Baptism of Fire 70 Everything Thread

[Free Republics]

Quarterfinals Results

Hapilopper 8–2 Terre Septentrionale
Bliuji 0–1 San Félix
Timuria 3–3 West Phoenicia (3–3 AET) (1–3 pen.)
Port Ember 3–2 Pius Desurongcrandis

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Semifinals

1) Hapilopper v. 4) San Félix @ Royal Stadium, St. Petrus, Saintland
6) West Phoenicia v. 7) Port Ember @ Coliseum of the Crucifixion, Los Martires, Malifornia Charter Society, Free Republics

[Bliuji]

Bliuji get's eliminated by San Felix
Bliuji did all they could this game; they played smart football, made good passes and had decent opertunitys, but San Felix was the better team this game as expected.

Post Game Interview

Good evening coach said reporter Jamius Huchuk

Good evening said Head coach Andriy Shevchenko

What could of you done better this match? said Jamius Huckuk

We did all we could this game. But before going into this match we knew they would give us a hard time. It's not that big of a deal though. We're going to pick our heads up and go over game film from this loss, and get back out on the field to get ready for the world cup. All due respect to San Felix, they've got a great team, and our players know that. What more could you ask for? It was a close game and they just so happened to be the better team. And on behalf of the Bliujian soccer team we wish them the best of luck in the rest of the bof and the world cup. said Head coach Andriy Shevchenko

[Hapilopper]

Royal Stadium, St. Petrus, Saintland
The Quarterfinals: Hapilopper vs. Terre Septentrionale
Leading up to the match, everyone had pretty much predicted that the rematch between Hapilopper and Terre Septentrionale would be one of the most talked-about matches of the entire Baptism of Fire. The first match, in the group stage, had been one of the most physical matches of the entire tournament, and the general consensus had been that Hapilopper had gotten away with something during that match, especially considering the Nordiques had led going into the halftime break of that match. By the end of the match, everyone’s prediction about it being one of the most talked-about matches would come true, but not for the reasons they had suggested.

Nobody knew what would come in the match, but everyone expected a solid match with a bit of physicality, and hopefully an Ernie Stevenson goal or two. In Hapilopper, it was mid-morning, but the pubs were jam-packed with fans in their blue, green and whites, waiting to see how their fellow countrymen would do. One of them, Andrew’s Pub, in North Hapilopper City, had a deal that would become remarkably unfortunate as the match progressed – one free beer and one free shot for every Hapiloppian goal. Andrew McPherson, the pub’s proprietor and a former stock car driver, thought that would bring everyone in.

And it did, but then it went horribly wrong. But we’ll get to that.

After the Hapilopper National Football Team and the tens of thousands of Hapiloppians at Royal Stadium sang their national anthem, Ernie Stevenson looked around, both in the stands and around the field. He spotted a couple of familiar faces in the stands, nodded his head, and called a brief team meeting just before the match had gotten started.

“Hey, gang, over there in the stands, isn’t that Leroy Hunnisett and Charlton Forest?” Ernie asked his teammates. “It is, isn’t it?!”

“What are you talking about?” asked goalkeeper Cooter Harris. “We’ve got this match coming up and you’re wondering about who’s in the stands?”

“Yeah,” Ernie replied with a smile on his face. “I want to get their autographs. Think they’ll sign something for me if we win this match?”

“You better be good,” Cooter replied. “Ditto for the rest of us. But, if we can make it, the trophy is within reach. Let’s do it.”

In all actualities, Ernie hadn’t seen Leroy or Charlton. They weren’t even in the stadium, nor were they even in Saintland. Both men, prominent members of the Hapilopper National Baseball Team, were sitting in a restaurant in Los Martires, enjoying a nice lunch, with their televisions tuned in to the Hapilopper/Terre Septentrionale match. The point of Ernie’s move, however, was to calm his teammates down. They had heard about what could happen. They had heard the stories of how this match would be a fight – with manager Thom Perkins even suggesting it would be similar to a recent heavyweight prizefight where the two combatants kept fighting even after the bell sounded to end a round.

When the first whistle sounded, the Hapiloppians were actually as calm as ever. Ernie had a smile on his face as he took the ball to start the match. This one would be talked about, that’s for sure. When the match started, he took the ball, ran it past Nordique defenders, and with the help of his road-plowing midfielders, Ernie shot the ball in the net. Just 9 seconds into the match, Ernie had made the score 1-0 in Hapilopper’s favor. He held one finger in the air, indicating that there would be more to come.

All across Hapilopper, the HNFT’s supporters went into a frenzy. In Hapilopper City, the thousands of fans packing Hamilton Square celebrated by hurling beer right into the air. Just north of that scene, at Andrew’s Pub, bartenders realized they had to give everyone in the pub a free beer and a free shot right off the bat. McPherson, watching behind the bar, cringed, wondering if he had just made a massive mistake.

In the 16th minute, Fryderyka Cwierczakiewiczowa, the Nordiques’ ace goal scorer, found the back of the net, tying the match up and giving their fans something to cheer. The match, if you could believe it, had been tied. At the time, the general consensus among observers was that now, things were about to get fun. In other words, this match was going to start getting as physical and wild as everyone had predicted.

And, well… it got wild, alright.

In the 18th minute, Ernie Stevenson, taking a pass from Beautiful Bobby East, sent it into the back of the net to give Hapilopper a 2-1 lead. In the 19th minute, Beautiful Bobby scored a goal of his own, sending one in with assists from Ernie and Murray Hunnisett.

Back in Los Martires, Leroy excused himself to go to the restroom. He figured they wouldn’t score again, so now was the time to do some business.

“Watch this,” Leroy said to his national teammate. “Knowing my luck, they’ll score again by the time I get back.”

Leroy walked over to the restroom, and before he could walk into the men’s room, he heard loud screaming from the dining room. He looked back to see Charlton, and dozens of Hapiloppians, screaming with joy. Stunningly, Hapilopper had scored AGAIN – and it was his brother Murray with the goal, with an assist from Ernie, and from 40 yards, no less.

“LEROY, YOU GOT TO SEE THIS!” Charlton screamed at his teammate.

The bathroom could wait. Leroy ran over and saw the replays of his little brother’s goal that had made it 4-1 in Hapilopper’s favor in the 21st minute.

This one was getting out of hand, and the scene was getting out of hand at Andrew’s Pub in North Hapilopper City, where patrons were finding themselves with three free beers and three free shots in a matter of four minutes. McPherson knew he had made a mistake at that point and quietly told a bartender that he had wished he hadn’t come up with the free beer/free shot deal.

In the 26th minute, Ernie Stevenson completed the hat trick – yet another hat trick for him, sending a goal from 25 yards in the net, making it 5-1 in Hapilopper’s favor. At this point, however, Ernie had cut down on the celebrations. He had realized something unusual was going on, and called his teammates over for a quick meeting.

“Something’s not right,” Ernie told his teammates. “Wasn’t this supposed to be a more competitive match?”

“Yeah, what’s going on?” Murray asked.

“I don’t know, but let’s just play our game and try to not humiliate these guys,” Ernie said. “I bet these guys feel awful already.”

When the teams went to the locker room, Thom Perkins was dumbfounded. He had predicted a dogfight of a match, and in the 18th minute, everything went to hell in a handbasket.

“What the hell happened?” Thom asked.

All of the players shrugged their shoulders. They didn’t know what was going on.

“Well, just keep playing your game,” Thom said with a grim look on his face. “Just don’t embarrass these guys. They’ve worked hard to be here.”

At that same time at Andrew’s Pub in North Hapilopper City, Andrew McPherson grabbed a megaphone and made an immediate announcement.

“Alright, all of you here, I want everyone’s keys,” Andrew said. “You guys have drank a hell of a lot of my booze and I don’t want ANY of you driving away from here. If you have to call a cab or get a hotel room or ask a loved one to drive you home, I don’t care, as long as you don’t drive yourselves! Just… please!”

While a few people protested, many of the bar’s patrons didn’t mind handing their keys over. Those that protested had their keys taken from them. When the Hapilopper City Police Department asked McPherson about it the next day, they noted the “remarkable restraint” shown by the bar patrons, and noted that there actually hadn’t been any more drunk-driving incidents coming from Andrew’s Pub than on a day without a major sporting event.

When the second half started, the Hapiloppians played their game, like Ernie and Thom had suggested they do. In the 49th, Bobby East fired one from point-blank range and made it 6-1. After putting the ball in the net, Bobby ran towards midfield, displayed a nonplussed look on his face, and shook hands with Ernie. The team was taking that “no theatrics” pledge very seriously.

In the 63rd, Ernie made it four goals on the day for himself, with an assist from Pancakes Taggart. Again, no real celebrations as the score became 7-1. That score became 8-1 in the 72nd with yet another Ernie goal, and this one from the middle of the pitch and from 15 yards, gave the center forward five goals on the day.

Fortunately for Andrew McPherson, this would be the last goal Hapilopper would score all match. His patrons were slam-bang drunk, and worse, he had run out of beer and liquor. The eight-goal performance from Hapilopper, combined by his ill-advised promotion, as well as the large number of patrons that took advantage of said promotion, meant he wound up losing thousands of dollars in alcohol sales on the day.

A goal from Fryderyka Cwierczakiewiczowa in the 88th minute seemed like a consolation goal, and when the match was over, Hapilopper was well on their way to the semifinals with a dominant 8-2 victory. Their next match would be against the tough challenge from San Félix, and that match probably would be a lot closer than the match against the Nordiques.

When addressing the media, Thom Perkins expressed sympathy for his opponents, saying that “this wasn’t normal.”

“I can’t speak for Terre Septentrionale, because I don’t know what happened on their end,” Thom said. “But whatever happened was not normal by any means. This was supposed to be a close football match, not an 8-2 drubbing. That just doesn’t happen at this level. I personally hope this isn’t indicative of how they are as a football club, because I have a great deal of respect for the Nordiques.”

Cooter Harris echoed those sentiments, stating that players made it clear they didn’t want to humiliate their opponents.

"We just had to play our game," Cooter said. "Our goal is never to humiliate our opponents, and honestly, it wasn't much fun seeing what was going on out there. I hope they can bounce back from this, because they're a very capable club."

Your headlines from this match!

The Buckridge Morning Sentinel: HAPILOPPER STEAMROLLS THE NORDIQUES, AND HOW! | H-Sports: A LOOK AT ONE OF THE UGLIEST MATCHES IN INTERNATIONAL FOOTBALL HISTORY | The Hapilopper City Herald: HAPILOPPER BLOWS OUT NORDIQUES - SAN FELIX NEXT | Venerable Television: WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED? A LOOK AT HAPILOPPER'S BLOWOUT WIN | Hapilopper Television Network: ERNIE SCORES FIVE GOALS IN 8-2 BLOWOUT WIN

[Port Ember]

Port Ember Times

Port Ember clinches Semi Final Spot in a tight victory!

Port Ember 3 - Pius Desurongcrandis 2

By Erica Davies - Federation of Free Republics.

Port Ember's national football team has clinched their seventh consecutive international victory, as part of the Baptism of Fire League this thursday, with a hard worked for 3-2 final score against Pius Desurongcrandis.

The match took place in the Fierro del Infierno Stadium, and the 73,421 seats was filled to capacity, with an enormous turnout from Port Emberian fans, for the eigth time in a row. The passion of the Port Emberian fans have become legend, with most tickets sold in this tournament being to Port Emberian citizens.

Interestingly, the atmosphere at the Fierro del Infierno Stadium was filled with joy and excitement, as everyone firmly believed that Port Ember will steamroll their opponents, in what everyone thought will be a easy match for the on-form Port Emberian side.

This was quickly refuted as the Pius Desurongcrandisians clearly expected the Port Emberians to attempt to dominate the match from the start as they normally do, and came out swinging from the first second of the match.

The Pius Desurongcrandisian side bombarded the Port Emberian side with overly aggressive offenses which seemed to completely overwhelm an unprepared Port Emberian team. Pius Desurongcrandis completely dominated possession and offenses during the entire first half, managing to keep the Port Emberians on the back foot, and found the back of the net twice in this half, in minutes 22 and 36. The stadium crowd, majority being Port Emberian fans, displayed a earie feeling of shock and dismay.

Its not clear what was said in the lockerroom in the halftime break, but it was clearly successfull - as the Port Emberian side struck back hard in the second half. The aggressive attacks continued in the first five minutes from Pius Desurongcrandis, but was finally shut down by a renewed iron wall, and the Port Emberians struck back hard with their own constant offenses.

It looked like star striker Danny Nicovic was kissed by an angel as he displayed new life on the field, ripping the opponents defence apart, managing to score a hatrick by the time the match ended. The well known chemistry between the two strikers and the midfield star and captain Reddington managed to overwhelm the opponents and clinched a hard fought spot in the semi finals.

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Match Analysis - Port Ember

The team showed some weaknesw and cracks in their play for the first time in 7 games as they werr completely overwhelmed and dominated in the first half. Its not that they played badly, the Pius Desurongcrandis side just displayed a better more passionate game.

The second half saw the return of the side we came to know and turned the entire game around, from the bavkline all the way to the front. It was a tough game which forced the best effort from the players.

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Player Scores

Goalkeeper (GK)(#1): Peter Smith - 8/10. The talened keeper had his hands full and were forced to work for his salary. He managed to stop 8 out of 10 shots at goal, displaying amazing reflexes and acrobatic skills. Could have easily earned the Man of the Match award.

Center Back (CB)(#2): Josh Richards - 6/10. Struggled uder pressure in the first half and was overwhelmed by the aggressive offence. Came back to life in the second half and established a proper iron wall of defence, using his superior strength and fitness to dominate the attackers.

Center Back (CB)(#3): Jason Lee. 7/10. The Prince of the backline was forced to work extra hard to manage the constant offensive onslaught. Although excellent teamplay and coordination from the opponents almost neatralised him in the first half, he still worked hard to stop many scoring oppertunities. He can hold his head high after a hard worked battle.

Full Back (LB)(#4): Alex Kuhn - 6/10. Although displaying his excellent technical skills in the second half, was overwhelmed in the first half, forcing Jason Lee to do his work as well.

Full Back (RB)(#5): Russel Pierce - 6/10. Seemed to be the weaklink in the iron wall, being targeted routinely by the opponents offence. Managed to be rebirthed in the second half, however his frustration started to show by becoming increasingly physical in his tackles. Its a wonder that he did not receive a yellow card.

Attacking Midfield (AM)(#10): Raymond Reddington - 8/10. The captain again proved his worth on the field (as he has consistently done since the start of the league). From defence, organising the back line, offense and setting up attacks for his strikers, the lad was everywhere on the field. Pretty sure the match would be lost if not for his organising skills.

Defensive Midfield (DM)(#6): Steven Packard - 7/10. Was instrumental in retaining possession in the second half, ending the domination suffered in the first half.

Wide Midfield (LM)(#8): Jason Chamberlain - 7/10. Capitalised well against the tiring oponents in the second half, creating gaps in the left flank of the opponents defence time and again.

Wide Midfield (RM)(#11): Steve Rogers - 7/10. Managed to shut down counter attacks from the flanks regularly. Was Instrumental in turning the tide in the second half.

Central Forward (CF)(#7): Leon Moult - 8/10. Although not scoring, his keen eye and fitness combined with his chemistry with he rest of the game allowed him to assist in all three goals being scored from Port Ember. Frustrated the opponents defence endlessly.

Central Forward (CF)(#9): Danny Nicovic 9/10. The hero of the match, scoring the hatrick which clinched the Semi Final match. Managed to play a full passionate game for 90 minutes, displaying his superior fitness. Well deserved Man of the Match award.

Match Stats - Port Ember Point of View

Goals Scored: 3 Total - D. Nicovic x 3

Goals Secceeded: x 2

Man of the Match:Danny Nicovic

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After match word from the coach

"I must admit that we were humbled in this match. We entered this game with expectations of demolishing our opponents. Boy were we wrong! They proved their worth beyond a shadow of a doubt by seriously giving us our toughest match so far, even including thr time we actually lost against Timuria. Luckily we managed to display that we are indeed a world class amateur team, by remaining calm even though we were losing, and used our opponents fatigue against them, clinching a hard worked for victory. I have nothing but respect for our opponents and thank them for putting up one of the greaest matches ever played in this league."

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Current Standings

As the Quarter Finala comes to an end, the Semi Finals lies ahead, with 4 teams battling it out to reach the Finals. The 4 Semi Final Teams are:

- Hapilopper
- San Félix
- West Phoenicia
- Port Ember

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Next Match

Port Ember will face off next against West Phoenicia in the Coliseum of the Crucifixion Stadium, as part of the Semi Finals.

[Timuria]

Timuria Pay The Penalty

by Tufan Nursultan

Timuria 3-3 West Phoenicia (3–3 AET) (1–3 pen.)
Vatan Ercetin (33), Caner Turan (47, 50); Luis Cavera (75), Chandler Goodwin (80), Jason Summer (90+1)

The national team shall be returning home, following a severe collapse after taking a 3-0 lead against West Phoenicia who will advance to the semi-final against Port Ember. There will be many questions asked of Bekir Altingunes who recently stated that he will be continuing in the role of manager until the current world cup cycle is over regarding why Saban Inekci was not played despite participating in training, especially as Iskender Nur made 2 horrific mistakes that led to goals.

The game began as a back and forth affair with neither team really able to asset itself, Iskender Nur was forced to make a smart save from Jason Summer while his opposite number Daniel Fozter had to pull out an acrobatic save to deny Ertan Renda from long range. Vatan Ercetin opened the scoring after a scramble in the box left the goal at his mercy and he poked home. The goal seemed to embolden the national team who proceeded to besiege the goal of the West Phoenicians, who have their goalkeeper to thank for the deficit not being larger going into halftime. A minor injury to Tayyar Ozel meant that Caner Turan took to the field just before halftime.

This substitution would almost immediately pay off as Caner Turan would score from a deflected effort from 25 yards out that wrong footed Daniel Fozter. The West Phoenicians barely had time to recover and recalibrate before he struck again this time from a free kick. Then the match reverted to a back and forth affair, with both teams making good offensive forays into each others territory. Luis Cavera would begin the comeback with a shot that was spilled by Iskender Nur into his own goal. This was followed 5 minutes later by Chandler Goodwin scoring from a failed backpass from Osman Hasanoglu that left Iskender Nur stranded. The final goal to complete the comeback came from Jason Summer after Iskender Nur fumbled a cross directly into his path, leaving the striker with an open goal.

Extra time came and the national team failed to muster any kind of attacking impetus, with West Phoenicia clearly in the ascendancy the team were thankful for penalties, but found themselves roundly defeated as West Phoenicia kept their composure and sealed the victory. While naturally the country will be disappointed to have not gone further, this tournament has convinced members of the government that Football and indeed organised sport can be a viable and productive profession in Timuria opening the way for more development of sport in the future.

What they said after the game:

Bekir Altingunes: "Look we're very proud of this team and it's a shame that we went out the way we did, but you have to be fair and say that West Phoenicia clearly wanted it more than us today, we took our foot off the pedal and we paid the price. But that's part of football, we live and we learn and we'll be back for the World Cup Qualifiers ready to show everyone what we've learned and what we can do."

Ratings:

Iskender Nur 5/10 - An infuriating error prone day from the young keeper. While he's still got a lot to learn, the collapse in this game will almost entirely be blamed on him, whether fairly or unfairly.

Ozbek Sarikaya 6/10 - A pedestrian day for the left back, did not excel in any of his duties.

Tuna Rustemoglu 6/10 - Didn't make any mistakes, but didn't really add any defensive value today.

Osman Hasanoglu 5/10 - Very poor performance from the usually solid defender, will need to reflect on the mistake he made and come back stronger.

Gokdeniz Dag 6/10 - A dull day for Gokdeniz on a day when the defence struggled.

Hakan Diren 7/10 - A solid offensive performance from Hakan, facilitated good offensive movement.

Yusuf Ihsanoglu 6/10 - Struggled in some of his defensive duties, but was not the cause of the collapse.

Tayyar Ozel 6/10 - Was substituted in the first half due to injury, was not having an impact until that point.

Ertan Renda 6/10 - The usually electrifying Ertan was kept very quiet and not for the first time, he will need to learn how to bring out the best in himself when the team isn't helping him.

Tekin Yavuz 7/10 - Caused trouble all game long and was a threat from long distance with his shooting. Can be happy with his contribution.

Vatan Ercetin 8/10 - The red hot striker grabbed another goal and has solidified the fact that he's very much the number 1 striker.

Subs:

Caner Turan 9/10 - Will be delighted aside from the failure to win. Bekir will struggle to overlook him for the starting XI now.

Eyup Mustafa 6/10 - Came on for Osman and solidified some of the frailty in defence.

Berkin Batuk 6/10 - Brought some much needed energy, but was ultimately inconsequential.

Man of the match: Luis Cavera - He scored the goal that turned the tide and generally had an exceptional performance even when his team were struggling.

Player of the game for Timuria: Caner Turan - Came off the bench to grab a brace, will have staked his claim to start in the World Cup qualifiers.

[West Phoenicia]

That moment you feel when eight becomes four and you are one of those four. That's how the West Phoenician Stampedes felt, and so did their fan base after defeating Timuria and realising they had made it to the semi-finals of the Baptism of Fire.
Four worthy teams remain, each one hungry for the win, the win would be a great confidence boost when they appear at the World Cup.

The Coliseum of the Crucifixion, Los Martires, Malifornia Charter Society in Free Republics was the place to be for football fans with the quarter-finals of West Phoenicia vs Timuria taking place there, under the aroma of sweat, popcorn and cologne.

The West Phoenician Football League reported a significant increase in attendance as The Stampedes move closer and closer to the finals. With the World Cup starting soon numbers should continue go up. WP Sports Two has also released rating figures that show viewership has also gone up as more West Phoenicians decide to give football a chance.

The The Coliseum of the Crucifixion stadium was packed for the quarter-finals, their opposition fans still outnumbered West Phoenicia's 5 to 1.

Even before the game started there was controversy as high ranking members in the West Phoenician Communist Party came out in support of Timuria due to the nation's left leaning government The endorsement received widespread criticism from other centrist and right wing political groups and surprisingly from other left wing parties wbo said this was a friendly game and politics should not be involved.
Wanting to push the envelope a number of the communist senators wore the opposing nations colours and were ejected from the chamber.

The quarter finals was a beautiful match up and a game to remember with both teams being equally as good in attack and defence.
While Timuria led the charge early on quick work by Luis Cavera, Chandler Goodwin and Jason Summer had the West Phoenicians back in the game.

By the end of the game fans were in the grip of their seats as both teams were tied 3-3.
Overtime did little to help the situation, as neither team were able to score a goal to get ahead, leaving fans biting their nails and hanging from their seats as they realised the game would move into penatly kicks to determine a winner.

"This is the best quarter-finals ever. It could go either way. What a game!" commented a fan from the stands.

With both goalies hearts racing each took their turn, knowing a simple error could cost them the game and there would be no prpgression to the semi finals. However it was going to be West Phoenician's day as Luis Cavera out maneuvered Iskender Nur 
who failed to intercept while West Phoenician goalie Daniel Fozter managed to intercept 2 of the kicks.
The day ended with West Phoenicia 3-1, they know move into the semi finals where they will take on Port Ember.

[Port Ember]

Port Ember Times

Sports Column - Baptism of Fire League

Pre Match Analysis & Interview

By Erica Davies - Federation of Free Republics.

Port Ember will face off against West Phoenicia in their ninth match of the Baptism of Fire League this Sunday, to be played in the Coliseum of the Crucifixion, Los Martires, Malifornia Charter Society, Free Republics. This match forms part of the Semi Finals.

Team Stats Analysis

West Phoenicia - 'The Stampedes':

This team has played 8 matches so far, of which they won 7 matches, and lost 1 match. They have scored a total of 23 goals and have allowed 7 goals to be scored against them, giving them a score difference of +16.

Port Ember

This team has played 8 matches so far, of which they won 7 matches, and lost 1 match. They have scored a total of 26 goals and have allowed 9 goals to be scored against them, giving them a score difference of +17.

From a pure statistics point of view, this game will be too close to call beforehand. Statistically speaking the two teams are a perfectly equal match, and the upcoming derby is sure to be a bloodfest of pure and crazy football!
Both sides have won an equal amount of matches in the league so far. Port Ember has scored three more total goals compared to their opponents, but have allowed two more goals to be scored against them when compared to The Stampedes.

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Team Analysis - Port Ember

Offense: The technical offensive skills of the team is on suberb form. The chemistry between their starting striker duo and their midfield creates amazing attacking oppertunities. Also their signature 'Bait Ambush' tactic is yet to be countered in this league. The 26 goals scored in their last 8 matches is also a glowing sign of potential.

Midfield: Arguably the strongest component of this team, under command of the amazing Reddington. The midfield plays a perfect balance between organising the defence, and creating oppertunities for attack.

Defence: The backline has grew into a true iron wall of defence. They have howevered shown some cracks when put under constant pressure in their last match, and will need some work leading up to the physical upcoming match against The Stampedes.

Goalkeeping: Analysts have nothing but praise for Peter Smith the starting goalie. The young man is a legend in the making.

Substitutes: The team has a impressive line-up of substitutes, whom have received field time recently, adding possible depth to the team when needed.

Team Morale & Cohesion: The 4 year youth program is paying of dividends in this tournament, as the team has excellent cohesion and on-the-field chemistry. The seven wins in a row also contributes to the teams current high morale. Analysts have expressed some concern due to the close encounter in their previous match, possibly damaging and humbling the highly spirited team.

Current Form The team is on great form, winning seven games in a row. The last match which almost saw them knocked oit of the tournament is a concern and hopefully have not damaged their morale.

Typical Gameplan: Their typical system of tiring out and frustrating their opponents in an attempt to pull their 'Bait Ambush' is a risky play which can easily go wrong and concede a goal. However when it works, it is highly effective, and so far this is still effective in the league, proved by the seven consecutive wins.

Team Analysis - West Phoenicia

Offense: The Stampedes possesses impressive technical offensive skills and is known to be able to put tremendous pressure on their opponents backline. Port Ember would need to work extra hard in the backline to shit down their signature offenses if they wish to reach the finals.

Midfield: The Stampedes have a strong midfield lineup and analysts habe predicted that the upcoming match would be won or lost based on the outcome of the performance from both side's midfield players.

Defence: The Stampedes arguably posesses some of the most impressive backlines in the league, and have consistently excelled in the defence, no matter the amount of pressure received. The Port Emberian strikers will need to display something divine to break the back line.

Goalkeeping: Analysts have nothing but praise for Daniel Fozter, the starting goalie. The young man is a legend in the making and has consistently displayed ninja skills to stop incoming shots.

Substitutes: The team has a impressive line-up of substitutes, adding possible depth to the team when needed.

Team Morale & Cohesion: The Stampedes is on a.. well stampede currently, and has consistently played well and with passion. The team has displayed great teamwork and understanding and playes together like a well oiled machine.

Current Form The team is on great form, consistently playing well and performing passionately.

Typical Gameplan: Unknown at this time.

Starting Line-Ups

Port Ember

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Goalkeeper (GK)(#1): Peter Smith.

Center Back (CB)(#2): Josh Richards.

Center Back (CB)(#3): Jason Lee.

Full Back (LB)(#4): Alex Kuhn.

Full Back (RB)(#5): Russel Pierce.

Attacking Midfield (AM)(#10): Raymond Reddington.

Defensive Midfield (DM)(#6): Steven Packard.

Wide Midfield (LM)(#8): Jason Chamberlain

Wide Midfield (RM)(#11): Steve Rogers.

Central Forward (CF)(#7): Leon Moult.

Central Forward (CF)(#9): Danny Nicovic.

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West Phoenicia

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Forwards
#22 Jason Summer- Striker

Midfielders
#3 Luis Cavera - Attacking Midfielder/Central Forward
#17 Chandler Goodwin- Left Wing
#5 Ricardo Latin- Right Wing
# 27 Marcelo Devier - Defensive Midfielder
#34 Ashley Butler - Defensive Midfielder

Defense
#2 Clayton Danes - Leftback
#8 Vince Young - Center Back
#10 Manpreet Siva - Center Back
#31 Ron Eccles - Rightback

Goalkeeper
#1 Daniel Fozter- Goalkeeper

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Pre Match Interview with Port Emberian Coach - Stuart Baxter

Erica Davies: Morning Coach. Congratulations on reaching the Semi Finals! It surely is a great day for the fledgeling sport and is surely grabbing interest back home.

Stuart Baxter: Morning Erica, thank you! Indeed the team has worked very hard to get this far. The boys are turning into men, and the nation back home has good reason to be proud of them.

Erica Davies: So Coach, you have predicted a game which was to be handed over to you on a silver platter.. Your easiest game yet?

Stuart Baxter: -Coach Baxter laughs- I will gladly and humbly admit that I was turning into an arrogant bafoon lately. Honestly all of us were, me, the staff and the players. That was a typical human nature mistake which almost cost us the tournament. A mistake we will never make again, mark my words. The amazing and passionate performance of Pius Desurongcrandis has humbled us all, and we will never underestimate another team again. And I wish to congratulate the Pius Desurongcrandisian side on an amazing game.

Erica Davies: It is well known that you wished to face off against a Timuria rematch for the Semi Finals, but The Stampedes have knocked them out now, and will be your next oponents instead. Whats your thoughts on this?

Stuart Baxter: Well I watched that game, and it was an epic match. Both sides played their hearts out and both teams deserved a win. The Stampedes wanted it a bit more thats all. So really, I am glad we get the oppertunity to face off against a great team like the Stampedes, the only team who could beat Timuria so far, including us!8

Erica Davies: Are you worried about the next game?

Stuart Baxter: Hell yes I am! The Stampedes is a brilliant team who always plays theit heart out on the field. Look, statistically speaking, we are on equal skill and success ratings, so there is no caling this match.

The only thing I know for certain is, that whomever wil win tomorow, would have to play as if they are demon possessed. So whoever wins, will mlst probaly end up with a bloody nose in the process. A foresee a war on the field tomorow.

Erica Davies: So for the next game, any changes in your gameplan, based on your opponents play?

Stuart Baxter: Like I said before, we dictate the play - not the other way round. There is obviously a weakness or two which I have noticed from the other team, which we will hammer upon, but we will not change our overall play.

Erica Davies: Good awnser! Lastly, prediction for the upcoming match?

Stuart Baxter: Simply put - its going to be all out war. You do not want to miss that game!

[San Felix]

Pre-Match Interview - San Felix v Hapilopper

Today on Lider Deportes, we have an exclusive interview with our national team's Head Coach Abraham Semprún. Considered the man behind San Felix's success in the Baptism of Fire, we asked Mr. Semprún about the strategies, expectations and dreams of San Felix.

Interview translated from Spanish.

"Mr. Semprún, how are you?"
"I'm great. Thank you for having me here, it's a pleasure."
"The pleasure is mine. Let's start with the question everybody wants to know: Is San Felix taking the trophy home?
(chuckles) "I hope so!"
(laughter) "What do you think? Do we have a chance?"

"As much as I would like to say that we are definitely going to be champions, I can't. It's anybody's game at this point, the ball is round, and nobody knows how the match will end. Hapilopper is considered the strongest team in the Baptism of Fire and it's going to be our biggest challenge yet. Now, I'm not saying that our team is mediocre or something like that, but, as I always say to my team: You may have the best strikers, the greatest defense, the ultimate team; yet you're still going to lose one day. The only thing we can do is prepare and hope for the best."

"Wise words, coach. Tell me, what is the secret behind the victories... (coughs) Oh, I'm sorry, I mean... the BLOW-OUTS of San Felix?"
"(laughs) I wouldn't call them blow outs, but ok. The secret is that... there's no secret at all."
"Really? No secret tactics, no key players?"

"(laughs) No. No key players, no secret tactics, no magic wands or genies in a lamp. It's just the hard work of everybody involved in the team, the talent of our young players and like I said before, a little bit of luck. Remember this: winning is a matter of effort, talent and luck. All of our players have been working hard, you know, Laguna, Vera, Correa, Villegas, Molina, Vargas, Hurtado, Marapacuto, everybody... including our substitutes: Dylan, Michael, Edgar. Our staff has been working too: Dr. Guerra, Lucho... hell, even the janitor has played a role on the team's victories! It's been a collective effort, and we're proud of everybody in our team."

"And obviously, we also have to thank the person that made us this coffee. This is amazing, what is this? Premium Roast?"
"I don't know. (chuckles) You have to ask Doña Juana for that."
"Well, I'd rather ask YOU this question: How do you see Hapilopper's team?

"Strong. Very good form. They've got amazing players... like... umm... I forgot their names, but you know, they're good players. (laughter around the studio) They show dominance in the field, they are confident with the ball, and they have no mercy for the opponent. Hell, look at Terra Septentrionale! Hapilopper showed no mercy against them, eight goals! Five scored by the same guy, umm.... Ernie! Ernie, right? Yeah, so, they're absolutely confident and will clearly put up a fight. It's going to be a good game."

"We are sure it's going to be a great game, coach. Ok, last question. If we become champions, then what?"
"We'll keep on fighting."
"Fighting for what?"

"Fighting for everything. We need to keep improving ourselves, nobody remembers the team that got one gold medal, they remember the team that got one goal medal and three silver ones, maybe fifteen bronze ones! We have to keep going, keep participating, keep showing San Felix that we are good at Football. It's not going to be easy, sure, but, I remember what our coach at the National Team told me when I was about to quit professional football because I failed to stop a penalty: Keep improving. Even if you had stopped that penalty, your goal will always to keep bettering yourself. Don't improve yourself to be better than the other, improve yourself to be better than you were before. We'll keep improving, whatever happens on this match, we will continue, we won't quit. We won't quit."

"(sniff) Wow, coach. Those are some (sniff) really beautiful words. (sniff) Thank you, that's all the time (sniff) we have. Can somebody bring me a tissue? (sniff)
"Thank you. Stop crying on my floor, please, it's imported hardwood."


End of transcription.

[Saintland]

Semifinals Results

Hapilopper 2–2 San Félix (3–2 AET)
West Phoenicia 1–0 Port Ember

---

3rd Place Playoff

San Félix v. Port Ember @ Royal Stadium, St. Petrus, Saintland

Baptism of Fire 70 Final

Hapilopper v. West Phoenicia @ CoCoCo Stadium, New City, Orlandiana, Free Republics

[Hapilopper]

Royal Stadium, St. Petrus, Saintland
The Semifinals: Hapilopper vs. San Félix
When Ernie Stevenson and several other members of the Hapilopper National Football Team took one glance at the team from San Félix, they knew that their semifinal match would be no cakewalk. It certainly wouldn’t be a repeat of Hapilopper’s quarterfinal blowout of Terre Septentrionale. He took a deep breath, turned back to his teammates and nodded his head grimly. This match would be a challenge, to say the very least.

Everyone watching the match at Royal Stadium knew it would be a challenge. Jon Arnold and Harold Kellner, commentators for Venerable Television, also sounded grim as the coverage started for the millions watching across Hapilopper. Fans watching at Hamilton Square in Hapilopper City looked nervous. Some were crossing their fingers. Others were biting their nails. Having seen highlights of San Félix’s matches in the Baptism of Fire, everyone knew that this was a good team, and the HNFT would have one hell of a challenge ahead of them. Thom Perkins, the manager and head coach of the HNFT, knew the challenge ahead, and worked to fire up the team. They’d need to be fired up for this one.

And, sure enough, the match was the challenge that everyone thought it would be. When Hapilopper had a move, San Félix had a counter. When San Félix saw an opening, Hapilopper would close it. It made for one of the most magnificent football matches seen in this tournament or any other tournament, and for all intents and purposes, the match truly was a toss-up, and could have gone either way.

Bryan Laguna opened the scoring after 34 minutes of intense football, putting San Félix ahead 1-0. Laguna’s goal, from 17 yards out, was a magnificent sight to behold, and there was nothing Cooter Harris could have done to stop it. The Hapiloppians suddenly realized they needed to climb back from a deficit. On the VTV broadcast, players could be seen pointing to Ernie Stevenson, who nodded his head in the affirmative.

Later on, Ernie told reporters that it was a reminder that this was his time to shine.

“I told my teammates I knew what I needed to do,” he said. “I had no alternative. We didn’t come here to play for 3rd place.”

In the 39th minute, Beautiful Bobby East gave Ernie the pass he was looking for. After evading a couple of San Félix defenders, Ernie shot the ball right into the goal from almost point-blank range to make it a tied 1-1 match. There was, however, no visual celebration. The intensity in Ernie’s face as he ran from the goal almost jumped off the page. Hapilopper still needed to score one more goal against a monumentally tough San Félix team, and that was a hell of a lot easier said than done. One could see that task imprinted on Ernie’s face as he prepared for play to resume. This was no time to celebrate – a match had to be played.

That next goal didn’t come until after the teams had returned from the halftime break, and until after Thom had reminded his team to “remember why we’re here.”

“We’re not here to play in that goddamn third place game,” Thom shouted. “If we’re here for that, I’m getting the hell out of here. We came here to WIN, damn it, and that’s just what we’re doing to do!”

When the HNFT came from the locker room, one could see the intensity pouring off the heads of each of the players as they returned to the field. They knew what they needed to do and they knew what it took to make it to the final. That intensity could be seen in the 53rd minute, when Ernie fired one into the back of the net for a sure goal, but the referee threw up his flag at the last minute, indicating that he had been offside. Ernie ran towards that referee at all due speed and screamed at him, earning him a yellow card for dissent. It could have gone much, much worse, however, had his teammates not ran towards him and held him back.

A look at a replay, however, showed that Ernie was, indeed, offside by two steps. Little consolation, but he was determined to take care of this.

“I’ll take care of this!” Ernie shouted at his teammates. “I’ll fix that referee’s error!”

Ten seconds later, Ernie did exactly that, firing the ball in the back of the net, and giving the Hapiloppians a 2-1 lead. As he ran back, he pointed at the referee and sarcastically dedicated the goal to him. No action was taken, but some could argue that Ernie probably should have been shown a second yellow card for this action. Fortunately for the Hapiloppians, the referee declined to take action.

For quite some time, it appeared as if Hapilopper would be on the way to the finals. But then a goal from Laguna in the 89th minute took the wind out of the HNFT’s sails, and out of the sails of the Hapiloppians watching either at the stadium or anywhere in Hapilopper proper. It was a beautiful goal, to say the least. But it couldn’t have come at a worse time for the Hapiloppians, who felt deflated by the last-second equalizer for San Félix. This match was one for the ages.

And it wasn’t over.

As the whistle blew to end the regular 90 minutes of play, Cooter Harris called everyone over for a brief meeting at the 18-yard line. Cooter felt terrible about letting that equalizer in, and he vowed he’d be at his best, if someone could just get one in before we got to penalty kicks, damn it!

“I can’t guarantee that we’ll win if we go to PKs,” Cooter said. “So someone, for the love of God, just PUT ONE IN!!”

All of the players nodded their heads. They were going to score for their team captain, one way or another. The fact is, Cooter was right. San Félix could very easily win this one if it went to PKs. Hapilopper had to go for broke at this very instance.

They played like it, too. The tempo went up. The intensity level went nuclear. The physicality jumped off the page, and it paid off in the 117th minute. Ernie Stevenson had been blocked perfectly by San Félix’s defensive team, but Murray Hunnisett and Steve Erickson hadn’t.

Murray kicked the ball to Erickson as they raced down the pitch. Erickson kicked it back to Murray as a defender got to him. Murray, seeing an opening, shot the ball, and the goalkeeper didn’t react in time. Hapilopper led 3-2. The celebrations reached a level previously unseen, both on the field, in the stands and back home in Hapilopper. The beer flew like crazy on Hamilton Square in downtown Hapilopper City. A fan reportedly jumped atop a bar in West Hampton and declared that he was buying the next round for everyone in the bar. His bar tab ended up around $500 on the day.

Your headlines from this match!

The Buckridge Morning Sentinel: THE HAPS TO PLAY IN THE FINAL! | Hapilopper Television Network: ONE FOR THE AGES: HAPILOPPER BEATS SAN FELIX IN OVERTIME | The Hapilopper City Herald: HAPILOPPER MAKES THE FINALS WITH STUNNING LAST-SECOND GOAL | H-Sports: THE HNFT TO THE FINALS! | Venerable Television: A LOOK AT THE FINALS: COMPREHENSIVE COVERAGE

CoCoCo Stadium, New City, Orlandiana, Free Republics
The morning of the Baptism of Fire 70 Final: Hapilopper vs. West Phoenicia
The final of the 70th Baptism of Fire was hours away, but Thom Perkins and a handful of players on the Hapilopper National Football Team were checking the field out. This was the most unbelievable stadium they had ever seen, with its 150,000+ seats, solar-powered retractable roof and artificial turf. The facilities were unlike anything any Hapiloppian had seen in any sport, and every one of those seats would be filled come game time, with thousands upon thousands of fans from both Hapilopper and West Phoenicia.

As the players walked to the locker room, Thom couldn’t help himself. Tears ran down his cheeks. He had remembered taking up the game of soccer as a child at Earl Wentzel Middle School in Hapilopper City so many years ago, after failing as a gridiron football player. When he started, it was on a field that was barely covered by grass, and against kids who obviously wouldn’t make it. But he did. For years upon years, he toiled in the shadows of Hapiloppian sport, as the national sports landscape was dominated by those that competed in stock cars in HASCAR, open-wheel cars in the Championship Series, and in NLH baseball. Thom had been a good player, but not a great one, and he had feared that his career would be for naught.

After his career had come to an end as a player, Thom had taken a job as coach for the Hapilopper City Soldiers and led that team to success in the top level of Hapiloppian football. At the end of last year, Thom fielded a call from Dominic Probst, the head of the Hapilopper Football Association. Probst asked Thom if he wanted to coach the HFA’s all-star team, a team that would contend for international glory in the 70th Baptism of Fire, and hopefully, the 83rd World Cup, coming later in the year.

“That would be an honor,” Thom told Probst.

Everything, to say the least, had gone remarkably well in the Baptism of Fire. Hapilopper had won every single one of its matches, and until the match against San Félix, the team had been easily able to hold off any challenge from their opponents. The media had gotten wind of this ragtag group of players, guys that had toiled in the shadows like Thom had his entire career. Before the Baptism of Fire, nobody could pick out Ernie Stevenson from a crowd. When he walked through the streets of Hapilopper City, he wouldn’t be mobbed by adoring fans like his brother Drake, who had been one of the dominant forces in HASCAR stock car racing, and the first Hapiloppian driver in the history of international motorsport.

As the final approached, however, Ernie had become an overnight sensation in Hapilopper and in other nations for his loud boastfulness and his incredible ability to score goals. Ernie had scored over 20 goals in the Baptism of Fire leading up to the final, and his goalscoring ability had been the talk of town. Ernie had become as well-known as his older brother, and his boastful interviews had become viral social media sensations.

Fans were paying more attention to football, and learning the game as it went on. Where the “offside” rule had caused confusion initially among Hapiloppian fans, fans were starting to understand the game and all of its intricacies. Hapiloppians were quick learners. They were starting to understand the difference between what caused a straight red and what would bring about a yellow card, and they were liking what they were seeing. Regardless of the result in the final, the Baptism of Fire had brought about a change of attitudes amongst Hapiloppians for the sport of football.

That change of attitude was a generational one, too. All across Hapilopper, children and teenagers had gotten up early with their parents to see the HNFT take on teams from countries they had never heard of previously, countries that hadn’t even been mentioned in social studies classes in schools across Hapilopper. Those younger people decided, after watching people like Ernie Stevenson, Steve Erickson, Murray Hunnisett and Bobby East, that this was the sport they wanted to pursue. This was what they wanted to do for a living. A number of children, many of whom had thought about taking up something like stock car racing for a living, would go to school the morning after and take up soccer at their schools.

And here was Thom Perkins, whose career had started on a muddy field in a middle school in Hapilopper City, and now he was sitting in one of the most magnificent stadiums the world had ever known. All of this because he had accepted the offer months before to join the Hapilopper National Football Team. This move had helped contribute to what would be a generational shift across Hapilopper, a shift that would impact the Hapiloppian sports landscape for decades to come. Much of this was because of him, and he knew it.

Across Hapilopper, those children and their parents would be joined by millions across the country in watching the match either in their homes on Venerable Television, or in the many pubs and other gathering places in the country. In Hapilopper City’s Hamilton Square, hundreds of thousands of Hapiloppians crammed into the square, forcing the closure of a handful of roads in the vicinity of the square. They wanted to be there to watch Hapilopper take Baptism of Fire glory.

Just a few blocks to the south, right near the West River, approximately 75,000 fans gathered in Capital Stadium for a watch party of their own, as they took seats around four television screens that had been placed in the middle of the field. That scene was being repeated across Hapilopper, as many of the country’s stadiums were being used for giant watch parties across the country. This was the biggest moment in Hapiloppian sport, and it came in the most unexpected way possible. Nobody predicted soccer would get this big in Hapilopper, but at least for now, it had arrived on the Hapiloppian sports landscape.

In the locker room of CoCoCo Stadium, however, none of that was on the minds of the HNFT, who prepared for the biggest match of their lives, at least up to that point. They were listening to Thom Perkins, who was giving his pep talk for his players.

“Gentlemen, this is your moment,” Thom said. “This is what you’ve worked for. Let’s play our game, and let’s win it for everyone back home. Tonight, we are Hapilopper, and we will be champions.”

[West Phoenicia]

West Phoenician Mid-Fielder Chandler Goodwin has broken down in tears when the time ran out for the semi-final game against Port Ember and the realisation hit him that he had won the day by scoring the only goal of the day.

There was a moment of silence from the stadium before West Phoenician fans realised they had just won the semi-finals, at which the stadium rang out with loud cheers and whistles from the winning team.

From the beginning the match up with Port Ember was going to be a tough match. Both had similar stats and results, both had made the same journey to reach the semi-finals, they were not going to be a team to easily beat. They were also different to other teams, all their players were younger and were not from an established league but from some youth training program. Which to some in West Phoenicia sounded more like a cult.

It was a 0-0 intense first half with neither goal keeper allowing the ball passed them. Peter Smith from Port Ember was on alert as he dove for a ball in the last 2 minutes of the first half; Jason Summer had tried to psych out his opponent with a move that looked as if he was going to kick the ball into the hard left. The Port Ember was not going to be fooled by the trick move as he dove right, intercepting the ball.

During the second half Port Ember dominated the .majority of the keeping the ball in West Phoenician territory. Three times Daniel Fozter intercepted the ball from
Attacking Mid-Fielder Raymond Reddington and center forward Leon Moult who both had masks of determination to score a goal for the team. Each of the aggressive kicks were met with a strong interception from Fozter. If West Phoenicia was going to lose it would not be on his watch, and while he was utterly exhausted he in no way wanted to sit the game out.


With five minutes left in the game it was a poorly timed pass by a Port Ember player than allowed
Manpreet Siva to steal the ball, some quick moves and fake dodging his opponent allowed him to pass the ball to Ashley Butler.
The swish of the ball moving into the Port Ember territory had fans on their own feet cheering the move as others waited with held breathe. Ricardo Latin took control of the ball and thundered down the field, giving rise to the stampede name as Chandler Goodwin followed close behind.
It was definitely looking that Ricardo Latin intention was to score a goal for the team, but at the last possible second he faked out the goal keeper by passing it to Chandler Goodwin who took advantage of the situation to swipe the ball sharply to the right, while Peter Smith was expecting it dead centre from Ricardo Latin.

The look on the Port Ember goalee face said it all, over the cheers of the West Phoenician fans, the defensiveine up led by Clayton Danes took charge in keeping Port Ember away from the goal for the remainder of the game.

The West Phoenician Stampedes will now take on Hapilopper at the CoCoCo Stadium, New City, Orlandiana, Free Republics for the final game of the series.

Head Coach Patrick Newman and Team Manager Yusuf Weir have both confirmed there will be no change to their up. This is the dream team for the finals of the Baptism of Fire.

Forwards
#22 Jason Summer- Striker

Midfielders
#3 Luis Cavera - Attacking Midfielder/Central Forward
#17 Chandler Goodwin- Left Wing
#5 Ricardo Latin- Right Wing
# 27 Marcelo Devier - Defensive Midfielder
#34 Ashley Butler - Defensive Midfielder

Defense
#2 Clayton Danes - Leftback
#8 Vince Young - Center Back
#10 Manpreet Siva - Center Back
#31 Ron Eccles - Rightback

Goalkeeper
#1 Daniel Fozter- Goalkeeper

Chaplain Father Michael Vikkers and Priestess of Nortia Avalon Neo-Nortia had agreed on a joint prayer session to bless the team as they went out to the field. At this point in time it did not matter if a player was a member of the True Path Faith or the United Pagan Faith, they were all one team under the blessing of the gods, goddesses and animal deities who would be on hand to support the team with love and power.

Incese rose out of gold incense burners, performing the air as the players knelt to listen to the words of the two religious clergy.

"Today the Supreme God of the Truth Path Faith and Goddess Nortia; whose influence is over
influence time, fate, destiny, and chance unite today and bind themselves together to give The Stampedes the ultimate blessing. May these two deities shower you all with Love for the game, Strength to keep fighting even if it looks like we are losing and to never give up and Instinct to trust that inner voice that is telling you what is the right move to make and the right time.
May both deities hear the prayers of all West Phoenicians who are praying for a good outcome. But let it be said; fate and chance are also domains of the goddess, her will must be obeyed. Skills can be used but at the end of the day it will so come down to luck, dedication and chance. May The True Path Faith Supreme God and Goddess Nortia bless both sides and bless The 70th Baptism of Fire. "

Head Coach Patrick Newman than announced one last meeting behind closed doors before the game and some time with the West Phoenician media before The Stampedes took to the field to take on Hapilopper.

[Port Ember]

Port Emberian Broadcasting Commission

Live Broadcast

Coach Stuart Baxter was standing on the pitch, awaiting to be interviewed by the PEBC after the semi final match which saw Port Ember lose against West Phoenicia 1-0. Both teams have withdrawn to their respective lockerrooms already, but the West Phoenician fans could still be seen - and heard, celebrating in the stands, still busy filtering to the outside of the stadium.

Jolene Richards, the PEBC journalist commenced with the live interview

We are here live at the Coliseum of the Crucifixion Stadium in the Free Republics, moments after the emotional semi-final defeat of Port Ember by the hands of West Phonesia. Here now with us is Port Emberian Manager & Coach - Stuart Baxter.

Jolene Richards: Coach I can see that you are extremely close to tears at the moment. Walk us through your emotions coach.

Stuart Baxter: I am indeed close to tears Jolene. I will be honest with you, I am utterly heartbroken. The team, myself and surely the nation was hoping and dreaming of holding high the coveted trophy, and to have that dream ripped from you after getting so close to it, is gut wrenching to say the least. But im not taking anything away from the team - the lads played their hearts out today, and can still hold their heads high!

Jolene Richards: I can fully understand your sorrow coach, and even though you failed to win this tournament, you and the team did do the unthinkable - you have united the nation in support for your team. You have basically launched a social revolution with your success here!

Stuart Baxter: Like I said Jolene, I will forever be proud of this team's progress and achievements, and I know for certain that they will pick themselves up after this loss and will come back ten times stronger than before and continue to lead the way in pathing soccer to legendary status within the nation. This we all know luckily, a small condolence to our sorrow today.

Jolene Richards: In retrospect, what could you have done today which would have seen you victorious over The Stampedes?

Stuart Baxter: Nothing actually. Today's match was one for the ages, one in which I believe, was worth every cent the fans paid to see. Today's match was brutal, each anf every player from both sides gave everything they had out their, all of them played their hearts out. The Stampedes just happened to be 5% better than us this day - and I congratulate them heartily on a well deserved win today, and wish them all the besy for the final.

Jolene Richards: So lastly coach, even though you can no longer lift the trophy, you have one match left against St Felix, to play for third place. This match is to take place in Saintland, so with your traveling time there, will leave you no time to rest and prepare. What is your plan to combat this problem?

Stuart Baxter: As you say, there is no time to rest or prepare since we must fly tonight, and play tomorow morning - a fact which is not lost on us, as we do question the logic behind such a move from the organisers. Anyway I digress.. Simply put, there is no plan. Theres no time for a plan. All I do know is, we have lost everything here today, and St Felix is a brilliant team. But like I said, we have literally nothing left to lose, so we will play what little is left of our hearts and souls out onto that field tomorow. Win or lose will not matter, we will ensure that its a match to remember. Nothing less than blood, guts and glory.

Jolene Richards: Thank you coach, well done so far, and goodluck for your next match. This is Jolene Richards for the PEBC, broadcasting live from The Free Republics.

[Free Republics]

3PPO Result

San Félix 1–3 Port Ember

Final Result

Hapilopper 3–0 West Phoenicia

Congratulations to our champion, commiserations to our runner-up and thanks to everybody who participated in this 70th edition of the Baptism of Fire! Best of luck to all in World Cup 83!

[Hapilopper]

CoCoCo Stadium, New City, Orlandiana, Free Republics
The Finals of the 70th Baptism of Fire: Hapilopper vs. West Phoenicia
The Hapiloppian National Football Team walked out of the tunnel into the most amazing stadium they had seen up to that point, CoCoCo Stadium in New City in Orlandiana. Each one of the 151,732 seats were filled, and many of them were wearing the blue, green and white of Hapilopper. They were waving the flags of Hapilopper, and waving signs bragging about some of the top players from the HNFT. The players had smiles on their faces. They remembered what manager and head coach Thom Perkins had said to them. They were Hapilopper. This was their moment. Tonight would the night they would take their trophy.

Each of the players looked up at the air as the Hapiloppian National Anthem, “The Sun Always Shines on Hapilopper,” was played. Each of them were singing. One or two of them had tears in their eyes. This was the moment that the Hapiloppians became famous, and this was the moment that their breakthrough would truly come to pass. Tens of thousands of Hapiloppians in the stands of CoCoCo Stadium were signing with them. They had a feeling that today would be a magical one. So did the hundreds of thousands watching in Hamilton Square, braving an unfortunate rain that had been falling all day.

Andrew’s Pub in North Hapilopper City had recovered from the debacle of the quarterfinals, when proprietor Andrew McPherson had the poor luck of having a “Free Beer and Free Shot For Every Goal” promotion on a night when Hapilopper scored eight goals. With the large crowd on hand, McPherson had run out of alcohol. On this night, however, his pub featured a standing-room-only crowd, which included Team Blue’s three drivers, Chet Byrd, Frank Bronson and Chris Holmes, who were starting to make Hapilopper proud in the NSSCRA. The three drivers were household names in Hapilopper, but nobody really cared if they were there or not. Everyone in Andrew’s was there to see their countrymen win the Baptism of Fire.

And what a show they would see. When the whistle blew to start the match, the match would be even for the first few minutes. But then Steve Erickson and Ernie Stevenson saw the opening they were looking for. It was the 11th minute, and Erickson passed to Stevenson perfectly onsides. Stevenson ran past all of West Phoenicia’s defenders and past goalkeeper Daniel Fozter. Ernie fired it into the back of the net, and Hapilopper led 1-0.

It was cold and raining in Hapilopper City, but the scene on Hamilton Square was joyous. The hundreds of thousands of Hapiloppians were in ecstasy. Ernie Stevenson had pulled through again. Similarly, Andrew’s Pub, and thousands of pubs across Hapilopper, were as joyous as they were on Hamilton Square. The screams of joy were as loud as Andrew McPherson had ever heard in his bar. But that was just the beginning.

In the 26th minute, Ernie got the ball from Beautiful Bobby East, and Ernie passed it back to him. Beautiful Bobby had an opening and he made the most of it. He kicked the ball as hard as he could, and it was on target. The ball sailed past the head of Fozter, and hit the back of the net with incredible force. Hapilopper led 2-0, and the celebrations around Hapilopper repeated itself again.

Now, we haven’t mentioned Hapilopper’s defensemen a whole lot, except for that time Nate Ellis just about got into a physical altercation with Zbigniew Zajaczkowski during the group match with Terre Septentrionale. But that’s not as if to say they weren’t doing their jobs. Nick Seward moved the ball away from West Phoenicia’s ballcarriers with little effort. Nate Ellis did the same thing, as Colin McLain was an annoyance to West Phoenicia midfielders and ballcarriers. Cooter Harris registered six saves. Across Hapilopper, each time Cooter made a save, huge chants of “COOOOOOOOOOOOOOTER!” could be heard anywhere you went.

The third goal came in the 71st minute when Ernie, seeing an opening, aided by his midfielders, fired the ball in the right side of the net. Fozter didn’t even realize it was there, and Hapilopper led 3-0. Ernie, the likely winner of the Golden Boot of the Baptism of Fire, ran back, holding up two fingers, then made a belt gesture around his waist. The championship was within reach.

Ernie might have been indicating a third goal for him was coming, but it was not to be. It really didn’t matter. It didn’t matter to Ernie and it didn’t matter to anyone if he got yet another hat trick. When the final whistle blew, it was over. Hapilopper had bested 36 other nations and won the Baptism of Fire, and they couldn’t take that away from Hapilopper. They had really done it!

The celebrations in CoCoCo Stadium were rambunctious, to say the least. The entire team rushed out to midfield in a dogpile, and at the bottom of that pile was Ernie Stevenson, the top goalscorer in the entire tournament.

Across Hapilopper, the celebrations were just as wild. Beer flew everywhere. Hamilton Square saw a scene just as joyous as anyone had ever seen it. At Capital Stadium a few blocks away, around 75,000 people rocked the house like Capital Stadium had never been rocked before. And at Andrew’s Pub, everyone grabbed a neighbor and drunkenly sang songs of celebration. It didn’t matter who that neighbor was. Chet Byrd, a 40-year veteran of the HASCAR stock car series and one of Hapilopper’s most well-known athletes, grabbed a random individual by the shoulder and the two drunkenly sang together, something that probably wouldn’t have happened without the appearance of the Hapilopper National Football Team.

The next day, businesses across the country took the day off. Their customers didn’t mind. To a man, Hapilopper had drunkenly celebrated Baptism of Fire glory like there was no tomorrow. Football had not been the most popular sport in Hapilopper until the tournament, and until the Hapilopper National Football Team had made its debut on the international stage. And what a debut it was.

In ten matches, the team had won every single match, and sometimes in convincing fashion. The players, previously unknown in the Hapiloppian landscape, had become household names overnight. Ernie Stevenson had become one of the most famous figures in Hapiloppian sport on the strength of his many goals and his boastful demeanor. He had promised goals and hat tricks, and he followed through on it.

The next morning, as the team flew back to Hapilopper from Free Republics, manager and head coach Thom Perkins addressed each of his players over the plane’s intercom.

“Gentlemen, I’m not sure how highly we were regarded just prior to the start of this tournament,” he said with some emotion. “But we made it. We came together for a worthy cause. And we won. We beat 36 other nations.”

Thom held up the Baptism of Fire trophy for all to see and stopped for a second. The emotions had gotten to him again.

“We beat 36 other nations. We won the Baptism of Fire. A few nations that went on to win the World Cup started off by winning this,” he said. “You know, they’re saying something about the impossible dream. The dream that a nation like us can beat the rest of the world. We can fight that unbeatable foe, and we can reach that unreachable star.”

The goal had been set, and it was a high one, but it was one that was worth fighting for. In a couple of weeks, the HNFT would meet up again to get ready for qualifying for the 83rd World Cup. The field would be tougher, and a lot larger. The competition would put Hapilopper against the greatest countries and the greatest players in the world, but they were fighting for their countrymen. They were fighting for the kids that, because of them, picked up a soccer ball and kicked it around for the first time. They were fighting for what was, to them, the greatest country in the multiverse, and when they had that on the line, what was the worst that could happen?

They were Hapilopper. They played with fire and didn't get burnt. They were champions.

Your headlines from this match!

Hapilopper Television Network: YES! HAPILOPPER WINS!!! | Venerable Television: HAPILOPPER WINS THE BAPTISM OF FIRE! | The Hapilopper City Herald: CHAMPIONS! | H-Sports: HAPILOPPER BEATS W. PHOENICIA 3-0, WINS BAPTISM OF FIRE | The Buckridge Morning Sentinel: HAPILOPPER WINS BAPTISM OF FIRE!