WC 82 RP Thread

[South Covello]

SoCo Goes Loco: A Soccer Podcast

Bozo Bryant: Howdy, yeehaw, and welcome to SoCo Goes Loco, a soccer podcast about everything South Covello soccer. I'm Bozo Bryant.

Shawn Burst: I'm Shawn Burst.

Jason St. Pierre: And I'm Jason St. Pierre!

Bozo Bryant: So, we've got a lot to get to tonight, first we'll review yet another victory for the Rebels, over the Jeruselem Naked Nude Ladies Princess Ninja Robopirates or whatever they are, and then we'll preview our Round of 16 matchup.

Shawn Burst: Yep, we were in the press box for this one, over in Apox, where we still are, but we were unfortunately not seated next to the correspondents from Naked News.

Jason St. Pierre: No, we were sitting next to a journalist from Northwest Kalactin, with a wall on the other side, because I guess they put all the clowns in the corners.

Bozo Bryant: But we're not clowns, are we?

Shawn Burst: We're clowns, and we don't care! We even interviewed another clown on our podcast a few days ago! Isn't that right?

Jason St. Pierre: That's damn right, it is!

Bozo Bryant: So, as you all probably know by now, we beat Jeruselem for yet another 1-0 victory, this one not on a goal by Coconut Charles but on a header by Pat Hauer off a Pillory Cantwell corner in the 61st minute. Pablo Pubg, which we belief is pronounced Pug-Gee but we're really not sure, ran up to save it, and Hauer just knocked it by him for the goal, his first as a Reb. And that was all we needed, Matthew Tyler made five saves in goal, including a diving save on a stripe from Stripper of the Year Lady Dada in the 89th minute to keep the lead, clutching the ball to his chest while Dada showed hers off to the crowd.

Shawn Burst: Actually, that last part didn't happen, but the rest did.

Jason St. Pierre: But we wish it did, don't we?

Bozo Bryant: Yep! Yep! Yep! Yep! Yep!

Shawn Burst: OK, you can stop now, Bozo, you sound like a groundhog bird.

Bozo Bryant: What the hell is a groundhog bird?

Shawn Burst: Annoying as hell.

Jason St. Pierre: That doesn't really answer the question, but OK-dokey.

Bozo Bryant: It was quite a game, South Covello had a chance to get a second in stoppage time, but the normally reliable Coconut Charles sent one wide of the post at point blank range, keeping the scoreline 1-0. Still, we won, we topped the group without allowing a goal, we have a perfect record, and we're through to the Round of 16.

Shawn Burst: But our road suddenly got very hard, as we face the #1 team in the Multiverse, Vilita. Now, Vilita is not to be confused with their neighbor Turori, who bring us delicious cocoabo beverages and beuatiful cocoabo birds, they are all human, sadly. We'd love to play birds, but it isn't happening.

Jason St. Pierre: But The Holy Empire did have a leftover fluffy bunny, it was amazing.

Bozo Bryant: He was vicious, and nasty, and ugly, and I thought he was going to eat Coconut's shorts at one point but he didn't.

Shawn Burst: Fluffy bunnies don't eat shorts, you're thinking of goats.

Jason St. Pierre: One time when I was a kid, we went to the petting zoo, and the goat ate all my clothes and I had to walk back to the car naked and ride home sitting on a towel and it was sad.

Shawn Burst: I'd imagine. Sorry for your childhood trauma.

Bozo Bryant: The childhood trauma reliving and soccer podcast, everybody!

Jason St. Pierre: Well, anyway, this is sure to be our toughest matchup of the tournament, but at least it will get easier from here if we win, won't it?

Bozo Bryant: Well duh.

Shawn Burst: So, Vilita's going to eb a tough challenge, they're an offensive team, though not as offensive as the bunny poet whatevers of The Holy Empire.

Jason St. Pierre: Now, now, Vilita's done nothing rude or mean or nasty or.... Oh, not that kind of offensive, hahahaha.

Bozo Bryant: You knew that all along, didn't you, Jason?

Jason St. Pierre: Maybe, maybe not, so what if I did?

Bozo Bryant: Well, we're almost out of time, so let's make predictions, Jason you first.

Jason St. Pierre: Don't we have an ad first?

Bozo Bryant: Oh yes, thanks for remidnding me. Today's podcast is sponsored by the Riverview Petting Zoo, where you can visit and pet all your favorite animals, goats, cows, llamas, alpacas, ferrets, and so much more. There are 67 different types of animal, including three all the way from Sonnel! Fun for kids and fun for the whole family. And their goats don't eat your pants, or we'll give you ten times your money back guaranteed!

Jason St. Pierre: OK, now it's time for predictions. I'll go first. I say we win again 1-0, but in extra time this time. Coconut gives us one in the 115th minute, and Tyler makes a couple brilliant saves in the dying moments.

Bozo Bryant: Shawn?

Shawn Burst: Well, it's a shame we run into VIlita so early on, but I think our run ends here. I too think it will be 1-0, but the other way. Call me pessimistic, but this is just an unlucky draw for us. I think we're the second best team in this tournament, and I think Vilita's the best. Just bad luck. And after they changed the draw too, we should have faced Qusmo but that's life.

Bozo Bryant: I'm going to go out on a limb here and say it ends scoreless after 120 minutes and we win in a penalty shootout.

Shawn Burst: So none of us think there will be much offense?

Bozo Bryant: Nope!

Jason St. Pierre: Well, that's all the time we have for today. Good night, everyone!

[Equestrian States]

-WORLD CUP 82 - MATCH DAY 3-
Equestrians Stride Past Juvencus into Second Round
Cloudchaser provides the winner as Ponies take top spot in Group B
by Steve McNotapony

Juvencus 0-1 Equestrian States
at Ground of Champions in Wofford, Apox
Attendance: 33,856
Scoring:
Cloudchaser '42 (Luminesce)

WOFFORD, Apox - The Equestrian States may have been favored to advance from Group B entering their final day showdown with Juvencus, but - as most Ponies supporters are all too aware - being the favorites matters very little once the match begins. The Ponies have certainly seen their fair share of upsets in the World Cup over the years, winning some and losing some, though the losses do tend to stick out more prominently in the memories of Equestrian hoofball fans. Manager Pearly White made it abundantly clear in her pre-match press conference that her team was focused on making sure that there wouldn't be another upset added to that list in Wofford.

After games against familiar foes in Mercedini and Vilita to open their campaign, the match against the gli attaccanti finally provided the Ponies an opponent they had little history with. The Equestrians and Juven had only met once before last night's game: a 3-3 draw in Juvencus played as part of the Ponies' pre-World Cup 80 friendly tour. However, much has changed since that match was played between the then-41st-ranked Ponies and 38th-ranked gli attaccanti: the former reaching two consecutive World Cup quarterfinals and climbing into the top ten, while the latter have crashed out in the group stage once and missing the 81st World Cup entirely, moving up only to the 28th spot in the interim.

Equestrian manager Pearly White made only one change to her starting lineup from the Ponies' 2-1 loss against the top-ranked Jungle Cats, swapping out Krystal for Cloudchaser, the veteran midfielder and long-time captain returning to the squad after leaving the opener against Mercedini with an injury to her right wing. Thus, both teams fielded full-strength teams, as expected, given the importance of the fixture. For the Ponies it was simple, a win or draw would see them advance, while the gli attaccanti were needing to claim all three points to reach the knockout rounds.

The atmosphere at the Ground of Champions ahead of kickoff was electric, the purple-clad Equestrian supporters and red-clad Juven fans filling the stadium to capacity and then some, perhaps causing some Apoxian organizers to wish they'd designated a larger venue for the fixture. However, the relatively intimate setting would have little impact on the quality of hoofball to be played.

For the first half-hour of play, the two teams were very evenly-matched, the Ponies mostly content to sit back and wait for counterattacking opportunities while the gli attaccanti sought the go-ahead goal they would need to have any chance of advancing. But as the first half wound to a close, the Equestrians started to press more, taking advantage of their tiring opponents to find openings to exploit. With just a few minutes remaining in the half, the Equestrian States finally broke through.

Pristina Shine was played through by Apple Cobbler and forced goalkeeper Taddeo Bulgari into a diving save that gave the Equestrians a corner kick. Aarón Aiza delivered the ball into the box and Bulgari punched it out of the area, but only as far as Luminesce. The unicorn midfielder quickly passed to Cloudchaser, the veteran pegasus already preparing her shot, giving Bulgari no time to react before the ball struck the back of the net. The Ponies' long-time captain, who a number of pundits expect may finally retire from international play following the World Cup, wheeled off in celebration, mobbed by her teammates in the corner near the Equestrian supporters' section.

The goal gave the Ponies some room to breathe in the second half, while also forcing the gli attaccanti into a situation where they needed to hold the Equestrians and score two goals of their own to keep their World Cup campaign alive. But the Ponies came out of the locker room with a plan, keeping the Juven bogged down in the midfield. Time ticked by slowly but surely as desperation set in for the gli attaccanti, their increasingly-panicked attacks leading to sloppy play that gave the Ponies a few more counterattacking chances. Taddeo Bulgari kept the score 1-0 with a few quality saves, but his team was running out of time. The final whistle sounded in the 94th minute, bringing an end to the match. The Ponies were through to the knockout rounds of the World Cup for the third-consecutive tournament.

  WORLD CUP 82 - GROUP B        Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts        Match Day 3 Results:
1  Equestrian States (9)       3   2  0  1    3   2  +1    6   Q     Juvencus 0–1 Equestrian States 
2  Vilita (1)                  3   1  2  0    7   6  +1    5   Q    @ Ground of Champions in Wofford, APX
3  Mercedini (29)              3   0  2  1    3   4  −1    2   E     Vilita 3–3 Mercedini 
4  Juvencus (28)               3   0  2  1    2   3  −1    2   E    @ The Garganaut in Dwile, APX
  Mercedini (3) ahead of Juvencus (2) on goals for

Meanwhile, in Dwile, top-ranked Vilita were held to a 3-3 draw by Mercedini. The Golden Eagles took the lead twice, briefly holding Group B's second spot, but found themselves needing two goals to salvage their campaign after the Jungle Cats took a 3-2 lead with 15 minutes to go. Liam Koi brought Mercedini level in the 80th minute, but Vilita survived the scare and the match ended in a draw. The result allowed the Equestrian States to leapfrog the Vilitans in the table, the Ponies taking the top spot in Group B despite their earlier loss to the Jungle Cats. As such, the Equestrians avoid a second round meeting with 3rd-ranked Group C winners South Covello, the runners-up at the last World Cup and the team which the Ponies were eliminated by in the quarterfinals. Instead, the Ponies will face The Holy Empire in the Round of Sixteen, a fixture which should doubtlessly thrill neutrals.

WORLD CUP 82 - ROUND OF 16 FIXTURES
 Baker Park vs. Cosumar 
@ Stadium of Apox in Dwile, APX
 Equestrian States vs. The Holy Empire 
@ Village Green in Barbury, APX
 South Covello vs. Vilita 
@ Celebratory Stadium in Cawln, APX
 Qasden vs. Apox 
@ The Garganaut in Dwile, APX
 Audioslavia vs. Cassadaigua 
@ Hellgate in Raynor City, VAL
 Turori vs. Pasarga 
@ Rose Gardens in Kareen, VAL
 Farfadillis vs. Qusmo 
@ Donna Cathedral in Mar Sara, VAL
 Sargossa vs. Starblaydia 
@ Angelotic Temple in Longview, VAL

Elsewhere in the World Cup, there has been no shortage of upsets, as five groups saw their top-ranked team eliminated in the group stage and two of the three survivors (South Covello and Vilita) will play in the second round. Nearly every Round of 16 fixture is likely to provide a close match, if the rankings of the participants is truly indicative of their talent. The meeting between the Jungle Cats and Rebels will be the highest-profile fixture of the round: a rematch of the World Cup 81 Final between the two highest-ranking remaining teams, the winner to be the likely favorite to eventually hoist the trophy at The Battleground in Raynor City. Meanwhile, the only game of the round which is likely to not be close is the match between 6th-ranked Farfadillis and 34th-ranked Qusmo, the latter the lowest-ranked side remaining in the competition while the former currently boast the best odds of any team to reach the Final. The Baker Park-Cosumar and Sargossa-Starblaydia matches are the other two fixtures which most Equestrian hoofball fans will be most interested in, the latter providing a tantalizing showdown between Atlantian Oceania and Rushmore along with the side which most Equestrians would consider their second-favorite team (it's Starblaydia, and I'm pretty sure it's the purple that does it), while the former will be of interest mainly because the winner will be the Ponies' quarterfinals opponent, provided they win their own second round match. Speaking of which...

The Equestrian States will face The Holy Empire in the Round of 16 next week, a match between the two teams most neutrals would likely describe as the strangest in the multiverse. The Ponies, with their multi-species squad of equines, gryphons, dragons, and various creatures which exist only in myth elsewhere in the multiverse, and The Holy Empire, which lacks a consistent squad, but rotates in players of many different (frequently peculiar) backgrounds from all corners of the Dreamed Realm. At World Cup 81, The Holy Empire was represented by a team of bloodthirsty anthropomorphic bunnies which apparently were not fond of ponies in the slightest and were prone to bouts of violence when things didn't go their way. Only one of those rabbits remains in the Imperial squad, however, midfielder Hokh'Ton Twitch somehow avoiding the ban placed on the team by the World Cup Committee after they dismembered a number of unfortunate officials during their final match of the tournament.

Despite the turnover, The Holy Empire's legendary manager Juan Tzimisces has, as he almost always does, honed this team of apparent misfits into a force to be reckoned with. The Ponies might be slight favorites thanks to their players' World Cup experience, but this match is realistically too close to call. Both teams have plenty of talent to call upon, and weird things tend to happen whenever Equestrian and Dreamed Realm nations meet in international competitions. Only one thing is for certain: it'll be a sight to behold and the eyes of the multiverse will be locked on Village Green in Barbury, Apox when it does.

[Vilita]

Vilaye Energy Drink Headquarters, Vilisorma, Vilita :: The Vilisorma Beverage Company have revealed the finalists for their World Cup 82 based "Cans for Life" contest. Fans were selected as finalists at random from amongst those who signed up directly at a Vilaye Energy Drink tasting booth at an official World Cup Finals venue or fan-zone as well as those who purchased specially marked commemorative packages of Vilaye Energy Drink in their local grocery markets and submitted their application prior to the conclusion of the World Cup 82 Group Stage. While the contest fine print originally indicated that there would be 16 Finalists, only 15 finalists were ultimately chosen. The Vilisorma Beverage Company did not immediately reveal whether the change was 'as planned' or perhaps the result of an ineligible finalist being chosen amongst an original group of 16 finalists, however, with each contestant being paired with a specific team at the World Cup 82 Finals in the tournaments 16 team knockout round, a contest with fifteen finalists would leave one team un-paired.

Perhaps hinting that this was infact a planned move, the 16th and un-paired team was the defending World Cup Champion Vilita National Team who also represented the home country of the Vilisorma Beverage Company, parent corporation to Vilaye Energy Drink, and the most common nationality amongst the finalists for the Cans for Life Prize. Instead of assigning a single contestant to link their contest fate on the performance of the Vilitan National Team, Vilaye Energy Drink decided to give all fifteen finalists a 'second chance' where if the team they were paired with in the Cans for Life contest failed to win the World Cup, but the Vilita Jungle Cats won the World Cup, then they and the other fourteen finalists would all automatically become winners and there would be fifteen grand prizes handed out instead of just the one to the finalists whose paired team ultimately would be crowned World Cup 82 Champion. While no Vilitan finalist was paired with their home nation, there were two finalist competitors who were randomly drawn to be represented by their own home nation; Isaac the Prince Imperial of the Holy Empire and a Turorian Astrology Major who also works as a botanist.

Baker Park Name: Rosemary Muyskens Nation: Omerica Age: 42, Female Occupation: Restaurant Manager

Cosumar Name: Piėr van den Bergen Nation: Saltstead Age: 38, Male Occupation: IT Manager

Equestrian States Name: Jinaiti Makadapao Nation: Vilita Age: 37 Occupation: Engineer

The Holy Empire Name: Isaac, Prince Imperial Nation Alasdair I Frosticus Age: N/A, Male Occupation: Crown Prince

South Covello Name: Chelsea Ewart Nation: Commonwealth of Baker Park Age: 20, Female Occupation: Student

Vilita Name: All 15 Finalists! Nation Various Age: 16 & up Occupation: Various

Qasden Name: Lalifara Vbuaana Nation: Vilita Age: 28, Female Occupation: Dancer

Apox Name: Ragnar Smithson Nation Bongo Johnson Age: 50, Male Occupation: Leader

---

Audioslavia Name: Ricketts Marauder Nation: Krytenia Age: 16 Occupation: Aspiring Footballer

Cassadaigua Name: George Istanba Nation Banija Age: 40, Male Occupation: Accountant

Turori Name: Orani'arua Nikaa'o Nation: Turori Age: 22 Occupation: Astrology Major

Pasarga Name: Tijne Duphaopolo Nation Cocoabo Forest Age: 42 Occupation: Cocoabo Enrichment Specialist

Farfadillis Name: Tobias Kürsch Nation: Cosumar Age: 41, Male Occupation: Art Dealer

Qusmo Name: Tyuo Maraszota Nation Vilita Age: 67, Male Occupation: Jungle Cat Whisperer

Sargossa Name: Ran Do Nation: Qasden Age: Unknown Occupation: Restaurant Owner

Starblaydia Name: Iarocav Nation: Drawkland Age: 5001, Male Occupation: Immortal ruler

Amongst the fifteen finalists in the Vilaye contest, the most common nationality is no surprise as Vilitan while the most common occupation is a Supreme Leader followed by Students and Restaurant Employees. When the World Cup 82 knockout rounds commence in Apox and Valanora, each contestants odds of winning will be determined directly by the performances of the team which they have been paired with and those pairs are set and locked for the duration of the World Cup 82 Finals. The winning nation of the World Cup 82 Final will also result in the winning finalist of the Vilaye Cans for Life Grand Prize.

[Valanora]

Here Be Dragons

Who will have the magic stylo to advance?

Ro16 cutoff for Apoxian Half

[Commonwealth of Baker Park]

© Sporting Times Daily 2025
Standing on the verge--BP v Cosumar
by Mindy Cartwright, National Soccer Writer

In making the knockout stages for the third consecutive tournament they've entered, the Commonwealth National Team have made another incremental step forward in the progress of the FAC during the NS era. Winning Group A outright is a result that has pushed them much more into the consciousness of the other teams who have moved into the last 16 matches of World Cup 82.

Nine of the final 16 sides who advanced from the group stage are Atlantian Oceana countries, and the matchup of Baker Park and Cosumar marks the only one that will pit two regional rivals against one another.

The Dragons and Bees are fundamentally different from the two teams that met at the O'Reilly Coliseum of Greatness in World Cup 81. The Vanquishers have relied on the excellence of striker Romikk Valgard here in Apox, his hat trick in the last match showing he has not gone past his peak as a goalscorer for the Cosumarites.

"We're going to be wary of Valgard, he's got the ability to take over the match", Manager Trevor Richmond commented ahead of the contest at The Stadium of Apox. "I think we have the talent to stand toe to toe with them, but he is that wild card you can't account for."

lineup vs Cosumar: Moyer; Briggs, Vasillias, Stephens; N Haller, Shaw (C), Taborn, Navarro; Bozeman; Sandoval, Patton

[Qasden]

No one could so much as think without the blaring of the drunk man's bellowed cheers.

It was the big night for two parties at The Garganaut. On one side, a home team with the experience of tens of tournaments entering the arena once more with the strength and charisma of the entire nation surrounding them. On the other, a young, yet ageless band of misfits with enough luck to prevail over the toughest of titans. The stadium was filled to the brim in red, Apoxian and Qad alike, for the match's champion would make their association's first quarter final appearance in the greatest contest of the multiverse.

Aside from the colorful nobodies bashing into each other while holding their suds, a trio of Qasdonians took to the most secluded seats in the complex. Among them were Zachary Sedsten, President of the Qasdonian Football Association, Telemachus Bronto, a championed general operating the remnants of the old Qad military, and the high royal of T.V. City himself, Prince Franz-Pierre. It was a big moment for the country, and while travel was rather lengthy as ever when heading to Esportiva, it was impossible to deter the clandestine excitement each folk had, though they remained unmatched to the millions of fans back home in T.V. City, many of whom with the intent of increasing the senior population tenfold in 9 months and 6 decades, should the Vans shame the platypi the way they shamed the still-standing Cosumarites.

Bronto and Prince FP looked beyond the stained glass in hypnotized euphoria. As for Sedsten...well...he was making a call to an old friend.

Jon, I can't give you your old job back and you know that.
Oh come on! I gave you 2 titles in the Cup of Harmony, what more could you want?
A team who does well in the World Cup, Jon. Like what David is doing as we speak.
I can't go back to managing nonexistent domestic teams in Qasden. You know that!
Hear me, Merritt. So long as the Prince stands and Bjarnasson exceeds our expectations, you aren't coming back.
At least I can beat Nephara.
At least both he and Cralt-Nirlo can win in the proper.
Please, Sedsten. Fox got a job in Vermillion after AOCAF. The least you could get me is an assistant manager role for the National Team. Heck, I'll even take working for Caverns or Golden Lotus!
What happened to Cralt-Nirlo after his departure was out of my hands, as is this, Merritt. Being part of a management team that led Freeport to rock bottom in their qualifying group ain't my fault. I'm sure you have an offer or two to manage domestically elsewhere, yeah?
...Aye
Guessing the domestics in Qasden would be an exaggeration then.
A few places in Equestrian States and Freeport hit me up the other day. I just didn't know whether or not I should take them before another national stint.
Jon, what you did for us was amazing, every Qad knows that, but when you can't so much as help Freeport finish anywhere but last, how should I expect you to outperform David with us?
...
...
...
Look, I gotta go. The match is gonna be starting soon and I don't want to tarnish the prince's experience any further. Just take a look at the offers from EQS and go from there, ok? See you, man.

And with that, Zachary ends the call before turning to FP.

Merritt was asking for his old job back.
What happened with his spot in Freeport?
Ended dead last in their qualifier group without an invitation to the Cup of Harmony. The entire management team got laid off, from what I heard.
Yeesh. Hate to see that happen to the guy.
Same, yet I can't help but condemn him for ignoring the contributions Bjarnasson made for our team.
I'm sure Mr. Merritt's just jealous of what the Mercedinian did that he couldn't.
Probably, aye.
Hate to intervene, your highness, but I think the game is about to start.
Very well.

As the group looked forward and watched as the squads lined up, an unfamiliar messenger approached the general.

Mr. Bronto? they whispered before placing a note on his lap.

Reading to himself, his face of hope dropped into that of horror, like a Drawkian fan at a Saltstead match.

It's him.

[Cassadaigua]

Cocoa-No? Or To Be Determined?
by Kristen Van Buren, Business Analyst, Concord Heights Times

The nation is all psyched up over the upcoming quarterfinal match against Turori in Capri after a thrilling penalty shootout win over my Audioslavia. My colleague, Chelsea Dufresne, has covered that in full, so if you to read that, feel free to read her article after this. The nation of Turori also has been one that has seen a company of theirs pay an interest in sponsorship in Cassadaigua, as they look to expand into Rushmore. Cocoa-bo considered Cassadaigua in the past, as you may recall they were one of the final nations to be removed from consideration before they eventually moved in to South Covello. The company went big, seeking Concord Heights as their target, and were reportedly disheartened with the news that Dagan Airways was awarded the sponsorship of the complete package there. It was speculated that they had retreated from Cassadaigua following that news.

Or have they? If you are fan of their delicious delectables, you may still be in luck for them having a presence here in Cassadaigua. While it was reported that they have pulled out of Cassadaigua, all they may have done is pulled out of Concord Heights. Starksville residents, in the last few days, report seeing an increase of “Cassadaigua’s Better with Cocoa-Bo!” material throughout the city, and people known to the discussions in Concord Heights have been seen in Starksville. The growing southern city is a popular target for non-technical businesses to move to or expand to lately, and Cocoa-bo would be a natural fit for the city. Anna Foley, of the Starksville Chamber of Commerce told us that, “When you think about Cocoa-bo, and their delicious products, on the business end, you have to look for the right city to expand too. You will want to have a distribution center here in Rushmore, and to be on the coast, as we are, makes more sense then Concord Heights. This is why so many businesses have seen the benefits of coming here.” While Foley does not have a stake in the decision to sponsor the stadiums, she can do something to convince them to come to Starksville. A stadium spokesperson, on the condition of remaining anonymous told us that, “We’re just waiting for the signatures. There is a meeting this morning between representatives, and I think we will be announcing something just in time for the big game.”

Quarterfinal Bound!
By Chelsea Dufresne, Concord Heights Times

During qualifying, play in Group 14 was intense, but what matters most is how you play now, not how you play during qualifying. Two of the four nations remaining on the Valanora side of the World Cup qualified out of Group 14, leaving Filindostan to have plenty time to wonder “what might have been” if they were not in the same group with two quarterfinalists. Neither Cassadaigua or Starblaydia set the world on fire during qualifying. For the Purple, it was a slow start. For the Pink, it was a stretch of only winning four out of twelve games. While both nations are decades removed from the last time they won the World Cup, each know from those past experiences that what happens now, is all that matters.

It’s been a long time since we’ve advanced all the way to the World Cup quarterfinals, but it’s very satisfying to our new generation of fans that they can see that we can go on the same path as those teams they have read about. That’s where we are now, and with only eight nations left, you have to think big. Turori is next, a nation that on paper would seem to be better then us, given their ranking, but as their fans hope for a Turori vs Vilita World Cup Final, our fans will be hoping to make the semifinals against either Farfadillis or a third game with Starblaydia. If we did play them again, it would put new meaning into “best two out of three!”

Audioslavia is a former World Cup champion themselves, though recently their program has not been where it was back in World Cup 67, when they lost the title game in Cassadaigua, or in Cups 59 and 65, when they actually did win it all, temporarily removing an apparent hex on their nation, based on prior history. So, here we were at Hellgate, in Raynor City a beautiful stadium having the honor on this day to host two former two-time World Cup champions. Goals were a plenty during the first 90 minutes, something that probably neither team wanted to get involved with, but games never really do go according to plan, do they? It was a see-saw battle, too, which made it all the more exciting. Here’s a summary of the goals.

18th minute: 25-year old Desya Kuznetsov showed tremendous individual ability to get around Hannah Shanley and a lunging Lupe Enriquez before putting a shot on net that Kelsey Morgan had no chance on. 1-0, Bulls.

26th minute: Cassadaigua is lifted by conceding the goal, and control play immediately afterwards, and are rewarded on a Sierra Mattison powerful strike along right side, 1-1.

32nd minute: This is going to be a fun one, right? At least for the winners. Cassadaigua continues to aggressive attack and goes up by a goal on a Caitlyn Mayer strike. 2-1, Fillies.

36th minute: Or maybe we just started getting a little too overconfident. Doubt it, but the Bulls respond quickly, thanks in part to Desya Kuznetsov’s second of the game. 2-2 at the break.

49th minute: At half time, you would have thought that each of the coaches would have preached more defense, and called the next goal critical. In reality, it would take only four minutes for the next goal to be scored, and its off the foot of Ciro Oljer, to make it 3-2, Audioslavia.

61st minute: The lead holds up for twelve minutes, making it the longest that one team held the lead up to this point. Off a beautiful corner kick delivery by Sierra Mattison, Hannah Ranucci heads one in to make it all even at three.

79th minute: It’s Ranucci’s turn again, and a huge goal makes the Cassadagan faithful go wild as we take the lead, 4-3, with time beginning to wind down.

86th minute: Audioslavia has a tendency to score big goals late in matches, and that proved to be the case again. Leo Sterling’s goal tied it at four, and frustrated Kelsey Morgan and company.

Surely, after all those goals, it would be decided in extra time? Not this time, as both goalkeepers looked to atone for their struggles during the first 90 minutes, and we’d be off to a shootout.

Shootout Results:
Hannah Ranucci (Cassadaigua): Goal, 1-0 Fillies.
Ciro Oljer (Audioslavia): Shoots wide of the left post.
Caitlyn Mayer (Cassadaigua): Shoots wide of the right post.
Leo Sterling (Audioslavia): Goal, 1-1.
Sierra Mattison (Cassadaigua): Goal, 2-1 Fillies
Desya Kuznetsov (Audioslavia): Goal, 2-2.
Zack Pierce (Cassadaigua): Goal, 3-2, Fillies
Ignacio Borjon (Audioslavia): Shot saved by Kelsey Morgan.
Rachel Schanke (Cassadaigua): Goal, game, set, match, 4-2 Fillies!

Another big goal by Rachel Schanke, for sure. She’s heating up, and this has led some to wonder if manager Sweeney will start her, either over Caitlyn Mayer or move to a 4-3-3 by having her replace Rachel Brenner, but Sweeney says that will not be the case, “Schanke has thrived on the role she has been given, which is to be a late game substitute. We will not change that up now.” That makes sense, don’t mess with something that works. The showdown with Turori will be a thrill!

[Turori]

Turori [1] Pasarga [1](1-1 AET) (4-2 APK)

Rose Gardens, Kareen, Valanora :: Having survived a difficult Group Stage against fifth ranked Brenecia thanks to a 4-2 final matchday victory over Darmen, the Turori National Team set their sites on a meeting with the Pasarga Wanderers at the Rose Gardens in Valanora.

It would be a Pasarga side with an entirely new look since many Eels Fans remember facing off against the Wanderers most vividly during the World Cup 74 Finals when Pasarga defeated Turori by a 2-0 scoreline thanks to goals from Szölôsi Oszlár and Curtis Théberge. The defeat in World Cup 74 put Turori on their heels as they looked to advance to the knockout rounds but a subsequent defeat to Ko-oren on Matchday 3 ended those hopes and sent Turori crashing out at the group stage. The poor run of results was perhaps a pre-cursor to the Eels failing to qualify for World Cup 75 though in absence of World Cup Finals action it allowed the Turori National Team to contest the Cup of Harmony in Red Blackiland and Super Llamaland where they would ultimately be victorious in one of the highest profile Cup of Harmony finals in recent history with Turori defeating The Holy Empire in the championship match.

On this day in Kareen however there was more on the line then a secondary competition title. This was the World Cup Finals knockout rounds where a victory gets you one step closer to writing your names in the annals of history and a defeat instantly ends your dreams for another indeterminate amount of time.

After playing ultra-defensive over their first two group stage matches, Turori pressed forward on the attack more against Darmen scoring four goals but conceding a pair the first goals they had conceded at the World Cup 82 Finals.

Turori looked to get back to their defensive form against Pasarga and got the early goal they were looking for through Wiztsana Iretziia, the Pasargan based attacker who plays domestically for Galatica. Turori would hold that lead through to the final minutes of the opening half when Biliki Rona'atu'i was called for a seemingly innocuous infraction just inside the penalty area to the left of Wiyauw An'maude's goal the players waited for nearly three minutes for the referees to confer before it was confirmed that a penalty kick had been awarded. Pasargan captain Ingþór Auðbjörnsson made no mistake converting the spot kick to end the first half of play with a precursor of what was to come later in the evening.

With the scores level at 1-1 the two sides progressed into the second half of play with nothing to separate them. Whatever changes the coaching staffs would make couldn't provide the extra advantage. Full time came and went then another thirty minutes of extra time would follow with barely a moment of true controversy or excitement to note. Each team appeared to be thinking about penalties with their extra-time substitutions and thats exactly what they and all the fans in attendance at the rose garden would get, a Penalty Shootout with the prize being a place in the World Cup 82 Quarter Finals.

While Turori's National Citizen squad regularly practiced their spot kicks on the training ground, they hadn't been required to put those skills to the test in a competitive tournament since re-taking the right to represent the Turori National Team back from the Cocoabo Squad.

Turori got things started off in the penalty shootout with Mirana Gotuai the Starblaydi based attacker who had already scored two goals in the group stage of the World Cup Finals. Gotuai made no mistake as Thorsten Gerber guessed the wrong way and the Eels got on the board quickly to a 1-0 lead. Pasarga were equal to the task however with their captain Ingþór Auðbjörnsson setting the tone for the Wanderers with a powerfully struck effort that even while guessing right was impossible to stop for Cedniavella Turori's Wiyauw An'maude.

Onto the second round of Penalties and it was the veteran former Sunrisian Saito Koshiki who stepped up for Turori once again sending Gerber the wrong way to put Turori back on top. Pasarga sent out Jörg Feierabend next and Feierabend sent An'maude chasing ghosts while tucking the ball into the lower corner of the net to level the scores.

In the third round of penalties the tide of the match very nearly turned in favor of the Wanderers as the young Euran based defender Amakli Inuro'o of Bastion nervously stepped up and hit a poorly taken effort right down the middle of the goal. Thorsten Gerber had already started moving to the side and tried to reach back towards the middle, getting a hand on the ball but not enough to keep it out of the net helplessly reaching but unable to stop all of the balls momentum as Turori took a 3-2 lead in the shootout. Next up for Pasarga was Jürgen Eisenhower but the Revolutionaires midfielder choked up too much on the angle and blazed over the crossbar on an effort that had otherwise sent An'maude the wrong way as Eisenhower fell to the pitch in disbelief. The Turorians now had an opportunity to advance if they could convert their two remaining spot kicks.

Eastal Lunar midfielder Kentu Umaka'a was next up for the Citizen Squad looking to maintain Turori's advantage into the next round. This time Gerber guessed the right way but the skilled Umaka'a placed the ball perfectly out of the reach of the diving CA Paulinthal net-minder giving Turori a 4-2 lead. It added a new level of pressure on the remaining spot kick takers as Turori's fourth goal meant that Christian Berg would have to score for Pasarga in order to keep the shootout going. As Berg made their approach Turorian goalkeeper Wiyauw An'maude took a step forward to cut down the angle. As Berg put the spot kick wide of the net, the crowd erupted and the Turorian players celebrated but the linesman had whistled and the referee and his assistant were chatting in the penalty area. Then in a moment of chaos, the referee indicated that An'maude had been adjudged to have left their line prior to the kick being taken. The spot kick would be re-taken. It took the energy out of the Turorian players who were in disbelief while Berg was visibly thankful for the second chance though perhaps shaken by the initial emotions of having cost their team with the missed spot kick.

With the second attempt Berg stepped up and, perhaps as a result of missing the net entirely with the first spot kick, hit a much more tame effort clearly on frame but with An'maude also hesitating to come off of their line it provided the Turorian net-minder the extra moment to move in the right direction to get a fist on the ball and keep it from crossing the line. The fans looked at the referee as the ball rolled past the post and out of danger of crossing the line, the referee pointed to the center of the pitch and chimed the song of victory for the Turorians. It was full time and the Citizen Squad had prevailed 4-2 in the penalty shootout. Pasargan striker Alexander Jager stood in disbelief in the center circle having not even had the chance to take a penalty as the shootout ended one round early with Turori having clinched victory with An'maude's save to advance through to the World Cup 82 Quarter Finals.

In the end, the match between Turori and Pasarga would be one of five World Cup 82 Round of 16 matches to go all the way to the penalty shootout. Of those five, three would be decided by a 4-2 scoreline in the shootout just like the Turori-Pasarga match-up including Cassadaigua v. Audioslavia and Vilita v. South Covello. Four of the five matches that were level after 90 minutes had a 1-1 scoreline - the only outlier being the 4-4 scoreline between Audioslavia and Cassadaigua. Of the five matches that required extra time, the highly anticipated Vilita-South Covello fixture would be the only World Cup 82 Round of 16 match up that would see any goals scored in the extra session with both sides tacking an an additional goal to their regulation time tally which meant that of the five matches that were tied after 90 minutes of play, every single one of those matches were still tied after 120 minutes of play requiring the game to be decided on penalty kicks.

Turori [1] - [1] Pasarga

:: Turori Goalscorers :: :: 9' Wiztsana Iretziia

:: Turori Statistics :: :: Possession: 52% :: Shots on Target: 4 :: Corner Kicks: 8

:: Pasarga Statistics :: :: Possession: 48% :: Shots on Target: 5 :: Corner Kicks: 7

:: Pasarga Goalscorers :: :: 45' Ingþór Auðbjörnsson

---

Turori Eels Lineup v. Pasarga ::
[GK]Wiyauw An'maude, [D.]Yitizo Mpala'a, [D.]Biliki Rona'atu'i, [D.]Mikki Mayelli, [D.] Tarek Edgeli, [ML] Kentu Umaka'a, [MC]Indelli Nura'amura, [MC] Daliora Toru'u, [MR] Kiidallen Aeroluzzi, [FC]Wiztsana Iretziia, [FC]Inamari Altariiz
BENCH::
[FC]Mirana Gotuai, [FC]Meldi'ita Mungwaii, [M]Saito Koshiki, [M]Timi'sala Koarena, [U ]Lulu Pumaziiri, [D]Amakli Inuro'o, [GK]G.Q Disterfred II

---

---

World Cup 82 Quarter Finals - Valanora Region

#23 Cassadaigua v. #7 Turori 
#6 Farfadillis vs. #15 Starblaydia

As a result of the round of sixteen victory over Pasarga, the Turori National Team move on to the Quarter Finals for the fourth consecutive World Cup Finals. Among nations that have advanced to the last four consecutive World Cup Quarter Final rounds, the Turori National Team is the only nation yet to come out on top and lift the World Cup Trophy at the end of one of those four campaigns. They will likely have an added bit of confidence heading into the match, however, thanks to their narrow 1-0 victory over Ethane in the World Cup 81 Quarter Finals in Banija and the Free Republics. It was the first time since entering the World Cup for the first time during the 15th World Cup Cycle that the Turori National Team had advanced beyond the Quarter Final Stage. The streak had actually become so long that Turori's inability to win a Quarter Final match had actually become a longer and more numerous streak than the Audioslavia National Team's record of losing World Cup Final matches which ultimately ended during World Cup 63. It was Sixty-Six campaigns from the first attempt at qualification and a full sixty three cycles after their first Quarter Final appearance that the Turori National Team finally won their first Quarter Final round match. While they were unlucky to then be drawn against the eventual World Cup Champion in the Semi-Finals, many now wonder what the possibilities are for the Turori National Team as the cloud of Quarter Final defeats have finally been shattered by a first appearance in the World Cup Semi-Finals and Turori's National Citizen squad who accomplished the feat will now be as motivated as ever to duplicate and improve on that performance from just one cycle ago.

Turori's opponent for the Quarter Final round will be the Matriarchy of Cassadaigua which some see as a good match-up for the Eels. Others however are wondering if the Turori National Team would have been better off facing off against regional rivals Audioslavia. Of course, those suggesting the Eels would have been better off with a match-up against Audioslavia have no statistical basis for suggesting such a match-up - The Turori National Team have literally never beaten Audioslavia. The two teams have faced each other eight times over the course of 63 World Cups and every single time the Slavish Bulls came out on top. In fact, during an unprecedented stretch of consecutive Quarter Final and knockout round exits between World Cup 18-25 it was Audioslavia who was the team to knockout Turori out of the Cup 3 times, every single time with a 0-1 scoreline in favor of the Slaves including the World Cup 19 result which denied Turori the shot to win their first World Cup title on home soil - a result which likely would have forever change the dynamic between the two nations. Instead, it resulted in just another notch in both nations belts - another World Cup Final defeat for Audioslavia and another World Cup Quarter Final defeat for Turori. History also would have been against Turori if facing Audioslavia in a World Cup hosted in Apox as the two sides were drawn together in the Quarter Finals of World Cup 69 in The Holy Empire and Apox and once again it was Audioslavia who came out the winner in that match. So statistically speaking there couldn't have possibly been a worse opponent on Paper for Turori to face than Audioslavia. For those who believe such statistics, a massive sense of relief would have come with Cassadaigua's victory over Audioslavia. Others wondered, however, if this Citizen squad could break a Quarter Final round curse that had existed since the dawn of civilization itself, could they not also become the first Turorian side to ever defeat Audioslavia? The Bulls inability to stay calm down the stretch in the penalty shootout denied the chance to find out for all comers and instead set up the far less frequent historical matchup between Turori and Cassadaigua.

Many historical tapes and records from the Turori National Team were lost when the Football Association of Turori transferred its headquarters from Almintora to Eelandii as the information was supposed to be backed up digitally but when they tried to plug in the storage drive at the new Eelandii facility the drive would never turn on and the historical team sheets and records had already been disposed of back in Almintora. There is, however, a recent match-up between Turori and Cassadaigua to compare with, it was just contested by Turori's National Cocoabo Squad and not the same Citizen Squad that will be matched up against the best players the Matriarchy has to offer in the World Cup 82 Quarter finals. It was the final match of the World Cup 79 Group Stage played at the Drawk City Stadium in Drawkland - a massive arena with a capacity of 175,000 and a playing pitch which many regarding as a perfect hybrid of traditional grass surface and modern technology. Turori's National Cocoabo Squad got out to a fast start in that match, taking a 3-0 lead with Cocoabo #64 scoring in the 8th minute followed by goals from Cocoabo #53 and Cocoabo #99 in the 31st and 37th minutes respectively. The Cocoabo Squad would take that lead with them into the halftime break knowing that if the result held it would see Turori through to the knockout rounds at the expense of their fillie opposition. The second half was a much closer affair and as a forty five minutes on its own was actually won 2-1 by Cassadaigua but the Cocoabo had built up enough of a lead in the first half to hang on for the 4-2 victory setting up yet another historical Turori World Cup Finals campaigns ending in a Quarter Final defeat to the eventual World Cup Champion - this time their conquerors would ultimately be Schottia.

Now, however, Turori's National Citizen squad will get their chance to prove that World Cup 81 was no fluke, that the Quarter-Final curse has well and truly been broken and that the Turori National Team are a legitimate contender in the World Cup Finals for the first time in their long sporting history. The only thing standing in their way is the Two-Time World Cup Champions from Cassadaigua.

[Alasdair I Frosticus]

OOC: With all due apologies to Dr Seuss; especially for implying that his genius might be comparable to the second-worst poet in the multiverse.

Stinky Cheese
By Grunthos the Flatulent, Poet Master of the Azgoth of Kria (Holy Empire WC82 defender)

I am Grunthos
You Are Breeze
I eat lots of stinky cheese

Gentle Breeze,
Grunthos I am
You will not like
My stinky cheese

You will not like it
Gentle Breeze
You will not like
My stinky cheese

Would you like it
When I fart?
Will the odour
Make you start?
When the smell
Of stinky cheese
Hits the goal
Of Gentle Breeze?

You would not like it
Here or there.
You would not like it
Anywhere.
You do not like
My stinky cheese.
You do not like it,
Gentle Breeze.

Would you like it
On the field?
Would you like it
If you take the lead?

You would not like it
Here or there.
You would not like it
Anywhere.
You do not like
My stinky cheese.
You do not like it,
Gentle Breeze.
You do not like my nasty farts.
The rancid odour makes you start.

Would you like it
In your box?
While you wear
Your purple socks?

Not in your box.
Not with your socks
Not on the field
Not with a lead
You would not like it here or there.
You would not like it anywhere.
You do not like my stinky cheese.
You do not like it, Gentle Breeze.

And when the elf
Then equalises?
We are a team
Full of surprises!

You do not care about the score?
My cheese and farts you both abhor?

You may like it
When we score two
When my stinky fart
Distracted you?
You could have stopped
The second goal
If my fart had not
Obscured the ball.

Not in your box.
Not with your socks
Not on the field
Not with a lead
You would not like it here or there.
You would not like it anywhere.
You do not like my stinky cheese.
You do not like it, Gentle Breeze.

A whistle! Whistle!
Whistle! Whistle!
Could you, would you
On the final whistle?

Not on the whistle! Not when we win!
To like my cheese would be a sin!
You would not, could not, in your box.
Not even wearing purple socks.
You did not like it on the field
Not even when you had the lead.
You would not like it here or there.
You would not like it anywhere.
You do not like my stinky cheese.
You do not like it, Gentle Breeze.

I'm sorry that you hate my cheese.
I'm really sorry, Gentle Breeze.
I'm sorry that my cheese-filled fart
Gave you such an awful start
You could not stop the winning goal
Because you could not see the ball.

You do not like my stinky cheese.
You do not like it, Gentle Breeze.

[Starblaydia]

Not every game can be a rip-roaring, swashbuckling affair of sound and colour and noise and passion, even in the World Cup knockout stages. Sometimes a team just needs to get the job done, grind out the result and move on by whatever scoreline they can get. In Longview, at the Angelotic Temple, it was a case of bitten lips and closed eyes as Sargossa and Starblaydia struggled to made it to the paradise of the Quarter-Finals. It wasn't particularly pretty, it wasn't particularly clever, but the two ediraf-clad sides fought and struggled to try and make it through. In the end it was Starblaydia who will go to the Quarter-Finals for the first time since World Cup 63. Because of this, no matter what happens at The White Fortress, it will be Starblaydia's best result for the past 19 World Cups. The time before World Cup 63's unheralded and unparalleled run to the Final when Starblaydia last made it to the last eight? World Cup 54 in Cassadaigua, where after defeating Jeruselem 1-0, Starblaydia were dumped out before the Semis by Jeru FC. World Cup 63's echoes reverberate a little more when you realise that Starblaydia also faced Sargossa in the Second Round, winning 3-0 before dumping out Valanora in the last eight, on their way to losing to Audioslavia in the Final. Starblaydia have already lost to Audioslavia and have already eliminated both Valanora and Sargossa. Could another dream run to the Final be on for Ázëwyn Fëanáro's team?

There's only one problem with looking two matches ahead when you're in the Last Eight, and that problem is that you don't see the rake you're entirely likely to step on in the form of your first opponent. Ignore them, overlook them, look past them to see the tantalising prospect of any number of fixture combinations and they'll dump you out of the competition at the first opportunity. Fëanáro, who's five tournaments in charge so far have seen two Group Stage exits and two at the Second Round stage, is not even thinking about the potential match-ups:

"Farfadillis have knocked us out before, eight years ago," she said in essentially every interview in the past few days, "and although they're not quite the powerhouse team they were then, they're still going to give us the toughest test we've had since this campaign started. We're under absolutely no illusions as to how good the Farves are, or how much of a challenge this match is going to be. We're taking this one game at a time and we're only living in the moment, not the future."

Starblaydia's team that last faced Farfadillis, eight years ago, was vastly different to the one lining up tomorrow. Of that side, only Mezna Rayyen, Tupu Alofa, Martin Bennet and Sterling Renshaw have stayed on the team. All of them were in their early twenties as Ángel Nicolás Jiménez was on the scoresheet to have the scores level after 120 minutes of play, with Starblaydia eventually going out 4-2 on penalties. For a Starblaydia side then ranked 21st in the World, even playing at home, they were facing the second-best side in the World Cup at that point. Now, eight years on, Starblaydia have lifted themselves into the Top 16 and the Farves have made their way down to 6th in the KPBs, but that's no reason to celebrate quite yet. Ichi Tuzzio's ultra-attacking side are on a four match winning streak, having lost just a single game in their entire campaign. Starblaydia, on the other hand, have been beatem four times already since the Qualifiers started, going down to Tiiwark, Filindostan, Audioslavia and Cassadaigua - a side who potentially await the winner of this fixture, the other being the veterans Turori.

This match-up was brought to us thanks to the boot of Aaron Cole and his 14th goal of the campaign. Normally a Starblaydi striker on 14 goals would be far and away the top scorer of the team, but nineteen year-old Sutter McCloud is also on 14, even though one came in a friendly match against The Commonwealth of Baker Park to celebrate their 500th international match. Whether this one 'counts' or not, these two remarkable strikers have blended brilliantly so far. One is the young speedster with the left foot that hits like a laser-guided missile, while the other is a sly, crafty and physical player who disrupts a defender's game and allows the rest of the team to capitalise. all while maintaining an eye for goal. It was Cole's quick feet that brought the penalty kick, producing a blindsided pass to Kota Sato, felled by Alex González as he sprinted into the box. Cole stepped up and duly slotted the spot kick past Sergio Vega in the Corsair's goal, but that was as much ball-in-goal action as the fans were treated to. Thankfully, it was all Starblaydia needed to progress to the last eight of the tournament for the first time in seventy-six years and nineteen attempts.

Starblaydia will either have one, or three, matches still to play in this 82nd World Cup. If they can overcome a team like Farfadillis, who's to stop them from going (whisper it verrrry quietly) all the way?

[Turori]

Lone Associate Sparks Cocoa-bo Craze in Starksville

Concord Heights, Cassdaigua :: The Cocoa-bo was ready to give up on what it thought was a failed campaign to introduce Cocoa-bo to the Cassadaigan market. They had seen it as an opportunity to finally expand to Rushmore, a region where they had virtually no presence. It was also an easy leap to make as the marketing department already had mocked up all the marketing material they would need to expand into Cassadaigua as Cassadaigua was one of the 'Final Five' considered for the first major expansion of the Cocoa-bo brand that ultimately resulted in Cocoa-bo and the entire CoCoCo conglomerate expanding into the post-gregory South Covello in Esportiva and setting up a major foreign headquarters in the rebuilding nation.

But Cocoa-bo representatives knew where they wanted to be in Cassadaigua. They had tested the market, they had visited Cassadaigua as part of the selection process for its foreign headquarters but ultimately Cassadaigua did not score first in any of the departments scoring categories - nor did they finish last in any. They were the perfect middle grand and the expansion search team decided to pack all the material up in boxes to save for a time when they would be needed again.

After expanding to South Covello, Cocoa-bo would progress down the list of their initial Five prospective expansion nations opening up a presence in Starblaydia and the Equestrian States. Now, they had looked to circle back to the fourth nation on the list, Cassadaigua, and finally open the door to Rushmore.

Cassadaigua's better with Cocoa-bo! Marketing material

But the Cocoa-bo team swung and missed. The citizens of Concord Heights were too busy to worry about when and where to find Cocoa-bo at a pop up stand set up by a roving associate. They social fervor just wasn't there. The delectables didn't just sell themselves the way they did in South Covello where the population was starving and hadn't tasted anything so sweet in all their lives, or in the Equestrian States where the Cocoa-bo delectables became so popular in such a short period of time that there was actually a bill proposed to outlaw Cocoa-bo due to its drug-like effects on the nations Equestrian population. While there were certainly lines and decent sales of Cocoa-bo in Concord Heights, it wasn't anything like what the Cocoa-bo team had hoped for. They didn't have time to adjust their approach on the fly with the World Cup 82 Finals coming up they had to get their forward deployed associates off the streets of Concord Heights and into Apox and Valanora to put Cocoa-bo in the hands of fans from around the multiverse. They would deal with the Cassadaigua situation once the World Cup was over and decide whether it made sense to go back and try again or perhaps focus on another nation as their entry point to the Rushmori region.

Among the outreach associates who were based in Cassadaigua, many of them were sent directly to Apox to meet up with other South Covello-based Associates to serve on the ground team in Apox at the World Cup Finals venues. The South Covello based associates would bring with them the "Apox is Better with Cocoabo" material and distribute it to those arriving from Cassadaigua as needed. A handful of associates returned to home base in Mliona-Turori to collect material to take with them to Valanora with other Turorian based Cocoa-bo employees.

There were about 3 outreach associates who were deployed to Cassadaigua that weren't scheduled to work either the Apox of Vanorian sides of the World Cup 82 Finals. 2 of them simply returned to home base and were set to work with the marketing team on whether or not a return to Cassadaigua after the World Cup Finals was a worth while endeavor. The third had been dating A Cassadaiguan that they had met while working a Cocoa-bo booth on the NSSCRA circuit and stayed behind in Cassadaigua for a few extra days to meet the family.

The family were based in the port city of Starksville and as a result, Cocoa-bo permitted the outreach associate to stay a few extra days in Cassadaigua on the condition that they drove the truck that the company had rented to transport any remaining raw materials as well as the Cocoa-bo machines and signage back to Starksville where it would be transferred to a container for storage and ultimately shipping back to Mliona.

When they arrived in Starksville at the family home however it didn't take long before there was a knock at the door. The neighbors had seen the truck pull up and wanted to know if Cocoa-bo was coming to Starksville. They were told no and were disappointed but went home. Half an hour later, another knock. When the door was answered the outreach associate was informed it was another person looking for Cocoa-bo. When they got to the door they could see a crowd gathering around the truck. The people of Starksville wanted Cocoa-bo. The associate quickly unloaded what they could and used the family home to help power and prepare some of the simplest of Cocoa-bo's delectable offerings. They couldn't make them fast enough and that was just to supply a single neighborhood in Starksville. As the locals got their first taste of Cocoa-bo delectables, they quickly got word out to their friends. Some with twii.tur accounts posted pictures of themselves with their 'first Cocoa-bo'. Within an hour of arriving, Cocoa-bo had already become a bigger hit in Starksville than it had been for weeks in Concord Heights. The outreach associate quickly realized that perhaps Cassadaigua was better with Cocoa-bo, they had just gone to the wrong city!

Over the next few days the outreach associate whipped up as many delectables as they could to offer to the locals of Starksville but eventually there would be no more raw materials left. They communicated back home to Mliona to inform the Marketing team that Cocoa-bo was a hit in Starksville and they would need to send more associates. With all the majority of the other associates forward deployed to Apox and Valanora, however, there would be no reinforcements coming. The Cocoa-bo team in Mliona began communications with local suppliers about re-stocking the raw-materials for their one remaining associate in Starksville as well as finding a temporary place for them to set up shop. Their orders to come back to Mliona had been rescinded and their relationship status may have just gotten a little more serious as it seemed they would be spending a lot more time than anticipated in Cassadaigua.

:: Cocoa-Bo Eatery

Cocoa-bo, an establishment taking its name directly from the beloved national animal of Turori, started as a small dessert shop in Kionao. However, it was only after they added chocolate topped drinks to their menu that their popularity started to soar. As more and more patrons scooped up their chocolate flavored pick-me-ups, demand for the Cocoa-bo product skyrocketed and soon new franchised locations were popping up all throughout Turori. Shifting to more of a social 'hang-out' then just a casual place to drop in, get a dessert, and leave, the new locations started adding small foods such as Bagels for the morning, Soups and Sandwiches for Lunch or Dinner and Salads for the entire day.

Cocoa-bo has expanded outside of Vilita & Turori. Their first regional location was opened in Andossa Se Mitrin Vega and Cocoa-bo has opened temporary locations during major internationstatal events such as the World Cup Finals with past locations appearing in Drawkland and Cosumar. Cocoa-bo has a permanent presence in South Covello and is also continuing to grow its presence in Starblaydia, the Equestrian States and the Free Republics. The company continues to further increase its image by partnering with Motorsport teams and expanding the company footprint across Atlantian Oceania and beyond. Cocoa-bo are also the kit sponsor for Mliona-Lpaka AFC in the Vilitan League.

Cocoa-bo's largest current markets are, in order, Turori; South Covello, the Equestrian States, Vilita and the Free Republics

[Apox]

Lorcan Oberhausen stepped up to the platform which had been made up outside the ruined front of Government House. Various people had suggested that it might be unwise to deliver his statement on the terrorist attack in front of the attack site, but he disagreed. For one, it was a show of support that the nation will not be curtailed by the work of those who might try to quell this stable democracy in Esportiva and it was also for the Apoxian population. They needed to see the wreckage and know that they were considered adult enough to be transparently told about the issues of the day.

Deep breath, here goes.

"People of Apox, this morning the country suffered from a heinous act of terrorism. At shortly past ten this morning, two men drove a van carrying a large amount of explosives drove through the crowd on Government Square and rammed into the front of Government House, the seat of democracy in our nation, shortly before the explosives were detonated. This act has since been perpetrated by members of the Mareibatian Freedom Army, who have also caused havoc in Mareibat. At this moment, the exact motivations of the attack are unknown, but we suspect it was a more of a symbolic attack on the freedoms and democracy of this nation by a people who have blamed us for their countries mistakes.

In trying to shatter our resolve however, they have merely strengthened it. As a country, now we must prove to ourselves and the watching world that we will not be cowed by such existential threats. In the coming days, I shall reach out to the Imperator of Mareibat and government structures within that nation to see what help we can provide in curbing that threat. We will also ensure that suspects behind this attack are apprehended and any future attacks that may be in preparation are stopped before they are able to be carried out.

I would like at this time to thank the incredible bravery shown by the emergency services in the immediate aftermath of the attack. Many brave firefighters fought to minimise the damage done to Government House, while ambulance crews sought to help tend to the many injuries sustained in the attack. The police ensured and will continue to ensure that order was kept in the aftermath, here in Government Square, in Dwile and in the country at large. I wish to seek to reassure the population that we have the situation under control and are working immediately to combat any further threats to the nation.

I would also like to reassure the population that the government will continue to function at this time. While repairs are being made to Government House and the building is assessed for further internal damage, the Government will sit in the Great Conference room at the National Library until the elections in two months time. Those elections will go ahead as planned and there is no reason to believe they cannot be carried out in an orderly and transparent fashion as is normally the case.

Finally, my thoughts and prayers go out to all those affected by this situation, whether they have been injured or grieve for lost loved ones. Know that you do not grieve alone, for tonight the entire nation of Apox will grieve with them. But from these challenging days, we will emerge stronger and more prepared for future threats. Thank you."

[Cosumar]

New World Cup saviors highlight underrated soccer hotbed
Morponte Fief climbing towards HL return through developmental blueprint



by Shayma Thomas
Features Writer

DWILE -- The Fiefdom of Cosumar reached its fifth World Cup Quarterfinals with a penalty-shootout triumph over the Commonwealth of Baker Park last night.

The scores finished 1-1 after regular time thanks to a last-gasp equalizer by defender Horatius Chaumancer, who headed Will Couturiaux's corner under Mollie Pelletier in the 92nd minute. The goal came as a massive relief to Cosumarite fans who had been on the edges of their seats since Varlerie Agahambri opened the scoring in the 56th minute. The Vanquishers pushed for a winner in extra time, but weren't able to conjure additional magic out of their hats. In the fifth and final frame of the eventual shootout, Shjegrzh Na'Kefir saved Sabrina Patton's ghastly panenka attempt to tee up Couturiaux to whip the victorious penalty into the side-netting.

The national conversation will soon turn towards The Holy Empire and whether we can finally break our Quarterfinal Curse (Cosumar has lost four times in four tries at this stage of the tournament), but, for at least this one morning, Holo-TV programming across the Fiefdom will be dominated by two highlights from the Baker Park match being looped on repeat:

1) Chaumancer's heaving leap to reach Couturiaux's corner for a chance at stoppage time salvation, and 2) the latter playing the unlikely hero with his fearless spot-kick to end the game (and subsequent euphoric belly-slide, of course).

Besides the fact that they'll both endure in Cosumarite memory for a long while to come, what do these two dramatic moments have in common? .

...Horatius Chaumancer and Will Couturiaux are Morponte Men.

Yes, they both came through the youth academy at Morponte Fief FC, which fashioned the "Morponte Men" moniker from the rugged persona of the club's early teams. But this connection goes beyond a macho-tinged figure of speech used at their former club.

The Morponte Fief FC "Riders" were
founded in 856 and enjoyed several years
of top-flight stability before falling
on leaner times.

Northern Union center back Chaumancer grew up in Misgunst Estate, a semi-autonomous municipality within Mortim -- Morponte Fief's inland capital where its eponymous club is based. Newrook City marksman Couturiaux grew up on the opposite side of the city in a neighborhood called Monoal.

Mortim was historically known for being a center of Cosumar's livestock, automobile and oil industries, giving it the fiercely masculine and independent identity reflected in Morponte Fief FC's badge (left).

Today, however, the name "Mortim" more often evokes urban blight and crime, seen as something of a black eye on Cosumar's pristine, utopian image. All three of the aforementioned industries have been declining for a long time in Cosumar, replaced by newer technologies and societal standards. While our civilization's rapid advancement over the last couple centuries has benefited most Cosumarites beyond belief, there remain pockets - mostly on Cosumar's inland western plains from Mortim up to Samaj and Dvinko - that got somewhat left behind. At its height, Mortim was the seventh-largest city in in the Fiefdom, with a sprawling metropolitan area of nearly 3 million. Now, the fallen capital of Morponte Fief claims fewer than 1.5 million residents and most of those surrounding areas have collapsed inwards to the struggling urban core.

As a striking counterpoint, look just 150 miles south to Pelethas. On Morponte Fief's shiny southern coast, the former mining town of Pelethas has exploded into a thriving modern Cosumarite city, buoyed by tourism money from its mountains and beaches. Economic fortunes gradually trickled from Mortim down to the Pelethas coastline, and before long, the antibiotic/parasitic relationship between the two principal Morponte cities was mirrored in the sporting world.

Pelethas United ascended from Tredje Ligan (third division) all the way to a UICA Champions' Cup appearance in 1012. Passing them going the other way, Mortim-based Morponte Fief FC was relegated to Sekundar Ligan over a decade ago and, over that time, has mostly been closer to further relegation to Tredje Ligan than promotion back to Härlighet Ligan. At the same time, many other major sporting leagues have abandoned or skipped over the Mortim area. A perpetually-dismal CBA basketball franchise, the Mortim Morbid Angels, being the only exception. While some might point to the CFL Dragon Bowl-winning Morponte Marauders, the Marauders haven't actually played in Mortim in some time. They moved into a new stadium in Moore Hill, a growing town midway between Pelethas and Mortim that serves as a bedroom community for both, almost 15 years ago.

So, for Chaumancer and Couturiaux, soccer was the only game in town.

"As a kid, yeah, it really was," Chaumancer told The Cosumarite Courier. "Youth soccer is huge in Morponte Fief, and especially in the Mortim area -- there are a lot of different cultures there that have banded behind the sport as a means to survive together. Most people don't have it easy there, but that has made them even bigger advocates for the sport. The Riders [Morponte Fief FC] didn't go anywhere. Even in hard times, they stayed committed to the community and believed in the local talent."

That local talent pool has produced some major talents for the national team over the years, despite not garnering the plaudits of noted developmental hotbeds like Ramusok, Azuris or the Weald. In slightly better times, Morponte Fief FC produced Cosumar's first-ever captain in Irvinn Rincon, who remains our assists leader to this day. Even as dark clouds of recession descended, MFFC continued to tap the decaying streets of Mortim and churn out remarkable talent. Another Cosumar captain in Abel Scarloff. Esteban Hernandez. Tomi Jakoljevic. Now-Lotus Park manager Kyron Everdale.

Even Airik Ruhl, who, fairly or not, embodies the unsavory criminal element for which Mortim has become known in the minds of many Cosumarites. And, of course, Round of 16 heroes Chaumancer and Couturiaux.

That's a stellar population-to-talent ratio that Mortim has going. And probably an even better GDP-to-talent ratio.

And it's not merely stellar scouting and coaching by Morponte Fief FC (although that undoubtedly helps). Despite becoming the first Cosumarite city to ever declare bankruptcy in 1011, there remain 200,000 registered youth soccer players in the Mortim metro area. That's more than Pelethas can claim despite now having double Mortim's total population. So there seems to be something more. Something special about the local soccer culture endemic to Mortim, from the lowest grassroots levels all the way up to the Riders.

Any among those 200,000 could ascend all the way from Mortim's run-down youth fields to the grandest of stages. U21 international right back Jorj Pjetrovic currently stars for Morponte Fief FC and believes he will be the next Horatius Chaumancer to show the whole Fiefdom that Mortim isn't just some 9th century boomtown to be forgotten and swept under the rug.

"People that don't live in the city and just hear about it on the news are always surprised when good things happen or someone important comes from here," Pjetrovic said. "But those of us that live in the city don't have that sense of awe. If you're a Mortimite, you understand. You know what our city is capable of and can accomplish. We don't have fancy tech and attractions and pretty buildings, but those that have stayed have an inner drive to make the most of themselves and prove people wrong that I just haven't seen elsewhere. It's bigger than soccer."

It's exactly that mentality that Morponte Fief FC tries instill in all of its academy players. The Mortim Mentality might transcend soccer, but the club - if it properly embodies that spirit - believes the game can do its part to restore some vitality to the city.

Syl Denhardt restored conviction around
Mortim that MFFC could - neigh, should -
rise from its long period of SL duldrums.

In 1013, Syl Denhardt led Morponte Fief to 4th place in Sekundar Ligan with a renewed emphasis on youth and developing character by fighting through adversity. With the youngest team in the division, it was the closest the Riders had come to re-promotion to the HL in a decade, missing the playoff place by one point. In the second half of the season, the city rallied behind the team in remarkable ways as the dream of seeing Mortim represented amongst Cosumar's elite again became increasingly realistic.

Although they fell short and Denhardt has since been tapped to take up Sur Arora's vacancy at OAS Royal FC, the club is hopeful that they can maintain momentum in the direction he chartered. Seeing the Riders in the vastly improved Härlighet Ligan of today would remind long-suffering Mortimites of more prosperous days and provide hope that things can turn around.

As with many clubs that follow a development-centric blueprint, the challenge will be to get the most out of their current crop of young talent before they are forced to leave Mortim for opportunity. Ruhl, Chaumancer and Couturiaux themselves are examples of players that, unable to lift MFFC from the second-tier, had to leave in order pursue their craft at the highest levels and bring respect and recognition to Mortim in a different way.

But they're still Morponte Men. They have friends and family who play back in Mortim. When the time comes, maybe they'll be back too. And maybe, just maybe, they'll have a local Härlighet Ligan club to come home to.

---

Editor's Note: Morponte Fief currently sit 10th out of 18 in the 1015 Sekundar Ligan season, nine points behind the promotion playoff place with eight matches remaining.

---

Cosumar 6-0 Vartugia
B. Tidesson 33', Zeale-Riddick 36', Sibučić 51', Valgard 75', Pakkanen 81', Zeale-Riddick 84'
Assisted by Valgard, B. Tidesson, Söderquist, Aedelbrandt, Aedelbrandt, Aedelbrandt
Selection: Na'Kefir; Na'Kale, Svensson, A. Tidesson, Pakkanen; Söderquist, Mokumdarian (Fireblade); Sibučić (Abylon), B. Tidesson (Aedelbrandt); Valgard, Zeale-Riddick
Matchday 1 | @ Fire River Arena, Ramusok

Velestria 0-0 Cosumar
No scorers
Selection: Weschler; Va'Afaja, Na'Duha, Chaumancer, Pakkanen (Tricklebank); Söderquist, Mokumdarian; Sibučić, B. Tidesson; Valgard (Texström), Zeale-Riddick (Ruhl)
Matchday 2 | @ Hartford Park, Southampshire

Cosumar 3-2 Mattijana
Lemons 45+1', 49', 58'
Assisted by Valgard, Dyer Vry, Sibučić
Selection: Na'Kefir; Va'Afaja, Svensson, Chaumancer, Uribe; Viablaine, Mokumdarian; Sibučić, Dyer Vry (Abylon); Lemons (B. Tidesson), Valgard (Blaylock)
Matchday 3 | @ Crowley Memorial WC Stadium, Ramusok

Qusmo 1-3 Cosumar
Chaumancer 37', B. Tidesson 50', Valgard 81'
Assisted by B. Tidesson, Pakkanen, Couturiaux
Selection: Na'Kefir; Na'Kale, Na'Duha, Chaumancer, Pakkanen; Söderquist, Mokumdarian (Aedelbrandt); Sibučić (Ojala), B. Tidesson; Lemons (Couturiaux), Valgard
Matchday 4 | @ Mastad Qusma, Qusmo

Cosumar 0-0 Saltstead
No scorers
Selection: Na'Kefir; Va'Afaja, Na'Duha, Chaumancer, Pakkanen; Söderquist, Tricklebank (Mokumdarian); Sibučić (Marsteller), B. Tidesson (Sade); Valgard, Zeale-Riddick
Matchday 5 | @ Leviathan Arena, Kaldukosic

Sajnur 2-1 Cosumar
Texström 37'
Assisted by Valgard
Selection: Na'Kefir; Na'Duha, Svensson, Solari; Söderquist, Tricklebank, Mokumdarian (Serafino); Sibučić (Pakkenen); Texström, Valgard (Zeale-Riddick), B. Tidesson
Matchday 6 | @ National Stadium, Javoser

Cosumar 1-0 Kavagrad
Sade 69'
Assisted by Serafino
Selection: Weschler; Chaumancer, Svensson (Pakkanen), Solari; Söderquist (Sibučić), Tricklebank, Serafino; Antúnes; Aedelbrandt, Valgard, B. Tidesson (Sade)
Matchday 7 | @ Crowley Memorial WC Stadium, Ramusok

Mytanija 3-3 Cosumar
Masatoshi 28', Sibučić 45', MYT Own Goal 65'
Assisted by Chaumancer, Masatoshi, Ojala
Selection: Na'Kefir; Na'Kale, A. Tidesson, Chaumancer, Uribe; Söderquist, Tricklebank (Antúnes); Sibučić, Ojala (B. Tidesson); Masatoshi, Ruhl (Dyer Vry)
Matchday 8 | @ Miagostadion, Miago

Cosumar 5-1 Alluersia
Zeale-Riddick 33' 40' 64', Texström 75', Ojala 79'
Assisted by B. Tidesson, Serafino, Tricklebank, Zeale-Riddick, Tricklebank
Selection: Na'Kefir; Va'Afaja, Svensson, Na'Duha; Serafino, Viablaine (Couturiaux), Tricklebank; Sibučić; Texström (Aedelbrandt), Zeale-Riddick, B. Tidesson (Ojala)
Matchday 9 | @ Orangi Stadium, Crawford

Vartugia 0-4 Cosumar
Ojala 50' 70', Ruhl 84', Lemons 88'
Assisted by Lemons, Antúnes, Viablaine, Uribe
Selection: Na'Kefir; Hamilton, Na'Duha, Chaumancer, Uribe; Viablaine, Fireblade; Antúnes, Masatoshi (Ojala); Lemons (Dyer Vry), Ruhl (Riise)
Matchday 10 | @ (Any field that dosent fit for football), Vartugia

Cosumar 3-2 Velestria
Lemons 13', Texström 14' 79'
Assisted by Sibučić, Marsteller, B. Tidesson
Selection: Na'Kefir; Na'Kale, A. Tidesson, Chaumancer (Solari), Pakkanen; Söderquist, Tricklebank; Texström, Sibučić; Marsteller (Va'Afaja), Lemons (B. Tidesson)
Matchday 11 | @ Crowley Memorial WC Stadium, Ramusok

Mattijana 3-4 Cosumar
Sibučić 12', Tibrewal 56', Sibučić 63' 67'
Assisted by none, Va'Afaja, Antúnes, Riise
Selection: Na'Kefir; Va'Afaja, Na'Duha, Chaumancer, Tibrewal; Viablaine, Mokumdarian; Antúnes (Fireblade), Sibučić (Aedelbrandt); Masatoshi (Marsteller), Riise
Matchday 12 | @ Stadijo Dinamov, Petrovijanka

Cosumar 4-1 Qusmo
Neptune 11', Ruhl 38', Sibučić 40', Ruhl 49'
Assisted by Serafino, Sibučić, Neptune, Mokumdarian
Selection: Na'Kefir; Serafino (Va'Afaja), Na'Duha, A. Tidesson, Uribe; Söderquist, Mokumdarian; Neptune, Antúnes (Ojala); Sibučić, Ruhl (Zeale-Riddick)
Matchday 13 | @ The Klyde Sportsplex, Klyde

Saltstead 0-1 Cosumar
Sibučić 72'
Assisted by Serafino
Selection: Weschler; Va'Afaja, Na'Duha (Svensson), Chaumancer, Uribe; Serafino, Sibučić, Viablaine, Fireblade, B. Tidesson (Tibrewal); Zeale-Riddick (Valgard)
Matchday 14 | @ King William VII National Park, Ashwell

Cosumar 0-0 Sajnur
Selection: Na'Kefir; Na'Kale, Na'Duha, A. Tidesson, Uribe (Texström); Viablaine, Mokumdarian; Sibučić, Ojala; Valgard (Ruhl), Blaylock (B. Tidesson)
Matchday 15 | @ Crowley Memorial WC Stadium, Ramusok

Kavagrad 0-0 Cosumar
Selection: E. Tidesson; Hamilton (Söderquist), Svensson, Chaumancer, Uribe; Serafino, Abylon (Couturiaux); Neptune, B. Tidesson; Valgard, Dyer Vry (Sibučić)
Matchday 16 | @ Kavagrad National Stadium

Cosumar 1-2 Mytanija
Sibučić 84'
Assisted by Söderquist
Selection: Na’Kefir; Va’Afaja, Na’Duha, Chaumancer (A. Tidesson), Tibrewal; Söderquist (Serafino), Tricklebank; Sibučić, Ojala (B. Tidesson); Riise, Blaylock
Matchday 17 | @ Crowley Memorial WC Stadium, Ramusok

Alluersia 4-4 Cosumar
ALU Own Goal 17', Zeale-Riddick 37' (p), Mokumdarian 58', Sade 64'
Assisted by Masatoshi, none, none, none
Selection: Weschler; Sumiile, Svensson, Solari; Mokumdarian, Viablaine, Abylon (Fireblade); Masatoshi; Aedelbrandt (Serafino), Zeale-Riddick (Sibučić), Sade
Matchday 18 | @ Alluersia

Nephara 0-1 Cosumar
Tidesson 48'
Assisted by Mokumdarian
Selection: Na'Kefir; Na'Kale, Na'Duha, Chaumancer, Uribe; Söderquist, Mokumdarian; Sibučić (Tricklebank), Tidesson; Valgard (Ruhl), Zeale-Riddick (Aedelbrandt)
Matchday 1 | @ Village Green, Barbury, Apox

Qasden 4-1 Cosumar
Valgard 80' (p)
Assisted by Chaumancer
Selection: Na'Kefir; Na'Kale (Serafino), Na'Duha, Chaumancer, Pakkanen; Söderquist, Mokumdarian; Sibučić, Tidesson (Texström); Valgard (Lemons), Zeale-Riddick
Matchday 2 | @ Village Green, Barbury, Apox

Cosumar 4-1 95X
Tidesson 14', Valgard 26' 31' 75'
Assisted by Lemons, Tidesson, Mokumdarian, Zeale-Riddick
Selection: Na'Kefir; Na'Kale (Va'Afaja), Chaumancer, Svensson, Pakkanen; Söderquist, Mokumdarian; Sibučić, Tidesson (Aedelbrandt); Valgard, Lemons (Zeale-Riddick)
Matchday 3 | @ The Celebratory Stadium, Cawln, Apox

Cosumar 1-1 (1-1 AET) (4-3 pen.) Baker Park
Chaumancer 90+2'
Assisted by Couturiaux
Selection: Na'Kefir; Na'Duha, Chaumancer, Uribe; Serafino (Zeale-Riddick), Söderquist (Couturiaux), Mokumdarian; Sibučić (Lemons); Texström (Na'Kale), Valgard, Tidesson
Round of 16 | @ Stadium of Apox, Dwile, Apox

Cosumar 0-1 The Holy Empire
Selection: Na'Kefir; Va'Afaja, Na'Duha, Chaumancer, Uribe (Pakkanen); Texström (Zeale-Riddick), Tricklebank (Sibučić), Söderquist, Mokumdarian, Tidesson; Valgard
Quarterfinals | @ Stadium of Apox, Dwile, Apox

Goals
Isla Sibučić (8)
Vega Zeale-Riddick (6)
Romikk Valgard (6)
Arden Lemons (5)
Olvir Texström (4)
Bryger Tidesson (4)
Hakki Ojala (3)
Airik Ruhl (3)
Elodie Sade (2)
Horatius Chaumancer (2)
Ville Pakkanen (1)
Taka Masatoshi (1)
Lorelei Neptune (1)
Skaldir Tibrewal (1)
Kai-Kai Mokumdarian (1)
Own Goal (2)

Appearances
Maia Abylon (4)
Zoë Aedelbrandt (8)
Hidalgo Antúnes (5)
Dakota Blaylock (3)
Horatius Chaumancer (16)
Will Couturiaux (4)
Charles Dyer Vry (4)
Harald Fireblade (5)
Mei Hamilton (2)
Arden Lemons (7)
Sen Marsteller (3)
Taka Masatoshi (4)
Kai-Kai Mokumdarian (15)
Kadija Na'Duha (15)
Bacary Na'Kale (9)
Shjegrzh Na’Kefir (18)
Lorelei Neptune (2)
Hakki Ojala (7)
Ville Pakkanen (10)
Aron Riise (3)
Airik Ruhl (6)
Elodie Sade (3)
Bellerophon Serafino (10)
Isla Sibučić (22)
Stig Söderquist (16)
Eero Solari (4)
Shrey Sumiile (1)
Peter Svensson (9)
Olvir Texström (7)
Skaldir Tibrewal (3)
Alfred Tidesson (6)
Bryger Tidesson (19)
Edith Tidesson (1)
Dexter Tricklebank (11)
Thomas Uribe (10)
Q'orianka Va'Afaja (11)
Romikk Valgard (15)
Hansi Weschler (4)
Vega Zeale-Riddick (13)
Viablaine (7)

Assists
Bryger Tidesson (5)
Bellerophon Serafino (4)
Zoë Aedelbrandt (3)
Romikk Valgard (3)
Isla Sibučić (3)
Kai-Kai Mokumdarian (3)
Dexter Tricklebank (2)
Hidalgo Antúnes (2)
Stig Söderquist (2)
Taka Masatoshi (2)
Horatius Chaumancer (2)
Arden Lemons (2)
Vega Zeale-Riddick (2)
Will Couturiaux (2)
Charles Dyer Vry (1)
Ville Pakkanen (1)
Hakki Ojala (1)
Viablaine (1)
Thomas Uribe (1)
Sen Marsteller (1)
Lorelei Neptune (1)
Q'orianka Va'Afaja (1)
Aron Riise (1)

[Farfadillis]

Possibly helpful context

Ésüá Hü Sí Líjám had been tasked with scouting for Rulandese players at the Rëléé Síràànágâ. Though in years past the great gathering of Rulandese's finest aspiring footballers took in February, it had been moved to July this time. The collapse of a nearby uranium mine and surprising subsequent explosion had turned the area into a no-go zone for a few months, but now most people figured that "Nah, it's fine now." As one of the few Rulandese privileged enough to have a working television, Ésüá was quite annoyed to be there. Farfadillis was playing Qusmo right at that very moment. But no, he'd been told to go scout for promising ten-year-olds.

Still, having a job in the current economy was a lot more than he could ask for, and he wouldn't throw it away for a football match. As football-crazed as Farves could be, football's still just football at the end of the day.

As the kids warmed up for what would for sure prove to be an exceedingly violent football match, the Rulandese scout checked the notes of the rumored best players of the bunch. Rumors were not an ideal scouting tool, but it was often all that scouts could go off of with Ruland. It's not like there were many people with cellphones to film things, or with internet to upload them somewhere. As these were kids, hearsay was even more important. At that age, the more talented kids tend to rise above the rest even more, so hearsay can actually be somewhat reliable.

"Tôsgo Füjájá, plays for the red team. Ginger, small. 9 years old." He read to himself. He looked for a kid matching the description, and duly ticked his name in the notes. He did this with eight more names. Chances were none of them would ever get to Mâ Âlâmëómë's first team, but the occasional gem made this pilgrimage to the outskirts of the city worth it.

He glanced around looking for his competition. He spotted his arch-nemesis, Gürs Nâúgý, Dí Maozöxê's scout. Rülândéá Kôstä's scout was also there. A few more familiar faces were around, though he couldn't quite remember their clubs. They did not matter, though. The only ones with any sway at Rëlée were the three hired by the most popular teams. One good thing about the total societal collapse of Farfadillis was that Faroleran scouts no longer tried to snap up top Rulandese talents. Meanwhile, in Ruland, things were, for better or worse, not that different overall. Yeah, they'd had to push the event back a few months, and the league was about to undergo radical restructuring. They also had had to let go of all their foreign talents. But, overall, quality of life hadn't dropped that much - though it had been surprising that it was able drop to begin with.

He was surprised to find a small crowd gathered around what seemed to be a TV. Some very shoddy but evidently good enough cabling all the way from one of the nearby houses let the people present watch the national team while their kids/nephews/possible future signings played ball. Cause no, the kids didn't really play football. They played it's much purer and fun version. Ball.

He was a consummate professional, though, and he wasn't there to watch la Vherderoja. He was there to find its future players. He couldn't even check if the tv had a decent signal because the match between the red team and the blue team was about to begin. Three of the players in his notes were there. Plus, most of the time the most exciting prospects are from distant neigborhoods and nobody outside there has heard about them, so chances were that, if he were to find another Fôrté Wínrôuge like so many years before, he wouldn't be in his list.

After only a few minutes, the ginger kid's talents became very evident. Great technique and quick reflexes. Those were the two things he looked for the most in young kids, and he had them in spades. He was pretty small, but could still get past his much taller opponents quite easily. If he grew up to be a tall player, he could become a real force. He could also turn out to be a huge flop, of course. He'd seen at least ten players who'd looked better at that age, and ended up fizzling out before turning fifteen.

His attention turned to a short, chubby kid. He was slow, obviously, but he had very good passing skills, as well as surprisingly good dribbling skills. Still, it was hard to believe that a Süsîní could be that chubby. Ésüá paid close attention to him throughout the match. Some other players caught his attention, too, but the ginger and the chubby kid were clearly where the money was at.

As the minutes went on, he already had a pretty good idea of what made him such good prospects. Everything the ginger kid did seemed to have purpose. He only dribbled when he saw clear openings. He always moved into space after making a pass. He always seemed to draw away some defender. He was much smarter than anyone else in the pitch, besides chubby kid. The ginger really gave it his all, as well. He could get very aggressive in his tackles. Both things, specially the former, was extremely hard to teach.

The two or three players who picked up the ball, dribbled past three or four, then ended up shooting wide, scoring the occasional goal? He'd learnt early on not to pay attention to them. They turn out good sometimes, but he liked to leave them to the other scouts, who'd focus on them, and sign players like these two without competition. He'd signed a few players who turned out to be NTers that way. All had gone on to start for the national team.

The chubby kid made up for his laughable physical state with great off-the-ball movement, as well as by often laying off the ball quite quickly, unless his marker made an exploitable mistake. He had very sharp passing, but tended to stick to the left wing. He was reminding him of someone, but he couldn't quite place who. However, all it took was one goal for him to realize.

The ball went out for a throw-in and average kid who should stick to drugs #1 took it. Some kid headed it back in an attempt to clear it. It fell to the right winger's feet, and he crossed the ball. It was a very good cross, he took note of that. It fell at chubby kid's feet. Without hesitating, chubby kid used his fantastic first touch to volley it into the net. It wasn't super precisely placed, but it was still quite a shot, even if only due to how much power he managed to put into it. The fall had arrived with swerve, it had bounced, but he still had volleyed it in.

He heard the crowd go crazy as the kid scored, but much crazier than usual. He found this strange.

Ӿ Ӿ Ӿ Ӿ Ӿ

"Marchiondo's taking the throw-in. Cleared by Qusmo. It falls to rue Cazade. Here comes the croooooo - Wçêíl! GOL! GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL! He's hit it just right! An impressive volley! Wçêíl puts us ahead, Farfadillis one, Qusmo nil!"

Ӿ Ӿ Ӿ Ӿ Ӿ

Yurpá was watching Farfadillis dominate Qusmo from the comfort of his home in Dwile. After the events that are yet to receive an official name but at this point everyone knows what I mean, he went back to Apox and settled down for a happier life, even if it was one outside his beloved Ruland. He'd fought and secretly helped lead revolutionary forces, and they'd lost. He'd survived that, and then everything somehow became worse. At some point, he'd had to run.

Watching Farfadilils was, nowadays, all he could do to remember simpler times. His times as a footballer, when he could still at least contact people back home. When, with hindsight, everything was simple.

Eighty-nine minutes had already passed, and Farfadillis were still dominating. Qusmo, however, were proving a very tough nut to crack. For all their domination, Farfadillis had only really had three or four good chances, one of them being the goal, and the only defensive mistake their opponents made all game. However, as valiantly as they'd fought, they'd had no shots on goal. Or shots, for that matter. The chances of them equalizing with so little time left were negligible. He thought.

He was in awe when watching t'Öéséné play. There had already been a "new Mêndêlöíndçêl". Ruy Monrazón's career proved fantastic at the end of the day, but everyone agreed he never quite reached Mêndêlöíndçêl's heights. What's more, Ruy was Faroleran, not Rulandese. He lacked the aggressiveness and the fighting spirit. He had it, he really had it, just not as much as Yurpá and Sürgân. With Sürgân in defensive midfield, the defense was in a much better place than in years past. Yes, there was no way Qusmo could equalize.

"Ilinx-Kepex with the ball. He passes to Xilit-Zaxac. He's approaching the box. Teijeiro will not let him enter the box. He runs wide. Sûrgan follows him. It's a sliding tackle! An awfully mistimed one at that! He could get sent off for this! AND THE REF BRANDISHES THE RED CARD! It's an early bath for our midfielder."

Yurpá looked up at the sky. Whatever was out there, it seemed determined to prove him wrong on everything. "Destroying an entire state is too much, even for those pesky Ferdullaelans" had been, to date, the worst instance of this.

Then Ilinx-Kepex scored the free kick. First shot, first goal. A fantastically taken free kick, he had to admit.

He poured himself more whisky.

Ӿ Ӿ Ӿ Ӿ Ӿ

Eleonóra breathed in, then breathed out. This would be one of the most important penalties of his career. As the most "clutch" player in the team, he'd been assigned to take it. "Score and we're through." He thought to himself. But he knew that was the wrong way to go about it. It's always best to think as little as possible. At least, that's what worked for him.

He closed his eyes and captured the moment. The many, many Farves present almost made him feel like he was playing at home. "For them." He thought. He prepared to take the penalty. He heard the whistle. He ran up to the ball...

... and shot wide. Perhaps - nay, surely - the worst penalty in his career. He'd gone for the corner of the goal, but might as well have gone for the corner of the pitch. He felt defeated. He dropped to the ground in frustration. Soon, Êns and Holsteiner were helping him up. They told him he was not at fault, that one of them, as the designed penalty takers, should've risen up to the occasion.

He didn't care much for consolation, though. All he cared about now was the shoot-out that would begin in a couple of minutes.

The team gathered round. They'd choose the penalty takers. Êns asked to go first, Holsteiner to go second. Tuzzio smiled.

"Xíxì first and Oskar second, then. Now who wants to go third? Raise your hands!"

They all looked at each other, until Tuzzio ran out of patience.

"Alright, if I don't see at least one hand raised in the next ten seconds, I'll tell the referee we're forfeiting the game. Might as well save us the embarrassment."

Timidly, Wçêíl raised his hand.

"Good. Now, who goes fourth?" His tone made it clear that someone had to offer themselves, or else.

But nobody did.

"Fine, rue Cazade takes the fourth penalty, whether he likes it or not." The Szoirsian looked both shocked and very worried. The nerves had really gotten to him in the game. Besides the assist, he'd been invisible.

"And who goes last?"

Eleonóra raised his hand immediately. Tuzzio grinned.

"Glad to see it's not gotten to you. I trust you, Lázár."

Ӿ Ӿ Ӿ Ӿ Ӿ

"rue Cazade to take the penalty that can send us through. Here he coooooomes. Oh no. He's skyed it. Farfadillis 3, Qusmo 2. Time for Qusmo's last penalty."

Ӿ Ӿ Ӿ Ӿ Ӿ

After Paliv-Xilit scored Qusmo's third, it was time for Farfadillis' last penalty.

Lázár prepared to take it. He'd "bottled" it once already. But he was "clutch". In truth, he never knew what he was doing, but that was his secret all along.

He closed his eyes. He counted to three. He imagined the penalty he'd wanted to score earlier. He breathed slowly.

And after a few seconds, he heard it.

"GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL!"

Ӿ Ӿ Ӿ Ӿ Ӿ

[Vilita]

Vilaye Energy Drink Headquarters, Vilisorma, Vilita :: The Vilisorma Beverage Company have revealed the finalists for their World Cup 82 based "Cans for Life" contest. Fans were selected as finalists at random from amongst those who signed up directly at a Vilaye Energy Drink tasting booth at an official World Cup Finals venue or fan-zone as well as those who purchased specially marked commemorative packages of Vilaye Energy Drink in their local grocery markets and submitted their application prior to the conclusion of the World Cup 82 Group Stage. While the contest fine print originally indicated that there would be 16 Finalists, only 15 finalists were ultimately chosen. The Vilisorma Beverage Company announced that with each contestant being paired with a specific team at the World Cup 82 Finals in the tournaments 16 team knockout round, a contest with fifteen finalists would leave one team un-paired. The un-paired team would be the Vilitan National Team who would double as a Super-Grand-Prize winner for all finalists if they were the team that outlasted the other 16 in the World Cup 82 Finals

One round into the World Cup 82 Knockout Rounds and the Vilaye Energy Drink 'Cans for Life' contest and incredibly every Vilitan based finalist has been eliminated already as the three Finalists who were selected from the Tropics were all paired with National Teams that lost in the World Cup 82 Round of 16. Jinaiti Makadapao, the 37 year old racing engineer who attended the Vilita Jungle Cats 2-1 group stage win over the Equestrian States was actually paired with the Equestrian States as their knockout round team and promptly eliminated when the Ponies were beaten in the first knockout round by the Holy Empire. Lalifara Vbuaana a 28 year old Dancer who was born in the Riailia Village was selected as a finalist but saw her chances to win on her own eliminated along with Qasden who were beaten by host nation Apox in the first knockout round. Finally, Tyuo Maraszota the 67 so-called "Jungle Cat Whisperer" from Irottea was rooting for surprise package Qusmo in the Round of 16 but defending Atlantian Oceania regional champions Farfadillis ended the Rushmori side's cinderella run.

Despite the fact that all of the Vilitan contestants have already been eliminated, they along with the other 5 Finalists who saw their team eliminated in the Round of 16 could still win the Cans for Life Grand Prize in a second chance methodology as if the Vilitan National Team wins the World Cup all fifteen Cans for Life finalists will receive the Grand Prize.

Cosumar Name: Piėr van den Bergen Nation: Saltstead Age: 38, Male Occupation: IT Manager

The Holy Empire Name: Isaac, Prince Imperial Nation Alasdair I Frosticus Age: N/A, Male Occupation: Crown Prince

Vilita Name: All 15 Finalists! Nation Various Age: 16 & up Occupation: Various

Apox Name: Ragnar Smithson Nation Bongo Johnson Age: 50, Male Occupation: Leader

---

With just seven contestants left in the competition, Vilisorma Beverage Company officials reached out to some of the finalists to get their thoughts on their chances to win the Cans for Life contest. Of course, while all seven were optimistic, there was one contestant who indicated they did not particularly want to win the competition at all. While there are three finalists remaining in the Cans for Life contest who call home a nation that is also competing in the World Cup 82 Quarter Finals, two of those three - Orani'arua Nikaa'o, a 22 year old Astrology Major from Turori and the ageless Isaac, Prince Imperial of the Dreamed Realm are also paired with their home nations team so their fates are intrinsicly linked. One finalists, however, a 41 year old Art Dealer from Cosumar named Tobias Kürsch, is not. As a member of the Cosumar National Teams "Heathen Front" Supporter Group, there is no question in the mind of Kürsch that the best scenario is that he loses the Cans for Life contest as a result of his beloved Cosumar Vanquishers winning the World Cup. Should Cosumar win the World Cup it would be Piėr van den Bergen of Saltstead who would take the Cans for Life Grand Prize. Of course, Kürsch noted that if for some strange and inconceivable reason the Vanquishing Dragons of Cosumar do not win the World Cup, there is an outside chance he could - at least temporarily - pull for fellow Atlantian Oceania nation Farfadillis, only because of his draw in the Cans for Life contest.

---

Cassadaigua Name: George Istanba Nation Banija Age: 40, Male Occupation: Accountant

Turori Name: Orani'arua Nikaa'o Nation: Turori Age: 22 Occupation: Astrology Major

Farfadillis Name: Tobias Kürsch Nation: Cosumar Age: 41, Male Occupation: Art Dealer

Starblaydia Name: Iarocav Nation: Drawkland Age: 5001, Male Occupation: Immortal ruler

The Vilisorma Beverage Company also announced the winner of the "Junior Cans" contest which was open to those aged 16 and under who visited a Vilaye Energy Drink booth during the World Cup 82 Finals Group Stage. Winners of the "Junior Cans" contest received a prize pack from the Vilisorma Beverage Company including a pait of Vilaye Energy Drink branded sunglasses, a Vilaye Energy Drink T-Shirt, a 1:64 scale Diecast Race car of the #14 Vilaye Energy Drink Dart driven by former NSSCRA Champion River "Shark" Suzgar II on the NSSCRA circuit and a voucher book for two free twelve count packs of any Vilisorma Beverage Company product. Due to the internationstatal nature of the contest, the Vilaye Energy Drink company did not permit any contest entrants below the age of 16 to receive any Vilaye Energy Drink beverage products directly as a prize as some nations around the multiverse due not permit minors to purchase Energy Drink products without a parent or guardian present.

The Grande Prize winner of the "Junior Cans" contest would also receive four tickets Vilaye Energy Drink 314 NSSCRA Race in Rockii Coast, Vilita during the upcoming NSSCRA 8 season. That Grande Prize was won by 12 year old Gerard Bois-Colombes who was attending the World Cup Finals in Apox when they entered the contest. Gerard and his family will be invited as guests of the Vilisorma Beverage Company to the Vilaye suite for pre-race activities where they may have the chance to meet celebrities and racing drivers before heading to their seats near the start finish line for the race itself.

As for the big contest, Cans For Life, with the completion of the World Cup Round of 16 just seven individual contestants remained with their fates tied directly to the performances of their paired national teams during the remainder of the World Cup Finals. Incredibly of the seven remaining finalists, three of them are either rulers or royalty of foreign nations with Ragnar Smithson the Leader of Bongo Johnson still in the hunt and pulling for the host nation Apox; Isaac, Prince Imperial of the Holy Empire whose fate in the competition rests with their dreamed realm compatriots and lastly and perhaps most intriguingly Drawklands Immortal rule Iarocav who is reportedly so committed to winning this contest that they otherwise would have no impact on the outcome of that they have actually reached out to the Starblaydi Football Association to see how the nation of Drawkland could help the Purple Peril ensure they won the World Cup. It is believed that some descendent of the di Bradini lineage responded with a question as to how many World Cup titles the nation of Drawkland had earned before ending the call.

[Apox]

Here Be Dragons

Sometimes in the World Cup, you just need an SOS call

Quarter-Final Cutoff for Vanorian Half

[Vilita]

Jungle Cats break down Rebel Fortress, Advance on Penalties

The Celebratory Stadium, Cawln, Apox :: When the draw for the World Cup 82 Round of 16 was announced, there was one matchup that stood out among all the rest. On paper it was a match better suited for the World Cup Final. In fact, it was the World Cup Final just one cycle ago during World Cup 81 in Banija and the Free Republics. It was Vilita v. South Covello, Round 2. The #1 Team in the multiverse against the #2 team in the multiverse. Depending if you were looking at pre-World Cup 82 cycle rankings or live projected rankings following the World Cup 82 Group Stage would flip flop which of the two teams were #1 in the multiverse with the Jungle Cats having earned that designation following their World Cup 81 triumph and the Rebels currently projected to be the #1 team in the multiverse on account of their perfect sweep of high ranked opposition during the World Cup 82 Group Stage.

Of course, what better way to settle an argument about which of two teams is the best in the multiverse than to put them head to head in a knockout round match during the World Cup Finals. Somehow the stars aligned for this match up to take place not in the World Cup Final but in the very first knockout round. Fresh off a trio of 1-0 victories to top Group C with 9 points, South Covello's reward would be a Round of 16 match up with Vilita who despite being ranked #1 in the World Rankings and having won World Cup 81, struggled throughout the World Cup 82 Qualification Cycle and again through the Group Stage being held to a draw by both 28th ranked Juvencus and 29th ranked team in the multiverse Mercedini in the round robin section of the Finals. Only a narrow victory over the 9th ranked Equestrian States saw the Jungle Cats through to the knockout rounds as the second placed team in Group B.

The Vilitan National Team had traveled to Cawln for their third venue in four Matchdays getting a comprehensive tour of Apox as part of their World Cup Experience. While the stadium was called the Celebratory Stadium, it would be the nature of knockout round competition that only one nation would be celebrating at the end of ninety minutes - or perhaps even longer if the score is deadlocked which was very much a possibility when putting the top two nations in multiverse on the same pitch.

While these same two sides had met just one cycle prior in the World Cup Final, just four of the starters for the World Cup 82 Round of 16 match up were also starters in the World Cup 81 final against South Covello. Defender Linkat Cjinder, Turoki Tide midfield duo Cavuna Aquafek and Polaox Torerun and first choice striker Sipke Tarala who has sense completed a major domestic transfer to Sabrefell Athletic in Nephara are the only four starters who remained the same from the two key clashes between the top sides in the multiverse. Even the net-minder was different with Vilita's first choice goalkeeper Mako Canopii getting their first look at the South Covello Rebels after Cilamara Issah was given the gloves for the World Cup 81 final.

Also changed for the match were the tactics for the Jungle Cats who surprised many by coming out with three forwards, Linvoi Warazil, Nii'arala Milaaso and Sipke Tarala spearheading an attacking 3-4-3 formation that the Jungle Cats coaching staff was clearly looking to employ in order to crack the ultra defensive wall that is the South Covellan defense which had not conceded a single goal throughout the World Cup 82 group stage.

While the Vilitan National Team poked and prodded at the Rebel Defences throughout the opening forty five minutes they were unable to find a way through and the opening half of the Round of 16 match up would end goalless for both sides. The Jungle Cats did make one substitution in the first half when Eastal Lunar midfielder Limu Katarakhna came up limping after a challenge just over five minutes from the break. It did not appear Katarakhna was in condition to finish out the half and the coaching staff decided to take the youngster out of the match instead of waiting until the break to see how they felt, bringing in former Tropicorp trainee Kudii Davasarii to take their place and provide a bit of a different look to the proceedings.

At the break Vilita would make one additional change with Monner Vileai being replaced by Utility player Jyuola Mtalata of Mliona-Lpaka AFC. The 30 year old who typically plays a defensive midfield role was not part of the Jungle Cats roster for World Cup 81 but came on for their first appearance of the World Cup 82 finals as once again the coaching staff was looking to throw something at the South Covellans that they had not seen before in an attempt to shake things up and find a way through the historically effective Rebels Defense.

Ultimately it wouldn't be tricks, gimmicks or unfamiliar players that would put the Vilita National Team on the board but just raw talent from their top goalscorer. Less than ten minutes into the second half of play, Sipke Tarala would score their third goal of the World Cup 82 Finals to put the Jungle Cats on top. It was the first time during the World Cup 82 Finals that South Covello had trailed an opponent and the first time during the World Cup 82 Finals that South Covello had conceded a goal. Their young captain and goalkeeper Matthew Tyler frustrated that once again he was beaten by Sipke Tarala as it was the then-Lonngeylin Coast forward who scored the lone goal of the World Cup 81 Final which saw the Vilitans triumph over the Tyler-led South Covello national team and their 4-5-1 formation.

Now it would be up to the Rebels to adjust. They had not scored more than a single goal in any match thus far during World Cup 82 and now they would need at least that goal just to extend the fixture into extra time. After some early pressure in the opening fifteen minutes of the match, South Covello hadn't been putting a huge amount of pressure on Mako Canopii's goal in the middle portion of the match but they stepped up their game over the final thirty minutes bringing Caddy Woodstock into the match in an effort to inject some creativity into their attacking setup. It would do the trick as South Covello did get their equalizer in the 74th minute when Woodstock found the space to chip a ball over to Coconut Charles who fired on a single touch under Canopii's outstretched left arm to reset the board and level the scores.

Things would remain tied up through the full time interval and the teams would take a short break on the pitch before lining up for an extra thirty minutes in an attempt to decide who would advance to the World Cup 82 Quarter Finals.

Having re-claimed some of the momentum when Coconut Charles scored the equalizer, South Covello were looking the more threatening side as the extra session began and earned a pair of corner kicks back to back that would change the match a little over five minutes into the extra session. It was the second corner kick delivered by Henry Ocho that caused the chaos as Dexter Yankee would make just enough contact with the ball to send it goalwards. The ball bounced once on the turf then headed towards the back of the net where it appeared to be cleared off the line by Arocki Tadalek. The referee however pointed to the center circle to indicate a goal much to the disagreement of the Vilitan players. The referee then conferred with his linesman who agreed with the initial assessment of a goal as an irate Tadalek ultimately received a yellow card for verbal abuse. Cavuna Aquafek and Polaox Torerun, the core of the Vilitan midfield, did what they could to calm the team down and get them to focus on the task ahead. As play resumed it was just minutes until it was stopped again not for a goal or an injury but for a minor invasion on the pitch of a pair of apparent Gregists who were in attendance at the Celebratory Stadium and apparently looking to make a political statement running onto the pitch with nothing but a way-too-tight pair of black and red undergarments and a black and red cape with a picture of Lord Gregory, the former ruler of the land that has become South Covello. Initially just sprinting through the pitch one of the incursionists felt they had the leeway to approach some of the Rebel players and went up into the face of defender Paul Paul who took a swipe at the fan. While Paul's actions resulted in the fan hitting the deck and being captured by Apoxian security forces, it also drew the ire of the match officials who booked Paul for his aggressive behaviour.

By the time the circus had ended it was time for the extra time break so the teams grabbed their last swig of water and went over the game plans. For the Vilitans it was simple. Score a goal. For the South Covellans it was just as simple. Don't let Vilita score a goal.

Within a minute of play resuming, it was the Vilitans who had accomplished their goal as substitute Enzoril Alabonni earned a free kick 25 yards from goal that Cavuna Aquafek took very quickly before the wall even appeared to set itself. Matthew Tyler was clearly delayed in his reaction as he was trying to set his wall but the referee had apparently indicated to Aquafek that it was time to go and the Turoki Tide midfielder didn't waste a second seeing the gaping net in front of him. Just like that the match was tied up once again this time at two goals a piece.

Nearly two hours into the match there was not a lot of energy left in the players on the pitch. The Jungle Cats had tried to barrage their opponents but while they found cracks in the wall, the wall was still standing. Over the last three minutes of extra time both teams made their final substitutions to set themselves up for the Penalty Shootout and then settled in to make sure they didn't screw up and cost their teams the game in the final 90 seconds. With the end of the extra session came the last chance for the two teams to use their skills and talents to progress to the final eight. Now it was just up to nerves and chance as the two sides gathered at the center circle and the respective coaching staffs submitted their shooters for the spot kick session.

The Penalty Shootout got started pretty much as anyone would expect with Polaox Torerun and Mattias Iwanuka converting for their respective teams to start things off 1-1. Next up for the Jungle Cats was Berali Tzufarei who had come on as a substitute at the end of extra time solely for the purpose of scoring in the Penalty Shootout. Tzufarei obliged and the Jungle Cats briefly took a 2-1 lead. Up next for South Covello was Steve Danckweed. the midfielder took a ridiculously long run up from outside the eighteen yard box clearly thinking for som reason that the best way to score a penalty kick was through Power and not Poise. The attempt backfired as Danckweed's spot kick clattered off the cross bar with enough force that the ball launched itself back towards the center circle and right into the Vilitan players where their next shooter, Jyuola Mtalata, was able to collect the ball.

While Danckweed had a ridiculously long run up to the ball Mtalata stood practically over the ball when the referee blew the whistle and that strategy seemed to also backfire as Mtalata's effort lacked the pace to fool Matthew Tyler who cltuched the ball to his chest as he landed on the ground keeping the Rebels in the Match with the score 2-1. Coconut Charles made no mistake on their spot kick tying the score at 2-2 after three penalty shooters. Up fourth for the Jungle Cats was their top scorer and South Covello's nemesis Sipke Tarala who had already scored a goal in each of the two meetings between the two teams in the previous two cycles. Tarala confidently stepped up and set Tyler the wrong way to put Vilita back on top 3-2 and putting the pressure on Henry Ocho for South Covello.

Ocho actually delivered a well struck penalty but Mako Canopii was fortunate to have guessed right and that their early departure from the center of the frame wasn't detected by either Ocho or the second referee. Canopii intercepted the spot kick before it could pick out the bottom corner of the net and pushed it around the post to preserve the 3-2 scoreline after four shooters giving young Eastal Lunar attacker Nii'arala Milaaso the chance to win the game for the Jungle Cats and get some validation of their own after being left out of the starting eleven for the World Cup 82 final against the same South Covello side. As Milaaso's spot kick found the back of the goal the Vilitan players stormed forward from the center circle while the South Covellan players bemused at their terrible luck seeing their World Cup dreams dashed so early in the competition and once again by the Jungle Cats.

Vilita [2] - [2] South Covello

:: Vilita Goalscorers :: :: 54' Sipke Tarala :: 106' Cavuna Aquafek

:: Vilita Statistics :: :: Possession: 52% :: Shots on Target: 7 :: Corner Kicks: 9

:: South Covello Statistics :: :: Possession: 48% :: Shots on Target: 8 :: Corner Kicks: 6

:: South Covello Goalscorers :: :: 76' Coconut Charles :: 97' Dexter Yankee

---

Vilita Jungle Cats Lineup v. South Covello ::
[GK] Mako Canopii, [D.] Arocki Tadalek, [D.] Monner Vileai, [D.] Linkat Cjinder, [ML] Va'a-Rio Kiwavn, [MC] Cavuna Aquafek, [MC] Limu Katarakhna, [MR] Polaox Torerun, [FC] Linvoi Warazil, [FC] Sipke Tarala, [FC] Nii'arala Milaaso
BENCH::
[FC] Enzoril Alabonni, [FC] Berali Tzufarei, [M] Tinjus Mngomeni, [M] Kudii Davasarii, [U] Jyuola Mtalata, [D] Rintala Sekagaya, [GK] Vernasa Sanamun

---

Jungle Cats to face host Apox in Gwinevra

After surviving a rare Round of 16 match up pitting the top two nations in the multiverse against each other so early in the World Cup Finals, the Vilitan National Team now progress to the Quarter Final round where they will face the lowest ranked team in the multiverse still in the competition, the 33rd ranked World Cup 82 co-host nation Apox. Where South Covello and Vilita had perhaps the unlucky portion of the knockout round draw as the top two ranked sides in the Round of 16 were drawn against each other, co-host nation Apox had the luck of the draw as they were paired up against the lowest ranked side other than themselves still alive in the Apoxian half of the draw; Qasden. In front of an almost entirely pro-Apox crowd at The Garganaut in Dwile, the same venue which Vilita had contested their final group stage match against Mercedini, Apox were able to use the fans a a twelfth man to ultimately will them to a 1-0 victory over the Cat-loving nation of Qasden.

The result would set up just the second ever World Cup Finals match up between The Tropics of Vilita and the Oxymoron of Apox and the first in 18 cycles as the only previous World Cup Finals match between the two sides took place during the World Cup 64 finals where the match would end in a goalless draw. While the draw would contribute to the Jungle Cats inability to escape from the group stage in New Montreal States, one could also look at the presence of eventual World Cup Champion Audioslavia being present in that group as the primary cause of the teams inability to progress.

In addition to their meeting in the group stage of World Cup 64, Vilita and Apox also contested the same group of World Cup 78 Qualifying with each national team taking a win and three points in front of their home fans with Vilita defeating Apox 2-0 in Vilita on match day four of World Cup 78 Qualifying and Apox having won the most recent meeting between the sides in all competitions with their 2-1 victory on match day 12 of that same cycle.

With the all time record between the teams standing at 1-1-1 coming into the match it is certain that the all-time series will shift in favor of one of the two teams as with it being the first ever knockout round match between the two teams, someone will ultimately have to advance while the other nation will see their World Cup 82 run come to an end. While the Jungle Cats are the overwhelming favorites on paper as the #1 ranked team in the multiverse going up against a team ranked outside the Top 32 in the world, Apox will certainly have the benefactor of their familiar home ground to their advantage. While there will almost certainly be a much larger presence of Vilitan supporters at The Barbaria in Gwinevra, the Vilitan supporters will have to be extra vocal if the have any hopes of outperforming the local fans who will be cheering their team on in the World Cup Quarter Finals for the first time in their history.

[Valanora]

Here Be Dragons

Are you feeling like the road to the Final is impossible?

Quarterfinal cutoff for Apoxian Half

[Vilita]

Vilaye Energy Drink Headquarters, Vilisorma, Vilita :: The Vilisorma Beverage Company have revealed the finalists for their World Cup 82 based "Cans for Life" contest. Fans were selected as finalists at random from amongst those who signed up directly at a Vilaye Energy Drink tasting booth at an official World Cup Finals venue or fan-zone as well as those who purchased specially marked commemorative packages of Vilaye Energy Drink in their local grocery markets and submitted their application prior to the conclusion of the World Cup 82 Group Stage. While the contest fine print originally indicated that there would be 16 Finalists, only 15 finalists were ultimately chosen. The Vilisorma Beverage Company announced that with each contestant being paired with a specific team at the World Cup 82 Finals in the tournaments 16 team knockout round, a contest with fifteen finalists would leave one team un-paired. The un-paired team would be the Vilitan National Team who would double as a Super-Grand-Prize winner for all finalists if they were the team that outlasted the other 16 in the World Cup 82 Finals

With the second round of elimination matches complete the list of individual finalists still eligible to win the grand prize on their own is down to three, Crown Prince Isaac of the Holy Empire, Orani'arua Nikaa'o the Astrology Major and aspiring Botanist from Turori and Tobias Kürsch the Art Dealer, Opera Singer and Cosumar National Team superfan from Cosumar.

Of course, despite their elimination in the second round of competition, George Istanba of Banija, Ragnar Smithson of Bongo Johnson, Piėr van den Bergen of Saltstead and, of course, Iarocav the Immortal Ruler of Drawkland can still win the Cans for Life Grand Prize if the Vilita National Team can win just two more matches and lift the World Cup Trophy.

Iarocav in particular was most frustrated with their elimination despite the fact that as the longtime ruler of a prosperous nation such a Drawkland, they really did not need a lifetime supply of Vilaye Energy Drink. The Immortal ruler took to twii.tur under their new handle @iarocav_io exclaiming a simple "You bastards!" with a frowning face emoticon attached to the end of the statement shortly after Starblaydia's 2-1 defeat to Farfadilis at the White Fortress in Gladerial.

Now just four teams remain and three finalists have what amounts to a 50-50 shot to win the grand prize while the other 12 will rest their hopes squarely on the shoulders of the Vilita Jungle Cats to keep their lifetime of Energy Drink fueled dreams alive.

The Holy Empire Name: Isaac, Prince Imperial Nation Alasdair I Frosticus Age: N/A, Male Occupation: Crown Prince

Vilita Name: All 15 Finalists! Nation Various Age: 16 & up Occupation: Various

---

Isaac, Prince Imperial of the Holy Empire was the most difficult of the three remaining Finalists to get a quote from, partially because Issac is actually the captain of the Holy Empire team at the World Cup 82 Finals. Apparently the Holy Empire Football Association permitted its players to 'mingle freely' and instead of keeping in isolation ahead of their crucial Matchday 3 group stage fixture against Mriin, some of the players simply went out to the fan zone to see what it was like. While Marindian the No-So-Magnificent was busy coming up with new disguises in order to take multiple handouts at the Cocoa-bo booth, Crown Prince Issac had taken a more dignified approach to gain more of his favorite newly discovered beverage, Vilaye Energy Drink. The Crown Prince was intrigued by the Vilaye Cans for Life contest and decided to enter as there was nothing in the fine print precluding players who actually played on the national teams determining the fate of the winners for the contest from winning the contest themselves. While there might have been a conflict of interest at some point if Issac had been paired with a nation other than The Holy Empire at the start of the competition, he was not and it was lucky for him as he has led his team to the Final Four of the World Cup Finals.

While Isaac was not immediately made available for a direct interview with Vilisorma Beverage Company officials, the Holy Empire Football Association did drop off a small card from Crown Prince Isaac in response to their request with the following scribed onto the card:

Why oh Why
I did not realise
you cute little mundies
could make a drink
oh quite so delicious
as Vilaye Energy Drink-us

I entered your contest
I would like to win
Your Vilaye Energy Drink
Could I have some more, please?

My name it is Isaac
Captain and Crown Prince as well
I play for The Holy Empire
And look we are doing well

If we don't win
I will not protest
As I can still win
Your Energy Drink Contest

---

Turori Name: Orani'arua Nikaa'o Nation: Turori Age: 22 Occupation: Astrology Major

Farfadillis Name: Tobias Kürsch Nation: Cosumar Age: 41, Male Occupation: Art Dealer

It was a worst fear realized in the Quarter Final round for Tobias Kürsch, the 41 year old Art Dealer from Cosumar who was at The APX Sports Stadium in Dwile to watch his side lose 1-0 to The Holy Empire in the World Cup 82 Quarter Finals on the Apox Regional. As a member of the Cosumar National Team's "Heathen Front" supporter group, Kürsch regularly follows the Cosumarite squad around and is credited with coining one of the more unique supporters chants in the multiverse which he sometimes leads during the matches. Kürsch applied some of his skills as a trained Opera singer to his unique chant and enjoys the opportunity to flex his vocal chords in the supporters section of the matches. With Cosumar's defeat in the World Cup Quarter Finals, Kürsch is undecided as to whether he will stick around in Apox to root against his teams Conquerors, the Holy Empire, in the World Cup Semi-Final, or perhaps stop in Valanora on his way back home to Cosumar and cheer on Farfadillis as a guest of Vilaye Energy Drink. Kürsch told Vilisorma Beverage Company Officials he didn't care one way or another but would be happy to continue attending games so long as he got to sit with the fans and sing their songs throughout the game.

Like Kürsch, Turorian Finalist Orani'arua Nikaa'o has a 50/50 shot of winning the grand prize of Vilaye for Life and would be a guaranteed winner of the grand prize should both Turori and Vilita win their World Cup Semi-Final matches. However, unlike Crown Prince Isaac of the Holy Empire, one of Kürsch or Nikaa'o could be eliminated entirely from contention after the World Cup 82 Semi-Final matches if the Vilitan National Team lose to The Holy Empire and their paired team from the Vanorian Semi-Final also loses. Five of the other twelve Finalists who have already seen their paired team eliminated are expected to attend the Apox region Semi-Final as guests of Vilaye Energy Drink and all remaining eligible finalists for the grand prize - whether there are fifteen or just two, will be invited as guests of Vilaye Energy Drink to the World Cup 82 Final at The Battleground in Raynor City.

[Cassadaigua]

Fillies To Return Home Following Loss,
by Chelsea Dufresne, Concord Heights

A longshot dream of ending up as World Cup 82 Champions came to a close last night as the Fillies were defeated by Turori, 2-0 at Hatire Memorial in Capri. The loss puts the final curtain on a cycle that will go down in the books as a very successful one, and one of the better ones that we have had in recent memory. With many players in their prime for this Cup, there was some hope that we would have a good run, and players can leave with their heads held high, even though it will take some time to get over the disappointment of this loss.

Cassadaigua did not play a poor game, but were simply outplayed just enough in all aspects of the game by a hungry Turori team that is eager to finally have a World Cup title after having to listen to friends from Vilita keep bragging about theirs. They are certainly looking forward to the potential of a Vilita vs Turori title game. In her post game comments, manager Stephanie Sweeney was complimentary of the victors, “They were the better team, and are a team playing with plenty of inspiration right now. On our end of it, there is nothing to be that disappointed about in terms of effort. Here and there, we had some opportunities, but this loss will show us that even though we have come far, we still have to do a little more.”

This figures to be the final World Cup for key players such as Kristen Speller and Jessica Curran. It is possible that Rachel Schanke will be moved into a starting role for the next Cup, and maybe the team will go to a 4-3-3 attack, with Rachel Brenner possibly moving out of the lineup. Brenner would be 32 for World Cup 83. The team hopes Hannah Ranucci, who has had an outstanding history in the Cup, will be back, as she will be 31. We anticipate that she will, but in two years, there is nothing set in stone.

Personally, I look forward to returning to Cassadaigua, where we can start giving more press to Taylor Blake in the WGPC effort. I hear there are some delicious delectables now available in Starksville.

[Turori]

Turori Triumph in Quarter Finals, Target first World Cup Final

Hatire Memorial, Capri, Valanora :: As the World Cup Finals progressed the numbers of Turorian fans in Valanora seemed to increase as a sea of Eelskin Brown and Nigel's Green descended on the 60,000 capacity Hatire Memorial Stadium in Capri for the World Cup 82 Quarter Final match up between Turori and Cassadaigua. Turorian fans littered the docks after their group stage finale at the Castle de Mot in Wexax to catch the ferry from Rinaldi to the Island of Capri with the Turori National Team's Round of Sixteen match up against Pasarga taking place at the Rose Gardens in Kareen. When Turori were able to claim victory over Pasarga their fans did not have far to go with Turori advancing to a Quarter Final match up against Cassadaigua on the same Island at the Hatire Memorial. The majority of Turorian fans in attendance for the Round of Sixteen were also on hand for their Quarter Final fixture against Cassadaigua setting up for a boisterous Nigel's Army crowd in Capri.

Turori once again came out in a traditional 4-4-2 formation with Cedniavella Turori goal keeper Wiyauw An'maude in charge between the sticks. The biggest change in the lineup for the Turori National Team was the presence of young FC Almintora attcking product Nua'oma Aikiki up top partnering Inamari Altariiz. The Eels were forced to make a change in their attack as typical first choice striker Meldi'ita Mungwaii of Jungle Strike FC remained sidelined after suffering a lower body injury in the 4-2 group stage victory over Darmen.

Having advanced to the Quarter Finals of the World Cup for the fourth straight campaign the Turori National Team understood fully the importance of the result against Cassadaigua. It took 66 World Cup Cycles for the Turori National Team to win their first ever Quarter Final round matchup which they did during the World Cup 81 Finals in Banija and the Free Republics, defeating Ethane 1-0. While it was certainly one of the most historic moments in the history of Turorian Internationstatal Footsport, it could be argued that the World Cup 82 Quarter Final match against Cassadaigua would be even more important. It would be there at the Hatire Memorial in Capri that the history books would decide whether Turori's Quarter Final victory at the World Cup 81 Finals was just a blip on the radar - an accidental outlier from the norm that would never be repeated again; or, if the Turori National team had really truly gotten over the hump and was now actually a legitimate contender to compete for a World Cup Title.

After a nervvy opening fifteen minutes, the first hint of an answer to that question came when the FC Almintora product Nua'oma Aikiki making just their second start of the World Cup Finals re-paid the confidence shown in them by Klaillal Tuirma and the Turorian coaching staff by scoring the matches opening goal after a quick 1-2 play with Inamari Altariiz allowed the teenager to get a step behind the Dagans defense and poke the ball past the outrushing Kelsey Morgan who was playing in her first World Cup Finals as a starting goalkeeper for the Fillies.

The opening goal changed the pace of the match slightly as Turori were more content to lock things down and hold on to the ball for longer stretches artificially inflating their possession numbers. Turori became very methodical in their approach and looked for opportunities to slow the game down while still pressuring where appropriate. In the 24th minute Kentu Umaka'a earned Turori a corner kick after taking the ball down to the corner flag and holding off Lupe Enriquez until the Cassadaigua defender finally poked the ball from between Umaka'a's legs and over the line to give Turori the set piece opportunity. Umaka'a took the corner kick themselves delivering an inch-perfect cross to the head of Mikki Mayelli and the veteran Yeaddin Owls AFC defender netted just their second goal on record for the National Team and first at the World Cup Finals.

Having scored more than a single goal in a match for just the second time in Valanora and Apox, the Turori National Team was sitting in an ideal position and switched their focus almost entirely to controlling possession and defending through not permitting their opponents time with the ball at their feet. As a result, the match became a bit choppy with the frustrated Fillies seeing an uptick in their fouls against stat compare with the norm. The Citizen Squad would withstand the pressure for the remainder of the first half and took a 2-0 lead with them into the dressing room for the Half Time break.

Klaillal Tuirma made one change to his lineup over the half time break with the Sunrisian convert Saito Koshiki entering in the place of Kentu Umaka'a who had picked up a yellow card late in the first half for a foul committed in taking down Ashley Crocker after the Dagans midfielder and successfully stolen the ball away from the Umaka'a. Considering the impact Umaka'a had on the game particularly in earning the corner kick and delivering the cross for Turori's second goal, Tuirma would certainly have been looking to protect Umaka'a and the team from a potential second Yellow Card that could not only potentially allow Cassadaigua back into the Quarter Final fixture but also potentially limit the Citizen Squad's tactical options should they survive the final forty five minutes and advance to the World Cup Semi-Final.

Cassadaigua had what was most likely their best scoring opportunity of the match just before the hour mark when Caitlyn Mayer found enough space to get behind the ball and beat Wiyauw An'maude with the shot only to see it nick the inside of the upright and then rebound across the face of goal with no other players in pink close enough to provide the crucial tap that would have seen their deficit cut in half. Instead Oani Moralziia was first to the ball putting it behind for a corner kick that would ultimately be dealt with by the Turorian defense.

Tuirma got involved in the game even more over the final thirty minutes helping his players on the pitch get rest and continue slowing the game down by using his substitutes to break up the Cassadaiguan attack and stall any momentum that they were building up on the occasion. Not long after the Dagans best scoring opportunity and resultant pressure Tuirma slowed the game down as they waited for Indelli Nura'amura to clear the pitch and make way for Mirana Gotuai, Turori's top goalscorer of the World Cup 82 Finals thus far. The change forced Cassadaigua to adjust their tactics with Gotuai's presence needing to be dealt with and slowed the Fillies attack for a period of around 10 minutes before they got settled back in to the new look and began to press again for a way back into the match.

Just as Cassadaigua had found their momentum again, however, Turorian head coach Klaillal Tuirma had the board up once again this time taking off goalscorer Mikki Mayelli and bringing on Daliora Toru'u a known expert in possessing the ball and killing off games for the Yeaddin Owls in the Vilitan Stellar Division having helped lead the Owls back into prominence in the Vilitan League structure.

In the end the possession maintained by the Eels coupled with some strategic momentum-burning second half substitutions by the Turorian coaching staff, solid defensive play and safe goalkeeping from Wiyauw An'maude were just enough to keep Cassadaigua off the scoresheet as the Turori National Team were able to record their third shutout of the World Cup 82 Finals to protect the lead they had built up early in the first half. With the win the Turori National Team announced their arrival to the multiverse as a serious challenger for the World Cup Title, their generations long Quarter-Final curse well and truly behind them.

Turori [2] - [0] Cassadaigua

:: Turori Goalscorers :: :: 17' Nua'oma Aikiki :: 24' Mikki Mayelli

:: Turori Statistics :: :: Possession: 61% :: Shots on Target: 3 :: Corner Kicks: 5

:: Cassadaigua Statistics :: :: Possession: 39% :: Shots on Target: 4 :: Corner Kicks: 6

:: Cassadaigua Goalscorers :: :: None ::

---

Turori Eels Lineup v. Cassadaigua ::
[GK] Wiyauw An'maude, [D.] Oani Moralziia, [D.] Lulu Pumaziiri, [D.] Biliki Rona'atu'i, [D.] Mikki Mayelli, [ML] Indelli Nura'amura, [MC] Mbdiai Akarenaa, [MC] Timi'sala Koarena, [MR] Kentu Umaka'a, [FC] Nua'oma Aikiki, [FC] Inamari Altariiz
BENCH::
[FC]Wiztsana Iretziia, [FC]Mirana Gotuai, [M]Saito Koshiki, [M]Daliora Toru'u, [U ]Moumouni Verre'elali, [D]Amakli Inuro'o, [GK]Timaala Hualtia

---

---

World Cup 82 Semi Finals - Valanora Region

#7 Turori v. #6 Farfadillis

World Cup 82 Semi Finals - Apox Region

#11 The Holy Empire v. #1 Vilita

For the fans of the Turori National Team and the entire Nigel's Army contingent that has thus far been camped out on Capri for the duration of the World Cup Knockout rounds, it was time to pack up their things and leave the lush island behind as their beloved Eels will contest the World Cup 82 Semi-Final in Mar Sara, Valanora. The Turorian faithful will have to ferry back to the Vanorian mainland from Capri to Rinaldi where they will be able to access the high speed rail link between Rinaldi and Mar Sara to get there in plenty of time for the Semi-Final round match up and all of its accompanying festivities.

Once they get to Mar Sara they will find the stadium, Artani, a 74,000 capacity arena that typically serves as the home ground for the famous Vanorian Championship winning domestic side Mar Sara FC. While Artani typically plays second fiddle to the Battleground in Raynor City in the pecking order of Stadium venues in Valanora, it will be playing host to arguably the biggest game in the history of either of the two Valanora region Semi-Finalists.

While one could argue that Turori's first ever Semi-Final appearance during the World Cup 81 finals was a bigger match, particularly considering their opponent was their neighbor Vilita, Turori certainly went into that match as the underdog and came out thoroughly embarrassed having been defeated 5-1. One cycle later Turori will enter the match more experienced and stronger for having learned from what didn't work during World Cup 81 and won't have the distraction of facing a former World Champion nation and colonial neighbors.

They will, however, have to face another regional rival: Farfadillis. Neither Turori nor Farfadillis have ever appeared in the World Cup Final though both now have experience in the World Cup Semi-Final rounds with Turori having finally broken their long standing Semi-Final curse during World Cup 81. Farfadillis have generally been more successful than the Eels when reaching the Semi-Final stage of the World Cup as, while they have never advanced to the World Cup Finals, they have also not been embarrassed by such scorelines as Turori were in their lone Semi-Final appearance and the Farfadulilian team have also rebounded from a prior Semi-Final defeat to win the Third Place Playoff and appear on the World Cup Podium as recently as during World Cup 77 in the Royal Kingdom of Quebec and San Jose Guayabal where the Farvusians got revenge on the Co-Hosts by triumphing in the Third Place Playoff over the Royal Kingdom of Quebec after having been defeated in the prior round by the other tournament Co-Host, San Jose Guayabal.

While Turori's Citizen Squad players have seen plenty of Farfadillis throughout their history, a majority of that exposure has come at the regional level when competing along with their neighbors as the Vilita and Turori Eel-Cat Things. Even there, no meeting between the two sides could even be considered in the same ball park as upcoming World Cup Semi-Final clash. While it is certainly the most significant match that will have ever been played between Farfadillis and Turori it is not the first and the two nations even have a history of recent World Cup Finals match ups - none of which have ended well for the Turori National Team.

Turori squared off against Farfadillis in the group stage of both World Cup 78 and World Cup 80, both times opening up their World Cup Finals campaign with a defeat. During World Cup 78 it was Turori's National Citizen squad squaring off against Farfadillis in the World Cup group stage opener and Turori had gotten out to an early lead through Enluta Makakio and held that lead through the first half with their sights set on a typical Turorian 1-0 victory. The second half was a much different story however as the Farfafalutionaries bundled home three quirky goals to run away with the match as the Eels were eliminated in the group stage for the most recent time in their history.

During Turori and Farfadillis' most recent meeting at the EqueStar World Cup 80 it was the Cocoabo Squad who had earned the right to represent Turori at the World Cup Finals so none of the current Turori National Team players were part of that match. Like the Citizen Squad had done during World Cup 78, the Turorian side opened up to an early 1-0 lead through Cocoabo #53. That would be the last positive sign of the match for the Cocoabo however and the events that would follow would result in the match being known as the game that nearly took down twii.tur. With the Turorian social communication platform having been released to the multiverse after having been operated only regionally up until that point, twii.tur had spent many resources in marketing their product but clearly not enough resources in understanding just how successful their marketing would be, how quickly their user base would grow and how quickly they would need to expand their server farms to handle the additional load. When Cocoabo #58 was sent off after a claws up challenge on Fôrté Mâás Wínrôuge Çíânflöné late in the first half twii.tur erupted as fans throughout Atlantian Oceania united - or fought over the incident from behind the safety of their user handles.

The problem was three fold; in the way that the servers handled the input of special characters, in the number of such characters in the name of the fouled player that the multiverse was now arguing about and in the voluminous increase in such traffic from scores of new user accounts. With all of those combining and all of the messages being sent at virtually the same time the twii.tur servers creaked, groaned and eventually crashed multiple times throughout the Turori v. Farfadillis World Cup 80 opener. In the end Farfadillis would win the match 3-1; just as they had done two cycles prior to the Citizen Squad, and twii.tur got their server farm back online with some fast upgrades to ensure they didn't fully scare off all the new users they had attracted to their system. Since then, twii.tur has grown into one of the biggest social communication platforms in the multiverse with rumors of a recently completed deal to absorb the Tweet.io ecosystem into twii.tur and with additional server farms deployed throughout the multiverse to help with load balancing back to the primary servers in Turori.

While twii.tur has become a multiverse wide platform its roots are still vested in Turori and Atlantian Oceania so with three of the four World Cup 82 Semi-Finalists from Atlantian Oceania and one of the Semi-Finals featuring Turori, the upcoming days of Semi-Final action will be sure to put the twii.tur ecosystem to the test once more.

While the Turori National team does not have recent history in their favor, they will be looking to avenge a pair of recent 1-3 defeats against Farfadillis to advance to their first ever World Cup Final. This Turori's National Citizen Squad has already proven that they wouldn't be held back by generations of well accepted limits to Turori's success and there is no indication that they intend to stop now with the ultimate prize solidly within their reach.

[Alasdair I Frosticus]

All Hail the Mighty Jungle Cats!
(Ode to the World Cup Semifinal)

By Isaac, Prince Imperial (World Cup 82 Holy Empire Captain)

All hail the mighty Jungle Cats
They are a very good team
And by no means are their players slightly fat
I think we can all agree about that.

Just like us they have won four World Cups
And Valanora and Starblaydia must have mixed feelings about this semifinal
Between two teams that can join the 5 wins club
Who another trophy are both trying to chalk up.

The Jungle Cats are the better team
Rated first in the multiverse
And we hold them in very high esteem
Winning against them would be a dream.
Because we are only ranked 11th.

The Jungle Cats are the defending champions
So they are a very good team indeed, no doubt
Matches against them have a certain ambience
To reach their outlying lands you sail in galleons.

Still we've only lost one match
They've lost two.
So if you're Vilitan don't count chickens before they hatch.
Even though this appears to be a mismatch.

I also know that Vilaye Energy Drink
Comes from Vilita.
It certainly makes you think
Maybe their success comes from that tasty drink.

They're not the only semifinalist with a tasty drink
There's also delicious chocolate-topped Cocoa-bo
That comes from Turori, who with Vilita are linked.
Is that their secret? Two tasty drinks?

I certainly hope we will win on the day
Even though we don't have much of a chance
All the same we're quite prepared to play
And make sure our team all has its say.

A Vilita-Turori final would be boring
Like a Holy Empire - Archregimancy final
But much less exciting
(Though the Archregimancy in the Cup are no longer playing).

Still, I captained us to victory in World Cup 69
So why not again in World Cup 82?
Can I lead us to victory a second time?
Will the trophy once more be mine?

Who can say; that's the glory of sport
The unpredictability of stuff.
Vilita's chances we hope to abort
Though they're fine chaps; we respect their sort.

So all hail the mighty Jungle Cats!
They are a very good team
And by no means are their players slightly fat
I think we can all agree about that.

[Turori]

Starksville is Stark Mad for Cocoabo!

Will Rushmore be Better with Cocoa-bo?

Starksville, Cassdaigua :: After investing heavily into potential expansion into the region of Rushmore and focusing on the major Cassadaiguan city of Concord Heights as their first entry point, the marketing department at Cocoa-bo appeared to have swung and missed as Cocoa-bo associates failed to make an appreciable dent in the delectables market in high-energy Concord Heights with the locals seeming to not have the time or energy to try something new when they had so many local options available to them.

As the Cocoa-bo team finally considered throwing in the towel with the World Cup Finals fast approaching, one lone Associate by luck or perhaps by fate stumbled across an untapped gold-mine of Cocoa-bo cultists in the port city of Starksville. They had arrived in Starksville a few days before a scheduled port drop off of material and equipment that was set to head back to Cocoa-bo headquarters in Mliona, Turori to be re-assigned for future expansion projects. With time to spare, however, the outreach associate stopped for the weekend to meet with family and that decision would change the future of Cocoa-bo in Cassadaigua and perhaps the entire region of Rushmore.

After being just days away from vacating Cassadaigua completely, the rise in popularity of Cocoa-bo delectables in Starksville, particularly the super-double-chocofloat with the rose colored whipped topping, has led to a full scale re-invigoration of Cocoa-bo efforts in Cassadaigua. While their resources were spread thin with many of their top outreach associates having been redeployed to Apox and Valanora to cover the World Cup 82 Finals, Cocoa-bo's expansion, marketing and logistics teams got to work and quickly re-formulated a new plan for Rushmore with the port city of Starksville as a home base. The logistics team was thrilled with the adjusted plan as being based in a port city it would be far easier to get materials, goods and equipment in and out of the city and could allow Cocoa-bo to partner with CoCoCo logistics to use the Port of Starksville as a Rushmori distribution center to aid further expansion within Rushmore.

Now, in the latest sign that Cocoa-bo is fully bought in to their future home in Starksville, the Marketing team has reportedly been planning a major Cocoa-bo launch in the city including a full-time brick and mortar location as well as sponsorship deals to include the Starksville Stadium and Auto Racing Facility. An employee at Vilitan based design firm 3WD may have accidentally spilled the beans on the latter as an otherwise innocuous 'food selfie' posted on twii.tur revealed an in-work logo for the "Cocoa-bo Speedrome" with a mix of Cocoa-bo Brown and Dagan Pink colorschemes.

While Cocoa-bo officials would not provide any confirmation they did indicate there would be announcements about future permanent Cocoa-bo expansion locations in the near future.

Cocoa-bo Spinner a hit in Apox Region

Is Apox Better with Cocoa-bo?

Dwile, Apox :: While Starksville, Cassadaigua seems to be the favorite as the next big Cocoa-bo regional headquarters, there could still be some other smaller national level expansions on the Horizon as well. Throughout the World Cup 82 Finals Cocoa-bo has been setting up shop at host venues and in the host cities with pop-up delectable shops offering a subset of the traditional Cocoa-bo menu as well as sample stands at fanzones at World Cup 82 match venues where Cocoa-bo outreach associates and trained local temporary affiliates offered fans free samples of some of Cocoa-bo's most popular selections in the hopes of whetting their appetite for the delectable brand.

The team deployed to the Apox regional is supported by the Cocoa-bo Covello headquarters on the CoCoCo operated Island off the southern coast of South Covello. Word out of South Covello is that an additional shipment of raw materials had to be rushed to Apox as the forward deployed associated complained about low remaining stock and concerns they wouldn't make it through to the end of the competition with the amount of goods they had on hand. Once the reinforcements arrived however things in Apox were right back on track and the Cocoa-bo stands in cities such as Dwile, Exton, Wofford and Barbury even seemed to attract the attention of locals who may not have otherwise been interested in World Cup related festivities.

One of the top giveaways at the Cocoa-bo booth in Apox was the 'Apox is Better with Cocoa-bo' themed World Cup 82 scarf that fans could win by spinning a wheel of luck in the Dwile, Wofford, Gwinevra or Cawln locations. Other prizes included Cocoa-bo coupons, sunglasses, match day ticket holders and small Cocoabo shaped toy spinners. While the quality of the other items may not have been super high as they were produced by workers of unknown age in a South Covellan warehouse, the Scarves were sourced locally in Apox and of similar quality to those at official World Cup 82 merchandise stands, a huge score for anyone lucky enough to land the spinning wheel on the appropriate peg.

:: Cocoa-Bo Eatery

Cocoa-bo, an establishment taking its name directly from the beloved national animal of Turori, started as a small dessert shop in Kionao. However, it was only after they added chocolate topped drinks to their menu that their popularity started to soar. As more and more patrons scooped up their chocolate flavored pick-me-ups, demand for the Cocoa-bo product skyrocketed and soon new franchised locations were popping up all throughout Turori. Shifting to more of a social 'hang-out' then just a casual place to drop in, get a dessert, and leave, the new locations started adding small foods such as Bagels for the morning, Soups and Sandwiches for Lunch or Dinner and Salads for the entire day.

Cocoa-bo has expanded outside of Vilita & Turori. Their first regional location was opened in Andossa Se Mitrin Vega and Cocoa-bo has opened temporary locations during major internationstatal events such as the World Cup Finals with past locations appearing in Drawkland and Cosumar. Cocoa-bo has a permanent presence in South Covello and is also continuing to grow its presence in Starblaydia, the Equestrian States and the Free Republics. The company continues to further increase its image by partnering with Motorsport teams and expanding the company footprint across Atlantian Oceania and beyond. Cocoa-bo are also the kit sponsor for Mliona-Lpaka AFC in the Vilitan League.

Cocoa-bo's largest current markets are, in order, Turori; South Covello, the Equestrian States, Vilita and the Free Republics

[Farfadillis]

OOC: The roleplay's song

Fifty minutes in, Starblaydia were winning thanks to a goal by Aaron Cole. A good display of the increasingly-rare route one football had gotten the five-time World Cup champions the goal. Cole's goal had made everyone reminiscent of the times when Farfadillis' defense was hilariously ineffective at doing their job. Tuzzio struggled to contain his frustration. Despite the countless days training specifically for situations like this, the Farfness inside of everyone liked to re-float at the worst possible time.

However, Tuzzio did not grow impatient. He knew the team could turn the game around. They were good at beating Starblaydia.

Starblaydia were, to many people, the more likable team. A once-glorious team returning becoming World Cup contenders again after many years of obscurity? That's the sort of story that resonates with a lot of people. Of course, Farfadillis had a very convincing sob story to win over the neutrals. But Farfadillis was like a poor little orphan bunny or something. People felt bad about Farfadillis. Starblaydia, on the other hand? The return of Starblaydia was something neutrals were excited about. They were like Rock 'n Roll. Once most dominant, nowadays... well, not so much. Farfadillis were in the way. In the way of the return of Rock 'n Roll.

To soothe himself, Tuzzio began singing in hushed tones. From the outside, it probably looked a bit ridiculous, because he wasn't singing a calming lullaby. Quite the contrary, in fact.

So I felt like the biggest asshole
Felt like the biggest asshole
When I killed your rock 'n roll

As he began singing this song to himself, on repeat, Farfadillis seemed to begin dominating the match. They began adding a lot more dynamism to their game. Tuzzio knew the Starblaydis would not resist the onslaught for thirty minutes. The game would at least go to extra time if the team kept playing like this.

Mow down the sexy people

What's more, the Farves began looking scary on defense. Not good, scary. The referee would quickly lose control of the game.

Every time I look in your eyes
Every day I'm watching you die
All the thoughts I see in you
About how I

Desperation began to creep in. The Starblaydis started sitting further and further back. They had been the dominant team in the first half, but la Vherderoja was now making them look very much unlike the Starblaydia of old. Very much unlike Rock 'n Roll.

So I felt like the biggest asshole
Felt like the biggest asshole

After another aimless clearance from rock 'n roll, Teijeiro picked up the ball and looked up. He saw a space Holsteiner could run into. Thanks to his strong right foot, he pulled off a perfect long pass to him. With his characteristic lethality, Holsteiner placed the ball ahead of him with his first touch, then fired...

When I killed your rock 'n roll

... past Ollarion with power and precision.

Mow down the sexy people

Zsolgar Zsase got duly sent off for a two-footed challenge on McCloud, which saw the Starblaydi prodigy leave the pitch injured. However, Tuzzio did not let it get to him. He felt they'd still control the match. He felt right.

Every time I look in your eyes
Every day I'm watching you die
All the thoughts I see in you
About how I
Why? Why?

Farfadillis switched to a controlled possession game, and it became quickly apparent that being a man down would not stop them. They kept putting their opponents in danger with their borderline criminal defending, undeterred by Zsase's red card. Only two things could happen: Farfadillis would lose more men, and then begin to waver, or they would win, probably within ninety minutes.

Eat all the grass
Eat all the grass that you want
Accidents happen in the dark

Marchiondo scissored Cole's legs, as if wanting to cut them, very close to the box. He only got booked. He vehemently denied having done it on purpose.

Eat all the grass that you want
Accidents happen in the dark

Teijeiro went studs up on Renshaw. The Starblaydis had to waste their third substitution as a result. Yellow card. Teijeiro put on his best shit-eating grin.

Eat all the grass that you want
Accidents happen in the dark

rue Cazade clattered Capodanno. A red-card worthy offense, no doubt. Dashwood picked up the ball and tried to surprise the Farves, who were expecting the referee to whistle for a free kick. This caught them off-guard. A precise through pass met Sato, who quickly found himself about to go one-on-one with the goalkeeper...

Eat all the grass that you want
Accidents happen

... but instead fell to the floor, clutching his leg. Lancelot Mojica had "pulled off" a sliding tackled in the last possible second. Now, if only he'd hit the ball instead...

Every time I look in your eyes
Every day I'm watching you die

Mojica got a yellow card. Starblaydia wasted the free kick.

Farfadillis began trying to attack more recklessly, yielding to their true nature. In injury time, they threw all nine outfield players at the Starblaydi defense. After all, what better chance to score than a throw-in?

All the thoughts I see in you
About how I

Marchiondo to Holsteiner. Holsteiner with a cross to Mojica, who should've been sent off. Mojica with the header. Alofa with the block. rue Cazade pouncing on the rebound. A feint.

Why? Why?

The finish.

So I felt like the biggest asshole
When I killed rock 'n roll
When I felt like the biggest asshole
When I kill rock 'n roll

[Apox]

Here Be Dragons

Who's aim will it be to not just turn the wheel, but break it.

Semi-Final Cutoff for Vanorian Half