RBC Sports One: Siovanija & Teusland Sporting News

[Siovanija and Teusland]

Nationalliga Season I - Regular Season/Playoffs

It’s kick-off time! All the pre-season talk, training camps, predictions - over. The first-ever professional domestic gridiron league in Siovanija & Teusland gets underway. Let’s find out who will be the first-ever champions.

Week 1

Felsenkirchen Eagles 37–21 St. Jakob Lions
Kaiserhaven Korvettes 19–17 Vrnovo Vipers
Stelburg Snowbirds 20–6 Atomska Chernovets
Siovanska Gora Warriors 17–14 Borograd Dragons

And the first week is in the books! Home advantage was the theme in week one, all four home teams grabbing wins to get their seasons started off well. The Felsenkirchen Eagles looked particularly strong in a big 37-21 win over the Lions, Bailo Sidibeh arriving on these shores in a big way with 3 touchdown passes. The Vrnovo Vipers missed a field goal in the final moments that would’ve given them a win over the Korvettes, it’s a disappointing loss for the Vipers who made a big comeback after being down 16-3 at the half. Week one saw the teams considered two of the league’s best going head to head, as the Snowbirds took on Atomska. The Snowbirds showed their credentials, Atomska less so. Momodou Kabba connected with Arnold Stellwagen and Magnus Eichhorn once each and Kemo Sesay ran in another for 3 touchdowns in the game, and even though they missed an extra point kick in the first half, it wouldn’t matter: Atomska could manage only 2 field goals. Finally, the Siovanska Gora Warriors conducted a game-winning drive in the fourth quarter to pull past the Dragons, 17-14 the final there as the Dragons took a surprise 10-0 lead in the first quarter before falling apart late.

Week 2

St. Jakob Lions 20–13 Borograd Dragons
Atomska Chernovets 38–20 Siovanska Gora Warriors
Vrnovo Vipers 7–10 Stelburg Snowbirds
Felsenkirchen Eagles 20–28 Kaiserhaven Korvettes

The St. Jakob Lions get the first win in franchise history, Yaya Vogelweide connecting with Addo Ndaw for the winning touchdown, much to the delight of the fans at the Draistadion. Atomska Chernovets made up for last week’s failure to score a touchdown, and in fact put 38 points on the board. Matjaz Stejskal looked incredible, particularly on an 86 yard connection with Vendelin Jaros, and this is the Atomska side we were expecting to see this year. Vrnovo played a strong game against the Snowbirds, shutting down that offence all game, but the experience of Momodou Kabba won out as he led a game-winning drive that resulted in a touchdown in the last minute to win the game for the Birds. The Felsenkirchen Eagles actually led the Korvettes 14-0 at halftime, but managed only two field goals in the second half as Kaiserhaven flew to a 28-20 win.

Week 3

Kaiserhaven Korvettes 27–7 St. Jakob Lions
Stelburg Snowbirds 10–7 Felsenkirchen Eagles
Siovanska Gora Warriors 13–22 Vrnovo Vipers
Borograd Dragons 10–41 Atomska Chernovets

The Lions took an early lead as Yaya Vogelweide rushed in a first career touchdown, but it was the Korvettes day on a warm evening in Kaiserhaven. 3 touchdowns, two of them seeing Olaf Hebrang connect with Abdoulie Baumler. Life is good for the Korvettes right now, and they are 3-0 to start the year. The Stelburg Snowbirds join them as the other 3-0 team in the league thanks to a 10-7 win over the Felsenkirchen Eagles. This one looked like it was destined for overtime before a big play in the final moments enabled the Snowbirds to set up for a game-winning field goal with just seconds on the clock. The Vrnovo Vipers got their first win of the season, an excellent defensive performance against the Warriors matched with the best performance of the season by QB Robert Dvorak as the Vipers scored three touchdowns in the 22-13 win. Finally, Atomska Chernovets broke their own record for points in game with a huge 41-10 win over the Dragons. Vendelin Jaros had three touchdowns in the game, and has been arguably the best player in the league so far.

Week 4

St. Jakob Lions 10–12 Atomska Chernovets
Vrnovo Vipers 3–10 Borograd Dragons
Felsenkirchen Eagles 13–9 Siovanska Gora Warriors
Kaiserhaven Korvettes 20–26 Stelburg Snowbirds

After two high-flying weeks, Atomska Chernovets’ offence seemed to take the week off. They did get their special teams unit in good enough position for 4 field goals, which would stand as enough to win the game, but they’ll be hoping for more next week. This was an example of why the team put such a focus on defence in the draft, as they limited the Lions to just 10 points. Another tight defensive contest was seen in Vrnovo, where the Borograd Dragons got the first win in club history, 10-3 over the Vrnovo Vipers. Low scores were seen almost everywhere, as the Eagles scored a touchdown with no time on the clock to beat the Warriors 13-9, bringing the Eagles to 2-2. The Snowbirds, meanwhile, are the last unbeaten team standing after winning a tight contest with the Korvettes 26-20. Each team went into the game 3-0, but it was Stelburg who showed the winning edge. Kemo Sesay rushed in what would be the game winning touchdown/

Week 5

Stelburg Snowbirds 0–3 St. Jakob Lions
Siovanska Gora Warriors 23–10 Kaiserhaven Korvettes
Borograd Dragons 22–14 Felsenkirchen Eagles
Atomska Chernovets 23–0 Vrnovo Vipers

The unpredictability and inexperience of this league was on clear display in the first game of the week. The last undefeated team in the league were finally beaten… 3-0? Yes, a field goal from the Lions was all it took to stop the Snowbirds’ great run. The Lions played a perfect game defensively, and Marco Hofmeister’s interception late in the game sealed the deal for the visitors. The Warriors got back to winning ways, as they defeated the Korvettes at home 23-10. Two touchdowns and three field goals did the job for them. The Dragons, meanwhile, string together two wins in a row as they beat the Eagles 22-14, adding a two-point conversion as a cherry on top to secure the result late. There was another shutout this weekend as well, as Atomska Chernovets were back to winning ways with a 23-0 win over the Vrnovo Vipers. So, there will be no 14-0 teams and no 0-14 teams this year, meaning the race for the playoffs is certainly very much alive.

Week 6

St. Jakob Lions 20–6 Vrnovo Vipers
Felsenkirchen Eagles 3–10 Atomska Chernovets
Kaiserhaven Korvettes 17–3 Borograd Dragons
Stelburg Snowbirds 19–9 Siovanska Gora Warriors

The Lions managed to improve to 3-3 with a great win over the Vrnovo Vipers, 20-6 the final in that one. The promise of this team is quite evident at times, with Yaya Vogelweide particularly looking like a true future star. Atomska Chernovets showed their all-rounded skill in a 10-3 win over the Felsenkirchen Eagles, they stopped the Eagles in the red zone every single time in the game and managed a touchdown of their own to take the win. The Borograd Dragons had all the momentum against the Korvettes before a pick-six ran in by Leonard Kuchler shifted the game totally, the Korvettes would go on to win 17-3. And finally, the Stelburg Snowbirds returned to winning ways after last week’s disappointing loss with a 19-9 win over the Siovanska Gora Warriors. A defensive touchdown, a Magnus Eichhorn 45 yarder, a field goal and a safety secured the win for the Birds.

Week 7

Siovanska Gora Warriors 26–20 St. Jakob Lions
Borograd Dragons 13–20 Stelburg Snowbirds
Atomska Chernovets 27–10 Kaiserhaven Korvettes
Vrnovo Vipers 6–10 Felsenkirchen Eagles

St. Jakob’s hot run comes to an end against the Warriors this week, as Timocrates Samaras connected with Svatoslav Capek for two important touchdowns in the second half as the Warriors grabbed a 26-20 win to get back in the wins column. In the first Borograd-Stelburg game ever, the Snowbirds ended up victorious thanks to some last-minute heroics that saw Momodou Kabba connect with Arnold Stellwagen for the winning touchdown as the Birds improve to 6-1 on the year. Atomska Chernovets join them with the best record in the league, 6-1, thanks to a 27-10 win over the Korvettes. These teams will face off week 8 in a mouthwatering clash between the two best teams in the league. Finally, the Felsenkirchen Eagles got a fourth quarter touchdown to carry them past the Vipers, 10-6 being the final score in that one. Halfway through the year, it’s the Snowbirds and Chernovets at the top with 6-1 records. At the bottom, the Vipers are 1-6 and the Dragons are 2-5. The Korvettes are the best of the middle pack at 4-3, while the Lions, Eagles and Warriors are each 3-4. There’s still plenty of football to be played, however.

Week 8

St. Jakob Lions 16–6 Felsenkirchen Eagles
Vrnovo Vipers 7–21 Kaiserhaven Korvettes
Atomska Chernovets 14–27 Stelburg Snowbirds
Borograd Dragons 3–23 Siovanska Gora Warriors

The St. Jakob Lions completed a comeback against the Felsenkirchen Eagles on Friday evening, down 6-0 going into the fourth and seemingly frustrated by the Eagles’ defence. A safety, however, totally changed the game and the Lions managed two touchdowns after it to get the win. The Korvettes faced no such adversity, going up 21-0 in the first half before Vrnovo earned a consolation TD late in the game. The big game of the week was clearly Chernovets against Stelburg, and while the teams were tied 14-14 at halftime, it was all the Snowbirds in the second half. Two more touchdowns secured the win for Stelburg and leaves them as the best team in the league at 7-1. Siovanska Gora looked excellent in their demolition of the Dragons, allowing only a field goal and scoring 3 touchdowns of their own.

Week 9

Borograd Dragons 23–25 St. Jakob Lions
Siovanska Gora Warriors 13–20 Atomska Chernovets
Stelburg Snowbirds 32–24 Vrnovo Vipers
Kaiserhaven Korvettes 24–10 Felsenkirchen Eagles

The St. Jakob Lions showed they have the heart of lions in another comeback win this week over the Borograd Dragons. Down 20-7 at the half, they rallied to make it 20-18, getting a quick field goal followed by a 2-point conversion to get the game within one possession. The Dragons would add a field goal to seemingly secure their win, but the Lions conducted a game-winning drive finished off with a Addo Ndaw 23 yard TD to grab the big win. Atomska Chernovets were in control all game against the Warriors, grabbing a 20-13 win to grab a 7-2 record on the year. They are still in second, however, as the Stelburg Snowbirds had no problem handling the Vrnovo Vipers. The Vipers scored more points in this game than they had all season, despite the loss - and also more points in this one game than the team had managed from weeks 4-8. Perhaps a late-season surge is on track for the Vipers. Meanwhile, the Kaiserhaven Korvettes continued their strong season so far with a 24-10 win over the Eagles, Olaf Hebrang threw for 350 yards in the win.

Week 10

St. Jakob Lions 6–12 Kaiserhaven Korvettes
Felsenkirchen Eagles 14–7 Stelburg Snowbirds
Vrnovo Vipers 10–19 Siovanska Gora Warriors
Atomska Chernovets 17–0 Borograd Dragons

Week 10 was a big one for the teams at the very top. The Kaiserhaven Korvettes missed both extra points kick conversions, but it didn’t matter as they beat the Lions 12-6. The Felsenkirchen Eagles then handed the Stelburg Snowbirds only their second loss of the season, a 14-7 win for the Eagles, that shows that the gameplan for beating the Birds is to shut down their passing game: in both losses this year the Snowbirds have scored 7 or less points. The Warriors improved to 5-5 with a strong win over the Vipers, the Warriors have looked great at times this season although at times something has been missing. Finally, Atomska Chernovets crushed the Borograd Dragons 17-0 which sees them move up to first in the league with 4 games left.

Week 11

Atomska Chernovets 23–34 St. Jakob Lions
Borograd Dragons 3–12 Vrnovo Vipers
Siovanska Gora Warriors 26–13 Felsenkirchen Eagles
Stelburg Snowbirds 10–3 Kaiserhaven Korvettes

And we have change again at the top. Atomska Chernovets’ third loss of the season comes at the hands of the St. Jakob Lions - who have been giant-killers all year, it seems, beating both Chernovets and Stelburg. This one sees an explosion of offence from the Lions, with Yaya Vogelweide rushing for 123 yards including a touchdown in the win. The Vrnovo Vipers, meanwhile, grabbed their second win of the year in a 12-3 win over the other basement-dwelling team, the Borograd Dragons. The Warriors clinched a playoff spot in a 26-13 win over the Eagles - only one spot remains now, the Eagles in 6th with a 4-6 record but could still be caught by both the Dragons and Vipers. The Stelburg Snowbirds won a low-scoring contest with the Korvettes, 10-3, to move back to first in the league.

Week 12

St. Jakob Lions 17–20 Stelburg Snowbirds
Kaiserhaven Korvettes 27–26 Siovanska Gora Warriors
Felsenkirchen Eagles 33–17 Borograd Dragons
Vrnovo Vipers 0–9 Atomska Chernovets

The Snowbirds avenge their week 5 loss to the Lions, but it’s closer than they’d like: the Birds saw a 17-0 lead disappear in the second half, as the Lions tied the game before Stelburg won on a last-second field goal. Late heroics were also the story in Kaiserhaven, where Olaf Hebrang connected with Abdoulie Baumler for a last-second game winning touchdown. The Felsenkirchen Eagles had no such concerns with the Borograd Dragons, smashing them 33-17 and clinching their playoff spot in the process. The Vipers held Atomska Chernovets to only three field goals, but it doesn’t mean much when you can’t score yourself: 9-0 the final in favour of Chernovets.

Week 13

Vrnovo Vipers 25–16 St. Jakob Lions
Atomska Chernovets 22–6 Felsenkirchen Eagles
Borograd Dragons 10–10 Kaiserhaven Korvettes (10–16 OT)
Siovanska Gora Warriors 30–6 Stelburg Snowbirds

The Vrnovo Vipers got a third win of the season with a surprising 25-16 win over the St. Jakob Lions. A big pick-six return by Kristian Kucaj secured the win for the club, a bright touch in their last home game even if they won’t be in the playoffs. Atomska Chernovets are top of the league again thanks to a 22-6 win over the Eagles - Chernovets are very good at winning games and keeping their opponents in the single-digits of points. We also had the first-ever Nationalliga overtime game between the Dragons and Korvettes. Kaiserhaven scored the winning touchdown on the first possession of the extra frame to secure the third seed for themselves. The Snowbirds suffered their worst loss of the year, 30-6 against Siovanska Gora, as the Warriors gear up for what they are hoping is a strong playoff run. No playoff spots are up for grabs in Week 14, but there’s still home field advantage in the first round to play for for several teams.

Week 14

St. Jakob Lions 10–27 Siovanska Gora Warriors
Stelburg Snowbirds 38–21 Borograd Dragons
Kaiserhaven Korvettes 3–6 Atomska Chernovets
Felsenkirchen Eagles 3–10 Vrnovo Vipers

We get an early playoff preview in the first match of the weekend - the St. Jakob Lions falling 27-10 to the Siovanska Gora Warriors. What that means is that the teams will meet again next week in Siovanska Gora in the wildcard game. The Stelburg Snowbirds crushed the Dragons 38-21 to wrap up an 11-3 season for them - but Atomska Chernovets’ win means they also finish 11-3 and thanks to point differential take the #1 seed for the playoffs. The Vrnovo Vipers win a second straight game, beating the Eagles on the road 10-3. The Vipers won 3 of their last 4 games, meaning 75% of their wins have come in these last few games. Surely that shows some promise for next season.

# Nationalliga                Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD    Win %
1 Atomska Chernovets           14   11   3   268  156 +112    0.786    Semifinals
2 Stelburg Snowbirds           14   11   3   245  188  +57    0.786
3 Kaiserhaven Korvettes        14    9   5   237  198  +39    0.643     Wildcard
4 Siovanska Gora Warriors      14    8   6   281  225  +56    0.571
5 St. Jakob Lions              14    6   8   225  257  −32    0.429
6 Felsenkirchen Eagles         14    5   9   189  228  −39    0.357
7 Vrnovo Vipers                14    4  10   149  208  −59    0.286
8 Borograd Dragons             14    2  12   162  296 −134    0.143

With that, our playoff matchups are set. Atomska Chernovets and the Stelburg Snowbirds will each have a first-round bye. The Kaiserhaven Korvettes will host the Felsenkirchen Eagles, while the Siovanska Gora Warriors host the St. Jakob Lions. The Korvettes beat the Eagles twice this year, 28-20 on the road and 24-10 on the road. The Warriors beat the Lions twice as well, 26-10 at home and 27-10 in week 14 on the road. So, both underdogs will have the chance to earn surprise wins in the wildcard. Before we get to the playoffs, let’s take a look at the awards. A few awards notes: the MVP is not eligible for Offensive Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year or Domestic Player of the Year voting. The OPotY award is expected to go to a non-quarterback each season, given that the MVP award is very QB-focused.

Most Valuable Player: QB Matjaz Stejskal, Atomska Chernovets.
Coach of the Year: Augustin Slavek, Atomska Chernovets
Offensive Player of the Year: Magnus Eichhorn, Stelburg Snowbirds
Defensive Player of the Year: Ilman Kondeh, Atomska Chernovets
Domestic Player of the Year: Olaf Hebrang, Kaiserhaven Korvettes
Rushing Champ: Paulus Furst, Felsenkirchen Eagles (1455 yards)
Passing Leader: Momodou Kabba, Stelburg Snowbirds (3212 yards)

With the awards in the books, it’s time to move on to the playoffs and find out who will be the first Republic Bowl winner!

Wildcard Round

Kaiserhaven Korvettes 20-10 Felsenkirchen Eagles
Siovanska Gora Warriors 32-41 St. Jakob Lions

The first game of the round saw the Korvettes get past the Eagles with little trouble, two touchdowns and two field goals all it took as Olaf Hebrang looks to lead his team deep in the playoffs. The second wildcard game was a bit more of a shock - the St. Jakob Lions offence exploded for 41 points, to knock out the Siovanska Gora Warriors who had been favourites coming in. The game really showed the potential of this Lions team, the offence appearing to be a well-oiled machine now after some struggles earlier in the season. Could they be wild underdogs in these first-ever playoffs?

In the Semifinal round, Atomska Chernovets will host the St. Jakob Lions, while the Stelburg Snowbirds will host the Kaiserhaven Korvettes. In week 4, Atomska defeated the Lions 12-10 on the road, while in week 11 the Lions beat Atomska 34-23 in Chernovets. The weather is expected to be snowy and cold in Chernovets on Sunday, however, and you have to wonder if that may have an impact on the game. The Snowbirds and Korvettes also played their games in weeks 4 and 11. The Snowbirds beat the Korvettes 26-20 on the road in week 4, and won 10-3 at home in week 11. It’s all up in the air now, however - these teams are playing for a birth in the Republic Bowl.

Semifinal Round

Atomska Chernovets 40-26 St. Jakob Lions
Stelburg Snowbirds 30-14 Kaiserhaven Korvettes

And the first-ever Republic Bowl final is set! The St. Jakob Lions came close but oh so far from making it a home game. They were actually tied with Chernovets 20-20 at the half, but could only manage 2 field goals in the second half while Chernovets scored 20 more of their own to advance to the final game. The Stelburg Snowbirds, meanwhile, seemed to win the game in the first quarter: a safety, followed by a kick returned for a touchdown making it 9-0 just 5 minutes in. They would eventually take a 30-0 lead before the Korvettes saved some pride in the final quarter, making it 30-14.

And so, that sets up the Republic Bowl final between Atomska Chernovets and the Stelburg Snowbirds. The teams met twice this year, with the Snowbirds winning both games 20-6 and 27-14. All of that goes out the window now, however: this is one game take all, at a neutral venue, to determine the first-ever national champion. For Atomska Chernovets, the key to the game lies in defending. In the Snowbirds’ 3 losses this season, they managed 7 or fewer points in all three, including being shutout once. They’ll be looking to rely on a strong defensive team that gave up the fewest points in the league in the regular season, 156 all year, or 11.1 per game. Ilman Kondeh will be the man relied on to do some heavy lifting there. For the Snowbirds, meanwhile, the key is, naturally, to get your offence going. They’ve managed to have great connections between QB Momodou Kabba and the two top options, TE Magnus Eichhorn and WR Arnold Stellwagen all year - Eichhorn caught two touchdown passes in the Semifinal game. When the air-raid hasn’t worked, however, they’ve found some success on the ground: Kemo Sesay finished 3rd in the league in rushing yards this year. The Snowbirds scored 245 points all year, 17.5 per game, the third-best number in the league, behind only the Siovanska Gora Warriors and yes, Atomska Chernovets. The Snowbirds hold the head-to-head advantage, the teams were about even in the Semifinal performance-wise, and Chernovets hold the statistical advantage - it should be a great game.

Republic Bowl I

Atomska Chernovets 22-23 Stelburg Snowbirds

And the Stelburg Snowbirds are the first-ever Republic Bowl champions! It was a tough game the whole way, but they have done it. In the first quarter, Atomska Chernovets scored a quick touchdown, Matjaz Stejskal connecting with Vendelin Jaros for a 42 yarder to make it 7-0. The Snowbirds then got a flashback to their semifinal, but not in a good way - giving up a safety to make it 9-0 for Chernovets. After that, though, the Snowbirds dug deep, forcing a 3 and out on the next Chernovets drive. They would recover some momentum on that next play, with Momodou Kabba connecting with Arnold Stellwagen in the touchdown zone to make it 9-7 by the end of the first quarter.

A touchdown early in the second quarter for the Snowbirds made it 14-9, Stellwagen catching his second of the game as Chernovets covered up Magnus Eichhorn hard all through the first half. Chernovets would put themselves back on the board with a 43 yard field goal with seconds of the clock in the half to make it 14-12 at halftime. The Draistadion was sold out for this game, a great sign for the league’s future in this country, and at halftime they enjoyed performances by several national top-charting musicians.

In the second half, however, both teams quickly came out to play. The Snowbirds got all the way to first and goal, but strong defending from Chernovets forced them back - and a 15 yard penalty on third down forced the Birds into kicking a field goal, making it 17-12. Field goals were the story in that quarter, with Chernovets getting one in the closing stages of the third to make it 17-15 - the game clearly still up for grabs going into the fourth.

A long drive from the Snowbirds ate up a ton of clock time at the start of the quarter, but ended up getting them nothing after a penalty pushed them out of field goal range. Chernovets then took the ball back down the field to score a touchdown, giving them the lead again 22-17. There was a massive debate on the Chernovets sideline over going for two points on the PAT, but they chose the reliable 1 instead. That gave the Snowbirds the ball with 3:34 on the clock with the game on the line. The Snowbirds were quite confident as they pushed up the field, however, and knew that just one touchdown would give them the win. Seconds ticked away, the Birds wanting to leave as little time on the clock as possible for Chernovets if they were able to score. Finally, it came down to one play on the goal line with only seconds remaining, but Momodou Kabba managed to connect with Magnus Eichhorn who dove into the endzone. Touchdown, game, championship: the Stelburg Snowbirds win the first-ever Republic Bowl!

Republic Bowl MVP: Arnold Stellwagen (2 TDs, 7 catches, 155 yards)

The successful first season of the Nationalliga is now in the books - and the second season can’t come soon enough. The league’s quality of play was better than many expected, it earned great numbers of fans both in person and on television, and gridiron football’s rise in this country continues. Before the next season, however, some teams will get the opportunity to represent Siovanija & Teusland abroad in the 7th Champions’ Bowl, international competition between clubs. The four semifinalists will be representing the country in this tournament.

Siovanija & Teusland (STL) Qualifiers:
Stelburg Snowbirds
Atomska Chernovets
Kaiserhaven Korvettes
St. Jakob Lions

[Siovanija and Teusland]

Republikaliga Season IX Preview - Part I

FC Felsenkirchen 1879


Colours: Navy blue, white
Manager: Leonard Wagner
Stadium: Felsenkirchen-Arena (45,000)
Captain: Thorsten Helmke
Last Season: 1st
Nicknames: The Cogs, The Blues
Rivalries: FC Rotmunde 1932 (Northeastern derby), 1884 Felsenkirchen (Felsenkirchen derby)

Starting XI (4-2-3-1): GK - Gentza Bedigax (ASG, 30); LB - Eino Kiivala (SVJ, 23), CB - Ciriko Useternix (FFD, 28), CB - Samuel Hopkins (EUR, 30), RB - Thorsten Helmke (29); CM - Falcon Case (BRE/NPH, 31), CM - Ubul Kuruc (PAS, 23); LW - Linus Segert (26), CAM - Rolf Seyfried (30), RW - Mario Pfitzner (32), CF - Johannes Mandl (30)

Season Preview: The city of Felsenkirchen finally got its long-awaited league title last season. On the strength of 30 goals from Johannes Mandl, and an excellent year from new signings such as Gentza Bedigax, Ciriko Useternix and Falcon Case to name only a few, the Blues managed to put everything together down the stretch to take home the title. They weren’t perfect, but good enough. This year, however, the focus is on that perfection. Tarek Edgeli retired after finally winning the Republikaliga title, and the club have now splashed T5 million on Euran centre back Samuel Hopkins. The former Eastweald man will be expected to play a key role in continuing the strong defensive performance from last year, as the club conceded only 69 goals, second-best in the top five. Thanks to his play for the club and his country, Useternix was named in the Galacticos XI - the first time a Republikaliga player has made the worldwide best XI. The squad have also had another offseason to click together - and last year, they went 8-1-1 to close out the year and also advanced to the President’s Cup Final. Felsenkirchen’s title defence might just be unstoppable.

Modern Era
Republikaliga: (1) Season 8
President’s Cup: 0

Historic Era
Teus Championships: 15
President’s Cup: 6

History: Felsenkirchen as a city enjoyed a great deal of providence under the Teus Empire, chosen as the main port in the north which granted it access to foreign markets and made the city overall quite attractive. It rose to become the 3rd largest city in the Empire, and today is the 4th biggest in the country. The first club in the city was FC Felsenkirchen, which joined in the Teusliga. In early 1879, however, there was a dispute amongst the board, and some members of the club left to form their own club - FC Felsenkirchen 1879. The new club quickly rose to prominence, winning the Teusliga in its second year of existence. The old club, meanwhile, saw another schism in 1884 - that led to the creation of 1884 Felsenkirchen - before folding a few seasons later.

FC Felsenkirchen 1879 quickly became a prominent club in post-war Teusland, as the city wasn’t as hard-hit as much of the rest of the new country by the war. They regularly found themselves competing for Teus championships alongside FC Teussen Stelburg and FC St. Jakob, and became one of the most famous and successful teams in the entire country. The rivalry with Rotmunde developed after that club also rose to prominence, as the clubs battled for supremacy in the Regionalliga Nord. Felsenkirchen continued to have success throughout the Regionalliga era, as one of the premier teams in the north.

Entering the Republikaliga era, however, the club had gone through a series of down years, and although the first year of the Republikaliga saw the club performing very well, the next few years were a series of down years. Season 8 finally, however, brought them the national championship fans had been waiting for for almost 40 years. With Felsenkirchen on the verge of being one of the league’s top clubs for a while, their fans are hoping for continued success.

Club Culture: Felsenkirchen have, for most of their history, been seen as the northern club, drawing most of their support from that base in the city itself as well as the regions surrounding. Within the city of Felsenkirchen itself, the club’s support comes from most of the central and eastern core as well as the suburbs, with the western pocket more in favour of 1884 Felsenkirchen.

Felsenkirchen’s supporters are well-regarded in the country, considered some of the best home and away support in the league. They’ve got that classic northern Teusland attitude of respecting hard work the most, and it rubs off on matchday. You’re more likely to see them applaud a player who puts in a full shift every matchday than the flashy player, and that’s what has made players like Johannes Mandl fan favourites. The fans are more likely to sing about what’s going on on the pitch than anything else, but there are some classical anthems as well. ‘The Blue Sea of Mollin,’ an ode to the club’s first home stadium, or the most common one: ‘Oh when the Cogs go marching in.’

The natural rivalry, of course, is the Northeastern derby. Felsenkirchen and Rotmunde have always been rivals, not just in the football, but in all aspects each city strives to be better than the other. That competition has existed from the moment the towns first existed hundreds of years ago, and it’ll always continue. On derby day, that passion comes out in full force, and there’s nothing like a Northeastern derby: the blue flags waving at one end, the red at the other, and one of the loudest atmospheres you’ll find in this country, as each club has an excellent reputation for great support. For Felsenkirchen fans, beating Rotmunde is everything. 1884 Felsenkirchen are the local club, but the Felsenkirchen derby isn’t very fierce: they aren’t best friends, for sure, but when 1884 Felsenkirchen and FC Rotmunde 1932 met in the promotion playoff a few years ago, it was clear what the Cogs supporters wanted: Rotmunde down.

FC Teussen Stelburg


Colours: Black, gold, white
Manager: Kasper Knauer
Stadium: Franz-Gorz-Stadion (70,000)
Captain: Ludwig Reichwein
Last Season: 2nd
Nicknames: Der Schwarz und Gold, The Black and Gold
Rivals: Olympia Borograd (National derby), 1912 Stelburg (Stelburg derby), FC Saint Jakob (competitive)

Starting XI (4-2-3-1): GK - Ewald Heuser (24); LB - Axel Richter (23), CB - Erich Thierse (28), CB - Arno Amstutz (24), RB - Adam Wolf (23); CM - Karl Eicher (32), CM - Heinrich Bahr (23); LW - Mario Kogler (27), CAM - Kurt Witzel (24), RW - Lukas Tauscher (23), CF - Ludwig Reichwein (29)

Season Preview: The 5-5 draw with FC Kaiserhaven on matchday 37 ultimately doomed Teussen to second place in the league last year. The club felt that they had had issues at the back, and rather than waiting out the development of Gregory Scherway, they needed to make big moves instead. And so, the man named Best Defender in this league two seasons ago, Erich Thierse, joins from Rotmunde. And his partner will be Marlesee 97 star Arno Amstutz. It’s arguably the best backline in the league, and should help Teussen cut the number of goals shipped down from 87 last year - which was the second-worst defensive record in the top 10. If there was ever a year that a league title was a must, this would be it: the first season in the new Franz-Gorz-Stadion, which will be hosting the IFCF Challengers’ Cup Final, and an incredible attacking trident of Kogler, Tauscher and Reichwein - the former two linked with moves abroad after this season. Who knows what’s in their future, but for now: Teussen need a title, and they’re going to have to go through budding rivals Felsenkirchen to get it. They are more than capable, however, and this season could see an all-time great title dual.

Modern Era
Republikaliga (3): Season 2, 6, 7
President’s Cup (3): Season 5, 6, 8

Historic Era
Teus Championships: 50
President’s Cups: 33

History: In 1865, four Stelburg aristocrats went to see Kaiser Wilhelm VII. At the time, football was an emerging sport in the Teus Empire - solidly behind cricket and hockey in popularity. These four had just founded the first football club in the Empire’s capital of Stelburg, and wanted the Kaiser to give his patronage. He would, and the Imperial Stelburg Football Club was founded and granted the right to play at the Imperial Oval, wearing the colours gold and white. A few years later, as the premier club in the premier city in the Empire, the name was changed to reflect that status: FC Teussen Stelburg was born, and the club moved into their first home, the Kaiser-Wilhelm-Stadion.

By 1874, football had grown quite a bit in the country, and a new league was established. FC Teussen Stelburg quickly became the premier club in the country, too, winning 8 league titles in the Teusliga. The club were captained by Franz Gorz, the finest player of his day. In 1888, however, war broke out between the Teus Empire and Siovanija. Football continued, with much less fanfare, until the war’s darkest days in 1894. The heroic captain, Gorz, became one of the 3.4 million soldiers killed in the conflict. At that time, Teussen adopted black into their badge permanently - in honour of Gorz.

After the war, and in the new United Republics of Siovanija & Teusland, football came back, and Teussen with it. The monarchy had been disposed with - hello, Franz-Gorz-Stadion. Teussen, however, were that same old club covered in glory: 3 of the first 4 Teus championships in that new era. The Cup competition served as the overall national championship - and Teussen quickly found success there, as well. Over the next 50 years, Teussen rose to become the dominant club in all of Teusland, unmatched in their success. No club were as successful in the Regionalliga era as the boys in black and gold: 50 Teus championships, and 33 President’s Cups to go along with it.

By the end of the Regionalliga era in 2018, Teussen had amassed 50 Teus championships and 33 President’s Cup wins. Only once in the new era have Teussen finished lower than second, and they have already won 6 more trophies - 3 titles, and 3 Cups. It’s clear that Teussen intend to continue their domination into this new era.

Club Culture: FC Teussen Stelburg are known for having the largest fanbase in all of the nation, as a result of them being its most successful club for so long. Ignoring the fans in other parts of Teusland, the club’s main base in its own city is the central downtown core as well as the western, more affluent suburbs.

Teussen’s fans are traditionally more likely to fly the Teus flag than the national flag, and the matchday sing-song is somewhat split between the old anthems - ‘Soldier of Teusland’ the most famous of those, as well as the old Teus Empire anthem ‘Land of Heavenly Bounty’ - and the club anthems, like the moving tribute to Franz Gorz in ‘Captain Franz’ or the most famous of their songbook ‘We Love to See the Teussen Score’. Of course, there’s ‘Glory Glory Teussen Stelburg’ as well. Overall, Teussen’s fans are known for being loud and supportive of their club, applauding skilled plays and appreciating that type of skilled player most of all - the Thorsten Kramers of the world. They’re also proud of the fact that the club is mainly made up of home-grown talents who’ve come through the academy.

That dedication and commitment to local talent has always been a part of the club, and as a result they have one of the best youth development records in the league. It’s taken a step further, too - the club has an unofficial signing policy of only signing players of Teus heritage. Fans of the club praise the policy - keeping them grounded in the community, and hey, look at the success they’ve had with it! Critics claim it isn’t needed in the modern game, or world for that matter, and that it could see Teussen eventually left behind.

The main rivals of Teussen are the neighbours - 1912 Stelburg, with whom they contest the Stelburg derby, and the ‘other’ big club - Olympia Borograd, with whom they contest the National derby. It is often said that Teussen supporters hate 1912 Stelburg more- nothing beats a local derby - but that they want to beat Olympia more - those matches usually being decisive in league and cup campaigns over the years. The Stelburg derby has grown more heated in recent years, with 1912 really becoming a great club in their own right. The background of each club also fuels the rivalry - Teussen of the traditional Stelburg, the old imperial capital, against the 1912 of the newer, more modern Stelburg. The National derby against Olympia is much more symbolic of old animosities: Siovanija vs Teusland, rather than Siovanija & Teusland. This one is the one that captures the national attention; all eyes in both halves of the Republic on the result. The biggest club in Teusland up against the biggest club in Siovanija, there’s not much more that needs to be said as to why these two hate each other.

The club have moved into the new Franz-Gorz-Stadion for this season, after its completion late last year. The new stadium, located on the grounds of the club’s first-ever stadium, is arguably the most modern in the country, and is its second-biggest, seating 70,000. There’s talk the club wants to organize a friendly match with a major club visiting for the opening, but the first competitive match will be either their second home IFCF match or the first Republikaliga match, depending on the club’s IFCF campaign. The Franz-Gorz-Stadion has also been selected to host the IFCF Challengers’ Cup Final this year, a great honour for the city of Stelburg and the club.

1912 Stelburg


Colours: Light blue, white
Manager: Sebastian Hengsbach
Stadium: 1912-Stadion (31,000)
Captain: Raphael Klopfer
Last Season: 3rd
Nicknames: The Bluebirds
Rivals: FC Teussen Stelburg (Stelburg derby)

Starting XI (4-2-3-1): GK - Samuel Hartstein (32); LB - Edgar Steimle (25), CB - Josh Meckler (30), CB - Raphael Klopfer (32), RB - Pierre-Louis Lotbiniere (24); CM - Adrian Tremblay-Fillon (KSK, 27), CM - Ludwig Plessner (32); LW - Helek-Nenzi Ono (QUS, 27), CAM - Momodou Sene (BNJ, 25), RW - Gerold Tegeler (25); CF - Rafael Mesmer (25)

Season Preview: There were plenty of rumours coming out of the 1912-Stadion this summer - from Josh Meckler going out the door, to looking for a possible replacement for Samuel Hartstein. Instead, however, the Bluebirds chose not to make any moves this summer, hoping their strong squad will be inspired from last season’s third-place finish to make a bigger move up the table and try to win the league again. They struggled for goals at key times last year - drawing 12 games, the most of the top five. And finishing only 3 points off the top, you can certainly point to those draws as what kept the Bluebirds from lifting the trophy. There’s a lot of pressure on Rafael Mesmer this year - he’s been good, but never truly great during his career with the Bluebirds. If the Bluebirds fail to make any progress this year, there could be big changes coming this offseason.

Modern Era
Republikaliga (1): Season 5
President’s Cup (1): Season 7

Historic Era
Teus Championships: 3
President’s Cup: 1

History: By 1912, the city of Stelburg was undergoing great change. No longer the jewel in the Teus Empire’s crown, and now reduced to the 3rd most important city in a new country. The mix of a lower-class population trying to recover from the devastation the war had brought as well as returning soldiers settling meant that the traditionally lower-class neighbourhoods of east Stelburg were suffering greatly. The old establishment of Stelburg didn’t do much to help - but community organizations sprung up. Churches held fundraisers, small businesses contributed - and a football club sprung up to bring some entertainment. Founded on New Years’ Day 1912 - hence the name - 1912 Stelburg were born.

The club quickly rose up the ranks and gained a reputation for playing attractive football in the local leagues. Soon, they managed to reach the top-tier Regionalliga Stelburg, where they could theoretically compete for the Teus championship. They managed to win that championship for the first time in 1919, a win which the media proclaimed as perhaps the end for FC Teussen Stelburg’s domination over their own city.

It wasn’t to be. Teussen dominated the Stelburg league, serving as its unseated champion for, at one point, 34 straight years from 1940 to 1974. 1912 did everything they could to compete - but it just never seemed to work out for them. One relief came in a President’s Cup win in 1945, but other than that the club went trophyless until 1989, when they finally managed a Teus championship win. Over this time, the Stelburg rivalry really developed - being beaten, over and over again, embittered the 1912 support to their neighbours.

By the end of the Regionalliga era, 1912 were consistently a very good team, setting up well for the new Republikaliga. They regularly hovered around the top 5 for the first few years, before making a big splash - signing Jasno Odonelec from Prahecq and Adrian Tremblay-Fillon from Kelssek. Odonelec would go on to become a legend for the club - scoring the winning free-kick goal that might just be the defining moment in the club’s history - the first Republikaliga title in season 5. With several of the old legends out, it's time for the club to look to the future.

Club Culture: 1912 Stelburg are one of the biggest clubs in the country, and have a great number of fans. In Stelburg itself, the club’s traditional base of support comes from those eastern working-class neighbourhoods the club was founded to represent. Owing to their recent success, they’ve been making more of an impact in the downtown core as well. Then there’s always the person who doesn’t want to ‘follow the pack’ with Teussen, and comes to the blue side of the city instead.

1912’s historic roots remain very important to the club. While many clubs move out of their historic centre when they become a ‘big club,’ 1912, on the other hand, have stayed in the same neighbourhood since their founding, and remain committed to helping out in the community. Today, most of that support translates to funding for youth football pitches and development camps in the community. 1912 Stelburg are a community-driven club, and it is important to the club that those strong ties continue - 1912’s players are regularly seen at community events, and the fans feel a true connection to them as a result.

1912’s fans are more centred around club pride and civic pride than anything else. The club’s roots are seen through their songbook - ‘East Bank of the Drai’ a song about the poverty seen in the community in the post-War years, ‘Stelburg’s Pride’ about the irony of returning soldiers after the Great War unable to find jobs. Not every song, however, is about the troubles of community poverty after the decline of an empire - ‘Fly on, Bluebirds!,’ the club anthem which urges the players on and was famously sung in the build-up to Odonelec’s free kick winner.

1912’s main rivals are, naturally, the neighbours across town - FC Teussen Stelburg. Teussen fans might not realize it, but 1912 despise them. Sick and tired of being the ‘little brother,’ sick and tired of being beaten back nearly every year in the old days, and now, finally, after so many years getting a bit of equality with them. It’s not just football, though - Teussen the persona of the old city of Stelburg, that imperial jewel, 1912 the persona of the new Stelburg that had to fight its way out and survive in a new world. And so for 1912 Stelburg, there’s nothing better than beating the enemy. Luckily for the Bluebirds, they’ve been doing that a lot more lately - including in the President’s Cup Final in season 7, stopping Teussen from a double-double.

Olympia Borograd


Colours: Green, white
Manager: Ludmil Strashilov
Stadium: Olimpski-Stadion (60,000)
Captain: Vladimir Kostov
Last Season: 4th
Nicknames: The Greens
Rivalries: FK Metropola Borograd (Borograd derby), FC Teussen Stelburg (National derby), Energija Chernovets (competitive), Zvezda Vlaikograd (historic)

Starting XI (4-2-3-1): GK - Anatoli Sveteikov (30); LB - Samuil Karalevov (34), CB - Dominik Podlezl (23), CB - Roman Forsberg (SVJ, 26); RB - Cormag Chester (BRE, 25); CM - Vladimir Kostov (37), CM - Icarus Darsten (QAS, 31); LW - Lojze Kokalj (21), CAM - Ikki Tokei (HIN, 24), RW - Ivo Romanov (33), CF - Krasimir Kynev (28)

Season Preview: Olympia Borograd thought that their important decision about who will be the club’s centre forward going forward would be easy. Krasimir Kynev would lead the team for a few years, Denis Dezelac could come off the bench, and then Dezelac would one day take over and Kynev could ride off into the sunset. That was before Denis Dezelac lifted the Goldhorns to 3rd place at the Di Bradini Cup, was a major player in the Olympic team’s strong performance, and looks to be pushing for a place in the senior national team during World Cup 86 Qualifiers. Dezelac will spend another year in Quebec - where he won a league title with Haligonian last year - before the decision really needs to be made, but the pressure is on Kynev here. Going with the younger Dezelac might just be the choice, especially as the whole squad likely needs a reset - particularly in the midfield. Kostov and Darsten are both very strong, but are getting up there in age - and the club have now been trophyless for 5 seasons. The winds of change are circling around the Olimpski-Stadion, and this might just be the last year for several key players.

Modern Era
Republikaliga (1): Season 3
President’s Cup (1): Season 2

Historic Era
Siovanijan Championships: 47
President’s Cup: 25

History: Football came to Siovanija through cultural spread through the mid-1800s, and Borograd, as capital of the independent Siovanijan Republic, was the hotbed for it. The first official football match in the country was played in 1854 between the Olympia Athletic Club and a squad made up of soldiers in the Siovanijan army. Olympia won the match 3-1, and its members fell in love with the game. Olympia, the largest multi-sport club in the country, now had a football division, and Olympia Borograd were born.

The 1. Division was the premier football competition in pre-war Siovanija, and Olympia Borograd were a dominant force, capturing 8 league titles before the league was cancelled for the duration of the war. Olympia sent many of its boys to the front lines of the war, and a few never made it back home - the main stand at the stadium has always been known as the Memorial Stand in their honour. But when league play resumed in Siovanija by 1899, Olympia were prepared again, winning 2 of the first 3 Siovanijan championships.

The next decades saw Olympia competing for titles with both their cross-town rivals Metropola as well as the other big club of the era, Crvena Zvezda (the modern-day Zvezda Vlaikograd). The first 18 years saw only these three clubs winning the Siovanijan title. The trio - and really a duo, as Zvezda and Olympia were the main contenders for most of this period - continued their domination right up until the 1960s, when Zvezda dropped off. From then on, it became a battle of the Borograd clubs every year, creating a fiercely-passionate rivalry. While the total domination eased up over the years - Olympia often more concerned with their chase of Teussen in the President’s Cup - Olympia still ended up as the most successful side in Siovanija during the Regionalliga era.

Entering the Republikaliga, Olympia were weak to begin the new competition - a young squad developing into winners. Their time would come, however - season 2 runners-up before setting a league points record that still stands today in season 3. They’ve spent a few years building back up again, but with a great generation of young players coming through, should have a bright future ahead of them.

Club Culture: Olympia, due to their long and successful history, are the number 1 club in Siovanija, with the largest number of supporters in that republic. In the capital city itself, the club’s support is mostly in the suburbs and on the edge of the downtown. The traditional Olympia/Metropola dichotomy in the capital, however, has been changing in recent years, and many of the old truths like that geography aren’t exactly the case in the modern day.

If Teussen are the ‘Teus club,’ it would be fair to call Olympia the ‘Siovanijan club.’ The Olympia Athletic Club was founded in post-revolution Siovanija - the country having freed itself from the Teus Empire as an independent republic in 1808 - with the colour green as its symbol. Green had also been the flags of the Siovanijans who campaigned for independence and the Republic. Based in the capital, wearing the national colour, constant success - it was a perfect storm for the club to become the representative of the nation. Olympia fans are more likely to wave that same ‘Green Banner’ over the national flag, especially in games against Teussen. Song-wise, Olympia’s chants are mainly rooted in the history of the club itself, but some are more national-based as well. For example, ‘The Rebel’s Song,’ the anthem of the 1808 revolutions, can be heard pretty much every week. Overall, however, songs are more football-focused: ‘Borograd’s Best’ and the club anthem ‘Up the Greens’ examples of those.

Despite their reputation as the Siovanijan club, Olympia don’t have the same focus on that fact as Teussen do - there’s no signing policy here. Olympia will sign whoever it takes to make them better, and the fans prefer flashy, fast players. That’s what allowed Ivo Romanov to become beloved, and the path now is paved for those in the future. Olympia do have a strong development system - products like Lojze Kokalj - and hot prospect Denis Dezelac appears to be only a year away.

Olympia have several rivalries, but the biggest by far is the Borograd derby with FK Metropola Borograd. It’s plain and simply pure hatred between these two, who fought each other for the league so many times over the years that there was never any alternative option. It’s probably the second biggest derby in the league, after Pomorie/Marzig. Next up is the National derby with FC Teussen Stelburg - born out of competition in the past, as well as the old Siovanija-Teusland rivalries, creating one of the best fixtures in the modern league. There’s a competitive rivalry with Energija Chernovets, a modern creation due to Chernovets’ recent success in the league. Then there’s also a bit more of a historical battle with Zvezda Vlaikograd - a holdover from the days that the two clubs dominated the Siovanijan championship. Zvezda haven’t been the same since the 60s, but older fans still remember the days when Olympia-Zvezda was just as heated as Olympia-Metropola is today.

Energija Chernovets


Colours: Green, yellow
Manager: Apostol Manevski
Stadium: Energija-Arena (35,000)
Captain: Viktor Dimitrov
Last Season: 5th
Nicknames: The Atoms, The Canaries
Rivalries: FK Raketa Bukovets (local), Olympia Borograd (competitive)

Starting XI (4-2-3-1): GK - Tony Tyneman (SCT, 23); LB - Daniel Vasev (33), CB - Taras Maksimov (22), CB - Novak Skrinjar (22), RB - Akhil Sibal (ZWZ, ??); CM - Enigma Armagedon (CMT, 24), CM - Vsevolod Hristov (24), LW - Dragomir Nikolov (32), CAM - Viktor Dimitrov (31), RW - Archibald Koyaanisqatsi (APX, 27); CF - Brahian Céspedes (VLD, 25)

Season Preview: Certainly the greatest collection of names in Republikaliga history - Enigma Armaggedon, Dragomir Nikolov and Archibald Koyaanisqatsi leading the way in that category - it’s time for Energija Chernovets to find out if it’s as good a collection of talent. The squad is a good mix of experience and youth, leadership and ‘good soldiers’. The addition of Enigma Armaggedon, the Chromatik NT captain, brings a ‘field general’ type of player, an accomplished leader and a solid player, who may be the perfect partner for Vsevolod Hristov. Up top, Brahian Cespedes adjusted well to the league, and with several of the league’s most talented playmakers behind him, he’ll feast on defences again. Akhil Sibal, the Zwangzugian international right back, joins an already-strong back line that is led by Taras Maksimov. Chernovets are going to be great - the question is, is this the year? Or is another year or two of waiting perhaps in store.

Modern Era
Republikaliga (1): Season 1
President’s Cup: 0

Historic Era
Siovanijan Championship: 8
President’s Cup: 0

History: Football had a hard time catching on in Chernovets. For a long time, the city had a split Teus and Siovanijan population, and was also known as Karnowitz. The first football club in the town was actually FC Karnowitz, and they won 2 Siovanijan titles in the 1920s. The city would change forever shortly, however. It became a city of massive strategic importance - the home of most of the United Republics’ scientific sector, including the nuclear power and nuclear weaponry programs. Chernovets became a closed city, most of the old population were relocated, and scientists, their families, and essential workers for the city were moved in. Under these conditions, Energija Chernovets was founded in the early 1950s.

It was difficult, however, to gain a following. Those important people in the city were too important to care about football - and thus the club’s main support base was students at the local university, and other residents of the town. The atmosphere at matches was lacking, however - no away fans allowed, as Chernovets was a closed city. By the early 80s, the government decided to open Chernovets up more, and it found a new purpose as a ‘tech hub’ for the country. Thus, more and more people came to settle in Chernovets, and adopted Energija as their team.

It was perfect timing, as the football club had managed to grow out of the mediocrity that had plagued their youth. Chernovets won their first 3 Siovanijan championships in the late 70s and early 80s, and grew into a regularly competitive team rather than just a side that could be walked over by the Olympia Borograds of the world. A new passion for football was born in the city, and that passion would eventually come to boil over under the reign of manager Apostol Manevski.

Manevski took over Chernovets after having played for them in the early 90s, and pledged that he’d make the club the finest in Siovanija. By the end of the Regionalliga era, it seemed he’d accomplished that goal: Energija took the last 2 Siovanijan titles. He also brought a new brand of attractive football that made Chernovets easy on the eyes, and truly rooted them in the city of Chernovets. Manevski and star forward Miroslav Dinev are true living legends for the club, and that legacy was cemented as they captured the first Republikaliga title. A few years on from that, the hunt for silverware continues, with Chernovets a regular title challenger.

Club Culture: For a long time, Chernovets were mocked by other clubs as having no supporters - that all changed with the city and the club’s revitalization, and today Chernovets have one of the biggest fanbases in the country. Chernovets, naturally, is the base of their support - the town about an hour and a half east of Borograd, heading towards the border with Teusland. The surrounding area, too, is full of love for the green and yellow, and Chernovets became a popular alternative to Olympia Borograd in many places after the rise of the Manevski/Dinev teams.

Chernovets’ fans are known for their appreciation of good football - it’s not just about winning, it’s about winning the right way. That mentality has made them a fun team to watch over the years, but has also cost them at times. Most of their songs are football-related, such as the club’s anthem ‘Energija, on the ball!’ but the fans won’t win too many awards for creativity: ‘Chernovets, Chernovets, Chernovets’ a commonly-repeated refrain at matches. The Energija-Arena is a fortress for the club, too, one of the loudest stadiums in the country, and it has helped the club greatly in many a match.

In this case, the club and the city alike have a similar character: Chernovets, the one-time closed city, hidden away from the world, that has now grown into a tech capital of the country and the second largest city in Siovanija. Energija, the club, which was for many years not relevant, now growing up to be one of the best-supported and best overall clubs in the country. For that reason, there’s a special affinity in Chernovets for their club.

Energija’s main rival is FK Raketa Bukovets, due to the similarities seen in the clubs. Bukovets is located near Chernovets, and for many years was also a closed city and the headquarters of most military production in the country. Raketa Bukovets were also at a similar level to Energija at the time, making matches between the two quite important, today, however, Chernovets have become a bigger club and are finding new rivalries on that stage. The club have had a competitive rivalry with Olympia Borograd in recent years, as the clubs go head to head in the league and for the right to call themselves Siovanija’s club. That matchup has become very important in recent years for both sides, and the Energija-Olympia rivalry continues to grow each time they face each other.

FC Rotmunde 1932


Colours: Red, black
Manager: Timo Felder
Stadium: Veisel (37,000)
Captain: Raimund Noffke
Last Season: 6th
Nicknames: The Islanders
Rivals: FC Felsenkirchen 1879 (Northeastern derby)

Starting XI (4-4-2-): GK - Cathal Gallagher (KSK, 27); LB - Jayson Ijalana (OSR, 25), CB - Goetxea Shimizue (HIN, 27), CB - Campbell Watson (STB, 18), RB - Jakob Hesse (34); CM - Rudi Breuer (21), CM - Otso Ilkannen (SVJ, 22), LW - Marvin Peiper (19), CAM - Julian Werner (21), RW - Raimund Noffke (32); CF - Ignace Thibodeux (CMT, 24)

Season Preview: Major changes and a youth revolution marked this offseason for Rotmunde. First off, the club brought in goalkeeper Cathal Gallagher to replace the aging Gregor Lehmann, as well as signing Rudi Breuer from Kaiserhaven to play in the midfield. Julian Werner moves into the number 10 position, while Max Koehler has been sold and big Ignace Thibodeux is now the main option up top. Starblaydi youth international Campbell Watson also joins the club. The concern for the club comes in the sales of Nwabudike Ugonna (to Zvezda Vlaikograd) and Erich Thierse (to FC Teussen Stelburg). These were two key pieces for the club, and stars in this league, that they have moved on from. There was a feeling within the club that this team had passed up its window to win a trophy, and that the time was right to make some money to invest into youth. And with 5 players under 23 in the squad, they certainly do have an exciting future - some fans, however, aren’t too happy with the club ‘giving up’ on two of its biggest talents. They aren’t going to be challenging for the top 5 this year, but it could be a fun year in the northeast.

Modern Era
Republikaliga: 0
President’s Cup: 0

Historic Era
Teus Championships: 6
President’s Cup: 3

History: Football on the island of Rotmunde rose quickly to become a prominent sport, and it wasn’t long before enterprising locals tried their hand at creating a club. And so, many new football clubs sprung up, each having a shorter lifespan than the other: 1. FC Rotmunde, 1874 Rotmunde, and so on. One that eventually did stick around was Adler Rotmunde, and they became quite a successful team in the early years of the Teusliga and the Regionalliga, taking 2 championships at the time. The club, however, was poorly run financially, and in the late 1920s it was dissolved. Fans in Rotmunde, however, couldn’t bear the idea of cheering for the nearby club in Felsenkirchen - and so FC Rotmunde 1932 were born.

While Adler had, by their demise, moved out of the city itself, the new club instead chose to remain - putting its stadium in the downtown neigbourhood of Veisel, where much of the club’s support still comes from today. Thanks to the base left behind by the old club, Rotmunde were able to rise quickly in the Teus leagues, and soon came to be competing with the enemy in Felsenkirchen for regional titles.

Throughout the Regionalliga era, the battle between FC Felsenkirchen 1879 and FC Rotmunde 1932 - the similarly-named clubs from the northeast - came to dominate the local football context. It developed into a fierce rivalry, and not completely one-sided. Felsenkirchen were more successful overall in the era, but Rotmunde had their day here and there as well. It did create a great rivalry, however, that lives on today in the Republikaliga.

Entering the Republikaliga, Rotmunde were in a difficult spot, expected to be a midtable club. Years of stagnation at the club, however, particularly from the ownership, led to a near-disaster in the second season, as they finished in 18th place. Rotmunde won the relegation playoff, and a local consortium purchased the club that summer. Since then, with manager Timo Felder at the helm, it’s been smooth sailing, with the club developing into one of the most consistent sides in the league. All they’re missing is a trophy to show for it, having lost the President’s Cup Final to Teussen in the double season.

Club Culture: The island of Rotmunde, off the northeast coast of Teusland, is the heartland of Rotmunde supporters, who are considered some of the most passionate in the country, regularly travelling far and wide to support their club. The city of Rotmunde itself, located in the southeastern corner of the island, is obviously the centre of that support, but the club has mainly adopted an all-island mentality to bring everyone together. The island is connected to the mainland by the Rotmunde Viaduct, and it’s at that bridge that Rotmunde support rapidly dries up and turns to the blue of Felsenkirchen instead.

Rotmunde’s fans are mostly football-focused, although the rivalry with Felsenkirchen definitely has some elements of civic pride involved. Still, the club’s main anthems are songs about the team itself: ‘Cheer on the boys in Red’ being the most famous, followed by the more commonly heard ‘Come on Rotmunde.’ The isle of Rotmunde is most known for its hard character: having to work hard for everything it has now. The fans appreciate a similar type of player, too, the one who’s willing to put everything on the line to win the match.

Rotmunde’s biggest rival by far are FC Felsenkirchen 1879. The two cities have always been rivals, dating back to the choice way back in the day of the Teus Empire to make Felsenkirchen the Empire’s main port in the north, leading it to a commercial boom and prosperity. Rotmunde, meanwhile, fought for its survival, much of the town working in the fishing industry or other local businesses. The cities had always hated each other, and adding football to the mix brought the rivalry to new heights. Adler Rotmunde had had a rivalry with Felsenkirchen as well, and when the new Rotmunde came to be, that continued.

The Northeastern derby is one of the biggest in the country, each side desperate for a win on derby day. Historically, Felsenkirchen have had more success than their neighbours, but the games between the two were always close and always full of drama. Neither side have ever been quite at the top of football in this country, but they have their share of success, and are both trying to break into that top tier now in the Republikaliga era. In this modern era, the clubs have found themselves equally positioned in recent years, which has contributed to the intensity of this rivalry. It’s not a derby that will spark riots or any big trouble, but it’s the type that both groups of supporters are absolutely desperate to win.

Zvezda Vlaikograd


Colours: Red, white
Manager: Bastian Tomc
Stadium: Ivo-Balikov-Arena (34,000)
Captain: Andon Bunev
Last Season: 7th
Nicknames: The Reds, Zvezda
Rivalries: FK Vlaikograd 1896 (Vlaikograd derby), TSV Marzig (political)

Starting XI (4-2-3-1): GK - Andon Bunev (34), LB - Drake Antony (NPH, 29), CB - Slobodan Kraijnik (27), CB - Franc Kolar (29), RB - Itzo Valeriev (30); CM - Atilla Acar (TIM, 30), CM - Harald Larsson (SVJ, 22), LW - Nwabudike Ugonna (BNJ, 25), CAM - Leopold Bliznakov (22), RW - Sinisa Gaspersie (29), CF - Drago Ward (NPH, 29)

Season Preview: Leopold Bliznakov and Zvezda Vlaikograd showed the country they meant business last season with a 7th place finish. And with a stronger squad this season, who knows how high the Reds could go. Herbert Brewer’s loan from Eura ended, the club sad to see the young man go, however, they’ve brought in Savojar midfielder Harald Larsson. Larsson made headlines, and became a fan favourite immediately, when he stated that part of his reason for joining the club was its roots in unions and left-wing politics, similar to his home nation. The star acquisition is Nwabudike Ugonna, the Banijan winger, who joins the club from FC Rotmunde 1932. The wing duo of Ugonna and Sinisa Gaspersie is perhaps the fastest in the Republikaliga, and they will be a terrifying threat for defenders. Drago Ward knocked in 25 goals last year, and with national team midfielder Bliznakov part of the trident behind him, there’s no reason to think he can’t up that number. Zvezda will be hoping to challenge for the top 5, and perhaps make a run in the President’s Cup.

Modern Era
Republikaliga: 0
President’s Cup: 0

Historic Era
Siovanijan Championships: 22
President’s Cup: 5

History: The city of Vlaikograd has undergone great change over the years. Originally, it was the home of the Siovanijan monarchy before the country was conquered by Teusland. Under the Teus Empire, however, the face of the city changed, and a new republican, left-wing feeling was seen in the city. It was fitting, then, that the football club in the town should share that identity: Crvena Zvezda (Red Star), founded in 1871, as the athletic wing of a local trade union, quickly became the popular club with activists in the city.

Crvena Zvezda would reward that support in spades in the early years of the Regionalliga Siovanija, as they competed year in and year out with Olympia Borograd for the Siovanijan championship. Many years, in fact, they were able to defeat Olympia and take the championship. At the time, it was often debated which of the two clubs was truly Siovanija’s biggest. Zvezda, led by captain Ivo Balikov, regarded as the best player of the early post-war years, were considered the best team in the country for many years. In 1960, a financial crisis engulfed the club, and they had to sell off many assets in order to avoid folding. The club changed its name as well: ‘Zvezda Vlaikograd,’ now, reflecting a desire to become more involved in the community in which the club was based. Zvezda would eventually recover, but were never quite the same: of their 22 Siovanijan championships, 18 were won pre-1960.

Zvezda Vlaikograd have always been pining for the glory days since, hoping to claw their way back to the top. Entering the Republikaliga era, however, they had dropped off a fair bit, and were seeded into the 2. Republikaliga at first. The club managed to earn promotion in season 5, and since then have moved their way up the league: 17th their first year, and now in the top ten two years in a row. Now, with a top prospect surrounded by a strong core of players, Zvezda are hoping to get back to the upper echelons of football in this country once and for all.

Club Culture: Crvena Zvezda were the dominant club in Vlaikograd for much of the early years of the Siovanijan championship, and as a result grew a large fanbase in the city, which is the second-largest in Siovanija. In addition, the fanbase spread around the northwest of Siovanija, as well as many urban areas that did not have a big club of their own. After the downfall of the club, the rival FK Vlaikograd 1896 grew in size and picked up fans, and in the modern day the clubs have about an equal share in their city.

Zvezda’s fanbase is mostly known for being quite left-wing, with the red banner of the Siovanijan Worker’s Party as well as the Green Banner of the Siovanijan republican movement flying side by side on matchdays. Some elements of the fanbase remain as true to this side as possible, jeering loudly any Teus club that visits the Ivo-Balikov-Arena and singing the Internationale or ‘Hej, Siovanija!,’ the old revolutionary songs of the Siovanijan Revolution. There is also significant debate within the fanbase over renaming the club to ‘Crvena Zvezda’ again, with talk picking up again now that the club is back in the top tier. Many supporters will simply call the club by that name anyways, ignoring the new name completely. Zvezda’s supporters appreciate players who give it their all every match, and have a bit of flair to go along with it. Zvezda are also one of the ‘hipster clubs’ of the league - you can see their crest on backpacks, t-shirts and other apparel from people who have never watched a minute of football. It’s impossible to enter a college classroom in Siovanija and not see at least 1 Zvezda laptop sticker.

Zvezda’s historic rival are, of course, the neighbours, FK Vlaikograd 1896. This has never been too big of a rivalry, however: when Zvezda were great, Vlaikograd were not, and when Zvezda fell off, Vlaikograd were better. They’ve never really competed with each other, then, and while there is definitely some tension on derby day, it’s not the biggest rivalry in the world either. Recently, a new rivalry has been developed with TSV Marzig. The two clubs are far apart politically: Zvezda, the left-wing Siovanijan club, Marzig the Teus nationalist club. Given Zvezda’s support and alliance with Marzig’s eternal rival FK Pomorie, you knew a new rivalry would be born as soon as these clubs met for the first time in the Republikaliga. And it was, each side provoking the other with banners, chants and flags, leading to crowd violence. Marzig will always consider Pomorie the biggest rival, but Zvezda are taking a place as the #2, and for Zvezda fans this is the big game now.

SW Stahlberg

Colours: Black, grey
Manager: Gerd Hennig
Stadium: Stahlarbeiter-Union-Arena (35,000)
Captain: David Beck
Last Season: 8th
Nicknames: The Miners
Rivals: Oststahlberg 08 (local), Olympia Borograd (competitive)

Starting XI (4-4-2): GK - David Beck (36), LB - Bastian Mendel (23), CB - Karsten Lichtwark (35), CB - Jonas Breukelen (AUD, 29), RB - Ernst Felder (32); LM - Lutz von Bergen (31), CM - John Ferry (SCT, 35), CM - Jourdain Blanchette (KSK, 26), RM - Andreas Wentzel (32); CF - Louis von Stroheim (19), CF - Ragnar Targaryen (COS, 36)

Season Preview: We’ve spoken before about the youth of some teams in this league - it’s the opposite here. 7 over 30, and 4 35+. It’s reasonable to expect that after this season David Beck and Karsten Lichtwark could be retiring or out the door, while the future still waits to see what John Ferry and Ragnar Targaryen will do. Do these veterans, many of whom have been around since the very beginning, and have lifted trophies with this club, have what it takes to bring in one final trophy for the ‘glory days?’ Perhaps it is finally time for the club to shift its focus and build around the younger players in the squad like Bastian Mendel and Louis von Stroheim. It’ll be a season of debate around that question in Stahlberg, and the only place the question can be answered is on the pitch. They do not have the squad to challenge for the league title this season, however, the club will likely want to go all-in on a President’s Cup run.

Modern Era
Republikaliga (1): Season 4
President’s Cup (1): Season 3

Historic Era
Teus Championships: 6
President’s Cup: 3

History: Stahlberg, perched up high in the Mittlegebirge - it’s the city with the highest elevation in the country - boomed in the late 1800s, as the vast iron ore deposits in the area began to be worked. Soon, Stahlberg grew into a large and important city, but it was poorly placed for the coming war - the Great War between Siovanija and Teusland was mostly fought in the mountain passes all along the border, and Stahlberg became for most of the war a frontline city. The war brought devastation - but afterwards, the city was luckier than most, as it was able to resume that economic activity and stand back up soon. In the aftermath of the war, and the new Republic, the Miner’s Union came to dominate the city and its politics, fighting for its workers rights. And, to provide leisure, the Stahlwerke (SW) Stahlberg football club was founded.

In its earliest days, SW Stahlberg provided leisure and entertainment for the iron miners in the city, but the club gradually grew to become the representative team in the town. By the 1920s, they were competing on the highest level in Teusland, and were viewed as a club that could often provide competition for the clubs like FC Teussen Stelburg and FC Saint Jakob that had been so dominant in the Teus leagues at the time. Stahlberg continued to grow at this time, and SW grew with it.

Throughout most of the Regionalliga era, Stahlberg were a strong side - never really the best, but always competitors. They managed 6 Teus championships during this era, as well as 3 President’s Cups. Not as successful as some clubs in that time period, but just enough for Stahlberg supporters to remain proud of their club. Entering the Republikaliga era, Stahlberg were a side ready to be reborn under attack-minded manager Gerd Hennig. Hennig’s attacking football struck at the right time, as Michael Ribbeck came up through the club’s academy. Ribbeck hadn’t been expected to be more than an average forward, but in the end, he was anything but average: 3 Golden Boots at the club, and leading them to the Republikaliga title in season 4. He’s gone now, replaced by legendary forward Ragnar Targaryen, but the principle of Stahlberg as an attacking side remains.

Club Culture: Stahlberg are the number one club in, naturally, the city of Stahlberg, which has no competing clubs at the top level. In addition, much of the villages and towns in the surrounding area are loyal to the club, as they have a similar heritage as mining towns and that unique mountain life. Eastern Stahlberg’s districts are split about 75/25 in favour of SW Stahlberg vs the lower-tier Oststahlberg 08, who are the club’s one local rival.

Stahlberg’s supporters traditionally came from the lower-class, but today that isn’t as much the case, the entire city getting behind the team. Stahlberg’s supporters have a mix of songs, between football and coming from the historic roots of the club. ‘The Stahlberg Miners’ is a song about 32 miners who were killed in a mine collapse at the turn of the century that had a massive impact on the development of the Miners’ Union and the fight for worker’s rights. On the other hand, ‘Black and Grey’ is the club anthem and tells of the success of the club instead.

Within the fanbase, there’s a specific type of player who is adored: the player who leaves it all out on the pitch, and is willing to fight for the shirt. For that reason, players like Paul Schorner and Karsten Lichtwark, who were at the very forefront of some heated clashes with Olympia Borograd in recent years, became beloved. Fighting for the shirt, however, doesn’t always have to mean physically - Michael Ribbeck became a legend through his exceptional hard work in every match, and also because he scored a lot of goals.

Rivalry-wise, the local rivals are Oststahlberg 08 - but it’s not as much a rivalry as it once was - honestly, SW Stahlberg don’t really think about their tier 3 neighbours that much. There aren’t many clubs at the top near them, and thus the club’s biggest recent rivalry has been with Olympia Borograd as a result of two hot-tempered matches in recent years. A 3-3 draw between the sides a few seasons ago saw Paul Schorner receive a red card and a brawl break out in the tunnel afterwards, while in season 7, Ragnar Targaryen scored 5 in a 5-4 win for Stahlberg after both teams had been reduced to 9 men.

FC St. Jakob

Colours: Red, white
Manager: Hermann Frenz
Stadium: Draistadion (60,000)
Captain:
Last Season: 9th
Nicknames: The Saints
Rivals: FC Einheit Marnau (local), VfL Reinbronn (local), FC Teussen Stelburg (competitive)

Starting XI (4-2-3-1): GK - Bernd Falkenberg (29); LB - Evander Keane (NPH, 30), CB - Stefan Licht (32), CB - Ian Turner (XAN, 22), RB - Francisco Jorge (DRP, 23); CM - Simon Heinig (33), CM - Ronald Wenz (24), LW - Jannick Koepen (29), CAM - Giorgos Dimitriou (STB, 31), RW - Leo Heiden (27), CF - Erwin Bahnsen (26)

Season Preview: St. Jakob earned one of their better finishes over the last few years last year, as they came ninth in the league, and at times looked like pushing further on. There’s concern, though, that it’ll be the ‘same old Saints’ this year: a regression. No changes were made to the squad this summer, despite concerns about the midfield. It’s time, however, for players like Leo Heiden and Erwin Bahnsen to step up and take this club to the next level. Heiden is now 27, and can’t be described as a ‘good young winger with potential’ forever - he needs to show it. Bahnsen has never recorded more than 22 goals in the league, and while it’s a strong number, in a league where the best forwards regularly hit 25+, he needs to be better for his club. The biggest bright spot is Bernd Falkenberg, who is becoming a very good keeper and will only get better with more experience. It’s another make-or-break year for St. Jakob: prove this is finally their time, or sink further away from the top.

Modern Era
Republikaliga: 0
President’s Cup: 0

Historic Era
Teus Championships: 22
President’s Cup: 11

History: St. Jakob, as a major port city of the Empire, was one of the first cities in the country to be introduced to football. Immediately, numerous clubs sprang up across the city, representing its various districts, and they competed against each other in various competitions. By the time of the Teusliga, several of these clubs applied for membership in the new league. After a long debate at a meeting of the local FA, a group of 10 clubs in the city announced their intention to merge as one new ‘FC Sankt Jakob,’ in order to be more competitive in the new league. This club was accepted into the Teusliga, and over the years the rest of the clubs in the city gradually came into the fold.

FC St. Jakob quickly became one of the top clubs in the early days of regional league football after the war, and they maintained that status for much of the era. Many years the championship final would come down to FC Teussen Stelburg against FC St. Jakob, and as a result the teams developed a very competitive rivalry during those years. They were the second most successful Teus club of the era, and were 3rd in overall national titles.

Entering the Republikaliga era, St. Jakob’s squad was aging, with a core of veterans remaining from a successful run of 3 straight Teus championships in the mid 2010s. The club decided that, after a promising first season, it would be time to rebuild the squad. History has shown that this was a clear miscalculation, however - the club underestimated how difficult the new Republikaliga would be, and have failed to get back to the heights of the old days. The club have been focused on building through youth. They are one of the richest clubs in the league, however, and if a few more years pass with little success you have to wonder if it’ll be time to open the floodgates.

Club Overview: FC St. Jakob are the biggest club in the biggest city in the country, and thus have a great deal of fan support within the city of St. Jakob itself. Owing, however, to the fact that St. Jakob is Siovanija & Teusland’s most cosmopolitan city, there are many supporters of other clubs from across the country. Due to the fact that the club are the only team in the city, they have a wide base of support and have come to be a symbol of the city itself.

St. Jakob was always the more modern city in contrast to the older imperial Stelburg, even during the time of the Teus Empire. This was the centre of the anti-war and, eventually, anti-Kaiser protests that helped bring about the end of the Great War and the abdication of the Kaiser, ending the Empire in 1895. The city, which had been an important port, rapidly grew in wealth and population and is today the largest city in the nation. It is the home of most of Siovanija & Teusland’s financial institutions, and is its gateway to most of the rest of the world. As a result, the city is home to communities of people from across the world, as well as from other parts of the country.

St. Jakob’s fanbase are historically considered, much like the city itself, to be quite cosmopolitan. It’s the most liberal city in Teusland, and as a symbol of the new country after unification, brought in a great deal of migration both from across the country and abroad. Other clubs’ supporters, particularly FC Teussen Stelburg, like to poke fun at St. Jakob supporters as being fairweather fans, claiming that they always seem to disappear when the Saints have a few rough years. This reputation mainly comes from the amount of people who don’t really follow sports but claim to be Saints supporters - the club’s logo is another popular one on clothing or stickers. It’s not really true, however, and the new Draistadion seats 60,000 people and is generally sold out. The club’s most famous anthem is ‘Star of the Drai,’ an old song written about the rise of the city of St. Jakob as a whole.

[Siovanija and Teusland]

Republikaliga Season IX Preview - Part II

FK Metropola Borograd


Colours: Purple, white
Manager: Alan Dzekov
Stadium: Metropola-Stadion (49,000)
Captain: Viktor Venev
Last Season: 10th
Nicknames: The Violets, The Mets
Rivals: Olympia Borograd (Borograd derby), SK Republika Borograd (local)

Starting XI (4-2-3-1): GK - Viktor Venev (39); LB - Lyubomir Dimitrov (27), CB - Grant Meador (COS, 26), CB - Urgutz Barrayazan (ASG, 22), RB - Luka Ambroz (24); CM - Jerat-Jonto Jan (QUS, 27), CM - George t’son d’Haxli (DCA, 28); LW - Andrey Bunev (22), CAM - Valko Tinchev (30), RW - Boris Bachev (30), CF - Branimir Glanchev (20)

Season Preview: Metropola had quite a successful end to the year last season - a run to the Cup semifinals, as well as securing one of the best defensive records in the league. There’s two big changes made to the squad here by Alan Dzekov. Urgutz Barrayazan looked great in the Cup run last year, and he moves into the starting role full time. Up top, Branimir Glanchev comes into the team - scoring was an issue last season, and the hope is that a big man like Glanchev can get the job done. This is a strong squad, Dzekov has promised that the rebuild is over, and the hope is that they can once again challenge for the IFCF places, and perhaps renew the competitive rivalry with Olympia Borograd.

Modern Era
Republikaliga: 0
President’s Cup: 0

Historic Era
Siovanijan Championships: 21
President’s Cup: 7

History: In the first days of the old Siovanijan 1. Division, before the Great War, the two most dominant clubs were from Borograd: Olympia Borograd and SK Republika Borograd. To many people in the downtown core, however, neither club felt like their own: Olympia had long since relocated to the western, more affluent suburbs, while Republika had always been based in the southern districts of the city. So, in 1886, a group of youths came together to form the ‘Borograd Metropolitan Football Club’, which would soon become FK Metropola Borograd, intended to represent the city of Borograd itself.

In the post-war years, as the downtown core gradually declined, Metropola stood at the forefront of the community, helping in various programs. The club on the field was also quite successful at this time, and captured the first Siovanijan championship in the post-war era. SK Republika Borograd were devastated financially by the war, and they would never quite recover to the heights they once had. This made the city of Borograd a two-way split between Olympia and Metropola, and created a fierce rivalry between the clubs.

For the first several years of football post-war, the Siovanijan championship was dominated by three clubs: Olympia Borograd, Crvena Zvezda, and FK Metropola Borograd. In fact, from 1900-1960, only 8 titles were won by clubs other than this big 3. After Zvezda’s decline, Metropola and Olympia became the ‘Big 2’ in Siovanija, who were usually fighting it out for a title every year in the Borograd league, and thus for the Siovanijan championship. The intense rivalry between the clubs developed gradually over this period of competition, and while things opened up a bit more overall during the later half of the era, the Olympia-Metropola rivalry always had massive stakes.

Entering the Republikaliga era, Metropola have struggled to find that same level of success in the new league system. In the first few seasons, they were constant competitors in and around the top 4, but stagnation in the squad has dragged them down in the last few years. Supporters have also complained that the owners have refused to invest in the squad: this was most notably argued after Stanimir Ilev was sold to Paulinthal for T10 million, and rather than buy anyone to replace him immediately, he was replaced by an 18-year old academy player. With former national team manager Alan Dzekov at the helm now, however, the club has pledged to support him as he aims to bring Metropola back to the top.

Club Culture: Metropola have always had to split the city with Olympia, and while in the past the split was quite simple: purple in the downtown core, green around the edge; that isn’t as much the case today. Still, the club’s base is rooted in those central Borograd neighbourhoods, and the club have remained true to those roots. In addition, while Olympia presented themselves as the ‘Siovanijan club,’ Metropola have always presented themselves as the ‘Borograd club,’ making many in the capital feel more loyal to them.

In the aftermath of the war, the inner core of Borograd faced a gradual decline in fortune, and the football club became one of the main community actors in development in the neighbourhood. These roots are still important to the club today, and they continue to play a key role in development in Borograd’s downtown. For this reason, the club’s supporters and those of 1912 Stelburg have somewhat of an alliance - similar backgrounds, and both with a hated rival in the same city. FK Metropola Borograd remain today one of the most community-driven clubs in the league.

The main rivalry is, of course, the Borograd derby with Olympia. This has been called the second most important derby match in the league, and is one of the most intense atmospheres in the league. Proximity as well as years of competition has bred this hatred, with each side desperate to beat the other. The brightest moment in this rivalry for Metropola was when the club denied Olympia the league title on the last day of season 5 with a 2-0 win. That was the brightest recent spot for Metropola, who mock their enemies at each derby since then. Another key moment recently in the rivalry was when former Olympia man Valko Tinchev signed for Metropola on a free transfer, becoming the first player to cross the divide in the Republikaliga era. The first match after this saw great disturbances, with Olympia supporters throwing coins at Tinchev and jeering him every time he got near the ball. The second match, however, provided some vengeance for Tinchev, as he scored a last-minute goal to bring Metropola level in a 4-4 final which eliminated Olympia from title contention again. There is no love lost at all here, and these clubs hate each other. Metropola supporters declare that they are the only real team in Borograd, as Olympia’s stadium is located in the suburbs, and this is a fact they love to recite to the enemy. A smaller rivalry exists with SK Republika Borograd, but as that club have not been relevant in many years, it is nowhere near as fierce as the Borograd derby.

FC Einheit Marnau

Colours: Red and white
Manager: Alexander Waldgren
Stadium: Marnaustadion (29,000)
Captain: Patrik Dreyfuss
Last Season: 11th
Nicknames: The Roses
Rivals: FC St. Jakob (local)

Starting XI (4-4-2): GK - Patrik Dreyfuss (34), LB - Roland Plessner (27), CB - Oscar Fisch (35), CB - Laurin Taussig (22), RB - Matthaus Thiel (34), LM - Cezary Helmuth (NPH, 25), CM - Artur Preissner (32), CM - Niclas Tetzlaff (30), RM - Banquo Chrysler (NPH, 26), CF - Arno Heller (30), CF - Horacio Bastanchury (FFD, 19)

Season Preview: Marnau experienced a bit of a resurgence last season, despite the loss of Linus Segert, and the wing duo of Chrysler and Helmuth settled in quite well. Marnau’s defensive capabilities were in the spotlight this offseason, and while they didn’t make major changes, the hope is that players like Laurin Taussig will continue to grow stronger with age. Next season, however, should see some changes, with Oscar Fisch and Matthaus Thiel getting older. Up top, Manfred Seydel has been relegated to bench duties as young Farf forward Horacio Bastanchury joins the squad. He injects some new blood in the squad, and is one to watch for Roses supporters - they’ve done well with free transfers in the past.

Modern Era
Republikaliga: 0
President’s Cup: 0

Historic Era
Teus Championships: 0
President’s Cup: 0

History: The town of Marnau, about 30 minutes north of metropolitan St. Jakob, is pretty much what you’d expect of any Teus town along the Ostsee coast. A castle, a cathedral, and a dockyard, as well as homes along the water. It’s a popular tourist site in the summer, but the town itself also has a strong sense of community.

That was reflected in naming the local football club - ‘einheit’ referring to unity, the strength of the community. The club, which began competing in the Regionalligas in the early post-war years, historically struggled. They were most often a lower-division team, and when they reached the top could never quite compete with FC St. Jakob. The club did not manage a single Teus championship or President’s Cup during the old era. Into the modern day, the club have invested smartly, and become a consistent Republikaliga club.

Culture: The club has consistently been named the most family-friendly atmosphere in the Republikaliga, and draws most of their fanbase from within the town of Marnau itself. Recently, with their additional success and presence in the first division, they’ve attracted some supporters in the northern districts of St. Jakob as well. Some fans of the club worry that the atmosphere is too quiet, especially compared to some other clubs in the league, but overall, Marnau fans get behind the team, especially when they are a goal back or need motivation in a match.

The club’s nickname are the Roses, as that was the symbol of the old Barony of Marnau, a title of the Teus Empire. Most of the club’s songs are about the team itself, the anthem being ‘Come on you Roses!’. The closest thing to a rival is FC St. Jakob, but this is more a friendly rivalry. For many years, many in Marnau would also attend St. Jakob matches, and so the clubs have developed a strong relationship.

FC Kaiserhaven

Colours: Blue and yellow
Manager: Sven Meier
Stadium: Kaiserhaven-Stadion (40,000)
Captain: August Sulzberger
Last Season: 12th
Nicknames: The Admirals
Rivals: TSV Georg-Blocher (local)

Starting XI: GK - Daragh Flotilla-Estrada (APX, 27), LB - Patrik Werdin (28), CB - August Sulzberger (34), CB - Florentin Redlich (33), RB - Silvester Streeton (NPH, 27), CM - Heinz van Houten (22), CM - Hermann Nieuwland (AUD, 28), LW - Wolfgang Rieder (24), CAM - Bobby East (HAP, 31), RW - Ingolf Rosen (30), CF - Norbert Ahrendt (21)

Season Preview: It’s impossible to predict the Admirals season by season. Last year, they had a strong promising youth player coming through, Rudi Breuer. This year, he’s been sold to Rotmunde. Last year, they had one of the league’s better forwards in Kabir Jobateh - he’s been sold overseas. In fairness, that wasn’t entirely the club’s fault - he’s too good for their level. Now, the team seems to be a mix between veteran talent like Bobby East and August Sulzberger and young guns like van Houten, Rieder and Ahrendt. Van Houten looks to be quite a player, a bit of a late bloomer who has spent time on the bench the last few seasons. Expect this to be another chaotic season on the south coast.

Modern Era
Republikaliga: 0
President’s Cup: 0

Historic Era
Teus Championships: 2
President’s Cup: 0

History: Hundreds of years ago, when the Duchy of Stelburg began to become the dominant force in what is now Teusland, the lands south of the Teufelswald forest were unknown to many in the north. After defeating the Duchy of St. Jakob and declaring the Kingdom of Teusland, King Wilhelm I turned his armies south. Finding vast uninhabited lands, he doubled the size of his demesne and declared the Teus Empire. The territory became known as Kaiser-Wilhelms-Land, and a city was formed at the southern tip - Kaiserhaven.

The city grew to become a great port of the Empire, and many of the explorers who discovered territories that would become part of the Empire, such as Georg Blocher, who discovered Prinz-Eugens-Land, hailed from the city. It was one of the most important cities of the Empire, and the football club FC Kaiserhaven was founded in the early 1860s. In the Teusliga, they captured 3 Kaiser’s Shield titles. After unification, the city struggled, and so did the club.

They managed only 2 Teus Championships in the Regoinalliga era, the first in 1915 before a long, horrible drought until 1997. The club became a national joke synonymous with consistent underachieving. In the Republikaliga era, the club have tried to shed that reputation, but have been, frankly, unsuccessful, never finishing above 9th despite having strong squads. With key players coming through and joining their current talent, the fans are hoping again that will change.

Culture: It’s hard to suffer for so long and remain loyal to the club, but Kaiserhaven fans have done just that. As the biggest city by far in southeastern Teusland, the region is the main support base of the club. Kaiserhaven fans are big in number, but are the target of jokes from every other club - whether it be for their legacy on the pitch, or for the ‘southern accent’ present in the language in the area.

The club’s nickname is the Admirals, reflecting the maritime tradition of the city itself, and the colours blue and yellow also reflect this side of things. The local rivals are TSV Georg-Blocher, who are also in the city of Kaiserhaven and also draw from those maritime roots. Georg-Blocher have traditionally been a lower division club, but are on the rise in the 2. Republikaliga and it’s possible we could see a Kaiserhaven derby match in the near future. The fanbase are both respected and mocked for their undying loyalty to the club, and the club anthem, ‘We’ll Follow You Always,’ reflects that devotion.

Marlesee 97

Colours: Blue, white
Manager: Magnus Herschlag
Stadium: Marlebucht-Energie Arena (30,000)
Captain: Yannik Lehrer
Last Season: 13th
Nicknames: The Blues
Rivalries: VfB Marlesee (Marlesee derby), FC Felsenkirchen 1879 (competitive), TSV Marzig (local)

Starting XI (4-2-3-1): GK - Simon Robinson (NPH, 28); LB - Rainer Schaudinger (34), CB - Reiner Geiger (19), CB - Jochen Gebauer (33), RB - Liam Dimton (EUR, 34); CM - Volkhardt Romberg (28), CM - Ole Jost (33), LW - Ingolf Kruger (28), CAM - Yannik Lehrer (35), RW - Yannick Lange (30); CF - Elias Eicke (28)

Season Preview: Marlesee tumbled back down to 13th last year, and things don’t look to be too positive this season either. Arno Amstutz was the team’s MVP in an annus horribilis, and he has now been sold off to FC Teussen Stelburg. That is T4 million to be reinvested, and the club have decided to use it to pursue a replacement for Yannik Lehrer this offseason. Retooling is the key word - the squad is getting quite old, with only one player under 27, and 3 of the back four 33 or older. Reiner Geiger gets promoted after the departure of Amstutz, he was generally viewed as the club’s best prospect, and marks the beginning of perhaps a new era in Marlesee.

Modern Era
Republikaliga: 0
President’s Cup: 0

Historic Era
Teus Championships: 8
President’s Cup: 5

History: Football in Marlesee has a long history, dating back to the introduction of the game in Teusland. The first club in the city is still around today - VfB Marlesee, who currently play in the 2. Republikaliga after their relegation from the top tier last season. They were the only Marlesee club in the original Teusliga, but after the Great War brought great change to the city, in 1897 a group of locals decided it was time for a new identity. Marlesee 97 was born, one of many clubs in the nation founded in that period of 1896-97 when the country underwent a great rebirth.

The new club would reflect the new Marlesee, which had always been a stronghold of anti-establishment sentiment in the old Empire anyways, making it perfectly adjusted to the new Republic. 97 quickly rose in the ranks, quickly overtaking the neighbours in prominence and capturing several Teus championships in that era. There was always something, however, stopping them from taking that step forward to become a great club: always unlucky. A key player injured here, a fluke goal there, and Marlesee probably could’ve had much more than they ended up with historically.

Moving into the new Republikaliga era, Blues fans were hoping their luck would change. It hasn’t come about, however, for them so far. It’s been that same type of thing, something going wrong at the wrong time for the club. They’ve bounced everywhere in the table between 7th and 17th, and have struggled with consistency. It looks as if the squad will need to undergo some changes in the coming years, as several key players get older. Perhaps that is for the best, and perhaps the club will finally find some luck again.

Club Culture: Marlesee is considered to be the coldest city in Siovanija & Teusland, with northern wind as well as a cool current flowing into the bay giving it that reputation. Teams traditionally hate having to come and play here, especially in the winter months, which has given the club a reputation for having a fortress for a stadium. The city itself is deeply devoted to the club, the streets of Marlesee almost empty when it comes time for the match itself.

While Marlesee does have two clubs, it is rare in terms of the fact that these clubs don’t particularly have any distaste for each other. VfB Marlesee’s support was traditionally in the west side, Marlesee 97 in the east, but as the clubs gradually stopped competing with each other, the rivalry took on a more friendly demeanor - many in town will support both clubs. The Marlesee derby is thus more of a meeting between friends, and when VfB are in the lower tiers, usually both sets of fans keep an eye on the other. This friendship came out of a civic pride in Marlesee - a town mocked by much of the rest of Teusland for its location/weather/dialect and much more, so the two clubs feel a need to look out for each other.

Every club needs a rival of some sort, though, and so Marlesee 97 do have some of their own. Marlesee consider FC Felsenkirchen 1879 a rival club - the clubs played some intense matches in the President’s Cup in the olden days, and given that they are both located in the north - although Felsenkirchen is a good 3 hours east of Marlesee - it was a natural rivalry. Felsenkirchen, however, focus all of their attention on the Northeastern derby, and so the rivalry never really took off beyond the heads of Marlesee supporters. A similar situation exists with TSV Marzig. The city of Pomorie/Marzig is only about an hour west of Marlesee, on the same bay, across the border in Siovanija. Marzig would be a natural rival, except they are also entirely focused on their own derby with FK Pomorie, the fiercest in the country. Thus, Marlesee have a few one-way rivalries, but no true derby match.

TSV Marzig

Colours: Light blue, white
Manager: Max Schillinger
Stadium: Vest-Marlebucht-Stadion (29,000)
Captain: Benedikt Tetzlaff
Last Season: 14th
Nicknames: The Knights, The Gulls
Rivalries: FK Pomorie (Pomorie/Marzig derby), Zvezda Vlaikograd (political)

Starting XI (4-4-2): GK - Heikki Vantarinen (SVJ, 34); LB - Henry Loffler (32), CB - Johan Maltz (25), CB - Kasper Martz (25), RB - Benedikt Tetzlaff (35); LM - Alexander Geschke (33), CM - Kurt Hochberg (30), CM - Olaf Viermetz (21), RM - Yannick Merz (35); CF - Horst Hackl (28), CF - Takashi Matsumoto (STB, 29)

Season Preview: Marzig are a club caught between the times, a mix of old and new, and it’s perhaps a year to see the changing of the guard. Kasper Martz, Olaf Viermetz, and new boy Frank Lundrigan are the future, and will be complemented by veteran pieces like Loffler, Tetzlaff, Geschke and Vantarinen. Lundrigan, the Quebecois winger, will be mentored by Geschke off the bench this season before stepping into a starting role next year. The future is promising for Marzig - especially with a strong youth academy, and players like CM Henrik Martin, another future star who will spend the year in Kelssek on loan. The goal is higher than 14th, and they should be able to achieve it - expect the Knights to be closer to the exact midpoint of the table.

Modern Era
Republikaliga: 0
President’s Cup: 1 (Season 4)

Historic Era
Siovanijan Championships: 8
President’s Cup: 8

History: Under the old Teus Empire, the city of Marzig was a part of Teusland, and in 1866, the local athletic club created a football division. In 1874, that team were admitted into the top-tier Teusliga, and they became quite a competitive team in that league. When war broke out in 1888, however, it marked a definitive change. Marzig had always been a contentious spot - the city’s population was half Teus, and half Siovanijan, who called the city Pomorie, as a result of continued historic conflicts in the area. The war in 1888 broke out in the city first, after a conflict between Teus soldiers and the Siovanijan civilian population. In 1896, when all was said and done, the city was devastated, having been on the front lines for most of the conflict. And now, although the nation was unified, the city was officially renamed Pomorie/Marzig, and found itself in the Republic of Siovanija.

TSV Marzig thus began competing in the Siovanijan championship. Marzig took their time to recover again after the war, and despite the great conflict within the city itself for much of the 20th century, the football club became a symbol of hope and success for the Teus community. They competed for regional supremacy with the neighbours FK Pomorie, and what has become the biggest derby by far in this country was born out of that tension. On the Siovanijan stage, Marzig were quite accomplished as well, but the club gradually came to be known as a cup team, with clubs across the country hating to be drawn against them.

This reputation has continued somewhat into the new Republikaliga era, with TSV Marzig having reached 2 President’s Cup Finals in the first 8 seasons despite never finishing above 10th in the league. The first final was a loss to Olympia Borograd, but the second time would prove to be the charm for the Knights as they defeated Energija Chernovets in season 4 on the back of Ludwig Reichwein’s brace. Marzig have the capability to develop players, it’s the keeping them that has been a problem, and the club, never relegated from the Republikaliga, are hoping to continue to secure their place in the league.

Club Culture: The post-war changes in Pomorie/Marzig were not welcomed by either community in the city, and this led to great problems. On the Teus side, it was argued that much of the coast and some interior villages had majority Teus populations, and thus should remain with Teusland in the new Republic. By the end of the war, however, Siovanija & Teusland were each so devastated by the conflict that neither wished to push any issue, and Teusland didn’t make a fuss about it.

That turned what had once been a rich port city into one of the poorest in the country, dominated by the ethnic tension within it. The two communities formed militia groups for their own supposed ‘protection,’ on the Teus side the Order of St. Gustaf and the Marzig People’s Front. These groups quickly, however, became devoted to fighting against the Siovanijan equivalents. Pomorie/Marzig was, frankly, a dangerous city for much of the 20th century after the war due to the sectarian conflict, and as these groups moved into more mafia-style activities, regular crime. The government had to step in, and it did, arresting many of the paramilitary ringleaders on each side and establishing a new peace in the city. Still, there are signs of the conflict in the city today: walls separating Siovanijan and Teus neighbourhoods, and curbs in many of those communities painted either green (Siovanijan) or gold (Teus) to signify territory.

Naturally, this conflict boiled over to the football side of things as well. The two main football clubs in the city, TSV Marzig and FK Pomorie, each represented a different side of the divide, and derby day quickly became the most intense in the country. The militia groups would use the opportunity to continue their wars, and trouble makers would use derby day as an excuse to cause more trouble. For example, when Marzig knocked Pomorie out of the Cup in 1974, there were riots in the Siovanijan half of the city for 3 days afterwards. Similar scenes would be seen in the Teus half when Pomorie defeated Marzig. It was more than football, and it was more than anything else: when Marzig played Pomorie, the city shut down for the day. While most of the trouble in the city has died down, and it’s not as bad as it used to be, this is still without a doubt the most intense derby match in the country, and is still hugely important to each side.

Marzig’s fanbase is historically considered to have a Teus nationalist slant, and they draw support from the Teus community in Marzig as well as many Teus towns and villages in the territory of the Republic of Siovanija. As a result of this, many of the songs heard from the terraces are related to this theme. The club’s most famous anthem is ‘Marzig’s Walls,’ about an old battle fought outside the city’s gate. Songs are often more related to themes like that, or the Pomorie rivalry, then the actual football. In recent years, however, the club have made efforts to stamp out the sectarianism in the fanbase, trying to encourage a new, more friendly atmosphere at the stadium. It has worked to a degree, as some of the old songs which were absolutely vile are no longer heard at the ground. On derby day, however, it’s difficult to control. The Pomorie/Marzig police have done a good job in recent years preventing some of the violence seen, but rioting at a derby match in the Cup last season saw away fans banned for each leg of the league derby. Much work has been done to tone down some of the extreme elements of this rivalry, but there is still more work to be done.

FK Venkovets

Colours: Red and white
Manager: Matej Kovar
Stadium: Venkovets-Stadion (24,000)
Captain: Valter Tomsic
Last Season: 15th
Nicknames: The Vs, The Reds
Rivals: SK Republika Borograd (local), FK Metropola Borograd (local), Olympia Borograd (local)

Starting XI (4-2-3-1): GK - Vukmir Tomic (33), LB - Drazen Borisov (26), CB - Marko Stefanovic (27), CB - Frantisek Polak (Loan, 19), RB - Erwin Cancel (AUD, 25), CM - Fjodor Provorov (SVJ, 20), CM - Ivo Dvoracek (25), LW - Atzo Gogorza (ASG, 20), CAM - Roman Marek (27), RW - Boleslav Kovarik (26), CF - Valter Tomsic (26)

Season Preview: Venkovets survived their first year in the league, and now will face a tough challenge in their sophomore year. It’s one the Vs are well equipped for, however. They were a surprise package last year - defeating both Olympia and Metropola Borograd, their local rivals. Valter Tomsic adapted well to the top tier, as did several of the new purchases like Fjodor Provorov and Atzo Gogorza. Another bright spot was Drazen Borisov. The club lost Dominik Podlezl, however, the strong young CB being sold to Olympia Borograd. In his place, Frantisek Polak comes in on loan from Zvezda Vlaikograd. Polak is highly rated, and gives the Vs another year to find a real replacement. It seems like Venkovets are here to stay in the Republikaliga, and expect them to assert that claim this year.

Modern Era
Republikaliga: 0
President’s Cup: 0

Historic Era
Siovanijan Championships: 0
President’s Cup: 0

History: The town of Venkovets, just north of Borograd, has always been one of the bigger cities in the Borograd ring, and the football club has come to be an integral part of the community. Founded just after the Great War in 1897, FK Venkovets were traditionally a solid lower-league club.

Never good enough to truly compete in the Regionalliga Borograd, or in the President’s Cup - although they did reach a famous final in 1971 - they were often overlooked by many even within their own community. No one ignores them now, however, as Venkovets have risen over the past few years to be a model of sustainable growth in the second division. Promoted now, the Vs are hoping to make their mark at the highest level.

Culture: A northern suburb of the national capital Borograd, the town of Venkovets has always struggled with identity. Some see it as purely a commuter town, others as a budding city in its own right. That struggle has been seen in the football club as well - many in the city will support Olympia and Metropola, as two large clubs right next door. That is changing, however, and many youth in the city support the hometown team now.

The club are nicknamed the Vs, due to the name of the town, as well as the Reds due to the colour of their home kit. The Borograd clubs are all rivals, but the main enemy in recent years has been SK Republika Borograd as the clubs competed on a similar level. Sometimes called the North Borograd Derby, this match has had some tensions in the past. Now, however, Venkovets will be looking to prove to their neighbours that they are more than just a suburb, and the fans are eagerly anticipating the matches against Olympia and Metropola. The club anthem of ‘V for Victory’ will roar from the terraces in those matches, undoubtedly.

Vrnovo Mesto

Colours: Orange and blue
Manager: Lyoben Zhalikov
Stadium: Ostrovi-Arena (26,000)
Captain: Daniel Pingov
Last Season: 16th
Nicknames: The Islanders
Rivals: NK Vrnovo (local), Admiral Severno Pristajanje (local)

Starting XI (4-3-2-1): GK - Stanislav Nankov (29), LB - Noboru (DAI, 30), CB - Daniel Pingov (33), CB - Radko Dinev (32), RB - Anton Vakev (30), CM - Troy Clemence (BRE, 25), CM - Krasimir Pramatarov (30), CM - Velimir Razpotnik (31), LW - Lubomir Petrov (25), RW - Bozhidar Karanovic (28), CF - Konstantin Nikolov (30)

Season Preview: 26 goals for, 50 conceded. That was Vrnovo’s record last season - fewer goals than Johannes Mandl, Krasimir Kynev and Ragnar Targaryen. That’s the way they set up to play, however, and are quite a frustrating team - earning 10 draws last season in the league en route to a 16th place finish. With skipper Daniel Pingov leading the way, the club are set to park the bus again - but look for Lubomir Petrov and Konstantin Nikolov to be doing the scoring, if, of course, they do manage to score. Vrnovo will be hoping again to avoid relegation, and with their disciplined defence seem set to do it again.

Modern Era
Republikaliga: 0
President’s Cup: 0

Historic Era
Siovanijan Championships: 0
President’s Cup: 0

History: The southern islands have developed a greatly different culture to the rest of Siovanija & Teusland, much to the frustration of mainlanders. There’s a different culture on the islands, much more laid-back, and it makes the warm beaches of Vrnovo and some of the other islands in the chain popular vacation spots for Siovanijans in the summer. The Teus, on the other hand, can’t stand how a 1:00 meeting could get pushed to even 1:05, and avoid the island if possible.

Vrnovo the city developed as the gem of the southern islands over the years, becoming the business and political hub of the area, and its main link to the mainland by boat and plane. Vrnovo Mesto quickly became the club representing the city as well as the islands, and became the dominant club in the local Regionalliga. They could never, however, find success on the national level, not winning a single major trophy in those years. In the new Republikaliga, they became known as the only heavily-defensive team in the division, and we must admit, bring some character to the league in this way. In a league of 20-goal strikers, you have to appreciate a club that might not manage 30 goals total.

Culture: We mentioned the ‘island culture’, and it’s alive and well in the football club. A club in a city like Vrnovo might expect to have a few titles to their name - instead, however, the fans are proud of the club no matter what, and are content to be the biggest club in their own city. The result isn’t as important as the effort, and that has made Vrnovo supporters uniquely suited to their club’s brand of pragmatic football. The club are commonly nicknamed the Islanders due to their status as the number one club from the islands.

The main rivals are naturally NK Vrnovo, who are located across the island in the town of Gornik. ‘Vrnovo’ refers both to the island and its main city, and thus NK Vrnovo claims to represent the whole island itself rather than just the city. The closest club on the mainland, Admirala Severno Pristajanje, are also a rival, but it’s not as important as the Vrnovo derby. Vrnovo supporters are well-known for getting behind their club, turning the home stadium into a fortress, and the club’s anthem, ‘Pride of the Isles,’ is a common refrain for all 90 minutes.

SV Preisfeld

Colours: Black and yellow
Manager: Robert Feicke
Stadium: SV-Arena (31,000)
Captain: Dennis Eulenberg
Last Season: 17th
Nicknames: The Bees
Rivals: VfL Reinbronn (local)

Starting XI (4-2-3-1): GK - Dennis Eulenberg (28), LB - Olaf Heinz (32), CB - Albert Bohmer (34), CB - Philip Andreasson (SVJ, 20), RB - Markel Elesgaray (ASG, 20), CM - Nestor McGowan (EFL, 20), CM - Patrik Palme (33), LW - Louis Brunner (29), CAM - Leonard Kuhn (29), RW - Matheo Reiter (26), CF - Werner Schott (34)

Season Preview: It was a tough year for Preisfeld last year, finishing 17th. There’s a great deal of hope around the squad this time around, however. Dennis Eulenberg is quickly becoming one of the better keepers in the league, and the trident of 20 year olds - Andreasson, Elesgaray and McGowan were all key performers last year. Replacements are still needed in midfield and up top - Palme and Schott aren’t getting any younger - but it appears to be a bright future for the Bees.

Modern Era
Republikaliga: 0
President’s Cup: 0

Historic Era
Teus Championships: 4
President’s Cup: 1

History: Preisfeld boomed as a city in the heydey of the Teus Empire, the exact halfway point on the railway between Stelburg and St. Jakob. Even today, the national highway and railway systems run through the town, and it’s still somewhat of a natural stopping point on the way. In this atmosphere, SV Preisfeld was founded in 1881 as a club to represent the town.

The city declined after the War, however, and the club never really reached its heights. They took home a President’s Cup title in 1912, but it would be their only victory in the competition. They also managed to win 4 Teus championships, but struggled in the Regionalliga era. Coming into the Republikaliga, they’ve struggled at first to find consistency, relegated twice. They’ve bounced back both times, however, as champions of the 2. Republikaliga, and now seem to be here to stay.

Culture: Many call Preisfeld a boring city. The fact that it’s built at a very flat part of land just before the slope towards the sea begins, as well as its purpose as a business hub, gives it this reputation. Many important businesses in Teusland will have offices in Preisfeld, as it is a hub city connecting not just the Stelburg-St. Jakob corridor, but also with highway and rail connections north to Felsenkirchen and south to Rotmunde. Many of the residents, then, are transplants, which makes a hard time building a club identity.

They’ve managed to do so quite well, however, and the stadium is sold out each matchday. The club draw its supporters naturally from the city itself and the surrounding area, and call themselves the Bees after the black/yellow colour of their kits. The main rival is VfL Reinbronn, from the city about 40 minutes east, and the two contest a somewhat heated derby.

FK Pomorie

Colours: Red and black
Manager: Demitar Zherkov
Stadium: Pomorie-Arena (32,000)
Captain: Anton Petkov
Last Season: 18th
Nicknames: The Guards
Rivals: TSV Marzig (Pomorie/Marzig Derby)

Starting XI (4-2-3-1): GK - Emil Radulov (27), LB - Ventseslav Tanev (28), CB - Alan Tarakov (22), CB - Anton Petkov (30), RB - Yanko Georgiev (34), CM - Martin Vasev (33), CM - Pavel Lipev (28), LW - Naphtali Keegan (BRE, 32), CAM - Gregor Strashilov (29), RW - Lubomir Ivanov (29), CF - Bozhidar Dimitrov (34)

Season Preview: For FK Pomorie, a club relegated from the Republikaliga twice, staying up is always a good achievement. And a 7-2 aggregate win over Rudar Trkev meant a great deal to the club and its supporters - a sign that they might now be in the league to stay. This has been their longest consecutive run - four years - and with strong players like Alan Tarakov, just entering his prime, they are shaping up to be an interesting squad. Replacements will be needed - for Bozhidar Dimitrov, namely, as the club hero’s career draws to a close. The goal is to avoid relegation, and while it’s always a question mark, Pomorie have the talent to do it.

Modern Era
Republikaliga: 0
President’s Cup: 0

Historic Era
Siovanijan Championships: 4
President’s Cup: 3

History: In 1896, after the end of the Civil War and the unification of Siovanija & Teusland, the city of Pomorie/Marzig faced a new future. For most of its history a battleground between the Siovanijan and Teus populations in the area, there was a hope that there would be a new peace with reunification. In this spirit, FK Pomorie were founded in 1897, and their first match, in fact, was against TSV Marzig - described in the media as ‘two friendly clubs’ - as a charity benefit.

The story of Pomorie/Marzig, however, would not go this way. Post-unification, the city faced great economic troubles, and the two communities in the city often blamed each other. On both sides, militia groups were formed which fought against each other - the Siovanijan Republican Guards being the biggest on the Pomorie side - which quickly turned into mafia-like organizations. Eventually, the government stepped in, stopping the conflict, although there are still traces of it today in a city that is perhaps the best example of historical conflict in our nation.

The club itself enjoyed its best spell in the 1940s, winning a Siovanijan championship as well as 2 President’s Cups during this time. For most of the pre-Republikaliga years, however, the club competed against their hated rivals TSV Marzig in the Regionalliga, and were generally considered the second best club in the city. Pomorie would surprise the entire nation with a Siovanijan championship in 2008, marking their 4th and final of the Regionalliga era. In the new Republikaliga, the club have struggled to remain stable in the league, being relegated twice in the first 7 seasons.

Culture: Naturally, most of FK Pomorie’s support comes from within the districts of Pomorie itself, which lie on the west bank of the Drai River where it meets the Nordsee. As Pomorie/Marzig is the ‘hub city’ of northeastern Siovanija, most of the Siovanijan communities in the surrounding area are also supporters of the club.

Obviously, the hated enemies are TSV Marzig, a derby match in which old tensions in the city boil over. Each side hates losing to the other; in 1974 there were riots in the city when Pomorie lost a Cup match against Marzig. If there have been politically tense events in the days and weeks leading up to a fixture, away fans will often be banned. Officials have tried - and done a good job - to root out the sectarianism in the rivalry in recent years, and the atmosphere isn’t as tense as it once was. Still, it’s a massively-important fixture, and one that is watched all across the country, even by people who aren’t fans of either club.

The Pomorie fanbase takes a Siovanijan nationalist slant, naturally, as a response to the Marzig supporters’ Teus slant. Siovanijan nationalism, however, is rooted in the 1808 Revolution, and is thus very much a left-wing movement. So while Pomorie’s colours are red and black, you will often also see the Green Banner, the symbol of that revolution which freed Siovanija from the Teus Empire. The club are nicknamed the Guards, after an infantry regiment in the Civil War that defended the city in the early days of the war. Some have called for the name to be changed, however, due to its possible association with the Siovanijan Republican Guards. The club’s main anthem is ‘The Fields of Pomorie,’ a Civil War-era song about the battles fought in the region.

TSV Georg-Blocher

Colours: White and green
Manager: Martin Kreisel
Stadium: Fischerdenkmalstadion (25,000)
Captain: Nils Heinsohn
Last Season: 1st (2. Republikaliga)
Nicknames: The Sailors, The Explorers
Rivals: FC Kaiserhaven (local)

Starting XI: GK - Nils Heinsohn (33); LB - Erich Marks (25), CB - Kayak (TEQ, 34), CB - Sandro Kostner (27), RB - Jan Stromberg (25); CM - Sven Hauck (27), CM - Wolfgang Sonnenfeld (31), LW - Thorsten Korte (30), CAM - Hermann Parler (25), RW - Rupert Holz (36), CF - Andreas Lettmann (28)

Season Preview: TSV Georg-Blocher had been hovering at the top of the 2. Republikaliga for a long time, so it’s a sense of ‘finally’ from most of their fanbase on promotion. The club had the best defensive record in the second tier last year, however, player/manager Martin Kreisel has now retired from the field and will manage full time. Free agent Kayak, from Tequilo, was brought in as his replacement - alongside a strong core of Erich Marks, Sandro Kostner and Jan Stromberg. There’s always a big bump offensively going into the Republikaliga - and a guy like Hermann Parler will benefit most from that, arguably the best player in the second tier last year. Rupert Holz returns home from Chromatika for what will be his final season, the former FC Teussen Stelburg man will retire at the end of this year. It’s a strange year at the bottom - no teams overwhelming favourites to go down. That means that the Sailors will need to be at their very best to stay up.

Modern Era
Republikaliga: 0
President’s Cup: 0

Historic Era
Teus Championships: 0
President’s Cup: 0

History: It’s always tough being the second biggest team in a city, but that’s the role TSV Georg-Blocher play in the southern port city of Kaiserhaven. FC Kaiserhaven are the biggest show in town, and draw most of the city’s support, but there is a niche for the Sailors. They’ve always been close to the working-class of the city, which is greatly tied to marine heritage.

Founded in 1875, the club was named for Georg Blocher, one of the most famous explorers in the history of the Teus Empire and the man who discovered Prinz-Eugens-Land. Blocher came from the city, and the club’s badge shows the wheel of his ship. In addition, the city’s great tradition of fishing is represented in the club’s home stadium, named in memory to the fishermen who died doing their job off Kaiserhaven’s shores. The club have been in the lower leagues for most of their history, and this promotion marks their first time ever in the national top division.

Culture: Kaiserhaven is a city slightly isolated from the rest of Teusland in the southeast, but it has had a big impact, and is known for its maritime traditions. A great port during the days of the Empire, and still important commercially now, the city takes pride in this history. TSV Georg-Blocher is a club tied closely to these roots, with its home stadium located along the water in the western part of the city.

Traditionally the club of the fishermen and dockworkers in the city, today, the club is also known for providing a bit of a cheaper, more family-oriented atmosphere in the city of Kaiserhaven, and with their recent rise through the lower divisions, there’s a great deal of young fans in the city. The club have been very active in encouraging this, with programs for schoolchildren, and see an opportunity for themselves: with FC Kaiserhaven stumbling in the Republikaliga, why can’t there be another big team in the city?

FK Orlovska Bistrica

Colours: Light blue and black
Manager: Marcel Mazal
Stadium: Orlovska-Stadion (25,000)
Captain: Stanimir Georgiev
Last Season: 2nd (2. Republikaliga)
Nicknames: The Eagles
Rivals: Rudar Trkev (competitive)

Starting XI: GK - Tomas Jelinak (27), LB - Jan Dvorak (24), CB - Filip Svarc (26), CB - Radko Varbanov (33), RB - Yanko Borisov (32), LM - Georgi Ivanov (29), CM - Todor Vitek (28), CM - Stanimir Georgiev (32), CM - Vladislav Opustil (25), RM - Rudolf Macek (22), CF - Marian Hovlak (19)

Season Preview: 4 players remain from the Eagles’ last season in the Republikaliga, season 1: Varbanov, Borisov, Ivanov and Georgiev. Around them, much has changed, including the blossoming careers of Tomas Jelinak, Jan Dvorak and Rudolf Macek. The Eagles had a strong year in the 2. Republikaliga last season, tied for first in the league in goals. Much of that success was thanks to the team’s greatest-ever prospect: Marian Hovlak. Hovlak has enjoyed success at the U18 and U21 levels already for his country, and it’s now time for him to take the step up into the top tier. There’s great expectations on him, and really, Orlovska Bistrica can go as far as he can take them.

Modern Era
Republikaliga: 0
President’s Cup: 0

Historic Era
Teus Championships: 0
President’s Cup: 0

History: The city of Orlovska Bistrica, about 2 hours south of Borograd, is one of the bigger cities in Siovanija. The lack of sporting success in the city, however, has always been a question mark - and it’s FK Orlovska Bistrica really leading the way in that department. The club was founded in 1876, and competed in both the old Siovanijan 1. Division, however, has never won a national or Siovanijan championship. They did enjoy some success in the Regionalliga Westsee, competing with Rudar Trkev for the top position, but never managed to get any further.

The club were traditionally somewhat strong, despite their lack of success - losing in 5 President’s Cup finals over their history, and runners-up in the Siovanijan championship three times. That strength did not carry over into the new Republikaliga, however. The club were midtable in season one, before being relegated in their second year. There’s new hope, led by Marian Hovlak’s sudden rise to prominence, that the club can reclaim their place amongst the bigger clubs in this country.

Culture: Orlovska Bistrica is located about two hours to the southwest of Borograd, heading towards Trkev and the Westsee. Culturally, the city has always been seen as very much a ‘boring’ place - just a place for travellers heading from Borograd to the coast to stop in for dinner on a Friday night. However, that isn’t really the case. The town itself is surrounded by pristine nature, including the largest national park in Siovanija, the Ljubljanica Gorge National Park. There is thus plenty to do here if you look for it.

The club itself attracts fans from much of southwestern Siovanija, and while there is a rivalry with Trkev, the fans of both clubs mix in throughout most of the region. In the city of Orlovska Bistrica itself, of course, support for the Eagles runs high - but the lack of success means that many in the city are also driven towards the capital, and teams like Olympia and Metropola. Eagles fans were considered some of the most passionate in the second tier, willing to travel across the country to support their side, and you can certainly expect that to continue now that they are back in the Republikaliga.

RBC Sports is eager to bring you coverage of the 9th Republikaliga season, including match-by-match coverage, the President's Cup, international competition, and a brand-new United Republics Film Academy documentary All Hands on Deck, which will give viewers an inside look at FC Felsenkirchen 1879's youth team as they navigate the J. Republikaliga and the IFCF Rising Stars Cup. Stay tuned for the kick-off of the Republikaliga season!

(OOC Note: A massive thanks to Farfadillis (Felsenkirchen), Donnacona (Teussen, Metropola) and Kita-Hinode (the rest) for their crest designs)

[Siovanija and Teusland]

RBC Sports Presents

All Hands on Deck - Episode I

”All Hands on Deck” is RBC Sports’ documentary-style look into FC Felsenkirchen 1879’s youth squad, particularly the U19s, as they compete this season in the J. Republikaliga and the IFCF Rising Stars Cup. Our cameras followed players and coaches all season, getting a unique look into both the youth academy of a Republikaliga club and some of the better young players coming up in this country.”

“We want the country to know - we aren’t just some ‘nouveau riche’ of the day. We’re here to stay, and we’ve made the investments at all levels - just look at our youth department.”

Those words were spoken by FC Felsenkirchen 1879 Chairman Gunter Kirchway in an interview shortly after the club’s title win. They came amidst great criticism of the club in all corners - a plastic club, a hollow title, a squad of mercenaries, you name it. Even players on rival teams were making comments - FC Teussen Stelburg winger Lukas Tauscher refused to name Felsenkirchen on a list of big clubs in the Republikaliga when speaking with Score! magazine in an interview.

Many were drawn to Kirchway’s comments, however, for the final few words: look at our youth department. Felsenkirchen’s youth team weren’t too remarkable in the J. Republikaliga last season - finishing 7th overall. On the surface, there wasn’t much to look into. When speaking, however, with scouts, we learned that there were several great talents making their debuts, and that there was a ‘golden generation’ of sorts being brought up at the club. This piqued our interest - and when we enquired with the club about doing a story on the youth team, they instead suggested a year-long documentary following the club through the year. All Hands on Deck was born.

“Come on lads, massive match tonight - our first of the season. We need to hit the ground running, Stahlberg won’t know what hit them. You all have the talent to do great things - let’s start something special.” Felsenkirchen U19’s manager Josef Baumann finishes up his team talk before the first game of the J. Republikaliga season, against SW Stahlberg.

“They’re a good group,” says Baumann before the game. “Sometimes they lack a bit of that intensity, a drive to win at all costs - but that comes with age.” Baumann’s squad is the one we expect to see. The youth team is led by star Vanorian forward Lothas Ludwig, as well as breakout star in the midfield Jesper Porsche. “Great offensively, but decent at the back too - that Paul Steinhausl is one to watch,” says a Felsenkirchen fan who’s made the trip to Stahlberg, referring to centre back Steinhausl.

Starting XI (4-2-3-1): GK - Per Holtz; LB - Niklas Mitter, CB - Paul Steinhausl, CB - Alex Bendel, RB - Helmut Kadelburg; CM - Otto Apt, CM - Jesper Porsche, LW - Bastian Kracht, CAM - Timo Nessler, RW - Florian Krukenberg, CF - Lothas Ludwig

“It was definitely tough at first,” says Lothas Ludwig, speaking about coming to another country as a youth to ply his trade in football. “But you settle in, and everyone here has been great and I’ve found it all excellent during my time here.” Ludwig hails from just across the Westsee, in Valanora - only the most successful international footballing country of all time. “It’s always fun to watch the AOCAFs with the lads, since Valanora usually knocks out the Goldhorns, but the boys got a big boost with the World Cup of Hockey,” Ludwig explains. Ever since arriving in Felsenkirchen, Ludwig’s progression has been keenly followed by supporters of the club. And for the coaches, he’s been a star: “Oh, from the beginning, great lad, very coachable. He adjusted well - he’s going to look very good in the senior team very soon,” says Baumann.

Jesper Porsche has taken a bit of a different path to success. “I was actually rejected from the FC St. Jakob academy,” he recalls. Porsche was quite underweight for most of his youth, and while the technical skill was always there, many scouts feared he would never be physical enough to play in the Republikaliga. “Felsenkirchen saw something in me, thankfully, and put me on a great program, and I’ve put on a healthy amount of weight, and I’m very lucky to be where I am now.” Porsche was relatively unknown on the national stage until last season, when he made several key appearances off the bench. Score! magazine compared his playstyle to that of Thorsten Kramer. “That’s always nice, he’s an idol of mine, and it’s good to be praised like that,” said the young midfielder. His manager agreed: “It’s about time he gets some recognition, and he’s the type of kid where you know it won’t go to his head, he’ll just buckle down and keep working.”

Back in Stahlberg, it’s a cool summer evening as the teams kick off for the first game of their season. A few Felsenkirchen fans have made the 5 hour drive to see the team play, the diehards all kitted out in blue, but the stadium is mostly empty here high up in the mountains. The first half sees nothing between the sides - Florian Krukenberg misses a great chance, while Stahlberg put on some pressure of their own in the closing minutes. All in all, it’s a disappointed Josef Baumann heading into the locker room.

“Lads, we need more creativity out there - it’s like you get the ball, and freeze. Don’t be afraid to make a decision! Express yourself, take a risk, do something - because anything is better than just giving the ball right back to them like we were doing out there. Florian, keep your head up, son - you’ll make good next time.” The players seem to mostly agree with what he says.

In the second half, the young Blues follow Baumann’s advice - Jesper Porsche in particular turning heads while on the ball. It’s not to be, however. Neither side manages to break through, and in the end, it’s a 0-0 draw to kickoff the season. “Disappointing. We were coming here hoping for a win,” says Baumann. “Next up is Kaiserhaven at home, we’ll have a lot to work on at the training ground, that’s for sure.”

As the sun sets high up in the mountains, the players wait around on the platform at the Stahlberg Train Station. Finally, their train arrives - #45, to Rotmunde via Stelburg and Felsenkirchen. There’s an entire car on this Teussische Bahn train reserved for them, and the players all file in, their luggage taken away by the team. “We treat the travel like it’s the senior team - for games in Teusland, we always take the train. Going to Siovanija, it depends - we’ll train it to Borograd or Marzig, but usually fly anywhere else,” says Baumann.

Once on board, the players settle into various different routines. For some, including goalkeeper Per Holtz, that means catching up on some sleep. The 5 hour journey is quite scenic, descending the mountains towards Stelburg - but this journey will be made in the dark. In one seat, Otto Apt is on the phone with his parents back home in Felsenkirchen, while Bastian Kracht is working on a project for school - “History class,” he tells us.

The liveliest section seems to be right at the front, where Jesper Porsche, Lothas Ludwig, Paul Steinhausl and Florian Krukenberg are playing cards. “Euchre,” says Porsche. “Fun game. I’m usually partners with Paul here, we usually end up winning.” Lothas Ludwig would dispute that claim: “It’s about 50/50 - Jesper is definitely the best, but Florian and I always have our day.” Despite the disappointing draw today, there’s still a fun mood on the train, which finally pulls into Felsenkirchen at around 1:00AM.

One day later, the squad is back in training at the club’s Mollin training ground. Mollin, a neighbourhood of Felsenkirchen, is also home to the club’s old stadium, appropriately also named Mollin. The youth squad plays their games in a redeveloped field just across the street from the old stadium, which still stands today. “I grew up a Felsenkirchen fan, so to have all that tradition, just right over there, it’s a real connection with the club,” says Alex Bendel.

Today, the squad are being put through their paces by Baumann. “Come on lads, we didn’t work hard enough against Stahlberg, and that’s not going to win us anything, is it?” Training lasts for about 90 minutes, before the squad head into the video room to review tape from the match with Stahlberg. Baumann wants to emphasize their play in transition - he felt they were too lackadaisical against Stahlberg, and that the players need to make quicker decisions. With the day’s work finished, the players begin to head back home.

“I live in Mollin, yeah, so I actually just walk home,” says Niklas Mitter. Mitter, the squad’s left back, is considered one of the better defensive prospects they’ve had in a while. “It’s a great neighbourhood, really, and the city as a whole - I grew up here though, so I’m biased.” How many of this Felsenkirchen squad grew up in the city? “Well, of the 11 of us that played against Stahlberg? Obviously not Lothas, and Jesper’s from St. Jakob, so 9. It’s great, there’s a real sense of community here. We all for the most part grew up supporting this club, and we want to do our best to make an impact here one day. That really starts, well, back over there,” he says, pointing back towards the training ground.

That weekend, FC Kaiserhaven’s youth team came to town. It’s a tricky game, played under the lights and in harsh rains. Felsenkirchen really struggled to move the ball around - and despite an early goal from Lothas Ludwig, Kaiserhaven tie the score late and the match finishes in a 1-1 draw. “Lads, you have to want it more. That type of thing might get you a point against these guys, but it’s not going to do anything for you when you go up against Teussen, Olympia, 1912, any of ‘em,” says Baumann to the squad afterwards. No train this time - the players are back home and in their beds shortly after the game.

Wednesday afternoon after training, the squad all file into the conference room at Mollin. All of the squad and the coaches are gathered around, staring intently at the screen which is still displaying a black screen. “It’s the Rising Stars Cup group draw today,” says Baumann. “We’ve never been in this competition before, so it’s new territory for us, but I think we all have big ambitions for this one.”

The squad chat amongst themselves, eagerly awaiting the draw. “I’d like either of the Vanorian clubs,” says Lothas Ludwig: “It’d be fun to play at home.” There’s a few common answers when polling the players: “1830 Cathair,” says Jesper Porsche. His answer is repeated by at least 7 others - the Audioslav club captained by Thorsten Kramer obviously popular with Teus youth. “Whatever is the least travel,” says Niklas Mitter. Then, suddenly, the screen goes live to the draw at IFCF headquarters.

The groups are the same as the IFCF Champions’ League, so the senior team’s draw is the same as the youth squad. “In Group A, 1830 Cathair,” - and fingers cross in the room - “Arlington City, Northern Union and Lil Daemons.” A few sighs of disappointment - 1830 Cathair have quickly become one of the most popular foreign clubs in this country. The draw rolls along, all the way until Group E.

“Now up to Group E. We have Eastal Lunar, FC Felsenkirchen 1879” - heads perk up, those on their phones quickly put them away - “Hellenic Rouge, and Rozelle.” There’s some glances around the room. Some players are quite familiar with foreign football, others not so much. “That’s a tough draw, right?” asks Per Holtz. Lothas Ludwig beside him nods: “Yep.” Josef Baumann is still focused on the screen.

“Lads, we’re going on a world tour,” says Paul Steinhausl “Vilita, Rushmore and Esportiva.” Niklas Mitter has to laugh: “I asked for less travel, now here we are going to all three of the major regions.” Jesper Porsche is a bit more pensive: “Boys, it’s definitely a tough one, but we can beat all of these teams. We just need all hands on deck to do it.”

Finally, manager Baumann rises to speak. “Alright lads, go home, get some rest. We’re back here tomorrow, then heading out to Marzig on Friday, make sure you pack everything you need for the night. We’ll talk more about the draw tomorrow - and we’ll have all the information about flights and that. For now, though, just think about what we want to achieve as a group here in this competition, and start to focus on how we’re going to do that. Just like Jesper said: all hands on deck.”

[Siovanija and Teusland]

Republikaliga Season IX - Season Part I

IFCF Challengers’ Cup - First Preliminary Round

Steckholl United (DEL) 1-3 Olympia Borograd
Olympia Borograd 2-1 Steckholl United

P.I.S.K (TMG) 2-1 Energija Chernovets
Energija Chernovets 1-0 P.I.S.K

Two wins for two Siovanijan clubs in the first preliminary round of the Challengers’ Cup. Olympia Borograd had little difficulty with Steckholl United, Ivo Romanov grabbing a brace in the first leg as the Greens took a 3-1 win. Goals from Krasimir Kynev and Ikki Tokei in the second leg gave the home side a win, even after Steckholl went up 1-0 just a few minutes in. Energija Chernovets had to fight harder in their matchup - P.I.S.K giving them plenty of trouble in the first leg. But back home, Brahian Cespedes grabbed a winner and expert defending from Taras Maksimov ensured a clean sheet and an away goals win.

IFCF Champions’ League - Second Preliminary Round

MTK Kingsville (DAR) 1-1 FC Teussen Stelburg
FC Teussen Stelburg 2-0 MTK Kingsville

Teussen struggled to find their game in Rushmore for the first leg, going 1-0 down against Darmeni side Kingsville before grabbing a late goal through Ludwig Reichwein to set up the decisive second leg. Fittingly, it would be the last match Teussen play at the old Teussens-Arena, which will now serve as a home to their youth team as well as being leased for certain other events. Teussen recorded a 2-0 win in the final game in their old home, goals coming from Kogler and Reichwein, and after the game had one last lap of honour around the field.

IFCF Challengers’ Cup - Second Preliminary Round

FC Sankt Leopold (SKR) 3-2 Olympia Borograd
Olympia Borograd 1-0 FC Sankt Leopold

Freedom FC (SHT) 3-0 Energija Chernovets
Energija Chernovets 0-0 Freedom FC

For the first time in history, a club from the United Republics has met a club from Sankt Konrad - a former Teus colony - in IFCF competition. Sankt Konraders were probably hoping for a visit from FC Teussen Stelburg - which has a large network of supporters on the island - but instead got their biggest rival. So, in a bit of a strange display, there were plenty of Teussen flags and songs on offer in Sankt Leopold on a windy afternoon. The home side managed to get the better of the visitors, much to the delight of their fans, however, back at the Olimpski-Stadion a goal from Lojze Kokalj was all that Olympia needed to advance. An embarassing 3-0 away loss for Energija Chernovets ended their IFCF hopes this year. They were the first-ever club to reach the group stages of an international competition, but have never managed to reach that stage since. Canaries fans will be hoping their league campaign is better than this display.

IFCF Champions’ League - Third Preliminary Round

Langmere Green Rovers FC (FVA) 2-4 FC Felsenkirchen 1879
FC Felsenkirchen 1879 1-1 Langmere Green Rovers FC

Maal Angels (MRN) 1-2 FC Teussen Stelburg
FC Teussen Stelburg 1-1 Maal Angels

Strong performances from both clubs here in the Champions’ League. There were some question marks around Felsenkirchen ahead of their first-ever match in international competition, but they silenced them almost instantly, going up 3-0 in the first half before eventually taking a 4-2 win home to the Northeast. An unlikely goal from Eino Kiivala was all they would need in the second leg, taking a 5-3 aggregate win. Teussen, meanwhile, travelled to Mriin for their first match - and two goals from Lukas Tauscher saw them past the Angels 2-1. Then, in their first home match at the Franz-Gorz-Stadion, the club earned a draw to secure their advancement - Mario Kogler’s 17th minute tally standing as the first in the new stadium.

IFCF Challengers’ Cup - Third Preliminary Round

Tieflings (POP) 1-7 Olympia Borograd
Olympia Borograd 2-0 Tieflings

Alla Fokofoy (TAL) 0-2 1912 Stelburg
1912 Stelburg 2-1 Alla Fokofoy

Olympia Borograd recorded their biggest-ever away victory in the first leg against Tieflings, 7-1 the final score - Krasimir Kynev grabbing a hat-trick in the massive win. In the home leg, Olympia fielded a squad of mostly kids - including Damir Cvetkov, who might have a key part in the future of the team’s midfield - and rounded out a 9-1 win on aggregate. 1912 Stelburg were all business, meanwhile, in their 4-1 aggregate win over Alla Fokofoy - 2-0 on the road through Oldenbourg and Tremblay-Fillon, and one each from Mesmer and Izvanic at home.

IFCF Cup Winners’ Cup - First Round

FC Teussen Stelburg 4-0 Batchingtonwood Rovers FC (FVA)
Batchingtonwood Rovers FC 1-1 FC Teussen Stelburg

Not too much difficulty for Teussen in the first round of the Cup Winners’ Cup - crushing Batchingtonwood at home in a 4-0 win, Erik Moselle grabbing two goals and young Bastian Boltzmann having another. On the road, a strong defensive performance and a goal from Kurt Witzel sees Teussen moving on to the Round of 16, which will pick back up later in the season.

IFCF Champions’ League - Playoff Round

FC Felsenkirchen 1879 5-2 Port Sebastian (SCT)
Port Sebastian 2-2 FC Felsenkirchen 1879

Eastal Lunar (VIL) 4-1 FC Teussen Stelburg
FC Teussen Stelburg 0-1 Eastal Lunar

Really a ‘jekyll and hyde’ tale here for the two clubs left in the Champions’ League. FC Felsenkirchen 1879 made headlines with their dominating 5-2 win over Schottia’s Port Sebastian - the champions of the SPL, and one-time Cup Winners’ Cup champions. It was a picture-perfect win in every way, the Blues taking a 3-1 lead at the half through goals from Mandl, Segert and Case. Mandl would grab his second moments into the second half, and a Ciriko Useternix header late in the game secured the 5-2 win. Port Sebastian took a 2-0 lead in the second leg, putting things a bit in doubt, but goals from Pfitzner and Case secured the 7-4 aggregate win and a place in the Champions’ League Group Stage. Felsenkirchen have been drawn into Group E alongside Rozelle (BRE), Hellinic Rouge (PAS) and Eastal Lunar (VIL) - who just defeated FC Teussen Stelburg. It was a rough go for Teussen - a 4-1 loss on the road against Vilitan side Eastal Lunar. It was always going to be a challenge on the road, but any hope of turning things around was killed with a 1-0 defeat at home.

IFCF Challengers’ Cup - Playoff Round

Bekknia FC (LGL) 3-3 Olympia Borograd
Olympia Borograd 3-0 Bekknia FC

Birdingstone United (ETH) 2-2 1912 Stelburg
1912 Stelburg 0-1 Birdingstone United

Some craziness here, however, Olympia Borograd manage to advance. The first leg against Legalese side Bekknia was certainly interesting - the visiting Greens went down 2-0 and 3-1 before coming back to earn a draw. But back home, however, they were leaving no doubt - a 3-0 win, led by two goals from the veteran captain Ivo Romanov. 1912 Stelburg also drew on the road in their first-leg tie, 2-2 - but couldn’t get the job done at home as Birdingstone United took a 1-0 win at the 1912-Stadion to knock the Bluebirds out.

IFCF Challengers’ Cup - Qualifying Round

CASK Thorsborg (SVJ) 2-2 FC Teussen Stelburg
FC Teussen Stelburg 0-0 CASK Thorsborg

Dalaris City (PFA) 1-3 Olympia Borograd
Olympia Borograd 0-3 Dalaris City

Two pairings, two totally different mentalities. FC Teussen Stelburg fought hard to a 2-2 draw with Savojar side Thorsborg in the first leg. Back home on a rainy night in Stelburg, they had to fight for every inch in a 0-0 draw to advance to the group stage - which earned them a great ovation from the home crowd after the tough job was done. Olympia Borograd, meanwhile, looked stylish in a 3-1 first leg win over Dalaris City - but then completely crumbled in a 3-0 loss in the second leg to be eliminated. Olympia fans were quite upset at the end of 90 minutes that saw their team fail to score a single goal and ship 3 - jeering as their team left the pitch. Either way, FC Teussen Stelburg are the only team to reach the Challengers’ Cup group stage. They have been drawn into Group A, alongside Asbury Park FC (CBP), the Metropolis Alligators (VLD) and Freeport United (FPT). With the early international competitions out of the way, let’s kick off the Republikaliga season!

Matchday 1

FC Teussen Stelburg 4–2 SV Preisfeld
FC St. Jakob 4–1 FK Pomorie
FK Metropola Borograd 2–1 TSV Marzig
FC Kaiserhaven 0–0 FC Rotmunde 1932
FK Venkovets 1–7 1912 Stelburg
FC Einheit Marnau 1–2 Zvezda Vlaikograd
TSV Georg-Blocher 0–0 Olympia Borograd
FK Orlovska Bistrica 1–2 FC Felsenkirchen 1879
Vrnovo Mesto 0–1 Marlesee 97
Energija Chernovets 0–1 SW Stahlberg

And we’re off! FC Teussen Stelburg grab their first league win at the new home ground, thanks to a big 4-2 win over SV Preisfeld. Teussen dominated possession in the match (72%), and so will be a little unhappy to concede two goals on three shots - new CB Erich Thierse, however, claims it’s just ‘first week jitters’ and that things will return to normal soon. FC St. Jakob blew out FK Pomorie 4-1, Erwin Bahnsen grabbing two goals. FK Metropola Borograd win their opener as well, coming from behind against TSV Marzig as Andrey Bunev grabbed the winner. Kaiserhaven and Rotmunde played out a boring 0-0 draw, while 1912 Stelburg absolutely eviscerated FK Venkovets on the road, 7-1. Helek-Nenzi Ono got off to the best start possible with a hat-trick. Venkovets manager Matej Kovar said simply “We were s***, Stelburg were great.” Nwabudike Ugonna had his first goal in a Zvezda Vlaikograd shirt in their 2-1 win over FC Einheit Marnau, while those Olympia Borograd supporters already upset with their side’s collapse in the Challengers’ Cup were not happy with a 0-0 draw with TSV Georg-Blocher - one fan calling in to Borograd sports radio claiming that “Kynev is done, we need to recall Dezelac now or we might get relegated.” A bit of hyperbole, certainly, but it’s not a good start for the Greens. The defending champions opened with a 2-1 win over FK Orlovska Bistrica, Johannes Mandl getting both goals. Meanwhile, Marlesee 97 showed a great deal of promise in their 1-0 win over Vrnovo Mesto, and SW Stahlberg’s Ragnar Targaryen scored a stoppage time penalty to beat Energija Chernovets 1-0 at home. Talk about the discontent in Borograd - there’s some building in Chernovets as well, after a disappointing start to the campaign.

Matchday 2

SV Preisfeld 2–5 SW Stahlberg
Marlesee 97 0–3 Energija Chernovets
FC Felsenkirchen 1879 1–0 Vrnovo Mesto
Olympia Borograd 2–2 FK Orlovska Bistrica
Zvezda Vlaikograd 2–2 TSV Georg-Blocher
1912 Stelburg 2–3 FC Einheit Marnau
FC Rotmunde 1932 3–1 FK Venkovets
TSV Marzig 2–3 FC Kaiserhaven
FK Pomorie 3–3 FK Metropola Borograd
FC Teussen Stelburg 3–1 FC St. Jakob

SW Stahlberg’s strong start to the year continued with a 5-2 win over SV Preisfeld, Jourdain Blanchette driving home two goals, one of which stood as the winner. Energija Chernovets silenced some of their critics with a 3-0 win over Marlesee 97, Enigma Armagedon getting his first goal in Canaries colours. Felsenkirchen showed off their league championship trophy in their first home match of the season, then were treated to one of the most boring games you’ll ever see - Vrnovo Mesto not getting a single touch of the ball in the opposing half in the first half of the game. A Linus Segert goal was enough for the Blues to win, amidst chants of ‘Boring, boring, Mesto!’ for the entire game. Zvezda Vlaikograd couldn’t finish the job at home against Georg-Blocher, who have looked strong in their two games in the top division so far despite a rough schedule. 1912 Stelburg suffered their first league loss of the year - 3-2 against FC Einheit Marnau, a game in which Farf forward Horacio Bastanchury got his first goal for the club, becoming an instant fan favourite with the winner against the Bluebirds. FC Rotmunde 1932 proved that things might just be alright for the club, Ignace Thibodeux scoring twice in a 3-1 win over Venkovets. TSV Marzig slumped to a second straight loss, blowing a 2-1 lead in the final 15 minutes against Kaiserhaven. FK Pomorie clawed from 3-1 down to secure a draw with FK Metropola Borograd, while on Monday evening, FC Teussen Stelburg had little trouble with St. Jakob - Lukas Tauscher having two in the win.

More controversy coming out of the capital, where Olympia Borograd drew 2-2 with FK Orlovska Bistrica. That was already a problem for fans, which was followed up by a social media posting from the Chancellor of the Republic of Siovanija, Teodor Doskocil. Doskocil’s post read: “No heart, no passion, yet again. This is a disgrace. #StrashilovOut.” Within minutes, Doskocil’s post was re-posted nearly 500,000 times, and #StrashilovOut trended in the country. Doskocil took the post down and apologized, claiming it was meant as a text to a friend and that such a message was unprofessional for the leader of Siovanija to send. Either way, opinions on Olympia manager Ludmil Strashilov are clearly split - and Doskocil’s post has become a rallying call for many supporters.

Matchday 3

FC St. Jakob 2–0 SV Preisfeld
FK Metropola Borograd 3–1 FC Teussen Stelburg
FC Kaiserhaven 1–2 FK Pomorie
FK Venkovets 4–2 TSV Marzig
FC Einheit Marnau 2–2 FC Rotmunde 1932
TSV Georg-Blocher 0–2 1912 Stelburg
FK Orlovska Bistrica 2–4 Zvezda Vlaikograd
Vrnovo Mesto 2–4 Olympia Borograd
Energija Chernovets 2–1 FC Felsenkirchen 1879
SW Stahlberg 2–2 Marlesee 97

FC St. Jakob’s good start to the season continued with a win over SV Preisfeld. The Saints looked really good in this one, having almost total control of the game, not letting Preisfeld get any chances. Goals from Dimitriou and Heiden secured the win. FK Metropola Borograd get a big home win against FC Teussen Stelburg - Branimir Glanchev scored the winning goal for the Violets. FK Pomorie grabbed their first win of the season, 2-1 over Kaiserhaven, while the struggles continued for their cross-town rival. FK Venkovets recovered from a very poor start to the season to defeat TSV Marzig 4-2, two goals coming from Valter Tomsic. Rotmunde’s Otso Ilkannen dragged his side back into the game with a late goal to earn a draw with Marnau, while TSV Georg-Blocher suffered their first loss of the year, 1912 Stelburg coming away victorious there. FK Orlovska Bistrica were blown away by the pace of Zvezda’s speedy wingers Ugonna and Gaspersie, they had one each and also assisted on goals from Drago Ward and Leopold Bliznakov in a 4-2 win. Olympia Borograd and Krasimir Kynev silenced some critics with a 4-2 win over Vrnovo Mesto, while FC Felsenkirchen 1879 suffered their first loss of the season 2-1 to Energija Chernovets. Johannes Mandl had put the Blues ahead in the first half, but goals from Brahian Cespedes and Vsevolod Hristov gave the Atoms a strong win to take some pressure off them. Goals from John Ferry and Andreas Wentzel gave SW Stahlberg a 2-2 draw with Marlesee 97 and see them go on top of the league table after 3 games.

Matchday 4

SV Preisfeld 3–2 Marlesee 97
FC Felsenkirchen 1879 1–1 SW Stahlberg
Olympia Borograd 2–2 Energija Chernovets
Zvezda Vlaikograd 0–0 Vrnovo Mesto
1912 Stelburg 0–0 FK Orlovska Bistrica
FC Rotmunde 1932 4–0 TSV Georg-Blocher
TSV Marzig 0–0 FC Einheit Marnau
FK Pomorie 2–3 FK Venkovets
FC Teussen Stelburg 2–2 FC Kaiserhaven
FC St. Jakob 1–1 FK Metropola Borograd

Seven draws in the Republikaliga this weekend - surely an all-time record. Many of them involved some of the heaviest hitters in the league as well. We start in Preisfeld, where the Bees came from behind to win thanks to a goal from Louis Brunner in stoppage time. FC Felsenkirchen 1879 were held at home 1-1 by SW Stahlberg, although Felsenkirchen were quite upset when the referee did not give them a penalty in the late stages after Johannes Mandl went down. Replays showed that the referee perhaps made the wrong decision, causing Blues manager Leonard Wagner to say that “I think it’s a disgrace, personally - fine me if you want to.” Wagner was handed a fine by the STFA for his comments. Zvezda Vlaikograd were held by the parked bus of Vrnovo Mesto, while FK Orlovska Bistrica pulled a similar trick on 1912 Stelburg - 0-0 the final in both games. Only FC Rotmunde 1932 could manage a big number of goals on the day, 4 against Georg-Blocher - who started so well, but have looked like relegation fodder the last two weeks. Julian Werner was an integral part of all goals as his stock continues to rise. Marzig and Marnau were even, while FK Venkovets got their second win in a row as they defeated FK Pomorie 3-2 at home. Teussen supporters were seeing flashbacks of their 5-5 draw with FC Kaiserhaven last season that cost them the title after the Admirals came back from 2-0 down in the late stages at the Franz-Gorz-Stadion, while two teams off to hot starts could only hold each other to a 1-1 draw, St. Jakob and Metropola splitting the points.

Two teams under pressure to perform so far this season are two of the biggest clubs in Siovanija - Olympia Borograd and Energija Chernovets. It was only fitting, then, that they would meet on matchday 4 of the league season. “I think some of the good performances we’ve had this year have been overshadowed a bit by how we started - and we want to get out there today and give our fans something to remember,” said Chernovets midfielder Viktor Dimitrov. Olympia Borograd entered under significantly more difficult circumstances - 1-2-0 to start the year, but with a brutal collapse in the Challengers’ Cup fresh on the minds of supporters. “We need a result, yes,” said Krasimir Kynev when discussing the stakes. An overcast day in Borograd was the setting for this match, and Chernovets started off in near-total control of the game. Brahian Cespedes made it 1-0 from the spot before Dragomir Nikolov knocked in a great through ball from Armagedon to make it 2-0 at the half - and the home supporters jeered Borograd off the pitch again. In the second half, however, the Greens would recover - goals from Kynev and Romanov leaving things all square as the final whistle blew. “It’s disappointing - you can’t play 45 minutes and expect to win. We want to be better, and we know the fans will be behind us as we work to get back to our standard,” said Ivo Romanov. Chernovets keeper Tony Tyneman said that “We’re upset to have let them back into the game, but I think we also are very happy with the first half performance - that’s what we strive for in each game.”

Matchday 5

FK Metropola Borograd 5–1 SV Preisfeld
FC Kaiserhaven 4–4 FC St. Jakob
FK Venkovets 1–2 FC Teussen Stelburg
FC Einheit Marnau 2–1 FK Pomorie
TSV Georg-Blocher 4–2 TSV Marzig
FK Orlovska Bistrica 1–1 FC Rotmunde 1932
Vrnovo Mesto 3–5 1912 Stelburg
Energija Chernovets 1–5 Zvezda Vlaikograd
SW Stahlberg 3–3 Olympia Borograd
Marlesee 97 3–2 FC Felsenkirchen 1879

Quite the week in the Republikaliga. FK Metropola Borograd have been arguably the best team in the league this year so far, and they proved their credentials with a 5-1 win over SV Preisfeld. Valko Tinchev was the creative engine of the team today, providing 3 assists in the win, and Metropola sit top of the league - for the first time in the Republikaliga era. FC Kaiserhaven fought FC St. Jakob to a 4-4 draw on the south coast, the home team pulling back from a 4-2 deficit in the second half thanks to goals from Bobby East and Norbert Ahrendt. FC Teussen Stelburg beat FK Venkovets 2-1, a mostly clean performance from Teussen marred by a last second goal. Former Rotmunde man Erich Thierse couldn’t resist a shot at Felsenkirchen after the game, saying, “They’ll be in tough against Marlesee, I don’t think they have the character to go and win a game like that after seeing what we did today.” That will surely keep Rotmunde fans' opinion of him high, and endear him to the Teussen support even more. In Marnau, the cult status of Horacio Bastanchurry continues to grow as he scored a free kick in stoppage time to get the winner in a 2-1 win over FK Pomorie after demanding to take the kick. The ‘TSV Derby’ saw TSV Georg-Blocher get their first win of the season, 4-2 over TSV Marzig, with Rupert Holz scoring twice to show that he’s still got it in his final year. Marzig are a disappointing 19th in the table with only 1 point - and there’s talk that manager Max Schillinger’s job could be on the line. Marian Hovlak scored his first Republikaliga goal to secure a 1-1 draw between Orlovska Bistrica and Rotmunde, while Vrnovo Mesto and 1912 Stelburg played quite a thrilling - yes, we’re using that word to describe a Vrnovo match - 5-3 game, the Bluebirds getting the win courtesy of goals from Sene and Ono.

There were big games to be played this week as well - Energija Chernovets hosting Zvezda Vlaikograd, SW Stahlberg hosting Olympia Borograd and FC Felsenkirchen 1879 travelling to Marlesee 97. Zvezda absolutely thrashed Chernovets, leaving Canaries fans in a stunned silence as the visitors went 4-0 up by halftime. Leopold Bliznakov was the best player on the park, and the moment perhaps signalled his rise as the successor to Chernovets’ Viktor Dimitrov as the best playmaker in this country. 5-1 was the final, and Zvezda will feel they can really build on this result. SW Stahlberg and Olympia Borograd have played some crazy games over the years, meaning that even this 3-3 draw that saw 4 lead changes was tame by regular standards - still, Krasimir Kynev’s equalizer late will mean plenty to the Borograd supporters worried their team were really in trouble. And in the end, Erich Thierse was proven right as Marlesee 97 grabbed a 3-2 win over FC Felsenkirchen 1879 - Elias Eicke with the winning goal. After the game, Felsenkirchen’s Rolf Seyfried was asked what his opinion on Erich Thierse’s comments - his response was simply “Who?”. The rivalry between these clubs continues to build up as we await their first showdown on matchday 13.

President’s Cup First Round

FC St. Jakob 1–1 FC Teussen Stelburg (1–2 AET)
1912 Stelburg 1–0 FC Truiselwald
SW Stahlberg 2–1 SV Preisfeld
TSV Georg-Blocher 1–1 1828 Pomen (3–2 AET)
NK Kaskada 0–3 FK Kostinbrod
VfL Bamerntal 3–1 Oststahlberg 08
VfL Truhnscheid 1–2 1888 Runsen
Vrnovo Mesto 2–0 FC Kischfeld
SK Republika Borograd 1–0 Energija Chernovets
FK Venkovets 4–0 VfB Giesenau
FC Lahnnenbruck 98 1–1 Olympia Borograd (1–2 AET)
TSV Lahnnenbruck 1–3 Rudar Trkev
NK Vrnovo 2–1 Teufelsberg 97
FK Vlaikograd 1896 3–1 TSV Konsford
FC Kaiserhaven 4–1 TSV Posenford
Marlesee 97 1–0 NK Piran
FK Metropola Borograd 3–2 FK Orlovska Bistrica
NK Kraljgrad 1–3 FC Felsenkirchen 1879
SVG Bainitz 1–3 NK Siovanska Gora
NK Vojnik 1–0 Arsenal Bukovets
FC Einheit Marnau 2–1 NK Karjaska Gora
FK Pomorie 0–0 TSV Tarnitz (0–0 AET) (2–4 pen.)
TSV Prattsee 3–0 FC Giesenau
FK Raketa Bukovets 0–0 FC Ternau 05 (2–1 AET)
FC Magesbach 2–2 FC Rotmunde 1932 (2–2 AET) (1–4 pen.)
VfL Magesbach 0–0 1884 Felsenkirchen (0–0 AET) (3–4 pen.)
VfB Truiselwald 2–3 FC Teufelsberg
VfB Launitz 5–2 Admiral Severno Pristajanje
VfL Prutseren 0–0 NK Prevala (0–0 AET) (3–4 pen.)
VfB Marlesee 2–3 Rudar Draijagrad
TSV Marzig 4–2 NK Krakovo
Zvezda Vlaikograd 5–3 VfL Reinbronn

One of the more chaotic first rounds we’ve seen in plenty of years. There was a mouthwatering draw already, seeing FC Teussen Stelburg taking on FC St. Jakob - this was the Cup Final only 4 seasons ago. Bastian Boltzmann’s goal in extra time, however, means the Saints are out and Teussen continue on. All in all, 15 Republikaliga clubs are advancing to the second round - but there are some big names going out, and also some near-misses. The upset of the round - and probably the biggest upset in recent First Round memory - has to be SK Republika Borograd’s shocking 1-0 win over Energija Chernovets. The Cup has never really been Chernovets’ forte, but this loss combined with the 5-1 loss last weekend has some fans demanding answers. Olympia Borograd were forced to extra time against FC Lahnnenbruck 98, and looked dismal for most of the 90 minutes. #StrashilovOut was trending again, and though Krasimir Kynev grabbed a winner in the extra period, there’s still a sense of worry at the club. Young Vanorian striker Lothas Ludwig made his Felsenkirchen senior debut in a 3-1 away win over NK Kraljgrad, while TSV Marzig and Zvezda Vlaikograd each grabbed two-goal wins over lower-tier opposition. Four games went all the way to penalties this round. TSV Tarnitz grabbed arguably the best result in the club’s history, a 4-2 penalties win over Republikaliga side FK Pomorie after an incredible defensive performance saw them hold the Guards to 0-0 through 120 minutes. FC Rotmunde 1932 required penalties to beat FC Magesbach after blowing a 2-0 lead, while two games finished 0-0 after 120 minutes and required spot-kicks: 1884 Felsenkirchen beating VfL Magesbach, and NK Prevala beating VfL Prutseren.

The second round draw gives us some interesting matches. Two former Republikaliga sides will start the round with 1884 Felsenkirchen hosting FK Vlaikograd 1896. Zvezda Vlaikograd have to travel to NK Prevala, the upset winners Republika Borograd will visit TSV Prattsee, while 1912 Stelburg host Rudar Trkev. Olympia Borograd will be travelling to face NK Siovanska Gora, while FK Metropola Borograd host TSV Georg-Blocher. TSV Marzig host FC Kaiserhaven, VfB Launitz host FC Teussen Stelburg, and one-time winners VfL Bamerntal will travel to FK Raketa Bukovets. There’s a few more all-Republikaliga ties as well: Felsenkirchen hosting Marlesee 97, and FC Einheit Marnau hosting SW Stahlberg. The second round will be played after matchday 10.

Matchday 6

SV Preisfeld 2–3 FC Felsenkirchen 1879
Olympia Borograd 5–5 Marlesee 97
Zvezda Vlaikograd 4–2 SW Stahlberg
1912 Stelburg 2–2 Energija Chernovets
FC Rotmunde 1932 3–3 Vrnovo Mesto
TSV Marzig 0–1 FK Orlovska Bistrica
FK Pomorie 1–0 TSV Georg-Blocher
FC Teussen Stelburg 5–1 FC Einheit Marnau
FC St. Jakob 3–3 FK Venkovets
FK Metropola Borograd 5–2 FC Kaiserhaven

FC Felsenkirchen 1879 kicked off the weekend with a big win over SV Preisfeld, after going down 1-0 just 3 minutes into the game. It’s a big character win for them, and one they needed after last week’s loss to Marlesee. It’s not getting any better in Borograd - up 4-1 at half time, they allowed Marlesee 97 back into the game and the match finished 5-5. The temperature is heating up around the Olimpski-Stadion - one radio caller described the team as “Too old, too slow, no more ideas, it’s time to go! It’s time to go,” referring to manager Ludmil Strashilov. For his part, Strashilov isn’t too concerned: “We’ve been in worse situations before. Obviously we’ve also certainly been in better, but we’re going to come out of this one together.” Zvezda Vlaikograd’s strong start to the league continues, they are firing on all cylinders right now and sit second on goal difference. Two from Drago Ward, a first Republikaliga tally for Harald Larsson and late insurance from Sinisa Gaspersie secured the win. 1912 Stelburg and Energija Chernovets played out a 2-2 draw, but both sides will be disappointed not to come away with the win. Rotmunde came from 3-1 down against Vrnovo Mesto to grab a point, while the poor start to the year for TSV Marzig continues. They lose 1-0 to Orlovska Bistrica through a Marian Hovlak goal. There’s a feeling of dread at the club right now - they sit 20th with only 1 point. There’s rumours Max Schillinger could be out the door if the club don’t win next week when they face other bottom-feeders Vrnovo. FK Pomorie, meanwhile, are loving every minute of their rivals’ suffering - and getting some enjoyment of their own with a 1-0 win over TSV Georg-Blocher. FC Teussen Stelburg hammered FC Einheit Marnau 5-1, Ludwig Reichwein and Lukas Tauscher having two each, Kurt Witzel grabbing the other. St. Jakob and Venkovets draw, 3-3, while FK Metropola Borograd keep their hold at the top of the league with a 5-2 win over FC Kaiserhaven. Metropola manager Alan Dzekov was asked after the game if his side could go on to win the league - “Why not?” was his succinct answer.

Matchday 7

FC Kaiserhaven 2–4 SV Preisfeld
FK Venkovets 1–4 FK Metropola Borograd
FC Einheit Marnau 0–2 FC St. Jakob
TSV Georg-Blocher 2–4 FC Teussen Stelburg
FK Orlovska Bistrica 2–0 FK Pomorie
Vrnovo Mesto 1–0 TSV Marzig
Energija Chernovets 1–0 FC Rotmunde 1932
SW Stahlberg 0–5 1912 Stelburg
Marlesee 97 2–2 Zvezda Vlaikograd
FC Felsenkirchen 1879 1–2 Olympia Borograd

SV Preisfeld get a big win over a struggling FC Kaiserhaven team, 4-2 the final in that one, while Metropola Borograd hold on to top spot with a 4-1 win over FK Venkovets. Everything is going right for the Violets right now, and even with the youthful Branimir Glanchev leading the line they are still managing to score plenty of goals. Jerat-Jonto Jan and George t’son d’Haxli have played a key role for the club in controlling the midfield. In the ‘Friendly Derby’, FC St. Jakob beat Marnau 2-0 - St. Jakob are sitting 5th in the league, and have been very strong this year. FC Teussen Stelburg handled TSV Georg-Blocher with ease, Mario Kogler scoring twice in the 4-2 win. FK Pomorie got some karma after poking fun at Marzig’s loss last week to Orlovska Bistrica on the club’s social media page - they lose 2-0 to the Eagles, with Marian Hovlak continuing his fine form. Marzig’s struggles, however, continued. Vrnovo Mesto’s Konstantin Nikolov scored a huge goal in the final minutes to give his side their first win of the year. Max Schillinger had some hope in the post-match press conference: “Monday morning, we go to work and try to get out of this hole we’re in,” he said. But it wasn’t to be - just 2 hours later, the TSV Marzig board announced he’d been sacked: “We thank Max for his hard work over the years, but the time has come to move forward.” The club have appointed Ole Sauer, the former FC St. Jakob and national team goalkeeper who was an assistant at VfB Launitz, as the caretaker manager. Enigma Armagedon scored the only goal in the Chernovets-Rotmunde fixture as the Atoms grabbed a huge win to get themselves back on track. 1912 Stelburg blew out SW Stahlberg - 5-0 was the final score. Gerold Tegeler was a force down the right wing, and complemented with stellar play from Momodou Sene, Helek-Nenzi Ono and Rafael Mesmer the Bluebirds’ offence was in high gear. Marlesee 97 managed to hold Zvezda Vlaikograd, 2-2 the final.

In the Northeast, the biggest clash of the week was quite clearly FC Felsenkirchen 1879 against Olympia Borograd. Both clubs have been underperforming a bit so far this campaign - Borograd with only 1 win in 6 games, and Felsenkirchen with a 3-1-2 record. Both teams were hoping to set the record straight. “Yes, it’s a must-win for us. We know that the fans deserve better than what we’ve given them, and a big win here would show that we’re back,” said Krasimir Kynev. Felsenkirchen’s Mario Pfitzner was also focused on getting the win in his remarks: “We won the title last year, and if we want to win it again this year we need to be winning games like this. There’s no room for failure.” The teams started the game cautiously, each one trying to force the other into a mistake. Olympia Borograd thought they’d scored when Krasimir Kynev blasted a shot that beat Gentza Bedigax, but it was disallowed for offside. At halftime, the score was 0-0. Kynev would finally get his goal a few minutes into the second half, scoring a tidy finish from the top of the box to make it 1-0. His Golden Boot rival Johannes Mandl, however, wasn’t going to be kept quiet, and scored one of his own to make it 1-1. It looked like things might stay that way, but a foul by Thorsten Helmke in the box in the late stages gave Olympia a penalty - and left the Blues furious. They crowded the referee, and Ciriko Useternix was actually sent off on a second yellow for repeated protests. Kynev scored the penalty, the Greens won, and Felsenkirchen will have to face their next game without one of the best players in the world. “This win is going to change our season,” said Roman Forsberg in the aftermath. Felsenkirchen, meanwhile, were furious, Linus Segert giving this impassioned statement after the game: “Two weeks ago it was us not getting a penalty, now today it’s them getting one - luck’s supposed to balance out, but sometimes you wonder if luck actually has anything to do with it.” The implication, of course, was that refereeing was going against the club in the early part of the season - Segert was defended by his manager, but the STFA are said to be ‘investigating’ the comments.

Matchday 8

SV Preisfeld 2–3 Olympia Borograd
Zvezda Vlaikograd 0–2 FC Felsenkirchen 1879
1912 Stelburg 0–3 Marlesee 97
FC Rotmunde 1932 1–0 SW Stahlberg
TSV Marzig 1–1 Energija Chernovets
FK Pomorie 1–0 Vrnovo Mesto
FC Teussen Stelburg 3–2 FK Orlovska Bistrica
FC St. Jakob 4–3 TSV Georg-Blocher
FK Metropola Borograd 3–4 FC Einheit Marnau
FC Kaiserhaven 3–2 FK Venkovets

Olympia Borograd built on last week’s big win over Felsenkirchen with a 3-2 win over SV Preisfeld to pull themselves up to 6th in the table thanks to two straight wins. The Blues would also recover from their loss last week to beat Zvezda Vlaikograd - and with Ciriko Useternix missing from the squad, Samuel Hopkins stepped up in a big way and continued his strong start to life in the Republikaliga as the Blues kept a clean sheet. A destruction of Stahlberg last week, but 1912 Stelburg couldn’t keep that momentum - Marlesee 97 instead earn a famous 3-0 win. FC Rotmunde 1932 grabbed an important 1-0 win over SW Stahlberg, who have slipped in recent weeks, through Ignace Thibodeux. Marzig caretaker Ole Sauer promised ‘positivity’ in his first week on the job - and he brought plenty of it, as Marzig played their best football of the season in a 1-1 draw with Energija Chernovets. FK Pomorie defeated Vrnovo Mesto, 1-0, while FC Teussen Stelburg battled out a 3-2 win over FK Orlovska Bistrica. Post-game, Axel Richter said that “We’re just warming up for the Felsenkirchen game” - Teussen clearly have their eyes set on this one as important. The Black and Gold are now top of the league, and will need to continue to be at their best to stay there. FC St. Jakob came from 3-2 down with 20 minutes to go to pull out a 4-3 win over Georg-Blocher. FK Metropola Borograd suffered their first loss of the season, 4-3 to FC Einheit Marnau - Horacio Bastanchurry continues to be a story, scoring twice, and making Marnau think about playing him as the only forward in a possible formation shift. Finally, Kaiserhaven kept their heads above water with a 3-2 win over FK Venkovets that brings them up to 14th.

Matchday 9

FK Venkovets 1–0 SV Preisfeld
FC Einheit Marnau 3–2 FC Kaiserhaven
TSV Georg-Blocher 1–0 FK Metropola Borograd
FK Orlovska Bistrica 2–5 FC St. Jakob
Vrnovo Mesto 1–2 FC Teussen Stelburg
Energija Chernovets 0–1 FK Pomorie
SW Stahlberg 2–1 TSV Marzig
Marlesee 97 3–2 FC Rotmunde 1932
FC Felsenkirchen 1879 4–2 1912 Stelburg
Olympia Borograd 0–1 Zvezda Vlaikograd

FK Venkovets win gives them some breathing room at the bottom of the table - up to 14th place now after last week’s loss. Bastanchurry was the hero again for Marnau in a 3-2 win over Kaiserhaven, really making his mark on this team - while Banquo Chrysler did a lot of the important work all game, contributing 3 assists. TSV Georg-Blocher claimed a great win over FK Metropola Borograd, one the home fans can remember for a long, long time yet. St. Jakob tore through Orlovska Bistrica’s defence for 5 goals, bringing them up to second in the league table. FC Teussen Stelburg couldn’t beat Vrnovo Mesto in two games last season - it only took one this year, however, with Lukas Tauscher in fine form for a brace in the win. Chernovets’ struggles continue, now falling 1-0 to FK Pomorie, and some are even questioning legendary manager Apostol Manevski’s future. SW Stahlberg have dropped off significantly from their good start to the season, but a 2-1 win over TSV Marzig has them in better shape now. Marlesee 97 have pulled off several strong wins so far this season and are now up to 6th in the table. FC Felsenkirchen 1879 defeated 1912 Stelburg 4-2, a good win for the Blues after the disappointment against Olympia. For the Bluebirds, however, it’s two bad losses in a row, and they’ll need a turnaround soon to have any hope of competing for the title. Finally, Leopold Bliznakov’s free kick goal sunk Olympia Borograd, and things are still uneasy at the Olimpski-Stadion. Online fan page OlympiaFanTV posted a video in which one Olympia fan rants for nearly 10 minutes, calling for Strashilov to be fired and Krasimir Kynev sold - “Both of them, time to go! Where was Kynev today man, where was he? We need Dezelac now.” #StrashilovOut once again trended online.

How much is all this noise impacting the team and the board? Ludmil Strashilov has been the Olympia manager for nearly 20 years now, overseeing a Republikaliga title (and the league points record), as well as a President’s Cup win in the modern era. In the old regional leagues, Strashilov earned 4 Siovanijan championships and 4 President’s Cup titles. He’s a club legend, and while he’s getting older now, there’s been no indication he wants to retire anytime soon. The club are now 5 years without any silverware, however, and the results aren’t really improving. The unwillingness to move on from the legendary but aging midfielders Kostov and Darsten has clearly created problems for the squad, which needs some refreshing. There’s a tough decision to be made at the end of the year too - Dezelac or Kynev? Perhaps there is a way to balance both. Reports out of Borograd state that the club are ‘nowhere near even thinking about’ sacking Strashilov, but will loyalty hold them back? While the overall majority of Olympia fans seem to back the manager, there’s a vocal minority against him. The thing is, once the clock starts to tick, it inevitably must run out.

Matchday 10

SV Preisfeld 1–5 Zvezda Vlaikograd
1912 Stelburg 2–1 Olympia Borograd
FC Rotmunde 1932 1–2 FC Felsenkirchen 1879
TSV Marzig 1–1 Marlesee 97
FK Pomorie 3–5 SW Stahlberg
FC Teussen Stelburg 6–4 Energija Chernovets
FC St. Jakob 3–4 Vrnovo Mesto
FK Metropola Borograd 1–4 FK Orlovska Bistrica
FC Kaiserhaven 2–0 TSV Georg-Blocher
FK Venkovets 0–0 FC Einheit Marnau

Zvezda Vlaikograd have perhaps the second-best form in the league right now, and they crush SV Preisfeld 5-1 to move up to second place outright in the table. Leopold Bliznakov is an early candidate for the Golden Ball, and the new signings Ugonna and Larsson have more than lived up to their billing. 1912 Stelburg get back on track with a 2-1 victory over Olympia Borograd that left more anger in the capital. It’s a party in east Stelburg, however, with goals from Momodou Sene and Gerold Tegeler securing the win. TSV Marzig earned another point in a draw with Marlesee 97 - the performances have certainly improved under Ole Sauer. SW Stahlberg were at their goalscoring best with a five-spot against FK Pomorie, 5-3 the final in that one. The way things are going now, Vrnovo Mesto might actually end up with more goals than games played this season - scoring 4 against FC St. Jakob in an important win. FK Metropola Borograd have really struggled the last few weeks, perhaps the pressure of being on top getting to them, and here Orlovska Bistrica dominated the game and win 4-1. The Kaiserhaven derby sees FC Kaiserhaven grab the win, 2-0 over crosstown rivals Georg-Blocher. Finally, Venkovets and Marnau had nothing between them.

Derby day is always a big deal in the Northeast - the cities of Rotmunde and Felsenkirchen have a fierce, historic hatred of each other, and naturally the rivalry extends on the pitch as well. It was the first derby since Felsenkirchen became league champions - and their fans made sure to remind Rotmunde supporters of that fact: “National Champions, you’ll never sing that!” resounded for almost the full 90 minutes. Rotmunde supporters attempted a reply of their own: “Where were you when you were s***?” However, the champions would get the last laugh on the day. They went 1-0 up through Linus Segert in the first half, before Rotmunde equalized off a Julian Werner free kick. The build-up to that play saw Eino Kiivala foul Otso Ilkannen, the two Savojar getting into the spirit of the rivalry between their clubs. Finally, however, Johannes Mandl would grab the winner late, prompting a great roar of support from the away fans at Veisel. Blue was the colour of the day in the Northeast.

RBC Sports commentator Max Benes described it as the ‘game of the year’ as FC Teussen Stelburg hosted Energija Chernovets in an important clash. With Zvezda Vlaikograd’s win, Teussen needed the win to stay 4 points clear at the top. “Just go out, play our best, and take the 3 points,” said Lukas Tauscher in the build-up. The game itself saw both sides quickly throw caution to the wind. Tauscher scored 47 seconds in, but Brahian Cespedes equalized for Chernovets just 3 minutes later. By halftime it was 3-2 for Teussen, and the second half brought more fireworks. Enigma Armagedon equalized for Chernovets, but Mario Kogler scored just 2 minutes after. Chernovets had a missed penalty, before Teussen went right back down the field and scored another to make it 5-3. Brahian Cespedes’ second of the day made it 5-4 in the 88th minute, and Chernovets fans were hoping the game had one more goal in it. It did, however, luck was not with the Canaries: Heinrich Bahr surged forward to drive in the 6-4 goal in stoppage time. Teussen go four clear at the top, Chernovets are languishing in 15th.

President’s Cup Second Round

1884 Felsenkirchen 3–1 FK Vlaikograd 1896
NK Prevala 1–1 Zvezda Vlaikograd (1–1 AET) (4–5 pen.)
TSV Prattsee 0–2 SK Republika Borograd
1912 Stelburg 1–3 Rudar Trkev
FK Kostinbrod 0–1 NK Vrnovo
NK Siovanska Gora 1–0 Olympia Borograd
FK Metropola Borograd 3–2 TSV Georg-Blocher
TSV Marzig 0–2 FC Kaiserhaven
VfB Launitz 1–1 FC Teussen Stelburg (2–4 AET)
TSV Tarnitz 2–0 1888 Runsen
FK Raketa Bukovets 3–2 VfL Bamerntal
FC Felsenkirchen 1879 1–1 Marlesee 97 (2–1 AET)
FC Rotmunde 1932 1–3 Rudar Draijagrad
FC Einheit Marnau 4–2 SW Stahlberg
Vrnovo Mesto 1–0 FC Teufelsberg
FK Venkovets 0–0 NK Vojnik (1–1 AET) (4–3 pen.)

1884 Felsenkirchen grabbed a 3-1 win over FK Vlaikograd 1896 to advance in the Cup 2nd Round, while Zvezda Vlaikograd required penalties to make their way past a stingy NK Prevala side. SK Republika Borograd’s great run continues, as they defeat TSV Prattsee 2-0. Rudar Trkev’s 3-1 win over 1912 Stelburg would probably be the biggest upset of the round - if it wasn’t for NK Siovanska Gora defeating Olympia Borograd 1-0. The drama in Borograd continues as the Greens’ struggles this year are enhanced - it’s looking like a 6th straight season without silverware, the longest for the club in nearly 30 years. Both of the other Borograd clubs are fine, however - FK Metropola Borograd beating TSV Georg-Blocher 3-2. Ole Sauer’s Cup debut didn’t go exactly as planned, as Marzig go out in a 2-0 loss to Kaiserhaven. FC Teussen Stelburg, who have reached 4 Cup Finals in a row, nearly had a scare as they trailed Launitz 1-0 in the 85th minute. A goal right at the death as well as 3 in extra time, however, sees them move on. FC Felsenkirchen 1879 also needed extra time to get by Marlesee, 2-1 the final, while FC Rotmunde 1932 are out, Rudar Draijagrad grabbing a 3-1 win. Chrysler, Bastanchurry (x2) and Heller had the goals in FC Einheit Marnau’s 4-2 win over SW Stahlberg, while Vrnovo Mesto grabbed a 1-0 win over FC Teufelsberg. FK Venkovets needed penalties, but they beat NK Vojnik to advance.

The third round draw gives us some interesting ties. 1884 Felsenkirchen host Zvezda Vlaikograd, while FC Einheit Marnau host FC Kaiserhaven. The two Cinderella stories will meet up, with one guaranteed to continue, as SK Republika Borograd host NK Siovanska Gora. Vrnovo Mesto host FK Metropola Borograd in the only other all-Republikaliga clash. FC Teussen Stelburg will travel to Rudar Draijagrad - which will be a tricky one for the Black and Gold. Rudar Trkev host TSV Tarnitz, FC Felsenkirchen 1879 host NK Vrnovo and FK Venkovets will welcome FK Raketa Bukovets. The third round ties will be played after matchday 20.

With ten matches in the books, we’re just over a quarter of the way through the season - the perfect time to take a look at the table. We’ll be back soon with more coverage of the Republikaliga season - there’s plenty of action still to come.

#  Republikaliga             Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
 1 FC Teussen Stelburg        10    8   1   1    32   19  +13    25
 2 Zvezda Vlaikograd          10    6   3   1    25   13  +12    21
 3 FC Felsenkirchen 1879      10    6   1   3    19   14   +5    19
 4 FC St. Jakob               10    5   3   2    29   21   +8    18
 5 1912 Stelburg              10    5   2   3    27   17  +10    17
 6 FK Metropola Borograd      10    5   2   3    27   19   +8    17
 7 Marlesee 97                10    4   4   2    22   20   +2    16
 8 SW Stahlberg               10    4   3   3    21   22   −1    15
 9 FC Einheit Marnau          10    4   3   3    16   19   −3    15
10 Olympia Borograd           10    3   5   2    22   20   +2    14
11 FC Rotmunde 1932           10    3   4   3    17   13   +4    13
12 FK Pomorie                 10    4   1   5    15   20   −5    13
13 FK Orlovska Bistrica       10    3   3   4    17   18   −1    12
14 FC Kaiserhaven             10    3   3   4    21   24   −3    12
15 Energija Chernovets        10    3   3   4    16   19   −3    12
16 FK Venkovets               10    3   2   5    17   26   −9    11
17 Vrnovo Mesto               10    2   2   6    14   20   −6     8
18 TSV Georg-Blocher          10    2   2   6    12   21   −9     8
19 SV Preisfeld               10    2   0   8    17   32  −15     6
20 TSV Marzig                 10    0   3   7    10   19   −9     3

[Siovanija and Teusland]

RBC Sports Presents

All Hands on Deck - Episode II

”All Hands on Deck” is RBC Sports’ documentary-style look into FC Felsenkirchen 1879’s youth squad, particularly the U19s, as they compete this season in the J. Republikaliga and the IFCF Rising Stars Cup. Our cameras followed players and coaches all season, getting a unique look into both the youth academy of a Republikaliga club and some of the better young players coming up in this country.”

“Stelburger pancakes today,” says Lore Kittel as she sets the table in the kitchen of her family’s home in western Felsenkirchen. Lore’s husband, Hans, also sits down at the table. The two are joined by their 7 year old daughter, Kristina, and 5 year old son, Roland. There’s an empty seat, however, at the kitchen table. “They’re off in Marzig this weekend, so I packed some cookies for Lothas to take on the train. Chocolate chip, they always get great reviews,” says Lore, smiling.

The Kittel family are one of the ‘billet families’ working with FC Felsenkirchen 1879 to house youth players who don’t come from the city. The players live with the family, have their needs taken care of by the family, and the situation helps make the transition to living in a big city easier. “My parents used to billet for the Red Wings,” Lore says, referring to the Felsenkirchen Red Wings junior hockey team. “So we wanted to stay involved in that type of thing, and help people out.”

Whenever the club takes in a new academy player from outside the Felsenkirchen area, they go to great lengths to ensure the fit is a good one. “Oh, we interview the family, of course, get an idea of what the player’s living situation will be like. But we also talk to the player - what was it like for him at home, is he ok with having young children around, pets, lifestyle, anything you can think of that might affect his performance and development, we take into account,” says Felsenkirchen youth team staffer Adam Jost. “The Kittel family have been on our list for a while now, we’ve gotten great feedback on them in the past from players, and we thought it was really the perfect place for Lothas to go.”

Meanwhile, on board a Teussische Bahn train from Felsenkirchen to Pomorie/Marzig, Lothas Ludwig passes out the cookies. “Are these Frau Kittel’s again?” asks Jesper Porsche. “Of course,” answers Ludwig. Porsche takes a bite - “Tell her they’re incredible again,” he says. Ludwig smiles back, as all the players eagerly come forward to grab a cookie or two.

“They’ve been incredible,” says Ludwig talking about the Kittels. “It was obviously a huge adjustment - coming to another country, in a city I’d never been before, and they were there for me the whole time. Frau Kittel is just so nice, so welcoming. Herr Kittel - he’s a big football fan, but really just a great guy who’s taught me a lot as well. And the kids - it’s always nice to talk to them or just relax and do something as a family.”

By the time the train pulls into Marzig, it’s about 4:00 in the afternoon, and the team decides to head down to the waterfront to do some tourism. “When you’re growing up, it’s so much in the car and straight to the field, that while you’ve been all around the country, you haven’t seen much of it. I’ve been to Marzig at least 4 times, this might be the first time I’ve actually seen it,” says Paul Steinhausl. The squad visit the old port of Marzig, as well as St. Gustaf’s Fort, one of the biggest landmarks of the city. Finally, they finish up with a dinner at one of the restaurants along the port, and head off to be early - it’s a noon start for the game tomorrow.

“Lads, we’ve had two performances that weren’t of the quality we want to deliver. Now, look, everyone knows Marzig are always tough at this level, but if we put in the performance we want, we can beat them. Get out there and get the job done, lads,” says manager Josef Baumann before the game.

Back in Felsenkirchen, the Kittel family have the game live on their television. “Blues TV usually shows all of the youth team’s games, sometimes if it’s a big one - like if they play Rotmunde - it gets put up on the local channels. But we always get together and watch them - sometimes with the Schantz family, too.” The Schantz family are the billets for Jesper Porsche. “And when they play at home, we always try and get to the games if we can,” says Hans Kittel.

On the pitch, the Blues fail to live up to expectations. In fact, it’s an extremely disappointing performance from them. Jesper Porsche makes a bad mistake to give the ball away in the midfield, and Marzig go up 1-0. It’s 3-0 at the half, and Josef Baumann is fuming. “Might want to turn the cameras off,” he says - and we aren’t sure if he’s joking or not.

“F*** me, is that a performance any of you are proud of? I f****** hope not! It’s f****** embarrassing!” Baumann kicks over a garbage can. “You have 45 minutes to go out there and prove that this was a fluke, an aberration. Have some f****** pride in the shirt, you want to play for the senior team one day? It’s not going to happen with performances like that.” Baumann’s players are fired up to get back out for the second half.

Marzig, however, put the squeeze on them in the final 45. The Blues look much better, actually able to string a few passes together, but the home side are just too good on this day. They add one more goal, making it 4-0, and Felsenkirchen are left with nothing on the day. “We’ve obviously got a lot to work on,” says Baumann as he exits the dressing room. The trip back from Stahlberg was a good atmosphere - this one was not. A 4-0 loss is never fun, and a six and a half hour train trip afterwards is even less so. No euchre this time - most of the players sit quietly in their seats, headphones in.

Hans Kittel is waiting at the Felsenkirchen Central Station, alongside several other family members of the players. “It’s always tough when you lose like that - but you just have to offer support, don’t make too big a deal out of it. It’s still early in the season, and one bad loss isn’t going to define it.” It’s almost 11:00 PM by the time the train does pull in, and the players slink off quietly into the night. “They dominated us,” says Ludwig to Kittel. “You’ll just have to get them next time,” says the big man.

Next week is a home game against TSV Georg-Blocher. The newly promoted side aren’t expected to be anything special, but they shock Felsenkirchen on the day, winning the game 1-0. Through 4 games this season, Felsenkirchen have two points, and have only scored once. It’s not a fun feeling being around Mollin right now.

“You almost just feel yourself talking quietly - like, I can tell right now. It’s never a good atmosphere during a time like this, but you’ve just got to dig deep and sort it out,” says Jesper Porsche. This week, the club are travelling to the far-off Siovanijan Southern Islands to take on Vrnovo Mesto. “Everyone knows Vrnovo for, you know, parking the bus and all that - but they have a solid youth team, and they’re always challenging to play, especially on the road,” says Baumann.

Training through the week goes well - Baumann works the players hard, and they seem to be extra-prepared for the match with Vrnovo. “We just want to set things right,” says Jesper Porsche. “Mostly with ourselves - we know we can be a lot better than 0-2-2.”

The senior Felsenkirchen team are taking the train this week - facing Marlesee 97. That means that the club’s private jet is available for the U19s. “Thank God,” says Niklas Mittel. “We flew to Trkev one time on probably the bumpiest ride I’ve ever had. The jet, though - when we’re lucky enough to use it, it’s always a lot of fun.” On Friday afternoon, the players turn up at the Rotmunde Island Airport - about 30 minutes away from Felsenkirchen in enemy territory, Rotmunde - and board the jet to fly south.

Vrnovo is known as the most popular summer resort town in the country, its beaches and bars packed from May 1 to August 31. Summer is over now, however, and the population has dwindled a bit. “We don’t really get to see much of it this time. This trip is kinda in and out. Vrnovo’s a tough one. If you’re doing well, sometimes you get in a few days early, get adjusted. If you’re struggling like we are, they don’t want any distractions,” says Per Holtz. Upon landing, the players go immediately to the hotel for a team dinner, before retiring for their rooms.

Back in their rooms, the players keep themselves entertained. Otto Apt, Jesper Porsche and Timo Nessler are watching a movie together. “It’s a horror movie,” says Apt, laughing. “Timo gets scared sometimes, but it’s all good.” Nessler, not amused, tosses a water bottle in Apt’s direction. Paul Steinhausl and Lothas Ludwig are playing a video game together online - while in some rooms, it is lights out, as Alex Bendel tries to grab some sleep before tomorrow’s game.

The message from Josef Baumann to his team before this one was quite simple. “I can’t say anything more, boys. It’s been 4 weeks and we don’t have a win yet. Don’t you f****** want one? Then get out there and get it done.” The coach knows how to strike a nerve with his players, that’s for sure.

Back in Felsenkirchen, the Kittels are watching the game on television. “They’re going to win this week, I can feel it,” says Lore. Hans nods. As young Roland begins to speak up, however, movement happens on the TV:

”Krukenberg gets the ball now, he plays it in to Nessler. Timo Nessler coming forward for Felsenkirchen, he finds Ludwig - Ludwig with the shot, oh he scores! Lothas Ludwig! Felsenkirchen lead Vrnovo Mesto 1-0 here, just 7 minutes in!”

“Yes!” says Lore, and Roland jumps up to celebrate. “I told him he was going to score this weekend, and we’re happy for him to get a goal, like I said, I’ve got a feeling this is going to be a good game.”

Another goal later in the game from Timo Nessler ensured a 2-0 win for FC Felsenkirchen 1879, their first win of the season. It was certainly a celebratory atmosphere in the dressing room after, but the manager was quick to calm things down. “Lads, lads, look - we’ve got a tough stretch of games coming up. 1912 Stelburg are next week, and we’ve got Metropola soon after. We’re also getting into the international stuff as well. Make sure we keep that focus, keep that intensity.”

The flight home is once again a happy one - laughter and cards, happier phone calls home, and also a very happy manager. “It was our best performance this year,” says Baumann. “We stumbled out of the gate, obviously, but this is a chance for the lads to put things right and get going on a bit of a hot streak here. Back in training on Monday, and we’ll be getting ready for 1912. I know a lot of the boys probably have the first international trip circled on their calendars, but we’ve got some work to do before we get there.” This night isn’t too late - the team is back in Felsenkirchen by 9PM, and the players are eager to get some rest.

Monday morning at Mollin, the squad gather together to eat breakfast. “Now, look at Jesper here grabbing the last cinnamon bun, that’s a professional move. Just pushing Niklas out of the way there, I’m Jesper Porsche, who are you? Not a big deal,” jokes Bastian Kracht. Porsche replies: “Basti, you’re always the first to grab something off my plate when we go out, so take it down a bit.” All in good fun, of course - as we see when Kracht sneaks a strawberry off Porsche’s plate moments later when he isn’t looking.

There is some serious business to be done this morning, however. “I’ve just got off the phone with Leonard Wagner, of course, the senior team manager. They’re playing against NK Kraljgrad in the Cup midweek, giving a few of the starters a rest, and they want Lothas to go up and join them in training and get some minutes in the game. We’re going to prank him a bit,” says Josef Baumann.

Back in the breakfast room, all of the other players - in on the joke - refuse to sit with Lothas Ludwig. Ludwig questions Jesper Porsche as to what’s going on, but Porsche doesn’t reply. After a few minutes sitting alone, an announcement goes out asking Ludwig to report to Baumann’s office. Ludwig is still confused, looking at our camera crews for help - and finding none. The players ignore him as he leaves, starting to laugh. When Ludwig reaches Baumann’s door, the joke continues.

“Lothas, please, sit down. I’ve got some news. Pack your bags, you’re going to Kraljgrad.”

“Kraljgrad? I’ve been sold?”

“The plane leaves tomorrow at 10AM. Mr. Wagner will be in contact with you.”

“Wait, plane? Mr. Wagner?”

“Lothas, you’re going to be joining the senior team for their Cup tie against NK Kraljgrad this week. We’re all quite excited for you, it’s going to be a great opportunity for you to show how far you’ve come in your time here.”

Ludwig and Baumann hug, the player finally realizing what had been going on. The entire team is waiting outside the office, too, and there’s a celebratory mood around the squad for the rest of the day.

“Honestly, I thought I’d been transferred or something. Seriously, though, it’s one of the best days of my life, and I just hope I can repay the manager’s trust in me with a good performance here.”

When Ludwig gets back home to the Kittel household, he tells the family the news. There’s great excitement around the dinner table, hugs all around, and a question from Lore: “Do you think they’ll like the cookies too?”

[Siovanija and Teusland]

Republikaliga Season IX - Part II

Matchday 11

FC Einheit Marnau 2–2 SV Preisfeld
TSV Georg-Blocher 0–0 FK Venkovets
FK Orlovska Bistrica 0–1 FC Kaiserhaven
Vrnovo Mesto 1–0 FK Metropola Borograd
Energija Chernovets 3–2 FC St. Jakob
SW Stahlberg 0–1 FC Teussen Stelburg
Marlesee 97 3–1 FK Pomorie
FC Felsenkirchen 1879 2–2 TSV Marzig
Olympia Borograd 2–1 FC Rotmunde 1932
Zvezda Vlaikograd 2–5 1912 Stelburg

One criticism of Marnau this year has been that besides Horacio Bastanchurry, no-one seems to be scoring. Those doubts were rested somewhat when Arno Heller and Cezary Helmuth scored in a 2-2 draw, however, the fans at the Marnaustadion want to see more consistency. TSV Georg-Blocher shut up shop against Venkovets, and it worked out well as they secured a draw. Orlovska Bistrica tried a similar trick, but FC Kaiserhaven couldn’t be stopped, a great play by Bobby East finished calmly by Wolfgang Rieder to give them the win. Metropola Borograd’s slide continues, they struggled creating chances on the road against Vrnovo and fell to a 1-0 defeat. Energija Chernovets gave their home crowd something to cheer with a 3-2 win over FC St. Jakob, the goals coming from Nikolov, Cespedes and Hristov. FC Teussen Stelburg played a good, clean game against SW Stahlberg and secured a 1-0 win on a cool night. Teussen are 9-1-1 in the league, but have a tough run of games ahead of them: against Felsenkirchen, Olympia Borograd and 1912 Stelburg over their next 5 matches. Marlesee 97 were 3-0 up on Pomorie just 25 minutes in and hung on for a win. Ole Sauer has Marzig looking much better now, and while they are still bottom of the league, a point on the road against the defending champions is a big step forward - Horst Hackl had the equalizing goal late in the match that gives them some new hope. Olympia Borograd got a winning goal late from Lojze Kokalj to defeat Rotmunde 2-1, and 1912 Stelburg put themselves back on track with a triumphant 5-2 win over Zvezda Vlaikograd on the road. Rafa Mesmer was the star the day with 2 goals, but Momodou Sene also deserves praise for his playmaking efforts as well.

Matchday 12

SV Preisfeld 3–1 1912 Stelburg
FC Rotmunde 1932 3–2 Zvezda Vlaikograd
TSV Marzig 6–4 Olympia Borograd
FK Pomorie 4–4 FC Felsenkirchen 1879
FC Teussen Stelburg 5–2 Marlesee 97
FC St. Jakob 5–1 SW Stahlberg
FK Metropola Borograd 3–1 Energija Chernovets
FC Kaiserhaven 0–0 Vrnovo Mesto
FK Venkovets 0–0 FK Orlovska Bistrica
FC Einheit Marnau 3–1 TSV Georg-Blocher

1912 Stelburg’s big win last week wasn’t enough for them to build upon this week against SV Preisfeld, and they fell to a disappointing 3-1 loss that has them missing an opportunity to gain some ground in the table. Zvezda Vlaikograd suffered a second straight loss, 3-2 against FC Rotmunde 1932. Rotmunde have been performing admirably so far in the league despite the loss of several key pieces, and have now moved up to 10th. TSV Marzig get their first win of the season - and in the best way possible, at home against Olympia Borograd. The home side shocked the Greens with 2 goals in the first 10 minutes, and while it was a bit of a see-saw game after that Marzig looked comfortable the whole way. Their fans sung the praises of new manager Ole Sauer at the final whistle - a scene not present in the away end, where fans chanted Denis Dezelac’s name and booed their team at the final whistle. FC Felsenkirchen 1879 laboured to a draw against Pomorie - they’ve looked vulnerable at the back this season, Useternix and Hopkins still developing chemistry together. The club will need them to figure it out before next week - when they face FC Teussen Stelburg. Under heavy rain at the Franz-Gorz-Stadion, Teussen managed a 5-2 win over Marlesee 97 to keep their lead at the top of the table, which is now 10 points. Next week’s clash between the two clubs might have massive implications for the season as a whole, namely, if anyone will be able to challenge Teussen at the top. It’s St. Jakob who are in second place, with a big 5-1 win over SW Stahlberg. They’ve really looked in-tune so far this season, and even though they are ten points off the top it’s still been a strong start. Metropola Borograd finally grabbed a win, at Energija Chernovets’ expense, with Andrey Bunev looking quite the player in a 3-1 triumph. Kaiserhaven couldn’t find a way past Vrnovo’s rigid defence, and Venkovets and Orlovska Bistrica had no answers in a 0-0 draw. Chrysler, Bastanchurry and Artur Preissner with the goals in a 3-1 win for Marnau over Georg-Blocher.

Matchday 13

TSV Georg-Blocher 2–2 SV Preisfeld
FK Orlovska Bistrica 0–1 FC Einheit Marnau
Vrnovo Mesto 0–0 FK Venkovets
Energija Chernovets 3–2 FC Kaiserhaven
SW Stahlberg 1–1 FK Metropola Borograd
Marlesee 97 3–2 FC St. Jakob
FC Felsenkirchen 1879 3–3 FC Teussen Stelburg
Olympia Borograd 1–0 FK Pomorie
Zvezda Vlaikograd 3–1 TSV Marzig
1912 Stelburg 2–2 FC Rotmunde 1932

TSV Georg-Blocher’s loss last week had allowed TSV Marzig to gain some ground on them at the very bottom of the pack, and they almost slipped up again this week - but a late header off a corner from Kayak saved the day. Orlovska Bistrica against Marnau was a battle between two young forwards putting together marvelous seasons so far - Marian Hovlak and Horacio Bastanchurry. On this day, however, it was the Farf man in charge with the winning goal. Vrnovo Mesto kept a clean sheet for a second straight week in a 0-0 draw, while Energija Chernovets dug deep and came out with a 3-2 win over FC Kaiserhaven. Enigma Armageddon had three assists in that one, including a beautiful pass on the winner from Koyaanisqatsi. Ragnar Targaryen’s early goal for SW Stahlberg gave their fans some hope that they might be able to get a big win at home against Metropola - but it wasn’t to be, and Boris Bachev’s late strike made it 1-1. Marlesee 97 defeated St. Jakob, who slipped out of second place after the loss. Olympia Borograd’s Lojze Kokalj had the winner against FK Pomorie, while in a heated affair Zvezda Vlaikograd defeated TSV Marzig 3-1 - red flares everywhere after the win. 1912 Stelburg’s Demjko Izvanic was a super-sub once again with the late goal at home to secure a draw with Rotmunde.

It was perhaps the most hyped-up match in Republikaliga history - Felsenkirchen against Teussen. They played three times last year, and each was filled with drama: red cards, near-fights, studs-up tackles, projectiles from the stands… you get the picture. Felsenkirchen took the league title, Teussen won the Cup - defeating the Blues in the final. “There’s obviously unfinished business here, and our aim is to go out and crush them on Sunday,” said Lukas Tauscher. Tauscher has been right at the centre of the controversy, calling Felsenkirchen a ‘small club’ in an interview this summer. From the Blues’ perspective, the game was taking on a different feel: “We need to get things going for our own season this year, so if we get drawn into what happened last year, it won’t be what we need,” said manager Leonard Wagner. What happened last year wasn’t going to be ignored, however, when these two teams took to the field. You could sense the tension in the air at kick-off, and at the first crunching tackle just moments later as Adam Wolf slid into Linus Segert.

Mario Kogler scored the first goal of the game just 10 minutes in, and proceeded to celebrate directly in front of the home support, causing a number of rocks and coins to be thrown his way. Kogler seemed to revel in the tension, however, as he scored again a few minutes later to put Teussen up 2-0. The Black and Gold seemed willing to bait Felsenkirchen into getting their tempers high: Teussen players constantly seemed to be talking to their Felsenkirchen counterparts, trying to get in their heads, and the individual battle between Wolf and Segert was one to highlight. Before halftime, Johannes Mandl had put Felsenkirchen back on the board at 2-1, setting up a huge second half.

Coming back out for the second half, Teussen’s Heinrich Bahr seemed to provoke some anger in Felsenkirchen’s Ubul Kuruc, the two were pictured shouting at each other in the tunnel and when things restarted, Kuruc made a strong tackle on Bahr just a few minutes in. Felsenkirchen seemed to be picking themselves back up, however, and earned a free kick on the edge of the box - taken by Linus Segert and put in the goal via the head of Samuel Hopkins. 2-2 now with 25 minutes remaining - but there was drama to be found yet. Mario Kogler nearly completed the hat-trick, but his effort was off the post. Mario Pfitzner would find the back of the net, however, to put Felsenkirchen up 3-2 - and now it was Teussen needing to calm things down. They would at the last possible moment: Kurt Witzel’s pass finding Lukas Tauscher who tucked it home to make things 3-3. The Felsenkirchen players and supporters were furious, however, believing that the goal was offside, and they crowded the referee. The Teussen players naturally joined the crowd, and the Wolf-Segert feud culminated with Segert pushing Wolf to the ground. Segert yelled that Wolf was diving, the Teussen players surrounded Segert, and the Felsenkirchen winger saw red. All in all, it was another day of drama that ended 3-3 between these clubs.

“I’ve already been fined this year, but I’m just going to tell it how I see it: the refereeing so far has been a joke. That goal was clearly offside, you can see it on the replay, and I cannot imagine how he’s missed it. And to send off Linus - Wolf could’ve been gone 20 minutes before that with all of the things he’s done this game, same with Bahr, Eicher, any of them. The referee lost control of this game, and that is the fact,” said Leonard Wagner in an explosive post-match rant. Wagner received a one-match touchline ban for his comments. Teussen manager Kasper Knauer was quick to reply, saying “He’s quick to accuse us of everything under the sun, yet I don’t think I’ve seen a game that Felsenkirchen have lost this year where he hasn’t criticized the referee right after. He wants to talk about facts, well, there’s a big one.” These two teams meet again on Matchday 32 - right in the middle of the title race. It should be explosive. Teussen will now turn their eyes to the National Derby next week against Olympia Borograd, while Felsenkirchen will travel to St. Jakob with an opportunity to pick up some points.

Matchday 14

SV Preisfeld 4–3 FC Rotmunde 1932
TSV Marzig 0–1 1912 Stelburg
FK Pomorie 1–0 Zvezda Vlaikograd
FC Teussen Stelburg 1–0 Olympia Borograd
FC St. Jakob 1–3 FC Felsenkirchen 1879
FK Metropola Borograd 1–3 Marlesee 97
FC Kaiserhaven 1–1 SW Stahlberg
FK Venkovets 4–4 Energija Chernovets
FC Einheit Marnau 3–1 Vrnovo Mesto
TSV Georg-Blocher 0–1 FK Orlovska Bistrica

This is a decent run for SV Preisfeld - four matches unbeaten, and wins over big teams like 1912 Stelburg and now FC Rotmunde 1932, who they defeat 4-3 thanks to a winning goal from Werner Schott. TSV Marzig fought hard against 1912 Stelburg, but in the end it wasn’t to be: a Ludwig Plessner goal gives the Bluebirds the three points. FK Pomorie’s Bozhidar Dimitrov found the back of the net in a 1-0 win over Zvezda Vlaikograd, while FC Felsenkirchen 1879 were in fine form even without Linus Segert - a 3-1 win over FC St. Jakob gives them 3 points and carries them to second in the table now - 10 points back of Teussen. Marlesee 97’s great season continues, Ingolf Kruger earning praise with 2 goals in a 3-1 win over Metropola Borograd. SW Stahlberg keep blowing leads late, with Norbert Ahrendt equalizing in stoppage time for Kaiserhaven for a 1-1 draw. FK Venkovets led Energija Chernovets 4-1 at one point - with Chernovets fans fearing the worst again. On the field, though, the Canaries leaders - mainly Enigma Armagedon and Viktor Dimitrov - took charge and kept working as the team pulled out a draw. “This result can change our season,” said Dimitrov, as the club now sit in 10th position. Marnau were the team to finally break Vrnovo’s great run, 3-1 the final in that one, while Marian Hovlak had the winner for Orlovska Bistrica over TSV Georg-Blocher, the two promoted clubs meeting for the first time this year.

The first meeting this season of the National derby also took place this weekend. It’s a very different moment for both clubs. Teussen have been the class of the league so far, with a 10-2-1 record, and sit ten points clear at the top. Olympia have been struggling out of the gate, faced various personnel controversies, and are 9th in the league table. Teussen fans didn’t waste any time riling up their opposing number: “Ludmil Strashilov, we want you to stay!” was the main chant of the evening. It was a rainy evening - as it always seems to be during autumn in Stelburg. In the end, the game was a bit of a let-down compared to the hype the derby normally brings: Olympia were toothless, Teussen not too much better, and in the end Ludwig Reichwein’s strike was the difference. After the match, the Chancellor of the Republic of Teusland, Marc Storch, caused controversy when he appeared to mock his colleague in Siovanija with a social media message: “All heart, all passion, once again. This is beautiful. #KnauerIn.” Compare that to Siovanijan Chancellor Teodor Doskicil’s since-deleted message earlier this year: “No heart, no passion, yet again. This is a disgrace. #StrashilovOut.” Storch’s message quickly became one of the most liked messages of all time on the platform, and #KnauerIn trended across Teusland as fans mocked their biggest rivals. “Two big wins in as many weeks - and we’ve got another derby coming up soon. It’s been a great run, and we’re just hoping it continues,” said Teussen captain Ludwig Reichwein.

Matchday 15

FK Orlovska Bistrica 0–1 SV Preisfeld
Vrnovo Mesto 1–0 TSV Georg-Blocher
Energija Chernovets 4–2 FC Einheit Marnau
SW Stahlberg 3–1 FK Venkovets
Marlesee 97 1–1 FC Kaiserhaven
FC Felsenkirchen 1879 3–2 FK Metropola Borograd
Olympia Borograd 1–2 FC St. Jakob
Zvezda Vlaikograd 1–4 FC Teussen Stelburg
1912 Stelburg 1–2 FK Pomorie
FC Rotmunde 1932 1–2 TSV Marzig

Make it 5 in a row unbeaten for SV Preisfeld after a 1-0 win today, and they sit 15th in the league now, having pulled themselves up after a very poor start. TSV Georg-Blocher aren’t looking good, however, and are now officially in last place in the league after a 1-0 loss to Vrnovo Mesto. Energjia Chernovets took some energy out of last week’s big comeback in Venkovets and pieced together a 4-2 home win over FC Einheit Marnau, Brahian Cespedes had the key goal in the win. Ferry, von Bergen and Wentzel had the goals for Stahlberg in their win over Venkovets, while young Norbert Ahrendt continues to have a good year for Kaiserhaven with a late equalizing goal. Felsenkirchen struggled against Metropola Borograd early, going down 2-0 in the first half, but they rallied for a late comeback - including a Rolf Seyfried goal deep into stoppage time to take the lead - to maintain second position in the league. We can only talk about the discontent with Olympia Borograd so much, but it continues to rumble in their fanbase thanks to a 2-1 loss against FC St. Jakob. There's a growing divide in the fanbase over the Kynev-Dezelac question, however. Some fans can’t understand how the club would want to get rid of a perennial Golden Boot candidate, others argue that Kynev comes up short in big games and that Dezelac has a big-game mentality. The only thing that appears certain is that it’s going to be a long year in the capital - especially with a massive Borograd derby fixture coming up next week. FC Teussen Stelburg handled Zvezda Vlaikograd with ease in a 4-1 win, their supporters mocking Zvezda supporters dislike of the club throughout the game with various banners and chants. 1912 Stelburg, meanwhile, lost to FK Pomorie at home - the Bluebirds have been kind of lost in all the early-season roar. Between the great success of Teussen, and the struggles of clubs like Olympia and Energija, the Bluebirds’ record of losing games against lower-class opponents hasn’t received a great deal of mention. They’ll get an opportunity to create some noise next week, however, when they travel to the Franz-Gorz-Stadion for the Stelburg derby match with Teussen. Finally, TSV Marzig are now officially off the bottom of the league table thanks to a 2-1 win over Rotmunde. Ole Sauer has really pulled the team around, and looks to have a strong chance of winning the permanent job - the next step is now getting out of the relegation zone.

Matchday 16

SV Preisfeld 0–0 TSV Marzig
FK Pomorie 0–5 FC Rotmunde 1932
FC Teussen Stelburg 4–5 1912 Stelburg
FC St. Jakob 2–3 Zvezda Vlaikograd
FK Metropola Borograd 1–1 Olympia Borograd
FC Kaiserhaven 1–3 FC Felsenkirchen 1879
FK Venkovets 1–1 Marlesee 97
FC Einheit Marnau 3–3 SW Stahlberg
TSV Georg-Blocher 2–5 Energija Chernovets
FK Orlovska Bistrica 0–1 Vrnovo Mesto

SV Preisfeld’s streak continues at six in a 0-0 draw with Marzig, but it’s the Gulls that probably come away happier with a point gained in their race to stay up. They also got to watch hated rivals FK Pomorie get totally dismantled by FC Rotmunde 1932 5-0, which is always a big plus. Zvezda Vlaikograd came from behind to win against FC St. Jakob, Nwabudike Ugonna being the star of the day. It’s really been a collective effort for the Reds so far this year, however, with the trident of Ugonna, Bliznakov and Sinisa Gaspersie forming a great line behind Drago Ward, who has picked up right where he left off last season. Felsenkirchen shored up second position in the league and closed the gap to 7 points with a 3-1 win over FC Kaiserhaven, while Venkovets and Marlesee drew 1-1. Horacio Bastanchurry scored a late penalty to earn a point for FC Einheit Marnau, Marnau trailed 3-1 in that game before coming back. Energija Chernovets are finally looking like the team we expected them to be, Brahian Cespedes had two in a 5-2 win over TSV Georg-Blocher. Vrnovo Mesto beat FK Orlovska Bistrica thanks to a late goal on the counter from Konstantin Nikolov.

The fixture generator was feeling quite generous this year: giving us the Borograd and Stelburg derbies on the same matchday, one week after the National derby. We start in the national capital. There was an anxious feeling around both teams coming into this one. FK Metropola Borograd started the season well, but have slumped a bit recently and are now down in 9th place, only 1 point ahead of Olympia Borograd. The Greens, meanwhile, have stumbled through this season ever since that loss in the Challengers’ Cup, and fans have been very critical of the teams. Each side was quite eager for a win today. Neither would get it, however. Valko Tinchev scored the opening goal for Metropola - much to the anger of Olympia fans still calling him ‘Judas’ after that transfer cross-town a few seasons ago. Tinchev knew exactly what he was doing celebrating in front of the Olympia support, and police had to calm things down in the Olympia end afterwards - multiple bottles were thrown at Tinchev during his celebration. Olympia were not down and out, however - Krasimir Kynev scored the equalizing goal late on in the second half, which should silence some doubters of the striker that claim he never produces in big games. He did today, and Olympia have a point because of it.

In Stelburg, it was a rare sunny day as FC Teussen Stelburg hosted 1912 Stelburg at the Franz-Gorz-Stadion. Teussen were 10 points clear at the top, and 14 points clear of their city rivals going into the game. 1912 Stelburg were desperate to change the headlines in the city: “We know we have the potential to be at that level, and tomorrow we’re going to go out and show it,” claimed Helek-Nenzi Ono in the buildup to the game. Teussen were coming into the game with all the momentum, having defeated title rivals Felsenkirchen and hated rivals Olympia in recent weeks. On the day, however, it was the Bluebirds singing loudest. Ono put money where his mouth was with a goal in the first half, and additional markers from Mesmer and Tegeler made it 3-1 at halftime. Teussen would roar back in the second half, goals from Tauscher and Kogler making it 3-all, but 1912 Stelburg kept their heads and refocused. Momodou Sene would score a free kick, and Henri Oldenbourg grabbed a goal off the bench to make it 5-3. Even a Ludwig Reichwein goal in stoppage time couldn’t kill the mood of the Bluebirds supporters in the away end, who got to celebrate an all-time great derby day win for their team. “Beautiful. Every minute of it was perfect - now let’s keep that up every week,” said one 1912 fan on his way to the subway afterwards.

IFCF Cup Winners’ Cup - Second Round First Leg

Olympique de Rimouski (QUE) 0-2 FC Teussen Stelburg

FC Teussen Stelburg grabbed a strong win on the road to start their second round tie with Quebecois side Olympique de Rimouski off right. Lukas Tauscher had both goals in the win, and now Teussen will come back to the Franz-Gorz-Stadion with the opportunity to close out the tie.

Matchday 17

Vrnovo Mesto 1–2 SV Preisfeld
Energija Chernovets 1–2 FK Orlovska Bistrica
SW Stahlberg 2–3 TSV Georg-Blocher
Marlesee 97 1–0 FC Einheit Marnau
FC Felsenkirchen 1879 2–0 FK Venkovets
Olympia Borograd 4–4 FC Kaiserhaven
Zvezda Vlaikograd 4–5 FK Metropola Borograd
1912 Stelburg 3–1 FC St. Jakob
FC Rotmunde 1932 2–1 FC Teussen Stelburg
TSV Marzig 1–1 FK Pomorie

SV Preisfeld’s seven-game unbeaten run is a record in the Republikaliga for them, and Nestor McGowan’s goal means they take 3 huge points from their trip to the southern islands. It was another bump in the road for Energija Chernovets as they fell 2-1 to FK Orlovska Bistrica - certainly a disappointing result, but one they can’t complain too much about: they outplayed and outchanced the Eagles all day, and simply got unlucky. TSV Georg-Blocher boosted their chances of avoiding relegation with a massive 3-2 win on the road over SW Stahlberg. Hermann Parler has been the club’s best player this year, and he was rewarded for his efforts with the winning goal. Marlesee 97 and FC Einheit Marnau played a mostly-even game on a freezing cold day in Marlesee, but the home side seemed better adapted to the weather and in the end won on an Ingolf Rosen goal. Felsenkirchen’s win over FK Venkovets brings them to only 4 points off Teussen, thanks to a little help from hated rivals Rotmunde. Olympia Borograd led FC Kaiserhaven 4-2, but a comeback sparked by a free kick goal by Bobby East and a late strike from Wolfgang Rieder meant it was only 1 point each on the day. Zvezda Vlaikograd and Metropola Borograd played a match that could be considered the best of the season to date. The teams went back-and-forth all game long, and things stood at 3-3 in the 85th minute. Drago Ward made it 4-3 a minute later, before Metropola were given a penalty right at the end of 90, which Branimir Glanchev tucked in to tie things up. All the delay meant 7 minutes of stoppage, and at the last possible second of the 90+7, Andrey Bunev added the winner. 1912 Stelburg continued from their fine form in the Stelburg derby with a strong 3-1 win over FC St. Jakob. The Bluebirds are now 3rd in the league and 8 points behind their rivals. FC Teussen Stelburg stumbled this week after the disappointing derby defeat. Rotmunde came out to play, and Teussen simply couldn’t compete. Werner and Thibodeux had the goals in a 2-1 win that is Teussen’s third loss of the season, and second in a row.

The last few weeks in the Republikaliga have been quite chaotic. We’ve had Teussen take on Felsenkirchen in a hot-tempered game, a National derby, the Borograd and Stelburg derbies, and all within the last 4 weeks. These weeks of high-stakes games are capped off by one of the biggest derbies in the country, the Pomorie-Marzig Derby. It was Ole Sauer’s first time in charge of his team in the derby, and he spoke on the occasion. “The first day I was here, I was walking down the street and someone said ‘Ole, we won’t care if you go 2-0-36, as long as you beat Pomorie.’ Everyone at this club - and everyone in this country - knows what the game means to both teams' fans, and we’re hoping to bring our best today.” Pomorie striker Bozhidar Dimitrov also spoke pre-match: “If you beat them, half the city is in a full-on celebration for the entire week, and if we lose, it’s just gloomy over here. No one wants that, we want to bring home a win for the fans to enjoy.” Pomorie are certainly in better form coming into the match, 6-2-8 so far this year in 13th place. Marzig, meanwhile, are battling relegation and are 2-5-9 in 19th. The game itself would see some wild swings and moments, but overall, all of the major action happened within a 10 minute window in the second half. Marzig struck first, getting a goal from Takashi Matsumoto to go 1-0 up. Just 3 minutes later, however, a horror tackle from Henry Loffler on Bozhidar Dimitrov left the latter reeling in pain on the floor. Loffler saw red, Dimitrov was carted off, and moments after Naphtali Keegan scored the equalizer. 1-1 would be the final score. There was drama post-match, where Pomorie fans waited outside the Marzig bus and threw coins and various other projectiles towards Loffler. Pomorie manager Demitar Zherkov gave an update on Dimitrov’s status: “It’s serious. We have to wait and see with the MRI, but I don’t expect him back soon.” The loss of their top striker could be a huge moment in Pomorie’s season.

IFCF Cup Winners Cup Second Round - Second Leg

FC Teussen Stelburg 1-1 Olympique de Rimouski

The Quebecois side scored early to give some cause for concern amongst the Teussen support, however, they recovered with a second half goal from Bastian Boltzmann to send them through to the Round of 16. It’s a trip to Schottia in the cards for the club, as they will take on Port Patrick United.

Matchday 18

SV Preisfeld 5–4 FK Pomorie
FC Teussen Stelburg 4–1 TSV Marzig
FC St. Jakob 2–5 FC Rotmunde 1932
FK Metropola Borograd 4–3 1912 Stelburg
FC Kaiserhaven 1–3 Zvezda Vlaikograd
FK Venkovets 2–1 Olympia Borograd
FC Einheit Marnau 3–4 FC Felsenkirchen 1879
TSV Georg-Blocher 1–1 Marlesee 97
FK Orlovska Bistrica 2–5 SW Stahlberg
Vrnovo Mesto 0–4 Energija Chernovets

SV Preisfeld are in their best run of form ever in the top tier, and they get by a Pomorie team that was without their number 1 striker, Bozhidar Dimitrov. Dimitrov’s injury is said to be serious, and is expected to keep him out for most of the rest of the season. That's a concern for Pomorie supporters - but if they can score 4 in their first game without him, perhaps it isn’t too big a worry. FC Teussen Stelburg got back on track after two losses in a row as they crushed Marzig 4-1 - Teussen led 3-0 at halftime and never really looked back. Meanwhile, FC Rotmunde 1932 claimed some revenge for that 8-2 drubbing two seasons ago by FC St. Jakob with a 5-2 win at the Draistadion. FK Metropola Borograd get a great result at home against 1912 Stelburg, winning through a late goal from Andrey Bunev who has really stepped it up this year after a strong rookie season last year. Metropola have now taken 6 points off the Stelburg clubs so far. Zvezda Vlaikograd’s 3-1 win over FC Kaiserhaven was highlighted by a brilliant Leopold Bliznakov free kick goal, while a see-saw game in Marnau saw Felsenkirchen eventually come away with the 3 points and keep up with Teussen. Johannes Mandl fired in the winner for them, but the man of the match was Falcon Case. Marlesee 97 were held to a draw by TSV Georg-Blocher, Marlesee have really been outperforming expectations this season and find themselves in 3rd place. SW Stahlberg crushed FK Orlovksa Bistrica to return to the wins column, while a clinical performance by Energija Chernovets on the road is a big 3 points for them. “We need to keep finding ways to win, and pull ourselves right back into this fight,” said Viktor Dimitrov post-match.

IFCF Champion’s League Group Stage

   Group E                      Pld  W  D  L  GF  GA  GD Pts     VIL    STL    PAS    BRE
1  Eastal Lunar             VIL   6  4  1  1  11  10   1  13      -     0-4    2-1    2-1  
2  FC Felsenkirchen 1879    STL   6  3  3  0  14   6   8  12     2-2     -     2-2    2-0
3  Hellinic Rouge           PAS   6  1  2  3  10  11  -1   5     0-2    0-2     -     3-3
4  Rozelle                  BRE   6  0  2  4   8  16  -8   2     2-3    2-2    0-4     -

FC Felsenkirchen 1879 are advancing in the Champions’ League! The club actually went undefeated throughout the group stage, with a 3-3-0 record. The biggest win was clearly the 4-0 victory over Eastal Lunar on the road, with Johannes Mandl scoring twice in the win, and the Blues also pulled off 2-0 wins over both Rozelle and Hellinic Rouge. They defeated each team in the group, keeping clean sheets in every game, and also drew 2-2 with each team in the group. In the end, that gave them a key 12 points and enabled them to advance as the second place team. Felsenkirchen have been drawn against Audioslavian side Cazadores Cathair in the Round of 16. Reaction to the draw was optimistic amongst the Blues squad: “Caza are a strong side, definitely, but we intend on giving them the best we can. There’s no doubt about it, we really want to win this tie and we think we can make a good run in this competition,” said Johannes Mandl afterwards.

IFCF Challengers’ Cup Group Stage

   Group A                      Pld  W  D  L  GF  GA  GD Pts     TSb    FpU    MpA    AbP
1  FC Teussen Stelburg      STL   6  2  4  0  12  10   2  10      -     2-2    1-1    1-1  
2  Freeport United          FPT   6  1  4  1   9   9   0   7 *   1-2     -     1-1    2-2  
3  Metropolis Alligators    VLD   6  1  4  1  11  11   0   7 *   3-3    2-2     -     1-3  
4  Asbury Park FC           CBP   6  1  2  3   9  11  -2   5     2-3    0-1    1-3     -   
*  Tie broken by head to head goals scored away from home

FC Teussen Stelburg also went undefeated in their group stage campaign in the Challengers’ Cup, a 2-4-0 record good enough to win Group A. The two vital wins both came on the road, with Teussen defeating both Freeport United and Asbury Park FC to secure the group title. Teussen move on to the Round of 32 in a competition that’s quite valuable to them this season. The Franz-Gorz-Stadion is hosting the Challengers’ Cup Final - wouldn’t it be nice to see the club go on a bit of a Cinderella run and try and contest the final on home turf? The road to Stelburg starts with Schottic club Port Sebastian, who were sent to the Challengers’ Cup earlier this season by Felsenkirchen. The winner of that tie will face the winner of the series between Arlington City (ZWZ) and 1093 de Atlantea (TAE). “Everyone here has the goal of trying to make a good run here, and we obviously know what it would mean to try and reach that final. It’s going to be a tough road, though, and we’ll have to be at our very best the whole way,” said Mario Kogler on the draw.

Matchday 19

Energija Chernovets 3–3 SV Preisfeld
SW Stahlberg 3–2 Vrnovo Mesto
Marlesee 97 1–1 FK Orlovska Bistrica
FC Felsenkirchen 1879 2–0 TSV Georg-Blocher
Olympia Borograd 6–2 FC Einheit Marnau
Zvezda Vlaikograd 2–1 FK Venkovets
1912 Stelburg 1–0 FC Kaiserhaven
FC Rotmunde 1932 0–1 FK Metropola Borograd
TSV Marzig 2–1 FC St. Jakob
FK Pomorie 0–4 FC Teussen Stelburg

9 games unbeaten! SV Preisfeld are 5-4-0 after a 2-0-8 start, and it’s got them all the way up to 12th in the table. This week, they managed to take a point at a very difficult match on the road in Chernovets. They’ll be in trouble next week, however, against FC Teussen Stelburg. Ragnar Targaryen wouldn’t be held off the scoresheet even by Vrnovo Mesto, and he scored the key winning goal in Stahlberg’s 3-2 win. Marlesee 97 held the lead for 83 minutes after an early strike by Elias Eicke, but Marian Hovlak’s late tally brought Orlovska Bistrica an important point. Felsenkirchen’s Samuel Hopkins and Ciriko Useternix have really clicked together now, finding their chemistry, and a clean sheet today against TSV Georg-Blocher helps keep the club second in the table. The Blues defence is the best in the top 5 as well, a record they can be proud of. Olympia Borograd exploded for 6 goals in a thrashing win over FC Einheit Marnau, Krasimir Kynev scoring a hat-trick which should be a good response to his critics. Zvezda Vlaikograd had to fight hard against Venkovets, but Sinisa Gaspersie turned in the winner that takes them to 4th in the league. Rafa Mesmer scored from the spot in 1912 Stelburg’s win over Kaiserhaven, while Valko Tinchev had Metropola’s only goal in a win over Rotmunde. Ole Sauer faced the club he played for for the first time as Marzig hosted St. Jakob. It was his new club winning on the day, however, with Horst Hackl getting the winning goal for Marzig. FC Teussen Stelburg have scored 8 in their last 2 games since losing two in a row, and a 4-0 domination of FK Pomorie shows they are back in form.

IFCF Cup Winners Cup Round of 16 - First Leg

FC Teussen Stelburg 2-0 Port Patrick United (SCT)

Another first leg 2-0 win for Teussen in the Cup Winners’ Cup, and it’s a good lead to have as they travel to Schottia for the second leg. Kogler and Eicher had the goals for the club, and they can take a lot of confidence with them into the second leg.

Matchday 20

SV Preisfeld 1–4 FC Teussen Stelburg
FK Pomorie 2–3 FC St. Jakob
TSV Marzig 3–2 FK Metropola Borograd
FC Rotmunde 1932 2–4 FC Kaiserhaven
1912 Stelburg 3–4 FK Venkovets
Zvezda Vlaikograd 4–3 FC Einheit Marnau
Olympia Borograd 3–2 TSV Georg-Blocher
FC Felsenkirchen 1879 2–0 FK Orlovska Bistrica
Marlesee 97 3–2 Vrnovo Mesto
SW Stahlberg 0–1 Energija Chernovets

SV Preisfeld’s unbeaten run ends at nine - but there’s no shame losing to a Teussen squad at the top of their game right now, having outscored opponents 12-2 over their last 3 games. They are top of the league for a reason, and it’s up to everyone else to figure out a way to stop them. FC St. Jakob recovered from last week’s loss to Marzig to defeat Pomorie, 3-2 the final, with Erwin Bahnsen picking up the winner. The good times continue for Marzig under Ole Sauer, however - he’s now gotten them wins over Olympia Borograd, FC St. Jakob and FK Metropola Borograd. The latest win saw goals from Olaf Viermetz, Horst Hackl and a winner from Benedikt Tetzlaff. FC Kaiserhaven put 4 past Rotmunde, Bobby East picking up two assists, while 1912 Stelburg were stunned at home against FK Venkovets. The Vs took a quick 2-0 lead, and while Stelburg would fight back it wasn’t enough - Valter Tomsic and Roman Marek each scored in the second half of a 4-3 win. Zvezda Vlaikograd also won 4-3, Drago Ward getting two goals in the victory over Marnau. Olympia Borograd have looked much better the last two weeks, and the noise around the team is quieting a bit - although beating the 20th placed team at home is expected for a club like the Greens, which they did in a 3-2 win. A second straight clean sheet for Felsenkirchen, this time over Orlovska Bistrica, while Marlesee 97 got a brace from Ingolf Kruger to send them past Vrnovo Mesto. Stahlberg and Chernovets played a tight defensive battle that in the end was only settled by a first-ever Canaries goal from Akhil Sibal. The Zwangzug international right back intended to send in a cross, but instead found the back of the net. “We’ll take it,” said manager Apostol Manevski. “We needed a lucky break like that right now.”

IFCF Cup Winners’ Cup Round of 16 - Second Leg

Port Patrick United 0-0 FC Teussen Stelburg

Teussen have put in several strong performances when they’ve needed to grind out a result, and you can add this one to the list. Under the lights in Port Patrick, they were very physical and forced the home side to play into their game. In the end, it meant a 0-0 draw and a date with Oakstone in the Quarterfinals.

President’s Cup Third Round

1884 Felsenkirchen 1–4 Zvezda Vlaikograd
FC Einheit Marnau 0–1 FC Kaiserhaven
SK Republika Borograd 3–1 NK Siovanska Gora
Vrnovo Mesto 1–0 FK Metropola Borograd
Rudar Draijagrad 2–2 FC Teussen Stelburg (3–3 AET) (4–3 pen.)
Rudar Trkev 3–1 TSV Tarnitz
FC Felsenkirchen 1879 2–0 NK Vrnovo
FK Venkovets 0–0 FK Raketa Bukovets (0–0 AET) (9–8 pen.)

Some quite shocking results here! Zvezda Vlaikograd had no problem handling 1884 Felsenkirchen, the game was over by the end of the first half as Zvezda built a 3-0 lead. Norbert Ahrendt had a famous winner for Kaiserhaven as a strong Cup run for them continues. There will be only one club from Borograd in the Quarterfinals - and who could’ve predicted it would be second-tier SK Republika Borograd? They knocked out NK Siovanska Gora 3-1 in the ‘battle of the underdogs’, while FK Metropola Borograd had no answers on their trip south to Vrnovo. Mesto will advance in their place. The big shock of the round, however, is FC Teussen Stelburg’s loss on penalties to Rudar Draijagrad. Draijagrad have claimed some big-name victims, but Teussen are certainly the biggest. The visitors were playing catch-up all night, and with Heinrich Bahr and Kurt Witzel missing penalties for Teussen, the second tier side advance. It’s the first time in 5 seasons that Teussen won’t reach the Cup Final, meaning the competition is wide open. Rudar Trkev took care of TSV Tarnitz at home, while the current holders Felsenkirchen knocked out NK Vrnovo 2-0. In a wild penalty shootout that followed a comparatively boring game, FK Venkovets knocked out FK Raketa Bukovets.

With Teussen out, there is a new hope for plenty of clubs here. 5 of the 8 Quarterfinalists are from the Republikaliga, but with the way the draw has worked out we are guaranteed to have 1 non-top division semifinalist. SK Republika Borograd will host Rudar Draijagrad - again a battle of the underdogs, with Draijagrad fresh off their all-time biggest win over Teussen. Vrnovo Mesto will host Rudar Trkev, FC Kaiserhaven will host FK Venkovets, and the biggest tie of the round will see Zvezda Vlaikograd host FC Felsenkirchen 1879. You have to think that whoever comes out of that game as the winner will be favourites to take home the prize. Another interesting note to mention is that 6 of 8 Quarterfinalists are from Siovanija. In the modern era, the President’s Cup has only been won twice by a Siovanijan club - once by Olympia Borograd (season II) and once by TSV Marzig (season IV). Marzig, however, would be very unhappy to be grouped in with Siovanija - so realistically, a true Siovanijan club has not won the Cup since season 2. When you add in the Siovanijan title drought running from season 3 (also Olympia Borograd), it’s a great opportunity for a Siovanijan club to take some silverware back west over the mountains.

With 20 games completed, we are just over halfway through the Republikaliga season. It’s a perfect time to reset and check-in with the league table. We’ll be back soon with continued coverage of the Republikaliga season!

#  Republikaliga             Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
 1 FC Teussen Stelburg        20   15   2   3    63   34  +29    47
 2 FC Felsenkirchen 1879      20   13   4   3    47   30  +17    43
 3 Zvezda Vlaikograd          20   11   3   6    49   39  +10    36
 4 Marlesee 97                20    9   8   3    41   35   +6    35
 5 1912 Stelburg              20   10   3   7    52   39  +13    33
 6 Energija Chernovets        20    9   5   6    45   39   +6    32
 7 FK Metropola Borograd      20    9   4   7    47   39   +8    31
 8 Olympia Borograd           20    7   7   6    45   41   +4    28
 9 FC St. Jakob               20    8   3   9    50   47   +3    27
10 SW Stahlberg               20    7   6   7    40   42   −2    27
11 FC Rotmunde 1932           20    7   5   8    41   33   +8    26
12 FC Einheit Marnau          20    7   5   8    38   45   −7    26
13 SV Preisfeld               20    7   4   9    40   52  −12    25
14 FC Kaiserhaven             20    5   7   8    36   42   −6    22
15 FK Venkovets               20    5   7   8    30   42  −12    22
16 FK Pomorie                 20    6   3  11    30   47  −17    21
17 FK Orlovska Bistrica       20    5   5  10    23   31   −8    20
18 Vrnovo Mesto               20    5   4  11    23   35  −12    19
19 TSV Marzig                 20    4   6  10    28   38  −10    18
20 TSV Georg-Blocher          20    3   5  12    23   41  −18    14

[Siovanija and Teusland]

RBC Sports Presents

All Hands on Deck - Episode III

”All Hands on Deck” is RBC Sports’ documentary-style look into FC Felsenkirchen 1879’s youth squad, particularly the U19s, as they compete this season in the J. Republikaliga and the IFCF Rising Stars Cup. Our cameras followed players and coaches all season, getting a unique look into both the youth academy of a Republikaliga club and some of the better young players coming up in this country.”

“Look at that, what a move! What a player. President’s Cup, ever heard of it?” Bastian Kracht’s comments crack up the Felsenkirchen players as they sit around and watch Lothas Ludwig make his senior debut for the club, in the President’s Cup tie against NK Kraljgrad. The match ended 3-1 for the Blues - Ludwig getting an assist on Felsenkirchen’s second goal - and the side advanced to the second round of the Cup. “We’re gonna have to make sure his head doesn’t get too big, of course, so I was already trying to find some things we can make fun of during that game,” continues Kracht, very much the jokester on the team.

When Ludwig returns to Mollin, however, there’s little time for jokes - the club have a very busy schedule to get through before beginning their Rising Stars Cup group stage campaign. It kicks off against 1912 Stelburg just a few days later - and the Blues get a good 2-1 win. They’re rewarded with a flight to Borograd on the club jet to face Metropola, which is another win 1-0. “Everything feels like it’s coming together with our group,” says Jesper Porsche. “We seem to have put that little slide at the start of the year behind us.”

There’s more struggles to come for the club, however. At home against FK Venkovets, a 3-1 lead is turned to a 3-3 draw within the final 15 minutes of the second half. Another draw follows the week after - 1-1 against FK Pomorie. An emotional home loss to FC Teussen Stelburg comes the next week, and just precedes the Blues’ opening game of the Rising Stars Cup against Hellinic Rouge at home.

“I don’t know if you could tell from that game, but we hate those b*******,” says Bastian Kracht. Felsenkirchen and Teussen has always had more emotion in it than many games - the provincial city and the old imperial capital going head to head. Recently, since Felsenkirchen’s rise to the top of the table, there’s been an additional edge. Each player on these teams saw Axel Richter’s studs up tackle on Mario Pfitzner, the Teussen supporters throwing coins at Pfitzner, and all the bad blood on display in the Cup Final.

And so, in the game between the two youth sides, each are eager to prove that the hate bleeds through at all levels. Bastian Kracht pushes a Teussen player celebrating his goal. Niklas Mitter is sent off late in the game for a bad challenge. And when Teussen’s Bastian Boltzmann scores the second goal in a 2-0 win, he gives a ‘shhh’ gesture towards the Blues bench. “Lads, this one’s done, don’t do anything stupid,” calls out manager Josef Baumann from the bench. When all is said and done, the Blues are fuming - and Teussen have run out 2-0 winners.

“So there’s a bit of a chip on our shoulder for this one, certainly,” says Paul Steinhausl ahead of Felsenkirchen’s clash with Hellinic Rouge. Niklas Mitter talks to the team as well: “Lads, I let you down at the weekend, but it’s a new day today, and we need to get out there and get our campaign off to the best start possible.” The manager has some words for his squad as well. “Lads, it all begins tonight. We’ve been talking about this competition for a long time, and what our goals are - and if you want to actually go out and achieve them, that all starts here. Tonight. Let’s get going.”

The Pasargan side, however, have goals of their own - two, in fact. There’s a decent crowd out here at Mollin Park in southwestern Felsenkirchen, tons of Blues fans taking advantage of the cheap tickets: “I’ve been wanting to see, you know, what everyone is talking about with this team - guys like Porsche, Ludwig, Steinhausl obviously. You hear about them being the next generation, so for 10 tolars, why not?” The Kittel family are also in attendance tonight. “We try to get to the home games whenever possible, and tonight is a big game for them - kicking off the international campaign, so being out to support Lothas and all of the kids is definitely something we’re in for,” says Lore Kittel. Those fans are disappointed tonight though. Two first half goals from the Pasargans, and they take home the 3 points in the opener.

“Not our night lads, not our night.” Josef Baumann isn’t too harsh on his team after that performance - “You can’t fault them, they simply got outplayed. We have to go back to the drawing board, and get things ready to go before our trip to Brenecia. It’s not going to get any easier, so the lads will need to be fully prepared.”

It’s the players who seem to take the loss hard. “I don’t know what went wrong. Usually when you lose, you can point to a few things - I thought we played excellent. What’s important though, is now we know what it takes to get up to the international standard,” says Otto Apt. Lothas Ludwig says “It’s always hard when your best just isn’t enough. But we’ll be back.”

The loss, however, marks a bit of a slide for the Blues in the league: that weekend, they lose 6-3 to Energija Chernovets. “Disgraceful. Dis-f******-graceful, lads. You played so well against Hellinic, so now you’re just going to sit back and give up? Come off it! You all want to be professionals, do you think Johannes Mandl, Ciriko Useternix - do you think those guys give up after one bad game?” The manager is furious at his team after the result. “I don’t like being harsh on them, really - you might not have that impression, though. I just want to see them successful, and sometimes they need a kick in the back to get there.”

The kick worked - for now, at least. Hosting FC St. Jakob, a goal from Lothas Ludwig is enough to give the Blues the win. That night, they board a flight in Felsenkirchen that’s Esportiva-bound - heading to Brenecia. “No, never been,” says Timo Nessler. “Obviously I’ve seen a bit of the league, from when (Ivo) Romanov was over there - I guess he was at Rozelle, yeah. And with Michael (Ribbeck) too. But I’ve never been.” Only one player, in fact, has ever been outside of Atlantian Oceania before.

“I’ve got family in Prinz-Eugens-Land,” says Otto Apt. It’s a common theme for many Teus - plenty of settlers went to the overseas colonies in the days of the old Empire. “I was in Kapstadt once - I just remember it being super hot. Lovely city, though.” The club jet would actually stop in Kapstadt for fuel before making its way to Brenecia, for the second game of the Rising Stars Cup group stage.

This is the reality of youth football - it’s a dark, dreary night in Brenecia when the Blues take on Rozelle, and of the few fans who’ve made the trip tonight, none of them are supporting the boys in navy blue. The Saints manage to take the lead early, but a goal from Nessler evens things at 1-1 before the halftime whistle. In the second half, Rozelle again take a lead - but late in the game, the Blues earn a penalty. Lothas Ludwig steps up to take.

“Come on mate! All you,” calls out Jesper Porsche from behind. Ludwig, however, is totally focused - and he smashes in the penalty, tying up the score and earning a point for Felsenkirchen. “There’s a lot of positives and negatives we can take from that, lads - but first off, I hope everyone enjoyed their first taste of international football. There’s more to come for all of you, I’m sure, and the road to success is paved through games like these. We’ve got a long flight home now - get some rest, and be ready for the weekend.”

The midweek travel, however, takes a bit of a step out of Felsenkirchen. Up 2-0 against Marlesee 97 on the road, they go down 3-2 before a goal from Krukenberg evens things up at 3 for a final. “Marlesee’s a bit of a weird one, they see us as a big rival, but honestly, I’ve never really felt it,” says Per Holtz. “They do - for us, it’s Rotmunde and Teussen, but they want to start something with us. They’re always ready to play against us, and it’s tough for us sometimes to match that level,” adds Otto Apt.

With a full week to prepare, however, the club have no trouble handling FK Orlovska Bistrica. A 2-0 win for the Blues, pulling them to 11th in the J. Republikaliga table after their poor start. The most difficult part of the trip, in fact, is the 9-hour train ride afterwards - the senior squad needed the club jet this weekend. What do you do on a trip that long? “You can only play cards for so long,” says Jesper Porsche. “At some point you just have to put them away, put the headphones in and try and get some sleep.” Others, like Helmut Kadelburg, turn to books: “It’s a history book about the Great War. I had a lot of family fight in that war, so it’s very interesting to me.”

There’s no travel for Felsenkirchen this week, either - they’ll be hosting Eastal Lunar at home. “We’re looking at it like a must-win. Things are still up in the air, obviously, but we don’t like our chances without winning one of the first three games,” says Josef Baumann. Once again, plenty of fans pile into Mollin Park for the game. “Well, pay 10 tolars to see our U19s against Eastal Lunar front row, or 30 to see the senior team from row Z? I’ll watch the Champions’ League game on television tomorrow. It’s also about supporting the kids - they’re the future of our club,” says one fan bundled for the chilly fall evening in a blue scarf.

The fans are delighted with Bastian Kracht’s goal just 8 minutes into the match that gives Felsenkirchen the lead. But they are significantly less thrilled when Eastal Lunar tie the game in the 84th minute, meaning the Blues must settle for a second straight draw. The club have been winless through 3 in the Rising Stars Cup, and things aren’t looking good for their potential advancement - they’ll need at least two wins, and are on the road for two of their final three. “Our motto all year has been all hands on deck, and we need them now more than ever. Look, it’s not going to be easy - but I have faith in our boys to get the job done,” says manager Baumann to Blues TV cameras. In the locker room, however, it’s a much different speech: “Three games left. Play with pride, play for the badge, play for whatever drives you - dig deep and pull out the results we need.”

There’s a short turnaround here as well - game at the weekend, then off to Pasarga for a midweek clash with Hellinic Rouge. The advice to dig deep isn’t taken to heart immediately - the club lose 1-0 at the weekend to Zvezda Vlaikograd. It’s a result they don’t really deserve based on the flow of play - one of those ‘Republikaliga Manager’ finals, where you outshoot your opponents 20-1 and lose 1-0. “We can’t dwell on this,” says Lothas Ludwig. “Did we deserve more tonight? Yes, certainly - but we can’t let that affect our mentality for any other game this year. The only thing that matters is winning the next one.”

By the time the players touch down in Pasarga, the pain of Saturday’s loss is forgotten. The team are ready to go all-out and grab the victory today. Once again, however, they are shocked with the quality of Hellinic Rouge. The Pasargans make full use of their home advantage and go up 3-1 just before the half - causing some words in the dressing room.

“What the f*** are we doing out there!” says Jesper Porsche. A set of goalkeeper’s gloves is thrown across the room by Per Holtz: “Lads, I can’t be making mistakes like that, I’ll shut them down this half.” Manager Baumann lets the players work things out for a few minutes - he doesn’t need to scream this time, they are doing that themselves. “Look, you’re not done yet. It’s two goals, right? Two goal comebacks happen all the time. Get going early, put pressure on them, make them uncomfortable, and let’s win this game!”

Going back out for the second half, the Blues do exactly that. Lothas Ludwig’s second of the game comes just 6 minutes into the half and makes it 3-2. Young players are still raw, prone to mistakes, and with all the pressure on them, Hellinic Rouge start to make a few key errors. One of them, a misplaced pass picked off by Timo Nessler, turns into a counter-attacking surge finished off with a Bastian Kracht goal. The match ended 3-3, securing the Blues a point, and keeping them alive in the race to qualify from the group. “Two games, two wins,” says Baumann afterwards. “All hands on deck.”

The players take all sorts of momentum out of that comeback. At Marnau on the weekend, they crush the Roses, 3-0 the final score. Jesper Porsche was man of the match, and in fact had three assists. “One of the better games I’ve played, definitely. They allowed us a ton of space in the middle, though, and I was able to take advantage of that.” After the game, Marnau manager Stephan Theil tells Porsche that “You can be Thorsten Kramer.” “I’ve heard that comparison a lot, look, it’s obviously nice to be compared to a player of his caliber, but I want to be Jesper Porsche.”

The Blues are home for their midweek Rising Stars Cup contest this time, once again against Rozelle. Each side desperately need a win to move on in the tournament. “I mean, it’s pretty much win or be done at this point,” says Lothas Ludwig. “So we need to get out there and win.” Bastian Kracht cracks up behind him: “Pretty simple stuff, lads.”

It’s the first night of snow in Felsenkirchen on game night, and the chilly temperature adds a bit of an X-factor to this one. “I f****** hate winter,” says Paul Steinhausl. “Not the season, but playing football in it,” he clarifies, not wanting to seem like an outcast in a country where winter is probably the most popular season. You can’t change weather, though, and with some white dusting on the pitch, this one kicks off.

It’s a hard game - both sides playing quite physically, desperate on every challenge. It’s must-win football being played by the Blues and Saints, and you get the feeling that each side’s sheer will ensures it won’t be a tie. It’s still 0-0 at halftime, and there’s a clear focus in the Felsenkirchen room. Florian Krukenberg scores in the 65th minute, and after that, the Blues lock it down: tight, defensive football, preventing Rozelle from getting any opportunity. When the full-time whistle blew, it was a first win in the Rising Stars Cup for the Blues. Great cheering from the home fans out at Mollin Park, and the knowledge that with a win on the final matchday against Eastal Lunar, they’d be advancing. There would be one key clash for them before that game, however: derby week.

[Siovanija and Teusland]

Republikaliga Season IX - Part III

IFCF Cup Winners’ Cup Quarterfinal - First Leg

Oakstone (EUR) 4-1 FC Teussen Stelburg

That should just about wrap up Teussen’s campaign in the Cup Winners’ Cup, unless they can pull out a miracle at home. Lukas Tauscher scored the only goal, and it’s a disappointing night for the club on the road.

Matchday 21

SW Stahlberg 2–3 SV Preisfeld
Energija Chernovets 2–2 Marlesee 97
Vrnovo Mesto 2–2 FC Felsenkirchen 1879
FK Orlovska Bistrica 1–3 Olympia Borograd
TSV Georg-Blocher 1–3 Zvezda Vlaikograd
FC Einheit Marnau 1–3 1912 Stelburg
FK Venkovets 3–3 FC Rotmunde 1932
FC Kaiserhaven 0–1 TSV Marzig
FK Metropola Borograd 3–3 FK Pomorie
FC St. Jakob 2–4 FC Teussen Stelburg

This SV Preisfeld team are certainly one to watch - a strong core of young players coming up, and they’ve put in some great performances over the last run of fixtures and now find themselves 9th in the league after today’s 3-2 win against SW Stahlberg. Energija Chernovets fought hard to come back against Marlesee 97 after going down 2-0, and managed to rescue a point late at home thanks to a goal from Dragomir Nikolov. Felsenkirchen opened the scoring against Vrnovo Mesto, but found themselves down 2-1 at the half and only through a late goal from Samuel Hopkins did they earn a point. Olympia Borograd have shown a bit more consistency as of late, and today they cruised past Orlovska Bistrica with a 3-1 win. Also winning 3-1 were Zvezda Vlaikograd over TSV Georg-Blocher, and 1912 Stelburg over FC Einheit Marnau. Fjodor Provorov, Atzo Gogorza and Boleslav Kovarik had the goals for Venkovets as they came from 3-0 behind to earn a point against Rotmunde. TSV Marzig struggled for most of the match against FC Kaiserhaven, keeping themselves in it through the heroic efforts of Heikki Vantarinen in goal. Vantarinen made several big saves as well as turned aside a penalty in the first half to keep the score level, and Marzig paid him back with a late winner from Olaf Viermetz. FK Pomorie have struggled in recent weeks without forward Bozhidar Dimitrov, but they picked up a strong result today on the road against Metropola Borograd, youth team forward Tibor Wolf scored his first goal for the club on his debut as Pomorie try all options up top. At the Draistadion, it was a thriller between St. Jakob and Teussen. The Saints took the lead 1-0 through Leo Heiden before Teussen scored thrice before the half time whistle. St. Jakob, however, would fight back and Giorgios Dimitriou knocked in a free kick to make it 3-2. Late in the game, the Saints were awarded a penalty with a chance to equalize. Bahnsen’s effort was stopped by Heuser, and a quick turn led to Teussen breaking forward on a counter where Mario Kogler scored his second of the game to make it 4-2. Teussen now have a 6 point lead at the top of the table thanks to the win.

IFCF Cup Winners’ Cup Quarterfinal - Second Leg

FC Teussen Stelburg 1-0 Oakstone

A good performance by Teussen, but unfortunately not enough for them to stay alive in the Cup Winners’ Cup. Ludwig Reichwein had the goal just 12 minutes in, which gave them some hope of a comeback, but it wasn’t to be on this night as Oakstone shut the door from there on out. It’s a quick turnaround now for Teussen, as they jump straight into Challengers’ Cup action.

Matchday 22

SV Preisfeld 1–1 FC St. Jakob
FC Teussen Stelburg 3–3 FK Metropola Borograd
FK Pomorie 0–1 FC Kaiserhaven
TSV Marzig 3–3 FK Venkovets
FC Rotmunde 1932 2–2 FC Einheit Marnau
1912 Stelburg 6–2 TSV Georg-Blocher
Zvezda Vlaikograd 3–0 FK Orlovska Bistrica
Olympia Borograd 3–0 Vrnovo Mesto
FC Felsenkirchen 1879 3–3 Energija Chernovets
Marlesee 97 1–3 SW Stahlberg

Preisfeld keep getting strong results in the league this season, and today’s draw with St. Jakob certainly falls into that category. Louis Brunner had the tying goal late in the game to secure a point for the club, who have only lost once in their last twelve. Teussen and Metropola went back and forth, trading leads all day before Boris Bachev scored late in stoppage time to secure a 3-3 draw for the visiting Violets at the Franz-Gorz-Stadion. FK Pomorie’s goal-scoring troubles really became evident in a 1-0 loss to Kaiserhaven in which they had plenty of chances, just lacked the finish. Pomorie now find themselves 17th in the league, and are certainly now in the relegation dogfight. Their rivals Marzig are also in that fight, and the Knights managed to gain a point this week after an exciting 3-3 draw with FK Venkovets. Marzig’s Horst Hackl had two goals, including one from the penalty spot, in the match. Draws were a theme early in the weekend - Rotmunde’s Campbell Watson scored a header to mark his first goal for the club in a 2-2 draw with Marnau. 1912 Stelburg thrashed TSV Georg-Blocher, who sit 20th with 14 points. It was a brilliant day for the Bluebirds, who saw contributions from Mesmer (2), Sene, Ono, Tremblay-Fillon and Klopfer. On the losing side, however, we understand that TSV Georg-Blocher are very close to sacking manager Martin Kreisel. It’s tough to get rid of the man who led you to promotion less than a season later, but they are currently 6 points adrift at the bottom. If results don’t change soon, Kreisel could be out the door. The other promoted team, Orlovska Bistrica, sit 18th - and their situation did not improve with a 3-0 loss to Zvezda Vlaikograd. Olympia Borograd’s 3-0 win over Vrnovo Mesto has their fans in a much better mood - “It almost feels like the old Olympia again, you know - they’ve got that fire back. I think we can make a real push for the top 4.” The club currently sit 6th, 2 points out of 5th and 5 points out of 4th. The big game of the week was certainly Felsenkirchen against Chernovets, and it lived up to the billing: Mandl (2) and Case on the scoresheet for the Blues, Hristov, Dimitrov and Armageddon for the Canaries. 2 lead changes in the second half meant an exciting 45 minutes of football, and Felsenkirchen stay 6 points behind Teussen. One of Marlesee’s big advantages during the winter is the cold weather, but the only team who might just know it better than they do are Stahlberg - who had no trouble on a frozen day in the north and came away with a 3-1 win.

IFCF Challengers’ Cup Round of 32 - First Leg

Port Sebastian (SCT) 2-3 FC Teussen Stelburg

A massive result for Teussen! Port Sebastian took the lead early in the match, but Teussen didn’t give in and pushed back hard. Lukas Tauscher and Mario Kogler made it 2-1 by halftime, and a goal from the unlikely source of Arno Amstutz moments into the second half made it 3-1. Port Sebastian would score late to make it 3-2, but the away goals as well as the strong performance in the first leg will certainly be bonuses for Teussen.

Matchday 23

Marlesee 97 3–2 SV Preisfeld
SW Stahlberg 3–4 FC Felsenkirchen 1879
Energija Chernovets 2–3 Olympia Borograd
Vrnovo Mesto 2–2 Zvezda Vlaikograd
FK Orlovska Bistrica 1–2 1912 Stelburg
TSV Georg-Blocher 0–2 FC Rotmunde 1932
FC Einheit Marnau 1–2 TSV Marzig
FK Venkovets 3–3 FK Pomorie
FC Kaiserhaven 2–6 FC Teussen Stelburg
FK Metropola Borograd 4–3 FC St. Jakob

There was freezing rain in Marlesee on the day of their match with SV Preisfeld, and while it made the grass quite slippery, it didn’t have too much of an effect on the home side as Elias Eicke, Ingolf Kruger and Ole Jost found the back of the net to lift Marlesee to a win. Felsenkirchen seemed down and out when they went 3-1 behind on the road in Stahlberg, but they sorted themselves out amidst the thick mountain air and came back to win the game 4-3. Eino Kiivala’s runs down the wing were a key part in the win, and the pairing of Ubul Kuruc and Falcon Case did an exceptional job in the second half of keeping the ball. Olympia Borograd have completely shifted the storyline from earlier in the season with a key win against Energija Chernovets, coming away with the 3-2 win. Krasimir Kynev scored twice in the match, and many Olympia supporters are having to eat their words from the beginning of the year. This team is hot right now, and are very much in contention for the IFCF places. Zvezda Vlaikograd missed a penalty late in the game, leaving them frustrated to only take one point home from Vrnovo - at least they got some time in the warm climate, however. This winter has been one of the coldest in recent memory on the mainland. Marian Hovlak broke a 4-match goalless drought, but it didn’t mean much as Orlovska Bistrica still lost 2-1 to 1912 Stelburg. TSV Georg-Blocher fell 2-0 to Rotmunde, and it’s a big week ahead for them. The players held a players-only meeting in the locker room after the loss, and have all publicly commented they are backing the manager. Behind the scenes, it’s understood that Martin Kreisel has been given the next two matches to save his job. The games are against two relegation rivals: away against Marzig, and home against Pomorie. Marzig will be going into the game on good form, with a big win on the road over Marnau as the ‘new manager bump’ under Ole Sauer continues. Pomorie, meanwhile, drew 3-3 with Venkovets after throwing away a 3-1 lead. “We can’t be throwing that away, especially when we’re struggling to find the back of the net,” said goalkeeper Emil Radulov. Teussen annihilated Kaiserhaven, being up 6-0 just 65 minutes in before the Admirals got two consolation goals late - in front of a near-empty crowd, as fans left the game in overwhelming numbers. FK Metropola Borograd kept their IFCF hopes alive, meanwhile, with a strong 4-3 win over St. Jakob - Andrey Bunev has been the big revelation this year, and the Violets currently sit 7th.

IFCF Challengers’ Cup Round of 32 - Second Leg

FC Teussen Stelburg 1-2 Port Sebastian

It’s the first ‘loss’ Teussen have suffered in international competition at the Franz-Gorz-Stadion, but the club are advancing to the Round of 16 in the Challengers’ Cup. The visiting Schottians scored in each half of the game, but Lukas Tauscher’s strike in the 55th minute brought things level on aggregate and secured the win thanks to the 3 away goals Teussen scored in the first leg. While Tauscher and Ewald Heuser are getting most of the credit this year as leading the team through an excellent campaign, the efforts of Heinrich Bahr can’t be ignored. He’s developed into a great playmaking midfielder, one of if not the best in the division, and has been a huge contributor for this Teussen team. In the Round of 16, Teussen will face Zwangzug side Arlington City, a real test if they want to go deep in this competition.

Matchday 24

SV Preisfeld 2–2 FK Metropola Borograd
FC St. Jakob 3–3 FC Kaiserhaven
FC Teussen Stelburg 6–1 FK Venkovets
FK Pomorie 3–3 FC Einheit Marnau
TSV Marzig 3–4 TSV Georg-Blocher
FC Rotmunde 1932 0–1 FK Orlovska Bistrica
1912 Stelburg 3–2 Vrnovo Mesto
Zvezda Vlaikograd 0–2 Energija Chernovets
Olympia Borograd 3–7 SW Stahlberg
FC Felsenkirchen 1879 2–0 Marlesee 97

SV Preisfeld earn another key point as they held FK Metropola Borograd. By now, it’s time to stop talking about them as a relegation battler, and as they now sit 11th in the table seem to be a proper midtable side. Another draw was seen at the Draistadion, where a late goal from Wolfgang Rieder drew Kaiserhaven level with the home side. FC Teussen Stelburg kept up their steamrolling performance in the league at the moment in a 6-1 win over FK Venkovets. That’s two games in a row where Teussen have scored 6 goals, with Lukas Tauscher leading the way with braces in both games. He’s certainly a candidate for the league Golden Ball award this year, and is really seeking to assert himself as the league’s best player. Horacio Bastanchurry drew Marnau level in second half stoppage time to secure a 3-3 draw. TSV Georg-Blocher manager Martin Kreisel was overjoyed with his teams’ 4-3 win on the road over TSV Marzig - it’s saved his job for at least another week. Georg-Blocher were excellent, particularly on the counter, and when Andreas Lettmann turned in the winner it was a moment of great relief for the travelling supporters. They aren’t in the clear yet, of course - and have an important game against FK Pomorie coming up next week. But it is a sign of better days ahead. Orlovska Bistrica shocked Rotmunde 1-0 on the road thanks to a Rudolf Macek goal, Rotmunde have slipped down the table in recent weeks after a strong start to the year. 1912 Stelburg grabbed a key win over Vrnovo Mesto that keeps them firm in third, especially due to Zvezda Vlaikograd’s loss to Energija Chernovets. That win means a lot to the Canaries, who are now up to 7th and just 2 points out of 5th place and the last IFCF spot despite their horrible start to the year. Felsenkirchen avenged their loss to Marlesee earlier this season with a strong performance, a clean sheet and 3 points to keep pace with Teussen.

Olympia Borograd and SW Stahlberg have played some wild matches in their history - the 3-3 draw that saw fighting in the tunnel post-match, or the 5-4 game in which Ragnar Targaryen scored 5 goals. It’s a bit of an unlikely rivalry - other than seasons 3 and 4, which for these squad are most certainly in the past by now, the teams have never really been competitive rivals. But every so often, they give us a thrilling match - and that was the case today at the Olimpski-Stadion in Borograd. SW Stahlberg exploded to put 7 (seven) past the Greens, and took a 4-1 lead even before halftime. Louis von Stroheim and Ragnar Targaryen had two goals each, Andreas Wentzel, John Ferry and Jonas Breukelen added the remaining tallies. Stahlberg lead by as much as 7-1 before late Olympia goals from Ivo Romanov and Icarus Darsten made things a bit less embarrassing. Still, that wouldn’t stop the Greens from being booed off the pitch at the end of the match. While much of the early-season drama surrounding manager Ludmil Strashilov and forward Krasimir Kynev is in the past, this match has opened some old wounds and the Greens will need a big performance next week.

Matchday 25

FC Felsenkirchen 1879 3–2 SV Preisfeld
Marlesee 97 0–3 Olympia Borograd
SW Stahlberg 2–1 Zvezda Vlaikograd
Energija Chernovets 0–1 1912 Stelburg
Vrnovo Mesto 0–3 FC Rotmunde 1932
FK Orlovska Bistrica 0–3 TSV Marzig
TSV Georg-Blocher 2–2 FK Pomorie
FC Einheit Marnau 1–1 FC Teussen Stelburg
FK Venkovets 3–3 FC St. Jakob
FC Kaiserhaven 0–4 FK Metropola Borograd

Felsenkirchen had to fight hard on Friday evening at home against SV Preisfeld, but in the end pull out a strong 3-2 victory that takes them only 4 points back of FC Teussen Stelburg in the table. Olympia Borograd recovered from last week’s shocking defeat to smash Marlesee 97 for three goals, from the boots of Kynev, Tokei and Kokalj. SW Stahlberg took some confidence from last week, however, to defeat Zvezda Vlaikograd 2-1. Stahlberg started out of the gate hot, before slumping through a large part of middle of the year. They seem to be back, however, and have firmly re-entered the race for the top 5 - now only four points out. Energija Chernovets will be disappointed with their 1-0 loss at home to the Bluebirds, especially when they were denied a penalty in the final moments of the game. Replays showed that the referee had in fact made the wrong decision, much to the anger of Chernovets’ manager Apostol Manevski. Rotmunde crushed Vrnovo Mesto, who have been slipping in recent weeks and now sit 19th in the table and are officially in danger of being relegated. Horst Hackl’s hat-trick saw Marzig defeat Orlovska Bistrica and pull themselves up to 14th in the table. Since Max Schillinger was sacked on matchday 6, Marzig under Ole Sauer have picked up 27 points in their last 19 games. Martin Kreisel is safe in the TSV Georg-Blocher job for another week after an important draw with FK Pomorie, but next week’s game with FC Teussen Stelburg will certainly have massive implications. Teussen will surely be wanting a big win after this week’s disappointing draw with Marnau, where Horacio Bastanchurry was the story again with a great goal from the edge of the box. Valter Tomsic scored late for FK Venkovets in a 3-3 draw with St. Jakob, while FK Metropola Borograd simply had too much class for FC Kaiserhaven. Boris Bachev, Valko Tinchev, Andrey Bunev and Jerat-Jonto Jan had the goals in the 4-0 win.

IFCF Champions’ League Round of 16 - First Leg

FC Felsenkirchen 1879 0-2 Cazadores Cathair (AUD)

FC Felsenkirchen 1879 had been hoping for a good result from this first leg, but they do not get it - and although Gentza Bedigax put in an excellent performance, as he’s done all year for the club, it wasn’t enough to bail his boys out from a mostly timid performance. Felsenkirchen must now travel to Audioslavia and come home with a big win if they are to stay alive in the Champions’ League.

IFCF Challengers’ Cup Round of 16 - First Leg

FC Teussen Stelburg 0-3 Arlington City (ZWZ)

Two big home losses for the Republikaliga clubs left in IFCF competition this week - and Teussen’s has them with very little chance of moving on. Zwangzugian visitors Arlington City dominated play for most of the night, and had complete control of the game. They are certainly going to be hoping to make it all the way to the Final and have another magic night at the Franz-Gorz-Stadion. First, however, they’ll have to avoid a stunning collapse at home.

Matchday 26

SV Preisfeld 3–3 FC Kaiserhaven
FK Metropola Borograd 5–3 FK Venkovets
FC St. Jakob 2–2 FC Einheit Marnau
FC Teussen Stelburg 0–0 TSV Georg-Blocher
FK Pomorie 2–1 FK Orlovska Bistrica
TSV Marzig 1–0 Vrnovo Mesto
FC Rotmunde 1932 3–4 Energija Chernovets
1912 Stelburg 2–1 SW Stahlberg
Zvezda Vlaikograd 2–2 Marlesee 97
Olympia Borograd 2–1 FC Felsenkirchen 1879

Preisfeld continue their rise up the table with a strong 3-3 draw against FC Kaiserhaven, they currently sit 13th in the league and have almost certainly achieved their pre-season goals of avoiding relegation. FK Venkovets had managed to hand some pain to their neighbours in Borograd last season, but this year FK Metropola Borograd avoided that and instead sent the visiting Vs packing after a 5-3 home win. FC Einheit Marnau were down 2-0 at the half against their rivals St. Jakob, but goals from Banquo Chrysler and Horacio Bastanchurry put them back in the game and saw them split the points. TSV Georg-Blocher earned perhaps their defining result of the year, a 0-0 draw against FC Teussen Stelburg were they shut the door with discipline and held firm. It’s convinced the board that Martin Kreisel is the man to keep them up, and he’ll be in the driver’s seat the rest of the way. FK Pomorie got Bozhidar Dimitrov back this week and the man scored both goals in an important win over FK Orlovska Bistrica. Marzig win again thanks to a free kick scored by Olaf Viermetz, and they now sit 12th in the table - something nearly unthinkable after their horrid start. Koyaanisqatsi, Cespedes, Armageddon and Nikolov had Energija Chernovets’ goals as they came from behind to win against Rotmunde. Chernovets are now 7th, and while they are looking to go even higher have done well to recover from a poor start. 1912 Stelburg make it two wins in a row against in-form opponents, as they stopped SW Stahlberg at the 1912-Stadion. Helek-Nenzi Ono had both goals for the Bluebirds in the win. Marlesee 97’s Elias Eicke scored from the spot twice in a controversial match between Zvezda and Marlesee; Zvezda’s players were not happy when Franc Kolar was sent off in the second half in the build-up to the first penalty.

The match of the week was undoubtedly Olympia Borograd hosting FC Felsenkirchen 1879. Olympia needed a result in a big game to restore their fan’s hopes in the team as they sit 6th in the table, while the Blues had an opportunity to go only 2 points back of Teussen thanks to the Stelburg outfit’s draw with TSV Georg-Blocher. This was a very tight game, not much given up in the way of chances - Roman Forsberg arguably the man of the match for Olympia. They defended well, especially after giving up a goal early to Johannes Mandl. After that, however, things calmed down significantly, and Lojze Kokalj evened things up with a goal just before the half. In the second half we seemed to be heading towards a 1-1 final, but Krasimir Kynev knocked in a winner with just minutes to go. The great celebrations in the Olympia end said it all - this was the win they needed to fully reset the season, and make a true challenge for the IFCF places.

Matchday 27

Olympia Borograd 1–2 SV Preisfeld
FC Felsenkirchen 1879 3–3 Zvezda Vlaikograd
Marlesee 97 2–3 1912 Stelburg
SW Stahlberg 1–1 FC Rotmunde 1932
Energija Chernovets 3–2 TSV Marzig
Vrnovo Mesto 0–0 FK Pomorie
FK Orlovska Bistrica 0–1 FC Teussen Stelburg
TSV Georg-Blocher 1–0 FC St. Jakob
FC Einheit Marnau 4–1 FK Metropola Borograd
FK Venkovets 2–1 FC Kaiserhaven

For all the talk of a reset last week, Olympia Borograd certainly didn’t look up to the task today as the slipped their way to a 2-1 loss to SV Preisfeld in the rain. It was a character win for Preisfeld however, who got the winner courtesy of Nestor McGowan’s long effort. After a 2-0-8 start, the Bees have been 7-7-3 since and are now 11th. In a preview of the upcoming Cup Quarterfinal match, Felsenkirchen and Zvezda managed a 3-3 draw. It’s not one either side will be happy with, with both teams letting leads slip in the game. Felsenkirchen in particular will be disappointed with going 7 points back of Teussen, while Zvezda just miss out on giving themselves a steadier position in 4th. As he has been so many times in the past, Demjko Izvanic served up some late heroics with a winning goal for 1912 Stelburg over Marlesee 97. For much of the year, the title race has seemed to be a two-way race between Teussen and Felsenkirchen. But with the Bluebirds now just 1 point behind Felsenkirchen in second, things seem to be opening up a bit. Bastian Mendel blasted in SW Stahlberg’s opener from ranger, but another long drive from Otso Ilkannen meant the match ended even. Energija Chernovets survived a tricky match with TSV Marzig, Brahian Cespedes scoring the winner that takes the Canaries level on points with FK Metropola Borograd in 5th. Vrnovo Mesto and FK Pomorie played arguably the most boring match of the season, ending 0-0 with only 1 shot on target between them. FK Orlovska Bistrica attempted to shut down Teussen in the same manner as Georg-Blocher last week, but it didn’t go as planned when Heinrich Bahr scored just 4 minutes in. The Eagles would actually earn a chance to get back in it with a late penalty, but Ewald Heuser made a huge save. Heuser has really stepped up this season, and could honestly be a Golden Ball candidate in his own right - Teussen have conceded the fewest goals of any team in the top 5. TSV Georg-Blocher are on quite a run right now - it seems like they’ve really bought in and will be giving everything to avoid relegation as we approach the final run in. Marnau grabbed a huge win over FK Metropola Borograd, 4-1 the final in that one. Metropola will be reeling from that loss, as they had the chance to move up to 4th and put some points between themselves and city rivals Olympia this week. Finally, FK Venkovets grab an important three points with a win over FC Kaiserhaven. The south coast side, however are really struggling this season and Kaiserhaven now find themselves 17th. They are only 4 points clear of 18th, and will be needing wins to avoid a relegation play-off.

IFCF Champions’ League Round of 16 - Second Leg

Cazadores Cathair 1-3 FC Felsenkirchen 1879 (AET)

What a night in Cathair! Incredible scenes as FC Felsenkirchen 1879 pull off a miracle to overturn a 2-0 deficit from the first leg to win their Round of 16 tie with Cazadores Cathair. It’s the first time ever that a Republikaliga club has won a Champions’ League playoff tie. Felsenkirchen led 2-0 before going into extra time, where Cathair actually opened the scoring. It looked as if the Blues were down and out, but a goal from Johannes Mandl in the extra frame sends them through. Felsenkirchen will face Jungle Strike FC of Vilita in the Quarterfinal, a difficult matchup.

IFCF Challengers’ Cup Round of 16 - Second Leg

Arlington City 1-0 FC Teussen Stelburg

No miracle would be found in Zwangzug, however, as FC Teussen Stelburg fall to a 4-0 aggregate defeat against Arlington. Still, it’s a run in the tournament that the club can be proud of and look to improve on next season. They’ll be hoping, however, to be in the Champions’ League as league winners. The one positive for the club is that, as they are now out of both the Cup and all international competitions, they can be totally focused on the title run-in.

Matchday 28

SV Preisfeld 1–0 FK Venkovets
FC Kaiserhaven 2–1 FC Einheit Marnau
FK Metropola Borograd 3–3 TSV Georg-Blocher
FC St. Jakob 3–4 FK Orlovska Bistrica
FC Teussen Stelburg 4–3 Vrnovo Mesto
FK Pomorie 2–3 Energija Chernovets
TSV Marzig 1–1 SW Stahlberg
FC Rotmunde 1932 3–2 Marlesee 97
1912 Stelburg 1–3 FC Felsenkirchen 1879
Zvezda Vlaikograd 1–2 Olympia Borograd

Matheo Reiter had SV Preisfeld’s winner in a 1-0 victory over FK Venkovets. It was a mostly tame game with Reiter’s goal the only real action. Kaiserhaven picked up an important win over Marnau this week, with a Norbert Ahrendt penalty capping off the performance with a great result for the club. Speaking of huge results - TSV Georg-Blocher are now unbeaten in 5 games, including some results against pretty strong opposition. Today’s 3-3 draw with FK Metropola Borograd saw defender Kayak head in the equalizer, and moves them up to 19th place in the league. There’s clearly much more work to be done for them to avoid relegation, but it’s a strong start. Big wins at the bottom of the table seemed to be a theme today as FK Orlovska Bistrica defeated FC St. Jakob 4-3. Marian Hovlak boosted his Young Player of the Year credentials with a brace, but for St. Jakob, back to back losses against the 20th and 18th placed teams in the league is not a good look. The only team in the bottom 3 not to win were Vrnovo Mesto - but they certainly gave it their all against FC Teussen Stelburg. Not many teams are scoring on the black and gold this year, but Vrnovo managed 3 - and for over half the game held the lead. Teussen were clinical, however, and Heinrich Bahr’s clean drive won them the game. Energija Chernovets are officially back in an IFCF place for the first time this season - and while it may have taken them 28 more matches than they’d have liked, it’s been an excellent second half for the club. Today’s win saw them beat Pomorie 3-2, with Taras Maksimov scoring the winner late. A couple of midfielders, Olaf Viermetz and John Ferry, traded goals for Marzig and Stahlberg in a 1-1 draw, while Ignace Thibodeux had the winner for Rotmunde over Marlesee, 3-2 the final.

Two huge games rounded out the action on Monday evening. Firstly, 1912 Stelburg hosted FC Felsenkirchen 1879 in a huge match for both teams. The winner of the game would be 2nd in the table, and look to be the clear option to challenge Teussen at the top. Pre-match predictions handed the edge to 1912, with their home advantage, but on the day Felsenkirchen were clearly on another level. The centre back duo of Useternix and Hopkins were a wall, the midfield of Case and Kuruc dominated play, and up front, Johannes Mandl was clinical with two goals. Linus Segert had the other in the second half to secure the 3-1 win. There was another massive six pointer on the day, with Olympia Borograd taking on Zvezda Vlaikograd in an important battle for the IFCF places. Zvezda opened the scoring through Drago Ward, but the visitors would come back in the second half: goals from Kynev and Kokalj gave them a 2-1 win and sends Olympia Borograd up to 4th in the league - Zvezda now sit 6th.

Matchday 29

Zvezda Vlaikograd 1–2 SV Preisfeld
Olympia Borograd 2–1 1912 Stelburg
FC Felsenkirchen 1879 2–1 FC Rotmunde 1932
Marlesee 97 0–1 TSV Marzig
SW Stahlberg 2–1 FK Pomorie
Energija Chernovets 3–3 FC Teussen Stelburg
Vrnovo Mesto 0–1 FC St. Jakob
FK Orlovska Bistrica 1–3 FK Metropola Borograd
TSV Georg-Blocher 5–2 FC Kaiserhaven
FC Einheit Marnau 4–1 FK Venkovets

Zvezda Vlaikograd’s poor run of form continued this week with a home loss against SV Preisfeld that sees them slide to 7th place in the league - while Preisfeld rise to 10th. Olympia Borograd, however, would get a key win for their IFCF chances. Krasimir Kynev and Ivo Romanov had the goals as the Greens defeated the Bluebirds 2-1, giving Olympia a bit of comfort in 4th and drawing 1912 Stelburg within their reach. 1912 are now 7 points behind 2nd place, and 5 points ahead of 4th. Horst Hackl knocked in the winner for Marzig on the road to Marlesee - in a notably warmer environment now as spring dawns on the country. Ragnar Targaryen’s two goals bring him back into the Golden Boot conversation after a 2-1 win over FK Pomorie. Chernovets and Teussen went back and forth across the 90 minutes - with Chernovets having leads of 1-0 and 3-2, before a late Lukas Tauscher goal secured the league leaders a point. Leo Heiden scored for St. Jakob, ending their poor run against Vrnovo Mesto. Andrey Bunev, Boris Bachev and Valko Tinchev had the goals for Metropola in a 3-1 win over Orlovska Bistrica, while TSV Georg-Blocher exploded for 5 goals against FC Kaiserhaven. It’s the highest single-game total for the club this year, and they are now level on points with 18th placed Orlovska Bistrica. “We’ve done a lot of work to get to this position, but there’s plenty more to go for us to stay up,” said Georg-Blocher winger Rupert Holz. The battle for Young Player of the Year is coming down to the two young forwards making headlines this year: Marian Hovlak and Horacio Bastanchurry. Bastanchurry’s spectacular goal against FK Venkovets might be a big help for him in the battle for the trophy.

The match of the week was, of course, the Northeastern derby between FC Felsenkirchen 1879 and FC Rotmunde 1932. Felsenkirchen were hosting and needed a win to gain some points on FC Teussen Stelburg, while Rotmunde had a chance to harm their rivals’ title chances. “Of course, we know what it means to the fans, and while the game with Teussen is on the horizon and a huge one we want to win this game,” said Felsenkirchen winger Mario Pfitzner. On the Rotmunde side, Julian Werner commented that “If we can stop them and get a good result for the fans, it’ll be a huge moment for our team to look back on.” As always, the atmosphere was great, and despite a windy, rainy day in the Northeast both sets of supporters were out in force. The home side got on the board first, with a cross from Eino Kiivala turned in by Rolf Seyfried for 1-0. Just before half, however, the visitors pulled back. Otso Ilkannen won the ball in midfield and sent a pass forward to Julian Werner, who made a strong move to give himself some space before firing in a low shot past Gentza Bedigax to equalize. It looked as if 1-1 would be the final as the second half carried on, but in the 87th minute, Felsenkirchen won a corner. Swung in by Linus Segert, it would find the head of Ciriko Useternix and from there the back of the net. It couldn’t be a bigger contribution from the man who has done so much for the club since joining, and the fans eagerly celebrated the late winner. Felsenkirchen are now back to 5 points behind Teussen at the top, and the title has quite clearly become a two-horse race.

Matchday 30

SV Preisfeld 0–0 FC Einheit Marnau
FK Venkovets 2–1 TSV Georg-Blocher
FC Kaiserhaven 2–0 FK Orlovska Bistrica
FK Metropola Borograd 2–0 Vrnovo Mesto
FC St. Jakob 2–0 Energija Chernovets
FC Teussen Stelburg 5–1 SW Stahlberg
FK Pomorie 0–3 Marlesee 97
TSV Marzig 0–3 FC Felsenkirchen 1879
FC Rotmunde 1932 0–1 Olympia Borograd
1912 Stelburg 3–5 Zvezda Vlaikograd

A strange week in the Republikaliga. Preisfeld and Marnau’s 0-0 draw was far more exciting than it looked, including a penalty save from Dennis Eulenberg in the later stages. Eulenberg has really proved himself this season, and may have earned himself a step up in the offseason. Venkovets defeated Georg-Blocher 2-1, while another relegation fighter took a big hit as Orlovska Bistrica lost 2-0 against FC Kaiserhaven on the road. Branimir Glanchev had both of the goals as Metropola Borograd defeated Vrnovo Mesto, 2-0 the final score as Vrnovo didn’t even manage a shot on target. The southern islands outfit will need to be much better, especially as they are now 4 points adrift at the very bottom of the league. Leo Heiden and Ronald Wenz had St. Jakob’s goals, they beat Chernovets 2-0 in a bit of a surprising result at the Draistadion. The biggest surprise of the weekend, however, was how futile SW Stahlberg looked against FC Teussen Stelburg at the Franz-Gorz-Stadion. It was the battle of 1st against 8th going in, but from the display on the pitch it looked like 1st against 28th. Tauscher had two in the first half and Kurt Eicher joined him to make it 3-0, before goals from Reichwein and Witzel made it 5-0 by the 65th minute. Teussen stepped off the gas after that, however, and in the final moments Andreas Wentzel got one back for the visitors. Still disappointing for them, and Teussen keep their advantage at the top. FK Pomorie suffered a disaster at home, losing 3-0 to Marlesee 97 and losing top choice keeper Emil Radulov to injury. That’s the second big injury the club have suffered this year, and while they stumbled through Bozhidar Dimitrov’s lost time earlier this year Radulov will be incredibly difficult to miss. It was two losses in the city of Pomorie/Marzig this week, as Marzig were defeated by the defending champions Felsenkirchen, also by a score of 3-0. Ikki Tokei’s free kick would be the only goal for Olympia Borograd in a win over FC Rotmunde 1932, while 1912 Stelburg lost a third straight match. It’s been a tough run for them, against some of the top clubs in the league, but they’ll certainly be looking back with regret: had they taken all 9 points against Felsenkirchen-Olympia-Zvezda, they’d have been second in the league table. Instead, it’s another loss, and one that has them 15 points behind FC Teussen Stelburg. The goal now is to stop the bleeding and hold onto 3rd place.

President’s Cup Quarterfinal

SK Republika Borograd 0–0 Rudar Draijagrad (2–1 AET)
Vrnovo Mesto 1–1 Rudar Trkev (1–1 AET) (3–1 pen.)
FC Kaiserhaven 0–1 FK Venkovets
Zvezda Vlaikograd 3–2 FC Felsenkirchen 1879

The Quarterfinals are in the books, and we are guaranteed a Siovanijan Cup winner as well as a first-time winner in the modern era! SK Republika Borograd’s fairytale run continues thanks to an extra time win over Rudar Draijagrad, they reach the semifinal stage for the first time in over one hundred years. Vrnovo Mesto might be threatened with relegation in the league right now, but that’s the magic of the Cup: a penalties win over Rudar Trkev has them in the semifinal. Troy Clemence had the winning penalty. The only away team to win this round was FK Venkovets, who got a goal from Valter Tomsic to knock out FC Kaiserhaven and advance to the semifinal. The biggest game of the round was clearly Zvezda Vlaikograd hosting FC Felsenkirchen 1879. Felsenkirchen started the match better, and went 1-0 up thanks to Johannes Mandl, but Zvezda quickly clawed back. Nwabudike Ugonna and Sinisa Gaspersie each had first half goals as Zvezda led 2-1. Linus Segert would equalize for Felsenkirchen, but Leopold Bliznakov etched his name into Zvezda Vlaikograd history with a winning goal late on.

The semifinal draw will see Vrnovo Mesto take on FK Venkovets, and Zvezda Vlaikograd face SK Republika Borograd. All games will be held at the Nationalstadion in Stelburg. There’s some history to be made here, looking back on the historic era. SK Republika Borograd won the first-ever President’s Cup trophy, all the way back in 1897 - what a story if they made it back to the final. Neither FK Venkovets or Vrnovo Mesto have ever won the Cup, while Zvezda Vlaikograd have won it 5 times in their history. They have not won the Cup in nearly 60 years, however, and their last trophy - a Siovanijan championship - came 25 years ago. There will certainly, then, be a refreshing face receiving the trophy at the top steps of the Nationalstadion after the final - but first, we need to find out who gets there.

We’re drawing closer and closer to the conclusion of the season, and thus answering the question of who will be champions. With 8 matches remaining in the season, let’s take a moment to check-in with the league table. We’ll be back soon for the final part of the Republikaliga season.

#  Republikaliga             Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts
 1 FC Teussen Stelburg        30   21   6   3    96   50  +46    69
 2 FC Felsenkirchen 1879      30   19   7   4    73   47  +26    64
 3 1912 Stelburg              30   17   3  10    77   58  +19    54
 4 Olympia Borograd           30   15   7   8    68   56  +12    52
 5 FK Metropola Borograd      30   14   8   8    77   61  +16    50
 6 Zvezda Vlaikograd          30   14   6  10    70   58  +12    48
 7 Energija Chernovets        30   13   8   9    67   60   +7    47
 8 Marlesee 97                30   11  10   9    56   56    0    43
 9 SW Stahlberg               30   11   8  11    63   64   −1    41
10 SV Preisfeld               30   11   8  11    58   68  −10    41
11 FC Rotmunde 1932           30   10   8  12    59   49  +10    38
12 FC St. Jakob               30   10   7  13    70   69   +1    37
13 FC Einheit Marnau          30    9  10  11    57   62   −5    37
14 TSV Marzig                 30    9   8  13    45   53   −8    35
15 FC Kaiserhaven             30    8   9  13    52   67  −15    33
16 FK Venkovets               30    7  11  12    51   72  −21    32
17 FK Pomorie                 30    7   8  15    46   68  −22    29
18 FK Orlovska Bistrica       30    7   5  18    32   53  −21    26
19 TSV Georg-Blocher          30    6   8  16    42   64  −22    26
20 Vrnovo Mesto               30    5   7  18    32   56  −24    22

[Siovanija and Teusland]

RBC Sports Presents

All Hands on Deck - Episode IV

”All Hands on Deck” is RBC Sports’ documentary-style look into FC Felsenkirchen 1879’s youth squad, particularly the U19s, as they compete this season in the J. Republikaliga and the IFCF Rising Stars Cup. Our cameras followed players and coaches all season, getting a unique look into both the youth academy of a Republikaliga club and some of the better young players coming up in this country.”

“Derby week,” says Josef Baumann. “Always a fun one.” The squad are preparing for their hugely-important IFCF Rising Stars Cup clash with Eastal Lunar - but there’s one big game before that one.

The Blues would be home at Mollin once again, except this time welcoming FC Rotmunde 1932. “Look, every Felsenkirchen kid grows up dreaming of beating Rotmunde, and every Rotmunde kid grows up dreaming of beating us. It’s always special,” says Niklas Mitter. “I won’t lie, I hate them. You grow up in Felsenkirchen, you know that Rotmunde are the enemy. That’s, like, the most basic thing about living here,” says Paul Steinhausl. “Obviously I know it’s a local derby, I didn’t really feel it until I saw the atmosphere at the first one I got to watch. Even at the youth level it’s crazy. And living in Felsenkirchen for what, 2-3 years now? I hate them too,” says Lothas Ludwig.

It’s a rivalry that dates back to before even the Teus Empire existed. The Duchy of Felsenkirchen controlled most of modern-day northeastern Teusland. On the isle of Rotmunde, however, many peasants weren’t too happy with this arrangement, and launched various revolts. These were mostly put down, adding to the animosity between the two cities. The mutual hate was sealed as the Teus Empire continued to grow. Felsenkirchen was chosen as the main seaport on the Nordsee, earning it riches and glory. Rotmunde, meanwhile, sat in its shadow. Rotmunde fans call Felsenkirchen fans stuck-up urbanites. Felsenkirchen fans call Rotmunde fans peasants - both insults dating back hundreds of years through history.

Just hear it from the fans themselves in the stands at this game. It’s played at Mollin Park, with a full away allocation - people will come out for the derby, even at the U19 level. Here’s one Felsenkirchen fan: “Rotmunde Island, listen up, that’s where men are men and sheep are scared,” as the fans around him howl with laughter. There’s chants reflecting that particular stereotype, and many more. In the Rotmunde end: “They think they’re just the best city in the world, well, newsflash, you aren’t even the biggest in Teusland. Such a complex they have over there.” “Rotmunde’s all about hard work, Felsenkirchen’s all about living off other people’s work,” says another fan.

“We don’t like them very much,” says Lore Kittel. “I wouldn’t make them cookies, that’s for sure.” There’s jeers any time a player in red touches the ball from the home end, and when Rotmunde go 1-0 up in the first half, garbage starts to be thrown onto the field. At the half, however, Josef Baumann seeks to inspire his troops. “Lads, it’s the derby. I don’t think I need to say anything more than that. They hate you, we hate them, and I don’t think anyone in this room wants to lose tonight. You’ve got the fans behind you, let’s take it to them now! Come on lads! The Northeast is ours!” That gets the team going, and they return to the field with quite a skip in their step. Bastian Kracht scores to equalize a few minutes into the half. Unfortunately for Felsenkirchen, however, that would be all: the derby finished 1-1.

It was still on the minds of the players as they boarded the plane to Vilita two days later. “It’s an emotional game, so it’s only natural we’re still thinking about it now,” says Jesper Porsche. “I had a great chance to win it at the end there, so it’s really something I’m disappointed about,” says Lothas Ludwig. There’s a new goal, however, for these players: win and you’re in. If the Blues can get the win over Eastal Lunar, on foreign turf, they advance to the Round of 16 of the Rising Stars Cup. Despite the warm weather - a great relief from the cold of home - the players weren’t bothered with any trips out: win, win, win, that’s all anyone could talk about.

And on the pitch, the team was eager to take care of business. Baumann’s talk had been short, and to the point: “You all know what to do, go out there and f****** do it lads.” The first half saw the team buzzing. Very quickly they got on the board: Jesper Porsche’s through ball finding Florian Krukenberg, who sent a powerful shot past the keeper to make it 1-0. Just before the half, they took some more life out of the home side, Lothas Ludwig rounding the keeper before making it 2-0.

“45 minutes just like that and you’re in the Round of 16, boys. Let’s go out there and do it,” says Baumann as the team mentally prepare for the second half. They don’t need too much inspiration: the incentive of fighting on and living another day after such a difficult start is all they need. Timo Nessler scores to make it 3-0, and while Eastal Lunar grab a goal back late, it’s the Blues day: a 3-1 final, and they come out of Group E as winners.

“That’s what we need! That’s what we need every week, lads. We’re going to the Round of 16. We can be proud of this performance here tonight, but it means nothing if we don’t bring it every single day,” says Baumann as the players file out of the dressing room. On the plane back to Felsenkirchen, it’s a celebratory atmosphere. Jokes are flying, the cards come out, and the plane is a fun place to be throughout the flight. Arriving back in snowy Felsenkirchen isn’t a dream destination - “Can we go back?” asks Niklas Mitter, referring to the more sunny country of Vilita. But overall, it’s good to be home - even if it is 2:30AM by the time the plane touches down.

The weeks following the win over Eastal Lunar are full of games, marking a busy winter schedule for the youth team. At home, they defeat Olympia Borograd 2-0 thanks to two goals from Ludwig - a major victory for the team as they chase down a J. Republikaliga title. There are some bumps along the way, however. A 1-0 loss at home against TSV Marzig is a major setback, pushing the club down to 7th in the table. It’s very tight at the top, however. Felsenkirchen are on 34 points through 22 matches, while league leaders SW Stahlberg have 43. “We’re still in the race, yeah - we just can’t keep giving away points like that,” says Jesper Porsche.

It’s a cold winter morning as the squad file into the conference room at Mollin Park to watch a very important match being played on foreign shores. “Rising Stars Cup playoff round. We’re playing the winner of Thawmont YFC, from Eastfield Lodge, and AC Izotz Zubia. We thought it’d be nice to bring the lads in to watch, get some prescouting done.” The squad are split on who they want to win. “I’d like a crack at Zozi,” says Jesper Porsche - the 1830 Cathair supporter in him coming out. “Thawmont would be a fun game, and a new test for us,” says Paul Steinhausl. Either way, the club will face a tricky challenge in the Round of 16.

The match goes to extra time, and the squad have to break away to begin training. Once the whistle blows, however, the news quickly gets around that Thawmont have won, 5-2. “Wow,” says Lothas Ludwig - “It was 2-2 going into extra time right?” Florian Krukenberg nods. “Yep. Those lads have plenty of energy.” Preparation begins for Thawmont almost immediately, with Baumann and the players discussing the team. “We’ll be at home, it’s going to be a cold one - so pack your long sleeves, lads - and we’ll have the fans behind us. We can get the job done,” he tells them. Training has just finished up when Paul Steinhausl checks his phone.

“Teussen lost,” he says in a calm voice. There’s plenty of snickers, however, from the players coming off. FC Teussen Stelburg were knocked out of the Rising Stars Cup after a loss to Rozelle, 2-1 at home. And with the huge rivalry developing between Teussen and Felsenkirchen at the highest level, it was only natural that the hate would seep down to the youth squads.

“Not as much as Rotmunde,” says Helmut Kadelberg: “But a lot.”

“I think everyone not from Stelburg has to have some hate for them, haha,” says Jesper Porsche.

Depending on who you ask, FC Teussen Stelburg are either the most loved or most hated club in the country. Everyone has an opinion on them, everyone loves to talk about them, and they have a way of being the main story, win or lose. So for many in Felsenkirchen, who consider Stelburgers to be the most haughty people in the world, winning the league title was even better because it meant they’d beat Teussen. The fact that the two senior teams utterly hate each other as well, with tension always flaring up when they play, means some added incentive to the kids on both sides. The game with Teussen, however, which is shaping up to be a possible J. Republikaliga title decider, isn’t for a few weeks yet. The big game directly in front of the Blues is their date with Thawmont.

It’s snowing in Felsenkirchen, and about -17, on match night under the lights at Mollin Park. There aren’t as many people in the crowd as expected - the senior squad have their all-important second leg with Cazadores Cathair tonight, and the city is eagerly awaiting to see what the Blues can do. There’s a loyal few here, though, and they are loud and proud: ‘The Blue Sea of Mollin’ can be heard quite clearly around the park as the teams take to the field. “Remember our game plan, don’t let anything separate you from it, we’re in our element, they aren’t. This is going to be our night,” says Josef Baumann.

The first half does seem to be going quite favourable for the Blues, who control most of the early possession battle. Jesper Porsche is doing quite a job in midfield, earning the praise of the home fans who are eager to sing his name. But for all their efforts, they can’t break through: Thawmont are standing tall in the harsh weather, and seem to grow with confidence each time they touch the ball. Then, just before the half, they get a break: a winger gets past Niklas Mitter, speeds in and slots the ball past Per Holtz. 1-0 to the visitors.

“That game is ours for the taking. We’re going to have to get two now, but if you can do it, you will win this game. Believe in each other,” says Baumann at the half - no anger needed to motivate them tonight, just the stakes. Still, however, Felsenkirchen are frustrated each time they get a chance, with Thawmont’s defenders playing the games of their lives. Up on the big screen, there are similar scenes playing out in Cathair: Felsenkirchen 2-0 up, but needing to find another goal to be able to win the tie.

Time is ticking closer and closer to the 90th minute, and panic starts to set in on the field. Some risky passes, a few shots that might not be taken in a 0-0 game, and Felsenkirchen are looking down. “This is our night,” yells Baumann from the sidelines. All it’s going to take is one moment to get them back into the game. Suddenly, it seems they might get it. Florian Krukenberg bursts forward, surprising his marker, and the Blues have numbers going forward. A pass across the box from Krukenberg to Ludwig is turned in, things are equal, and the crowd goes wild.

“Extra time, lads. We all saw what they managed to do to Zozi - 3 goals in the extra time. Are you going to crumble like that? F*** no! Get out there and win this one!” The team look fired up with Baumann’s speech. But you have to assume Thawmont have a similar mentality - both sides look strong in the extra frame, and don’t give up too many chances. As the clock ticks closer and closer to 120 minutes, there’s the clear feeling that this game is headed to penalties.

As the Felsenkirchen players head to the sidelines, they manage to catch the end of the big game on the screen: the Blues have beat Cazadores 3-1 in extra time, and secured advancement to the Quarterfinals. It’s a near-miraculous result, having lost the first leg 2-0 at home, and the fans in the building are fired up. “F****** rights boys! We can do it too! Come on!” yells Per Holtz. The team are clearly fired up by their goalkeeper’s confidence. “We’ve done penalties a thousand times. Don’t be afraid. You were made for this moment,” says Baumann. The team huddle up together on the half line, awaiting the beginning of the shootout.

Felsenkirchen win the coin toss, and elect to shoot first. Lothas Ludwig steps up, and slots it into the bottom right corner. Thawmont’s forward does the same. Through the first 6 shots, Felsenkirchen and Thawmont are equally perfect - no misses, and a 6-6 game. Then, drama: Otto Apt hits the crossbar. Thawmont have the chance to win. Lothas Ludwig and Jesper Porsche can barely look. It’s looking to be the end - until Per Holtz’s hand knocks the Thawmont captain’s shot over the top of the bar. Holtz is fired up, the team is fired up, and when Paul Steinhausl steps up next for Felsenkirchen he smashes it into the back of the net. Again, however, Thawmont equalize. Then up steps Niklas Mitter, who made the mistake that cost the goal earlier in the game. No mistake this time, however, and he perfectly knocks it into the top left corner. Another shot for Thawmont with the game on the line… and saved by Holtz! The Blues have done it! 8-7 on penalties, and they advance to the Quarterfinals!

“That’s it boys! That’s it! We did it! We f****** did it!” yells Holtz as the team immediately rushes over to mob him. It’s good to be the hero, and on this night, Per Holtz has filled that role for the team.

“Per’s a great guy, and it’s good to see him get some recognition,” says Jesper Porsche. “We’re going to need him to stay at that level if we want to keep going in this thing,” he adds. Porsche is right - there’s a long way to go in this season, both at home and abroad, and the Blues will need all hands on deck.

[Siovanija and Teusland]

Republikaliga Season IX - Part IV

Matchday 31

1912 Stelburg 5–1 SV Preisfeld
Zvezda Vlaikograd 3–1 FC Rotmunde 1932
Olympia Borograd 4–2 TSV Marzig
FC Felsenkirchen 1879 3–1 FK Pomorie
Marlesee 97 0–4 FC Teussen Stelburg
SW Stahlberg 1–1 FC St. Jakob
Energija Chernovets 2–3 FK Metropola Borograd
Vrnovo Mesto 0–2 FC Kaiserhaven
FK Orlovska Bistrica 4–2 FK Venkovets
TSV Georg-Blocher 4–2 FC Einheit Marnau

1912 Stelburg tore through SV Preisfeld’s defence throughout the match on Friday evening, with Rafa Mesmer scoring twice in a 5-1 victory. Nwabudike Ugonna came back to haunt his former club Rotmunde, with a goal and two assists in Zvezda Vlaikograd’s 3-1 win. TSV Marzig may have defeated Olympia Borograd earlier in the season, but the Greens got some revenge back at the Olimpski-Stadion with a 4-2 win. The pressure on manager Ludmil Strashilov has eased up from the beginning of the season, when it felt as if the fanbase was turning on him, but the big decision to be made at the end of the season regarding the future of forwards Krasimir Kynev and Denis Dezelac is not getting any easier. Oddsmakers say that Kynev is the likeliest to leave the club, but the Borograd outfit are usually quite secretive about their transfer business and it might be a while before we know for sure. Felsenkirchen had no trouble defeating FK Pomorie, with Johannes Mandl having two of the goals, while FC Teussen Stelburg crushed Marlesee 97 4-0 on the road. Teussen are now 14 games unbeaten in the league, but will face one of their biggest challenges of the season next weekend - when Teussen and Felsenkirchen face off. It’s a match that could decide the league title, and the feeling of nervousness and anticipation can be felt in both cities. Leo Heiden’s late goal rescued a draw for FC St. Jakob, while in a fun game in Chernovets, FK Metropola Borograd come away the winners with a late Valko Tinchev goal. It’s an important three points for them in the race for IFCF places - they now sit 5th, 2 points above Zvezda in 6th and 6 above Chernovets in 7th. Vrnovo Mesto’s loss today seems to doom them to relegation - 7 points out of safety with only 7 games to go. Both FK Orlovska Bistrica and TSV Georg-Blocher, meanwhile, did themselves huge favours with important 4-2 wins. Georg-Blocher spent much of the season in 20th, but are now in a playoff position in 18th, while Orlovska Bistrica are up to 17th.

IFCF Champions’ League Quarterfinal - First Leg

Jungle Strike FC (VIL) 3-1 FC Felsenkirchen 1879

Not the best of times in the first leg for Felsenkirchen, however, they do get an important away goal from Linus Segert in the second half which does give them some hope for the second leg back home. Fans and players at the club will need to remember the willpower they showed during the second leg against Cazadores Cathair to overturn a two-goal deficit once again if they are to advance - but first, it’s another massive showdown with FC Teussen Stelburg.

Matchday 32

SV Preisfeld 0–2 TSV Georg-Blocher
FC Einheit Marnau 2–2 FK Orlovska Bistrica
FK Venkovets 2–1 Vrnovo Mesto
FC Kaiserhaven 1–2 Energija Chernovets
FK Metropola Borograd 3–5 SW Stahlberg
FC St. Jakob 0–1 Marlesee 97
FC Teussen Stelburg 4–3 FC Felsenkirchen 1879
FK Pomorie 4–4 Olympia Borograd
TSV Marzig 1–2 Zvezda Vlaikograd
FC Rotmunde 1932 4–3 1912 Stelburg

What an incredible weekend of action in the Republikaliga, capped off by one of its all-time most memorable games. TSV Georg-Blocher’s great run of form continued, a Rupert Holz goal capping off a brilliant performance and win and doing them a great favour in the race to avoid relegation. Marian Hovlak scored the opener, but Horacio Bastanchurry had the last word in the 2-2 draw between Marnau and Orlovska Bistrica as the two promising young forward went head to head again. A goal from Boleslav Kovarik was the winner for FK Venkovets, as they send Vrnovo Mesto closer and closer to official relegation. Energija Chernovets had to wait 86 minutes for their opening goal, courtesy of Dragomir Nikolov, but when they got it another followed soon after: Enigma Armageddon scoring the winner from range just 47 seconds later. That allowed them to gain some point on FK Metropola Borograd, who lost 5-3 at home against SW Stahlberg as the Miners seek to secure their positioning in the top 10. Marlesee 97 recovered from last week’s drubbing at home against Teussen to defeat FC St. Jakob 1-0, Elias Eicke getting the winner in that one. FK Pomorie desperately needed something against Olympia Borograd, and they do get a single point after Bozhidar Dimitrov scored twice in the second half to bring things level. After a decent start to the year, struggles throughout the middle of the season have sent the Guards into a relegation battle and they currently sit 19th. Zvezda Vlaikograd defeated TSV Marzig 2-1, getting one over on their rivals with a Drago Ward goal late, and also ensured they now sit 5th in the table, in the final IFCF place. All 3 places appear to be up for grabs, especially after 1912 Stelburg’s loss to FC Rotmunde. From the Bluebirds in 3rd with 57 points down to Chernovets in 7th with 50 points, it’s going to be a tight battle all the way to the finish.

All of those games were overshadowed, however, by the main talk all week: FC Teussen Stelburg vs FC Felsenkirchen 1879. Last year’s title rivals and Cup finalists, this year’s title rivals again, and a game with incredible implications: a true title six-pointer in the final weeks of the season. Mix in the bad blood, the true hatred these teams seem to have for one another, and you just knew sparks would fly. Of course, that was present even in the pre-game build up: Lukas Tauscher talking about how this would not be the most difficult game of Teussen’s season, instead suggesting that their National derby and Stelburg derby games were tougher. Felsenkirchen’s Linus Segert, never one to shy away from controversy, claimed that Teussen’s unbeaten run was ‘meaningless’ because they hadn’t really beaten any of the biggest teams. Already in the tunnel before the game there were players yelling at their opposing numbers, and the sides noticeably skipped the pre-match handshake.

There was, of course, tension throughout the match, with several hard tackles and disputes between the teams. Neither side, however, could really cultivate an advantage in the first half. Ludwig Reichwein opened the scoring with a hard shot from just outside the area to make it 1-0, but less than 2 minutes later Johannes Mandl had scored to equalize. Then, Samuel Hopkins knocked one in off a corner to make it 2-1, but before halftime Lukas Tauscher had made a great run down the right side to even things up at the whistle.

For much of the second half it looked like we were heading towards a draw - Mario Kogler gave Teussen the lead, much to the delight of their supporters, but once again Felsenkirchen managed to get even - a great strike from Falcon Case at range making it an even 3-3 game. A draw would do it for Teussen - but not for Felsenkirchen. 5 points back in the league table, they needed to get the win here, and they surged forward desperately in the final minutes. That created a situation, however, where Teussen could counterattack in numbers. Axel Richter stormed down the left hand side before firing a cross in for Ludwig Reichwein, and when he was knocked down by Thorsten Helmke, the referee signalled for a penalty. Felsenkirchen were furious, desperately trying to claim that Reichwein had dove, but their efforts were in vain: Reichwein scored the penalty, and Teussen won the game 4-3.

The drama was not yet over, however. As the teams headed off the pitch towards the tunnel, Felsenkirchen winger Linus Segert angrily threw his water bottle down the tunnel - hitting Teussen midfielder Kurt Eicher in the back. Eicher was visibly tempestuous, and grabbed an apple sitting on a cart beside the Teussen dressing room, throwing it back at Segert. After that, players from both teams charged each other and engaged in a brawl in the tunnel, which was separated by stewards and team officials - but not before a few punches had been thrown. The Felsenkirchen team had to receive a police escort on their bus leaving the city, and across the country the talk of the evening was the ‘red apple incident,’ with various jokes circulating online and in the media.

Punishment from the STFA was swift. Linus Segert was judged to have instigated the incident, and received a 5 match ban - a huge blow for Felsenkirchen in the title race. His spot will be taken up by Bruno Katzmann, a one-time first XI player for the Blues who has been good off the bench this season. Kurt Eicher received a 3 match ban - less of a blow for Teussen, but still an important loss. Various one-match bans were also handed down to Axel Richter, Kurt Witzel, Thorsten Helmke, and Mario Pfitzner for their roles in the brawl following the game, while Ewald Heuser and Ciriko Useternix were fined T2500 each. By the end of this one, however, Teussen will be feeling very good: top of the league by 8 points, and appearing to be firmly in the heads of their biggest title rival. Felsenkirchen will play in the Champions’ League midweek before visiting FC St. Jakob at the weekend, while Teussen play the National derby next week against Olympia Borograd.

IFCF Champions’ League Quarterfinal - Second Leg

FC Felsenkirchen 1879 3-2 Jungle Strike FC

Felsenkirchen recovered from the weekend’s battle with Teussen to pull out a strong win in the Champions’ League Quarterfinal, but it was not enough to see them advance to the semifinal. Supporters and players can be proud, however, as the club have made it further than any other from this country in IFCF competition, and have truly set a standard and shown the Republikaliga’s overall potential.

Matchday 33

FC Rotmunde 1932 4–2 SV Preisfeld
1912 Stelburg 2–0 TSV Marzig
Zvezda Vlaikograd 2–2 FK Pomorie
Olympia Borograd 1–1 FC Teussen Stelburg
FC Felsenkirchen 1879 3–1 FC St. Jakob
Marlesee 97 1–0 FK Metropola Borograd
SW Stahlberg 0–2 FC Kaiserhaven
Energija Chernovets 1–0 FK Venkovets
Vrnovo Mesto 2–4 FC Einheit Marnau
FK Orlovska Bistrica 2–2 TSV Georg-Blocher

Julian Werner’s goal in the second half spurred a Rotmunde comeback, as they win 4-2 over SV Preisfeld to give themselves a bit more security in tenth position. 1912 Stelburg cruised to a 2-0 win over TSV Marzig, with Helek-Nenzi Ono scoring both goals. The Bluebirds needed that win after a few poor weeks, as it sees them looking a bit more comfortable in 3rd. FK Pomorie actually led Zvezda Vlaikograd 2-0 at the half, but goals from Ward and Bliznakov gave Zvezda a draw. Bruno Katzmann made an immediate impact for Felsenkirchen with a goal in a 3-1 win over FC St. Jakob, the supporters will be delighted with picking up a few points on Teussen and remaining in the title hunt after a tough week for the club that saw them knocked out of the Champions’ League. Ingolf Kruger has been quiet most of the year, despite Marlesee’s great success, but he had the winning goal today in an important win over Metropola Borograd - can Marlesee perhaps be dark horse contenders for the 5th position? They are currently 6 points back with 5 games to go. Norbert Ahrendt and Wolfgang Rieder had the goals in a big win for Kaiserhaven, 2-0 in the mountains as they defeat Stahlberg, while a late header from Taras Maksimov was all it took for Chernovets to defeat Venkovets 1-0. Horacio Bastanchurry had the winner for Marnau as they defeat Vrnovo Mesto 4-2 - a result that virtually dooms Vrnovo, who are now 9 points away from safety with only 15 more available to them. The two promoted sides met in an important relegation six pointer, and in the end would only split the points: Georg-Blocher now sit 17th, Orlovska Bistrica 18th.

In the build-up to the National derby this week, there were two key focuses for each club. For Teussen, it was about recovering emotionally from the heated game last week against Felsenkirchen and dealing with the loss of several starters due to suspension. For Olympia, however, pride was at stake. In season 3, Olympia Borograd captured the Republikaliga title with 82 points, a number that stands as the all-time league record. FC Teussen Stelburg, thanks to an incredible 15 game unbeaten run, sat on 75 points entering this game. The points record, then, is clearly under threat, and Olympia Borograd fans are desperate not to lose those bragging rights to their biggest rivals: “I was on that team, and we understand what that achievement means to the fans, and of course we don’t want to see it broken,” said Ivo Romanov in the build-up. Of course, on the Teussen side, fans are eager to see it broken to gain another achievement: “I don’t think that Olympia team was better than any we’ve had the last few years, so I’m kind of surprised it’s taken this long,” said one fan attending the match. Teussen need 8 more points in their final 6 games to break the record - could they get an important 3 here?

The game was relatively tame, both by National derby standards and the standard set the previous week. Olympia were in near-total control for much of the first half, Teussen struggling from weakness on the wing and in the middle, but the defenders Erich Thierse and Arno Amstutz put on a great performance - and that’s not even mentioning Ewald Heuser, who made two key saves in the first half. It was 0-0 at halftime, and Teussen made a few adjustments to make the second half a bit more even, noticeably sitting back on the counter. Olympia would get one through Kynev, but Teussen equalized not too long after through Kogler. At the end of the day, it’s one Olympia supporters would have liked to win but will take the draw, while Teussen supporters are happy not to have lost and look to keep marching towards the title.

Matchday 34

SV Preisfeld 4–1 FK Orlovska Bistrica
TSV Georg-Blocher 1–0 Vrnovo Mesto
FC Einheit Marnau 0–0 Energija Chernovets
FK Venkovets 2–3 SW Stahlberg
FC Kaiserhaven 1–2 Marlesee 97
FK Metropola Borograd 2–2 FC Felsenkirchen 1879
FC St. Jakob 0–3 Olympia Borograd
FC Teussen Stelburg 1–1 Zvezda Vlaikograd
FK Pomorie 4–6 1912 Stelburg
TSV Marzig 0–1 FC Rotmunde 1932

SV Preisfeld manager Robert Feicke is in the Manager of the Year conversation this season, and a strong 4-1 win at home against FK Orlovska Bistrica which has the Bees up to 11th is certainly a great argument for his case - what he’s done with this squad this season is an incredible achievement. Andreas Lettmann’s goal for TSV Georg-Blocher is a huge moment for them in the relegation fight - they are now 5 points clear of the relegation zone, and with just 4 matches left can feel quite confident in their safety. Vrnovo, however, are just about done, 9 points adrift at the bottom. FC Einheit Marnau and Energija Chernovets played an exciting game, albeit one without goals - the best chance going wide off Archibald Koyaanisqatsi’s boot late on. The result is a dent in Chernovets’ top 5 chances, but they are certainly still in the race, only two points behind. A couple of late winners secured three points for SW Stahlberg and Marlesee 97, courtesy of Andreas Wentzel and Ingolf Kruger respectively. FK Metropola Borograd came out with their best against FC Felsenkirchen 1879, Andrey Bunev continuing his strong year with two goals in the 2-2 draw. Bunev has really pushed on this season, and entered the Young Player of the Year conversation late in the season. Olympia Borograd crushed FC St. Jakob, 3-0 the final score, with the capital side in top form at the moment. The same can’t be said for the Saints, who now sit 14th - and rumour has it that this might just be the end for manager Hermann Frenz, with the club considering moving on from him after this season. Kurt Witzel returned to the Teussen squad after his suspension and celebrated with a goal in the first half, but Harald Larsson’s drive in the second half would cancel it out as Teussen and Zvezda split the points. It was a wild game in Pomorie, with the home side leading 3-0 just 23 minutes in, the Bluebirds evening things up before halftime, and 2 goals in the final 10 minutes winning it for 1912 Stelburg. There was one other goal to be found in the city of Pomorie/Marzig on Sunday evening, and it came off the head of Ignace Thibodeux as Rotmunde defeated TSV Marzig 1-0.

Matchday 35

TSV Marzig 2–1 SV Preisfeld
FC Rotmunde 1932 1–0 FK Pomorie
1912 Stelburg 2–2 FC Teussen Stelburg
Zvezda Vlaikograd 2–1 FC St. Jakob
Olympia Borograd 1–1 FK Metropola Borograd
FC Felsenkirchen 1879 2–0 FC Kaiserhaven
Marlesee 97 2–2 FK Venkovets
SW Stahlberg 3–2 FC Einheit Marnau
Energija Chernovets 3–2 TSV Georg-Blocher
Vrnovo Mesto 0–0 FK Orlovska Bistrica

While TSV Marzig couldn’t score last week, it didn’t take them very long to get started here: Olaf Viermetz scored just 12 seconds into the first half. It was a tight game, however, and it was only Horst Hackl’s goal in the second half that won it for the Knights. Marzig fans will be even happier knowing, however, that FK Pomorie are really in trouble in the relegation zone - it’s near-certain they will finish either 18th or 19th after this week’s loss to Rotmunde. Next week marks the Pomorie/Marzig derby - what a turnaround it could be for Marzig, starting the season as the laughingstock of the league and looking as if they would go down, to having the chance to severely wound their hated rivals’ chances of staying up. FK Pomorie will be desperate for a home win, however, to keep themselves alive. Leopold Bliznakov scored both goals for Zvezda Vlaikograd off set pieces in a 2-1 win over FC St. Jakob, while Felsenkirchen’s title hopes remain alive thanks to a 2-0 win over FC Kaiserhaven - Johannes Mandl and Ubul Kuruc with the goals. Marlesee came from 2-0 down to gain a point with FK Venkovets, and are still a possible IFCF dark horse - 6 points off of 5th. It’s unlikely, but anything can happen. Ragnar Targaryen had two for Stahlberg in a 3-2 win over FC Einheit Marnau, while Energija Chernovets’ goals came from three different unlikely sources: Novak Skrinjar, Akhil Sibal and Taras Maksimov doing the scoring for the club. They defeated TSV Georg-Blocher 3-2, keeping themselves two points back of Zvezda in fifth. Vrnovo Mesto are technically still alive for another week after a 0-0 draw with FK Orlovska Bistrica, but it’d take a miracle now: they are 9 points from the playoff, and would also need a swing of 8 goals between themselves and Orlovska Bistrica.

It was derby week in two of the nation’s biggest cities, we’ll get started with the one that had title implications: 1912 Stelburg hosting FC Teussen Stelburg. If Olympia Borograd were desperate two weeks ago to try and stop Teussen from getting the points record, 1912 Stelburg are desperate to stop their city rivals from winning a third league title in four years. Teussen, however, sensed a chance to make things basically a formality with a win over their rivals. In the end, neither would get exactly what they wanted. An early goal from Mario Kogler sunk Bluebirds hearts, but they battled back and goals from Adrian Tremblay-Fillon and Gerold Tegeler had them up 2-1 at the halftime. 1912 supporters sensed a win coming when it remained that scoreline at the end of 90, but in stoppage time Lukas Tauscher sent a lightning bolt of a shot into the top right corner, a famous derby goal for him, and one more point in Teussen’s quest to take home the league title. They now lead FC Felsenkirchen 1879 by 4 points, and with three matches to go, their magic number to take the title is 6.

In the national capital, Olympia Borograd hosted FK Metropola Borograd at the Olimpski-Stadion, and it was the first time in a few years that a late-season Borograd derby actually meant more than pride for both teams. Olympia and Metropola are both competing for the IFCF places, with Metropola particularly needing to pick up some points - and they would certainly love to do that against their most hated rivals. Despite the stakes for each club, the match didn’t have as tense an atmosphere as we are used to with the Borograd derby - other than the usual jeering and coin-throwing at Valko Tinchev before the game by Olympia supporters, who still chant ‘Judas’ every time he touches the ball four years after his transfer. Tinchev is usually a good bet for a goal against his old club, but he was quiet today: instead, it was Branimir Glanchev’s header in the first half that gave Metropola a lead. They would take it into the half, and deep into the second half - but a goal by Ivo Romanov evened things up and would be the final say of the game, this one finishing 1-1. Olympia are now 4th with 61 points, 4 points clear of Energija Chernovets in 6th, while FK Metropola Borograd are 7th with 55 points and need many things to go their way in the final few weeks of the season to have a shot at the IFCF places.

President’s Cup Semifinal

Vrnovo Mesto 0–0 FK Venkovets (1–1 AET) (5–4 pen.)
SK Republika Borograd 0–3 Zvezda Vlaikograd

And our final is set! Vrnovo Mesto held FK Venkovets in check for 117 minutes, but Valter Tomsic’s late goal sent things to penalties. That meant a tense time for supporters of both clubs, but in the end, it was Troy Clemence who converted his chance and Ivo Dvoracek who missed for Venkovets as Vrnovo Mesto advance to the President’s Cup Final. Vrnovo will most likely be the first Republikaliga side to enter the Cup Final after being relegated from the top division in the same year - so winning the first piece of silverware in the club’s history might be a nice way for them to ease the pain. SK Republika Borograd’s fairytale story ended, sadly, at the hands of Zvezda Vlaikograd, who blitzed them for three goals in the first half from Ward, Ugonna and Bliznakov. That sets up an all-Siovanijan Cup final in Stelburg, between Zvezda Vlaikograd and Vrnovo Mesto. Zvezda have a pretty long Cup drought themselves, and will be looking to break it - and cap off a great few years for the club since their promotion to the top division. Fans across the nation will be dreading having to watch Vrnovo play in the final, with their heavily-defensive style, but there’s been hints that they might switch things up for the Final. Zvezda are the certain favourites, but anything can happen at the Nationalstadion as these two teams go head to head for the President’s Cup.

Matchday 36

SV Preisfeld 4–4 Vrnovo Mesto
FK Orlovska Bistrica 2–3 Energija Chernovets
TSV Georg-Blocher 4–5 SW Stahlberg
FC Einheit Marnau 4–2 Marlesee 97
FK Venkovets 2–2 FC Felsenkirchen 1879
FC Kaiserhaven 2–3 Olympia Borograd
FK Metropola Borograd 1–1 Zvezda Vlaikograd
FC St. Jakob 1–1 1912 Stelburg
FC Teussen Stelburg 2–1 FC Rotmunde 1932
FK Pomorie 0–2 TSV Marzig

Vrnovo Mesto are clearly playing for pride now - and oh what fun it is to watch them when they actually try and score goals! A 4-4 draw with SV Preisfeld cannot save them, as they are officially relegated from the league - but the away fans could applaud the effort as they prepare for the biggest match in the club’s history, the President’s Cup Final. While Chernovets’ goals all came from the back end last week, this time there was no such story: Cespedes, Dimitrov, Armageddon, how do you like it, and they are now level on points with Zvezda Vlaikograd in fifth. Louis von Stroheim experienced a bit of a sophomore slump with Stahlberg this year, but that didn’t affect him today as he managed a hat-trick in the 5-4 win over TSV Georg-Blocher. Horacio Bastanchurry, Banquo Chrysler, Arno Heller and Oscar Fisch had Marnau’s goals in the 4-2 win over Marlesee - what a signing Bastanchurry has proved to be for the Roses, picked up on a free last summer. The young Farf forward has 18 goals so far this season and has been a revelation for a club who have struggled with consistency from their strikers in years past. FK Venkovets all but ensured their place in the league next year, and they did it in a way that has huge title race implications: taking points off Felsenkirchen, who were desperate for a win in the final stages. Olympia Borograd took three important points home with them from their longest road trip of the season away to Kaiserhaven, Krasimir Kynev scored the winning goal in the final stages. Metropola Borograd had one last chance to make a splash against Zvezda Vlaikograd, but a goal from Nwabudike Ugonna late seemed to sink the capital club’s IFCF hopes - they are now 4 points back with 2 to go. Erwin Bahnsen scored late for FC St. Jakob to secure a point with 1912 Stelburg, who remain in third place. We’ll never claim that a club is intentionally losing, but FC Rotmunde 1932 certainly didn’t seem too desperate to stop FC Teussen Stelburg’s march towards the title. With Rotmunde’s biggest rival Felsenkirchen dropping points, they managed to hand their neighbours another blow by giving Teussen 3 points. Lukas Tauscher and Mario Kogler had the goals for the home side, who are now just 1 point away from capturing the league title - next week they will travel to Marzig with that goal in mind.

The last major derby match of the season sees arguably the biggest derby in terms of pure passion in the league, with the Pomorie/Marzig derby being played for the final time this season - and who knows when the next one will be, with FK Pomorie’s Republikaliga place in danger. Pomorie knew that after Orlovska Bistrica’s loss a win would take them into the playoff position in 18th, but Marzig knew that with a win they could deliver a cut to the throat of their rivals’ campaign. And on this day, Marzig played like they were going for the jugular. The visiting Knights dominated play in the first half, with Horst Hackl putting them up 1-0 moments before the halftime. Pomorie were desperate in the second half, but they couldn’t break through - and Quebecois winger Frank Lundrigan scored his first league goal for Marzig to make it 2-0 as a late sub. Lundrigan has been impressive in his appearances this season, mostly off the bench, and has certainly become a fan-favourite with a derby day goal. By the end of the match, Marzig fans couldn’t help but taunt their rivals, chanting ‘Going down, going down, going down!’ for the final 14 minutes of the game in addition to their usual songbook. Pomorie aren’t down just yet - but they’ll need results against SV Preisfeld and FC Teussen Stelburg to stay in the Republikaliga.

Matchday 37

FK Pomorie 3–2 SV Preisfeld
TSV Marzig 2–6 FC Teussen Stelburg
FC Rotmunde 1932 3–2 FC St. Jakob
1912 Stelburg 1–2 FK Metropola Borograd
Zvezda Vlaikograd 6–5 FC Kaiserhaven
Olympia Borograd 1–0 FK Venkovets
FC Felsenkirchen 1879 2–0 FC Einheit Marnau
Marlesee 97 2–0 TSV Georg-Blocher
SW Stahlberg 2–1 FK Orlovska Bistrica
Energija Chernovets 2–1 Vrnovo Mesto

FC Teussen Stelburg have secured the Republikaliga title with a 6-2 win over TSV Marzig! It’s the club’s fourth title in the modern era, and their third in the last four years, displaying the dominance they have shown in the Republikaliga’s first decade. The game itself was relatively easy for Teussen, as they led 4-1 at the half and second half goals from Tauscher and Kogler secured the win. It’s a title in the first season at the Franz-Gorz-Stadion, and they’ll get the opportunity to celebrate that next weekend at home. They can also celebrate now holding the Republikaliga’s all-time points record with the win, now 84, and hope to set it a little bit higher. Their opponents in that game will be FK Pomorie, who did themselves a huge favour with a 3-2 win over SV Preisfeld in the relegation race. Pomorie will be desperate for a result next week, and they might just have the best circumstances possible for it with Teussen having already wrapped up the league. Otso Ilkannen had Rotmunde’s winner over St. Jakob, 3-2 the final score in that one, while Erwin Bahnsen had two goals for the losing side. FK Metropola Borograd put in a valiant performance to defeat 1912 Stelburg 2-1, Andrey Bunev with a goal and an assist, but it wasn’t enough for them to stay in the IFCF race as thanks to results elsewhere they are now mathematically out. Zvezda Vlaikograd and FC Kaiserhaven had 11 goals total between them, but in the end Drago Ward’s goal to make it 6-5 was the only one that really mattered as Zvezda take home three points heading into the final week - their IFCF place is not secured, however. Olympia Borograd’s is, thanks to a Krasimir Kynev goal in a 1-0 win over Venkovets. Felsenkirchen defeated Marnau 2-0, but it’s little consolation as they are now guaranteed to finish second. It’s a difficult feeling to beat your points total from the previous season, but be 6 points behind the league leaders, but it shows the quality of this Teussen team. Marlesee 97 also won 2-0, over TSV Georg-Blocher, while the final two games of the weekend ended 2-1. SW Stahlberg’s Ragnar Targaryen scored the winner as they defeated FK Orlovksa Bistrica, with big implications at the bottom of the table, while Energija Chernovets stayed even on points with Zvezda Vlaikograd in fifth thanks to a 2-1 win over Vrnovo Mesto.

Matchday 38 - Live Coverage

2:00pm: RBC Sports’ live coverage of the final day of the Republikaliga season is back this year! While the league title may already be decided, we’ll take you around the country for the important matches that could make the difference on the final day. With kick-off scheduled for 3pm, let’s take a look at today’s games.

2:05pm: The IFCF race is still alive, with places 4 through 6 undecided. SV Preisfeld host Energija Chernovets (6th, 63 points, +11 GD), while Zvezda Vlaikograd (5th, 63 points, +17 GD) are also on the road as they face Venkovets. Both clubs could technically get in, if they both win and 1912 Stelburg (4th, 65 points, +25 GD) fail to beat FC Kaiserhaven on the south coast. Two of these teams will lay claim to a Challengers’ Cup berth by the end of today.

2:10pm: At the bottom end of the table, there’s also plenty to play for. For FK Orlovska Bistrica (19th, 32 points, -24 GD), things are very simple: they must defeat Marlesee 97 at home, and hope that FK Pomorie (18th, 34 points, -28 GD) do not beat FC Teussen Stelburg. There are scenarios where Pomorie could knock either TSV Georg-Blocher (17th, 36 points, -21 GD) or FK Venkovets (16th, 37 points, -25 GD) into the relegation zone, but both are quite unlikely. Georg-Blocher face FC Felsenkirchen 1879, while FK Venkovets face Zvezda Vlaikograd.

2:15pm: FC Teussen Stelburg captain Ludwig Reichwein is looking forward to lifting the Republikaliga trophy after today’s match with Pomorie: “It’s a fantastic achievement, for sure, and one we won’t soon forget. I’ve played on a lot of great teams, but this has to be the best without a doubt - we’ve got the points record, and we want to set a pretty high target as well.” Teussen will face Pomorie today at the Franz-Gorz-Stadion.

2:30pm: What other matches do we have today? Already-relegated Vrnovo Mesto face SW Stahlberg, FC Einheit Marnau will host Olympia Borograd, FK Metropola Borograd will host FC Rotmunde 1932 and FC St. Jakob take on TSV Marzig. Positioning, and thus financial reward, is on the line in many of these games, but perhaps nowhere more so than for Olympia Borograd, who could secure 3rd place with a win over Marnau. That would mean much nicer seeding for the Challengers’ Cup early rounds next season.

2:50pm: Just ten minutes to kick-off today, and while the title won’t be decided on Super Sunday this year, there’s still excitement around the league, with our focus today particularly on the battle for the final two IFCF places as well as the relegation battle. Time to sit back and see what’s in store today. Of course, we’ll keep you update elsewhere as well, but our focus is on today’s biggest matches.

2:58pm: The teams are coming out on the pitch now, and FC Teussen Stelburg receive a guard of honour from FK Pomorie. The civility is sure to disappear at the whistle, however, with Pomorie needing a result to keep their place in the league for next season.

3:00pm: Kick-off! Here we go, as the whistle blows around the country to get things started.

3’ GOAL: FK Venkovets take the lead! Valter Tomsic’s goal gives them an advantage over Zvezda Vlaikograd, and what could this mean for the IFCF places!

9’ FC Teussen Stelburg are looking good here, they’ve been all over Pomorie so far but simply haven’t been able to convert - Lukas Tauscher hitting the bar early on.

11’ GOAL: Energija Chernovets have the lead in Preisfeld! Brahian Cespedes created his own chance, and buried it past Denis Eulenberg to give the Canaries an important goal early.

13’ GOAL: Chernovets have scored again! Just moments after Cespedes’ opener, a long drive from Vsevolod Hristov finds the back of the net. It’s now 2-0, and Chernovets are looking like they have a great chance of finding their way into the top 5.

16’ GOAL: FC Teussen Stelburg have scored! Lukas Tauscher makes it 1-0 for the champions, a great finish from the right side.

19’ GOAL: Zvezda Vlaikograd aren’t done just yet - they equalize through Drago Ward. 1-1 in Venkovets now, as Zvezda get a good response to Chernovets’ early daggers.

22’ Let’s go around the grounds to check in on what’s happening today. SW Stahlberg are leading Vrnovo Mesto 2-0, while Felsenkirchen and TSV Georg-Blocher are currently sitting level at 1-1. Metropola and Rotmunde are goalless, as are St. Jakob and Marzig. Other goalless games so far include Olympia Borograd against FC Einheit Marnau, FC Kaiserhaven against 1912 Stelburg and FK Orlovska Bistrica against Marlesee 97.

24’ GOAL: Teussen get another one! It’s 2-0 now, Mario Kogler with the finish, and it’s looking to be a cakewalk for the champions here.

25’ GOAL: Orlovska Bistrica take the lead! Marian Hovlak made a great play to get some space in the box, then scored a great finish to make it 1-0 for his club - if they can win today, it seems they may reach safety.

29’ GOAL: Krasimir Kynev opens the scoring for Olympia Borograd! 1-0 they lead now over FC Einheit Marnau

31’ GOAL: Zvezda Vlaikograd also have the lead now! It’s Nwabudike Ugonna this time, who made a great run down the left side to beat his marker, and he scores a great curling shot to make it 2-1 for Zvezda over Venkovets.

35’ PENALTY: Penalty to Energija Chernovets! Brahian Cespedes was fouled in the box by Preisfeld’s Olaf Heinz, and he now steps up to take. Cespedes was 4/6 this year from the spot… make it 5! Cespedes scores, and it’s 3-0 for Chernovets here as they seem motivated to grab an international place.

38’ GOAL: Orlovska Bistrica have scored again! It’s Hovlak again, this time a long shot from just outside the box, and they lead Marlesee 2-0 here as we draw closer to halftime.

40’ GOAL: Rafael Mesmer gives 1912 Stelburg the lead! It was a quiet opening 45 minutes in Kaiserhaven as the two teams traded chances, but now the Bluebirds have the lead.

43’ GOAL: SV Preisfeld get one back now against Chernovets, with Werner Schott scoring on his first shot of the game to make it 3-1. It’s been a dominant first half for Chernovets overall - could Preisfeld look to flip the script in the second half?

45’ We’re drawing towards half-time now across the country, with most games entering stoppage time by now.

45+2’ GOAL: Right before the half, Zvezda Vlaikograd make it 3-1! Drago Ward received an excellent pass from Leopold Bliznakov, and he didn’t need to do too much work to get off a great shot and take a 3-1 lead over FK Venkovets.

45+3’ HALFTIME: We enter the half across the country - let’s take these 15 minutes to check in with the situation across the country.

3:48pm: Let’s check in with the IFCF race. Energija Chernovets lead SV Preisfeld 3-1, Zvezda Vlaikograd lead FK Venkovets 3-1, and 1912 Stelburg lead FC Kaiserhaven 1-0. As things stand, 1912 Stelburg and Zvezda Vlaikograd will qualify for the Challengers’ Cup, with Chernovets on the outside looking in. Olympia Borograd also lead FC Einheit Marnau 1-0, which as things stand would have them in 3rd.

3:50pm: Relegation race: Right now, it’s looking like FK Orlovska Bistrica are staying up. They have a 2-0 lead over Marlesee 97, while FK Pomorie are trailing FC Teussen Stelburg 2-0 at the half.

3:55pm: Elsewhere, SW Stahlberg now lead Vrnovo Mesto 3-1, while Felsenkirchen and Georg-Blocher are going a bit wild in their game, with the Blues leading 4-3 at the half. Metropola Borograd and Rotmunde are still goalless, while FC St. Jakob lead TSV Marzig 2-1.

3:59pm: We’re just about set for the second half, and there’s one extra thing to consider. Several of FC Teussen Stelburg’s leading players, including Mario Kogler and Lukas Tauscher, have uncertain futures, and could possibly leave the club this summer. So these 45 minutes might just be the last time we see them in the black and gold - one more ride for this very special team.

46’ We’re back! Kick-off once again for the second half across the Republikaliga.

48’ GOAL: FK Venkovets get one back! The home side make it 3-2 thanks to Boleslav Kovarik, and that’s certainly not good for Zvezda Vlaikograd to concede so early into the half.

51’ GOAL: Marlesee 97 also get one back, with Elias Eicke making it a 2-1 lead now for FK Orlovska Bistrica. Another goal for Marlesee could mean things get interesting in the relegation race.

53’ GOAL: 1912 Stelburg now have a 2-0 lead! It’s Helek-Nenzi Ono with the finish at the back post after a corner, and they seem to be quite comfortable in their positioning.

55’ GOAL: Things are very interesting indeed in the relegation race! FK Pomorie have got one back! They aren’t dead yet - Bozhidar Dimitrov finds the back of the net to make it 2-1 for FC Teussen Stelburg, and the Guards aren’t going down without a fight.

57’ GOAL: FC Kaiserhaven have pulled one back! Bobby East gets the goal with a clean shot into the bottom right corner, and it’s now a 2-1 lead for 1912 Stelburg here.

59’ GOAL: Horacio Bastanchurry has scored for FC Einheit Marnau! The Roses draw level with Olympia Borograd, 1-1 the score now - and as things stand, Olympia are down to 4th in the table.

60’ A penalty to FC Kaiserhaven! Raphael Klopfer brought down Norbert Ahrendt in the box, and now Ahrendt steps up to take. Ahrendt was 4/4 this season for Kaiserhaven… but it’s wide! Norbert Ahrendt misses the net, and 1912 Stelburg keep their lead 2-1

62’ GOAL: Energija Chernovets now have a 4-1 lead over SV Preisfeld. Akhil Sibal’s cross found the head of Dragomir Nikolov, and he slammed it in to extend the lead. It’s out of their hands now, though - they need one of Zvezda Vlaikograd or 1912 Stelburg to slip up.

64’ So close for FK Pomorie! Bozhidar Dimitrov’s effort just misses the net, and that’s a chance missed for them. Is it one they will regret come full time?

65’ GOAL: Rudolf Macek has scored for FK Orlovska Bistrica! It’s a 3-1 lead for them now, and with Pomorie trailing Teussen it looks like they might just be safe.

67’ GOAL: We may have spoken too soon! It’s another goal in Orlovska Bistrica - but this time for Marlesee, as Ingolf Kruger finds the back of the net! The book certainly isn’t closed on the relegation race just yet.

70’ Let’s go around the grounds again as we enter the last 20 minutes of action here. SW Stahlberg lead Vrnovo Mesto 4-2 now, that one seems to be in the bag. FC Felsenkirchen 1879 are up 5-3 on TSV Georg-Blocher, and FC Rotmunde 1932 lead FK Metropola Borograd 1-0 through Julian Werner. Elsewhere, FC St. Jakob lead TSV Marzig 3-2 now. That’s in addition to our feature games, which see Energija Chernovets leading SV Preisfeld 4-1, Zvezda Vlaikograd leading FK Venkovets 3-2, FK Orlovska Bistrica leading Marlesee 97 3-2, 1912 Stelburg leading FC Kaiserhaven 2-0, Olympia Borograd and FC Einheit Marnau level at 1, and FC Teussen Stelburg leading FK Pomorie 2-1. In the final twenty minutes, we’ll bring you coverage of all matches as we round out the season.

72’ GOAL: FK Venkovets draw level! Roman Marek’s through ball was picked up perfectly by Atzo Gogorza, and the young Astograthian left winger has a huge goal for his club, making it 3-3 here. Zvezda Vlaikograd were up 3-1, and are now in danger of missing out on the IFCF places.

74’ GOAL: FC Einheit Marnau have taken the lead! It’s Banquo Chrysler with a strong run before making a great pass into the box for Arno Heller, who finishes with a powerful shot to make it 2-1 for the Roses.

77’ GOAL: FC Teussen Stelburg make it 3-1! It’s Ludwig Reichwein with the goal, and that might just be it for FK Pomorie, unless Marlesee can get a result against Orlovska Bistrica.

78’ GOAL: Oh, Venkovets are now in the lead! Disaster for Zvezda Vlaikograd! They led 3-1, and are now down 4-3 after Valter Tomsic’s second goal of the game. Zvezda now need two goals to get to the IFCF places, and have twelve minutes and change to get it - can they pull one out here?

80’ GOAL: Felsenkirchen make it 6! Johannes Mandl has the goal, and Felsenkirchen now lead TSV Georg-Blocher 6-3 as we enter the final 10 minutes across the country.

81’ GOAL(s): Two hugely-important goals in the relegation race happen within seconds of each other! Todor Vitek gets one for FK Orlovska Bistrica, giving them a 4-2 lead over Marlesee, while Kurt Witzel has scored for FC Teussen Stelburg to give them a 4-1 lead over Pomorie. It’s looking likelier and likelier that Pomorie are down.

82’ GOAL: Plenty of action in these final minutes! Here’s a goal for FK Metropola Borograd, as Boris Bachev scores to bring them level against FC Rotmunde 1932 - that one now sits at 1-1.

85’ GOAL(s): TSV Marzig and TSV Georg-Blocher get goals moments apart here. Marzig’s Horst Hackl gets a goal to draw them level with FC St. Jakob, 3-3 in that one, while for TSV Georg-Blocher, it’s an emotional moment - Rupert Holz scoring in his final professional game. He’s tearful as he receives an ovation from both sides of the crowd, and it’s now 6-4 for FC Felsenkirchen 1879.

86’ As things stand, it’s only the IFCF race that is yet to be decided - and Zvezda Vlaikograd need to score 2 goals in the final few minutes plus stoppage time to claim a place, as Energija Chernovets and 1912 Stelburg both look to be heading towards victories.

88’ GOAL: Olympia Borograd are level with FC Einheit Marnau. Lojze Kokalj made the goal with a great run down the left side before sending a pass in that gets finished off by Ikki Tokei. 2-2 the score there - and Olympia will want another one in the final minutes to try and reach 3rd in the league.

89’ GOAL: Zvezda have one back! Things are getting interesting here! Leopold Bliznakov has the goal, and Zvezda waste no time picking it out of the back of the net and rushing back to the centre circle. Can they find another one in what’s expected to be 5 minutes of stoppage time?

90+1’ GOAL: 1912 Stelburg get a goal a few seconds into stoppage time that secures their win over FC Kaiserhaven, Demjko Izvanic getting the goal to make it 3-1. 1912 Stelburg return to IFCF competition once again, and unless Olympia Borograd can score, are likely to finish third in the league.

90+4’ Zvezda Vlaikograd have just over a minute to find a goal - can they do it? They’ve been all over Venkovets during stoppage time, but can’t seem to find a way through. It’s full time in most matches across the country, with only 4 still underway: Venkovets-Zvezda, Teussen-Pomorie, Felsenkirchen-Georg-Blocher, and Olympia-Marnau.

90+5’ GOAL: The last word of the day goes to the champions! Lukas Tauscher scores for FC Teussen Stelburg, his 29th of the year, to secure the Golden Boot as well as a 5-1 win for the home side as they prepare to receive the trophy.

4:52pm: FULL TIME: That’s it! The ninth season of the Republikaliga is in the books. 1912 Stelburg, Olympia Borograd and Energija Chernovets claim the IFCF places, while FK Pomorie have been relegated - FK Orlovska Bistrica will go to the playoff to fight for their place in the league.

4:57pm: FC Teussen Stelburg are up on the stage set up here on the Franz-Gorz-Stadion pitch, preparing to receive the Republikaliga trophy. It’s a great moment for the club, their fourth overall title in the Republikaliga era, and great vindication after falling just short last season.

5:00pm: There it is - Ludwig Reichwein lifts the Republikaliga trophy high into the Stelburg afternoon sky, as the Teussen fans roar their approval. There’s certainly a case to be made that this is the best Republikaliga side of all time - their points record of 87 is certainly as good a claim to that throne as any. Do they beat teams like that season 3 Olympia side, the season 2 Teussen side with Thorsten Kramer, any of Stahlberg’s teams with Michael Ribbeck, or the double-winning Teussen team of season 6? An interesting question, and perhaps one that can be debated next season during the Republikaliga’s 10th anniversary celebrations.

5:01pm: For now, however, FC Teussen Stelburg can celebrate as Champions of the Republic. No visible cues from either Kogler or Tauscher that this is their last game, but a long summer awaits for sure. Can Teussen go back-to-back? The time will soon come to find out.

5:05pm: Here are the final results from matchday 38 of the Republikaliga. From all of us at RBC Sports, thanks for following the Republikaliga this season, and we can’t wait to see you next year.

SV Preisfeld 1–4 Energija Chernovets
Vrnovo Mesto 2–4 SW Stahlberg
FK Orlovska Bistrica 4–2 Marlesee 97
TSV Georg-Blocher 4–6 FC Felsenkirchen 1879
FC Einheit Marnau 2–2 Olympia Borograd
FK Venkovets 4–4 Zvezda Vlaikograd
FC Kaiserhaven 1–3 1912 Stelburg
FK Metropola Borograd 1–1 FC Rotmunde 1932
FC St. Jakob 3–3 TSV Marzig
FC Teussen Stelburg 5–1 FK Pomorie

The Republikaliga season is now in the books, however, there’s more to come, with a full season review, awards, and the President’s Cup Final on the way. Before all of that, let’s get a look at the final league table.

#  Republikaliga             Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts
 1 FC Teussen Stelburg        38   26   9   3   121   61  +60    87     Champions
 2 FC Felsenkirchen 1879      38   24   9   5    96   61  +35    81     IFCF Champions' League
 3 1912 Stelburg              38   21   5  12   100   73  +27    68     IFCF Challengers' League     
 4 Olympia Borograd           38   19  11   8    87   68  +19    68
 5 Energija Chernovets        38   19   9  10    84   70  +14    66
 6 Zvezda Vlaikograd          38   18  10  10    91   74  +17    64
 7 FK Metropola Borograd      38   16  12  10    90   75  +15    60
 8 SW Stahlberg               38   17   9  12    86   81   +5    60
 9 Marlesee 97                38   15  11  12    68   71   −3    56
10 FC Rotmunde 1932           38   15   9  14    75   62  +13    54
11 FC Einheit Marnau          38   11  13  14    73   79   −6    46
12 SV Preisfeld               38   12   9  17    73   93  −20    45
13 TSV Marzig                 38   11   9  18    57   72  −15    42
14 FC St. Jakob               38   10  10  18    79   86   −7    40
15 FC Kaiserhaven             38   10   9  19    66   85  −19    39
16 FK Venkovets               38    8  14  16    65   90  −25    38
17 TSV Georg-Blocher          38    9   9  20    61   84  −23    36
18 FK Orlovska Bistrica       38    9   8  21    48   70  −22    35     Playoff
19 FK Pomorie                 38    8  10  20    61   93  −32    34     Relegated
20 Vrnovo Mesto               38    5   9  24    42   75  −33    24

[Siovanija and Teusland]

RBC Sports Presents

All Hands on Deck - Episode V

”All Hands on Deck” is RBC Sports’ documentary-style look into FC Felsenkirchen 1879’s youth squad, particularly the U19s, as they compete this season in the J. Republikaliga and the IFCF Rising Stars Cup. Our cameras followed players and coaches all season, getting a unique look into both the youth academy of a Republikaliga club and some of the better young players coming up in this country.”

“What a night boys, what a night!” Jesper Porsche is in a brilliant mood as the FC Felsenkirchen 1879 U19 players return to training a few days after their massive win in the Round of 16 on penalties. The draw for the Quarterfinal has them taking on Crystal Fair HC, who defeated prestigious Pasargan club CA Paulinthal in the Round of 16. “We’re at home again, and I think we all have a great belief that we can make something of that advantage,” says Per Holtz, the hero of the Round of 16 tie.

Before the Blues can worry about the Quarterfinal, however, it’s back to focusing on the league. The season is winding down to the final stretch of matches, and much like in the Republikaliga itself, there’s a clear two-way battle on display here: FC Teussen Stelburg against FC Felsenkirchen 1879. “They’re currently a few points ahead of us, but obviously we face them this weekend. So getting a result here could be huge for our title chances,” says manager Josef Baumann. The squad are energetic in training ahead of this weekend’s huge game. “That win has really lifted our spirits, yeah. To go through all we did that night - penalties, everything, I think we’re really ready for anything,” says Florian Krukenberg.

So by the time Saturday comes, the focus has shifted entirely to the game against Teussen. Felsenkirchen and Teussen are everywhere in the country right now. You can’t turn on a sporting channel without hearing pundits talk about which team will win the Republikaliga. Case in point, the news at the train platform in Felsenkirchen as the players wait to board the train to Stelburg:

“Now, Teussen have the lead right now - is it 5 points right now? Yes, five. But they play each other in two weeks. So if Felsenkirchen can gain a point or two in those games, then get a win? You’re right back to an even fight.”

“I don’t know, I just think Teussen have been near-perfect this year so far - they’ve only got 3 losses all year, haven’t lost in 12 games. I don’t see them slipping.”

The players, naturally, have their own opinions on the senior team’s title race. “They won it last year, they’ll do it again this year,” says Jesper Porsche. “I just think the quality of their team, they’re set to go on a nice run here and close out strong and hopefully take the title again.” Lost amongst all this talk is the battle going on today at the Teussens-Arena between the next generation of each team - with an equally as exciting title race underway. Teussen are currently up by 9 points, but Felsenkirchen have a real opportunity today to put on some pressure.

Baumann is confident in his team before the game. “Look around you. This stadium right here, there’s a lot of history here - how many Cups, titles, have Teussen won? But none of that matters today. When you look over to the other sideline, do you see a team better than you? Because I don’t. I think you’re the best team in the country. Go out there and f****** prove it lads, let’s go!”

Tempers boiled over last time these two teams played - with a 2-0 win for Teussen, and a red card to Niklas Mitter. This time, however, the Blues have been instructed not to get involved in the games - not to become over-emotional and throw away the game. Teussen, on the other hand, want to rile up the visitors - with tackle after tackle, challenge after challenge. The Blues manage to keep cool heads, however, and at the half are leading 1-0 thanks to a goal from Timo Nessler.

“I have 15 minutes to talk to you. I’m going to spend 14 just drilling it into your heads - do not take the bait. Do not do anything dumb. No pushing, no shoving. You get tackled, you get up. You get pushed, you get up. I don’t care if you get punched in the face, you get up. That’s how we win this game,” says Baumann to his players.

They follow his advice to a man. Lothas Ludwig scores a goal early into the second half to put Felsenkirchen up 2-0, and then the real baiting begins. Teussen’s defenders clatter into every tackle, it’s a very physical game, and the Blues are quickly losing ground. They don’t fall into the trap as usual, however - refusing to crowd the referee to protest any decisions or get involved in any extra jostling. Teussen are quickly turning the tide, however - and they make it 2-1 thanks to a goal from Bastian Boltzmann. Now Felsenkirchen are merely hanging on in the final minutes.

They manage to get a counter and send the ball out to Florian Krukenberg on the wing, who surges forward into the box. Krukenberg passes it in for Ludwig, who is taken down hard. Ludwig is on the ground for a few moments as the referee signals for a penalty. There are worried looks around the pitch and on the sideline as Ludwig lies on the ground - but just like that he’s back up and preparing to take the penalty. He converts, Felsenkirchen lead 3-1 and just like that are back in the title race.

The mood on the train is a bit muted as the squad heads back to Felsenkirchen - there’s obviously a great deal of excitement over the win, but also a bit of worry for Lothas Ludwig, who has stayed behind in Stelburg to get an MRI on his ankle. “He’s such a big part of our team, obviously, and I think we are all hoping he’s perfectly fine,” says Jesper Porsche.

At Stelburg General Hospital, meanwhile, Ludwig and manager Josef Baumann are in the waiting room before the procedure. “It doesn’t hurt too bad, but I definitely felt something. I’m glad the game was over pretty much right after the penalty, I don’t think I could’ve done any more,” says Ludwig. Baumann adds, “Our number one priority is his health, of course, so rather than go back to Felsenkirchen we wanted to get the information immediately and figure out what’s up.

By the time Ludwig gets into the door of the Kittel house in Felsenkirchen, it’s 12am, and the results are in: a mild sprain, which will see him miss 3 weeks. The return date is set for immediately before the Blues’ Quarterfinal match in the Rising Stars Cup. “Well, obviously it’s not ideal, with the title run in and everything - but I’ll be back soon and obviously my goal is to be back for that Quarterfinal.”

Felsenkirchen have three more games in the league between now and then, however, and have their star forward to replace. The club turn to Ludwig’s backup, Tom Proll. Proll is 16, and while considered a strong prospect in his own right is not the dynamic forward Ludwig has proven himself to be. “It’s a tough time for him to have to come in, but he knows he’s got our confidence and I think the lads are going to do what they can to support him,” says Baumann. “Tom’s a good guy, and a good player - he’s got a few appearances this season so hopefully he can build on that,” says Jesper Porsche.

Proll himself is a little quieter - not as good a fit into the core of this team as Ludwig is, although with 3 years between him and many of the more senior players that’s obvious. “Yeah, it’s a big moment for me, obviously I understand my role on this team and while I’ve been coming off the bench all year it’s time I step up for these guys.” Proll is confident, but the first game for Felsenkirchen is a tricky one: Energija Chernovets, who always have a strong team at this level, are coming to town.

Proll manages to score his first goal at the U19 level, but Felsenkirchen are defeated 3-2 by Chernovets. The next week, the squad travel down to St. Jakob - Jesper Porsche’s hometown - and Porsche manages to score a winner in front of family and friends as the Blues win 1-0. The last game before the Quarterfinal, and Ludwig’s return, is a home date with Marlesee 97. There’s no doubt left in this one, however - Felsenkirchen win 4-0 with goals from Krukenberg, Nessler, Kracht and Proll. Now, Wednesday night is the focus - and the Quarterfinal is on the horizon.

Lothas Ludwig is back in training on the Friday before the Marlesee match, but doesn’t play the game - being saved for the important one midweek. “I felt good, you know, getting out there. It’s never a good feeling to be watching the games from home, especially when the matches are so important like they are now. My goal was to get back for this one, though, and that’s where I am.” The squad are notably boosted by seeing their good friend and leading goalscorer back in training.

And so, on Wednesday night, the team arrive at Mollin Park for their match with Crystal Fair HC. Spring is in full bloom across the country - meaning the snow is gone, replaced by… rain. It’s a windy evening on the Nordsee coast, and there’s a hard rain coming down. “You come from Felsenkirchen, on the coast, you almost kinda grow up with it,” says Helmut Kadelberg. “We’ve played in worse conditions than this,” says Jesper Porsche. Right before the game, Josef Baumann gives his team one last pep talk.

“Lads. You all know the stakes. If we win today, we’re going to Northwest Kalactin at the end of the season, and we’re going to go there and take home that trophy. Look around - you can all do it. Play with heart, passion, whatever drives you, leave it all on the field tonight. Our top goalscorer is back - he’s due for a goal or two, so give him the ball! I want everyone to be excited to play - let them know very early on that this is going to be our game. No doubt lads, no doubt, let’s go!”

Under the lights, in the harsh climate, at home, Felsenkirchen are totally in their element. They are dominant in the first half, running circles around the Crystal Fair HC team. The visitors do get a good chance that is stopped by Per Holtz, but when Timo Nessler’s ball finds Lothas Ludwig, the Vanorian striker marks his return with a beautiful goal to put the Blues up 1-0. That wasn’t the end of the scoring in the first half: Florian Krukenberg created a great chance for himself to make it 2-0, and Ludwig would actually grab his second of the game on the edge of halftime to make it 3-0. As the Blues left the pitch, they were serenaded by the supporters with a resounding version of ‘The Blue Sea of Mollin,’ the fans fully confident in there team.

“Boys. 45 more minutes. 3 goals is very difficult to do in football, but it can happen if we aren’t careful. Keep it simple, keep it calm, come on lads you were excellent in that first half let’s keep it up now! This game is ours!” Baumann’s boys have no problem following his instructions in the second half, which is much like the first: Felsenkirchen are in total control. Jesper Porsche drives on in from the top of the box, and Lothas Ludwig’s late goal means it’s a hat-trick for him on his return to action. 5-0 is the final, and Felsenkirchen are going to the semifinals.

The celebrations in the room after the game are, of course, massive. There’s a feeling of almost invincibility amongst the players - with Ludwig on form, and Porsche dominating the midfield, who can stop them? The celebrations go long into the night, with the youth team reaching further in IFCF or UICA competition than any before them. They’d earned a trip to Northwest Kalactin at the end of the year, and a chance to lift the Rising Stars Cup trophy - what more could they want?

There was only one other thing - the league title. And several very difficult games to go through to get it. “Yeah, no game is easy obviously, but this is going to be a very tricky run-in,” says Jesper Porsche. “You look at our schedule, and it’s tough - we’ve got a lot of belief in ourselves, though, and we want to be the ones walking away with the trophy,” says Paul Steinhausl. “I’m just happy to be back playing and able to contribute,” says Lothas Ludwig. Felsenkirchen have 6 games left before the end of the season. Included on that list is a trip to Zvezda Vlaikograd, but the two biggest matches are saved for the final weeks of the season. On Matchday 36, the club will travel to Rotmunde for the Northeastern derby, and on matchday 38, the final day, the club will face Olympia Borograd in Borograd. With it looking very likely that the club will need to win all of their remaining games, with Teussen in good form as well, it’s near-certainly going to come down to those key matches.

Over the next few weeks, as the weather gets a bit warmer and flowers are out across the country, things go quite well for the Blues. Orlovska Bistrica are beaten 3-1, a last-minute winner from Florian Krukenberg sees them defeat FC Einheit Marnau 2-1, and perhaps the best result of the group sees goals from Ludwig (x2), Porsche and Nessler secure a huge 4-1 victory over Zvezda Vlaikograd. Felsenkirchen have been excellent - the only problem is, so have FC Teussen Stelburg. They grabbed a tricky away win over Olympia Borograd, and maintain a 6 point lead at the top of the table with 3 games to go. It’s near-certain then that Felsenkirchen will need to win out - and that starts with a trip over the Viaduct to Rotmunde.

“Northeastern derby for the league, you couldn’t script it any better,” says Paul Steinhausl as the team boards the bus that will make the 61.7km journey over the Rotmunde Viaduct to the island, where they will face the hated enemy. Once again, there’s a great atmosphere on derby day - but this time, it’s one incredibly hostile to the Blues. Rotmunde supporters have their red and black flags flying wildly in the sky, and the Blues are jeered wildly as they walk on to the pitch. Rotmunde’s senior team might be doomed to a season outside of the IFCF places in the Republikaliga, but the fans have one last chance to get one over on the local rival: a win for the home side makes it all but impossible for Felsenkirchen to win the title.

“You saw how they treated you - there’s a couple thousand people that are here just to see you guys lose today, so they can go home and laugh about ‘oh, Felsenkirchen have bottled it again.’ Are you going to go let that happen? You want to win this title, it runs through here, so get out there and get it done.” Baumann’s speech fires up the group - although it isn’t too difficult to get a group of Felsenkirchen boys riled up to face a group of Rotmunde boys.

Rotmunde are playing their best too, however, and are desperate to keep Felsenkirchen from winning the game. Rotmunde’s goalkeeper Johan Reinhart puts in the performance of a lifetime in the first half, saving a point-blank effort from Lothas Ludwig to keep the score at 0-0. By the halftime whistle, it’s still all square, and Felsenkirchen need to get something going. At the half, Baumann instructs right back Helmut Kadelberg to push further forward on attack, noticing that Rotmunde looked a little weak on the left.

In the second half, Baumann’s change works. Kadelberg and Florian Krukenberg are giving Rotmunde fits on the left side, and Krukenberg eventually makes a run that splits the defence open and slots in a nice finish past Reinhart to make it 1-0. Minutes later, Krukenberg makes a similar play but instead of shooting finds an open Lothas Ludwig: 2-0, and the travelling Felsenkirchen supporters have worked themselves into a frenzy with their team’s advantage. Rotmunde get one back late, but it’s not enough - Felsenkirchen come away with a 2-1 victory in the final derby of the season. Winning the derby is always nice - but hearing news that FC Teussen Stelburg have lost, and that the Blues are now just 3 points back, is even better. Rain is falling by the time the Felsenkirchen team bus pulls out of the stadium, but the sight of blue flags waving in the Rotmunde city square is one the entire team make sure to capture on their phone cameras. “You only get one of these away derbies every year, so to win it and see the reaction from the fans that came out for you is always beautiful,” says Jesper Porsche.

Felsenkirchen’s match next weekend against SV Preisfeld thus is another must-win for the club. They watch FC Teussen Stelburg lose on Saturday against a strong TSV Marzig club, and then go out knowing they can go top of the league on goal difference if they win on Sunday. There’s no doubt in anyone at the club’s mind that it will be anything other than a positive result, and Preisfeld are defeated 3-0 at Mollin Park. Going into the final day, Felsenkirchen are top of the table on goal difference, but both teams have the same points total - 65. Felsenkirchen will face Olympia Borograd, while FC Teussen Stelburg face TSV Georg-Blocher. While Georg-Blocher’s senior team are involved in a relegation scrap themselves, the youth team have done quite well for themselves this year and sit 12th in the table with good wins over Olympia and Teussen earlier in the year - there’s certainly a feeling that they can do it again.

The team are flying to Borograd for this one - the Republikaliga season concluded Saturday afternoon with Felsenkirchen travelling to Kaiserhaven to face TSV Georg-Blocher by train, leaving the team jet available for the youth squad. There’s some disappointment within the squad - Felsenkirchen’s senior squad failed to win the league title after a 1-1 draw. While it wasn’t really in their hands - FC Teussen Stelburg’s 4-2 win over FK Pomorie capping off a run of 21 games unbeaten to conclude the season - it’s still saddening for the players, many of whom grew up fans of the club. For manager Josef Baumann, it’s an opportunity for motivation. The squad gather arm in arm in the dressing room for one last pre-match chat in the J. Republikaliga season.

“I know everybody saw what happened yesterday. I know everyone saw Teussen lifting the trophy, and our guys going home empty-handed. It sucks. But today, we have a chance to start to make things right. Do you really want to watch Teussen lift another trophy today? Their time is done. Our time is now. We’ve won 5 games in a row - Teussen have got crushed two weeks in a row. They’re scared - of you. They’re playing Georg-Blocher today, but in their minds they’re playing you. If you go out and get any result - any one, I promise you, they will bottle it. They will. So let’s go, get the job done, and let’s head to Northwest Kalactin on a high note, right lads?”

But there’s some concern already in the first half. Olympia Borograd have one of the best youth academies in the league, and while they hate FC Teussen Stelburg more than most, they also have pride on the team. And with the senior team looking to a youth revolution in the future, there’s players in this XI that want to move up to the Republikaliga next season and are looking to prove themselves. A win here today would certainly do that. The Greens are dominant in the first half, and take a 1-0 lead into the break. Baumann doesn’t say much to the team at the half, other than encouraging them to leave it all out there in the final 45 minutes of the league season.

That they do. Lothas Ludwig kicks things off with a goal just 3 minutes into the second half to equalize, and all of the momentum seems to be with Felsenkirchen. Disaster strikes, however - a poor clearance by Otto Apt leads to an Olympia counter, and a foul by Paul Steinhausl. Penalty to the home side. To the delight of their fans in attendance today, forward Felix Prokop scores to make it 2-1. Time is ticking away now - and eyes are on the out of town scoreboard. TSV Georg-Blocher are leading FC Teussen Stelburg 2-1, but a Teussen goal would give them a point to win the league. Felsenkirchen know they need something, and they need it now.

”Felsenkirchen moving the ball well, here’s Kadelberg up the right wing side, he finds Krukenberg. Florian Krukenberg for Felsenkirchen now, and they have numbers going forward. Hasn’t Florian Krukenberg done a lot for them this season, maybe now is his moment. He sends in a pass, it looks like it’s meant for Lothas Ludwig but Ludwig leaves it - PORSCHE! Jesper Porsche! Coming in at the back post, Jesper Porsche has tied the game in the final minutes - and surely now given them the J. Republikaliga title!”

The Blues TV commentator says it all: Jesper Porsche’s brilliant play to get into position, and Lothas Ludwig’s excellent read of the play, create the goal that gives Felsenkirchen the key point. In Kaiserhaven, Georg-Blocher add one more in injury time and FC Teussen Stelburg lose 3-1, giving the league title to FC Felsenkirchen 1879. 8 wins in a row to conclude the season, and a famous title victory for the youngsters. It’s one they can cherish for the rest of their lives, and settles them in as a true ‘golden generation’ coming up at the club. The captain and goal-scoring hero Jesper Porsche lifts the trophy high into the sky, with his teammates crowding around him.

The celebration continues that night - the team are staying in Borograd for the evening, the players being given the chance to go out and experience the national capital. “It’s a huge achievement. We’re all proud of this season,” says Jesper Porsche. Paul Steinhausl is quite emotional: “Our group has come through a lot, you know, so to have this is just… we all want to play together forever, you know, and while it’s unlikely, we’ll always have this moment right here.” When we catch up with Porsche and Lothas Ludwig returning to the hotel, however, Ludwig captures the spirit of the team: “Winning is great, but we have a chance to win another trophy this season. We’ve already made history, but we can now become legendary - and football is all about moments like that. We’re playing out of this world right now, and I don’t see any reason why we can’t take that form with us to the Rising Stars Cup.” Jesper Porsche smiles, and as the two walk away, shouts back to our cameras “That’s not the last trophy I want to lift this year!”

There’s plenty of hard work remaining for the team, however, before their trip to Northwest Kalactin. Can they become the first team from Siovanija & Teusland to lift an international trophy, and bring the IFCF Rising Stars Cup to their shores? Find out on the finale episode of All Hands on Deck.

[Siovanija and Teusland]

RBC Sports Presents

All Hands on Deck - Episode VI

”All Hands on Deck” is RBC Sports’ documentary-style look into FC Felsenkirchen 1879’s youth squad, particularly the U19s, as they compete this season in the J. Republikaliga and the IFCF Rising Stars Cup. Our cameras followed players and coaches all season, getting a unique look into both the youth academy of a Republikaliga club and some of the better young players coming up in this country.”

Training on the day before Felsenkirchen’s U19s fly to Northwest Kalactin to contest the semifinal of the IFCF Rising Stars’ Cup isn’t the most rigorous session the team has ever had. There’s more laughter, it seems, than anything else, and for the most part it feels like one final formality before heading abroad for the biggest matches of these young players’ careers so far.

“I’m quite excited, I think we’re going in on good form and hopefully we can just finish what we started this season and get done what we’ve worked so hard for,” says Paul Steinhausl. The team have won their last 8 games in a row, having taken the J. Republikaliga title away from title rivals FC Teussen Stelburg. There’s two games to go now, however, and they look to be the toughest all year. The team files into the video room to prepare for the semifinal match, which will be against the Alikki-Corra Academy of Vilita.

“Quarterfinals, you guys won 5-0. A pretty good result. So did Alikki-Corra - and they looked better than you. They were all over Atlantea, squeezing them out of the game. And that’s how they intend to play you. So, we’re not going to let them do that. Jesper, we need you moving the ball quickly. Florian and Bastian, pace down the wings. Our game is about possession and speed, and that’s how we can beat them.” The tactical briefing continues, manager Josef Baumann instructing his players in various areas of what will need to be done in the game. Then, it moves towards the logistics of the trip.

“So lads, we fly out at 9am tomorrow, and we’re booked into a hotel at Gold Coast. If you win the game, we stay there and a few days later play the final. You can go out and see the city, but I don’t want anyone getting into any trouble - you’re a good group, though, and I don’t think there will be any problems. We’ll be training before the match there, obviously, and we’ll go over all of this again. And now, finally, I’d like to bring in a special guest to talk to you guys.” Baumann’s words go over well with the group - who are now wondering just who that guest could be. There are some murmurs in the back - who could it be?

Into the room walks FC Felsenkirchen 1879 centre back, World Cup 84 winner, and Cycle 76 Galacticos XI member Ciriko Useternix. The team are excited - of course, some of them have had the opportunity to train with the seniors before, and meet the squad, but here stands a World Cup winner in front of them to talk to them. “Hey guys, I know I’ve met some of you before but if not, good to see everybody. Josef’s asked me to come in and talk to you guys today before you head off for the big games, and I thought it was a great idea. Obviously I’ve played in some big games in my career, so I’d love to bring some advice and just well-wishes to you guys. The one thing to always remember is to have each others’ backs. A lot of times in games like this it just comes down to who wants it more. And so if you see a teammate out of position, or someone else makes a mistake, you have to be the one helping him out. In games like these, there’s no individual glory in losing - you have to win as a team. We’re all proud of you guys, we’re all behind you, and I know that all of us at the senior team are going to be watching, so don’t let us down. Seriously though, best of luck, you guys are a great team and you can all go far, so make a big splash here.” Useternix sticks around for lunch afterwards, taking photos with the team and continuing to talk to them. It’s an experience that goes over well with the Felsenkirchen players.

“He’s someone I’ve looked at a lot over the last few years, especially since he plays for the senior team, in developing my game and how to be a professional, so to have him in and know that they’ll be watching us is pretty cool,” says Paul Steinhausl. “Any time you get to talk to one of the best in the world it’s a great experience. He’s obviously experienced a lot of big games in his career, so to get some of his insight before our game is great,” says Jesper Porsche.

By the time the team touches down in Northwest Kalactin, they’re ready to go for game one. “I hate the waiting,” says Lothas Ludwig. The team will spend two days in the country before playing their first game, and while training is a big part of it, some players take the time to go exploring. Ludwig, Porsche and Per Holtz are found in a Gold Coast restaurant, while others prefer to just stay back: Florian Krukenberg sits in the hotel lobby for hours reading a few books he’s brought with him. “Just something to keep the nerves away,” he tells us.

Finally, however, it’s game day, and for Felsenkirchen it’s a huge challenge. The Vilitan side ahead of them are one of the favourites to win the competition amongst the final four teams, and everyone in the dressing room ahead of the match knows that. “Lads, this is what we’ve been preparing for all season. They’re one of the best programs in the world - but today is our day. Take them down, let’s go, and on to the big one! Come on lads!” Baumann’s team talk has the players motivated as they kick off.

In the first half, that motivation seems to be working for the Felsenkirchen team. They look promising early, with several strong chances. Just before halftime, they go up 1-0 through a goal from Florian Krukenberg. Baumann’s half time talk is short and simple: keep it up, lads. Lothas Ludwig gets a goal just a few minutes into the second half that puts them up 2-0, and Felsenkirchen seem to be rolling towards a berth in the final. Alikki-Corra, however, aren’t done just yet. They win a penalty after Otto Apt made a poor tackle, and convert to make it 2-1. The VIlitans push forward for an equalizer late, but it’s not to be: Jesper Porsche picks off a pass in midfield, and sends the ball forward for Ludwig. Ludwig’s second of the game makes it 3-1, and with that, FC Felsenkirchen 1879 are going to the IFCF Rising Stars Cup Final.

Back at the hotel, the team enjoys dinner as they prepare for what comes next. “This is going to be the biggest game of my career, no doubt,” says Helmut Kadelberg. “It’s just going to be about dealing with that pressure, and finding a way through.” The team are all business at dinner - “We’re dialled in,” says Jesper Porsche. “For the next few days it’s football, football, football.”

The Blues are eager to find out who their opposition will be in the final. One day after their semifinal win, the team are back at the Gold Coast International Stadium again - but this time, high up in the stands. They are watching the other semifinal, between Kota Jembal Youth of Sharktail and Valladar side Guzman-Cress Academy. Opinions are split on who will win the game.

“Kota Jembal,” says Per Holtz. “No way, mate, it’s Guzman-Cress for sure,” says Jesper Porsche.

Either way, the players are watching this game closely - trying to see tendencies and tactics of their opposition. The game requires extra time - with the score even at two after 90 minutes. But in the end, it’s the team from Sharktail that win out, setting up a final between FC Felsenkirchen 1879 and Kota Jembal Youth.

“Going into the tournament, I’m not sure anyone expected these two teams to make it all the way,” says Jesper Porsche. Two somewhat competing underdog stories, then: the Blues having done well to get out of a tricky group in the group stage before getting through a tough path to make it to the final. Kota Jembal, meanwhile, became the first Sharktail side to get this far in any IFCF competition, and did so as a team from the 65th-ranked league in the world. On paper, Felsenkirchen were the favourites - but paper means nothing on grass.

The days leading up to the final were quiet around the team’s hotel in Gold Coast - focus, focus, focus was the mentality of seemingly every player. Even during training, there was no time for jokes - it was all business. “It’s good to be focused, but they also need some distractions, too - we’re a light-hearted group, and so if we’re all serious all the the time it kinda takes away some of our character. We’ve got a fun surprise planned for them tonight, though,” says manager Josef Baumann.

The club have flown in each player’s family members to Gold Coast to watch the game. The families gather in the team hotel lobby, mixing in with each other. “We wanted to come, but it’s a pretty long trip,” says Jesper Porsche’s father, Michael. “Luckily, the club came through and brought us all over. We’ve been to every single home game this year, so to go to what’s the biggest game of his career so far is going to be something I’ll never forget.” Lothas Ludwig’s billet family, the Kittels, are here as well - and of course, Lore has made some of her famous chocolate chip cookies for the occasion. “They need some extra motivation before the game,” she says.

Baumann greets the family members in the lobby, then sends a text to the team group chat: “Hotel lobby in 5, team meeting.” One by one, the players file into the conference room as Baumann speaks to the group. “Right lads, we’ve got another special guest for you.” Who could it be this time? Into the room instead, however, came the players’ families. It’s a great moment, with plenty of greetings and hugs all around. “We thought we’d just be seeing it on the television,” says Per Holtz’s father Paul, “But it’s a great thing they’ve done here, I think it can only help them.”

The players are told to go out and have dinner with their families, and many of them enjoy a nice evening the day before the final. Back in their hotel rooms, the players prepare themselves for the match in whatever way they can. Some are playing video games, some are simply pacing around the hallways. Lothas Ludwig, Jesper Porsche, Paul Steinhausl and Per Holtz are playing euchre again in their hotel room. Others, like Helmut Kadelberg and Otto Apt, have just gone to bed, attempting to sleep the nerves away.

In the morning, it’s a team breakfast before heading over to the stadium to start the pre-match routine. In the dressing room, the players check out their kits for the game. They’ve been drawn as the away team - meaning white shirts and navy shorts. Everything is normal - but there’s some writing underneath the crest: ‘IFCF Rising Stars Cup Final, Kota Jembal Youth vs FC Felsenkirchen 1879, Gold Coast, Northwest Kalactin’. There’s understanding nods around the room - it’s a monumental occasion. It’s a jersey to frame in your house forever - but one that would look so much better with a gold medal hanging down.

After the warmup, there’s silence in the dressing room. Baumann shakes each member of his team’s hand before heading to the centre circle. “IFCF Rising Stars Cup Final,” he begins. “You’ve worked all year for this one, boys. In the rain in Brenecia. In a snowstorm back home. Just to get out of the group stage we had to be perfect in our last few games - and you did it. We went to penalties in the Round of 16 - and you did it again. No one thought we’d win the semifinal - but we did. And now, we’re here. 90 minutes stand between you and the trophy. 90 minutes stand between you and history. This is a moment you will all remember for the rest of your careers - you’ll never get a chance like this again. Our time is now. We’ve won our last 9 straight games. Let’s make it f****** ten lads, bring that f****** trophy home! Come on!” There’s a roar of approval in the dressing room as the players get ready to go out and do battle on the pitch.

They come out to a roar of support from the Felsenkirchen fans that have travelled all this way for the big game. “Come on you Blues!” and “The Blue Sea of Mollin” just feel louder thousands of miles from home, and the players applaud the fans prior to kick-off, including the families who are mixed into the Felsenkirchen end. The whistle blows, and it’s time to get underway in the biggest match of their lives.

It’s Kota Jembal, however, who get off the mark first, and off to a great start. A strong run from their winger forces the Blues’ defenders back, and a quality shot from just outside the box by Kota Jembal’s star forward makes it 1-0 for the team from Sharktail. There’s further first-half disappointment for Felsenkirchen - Kota Jembal make it 2 after a poor clearance by Paul Steinhausl is intercepted and turned into a great play leading up to a goal. The team head into halftime down 2-0 in the biggest game of their lives.

“This isn’t over yet, lads,” says Jesper Porsche. “This isn’t f****** over yet.” Despite the difficult start to the game, the team don’t seem down and out - in fact, they seem more motivated than ever. Baumann keeps things simple. “Well, you’ve s*** the bed in that half. But the great thing about football is there’s two halves. Three goals is difficult, but not impossible. I know you all watched Kramer and Cathair just do it last week to win the title. Get out there and become legends.”

Once again, the team are fired up - and this time, they come out for the second half much less nervy and instead are prepared for whatever is to come. But Kota Jembal see the light at the end of the tunnel - they see themselves 45 minutes away from an incredible success. The Blues need to be at their best to get themselves back in the game.

Florian Krukenberg takes the ball forward, getting down the right hand side, then sends in a cross that is knocked out by the defender, setting up a corner. Krukenberg takes it quickly, and it’s in off the head of Lothas Ludwig. 2-1, and the Blues are quick to grab the ball and restart things. They are pouring the pressure on Kota Jembal now, getting shots from every angle that are turned aside or just miss their target.

25 minutes to play, and the Blues are down 2-1. It’s going to be a tough ride to get back into this final, but the team have faith that they have the capability to do it. Jesper Porsche picks up the ball in midfield, and the Blues now sense a counter-attack is on. Porsche sends a pass over to the right side that’s picked up by Krukenberg - he’s been so valuable to the team in all of these games. He makes another great play here, beating the Kota Jembal fullback before cutting in and firing a shot into the bottom left corner. It’s jubilation for Felsenkirchen, they’ve come back from 2-0 down, and now they have the chance to go on and win the Cup outright.

The Blues are galvanized by that goal, and they try and use the momentum that it’s created to push forward and grab another one. A great shot by Ludwig is stopped, then a corner is punched away by Kota Jembal’s keeper. It looks like the Sharktail team have weathered the storm. But a few minutes before the end of 90, Felsenkirchen get one more chance.

”Krukenberg down the right side - he’s already got a goal and an assist today, what can he do here. Krukenberg in… the pass is over to Jesper Porsche at the top of the box. Porsche tries to get some space, the shot’s in, it’s saved - Ludwig at the doorstep! Lothas Ludwig! 3-2! Felsenkirchen lead the final! It’s Lothas Ludwig, it’s 3-2, and the Blues are 5 minutes away from winning the Cup!”

Lothas Ludwig’s goal gives Felsenkirchen the lead - but Kota Jembal still have time for an equalizer of their own. They try their hardest to get it, but a good save by Per Holtz shuts the door first, before a well-timed challenge by Helmut Kadelberg kills an attack. Their final chance is a corner, which is knocked away by the head of Paul Steinhausl. The final whistle blows - and FC Felsenkirchen 1879 are youth champions of the world!

It’s a brilliant sight as the whole team storm the pitch, crowding all together alongside the staff and several fans who have also made their way onto the field now. The players all crowd together, lifting each other in the air, especially today’s heroes like Krukenberg, Ludwig, Porsche and Steinhausl. The team receive their gold medals on the stage, as well as lift the Rising Stars Cup trophy high into the sky - becoming the first club from Siovanija & Teusland to win an IFCF competition.

There’s time for some reflection on the flight home from Northwest Kalactin. “Lads, no matter where we go in our careers, we’re always going to have this moment. When we see each other on the pitch in 10 years, whether it’s on the same team or against each other, we’ll have this moment in mind,” says Jesper Porsche. Lothas Ludwig, holding the trophy, laughs: “I’ll remember how we almost blew it in the first half,” before adding: “But we did it, boys.”

For many of these players, their football stories are just beginning. Jesper Porsche, Lothas Ludwig, Steinhausl, Holtz, and a few more seem to be destined for success on the big stage in the Republikaliga - there’s more success to come for them. For others, this might be the only taste they ever get - and that’s fine too. When their biographies are written, all will include the same line: ‘IFCF Rising Stars Cup winner’

When producing this documentary series, we weren’t sure what to expect. Who knew that it would be the most successful performance of a youth team in the history of the country, and that they would deliver an international trophy. The story of this Felsenkirchen team is one of a group of young men who came together, fought through adversity, and became champions. Despite tough losses, harsh weather, and tough injuries, they persevered. They had the help of every player - living up to their season motto of ‘all hands on deck.’ And with a team full of players with bright futures, the defining thing about them will be their accomplishment as a team.

RBC Sports thanks you for watching ‘All Hands on Deck,’ and looks forward to following the future of each of the players and staff members who were key in the success the club had this year. We’d like to thank each of the players, their families, and the club for the access they have given us.

[Siovanija and Teusland]

Republikaliga Season IX - Review

NOTE: Thank you for following the Republikaliga this season. I would greatly appreciate hearing your feedback on your experience with the league, so I've created a quick survey to capture this feedback, which you can find here. Again, thank you, and hope you've enjoyed!

Another great season of Republikaliga action is complete - and let’s now take a look at some of the league’s best performances throughout the year.

Golden Boot

There were a few leading contenders for the Golden Boot this season, and by the start of matchday 38 it almost looked like we would have a tie for the award - but then Lukas Tauscher scored twice against FK Pomorie, to reach 29th on the season, and captured the trophy for the first time in his career to cap off a great season for him.

1. Lukas Tauscher (29 goals, FC Teussen Stelburg)
2. Johannes Mandl (27 goals, FC Felsenkirchen 1879)
3. Krasimir Kynev (26 goals, Olympia Borograd)
T4. Rafael Mesmer (25 goals, 1912 Stelburg)
T4. Drago Ward (25 goals, Zvezda Vlaikograd)
T4. Ragnar Targaryen (25 goals, SW Stahlberg)
5. Ludwig Reichwein (24 goals, FC Teussen Stelburg)

Golden Ball

The race for the Golden Ball this year was quite heavily dominated by one player, but there were a few other candidates of course. Lukas Tauscher was the favourite all year, he established himself as the best player in the league over the course of the season while leading Teussen to the title. On his own team, however, he faced competition from other key players including Ewald Heuser, Mario Kogler and Heinrich Bahr. In total, 8 players received votes for the award, which is voted on in a ranked ballot by the captains and managers of the Republikaliga. After the first round, Falcon Case and Leopold Bliznakov were eliminated. After the second round, Ciriko Useternix and Johannes Mandl were eliminated. Heinrich Bahr was eliminated after the third round, and Mario Kogler after the fourth. That set up a final round between Lukas Tauscher and Ewald Heuser:

Lukas Tauscher, FC Teussen Stelburg - 25 votes
Ewald Heuser, FC Teussen Stelburg - 15 votes

Heuser did quite well to make it so far in the voting, as Teussen posted the tied-for-best defensive record in the league. Heuser also led the league in clean sheets and penalties saved. However, it was understood that this award had Tauscher’s name on it this year. The top player on the statistically-best team in league history gets some additional individual hardware.

Positional Awards

Best Forward: Johannes Mandl, FC Felsenkirchen 1879
Best Midfield: Henirich Bahr, FC Teussen Stelburg
Best Defender: Erich Thierse, FC Teussen Stelburg
Best Keeper: Ewald Heuser, FC Teussen Stelburg

Young Player of the Year

The race for the Young Player of the Year award saw three players in the running most of the year. Forwards Marian Hovlak (FK Orlovska Bistrica) and Horacio Bastanchury (FC Einheit Marnau), as well as midfielder Andrey Bunev (FK Metropola Borograd) all put up great campaigns. Both Hovlak and Bastanchury had great season this year, and will be competing for this award again next season, but it has to go to Andrey Bunev, who played such a key role in leading his club to their best finish in four years. Bunev has quite a bright future in this league, and it gets started with this award.

Andrey Bunev, FK Metropola Borograd

Manager of the Year

It would’ve been easy to just go for Kasper Knauer, who helped lead his Teussen team to a 21 match unbeaten run to close out the season, but the voters instead chose a manager who also put up a long unbeaten run and lifted his team from talk of a relegation battle before the season into the midtable. Robert Feicke’s SV Preisfeld were predicted by some to go down, but after a nine-game unbeaten run in the middle of the season and strong results against some of the top teams, the Bees ended up 12th in the league. Feicke has earned praise for getting the best out of both his young and old players, and is a hot name on the managerial market in the future.

Robert Feicke, SV Preisfeld

Best XI

GK - Ewald Heuser (FC Teussen Stelburg); LB - Axel Richter (FC Teussen Stelburg), CB - Ciriko Useternix (FC Felsenkirchen 1879), CB - Erich Thierse (FC Teussen Stelburg), RB - Thorsten Helmke (FC Felsenkirchen 1879); LM - Mario Kogler (FC Teussen Stelburg), CM - Leopold Bliznakov (Zvezda Vlaikograd), CM - Heinrich Bahr (FC Teussen Stelburg), RM - Lukas Tauscher (FC Teussen Stelburg), CF - Johannes Mandl (FC Felsenkirchen 1879), CF - Rafael Mesmer (1912 Stelburg)

Substitutes: GK - Gentza Bedigax (FC Felsenkirchen 1879); DF - Raphael Klopfer (1912 Stelburg), DF - Taras Maksimov (Energija Chernovets); MF - Falcon Case (FC Felsenkirchen 1879), MF - Enigma Armageddon (Energija Chernovets); CF - Krasimir Kynev (Olympia Borograd)

Lower League Results

#  2. Republikaliga          Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts
 1 VfL Reinbronn              38   23   5  10    88   58  +30    74     Champions
 2 FK Vlaikograd 1896         38   19  13   6    80   52  +28    70     Promoted
 3 Rudar Trkev                38   18  11   9    62   47  +15    65     Playoff
 4 Rudar Draijagrad           38   17  10  11    77   58  +19    61
 5 1884 Felsenkirchen         38   18   7  13    62   53   +9    61
 6 SK Republika Borograd      38   16  11  11    67   55  +12    59
 7 1828 Pomen                 38   15  13  10    65   55  +10    58
 8 FK Raketa Bukovets         38   15  11  12    75   64  +11    56
 9 VfB Launitz                38   13  16   9    62   49  +13    55
10 Teufelsberg 97             38   14  11  13    57   65   −8    53
11 NK Vrnovo                  38   15   8  15    56   64   −8    53
12 SVG Bainitz                38   13  12  13    56   48   +8    51
13 FC Ternau 05               38   13  12  13    67   72   −5    51
14 NK Siovanska Gora          38   14   8  16    59   57   +2    50
15 VfB Marlesee               38   13   9  16    65   68   −3    48
16 Arsenal Bukovets           38   11  11  16    59   62   −3    44
17 FC Magesbach               38    9  10  19    47   83  −36    37
18 Oststahlberg 08            38    8   9  21    41   75  −34    33
19 VfB Truiselwald            38    6  11  21    29   53  −24    29     Relegated
20 VfL Prutseren              38    6  10  22    46   82  −36    28

VfL Reinbronn win the 2. Republikaliga, and are back in the Republikaliga for the first time since its first-ever season. It’s been a long time away for Reinbronn, but with a good young squad they’ll have a good chance of staying up next season. FK Vlaikograd 1896 are also back up, but the verdict is still out on them - it’s mostly the same squad that got relegated last season, and so they will need to make improvements to stabilize themselves in the league. Rudar Trkev, meanwhile, go to the playoff for the second straight year where they will face FK Orlovksa Bistrica for a place in the top tier. Ones to watch next year include SK Republika Borograd, who made a great Cup run as well as finishing 6th, as well as Rudar Draijagrad, who have been on the ups for a few years now. At the bottom, VfB Truiselwald and VfL Prutseren head down to the third tier.

Playoff

FK Orlovska Bistrica 1-1 Rudar Trkev
Rudar Trkev 0-2 FK Orlovska Bistrica

FK Orlovska Bistrica keep their place in the Republikaliga! Rudar Trkev felt they’d gotten a brilliant result from the first leg, an away goal and a draw, but the Eagles stepped up their game in the second leg. Marian Hovlak had both goals in the away win, and Orlovska Bistrica are staying up. For Rudar Trkev, it’s back to the drawing board after two straight playoff defeats.

#  3. Republikaliga                Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts
 1 NK Karjaska Gora                 46   25  12   9    86   45  +41    87     Champions
 2 TSV Konsford                     46   23  12  11    82   47  +35    81     Promoted
 3 VfL Bamerntal                    46   22   9  15   104   74  +30    75
 4 TSV Posenford                    46   20  13  13    79   60  +19    73
 5 NK Kaskada                       46   20  11  15    82   64  +18    71
 6 TSV Prattsee                     46   19  14  13    78   67  +11    71
 7 NK Krakovo                       46   20   8  18    82   71  +11    68
 8 1888 Runsen                      46   18  13  15    56   54   +2    67
 9 NK Prevala                       46   19   9  18    75   81   −6    66
10 VfL Truhnscheid                  46   16  17  13    72   62  +10    65
11 VfB Giesenau                     46   17  13  16    68   69   −1    64
12 NK Piran                         46   15  18  13    97   77  +20    63
13 NK Kraljgrad                     46   17  11  18    70   88  −18    62
14 TSV Lahnnenbruck                 46   15  16  15    65   71   −6    61
15 FC Giesenau                      46   14  18  14    65   57   +8    60
16 FC Teufelsberg                   46   17   9  20    67   77  −10    60
17 NK Vojnik                        46   16  11  19    69   80  −11    59
18 FK Kostinbrod                    46   15  13  18    70   74   −4    58
19 FC Truiselwald                   46   15  13  18    68   75   −7    58
20 TSV Tarnitz                      46   13  16  17    66   79  −13    55
21 FC Lahnnenbruck 98               46   14  10  22    61   79  −18    52
22 VfL Magesbach                    46   14   9  23    55   91  −36    51
23 FC Kischfeld                     46   10  12  24    57   89  −32    42
24 Admiral Severno Pristajanje      46   10   9  27    52   95  −43    39

NK Karjaska Gora are the champions, and they’ll be looking to really establish themselves in the second tier now - they’ve been back and forth a few times. TSV Konsford are also promoted, while VfL Bamerntal just missed out. Expect Bamerntal to still be in the running next year, alongside clubs like TSV Posenford and NK Kaskada.

#  J. Republikaliga          Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts
 1 FC Felsenkirchen 1879      38   18  12   8    66   49  +17    66     Champions/Rising Stars Cup
 2 FC Teussen Stelburg        38   19   8  11    73   64   +9    65
 3 SW Stahlberg               38   19   7  12    71   46  +25    64
 4 FC St. Jakob               38   19   7  12    71   51  +20    64
 5 1912 Stelburg              38   18   8  12    66   47  +19    62
 6 FK Orlovska Bistrica       38   17  11  10    57   54   +3    62
 7 Energija Chernovets        38   18   5  15    81   70  +11    59
 8 TSV Marzig                 38   15  12  11    66   41  +25    57
 9 Olympia Borograd           38   17   6  15    77   64  +13    57
10 FK Venkovets               38   16   7  15    75   70   +5    55
11 FK Metropola Borograd      38   16   7  15    65   68   −3    55
12 TSV Georg-Blocher          38   16   6  16    60   64   −4    54
13 FK Pomorie                 38   13  10  15    57   72  −15    49
14 FC Rotmunde 1932           38   12  10  16    61   71  −10    46
15 Zvezda Vlaikograd          38   13   7  18    46   59  −13    46
16 FC Einheit Marnau          38   13   6  19    47   56   −9    45
17 Marlesee 97                38   10  13  15    51   70  −19    43
18 FC Kaiserhaven             38   11   9  18    54   63   −9    42
19 Vrnovo Mesto               38   10   5  23    53   81  −28    35
20 SV Preisfeld               38    8   8  22    57   94  −37    32

FC Felsenkirchen 1879 win the J. Republikaliga, after winning their last 8 matches of the year! It was a great year for the club, who also won the IFCF Rising Stars’ Cup, the first team from Siovanija & Teusland to ever win an international competition, and have been featured in RBC Sports’ documentary series this year, All Hands on Deck. The Golden Boot went to Felsenkirchen’s Vanorian forward Lothas Ludwig, who is on track to be a key part of the senior team very soon, while the Golden Ball went to his teammate Jesper Porsche, who has been seen as a potential heir in playstyle to Thorsten Kramer. Other top performers included FC Teussen Stelburg’s Bastian Boltzmann and Olympia Borograd’s Damir Cvetkov.

# Milan Dimitrov Division               Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts
1 Ivan-Penchev-Akademija                 30   16   8   6    51   30  +21    56    Alumni Cup
2 University of Borograd                 30   15   5  10    43   29  +14    50
3 Chernovets Teknologichen-Institut      30   12   7  11    42   44   −2    43
4 Borograd Metropolitan University       30    9  11  10    31   38   −7    38
5 Vlaikograd University                  30    6  11  13    33   43  −10    29
6 Agricultural University of Trkev       30    6  10  14    29   45  −16    28

# Karl VII Division                     Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts
1 TU Stelburg                            30   11  11   8    48   34  +14    44     Alumni Cup
2 St. Jakob University                   30   10  12   8    37   34   +3    42
3 Universitat-Stelburg                   30   11   9  10    39   40   −1    42
4 Freie-Universitat Felsenkirchen        30   12   6  12    37   41   −4    42     Alumni Cup Hosts
5 Heinrich-Vogel-Universitat             30    9  10  11    38   44   −6    37
6 Universitat-Rotmunde                   30    8  10  12    33   39   −6    34

# von Schaaf Division                   Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts
1 Luftwaffenakademie                     30   15   6   9    59   49  +10    51     Alumni Cup
2 Marineakademie Kaiserhaven             30   14   7   9    53   43  +10    49
3 OA Stavropol                           30   13   8   9    40   36   +4    47
4 National Military Academy              30   11   7  12    49   41   +8    40
5 VA Vrnovo                              30    9   6  15    32   51  −19    33
6 WA Stahlberg                           30   10   2  18    20   33  −13    32

Alumni Cup Semifinals

TU Stelburg 0–0 Luftwaffenakademie (1–0 AET)
Ivan-Penchev-Akademija 0–1 Freie-Universitat Felsenkirchen

Alumni Cup Final

3rd Place Playoff: Ivan-Penchev-Akademija 1–2 Luftwaffenakademie
Final: TU Stelburg 1–1 Freie-Universitat Felsenkirchen (1–1 AET) (4–1 pen.)

TU Stelburg capture another Alumni Cup, defeating hosts Felsenkirchen on penalties! It’s been an incredible run for this TU Stelburg team - it’s their third championship in a row, and they also went on to win the IUCC world championship this season, cementing their status as one of the top programs in the world. The team have an excellent core group of players at the moment, which will be difficult to replace, but for now they can be quite happy with their program.

President’s Cup Final

Zvezda Vlaikograd 1-0 Vrnovo Mesto

On a sunny afternoon at the Nationalstadion, Zvezda Vlaikograd broke a four-decades long Cup drought with a 1-0 win over Vrnovo Mesto to capture the President’s Cup title.

It was always going to be a hugely important match for both clubs after the way their seasons ended. Vrnovo Mesto were, of course, relegated from the Republikaliga. Captain Daniel Pingov has this to say on the occasion: “We obviously let ourselves and the fans down with our play this year, but today we get one game to turn things around and have something to cheer about. It’s the biggest moment in the club’s history, certainly.” Vrnovo Mesto have never in their history made it to a President’s Cup Final, although they have reached the semifinal stage 6 times in the past.

For Zvezda Vlaikograd, it was a bit of a second-chance as well. The team lost out on their IFCF place after drawing FK Venkovets on matchday 38, but with a win today could qualify for the Cup Winners’ Cup and bring home important silverware for their fans to appreciate. “It’s a big day for all of us, and me personally, I’ve never played in a Cup final before so it’s a huge experience for a lot of our guys and hopefully we can step up to match it,” said Leopold Bliznakov, the midfielder who has made quite a name for himself wearing the red kit of Zvezda.

In the pre-match build up, much had been made of what style Vrnovo would go for on the day. Of course, everyone was used to seeing the typical Vrnovo, heavily defensive football that focused only on the counter. There were hints that the team, on the occasion of the biggest match in club history, might be looking to switch things up for the final. When the team sheets came out, however, it was the usual lineup for the men in orange, and a tough nut to crack for the men in red.

To their credit, however, Vrnovo Mesto did play some exciting football at times. They were a well-oiled machine at the back end, with Pingov giving his all on every single play, but they also managed to threaten the Zvezda goal at times in the first half. In fact, the first real chance of the game came to Mesto on the counterattack, with Konstantin Nikolov firing it just over the bar. Zvezda were clearly a bit nervous, many of their players playing their first-ever Cup final. Add in the pressure of being heavily favoured for the game, and you get the sloppiness that was found in their game for the first half-hour.

By the end of the first half, however, Zvezda had recovered, and started to dominate the game in the final stages of the half. They’d figured out what they felt they would need to do to break down the tough Vrnovo defence, and started to get some interesting movement around the area. Much of it was focused on the two wingers, known for their pace, and seeing if Nwabudike Ugonna and Sinisa Gaspersie could use that pace off the ball to create some space. The Vrnovo fullbacks, Noboru and Andon Vakev, however, managed to help hold the tide in the first half, and at the break it was still 0-0.

As the second half wore on, you began to feel that Vrnovo Mesto had perhaps missed their opportunity early in the game to make this their day. Zvezda Vlaikograd really grew into the game, and seemed to have total control over the match. However, once in the box, they couldn’t create anything. They’d been instructed to heavily obstruct Leopold Bliznakov’s opportunities, to give him as little time as possible, and it was working well. Zvezda could get the ball in close, but not do anything with it for the time being.

As time ticked on, chances continued to come for Zvezda. The best opportunity of the game fell when Nwabudike Ugonna managed to make a good run in and send the pass for Drago Ward. The forward’s shot, however, was expertly saved by Stanislav Nankov, who made a great dive. Zvezda had all the pressure going forward, but time after time their attacks came up with nothing, and it seemed as if we were destined for extra time.

Then, with four minutes on the clock, Sinisa Gaspersie picked up the ball at the half line. He stormed down the right wing side before cutting in close to the box. Just at the top of the area, however, he was fouled by Lubomir Petrov, and Zvezda now had a free kick up close. Who else to take it but the king of direct free kicks, Leopold Bliznakov. He’d scored four times in the season from similar efforts, and this time he wouldn’t miss: driving the ball into the top right corner to give Zvezda the 1-0 lead. His goal would stand as the winner as the club lifted the President’s Cup trophy.

A day to remember for the club, as they lifted the trophy high in the evening Stelburg sun. Back home, there were red fireworks going off all across Vlaikograd as the club’s silverware drought was ended. It’s been a long, long time since the old glory days of the 1950s, when Crvena Zvezda at times seemed the biggest club in Siovanija. Perhaps this trophy win will usher in a new golden age for the club.

International Qualification

Siovanija & Teusland (STL) Qualifiers:

IFCF Champions’ League: FC Teussen Stelburg, FC Felsenkirchen 1879
IFCF Challengers' Cup: 1912 Stelburg, Olympia Borograd, Energija Chernovets
IFCF Rising Stars Cup: FC Felsenkirchen 1879
Cygnus Cup/IFCF Cup Winners’ Cup: Zvezda Vlaikograd
AOCL: FC Teussen Stelburg
VCIAPP: FK Metropola Borograd
IUCC: TU Stelburg, Freie-Universitat Felsenkirchen, Luftwaffenakademie

[Siovanija and Teusland]

RBC Sports: Football

Transfer Window 29 Live Blog

RBC Sports correspondents across the country are once again excited to bring you exclusive coverage of Transfer Window 29, with in-depth reports on rumours and done deals in this country and around the world. It should be a very interesting window - let’s get things started.

Update 1: We start with the champions, FC Teussen Stelburg. It could be a long and painful summer for the club - as it looks like at least Lukas Tauscher will be out the door, with the possibility Mario Kogler and Ewald Heuser could be joining him in heading for the exit. What will Teussen be looking for to replace them? Bastian Boltzmann is a ready-made replacement on the wing, while another possible youth product to promote could be Gustaf Liechtenstein - who moved up to the Teussen academy after a few good years at Teussen Sankt Konrad. What about in net? The club are rumoured to have their eye on SV Preisfeld and national team keeper Denis Eulenberg, who could join the club for a fee of T5 million.

Update 2: FC Felsenkirchen 1879, meanwhile, were disappointed in their second place finish last season and will be wanting to try and grab an X-factor to move them back into top spot. The squad is strong overall, and the club already have ready-made replacements for Johannes Mandl, Falcon Case and Mario Pfitzner - those being Lothas Ludwig, Jesper Porsche and Florian Krukenberg. Expect to see more of Ludwig and Porsche in the first team this year, certainly, while Krukenberg might spend a year on loan. The biggest positional need for the club might be at CAM - Rolf Seyfried isn’t getting any younger, and the time might be right to move on from him.

Update 3: 1912 Stelburg’s campaign last season was a strong one - but nowhere near the historic levels Teussen and Felsenkirchen reached. The Bluebirds want to get back on top, however, and have identified some key areas that change may be needed. Goalkeeper Samuel Hartstein wasn’t his best last season, and there’s talk of a replacement - could they compete with their Stelburg rivals for Dennis Eulenberg? Perhaps Brinemouth youth product Urban Malthus might be a loan target. The club also want in a young centre back to possibly serve as a replacement for Josh Meckler, to gain some stability in the backline. A defensive midfielder wouldn’t be out of the question, either.

Update 4: Olympia Borograd were disappointed with their performance last season - but feel they are quite close to fixing the situation. The biggest news, of course, is the change at the top. Krasimir Kynev has requested a transfer, stating: “I love the club, but it’s clear that it’s Denis’ time now. I don’t want to cause any drama, and I’ll leave the path clear. I wish the club and Denis all the best,” ending the controversy about who should start up front next season. Denis Dezelac will be the man, he returns from Haligonian with a league and cup title to his name. With the Kynev money, the club are hoping to bring in two midfielders - Kostov and Darsten, once the league’s most formidable duo, aren’t getting any younger and the time for a recharge has come.

Update 5: Energija Chernovets’ great run at the end of the season was largely overshadowed by their relegation-level beginning to the year. They worked incredibly hard, however, to pick themselves all the way back to 5th and secure IFCF football. The hope is that the team’s newfound chemistry and form will carry over into next season. However, the club do plan on possibly making some moves in the window - they’ve identified the left back position as an area that needs improvement, and also the RB and LW spots as potential areas to upgrade if the right player comes along.

Update 6: Despite a final-day heartbreak causing them to miss out on the Challengers’ Cup, Zvezda Vlaikograd had an excellent season last year, winning the President’s Cup and coming in 6th. They know that Leopold Bliznakov can’t stay forever - in fact, they may need IFCF football this year to prevent him leaving. But while he is here, the club will do what they can to push on. The club are looking for a right back to come in, and have already recalled Frantisek Polak from loan - the young centre back will replace Frank Kolar, who the club are looking to sell. Another area to target might just be in goal - and FK Pomorie keeper Emil Radulov might be top of the list.

Update 7: It’s been 4 seasons since Stanimir Ilev left FK Metropola Borograd to become a star at CA Paulinthal. And in that time, he’s never been adequately replaced by the Violets. Branimir Glanchev has done a good job up top, certainly - but this summer, the club are looking to go out and get a top talent in to help lift them into the top 5. Bogdan Rawic, Sergey Nweke and Olentzaro Karazatorre are all names they’ve been linked with - and Alan Dzekov has the full backing of the board to get his man. There’s also talk the club are looking for a quality winger to come into the team as well.

Update 8: And the window is open! It opens with a bang for Republikaliga clubs, too - we could have a potential record transfer on our hands. Nepharim giants Brinemouth are in need of a keeper, and they’ve lodged a T20 million bid for Ewald Heuser. It would make Heuser the most-expensive player from the United Republics of all time - and surely one of the most expensive goalkeepers ever. Teussen will accept the bid, and so it’s all down to Heuser - but there seems to be little reason for him to think twice about this move.

Update 9: Money is flying early - there are three T10 million bids down for Krasimir Kynev. Jinja City FC of Banija, and Ibini FC & Hondo FC of Valanora, all want the player. Olympia have accepted each bid, and now it’s down to Kynev himself to decide - where he’s leaning, however, is anyone’s guess.

Update 10: Mario Kogler also has interest from Valanora - Rolalas FC and FC Capri, to be exact. Kogler is still yet to determine his future - whether he’ll stay at his boyhood club or go - but these offers are as good as any, and Teussen have given their permission for him to discuss terms with both clubs.

Update 11: Olaf Viermetz is receiving plenty of interest from abroad - Carathyr Emeralds FC of Tikariot, and Wexax United of Valanora his main suitors. TSV Marzig have accepted both bids, allowing Viermetz to make his own choice - though there’s talk that the lure of the Vanorian Premiership will pull him in.

Update 12: Lukas Tauscher may also be heading to Valanora - Soldarian FC, home of Anton Dimitrov, have lodged a T15 million bid for him. Tauscher might relish the opportunity to join up with his compatriot, but we’re hearing of another bid coming in as we speak…

Update 13: It’s a Brinemouth double-swoop! T20 million for Heuser, and T15 million for Lukas Tauscher. Tauscher will now have a tough decision to make - join one of the two large clubs already in for him, or wait it out - there’s talk that clubs in Eura are also interested in his services. It would be very difficult, however, for Tauscher to turn down the opportunity to join his teammate for club and country, and good friend, Ewald Heuser at Brinemouth. The Stelburger Zeitung’s headline this morning said it all - ‘FC Teussen Nephara’

Update 14: Raimund Noffke looks like he's going to be heading to Graintfjall. Gunzlach have had a T1 million bid accepted for him, and the Rotmunde winger is reportedly eager to complete his move. He will be flying to the Rushmori nation tomorrow to finalize the deal and complete his medical.

Update 15: It looks like we'll be having a homecoming this transfer window. Former Herzegovina City FC captain Dennis Brotzmann's time is up at that club, and at age 35, he's looking to head back to his former club FC St. Jakob. There won't be a fee for the transfer, and it's just paperwork now on this deal as FC St. Jakob eagerly welcome home a man who became a star in Banija, capturing multiple league titles and truly establishing himself.

Update 16: FC Einheit Marnau have usually made the best of their transfer market dealings - bringing in key players like Banquo Chrysler and Horacio Bastanchury through the market. Today, they look to add another name to that list - the club are bidding T500,000 on Savojar centre back Sakkari Maanta. Maanta, a physical centre back, would be expected to serve as a replacement for Oskar Fisch as his career continues to wind down.

Update 17: We're seeing big money being thrown around by Republikaliga clubs now as well. Olympia Borograd have bid T8 million for Taeshan international right back Sullivan Garrett. Garrett, who has been capped 67 times by his country at the age of 20, would be a great pick-up for their defence, and marks the first of what could be a few important bids for the club this window as they continue to pursue help in the middle of the park.

Update 18: FK Metropola Borograd have had a T6.5 million bid accepted by Aleiuisa Capital of Zeta Reka and Hugeltaldom for star forward Bogdan Rawic. Rawic, who was hesitant to leave his club, will now discuss terms with the Violets. Their pitch to him focuses around making him the focal point of their attack, and giving him the opportunity to develop into the star he wants to be. It's expected the club will also emphasize a good fit into the culture of Siovanija during their pitch.

Update 19: Tiog national team captain Lumugue Niforro is the target of a bid by Marlesee 97, as they look to push on after a good season last year. The undisclosed bid makes clear Marlesee's wish to have Niforro come in and help lift their offence, which will face several questions as current number 10 Yannik Lehrer continues to age - he'll be 36 this season. Niforro would be an excellent replacement, and someone who could help lift them to a fight for the IFCF places.

Update 20: With the Ewald Heuser news sending shockwaves through the Republikaliga, 1912 Stelburg appear to be giving up on their chase of Dennis Eulenberg, instead putting in a T1.5 million bid for CF Outineau goalkeeper Sebastien Saint-Gelais. The Bluebirds hope to make Saint-Gelais part of a pair of Kelssek players with hyphonated last names - hoping to have Adrian Tremblay-Fillon appeal to his compatriot to join the Stelburg outfit.

Update 21: Speaking of Ewald Heuser, he and Lukas Tauscher were spotted this morning having coffee at a downtown Stelburg cafe - enjoying one last Stelburger donut before trading their gold and black for the white and blue of Brinemouth? The image has done the rounds on social media, with various captions added - "Think we can take Heinrich (Bahr) too?," and "Do they have these (Stelburger donuts) in Nephara?" being the most popular. It seems more and more likely that the 'double-swoop', as the local media have dubbed it, will be completed in the coming days - and 'FC Teussen Nephara' will be born.

Update 22: Speculation in Siovanija this morning has Krasimir Kynev heading to Ibini FC of Valanora, while word has it Olaf Viermetz might be also moving to the Premiership with Wexax United. Mario Kogler's transfer, however, is more complicated - with the news of Heuser and Tauscher on the verge of leaving forcing the player to rethink his move once again. Kogler grew up at Teussen, and has reportedly been approached by the Teussen brass with regards to staying at the club, serving as captain, and playing out the rest of his career with the club while serving as a link to its most glorious recent era for the next generation. A four-year deal at Teussen is again on the table for him. If he does leave, however, the word is that he prefers FC Capri of Valanora.

Update 23: FC Teussen Stelburg are already working on the Heuser replacement - a deal is in place to sign Dennis Eulenberg for T2.5 million from SV Preisfeld, with the medical expected to be completed tomorrow. Eulenberg was spotted at the Stelburg train station this morning, fueling rumours of this move. The club won't announce it, however, until Heuser is out the door.

Update 24: Valladar playmaker Cristian Benitez is rumoured to be a target for FC Felsenkirchen 1879. The Di Bradini Cup winner, Benitez would cost over T8 million for the club, but could be the X-factor signing they need in the midfield to take back the league title.

Update 25: Someone has updated Ewald Heuser's wiki page to say that he now plays for Brinemouth. Of course, the deal has not been confirmed - but some people have to have their fun. The page has not yet been edited back - perhaps editors in Teusland know that it's just a matter of signing the paper - and with each passing minute, this deal comes closer to completion.

Update 26: Huge news for football in Southwestern Atlantian Oceania: the Banijan and Farf leagues have announced a merger. Forming the new Shango-Fogoa Premier League, the league will instantly be one of the top leagues in the multiverse. Darijen Vesele, a member of Rene Skae, will be part of the new league. It's possible Krasimir Kynev also joins him, as he could be on the move to Jinja City FC. RBC Sports have already made a bid to acquire domestic rights to the league, which will surely be instantly popular within Siovanija & Teusland, as the BSL and FFL once were. One source in the Republikaliga boardroom reached out to us as well. The league has been considering a preseason tournament for a few years now - a typical shield contested between the league and cup winner. There would be more money and more stakes, however, in a subregional rivalry contest. While the plans for a preseason tournament were underway to begin ahead of season 10, they've reportedly been shelved for now as the league reacts to this development.

Update 27: Raimund Noffke officially joins Gunzlach for a T1 million fee. FC Rotmunde 1932 released a statement wishing their former winger the best of luck at his new club. Noffke hopes the move will prove fruitful, and allow him to extend his career. There's another Graintfjall-related news item, too: SW Stahlberg have bid T1 million for defender Tom Ernestisson. The big centre back is 21 years old, and the club are hoping he can be a strong squad player this year before eventually taking over for Karsten Lichtwark.

Update 28: A string of a few late-night bids by Republikaliga clubs. There's a done deal, too - the first of the window in the Republikaliga. Zvezda Vlaikograd have gone out and signed Tiog international goalkeeper Arsos Boal for an undisclosed fee. A tall, confident player, Boal can also play the ball well. He should be a good signing for Zvezda, and there's rumours they aren't done yet.

Update 29: FK Metropola Borograd have put a bid in for Starblaydi youth international winger Andreas Sargent. The club reportedly like that he can play both sides of the wing, allowing them to deploy him as needed. The undisclosed bid has been accepted by Sargent's club, and it's now up to Metropola to convince the player to join them.

Update 30: FC Felsenkirchen 1879 make their interest in Cristian Benitez official with a T10.5 million bid. The Valladar midfielder starred for his country last summer as they captured the Di Bradini Cup title, and the Blues clearly see a lot in Benitez. Sources close to the club say that manager Leonard Wagner has made this deal his 'top priority' for the summer, and that a delegation from the club hopes to travel to Valladares to discuss the move with the player.

Update 31: Sterling City United of Darmen have lodged a T16 million bid for Lukas Tauscher - one that's been accepted by FC Teussen Stelburg. It's looking likelier by the minute, however, that he's on his way to Brinemouth. There was reportedly a moving truck seen at Tauscher's house this morning, and reports say he will travel to Nephara soon with Ewald Heuser to complete their combined T35 million move to the Dockers.

Update 32: Leopold Bliznakov was the target of a T9 million bid from Bayern Phoenix of the Taeshani Premier League. However, after some discussion, Zvezda Vlaikograd rejected the bid. A source close to the club says that while they know they can't keep him forever, there's a hope that with at least one or two more seasons they can push into IFCF places with him before maximizing value and being able to bring in a replacement. So for this season at least, Bliznakov stays in Vlaikograd.

Update 33: Taeshani club Yaton FC are also in for FK Metropola Borograd, with a T9 million bid. This will be a huge moment for the club. In years past, when they received high bids for their players, they were willing to sell, no matter the situation - and fans felt it held the club back. No one could blame them for letting Bunev go at that fee, but keeping him would show a real statement of intent. Manager Alan Dzekov believes so, too - he reportedly headed down to Metropola's training ground early today to attempt to convince the chairman not to accept the bid, saying he needs Bunev as part of his plan for the club.

Update 34: Todor Mihailov has signalled his intent to leave the Yeaddin Owls of the V-League this summer. The first bid on him comes from Xanneria, where the Hawthorne Kickers have registered their interest with a T8 million bid. With rumours of Euraleague clubs interested in his services, however, as well as rumblings from Olympia Borograd, this transfer is still developing minute by minute.

Update 35: Energija Chernovets have one of the most formidable squads in the Republikaliga, particularly up front. And now, they are looking to get even stronger: they've made an undisclosed bid for Farfadillis international winger Emilliano Gallegas. Gallegas, who plays the left side, would instantly slot into the first XI at the club, and would provide the Canaries with world-class talent to add to their lineup. Manager Apostol Manevski is reportedly heavily invested in bringing him to the club, even risking a trip to Farfadillis to try and make it happen.

Update 36: It's an interesting window for TSV Marzig. Olaf Viermetz seems to be going out the door - reportedly to Wexax United of Valanora - and now they might be losing another young midfielder, Henrik Martin. The Goldhorns U21 international Martin is the target of a bid by new S-FPL side Di Maozoxe, and the player seems to want the move. That puts Marzig in a difficult position - they were hoping Martin would replace Viermetz. They can't do much to keep Martin, however, and will have to turn to outside forces. They've made a bid for young Vanorian striker Jacob Kvalvag. The 16 year old forward would join one of the Republikaliga's top academies, and with the focus in Siovanija & Teusland on pace and power - both skills the young Kvalvag wants to pick up, to emulate his idol Thor Moller - it could be a great move for him. Now, it seems they'll also need someone in the midfield. Some rumours have them looking at a free transfer from Farfadillis, but nothing is confirmed yet.

Update 37: Done deal? This one's come out of nowhere today - Olympia Borograd have signed Tequiloan international Ixtub Tun for a T7.5 million fee. 'El Tren', as he is known at home, is a powerful, physically dominant midfielder who reminds many of Vladimir Kostov. Add in his read of the game, and he could be an incredible fit for Olympia. He's a young midfielder already starting for his country, and the Olympia Borograd brass are reportedly very, very high on him. This could end up being the signing of the window. Ixtub Tun's club, Pitxi-Pitxi 77, have also negotiated a 10% sell-on fee clause in the transfer deal. There's one-half of the new midfield acquired, then - and who else could be coming in? Some papers have Olympia linked to Todor Mihailov, while others say another foreign international could be on their way to the Olimpski-Stadion.

Update 38: Movement now on the other side of Borograd - FK Metropola Borograd have signed Starblaydi winger Andreas Sargent. Sargent, who can play on both the right and left side of the pitch, should prove to be an excellent addition to the Violets squad as an 'everyman.' Metropola have already seized on the marketing potential of the transfer - Sargent now wearing purple and white for his club, the same colours as his country.

Update 39: TSV Marzig announce two departures today - Olaf Viermetz is going to Wexax United of Valanora, while central midfielder Henrik Martin joins Di Maozoxe of Farfadillis. Martin will become the second player in the new S-FPL top tier, joining Darijen Vesele of Rene Skae. Will he be the last player from Siovanija & Teusland to move to the new league? Krasimir Kynev is under transfer bid from Jinja City FC - but the word is he's settling on a move to Valanora instead.

Update 40: More movement within southwestern Atlantian Oceania - Emilliano Gallegas, the Farf international left winger, has joined Energija Chernovets for an undisclosed fee. That's a huge move for the Canaries - the speedy, technical Farf winger has the potential to be one of the best players in this league, and supporters in Chernovets will be hoping that he, alongside the club's other stars like Enigma Armageddon, Viktor Dimitrov, Taras Maksimov and Brahian Cespedes can lead them back to a league title next season.

Update 41: Back to TSV Marzig for a moment - their business isn't done this window, as they confirm the signing of young Vanorian Jacob Kvalvag. Kvalvag is still a few years off, however, and for now, Marzig need a midfielder. They've made a T1 million bid on Astograth midfielder Soter Laborda. Laborda is more of a defensive presence, and still developing, but could be a good fit for the Gulls as they look to move on from the loss of two of their top young talents.

Update 42: The race for Todor Mihailov's signature continues, as Pyathora Mariners FC of the Tikariot Premier League have now registered a bid for the player. Mihailov, however, is content to wait things out - especially with the rumoured interest in him coming from the Euraleague. Olympia Borograd are also monitoring the situation, but it's understood they have other targets for now.

Update 43: We're getting closer minute by minute towards an official announcement from FC Teussen Stelburg that Ewald Heuser and Lukas Tauscher will be joining Brinemouth - it looks like this one is a done deal. Pictures have already leaked of SV Preisfeld goalkeeper Dennis Eulenberg holding up a Teussen scarf at the training ground, and the announcement of Eulenberg as a Teussen player will almost immediately follow the departure announcement. One departure that isn't as clear - Mario Kogler, who has decided to take a few days to meet with family before determining his next steps.

Update 44: Krasimir Kynev has been officially confirmed as an Ibini FC player. Kynev made an emotional farewell post to now former club Olympia Borograd on social media, saying "Olympia, you have been my home. I take only incredible memories with me, and I will never forget the support and passion of the fans. Perhaps one day we'll meet again. Looking forward to the next chapter now, with a club where I can continue to grow as a player and help Ibini FC achieve more success."

Update 45: Reaction poured in from across Siovanija at the news of the transfer. "We were too harsh on him," said one Olympia supporter online. "We were hard on him because we wanted him to succeed - and he did! It wasn't his fault the club didn't replace the aging players around him. I'm sad to see him go, but I'm very happy with the direction the club is going in." Olympia Borograd posted a statement online, reading: "9 seasons, and one never-forgotten Republikaliga title. Kras, you are always welcome at the Olimpski-Stadion. Best of luck in Valanora!"

Update 46: Here's something to throw a bit of drama into the window - Ewald Heuser and Lukas Tauscher were supposed to fly to Nephara earlier this evening on FC Teussen Stelburg's private jet to complete their move. However, according to an online Teussen supporters' forum tracking the flight, the plane never took off. Breaking news has Hondo FC of Valanora offering a fee of T21.5 million for Tauscher, which would make him the most expensive Teus player of all time. Could Hondo be looking at a last-second gazump?

Update 47: Sources close to FC Teussen Stelburg have reached out to confirm that the flight has not taken off - however, Heuser and Tauscher are both on board. When the bid from Hondo was received, Tauscher called his agent and family members to discuss the move, as well as consulting with Heuser, also on the plane. It appears, however, that the flight will be taking off soon for Brinemouth. We'll surely know what comes of this in the morning.

Update 48: Morning hours here in Siovanija & Teusland - and a press release from FC Teussen Stelburg. "This morning, the club confirm the sales of goalkeeper Ewald Heuser and right winger Lukas Tauscher to Brinemouth of the Nepharim Premiership. Both players have been excellent servants to the club, coming through the youth ranks and earning multiple Republikaliga and President's Cup titles during their time in the senior team. They have developed into young men our club and country can be proud of. It is with sadness, however also great pride, that we announce their current time at our club has come to an end. We wish the best to both Ewald and Lukas in their next chapter - we will certainly be following Brinemouth with great interest." Done deal.

Update 49: Auf wiedersehen, jungs! reads the headline in the Stelburger Zeitung - 'Farewell, boys!' This is the largest move in the history of the Republikaliga, and certainly all moves involving players from our country - a combined T35 million shelled out by Brinemouth to bring the two Teus to the club. The nicknames are already flowing - 'the Teus Terror' and 'FC Teussen Brinemouth' the two most popular online in the country this morning. It was quite a sight to see both players holding up the shirt of one of the premier clubs in world football together.

Update 50: The move has huge implications within Siovanija & Teusland. Of course, it's a big-money move which will naturally affect the value of players in the future. But this is more than that - it signals the growth of football in this country. Heuser and Tauscher both had their pick of clubs in the world, and in the end, they settle on one of the premier clubs in the premier league of the world. Many in this country already have favourite clubs abroad - 1830 Cathair is a popular one, due to Thorsten Kramer. Raynor City United are in the same boat, thanks to Karl-Heinz Jager. There's Rozelle, CA Paulinthal - all clubs who have been home to prominent Goldhorns. Brinemouth will now cement themselves as one of the most popular clubs in this country. The Nepharim Premiership was already on the rise, especially after Tristan Niedermayer's move to AFC Corvistone and excellent season with the club last year. Now, it could explode - RBC Sports have already scrambled to bid for the television rights package in this country. Two top players heading to the Dockers - and one huge day for football in Siovanija & Teusland.

Update 51: Farewell messages coming in from Heuser and Tauscher now. Ewald Heuser goes first, posting on his social media that "To everyone at FC Teussen Stelburg - coaches, teammates, fans - thank you. What we achieved is immortal, and I will never forget my years at the club. We will meet again someday. Eager to get started at one of the best clubs in all of world football, help bring them back to the top of the Premiership, and do it with one of my best friends, Lukas Tauscher." Tauscher follows it up - "Can't wait to get started at Brinemouth! Looking forward to learning from some of the top players in world football. I'll never forget my roots, though - Teussen, you are in my heart forever. Hope you're ready, Dockers fans - Stelburg's in the building."

Update 52: FC Teussen Stelburg officially announce the signing of Dennis Eulenberg from SV Preisfeld. Eulenberg has earned 3 caps for the national team, and was selected in the squad for the World Cup 86 Finals. He's earned praise for his performance in recent seasons, and it was only a matter of time before the 30 year old moved on to a bigger club. He slots directly into the team as a replacement for Ewald Heuser, and Teussen will be hoping his great performances come with him.

Update 53: Live view of the FC Teussen Stelburg boardroom, after receiving a total T35 million for Ewald Heuser and Lukas Tauscher.

[Siovanija and Teusland]

Siovanija & Teusland Olympic Committee

Official Press Release

81 Joachim-Fleiss-Strasse, Stelburg, Teusland

The Siovanija & Teusland Olympic Committee announced today it will be holding a series of trials in preparation for the upcoming Games of the Winter Olympiad in Clayquot, Kelssek. The STOC, which had previously declared its support for the bid from Clayquot, first remarked that it is incredibly excited to participate for the first time in the Winter Olympic Games.

The STOC acknowledged the success that Siovanijan and Teus athletes have experienced in the previous Summer Games, with the nation boasting a proud haul of 20 medals from its Olympic appearances so far. While the Summer Games are important, and are the most popular form of the Olympiad, there can be no question that the hearts of Siovanijans and Teus alike belong to the Winter Games.

Our nation, with its harsh winters, its tall mountains and its hard-working values, is drawn towards the harsher sport that is found in the winter. While both hockey and football are loved in this country, for example, hockey is seen as a national obsession, almost above sport. In the same way, for those athletes pursuing Olympic sports, skiing and skating will always take precedence to running and swimming.

The result is, for the upcoming Winter Olympiad, an abundance of willing competitors. Those who have the skill and will to represent our nation in Kelssek are great in numbers, and it would be unfair to exclude many of those who have worked so hard to reach this level.

Thus, today, the STOC announced it will be holding the first-ever Olympic Trials events, which will serve as an official qualification tournament in various Olympic disciplines. The STOC notes that several disciplines have already held qualifying tournaments on their own, and will thus be dealing with only those that have not yet held qualifying tournaments. These include events in biathlon, bobsleigh/skeleton, curling, luge, alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, and ski jumping. The trials will also host the training camp for the women’s ice hockey team, including a two-game exhibition series with their counterparts from Quebec.

Venues in the city of Stelburg, which will serve as the base of the event, and the mountain resort of Sankt Gotthard im Himmelberg, which will host a number of the events. A full list of venues will be confirmed in the schedule section of this press release.

In the following days, invitations will be sent to athletes, members of the media both domestic and foreign, and tickets will be available for purchase to the general public. The STOC wishes all athletes the best of luck in the upcoming trials, and hopes they will serve as the prelude to a successful trip to Kelssek.

SECTION I - VENUE LIST

Stelburg

Stelburg Eispalast - Women’s hockey training camp, exhibition games vs Quebec
Stelburg Sportpalast - Men’s and women’s curling

Sankt Gotthard im Himmelberg

Schiebezentrum Sankt Gotthard - Bobsleigh, skeleton and luge events
Sankt Gotthard im Himmelberg - Biathlon
Eisenkappel - Alpine skiing (Men’s and women’s downhill)
Velden-Villach - Alpine skiing (All but downhill), cross country skiing
Bad Ferlach Skisprungschanze - Ski jumping

The events in Stelburg will see visiting athletes and media members put up in the Imperial Hotel in downtown Stelburg. In addition, Stelburg will serve as the administrative hub of the events. The village of Sankt Gotthard im Himmelberg is located approximately 3.5 hours west of Stelburg, and 1 hour north of the city of Stahlberg. The various skiing events will take place in the smaller villages surrounding Sankt Gotthard (Eisenkappel, Velden-Villach, Bad Ferlach) as well as the village itself. All venues are within a 10-minute drive of Sankt Gotthard itself, which will host the athletes and serve as the centre of the Olympic Trials in this area. In partnership with the STOC, the Government of Teusland as well as the local government of Sankt Gotthard, an agreement has been reached to develop Sankt Gotthard as a national Wintersportstadt, which can eventually serve as a full-time training centre for our athletes, in addition to having infrastructure present for future events.

SECTION II - SCHEDULE

The Olympic Trials, officially known as the Stelburg-Sankt Gotthard Winter Prize, will be held over the course of 4 days of competition. Winners of their events will receive a special prize from the STOC, while the finishing orders will determine selection for the upcoming Games of the Winter Olympiad. In individual events, the top performers in their fields have been invited. In men’s and women’s curling, the 8 highest-ranked state teams in each discipline have been invited as according to the most recent Curling Siovanija & Teusland rankings for state teams. In women’s hockey, 46 players have been invited and following the initial training camp in Stelburg will be divided into teams ‘Blue’ and ‘Gold’ to face each other in two games. After these two games, the squads will be combined for two games against a team from Quebec. Below follows the schedule of the Stelburg-Sankt Gotthard Winter Prize (STOC Olympic Trials).

DAY 1

BIATHLON
Men’s 10km sprint
Women’s 7.5km sprint

BOBSLEIGH-SKELETON
Two-man, preliminary runs
Two-woman, preliminary runs
Men’s skeleton, preliminary runs

CURLING
Men’s matches one and two
Women’s matches one and two

ICE HOCKEY
Women’s team: Blue vs Gold Game 1

SKIING - ALPINE
Men’s downhill
Women’s downhill

SKIING - CROSS COUNTRY
Men’s 15km freestyle

SKI JUMPING
Men’s normal hill - preliminary
Women’s normal hill - preliminary

DAY 2

BIATHLON
Men’s 15km mass start
Women’s 12.5km mass start

BOBSLEIGH-SKELETON
Two-man, final runs
Two-woman, final runs
Men’s skeleton, final runs

CURLING
Men’s, matches three and four
Women’s, matches three and four

ICE HOCKEY
Women’s hockey, Blue vs Gold Game 2

LUGE
Men’s individual preliminary
Women’s individual preliminary

SKIING - ALPINE
Men’s giant slalom
Women’s giant slalom

SKIING - CROSS COUNTRY
Women’s 10km freestyle

SKI JUMPING
Men’s normal final
Women’s normal final

DAY 3

BIATHLON
Men’s individual 20km

BOBSLEIGH-SKELETON
Four-man preliminary
Four-woman preliminary
Women’s skeleton preliminary

CURLING
Men’s matches five and six
Women’s matches five and six

ICE HOCKEY
Women’s - Siovanija & Teusland vs Quebec

LUGE
Men’s individual final
Women’s individual final

SKIING - ALPINE
Men’s slalom
Women’s slalom

SKIING - CROSS COUNTRY
Men’s 50km classical

SKI JUMPING
Men’s large hill preliminary
Women’s large hill preliminary

DAY 4

BIATHLON
Women’s 15km individual

BOBSLEIGH-SKELETON
Four-man final
Four-woman final
Women’s skeleton final

CURLING
Men’s grand final
Women’s grand final

ICE HOCKEY
Women’s - Siovanija & Teusland vs Quebec

LUGE
Doubles final

SKIING - ALPINE
Men’s super-G
Women’s super-G

SKIING - CROSS COUNTRY
Women’s 30km classical

SKI JUMPING
Men’s large hill final
Women’s large hill final

The Siovanija & Teusland Olympic Committee is excited to welcome athletes and media members to Stelburg and Sankt Gotthard for the Olympic Trials, and hopes it will provide a great experience for our athletes as they prepare for the Clayquot games.

[Siovanija and Teusland]

Stelburg-Sankt Gotthard Winter Prize

Siovanija & Teusland Olympic Committee Trials for Games of the XV Winter Olympiad

DAY 1 - RESULTS

There was plenty of action on day 1 of the Stelburg-Sankt Gotthard Winter Prize, as athletes kicked off their competition to earn a place on the Siovanija & Teusland team for the upcoming Winter Olympic games. On a course just outside of the village of Sankt Gotthard itself, the biathlon events began with the Men's 10km sprint and the Women's 7.5km sprint.

Biathlon - Men's 10km sprint

Men's 10km sprint
 1 Oto Sindelar (STL)           24:15.9     Champion
 2 Alois Sedlacek (STL)         24:22.5
 3 Matthias Fritzl (STL)        24:50.9
 4 Constantin Kogler (STL)      25:25.8
 5 Leo Webern (STL)             25:39.6
 6 Bohumil Jaros (STL)          25:40.6
 7 Emilio Hass (STL)            25:44.4
 8 Kilian Renner (STL)          25:59.5
 9 Rudolf Jezek (STL)           26:12.6
10 Jamie Schuster (STL)         26:12.9
11 Bartolomej Stanek (STL)      26:16.5
12 Hugo Moravec (STL)           26:39.8
13 Jindrich Zeman (STL)         26:40.9
14 Jonathan Meusburger (STL)    27:18.3
15 Mathias Mesmer (STL)         27:18.4
16 Elias Wolf (STL)             27:20.7
17 Joel Meitner (STL)           27:21.4
18 Marcel Vasicek (STL)         27:25.6
19 Otmar Prusak (STL)           27:27.7
20 Radek Zacpal (STL)           28:01.9

Oto Sindelar takes the grand prize, the clear winner on the day and he'll hope he can take that with him into Clayquot. Joining him in Kelssek will be the top 4 finishers including Alois Sedlacek, Matthias Fritzl and Constantin Kogler. Sindelar's win comes as a bit of a shock, as he was not favoured, and some favourites including Bohumil Jaros and Emilio Haas will miss out on the games.

Biathlon - Women's 7.5km sprint

Women's 7.5km sprint
 1 Anna Huber (STL)            20:25.2     Champion
 2 Elsa Menger (STL)           20:26.8
 3 Liselotte Schierer (STL)    20:28.3
 4 Leonie Baeder (STL)         20:29.3
 5 Helena Beelek (STL)         21:59.2
 6 Ljuba Bauerova (STL)        22:03.2
 7 Olivia Haneke (STL)         22:06.8
 8 Isabella Brandauer (STL)    22:13.2
 9 Larissa Weisman (STL)       22:17.2
10 Ludmila Sikorova (STL)      22:30.0
11 Stefanie Berger (STL)       22:33.2
12 Paula Vogl (STL)            22:42.1
13 Victoria Strauss (STL)      22:59.0
14 Laureen Hass (STL)          22:59.6
15 Annalena Weber (STL)        23:35.6
16 Paulina Lorenz (STL)        23:46.8

Anna Huber takes the grand prize in the women's 7.5km sprint! The course in Sankt Gotthard is quickly a favourite amongst the competitors, who do have some experience here as it serves as the national championship venue. Joining Huber in Kelssek will be Elsa Menger, Leonie Baeder and Liselotte Schierer. Schierer's name, of course, will be very familiar already to many followers of the Olympics. She's a gold-medal winning archer already, with 2 medals to her name (1 gold, 1 bronze) from two separate Summer Games. She's a multi-sport athlete, however, and will now have the chance to represent her country in the Winter Games too.

Meanwhile, across the town of Sankt Gotthard on a brilliant sunny, cold day, competition is beginning at the Schiebezentrum Sankt Gotthard - the nation's premier sliding centre. The first runs of the two-man and two-women bobsleigh, as well as the men's skeleton event, are beginning!

Bobsleigh - Two-man preliminary runs

Bobsleigh - Two-man
 1 Simon Hamerling/Clemens Breunig (STL)      51.89  51.66  1:43.55
 2 Otakar Lukes/Vojtech Lukes (STL)           51.80  51.81  1:43.61
 3 Adam Schuster/Joel Popper (STL)            51.98  51.96  1:43.94
 4 Jonathan Wilder/Fabio Wallner (STL)        52.19  51.83  1:44.02
 5 Alexander Schuster/Theo Zippe (STL)        52.41  51.80  1:44.21
 6 Niklas Brunner/Timo Kelsen (STL)           52.00  52.33  1:44.33
 7 Clemens Mittermeier/Mathias Kress (STL)    51.96  52.43  1:44.39
 8 Slavomir Kozar/Pravoslav Charvat (STL)     52.38  52.11  1:44.49
 9 Jiri Stanek/Silvestr Kohout (STL)          52.77  51.78  1:44.55
10 Anton Klestil/Viktor Diemberger (STL)      52.42  52.46  1:44.88
11 Xaver Wilder/Tom Pfeifer (STL)             52.75  52.45  1:45.20
12 Christian Ehn/Sebastian Morath (STL)       52.69  52.74  1:45.43
13 Hugo Adamek/Tadeas Pribyl (STL)            52.70  53.07  1:45.77
 — Hannes Doss/David Bogen (STL)              52.95    DSQ      DSQ

Lots of excitement on day 1 of the men's two-man competition! A bit unexpected, perhaps, are our leaders after day one - the Hamerling/Breunig pair were certainly not favourites entering this event, but here they sit at the top of the classification. In second are the Lukes brothers - while sledding, and many of the winter sports to be contested here are Teus-dominant, they prove an example of some Siovanijan excellence as well. The competition for the top 3 places, and a trip to Kelssek, is sure to be furious on day two.

Bobsleigh - Two-woman preliminary runs

Bobsleigh - Two-woman
 1 Amina Pichler/Katharina Weber (STL)             53.13  53.33  1:46.46
 2 Laureen Kelsen/Lilli Kelsen (STL)               53.50  53.59  1:47.09
 3 Sarka Jezkova/Erika Polakova (STL)              53.30  54.38  1:47.68
 4 Leni Breuer/Flora Klor (STL)                    53.66  54.06  1:47.72
 5 Lucka Styskalova/Alzbeta Stepanova (STL)        53.62  54.32  1:47.94
 6 Lilli Neumann/Sara Beelek (STL)                 54.11  54.21  1:48.32
 7 Julie Sikorova/Nela Holeckova (STL)             54.09  54.41  1:48.50
 8 Sabina Hanakova/Gabriela Kratochvilova (STL)    53.87  54.74  1:48.61
 9 Anja Schmid/Matilda Andris (STL)                54.08  54.62  1:48.70
10 Mila Breunig/Viktoria Wach (STL)                53.87  54.85  1:48.72
11 Lia Morath/Sara Franz (STL)                     53.63  57.33  1:50.96
 — Sophie Kronecker/Melissa Dusl (STL)               DSQ             DSQ

The bobsleigh action continued in the two-woman's event - and after two rounds, it's the duo of Amina Pichler and Katharina Weber on top as expected. Both bobsleigh events featured a pair of siblings in second place after the first two runs - we could have two simultaneous family affairs going on on day two competing for qualification for Kelssek! The fight for that third place is going to be fierce tomorrow, with the Jezkova/Polakova and Breuer/Klor pairs just .04 seconds off of each other through the first two runs.

Men's skeleton - Preliminary runs

Men's skeleton
 1 Timo Galishoff (STL)          52.57  52.71  1:45.28
 2 Dominik Cella (STL)           52.61  52.96  1:45.57
 3 Luca Kohn (STL)               52.46  53.14  1:45.60
 4 Oliver Frankenberger (STL)    52.72  52.91  1:45.63
 5 Thomas Lehner (STL)           52.82  52.86  1:45.68
 6 Viktor Zdrahal (STL)          53.09  52.75  1:45.84
 7 Augustyn Kroupal (STL)        52.74  53.17  1:45.91
 8 Oto Musil (STL)               53.10  52.85  1:45.95
 9 Cestmir Podlezl (STL)         53.30  52.73  1:46.03
10 Milan Havlik (STL)            52.99  53.08  1:46.07
11 Ben Strauss (STL)             53.01  53.08  1:46.09
12 Zbynek Fiser (STL)            52.82  53.53  1:46.35
13 Eduard Kohout (STL)           53.20  53.20  1:46.40
14 Simon Fritzl (STL)            52.93  53.57  1:46.50
15 Fabio Bachmann (STL)          53.09  53.58  1:46.67
16 Andreas Lorenz (STL)          53.32  53.62  1:46.94
17 Krystof Kaspar (STL)          53.87  53.24  1:47.11
18 Johannes Schmid (STL)         53.53  53.66  1:47.19
19 Gregor Breuer (STL)           53.08  54.21  1:47.29
20 Karl Franz (STL)              54.42  53.19  1:47.61
21 Stefan Morath (STL)           54.31  53.39  1:47.70
22 Constantin Burger (STL)       53.24  54.77  1:48.01
23 Sebastian Prusik (STL)        54.48  53.74  1:48.22
24 Bohumir Turecek (STL)         53.78  55.46  1:49.24

A loaded men's skeleton competition, and there's still all to be decided on the final day. Timo Galishoff was the favourite going in, and he retains that status after the first two runs with a strong performance. As of this moment, Dominik Cella and Luca Kohn appear to be joining him in Kelssek - but don't count out Thomas Lehner, another pre-competition favourite who will be looking to find his best form tomorrow on the final day.

There wasn't just action high up in the mountains, though - the city of Stelburg saw action as well, as the curling tournaments kicked off at the Stelburg Sportpalast. In these tournaments, teams are representing their state, and were drawn into 2 groups of 4 in both the men's and women's competitions. After a double round-robin, the winners of both groups will face-off to determine which rink will represent Siovanija & Teusland in Kelssek.

Men's Curling - Matchdays 1 and 2

Matchday 1

Group A
Stelburg 9–8 Ost-Marlebucht
Borograd 9–8 Sudwesterland

Group B
Neuteussen 4–7 Korjava
Velika Jezera 5–6 Nordflachland

Matchday 2

Group A
Ost-Marlebucht 5–6 Sudwesterland
Stelburg 4–9 Borograd

Group A                Pld   W  L   PF  PA  PD  Pts 
1 Borograd               2   2  0   18  12  +6    6
2 Sudwesterland          2   1  1   14  14   0    3
3 Stelburg               2   1  1   13  17  −4    3
4 Ost-Marlebucht         2   0  2   13  15  −2    0

Group B
Korjava 3–8 Nordflachland
Neuteussen 6–7 Velika Jezera

Group B                Pld   W  L   PF  PA  PD  Pts 
1 Nordflachland          2   2  0   14   8  +6    6
2 Velika Jezera          2   1  1   12  12   0    3
3 Korjava                2   1  1   10  12  −2    3
4 Neuteussen             2   0  2   10  14  −4    0

Some exciting action in the men's curling! Who doesn't love the rivalry between the cities of Stelburg and Borograd - the capitals of Teusland and Siovanija, respectively - and in the second game of the day, they faced off in what would turn into a surprising 9-4 win for the team from Borograd. Nordflachland, the number one ranked men's rink in the country, earned 2 strong wins to begin their tournament, while Borograd are the other undefeated team after two rounds.

Women's curling - Matchdays 1 and 2

Matchday 1

Group A
Nordflachland 9–4 Borograd
Srednja 8–4 Neuteussen

Group B
Stelburg 4–3 Vestmark
Ljublanica 6–7 Oberdrai

Matchday 2

Group A
Borograd 10–8 Neuteussen
Nordflachland 8–5 Srednja

  Group A                Pld   W  L   PF  PA  PD  Pts 
1 Nordflachland          2   2  0   17   9  +8    6
2 Srednja                2   1  1   13  12  +1    3
3 Borograd               2   1  1   14  17  −3    3
4 Neuteussen             2   0  2   12  18  −6    0

Group B
Vestmark 5–7 Oberdrai
Stelburg 6–2 Ljublanica

  Group B                Pld   W  L   PF  PA  PD  Pts 
1 Stelburg               2   2  0   10   5  +5    6
2 Oberdrai               2   2  0   14  11  +3    6
3 Vestmark               2   0  2    8  11  −3    0
4 Ljublanica             2   0  2    8  13  −5    0

Unbeaten after two games remain the team from Nordflachland - the curling centre of the nation showing their prowess in both the men's and women's competitions. On the other side, Stelburg and Oberdrai are both unbeaten in group B - their matchup tomorrow could determine the fate of both team's chances in this competition.

Across town in Stelburg, the 40 players invited to the women's national hockey team training camp have been practicing all week, and today played their first intra-squad game at the Stelburg Eispalast. Whenever anything is divided in this country, it's usually done on the lines of Siovanija vs Teusland - and that was no different here. Team Blue (Siovanija) faced off against Team Gold (Teusland) in a battle of national pride.

Women's hockey

Sabina Sulcova - F
Anna Smejkalova - F
Erika Bartonova - F
Svetlana Pavlikova - F
Kamila Komarkova - F
Romana Berkova - F
Karolina Dolezelova - F
Alena Hrdlickova - F
Marcela Skodova - F
Anastazie Smidova - F
Dita Uhlirova- F
Erika Horackova - F
Pavlina Skalova - D
Vendula Kasparova - D
Nela Radova - D
Regina Maskova - D
Ilona Kubikova - D
Otylie Koprivova - D
Liliana Matejkova - G
Ljuba Prokesova - G

Fiora Albrecht - F
Sabine Thiel - F
Miriam Apfelbaum - F
Ava Herzsprung - F
Jessi Baten - F
Florentina Grabner - F
Louise Gradl - F
Isabel Sachs - F
Clara Lasker - F
Ricarda Thierse - F
Kristin Mayr - F
Sophie Kollek - F
Aurelia Kasper - D
Nina Kanner - D
Valentina Weinheber - D
Maja Loos - D
Ella Happel - D
Emelie Leitner - D
Annika Muller - G
Alissa Oberlander - G

Blue 2–3 Gold

Today's bragging rights belong on the Teus side of the camp. Sabina Sulcova got the Blue team offence going early in the first with an opening goal, but the skill of Jessi Baten saw her score two of her own before the end of the period. Team Gold held the lead until midway through the third, when a Pavlina Skalova shot from the point was tipped in to give the Blues hope. But a late goal by Sophie Kollek ended that hope, and Team Gold takes the first game of the two-game series.

Returning to the mountains now, and the tiny village of Eisenkappel. Located about a 5 minute drive east of Sankt Gotthard, it's home to one of the finest ski hills in the country, and on this day played host to the men's and women's downhill skiing events.

Alpine skiing - Men's downhill

Men's downhill
 1 Erik Werner (STL)                1:54.46     Champion
 2 Elias Buhl (STL)                 1:54.48
 3 Sebastian Menger (STL)           1:54.55
 4 Simon Schifter (STL)             1:54.67
 5 Marvin Kuhn (STL)                1:54.71
 6 Bretislav Vykopal (STL)          1:54.80
 7 Manuel Reiter (STL)              1:54.92
 8 Emilio Helnwein (STL)            1:54.94
 9 Tim Baumgartner (STL)            1:54.97
10 Jannik Morath (STL)              1:55.21
11 Kazimir Ztratil (STL)            1:55.44
12 Fabian von Schliesbach (STL)     1:55.79
13 Marco Sandmeier (STL)            1:55.97
14 Stanislav Horvath (STL)          1:56.05
15 Adam Renner (STL)                1:56.14
16 Jonas Hausild (STL)              1:56.21
17 Michael Bischoffshausen (STL)    1:56.31
18 Dominik Slavik (STL)             1:56.35
19 Elias Weinheber (STL)            1:56.95
20 Emanuel Cech (STL)               1:57.34
21 Leon Manz (STL)                  1:57.65
22 Pascal Schneider (STL)           1:57.78
23 Tobias Flesichman (STL)          1:57.95
24 Benedikt Misalko (STL)           1:58.93
25 Oliver Brendel (STL)             2:01.03
26 Bernard Horvath (STL)            2:01.14
27 Constantin Kandel (STL)          2:01.44
28 Michal Bures (STL)               2:01.46
29 Fabian Muller (STL)              2:04.23
 — Antonin Vanek (STL)                  DNF

Erik Werner takes home the grand prize! An excellent day for Werner, who entered the competition as one of many who were picked out as possible candidates to do well. Joining him will be Elias Buhl, Sebastian Menger and Simon Schifter, a mostly expected field of downhill skiiers heading to Kelssek. What was unexpected was Antonin Vanek, a pre-competition favourite who crashed early in his run and could not finish. Luckily, Vanek was not injured, but he will miss the Olympiad.

Alpine skiing - women's downhill

Women's downhill
 1 Jana Eichberg (STL)        1:44.31     Champion
 2 Pavlina Horackova (STL)    1:45.01
 3 Leonie Reiter (STL)        1:46.02
 4 Elene Mandelbaum (STL)     1:46.53
 5 Slavena Jindrova (STL)     1:46.84
 6 Petra Hausildova (STL)     1:46.99
 7 Mila Fuchs (STL)           1:47.24
 8 Emelie Hoferle (STL)       1:47.31
 9 Hella Schiele (STL)        1:47.61
10 Katharina Klammer (STL)    1:47.89
11 Rachel Weinberg (STL)      1:48.23
12 Maya Breunig (STL)         1:48.34
13 Bozena Markova (STL)       1:48.36
14 Lucia Kaulbach (STL)       1:48.60
15 Theresa Kohn (STL)         1:48.63
   Chiara Ehmann (STL)        1:48.63
17 Wibke Heilbronner (STL)    1:50.40
18 Greta Uhe (STL)            1:50.43
19 Dora Turnau (STL)          1:51.21
20 Celina Auer (STL)          1:51.63
21 Maria Klestil (STL)        1:51.80
22 Karolina Frankova (STL)    1:52.29
23 Rosalie Biel (STL)         1:54.54
24 Diana Tomaskova (STL)      1:55.66
25 Dominika Zajicova (STL)    2:00.14
26 Julie Blazkova (STL)       2:03.03
27 Sophie Renner (STL)        2:07.10
 — Libuse Skodova (STL)           DSQ
   Victoria Fritzl (STL)          DNF
   Jolana Divisova (STL)          DNF

Jana Eichberg takes the grand prize, and a trip to Kelssek! In a competition that was billed as a battle of the younger generation against the older, it seems the younger competitors won the day. Eichberg, Horackova, Reiter and Mandelbaum are all under the age of 25, and surely have bright futures ahead. Katharina Klammer, the six-time national champion who came out of retirement for a shot at these games, had her Olympic dreams crushed, finishing 10th.

Skiing action continued in the village of Velden-Villach, about 10 minutes north of Sankt Gotthard. 'VV,' as it is known amongst locals, is perhaps the nation's hidden gem for winter sports - a beautiful landscape, surrounded by the mountains on all sides, and the perfect setting for a number of skiing events being held at these trials. On tap for today was the Men's 15km freestyle cross-country skiing event.

Cross-country skiing - Men's freestyle 15km

Men's 15km freestyle
 1 Bastian Kersting (STL)       34:32.1     Champion
 2 Johannes Abel (STL)          34:48.4
 3 Alexandr Krejci (STL)        34:55.4
 4 Filip Werner (STL)           34:56.0
 5 Dirk Heinecke (STL)          35:06.7
 6 Radomir Strnad (STL)         35:19.7
 7 Julian Lanner (STL)          35:27.3
 8 Robert Svec (STL)            35:28.0
 9 Slavomir Kubik (STL)         35:28.8
10 Paul Haass (STL)             35:40.6
11 Alexander Hamerling (STL)    35:52.3
12 Constantin Steiner (STL)     36:07.0
13 Cestmir Malik (STL)          36:10.9
14 Ralph Oberhauser (STL)       36:31.3
15 Noel Makart (STL)            36:37.5
16 Stefan Dusek (STL)           37:06.1
17 Maxi Blumenfeld (STL)        37:14.3
18 Borek Ja­lek (STL)            37:14.9
19 Jonas Brandauer (STL)        37:35.9
20 Roland Kovac (STL)           37:48.7
21 Aaron Borchers (STL)         38:03.6
22 Paul Schmitz (STL)           38:23.5
23 Luka Auer (STL)              38:23.7
24 Martin Webern (STL)          38:30.2
25 Yannick Schon (STL)          38:30.4
26 Tilmann Tischbein (STL)      39:40.7
27 Vincenc Jilek (STL)          39:49.1
28 Marcel Riedl (STL)           40:18.0
29 Angelo Ammann (STL)          41:00.5
30 Vaclav Dohnal (STL)          44:21.9

Bastian Kersting is the champion! Not sure that was the result that was expected - Alexander Krejci entered the event an overwhelming favourite in the minds of experts, but Kersting managed to pull it uot on the day. Krejci will be joining him in Kelssek, however just making the cut. Johannes Abel will round out the delegation. Dirk Heinicke, one of the pre-tournament favourites, will be disappointed not to have made the cut - but he's still young, and he'll get another opportunity.

The final events of the day were held in the village of Bad Ferlach, about 5 minutes to the west of Sankt Gotthard. The village is home to 350 people and the Bad Ferlach Skisprungschanze, the home of competitive ski jumping in this country. Ski jumping is one of the most competitive events in the domestic competition, a favourite amongst many winter athletes, and it was no surprise that the number of applicants for both the men's and women's competitions was quite high. In the end, the organizers had to be selective - and on day 1 of the men's and women's normal hill competition, there was much excitement.

Ski jumping - Men's normal hill, preliminaries

Men's normal hill
 1 Kaspar Seiler (STL)       135.0  135.0    270.0
 2 Patrik Breuer (STL)       128.5  134.5    263.0
 3 Patrick Walch (STL)       119.0  136.5    255.5
 4 Andre Kurrat (STL)        124.5  129.0    253.5
 5 David Hohenstein (STL)    123.5  124.0    247.5
 6 Radovan Stepan (STL)      123.0  124.0    247.0
 7 Leos Broz (STL)           125.5  121.0    246.5
 8 Wilhelm Alterman (STL)    124.0  120.5    244.5
 9 Luka Weidemann (STL)      115.5  124.5    240.0
10 Vavrinec Turek (STL)      126.0  113.0    239.0
11 Harald Schulman (STL)     113.0  124.5    237.5
12 Paul Holzhausen (STL)     124.0  104.5    228.5
13 Oskar Sternberg (STL)     110.5  118.0    228.5
14 Elmo Kieffer (STL)        122.0  106.0    228.0
15 Sobeslav Stanek (STL)     107.0  119.5    226.5
16 Noah Degen (STL)          105.5  116.5    222.0
17 Niklas Hutto (STL)        114.0  105.5    219.5
18 Emil Jaros (STL)          102.0  112.5    214.5
19 Jochen Goedde (STL)       109.5  103.5    213.0
20 Isaak Schultz (STL)        99.0  105.5    204.5

The top of the pack is as expected - the biggest names in domestic ski jumping are here, although reigning national champion David Hohenstein currently sits 5th and therefore just outside of the Olympic qualification spots. He'll need to have a big performance on the second day to earn his trip to Kelssek. The level of competition was quite high, especially at the top with Kasper Seiler leading the way with two scores of 135.0. All is left to be decided on the second day at Bad Ferlach!

Ski jumping - Women's normal hill

Women's normal hill
 1 Mahulena Vitkova (STL)       133.5  133.0    266.5
 2 Felizia Korte (STL)          128.5  134.0    262.5
 3 Erna Steinhaeuser (STL)      126.5  134.5    261.0
 4 Eveline Schiefer (STL)       132.0  126.0    258.0
 5 Anna Taubert (STL)           122.5  133.5    256.0
 6 Mendy Kiesel (STL)           124.0  124.0    248.0
 7 Romana Ondrackova (STL)      119.0  127.0    246.0
 8 Stepanka Dolezelova (STL)    123.0  115.0    238.0
 9 Tea Starck (STL)             117.5  120.5    238.0
10 Frida Hartlieb (STL)         121.0  115.5    236.5
11 Jaroslava Sulcova (STL)      118.5  114.5    233.0
12 Ludmila Hladikova (STL)      110.0  119.0    229.0
13 Ramona Wegner (STL)          107.5  120.0    227.5
14 Rebecca Lexer (STL)          113.0  111.0    224.0
15 Wanda Schoenauer (STL)       113.5  106.0    219.5
16 Helene Ratzinger (STL)       109.0  110.0    219.0
17 Erna Hettich (STL)           114.5  103.5    218.0
18 Claudia Schnitzer (STL)      106.0  111.5    217.5
19 Nina Seidel (STL)            104.0  108.0    212.0
20 Cathrin Hauser (STL)         107.0   92.0    199.0

The women's competition also had great quality on display, with a bit of a surprise in store - Mahulena Vitkova leading the pack after the first two runs. The expected candidates came 2-3-4, with Felizia Korte, Erna Steinhaeuser and Eveline Schiefer all considered favourites to win. Vitkova came out of seemingly nowhere, however, and with a good performance tomorrow could make herself an Olympian. Of course, some of those displaced by her performance - including three-time national champion Anna Taubert - will be looking to improve.

That concludes day 1 of the Stelburg-Sankt Gotthard Winter Prize from Siovanija & Teusland. We'll be back soon with total coverage as the events continue, as the nation prepares for the Games of the XV Winter Olympiad.

[Siovanija and Teusland]

Stelburg-Sankt Gotthard Winter Prize

Siovanija & Teusland Olympic Committee Trials for Games of the XV Winter Olympiad

DAY 2 - RESULTS

Action in the cities of Stelburg and Sankt Gotthard continued on Day 2 of the competition as some of the nation's top winter athletes competed to earn their spot on the national Olympic team for the upcoming Winter Games in Kelssek! In the early morning hours, with snow falling in the village of Sankt Gotthard, the biathlon events continued!

Biathlon - Men's 15km mass start

Men's 15km mass start
 1 Boleslav Valek (STL)       36:01.3     Champion
 2 Tim Kuhn (STL)             36:02.2
 3 Richard Vanek (STL)        36:02.4
 4 Bastian Rottmayr (STL)     36:02.9
 5 Stefan Tomasek (STL)       36:03.0
 6 Christoph Happel (STL)     36:08.4
 7 Rostislav Vykukal (STL)    36:11.0
 8 Julian Schuster (STL)      36:33.5
 9 Aaron Hass (STL)           36:33.6
10 Jakub Ptacek (STL)         36:50.4
11 Jannik Ressel (STL)        37:06.8
12 Leon Renner (STL)          37:25.1
13 Nikolas Utekal (STL)       37:54.3
14 Noel Wallner (STL)         38:38.2
15 Louis Morgenstern (STL)    39:15.3

A bit of a surprise as young Boleslav Valek takes the grand prize on the day! He was expected to be in the middle of the pack, but whether it was a bit of good luck, extra work coming in, or a bit of both, Valek takes a surprise win for a Siovanijan competitor in an event traditionally dominated by the Teus. Joining him in Kelssek will be pre-event favourite Tim Kuhn, as well as Richard Vanek and Bastian Rottmayr.

Biathlon - Women's 12.5km mass start

Women's 12.5km mass start
 1 Elina Kollek (STL)          35:17.8     Champion
 2 Emilia Vogl (STL)           35:34.3
 3 Hanna Klimt (STL)           35:41.6
 4 Elsa von Stroheim (STL)     35:46.4
 5 Emily Fritzl (STL)          35:50.6
 6 Pavlina Stehlikova (STL)    35:56.3
 7 Alina Kubin (STL)           36:22.4
 8 Milena Albert (STL)         36:27.2
 9 Zoe Faymann (STL)           36:27.8
10 Svatava Slamova (STL)       36:30.1
11 Julie Hamplova (STL)        36:32.4
12 Laura Wach (STL)            37:15.3
13 Marie Kaplan (STL)          37:31.8
14 Annika Mateschitz (STL)     38:22.4
15 Julia Wagner (STL)          38:25.6
16 Laureen Hoferle (STL)       38:41.0

There were no real surprises in this event! Within biathlon circles, the group of Elina Kollek, Emilia Vogl, Hanna Klimt and Elsa von Stroheim are known as the 'Stahlberg girls' - they all grew up in the same town, and train together. And here, as usual, they've dominated another national biathlon championship. Kollek takes the grand prize, which will give her bragging rights over her friends, but the group of four are heading off to Kelssek together!

Over at the sliding centre, it's an important day as the two-man and two-woman bobsleigh competitions contest their final events! The men's skeleton event also finishes up today, and there's everything to...slide for? There are some determined men and women here, eager to earn a spot at the Olympic Games, but only a few spots available. Let's see who will stake their claims!

Bobsleigh - Two-man Final

Bobsleigh - Two-man
 1 Otakar Lukes/Vojtech Lukes (STL)           51.80  51.81  52.36  51.76  3:27.73     Champions
 2 Simon Hamerling/Clemens Breunig (STL)      51.89  51.66  52.09  52.21  3:27.85
 3 Adam Schuster/Joel Popper (STL)            51.98  51.96  52.07  51.95  3:27.96
 4 Clemens Mittermeier/Mathias Kress (STL)    51.96  52.43  51.65  51.98  3:28.02
 5 Jonathan Wilder/Fabio Wallner (STL)        52.19  51.83  52.03  52.00  3:28.05
 6 Alexander Schuster/Theo Zippe (STL)        52.41  51.80  52.32  52.08  3:28.61
 7 Jiri Stanek/Silvestr Kohout (STL)          52.77  51.78  52.15  51.93  3:28.63
 8 Niklas Brunner/Timo Kelsen (STL)           52.00  52.33  52.43  51.95  3:28.71
 9 Slavomir Kozar/Pravoslav Charvat (STL)     52.38  52.11  52.33  52.16  3:28.98
10 Christian Ehn/Sebastian Morath (STL)       52.69  52.74  52.13  51.97  3:29.53
11 Anton Klestil/Viktor Diemberger (STL)      52.42  52.46  52.37  52.43  3:29.68
12 Xaver Wilder/Tom Pfeifer (STL)             52.75  52.45  52.53  52.38  3:30.11
13 Hugo Adamek/Tadeas Pribyl (STL)            52.70  53.07  52.69  52.10  3:30.56
-  Hannes Doss/David Bogen (STL)              52.95  DSQ    DSQ    DSQ    DSQ

The Lukes brothers put in an excellent performance on day two, setting a personal best in their fourth run, in order to secure the grand prize here in Sankt Gotthard and punch their tickets to Clayquot! The Hamerling/Breunig duo had a slow day, with two times over 52 seconds in their final two runs, but they have still earned their place in Kelssek as well. Finally, Adam Schuster and Joel Popper were good enough to nail down the third slot on the national team with a personal best time of their own.

Bobsleigh - Two-women's Final

Bobsleigh - Two-woman
 1 Laureen Kelsen/Lilli Kelsen (STL)               53.50  53.59  53.21  53.35  3:33.65     Champions
 2 Amina Pichler/Katharina Weber (STL)             53.13  53.33  53.22  54.00  3:33.68
 3 Lucka Styskalova/Alzbeta Stepanova (STL)        53.62  54.32  53.41  53.43  3:34.78
 4 Leni Breuer/Flora Klor (STL)                    53.66  54.06  53.50  53.65  3:34.87
 5 Julie Sikorova/Nela Holeckova (STL)             54.09  54.41  53.64  54.09  3:36.23
 6 Sabina Hanakova/Gabriela Kratochvilova (STL)    53.87  54.74  53.99  54.17  3:36.77
 7 Mila Breunig/Viktoria Wach (STL)                53.87  54.85  54.13  54.26  3:37.11
 8 Anja Schmid/Matilda Andris (STL)                54.08  54.62  54.49  54.25  3:37.44
 9 Lia Morath/Sara Franz (STL)                     53.63  57.33  54.53  54.50  3:39.99
 — Sarka Jezkova/Erika Polakova (STL)              53.30  54.38  53.42    DNF      DNF
   Lilli Neumann/Sara Beelek (STL)                 54.11  54.21    DSQ             DSQ
   Sophie Kronecker/Melissa Dusl (STL)               DSQ                           DSQ

It was a day for siblings it seems - the Kelsen sisters also take the grand prize! With a personal best time of 53.21 in run three, they were perfectly poised to take advantage of a slip-up from the Pichler/Weber pairing in the final run and take home the championship. Pichler/Weber will also be joining them in Kelssek, while the duo of Lucka Styskalova and Alzbeta Stepanova put on a great show on the final day to take the final spot! Sarka Jezkova and Erika Polakova had been running 3rd going into the final run, but a crash took them out of the session.

Skeleton - Men's final

Men's skeleton
 1 Timo Galishoff (STL)          52.57  52.71  52.70  53.05  3:31.03     Champion
 2 Thomas Lehner (STL)           52.82  52.86  52.64  53.07  3:31.39
 3 Dominik Cella (STL)           52.61  52.96  52.95  52.90  3:31.42
 4 Cestmi­r Podlezl (STL)         53.30  52.73  52.71  52.77  3:31.51
 5 Viktor Zdrahal (STL)          53.09  52.75  52.57  53.15  3:31.56
 6 Luca Kohn (STL)               52.46  53.14  53.07  52.90  3:31.57
 7 Oliver Frankenberger (STL)    52.72  52.91  53.26  53.18  3:32.07
 8 Oto Musil (STL)               53.10  52.85  52.91  53.25  3:32.11
 9 Zbynek Fiser (STL)            52.82  53.53  52.82  53.02  3:32.19
10 Augustyn Kroupal (STL)        52.74  53.17  52.93  53.37  3:32.21
11 Milan Havlik (STL)            52.99  53.08  53.84  52.86  3:32.77
12 Ben Strauss (STL)             53.01  53.08  53.27  53.66  3:33.02
13 Krystof Kaspar (STL)          53.87  53.24  53.34  52.58  3:33.03
14 Eduard Kohout (STL)           53.20  53.20  53.33  53.30  3:33.03
15 Gregor Breuer (STL)           53.08  54.21  53.16  53.23  3:33.68
16 Johannes Schmid (STL)         53.53  53.66  53.45  53.06  3:33.70
17 Simon Fritzl (STL)            52.93  53.57  53.04  54.49  3:34.03
18 Andreas Lorenz (STL)          53.32  53.62  53.35  54.12  3:34.41
19 Constantin Burger (STL)       53.24  54.77  53.43  53.08  3:34.52
20 Fabio Bachmann (STL)          53.09  53.58  54.50  53.83  3:35.00
21 Karl Franz (STL)              54.42  53.19  54.92  53.36  3:35.89
22 Stefan Morath (STL)           54.31  53.39  54.77  53.61  3:36.08
23 Sebastian Prusik (STL)        54.48  53.74  54.69  53.58  3:36.49
24 Bohumir Turecek (STL)         53.78  55.46  53.58  53.99  3:36.81

So much talent in this competition - and three very strong competitors heading off to Kelssek. Timo Galishoff led the field for all four runs, and his victory proves again his status as the best skeleton athlete in the country. His main rival for that claim, Thomas Lehner, had to fight hard on the final day, but he worked his way into the top three with a particularly strong performance in the third run. Rounding out the trio is Dominik Cella, a younger competitor with a lot of potential which he'll be hoping to show at the Olympic Games.

The Stelburg Sportpalast was also the site of action on Day 2 - as the men's and women's curling events continued their group stage competition!

Men's Curling - Matchdays 3 & 4

Matchday 3

Group A
Borograd 5–10 Ost-Marlebucht
Sudwesterland 6–8 Stelburg

Group B
Velika Jezera 10–9 Korjava
Nordflachland 7–4 Neuteussen

Matchday 4

Group A
Ost-Marlebucht 6–7 Stelburg
Sudwesterland 9–10 Borograd

  Group A              Pld   W  L   PF  PA  PD  Pts 
1 Borograd               4   3  1   33  31  +2    9
2 Stelburg               4   3  1   28  29  −1    9
3 Ost-Marlebucht         4   1  3   29  27  +2    3
4 Sudwesterland          4   1  3   29  32  −3    3

Group B
Korjava 10–6 Neuteussen
Nordflachland 9–4 Velika Jezera

  Group B              Pld   W  L   PF  PA  PD  Pts 
1 Nordflachland          4   4  0   30  16 +14   12
2 Korjava                4   2  2   29  28  +1    6
3 Velika Jezera          4   2  2   26  30  −4    6
4 Neuteussen             4   0  4   20  31 −11    0

Group A's competition will come down to the dueling capitals of Borograd and Stelburg - because really, could it go any other way? The two cities are eternal rivals, and when they meet on matchday 5 for the final time in this tournament it will likely decide who wins Group A and thus goes to the championship final. In Group B, Nordflachland are 4-0 and, unless there's a miracle on the final two matchdays, seem destined to take their place in the championship game.

Women's Curling - Matchdays 3 & 4

Matchday 3 

Group A
Srednja 9–4 Borograd
Neuteussen 5–7 Nordflachland

Group B
Ljublanica 6–9 Vestmark
Oberdrai 3–6 Stelburg

Matchday 4

Group A
Borograd 11–14 Nordflachland
Neuteussen 4–6 Srednja

  Group A              Pld   W  L   PF  PA  PD  Pts
1 Nordflachland          4   4  0   38  25 +13   12
2 Srednja                4   3  1   28  20  +8    9
3 Borograd               4   1  3   29  40 −11    3
4 Neuteussen             4   0  4   21  31 −10    0

Group B
Vestmark 7–8 Stelburg
Oberdrai 11–5 Ljublanica

  Group B              Pld   W  L   PF  PA  PD  Pts
1 Stelburg               4   4  0   24  15  +9   12
2 Oberdrai               4   3  1   28  22  +6    9
3 Vestmark               4   1  3   24  25  −1    3
4 Ljublanica             4   0  4   19  33 −14    0

The women's curling tournament is shaping up to be a match-up between the two powerhouses of the game - Stelburg and Nordflachland. Both teams are 4-0, and having met in the women's national championship for the last 4 straight years, both teams will be looking forward to a rematch to determine the all-important spot on the national team. Of course, there's still a chance for surprises - the teams from Srednja and Oberdrai both get a crack at the undefeated sides so far, and wins for either of them could throw everything up in the air.

Women's hockey - Blue vs Gold Game 2

Gold 4–2 Blue

Team Gold gets its second straight win in intrasquad competition at the women's hockey training camp! It was Jessi Baten with a hat-trick, including two in the first period, that saw Gold take a 3-0 lead early. Team Blue would get two goals from Sabina Sulcova and Erika Bartonova to make things close, but a goal from Sophie Kollek ended any hopes of a comeback. Tomorrow, the teams will be combined, and split into two further groups for the two exhibition games against Quebec.

Luge - Men's first round

Men's 
 1 Emil Sedlak (STL)            51.456    51.566    1:43.022
 2 Emil Pichler (STL)           51.458    52.070    1:43.528
 3 Thomas Berger (STL)          51.929    51.851    1:43.780
 4 Bartolomej Kraus (STL)       52.173    51.838    1:44.011
 5 Mario Andris (STL)           51.919    52.168    1:44.087
 6 Fabio Esmann (STL)           52.204    52.370    1:44.574
 7 Xaver Buber (STL)            52.734    51.941    1:44.675
 8 Viktor Reinhardt (STL)       52.493    52.372    1:44.865
 9 Bretislav Fiserov (STL)      52.239    52.645    1:44.884
10 Florian Schmidt (STL)        52.384    52.646    1:45.030
11 Ludek Mrazek (STL)           52.956    52.156    1:45.112
12 Valentin Neurath (STL)       52.681    52.555    1:45.236
13 Marc Mesmer (STL)            52.502    52.871    1:45.373
14 Lenny Buhl (STL)             52.788    52.643    1:45.431
15 Felix Muster (STL)           52.478    53.352    1:45.830
16 Leopold Mayer (STL)          52.502    53.539    1:46.041
17 Leonard Klestil (STL)        52.615    53.655    1:46.270
18 Jachym Kriz (STL)            53.170    53.338    1:46.508
 — Jan Wach (STL)                  DNF                   DNF

An exciting first day of competition - and it's the two Emils in the lead! Emil Sedlak was the favourite going in, and he has a big lead over second-place Emil Pichler. Third place is looking to be an exciting battle between Thomas Berger, Bartolomej Kraus and Mario Andris. Two more runs to go, tomorrow, and three places on the Olympic team to determine!

Luge - Women's

Women's
 1 Lena Hausle (STL)                47.22     46.84     1:34.06
 2 Anastazie Hofmanova (STL)        46.89     47.25     1:34.14
 3 Helena Hofmanova (STL)           47.28     47.16     1:34.44
 4 Nora Ransmayr (STL)              47.43     47.09     1:34.52
 5 Marlena Aigner (STL)             47.32     47.24     1:34.56
 6 Sona Kubesova (STL)              47.62     47.19     1:34.81
 7 Sara Kollek (STL)                48.01     46.99     1:35.00
 8 Katja Horenberger (STL)          47.21     48.02     1:35.23
 9 Kristin Schwarz (STL)            47.99     47.26     1:35.25
10 Bohuslava Slezakova (STL)        47.46     48.27     1:35.73
11 Maya Dorn (STL)                  48.13     47.79     1:35.92
12 Zoe Webern (STL)                 48.33     47.64     1:35.97
13 Greta Austen (STL)               47.81     48.17     1:35.98
14 Lisa Happel (STL)                47.99     48.07     1:36.06
15 Romy Baeder (STL)                48.20     47.93     1:36.13
16 Hanka Horakova (STL)             48.56     47.98     1:36.54
17 Christina Bachrich (STL)         47.91     48.84     1:36.75
18 Anna Bischoffshausen (STL)       48.57     48.25     1:36.82
19 Kamila Pankova (STL)             49.30     47.81     1:37.11
20 Ilona Moravcova (STL)            48.74     48.40     1:37.14
21 Lorena Wolf (STL)                47.41     49.84     1:37.25
22 Zoe Sucharova (STL)              48.63     49.90     1:38.53
23 Lena Kubin (STL)                 51.35     47.46     1:38.81
 — Milena Vogl (STL)                  DNF                   DNF

On the other hand, things are very close in the women's competition - the top 7 are all within 1 second of each other! Lena Hausle is in the lead, but it's certainly not over yet - and the Hofmanova sisters will be looking to continue a trend of sibling dominance in the sliding events so far, as they currently sit second and third. This will surely be the event to watch on day 3, with the top of the pack so close in competition for those Olympic Games places.

Alpine skiing - Men's giant slalom

Men's giant slalom
 1 Johannes Hamerling (STL)        1:19.06     Champion
 2 Slavomir Sedlak (STL)           1:19.41
 3 Roman Beranek (STL)             1:19.49
 4 Thomas Meier (STL)              1:20.99
 5 Joel Trenker (STL)              1:21.12
 6 Ambroz Adamec (STL)             1:21.49
 7 Theo Fiser (STL)                1:21.60
 8 Veroslav Hanak (STL)            1:21.89
 9 Nick Breunig (STL)              1:22.12
10 Maximilian Beelek (STL)         1:22.62
11 Levi Lehner (STL)               1:23.12
12 Jonas Spielmann (STL)           1:24.04
13 Fabian Bogen (STL)              1:24.15
14 Vitezslav Kucaj (STL)           1:24.30
15 Anton Vogl (STL)                1:24.62
16 Richard Kovar (STL)             1:24.73
17 Marvin Feist (STL)              1:24.79
18 Pankrac Kral (STL)              1:25.00
19 Niklas Bischoffshausen (STL)    1:25.03
20 Sebastian Dusl (STL)            1:25.37
21 Jamie Schifter (STL)            1:27.28
22 Lorenz Bachmann (STL)           1:27.77
23 Jonathan Buber (STL)            1:30.33
24 Michal Strnad (STL)             1:30.56
25 Rudolf Koci (STL)               1:31.18
26 Christoph Brendel (STL)         1:31.90
27 Constantin Weber (STL)          1:32.33
28 Christian Albert (STL)          1:35.86
 — Gregor Bergmann (STL)               DNF
   Igor Vykukal (STL)                  DNF

It's Johannes Hamerling taking the grand prize on the slopes at Velden-Villach! Hamerling entered the competition as one of a few favourites, and he pulls off the big win here to secure his claim as one of the nation's top skiiers. Joining him in Kelssek will be Slavomir Sedlak, Roman Baranek and Thomas Meier. If you had to have predicted a top four going in, they would probably be your group - and they'll be eager to keep working hard to prepare for the Olympiad.

Alpine skiing - Women's giant slalom

Women's giant slalom
 1 Odette Kleinman (STL)         1:11.56     Champion
 2 Leona Smetanova (STL)         1:11.85
 3 Vera Mareckova (STL)          1:11.88
 4 Fiona Wolfsohn (STL)          1:12.02
 5 Alexa Hildebrandt (STL)       1:12.32
 6 Tine Kiesewetter (STL)        1:13.12
 7 Josefine Franck (STL)         1:13.41
 8 Fabienne Mathesius (STL)      1:13.47
 9 Bohuslava Slamova (STL)       1:14.20
10 Elin Landsteiner (STL)        1:14.82
11 Heike Hennig (STL)            1:15.51
12 Christina Buchberger (STL)    1:15.97
13 Drahomira Drabkova (STL)      1:16.03
14 Mahulena Zelenkova (STL)      1:16.76
15 Bernadette Gutheil (STL)      1:17.52
16 Janine Riesz (STL)            1:18.55
17 Nora Krejcova (STL)           1:18.98
18 Zarina Schmid (STL)           1:19.14
19 Sandra Huppert (STL)          1:19.59
20 Zita Adamkova (STL)           1:20.41
21 Mariana Burianova (STL)       1:20.52
22 Ida Schulman (STL)            1:21.45
23 Renate Abetz (STL)            1:22.69
24 Susanna Weizmann (STL)        1:23.26
25 Magdalena Heidemann (STL)     1:23.60
26 Jasmin Mangels (STL)          1:25.07
27 Helena Mikesova (STL)         1:26.85
 — Annie Fleischmann (STL)           DNF
   Jolana Blahova (STL)              DNF
   Margaretha Hertzog (STL)          DNF

20-year old Odette Kleinman's rise to skiing stardom continues! She was a national champion last year, and here asserts herself again as one of the nation's finest - watch out, world, because she'll be looking to continue her ascent in Kelssek. Joining her on the plane will be Leona Smetanova, Vera Mareckova and Fiona Wolfsohn. Wolfsohn is another of the younger generation of women's skiiers currently making waves.

Cross-country skiing - Women's 10km freestyle

Women's 10km freestyle
 1 Seraphina Teichmuller (STL)    25:03.8     Champion
 2 Thea Schaab (STL)              25:24.8
 3 Gerda Bahnsen (STL)            26:03.2
 4 Gita Sramkova (STL)            26:22.8
 5 Jaroslava Jelinkova (STL)      26:26.9
 6 Katja Andris (STL)             26:27.2
 7 Angelina Faymann (STL)         26:28.1
 8 Vivienne Baar (STL)            26:34.1
 9 Vivian Schanz (STL)            26:39.2
10 Lea Bachrich (STL)             26:41.4
11 Eleonore Lehmann (STL)         26:43.1
12 Klara Seidler (STL)            26:56.0
13 Kvetoslava Koubova (STL)       26:59.7
14 Vlasta Drabkova (STL)          27:05.6
15 Apolena Jedlickova (STL)       27:12.3
16 Justyna Vaclavikova (STL)      27:15.4
17 Annika Strauss (STL)           27:16.7
18 Helena Lewisohn (STL)          27:16.7
19 Elsa Kandel (STL)              27:17.0
20 Helena Lechner (STL)           27:18.3
21 Ilona Melicharova (STL)        27:19.0
22 Miriam Mittermeier (STL)       27:26.9
23 Victoria Muller (STL)          28:31.0
24 Stella Friedel (STL)           28:45.9
25 Ivana Komarkova (STL)          28:54.7
26 Anika Falkenberg (STL)         29:06.6
27 Edda Taschner (STL)            32:19.7
28 Nina Haneke (STL)              33:34.7
29 Tereza Jandova (STL)           34:33.5
30 Brigita Adamova (STL)          35:03.5

It's Seraphina Teichmuller taking the grand prize! The expected favourite, Teichmuller has been a leader in the cross-country scene for years now and is finally getting the opportunity to go to an Olympic Games. Joining her in Kelssek will be Thea Schaab and Gerda Bahnsen. They represent two different eras of the sport - Schaab beginning her career, and Bahnsen looking to be on her way out. Both will get a chance to show their skill in Kelssek.

Ski jumping - Men's normal hill final

Men's normal hill
 1 Patrik Breuer (STL)       128.5  134.5  131.0  134.0    528.0    Champion
 2 Kaspar Seiler (STL)       135.0  135.0  131.5  121.0    522.5
 3 Wilhelm Alterman (STL)    124.0  120.5  133.5  131.0    509.0
 4 Leos Broz (STL)           125.5  121.0  134.5  122.5    503.5
 5 Radovan Stepan (STL)      123.0  124.0  127.0  124.5    498.5
 6 Patrick Walch (STL)       119.0  136.5  113.0  116.5    485.0
 7 Andre Kurrat (STL)        124.5  129.0  113.5  108.0    475.0
 8 Luka Weidemann (STL)      115.5  124.5  112.0  118.5    470.5
 9 Vavrinec Turek (STL)      126.0  113.0  110.0  116.0    465.0
10 Harald Schulman (STL)     113.0  124.5  109.5  117.5    464.5
11 Oskar Sternberg (STL)     110.5  118.0  114.5  118.5    461.5
12 Jochen Goedde (STL)       109.5  103.5  125.5  115.0    453.5
13 Sobeslav Stanek (STL)     107.0  119.5  115.0  108.0    449.5
14 Elmo Kieffer (STL)        122.0  106.0  112.5  107.0    447.5
15 Paul Holzhausen (STL)     124.0  104.5  115.0  101.5    445.0
16 Niklas Hutto (STL)        114.0  105.5  120.0  105.0    444.5
17 Noah Degen (STL)          105.5  116.5  109.5  108.0    439.5
18 Emil Jaros (STL)          102.0  112.5  120.5   99.5    434.5
19 Isaak Schultz (STL)        99.0  105.5  108.5  116.5    429.5
 — David Hohenstein (STL)    123.5  124.0    DSQ   DSQ

It came down to the final jump, where an error from Kasper Seiler handed the victory to Patrik Breuer! Breuer will be very proud of his grand prize here, and it is confidence that he can take with him all the way to Clayquot. Seiler, meanwhile, will be looking for some revenge after throwing away a competition he was leading for 3/4 runs. Also on their way to Kelssek are Wilhelm Altermann and Leos Broz.

Ski jumping - Women's normal hill, final

Women's normal hill
 1 Romana Ondrackova (STL)      119.0  127.0  133.5  137.5    517.0     Champion
 2 Eveline Schiefer (STL)       132.0  126.0  120.0  135.0    513.0
 3 Felizia Korte (STL)          128.5  134.0  127.0  120.5    510.0
 4 Erna Steinhaeuser (STL)      126.5  134.5  128.0  117.0    506.0
 5 Mahulena Vitkova (STL)       133.5  133.0  122.0  117.0    505.5
 6 Mendy Kiesel (STL)           124.0  124.0  130.5  123.0    501.5
 7 Anna Taubert (STL)           122.5  133.5  121.5  114.0    491.5
 8 Tea Starck (STL)             117.5  120.5  116.5  123.5    478.0
 9 Rebecca Lexer (STL)          113.0  111.0  127.5  124.0    475.5
10 Wanda Schoenauer (STL)       113.5  106.0  123.0  123.5    466.0
11 Jaroslava Sulcova (STL)      118.5  114.5  115.5  112.0    460.5
12 Ramona Wegner (STL)          107.5  120.0  117.0  114.5    459.0
13 Ludmila Hladikova (STL)      110.0  119.0  109.5  115.5    454.0
14 Helene Ratzinger (STL)       109.0  110.0  114.0  117.0    450.0
15 Stepanka Dolezelova (STL)    123.0  115.0   96.5  115.0    449.5
16 Erna Hettich (STL)           114.5  103.5  122.5  108.5    449.0
17 Frida Hartlieb (STL)         121.0  115.5  110.0  101.5    448.0
18 Claudia Schnitzer (STL)      106.0  111.5  113.0  116.5    447.0
19 Nina Seidel (STL)            104.0  108.0  106.0  118.5    436.5
20 Cathrin Hauser (STL)         107.0   92.0  106.0  118.5    423.5

Recovering from a seventh place finish on day one, it's Romana Ondrackova who takes the grand prize! She had an excellent day, including a score of 137.5 in the final round, to truly earn the title. Schiefer, Korte and Steinhaeuser settled again for 2-3-4, but what's most important for the skilled trio is that they will be heading to Kelssek and will have the opportunity to compete for an Olympic medal.

That wraps up Day 2 of the Stelburg-Sankt Gotthard Winter Prize! Lots of great action has taken place already, and more of it is sure to come on days 3 and 4. We'll continue to bring all the updates as the nation prepares for the Winter Olympic Games!

[Siovanija and Teusland]

Stelburg-Sankt Gotthard Winter Prize

Siovanija & Teusland Olympic Committee Trials for Games of the XV Winter Olympiad

DAY 3 - RESULTS

We're over halfway done here, and it's time to kick off the events of Day 3! We get our start in Sankt Gotthard with the continuation of the biathlon competition.

Biathlon - Men's 20km individual

Men's 20km individual
 1 Tadeas Horvath (STL)           49:16.5     Champion
 2 Nino Wimmer (STL)              49:46.6
 3 Patrick Baumgartner (STL)      51:01.0
 4 Johannes Ebner (STL)           51:23.3
 5 Dominik Danek (STL)            51:31.3
 6 Antonin Toman (STL)            51:39.1
 7 Valentin Lechner (STL)         52:10.6
 8 Noah Manz (STL)                52:44.4
 9 Otmar Malek (STL)              53:01.2
10 Manuel Kohn (STL)              53:12.6
11 Marcel Schmid (STL)            53:48.5
12 Kristian Spacek (STL)          54:10.8
13 Alexander Beelek (STL)         54:13.7
14 Mario Mesmer (STL)             55:02.2
15 Stefan Podlezl (STL)           56:31.2

It's Tadeas Horvath claiming the grand prize here! A legend of the national biathlon scene, you always knew that he'd have something up his sleeve in the quest to gain an Olympic birth, and he posted a time that was 30 seconds better than the second place finisher. While Horvath represents veteran experience, there's some young blood joining him in Kelssek, with Nino Wimmer and Johannes Ebner falling into that catergory. Patrick Baumgartner will also be heading off to Kelssek - too old to be 'young blood,' but still a bit too young to be a veteran.

Bobsleigh - Four-man preliminaries

Four-man
1 Alexander Kasper/Bastian Fleischman/Peter Wallner/Ben Gruber (STL)               50.87  51.08  1:41.95
2 Gabriel Habeler/Linus Helnwein/Levi Widrich/Oliver Berg (STL)                    50.92  51.20  1:42.12
3 Filip Weingartner/Louis Rottmayr/Philipp Haspel/Adam Feist (STL)                 51.15  51.06  1:42.21
4 Xaver Klestil/Fabio Popper/Luca Schmid/Elias Haspel (STL)                        51.78  51.35  1:43.13
5 Lubor Adamek/Otakar Zeman/Zikmund Korinek/Boris Havlicek (STL)                   51.90  51.28  1:43.18
6 Emilio Kronecker/Kilian Hausner/Leon Austen/Max Esmann (STL)                     52.22  51.43  1:43.65
7 Jaroslav Cech/Rostislav Havlicek/Vilem Klapil/Miloslav Rypal (STL)               51.77  52.14  1:43.91
8 Maximilian Weinheber/Leonhard Weichselbraun/Laurin Widrich/Adam Weisman (STL)    52.55  52.95  1:45.50

Tight competition in men's four-man bobsleigh after the first day of competition! Kasper/Fleischman/Wallner/Gruber are the class of the competition at the moment, with a very solid 50.87 as the competition-best in round 1. But they are followed closely by Habeler/Helnwein/Widrich/Berg and the group of Weingartner/Rottmayr/Haspel/Feist. It looks like the top 3 have made a great deal of separation for themselves here - but who knows what will happen on the final day of competition!

Bobsleigh - Four-woman preliminaries

Four-woman
1 Alissa Hamerling/Magdalena Bogen/Mona Frankenberger/Laura Kress (STL)      52.51  52.23  1:44.74
2 Elena Uhe/Janina Puchner/Kristin Feist/Alissa Klestil (STL)                52.43  52.99  1:45.42
3 Leni Fritzl/Matilda Kronecker/Kimberly Glaser/Carina Reinhardt (STL)       52.66  53.07  1:45.73
4 Mia Zippe/Zoey Bemelmans/Kimberly Breunig/Alina Schmidt (STL)              53.01  52.94  1:45.95
5 Amelie Moser/Celina Leitner/Rosa Puchner/Saskia Helnwein (STL)             52.64  53.37  1:46.01
6 Lea-Sophie Kasper/Anika Manninger/Maya Wach/Chiara Fuchs (STL)             55.18  52.85  1:48.03
— Milada Ptackova/Ingrid Nemcova/Otylie Polackova/Dagmar Holubova (STL)      52.87    DNF      DNF
  Kristyna Dudova/Lenka Bartasova/Izabela Bartakova/Vilma Kadlecova (STL)      DNF             DNF

A shocking turn of events here! The team of Ptackova/Nemcova/Polackova/Holubova were the heavy favourites in this event, but a DNF on their second run removes them from the competition! We're left with just six teams competing for 3 spots going into the final day, with the team of Hamerling/Bogen/Frankenberger/Kress building a strong lead for themselves. It'll be a tough fight between the remaining competitors for the final two spots, as other than the 6th placed team, 2 through 5 are separated by just 0.19 seconds.

Skeleton - Women's preliminaries

Women's skeleton
 1 Ella Loos (STL)               54.19  53.71  1:47.90
 2 Ingrid Jerabkova (STL)        54.17  54.06  1:48.23
 3 Marlene Rottmayr (STL)        54.17  54.12  1:48.29
   Cecilie Uhlirova (STL)        54.17  54.12  1:48.29
 5 Marlena Binder (STL)          54.22  54.11  1:48.33
 6 Charlotte Ressel (STL)        54.38  54.00  1:48.38
 7 Bohumila Gregorova (STL)      54.11  54.50  1:48.61
 8 Eva Fiser (STL)               54.07  54.69  1:48.76
 9 Ilona Stepanova (STL)         54.12  54.73  1:48.85
10 Julia Oberlander (STL)        54.49  54.38  1:48.87
11 Zina Koprivova (STL)          54.45  54.53  1:48.98
12 Radka Zapletalova (STL)       54.35  54.83  1:49.18
13 Beata Dostalova (STL)         54.45  54.91  1:49.36
14 Hannah Meusburger (STL)       55.28  54.53  1:49.81
15 Carolina Baumgartner (STL)    54.53  55.47  1:50.00
16 Florentina Scherer (STL)      55.13  54.99  1:50.12
17 Alice Vavrova (STL)           55.98  54.24  1:50.22
18 Naomi Kasper (STL)            54.46  56.06  1:50.52
19 Emma Lamarr (STL)             54.64  55.89  1:50.53
20 Sara Muller (STL)             54.89  55.94  1:50.83
21 Magdalena Breunig (STL)       56.44  54.62  1:51.06
22 Melanie Breuer (STL)          56.67  56.14  1:52.81
23 Dasa Valentova (STL)          56.30  57.16  1:53.46
 — Clara Moser (STL)               DSQ             DSQ

An intense first day of competition in women's skeleton! While Ella Loos holds a deserved lead after the first two runs, the story everyone is talking about is the tie between Marlene Rottmayr and Cecilie Uhlirova. Only 3 competitors can go to Kelssek, and therefore this tie will need to be broken - the two are basically competing head-to-head in the final two runs to determine that spot, while also having to look out for those behind them.

The action now shifts over to Stelburg for the final day in group stage curling action!

Curling - Men's Matchdays 5 & 6

Matchday 5

Group A
Sudwesterland 2–10 Ost-Marlebucht
Borograd 4–5 Stelburg

Group B
Nordflachland 7–6 Korjava
Velika Jezera 8–6 Neuteussen

Matchday 6

Group A
Ost-Marlebucht 7–5 Borograd
Stelburg 11–9 Sudwesterland

  Group A              Pld   W  L   PF  PA  PD  Pts
1 Stelburg               6   5  1   44  42  +2   15     Finalist
2 Ost-Marlebucht         6   3  3   46  34 +12    9
3 Borograd               6   3  3   42  43  −1    9
4 Sudwesterland          6   1  5   40  53 −13    3

Group B
Korjava 6–4 Velika Jezera
Neuteussen 6–9 Nordflachland

  Group B              Pld   W  L   PF  PA  PD  Pts
1 Nordflachland          6   6  0   46  28 +18   18     Finalist
2 Korjava                6   3  3   41  39  +2    9
3 Velika Jezera          6   3  3   38  42  −4    9
4 Neuteussen             6   0  6   32  48 −16    0

The men's competition will see the decisive championship final come down to Nordflachland against Stelburg! Nordflachland went 6-0 in the group stage, while Stelburg needed a huge 5-4 win over Borograd on matchday 5 to secure their group win with a 5-1 record. Nordflachland is the home of curling in this country, and are sure to be the favourites, but Stelburg will be looking to break some hearts and claim the glory for themselves.

Curling - Women's Matchday 5 & 6

Matchday 5

Group A
Neuteussen 5–9 Borograd
Srednja 5–11 Nordflachland

Group B
Oberdrai 7–6 Vestmark
Ljublanica 6–9 Stelburg

Matchday 6

Group A
Group A
Borograd 5–8 Srednja
Nordflachland 7–10 Neuteussen

  Group A              Pld   W  L   PF  PA  PD  Pts 
1 Nordflachland          6   5  1   56  40 +16   15     Finalist
2 Srednja                6   4  2   41  36  +5   12
3 Borograd               6   2  4   43  53 −10    6
4 Neuteussen             6   1  5   36  47 −11    3

Group B
Vestmark 5–4 Ljublanica
Stelburg 5–4 Oberdrai

  Group B              Pld   W  L   PF  PA  PD  Pts
1 Stelburg               6   6  0   38  25 +13   18     Finalist
2 Oberdrai               6   4  2   39  33  +6   12
3 Vestmark               6   2  4   35  36  −1    6
4 Ljublanica             6   0  6   29  47 −18    0

The women's final will be the exact same as on the men's side - Nordflachland vs Stelburg. This time, however, Stelburg might be the favourites after a very strong group stage performance going 6-0. Nordflachland, meanwhile, suffered a shocking loss to Neuteussen on matchday 6 to finish with a record of 5-1. There's regional pride on the line tomorrow as the men's and women's curling championship games take place!

Women's hockey - Siovanija & Teusland vs Quebec, Game 1

Siovanija & Teusland 3–1 Quebec

Game 1 of the exhibition series got underway with a close game between the Goldhorns and the team from Quebec! The score was tied 1-1 after the first period, and it remained that way until late in the third when Jessi Baten scored to give the home team the lead. A late empty net goal secured a 3-1 win in the first game. Tomorrow night, a different Goldhorns team will take on Quebec in their last pretournament game!

Luge - Men's Final

Men's 
 1 Emil Sedlak (STL)            51.456    51.566    51.577    52.214    3:26.813     Champion
 2 Thomas Berger (STL)          51.929    51.851    51.778    51.787    3:27.345
 3 Bartolomej Kraus (STL)       52.173    51.838    51.660    51.719    3:27.390
 4 Emil Pichler (STL)           51.458    52.070    52.037    52.333    3:27.898
 5 Mario Andris (STL)           51.919    52.168    52.221    51.648    3:27.956
 6 Fabio Esmann (STL)           52.204    52.370    52.220    52.215    3:29.009
 7 Viktor Reinhardt (STL)       52.493    52.372    51.736    52.752    3:29.353
 8 Leopold Mayer (STL)          52.502    53.539    52.192    51.476    3:29.709
 9 Ludek Mrazek (STL)           52.956    52.156    52.469    52.196    3:29.777
10 Florian Schmidt (STL)        52.384    52.646    52.579    52.396    3:30.005
11 Xaver Buber (STL)            52.734    51.941    52.882    52.715    3:30.272
12 Felix Muster (STL)           52.478    53.352    52.818    51.974    3:30.622
13 Bretislav Fiserov (STL)      52.239    52.645    53.163    53.383    3:31.430
14 Leonard Klestil (STL)        52.615    53.655    52.830    53.322    3:32.422
15 Lenny Buhl (STL)             52.788    52.643    55.686    52.714    3:33.831
16 Marc Mesmer (STL)            52.502    52.871    55.174    53.517    3:34.064
17 Jachym Kriz (STL)            53.170    53.338    54.674    53.283    3:34.465
18 Valentin Neurath (STL)       52.681    52.555  1:40.954    52.866    4:19.056
 — Jan Wach (STL)                  DNF                                       DNF

It was looking to be the 'Two Emils' after day one - but there's only one Emil standing after the final round! Emil Sedlak takes the grand prize, while Emil Pichler suffered a disastrous fourth run to take himself outside of Olympic qualification. That gave a chance to Thomas Berger and Bartolomej Kraus to take his place, and the two both managed strong runs to qualify for the Clayquot games.

Luge - Women's final

Women's
 1 Lena Hausle (STL)                47.22     46.84     47.27     47.11     3:08.44     Champion
 2 Anastazie Hofmanova (STL)        46.89     47.25     47.28     47.49     3:08.91
 3 Marlena Aigner (STL)             47.32     47.24     47.52     47.12     3:09.20
 4 Nora Ransmayr (STL)              47.43     47.09     47.28     47.58     3:09.38
 5 Sara Kollek (STL)                48.01     46.99     47.40     47.11     3:09.51
 6 Sona Kubesova (STL)              47.62     47.19     47.67     47.12     3:09.60
 7 Helena Hofmanova (STL)           47.28     47.16     47.43     48.02     3:09.89
 8 Katja Horenberger (STL)          47.21     48.02     48.15     46.86     3:10.24
 9 Bohuslava Slezakova (STL)        47.46     48.27     48.96     47.88     3:12.57
10 Christina Bachrich (STL)         47.91     48.84     47.94     48.28     3:12.97
11 Romy Baeder (STL)                48.20     47.93     47.94     48.94     3:13.01
12 Zoe Webern (STL)                 48.33     47.64     48.32     48.78     3:13.07
13 Anna Bischoffshausen (STL)       48.57     48.25     48.02     48.24     3:13.08
14 Kamila Pankova (STL)             49.30     47.81     47.37     48.71     3:13.19
15 Lisa Happel (STL)                47.99     48.07     47.64     49.51     3:13.21
16 Greta Austen (STL)               47.81     48.17     48.14     49.72     3:13.84
17 Lorena Wolf (STL)                47.41     49.84     47.45     49.21     3:13.91
18 Hanka Horakova (STL)             48.56     47.98     48.09     49.55     3:14.18
19 Maya Dorn (STL)                  48.13     47.79     48.92     49.76     3:14.60
20 Zoe Sucharova (STL)              48.63     49.90     47.41     48.90     3:14.84
21 Ilona Moravcova (STL)            48.74     48.40     48.17     50.82     3:16.13
22 Lena Kubin (STL)                 51.35     47.46     47.63     51.32     3:17.76
 — Kristin Schwarz (STL)            47.99     47.26     47.56       DNF         DNF
   Milena Vogl (STL)                  DNF                                       DNF

Lena Hausle retains her lead throughout the competition and takes home the grand prize from the sliding centre in Sankt Gotthard! Anastazie Hofmanova is second, a really strong performance from her, but her sister Helena suffered a bad result in the fourth run and as a result will not be joining her at the Olympic Games. Taking advantage of her slip-up was Marlena Aigner, who posted an incredible 47.12 in the final run to secure her place in Kelssek.

Alpine skiing - Men's slalom

Men's slalom
 1 Theodor Reinhardt (STL)         49.61     Champion
 2 Bastian Werner (STL)            49.93
 3 Anton Koller (STL)              50.11
 4 Svatoslav Prussk (STL)          50.59
 5 Servac Polak (STL)              50.61
 6 Peter Nalder (STL)              51.06
 7 Albert Kral (STL)               52.08
 8 Matous Capek (STL)              52.10
 9 Aaron Goss (STL)                52.18
10 Augustyn Dvorak (STL)           52.75
11 Lukas Flesichman (STL)          52.90
12 Laurenz Maier (STL)             53.22
13 Denis Mares (STL)               53.38
14 Simon Mendel (STL)              54.20
15 Raphael Puchner (STL)           54.64
16 Oliver Popper (STL)             55.91
17 Lorenz Frankenberger (STL)      56.56
18 Markus Muster (STL)             57.32
19 Daniel Neumann (STL)            57.79
20 Hannes Meusburger (STL)         59.00
21 Leonhard Diemberger (STL)     1:03.62
22 Rafael Bruckner (STL)         1:17.20
 — Petr Havlik (STL)                 DNF
   Hugo Svarc (STL)                  DNF
   Josef Doss (STL)                  DNF
   Constantin Webern (STL)           DNF
   Marcel Kanner (STL)               DSQ
   Viteslav Holub (STL)              DNF
   Jeronym Brabec (STL)              DSQ
   Samuel Makart (STL)               DNF

Snow and wind meant it was a tricky day on the slopes in Velden-Villach, with no fewer than 8 competitors finishing their days early thanks to DNF or disqualification. But in the end, Theodor Reinhardt fought through tough conditions on the slopes to take home the grand prize. Joining him in Kelssek will be Bastian Werner, Anton Koller and Svatoslav Prussk. Prussk was a heavy underdog in this competition, but seemed to enjoy the conditions and took the all-important 4th position.

Alpine skiing - Women's slalom

Women's slalom
 1 Eveline Porsche (STL)          50.80     Champion
 2 Nadezda Valkova (STL)          51.10
 3 Elli Amsel (STL)               52.22
 4 Lore Gegenbauer (STL)          52.63
 5 Stefanie Leitner (STL)         53.03
 6 Emilie Nostitz (STL)           53.10
 7 Jindriska Frankova (STL)       53.73
 8 Stepanka Klecalova (STL)       53.83
 9 Ann-Katrin Weiz (STL)          53.88
10 Natalie Formankova (STL)       53.94
11 Barbora Hausildova (STL)       53.97
12 Zina Dvorackova (STL)          54.14
13 Saskia Niephaus (STL)          54.46
14 Sara Davidova (STL)            54.49
15 Hanne Hauer (STL)              55.02
16 Hermina Reitter (STL)          55.06
17 Leona Kammerer (STL)           55.48
18 Rieke Finkel (STL)             56.98
19 Ida Gerstmann (STL)            57.26
20 Klara Hanakova (STL)           58.91
21 Anneli Simmel (STL)            59.36
22 Alma Schulhof (STL)          1:01.79
 — Judith Brecher (STL)             DNF
   Lotta Kestenbaum (STL)           DNF
   Patricie Krivankova (STL)        DNF
   Anny Noske (STL)                 DNF
   Sava Charvatova (STL)            DNF
   Zara Freitag (STL)               DNF
   Lotta Heidemann (STL)            DNF
   Katja von Sydow (STL)            DNF

There were also eight DNF's in the women's slalom competition as conditions didn't improve throughout the day on the slopes at Velden-Villach. Again, however, these competitors fought through. In the end, the expected favourite Eveline Porsche took the grand prize. Nadezda Valkova was one of the benefactors of the day, as another one of the favourites Zara Freitag was a DNF. Rounding out the top 4 and the Olympic delegation were Elli Amsel and Lore Gegenbauer.

Cross-country - Men's 50km classical

Men's 50km classical
 1 Lasse Lasch (STL)              2:05:37.9     Champion
 2 Robin Bier (STL)               2:05:39.4
 3 Soren Weiner (STL)             2:05:39.8
 4 Jochen Backhaus (STL)          2:05:41.5
 5 Ben Schonfinkel (STL)          2:05:43.0
 6 Willi Trausch (STL)            2:05:48.6
 7 Denis Bartos (STL)             2:05:54.7
 8 Zikmund Hanak (STL)            2:06:27.6
 9 Blazej Polasek (STL)           2:06:53.8
10 Piet Schwertner (STL)          2:07:17.0
11 Sebastian Misalko (STL)        2:07:18.2
12 Libor Novak (STL)              2:07:19.2
13 Klaus Mayrhofer (STL)          2:07:21.6
14 Joachim Faehlmann (STL)        2:09:30.8
15 Patrick Spindler (STL)         2:09:42.4
16 Leopold Klee (STL)             2:09:55.9
17 Friedrich Silberbauer (STL)    2:10:25.4
18 Dennis Dedekind (STL)          2:10:50.5
19 Radomir Pribyl (STL)           2:10:52.5
20 Ladislav Svarc (STL)           2:10:54.8
21 Alexandr Rusil (STL)           2:13:05.7
22 Evzen Sramek (STL)             2:14:29.6
23 Gabriel Hartmann (STL)         2:16:08.7
24 Dennis Gerstaecker (STL)       2:16:08.7
25 Ralph Kieffer (STL)            2:17:58.9
26 Tristan Moldenhauer (STL)      2:20:21.9
27 Radovan Soucek (STL)           2:20:22.6
28 Jannik Wachter (STL)           2:20:29.2
29 Sascha Conzelmann (STL)        2:21:21.6
 — Caesar Nessel (STL)                  DNF

It's Lasse Lasch on top in cross-country skiing today! Caesar Nessel's DNF gave a big boost to many, considering Nessel was a pre-event favourite, and Lasch managed to take advantage with a first-place finish. Joining him in Kelssek will be Robin Bier and Soren Weiner, who were both comfortable in their finishing positions, nearly 2 seconds faster than Jochen Backhaus in fourth.

Ski jumping - Men's large hill preliminaries

Men's large hill
 1 Thomas Tannenberg (STL)    143.7  120.3    264.0
 2 Oleg Korinek (STL)         136.6  126.7    263.3
 3 Elias Hofle (STL)          132.5  126.4    258.9
 4 Patrick Helnwein (STL)     130.2  127.7    257.9
 5 Mathias Schauer (STL)      114.0  137.9    251.9
 6 Kvido Vasicek (STL)        124.8  122.3    247.1
 7 Nicolas Ganz (STL)         112.6  127.8    240.4
 8 Libor Sedlacek (STL)       108.4  108.8    217.2
 9 Klaus Backer (STL)         108.1  108.1    216.2
10 Jonas Harnisch (STL)       105.1  107.7    212.8
11 Markus Lehner (STL)        106.6  102.3    208.9
12 Stefan Bott (STL)          110.5   96.8    207.3
13 Theo Beelek (STL)           83.9  110.2    194.1
14 Oli Schwarzmann (STL)       88.4  102.8    191.2
15 Fabi Heinrich (STL)         94.6   95.3    189.9
16 Tim Wagner (STL)            89.6  100.2    189.8
17 Emil Semmelweis (STL)      101.2   83.7    184.9
18 Ctirad Moravec (STL)        79.9  102.5    182.4
19 Alan Nemec (STL)            90.0   85.5    175.5
20 Leo Wald (STL)              72.5   97.2    169.7

Thomas Tannenberg, who was rated the heavy favourite coming into this competition, ends the preliminary rounds of the men's large hill competition in first place, even after a somewhat poor second run. Oleg Korinek put up two strong performances and sits second, while Elias Hofle and Patrick Helnwein currently sit in the qualification positions for Kelssek heading into the final day of competition.

Ski jumping - Women's large hill preliminaries

Women's large hill
 1 Jennifer Ratzinger (STL)      132.3  132.1    264.4
 2 Natalie Schwanthaler (STL)    123.9  125.6    249.5
 3 Annemarie Ehrenberg (STL)     114.1  127.8    241.9
 4 Stanislava Blahova (STL)      128.2  108.5    236.7
 5 Leni Esmann (STL)             123.4  112.5    235.9
 6 Zoey Eicher (STL)             121.9  109.5    231.4
 7 Flora Pfeiffer (STL)          122.7  105.3    228.0
 8 Gina Kronthaler (STL)         112.1  113.3    225.4
 9 Dana Loubalova (STL)          122.0  101.6    223.6
10 Berta Spackova (STL)          121.6  101.9    223.5
11 Lilli Haneke (STL)            105.0  114.4    219.4
12 Lisa Eder (STL)               102.8  114.4    217.2
13 Ivona Vasickova (STL)         119.0   97.3    216.3
14 Katharina Ringel (STL)        111.8  104.0    215.8
15 Elina Bahr (STL)              115.9   95.4    211.3
16 Runa Sussman (STL)            104.0   94.3    198.3
17 Henny Grob (STL)               95.0   86.1    181.1
18 Maya Staudenmaier (STL)        91.0   84.4    175.4
19 Elke Thomalla (STL)            76.7   80.7    157.4
20 Nela Dolezelova (STL)          72.4   77.6    150.0

The competition in women's large hill ski jumping has largely gone as expected so far, with the pre-event frontrunners leading the pack. Jennifer Ratzinger is in first place, with a big lead over her main rival Natalie Schwanthaler. Schwanthaler will be hoping to make up that gap on the final day, but must also be happy to be in second ahead of Annemarie Ehrenberg and Stanislava Blahova by solid margins as those four make up the current positions for Olympic qualification. All to be decided on the final day of competition!

There's still one more day to go at the Stelburg-Sankt Gotthard Winter Prize! There's plenty up for grabs, too, as every single event will be a final with Olympic qualification on the line! As always, RBC Sports will continue to bring you all the coverage as Siovanija & Teusland's top winter athletes prepare for the Games of the XV Winter Olympiad!

[Siovanija and Teusland]

Stelburg-Sankt Gotthard Winter Prize

Siovanija & Teusland Olympic Committee Trials for Games of the XV Winter Olympiad

DAY 4 - RESULTS

Here we are, the final day of competition in Stelburg and Sankt Gotthard! There's plenty on the line as the Winter Olympic Trials conclude.

Biathlon - Women's 15km individual

Women's 15km individual
 1 Florentina Schwarz (STL)    42:23.7     Champion
 2 Anna-Lena Lehner (STL)      43:00.8
 3 Sarah Kollek (STL)          43:28.8
 4 Darja Matejkova (STL)       43:29.0
 5 Helene Widrich (STL)        43:42.7
 6 Sandra Suchankova (STL)     43:51.3
 7 Marta Krausova (STL)        44:11.6
 8 Iva Komarkova (STL)         44:21.9
 9 Mira Ransmayr (STL)         45:38.3
10 Leonie Trenker (STL)        46:09.4
11 Amina Horenberger (STL)     47:11.3
12 Matilda Morath (STL)        47:12.8
13 Loreen Klammer (STL)        47:15.3
14 Nora Lamarr (STL)           47:55.3
15 Livia Uhe (STL)             51:01.2
16 Zoey Burger (STL)           52:15.3

Florentina Schwartz takes the grand prize! She demolished the competition, too, with her time being over 30 seconds faster than second place Anna-Lena Lehner. Schwartz will thus be looking to continue her great form in Kelssek, where she'll be joined by Lehner, Sarah Kollek and Darja Matejkova.

Bobsleigh - Four-man final

Four-man
1 Alexander Kasper/Bastian Fleischman/Peter Wallner/Ben Gruber (STL)               50.87  51.08  51.08  51.51  3:24.54     Champions
2 Filip Weingartner/Louis Rottmayr/Philipp Haspel/Adam Feist (STL)                 51.15  51.06  51.19  51.30  3:24.70
3 Gabriel Habeler/Linus Helnwein/Levi Widrich/Oliver Berg (STL)                    50.92  51.20  51.43  51.33  3:24.88
4 Lubor Adamek/Otakar Zeman/Zikmund Korinek/Boris Havlicek (STL)                   51.90  51.28  51.43  50.90  3:25.51
5 Xaver Klestil/Fabio Popper/Luca Schmid/Elias Haspel (STL)                        51.78  51.35  51.29  51.43  3:25.85
6 Emilio Kronecker/Kilian Hausner/Leon Austen/Max Esmann (STL)                     52.22  51.43  51.64  52.55  3:27.84
7 Jaroslav Cech/Rostislav Havlicek/Vilem Klapil/Miloslav Rypal (STL)               51.77  52.14  52.36  52.65  3:28.92
— Maximilian Weinheber/Leonhard Weichselbraun/Laurin Widrich/Adam Weisman (STL)    52.55  52.95    DSQ             DSQ

It's the Kasper/Fleischman/Wallner/Gruber quartet that take home the championship, winning by .16 of a second over the runners-up! All in all, the top 3 competitors proved themselves as worthy representatives of the nation, and will be hoping to match that level of success in Kelssek.

Bobsleigh - Four-woman final

Four-woman
1 Alissa Hamerling/Magdalena Bogen/Mona Frankenberger/Laura Kress (STL)      52.51  52.23  52.56  52.56  3:29.86     Champions
2 Elena Uhe/Janina Puchner/Kristin Feist/Alissa Klestil (STL)                52.43  52.99  52.55  52.44  3:30.41
3 Leni Fritzl/Matilda Kronecker/Kimberly Glaser/Carina Reinhardt (STL)       52.66  53.07  52.44  52.57  3:30.74
4 Amelie Moser/Celina Leitner/Rosa Puchner/Saskia Helnwein (STL)             52.64  53.37  53.13  53.06  3:32.20
5 Lea-Sophie Kasper/Anika Manninger/Maya Wach/Chiara Fuchs (STL)             55.18  52.85  54.46  52.57  3:35.06
— Mia Zippe/Zoey Bemelmans/Kimberly Breunig/Alina Schmidt (STL)              53.01  52.94  53.59    DNF      DNF
— Milada Ptackova/Ingrid Nemcova/Otylie Polackova/Dagmar Holubova (STL)      52.87    DNF                    DNF
— Kristyna Dudova/Lenka Bartasova/Izabela Bartakova/Vilma Kadlecova (STL)      DNF                           DNF

3 teams DNF in this event, leaving 5 teams to compete for the 3 spots available in Kelssek. In the end, it was the Hamerling/Bogen/Frankenberger/Kress group that took the grand prize, while once again there was a strong gap between the 3rd and 4th place finishers, proving why they deserve to go to the Olympic Winter Games.

Skeleton - Women's final

Women's skeleton
 1 Ella Loos (STL)               54.19  53.71  54.15  54.13  3:36.18     Champion
 2 Charlotte Ressel (STL)        54.38  54.00  54.11  53.82  3:36.31
 3 Marlene Rottmayr (STL)        54.17  54.12  54.11  54.12  3:36.52
 4 Ingrid Jerabkova (STL)        54.17  54.06  54.49  53.81  3:36.53
 5 Cecilie Uhlirova (STL)        54.17  54.12  54.35  54.09  3:36.73
 6 Marlena Binder (STL)          54.22  54.11  54.28  54.17  3:36.78
 7 Eva Fiser (STL)               54.07  54.69  53.90  54.39  3:37.05
 8 Bohumila Gregorova (STL)      54.11  54.50  53.86  54.81  3:37.28
 9 Radka Zapletalova (STL)       54.35  54.83  53.93  54.45  3:37.56
10 Beata Dostalova (STL)         54.45  54.91  54.15  54.51  3:38.02
11 Zina Koprivova (STL)          54.45  54.53  54.80  54.50  3:38.28
12 Julia Oberlander (STL)        54.49  54.38  55.00  54.47  3:38.34
13 Ilona Stepanova (STL)         54.12  54.73  55.31  54.26  3:38.42
14 Hannah Meusburger (STL)       55.28  54.53  54.96  54.51  3:39.28
15 Sara Muller (STL)             54.89  55.94  54.96  54.02  3:39.81
16 Naomi Kasper (STL)            54.46  56.06  54.67  54.98  3:40.17
17 Florentina Scherer (STL)      55.13  54.99  54.44  55.62  3:40.18
18 Alice Vavrova (STL)           55.98  54.24  54.42  55.61  3:40.25
19 Carolina Baumgartner (STL)    54.53  55.47  56.31  54.47  3:40.78
20 Magdalena Breunig (STL)       56.44  54.62  55.44  54.52  3:41.02
21 Emma Lamarr (STL)             54.64  55.89  55.49  55.15  3:41.17
22 Melanie Breuer (STL)          56.67  56.14  56.65  53.98  3:43.44
23 Dasa Valentova (STL)          56.30  57.16  56.21  57.17  3:46.84
— Clara Moser (STL)                DSQ                           DSQ

Ella Loos takes home the grand prize after a strong day 2! She wins by .13 of a second over second-place Marlene Rottmayr, while Charlotte Ressel managed to overcome several of the competitors ahead of her to claim 3rd place and the final spot in Clayquot. She beat out Ingrid Jerabkova by just .01 of a second!

Curling - Men's final

Nordflachland 6–7 Stelburg

A bit of an upset here! The Nordflachland rink were favourites, and entered the game 6-0, but in the end it's the team from Stelburg who will represent the nation in Kelssek! Congratulations to them. There would be a rematch on the women's side, however...

Curling - Women's final

Stelburg 6–7 Nordflachland

...and in an ironic twist, the Nordflachland women would defeat Stelburg by the same score that the Nordflachland men lost! Both finals saw the undefeated 6-0 team beaten, and we now have two rinks prepared to head to Kelssek.

Women's hockey - Siovanija & Teusland vs Quebec Game 2

Siovanija & Teusland 1–2 Quebec

A hard-fought game from the women's team split squad, but in the end they lose out to Quebec 2-1. Marcela Skordova had the only goal of the game in the second period for the Goldhorns. The Hockey Siovanija & Teusland committee will now have a big decision to make as they select the national team for the upcoming Winter Games.

Luge - Doubles Final

Doubles
 1 Ben Meiler/Gabriel Mach (STL)                47.159    47.184    1:34.343     Champions
 2 Alexandr Zacpal/Ales Broz (STL)              47.333    47.058    1:34.391
 3 Victoria Breuer/Isabella Baeder (STL)        47.193    47.327    1:34.520
 4 Alexander Kress/Martin Hofer (STL)           47.460    47.220    1:34.680
 5 Oliver Schmuck/Oskar Waismann (STL)          47.532    47.239    1:34.771
 6 Valdemar Podlezl/Silvestr Dusek (STL)        47.674    47.167    1:34.841
 7 Matyas Hlavac/Jachym Musil (STL)             47.742    47.685    1:35.427
 8 Zoe Trimme/Klara Vackova (STL)               48.913    47.564    1:36.477
 9 Lenny Klestil/Hannes Lamarr (STL)            47.582    49.058    1:36.640
10 Anton Bauer/Erik Koller (STL)                47.966    48.940    1:36.906
11 Gabriel Bachrich/Laurin Weinheber (STL)      48.938    48.238    1:37.176
12 Marina Polackova/Iva Berankova (STL)         49.265    47.994    1:37.259
13 Jannik Puchner/Luca Merkatz (STL)            48.344    48.992    1:37.336
14 Christina Bemelmans/Hannah Andris (STL)      49.313    48.277    1:37.590

One of the more interesting events on the calendar, and also a mixed-gender event. This year's doubles' luge competition sees the duo of Ben Meiler and Gabriel Mach coming out on top, while just behind them is Alexandr Zacpel and Ales Broz. Victoria Breuer and Isabelle Baeder just missed out on attending the Kelssek games as well, as it was a competition-best run by Zacpel and Broz in their second run that sees them advance.

Alpine skiing - Men's super-G

Men's super-G
 1 Alexej Rehak (STL)         1:30.49     Champion
 2 Max Mayenburg (STL)        1:30.80
 3 Niklas Kellermann (STL)    1:30.92
 4 Lio Klepper (STL)          1:31.00
 5 Arnost Previc (STL)        1:31.06
 6 Benedikt Meindl (STL)      1:31.22
 7 Emil Hautzig (STL)         1:31.42
 8 Marcel Smid (STL)          1:31.44
 9 Pascal Ehrenfeld (STL)     1:31.93
10 Franz Bauman (STL)         1:32.28
11 Sandro Lanner (STL)        1:32.38
12 Leon Spielmann (STL)       1:32.63
13 Patrick Weindorf (STL)     1:32.92
14 Laurens Goldberg (STL)     1:33.00
15 Erik Klapil (STL)          1:33.29
16 Josef Fehrenbach (STL)     1:33.53
17 Isaac Schonborn (STL)      1:34.07
18 Rayko Binger (STL)         1:34.66
19 Lorenz Auch (STL)          1:34.89
20 Bedrich Moravec (STL)      1:35.64
21 Josef Letzel (STL)         1:36.15
22 Tilman Landsberg (STL)     1:37.32
 — Alois Zapletal (STL)           DNF
   Lasse Sperling (STL)           DSQ
   Igor Kohout (STL)              DNF
   Abraham Neuner (STL)           DNF
   Ales Kovac (STL)               DNF
   Jaroslav Tesar (STL)           DSQ
   Joachim Berlepsch (STL)        DNF
   Bretislav Kubat (STL)          DNF

The hills at Velden-Villach were unforgiving today as well, with 8 competitors not able to finish the event. Alexej Rehak would rise above it all, however, and took the grand prize. Joining him in Kelssek will be Max Mayenburg, Niklas Kellermann and Lio Kipper.

Alpine skiing - Women's super-G

Women's super-G
 1 Anika Friedberg (STL)        1:20.75     Champion
 2 Elene Bahr (STL)             1:20.91
 3 Sabina Cechova (STL)         1:21.02
 4 Marleen Guldenstadt (STL)    1:21.61
 5 Lotte Arendt (STL)           1:21.81
 6 Milada Ptackova (STL)        1:21.95
 7 Alena Lukesova (STL)         1:22.16
 8 Susanna Sternhell (STL)      1:22.49
 9 Pavla Martinkova (STL)       1:22.83
10 Lotta Frey (STL)             1:22.98
11 Viola Bartonova (STL)        1:23.77
12 Michelle Halberstam (STL)    1:23.91
13 Ulrike Schaus (STL)          1:24.33
14 Flora Rott (STL)             1:24.70
15 Dana Kolarova (STL)          1:25.24
16 Petra Hauswald (STL)         1:26.43
17 Kristin Blanke (STL)         1:26.47
18 Regina Sprecher (STL)        1:30.59
 — Carla Vetter (STL)               DNF
   Liane Schwarzman (STL)           DNF
   Anika Rosengarten (STL)          DNF
   Oldriska Kocianova (STL)         DNF
   Michelle Wilpert (STL)           DNF
   Milena Dolezalova (STL)          DNF
   Theres Neufeld (STL)             DNF
   Jette Mueller (STL)              DNF
   Johana Sma­dova (STL)            DNF
   Ina Seidl (STL)                  DNF
   Stepanka Krivankova (STL)        DSQ
   Louisa Schor (STL)               DNF

12 competitors in this event would not complete the event, either due to being disqualified or DNFs - as Velden-Villach's tricky course claims more victims. At the top of the leaderboard, however, were the expected names - Anika Friedberg, Elene Bahr, Sabina Cechova and Marleen Guldenstadt. Friedberg takes home the grand prize, and all four will now be able to dream of the Olympic Games.

Cross-country - Women's 30km classical

Women's 30km classical
 1 Mia Gesner (STL)               1:31:00.3     Classical
 2 Amalie Lips (STL)              1:32:23.5
 3 Finnja Buchner (STL)           1:33:12.8
 4 Isabella Lauer (STL)           1:33:22.5
 5 Lara Harnisch (STL)            1:33:40.6
 6 Melissa Schumacher (STL)       1:34:18.7
 7 Zuzana Kovarikova (STL)        1:34:28.8
 8 Jolina Drossel (STL)           1:34:37.8
 9 Carina Rehberg (STL)           1:34:39.9
10 Yvette Gross (STL)             1:35:15.8
11 Tereza Slavikova (STL)         1:35:41.2
12 Cecilie Jerabkova (STL)        1:35:56.0
13 Layla Ruhl (STL)               1:36:03.1
14 Gabriele Scherer (STL)         1:36:43.4
15 Frantiska Mrazova (STL)        1:37:08.1
16 Fenja Wegscheider (STL)        1:37:25.6
17 Jacqueline Haussegger (STL)    1:37:37.7
18 Zofie Styskalova (STL)         1:37:59.2
19 Tanja Hoenigberg (STL)         1:38:03.7
20 Antonia Miete (STL)            1:38:12.5
21 Jolina Schoff (STL)            1:38:21.4
22 Regina Lulling (STL)           1:38:29.0
23 Willa Wepper (STL)             1:40:05.5
24 Izabela Melicharova (STL)      1:41:20.3
25 Vlasta Mackova (STL)           1:42:27.6
26 Vicky Seck (STL)               1:43:20.4
27 Raffaela Hauser (STL)          1:44:17.8
 — Blanka Pykalova (STL)                DNF
   Svetlana Krejcova (STL)              DNF
   Lada Mikova (STL)                    DNF

The final cross-country skiing event of the competition! It's Mia Gesner taking the grand prize thanks to a great time, over a second quicker than her closest rival! Joining her in Kelssek will be Amalie Lips and Finnja Buchner, both of whom will be hoping to gain some time on Gesner in the actual event.

Ski jumping - Men's large hill final

Men's large hill
 1 Thomas Tannenberg (STL)    143.7  120.3  121.5  138.9    524.4     Champion
 2 Oleg Korinek (STL)         136.6  126.7  119.7  134.1    517.1
 3 Kvido Vasicek (STL)        124.8  122.3  125.8  121.1    494.0
 4 Elias Hofle (STL)          132.5  126.4  124.9  106.0    489.8
 5 Mathias Schauer (STL)      114.0  137.9  104.5  122.6    479.0
 6 Jonas Harnisch (STL)       105.1  107.7  134.0  125.6    472.4
 7 Klaus Backer (STL)         108.1  108.1  119.0  128.9    464.1
 8 Nicolas Ganz (STL)         112.6  127.8  107.2  112.0    459.6
 9 Libor Sedlacek (STL)       108.4  108.8  122.6  116.7    456.5
10 Stefan Bott (STL)          110.5   96.8  115.3  131.2    453.8
11 Oli Schwarzmann (STL)       88.4  102.8  132.9  123.2    447.3
12 Markus Lehner (STL)        106.6  102.3  122.7   85.3    416.9
13 Tim Wagner (STL)            89.6  100.2   92.7  115.3    397.8
14 Theo Beelek (STL)           83.9  110.2  103.1   93.6    390.8
15 Ctirad Moravec (STL)        79.9  102.5   95.2  111.7    389.3
16 Fabi Heinrich (STL)         94.6   95.3   91.8  106.4    388.1
17 Leo Wald (STL)              72.5   97.2   97.2  109.3    376.2
18 Alan Nemec (STL)            90.0   85.5  116.3   79.5    371.3
19 Emil Semmelweis (STL)      101.2   83.7  104.4   54.4    343.7
 — Patrick Helnwein (STL)     130.2  127.7  104.5    DSQ

Thomas Tannenberg takes the prize! He didn't look himself on runs 2 and 3, but strong performances to book-end the competition secured his place as champion. Joining him at the Olympic Games will be Oleg Korinek, Kvido Vasicek and Elias Hofle. Now, we look to the final event of the competition, and the women's ski jump large hill final!

Women's large hill
 1 Natalie Schwanthaler (STL)    123.9  125.6  137.0  133.7    520.2     Champion
 2 Jennifer Ratzinger (STL)      132.3  132.1  124.4  131.2    520.0
 3 Stanislava Blahova (STL)      128.2  108.5  121.3  144.8    502.8
 4 Leni Esmann (STL)             123.4  112.5  113.6  116.6    466.1
 5 Lisa Eder (STL)               102.8  114.4  122.2  125.8    465.2
 6 Dana Loubalova (STL)          122.0  101.6  127.2  112.5    463.3
 7 Annemarie Ehrenberg (STL)     114.1  127.8   88.8  127.6    458.3
 8 Berta Spackova (STL)          121.6  101.9  121.5  104.0    449.0
 9 Flora Pfeiffer (STL)          122.7  105.3  123.4   85.0    436.4
10 Katharina Ringel (STL)        111.8  104.0  121.6   76.9    414.3
11 Gina Kronthaler (STL)         112.1  113.3   91.2   97.4    414.0
12 Ivona Vasickova (STL)         119.0   97.3   97.7   96.9    410.9
13 Lilli Haneke (STL)            105.0  114.4  103.1   85.6    408.1
14 Zoey Eicher (STL)             121.9  109.5   58.2  108.0    397.6
15 Henny Grob (STL)               95.0   86.1  105.9  106.2    393.2
16 Elke Thomalla (STL)            76.7   80.7  124.4  108.3    390.1
17 Runa Sussman (STL)            104.0   94.3  111.9   75.3    385.5
18 Nela Dolezelova (STL)          72.4   77.6   96.8  117.9    364.7
19 Elina Bahr (STL)              115.9   95.4   77.6   71.2    360.1
20 Maya Staudenmaier (STL)        91.0   84.4   76.8  106.7    358.9

Wow! An incredible final day it was, as Natalie Schwanthaler takes the grand prize on the final run of the competition by just 0.2 points over her rival Jennifer Ratzinger. Both women will now head to Kelssek to renew their rivalry at the Olympic Games, where the real bragging rights will be won. Alongside them will be Stanislava Blahova and Leni Esmann.

That concludes the Stelburg-Sankt Gotthard Winter Prize! These athletes will now continue their hard work training and preparing for the Olympic Games. RBC Sports is excited to bring coverage of the Games of the XV Winter Olympiad live across Siovanija & Teusland this winter. We send the best of luck to all of our athletes training for Kelssek, and commiserations to those who came so close but failed to qualify.

[Siovanija and Teusland]

Republikaliga Season X - Preview I

FC Teussen Stelburg


Colours: Black, gold, white
Manager: Kasper Knauer
Stadium: Franz-Gorz-Stadion (70,000)
Captain: Ludwig Reichwein
Last Season: 1st
Nicknames: Der Schwarz und Gold, The Black and Gold
Rivals: Olympia Borograd (National derby), 1912 Stelburg (Stelburg derby), FC Felsenkirchen 1879 (competitive)

Starting XI (4-2-3-1): GK - Dennis Eulenberg (30); LB - Axel Richter (24), CB - Erich Thierse (29), CB - Arno Amstutz (25), RB - Adam Wolf (24); CM - Karl Eicher (33), CM - Heinrich Bahr (24); LW - Bastian Boltzmann (21), CAM - Kurt Witzel (25), RW - Gustaf Liechtenstein (19), CF - Ludwig Reichwein (30)

Season Preview: Teussen captured the title last season with a brilliant season, taking 87 points as they dispatched all rivals, including a season that saw them suffer only 3 losses. They enter this season on a 20-game unbeaten run in the league, their last defeat coming on matchday 17 last year in a 2-1 loss away to FC Rotmunde 1932. It’s a different Teussen squad, however. Ewald Heuser, Mario Kogler and Lukas Tauscher are gone. Heuser and Tauscher brought their talents together to Nephara, while Kogler remained in Atlantian Oceania, heading to Chromatika. And, just as the club did many years ago when they saw previous stars like Thorsten Kramer and Karl-Heinz Jager leave, they are promoting some young players to seize the day. Bastian Boltzmann has been highly rated for years, and slots in on the left wing, while young Gustaf Lichtenstein is a bit more of a risk - at 19 years old, whether he can adapt to the league remains to be seen. In goal, the club bought SV Preisfeld and national team goalkeeper Dennis Eulenberg to fill Heuser’s shoes. It's tough to replace 3 of the best in the league, and Teussen might be in for a tough time.

Modern Era
Republikaliga (4): Season 2, 6, 7, 9
President’s Cup (3): Season 5, 6, 8

Historic Era
Teus Championships: 50
President’s Cups: 33

History: In 1865, four Stelburg aristocrats went to see Kaiser Wilhelm VII. At the time, football was an emerging sport in the Teus Empire - solidly behind cricket and hockey in popularity. These four had just founded the first football club in the Empire’s capital of Stelburg, and wanted the Kaiser to give his patronage. He would, and the Imperial Stelburg Football Club was founded and granted the right to play at the Imperial Oval, wearing the colours gold and white. A few years later, as the premier club in the premier city in the Empire, the name was changed to reflect that status: FC Teussen Stelburg was born, and the club moved into their first home, the Kaiser-Wilhelm-Stadion.

By 1874, football had grown quite a bit in the country, and a new league was established. FC Teussen Stelburg quickly became the premier club in the country, too, winning 8 league titles in the Teusliga. The club were captained by Franz Gorz, the finest player of his day. In 1888, however, war broke out between the Teus Empire and Siovanija. Football continued, with much less fanfare, until the war’s darkest days in 1894. The heroic captain, Gorz, became one of the 3.4 million soldiers killed in the conflict. At that time, Teussen adopted black into their badge permanently, in honour of Gorz.

After the war, and in the new United Republics of Siovanija & Teusland, football came back, and Teussen with it. The monarchy had been disposed with - hello, Franz-Gorz-Stadion. Teussen, however, were that same old club covered in glory: 3 of the first 4 Teus championships in that new era. The Cup competition served as the overall national championship - and Teussen quickly found success there, as well. Over the next 50 years, Teussen rose to become the dominant club in all of Teusland, unmatched in their success. No club were as successful in the Regionalliga era as the boys in black and gold: 50 Teus championships, and 33 President’s Cups to go along with it. Week in and week out at the Franz-Gorz-Stadion, and later the Teussens-Arena, you could see ‘The Famous Black and Gold,’ as they were known in the press, win.

By the end of the Regionalliga era in 2018, Teussen had amassed 50 Teus championships and 33 President’s Cup wins. That put Teussen into a great position heading into the new national league - the Republikaliga. Teussen would finish 2nd place in the first year, before capturing their first championship in the new era in season 2 with a title race win against hated rivals Olympia Borograd, Thorsten Kramer a huge part of the win. Season 6 saw Teussen champions again, becoming the first club in the modern era to win the double. Season 7 saw Teussen prevail in the league again, this time over their other rivals, 1912 Stelburg. It’s clear that Teussen intend to continue their domination into this new era.

Club Culture: FC Teussen Stelburg are known for having the largest fanbase in all of the nation, as a result of them being its most successful club for so long. Ignoring the fans in other parts of Teusland, the club’s main base in its own city is the central downtown core as well as the western, more affluent suburbs.

Teussen’s fans are traditionally more likely to fly the Teus flag than the national flag, and the matchday sing-song is somewhat split between the old anthems - ‘Soldier of Teusland’ the most famous of those, as well as the old Teus Empire anthem ‘Land of Heavenly Bounty’ - and the club anthems, like the moving tribute to Franz Gorz in ‘Captain Franz’ or the most famous of their songbook ‘We Love to See the Teussen Score’. Of course, there’s ‘Glory Glory Teussen Stelburg’ as well. Overall, Teussen’s fans are known for being loud and supportive of their club, applauding skilled plays and appreciating skilled players most of all - the Thorsten Kramers of the world. They’re also proud of the fact that the club is mainly made up of home-grown talents who’ve come through the academy.

That dedication and commitment to local talent has always been a part of the club, and as a result they have one of the best youth development records in the league. It’s taken a step further, too - the club has an unofficial signing policy of only signing players of Teus heritage. Fans of the club praise the policy - keeping them grounded in the community, and hey, look at the success they’ve had with it! Critics claim it isn’t needed in the modern game, and that it could see Teussen eventually left behind.

The main rivals of Teussen are the neighbours - 1912 Stelburg, with whom they contest the Stelburg derby, and the ‘other’ big club - Olympia Borograd, with whom they contest the National derby. It is often said that Teussen supporters hate 1912 Stelburg more- nothing beats a local derby - but that they want to beat Olympia more - those matches usually being decisive in league and cup campaigns over the years. The Stelburg derby has grown more heated in recent years, with 1912 really becoming a great club in their own right. The background of each club also fuels the rivalry - Teussen of the traditional Stelburg, the old imperial capital, against the 1912 of the newer, more modern Stelburg. The National derby against Olympia is much more symbolic of old animosities: Siovanija vs Teusland, rather than Siovanija & Teusland. This one is the one that captures the national attention; all eyes in both halves of the Republic on the result. The biggest club in Teusland up against the biggest club in Siovanija, there’s not much more that needs to be said as to why these two hate each other.

FC Felsenkirchen 1879


Colours: Navy blue, white
Manager: Leonard Wagner
Stadium: Felsenkirchen-Arena (45,000)
Captain: Thorsten Helmke
Last Season: 2nd
Nicknames: The Cogs, The Blues
Rivalries: FC Rotmunde 1932 (Northeastern derby), 1884 Felsenkirchen (Felsenkirchen derby), FC Teussen Stelburg (competitive)

Starting XI (4-2-3-1): GK - Gentza Bedigax (ASG, 31); LB - Eino Kiivala (SVJ, 24), CB - Ciriko Useternix (FFD, 29), CB - Samuel Hopkins (EUR, 31), RB - Thorsten Helmke (30); CM - Falcon Case (BRE/NPH, 32), CM - Ubul Kuruc (PAS, 24); LW - Linus Segert (27), CAM - Rolf Seyfried (31), RW - Mario Pfitzner (33), CF - Johannes Mandl (31)

Season Preview: They were the runners-up to Teussen last season, after fiery confrontations on the pitch, but Felsenkirchen believe this year they can take back their #1 position. The same strong team that fought so hard for the last two years is back, but there are some new faces on the bench who might be ready to make an impact this year. Florian Krukenberg was a star RW in the youth team, and also perhaps Siovanija & Teusland’s best player at last month’s Di Bradini Cup. He’s got all kinds of potential, and with Mario Pfitzner not getting any younger this could be a break-through year. Then there’s Lothas Ludwig. He was a star in the youth team, but as a Galactico Young Player of the Year and already capped by his country - only one of the top teams in the multiverse in Valanora - there have been calls from fans that he should start over Johannes Mandl. Leonard Wagner has said that Ludwig will get ‘plenty of game time’ throughout the season, but a player of his talents won’t be sitting on the bench for too long.

Modern Era
Republikaliga: (1) Season 8
President’s Cup: 0

Historic Era
Teus Championships: 15
President’s Cup: 6

History: Felsenkirchen as a city enjoyed a great deal of providence under the Teus Empire, chosen as the main port in the north which granted it access to foreign markets and made the city overall quite attractive. It rose to become the 3rd largest city in the Empire, and today is the 4th biggest in the country. The first club in the city was FC Felsenkirchen, which participated in the Teusliga. In early 1879, however, there was a dispute amongst the board, and some members of the club left to form their own club - FC Felsenkirchen 1879. The new club quickly rose to prominence, winning the Teusliga in its second year of existence, while the old club would soon fold.

FC Felsenkirchen 1879 quickly became a prominent club in post-war Teusland, as the city wasn’t as hard-hit as much of the rest of the new country by the war. They regularly found themselves competing for Teus championships alongside FC Teussen Stelburg and FC St. Jakob, and became one of the most famous and successful teams in the entire country. The rivalry with Rotmunde developed after that club also rose to prominence, the clubs battling for supremacy in the Regionalliga Nord. Felsenkirchen continued to have success throughout the Regionalliga era, as one of the premier teams in the north.

Entering the Republikaliga era, however, the club had gone through a series of down years, and although the first year of the Republikaliga saw the club performing very well, the next few years were a series of down years. Season 8 finally, however, brought them the national championship fans had been waiting for for almost 40 years. With Felsenkirchen on the verge of being one of the league’s top clubs for a while, their fans are hoping for continued success.

Club Culture: Felsenkirchen have, for most of their history, been seen as the northern club, drawing most of their support from that base in the city itself as well as the regions surrounding. Within the city of Felsenkirchen itself, the club’s support comes from most of the central and eastern core as well as the suburbs, with the western pocket more in favour of 1884 Felsenkirchen.

Felsenkirchen’s supporters are well-regarded in the country, considered some of the best home and away support in the league. They’ve got that classic northern Teusland attitude of respecting hard work the most, and it rubs off on matchday. You’re more likely to see them applaud a player who puts in a full shift every matchday than the flashy player. The fans are more likely to sing about what’s going on on the pitch than anything else, but there are some classical anthems as well. ‘The Blue Sea of Mollin,’ an ode to the club’s first home stadium, or the most common one: ‘Oh when the Cogs go marching in.’

The natural rivalry, of course, is the Northeastern derby. Felsenkirchen and Rotmunde have always been rivals, not just in the football, but in all aspects each city strives to be better than the other. That competition has existed from the moment the towns first existed hundreds of years ago, and it’ll always continue. On derby day, that passion comes out in full force, and there’s nothing like a Northeastern derby: the blue flags waving at one end, the red at the other, and one of the loudest atmospheres you’ll find in this country, as each club has an excellent reputation for great support. For Felsenkirchen fans, beating Rotmunde is everything. 1884 Felsenkirchen are the local club, but the Felsenkirchen derby isn’t very fierce: they aren’t best friends, for sure, but when 1884 Felsenkirchen and FC Rotmunde 1932 met in the promotion playoff a few years ago, it was clear what the Cogs supporters wanted: Rotmunde down.

1912 Stelburg


Colours: Light blue, white
Manager: Sebastian Hengsbach
Stadium: 1912-Stadion (31,000)
Captain: Raphael Klopfer
Last Season: 3rd
Nicknames: The Bluebirds
Rivals: FC Teussen Stelburg (Stelburg derby)

Starting XI (4-2-3-1): GK - Kai Poirier (KSK, 35); LB - Edgar Steimle (26), CB - Josh Meckler (31), CB - Raphael Klopfer (33), RB - Pierre-Louis Lotbiniere (25); CM - Adrian Tremblay-Fillon (KSK, 28), CM - Ludwig Plessner (33); LW - Helek-Nenzi Ono (QUS, 28), CAM - Momodou Sene (BNJ, 27), RW - Gerold Tegeler (26); CF - Rafael Mesmer (26)

Season Preview: Third place again last season again, and 1912 Stelburg feel time is ticking on their core, especially at the back where long-time captain Raphael Klopfer is getting up there in age. They’ll need to maintain strong league performances, and their place in IFCF competition, to hold onto the big stars - Steimle, Lotbiniere, Tremblay, Sene, Ono - and the change they will make is at the very back. Samuel Hartstein was a serviceable goalkeeper, but a club looking to challenge for the title needs something better than that. They bring in Kelssek veteran international Kai Poirier, who should be a leader on this team and one of the most experienced keepers in the division. Some pundits feel they have taken steps forward, but not enough compared to some of the teams around them. A place in IFCF football is likely, but for them to challenge for a league title, they might need an overhaul - starting, emotionally, with two veterans Klopfer and Plessner out the door. This season will be a massive one for the future of this club.

Modern Era
Republikaliga (1): Season 5
President’s Cup (1): Season 7

Historic Era
Teus Championships: 3
President’s Cup: 1

History: By 1912, the city of Stelburg was undergoing great change. No longer the jewel in the Teus Empire’s crown, and now reduced to the 3rd most important city in a new country. The mix of a lower-class population trying to recover from the devastation the war had brought as well as returning soldiers settling meant that the traditionally lower-class neighbourhoods of east Stelburg were suffering greatly. The old establishment of Stelburg didn’t do much to help - but community organizations sprung up. Churches held fundraisers, small businesses contributed - and a football club sprung up to bring some entertainment. Founded on New Years’ Day 1912 - hence the name - 1912 Stelburg were born.

The club quickly rose up the ranks and gained a reputation for playing attractive football in the local leagues. Soon, they managed to reach the top-tier Regionalliga Stelburg, where they could theoretically compete for the Teus championship. They managed to win that championship for the first time in 1919, a win which the media proclaimed as perhaps the end for FC Teussen Stelburg’s domination over their own city.

It wasn’t to be. Teussen dominated the Stelburg league, serving as its unseated champion for, at one point, 34 straight years from 1940 to 1974. 1912 did everything they could to compete - but it just never seemed to work out for them. One relief came in a President’s Cup win in 1945, but other than that the club went trophyless until 1989, when they finally managed a Teus championship win. Over this time, the Stelburg rivalry really developed - being beaten, over and over again, embittered the 1912 support to their neighbours.

By the end of the Regionalliga era, 1912 were consistently a very good team, setting up well for the new Republikaliga. They regularly hovered around the top 5 for the first few years, before making a big splash - signing Jasno Odonelec from Prahecq and Adrian Tremblay-Fillon from Kelssek. Odonelec would go on to become a legend for the club - scoring the winning free-kick goal that might just be the defining moment in the club’s history - the first Republikaliga title in season 5. Since then, 1912 have challenged at the top in seasons 6 and 7, but lagged behind their old rivals again. They did take the Cup in season 7, and despite the departure of the legendary Odonelec afterwards - he’ll have a statue one day, and already has a mural - have a strong squad going forward.

Club Culture: 1912 Stelburg are one of the biggest clubs in the country, and have a great number of fans. In Stelburg itself, the club’s traditional base of support comes from those eastern working-class neighbourhoods the club was founded to represent. Owing to their recent success, they’ve been making more of an impact in the downtown core as well. Then there’s always the person who doesn’t want to ‘follow the pack’ with Teussen, and comes to the blue side of the city instead.

1912’s historic roots remain very important to the club. While many clubs move out of their historic centre when they become a ‘big club,’ 1912, on the other hand, have stayed in the same neighbourhood since their founding, and remain committed to helping out in the community. Today, most of that support translates to funding for youth football pitches and development camps in the community. 1912 Stelburg are a community-driven club, and it is important to the club that those strong ties continue - 1912’s players are regularly seen at community events, and the fans feel a true connection to them as a result.

1912’s fans are more centred around club pride and civic pride than anything else. The club’s roots are seen through their songbook - ‘East Bank of the Drai’ a song about the poverty seen in the community in the post-War years, ‘Stelburg’s Pride’ about the irony of returning soldiers after the Great War unable to find jobs. Not every song, however, is about the troubles of community poverty after the decline of an empire - ‘Fly on, Bluebirds!,’ the club anthem which urges the players on and was famously sung in the build-up to Odonelec’s free kick winner.

1912’s main rivals are, naturally, the neighbours across town - FC Teussen Stelburg. Teussen fans might not realize it, but 1912 despise them. Sick and tired of being the ‘little brother,’ sick and tired of being beaten back nearly every year in the old days, and now, finally, after so many years getting a bit of equality with them. It’s not just football, though - Teussen the persona of the old city of Stelburg, that imperial jewel, 1912 the persona of the new Stelburg that had to fight its way out and survive in a new world. And so for 1912 Stelburg, there’s nothing better than beating the enemy. Luckily for the Bluebirds, they’ve been doing that a lot more lately - including in the President’s Cup Final in season 7, stopping Teussen from a double-double.

Olympia Borograd


Colours: Green, white
Manager: Ludmil Strashilov
Stadium: Olimpski-Stadion (60,000)
Captain: Ivo Romanov
Last Season: 4th
Nicknames: The Greens
Rivalries: FK Metropola Borograd (Borograd derby), FC Teussen Stelburg (National derby), Energija Chernovets (competitive), Zvezda Vlaikograd (historic)

Starting XI (4-2-3-1): GK - Anatoli Sveteikov (31); LB - Samuil Karalevov (35), CB - Dominik Podlezl (24), CB - Roman Forsberg (SVJ, 27); RB - Cormag Chester (BRE, 26); CM - Ixtub Tun (TEQ, 19), CM - Icarus Darsten (QAS, 32); LW - Lojze Kokalj (22), CAM - Ikki Tokei (HIN, 25), RW - Ivo Romanov (34), CF - Denis Dezelac (20)

Season Preview: Olympia Borograd fans have adjusted to big names going out the door in the past - Ivo Romanov, namely - but it was an emotional summer as club hero Krasimir Kynev departed for Valanora. Up front now is the boisterous, cocky Denis Dezelac, who has already played at an Olympics, two Di Bradini Cup tournaments, is capped by his country and has won the Q-League title as a youth player. He’s predicted already before the season that he will win the Golden Boot, and there’s plenty of optimism surrounding his talents. The other big signing was Ixtub Tun, the Tequilano international costing the club T7.5 million, their biggest-ever purchase. At 19, however, Ixtub Tun has shown great talent and should fit well into the Vladimir Kostov role after the former club captain retired and joined the club’s backroom staff. Ivo Romanov will now serve as the captain. Olympia are another club that has pundits split - certainly very talented, but perhaps a bit too raw to win the title.

Modern Era
Republikaliga (1): Season 3
President’s Cup (1): Season 2

Historic Era
Siovanijan Championships: 47
President’s Cup: 25

History: Football came to Siovanija through cultural spread through the mid-1800s, and Borograd, as capital of the independent Siovanijan Republic, was the hotbed for it. The first official football match in the country was played in 1854 between the Olympia Athletic Club and a squad made up of soldiers in the Siovanijan army. Olympia won the match 3-1, and its members fell in love with the game. Olympia, the largest multi-sport club in the country, now had a football division, and Olympia Borograd were born.

The 1. Division was the premier football competition in pre-war Siovanija, and Olympia Borograd were a dominant force, capturing 8 league titles before the league was cancelled for the duration of the war. Olympia sent many of its boys to the front lines of the war, and a few never made it back home - the main stand at the stadium has always been known as the Memorial Stand in their honour. When league play resumed in Siovanija by 1899, Olympia were prepared again, winning 2 of the first 3 Siovanijan championships.

The next decades saw Olympia competing for titles with both their cross-town rivals Metropola as well as the other big club of the era, Crvena Zvezda (the modern-day Zvezda Vlaikograd). The first 18 years saw only these three clubs winning the Siovanijan title. The trio - and really a duo, as Zvezda and Olympia were the main contenders for most of this period - continued their domination right up until the 1960s, when Zvezda dropped off. From then on, it became a battle of the Borograd clubs every year, creating a fiercely-passionate rivalry. While the total domination eased up over the years - Olympia often more concerned with their chase of Teussen in the President’s Cup - Olympia ended up as the most successful side in Siovanija during the Regionalliga era.

Entering the Republikaliga, Olympia were weak to begin the new competition - a young squad developing into winners. Their time would come, however - season 2 runners-up before setting a league points record that still stands today in season 3. They’ve spent a few years building back up again, but with a great generation of young players coming through, should have a bright future ahead of them.

Club Culture: Olympia, due to their long and successful history, are the number 1 club in Siovanija, with the largest number of supporters in that republic. In the capital city itself, the club’s support is mostly in the suburbs and on the edge of the downtown. The traditional Olympia/Metropola dichotomy in the capital, however, has been changing in recent years, and many of the old truths like that geography aren’t exactly the case in the modern day.

If Teussen are the ‘Teus club,’ it would be fair to call Olympia the ‘Siovanijan club.’ The Olympia Athletic Club was founded in post-revolution Siovanija - the country having freed itself from the Teus Empire as an independent republic in 1808 - with the colour green as its symbol. Green had also been the flags of the Siovanijans who campaigned for independence and the Republic. Based in the capital, wearing the national colour, constant success - it was a perfect storm for the club to become the representative of the nation. Olympia fans are more likely to wave that same ‘Green Banner’ over the national flag, especially in games against Teussen. Song-wise, Olympia’s chants are mainly rooted in the history of the club itself, but some are more national-based as well. For example, ‘The Rebel’s Song,’ the anthem of the 1808 revolutions, can be heard pretty much every week. Overall, songs are more football-focused: ‘Borograd’s Best’ and the club anthem ‘Up the Greens’ examples of those.

Despite their reputation as the Siovanijan club, Olympia don’t have the same focus on that fact as Teussen do - there’s no signing policy here. Olympia will sign whoever it takes to make them better, and the fans prefer flashy, fast players. That’s what allowed Ivo Romanov to become beloved, and the path now is paved for those in the future. Olympia do have a strong development system - products like Lojze Kokalj - and hot prospect Denis Dezelac breaking through this year

Olympia have several rivalries, but the biggest by far is the Borograd derby with FK Metropola Borograd. It’s plain and simply pure hatred between these two, who fought each other for the league so many times over the years that there was never any alternative option. The rivalry has been heated recently, too: Metropola denying Olympia the title on the final day of season 5, former Olympia man Valko Tinchev crossing the divide after season 6, getting exactly the reception you’d expect in a rivalry as heated as this. It’s probably the second biggest derby in the league, after Pomorie/Marzig. Next up is the National derby with FC Teussen Stelburg - born out of competition in the past, as well as the old Siovanija-Teusland rivalries, creating one of the best fixtures in the modern league. There’s a competitive rivalry with Energija Chernovets, a modern creation due to Chernovets’ recent success in the league. Then there’s also a bit more of a historical battle with Zvezda Vlaikograd - a holdover from the days that the two clubs dominated the Siovanijan championship. Zvezda haven’t been the same since the 60s, but older fans still remember the days when Olympia-Zvezda was just as heated as Olympia-Metropola is today.

Energija Chernovets


Colours: Green, yellow
Manager: Apostol Manevski
Stadium: Energija-Arena (35,000)
Captain: Viktor Dimitrov
Last Season: 5th
Nicknames: The Atoms, The Canaries
Rivalries: FK Raketa Bukovets (local), Olympia Borograd (competitive)

Starting XI (4-2-3-1): GK - Tony Tyneman (SCT, 24); LB - Daniel Vasev (34), CB - Taras Maksimov (23), CB - Novak Skrinjar (23), RB - Akhil Sibal (ZWZ, ??); CM - Enigma Armageddon (CMT, 25), CM - Vsevolod Hristov (25), LW - Emiliano Gallegas (FFD, 22), CAM - Viktor Dimitrov (32), RW - Archibald Koyaanisqatsi (APX, 28); CF - Brahian Céspedes (VLD, 26)

Season Preview: Many are tipping Energija Chernovets for the title this season - and while you might find that unlikely, given they finished 5th last season, it’s certainly possible. Chernovets had a tough year out of the gate as they struggled to integrate all of their new signings. They only managed 3 wins through their first 10 games, before going 16-6-6 the rest of the way to climb all the way back to the IFCF positions. That form, had they kept it up all year, would have been good enough to finish 3rd. This year, with all of those signings integrated, they will also see young stars like Taras Maksimov and Novak Skrinjar continue their rise. Perhaps the biggest x-factor, however, is the addition of Farf winger Emiliano Gallegas. He was one of the best players in the Farf league, and had a great deal of interest during the transfer window, but Chernovets were able to sign him on. The young national team player has the chance to be one of the best players in the league - and in a squad that is perfectly set up for him to succeed, with strong players in all positions around him. Chernovets have the skill, the chemistry and the depth, and it could be the magic formula for the Atoms to take home the title.

Modern Era
Republikaliga (1): Season 1
President’s Cup: 0

Historic Era
Siovanijan Championship: 8
President’s Cup: 0

History: Football had a hard time catching on in Chernovets. For a long time, the city had a split Teus and Siovanijan population, and was also known as Karnowitz. The first football club in the town was actually FC Karnowitz, and they won 2 Siovanijan titles in the 1920s. The city would change forever shortly, however. It became a city of massive strategic importance - the home of most of the United Republics’ scientific sector, including the nuclear power and nuclear weaponry programs. Chernovets became a closed city, most of the old population were relocated, and scientists, their families, and essential workers for the city were moved in. Under these conditions, Energija Chernovets was founded in the early 1950s.

It was difficult, however, to gain a following. Those important people in the city were too important to care about football - and thus the club’s main support base was students at the local university, and other residents of the town. The atmosphere at matches was lacking, however - no away fans allowed, as Chernovets was a closed city. By the early 80s, the government decided to open Chernovets up more, and it found a new purpose as a ‘tech hub’ for the country. Thus, more and more people came to settle in Chernovets, and adopted Energija as their team.

It was perfect timing, as the football club had managed to grow out of the mediocrity that had plagued their youth. Chernovets won their first 3 Siovanijan championships in the late 70s and early 80s, and grew into a regularly competitive team rather than just a side that could be walked over by the Olympia Borograds of the world. A new passion for football was born in the city, and that passion would eventually come to boil over under the reign of manager Apostol Manevski.

Manevski took over Chernovets after having played for them in the early 90s, and pledged that he’d make the club the finest in Siovanija. By the end of the Regionalliga era, it seemed he’d accomplished that goal: Energija took the last 2 Siovanijan titles. He also brought a new brand of attractive football that made Chernovets easy on the eyes, and truly rooted them in the city of Chernovets. Manevski and star forward Miroslav Dinev are true living legends for the club, and that legacy was cemented as they captured the first Republikaliga title. A few years on from that, the hunt for silverware continues, with Chernovets a regular title challenger.

Club Culture: For a long time, Chernovets were mocked by other clubs as having no supporters - that all changed with the city and the club’s revitalization, and today Chernovets have one of the biggest fanbases in the country. Chernovets, naturally, is the base of their support - the town about an hour and a half east of Borograd, heading towards the border with Teusland. The surrounding area, too, is full of love for the green and yellow, and Chernovets became a popular alternative to Olympia Borograd in many places after the rise of the Manevski/Dinev teams.

Chernovets’ fans are known for their appreciation of good football - it’s not just about winning, it’s about winning the right way. That mentality has made them a fun team to watch over the years, but has also cost them at times. Most of their songs are football-related, such as the club’s anthem ‘Energija, on the ball!’ but the fans won’t win too many awards for creativity: ‘Chernovets, Chernovets, Chernovets’ a commonly-repeated refrain at matches. The Energija-Arena is a fortress for the club, too, one of the loudest stadiums in the country, and it has helped the club greatly in many a match.

In this case, the club and the city alike have a similar character: Chernovets, the one-time closed city, hidden away from the world, that has now grown into a tech capital of the country and the second largest city in Siovanija. Energija, the club, which was for many years not relevant, now growing up to be one of the best-supported and best overall clubs in the country. For that reason, there’s a special affinity in Chernovets for their club.

Energija’s main rival is FK Raketa Bukovets, due to the similarities seen in the clubs. Bukovets is located near Chernovets, and for many years was also a closed city and the headquarters of most military production in the country. Raketa Bukovets were also at a similar level to Energija at the time, making matches between the two quite important. It was once a fierce rivalry, but today, that’s not seen as much so: Raketa have their own local rivalry with Arsenal Bukovets, while Chernovets have become a bigger club and are finding new rivalries on that stage. The club have had a competitive rivalry with Olympia Borograd in recent years, as the clubs go head to head in the league and for the right to call themselves Siovanija’s club.

Zvezda Vlaikograd


Colours: Red, white
Manager: Bastian Tomc
Stadium: Ivo-Balikov-Arena (34,000)
Captain: Leopold Bliznakov
Last Season: 6th
Nicknames: The Reds, Zvezda
Rivalries: FK Vlaikograd 1896 (Vlaikograd derby), TSV Marzig (political)

Starting XI (4-2-3-1): GK - Arsos Boal (TIO, 32), LB - Drake Antony (NPH, 30), CB - Slobodan Kraijnik (28), CB - Frantisek Polak (20), RB - Itzo Valeriev (31); CM - Atilla Acar (TIM, 31), CM - Harald Larsson (SVJ, 23), LW - Nwabudike Ugonna (BNJ, 27), CAM - Leopold Bliznakov (23), RW - Sinisa Gaspersie (30), CF - Drago Ward (NPH, 30)

Season Preview: Zvezda Vlaikograd are currently undergoing their best run of the club’s modern history, and manager Bastian Tomc and his boys have become club heroes after last season’s President’s Cup title, snapping a drought of over 50 trophyless seasons. It’s the attacking quartet of Ugonna, Bliznakov, Gaspersie and Ward that are really leading the way for the club, with Bliznakov in particular being the jewel of the crown - forgive us for that reference, Zvezda fans. With goalkeeper Andon Bunev getting too old, it’s Tiog international Arsos Boal coming in between the sticks. He’s a strong keeper with a good command of his area, and a knack for playing the ball. With a trophy now under their belt, this squad have the chance to show they can be a real force in this league, and will be hoping to push into the IFCF spots this year.

Modern Era
Republikaliga: 0
President’s Cup: (1) Season 9

Historic Era
Siovanijan Championships: 22
President’s Cup: 5

History: The city of Vlaikograd has undergone great change over the years. Originally, it was the home of the Siovanijan monarchy before the country was conquered by Teusland. Under the Teus Empire, however, the face of the city changed, and a new republican, left-wing feeling was seen in the city. It was fitting, then, that the football club in the town should share that identity: Crvena Zvezda (Red Star), founded in 1871, as the athletic wing of a local trade union, quickly became the popular club with activists in the city.

Crvena Zvezda would reward that support in spades in the early years of the Regionalliga Siovanija, as they competed year in and year out with Olympia Borograd for the Siovanijan championship. Many years, in fact, they were able to defeat Olympia and take the championship. At the time, it was often debated which of the two clubs was truly Siovanija’s biggest. Zvezda, led by captain Ivo Balikov, regarded as the best player of the early post-war years, were considered the best team in the country for many years. In 1960, a financial crisis engulfed the club, and they had to sell off many assets in order to avoid folding. The club changed its name as well: ‘Zvezda Vlaikograd,’ now, reflecting a desire to become more involved in the community in which the club was based. Zvezda would eventually recover, but were never quite the same: of their 22 Siovanijan championships, 18 were won pre-1960.

Zvezda Vlaikograd have always been pining for the glory days since, hoping to claw their way back to the top. Entering the Republikaliga era, however, they had dropped off a fair bit, and were seeded into the 2. Republikaliga at first. The club managed to earn promotion in season 5, and since then have moved their way up the league: 17th their first year, and now in the top ten two years in a row. Now, with a top prospect surrounded by a strong core of players, Zvezda are hoping to get back to the upper echelons of football in this country once and for all.

Club Culture: Crvena Zvezda were the dominant club in Vlaikograd for much of the early years of the Siovanijan championship, and as a result grew a large fanbase in the city, which is the second-largest in Siovanija. In addition, the fanbase spread around the northwest of Siovanija, as well as many urban areas that did not have a big club of their own. After the downfall of the club, the rival FK Vlaikograd 1896 grew in size and picked up fans, and in the modern day the clubs have about an equal share in their city.

Zvezda’s fanbase is mostly known for being quite left-wing, with the red banner of the Siovanijan Worker’s Party as well as the Green Banner of the Siovanijan republican movement flying side by side on matchdays. Some elements of the fanbase remain as true to this side as possible, jeering loudly any Teus club that visits the Ivo-Balikov-Arena and singing the Internationale or ‘Hej, Siovanija!,’ the old revolutionary songs of the Siovanijan Revolution. There is also significant debate within the fanbase over renaming the club to ‘Crvena Zvezda’ again, with talk picking up again now that the club is back in the top tier. Many supporters will simply call the club by that name anyways, ignoring the new name completely. Zvezda’s supporters appreciate players who give it their all every match, and have a bit of flair to go along with it - Leopold Bliznakov fits that billing perfectly, and is a local lad as well, making him a hero at the club. Zvezda are also one of the ‘hipster clubs’ of the league - you can see their crest on backpacks, t-shirts and other apparel from people who have never watched a minute of football. It’s impossible to enter a college classroom in Siovanija and not see at least 1 Zvezda laptop sticker.

Zvezda’s historic rival are, of course, the neighbours, FK Vlaikograd 1896. This has never been too big of a rivalry, however: when Zvezda were great, Vlaikograd were not, and when Zvezda fell off, Vlaikograd were better. They’ve never really competed with each other, then, and while there is definitely some tension on derby day, it’s not the biggest rivalry in the world either. Recently, a new rivalry has been developed with TSV Marzig. The two clubs are far apart politically: Zvezda, the left-wing Siovanijan club, Marzig the Teus nationalist club. Given Zvezda’s support and alliance with Marzig’s eternal rival FK Pomorie, you knew a new rivalry would be born as soon as these clubs met for the first time in the Republikaliga. And it was, each side provoking the other with banners, chants and flags, leading to crowd violence. Marzig will always consider Pomorie the biggest rival, but Zvezda are taking a place as the #2, and for Zvezda fans this is the big game now.

FK Metropola Borograd


Colours: Purple, white
Manager: Alan Dzekov
Stadium: Metropola-Stadion (49,000)
Captain: Viktor Venev
Last Season: 7th
Nicknames: The Violets, The Mets
Rivals: Olympia Borograd (Borograd derby), SK Republika Borograd (local)

Starting XI (4-2-3-1): GK - Viktor Venev (40); LB - Lyubomir Dimitrov (28), CB - Grant Meador (COS, 27), CB - Urgutz Barrayazan (ASG, 23), RB - Luka Ambroz (25); CM - Jerat-Jonto Jan (QUS, 28), CM - George t’son d’Haxli (DCA, 29); LW - Andrey Bunev (23), CAM - Valko Tinchev (31), RW - Boris Bachev (31), CF - Branimir Glanchev (21)

Season Preview: Seventh place for Metropola was a strong performance last time, but the club and their fans will be wanting to go higher and higher. Generally considered one of the biggest clubs in the country, the fact that they have not won a single trophy in the first decade of the Republikaliga system is a big blemish on their record, and there’s some pressure for the team to end that this year with a Cup run. The squad is a strong one - Andrey Bunev the clear star, with a good core around him. The club brought in Starblaydi international Andreas Sargent, who can play both the right and left side of the midfield and will start the year off the bench. He’ll have a key role to play, however, and expect to see him involved often. Branimir Glanchev has turned into a decent player up front, but seriously: Metropola’s failure to sign a forward in the 4 years since Stanimir Ilev’s departure is the main thing holding them back. When you look at the top clubs in this league, they all have top-quality forwards - Reichwein, Mandl/Ludwig, Mesmer, Dezelac, Cespedes. If FK Metropola Borograd are to really compete for an IFCF place, they need a forward of that level too - and if they can’t buy one, then Branimir Glanchev is going to have to really step up his game.

Modern Era
Republikaliga: 0
President’s Cup: 0

Historic Era
Siovanijan Championships: 21
President’s Cup: 7

History: In the first days of the old Siovanijan 1. Division, before the Great War, the two most dominant clubs were from Borograd: Olympia Borograd and SK Republika Borograd. To many people in the downtown core, however, neither club felt like their own: Olympia had long since relocated to the western, more affluent suburbs, while Republika had always been based in the southern districts of the city. So, in 1886, a group of youths came together to form the ‘Borograd Metropolitan Football Club’, which would soon become FK Metropola Borograd, intended to represent the city of Borograd itself.

In the post-war years, as the downtown core gradually declined, Metropola stood at the forefront of the community, helping in various programs. The club on the field was also quite successful at this time, and captured the first Siovanijan championship in the post-war era. SK Republika Borograd were devastated financially by the war, and they would never quite recover to the heights they once had. This made the city of Borograd a two-way split between Olympia and Metropola, and created a fierce rivalry between the clubs.

For the first several years of football post-war, the Siovanijan championship was dominated by three clubs: Olympia Borograd, Crvena Zvezda, and FK Metropola Borograd. In fact, from 1900-1960, only 8 titles were won by clubs other than this big 3. After Zvezda’s decline, Metropola and Olympia became the ‘Big 2’ in Siovanija, who were usually fighting it out for a title every year in the Borograd league, and thus for the Siovanijan championship. The intense rivalry between the clubs developed gradually over this period of competition, and while things opened up a bit more overall during the later half of the era, the Olympia-Metropola rivalry always had massive stakes.

Entering the Republikaliga era, Metropola have struggled to find that same level of success in the new league system. In the first few seasons, they were constant competitors in and around the top 4, but stagnation in the squad has dragged them down in the last few years. Supporters have also complained that the owners have refused to invest in the squad: this was most notably argued after Stanimir Ilev was sold to Paulinthal for T10 million, and rather than buy anyone to replace him immediately, he was replaced by an 18-year old academy player. With former national team manager Alan Dzekov at the helm now, however, the club has pledged to support him as he aims to bring Metropola back to the top.

Club Culture: Metropola have always had to split the city with Olympia, and while in the past the split was quite simple: purple in the downtown core, green around the edge; that isn’t as much the case today. Still, the club’s base is rooted in those central Borograd neighbourhoods, and the club have remained true to those roots. In addition, while Olympia presented themselves as the ‘Siovanijan club,’ Metropola have always presented themselves as the ‘Borograd club,’ making many in the capital feel more loyal to them.

In the aftermath of the war, the inner core of Borograd faced a gradual decline in fortune, and the football club became one of the main community actors in development in the neighbourhood. These roots are still important to the club today, and they continue to play a key role in development in Borograd’s downtown. For this reason, the club’s supporters and those of 1912 Stelburg have somewhat of an alliance - similar backgrounds, and both with a hated rival in the same city. FK Metropola Borograd remain today one of the most community-driven clubs in the league.

The main rivalry is, of course, the Borograd derby with Olympia. This has been called the second most important derby match in the league, and is one of the most intense atmospheres in the league. Proximity as well as years of competition has bred this hatred, with each side desperate to beat the other. The brightest moment in this rivalry for Metropola was when the club denied Olympia the league title on the last day of season 5 with a 2-0 win. That was the brightest recent spot for Metropola, who mock their enemies at each derby since then. Another key moment recently in the rivalry was when former Olympia man Valko Tinchev signed for Metropola on a free transfer, becoming the first player to cross the divide in the Republikaliga era. The first match after this saw great disturbances, with Olympia supporters throwing coins at Tinchev and jeering him every time he got near the ball. The second match, however, provided some vengeance for Tinchev, as he scored a last-minute goal to bring Metropola level in a 4-4 final which eliminated Olympia from title contention again. Metropola supporters declare that they are the only real team in Borograd, as Olympia’s stadium is located in the suburbs, and this is a fact they love to recite to the enemy.

SW Stahlberg

Colours: Black, grey
Manager: Gerd Hennig
Stadium: Stahlarbeiter-Union-Arena (35,000)
Captain: David Beck
Last Season: 8th
Nicknames: The Miners
Rivals: Oststahlberg 08 (local), Olympia Borograd (competitive)

Starting XI (4-4-2): GK - David Beck (37), LB - Bastian Mendel (24), CB - Karsten Lichtwark (36), CB - Jonas Breukelen (AUD, 31), RB - Ernst Felder (33); LM - Lutz von Bergen (32), CM - John Ferry (SCT, 36), CM - Jourdain Blanchette (KSK, 27), RM - Andreas Wentzel (33); CF - Louis von Stroheim (20), CF - Ragnar Targaryen (COS, 37)

Season Preview: While the other teams at the top of the Republikaliga continue to get younger and younger, SW Stahlberg, on the other hand… have 3 players in the starting XI under the age of 30. The club have been loyal to those players who helped win the league title nearly to a fault, and while they’ve promoted some youth in recent years (Mendel and von Stroheim), it’s clear they are going to need a reset soon. There’s some good needs: Graintfjell defender Tom Ernestisson has been brought in as the future replacement for Karsten Lichtwark, and Miners fans will be hoping to see him getting some minutes this season. The days of title glory are perhaps past this Stahlberg side, but they remain a tough opponent for all teams in the league.

Modern Era
Republikaliga (1): Season 4
President’s Cup (1): Season 3

Historic Era
Teus Championships: 6
President’s Cup: 3

History: Stahlberg, perched up high in the Mittlegebirge - it’s the city with the highest elevation in the country - boomed in the late 1800s, as the vast iron ore deposits in the area began to be worked. Soon, Stahlberg grew into a large and important city, but it was poorly placed for the coming war - the Great War between Siovanija and Teusland was mostly fought in the mountain passes all along the border, and Stahlberg became for most of the war a frontline city. The war brought devastation - but afterwards, the city was luckier than most, as it was able to resume that economic activity and stand back up soon. In the aftermath of the war, and the new Republic, the Miner’s Union came to dominate the city and its politics, fighting for its workers rights. And, to provide leisure, the Stahlwerke (SW) Stahlberg football club was founded.

In its earliest days, SW Stahlberg provided leisure and entertainment for the iron miners in the city, but the club gradually grew to become the representative team in the town. By the 1920s, they were competing on the highest level in Teusland, and were viewed as a club that could often provide competition for the clubs like FC Teussen Stelburg and FC Saint Jakob that had been so dominant in the Teus leagues at the time. Stahlberg continued to grow as a city at this time, and SW grew with it.

Throughout most of the Regionalliga era, Stahlberg were a strong side - never really the best, but always competitors. They managed 6 Teus championships during this era, as well as 3 President’s Cups. Not as successful as some clubs in that time period, but just enough for Stahlberg supporters to remain proud of their club. Entering the Republikaliga era, Stahlberg were a side ready to be reborn under attack-minded manager Gerd Hennig. Hennig’s attacking football struck at the right time, as Michael Ribbeck came up through the club’s academy. Ribbeck hadn’t been expected to be more than an average forward, but in the end, he was anything but average: 3 Golden Boots at the club, and leading them to the Republikaliga title in season 4. He’s gone now, replaced by legendary forward Ragnar Targaryen, but the principle of Stahlberg as an attacking side remains.

Club Culture: Stahlberg are the number one club in, naturally, the city of Stahlberg, which has no competing clubs at the top level. In addition, much of the villages and towns in the surrounding area are loyal to the club, as they have a similar heritage as mining towns and that unique mountain life. Eastern Stahlberg’s districts are split about 75/25 in favour of SW Stahlberg vs the lower-tier Oststahlberg 08, who are the club’s one local rival.

Stahlberg’s supporters traditionally came from the lower-class, but today that isn’t as much the case, the entire city getting behind the team. Stahlberg’s supporters have a mix of songs, between football and coming from the historic roots of the club. ‘The Stahlberg Miners’ is a song about 32 miners who were killed in a mine collapse at the turn of the century that had a massive impact on the development of the Miners’ Union and the fight for worker’s rights. On the other hand, ‘Black and Grey’ is the club anthem and tells of the success of the club instead.

Within the fanbase, there’s a specific type of player who is adored: the player who leaves it all out on the pitch, and is willing to fight for the shirt. For that reason, players like Paul Schorner and Karsten Lichtwark, who were at the very forefront of some heated clashes with Olympia Borograd in recent years, became beloved. Fighting for the shirt, however, doesn’t always have to mean physically - Michael Ribbeck became a legend through his exceptional hard work in every match, and also because he scored a lot of goals.

Rivalry-wise, the local rivals are Oststahlberg 08 - but it’s not as much a rivalry as it once was. Oststahlberg are currently in the 3. Republikaliga, and while some Oststahlberg fans will hate the neighbours, honestly, SW Stahlberg don’t really think about them that much. There aren’t many clubs at the top near them, and thus the club’s biggest recent rivalry has been with Olympia Borograd as a result of two hot-tempered matches in recent years. A 3-3 draw between the sides a few seasons ago saw Paul Schorner receive a red card and a brawl break out in the tunnel afterwards, while last season, Ragnar Targaryen scored 5 in a 5-4 win for Stahlberg after both teams had been reduced to 9 men.

Marlesee 97

Colours: Blue, white
Manager: Magnus Herschlag
Stadium: Marlebucht-Energie Arena (30,000)
Captain: Ingolf Kruger
Last Season: 9th
Nicknames: The Blues
Rivalries: VfB Marlesee (Marlesee derby), FC Felsenkirchen 1879 (competitive), TSV Marzig (local)

Starting XI (4-2-3-1): GK - Simon Robinson (NPH, 29); LB - Rainer Schaudinger (35), CB - Reiner Geiger (20), CB - Jochen Gebauer (34), RB - Liam Dimton (EUR, 35); CM - Volkhardt Romberg (29), CM - Ole Jost (34), LW - Ingolf Kruger (29), CAM - Lumugue Niforro (TIO, 23), RW - Yannick Lange (31); CF - Elias Eicke (29)

Season Preview: Marlesee managed a top ten finish last season, and they are determined to maintain some consistency for the first time in the modern era. They made a big splash in the transfer market, signing Lumugue Niforro. One of the top Tiog players on the market, he’ll replace the retiring Yannick Lehrer and slot into the #10 role as perhaps the dynamic player the club needs beside Ingolf Kruger. Elias Eicke is a proven goalscorer in this league, and overall, the team do have potential to push on. That’s if they can avoid what seems like a curse that drops them down the table every other year.

Modern Era
Republikaliga: 0
President’s Cup: 0

Historic Era
Teus Championships: 8
President’s Cup: 5

History: Football in Marlesee has a long history, dating back to the introduction of the game in Teusland. The first club in the city is still around today - VfB Marlesee, who currently play in the 2. Republikaliga after their relegation from the top tier last season. They were the only Marlesee club in the original Teusliga, but after the Great War brought great change to the city, in 1897 a group of locals decided it was time for a new identity. Marlesee 97 was born, one of many clubs in the nation founded in that period of 1896-97 when the country underwent a great rebirth.

The new club would reflect the new Marlesee, which had always been a stronghold of anti-establishment sentiment in the old Empire anyways, making it perfectly adjusted to the new Republic. 97 quickly rose in the ranks, quickly overtaking the neighbours in prominence and capturing several Teus championships in that era. There was always something, however, stopping them from taking that step forward to become a great club: always unlucky. A key player injured here, a fluke goal there, and Marlesee probably could’ve had much more than they ended up with historically.

Moving into the new Republikaliga era, Blues fans were hoping their luck would change. It hasn’t come about, however, for them so far. It’s been that same type of thing, something going wrong at the wrong time for the club. They’ve bounced everywhere in the table between 7th and 17th, and have struggled with consistency. It looks as if the squad will need to undergo some changes in the coming years, as several key players get older. Perhaps that is for the best, and perhaps the club will finally find some luck again.

Club Culture: Marlesee is considered to be the coldest city in Siovanija & Teusland, with northern wind as well as a cool current flowing into the bay giving it that reputation. Teams traditionally hate having to come and play here, especially in the winter months, which has given the club a reputation for having a fortress for a stadium. The city itself is devoted to the club, the streets of Marlesee almost empty when it comes time for the match itself.

While Marlesee does have two clubs, it is rare in terms of the fact that these clubs don’t particularly have any distaste for each other. VfB Marlesee’s support was traditionally in the west side, Marlesee 97 in the east, but as the clubs gradually stopped competing with each other, the rivalry took on a more friendly demeanor - many in town will support both clubs. The Marlesee derby is thus more of a meeting between friends, and when VfB are in the lower tiers, usually both sets of fans keep an eye on the other. This friendship came out of a civic pride in Marlesee.

Every club needs a rival of some sort, though, and so Marlesee 97 do have some of their own. Marlesee consider FC Felsenkirchen 1879 a rival club - the clubs played some intense matches in the President’s Cup in the olden days, and given that they are both located in the north - although Felsenkirchen is a good 3 hours east of Marlesee - it was a natural rivalry. Felsenkirchen, however, focus all of their attention on the Northeastern derby, and so the rivalry never really took off beyond the heads of Marlesee supporters. A similar situation exists with TSV Marzig. The city of Pomorie/Marzig is only about an hour west of Marlesee, on the same bay, across the border in Siovanija. Marzig would be a natural rival, except they are also entirely focused on their own derby with FK Pomorie, the fiercest in the country.

[Siovanija and Teusland]

Republikaliga Season X - Preview II

FC Rotmunde 1932


Colours: Red, black
Manager: Timo Felder
Stadium: Veisel (37,000)
Captain: Raimund Noffke
Last Season: 10th
Nicknames: The Islanders
Rivals: FC Felsenkirchen 1879 (Northeastern derby)

Starting XI (4-4-2-): GK - Cathal Gallagher (KSK, 28); LB - Jayson Ijalana (OSR, 26), CB - Goetxea Shimizue (HIN, 28), CB - Campbell Watson (STB, 20), RB - Jakob Hesse (35); CM - Rudi Breuer (22), CM - Otso Ilkannen (SVJ, 23), LW - Marvin Peiper (20), CAM - Julian Werner (22), RW - Johan Kranz (20); CF - Ignace Thibodeux (CMT, 25)

Season Preview: The very young Islanders managed a tenth place finish last season, and now in the tenth season of the Republikaliga will be hoping to continue their development. Otso Ilkannen, Julian Werner and Ignace Thibodeux were the stars of this team last season. Campbell Watson had a strong debut year and should be even better as a sophomore in this league, while the young wingers Peiper and Kranz offer great pace. They’ll be a tough team to play and a fun team to watch, and you can expect to see some fireworks in their games.

Modern Era
Republikaliga: 0
President’s Cup: 0

Historic Era
Teus Championships: 6
President’s Cup: 3

History: Football on the island of Rotmunde rose quickly to become a prominent sport, and it wasn’t long before enterprising locals tried their hand at creating a club. And so, many new football clubs sprung up, each having a shorter lifespan than the other: 1. FC Rotmunde, 1874 Rotmunde, and so on. One that eventually did stick around was Adler Rotmunde, and they became quite a successful team in the early years of the Teusliga and the Regionalliga, taking 2 championships at the time. The club, however, was poorly run financially, and in the late 1920s it was dissolved. Fans in Rotmunde, however, couldn’t bear the idea of cheering for the nearby club in Felsenkirchen - and so FC Rotmunde 1932 were born.

While Adler had, by their demise, moved out of the city itself, the new club instead chose to remain - putting its stadium in the downtown neigbourhood of Veisel, where much of the club’s support still comes from today. Thanks to the base left behind by the old club, Rotmunde were able to rise quickly in the Teus leagues, and soon came to be competing with the enemy in Felsenkirchen for regional titles.

Throughout the Regionalliga era, the battle between FC Felsenkirchen 1879 and FC Rotmunde 1932 - the similarly-named clubs from the northeast - came to dominate the local football context. It developed into a fierce rivalry, and not completely one-sided. Felsenkirchen were more successful overall in the era, but Rotmunde had their day here and there as well. It did create a great rivalry, however, that lives on today in the Republikaliga.

Entering the Republikaliga, Rotmunde were in a difficult spot, expected to be a midtable club. Years of stagnation at the club, however, particularly from the ownership, led to a near-disaster in the second season, as they finished in 18th place. Luckily, Rotmunde won the relegation playoff, and a local consortium purchased the club that summer. Since then, with manager Timo Felder at the helm, it’s been smooth sailing, with the club developing into one of the most consistent sides in the league. All they’re missing is a trophy to show for it, having lost the President’s Cup Final to Teussen in the double season.

Club Culture: The island of Rotmunde, off the northeast coast of Teusland, is the heartland of Rotmunde supporters, who are considered some of the most passionate in the country, regularly travelling far and wide to support their club. The city of Rotmunde itself, located in the southeastern corner of the island, is obviously the centre of that support, but the club has mainly adopted an all-island mentality to bring everyone together. The island is connected to the mainland by the Rotmunde Viaduct, and it’s at that bridge that Rotmunde support rapidly dries up and turns to the blue of Felsenkirchen instead.

Rotmunde’s fans are mostly football-focused, although the rivalry with Felsenkirchen definitely has some elements of civic pride involved. Still, the club’s main anthems are songs about the team itself: ‘Cheer on the boys in Red’ being the most famous, followed by the more commonly heard ‘Come on Rotmunde.’ The isle of Rotmunde is most known for its hard character: born out of the ocean itself, seemingly, and having to work for everything it had now. The fans appreciate a similar type of player, too, the one who’s willing to put everything on the line to win the match.

Rotmunde’s biggest rival by far are FC Felsenkirchen 1879. The two cities have always been rivals, dating back to the choice way back in the day of the Teus Empire to make Felsenkirchen the Empire’s main port in the north, leading it to a commercial boom and prosperity. Rotmunde, meanwhile, fought for its survival, much of the town working in the fishing industry or other local businesses. The cities had always hated each other, and adding football to the mix brought the rivalry to new heights. Adler Rotmunde had had a rivalry with Felsenkirchen as well, and when the new Rotmunde came to be, that continued.

The Northeastern derby is one of the biggest in the country, each side desperate for a win on derby day. Historically, Felsenkirchen have had more success than their neighbours, but the games between the two were always close and always full of drama. Neither side have ever been quite at the top of football in this country, but they have their share of success, and are both trying to break into that top tier now in the Republikaliga era. In this modern era, the clubs have found themselves equally positioned in recent years, which has contributed to the intensity of this rivalry. It’s not a derby that will spark riots or any big trouble, but it’s the type that both groups of supporters are absolutely desperate to win.

FC Einheit Marnau


Colours: Red and white
Manager: Alexander Waldgren
Stadium: Marnaustadion (29,000)
Captain: Patrik Dreyfuss
Last Season: 11th
Nicknames: The Roses
Rivals: FC St. Jakob (local)

Starting XI (4-4-2): GK - Patrik Dreyfuss (35), LB - Roland Plessner (28), CB - Oscar Fisch (36), CB - Laurin Taussig (23), RB - Matthaus Thiel (35), LM - Cezary Helmuth (NPH, 26), CM - Artur Preissner (33), CM - Niclas Tetzlaff (31), RM - Banquo Chrysler (NPH, 27), CF - Arno Heller (31), CF - Horacio Bastanchury (FFD, 20)

Season Preview: Marnau’s acquisition of Farf forward Horacio Bastanchury was arguably one of the signings of the season last year, as Bastanchury ended up becoming one of the top young players in the league and even getting a call-up for his national team. They’ll need him to replicate those feats this year, as they look to consolidate their position in the table ahead of what will need to be a bit of a rebuilding process in the backline, with 3 players over 35. Luckily, Marnau have a solid academy and some top-rated talents for the future who might see some play time this year, like CB Heinrich Tischendorf. If Bastanchury can keep firing them in, it could be a good year on the east coast.

Modern Era
Republikaliga: 0
President’s Cup: 0

Historic Era
Teus Championships: 0
President’s Cup: 0

History: The town of Marnau, about 30 minutes north of metropolitan St. Jakob, is pretty much what you’d expect of any Teus town along the Ostsee coast. A castle, a cathedral, and a dockyard, as well as homes along the water. It’s a popular tourist site in the summer, but the town itself also has a strong sense of community.

That was reflected in naming the local football club - ‘einheit’ referring to unity, the strength of the community. The club, which began competing in the Regionalligas in the early post-war years, historically struggled. They were most often a lower-division team, and when they reached the top could never quite compete with FC St. Jakob. The club did not manage a single Teus championship or President’s Cup during the old era. Into the modern day, the club have invested smartly, and become a consistent Republikaliga club.

Culture: The club has consistently been named the most family-friendly atmosphere in the Republikaliga, and draws most of their fanbase from within the town of Marnau itself. Recently, with their additional success and presence in the first division, they’ve attracted some supporters in the northern districts of St. Jakob as well. Some fans of the club worry that the atmosphere is too quiet, especially compared to some other clubs in the league, but overall, Marnau fans get behind the team, especially when they are a goal back or need motivation in a match.

The club’s nickname are the Roses, as that was the symbol of the old Barony of Marnau, a title of the Teus Empire. Most of the club’s songs are about the team itself, the anthem being ‘Come on you Roses!’. The closest thing to a rival is FC St. Jakob, but this is more a friendly rivalry. For many years, many in Marnau would also attend St. Jakob matches, and so the clubs have developed a strong relationship.

SV Preisfeld

Colours: Black and yellow
Manager: Robert Feicke
Stadium: SV-Arena (31,000)
Captain: Albert Bohmer
Last Season: 12th
Nicknames: The Bees
Rivals: VfL Reinbronn (local)

Starting XI (4-2-3-1): GK - Sven Leiber (30), LB - Olaf Heinz (33), CB - Albert Bohmer (35), CB - Philip Andreasson (SVJ, 21), RB - Markel Elesgaray (ASG, 21), CM - Nestor McGowan (EFL, 21), CM - Patrik Palme (34), LW - Louis Brunner (30), CAM - Leonard Kuhn (30), RW - Matheo Reiter (27), CF - Werner Schott (35)

Season Preview: What a year the Bees had last season, finishing 12th in the league and Robert Feicke earning the Manager of the Year honours. They took points off some of the best clubs in the league, and showed that they have a strong group of players coming up, including star young midfielder Nestor McGowan. If they want to repeat that feat, however, they’ll need to fix the defence, which gave up 93 goals last season. It’ll be tough, especially with the loss of former captain Dennis Eulenberg, as the keeper goes to FC Teussen Stelburg. Preisfeld will be hoping to remain in the midtable this year.

Modern Era
Republikaliga: 0
President’s Cup: 0

Historic Era
Teus Championships: 4
President’s Cup: 1

History: Preisfeld boomed as a city in the heydey of the Teus Empire, the exact halfway point on the railway between Stelburg and St. Jakob. Even today, the national highway and railway systems run through the town, and it’s still somewhat of a natural stopping point on the way. In this atmosphere, SV Preisfeld was founded in 1881 as a club to represent the town.

The city declined after the War, however, and the club never really reached its heights. They took home a President’s Cup title in 1912, but it would be their only victory in the competition. They also managed to win 4 Teus championships, but struggled in the Regionalliga era. Coming into the Republikaliga, they’ve struggled at first to find consistency, relegated twice. They’ve bounced back both times, however, as champions of the 2. Republikaliga, and now seem to be here to stay.

Culture: Many call Preisfeld a boring city. The fact that it’s built at a very flat part of land just before the slope towards the sea begins, as well as its purpose as a business hub, gives it this reputation. Many important businesses in Teusland will have offices in Preisfeld, as it is a hub city connecting not just the Stelburg-St. Jakob corridor, but also with highway and rail connections north to Felsenkirchen and south to Rotmunde. Many of the residents, then, are transplants, which makes a hard time building a club identity.

They’ve managed to do so quite well, however, and the stadium is sold out each matchday. The club draw its supporters naturally from the city itself and the surrounding area, and call themselves the Bees after the black/yellow colour of their kits. The main rival is VfL Reinbronn, from the city about 40 minutes east, and the two contest a somewhat heated derby.

TSV Marzig

Colours: Light blue, white
Manager: Ole Sauer
Stadium: Vest-Marlebucht-Stadion (29,000)
Captain: Benedikt Tetzlaff
Last Season: 13th
Nicknames: The Knights, The Gulls
Rivalries: FK Pomorie (Pomorie/Marzig derby), Zvezda Vlaikograd (political)

Starting XI (4-4-2): GK - Heikki Vantarinen (SVJ, 35); LB - Henry Loffler (33), CB - Johan Maltz (26), CB - Kasper Martz (26), RB - Benedikt Tetzlaff (36); LM - Frank Lundrigan (QUE, 23), CM - Kurt Hochberg (31), CM - Linus Descher (25), RM - Yannick Merz (36); CF - Horst Hackl (29), CF - Takashi Matsumoto (STB, 31)

Season Preview: Marzig had a very poor offseason - failing to acquire any of their transfer targets, and losing top young players Olaf Viermetz and Henrik Martin. In the midfield, Linus Descher was the backup for Viermetz last season, and while he was strong off the bench, has never completed a full season due to injury. The other change in the lineup sees Frank Lundrigan coming in on the left wing while Alex Geschke heads to the bench. It’s still a strong squad, and manager Ole Sauer had a very positive start last season. If he can keep Marzig in a good position, it might be a perfect opportunity to retool their squad this upcoming offseason.

Modern Era
Republikaliga: 0
President’s Cup: 1 (Season 4)

Historic Era
Siovanijan Championships: 8
President’s Cup: 8

History: Under the old Teus Empire, the city of Marzig was a part of Teusland, and in 1866, the local athletic club created a football division. In 1874, that team were admitted into the top-tier Teusliga, and they became quite a competitive team in that league. When war broke out in 1888, however, it marked a definitive change. Marzig had always been a contentious spot - the city’s population was half Teus, and half Siovanijan, who called the city Pomorie, as a result of continued historic conflicts in the area. The war in 1888 broke out in the city first, after a conflict between Teus soldiers and the Siovanijan civilian population. In 1896, when all was said and done, the city was devastated, having been on the front lines for most of the conflict. And now, although the nation was unified, the city was officially renamed Pomorie/Marzig, and found itself in the Republic of Siovanija.

TSV Marzig thus began competing in the Siovanijan championship. Marzig took their time to recover again after the war, and despite the great conflict within the city itself for much of the 20th century, the football club became a symbol of hope and success for the Teus community. They competed for regional supremacy with the neighbours FK Pomorie, and what has become the biggest derby by far in this country was born out of that tension. On the Siovanijan stage, Marzig were quite accomplished as well, but the club gradually came to be known as a cup team, with clubs across the country hating to be drawn against them.

This reputation has continued somewhat into the new Republikaliga era, with TSV Marzig having reached 2 President’s Cup Finals in the first 8 seasons despite never finishing above 10th in the league. The first final was a loss to Olympia Borograd, but the second time would prove to be the charm for the Knights as they defeated Energija Chernovets in season 4 on the back of Ludwig Reichwein’s brace. Marzig have the capability to develop players, it’s the keeping them that has been a problem, and the club, never relegated from the Republikaliga, are hoping to continue to secure their place in the league.

Club Culture: The post-war changes in Pomorie/Marzig were not welcomed by either community in the city, and this led to great problems. On the Teus side, it was argued that much of the coast and some interior villages had majority Teus populations, and thus should remain with Teusland in the new Republic. By the end of the war, however, Siovanija & Teusland were each so devastated by the conflict that neither wished to push any issue, and Teusland didn’t make a fuss about it.

That turned what had once been a rich port city into one of the poorest in the country, dominated by the ethnic tension within it. The two communities formed militia groups for their own supposed ‘protection,’ on the Teus side the Order of St. Gustaf and the Marzig People’s Front. These groups quickly, however, became devoted to fighting against the Siovanijan equivalents. Pomorie/Marzig was, frankly, a dangerous city for much of the 20th century after the war due to the sectarian conflict, and as these groups moved into more mafia-style activities, regular crime. The government had to step in, and it did, arresting many of the paramilitary ringleaders on each side and establishing a new peace in the city. Still, there are signs of the conflict in the city today: walls separating Siovanijan and Teus neighbourhoods, and curbs in many of those communities painted either green (Siovanijan) or gold (Teus) to signify territory.

Naturally, this conflict boiled over to the football side of things as well. The two main football clubs in the city, TSV Marzig and FK Pomorie, each represented a different side of the divide, and derby day quickly became the most intense in the country. The militia groups would use the opportunity to continue their wars, and trouble makers would use derby day as an excuse to cause more trouble. For example, when Marzig knocked Pomorie out of the Cup in 1974, there were riots in the Siovanijan half of the city for 3 days afterwards. Similar scenes would be seen in the Teus half when Pomorie defeated Marzig. It was more than football, and it was more than anything else: when Marzig played Pomorie, the city shut down for the day. While most of the trouble in the city has died down, and it’s not as bad as it used to be, this is still without a doubt the most intense derby match in the country, and is still hugely important to each side.

Marzig’s fanbase is historically considered to have a Teus nationalist slant, and they draw support from the Teus community in Marzig as well as many Teus towns and villages in the territory of the Republic of Siovanija. As a result of this, many of the songs heard from the terraces are related to this theme. The club’s most famous anthem is ‘Marzig’s Walls,’ about an old battle fought outside the city’s gate. Songs are often more related to themes like that, or the Pomorie rivalry, then the actual football. In recent years, however, the club have made efforts to stamp out the sectarianism in the fanbase, trying to encourage a new, more friendly atmosphere at the stadium. It has worked to a degree, as some of the old songs which were absolutely vile are no longer heard at the ground. On derby day, however, it’s difficult to control. The Pomorie/Marzig police have done a good job in recent years preventing some of the violence seen, but rioting at a derby match in the Cup last season saw away fans banned for each leg of the league derby. Much work has been done to tone down some of the extreme elements of this rivalry, but there is still more work to be done.

FC St. Jakob

Colours: Red, white
Manager: Hermann Frenz
Stadium: Draistadion (60,000)
Captain: Dennis Brotzmann
Last Season: 14th
Nicknames: The Saints
Rivals: FC Einheit Marnau (local), VfL Reinbronn (local), FC Teussen Stelburg (competitive)

Starting XI (4-2-3-1): GK - Bernd Falkenberg (30); LB - Evander Keane (NPH, 31), CB - Stefan Licht (33), CB - Ian Turner (XAN, 23), RB - Francisco Jorge (DRP, 24); CM - Dennis Brotzmann (36), CM - Ronald Wenz (25), LW - Jannick Koepen (30), CAM - Giorgos Dimitriou (STB, 33), RW - Leo Heiden (28), CF - Erwin Bahnsen (27)

Season Preview: It’s clear at this point that it’s just not working out for FC St. Jakob. The squad they’ve assembled has some talented pieces, but they do not fit together well. It’s clear that Leo Heiden has reached his maximum potential - a solid Republikaliga winger, not the star he was projected to be. A 14th place finish last season was a disappointment, and this year, nothing is off the table. If the Saints don’t pull off something special, expect manager Hermann Frenz to be out the door - and a massive squad reshaping could be on the cards as well. One positive note is the return of Dennis Brotzmann from Banija, the club hero has come back to see out his career with his boyhood club and, hopefully, inspire some change.

Modern Era
Republikaliga: 0
President’s Cup: 0

Historic Era
Teus Championships: 22
President’s Cup: 11

History: St. Jakob, as a major port city of the Empire, was one of the first cities in the country to be introduced to football. Immediately, numerous clubs sprang up across the city, representing its various districts, and they competed against each other in various competitions. By the time of the Teusliga, several of these clubs applied for membership in the new league. After a long debate at a meeting of the local FA, a group of 10 clubs in the city announced their intention to merge as one new ‘FC Sankt Jakob,’ in order to be more competitive in the new league. This club was accepted into the Teusliga, and over the years the rest of the clubs in the city gradually came into the fold.

FC St. Jakob quickly became one of the top clubs in the early days of regional league football after the war, and they maintained that status for much of the era. Many years the championship final would come down to FC Teussen Stelburg against FC St. Jakob, and as a result the teams developed a very competitive rivalry during those years. They were the second most successful Teus club of the era, and were 3rd in overall national titles.

Entering the Republikaliga era, St. Jakob’s squad was aging, with a core of veterans remaining from a successful run of 3 straight Teus championships in the mid 2010s. The club decided that, after a promising first season, it would be time to rebuild the squad. History has shown that this was a clear miscalculation, however - the club underestimated how difficult the new Republikaliga would be, and have failed to get back to the heights of the old days. The club have been focused on building through youth. They are one of the richest clubs in the league, however, and if a few more years pass with little success you have to wonder if it’ll be time to open the floodgates.

Club Overview: FC St. Jakob are the biggest club in the biggest city in the country, and thus have a great deal of fan support within the city of St. Jakob itself. Owing, however, to the fact that St. Jakob is Siovanija & Teusland’s most cosmopolitan city, there are many supporters of other clubs from across the country. Due to the fact that the club are the only team in the city, they have a wide base of support and have come to be a symbol of the city itself.

St. Jakob was always the more modern city in contrast to the older imperial Stelburg, even during the time of the Teus Empire. This was the centre of the anti-war and, eventually, anti-Kaiser protests that helped bring about the end of the Great War and the abdication of the Kaiser, ending the Empire in 1895. The city, which had been an important port, rapidly grew in wealth and population and is today the largest city in the nation. It is the home of most of Siovanija & Teusland’s financial institutions, and is its gateway to most of the rest of the world. As a result, the city is home to communities of people from across the world, as well as from other parts of the country. The civic rivalry between St. Jakob and Stelburg has contributed to the historic competitive rivalry between FC St. Jakob and FC Teussen Stelburg.

St. Jakob’s fanbase are historically considered, much like the city itself, to be quite cosmopolitan. It’s the most liberal city in Teusland, and as a symbol of the new country after unification, brought in a great deal of migration both from across the country and abroad. Other clubs’ supporters, particularly FC Teussen Stelburg, like to poke fun at St. Jakob supporters as being fairweather fans, claiming that they always seem to disappear when the Saints have a few rough years. This reputation mainly comes from the amount of people who don’t really follow sports but claim to be St. Jakob supporters - the club’s logo is another popular one on clothing or stickers. It’s not really true, however, and the new Draistadion seats 60,000 people and is generally sold out. The club’s most famous anthem is ‘Star of the Drai,’ an old song written about the rise of the city of St. Jakob as a whole. With the club’s identity generally being tied to the city, this fits perfectly.

FC Kaiserhaven

Colours: Blue and yellow
Manager: Sven Meier
Stadium: Kaiserhaven-Stadion (40,000)
Captain: August Sulzberger
Last Season: 15th
Nicknames: The Admirals
Rivals: TSV Georg-Blocher (local)

Starting XI: GK - Daragh Flotilla-Estrada (APX, 28), LB - Patrik Werdin (29), CB - August Sulzberger (35), CB - Florentin Redlich (34), RB - Silvester Streeton (NPH, 28), CM - Heinz van Houten (23), CM - Hermann Nieuwland (AUD, 30), LW - Wolfgang Rieder (25), CAM - Bobby East (HAP, 32), RW - Ingolf Rosen (31), CF - Norbert Ahrendt (22)

Season Preview: There were some positives in the Admirals last year - the performances of young Heinz van Houten and Norbert Ahrendt were both highlights. The club had tried to sell Bobby East last summer as a courtesy to the player, but in the end he didn’t find any of the destinations on offer particularly interesting. He’ll serve instead as a core veteran player this season for the team. They’ll need to be careful on the rebuild, however, and make sure to develop a winning culture - something the club has struggled with in the past.

Modern Era
Republikaliga: 0
President’s Cup: 0

Historic Era
Teus Championships: 2
President’s Cup: 0

History: Hundreds of years ago, when the Duchy of Stelburg began to become the dominant force in what is now Teusland, the lands south of the Teufelswald forest were unknown to many in the north. After defeating the Duchy of St. Jakob and declaring the Kingdom of Teusland, King Wilhelm I turned his armies south. Finding vast uninhabited lands, he doubled the size of his demesne and declared the Teus Empire. The territory became known as Kaiser-Wilhelms-Land, and a city was formed at the southern tip - Kaiserhaven.

The city grew to become a great port of the Empire, and many of the explorers who discovered territories that would become part of the Empire, such as Georg Blocher, who discovered Prinz-Eugens-Land, hailed from the city. It was one of the most important cities of the Empire, and the football club FC Kaiserhaven was founded in the early 1860s. In the Teusliga, they captured 3 Kaiser’s Shield titles. After unification, the city struggled, and so did the club.

They managed only 2 Teus Championships in the Regoinalliga era, the first in 1915 before a long, horrible drought until 1997. The club became a national joke synonymous with consistent underachieving. In the Republikaliga era, the club have tried to shed that reputation, but have been, frankly, unsuccessful, never finishing above 9th despite having strong squads. With key players coming through and joining their current talent, the fans are hoping again that will change.

Culture: It’s hard to suffer for so long and remain loyal to the club, but Kaiserhaven fans have done just that. As the biggest city by far in southeastern Teusland, the region is the main support base of the club. Kaiserhaven fans are big in number, but are the target of jokes from every other club - whether it be for their legacy on the pitch, or for the ‘southern accent’ present in the language in the area.

The club’s nickname is the Admirals, reflecting the maritime tradition of the city itself, and the colours blue and yellow also reflect this side of things. The local rivals are TSV Georg-Blocher, who are also in the city of Kaiserhaven and also draw from those maritime roots. Georg-Blocher have traditionally been a lower division club, but are on the rise in the 2. Republikaliga and it’s possible we could see a Kaiserhaven derby match in the near future. The fanbase are both respected and mocked for their undying loyalty to the club, and the club anthem, ‘We’ll Follow You Always,’ reflects that devotion.

FK Venkovets

Colours: Red and white
Manager: Matej Kovar
Stadium: Venkovets-Stadion (24,000)
Captain: Valter Tomsic
Last Season: 16th
Nicknames: The Vs, The Reds
Rivals: SK Republika Borograd (local), FK Metropola Borograd (local), Olympia Borograd (local)

Starting XI (4-2-3-1): GK - Vukmir Tomic (34), LB - Drazen Borisov (27), CB - Marko Stefanovic (28), CB - Gustav Machacek (Loan, 20), RB - Erwin Cancel (AUD, 27), CM - Fjodor Provorov (SVJ, 21), CM - Ivo Dvoracek (26), LW - Atzo Gogorza (ASG, 21), CAM - Roman Marek (28), RW - Boleslav Kovarik (27), CF - Valter Tomsic (27)

Season Preview: Venkovets finished 16th last season, 3 points clear of the relegation zone after a season that saw them earn a league-high 14 draws. The hope this year is that they can be a bit more clinical and perhaps convert some of those games into wins, especially against opponents around their level. They lose Frantisek Polak, the loanee defender heading back to Zvezda Vlaikograd. In his place is another young loanee, Gustav Machacek from Olympia Borograd who has played at the youth level for Siovanija & Teusland. This is a team with many players still just entering their prime, and they have every chance of staying up again this year.

Modern Era
Republikaliga: 0
President’s Cup: 0

Historic Era
Siovanijan Championships: 0
President’s Cup: 0

History: The town of Venkovets, just north of Borograd, has always been one of the bigger cities in the Borograd ring, and the football club has come to be an integral part of the community. Founded just after the Great War in 1897, FK Venkovets were traditionally a solid lower-league club.

Never good enough to truly compete in the Regionalliga Borograd, or in the President’s Cup - although they did reach a famous final in 1971 - they were often overlooked by many even within their own community. No one ignores them now, however, as Venkovets have risen over the past few years to be a model of sustainable growth in the second division. Promoted now, the Vs are hoping to make their mark at the highest level.

Culture: A northern suburb of the national capital Borograd, the town of Venkovets has always struggled with identity. Some see it as purely a commuter town, others as a budding city in its own right. That struggle has been seen in the football club as well - many in the city will support Olympia and Metropola, as two large clubs right next door. That is changing, however, and many youth in the city support the hometown team now.

The club are nicknamed the Vs, due to the name of the town, as well as the Reds due to the colour of their home kit. The Borograd clubs are all rivals, but the main enemy in recent years has been SK Republika Borograd as the clubs competed on a similar level. Sometimes called the North Borograd Derby, this match has had some tensions in the past. Now, however, Venkovets will be looking to prove to their neighbours that they are more than just a suburb, and the fans are eagerly anticipating the matches against Olympia and Metropola. The club anthem of ‘V for Victory’ will roar from the terraces in those matches, undoubtedly.

TSV Georg-Blocher

Colours: White and green
Manager: Martin Kreisel
Stadium: Fischerdenkmalstadion (25,000)
Captain: Nils Heinsohn
Last Season: 17th
Nicknames: The Sailors, The Explorers
Rivals: FC Kaiserhaven (local)

Starting XI: GK - Nils Heinsohn (34); LB - Erich Marks (26), CB - Kayak (TEQ, 35), CB - Sandro Kostner (28), RB - Jan Stromberg (26); CM - Sven Hauck (28), CM - Wolfgang Sonnenfeld (32), LW - Thorsten Korte (31), CAM - Hermann Parler (26), RW - Elias Kautz (19), CF - Andreas Lettmann (29)

Season Preview: The Sailors managed to win the race for survival last season, finishing in 17th place. But they’ll need to be much better this season if they are to have a hope of staying in the top tier. Defensively, they were somewhat weak, although their fullbacks were strong performers all season. Up front, Hermann Parler was probably their best player, but the loss of Rupert Holz (retired) will be a difficult one for the club. Youth product Elias Kautz comes into the team, he is considered one of their better young players but whether he’s Republikaliga quality remains to be seen. But in a year where the race to avoid the drop might be its most competitive ever, they’ll need him to find his level right away.

Modern Era
Republikaliga: 0
President’s Cup: 0

Historic Era
Teus Championships: 0
President’s Cup: 0

History: It’s always tough being the second biggest team in a city, but that’s the role TSV Georg-Blocher play in the southern port city of Kaiserhaven. FC Kaiserhaven are the biggest show in town, and draw most of the city’s support, but there is a niche for the Sailors. They’ve always been close to the working-class of the city, which is greatly tied to marine heritage.

Founded in 1875, the club was named for Georg Blocher, one of the most famous explorers in the history of the Teus Empire and the man who discovered Prinz-Eugens-Land. Blocher came from the city, and the club’s badge shows the wheel of his ship. In addition, the city’s great tradition of fishing is represented in the club’s home stadium, named in memory to the fishermen who died doing their job off Kaiserhaven’s shores. The club have been in the lower leagues for most of their history, and this promotion marks their first time ever in the national top division.

Culture: Kaiserhaven is a city slightly isolated from the rest of Teusland in the southeast, but it has had a big impact, and is known for its maritime traditions. A great port during the days of the Empire, and still important commercially now, the city takes pride in this history. TSV Georg-Blocher is a club tied closely to these roots, with its home stadium located along the water in the western part of the city.

Traditionally the club of the fishermen and dockworkers in the city, today, the club is also known for providing a bit of a cheaper, more family-oriented atmosphere in the city of Kaiserhaven, and with their recent rise through the lower divisions, there’s a great deal of young fans in the city. The club have been very active in encouraging this, with programs for schoolchildren, and see an opportunity for themselves: with FC Kaiserhaven stumbling in the Republikaliga, why can’t there be another big team in the city?

FK Orlovska Bistrica

Colours: Light blue and black
Manager: Marcel Mazal
Stadium: Orlovska-Stadion (25,000)
Captain: Stanimir Georgiev
Last Season: 18th (won playoff)
Nicknames: The Eagles
Rivals: Rudar Trkev (competitive)

Starting XI: GK - Tomas Jelinak (28), LB - Jan Dvorak (25), CB - Filip Svarc (27), CB - Radko Varbanov (34), RB - Yanko Borisov (33), LM - Georgi Ivanov (30), CM - Todor Vitek (29), CM - Stanimir Georgiev (33), CM - Vladislav Opustil (26), RM - Rudolf Macek (23), CF - Marian Hovlak (20)

Season Preview: The Eagles stayed up last season after winning the playoff against their competitive rivals Rudar Trkev. But really, they were quite lucky - escaping the automatic relegation zone only on the final day, and needing two goals away to Trkev to stay up. The big problem was goalscoring. Marian Hovlak proved his worth, scoring 18 goals for the club in his first season in the Republikaliga. The club managed only 48 total, however, and no other player on the team had above 6 goals. The hope is that younger players like Rudolf Macek and, of course, Hovlak can continue to be the stars that this team will need to keep them in the division, but it will likely be a dogfight for Orlovska Bistrica again this season.

Modern Era
Republikaliga: 0
President’s Cup: 0

Historic Era
Teus Championships: 0
President’s Cup: 0

History: The city of Orlovska Bistrica, about 2 hours south of Borograd, is one of the bigger cities in Siovanija. The lack of sporting success in the city, however, has always been a question mark - and it’s FK Orlovska Bistrica really leading the way in that department. The club was founded in 1876, and competed in both the old Siovanijan 1. Division, however, has never won a national or Siovanijan championship. They did enjoy some success in the Regionalliga Westsee, competing with Rudar Trkev for the top position, but never managed to get any further.

The club were traditionally somewhat strong, despite their lack of success - losing in 5 President’s Cup finals over their history, and runners-up in the Siovanijan championship three times. That strength did not carry over into the new Republikaliga, however. The club were midtable in season one, before being relegated in their second year. There’s new hope, led by Marian Hovlak’s sudden rise to prominence, that the club can reclaim their place amongst the bigger clubs in this country.

Culture: Orlovska Bistrica is located about two hours to the southwest of Borograd, heading towards Trkev and the Westsee. Culturally, the city has always been seen as very much a ‘boring’ place - just a place for travellers heading from Borograd to the coast to stop in for dinner on a Friday night. However, that isn’t really the case. The town itself is surrounded by pristine nature, including the largest national park in Siovanija, the Ljubljanica Gorge National Park. There is thus plenty to do here if you look for it.

The club itself attracts fans from much of southwestern Siovanija, and while there is a rivalry with Trkev, the fans of both clubs mix in throughout most of the region. In the city of Orlovska Bistrica itself, of course, support for the Eagles runs high - but the lack of success means that many in the city are also driven towards the capital, and teams like Olympia and Metropola. Eagles fans were considered some of the most passionate in the second tier, willing to travel across the country to support their side, and you can certainly expect that to continue now that they are back in the Republikaliga.

VfL Reinbronn

Colours: Green and black
Manager: Timo Wirth
Stadium: Hauser-Platz (25,000)
Captain: Tristan Schultz
Last Season: 1st (2. Republikaliga)
Nicknames: The Hunters
Rivals: SV Preisfeld (local)

Starting XI (4-2-3-1): GK - Maxi Hennig (30), LB - Dirk Schrimpff (24), CB - Mark Fries (23), CB - Marian Gerstner (26), RB - Stephen Borchers (28); CM - Jochen Peters (24), CM - Tristan Schultz (34); LW - Viktor Moritz (30), CAM - Caesar Lerche (22), RW - Falko Schatz (24), CF - Fritz Schadre (26)

Season Preview: Reinbronn are back just in time to close out the decade, after being in the Republikaliga’s first season. Only one player remains from then - the team captain Tristan Schultz. Reinbronn have a young squad who were very strong in the second tier last year, scoring a league-high 88 goals. Fritz Schadre led the division in scoring (25), while Caesar Lerche was perhaps the break-out star, and a player who teams in the Republikaliga reportedly had eyes on. They’ve kept the gang all together, however, and the goal for Reinbronn will be, naturally, to avoid relegation. With this squad, and the way they played last year, they should be up to the task.

Modern Era
Republikaliga: 0
President’s Cup: 0

Historic Era
Teus Championships: 0
President’s Cup: 0

History: About 50km before it meets the sea, the River Drai branches off, as the Drai itself continues towards St. Jakob, and two other smaller rivers make their way to the coast via different routes. At this confluence, the town of Reinbronn was founded. Reinbronn, a typical market town, has always had a sporting tradition - the junior hockey team is one of the most successful of all-time, and VfL Reinbronn have been consistently strong for their level.

The club itself was founded in 1900 as a successor to the imperial-era 1880 Reinbronn. While the club have never won a major championship, they’ve been competitive in the past, and their team in the 1950s won 4 straight Regionalliga St. Jakob championships, the golden age for the club. They were selected to participate in the first season of the Republikaliga, but were immediately relegated - now, fittingly, they are back up just in time to close out the first decade of competition.

Culture: Reinbronn is a market town, but in recent years it’s also taken on a new relevance. Its position about ¾ of the way to St. Jakob when coming from Stelburg has made it a spot that some companies prefer for offices - similar to its rival city, Preisfeld. It’s also on many major transportation hubs, and is a popular student town. Thus, the football club has a great atmosphere from many young fans, and the club’s culture is strong enough that many of them remain supporters of the team even after they graduate and move on.

The rivalry with Preisfeld is a massive fixture for both clubs. Referred to as the ‘Plains derby’ due to the two city’s location on the Stelburg Plain, there’s no love lost between these cities. They are quite similar to each other, which often leads outsiders to confuse the two - much to the chagrin of residents of both. It’s that similarity which has led to this rivalry, one in which both sides are eager to prove they are the best. It’s perhaps the best-kept secret in the league in terms of rivalries, and fans are eager for the two clubs to meet again this season.

FK Vlaikograd 1896

Colours: Purple and gold
Manager: Veselin Patanov
Stadium: Jezera-Stadion (34,000)
Captain: Boyko Rysinov
Last Season: 2nd (2. Republikaliga)
Nicknames: The Royals, The Lakers
Rivals: Zvezda Vlaikograd (Vlaikograd Derby)

Starting XI (4-2-3-1): GK - Milos Misalko (31), LB - Zlaten Tinchev (30), CB - Denis Malik (24), CB - Boyko Rysinov (31), RB - Anton Vitanov (26), CM - Miladin Kochanov (26), CM - Valdemar Sramek (24), Dobrin Glavchev (28), LW - Dusan Turek (23), CAM - Ivan Boichev (28), RW - Bendeguz Kadar (PAS, 24), CF - Vaclav Korinek (22)

Season Preview: It was straight back up for Vlaikograd last season after a big year in the 2. Republikaliga. They made some changes to the squad, including seeing some important veterans depart the team, integrating some of the younger players from their academy. From the second-biggest city in Siovanija, Vlaikograd do have a strong youth system - one which has produced, for example, Darijen Vesele, one of the top defenders in world football. It’s a young, feisty team for Vlaikograd, and one that they will hope keeps them in the Republikaliga for another season.

Modern Era
Republikaliga: 0
President’s Cup: 0

Historic Era
Siovanijan Championships: 4
President’s Cup: 1

History: Located in northwestern Siovanija in the Great Lakes region, Vlaikograd originated as a centre of the Siovanijan pagan religion and then the centre of the Siovanijan monarchy. It thus served as the traditional capital until the 1808 Revolution when Borograd took over that role.

While neighbouring Crvena Zvezda were formed more in the Siovanijan left-wing tradition, FK Vlaikograd 1896 were born out of the Great War as a club of the new, modern Siovanija. They quickly became viewed, however, as the club of the Vlaikograd establishment, and certainly keep that title in this modern day. They captured a President’s Cup title in 1922, but for the most part were in the shadow of the neighbours. After the end of Zvezda’s dominance in the early 1960s, things evened out a bit more, and in some ways Vlaikograd became the more important of the two clubs. And while Vlaikograd were certainly the more successful in the early years of the Republikaliga, it appears Zvezda are looking to flip the script and head back to the top.

Culture: Once very much the second club in their own city, the city of Vlaikograd is now about evenly split between Zvezda and Royals supporters. The Great Lakes district itself is about even, but split in a pattern: urban areas belong to Zvezda, rural to the Royals. The club’s colours of purple and yellow reflect its history as the royal city, as does the main nickname of the club. A secondary nickname is the Lakers, a common name for other sports teams in the city due to its position in the Great Lakes area.

Naturally, the club’s biggest rivals are Zvezda Vlaikograd. The Vlaikograd derby isn’t too heated, however, mostly because the clubs have never really both been good at the same time. That has the potential to change in the near future, though, with Zvezda quickly rising up the league table. In addition, there’s always been a rivalry between the cities of Vlaikograd and Borograd, and so the club see games with Olympia and Metropola as important. However, those two clubs are far more concerned with each other - and historically, with Zvezda, making it a bit of a one-sided rivalry.

OOC: Credit goes to Farfadillis (Marnau, Felsenkirchen), Donnacona (Teussen, Metropola) and Kita-Hinode (the rest) for the crests.

[Siovanija and Teusland]

Republikaliga Season X - Part I

IFCF Challengers’ Cup - First Preliminary Round

Kota Kiambang (KGN) 0-1 Energija Chernovets
Energija Chernovets 3-0 Kota Kiambang (KGN)

A strong start to the season for Energija Chernovets! Miroslav Dinev scored his 400th goal for the club in all competitions in the away leg against Kota Kiambang, before Emiliano Gallegas scored his 1st goal for the club at home as the club earned a 4-0 aggregate win over Kota Kiambang. Chernovets have had their struggles in international competition over the years, but the convincing win here gives some hope for this season’s efforts.

IFCF Challengers’ Cup - Second Preliminary Round

Energija Chernovets 1-3 Apsbrooke FC (FVA)
Apsbrooke FC (FVA) 1-1 Energija Chernovets

Pyathora Mariners FC (TKT) 1-2 Olympia Borograd
Olympia Borograd 0-1 Pyathora Mariners FC (TKT)

Chernovets’ hopes, however, are a bit misplaced as they go out 4-2 on aggregate against Apsbrooke of Flavovespia. Brahian Cespedes gave the Atoms an early lead at home, but three second-half goals from Apsbrooke would give them a massive advantage, and the 1-1 draw on the road was not enough for Chernovets to turn things around. Olympia Borograd had to fight hard against the Pyathora Mariners of Tikariot, but a brace from Denis Dezelac in the first leg would eventually be the difference-maker, his two away goals the decisive factor in the tie.

IFCF Champions’ League - Third Preliminary Round

FC Felsenkirchen 1879 2-2 Admiral Storevik (SVJ)
Admiral Storevik (SVJ) 2-0 FC Felsenkirchen 1879

For the second straight year it’s a side from the Republikaliga against a Savojar squad, but where FC Teussen Stelburg were victorious last season, Felsenkirchen instead lost this tie 4-2 on aggregate against Admiral Storevik. Felsenkirchen scored twice in the first half of the first leg, through Pfitzner and Mandl, but were held to 0 for the remaining 135 minutes of the tie and watched the Savojars scored four times. Felsenkirchen are now knocked down to the Challengers’ Cup.

IFCF Challengers’ Cup - Third Preliminary Round

Corona Christiana (OME) 0-4 Olympia Borograd
Olympia Borograd 1-1 Corona Christiana (OME)

Stanton Town (KRY) 1-1 1912 Stelburg
1912 Stelburg 0-1 Stanton Town (KRY)

Two different results here for Republikaliga clubs. Olympia Borograd, on one hand, dominated Corona Christiana in the first leg, pumping them for 4 goals. Lojze Kokalj, Ivo Romanov and Roman Forsberg were all on the scoresheet for the first time this season, while Ixtub Tun got his first goal in the green and white. In the second leg, Denis Dezelac’s first half goal basically put a bow on the tie, although the visitors would get one back in the second half. Momodou Sene scored from a free kick in the first leg of 1912 Stelburg’s meeting with Stanton Town, but a poor performance and a 1-0 loss at home meant they are knocked out of the IFCF competition for another year.

IFCF Challengers’ Cup - Playoff Round

Olympia Borograd 1-0 Scott City FC (DAR)
Scott City FC (DAR) 2-1 Olympia Borograd

Port Rhovanyon FC (TKT) 0-2 FC Felsenkirchen 1879
FC Felsenkirchen 1879 3-0 Port Rhovanyon FC

Two ties, two wins for the Republikaliga! Ikki Tokei’s goal in the first leg gave Olympia Borograd a key lead, but Denis Dezelac’s second half goal on the road was just as important, the away goal that would eventually give the Greens the win. Dezelac has fit in quite well with the Olympia attack so far, and he’ll be hoping this good form will carry over to the league. Two goals from Linus Segert gave Felsenkirchen the win over Port Rhovanyon in the first leg, while in the second leg another goal from Segert plus tallies from Rolf Seyfried and late sub Lothas Ludwig gave the Blues passage to the Qualifying round.

AOCL First Round

AC Acqui Bollente (SVG) 0-3 FC Teussen Stelburg
FC Teussen Stelburg 1-0 AC Acqui Bollente (SVG)

FC Teussen Stelburg got their first games of the season in, the club having already earned passage to the Champions’ League group stage thanks to the growth of Siovanija & Teusland’s coefficient. Teussen looked strong in all aspects of play, and youngster Bastian Boltzmann scored in both games, which will give Teussen supporters some hope going into the season that their kids are going to be alright. And, there’s some great news with the second round draw as well - FC Teussen Stelburg will be welcoming 1830 Cathair and club legend Thorsten Kramer to the Franz-Gorz-Stadion.

IFCF Challengers’ Cup - Qualifying Round

Olympia Borograd 2-4 Canbix Muses (ZWZ)
Canbix Muses (ZWZ) 2-0 Olympia Borograd

FC Felsenkirchen 1879 2-3 CSKA Tiraspol (PDN)
CSKA Tiraspol (PDN) 1-3 FC Felsenkirchen 1879

This was looking to be a disasterclass for the Republikaliga - two deficits after two home games in the first leg. While Olympia Borograd could not turn theirs around, falling 2-0 on the road to Canbix Muses, Felsenkirchen would put in one of the most memorable performances of these preliminary rounds so far with a 3-1 second leg win. There’s some concern, however, with how shaky the team has looked in some games, and in particular the lack of clinical finishing.

Siovanija & Teusland will have 2 representatives in the IFCF group stages this year, with FC Teussen Stelburg in the Champions' League group G, alongside Anomalies (CMT), Arlington City (ZWZ) and AC Izotz Zubia (AUD). Teussen faced Arlington in last season's Challengers' Cup Round of 16, as Arlington went on to win the competition in the final game at the Franz-Gorz-Stadion. FC Felsenkirchen 1879 are in the Challengers' Cup group B, alongside Northern Union (BRE), Dalton Town FC (CBP) and Ballina FC (NWK). The Blues are yet to face any of these teams in international competition.

IFCF Cup Winners’ Cup - Preliminary Round

Cyrene Bay (OAM) 0-2 Zvezda Vlaikograd
Zvezda Vlaikograd 1-1 Cyrene Bay (OAM)

A mixed bag here. Zvezda Vlaikograd are through, yes - but they’ve suffered for it. Leopold Bliznakov injured his ankle in the second leg, and he’ll miss the first few weeks of the Republikaliga season, a big loss for them. Either way, however, it’s a first-ever win in international competition that the club can be proud of.

With the pre-season IFCF competition out of the way, it’s time to kick off the 10th season of the Republikaliga!

Matchday 1

TSV Marzig 2–1 FC Kaiserhaven
Olympia Borograd 1–2 SW Stahlberg
FC Teussen Stelburg 1–0 Zvezda Vlaikograd
Marlesee 97 0–3 FC Einheit Marnau
FK Orlovska Bistrica 0–0 SV Preisfeld
FK Venkovets 3–2 TSV Georg-Blocher
FK Vlaikograd 1896 2–4 FC Rotmunde 1932
VfL Reinbronn 2–3 FC St. Jakob
FK Metropola Borograd 0–2 Energija Chernovets
1912 Stelburg 2–4 FC Felsenkirchen 1879

And we’re off! Already on day one we see some matches with huge implications for the rest of the season. The first game of the year saw TSV Marzig hosting FC Kaiserhaven, with Horst Hackl’s two goals securing the win for the Gulls. Olympia Borograd and SW Stahlberg renewed acquaintances, and while these games aren’t as important as they once were, there’s always fire when these teams play. Denis Dezelac’s opener made Olympia fans quite confident in the early stages, but goals from Lutz von Bergen and Ragnar Targaryen in the second half gave the Miners a win their fans will remember. It’s a win that also makes us wonder just what Stahlberg’s limits are this season. Neither FC Teussen Stelburg or Zvezda Vlaikograd looked particularly strong in their first games of the season - each team missing some of their top talents from last season. In the end, however, Ludwig Reichwein scored in the 88th minute for Teussen and they take 3 points out of their first game. Banquo Chrysler, Arno Heller and Horacio Bastanchury had the goals for FC Einheit Marnau in a 3-0 blowout win on the road against Marlesee 97, while no goals at all came out of FK Orlovska Bistrica’s game against SV Preisfeld. Venkovets would require a last-moment Valter Tomsic winner, but they survive a late surge from TSV Georg-Blocher to take all the points. Rotmunde found themselves down 2-1 to newly-promoted Vlaikograd at the half, but two from Julian Werner and a late tally from Ignace Thibodeux secured the comeback win. VfL Reinbronn’s return back to the Republikaliga started like a dream, with goals from Caesar Lechte and Falko Schatz making it 2-0 in the first half. FC St. Jakob, however, would recover to score three goals and take control of the game. The weekend closed out with two massive early season fixtures. Brahian Cespedes and Archibald Koyaanisqatsi had the goals for Energija Chernovets as they defeated Metropola Borograd. Metropola had their share of chances, but could not find the back of the net. And in Stelburg, FC Felsenkirchen 1879 opened their season with a strong 4-2 win over 1912 Stelburg. The Bluebirds were in command of the first half, leading 2-1 through goals from Mesmer and Ono. But the Blues took control in the second half, with goals from Segert, Kuruc and a header from Useternix giving them the win. An important win to start the year for Felsenkirchen.

Matchday 2

FC Kaiserhaven 3–2 FC Felsenkirchen 1879
Energija Chernovets 2–1 1912 Stelburg
FC St. Jakob 1–4 FK Metropola Borograd
FC Rotmunde 1932 6–4 VfL Reinbronn
TSV Georg-Blocher 3–2 FK Vlaikograd 1896
SV Preisfeld 1–0 FK Venkovets
FC Einheit Marnau 2–2 FK Orlovska Bistrica
Zvezda Vlaikograd 0–1 Marlesee 97
SW Stahlberg 3–4 FC Teussen Stelburg
TSV Marzig 3–4 Olympia Borograd

While Felsenkirchen’s trip to Stelburg would prove fruitful, their trip to the south coast would be… significantly less so. It was Norbert Ahrendt putting on a show with two first half goals, Bobby East chipping in another in the second half. Felsenkirchen looked poor in attack all day, and only scored twice late on when Kaiserhaven committed to only defending. For a second straight week, there was a massive early-season clash, as Energija Chernovets played host to 1912 Stelburg. Once again, the Bluebirds took the early lead, as Rafa Mesmer put them on top in just the 7th minute. However, Emiliano Gallegas’ first Republikaliga goal would even the score 5 minutes later before Viktor Dimitrov drove home a late winner as Chernovets take a huge win. FK Metropola Borograd couldn’t find their shooting boots last week, this time, they were on the other end: dominated most of the game by FC St. Jakob, but converting all 4 of their shots on target into goals. Rotmunde’s matchup with Reinbronn was a high-scoring affair, 10 goals between them, but a hat-trick from Ignace Thibodeux would see the Islanders lifted to all three points. TSV Georg-Blocher’s Hermann Parler was man of the match thanks to a goal and two assists in the 3-2 win over Vlaikograd. Preisfeld’s Nestor McGowan drove home his side’s winner as they defeat Venkovets. It was Marian Hovlak’s brace in the second half that saved a point for an Orlovska Bistrica side who looked quite poor in the first half against Marnau. Elias Eicke scored for Marlesee as they beat a Zvezda Vlaikograd side who looked void of any creativity whatsoever. FC Teussen Stelburg and SW Stahlberg went back and forth all game, with both sides holding the lead at points in the game. In the end, however, Kurt Witzel’s goal in the final 5 minutes lifted Teussen to victory. Olympia Borograd similarly struggled against TSV Marzig. Marzig came out with a very positive game plan, and led this one 3-1 at one point, but the capital club would not be stopped in the second half, as Denis Dezelac scored twice, earning a yellow card for excessive celebrations after his late winner.

AOCL Round of 16 - First Leg

FC Teussen Stelburg 1-2 1830 Cathair (AUD)

In a game that had to be delayed before kick-off due to the overwhelming reception the home fans gave to Thorsten Kramer, the visiting 1830 Cathair earned a deserved 2-1 win. Ludwig Reichwein had Teussen’s only goal, while who else but Kramer himself would score the winner. The Teussen fans could only applaud at the end of the day, as a club legend played his first club game in the Franz-Gorz-Stadion.

Matchday 3

Olympia Borograd 7–3 FC Kaiserhaven
FC Teussen Stelburg 2–2 TSV Marzig
Marlesee 97 3–0 SW Stahlberg
FK Orlovska Bistrica 2–3 Zvezda Vlaikograd
FK Venkovets 0–2 FC Einheit Marnau
FK Vlaikograd 1896 1–2 SV Preisfeld
VfL Reinbronn 4–3 TSV Georg-Blocher
FK Metropola Borograd 4–2 FC Rotmunde 1932
1912 Stelburg 1–2 FC St. Jakob
FC Felsenkirchen 1879 0–0 Energija Chernovets

Watch out, Republikaliga - Denis Dezelac is here. 3 goals for him today, and he also set up two more for Lojze Kokalj and Ivo Romanov as Olympia Borograd handed FC Kaiserhaven a 7-3 drubbing. Frank Lundrigan’s late goal would give TSV Marzig a huge draw at the Franz-Gorz-Stadion, one Marzig fans were very, very happy with and celebrated wildly. Marlesee 97 gave a great performance as they crushed Stahlberg 3-0, with Lumugue Niforro contributing on all three goals. Zvezda Vlaikograd got a winner from Nwabudike Ugonna as they defeated Orlovska Bistrica, while goals from Chrysler and Cezary Helmuth gave Marnau the win on the road over Venkovets. SV Preisfeld had to come from behind, but they get the important win over Vlaikograd, 2-1 the final score. VfL Reinbronn get the first win of their stay in the Republikaliga, Tristan Schultz scoring the winner 10 years after his last Republikaliga goal. Branimir Glanchev scored twice, including once from the spot, as Metropola Borograd defeated Rotmunde 4-2. There’s a bit of a crisis brewing in Stelburg, where 1912 have lost three straight, including today at home against FC St. Jakob. Erwin Bahnsen had the winner, and Bluebirds turned to boobirds as the home supporters jeered their team off the pitch. The match between Felsenkirchen and Chernovets was billed as a high-octane match between two possible title contenders, but going off this result you’d have them pegged for relegation: 3 shots on target total, including a penalty that was missed by Johannes Mandl. There’s a growing frustration behind the scenes at Felsenkirchen about the poor performance from the attacking group so far this year, and there’s word chairman Gunter Kirchway is putting some pressure on manager Leonard Wagner to start Florian Krukenberg and Lothas Ludwig.

AOCL Round of 16 - Second Leg

1830 Cathair (AUD) 2-1 FC Teussen Stelburg

Teussen go down in the second leg against Cathair, losing out 4-2 on aggregate. You get the impression of a friendly relationship between these clubs, who are the dominant factors in their respective countries, and will be forever linked due to a man who has captained both clubs. That man, Thorsten Kramer, also scored in this game to send his old club out of the competition.

Matchday 4

FC Kaiserhaven 1–2 Energija Chernovets
FC St. Jakob 1–2 FC Felsenkirchen 1879
FC Rotmunde 1932 1–3 1912 Stelburg
TSV Georg-Blocher 0–1 FK Metropola Borograd
SV Preisfeld 1–1 VfL Reinbronn
FC Einheit Marnau 4–1 FK Vlaikograd 1896
Zvezda Vlaikograd 2–2 FK Venkovets
SW Stahlberg 1–2 FK Orlovska Bistrica
TSV Marzig 1–0 Marlesee 97
Olympia Borograd 4–2 FC Teussen Stelburg

While Energija Chernovets couldn’t get much going last week, they were all over Kaiserhaven here. Enigma Armageddon scored the opener, before Brahian Cespedes doubled the lead in the second half. Kaiserhaven would get one back late, but it wasn’t enough. Felsenkirchen, meanwhile, left it late against St. Jakob, and it’s a brace from an unlikely source: Ciriko Useternix, who headed in from a free kick and a corner to make it 2-1. The big news came after the game - the announcement that Mario Pfitzner and Johannes Mandl, who have 1 goal between them after 4 games, will be watching from the sidelines next week and Florian Krukenberg and Lothas Ludwig are coming in. The setting? Oh, just the Northeastern derby against Rotmunde. No pressure, then. 1912 Stelburg were a team under pressure going into the week, and they get a big win on the road against Rotmunde, Momodou Sene getting two of the goals in the win over Rotmunde. Andreas Sargent had his first goal for Metropola Borograd as a substitute late in the 1-0 win over TSV Georg-Blocher. The Preisfeld-Reinbronn rivalry was renewed this weekend with a great atmosphere around the stadium, but unfortunately the game didn’t quite live up to the spectacle. Werner Schott scored in the first half for the home side, and Caesar Lechte nabbed one back in the second half for Reinbronn. Marnau blew out Vlaikograd, 4-1, while Zvezda Vlaikograd needed a late Drago Ward goal to rescue a 2-2 draw against Venkovets. Rudolf Macek grabbed the winner for Orlovska Bistrica in a surprise win over Stahlberg, while it was a goal from Linus Descher giving Marzig the win over Marlesee.

At the Olimpski-Stadion in Borograd, the first National derby of the season got underway. While FC Teussen Stelburg have dominated the rivalry in recent years, there was a feeling before this game that Olympia Borograd might have the chance to make a statement. Denis Dezelac also made a statement: “There’s no chance we lose. No chance. Everybody talks about their defence, well, they’re about to meet Denis Dezelac.” On the other side, Teussen captain Ludwig Reichwein said “I’m glad he’s confident, we’re hoping to show why he’s wrong on Sunday.” The game itself would align much more with Dezelac’s view of things. Dezelac himself would open the scoring 12 minutes in, before Ivo Romanov doubled Olympia’s lead in the 26th minute. Reichwein grabbed one back for Teussen before the half, but Romanov’s second restored Olympia’s lead in the second half. Gustaf Liechtenstein would get a memorable goal, his first in the Republikaliga, but it wouldn’t change much: Dezelac’s second gave Olympia a 4-2 lead, and he celebrated by sprinting all the way across the pitch just to give a ‘shhh’ gesture to the travelling Teussen support. Dezelac was yellow carded for the gesture, but was all smiles post-game as he declared “They aren’t on our level at the moment.” Olympia Borograd will be quite proud of that one, and it’s inspiring them to dream: of a first league title in 7 years.

Matchday 5

FC Teussen Stelburg 4–1 FC Kaiserhaven
Marlesee 97 1–2 Olympia Borograd
FK Orlovska Bistrica 1–1 TSV Marzig
FK Venkovets 3–2 SW Stahlberg
FK Vlaikograd 1896 1–0 Zvezda Vlaikograd
VfL Reinbronn 2–2 FC Einheit Marnau
FK Metropola Borograd 2–3 SV Preisfeld
1912 Stelburg 4–3 TSV Georg-Blocher
FC Felsenkirchen 1879 6–5 FC Rotmunde 1932
Energija Chernovets 1–2 FC St. Jakob

FC Teussen Stelburg recovered from their derby day defeat by taking care of business quick against FC Kaiserhaven. Heinrich Bahr had two, he’s stepped up for the club so far as one of its top players and his goals were quite well-deserved. Olympia Borograd grabbed a win on the road against a tricky Marlesee side, Ikki Tokei with the winning goal. Marian Hovlak rescued a late point for Orlovska Bistrica against Marzig, while it was Atzo Gorgoza as the hero for Venkovets with two second half goals as they rise to defeat Stahlberg. The Vlaikograd derby kicked off this week, and there was more disaster for Zvezda Vlaikograd as they also lost Nwabudike Ugonna to an injury in the 1-0 loss. That’s two of the club’s top players out now, and there’s still no clear timetable on Leopold Bliznakov’s return. Marnau fought back from 2-0 down in the first half to take a point from their trip up the highway to Reinbronn, Horacio Bastanchury was the hero late in the game. FK Metropola Borograd suffered a bad defeat at home, going down 3-2 against SV Preisfeld as Preisfeld’s Werner Schott scored twice. 1912 Stelburg got their second straight win, 4-3 over TSV Georg-Blocher, but it wasn’t the best performance at the back and has many questioning whether the club’s CB duo of Klopfer and Meckler might be past their best. Energija Chernovets were poor against FC St. Jakob, and were on their way to earning an undeserved tie before Leo Heiden scored a late winner for the visiting Saints.

There has been a lot of talk this season about ‘Moments of the Decade.’ The Republikaliga has announced that, after the year, they’ll be picking a panel to identify some of the key players, games and moments that have shaped the first decade of the league. And this week gave us a contender for ‘Game of the Decade,’ the Northeastern derby between Felsenkirchen and Rotmunde. The big story all week was Lothas Ludwig and Florian Krukenberg making their first starts for the senior team, and Rotmunde’s Julian Werner was quick to comment on the decision: “They’ve got talented players, sure, but so do we, and we’re determined to take this one.” It was a sunny day at the end of fall in Felsenkirchen as 40,000 fans eagerly awaited kickoff.

They were right to be excited. The new boys had an impact immediately - literally. Off the opening kick-off, Florian Krukenberg took the ball down the right side, sent in a cross, and Lothas Ludwig headed home to give Felsenkirchen a 1-0 lead 14 seconds into the game. A break four minutes later meant that Linus Segert’s goal gave the Blues a 2-0 lead within 5 minutes. But Rotmunde would not quit, certainly not in the derby. Ignace Thibodeux scored with a header to bring it back to 2-1, and by the 20 minute mark, a drive from Otso Ilkannen had evened things up. The momentum was very clearly with the visitors, and when Julian Werner was awarded a free kick just before half-time, he would turn in a brilliant effort off the head of Campbell Watson, and the young Starblaydi made it 3-2 for Rotmunde at the break.

Just as Felsenkirchen had been quick to start the game, however, they were very quick to start the second half. Just 4 minutes in, Florian Krukenberg worked his way into the box, dribbled past Jaylon Igulana and fired in a low shot to make the score 3-3. Felsenkirchen now were pouring on the pressure, and a scramble in front of the net left the ball free for Lothas Ludwig to turn in, his second of the evening. Felsenkirchen looked to be roaring on to victory after that, as Ciriko Useternix knocked in from a corner to make it 5-3 for the home side.

With little time on the clock, Rotmunde would push forward desperate to score. The game plan turned to ‘get it to the big man in the box,’ which when you have a 6’7 centre forward, can be a very effective strategy. Marvin Peiper’s cross found Thibodeux’s head, and the big Chromatik was able to make it 5-4. Now Rotmunde were pushing forward hard, a loose ball in front was left wide open for Julian Werner to drive home in the 89th minute. All square once again. In injury time, however...we’ll leave it for RBC Sports’ own Friedrich Dessler with the call.

”Here comes Falcon Case through the midfield. Case, beats Ilkannen, and sends the pass out wide to Krukenberg. Is there something left in this one? Krukenberg comes down, he’s got the pass, whips a ball in LUDWIG! LOTHAS LUDWIG! In his first Republikaliga start! In the Northeastern derby! It’s a hat-trick! It’s the win for Felsenkirchen! What a day for the boys in blue, what a day for this young man! 6-5!”

Incredible scenes at the Felsenkirchen-Arena after Lothas Ludwig’s stoppage time winner, as Blues fans stormed the pitch. The remaining minute of injury time was delayed by 10 minutes as fans rushed across the field. The two debutants Krukenberg and Ludwig became instant heroes, and this game might just go down as one of the finest in league history.

President’s Cup - First Round

FC St. Jakob 2–2 FC Kaiserhaven (4–2 AET)
FC Einheit Marnau 3–0 TSV Tarnitz
Marlesee 97 3–2 1884 Felsenkirchen
SV Preisfeld 2–0 NK Kraljgrad
FC Truiselwald 1–1 NK Vojnik (2–1 AET)
FK Vlaikograd 1896 4–5 1912 Stelburg
Admiral Severno Pristajanje 2–1 1828 Pomen
FC Teufelsberg 0–0 VfL Bamerntal (1–0 AET)
FK Metropola Borograd 1–1 Rudar Draijagrad (2–1 AET)
NK Siovanska Gora 2–2 SVG Bainitz (3–3 AET) (4–3 pen.)
Teufelsberg 97 1–0 TSV Prattsee
TSV Marzig 1–1 Oststahlberg 08 (2–2 AET) (4–3 pen.)
Zvezda Vlaikograd 3–2 FC Rotmunde 1932
FC Ternau 05 4–1 Rudar Trkev
FC Felsenkirchen 1879 1–1 FK Venkovets (1–1 AET) (4–2 pen.)
TSV Posenford 1–2 Olympia Borograd
NK Kaskada 1–0 VfL Prutseren
VfB Launitz 1–0 1888 Runsen
Arsenal Bukovets 2–0 FC Giesenau
NK Prevala 0–5 FC Lahnnenbruck 98
VfB Giesenau 0–2 FK Orlovska Bistrica
SK Republika Borograd 4–2 VfL Magesbach
SW Stahlberg 2–0 VfB Truiselwald
Energija Chernovets 2–1 FC Magesbach
TSV Georg-Blocher 3–1 TSV Lahnnenbruck
FC Teussen Stelburg 3–2 Vrnovo Mesto
TSV Konsford 2–3 FK Raketa Bukovets
FK Pomorie 4–0 NK Krakovo
VfL Reinbronn 3–0 VfB Marlesee
FC Kischfeld 4–2 NK Karjaska Gora
VfL Truhnscheid 2–1 FK Kostinbrod
NK Vrnovo 1–0 NK Piran

Not too many shocks in the first round of the Cup this year. Some of the big sides flirted with upsets - particularly Olympia Borograd, who were down 1-0 at the 60th minute against TSV Posenford, and 1912 Stelburg, who had to come back from 3-1 down against FK Vlaikograd 1896. FC Teussen Stelburg, on the other hand, led the whole way against Vrnovo Mesto, but didn’t look too good, while Felsenkirchen required penalties to knock off Venkovets. All Republikaliga sides facing lower tier opposition won their matches, and the result is 16 Republikaliga teams moving on to the second round.

Matchday 6

FC Kaiserhaven 1–2 FC St. Jakob
FC Rotmunde 1932 1–2 Energija Chernovets
TSV Georg-Blocher 0–1 FC Felsenkirchen 1879
SV Preisfeld 1–2 1912 Stelburg
FC Einheit Marnau 1–4 FK Metropola Borograd
Zvezda Vlaikograd 3–2 VfL Reinbronn
SW Stahlberg 3–2 FK Vlaikograd 1896
TSV Marzig 2–1 FK Venkovets
Olympia Borograd 3–3 FK Orlovska Bistrica
FC Teussen Stelburg 1–0 Marlesee 97

It’s four wins from six now for FC St. Jakob, and the Saints’ winner today comes in style as Giorgios Dimitriou bangs in the winner from a free kick. Energija Chernovets also had some late heroics, as Emiliano Gallegas burst down the wing to knock in a winner in the second half against Rotmunde. Felsenkirchen didn’t have nearly as many fireworks in their game this week, as Rolf Seyfried’s goal gave them a somewhat secure 1-0 win. 1912 Stelburg were also victorious, as Henri Oldenbourg got the start after Helek-Nenzi Ono came down with the flu the night before the game. Oldenbourg would put up both goals in the 2-1 win over Preisfeld. Andreas Sargent continues to be a big influence for Metropola Borograd, he had a goal and two assists in their 4-1 win against Marnau. It was the Drago Ward show in Vlaikograd, meanwhile, as he did nearly all the heavy lifting for Zvezda with teammates Bliznakov and Ugonna out injured. Louis von Stroheim had two goals for Stahlberg against Vlaikograd, they win the game 3-2, while it was Kasper Martz getting the winner for Marzig late against Venkovets. Olympia Borograd had the opportunity to keep their lead at the top of the table against Orlovska Bistrica, but they struggled at the back and a goal from Rudolf Macek late in the game gave the Eagles a hard-earned point at the Olimpski-Stadion. The final game of the weekend saw little action as FC Teussen Stelburg scored early against Marlesee and prevented any further attempts from the visitors.

Matchday 7

Marlesee 97 4–3 FC Kaiserhaven
FK Orlovska Bistrica 0–2 FC Teussen Stelburg
FK Venkovets 1–2 Olympia Borograd
FK Vlaikograd 1896 0–0 TSV Marzig
VfL Reinbronn 2–4 SW Stahlberg
FK Metropola Borograd 1–4 Zvezda Vlaikograd
1912 Stelburg 4–2 FC Einheit Marnau
FC Felsenkirchen 1879 2–0 SV Preisfeld
Energija Chernovets 7–3 TSV Georg-Blocher
FC St. Jakob 1–2 FC Rotmunde 1932

It was an exciting game in Marlesee as the hosts went back and forth with the Admirals. Ingolf Kruger had two for Marlesee including the winner in the second half. Kaiserhaven are in a bit of a crisis - everyone knew it was going to be a rebuilding season, but 1 win through 7 games is unacceptable, and if it doesn’t turn around soon the board may feel a need to pull the plug on Sven Meier’s vision for the future of the club. Ludwig Reichwein and Erich Thierse scored for Teussen, they defeated Orlovska Bistrica 2-0, while Denis Dezelac reclaimed the lead of the Golden Boot race with two for Olympia Borograd in a win against local rivals Venkovets. Marzig and Vlaikograd managed only 3 shots on target between them in a bore draw, while Ragnar Targaryen’s brace was the key in Stahlberg’s win over VfL Reinbronn. Zvezda Vlaikograd shocked Metropola Borograd on the road, they got goals from Ward (2) and Gaspersie (2) in what could be a statement win for the Reds’ season. 1912 Stelburg looked very good against Marnau, and two goals from Helek-Nenzi Ono, who recovered just in time from the flu before this one, ensured that the Bluebirds would win. Lothas Ludwig scored for Felsenkirchen in the 2-0 win over Preisfeld, and it looks like he might just be the permanent starter for the Blues now. Energija Chernovets beat up on Georg-Blocher, it was actually 7-1 at one point before Chernovets eased up a bit near the end of the game and Georg-Blocher were able to take advantage. Finally, FC Rotmunde 1932 looked strong against FC St. Jakob, with Werner and Ilkannen having the goals in a 2-1 win for the Islanders.

Matchday 8

FC Kaiserhaven 3–3 FC Rotmunde 1932
TSV Georg-Blocher 2–4 FC St. Jakob
SV Preisfeld 2–5 Energija Chernovets
FC Einheit Marnau 3–3 FC Felsenkirchen 1879
Zvezda Vlaikograd 1–2 1912 Stelburg
SW Stahlberg 2–1 FK Metropola Borograd
TSV Marzig 2–4 VfL Reinbronn
Olympia Borograd 4–0 FK Vlaikograd 1896
FC Teussen Stelburg 5–1 FK Venkovets
Marlesee 97 5–2 FK Orlovska Bistrica

FC Kaiserhaven picked up a point at home after what’s been a difficult start for them, as Bobby East had two goals in the vital comeback against Rotmunde. FC St. Jakob returned to winning ways after last week’s home loss, but it was a bit more of a challenge than they expected - a header from Kayak had Georg-Blocher in the lead early, and St. Jakob only got their winner in the 75th minute. Energija Chernovets pummeled Preisfeld on the road, the final was 5-2 but it could’ve been much, much more for the Canaries, Emiliano Gallegas had two. Felsenkirchen dropped points in a very tight title race after a 3-3 draw on the road with Marnau, it was Arno Heller who knocked in the equalizer for Marnau very late on. 1912 Stelburg required some late heroics as well, after Drago Ward gave Zvezda Vlaikograd a first half lead. But goals from Mesmer and Tegeler turned things around. Andreas Wentzel scored both goals for Stahlberg in a 2-1 win over FK Metropola Borograd, while VfL Reinbronn got a win that’s somewhat surprising given Marzig’s good form, 4-2 the final for them. Denis Dezelac had two as Olympia Borograd defeated Vlaikograd 4-0, and not to be outdone, FC Teussen Stelburg would match their margin of victory with a 5-1 win over FK Venkovets. Lumugue Niforro continues to have a great impact on Marlesee 97, as 3 assists from the Tiog midfielder helped them to a 5-2 win at home.

Matchday 9

FK Orlovska Bistrica 2–4 FC Kaiserhaven
FK Venkovets 2–4 Marlesee 97
FK Vlaikograd 1896 2–2 FC Teussen Stelburg
VfL Reinbronn 2–2 Olympia Borograd
FK Metropola Borograd 2–2 TSV Marzig
1912 Stelburg 0–0 SW Stahlberg
FC Felsenkirchen 1879 4–2 Zvezda Vlaikograd
Energija Chernovets 0–3 FC Einheit Marnau
FC St. Jakob 3–1 SV Preisfeld
FC Rotmunde 1932 2–0 TSV Georg-Blocher

It’s a second win for FC Kaiserhaven in the league this season, and against a relegation rival like Orlovska Bistrica it couldn’t come at a better time. Norbert Ahrendt had the goal in the second half to give Admirals fans a great deal of cheer before they made the near-9 hour trip back to Kaiserhaven. Marlesee 97 win again, 4-2 over FK Venkovets, and they are up to 8th in the table with their 5th win of the year. FC Teussen Stelburg and Olympia Borograd matched each other’s margin of victories last week, and this week they matched each other for disappointing draws against relegation candidates. Vlaikograd and Reinbronn will be very happy to take a point each from their home fixtures against the league’s top 2 at the moment. The other Borograd side, Metropola, also found themselves in a 2-2 draw, as TSV Marzig looked very good at the Metropola-Stadion and will perhaps feel they should’ve won the game. 1912 Stelburg-SW Stahlberg games of old were filled with goals and drama when the teams were competing for titles, but this week found themselves involved in a bore draw. Felsenkirchen got some revenge for last year’s Cup quarterfinal as they defeated Zvezda Vlaikograd 4-2, Florian Krukenberg was man of the match with a goal and two assists, and Felsenkirchen’s kids seem to be fitting in well. Dropping points, however, seemed to be a theme for title contenders, and Energija Chernovets looked very, very point in a 3-0 loss at home to Marnau. The Saints continue to look very strong in the early season so far, with a 3-1 win over Preisfeld, while the northernmost club in Teusland defeated the southernmost club in Teusland, Rotmunde getting goals from Thibodeux and Werner in their 2-0 win.

Matchday 10

FC Kaiserhaven 1–1 TSV Georg-Blocher
SV Preisfeld 3–5 FC Rotmunde 1932
FC Einheit Marnau 3–3 FC St. Jakob
Zvezda Vlaikograd 1–2 Energija Chernovets
SW Stahlberg 2–1 FC Felsenkirchen 1879
TSV Marzig 4–5 1912 Stelburg
Olympia Borograd 2–3 FK Metropola Borograd
FC Teussen Stelburg 3–1 VfL Reinbronn
Marlesee 97 1–0 FK Vlaikograd 1896
FK Orlovska Bistrica 1–0 FK Venkovets

The Kaiserhaven derby started the week, and while Georg-Blocher would lead early through Andreas Lettmann, Kaiserhaven’s Heinz von Houten saved the day at the death to give his team points in a third straight game. Rotmunde travelled to Preisfeld and captured an important 5-3 win, which pulls Rotmunde up into the top 10 of the table. The theme of local rivalries continued as Marnau took on St. Jakob, and Horacio Bastanchury was the hero for the home side with two goals in the derby including a late equalizer. Not too disheartened by last week’s collapse, Energija Chernovets dominated their game with Zvezda Vlaikograd, winning the midfield battle thanks to the pair of Enigma Armageddon and Vsevolod Hristov’s brilliance, and goals coming from Dimitrov and Koyaanisqatsi. SW Stahlberg got a massive win over Felsenkirchen, 2-1 was the final score as the Miners saw John Ferry and Lutz von Bergen find the back of the net in the win. TSV Marzig and 1912 Stelburg played probably the most exciting game of the week, and again Marzig will feel they deserved more: they led 2-0 and 4-3 at points before 1912 Stelburg overturned the deficit. Manager Ole Sauer was particularly unhappy with a penalty given to the Bluebirds with the score a 4-3. FC Teussen Stelburg go top of the league after a 3-1 win over VfL Reinbronn, Gustaf Liechtenstein had two goals in the game, while Marlesee 97’s Ingolf Kruger had the winner against Vlaikograd. Orlovska Bistrica’s Marian Hovlak would miss a penalty just 1 minute into the game, but recovered with a goal in the second half to win the game.

The Borograd derby is always one of the most-anticipated fixtures of the year, and with Olympia Borograd looking like a real title contender for the first time in a few years, this match was no different. Olympia fans talked the week leading up about how they would smash Metropola and go on to win the league, Metropola fans talked about how they would knock Olympia back down to earth. It’s always an emotional fixture when these two meet, and throwing Denis Dezelac into the mix is like throwing a match in a gas tank. “When was the last time they won anything? Like, seriously. People talk about how there’s two big clubs in Borograd, well, when the other one can finish higher than 5th maybe we’ll talk. We are big league, they are midtable” said the young striker. Metropola’s players refused to comment during the week on his comments.

The game itself was played under snowy, gray skies, but that wouldn’t take the joy away from the purple half of Borograd. Branimir Glanchev scored from a corner in the 20th minute to give the visitors the lead, but Dezelac himself would reply with a great goal just on the edge of halftime. Ivo Romanov scored early in the second half, he does love a derby day goal, but this time it was Metropola’s turn to equalize as Andrey Bunev showed his quality with a great run to beat Cormag Chester and Dominik Podlezl before turning it in. With 20 minutes to go, Andreas Sargent came on, and the Starblaydi international had perfect timing to drive in a shot from 25 yards past Anatoli Sveteikov. Sargent endeared himself further to the Metropola fans, who shot purple flares into the afternoon skies as the final whistle blew and Metropola took a famous away win over their biggest rival. Post-match, Metropola’s Lyubomir Dimitrov had only this to say: “Not bad for a midtable club.”

President’s Cup - Second Round

VfL Truhnscheid 0–1 NK Siovanska Gora
FK Pomorie 0–1 FC Teussen Stelburg
Marlesee 97 0–1 TSV Marzig
FK Orlovska Bistrica 1–3 Energija Chernovets
Olympia Borograd 3–1 FC Kischfeld
FC Einheit Marnau 6–3 FC Lahnnenbruck 98
Zvezda Vlaikograd 1–3 FK Metropola Borograd
1912 Stelburg 0–0 FC St. Jakob (1–1 AET) (5–4 pen.)
Admiral Svereno Pristajanje 1–2 TSV Georg-Blocher
Teufelsberg 97 0–0 FC Truiselwald (0–1 AET)
SK Republika Borograd 2–1 NK Kaskada
FC Ternau 05 1–1 FK Raketa Bukovets (2–2 AET) (4–3 pen.)
SV Preisfeld 0–1 NK Vrnovo
FC Felsenkirchen 1879 2–1 VfB Launitz
FC Teufelsberg 0–2 VfL Reinbronn
Arsenal Bukovets 1–0 SW Stahlberg

The first round was low on upsets - not a single Republikaliga team lost to a team outside the division. This round was mostly similar, with only 2 Republikaliga teams going down to lower-tier opposition. That would be SW Stahlberg, who struggled on a cold night in Bukovets as Arsenal beat them 1-0, and SV Preisfeld, who didn’t look good at all in a 1-0 loss to NK Vrnovo. The best game of the round saw 1912 Stelburg and FC St. Jakob go to penalties, with Ronald Wenz’s final penalty hitting the crossbar and knocking the Saints out. TSV Marzig looked excellent in a 1-0 win over Marlesee 97, while FC Einheit Marnau put up 6 against FC Lahnnenbruck 98. There will be 9 Republikaliga sides in the next round. The draw for the third round mostly sees Republikaliga sides again going up against lower-tier opposition, such as Arsenal Bukovets now hosting Teussen, FC Truiselwald hosting Chernovets and NK Siovanska Gora hosting Felsenkirchen. But there is one mouthwatering fixture in the list: Olympia Borograd will host FK Metropola Borograd for a rematch of the Borograd derby.

We’re just over a quarter of the way through the season, and it’s the perfect time to take a quick break and have a look at the league table, where FC Teussen Stelburg sit top of the league after 10 matches.

# Republikaliga             Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts
 1 FC Teussen Stelburg        10    7   2   1    26   14  +12    23
 2 Energija Chernovets        10    7   1   2    23   14   +9    22     Champions' League
 3 Olympia Borograd           10    6   2   2    31   20  +11    20
 4 FC Felsenkirchen 1879      10    6   2   2    25   18   +7    20
 5 1912 Stelburg              10    6   1   3    24   20   +4    19     Challengers' Cup
 6 FC St. Jakob               10    6   1   3    22   19   +3    19
 7 Marlesee 97                10    6   0   4    19   14   +5    18
 8 FC Einheit Marnau          10    4   4   2    25   19   +6    16
 9 FC Rotmunde 1932           10    5   1   4    31   28   +3    16
10 FK Metropola Borograd      10    5   1   4    22   19   +3    16
11 SW Stahlberg               10    5   1   4    19   19    0    16
12 TSV Marzig                 10    3   4   3    19   20   −1    13
13 SV Preisfeld               10    3   2   5    14   21   −7    11
14 Zvezda Vlaikograd          10    3   1   6    16   18   −2    10
15 FK Orlovska Bistrica       10    2   4   4    15   21   −6    10
16 VfL Reinbronn              10    2   3   5    24   29   −5     9
17 FC Kaiserhaven             10    2   2   6    21   29   −8     8
18 FK Venkovets               10    2   1   7    13   23  −10     7
19 FK Vlaikograd 1896         10    1   2   7    11   23  −12     5
20 TSV Georg-Blocher          10    1   1   8    17   29  −12     4

[Siovanija and Teusland]

Score! Magazine

Siovanija & Teusland’s Top Football Fanzine

Henschel-Vanek Proposal Divides Football Clubs, Fans

Olympia Borograd and FC Teussen Stelburg are best known for their on-pitch rivalry, the National derby. They see eye to eye on very, very few things. But on Friday morning at a press conference at the STFA’s headquarters in Stelburg, club directors Erik Henschel (Teussen) and Vitali Vanek (Olympia) were smiling and shaking hands. Why?

The two men had just presented, and released to the media, what they referred to as the ‘New Concorde,’ but what has been commonly referred to as the ‘Henschel-Vanek Proposal.’ “It’s a new day for football in this country,” said Mr. Henschel. Mr. Vanek added, “We’re very happy to be completing the first ten years of the new system, and we believe that our proposal will lay out the next ten and beyond.”

First, a quick background of the history of club football in Siovanija & Teusland. In 1896, after the establishment of the United Republics, the country’s football pyramid was divided into the ‘Regionalligas,’ in different regions of the country, with 4 in each of Siovanija and Teusland. At the end of the season, the champions of each Regionalliga would play for the Siovanijan or Teus championship. Meanwhile, the President’s Cup served as a national championship trophy. In 2018, the STFA acted to bring the 64 professional clubs into a new system of national competition, the Republikaliga we know today, and to keep the remaining non-professional clubs in the Regionalligas.

The new system has been quite well-received, and it has been a proven success. Within 10 seasons, the Republikaliga has risen to become one of the top 15 leagues in the world of football, and has attracted international star players as well as developed some of the top players in world football at the moment - in Cycle 77, 8 players who were developed in the league were named amongst the Galacticos longlist, and 1 player (Darijen Vesele, currently of Rene Skae in Farfadillis) made the Galacticos XI. In addition, Felsenkirchen star forward Lothas Ludwig is the reigning Young Galactico. Clubs from Siovanija & Teusland have also been making great inroads internationally, with a club each in the Champions’ League and Challengers’ Cup group stages.

Critics, however, say that the expansion of the league to 20 teams has meant that teams are playing far too many games in a season. The Republikaliga itself is 38 games, winning the President’s Cup requires 6 more. Adding in international competition, which can be a gruel for the teams who start at the very beginning, and international fixtures for national team players, and the number of games goes up and up. Players have also complained about the schedule of the league during the winter months, particularly the period around late December and early January, during what is usually the harshest weather of the year in many parts of the country.

The Henschel-Vanek Proposal seeks to fix some of these criticisms - however, it is not without criticism itself. First, however, let’s look at the main points.

Henschel-Vanek Proposal

• Gradual reduction of the Republikaliga to 16 teams. This would take place over a 3-year period (season 11: 20 teams, season 12: 18 teams, season 13: 16 teams).
• As a result, shift the four professional tiers to stacks of 16 clubs each - this would require the creation of a new 4. Republikaliga. This change would also happen over 3 years, with the 4. Republikaliga being founded in season 13
• The full professionalization of the top-tiered Regionalliga systems, enabling possible promotion into the Republikaliga system. This would involve a playoff with 4. Republikaliga clubs, and would be subject to other requirements as well, including stadium infrastructure
• The 2. Republikaliga would begin participation in the IFCF Liga B Champions’ Trophy. Previously, the second tier clubs had the optional choice to do so, however, not a single club in the first ten seasons took this option, citing the need to fight for a place in the Republikaliga instead. Given less fixture congestion, the clubs would now be able to focus on both, and additional TV money would help strengthen these clubs.
• Cup competitions would be changed. As professional clubs, the 64 Regionalliga clubs would be guaranteed a place in the President’s Cup, which would take on an expanded 128-club format. Under the proposal, however, Republikaliga clubs would not enter the competition until its third round, and the Cup would also take place later in the season.
• To offset the loss of games for lower-ranked clubs, who in many cases rely on gate revenue for their survival, a new competition would be created, the STFA Shield, involving the 48 clubs in the 2, 3 and 4. Republikaliga. The winner of this competition would receive a berth in the Liga B Champions’ Trophy.
• The same loss of gate revenue is present for the Regionalliga clubs, who would now be playing a slightly shorter schedule. Therefore, the STFA Vase will be a new competition created for the 64 Regionalliga clubs to contest as well.
• The split of TV revenue and advertising revenue would be changed to see more money go into the lower tiers as well as grassroots-level development of the game. The timing of the switch would also match with when the league is expected to get a new television package domestically - and with the likelihood of a growing international presence in the near future as the league continues to rise. However, all IFCF TV money would go only to the club participating in the competition.
• A two-week winter break in all tiers, scheduled for the first two weeks of January.
• Transfer regulations allowing players with 6 months left on their contracts to negotiate with other teams within Siovanija & Teusland

The proposal was released just this morning, however, we are expecting responses to come from many of the STFA’s member clubs and on both sides of the issue. It is expected there will be a massive divide in opinion on the proposal. For top clubs - including Olympia and Teussen, who have drafted the proposal - it will likely see a great deal of support. The proposal would lessen the burden of having to play, in some cases, upwards of 50 games a season. In addition, it would see these clubs make more money as part of new financial regulations. For midtable clubs, however, it is likely they will mostly oppose the deal. Clubs who have previously been comfortable in the places from around 10-14 in the league will suddenly be fighting relegation and instead of building a project for the future - such as SW Stahlberg, Zvezda Vlaikograd and FC Felsenkirchen 1879 have all done with great success in recent years - they will need to focus on survival.

Lower-tier clubs, however, seem to be somewhat split on the proposal. Some of the poorer clubs will see the opportunity for additional silverware as a bonus, as well as financial regulations that will see them receive more money from the top. At the bottom, however, these clubs could now face relegation into the Regionalligas rather than simply being at the bottom of a closed pyramid. Richer clubs, however, will see it a bit differently. Their odds of making the Republikaliga itself are now even more slim, considering the extra teams fighting for spots. On the other hand, the opportunity to play international football is now somewhat achievable, as is extra silverware.

At the very bottom of the pyramid, there is overwhelming support. Regionalliga clubs have long protested the STFA’s decision to keep the Republikaliga system closed, and have for years demanded the ability to be promoted. This would now be the case, and these clubs could also now re-enter the President’s Cup after the ten year absence. However, Regionalliga clubs will not have a vote on the proposal. We’ll have more details on the voting system itself in a moment.

Fan reaction has also been mixed. The most popular elements of the plan are the addition of the Regionalliga system to the pyramid as well as their entrance in the President’s Cup, as well as the new trophies. The idea that a club like, for example, SV Charlottenberg, who attract around 550 fans a game and are located 2.5km down the street from the Franz-Gorz-Stadion, could one day play against FC Teussen Stelburg in a meaningful game, is very attractive to fans. On the other hand, however, the idea to decline the Republikaliga’s size to 16 teams is unpopular. In addition, some fans claim that the project has been cooked up by the so-called ‘Big 6’ of Teussen, Olympia, Chernovets, 1912 Stelburg, Metropola Borograd and Felsenkirchen to maintain their position - specifically through the changes to TV revenue. Traditionally, the top group of football in the country has involved a few core teams (Teussen and Olympia most prominently) and a rotating cast around them. Some fans claim this would remove the chances of a club pulling - ironically - a Felsenkirchen by fighting their way into the top group.

The proposal is expected to receive significant debate in the coming weeks and months. Consultations will be conducted by the STFA with players, staff members, team owners and fans. The proposal will be tabled and voted on at the STFA Annual Assembly at the end of the current season. The voting process will be two-tiered. Firstly, the 64 clubs of the Republikaliga system will vote. A simple majority of 33 votes will be enough to pass or fail the proposal. Following that, if the vote should pass, it will proceed to the STFA Executive Board, which is made up of 10 members. Here, the vote will need a majority of 6 votes. If it fails, or the vote is a tie, the proposal is rejected.

We’ll continue to have coverage as the Republikaliga looks back on ten years of history and looks ahead towards its future. In addition, watch out for continued coverage of the Republikaliga season as the nation’s best fight to be crowned Champions of the Republic.

[Siovanija and Teusland]

Republikaliga Season X - Part II

Matchday 11

FK Venkovets 2–1 FC Kaiserhaven
FK Vlaikograd 1896 2–0 FK Orlovska Bistrica
VfL Reinbronn 2–3 Marlesee 97
FK Metropola Borograd 0–1 FC Teussen Stelburg
1912 Stelburg 4–2 Olympia Borograd
FC Felsenkirchen 1879 4–2 TSV Marzig
Energija Chernovets 1–0 SW Stahlberg
FC St. Jakob 2–1 Zvezda Vlaikograd
FC Rotmunde 1932 1–0 FC Einheit Marnau
TSV Georg-Blocher 1–1 SV Preisfeld

Back in action, and there were a few interesting games this weekend! FK Venkovets scored twice in the first 15 minutes of their game with FC Kaiserhaven, and while Bobby East would add one late in the game for the Admirals, it wasn’t enough. FK Vlaikograd 1896 grabbed their second win of the season in a scrappy win over FK Orlovska Bistrica, both goals coming via set pieces. Marlesee 97’s strong start to the year continues, they had to come from behind against Reinbronn to secure the win and move up to 6th place in the league. FC Teussen Stelburg’s second trip to Borograd this season saw them take on the men in purple. It would go much better than their game against the men in green - Ludwig Reichwein getting the game’s only goal in the first half, and a strong performance in the second half for Teussen seeing them hold onto top spot. Ironically, back in Stelburg, 1912 hosted Olympia Borograd. Denis Dezelac had the opener, but Olympia Borograd’s winless run was extended to 3 games in a row thanks to goals from Rafa Mesmer (2), Helek-Nenzi Ono and Gerold Tegeler for the Bluebirds. Olympia are now down to 7th in the league, and have lost twice in a row. Other title contenders were in action today, and Felsenkirchen were winners over Marzig, 4-2 the final score as Lothas Ludwig continues to find the back of the net for the Blues. In Chernovets, a dull game between the Canaries and the coal miners saw Miro Dinev’s goal as a late sub stand as the winner. Next weekend sees two very important matches in the title race: a Stelburg derby, while in the capital Olympia Borograd will host Felsenkirchen. Two from Erwin Bahnsen gave the Saints the win over Zvezda Vlaikograd, while up north in Rotmunde it was Otso Ilkannen grabbing the winner. Elsewhere, Werner Schott’s late equalizer for Preisfeld gave his club split points with TSV Georg-Blocher.

Matchday 12

FC Kaiserhaven 0–1 SV Preisfeld
FC Einheit Marnau 0–1 TSV Georg-Blocher
Zvezda Vlaikograd 1–3 FC Rotmunde 1932
SW Stahlberg 3–4 FC St. Jakob
TSV Marzig 1–2 Energija Chernovets
Olympia Borograd 1–1 FC Felsenkirchen 1879
FC Teussen Stelburg 1–1 1912 Stelburg
Marlesee 97 1–2 FK Metropola Borograd
FK Orlovska Bistrica 3–1 VfL Reinbronn
FK Venkovets 5–3 FK Vlaikograd 1896

Werner Schott’s second in two weeks gave Preisfeld the win over FC Kaiserhaven, while TSV Georg-Blocher get three huge points for themselves in the relegation battle with a surprising 1-0 win over Marnau. FC Rotmunde 1932 were dominant against a Zvezda Vlaikograd side that are struggling in the league this season, and goals from Julian Werner, Marvin Peiper and Ignace Thibodeux give the visitors a win that takes them up to 5th in the table. SW Stahlberg and FC St. Jakob went back and forth all day, with Ragnar Targaryen scoring thrice for the Miners, but in the end a last-gasp winner from Leo Heiden gave the Saints the win. TSV Marzig’s Horst Hackl opened the scoring for his club, but similarly goals from Brahian Cespedes and Enigma Armageddon gave Energija Chernovets the win - and top spot in the Republikaliga. Andrey Bunev had both goals in Metropola Borograd’s big win over Marlesee, while Orlovska Bistrica found their form again as Marian Hovlak scored twice in the win over VfL Reinbronn. FK Vlaikograd 1896 were unable to build off last week’s result, and they fall 5-3 to Venkovets.

And for four of the teams in the title race, we have...status quo. Olympia Borograd’s Denis Dezelac was brash before the game, declaring himself ‘the best young player in the league,’ a statement many Felsenkirchen fans would dispute given the emergence of Florian Krukenberg and Lothas Ludwig this season. Neither player, however, fell into Dezelac’s bait, telling the media that ‘Dezelac is certainly a great player, we look forward to playing him Sunday.’ Dezelac would score for Olympia from the spot in the first half, but a goal from Rolf Seyfried late on meant the two teams drew 1-1. In Stelburg, there was less talk before the big Stelburg derby game, both sides preferring to focus on the game. There was some excitement here - Ludwig Reichwein hitting the crossbar early on - but in the end, a 1-1 draw was also the final result. Bastian Boltzmann and Rafa Mesmer had the goals for their respective sides. With the pair of stalemates here, Energija Chernovets go to the top of the league, with a one-point advantage. The title battles are not over yet, however. Next week, Felsenkirchen host FC Teussen Stelburg and Energija Chernovets host Olympia Borograd.

Matchday 13

FK Vlaikograd 1896 1–4 FC Kaiserhaven
VfL Reinbronn 1–0 FK Venkovets
FK Metropola Borograd 1–0 FK Orlovska Bistrica
1912 Stelburg 4–4 Marlesee 97
FC Felsenkirchen 1879 0–1 FC Teussen Stelburg
Energija Chernovets 2–0 Olympia Borograd
FC St. Jakob 1–1 TSV Marzig
FC Rotmunde 1932 2–1 SW Stahlberg
TSV Georg-Blocher 2–7 Zvezda Vlaikograd
SV Preisfeld 2–1 FC Einheit Marnau

FC Kaiserhaven looked very good in their game against struggling Vlaikograd, and it is a hopeful sign for their fans that the club can push on from this and fight their way up the table. VfL Reinbronn’s Caesar Lerche had the winning goal for his club against FK Venkovets, pulling Reinbronn up to 17th in the table, and now just one point behind the Vs themselves. Andreas Sargent had the winner for Metropola Borograd as they defeated Orlovska Bistrica as he continues a strong debut season in purple. 1912 Stelburg needed to recover from going 4-2 down, and they would do so thanks to a great second half performance that saw them get goals from Helek-Nenzi Ono and Momodou Sene to recover a point. Ole Sauer took his Marzig team back to St. Jakob, and put on a masterclass at the Draistadion as the visiting Knights took a point from the Saints. FC Rotmunde 1932 beat Stahlberg 2-1, and there’s a very important note here for Islanders fans. It is the first time since matchday 17 of season 8 that Rotmunde are above Felsenkirchen in the table. Zvezda Vlaikograd took their frustrating season so far out on TSV Georg-Blocher with a 7-2 win, Drago Ward scoring three goals. The club still do not know, however, what the timetable is for Leopold Bliznakov’s return from injury. Nwabudike Ugonna, on the other hand, is expected to be back in 4-6 weeks. Preisfeld got a surprise win over Marnau as well to take themselves up to 10th in the league.

The Felsenkirchen-Teussen rivalry has been one of the most heated in the league for a few seasons now. Every time these teams played, there were fireworks, culminating in the ‘red apple incident’ and the brawl between these teams after Teussen’s 4-3 win at the Franz-Gorz-Stadion last season. There was a worry, however, that the rivalry would cool off - several of Teussen’s key players have now departed the club, and some of Felsenkirchen’s key players were no longer in the first team. The new boys, however, had some history of their own - even the youth teams of these clubs had a harsh title fight last season, which involved Bastian Boltzmann, Gustaf Liechtenstein, Florian Krukenberg and Lothas Ludwig playing key roles.

On the pitch, this game was not nearly as heated as the prior incidents. There was still a tension, however, seen clearly in the hard tackling, the vicious boos from the Felsenkirchen crowd anytime a Teussen player touched the ball, and the grand, extravagant celebrations from the Teussen supporters when Heinrich Bahr scored the winner with only 6 minutes on the clock to give the visitors a huge 1-0 victory in the title race, keeping them in second place.

A few hours away in Chernovets, another important battle in the title fight was underway, as Energija Chernovets took on Olympia Borograd. These teams have been the best in Siovanija for pretty much the entirety of the Republikaliga era, however, due to differing fortunes - Chernovets at their best when Olympia struggled, Olympia at their best when Chernovets struggled - there hasn’t been as tense a rivalry between them. That could all change this year, however, as both clubs look like title contenders. This game, however, was relatively toothless - the Atoms appeared in control from start to finish. Emiliano Gallegas knocked in the opener for Chernovets, before the Farf international assisted on Brahian Cespedes’ winner. Chernovets are top of the league, just one point ahead of FC Teussen Stelburg. Guess who play each other at the Franz-Gorz-Stadion next week?

Matchday 14

FC Kaiserhaven 4–2 FC Einheit Marnau
Zvezda Vlaikograd 1–2 SV Preisfeld
SW Stahlberg 0–2 TSV Georg-Blocher
TSV Marzig 3–3 FC Rotmunde 1932
Olympia Borograd 3–2 FC St. Jakob
FC Teussen Stelburg 4–3 Energija Chernovets
Marlesee 97 4–4 FC Felsenkirchen 1879
FK Orlovska Bistrica 4–5 1912 Stelburg
FK Venkovets 2–4 FK Metropola Borograd
FK Vlaikograd 1896 2–3 VfL Reinbronn

Kaiserhaven pull off another win this week - and this time against FC Einheit Marnau, who are struggling a bit over the last few weeks. It’s a massive home win for the Admirals, who are now up to 15th position in the league and don’t look doomed as they did a few weeks ago. Zvezda Vlaikograd couldn’t carry over their form from last week, however, and instead fall 2-1 against SV Preisfeld. There was a bit of a shock elsewhere as TSV Georg-Blocher defeated SW Stahlberg 2-0, Stahlberg missed twice from the penalty spot in the game. Marzig’s Takashi Matsumoto had the equalizer in injury time as TSV Marzig earned a point in a 3-3 draw with FC Rotmunde 1932, while Denis Dezelac scored twice at the Olimpski-Stadion as Olympia Borograd returned to winning ways with a 3-2 win over FC St. Jakob. It was a difficult day for Felsenkirchen, however, who travelled to face a Marlesee side that were prepared to do battle - Marlesee led the game 2-0 and 4-3 at times, but a goal from Florian Krukenberg in stoppage time gave the visiting Blues a point. Similarly, 1912 Stelburg struggled to break away from FK Orlovska Bistrica who got two goals each from Rudolf Macek and Marian Hovlak. A hat-trick from Rafa Mesmer, however, plus other goals from Adrian Tremblay-Fillon and Raphael Klopfer secured three points for the Bluebirds. FK Metropola Borograd beat Venkovets in a game that looked closer on the scoresheet than it was, Venkovets getting two late goals, while VfL Reinbronn took a massive win in a relegation six-pointer, going on the road and defeating FK Vlaikograd 1896.

In Stelburg, on a chilly fall afternoon, FC Teussen Stelburg defeated Energija Chernovets 4-3 to go top of the Republikaliga. It was a seesaw game, with both teams struggling to break away from each other. Brahian Cespedes had Chernovets on the board first, but Ludwig Reichwein equalized within 10 minutes. Then, Bastian Boltzmann gave Teussen the lead just before halftime, but only 5 minutes into the second half Emiliano Gallegas had levelled. Gallegas’ second of the afternoon had Chernovets fans believing this, surely, was their game to win, but Erich Thierse would score from a corner once again only a few minutes later, making things 3-3. Neither team deserved to lose the game, but Teussen’s Heinrich Bahr scored a goal worthy of being a match-winner late on and the black and gold go back on top of the league after 14 games.

Matchday 15

VfL Reinbronn 2–2 FC Kaiserhaven
FK Metropola Borograd 1–3 FK Vlaikograd 1896
1912 Stelburg 1–2 FK Venkovets
FC Felsenkirchen 1879 4–1 FK Orlovska Bistrica
Energija Chernovets 3–2 Marlesee 97
FC St. Jakob 0–1 FC Teussen Stelburg
FC Rotmunde 1932 1–1 Olympia Borograd
TSV Georg-Blocher 1–0 TSV Marzig
SV Preisfeld 3–3 SW Stahlberg
FC Einheit Marnau 2–1 Zvezda Vlaikograd

FC Kaiserhaven picked up another point this week, getting a draw against VfL Reinbronn, as Beautiful Bobby East had both assists for the Admirals. FK Metropola Borograd suffered a somewhat embarrassing home defeat to FK Vlaikograd 1896 - the Lakers sit at the very bottom of the Republikaliga table, however, two goals in the second half from Bendeguz Kadar gave them the win. Similarly, 1912 Stelburg are not at all happy with a terrible performance at home against FK Venkovets. Atzo Gorgoza and Valter Tomsic had the goals for the visitors. FC Felsenkirchen 1879, meanwhile, would not have a similar fate: they smashed FK Orlovska Bistrica, 4-1 the final score. It was a return to the scoresheet for Johannes Mandl, who came off the bench to score the final goal in the win. Marlesee 97 are really proving they are to be taken seriously this season, Elias Eicke having two goals for them today, but Energija Chernovets were just strong enough to take the win. Emiliano Gallegas scored the winner, boosting his early bid for the Golden Ball this season. Another Golden Ball contender so far, however, is Heinrich Bahr, and the Teussen midfielder would score a cannon of a shot from 35 yards against FC St. Jakob that would stand as the winner. Olympia Borograd slipped to a draw - but this Rotmunde side have looked very good so far, and sit 4th in the league, so perhaps slipped is not the correct term. In what was jokingly called the ‘TSV-Derby,’ Georg-Blocher take the win over Marzig thanks to a goal from Thorsten Korte. Andreas Wentzel scored late for Stahlberg to save a point for them in what’s been a difficult run of games for the Miners, while Horacio Bastanchury’s brace lifts Marnau past Zvezda Vlaikograd.

Matchday 16

FC Kaiserhaven 0–3 Zvezda Vlaikograd
SW Stahlberg 4–1 FC Einheit Marnau
TSV Marzig 2–4 SV Preisfeld
Olympia Borograd 6–0 TSV Georg-Blocher
FC Teussen Stelburg 3–1 FC Rotmunde 1932
Marlesee 97 4–2 FC St. Jakob
FK Orlovska Bistrica 2–3 Energija Chernovets
FK Venkovets 0–1 FC Felsenkirchen 1879
FK Vlaikograd 1896 2–3 1912 Stelburg
VfL Reinbronn 3–6 FK Metropola Borograd

Drago Ward has had to put Zvezda Vlaikograd on his back when possible this season, and he managed to score twice in the club’s 3-0 win over FC Kaiserhaven. They received some other positive news when they learned that Nwabudike Ugonna will return from injury a little earlier than expected, but there is still no timeline for Leopold Bliznakov, who has had trouble recovering from the ankle injury that has derailed his season so far. SW Stahlberg needed a win badly, and thanks to a hat-trick from Ragnar Targaryen they get it over FC Einheit Marnau. Those points pull the Miners back up to 11th in the league, overtaking the Roses. TSV Marzig have now lost two in a row in strange fashion, they led Preisfeld 2-0 at the half before collapsing in the second half as the Bees took control of the game. There wasn’t much to say at the Olimpski-Stadion. Some games end 1-0 and should have been 6-0, some games end 6-0 and should have been 15-0. This was one of those games, as in addition to 6 goals Olympia hit the bar four more times. Teussen remain top of the league after beating Rotmunde, 3-1 the final as Bastian Boltzmann was the star of the show with a goal and two assists, while Marlesee 97 are up to 8th in the league after their 4-2 win over FC St. Jakob. The pressure was on for the rest of the title contenders to keep pace with Teussen, and they would each do so. Vsevolod Hristov had Chernovets’ winner late, Lothas Ludwig played a similar role for Felsenkirchen, while 1912 Stelburg almost threw away a 3-0 lead after Vlaikograd scored twice in the second half. FK Metropola Borograd would match their hated rivals Olympia’s goal total as they knocked 6 past Reinbronn keeper Maxi Hennig, two goals coming from the penalty spot.

IFCF Champions’ League Group Stage

Group G

P                                Pl  W  D  L  GF  GA  GD Pts     ArC    ItZ    TSb    Anm
1  Arlington City           ZWZ   6  3  1  2  11  12  -1  10 *    -     2-0    2-1    1-5  
2  AC Izotz Zubia           AUD   6  3  1  2  11  11   0  10 *   4-2     -     0-0    5-4  
3  FC Teussen Stelburg      STL   6  2  2  2  11   6   5   8     0-0    0-1     -     5-1  
4  Anomalies                CMT   6  2  0  4  17  21  -4   6     2-4    3-1    2-5     -   
*Tie broken by head to head goals scored away from home

FC Teussen Stelburg finished 3rd in their Champions’ League group, and will move down to the Challengers’ Cup knockout rounds. It was a difficult tournament for the black and gold. Both of Teussen’s wins came in victories over Chromatik side Anomalies, 5-1 at home and 5-2 away thanks to great goalscoring performances from Ludwig Reichwein. In their other 4 games, however, Teussen only managed to score 1 goal - Gustaf Liechtenstein’s consolation prize in a 2-1 loss to Arlington City. Taking a point of AC Izotz Zubia away from home is a result Teussen can be happy with, but they’ll be hoping to show a bit more teeth in their Challengers’ Cup Round of 32 Fixture. Would any other Republikaliga clubs be joining them in that round?

IFCF Challengers’ Cup Group Stage

Group B                           P  W  D  L   F   A  GD Pts     BRE    STL    NWK    CBP
1  Northern Union           BRE   6  4  1  1  10   6   4  13      -     1-0    4-1    1-0  
2  FC Felsenkirchen 1879    STL   6  4  0  2  10   6   4  12     3-0     -     2-1    0-1  
3  Ballina FC               NWK   6  2  0  4   9  14  -5   6     1-3    1-2     -     2-1  
4  Dalton Town FC           CBP   6  1  1  4   7  10  -3   4     1-1    2-3    2-3     -

Yes! FC Felsenkirchen 1879 managed to finish 2nd in their Challengers’ Cup group after a brilliant performance. A 3-0 win over Brenecia’s Northern Union, featuring a brace by Lothas Ludwig as his breakout season extended to international competition, was the highlight of a campaign, but the team were able to defeat each team in their group once. They also swept Ballina FC of Northwest Kalactin. A disappointing loss to Dalton Town FC at home, however, kept them from finishing first in the group. Therefore, Felsenkirchen and Teussen will both play in Round of 32.

Felsenkirchen will meet the X Island Marauders of Taeshan, a very difficult matchup, while Teussen will take on the Urbizania Wanderers of Astograth - once again a tough tie. Both clubs will need to be at their absolute best if they are to make progress in the tournament this year.

Matchday 17

FK Metropola Borograd 2–0 FC Kaiserhaven
1912 Stelburg 1–0 VfL Reinbronn
FC Felsenkirchen 1879 5–1 FK Vlaikograd 1896
Energija Chernovets 1–0 FK Venkovets
FC St. Jakob 5–2 FK Orlovska Bistrica
FC Rotmunde 1932 1–0 Marlesee 97
TSV Georg-Blocher 1–4 FC Teussen Stelburg
SV Preisfeld 2–4 Olympia Borograd
FC Einheit Marnau 1–2 TSV Marzig
Zvezda Vlaikograd 1–4 SW Stahlberg

A strong week for the Republikaliga’s big clubs. FK Metropola Borograd had little trouble with FC Kaiserhaven, goals coming from Boris Bachev and Andrey Bunev in a 2-0 win that sees the Violets moving up to 6th, level on points with Olympia Borograd. 1912 Stelburg had to struggle against the parked bus of VfL Reinbronn, but a goal from Momodou Sene, albeit from a direct free kick late, was enough to give them 3 points. Felsenkirchen’s offence continues to be one of the finest in the division this year, and goals from Lothas Ludwig (2), Linus Segert (2) and Falcon Case gave them a 5-1 win over Vlaikograd. Energija Chernovets, meanwhile, were a bit more lowkey in their win over FK Venkovets, Miro Dinev scoring the winner in the second half of a 1-0 win. FC St. Jakob have quietly been very, very good so far this season, and a 5-2 win over FK Orlovska Bistrica in which Ronald Wenz ran the show has them up to 8th position in the league again. FC Rotmunde 1932’s Ignace Thibodeaux used his massive frame to bang in a header from a corner late in the game, as the Islanders defeated Marlesee 1-0. FC Teussen Stelburg would put 4 past TSV Georg-Blocher to keep their lead at the top of the table, while Olympia Borograd wouldn’t be outdone with 4 of their own against SV Preisfeld. Also scoring 4 were SW Stahlberg, including 2 from Ragnar Targaryen, while TSV Marzig’s Frank Lundrigan and Horst Hackl had second half goals as the Knights turned things around against FC Einheit Marnau.

IFCF Cup Winners’ Cup First Round - First Leg

Cyrene Bay (OAM) 0-2 Zvezda Vlaikograd

Despite the win on the road, 2-0 over Cyrene Bay which puts Zvezda in a great position for the second leg at home, there was somehow even more bad news for the team: defender Frantisek Polak, the sturdy young defender, was injured, and will miss at least the next two months with a hamstring injury. There is word, however, that Nwabudike Ugonna will be making his return to the squad for the second leg against Cyrene Bay, something which would be very much welcome for Zvezda Vlaikograd supporters.

Matchday 18

FC Kaiserhaven 4–4 SW Stahlberg
TSV Marzig 1–0 Zvezda Vlaikograd
Olympia Borograd 2–2 FC Einheit Marnau
FC Teussen Stelburg 3–2 SV Preisfeld
Marlesee 97 1–0 TSV Georg-Blocher
FK Orlovska Bistrica 1–4 FC Rotmunde 1932
FK Venkovets 1–1 FC St. Jakob
FK Vlaikograd 1896 2–8 Energija Chernovets
VfL Reinbronn 0–1 FC Felsenkirchen 1879
FK Metropola Borograd 0–3 1912 Stelburg

FC Kaiserhaven and SW Stahlberg have both been examples of inconsistency this season, and it was thus a bit fitting that the teams played a back and forth game that ended in a draw. TSV Marzig and Zvezda Vlaikograd renewed their rivalry for the first time this season, and Marzig were the happier set of supporters after a 1-0 win courtesy of a goal from Kasper Martz, as the Knights rose to 12th after a win over the injury-depleted Reds. Olympia Borograd led FC Einheit Marnau 2-0 just 22 minutes into the game, but it was goals from Banquo Chrysler and Horacio Bastanchury in the second half that had Marnau supporters in dreamland as their side took a huge point off of Olympia Borograd. The league leaders FC Teussen Stelburg found themselves similarly in trouble, having thrown away a 1-0 lead to be down 2-1 in the 75th minute. Ludwig Reichwein, however, would come to the rescue as Teussen took a 3-2 win. Ingolf Kruger had Marlesee’s winner against Georg-Blocher, while Rotmunde had no trouble with Orlovska Bistrica and won the game 4-1. FK Venkovets scored in the first minute, and looked to be well on their way to a win, until FC St. Jakob scored in the 90th minute to equalize. Energija Chernovets exploded for eight goals against Vlaikograd. There were seven unique goalscorers for the club on the day, with Emiliano Gallegas (2), Brahian Cespedes, Enigma Armageddon, Archibald Koyaanisqatsi, Taras Maksimov, Viktor Dimitrov and Dragomir Nikolov all getting in on the scoring. Felsenkirchen only required one goalscorer, Linus Segert, to pull themselves up to 3rd place in the league. In Borograd, 1912 Stelburg ran rampant over Metropola, with Helek-Nenzi Ono scoring twice and Demjko Izvanic chipping in some insurance late.

IFCF Cup Winners’ Cup First Round - Second Leg

Zvezda Vlaikograd 1-1 Cyrene Bay (OAM)

Zvezda Vlaikograd advance to the Round of 16, after a hard-fought game which saw Drago Ward’s goal stand as a backbreaker. Cyrene Bay would equalize in the second half, but it wasn’t enough. Nwabudike Ugonna was on the bench, and was subbed on in the 80th minute to help gain match fitness.

Matchday 19

1912 Stelburg 1–2 FC Kaiserhaven
FC Felsenkirchen 1879 0–1 FK Metropola Borograd
Energija Chernovets 6–0 VfL Reinbronn
FC St. Jakob 1–1 FK Vlaikograd 1896
FC Rotmunde 1932 2–2 FK Venkovets
TSV Georg-Blocher 4–2 FK Orlovska Bistrica
SV Preisfeld 4–1 Marlesee 97
FC Einheit Marnau 1–2 FC Teussen Stelburg
Zvezda Vlaikograd 3–4 Olympia Borograd
SW Stahlberg 2–1 TSV Marzig

FC Kaiserhaven’s inconsistency continues - this week, however, it has their fans very, very happy. Goals from Heinz van Houten and Norbert Ahrendt gave Kaiserhaven the win. Felsenkirchen were another title contender that faltered this week - they struggled to get shots on goal, while Metropola only required one. It was a shot from Andrey Bunev that beat Gentza Bedigax, and the capital side took all three points. Energija Chernovets, meanwhile, demolished VfL Reinbronn by a score of 6-0. That’s 14 goals for Chernovets in two weeks, and this time it was Viktor Dimitrov leading the way with three goals. FK Vlaikograd 1896 got a late goal from Bendeguz Kadar to rescue a point against FC St. Jakob, while Atzo Gorgoza played a similar role for FK Venkovets. TSV Georg-Blocher needed points badly against FK Orlovska Bistrica, and they got them thanks to a 4-2 win. SV Preisfeld similarly needed a win, and they shocked Marlesee 97 with a blitzing three-goal first half en route to a 4-1 win. Horacio Bastanchury gave Marnau fans some early hope with a goal just 4 minutes in, but Teussen steadied the ship and goals from Boltzmann and Eicher saw them take a 2-1 win and keep their lead at the top. Nwabudike Ugonna had a goal on his return for Zvezda Vlaikograd, but Denis Dezelac and Lojze Kokalj had two each in Olympia’s 4-3 win. Finally, John Ferry knocked one in from 30 yards with just minutes left, a goal that would stand as the winner for SW Stahlberg, 2-1 against TSV Marzig.

IFCF Cup Winners’ Cup Round of 16 - First Leg

Zvezda Vlaikograd 2-1 Dinamo Bender (PDN)

A memorable international win for Zvezda Vlaikograd on a cold Thursday evening, as they defeat Dinamo Bender of Pridnestrovia 2-1. Drago Ward had both goals, and the club will now travel to Pridnestrovia for the all-important second leg.

Matchday 20

FC Kaiserhaven 3–5 TSV Marzig
SW Stahlberg 2–3 Olympia Borograd
Zvezda Vlaikograd 2–3 FC Teussen Stelburg
FC Einheit Marnau 2–3 Marlesee 97
SV Preisfeld 2–2 FK Orlovska Bistrica
TSV Georg-Blocher 0–3 FK Venkovets
FC Rotmunde 1932 1–2 FK Vlaikograd 1896
FC St. Jakob 3–3 VfL Reinbronn
Energija Chernovets 3–1 FK Metropola Borograd
FC Felsenkirchen 1879 4–2 1912 Stelburg

Now it’s FC Kaiserhaven looking inconsistent again - they win against 1912 Stelburg on the road last week, this time they go down 5-1 to TSV Marzig before making a late rally to try and turn things around. Olympia Borograd had three second half goals, from Ivo Romanov, Lojze Kokalj and Ixtub Tun, as they defeated SW Stahlberg. Ixtub Tun has been an incredible player for Olympia so far, and is one of many names in the running for the Young Player of the Year award. FC Teussen Stelburg did all of their scoring against Zvezda Vlaikograd, meanwhile, in the first half, as they won 3-2 to keep their lead at the top of the table. 3-2 games seemed to be a theme this weekend, as Marlesee’s Lumugue Niforro gave his side the win with a free kick goal. Rudolf Macek’s 90+6 goal saw FK Orlovksa Bistrica get a key point against SV Preisfeld. Venkovets’ Valter Tomsic had a brace as his side defeated TSV Georg-Blocher, while the biggest shock of the day came up north. FK Vlaikograd 1896 grabbed only their fourth win all season by defeating Rotmunde, 2-1. Vaclav Korinek had both goals for the Royals. Leo Heiden scored twice for St. Jakob as they got a 3-3 draw with VfL Reinbronn - however, the Hunters will be happy with a point as they continue to fight relegation. Two big games closed out the weekend as well. Emiliano Gallegas had a goal and two assists for Chernovets in a 3-1 win over Metropola Borograd. In Felsenkirchen, the Blues kept pace in the title fight with a huge 4-2 win over 1912 Stelburg. The Bluebirds have struggled the last few weeks, and Felsenkirchen took full advantage with goals from Falcon Case, Linus Segert, Rolf Seyfriend and Florian Krukenberg to secure the win.

IFCF Cup Winners’ Cup Round of 16 - Second Leg

Dinamo Bender (PDN) 0-1 Zvezda Vlaikograd

Sinisa Gaspersie scored the only goal of the game as Zvezda Vlaikograd reach one of the heights of the club’s storied history, reaching the Quarterfinal of the Cup Winners’ Cup. They will have a very difficult task, however, taking on the defending Champions’ League winners Directus of Eura, in the Quarterfinals.

President’s Cup - Third Round

TSV Marzig 0–0 SK Republika Borograd (0–1 AET)
TSV Georg-Blocher 1–2 NK Vrnovo
Olympia Borograd 3–1 FK Metropola Borograd
FC Truiselwald 1–4 Energija Chernovets
Arsenal Bukovets 2–5 FC Teussen Stelburg
FC Einheit Marnau 2–2 FC Ternau 05 (3–3 AET) (7–6 pen.)
NK Siovanska Gora 1–1 FC Felsenkirchen 1879 (1–1 AET) (4–3 pen.)
VfL Reinbronn 2–2 1912 Stelburg (2–2 AET) (3–2 pen.)

A mix of results in the third round of the Cup sees an interesting field left in the Quarterfinal. First of all, SK Republika Borograd put in an incredible performance defensively to shut out a determined Marzig side, before Republika got a penalty late in extra time and won the tie. They weren’t the only top tier side going down in the Third Round, however - NK Vrnovo knocked out TSV Georg-Blocher thanks to two quick goals in the first half that shocked the Explorers and left them, in the end, knocked out of the Cup. The Borograd derby went on at the Olimpski-Stadion, and Olympia managed to avenge their defeat in the league earlier in the season. Denis Dezelac scored all three of Olympia’s goals, celebrating his third one by sliding in front of the visiting Metropola fans and giving them a ‘shhh’ gesture, causing the visitors to shower him with vodka bottles, coins, and other assorted garbage. Energija Chernovets and FC Teussen Stelburg both took care of their business with little effort required against lower tier opposition on the road. Other Republikaliga clubs, however, faced struggles. FC Einheit Marnau needed penalties to get past FC Ternau 05. Penalties were also needed for FC Felsenkirchen 1879 and 1912 Stelburg - but in this case, both the Blues and the Bluebirds went out against underdog opponents. That leaves a field with three clear favourites - Olympia Borograd, FC Teussen Stelburg and Energija Chernovets. The Quarterfinal draw gives us the following fixtures: FC Einheit Marnau v NK Vrnovo, VfL Reinbronn v Olympia Borograd, FC Teussen Stelburg v NK Siovanska Gora and SK Republika Borograd v Energija Chernovets.

IFCF Cup Winners’ Cup Quarterfinal - First Leg

Zvezda Vlaikograd 2-1 Directus (EUR)

Perhaps the greatest result in the history of Zvezda Vlaikograd, as they defeat the reigning world champions 2-1 under the bright lights at the Ivo-Balikov-Stadion. Drago Ward had the opener, before Directus equalized just before halftime. In the second half, however, it was a goal from Sinisa Gaspersie that gave Zvezda Vlaikograd the all-important historic win. They may not win the tie - giving up an away goal was not the ideal result - but it’s a night Reds fans will remember forever.

We’re just over halfway through the Republikaliga season, so it’s perfect time to regroup and take a look at the table.

#  Republikaliga             Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts
 1 FC Teussen Stelburg        20   16   3   1    49   25  +24    51     IFCF Champions' League
 2 Energija Chernovets        20   16   1   3    55   26  +29    49
 3 FC Felsenkirchen 1879      20   12   4   4    49   31  +18    40     IFCF Challengers' Cup
 4 Olympia Borograd           20   11   5   4    57   39  +18    38
 5 1912 Stelburg              20   11   3   6    49   41   +8    36
 6 FC Rotmunde 1932           20   10   4   6    50   42   +8    34
 7 FK Metropola Borograd      20   11   1   8    40   35   +5    34
 8 FC St. Jakob               20    9   5   6    43   39   +4    32
 9 Marlesee 97                20   10   2   8    42   38   +4    32
10 SV Preisfeld               20    8   5   7    37   39   −2    29
11 SW Stahlberg               20    8   3   9    42   41   +1    27
12 TSV Marzig                 20    6   6   8    37   41   −4    24
13 FK Venkovets               20    6   3  11    30   38   −8    21
14 FC Einheit Marnau          20    5   5  10    37   41   −4    20
15 FC Kaiserhaven             20    5   4  11    41   52  −11    19
16 VfL Reinbronn              20    4   5  11    39   56  −17    17
17 TSV Georg-Blocher          20    5   2  13    29   53  −24    17
18 Zvezda Vlaikograd          20    5   1  14    36   41   −5    16
19 FK Vlaikograd 1896         20    4   3  13    30   54  −24    15
20 FK Orlovska Bistrica       20    3   5  12    32   52  −20    14