2016 Astyrian Cup [Everything Thread | Open | WIP]

[Trellin]

I'm not coming up with another logo for my teams. I'm just not.

Trellinese national football team roster

Manager: Avureg Rhaikarsen

Team:

• Teqial Lunira (goalkeeper)
• Jakúba Forsai (captain)
• Moi'riz Üarenar
• Ghorin Lamred
• Sebári Ytondris
• Pei Malasan
• Kosatis Girmol
• Liyhima Lipari
• Tarmüz Seleda
• Duder Osanto
• Qirnos Aforez

Subs:

• Marno ti'Üzhai
• Karieg Rostani
• Nurial Ytondris
• Kerhnai Resuna
• Erhied Niqaika
• Joreq Filsyai
• Duder Mlíuras

Formation: 3-3-4

Permissions:

Choose my Goalscorers: Yes.
Godmod Scoring Events: Yes.
Godmod Injuries to my Players: TG first.
Godmod Yellow Cards to my Players: TG first.
Godmod Red Cards to my Players: No.
Godmod Other Events: No.

[Khade]

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40⁊ ―― 18/08/2016

Next stop: Quarterfinals?

• Cadenza beats Scottopia in second match
• Misrav ti'Solar bags 1-0 victory in second half
• Trellin falls to third place in Group D

Yesterday's match marked another victory for the Magpies as Mirix Qaliris led his team to another hard-fought win in Zitru's Trunheim Stadium. The match pitted Cadenza against the Scottopian Isles, who had previously shown their potential with a 2-0 walkover against the Blackhelm Confederacy.

This match proved to the Duchy's team that Scottopia are no lightweights, as the first half saw both sides make bold attempts at scoring that were only narrowly fended off. It looked dire for Cadenza from the outset as Micheal Baxters, the Scottopia City forward, made a seemingly unstoppable attack in the eighth minute, but his shot hit the post and goalkeeper Tariq Maisarin sent the ball back on its way towards the Scottopian net. Arún Dudriqi and Misrav ti'Solar saw nine separate goal attempts between them over the next thirty minutes but failed to get one past Andrew Rimandos' watchful eyes and quick reflexes. At the end of the first half both teams were feeling the heat as a goal was unforthcoming, and managers Stuart Rafferty and Saleb Urientai had choice words for their teams.

Scottopia took possession at the start of the second half, and a lightning attack by Nick Hernandez almost put the ball in the Cadenzan net in the 48th minute, but Maisarin rescued the Magpies and kept them firmly in the game. The only goal of the match was to come in the 64th minute, as Dudriqi intercepted a pass from McEdison to McCulloch and suddenly the Cadenzan forwards were more animated, pressing home an attack that took the Scottopian defenders off guard. A deft past to ti'Solar set the Leman forward up for a perfect opportunity and he planted the ball cleanly in the middle of the Scottopian net, sealing Cadenza a place in the quarter-finals.

Cadenza's victory makes it one of the top-ranked teams so far, on 6 points together with Riysa and host Zitru - two powerful teams whose match tomorrow is expected to be one for the record books. The Magpies, meanwhile, will play the Blackhelm Confederacy, the lowest rank team, who have failed to secure a single goal so far. The hope right now is that their streak continues and Cadenza goes on to the quarterfinals unopposed.

Matchday 2 was full of surprises, as no losing team in any group managed to score a goal and Group C saw two nil-all draws. Riysa and Zitru both demolished their opponents in Group A and, to the dismay of the Ethlorek crowds, Nikolia and Bankampar both won their matches, having previously drawn. Boban Sokolofsky secured the Black Eagles' victory over Trellin, redeeming himself after a disappointing match on Tuesday, and in the process knocked the Trellinese team to third place in their group. Trellin now needs a victory over Bankampar to have any hope of reaching the quarterfinals.

All across the empire, people will be lighting candles in shrines to Numa and Prezas in advance of tomorrow's match. There's still hope for a 25% Ethlorek quarterfinal, but at the very least there'll be one imperial team in it.

[Nikolia]

The first victory for the Black Eagles!
Thursday, 18. August 2016, 15:32

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Nikolian players celebrating victory © RTN 2016

After victory against the Trellinese national football team, the Black Eagles needs one more victory against the Aswickans in the match that will be held tomorrow to secure their position in the quarterfinals.
So far our team played against the Bankampari, though that match ended with a draw. Compared to that match, in this one our team played more aggressievly, with more possession of the ball, and more goal chances, with one ending up behind Teqial Lunira's backs.
In the first half of the match, however, the Trellinese had the possession of the ball, and phenomenal chances for scoring, thankfully Jez stopped all kicks towards our goal. Duder Osanto, forward player of the Trellinese team nearly scored after powerful kick from 18 meters.
Our team, however didn't spare time in the second half of the match, and quickly took over the ball from the Trellinese. After quick passes between Sokolofsky and Marković, the latter scored after lobbying Trellinese goalkeeper, Teqial Lunira.

Other matches were equally exciting: In Group A, the Mountain Goats were declassed by the Riysians, ending the match with 4-0. The hosts, Zitrian national team, however, won against the co-hosts, San Joaquin Valley with the result 3-0.
In the Group B, the Magpies won against the favourites for that match, the Scottopians, ensuring their place in the quarterfinals. In other match, Blackhelm Confederacy ended up being the last team on the table after defeat from the Gaul team.
Group C however didn't see a single goal in both matches, which could lead to an interesting situation on the scoreboard.
In the group our team is playing, the D Group, the Bankampari won against the Aswickans, making them the last on the scoreboard of our group. Tomorrow, we will watch a match against Aswick and we hope that our team will bring us another victory.

[Zitru]

CUT-OFF NOTICE

All RPs after this point will be considered RPs for matchday the Quarter Finals.

[Zitru]

Matchday 3
AUGUST 19, 2016

GROUP A

San Joaquin Valley 1—6 Neu Engollon
Mortoge Stadium, Mortoge

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Riysa 1—3 Zitru
Jachtlekaär Arena

GROUP B

Blackhelm Confederacy 1—3 Cadenza
National Stadium, Raedburg

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Scottopian Isles 1—1 Terre des Gaules
Trunheim Stadium, Trunheim

GROUP C

Romberg 0—0 Costa de Ouro
Viengburg Stadium, Viengburg

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Marqueville 0—1 Aquitayne
Salaco Stadium, Salaco

GROUP D

Bankampar 1—0 Trellin
Ahckman Arena, Ahckman

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Nikolia 0—0 Aswick
Vorburg Park, Vorburg

[Zitru]

Der Sportsman

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National Soccer League | Soccer League | Astyria | Astyrian Cup | International

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Zitru top Group A

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By LUKA SAAREN

Saturday, August 20, 2016

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RAEDBURG, ZITRU — Zitru have secured their place in the quarter finals of the 2016 Astyrian Cup following a strong 3—1 victory over Riysa, who proved to be difficult to score against in their opening two games. Goals from Aleks Reuzen, Lewis Gïll and Thomas Kaär saw the Dragons top Group A.

Singing, chanting and cheering could be heard from both sets of fans as the game kicked off, and it was the Zitrans who struck first after just 1 minute. The Riysians appeared to switch off completely as Reuben Pazhkelazo played in a cross which was volleyed into the back of the net by Balsak captain Thomas Kaär, causing the thousands of Zitran supporters in the stadium to erupt. Striker Aleks Reuzen came close to doubling the hosts’ lead in the 6th minute, controlling a pass from Lewis Gïll before seeing his follow up shot saved by Nadim Abdul-Ghani.

It didn’t take too long for Riad Mido’s men to equalise, however, as the Riysian team scored in the 18th minute. The Zitran defenders were well organized as the Riysian attack pushed forward, but a long range shot was swerved past Dako Zienen, to the surprise of the Zitran players and fans. The visitors came close to taking the lead ten minutes later from Ahmad Ziyad’s close range effort. The Ittihad FC striker took a big touch from Adam Hamoud’s pass, but he was able to compose himself to take a shot. Unfortunately for the Riysian, Zienen was alert enough to stop the close yet sluggish shot from crossing his line.

The first half continued with both sides opting to pass the ball around and wait for an opportunity to appear as opposed to creating them, which the Zitrans usually did. But the Dragons didn’t stick to these tactics for very long, as they took the lead early in the second half. Aleks Reuzen took control of the ball deep in the Riysian half and made an excellent run through their defence before tapping the ball forward to Lewis Gïll, who was able to roulette around the Riysian keeper and tap the ball into the back of the net. The supporters went wild again, which resulted in the stadium’s security having to escort a number of fans — both Zitran and Riysian — out of the arena.

Knowing that even if they lost they would still be going through, both sides relaxed for the majority of the last 20 minutes of the game. The visitors did fashion a chance in the 82nd minute, Burhan a-Sarghouti playing a cross into the Zitran box which was met by Ziyad’s head. Michael Rause was able to punt the ball out of danger, however, and right up to Lewis Gïll at the halfway line. Gïll made a run, playing a quick one-two with Reuzen before setting him up for a goal. The Balsak striker blasted a shot past Abdul-Ghani and into the top right corner of the net, securing a well deserved 3 points for the home side.

Destiny Airlines Man of the Match: Aleks Reuzen, for his assist and goal, as well as a well balanced performance throughout the game.

[Khade]

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40⁊ ―― 20/08/2016

Cadenza unbeaten in Group B

• Victory over Blackhelm Confederacy sends Magpies through
• 3-1 win puts Cadenza on par with hosts Zitru
• Trellin knocked out after Bankampar defeat

The Cadenzan footballers are now on their way to the quarterfinals of the Astyrian Cup, after another win makes them one of only two teams to win all three match-ups. Hosting nation Zitru boasts the same record, in stark contrast to their co-hosts San Joaquin Valley, who managed to lose all three matches. Only the Confederate team has been so embarrassed in this competition, losing yesterday to the star lineup that defeated Scottopia and Terre des Gaules.

Like previous matches, the game began with a bold opening by the opposing team as the Confederates took possession and kept the ball firmly on the Cadenzan half for the first ten minutes. They found themselves unable to make a quick score, however, as the Cadenzan defenders halted five attempts. The eleventh minute saw Emaro ti'Ormen take the ball out of the fray and move it up the left side, hotly pursued by the Confederate midfielders. The thirty year-old Temir man was always a pace ahead, however, and deftly passed to his club teammate Duder Astoren. Astoren manoeuvred for a shot like his goal on Monday against Terre des Gaules, but the Confederate defenders closed ranks and he passed back across to ti'Ormen. Arún Dudriqi called for the ball but it was ti'Ormen's hour and he scored with a powerful shot from twenty metres out, to the absolute delight of the jubilant Cadenzan fans.

The next twenty minutes were unquestionably the Confederates' game, as they dominated possession and saw two goal chances. Tariq Maisarin was unable to block a third attempt in the twenty-ninth minute, and as the scoreboard read 1-1 there were roars of approval from the Hesperidesian stand.

The Magpies weren't finished yet for the first half, however, and as captain Mirix Qaliris came off in the thirty-fourth minute he was replaced by Pammez midfielder Txeflin ti'Rüma, who rescued the flagging Cadenzan team with his signature flair. Within minutes the game had been turned around, and a deft header from Misrav ti'Solar set Arún Dudriqi up for his long-awaited goal. Dudriqi nudged the ball elegantly into the Confederate net and put the Magpies back into the lead.

The second half saw a change of tactics from the Confederacy, but the Duchy's players were happy to stick with what worked - and, clearly, the new Confederate strategy didn't. Although it kept the goal emptier, possession in the second half was 65% for Cadenza and saw the ball stay almost exclusively on the Hesperidesian half. Three attempts in three minutes saw ti'Solar take a wide shot, Astoren bounce one off the post and Dudriqi head one into the Confederate keeper's waiting hands. Despite dominating play for the second half, the next Cadenzan goal only arrived in the sixty-eighth minute, as ti'Solar scored his second of the competition. Despite both teams' best efforts, and a penalty kick by one of the Confederate duders which was only stopped right on the line, no more goals were forthcoming, and Cadenza finished the match 3-1 up and unbeaten going into the quarterfinals.

Manager Saleb Urientai told The Linesman of his pride and confidence in his team. "We might just have the best lineup since '88. I don't want to say anything prematurely but it's a good omen that we've done so well so far. We were told that Group B had some tough opponents, and I knew those teams had good histories behind them, but really we dominated that group. They'll tell us there are tougher opponents coming up but I believe these lads have proved their ability today. Regardless of what's ahead, Cadenza's made its mark on this competition. That much is for sure."

Tragically, matchday 3 also spells the end for the Trellinese team's quest for AstyCup glory. Trellin had a strong performance in the qualifiers, topping Group B with a draw against Nynorsk Ostlijord and wins over Bungussi and group favourites Morroseta, and it seemed to launch into Group D with the same vigour and potential as it triumphed over Aswick. Unfortunately, Bankampar and Nikolia proved to be the stronger teams and both won their matches against Trellin, knocking it out of the competition.

The highest score and greatest goal difference so far goes to Neu Engollon, which defeated hosts San Joaquin Valley yesterday 6-1. Co-host Zitru defeated Riysa 3-1, ending the latter's winning streak and continuing its own. Nikolia and Romberg drew for a second time, the former against Aswick and the latter against Costa de Ouro. Terre des Gaules and Scottopia drew in their match, with the decision of who to send through ultimately being a tossup. Despite beating Marqueville 1-0, Aquitayne was knocked out.

The eight going into the quarterfinals are therefore as follows: from Group A, Riysa and Zitru; from Group B, Cadenza and Terre des Gaules; from Group C, Costa de Ouro and Marqueville; and from Group D, Bankampar and Nikolia.

[Terre des Gaules]

English Edition

Gaul and Marqueville Move On To AstyCup Quarterfinals

19 Août 2016

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Par Chauncey Bouchard

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Raedburg, Zitru -

Gaul just squeaked by with a draw against the Scottopian Isles to advance to the Quarterfinals. The tying goal was put in the net in the 54th minute by Luc Mourey, who during regular season play can be seen on the pitch for Paritte Majeur. Mourey got the pass from Reynald Pasquier after cutting off an attack and picking off the pass from Micheal Baxters to Nick Hernandez. It was Hernandez who had gotten the first point on the board with his earlier dash around Georges Daumas to hammer the ball right through Rocquebert’s fingertips.

From then on it was a grueling test of wills as both sides were determined to not let another goal in during the draining minutes of the match.

Meanwhile, Marqueville, the Little City that Could, has shocked many by their continuing feats against much higher ranked caliber teams. Who knew our little protectorate had such talent? A lot of credit goes to Francois Garnier, the former Manager of Paritte Réal who has really done wonders with this amazing crew of Gaul colonials and Kamal residents of that crown jewel on the Southeastern Teudallum coast.

Garnier had little to say other than a rigorous pre-season training regimen most certainly helped them get where they are. It’s hard to pick out stars, but Anand Blondeau, Mahmoud Darchet and Rashid Al Hashemi have impressed many with their goal tallies, their ability to help shift coverage of the gaps, and shut down enemy attacks, respectively.

While only winning one match against controversial Romberg, they held the mighty Costa de Ouro to nil all and lost to Aquitayne by one goal. Because of Aquitayne and Romberg’s earlier losses and draws, it was enough to propel them on. Group C had to be the lowest scoring for the group stage, with an unprecedented 3 goose egg draws. Costa De Ouro was the highest scoring team with just 4 points spread across their three matches.

We know that the Marqueville Barracudas will take the ticket to head on into the quarters, no matter the strange circumstances that put it into their hands. They are the squad to watch, and it would certainly be a match of epic proportions were they to face colonial masters Gaul in these later stages, if dare we say, the final itself? One can only hope.

Tune in to GTN for all the latest live coverage of the Astyrian Cup and after reports here at La Monde Gaulouise.

~ CB ~

[Zitru]

Der Sportsman

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National Soccer League | Soccer League | Astyria | Astyrian Cup | International

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Thomas Kaär talks NSL

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By ALEKSANDER JANSEN

Monday, August 22, 2016

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Kaär has been an integral part of the Zitru squad for 6 years.

RAEDBURG, ZITRU — Thomas Kaär has been one of Zitru’s key players at this year’s Astyrian Cup. The Balsak captain has been involved in almost all of the Dragons’ goals, and has made an excellent showing in both attack and defence as the Zitrans made their way out of the group stage without losing a game. Der Sportsman managed to grab the 25 year old for an interview ahead of the new National Soccer League season.

ALEKSANDER: First of all Thomas, you’ve been receiving plenty of praise from both Zitran and Astyrian media for your great performance in the Astyrian Cup so far. Is that a confidence booster?
THOMAS: Yeah, it’s great for me. I’ve really needed a huge boost because I came into the first game of the tournament with a slight injury, but it’s proved to be nothing more than a minor distraction. I’m pleased with the way I’ve played, as well as the team as a whole.

ALEKSANDER: Great stuff then, Thomas. We’ll head straight into the coming domestic season, starting with the Super Cup. How did you feel the game went? Did Balsak deserve to lose?
THOMAS: It was a very interesting game, definitely. Either side could have won, but in the end it was Raedburg that won and deserved to. The game went well for most of it, but we weren’t able to control the game through midfield the way we like to. Raedburg managed to retain possession for a lot of the first half, which really put us under pressure, especially when they scored near the end of the first half. I wouldn’t go as far as to say we deserved to lose, but Raedburg really controlled the pace of the game and did deserve the win.

ALEKSANDER: It was an unfortunate start to the season, of course, and on that note let’s talk about the Balsak—Raedburg rivalry. Both sets of supporters were very hostile during and after the game as was seen on post-match videos and reports. Do you think the players and fans will continue like that during the regular season?
THOMAS: To be honest, I think this “heated” rivalry is created entirely by the fans of both teams. I have to say that all of the players get on well on and off the field, and a lot of us play in the Zitran national team together. Aleks [Reuzen] and Lewis Gïll are really good friends, too, so there’s no way they’d be rivals.

ALEKSANDER: That’s a point that’s never been said before, Thomas. What about the league title? Do you think Balsak can win it this year?
THOMAS: Yeah, definitely. We’ve got an excellent squad and our manager is one of the best in the league. There’s no reason we can’t win it.

ALEKSANDER: A very positive attitude! As a final question, who do you think will be the best player this season?
THOMAS: I think, as was the case last season, it will be between Reuzen and Gïll. However, I hope I can perform well and be in contention.

ALEKSANDER: Well, thanks for talking to us, Thomas. We’ll let you get back to training.
THOMAS: Thank you!

[Zitru]

CUT-OFF NOTICE

All RPs after this point will be considered RPs for the Semi Finals.

[Zitru]

Quarter Finals
AUGUST 22, 2016

Zitru 1—1 Terre des Gaules
(1—1 a.e.t.) (5—4 pen.)
National Stadium, Raedburg

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Costa de Ouro 1—3 Nikolia
Jachtlekaär Arena, Jachtlekaär

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Cadenza 3—3 Riysa
(5—4 a.e.t.)
Mortoge Stadium, Mortoge

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Bankampar 0—1 Marqueville
Republic Stadium, Raedburg

OOC: Apologies for the late posting of the results.

[Khade]

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40⁊ ―― 22/08/2016

Magpies conquer Riysa

• Heated quarterfinal sees extra time bag Cadenza the win
• Duder Astoren gets hat trick and man of the match
• Riysa sent home after dramatic 5-4 finale

Bookmakers across Astyria were shelling out earlier today after a 96-minute encounter saw Cadenza tussle with one of AstyCup's highest ranked teams to advance to the semifinals. Nearly 60,000 fans filled Zitru's Mortoge Stadium to watch one of the most hotly-anticipated matches of the tournament, as Riysa - who had won two out of three matches in Group A, only losing to hosts Zitru in a long battle - faced off against the unbeaten Cadenzan team.

The match opened with Riysa dominating the field in the classic offensive play which had done so well for them this competition. Despite having no forwards, the six Riysian midfielders seemed to control almost the entire pitch as they did to Cadenza as Zitru had done to them just days ago. A quick goal from Burhan al-Sarghouti in the third minute put Riysa ahead, and there was a tangible air of dismay from the Cadenzan contingent. It was clear that the Duchy's delegation was about to face the hardest trial of their visit to eastern Astyria so far.

Yet Saleb Urientai's team proved to be sturdier than expected, and their resolve seemed to strengthen after that early embarrassment. In the nineteenth minute, a breakaway run by Jalan Juredo saw the Temir midfielder elude the Riysian line, and a deft pass across their defenders set Duder Astoren neatly up for a goal which set the Cadenzan stands on fire as flags waved and fans cheered.

This apparently took Cadenza's formidable opponents by surprise, as their offensive efforts redoubled while their defence began to fall apart. The Cadenzan defenders were hard put to protect their goal, and a powerful right kick by Rifaat al-Baour nearly put one in the net, but Tariq Maisarin dived to save it before sending the ball back down the pitch. A stumble saw Arún Dudriqi carried off as Mautuz Anblei came on to replace him in the twentieth minute, and the 22 year-old Cadenza City player quickly came to dominate play. The Magpies renewed their attack to win the new arrival his first point in eight games as Riysian keeper Nadim Abdul-Ghani dived a moment too late to stop Anblei's energetic goal in the twenty-fifth minute.

Comfortably ahead, Urientai's team held back for the rest of the half, fending off Riad Mido's squad's attempts to equalise. A thirty-eighth minute counterstrike almost grabbed Cadenza a 3-1 lead, but Anblei's attempt at a second goal was fended off by an intercept from Diya' Asfour, giving the Cadenzan a corner. As the teams lined up by the Riysian goal, Anblei hoofed the ball to Misrav ti'Solar, who headered to Astoren for a shot which grazed Abdul-Ghani's hands but failed to cross the line.

With that disappointment behind them, the two teams settled down to a gentle game of passing the ball around, knowing another goal was unlikely. The second half, however, opened with the same vim and vigour seen in the first. Riysa again manoeuvred for a quick point to equalise, but this time the Cadenzan defence was ready and Lüc Emva, the Vedkathnan defender, tidily put away the worst threats. Nevertheless, the equaliser was bound to happen and happen it did, as al-Baour put one square in the middle of Maisarin's net.

Cadenza pulled ahead again in the sixty-fourth minute, as ti'Solar scored his third goal in as many matches - and his second at the sixty-four minute mark - but Riysa rebounded quickly and Ahmad Ziyad set al-Baour up for his fifth goal attempt of the match. Maisarin was too far forward as Ziyad belted the ball across the goal, and al-Baour slid it neatly in for his second equaliser of the match, in the sixty-seventh minute.

Tied on 3-3, both teams fought viciously for a point to take the lead, but as the ninetieth minute approached it seemed certain that the game would run into extra time. A last minute foray by the entire Riysian midfield failed to earn that vital point, however, and the referee put another six minutes on the clock.

There was as much action packed into those six minutes as in the entire ninety before it. Already at the top of the pitch, Ridwan al-Khatib wasted no time in landing one in the neck at 90 minutes 53 seconds. Not even a minute and a half later, however, and play had moved decidedly back towards the Riysian goal. Duder Astoren called on some secret energy reserve to outpace the defenders and earn his second goal of the match. At that point it seemed as though the victory might fall down to penalties, but Astoren was still raring at his tether. When Anblei managed to open up an opportunity, Astoren was suddenly there taking it, and in the ninety-fourth minute he scored what would prove to be the match's last and most spectacular goal. Passing within inches of Umar Ismail's left ear and delicately gliding over Abdul-Ghani's outstretched hands, Astoren's third goal of the match will surely go down in Cadenzan sporting history, as it earned the now-legendary footballer Man of the Match while securing his nation a place in the semifinals.

Cadenza advances to the semifinals in the company of Zitru, who won 5-4 on penalties after a 1-1 draw with Terre des Gaules at extra time, Nikolia, after a 3-1 victory over footballing giants Costa de Ouro, and Marqueville, who surprised everyone first by reaching the quarterfinals and then defeating Bankampar 1-0. Cadenza has a good chance against the latter two, but Zitru remains the only other unbeaten team in the competition and is still the favourite to win it. Urientai's optimism seems likely to lift the entire nation, but Cadenza's chances of victory remain too tenuous to risk jinxing them.

There'll be two point eight million fingers crossed on Wednesday, plus 400 million more as the empire's hopes lie on a small island protectorate off its western coast.

[Terre des Gaules]

GTNM

“Hello, I’m Farid Duvalle. You’re watching special coverage of the Astyrian Cup here in Zitru on GTNM, GTN’s local Marqueville channel, also being simulcast across the GTN stations. I’m waiting on an interview with the Barracudas team captain, Mahmoud Darchet. Mahmoud is currently huddling with his teammates after their incredible victory over Bankampar in their quarterfinal match tonight. Here we see some footage during the match of some young fans back home cheering on the team. They're watching from a large screen set up in the back lot of the Hotel Montague where thousands of Marquevillageois have turned up. There is a large hosted event there open to the public with food provided and activities for the young ones...

...Here’s Mahmoud! Mahmoud, a word with you, sir?”

“Hello, Farid, my friend. Here I am. Sorry for the delay.”

“I bet you’re all very happy right now.”

“We are, but you know, we’re trying to keep it muted. To not jinx ourselves. We’re not there yet, so we can’t celebrate prematurely.”

“Of course. There’s still the semis and finals to go here. Do you think you can keep up this momentum?”

“We’re keeping it together. We’re just keeping solid with what we know, you know? We have to keep with the fundamentals and we have to know how to shut down the other teams attacks, and that’s what’s keeping us going here.”

“How do you think that work in the match tonight?”

“Well, pretty good. Seeing as how they didn’t score. We just kept their top scorers, Ohana and Fahima in check. Later they put in Batit. Same thing. We shut them down with numbers, diverting their attack to where our numbers were.”

“Michel Gemait put in the winning goal tonight. Was that expected from you all? Were you trying to make that happen?”

“It was a pleasant surprise. We brought Michel in off the bench, because we wanted to look at the long term here, to keep our starters fresh for the semis, and things just fell into place for him to charge that net when he did. Michel is an excellent all around player, so you will see more of him.”

“He sure is. Gaul got eliminated tonight, but you all are still in it? How do you feel about that? A lot of hopes are riding on the Barracudas now.”

“Well, I mean...We’re disappointed that the Coqs aren’t going on. We have a lot of friends on that team and we’ve played together with most of them in the national league. We just have to pick it up now, as there’s more riding on us, like you said. A lot more eyes are focused on us now.”

“Yes, a lot of people didn’t expect you to make it this far.
I don’t want to overburden you, but....Not just Marqueville, but also Gaul, and even Kamalbia. They are all in your corner and that’s got to be a lot of pressure for the team. Do you feel that there’s divided loyalties?”

“Well, no, not divided loyalty. We are aware of what it means for everyone to see us come this far. We have a good mix of players on the team, some are Gaul, some are Kamal. We all know who we’re representing, but it’s Marqueville. That’s why we’re together.”

“So there's no political tension spilling over on to the team? The events in Kamalbia right now? Has there been any racial or ethnic tension?”

“No. We are one team. We work together very well. We are proud to represent everyone you mentioned. Gaul, Kamalbia, and most of all, Marqueville. Kamalbia doesn’t have a team right now, for various reasons, even though there’s millions over the border there that follow or play. A lot of us have family over there, and ties, so yes, we feel we represent both nations equally, along with Marqueville. There’s ties there that can’t be broken. I’m not going to comment on the political situation over there, really. That’s just not my place.”

“I understand, thank you for talking to us, Mahmoud. Thanks for making Marqueville proud.”

“We’re proud to call it home. Thank you, Farid.”

[Zitru]

Der Sportsman

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National Soccer League | Soccer League | Astyria | Astyrian Cup | International

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Zitrans taken to penalties

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By LUKA SAAREN

Tuesday, August 23, 2016

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RAEDBURG, ZITRU — Adrian Schmit’s men are one step closer to the Astyrian Cup following a very close game against Terre des Gaules. The Dragons won the game 5—4 on penalties after a goalless two halves in extra time and secured their place in the semi finals of the tournament on Wednesday.

Emerging from the group stage unbeaten and having scored the most goals, the Zitrans looked the superior team on paper and a number of sports writers controversially claimed that there was no chance for Terre des Gaules to get through. The National Stadium was almost completely full as the game kicked off, and the Dragons showed their dominance by controlling possession around the middle of the park in the opening 10 minutes, preventing the Gaulish team from making any attacks.

The first test for the team that were said to be “out before the game had started” came in the 12th minute when Zitran winger Reuben Pazhkelazo played a cross into the box and Gaulish defender Louis Barnier dealt with easily, to the surprise of the hundreds of thousands of fans in the stadium, as well as the press. Another goalscoring opportunity was stopped by Terre des Gaules’ defence in the 21st minute. Striker Aleks Reuzen was played through on goal by Gïll, but Denis Gallard rushed into the box and executed a perfectly timed slide tackle to prevent the Balsak star from having a chance to shoot.

Despite their excellent defending, the Gaulish were eventually broken down by a flawless Zitran attack in the 32nd minute. Lukas Keletzür received a pass from right back Kale Kazern and embarked on a long and fast run down the left wing, past several opposition players, before sending the ball across to Pazhkelazo on the opposite wing. The 23 year old utilized a fake shot in order to get past Gallard, and played the ball into the box for Lewis Gïll, who took a light touch before smashing a shot into the back of the net.

The Gaulish almost canceled out the Zitran opener just a few minutes later, with midfielder Valentin Doussot playing Felix Gerault through. Unfortunately for the visitors, the La Rocheaux striker wasn’t able to hit the target under pressure from the Zitran defence and instead sent a high ball over the bar in what was the last action of the first half.

The frantic, fast paced action of the first period was slowed down in the second, with the Zitrans opting to play a more possession based style of football — a tactic intended to prevent the Gaulish from scoring. Despite the defensive efforts of Schmit’s, Terre des Gaules proved to be fast in attack and fashioned a number of excellent chances, eventually scoring in the 62nd minute through Jean-Henri Cohen. The winger was played through by Reynauld Pasquier and managed to slot the ball coolly past Däko Zienen.

It was a case of attack, attack, attack for both the Dragons and Les Coqs de Gaule in the final 20 minutes of the game. Raedburg superstar Lewis Gïll had a chance to put Zitru in front, but the striker wasn’t able to find the target in time and his shot went just inches wide, to the dismay of the home support. Reuzen had a fantastic chance not too long after, but fired his shot straight at Rocquebert and allowed the Gaulish goalkeeper to spark a counter attack. Fortunately, Roger Bordes wasn’t fast enough to beat Adrïn and the Terre des Gaules attack failed.

This meant extra time. The fans were evidently disappointed and frustrated by the lack of quality in the two 15 minute periods. Neither side seemed able to fashion any chances, but when they did they were of poor quality. The best chance of the game came in the 113th minute, with Reuben Pazhkelazo winning a free kick on the edge of the box. Lewis Gïll took the set piece, whipping it into the box and straight into the path of Dirk Kaïs, but the Raedburg captain couldn’t find the target. Terre des Gaules’ best chance arrived right at the end of extra time, with Emilien Poliet playing a long ball to Luc Mourey. The Paritte Majeur winger was unable to score, however, and the time for penalties arrived.

For the Zitran players, the atmosphere would have been something to expect. Passionate fans, loud singing and lots of cheering was common in Zitran soccer. The Dragons emerged victorious in the shootout, scoring 5 to the Gaules’ 4, with Zienen saving an unlucky penalty from Gaulish defender Pascal Thiebaud. The Zitran scorers were Lewis Gïll, Aleks Reuzen, Jaden Araädel, Thomas Kaär and Reuben Pazhkelazo.

Destiny Airlines Man of the Match: Reuben Pazhkelazo, for his attack threat and passing throughout the game and ultimately decisive penalty in the shootout.

[Nikolia]

Black Eagles made their way to semifinals!
Monday, 22. August 2016, 12:32

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Marković celebrating victory © RTN 2016

9 days since the beginning of 2016 Astyrian Cup, and after a rough start, the Nikolian national football team ensured place in the semifinals after decisive victory against the team from Costa de Ouro.
Although the Costeno team was favourite in this match, as their team has more experience in international championships, the Black Eagles managed to came out victorious after finishing the match with result 3:1.

In the first halftime, our left wing players, Rutkowski and Sokolofsky quickly brought the ball through Costeno defense, then passing the ball to Marković for a score. The ball passed under the Costeno goalkeeper and ended up in net giving the first score to Nikolian team.
Quickly after, however, Costeno led an offensive, passing through our defensive players as they were not there, and with zig zag passes managed to get their player into kick position. Luka Jez went for it, but the Costeno player lobbied him, eventually scoring for his team.

The rest of the match saw only minor tries for scoring from both teams, until eventually in the second halftime, the Nikolian team attacked through right wing, with quick and swift passes, the ball was passed to Sokolofsky on the left, who then managed to score another goal for our team.
The third goal was scored by Marković, after he received the ball from Stefanović.

[Zitru]

Semi Finals
AUGUST 24, 2016

Zitru 3—1 Nikolia
Mortoge Stadium, Mortoge

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Cadenza 4—2 Marqueville
Republic Stadium, Raedburg

[Khade]

A pub, Raedburg, Zitru
August the 24^th

Sitting in a booth in one of the marginally quieter bars of Zitru's capital, Kalmen ti'Satora panned through a journal article on the historical colonisation efforts west of Glisandia. To his right, a half-emptied glass of whiskey; to his left, his other glasses sitting on the table. His reading glasses sat on his face - obviously, or he couldn't read the font on his finicky tablet. Two months ago it would have seemed impossible, ludicrous even, that the unwanted and untenable tundra wastelands of central Lorecia would be seriously claimed by another sovereign state. Academic consensus tended to ridicule the would-be colonisers. Right now, however, it was the only thing of import in north Astyrian - and now, apparently, south Astyrian - politics.

Not so in the east, where the only thing anyone cared about was football.

What was it the commentators were saying? One for the history books? It was, he knew, nothing short of a miracle that Cadenza had progressed this far in the Astyrian Cup, but to treat it as though it were as momentous as the ongoing crisis up north, the civil war in Andamonia or the contested referendum in Prudensia seemed hyperbolic at best. Somehow winning a match in a quarterfinal attracted more national pride than Cadenza's prominence in the E10, and Trellin's defeat in the group stages garnered more sympathy than the plight of Andamonian refugees.

World affairs, ti'Satora knew, are a popularity contest. It doesn't get much more popular, he considered, or populist than football. A journalist by trade, the thirty-six year-old Cadenzan was feeling unusually jaded. His political column in the Lema Examiner was seeing declining readership in the past week or so, as every laptop and tablet in Cadenza was streaming matches and match updates and Thaera only knew what else. He almost regretted agreeing to join his colleagues out here, especially as they'd apparently failed to turn up to their rendezvous.

"Non, non, pas pour Darchet! Mon Dieu!" ranted a francophone bar-goer, bedecked in red, green and yellow. Elsewhere, someone speaking Kuredt growled something about the referee's mother.

This was one of the few sports bars in Raedburg not showing the Zitru-Nikolia match, which meant that it was quieter; on the other hand, it also harboured the majority of the Ethlorek and Gaulish crowds - Gauls supporting Marqueville, Trellinese and others supporting Cadenza. Aside from the three Marquevillageois bedecked in half a rainbow, a sea of blue made it difficult to tell who was supporting whom. It was easiest to just wait until the Cadenzans scored a goal - they were unbeatable, apparently, so the goals were inevitable.

For the first half, it seemed Marqueville had the upper hand, dominating play until the last five minutes of the half when Cadenza finally equalised to 1-1. The second half had seen Cadenza gain another point in just 40 seconds, to the horror of the almost-Kamalbian city-state. It had been a while since ti'Satora had noticed another goal, but he knew 'his' team - not that he really identified with them, not being a fan himself - were comfortably ahead.

The contemporary predilection for senseless, prideful affiliation is a disease, he mused. As a man of less ephemeral interests, ti'Satora was - oblivious to the irony - proud of his aloofness, a trait he only really held when he wanted to dissociate from others. He felt national pride, certainly, but to apply it to something as inane as a game of ball was a sign of an inadequate intellect, he boasted mentally, taking comfort in the vocabulary.

From the television and its surround sound system, the sound of a whistle blowing saw a majority of the bar-goers erupt into roars of jubilation. At the bar, the Zitran bartender announced free refills to all the Cadenzan fans in the pub. ti'Satora reached quickly down into his shoulder bag and hauled out an azure and argent scarf. Throwing it around his neck, he leaped up and pushed through the crowd to the bar, his glass in one hand and a notepad in the other.

"I'm Cadenzan," he said, an artificial grin lighting up his face, "with the Lema Examiner. Can I get a refill and some quotes?"

[Zitru]

Der Sportsman

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National Soccer League | Soccer League | Astyria | Astyrian Cup | International

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The Dragons are into the final!

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By LUKA SAAREN

Saturday, August 27, 2016

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RAEDBURG, ZITRU — Adrian Schmit’s team have made it into the final of the first ever Astyrian Cup, following their deserved 3—1 victory over Nikolia in Mortoge the other day. Zitru will face Cadenza in Raedburg on Saturday after they defeated Marqueville in their semi final match up. The Cadenzans looked strong, despite the two goals they let in, and their defensive errors in that game will surely be something the Dragons’ attack will be looking to exploit.

Zitru were the clear controllers of the game last night which saw three very well worked goals from the hosts, and an excellent solo effort from a Nikolian star. The first goal came in the 22nd minute, through Nikolian striker Draško Marković. The player received a fantastic pass from Lazar Stefanović and was able to beat Michael Rause before firing a shot past Zitran stopper Däko Zienen. The Nikolians continued to show dominance in attack throughout the first half, but a great piece of counter attacking play allowed the Dragons to find an equaliser. Pazhkelazo made a quick run down the wing before firing a pass at Aleks Reuzen who, unsurprisingly, buried a shot into the back of the net just before half time.

The Zitrans looked much stronger starting off the second half. The wingers appeared to be faster, and the midfield duo of Kaär and Araädel controlled the play from the center of the field. An excellent chance arrived in the 55th minute for the Dragons, but Adrian Reuse (brought in for the slightly injured Reuzen) wasn’t able to make it work despite his striking partner’s wonderfully timed pass. A quick pass from Nikolian goalkeeper, Luka Jez, saw the Black Eagles create a great opportunity just seconds after the Zitrans’ failed attack. Left back Jovan Branković made his way past Pazhkelazo thanks to a great piece of trickery, and quickly played the ball through to midfield maestro Viktor Kovač. The team captain took a great touch before firing a shot at Zienen just outside the box. Fortunately for the home side, the midfielder’s powerful strike hit the crossbar, and Rause was able to make a good clearance.

After a short period of Nikolian control, the Zitrans broke the deadlock through the on fire Lewis Gïll. The Raedburg frontman couldn’t resist showing off his skill by chipping the ball up and over Damir Jaskulski before firing a volley into the top right corner. The celebrations from the home fans was deafening, as a place in the Astyrian Cup final was just 20 minutes away. Schmit didn’t want to leave anything open following his side’s second goal, and he took attacking midfielder Jaden Araädel off and replaced him with the defensive-minded Dirk Kaïs. Defensive football wasn’t a style the Dragons were used to, but it was the style they’d have to play to stand any chance of beating the well organized Nikolian attack.

In usual Zitran fashion, the boys just couldn’t resist some attacking football. Thomas Kaär took control of the ball and spotted Adrian Reuse in plenty of space up the park. The young National Soccer League star took a showboat’s touch, pulling the ball back and past a Nikolian defender, before simply tapping it through to Lukas Keletzür as the winger ran into the box. But the 26 year old was fouled just as he was about to attempt a shot, and the referee pointed to the spot — the hosts’ first penalty. Gïll, the designated penalty taker, handed the ball to the young Reuse and whispered something in his ear before walking to join his teammates at the edge of the D. The home supported boomed as the Jachtlekaär player sent the ball into the back of the net in the 86th minute, and put Zitru into the final of their Astyrian Cup.

The question is: do the Dragons have what it takes to down the inevitable strength of the Cadenzan team? Bring on the final! #VorvaätKaltru

Destiny Airlines Man of the Match: Thomas Kaär, as his excellent decisions in attack created all 3 Zitran goals.

[Zitru]

CUT-OFF NOTICE

Cut-off for the 2016 Astyrian Cup final.

[Zitru]

Final
AUGUST 27, 2016

Zitru 2—2 Cadenza
(3—3 a.e.t.) (4—3 pen.)
National Stadium, Raedburg

[Zitru]

Third Place Playoff
AUGUST 26, 2016

Nikolia 0—1 Marqueville
Republic Stadium, Raedburg

This was meant to be scorinated by Scottopian Isles on the 26th but, for whatever reason, he’s unable to do so.