The Ides of March Cup

[Astograth]

Was this real? Was it really? Was it all really Arritzola, Astograth University, East Franz Athletic and the Ides of March Cup? It didn't feel that way to Anaut, not yet. It had all happened too fast for him, though a lot of things did at his age. The club his father had taken him to see as a child was called Rumiatzi University and competed two tiers below the Rumiatzi Elite League at an almost barren pitch near the university's faculty of architecture, drawing few onlookers. A good six decades later things were a bit... different.

A lot of things across Astograth were different, to be fair, but University's rise in fortune was perhaps the most dramatic as far as football was concerned. Over the years, they were repeatedly promoted and relegated, were part of the splinter group from the renamed Capital Region Elite League that formed the Rumiatzi Football Union, attained a moderate amount of success considering the Royal Rumiatzi - Athletic Club Rumiatzi stranglehold on the title, were thrown into Second Division when the national Football League was formed, were promoted on their second try and then languered in the depths of the table for eight long seasons.

Anaut remembered those days well. Bleak stuff at Arritzola, with a poorly maintained pitch, creaky stands and an amount of fans so pitiful the 11,000-seater always looked empty unless the visitors were one of the big teams, especially Royal Rumiatzi, whom they fancied as rivals while Kaparaka barely glanced their way. The ground, the support and the shady board were a cause of embarassment for the rest of the league, but the money from the university was always timely and dedicated to attracting a good enough team to stay up. The quality and commitment of the players were a cause of pride amongst the few die-hard fans of the club, any half-decent has-been hailed as a hero of Arritzola, though some were genuinely talented if winding down their career. Men of the calibre of Gaur Arambilet, Maore Barturen, Polarian international Svennis Moller and his partner Egor Helguson all came and went, never quite tasting victory. Unaware of what was to come.

Then something clicked. In the same year Iturributa United ran out with the title for the very last time, Astograth University went on an unprecedented run of form, captained by former Astograth and Ituraitz FC star Egerdi Bordato. It started slowly, picking up steam, and the public's disbelief only increased as the season wore on; the run of form had to end, they had to crash at some point. This couldn't possibly be University, the ones who couldn't fill out the smallest stadium in the league. Yet they didn't let up, and second place was celebrated like a title. Their foray into the Champions' Cup group stage, which included wins over CA Paulinthal, Mar Sara FC and Cafundó do Juta, attracted record crowds into the ground, new fans clogging the stairways as the board went crazy selling tickets.

It took all of one season for them to go from mediocre to outsider title candidates; the university took notice and began pumping more money into the club. The significantly refurbished Arritzola. They signed Loren Dornaletze and Lekubegi Guerrikaechebarria, up-and-coming players, and the result was a third place finish - it was safe to say Astograth University had come to stay. Next season they won their first-ever silverware in an unreal match against Royal Rumiatzi, a titanic clash between two capital sides at Grand Duke's Stadium. Those celebrations were only matched by the ones Anaut lived one year later as Royal Rumiatzi tripped up on the final matchday, the title going to University in the final minutes of the season...

How times change. Anaut didn't really resent being stuck between two converts who barely knew the lineup, because really, who would've imagined that on those creaky stands there would one day be Polarian fans from a world champion team, daft scarves in warm weather and all?

[Astograth]

IDES OF MARCH CUP
Edition XIII

Astograth University 0-1 East Franz Athletic

[Polar Islandstates]

"I told you, my lucky scarf never fails."

"Well, it must fail sometimes."

"Nope, never."

"We didn't finish the season with a win in every game, pal..."

"Oh, well, yeah. I suppose if you want to get technical..."

"I do. Anyway, weren't you too warm with all that on?"

"Not really."

"Really?"

"Well okay, yes, I was sweltering. This place is too warm. Give me the northern climes any day."

"Aye, well, we'll be back home soon, back to celebrate another Ides of March win with our friends and relatives and the rest of the Rendahl lot."

"Speaking of which, when did Darek say our plane was?"

"Erm, ten minutes ago."

"Oh for Thor's sake..."

[Astograth]

That's how it is against the best. You give them an inch and they wallop you... though Astograth University was remarkably adept at not giving anyone any inches. That was their whole game, latching onto the opponent and choking the life out of them, to the point where it became a simple matter of parading the ball around their tired adversaries, toying with them even, and then delivering the knockout blow with a well-taken goal.

But East Franz Athletic are no Athletic Club Yungoitio, or Lermendia FC, nor even Royal Rumiatzi. The only Polarian Champions' Cup winners are an entirely different beast to what the Astograthian game is used to - and 'the AU' do not yet have the international experience to counter it. They'd learned from their previous meetings at least, in which East Franz had crushed them at Arritzola and the Rendahl for the first round proper of the past Cygnus Cup. Xuban Barrutia had taken note, but so did Magnus Fjelden, and so the Spires were still always a few steps ahead.

They struggled. Sapano and Antić strained to cover an ever-shifting midfield that baffled them, the wing-backs leaking past an forcing intervention on behalf of the significantly less mobile Vizcaíno and Beyaitz. The centre-backs were swamped with the forward trio, capable of weaving through them with unsettling ease. Martinuccio and Quirin were outnumbered and given no breathing space by East Franz's own centre-backs, while Lukuix and Guerrikaechebarria couldn't do much more than chase after the ball, purely attacking wingers as they were.

And still, they held out. Gorriaran, on his club début, performed admirably, though he was called on less than one would think as University kept the rhythm of play cold and calm with some success. Nevertheless, "putting the match to sleep" doesn't work against teams of a certain calibre, not forever.

Sapano slipped ever so slightly, put the ball out of his reach and Bru swiped it away. An inch conceded there. Pass for Almquist, Beyaitz holds off on the tackle, cut inside, late lunge, defender on the floor, no contact, another inch. Low cross, Kvitchenko receives, turns around, skins Maistegi - by an inch - and lays it on a silver platter for a sprinting Klipter. There was nothing Gorriaran could do.

And the crowd applauded. Because one does not get to see East Franz Athletic every day, and because only a few years ago Astograth University never even dreamed of playing them. Not there, not then, not for that. Not ever, and it happened.

[Polar Islandstates]

Announcement, Edition XIV

[Polar Islandstates]

FC AXEL HEIBURG

Starting Line-Up
--------------------------- Rasmus --------------------------
---- Nielsen ----- Rovanpera -- Bloch ----- Zhdanov ----
-------------------------- Pedersen --------------------------
---------- Bakaikoa --- Cornelius --- Huytspurr ----------
---------------- Jagr -------- Illich-Svitych -----------------

GK - Jan Rasmus - Captain
DR - Sergei Nielsen
DC - Soren Rovanpera
DC - Vitaliy Bloch
DL - Otto Zhdanov
DMC - Dimitar Pedersen
MC - Eriz Bakaikoa (ASG)
MC - Marten Cornelius
MC - Kjetil Huytspurr
ST - Wojciech Jagr
ST - Vadim Illich-Svitych

Subs:
GK - Aapo Jelavic
DC - Isidore Malone (SAU)
DR - Maximilian Pirinen
DL - Alexis St Olaf
MR - Andrej Spivak
DMC - Zako Csizmadia (URZ)
AMC - Daedalus Michelakos (AYP)
ST - Sal Wahlfleurs
Manager - Morten Rasmussen
Modifier - +2

First time winners of Divisjon One, FC Axel Heiburg are delighted to be making their debut in the Ides of March Cup, having had to stand by and watch their rivals make the trip several times before. As the club into which the esteemed Haapa-Mechelin Youth Academy is deigned to feed into, it should come as no surprise to anyone to discover that the majority of the roster is made up of graduates from that academy. As such, there is a definite feeling of local talent and youth in the names listed, and indeed, only one of the foreigners in the list has been brought in to the club rather than being brought into the academy first.

Terns keeper and one of the oldest members of the team, Jan Rasmus is an experienced figure in the Axel Heiburg net, with a young defence made of Nielsen, Rovanpera, Bloch, and Zhdanov in front of him, half of which have experience for the Polar Islandstates u-21s. Holding midfielder Dimitar Pedersen has often been picked at by some as the weak-link in the side, perhaps a little unfairly, but as the side wait for highly thought of Urszcsar prospect Zako Csizmadia to mature from the bench into a first team regular, there are rumours of a famous Tern being brought in from abroad for next season. Jorgen something or other...? Anyway, moving on.

The creative midfield is cited by many as the reason Axel Heiburg took the title last season, with Cornelius in the middle being well assisted on either side 'grathi import Eriz Bakaikoa and the now more centrally based Kjetil Huytspurr (yes, of the coffee shop Huytspurrs). Their creative endeavour and triangular based passing has baffled many a defence, and laid through many delicious through balls for the talented, young, and explosive front pair of Illich-Svitych and Jagr. Young they may be, but on the bench sits the experienced Sal Wahlfleurs, credited by many for teaching them everything he knows.

Morten Rasmussen has cultured a creative and well rounded side, and with the help of former Tern and last season's trophy lifting captain Steffan Pekarik as his assistant, not to mention home advantage, they will be hoping to make their first appearance in the Ides of March Cup a successful one.

The venue for their first time in the cup will be their home stadium in the centre of the city of Axel Heiburg, Axel Torvig Park. Named after local folk hero Axel Torvig, who first captained the legendary boat Argon, which, as well as given FC Axel Heiburg their nickname of The Argonauts, is a culturally significant boat in Heiburgan history. It has been at various stages in its career the old nation of Axel Heiburg's naval flagship, then a converted blockade runner, then a merchant vessel, then a diplomatic envoy, and now sits in a drydock as a historical monument. So, that's a team nicknamed after a boat, whose stadium is named after that boat's first captain and naval hero, whose first name came from the first king of the nation King Axel of Heiburg, who gave his name not only to this capital city but also to the major island in his kingdom. Originality of names not being a typical Heiburgan strong-point...

The stadium itself went under an expansion not that long ago, though before the Federation hosted the World Cup, and was the unfortunate venue of the Terns' exit from that tournament on penalties to the Vegans. It has an intimidating atmosphere at its best, full of the working class citizens of Axel Heiburg, who it must be said are very taken with their team's recent surge to becoming title contenders after starting the FPIFA era in Divisjon Two - making them the second club to have not started out in Divisjon One to lift the title.

[Polar Islandstates]

[OOC: A reminder to all those neutrals who may be interested, ICly this match comes before FC Axel Heiburg's debut in the Champions' Cup as winners of Divisjon One - a whole season before their CC-winning campaign]

With all the predictability of a clockwork toy, Oleg Kristiansen hopped down the steps of the West Stand and grabbed his pitchfork. He strode out into the centre of the penalty area rather quicker than one might expect of an octogenarian groundsman, and, standing on the penalty spot, he turned with a wave of his hand and signalled to young Patrick in the announcer's booth.

There was a crack, and a hiss, and the speakers wheezed into life all around the stadium. Benyamin Godmann's classic, 'Synge, Synge, Synge', started blasting out of them, and Oleg came to life. He jabbed left, he jabbed right, he moved in time with the music and he flashed his trusty metal friend into the ground. Methodically, he worked his way up and down the penalty area, pausing when he got to one end and looking up to the other end of the pitch. Kohev Poulsen, Oleg's younger assistant was working the opposite penalty area, out of sync with the music and without much enthusiasm.

Oleg smiled and shook his head. Poor Kohev never really appreciated the swing. Oleg had been groundsman at Axel Torvig Park for nigh-on fifty years now. All the staff knew his rituals. Benyamin Godmann for pitchfork work, Franz Kovolenko and his Marvellous Big Band for sprinkler systems, and the famous Sven Kylla for the other times. Oleg was around for the days of Swinging Heiburg. Sure, Franz Josef City had its alternative scene and there was a classical music hub in Svalbard, but neither of those places had ever had the swing and bounce and the sheer exuberant celebration of Swinging Heiburg. Oleg had never forgotten, and liked to work to the old tunes even today. He'd been around when FC Axel Heiburg were smaller than Axel Town AFC, and were even getting regularly beaten by Universitet. Axel Torvig Park was a mere twelve thousand seater at the time, but had sure grown since then. Oleg remembered the fuss when the shorter east and west stands were expanded to the same height as the north, closely followed by the south stand. That was for the start of the FPIFA era, and FC Axel Heiburg had shown just how far they'd come in the past ten years by winning the second flight in its inaugural season, finishing as champions and rising to Divisjon One.

What felt like barely any time later, The Argonauts were having to expand once again, as the club went from strength to strength. All four stands were made a uniform height, the corners were rounded off, and the roof replaced. The undersoil heating was replaced to a much higher standard, and Oleg had had to double the amount of staff on his books. Young Kohev had been there for years, though, and was as fed up with Oleg's choice of music as Oleg loved it.

The music came to an end, and Oleg stood up from his bent position. He wiped his brow, sweating despite the chill in the air. Oleg confessed to a sense of excitement - the team had never played in an Ides of March match yet. The Champions' Cup was one thing, but the Ides of March brought with it a certain sense of prestige that meant something to Polarians. Maybe not to some supporters of SK anymore, but for fans of a club that had been chasing success and eagerly trying to find a way to the top table of football, like FC Axel Heiburg, this was a mark of pride. A symbol of the distance they'd travelled. Oleg was excited.

Taking care not to damage the the now much higher heating network, he stuck his pitchfork in the soil and turned back to the announcer's box. He held up two fingers and smiled. 'Track Two'. The music piped in, and Axel Torvig Park swung once again. Oleg smiled as he saw Kohev turn and look up in exasperated disbelief, and he got back to work. Jabbing left, right, and all round the penalty box.

[Astograth]

Echegoyan FC

Manager: Garoa Larzondo
Style: 0
Colours

------------------ Elizalde ------------------
- Eneriz --- Medrano - Seriesta --- Borunda -
------------------ Akutain -------------------
- Bachiondo -------------------- Tsarapkin -
------------------ Urrutia -------------------
------------- Isasmendi - Merec -------------

Starting XI:

GK -  Mikelatz Elizalde
LB -  Soter Borunda
CB -  Aurelio Seriesta
CB -  Bikendi Medrano
RB -  Raitin Eneriz
DM -  Ilixo Akutain
LM -  Iosif Tsarapkin (C)
RM -  Iban Bachiondo
AM -  Manex Urrutia
CF -  Salum Merec
CF -  Kauldi Isasmendi

Substitutes:

GK -  Burni Gorrindo
DF -  Eneto Zarandona
DF -  Benat Uranga
MF -  Zuzen Eturaspe
MF -  Koldobika Benitzaizin
FW -  Baudouin Richelieu
FW -  Eddie Barlow

They weren't the favourites by any means, but Echegoyan FC went ahead and won their second top-flight title in style, putting an end to the reign of fellow top-team newcomers Astograth University. They come to the Ides of March Cup with a different manager and a largely changed team, to visit a team that has never played in this tournament... funny to think Jan Mayen Islanders were in a pretty similar situation in Echegoyan's first IoM showing.

Manager Garoa Larzondo, with a lengthy goalkeeping career at Royal Rumiatzi and later in the Erathi Seria-A, has built a strong team that has only gotten more solid in the off-season leading up to this match. Mikelatz Elizalde, well past his prime but winner of many accolades both at home and Saugeais, has plenty of experience to rely upon. Left-back Soter Borunda is a hometown lad and a highly popular player, though age is starting to become an issue; right-back Raitin Eneriz has no such problem, being an active contributor all over the pitch for both Echegoyan and the national team. The centre-back pairing consists of highly-rated Aurelio Seriesta, part of the successful Pacitalian national team, and rising star Bikendi Medrano, with past spells at Royal Rumiatzi and Blue Mountain Range.

The midfield, where it's said the magic really lies, is made up of hard-hitting Iturributan defensive midfielder Ilixo Akutain; fast and resourceful wingers Iban Bachiondo and Iosif Tsarapkin, the latter of which is the team's Chetkoski captain; and attacking midfielder Manex Urrutia, who is the nominal playmaker but often decides to take attacks into his own hands, effectively acting as a trequartista. In forward positions lie Salum Merec, 35 years old and still a mainstay of the Astograthian league, and the driven Kauldi Isasmendi, who was last season's top scorer.

The bench is considerably stronger than most Astograthian teams bother to maintain. Burni Gorrindo is an excellent, proven alternative to Elizalde, while Eneto Zarandona is another long-serving hometown hero. Right-back Benat Uranga has a long career, with successful spells at Ituraitz Victory, Raktaghav Hathi of Kagdazka and Pazhujebu, and the Astograthian national team, as well as spending several seasons at Iturributa United during a low-key period in the club's history. Further up, Zuzen Eturaspe is a former youth national team player, while Koldobika Benitzaizin is currently one of the most exciting young prospects in Astograth. He is, however, overshadowed by Baudouin Richelieu, a Saugeain starlet that has joined after the spectacular collapse of South Factory into the second tier and is highly promising. The other substitute forward is none other than Eddie Barlow, brought in after a solid super-sub season with Sporting Iturributa and infamously discarded from the Slembanan national team after being unable to keep up with Val Kylx's extraordinary goal ratio.

Of the team that lined up for Echegoyan FC's first Ides of March Cup, Borunda, Akutain, Tsarapkin, Bachiondo and Merec remain, which is just under half of the first eleven. However, that was under Gunutz Yaregi and against Jan Mayen Islanders, in an era where neither the First Division nor the Divisjon One were rated particularly highly. This time it's a clash between two of the highest ranked leagues in the multiverse; indeed, the First Division is number one if only by a very slight margin, Urbizania Wanderers having taken the Champions' Cup home... but that's a different team and a different epic tale.

Right now it's all about Echegoyan FC and their plight to return the Ides of March Cup to Astograthian hands.

[Astograth]

Eddie Barlow felt good for the first time in a long time. Eddie Barlow, having maintained an impressive goal average at Sporting Iturributa and a decidedly above-average ratio for the Slembanan national team, had been dumped from by manager Colin Blackwell for not being as good as Val Kylx, despite repeatedly scoring at times other than the opening minute. Understandably, Eddie Barlow was not pleased. Eddie Barlow was even depressed for a while. How could he compete on these terms, against a man who seemed touched by the Almighty himself, if only for sixty seconds a day?

But there was yet some justice in this good world, and Eddie Barlow was not alone, for a helping hand reached out to him. The shameful scar left on him by Blackwell could never be healed, but this was the next best thing - Garoa Larzondo of the Astograthian league champions, offering him a place on his team. Eddie Barlow could not refuse, kind and sympathetic as the people of Sporting had been to him. There was no turning down Echegoyan, despite his aversion to high, cold places, though he only learned about that when it was already too late. He did not regret it, however, on got on well with the manager and his teammates. He felt at ease, and more hopeful for the future than ever. Great Things lay ahead for Eddie Barlow, he could feel it.

The first of them, no doubt, would be a win at the Ides of March Cup. He had heard of this competition before, even if he'd never bothered to tune in, and was all fired up when he noticed how much the Astograthian cared about it. This wasn't some piddly friendly cup, this was a matter of life, death and national pride. Eddie Barlow learned and understood this, and was excited.

Eddie Barlow became more excited when they arrived in Franz Josef, seeing the Federation so nicely laid out from the air, and then when they encountered the masses of dark-green-clad fans in Axel Heiburg. He became less excited when he was told he would sit this one out on the bench, but then he remembered Salum is getting old and probably won't last all the match. Eddie Barlow was glad then, and he remained like this all the way up to the referee's opening whistle, huddling under a blanket next to Baudouin.

Eddie Barlow likes being the super-sub, much as he likes speaking in the third person.

[Polar Islandstates]

IDES OF MARCH CUP
Edition XIV

FC Axel Heiburg 2-1 Echegoyan FC

[Polar Islandstates]

It is not always easy, being me. Growing up in a foreign country zat is not ze Muzzerland. I was spotted playing ze football and taken from ze mining towns of Urszag-Csatoria when I was just a young boy, sent over here to live in, well, ze mining towns of Axel Heiburg. I play football. It's what I do. I play football, and I am told to learn from my elders. I do not understand half of zem. Zey talk in an old gruff tone zat is not at all like ze modern Polarian zat I have to learn at ze academy. It is old, and weird. Otto talks like it, too. He says he understands what it is like for me, to live in a strange country and not know people. He is from Kuril, so sometimes I can see what he means. Even so, I can see how important zis match is to ze fans. We all do. So, we are doing our best to win it for zem. Winning two goals to no goals so far, too.

I learn how to be a better footballer. Everyday, I am learning. I am playing more for ze first team, too, so zat is good. I had to play every day when I first game here, always with ze ball. Now it is lots of ze running around and weight training, but ze best time is when we play ze training matches and I get to tackle people. Zat is what I am best at. It is ze favourite part for me.

I admire Eriz. And Otto. And togezzer with Daedalus we are also learning how it is to play in a place zat we do not know or fully understand. Wojciech and Vadim have ze advantage of being able to say zey were always Polarian, but zey are happy and playing in ze first team now and scoring ze goals. Zey scored one each today. One helped by Kjetil and ze uzzer by Eriz. Marten is pulling all of ze strings in ze midfield, of course. Even I can tell zat.

Sometimes, I wonder what it would be like to move home. I can barely remember it sometimes. Occasionally I get letters from home, but it is never from my muzzer and fazzer. Ze letters zey talk about looking at zings and writing letters back. I do not understand what zey are talking about. I ignore zem. Zey say zey will come to get me if I do nuzzing but zey have done nuzzing yet.

Soren is making a good tackle zere. Zey might have scored if he had not done zat. We want a clean sheet. Ze coach, Morten, is always very keen to point zat out, about ze clean sheets. Soren is anuzzer young player who has been in ze first team, lately. I admire him for zat. One day I hope to be a regular.

Anyway, zat's my signal. Here I go. Come on for Pedersen and give ze task of keeping ze clean sheet some fresh legs for ze last fifteen minutes.

Here I am! My first Ides of March Cup appearance!

*trip*

*clip*

*slam*

*swish*

Shit. Zat was not in ze plan...

[Polar Islandstates]

Announcement, Edition XV

[Polar Islandstates]

OOC: A reminder that comments about players are in canon, and therefore only valid when this game was set - two seasons ago.

FC AXEL HEIBURG

Starting Line-Up
--------------------------- Rasmus --------------------------
----- Nielsen ----- Rovanpera -- Bloch ----- St Olaf -----
---------------------------- Hauge ---------------------------
---------- Bakaikoa --- Cornelius --- Huytspurr ----------
---------------- Jagr -------- Illich-Svitych -----------------

GK - Jan Rasmus
DR - Sergei Nielsen
DC - Soren Rovanpera
DC - Vitaliy Bloch
DL - Alexis St Olaf
DMC - Jorgen Hauge - Captain
MC - Eriz Bakaikoa (ASG)
MC - Marten Cornelius
MC - Kjetil Huytspurr
ST - Wojciech Jagr
ST - Vadim Illich-Svitych

Subs:
GK - Aapo Jelavic
DC - Radek Saraste
DR - Maximilian Pirinen
DL - Otto Zhdanov
MR - Andrej Spivak
DMC - Zako Csizmadia (URZ)
AMC - Daedalus Michelakos (AYP)
ST - Torsten Wolff
Manager - Morten Rasmussen
Modifier - +2

Champions' Cup winners, reigning two-time champions of Divisjon One, and last season's Ides of March winners; FC Axel Heiburg are delighted to be making their return in the Ides of March Cup, having the chance to defend the piece of silverware they won last season. As the club into which the esteemed Haapa-Mechelin Youth Academy is deigned to feed into, it should come as no surprise to anyone to discover that the majority of the roster is made up of graduates from that academy. As such, there is a definite feeling of local talent and youth in the names listed, and indeed, only one of the foreigners in the list has been brought in to the club rather than being brought into the academy first.

Terns keeper and one of the oldest members of the team, Jan Rasmus is an experienced figure in the Axel Heiburg net, with a young defence made of Nielsen, Rovanpera, Bloch, and St Olaf in front of him, all of which have experience for the Polar Islandstates u-21s. The big story however is the arrival of Jorgen Hauge, the Terns captain and all-round good guy will be making his debut for FC Axel Heiburg in this match, and he takes the spot in the centre of the park and takes the captain's armband as he attempts to help the Argonauts emulate SK next season and go for the three-peat.

The creative midfield is cited by many as the beating heart of Rasmussen's game plan and the reason Axel Heiburg took the title again last season, with Cornelius in the middle being well assisted on either side by 'grathi import Eriz Bakaikoa and the now more centrally based Kjetil Huytspurr. Their creative endeavour and triangular based passing has baffled many a defence, and laid through many delicious through balls for the talented, young, and explosive front pair of Illich-Svitych and Jagr. Young they may be, but they are both Terns regulars already, and on the bench sits highly thought of seventeen year old prospect Torsten Wolff.

Morten Rasmussen has cultured a creative and well rounded side, and with the help of former Tern and Heiburg's first trophy lifting captain Steffan Pekarik as his assistant they will be hoping to make their second appearance in the Ides of March Cup a similarly successful one.

[Astograth]

Urbizania Wanderers

Manager: Edorta Urrustoy
Style: -1
Colours

------------------ Martinena ------------------
- Kareaga --- Arizmande - Ekenarro --- Olsson -
------------- Baez - Finnibaturinn -------------
---------------------------------------------------
- Alaberri ---------- Hawk ---------- Zajaczek -
------------------- Ansotegi -------------------

Starting XI:

GK -  Urgutz Martinena
LB -  Guðmundur Olsson
CB -  Giro Ekenarro
CB -  Yokin Arizmande
RB -  Hitzeder Kareaga
DM -  Iulian Finnibaturinn
DM -  Edwardo Baez
LM -  Felix Zajaczek
RM -  Yaizki Alaberri (C)
AM -  Laborious Hawk
CF -  Ikatz Ansotegi

Substitutes:

GK -  Iyart Eskide
DF -  Koldo Berrataran
DF -  Urritz Otegi
MF -  Bazkoare Beyanabe
MF -  Hanni Andikola
FW -  Mendiko Dicharry
FW -  Gau Inchauspe

Urbizania Wanderers pulled off what is quite likely the biggest upset Astograthian football has ever seen by coming out of nowhere to win the 43rd Champions' Cup on a magical night in Zhevassi. Manager Edorta Urrustoy, at long last solidified as a world-class manager after becoming a world-class player at Zhevassi rivals Juvapanam, brought sporting glory to a relatively small city that has long lived in the shadow of Rumiatzi. No doubt impressed by the Wanderers' defeat of his compatriots at Hondo FC, Vanorian national team legend Laborious Hawk was brought to the riverside along with a number of new additions with one aim alone: taking home the First Division title, a long-standing debt. Having done so in dominant fashion, they are ready to take part in the Ides of March Cup for the first time - and they intend to take it very seriously.

The stage for this show will be the 30,500-seater Cherketzo Arena in the football-mad city of Urbizania, pictured above, which is a solid fixture at all international football tournaments held in Astograth and a fearsome ground to play away at for any team. The Wanderers themselves will be lining up with the top-class squad that won them the league and, in most individual cases, also the Champions' Cup.

In goal starts Urgutz Martinena, a veteran of the First Division and the defunct Erathi Seria-A, where he played at Juvillian Martinax. Though he was overshadowed by his generational peers enough to only enjoy the briefest of stints in the national team, he is one of the most talented and respected goalkeepers in the country. Cotdelapomais Guðmundur Olsson serves as the team's left-back and general "utility man", capable of comfortably playing across that entire half of the pitch, while Giro Ekenarro and Yokin Arizmande have formed one of the strongest defensive duos in the Astograthian collective memory, the latter quickly rising to become an Olibondeka stalwart. The final piece of the puzzle is Hitzeder Kareaga, a very traditional defensive right-back who isn't one for risks or surprises.

The defensive midfield is where the good football brews in Urbizania - hunkered down there, Polarian Iulian Finnibaturinn and Falconian Edwardo Baez seamlessly recover the ball and bring others into play, masterfully picking out the passes that split apart opposition defenses. To whom? Why, to young and speedy left winger Felix Zajaczek and the more paused, experienced captain Yaizki Alaberri. To them, or to the literally immortal Laborious Hawk, whose pedigree of success singles him out as one of the best players of all time, period. A fantastically gifted scorer, Hawk gives the team's barrel-chested beast of a striker, Ikatz Ansotegi, a real run for his money.

The enemy will be none other than FC Axel Heiburg, themselves a new arrival on the scene of international fame - and uniquely, this will be the only Ides of March Cup to date to feature the last two winners of the UICA Champions' Cup. You couldn't ask for a better match.

[Astograth]

IDES OF MARCH CUP
Edition XV

Urbizania Wanderers 0–2 FC Axel Heiburg

[Polar Islandstates]

Announcement, Edition XVI

[Polar Islandstates]

Roster


Starting Line Up
---------------------------- de Zooijt ---------------------------
----------- Malkovitch -- Oyen-Spekke -- Bocandé -----------
-- Haagenstadt ------------------------------------ Baalsen --
---------------------- Bru --------- Rosenberg -------------------
------------ Kvitchenko --- Kilpter --- Saarinen ------------

GK - Demy de Zooijt (MYT)
DR - Mika Haagenstadt
DC - Dimitar Malkovitch
DC - Abdoulaye Bocandé (ASG)
DC - Julius Oyen-Spekke
DL - Luka Baalsen
MC - Jorgen-Franz Bru (C)
MC - Asbjorn Rosenberg
ST - Kristofer Kllpter (VIL)
ST - Diedrich Kvitchenko
ST - Felix Saarinen

Subs:
GK - Wojciech Borrman
DC - Stanislav Dahl
DR - Henning Almquist
DL - Julius Adlercreutz
AMC - Sol Marjaana
MC - Olivier Toiviainen
MC - Karsten Mannerheim
ST - Oscar Tukhbatulin
Manager - Magnus Fjelden

Modifier: +3

This historic club is based in the industrial and working class district of Rendahl, in the north-east of Franz Josef City, over the Elfsteijn Channel from the rest of the city, and in particular, SK Franz Josef City. East Franz fans are a strong and passionate bunch, driven by their desire to win more trophies than SK, something they'll have covered for a while yet thanks to their Champions Cup win, and empowered by the strong sense of camaraderie they feel towards each other.

In goal for the Spires is Mytanar Demy de Zooijt. Performing a series of acrobatic saves all season, he has become one of the iconic figures of Divisjon One, his proactive keeping style winning him fans amongst the analysts, if not the Mytanar team selectors. A good keeper is nothing without a strong defence in front of him however, and with Gyulla and Kowalski's retirements, the centre of defence needed a shake-up. Stanislav Dahl remains on the bench as an experienced head to bring on should he be needed, but new signing from Resolute Storm and Terns regular Julius Oyen-Spekke has been brought in to plug the gap for good, and has been touted by many as the most crucial part of East Franz's title win. Dimitar Malkovitch was the other major contributor in defence this season past, along with Astograthi-via-Zenega centre-back Abdoulaye Bocandé who joined the club from Echegoyan FC. The unusual 3-2-2-1-2 formation leaves plenty of space in front of the wing-backs to run into, a fact that both Baalsen and Haagenstadt exploit with every opportunity.

In the midfield, Jorgen-Franz Bru takes the captain's armband, with the relatively inexperienced Asbjorn Rosenberg jumping into the engine room with him to replace the outgoing Einmark and roving himself a worthy replacement. There are no wingers on the bench anymore, but the youngish midfielders Marjaar and oiviainen offer something different nonetheless, with Karsten Mannerheim one to watch for the future perhaps.

Up front is where the East Franz beast really bites and bears it teeth however, and with a trio of deadly strikers they have been feared all around the multiverse. Lead through the centre by the Vilitan forward Kristofer Kilpter, who came to the Federation League with a huge reputation from AO that he has so far justified, the attack will be bolstered on both sides by Polarian stars Felix Saarinen and Diedrich Kvitchenko. They have a near telepathic ability to know where the other is, and can freely adapt their roles within the formation at any point during the game, all being solid all rounders. On the bench is the tongue-twisting Oscar Tukhbatulin, but his appearance at any point would be a huge surprise.

Magnus Fjelden was thought by many to be the next worthy successor to the Terns job after what he's done for the Rendahl side throughout the years, but he was passed over by the committee in favour of the Axel Heiburg manager Rasmussen, whose achievements may have equalled and even somewhat eclipsed Fjelden's in recent years. He's not taken it personally, however, and East Franz fans are hugely happy to be keeping their man for another season.

Kit:



Rendahl Stadion

The setting? Rendahl Stadion. This iconic stadium is steeped in history, with the new stands being built on the exact site of the old stands. The Four Spires of Rendahl refer back to the original four corner flags used by the pioneering founders of the club in their first ever match, against SK. With night about to fall, and the pitch a simply marked patch of scrub in the industrial district of Rendahl, the founding fathers of East Franz Athletic lit the flags, and placed flares on top of the poles so that the game could continue. East Franz won 4-1. Today, this legend continues with the Four Spires, that light up every night, and throughout the endless night of the Polarian winter. Ituraitz fans beware, the Spires are in no mood to surrender any silverware this season...

[Astograth]

Ituraitz FC

Manager: Ichaso Chapitel
Style: +1
Colours

------------------ Logegaray ------------------
- Petersen ---- Steiner - Garro ---- Oiskonta -
- Maric ----------- Alberro -------- Cecile-Marie -
------------------- Eturaspe -------------------
---------------- Sarlange - Aer ----------------

Starting XI:

GK -  Machin Logegaray
LB -  Bardol Oiskonta
CB -  Edorta Garro
CB -  Roger Steiner
RB -  Dima Petersen (C)
RM -  Fantasia Cecile-Marie
CM -  Ikatz Alberro
LM -  Ostoja Maric
AM -  Anixi Eturaspe
CF -  Tomas Aer
CF -  Alphonse Richelieu

Substitutes:

GK -  Apal Barrandegi
DF -  Goi Salha
DF -  Arabante Kelay
MF -  Gerazan Itzarre
MF -  Ekhi Subies
FW -  Ibai Kiriano
FW -  Eneko Madariaga

Uniquely in Astograth, Ituraitz FC have a tradition of putting together truly memorable sides when they win things. Royal Rumiatzi may also have a record five league titles, but their wins were either too long ago or too sporadic to embed themselves in the collective imagination. With Ituraitz, it's quite the opposite: each title-winning team has been the culmination of a process long in the making, an epic tale of self-belief and overcoming the odds - or simply having some really great players finally show what they're capable of. Soter Sarlange, one of the last Ituraitzi greats who once stood alongside Ormache, Bordato, Erburu, Sutton, Barrueta, Lazr, Ansotegi and more, has at long last hung up his boots, but not without lifting the trophy and handing the armband to Dima Petersen.

Ichaso Chapitel, the manager who has successfuly buried the memory of Domeka Iriarte, will line up with his usual 4-3-1-2, a daring formation that relies on the fitness of his wingers and the covering talent of his centre-midfielder, as well as a good partnership between the attacking triangle formed by the advanced playmaker and his two strikers. In goal will be the 25 year-old Machin Logegaray, heir of the proud Ituraitzi goalkeeping tradition and undoubtedly one of the two best to ply his trade in the First Division. In front of him are Bardol Oiskonta, to be reckoned with on the charge up the left-wing; national team centre-back Edorta Garro, Gordonopian international Roger Steiner and his cuota of pure grit, and right-back Dima Petersen. He may be Polarian, but having played practically his entire professional career at Gorriaka he is an Ituraitz FC man through-and-through, as true as any of the fans in the stands.

The midfield features Yesopalithan international Fantasia Cecile-Marie gunning down the left and young Mytanar Ostoja Maric doing his part down the right, Olibondeka's Ikatz Alberro on his own recovering and distributing the ball in the middle of the pitch, like no one else can. In charge of coordinating the attack is Anixi Eturaspe, with an extensive pedigree that comprises success with the national team and three of Astograth's top clubs, with previous spells at Echegoyan FC and Royal Rumiatzi. As one of the highest-profile players in the league, a lot of money has been paid for Eturaspe over his career - and he continues to demonstrate he's worth every diru.

Up front will be Polarian forward Tomas Aer, quite gifted with both his head and feet and with a reputation as Gorriaka's last-minute saviour; his partner will be young Saugeain striker Alphonse Richelieu, who has much to prove but is certainly not lacking in talent nor the manager's confidence. From the sub's bench Chapitel could yet spring a few surprises, what with Iturributan international Arabante Kelay capable of providing the defense with fresh legs, the capped attacking midfielder Ekhi Subies eager to show what he can do and trickster teenager Ibai Kiriano similarly determined to reveal himself to the world.

Ituraitz FC have only ever faced East Franz twice, in ties valid for the defunct Copa de los Príncipes. Their visits to the Rendahl have resulted in a draw, which got them through to the next round, and a loss, which knocked them out. It is against SK Franz Josef City with whom they have more history and a veritable rivalry, but perhaps they can get away with a coup on the other side of the Polarian capital, just this once...

[Polar Islandstates]

IDES OF MARCH CUP
Edition XVI

East Franz Athletic 0–4 Ituraitz FC

[Polar Islandstates]

Announcement, Edition XVII

[Astograth]

Echegoyan FC

Manager: Garoa Larzondo
Style: 0
Colours

------------------ Gorrindo ------------------
- Eneriz ----- Medrano - Seriesta ----- Yaka -
- Bachiondo ---- Vander Rox ---- Benitzaizin -
------------------ Urrutia -------------------
----------- Isasmendi - Richelieu -----------

Starting XI:

GK -  Burni Gorrindo
LB -  Ximun Yaka
CB -  Aurelio Seriesta
CB -  Bikendi Medrano
RB -  Raitin Eneriz
LM -  Koldobika Benitzaizin
CM -  Jane Vander Rox
RM -  Iban Bachiondo (C)
AM -  Manex Urrutia
CF -  Baudouin Richelieu
CF -  Kauldi Isasmendi

Substitutes:

GK -  Ixona Zarandona
DF -  Eneto Zarandona
DF -  Ekain Ziaurriz
MF -  Zuzen Eturaspe
MF -  Zeledon Urralburu
FW -  Loramendi Arregi
FW -  Eddie Barlow

Echegoyan FC came from behind to win their third league title and spirits are high all around the Highlanders' camp, Garoa Larzondo continuing to imprint his style into the squad and some inspired signings spurring the club into what could well be their most successful spell yet. Their international outings haven't been the best since their last title win, with consecutive Champions' Cup eliminations at the hands of Yuba United and a humiliating loss to Iturributa United in an incredible Copa de Campeones final - but this has certainly been their longest period of high-level play. Two titles, twice runners-up, an international final and two Royal Cup finals in four seasons is nothing to scoff at... but if there's one competition that it really hurts to lose, it's the Ides of March Cup. They've been to the far north twice already and come away empty-handed as many times. This time it's at home.

And what a home it is. It may not have the old-fashioned charm of the Ximun Orieta Sporting Ground, for so many years their home stadium and that of city rivals Blue Mountain Range, but Silanes Park commands respect. The 55,140-seater stadium was built both to host World Cup 62 and serve the team's ever-growing support, which simply did not fit in the much more cramped Ximun Orieta. To that effect it boasts top-of-the-line infrastructure, under-soil heating to cope with the harsh Echegoyani winter, and lots of seats; the contrast between the masses of luxury boxes along the width of the pitch and steep exposed stands at the ends makes the stadium stand out visually. Elevation is a key element to take into consideration for visiting teams; Echegoyan is over 2,000 metres above sea level, embedded in the foothills of the Blue Mountains.

As far as the actual football goes, well, there's plenty to look forward to in Larzondo's side. Burni Gorrindo, who made himself known domestically in the Astograthian youth national teams, is the side's keeper and one of the top men in the First Division - only bad luck as to his generational colleagues has kept him from Olibondeka. His defense, who having taken a page from Blue Mountain Range are one of the most feared in the nation, consists of Ximun Yaka, of noteworthy performances at Oyardo FC, Pacitalian AOCAF Cup winner Aurelio Seriesta, gritty centre-back Bikendi Medrano and national team regular Raitin Eneriz.

Down the left goes the devilish Koldobika Benitzaizin, complemented by the equally enfuriating captain Iban Bachiondo, who has plenty of past at Olibondeka, while the person who keeps the cogs moving in the middle is none other than Yesopalitha's skipper and one of the few women to ply their trade in the First Division: the exquisitely talented Jane Vander Rox. Her link with the skilled Manex Urrutia up front is marvellous, swapping positions and playing off each other with ease, placing the right passes at the right times.

To whom do the pass? Besides the wingers, who are fully capable of cutting inside to score, the top gunners are Saugeain star Baudouin Richelieu and the irate Iturributan top scorer, Kauldi Isasmendi. Their silky style fits very well into the team's general philosophy of play - short, grounded passes to space, an emphasis on vision, reflexes and timing moreso than crossing or individual dribbling. Should they need something more... physical... then the gifted Slembanan forward Eddie Barlow can be brought on as a super-sub; should he fall into one of his bizarre states of depression in which a goal every two games just isn't good enough, then the experienced Loramendi Arregi can be counted upon.

Otherwise, on the bench sit the long-serving Ixona and Eneto Zarandona (no relation); Ekain Ziaurriz, recently snapped up from the accomplished Oyardo FC academy; First Division veteran Zuzen Eturaspe; and Iturributan starlet Zeledon Urralburu, who could make his Echegoyan FC début after a highly successful spell at Iturributa United.

The opponents aren't just anyone. FC Axel Heiburg has already beaten Echegoyan in one IoM, and though it's now an eye for an eye after Echegoyan managed to turn around their First Round tie in the past Copa de Campeones, there will be plenty of flames to fan at Silanes Park as two of the best clubs in the world clash for a uniquely - perhaps stupidly - coveted trophy.

[Polar Islandstates]

FC AXEL HEIBURG

Starting Line-Up
--------------------------- Rasmus --------------------------
----- Nielsen ----- Rovanpera -- Bloch ----- St Olaf -----
---------------------------- Courier ---------------------------
---------- Bakaikoa --- Cornelius --- Huytspurr ----------
---------------- Jagr -------- Illich-Svitych -----------------

GK - Jan Rasmus
DR - Sergei Nielsen
DC - Soren Rovanpera
DC - Vitaliy Bloch
DL - Alexis St Olaf
DMC - James Courier - (AUD)
MC - Eriz Bakaikoa (ASG)
MC - Marten Cornelius - Captain
MC - Kjetil Huytspurr
ST - Wojciech Jagr
ST - Vadim Illich-Svitych

Subs:
GK - Aapo Jelavic
DC - Radek Saraste
DR - Maximilian Pirinen
DL - Otto Zhdanov
MR - Andrej Spivak
DMC - Zako Csizmadia (URZ)
AMC - Daedalus Michelakos (AYP)
ST - Torsten Wolff
Manager - Miroslav Pvanic
Modifier - +2

Sometimes you get the impression that FC Axel Heiburg fans are still pinching themselves over this run of strong performances they've been enjoying. They seem to have won just about everything possible at some point in the last five seasons. And, apart from the GLobe Cup, they have. Often all at once. Times they are-a-changin', and Morten rasmussen has left the club to manage the Terns, but they still have the majority of the same squad, and it is hoped that incoming manager from RSK Longyearbyen Town, Miroslav Pvanic, will be able to pick up where the hometown hero left off.

As the club into which the esteemed Haapa-Mechelin Youth Academy is deigned to feed into, it should come as no surprise to anyone to discover that the majority of the roster is made up of graduates from that academy. As such, there is a definite feeling of local talent and youth in the names listed, and indeed, only two of the foreigners in the roster have been brought in to the club rather than being brought into the academy first.

Former Terns keeper and one of the oldest members of the team, Jan Rasmus is an experienced figure in the Axel Heiburg net and will be for maybe another season or so before retirement, with a young defence made of Nielsen, Rovanpera, Bloch, and St Olaf in front of him, all of which have experience for the Polar Islandstates u-21s. Jorgen Hauge, former Terns captain and all-round good guy, has been and gone, lifting the league trophy for the Argonauts last season before moving back to his hometown club of Mariussa Viking, and he is replaced by none other than Audioslavian World Cup lynchpin James Courier. Again, Axel Heiburg fans pinch themselves...

The creative midfield is cited by many as the beating heart of Rasmussen's game plan and Pvanic shows no signs of wanting to change that, with Cornelius in the middle being well assisted on either side by 'grathi import Eriz Bakaikoa and the now more centrally based Kjetil Huytspurr. Their creative endeavour and triangular based passing has baffled many a defence, and laid through many delicious through balls for the talented, young, and explosive front pair of Illich-Svitych and Jagr. Young they may be, but they are both Terns regulars already, and on the bench sits highly thought of nineteen year old prospect Torsten Wolff.

Pvanic has his work cut out if he's going to emulate Rasmussen's achievements here, and the Ides of March is going to be a tough match to cut his teeth on. However, its as good a match as any to have for your debut in the dugout for a team, and the fans are sure to giving him all the support he needs.

[Polar Islandstates]

Another flight to Astograth, another Ides of March Cup match. For many of the players, this was a routine they had experienced before. For most of them, in fact, only James Courier and the manager himself hadn't been on the plane the last time the Argonauts had flown to the Goose Coast to contest an Ides of March Cup. The fans woul be hoping they'd make it three from three, but Echegoyan FC stood in their way. They were all of them nervous, of course, in their own ways. Just, not outwardly. Apart, that is, from the manager.

Miroslav Pvanic had been relegated in his time with RSK Longyearbyen Town. He'd been relegated, and it had hurt. He'd taken the time, no, he'd been allowed the time by the board to rebuild the team and the club hierarchy from scratch, and he'd been rewarded with promotion. Better than that, after a while, he'd been rewarded with international qualification as well. He liked RSK. That club had been good to him, and he to it. It fitted him well, but maybe that was the problem. He'd looked around at other managers in the past and had seen them spend their whole lives comfortable. They went from club to club, never excelling, never suffering too badly. It looked boring. Miroslav had been relegated. It hurt. But it hurt good. The hurting only motivated him further, and that was a good thing. Now he wanted the pain and the pleasure. He wanted the challenge. Morten Rasmussen had also taken the Argonauts up from the second flight in his time, and so the board naturally saw Pvanic as an attractive proposition. They approached RSK, and how could he say no? If he wanted a life lived managing in more exciting climes, then Axel Heiburg would be it.

Sure was nervous, though.

He'd nurtured Vyacheslav Merkens, his one-time captain at RSK, into a fine assistant manager during his time there, and he totally respected the Mytanar's decision to stay and take the top spot at RSK as he left it. He deserved the chance to do it his way, for a start.

Sure did feel weird without him next to him on the plane, though.

And so, Miroslav did what he did best as the engines whirred outside in the dark, he turned to one of the conscious senior players near him and picked his brains.

"Pst, Jan, you awake?"

Jan Rasmus looked up from his book and eyed his new manager. "Sure, Boss, I'm awake, what's on your mind?"

"You not bothered that my first match is a competitive one in charge?"

"Nah, not really." Rasmus answered, folding his book down and shaking his head slightly. "Think about it, Jorgen's first match with the captain's armband was the last eye-oh-em we were, and look how that went. And thi will be your first match as well as James', it'll be fine. We do regeneration well here, you'll see that."

"Oh, aye, yeah, because of the academy?"

"Partially. You'll get to understand it more the longer you're here, but you'll get it. Nothing stands still in life, and we sort of work with that, here."

"I see, well, guess I'll try and get some sleep. Thanks, Jan."

"No problem, Boss, you need any help knowing where the paperclips are just let me know and I'll explain the filing system." joked Rasmus.

"Yeah, yeah," laughed Miroslav, and he turned back in his seat to attempt another go at sleeping on the long flight.

He was just getting more settled, when another thought struck him, and he turned back to his goalkeeper.

"Say, Jan, how come you turned down the captaincy?" asked Miroslav, "I guess I never thought about it at the time, but you were the captain before Jorgen arrived, right?"

"Yes I was," answered Rasmus, looking from his book again.

"Then how come you don't want to be now he's gone again? I mean, Marten's great, but you'll see more of the game from where you are."

"Again," smiled Rasmus, "it's about regeneration. When Steffan lifted the first title as captain, he was already retiring at the end of that season. The captaincy handed to me, and we won the title again. I lifted the trophy, and then Jorgen arrived. We played a season, and then we won the following one, which he lifted and now he's gone. Just, seems to be a pattern emerging. You win the title as captain here, and then you pass the captaincy onto someone else. We take turns in being the leader. We all can be, and so we are. Marten's a leader. You'll see that the more you know him. He's not just a playmaker."

"Okay," answered Miroslav, "so it's like a ritual thing?"

"Well, I think it should be, anyway," clarified Rasmus, "I haven't actually ever seen it written down or anything."

"Oh, okay. Well, thanks." said Miroslav, turning back into his seat.

He thought about that for a minute. Different captain for every title win. Not a bad idea, man-management wise, he had to admit. Maybe that should be something he should adopt formally into the club traditions. He'd signed an initial four-year contract with the club, and idly he reasoned that having two different captains should be at least his target aim for those five years given the club's current position. Marten, and then who? Vadim? Soren? Alexis? James Courier, the new guy? He was relatively unknown to Miroslav outside his World Cup heroics, so he'd have to get to know him, but the Ides of March Cup match seemed as good a place as any to do that.

Not necessarily the most important day in the footballing calendar, but certainly a very significant one for fans, players, and managers alike. Even if he wouldn't be losing any captains over the result.

[Astograth]

At 30, Manex Urrutia wasn't going anywhere. This was it. His peak. The Top. The best he could aspire to. Regrets could come later, but in truth there wasn't a whole lot to be disappointed with. In retrospect he'd had a solid, profitable career. He was better off than the vast majority of other footballers, enjoying his game at one of the top teams of the world... but there was still a sense of emptiness in being a "merely" above-average Astograthian player.

Normally, that is. Not tonight. This night and a handful of others were the ones that would stick with him for a lifetime, for better or worse, and he felt on top of the world heading into his second IoM Cup. The thrill of a one-off match for silverware was part of what made the Ides of March so attractive, the essence of it. Not the most stunning silverware, but the history and tradition behind it was the crucial spice. Enough to make Urrutia look forward to this with almost childish enthusiasm.

He was being paid to do what he loved, and on this night he could do so against one of the most accomplished opponents he would ever face - and as he aged, the chances to do so again were ever scarcer.

Silanes Park wasn't quite home - that would always be the Ituraitz Sporting Ground decked out in the blue of Victory - but it was here that he'd won the league for the second time with Echegoyan and been able to celebrate it with their fans, the previous trophy being won on the windswept pitch of Olarria. He'd lifted no cups with his boyhood club, so this was the next best thing. Few things could top the feeling of being the best, of having survived thirty gruelling matchdays to come out the victors in one of the toughest leagues the UICA could offer its viewers.

Of course, FC Axel Heiburg knew not only that feeling, but also what it was like to beat the rival league champions and rise above literally ever other club, winning the Champions' Cup. This faux David vs. Goliath tale only made it more exciting, even if Ituraitz FC broke the Astograthian curse in some fashion in the last edition. Echegoyan was still the underdog, albeit a rich, talented, title-winning underdog.

Urrutia shuffled in line behind Bachiondo, the referee striding out onto the pitch and bright lights. Lined up, a familiar mix of anxiety and pride bubbled below the surface, a foreboding feeling of just how hard it was to score a goal; it dissipated upon considering just who he had on his side. Burni was perhaps the First Division's most underrated keeper, Aurelio was an AOCAF champion, Raitin was the most talented full-back in the league and national team, Koldobika was moving up in the world himself, Jane was, in Urrutia's humble opinion, one of the best in the world, Iban had the experience and quick feet to fool the most veteran defenders, Baudouin's budding skill was blinding and Kauldi was Kauldi. Impossible to understand, impossible to stop.

If tonight ended in disappointment, it would be filed away with those Royal Cup finals lost in the enormity of Grand Duke's.

If it ended in cheers, it would be like the two titles won already, or that bizarre night in Wight where he'd found himself clad in olive-green, scoring on Carmadin to lift the Glass Bowl consolation prize.

He'd never go back to that. Probably not to this either. He'd treasure it either way, because he'd never play football this good ever again.

[Astograth]

IDES OF MARCH CUP
Edition XVII

Echegoyan FC 1–1 FC Axel Heiburg
(1–1 AET) (4–2 pen.)