WC 82 RP Thread

[Eura]

A flat in Holdenberg

Stan’s door swung open with a whip of wind and his gentle push, allowing Louise to stagger in. She giggled mischievously as she tried to close the door on him. ‘The fuuuck.’
‘Yourrrr’e drunk. Go home.’
‘I am home you dozy thing. This...’ He couldn’t hold back the burp. ‘This is MY flat!’
‘Nahhh. Mine now.’ Stan tried to reply but could only laugh. She wailed with laughter herself and they kissed, clumsily at first but after a little while they found a mutual groove. They slowly moved into his room and suddenly he got nervous. Even a couple of shots – ok, more like half a dozen – couldn’t keep his natural nervousness at bay. Stanley Burns was his full name – a professional footballer who had played the game at the highest level of club football for Holdenberg. He’d won the league while many of his friends were either at the steelworks as apprentices or in university. This 30th floor flat was paid for with his substantial earnings, and he’d featured a few times for the Euran national team in World Cup qualifiers. Yet here he was experiencing butterflies over the natural progression of a very successful date.

Male footballers were starting to get the reputation in Eura of overpaid playboys, something that plagued them in earlier times but not during the serious war years. Stan wasn’t like that. He was shy, and apart from getting himself on the property ladder was abnormally frugal. Fame hadn’t got to his head yet. Louise wasn’t a foolish young thing either, at least when sober. ‘Stan you’re lovely, lovely lovely! I can’t understand why you live on your own.’ She tried to drape her handbag over a chair but missed much to Stan’s amusement. ‘You’re a mess, hah.’
‘Hypocrite!’
‘No...you!’
‘Haaaah.’ He went to kiss her by the bed but she turned and staggered sideways, over to the large windows. ‘Wow. Its so pretty.’ The view was exceptional. The great industrial megacity of Holdenberg was laid out in front of them, dozens of miles in every direction. Red lights and orange clouds marked out the never-ending rows of steelworks. For once Stan let his confidence get ahead of him. ‘You’re prettier, I think.’ Much to his surprise, she loudly guffawed at the attempted cuteness.

It took her long enough to calm down and explain the merriment. ‘Mate. Fuck. You really are a melt aren’t you?’
‘I thought Easterners liked that sort of thing? Being nice and, yeah, stuff.’ He needed a lie down. The alcohol had turned him from a cliché of common sense loving Euran lad into just a less sympathetic caricature of an alcohol loving Euran lad. For all of Louise’s silliness under the influence she was at least forgiving. ‘You’re dumb. But you’re my kind of dumb. Right?’
‘I hope so.’ They went away from the window to move things along. Until the phone rang. ‘Ignore it.’
‘No, wait. Shit. Hold on.’ Stan rushed over to his phone, tried to calm himself down to sound sober, and answered the call. ‘Hi. Hi Matt. Yes...ok. I understand. Thank you boss. Yes? Yes of course. Goodnight.’ Louise wandered over and watched him stare at the ground, barely moving. ‘Stan? What’s up, are you ok?’
‘I’m going to the World Cup Louise. They told me last week James Lord would go, ‘cos of my shoulder, but they said I’m on the plane.’ Neither of them knew quite how to react. Needless to say, his neighbour Doris reacted with some surprise to the naked piggyback charge down the hallway screaming ‘we’re the fucking champions’. At least she got a chuckle out of it. Young love at its finest.

[95X]

With a record of ten wins, six draws, and only two losses, 95X finished second in World Cup 82 Qualifying Group 10 and has advanced to the 82nd World Cup.

"We're not really a nation made up of buses", joked 95X NT Head Coach Katelynn State, "but it does make for a nice visual."

[Equestrian States]

-WORLD CUP 82 PREVIEW-
Group B: The Champion vs. The Dark Horse
Defending champions Vilita to provide early test for Equestrian title ambitions
by Steve McNotapony

The Ponies have been drawn into Group B at the 82nd World Cup. Let's take a look at who they'll be up against here in Apox:

#1 - Vilita
Finals Appearance: 43rd (World Cup 15, 16, 17*, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22*, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 31*, 32, 34, 35, 36, 37, 59*, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82)
Best Result: 4x Champions (World Cup 20, 68, 77, 81)
Manager: Classified (apparently)
World Cup 82 Qualifying: 13-3-2 (1st in Group 13)
Starting XI (3-1-4-2): M. Canopii (GK); J. Trikala (CB); M. Drokasorna (CB); L. Cjinder (CB); J. Devmiko (DM); P. Torerun (LM); C. Aquafek (CM); V. Kiwavn (CM); T. Mngomeni (RM); S. Tarala (ST); N. Milaaso (ST); Full Roster

There's only one goal for the Jungle Cats at the 82nd World Cup: win it all. The defending champions retain virtually the entire team which hoisted the World Cup trophy in the Free Republics last cycle, and thus can be safely considered among the favorites here in Apox and Valanora. However, despite their status as the defending world champions and the top-ranked team in the multiverse, the Vilitans have struggled to live up to those expectations lately. The Jungle Cats, in a combined effort with neighbors Turori, first failed to defend their regional title at the last AOCAF Cup, crashing out in the second round against lowly Siovanija & Teusland. Then, the Vilitans didn't clinch a spot in this year's World Cup until after a win on the final day of qualifying, hardly what one would expect from the title-holders. Despite their struggles, however, it's impossible to consider the Jungle Cats as anything less than - at the very least - a legitimate contender to win it all. They have the talent, experience, and championship pedigree that few teams in the multiverse can match, and will be motivated to show that their post-World Cup 81 slump has been nothing more than slight hiccup in their march to greatness. Vilita has been arguably the multiverse's most consistent side in the last ten or so years, and thus must be taken seriously by any team which hopes to dethrone them. In the group stage, the Jungle Cats will be the easy favorites in every match, and thus will be widely expected to advance. I'm not about to go against the grain there, and anticipate Vilita will sit atop the table in Group B when all is said and done. Steve McNotapony’s Prediction: 3-0-0; 1st in Group B

#9 - Equestrian States
Finals Appearance: 11th (World Cup 64, 65, 66, 67*, 70*, 71, 72*, 73, 80*, 81, 82)
Best Result: Quarterfinals (World Cup 80, 81)
Manager: Pearly White
World Cup 82 Qualifying: 14-0-4 (1st in Group 15)
Starting XI (4-2-3-1): Gentle Breeze (GK, #1); B. Hamilton (LB, #12); A. Molovi (CB, #8); Rumble (CB, #4); K. Bailey (RB, #3); Cloudchaser (CM, #2); Apple Cobbler (CM, #5); Luminesce (LM, #16); Rainbow Blitz (AM, #9); A. Aiza (RM, #25); Pristina Shine (ST, #10); Full Roster


The Equestrian States is arguably in the best form of any team at World Cup 82, carrying a 12-match winning streak into the finals, including a perfect record in the second half of qualifying. The Ponies struggled in the first half of their qualifying campaign, thanks in part to a series of injuries to key players, but rallied in the second half to run away with the top spot in Group 15, despite upset bids from Mercedini and an ambitious Lisander side. Now healthy and firing on all cylinders, the Ponies have their eyes set on claiming their first ever major title. Experienced and talented, the Equestrians are widely considered among the outside contenders for the World Cup, but have quickly risen through the ranks in the last few years. Led by internationally-known stars like Brix Hamilton, Pristina Shine, and Gentle Breeze, the Ponies will aim to continue that ascent at the 82nd World Cup. Steve McNotapony’s Prediction: 2-0-1; 2nd in Group B

#28 - Juvencus
Finals Appearance: 2nd (World Cup 80, 82)
Best Result: Group Stage (World Cup 80)
Manager: [JUV] Enéas Scordato
World Cup 82 Qualifying: 12-3-3 (2nd in Group 8)
Starting XI (3-4-3): T. Bulgari (GK); D. Madeiros (CB); N. Bassi (CB); I. Ibarra (CB); N. Russo (CM); C. Bret (CM); T. Christian (LM); H. Grec (RM); J. Martell (LW); P. Etxeberria (RW); S. Silvestri (ST); Full Roster


Juvencus missed out on World Cup 81, but finished second at the Cup of Harmony, falling to Tinhampton in the Final at Canterlot. During qualifying, the gli attaccanti had an easy time of things, cruising comfortably to second in Group 8 behind top seeds South Covello. Experience will benefit this team, but in a group with the defending champions, two-time quarterfinalists, and an equally-ambitious Mercedini, experience alone will not be enough to deliver Juvencus to the promised land. They need to make the leap from being a good Cup of Harmony team to being a good World Cup team, a jump they have yet to prove capable of making. Steve McNotapony’s Prediction: 0-1-2; 4th in Group B

#29 - Mercedini
Finals Appearance: 3rd (World Cup 77, 81, 82)
Best Result: Group Stage (World Cup 77, 81)
Manager: [CEN] Elidyr Lyndainium
World Cup 82 Qualifying: 11-4-3 (2nd in Group 15)
Starting XI (4-4-2): D. Hosset (GK); C. Aznelik (LB); L. Dosic (CB); L. Toivonen (CB); I. Catessic (RB); L. Garzallo (LM); A. Kraljic (CM); J. Nymark (CM); R. Presic (RM); D. Dostalok (ST); B. Chillotov (ST); Full Roster


Similarly to Juvencus, Mercedini have yet to prove themselves as a World Cup team. They've got the potential, of course, but struggled through the qualifying campaign and were beaten twice by the Equestrians during the campaign. Steve McNotapony’s Prediction: 0-1-2; 3rd in Group B

[Bongo Johnson]

BongoBeat.net - Home of World Cup qualified Bongo Johnson

WAVE YOUR FLAG
Bongo Johnson takes on Group A as the World Cup begins

Tonight is Bongo Johnson's first game of the World Cup proper, after qualifying in the top spot in Group 5 in the qualification round. The Incorporated States will play host nation Apox in tonight's match, who are ranked 33rd and will be a strong opponent given their storied history of athletic achievement.

Along with Apox, Bongo Johnson has drawn Free Republics and Baker Park into Group A, which is a difficult but still manageable group. Free Republics are the obvious favorite to win the group, given their top-10 world ranking in football and how influential their sports programs are across the world. As the lowest seed in the 82nd edition of the World Cup, the work has been cut out for Jean Baptiste and the Incorporated squad as they seek to continue their whirlwind success into the knockout stage of the World Cup.

[Valanora]

Here Be Dragons

Is the feeling of being in the Finals something akin to a beautiful lie?

MD1 cutoff for Groups A-D

[Commonwealth of Baker Park]

WC Opener to pit Group faves
by Frank Armitage
The Daily Mail Chief Soccer Writer

Reporting from Exton, Apox:

In World Cup 81, the Commonwealth National Team opened their run to the knockout stages with a match against Brenecia, a 1-1 draw that eventually helped both sides through.

When Baker Park faces the Free Republics at the River Exe Ground here, the sides considered by most observers as the favorites to go through will square off while the co-hosts Apox will entertain the underdogs from Bongo Johnson.

The Bees will hope that they will be able to regain their scoring touch that came to the fore down the stretch of qualifying. Except for the match against Starblaydia, BP average close to 3 goals per game over the final 7 matches.

Manager Trevor Richmond has made one lineup decision that surprised some observers--Kyle Moyer will get the start in goal ahead of Mollie Pelletier. "We just felt like Kyle has a bit of a hot hand right now. It's a hunch, and we'll see if it works out."

lineup vs FFR: Moyer; Briggs, D Haller, Enzikomibo; Santos, Shaw (C), DiPietro, Whitestone; Bozeman; Ashcroft, Agahambri

[Turori]

Turori's National Citizen Squad [0] Brenecia [0]

The White Fortress, Gladerial, Valanora :: After an up and down start to their World Cup Qualifying campaign, Turori's National Citizen Squad survived a late challenge from within as the Cocoabo Squad faltered on the final matchday against Kita-Hinode to gift the Citizen Squad a return to the World Cup 82 Finals in Apox and Valanora and a chance to improve on their all-time best placement of fourth at World Cup 81 in the Free Republics and Banija.

Joining the Turori National Team at the World Cup Finals from Group 10 would be Atlantian Oceania regional rivals 95X who advanced ahead of Kita-Hinode despite the success that the Hinodjean's had particulary against Turori who came into the qualification ranked 6th in the multiverse and as the top seed in the group. Kita-Hinode ended the qualification campaign as the only nation to defeat both Turori's National Citizen Squad and Turori's National Cocoabo Squad, having beaten the Citizen Squad 2-1 in Turori at the Cednia Beach Center on Matchday 9 before closing out the qualification campaign after having already been eliminated but playing for pride in handily defeating the Cocoabo Squad 3-0, swiftly ending any doubt as to which squad would be representing the Turori National Team in the World Cup 82 Finals. Had the Cocoabo won the match, the debate might have been much different as both the Citizens and the Cocoabo would have had 12 points from the second half of World Cup Qualifying and the Cocoabo would have been riding a perfect qualification record much unlike that of the Citizen Squad who put together a highly blemished first half of the qualification campaign.

When the World Cup Draw came about, the Turori National Team really began to suffer for their below-average performance in World Cup Qualification as they dropped from 6th to 7th in the rankings which also meant they dropped from Pot 1 to Pot 2 in the World Cup Finals Group Draw. With the prospect of another clash with World Champion and #1 team in the multiverse Vilita on the cards, the Citizen Squad got a reprieve in avoiding their regional rivals in the draw and instead being drawn against... the World Cup 80 Champions, Brenecia.

Turori and Brenecia are two sides that actually do have some history as well as a number of similarities. Just one cycle prior to Brenecia overcoming the odds to win their first ever World Cup Title it was the Turori National Team who ended Brenecia's World Cup dreams during World Cup 79 in Ceni and Drawkland. It wasn't the Citizen Squad on that occasion, however, it was Turori's National Cocoabo Squad who bested the Brenecians in the World Cup 79 Round of 16.

During World Cup 79 the Cocoabo Squad had gotten off to a slow start of their own but got a critical final group stage matchday victory over Cassadaigua to set up the knockout round clash with Brenecia. Like Turori, Brenecia had spent much of their history playing second fiddle in the shadows of a greater more succesful nation which, while not having the direct history of Vilita and Turori, the Brenecians were often improperly compared with the Nephara Comorants, winners of World Cup 74. When the two sides met in the Round of 16 of World Cup 79 they were both trying to break free of the comparisons to other more succesful national teams and etch in stone their own legacy of success.

While the Turorians would ultimately prevail on the day, it would be the Brenecians who would be taking out the chisel first as they would rebound from their exit at the hands of Turori in World Cup 79 to lift the trophy during World Cup 80 in the Equestrian States and Starblaydia.

Despite the fact that the most recent meeting of the Turori National Team and Brenecia was contested by Turori's National Cocoabo Squad and the World Cup 82 representation for the Turori National Team would be Turori's National Citizen Squad, there were quite a few similarities between the Round of 16 clash in World Cup 79 and the opening match of the World Cup 82 Group Stage between the two nations.

For starters, neither match would have any goals scored - at least over the course of the regulation 90 minutes. While the two traditionally defensive minded teams weren't quite as leak-proof during World Cup 82 Qualifications as they were in World Cup 79 Qualifications - Brenecia and Turori having conceded a combined total of 30 goals in World Cup 82 Qualifications an average of 0.833 goals/game between them versus the 15 goals combined they had conceded over the course of the World Cup 79 Qualification (0.416 goals/game), they were still amongst the best defensive sides in the multiverse and bored the crowd both in Ceni/Drawkland World Cup 79 and at The White Fortress in Galadriel, Valanora just the same.

In the end, the only real difference in the box score between Turori and Brenecia's World Cup 79 matchup and their matchup during World Cup 82 would take place after the full time whistle. With their World Cup 79 matchup being a knockout round match, the teams did not get to go back into the locker room after playing 90 scoreless minutes like they would at The White Fortress, instead, they had to stay on the pitch until a winner was declared. Cocoabo #59 was the difference maker during World Cup 79 and with the Citizen Squad having won the contest for World Cup 82, there was no Cocoabo in waiting to make a difference as one of the most high-powered matchups of the first day of World Cup 82 competition featuring two potential Semi-Finalist nations ended in a whimper after 90 minutes of dry defensive play produced exactly the result that it deserved, a goalless draw that saw both sides leave points on the table but ultimately neither the Brenecians or the Turorians would likely be disappointed with the result having gained a potentially important point with matches against lower-ranked sides Darmen and Qusmo still to come over the final two matches of group play.

Turori [0] - [0] Brenecia

:: Turori Goalscorers :: - None -

:: Turori Statistics :: :: Possession: 53% :: Shots on Target: 4 :: Corner Kicks: 3

:: Brenecia Statistics :: :: Possession: 48% :: Shots on Target: 3 :: Corner Kicks: 5

:: Brenecia Goalscorers :: - None -

---

Turori Eels Lineup v. Brenecia ::
[GK] Wiyauw An'maude, [D.] Mikki Mayelli, [D.] Oani Moralziia, [D.] Yitizo Mpala'a, [D.] Tarek Edgeli, [ML] Indelli Nura'amura, [MC] Timi'sala Koarena, [MC] Saito Koshiki, [MR] Daliora Toru'u, [FC] Mirana Gotuai, [FC] Nua'oma Aikiki
BENCH::
[FC] Meldi'ita Mungwaii, [FC] Wiztsana Iretziia, [M] Kiidallen Aeroluzzi, [M] Lati'ala Giaoka, [U ] Moumouni Verre'elali, [D] Biliki Rona'atu'i, [GK] Timaala Hualtia

---

While the Turori National Team's 1-0 Extra Time victory over Brenecia during the World Cup 79 Finals could be argued as one of the great victories in the history of Turori's National Cocoabo Squad along with their 5-1 playoff first leg victory over Kalumba just to qualify for World Cup 79 - The Cocoabo Squad are a team that has started to gain a reputation of choking in important matches particularly and most recently losing 0-3 to Kita-Hinode with a chance to challenge Turori's National Citizen Squad for the right to represent the Turori National Team at the World Cup 82 Finals.

While Turori's National Citizen Squad couldn't defeat Brenecia to open their World Cup 82 campaign as they look now to advance to and win a World Cup Semi-Final for the first time in their nations history - or at least play a competitive match, the draw against Brenecia will likely be seen as an important litmus test for the Citizen Squad to baseline as they proceed with two matches they are favored to win on paper. If they can avoid defeat against Darmen and Qusmo the Citizen Squad should be making their way back to the World Cup Knockout Rounds at which point anything can happen in their quest for the nations first World Cup Finals appearance.

While both Turori and Brenecia finished atop their World Cup 82 Qualification Group, the other two teams in Group F did not with Darmen finishing second in Group 6 to the Free Republics and Qusmo - who have now become the biggest threat to Brenecia and Turori's hopes of advancing to the knockout rounds due to their victory over Darmen on Matchday 1 of the Group Stage, were one of the worst performing teams of all nations to advance to the World Cup Finals finishing second in Group 11 with just 29 points. It is not known the last time a team advance to the World Cup Finals without the aid of a playoff while also having suffered seven defeats in qualification but that is exactly what Qusmo did and now with their win over Darmen they are looking to turn an unlikely qualification into a Cinderella story. With the #5 and #7 teams in the multiverse standing in their path, it will be up to Turori's National Citizen squad to take care of business over the final two matchdays to ensure if there is any Cinderella story it will not be at the expense of the Turori National Team.

[Banija]

Locker Room at Duran Palace, halftime

Marcus Waters was pacing around the locker room, absolutely seething. The manager was angry about their last World Cup warmup, and he was absolutely incensed about their first half performance on the field today. While he had kept faith in the starting XI he had brought out for the Freeport disaster, it was shown in front of the world that he had made a mistake. But of course, Marcus Waters didn't get this far in his career, with this national team, without being afraid to shake it up.

Changing out the entire back four, when he took over this team in what was then a disastrous campaign to qualify for World Cup 80, allowed this team to mount their stunning rise up the table and eventually make their first ever World Cup, in the Equestrian States. Even in the playoffs of that same qualification campaign, when everything was going wrong against Mercedini in the 2nd leg of a tie where they had won the 1st leg 3-0, he used all three of his changes at halftime en route to steering the ship and taking the final step towards the country's first ever World Cup Finals.

But before he considered changes on this day, he first was going to speak his mind. "This half was an absolute disaster!" He yelled at his players. He picked up his clipboard, and threw it on the ground. Not much of a yeller in general, he felt something needed to change in this team. Right now, they were too lackadaisical, not enough energy, too much arrogance. "Don't forget where you've came from, and certainly you must remember where you- you're at the freaking World Cup." He kept on going. "You're going to get everybody's best shot, because there's no greater stage in all of sports. We're lucky to be down one-nil, frankly, it should be or three."

"Where the hell is the energy? This whole country is known for being high pace, high energized, highly motivated- we're playing like we woke up five damned minutes. What hell is going on?" He yelled. "If we play like this, we're not only going to go home with zero points, we're going to go back to Banija with our tails between our legs. This cannot happen. This kind of performance cannot stand. In our last warmup match before the World Cup, we got booed by our own fans. Is there any respect for the jersey that you wear? How many Banijans would kill to be in that jersey- the play today, and the play against Freeport, disrespects everything that this jersey about."

And for the next 3 minutes, he continued an expletive laced tirade. The first half was absolutely a disaster. They should have been energized- the stadium, thanks to the geographic proximity between Banija and Valanora, was about 2/3s filled with Banijan fans. But regardless of all the singing, it was the Damukuni fans who had stuff to cheer about. The Banijans didn't even manage a single shot on target throughout the first half, while their opponents had 3. Jiah Leeds converted her opportunity, striking into the corner from about 20 yards out to give Damukuni a well deserved 1-0 lead after half an hour. And Waters was right that they were lucky to only be down 1-0. On a corner kick a few minutes after the goal, Portius Darvish beat his defender, rose up high, and headed the ball powerfully towards the net, leaving Bereket helpless. He hit the post, however, and the ball was quickly cleared by Kaba.

"Well guys, you've heard enough from me. We're going to get back out there. However, we need to make some changes." Marcus Waters, a man who believed he always had the right feel to make these sorts of changes, had conferred with a few of his assistants about it right before the break. "We're making all three, right now. Something needs to change. Kizza Okafor, you're in for Uche. Stofile, you're in for Kah." ANd he looked around the locker room, and found who he was looking for. "We need some more veteran leadership on the field right now. Brehanu, you'll be going in for Kaba. Let's get back out there!"

The players got up, and began to run back onto the field. "Chibuzo! Gitonga! Assefa! A word." His three offensive stars walked up to him as everybody else left the locker room. "Hey, you guys are my rock. You're the leaders of this team! They'll go as far as you can take them. Do you want a World Cup flop to be part of your legacy? Let's get this going, let's get the fans happy, and let's what we need- three damned points." The three nodded, and walked back to join their teammates. Marcus Waters was hoping that he had gotten through to them.

---

Banija launches second half comeback against Damukuni to take all three points in World Cup opener


Banijans celebrate go-ahead goal in second half of their World Cup match against Damukuni

VALANARI, VALANORA- The World Cup Finals are always a tough ask. But they're a little bit easier, when they're not only in Atlantian Oceania, but in the Glorious Southwest. Lower travel costs means more fans, and they could certainly be heard on this day. The 51,000 seat Duran Palace was packed, and by our own estimates, about 2/3s of the people in the seats were rooting for the Kadongo Kamu- which was, of course, a massive boon to the Banijans. And the Banijans certainly had all that they could handle as they geared up to face 40th ranked Damukuni, a nation that not many expected to do much of anything on the grandest stage in all of sport.

The first half, most unfortunately, was an absolute, unmitigated disaster. To the goal of Jiah Leeds, and Darvish hitting the post to nearly double Damukuni's lead in the first half, it was the opposition that was having a much better day at Duran Palace to start the match. Observer saw many of the same things that were seen in Banija's final World Cup warmup loss to Freeport- a sluggish and slow side, a low energy side, which is something you cannot do in the World Cup Finals. There are no easy games here, you cannot be wasting moments at this stage in time.

At halftime, Marcus Waters made one of his bold, trademark moves when things seemed to be slipping away from this side- using all three substitutions at halftime. And the crazy part? Is that it absolutely worked. HE changed out the struggling midfield pair, Ablie Kah and Amadi Uche, for Kizza Okafor and Phumelele Stofile. Giving the central of the midfield, of course, a bit more attacking flavor. From there, he also brought on veteran center back Abate Brehanu for the young Kawsu Kaba, to bring some 'stability' to the Banijan back four. He had to know, at this point, that he absolutely needed to try something and do whatever it took to shake this team out of their slumber, and remind them of the stage that they were playing on.

The change worked. Kizza Okafor, the much improved midfielder from Lakiska SC, who has played very well under Qusmi manager Winad-Lenpi Xlo at Lakiska, seemed to be the one to provide the spark. While the Banijan central midfielders were getting beaten to the ball in the first half, it was the pair with fresh legs, but especially Okafor, that was able to give a spark to this team. Okafor came out flying in the second half- first to every 50/50 ball, a seemingly endless motor, his stock was rising before everybody's eyes here in this one. Him and Stofile were able to establish control of the middle field, and get the ball to the next level- the three-head monster of Afolayan, Yitebarke, and Kahara.

The equalizer came in the 62nd minute. They had been building towards this for the prior three or four minutes, as they were slowly increasing the pressure on Damukuni. It was Kizza Okafor who ripped a shot from 22 yards that hit the cross bar, and bounced out of play. The Banijans, however, would use that as motivation to continue to go forward. Afolayan was able to receive the ball on the right wing, about 30 yards away from goal, and then he made a fantastic individual effort. Going towards goal, he beat not one, not two, but 3 defenders in this magical run, and finished it off by cheekily chipping the ball over the head of the Damukuni goalkeeper, Joni Toklu, into the back of the net. At this moment, the score was 1-1. The stadium was alive once again, the fans dressed in green and orange roaring, drums being blasted everywhere.

The Banijans, rather than be happy with the draw, saw the stadium's reaction, saw the crowd's reaction, and the thinking was obvious- let's go get another. And the fans wouldn't have to be kept waiting for that long. This time, the other Banijan superstar winger, Gitonga Kahara, would be the beneficiary. Okonkwo Okparro, the Banijan #10, had beaten a defender on the dribble, and was able to play a through ball to Kahara. Kahara got the ball and, with a step over move to beat the defender, was in on goal. One on one with the goalkeeper, he made the most of the opportunity by powering the ball to the lower corner on the far post, too strong for the keeper to do anything about it. That, of course, gave the Banijans a 2-1 lead over Damukuni.

Just like that, in that short time span, the Banijans had gone from 1-0 down to 2-1 ahead. Though still about 23 minutes left on the clock, all the momentum was on the Banijan side, and it would only be a matter of time before Damukuni started to push. And that, they did. In a match like this, they had to start throwing players forward, and doing so left them dangerously exposed at the back. In the 81st minute, after a corner kick, the Banijans were racing down the field, in a 3 on 2 situation, with only Stenhalter and Jonsen back, while Okparro, Yitebarke, and Kahara attacked the net on the counter. A ball to Kahara led him to play the ball across to Yitebarke, who headed home on the counter for the game's third and final goal. The score was 3-1, and that was how the game ended.

We, of course, spoke to Marcus Waters after the match ended. "You know, I really liked the inspired effort that my guys showed here in the second half. That kind of attacking play, the instincto to go for the kill on the counters, that is what has ensured our ability to get this far in the first place. It's been a journey to this tournament, and we've shown in this game what we're capable of- that kind of attacking, free-flowing play. And can I say- what a shoutout to the fans. So much green and orange, so much noise- we thank them for giving us that energy. That's an advantage that's incalculable, but of course, I implore our fans to keep coming! It isn't just the 23, doing well at a tournament like this means a whole nation coming together. This is what it's about, folks."

What a game, what a thriller to watch. Banija's next one will be in Gladerial, Valanora, at the White Fortress- a stadium with a capacity of 70,000. And Banija will be taking on fellow Glorious Southwest rivals, and the defending champions of Atlantian Oceania, Farfadillis. And even though the two countries are so close to each other- Farfadillis is closer to Busukuma than the Busoga Islands- it'll be their first ever matchup. What a fun one that will be, right?

[South Covello]

SoCo Goes Loco: A South Covelo Soccer Podcast


Bozo Bryant: Yo ho ho, Bozo Bryant here, and we're recording live in Apox, where we are bringing you SoCo Goes Loco, the best soccer podcast in the entire Multiverse. And we've got some special treats for you today. First, we're going to review the game against Mriin, and then we have a very special interview. Jason, you want to tell us who it's with?

Jason St. Pierre: Can't we create an aura of mystery around it?

Bozo Bryant: Just tell them, Jason, damnit.

Jason St. Pierre: OK, fine. We'll be bringing in a very special guest from the team, the most special guest that we could get on the show, this person has a very importnat role, and has been integral in South Covello's rise -

Shawn Burst: Just tell our listeners, Jason.

Jason St. Pierre: OK, we basically started by requesting an interview with the coach, which was denied, and then we wanted a player, which was denied, so we asked if there was anyone from the team who could do an interview us, and you know who they gave us?

Sharn Burst: Just tell them, Jason! Our listeners are getting bored!

Jason St. Pierre: OK, it's team jester Clowney The Clown.

Bozo Bryant: Now, South Covello may be the only soccer team in the entire Multiverse that has a team jester, so I'm sure Clowney would be thrilled to talk about his role with the team and how he got that job.

Shawn Burst: But first, we're going to review the game against Mriin, OK, foks? Clowney will just have to wait in the wings.

Jason St. Pierre: Speaking of wings, Shawn, let me mentiont that today's podcast is brought to you by Tim Jamothy's Wing World in Riverview, located half a mile from the stadium and serving 78 different varities of wings in both boneless and boneful form. Not to mention their signature SuperWings, which are cooked, sauced, cooked again, and sauced again. Whether you want regular buffalo, spicy buffalo, Super Spicy Buffalo, Thermonuclear war, sesame, ginger, Cajun, butter sauce, garlic parmesean, or so much more, Tim Jamothy's has so many wings it will make you go crazy. And for the rest of the World Cup, you can get a buy six wings get six wings free deal while watching every World Cup game on the big screen TVs simply by mentioning this podcast.

Bozo Bryant: Good transition, Jason. But now, let's talk about the Mriin game.

Shawn Burst: Yep, and what a game it was. South Covello won 1-0, but the attack by Mriin was relentless the whole game.

Jason St. Pierre: Yeah, but Matthew Tyler was relentless in goal, he made 11 saves on 11 shots on target. He is truly the South Covellan MVP.

Bozo Bryant: Well, and at least three of those shots were on Mriin breakaways with only the keeper to beat. Now, Solara Vol somehow managed to shoot the ball right at Tyler in the 23rd minute, but Tyler also made two spectacular saves on shots by Tali’raia and Aldo Vocani in the 29th and 76th minutes, respectively. And then managed to make a kick save over the ball on Vocani's followup while lying on the ground. That could be Save of the Tournament.

Shawn Burst: But South Covello did need to score, and they wouldn't do that until the 89th minute. It looked like it would be a disappointing scoreless draw, but then the spectacular happened, and it was a lucky break.

Jason St. Pierre: Yep, that's right Shawn. Pillory Cantwell tried a cross from the corner of the box looking for Coconut Charles, but it bounced off Kalia Tolsii's chest for an apparent corner. However, official Baddy Refereesi of Farfadillis lived up to his name and claimed it hit off Tolsil's hand, called a handball, and awarded South Covello a penalty kick. Tolsil was also given a yellow card for the incident. As it was her second yellow of the day, she was sent off. Coconut Charles hit the penalty to give South Covello the lead and the victory.

Bozo Bryant: Now, Mara Solaani guessed wrong on Charles's penalty, but even if she guessed right, she had absolutely no chance to save it. Just inside the left post, beautifully taken. Can't really blame Solaani.

Shawn Burst: Only one yellow card for South Covello, it was on their star centerback Dmitri Woodward in the 43rd minute for a tough challenge on Tia Mor. He'll have to be careful now, if he picks up another one this tournament, he'll be suspended for a game, and the Rebs don't need that at all, no sirree.

Bozo Bryant: OK, now please welcome to the studio CLOWNEY THE CLOWN!

Clowney the Clown: Hi, folks! *smashing sound*

Bozo Bryant: Now, you folks can't see that at home, but Clowney just threw a pie in my face.

Jason St. Pierre: What kind of pie is it?

Bozo Bryant: Either whipped cream or shaving cream, I'm not sure.

Jason St. Pierre: Well what does it taste like?

Bozo Bryant: I really don't want to find out.

Clowney the Clown: Let me clean that for you. *whooshspray sound*

Bozo Bryant: So Clowney has just sprayed seltzer on my face to wash the pie away.

Clowney the Clown: And all your troubles too!

Shawn Burst: So Clowney, tell us a little about yourself.

Clowney the Clown: Well, I've been a clown my whole adult life and even as a kid, going back to the Gregist days. I used to do children's birthday parties and even did a pedophile's birthday party once as part of a sting operation.

Bozo Bryant: Can you tell us about that last one?

Clowney the Clown: Well, I guess I can. So this was back in the Gregist days of execution and pervert chasers, and there was a suspected pedophile, and so they decided to throw him a "birthday party" with "children" who were really undercover midget police officers. And since all good childen's parties need clowns, they invited me to perform for the "children." And then the pedophile tried to do grossly inappropriate things to the children which I will not discuss on air, so the "children" arrested him and turned him over to the pervert chaser and the executioner.

Jason St. Pierre: But now you're the team jester?

Clowney the Clown: Yes!

Bozo Bryant: Well, what do you do?

Clowney the Clown: I do comedy routines. I'm especially fond of making fun of people's names, Jeremy Coffeecake, One Tzimes, Kale Bolton, and my personal favorite, Eura's demonic coach Daniel Hellgrave. I hear he's really good at possession.

Jason St. Pierre: Oh, I get it, that's hillarious.

Clowney the Clown: Thank you! Have another pie1

Jason St. Pierre: Ooh, that one was cherry! Yum! I'm going to eat it!

Shawn Burst: Are there any routines they wouldn't let you do?

Clowney the Clown: Well, I once threw a pie in Caddy Woodstock's face and he suffered a hyperextended neck and had to miss three games. That was bad. So they don't let me throw pies at players anymore. But I can still throw pies at myself. Let me demonstrate.

Bozo Bryant: Yes, folks, Clowney has just pied himself.

Shawn Burst: OK, Clowney, I think we're done here.

Cloweny the Clown: All rigfht, good night everyone!

Bozo Bryant: Good night Clowney!

Jason St. Pierre: All right, folks, that's a wrap for tonight, we'll be back again after we play The Holy Empire, who we now know are poets, not bunnies.

Shawn Burst: But why are fluffy bunnies vicious, anyway?

Bozo Bryant: Why is anything anything?

Jason St. Pierre: Deep thoughts here on our podcast.

Bozo Bryant: Anyway, good night everyone!

[Main Nation Ministry]

The Red Wagon: Worst to Come

"There is a link between tooth decay and heart disease, but this is something that I had never been seen before in my life." another doctor said to Josh Etten, as he was getting his mouth examined, as his gums were black as death. There were some tooth left in his mouth, but they looked like he managed to get a tank full of nicotine to go a putrid color. "What the hell are you going to do?!" Josh said, where he was glad his tongue was still moving, so he can speak. "Well, Mr. Etten-"
"It's Josh!"
"Josh. Usually, whenever bad hygiene of the teeth occur, it can be linked to heart disease. However, from what you had described, it was the opposite order. Have you gotten any tests at your last visit when you receive that heart attack of yours?"
"I did, but it came up negative! You white suits were no help at all!" Josh said, which is pretty much hypocritical, since he refused getting checked up by the doctor he met when he gotten the check up.

"Look, Josh.. The best thing we can do is do immediate dental transplants. We recommend you pay for surgery immediately." the doctor said, where even though Josh wanted to leave and deck someone in the jaw, he realized that if he didn't keep his health in check, he might get screwed over more quickly than he expected. "Fine! Just make it, quick!" he demanded, where the doctor had him sign a clipboard.

A couple of more days later, Josh walked out of the hospital, where his teeth had been replaced with metal implants in the shape of normal human tooth. Arriving back at Don's house, he went looking for the almanac to view the scores for the match days. However, he remembered that Main Nation Ministry didn't make it into the final ranks for the World Cup. Wondering on what to do, Josh decided to examine the almanac further. He examined the empty pages, before each score was added, where he got out a pen. If he can use it as an almanac, what if he can use it as a diary as well? Curiously, he wrote down something on the page in a fine ink,

"Today, I receive a honoring from some devout followers. The weather was a shade of clouds, which I enjoyed since the spring was making things annoying hot."

Now, all he had to do is wait the usual time after the words would appear and see what would happen. After the typical set of minutes, Josh was practicing who to floss, wearing the implants, when he heard a knock at the door. Opening it, he was surprised to see what appeared to be several people outside the yard, almost worshiping the house. "The prophet! You have arrived! He's here! The prophet is here!" a man wearing a shirt of a crudely-drawn face of Josh yelled, as many people began to surround Josh. At first to Josh, this was somewhat unnerving, until Josh realized that one of his wishes had literally come true. "That's right! I'm the prophet! I'm your god! I'm the one who rules over you!" Josh said, smiling like a madman.

Across the street, several of the neighbors were in confusion of the scene that was happening at where Josh Etten was. A soldier, who was rather mortified immediately radioed in the disturbance and walked over to the crowd of followers with his assault rifle. "Attention! This is a public disturbance in the community! You are to head back to what you have been doing, or you will face heavy resistance!" the soldier demanded. "Wait, they aren't people! They just appeared out of nowhere!" a bystander yelled, where the soldier looked back to see the followers looking emotionless at him. "He's a deserter!" Josh said, sadistically smiling, as a woman tried to rip the rifle off the soldier's hands. "Hey! Stop! I will shoot! No! What are you doing!? Stop!"

---

A Twist
"You came to me? It's surprising to know that you're not a demon."
"I have powers connected to my wagon. I must give what people want the most that would benefit them."
"And the ones that deserve it?"
"I have them learn their lesson. If not, they can just suffer."
"I'm actually interested in making you a little informant. Imagine all the artifacts you can give us.."

"I'm not doing this for the money.."
"Of course not! But you're helping people! Isn't that what you're doing?"
"Yes I am. But I can tell that you're rather... unnerving."
"Unnerving? Well, seeing how there is tons of weird stuff in Main Nation Ministry, I can't help but wonder how long you have been doing this."
"Oh please! The demon crisis wasn't my doing! I just arrived here several days ago!"
"So you come from worlds similar?"
"They don't.. exist anymore."

"Well. Ha ha.. I'm glad that you told me about Josh Etten. You have the power to manipulative his desires and wishes?"
"I.. Hang on, what is your name again?"
"Well. Everyone knows me. I don't really need to give an introduction." the Leader said to the girl with the red wagon, as he began to develop a smile.

"You do realize that since you're now helping us, we can make things a little peaceful while getting away with some excessive methods. Seeing how I'm getting reports that Josh Etten is trying to steal my role for his own benefit, I want to make sure that he completely suffers, until I use him to paint that wagon of yours. Do you need a codename or can I just call you wagon girl?"
"You can call me a witch, I guess.."
"Ok then, witch. Let's crank things up a bit."


The Red Wagon and Hearts of Vice continues in Cup of Harmony!

[Nephara]

Nephara 0 - 1 Cosumar
(4-3-3 / 4-4-2) 1 - Swoboda; 2 - Rafford, 5 - Konoval (c), 6 - Steelhenge, 3 - Close; 8 - Klein (10 - Metzger 68'), 4 - Rowland (23 - Shone 76'), 21 - Moxham; 7 - Fanaiyan (13 - Saroszi 82'), 9 - Hawke, 11 - Strongbow

Chimera Moxham stared balefully at the bottle of vodka in her hand.
She stared, and she stared, and she stared until the glass blended into the clear liquid, the label swirled into itself, the background melted away.
But it was the pity in Circe Rosenthal's eyes that burned through it all. Made her launch herself off her bed, hustle over to the open balcony and hurl the damn thing into oblivion. It had some way to fall before it shattered on distant pavement.
She turned back. Rosenthal was still watching, silent.
"It was cheap piss anyway," she snapped, as if justifying it to the world. Then she burst into tears.

A few hours earlier, Chimera Moxham had been cock of the walk.
She might not have been the best player in the green shirt, but she was the flashiest by far. She'd dyed her hair chartreuse to celebrate the occasion.
They made for an eclectic group as they walked out of the tunnel. The swagger of Leona Rafford, the quiet, seething professionalism of Rowland and Klein, Hawke's easy menace, the centre-halves Konoval and Steelhenge nearly blocking out the sun, all wearing as much ink as kit.
They knew their jobs. The wings would be key, with Sibucic and Tidesson the main dangers. Rafford and Close had thankless jobs ahead. Cosumar had an extra man up front, Nephara one in the middle, that being Chimera Moxham. No pressure, right?
It was a spoiling game, unapologetically. Much of their training had consisted of Rafford and Rowland coordinating themselves to make sure one of them was always on 'Sibucic', who loved to float freely from her post on the left. For all that fourteen ranks might separate them on paper, the sides were well-matched everywhere on the park but in the back four, where Nephara seemed to hold the advantage. Brosque would take a scoreless draw, and be delighted with a scrappy 1-0.
Which is what happened. Just... not the 'right' 1-0.
It was a big-ticket match with a lot of eyes glued to the screen, but it wasn't, frankly, much good to a neutral. Nephara had sacrificed much of their width by pegging back their own fullbacks,
For all that, Na'Kefir made five strong saves. Hawke put a couple of snap-shots a little too close to him, Strongbow tested him from distance, and he did well to claw away a low drive from Klein and, late on, to tip a header from Metzger around the post. Swoboda made his contribution as well, but there was little he could do about the goal, when it came. Sibucic found no room ahead with Rafford constantly clipping her, and when she found possession she wheeled and turned it to Kai-Kai Mokumdarian, somewhere in space that wasn't occupied by Klein or Rowland. He drove deeper into the Nepharim side of the pitch, Klein raced to cover, but couldn't stop him finding a diagonal ball that clipped the edge of the box en route to Bryger Tidesson, grappling free of his teammate and direct marker, Close. Tidesson narrowly managed to clamp down a boot on the well-weighted ball before chopping it back the other side of Close, who very nearly hacked him down but managed to rein himself in. Close was now out of the way, Steelhenge was trying to race back, but Tidesson had already picked his mark - the ceiling of the net, above Swoboda - and found it with a whip of the left boot.
Swoboda, Close, Steelhenge, Klein... any one could probably have done that little extra to stop it, but none truly blundered. Sometimes one had to just compliment the skill of the enemy.
But Brosque was not feeling so gracious. Especially as his own talisman, Moxham, was silenced.
The ineffective Fanaiyan had probably had the worst game, and was hooked late on - not before a reshuffle to 4-4-2 ten minutes after the goal, Klein off for Metzger. This didn't sit right with the fans. It obviously didn't sit right with Klein, either. She wouldn't kick a fuss, but her stare to Brosque was cold as she went down to take her seat. But Metzger could do little without a supply line, and now Moxham had additional defensive responsibilities. The Cormorants needed a Plan B, but that was the wrong Plan B.
The game petered out with a whimper.

Aidan Brosque cracked his neck as he entered the room. Bryony Johansen, the assistant, took note of the reactions - the way peoples' chatter stopped, their heads turned up, they bit their lips.
The defeat hadn't been that bad. Their first of the cycle, though it had undeniably come at the worst time. Still, they were uninspired rather than dreadful, and the defence was solid enough against a good team. Keeping a clean sheet against Cosumar was a difficult proposition for any team. And Rafford and Rowland had played brilliantly, snuffing out Sibucic almost entirely.
But a defeat was never just a defeat. Especially not on the world stage, where another would all but sink them. When a couple of faces kept talking quietly, Brosque opened his case by ripping the whiteboard off the wall and breaking it over his knee.
Dead silence. He had their attention now.
His opening salvo; "What the fuck was that shower?"
Nobody answered. It was hardly a question.
"There was no heart there. No drive, no desire. You just sat back and did a job and thought, yeah, that's enough." Brosque was spitting as much as talking. "That's enough! Yeah, that'll do. And then you get kicked in the teeth after an hour and then what?"
A quiet hiss from Rusalka Klein, behind her gritted teeth. Brosque was spoiling for a fight, now. That made a good excuse.
"You got something to say, Ru?"
"No, boss."
"Yeah, damn right I'm the boss. Damn fucking right."
Moxham snorted. A cheap shot, an immediate back-down, an easy win - she didn't think this was the time to blow off steam. The whole affair just seemed pantomime-
Brosque noticed her, too. "But I'll cop to one thing. You should never've come off the pitch. I made one fucking mistake, and it was that I believed in the wrong fucking people to make a difference. The wrong fucking people! Estrella Hawke? Did they hobble you when you got to Eura? I'm not even gonna get started with you, Ishtar, but at least you've got the spine to admit you were fucking terrible out there. And you, Mox, you think this is funny? They failed on the scraps you gave them. Fucking hell. They shelled out 16 million for you as a teenager, but you won't even run for me. What is it these managers see in you, huh? Can I get a cut of the fucking action? It's only the World Cup, Mox! Stand up and be counted!"
She took it well, most people thought. Didn't snap back. Just swallowed her pride, took it, nodded at the right moments. But only Rosenthal noticed the red smear on her teeth when they got up to leave. She'd bit her lip hard enough to draw blood.

Nepharim have a reputation. Specifically, that they will sleep with anyone, at any time.
That isn't necessarily true, but it's closer to the mark than most national stereotypes. As a society, there just isn't the same taboo attached. Sex kills time, strengthens bonds, eases tension. People are expected to experiment, when left in any doubt. And its people are volatile in general. The upshot of all this being that selecting roommates in Nepharim camps has been almost as much about match-making as anything else.
Circe Rosenthal knew this. She also knew that it probably hadn't been known back at Marionville, where she'd cut her teeth at the top level. As a result, she'd had an open secret of a relationship with Laura Carrow when they were at the same club, but since parting, Rosenthal had unceremoniously cut it off. Carrow had called her heartless for it, and a lot of other words. It had hurt more than she'd let on, but what would've been the point in showing it? Carrow would get over it, or she wouldn't, but in any case, she had her career to maintain.
And a reputation that had followed her. Rosenthal knew she was here as a levelling influence on the mercurial, erratic Moxham with the full expectation that sparks might fly.
Right now, though, that would just be taking advantage. Moxham had been in a state since the result, going missing for a good hour and a half and coming back with a bottle in hand, much of its contents having since found their way inside her. They shared more than a vague chemistry, too. They shared a hard upbringing in Treason, though where Rosenthal had come from standard hard-working honest folk, Moxham had come from a broken family. AFC Treason had quietly arranged a foster home for her, then another after she proved too difficult for the first - but she was never malicious, just not someone who trusted the people around her.
Treason had done a lot for her, behind the scenes. She repaid them by handing in an early transfer request, seeing her path blocked. The people at home hadn't seen her background, didn't see her single-minded dedication in training, didn't see the way she broke herself down after every (rare) failure. They just saw someone leave in a huff and come back with an undeserved flash. Some sections of the press had been waiting for this anonymous performance for a good, long while. They would not be forgiving.
Rosenthal had seen it all from the sidelines, both here and in the match itself. She'd added it together in her head, and wondered; is forgiveness something Moxham would ever even expect? Was it something she'd know what to deal with, if offered?
She decided she could do worse than to find out, and draped her wiry arms around the sobbing young woman.
"It'll be alright," she murmured, hoping rather than knowing that it was true.

[Jeruselem]

Princess Cassie and Jeruselem coach Kaz Sallad after Jeruselem lost 3-1 to the Holy Empire in the 1st group game

Cassie: Yes well, that worked.
Kaz: I wasn't expecting to win but we did score a goal in there ...
Cassie: I guess 3-1 isn't too bad ...
Kaz: Well Mriin only lost to South Covello 1-0 so I guess we can hope for more favourable result when we play them
Cassie: Also means Mriin aren't doing too badly either
Kaz: Us and Mriin are in the same boat now, we've lost our games. We need pretty much to win the next two

Cassie: I assume The Holy Empire will win all their games given they haven't lost a single game as yet
Kaz: We actually need them to beat all their opponents
Cassie: Yes, I guess that's true if we have any chance.
Kaz: But if we can't beat Mriin, then beating South Covello isn't gonna happen as well
Cassie: We have two games left, we can win ... can is different to will but we're here
Kaz: Yes I guess being in the finals means we aren't totally inept

Cassie: Changing tactics?
Kaz: Nah, we play one way and changing in the middle of campaign is just stupid
Cassie: Makes sense, no point changing something that kinda works. We lost today but the opposition were always expected to be better.
Kaz: It could have been better, we don't convert chances as efficiently as we should
Cassie: We got one goal back at the end, that could make difference
Kaz: Yes well, letting in the three is another issue but we expected a robust goal scoring effort from our opposition

Cassie: Could have been worse, I guess
Kaz: I guess we just need to win, and hope other results aid us
Cassie: 1-0 win will do, I don't care
Kaz: Yes, what matters is the three points. Draws are pretty useless when you're last on the table
Cassie: Would you prefer this, or the Cup of Harmony?
Kaz: I'd prefer to avoid the Cup of Harmony, although our chances of winning that would be in theory better.

Cassie: I guess after a long campaign, another one isn't really what you want
Kaz: I just want to get the 2nd round, but it's not looking like happening
Cassie: We are one of lowest seeds in the finals, no one expects us to make the 2nd round especially with 3rd and 11th seed in this group
Kaz: And the 20th seed.
Cassie: You wonder what a team like Bongo Johnson would feel, but they got a nice group ... relatively
Kaz: The draw was quite kind to them really, compared to us.

Cassie: Let's forget about this one
Kaz: For sure, just get two wins. Or maybe a win and draw.
Cassie: We're finished if we lose again, unless there's a draw in the other game or something.
Kaz: I'm sure we know the top 2 in this group will be
Cassie: We can change that. If we're lucky
Kaz: I think we used it up during qualification eh

[Brenecia]

Brenecia 0 - 0 Turori
(4-1-4-1) 1 - Calhoun; 18 - Weaver, 5 - Heneghan, 6 - Szubanski (c), 3 - Quill; 23 - Alweather (4 - Staunton 77'); 7 - Crowther, 21 - Case, 13 - Wheeler (8 - Matheson 83'), 11 - Keynes; 9 - Riordan (17 - Bremner 71')

Someone had managed to smuggle in a few bottles of something. There was always a way, and that way would always be found in the Brenecian camp.
The someone in this instance had been Garwyn Varney, one of the hardest drinkers of the lot. He played his club football in Valanora. He Knew a Guy. That was welcome news. The something, in this instance, was... raspberry cider, a couple days expired, and its punch hit a lot closer to a vodka cruiser than scrumpy.
"Look," said Varney patiently, "this is what he was able to get his hands on for free."
The room nodded begrudgingly at that. They may have been millionaires, but they understood the need to be frugal.
So they'd co-opted a room somewhere on the second floor, cracked open the cases and got to work on it.
The talk was small, at first, but someone always had to throw that dead cat on the table. The someone, in this case, was Cathal Keynes. The cat was Clarisse Ward, the... controversial prime minister.
The Nepharim Case grimaced. Ashbrown just shook her head. "Ah, don't bring up politics, Cathal. You'll have us all at each others' throats."
A couple of voices agreed. But Crowther was never afraid to throw her two cents into the pile. She bit the cap off her bottle, spat it into the white plastic bag on the floor, and weighed in. "I don't like her. I didn't vote for her. But what she's doing... I think it's what the country needs. Hear me out," she added quickly, putting up a hand. "She's dealing with the crooks and the corruption and the cultists, for Christ's sake."
Erica Weaver chuckled. There was a forced quality to it.
"She gets results," Elysse Matheson admitted. "It's just like... I wish she could only last the single year, you know? One year to throw out the Nephs, break up the institutions, a... a cat among the pigeons kind of thing. But when things are running smooth, I don't trust what she'll do with it. Is she gonna be this heavy-handed with every issue?"
"There's worse things than a bit of directness," said Cheney Heneghan, philosophically.
Matheson stared him straight-on. "People died in those raids, Cheney. I'd wager a lot more than got reported, too. And it's like, first they came for the criminals, then the Nepharim..."
"You're being overly dramatic, Elysse," said Roisin Staunton, the kind of person to forge a middle road at every fork.
"... when do they come for the other foreigners? And then the rest of us, right? I mean, you know what her hardest-core supporters say about the... well, the Buyan diaspora, for a start." Her glance turned meaningful towards Niko Szubanski, who didn't return it.
"I don't think she'll do that," said Staunton, infuriatingly level in tone. Matheson stifled the desire to throw her cider at her.
"Something's broken in the country, anyway," said Calhoun, measured. "At least Ward's trying to fix it. More than Laidlaw did, right?"
"Yeah, but fuck Laidlaw," said Crowther.
Everyone could agree on this, at least.
"I'll be honest, though. I didn't know how deep things ran - not with the corruption, of course," Crowther continued, after grabbing her second cider, "but with the cult. All this Dreamer stuff."
"They're more a northern thing, not your neck of the woods," said Keynes. "I knew a couple when they were just starting out. They got big."
"Really? Fuck me. People will cling onto anything in hard times."
"Like Ward," said Catsidhe Alweather, acerbic. People chuckled along ideological lines.
"Aye, right enough," conceded Crowther. "Still, though. This belief, right, that a fucking anglerfish from hell is somehow lurking, like He's gonna come kill us all to save us-"
"That They'll reset the world," corrected Erica Weaver. Weaver... worried a few other players on the team. She was intelligent, professional, and kept her troubles to herself, but there was a way she had of looking right through you that was disconcerting. She was direct, as well, and not in the comforting blunt way - rather, in the way that just saw no point in niceties. "That's how the belief goes."
"Right. Uh, yeah, Erica. That's great."
"I thought they were a niche thing, though," said Heneghan, taking over the discussion. "But now there's squid-fuckers in government, in the military, even."
"Ward thinks anyone who looks at her funny is an insurgent," said Alweather. "The cultists are an easy target."
"But they shouldn't be in government posts, surely! And if her methods are a bit heavy-handed, well... they work, don't they?"
Weaver smiled, tightly.

Eventually, things became less dreary than Brenecian politics. People bonded over things more thrillingly controversial, like zonal marking, before things settled down into a steady, tipsy patter.
People eventually filtered off to their own rooms, though a couple of them were caught by assistant manager Jess Curtin. Still, she'd been here before. She knew to give a severe glance, but ultimately, let it go. As long as they weren't too wasted, they wouldn't cause trouble. Hopefully.
Weaver went back to her room with Alweather, carrying a newfound respect for the midfield destroyer's forthrightness. She'd always done right by Weaver, anyway. For all she was basically a thug on the pitch, she was a lady off it. But they said little to each other, before Alweather collapsed on her bed and passed out.
"Cat?" Weaver said, gently.
No response. Weaver sighed, and pulled the little amulet out from under her pillow, clenching the cold iron between her hands tight until it hurt, reflecting on the sanctity and purity of the pain.
"Dreamer, save tomorrow's troubles for the End of Times..."

[Audioslavia]

^{BULLS TAKE STAR RECORD TO FIVE - POISED FOR VANOR SHOWDOWN}

Ignacio Borjon punched the air like he was trying to repeatedly chin a smallish alpaca, before grabbing a handful of the torn shirt sleeve on his left shoulder and ripping it to the seam. His bellowed and repeated refrain of VAMOS and YES further ignited a raucous travelling support into a frenzy. He left the field with the fans calling his name as he went down the tunnel.

One could be forgiven for thinking he was celebrating victory. One might be surprised to learn that he’d just been given a red card.

Audioslavia versus Starblaydia was, and always has been, a singularly inimitable type of game.

In the red corner, weighing in at an unusually trim 24.17kpbs, hailing from the north-eastern islands, the former two-time World Champions, the Bulls, Audioslavia.

Their opponents, in the purple corner, fighting out of Calania, Atlantian Oceania, weighing in at a similarly svelte 29.35kpbs, the five time, five time, five time World Champions, Il Viola Vile, the Putrid Puce, the Purple One, Starblaydia.

Just the way in which I, an Audioslavian, have written the above provides a hint of what makes the fixture so bizarre, here. Starblaydia are introduced a more prestigious second, to two more nicknames and three more world titles. To any casual observer its this team that would be the favourites for the fight, the marquee act. Unwittingly, your writer has played up to the peculiar inferiority complex Audioslavians have about their western neighbours.

It’s an inferiority complex that’s superficial as all hell. Starblaydia in royal purple, Audioslavia in earthy greens and reds, Starblaydi improbably attractive, Audioslavians looking like they’ve arrived to the game after ten hours working construction. Starblaydis with their five stars, Audioslavians with their two. The NSWC has had a Starblaydi president for over ten cycles, whereas the only Audioslavian president had had to give up his position early via a fraud investigation that made him an exile from his own country and his own sport.

Audioslavians look up at Starblaydi, often literally - god saw fit that Audioslavians are fine as they at around five foot nine - and see a team, a nation with a strong sense of identity, of its attributes and limitations, comfortable with its place in the world on any metric and in any field, whether that place is high, low or in between.

Compare and contrast with an Audioslavia that still, after centuries, doesn’t consider itself truly Atlantian Oceanian. A 2-7 record in World Cup final matches that could, in another dimension, have been at least 7-2. A sense of being a joke on the international scene in any field because of their habit of choking when it matters. Success stories like Kirola and COCANEFA very much in the past.


On any amount of analysis the inferiority complex looks nonsensical. Starblaydia, for all their gold, have had their record of five World Cups and six AOCAFs since cycle 47, almost two hundred years ago, without being able to add to it. Their best chance to do so, in the final of World Cup 63, saw the purple outfit, underpowered even by their modest ‘modern’ standards, beaten by Audioslavia. Indeed, in five games at the World Cup finals, Audioslavia have won every single one of them. In addition to that World Cup final, three previous matchday one encounters finished with Audioslavia victorious in cycles seventeen (against a *very* green Starblaydia team), twenty-four and seventy-eight. Audioslavia’s record against Starblaydia climbs to an impressive 7-1-4. If you only count matches sanctioned by the NSWC or AOCAF, the record stands at 7-1-2.

And yet here we are with an inferiority complex. Against a team we apparently can’t help but stuff every time we play them on the international stage.

Much has been made of Starblaydia’s poor record against each of their group-mates. In the Starblaydi press, the angle was that their opponents were some of the best teams in world football. The Vanoran press noted that a great deal of those matches were inexperienced under-strengthed Starblaydia sides playing against high-flying Marauder or Bull teams. The Audioslavian press prattled on about ’bottle’ for bloody ever.

‘Bottle’, for the uninitiated, is what you have if you can effectively transform a lead into a win, whether in a single game or over a whole competition. It is, of course, horseshit. To hear an Audioslavian speak you’d think that a striker who misses the target in the final minute with the score at one-all was succumbing under the weight of expectation piled upon them by the fact that they were born on a certain island or play for a certain team that hasn’t won anything big for a few years, rather than because the player himself lacks poise, or is tired, or isn't very good at finishing, or because the opposing goalkeeper just happens to be very good, or because in those situations even the best strikers barely have better than a .500 average.

Does Audioslavia have an obsession with ‘bottle’? Maybe, maybe not. In my view of it, we have an obsession with whether or not we’re seen by the rest of the world as having it or not, regardless of whether we even have it, and ignoring the fact that nobody else in the world gives two shits about what a bottle is or what’s in it or not.

Is it any wonder are view of ourselves and the rest of the world is so messed up? Is it any wonder Audioslavian football is so messed up? So much so that even in victory over a rival we’re sitting here going what the hell is wrong with us?

Let’s go back to Ignacio Borjon and why he and Audioslavia’s fans are celebrating a talented attacking midfielder being sent off in a crucial game.

Audioslavia versus Starblaydia had started, as these occasions do, with the national anthems. Audioslavia’s sung heartily by the north-eastern fans and respected by locals and Starblaydi alike. Starblaydia’s national anthem apparently, according to reports, booed to high heaven by the Audioslavians in attendance, who were generally muted by the Vanoran TV producers in charge of beaming the event all round the world. Valanora remains the brother that disapproves of your drinking but helps you out when you shit your pants in public.

You can tell a lot about a football team by how they react to having their national anthem booed. If they react by playing harder, faster and more energetically, then they’re eleven guys who think you’re a bunch of dicks. If they react by rolling their eyes or smiling and shaking their heads, then they’re eleven guys who think you’re a bunch of dicks.

Starblaydia were largely the latter right up until they performed the Raiigar.

The Raiigar is one of those things that Audioslavians make a very pointed point of aggressively not understanding. The dance is often satirised in the media by having Audioslavian ‘comedians’ dress in purple and sing ‘patacake’ while doing a very loose appropriation of the dance. Whereas opposing players are supposed to stand and watch, not eyeball, but not look away, some of Audioslavia’s players could be seen miming ‘patacake patacake baker’s man’ with one another.

If it riled up the Starblaydis, they didn’t show it until a little later on, unless their pressing game in the first half was helped by it.

Wilf Lidgley has tried to instill a calm professional atmosphere in the Audioslavia dressing room. As a result, the opening stages of the match largely involved Audioslavia very noticeably and very actively playing keep-ball, as if they’d been told to control themselves and control possession before the game. The result was Audioslavia largely being penned back into their own half, trying to calmly retain the ball and, time and again, failing to do it properly. Audioslavia steadily invited pressure upon themselves until losing possession, and when out of possession would try to maintain a calm, closed defence, and would inevitably fail when Starblayia’s own calm passing play caused individuals to break ranks, chase the ball, and have the space vacated by their impatience filled by one or two marauding strikers. On six minutes, Aaron Cole benefited from a precise through-ball from Kota Sato but could only hook a right-footed shot wide of the far post with Zanardi sprawling. On thirteen minutes Cole would go close again, side-footing a low, hard cross inside Zanardi but against the side-netting, before young gun Sutter McCloud ran onto a chipped through-ball and pinged a first-time shot past Zanardi before the keeper could set himself, but had to watch as the ball floated agonizingly wide of the far post.

Starblaydia’s pressure succeeded in dulling the noise of the claret section of the crowd. The Audioslavian players, to their credit, would last another nine minutes before visibly losing their nerve.

It started with Audioslavia’s first real chance of the game. Naturally, it came from a counter-attack. A rare mis-placed attempt at an incisive pass was picked out by Lomax who was able to hit Rickson Marañón on the wing. Marañón, starting ahead of Oljer as the head of a five-man midfield, whereas Oljer would typically play as a second striker, galloped down the wing with Viipuri in futile pusuit. A low pass found Desya Kuznetsov who took two touches to get the ball out of his feet. The delay meant keeper Ollarion could close down the gap, and the striker’s shot was deflected wide for a corner, which Marañón wasted with a looping cross straight into the goalkeeper’s arms.

Starblaydia would then go ahead and show Audioslavia just how counter-attacking is supposed to be done.

From Ollarion’s throw, Sato found Krakowski on the wing, who sprinted directly at Ilatxi in the Audioslavian defence, with centre-back partner Lomax having gone up for the corner. Ilatxi refused to commit, jockeying Krakowski in an attempt to buy his defence time to stream back. Krakowski, in this position, should have passed, but a rush of blood to the hell saw the winger feint once and turn inside the defender. Ilatxi, supposedly the more experienced centre-half, fell for it hook, line and sinker, going to ground as Krakowski tore into the box and squared the ball for Aaron Cole to finish for 1-0.

A goal down and not playing well, Audioslavia decided to do away with this ‘football’ that the damned Apoxian in a tie was trying to make them play and started playing the Audioslavian way. Jean Boiteux started by introducing his forearm into Arnold Navarro’s neck as they wrestled for possession in the centre circle, with Boiteux becoming more and more insistent until Navarro simply sat on the grass in exhasperation, the referee already having called the for the free-kick. Robert Jégou went close with a free-kick awarded after Rickson Marañón was tripped by the outstretched leg of Rickson Marañón before a crunching tackle from Baran Kuznetsov left young striker Sutter McCloud prone on the turf. The sides ended the first half having to be pulled apart by various officials and team staff as angry words were exchanged.

Little is known about what went on in the two dressing rooms for the subsequent fifteen minutes, but if the opening moments of the second half were anything to go by, it consisted of, in one room, Ázëwyn Fëanáro pleading her players not to get dragged down into a spit-and-sawdust bar brawl and in the other, the Audioslavian squad agreeing with one another that their best opportunity at dragging the match into the gutter was if they used their prize shithouse to do it.

Desya Kuznetsov is a mystery wrapped in an enigma wrapped in a git. A man who speaks much but says little, yet also a man of few words, largely because he has a vocabulary as wide and varied as a car horn that plays a tune instead of going ‘blarp’. Desya Kuznetsov came out for the second half to aggressively shithouse his team back into contention, and found a great opportunity after only five minutes.

Played through into the corner by Borjon, Desya used his skill to buy half a yard from Tupu Alofa and cut back into the corner of the penalty area. Alofa tracked back and chased, Desya feinted one way, then the other, and then ran in the direction he figured Alofa would move next. Alofa tried to straighten up and put his arms in the air in the universal symbol for ‘didn’t touch him ref’, but Alofa is also about twelve feet tall and six feet wide, so when Desya did bounce off of the enormous centre-half and fall to the ground like a sack of particularly dramatic potatoes, it did kind of look like a penalty kick should be awarded if you were twenty yards away, had your vision partially obscured by Jean-Michel Boiteux, weren’t as good at being a referee as the NSWC thought you were and could be intimidated by ten Audioslavians teleporting around you at the slightest hint of a penalty and pushing you at the same time so that you couldn’t send anyone off. It was a lucky break for Audioslavia that this is what happened.

Kuznetsov buried the penalty and levelled the game back up.

With Audioslavia in the ascendancy you might have expected them to let up on the Audioslavian style of playing, but you’d be wrong. Seeing that their best chance was to continue to shithouse, the Bulls did just that. Two clear dives from Marańón went unpunished by the referee despite both being yellow-card worthy, with the referee simply waving play-on. On both occasions it was Arnold Navarro who was the supposedly guilty party, and the versatile Jhanna City defender was beginning to lose his cool. A slanging match-turned-pushing match resulted in cards for both him and Marañón, before the defensive midfielder was caught out by the Audioslavian showing the sort of skill that earned him a place in the team and, in a mixture of frustration and being off balance, sliced the young forward down as Marañón bore down on the Starblaydia defence. Was it yellow-card worthy? Perhaps not, but the referee had grown accustomed to taking his card out of his pocket after every foul in an attempt to control the game and, by the time the ref realised Navarro had already been booked, it was too late. Navarro left the field eventually, pushed off the pitch by Tupu Alofa and dragged into the dressing room by management.

Before long it was 2-1. Kuznetsov to Borjon, Borjon back to Kuznetsov, a drilled shot from 20 yards that took a heavy deflection from Sigismund that took it past the keeper.

Desya Kuznetsov, showing typical class, raced towards the Audioslavian bench, which is fine if you didn’t have to run through the Starblaydi bench to get there and, even then, he probably shouldn’t have given the entire team the ‘umbrella’ as he bounced through.

Down to ten men and behind to two ridiculous goals, Starblaydia reached for another gear. The men in purple began to get forward once more, making sure to retain possession and recycle the ball and let the Audioslavian defence come to them, looking for an in-road. A string of corners followed, with the final ball being flapped at by Zanardi on or around the penalty spot. Zanardi made contact, but could only succeed in pushing the ball just beyond the edge of the area, where Austin Dashwood was arriving. With Zanardi down, all Dashwood had to do was meet the ball firmly and truly and, assuming there were no heroic blocks on the line, the twenty-yard effort would level the game at 2-2. Dashwood met the ball firmly and truly, only to watch in horror as the shot was saved brilliantly at close-range by the outstretched hand of Ignacio Borjon.

Wait a minute.

For the next sixty seconds, ten furious Starblaydis jostled with eleven Audioslavians pretending to appeal for calm and admonishing for Starblaydis for trying to influence the referee, while Audioslavia’s substitutes surrounded the referee, trying to influence him. The referee, initially having given a penalty, had been flagged over by his assistant on the near side for a word. When he was finally able to chat to his assistant, he walked over to Ignacio Borjon, gave him a straight red card, and pointed to an area about two centimetres from the edge of the penalty box.

Free-kick. No penalty.

Borjon celebrated like he’d actually managed to convince the council that he hadn’t been driving his car when it had accrued a speeding ticket.

An apoplectic Sato blasted the free-kick off of the face of Mario Valentini and out for a corner. A still-furious Sato blasted the corner far too long.

Starblaydia would never really recover. Audioslavia would defend resoloutely until the last.

So back to the point. That inferiority complex. It perhaps doesn’t help that Audioslavia have always had a habit of playing like the underdog. As if Rickson Marañón isn’t the mercurial talent we all know his is and has to revert to diving and petty points-scoring in order to do his duty. As if Audioslavia couldn’t have played their way out of trouble at 1-0 down without needing to rely on their sheer levels of bastardry to get through.

The Bulls, shorn of Borjon for two games and possibly missing fellow midfielder Valentini to a broken face, will face a sterner test of their moral code when they face Valanora this weekend. The Vanorans, even more than the Starblaydi, take pride in their spirit of fair play and the success that it brought them over the years. Even more so, however, the Vanorans possess a heightened ability to rise above the sort of bullshit Audioslavia are capable of. Hawk, Soldarian, va Drake and co will not lose their heads so easily in the face of adversity, and not only for that sense of honour that Audioslavians mistake for aloofness, but also because they’ve all been playing in Audioslavia for years and have been dealing with precisely Audioslavia’s manner of horseshit every season.

Ranked higher, rated higher, with home advantage, the possibility of sealing progression after only two games and with a better guess of what Audioslavia’s number might be, Valanora go into the weekend’s fixture as firm favourites despite shaky moments in their defeat of Nova Anglicana.

Wilfred Lidgley has a choice. He can either continue to rely on his Audioslavian players acting really Audioslavian in order to get the win, or he can persist with the idea that this team, ranked far outside the world’s top ten and without a win against a top ten team for over a decade, can and should be able to beat a five-time World Champion at their own game.

For Audioslavians, one thing is clear: As long as his side show bottle and get stuck in and do a leadership and get it in amongst them (because our opponents, as always, do not appreciate ‘it’ when ‘it’ is raised into them), they’ll be alright.

[Valanora]

Of Rage and Grace

An eye of blue across a sea of melodious green
Stoking the fires of what has once come to past
Flaming the embers of what yet may come once more
A dream of an eternal spring
From which boundless youth and vigor spills forth.

Skies darkened amid the bloodied fields of green
Paths of violence, war, and desolation fill the scene
The broken horns of a would be king lay bare
Emblazoning the fury of a mad bull let loose
A defeated prince makes note of the way.

Blue crosses across the scarlet
Clashing forth amidst the lightning enlightening the sky
A thousand thousand suns flickering by the by
As the graceful dancer shimmies and shakes
The furious beast drives forth enraged.

Entities collide and the world shatters beneath
Torn asunder in the bloom of furious blades
Skilled power clashing against unbridled fury
Princes and citizens watch in earnest
As a test of time and will unfolds.

[Cassadaigua]

Fillies Fall In Opener,
by Chelsea Dufresne, Concord Heights Times

Cassaadaigua did not play poorly in their 2-1 loss to 4th- ranked Eura in the opening game of the World Cup’s group stage, they just did not get the end result. This is greatest show in the World, and in the end we could not stop the “Eura Victor!” chants from occurring.

Statistically, if you analyze the game you will not see anything particularly wrong with Cassadaigua’s performance. To an extent, you can fairly say that Cassadaigua outplayed Eura in the middle third of the field for the majority of the match. Scoring chances were very similar, as were all possession numbers. An exciting first half saw Dion Underwood open up the scoring in the 29th minute, but a Hannah Ranucci response in the 40th showed that this would be a battle until the end. Eura took a 2-1 lead in the 61st on Oscar Coltrane’s strike, and held off the valiant comeback efforts from the Fillies. These teams combined for 13 draws during qualifying, and the way Cassadaigua was getting chances in the late minutes, it looked like we would share in the 14th draw. Robert Griffin, though, was the man of the match, and made incredible saves, particularly in the 83rd minute on Ranucci, then in the 90th minute when Rachel Schanke could have had a career defining equalizer. We’ll have to wait a while to write that chapter of her developing legacy. The opposing fans were relieved when the final whistle blew, knowing that they successfully clung to the lead and pulled out the three points. Cassadaigua is shut out with points, but no one can really say they played poorly. Here were some post game comments.

“The World Cup has no room for error,” said manager Stephanie Sweeney, “I am pleased with our effort, and this is one of the losses that you don’t overreact too. We will look at some of the little things that we could have done better, but at some point, you have to admit, they are the 4th ranked team in the World, and as a program, we have not come all the way back from where we were. It’s a good measuring stick though, but we need to carry the positives of this match into our next one against Sargossa.”

“We had our chances,” stated captain Hannah Ranucci, “It was a battle out there. We wish we could have salvaged that point in the end, and I think we had them on their heels late in the match. All except the keeper, anyway. He was tough.”

Kelsey Morgan, playing her first official World Cup Proper game in goal stated, “They were as advertised, good cohesive unit, and they played well. I’m sure with all of their draws during qualifying, there was some soul searching amid their locker room that they needed to better, and they played like the Champions that we know they are.”

Sargossa is next, in a game that will make or break our efforts to advance to the round of 16. The Corsairs defeated Valladares in their opener, so while a draw here would not eliminate us, it would be hard to advance by sharing a point with them. It’s a must win.

[Free Republics]

The "Soccer General" Rule Theriault was not pleased with his team's performance in the first half of their World Cup opening match against Baker Park. They had stumbled to a goal to nil deficit, conceding a goal to Varlerie Agahambri after a terrible back pass by Vaclav Urbanek. As he berated the team for their poor performance, one of them admitted that most of them had stayed up late the night before to watch All Taiyou Pro Wrestling's Supercard from the CoCoCo Stadium in New City. Several players on the team had tickets to the show and had been forced to sell those tickets after the World Cup hosts announced that the tournament would start a few days earlier than they had expected. It didn't help matters that the team was also clearly overconfident and dismissive of their group stage opposition, with many already talking about how they were looking forward to facing South Covello or Vilita in the quarterfinals, talk which not only presumed that they would advance but also that they would avoid Nephara in the Round of 16.

As they walked back out of the tunnel, they realized that they had been lucky to hold Baker Park to a single goal after an abysmal first half and were refocused. Just 30 seconds or so into the second half, they would equalize on a long shot by Johnny Smith that appeared to catch Kyle Moyer napping, not expecting to see such a quick challenge after a first half where the Republicans had only attempted 2 shots, neither of them on goal. As the match continued onward, it was a much more even match in the second half with Baker Park holding its own against a focused Republican team. Moyer soon found himself under siege as the pace of the match picked up but played well to keep the match even well past the hour mark. Finally, Love Holm would score the go-ahead goal, on a first touch shot assisted by Peltola and it looked like the Republicans would escape with a win in the opener.

But that was not to be. The official signaled for 4 minutes of added time and those minutes appeared to be perishing with no serious chance of a Baker Park attack. Then, they had one last chance to snatch a point from the match but Jake Reed, who had come on for Urbanek, decided to tackle Evan Ashcroft from behind with the most blatant foul imaginable as it looked like Ashcroft would have a final scoring opportunity. The official showed Reed a red card and awarded Baker Park a penalty kick. It was unclear whether Ashcroft had been inside of the box or not so Theriault loudly protested that it should be a free kick instead but the official was having none of it! Moments later, Baker Park would equalize off the penalty and the match would end as a 2-2 draw.

After the match, Theriault was given a live microphone on FBC:

Rule Theriault - That call was a total disgrace. Jake tackled him outside of the box as the video replay clearly showed and I'm not happy about it in the slightest. (OOC: The replay was actually inconclusive and depended upon what camera angle you were looking at.) But we have to move on to the next match and we will take care of business against Apox in a few days. There's just such a small margin for error in the World Cup so you can't afford to play like we did in the first half today if you want to contend for a World Cup title. We just weren't good enough and even though we got robbed at the end, we were honestly lucky to even be in position to win after how badly we started. Baker Park are a good team that are probably going to be contending for a long time. I hope their striker is OK after that because Jake tackles really hard especially when he loses his head like that. He's gonna have to work on his temper if he wants to get into the starting lineup and Vaclav is gonna have to make sure he keeps his head in the game. You don't ever do a back pass to the keeper in your own end when one of their strikers is in the vicinity. Its just a stupid thing to do when you can always hit a long clearance or move the ball forward.

The FBC feed then cut abruptly to Republica where Sister Polus was leading yet another protest outside of the New Legislative Building. At the request of Consul Scarlett Nicholls, Polus's every act was the talk of the news media throughout the FFR because she was the perfect foil for the consul...

[Banija]

Banija v. Farfadillis- can the Kadongo Kamu upset their neighbors at the World Cup?


The manager with a pair of players at a pre-game press conference

GLADERIAL, VALANORA- With World Cup 82 in full swing, the Banijans have quite a challenge in front of them- can they do damage against the defending regional champions, one of their closest(geographical) neighbors, and the multiverse's #6 ranked squad? Of course, there is more at stake than simply meets the eye. There is, of course, regional bragging rights between two squads in Atlantian Oceania. There are subregional bragging rights, between two squads in the Greater Southwest region of Atlantian Oceania. And naturally, there is what is at stake on the field when these two teams meet- both of them have three points already, after one game. The group's winner will be taking a giant step forward to not only the knockout stages, but be putting themselves in pole position to win the group. And, of course, simple bragging rights between these two neighbors. Even though Banija shares a land border with Geisenfred, the closest national capitol by distance to Busukuma is none other than Ferdullaele, Farfadillis.

Which means, to put it in simplistic terms, something much more basic is at stake here- simple bragging rights. A few years ago, of course, when the Farf government collapsed and a state of almost complete anarchy was unleashed on Farfadillis, this had an effect on Banija. A great number of Farf refugees travelled to Banija, and the vast majority flew off to different parts of Atlantian Oceania and the greater multiverse, mostly from the Capitol Airport. However, there were a number, small in percentage, that decided to stay within Banija, concentrated in the National Capitol REgion. There is almost a 30,000 strong community of Farfs living in Busukuma, while the government estimates that there are about 15 to 25,000 more scattered across the rest of the country.

With the World Cup underway, many Farf flags are out in Farf Village, the informal nickname for the collection of neighborhoods in Busukuma where many of these Farf refugees actually reside. And of course, as one might imagine, that would provide quite a spark to this matchup in our nation's capitol- this game is simply going to mean that much more. The city's police, since the groups were announced a few months ago, have already taken a number of precautions to ensure that peace is kept no matter the result. "We're working well with bar owners and such to make sure that everything stays in order." A spokesman said. "Encouraging fan separation, working with community leaders in Byaro Heights(the formal name of the Busukuma neighborhood where most Farf refugees settled) the logistics of this is similar to a World Cup match itself. Two two sets of fanbases converge on Banija. Nobody should be worried- that day will be a fun one for fans of Banija and Farfadillis alike."

While Busukuma will surely be a fun place, the eyes of the country will be on The White Fortress in Gladerial, Valanora. A large pack of travelling fans from Banija are expected to be there, giving them an ever so slight home field advantage. Even Marcus Waters spoke on that. "Farfadillis is an extremely talented team- there's a reason they're the defending champions of Atlantian Oceania. If we have a chance of getting points in this one, we're going to have to play at the top of our game for 90 minutes. Their attack is absolutely ferocious, and they will pounce on even the smallest of mistakes. Our own fans have been great- and we're asking them, one more time, to deck out this Valanora stadium with green and orange. Let's see the flag, let's see the colors all over the stadium. I believe!"

Let's dive right into it, shall we? Our two keys to Banijan success.

Key #1- Slowing Down Xíxì Êns

Xíxì Êns is going to be the best player on the field when the Banijans take it against this Farfadillis squad. And for good reason- Xíxì Êns is the best player on the field 95% of the time he takes the field. There are few in the multiverse who are as good as doing what he does. While Marcus Waters hasn't explicitly said anything(as of course, what manager reveals their tactics before the game) he was hinting that they are looking to use the same sort of strategy they've employed to slow down Pristina Shine when they play the Equestrian States- A 'Jordan Rules' esque strategy. What's the hint? He spoke for an unusually long time about how happy he was that nobody on his team received yellow cards, how that would make his defensive strategy against Farfadillis 'much more flexible'. And of course, he spoke of the challengers of corraling superstars, and how players like Pristina Shine, Xíxì Êns, and Bryger Tidesson, two of those who have done Banija in at crucial moments, almost always seem to find a way. And, of course, hints in the changes for the starting XI between the Damukuni match and the Farfadillis match.

Now, of course, as a refresher course for many of us- what is this strategy? While, of course, never formally articulated by the manager or any Kadongo Kamu, the strategy is simple. Make your opponent feel your presence. Aka, using physicality. Abate Brehanu, the 33 year old center back, will likely start in place of Kawsu Kaba. He was a key part of the strategy the times it was used against Pristina Shine of the Equestrian States. And Kizza Okafor, starting ahead of Okparro, showing that they'll expect him to drop back more than they usually ask the #10, though Marcus Waters promised that Okparro would certainly see the field at some point. You're talking about playing a team that just shredded the multiverse's 12th ranked side in Pasarga- desperate times call for desperate measures. But while there is loads of talent everywhere, the game runs through Xíxì Êns. But the smaller striker will have to earn it on this day. There will be heavy contact, he will certainly hit the ground far more times than one. He plays in a false nine position, meaning that he likes to drop deep.

Key #2- Can the Banijans counter?

Of course, we've spoken a bit about their superstar who led them to glory in Mriin. But it is teams that win championships, not simply individuals, and Xíxì Êns is joined by other great attackers, who liked to play at a high pace. You're talking about a player like Lüí Wçêíl, who is capable of delivering in perfect balls on the run- as he did against Mriin, serving a devastating cross towards Holsteiner, so the Holdenberg striker could score for his country towards the end of qualifying. And, of course, they like to play at a high tempo. Banija likes to dictate tempo too, but because of the breadth of talent on the Farf roster, it will certainly be the Farf squad that dictates to the Kadongo Kamu on this matchday.

Of course, this is easier said than done, but the key for the Banijans will be taking their chances. The downside of playing a team that has this much talent, and attacks this much, is obvious. It's likely they'll have vast amounts of positive possesion, and put enormous pressure on the Banijan defense and midfield. However, the flip side is that the Banijans should have a couple of opportunities to counter. Not many however. Farfadillis plays a deadly offside trap with their back 3, and with an aggressive sweeper keeper in Íüé Tgô, the margin for error is small when going forward, especially if they're playing the ball long.

But that is where Banija's opportunity, however slight, will come from. Can they get the ball in behind the Farfadillis back line? IF Lemuel Bereket can distribute the ball quickly, especially after corraling a cross, then he can get the attackers to counter. They won't go forward in as large number as usual- with Kizza Okafor starting in place of Okparro, who many expect to come on later on as a change of pace sub, it will just be the Kahara/Yitebarke/Afolayan trio. However talented, they'll have to catch the Farf defenders on their heels to be successful. While possible, they cannot waste their few opportunities they'll have to score- if they do, then it has the potential to be a long night for the Banijans.

Well, those are the keys, that's all you need to know. Get ready for a match that is bound to have all kinds of fireworks, and all kinds of entertainment, as the two Atlantian Oceania sides battle for supremacy in Group G.

Starters: 4-2-1-3
Players who are based in a foreign league are bolded.
Players who have their first ever competitive callup in this tournament are italicized.
BSL = Banijan Soccer League, Banija's only national professional soccer league.
GK #1 Lemuel Bereket. Age 28. Plays for Exton FC in the Apox National League.
RB #2 Obey Chidiebere. Age 28. Plays for Bunyoro RSC in the BSL.
CB #3 Jalang Ba. Age 28. Plays for Jinja City FC in the BSL.
CB #20 Abate Brehanu. Age 33. Plays for Herzegovina City FC in the BSL.
LB #4 Gugulethu Feza. Age 29. Plays for Bunyoro RSC in the BSL.
RCM #6 Ablie Kah. Age 25. Plays for Istria City FC in the BSL.
LCM #15 Phumelele Stofile. Age 29. Plays for Busukuma AC in the BSL.
CAM #14 Kizza Okafor. Age 22. Plays for Lakiska Sporting Club in the BSL.
RW #7 Chibuzo Afolayan. Age 32. Plays for AFC Corvistone in the Nepharim Premiership. Captain.
LW #11 Gitonga Kahara. Age 26. Plays for OAS Royal FC in the Härlighet Ligan in Cosumar.
ST #9 Assefa Yitebarke. Age 29. Plays for Istria City FC in the BSL.

Bench:
GK #19 Zinnah Ndiaye. Age 35. On loan to Sporting Illyrius of Velestria. Rights owned by Mynda Electra of the BSL.
GK #35 Jumu Sanneh. Age 28. Plays for Turoki United in the Vilitan League's Declasse Division.
RB #27 Ephrem Selassiee. Age 26. Plays for Sterling City United in Darmen.
CB #5 Kawsu Kaba. Age 21. Plays for the Hoima Warriors in the BSL. Captained Di Bradini Cup 44 side.
LB #13 Ensa Camara. Age 29. Plays for the Zakhora Aces in the Härlighet Ligan in Cosumar.
CM #8 Amadi Uche. Age 24. Plays for Bunyoro RSC in the BSL.
CAM/CM #10 Okonkwo Okparro. Age 28. Plays for Makosile United in the Vilitan League's Declasse Division.
CAM #21 Namakula Kawesa. Age 22. (Female). Plays for Gwinevra Barbarians in the Apox National League.
LW/RW #12 Nwabudike Ugonna. Age 22. Plays for FC Rotmunde 1932 in the Republikaliga in Siovanija & Teusland.
LW/RW #18 Alanso Tamba. Age 27. Plays for Crisisbless United in the Nepharim Premiership.
ST #24 Kabir Jobateh. Age. 26. Plays for FC Kaiserhaven in the Republikaliga in Siovanija & Teusland. Starter on the bronze medal 42nd Di Bradini Cup squad.
ST #17 Ilman Jawara. Age 19. Plays for the Hawabark Boulders in the BSL.

[The Archregimancy]

A Dallas, A Sallad, A Princess and Me
By Twitch (Holy Empire 82 midfielder)

I twitch my whiskers for my third World Cup
Chewing so cutely on a buttercup
Sipping some tea from a china teacup
The cheers of the crowd will soon erupt

I am a bunny as cute as can be
Off to Gwinevra and our victory
Come hold my paw, and what do you see?
A Dallas, A Sallad, A Princess and Me

The Princesses wait, but they have no hope
Against our great team they simply can't cope
The elf can run faster than a swift antelope
And soon has scored two 'gainst the poor Dallas dopes

I am a bunny as cute as can be
Off to Gwinevra and our victory
Come hold my paw, and what do you see?
A Dallas, A Sallad, A Princess and Me

Dada's a stripper, or so I am told
She's pulled a goal back by striking the ball
Her shot it is fierce, and terribly bold
A highlight for sure, and great to behold

I am a bunny as cute as can be
Off to Gwinevra and our victory
Come hold my paw, and what do you see?
A Dallas, A Sallad, A Princess and Me

But then it's my turn, I fluff out my ears
And take a free kick to the crowd's many cheers
It's the best shot I've taken in so many years
And reduces their goalie to terrible tears.

I am a bunny as cute as can be
Off to Gwinevra and our victory
Come hold my paw, and what do you see?
A Dallas, A Sallad, A Princess and Me

The whistle is blown, the game it is done
A magnificent start, as we win three-one
Our confidence strong, the Princesses stunned
So on to the Satyrs, Covello - such fun!

I am a bunny as cute as can be
Off to Gwinevra and our victory
Come hold my paw, and what do you see?
A Dallas, A Sallad, A Princess and Me

[Vilita]

Jungle Cats drop points in opener despite late fightback

Ground of Champions, Wofford, Apox :: The Vilitan National Team have a long history of dropping points on the opening matchday of a competition, be it in World Cup Qualifying, the World Cup Finals or any tournament in between. Sometimes there are caveats - such as during the World Cup 82 Qualification campaign where the Jungle Cats actually recorded their biggest victory of the campaign with an 8-1 tirumph over Bysantia on the opening matchday only to head home to the Tivali Ring Stadium in Alikki-Corra for their first home match of the Qualification Cycle - the banner raising ceremony for the defending World Cup Champions - and lose 2-1 to Abannhfleft - but there is almost always something at the start of a tournament for the Jungle Cat faithful to wonder if it was all going to fall apart, thusly giving the Vilita National Team the opportunity to fight back and climb out of the hole they dug for themselves, keeping things exciting for their fan base.

A solid World Cup 76 campaign that only ultimately ended with a quarter final defeat to the eventual World Champions got its start in a much more lowly fashion with a 2-1 home defeat at the hands of Anglatia. Perhaps most famously however was the Jungle Cats run during the World Cup 68 finals, 48 cycles after winning their first World Cup title, the Vilitan National Team set the record for the longest number of cycles between World Cup titles and they did so after digging themselves a hole on the opening matchday. The Jungle Cats were coming off a strong World Cup 67 campaign where they had made it to the Quarter Final stage before being bested 3-2 by regional rivals and most-decorated-team in World Cup history, Valanora. Their opener to the World Cup 68 finals was a very similar but very different foe in Pasarga and just as Valanora had done in the Quarter Finals of World Cup 67, Pasarga took down the Jungle Cats to kick off World Cup 68. It had the potential of being a real turning point in Vilitan sport as - 48 cycles since last lifting the World Cup trophy, the Jungle Cats could have rolled over and conceded that their World Cup 20 success was just a fluke - something they would never be able to emulate and defeats on the opening matchday of the Group Stage to (then) non-World Champion nations such as Pasarga were evidence to support it; or; they could punch adversity squarely on the underside of the chin, overcome and fight through it. Thats exactly what the Vilita National Team did in World Cup 68, bonding together following their opening matchday defeat and turning the tables to win every single match from that point forward including a Quarter Final victory over the host nation Legalese, a Semi-Final revenge victory over their opening matchday thorns Pasarga and then a 4-2 victory in the World Cup 68 final over the Free Republics. A new generation of Vilitan Footsport was born during World Cup 68 and it all started with a pair of goals conceded and some dropped points on the opening matchday of the Group Stage.

So when the Vilitan National Team went 0-2 down to an unlikely Juvencus side at the Ground of Champions in Wofford, Apox - a venue perhaps more aptly named for a clash between Valanora and Vilita instead of an opener featuring Juvencus - the majority of Vilitan supporters, media pundits and even players on the pitch alike were frustrated, angry. While they were questioning how at a field deemed the "ground of champions", the defending World Cup Champions were losing 0-2 against a team that had openly desired to not even qualify for the World Cup Finals, there were a select few who may have been looking back in the record books to recall a time like during the World Cup 68 finals in Legalese and the Free Republics when the Vilitan National Team started their campaign in a very similar fashion only to rebound and claim the World Cup Title.

The match was far from over, of course, and the Jungle Cats were controlling the majority of the possession despite being unable to break through the antiquity-inspired roman fortress of a back line that the Juvencus side were deploying, seeming to have at times all 11 players behind the ball preventing the Jungle Cats forward progress. There was little they could do in the 72nd minute however when the Vilitan National Team got an opportunity in a dead ball scenario from a free kick 25 yards from goal. The veteran Westii Yahya of the Yeaddin Owls stood over the ball patiently with the referee waving play along. It seemed Yahaya was waiting for just the right gust of wind to creep in through the relatively small opening at the top of the 33,000 capacity Ground of Champions, but once that gust came Yahaya unleashed their free kick like mouse trap being sprung and the ball bobbed and weaved its way to the back of the net pulling the Jungle Cats to within a goal with still 18 minutes to play.

By now the tide of the match had shifted firmly into the favor of the Vilitan National Team who pressed forward at an increased rate in an attempt to uncover an equalizer and potentially then set themselves up to rescue the points against the team many had projected to finish bottom of the group. The Jungle Cats would eventually get that break they needed but unfortunately it may have been a case of too little too late in their attempts to take all three points on the day.

In a momentary lapse of formation, Juvencus had sniffed just the slightest of an opportunity to put the game out of doubt when substitute Brunella Tafani intercepted a pass across the middle by Va'a-Rio Kiwavn then found a streaking Vespasien Tanzi on the right side of the pitch unguarded. As Tanzi sprinted up the sideline with the ball the Juvencus midfield broke from their defensive posture to help in the attack. That was all the Jungle Cats needed as Tanzi's wayward cross to the box found only Jungle Teal and Cove Blue shirts as Kwuimekii Hentetii quickly launched the ball up field. The ball found Sabrefell Athletic's Sipke Tarala on the bounce and Tarala, working against a normal defensive back line instead of the entirety of the Juvencus Empire, found just enough space to fire a shot across the goal out of the reach of Tushlark Superstars netminder Taddeo Bulgari and into the back of the net to level the scores at two a piece.

Vilita [2] - [2] Juvencus

:: Vilita Goalscorers :: :: 72' Westii Yahaya :: 88' Sipke Tarala

:: Vilita Statistics :: :: Possession: 68% :: Shots on Target: 7 :: Corner Kicks: 7

:: Juvencus Statistics :: :: Possession: 32% :: Shots on Target: 6 :: Corner Kicks: 2

---

Vilita Jungle Cats Lineup v. Juvencus ::
[GK]Mako Canopii, [D.]Kwuimekii Hentetii, [D.]Jirak Trikala, [D.]Arocki Tadalek, [ML] Cywrenta Vlintejni, [MC] Westii Yahaya, [MC]Jurzen Devmiko, [MC] Va'a-Rio Kiwavn, [MR] Cavuna Aquafek, [FC]Nii'arala Milaaso, [FC]Sipke Tarala
BENCH::
[FC]Tenziki Kulakao, [FC]Nuola Brenzil, [M]Polaox Torerun, [M]Limu Katarakhna, [U ]Tinjus Mngomeni, [D]Mileke Drokasorna, [GK]Hanauma Ranbomahi

---

While the Jungle Cats were back in the match at least momentarily, the Juvencus team found their formation once more to hold on to a point that would be most satisfactorily celebrated even if it were the only point they collected during their trip to the World Cup 82 finals in Apox. For the Vilitan National Team, however, it was an unanticipated setback as perhaps they had one eye focused on the key matchday 2 group stage fixture with 9th ranked nation in the multiverse and Atlantian Oceania rivals the Equestrian States.

The Equestrian States had no trouble in their opening match of the group stage defeating former Independent Association Cup and Cup of Harmony champions Mercedini 1-0 to take early control of Group B. The result could also change the dynamic of the matchday two fixture however as with the vast separation between the two top 10 teams, Vilita and the Equestrian States, and the two near 30th ranked teams in the multiverse, Juvencus and Mercedini, many were projected Group B as the most clear cut Group to choose two teams to advance to the knockout rounds and expecting that when Vilita and the Equestrian States met on Matchday two it would be to determine which of the two nations would finish atop Group B. Now, however, with the Vilitan National Team having already dropped two points in their opener, a defeat against the Equestrian States coupled with a win by Juvencus over Mercedini could result in the Jungle Cats potential elimination from the World Cup Finals at the Group Stage. Even a draw would do little for the Jungle Cats as now their only clear path to the World Cup Finals would be with two wins over the final two matches against the Equestrian States and Mercedini. For the Equestrian States, however, having already won the opener against Mercedini, defeat at the hands of the Defending World Cup Champions would make hardly a dent in their qualification chances as they would still be highly favored to defeat Juvencus on Matchday 3 to secure their progression to the Round of 16.

Elsewhere in Apox it was an up and down opening matchday for teams from Atlantian Oceania as both 95X and Mriin were shut out in matchday 1 defeats at the hands of South Covello and Qasden respectively in Groups C & D. One team that did find success however was Cosumar, still in search of their first ever World Cup title, who took a great step towards advancing from a difficult Group D defeating former World Cup Champion Nephara 1-0 on the opening matchday.

Throughout Atlantian Oceania it is likely that all eyes will be focused back on Group B for matchday 2 of group stage action as the defending World Cup Champion Vilita Jungle Cats take on the Ponies of the Equestrian States in a potential must-win matchup for the Vilitans if they hope to continue their title defense through to the knockout stage. There are sure to be many more viewers in attendance from Atlantian Oceania than could cram into the compact 33,000 capacity Ground of Champions in Wofford, Apox with Vilitan faithful likely attending Vilaye Energy Drink sponsored viewing parties while Ponies throughout the Equestrian States will likely be taking in the match from their local Cocoa-bo delectable cafe.

[Eura]

Four years ago

The ‘Leninist Incident’ had presented an unusual problem for Eura at a very difficult time. The war was at the height of its middle phase. Sameba’s war machine was suffering irreparable damage, but that didn’t mean the Euran nation wasn’t still going through hell. It was understood, accepted and even celebrated that third party revolutionary groups were roaming the Sameban countryside, many of them neither Euran or Sameban. Yet this was only the case because they did not tread on Eura’s toes and exclusively fought the fascist Sameban state – so when the capture of six Savojar revolutionary militiamen behind Euran lines unveiled a wider operation that was actively targeting Eurans, the fallout was going to be complex. Eura has a reputation for its calm, assertive diplomatic manner. During the war things were different. This was an existential struggle. To be against the Eurans whatsoever was, to them, as bad as being a Sameban collaborator.

Some of the captured men were valiantly silent and they’d not been taken with any substantial incriminating documentation, and by the time the subsequent Euran Army sweeping operation was over only so much evidence had been assembled. But only one of them needed to talk. Once knowledge of the case had spread up the chain of command the level of decision making required elevated with it. It was deemed serious enough that the War Cabinet was briefed. Six Savojars, their intentions, activities and allegiance only partially known, but Savojars shooting at Eurans nevertheless. The reaction of some more hawkish cabinet members was predictable. ‘They have no respect. We need to comb these groups, especially ones we’ve funded, and destroy any that have got unruly.’
‘This goes deeper than bloody Trotskyists on an armed safari. They must be connected to the state. I would call it an act of war.’
‘Savojarna has been a thorn in our side for too long! Let’s show them some Euran steel. Dispatch a couple of carrier groups and they’ll be grovelling before sunset tomorrow!’ Much of the cabinet felt this way, though others spoke of more proportionate repercussions like sanctions.

The Prime Minister of the time was still relatively new to office and trying to open up the endgame of the war. She had no interest in starting a new war over some rogue militants. She ensured cooler heads prevailed and the subsequent Euran reaction, once the incident inevitably became public, was restrained. The Ambassador from Savojarna was given a dressing down by the Foreign Secretary. Known Savojar agents were deported or arrested. Relations cooled considerably. Sanctions, however, were not forthcoming, nor any show of military might. Instead the captured LKPS men were quietly put on trial, without any histrionics, and sentenced to lengthy terms with no hope of parole. Behind closed doors the PM discreetly asked the Office of State Intelligence to investigate further and use the men who would talk as a springboard for a deeper, covert inquiry into Savojar activities in Eura.

Three and a half years later, the world had changed. People had moved on and minds refocused away from war to the economy and Eura’s performances in World Cup 82 qualifying.. The war was “over”, at least in the sense that the Sameban state had imploded and organised, large scale resistance to Euran forces had vanished. A blue and gold flag fluttered over the ruins of Samebus – for most, this represented the culmination of Eura’s crushing victory rather than a new phase of organised chaos. Eura was still fighting though, quietly cutting down hardliner groups and war criminals in search and destroy raids across Sameba’s vast countryside. Armed leftist groups Sameban and otherwise found themselves on the receiving end of this purge as well. Defeat of the Sameban regime had extinguished their usefulness to the authorities in Bastion who were pursuing them to every corner, nook and cranny of the country. The Savojar Six, as the Euran media had dubbed them, had been consigned to history. This was until they were visited in their latest prison by the Savojar Organisation for Transparency and Justice. Visits were usually ignored by the authorities but on this occasion it was flagged up the chain. With developments in Savojarna’s courts being what they were, the PM herself became involved again. An extradition request potentially beckoned. She had already decided what her government’s response would be.

[Pasarga]

The locker room for The Wanderers after that match with Farfadillis contained the looks of twenty three players who seemed defeated and exhausted beyond belief. The group had come to The Eternal Empire thinking that this was the best squad that the Wanderers had brought to the Finals in almost a decade, that they had a legitimate shot of making a deep run into the tournament and possibly even an outside shot at the title itself. While the team had been heavily tested in their qualifying group, they had overcome the obstacles before them and held off the challenges to qualify and make it to the Finals. Emerging from that gauntlet of a qualification cycle was supposed to have toughened up the squad, not made them all the more vulnerable to be taken advantage of like they had been during the last ninety minutes by the Farves who had taken no prisoners in their relentless assault on the Wanderer's half. Everyone came into the match knowing that the Farves were world renowned for how fearsome their attacking power was, it was what made Farves who played attacking roles such hot commodities during the transfer windows, but knowing what was coming and stopping it was two completely different things.

Even Thor, the mighty captain and talismanic striker looked completely dejected, it was a look of utter disbelief, perhaps fitting given it was one of the Wanderer's worst losses in the Finals and in their history. Thor also knew that he likely was on his last chance to prove that all his accolades at club level meant more than just window decor, that he could help the national team succeed. For a year he had let his head get ahead of him, putting himself ahead of the team, and now he had realized how foolish those months had been. This was going to be his lasting legacy if he could not find a way to help the team bounce back from this match and win a game they were supposed to and somehow get ahead of a Banija squad that looked poised to climb the ladder of international football. History would remember him as the almost great striker, as the one who could not deliver in the times that it mattered most and on the largest of stages, that could only ever do it when the stage and risks were quite smaller than what was in the balance at the World Cup Finals. The mere thought of it was leaving a very bitter taste in his mouth.

Mór Császár knew that the difference between his side and the Farfadillis team that just beat them was not as wide as the scoreline suggested and he had a good feeling as to why it all fell apart there at the end. The question he had was how to best phrase this so as to not dampen their spirits more but still apply the sort of pressure that his squad needed to lift their heads out of their hands and keep going. It was poor enough form to be beaten in the opening match, it would be poorer still to allow a single defeat to turn into a second and eliminate the side with a game still left to go. That sort of reaction and result would also likely see his tenure at the helm of the Wanderers come to an abrupt end. This was not the way that he wanted his tenure to end, even if he could only prolong a stay of execution for one more match, at least he would have that match.

"Listen up lads and lasses, that was rough, there is no getting around that fact in the least. We got unlucky a few times and the Farves did what they are known to do, they capitalized on the opportunities when they were given them. There is a reason they are among the best in Atlantian Oceania, a region renowned for having great sides, the margin was inflated but they were the better side. However that does not mean that we are allowed to sit around and mope at this outcome nor let it defeat us for a second time. The task ahead of us is still one that is in our control, but it requires hard work and dedication from all of us. You all were jet lagged in this match, you might not have seen it in the first half, but the second half it was quite evident with your legs dragging and chasing the Farves all around the pitch. That wont be the case for our next match against Damukuni and you will be damned if you think I am going to let you all mope. There is a recovery tomorrow and then training for the match the two days after and you will all be putting in the hours to get the sharpness we need to get ourselves out of this mess. No one is above the team and as long as we play like that in the next two matches, we have enough in us to advance."

[Farfadillis]

Fifty minutes had gone by, but neither team had yet managed to score. Pasarga had hit the post on no less than three occassions, though Farfadillis' apparently much better physical state had actually given them the edge throughout the match, and one could still argue that they'd been even slightly better.

The one player that the Wanderers had really struggled to contain had been none other than Xíxì Êns. The false nine had been a complete nightmare for Bader, Földessy and even Eisenhower when he dropped deeper to mark him. His off-the-ball movement had been very sharp that game, and his passes had been right on point. He was only lacking the space to finish some chance and give his team the lead.

The Wanderers were not entirely failing at containing him. Try as he might, he wasn't managing to get even one good chance for himself. What's worse, Holsteiner, the main recipient of his playmaking, seemed to be having an off-day. To find space, Xíxì had to drop pretty deep. Even deeper than usual. Tuzzio had already accounted for this, and given him specific instructions to do exactly that, but he wasn't liking it.

If there's one thing that will frustrate a playmaker to no end, it's when his teammates waste good chances he creates. Holsteiner, Eleonóra and Wçêíl had wasted one good chance each. Xíxì was a very respectful player, so you could never tell if he was beginning to get exasperated by you. His only tell was when he began choosing to pass the ball to other teammates. Not out of spite, but out of a logical decision. If you're flunking your chances, getting more of them will not help the team.

It was this conscious decision to pass to a different teammate that led to the opener. t'Öéséné had received the ball close to the left flank and passed to Xíxì. The Rulandese quickly turned around and looked up. As always, he saw every decent option. rue Cazade had moved terribly, first overlapping with him, and then making the wrong run, which had allowed the Pasargan player marking him to position himself in such a way that no good pass towards the Szoirsian was possible. Eleonóra seemed to be slightly offside. Wçêíl had drawn far too much defenders. The only good options left to choose from were Holsteiner and Marchiondo. Holsteiner had positioned himself perfectly for a through pass between two Pasargan defenders. Usually, Xíxì would've gone for that pass, and Holsteiner would've buried the chance with just one touch. Instead, though, he opted to go for a through pass to Marchiondo, who had joined the attack like the Farf wingback he was.

Ezequiel controlled and crossed to Wçêíl, who was grabbed by Berecz. The referee quickly pointed to the penalty spot. A clear penalty, and also a rather necessary one. Lots of referees don't call a penalty like that, and Wçêíl was about to get a header from a very dangerous position. Berecz took the risk, and it backfired. Xíxì Êns would take the penalty. He placed the penalty on the bottom left corner, slightly out of reach for Gerber.

Ӿ Ӿ Ӿ Ӿ Ӿ

Fifteen minutes prior, Êns had put them ahead. rue Cazade was quite in awe at his teammate's talent. He'd been admiring him for a few years before becoming an NTer himself, so he was specially prone to being awestruck with him, but the Rulandese striker had been quite spectacular, even by his standards. Faragó, on the other hand, hadn't been as good. His movement had been rather clumsy overall, and he hadn't been able to play as the creative outlet he usually is. What's more, he hadn't managed to find enough space for a long shot. The Pasargans were getting tired, though, so he figured his time would come. It would.

A misplaced pass by Feierabend was intercepted by Marchiondo, who punted it up the pitch. Holsteiner chested down the "pass", then turned to his right and looked up to see his usual partner in crime, Xíxì Êns. rue Cazade, who never really defended, was a few meters behind them. He began running straight towards the box, figuring out the ball would end up there if the counterattack bore fruits.

Holsteiner's pass was awful. Completely awful. He's not a good passer, so it was to nobody's surprise. However, for whatever reason, the Pasargan that should have gotten to the ball first with time to spare was outran by Êns. The one that was marking him was not left behind, but really struggled to keep up with him. When Êns got to the ball, he was close to the left flank. He began running down and preparing to cross. Not at all the thing he usually does. When he finally got close to the goal line, having left behind his two markers, rue Cazade, enthusiastic as always, had positioned himself at the edge of the small box. Êns saw him, placed it in his head, and Faragó scored from point blank range. Gerber could've done better, truth be told.

rue Cazade was, of course, ecstatic. His first World Cup goal. Not entirely deserved based on his performance, but a goal's a goal. And more was to come.

Ӿ Ӿ Ӿ Ӿ Ӿ

Tuzzio was, so far, very pleased with how things were going. Luck had been on their side early on, but the team had been extremely superior in the second half, and was now completely dominating the game. Tuzzio knew what the first goal had meant: the game was over. He knew Pasarga would try to equalize and they'd punish them on the counter. It happened. He also knew that, with their apparent physical state, his defense would deal pretty well with their attacks. For the rest of the game, the game would be all Farfadillis. He still wanted, just to be sure, to score a third goal, to completely seal the game.

Despite his goal, rue Cazade's performance had disappointed him. He saw a lot of himself in the young Szoirsian, but none of that in this match. He had failed a lot of important passes and made exactly zero serious attempts at goal from outside the box. He had also been rather shy with his dribbling. The only Tuzzio characteristic Faragó was displaying that game was lethargy.

Tuzzio was so disappointed because nostalgia's not to be trusted. He'd never remember how wildly inconsistent he was, specially at Faragó's age. He would only ever remember the few sparks of magic he could produce despite underperforming, not the entire drab games that he'd played at that age. And those precise moments of magic had made rue Cazade rather famous when playing for René Skaé.

A free kick from Marchiondo was cleared by a Pasargan defender after Xíxì Êns failed to get to it despite his fearsome midget physique. The ball went to rue Cazade, who was sitting outside the box. Without even letting it bounce, he struck it with a lot of power and curl. Gerber would never, ever get to it. A fantastic goal. It could feasibly end up being the best of the World Cup.

Tuzzio was very content with the goal. "He looked like me for a second." He thought. What he didn't know is that he had looked like him the entire match.

Not much happened afterwards. The third goal effectively killed all of the Wanderers' fighting spirit, who instead opted not to hemorrhage more goals in case a GD tiebreaker could save them. With their physical state, it was the most logical thing to do, cause it became clear they'd sooner concede five than score one.

Up next were Farfadillis' neighbors Banija. A much awaited first match between the two nations that would hopefully help forge a very violent regional rivalry.

[Apox]

Luxulya St. Cleer stood on the touchline in the empty APX Sports Stadium on the morning of the Apoxian match against the Free Republics. It was back, the World Cup, in Apox. She remembered the dark times, shortly after the collapse of football in the nation, with all sorts of friends and colleagues mired in corruption scandals. Despite being all the way over in Nephara at the time, it had hit deep - like many who had been close to the sport at the time - and she certainly didn't think big tournaments would ever return to the nation again.

And yet, she'd been there on the touchline, now managing the team as the side had strode out against the cindarella side of qualifying - the plucky underdogs of Bongo Johnson who had stormed to the finals fully unfancied in their group. She'd belted out the national anthem as the crowd around her had swelled and bayed for the return of World Cup football to these shores. The crowd had been animated and Luxulya had been one of the most animated in the stadium. Prowling the technical area, shouting encouragements to her team, berating mistakes, asking for perfection. And, one mistake from Tregatta Spitfire aside, they'd damn near given her that.

An opening win from the side, as they set about trying to beat previous Apoxian host teams, and actually give a good account of themselves on the field - to progress, maybe even beyond the Round of 16 for once in a World Cup. It set them up well for the tournament ahead, especially with the Free Republics and Baker Park grinding each other down into a stalemate. Another win would almost certainly guarantee progression from the group, maybe even a draw would be enough. It was a good platform to shoot from and she was damn sure she didn't want to fuck this one up.

She probably wouldn't handle the failure well, and god knows how the nation as a whole would.

She looked at the empty seats around the cavernous ground, imagining the shouting faces of proud Apoxians, exhorting their side, their country to do better. And they would be, in a few short hours. It was nearly time to get on with it, in a game which could really dictate how the balance of play would go in the group. An aide walked up to her - she had to clear the touchline as preparations were underway to let the earliest arriving fans in. She had to get ready - a shower and a tot of whiskey were the course of action before briefing the team and getting ready for the game ahead.

God damn, she felt ready. It was time to show the watching that this country of what they perseived to be mild-mannered folk were made of.

[Qusmo]

Sorry; I had some RL stuff come up & was confused about the cutoff times today, so I have a bit of reduced output. I’ll have more soon (hopefully).

Ziram MacFarlane,

Thank you for your interest in establishing flights between Scott City & selected locations in Qusmo. We apologize for the delay in our response, but rest assured that our team has been busy at work with an in-depth study of the Darmeni market so that we can craft the best proposal possible.

Ultimately, our team has concluded that a flight volume of two round trip flights per week is appropriate for the beginning our partnership, with a goal of expanding to three round trip flights per week within a few months, once we establish a firm presence in the Darmeni market. We would propose a series of two flights departing Qanz International Airport (Q-QNZ) to arrive at Scott City International Airport & two flights departing Scott City International Airport to arrive at Qanz International Airport each week.

Scott City-bound flights operated by Qusmair from Qanz would be scheduled for Thursdays & Sundays of each week; Qanz-bound flights operated by Qusmair from Qanz would be scheduled for Fridays & Mondays of each week. This would allow travellers both from Darmen to Qusmo & from Qusmo to Darmen to spend either a weekend or a week abroad easily. We propose flight times for all four flights to be at 11:00 in the respective local time zones of the flights’ departure airports, so as to allow enough time for travellers to arrive at their airport but also allow time for travellers to travel domestically to other cities in their destination countries or to explore the cities of Scott City & Qanz for themselves on the first day of their travels.

At Qusmair, we will closely monitor the status of these flights. If passenger volume merits, we will plan to expand our flight service to Darmen. Specifically, we are considering a plan to add a third round trip flight service, which would have a slightly altered route. It would originate in Polan International Airport (Q-PLN) & arrive at Scott City International Airport, then after some time travel to Qanz International Airport & take a connecting flight to Poldanz. The exact days & times of these flights are matters of further study - as is the notion of having this third round trip itself - but we are eager to see the results of what we have already arranged. Of course, depending on passenger volume & demand, we may inquire about other scheduled flights in the future, such as between Qanz & other cities in Darmen or between Scott City & other cities in Qusmo, or even several flights domestically within Darmen while our jet would otherwise be stagnant in Scott City International Airport, awaiting the following day’s trip to Qusmo.

More detailed financial & logistic information is attached in the pages that follow. If these terms are amenable, my team & I will certainly be willing to visit Scott City International Airport to deliberate the final details or to announce this deal. We look forward to serving Scott City, & other locations across Darmen, for years to come.

With warm regards,

Horon-Konda Kal
Director for International Portfolios
Qusmair