Di Bradini Cup 33/U21WC54 RP/Roster/Scores Thread

works? · by **Abanhfleft** » Thu Feb 12, 2015 6:59 am

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ABANHFLEFT SURVIVES POLAR ISLANDSTATES, WINS 2-0
By Luke Edwards

TABECK, STARBLAYDIA - We are now through to the Round of 16, and the pressure on the Young Revolutionaries to redeem themselves after their shameful exit in the last edition of the tournament is weighing heavily upon their shoulders. It didn't help that they were facing against Polar Islandstates, a team which they have no experience playing against. They surely would have wanted an easier draw, such as Schottia, Wolfbenz, Vermark, or maybe Venta de la Mesilla once again. But the Young Revolutionaries sucked it up and made lemonade out of the lemons that had been given to them by the tournament, and delivered an emphatic 2-0 win over the Chicks in Starblaydia's Bekkside Arena.

These were the starting lineups of the game.
ABANHFLEFT - STARTING LINEUP
GK: Carlos Cohen
RB: Florence Patterson
RCB: Kristin Pittmann
LCB: Ainsley Gibson
LB: Shelly Murray
RDM: Cedric Pearson
CDM: Lea Choi
LDM: Sarita Cairo
CAM: Rory Edwards
RS: Yoshinobu Mori
LS: Karen Villegas

POLAR ISLANDSTATES - STARTING LINEUP
GK: Gunnsteinn Moskowitz
CB: Iosef Miroshnichenko
CB: Iosef Winter
CB: Victor Otkupshchikov
RDM: Teitur Ronkainen
CDM: Karl-Franz Klemmensen
LDM: Eirikur Sigurdsson
CAM: Johannes Skjoldebrand
CAM: Sim Lefebvre
ST: Johannes Huso
ST: Kjartan Grndstrom

You will notice that Carlos Cohen is back between the goalposts, but Lea Choi is back in the CDM position for Joe Warren, who also suffered another injury in training. It's yet another pulled hamstring, and this time we're sure that Joe Warren is now absolutely and irrevocably out of this tournament. Polar Islandstates' lineup appears unchanged, deciding to go with their full first team in this crucial round of 16 side.

Gameplay began in the Valhallans' favor, with the two-man team-up of Johannes Huso and Kjartan Grndstrom making ferocious shots to welcome back Carlos Cohen into the tournament. But the youngster from Sporting Ceneisis stood firm against the onslaught, never giving an inch against Huso's fancy shots or Grndstrom's brute and straightforward attempts. His opposite number between the Valhallan goalposts wasn't so lucky, though. Gunnsteinn Moskowitz was beaten twice by the Young Revolutionaries, with the first goal coming from a sublime kick from Yoshinobu Mori from an acute angle that had the perfect curve to just get grazed by Moskowitz's fingertips and then slip into the goal in the 40th minute. Twelve minutes later, in the second half, substitute Luĉjo Kleinmann nodded in a corner from Karen Villegas that was also just beyond the reach of Moskowitz. The Valhallans tried hard, very, very hard to get back into the game, but Carlos Cohen, working together with his defenders, served to deny the Chicks any hope of even just a consolation goal, and after 3 minutes of stoppage time in the tail end of the second half, Polar Islandstates had been eliminated by the fighting Young Revolutionaries.

Abanhfleft's quarterfinal matchup will be against Taeshan, which survived their matchup against the Equestrian States with a goal in extra time. Once again, it's a nation that we have not yet played against in any conceivable amount of time, but Celerino delos Reyes is confident that his boys and girls can handle the veteran side.

                   ABANHFLEFT 2 - 0 POLAR ISLANDSTATES
         YOSHINOBU MORI (40')
LUĈJO MIĤAELO KLEINMANN (52')

MORE NEWS: ARSENAL DE RELEINTHI SIGNS MILES HURST FROM STRANGERS FC FOR NS$ 1.2 MILLION • OLIVER VARGAS HEADED FOR STRANGERS ON LOAN AS PART OF HURST DEAL • DI BRADINI CUP 33 BRACKETS: HOW OUR EXPERTS' PREDICTIONS MATCH UP TO REALITY • ARMORED REVOLUTIONARIES CRUISE HIGH AND MIGHTY IN WORLD BOWL XXV

by **Venta de la Mesilla** » Thu Feb 12, 2015 8:42 am

Wolfbenz 1-2 Venta de la Mesilla

STRANGER DANGER PRESENTS:

Natus ex Aere

The Unofficial Fan Blog of Mesillano International Sports

Bronze Wins Confidently Over Wolfbenz, Advances to DBC Quarterfinals
By Carlos del Negro, less than a day ago

After a three-game streak of uneventful draws that included the final matchday of qualifying and the first two final matchdays for the Di Bradini Cup, the Mesillano national under-21 soccer team, dubbed the "Baby Bronze" by supporters, has shown its true colors with two wins over solid opposition from Semarland to advance from the group stage and now Wolfbenz to continue their campaign into the quarterfinals. The Bronze rebounded from an early deficit to take the lead in the second half and put a win in the books for the fledgling Mesillano international program.

The aggressive Direwolves made the first move in the contest, hugging the sides of the field to spread the Mesillanos' 4-4-2 diamond to its lateral limits, and at the twenty-minute mark, Vasko Schmeling beat Jessie Horne deep and got off a shot before Miles Hurst could react. The Bronze locked the pitch down for the balance of the second half, with Horne and Ivy Burton forming impenetrable walls on the wings that kept the Direwolves from using the wide advantage of their 3-4-3 posture, but without the backs playing up, La Mesilla's offensive efforts stalled and the score stayed at an uncomfortable 1-0.

The second half saw a renewed Mesillano attack that appeared to be based on the age-old axum "the best defense is a good offense." The wingbacks crashed down the sides and got back on defense with the kind of pace that can only be seen at the U21 level, wearing out the four-man midfield of the Direwolves in the process. Little Jessie Horne, the youngest field player on the team and the youngest yet to see the field, got the equalizer, sending a chip shot from halfway between the eighteen- and six-meter boxes just out of the reach of Wolfbenz keeper Lennart Heikki.

Avery Trujillo's reportedly brutal conditioning regime paid off in spades in the final third of the match, as Wolfbenz found themselves increasingly unable to keep up with the pace of the Bronze, yet the team in blue was continuously unable to convert chances, being deflected at the last second or shooting clear over the goal. Replacing dedicated defender Brooke McKay with deep-lying playmaker Mohammed Gilmore created more chances, but the winning goal would not come until the last possible second, where a deflected shot resulted in a corner, which Manuel Reid converted into a goal with a beautiful header.

The Bronze now advance to face Schottia in the quarterfinals, and are only three matches away from possibly making history in the Di Bradini Cup final. Fullback Brooke Nolan, who reportedly sprained her ankle in a training session before the Wolfbenz match, has confirmed that her injury was not a sprain, and that keeping her out was only a precaution. Her replacement, Man of the Match Jessie Horne, had this to say about the match against Wolfbenz:

"This was a lot of fun, and I mean that. We were competitive, sure, but there wasn't a lot of dirty play or flopping. It was athleticism versus athleticism, an offensive team against a defensive one, and those are the games you want to watch. Scoring on the international level is a huge honor for me, and I just hope I can continue to contribute here and in The Sarian."

by **Schottia** » Thu Feb 12, 2015 2:20 pm

The Daily Worker
Di Bradini Cup Special
Marrian McFadden reports

Schottia 3-1 Felix
Ectar Traxx Stadium, Foxchester
Goals: 18" Stephens, 41" 80" Killanen (Schottia) - 64" Popescu (Felix)
Possession: 49% - 51%
Shots: 9 - 10
On-target: 6 - 4

Schottia's current crop of youngsters continued to live up to their high billing with an impressive 3-1 win against one of the world's top sides Felix, at the Ectar Traxx Stadium. The win sees Jock Sonny's young side reach the quarter-finals for the first time in their history, where they are set to face Venta de la Mesilla, another strong up and coming side.

Schottia went into the match licking their wounds after a bruising qualifying group. As a result the White and Greens were missing Handon United man Chris Dickson, the winger having picked up two yellow cards, was forced to serve an automatic one match suspension. Cornellians' versatile attacker Ismal Keirut came in to replace him on the left side of midfield. Felix were also dealt a massive blow in the warm-up when outstanding young keeper Pompei Mansur pulled up with what at first glance looked like a strained wrist. The hotly sought after 20-year-old, was to be a massive miss for side, as the CSKA Quebec man is also the team captain. Replacing him was Lise Hanson, an 18-year-old who also plays in the Quebecoise league with Trojana Condommakers.

From the start Schottia seemed determined to test the stand-in keeper, and would have done on 7 minutes, had Eoin Killanen's 23-yard effort not just skimmed the outside of the post. The match was played at a frantic pace, and became a real skirmish in the midfield, Thio Crillin and Ivo Araújo were both embroiled in the heart of the action early on, trying hard to establish a foothold for their respective sides. Although both teams looked up to the task, Schottia seemed to always have a slight edge in the final third and made it count in the 18th minute, when Glen Stephens scored his second of the tournament. Criag O'Maramy started out on one for his trademark, lung-bursting runs into the Felixian half; twisting and turning he managed to get the better of Alejo Hernandez, before coolly cutting back for the onrushing Stephens. The Handon United striker did well to get his shot away under pressure, but was perhaps a little luck with the outcome as the ball squirmed under the body of Hanson. There will no doubt be some quarters of the press who will claim it was a shot first choice keeper Mansur would have kept out.

Ho Weon Han's Felixian side responded quickly to the goal, in manner one would expect from a group of players about to make the step up to one of the best sides in the world. Striker Toma Popescu showed fantastic determination to hold up the ball and turn past Scott Burton, however, the SC Volker target man could only fire straight at the keeper. Watching him play it is incredible to believe that Popescu is only 18. It wasn't long before Jeremy McNott was tested again, this time Lars Stoppelbein had his header just tipped over the bar, as it looked like Schottia were going to be lucky to get up the tunnel at half time with their lead intact.

Despite the Felixian pressure there were still chances for Schottia, and it was to be Sonny's men who were to strike next, doubling their lead. Kim Coultan, who managed to pick the pocket of Kody Auttenberg on the half way line, found the time and space to locate Killanen with a 25-yard through-ball. The FC Zürich player managed to take the ball in his stride, before slamming home a well struck drive from the corner of the box. The attacking-midfielder's first touch gave him the perfect angle to get his foot round the ball and curl it home past Hanson.

This goal, which came as Felix were pushing hard, would prove to be pivotal as Schottia would march off the pitch at half time with a confidence boosting 2-0 lead.

Schottia came out in the second half determined to retain possession, the team seeming to realise that every successful pass made was a few seconds less that Felix had to score. Glen Stephens may have even put the result to bed on the 50 minute mark had he realised how much space he was in, after receiving a pass from Larry Watt. However the scorer of the first goal lacked the necessary composure and, unless he though he was playing rugby, saw his shot sail over the bar.

Felix are of course a very strong side, and it was inevitable that they were going to get into the match at some point. There goal, on 64 minutes, was the result of a fantastic piece of skill. Wolfgang Volk who had been a thorn in the side of the Schottic defence all day, managed to fight his way through Paul Doig, before whipping a vicious cross into the path of strike-partner Popescu. The big striker was able to use his strength to good affect, towering above Gareth Souter to plant the ball in the back of the Schottic net. The goal made it 2-1 and it was game on.

The game continued to be a fascinating encounter, as it shaped up to be a 90 minutes full of drama. Schottia's travelling fans, who would have been unable to sit down since the kick-off, were finally given some much needed respite ten minutes from the end. 16-year-old Catline L'Attue, only just on the pitch, showed why she had been called up to the squad at such a young age. The D'Itille winger, who is a product of the Schottic government's Co-ed, integration project, is one of the sports big successes stories in its bid to get more women into football. L'Attue, after receiving a pass from Crillin peeled off Bernhard Schnur, showing pace that is only rivalled by O'Maramy who she replaced. Her ball from the edge of the D, wonderfully set up team captain Eoin Killanen who hit the ball first time to beat Hanson at her near post, in what was shaping up to be a torrid afternoon for the stand in keeper. Killanen wheeled away in delight, his second goal of the game taking his county to the quarterfinals of a world championship for the first time.

Speaking after the match Schottic assistant manager Alexander Pearce conceded that the scoreline flattered his side a little but said he felt that it was a much-deserved result when taking the full 90 minutes into account. He once again took time to single out Eoin Killanen, acknowledging that it was the midfielder's two goals that were the difference between the sides on the day.

Schottia next face The Baby Bronze of Venta de la Mesilla, many of their players Sonny and his management team will know well. Sonny, who is also the manager of MPL runner's up Cornellians, will no doubt have scouted a few of the Strangers FC player like the outstanding Sophie Buckley and Mohammed Gilmore. Cornellians and Stranger, if they have one thing in common, it is that they know what it is like to be piped at the post by Smyslova Virmest the eventually MPL champions.

Either way, the game which will feature some best emerging talent in the sporting multiverse will no doubt draw in the crowds. SBC have already stated that the match will be screened live on SBC 1, for viewers at home get a taste of the action.

Line-up: McNott 7, Watt 8, Doig 7, Burton 7, Souter 7, O'Maramy 8 (78 - L'Attue 7), Keirut 7, Crillin 8, Coultan 7 (81 - Tomlin 6), Killanen 9, Stephens 7 (83 -Konstidios 5)

Man of the match: Killanen. Another two well taken goals today, in what is really shaping up to be his tournament.

by **Taeshan** » Thu Feb 12, 2015 9:32 pm

http://chirb.it/CHyz51

by **Star United States** » Fri Feb 13, 2015 9:28 am

A New Beginning

Part One | Part Two | Part Three

From Part Two:

She got comfortable, somewhat. She took a deep breath as the plane begun to move.

Part Three

The plane ascended in the orange sky. It had stopped raining, and the sun peeked through the broken clouds to kiss the islands goodbye as it begun to set. She looked out the window, and despite the fact that she disliked that seat, she enjoyed the view. The scintillating blue waters, as vast as can be, sat still, and in peace. The plane ascended higher into the sky.

She looked at the city, that begun to shrink in size. She thought about everything she was leaving behind. School, friends, and the beach were within those thoughts. Within minutes, she dozed off. She had a dream.

In her dream, she was sitting on a boat in the middle of the glistening waters of the ocean. She looked into the crystal-clear water and could see the marine animals at the ocean floors. Crabs and small fish were abundant underneath her boat. It was peaceful. Small ripples ran across the surface of the water in multiple directions.

The sun was high in the sky, but it was not hot. The wind blew, but it was not cold. It was perfect. She inhaled the salty smell of the shimmering ocean. Thump. A massive wave crashed into the side of the boat. She woke up.

Slowly opening her eyes, she adjusted herself to the lighting of the plane. The pilot was speaking, and stated that they had arrive at their destination. They landed at the National Airport. It was a nice airport, but it could not compare to the one she left behind on the islands. Minutes passed and she already did not like the city, although she was still in the airport.

After finding her brother, the family went along to claim their baggage. They were all limited to two suitcases and one handbag. The rest was to be sent via mail. She quickly scanned the bags in the area, and spotted hers. Soon enough, the whole family had found their respective bags and begun to leave the airport.

The airport was colossal. Without the help of the eldest son, the family would have gotten lost various times as they attempted to exit the establishment. They all got on a black-shaded vehicle and head off.

Before they would head over to the new house, her brother had invited all of them to eat. Since he works for the government, he has money to spare. Reluctantly, she accepted. However, the rest of the family, without a doubt, accepted the invitation.

The meal was rather quick, or at least to what it seemed. She did not eat much, while they rest of her family enjoyed their meals to the fullest. She sat back and watched. Her mother did give her a look that made her eat a little more, but that’s about it.

After they left the restaurant, they headed over the brand new house. AS they parked in the driveway, she looked up at the house. She sat in amazement.

by **Mizuyuki** » Fri Feb 13, 2015 6:03 pm

Di Bradini Cup 33 - Mizuyuki 2-0 Darmen
Three thoughts on a well-deserved victory for the Little Nova

It's full steam ahead for Shirazaka, Kiriyama and company. Having concluded the group stage with an impressive 2-0 victory over bitter rivals the Holy Republican Empire, the Little Nova turned in another top-drawer performance in the round of sixteen en route to a win by the same scoreline against a decent Darmeni outfit. Kanade Kirisaki scored her first competitive goal at this level shortly before half-time, popping up in the area to poke home a Kasugano cross, while Tsumugi Narita, on as a substitute for Sakuranami, added further gloss to the scoreline with a powerful close range effort three minutes from time. Here are a trio of thoughts from our specialist panel on the match, the performance, and the win.

1 • Shirazaka gets it right once again

Does Kaede Shirazaka have the touch of Midas?

Ever since the 20 year old took charge of the Little Nova, alongside her co-manager Fuu Kiriyama, the Little Nova have performed superbly well. Her first major international tournament, coming in the form of the previous edition of the Di Bradini Cup, was skilfully negotiated with typical astuteness, culminating in the Little Nova clinching their first major trophy at U21 level at the Royal Equestria Stadium in Canterlot. This time around, Shirazaka's magic seems to shine as brightly as it ever did; transitioning to a slightly more attacking system as her players grow accustomed to a more physical game, she has them enjoying the best form of their nascent careers.

Today, Shirazaka looked every inch a manager with her star on the rise. Against Darmen, her players executed their gameplan to perfection, effectively shutting down the Darmeni attack while remaining a hugely credible threat on the break. Indeed, uncharacteristically for a Mizuyukian team, both their goals today came via counterattacks; for the first, having robbed Tony Sermiento of the ball in her defensive third, Kasugano beat the covering Darmeni defenders for pace down the right flank before sending in a wonderful low cross that Kirisaki just managed to poke in; the second goal arrived as Narita galloped the full length of the pitch and sent a powerful, well-placed effort past Gary Palomo in the Darmeni goal.

Shirazaka is not an inflexible manager. Unlike most of her compatriots plying their trade in the domestic leagues, Shirazaka is a capable reactive manager, one that can effectively turn a game on its head by observing and reacting in a positive manner to the events unfolding on the pitch. She might not be in the running for Shirakiin's job just yet, but it would take a brave man to bet against one of the hottest young managers in the game assuming the top job at some point in her career.

2 • The Little Nova have an embarrassment of riches in midfield

There are selection headaches, and then there is the kind of dilemma that Shirazaka and Kiriyama face on a regular basis; that is to say, every single matchday.

It would be no exaggeration to say that the Little Nova have, arguably, the best midfield they have ever had. In fact, the sheer abundance of talent means that the managers have been forced to chop and change their squad more often than they would have liked; for instance, this cycle saw the rise of several promising talents, most notably Hino Asahi, Kanade Kirisaki, Tsumugi Narita and Rin Sasahi, who have all cemented their spots in Shirazaka's squad at the expense of their seniors. These young pretenders are supremely talented for their age; indeed, their promise is such that even the likes of former captain Tsubaki Miyashiro, capped at senior level and a decent player in her own right, has been relegated to the bench for most of the Little Nova's campaign thus far.

Of the quartet, Kirisaki is perhaps the one player that shines the brightest. Having played in all but one of the Little Nova's DBC matches thus far, there can be no doubt that the young midfielder is consistently the first name on the teamsheet; not after turning in a series of wonderfully accomplished defensive performances in midfield. Her brief is simple; in a reactive Shirazaka team seeking to absorb pressure and counterattack, Kirisaki's main job is to break down and recycle play at speed, and she does a peerless job of it. Indeed, many of the Little Nova's attacks in the match were funneled through Kirisaki at the base of midfield. Her quickness on the ball, sharp eye for a pass and unparalleled defensive instincts make her supremely suited for a place in a Shirazaka team.

On the other hand, Hino Asahi is a rather less conventional midfielder. Although nominally a defensive midfielder, the young girl from Kirayuki doesn't actually play a fixed role in the Little Nova's fluid midfield, freely switching positions with her teammates in order to wreak havoc on the opposition's defensive system. The match against Darmen saw Kirisaki sit deep in the pivot as Asahi took on a roving creative role in the final third, the result of which saw Asahi cause the Darmeni defence no end of trouble with her passing range and incisive running. Had it not been for some profligate finishing on the part of Steiner and Samukawa, Asahi would have emerged with a hat trick of assists - as it is, her stock continues to steadily rise after another promising showing. If she continues to turn in consistently quality performances, it won't be long before Shirakiin gives this talented youngster her first call-up.

3 • Where on earth has Samukawa stashed her shooting boots?

Samukawa really needs to do one of two things; either rescue her lucky pair of shooting boots from a dusty storeroom in her house, or buy herself a decent pair. As it is, she's really struggling to find the target, let alone hit the back of the net.

With the likes of Kirisaki and Asahi pulling the strings from the heart of midfield and one of Suisetsu's best creators in the form of Sakuranami loading the gun, any forward would have relished the chance to play in this Little Nova team. However, Samukawa seems badly out of place in this new-look team; while two goals in four matches is a respectable return on paper, the quality and quantity of chances that have been presented her by her teammates, often on a platter, means that Samukawa really should have scored on a more regular basis. The forward has often flattered to deceive in recent matches, failing to finish at least three presentable chances on the Darmeni goal, and was only spared her blushes by Kirisaki and Narita's excellently-taken goals.

Interestingly, this slump in form seems to coincide with a similar dip during the Little Nova's victorious DBC campaign, where Samukawa failed to find the net for three successive matches, performing miserably all the while, before turning in a virtuoso forward performance in the final, where she was instrumental in securing a hard-fought penalty shootout victory over the gritty Nepharium U21s. Let's hope that she is merely saving herself for the final - however, if Samukawa's dismal form continues, Shirazaka has at least two capable replacements in the form of Kirara Steiner, who can play anywhere across the front line, and forgotten player Misaki Miyazaki, one time senior team regular.

by **Starblaydia** » Sat Feb 14, 2015 10:59 am

The Excellent Eight

Quarter-Final Matches

Star United States 2-2 Free Republics (AET, FT 2-2, Free Republics wins 5-4 on penalties)
Pasarga 1-2 Mizuyuki
Venta de la Mesilla 2-3 Schottia
Abanhfleft 2-1 Taeshan

Semi-Final Fixtures

Free Republics v Mizuyuki at Jader Barbahlo Stadium, Jhanna - Jhanna United (96,000)
Schottia v Abanhfleft at Iota "Big Eye" Arena, Penningworth - Penningworth United (82,000)

by **Mizuyuki** » Mon Feb 16, 2015 2:45 am

'Mmm, grape jelly!'

*omnomnom*

'It's just like you to gorge yourself on fruit jelly right after a match ...'

'Hey, leave me alone! I ran my socks off just now; don't begrudge me my post-match snack!'

'Yeah, she's right. She did run the most outta all of us out there; let her have her jelly in peace, haha.'

'You just try taking that jelly away from her; a plate of curry rice says you'll get mercilessly scratched.'

'I just don't want her ruining her appetite for dinner ... I'm perpetually misunderstood, uuu.'

'There, there ... '

*patpat*

'Oh, sweet things go into a different stomach, don't'cha worry.'

'I got plenty more room for steak! Steak, steak, steak ...'

*drool*

'Oii, you're drooling.'

'You look like an imbecile, ha!'

''ow rude of yer, missy, ah'll 'ave you know ah'm a full-fledged monster!'

'You watch far too many of those old Westerns ... '

'Are we going off on this particular tangent /again/?'

'That's five times out of five, now ... must be some sort of record.'

'PHWOAR!'

'WATCH IT!'

*RAWRCRUSH*

*splat*

'There goes the jelly ... '

'And the crybaby ... '

'Purple wrecking ball, anyone?'

'Ah, hell.'

by **Schottia** » Mon Feb 16, 2015 4:58 am

The Daily Worker
Di Bradini Cup Special
Marrian McFadden reports

Schottia 3-2 Venta de la Mesilla
Sports Hall, Karak D'Ragh
Goals: 21" Coultan, 33" Stephens 54" Killanen (Schottia) - 45" Reid, 89" Buckley (Venta de la Mesilla)
Possession: 53% - 47%
Shots: 12 - 7
On-target: 6 - 3

Schottia now find themselves deep in uncharted waters, as their 3-2 win over Venta de la Mesilla has catapulted them into the semi-finals of the Di Bradini Cup. The U-21's is always a fascinating tournament, where teams get the chance to pit their stars of tomorrow against one another, giving us the opportunity to get a glimpse at the face of world football a few cycles down the line. Of course it isn't always that easy, and the process of integrating a talented youngster into the senior set-up is not without its pit-falls. Although many a side that has reached the last four has ended up being little more than a flash in the pan; for those why can perform consistently at this level, there is perhaps proof that their youth policy is working.

Schottia lined up with a fairly settled side, the only change from team that beat Felix 3-1 was Chris Dickson returning from suspension. The Handon United winger slotted in on the left with, Ismal Keirut moving to the bench. On paper, Venta de la Mesillia should have been an easier proposition than Felix, however Jock Sonny would not be taking The Baby Bronze lightly. Captain Sophie Buckley in particular was a familiar name to anyone in Schottia who closely follows the MPL Championship, as the left winger was one of the league’s standout players.

Schottia kicked off the game in confident style, keen to continue the fast flowing, attacking football that had seen them score six goals in their last two games. Eoin Killanen, who had been the star of the show against Felix, again was quick to stamp his authority on the game. His change of pace, willingness to get forward, and the fact that he constantly looks to shoot at every opportunity caused Venta de la Mesilla all sorts of problems early on. It was one of these attacking moves which allowed Schottia to open the scoring on the 21st minute. Killanen, latching on to a through ball from Larry Watt, managed to fight his way past West Gundar's Brooke Nolan on his way to the by-line. His cut back was hit slightly behind Glen Stephens, arriving too quickly in the box. However the pass, it seems, deceived everyone on the pitch except Kim Coultan. The midfielder, who had only just turned 19, hit a sweet strike back across the face of the goal wrong footing Miles Hurst, to give Schottia the lead. The strike was the Jottnar Kallsmudden player's second goal of the competition as she continues to establish herself as one of the nation’s top young talents.

The game opened up somewhat after this, and Venta de la Mesilla, had a couple of decent chances to hit the Skots on the break. Ishmael Andrews and Octavia Thomas both had shots saved by Jeremy McNott as Schottia's lead began to look very precariously balanced. However, Schottia are always most dangerous when counter-attacking with pace, and this was no different. Craig O'Maramy, who is so important to his side, managed to pick up a loose ball just inside his own half and ran all of 30-yards before laying the ball off for Glen Stephens. Stephens, who has started all five games up front so far needed no second invite to pull the trigger, sending the ball crashing into the net past the outstretched Hurst.

The Handon United man's goal made it 2-0, and that really should have been it from there. However Schottia were not quite able to stick a fork in Venta de la Mesilla and their opponents, who refused to roll over and die, took the chance to get themselves back into the match. It can be a fatal error to underestimate sides who don't participate in the World Cup cycles; and even though Strangers FC are the nation's only professional side, the Mesillano team had reached the quarter finals on merit. Had Schottia scored again before half time, or had the half finished 2-0 then it might have been a very different game. However, La Mesilla managed to bring themselves back into contention with a Manuel Reid goal right on the stroke of half time. The strike would have given Jock Sonny's kids something to mull over with their half time oranges, and maybe serve as a wakeup call.

Schottia knew they needed to respond in the second half and to their credit they did. Nik Konstidios was brought on in place of goal scorer Stephens, who seemed to have been struggling after his goal went in. The Hillstreet forward brought some new energy to the attack, which had been sorely lacking towards the end of the first half.

It didn't take long before Schottia's fans were singing in full voice once again as the team reinstated their two goal lead. On 52 minutes play was brought back when O'Maramy was brought down by Ivy Burton, through on goal. The Schottic bench in particular seemed to be incensed as they felt that the referee should have played advantage while Konstidios was in possession. Despite their protests at the lack of a yellow card, Schottia were left with only a free kick, 20-yards-out. Killanen and Coultan both stood over the ball, but it was to be the former who lifted the ball over the wall and into the back of the net, for his third goal in two games and fourth of the tournament.

After the goal went in it was just a case of holding on and trying to run down the clock for Schottia, as they could see the semi-final within their grasps. There was, however, still a good half hour on the clock, and plenty of time for The Baby Bronze to force the game into extra time. Schottia weathered the storm well, Thio Crillin in particular put in a resolute performance in the centre of the pitch. There was to be one last scare for his team, as the clock was approaching 90 minutes Sophie Buckley pulled one back to make it 3-2. Despite the midfielder running back with the ball to the half way line, there was to be too little time after the restart. And as Scott Burton's long punt up the pitch went out for a throw-in the final whistle sounded to send the Belisarian Islanders though to face Abanhfleft.

The semi-final should be another tight encounter, with the two sides drawing 1-1 in the last Di Bradini Cup Qualifiers. The Fleftic side, like Schottia made the knock-out stages here last year too, so the match will be a good exhibition of some of the world’s best young players. The two nations' senior sides are also similarly ranked, and both teams have been making steady progress through the world rankings.

With the final in their sights it is set to be a nervy match for Schottia, who will know that one more good performance might be all it takes.

After the match Jock Sonny commented on how impressed he had been with his players’ “hunger and desire.” He said there was to be no doubting the fact that this was one of the nation’s “greatest sporting achievements.” Sonny also took time to pay his respects to his opponents, whom he revealed his enormous respect for:

“We all know what Mesillano players a capable of and they have a fantastic young side. I just really hope we see them in the World Cup cycles soon. I mean, regarding the Baptism of Fire, would imagine they would go in as one of the favourites.”

Line-up: McNott 7, Watt 7, Doig 6, Burton 7, Souter 7, O'Maramy 7, Dickson 7, Crillin 8, Coultan 8 (79 - Tomlin 5), Killanen 8 (85 - Keirut 2), Stephens 7 (46 - Konstidios 7)

Man of the match: Crillin. An often overlooked player, but today he put in a really strong display that will have done wonders for his confidence and his price-tag.

by **Starblaydia** » Mon Feb 16, 2015 11:31 am

The Fantastic Four

Semi-Final Results

Free Republics 0-2 Mizuyuki
Schottia 2-1 Abanhfleft

3PPO

3PPO: Free Republics v Abanhfleft at Stadii di Quercus, Farça - FC Farça (99,000)

Final

Final: Mizuyuki v Schottia at Stadii Di Bradini, Jhanna - National Stadium (196,754)

by **Schottia** » Tue Feb 17, 2015 8:57 am

The Daily Worker
Di Bradini Cup Special
Marrian McFadden reports

Schottia 2-1 Abanhfleft
Iota "Big Eye" Arena, Penningworth
Goals: 39" Konstidios, 82" Dawson (Schottia) - 27" Mori (Abanhfleft)
Possession: 51% - 49%
Shots: 8 - 7
On-target: 4 - 5

The class of Di Bradini 33 will be long remembered in Schottic sporting folklore. The side that reached the final in Starblaydia, the first Schottic sports side to reach the final of a major, footballing tournament. There is no questioning the talent of this current group of players as their semi-final win over Abanhfleft has set Schottia up for a glamour tie final against reigning champs Mizuyuki.

Like the quarterfinals game against Venta de la Mesilla, the match against Abanhfleft was shown live on SBC 1, with a huge following back in Schottia and Cornellia expected to have tuned in. The fans back home had really began to take an interest in proceedings after The White and Greens 3-1 win over Felix in the round of 16. Now the sense of belief and anticipation was almost palpable as Jock Sonny's men stood on the brink of making history.

Schottia were forced to make two changes to the side which edged out Vent de la Mesilla. Scott Burton, who was out after picking up his second yellow, was replaced by Port Patrick United's Davy Keates. Also Glen Stephens, who limped off at half time in the last match was still not fit, with Nik Konstidios filling in for the Handon United man.

As was to be expected Abanhfleft were quickly out of the blocks, and Schottia had to be on a high level of alert early on. Rory Edwards and Karen Villegas as could have been predicted, were at the forefront of all the Fleftic attacks. Schottia however, were able to give as good as they got, and responded in kind with Kim Coultan going close on 9 minutes, and Gareth Souter saw his speculative drive turned wide by the outstretched Carlos Cohen. It was to be Abanhfleft who were to score first, and when the chance presented itself Celerino delos Reyes' men took full advantage. The normally reliable Paul Doig misjudged the weight of his back pass, leaving Jeremy McNott in a dilemma in whether or not to come for the ball. His indecision proved to be costly as Yoshinobu Mori showed no such hesitation, pouncing to give Abanhfleft a deserved lead.

Schottia will have been disappointed at the nature of the goal they conceded but in truth it was only the Fleftic sides just reward for a strong opening 30 minutes. Jock Sonny's side didn't lose heart, however, and kept looking for the chance to strike back. That chance came in the 39th minute when Crillin, winning the ball in the centre of the park, managed to push past Lea Choi before punting the ball long to Craig O'Maramy on the right wing. The New Belfast Warriors winger showed a deftness of touch to bring the ball under control, slicing it across the edge of the 6-yard-box for Konstidios to poke home. Newly naturalised Skot Konstidios, still had plenty to do after the ball was played in and he showed great guile and determination to shake of Florence Patterson. The goal gave Schottia a fighting chance, and with the scores level once again they were back in the game. After their goal Schottia actually ended the second half as the team in control, and it was perhaps Abanhfleft that would have been the happier side to hear the referee's whistle sound. In the dying seconds, an O'Maramy corner broke to Coultan on the edge of the box and if the teenager had been able to pull the trigger a little quicker, then the score may have been different at the interval. However, it ended Schottia 1-1 Abanhfleft.

In the second half Schottia really pulled their socks up. Sonny most have had a word with his players at half time, because they came down the tunnel with a real "Now or never" attitude. Killanen in particular was fantastic after the break, linking play between the midfield of Coultan and Crillin, and Konstidios up-front. The game quickly developed a cut and thrust feel, with both sides sensing that one goal may even be enough to book them a place in the final. O'Maramy really must have thought he had scored on 60 minutes as his cross come shot was only just scrapped off the line by Kristin Pittmann as the Fleftic Army defender kept her team in the game. At the other end it was Villegas who was left in despair as her header was just a little too high and clipped the top of the crossbar.

Schottia continued to push however, and they eventually got the goal that the millions on fans back in Cornellia would have been praying for. Eoin Killanen again was in the thick of it as the FC Zürich man managed to retain the ball under pressure from Shelly Murray. At the edge of the box he found substitute Caitlin L'Attue who showed Patterson a clean pair of heels before unselfishly squaring the ball for Fred Dawson, who with his first touch of the game, powered the ball into the back of the net.

The final whistle sent the crowd into raptures and many of the players were left simply sprawled out on the turf from the sheer exertion. Schottia had somehow come out off their toughest game of the tournament so far with a memorable win. Abanhfleft had pushed them but in the end it was Jock Sonny's team that prevailed, as they booked a place in the final.

After the game we caught up with a jubilant Alexander Pearce. Schottia's Cosumarite assistant manager, could barely conceal his excitement as his side looked forward to their dream final against reigning Champions and tournament favourites Mizuyuki:

"It's just better than any of us could have expected. We knew we had a good group of players here, but to get to the final... No, that's just something very special. I've only been working with these guys a sort while, and, you know, I've been so impressed with what Jock (Sonny) has done. He has nurtured these players, installed a sense of belief. They go out onto the pitch and they feel like they are as good as anyone, and that's a very powerful motivation."

When asked about his opponents he was also full of compliments for the Fleftic side:

"Abanhfleft are a fantastic young side, and still under-rated in my opinion. They reached the quarters here last year and the semis this year. Their senior side are getting better every cycle too, I really expect them to spring a few surprises in the next World Cup Qualifiers. There are some players in that side that, to be quite honest would get a game for a top 50 ranked side; no question."

He was also quick not to underplay the enormity of the task facing Schottia in the final against Mizuyuki:

"Well they (Mizuyuki) are the reigning champions, enough said. They are the world benchmark for bringing young players through at the moment. When you look at the ages of some of their players and compare them to our own 13, 14, 15 year olds playing in the academies back home, they are a world apart. They have just breezed through to the final: breezed through! I mean there are some of them who would get a game for our senior team. These are the matches that really count though, and no one remembers the teams that come second. We need to make sure we push them for the full 90 minutes."

Line-up: McNott 7, Watt 7, Doig 5, Keates 7, Souter 8, O'Maramy 8, Dickson 7 ( 69 - L'Attue 6), Crillin 7, Coultan 7(81 - Keirut 4), Killanen 8, Konstidios 8 (70 - Dawson 6)

Man of the match: O'Maramy. A player very much on the way up, a star for club and country, and a stand out performer today.

works? · by **Abanhfleft** » Wed Feb 18, 2015 5:30 am

CRESCENT NEWS NETWORK
SPORTS CHANNEL - OFFICIAL WEBSITE

EARLY LEAD SQUANDERED! ABANHFLEFT SETTLES FOR THIRD PLACE PLAYOFF AFTER DEFEAT TO SCHOTTIA
By Luke Edwards

PENNINGWORTH, STARBLAYDIA - It's Schottia who wanted to get to the coveted final match more in this highly anticipated semifinals matchup between the White-Greens and the Young Revolutionaries, but it wasn't for lack of interest on the Fleftics' part. Perhaps it was the shock of having triumphed over Taeshan that had tired them in the intervening period of both games. But we all know that they all played as best as they could, but like I said in the beginning, Schottia wanted it more than we did. Perhaps we're still a little bit afraid of the Nova. But that seems very out of character for all of us.

SCHOTTIA - STARTING LINEUP
GK: Jeremy McNott
RB: Larry Watt
RCB: Gareth Souter
LCB: Davy Keates
LB: Paul Doig
RM: Craig O'Maramy
CM: Kim Coultan
CM: Thio Crillin
LM: Christopher Dickson
CAM: Eoin Killanen
CF: Nik Konstidios

ABANHFLEFT - STARTING LINEUP
GK: Carlos Cohen
RB: Florence Patterson
RCB: Kristin Pittmann
LCB: Ainsley Gibson
LB: Shelly Murray
RDM: Cedric Pearson
CDM: Lea Choi
LDM: Sarita Cairo
CAM: Rory Edwards
RS: Yoshinobu Mori
LS: Karen Villegas

The game began with Abanhfleft hammering the Schottian defense through Rory Edwards and Karen Villegas, but the Schottians responded in kind when Kim Coultan shot just wide on the 9th minute, and a very outrageous drive from Gareth Souter. But it was from a Schottian mistake that Abanhfleft managed to open up the scoring, with Yoshinobu Mori taking advantage of a mistake from Paul Doig and confidently sending the ball beyond the hesitant Jeremy McNott to give the Democratic Republic the lead. It was a lead that would last for only twelve minutes at most.

Schottia equalized in the 39th minute when Nik Konstidios, who had replaced Schottian center forward Glen Stephens, received a pass from Craig O'Maramy after managing to escape Florence Patterson's defense and poked it into the net from just 6 yards. Pitiful defending on our side left Carlos Cohen virtually vulnerable from any angle, and it was at this point that momentum shifted from us to them, and Schottia ended the first half as the commanding presence of the game. Schottia came very close to taking the lead at the closing seconds of the first, with an O'Maramy corner almost letting Kim Coultan convert, but she was a bit too slow in realizing her opportunity, and it literally slipped by her.

The majority of the second half was like watching a ping-pong game. Everyone was tackling the ball out of someone's feet, and everyone was taking pot shots at goal, not even bothering to look down the sights sometimes. But that didn't mean that there was no fair share of near misses in this part. Craig O'Maramy almost gave Schottia the lead, but Kristin Pittmann denied him with an emphatic kick right at the goal line, and who can forget Karen's spectacular "split header" that had her landing in a perfect 180-degree split after trying to nod in a pass from Rory Edwards. I guarantee that that image will become a meme in the near future.

Nope, it was the Schottians that would break the deadlock, courtesy of a very marvelous first touch goal from sub Fred Dawson. Even Carlos Cohen had admitted to seeing the beauty of the goal in post-game interviews, although obviously he wishes that he wasn't on the receiving end of said goal.

This defeat sets up Schottia with a meeting with defending Di Bradini champions Mizuyuki, while Abanhfleft will have to fight for third place against the Free Republics, or the Holy Republican Empire as they're calling themselves now. This isn't the first time that the Democratic Republic has encountered a nation affiliated with the Church of Saintland. As of writing, the country's national gridiron team is set to face off against their counterparts from Saintland in the round of 16 of the World Bowl, and everyone is already confident of a loss against the Sanctii. But Celerino delos Reyes definitely hopes that perhaps his lads and lasses can pull off an upset against the "Free" Republics when they face off in Farça soon.

            SCHOTTIA 2 - 1 ABANHFLEFT
NIK KONSTIDIOS (39')       YOSHINOBU MORI (27')
   FRED DAWSON (82')

by **Starblaydia** » Fri Feb 20, 2015 12:59 pm

Warm up the Fat Lady...

3PPO
Free Republics 1-3 Abanhfleft

Final
Mizuyuki 2-2 Schottia (AET, FT 1-1, Schottia wins 4-2 on penalties)

by **Schottia** » Sat Feb 21, 2015 2:02 pm

SBCNews online...

Schottia win Di Bradini Cup 33
Schottia's golden generation continued to sparkle they triumphed of The Little Nova of Mizuyuki, to lift the Di Bradini Cup for the first time in their history. The tiny island nation from Cornellia lifted the trophy after a nail biting penalty shootout, as the two sides could not be separated even after a gruelling 120 minutes football. The squad of 23, the majority of whom play in the Schottic Premier League will fly home today to a hero's welcome, with a parade and open top bus tour of Handon planned.

Schottic fans remained in the stadium long after the final whistle.

Schottia went into the game as clear underdogs, with their opponent's being the reining champions, and a few seasons ago Schottia would probably have been overwhelmed by the nation who's senior side are ranked 33rd in the world. However, Jock Sonny's men and women were their match, and with players like Thio Crillin, who is never afraid to mix it up, Schottia managed to win the physical battle in the midfield.

Schottia went behind in the first half where, in the early stages, the technical superiority of Mizuyuki was all too apparent. The result was Schottia going behind to a Kaori Uryū strike in the 26th minute. The White and Green were down but not out, and pushed hard to take the game to Mizuyuki, throwing in tough tackles and fighting for every 50-50 ball. They got their just rewards twenty minutes from time when Craig O'Maramy got on the end of a Chris Dixon pass to power his strike home past Eri Shigure. Despite Schottia pushing hard to win the game in normal time the match finished all square after 90 minutes, with both sides passing up chances to take the lead.

Schottia's fans didn't have long to wait once extra time got underway, as captain Eoin Killanen was on hand to give his side the lead. The 20-year-old, plying his trade in the Vyrsaran League, scored a fantastic individual goal to leave a nation holding its breath. Despite giving it everything, Schottia were again pegged back however as the Di Bradini 32 champs seemed determined to hold onto their crown. This time it was Shizu Samukawa on the score sheet for The Little Nova as her strike, minutes before the end was a cruel blow for Schottia.

The ensuing penalty shoot out was a tense and nervy affair with keeper Jeremy McNott the hero on the day. In the end he was mobbed by his fellow players as his save won the day for his nation, as they prevailed by the narrowest of margarines.

Schottia will now be hoping that they can turn this energy and positivity into success in the upcoming world cup qualifiers and their regional championships.

Other regional sports news:

Allumunnic States reach World Bowl final, where they will face the Equestrian States.

Vyrsar set to host Cornellain Cup 2015

Marionville winger Lachlan Frazer 22, signs for MPL new boys Strangers FC

Di Bradini Cup 33/U21WC54 RP/Roster/Scores Thread

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