AOCAF 36 :: Atlantian Oceania :: Rosters & RP

[Vilita]

Round of 16 Results (Vilitan Region)
Kiryu-shi [2] Andossa Se Mitrin Vega [1]
Osarius [2] Carpathia and Ruthenia [0]
Dorian and Sonya [1] Wight [1] Wight advances (4-5) on penalty kicks.
Starblaydia [2] New Montreal States [0]

Round of 16 Results (Turorian Region)
Thatius [3] Leorudo [0]
Pacitalia [2] New West Guiana [0]
Valanora [3] Gallund [0]
Vilita & Turori [0] Cosumar [0] Vilita & Turori advances (4-1) on penalty kicks. *

* Score simulated by Oliverry

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Quarter Final Matchups (Vilitan Region)

Kiryu-Shi v. Osarius
Turoki National Stadium, Turoki City

Wight v. Starblaydia
National View Stadium, Morata Valley


Quarter Final Matchups (Turorian Region)

Thatius v. Pacitalia
Kionao Minor Field, Kionao

Valanora v. Vilita & Turori
Cednia Beach Center, Cednia


Quarter Final matchups will be scorinated ~45 hours from this post.

[Osarius]

The Vilitalian Job

Despite not having much time to prepare for the AOCAF Cup, Sahota and his Firebirds side have performed pretty well, securing a berth in the round of sixteen as winners of Group C. An early draw with relatively inexperienced Wight seemed to spell trouble for the Osarians -- though one might argue that to expect anything but trouble from the dominion of Búa King of Uncertain Dimensions is naive -- before a narrow win over Bazalonia. The final game of the group stage saw Amandeep Sahota's side catch a lucky break, playing most of the second half against a solid Legalese side with an extra man.

The sending off of Roy Whitcraft after just four minutes of the second half, for a second bookable offence seemed a little harsh, and effectively killed any hope of Legalese overcoming the Osarians' possession-based game. Heading into the match as group leaders, Legalese caught the Firebirds cold, opening scoring on seventeen minutes through star forward Kelvin Bassford. Clever movement from Jimmy Jay -- who had dropped deep to link play -- drew Connor McCarthy forward, before a one-two released the Legalese number ten into the Osarian penalty area. Rather than take on the shot himself, Jay deftly chipped the ball toward his strike partner, almost perpendicular to the touchline, over the outstretched arms of Gareth Mason.

The Osarian response will likely be encouraging not only for Sahota, but the OFA too, as they managed to maintain possession for an extended period following the goal, culminating in Gilberto Cuellar winning a free kick ont he edge of the box. Ana Menendez stepped up and curled the ball over the wall toward the top right corner, only to see it bounce back off the crossbar. The Firebirds pinned Legalese back, however, and kept the ball moving in the final third, before a gap eventually opened up. Cuellar's shot crashed against the left upright before bobbling across the goal-line. Cesare Valenti was quickest to react and prod it over for the goal. The Firebirds wouldn't extend their lead until after the sending off, Cuellar was again scythed down, allowing captain McCarthy to convert from twelve yards. The livewire left winger would put the icing on the cake in the final minute, after cutting inside and curling a strike toward the top right corner on his weaker right foot to round off a man-of-the-match display.

Cuellar's form will likely turn heads back home, though there is little chance of a King's League club being capable of luring him back to Osarius. Zhevassi are likely to be unwilling to sell either, particularly after the former Utica man repeated his heroics against Carpathia and Ruthenia in the round of sixteen.

The 2-0 result was largely built on the back of defensive solidity, with McCarthy and Santana playing excellently in tandem to neutralise the prolific strike duo of Valerio and Martinelli -- who entered the tournament with 27 goals between them, in under 50 appearances -- while serving as a platform for most Osarian attacks. The opener came late in the first half, when a Menendez diagonal ball found Gilberto Cuellar zipping past Neri. Cuellar's cross was met well by McLean, who powered a header home from twelve yards. The second would be similar, with Fields finding Robinson in space on the left. The Firewood fullback advanced, playing a neat one-two with Cuellar before sending a deep cross beyond the reach of Báthory -- who was under pressure from McLean -- which fell to Valenti at the back post.

The Hastmead forward has been another player having a break-out tournament. Perhaps it is the effect of working under his former club manager, or the slightly different system, but Valenti is Osarius' top scorer at the AOCAF Cup, with four goals. When asked if he thinks he's done enough to get a regular spot in the Osarius squad for the World Cup qualifying campaign, he was optimistic "I think I might have a decent shot, yeah. Especially if the gaffer stays on after the AOCAF." His response touched on something that has not been made clear, but has gone unnoticed in the general buzz surrounding the team's exploits in Vilita so far. Nobody expected the team to perform as well as they have, meaning that nobody has thought to really discuss the long-term future of the Osarius manager's position. It had been generally assumed that Sahota's resignation at Hastmead meant he would be the national boss on a permanent basis, though he never confirmed this. When asked prior to the round of sixteen, Sahota was still non-committal. "I'm not sure what's going to happen next. My contract with the FA is only for the AOCAF, and we haven't discussed what's going to happen after that." He went on to explain the situation regarding Hastmead, in which he acknowledged the club's recent lack of trophies. "My resignation is something I feel was probably necessary. I was becoming too comfortable in Carbonia, and the team needs fresh management. It's something I'd been considering anyway, and when the OFA called, I just couldn't say no. But leaving Hastmead was probably a good thing. When you lose a few times, and you don't get trophies... you realise how hard it is to win them."

The Firebirds will face Kiryu-shi in the quarter finals, with the winner set to take on either Wight or Starblaydia for a place in the final, yet nobody is daring to look that far ahead. "We're playing every game like it will be our last." Captain Connor McCarthy revealed. "Some of us might not get many more chances, if any, to represent the country, so it's not far off the truth."

[Pacitalia]

Football > AOCAF Cup 36
Monday 30th July 2012

Demi Santos jogs to corner flag after scoring his seventh goal at AOCAF Cup 36 (APR)

Pacitalia pulls into last eight on Demi pair
The striker turns in yet another brilliant performance in Blue Fox blue

Constantin Tiervancu
Inura Forest, Turori


Dare it be said that AOCAF Cup 36 is quickly becoming Demi's tournament.

The Pacitalian forward shone brightly yet again, scoring twice for the fourth match in a row, and the Blue Foxes reached the quarterfinals with a 2-0 victory over West Guiana.

In bringing his Cup total to eight, Demi continued to put space between himself and his competition for the Golden Boot. But the 22-year-old, who turned in his 53rd senior team appearance for Pacitalia, is, as usual, placidly focused on the next task, and not on his accomplishments thus far.

"I don't mind getting this attention but I'm here to win," he said after the round of sixteen match. "I am happy that I have the opportunity to score these goals and make our country proud. It's great to be the one that helps make a big difference in a match, for sure, but I'm just doing it for this team and for my country. We want to win this Cup back."

Fellow forwards Xabi Ferrán and Cadi Herrera are having much less successful tournaments, but the three-man formation up front is still putting the ball in the back of the net. Cadi, for his part, hit a milestone in the round of sixteen with his 50th cap for Pacitalia.

For Xabi, it has been yet another disappointing go as a starting player, with questions about whether he can deal with the pressure up front. The young centre forward was once thought of as the next Giurimano, but now that he's filling the departed il Sorcère's shoes long-term, he has struggled, managing just a single goal for the Foxes in this Cup.

In what must pose further threat to Xabi's confidence, he has been plucked for Fernando Nero in three of Pacitalia's four matches. Nero, the first black striker in Pacitalian history, has been impressive as a replacement up front, nearly scoring on two separate occasions in his first major tournament.

Demi's first goal came with six minutes to play before the half. Pitched the ball from an advancing Michelangelo Mascagnano, Demi calmly flicked the ball to Xabi through the legs of a befuddled Danell Hamilton. Xabi aimed for goal, firing off a rocket that beat keeper Thomas Lichtens but not the crossbar. The rebound came back to Demi, who sidestepped Hamilton and Lichtens and sent the ball cleanly into the net with a bouncing shot.

Mascagnano came up a touch lame after the play and had to be substituted off at halftime for Lamberto Dommaso. He was shown on television during the second half grimacing slightly and motioning to his left leg while conversing with manager Massimo Pennachetti.

The captain's armband was transferred to Aurelio Seriesta for the second half, and Masca will be a tentative starter for the quarterfinal, having suffered an apparent hamstring strain.

Camilo Branco also fell victim to injury after West Guianan striker Jamie Usor' quite viciously stomped on the Pacitalian back's right foot in the 68th minute. Shockingly, the referee only cautioned Usor'. But after Demi scored his second goal only moments later and earned the Foxes a dose of poetic justice — and a 2-0 lead — a visibly boiling Felipe Hernandez yanked Usor' in favour of Han Honi.

The Foxes closed out their second meeting with the Guianans and booked a date with their next opponent, Thatius. The unranked side has thoroughly impressed at AOCAF Cup 36, having edged a good Cosumar side by a point to win Group E. The Thatians followed that solid group-stage performance with a convincing 3-0 victory over Group F runners-up Leorudo.

Aboard the team bus to Kionao on Monday morning, Pennachetti told the smattering of media along for the ride that there was still a contrast to be made between West Guiana and Thatius.

"Think about the fact that the Guianans played a very good match, a very technically sound match, and they were in the knockouts with that confidence and cohesion despite having lost once," he said. "Now we face a team that is, like us, undefeated so far. They are arguably one of the fairy-tale stories of this Cup. I don't know how overwhelmed or intimidated they're really going to be."

Besides Pacitalia and Thatius, the other six teams remaining at AOCAF Cup 36 are Valanora (ranked 5th), hosts Vilita & Turori (9th), Osarius (13th), Kiryu-shi (18th), Starblaydia (25th), and one other unranked team, Wight.

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Copyright © 2012 Extra, the Pacitalian sport network
http://www.extra.pc/football/nr.gspx?sd=800018&ad=en

[Wight]

.

[Falcania]

"Hey Daev!" the producer heard in his earpiece. "You're going to want to see this!"

"OK, and we're live on Airsweep TotalSport 1! I'm Jackwell Tollioni, and we're here to see the results of the Group of 16 Draw!"

"I'm looking forward to it, Jack."

"You're looking smug, Tom."

"Am I, Jack?"

"So here we have it! And as you can see, Falcania is through to play its first RO16 match against..."

"Who are we playing, Jack?"

"It's... right here..."

"You didn't go to the briefing, did you, Jack?"

"Not as such, no."

"Look at the graphic, Jack. Do you see Falcania on that chart, anywhere?"

"Er, no."

"Do you know why that is, Jack?"

"No, Tom."

"Of course not. And I'll explain to the viewers why that is. Let's take a look at this graphic."

"I'm... not sure that's suitable for the news-screen, Tom,"

"Sure, Daev, blur some bits out. Now, Jack, can you describe what we're seeing in this photo?"

"That's... that's me last night, Tom."

"And what is a Spike City Sunset, Jack? It's not the one with the chilli sauce, but we might find out in this next clip."

"Sky above, is this really happening?"

"Run with it, Daev, it gets better..."

"Any further comments, Jackwell Tollioni?"

"..."
"This is it, he's gonna blow."

"Like, what the wife might think?"
"You son of A WHORE!"

"Open sky, that just happened."

"He punched his co-host live on air."

"They're going at it now. Really, they've both got the claws out."

"Skyyyy, this is getting ugly."

"What are our viewing estimates tonight?"

"I dunno, twelve mill?"

"Think we should stop it?"

"Give it a minute."

The production crew stood and watched for a full ninety seconds.

"Studio's on the line."

"Yeah, I guess this has gone on long enough."

"Wait- they're pulling eighty mill, it's going viral online, they want you to stretch this out as long as possible."

"Well, I'll be damned."

They watched a moment more.

"Is he gonna throw that-"

"Yep, the chair has been thrown."

[Valanora]

"Well, you were right, we won and lo and behold, there are the hosts waiting to take us on."

"Do you think they get an advantage playing as a combined team?"

"Do we get an advantage as playing as a commonwealth of nations rather than just one?"

"Fair point, though the Templara have lost their lands and two member nations of the commonwealth have gone into the abyss since the forming of Valanora all those years ago. Even little Vyinta now has a measure of a domestic league and is integrated into the Valanora league system! Never would have believed that to be a possibility when the commonwealth was formed now would you? Anyways, no, playing as a combined team really does not give them a decidedly larger advantage than anyone else, merely a larger pool of players to select their squad from, as is our case, in my opinion anyhow."

"I'm inclined to agree with your opinion on the matter good sir, though I would say that our situation is a bit different. All the same, there really is no advantage to be had in such a case, or Capitalizt SLANI would have won more titles before they decided to get playing in the international game."

"Another good example."

"Moving on to more important matters, think we can manage a victory over them?"

"That is a tricky question. When they were competing on their own, Turori gave the Maruaders all sorts of fits, were the team's "bogey" side as it were. But that was a time over forty years ago, times have changed. Not only have we gotten better both in the world and regionally, but they have fallen behind. While they are doing their best to come back as a powerful side within the sporting community, that time just isn't now I think. The Marauders should be able to lean on the skill of their midfield and maneuver into the semifinals, where I imagine the Foxes of the Pacitalia will be waiting. That nation always seems to be lurking around the AOCAF title crown round like we were the World Cup semifinals back in the late thirty and early forty editions."

"One thing at a time, first their needs to be a victory over the hosts before we can even entertain the idea of trying to topple the Blue Foxes."

[Turori]

Eel-Cat Things Survive Shootout

Miiastara the Hero saving two Cosumar Spot-Kicks

Turori National Team goalkeeper Ronjii Miiastara was the hero for the Vilita & Turori Eel-Cat things in their AOCAF 36 Round of 16 clash with Cosumar at the Lirai Asku Castle in Yeaddin. The match, the third consecutive competition in which Vilita or Cosumar would eliminate the other from the tournament, finished goalless after full and extra time had completed with neither side looking to take the risk of opening themselves up with a strong attacking chance.

The Castle was packed to a full sell out crowd, and although the goals didn't flow, the fans were treated to a maximum allocation of sport and a masterful showing by Miiastara to clinch the match with the outstretched palm.

Both teams scored the opening goal in the shootout before Vilita & Turori went up 2-1 through Kristofer Kilpter. It was then that Miiastara saved the first of two Cosumar efforts. Lawaai converted the 3-1 goal before Miiastara's 2nd save and the youngster Kiroki Mitaroka sealed the deal to send the Eel-Cat Things through to the Quarter Finals to square off against Valanora.

Miiastara got the chance to shine due to a freak injury to Vilitan National Team keeper Nycflala Kater during the second half of play. During an attack, the Cosumar forward attempted an overhead scissor kick. The player missed the ball entirely, losing a boot in the process. The errant boot was right on target, however, striking Kater on the side of the face as the Vilitan keeper could not palm the boot away the ame way he had done each of the Cosumar attempts prior to that.

There was a lengthy delay as the medical team attempted to stitch Kater up to get him back into the match, but eventually the referee indicated that play had to continue, forcing Vilita & Turori to use one of their substitutions. Kater was treated in the locker room and re-appeared on the bench during Extra time no worse for the wear, supporting teammate Miiastara in the fantastic penalty stopping performance.

	Cosumar
:: Goalscorers ::	:: Goalscorers ::
:: Best Player: Yves Gadois :: Worst Player: Steffyn Siazzu :: Shots on Target: 2 :: Corner Kicks: 4	:: Shots on Target: 3 :: Corner Kicks: 6

Vilita & Turori Eel Cat Things (3-(1-4)-2) ::
[GK] Nycflala Kater, [D] Ritopa Simafela, [D] Kadi Molali, [D] Noa-isinao Wioauoi, [DMC] Retiso Buran, [ML] Jomur Hulyer, [MC] Steffyn Siazzu, [MC] Kiroki Mitaroka, [MR] Raso Tareak, [FC] Yves Gadois, [FC] Viji-mara Lawaai
BENCH::
[FC] Kristofer Kilpter, [FC] Jukkia Diijelhma, [M] Astara Daiili, [M] Vrotaoa Lorasoiba, [U] Dronik Ratuva, [D] Eda Shindhi, [GK] Ronji Miiastara

Vilita Substitutions::
(45) - Yves Gadois >>> Kristofer Kilpter
(69) - Nycflala Kater >>> Ronji Miiastara
(72) - Steffyn Siazzu >>> Jukkia Diijelhma

(For Future Statistical Reference)
GK :: Nycflala Kater 7

D :: Ritopa Simafela 9
D :: Kadi Molali 8
D :: Noa-isinao Wioauoi 10

DMC :: Retiso Buran 6

ML :: Jomur Hulyer 6
MC :: Steffyn Siazzu 5
MC :: Kiroki Mitaroka 8
MR :: Raso Tareak 5

FC :: Yves Gadois 7
FC :: Viji-mara Lawaai 7

Vilitan Subs Bench:
FC :: Kristofer Kilpter 6
FC :: Jukkia Diijelhma 5
M :: Astara Daiili DNP
M :: Vrotaoa Lorasoiba DNP
U :: Dronik Ratuva DNP
D :: Eda Shindhi DNP
GK :: Ronji Miiastara 5

[Vilita]

Quarter Final Results (Vilitan Region)
Kiryu-shi [1] Osarius [3]
Wight [3] Starblaydia [1]
Quarter Final Results (Turorian Region)
Thatius [2] Pacitalia [3]
Valanora [1] Vilita & Turori [2]*

* Result Scorinated by Yesopalitha

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Semi Final Matchup (Vilitan Region)

Osarius v. Wight
Lunar Park, Seraai


Semi Final Matchup (Turorian Region)

Pacitalia v. Vilita & Turori
Almintora National Stadium, Almintora


Semi Final matchups will be scorinated ~45 hours from this post.[/quote]

[Wight]

.

[Pacitalia]

Football > AOCAF Cup 36
Wednesday 1st August 2012

Xabi Ferrán was all smiles at the post-match press conference

Demi shines again as Pacitalia edge Thatians
Fifth match in a row with a pair of goals, including match-winner

Constantin Tiervancu
Kionao, Turori


Demi Santos pushed his tournament-leading goal total to 10, Xabi Ferrán finally broke out of his slump with a strike of his own, and the Blue Foxes booked their ticket to the semifinals of AOCAF Cup 36 with a 3-2 victory over an upstart side from tournament newcomer Thatius.

Pacitalia will now face tournament hosts Vilita & Turori at Almintora National Stadium after the Eel-Cat Things found a way through favoured Valanora with a stunning last-minute goal by national hero Kristofer Kilpter. The forward's scorcher roared past a bewildered Mariaddren Undodhen in the 89th minute to give the hosts a 2-1 lead they would hold onto through injury time.

The other half of the draw sees 13th-ranked Osarius facing an unbelievably resilient Wight squad for a berth in the final. Wight, against all expectations, have made it into the final four at this tournament. It's in similar fashion to the Bulls, who, in their first entry into the regional competition, found a way through to the championship final at AOCAF Cup 34.

The Thatians took an early 1-0 lead on a dribbling goal off the back heel of Marco Voloski and held that lead through the first half an hour. The two sides then traded goals, with Xabi's second goal of the tournament coming at the 31-minute mark. Alex O'Brien then restored the Firebirds' lead in the 41st minute, adding to the frustration of a stunned Pacitalian side.

Entering the second half, it appeared Thatius was on course for a stinging upset, approaching the 70th minute with no notable response from the Pacitalians.

The Blue Foxes, lacking captain Michelangelo Mascagnano due to a hamstring strain, looked flat through most of the second half, until an inspired double substitution from Pacitalian manager Narciso Pennachetti brought on the fresh legs of Cristián Pique and Goran Kovacevic in place of the tired midfield pair of Lamberto Dommaso and Fenicio Samatini.

Pique went on to almost single-handedly spark the Pacitalian attack, with his pair of attempts in the 73rd minute -- the first on a spearhead play into the box and the second on the resulting corner -- swinging the momentum firmly onto the side of the Blue Foxes.

It then took a matter of mere seconds for the Foxes to equalise, with Pique streaking unmarked into the box again, and feeding the ball to Demi. The Pacitalian striker made no mistake five metres from goal, blasting a low shot past Novák Prakusya to tie the match at 2-2.

The equalising goal did the Firebirds no favours and was visibly deflating. While a feverish Thatian attack attempted to take the wind out of the Pacitalian sails, the overwhelming bias of the crowd helped to stymie any further onslaught, and the Foxes' back five were quite content to hog possession and launch a set of counterattacks.

Demi would score his second of the match, and 10th of the tournament, on one of those counterattacking plays. He fooled Prakusya on a charge into the 18-yard box by faking a pass to Cadi Herrera and then slotting the ball through the Thatian keeper's legs to give Pacitalia its first, only, and most important lead of the match.

Pacitalian keeper Ander Bera told reporters after the match he had been "beating [him]self up on the pitch" for giving up the two goals to Voloski and O'Brien.

"I lost concentration and didn't give it my best effort," he said. "I know what I need to do in the semifinal. I know it's time to get serious. I'm not worried about my confidence, it was just a lapse in concentration. It doesn't happen to me very often and obviously I'd love to have those goals back, but what can you do?"

Xabi Ferrán said AOCAF Cup 36 was quickly becoming a tournament where anything can happen.

"We saw unranked teams playing decent football in the group stage, low-ranked teams making it as far as the semifinals, and there have been some pretty big upsets so far," he said. "We know we're here because of our own efforts but we also know we're fortunate to have been successful. We don't want to take anything for granted given what's happened to other teams."

"I think if we stick to how we play our game of football, and not let anyone else dictate the flow or the style of a match, we can continue to be successful," Pennachetti remarked post-match. "It's been a superb team effort from these boys so far. They have faced adversity head-on and they deserve to be in the semifinal."

The Pacitalian boss told media at the post-match press conference that Mascagnano was "essentially fit to return" for the semifinal match against Vilita & Turori, but that the midfielder and team captain would be "repeatedly evaluated" prior to the match on his fitness. If Mascagnano is deemed unfit to start, Dommaso will once again replace him in the starting lineup.

Score summary to come...

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Copyright © 2012 Extra, the Pacitalian sport network
http://www.extra.pc/football/nr.gspx?sd=800100&ad=en

[Turori]

Eel-Cat Things Stun Valanora

Hosts advance to Semi Finals to face AOCAF's most decorated side

For nearly the entirety of the opening 45 minutes of the AOCAF 36 Quarter Final between hosts Vilita & Turori and the Marauders of Valanora, the hosts were chasing greatness as six-time World Cup Finalist Valanora took the early lead through living legend Espy va Drake just 6 minutes into the match.

The Eel-Cat things required half an hour before their first real challenge on Veryasirion Dart, a Viji-mara Lawaai effort that was palmed over the crossbar for a corner kick, which eventually amounted to nothing.

There must have been a decent pep talk at the half, however, as the next 45 minutes would be far more impressive for the hosts.

Vilita & Turori came out of the gates flying, earning 3 corners in the opening 5 minutes of the second half, leveling the match on the 3rd.

It was Jomur Hulyer who supplied the ball and Vilitan captain Ritopa Simafela who rose highest to rocket the ball directly into the back of the net to level the scores, delighting the crowd at the Cednia Beach Center in Turori.

A storm broke out about 30 minutes from time, and the unexpected deluge wreaked havoc on the pitch and the pace of play. Organizers had a decision to make, but, perhaps controversially, decided to allow play to continue. Every ball had to be played in the air and every tackle had to be contested with the utmost of care.

The deluge eased after about 20 minutes as the match settled back down and appeared destined for extra time.

As the 4th referee prepared to signal for added time, Kristofer Kilpter presented a moment of brilliance - or plain luck - teeing up from 25 yards out and curling a wicked shot to the far corner of the net, out of the reach of the Vanorian goalkeeper.

The marauders watched in disbelief as Kilpter, a dual Vilita & Turori national playing in his home stadium, the home of his club side Cednia Beach AFC, lapped the concourse with a tailining of Vilita & Turori teammates to the delight of the pro-Vilita & Turori, and very-pro Cednia Beach crowd.

Kilpter would eventually get a yellow card for timewasting during his celebration, but the card was was well worth it as Valanora could not respond in stoppage time, seeing the hosts Vilita & Turori through to face top seed Pacitalia in the semi-finals at the Almintora National Stadium.

	Valanora
:: Goalscorers :: :: 49' Ritopa Simafela :: 89' Kristofer Kilpter	:: Goalscorers :: :: 6' Espy va Drake
:: Best Player: Retiso Buran :: Worst Player: Jomur Hulyer :: Shots on Target: 7 :: Corner Kicks: 12	:: Best Player: Espy va Drake :: Worst Player: Morronuth Neltanta :: Shots on Target: 6 :: Corner Kicks: 10

Vilita & Turori Eel Cat Things (3-(1-4)-2) ::
[GK] Nycflala Kater, [D] Ritopa Simafela, [D] Kadi Molali, [D] Noa-isinao Wioauoi, [DMC] Retiso Buran, [ML] Jomur Hulyer, [MC] Steffyn Siazzu, [MC] Kiroki Mitaroka, [MR] Raso Tareak, [FC] Yves Gadois, [FC] Viji-mara Lawaai
BENCH::
[FC] Kristofer Kilpter, [FC] Jukkia Diijelhma, [M] Astara Daiili, [M] Vrotaoa Lorasoiba, [U] Dronik Ratuva, [D] Eda Shindhi, [GK] Ronji Miiastara

Vilita Substitutions::
(65) - Raso Tareak >>> Kristofer Kilpter

(For Future Statistical Reference)
GK :: Nycflala Kater 7

D :: Ritopa Simafela 10
D :: Kadi Molali 7
D :: Noa-isinao Wioauoi 10

DMC :: Retiso Buran 9

ML :: Jomur Hulyer 7
MC :: Steffyn Siazzu 9
MC :: Kiroki Mitaroka 8
MR :: Raso Tareak 6

FC :: Yves Gadois 7
FC :: Viji-mara Lawaai 5

Vilitan Subs Bench:
FC :: Kristofer Kilpter 5
FC :: Jukkia Diijelhma DNP
M :: Astara Daiili DNP
M :: Vrotaoa Lorasoiba DNP
U :: Dronik Ratuva DNP
D :: Eda Shindhi DNP
GK :: Ronji Miiastara DNP

[Vilita]

Semi Final Results (Vilitan Region)
Osarius [2] Wight [1]
Semi Final Results (Turorian Region)
Pacitalia [3] Vilita & Turori [2]*


*Scorinated by Geisenfried

AOCAF 36 Final
Osarius v. Pacitalia
Lonngeylin Coliseum, Lonngeylin, Vilita

(To be scorinated in ~48 hours)


Third Placed Playoff Match
Wight v. Vilita & Turori
Coliseum of the Inurahtii, Inura Forest, Turori

(To be scorinated in ~24 hours)

[Wight]

.

[Vilita]

Vilita & Turori [1] Wight [1] (2-2 AET) Vilita & Turori wins (2-0) on penalty kicks.

[Pacitalia]

Football > AOCAF Cup 36
Friday 3rd August 2012

Fernando Nero was brilliant for the Blue Foxes, standing in for Xabi Ferrán

Nero the hero as Foxes move on to play for Cup
Masca makes his return, but Xabi exits tournament early with broken leg

Constantin Tiervancu
Almintora, Turori

Fernando Nero scored twice and Demi Santos added a third as the Blue Foxes locked up their ninth appearance in the AOCAF Cup final with a nailbiting, second-straight 3-2 win, this time over the host nations of Vilita and Turori.

Michelangelo Mascagnano returned to captain the Pacitalian side, after having sat out the quarterfinals with a tweaked hamstring, but the Blue Foxes almost immediately lost another key player to injury.

Xabi Ferrán broke his right fibula in an awkward challenge in just the seventh minute of play during Thursday evening's semifinal fixture. He will, as a result, not play another match for almost six months based on the severity of the injury.

Fortunately for Pacitalia, Fernando Nero came on for the injured Xabi and was the difference for the Foxes in helping edge the Eel-Cat Things. Nero's two second half goals erased a second consecutive 2-1 halftime deficit, which had come courtesy strikes from Yves Gadois and Viji-mara Lawaai. The come-from-behind victory clearly stunned the host nation, who had largely contained the threat of Demi Santos despite allowing him a tournament-best 11th goal just a quarter of an hour into play.

The win secured Pacitalia's eighth berth in a championship final dating back to AOCAF Cup 25. Prior to that, Pacitalia's only appearance in the final was a 2-1 defeat in AOCAF Cup 19 at the hands of these same Eel-Cat Things.

Since then, Pacitalia has triumphed in the title match every single time they have made an appearance. While one might forgive Pacitalian fans for thinking yet another final berth is destiny in the making, that this will surely be title number eight, the Blue Foxes themselves are much more cautious and respectful of their next opponent.

Demi Santos called the Firebirds the "quietest finalists in a very long time" and said that was exactly what made them so dangerous. Manager Narciso Pennachetti has called the Osarian squad "deceptively talented", pointing to stellar efforts from Gilberto Cuellar and Felix McLean up front.

Indeed, the Firebirds may just be the very definition of a deceptive, quiet team, having almost silently wrapped up Group C. Under normal circumstances, statistical favourites Legalese and Bazalonia would have easily qualified, leaving Osarius and Wight in the dust. Instead, the opposite happened, and the Eagles and the Bazalopes went home early.

Determined to prove their mettle, the Osarian team snuck past Carpathia and Ruthenia, 2-0, in the round of sixteen, and then stung Group A winners Kiryu-shi, 3-1, in the last eight. And after a second meeting with groupmates Wight and another comfortable win, the Firebirds find themselves on the cusp of a potential upset of a nation diligently trying to put some space between it and the Purple Peril in the regional record books.

This has been, by far, the best-ever performance by the Osarian team at the world's premier regional football championship. The number of Firebirds supporters present in Vilita and Turori — a fan base whose size has grown exponentially since matchday one — is living proof of the nation's emboldened hopes for a first title.

The Foxes, however, are equally determined, for a different reason. While the Foxes themselves languished for a long time without a title — it took 14 appearances before the Pacitalians finally became champions of Atlantian Oceania — winning the lot never gets old.

And this is one of the youngest and greenest rosters that Pacitalia have ever put to field. Though markedly more internationally experienced than previous squads, only 12 of the 33 players on this Cup's roster have been part of any previous title win. Just seven have been around for the last three wins, and none of the current coaching staff, including Pennachetti, have won a Cup title.

Still, the Foxes remain ranked third for a reason — a tradition of excellence and steeled nerves. They have powered their way through to this final the way a consistent team always does, remaining a team of eleven-plus the entire time instead of a gaggle of individuals with massive egos.

Faced with a handful of tournament-threatening injuries, or having fallen behind in matches to the absolute horror of the Blue Fox faithful in the stands, the bench has come out and responded in a way no one had truly expected (and still can't quite appreciate).

The sheer depth of the Pacitalian roster has been a remarkable achievement for Pennachetti and a testament to the nation's obsessive love of the sport of football. There is so much quality in the Pacitalian squad. But there's another up-and-coming nation yet to play, who are just as hungry for glory, and it will be of paramount importance for the Foxes not to look past the final whistle.

Vilita & Turori play Wight for third place tonight in Inura Forest.

Notes... Xabi Ferrán's condition has been updated. He will be out at least six months after breaking his fibula in three places... Michelangelo Mascagnano (MF, captain) earned his 128th cap, tying him with Ambrosino Giurimano for the all-time lead... Pau Capdemarco (for Aurelio Seriesta) and Cristián Pique (for Fenicio Samatini) were Pacitalia's two other substitutions.

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Copyright © 2012 Extra, the Pacitalian sport network
http://www.extra.pc/football/nr.gspx?sd=800198&ad=en

[Vilita]

AOCAF 36 Final
Osarius [0] Pacitalia [1]
Lonngeylin Coliseum, Lonngeylin, Vilita

[Osarius]

((OOC: Ah crap, I just missed the cutoff. No matter.))

AOCAF Cup 36 Final Preview :: Osarius vs Pacitalia

As seems to be the trend with Osarian football, the kids are leading the way. As the Firebirds prepare to compete in their first major football tournament final, it is a team of under-25s in the spotlight. Just as Alain Montblanc's under-21s competed in consecutive Di Bradini Cup finals, and Elissa Barca-Carthy's women's olympic team -- consisting mostly of under-23s -- won gold, the youngsters are outshining the seniors once again.

Amandeep Sahota's well-structured system has brought stability to the Firebirds in a time when many assumed they would struggle for cohesion. The former Hastmead boss has pulled off a remarkable job in uniting the team under the same principles, and leading them to the AOCAF Cup final in vilita, yet remains humble. "I'm no hero. I've been lucky enough to work with a group of strong players, with a strong drive for success. They've responded brilliantly to the setbacks, and I'm glad I was a part of this." He explained. When pushed for his thoughts on the prospect of taking up the national team manager's role on a permanent basis, he admitted that he felt as though he had "a pretty good shot" ahead of his alleged rivals.

While the optimistic mood around the team is encouraging, it does perhaps ignore the most important part of this story, however. To make history, the Firebirds will have to go through former AOCAF champions Pacitalia. The Blue Foxes have won seven of the last ten AOCAF Cups, making them not only the most successful team in the tournament's history, but also the presumed kings of Atlantian Oceania in recent years. Pacitalia looked unstoppable in the group stage, cruising to three wins with an average scoreline of 4-1, and despite not looking their best in the knockout rounds, the Blue Foxes have still made it to the final. OSN pundit Arjen Miller referred to Pacitalia's "knack for winning" after their quarter-final comeback against Thatius. Their unorthodox 2-3-2-3 system will prove difficult to overcome for the Firebirds, too. The high line of pressing could spell trouble for Sahota's system, which relies heavily on the playmaking skill of Ana Menendez. Roberto Cormega explains...

"Pacitalia's tendency to play a high pressure game -- made even more obvious by their 2-3-2-3 system, which allows them to easily overwhelm in the attacking third -- will cause trouble for Sahota's 4-1-2-3 gameplan. As it stands, Ana Menendez is often given plenty of time to pick out the perfect pass, because she has Fields and Perry ahead of her grafting and pushing the opposition back. The Blue Foxes are less likely to struggle there, as they'll effectively have five attackers plus a spare man. Should they push the spare man forward, they should free up one of their forwards to apply pressure on Menendez, effectively neutralising the Firebirds' biggest threat.

- Roberto Cormega, academydropout.osr

Cormega went on to suggest a potential tactical counter-ploy for Sahota, though, meaning it's not all doom-and-gloom. "If Sahota wants to prevent this, he could sacrifice the defensive solidity the team is built on, and go for broke. By sending two attacking fullbacks out, and fielding them as sort-of-wingbacks, he could effectively mirror the Pacitalian system. In doing so, he'd force at least one more Pacitalian to stay back to deal with the threats on the flanks. which might just give Menendez the time and space she needs to dictate the game." That Cormega would mention this is interesting, as it is effectively the same system that saw Sahota's Hastmead side defeat Firewood City a few seasons back, to win the King's League.

Another thing is the Firebirds' favour, perhaps, is that despite the pedigree of the Blue Foxes, the current squad is noticeably younger and less experienced than their past incarnations. Their dominance of the AOCAF Cup in recent years has been largely down to the efforts of other players, meaning that this is relatively uncharted territory for both teams. Most likely, the game will hinge on which team has the better pressing in midfield, and in order to see this battle tilt his side's way, Sahota may choose to drop Menendez, and possibly one or both of Fields and Perry for more intimidating presences. Sean McCarthy and Brenda Nelson would certainly provide a more robust ball-winning duo, while starting Dean Richards would add pace to the front-line and allow Felix McLean's imposing frame to slot into the midfield, potentially allowing for better ball retention. How Sahota approaches the problem of keeping possession against the Blue Foxes will likely decide the outcome of the game.

[Wight]

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THE TEA PARTY AT THE END OF THE MULTIVERSE
The Great Remove

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The scene changed. It was still the bedchamber of Búa King of Uncertain Dimensions. He was still being attended by Leviathan in an uncomfortable human form, bearing the essence of Alastair I Frosticus, and Jimmy Costello, and Newtonian Olive, and the Mitrin Vega… and the beloved Audioslav Remover, Old Shakerssen.

But now, the room was reminiscent of a steaming pile of new rock on the edge of a catastrophic event in nature. Like a volcanic eruption, an earthquake, or a tsunami. Or all three at once.

This looks like our arrival in Atlantian Oceania, says Búa. The goat agreed.

Do you remember why you came here? asked Leviathan. Indeed, the past was becoming sketchy now, even for an omnipotent reality bubble that passed through time in at least eleven directions at once.

For the love of a good woman, says Búa, a Goddess no less!

He was referring to that session of S&M with the Mitrin Vega, of course. Good times. Though she would never admit to enjoying it nearly as much as Búa, even though she was on the ‘S’ side of the deal, the administrator if you will. After being pulled into the dimension of the Mitrin Vega for a punishing session on The Chair of Many Hands, Búa had fallen quite in love with the tempestuous goddess of the stars. But it was roundly unrequited, and no amount of attention-seeking could win back her charms (or that whip, the one with the Velcro and the wasps and the carbon monofilament). In a last desperate attempt to win her vicious affections, he had moved his court lock, stock and several barrels of fluid time to AO to be near to the country of her patronage. When still she refused him, he took the form of Ludo Hotten and ravaged the womenfolk of AO, much to their delight, and the process was thoroughly cathartic, if a little sweaty. And now there are a billion sons of Búa wondering, inside their tiny baby heads, how long they will have to wait before they can tattoo their face.

Good times, says Búa, fondly.

Good times indeed, said Leviathan, until they kicked you out.