World Cup 71 - RP Thread

[United States of Devonta]

First Game, First Loss
^{Devontans blow it at there first game of WC71}

United States of Devonta 0-1 Timbermunich

United States of Devonta (4-4-2 Diamond): Cooper, Brooks, Benton, Kindred, Liam, Russell, Abdullah, Edwards, Owens, Johansen, Adams

Quick Stats:
44% Possessions, 11 Shots, 8 on goal
56% Possessions, 13 Shots, 11 on goal

Scores:
----NONE-----
Willy (43')

CAUTIONED: Adams (76')
EJECTED: ----NONE----

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A Fine Game
^{Devontans get redemption after MD1}

United States of Devonta 2-0 Nikolaos

United States of Devonta (4-4-2 Diamond): Cooper, Brooks, Benton, Kindred, Liam, Russell, Abdullah, Edwards, Owens, Johansen, Adams

Quick Stats:
58% Possessions, 14 Shots, 11 on goal
42% Possessions, 6 Shots, 4 on goal

Scores:
Johansen (34', 76')
----NONE----

CAUTIONED: Owens (62')
EJECTED: ----NONE----

Table:

Group 19                                Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
1 Timbermunich                              2    2   0   0     2    0   +2     6
2 Estope                                    2    1   1   0     5    1   +4     4
3 Holy Republican Empire                    2    1   1   0     3    2   +1     4
4 United States of Devonta                  2    1   0   1     2    1   +1     3
5 Ekoz                                      2    1   0   1     1    1    0     3
6 Brenecia                                  2    0   2   0     2    2    0     2
7 Lons                                      2    0   0   2     1    3   −2     0
8 Nikolaos                                  2    0   0   2     0    6   −6     0

[Electrum]

Press Release from the Governor-General's Office of Electrum

Transcript - Inauguration Speech - Governor-General Wunderlich

Clerk: Please read the oath situated in front of you.

Julia Wunderlich: I, Julia Sarah Wunderlich, do swear to serve all peoples of Electrum according to the laws set out in the Constitution, in the office of Governor-General of Electrum, and will do only right to all manner of people for the Holdings of Electrum, without fear nor favour, affection or ill will, and unbiased judgement.

Clerk: So help me god?

Julia Wunderlich: I don't believe.

Clerk: I see. In that case, please fill out the writs below, so that it can be published in the gazette, that you are Electrum's one hundred and twelfth Governor-General.

----

Clerk: I do declare you as Electrum's Governor-General for the year 2015-2016. Congratulations. Now, you shall prepare a small speech.

Governor-General: Thank you distinguished guests, Prime Minister, Cabinet, Ambassadors, Diplomats, Politicians and others. I am relieved to be finally having the opportunity to speak to you all today. It has been a whirlwind 48 hours, definitely. Never in my life did I expect my name to be called out on national television - and to think that I, a rural single parent, would be randomly selected as Electrum's next head of state -- whatever that is. Distinguished guests, I stand here today, in the Federation Chamber with one simple goal, to represent Electrum's prosperous future, as well as represent those who have been unrepresented before.

You see, ladies and gentlemen, it is very rare for a mother to become rich and successful. It is even rarer for that mother to be a single parent. And yet, through the good grace of the random number generator, here I am, randomly selected to represent the nation I call home for a year. At first, I was a tiny bit reluctant -- like those before me -- being thrust into a position of power and strength, and suddenly, having a big paycheck! Wow!

(laughter in the audience)

Governor-General: I speak of course, in jest. Like most Electrumites, my whole life I have been a hard worker, and was not lucky enough to be born in a rich family. We never had those luxuries, we could never afford excursions or uniform, we could never have all of that fancy stuff when I was a child. So my mission this year is simple - to stand up for those that need it most. Of course, this role must be apolitical, but I must ask all major parties to remember that we are all humans. Whether disabled, sick, elderly, young, single parent, homosexual, queer, the workers, the unionists, small-business owners, you've finally got someone on your side.

Distinguished guests, as I'm sure you've heard in my speech, I had a rough childhood. My dad passed away when I was three, and my mum was left to take care of me and my two younger siblings. I was born in the Great Recession, and lived the first few years of my life in Hamilton. After my dad passed, my mum, sick of the dust which consumed him, we moved to the low-lying deltas of Agri, full of nourishment, riches and wonder. We had a tough life - with our family living on welfare payments day-by-day, week-by-week, and somehow, we managed to survive.

I then had two children of my own, and felt the same feeling my mum did all those years ago, bless her heart. Except this time, it was an unfortunate car accident which saw my husband pass away. You see, ladies and gentlemen, life is all about hard knocks. But it's about those who can stand up from the tough times and move forward. In a way, I represent Electrum -- I have a pretty thick skin. I've been on a rollercoaster ride of emotion, feeling, and probably economic circumstance too. But on this rollercoaster, I'm not going to leave anyone behind, and I do expect the government to respect my wishes.

They say that only the Goddess Margaret knows whats in store for us -- indeed, shes in charge of those random number generators, and I do hope she chose correctly. Thank you for listening to my speech.

[Red Blackiland]

Red Blackiland Sports and Off-topic Threads News

Away game against Eupheos-Anetus

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This photo translates the day of Infamous Ultras and away Red Blackilandian fans that went to Eupheos-Anetus and walking to your neightbourhood that will be your headquarters,at least,only today,in the city of Marcelo,to see 'Dark Lions' play against the local team.A hard draw in home against the team of Apox by 2-2,showned the bravure of the team that we talked so much about it and this couldn't lose from the style of Red Blackiland to play,coming from this result we have a away game against a team that are making your debut in professional competitions in this year,and came from Baptism of Fire,hosted by Equestrian States and Mizuyuki,but wasn't win the competition.
´The team needs to put your style above the Eupheos-Anetus style of play,to make goals and the good result that the team needs for today and can stay strong in the dispute for the first places of the group,with fast midfielders,working the direct connection coming from the defenders and working with the wingers and strikers trying in the dribble to win the rival's defense and working much more the ball posession,in fact,is a different version of Dark Lions than the last World Cup Qualifiers and we wait that this will produce to Red Blackiland good result and,at least,a place on playoffs.
Probably,2,000 Red Blackiland will attend in the game that won't receive much attendance by the home fans,but who knows,the Eupheos-Anetus fans fill the stadium and makes the game a good spectacle to the fans can watch it?
The pitch is ours!

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Vision from the fans #2 - Violence in Stadium

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Aggressive and violent behavior of a human being to each other isn't new.A real phenomenon confirms the lack of control of emotions in different sectors that make up life in society, resulting in violent events, such as those occurring Consistently ranked among football fans who attend stadiums worldwide.
The acclaim to football by the mass shows the "passion" for the team, club and / or national team as a justification of the outpouring of feelings with the fans
belonging feelings, reputation to be saved, emotion, masculinity affirmation and pleasure caused by emotional excitement and devotion to sports components. The
conflicts in taking part are perceived by fans as fighting situations warm feelings, rewarding and pleasurable.
There seems to be room for guilt and / or regret the outcomes of actions, whether they be pure explosion of emotion due to the celebration of a goal of his team or even physical assaults, taunts and insults uttered by these passionate in.During or after the game.
In this perspective, the study aims to analyze the phenomenon of sports as a dangerous emotion, one that induces individuals and groups at risk of death. We considered the hypothesis that emotion carried to the extreme can be violent in the mass movement human in the thrill of victory and implementation of defeat.
There is much that the human being tries to understand what is emotions.Plato to understand how something disconcerting that interrupted the exercise full of reason. Aristotle thought it as the combination of cognitive life - understood as higher activity - with the sensual life - understood as lower activity.
Analyzing aspects of physical and symbolic violence, showed up the interfaces sport based on the historical perspective of the development of society. It is observed that the control of emotions and violence inside and outside the game situation is intense. However,disgusting expressions of symbolic violence have become common situations involving discussions, verbal threats and even emotional aggression. Violence, around and through.Sport is a permeate studied by obscurities, although many authors
presented with historical explanation correlated to the facts that lead to violent action.
Football is characterized as an eminently modern and urban phenomenon, whose evolution is linked to historical conditions that marked the end of the nineteenth century and the beginning of the century XX reaching different social contemporary classes.By this way, football is part of the urban scene in this passionate spectators, supporters and fans,can be seen on the floor in a pack, the team shirt, differing from the whole and building for themselves and for the group a new form of identity sociability.
The dynamics of the football game favors a kind of binary of when each player is committed to a personal battle with the opposite side and your is unique tag is their rival or opponent.So, the performance depends on the field ability to overcome the rival emerging from this conflict old ethnic issues, and class animosity between classes, dominant and dominated.
In this context, taken by passion and emotion, the Ultras or Barra Bravas exceed the limits possible behaviors permitted by applicable regulations socially. Emerging forms
raptured of violence and brutality as inconsequential strategies which aim to intimidation of their peers who, at present, are by their rivals.Over time, different events showed the violent and aggressive side of football involving practitioners and fans, as can be seen in studies.
It is observed that this qualified alienation makes common viewers when posting as supporters and activists entering the stadium, leaving their identity and
turn into machines "urrantes" one-way - no more sports - now fans.
From the imposition of the term 'urban tribe' 'to designate the human groups that seek, above all, challenge the individualism and other implications perceived in social relations in contemporaneity.We can, establish a kind of analogy between the members of these tribes and football fans who attend the stadiums. Fans are associated aiming to share the feeling of belonging, supremacy, emotions and other sensations provided by the performance of his team.
This places them in a constant search situation by intense experiences and sensations present in stadiums.This fans 'wandering' generally undertake a succession of experiences, often dangerous and sometimes tragic, but to them provide moments of strong emotions, feelings risky to his life and the people who
the twisted form.
As a social phenomenon is very difficult to define and / or detect the root causes of violence. This is because of the violence taking variations in the nature and forms
demonstration in communities organization. Sometimes violence takes itself way personal, political, social and cultural relationship; and others; results of social interactions; or by a national cultural component. From studies in different areas of know suggest that the only certainty is based on the prevalence of violence within
of different human groups.
The violence can manifest even as uniqueness factor, bond strength of a society or group.Analyzing aspects of physical and symbolic violence show up interfaces with the sport starting from the historical perspective of the development of society.
It is a fact that violence is present in stadiums when there gather tribes football fans. It is in this time and place that the manifestations of symbolic violence
become common discussions involving situations, verbal threats and even emotional aggression between players.
The violence and glorification present explain the severe frustration of the power to act in contemporary world. The social beings act by impulses and become irrational
manifesting itself violently. Violence is an irrational attitude, but it is rational in the reaction time in the course of a conflict turns into action and the heat of
emotion, meets several people in the same social group. In the crowd, that being social does not name, identity, profession, sex and does not follow the laws, rules and, above all, the behaviors and behaviors are overlooked. The action of the fan will give off the game excitement - victory versus defeat, emotion versus anger. In the heat of the match with the team in field, all the action is valid for advantage over rival and establishing sovereignty and power.
It should be noted that the overestimation of violence in football stadiums by the media conveys a sport through the bread and circuses. In this context, every game is a powered spectacle by a violence that provides joy and pleasure. Football is able to bring about change behavior in individuals involved in arousal.
Anger, unlike the passion, is a set of virtuous emotions predominance aggressive and that little has changed control when aggressive action in violent.
This destroys common sense, leads the movement of the masses by the heat of discussions and exalted mood and can explode at any time. Violence is dangerous because it can give the impression that is controllable, but in fact, there is no control over its flow.
Under the stadiums, the thrill and excitement created by football and soccer involve forms of conflict that are interwoven in a subtle way, in the form of pleasure or
suffering and comprise a complex and variable mixture of rational behavior and irrational. The various recent discoveries of domination instinct and innate aggressiveness
human are preceded by philosophical statements, which for Kowalski, 24 depart from assumption of dangerous passion arising from the anger and tension in each match. In this perspective,it is considered that the roots of violence, is the lack of development of the moral sense,that the spirit should enhance the education through the exercise of ethical values and amplitude of consciousness. Considering the historical background, given the links with instinctive reflexes Animal period, passion is an uplifting action when pleasant, however may decline to the point of disturbing excite the collective violence. Not only generates distress when triggered, but also leads to uncontrollable reactions in succession equivalents, all bursting making it precludes destructive route.
The growing need for cooling of the drives of violence and aggression,considered by the social peace process, has been imposed by the complexity and interdependence of collective life.
This restraint is overloaded of sanctions and prohibitive procedures ducts no more accepted in contemporary society.Considering man like setting our country and around the world, lets say that the most closely related aspects to the emotions of experiences unfolded in situations of urban and collective violence, both on city streets and in inside stadiums.
The presence of supporters in football stadiums in Red Blackiland fill important social functions, which are commonly categorized into "manifest functions, latent or
agonistic ".This functions refer to the deletion of needs physical activity; the compensation of the stress caused by routine work and the satisfaction "The deepest instincts of human beings, the combative instinct, which is related to struggle for survival and sex drive. "
Football stadiums are spaces for collective excesses and euphoria. Are spaces urged to reverse the behaviors of the everyday world (routine work, traffic
and housework) and put it 'literally' the subjective accomplishments and service collective. They are places of "lack-controlled", even if such elements have been
relegated to the sidelines of the social scene due to the very modernization of society.
So what society and more specifically the leaders of football festivals in stadiums can’t lose sight of is that football is, by vocation, the passage casual fun to an institutionally organized existential experience.
A real regulation of pasttimes.These regulations that should be football power structure would bring significant contributions to avoid the uncontrolled passions and emotions from the fans in the stadiums.It is argued vehemently, you are not suggesting that, because of that, supporter of the presence in football stadiums have to completely lose their playfulness able to meet the emotion of desire and passion for the team in the field.
Considering the behavior between two twisted in a stadium, you can not help mention that human relationships arise initially tune an emotional controlled and hedonistic - go to the stadium to see their team play. To this end, the ability of empathy that, in addition to allowing an individual participates in the emotion of another, becomes proactive in the needs of the other. However, this relationship will depend on the quality of the
level of development of other skills such as awareness that his team can lose and self-control when he wins.
In this perspective, emotionality comes to reveal to man that emotions, once considered nuisance in some situations, can be invaluable in decisions sports when well managed.
Therefore, when not controlled by individuals and groups, the application of emotion in the wrong dosage, is a spark that destroys the success factor, eradicate completely the possibility of keeping the stadium as open spaces, politically neutral and peaceful,therefore, this uncontrolled emotion is a dangerous passion.

[Ceni]

Excerpt 1
Excerpts 2 & 3
Excerpt 4
Excerpt 5

Charkorian decided to use his wits instead of his chosen marque’s speed in this one. He intended to throw his assailants off; if this was not possible, then there would be hell to pay. His life was at stake. There was everything to lose and at the same time, nothing to lose.
Charkorian finally ascended to the same height as the other airspeeder and started to chase it. Startled that predator had become prey, cat had become mouse, the other airspeeder shot away like a rocket into the warrens of Cenaci’s skyscrapers.
Charkorian deftly moved his airspeeder in and out of the buildings, weaving through traffic. The other speeder made a hard right, and Charkorian followed. The assailants’ speeder started to zig-zag through the buildings to avoid Charkorian, but he was on their tail. And fast. They swerved to the right.
Charkorian realized that his hands were shaking. He realized his palms were glossed over with sweat. If he had a bewlegi for every bucket of sweat that was coming off him, then he would be a millionaire.
He followed the bright orange airspeeder through the streets. Up the chased went, up Charkorian went.
Suddenly, a huge wall appeared. The orange airspeeder tried to swerve, but it was too late. The explosion almost shattered Charkorian’s eardrums. A great burst of fire shot out of the building, a great red ball shot out by the apartment building, its revenge for damaging it.
Almost too late, Charkorian noticed the whir of an oncoming airspeeder. In it were several more thugs. Now he was the one being chased, a gazelle running in a forest running away from a cheetah. These airspeeders were built for speed, not for weaving and dodging in between buildings. They would have to do.
Charkorian pulled into a side alley between two other buildings and waited for the oncoming airspeeder to come towards him. As soon as they came into the alley, he pulled back on the throttles so that the engines almost cut out. The other airspeeder rocketed past him, whizzing past and whipping Charkorian’s hair up. The gust of wind produced almost tipped the speeder over, but its repulsorlift engines were strong enough to keep it aloft.
Almost as soon as they passed Charkorian by, they realized their mistake and tried to throttle back so they were behind Charkorian again. Unfortunately for them, Charkorian rose above a nearby building and soared away from the airspeeder. By the time they realized where he had went, Charkorian was far away from them. He could have gone anywhere, and they didn’t know where. They decided to give up the chase. They zoomed away, undoubtedly to report to their boss about what had happened. Their boss would be as unhappy with them as he was with Repulsor Boots.
Still, Charkorian had evaded them once again. He still wondered what had brought this episode of his trip onto him. He decided he’d better get to his ship before anything else happened. You never knew.
Apparently, the people who had attacked him did not want to give up. Once Charkorian reached the Central Park, they struck again. A thug leaped from off a wall to tackle Charkorian. He fell with an oomph.
Another thug came from hiding behind a tree. He decided to come running, not knowing if his partner was a victim of Charkorian. He gained momentum. The thug went faster and faster.
Charkorian stayed where he was. The thug, not looking where he was going, tripped on Charkorian and fell.
Charkorian got up and began to run. The other thug, still up, began to run after him. Charkorian kept running along the path until a bench interrupted his path. Nonplussed, he simply jumped over the bench.
His pursuer was not fast enough. He did not jump in time and collided with the bench.
Another thug came in from a side path, startling Charkorian. He changed paths onto a dirt and gravel trail. The thug followed him.
At the end, there was a skate park. Charkorian cursed and still kept running.
Coming from one of the sides of the skate park, a repulsorboarder came rushing into Charkorian. Seeing the new obstacle, he swerved. The move was not in time, for Charkorian was going faster than he was.
The repulsorboarder ducked as Charkorian leapt over him. He was standing up as the thug came over as well. Both the repulsorboarder and the thug fell.
As if on cue, a thug on skates came barrelling down the ramp. Right in front of Charkorian was a large bar. Charkorian squatted, ducked, and went under the bar. Because he had momentum, the skater jumped right over the bar. Unfortunately, he jumped over Charkorian as well, and landed right into a wall.
There must have been an instant-thug maker. Instructions: Take a pre-packaged, dehydrated piece and add water, and voila! You had a thug. Once one fell, another one came to assail Charkorian.
Whoever was doing this decided to up the stakes, for this time he sent two thugs to get Charkorian. They came from both sides. One of them leapt off a wall and started rolling on his skates towards Charkorian. The other zoomed down a ramp to right in front of Charkorian.
Charkorian was almost out of options. On two sides, there were thugs, guarding his left and right. In front of him was a wall. Behind him, there were more skaters and probably more thugs dying to catch up. He decided that the wall was his best option.
He ran towards it, trying to scale it. One hand, the other hand. A foot on a brick sticking out, the other foot on a flower ledge. Like this, he kept going.
Unfortunately, the thugs were coming quicker. They skated towards him faster and faster. Luckily for him, he had practice scaling walls. They didn’t.
Charkorian was wrong. He was surprised when they began to start climbing the wall faster than he was. He redoubled his efforts, looking more closely for places to put his hands and feet.
They gained on him. They kept on moving up the wall faster and faster. Charkorian felt like he was going slower and slower. Still, he kept moving. He plodded methodically up the wall. Finally, he reached the top.
Quickly pulling himself up, he ran along the wall. The thugs followed him.
He realized that he would have to take drastic measures. He took a breath. Charkorian bent his knees and sprung off the wall. He looked around as he was flying through the air. Several walkers were standing, their mouths agape. Charkorian ignored them.
The wind flew past his face. It blew his hair back. The jump created the feeling that he was free and temporarily took his mind off the chase. Soaring in midair was not something he did every day.
Suddenly, his feet touched the ground. Charkorian was jolted out of his fantasy. He stopped for a moment and then began to sprint.
The pursuers were not far behind him. And they kept gaining. More thugs also descended on Charkorian. Two came on scooters from the side. Another two on foot came in front. They were trying to corral him.
Charkorian swerved to his left as one tried to run up to him. He jumped over a sand pit as the little children inside screamed. The two on scooters tried to follow him, but they got stuck in the sand.
Still, the four on feet still dogged him. They hounded his every move. Charkorian ran into a children’s playground. He knew that there would be something in there to distract his pursuers.
He sneaked under a bar and under a rocking bridge. One of the pursuers was caught as a little Katte walked over it, bringing its full weight to bear on the pursuer’s back. He suddenly yelled and topple to the ground.
The others were not dissuaded by this. One tried to run around the side of the playground. Charkorian saw an opportunity. He ran to a swivelball pole. With great difficulty, he lifted it up. When the assailant reached him, he struck. The ball went from one side to the other, hitting the assaulter each time. When he was sufficiently dazed from this experience, Charkorian rammed the pole into his ribs. He fell to the ground and Charkorian dropped the heavy object right on top of the thug.
However, there were still several more thugs. And more kept coming.
Charkorian zigzagged throughout the trees of the park, making it harder for the thugs following him to catch him. He saw the end of the park in sight and bolted to the edge. When he reached it, there was a surprise. Two thugs blocked his path. He tried to avoid them, but then two more came on the other sides. More were coming around him.
Charkorian decided the only way though the encirclement was through the thugs. He took a breath. A deep one. He was sweating immensely. His heart was pounding. He was running and fighting for his life.
He took a step backward as one of the thugs lugned toward him. He headbutted the thug, putting him off balance. He then followed through with a quick kick to the ribs, pushing the thug to the ground.
He ran fast after that. Spotting a taxi, he jumped in, told his destination, and sped away. Hopefully the thugs would be bothering him no longer.

Charkorian reached the ship, panting heavily. “Someone-” He took a deep breath to catch some more air. “Someone tried to capture me!” he exclaimed, interspersing his statement with loud breaths.
“Say what?” said Barlaba. “Such crimes should not be committed on one so illustrious as you!”
“Well, Barlaba, they happened,” Charkorian snapped in a sarcastic tone.
“They should not have been.”
“No, I totally agree with that.”

[Gregoryisgodistan]

Nurkama 0–3 Gregoryisgodistan

"Hello, and welcome to the land of Nurkama for today's World Cup Qualifying game between Gregoryisgodistan and Nurkama. The Foot Slaves come in as heavy favorites, expected to take this game by a large margin. They are looking to rebound from a home draw to Jeru FC, 2-2, a game they very much wanted to win. We probably aren't taking first place in this group, with The Holy Empire being the top seed, but we've got a good chance of coming in second. This is why I don't like the 30 groups of 6 format that was originally proposed - if there had been enough entrants to adopt it, we'd be all but eliminated now that we've been drawn into the group with The Holy Empire. We'd be playing for a Cup of Harmony berth from Day 1. And that's not fair to the players, it's not fair to the coaches, it's not fair to anybody. In any case, let's get started. Nurkama refuses to post a roster, so we will give their players highly insulting fake names instead. Soccer Captain Laredo Potato is shaking hands with Nurkama's captain, Silly Goatface, and now it's time for the kickoff.

...

"9th minute, Goatface passes it up to Clowney Hound Dog, and Hound Dog tries to find Luzer Boozer in the box but he heads it over the post. It's going to go out for a goal kick, still 0-0. That was a good chance, but Boozer couldn't get it on target, so we're still scoreless. The crowd wanted an upset and really wanted that to go in, but it didn't. Such a shame for them, but so good for us.

...

"18th minute, Pervert Chaser 867530PNC passes it to Prune Farmer 913881. Prune Farmer 913881 streaking down the sideline, he'll now cross it into the box but Fatty Whale heads it over the back line to concede the corner. It will be a corner for Gregoryisgodistan with this game still scoreless. Slave Beater 20LXAU21 takes the corner, finds Secret Police Agent Dominic Button, WHO HEADS IT OFF THE POST! Oh, but Guy Who Cleans Up Behind The Elephant at the Circus P0120AZNNAU is there to clean it up IT'S A GOAL!!!!! FOOT SLAVES LEAD THIS ONE 1-0! THE VISITING FANS ARE GOING NUTS, WHILE THE HOME FANS ARE STUNNED! What a good piece of work by Guy Who Cleans Up Behind The Elephant at the Circus P0120AZNNAU to score that one. Officially Secret Police Agent Dominic Button will get the assist, but that was a shot, not a pass. It worked out though, as it's a goal and we're up 1-0.

...

"30th minute, Executioner 98481 finds Prune Farmer 913881. He tries to go all the way cross field to Hacker Fred'); DROP TABLE Rosters;-- who now passes it into the box and finds Soccer Captain Laredo Potato making a run. He shoots, IT'S A GOAL! Oh, but the flag was up for offsides! Soccer Captain Laredo Potato denied a great goal by offsides. Looking at a replay, that's probably the right call. No argument from Soccer Captain Laredo Potato or from anyone on this team or in the stands, which should tell you something. Still 1-0.

...

"And the ref has signaled for one minute of stoppage. Meanwhile, it's a free kick for Soccer Captain Laredo Potato about 27 yards out. He'll take it, oh and there's Slave Beater 20LXAU21 streaking in unmarked and he heads it in. The goalie for Nurkama ran up to make the save, but Slave Beater 20LXAU21 ran forward unmarked and got to the ball before him, then headed it into a wide open net. How did Nurkama let that happen? This is what you can do when you play a not-so-good team. That would never have worked against The Holy Empire or even Maklohi Vai but the Foot Slaves have a goal here at the end of the first half and lead 2-0.

...

"58th minute, here comes Butty Facey and he'll find Ugly Horse in the box, Horse shoots, diving save by Prune Farmer 3818F who gets up looking to counter. He boots it all the way past midfield to Guy Who Cleans Up Behind The Elephant at the Circus P0120AZNNAU who somehow managed to break free and get there unmarked. He's sprinting forward now, only the keeper to beat, he shoots, GOAL FOR THE FOOT SLAVES! Great pass by the goalie to set that up, and he'll get a rare assist on that one. Meanwhile, Guy Who Cleans Up Behind The Elephant at the Circus P0120AZNNAU manages to get the goal and put the Foot Slaves up 3-0.

...

"75th minute, and Guy Who Cleans Up Behind The Elephant at the Circus P0120AZNNAU finds Soccer Captain Laredo Potato just outside the box. He crosses it for Loyal Friend of Lord Almighty Gregory Death to San Jose Guayabal, the substitute and former GSAZ national before that team was disbaned. Loyal Friend of Lord Almighty Gregory Death to San Jose Guayabal heads it and it's over the crossbar. Not good enough to make it 4-0.

...

"And there's the final whistle. Foot Slaves win. They'll celebrate this win, but in the end they only did what was expected of them. Next up, they'll host Flick Jostle in what should be another easy win. See you then!"

[Xzyxrouw]

All conversation translated from Xati to English for ease of reading

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On the brow of a hill overlooking the humble patch of earth which constitutes the Xzyxrouw national football stadium, two elderly xatz watched the spectacle below. Relatively few natives had made the journey to witness one of the top teams in the Multiverse provide the Esportivan debutants with their first competitive home match. A gaggle of Valladar fans and supporters lined the ground with a small collection of TV cameras a little further off, each station competing with one another for the best possible vantage point. Beyond this, spasmodically placed clowders and individuals of Xzyxrouw, keen to avoid being too close to the Valladar ooghumz boisterously waving flags and scarfs of green and sky-blue. Kazaq rolled his eyes towards Uqreem. Their previously insular lives would never be the same again. The two teams emerged from the changing rooms provoking cheers and whooping from those nearest the ground.

"Will there be more of these contests in the future?"
"After this one, another six. Disregarding those played in other nations."

Kazaq released a pitiful hiss as the Valladars began an a cappella rendition of their anthem. Someone had brought an instrumental backing track but the tiny mobile phone speakers could scarsely be expected to compete with the hundreds of voices of those present. Uqreem cleared his throat ahead of the Xati anthem, which wasn't an anthem per se. As the individual regions and clans of Xzyxrouw garnered more nationalistic emotion than the country as a whole, all the Xati present sang, simultaneously, their own personal choice of anthem. None wishing to be out-done by any other, the Valladars were treated to nearly forty minutes of cacophonic squeals, mews and hisses before the ruckus subsided and the national anthem was declared complete.

"Do you think we'll win? What score do you think we'll get?"

Uqreem mused over the questions. Valladares were supposedly good, but they weren't xatz so how good could they really be?

"We'll win. As for the score ... hmmm ... four-three in our favour. I think."
"I think we might draw it. They certainly smell like they know what they're doing."
"True true but they're only ooghumz."
"Also true."

With a sharp blast of a whistle which made a few of the more unsuspecting xatz wince, the game began.

---

---

First Half

---

"That was terrible."
"Truly."
"I don't see why that imbecilic arf was thrown by that dummy."
"By ooghum standards, those strikers are pretty quick. By the time Ruf Gruf realised Rozenthal hadn't actually laid the ball off to Morantes on the wing. Rozenthal was in on goal. Xowzo could've done better."
"Pah! That goal was all the arfz fault. Seventeen minutes played and we're down. And yes, their strikers are nimble but they're no match for a xat. Xowzo could've charged him down before he had chance to shoot but still, the arf should've done better. Should've taken Rozenthal's legs out."
"He's only a stupid arf. He only knows to chase the ball down and then give it to a xat."

---

"Ha! They didn't see that coming. Did they? Ha."
"Nice move indeed. That's more like it."
"Shame Iuki's one of those filthy Shqwyu's."
"Is he really?"
"Oh yeah. Bloody southerners."
"Nice headed goal all the same. Finally Ruf Gruf got something right with that delivery from the corner."
"Yeah, 'spose."
"How long's that then?"
"Twenty-six minutes."
"So ... that's ..."
"Another nineteen left in the half."
"Ah. Needlessly long these 'football' matches aren't they?"
"Yeah, just a little."

---

"Oh she's good that Myrmynx. Take that you dirty ooghumz! Two-one."
"Apparently just before half-time's a good time to score. Demoralises opponents."
"How long until half-time?"
"We're in stoppage time now. Only one minute of it."
"Didn't think she was going to finish it. Thought she'd have gone for a penalty."
"Me too. Inspired choice though to feed the ball through Courtois' legs and scamper 'round the outside. She still could've run into him and got a penalty. Maybe even a red for Courtois as last ooghum back?"
"Don't think so. Edwards was also back. Think he expected her to feed Qyumouw in the centre though rather than take the ball around Moore."
"Could've still had a penalty."
"Does it matter? We're ahead ... And that's half-time."
"Isn't Myrmynx a Shqwyu?"
"Yeah, but until the Qeq'heuwks start scoring, I'm happy to ignore the fact."
"Still got eleven players on the pitch too. That must be a record."
"Don't agree with any of those seven yellows we got though. Especially that one Rhahaxa got. Coupet clearly fouled her. Just because he didn't actually make contact. She had to dive to get out of the way. He might have fouled her if she hadn't dived. Referees need to take this sort of thing into account."
"Precisely my thoughts."
"Indeed."

---

---

Second Half

---

"Arrghh! No no no no! Ruf Gruf needs to come off. That's twice now that Rozenthal has got past him."
"Xryqy should've have let him one-two with Pedrinho."
"That's not the point. We're all square again and we'd be two-nil up if that stupid arf could defend. We've only been back out three minutes."
"Xowzo was also miles off her line. She didn't make it difficult to lob the ball over her."
"What are you? Some kind of arf-rights activist?!"
"Just saying. I don't think it's only Ruf Gruf's fault."
"Either way, someone needs to take down Rozenthal. He's making a mockery of the defense."
"That I agree with."

---

"Bloody Shqwyu's. No sense of tact."
"Can't see how the ref can call that a trip. Myrmynx went for the ball and accidentally got Coupet's leg because he moved it."
"His legs. She got both."
"But still, it's bias against xatz is what it is."
"Don't see how the ref can use the massive claw-marks in his shin-pads as reasoning that she wasn't going for the ball. Blatant racism."
"Well that's half an hour left to win this thing with only ten players."
"Gonna be hard with a racist ref."
"Oh yeah ..."

---

"It's looking like another draw for us."
"Another?"
"We drew against Eupheos-Anatus. Another racist ref screwing things up for us. It's why Khfufu and Zrha aren't allowed to play."
"Oh."
"Another four minutes for stoppages then it's all over."
"If Valladares are as good as the ooghumz seem to think they are, that's a good result right?"
"Pfft. We could've won this thing if it wasn't for that bloody arfi defender."
"Hang on ... Xryqy's through!"
"Oh yeah. Wow. Guess the Valladaresez didn't expect a counter-attack. Pass it to Kha! C'mon! Yes! That's it. GOAL! We've won! Hahahaha. Screw you, you stinking Valladaresez ooghumz. Haha ... Wait ... what?"
"They're saying offsides?"
"No. Surely not. Who the fuck plays for offsides?"
"Yup. Kha was apparently offsides."
"Arfshit! No way. This is ridiculous!"
"Moore's taken the free kick quickly. Rozenthal's unmarked again."
"They can't do that! No!"
"Oh ..."
"No! No! No!"
"I think we just lost."
"Crap. Utter crap. Racist refereeing. Cheating Valladaresez players. That fucking useless arfi defender. No. I don't accept it."
"Full time. We lost."
"I'm never watching this stupid game again."
"I quite enjoyed it actually."
"That's because you're an idiotic arf-lover."
"Says you. You filthy ooghum-slave."
"Take that back, you ..."

---

Down by the pitch, two Valladar fans revelled in their teams far-too-close victory over Xzyxrouw. On the top of a nearby hill, they saw the silhouettes of two felines embroiled in maelstrom of fury but from such a distance it appeared to be a joyful celebration much like the one the two fans found themselves in the centre of.

[Schottia]

Resituated

introduction Part two

Part three: Pointless things

‘So, like you say, I need to ask you the same question?’ Said Gary as he and Chloe, his new companion, snaked off through the gallery in search of artwork. It was actually no mean task fighting your way through the groups of people absorbed in intense conversation.

She turned back to him looking puzzled. Her facial expression left him unsure as to whether she had misheard him or was avoiding the subject.

‘Why you are here?’ He added into the silence. ‘Surely it’s weird enough having one footballer creeping around a place like this let alone two?’ She smiled at this. Thank God.

‘I just like art.’ She answered with a shrug, turning towards a small wall mounted print she had found. ‘No weird back story I’m afraid.’ She continued to speak while studying the print. She stood close, her nose about two centimetres away from the frame.

She must have sensed that her answer was not enough for Gary, as she added a bit more.

‘It’s like the time when I was playing in the Under 15’s world cup in Mastille.’ She finally moved aside and let Gary shuffle forward to see the piece. ‘I spent pretty much the whole week held up in my room drawing. I don’t know, I just, like… enjoy it I guess. But in a funny way it’s also more than that?’

She finished the last sentence off in a way that implied a question. Room for Gary to come in. Conversation was an art, the ebb and flow, it was like a dance, Gary wasn’t very good at it. Nor dancing for that matter. Well he was okay; just he seldom found himself inclined to try very hard -- conversation that is: he genuinely couldn't dance.

He nodded, as he stopped briefly to look at the print. How long should he spend looking at it? At least as long as she had, otherwise he might seem like he is not interested. But she was standing very close behind him and it was distracting. It was just an etched print of a car. A mini-cooper possibly, some smaller vehicle. Drawn with a shaky hand by the looks of things. The printing plate hadn't even been cleaned very well, there were tiny scratches where the ink had rested and been transferred to the paper. There was something artlessly artful about it. Maybe if Gary didn't play well this world cup he could say he was being ironic. Maybe Sabine could film him and it could be a video work. It would never be that easy.

‘I know what you mean.’ He answered finally, and it was true, he did. He assembled and painted scale models of military units, it wasn’t art exactly, but he knew the feeling she was trying to describe.

Was he going to tell her a story? It was a boring story. Not worth the breath that would be required to externalise it. Well the words were coming out of his mouth anyway.

‘I remember this one time, it was a while back, a year ago.’ He started. ‘I was going for a walk down by the canals. In Marionville, that’s where I live. And anyway; I found this old clock, it was one of the antique ones, it had to be wound up, and it was really heavy. That sort of thing. But I took it home, carried it all the way, and fixing it up kind of felt like the most important thing in the world for a while. Then I went away, I went to New Edom, and I just forgot about it. I just, eh’

He rubbed his face hard. What on earth was he talking about? Seriously! She was still looking at him, waiting for the punch line, waiting for him to get to something that resembled a point. He laughed nervously. There was no point; nothing. It actually had nothing to do with the conversation.

‘I really don’t know where I’m going with this…’ He was trying hard to laugh it off.

‘It’s cool. No I think it’s interesting.’ Was she just being nice? In a sense the kindest thing might just have been to walk off, leave him with his own awkward misery. He was getting used to his own rotten company. But she was still here still sticking with him for some reason. Like someone clutching their betting slip long after their horse had fallen.

‘I don’t know like. It feels important to me but I don’t know… I just don’t really know.’ Gary was just trailing off now, perpetually trailing off. Trailing of into the sunset. ‘I don’t know.’ Said for the fifth time in a minute.

‘Listen, I never know what I’m saying half the time.’ Chloe gave him a reassuring pat on the shoulder, somehow she had become the comforter and he the comforted. ‘My Granddad once told me that it was better to remain silent and be thought as a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt.’

‘I’ve probably removed any doubt that you had that footballers are uncultured idiots then?’ Gary made a joke, the joke helped. He certainly didn’t consider himself an idiot though; he hoped she knew that was a joke. He had an urge to scream out: But I am actually intelligent.

‘Oh my god, don’t be daft!’ She was firmly shaking her head. ‘Hey I’m a footballer too, your insulting both of us remember. No, I was just going to say that I think that’s a load of crap! People shouldn’t be worried about what others think of them.’

Gary nodded. Goodness, this was like a therapy session.

‘So what do you think?’ She was talking about…? ‘The print?’

Gary took a long deep breath before answering. It at least gave him the time it took to fill his lungs; it gave him a bit more time to think. It was a bit like yoga. Follow the breath, use the whole of the lung.

'I think I liked how it was just really pointless.' He finally answered confidently.

'How do you mean?' She asked slowly, and Gary's confidence retreated as suddenly as it had arrived.

A follow-up question. The worst kind of response to any answer. Why couldn't people just be happy with the initial answer? Why probe deeper all the time? He wasn't being interviewed here!

'Just like, I don't know. How it's such an insignificant thing in a lot of ways.' He took a sip of his beer. That helped. 'Like there is no point in doing a rubbishy little line drawing of a car. But somebody did, and now we are here looking at it, and we have to deal with it. We have to respond to it.'

'Ah okay.' Chloe answered, as Gary's answer seemed to have cleared up her uncertainty at his initial point. She was nodding now. 'I think that's really important though. Art can't just be some stuff, it has to be everything. You know, I can't only be spectacular.'

There was a relief flooding through Gary's veins after being able to come up with that answer, saying something that wasn't weird. That happy feeling of having one's beliefs affirmed.

If the conversation was going to continue at this level of intensity he was going to need another beer.

The Daily Worker
Road to Felix and Yttribia
Marrian McFadden reports

---

Sovereign-Socialist Republics 0-4 Schottia
Unknown Stadium
Goals: 22" Avelione, 30" Allen, 53" Seggerson, 78" Coultan. (Schottia)
Possession: 41% - 59%
Shots: 5 - 12
On-target: 2 - 6

---

The Sovereign-Socialist Republics were very much an unknown entity in Schottia in the lead up to this match. The team that finished rock-bottom of their Baptism of Fire group, had followed that up with a spirited result in the Polar Islandstates, managing to keep the score to a respectable 1-0 in their opening World Cup qualifier. With that in mind Schottia manager Barry Gorman will have travelled to the little known republics with a degree of trepidation, taking nothing at all for granted against the bottom seeds. It seems the case these days that there is no such thing as a guaranteed win in international football, and especially on the road, the greatest of care must be taken.

Gorman started the match with a virtually unchanged line up from the one that defeated Fratton 5-1. Joey Bia was preferred to Craig O'Maramy on the right wing, and right-back Jack Gordon was rested in favour of Chris Jack.

The Schottic scouts will have had their work cut out trying to find out anything about this side, who as we mentioned were competing in their first World Cup cycle. However, this would be about to change as Schottia were given a whirlwind introduction, with the Sovereign-Socialist Republics coming out of the blocks like they meant business. There was a ropy opening 10 to 15 minutes for the White and Greens, as the home side looked to take the early advantage. Nerves were settled midway through the first half, however, when Gaston Avelione scored his second goal in as many matches.

Schottia had been beginning to settle in to the match just before the goal and had already gone close with a Jon Fotan effort. However the much needed breakthrough came in the 22nd minute when Mark Allen's surging run into the box seemed to stop abruptly as he appeared to have been fouled. The referee waved play on, but unable to clear the ball, the Republic defenders left the door open for the onrushing Avelione to lift the ball over the keeper and into the net.

The goal went a long way towards addressing the visitor's nerves and seemed to take the initial sting out of the home side, who now found themselves on the back foot. Schottia were determined not to leave this result to chance, and struck again while the iron was hot. This time, justifying his selection, it was Joey Bia picking up the ball on the right flank, who created the chance. The teenager moved the ball onto his left foot, doing well to get beyond the Republic defence, before playing a low ball into the box. The pass was picked up by Allen, who made the defenders look static as he got himself one on one with the keeper. Despite the raised hands appealing for offside, the striker was free to bury the ball in the back of the net. The Hill Valley striker ran off to celebrate being the third member of the squad to reach the two-goal tally after just 120 minutes of football.

It must have been a pretty relived away dressing room at half time, having avoided an initial scare to end up two goals in front. Clearly Gorman had one eye on the visit of Falcus in the next match and took the opportunity rest Mark Allen and Gary Corsie, bringing on Kim Coutan and Alfred Seggerson. Jottnar Kallsmudden girl Coultan was making her first appearance in the qualifiers, and despite playing in the No. 10 position for her club, replacing Allen did leave Schottia with a unorthodox 4-6-0 style formation.

Schottia might have had six midfielders on the pitch, but they were six very attacking players, and they rewarded their manager’s creativity early in the second half. 19-year-old Coultan, the only Schottic woman to have received a senior cap, again showed why she is so highly rated. The former Dundee youngster, picking up the ball on the edge of the box, had the presence of mind to pick out Jon Fotan in space down the left. The midfielder then cut a pass just inside the edge of the 18-yard-box for Seggerson to turn and blast home his first goal for his country. The Handon United midfielder left the keeper with no chance as he put his adopted nation three goals in front.

It was getting increasingly difficult by this stage to see how the home side were going to get back into the match, their best chances seeming to come from set-plays. Schottia rounded off another very good day at the office in the 78th minute with a killer fourth goal; one which allowed Miss Coultan to claim another Schottic footballing first. After a neat exchange with U-21's teammate Eoin Killanen, she showed skill and composure to pivot just inside the D, before toe-poking a shot past the helpless keeper.

The nation's first full international goal scored by a female player will be the icing on the cake for fans, and proof of the continued success of the co-ed Integration Project. The teenager's performance is even more remarkable when you consider that two seasons ago she was playing in the reserves in the Schottic second tier. It has been a sharp rise to fame, for the Di Bradini Cup winner, now playing in the Buyanese league.

Barry Gorman will no doubt be delighted with his players, however, he will also be aware that there are much harder matches to come. With this in mind, Schottia will need to be at their very best as they welcome Falcus to Harbourhill in the next match in a game which will go a long way to deciding Group 11's outcome.

---

Line- up: D'Araby 7, Jack 7, O'Brian 7, Hanlon 6, Okywä 7, 50 Bia 7, Avelione 8 (80 Schwartz 5), Corsie 7 (45 Seggerson 7), Foton 8, Killanen 7, Allen 8 (45 Coultan 8 ),

Man of the Match: Fotan. Hard to choose between Fotan, Avelione and Coutan, but the midfielder controlled the game from start to finish.

---

Other world cup news...

Cornellia watch. -- A look at the fortunes of the other teams in our region

Polar Islandstates held at Falcus, as the game ends 0-0

Do Schottia have what it takes to progress from the group?

[Alasdair I Frosticus]

OOC: Since WCQ will be happening at July to September of 2018 in Quebecois IC time, I had felt that this may be a good thing to RP on. Go ahead and TG me with the information of the performers and the pieces, as have shown (as an example) in this post. Since I haven't decided on how many proms there'd be this season, I'll leave it open for some slots. International groups are welcome, but groups not fitting the criteria (OOC: not typing in enough or proper information with great details) will not be accepted.

Dear Quebec Broadcasting Company,

We are wishing to be entered into the excitement-making Promenading Season for Holy Empire so that we can be pleasuring you.

We are famous Holy Empire traditional folk music-making band Sbrskj Krk Trkrj (or, as you are saying in your language, "Let Us All Rejoice in Harmonious Melodies of Glorious Motherland"), who were also entering World Cup 64 on behalf of Holy Empire.

We are being from picturesque but highly isolated Imperial region of Slobbodovania, famous for goats, tractors, and factories where beets are being processed into steel. Alas, one of reasons Slobbodovania is so isolated is that bridges keep collapsing. It was not greatest success in history of Empire as we were losing in second round of tournament, but oh, such fun we had, doing the dancing and singing about beets!

You are perhaps remembering our greatest hits, "Mother is Making Beet Soup for Supper (Again)", "Family Trees Should Have Few Branches", "When There is No Meat, We Can Always Eat Beets", "Chase Away the Strangers", "The Beet Song", and "Tractors for Turnips!"

Here is full listing of members of Sbrskj Krk Trkrj:

Milan! plik-plok, singing
Fyodr! zuzelhoorn
Pyotr! moodelhoorn
Fyodr-Pyotr! silenhoorn
Yaropolk! doobel plik-plok, singing
Vassily! hoobrl drums, singing
Vlad! krkln bells
Radvn! catpipes
Nikky! trppel plik-plok, singing
Ion! ear flutes
Sava! hitton sticks, singing

We are also having tradtitional interpretive folk-dancing troupe; they are famous for their beet dance. The members are being:
Dancing Ion, Dancing Con, Dancing Khon, Dancing Slobodon

Because we are appreciating the nature of Promenading Concerts, we are wishing to be performing our six hour traditional Slobbodovanian folk epic In Search of the Lost Vowel, alongside members of Imperial Symphony Orchestra, Imperial Opera Choir, and the Howling Dogs of Imperial Kennels.

It is being most important for full experience of epic, that we are allowed to bring in precisely one hundred and fifty dogs, who must be placed directly under pipes of concert hall pipe organ.

Please be responding to our offer by the usual channels.

We are looking forward to pleasuring you,

Sbrskj Krk Trkrj

[Pays den haut]

Ruling Clan Leaders Address To The Population

Ruling Clan Leader and Minister of Diplomacy Claude, clan Labelle, Ruling Clan Leader and Minister of Law and Order Mario, clan Gauthier and Ruling Clan Leader and Minister of Sports Daniel, clan Lévesque, addressed to the population regarding our scheduled national team's home game against Valanora on matchday 13.

Claude, clan Labelle: "Ok, Mario, Daniel and me we have a public announcement to make regarding the home game against Valanora. First I would like to thank all the newspapers like "l'Écho du Nord" who are here today to report the important things we have to say today. Thanks to the 50 people who came here in person to assist live to our public address. Well, Valanora is coming here in les Pays d'en Haut on matchday 13 to play a soccer game and their players are elves. It doesn't makes us happy but we have to let them come on our soil and play that game. Without killing them. Since we have heard that a race called "elves" exists we have stated that being an elf in les Pays d'en Haut is chargeable of the death penalty. Thank God, we never had to enforce it. Now we're facing this problem, should we enforce it or not? The Holy Habitant Asssembly voted at 8 against 5 not to enforce it. Which means we'll let Valanora play soccer without killing them. It's not sure if we would have succesfully killed them anyway cuz it's possible they could use magic and that's scary. So I'm asking the population to not kill Valanoran players. Our ladies and children must stay locked at home so their magic doesn't affect you. Before their arrival, Bishop Antoine, clan Labelle will bless the Mirabel International Airport, Hôtel Le Mirage, Parc Blainville and all the Habitant soccer players and coaches involved so hopefully the elves magic won't affect them. Now I'm giving the floor to Mario, our minister of Law and Order."

Mario, clan Gauthier: "As Claude said, we won't kill the elves. Anyone trying to kill them will be jailed for a certain time. When arriving in les Pays d'en Haut, the elves will be escorted to their hotel and to the stadium by 20 members of our National Guard. The National Guard will be protecting the elves against any attack by the population. The National Guard will also be protecting the population against any suspected threat made by the elves. I think if everything is ok, we should go through all that without any incident. I'm now giving the floor to Daniel."

Daniel, clan Lévesque: "Well we can't kill them but we can beat them at soccer let's win that game on matchday 13 and the road game in Valanora on matchday 6! But before beating them we have to beat Darvale at home at Parc Angora in Terrebonne on matchday 3, let's beat them too!"

That's all for the Ruling Clan Leaders' address to the population. For our next game against Darvale, Kévin, clan Bédard will be suspended because he got a red card against The Calanian Union. He'll be replaced with Rodrigue, clan Labelle, it will be his first cap with the National Team.

[Vermark]

Olaf Prebesen: Ideas: The Currency of the Future
The Welcoming Address to #PEC71 by PEC President Olaf Prebesen

Throughout history, you can define periods in time by an item that was heavily sought after. Whoever had the most of this item had the most power. This item can typically be defined by the name of the era. The Agriculture Revolution put importance on food, Bronze Age people scramble over bronze, and likewise, the Iron Age with iron. We can apply the same premise to silk in the middle ages, sugar, spices, and slaves in pre-modern times, or coal and cotton during the Industrial Revolution. In the twentieth century, power was defined by petroleum. Regardless of the time or the resource, there were always disparities, as well as conflict, between who had it and who doesn't. But as we move to a digital, information-based world, what is the world’s next currency going to be?

Whereas the past has been largely materialistic, and the goods sought after were concrete, the future will be more abstract as wealth is derived more and more from intangible things. Omnium's billions of dollars of wealth has not (until recently) involved any actual product one can hold in his or her hands. Investment brokers, doctors, and lawyers all sell things that are imaginary and only exist in the mind. Most label these imaginary products as “services”, and these “services” make up a large portion of an advanced economy. Services are the currency of the present. However, the future will see services taken one step further.

The future seems problem ridden. What is the world going to about poverty, inequality, and violence? How will we combat disease, ignorance, and environmental issues? These are questions that require answers. Yet, despite the need for tangible solutions will have to be fueled by abstracts. In other words, those who have ideas for solutions to these problems will be much better off than those who despair and claim that the world is as well off as it is going to get. Ideas, no matter how impractical they may appear, will equate to power. Ideas will be the currency of the future.

It is for this reason that we need not be depressed over the economic future of the Vermark. Our prowess going forward will not lie in the amount of natural resources we possess, nor will it be in the robustness of our manufacturing sector. We will continue to succeed by our ability to generate ideas. No other nation has the number of elite universities, state-of-the-art laboratories, or revolutionary geniuses that Vermark has. From offices of the Silicon Mountains to the halls of the University of Videnhagen, we are a nation of thinkers, researchers, and problem-solvers.

To prepare for this future, we need to propel our education to an unparalleled level. We must ensure that the world’s most advanced economy has the world’s shrewdest education system. Facilitating thinking, problem-solving, and creativity is a must. It will require a holistic method of teaching and a driven motivation for learning. The necessity for thinking, both in abstract and concrete terms, has never been higher. It is for this reason that we must not let our exchange of ideas be hindered. It is my hope that we continue to make ideas, share ideas, and cherish ideas.

So welcome to the seventy-first PEC Conference, the first international PEC conference. We hope that you, the many different peoples of the world, will come together during this time to make, share, and cherish ideas. Thank you.

---

#PEC71 Chatter^TM Conversation

PEC @PEC
PEC, standing for Politics, Economics and Culture, started out as a symposium for sharing ideas for the advancement of society. Now it is a festival of ideas taking place in Raskstad, Vermark where people gather to hear and give talks and presentations about revolutionary ideas. #PEC71

---

In Reply to...
Brandon Knight @knightb54
So, what is this PEC thing? Sounds #interesting. #PEC71

PEC @PEC
We started our 71 years ago, this is only the first time that a conference has been open to international attendees and speakers. #PEC71

---

In Reply to...
Angela Kingsly @angelajanek
If this has gone on for 7 decades, how is it this the first time I've heard of it? #PEC71

PEC @PEC
We'd love to have anyone! Just apply through our website: pec.vk/speak #PEC71

---

In Reply to...
Sandra @sandrasmith
Can anyone speak at the conference? #PEC71

[Walkany]

Starting Lineup
GK:Jurgen Coeman
LB:Michael Haywood
CB:Oliver Gourde
CB:Mark de Man
RB:Ray Haywood
CDM:David Lucius
CM:Clint Daniels
CM:Xander Xavi
LW:Eddy Haphazard *Captain
CF:Slatan Irkovic
RW:Daniel Well-Bit

Subs
GK:Daniel De Hayu
CB:Fil Nevis
RB:Pep Pep Guardiola
CDM:Lucas Shawn
CM:Andre inestia
LW:Chris Rolonda
ST:Leones Cleen

The final whistle blew and the Walkany team dog piled on the sideline near their bench, celebrating their first Qualifying win. De Hayu hugged Coeman on the bench, Lucius did a jig on the field which warranted a harsh talking to from the referee, and captain Haphazard alongside Mark de Man lifted manager O'nielle high into the air. Chris Rolonda tore off his shirt and flexed his muscles for the crowd where ear splitting screams could be heard. When the coaches were finally able to get the team calmed down enough, they headed into the locker room. A reporter was able to catch O'nielle before he headed in...

Press:How does the team feel about the win?

O'nielle:We're ecstatic! It was an amazing game with a great come back for Chris to score the last goal. It means a lot that we can pull together for a final goal in stoppage time. It seems to be our style right now. The team was great. Every aspect of our game was amazing. Castigonia is a very good team that we remained neck and neck with until the final moments. It was hard to see Jurgen's injury. Bayview and Jurgen went for the ball at the same time so I agree with the referee's decision to make it a goal kick when they kicked it last. It was just an unfortunate challenge that left Jurgen with a bad head cut. If it was up to him he would have stayed on, but the referee said if it kept bleeding, he couldn't play. I wanted to drop everybody back and retain the three-three draw, but then Chris and Daniel came up to me while Jurgen was being checked out and Chris said, "I'm ready coach! I can do it! Don't drop us back!" while Daniel said, "I can protect the goal, Coach! Don't drop anybody back! We need this win!". I couldn't resist how tenacious they were. Eddy and Jurgen were both sad to come off, but putting Chris on worked.

Press:I'm sure the fans back home want to know if Jurgen Coeman's injury will keep him out of the starting lineup for the next match?

O'nielle:That's still to be determined. Ray Alligator told me that it doesn't look like it, but don't rule anything out. De Hayu is a good keeper anyway so it won't be a problem if Jurgen is out for a couple of matches.

Press:Your team took the lead time and time again which finally resulted in the win. What led to the final goal?

O'nielle:Well, I have to say Slatan's goal from the free kick early on was great. They tied it up quick though. Then Eddy had a good break away and assisted Well-Bit's headed goal. Again, Castigonia tied it up very quick which frustrated me a lot. At half time I told the team that when we score, we can't let them score back. Of course the same thing happened though. Lucius dribbled past a couple of players, took a shot and scored. Almost as soon as we reset, we got the ball back, and pushed up for a goal. Castigonia snatched the ball away and snuck a goal away making it three-three. I couldn't believe it! Then Jurgen got injured in the seventy-sixth minute. When Chris came onto the field, the whole game shifted in our favor. He was beating players left and right. No one, not even our own players, could keep up with him. I thought about telling the team to drop back to hold the draw when Castigonia had a couple of really good scoring chances, but remembered how determined Daniel was so I let them attack. Then, Slatan had an amazing shot that I thought would go in for sure. Somehow their keeper blocked it and then Chris got the ball back, nut megged two players in a row and scored the last goal of the game. It was part luck, part skill really.

Press:How do you feel about your next game hosting the Crystal Empire?

O'nielle:(laughs)That'll be a tough one to win. They are ranked in the top one-hundred and we're unranked, but that means nothing about how we'll play. The team and I believe we can win, so that will give us huge boost. I've looked at their squad. All of them are very good which can also be said about The Gators. That's one of the games I'm really excited for. The fans are also excited. I've seen banter about it non-stop since the groups were announced. It will be a fun atmosphere and hopefully it will get some Reppeps flowing through the Liga again.

Chris Rolonda, dressed in a casual button up shirt and jeans, walked up barefoot to O'nielle and put his arm around him...

Chris:C'mon, Coach, it's time for dinner!

Press:(stuttering slightly with flushed cheeks)M-mister Rolonda-

Chris:Call me Chris(winks)

Press:(smiles and blushes even more)Chris, how did it feel to get back in the game and score a game winning goal?

Chris:It was amazing!(throws hands in air)I felt like I was flying! That goal really brought my spirits up after such a long down time. I can't wait for the next match. Oh man, I'm so pumped right now!

Chris Rolonda ran back into the locker room, whooping and hollering.

O'nielle:(laughs)Well, fans back home, you can count on us to get you in to the World Cup! Right now, we are capable of anything!

With a hop and a skip, O'nielle entered the locker room and was met by loud cheers.

[The Saint James Islands]

Arena la Rouge press conference room before Omerica v Nova Anglicana

---

James-Alexandre Christopherson: Thank you all for appearing here today. It is an honour to be at this table as the Les Oiseaux manager and to take your questions. To keep the introduction brief, I am ready to go.

Reporter 1: Uiremu ʻo Makara with Pieti ʻo Takatori. How will the win against Peace Republic impact your strategy going into tonight’s game?

JAC: Teenaa koe, ʻarii Makara. I believe the fact that we have gone undefeated so far, whereas in past campaigns we’ve always lost our opening game, is a good sign. It’s a vindication of our change in outlook and strategy. The maxim of "the best defence is a good offence" served us well two years ago, but moderating that stance and placing less emphasise on the midfield and goalkeeper has worked so far and I am confident that it can work tonight. We’ll need some luck, but I am certain that this will not be the doom and gloom pundits are predicting.

Reporter 2: (translated from French) Christine Couard with the Philibiscostal Courier. What is the team’s main goal for tonight’s game?

JAC: Merci beaucoup, madame Couard. Our main focus is to not lose. It will be an uphill climb to not falter in the face of a battle-tested opponent that have proven themselves a formidable adversary, but with our main team rested and in good shape with a significant home pitch advantage, I think forcing Nova Anglicana to drop at least two points tonight is by no means out of the question. We’re looking just to not lose. It’s not the prettiest of strategies and it’s going to bring us a roasting in the press, but when facing this kind of test, it’s our best choice if we want results. La Corona didn’t win the Primerliig by losing game after game.

Reporter 3: Thomas Reynolds, Georgetown Daily. Are you worried about having to face the top seeds next week after playing a game against the second seeds?

JAC: Thank you, mister Reynolds. Yes and no. In the short-term, in the context of tonight’s game: who gives a shit about who are next opponents are? If we preoccupy ourselves with who we face next, we cannot focus on what is immediately in front of us and that will screw us over more than the Sunrisians ever could. We do have to make strategic decisions with future games in mind, yes. But our focus tonight is on Nova Anglicana and getting points against them. We’ll worry about the Sunrisians when the time comes for that.

Reporter 4: Samantha Rhine for the Royal of Philibiscostal. So what is the team’s long-term strategy?

JAC: Thank you, madam Rhine. Our long-term strategy is to have no long-term strategy. Our focus is to concentrate on each game individually. We’re not thinking six weeks in advance. We’re not thinking about the game in two weeks time. I couldn’t even tell who in the bloody hell we’ll be playing and where without looking at my notebook. Nova Anglicana is our focus tonight. We’ll worry about everyone else another time.

Reporter 5: Jan de Plaas. Dägpoost. Are you worried that playing game-to-game with adversely affect the team later on?

JAC: No. There are decisions that we make in the management team that do help with future games, such as benching our starting eleven for the last game. But that was out of want to test our back-up players. We are aware of the risks and are taking steps to mitigate said risks. But there is a danger in micromanging things that are months out in time. Football is an unpredictable game and we have to be ready to make changes when need calls for it. Doing that on a short-term basis is much easier and affects us less adversely later on.

Reporter 6: Lee Carpenter for the United Counties Network. If you could say anything to the Nova Anglican team before tonight’s game, what would you say?

JAC: We are ready. Good luck. May the best team win.

Time is running short and we have time for one more question.

Reporter 7: Victoria Cannon for the Sempton Post. Could you confirm whether or not the rumours that you are leaving your wife to marry the f-bomb are true?

(laughter in the conference room)

JAC: (laughing) No. I can assure you that I am still with Caroline and will be happily married with her for a long time to come. Thank you for a great end to a great press conference. Thank you to everyone who has asked questions tonight and best wishes to all of you. (gets up and walks out of the conference room)

---

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

Official Press Release - Tuku Katipa Hoi ʻe Pieti

Qualifiers for the Seventy-First World Cup
Omerica national team line-up vs. Nova Anglicana (home)

---

Substitutes
GK - N^o 13: Stéphane ROUSSEAU
GK - N^o 25: John MARTIN
LD - N^o 14: Lucca LA CASTÈLLA
CD - N^o 15: Jean-Marie MOLINEAUX
CD - N^o 16: Makara ʻO TOA
RD - N^o 17: Mikäel CHRISTOPHE
CM - N^o 18: William PARNELL
CM - N^o 19: Erik DE WAALD
AM - N^o 20: Uirema MOANA
LF - N^o 21: NEAMA Iokua
ST - N^o 22: JEAN-BAPTISTE Couard
RF - N^o 23: Ryan CASSIDY

Starting eleven
GK - N^o 1: INTAN Petera
LD - N^o 2: Thomas THEODORIDIS
CD - N^o 3: Tobias WILMER
CD - N^o 4: Marvin SESSIONS
RD - N^o 5: Victor MASON
CM - N^o 6: KAI Eko
CM - N^o 7: Karl ANGLESEY
AM - N^o 8: Thom BARNETT
LF - N^o 9: George KOSTAS - VICE-CAPTAIN
ST - N^o 10: Mikaere RAIA - CAPTAIN
RF - N^o 11: Jan-Nikläs ROSENKRÄNTS

[Turori]

CEDNIA BEACH, TURORI :: The Turorian city of Cednia has been the first to announce its affiliation with the Tropicorp Artificial Intelligence Team (TAIT) Research & Development effort dubbed "World Cup 71 Madness."

Running off the high-processing capacity computers at the Coconut Marsh Institute (CMI) - a public/private partnership research and technology facility just outside the Cednia city center.

The Coconut Marsh Institute will be responsible for one-quarter of the calculations for the "World Cup 71 Madness" experiment. While the calculations themselves will take place at the Institute, the results, as they come, will be publicly visible only from a large digital screen that has been set up on the outside of the Cednia Beach Center, the home of the former UICA Globe Cup champion Cednia Beach AFC football club. There will be no public access to the Coconut Marsh Institute where the calculations will be taking place.

As part of the announcement, Tropicorp and Coconut Marsh representatives were on hand to reveal the first set of Nations selected from the experiment, a long with a small explanation for their inclusion.

It was revealed that teams would be seeded with higher seeded teams, based on selection, being paired inversely with the appropriate low-ranked side. The format of the bracket was also revealed to have a 'play in simulation' by which two nations would be calculated against each other prior to the start of primary calculations to determine which would claim the vacant spot in the bracket.

With virtually no surprise, the defending World Cup champion Nation and #1 world ranking side - Osarius, was given the #1 seed position.

With the calculation formulas being repeated for all bracket calculations, each bracket uses a 1-16 system to determine placement of the nations in the pairings.

The decision to place Ko-oren in the 2 seed ahead of Saintland and HopNation perhaps would be a point of discussion for the simulation while World Cup 71 co-host nation Yttribia is included in the early stage of the calculation as a 9 seed despite not participating in the actual World Cup 71 qualification stage. Tropicorp officials cite this as an artifact of the current Predictive Artificial Intelligence code base which simply is less buggy when formatted singularly without modification once calculations begin.

Prior to the start of primary calculations, the upstart nations of Vermark and Ndaku will be paired against each other for the right to occupy the #16 seed in the calculations and a pairing against Osarius. A second pre-primary pairing exists in the #11 seed slot between Darvale and Darmen. Neither Tropicorp nor Coconut Marsh representatives had a logical explanation for why there was also a pre-primary pairing for the #11 seed position, but suggested that it could have simply been linguistic confusion between the similarly named nations that necessitated the extra match.


1. WC71 Madness Announcement: A Study in Predictive AI

[The Sword Bloke]

SHOP OWNER SHELLSHOCKED
Azrea has defeated the Swordeans 5-2 in Azrea, after poor defending by the Swordeans. We are not able to reveal the names of the Azrean goalscorers, but we can say that McAldo scored in the 8th & 86th minutes. However, Shop Owner is keeping the same team for today's game vs Mendoya, hoping that we can build up our home to become a fortress.

[Polkopia]

Polkopia Excels 2nd Matchday. Qualification Within Reach?
By: Sebastian Aliyev

The second match day of World Cup qualifiers went better than the first, that's for sure, as the Polkopian team managed to grasp a solid 5-2 victory over the Allamunnic States following a brace from Immanuil Serevo and Rostislav Kantrisov, as well as a header from defender Sergei Ulansov to bring the Polkopian goals to a total of 5.

The overall morale of the team seemed rather high following kickoff. The chemistry between the midfield was spot on as usual, with Krenkov, Pensov, and Gorodiva flawlessly moving the ball up and down the pitch, constantly feeding the offense the ball. Personally, I don't believe words give them justice. Take a look at the stats. 71% possession from the Polkopian side. That's a rather impressive statistic, especially after seeing the result of the last match. Coach Stenin must have whipped the team into shape since then.

As if it were a tradition, the defense always had to let something slip, and, like in the past, one of the goals conceded was from a headed ball, which was beautifully placed in the back of the Polkopian net. I almost feel bad for Polov there. There was no way he could've stopped that one. Either way, the fault lies on the defender there. No matter though, because the next goal conceded was entire Polov's fault. A set piece taken just outside of the 18' made its way right into Polov's hands, but a fumble by the keeper allowed the ball to slip from his grip and inch over the line and into the goal.

I will say though, that Serevo and Kantrisov stepped up like they needed to, and I commend them for that. They brought much-needed energy to the offense, and the scoreline reflects their efforts.

Apart from the recent game, I have also read up on some news surrounding various Polkopian clubs where they are willing to buy foreign players, as well as sell Polkopian players to foreign teams. This is an exciting prospect that will surely bring the Polkopian League some outside talent which could very well ready some of the newer players to participate in a tournament such as this with so much talent seen from nearly every side. Reports from FC Valinkova and Lada Kirovski, show that they are already interested in buying foreign players.

Apart from that, nothing new is to be said. The Polkopian team is ready for their next game, where they'll be facing The Calanian Union at home. Who knows what this exciting matchup will bring? Detailed reports of the game can be seen below:

---

[Boring Paradise]

Group 16
Jeruselem (#45)
Ndaku (#UR)
Boring Paradise (#63)
The Sword Bloke (#291)
Filopines (#74)
Azrea (#225)
Mendoya (#150)
Ko-oren (#11)

MD1: 2-0 Azrea (H)
MD2: 5-1 Mendoya (A)
MD3: vs Jeruselem (H)
MD4: vs Ndaku (A)
MD5: vs Ko-oren (H)
MD6: vs The Sword Bloke (H)
MD7: vs Filopines (A)
MID-QUAL
MD8: vs Azrea (A)
MD9: vs Mendoya (H)
MD10: vs Jeruselem (A)
MD11: vs Ndaku (H)
MD12: vs Ko-oren (A)
MD13: vs The Sword Bloke (A)
MD14: vs Filopines (H)
Schedule subject to change

World Cup 71|Progress So Far

After the disappointment of the Campionato Esportiva 12th Edition was not good as this result may have affected this year's World Cup while we lie at 63rd in the world, the team has been collapsing from the lack of football being played as all domestic competition was grinded to a halt as the new system has been taking a long time to recover and won't expect some progress. Luckily the national side under the manager have been able to keep training and having scrimmages/friendlies against different teams, both domestic and national.

Matchday 1: vs Azrea @Paradisia North Park
The first match was a good start with a 2-0 win over Azrea at Paradisia in front of all the crowd and with the other results, made us first on goal difference. Shooby Armours scoring both goal within the last ten minutes of the first half. The first goal came out with a header from a corner by Samuel Wong while the second one came from penalty. The Azrean (or whatever they call themselves) defender came in from behind right before Williams took a shot. Thus, given a red card and a kick from the spot where Armours has never been off-target but only been saved once in his international career during a scrimmage against the Westfield House team, who are now in Rushmore (surprise, surprise).

Matchday 2: vs Mendoya @Unknown Location
The second match, to fully claim the first place in the qualifying group 16, needed to be a win as other teams had failed to get two wins from the two matches. This match started an hour after the other matches finished and ended with a 5-1 walkover keeping the Paradisians first with a record of 2-0-0. A very good start for Grzegorz Wasiliewski's team after the disappointment of CEXII. Haider Williams doing the honors in this match with a hat-trick as well as getting man of the match for his great plays in offence but while defending as well. Meanwhile, Armours has assisted two of those shots but wasn't able to score today as he was unable to hit the target since the very first minute as they were usually deflected by Azrean defenders or hit the woodwork.

[Equestrian States]

Equestrian Internationals' Return to United League Good for Ponies?
by Buck McColt

Over the past decade or so, something Equestrian hoofball fans have become accustomed to is that most of the Ponies' players have left United League clubs for more prestigious leagues like the Stellar Division, Apox National League, Divisjon One, LigAnaia, and numerous other leagues where the opportunities for glory are far greater. In many ways, this has been a good thing for the national team as top Equestrian players are challenged in ways they wouldn't be in the United League and can further hone their abilities against the multiverse's elite, not to mention bringing attention to the Equestrian States as the nation has risen to become one of the sport's recognized powers. However, for the United League, the exodus of Equestrian international talent to foreign leagues hasn't been good for much aside from some impressive transfer fees, the number of Equestrian internationals dwindling lower and lower over time. As a result, though fan interest remains high in the United League, it has mostly relied on foreign and Crystalline stars to sustain its position in the multiverse, something Equestrian supporters have criticized as their favorite teams have lost their local talents to foreign leagues.

But in the last two transfer windows, the migration patterns of Equestrian internationals have shifted; though some have still left for more lucrative overseas leagues, more players with caps for the Ponies have moved back to United League clubs, and others have opted for moves within the league rather than abroad. Among those returning to the Equestrian States are youngsters like Luminesce and Rumble, as well as veterans Sonar, Ironhide, and Katherine Everdeen. With interest in the United League increasing internationally in recent years, that Equestrian clubs would be able to better retain their local stars was seen as an eventuality by most, but few expected so many Equestrian internationals to return home in such a short time span.

For the United League, this is unquestionably a fantastic turn of events. The addition of highly-rated Equestrian players will help increase local fan interest, as will the growing number of higher-profile foreign talents who fans may recognize the names of. As the UHA looks to make a serious push towards improving the league's reputation abroad, that more talented players from the Equestrian States and elsewhere are willing to sign with United League clubs for reasons other than money - ignoring Manechester City - is a sign that the league's future is bright. However, what's good for the United League isn't necessarily good for the Equestrian States national team.

As the vast majority of Equestrian internationals returning to the United League are moving from clubs in nations with higher UICA rankings than the two UHA nations, it could be said that the players are taking a step down in opponent quality and won't be tested as much as they would elsewhere. For some, like Rumble, that's a valid argument, but a fair number of those players are moving from leagues near the same level as the United Leagues and the step down in opposition quality could be negated by the improved quality of their club teammates. But the best argument against this recent trend having a major impact on the national team is that the best Equestrian players have remained abroad at competitive clubs. If Gentle Breeze, Pristina Shine, Rainbow Blitz, and Brix Hamilton were all to join United League clubs, such an argument would have merit, but that's simply not the case.

Overall, the recent returns of Ponies players to the United League will likely have no impact on the national team and can only benefit the Equestrian States at the domestic level, which could actually help the national team in the long run. Thus, any fans who argue that the recent trend will harm the Equestrian States' international competitiveness come across to me as little more than paranoid.

---

Match Reports :: Match Days 1-2

 EQUESTRIAN STATES 1-1 KANDORITH 
Grand Regal Stadium (cap. 81,955) in Canterlot, Equestrian States

Scoring:
 Taiji Moto '33 (X. Chosi)
 Rosie Tyler '61 (Rainbow Blitz)

Starting XI:
GK - Gentle Breeze
CB - Brix Hamilton
CB - Flitter
CB - Andrea Molovi
CM - Rosie Tyler
CM - Cloudchaser
LW - Krystal
CAM - Rainbow Blitz
RW - Apple Cobbler
ST - Pristina Shine
ST - Thunderlane

Substitutions:
 Stardust in for Apple Cobbler '58
 Sparrow Body in for Rosie Tyler '67
 Wither in for Thunderlane '67

 WINDSOR ISLANDS 1-3 EQUESTRIAN STATES 
Unknown Stadium (cap. Unknown) in an Unknown City, Windsor Islands

Scoring:
 Decima '14 (R. Tyler)
 Pristina Shine '35 (Unassisted)
 Unknown '56 (Unknown)
 Rainbow Blitz '59 (Luminesce)

Starting XI:
GK - Marilyn Peterson
CB - Brix Hamilton
CB - Rumble
CB - Erauso Iburrusteta
CM - Rosie Tyler
CM - Apple Jack
LW - Elaine Everdeen
CAM - Rainbow Blitz
RW - Candace Rivers
ST - Pristina Shine
ST - Decima

Substitutions:
 Luminesce in for Apple Jack '45
 Rosewing in for Pristina Shine '45
 Blackstone in for Brix Hamilton '60

---

Starting XI :: Match Day 3

 EQUESTRIAN STATES vs. ESTENIA 
Star Stadium (cap. 59,250) in Canterlot, Equestrian States

------------------Gentle Breeze------------------

-Sunlight-----Rumble---------Molovi-------Horus--

---------Cloudchaser---------Krystal-------------

--Stardust--------Apple Cobbler------Luminesce---

---------------------Wither---------------------

[Eastfield Lodge]

OOC: Continuation of an ancient storyline...

Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4 (after the match commentary), Part 5

This would take place sometime between WC69 and 70, about a year from the last one...
Eastfield Lodge Portal Control Centre

Jim struggled through the cafe, trying to keep three cups of coffee stable as he made his way through the massed throng of various personnel. Spying his table, he redirected his footsteps and sat down, joining Ryad and Ria at the table.

"This place is getting ridiculous now," he quipped as he handed out the cups. "It's a lunch break, why the hell did we decide to get a coffee now?"

Ria looked around, clearly frowning at the noise, and replied, "I honestly didn't think it would be this busy. I mean, I spend most of the time in the control room anyways, I've never seen half of this lot before. Like, ever."

Jim retorted, "Come on, you should know that we've had a boom in recruitment recently. We've got an army of mechanics and engineers, all trying to design and fix things since we went up to Amber. I mean, our cosy little team has doubled in the last year."

"That I really didn't like," Ryad said. "OK, I agree with the reason they gave for it, that we were getting overworked and that we needed more minds exploring solutions and what not, but even then, it disrupted the ... atmosphere. We were a close knit team dammit, it's much harder to work like a team with this many people."

Ria blinked in surprise before replying, "I don't know, I quite like the fact there are a couple more women in the team, gives me a bit of a break. No offence or anything guys."

Ryad laughed, before saying, "We've all heard what you three have been gossiping on about. Even 'little Tony Anderson' was struggling not to burst out laughing when we overheard you."

Ria blushed slightly. "It was all in jest."

Jim smiled knowingly, and with pretty dripping sarcasm said, "Of course it was." Before Ria could react, he looked down at his watch, finished off the rest of his coffee and announced that it was time to get back.

"Oh come on Jim, give us a little bit of time at least, that portal's not done anything different for the past, what, five years? I know we're on Amber Alert and all, but all the portal's been doing is slowly degenerating. It's not as if it's changed drastically, we would have known about it given how close we are to it," retorted Ryad.

"Put it this way, we've left the job of monitoring to Robby and four comparative newbies. I'd rather be there when anything happens than here, wouldn't you?"

---

Legalese 4-2 Eastfield Lodge: Legalese (13', 42', 64', 79'), Thomas Graham (32'), The Doctor (85')
El Gregoria 1-2 Eastfield Lodge: El Gregoria (82'), Thomas Graham (21', 52')

Eastfield Lodge vs. Mizuyuki @ Lodger City Memorial Stadium, New Lodger City
Line-up: Starting XI

[Valanora]

Valanora Times
Calanian Reserves

It has been anything but a virtuoso start of the Qualifying campaign for the Marauders, as they have been unable to produce a victory in their first two matches to begin the campaign. Having play hosts to the group's top seed to begin the campaign was always going to be difficult, especially with the Calanians looking for revenge for themselves and the Northeast of the region, following the Marauders campaign of dominance of that subregion during the AOCAF. The Marauders looked to have secured at least a point with the top seeds, yet a goal from the elder statesmen, Phil Gulliver, in the eighty-forth minute was able to see the top seeds capture the totality of the points. It was a set back but not a major blow for the Marauders hopes of winning the group or at least advancing to the Playoffs, a fate less desirable but just as likely to see the Marauders once more into the Finals.

In a bit of irony, in the interim between the Marauders first match against the Calanians and heading to Darvale for their second match in the campaign, an influx of transfers from The Calanian Union. The clubs annoncing the intake of players from the northeast included Raynor City United, Mar Sara FC, and Hondo FC, while FC Capri, SC Rinaldi, and Soldarian FC also took in a Calanian or two. In total, nine Calanians will be playing in the Premiership next season, which in the short term doubles the current number of foreign nationals in the Premiership. This increase, which may see further increases during the latter stages of the transfer window, has been met with some skepticism, as the Premiership has always been heavily Vanorian based and lead to many players finding their way to the national team. Some are wondering if an increase in foreign talent will take away the opportunities for those talented reserves and Academy products from having their chance to show their abilities.

However some would turn around and say that in order for the Premiership to stay competitive in an ever evolving and competitive domestic scene, with foreign leagues having usurped the crown from Valanora and have kept it for nearly a decade now. While Raynor City United still is a team that demands respect from their opposition and can get the eye of star players if they come calling, many see the league as "past its due date" as referenced in the recently completed Champions' Cup. Ibini was able to string together a series of magnificent away results to find themselves in the Champions' Cup Final, yet Laborious Hawk's Dwile Warriors were able to easily dispatch them. A sign of the times, with Apox among those who have found ways to get better than the Vanorian domestic scene and stay there, even attracting some of our better talent.

Perhaps with a bit of a hangover and a bitter taste in their mouths following the Calanian game and announcement can then explain how the Marauders were unable to get the full three points in Darvale. Yes, Darvale, a side that many experts believed that the Marauders and most of the group would take the full six points off of, found a way to keep the Marauders off the score sheet. It was a frustrating afternoon for all of the Vanorian attacking talent, as they were stymied by a determined and gritty defense time and time again, despite an overwhelming advantage in the possession statistic. All of that possession was for naught as the sides both left without a goal and but a point to show for the ninety minutes of ineffectual attacks.

That means my friends, that through their first two games, the Marauders have the whole of a single point to their name and are on the outside looking in to even get into the playoff position. The Calanians are like as not to have their way with the group and we can not rely on the chances of them giving up points through the campaign. This team needs to gather itself and right the ship now, to show the AOCAF form, if it is to make a run through the rest of the group stage and continue on the streak of Finals appearances. That begins with the next match, with the next half, whatever it takes to get the players focused and playing up to their potential. All of them have won a title at some level, be it a domestic league title, a cup title, the AOCAF, or even the World Cup. It is past due that they begin to show that talent on the pitch and for the kit that they play for.

[Star United States]

-removed-

[Audioslavia]

Sharp on the Edge
Two games, zero wins. Bulls manager Lee Sharp is losing the confidence of the Audioslavian public

When Lee Sharp took over as manager of the Audioslavia national side, way back in cycle sixty-nine, he did so with the backing of most in the media, the FFA and the public. A Euran with little experience in top managerial jobs, Sharp's appointment had raised a few eyebrows, sure, but his calm, affable demeanor kept the wolves at bay for the initial honeymoon period, and a run to the final of World Cup 69 - where Sharp would come up short against a Holy Empire opponent in a WC final for the second time in his career - put the viewing public firmly in his corner.

What has happened since then has been, well, acceptable for an Audioslavia manager. The statistics speak for themselves. Unbeaten in his first twenty games, undefeated in any qualifying phase, just five defeats in all fifty-four matches under his tenure. Two appearances in major finals, two quarter-final appearances in major tournaments. No one can argue that Lee Sharp isn't getting the job done.

What *can* be argued, however, is just how much of that record is down to Sharp himself, and how much is down to a very strong generation of players.

Compared to squads past, the class of cycles 69-71 have had an embarrassment of riches in terms of squad depth, even compared to the World Cup winners of cycles 63 and 64. Back in the day, an injury to the likes of Karsten Eiger or Kajaxo Imaslavii could leave a managers' best-laid plans in complete disarray. Now? Take Ronda Styrn out of the starting line up and there's an Uulver or a Buruz to fill the gaps. A player like Risjhaart would have easily gained 100 caps by now, but so stacked is the left-side of the field that he's forced to play bit-part roles behind the excellent Aitor Jovellanos. Let's not forget, too, that for the first time in living memory Audioslavia have two world-class goalkeepers to choose from in Serge Rollins and Sean Patterick, with the former currently stuck on fifty caps thanks to the emergence of the young Patterick ahead of him in the pecking order.

Some Audioslavia national sides have pretty much picked themselves. The current one? Not so much, but even so it's very difficult to make any mistakes.

So, with this embarrassment of riches, has the side really improved? Has Sharp done anything that another manager couldn't have done?

The short answer, here, is 'no'. At the very beginning, the plan for Sharp was for him to help Audioslavia over the obstacles that had bedeviled them in the past. Major finals. Beating the big teams. Polar Island-sodding-states. Against each of these challenges, Sharp has been shown to be a failure. The ease with which the Polarians and Vanorians of the world have beaten Audioslavia in the truly big games proves that, when it comes down to it, Sharp just doesn't have the wherewithal to truly improve the national side.

Has he done anything wrong? Has he committed any major mistakes? Of course not. Has he done anything you or I couldn't do? Perhaps. Perhaps not.

It goes without saying that Sharp has been, and remains, a popular figure in the dressing room. The players love him and work well under him, but at no point over the past eight years has the side truly played like a Lee Sharp side. The Euran style possession-play had been integrated, for a while, but too soon gives way to Audioslavians' reflexive run-and-gun style when the chips are down.

The problem was shown best in the AOCAF tournament. Audioslavia got to the final, sure, but they sure as hell didn't play in the way Lee Sharp had told them. That possession-holding style of football was completely absent, and not only that, the side showed a myriad disciplinary problems that, eventually, weakened the team to a stand-still in time for the embarrassingly lop-sided final defeat to Valanora.

Sharp remains friendly and likeable in interviews, but the flecks of grey now peppered in his hair suggest the stress of the job - and of keeping players in line - has been getting to the manager.

The World Cup qualifiers are supposed to be the time where Audioslavia show their might in running roughshod over some weaker opposition, and yet here we are, two games in, two scoreless draws against provably inferior teams, and with the safety of Sharp's seat brought into question.

One up-side, of course, is that the qualifiers may well prove to be more interesting for a nation that has grown accustomed to strolling merrily to each World Cup finals since cycle 63.

[Vilita]

ALIKKI-CORRA, VILITA :: Shortly after the Turorian city of Cednia held a selection ceremony for World Cup 71 Madness, another one popped up on the other side of the Vilitan Cove in Alikki-Corra.

With a different representative from the Tropicorp Artificial Intelligence Team (TAIT) on hand, as well as a representative from the Football Association of Vilita, a small crowd gathered in downtown Alikki-Corra for the revelations.

While the calculations in Cednia Beach were centered at a technological institution - the Coconut Marsh Institute - it was announced that the situation in Alikki-Corra would be very different.

Tropicorp's Research & Development arm had procured some land near the Tivali-Ring Stadium and imported some high-end computer devices of their own for the purposes of the experiment. Tropicorp selected the Alikki-Corra site early in the development of their Predictive Artificial Intelligence project with the intention of having a stand-alone site to assist in development, thereby ensuring that any bugs or issues that were come across during testing could be isolated to the software itself, and hardware specific issues could be ruled out or investigated as needed.

With the site already up and running, it served as a perfect opportunity to easily port the final calculation responsibilities of one of the four experimental brackets for the "World Cup 71 Madness" campaign. It was announced that the side of the building occupied by Tropicorp, in view of the Tivali-Ring Stadium, would be used as a canvas as calculations progressed. A local authorized 'environmental painter' - more commonly known as grafitti artist outside of Vilita - would be responsible for revealing the AI's predictions to the public.

With a similar overview explaining how the simulation would take place, as well as the explanation of seeds and formatting, it didn't take long before selections were revealed.

Some might dub the Vilita-West bracket as the 'Calanian Bracket' or the 'Bracket of Bekk' as former World Champions Audioslavia and Bekkside nation Legalese were seeded as the #1 and #2 nations in the calculation while The Calanian Union themselves were handed a #5 placement.

Elsewhere in the bracket, a tough matchup between the original Champion of Lake Bekk - Starblaydia, and Eura - the Rushmori giant with their own presence just outside the Calanian boundary.

As was seen in Cednia earlier in the day, prior to the start of primary calculations - a paid of pre-primary calculations would occur. Audioslavia's calculation pairing would be one of Matthewsiana or Isula Ge Ru while Valladares simulation opponent would be pending the still-unexplainable #11 level pre-primary calculation; a matchup seeing Eastfield Lodge and Star United States trying to squeeze into a space with room for only one nation.

The Tropicorp representative on site also mentioned that the Tropicorp Artificial Intelligence Team would be happy to work with other Predictive & Artificial Intelligence entities throughout the multiverse who wish to compare their own predictions in a similar bracket calculation to those produced by the advanced TAIT experiment. The TAIT representative noted that once all sites and seeds were revealed, official comparison sheets would be available for other entities to complete and submit to the TAIT. Outside simulations would be graded for accuracy as compared directly to the official TAIT calculation results.


1x. WC71 Madness Announcement: A Study in Predictive AI
2a. WC71M :: Turori Regional - North :: Initial Bracket

[Buyan]

Knut Dahle stared in astonishment to his cell phone. The metallic beep which indicated that the conversation was over continued to reverberate in his ears. It was as if everything went in slow motion for a second, his vision turned into a blur. The match which had unfolded in front of his eyes went in slow motion and the voice of the commentator seemed to be somewhere in the distance.

”The Estenians once again in possession and it seems is our boys are struggling to deal with that. Nazarenkov near the sideline, looking for options and it goes to Adrianov... He turns and oh... Tufte with an emergency brake, no need to wave those hands Sigurd! Thomas Youngston searching for his back pocket and yes, there it is, the Felixian waves the yellow carton and is quite correct in doing so. Sigurd Tufte has trouble dealing with the swift Adrianov and that’s a free kick from an interesting position. Nazarenkov behind the ball, the youngster from Jelle FC behind the ball. That wall not looking too strong there... Saldlund! He fumbles it and Maksimov! There it is, the opening goal fr-... No, no, the assistant referee is waving it like he’s on a national parade, the goal is off but Buyan is playing with fire.”

Even on the phone, she had the talent to say words silently yet sharp. She had a short and clear message. Money.

“He’s yours and you’re going to pay for it.”

For long, Knut had no clue who she was but her wording had given something away. She used a lot of ‘isn’t it’ at the end of her sentences, nothing for these regions. Something Mullsphaller. It eliminated a lot of opportunities for... Well, you know. At least, finally, some grip on the situation.

”Lammerschon... Back to Knutsen... Lammerschon again. Looking for Devold, finally getting away from Kopranovich for a second, the pass! No offside, Dalmshelf is through... Lazrovich! Well done by the Estenian goalie, he saves the day. Not too bad for someone who is considered the second goalie for the Navy Phoenix. But finally some danger coming from the forwards and that’s already a large step forward.”

But so and? Even if he knew who she actually was, that wouldn’t change the situation. She could make him dance to all her whims, Knut realised. He lifted back his head in desperation, lying long on the sofa with his feet up in the air. Never before he had felt so helpless.

As he tried to adjust his position, his eye fell on the closet along the furthest wall. As one expected from a footballer, the bottles inside never left their position unless an unexpected guest would pass by. Knut knew little to nothing about booze and they were more artefacts than something else. Other people put up vases and cadres, he had a blended whiskey behind glass with matching glasses.

Knut rose, his feet unstable from his previous position and stumbled towards it. With shaking hands, he poured himself a glass, kicked it back at once and whilst doing a poor attempt at hiding his coughing, filled himself up for a second one.

”Sverre Devold behind the ball, this should mean that we can already add one up to the counter of the day. The captain fulfilling his duty... The run-up... Oh! Lazrovich in the right corner, second chance, no! What a chance! Sverre Devold misses from eleven metres, what a unique chance spoiled to bring the Hedgehogs in front! What a match from that goalie and look at the desperation on Devolds face as he still can’t believe what just happened...”

“You know what? Fuck her.”

By now, the volume of the bottle had lowered enough to make talking aloud to himself sound like a viable option to Knut Dahle.

“Well, I already did,” a chuckle, “but no, seriously. Fuck her. What’s she gonna proof, huh? She could be a bloody scam. Some untalented lowlife scum... Preying on my success and money. She thinks I’ll be stupid enough to believe it.”

And with one foot on the table, Knut tried to get it off his mind and started rooting for his compatriots.

”Another attacking wave from our lads, look at Shale shouting and waving, he wants more people in the box! Moen on the ball again, a splendid second half from him, especially if we compare it to the invisible Andrey Rettinger. Passes it back... Knutsen! Another save by Andriy Lazrovich, he’s putting up an excellent performance today and really puts some pressure on Maksimov, the regular last resort of the Estenian team.

Kazimieras Zemaitis with the corner and time is really counting down now, only eleven more minutes to go. He finds Knutsen but Lovariev heads it out of danger... Devold picks it up, he throws it back in the box... Venclova. Venclova! Jurgis Venclova with the head, finally someone today who can get the better of Lazrovich and it is the debutant from Jottnar Kallsmudden! Let’s take another look at it... Sverre Devold who was lingering around the box at that corner, picks it up well and splendid vision. The Estenians push forward for offside of course but Venclova slips through it and well... It wasn’t a masterpiece, with the side of his head and an awkward curve that catches Lazrovich wrong-footed but I don’t think Jurgis Venclova will mind. He is living the dream, splendid opener.”

“Jurgis! Jurgis!”

Knut Dahle was dancing and singing around his apartment alone, waving the bottle as if it were a shawl of the victorious side. Venclova of all people, the quiet tactician from the Giants who finally seemed to get the recognition he deserves. Splendid. With a silly smile and a dazed look on his face, Knut watched the final minutes of the match. He even almost forgot about the phone call.

Almost.

She had called. On his personal cell phone.

If she didn’t know him, how on earth did she get his number? Fuck.

”There it is, the final whistle. Well, it’s another three points in the bag, the Hedgehogs are still on route but then again... Two goals against two squads from outside the top hundred, if we can’t get the aim right against group minions Thibaut, we’re up for a difficult campaign.”

---

XI for Buyan - Thibaut @ The Nine

GK - 23. Jan Erhardt (27, Blau-Weiss Pallstadt, 3 appearances)
LD - 2. Kazimieras Zemaitis (28, Race Point, 116 appearances)
CD - 16. Klas Grobanov (27, Napoli, first appearance)
CD - 4. Rafal Giertych (26, Jottnar Kallsmudden, 48 appearances)
RD - 14. Giedius Justs (25, Jan Mayen Islanders, 18 appearances)
DM - 6. Bartosz Wladecki (24, Blau-Weiss Pallstadt, 14 appearances)
LM - 13. Sigi Prinsen (23, Pajukas Sport, 3 appearances)
RM - 21. Marco Castell (30, Canterlot Royals, 54 appearances)
AM - 10. Sverre Devold (29, Barbury Town, 115 appearances)
LA - 19. Sil Moen (32, Levadia Narkiv, 64 appearances)
RA - 9. Duco Dalmshelf (26, Blau-Weiss Pallstadt, 70 appearances)

Bench: Marciak, Ralaanen, Dziuba, Ruutu, Smetona, Venclova, Lammerschon, Ullsmang, Kluszak, Balnerii, Rettinger, Dahle

The Norden View

With an eye on the more important clash which will follow in three days against Kandorith, one of the direct opponents for the top two, Reinhard Shale offers some rest to a few regular starters and that should be considered a positive decision. Erbald Saldlund has not disappointed so far and should see this day off as an assurance for his spot against the Red Dragons - so far no one else seems ready to carry the legacy of Ulle Seber. Two other players, on the other hand, have picked up two yellows already this campaign and as such, Sigurd Tufte and Espen Knutsen aren’t part of the twenty-three that will take on group minions Thibaut in this confrontation.

It results in a first appearance for Klas Grobanov, Jan Erhardt underneath the crossbar for the first time in six years and a second chance for Sigi Prinsen, the Wizard from the Bokstasstadion who was so poor in the opening match. On the other hand, it is less of a surprise to see players such as Justs, Castell and Moen at the kick-off, all three are close to the starting eleven for years on end now. Even with a few replacements, these Hedgehogs should keep the three points at home against Thibaut, a new nation in the sporting gallery which has so far presented few notable performances.

[Chiata]

Chiata Times
Kazamatsuri Gets Draw

With Chiata rolling along after a good solid away win, they return home to play their next game. Luckily, they payed no attention to what we said about the match, as we said that Chiata would travel to Turori in their next game. Instead, the Chiata Suns played Kazamatsuri at home. Believe it or not, fans actually had hope that Chiata would do something good at home. Gulf Stadium was stuffed at 100,000 maximum capacity. The stadium had recently been renovated as well. As usual, the fans were treated to a disappointment as Chiata's game plan broke down. The end result was a scoreless draw, quite possibly the most boring result one can get in any sport. The result is completely inconclusive and neither side shows the capability of scoring. Sure, it shows good defensive play, but also absolutely wretched attack. Prince was unable to penetrate the box as many times as he had in the game against Isula ge Ru. Chiata placed only five shots on goal and all of them were blocked by Kazamatsuri's keeper, Mikawa. Pearlman came close to scoring, but her shot hit the woodwork and the ball bounced into Mikawa's arms. Carry and company stopped most chances of getting at the goal before they even got to the box. Throughout the entire match, Kazamatsuri only got three shots on goal, two from Kira at long distance and one from Shokuho, who if Truex hadn't made a spectacular save, would have scored. Sadly, Carroll pulled his hamstring in the match and had to leave early. He was replaced by Marti. Diagnosis is still unclear, but it appears that Carroll will be out for at least one matchday.

Chiata 0-0 Kazamatsuri

Since Chiata's match was utterly boring, we looked into other matches across the group. Frenline Delpha, a 200s something nation, absolutely destroyed Panamerhispania, the group's resident unranked punching bag, in a 6-1 score fest. At least, a score fest for Frenline Delpha, that is. Come to think of it, Frenline Delpha sounds more like a fraternity house than a nation. Perhaps a group of disgruntled college students declared independence from their university at an opportune time and then decided to enter the World Cup Qualifiers. Abanhfleft was also reduced to a scoreless draw, though this time against the superior ranking nation of Isula ge Ru. However, the gap between those two ranks is only 14 spaces. Abanhfleft also has the only active media in Group 9, besides our glorious media, of course. Lastly, Walamzia was unsurprisingly defeated by Tutori. However, the surprise was that Turori only won by a score of 1-0, very close indeed. At the end of the day Chiata sits at a solid second in the group, with Turori in first with six point and Kazamatsuri tailing the Suns by goal difference. Walamzia and Frenline Delpha have three points a piece, with each having a win and a loss. Isula ge Ru and Abanhfleft have only a draw to show for while Panamerhispania has nothing.

Group 9---------------------------------Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
1 Turori                                    2    2   0   0     6    0   +6     6
2 Chiata                                    2    1   1   0     2    0   +2     4
3 Kazamatsuri                               2    1   1   0     2    1   +1     4
4 Walamzia                                  2    1   0   1     5    3   +2     3
5 Frenline Delpha                           2    1   0   1     8    6   +2     3
6 Isula ĝe Ru                               2    0   1   1     0    2   −2     1
7 Abanhfleft                                2    0   1   1     0    5   −5     1
8 Panamerhispania                           2    0   0   2     2    8   −6     0

For Matchday 3, Chiata will travel to Panamerhispania, which should be an easy drubbing. This time we checked our sources and are fairly sure this is the correct match. Our researches have poured over exactly 180 minutes of footage that was ever made about Panamerhispania's national team. In their conclusion, they say Chiata has a 83.1% chance of winning. In addition, Panamerhispania has a 11.8% chance to get the draw and a 6.36% chance to come away with a home win. Chiata should score anywhere between three and two goals while Panamerhispania while score zero to one goal. Of course, Chiata could throw all this data out to window and lose to a rosterless unranked team.

[Szavoda]

After Matchday 1

Moli's Apartment Block, Vfana

Dazdan had a spring in his step. His team had recorded a decent result in their inaugural World Cup qualifier - holding 107th ranked Mangolana to a very decent 1-1 draw; Branimir Milic had added to his credentials (and vindicated the Euran club Moors' decision to buy him) with a wonderfully worked solo goal midway through the second-half to bring the scores level.

He trotted up the stairs of the apartment block, his hand round the neck of a bottle of champagne. The lift which he normally took was down, but he thought the exercise might do him good - watching the football had made him anxious to get moving himself, but his knees told him otherwise. He noted each floor as he past it: first, second, third... until he reached the 8th floor, where he moved into the luxuriously furnished hallway. He recalled her address from memory and he knocked firmly on the door when he arrived at her flat, nestled at the far end of the hallway. There was no response, and he knocked again. She said last night that she would be in all day. He was about to knock a third time when he heard hushed voices from inside. He couldn't make out what was being said, but he picked out 'tell them to fuck off' from amongst the flurry of whispers. He then heard the bolt slide open and the lock click. The door then crept open and a man poked his head round the door.

"We're busy, could you kindly leave us be?"

Dazdan didn't recognise the man, but he pushed his hand forward to further open the door, but the man stopped him.

"Who the fuck are you? I'm here to see Moli." He bristled. The man looked backwards into the flat, before relenting in his resistance and allowing the door to open. Dazdan barged his way into the flat, but was taken aback when he saw Moli standing in the middle of the flat. In a few words, she was wearing very little. She wore a pair of underpants, and had hastily covered her chest with a shirt she had grabbed from the sofa beside her.

"Jesus Daz, what the fuck are you doing here?" Moli snapped
"I just came here with some champagne so we could celebrate the game last night?" Dazdan averted his gaze and his eyes flicked from the floor, to the ceiling, then out the window. "Who's this guy?" Dazdan enquired, nodding towards the man, who wore a quickly put-on pair of jeans and a white t-shirt. The man opened his mouth to speak, but Moli cut him off.

"His name is Milos, and he's about to leave. Now excuse me as I get more decent." Moli hurried into the nearest room and shut the door behind her, leaving Dazdan and Milos alone in the main room.

"I thought I was getting breakfast" Milos added dryly.
"Who are you?"
"I'm Milos, as you know."
"And you and Moli were...having sex?"

Milos widened his eyes in acknowledgement. "Yep. Until you turned up."
Dazdan looked sheepishly "Yeah, sorry about that. How do you know her?"
"I don't really" Milos accepted "We met at a bar a few months ago and we have sex occasionally. Not much else. Played squash once...and then had sex. And you are?"
"Her work partner. Co-manager of the Szavoda Football team."
"Oh yeah, she talked about that. Sounds like interesting stuff. You guys won last night?"
"Nah, a draw, but against a much better side."
"Cool. I'm not into football myself, more of a rugby fan, but all the best for you guys."
"Cheers."

Moli returned to the room, now wearing a skirt and blouse. She was doing up her hair, and had picked up a coat, which she threw at Milos.

"Milos, there's coffee to go in the kitchen. Then fuck off. I'll call you."
"Gotcha." the man acknowledged, before heading into the kitchen whilst putting on his coat.

"Hey Daz, sorry about the fuck up. He was supposed to be out of here earlier."
"No worries." He set the bottle of champagne down on the kitchen island. "You see him regularly. Seems a cool guy."
"Yeah. Nice guy. Good in bed."
"Didn't want to know that."
"OK. Champagne?"
"Definitely."

Moli went into the kitchen, passing Milos on the way out, who gave a wave to Dazdan before opening the apartment door and leaving.

"Nice guy" Dazdan noted as Moli came back into the room, holding two champagne flutes and a special knife to open the bottle. She took the blade to the seal of the bottle and cut it open, before removing the cork and pouring the liquid into the two flutes. They clinked the glasses together and moved out onto the balcony.

"What time is our flight to Quebec tomorrow?"
"Err, 10:30? Sometime like that."
"Cool."
"Here's to winning that."
"Yeah, to winning that."