World Cup 93 - RP Thread

by **Ko-oren** » Tue Mar 14, 2023 8:38 am

The Good
The Dragonflies have qualified for the World Cup for the eleventh straight time, smashing our previous record of... four (WC69-72).

The Bad
The Dragonflies needed playoffs again to get there. Davenport started off her tenure with two straight group wins (WCQ90, 91), was dealt a difficult hand in 92 for second place and a playoff win. In 93, however, she gave up points to low ranked teams, and on the final matchday - when all we needed was a win - the team folded with no discernable spine to drop from first to third. We've not seen the Greenblues capitulate this badly in a long time - although, we do consider most World Cup group MD3 fixtures.

The Good
Despite everything, the 90s remain our most winningest decade at 63% wins (versus the 80s' 61%, the 70s' 60%, and the 60s' 56%, and the 50s need not apply with their 41%).

The Bad
The team mostly accomplished that by missing out on their self-invitation to the Eagle's Cup after WC91 and WC92, which is typically a very poor tournament for us.

The Good
Ko-oren landed in a group with a Yuezhou team that are trying to get back up the rankings, but don't seem like the biggest threat in pot 4.

The Bad
Yuezhou have plenty of World Cup experience from before, and in addition, they now also have a confidence-building Cup of Harmony run to look back on. Their play style has the potential to catch us at our worst. Liu Huiying will force our backs to make a choice; chase him into the midfield and leave a gap in the back line or let him do his thing and leave a very creative player with plenty of space and gamble that you can cover every other inch while Liu's looking for a teammate. Jiang and Luo can do damage but our fullbacks have the tools to deal with them, and to be honest, they face these kinds of wingers week in, week out. It's the middle of the field where we're vulnerable.

The Good
We could've done worse than to draw the Squornshelan Remnant States from pot 2.

The Bad
We already lost to them in game one, 2-0. That game got us absolutely nowhere as we see another Dragonflies team under Davenport with the opposite of a plan. The Confederacy took control of midfield and didn't let go. Volam and Ness were both dangerous in front of goal, and Uozomi couldn't cover Volam at all. Our defence was covering air most of the time with Bondarov and Yonte playing wherever Van Schelven and Mulvahil weren't at any given moment. Van Kalvenhaar had some fantastic tackles and blocks, but all that did was make Hashemi and Zazagan pivot to their left where Bondarov bullied Mizuno for about an hour and a half. Parsons and Entatingun never wrested control of the midfield. Normally you'd switch to Laza or Wormstal - but they play out wide and are great options in possession. If Uozomi can't get a grip we lack a bulldog to win (aerial) duels without fielding someone who struggles to play 90 minutes without picking up a yellow card (Dhentingun). Longchambon won't help out much in that department either - so the entire 4-man midfield, strengthened from our previous 5-3-2 with the express intention to flood the midfield more and gain control, was moot.

The Good
We, uhm, also play Banija? They're in the group too.

The Bad
They're literally one of the best teams coming into the tournament.

The Good
There's test cricket going on and we're fielding a mean team there.

The Bad
Hold on, never mind, they just lost to Krytenia. By 10 wickets.

The Good
Davenport did prepare an aging roster post World Cup 89 (as she took over just before the start of the WC90 qualification campaign) for the future by selecting young players alongside an experienced core to get a new group ready for the 90s. Now - this is not just Davenport's doing, her name is just a metaphor for her and her staff. In this case, it's the selectors who have a voice in who gets selected and who doesn't.

The Bad
Many of those players were called up for just a cycle, which makes us think they were just experiments and the selectors are struggling to come up with anyone who isn't the 30+ gang of Van Schelven, Benjamin, Longchambon, et al. Remember when these guys were called up for the first time for the WCQ 90 squad?
Grootenhuis (downside: 31 years old at the time)
Draaijer (downside: never called up again)
Derjekhistun (downside: never called up again)
Olsman (downside: never called up again)
Rouselle (downside: 29 years old at the time, never called up again)
Odgers, Meredeth, Tataewaki, Longhurst: never called up again.

Hoevink (downside: didn't pan out. Not on the selectors)
Borthwell (downside: didn't pan out. Still a great club career. Not on the selectors)
Hekkert: out of focus a bit.

Van Kalvenhaar (downside: none)
Archer (downside: none)

That's two players that are still on the team three cycles later. Looking at new/young players of the current roster:
Cyamou (GK), yLleamaid, Kaji (defence), Uozomi, Entatingun, Laza (midfield), N/A (attack) - which of these will pan out? Kaji and the midfielders look like locks for their positions already. The matter surrounding our elderly defence remains, though. The selectors picked an additional dozen or so players as fringe squad members for the qualifiers, none of which made it in as it stands. We remain hopeful about Mellowby (17 years old) but there's a lot that needs to go right for a player that age to make good on their potential and promise.

Literally none of the extra fringe guys in midfield or attack were under 25 years old. What's the point?

That said (this goes in 'The Mid' because it's neither Good nor Bad), just selecting your best eleven-to-twenty-three players that already gel well is never a terrible plan.

The Good
In conclusion: the results are, mostly, still good (enough).

The Bad
We're lacking a tactical direction - or at least a Plan B if it's not going well. We can't just park the bus and inshmaggie anymore - the multiverse has been alerted to our tricks.

The results are getting worse: since the WC89 final win, we've finished every cycle worse than the one before: from a quarterfinal in 90 to a round of 16 exit in 91 and a group stage exit in 92. We're also getting fewer points per game in qualification cycles:
90: 2.57
91: 2.55
92: 2.15
93: 2.23

Panning to a new playmaking duo in Parsons and Entatingun is a rough reality, with Longchambon no longer a multiverse top-10 attacking midfielder who bailed out Janoreirinthen back in the day about three times a game with something magical. Transitioning your core group of players takes time - time we don't want to invest.

What are the selectors doing? Focus on one or two strengths and select a team around that. Is there any communication between the strategic selectors and the tactical direction of the coaching staff?

by **Alasdair I Frosticus** » Tue Mar 14, 2023 2:48 pm

Imperial University Lectures

"Thank you for that very exciting lecture on 'Stopping Nozis From Getting Their Hands on Ancient Artefacts of Terrible Power', Dr Smith. Are there any questions from the audience?"

"Excellent lecture, Dr Smith, thank you. You must be terribly disappointed about the 2-1 loss to Cabo Azure after going through qualifying with just one loss the entire campaign. Do you think it was down to Nozis?"

"Sometimes you just have a bad day at the office; and besides, Rudolf Hittner is dead."

"Yes, but perhaps his terrible ideology of notional situationalism spread through dadaist art lives on, inspiring others to hunt artefacts of terrible power while thwarting your search for footballing glory?"

"There's no reason to believe that Nozis are active in Cabo Azure; we just didn't play well on the night. Next question, please."

"Yes, Dr Smith... it's well known that archaeology is the sexiest job that any sentient entity can hold in the multiverse. Men want to be you, women want to be with you; do you ever get tired of the adulation and lust that's naturally and rightly directed towards archaeologists?"

"I don't know about that; I just try to hunt Nozis, play football, and hunt for arcane objects of terrible power - along with a range of plucky sidekicks, of course"

"Dr Smith, is it true that you had an inappropriate sexual relationship with the underage daughter of your mentor, who later..."

"Next question, please - you there, the young women at the back."

"Thank you, Dr Smith. We are 6 incredibly attractive young women who are definitely above the age of consent in both our home jurisdiction and the jurisdiction in which this lecture is taking place - honest we are - and we just wanted to know if you'd like to join us in our hotel room after the lecture and fu..."

"Now, then ladies; Dr Smith is a respectable Nozi-hunting archaeologist; let's at least try to recognise the topic of the lecture."

"Yes, but archaeologists are well-known across the multiverse for being suave, debonair, intelligent, sexually irresistible, excellent cooks, and absolutely great in the sack; so who wouldn't want to fu....'

'I'm sorry ladies; I must insist."

"Fine then. Dr. Smith; you've worked in a wide range of climates; do you prefer to excavate with your shirt on or shirt off?"

"Well, that rather depends on the climate. For example, when I'm in a jungle, it's often very hot, but a long-sleeved shirt can help protect again biting insects, so..."

"Do you have any photographs of you excavating shirtless?"

"Umm, probably?"

"Would you be willing to share a photograph of you excavating topless?"

"That's quite enough. Are there any sensible questions for our guest?"

"Dr Smith, when confronted with a room full of grail-shaped objects, and attempting to find the grail in order to save a mortally wounded relative from certain impending death, is it better to choose poorly or to choose wisely?"

"I generally recommend choosing wisely in those circumstances."

"And what characteristics should we be looking for in grail-shaped objects that might help one choose wisely?"

"Consider whether the grail-shaped object looks like it was made by a simple carpenter many centuries ago."

"Dr Smith, do you think you can still make it out of your first round group?"

"Well the opening result wasn't particularly encouraging, but who knows. Perhaps I can hunt down an artefact of terrible power to intimidate Kelssek and Pemecutan!"

<much laughter>

"Oh; sorry... you think I'm joking...; well, let's see, anyway"

by **Milchama** » Tue Mar 14, 2023 2:50 pm

"Were you aware of the alphabetical order of the Group B nations?"

"Not before the end of MD1, like I'm sure I could have figured it out but it never occurred to me to try"

"Same"

"But now do you know?"

"Yes I do"

"Is that progress?"

"I think so"

"That's good because I wasn't sure"

"Look we got two things out of the way: 1. we'll definitely do better KPB wise than if we got zero points and 2. we made our newspaper's predictions come true after the first game"

"So far so good?"

"Exactly"

"Also, did Floren during the playoff?"

"Marc K. Floren, yeah he scored in both legs"

"No, Marc J. Floren"

"Oh yeah he came out of the ground like one of those vampires or zombies in a movie and scored a header off a corner kick"

"Ok cool good to know"

"Yeah, pretty interesting one this cycle"

"I wonder what he'll think of next"

"I wish he would score during regular qualifying though and not just in the playoffs"

"Fair enough"

"By the way, shouldn't we be talking about our most recent game since we were actually in the World Cup"

"You know that's a good point"

"So how did it go?"

"Not great, we drew"

"Wait you said above that a draw was fine"

"It was fine as a result but as a performance we were the better team, like we had more shots, more possession, and more xG, we should have won. The Hornets goal was unlikely as those types of free kicks normally end up in the stands and quite frankly they never really manufactured a better opportunity than that. Floren didn't have his shooting boots on, Flok had 2 more clear chances that were missed and I don't know why Kouriea except as a favor to Floren based on her passing"

"I disagree about Kouriea she kept putting herself in great positions today and those positions helped create the opportunities for Milchama"

"But she still couldn't pass the ball. Neither could Interlasskoti and Flok can never pass to begin with"

"I guess but is this our strongest team right now?"

"Who do you replace them with?"

"Ok fair enough, I guess it is. Having an unclear domestic league structure and no foreign imports or exports does lead to a weird brand of football"

"Should we join the IFCF?"

"And create a clear league structure, and more importantly scorinate all that, ugh, no way"

"Oh yeah I didn't think about having to scorinate that. Ugh, I don't want to deal with that"

"Want to use dice?"

"You know that's not a bad idea, do you have any dice?"

"I might somewhere"

"Ok, do you want to get started?"

"Do you want to deal with the tables afterward?"

"Oh my god no, good point"

"Ugh never mind"

"Well then we can keep having an entirely weird and messed domestic league"

"That sounds good"

"We should still get some Banjians though"

"Yeah just for funsies"

"I like it!"

by **Squornshelan Remnant States** » Tue Mar 14, 2023 3:27 pm

the views expressed herein are entirely my own, this is not an attempt to sum up any other users' opinions on the issue.
the inspiration for this RP was a single discord shitpost, if you don't like it, blame EFL

Who is the World Cup?
Salwan Mynhier

Of late, it's been very much in vogue for debates to arise, anywhere and everywhere, about the potential expansion of the World Cup from the format it has used now for 93 editions. Today, let's delve a little into some of the main points around which this debate centers itself.

First Point: Verisimilississippi
The IRLStates organization “FIFA,” which holds a pale shadow of the NSWC on an extremely irregular time frame, will be expanding the field of its own tournament. While this is a fairly transparent attempt to maintain some semblance of relevance in the face of the media juggernaut that is the NSWC, the fact does remain that the IRLSWC does in fact predate our own hallowed competition, and inspired its foundation. The reason for the NSWC’s time-honored 32-team format is that it was the format employed by “FIFA” at the time of the NSWC’s foundation. Accordingly, there are calls to emulate this expansion in the interest of maintaining that historical connection to IRLStates.
The counterpoint to this argument is that apart from the similar names of the tournaments, the shared format to the present day, and the simple fact that these are both football tournaments, there is very little in common between the NSWC and the IRLSWC, or between “FIFA” and the NSWCC. To wit: “FIFA” is in general, run by a lot of old men. The current President, Gianni Infantino, is 52. His Senior Vice President, Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa, is 57. Of the 6 Vice Presidents, not one is younger than 51, and all are also men. This stands in stark contrast to the membership of the Executive World Cup Committee is at once, much larger, much younger, and much more diverse than that of “FIFA’s” upper crust. By all available evidence, they are also much less corrupt.
Getting back to matters of format, however, one can turn one’s attention to qualification formats. Here too, the NSWC and IRLSWC differ significantly. For the NSWC, all non-hosting participants are drawn into equally sized groups, ensuring as fair a chance at making the tournament as possible for each nation. Under the “FIFA” system, each region hosts its own qualifying tournament, having been already allotted a certain number of berths in the finals. Furthermore, movement between the “FIFA” regions, while not impossible, is exceedingly rare and difficult. Applying such a format would eliminate the uncertainty of which of the major sporting regions of NS will be best represented in the finals, and force that number to be predetermined and reactive, rather than allowing nations to earn their way into the finals on their own merits.
Now, no one that I’m aware of has made any serious suggestion that NSWC qualifying should be regionally based. Rather, the comparison is made to illustrate that verisimilitude (such a strange word to use, are people implying that this isn’t real?) is not the be all end all of the World Cup. Merely because “FIFA” feels they need 48 teams in their tournament going forward, it does not necessarily follow that the WCC should follow suit. After all, we are, simply put, better than them to begin with.

Second Point: Untitled Numbers Game
One argument that has been employed to suggest the expansion of the World Cup from 32 to 48 teams is to point to the ballooning size of the Cup of Harmony field. To illustrate this point, some data:

From Cycles 77 to 82, corresponding to Cups of Harmony 69 to 74, the tournament had an identical group stage format for six straight cycles. Just as in the World Cup, 32 teams participated, and were drawn into 8 groups of 4. Did this occasionally leave deserving teams out in the cold? Very likely so. It might just as easily have resulted in less-worthy participants being invited to make up numbers. Going back to retread subjective judgments like that is not the purpose of this article. If nothing else, the Cup of Harmony during this period had an elegant format, and a pleasing symmetry with the World Cup’s own time honored format.
After cycle 82, however, something changed. For Cup of Harmony 75, organizers Eastfield Lodge and Damukuni were not content to leave off three additional teams that they found worthy of inclusion, and so the field increased to 35 teams, drawn into a somewhat awkward 7 groups of 5. For the next tournament, held in Banija and Xanneria, the field would expand once again, keeping the seven groups but adding a sixth team to each for a total of 42. The next 7 Cups would each see at least 50 teams participate, with the Cup of Harmony reaching its peak numbers in its 79th and 80th editions, both of which featured a whopping 64 teams in 16 groups of 4.
Since that time, though, there has been a slight downturn in numbers. 56 nations participated in Cups of Harmony 82 and 83, 40 in 84, and 48 in the ongoing edition, Cup of Harmony 85. Whether this decline foreshadows an eventual reversion to the previous mean, or a momentary blip in the new trend of enlarged tournaments, only time will tell. What seems clear from the data, however, is that taking 16 teams from the Cup of Harmony to add to the World Cup would leave the Cup of Harmony as a smaller tournament than the World Cup in most cycles. Even at the absolute peak of Cup of Harmony participation, a 48 team World Cup would still have only been equalled, not surpassed by the number of Cup of Harmony participants.
Data cannot, of course, make any recommendation on its own. Despite the decline from its absolute peak, the fact remains that Cup of Harmony participation has increased from its usual level ten or so cycles ago. This would seem to indicate a greater number of “worthy” teams participating in qualifying, but does that justify expanding the World Cup? If the World Cup is expanded, after all, there is likely no going back. At the present rate of participation, expansion would have resulted in a 48-team World Cup, and a 32-team Cup of Harmony. Last cycle it would have resulted in a Cup of Harmony field just half the size of the World Cup field. It appears that in most cycles, a 48-team World Cup would mean more teams in the World Cup than in the Cup of Harmony. Is that a bad thing or a good thing? Mere data cannot make that determination.

Final Point: the Matter of Vdara
Failure to qualify for World Cup 91 caused the entire nation of Vdara to spontaneously become beans. Entirely beans. No more Vdara, just beans. Millions of lives snuffed out in one instant. Great works of literature, art, and architecture, gone. Only beans now. Dozens of footballers in foreign leagues suddenly left homeless, unless they fancied bedding down with their legumized families on a piece of toast. This problem is particularly close to the hearts of fans of the SCFA Superleague, where Quebecois-Vdaran dual national footballer Joelinton Dyxkeson plays. Dyxkeson has never spoken publicly about the trauma of the Vdaran side of his family becoming beans, but one can only imagine what it must have been like for him. Or maybe not. It is rather difficult to imagine after all. Had the World Cup been a 48-team tournament, Vdara might still be around today, unbeaned. Should the World Cup remain only a 32-team tournament, this beany fate might claim yet more nations. I’ll let individuals decide for themselves whether this is an argument for or against expansion of the World Cup field.

Thank you very much for your time, I’ve been Salwan Mynyhier. Hopefully I’ve not been boring you to death.

(love you Vdara, just having some fun)

KOR: 0
SRS: 2

Scoring:
SRS: Ness 43', 76'

Lineup: Shimski; Nyberg, Titov (Jagdish 78'), Yarlut, Halfariani; Hashemi, Zazagan; Bondarov, Volam (Nisarizo 84'), Yonte (Musta 88'); Ness (Nacar 84')

The midfield ran rampant in the opening match, keeping the Dragonflies off-balance with passes into space and constant movement off the ball. While it took the team nearly all of the first half for the Black-and-Reds to finally break down the Ko-orenite defensive structure, all six players of the attack looked dangerous throughout. Hashemi and Zazagan coordinated effectively to usher the ball away from areas of defensive strength, and were particularly adept with switches of play. Yonte was largely bottled up, but Bondarov was a terror down the left flank, and both Volam and Ness frequently tested Bittencourt before eventually breaking through. It's very much an encouraging sign, and a definite relief to the fans at home and in attendance in Tumbra to see the team pass such a difficult test in their opening match of the group stage. There's little time for rest, however, as Banija await, who are ranked third in the multiverse and whom the Black-and-Reds have never defeated. It's a tired adage, but it's true: there are no easy matches at the World Cup.

Schedule & Results:

MD01: AUD 0-1 SRS @ Arena Kirola (cap. 72,000), Cathair, AUD
MD02: SRS 3-1 RYF @ Flanoil Arena (cap. 50,350), Traal, West Flania, SRS
MD03: STR 1-1 SRS @ TBA
MD04: VEZ 0-1 SRS @ Fate Stadium (cap. 333,000), Naypyithaw, Burma, Val Z
MD05: SRS 6-2 AER @ The Lutenstaad (cap. 75,000), Lutenblag, Molvania, SRS
MD06: ASG 1-0 SRS @ TBA
MD07: SRS 4-2 EQS @ Olympiastad (cap. 47,550), Arkintoofle, Megabrantis, SRS
MD08: OBR 1-3 SRS @ TBA
MD09: SRS 5-1 BRP @ Pheldagriff Stadium (cap. 45,620), Yassaca, Sivolvia, SRS
MD10: MUR 1-6 SRS @ TBA
MD11: SRS 3-1 ESL @ Admiral Cherenkov Stadium (cap. 71,200), Santraginus, Isle of Squornshelous, SRS
MD12: SRS 1-0 AUD @ Vogsphere Arena (cap. 90,000), Vogsphere, Isle of Squornshelous, SRS
MD13: RYF 0-2 SRS @ TBA
MD14: SRS 4-2 STR @ Sunergy Field (cap. 37,550), Hunian, Algolia, SRS
MD15: SRS 3-1 VEZ @ Bridger Lane (cap. 72,406), Damogran, Algolia, SRS
MD16: AER 3-1 SRS @ Centerby Stadion (cap. 36,000), Vorácy, AER
MD17: SRS 4-1 ASG @ Megabrantid Financial Field (cap. 69,245), Brantisvogan, Megabrantis, SRS
MD18: EQS 0-2 SRS @ TBA
MD19: SRS 3-0 OBR @ Malgacorp Arena (cap. 29,350), Hensha, Megabrantis, SRS
MD20: BRP 2-1 SRS @ TBA
MD21: SRS 4-2 MUR @ Green Heart Center (cap. 20,760), Han Wavel, Han Dold, SRS
MD22: ESL 0-1 SRS @ Eshialand City Superdome (cap. 75,000), Eshialand City, ESL

GS01: KOR 0-2 SRS @ Fletcher Park (cap. 45,000), Kingsbury, TMB
GS02: SRS  v  BAN @ Two Rivers Stadium (cap. 42,000), Millsburgh, TMB
GS03: YZH  v  SRS @ Stokers' Park (cap. 52,000), Fontwell, TMB

by **Zwangzug** » Tue Mar 14, 2023 4:48 pm

The Spenson Star

Zwangzug sailed through the qualifying phase of the World Cup 93 cycle with ease; despite a surprising Matchday Sixteen defeat to Cormoe, and dropped points against Aleirave, they were never seriously challenged for the group title. Yet, with the possible exception of the drubbing of Tecoia at Pacific Field, never did they look so dominant than their opening match of the final thirty-two, in which they swept aside the Tikariot Owls.

The Snowy Owls know how to make a dramatic entrance, as their fans led them in the "Thunder Clap" before the game. Unfortunately, that was the most organized they'd look all day. Just six minutes in, Cixin Nguyen, of the increasingly stacked "Not The National Team" Chromatik side, got the best of Anthony Wallace, who was recklessly charging forward, and tapped a shot into Brian Merson's net. Eleven minutes later, it would be Ryota Imamura in possession. Imamura wore the #26 jersey last cup, as a "in case of emergency break glass" reserve, and notably resented that "extra" allotment. This time around, he was determined to make the most of Zwangzug's trip to the proper, however long or short it may be; he put some extra spin on the ball for a bonus flourish, even though they all count the same.

Whatever your biases on two goals being an especially dangerous lead, some of the Owls themselves were deflated by the scale of the challenge, and their instability proved to be a self-fulfilling prophecy. Arfon Davies, a sometimes-grinding midfielder, wasn't able to link up with Michael Gaffigan or Morris Nighthorse, allowing Zwangzug to dominate possession on that side of the field; it paid off with a low-on-the-grass goal from Farrokh Sokhi in minute 32. And Dominic Eovaldi, normally an anchor of Tikariot's defense, was listless, allowing Imamura to slip past him and score again in added time of the first half.

The second half, perhaps surprisingly, was an altogether more contested affair, although the light breeze at the Cove could not be said to make a difference when it came to switching nets. Brian McAllister's side dropped back to a (1)-4-4-2, seemingly less for tactical innovation and more to prove that they still could. In minute 61, Adrian Grimaud, who'd been hanging back and conserving energy, got the jump on Kirsten Jackson and darted forward, connecting with a pass from the up-and-coming Easton Aird to put the Owls on the board. Zwangzug were content to hang back, but sixteen minutes later, Freda Tery-Wilf went on a mazy dribbling sequence forward, finishing herself to make the final score 5-1.

We are, of course, hesitant to extrapolate a pattern from this or jump to conclusions: suffice it to say that, in this particular game, Brian Merson--Tikariot's captain and goalkeeper--was far from culpable for the scoreline. "Yeah, you don't want to patronize anyone or pat them on the head too much," Jackson noted, "but I thought his resilience and resolve was pretty impressive, under the circumstances. I also thought we did a lot of stuff that was impressive, like, basically the entire first half."

Zwangzug remain in Lhor to take on Pasarga, who are coming off the back of a slim defeat to Nyowani Kitara.

by **Brenecia** » Tue Mar 14, 2023 5:26 pm

It had been a long, hard road, but Brenecia had made it to the World Cup. They'd shed a manager somewhere along the way - a... Diana Kite, or something, it was already slipping out of memory - but at last, at last, under the auspices of honoured master Erin Camden, they'd made it.
And the beautiful thing about qualification was this: once you got through it, it ceased to matter. Entering the Cup on the back of 24 unbeaten games? That's nice. Who cares? Limped there after repeated humiliations through the back door? None of the neutrals were watching. They just see Brenecia, and that gold star above the badge. And at last the Patriots were back, and able to move on, and ahhhh hell they drew Delte again.
...
Unfortunate choice of words, that.

Delte had, in fact, managed two draws with Brenecia over the course of qualification, one under each manager. They had scored more goals, conceded fewer, earned an extra point. They had outperformed Brenecia in every measure, and came rolling into the same group knowing not to be afraid of that name, that gold star, that recent bronze medal, knowing they'd bloodied the Patriots' noses before and could do it again.
But this wasn't the same Brenecia, either; not quite. The first time, Delte had faced the Patriots in the fading sunset of the Derdriu Wright (oh, that was her name) era; the second time, the beginning embers of what Erin Camden was trying to build. Now, they'd hit their stride somewhat. Chemistry had grown, mostly because Camden was too obsessively results-focused and single-minded to ever really rotate; it was this XI pretty much since she'd arrived, surviving bad results, surviving early wobbles, until, at last, at least, the team played halfway like they'd ever seen or talked to each other before. And it survived 41 minutes into the game, when Nimue Culpepper's ankle turned inside out and she fell over on her face.

Things had been going well until then, more or less. It was anarchic, and Camden hated anarchy, but it was at least anarchy to the tune of a 2-1 scoreline. Mor-Rioghain Stokes had opened the scores, finishing off an uncharacteristically fluid attacking move, a ball won by a crunching sliding challenge from Skaidrina Briggs, passed down the flank by Covolan, driven back into the box by Caoimhin Hadley and sidefooted calmly past the enigmatic Steed Tombes. Enda Clentin grimaced via video-link.
Delte pushed back hard, and to Camden's disgust scored with their first shot on target, albeit by then the goal was more than deserved reward for concerted pressure. Brenecia sat back, invited it... too much. Too far. Ardrake Steng, a nutritionist by trade, made his superior fitness pay, springing through three men with an energy a 32-year old shouldn't possess before slamming a shot into the top-right, leaving Meade without a chance.
Brenecia eased back into a strong position, but their goal, when it came, was a complete fluke. More justly, it should have been the flying strike from Covolan that whistled past Tombes and cracked off a post. It should have been the clever set piece routine that teed up Katua Byrne for a shot unmarked in the box, one she just narrowly curled around the post. But it was instead a penalty, a hand from Skelimino Bane in the wrong place, one that he couldn't possibly have put in the right place, given how close Culpepper was at the time. But the referee pointed to the spot regardless, Iseult Conway sidefooted nervelessly into the bottom corner beyond Tombes' reach, and Camden would take it.
Maybe it was karma that struck back. Culpepper was off, and someone who unironically played in the A-League, unironically had been relegated from the A-League with Endeavour, was on in her stead. That was cause for concern.

2-1 became 3-1 just before the hour, Maerhen Wake using his prenatural nose for goal to slip his men and bury a far-post header teed up by partner in crime Katua Byrne. That was more like it. Enough that Camden was willing to start sitting back a little more; Cheschon replaced Conway, Alderwood replaced Byrne, not strictly defensive substitutions but fresh legs in key positions.
But sitting back had played into Steng's hands, and then it played into Tai Cerotha's, seeming to run only into trouble, the block of blue shirts, before shoving his way past Briggs, bulldozing Jeong and, before anyone knew what was going on, he'd forced a shot through Meade's hands. 3-2, and Cerotha turned to the bench only to watch in horror as his number 9 was up on the fourth official's board. The video-link had come through, and made its decree.
Brenecia sat back further. Smart game management, two down, but that had now become fear. They did not, not want to piss this away, so naturally, being Brenecia, that was what happened. Seager came on, a last defensive switch, but she wasn't the right woman in the right place when Mastorqua drove in the inevitable equaliser.
And so the Patriots were back down to zero. Well, one. But they had it all to do against Farfadillis and Tumbra if they were really to claw their way back. The Farves had been torn apart 3-0 by the hosts, and would be eager to avenge that defeat; they would be favourites in pretty much any book against the Patriots.
So, for once, Camden would change her plan. They were going full Kite on this; Jeong would slide into leftback, the seasoned Athelney Shrine returning to the lineup, so too the hulking hold-up woman Jadwiga Lofthouse with the incisive Alyce Kearney in behind. "Look to keep the clean sheet, first and foremost," she instructed her charges on the training pitch, a scalding coffee in hand as she gesticulated with her spare.
Yeah, just keep a clean sheet. Against a wounded Farfadillis. Yeah, that'd be easy.

Delte 3 - 3 Brenecia
(4-3-3) 1 - Meade; 17 - Hadley, 22 - Wheater, 6 - Jeong, 3 - Culpepper (25 - Chalk 41'); 8 - Conway (14 - Cheschon 61'), 4 - Briggs, 11 - Covolan (19 - Seager 78'); 15 - Wake, 13 - Stokes, 10 - Byrne (16 - Alderwood 61')
Goals: Stokes 12', Conway 38' pen, Wake 57'

Injuries: Culpepper (ankle)
Suspensions: None

Lineup vs. Farfadillis
(4-2-3-1) 1 - Meade; 17 - Hadley, 22 - Wheater, 5 - Shrine, 6 - Jeong; 19 - Seager, 4 - Briggs; 15 - Wake, 24 - Kearney, 10 - Byrne; 9 - Lofthouse

by **Graintfjall** » Tue Mar 14, 2023 6:37 pm

Nephara – 3 (1)
Southsea (27’), Vetiver (66’), Harper (88’)

Græntfjall – 3 (1)
Björnólfur; Hermione, Eyvar, Asbjørn (4’), Jan (56’); Erin (69’ Valtter ), Kæja (78’ Steinar ), Danny (78’ Tom (80’)); Vanessa (57’ Sara V ), Mímir (69’ Röskvi ), Sara K (c)

Can Thor beat Cantor? Not quite.

If Græntfjall’s meetings on the football field with Nephara have previously been compared with a horror movie, this one was the version where the hero learns that the slasher-killer isn’t dead until the final act – and even then, get ready for a stinger that reveals that they just. won’t. die. Three times, the Snow Wolves seized the lead at Lakewood City Arena, and three times, the Cormorants scrapped their way back into it, leading to an entertaining match, which was also, in contrast to some previous meetings between the two sides, mercifully bloodless, with Oberour Ar Moro referee Berthel Jeune content to limit himself to talking to the captains without once reaching into his pocket for a card for either team. The quality of football on show, especially in defense, was not always of the highest standard of these two teams, and it was through intensity, guts and sheer bloody will rather than any particularly silky passage of play or brilliant solo skills that Nephara scrapped out a very well earned draw. Both teams could justifiably claim to have had the best of the encounter – Græntfjall led in possession, Nephara in progressive carry meters (which is apparently a thing), Græntfjall in passes completed, Nephara in shots and shots on target, and shaded the xG, too. None of which mattered to the fans who saw some of the best football they are likely to witness this World Cup, from Madita Brewer and Kæja Finnvarðsdóttir, and some of the worst, such as every time either team won a set-piece.

Nephara have played – and beaten – Græntfjall more often than any other team in world football, and while any sense of rivalry has always been a little one-sided, this meeting was imbued with slightly more meaning for the Cormorants given their manager, Igrene Cantor, had previously led the Snow Wolves to their first World Cup – and, their first World Cup title. Possessing in Græntfjall a stature similar to Gethin Ramsey in Nephara (where her status is, at least for the moment, not on the same level) the manager had assembled the core of the team that marched out onto the LCA field to face her new charges. But Ingþór Auðbjörnsson has not been afraid to put his own gloss on the team he has now been leading for nearly 3 years, and nearly half of the players who eventually saw playing time for the Snow Wolves in this match were newly capped under him. And it was one such player, Asbjørn Vilbjörnsson, who thrashed the Snow Wolves ahead just four minutes into the game to culminate a chaotic opening that set a tone Tanith Xu could not have predicted when she nudged out a fairly unthreatening cross for a corner. Cassander Southsea beat Eyvar Mathiasson to the header but could only clear as far as Arachne Loeher, whose panicked miskick went out for another corner, and there was a third – within the third minute of the game – courtesy a strong covering header from Renate March, hustling to beat Mímir Waltheofsson to the rebound as Medusa Strand saved a volley from Kæja Finnvarðsdóttir. At the third try, the Snow Wolves opted for a short corner from Nephara-based Vanessa Marvinsdóttir to Hermione Hui, who found Evyar outjumping Sven Copperhead and forcing a fine low save by Strand, who could nonetheless only parry the ball into Asbjørn’s path for a clinical finish from the big center back.

The lead, and joy, were short lived. Brewer, who had earlier gone close with a header that skimmed the bar, woke up the Cormorants with a thunderous drive that had Björnólfur Ernestisson at full stretch to push it round the post. From the ensuing corner, familiar Snow Wolf failings at the set piece recurred, and Southsea had time and space to line up his header at the back post and haul the scores back to level. Spots of rain had begun to fall, but the LCA pitch stood up far better than the Hofvinger mudswamp of World Cup 91, and the passes continued to flow freely. Felixe Vetiver, Nephara’s mercurial star, found herself frustrated as she was relentlessly marked by Asbjørn, who chased her around the field and was probably still in her back pocket as they walked off down the tunnel at the half. She did manage to get free on a couple of occasions: once crying out as a wonderful four first-touch pass move culminated in Xu, instead of squaring to the center forward in oceans of space, attempting the shot herself from a tight angle, easily blocked; and then scuffing the finish when the resulting corner was, surprise surprise, poorly defended, and she had time to line up her shot only to drag it weakly across goal. Mímir for his part saw a similar lack of service; his best chance came, again from a corner, striking a volley as he fell backwards. The acrobatic execution was at odds with the somewhat tame result as the ball nestled easily in Strand’s midriff.

After the half Kæja and Sara K led the team out positively, and the Snow Wolves put together their best sustained 10 minutes of play. Whether on the back of a verbal tongue-lashing or some encouraging shoulder-pats or just some really juicy orange slices, the new half produced their best football, and, in due course, another goal. Vanessa’s number was being readied on the third assistant’s board pending a substitution when she played a leading hand in the goal, showing speed and composure in equal measure to split Copperhead and Xu and play a smart pass back into the path of Kæja, whose pass sent through the overlapping Jan Játmundsson for the left back to finish with a powerful side-foot into the roof of the net. But Vetiver is eternal, and after an hour of being denied – and with a possible glance at the sideline herself – was on hand to finish a move started by a brilliant run from Brewer to split open the defense and hand Xu a virtually identical chance to the first half. This time, the Myana fullback smartly chipped a cross rather than taking on the shot herself, and Vetiver, through an inelegant but effective combination of ankle and knee, turned the ball in.

The winner looked to have come from a surprising source: if Thor’s new defenders supplied the first two, it was a much older head, of Tom Ernestisson, the only remaining Cup of Harmony 80 holdout in the squad, who looked to have won it for the Snow Wolves. The experienced utility back, brought on to play a defensive midfield role in the waning minutes as Thor looked to have settled for 2–2 with Kæja and Danny Oddkellsson coming off, hadn’t been on the field 90 seconds when he wrestled himself ahead of Anaximander Scales from another corner and placed his header firmly enough that, though Strand got a hand to it, she shouldn’t keep it out. The graying, thankfully unmustachioed former Altendalur veteran was mobbed by his team, but there was still ten minutes to play, fifteen with added team. The heavier the rain grew, the more determined the Nepharim attacks, especially from the seemingly indefatigable Brewer, still on the field after Vetiver, Loeher and March had all departed. She won another corner, putting Nephara into double figures for the match, and Valtter Marvinsson allowed the ball through his legs as he attempted a clearance. Bravura Harper did not need a second invitation to pounce on a cliché, and put in the straighforward finish. Nephara won a further corner in injury time, but after 95 minutes Græntfjall seemed to have finally worked out a barely capable defense and the ball was harmlessly headed clear to bring the whistle.

The Snow Wolves will stay on at LCA while the Cormorants head for Trenton Park, and Thor will reflect that escaping with no bookings may have been the best part of the result, given a tremendously bad-blooded scrap with Milchama no doubt awaits. Feeling wounded by an alleged underhanded deal gone awry during the last World Cup 92, there has been ill feeling between the two camps, and though Snow Wolves captain Sara K vowed that they were “here to play football, not settle old scores” it will be hard to avoid the impression that the match will to some extent relitigate the “Betrayal at Somer”. Despite an excellent game, there are some indications from training that Vanessa may be replaced in the starting lineup by Rebekka Kajsdóttir to give the midfield a different shape, but otherwise no changes are expected for the Snow Wolves lineup.

Also in the paper:

NEWS: Education reform to include "three R's" focus on reading, writing, and rrrrrrrrrrah there's a kraken!
BUSINESS: Qardinal boasts record profits despite privacy lawsuit
POLITICS: Junior minister arrested in illegal gambling sting
SOCIETY: Universities urged to improve mental health provision after spike in suicides
SPORT: Transfer window closes as big names announce big moves

World Cup 81/82/83/84

Bees closing in on right formula?
Scott McCrae
The Daily Mail Chief Soccer Writer

If international management was as easy as filling out a lineup with the best eleven players at your disposal and telling them to do their thing, there would either be a considerably larger pool of men and women who are very good at it, or it would be an extremely small handful of nations capable of winning consistently.
There is still a need for having a structure and organization that precludes just naming an all-star XI and giving them free rein; there are scant few opportunities for BPNT manager Jennifer Prescott to field her potentially best lineup because there are just too many players to fit into the ten outfield spots available. If soccer had rules that allowed for unlimited substitution like other sports, you could get your best performers all the minutes they could handle.

In the '4+3' style of offensive soccer that Baker Park utilizes, the positional responsibilities can be thrown out of balance by small disruptions (opposing tactics, climatic conditions, physical limitations) that simply plugging any square peg into a round hole won't correct.
It's easy to argue that having Christa Vuckovic, Nicole D'Amico and Serena McDavid, for instance, together on the pitch at the same time would be a strategy that would be difficult for most nations to come up with answers for; the problem lies in the fact they those three have strengths that overlap and some of the needs of the positions they would take up can minimize those advantages to the detriment of the rest of the team. It keeps other players who have specific skills tailored for a particular spot on the subs bench and unbalances the rest of the system.

Prescott has spent considerable time doing what was said about Ichi Tuzzio's management style in leading Farfadillis to World Cup 84, putting together a jigsaw puzzle for 90 minutes, then dumping it upside and starting over from scratch; since the end of AOCAF 68 you'd be hard pressed to find two consecutive matches played that included the same 11 players playing in the same position, which probably is typical of the squad rotation policy but shows up in the fact that in the 24 matches of qualifying, only one player had double digit appearances—Paul Vetter with 10—and five others had 9 (D'Amico, Altman, Harris, Mack, Bauer).
Prescott's task was to find out just how combinations worked together, whether there needed to be adjustments to positioning or assignment and as was mentioned following the Drawkland series, she acts today like someone who has hit the sweet spot; you know the gearhead who spends so much time on tuning the engine so it's just right? That's Prescott's demeanor in Tumbra right now, that she's got the car that's dialed in perfectly.

All that's left now is getting past the side that's been the stumbling block for an entire cycle. The smaller eastern component of the Vilitan Cove union has become the more troublesome opponent than the combined team or the “main” nation Vilita to the Baker Park team. The Eels are simply one of the Big 3 in Atlantian Oceania at the moment along with Valanora and Banija, a measuring stick that the Bees will have to use to run rule over their own status within the Home of Sport.
With both Group D fixtures not producing a winner, the battle to advance will come down to the final matchday with no one eliminated or assured of advancement after this match or Kandorith v Juvencus; the George Bowen Stadium in Hesham will be the third overseas venue to have hosted BP-Turori in the World Cup and the third meeting in this World Cup, but will it play witness to the forward step for the two sides?

Lineup vs Turori:

Callaway; Bruce, Onikambe, Bauer; C Logan, Vuckovic, Wiley, Shanahan; Moorman; McDavid, Mack
subs-McCormack, Allen, Freeman, Ryan, Park, Olivera, Baum, Price, Gibson

by **Nephara** » Tue Mar 14, 2023 8:23 pm

Radeka Lind bit her nail.
"Stop that." Her wife, Fyona, didn't even have to look up, at this point. That sound of teeth biting down on an already tactically short nail*, the crisp apple snap of the nail ricocheting into the Nephara captain's mouth, down her throat... unmistakable by now, even at twenty paces.
"Sorry," said Lind, not stopping.
"You've been in a fucking mood since that draw."
"Being around suits does that to me. It's..." Lind flapped a hand impatiently. "Whatever year it is. Women's fashion's gone up, down, done fucking loop-di-loops and here are men, still unironically wearing black fucking suits."
"Thought you didn't care about fashion."
"Ya, I don't, but I believe in standards, don't I?" Lind ripped off her excess thumbnail with a particularly vicious tug of the neck and spat it on the carpet for the roomba to eat up. "I believe in improvements. Fuckin'... what's that PR word you use, Fyn."
"Iteration," supplied Fyona.
"Yeah, love those."
Fyona smiled slyly, and at last looked over at her wife. Four years, they'd tied the knot, impulsive and drunk, but they'd liked each other enough to stick with it. She'd been an aide to some suit and rubbed shoulders with a handful of Cormorants at a corporate gig, attracted to the fact that Lind could not, for the life of her, conceal her boredom. Within two hours and four cocktails they were gossipping mercilessly, and from there...
... anyway, she knew how to push a button. "You know, an iteration. Like Tanith Xu is to you."
"Oh, shut the fuck up--"

Twelve years ago, the nation had fallen in love with Radeka Lind.
Nepharim weren't sentimental, but they felt feelings, felt them fucking hard. Beat the living shit out of your opponents and then burst into tears because it felt so damn good.
So Radeka Lind, this slight, coltish teenager - a teenager! - letting tears flow as it sunk in that yes, yes, third World Cup final in six years and this time, this was the time they were winning. Her skinny shoulders shook, and Kurtis Bastable, veteran of the team and in truth a stone-cold bastard, put his arm around them, and the nation's pupils collectively became love-hearts.
She had only burnished this reputation further with her performances over the coming years. She had appeared then as a teenager because she was good enough, tearing up trees in Vermillion. Senior football wasn't too terrifying a world, eh? Not when you were from the really, really shit part of Vermillion, where the pipeline wasn't so much school-to-prison as glue-sniffing to petrol-huffing. Vermillion was a gangland city, but southeast Vermillion didn't even have the ambition for crime.
But it did have Radeka Lind.
She'd gone from strength to strength in the following years, got a highly lucrative move to Banija, managed to ignore the massive cultural disconnect between herself and everyone in her nation - though she did brave the air travel and return home whenever she had the chance - and had been the one to bear the burden of being there for Nephara as they slid gracefully away from being, undeniably, the best team of the mid-80s into being... well, merely very good. Into being second seeds. And now, the wrong side of 30, she was watching it all happen from the bench.
She was the last piece of connective tissue left to the WC87 champions, and she was hanging on by a thread.
It was Tanith Xu threatening to stamp on her fingers and let her plummet. Which was a pity. Xu was an exceptional talent who had had the decent grace to be born basically a generation after Lind, in the footballing sense, and she was also a good, honest, hard-working woman. She was hard to dislike, and you really should dislike your nemesis, but Lind just never quite had it in her. She didn't have it in her to pick fights, didn't have it in her to show any real sign of spite, didn't even have it in her to conveniently refrain from giving the younger defender tips. In fact, she'd been giving Xu advice ever since the younger woman had shown up, seen a lot of similarities in the girl. And when it was Tanith Xu taking the pitch in her stead... okay, it hurt, but did her heart not swell with at least a little pride?
That was the thing with Lind. She'd had it hard growing up, and it had given her a sense that nobody else around her should have a hard time of things. In a Cormorants setup that was too often defined by being fractious and mercurial, Lind, though outspoken and direct, was steady and professional in all things. All things that didn't involve suits, anyway.

And now, here she was on the bench at a World Cup. For ninety minutes, no less. Hadn't experienced that on the regular since, well, her breakthrough years.
Hindbrain didn't get it. Hindbrain kept poking and prodding her - man, you should be out there! And maybe it was right, as she grimaced whenever a set piece swung in, pretty much no matter who was taking it.
Igrene Cantor's directions had been clear - "Keep it together, lads, we'll keep good order and each do our part and come out alright!" - and gone completely to shit early on, when Asbjørn did his part to secure the existence of his nation's coefficient and a future for Græntfjall's hopes of silverware by crashing home a fourth-minute header. Fuck that, then, the plan became to scrap forward and hope they got something.
Cassander Southsea fucked the first corner, but made up for it by crashing one in at the other end, as the rain began to trickle in, slowly growing into a downpour. But frustration was showing elsewhere. Vetiver was largely invisible, kept in Asbjørn's pocket, and Xu, when given half an opening, took three bites of the cherry and missed all of them instead of just passing to the open fucking man, Tanith, that isn't what Linds told you!
At least she had the decency to look embarrassed.
And at least, critically - after the Snow Wolves had retaken the lead - she teed Vetiver up with an assist later on. The goal was aesthetically dreadful, but still, sometimes even the best striker in the world scuffing home a horrible shank was because scuffing home a horrible shank was the best way to get a shot off from the angle. That's what she'd stand by, anyway.
A third time, Græntfjall seized the advantage, and again from a defensive player, but the Nepharim didn't give up. As the rain soaked their feathers, their top-knots, their fashionable sidecuts, they pushed and pushed, and Lind didn't even feel like an unused substitute, anymore, but part of a wave of emotion, watching as Madita Brewer became the instrument of her will, the closest Nephar to looking like she'd push through the walls of meat, shaving a post here, winning a corner there, a corner in the game where no fucker remembered how to defend set pieces...
And when Bravura Harper acted fastest to tuck away that long-awaited equaliser in the 88th, putting a damper on Asbjørn Vilbjörnsson's favourite minute, Lind was the first to her feet to cheer and shout her defiance. She was still here. She would still make herself heard and, damn it, she was still the one dragging herself out to fundraisers and shit.
But she knew her place on the pitch, more precisely now off to the side of the pitch, and still had the grace to be thankful just to be there. This was a special team. And maybe, just maybe, she'd be there for a special moment at the end once again.

* If you don't know why a lesbian would be particularly inclined to keep short nails, ask your parents.

Nephara 3 - 3 Græntfjall
(4-3-3) 1 - Strand; 2 - Rake (17 - Levering 61'), 18 - Copperhead, 6 - Scales, 25 - Xu; 4 - Southsea, 15 - Constantine (19 - Rosziter 73'), 8 - March (c, 26 - Kvasina 81'); 13 - Brewer, 21 - Vetiver (10 - Harper 73'), 11 - Loeher (16 - Hauser 81')
Goals: Southsea 27', Vetiver 66', Harper 88'

Injuries: N/A
Suspensions: N/A

Lineup vs. Flavovespia
(4-3-3) 1 - Strand; 2 - Rake, 18 - Copperhead, 6 - Scales, 25 - Xu; 4 - Southsea, 15 - Constantine, 8 - March (c); 13 - Brewer, 21 - Vetiver, 11 - Loeher

by **Tikariot** » Tue Mar 14, 2023 8:54 pm

Alistair: Day 1 was exhausting and at the end very, very wet, but it was awesome. We didn't exactly get a whole lot of sleep, and Jason and Al are still in a comatose state over at the tents, so I'm not exactly sure when they'll be back in action, but the rest of us are ready to rock! So let's not waste any time and let's ROCK'N'ROLL!

Alistair: OK, I'm not exactly sure who thought that putting a doom metal band as the first to take the stage on a second day of a festival, when most people are either severely hungover or just tired, but here we are, Eternal Depths of Sorrow had this dubious honour. And to be honest, I wish that they had received a better slot because this band is one of the best Tikariot has to offer, hands down. For those unaware, Eternal Depths of Sorrow have two singers, Adrian Elleray for the growls and Jane Morley for the soprano, with atmospheric keyboards and a violin - remember Mina Gyldenheim from her guest appearance for Forgotten Epitaph yesterday? Anyways, they really managed to get their sound nailed down and it worked well for them that it was still cloudy, so the sun wouldn't ruin the atmosphere. I just love the fragility of Jane's voice against Adrian's growls over those pounding rhythms. Another reason why I wished that they had a higher slot is that they would have had more time than just five songs, so we had to do with what basically is a best of the best with "Throne of Ebony", "The Last Hours of Sunlight", "Ashes", "A Forlorn Serenade" and "The Unholy Canticle." What a way to start day 2!

Corinne: What a completely different beast here! Where Eternal Depths of Sorrow went slow and atmospheric, this quartet really went full steam ahead! On their albums, Razorblade Sigh walk the fine line between the melodies of power metal and the aggression of thrash, but live this is heavier than anything they've recorded. They started off with "Death Ray" and those guitars were razor-sharp and Clay Cederborg's vocals had far more grit, but it worked. He belted out those lyrics as if he was trying to generate that ray. They also focused on their faster songs to keep the energy high and it worked. They definitely woke up quite a few people, because the area in front of the stage really filled up quite quickly. And the hits just kept coming, "Thunderbolt", "Rude Awakening", "Legacy of the Ancients", they were just relentless.

Alana: Another newcomer for the Paladon Open Air: Tiempos de Gritos from Montaña Verde. I had no idea there was metal there in the first place, but not unlike Uppreisn yesterday they did not come to take any prisoners. I have no idea what any of their songs were called because you couldn't understand a word of what Machete yelled, but I have to check them out more. I'm sure there should be merch somewhere. They definitely play thrash, but you won't find a lot of melodies in this or slow sections. Their drummer is an absolute beast, I wonder if they were held to a 40-minute gig because he would have keeled over. Anyways, they went full speed ahead with shouted vocals and some growls sprinkled in, pure energy, between Razorblade Sigh and them, this was as exhausting as it was exhilarating! I need more!

Jakob: As our prog specialist Jason was still nowhere to be seen, I figure I'd cover Chaotic Beauty and this was, uh, interesting. I feel like I definitely was not the right person for this, because I think you need a musical degree to understand. There were so many rhythm and timing changes that it was really hard to follow. And for a 45-minute show - they played two songs. I kid you not. What was jarring, but in kind of a good way, is that with all the abstract rhythms and everything, the vocals of Laurent Vergne were crystal clear and super melodic. I'd love to hear what he could do with a band that has actual songs and not just a musical abstract...

Jakob: I was volunteered for this one as well while Alistair went to try to raise Jason from the dead. And to be honest, I'm happy I was because the singer of Hypothesis couldn't make it with a throat infection and Laurent actually came to guest for them! Now Hypothesis are prog metal as well, but they are not trying to impress anyone with musical showmanship, but they write actual, real songs with beautiful harmonies and they even brought the cellist that has been a guest musician on their last three albums. Heavy riffing, great melodies, outstanding song structures, this is proof that you don't have to be complicated to be prog! Opener "Hyacinth" had this awesome build-up, starting out slow and calm and then gathering steam. They played half of their iconic "Fragility" album as well, which many see as their breakthrough, and it also was the first one to feature the cello on some songs. That warm sound of the strings complements those songs so well. They even played a brand new song for the first time, titled "The Astral Sleep" where they slow things down a lot without losing the heaviness, nice change of pace. You know what, next time I want to be assigned to Hypothesis!

Al: I'm really happy I woke up early enough (Note from Alistair: 'early'?) to see Viskning from Norrhem. I know that I normally am not big on a lot of melody, but these guys just hit something. So, musically they are strongly influenced by traditional heavy metal with those great melodic leads, but the vocals are just brutal and I love it! Their opener "Norns Sång" starts with this female choir (I guess the norns?) then hits this great lead and then all hell breaks loose. Some people have told me that they love the music but can't stand the vocals and others find the music far too melodic, I can see both sides, but I don't care, haha.

Despite not really being well-known in Tikariot so far, Viskning received really good crowd reactions, and I'm really happy that they played some of my favourites, like "Vindens Vrede", "Solnedgång" and "Bränd Jord", they even did a cover of Serpents Cross' "At Dawn We Ride" and the growls of Staffan Krogstad really elevated that song to the next level for me. They closed things with their band hymn "Viskning" and those twin leads are just superb, this power, those melodies... My neck still hurts. I hope that we'll see Viskning again next year, they are supposed to have a new album coming soon, can't wait!

Corinne: I've been looking forward to Ghosts of Winter ever since they've been announced. They only have two albums out, but they really left a huge impression on the metal scene and the main reason is right front and centre, Vibeke Hjorteseth. Not only does she look stunning, she also has this incredible voice, powerful, expressive and a great complement to the symphonic metal the rest of the band brings in, with sweeping keyboards, heavy guitars and did I mention the vocals? Often symphonic bands have a tendency to drench their songs with keyboards, but Ghosts of Winter have a great balance. From the ultra epic "Triumph or Tragedy" over the dynamic "Storm the Walls" with some additional growls by guitarist Mark Thompson to the beautiful piano ballad "On the Wings of an Angel", this sextet took us on a magic carpet ride that I didn't want to end.

Al: I've been waiting to see Crimson Cavern for ages! Some have dubbed them the heaviest band of Tikariot and I won't argue. Serrated Scalpel yesterday were brutal, but Crimson Cavern are in a league of their own. They have this, fittingly, cavernous sound with booming drums, blastbeats without end and this absolutely filthy guitar sound. And I haven't even mentioned the unhuman growls of Stu Gray, he literally sounds like he is going to vomit up his intestines. I'm not sure why they even have song titles because it all sounds like "Grrrmbluuuurrrghhhaaaaaaaarghhh". Anywho, there was so much smoke on the stage that you could barely see anything with the crimson lights shining on it, but I guess it all makes sense in the bigger picture. This was a 50 minute long bloodbath and people loved it! I need a shower now...

Jason: I am alive! (Alistair: took two buckets of ice-cold water to reanimate you!) And just in time for The Chequered Knights from Chromatika, a band I knew absolutely nothing about! But the whole set-up was interesting to begin with, because on the left of the stage there was a whole section set up with a huge wall drum and a table with a ton of different instruments, so that piqued my interest right away. Right when they came out, their bassist really stood out (Alistair: Sophie Killingsbrough) with her bleach-blonde hair and more tattoos than you could see skin. Musically they played a mix of heavy metal and hard rock - or was it hard rock and heavy metal? (Alistair: Dude, you really have to read the stuff I send you!) Anyways, they were fun, especially when they started to play some cover versions, too, they did that song of Pluncheon (Alistair: Plongeon! Next year you can buy your own ticket!), "Skylark Oceansized". But what made it all real fun was that Justinian guy (Alistair: You remembered HIS name?), he was nuts! He used that huge wall drum, triangles, a xylophone, maracas, a big gong, castanets, a kettle drum, basically anything you could bang on, but it worked! I love this stuff! Give me more! (Alistair: I sent you-- nevermind...)

Jakob: Tiwaztru from Cap Nord also had something similar, just with a whole bunch of folk instruments that you rarely, if ever see in metal, including some I honestly have never seen before. So, from what I gathered, the centrepiece of the band are the Nygg brothers and they have an ever-changing ensemble of other musicians with them to create a really fascinating brand of folk metal. Often you have folk being pulled into metal, but with Tiwaztru you feel like it's the other way around and it creates this unique sound. And then you add those instruments, I recognized a nyckelharpa, a hurdy-gurdy, bagpipes, flutes and some adventurous ones that I can't even describe, and you get this really full and special sound. And going with the people around me, they really got into this, too. Some of the songs I enjoyed the most are "Heltenes Grav", "Nordkapp" and "Krigerens Legende", and they even got the crowd to sing along with some of them, great job! I'm getting a shirt!

Alistair: Next up, a difference like day and night. Gone was the uplifting folk metal, this was depression turned into song. Finis Mundi, the end of the world, really put the 'fun' into funeral doom. The stage was bathed in dark blue light and you felt like you were somewhere deep, deep under water. Riffs slow as lava, drum beats so slow you could go have a nap between snare beats and those deep, cavernous growls created an almost hypnotic feeling. Sure, there was not much variety between the songs, but that's what funeral doom is. As slow as you can go and just make people feel that bass, feel that churning guitar sound. And with song titles like "Agony", "Bleakness" and "Finis Mundi" sunlight doesn't stand a chance with these guys.

Alana: And the headliners were one of the hottest tickets in Tikariotian metal right now: Thuriandra from Oriannor. To mark the occasion, their stage setup was great, too, they recreated the album cover of their latest album Curse of the Northern Light, complete with a forest and fake snow and all, which was pretty cool. For those who don't know what Thuriandra sound like, they're firmly at the crossroads between melodic black and melodic death metal, mixing heaviness and brutality with really nice melodies, but with a really dense atmosphere that gives it this special touch. They opened their set with the first song of their debut, "Haunted" and the light show was fantastic, too, making this a really awesome visual experience as well.

"Where Angels Fear to Tread", "Veils of Crimson", "Curse of the Northern Light", "Princess of Darkness", I could just name the whole setlist here, they really went from strength to strength here. During "In Death's Shadow", death himself came on stage, clad in black and complete with a swinging scythe and all, I was a little worried for the band members but thankfully nobody got scythed. The band had the crown under its thrall, that dense atmosphere together with the visuals really created an immersive experience. They finished with the two classics "Sons of the Northern Star" and "Throne of Thuriandra" and by the time they finished, I was completely exhausted from the intensity and just awesomeness! Just like Fires of Asgard yesterday, a worthy headliner and I hope this continues on into tomorrow! They do predict rain, though, so that could be a bit of a problem, but we'll see! Alana out!

OOC Disclaimer: TMO and band logos are mine, the festival images have been midjourneyed.

by **Farfadillis** » Tue Mar 14, 2023 9:31 pm

(Obvious OOC note: things get lost in translation; I've tried to make do. Also, less obviously, the chant I wrote for this RP is based on this chant, the inspiration for the Muchachos chant that you might've been singing during World Cup 2022 if you were on the right side of history)

Çêwé spat on the floor, his hands on his knees. The final whistle had been even harder to take than the three goals. They had nothing to show for this match. Tumbra had snuffed the life out of their attacks and put three past them like it was nothing. Facing the hosts in the World Cup opening match is a tough ask, sure, but they'd expected it to go better. The Tumbrans were loud, no doubt exhilarated with their team's near-flawless performance. Çêwé, however, was standing much closer to the stand with the most Farf fans.

"Los momentos que sufrí
todo lo que yo lloré
por la sangre que me corre
nadie lo puede entender"

Early on in the match, the chants in Faroleran had been intolerable to him. But the lyrics rang true to him. Over the course of the match, he never really adapted to the Tumbran's rhythm, but he did start taking a liking to this specific, very specific, Faroleran chant. It helped that the fans had been cycling through languages when chanting. This one just had the best lyrics to it, for better or, let's face it, worse.

"Yo no se cómo explicar
que esto me quema hasta el ser
sos la marca que en mi piel
cauterizaron al nacer"

Passion had never really been much of a thing for him. A journeyman that was just fighting for his next paycheck early on in his career who then got a big break and forgot to change his MO. He'd never really felt the shirt, of any club or any... well, whatever Farfadillis might be. The national team just meat more money and more publicity. But at some point it had grown on him. As the fans had been chanting all game long, he'd been handed a curse, and slowly but surely he'd started feeling that when pulling on la Vherderoja's shirt. Playing for Farfadillis meant, in some roundabout way, representing all of what he'd had to go through. He couldn't quite make the leap to feeling like he was representing anyone else but himself, but it was one of those rare moments in football in which something corny moved him.

"Se me quema el corazón
cada vez que vos perdés
se me prende la cabeza
y otra vez te vengo a ver"

Deep down, he'd always known he was a heartless bastard. This part didn't move him one inch, yet he could make out Marajis, who'd somehow managed to remain stoic throughout the match, start crying upon listening to it after the final whistle. Such an... extraneous... thought. To actually care whether anyone but yourself is backing you. No wonder Marajis' psyche was easy to break. No wonder he was so unreliable despite his evident talents. The fact that a bunch of no-namers are hoping you'll do well for their sake seemed almost pathetic to Çêwé, and he couldn't help but look down on the players affected by it.

"Muchaaaachooos!
traigan chela juega la Vherde
me emborracho bien borracho
si la ganamo' otra ve'"

Çêwé chuckled. Getting drunk was something he could get behind, but winning the World Cup was a pipe dream. Especially with this team. Peripherally, he could make out Lêyêló heading towards the stand, arms wide, moving in a clapping motion, spurring the fans on. If there was one thing that puzzled him more than players caring about fans, it was better players than him caring about fans. This kid (at twenty!) was better than him at the peak of his powers, had been one of the few players to put in a great shift, and, yet, he was in tears, singing along with the fans.

MUCHAAAACHOOOS!
TRAIGAN CHELA JUEGA LA VHERDE
QUE ESTA VA POR FARAGÓ
Y HOY NO PODEMOS PERDER

Right, right. He remembered now. Lêyêló's a massive rue Cazade fan. The fans did make a neat little hommage to him there. Funny how Lêyêló spurred them on to chant "TODAY WE CANNOT LOSE" after a three-nil smashing. One by one, a good part of the squad joined in. First, Ženeva, then Luar, then Kurispin, then Aranya. The diaspora, of course. They'd gone through little, they were easier to move. Then, bizarrely, Çí Xôrí himself, pulling off his captain's armband, joined in too. Robineau, in a rare display of regard for what the others were doing, joined in next, as the chant kept going on repeat. At one point, Degaray and Aixenxó joined in, getting extremely stern looks from a few in the squad.

"LOS MOMENTOS QUE SUFRÍ
TODO LO QUE YO LLORÉ
POR LA SANGRE QUE ME CORRE
NADIE LO PUEDE ENTENDER

YO NO SE CÓMO EXPLICAR
QUE ESTO ME QUEMA HASTA EL SER
SOS LA MARCA QUE EN MI PIEL
CAUTERIZARON AL NACER""

But, somehow, the lyrics quickly subdued the rest of the team, and two Terán fanatics were chanting with the rest of the lot. That part of the lyrics, at least, they shared with their fellow Farf-borns. He sighed. There was no way he could not join in once those two had. The optics would be too bad. Besides, the team needed a lifting of spirits after the thrashing, right?

"SE ME QUEMA EL CORAZÓN
CADA VEZ QUE VOS PERDÉS
SE ME PRENDE LA CABEZA
Y OTRA VEZ TE VENGO A VER"

Singing along didn't feel that bad. He could do this for a bit longer, sure. Yeah, lift the spirits. He'd never really sung before.

MUCHAAAACHOOOS!

He shouted at the top of his lungs, and at that moment he knew he'd be in for a different World Cup, regardless of how badly it went on the pitch.

by **Chromatika** » Tue Mar 14, 2023 9:34 pm

Cutoff for Matchday Two of the Tumbran half.

by **Huayramarca** » Tue Mar 14, 2023 10:20 pm

The mood in the dressing room was high, Huayramarca had done a great performance for their World Cup opener. Seemingly, the ways of having a team that has significant grit and decision to fight for the best outcome possible are returning, Blâás Âgínsôgnó has took the team out of the mud of stagnation; a new spark of hope is visible in the team and that seems to be contagious among fans, there’s a renewed sense of trust and that’s something that the players are realising, a new feeling, a refreshing one coming to them.

“The charm is coming back” says Bryan Tello while the rest of the team dumps energy drink over him as a celebration, “Hahahaha! Take that, you bad boy!” says Ian Mamani while throwing some ice. Tello, as always, is key for the team, but now gave proof once again with a late decider at the 91^st minute, a powerful kick with his right foot, slotting it home near the right post… That should be trademarked as the classical Bryan Tello goal at the Copyright Authority of Huayrama… Oops, copyright doesn’t exist in the nation. Blâás Âgínsôgnó called the players and told them “You’ve walked the first ladder to glory, there are six more ladders to walk… Don’t be ecstatic on this, let’s get back to work.”

The players continued to celebrate, Tello was still happy and the rest too, comprehensible after winning a World Cup match for the first time in two editions of the tournament, this after being swept in the previous iteration of the tournament. Âgínsôgnó continued and said “Look at those fans! They’re proud of your performance, and they want you to stand up to their standards and expectations. It will be hard, but you’re here for a purpose, and that purpose is doing the best we can do at the World Cup. Are you ready for this?” The whole team screamed, at unison, “We were born ready for this!” The manager said again “That’s not enough, keep proving it! Keep it going!” The team chatted for some time and then noticed a lot of people outside, most from La Banda de la Alpaca and some other casuals waiting for photos and chatter with the team.

People were muttering in the outsides, the fans were satisfied with the performance of the team and the reaction of them after being down twice (0-1 and 1-2) to do the comeback, some fans said “Valanora is coming, it will be a pretty hard one” And indeed, some people were remembering those ghosts that pop-up when the rivals are the Vanorians… World Cup 90 comes to mind, 0-1-2 in that sole WC, a strong 4-2 defeat in Round of 16 to send Huayramarca back to home… “Do we have a chance?” mutters a child to his father; his father, boldly, says “I choose to believe” Some of the fans also listen to the words, then say “We believe!” loudly, then they continue to repeat several times.

The players listened to the chants, then Ian Mamani said “We play for them, we also play for our families who also believe, why we wouldn’t believe in what we have got? We can do it, against Valanora, Vilita and anybody else. We must play with attitude, courage and show them from what we are made of!” Bryan Tello also said “We are a team; we are in the same ship. Don’t let it sink, let’s keep it afloat!” Blâás Âgínsôgnó listened to the words, then returned back and said “I see you’re finally understanding what I said. Listen to them, feel their illusion, get empowered from it! I want you all to jump into the pitch against Valanora with a strong conviction, I want you giving your best, I want you all performing to the fan standards! Make them dream! Turn their dreams into a reality! Turn your dreams in reality!”

Kevin Quispe also wanted to give a statement, he was being shy at the start, then he continued “We must not let them down! Let’s make them proud! Let’s make Huayramarca happier with our football!” The manager said “I see that there’s a compromise already, and I love that. I need all of you with a firm resolution on what to do, I need you all capable of pulling out the impossible! Go outside, talk with the fans and celebrate with them.

The team got out of the dressing room, celebrating and then the fans started to sing one of the biggest hits of the current Huayramarcan summer

Muchaaaaaaaaachoooooooooooos - Guys
Ahora nos volvimos a ilusionar – Now, we are hoping up again
Quiero ganar la primera – I want to win the first one (World Cup)
Quiero ser campeón mundial – I want to be a world champion

Y al Bryan (Tello) – And Bryan (Tello)
Desde la cancha lo podemos ver – Whom we can see from the pitch.
Poniendo huevo y garra – Playing with grit and balls
Capitaneando el barco. – Leading the ship

Players and fans alike were jumping, happily, while singing. A special sense of communion was noticeable among them, like never before, there was a sense of an even stronger unity, of belonging to Huayramarca. This nation isn’t famous for being extremely patriotic, but there is a renaissance around, people getting motivated with the National Team, feeling that this is their time, a way to get rid of the social issues they might face, personal problems and anything that might be uncomfortable for them.

Julián Choque, the leader of La Banda de la Alpaca, talked for some minutes, but left an interesting remark to the players “We believe in your skills! We believe in your talent! We also believe that it is our time to shine… History might not be in our side when it comes to our rivals, but we mustn’t care about it, history is not our rival nor it plays at the field; we are the ones who, playing smart and using our skills to stop the rivals, and boost our chances, can write our own destiny! Let’s go Huayramarca!” said Julián while the rest of the team got into the bus to take a rest, then resume trainings.

It is noticeable that history doesn’t plays, that’s football, where fans and their passions play an important role at the performance of a team; Huayramarca was now having a big support, but there is an ever stronger bond among players and fans that got built due to the desire of both sides to achieve a sole goal, being world champions… Easier said than done, but as a Huayramarcan idiom says "There’s nothing impossible to those who believe”, and even two songs talking about dreams from various Huayramarcan artists “For every dreamer, a dream we’re unstoppable with something to believe in” and “dream until your dream comes true”… One sure thing is that Huayramarca was experiencing that beautiful feeling of mística, that mysticism around a team, that force that drive them to perform at their best, to act like they’ve never done before, a force that can break any obstacle and can drive to victory and fulfill those dreams… The Huayramarcan mística is now born for good.

by **Pemecutan** » Tue Mar 14, 2023 10:47 pm

Chapter 1 || Chapter 2 || News || Chapter 3 || Chapter 4 || Chapter 5 || Chapter 6 || Chapter 7 || Chapter 8 || Chapter 9 || Chapter 10 || Chapter 11 || News 2

Chapter 12

Handayana walks slowly as he is escorted by the police. Today, he is decided to visit Kusumajati. It is so fortunate that he is able to visit him. Their other friends are reluctant to do so. They are all feel betrayed by what Kusumajati have done. But Handayana try to put aside his anger and visit his friend to see how is he going on behind the bars. Handayana is asked to wait in the room. There is only one small table and two chairs. One of them is seated by him. The room felt so empty and cold. No large windows can be seen. Only a small one which adjacent to the door. One policemen standing at the corner. He watch his every moves. It makes him very uncomfortable. The door suddenly open. Handayana turn to the door in reflex. He see that tall young man walks limply accompanied by the same police that escort him there. His heart broken knowing his friend condition. Handayana can't turn his sight from his friend until Kusumajati is seated in front of him. A single tear suddenly falls through his cheeks.

"Don't cry. I'm fine. These bruises are nothing," Kusumajati say with a hoarse voice.
"How can you say that you're okay?" confront Handayana who is holding back his tears. He can't believe his friend is getting this kind of treatment here. Does he being torture? There are bruises all over his face. And swollen eye, cut lips. Handayana sighing.
"It's okay. I know I will get this kind of treatment after what I've done," he say softly. He always grimace every time he talks.
"It looks so hurt," response Handayana knowing Kusumajati holding up with his pain.
"Don't you worry about me. Worry about yourself. Have you've been questioning or something?" ask Kusumajati with a concern voice.
Handayana nodded. "They ask about my involvement with your action," he answer. Kusumajati lean back to the chair. "It's not just me. But the others are also being questioned," he added.
Kusumajati sighing. "Sorry to drag you all into this. This is my own fault. My own action. You guys shouldn't get involved."

Handayana reach out his hand and take Kusumajati hands. He grasp and hold his friend hand. Kusumajati grimace again as there are also bruises in his hands.
"Why do you do this? How can you get involve in this? How can you be so fool?" say Handayana with an angry tone.
Kusumajati give a little smile to his friend. "I'm sorry. I've made you worry," he say softly.
Handayana drop his face. He couldn't hold his tears any longer.
"Don't cry," say Kusumajati as he placed his hand on Handayana's head. He brush his hair gently but it makes Handayana unable to control himself. He suddenly run away from the room with tears all over his face. Kusumajati smile bitterly as Handayana vanished from his sight. "I'm sorry," he murmur.

To Make Things Right

"I'm okay. I'm perfectly fine. Why do I have to stay in the hospital any longer?" say Patih Madya Kusumajaya with an angry tone. The doctor have said that his vital are good. No need to worry about. But his wife and guards insist that he should be staying at the hospital.
"Aren't you afraid that they will look after you again? You are already in their target list. Don't be so reckless," say Purnami, his wife, angrily.
"Nothing is going to happen if our house is already guarded by some 100 men, my love," Kusumajati argued.
"I'm not taking any excuses. You have to stay here until the intelligent confirmed that everything is already safe," Purnami decided.
Kusumajaya let out a big breath. "Fine. But you have to let me work from here if you want me to stay here longer, my love," he make a compromise.
"Fine. But any one who want's to meet have to be guarded and double checked. I don't want the same incident happens again," she make some prerequisite.
Kusumajaya nodded. He doesn't want to argue with his wife anymore.

"How is he?" Sekarini ask as she meet Handayana at the campus cafeteria. They are studying in the same university, Mangu National University. But they learn different study. Sekarini in Management and Business while Handayana in Architecture.
Handayana exhale deeply. "He looks miserable," he answer.
"I still can't believe he could do such things. It doesn't like Jati that we all know all of this time. This is like a different Jati. Don't you think so, Yana?" comment Sekarini.
Hendayana shake his head. "I don't know anymore, Sekar. Everything looks so fussy. I don't know which right and wrong," Handayana say in a sad tone.
Sekarini sighing. "Everything will be okay," she say while hugging Handayana who is still looking sad.

The night has come but that one room in Jaya Mangu Hospital seems to be far from quiet. So many people have come and go from that VVIP room. Most of them are guards, nurses and even important figureheads.

"I have to deliver the speech," insist Kusumajaya.
"I don't think it is necessary anymore, My Lord," comment Ali Sukmahadi, Minister of Defense.
"How's so? The speech is our confirmation that the government is supporting their opinions. We give values to their opinion and we are ready to mediate them so we can resolve everything," explain Kusumajaya. "I don't want this situation become protracted. Our action is waited by the citizens. And we must act because of it," he added.

It seems like the guests can't persuade Patih Madya anymore. The speech is inevitable.

"How about your safety? Another action might happen," interrupt the Chief of Intelligent.
"We can't predict the future but we have our brain to avoid the same incident ever occur again," he say.
"But how?" ask Sukmahadi.
"I'll deliver the speech live from here. No need press conference. Just all of us here in this same room," suggest Kusumajaya.
"That's a brilliant idea," comment the Chief of Intelligent.
"But still the investigation have to be conduct peacefully and carefully. We have to reveal who's behind all this," say Kusumajaya. Everyone in the room nodded in unison.
"Then let's prepare for tomorrow," say Kusumajaya lightly.
Sukmahadi and the chief of intelligent looking at each other confusingly. "Isn't it too fast, My Lord?" ask Sukmahadi.
Kusumajaya shake his head. 'The faster we can deliver the speech the better. We don't have much time," answer Kusumajaya.
The other two nodded their head and then leave the room. Purnami walks in the room.
"Get some rest," she tell her husband.
"Just a moment," Kusumajaya try to buy time. He is reading a report given by Ali Sukmahadi.
Purnami seems to dislike her husband refusal. With a quick move, she take the document report from Kusumajaya hand and keep it safely on the table. Kusumajaya look dumbfounded. He is unable to react.
"Go to rest," she command.
Kusumajaya sighing. "Okay, okay," he say it lazily.

by **Valanora** » Wed Mar 15, 2023 12:07 am

In the void of space beyond space, is there anything or anyone that can hear you scream? Elune was a goddess, she had seen the breath of life through tens of thousands of years, she had powers that most mortals could hardly even imagine in their most wild and vivid of imaginations. Few things in reality were able to scare her, to send a chill down her spine, and yet when this otherworldly creature changed shaped and collapsed in around her, she felt fear for the first time in thousands of years. Alone in some distant corner of the universe with no one knowing where she was, why she was here, or for how long she had been gone. It was going to be a terrible way for her life in the grand celestial scale to be snuffed out, even with the divine blood running through her veins that had made her immune to nearly all forms or mortal wounds. She had come to purge the darkness that threatened the universe and she had seen that to victory and yet now it seemed that some strange creature made of what appeared to perhaps be that same living darkness had bested her.

And yet as the creature collapsed in around her, she did not in fact feel the feeling of being crushed on all sides. There was pressure upon her skin but it felt more like a tight hug or embrace than the sensation of being crushed beneath the weight of someone or something trying to kill you. There was air to breathe and as she moved her body, the creature seemed to as well, its movement something like water in the way it flowed but molded to Elune's shape. "What are you, what is this?" Elune asked, a cautious curiosity to her voice, not even sure if this thing could hear her or communicate back any sort of answers with the situation as it was now. Still it was in her nature to try, to merely give up and accept things as they were was no answer at all, even for elves who felt the harmony with nature and surroundings. They still wanted to know the how and why of things, to have that complete understanding of all the things around them, of the world and universe that they inhabited so as to best find a way to keep that measure of harmonization within it.

"Before the creator left, he did not give me a name, but he did tell me my purpose. I was to expand through space, to gather and observe all that I could. This is one of my many pockets, it will take you to your home, yes yes. Where is your home?"

Where was Elune's home? Was it Silverymoon, the planet that she and her six companions had been placed on by the Lady Gladerial all those thousands of years before with nothing but a story on where to go and settle. The planet that she was then tasked with being the guardian of, of where her people in the elves where located, a people who saw her as their mother and she saw them as her children. Or was it the celestial plane where the Lady Gladerial and the rest of the Elder Gods normally resided when they were not observing their domain and all the systems and planets within? She had made her own space in between the celestial and mortal planes, a place from where she watched over Silverymoon and had brought great heroes from the ages to rest and be reborn to come to the aid of the elves whenever it was needed. Perhaps that was her home instead?

"My people called the planet Silverymoon. It is the fourth planet in the system, it is a lush world, some would call it a gaia world, where thousands of different species are able to live and thrive. Upon that planet there is a nation of elves, of people like me, that is where I come from." None of the places where her home, all of the places where her home. Much as she was an elf, she was a goddess, as she was a creation of the Lady Gladerial. To separate one was to deny the other, it would not be who she was, it would diminish her and why the people of the Eternal Empire had revered her so. She had learned long ago that she had to embrace all of who she was, not just the parts that she liked or were trying to promote at any given time. Though divine she was flawed, such was her origin as but an elf, of a creation given free will and the ability to make her own choices, her own mistakes.

by **Pasarga** » Wed Mar 15, 2023 12:34 am

"Alexander Szôlösi."

"Who?"

"Alexander Szôlösi. He's a kid from Torgos, was part of the Baskita FC youth academy, which figures given that they are historically where the best youth prospects in the nation typically have been found until the last twenty or so years. Anyways, I have a friend who used to go to all the youth league games and they say this kid is the real deal, that he has all the tools to be a future superstar. We're talking like Ingþór Auðbjörnsson level of skill, although he lacks that sort of strength. Everything I am hearing about this kid is that he is wicked good and he did not want to simply play for Baskita as they look to rebuild themselves back into being a title contender."

"What is with the number of footballers named Alexander and them being the ones who are cocky and not wanting to play for their home clubs. Yeah, sure, they have the skill to back it up and have been crazy good, but dang if it is not a weird trend that it has happened three times in my life time. There was Jager, Kárpáty, and now this kid. I mean, the first two at least came up through CAP's academy and were going to have a hard time breaking into the first time, but if this kid is as good as you are saying he is, he could have been starting for the Eagles in like a season or two, you'd think. Where did he sign for anyway?"

"Got a deal in the Vilita and Turori league, believe it was with Eastal Lunar, goodness knows I can hardly keep track of the crazy club names that they have other there and that weird league format they have going on. Apparently a few different clubs in that league approached to sign the kid but Eastal Lunar apparently offered him a chance to start within the next season or two. I'm telling you, this kid is going places, will not be surprised in the least if he shows up in the next Di Bradini Cup squad as a starter."

"Huh, well, I guess that is good news. Any other good young players we can get excited about, since apparently the current senior team is going to continue to find ways to leave us disappointed with their efforts? I do not know why I keep getting my hopes up that this team can ever be like those teams from forty years ago when were among the best nations in the sport, making it to three straight Finals and even lifting the thing once. It seems so far removed from where the current team is at, like a whole another lifetime, which I guess it is a few generations. Yet not so far removed that the talent in the nation has dropped as far as it has, in my opinion."

"Well that is the thing, the talent level has not dropped, the parity has increased across the sport. Nothing is ever easy any more, not that I would say that it every really was in the first place, but it is even more difficult now. Maybe that is part of the reason some of the more bold organizations are trying to get someone daring enough to bid for with an expanded format, though I am not sure how I feel about that. But yeah, there a few more young talents, most people know about Bogdan Laszlo over in Audioslavia by now. There's also a midfielder, forget his name, something like Caspian or Castio or something like that, but he is supposed to be real good. Not sure where he's signed up to though, should maybe check on that before throwing on the Zwangzug game, not that the Wanderers are going to win that if they play like they did in the first game. Maybe they can surprise us though and this new manager will be more than just a show piece and talking point."

by **Turori** » Wed Mar 15, 2023 2:54 am

The Many Flags of Kandorith, Continued

If there are two teams that seem unable to avoid playing each other at the World Cup Finals in recent cycles, it is Turori and Kandorith. The record books will show that Turori and Kandorith have played numerous critical matches against each other. In fact, the opening matchday of World Cup 93 would end the longest run between these two teams playing against each other since Turori had won the World Cup. Prior to avoiding each other succesfully in the World Cup 92 Finals, Turori and Kandorith had played each other in World Cup 91, World Cup 90 and World Cup 89. Oh, and they also played in World Cup 86. Four meetings in five cycles. Not just in random matches. At the World Cup Finals. Considering that the most amount of games one team could play at the World Cup Finals is 7, even if the teams in the World Cup Finals remained constant every season, two teams would on average only play each other once every four cycles. Not four times in five cycles. Yet such is the relationship between Turori and Kandorith.

However, while the record books will reflect the numerous meetings between the two nations, the fans in attendance would be treated to a brand new experience each and ever time. At least, it might not be so boring for the Turorian Fans. While the Eels have worn basically the exact same kit for all five recent World Cup Finals meetings against Kandorith, and haven't changed their national flag... ever; Kandorith have arrived at each and every meeting against the Island Emirate of Turori with a brand new national flag.

To review the premise of a previous edition of the Eelnion; for some Nations, the Flag is a symbol that lasts generations. The colors are purposefully chosen often based on the history of the nation back to its earliest days and foundations. As already noted, the Island Emirate of Turori is on one very far extreme end of that spectrum. Not only has the design of the flag of the Island Emirate of Turori not changed once in the entirety of their independent history, the actual literal original flag of the Nation still flies in the covered shelter of the Gazebo of the Great Eel, a popular historic site and tourist attraction in Almintora. For some other Nations, the flag is not a symbol of their history, but of their present - evolving along with the Nation to reflect their people.

That is precisely where you find the flag of the Great Empire of Kandorith. It has been stated that if you haven't been to Kandorith recently, then odds are you don't know what the current flag of Kandorith actually looks like. There are rumors that within Kandorith the leading economic driver is reproduction of National Flags as every government building and semi-patriotic business will need to re-decorate their flagpoles on a regular basis. Yet even the most enthusiastic flag economies begin to run out of ideas eventually, as noted by the latest rendition of the Kandorese colors which are... lacking color compared with previous editions. In fact, the central icon of the flag has remained unchanged from the previous iteration when Turori and Kandorith played each other during World Cup 91, with the only difference being a simplification of the field behind the icon, bleached in white with all other hues eliminated.

During World Cup 91 it was speculated that Kandorith changed their flag so frequently that they would actually change their flag every time they conceded a goal. Considering there were 9 goals scored in the matchup between Turori and Kandorith, the Vexilology crew from Kandorith would have had their work cut out for them. They would have had to work so hard, in fact, that they would make a point to never have to experience such a fast-paced flag making furore again.

Which brings us to the opening matchday of World Cup 93. Two top ten nations in the multiverse, Turori and Kandorith, would open up the World Cup Finals in Chromatika and Turori with one of the signature matchups of the group stage. Unlike last time, when the number of quiltsmiths outnumbered players on the Kandorith sideline, this time the Koga Raiji came prepared to fight on the pitch not on the flagpole.

It would be a far different matchup with the focus on the goalkeepers not on the scorebaord. For Tarek Edgeli and the Turori National Team, deciding who that netminder would be ... would be the toughest decision of all heading into the match. They had put their trust into veteran Inland Peaks FC goalkeeper Timaala Hualtia for the Playoffs, and Hualtia delivered with a first leg shutout that ultimately was good enough to get the Eels into the World Cup Finals. However, Hualtia also conceded 4 goals in the opening 45 minutes of the second playoff leg, 5 goals overall in an ugly defeat that nearly sent the #2 side in the multiverse packing for the Cup of Harmony.

Ultimately, Edgeli would make the safe play. As much as Timaala Hualtia had stepped up this campaign both for club and country - leading Inland Peaks FC into the IFCF Challengers Cup and helping guide the Eels through a difficult up-and-down qualifying campaign, there was no denying the fact that Derizi Amatopa was the more skilled netminder. Younger in age with more accomplishments, the Euran League based goalkeeper who plays for Revolutionaries has been named Eura League Top Goalkeeper on multiple occasions. Amatopa was given the gloves against Kandorith and would not disappoint, keeping all four Kandorese shot attempts out of the net and distributing the ball well as the Eels looked to push back up the field and into position to score. In the end, neither Turori nor Kandorith would get the goal they needed to get the best possible start to the World Cup 93 Finals, yet at the same time, both head coaches will likely breath a sigh of relief that they had survived the test against what on paper seemed to be their toughest group stage opponents without suffering defeat and gifting their biggest knockout round threat a three point head start in a three game group stage table.

Naturally, the result is acceptable for both teams as each remains in control of their own destiny. Win the final two matches and get into the World Cup Knockout Rounds. Win them by more goals than your opponent does and you might even come out as group winners. Yet neither side has the luxury of looking to far out into the future. This particular World Cup Fianls group is one of the more difficult not because of the awesome firepower it possesses like some groups, but because from top to bottom each team is a contender, and a real threat to advance. No group at the finals has a lower average ranking across its four teams than Group D and while, on paper, The Eels should be able to survive - they will have to start with small steps in their next match against Baker Park if they are going to do so, such as, by actually scoring a goal.

 Turori 0 - 0 Kandorith	
	Turori Goals:	               
	Stats :: Turori 	:: Possession: 57%:: Shots: 4:: Corners: 8 :: Kandorith :: Possession: 43%:: Shots: 4:: Corners: 6
	Turori Lineup :: 	Derizi Amatopa (Timaala Hualtia 64'), Karek Edgeli (Lutara Makakio 64'), Moumouni Verre'elali, Amakli Inuro'o, Biliki Rona'atu'i (H’munao Cagomia 45'), Cuoabaza Orani’aoa, Kiidallen Aeroluzzi, Naraiza Ruaplal (Planio’o Nrujsa 78'), Kinabo Telioa, Nua'oma Aikiki, Turakia Diijelhma

Turori National Team
World Cup 93

MD1 v. Kandorith   [0-0]
MD2 v. Baker Park
MD3 v. Juvencus

After a goalless draw with Kandorith on the opening matchday, the Turori National Team will face must-win matchups against Baker Park and Juvencus on the two final matchdays of Group Stage action. Of Course, Like their opening matchday opponents Kandorith, the Turori National Team are very familiar with the Commonwealth of Baker Park in recent cycles - in fact in just this cycle alone The Eels have played the Bees twice in World Cup Qualifying and further more in the Cocoabo Challenge Trophy competition as part of the Eagle's Cup. The Eels have already gotten the Better of the Bee's during World Cup 93 Qualifications - critical results which were ultimately the difference between a Playoff bound Turori National Team and a Cup of Harmony bound squad, but previous accomplishments have no bearing on a result at the World Cup Finals. Despite the difference in their ranking, the Eels will have to play at their best in order to secure the three points they will need from their Regional Rivals if they are to return to the Knockout Stages of the World Cup Finals.

by **Delte** » Wed Mar 15, 2023 5:38 am

Tumbra 1–0 Delte
Tug Boat Captain & Reporter Austin Lyepolde in Serrapince, Tumbra and/or Chromatika

for the Skimpy Matchday Report & Negligible Detail Express (Sports Section)

These may be the World Cup Finals but I still won't dwell overly long on the finer details of this match. Column inches notwithstanding and at the risk of blindly driving into a non sequitur, certainly mention could be made of Kim Samrodd's poor performance at left back where he was run ragged by third-choice winger Julie Hardacre and often found out of position despite some severe on-field coaching by player-boss Enor Perro, remote video assistant coach Enda Clentin, and even the referee who seemed keen to help out with a few useful tips, though he was ignored as usual. Thus comes to an end the Representative's record run of 16 games unbeaten, leaving hope of not finishing bottom hanging by a single-molecule thread - with Former World Champions and the adopted home of Enor Perro, Farfadillis the final tie of this short adventure in Tumbra and/or Chromatika, representing the Damocleian last chance saloon for either and/or both The Reps and Los Verdy Rogerers. I'll leave it there as that's all the metaphors I can spare today.

Send Them To Kawandaland!
Junior Pencil Sharpener & Political Editor Polka Lunn at the Women's Institute in Rake Teinton for the Shingarter Herald

Exclusive Content: The Valley WhatsUp Scandal

It's all coming out now. Controversy is never very far away these days where the local WI is concerned, and more leaked WhatsUp messages have put Old Wives Gala Queen Betty Ormray in hot water again as The Shingarter Herald exclusively reveals her complete lack of humanity toward the poor blow-ins from the humanitarian crisis in Southern Rushmore and the Cooper River Genocide. When the half-starved Rushmori boat people arrived in Smite Bay looking for refuge, Betty suggested in a text to colleagues that they ought to do a deal with Kawandaland, and send everyone there in exchange for a favourable trade deal. After all, she'd been there on holiday and it was quite lovely these days, there was hardly any hint of the tribal atrocities which had played out there a few years ago. Failing that, she told another committee member in a mean-spirited chat thread, the could all be flown to Rulandea where they would be sure of a warm to scorching hot reception.

"It's alright for her," said a local migrant who wishes to remain anonymous for fear of a backlash at the next Cultural Exchange At The WI Special Evening Event, "she's never been shot at by a pink supremacist from Cassadaigua. They look after themselves first, that lot!"

The Remote Video Assistant Coach
3/4 : Signal Interference

A World Cup Special Series

Someone somewhere had plugged the wrong copper-ended HDMX-2.0 plug into the wrong controller panel in the media production suite at Serapince Park in Tumbra and/or Chromatika, and proving the age-old wisdom that two wrongs don't make a right, had buggered up Coach Clentin's remote video assistant (RVA) coaching link to his colleague Enor Perro there on the ground for the second group match of the World Cup against the Tumbran hosts. Was it that difficult to distinguish RVA from VAR?

Wait, what? VAR, you say? Oh no.

"What the hell are all these lines?" yelled Coach Clentin, in frustration. It was bad enough that his on-the-ground operative Enor was hardly inclined to listen to his coaching wisdom and years of experience. Now he was patched into the video refereeing system and every time he moved his scrubbing gimbal to take a look at Kim Samrodd's poor tracking back on the left, all he got was a bunch of coloured lines and a jolt of unstoiclike rage. If he bashed a collection of keys on the keyboard in a random sequence of 'one of these damn buttons must get rid of the lines, surely?' interactions, he just sent entirely unrelatable messages to the big screens in the ground about offside decisions and 'clear and obvious errors'.

"I'll give it clear and obvious!" he shouted, at no one in particular, while the referee on location ran around like a headless chicken consulting his assistant officials and the fourth official and even the official remote video assistant referee about the messages he was getting to his computerised wrist monitor. The remote referee had no idea what was causing them to lose control of the measuring lines and make unusually bad decisions that any fool could see were entirely incorrect. Ok, well no change there, but the panic at seeing their system apparently hacked by someone, somewhere, who had the VAR ability of an amputee internet cat sensation was tangible.

By half time Coach Clentin had come up with a system to communicate with Enor.

"Can you tell him that Kim Samrodd needs to tuck in and not leave his centre-half so exposed on the counter," he said into his microphone headset.

The referee had a word with Enor, though whether Enor chose to listen to the ref's observations on Kim Samrodd's positional failings is debatable.

by **Vilita** » Wed Mar 15, 2023 6:56 am

"V²" Is Not for "Victory"

Umbar Ultima, Umbar, Chromatika :: When you look at the all time list of Nations who have Won the World Cup, at the top of the list you will find 2 names. Vilita and Valanora. Sure you will find other names too, but these are the two names relevant for the moment, so lets focus on them. They share many things in common. They come from the same region, Atlantian Oceania. They have won the same number of World Cup Titles: 5. They start with the same letter: V. Finally, they would both be playing on the same exact field at the same exact time on the opening matchday of the World Cup 93 Finals in Tumbra and Chromatika. But we'll get to that later.

Okay, Okay so if you haven't guessed by now yes its Nikkii Kater Yes this we have rebranded Recycle Time as the LUMBAR Report. Yes, I get that it doesn't make any sense now it sounds like we are doing a chiropractic chronicle and not reporting on World Cup matches from the Lumber capital of Chromatika, but its whats inside that counts? Right? So lets open it up and take a look.

Vilita and Valanora have coexisted in Atlantian Oceania for... well not forever but pretty close. Vilita was over here winning stuff and hosting stuff, Valanora was over there winning stuff and hosting stuff. Like, a lot. Both Nations have won the World Cup 5 times. Note of course, that the roman numeral for 5 is the Letter V. Vilita and Valanora have also hosted the most World Cups in history - Valanora having hosted 7 and Vilita having hosted 6. That's a Lucky 13 Different World Cups hosted between them - because they have never hosted together - Although it was not for a lack of trying. Most recently, Vilita and Valanora attempted to team up for a bid to host World Cup 81. "V is for Victory" was the tag line for the bid. Yet "V" was Not for "Victory" The Valanora-Vilita bid to host World Cup 81 failed miserably as the two most experienced World Cup hosts in history were hosted by a first time host just a stones throw from Valanora called "Banija"

You could say it all worked out fine for both. Valanora would go on to host World Cup 82 with Apox and well, things seemed to work out fine for Vilita during World Cup 81 and World Cup 82 as well, I suppose.

Yet its convenient that the most recent time the names Vilita and Valanora were mentioned together on Official World Cup documentation like that was in a failed bid to host the World Cup Finals. After the defeat the bid became known as "V is Not For Victory" which is a perfect tie in to the opening Matchday of the World Cup 93 Finals.

While naturally there is a very long history of matches between Vilitan Cove nations and Valanora - Including a fierce World Cup Rivalry between Valanora and Turori who have playedf no fewer than 10 times at the World Cup Finals, the actual World Cup history between Vilita and Valanora is... well not that rich. In over 70 cycles of competition the two teams have met on the Big Stage just 3 times. Each of those 3 prior matches would end with one team claiming Victory by a single goal. Twice Valanora and once Vilita. As such two things had never happened before in a game between Vilita and Valanora at the World Cup Finals. The match had never ended in a draw, and neither team had ever shut out the other as, even in a losing effort, each team in the previous three meetings between the sides had been able to score a goal.

That would all change at the Umbar Ultima. After some minor debate it would be established that yes, Eastal Lunar FC goalkeeper and astronaut trainee Zelkki Milake Jr. would start in goal for the Jungle Rebels. That would probably be the most interesting moment of the game. Well, ok, that wouldn't be fair. Milake had a couple of nice saves as did Isak Helland, probably in their last chance for a World Cup title at the age of 36. They both had their moments and they will both dearly remember the time they earned their team a point against one of the toughest opponents in the multiverse at the World Cup Finals. Just, they will probably be among the only ones that remember it in all honesty. The rest of the players, frustrated by the defense, frustrated by the pace of play will all be looking to quickly eliminate the memory of this game from their minds, move on, and focus on the next opponent. Endur Rotropii tried to get clever introducing Sami Samii'i and Riku Kasslin, two players who grew up in Valanora and trained in the Vanorian system, into the game at half time, but the substitutions did little to move the needle. When the full time whistle blew the fans collectively offered a golf clap to the players as they walked off the pitch, providing the respect that two teams with such quality probably deserved but secretly wishing that they could have at least seen a goal from two historically attack-minded sides at the World Cup Finals. On this day they learned, V was not for Victory. Perhaps it was instead for Vicarious, as these two great attacking teams accidentally played this match vicariously through Rejistania or Ko-oren. Either way, it was a point a piece with two matchdays of group stage competition still to play.

 Vilita 0 - 0 Valanora	
	Goals: None      
	Stats :: Vilita 	:: Possession: 50%:: Shots: 2:: Corners: 5 :: Valanora :: Possession: 50%:: Shots: 3:: Corners: 6
	Vilita Lineup :: 	Zelkki Milake Jr., Injyua Klizlo, Narri Sebapilo (Diamoa Waviino 75'), Rojara Tiones (Tukaara Milanzi 75'), Letirpsi Vulitn (Sami Samii’i 45'), Fyin Miateal (Riku Kasslin 45'), Trezisi Rokopolis, Jakku’u Naboyavi, Mikele Alasita, Treasvo Tlikara, Kunaro Tlikara (Nii'arala Milaaso 45')

So Yea. Huge Lead In. Lots of talk about stuff that happened in the past. These teams really aren't giving a lot to work with here content wise so I decided to get in touch with our good friend Soktiti Amakra to see what she could whip up and take us **trembling** intooo the woooormhoooollllleee...

Like seriously though. Vilanora? Valita? You barely even change the names of the nations by tossing them in the Wormhole, how different could the flags possibly come out. And Imagine an episode of the Wormhole featuring Vilita and Valanora. What would they possibly talk about? "Once you knew a nation called Valanora that was a 5 time World Cup Champion, and then a nation called Vilita that was also a 5 time World Cup Champion. Imagine... For a minute... If it was Vilita that was a 5 time World Cup Champion... first" dun dun dun, suspense suspense suspense most boring episode of the Wormhole ever. Probably right up there with how fun it was watching that 0-0 draw with a bunch of Lumberjacks. I kid. But lets take a look at what Soktiti did for us.

♫Doo-DOO-Doo-Doo Doo-DOO-Doo-Doo.♫

Well what do you think LUmbar-jacks? Are we having fun with flags today? Check out Soktiti's twii.tur account @funwithflags and put your comments there while we wrap things up here. Looks like at least one of those flags takes a nod to the 5 World Cup Titles won by the nation, and perhaps the empty star showing that elusive quest for a 6th. In all honesty, an opening matchday draw against the #1 nation in the multiverse is not a bad start to the World Cup Finals for Endur Rotropii and the Jungle Rebels. Sure its never fun to be shutout, but this was the biggest matchup of the opening matchday. The best average World Cup Committee Ranking between any two sides playing on matchday 1 with an average ranking of just 4.0. Even adding their ranks together you still get a single digit number. That is almost unheard of in a World Cup Group stage. Heck thats a great question, is it unheard of? Certainly since the standardization of the seeded draw and hosts joining Pot 1 it will be exceedingly rare to have a 1v7 matchup in the World Cup Finals Group Stages. Who knows, maybe it hasn't happened before. If so, just add it to the list of all the other history this game just made.

But at this point, that's all it is. History. Rotropii and the Jungle Rebels can take some time off, explorer the National Logging Museum and relax while their opponents get train-lagged from their journey across Chromatika and hopefully arrive in Umbar a little more exhausted and less prepared for the next game. Of course, one would hope that Rotropii and the Jungle Rebels will not need the help. After having to play the highest ranked nation at the World Cup on the opening matchday, the Vilitan National Team now await the arrival of the lowest ranked nation at the World Cup Finals, the Ochre Islands, in an incredible swing of quality. While Rotropii will be certain not to take anything for granted, it is unlikely the players would be satisfied with a half-assed effort anyway. After going 90 minutes without scoring a goal against Valanora, the Tlikara siblings and the rest of the Vilitan starting lineup are ready to finally chop down some goals in Umbar.

by **Tumbra** » Wed Mar 15, 2023 7:32 am

Cutoff for the Chromatik half.

by **Banija** » Wed Mar 15, 2023 8:33 am

The BET World Cup Experience: It's the first World Cup as part of Banija- and it's right next door, too!

MILLSBURGH, TUMBRA- This is the first World Cup since the establishment of the Banijan Esportivan Territories, in Njaza. The territories, of course, are right in Tumbra's neighborhood- where Banija are actually playing their World Cup matches here at these Finals. Banija, due to history, was generally the most popular team in this sparsely populated place- although there were fans of many national teams out here. But with this country being part of Banija now, combined with Banija's games taking place just across the way, in Tumbra... it changes the feel.

So we took a reporter out to Zansasi, and then they went out throughout Njaza's districts. Let's get how we're feeling on the ground!

For those who are ethnically Banijan, living in Njaza, of course this brings a sense of pride. "To see Banija win the World Cup, while we are a part of Banija- it would be a special moment for us." Said the fan that we ran into on the streets of the BET's capitol. "The World Baseball Classic win was amazing in and of itself- with the Njazan, Madongo Kiribata, having the walkoff RBI single in game 7. Obviously, there are no territorials yet on the national team- although we are sure that will come with due time! But also, everything's awesome here. Time zones, and everything."

It's also seen on the support in the ground. Obviously, Banijans generally travel in big numbers to international tournaments, creating strong atmospheres(although Farves would dispute that generally speaking). But there's plenty of Njazan support as well- obviously, that travel distance is much shorter than the distance from mainland Banija to Tumbra. How can we tell? Well, you can see in the stands. It's a tradition to hold NT scarves that state where you're from- usually, your state/region. There are plenty of scarves flashing 'Njaza' across the front.

Of course, just becoming part of the country, is interesting. How much of the history do you get to claim? IT's hard. "Well, obviously, we weren't Banijan during World Cup 86, when Banija last lifted the trophy." Said a fan from Zelland. "Can't exactly say I was watching them way back then. Laborious Hawk is my favorite player, you see? But now- getting on board. Hell, back home, we had a bar show, on the five consecutive nights before MD1, Banija's five biggest ever World Cup matches- and it had a full house for a replay of the World Cup 86 Final. Getting into the game, as they say."

That even effects who their favorite players are. We interviewed another fan, here in Millsburgh, as they were walking into Banija's match against the Squornshelan Remnant States. "Yeah, so obviously, you aren't going to see many Gitonga Kahara or Assefa Yitebarke jerseys out here- Banijan legends, yes, but we're all about the current people. Wesoloski-Okafor is obviously a fan favorite here- the goalscoring machine he is. Sarafina Ikpeazu, Wanda Kouyate etc... All of them are huge fan favorites here at home. Oh- and my own personal favorite, Tairu Conateh- the GOAT!"

The World Cup is the most massive sporting event in the multiverse. National teams are a complicated symbol, of many different things- of hope, of joy, of frustration, of community, of nation, of liberator, of victor- or even negative symbols, potentially a symbol of oppressor. Njaza has never had a direct link. And while the RBSA has already confirmed that the BET Njaza will send a Territorial team to the Esportivan regional competitions, they now have a national team at the World Cup. One that they are embracing, one that they will sing for. And hell- it is going to be a moment that they will enjoy for a long, long time.

Other News
- The Banijans fought out a hard-earned 2-2 draw with the Squornshelan Remnant States, as they sit with 4 points after two games. The Banijans have only once won their first two games at a World Cup- being World Cup 90, when they defeated both Eura and Audioslavia to kick off that tournament
- The Kadongo Kamu will take on Ko-oren in their final group match. The Banijans sit with 4 points in group play, level with SRS atop the group- although the Banijans have a goal differential advantage. A win over Ko-oren will almost certainly clinch the group(unless SRS really blow the doors off of Yuezhou), and a draw will also put Banija into the knockout stages. A loss would be disastrous, as that, combined with any points earned by SRS(1 or 3) would eliminate Banija at the group stage level. Pam Scott said that her team was 'built' for the big moment, and would be ready to take on a tough Ko-oren squad here at the World Cup, as the NT tries to qualify for the knockout stages at an odd-numbered World Cup for the first time since World Cup 85.

(O.O) · by **TJUN-ia** » Wed Mar 15, 2023 12:10 pm

By Peter Davis

After the Princesses of Jeruselem cucked us from starting this WC on a high, the Jaguars of TJUN-ia were in a position that no World Cup team wanted to be in...needing points against the on-paper best team in the group in order to improve their chances of progression. This position wasn't one that either David Seems or Li Xiu Ying aspired to be in for TJUN-ia's 3rd WC but that is where everyone found themselves and we just had to live with it and try out best to make the best of the situation. Everyone knew that we had to fight for our WC lives no matter what the final score ended up being. The question was, could we get those precious 3 points?

Match 2 at The Shock in Wirr Tsi meant a date with Savigliane, the Pot 2 team and highest seed in this group at #14 who loved to use their attacking 3-4-3 under manager Ichi Tuzzio. We knew that we would be up for high-pressure football and that is exactly how the first half went down, but our back line and GK Sputnik Brykilawa certainly withstood the pressure valiantly in a way that would certainly make those in Blue and Orange proud. The dam finally burst thanks to a superb strike by Anne-Marie Roux in the 42nd, but the fact we got out of that first half only 1-0 down was a testament to our resolve overall. You could tell that all that effort the Swans put into the first half wore most of them down and so, we pushed to take advantage on the counter and we certainly used that effectively. You could feel that an equaliser was coming and Yomakaji Shimigatsu would help provide it in the 67th, providing the shot that Jackson Smith-Scott would head past Nicodemo D'Ambrosio to get us back into this game. You could feel the momentum shift after that in the 76th we got our just rewards, Shimigatsu this time providing for substitute Frederico Jiminez as the tie got flipped on its head. The Swans tried their very best to get back into the contest but just like their Audioslavian counterparts, those dreams would crash and burn as the final whistle blew. We are not dead yet. You can't get rid of us that easily.

And so, all that is left is Chromatika itself, the co-host of this WC and the #18 team in the WCC rankings. All 4 teams in this group will have a shot of qualifying entering the final day but on our end, all possible outcomes are still up for grabs. Maths will say all we have to do is better Jeruselem's result to advance, but the fact Savigliane is still in this means that only a win will make it an absolute certainty. Drawing might do it, but that might depend on weather H2H or GD is the preferred tiebreaker of this group stage and nobody wants to even think about that anytime soon.
Just like 2 years ago, our fate is still uncertain heading into MD3.
We need as many points as we can, no matter what happens in the other game.
Playing the co-hosts is always tough, especially in a scenario like this.
But we cannot back down...not after everything it took to simply get here.
No matter what, Jaguars Never Quit!
GO JAGS!

WC93 Schedule (Group E, All games at The Shock, Wirr Tsi, Chromatika)
MD1: vs Jeruselem (40) L 2-3 (4th)
MD2: vs Savigliane (14) W 2-1 (3rd)
MD3: vs Chromatika (18)

by **Ko-oren** » Wed Mar 15, 2023 1:36 pm

Dragonflies THRASH Yue Zhou, 1-0

The Dragonflies followed up their Squornshelan stinker with a performance that was out of this world against the Lunar States of Yue Zhou. Fans are over the moon with the excellent 1-0 win. Before the match, looking at how much better the Confederacy was than us and seeing that Banija was still to come, qualifying for the knockouts felt like asking for the moon, but two hours later, the world looks completely different. "Shoot for the moon," the final quote from Davenport before she sent out her troops was. And shoot for the moon they did: Ko-oren recorded thirteen shots on target, a cycle-high number. That means two things: we played to create chances, but our accuracy was down from what it could have been.

Normally we create three chances and expect our strikers to convert at least one of them. Archer, Aolimerea, Erisia: they all know one thing. If you don't convert at least 30% of your opportunities, your time with the Dragonflies is short.

Today, we created thirteen and it was a defender who scored - not a great look for Archer - but he was asked to play differently today. Where Davenport was lambasted after the SRS clash for her poor choice of tactics, she dared to innovate today. Archer came off after 30 minutes with an ankle injury (of his own doing) and Bonstirthinden came on. Yes, Ko-oren played with half a striker for 60 minutes and won. Dropping back and setting up plays for the rest of the midfield, with Van Kalvenhaar providing width out on the left wing, the Dragonflies didn't surrender midfield to the Dragons - in fact, they conquered it. Normally a once-in-a-blue-moon occurrance, the Greenblues launched shot after shot at poor Zhao, until finally, something went in.

And Davenport figured out that her team could use possession as defence. If they don't have the ball, they can't score. And if they can't score, they can't win. Or so the tag line of our national team says, after all.

All the way from the University of Aerellen, of the national office for Geoscience and Cartography, a new working map has been released, telling us all about the broad climate categorisation in Ko-oren. A far more detailed map has been released as well, with some efforts to define the microclimates that occur in cities, and provides a start to the discussion about the effect of urban areas on surrounding climates. For almost all purposes, though, a much simpler overview suffices:

Map

Not much changed since the previous iteration of this map - while climates change, it's the 30-year average that counts - but it shows the varied conditions across the country. You can clearly see dry Finisterre (BSh and BWh climates) and how the arid conditions spread along the southern coast into Zinchester. You can see the (rain)forests on the eastern islands with their Af and As categorisation, neatly showing how most human activity occurs in the more moderate Ca bands along the coast. You can see the effect climate has on agriculture in Surbourneshire, along the southern coast, which goes from Cc in the southwest - where the nation's breadbasket is - to Cb, where we get more fruits and vegetables from, to Ca once you get past the town of Abyss, before you hit Cirelbourne and Bruncester. The last part isn't as famous for its agricultural output (more for its ceased mining operations) but conditions are right for a spectacular renaissance of spicier crops grown to be used in Finisterran and Yoshiman (eastern islander) dishes.

You know, the ones that won a prize in FLAGS - the Anaian non-sports competitions.

You can see the effect of altitude on the wider ranging temperatures the further you go inland, with warm Willowbourne and cooler Idyllwild. Anyone who follows cricket will know exactly what that means: the dry pitches in mid summer in Willowbourne are very different from colder and windier Mawryshire (southwestern peninsula, Cc), which are again different from the humid, low-lying areas around Ansonville (Cb, between Mawryshire and Greencaster), which are again different from Greencaster, which is only comparable with East Surbourneshire (the Ca area around Cirelbourne and Bruncester) to an extent, and all of those are different from Leeshire's higher altitude conditions in Aubury and Idyllwild (Da, Db, Dc). Climate is only a part of the picture: altitude, humidity, precipitation, it's all part of it.

You can see that the traditional summer sports of cricket and baseball can only get traction to a certain point: basically, where the 'Cb's start turning into 'Cc's and 'Da/b's start turning into 'Db/c's is where the fun stops. Baseball is played in the more extreme B and A climates - Finisterre and the eastern islands - but have started to be successful in the Ca parts as well. Cricket is a southwestern thing, as previously explained.

The office of Universities, Dagerade Verpeer has announced wide reforms to the structure of tertiary education in Ko-oren: a move away from the faculty-based institutions we have now - which resulted in, for instance, the National University of Willowbourne almost exclusively offering degrees in social sciences. Instead, Verpeer presented a vision where universities in the same area are to become one institution, and students can more easily attend classes and complete courses within the same institution - and even across universities in different areas. While this is not the first time that the Ministry of Education and the office of Universities hinted at the plan, it seems to come as a shock to universities nonetheless.

Dean Ealington at the Surbourneshire Medical University: "a fine-grained and tested ecosystem is once again uprooted by a government that changes for change's sake. Our university requires very different tools and facilities, being a medical institution, than the Technical universities. It'll be very difficult to allow students to follow our courses without the necessary in-person coursework. Medical, technical, and other specialist schools must be able to opt out of this system."

Students, meanwhile, see an opportunity for personally tailored programmes. Some will finally be able to complete a course under a professor in their exact field of study from the other side of the country. Some see avenues for abuse of the system, where students could find easy credit to complete a degree with less oversight and low-value courses. Most universities we asked for a response, highlight this very issue: "We know that every university offers quality programmes, but we do not have sufficient overview over our and other universities' courses to judge whether a student has completed a major in full when they accumulate credits from various places. Will they have experienced the full range that a major has to offer, or will they have followed every course within one specialist area? This almost calls for a national syllabus, which is not something we can facilitate at a month's notice. Too much change, too quickly."

by **Flavovespia** » Wed Mar 15, 2023 2:26 pm

A game that was close and full of tension, late goals and drama meant fans on both sides rode a rollercoaster of emotions. In the end, a point apiece leaves plenty to play for going into the final Matchday of Group B, and 2 teams still chasing their first win in the group stage.

Flavovespia and their fans had a short journey from Hesham to Lakewood for this game. The sprawling coastal metropolis, of which some Flavovespian emigrants themselves live, was the host for this game. Trenton Park, over a century old with distinctive stands and a cracking atmosphere, and in many ways a higher quality version of Highland Road in Hadford Hill, was the stadium for this game. The thousands of Flavovespians and Nepharans in the ground certainly built up the atmosphere. Squad wise, 2 changes for Flavovepsia, as Paul Taylor started ahead of Daniel Lansdell, and Adrian Jones starts as centre forward, with Michael Cole moved to left wing and Robert Cooper going to the bench. Nephara were unchanged from the side who’d drawn 3-3 with Græntfjall.

The game started somewhat as expected. Nephara generally had the majority of the possession, and were looking for quick, slick passes to try and fashion out some good chances. Flavovespia were however committed to their game plan, and the back line of four looked relatively settled, unlike the start against Milchama. Paul Taylor in particular was showing his worth in the early exchanges, showing some real talent to stop Felixe Vetiver from getting open near him. Flavovespia’s main method of attack was to try and go direct, over the top of the Nephara defence who liked to press high. However, the back four of The Cormorants were also able to snuff out the attacking three they had to contend with.

Somewhat against the run of play, the first big chance of the game came in the 25th minute. The two Jonathan’s combined, with Goldstone’s superb through ball allowing Bagshaw to run in behind Tanith Xu. There however was a lack of options for Bagshaw to aim at in the box, so he had to try and go alone. The shot towards the far post was decent, but Medusa Strand closed it down early enough to make it a relatively routine save.

That Bagshaw chance was definitely Flavovespia’s best moment of the first half. Nephara had a smattering of chances of their own throughout the first half, although none that were total gimmes, nor opportunities that were “should’ve scored”, more “could’ve scored” at best. Flavovespia’s defence, and their midfield, were looking resolute and able to cope with the physicality and pace of the game, for the opening 45 minutes.

The second half, despite both sides knowing how key a win could be, didn’t particularly start off with much in the way of great football. “Overhit and out for a throw in/goal kick” seemed to be the phrase the commentators got used to repeating. Chances felt few and far between, although Renate March deserved credit for a 30 metre shot that was just wide, with Aarif Muhammad unlikely to have got there if it was about half a metre to the left of where it ended up. Flavovespia were struggling to get going in attack, and it wasn’t helped by Adrian Jones having a bit of an off-day against the sturdy Nepharan defence. On came Andrew Brocklehurst to try and liven up the attack.

As the minutes ticked towards 90, it seemed all set for the game to be a goalless draw, or maybe just one moment of magic or madness to change everything. In the 86th minute, one of those moments came. Lindse Kvasina found space to whip in a ball into the box. A low ball in, Arachne Loeher had the pace to beat a tiring Paul Taylor, and stretched out to shoot into the bottom corner of the net, just inside the post. Aarif Muhammad’s dive was in vain, and Nephara had the lead with just 4 minutes plus any additional time to go. Appeals for any sort of offside were desperate and in vain, and it looked like the pregame favourites were going to win.

Flavovespia needed a response, and it was “throw the kitchen sink” time. Barely a minute of normal time to go, and practically everyone in a yellow shirt seemed to be in the Nepharan half. Andrew Dance sent in a cross towards the back of the Nepharan box. Through a crowded box, it took a deflection somewhere, and as the ball went up to hip height, Michael Cole leaning back volleyed it at goal. It hit the crossbar, bounced down before Anaximander Scales hoofed it away, with Michael Cole and Flavovespians on and off the pitch crying for a goal. It seemed to take an eternity, although in reality it was merely a matter of seconds, before the referee with a forceful blow of the whistle and an arm stretched towards the centre circle, gave the goal. It was 1-1, by less than a metre for Flavovespia, but they’d take the goal no matter how it came to them.

The final minutes wouldn’t yield a winner, despite some frantic and feisty play. 4 yellow cards ended up issued. Lindse Kvasina cleverly took the ball past Jonathan Goldstone, only to then be sent tumbling by an outstretched foot from a challenge designed to stop an attack more than win the ball back. Goldstone was in the book for that. Bellona Sebold then saw yellow for trying to stop a Kieron Player break downfield, grabbing his shirt so fully, it’s a wonder how it remained it one piece. Less than a minute later, Solblindi Rake deliberately prevented a quick throw-in by Michael Cole, and promptly had the ball thrown at him at close range in a moment of dissent. Both saw yellow for that, and maybe a few others could’ve entered the book on another day given some of the words exchanged in the minor quarrelling that ensued.

1-1 it finished in a robust game, but one that wasn’t devoid of talent or skill. In the other group game, it’d finish Milchama 0–2 Græntfjall. The permutations for Flavovespia are now as follows. Win, and they’re into the Round of 16. Lose, and they’re out. Draw, and they’ll need Nephara and Milchama to draw, and to then win a coin toss against Nephara. Flavovespia have only won 1 game out of 8 in the World Cup, and that was the very first one they played, against Adab. Could they pull off the upset required to defeat Græntfjall and progress?

In the other groups, there have been some real surprises that have shaken up the tournament. Group A sees co-hosts Tumbra win the group with a game to spare. Brenecia know a win vs Tumbra sends them through, whereas debutants Delte could still go through, but will come up against a Farfadillis side who’ll be looking to avoid a winless World Cup. In Group C, Yuezhou are sadly already on the plane home, after a loss to Ko-oren. Squornshelan Remnant States and Banija drew, both those sides currently lie in the Top 2 with 4 points, with Banija vs Ko-oren a tie in Matchday 3 that could well send one of those sides home. Group D remains the group of draws, as all 4 sides remain with 2 points. Juvencus have the entertaining record of 2 draws, 6 goals scored and 6 goals conceded. Turori meanwhile are yet to see a single goal at either end in their games. Organisers will be hoping someone wins in Matchday 3, else there’ll be some really complicated coin tossing going on. Group E remains all to play for, co-hosts Chromatika now lead after a 3-2 win over Jeruselem. Anyone could still be in or out though after the final round of group games in Group E. Not so in Group F, the two qualifiers are decided. To the surprise of many, it’s the Pot 1 and Pot 2 sides, Pemecutan, and The Holy Empire, making an early exit from the World Cup. Debutants Cabo Azure took a second shock win, this one over Pemecutan, and they’re into the Round of 16. Kelssek will be joining them, as the two face off on the final Matchday to determine the group winner. Huayramarca got a 2-1 win over Valanora, and that guarantees their place in the Round of 16. At least one of Valanora, who were ranked #1 going into the tournament, or Vilita ranked #7 will be going home after the group stages. An Ochre Islands win over Valanora would send both those sides in the Top 10 home before the knockout stages. Group H also has its 2 qualifiers determined. Zwangzug won 1-0 over Pasarga, and with Nyowani Kitara’s win over Tikariot, the Pot 1 and Pot 2 seeds in that group avoid any pitfalls and go through with a game to spare.

by **Jeruselem** » Wed Mar 15, 2023 4:51 pm

Princess Mila in Chromatika dressed as Princess Anna from Frozen ...

Hello, this is Princess Mila ... once again ... for Naked News Jeruselem covering the finals of the World Cup 93. It's the 2nd round of the group stage and in Group E, Jeruselem faced host Chromatika while Savigliane took on TJUN-ia.

Playing the host team is never easy especially when they pretty much outnumber your fans, and Chromatika are ranked 18 so they are serious contenders. Jeruselem could not repeat it's 3-2 win over TJUN-ia and went down 3-2 to Chromatika. Both teams obviously weren't geared to sit around and defend, there were plenty of scoring chances. The home team proved too strong at the end of the day and we're not complaining but you know ... we could have gotten a draw out of this if it wasn't for late goal.

In the other game, Savigliane fell against TJUN-ia with TJUN-ia winning 2-1. TJUN-ia did lose to us 3-2 so they rebounded quickly. This leaves Group E with hosts Chromatika leading on 4 points followed by Jeruselem and TJUN-ia on 3 points. Savigliane are only team without a win, with 1 point. No team is safe in Group E.

So next up, Jeruselem face Savigliane while TJUN-ia have to play the hosts Chromatika. As per usual, there's a lot of possibilities in Group E. Before we go on about that, we need to congratulate the teams who are in the next round. From group A, hosts Tumbra have qualified with two wins. In Group F, Cabo Azure and Kelssek have progressed. Huayramarca moved on from Group G. Zwangzug and Nyowani Kitara in Group H are also through. Hopefully we can join them too! There's also confirmed teams going home including Yuezhou, Pemecutan, and yes The Holy Empire. Pasarga and Tikariot also go home having lost two games.

To keep things short, I am not about to discuss how the other teams can progress. I'll leave that to the later segment hosted by smarter sister Stella.

If Jeruselem lose, we're eliminated. No way around that one. We lose, we're gone. That's because Savigliane would go to 4 points above us and Chromika being on 4 points ... yeah.

If we win, we're through so that's simple.

If we manage to draw Savigliane, it becomes what happens in the other game. Savigliane would be eliminated as they need to win anyway. If Chromatika wins, we are though. We do not want TJUN-ia to win, as it would eliminate us. If they draw, I think we might sneak through?

So ... we lose, we're gone. We win, we progress. We draw, we can still progress ... maybe.

Oh ... yeah. I know this is sports news but hey I'm the one usually doing finance news in a normal year without a World Cup. There's news major bank Strong Mann Bank has collapsed today after a major client pulled out a lot of money causing a bank run. There was no comment from the bank but authorities are watching this new development. Yes, this is the bank which only has male customers. Bank stocks are all down today with fear this will affect more banks.

That's it from me! I'll be back for the game against Savigliane.

Oh yes, I'm having a sale of my old merchandise on my web site.
I just need to clear out space in the warehouse for new stock.
We send our stuff internationally!

World Cup 93 - RP Thread

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