Cup of Harmony 65 - Everything Thread

[Stvoto Latoli]

MATCHDAY 2 SCORES FOR GROUPS A-D

Group A
New Gelderland 0–0 Nassau-Hessen
Ko-oren 1–0 Fluvique

  Group A                     Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 New Gelderland                2   1  1  0    2   0  +2    4
2 Nassau-Hessen                 2   1  1  0    1   0  +1    4
3 Ko-oren                       2   1  0  1    1   2  −1    3
4 Fluvique                      2   0  0  2    0   2  −2    0 E

Group B
Gim 0–0 United States of Devonta
Chiata 0–0 Banguela

  Group B                     Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 United States of Devonta      2   1  1  0    1   0  +1    4
2 Chiata                        2   0  2  0    0   0   0    2
  Gim                           2   0  2  0    0   0   0    2
4 Banguela                      2   0  1  1    0   1  −1    1

Group C
Damukuni 0–1 Associated Godlands
Gregoryisgodistan 1–0 Jeruselem

  Group C                     Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Gregoryisgodistan             2   2  0  0    5   0  +5    6
2 Jeruselem                     2   1  0  1    3   3   0    3
3 Associated Godlands           2   1  0  1    3   3   0    3
4 Damukuni                      2   0  0  2    0   5  −5    0

Group D
Estelar 0–1 Sameba
Brenecia 0–1 Szavoda

  Group D                     Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Szavoda                       2   2  0  0    4   1  +3    6 Q
2 Brenecia                      2   1  0  1    2   2   0    3
3 Sameba                        2   1  0  1    2   3  −1    3
4 Estelar                       2   0  0  2    1   3  −2    0 E

REASON FOR EDIT: Corrected header claiming scores were for Matchday 1

[Jeruselem]

Princess Laura and Princess Amy

Laura: Mum, you seen the results for Group A to D?
Amy: Err no, why?
Laura: Well, it's a bit weird. Nothing to do with us losing 1-0 today.
Amy: I don't get it
Laura: Group A - New Gelderland and Nassau-Hessen, scoreless draw. Ko-oren 1–0 over Fluvique.
Amy: A bit low scoring relly.

Laura: Group B - Gim vs United States of Devonta, Chiata vs Banguela. Scoreless draws both of them!
Amy: That's not really normal is it?
Laura: Considering we had a scoreless draw in Group A.
Amy: Well, go on.
Laura: Group C - that's ours. Greg beats us 1-0 and Godlands beats Damukuni ... 1-0
Amy: Expected results but 1-0 seems to be today's favourite.

Laura: Or a scoresless draw. Group D - Sameba beats Estelar and Szavoda beats Brenecia. Guess the scoreline?
Amy: 1-0?
Laura: Yes, 5 1-0 wins and 3 scoreless draws
Amy: That's real weird considering it's across 4 groups
Laura: Compare that to Groups E-H today. There was 1-0 win but every other game was a win with at least two goals scored.
Amy: And no draws. That's unusual.

Laura: I just find that weird, mathetically having that many 1-0 wins is just strange.
Amy: Considering the first games in the group stage were much different
Laura: Group C had 9 goals in match 1, 1 goal in match 2. So what to expect next time?
Amy: We got an easier opponent than that Greg lot last game so hopefully we can progress
Laura: That Godlands vs Greg game will be interesting
Amy: Greg vs Shirley bible basher!

Laura: I fully expect a few fireworks there
Amy: I expect a fist fight between them foot slaves and Godlands players
Laura: Both sides are pretty fanatical there
Amy: There's something I don't get
Laura: what?
Amy: A lot of people keep asking if Michelle is my daughter as well

Laura: You've only got one, that's me
Amy: She doesn't look anything like me
Laura: She's got much whiter skin and isn't a short ass like me
Amy: People probably think I have illegitate children out there
Laura: It is a family trait mum
Amy: Makes we wonder about young Anna, she's nothing like her dad.

Laura: They say the youngest child tends to be less their parent genetically, mutation wise
Amy: I'd prefer if none of your kids were actually related to their dad
Laura: Sorry Mum, I'm sure the twins are. Look at Ellis, just like Dad. At least Elsa, is more like us.
Amy: Dad was puzzled why you were blonde
Laura: Red hair isn't normal, only 1-2% people have it
Amy: Dazza Dallas was a actually a brunette. Didn't come from her.

Laura: Well, my kids aren't redheads Mum.
Amy: Maybe it's a good thing ...
Laura: I still have that temper of yours
Amy: Don't blame me, Mum has it too.
Laura: I guess we could have worse genes
Amy: Yes

[Gregoryisgodistan]

Lord Almighty Gregory's Speech to the People

"Good evening, ladies, gentlemen, and slaves. I speak to you today to discuss several matters taking place all over the Multiverse, which I of course created exactly 2,015 years and one week ago. But enough about my Glorious Creation, which you recently celebrated, let's cut to the chase. Recently, elections were held for a new leader of the Free Republics, to replace our old friend Consul Nicholls from Legion of Lucifer. The winner was a foolish buffoon name Kaleb O'Reilly, but because he is a foolish buffoon, I will call him Klownfart O'Rumpy.

"Now, I do not believe Mr. O'Rumpy actually won the Consul election. I believe the election was rigged. Specifically, I believe Mr. O'Rumpy used his billions of dollars to bribe poll inspectors to let him win. This is the problem with democracy - clowns like O'Rumpy can bribe poll inspectors to do stupid things. But I do believe Legion of Lucifer will not be happy that their nation appears to have elected yet another foolish tyrant, and will try to overthrow him. For now, O'Rumpy has closed the embassy in Gregoryisgodistan, but I am inviting the Republican ambassador and the rest of his staff to remain here in defiance of O'Rumpy's orders, because he is a moron. They are free to go if they want as well, but we will not kick them out and they will remain recognized as diplomats by our government. But new staff appointed by O'Rumpy most certainly will not. Because he is a Klownfart.

"Additionally, should Legion of Lucifer wish to overthrow O'Rumpy, we will provide ample assistance, militarily and strategically. This is up to and including executing O'Rumpy using the Brownie Cutter of Death, if that is what Legion of Lucifer desires. Then we will install Consul Nicholls again, and hopefully he is a bit wiser this time about elections. Nicholls would be a good leader - just let him lead with his Legion of Lucifer. That would be glorious. Also, I have it on good, top-secret sources that O'Rumpy was secretly born in a secret nation which I have been asked not to name by my secret sources, which would probably make him ineligible to be Consul. But who cares? O'Rumpy is throwing out the laws like they don't matter. Well, laws do matter, and that is why we and Legion of Lucifer are going to go in and execute him if that is what they want.

"Speaking of Saintland - not that we were, and not that that is the top-secret country - the elections there resulted in a hung parliament with Feministvs Sanctvsterra finishing second. This election was obviously rigged too, not by machines but by district border drawers. Feministvs Sanctvsterra came within 0.1 percentage point of winning the popular vote, but finished nowhere close in terms of seats. This is because the Districts are phetrusmandered (OOC: gerrymandered - those of you who are smart will get the reference) by the King himself, the wicked Devil King, King Petrus. Yet it's called phetrusmandering so he can take the blame off himself. What a heathen. But anyway, Petrus phetrusmandered the Districts to ensure those loyal to him win. Apparently the Royal Family gets its own District - how horrible and wicked. There's one King and Five Princes, or something like that, and of course they'll all beat their wives if they try to vote, which means there are only six voters, and they're all men, and they get one seat. This is blatantly showing the problem with democracy - just install Queen Censorina Polus as your new leader and execute the Devil King and the rest of the Royal Family. We will help you, brave, noble, Feministvs Sanctvsterra. All you have to do is ask and we will send thousands of troops in to assist you. And by the way, a message to the Euran government - if you try to stop us, you will meet your nuclear and utter destruction. And if you try to nuke us in revenge, it really won't matter because you'll already be nuked. Is it really worth it to try and stop us for the sake of protecting your so-called Rushmori allies who oppress women and go against everything you stand for? Heck, maybe we should join the Rushmore Region just so you'll side with us when we nuke San Jose Guayabal. And you'll have to according to your own stupid rules because we'd be in Rushmore and San Jose Guayabal wouldn't be. But we won't do that. Esportiva is awesome. We get to nuke people in our own region, which makes it much, much easier. So Eura, you'd better not stop us from helping Feministvs Sanctvsterra and destroying the Royal Family and the illegitimate Puppet King Government of Saintland. Or it will be nukey time! And sure, you might attack us back, but by then, it will be too late for you, so I really don't think you're going to do it. Sure, you may take us out in the fight, but I'm guessing you won't call my bluff and start a war you know will end with your nuclear and utter destruction.

"But now, it's time to turn to more pleasant topics, specifically soccer. Last night in the Land of Devil, San Jose Guayabal, our soccer team won yet again, defeating the Pervert Princesses of Jeruselem 1-0. One male drag queen from San Jose Guayabal tried to streak on the field impersonating Dazza Dallas, although his "drag" merely consisted as a wig and what I assume were prosthetic breasts, and the rest of him was completely naked. Our Pervert Chaser then proceeded to dickapitate and castrate him for his sins. It was awesome to watch. Then the national anthems came and this time, the Guaya Beans played the right one under threat of crushing, though it was still drowned out by boos.

"Then the game started. For the first half, it was scoreless, but in the second half, in the 57th minute, Loyal Friend of Lord Almighty Gregory Xylocrap Notatypo broke free from his defender and dashed into the box to take a pass from Enemy Crusher Fatty Footy. He fired at goal and Matthew Munster made a diving save, but was left sprawling on the ground. Loyal Friend of Lord Almighty Gregory Death to San Jose Guayabal then took the opportunity to kick the ball into the wide open net and put us up 1-0. It was his fourth goal of the tournament, and the fans again threw human solid waste and human liquid waste at him. It was awful. He asked the ref to intervene, but he refused. Then Enemy Crusher Fatty Footy ran into the stands and crushed three random fans who threw stuff, and didn't receive a card because apparently the ref didn't hate Gregoryisgodistan, he was just too lazy to discipline anybody or do anything at all other than make basic calls.

"Eventually the game ended and Gregoryisgodistan raced to the locker room without waiting for their police escort, because they knew the Guaya Bean Police wouldn't do a thing. Which reminds me - Death to San Jose Guayabal! We will live up to our player's name and nuke them someday! We will destroy them! But first, we will win the Cup of Harmony!"

[San Llera]

Edgar Morra and Jan Viktorio on scenarios:

EM: Well, Jan, we have aan exciting Matchday Three ahead of us.

JV: Why yes we do, Edgar.

EM: Today we're going to run through all of our scenarios for the final day. Shall we get started.

JV: We shall, with Group A.

EM: Group A: Ko-oren, Nassau-Hessen, New Gelderland, and Fluvique. Who will find Viktorio?

JV: For the love of God, please don't do that.

EM: But I don't believe in God.

JV: That's completely irrelevant to the message.

EM: And what's the message?

JV: Stop making crappy puns about my name.

EM: Oh.

(silence)
EM: So, interestingly, New Gelderland is in first at four point. Then Nassau-Hessen, also with 4. And Ko-oren, the highest-ranked team in the tournament, is in third with 3 points. Then there's Fluvique, who've been eliminated.

JV: Very interesting. We're looking at a scenario where the Dragonflies could be eliminated.

EM: Yes. They must play Nassau-Hessen, and a loss or draw in that game means that they're out.

JV: Wow. Ko-oren must win. If they do, they'll finish second if New Gelderland win and first if New Gelderland doesn't. New Gelderland is playing pointless Fluvique.

EM: In the case of the Ko-orenites dropping points, the better result between Nassau-Hessen and New Gelderland goes through.

JV: New Gelderland has the goal difference advantage, so two draws to two wins by the same amount result in New Gelderland winning the group.

EM: Wow. That was... mostly about soccer. Let's move on to Group B!

JV: Only one goal in this group.

EM: Why yes. What an abomination of a group. Some of the least exciting play I've seen in a while.

JV: Well, it sets up some interesting scenarios, doesn't it?

EM: I guess it does.

JV: For the uninformed, it's Chiata, United States of Devonta, Banguela, and Gim.

EM: I wonder, has United States of Devonta played Gim yet?

JV: Why yes they have. It finished in a scoreless draw.

EM: That must have been the longest difference in name size in a game, ever.

JV: Come to think of it, the names are pretty mismatched. Why are you saying this?

EM: Oh, just something interesting I'd like to share with the audience.

JV: Ya. So the only goal of the group came when the United States of Devonta beat Banguela, 1-0. Devonta is in the lead with four points.

EM: See? You're shortening the name, that's how long it is.

JV: Yes, I know it's a long name.

EM: And Gim is very short.

JV: Thank you. Devonta has four, Chiata and Gim are tied with two, and Banguela has just one. Final match day: Chiata vs USD, Banguela vs. Gim.

EM: They may have struggled so far, but I'm still going with Chiata to win this group.

JV: They'll do just that if they beat United States of Devonta, as long as Gim doesn't record a better win.

EM: Yes, and a Chiata draw means that the Suns need Gim and Banguela to draw, and then win a tiebreaker. Goals for or something.

JV: Yes. If Gim or Banguela win and Chiata draws, the winner of Gim-Banguela goes through as the second-placed team.

EM: Unlesss that winner is Gim, in which case they're tied with United States of Devonta.

JV: Goddammit, so many scenarios.

EM: Yes, I know. Banguela advances with a win, in first if United States of-

JV: OK, enough. If you win, you're through. Please stop drawing. That's enough with Group B.

EM: I can't believe we gave such a boring group so much airtime.

JV: That sounds like the kind of thing we'd do.

EM: Ya, you're right. Let's hope Group C is more cut-and-dry.

JV: It is. Whoever gets the better results of Jeruselem and Associated Godlands advances.

EM: I'm so excited now that under Agusti, we aren't blacking out Jeruselem games.

JV: Why? There are plenty of other games.

EM: Oh, you know. Good television. Entertaining play.

JV: Uh-huh.

EM: Damukuni also has an outside chance of advancing. They don't have a single point thus far, while Associated Godlands and Jeruselem have 3 and Gregoryisgodistan has 6.

JV: Yes, if they win and Associated Godlands loses, they could go through depending on goal differential.

EM: Yes. They'll play Jeruselem, while Associated Godlands plays Gregoryisgodistan.

JV: That should be interesting.

EM: Jeruselem?

JV: No, Associated Godlands vs Gregoryisgodistan. They hate each other.

EM: Oh.

JV: Once again, whoever gets the better result between Associated Godlands and Jeruselem goes through. Might even win the group if Gregoryisgodistan loses by enough. And there's a tiny chance they both go through, if they both win and the tiebreakers play out that way.

EM: And now it's time for Group D! This one is pretty simple.

JV: Why yes it is. Szavoda have already advanced, while Estelar is eliminated. Brenecia and Sameba are tied. Brenecia wins or draws, they go through. Sameba wins, Sameba goes through.

EM: Wow, it's as simple as that?

JV: Yes. We're halfway there. On to Group E.

EM: What does this group have in store for us, Jan?

JV: It has Polaaskan, Eastfield Lodge, Carialus, and Port Christopher, in that order. Matchday 3 games are Carialus vs Eastfield Lodge and Polaaskan vs Port Christopher.

EM: Interesting, interesting.

JV: Polaaskan and Eastfield Lodge are the current top two, with four points apiece. Carialus has three, and Port Christopher are eliminated with 0.

EM: So, if my understanding is correct, Carialus needs a win to advance?

JV: Why yes, unless they draw and Polaaskan loses by three goals, which is unlikely.

EM: Polaaksan advance with any result today.

JV: Yup, as long as they get a point against the cellar dwellers, they're into the knockouts. First if they get a better results than Eastfield Lodge, unless Carialus wins and they draw.

EM: So that's it, isn't it?

JV: Well, there are plenty more group winner scenarios.

EM: Eh. Screw Group E. We're almost at Group G, San Llera's group!

JV: But first, Group F has Polkopia, Super-Llamaland, Eshan, and Copper Cuprum.

EM: Copper Cuprum, I believe, are the lowest-ranked team in this tournament.

JV: Why yes they are. But they're still very much in contention.

EM: You know, it'd be a lot more fun if Super-Llamaland were made up of actual llamas.

JV: Edgar, -

EM: - Sorry, if I may, I'm somewhat disappointed by this year's field. I mean, where are the ponies? Where are the mathematical concepts? Even elves? All we have is Jesus.

JV: Copper Cuprum have a prince.

EM: Like that makes it any better.

JV: Anyways, Polkopia have six points, They're through. Meanwhile, Copper Cuprum and Super-Llamaland are tied with 3, and Eshan is eliminated.

EM: Is there anything really interesting about Eshan?

JV: No, not really. But what is interesting is that Copper Cuprum is playing Eshan, and Super-Llamaland is facing Polkopia.

EM: So Eshan isn't eliminated? Our table guy really blew this one.

JV: Ya, if Eshan and Polkopia win, Eshan has a chance.

EM: Not a huge one, mind you.

JV: And Polkopia could be eliminated too.

EM: Ya, our tables guy is gonna get fired.

JV: But that's unlikely. Mainly, the better result between Copper Cuprum and Super-Llamaland goes through. Copper Cuprum has a goals for advantage as of now.

EM: Now for the real fun! Group G!

JV: San Llera's group.

EM: Unfortunately, it's not looking great.

JV: No, it's not.

EM: Well, to be fair, we are still alive.

JV: Yes. If we beat Britonisea, Acronius loses to Nova Anglicana, and the goal difference is turned by at least five, we might finish second!

EM: Nova Anglicana have already advanced, and they'll finish first as long as they get a point against Acronius.

JV: But that doesn't matter. Nothing matter unless Acronius loses.

EM: Exactly.

JV: Let's finish this up.

EM: Group H. Omerica, Stvoto Latoli, Armeia, and Witty Penguins.

JV: Omerica is in the Round of 16.

EM: Good for them. I have fond memories of our fans rioting against them...

JV: Ah yes. Good times.

EM: They have 6 points, and they'll win the group if they don't lose to Stvoto Latoli.

JV: That will be tough, going against the hosts...

EM: We'll see. Stvoto Latoli will finish second as long as they don't lose and Armeia wins, and the 3-point goal differential is overturned.

JV: Is that it?

EM: It is.

JV: Well, we'll see you next time!

[Gim]

"Watchers of NATV 8 News, this is the end of our current affairs news. We will now turn you towards NATV Sports."


Camera switches to NATV Sports with Anchorwoman Seong Seon Young standing in the center of the NATV Sports platform. A panel of sports analysts and sports broadcasters sit down behind luxurious desks on the side.


"Hello. This is Seong Seon Young of NATV 8 Sports. We have waited for this match. The first meeting ever between Gim and United States of Devonta. Tonight, unfortunately, we did not have Kim Dong Jin in the lineup, since he has played a game with the All-Inclusive Haranguers of Abanhfleft yesterday, making him a healthy scratch. However, the absence of Kim is predicted to drastically affect the defensive core of the Gimian team. Will the team be able to play well against the Devontans, even without their star defenseman? We will soon find out."

Camera switches to an aerial view of Gimian players and Devontan players entering the football field.

"Gimian and Devontan players both looking nervous.

2nd minute. A.J. Styles, a Devontan left defenseman, accidentally passes the ball to the Gimian forward, Heo Min Soo, and Heo tries a long volley shot past the Devontan goalkeeper from the left side of the penalty zone; however, the ball sails above the net. We can definitely see that the Devontan players are feeling uneasy at this point.

Camera switches to the Devontan players attacking in the Gimian zone.

"24th minute. Devontan midfielder, Tyre Edwards passes to Devontan forward, Kyle Tallahassee, Jr., near the right side of the Gimian penalty zone. Tallahassee dribbles the ball with finesse and crosses the ball towards the center of the Gimian penalty zone. Devontan forward, Condor Madrid heads the ball, passing it to Jeremy Creeds. Creeds shoots the ball, but Gimian goalkeeper, Lim Dong Yeop, challenges him, and the ball hits the left side of his abdomen and goes out of bounds for a corner kick(0:06-0:12). Great save by Lim Dong Yeop, but this is not all he has done."

Camera switches to the Devontan players attacking in the Gimian zone.

"40th minute. Kyle Tallahassee, Jr. with another opportunistic pass to Tyre Edwards from the right side of the Gimian penalty zone. Edwards, then shoots, but Lim Dong Yeop with a fine save with his right hand(0:20-0:25), just getting a piece of the ball, preventing a Devontan goal."

Camera switches to Devontan players attacking in the Gimian zone again.

"66th minute. Devontan midfielder, Nicolas Fulton, rushes towards the Gimian zone and makes a long, straight pass to Condor Madrid. Madrid is open, not offside, and shoots the ball straight at Lim Dong Yeop, who makes another stellar save with his foot!(0:32-0:37)"

Camera switches to Devontan Midfielder, Condor Madrid, who is looking up at the sky and making a sigh.

"Madrid seems to be frustrated that, despite his team offense, they have scored no goals against the defensively mighty Gimian team."

Camera switches to Devontan players attacking in the Gimian zone.

"88th minute. Devontan midfielder, Zahhere Abdul, kicks a long ball out to Condor Madrid. Madrid finds an opening between two Gimian defensemen, Jeon Geon Tae and Son Kyu Jin, and shoots a long ball towards the Gimian goalkeeper, who makes a brilliant save with his left arm(0:47-0:54). From the looks of the shot, since it was going high into the net, one would have never though the goalkeeper to make the save. Lim Dong Yeop is definitely the star of tonight's game, regardless of win or loss."

Camera switches to Gimian and Devontan players shaking hands.

"Full time whistle is blown, and Gim gets another draw in the Cup of Harmony tournament. 0-0 draw. They haven't scored a goal in this tournament yet."

[Super-Llamaland]

Unbelievable

Tigers Edge Eshan on Miracle Goal to Stay Alive

SUPER-LLAMALAND (4-3-3): Kudlowski ; Carmichael (Meng 60), Myers, Smith-Reynolds, Zhou (Karnstedt 60) ; Raburn (Bogusevic 45), Sigurorzson, de Vries ; Stanton, Nilssen, Inriquez
ESHAN (4-2-3-1): Tomaselli (Jones 75) ; Francesco, Khamauiop, Villaview (Smith 62), Albom ; Samper, Xavier ; van Ciavatinni (La Hoya 55), Jean-Marie, Mulclair ; Ceka
GOALS: Megan Sigurorszon 90+1'

They weren't excellent. They weren't even good. But, despite the hole they'd dug for themselves, the Tigers have managed to stay alive in the Cup of Harmony. A one-nil win over Eshan that was gritty but satisfying won't have too many documentaries made about it, aside from the ending - but for a struggling team that's dropped absurd quantities of points recently, it was something they had to do.

Megan Sigurorzson will be the toast of Super-Llamaland, as she should be, for the last-gasp strike past rookie keeper Demarcus Jones. But the team struggled and rejoiced together, raged and celebrated. They needed this win, and they got it - never mind the fact that Eshan almost had no right to take their points and almost did so anyways.

There was little inkling that anyone would write such nice words about the Tigers early on. The back-line of Carmichael, Myers, Smith-Reynolds, and Zhou held up decently well, a welcome change, but between the midfielders, none of whom was inclined to attempt playing defense (one of many downsides to trying to stuff three midfielders, none of which are holding midfielders, into the configuration Vaz desires) and the sturdy if boring defense, there was almost no communication or ball transfer. Attacking midfielder Jean-Marie Bencatur was an unholy menace, keeping the opposing attack flowing at all times. After twenty-five minutes, the unheralded Echanis had possession well north of sixty-five percent. Not a good sign.

How the Echanis hadn't scored yet was a mystery. Jean-Marie had banged a difficult shot from fifteen yards off the crossbar, and striker Ceka managed to dart past Sebastian Myers before firing a shot right into Annabeth Kudlowski's outstretched arms. A number of other shots gave Eshan a five-to-one advantage in that department, the lone Tiger attempt Nilssen's weak effort in the eighteenth minute.

Things were not looking up, to the point where Tigers fans began to stop rooting for their own team and switched to Plan B, deriding Rodrigo Vaz as they had Carlton Hoover and Tobyn Clearwater. The 4-3-3 appeared unsound, and at the half only Annabeth Kudlowski's heroics had kept the team in it - before Vaz decided to bring on Stefan Bogusevic for Jake Raburn.

The crowd, although they disagreed with bringing on somebody more defensive and taking out deep-lying playmaker extraordinaire Raburn, admitted that the 4-3-3 wasn't working and change was needed. Just kidding, they hated it. Being Llamaneans, their jeers were less offensive than "That was a poor decision!" which admittedly makes a poor chant.

And then it worked. Sort of - in reality, Bogusevic didn't have the technique to add enough to offense, although he did help more on defense than Raburn had in the past match and a half. The result was a huge gain in possession and exactly one shot in the opening fifteen minutes of the half to show for it - when Stefan Bogusevic, showing an ingenious streak as well as a total failure of execution, looped one over the keeper's head and five feet to the left of the goal.

Desperate times require desperate measures - Vaz decided to bring on Tristan Karnstedt and Steven Meng for Zhou and Carmichael. A ploy that had catastrophically failed time after time for Hoover and Clearwater, but also a system that could work with Bogusevic lying deep enough. And, miraculously, it did - while Eshan's substitutions didn't have as much of an effect on the game, the Bogusevic/Meng/Karnstedt combination worked brilliantly.

So brilliantly that the Tigers began to steadily push up the field, leaving Eshan to just throw everything onto defense and hope they made it out with one point. Sigurorzson and Bogusevic cut swathes through the Echani defense, the front three of Stanton, Nilssen, and Inriquez were brilliant. The question didn't become will the Tigers score? but rather when will the TIgers score?

This made it all too frustrating for the fans when the Tigers (gasp!) didn't score.

The worst missed chance was when Sebastian Inriquez peeled back to reel in an errant long pass from Bogusevic, spun, and whipped a clean cross three feet off the ground - perfect placement. Yet, somehow, not only did Nilssen not tap it in, but both Nilssen and Echani keeper Tomaselli collided, and while Nilssen was unhurt, Tomaselli appeared dazed and was immediately taken off for the rookie DeMarcus Jones, the team trainer worried he might have a concussion. (Fortunately, he didn't.)

Still, by the eighty-sixth minute, despite six shots on goal in a span of eleven minutes where the ball had never left the Echani half of the field, fans had begun to leave. Nilssen, Inriquez, and de Vries had all missed golden opportunities. The team could've easily been up three-nil. Instead, they were about to draw nil-nil to a team ranked far below them, and maybe drop out of Round of Sixteen contention.

When Kristopher Nilssen's sloippy backheel was cleared away by the sturdy Ian Khamauiop, it looked like curtains for the Tigers, especially when Eshan threatened to score on Ceka's volley off a beautiful lobbed pass from Jean-Marie - but the ball bounced off Kudlowski and out-of-bounds, setting up a corner kick as the referee whistled for two minutes of stoppage - perhaps the Tigers' final two minutes of stoppage in contention for the playoff rounds.

It was Xavier to take the kick. The Tigers warily prowled about the box, trying to hold back the final Echani attack. Many of them appeared to have lost all hope of a win, and just wanted to get a consolation point. Eshan pushed up.

Xavier took the kick. It sailed over to the near post, where Ceka was waiting. He went for the header, executed flawlessly into the bottom-right corner of the net, and then threw his hands up in despair as James Smith-Reynolds came from nowhere and, sliding at the ball, knocked it off the post.

Bedlam ensued, and somehow Megan Sigurorzson emerged from the horde. She ran. By the time Smith had managed to cut her off, she was already a few yards past midfield - she then spun and rifled a pass on a slight diagonal forwards. Khamauiop took three steps towards it, then froze, then kept running. That hesitation lead to Eshan's end - Lily Stanton came out of nowhere, whipped the ball past Khamauiop, and kept running. As the Echani defense scrambled to do something, she lofted a cross into the air - Sigurorzson volleyed it between Jones' legs and wheeled away in victory.

One-nil over Eshan, then. The Tigers have stayed alive on a beautiful final play. Can they keep their momentum going and advance to the next round?

[Copper Cuprum]

Part One Part Two

The New Girl, Part Three

Academy Road
Rosenpfelblatz, Mezaladbyi, Abanhfleft

"So, tell me a little more about yourself," Karen Villegas said as she sent a shot towards the bottom left corner of Isa Tangemen's net. Right at that moment a flight of fighter jets passed by over the training ground on their way to bomb rebel targets in western Mezaladbyi, but Isa was unfazed by both the sonic booms and the shot from Villegas, and she easily parried it past the post. "They say that you're a war veteran," Karen continued as she lined up another ball on the penalty spot. "Is that true?"

"Yes, it's true," Isa replied. Karen took the penalty Panenka-style, but the ball floated lazily into Isa's hands for an easy save.

"Yeah, that was probably a little bit too ambitious for me," Karen muttered to herself as she watched Isa roll the ball back to her. "Is that what the tattoos are for? The battles you fought, the people you've known and, er, lost?"

"I have my own reasons," Isa said. "I'd really rather not talk about it."

Karen dribbled the ball away from the penalty box before sending in a shot from just outside the D. Isa stretched her left arm to its full extent and parried the ball away. Unfortunately its path took it right back to Karen's feet, and this time the striker aimed for the far post, and the shot was simply too far away for Isa to save. Nevertheless, the Armeian stretched her whole body to cover the mouth of goal even as she knew that her gloved fingertips would not even register a touch on the ball. Isa slid on the grass in front of goal, watching as the ball nestled slowly into the corner of the net.

After the first training session with the Rosenpfelblatz players, Karen had sought out Isa and told her about how she, Alex Rousseau and Yannie Redborne had conspired to give her what she had described as "not the best of starts in training." At first, Isa had been angry, and rightly so, about the training methods used by Rosenpfelblatz, but after Karen had confided to Isa that they had done the same thing to every new signing that came to the team and some introspection from Isa herself, she had realized that they had done it to see how she would react in a similar situation in a real game. And she had just shown them then that maybe she didn't quite have what it takes to be a starting goalkeeper for a top-flight football team yet.

"Nice initial save," Karen said, helping Isa up to her feet. "But you have to control where the ball goes after you save it. A decent striker's gonna finish the rebound more times than not."

As Isa brushed off the grass on her sleeves, she happened to look at Karen's neck, where she noticed two spots of flesh that looked... not like the skin surrounding it. "What are you looking at?" Karen asked when she saw Isa staring at her, and then she touched the spots on her neck and understood. "Oh, these? These are my own battlefield scars," she said. "People never really notice them because they're usually hidden, but you're seeing them now."

"Where did you get them?" Isa asked. "Were you shot?"

"Basically, yeah, I was shot," Karen replied. "But it's not like what you think. You see, back in 2008 Abanhfleft had this big old revolution by some cardinal named Gulloti or Galloti or something like that. He declared a Catholic Revolution in Abanhfleft, crucified the president and then started what was the costliest revolution to ever occur on Fleftic soil. And, as you remember, the Biyi rebellion was still going on, so the Colonel took advantage of the Army going off to fight the Catholic rebels, which were by the way rumored to be funded by Saintland and its True Church or maybe the Holy Empire, and nearly reconquered the whole of Mezaladbyi once again. The Army only managed to stop them at Rosenpfelblatz, and the city got besieged. There was hardly any time for the civilians to be evacuated, so we were all living in the rubble of the city as the Army and the Biyi rebels fought for control. One day, my friends and I were playing hide and seek in the rubble--well, what else can you do?--and then suddenly the street we're in explodes, and everyone's shooting at everybody. All I remember that day was falling to the ground feeling like I've been stabbed in the neck with a hot poker. Everyone said I was very lucky that the bullet didn't hit any major arteries. They also said that I'd never be able to play football because the artery could burst under the pressure of a full ninety-minute game, and yet here I am."

"Uh, thanks for telling me this," Isa finally said after a few moments' absorbing Karen's words. "I didn't really mean to look at your wound."

"Ah, don't worry about it. The others actually call me 'Vampire Girl' because of it, 'cause it looks like I've been bitten by a vampire. And, forgive me for asking this, but who's Cara? She must be really important to you if you've got her name tattooed on your neck."

"She's someone I used to know," Isa replied. "Can we leave it at that?"

"Well, of course we can leave it at that, Isa," Karen said. "But that doesn't mean I am. You need to open up a little more, girl. We're all gonna be teammates for the next four to five years at least. It helps to know your teammates a little more."

"Is this just to get me talking or are you really interested?"

"Can it be both?"

"Oh, all right." Isa shook her head and wiped away the sweat on her brow with her sleeve. "Cara's the name of this girl that I met in prison three years ago--"

"Whoa," Karen muttered. "Fifteen years old and you've already spent time in the slammer? You've got a more exciting life than I thought!"

"Anyway, after we got out of jail, we spent some time in Southeastern's academy. I was a goalie and she was a central midfielder. We were both playing good, but eventually only one of us made it."

"Why? What happened to Cara? Did she leave or transfer or was she dropped?"

"Worse than that, actually. See, she never told anyone that she was anemic except me. I know she shouldn't have been playing with her condition, but football's her all. She was really working hard for a spot in the senior team, and then she just... collapsed. I was beside her when she died, and she made me promise to make it to both Southeastern and the national team. That's the reason why I've got her name on my neck and why I'm all tattooed and stuff. It's a reminder of my promise to her."

Karen was silent for a moment, a veritable achievement as far as Isa was concerned. She had honestly never seen the young striker quiet for a moment. Finally she said, "I'm really sorry to hear that, Isa. It must have been very difficult for you, to see your friend die in your arms. I know it's never gonna be enough, but I just want to tell you that my condolences are with you and with Cara." With that Karen put her hand on Isa's shoulder. The heat of Karen's hand on Isa's skin tickled something in the keeper's heart. She knew the feeling whenever she experienced it. She had felt it when Katarina had said yes, and she had felt it too when she had made her proposal to Bianka Schraeder. Unfortunately for her both relationships hadn't worked out very well, but maybe, just maybe, there was a chance she could finally get into a good relationship with this foreigner, with her big brown eyes and blue highlights and talkative mouth...

A cry of pain broke through Isa's reverie, and she and Karen turned around to see where the shout had come from. It came in the direction of the main training area which was basically one of the two goal areas on the pitch. As they ran over there they could see Yannie Redborne lying on the ground, one arm over her head and the other on the ground. The manager, Carlos Cuvimi, was standing over Yannie while the team's doctor, Donald Dobrovolski, was doing something to Yannie's right thigh.

"What happened?" Karen asked Alex Rousseau, who was standing a short distance away from Yannie, Cuvimi and the medico.

"All I heard is that Yannie thinks she pulled something in her leg," Alex replied. "It's probably the hamstring. If she's pulled it, she's definitely out for the Community Shield and the start of the season."

"What's the Community Shield?" Isa asked. She felt stupid for asking, but she really wanted to know.

"It's basically the curtain-raiser for the new season," Karen explained. "It's contested by the winners of the Ladies' Premier League and the Women's SFA Cup. But since Ludogorets won both, they're gonna play against the runners-up in the league, which is us. Since it's a week before the start of the actual season we can afford to play full first teams, but with Yannie out... We could very much lose the Shield."

"Can she play, Donald?" Cuvimi asked the doctor as Dobrovolski rubbed some kind of cooling gel onto the back of Yannie's right thigh.

"I can't say for sure yet," the doctor replied. "I'll have to make a more thorough examination to make sure, but I think this might be a pulled hammie. Depending on the severity, she could be out for two to six weeks."

"I'm sorry, boss, for what it's worth," Yannie said.

"Don't blame yourself, Yannie," Cuvimi replied. "It's not your fault that you got injured."

"Actually, I think it was a little bit my fault. I landed awkwardly while making a save."

"Well, that's in the past now. Carly! Isa! Come with me!" he called out. Isa turned to look at Karen, who shrugged her shoulders, and Isa went over to the manager's side.

"Carly, since Yannie is now out for the Community Shield, you're going to be our starter starting from that game," Cuvimi said. "Do you think you can handle it?"

"I'm game, boss," Carly Joraske replied.

"And you, Isa, you're now our backup keeper. You're going to be training with the first team now. It's a different training regimen from the one in the academy and reserves. Are you ready to step up?"

"If that's what it takes," Isa said.

---

National Book Store Stadium
Haranguer, Mezaladbyi, Abanhfleft

It was the day of the SFA Women's Community Shield. As had been done since the competition was first established in 2004, it was held in the first Thursday of August so as not to conflict with the men's Community Shield, which was held every second Saturday of August. The women of Rosenpfelblatz City Ladies had been driven by bus to Haranguer's National Book Store Stadium, which was playing host to this year's Women's SFA Community Shield match. The other team contesting the shield, Ludogorets Markovsky Ladies, had a slightly longer bus trip to Haranguer, but the two teams arrived at almost the same time to their destination.

The news of Yannie Redborne's training injury had spread through the football rumor mill quickly, and therefore no one was very surprised not to see the blonde-haired keeper among the players of Rosenpfelblatz City, but when the media began looking for Carly Joraske, who was expected to start in Redborne's place, and they didn't see her, they began asking questions.

What they didn't know yet was that just before Rosenpfelblatz had left for Haranguer, Carly had called Carlos Cuvimi to tell him that she was sick and couldn't play the Community Shield. And while Cuvimi couldn't really fault Joraske for catching a virus in the hours between their last training session and the Community Shield game, his two main keepers were now out for the count. There was only one last keeper he thought could be reliable enough between the sticks for Rosenpfelblatz.

"The starting eleven of Rosenpfelblatz City Ladies has been released. In goalkeeper, we have... Isa Tangemen, the new signing from Armeia. Something must have happened to Carly Joraske if Carlos Cuvimi's willing to risk an eighteen-year-old between the sticks for arguably one of the best matches we're ever going to see this season. And now for the outfield players. At right back for Rosenpfelblatz is Claudine Samaniego. Teleya Inara and Queenie Yllana are the two center backs. Elizabeth Wappinger will play in left back. No surprises there. And now onto the midfield. Maria Tertullio will be playing in a central midfielder role, with Tanya Sergeyeva and Marivanna Henson holding down her flanks. Elena Migdvorak is the starting central attacking midfielder, and captain Alexandra Rousseau is joined in the forward position by under-21 international Karen Villegas, who has finally earned a spot in Cuvimi's starting eleven after her impressive performances for Abanhfleft in the Sporting World Cup in the Free Republics.

"And now for the starting eleven of Ludogorets Markovsky Ladies. Nadezhda Debaltseva starts in goal for the Lady Foresters, and ahead of her she has a back three of Tatiana Voroshchenko, Dawn Jackson and Schottian international Jenna Koemann. Bella Maynard and captain Raisa Korovina are in midfield, with Merida Vance and Adelaide Singh on the flanks. Sakura Hatoyama and Felicity Ambrose are the wingers, and Flardanian Eriko Ogigayatsu is Ludogorets' central forward.

"The team's substitutes are as follows: for Rosenpfelblatz City, we have Terri Mulder, Myra Elsasser, Brenda Hope, Ulrike Surliss, Ella San Luis Obispo, Allison Ferdinand and Susan Samara. For Ludogorets Markovsky, the substitutes are Yelena Valinovskaya, Moon Eun-ah, Petra Bayliss, Bogdana Kirillich, Emily Domayeva and Myra Bullen. Those are the lineups of Rosenpfelblatz City Ladies and Ludogorets Markovsky Ladies. We'll be having a short commercial break and then we return to Crescent News Network Sports Channel's live coverage of the Women's SFA Community Shield."

Isa Tangemen was sweating buckets underneath the jacket on top of her shirt. It was a combination of the Haranguer heat and her own nervousness that was conspiring to make it look like she had an entire sea underneath her kit, and she wouldn't be surprised if she took off her jacket and revealed great big dark spots under her armpits and on her chest and back.

The others made it all look so easy. But then again these were new teammates, and she hadn't really gotten to know them all that well. The only thing that Isa noticed was different between the Armeian and Fleftic club teams was that in Armeia, rivalries carried over from the teams to the players. The two teams were still led out of the tunnel side by side to follow the international rules, but there was barely any contact between players of the two rival teams. It was a very different story here in Abanhfleft. Both Alex and Karen had told her that Markovsky and Rosenpfelblatz were big rivals in this part of Mezaladbyi, but looking at how much the players from both teams were talking and chatting to each other, it was near impossible to see that their teams were big rivals. Everyone was chatting up someone on the other team. Even the two captains, Alex and some woman with a Russian-sounding name, Voronina or Korovina or something like it, were chatting like old friends, and seeing as both of them were members of Abanhfleft's women's national football team, it probably wasn't that far from the truth.

"You look weird," the kid whose hand Isa was holding in preparation for their march out of the tunnel said to her. Isa had known that she was taking a risk in having a full-body tattoo, and had been reminded of the fact by her teammates, both from Armeia and now in Abanhfleft, but right now she didn't know how to react to the kid.

"Oh, Jimmy!" Alex called out from her spot in front of Isa. As captain she was always first out of the tunnel, followed by the goalkeeper and then the rest of the outfield players. "Don't mind him, Isa. Kids says the darndest things, don't they?"

"Yeah," was all that Isa managed to say.

"Hey Selena," Raisa Korovina, the captain of Ludogorets Markovsky Ladies said to Alex, "Good luck with the game."

"Good luck to you too, Idina," Alex replied. "You're gonna need it!" she added with a laugh. It took a minute before Isa found out why they had called each other the names of prominent actresses. Alex did bear a resemblance to Selena Gomez, while Korovina looked a lot like Idina Menzel, of Frozen fame.

"Come om, ladies, let's go, huh!" Alex shouted at her teammates as the referees prepared to lead them out of the tunnel and onto the pitch. Finally the referees moved forward, and the teams followed suit. Once they stepped onto the pitch and its artificial turf, the stadium erupted into cheers for their respective teams. NBS Stadium had a small capacity, just 17,000 or so, but it sounded just like a derby match at home, with both sets of fans singing and screaming at the top of their lungs in an effort to drown out the opposing fans' chants. The two teams lined up on the pitch for the customary greetings and whatnot. Isa happened to glance at the jumbotron mounted to one corner of the stadium and saw to her surprise Katarina Dana Bonner, her ex, sitting in the stands, watching her. Immediately a well of hope sprung into being in Isa's chest, but then she quickly quashed it back down. Kat had all but abandoned her after she'd made the decision to go to Rosenpfelblatz, so why should Isa come running back to her? On the other hand, what was she doing here in Abanhfleft of all places, and in Haranguer too, where Isa was playing her first competitive game for her new club.

Isa knew that she would have to talk to Kat sometime later, but not right now. There was still a game to play.

[Banguela]

It’s one of those sloppy evenings, you’ve been working hard on something and suddenly you realise from the grumbling sound erupting from your belly button that you haven’t eaten a thing so far today. So you unglue yourself from your seat, fumble around long enough to find an unstained sweater but not enough to change your comfy loafers and head to the night shop, the only thing left open in your street.

You rummage a bit in the aisle with the fast food, contemplating whether you had ramen or lasagne yesterday, so you could eat the other one now. Eventually you realise that you could just take home both, if the nickels in your back pocket can afford so, grab an item of each and stroll towards the bit with the drinks as you’re out of soda as well. For no specific reason at all, you look to your left into a different aisle and see how a pale lad, a few inches shorter than you, is tucking all sorts of stuff in his hoodie. He simply looks starving, not even taking anything valuable but what’s not too heavy. He stalls and you stall and all you can do is look each other in the eye. There is a certain despair in his glance, because you’re in power now. His eyes are begging you to stay quiet, to forgive his faux-pas, to just part with no further consequences.

Exactly that was the expression on the face of Helder Barbosa when he motioned me closer in between two exercises on training. After the debacle against the US of Devonta, he hadn’t spoken for days. Or rather, he hadn’t been allowed to open his mouth by a boiling Joao Ferreira who nonetheless hadn’t voiced a single negative comment out loud. And in the build-up to the Chiata confrontation, we had once again gone through the scribbles from Helder, a train of thought upon defensive ploys which was only readable after three or four runs, but which still was the key stone to keeping Davis and Prince in check for ninety minutes, not a simple task considering their credentials. And this Helder Barbosa now stood there before me with bewildered eyes.

”Mananga…” he made that crow-like sound so typical for people who are whispering words they’ld actually want to shout out loud, ”just nail this exercise.”

I nodded, there wasn’t much to say as I had no clue what was coming up. It felt a bit dirty, looking like conspirators in the middle of a dry pitch, as if you would be exchanging drugs in the middle of a railway station. With that note that I did not know what we were dealing about.

”Do your utter best.”

Back in the night shop and you’re still eye-to-eye with that poor bastard, who rather looks like crying than stabbing a knife between two of your ribs, as you always had imagined the situation to be whilst daydreaming. It could’ve been seconds, it could’ve been hours but something changes in his attitude. Because he slowly realises that your widening grin is caused by the large shop owner, a man with the stature of an ox and a big bastard of a club, is rising behind him. The thief does not need to see him for his expression to adapt as well. Not the feeling of being caught, but the split second before that, when your faith is signed and all you can do is wait for the unavoidable execution. Exactly that was the face from Helder Barbosa when my muffled answer, ‘I always do, right’ with a gentle wink to clear up the damp atmosphere, was flooded by a loud order from Joao Ferreira, who called me on the pitch with his thundering voice.

I felt slightly annoyed that that Helder got me shouted at whilst I had no plonking idea what it was all about, a sentiment that quickly disappeared in the mist as the next set-up appeared to fit me as a glove. Just a regular practice game but with the second goal on the half line and guys who would bring crosses from the wings, whilst the goalies are not allowed to catch but only to push it out of bounds. The kind of thing you invent if you want duels in the box, guys who wrestle for a ball, air fights in which elbows were not considered as applying tools for a yellow card, but bare necessity.

It reminded me of the games I used to have back in the rubble of Sawenzo, one of the shack-stacked suburbs of Bassuto. As a general guideline for the remainder of my career, I was far from the best player over there. A kid called Polegar, or at least called like that by us as it means Thumb, only got his head a foot or four above the absent grass but that didn’t halt him from doing amazing things with a ball. Knowing pretty fast I couldn’t hold on to the leather like him, I quickly specialised in kicking it out of every corner. In one team, we were unstoppable, our skill sets were amazingly compatible. He could do almost everything on a pitch and I, I could shoot it against the absent net. Only that one skill, wait, no, I had two. I went on to work in a butcher shop for a living and didn’t start doing speed at fourteen like Polegar. I guess you can’t milk a cow with your hands in your pants.

My first attempts at actual football were in some sort of work team, formed by the shopping street in which our abattoir was located. The kid from the grocery bar, lanky, exceptional speed both with completing the shelfs and rushing along the line, outnumbered us all in terms of talent. I, on the other hand, amassed impressive stats. Last time I saw him, he took over the grocery shop from his father, so I guess that’s fine as well. And so it went on, all the way to SC Bassuto where Flavio Kanté feeds me with assists. Any observer would complain about my poor capacities, any defender would fear me. I guess it’s much better than the other way around.

Joao Ferreira didn’t stop the exercise for anything. Every once and a while, he yelled a few things here and there, but it went on for almost an hour despite being the end of a long and tiring training already. Scoreline? Much against a bit more, as any good grassroots game. Djalma Yaba, my former teammate, hadn’t stopped calling me a ‘bloody useless fuck’ and knowing him, that was the best compliment I could hear. When Ferreira finally called it to an end, most of us sank to the ground, exhausted. It seemed like madness with such a vital game up tomorrow against Gim. Helder had guided us through the images of the previous games, which showed nothing but concrete defence.

”Guys, do you feel tired,” Joao Ferreira opened with a question that demanded no answer, ”and yet this is nothing compared to tomorrow evening. We all want to take them on and we all know, only one thing suffices... Victory.”

Nodding, a silent ‘yeah’. We knew it wasn’t in our own hands anymore but that it would be a shame if we went out of it without having done everything.

”Devonta tried it and failed. Chiata couldn’t either. It won’t be an easy task to beat Lim Dong Yeop but tomorrow we’ll make war in the box. I know we’ve grown onto the system but desperate times ask for desperate measures. Joao on goal, three in the back with Ze Mata, Djalma Yaba and Luis.”

Jacinto, the sturdy defender with the soft eyes and low voice with whom I shared a room, already knew what this implied but didn’t give in to his emotions. He’ld be biting his nails from the bench.

”The three of you and Figuerinho will have to keep the counterattacks from Choi, Heo and Gong in check. They’re not tall, but quick and make the most of the little occasions they’re spending time at our half. Be quick and don’t fear the duel. Edison and Flavio, I want you preying around the box for possession, move in for a second and back out. Your movements will determine the space.”

Edison nodded enthusiastically, Flavio just stared into the distance. We had been playing together for six seasons right now and celebrated several successes but despite always being in for a chat, it was hard to grasp what was going on behind those dark eyes. But the silence that hung around him was exceptional.

”Fulco, Chingala, ... I want you close to the back line. Keep it wide when needed, go into the box when possible. You’ll have to keep the pressure on and...”

What’s so scary about Joao Ferreira is that he can look straight through you. The first few times, I thought he disliked me, it was a sort of glance of disdain as if you didn’t matter and it matched the fact that I was dropped from the first side after Marco Freite got the sack. Both things, off the record, that were correct decisions. Only recently I realised it was his way of declaring things to a group, allowing him to not speak to individuals but to a squad as a single entity, strengthening the bonds at once.

”... in that box, I always want to see Rui and Mananga. You both know what to do!” Wait, what, no, yes? “Ninety minutes long. Give’m hell. Off to the showers, sleep tight and tomorrow, we’ll take our chance.”

A bit flabbergasted, we rose and walked off to the dressing room. Ze Vidigal was visibly displeased that after that unfortunate incident with Rui Mokanga, he was not only surpassed in the picking order by Bogwa but also by ‘that lantern pole with the talent of a rotten banana’, as he declared it. Flavio Kanté slapped my shoulder with a big grin.

”Don’t mind the bastard, just jealous as usual that you’ll play,” he smiled, a first one that broke through the dark cloud that had been his face so far and continued, looking into the sky, ”quite fitting. Great timing.”

And whilst repeating between his teeth ‘great timing indeed’, he wandered off.

Bloody hell, could just someone not speak in riddles today?

If possible, could my style modifier be changed to +5, please? Many thanks in advance!

[Estelar]

Estelar fails to overcome own difficulties and is eliminated from the Cup of Harmony
news brought to you by the Daily Predictor, oracle of the country!

Horoscope of the day - Pisces: "Cheer up and wait for news! New Moon is now in the expansive Sagittarius and now smiles to Uranus. Good moment to plan trips and new studies, to meet people with knowledge, activities, thoughts and opinions different from yours. The capacity for adaptation and flexibility is favoured. Conditioning gets weaker, allowing for more boldness and originality."

Comment of the Pisces player - Zélia Hart: "So many good news when we just got eliminated from the competition, but I quite understand that the news regard me and not the team as a whole. More than that, the horoscope shows something that I have to look forward to, and the last game is already the past. Perhaps the Moon in Sagittarius shows us a time to relax from all the pressure from the competition and enjoy the next match, and maybe thanks to this we can get one more win. We need to feel free and play in a more inventive way, I am sure we can manage it. As for my personal goals, I am sure that these good future news involve my future with the National Team, and I'll work hard to have a successful career here in order to travel more around the world and meet more people. By the way, if I remember correctly my teammates have planned to go to some parties here in San Jose Guayabal, so that may be a good opportunity to get involved with a different culture."


Some players and supporters were confident, others were more realistic. But the truth is that in the end Estelar failed to upset Sameba and ended losing the match, a result that put the team out of the Cup of Harmony. Once again the Stargazers did a good job overall in holding the opponents, which may be promising... but we cannot be sure of this, because the team faced several internal problems as well. The attack, which was so much praised during the qualifiers, had many difficulties in controlling the ball in the offensive area, and the number of missed passes as absurd. More than this, and perhaps the main problem of Estelar during the entire competition, is that the physical condition of the players was weak, with many supporters claiming that the routine of parties and drinking between training sessions was one of the main reasons for this lack of fitness, with others considering the cold weather, and another group claiming that this is an effect of the full Moon which affected the whole group stage of the competition. "Moon gives us energy, you know. Our bodies react with the positioning of the planets and of the stars, and of course the Moon which is even closer to us has an even greater effect. We can only hope that in the next competitions Estelar plays under better conditions, because we had the same problem during the Baptism of Fire when we had to play under a Mercury Retrograde." A fan on the streets of Observatório couldn't think of many reasons: "Have no idea if this is astral of physical, maybe a mix of both, food is related with the stars, after all."

Returning to talk about the match itself, Jupiter tried to take advantage of the Moon in Scorpio at that time to promote several changes in the squad, since the astral moment induced changes. Zélia Hart finally received her first chance, while Adele Manzano, performing really well during training sessions, received a place as a right-back, since she can control the ball well with both feet. Since the beginning of the match, Estelar had problems in imposing the pressure done in the match against Brenecia, with Sameba having a more offensive style forcing the Stargazers in their own area. Vesta practically didn't receive the ball during the whole half, with Éris and Nicole receiving a lot of praise from stopping the opponents' attacks, especially the ones set up by the Dohi-Huele duo which exchanged many passes on the right wing. In one move, Dohi received the ball to challenge Nicole, dribbling her... but when he was about to shoot she appeared on his side again to tackle him before falling on the grass exhausted by the quick run. Estelar's best chance was when Zélia Hart noticed that Ayebler was talking with one of the reporters on the sideline, and attempted to surprise him with a long ranged shot, but the ball ended hitting the post and then the reporter who wasn't paying attention. But Hart's attempt was nothing compared to Sameba's pressure, which finally resulted in a goal. Dani made a very easy save look extremely difficult and hollywood-style when Sabattini shot from outside the area, sending the ball for a corner kick. The corner was taken to the area, and Quella appeared by surprise, unmarked, and head the ball to the goal.

Losing after the end of the first half, Jupiter attempted to make the team slightly more offensive, by putting cerebral playmaker Beatrix in the game. As for Sameba, Dabix left the game as he wasn't feeling very well, with Corrigan entering in his place. But, even though on paper this promised a more calculated and offensive Estelar, no results came with the substitution. The Stargazers still had many difficulties in sending the ball to the attack and, even though Sameba didn't put as much pressure as during the first half, the Estelarians didn't manage to react, with the players not having much energy for long runs and good counterattacks. Nicole and Adele attempted long passes directly to the wingers. One of them even reached Vesta, forcing a good save by Ayebler. Zélia Hart even got the rebound, but ended too indecisive on what to do and ended being tackled by Dini. At the same time, Sameba controlled more the ball and had less chances as well, but more because they didn't need to: even with Shane as a second striker (while Sameba took out Sarado who seemed to not touch the ball during the entire match) Estelar had difficulties even to send the ball to the opponents' area. This inefficiency at attack became frustrating, and some players started to lose control. Close to the end of the game, Dani made a difficult save and started to complain that Huele was offside. She kicked the goalpost, took off her hair tie and threw it on the direction of the linesman. Of course the tie fell centimetres in front of her, but she received an yellow card for her tantrum. At the end of the match, Éris was more extreme in showing her dissatisfaction: after missing a pass, she tried to recover the ball with a bold tackle on Corrigan, missing the ball entirely and nearly injuring the opponent player, earning a direct red card. In the end, these ended being the most noteworthy moments of the last minutes of the match, with Sameba controlling the game and the Stargazers desperate.

ESTELAR - 0				SAMEBA - 1

1-  Dani Abate (yellow card 78')	1-  Roman Ayebler
13- Adele Manzano			2-  Fabio Quella (GOAL 39')
6-  Nicole Luna				3-  Mario Andella
3-  Leona Ferran			6-  Massimo Dini
20- Isa Santiago			5-  Levi Andetel (yellow card 60')
5-  Éris Dezon (red card 86')		8-  Alan Dabix (subbed out 45')
15- Colleen Winter (subbed out 45')	4-  Roman Mayalla (subbed out 77')
25- Zélia Hart				7-  Pablo Dohi
9-  Augusta Dreher (subbed out 61')	11- Eugene Sabattini
11- Imogene Gallacher (subbed out 82')	10- Huele
8-  Vesta Robles (yellow card 29')	14- Michael Sarado (subbed out 68')

Subs:					Subs:

10- Beatrix July (subbed in 45')	18- Pedro Corrigan (subbed in 45')
21- Shane Medina (subbed in 61')	9-  Julius Carrera (subbed in 68')
22- April Orion (subbed in 82')		16- Luis Aldardo (subbed in 77')

Coach: Jupiter Lynx			Coach: Catherine Bardsley



Estelar's line-up for the next match (4-4-2):

1-  Dani Abate
13- Adele Manzano
6-  Nicole Luna
3-  Leona Ferran
4-  Ariana Pacheco
15- Colleen Winter
25- Zélia Hart
10- Beatrix July
11- Imogene Gallacher
21- Shane Medina
8-  Vesta Robles

[Armeia]

Last time on Young Volcanoes: The Schraeder twins fight over Bianka's transfer to Lionesses. Katarina decides to go on loan to the Ikari Jets, in Kirishima. Mara and the Strathaven staff prepare to talk with a young, high risk, high reward prospect.
Young Volcanoes: Part Three
Problem Child

"So, do we have any info about her personality? I mean, how are we going to approach her?" asked Mara, as she drove her SUV through the suburban part of outer Strathaven, heading with Dylan Shrewsburry and Liara Erikkson to talk with Ryoto Taguchi, the midfield prospect that could make or break the team's future.

"I talked last night with her youth manager from Bastille," Dylan said, looking down at some notes. "He described her as a typical problem child. She's from a family with money, so if we pay her a big salary, that won't appeal to her much. She's pretty rebellious also. She was born to two Japanese parents but she ran with the Nordic gangs before moving to Loftus to play for AFC Center City. Apparently she's a card carrying member of the Armeian National Party, which is good because it lessens the chance she goes to a club with a socialist reputation, like Northeastern."

"Are you sure she was born to two Japanese parents? I seriously doubt that considering her blond hair," Mara stated. "At least one of them must be a stepparent."

"Uh, now that I think about it, she does have some Nordic features," Dylan replied. "Anyway, I think she wants attention more than anything else. If we can give her that, she's more likely to come here over a big club like Vandals, where she won't stand out for her first few seasons."

"I hope you're right. Our future is riding on getting top prospects like her," sighed Mara. "And this one isn't going to be an easy signing by any stretch of the imagination..."

Mara parked the SUV in front of the coffee shop that they had agreed to meet at and climbed out, followed by her assistants. They easily found the table where Ryoto was at, sitting across from her. "You're late," Ryoto said flatly, frowning.

"Sorry, you know how the traffic in Armeia can be," shrugged Mara. She was surprised by Ryoto's attitude, which was written all over her face in addition to being visible in her tone.

"I thought they would have sent someone better to recruit me," Ryoto chuckled. "Not someone who won one title in sixteen years, after selling out completely. Look, Mara. Let's get to the point. I don't like you, and even though I don't dislike Strathaven, I don't want to play for you in particular."

Mara was pretty shocked but when she considered where Ryoto was from, she began to piece together why she disliked her. "Are you a Lionesses supporter?"

Ryoto nodded. "I'm from Bastille, who else would I support? Our shitty third division team? The trash from central Loftus? I'm Lionesses, through and through. I was in the terraces with the traveling ultras when we lost on PKs in the National Cup final four years ago. I loved you, I loved everyone at that club, but you broke my heart by leaving. You left us to get relegated, and you didn't give a damn about your friends that you abandoned."

Mara stayed silent for a few seconds, looking for the right way to reply. Ryoto was going to be tough to handle, for sure. She didn't just have an attitude, she went as far as to call the club she last played for 'trash'. Fortunately Liara spoke up and saved Mara from having to reply. "I think you should give our club a chance, we have some of the top youth development facilities in Armeia, and we've produced good players before... Do you remember Kylie Hemingway-Wilson?"

"Yeah, she's the one who manages Blazers. Ex player, too, I remember she spent her whole career playing for Terrum teams," stated Ryoto. "She was a deep playmaker, led the league in assists for two or three seasons and scored the game winning goal for Northern Armeia in the deciding Regions Cup match, back when Southern was the big dynasty and they had won four straight."

Liara exchanged a glance with Dylan and Mara, who were both as surprised as she was at this girl's footballing knowledge. "Well, did you know that before she signed for East Shore United, she was a youth player for FC 2. Strathaven? She didn't keep playing with us after her youth contract is up but we made her into the player she was. We see the same traits in you and we want you to help us help you, if that's not too confusing."

"And what's my assurance that Mara doesn't bail on us in the middle of the season?" Ryoto asked acidly, taking a sip of coffee.

"Look Ryoto," Mara said eventually, looking her in the eye. "I'm sorry that I broke your heart by leaving Lionesses. I regret doing that more than I regret anything else in my career. But I really think our club is the best place for you to develop as a player, and Strathaven is a place you'll fit right into. One of your parents is Nordic, right? We have a large Nordic population."

Ryoto sighed and looked down. "Yeah, my dad was Nordic and my mom was Japanese. They both got killed fighting the communists in Kyang, when I was young. I didn't know either of them, but I never fit in with the Japanese or French kids from Bastille. It's... It's part of the reason I started supporting Lionesses, they had a lot of players who fought alongside my parents in that conflict."

"You'll fit right in here," Mara said softly. "Our captain, Danika Kostas, did two tours in Cora City, Kyang, and Terrum before joining us. And another player that we're working on signing is in the Air Force in Zovorossia, and fought against socialism there before playing."

"I'll give your club a chance," Ryoto said finally. "It's not like I have anywhere else to go, I'm not going to resign with Center City and play for that scumbag, Reach. Vandals wants to send me on loan my first year if I go there, and I don't want to do that... You guys have my commitment."

---

One day earlier...

The woman had a hard yet attractive looking face, with dark eyes that stared straight into Katarina's soul. Her black hair was cut below her shoulder, the jet black of the hair contrasting with the color of the tattoo sleeve on her left arm. She wore a tight athletic sweatshirt and black jeans that were worn but that she somehow made fashionable.

"Cris?" Katarina asked, in shock. This woman was Cristiane LaFlame, the former Lionesses captain who had died in the flight 414 crash.

"Long time no see, Kat," Cristiane said, flashing her signature grin. "How have you been holding up lately?"

"Everything is terrible, Cris," sighed Katarina. "It feels like everyone's against me, nothing is going right, not on or off the pitch. I couldn't even off myself right. Now some foreigner, Zsofia Dolan, she's playing up front, and Tess Byquist is starting on the right wing, so me and Bianka have to compete for a spot. I can't take this, I'm going on loan for the season to Ikari."

Cristiane hugged the young winger, who she had mentored at Lionesses before Katarina outgrew her guidance and took over last season as the top scorer. "It's not as bad as you think it is. When did things start going downhill?"

"When I dumped Isa," admitted Katarina. "I know it sounds crazy but she kept me grounded... She stayed around when nobody else wanted to, because of my mood. I was stupid to leave her."

"Then you need to get her back," Cristiane said as if it was obvious. "So what if she's with Bianka now? You're going to be proving that you're better than Bianka on the pitch in Ikari, now you just have to prove yourself off of it. Go get your girl, Katarina."

At that, Katarina awoke from that strange dream, feeling dazed and confused. But she knew what she needed to do, she needed to talk to Isa, again. It had been so long since they had spoken outside of national team matches and training, but she had a feeling her problems would never end until this was resolved.

---

With Isa away playing for her club, all the pressure was on Augustus. The only goalkeeper on the roster with Mara's retirement, Dierk and Ander's reluctance to accept a call up, Isa's club commitments, and Pandora's alcohol problems, he was the one starting in goal against Omerica. He was usually cool and collected when playing, but as the Super Dragons ran onto the pitch before the start of the match, he felt more nervousness than he had felt when he started in a title clinching match for Lions.

His ACL was finally better from his last injury, and he had made a couple appearances for the national team as a sub before, but this was his first match starting for the senior team. "Just like old times on the U-18 team, eh?" asked Marc-Andre Zupan, his best friend who was on the bench at centerback. "I wish Ty was here to see it. I always told him that once we got out the militias, we'd make it big with the national team."

Yes, Armeia's extremely long civil war had cost many lives, and a lot of players had lost friends, relatives, and teammates to it. Many had actually fought in it, considering that the military age in Armeia was only sixteen, and younger children had fought on both sides in the North, particularly Redtown. There was a reason why the nickname of second division side Redtown FC was 'The Children'. Marc-Andre had fought the Armeian Communist Front around the city of Kyang when he was sixteen, and later he fought in Redtown when he was seventeen, serving in the same air based unit as Isa Tangemen had when she was in the military. When the war finally ended only recently, with the final surrender of the ACF, everyone on the national team was left changed, except for maybe those from Loftus, which wasn't hit at all during the modern part of the war.

"What every Armeian kid wants... To play for the Nordiques or the Ravens or the Canes," started Augustus. "When he said 'national team', I imagine he meant Western Armeia. Who could have predicted that we'd have a unified team now? We're lucky to be here right now, playing for the whole nation and not just a region."

Marc-Andre nodded but he could hardly hear a thing over the crowd. It was like a home game for Armeia, because the Omerican fans were boycotting the Cup of Harmony matches. There were a large amount of traveling Armeian ultras present, and they were on edge after the team had been swept by Omerica in World Cup Qualifying. The majority of the travelers were from Redtown, where Augustus played for Racing Club Lions. That just put more pressure on Augustus, because the same people watching now were the people he would be playing in front of during the club season. But it also motivated him. He knew that he would just have to go out there and perform, he would have to perform well enough to keep his starting spot even if another goalkeeper joined the roster. It's not like there's pressure to win or anything, he thought sarcastically as he pulled off his warmup shirt and joined the rest of the team in their final pre match warmup.

[Gim]

Football Magazine: Goal!

SATV HD - Friday 1:05 A.M. - 1:35 A.M.

Hosts: Chae Byung Ho and Ha Ga Eun

Camera moves down from an aerial view of the studio to facing the two hosts.


Chae Byung Ho: "Hello and welcome to Football Magazine: Goal! This is Chae Byung Ho."

Ha Ga Eun: "I'm Ha Ga Eun!"

Chae Byung Ho: "This week has been quite busy for me. How about yours, Ga Eun?"

Ha Ga Eun: "Well,...same as usual. The usual business, and I suppose the Gimian team understands this very well as they have not had any special news lately."

Chae Byung Ho: "Yes. Two consecutive no-goal draws for them. Their defense has been stellar, despite the absence of Kim Dong Jin in the second match; however, at the same time, they have not excelled offensively."

Ha Ga Eun: "It seems that even a single goal is crucial in not just the Gimian team, but also Group B, overall. If we have a look at the following table,...."

Ha Ga Eun points to the screen on the wall on the right side of the platform.

-What is shown on the screen-

Ha Ga Eun: "It seems that tonight's match against Banguela is a must-win game, if Gim wants to advanced to the Round of 16. Even if Chiata loses, Banguela will win and take the second spot in Group B."

Chae Byung Ho: "Even if Gim wins, there are multiple scenarios:

If Gim wins and Chiata wins, Gim must have a better aggregate(total scoring) record. If there happens to be a tie in the aggregate record, Chiata win, simply since they are in the front of the alphabetical order.

If Gim wins and Chiata loses, Gim advances to the Round of 16. Gim takes second place, if United States of Devonta wins, but when the Devontans have a draw or a loss, Gim has the chance to take first spot in Group B. If United States of Devonta loses, Gim automatically takes the first spot; however, when there is a draw, Gim must have a better aggregate record than the Devontans to take first spot in the group.

Ha Ga Eun: "Well, if Gim has a draw, Chiata has to lose for Gim to advance to the next round. Even if the two teams are tied in points from a Chiatan draw, Chiata will advance by alphabetical order."

Chae Byung Ho: "Also, to Gimian fans, Kim Dong Jin will not be playing, as he continues to play for the All-Inclusive Haranguers of Abanhfleft. However, we have Jeon Geon Tae and Son Kyu Jin, two veteran defensemen, on whom to rely for tonight's game. In fact, it would be great, if our goalkeeper, Lim Dong Yeop, can make stellar saves to bolster the defensive unit as well."

Ha Ga Eun: "Our team has never faced Banguela in the past; however, we know that they have extremely athletic players, who have also advanced up to the Quarterfinals in Baptism of Fire. We should not be complacent at all."

Chae Byung Ho: "Definitely. Hopefully, our team earns at least a point tonight, and, last but not least, what is your score prediction for tonight's game, Ga Eun?"

Ha Ga Eun: "I would say either 1-0 or 2-1 for the Gimians. Scoring has been generally low for all teams in our group, and with the defensive style of play Banguela utilizes, I expect a low-scoring game."

Chae Byung Ho: "I would have to wholeheartedly agree with you, Ga Eun. 1-0 would be my prediction. Well, thank you, ladies and gentlemen, this is it for Football Magazine: Goal!, and hopefully, we can all celebrate our advancement into the Round of 16 after tonight's game."

Ha Ga Eun: "Thank you, everyone!"

Camera shows an aerial view of the studio, and Chae Byung Ho and Ha Ga Eun quietly having a conversation.

[San Jose Guayabal]

MATCHDAY 3 CUTOFF FOR GROUPS E-H

Are you ready for this?

[Brenecia]

What would Catherine do?
Normally it was a hypothetical question for Sasha Bale, nothing more than something to focus herself by thinking about her mentor. But right now, it took on a somewhat more relevant meaning. Both her Brenecia and her mentor's Sameba had beaten Estelar but succumbed to Szavoda - now it all depended on tomorrow. A draw would be enough for the Patriots and their goal difference, but going out for a draw was asking for a loss.
Especially against a team with Sameba's attacking riches, even if they were yet to actually fire. Much, in fact, like Brenecia's. It was a match that might be incredible for the neutrals to watch or, alternatively, might fizzle horribly into a thousand Naphtali Thatcher crosses into thin air, much as the defeat to Szavoda had. Even Cullen had been quiet, and given that the Barbury forward was the model of consistency, that had been a bad sign at a bad time. Nothing was working.
It had all been so great a few months ago. It was a useless, but compelling train of thought to chalk the collapse, as the Brenecian press had pretty much universally labelled it, as 'unfair'. But that wasn't the case - it had been fair, since it had happened. Were Starblaydia offside for their winner? No. Did Abanhfleft pull off five consecutive handball goals? No. Had the Patriots played well since beating Ko-oren?
No.
It was time to stop the rot. Maddon, who had been wasteful yet again against Szavoda, could stay on the bench, with Cullen up front and Pendragon on the left and Thatcher on the right and, annoyingly, Blackslate replacing the injured Kilbane in midfield. The physios had given the Crisisbless midfielder roughly a couple of weeks until she'd be ready again. That wasn't what Bale had wanted to hear. Purrington remained irreplaceable, even if she'd been kept eerily quiet against a workmanlike Szavoda. Paterson remained a fantastic help for the side. And, despite sections of the press crying out for Faulkner at rightback, the change would be on the left - Gerry Duffy was less good going forward than Collingwood but remained capable of taking out the veteran Pablo Dohi, and while Scrivener was blunt force trauma in a 6'5" frame, Faulkner was a lot better than him and Duguid gave the side the option of playing out from the back, an option Bale had always favoured.
This team was absurdly quick, and Sameba would need to attack. Even if a draw would favour them, Bale knew her old mentor would never be content just to defend, even if the Sameban defence was actually any good. So the plan was obvious - stay patient, break quickly...
... and hope to God that someone had their finishing boots on.

[United States of Devonta]

Perfect Game, No Results
_{Devontans offense push hard against Gimian defense but to no resolve}

United States of Devonta 0-0 Gim

United States of Devonta (4-4-2 Diamond): Vanburen, Styles, Rice, Joe, Creasmen, Abdul, Fulton, Edwards, Tallahassee, Madrid, Creeds
Gim (3-4-3): Lim, Son, Jeon, Kim, Jang, Choo, Jin, Yang, Heo, Gong, Choi

Quick Stats:
60% Possessions, 10 Shot, 7 on goal, 3 corners, 7 fouls
40% Possessions, 6 Shots, 4 on goal, 2 corners, 5 fouls

Goals:
--NONE--
--NONE--

CAUTIONED: --NONE--
EJECTED: --NONE--

Table:

  Group B                     Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 United States of Devonta      2   1  1  0    1   0  +1    4
2 Chiata                        2   0  2  0    0   0   0    2
  Gim                           2   0  2  0    0   0   0    2
4 Banguela                      2   0  1  1    0   1  −1    1

Schedule:
MD1: United States of Devonta 1-0 Banguela
MD2: United States of Devonta 0-0 Gim
MD3: United States of Devonta Vs. Chiata

Other Group B Games:
Chiata 0-0 Banguela

---

[Sameba]

What would Catherine do? She had been dwelling on this question all day in the buildup to the evening kickoff against Brenecia. Her mind was torn between questions of politics on one hand, and questions of sport on the other. Gartanzo had spoken to her over the phone, told her that things were afoot. Good things. Change! She was cautious about it - after all, what kind of self respecting Sameban military officer would admit pleasure at change? Something had become clear in the last few weeks, and that was that the power structure in Sameba was shifting. The current generation of slightly-more-belligerent-than-Coley politicians and officers was weak, with several of their senior figures clearly guilty of rife corruption and even treason. Names were suddenly been thrown around for a fully military council to take over from the General Directors and President, some say a moderate takeover, some say an extremist one. There was one unnamed figure who was referenced to a lot, but never directly; Catherine believed this was Gartanzo. She believed that he might be the vanguard of change. However, despite what she had promised, and despite what she had already done to this end, she had reported nothing to the Euran's via her husband or anyone in Brenecia. She would, eventually, but for now she was placing her trust in Emile. He would deliver. He would be the man he was supposed to be.

Somehow, things were more dire on the football pitch than in the halls of the Sameban state. True, the team had just about beaten Estelar thanks to an unexpected headed goal by Fabio Quella. Yet Catherine had not celebrated too loudly at the time, with the exception of a nod and a clap, and she wasn't going to start celebrating now. The opening defeat against Szavoda, where her team had been put to the sword in an embarrassing defeat by their Branmir Milic inspired neighbours, had left her job on the line, or at least it was on the line unless Gartanzo had now taken control of the Ministry of Recreation and Heritage without telling her. Victory over Estelar, as welcome and morale boosting as it was, had only bought her time. Now she faced her homeland in a game where not only was Sameba an underdog against one of the tournament favourites, but it also had to win to progress, whereas Brenecia only had to draw despite poor performances and only three points against Szavoda and Estelar. Everything depended now on Sameba's ability to perform against the big teams, something they had historically done well but were now seemingly incapable of under Catherine. As she lined up in the tunnel with her team, she could hear the grinding of feet above her in the stand. The fans were raring to go, even in the VIP box seats for the plastics and CEO's who were in the section above the tunnel. Brenecia were lined up next to her. 'Good to see you, Cath. We should spend some time together in the next couple of days. Good luck tonight.'

It was her protege and the current Brenecia manager, Sasha Bale. Not so long ago commentators were laughing at the reversal in career trajectories as Catherine's Sameba experiment seemed to go horribly wrong, while Bale's Brenecia were the great underdogs of World Cup qualifying. Now though, after a bad run of form for the latter, thing seemed a bit more even. Both of them were desperate to get through, though Sameba were in a worse situation. That is why Sasha's casual greeting surprised her after they hadn't seen each other at all during the build up. She responded courteously and quietly. 'Good to see you too. Let's get on with it shall we?' Sasha shrugged and gave her an 'ok' as the officials started to walk out, with the two teams lined up behind them following. Catherine didn't show it to Sasha, but she was terrified of what would happen if she failed to get through here. Not just to her or her position, but this country where she had resided now for a couple of years. It was starting to grow on her, despite the regime, despite some of the poverty. The one thing it really had going for it was its football team, and with the core of it now past it excluding Huele it seemed, she had to get them to achieve something before their time passed. The future of the nation might depend on it. The team might not have known it, but she did. She sat down on the bench, took a deep intake of breath, and stared out to the field. Same lineup as usual, except Carrera was back in, a much called for choice. She caught a glance of Huele. The young star turned to her with his wacky hair and cheeky grin, and smiled. He said something, something she couldn't read on his lips - not for a moment anyway. Then she realised, for he had given her a very simple message, what he was saying. 'Boss?' Her assistant, Seryou Kobe, looked on inquisitively. 'What's he saying?' Catherine smiled and sat back without saying a word. She would be keeping it to herself.

[San Jose Guayabal]

MATCHDAY 3 RESULTS FOR GROUPS E-H

Group E

Polaaskan 3–2 Port Christopher
Eastfield Lodge 2–2 Carialus

  Group E              Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Polaaskan              3   2  1  0    9   6  +3    7 Q
2 Eastfield Lodge        3   1  2  0    9   8  +1    5 Q
3 Carialus               3   1  1  1    5   6  −1    4
4 Port Christopher       3   0  0  3    6   9  −3    0

Group F

Eshan 2–1 Copper Cuprum
Polkopia 1–0 Super-Llamaland

  Group F              Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Polkopia               3   3  0  0    4   1  +3    9 Q
2 Copper Cuprum          3   1  0  2    4   5  −1    3 Q
3 Super-Llamaland        3   1  0  2    2   3  −1    3
4 Eshan                  3   1  0  2    2   3  −1    3

Group G

San Llera 1–2 Britonisea
Acronius 3–3 Nova Anglicana

  Group G              Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Nova Anglicana         3   2  1  0    7   3  +4    7 Q
2 Acronius               3   1  2  0    8   6  +2    5 Q
3 Britonisea             3   1  0  2    4   7  −3    3
4 San Llera              3   0  1  2    2   5  −3    1

Group H

Witty Penguins 3–3 Armeia
Omerica 2–1 Stvoto Latoli

  Group H              Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Omerica                3   3  0  0    6   2  +4    9 Q
2 Stvoto Latoli          3   1  1  1    4   4   0    4 Q
3 Armeia                 3   0  2  1    5   6  −1    2
4 Witty Penguins         3   0  1  2    3   7  −4    1

Host note: Apologies for delivering late scores, parents took me to supermarket and pairings for my half haven't been posted due to a family meeting.

[Stvoto Latoli]

MATCHDAY 3 CUTOFF FOR GROUPS A-D

Solidarity

[Stvoto Latoli]

MATCHDAY 3 SCORES FOR GROUPS A-D

Group A
Fluvique 0–0 New Gelderland
Nassau-Hessen 0–1 Ko-oren

  Group A                     Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Ko-oren                       3   2  0  1    2   2   0    6
2 New Gelderland                3   1  2  0    2   0  +2    5
3 Nassau-Hessen                 3   1  1  1    1   1   0    4
4 Fluvique                      3   0  1  2    0   2  −2    1

Group B
Banguela 3–3 Gim
United States of Devonta 2–1 Chiata

  Group B                     Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 United States of Devonta      3   2  1  0    3   1  +2    7
2 Gim                           3   0  3  0    3   3   0    3
3 Banguela                      3   0  2  1    3   4  −1    2
4 Chiata                        3   0  2  1    1   2  −1    2

Group C
Jeruselem 5–4 Damukuni
Associated Godlands 1–3 Gregoryisgodistan

  Group C                     Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Gregoryisgodistan             3   3  0  0    8   1  +7    9
2 Jeruselem                     3   2  0  1    8   7  +1    6
3 Associated Godlands           3   1  0  2    4   6  −2    3
4 Damukuni                      3   0  0  3    4  10  −6    0

Group D
Szavoda 2–0 Estelar
Sameba 2–1 Brenecia

  Group D                     Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Szavoda                       3   3  0  0    6   1  +5    9
2 Sameba                        3   2  0  1    4   4   0    6
3 Brenecia                      3   1  0  2    3   4  −1    3
4 Estelar                       3   0  0  3    1   5  −4    0

[Gregoryisgodistan]

Associated Godlands 1–3 Gregoryisgodistan

"Good evening, ladies, gentlemen, and slaves. We are coming to you live from Devil World, aka San Jose Guayabal, for tonight's Cup of Harmony Group Stage match between the heathens of Associated Godlands and the Glorious and Holy Foot Slaves. They have played the national anthems, and now it is time for the kickoff. And Gregoryigodistan will put eight men on "Jesus" all game, as they promised, but of course he's not really Jesus and he's not really "Our Lord and Savior" either - that honor belongs to Lord Almighty Gregory. And now we are ready for kickoff.

...

"6th minute, "Jesus" marked by eight men so Martin Luther passes to David Duke, he passes to Adam. Now he finds Tim Tebow in the box, Prune Farmer 3818F falls down and Tebow has a wide open shot at goal, oh, but he puts it about 20 feet wide. And only from ten feet out. How in Lord Almighty Gregory's name did he miss that? This strategy of putting eight men on "Jesus" appears to be working so far, and Shirley is surely going to cry after she loses again. That would be awesome. Shirley, you are surely a fool, surely a heathen, you are going to lose. Nobody likes Shirley Phelps-Roper, least of all the real God, Lord Almighty Gregory. Now accept him as your Lord and Savior or you will be sent to the Land of Eternal Punishment to be repeatedly sliced with the Brownie Cutter of Death for all eternity. And that will indeed be punishment.

...

"17th minute, History Teacher CZDE9745 plays it sideways to Soldier 0EDCK13DHI. Soldier 0EDCK13DHI is dribbling up the field, now makes a long cross-field pass to Prune Farmer 913881. Prune Farmer 913881 looking for someone in the box but it's headed over the crossbar by Peter, who has a stupid name, and it will be a corner kick. Peter is a heathen who worships his teammate "Jesus" and will be in trouble for that, he too will be sent to the Land of Eternal Punishment. Anyway, it's Guy Who Cleans Up Behind The Elephant at the Circus P0120AZNNAU to take the corner. He sends it into the box, Enemy Crusher Fatty Footy is there and heads it into the crossbar, oh, but it hits Judas Iscariot in the back and now it's rolling into the net! That's probably going to be an own goal, I would have to think, and Enemy Crusher Fatty Footy will get the assist in bizarre fashion. I don't know how that happened, poor defending by Associated Godlands, and Pope Francis is to blame too because he just watched as that ball rolled in and made no attempt to stop it. Maybe they're secret Muslims too, but they're not bowing to Mecca. That would be too obvious after an own goal. 1-0 Foot Slaves, on an own goal by Judas Iscariot.

...

"26th minute, Slave Catcher I913AFBSBFI239 up to Prune Farmer 913881. He now finds Guy Who Cleans Up Behind The Elephant at the Circus P0120AZNNAU, who is taken down just outside the box by "Jesus". And that's a tough foul and "Jesus" should be carded. Indeed, out comes the card and it's a yellow for "Jesus." And Guy Who Cleans Up Behind The Elephant at the Circus P0120AZNNAU will take the free kick, it looks like. He dinks it into the box, Loyal Friend of Lord Almighty Gregory Xylocrap Notatypo gets a head on it, and GOAL, oh, but the flag was up, so it won't count. The Foot Slaves thought they made it 2-0, and again, poor goalkeeping by Pope Francis, but maybe he saw the flag was up and didn't bother - who knows?

...

"38th minute, "Jesus" still marked by 8 men, and Tim Tebow breaking away unobstructed. He's terrible, so they're not taking anyone off "Jesus" to cover him. He'll shoot, right to Prune Farmer 3818F who makes the save. He had a good chance to score, but he shot it right to the goalkeeper. Tebow is having a very poor game, he should have scored twice and instead he has nothing. This is just not Associated Godlands' day, mainly because God is on our side. And indeed, the Gregoryisgodistani fans are starting a "GOD'S ON OUR SIDE" chant as Shirley gives them a dirty look.

...

"And now it's halftime. The "GOD ON OUR SIDE" chant continues as both teams walk off the pitch. It's 1-0 Foot Slaves on a bizarre own goal by Judas Iscariot, as we head to the locker room.

...

"53rd minute, and Tebow is breaking through into the box again, Now History Teacher CZDE9745 will go after him and tackle the ball away - oh, but they call a penalty. What? He got all ball. That's highly questionable. But "Jesus" will step up to take the penalty, and Associated Godlands has a chance to tie this game, as the Gregoryisgodistani fans boo. He steps up and it's in. Prune Farmer 3818F could have saved it if he guessed right, but he went left and "Jesus" went right, so he couldn't get it. 1-1, we're all even. Foot Slaves would still win the group if this result holds, but they want to get the third win and go perfect in the group stage.

...

"64th minute, Prune Farmer HUXU88238ASF passes to Soldier 0EDCK13DHI. He shoots from way out and Pope Francis has to quickly tip it out for a corner. He was caught by surprise there and couldn't react fast enough to do anything but chip it out. Guy Who Cleans Up Behind The Elephant at the Circus P0120AZNNAU to take it, and, rather unusually, he takes it short to Prune Farmer 913881. Associated Godlands' defense was caught off guard by that because it goes against the scouting report, and now they're out of position, as Prune Farmer 913881 finds Loyal Friend of Lord Almighty Gregory Death to San Jose Guayabal, who SCORES! Easy goal. All of Associated Godlands' defense was well out of position as they were expecting a long corner, they ran to defend it, then ran past the Gregoryisgodistani front line, and it was an easy pass. Associated Godlands is appealing for offsides but won't get it - let's take a look. Loyal Friend of Lord Almighty Gregory Death to San Jose Guayabal was, in fact, past the second to last defender, but not behind the ball, it's not offsides, good call by the refs. Foot Slaves lead 2-1. And here comes the "GOD'S ON OUR SIDE" chants again as well as the "POPE IS POOP" chants directed at Frankie.

...

"83rd minute, and the subtitute Youth XILE42 passes up to his fellow sub Hacker Fred'); DROP TABLE Rosters;--. He sends it up to Guy Who Cleans Up Behind The Elephant at the Circus P0120AZNNAU, who shoots from distance, GOAL! Frankie didn't expect that, as Guy Who Cleans Up Behind The Elephant at the Circus P0120AZNNAU went top right and scored. 3-1 Foot Slaves! And more "GOD'S ON OUR SIDE" and "POPE IS POOP" chants.

...

"And there's the final whistle. Foot Slaves win 3-1. And Shirley Phelps-Roper is crying over the loss and her team's elimination. Meanwhile, the Gregoryisgodistani fans are cheering "GOD'S ON OUR SIDE" and celebrating. Let's go to the press conference with Cheese Police PX010A0ZX.

"Well, Cheese Police PX010A0ZX, what do you think of the win?"

"It's clear God was on our side, not theirs. This is because we accept Lord Almighty Gregory as God and they think it was their player "Jesus." Well he's not Jesus, Jesus isn't real, Jesus is dead, and Jesus isn't God. So that's why we won and they lost. Also, we're the far superior team."

"How do you like your chances against Sameba?"

"Very good, but they're a tough team, so we'll have to play well. But God is still on our side, so I'm confident in our chances."

[Jeruselem]

Princess Laura and Michelle Huniker after their 5-4 win over Damukuni

Laura: Funny Damukuni played their best football when it's far too late
Michelle: But our attack was working for once
Laura: Of course, I'm the fearless leader of the attack. Not much good at defending though
Michelle: Good thing that Greg crazy beat them bible bashers anyway
Laura: Made no difference in the end, we didn't have much chance of topping the group
Michelle: Hope to see the last of those Godlands people anyway

Laura: I'm sure that Greg loves stalking us
Michelle: We might run into them again later
Laura: Oh yes
Michelle: So who's next
Laura: Szavoda, no idea who they are. Anyway they won all their games and scored 6, conceding 1
Michelle: A good defensive unit

Laura: Hopefully we can break that, and progress
Michelle: Our defense was a bit shaky today, after two better games
Laura: Yes, concede 1 against them Greg people and 4 against some low team after
Michelle: We have to improve
Laura: Yes, we should be doing better!
Michelle: It's not going get easier

Laura: I'm not here to make up the numbers
Michelle: I guess so
Laura: Young Anna is really sick, you know what kids are like when they aren't well.
Michelle: Yes, I was like that. School is great place to pick up ... germs.
Laura: Kids love to share ... germs
Michelle: Unfortunately

Laura: One of the hosts barely made it the next round
Michelle: Yes, good thing the other teams only drew
Laura: There's a lot of good teams here, you know the unlucky ones as well
Michelle: Including that Ko-oren, don't understand how they didn't do better in the cup this time round
Laura: Never mind about them, we have to improve really. Bit unlucky not get a playoff we were.
Michelle: Our campaign, wasn't too bad. Just that loss streak of 3 in the middle.

Laura: Being 3rd doesn't get you anywhere these days
Michelle: Yes due to the cup having so many teams
Laura: But you can't just give up
Michelle: The money isn't too bad
Laura: We don't model our football team on slavery unlike some football teams
Michelle: No need to name that team

Laura: Just noticed you sure use a lot of sun screen
Michelle: Yes, I get sunburnt easily. Football isn't exactly in an indoor sport.
Laura: All those nice chemicals you rub on yourself
Michelle: I know, it's either that or skin cancer.
Laura: Mine isn't too bad, still have to watch out still
Michelle: Maybe putting clothes on helps

Laura: I should sometimes but it's part of the job
Michelle: I dunno how you do it, being nude on TV and not even been self aware of it
Laura: Well, it's natural for me. Doesn't bother me a bit. Hubby loves it.
Michelle: But he's a pervert.
Laura: I'm quite aware of that.
Michelle: I guess it suits you.

[Ko-oren]

Small Town Thaulandi

An ode to some of the 'smaller' towns and cities of the Union's biggest

https://i.imgur.com/RH6RlwT.png

Welcome to episode two of Small Town Thaulandi. Cities that seem small from afar, but are secretly big. In the previous episode, we talked about the differences between bits and pieces of Thaulandi. We saw how the west speaks English and the east speaks Russian. We saw how the south, beneath the Kensington-Lena line (the red line on the map), is the urban, the warm, the densely populated part of Thaulandi, versus the larger, northern part which has the name to be rural and cold. We saw how sports were popular in one part but not the other.

Of Thaulandi's 13 professional gridiron teams, 12 are from below the Kensington-Lena line. Almost all of those 12 are in big multi-million cities that just do not exist north of the line. The single team that's left is from Yeliseykovo, in the northern half of the far eastern island on the side. In ice hockey, of the 14 teams in Thaulandi, 10 are from below the line, which is a better indication of the population in the south versus the north. Ice hockey is the everyone sport of Thaulandi. And then there is the third sport of the nation: soccer. Soccer across the Union of Ko-oren is a small market sport. Gridiron conquered the large markets and cities. Soccer is about equally popular but played in all of the 'small towns'.

Out of Thaulandi's 15 soccer clubs, 6 are from below the line. And even then they skipped the large obvious targets: Marinwood, Ansonville, Bonesteel, Kensington, Maynard, Zernino, Toropovo, Lena, Pereselenets and Novaya Pobeda. That list holds all but one of the million-plus population cities. The absentee is Novokistinskiy, a massive city but one with a soccer club. That leaves us with 9 clubs from north of the line.

This is a story about three of them.

The Union of Ko-oren is a massive sports union. Many of our national teams strike fear in the hearts of our opponents, and in recent years our representative teams have hauled in gold, silver and bronzeware. Soccer is one of those sports where our team is not so lauded, partly due to international saturation, which is a difficult word for there just are a lot of great soccer nations in the multiverse. Just three of the players on this soccer team are from Thaulandi, and that while 18% of the union lives in Thaulandi. That means these three players have a big following, despite their humble beginnings. Katherine Turnbull is from Burnet, the red dot on the map in the west, just north of the line. Anthony Sutherland is from Woolstock, the far northwestern dot. Vitomir Volkov is from Khabotskoye, the dot on the eastern half.

Katherine, could you tell us something about where you grew up?

"Sure. I'm Katherine, Turnbull, twenty-one years old, professional soccer player from Thaulandi. Burnet, to be specific, in the Westland County. It wasn't an easy place to grow up, to be sure. Burnet is surrounded by mountains... and if you asked most outsiders, or even people from Burnet, you'd hear that Burnet is probably the only thing apart from mountains in the entire County. We're on Highway One, halfway between Idyllwild and Bonesteel, the first cities you'll encounter going north or south on the highway, but it'll cost you a few hours to get there in the first place. That makes Burnet pretty much the most isolated city in Thaulandi even if it doesn't look so far north.

And it's not like everybody knows everybody there, I mean, Burnet still stands at over 300.000 souls. It's the centre of the mining industry because, as I said, the rest of the County is all mountains.

I grew up in the northern suburbs, middle class if you want to call it that, but then again, ask 90% of anyone and they'll tell you they're middle class. We weren't poor growing up, at all, growing up in one of the richest cities of Thaulandi, but it ws still humbling that for the first 12 years of my life, until the end of primary, I probably haven't talked to anyone outside of Thaulandi. Or someone who isn't from the English half of the nation. Or even anyone outside of Westland County. And I'm not even sure if I saw anyone from outside Burnet in that time. News from beyond the County border didn't really bother me, everything felt far away. Anyway, I went to school there, and to university. Soccer was my hobby. and you'll see that every Burnetian has one major hobby they go crazy about, and without one, you'll go crazy in the long winter. I made the Burnet team youth academy, and debuted for the team at age 18 in the Union's league, home versus Weaverville with a 2-1 victory."

What was your favourite spot growing up?

"The fields just outside Burnet, just a short bus trip away. I often took that bus after school instead of the one home, and I often called my mom to come pick me up from there for dinner, and that got me some reprimanding. Out on the fields, it wasn't always level, but one of our fathers made two goals and that was all we needed there. The strongest would thrive, and that's what helped me grow to where I am now. Man, I must have played almost daily there, and for a while, we actually all had formed different teams and had a league system going, and the title game was actually seen by around 100 people. That was probably the best memory of my school time, where we beat the Cloverfield suburb kids for the least official title of my career so far... as I recall about five or six of us were recruited for the Burnet youth academy that day."

Now on to Anthony Sutherland. Anthony, you're from Woolstock, a whole different place from Burnet, but still in the west of Thaulandi. Could you tell us anything about yourself and about where you came from?

"Absolutely! I'm Anthony, 26, from Woolstock, Traverse County. The one County north from Westland. Listening to Katherine's story just now, if you go north from Burnet's Highway One, all the way to Idyllwild, and then take Highway Four going up even further for about 20 minutes, you'll get to Woolstock. Woolstock is the end of the line, there's only small roads going up from there. I'm from the centre of 200.000 soul Woolstock, famous for, as you guessed it, having pretty much the northernmost agriculture. It's all sheep living off of imported hay and grass, and most people don't work in agriculture obviously. But that's what formed us, and what we're famous for, and Woolstock does actually have some grass for a couple months which is how they kept the livestock alive before we could ship it to out where we live. Currently I'm still on the Woolstock team, have played there all my time, and I don't think I've ever left the city apart from playing soccer or going on vacation. That is, I went to school there and I still play my club soccer there. Like Katherine, I played soccer almost every day out of school, but I did play for a club, which was the only way you were guaranteed a place to play on snowy days. Uh, weeks or months. It was heated turf. As in, heated to the point where snow would melt on it, and below the floodlights, it was almost easy to play in the cold winds up there. Traverse County is pretty flat, north of the Thaulandian mountains, so it can get pretty windy there. I was recruited into the team when I was 16, a late bloomer, but I've been the club top scorer for about three years straight now!"

And what was your favourite place?

"There is this one place just a short drive away, where you can climb a tower and on one side you saw all of Woolstock, to see how small it actually was and how there was nothing else in sight. On the other side there was the expanse of the County and at night, the only light there was the moon, the stars, and about eight tiny towns even further north from where I lived. I think there aren't many Woolstockants who couldn't tell you where just about 20 major constellations are."

Thanks. That leaves us Vitomir Volkov, from the Russian part of Thaulandi. Khabotskoye is his home town. Vitomir, could you tell us anything?

"Yes! I'd love to. I'm Vitomir Volkov, starting midfielder for the Dragonflies. I'm 27, and have played for Khabotskoye before moving to Derdyagino to play on the championship team. I've left Khabotskoye when I was 18 to study at Derdyagino university. See, the Russian part of the nation is less cold and unforgiving, so Khabotskoye doesn't even feel so far north to me. Derdyagino is further north, up the highway, and when you're there you feel in a large city again. Khabotskoye feels pretty small compared to that, even though it's nearly twice the size. It's just that you need to drive a little to get somewhere from my home town. Khabotskoye has a car industry, built by Avtomet, and our ice hockey team is called after the other big industry, the forges. That's Metallurg. The soccer team is sponsored by Avtomet, and tied to Metallurg, our city's prides."

And where did you spend your time?

"I worked through high school, I did some jobs here and there. It was all regulated though, you'll see that age restrictions are extremely well upheld there. I just brought things around, had a newspaper round for a while, that sort of stuff. I played soccer on the weekends after first trying out for the ice hockey team. Didn't make it obviously, but that's the thing. In Khabotskoye you have the choice what to play. And before you ask, my favourite spot was the parks in and around the city. They were pretty green every now and then."

And so it turns out that every city has a story, has people in it, who all live their daily lives there. This has been Burnet, Woolstock and Khabotskoye. See you next time for more!

[Stvoto Latoli]

OCTOFINAL FIXTURES (15 NOVEMBER)

Octofinal 1 - Ko-oren v Gim @ Neryungri Central Stadium in Neryungri, Eastern Region, San José Guayabal
Octofinal 2 - Gregoryisgodistan v Sameba @ Spesdorf Arena in Spesdorf, Overseas Region, San José Guayabal
Octofinal 3 - United States of Devonta v New Gelderland @ Lulai World Cup Stadium in Lulai, Overseas Region, San José Guayabal
Octofinal 4 - Szavoda v Jeruselem @ Estadio Central Loma Chata in Loma Chata, Central Region, San José Guayabal
Octofinal 5 - Polaaskan v Copper Cuprum @ Trogu How in Tobyumosyu, Stvoto Latoli, Stvoto Latoli
Octofinal 6 - Nova Anglicana v Stvoto Latoli @ Setoydyuma'shu Lobyuseistvooshu in Tobyumosyu, Stvoto Latoli, Stvoto Latoli
Octofinal 7 - Polkopia v Eastfield Lodge @ Oberlander'ajat Stidiyama in Urajbina, Pazhujeb Islands, Stvoto Latoli
Octofinal 8 - Omerica v Acronius @ Bridget Kilkenny Stadium in Teach Iarann, Muzira'a Ba'aydah, Stvoto Latoli

QUARTERFINAL FIXTURES (17 NOVEMBER)

Quarterfinal 1 - Winner Octofinal 1 v Winner Octofinal 2 @ Estadio Tierra de Fuego in Yucuaiquín, Eastern Region, San José Guayabal
Quarterfinal 2 - Winner Octofinal 3 v Winner Octofinal 4 @ Sakhalinsk Stadion in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, Central Region, San José Guayabal
Quarterfinal 3 - Winner Octofinal 5 v Winner Octofinal 6 @ Fahan Salmon Company Field in Fahan, Muzira'a Ba'aydah, Stvoto Latoli
Quarterfinal 4 - Winner Octofinal 7 v Winner Octofinal 8 @ Graha'ajat Stidiyama in Zhevassi, Pazhujeb Islands, Stvoto Latoli

SEMIFINAL FIXTURES (19 NOVEMBER)

Semifinal 1 - Winner Quarterfinal 1 v Winner Quarterfinal 2 @ Estadio Luis Barbosa in El Roblar, Western Region, San José Guayabal
Semifinal 2 - Winner Quarterfinal 3 v Winner Quarterfinal 4 @ Therakham Velodrama in Mahathu, Pazhujeb Islands, Stvoto Latoli

THIRD-PLACE PLAYOFF FIXTURE (20 NOVEMBER)

3PPO - Loser Semifinal 1 v Loser Semifinal 2 @ Estadio Cuscatlán in San Salvador, Eastern Region, San José Guayabal

FINAL FIXTURE (21 NOVEMBER)

Cup of Harmony 65 Final - Winner Semifinal 1 v Winner Semifinal 2 @ Green Lion Arena in Caisleán Luaith, Muzira'a Ba'aydah, Stvoto Latoli

[Gim]

"Watchers of NATV 8 News, this is the end of our current affairs news. We will now turn you towards NATV Sports."


Camera switches to NATV Sports with Anchorwoman Seong Seon Young standing in the center of the NATV Sports platform. A panel of sports analysts and sports broadcasters sit down behind luxurious desks on the side.


"Hello. This is Seong Seon Young of NATV 8 Sports. The Gimians on the brink of elimination. Will they be able to earn at least a point from Banguela? The Banguelans, a team that has advanced up to the Quarterfinals in Baptism of Fire, would not be an easy opponent to duel. To remind you, Gim needs at least a point to be considered qualifying for the Round of 16 in the Cup of Harmony. We'll check this out right now."

Camera switches to an aerial view of Gimian and Banguelan players entering the football field.

"Gim and Banguela, Banguela and Gim. Both teams have not faced each other in the past. Also, the Banguelans are known to have drastically altered their strategies to making a full offensive pressure."

Camera switches to a photo of Banguelans pressuring the Gimians in the Gimian zone.

"Banguela unravels the Gimian defensive unit by scoring the first goal in the 6th minute, not to mention scoring the second and third, respectively, in 14th and 19th minute. This is the first time ever in Gimian football history that they have allowed more than two goals in any international tournament."

Camera switches to a photo of Gimians pressuring the Banguelans in the Banguelan zone.

"Gimian forwards pressure on the Banguelan defense, including Joao Pinto, the Banguelan goalkeeper; however, it is still 3-0 Banguela near the end of the first half."

Camera switches to a photo of Gimians making a substitution.

"56th minute. Gimian midfielder, Choo Seung Ryong, scores a goal for the Gimians, as the team finally breaks the drought of scoring no goals throughout the Cup of Harmony. 3-1 Banguela leading, however."

Camera switches to a photo of Gimians attacking in the Banguelan zone.

"79th minute. Gimian forward, Gong Il Woo, strikes another one in the net, and it is all of a sudden 3-2 Banguela with the opposition only leading by a single goal."

Camera switches to a photo of Gimians attacking in the Banguelan zone.

"89th minute. News has come that Chiata has lost to United States of Devonta 2-1. If Gim can at least bring this game to a draw, they can advance into the Round of 16. Gong Il Woo and then scores! Out of excitement, Gimian players gather around to do a goal celebration! 3-3 tied! Also, this is the first time Gim has scored more than two goals in any tournament. Talk about their offense tonight."

Camera switches as the Gimians celebrate their advance into the Round of 16.

"Full time whistle is blown, and congratulations to the Gimian team! Next will be against Ko-oren! Another fascinating duel expected!"

[Eastfield Lodge]

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Narrow draw sees Eastfield Lodge through to knockouts.

Eastfield Lodge 2-2 Carialus

Eastfield Lodge (4-1-2-3): Puppy - Lamy (Lumo - 68'), Richardson, Rehman, Siddique - Jagger, The Doctor, Saqib - Wadimu, Qwivotic (Quazin - 78'), Graham (Drenas - 74')

Carialus (4-4-2): Pommerleau - Courtemanche, Cantin (Jobin - 72'), Briard (Michel - 72'), de Lainey - Cinq-Mars, Sevier, Babin, Echeverri (Lagarde - 81') - Masson, Caouette

Following the frankly nail-biting 5-4 victory over bottom-seed Port Christopher , where our 5-0 lead was all but wiped out because of two extremely controversial red cards shown to Daniel Keeble and Dylan Bell Jnr, Eastfield Lodge returned to Tobyumosyu to play the first seeded team in Carialus (albeit ranked joint-50th with 2nd pot team Polkopia) with the knowledge that a draw would be enough to see them through to the knockout rounds - to top the group however, they would need to win and hope that Polaaskan draw against 4th place Port Christopher, or otherwise have a winning margin 2 more than what Polaaskan would achieve. A capacity 76,000 crowd as Trogu How had the stands literally rocking with fans hyping themselves up for what was to come.

Carialus kicked the game attacking towards the Curva Sud, and they immediately began to press forwards, as only a win would do them any good. The Eastfielder defence was caught slightly off-guard by the immediate attack, which allowed Masson to get half a yard on Dominique Lamy - enough space for a pinpoint cross to be placed in by Babin; the header from Masson wasn't too far wide of the post, and he should have done a lot better with that opportunity, but it was an early warning shot over the bow from The Comrades. The game progressed at much the same tempo, with attack and counter-attack from both sides looking to get the early advantage, and both sides had some very good opportunities to break the deadlock in the first half an hour, although none were taken; the closest Carialus came to scoring after that first header was a superbly taken Caouette free kick, palmed over the bar by a scrambling Veronica Puppy. Also of note was a brilliant move which resulted in Masson going 1-on-1 with Puppy, but his touch to try and round Puppy was too heavy and the ball ran harmlessly out for a goal kick. At the other end of the pitch, Graham saw his header from Jagger's corner cleared off the line by Echeverri who was on the post,and Qwivotic cracked a shot from distance with Pommerleau too far off his line in the Carialus goal, only for the ball ping off the crossbar.

The opening goal came in the 37th minute, and very much against the run of play, with Carialus spending the past few minutes peppering the Eastfielder box with passes and crosses, and then peppering the goal with attempted shots. Another Babin corner was delivered into the box, but this time the clearance fell to Georgina Wadimu just inside her own half, and her flick caught out the covering defenders, leaving her free to run with the ball and with support from Roman Qwivotic and Hamaad Siddique, bore down on goal in a 3-on-1 situation. As mediocre as Eastfield Lodge may have been in the past, this was just too easy a situation to score from, and it was Siddique who received the ball on the left, rolling it into an empty net as Pommerleau rushed out of his net to stop Wadimu. 1-0 to Eastfield Lodge, and the safety net was there. At that point, the two teams had been pretty equal in terms of aggressive attacking, but following the goal, Carialus stepped it up several notches, literally pinging the ball about the pitch as if playing pinball, and whenever they lost the ball, they had two people chase down the ball-carrier at all times, and went into every tackle holding nothing back. The yellow cards built up in the ten minutes before half-time, but in the end, the Eastfielder defence stood firm until the half-time whistle, with the score still at 1-0.

The second half started a little slowly, as Eastfield Lodge had changed up their style slightly and were playing good keep-ball, frustrating the Carialus players to no end. As a method to stop Carialus getting the ball and scoring, it worked quite well, for about ten minutes; Thomas Graham's run was picked out by Dennis Jagger, but the ball was just too far ahead of Graham to be struck properly, and the ball ended up halfway up the Curva Sud stand. Instead of putting the team 2-0, Carialus had properly won the ball back, and this time they wouldn't be as wasteful with it, as the build-up play saw Sevier thread a deft reverse pass around Rehman for Echeverri to run onto and cross in. The cross was low, but it was played behind the retreating defenders to the edge of the box where Cinq-Mars was arriving, smashing the ball into the top corner to level the score at 1-1.

With that safety net gone, Eastfield Lodge returned to Plan A, and the game returned to it open nature once again. But with the Carialus team slightly more tired due to the high level of pressure they were applying off the ball, the match seemed to swing in Eastfield Lodge's favour, but in reality, that shift only lasted for a few minutes before Carialus grew back into the match and matched the tempo. However, the third goal of the match came in extremely controversial circumstances, as Dominique Lamy was on the floor writhing in pain after an elbow to the face from Cinq-Mars when the pair went for a high ball. Lamy had cleared the ball, but effectively down to 10 players, the Carialus players had little trouble playing around the stranded Richardson, and the equaliser was tucked away by an unmarked Masson. The Eastfielder players weren't happy with the lack of a decision or stoppage, and The Doctor went up to the referee to try and find out why play wasn't stopped. The protests fell on deaf ears however, and Lamy had to be taken off with blood pouring from her face. 68 minutes into the game, and 2-1 to Carialus.

At that point, the fatigue from their earlier efforts caught up with Carialus, and they dropped back deeper and deeper, evidently aiming to protect that slender one goal lead that would see them through to the next round, and maybe with a view to finish the match off with a counter-attack. However, those counter-attacks never came, as Eastfield Lodge pinned all 11 players inside their own half and they resorted to just hoofing the ball out of danger, and almost always it fell to an Eastfielder player and the attack would start again. However, the there was a need for fresh legs and fresh ideas, and there was plenty of that on the bench. First of all, Roman Qwivotic, who'd had an excellent game, came off for Fedrea Quazin with around 15 minutes of normal time left, and that new injection of pace down the wings was more than a match for substitute right back Michel, and Thomas Graham was almost an immediate beneficiary of the change as he met one of Fedrea's crosses, only to see it spin wide of the net. Minutes later, Tia Drenas was also brought on, replacing Graham who had been quite unlucky in front of goal in the match. And it was a move that paid instant dividends, as a Saqib corner resulting from Quazin's deflected cross was flicked on at the near post by Juan Lumo, and it was Tia Drenas lurking at the far post to head the ball in, scoring with her first touch in the match.

2-2 and just ten minutes of normal time to play in the match. And with Carialus having spent two of their substitutions on defensive players, they only had the one roll of the dice with which to make an attacking change, Lagarde coming on for Echeverri on the wing. But Eastfield Lodge changed up their formation, with The Doctor dropping deep to sit in front of the defence, and the two wingers dropping back to help out the full-backs. And it was the underdog's tactical change that prevailed, as the tired Carialus attack just couldn't break through the slightly more rested Eastfielder defence. The match was seen out at 2-2, which was enough for us to advance in second place after Polaaskan had defeated Port Christopher 3-2. Those results mean that we will play Polkopia in Urajbina in the octofinals (Ro16 to you and I), who as said before are ranked joint 50th in the world with today's opponents Carialus (and we erroneously said a few days earlier that it was Polaaskan who were joint 50th instead of Polkopia, they're actually 54th). Polkopia advanced with 3 wins out of 3 in group F, so will be a tougher nut to crack than either Polaaskan or Carialus, especially as they reached the World Cup playoffs prior to the Cup of Harmony, losing 3-2 and then 2-1 to Unified Sunrise Islands after a 7-2-3 record in qualifying (23 points from 12 games compared to our measly haul of 14). It will be a tough match, but we may be able to pull of a great upset.

Our prediction for the knockouts are as follows:
Octofinal 1 - Ko-oren v Gim
Octofinal 2 - Gregoryisgodistan v Sameba
Octofinal 3 - United States of Devonta v New Gelderland
Octofinal 4 - Szavoda v Jeruselem
Octofinal 5 - Polaaskan v Copper Cuprum
Octofinal 6 - Nova Anglicana v Stvoto Latoli
Octofinal 7 - Polkopia v Eastfield Lodge
Octofinal 8 - Omerica v Acronius

QF1 - Ko-oren v Gregoryisgodistan
QF2 - New Gelderland v Szavoda
QF3 - Polaaskan v Stvoto Latoli
QF4 - Polkopia v Acronius

SF1 - Ko-oren v Szavoda
SF2 - Stvoto Latoli v Polkopia

TPPO - Szavoda v Stvoto Latoli

Final - Ko-oren v Polkopia

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Port Christopher 4-5 Eastfield Lodge
Team (4-1-2-3): Puppy - Bell Jnr (sent off 64'), Lumo, Rehman (Summers - 74'), Siddique - Keeble (sent off 64'), The Doctor, Saqib (Onatish - 65') - Quazin, Qwivotic, Graham (Dockson - 74')
Goals: Thomas Graham (16'), The Doctor (31'), Roman Qwivotic (38'), Fedrea Quazin (53'), Roman Qwivotic (61')
Assists: The Doctor (16'), Roman Qwivotic (31'), Waleed Saqib (38'), Thomas Graham (53'), Fedrea Quazin (61')
Port Christopher goal: 64', 71', 79', 88'

Team to play Polkopia (4-1-2-3): Puppy - Lumo, Richardson, Rehman, Siddique - Onatish, The Doctor, Saqib - Wadimu, Quazin, Graham
(Bell Jnr and Keeble suspended, Lamy injured)

[The Saint James Islands]

For the record, I don’t mean any of this OOCly except the intent to forfeit the match against Acronius. I will be back next cycle after a coup at the TAO, so don’t worry about a thing.

Apologies for the inconveniences.

For the Spirit of the Game
Qualifiers for the Seventy-Third World Cup
On Omerica’s relationship with the WCC

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Turanga ʻAhipula ʻo ʻOmerika
6 Jacques la Rouge Road
Port-Alexandre, Philibiscostal 18-A40
Commonwealth of Omerica

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After a qualifying campaign in which Omerica were eliminated and Osarius directly qualified for the final tournament in an act of blatant fraud, the TAO Executive Board has had to face a difficult decision about how to respond to a qualifying tournament that proved itself to be nothing but a kabuki theatre to anoint the favoured teams of the World Cup organisers. While we decided against forfeiting our final qualifying match to honour the prior commitments that we had made, we cannot come to any other rational conclusion than the realisation that it is absolutely impossible for Omerica to qualify for a World Cup, no matter the effort, skill or determination put in by our team, without resorting to unsavoury means. As long as the status quo continues to persist, World Cup qualifying has lost all credibility and respect.

We can no longer be satisfied with the efforts of the World Cup Committee to attempt to placate, conciliate and mollify the TAO and to get our association to ignore the blatant corruption that permeates the World Cup. The Cup of Harmony itself has become nothing more than a meaningless farce, a tournament which serves no other purpose that to legitimise the fraud that is the World Cup and its masquerade of a qualifying tournament. We refuse to continue legitimising what is beyond any doubt a deceit propagated against football fans across the world and we refuse to continue wasting our time on something we will continually be denied, especially through the collusion of criminals.

The TAO Executive Board thus informs the WCC of our intent to terminate relations with immediate effect and to forfeit any and all scheduled WCC-sanctioned fixtures.


Sincerely:
Makara Mahana ʻo Petera
General Secretary of the Turanga ʻAhipula ʻo ʻOmerika