Copa D'Aeia 2019 (closed RP, AEIA ONLY)

[Newrey]

Richard Emden @TheEmd Pumped as I could ever be for the #NEWvHABS! COME ON YOU DRAGONS! #Copa2019 #Vljeguš 12:58 am - 26 Jun 2019 600Rechirps2,003Likes

I was in the Copa @RoyCove In total agreement with @DnakoviHelízJB. Copa organisers have a duty to ensure an atmosphere of inclusiveness and anti-racism, and should definitely punish @LeFons for his clear racism against Vrnallia? #VRNMDR #Notgoodenough 7:30 am - 24 Jun 2019 13,410Rechirps21,935Likes

John Patch @PatchedUp Anyone else think @RoyCove looks a bit Alemannic? #Copa2019 #WereOntoYou 2:18 am - 24 Jun 2019 0Rechirps2Likes

[Midrasia]

Marcel Belou

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MIDRASIA FACE ROCKY START TO COPA CAMPAIGN

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Bastien Desmarais dumbfounded as Vrnallian striker Helíz Dnakovi levelled the score in the 89th minute

Sredec, Romellea ‒ The Midrasian national football team faced a shock opening to their campaign within the 2019 Copa d'Aeia after they drew 3-3 against minnows Vrnallia. The island nation which was tipped to finish bottom of the group and is primarily made up of non-professional footballers was able to fend off the Midrasian giants, levelling the score within the penultimate minute of regular time. Many questions are now being raised about the team, its players, and the manager Pere Clar who refused to talk to journalists after the game. The Midrasian team now face an uphill struggle to escape their group, and will likely need to win against both Veleaz and Chokashia to progress.

Whilst many had expected Midrasia to dominate the game against Vrnallia, for the first ten minutes this looked the case as Enzo Lazaré of Olympique de Lotrique fame opened the scoring in the seventh minute. Yet with this goal, the team seemed to switch-off, looking to cruise the rest of the game. Vrnallia's wide midfielders were regularly able to get in behind the Midrasian full-backs and a long, splitting pass to Vrnallian striker Dnakovi in the twelfth minute was enough to equal the scoring. For the next twenty minutes however, Midrasia appeared to get back to their feet though focused on slow build-up play. In the seventeenth minute, midfielder Basile Chevalier appeared to be one-on-one with the goalkeeper, only to be flagged for offside. Yet only five minutes later Simone Qualquart cut inside from the right-wing as he so often does letting loose a curling shot which landed in the top corner. 2-1 to Midrasia. Yet Midrasia was not yet in the clear. Within the thirtieth minute, attacking-midfielder Silvestre Satorras gave away a bad foul and was given a yellow card. Yet whilst the Midrasian team remonstrated with the referee, Vrnallia was already on the attack. The Midrasian defence unprepared for the onslaught was easily beaten, allowing Dijóh Ju to equal the scoring again. Pere Clar incensed with both his players and the referee for allowing the play. But there was nothing that could be done, the score stood at 2-2. For the next few minutes, the Midrasian team looked again dumbstruck at how easily they were beaten. Manager Clar spent the rest of the half screaming at his players who looked to be treating the game like a stroll in the park. So much for their talk of "expecting the unexpected"... However just before half-time in the forty-second-minute striker Enzo Lazaré long dubbed the "goal-scoring machine" did just that to slot the ball through the legs of Vrnallian goalkeeper Hora Chù to set the score to 3-2. As the closing stages of the half drew near Vrnallia sought to go on the attack, though the high Midrasian line prevented any further advance, with a daring attack by Higej landing him caught in the offside trap.

Though Midrasia were ahead at the half, it was not a performance to be proud of. One could only assume that the half-time team talk was spent with Clar screaming abuse at his players for the dire performance most of them had put in. Apart from strikers Qualquart and Lazaré, the rest of the team looked to have switched-off, seemingly expecting an easy win against Vrnallia. As the second-half began the team appeared to go out in a more defensive shape. The full-backs pushed up less, whilst the wide-attackers of Albret and Qualquart doubled up on their defensive duty. This worked well in the early minutes with Vrnallia once again being caught offside. The Midrasian side looked to only really attack through short counter-attacking bursts with few attacking players. In the 59th minute however, Silvestre Satorras once again gave away a foul as he was late to get to the ball, earning him a sending off. A furious Clar argued with the forth-official on the sideline but it was to no avail, Satorras was sent for an early shower and Clar stormed back to his dugout seat, slumping arms crossed as his team went down to ten men. In response to this Clar brought off Jerome Albret who had been rather ineffectual for the majority of the game, replaced by defensive midfielder Henri de Lenare, switching to a 4-3-2 with two Defensive-midfielders. Midrasia then sought to choke out the game, retaining possession and slowly working the ball around the flanks. The game remained relatively static for around the next half-hour, with Lazaré being caught offside in a rare Midrasian offensive. Yet in the 89th minute as Vrnallia won a corner, and goalkeeper Chù came up for it, the whipped in ball was poorly punched away by Midrasian keeper Florient and a scuffed shot by Dnakovi was deflected off of Robert Nieué to land in the back of the net. 3-3. A final roll by the dice by Clar to bring on youngster Redonda saw Midrasia commit to all-out-attack but it was too late as the final score stood at 3-3.

In the aftermath of the game only questions remain. How was this allowed to happen? Why did Midrasia not commit to a more attacking strategy? Why was Satorras allowed to stay on the pitch after half-time? But nothing can be done about these now. It is all down to the Midrasian team and their manager to rectify the situation. Though Midrasia are not exactly strangers to a major upset in their first game, having the first-hand experience of it after their 3-0 loss to Navack on the opening day of the 2017 Copa, this was against the toughest team in their group, not the weakest. Unless results go their way in the other matches, Midrasia now look set to need wins against both Veleaz and Chokashia, no easy feat. Should Midrasia fail to qualify from their group it would undoubtedly be a national embarrassment and its likely heads would roll within the FMF, Clar being the first. Does the shadow of last years defeat continue to hang over the team? Or will Midrasia be able to vanquish its demons in the two coming games? Only time will tell if the team can rescue its Copa campaign, which currently hangs in the balance.

[Midrasia]

Manuel le Manchot @ManuelManchot A tough game against Fahran, and a narrow loss. But we'll keep on fighting! #GoRenneque #Copa2019 11:32 pm - 25 Jun 2019 3,765Rechirps6,220Likes

Jean Cauvin @Cauvin82 A loss is tough to take, but there are still three games to go (and at least we weren't as bad as Midrasia) #GoRenneque #Copa2019 10:50 am - 26 Jun 2019 12Rechirps30Likes

Ignasi Fons @LeFons LMAO at all these #Snowflakes calling for me to be punished #Growup 12:37 am - 26 Jun 2019 10,765Rechirps16,674Likes

Melcion Portas @OfficialPortas A disappointing start for Midrasia at the #Copa2019 but i'm sure the team can turn it around. We're all behind you. 1:01 pm - 26 Jul 2018 3,421Rechirps7,873Likes

[Romellenic Federation]

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[Romellenic Federation]

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[Romellenic Federation]

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[Romellenic Federation]

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[Romellenic Federation]

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[Newrey]

The Newrey Globe || Sunday 12/12/2018
Home » News » Civil War

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NEWREY DEMOLISHES HABASHA
Outcome hailed as a return to form

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No one's really sure how the Swordsman Banner was brought into the stadium

Sredetz- Of all the results that were expected from this iteration of the Copa, a 4-1 shut-out by the Dragons was the least expected, with bookies mostly putting Newrey down for a 1-0 win, or even a draw if worst came to worst. Yet the Dragons have shown that they are still a force to contend with on the international stage, with many people pointing to the voluntary yer out to reorganise as the source of the reignited spirit. But enough of the enthusiasm and disbelief of an incredible match, on to the details;

The match itself started off as a relatively drab affair, with the ball being kept in the Habashi half and passed around between the Newreyans, with Trịnh Căn and Ellis Joyce acting a midfield powerhouses, pushing the ball through the Habashi defence to the waiting Haywood and Altar to continue the attack. A spirited attack by the Habashis at the 10 minute mark, however, kicked the match into fifth gear, seemingly giving the Newreyans a renewed understanding at how football matches worked and into attack mode. Despite a Habashi attempt on goal only five minutes later, diverted from its course and off the pitch by captain Ollie Brown, the rest of the match was dominated by the amped up Newreyans. Cotinuous attacking efforts, repeatedly hammering the Habashi defence, tiring them out, eventually rewarded Henry Altar with his 20th international goal for Newrey, with an accidental bounce off the back heel in what would've otherwise been a near miss by Elliot Haywood. The surprised Altar took a few seconds to realised he had scored and, rather than celebrating, laughed before running back to his position. Even after the restarted match and starting in Habashi possession, the game remained fully in the hands of Newrey, with the team immediately taking the offensive and forcing the Habashis back and into mistakes my quickly rushing them as they got the ball, prompting early passes or misjudged crosses. It was long until Newrey had regained possession with a sublime slide tackle by Toby Savage, which knocked the ball right into the possession of the waiting Harry Sinckler, who quickly knocked the ball forwards towards the box. As the keeper came to meet it, Ellis Joyce managed to knock it over the keeper and into the net, setting the score to 2-0 by the 38th minute, and setting the Newreyan fans into an ecstatic frenzy. Finally, they were seeing the Newreyan team play the way they were meant to play, like a team with ruthless efficiency, deadly precision, and the ability to foresee where their teammates will be before they're even there. It didn't even take 6 minutes until the ball found its way back into the Habashi net, put their by a brilliant strike by Elliot Haywood from outside the box, cementing his international debut with a stunning goal and being the man to turn the score to 3-0.

By the time the second half started, the noise of the Newreyan fans chanting and cheering risked drowning out the sound of the whistle from its sheer volume, prompting a official request for the Newreyans to quieten down. Far be it to be rude, the Newreyans obliged, but not without a spirited 'Boo' that one would have no doubt could've been heard half-way across Sredetz. With the ball starting in Newreyan possession, the crowd expect a repeat of the total domination of the first half, however it appeared whatever half-time talk that Armand Dieudonné gave the exhausted Northern Lions seemed to have had an effect, with the previously easily penetrable defence seemed to close ranks and prove a tougher challenge for the Newreyans to punch through, without risking the loss of the ball more frequently. But it seemed that no matter how hard the Habashi defence stopped a Newreyan attack dead in its tracks, the offence proved unable to deliver upon of the effort of the defence, presenting an opportunity of dysfunction for the Newreyans to capitalise on. At the 60 minute mark, a massive banner, dubbed the 'Swordsman Banner' displayed the Newreyan team armed with swords and helmets, with Ollie Brown at the forefront, dressed in Newreyan national colours, earned a massive cheer from the attending crowd, with served only the bolster the already encouraged Newreyans. It took only 5 minutes for the Newreyans to raise the bar 4-0, which came about from an misjudged pass by the Habashi team which was quickly intercepted by Brown and knocked forwards to Lloyd, and then across the pitch to Trịnh Căn, who outpaced his marker and burst through the previously iron Habashi defence and crossed the ball, sailing right into the waiting volley of Haywood, who smashed the ball into the net at such a speed even the veteran Habashi keeper, 29 year old Assefa Kindeya, could do little but simply stand and watch as it sailed past, causing the Newreyan crowd to erupt in a frenzy. It had been nearly a decade since the Newreyan team had scored more than four goals in a single match, and to do so while in such a pristine form, was well worth the wait. However, the Habashis were not to go quietly into the night without putting up at least some sort of fight. Taking advantage of the celebrating Newreyans, they managed to skirt the ball past both the midfield and defenders, before Naanol Tesfaye found himself at the end of the ball and planted it in the back of the net at the 79 minute mark, giving the Habashis at last something to cheer about. Unwilling to concede again, the Newreyan team instead continued to rely on absolute offence, playing the Habashi team into the same faults and mistakes as they had done during the first half, however the Dragons were just unable to finish any advance, with Haywood barely missing out on his hattrick, with the ball rolling past the post and off the pitch. Following the blowing of the final whistle, the Newreyan players virtually leaped for joy, having won their first Copa match since 2016, with the past record being soley losses or unentertaining losses, with the celebrations resulting in a massive huddle in the centre of the pitch, before the players invited the Habashis over and knelt in a prayer circle, before shaking hands over the hard-fought match, with special mention going to Ollie Brown, who was seen consoling 19 year old Fekadu Ashamo, having been in a similar position of losing their opening match in the Copa, the captain was well aware of the shame and sorrow that accompanies it.

Speaking to the press after the match, manager Gavin Jones said; 'We're very, very pleased with the results, and with what we could see and hear from the crowds and the reaction we've seen on Chirpr, I would hazard a guess and say that the fans are just as pleased with it, maybe more so than us. It was a well-earned return to form that's been long in the making, and I'm pleased that its come to fruition in such a way. Obviously though, there are things we have to work on, most notably ensuring the defence stays up-to-grade even if we are in the lead, to prevent conceding a goal that otherwise wouldn't have gone in. Otherwise, I'm quite eager to see how the boys do in their upcoming match against Liiduria this evening. The Liidurians are a well-established team and have already taken on and defeated Cuirpthe, so we're quite excited to say the least...

Fan reactions to the match have also been just as ecstatic and complimentary, with many hailing the match as a return to form for the previously troubled side, with the hashtag '#GetHaywoodThree' trending on Chirpr, with its purpose being to encourage both the star striker, who currently plays for Karltun City, and the team to get Haywood a third goal to add to the tally, to tie with current top scorer, Veleazan-descended Marco Freixa, as well as to get Karltun City to extend the player's contract by another three years. Additionally, it was noted that the Newreyan fans uncharacteristally applauded the Habashi team for their performance, rather than the usual habit of racially tirading them. Many put this up to saving themselves for the Newrey v Cuirpthe match, the result of which could lay in the upcoming Liiduria v Newrey match, this evening.

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- Watch [BbEWREY[/b] face off against Liiduria LIVE at 18:00!
- VELEAZAN hopes smashed as they suffer 3-2 loss at debut
- CURSE OF LHEDWIN? Read why the Midrasian team just can't seem to beat the Lhedwins

[Newrey]

Richard Emden @TheEmd FINALLY! #NEWREY playing at level expected of the Home of Football!#Copa2019 12:58 am - 26 Jun 2019 600Rechirps2,003Likes

I was in the Copa @RoyCove Good to see that #NEWREY has finally got a grip. All congratulations to @GavJones for this win! #NEWVHABS #AboutTime # GetHaywoodThree 7:30 am - 24 Jun 2019 13,410Rechirps21,935Likes

John Patch @PatchedUp 's bit fuckin hot here, innit?#TooHot #CantSayTheSameAboutTheWomen 2:18 am - 24 Jun 2019 0Rechirps2Likes

[Goulong]

SOUTHWEST DAILY
Emphatic win over Ajerrin delights Goulong fans
Leung Sze-Wai
Staff Writer
27 June 2019, 8:09 AM

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The Goulong squad celebrate a solid victory after the final whistle sounds

The Goulongese fans will be relishing in delight after a strong performance by the squad as a whole dismantled an Ajerrin side ranked third in the world by 4 goals to nil, producing a display that many pundits and fans alike never saw coming.

A 4-0 victory places Goulong at the top of the group after the squad produced a display of the utmost quality in all departments. Woo Ho-Lam's men have been known to struggle defensively, as was made clear in the Catai Copa qualifiers, however here they managed to limit a hard-pressing Ajerrin team to just one shot on target and just over 100 passes. Centre-back Yu Haidong imposed himself on the match aerially, utilising his size to sweep over-the-top lob passes out of the Goulongese final third. In the attacking department, Goulong executed Woo's game-plan "to near-perfection," quoting an astounded Goulong head coach after the match. Having chosen to rest a few key players who looked unfit for the match, squad newcomers Cui Xing and Huang Zhixiang held up the ball and played incisive through-balls while in possession, showing an understanding of the squad mentality that some starters lacked. Possession-based football won the day once again for the Undefeatables at Primorski Stadium, as Goulong ran wild with 67% of the ball, the lion's share of possession 13 shots, 7 on target, to Ajerrin's 5 and 1 respectively.

Goulong's passing-based possession game didn't take long to break down the solid, flexible Ajerring team as captain and left-winger Li Weihao opened the scoring in the 12th minute with a slotted low shot into the bottom right-hand corner which slid under the Ajerrin keeper who rushed to meet Li's challenge. Centre-midfielder Cui Xing, who only made two appearances in the qualifiers has just four international caps, but he showed experience and class beyond his age to get forward into space left between the Ajerrin defensive line and defensive midfielder, allowing him to dribble past a centre-back and angle a shot over the head of the keeper neatly into the net, scoring Goulong's second in the 41st minute. The goal undoubtedly uplifted the Goulongese squad who were looking for an insurance goal before the break.

The Ajerrin team looked revitalised and played better football at the start of the second half, connecting good passes to their wingers and threatening the Goulongese goal with excellent crosses. However, centre-back Yu Haidong and goalkeeper Otgonbayar collected any close crosses to the Ajerrin striker, who put a header into the bottom corner in the 62nd minute, Ajerrin's only shot on target for the day. It was parried wide with a strong hand from Otgonbayar. However, by the 70th minute Ajerrin looked as if they were being broken down by a Goulong team pressing unusually hard against their playing-out-from-the-back instructions. A pass along the Ajerrin back four went awry as substituted winger Huang Zhixiang pounced and struck a beauty past the goalkeeper in the 72nd minute to make it three, wrapping up the match. What was practically the last kick of the game came two minutes into a one-minute stoppage time as Goulong star striker Sun Wukong stepped up for a free-kick, which he curled from 32 yards over the wall and past a rooted Ajerrin keeper to make it an emphatic 4-0 win where high pressing and incisive cutting-edge finishing made the difference.


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[Vidoria]

Vidoria draws against Leidense Rep. in opening group match.
"A loss to some, a victory to others." says Vidorian manager Cecilio Brugúes.
By Thiago Cazalla
27 June 2019

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Hamid Mahdavi was left with an injury after Vidoria's encounter with the Leidense Rep.

Vidoria's most recent game against the Leidense Republic - a game that was expected to finish in a win - resulted in a 2-2 draw; what does this mean for the future of the Copa campaign?

On the 23rd of June, Vidoria played against the Leidense Republic in the opening group match in Group B. The game was delayed by two days and moved to a different stadium, which caused issues with fans that bought tickets but were situated outside the stadium, but nevertheless, the game occurred. It resulted in a 2-2 draw and gave us an insight on the current lineup and how it needs to be changed. It seems that everyone - Vidorian and Leidense - has a mixed feeling about the rest of the Copa since the results that day, with excitement coming from the fans that didn't expect much from this year and lots of disappointment from the ones that expected success in this year's iteration.

The results in this game leave Vidoria's ability to leave the group stage into question. Many Vidorian critics state that the Vidorian subs are under-performing after entering the pitch, criticising Brugúes' choices for the Copa defence. An almost universal belief among these critics is that Valentin Domesco is playing far under his expected standard at club level. However, the critics praised the choice for the main three defenders on the starting XI, saying that they are 'definitely fit for the job'.

Initially, this game started terribly for the Vidorian team, when Leidense prodigy and superstar Rüdiger scored a goal in the 11th minute, but then the defence became rock solid; perhaps a wake-up call for the defenders that they will play a key job in this campaign. After this goal, the Vidorians kept the possession well. Their ability to make great passes led Vidorian superstar Hamid Mahdavi to the perfect position to score, 1-on-1 with Leidense goalkeeper Diederick Veltman. Veltman, stuck in a very bad position against one of the world's best strikers, did the unthinkable: he performed a horrible foul on Mahdavi. Mahdavi left the pitch with an injury to last until the end of the group stage, and Veltman earned a red card. Mahdavi was substituted out for Hidalgo, and the penalty that resulted from the foul was the equaliser. The goal was comfortably placed into the top corner of the Leidense net by Rico Sanchez. Afterwards, in the 42nd minute, Vidorian vice-captain Daniel del Monte scored a second goal, giving Vidoria the lead until the second half of the game.

Hamid Mahdavi @9Mahdavi What a game! I am sure I will be there when you need me, be it on or off the pitch. #Copa2019 #LosBlancosRojos 03:21 am - 24 June 2019 11,238Rechirps112,297Likes

During half-time, Cecilio Brugúes listened to the critics and substituted defender Gonzalez for Domesco. This was well recieved by the crowd, but was visibly the wrong choice after the game ended.

The second half started similarly to the first half - the Leidense were playing very aggressively and pushed the Vidorians into their own half. eventually, substitute Domesco decided to tackle Rüdiger, but a late tackle earned him a red card and gave the Leidense a close-range corner. The Leidense, as they are known to do, took the opportunity, and Rüdiger scored the free kick off the spot. The goal was deemed unsaveable by many fans, and did not blame the goalkeeper for not saving it and rather Domesco for performing such a poor tackle.

After the incident, not much happened for the majority of the game, apart from an insignificant injury when Sanchez collided with Rouwant in the 69th minute. Sanchez was subbed off for Fernandéz, and the Vidorians immediately took the offensive stance. However, despite the Leidense defence being utterly destroyed, they stayed strong and only allowed two chances.

In the 87th minute, the Vidorians lost the ball and the Leidense immediately went for the counter-attack. As the majority of the Vidorians were in the Leidense half, attempting the winning goal in the final minutes of the match, the Leidense didn't have much of a problem reaching the other side. However, the defender Leandro Adrian, known for his amazing pace despite his age, could catch up to the Leidense players, performing a rough foul in the penalty box. This resulted in the second penalty of the match, however this time it would decide the fate of the match and was on the other side of the pitch. However, goalkeeper Ysmael Timego was able to push the ball away from the goal and blocked Rüdiger's 'perfect' shot.

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In Other News

- Watch Vidoria vs Crylante LIVE, 28.06 18:00.
- What should we expect from the game against Crylante?
- Who is expected to transfer in the Grand Serie?
- Midrasia vs Vrnallia - "Victorious draw" for Vrnallia.
- Game against Crylante to be a 'test of strength'.

[Vidoria]

What should we expect from the game against Crylante?
Is Vidoria's performance against the Leidense Rep. going to impact their next game?
By Marianna Martinez
27 June 2019

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Vidoria is expected to win against Crylante despite poor display in the game against the Leidense Republic, experts say.

On the 28th June, Vidoria will play Crylante: the game that will decide Vidoria's fate in the Copa, and the game that was expected to be the most difficult. However, people now argue that Crylante is expected to play poorly against Vidoria since their underwhelming result against Brilliania, and Vidoria is expected to leave the group in 2nd, behind the Leidense Republic on goal difference. Other people, though, argue that Crylante will play better against Vidoria and will fine tune their footballing standard, and that Ana Ulrikkesdottir - manager of the Crylante national football team - will give the Crylantians the ability to leave the group.

Rico Sanchez @Rico We can do it! #VidVsCry #Copa2019 12:29 pm - 27 June 2019 7,328Rechirps52,001Likes

Rico believes that Vidoria's ability to reach the knockout rounds is 'almost certain'.

A Look At The Betting Odds

In the game against the Leidense Republic, Vidoria did not play as well as they were expected to. The team lost possession more than they were expected, the team had less chances than expected and the team had a poorer defence than expected. This all leads us to believe that Vidoria has a lower chance of leaving the group stage than thought before, but still a significant chance based on Crylante's mediocre performance against Brilliania.

It is certain that the loss of Mahdavi will impact the Vidorian national team. The team had a huge reliance on his great performances, and the lack of such a player could prove to be devastating. However, during the game against the Leidense Republic, Vidoria demonstrated a great capability of performing very well without their key players - according to fans, this is a 'Vidorian trait'. Daniel del Monte is expected to move into Mahdavi's spot after his amazingly executed attacks on the Leidense team, one that resulted in a goal, and Pablo Varabeño is expected to take del Monte's place as an attacking midfielder and the 'glue' of the team. Pablo proved in his club matches that he is a great player and fit for the job, and we hope that his great performances on club level will transfer onto the national stage.

We expect a tight game against Crylante, but a win that will prove key to our campaign. We expect a 3-2 win over Crylante, with 13/3 odds of a win, 23/28 odds of a draw and 1/9 odds of a loss.

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In Other News

- Watch Vidoria vs Crylante LIVE, 28.06 18:00.
- Vidoria draws against Leidense Rep. in opening group match.
- Who is expected to transfer in the Grand Serie?
- Midrasia vs Vrnallia - "Victorious draw" for Vrnallia.
- Game against Crylante to be a 'test of strength'.

[Vidoria]

Hamid Mahdavi @9Mahdavi ah fuck it hurts #ThanksVeltman 12:58 am - 27 Jun 2019 1,678Rechirps112,003Likes

Cecilio Brugúes @Cecilio People that say Vidoria under-performed in the game against Leiden will have a great surprise next game! #VidVsCry #Copa2019 03:29 am - 27 Jun 2019 3,410Rechirps11,935Likes

Catalina León @Cat2 Anyone else hope Mahdavi is okay? #PoorHamid #ThanksVeltman 11:18 pm - 26 Jun 2019 34Rechirps796Likes

[Vrnallia]

There was a time, perhaps this very moment, wherein Vrnallian football was an international laughing stock. Most of the nation's football clubs are semi-professional at best, with only a few standouts like the Dvrieska Dragons and Zalejk Pirates having truly professional teams which compete on at least a regional level against the teams of Lhedwin. Only a handful of Vrnallians are notable enough to be signed by a foreign team. In 1998 the national team qualified for the Copa d'Aeia tournament for the first time in what is largely regarded as more a failure of other teams than a notable success of Vrnallia's, which finished bottom of its group after losing every game. In 2016, Vrnallia qualified again, and to the shock of many a viewer, proceeded to top its group, after one win and two draws. Yet this group was not remarkable, had no notable sides in its roster; Vrnallia promptly lost its next match. Although onlookers speculated about Vrnallian football becoming a serious matter for the sports world, no successes materialised, and Vrnallian football remained a curio at best.

The times, are they a-changing? In what has rightly already been called Vrnallia's greatest sporting achievement in history, on the 23rd of June, 2019 the Vrnallian national team held footballing titans Midrasia (yes, that Midrasia) to a 3-3 draw in both teams' opening match of this year's Copa d'Aeia competition. That Vrnallia qualified at all raised eyebrows, but not hopes, as fans took one glance at the other teams in the group and with no small justification figured that Vrnallia was, in a word, doomed. I believe the Newreyans have a relevant expression about creeks and paddles. So that Vrnallia, a team where even the term "underdog" is perhaps a touch generous, has come so close to cutting one of the hydra's heads by holding Midrasia to a draw, necessitates a serious reconsideration of the status of Vrnallia in the world of international football.

The Midrasians seem to be viewing this less as a success of Vrnallia and more a failure of Midrasia. And this is quite understandable, given the imbalance between the teams. Midrasian football includes many global household names, from manager Pere Clar to captain Alexis Meridon to rank-and-file players like Robert Nieue and Mathieu Neri. Vrnallian football includes names which will at best elicit a nonplussed "who?". Manager Hariu Khami has not even been involved with football since the 1990s, when he managed some higher-profile Vrnallian clubs. To accept that Vrnallia is better than Midrasia is unpalatable, and certainly few people, even the most ardent of Vrnallian fans, would suggest as much. A single word recurs in the Midrasian narrative: complacency. Despite repeating like a mantra before the match we must not be complacent, it seems the Midrasians were expecting Vrnallia to be an easy win, a warmup for Veleaz and Chokashia, and this bit them when they found their opponents determined to put in a good performance. And how.

Yet Vrnallian football seems to have been gaining profile for some time. The country's performance in the Copa d'Aeia of 2016 led to a significant investment in youth sports initiatives. Foreign investment in Vrnallian sports clubs surged. More Vrnallian-born players then ever were bought by or contracted to foreign teams, particularly in Navack. Clearly the old Vrnallia, inept and amateurish, is going out of style at long last.

Dvrieska Dragons, current Vrnallian champions, in February

Helíz Dnakovi was the scorer of two of Vrnallia's three goals against Midrasia. He has spent all five years of his professional career with Dvrieska Dragons, current champions of the All-Vrnallia League for the third year running. The team has had admirable performance in the past two years against teams from Lhedwin, and even some success beyond Lhedwin. By Vrnallian standards, the Dragons have ascended to a serious contender in Asura. Why, then, have they seemingly escaped notice? Former player Dubuni Lutho was signed by Navish side Bersk SK a few years ago, so they certainly aren't unknown. Is their lack of recognition due to no fault of their own, but due to their being from Vrnallia, so stereotypically bad at football? Was the complacency of the Midrasians, and is their stance at present, based more on assumption than analysis?

It does not seem outlandish anymore to suggest that yes, this draw does represent a true success for Vrnallia, and not merely a failing of their competition. There are skilled players in Vrnallia. The national team is capable of taking on top-tier teams. And no longer can foreigners rightly treat Vrnallia as the dregs of the sporting world.

The draw against Midrasia has invigorated players and fans alike. For the day after the match news spread that fans in Zalejk had caused a minor earthquake when they jumped to celebrate the 89th minute goal which secured the draw. The next day the Department of Meteorology and Navigation declared that the recorded tremor was in fact caused by normal tectonic movements, but it was an entirely believable story given the events which transpired. If Vrnallia can manage a draw against Midrasia, can they draw against other groupmates Chokashia and Veleaz? Can they win? At least one fan in Vorod has bet ten thousand zneda on Vrnallia placing top of their group. Vrnallia's next match is against Chokashia on the first of June, and the Golden Wings are determined to rock the boat even more.

But from a certain perspective, where Vrnallia places in their group - indeed, whether they pass the group stage at all - is ultimately irrelevant. One of the great hopes of Vrnallian football fans has already been achieved with their performance against Midrasia: Vrnallia has been put onto the football map.

[Crylante]

Natalja Lablanck @presidentlablanck I sincerely hope that our result against Brilliania is repeated against Vidoria. #CryVSVid #copa 20:23 - 27 Jun 2019 6,001Rechirps29,974Likes

Rafael Martinez @as91r716sn am vidorian immigrant in sonderburg. who i support? #CryVSVid #copa 21:01 - 27 Jun 2019 7Rechirps15Likes

Sven Østergaard @svenogaard STREET PARTY IN KURTEMANSJE SQUARE LENTINI WHEN WE BEAT WHEREVER THE FUCK VIDORIA IS #CryVSVid #copa 21:57 - 27 Jun 2019 30Rechirps121Likes

[Vrnallia]

Lješmarad Brachvieca @VrnaljajHòzMinista #Copa2019 has already been excellent for Vrnallia, and may the team continue in excellence against Chokashia! #Vljeguš 06:10 pm - 25 Jun 2019 972Rechirps3,491Likes

Chiama Lapie @LapajPhadasMien On #LPM tonight I speak to @KvieciePadal, manager of #DvrieskaDragons, about star player @DnakoviHelizJB! #Copa2019 03:31 pm - 27 Jun 2019 811Rechirps905Likes

Helíz Dnakovi @DnakoviHelizJB @LeFons This is truly the hill you want to die on? You are saying "grow up", but it is you who are needing "grow up", the world should not remember the person like this way #Notgoodenough 11:48 am - 26 Jun 2019 571Rechirps1,279Likes

Brdas Simuso @brdasimuso @LeFons you makes fun of us like rasisme but the your teem have all much dark players vrnalja teem only have REEL asura pople don't critisize us vrnalja. you haves not even soyl on land 11:50 pm - 26 Jun 2019 1Rechirps3Likes

[Crylante]

Sjeril Kaal @sjerilkaal why aye man 21:58 - 27 Jun 2019 9Rechirps31Likes

[Juznia]

Jokūbas Požela @pozelaj No one on the "Hytek" team is actually Hytek. Kinda sad how they have to use traitors to Juznia in their football team. 22:19 pm - 27 Jun 2019 56Rechirps209Likes

[Romellenic Federation]

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[Romellenic Federation]

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[Romellenic Federation]

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[Romellenic Federation]

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[Romellenic Federation]

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