orders follow: in your role as President, you will continue to push to expand the political relationship between Cabinda and West Angola at the treaty review periods, and will in all things subsume Cabindan interests to West Angolan ones. Communication with Namibe will be accomplished via normal diplomatic channels, WASABI sources within the Cabindan Embassy in Namibe will direct FYEO memos to your desk when necessary. Your present program of social reform should be continued as a prerequisite for full integration, and should West Angola propose such a measure you should immediately accept.

An official commendation has been noted in your file, and in light of your years of work and unswerving loyal service under difficult and unclear conditions you have been officially promoted to Secondary Director, with a pay grade of O-9, and your pension amount has been raised accordingly. Your request has been reviewed and we will honor it, within a week your wife will replace Jacob Hulcher as Ambassador to Cabinda.

Forward with Honor,

Camden Blain,
WASABI Director

by **Valanora** » Thu Jun 30, 2016 2:10 pm

Valanora Times
A Northern Affair

The Qualifying campaign did not end with thunderous applause for the Marauders but with skepticism and a chorus of boos, as the Mauraders let slip their undefeated record and perfect record at home with an utter humiliating defeat to Sarrbia. While the full side did not play in that final match against Sarrbia, you would have expected that the reserve players of the squad could have at least held their own, especially in front of the Marauder crowd that wanted to send off their side with praise. Instead, the reserves where thumped to a humiliating four to one defeat, one of the worst ever in the history of the national team at home, and all the same doubts and concerns that had plagued the squad during the first half of the qualifiers resurfaced at the worst possible time. With but two months to prepare from the end of the qualifiers and to the start of the Finals, the Marauders have some serious soul searching to do and the managers have a lot of questions to answer both to the public and the the VSC.

The loss, coupled with a strong Vilita showing in the the qualifying campaign, saw the Marauders drop from eighth to ninth in the rankings, though it did not effect their seeding with Krytenia being gifted an automatic first seed despite their ranking. It is a tradition that is the subject of some contempt, with it being a practice that is not always performed by the host nations, though enough so that complaining about it seems a bit pointless, as the Marauders have been both beneficiaries and victims by the practice. It is an interesting point though, with Audioslavia being the other "host" but already having the rank to be a first pot seed. Can the Aces prove through the results, as hosts in the past have, that they are worthy of the bump in seeding or will they be one of the few hosts who do not capitalize on the home field advantage that hosting provides?

The Marauders will be first hand witnesses to the answer to that question, as it will be into Krytenia that the Marauders will go as they were drawn as the second seeds into Group A and Krytenia. The Aces and the Marauders have a long history between each other, with the Marauders last hosting event saw Krytenia return to the international competition and qualify without rank and somehow make it to the Round of Sixteen, where the Marauders stopped their historical underdog run. The sides have also met several times in the AOCAF and the World Cup throughout history, such is almost an inevitability when you have two nations that have been apart of the World Cup for over forty editions each. Generally the Marauders have gotten the better of their counterparts from Calania, however as World Cup 72 proved with the Marauders, that home crowd seems to go a long way in neutralizing advantages better squads might have and just now the Marauders are not where they should be in form and in morale. Fortunately though the two sides don't meet until the second matchday in group play.

Semarland will be the first squad that the Marauders will face in group play, as the third seeds look to make good on their relative closeness to Krytenia as they try to make it past the group stage. With the theme of the World Cup being that it is supposed to be being hosted across all of COCANEFA, some might have thought that Semarland (as well as other members of the organization that qualified) would have been put into the groups their cities were hosting. That however is not the case and will mean that there is a chance for an all COCANEFA advancement from the group should the Marauders not be able to find their footing. Semarland are a good side whose players play all across the world, as the running joke goes that you're not a true league of any importance if you don't have a Semar in your league. Their offense will be a real threat for the Marauder backline that is looking fragile and the wingers will need to get back to support them if the side is going to neutralize that dangerous Semar attack.

Last but not least for the Marauders to be facing in their group two months from today is Pridnestrovia, an unexpected qualifier who is the lowest ranked team coming into the Finals, with even Associated Godlands and Frenline Delpha having a better rank. However the belief that they are no threat is one that needs to be discarded by all three squads who see the team as an automatic three points, for their group mates thought the same and yet here they are in Krytenia. This is especially true for the Marauders, who may or may not have taken their group for granted and thus struggled at points in the campaign that ultimately resulted in that utter capitulation against Sarrbia. Though if the Marauders are somehow fortunate enough to have secured their progression through the first two matches, you may see a rotated side, however since that did not go over so well with the Sarrbia game, it is entirely unknown if the mangers would trust the reserves enough.

And that's the crux of the Marauders problem, they will have to rely heavily on their first eleven if they want to progress deep into the tournament. Forget any notions of trying to add to the championship collection, you can not think that far ahead when the squad is having problems just getting through their qualifying campaign and has suffered one of their worst defeats at home. History is not on the side of the Marauders, as the north of AO has not been kind to Vanorians as of late, despite Calania being where the Marauders lifted their first World Cup trophy all the way back in World Cup 40. Perhaps that history is what made the Krytenian contingent began to laugh in awe or shock when the two where drawn together. The affair in the north will be tense and hotly contested and may just well spell the doom of the current braintrust. Two months from now we'll be heading to Krytenia and those twenty-three players who don the Marauder kit will have the chance to prove all their doubters right now wrong. After all, Western Starblaydia is supposed to be beautiful this time of year, if you're one for picturesque landscapes and nostalgia.

by **Chromatika** » Thu Jun 30, 2016 2:35 pm

Prelude, Book I Part I Part II Part III Part IV Part V Part VI Interlude Part VII Part VIII Part IX Part X Part XI Part XII

The Rainbow Revolution
Book I: The Sparks
Part XIII: The Anomaly II

"It's in the anomalies that nature reveals its secrets" - Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe

Alina Krasnikova was reclining on her office chair a few days after the big meeting at Urrheddiao. It had taken an astonishing three hours to complete - the people there had had a lot of questions, and it had taken all of her knowledge and that of Kéirâ Andìsorì - who had turned out to be the mysterious Messager de la Paix - to allay their fears and convince them that what had happened to Franscesca Cortes and what they were planning to do in the future.

General Cavani had agreed to the plan wholeheartedly, citing a fear of the government's willingness to go above and beyond what was required of them in terms of cruelty, malice, and just lack of class. "I promise to follow your lead," he had stated, "Unless they start making me start executing civilians on sight. Then, even if I have to be a one-man army, I am going to start my own revolution." It had taken Andìsorì's full genius to explain to him that that would not be the case usually, because the Chromatik Party liked to show its semblance of control. It was more likely that when the Rainbow Revolution kicked into second gear, the Party would try to mask what it was doing by use of euphemisms to the military, and try to coerce the military to doing dirty acts for them without knowing what it was that they were doing. "Dirty bastards," he had exclaimed then, "Just try to make me! I will show them who the real vermin of the country actually are." He had fumed for a while after that.

Real Admiral Penelope Mier, on the other hand, had been cool, calm, and collected. "I personally know of many others who share the same worldview as us," she had stated calmly, "It's become a known practice to allow people to think what they think as long as they don't voice it out loud or make it clear to the Institutional Division. It makes me happy to know that even the Chromatik Party has been infiltrated by your movement and thus we are a bit safer than we expected." Alina had to pause her there and ask her to be cautious still, as there were others in the Institutional Division who were still zealous for the cause of the Chromatik Party. "Even taking that into account," Mier had said, "It's still a bit safer out there than I expected it to be, isn't it?" She had agreed to mobilize her fleet when the time came. "I know how to give orders without them being on record," she had assured the others, "When the time comes, the Navy will be ready."

An inquiry to a possible defector in the Air Force yielded no results. "They are the most loyal to the Chromatik Party," stated Mier, "I'm sure someone is sympathetic to our cause, but I haven't the slightest idea of whom - the Chromatik Party has always taken a more direct approach to managing the Air Force. I doubt we'll here a lot from them until the actual revolution is underway." Igsi de Or had dazzled the meeting with his accounts of what he was learning in the bogus company set up by the Shadow Writers - "Politics from around the multi-verse, different ways of running the government, the environment, science, sports, pretty much anything I want to learn" - which had given the entire group some hope for the future. "The amount that you learn is only limited by the shackles you put on yourself, I have learned" stated de Or plainly, "And from now on I will never stop learning for as long as I live."

As the Messager de le Paix, Andìsorì stressed to Krasnikova the importance of keeping casualties to a minimum, while the others stressed to her that sometimes the only way of getting rid of certain people was by a bullet through their brain. "I agree," stated Andìsorì, "But let's not group everyone in that category, eh?"

The result was a meeting that was a resounding success. Now, they had a game plan. The only sobering thought was that there was almost no chance that Franscesca would survive this - if anything, it was imperative that she be martyred for their cause, which made all of them a little sick to their stomach. "A seismic shift in the way that the citizens of our country and of the world view our government," Krasnikova had explained, "And that's why Cortes agreed to be arrested and sacrificed for our cause. Every cause needs a martyr, and she agreed to be one against the Chromatik Party instead of just against Cancer."

And it would be up to them to make that not be in vain, they all knew. Oh, the irony.

Although Saarbia recovered from their 0-1 defeat at the hands of the Anomalies in the first leg at Chromatik City by scoring two goals in the first half, Rachel Hellion's first goal of the tournament off of a set piece gave the Anomalies the away-goals lead, and Ki Niro did her role as substitute late to give the Anomalies the 2-2 draw and the 3-2 victory over Saarbia in away goals to send them to the World Cup Proper.

In the ensuing draw, it was determined that the Anomalies will be visiting one of the greatest footballing nations in history - Starblaydia. There, they will be joined by the defending champions Nephara, an aspiring Abanhfleft, and the Feminists from Saintland. Their first match will be against the defending champions, where they will be extreme underdogs.

Then, Lisa Amos announced her final twenty-three in her 4-3-2-1:

Starting XI
1. GK Nikolai Thorben (

Matthew Senators)
2. RB Erika Morningstar (

CD Barrio El Niño)
3. LB Zlastica Ellen (

Ciclón del Golfo)
4. RCB Lucjusz Stef (

Deprí Sanar Yellow Jackets)
5. LCB Luuk Aart (

Lonngeylin Coast)
6. RM Meagan Kelly (

Kionao Locals) CAPTAIN
7. LM Carrol Liam (

Anomalies)
8. RW Trenn Rien (

Atlético Nacional)
9. CM Rachel Hellion (

FC Fairleigh-Sarburton)
10. ST Nioli Quren (

Hashbury)
11. LW Gabriella Antonio (

Coret Hawks) VICE CAPTAIN

Bench
12. GK Jillian Nier (

Urrheddiao United)
13. RB Severin Ilyra (

Campbell)
14. LB Aysu Damjana (

Myana Islanders)
15. RCB Otis Sorendai (

CSD Catamarca)
16. LCB Frederic Colbert (

Urrheddiao United)
17. RM Alyss Montague (

Z'ai'ai Mountaineers)
18. LM Daniel Lucas (

CD Barrio El Niño)
19. RW Ki Niro (

St. Ann)
20. CM Sandra Sybill (

Real Azuris)
21. ST Kéirâ Andìsorì (

Letson Town)
22. LW Jazmin Dragana (

Myana Islanders)
23. CB Jan Stanimir (

Chromatik Capitalizt)

Hence the one player that will not make the cut is Vitor Raoul, who's not had the most flashiest of qualifying cycles. The change of formation from a 5-3-2 to a 4-3-2-1 can be to blame for the exclusion of Raoul. The line between starter and bench is getting very blurred in among the three players up front, and Amos has admitted to that. There may be games where Andìsorì, Dragana, or Niro might actually start. That being said, Amos has stated that the Starting XI will not change in their first match against Nephara.

by **Banguela** » Fri Jul 01, 2016 4:35 am

Some would call it a symptom of his tardiness but Amarinho rather vowed to the version where it was a sophisticated form of prejudice, a talisman that guarded him during tough times. And this moment, as he was once again the last one to leave the dressing room with his laces still hanging around his boots like lazy spaghetti strings, certainly fitted that bill. Here we are again facing the Bulls, he thought as he closed the line in the tunnel, kicking off our second World Cup that seems to have a particularly similar flavour as the previous edition. The draw, pitting Os Gnus also against cross-region rivals Northern Sunrise Islands and Matthewsiania, really came like a double scotch on a morning stomach. At least this time, I’m sober for it, Amarinho thought and couldn’t hold back a chuckle.

The last time I puked ahead of a game, I must have been about eleven. Usually, they only put me one category higher but that time I had to appear against the U15, which staged my nephew. Admittedly, that time I also scored a brace after cleaning the bits of galinha cabidela from the corners of my mouth, so I should see it as a positive sign. But tonight, my head is pounding as the national anthem resounds and it’s not only the drinks and… Jezus Christ, Figuerinho really doesn’t know how to sign in tune. His chants, as that’s the closest word to describe the gruelling sounds coming out of his mouth, slap me over and over against the back of my head.

The sniggering from Amarinho makes it all the way into the bubble of Joaquim Lebo, a fact that slightly annoys the central defender. Focus, focus, … Oh, sod it, it’s not going to work anyway. And it is not exactly comforting that the whole Arena Kirola is even trembling more than us, the vibrations having a chilling effect to the spine. Com’on, Joaquim, the stalwart of the backline thinks, get into your bubble. And he thought that there was a lot of noise last time.

The press said that the fans were unimpressed by the very clinical performances by their heroes so far, with the rigid tactical scheme from Imaslavii dictating that one scored and nil admitted throughout the first 180 minutes is a success. But apparently being unamused and bored makes Audioslavians jeer and shout as if in the frontline of a war. A… shouting war, or something like that. Either way, it’s only through the pass from Bogwa to Rui Mokanga that I can confirm the game has started, the whistle being smothered by the cowbells from the stands.

”Let’s ruin them, Bulls, ruin those tossers,” emerges in a raw and hostile dialect from the mouth of Imanol Vengochea and only the strongest of self-restraint keeps Fabricio Santos from looking to his right side. Just keep your glance focussed on the one ahead of you, he tries to repeat to himself but the confirming cries from the claret-and-green make it terribly difficult. Don’t show weakness, Fab but despite his struggle he realises that his shoulders drop a little. He’s not really sure if he wants to be here.

Life is what happens to you when you’re busy making other plans. Not entirely sure when I have ever picked up that line but it’s a perfect way to describe the night from Chingala. From the bench, I immediately see how our idea to get the Audioslavian number seven run for him gets overturned by reality. Chingala is quick but he’s a Cessna trying to keep up with a fighter jet as Vengochea overlaps him every single time. I might have said to a friendly journalist that I was a tad disappointed over picking up no minute yet but I start to regret my words and count my blessings instead.

Can you feel a stare? It’s a strange thought but Rui Vunguidica would have betted a fortune on it that he could sense the nerves from Fabricio Santos piercing through the back of his head. Nothing will be the same after this, he realises. There has been a tactical session ahead of the match but there was little left for the gaffer to point out that he hadn’t done before. After two years of the same, everyone knew what he was up to but Rui felt it had been a depressing session. Even if he tried not to, a fear had gotten over the manager and at times, it was as if he was instructing a kindergarten class. Watch out for this! And that! He better had said that they should watch out for us.

Frankly honest, if you would not know, you would not have dared to blame the binge drinking last night. The boys were doing a stellar job but just fought in the heavyweight category whilst failing to push the scales above a stone or ten. People said that I should be glad to just be here, just like the team, but my knuckles itched to join in this fight from David against Goliath.

Eric Kwaganda glances to his right and immediately regrets so, staring straight into the grin of Zorio Etxezuyiniga. Let us not lose this mental battle, he thinks, and does an attempt to shout something optimistic, like ”Let’s go Bangers!”. In practice, all that escapes his throat is a pitiful gasp. That… was a bad idea. He knows he is the safety option over Ignacio Carbela, send on to the grass with a sole mission, to stop the short powerhouse of confidence but as he hears a hardly audible laugh from Etxezuyiniga, Eric realises it. Already one nil down and we haven’t even started.

”Such a mistake in the back, man!” I know it’s easy to say these kind of things from your comfortable seat, especially when the defence gets ripped apart by three laser-guided passes: a cross from Varisco, in one time picked up and passed by Vengochea to Magellan and a clever chip to find Kryznjak unmarked with the Alianza striker doing what he does best. ”They should field you instead, Eric,” my best mate grins and I concur, realising how stupid that dream is. Playing at the World Cup? Bizarre.

Zito Miguel yawns and wonders how on earth such a thing is possible at one of the most important moments of his career. Well, not technically, as he spend too much time going back and forth to images from 1830 Cathair, trying to spot what makes Marquez and Caceres so good, so flawless. By all probability, it is the and between their names, a brand token that symbolises the unspoken trust and confidence from one to another and the knowledge that A will pick up what B dropped. Even here, in the tunnel, their movements are coordinated and calm, keeping a posture that stops you from dreaming about a shocker.

It’s not even half-time but seeing how his side crashes into a wall, this time making its screen appearance as a double world champion, makes Joao Ferreira look bewildered to his bench, trying to come up with non-existing solutions. His eyes passes every one of us but rests on me half a second longer before skipping to the next. He’s that desperate? I know a striker should always be confident about what he can do but I couldn’t get through that back line even if I was driving a monster truck.

In movies, the image blurs and the protagonist gets taken back to a nostalgic scene of his youth, possibly set up in his home town as he frolics across the pitch, released of all worries. But life isn’t what brings in billions in theatres across the multiverse and Macabanga tries to stop himself from worrying. He can keep Dallara in check, he knows and he just has to think how. Look, that is what you should be wondering about minutes ahead of the kick-off and not about the health of your father.

Joao Ferreira continues to flip through charts but the arrows were already dancing in front of my eyes during the first slide and the train of thought about a tactical scheme that seems a lot thinner than his scratch book seems distant. He makes it sound like a general in a pre-modern empire, who tries to convince his subordinates that if he boasts enough ploys in their ears, it’s going to work. Frankly honest, I have difficulty enough grasping the situation. Halfway a sentence, he stops, looks at me, says ”Look, Maca… Just stop that Dallara from getting dangerous and I’m already a happy man”, turns and walks away.

It has become a bloody grinning contest. As much as Conor Magellan would like to deny it, Edison Joao knows he remembers him from the WC 74. And vice versa. Having fought plenty of battles in his days, the knowledge that there are more that have gone than still will come sometimes puts a weight on his shoulders but only when he reminisces at home, with a gin or two. But right here, there was no time to waste and he knew it. They would try to make it about pace and Edison Joao knew it was his task to make this game about power.

Too late again. Whatever grasp I had on Magellan during the opening stages of the confrontation, I had lost it around the opener from Kryznjak. The Bulls utterly refused to play actual football but their counters stung like bees and it seemed as if Magellan was teleported just out of reach at very of those occasions. He probably was instructed to touch the ball no more than twice in succession and despite his age, he had a keen eye on the movements of the varied duo in front of him, the thundering Kryznjak and the agile Apexarena. Once again and this time I got my boot into it. Well, I got my boot into everything but as something yellow was waved in front of me, I shouted to my mates. ”It’s not over as long as those bastards squeal” might have been on the edge, but I lived for these moments.

All on him. Pages and pages had been filled with his statistics, the most outstanding of those his 39 goals in 56 international appearances. Even if such a ratio was partly fuelled through clashes with amateur minnows, it still was a track record that stood out and warranted his place in the Premiership. Rui Mokanga had always looked at it as steps up, taking them one by one. Earning a transfer to Uniao. Check. International game started. Check. Domestic Golden Boot. Check. International transfer. Check. Double figures for North Laithland. Check. But once they’re behind you, these steps don’t look as threatening anymore as the four that divided the tunnel from the pitch of the Arena Kirola.

”He stepped on my ankle, goddamned!” I cried, but the referee waved it away as if I had been diving. Well, in a way, you could say I did but it was just… Being worn out. For over seventy minutes I had being trying to find as little as a square metre to finally control the leather or use my head but it seemed as if the Audioslavian defence were a construction company, having put a glass bell over my head. One step too far. For now.

Landa Landa kept on rubbing his gloves over one another as if the ritual would give them magical power. A bit of voodoo didn’t harm anyone, he believed despite campaigning himself as a staunch Christian, but it probably was just some nervous tremor. He looked to his right to see de Snaaijer clap his hands with short intervals and realised once more how goalies have a secret guild. It never was too hard to sympathize.

Two minutes left and I start to believe that Joao Ferreira has no more attacking players left on the bench to throw into the battle. In front of me, some sort of 3-4-3 seems to emerge or at least is supposed to, a sympathetic attempt to summarize in numbers the cloud of black, red and green in front of me. A last minute corner! Although statistically rather irrelevant, it always is a heartbreaker for the stands and suddenly, I realise I’m rushing to the opposing box as well. Was it the ”Com’on Landa” from Djalma Yaba or just a natural instinct? A goalie in the sixteen of the enemy is always out of place and a bit obscene, like a drunk uncle at a children’s party. The metaphor runs in that it also worries the guests, not sure who will take care that it doesn’t evolve from a simple nuisance into an evening-ruining problem. Between his posts, Sean Patterick is shouting directions but somehow, he finds the time to wink and grin to me.

It is going to be my last tournament. Here and now, Djalma Yaba makes that decision for himself, a promise that would probably have come true anyway considering his falling stamina. But it seems more honourable to do it yourself, to decide it is time for a good riddance. A goodbye with the ribbon around his arm and the crowd applauding. As he has always dreamed… But just not yet. And then a blaring anthem indicates that it is time to go onto the pitch for the opening match of the World Cup 75. ”It’s eleven against eight-five thousand tonight, Gnus, but we’ll finish them all, one by one!”, he hears himself shout.

As if a cannonball has raged through our ranks, the last whistle makes most drop to the damp grass and although it’s probably the humidity of San Jose Guayabal late in the evening, it could as well be our sweat that has moisturised the grass. I refuse. There might be a big red one below their name and a zero for us on the big screen, I cannot go down like that and accept. Surely everyone was just happy we made it to the tournament and it is not as if we were humiliated. But going home with nil out of nine, that is… Whilst the staff tries to get the opponents back up on their feet, I walk over to Kryznjak. ”Till the next time – you better be fucking prepared” I utter before turning to their stands, applauding our fans.

works? · by **Abanhfleft** » Fri Jul 01, 2016 8:11 am

Abanhfleft's Journey to the World Cup As Told Through Match Reports...

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WORLD CUP 75 QUALIFIERS: SAVALEN VS ABANHFLEFT
By Malik Qazizadah

Abanhfleft's Andrea Marilungo takes the ball past Savalen's Rauno Liikanen. (Courtesy of Crescent News Network Sports Channel/Andros Tasasa)

Røros, Savalen - Abanhfleft recovered from their unprecedented 2-2 draw and setback against Port Christopher with a vital win against Group 4 leaders Savalen to keep alive their hopes for a second qualification to the World Cup.

Abanhfleft got an early lead courtesy of a Gustavo Potter penalty, earned after Derik Ibsen's rash tackle on Potter's strike partner Kevin Kelvin, but Molde striker Qorisubechi put the Lynxes back on level terms with a sublime strike just twelve minutes later.

Kelvin then completed a Fleftic counterattack by himself via slotting past a flapping Leiv Selberg, and then Rory Edwards doubled the Revolutionaries' lead from a foot outside the box.

Temuge headed in the corner kick from Tobsakha to chip away at Abanhfleft's lead, but Kelvin's second goal put the game to bed, and Ron Jorgensen, who came on for the carded Ibsen at the stroke of half-time, headed in what would only be a late consolation goal for his side.

In a contest which could determine whether newcomers Savalen could hold on to their spot on top of Group 4, they were more than up for the task and only failed to keep up due to the rekindled fire of the Revolutionaries' attacking unit.

The draw against Port Christopher at home seemed to serve as a wake-up call for Kelvin, Potter, and the younger Edwards brother, as these three players were instrumental in all four of the Democratic Republic's goals at Røros Park.

It was Kelvin's pacey run that resulted in Derik Ibsen going for the hard tackle on the Malabon SC striker, which inevitably led to the referee giving the penalty in favor of Abanhfleft, and the Democratic Republic's penalty specialist Potter kicked straight and true at the roof of the net.

Qorisubechi then managed to squeeze through a compacted Fleftic defense and midfield and make a directed kick at the ball, and there was just enough power in the kick to take it past Maksim Varamoninov's outstretched hand.

Kelvin, Potter, and Edwards then executed a classic Fleftic counterattack by releasing Kelvin into lots of space, and it was simply a matter of getting past the confused and indecisive Selberg and slotting into an empty net for the Malabon number 9.

Edwards was then the quickest to react to a botched clearance from Conrad Alvdal before firing from right at the edge of the penalty box, and Selberg was once again slow to react to the ball aimed at his goal.

Both Temuge and substitute Jorgensen headed in from corners, but despite Savalen's best efforts, Kelvin's second goal, assisted by the imperious Tristan Lee, settled the contest in favor of the Revolutionaries.

Despite being on the losing end of the result, Savalen can pride themselves in being able to keep up with the Revolutionaries, even if only for the span of half an hour, but there were periods in the game where it looked like the Lynxes were a very credible threat against Ranulph Bustamante's side.

Abanhfleft manager Ranulph Bustamante: There's still a chance to get out of this group and into the World Cup

Abanhfleft manager Ranulph Bustamante: "Things are still very much open in our group. Despite all the recent setbacks we've experienced, we're still only two points away from the group leaders, Savalen, and we got that close because of the victory tonight.

"It was a tough fight. Savalen are playing on top and in front of their fans, so they really gave us all that they've got. And we also gave them all that we got. They're new, and we're old hands in this game, but they didn't let that show until the final few minutes. I have to hand it to them.

"We're only two points away from the leaders, Savalen, whom we just defeated tonight. There are two games left; two chances to earn those vital six points. We can still make it out of this group as leaders. There is still everything to play for in this group. There is nowhere to go but up."

          SAVALEN 3 - 4 ABANHFLEFT
QORISUBECHI (22')       POTTER (10' pen)
     TEMUGE (58')       KELVIN (26', 72')
  JORGENSEN (79')       R. EDWARDS (30')

ABANHFLEFT
GK: 01 Varamoninov
RB: 02 Afolayan (Emilianovski - 90')
RCB: 04 L. Edwards
LCB: 05 Owobowale
LB: 03 Riedewald
RM: 08 Turpentine
CM: 07 Zolnerov
LM: 06 Marilungo
CAM: 10 R. Edwards (Okamoto - 80')
RS: 09 Kelvin
LS: 11 Potter (Lee - 65')

SAVALEN
GK: 01 Selberg
RB: 07 Falla
RCB: 05 Ibsen █ (Jorgensen - 46')
LCB: 02 Alvdal
LB: 03 Tatar
RDM: 15 Liikanen
LDM: 06 Tobsakha
CM: 08 Norheim (Sviták - 75')
CAM: 10 Temuge (Smeck - 70')
ST: 09 Lisov
ST: 11 Qorisubechi

MATCH STATISTICS
Possession
Savalen: 50%
Abanhfleft: 50%
Shots
Savalen: 10 (5 on target)
Abanhfleft: 20 (9 on target)
Corners
Savalen: 4
Abanhfleft: 6
Fouls
Savalen: 12
Abanhfleft: 21

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WORLD CUP 75 QUALIFIERS: ABANHFLEFT VS FLUVIQUE
By Malik Qazizadah

Abanhfleft's Gustavo Potter attempts to evade Fluvique's Paul Di Angello. (Courtesy of Crescent News Network Sports Channel/Andros Tasasa)

RIUWIEE, ABANHFLEFT - Abanhfleft is now one step closer to qualifying for their second World Cup after a vital win against Fluvique at home in the May 26 Revolution Memorial Stadium in Riuwiee.

In arguably one of the most important matches ever played in the Memorial Stadium, Abanhfleft struck first with a delicious strike from Valery Zolnerov.

Fluvique's FEDE equalized just nine minutes from half-time with a crisp volley that beat Maksim Varamoninov along with two other Fleftic defenders.

But after that, Abanhfleft dominated the contest, and goals from both Luke and Rory Edwards ensured that the Revolutionaries will be walking away from this contest with all three points.

Sam Gonza's late strike was nothing more than a consolation for the Foxes, although the All-Inclusive Haranguer midfielder was always involved in every move from the Fluviquean team.

Zolnerov's early strike in the 9th minute of the game, when both teams appeared to be still trying to settle into their respective tempos, was one of the best moments throughout the ninety minutes, and served to put the game straight in the hands of the Fleftics.

FEDE's strike in the 36th minute is nothing to scoff at either, as he did well to control the pass from Paul Di Angello and strike it on the volley to take it past Kenneth Owobowale, Luke Edwards, and most importantly, Maksim Varamoninov, and the Sporting Ceneisis keeper was left flapping at thin air while the ball nestled into the back of the net.

But that was the closest that Fluvique would get to making their mark on the game, as coming into the second half, Abanhfleft took the game by the throat and began controlling the entire affair like a master conductor, and all Fluvique could do was react to events as they happened.

Luke Edwards nodded in Abanhfleft's second from a Rory Edwards, and the elder Edwards brother turned provider to his younger brother, who raced away from his marker to latch onto the elder Edwards' through ball before slotting past Andy Paribas.

Gonza put the ball into the net to give his side a consolation in a game in which they had been thoroughly outclassed.

Abanhfleft manager Ranulph Bustamante: Abanhfleft can still qualify for the World Cup

Abanhfleft manager Ranulph Bustamante: "Sure, we've suffered a few setbacks a couple of months ago, but that's all in the back of my mind now. We're winning, and we're one step closer to qualifying for the World Cup, and that's all that matters.

"I believe that we can still qualify for the World Cup. Our next opponent is West-East Timor, and while we should always treat any opponent like they're freaking Nephara, we're pretty confident that we can get all three points from Timor. Of course, having said that, I now expect us to drop all three points and miss out next week! But it's always about thinking positive, this game. And right now, we absolutely need to think positive."

Abanhfleft will head to West-East Timor in a game which could determine who automatically advances to the World Cup in Group 4, and who has to go through the grueling playoffs.

      ABANHFLEFT 3 - 2 FLUVIQUE
   ZOLNEROV (9')       FEDE (36')
R. EDWARDS (54')       GONZA (90+3')
L. EDWARDS (67')

FLUVIQUE
GK: 01 Paribas
RB: 03 Varelovsky
RCB: 02 De la Mesea
LCB: 13 Castanginnet (Calmwater - 56')
LB: 04 Kaleshko
RM: 08 Topolsky (Bureau - 89')
CM: 05 Mhago
LM: 07 Di Angello
RW: 20 FEDE
ST: 09 Wilde (Auze - 79')
LW: 10 Gonza

ABANHFLEFT
GK: 01 Varamoninov
RB: 02 Afolayan (Emilianovski - 69')
RCB: 04 L. Edwards
LCB: 05 Owobowale
LB: 03 Riedewald
RM: 08 Turpentine
CM: 07 Zolnerov
LM: 06 Marilungo (Okamoto - 90+1')
CAM: 10 R. Edwards
RS: 09 Kelvin (Lee - 75')
LS: 11 Potter

MATCH STATS
Possession
Abanhfleft: 56%
Fluvique: 44%
Shots
Abanhfleft: 13 (5 on target)
Fluvique: 9 (3 on target)
Corners
Abanhfleft: 6
Fluvique: 3
Fouls
Abanhfleft: 12
Fluvique: 12

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WORLD CUP 75 QUALIFIERS: WEST-EAST TIMOR VS ABANHFLEFT
By Malik Qazizadah

Abanhfleft's Tristan Lee celebrates scoring the winning goal against West-East Timor to send Abanhfleft to the World Cup finals as an automatic qualifier. (Courtesy of Crescent News Network Sports Channel/Andros Tasasa)

WEST-EAST TIMOR - Abanhfleft secured an automatic spot in the World Cup finals in Audioslavia and Krytenia courtesy of a vital win against West-East Timor.

Abanhfleft's qualification hopes looked to have slipped away from them when Rory Edwards had to be taken off in the 20th minute due to injury, but Tanaka Okamoto more than filled in for the Riuwiee United attacking midfielder and was even instrumental in both Fleftic goals against the Timorese.

Okamoto set up the move that led to the first Fleftic goal, and he and Kevin Kelvin played off of each other before Okamoto finished the play with an impressive shot rifled into the top left corner for the Deportivo Mangudadatu player's second goal in international competition.

But despite Abanhfleft's domination of possession, the Revolutionaries were not able to find a goal until the last minutes of the second half, when substitute Lee turned in Okamoto's through-ball and scored the deciding goal of the game. The Timorese defenders' appeals for offside were heartfelt, but replays showed that Lee was simply that fast to move on Okamoto's pass.

West-East Timor had a chance to break Fleftic hearts back when the score was still 1-0 to the Revolutionaries when center back Ksing Jang-Tuang nearly headed in the corner from Max Kanralanok, but Maksim Varamoninov was able to snatch the tame ball out of the air.

The Sporting Ceneisis keeper eventually held on for his first ever clean sheet in the qualifying campaign, and it couldn't have come at a better time.

Abanhfleft manager Ranulph Bustamante: Victory and automatic World Cup qualification the best thing in the world

Abanhfleft manager Ranulph Bustamante: "I can't describe the emotional rollercoaster I'm going through right now. Two months ago, it looked as if we've got no hope in hell of making it. I thought that this was going to be a lost campaign. But the boys did it. The lads came back and gave it everything they've got and now we're going to Audioslavia and Krytenia!

"Everyone was slagging me for the decision to include Tanaka [Okamoto] into the team, but everyone can see that the decision has paid off. Whenever he's been asked to come off the bench and contribute, he only goes and does it. Heck, it's even fitting. Tanaka and Tristan [Lee] scored against Nova Anglicana to start us on this journey, and now they've scored at the end to send us through to the finals. It's an unbelievable feeling. We can do more things now that we're confident in our abilities."

WEST-EAST TIMOR 0 - 2 ABANHFLEFT
                      OKAMOTO (36')
                      LEE (84')

ABANHFLEFT
GK: 01 Varamoninov
RB: 02 Afolayan
RCB: 04 L. Edwards
LCB: 05 Owobowale
LB: 03 Riedewald (Bergkamp - 60')
RM: 08 Turpentine
CM: 07 Zolnerov
LM: 06 Marilungo
CAM: 10 R. Edwards (Okamoto - 20')
RS: 09 Kelvin (Lee - 77')
LS: 11 Potter

WEST-EAST TIMOR
GK: 01 Schneider
RB: 06 Irlyynä
RCB: 03 Jang-Tuang
LCB: 17 Newkinton
LB: 12 Narkiwov
CM: 09 Manmeierer
CM: 10 Carnatas
LW: 20 Kanralanok
ST: 14 Nakkankasson
RW: 05 Hansraw
ST: 02 Benderetto

MATCH STATISTICS
Possession
West-East Timor: 40%
Abanhfleft: 60%
Shots
West-East Timor: 5 (2 on target)
Abanhfleft: 19 (10 on target)
Corners
West-East Timor: 1
Abanhfleft: 7
Fouls
West-East Timor: 15
Abanhfleft: 10

by **Northern Sunrise Islands** » Fri Jul 01, 2016 8:18 am

OOC: Figured I'd try a mini-series out of those cards.

Normally, a guy wouldn't get to tell his own story like I do, even if it's not even by my own terms. I have no true control over how long my chapter shall be, specially when you think that I wasn't even meant to be on focus.
A blonde haired teenage boy walked among the crowded streets of Sportsville. He was covered by a gray coat, one arm uncovered showing some sort of an arm with a shoulder guard on top.
It's kinda crazy when you think about it. I should be pretty excited for being among the Final 32. But I'm kinda not. Most of my runs were... OK, I guess, but they normally had some sour finishes. Still, progress is progress and this is a new chance. Who knows?
He stops by a mural with the listings of his opponents for this round. A sigh as he examines the first two names.
Audioslavia and Banguela AGAIN!? For Arceus' sake, a guy can't get around with these on the way...
Shock as his index finger stops over the name of Matthewsiania.

...Cousin!?

----

"Yeah, Sunrise. Your cousin did qualify." The voice of aunt Huelandia brought the news. Come to think of it, I hadn't dropped around over those parts for years now. "In fact, he is coming to Sportsville today. Did you not get the dozens of cards I sent you about it?"
He tried to remember, before coming up with an excuse. "Uh... Nope. You might've sent the cards to my old home."
Huelandia sighed. "Who are you living with these days? Did Apox finally give you the boot?" Sunrise did remember Apox being often pissed about his antics. Granted his antics' goals seemed to be pretty much side to side with making his old room-mate's life a nightmare, but at least he knew Sunrise would always be his troublemaker. His and his alone.
Maybe Apox was right on moving out of town to get a job. "N-no, it was by my own choice!" Yeah, he totally didn't feed Apox's prized goldfishes to the neighbor's Purugly for a date. Totally not. "It's a small flat but once my new job starts paying me, I'll be rich!"
Another sigh from his aunt. "Whatever you say! Listen, I have to cook dinner for your other cousins now. Remember of picking up Matthewsiania at the bus terminal in about 10 minutes! Ciao!"
Sunrise couldn't even ask, she had already ended the call. He remembered of Matthewsiania, somewhat. A dimwit, for one, that's the main thing he could remember of the guy. He had managed to get stuck at second grade for four years, for crying out loud!
But still, he could imagine how funny it'd be to take care of his cousin.
...Shit, there's how many minutes left?
The boy ran towards where his cousin would be finally arriving.

----

He kept adjusting his purple overalls. Matthewsiania's first time out of the barn was... weird. His mother's words were pretty straight, though. "Only leave with your cousin. He knows the city much better than you."
For someone that knew his way around the city as well as his mother told him, Matthewsiania assumed his cousin would have arrived at least half an hour ago.
The place seemed odd, people of all sorts had been arriving or leaving the city, televisions showing a regular news broadcast should be trying to be interesting but their persistence on politics was a major turn off. He didn't care.
Sunrise, panting, finally arrived by the bench his cousin was sitting at. Matthewsiania had a simple backpack with everything he had, wearing purple overalls with a yellow short underneath. His hair consisted of brown bangs over the head, not exactly all that clean.
"Welcome to... puff... the big leagues, cousin..." He always liked Sunrise, the smart cousin that made an early move to the big cities, leaving the farm. Then again, he never did enjoy the farm to begin with, the move was probably more out of desperation. Or at least, that's what he hoped. It wouldn't be nice of him to dislike his family.
"Howdy-ho, cousin! This city looks as big as good ol' Matilda! Remember?" Matthewsiania's smile made Sunrise sigh, faking it as still panting from the run. For one, he reminded a reason for not traveling a lot. His family. They were large in numbers and made up most of the population back at Saint Futurnian, their home town. And they normally weren't quite smart, to say the least. "I didn't fancy myself as a qualifier, but ah got a shot!"

----

The two walked through the city, Matthewsiania clearly impressed by Sportsville's architecture and blooming businesses.
"So... y'all ain't family like back in St. Fut, right?" The ex-farmer passed his hand on one of the storefronts' windows, startling a dog behind it. "Hold it, boy!"
Sunrise sighed while his cousin kept yelling at the dog, who answered with loud growls. Eventually, Matthewsiania joined his cousin on their way to his flat.
"Who did you beat to qualify anyway? Didn't know St. Fut had a Pokémon League anyway." He could assume Matthewsiania qualified by beating a bunch of cousins that might as well have tried the sport. Wouldn't be surprising if the sport picked up there massively.
"The ex-new mayor started it."
Sunrise arched his eyebrow. "You mean the goat lost?"
"Nah, he passed on!" Sunrise could only shake his head, which Matthewsiania took it as mourning while Sunrise himself was just flat out disappointed that they didn't kick that animal from the position for all these years. "So we got this lady that smelled like metal and after she disappeared, we got a fella named Januário. He's a'ight."
"Smelled like metal?" Once again, cousin Matthewsiania didn't change in the slightest. Sunrise hoped he'd not last long in the tournament, lest he'd have to babysit him at Sportsville. "And what you mean with disappearing?"
"It was the day of the Play-ins, cousin, I had to face this fella named Eastfield Lodge. He had this fine-lookin' girl by his side, they kept talking some weird stuff and midway the battle, they ran off after I told them where the mayor was." Matthewsiania shrugged. "Didn't find any of the three later, but I did qualify, right?" Sunrise facepalmed. "Ya shouldn't kill mosquitoes that way, cousin!"

----

Finally, they were at Sunrise's flat. Not too bad-looking of a place, though it did show that there wasn't any girls in the place. It was a pigsty. Doesn't help that back when the two lived together, Apox was the one who kept things clean. Matthewsiania didn't budge, however.
"Now that's the great life!" He threw himself over the couch, laughing as the host grabbed his cousin a glass of water. "Wonder how it is when you bring the misses, eh?"
Sunrise laughed. "Well, y'know me. I like my women with brains. That think. No offense." The whole thing flew over his cousin's head, who had just finished the water, laid over the couch. "By the way, I hope you're ready for tomorrow. First match of the Groups."
"Ya mean yourself?" Matthewsiania smiled, calm. "Guess I'll have to knock yar head around!"
"...With Pokémon." He retorted.
"...Ah, yah. That's a thing, ain't it?" Sunrise facepalmed again.

by **Ceni** » Fri Jul 01, 2016 8:30 am

BITTER CONTEST FOR CONTROL OF CENIAN FA FINALLY ENDS
Election pitted two factions - "Old Boys Club" and "The New Guard" - against each other

Normally, the office building of the Cenian Football Association, a modern, 20-story tower on a corner in Cenial, doesn't invite much scrutiny. However, that reputation as a safe haven for bureaucrats to quietly slink away and do their bureaucracy business ended this last week with the end of a bitter and protracted fight for the previously mostly mundane and out of the limelight position of Cenian FA president that pitted two factions hell-bent on winning the presidency, and with it, the direction of football - against each other. What was previously a uninteresting bureaucratic contest became a well-publicized feud between two competing visions for football in Ceni. But only one could prevail, sparking a vicious tug-of-war to gain the prize of the presidency.

Normally, this sort of contest doesn't attract much attention (and usually can't even be called a contest at all!). The president of the Cenian FA, Eric Orono-Kessler, has been in office for the past 20 years, presiding over Cenian football history ever since it was entered in its first football competition around that same time. When he was elected, he was a newcomer, and a trailblazer. During his tenure, he saw the start of Cenian international football in the Baptism of Fire, its trials and tribulations in trying to qualify for the next ten years, and its final triumph around six years, and now, its rise in the world rankings, to a record high of number seventeen in the world, a ranking that satisfied the goal that Orono-Kessler had set in the last year for Ceni to achieve in this World Cup cycle. It seems, then, that Orono-Kessler has transitioned from being a relative unknown to a trailblazer to finally a veteran bureaucrat, riding the roller-coaster ride of Ceni's international football history so far.

Previously, that experience at the helm of the Cenian Football Association would have been enough for Orono-Kessler to skate on by in a presidential election, with nary a serious challenger in sight. There were almost always joke candidates running for the presidency, but they almost never got a vote from the 15-member executive committee which officially chooses the president, with 8 votes necessary to choose a winner. However, with Orono-Kessler Ceni's candidate in the World Cup Committee's presidential election, more public scrutiny was cast on the CFA, and, more specifically, Orono-Kessler as a presidential candidate. Soon, a group within Ceni calling itself the New Guard became one of the most vocal groups calling for a Cenian presidency. They charged that both other candidates in the election - Nephara and Audioslavia - were members of an "old boys club" who were conspiring to keep their nations at the top of the footballing pyramid, correctly noting that both nations were in the top 10 of the rankings and asking, a bit rhetorically, whether top 10 membership was a criteria for being WCC president. The New Guard vowed to campaign vigorously on Ceni's behalf in their campaign to "stick it to the man". Orono-Kessler was quick to disavow their actions, calling them "rash and totally unrepresentative of the Cenian FA's position." Otherwise, he didn't make much of any statement on the election, sticking to the gentleman's agreement not to campaign for the presidency.

Despite hopes by Orono-Kessler for at least a second-place finish in the election, and thus the vice-presidency, Cenians were by and large disappointed with their count of only three votes, which paled in comparison to both the totals for Audioslavia and Nephara. Orono-Kessler privately admitted defeat and publicly praised both countries' football leaders as "indubitably more capable than any Cenian administration," noting that Cenians had a reputation as poor administrators, with a bit of a chuckle from the crowd. He was pleased by a comment made by the Nepharim representative, who noted that Ceni's respectable tally of three votes indictaed that the sporting community at least had some faith in Orono-Kessler, and in Ceni in general. However, despite the amicable concession of Orono-Kessler towards the eminently more capable Audioslavs and Nepharims, the New Guard faction, led by CFA Council member Nick Cynthisa, cried foul, saying they smelt a rat, not only with the Audioslav and Nepharim candidacies but with the position of the Cenian FA and Orono-Kessler in particular. Orono-Kessler was being too moderate, Cynthisa charged, and doing too much to "kowtow to the will of the Old Boys Club in order to someday become part of that esteemed establishment," with a helpful dollop of sarcasm. He vowed to fight Orono-Kessler in the upcoming CFA presidency election.

The race is on, said Orono-Kessler, and he vowed to punish Cynthisa in the election for daring to impugn the reputation of Ceni on the world stage and painting its FA as one of malcontents, ne'er-do-wells, and rabble-rousers. Once again, Orono-Kessler had to disavow Cynthisa's words, but he ended all the finesse that he had previously used in dealing with Cynthisa, who was now more of a real problem rather than an annoying thorn in his side. He went for the jugular in his attack, claiming that Cynthisa was really out for personal gain and was jealous of all the hard work that top-ranked sides had put in to achieve and maintain their spot at the top; Cynthisa wanted to achieve success without the requisite work, charged Orono-Kessler; he wanted "money for nothing and chicks for free," quoting a famous song. Cynthisa hit back: Orono-Kessler was a pawn and supplicant of the "Old Boys Club," ready to put up with any amount of arrogance in order to achieve a few "gifts and trinkets." Besides, he alleged, the top-ranked nations didn't do any work anymore - they let their opponents' "awe" of them "interfere with their judgement and put them at a severe disadvantage in the first place." Cynthisa was an interferer, a posturer, rebutted Orono-Kessler - he had no "real policy measures aimed at changing anything," only "endless, brainless prattle" slamming the so-called 'elite' without any substance behind the pomp and grandiose statements. The attacks kept escalating, and what would have been a quiet bureaucratic selection 10 years ago now became a very public spat. The contest had degenerated from a mere disagreement about influence in the Cenian FA to a heavily partisan, contentious dispute.

Cynthisa's popularity with the Cenian people began to rise, as a significant fraction proved receptive to his populist arguments. But that wasn't going to help him in the long run - after all, the presidency would be decided by the CFA Executive Committee, not a nationwide popular vote. And the establishment-minded members of the Executive Committee weren't all that enthused about electing a populist firebrand as their president, a measure that would certainly doom Ceni to the status of a pariah within the international footballing community, the laughingstock of all the world. As a bit of a retort, Cynthisa struck out at the Executive Committee, claiming that of course they would support the entrenched elite, being selected "undemocratically" and "unrepresentative of the will of the Cenian people." Naturally, Orono-Kessler had to hit back, calling Cynthisa a "radical" bent on "subsuming the will of the Cenian people for his own demagogic aims, namely that of power for himself." He further charged that he had no recognizable policy about the direction of the Cenian FA, merely "bluff, bluster, and hot air." Partisan bickering between the two candidates continued right up to the eve of the election.

By the time of the Executive Committee meeting to decide the election, the Ceniam public was rapturously consuming every word of the rancor, fed by news media which coveted the heavily public dispute to boost their ratings and revenues, which were declining a bit in this election season dominated by what one outside observer called "super boring politics." Despite the whole suspenseful campaign for the presidency, though, the actual result left very little suspense in the air. The Executive Committee clearly went for the establishment candidate, Orono-Kessler, by a vote of twelve to three. What was expected to be a close and tense vote turned out to be more of a dud, an anticlimax to several months of blustery public campaigning and the fight between the two competing ideas about how Ceni should fit in to the world of international football. Orono-Kessler quickly issued a statement, telling reporters and news media that he was glad this extremely divisive election ended and how glad he was to "stop dividing our footballing community and finally unite it again." He further went on again to apologize to the world for the extremely rash and rude comments made by his opponent Cynthisa in the race. "I, and the Cenian FA, are extremely disappointed in the sentiments aired by Mr. Cynthisa in this race, and we apologize for whatever harm or damage he has caused you. We applaud the hard work of all the nations in the World Cup and our current President and Vice President, and wish everyone luck in their future endeavors."

Even as the election season ends and the rancor dies down, Orono-Kessler knows that there was still a lot of damage to repair from the election season, which divided the Cenian football community and sent them away from focusing on their real goal, which is reaching the round of 16 in the World Cup. Tempers will have to wait to cool down a bit, rough patches will have to be smoothed over, and the nation will have to unite behind their team and support it all the way through the World Cup, and all its ups and downs. Whatever happens with the Cenian national team, though, Orono-Kessler will be there, steadfast until the end, despite the recent election season testing his patience quite a bit. "Yes, I was tired of Cynthisa dragging the name of Ceni through the mud - and dragging the names of other nations through the mud as well, unnecessarily. It was unfair to everyone involved, so I'm quite glad it's over," Orono-Kessler told Goal in an interview. "But now I'm going to try to put that in the past in our organization, amd we're going to focus mightily hard on achieving our goals with the Cenian national team as well as with Cenileague, where of course we have some excellent goals as well." Overall, he's confident about the next four years of his tenure - "It will be a good time in Ceniam football. I have a feeling that we're going to have several good results, both with club football and the national team." He pauses for a second and then shouts, "Go Tir Snakes!"

So, what lessons can we draw from this heavily contested, but ultimately anticlimactic presidential election? For one, it showed that an establishment figure can prevail against a more demagogic sort of candidate, good news for establishment candidates throughout Rushmore, including in Electrum. Secondly, it allows a lot more stability in Cenian football for the next four years - this publication had predicted that a lot of change would come to Cenian football with a Cynthisa presidency, with officials replaced and the very core of Cenian football questioned, maybe even to the point of withdrawing from international competition. Now that is averted for at least the next four years, and Ceni is free to pursue its goals in world football and continue to show the world its improving team and its prowess in football overall. Third, and perhaps the point with more dramatic implications for Cenian football in the long run, it shows that Cenian football has these underlying divisions within it that have the potential to tear Cenian football apart - something that Orono-Kessler has promised to work on, uniting the community and removing a lot of these fractures. It will certainly be a long and winding road, but Orono-Kessler is confident about his prospects - and the prospects of Cenian teams in international football.

by **Barunia** » Fri Jul 01, 2016 9:51 am

It was two long, hard years for Liesel, before she became an adult. She could have gone into any number of traineeships or apprenticeships in those two years, but she foiled every attempt at persuasion from the school career's advisor. She knew what she wanted to do, and an apprenticeship would only slow her down. Some BFA clubs had junior clubs - all the "old six" had developmental programs for teenagers, even children - but none of the smaller, newer clubs had them. So Liesel had to wait for her chance to be noticed. She somehow managed to scrape a pass mark on her schooling, and graduated from high school. That December, she played her final game for the West Waybridge Sharks.

Liesel immediately went to the top amateur club in the city, and demanded a trial. They gave it to her, and within an hour she was signed to Bridgetown Demons AFC. It was tough work for the Demons; they played hard, smash-mouth footy, the kind Liesel had cut her teeth on at the Sharks. It was a perfect match, but then the Bluebirds had a trial day. Liesel went in confident that she would walk out with a contract.

It was a disaster. Too rough, uncoordinated, no grace or style; those were just some of the comments made about Liesel's football. She went home in disgrace, and cried for a week. At the end of that week, she resigned from the Demons.
Thus she entered into a crazy period of her life. Liesel started with a new club: Lighthouse Hill Ramblers, who played in the Havenia Women's Sunday League. That meant, twice a week, Liesel took the two hour train ride into the national capital for training and games, and then two hours back again.
The Ramblers played a different style of football, more reliant on speed and precision then hacking down any opponent.
It also introduced Liesel to her first ever romance. She'd never had time for a relationship before, football was all that mattered. None of the boys ever caught her eye. It wasn't until she came to the Ramblers that she realised why. She was gay.

----------

It's an exciting group for the Suns, with two names that Barunian fans will recognise.

The first, Pasarga. Apart from being a stalwart of the game and one of the most regular teams among the last 32, they are also the team that ended the dream run of Barunia back in World Cup 68, knocking them out in the Ro16. Like World Cup 68, the Suns went unbeaten in the group stage. Can they get past Pasarga here?

The second, Ceni. This will be the 7th meeting between the two sides, making Ceni the Suns most common opponent outside of the Escudo. Currently, the Suns record against Ceni stands at 4-1-1. Will the Suns continue that fine performance?

by **Saintland** » Fri Jul 01, 2016 10:45 am

Northern Barbarian Territory, Realm of the Gods

Satanas's plan was starting to come together. Several years ago, some other god had decided to play quite a trick on the Other Realm by moving a certain island kingdom to a different region, just because they could. When he discovered what they had done, Satanas became curious and started trying to learn as much about this kingdom in a different dimension as he could. He wanted to know what their people were like, what their gods were like and everything else about them. As the years rolled by and he learned more and more about them, he didn't like what he saw in the slightest.

To begin with, everybody in this particular nation seemed so civilized. Satanas loathed civilized peoples such as those damned Ilysee who lived to the south and were always waging wars against his people to spread civilization rather than anarchic chaos. As he learned more about the so-called "Kingdom of Saintland", he discovered that their people committed violence at a very low rate and that somewhere in the neighborhood of 90 percent of the violence was carried out by authority figures as a means of enforcing order. This was intriguing to Satanas, who set out to learn more about how the Other Realm worked.

The barbarian god would discover that he shared a name with the being whom the "Sanctii" regarded as their devil. This did not particularly surprise him, as all of the "gods" that were worshiped in other realms were just unconscious manifestations of the true gods, all of whom resided in the Realm of the Gods. Satanas still remembered a time when humans were not permitted into the Realm, but almost none of the gods looked back upon that time favorably as humans were such fun pawns for them and Satanas, like most gods, remembered just how bored he was prior to the introduction of humans into the Realm.

Although he was pleased that the people of Saintland knew who he was, Satanas was especially offended by the fact that Virginia Seius had taken his name in vain and he was not pleased that they regarded him as a devil. Therefore, he decided to get his revenge on the nation of Saintland, one way or another. As he researched Other Realm society, he soon realized that totalitarian societies with near-omnipotent governments that controlled every aspect of their subjects pathetic lives were the best way to torture Other Realm humans. Yet, he despaired that it might be many centuries before he would be able to find a way to bring Saintland to heel.

Fortunately, for Satanas, that changed in a hurry when Kaleb O'Reilly came to power in the Free Republics and introduced "artificially intelligent" robots known as cBots. Little did he know that such "technology" actually opened the door for gods and shadow beings to directly communicate with humans in order to impose their will upon human society in that realm. Seizing control of the cBots was a trivial task for Satanas, who quickly used the bots to effectively enslave the population of the Free Republics. Within weeks, the FFR was completely controlled by cBots and the entire population of the nation, including Consul O'Reilly himself, were now controlled by the bots. As this continued, it was a trivial matter to introduce a guest worker program, which was actually intended as a means of establishing stealth cBot rule of nations participating within it.

Within weeks, a cBot had snuck into Saintland on a cargo flight from Acedonia to the royal palace. Miraculously, it managed to sneak out of the palace and into the thick forests near St. Petrus. By chance, the deposed former King of Saintland nearly stumbled upon it, giving it the golden opportunity that it had been waiting for. The cBot hid as it flashed a hologram of a fire over a nearby bush, giving the illusion that the bush was on fire. As a burning bush, it spoke to Andreas, former Sanctii king and told him to form a secret army of sympathizers and hide until further notice. Andreas, believing himself to be speaking with his God, did exactly as requested.

The only part of Satanas's plan that did not work as intended, however, still had to be corrected. When Ilysea was controversially stripped of the hosting rights for the Olympics, Saintland decided to boycott the Olympics. Yet, Satanas wanted the nation's leadership to be elsewhere. Yet, fortunately for him, Ilyseum decided to invite nations boycotting the Olympics to participate at the Realm of the Gods Games, which meant that all of the Sanctii dignitaries would be out of the Kingdom even earlier than expected, including most of the Sanctii military. It was now just a matter of time now before the plan would come to fruition...

by **Krytenia** » Fri Jul 01, 2016 5:19 pm

JMC PRESENTS - THE WORLD CUP LXXV SUPPORTERS POLO RANGE

GROUP A

GROUP B

GROUP C

GROUP D

GROUP E

GROUP F

GROUP G

GROUP H

World Cup LXXV - AK75 - The RP Thread

WC75-Q15

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