AOCAF Cup LIX - Everything Thread

by **Banija** » Sun Oct 20, 2019 8:18 pm

Pair of 1-0 victories put Banija in driver's seat of their group at AOCAF LIX as the Transfer Window looms over the tournament

Nwabudike Ugonna(#12) celebrates match winning goal against Tropicorp on Matchday 4

BUSUKUMA, NATIONAL CAPITOL REGION- There is no way around this- the Kadongo Kamu entered Group B of AOCAF LIX as the definitive favorites to win their group, and they did not disappoint. In their first three games, against the teams who are now in the bottom half of their group at AOCAF LIX, the Banijans kept on grabbing 3 points. A 2-0 win over Saltstead away from home started the proceedings, and that was followed by a 3-2 win over Torisakia in our home opener. A hard fought 4-2 comeback victory over Sarzonia saw Ilman Jawara feature with a hat trick, and the Banijans proceeded to continue building their confidence in this tournament, as we take the long road to try and claw our way back to the AOCAF Final, the last of which we so cruelly fell to our archrivals, on our home field.

But then, came the other top teams of the group- Demot, out of the Glorious Southwest who are certainly surprising people, and Tropicorp, who expected to compete as the group's Pot 2 side. It would be the toughest stretch of schedule yet that the Banijans had to face. And how did they do? Well, it is not a stretch at all to say that the Kadongo Kamu handled it rather amicably. Led by Hanauma Ranbomah and quite a few Cocoabo, they frustrated Banijan intentions for most of the day. The partisan crowd was heavily behind them in the Vilitan Cove, though of course, not as partisan as crowds could be, considering the crowd was mostly Tropicorp employees. However, they could not hold out forever, as Nwabudike Ugonna had his first big moment of his time on the national team, as he scored the match winning goal in the 72nd minute. Making a great back post run, he was sent a perfect ball by the captain, Gitonga Kahara, and he head the ball back across goal to give his side a 1-0 lead, and ultimately, the only goal of the match. A tough road game, a tough road win, but all three points earned. No complaints from Banijan fans.

And then, of course, GSW neighbors Demot paid a visit to the Stadium of the Restoration. It was the first ever time these two had met, and there was visible excitement. There is not much interaction between Demot and Banija- though notably, after the Banijan-Equestrian War, our national baseball team spent an entire World Baseball Classic playing home games in Demot, rather than in Istria, as the World Baseball Council worked through safety concerns about playing in Banija at that time. But the top of the table clash between the two sides was always going to be close, and fans of the Kadongo Kamu packed the stadium, though there was a significant Demot contingent, considering the short distance required to make that trip. The two teams battled, and Demot played fearlessly- instead of just packing it in, they went for it, trying to get a goal at the cavernous stadium. However, the Banijan defense held once again in a big match, and this time the second half winner came from Namakula Kawesa, who had a tap-in after great build up play by Kahara and Jawara, for the Banijans to get another 1-0 victory.

This puts the Kadongo Kamu, of course, in the driver's seat in Group B. This national team has made four consecutive AOCAF quarterfinals, and we look to make that five in this tournament. Of course, to do that, one must reach the Round of 16, and that is exactly what the Banijans look on track to do. The performance has been excellent- expected for a team that's 5-0-0. Of course, the competition will certainly get tougher in the knockout stages, but we can't control who we play, only how we play, and we've played well. The offense looks creative, and in the physical games against sides like Demot and Tropicorp, we were able to gut out 3 points. Winning the group is crucial, and if possible, getting a top 4 overall seed even more crucial, to ensure the best possible Round of 16 matchup. And this team is doing just that.

While the team seems locked in on the field, however, something else entirely is looming over the proceedings- the transfer window. The window has been opened, and Marcus Waters, naturally, isn't a fan. "I'd like for all our players to be 100% focused and locked in for this tournament." The manager said. "It's a long one, and we need to focus on ourselves." But their ability to do just that seems extraordinarily hampered by the involvement of players within the window. While Marcus Waters wouldn't say it, sources around the manager say this- he wants any players on the national team to have their business wrapped up by the start of the knockout stages, so that it isn't a distraction.

A number of players are being talked about. Kawsu Kaba had a surprise bid from Taeshan, and while the Warriors rejected initial offers, maybe another Taeshan club comes back with an improved offer? And of course, the present starting striker, Ilman Jawara. He's generated great interest from across the pond, in Valanora, where Soldarian FC has made a bid for his services. Can he maintain his focus on the tournament, on the national team, while he's trying to sort out his club future? Can Kawsu Kaba, who all of a sudden has leverage to ask for a bigger contract form Hoima? It will all be interesting to follow.

The AOCAF colliding with the Transfer Window- Inevitable. How will the players deal with it? Their ability to respond to this, and to keep focus, could determine the fate of their campaign. Will they be able to do so?

by **Timuria** » Mon Oct 21, 2019 3:09 am

Rock Bottom?

by Tufan Nursultan

Cult of Motherbread 2–1 Timuria
Chris (1), Tony R (69);Vatan Ercetin (80)

The crisis triggered by the AOCAF Cup performances has deepened as many are now calling for Bekir Altingunes to resign following a shocking 2-1 defeat at the hands of Cult of Motherbread, a team of fast food employees. Many suspected that based on the players conduct during the match many rumours have begun to circulate relating to Altingunes's lax discipline for this cup when compare to previous campaigns with many analysts claiming that the lack of discipline from the top has created a culture where failure is acceptable.

The Red Wolves were shocked immediately, as no more than 20 seconds into the match Chris managed to seize upon a mistake made by Hasan Maratov on a back pass to Iskender Nur, slotting the ball past the helpless goalkeeper. The national team looked out of sorts as passes were consistently misplaced and shots would often fizz harmlessly wide of the goal. Traveling fans began to chant anti-government slogans as the Red Wolves struggled to make any kind of effective attacking chances.

The closing moments of the first half would be the cause of some controversy with claims that the referee missed a blatant foul on Vatan Ercetin, regardless from the ensuing corner Eyup Mustafa had the Red Wolves' best chance of the match with his header clipping the bar on its way over. With the first half over, a dejected Bekir Altingunes slowly made his way down the tunnel almost as if he had already given up on the match.

The second half began with a renewed attack impetus from the Red Wolves, with chance after chance falling the ways of Caner Turan, Ertan Renda and Vatan Ercetin, each testing Jermaine S who proved equal to them at every turn. The Cult of Motherbread side would go an even further step along the unthinkable as Tony R managed to find himself in acres of space in the Timurian box and poked the ball home past Iskender Nur.

After floundering all day and seeing their attacks seen off, even desperately at times by the Cult's players, Vatan Ercetin managed to find himself in space at last and slotted home past Jermaine S who had put in a performance to be proud of up to that point.

The result leaves the Red Wolves in a truly terrible last place with a sole point as they enter the halfway point of the group stage. Elsewhere in the group, top teams Mriin and Baker Park fought to a 3-3 draw while Lochario saw off Sultanate of Oontaz 1-0 away from home.

What they said after the match:

Bekir Altingunes: "I'm just thankful that we got out of that match without any injuries or any more suspensions. If I knew what was wrong with this team, I would probably have solved it by now, but we have a bit of time and 5 matches worth of tape to analyse and we will look at every single ball that was kicked and try to correct this. One final thing I'd just like to apologise to our fans, I know this isn't what they expected, it isn't what we expected and I don't like it any more than them."

Player Ratings:

Iskender Nur 6/10 - The two goals conceded weren't his fault and he largely kept his goal well.

Hasan Maratov 5/10 - Had a terrible time as he looked a step slow.

Eyup Mustafa 6/10 .- A distinctly average day, with few mistakes and missteps on a better day this would be a boring performance.

Levent Ahmedoglu 6/10 - Another distinctly average day among the defence, didn't do anything wrong, but nonetheless will be scrutinised closely.

Beyhan Enver 5/10 - Put in a bad performance in his rare opportunity to play in the starting XI.

Atilla Acar 4/10 - For a player who relies on his energy to get by he looked awfully lethargic.

Azer Erdinc 5/10 - Struggled to make his physicality count and misplaced many passes.

Ragip Eyuboglu 6/10 - Had a distinctly quiet match producing a few opportunities, but very little in the way of final product.

Caner Turan 6/10 - Was given a lot of time and space by an inferior defence and almost didn't know what to do with it.

Ertan Renda 6/10 - Created chances, but his lack of final product hurt him today.

Vatan Ercetin 6/10 - Finally got another goal and put in a decent if lacklustre performance.

Substitutes:

Tayyar Ozel 6/10 - Came on and failed to really make a serious impact.

Osman Hasanoglu 6/10 - Provided some defensive solidity, but that was ultimately too little too late.

Man of the Match: Jermaine S - An astounding performance from a goalkeeper who was under siege for prolonged periods of the match, will have turned a few heads.

Player of the game for Timuria: Vatan Ercetin - Has finally got another goal after having such a terrible time at this cup.

Schedule and results:

MD1: vs Sultanate of Oontaz D 1-1
MD2: @ Lochario L 1-4
MD3: vs Baker Park L 0-5
MD4: vs Mriin L 1-4
MD5: @ Cult of Motherbread L 1-2
MD6: @ Sultanate of Oontaz
MD7: vs Lochario
MD8: @ Baker Park
MD9: @ Mriin
MD10: vs Cult of Motherbread

The next match: The Red Wolves will have to travel yet again, this time to the Sultanate of Oontaz a mere 2 points ahead of the Red Wolves as Bekir Altingunes will give his original starting XI one more match to prove that they aren't the problem.

by **Sarzonia** » Mon Oct 21, 2019 7:24 am

The day off couldn't have come at a more welcome time for Sarzonia and manager Bryan Ostrom.

The team was still jubilant over its come-from-behind 3-3 draw against the 15th ranked team in the region, even with the logistics of having the match moved at the last moment to decrepit Hendrix Stadium from Nottingham Pavilion. The resulting last-minute change, which the management staff from Sarzonia's national football organisation refused to explain, resulted in only 17,310 souls in a stadium that once routinely held 55,000-plus.

In the early going, Sarzonia drew first blood through a poor clearance from the Saltstead keeper and an opportunistic streak from offensive-minded midfielder Edwin Campbell, who slotted home a quick right-footed blast from eight yards out to give the Stars a ninth minute tally.

"Just being in the right place at the right time," Campbell said later.

That lead was short lived despite the efforts of goalkeeper Carlton Sandt, who made six saves in the first half alone. He was not at fault for the second and third Saltstead tallies, only accepting blame for the first one after his spectacular diving bid just grazed off his fingertips, but in the path of the team's top striker. The defensive lapses led the three defenders to trudge off the pitch with their heads hung low toward the dressing room. Midfielder Clayton Wilson spent most of the halftime period chewing out the event organisers for the chipped paint in the home dressing room and for failing to explain the last minute switch from Nottingham Pavilion.

He finally jogged back onto the pitch with seconds to spare before Ostrom was forced to send in a substitute. The team would later find out Joe Gibbs Stadium would be ready for the next home match and the team would return to its intended home grounds.

"That's what being the grandson of Brian Wilson can do," he said. Even though he'd recently retired and he was mourning the death of his legendary father, famed World Cup XXII winning coach Dave Wilson, Brian Wilson still carried a LOT of sway within Sarzonian football circles. Management quickly clarified that Nottingham Pavilion was scheduled to undergo standard maintenance prior to the start of the Sarzonian Football Confederation season. They also belatedly apologised to fans who were inconvenienced by the move from a stadium that had easy public transport access to one where the subway stop was closed for maintenance.

The second half saw Wilson show flashes of his impressive footballing bloodlines, as he contributed assists on both Stars goals by striker Jake Campos, including the 88th minute header off a Wilson cross that drew the score level.

Ostrom used his final substitution to take Campos off for reserve defender Pat Meyers, who was making their debut in front of a home crowd. They welcomed the gender non-conforming defender with a standing ovation as they jogged onto the pitch. They would also make a key tackle in the second minute of stoppage time to quell a late buildup to a potential match-winning goal.

For now, the Stars will finally celebrate a point in the table, even though they remain winless at 0-1-4 and still have conceded 16 goals to eight scored. They've proven so far they have a lot of grit and guts, even if their skill level still is lacking compared to the senior sides they continue to battle again and again.

by **Flavovespia** » Mon Oct 21, 2019 11:02 am

Flavovespia 1–3 Krytenia

After the highs of their match against 95X, Flavovespia were hit by a reality check with a 1-3 loss to Krytenia in Marthorpe. The surprise team of the group, if not the entire tournament, kept up their good form, whilst pushing Flavovespia back towards the bottom of the group.

The same 11 from the memorable victory at 95X lined up for Flavovespia at home to Krytenia. With Krytenia’s good form, Flavovespia were keen to try and avoid conceding an early goal, and played a deep line to begin with, despite being the hosts. This stifled any initial attacks from Krytenia, but as a consequence Flavovespia could seldom create much of their own, with the midfield of King, Hall and Fu having little chance to create chances. Indeed for the first half hour, each team only had 2 shots on target, and none of them were particularly threatening for the keepers.

34th minute and that all changed. The #9 of Krytenia ran at the defence, and was able to find space between Button and James. The shot was hit low and true, and Dobson despite his impressive height was unable to stretch far enough to keep it from going into the net. The visitors had a lead, and Flavovespia’s defensive efforts wouldn’t end in a clean sheet. In response, it seemed the wing backs were tasked with pushing forward.

3 minutes before half time, and the response from Flavovespia came. Johnson came down the left wing, and a well placed cross into the path of Scott Coleman. Coleman got a good left foot into it, and steered the wall past the keeper and into the net, to make it 1-1.The home crowd were delighted, and Flavovespia made no errors in keeping the score deadlocked as half-time came.

Flavovespia had hopes to get points out of this game, but coming out in the second half, it seemed like all of the play was going the way of Krytenia. Just 90 seconds after kick off, and Dobson was forced to tip a fierce shot over his bar. The resulting corner saw an on-target header, that Dobson got hold of. The pressure was on Flavovespia to try and turn it around.

56 minutes in, and Krytenia got a penalty. Johnson clipped their #11 as he tried to evade him in the box, and went to the floor. Claims of a dive were unfounded, as there was clear contact on the Krytenia player, and none on the ball. The #10 put the ball on the spot, and Dobson could do nothing as he dived the wrong way. 1-2 to the visitors, and Flavovespia had it all to do again. In response, the first sub was Jensen on for Fu, with Jensen and Hall swapping positions.

Flavovespia tried to find a creative spark to get an equaliser, but Krytenia had set up well. Space down the centre was limited, even with Hall in the attacking midfield role. Down the flanks, Johnson and Moore seemed unable to find a good ball, and seemed vulnerable to a counter-attack. Terence Daley came off the bench for Andrew Mason, but ultimately had little service to work with, and his few shots were all off-target.

81st minute and Krytenia finished it off. On the break, the #7 got past Moore, leaving a 3 vs 3. A quick through ball across to the other side of the box left their #9 with a clear cut chance, and he placed it beyond Dobson and into the back of the net. 1-3 it was, and any chances of a comeback seemed well and truly over for Flavovespia. Indeed Hall was subbed off for Feld, a move that seemed more to give another player a match at the AOCAF instead of an effort to win.

Despite this, Flavovespia had one last good chance, when Daley was able to head the ball into the path of Coleman. Coleman managed to get a volley, but the goalkeeper was able to deflect it onto the post and Krytenia scrambled it away. With that chance gone, Flavovespia looked to be down and out, and it would finish 1-3.

Halfway through and Flavovespia are 5th on 4 points. Krytenia (11) are the surprise leaders from Farfadillis (9) and 95X (8). Freeport (6), Flavovespia (4) and Euran Oceania Territories (3) found out the group. Flavovespia are certainly not out of knockout stage contention yet, however it would take a strong run of form to get into the Top 2 or a best 3rd placed spot as it stands. Never say never though.

by **Busoga Islands** » Mon Oct 21, 2019 11:03 am

The Busoga Chronicle
The Islands #1 News Source!

Important transfer window for Lakiska SC kicks off as Winad-Lenpi makes big-time Sarzonia signing

Lakiska SC midfielder Kizza Okafor takes a selfie with fans after a BSL game

LAKISKA, SOUTH ISLAND- The fortunes of the national team for the Busoga Islands have been improving strongly between World Cup Qualifying and this AOCAF group. The national team shocked the multiverse in World Cup 83 by, somehow, escaping from its group that included Vilita in 2nd place, and earning a spot in the playoffs, where they had a win-and-you're-in match on the final day of the World Cup 83 Qualifying Playoffs to make their first ever World Cup Finals. While they ultimately fell to Chromatika in that one, it hailed the sign of great things to come. Starfire, who was previously embattled as the manager of the Busoga Islands, was able to save herself and her helm atop this national team, and certainly give herself some more job security heading into the World Cup 84 cycle. While the Cup of Harmony was disappointing, they have delivered another strong performance in the first half of group play at AOCAF LIX, as they are in the thick of things in their group, and certainly still competing for a spot in the knockout stages. The Busoga Islands find themselves in third place in what local reporters like to nickname the Glorious Southwest classic, as five of the group's six sides(Equestria, Hapilopper, Qasden, the Busoga Islands, and Siovanija & Teusland) call the Glorious Southwest home.

But we aren't here to analyze the national team, though that will surely come later. The transfer window has been opened, and that has coincided with the group stages of the AOCAF, and most likely will coincide with the knockout stages of the AOCAF as well. As readers of this publication know, all 6 professional sides in the Busoga Islands are in the Banijan pyramid, with 5 sides in the Northwestern League on the second tier, and just one side, Lakiska Sporting Club, in the Banijan Soccer League. While Lakiska SC and Dukuma SC were at the cellar for a long time, the hiring of Qusmi manager Winad-Lenpi Xlo saw the fortunes of Lakiska SC turn around. He has turned this club into a defensive juggernaut, and has been a great culture fit here, helping lead the movement for owners to allow the signing of female talent, and even developing Namakula Kawesa for a season before she went on to greener pastures in Apox. Lakiska SC is certainly underresourced compared to the 'Super 5' clubs(Jinja City FC, Herzegovina City FC, Hoima Warriors, Busukuma AC, and Istria City FC), and that is amplified by being in the Busoga Islands, as opposed to in Banija, but they will compete.

Last season, of course, they finished in 11th place, good for mid-table. Not where they wanted to be, of course, but they had the strongest back line in the league, allowing just 26 goals, the only team in the BSL to allow less than 30. But change is coming at the club. Winad-Lenpi Xlo, after many expected them to pursue an opening at either Busukuma AC or at Jinja City FC, has decided to stay put and commit long-term to Lakiska Sporting Club. "This club means a lot to me." Said the manager when they talked about their own extension. "I have greatly appreciated this opportunity to compete for this club, and this fanbase, this ownership, wants to get to the next level. I am making a commitment to them, and I want to be the person who brings this club all the way up. I was brought here to avoid relegation, but we can aim far beyond that- a spot in the top four." Of course, sporting observers in the country always play special attention to Lakiska SC, as the country's only top flight club after Dukuma SC's most unfortunate relegation.

This team's foundation is their strong defense, and they will continue to build on that. This offseason, is crucial. There are two key cogs retiring in the back for Lakiska SC, which will be crucial if they want to get back into the top half of the table, and continue to rise higher. Gabriel Braga, the now 37 year old center back and captain, is retiring. Zachariah Elmer, the Nepharim goalkeeper who is 36, has also decided to hang up his cleats. It is a crucial offseason for Lakiska SC to try and get this decision right. The great thing about the transfer window occurring during the regional tournaments, however, is the ability to discover new talent that you would not have been able to otherwise. And that leads us to the replacement between the sticks for Zachariah Elmer, and how Winad-Lenpi has taken a risk to get decidedly younger at the position.

There is likely to be more Islander talent on the squad next season. Parviz Blourian, the national team's left back, is almost certainly going to sign with Lakiska SC from Taramazna United, making the switch from the regional leagues to the big show. But between the sticks, they needed to get this call right. And in enters AOCAF LIX. Carlton Sandt, who presently plays college soccer at Woodstock City College in Sarzonia, is a 19 year old teenager who has exploded at the regional tournament as one of the region's brightest young stars. While the defense in front of him is notably weak, he has made save after save under quite a bit of pressure playing for their U21s, who are tasked with mission impossible by not playing against other U21s, but facing senior national sides in a major tournament. He made 14 saves against the Kadongo Kamu, for example, even though they scored four times. He has impressed many, and Lakiska SC simply don't have the resources to scout college soccer players in Sarzonia. They simply don't.

But this man, with his level of play, had to be scouted. And Winad-Lenpi went to watch the player himself, as they continued to dig. They liked more and more of what they saw. He has a pedigree in his own blood, as his own older brother, Horace Sandt, is a legend with the national team. In the press conference, held in Lakiska alongside Horace and Carlton Sandt, Winad-Lenpi said that Sandt has all the makings of a true star. "We wanted to make sure that we had somebody who not only had the talent, but fit the culture, fit the style of Lakiska SC. And we absolutely do." Said the gaffer. "Sandt is a truly talented individual, and I believe truly that he will help lead this team towards greater times. He is a raw talent, perhaps unrefined- but he has the ability to be playing at the top flight now. And our ability to be able to have him play at this level, against the best sides, he will be able to learn. Will there be lumps? Every rookie professional soccer player has lumps, even the greatest of the Galacticos. Sandt is a signing that helps us build for both the present and the future, as he is capable of being our goalkeeper for a long time to come."

There are, of course, other details that came out throughout the day when Lakiska SC made this signing. No transfer fee, of course, can be given to a college or university, as that would violate RBSA rules regarding signing college athletes. Lakiska SC, however, is going to establish a $350,000 NSD annual scholarship fund at Woodstock City College, that will be jointly administered by Horace Sandt and by the Lakiska SC community relations department. The criteria for those eligible for the still unnamed scholarship, however, are yet to be determined. Lakiska SC, however, has committed to replenishing the funds at least 10 seasons, which would total to $3.5 million NSDs over those 10 seasons. While the Lakiska SC Sporting Director said that the number of students who could receive scholarships every year was unknown, as they were at the time unaware of the cost of tuition at Woodstock City College, they said the aim was for around 20 students per year to receive scholarship funding, though that would go up and down based on tuition costs.

And Carlton Sandt will be continuing his education. He will be transferring to the Islamic University of Busoga, and continuing his education there. Obviously, he has no eligibility to play for the University as he has a professional contract. But he will be playing professionally with Lakiska SC while attending school at the Islamic University. Winad-Lenpi said that the setup was 'unusual' to say the least, but he expressed confidence in Sandt to get the job done. "He wants to ensure that he gets his education, and we certainly will not stand in his way." The manager said. "The Islamic University is a start of the art institution, and he will get his education there. Going to school while being a full-time professional athlete is stuff, but if he understands his obligations and he has the work ethic to do so, and by all accounts he does, then this should not be a problem."

It is quite the bang to start this transfer window for Lakiska SC. We'll see if they can make any other impact signings to try and strengthen the squad for the upcoming BSL season.

by **Timuria** » Mon Oct 21, 2019 12:12 pm

Views: Is Bekir Altingunes the Problem and Was it a Mistake To Extend His Contract?

Tufan Nursultan: I've been following this team from the beginning, he isn't the problem.

I've been the sports journalist who was charged with following this team since its inception, throughout their time under Bekir Altingunes there have been challenges and complications. While the current situation feels dire we have to remember several things about this team and where we are in the journey to professionalisation of sport (as the government insists on calling it.) One important thing is that despite impressive early performances in previous tournaments, that this team has had a habit of struggling at home, whether that is due to pressure from home fans or a more systematic problem is yet to be seen and the majority of our matches up until now in the AOCAF Cup have been at home. Another important factor is that this is our nation's first AOCAF Cup, some teething problems are to be expected, yes we may not have expected to lose to a team of fast food employees, but the fact is that the nature of regional competition is fundamentally distinct from the whole multiverse piling into one tournament.

I have to confess that when I first heard that Bekir Altingunes, a failed Agriculture Minister and political pariah was going to be manager of the national football team, I thought it was a sign that the government and the Football Federation were expecting failure. Instead what they got was a perfect group stage in the Baptism of Fire, a close quarter final defeat, an incredibly sound qualification campaign that might have seen the team qualify for the playoffs in a different group, a battling performance in the Cup of Harmony which saw them rise from bottom of the group, to group winners. This tournament does not erase that and the Football Federation will be vindicated in extending his contract through two more World Cup cycles.

Ozbek Sarikaya: Having played under him I know this is the exception not the rule.

When I first joined the international set up, we trained in a facility that was little more than a field and some improvised changing rooms. This area would later become the complex that we based our team out of for the World Cup Qualifiers, a state of the art and modern complex, but when we played our matches at home we would play in high school sports arenas and occasionally places used for intramural sports matches. The point I'm illustrating is that the development of the national team has been asymmetric in parts. Sure, we did well in the Baptism of Fire, but then we came to struggle in the first half of the World Cup Qualifiers, then we went unbeaten in the second half of the qualification period. Through all of this and no matter what or who he had to work with Bekir Altingunes was a model professional. That's why I've found rumours that he's become so lax that he's tolerated recreational drug consumption among the team shocking and believe them to be baseless lies.

You could argue that he hasn't had the best of times at this AOCAF Cup, looking as if he's been exposed as slightly out of his depth, but he can't be held responsible for players who appeared to go out of their way to cause trouble on the pitch. Part of a healthy professional atmosphere is allowing people the room to make and learn from mistakes and there will certainly be a lot made and a lot to learn from when the AOCAF is done. Bekir is the kind of person who will be able to learn from those lessons and push on in the next World Cup cycle. Extending him was the correct decision, that will be proven with time, he has a plan to get the national football team established in international play and provide the kinds of performances that will justify a more healthy and diverse professional football system across this country. Besides, if he's managed to overachieve before, why couldn't he do it again?

Manas Volkan: A fish rots from the head down and Bekir Altingunes is the head.

When he was appointed, I was naturally disappointed, full disclosure I was one of the candidates who made it to the final round of interviews, but I was happy to continue in my role at Hisar FK and allow the national team's manager the space to try to make a success of the team. Despite my initial misgivings, he did a very good job in the Baptism of Fire and perhaps, despite the fact that the team didn't qualify, he was even more impressive as manager during the World Cup qualifiers. It's easy to get suckered in by short term over-achievement, but it's not sustainable and eventually regression to the mean becomes inevitable, so a weaker, but still impressive performance at the Cup of Harmony seemed to point to a bright future.

That being said the performances thus far have proven that Bekir Altingunes is not fit to be manager of the national team. As the expression goes: the fish rots from the head down. This team has been disorganised, lethargic, error-prone, complacent and ill-disciplined, that comes from the manager and he needs to be held accountable for this team's transformation from a Cinderella style carriage to pumpkins. The fact is that his management has created the conditions for these problems, including some of his more questionable selections for the team and his contract extension was not just premature, but a totally inept move from a novice organisation seeking to create stability in its infant years.

Yahsiboga Levni: He isn't the problem, but extending his contract was premature.

As someone who managed a team that overachieved and collected unexpected accolades I know the pressure that Bekir Altingunes is under. It's not fair, but it's a reality of the job, when you perform well people expect more. When you're under that sort of pressure a series of poor results can only increase the scrutiny that falls upon you and your players. Bekir Altingunes has in the past done a great job of owning the mistakes and misfortune of the national team, never seeking to blame his players. That's the hallmark of a good manager, someone who could take a team far if he was given the space to do so. It's clear that this is a person who needs more support, more investment, more staff and proper custodianship of the TimLig. That will enable him and his successors to achieve consistent success.

If he is given all of that and the struggles continue into the next World Cup cycle, then the contract he was given will seem premature. In fact were I in charge of the Football Federation he would not have got such a long extension, as impressive as the performances up until this point may be. The Football Federation would have been better served going for a more flexible approach with regards to his contract, but since they've locked him in they have no choice but to commit to him and make sure his era as manager is given the best chance of success possible. It's evident that this is a person with the right instincts and generally the right ideas, though he could stand to be more flexible on his style of play, to depart from him after to AOCAF, even if they lose every match after this would be a move that condemns our footballing culture to chaos.

by **Sarzonia** » Mon Oct 21, 2019 12:25 pm

Bryan Ostrom's day began with a final walk through for his team as they prepared for their first match at Joe Gibbs Stadium against Torisakia as the second half of the AOCAF group stage got underway. He saw an aide walk up to him with a piece of paper, then turned to assistant manager Kevin Connelly.

"You run the drills for right now. Looks like this is important."

"OK, Bryan." Connelly gave his boss a quizzical look, knowing full well that Ostrom didn't like interruptions. He figured Ostrom knew what the interruption was about, but his focus was now on making sure the team worked on their passing drills.

"John! A little bit tighter on that pass!" he called out. Defender John Taylor stopped for a moment, aware that it wasn't Ostrom's voice, but Connelly's, but then everyone stopped when Connelly blew his whistle.

"All right, let's try that sequence again. Place the ball on the right hash of the 18-yard box. Let's pick it up from there. Carlette, pick it up from winning possession."

Connelly was right. Ostrom knew what the interruption was about. He'd gotten a phone call in the days leading up to this day and was made aware of the interest shown by Lakiska in the Banijan Soccer League. He knew it was a big deal for a college soccer player, particularly one just finishing his freshman campaign, to receive this much interest from a top flight domestic league. Ostrom walked into the office and sat down across the desk from technical director Madeline Barclay. She was sitting in her chair and had the desk phone on her ear. She nodded approvingly at Ostrom.

"OK, so it's $350,000 NSD, plus nine additional years of funding for a total of $3.5 million NSD? OK, and Sandt will be able to continue his education? Wonderful. Here's Bryan." She handed the receiver to Ostrom, who nodded, smiled, and said "uh-huh" a few times. His smile never left his face when he heard the details.

"That's great news!" he said. Barclay smiled.

"Damn right it is! She saw the look on Ostrom's face and knew somehow he was about to go and stop training to give the team a chance to celebrate. She actually stood up from her desk, but then paused for the moment.

"Is it all right if I join you in celebrating?"

Ostrom simply smiled and gave a quick "come with me" motion with his head. The two walked toward the practice facility where Connelly was working on the team's passing drills.

"OK, you're getting the hang of it. Now, remember: I want the passes to be crisper when you've got a man bearing down." Ostrom blew his whistle.

"Team! Let's take a break for a moment," Ostrom said. The team gathered around in a circle.

"Carlton," he said, motioning for his starting goalkeeper to walk toward him. He did with a slightly quizzical look on his face, although he knew by the smile on his face that it was for a good reason. And then when he saw his brother Horace walking toward the pitch, he knew why.

"Carlton has just accepted a transfer to Lakiska Sporting Club in the Banijan Soccer League. He will also enroll at The Islamic University to continue his studies."

The team quickly let out a series of whoops and cheers, quickly converging on Sandt with pats on the back and hugs.

"Hey, bud! Congrats!"

"Way to go, Carl!"

The biggest hug came from his older brother, Horace.

"I'm so proud of you! Mom and Dad are, too. We love you," he said, barely above a whisper as he said the words in his younger brother's ear.

Ostrom, Connelly, and Barclay all looked at each other with wide grins. They all decided in unison to cancel training for the rest of the day. They had more important things to do.

Like celebrate.

by **95X** » Mon Oct 21, 2019 8:01 pm

Chaya and Rhiannon Concord-Fourteenth, who have been married to each other for longer than they’ve been on the 95X National Team, finally noticed something. Occasionally confused for twin sisters, the two were walking down a main street in Pacific City close to each other holding hands.

“We’d run into at least one man who would tell us to get a room,” Rhiannon said to Chaya.

Chaya looked around.

“Have you even seen a man in Pacific City since we returned from Eastfield Lodge?” she asked.

“I look at you the entire time,” Rhiannon replied.

“No, I don’t mean that,” Chaya said. “It’s like all men disappeared, and we didn’t notice.”

by **Chromatika** » Mon Oct 21, 2019 9:20 pm

MD5: Chromatika 2-2 Audioslavia
Goals: Victoriane '65, '90+1
Starting Lineup: Nier; Ruth - de Aea - Ibex - Ilya; Thorben - Armageddon - Montague - Conrad; Andisori, K. (C) - Victoriane.
Substitutes: Kuzami -> Montague ('66), Croix-Pierre -> Conrad ('79), Anderson -> Ibex ('85)

As Chromatika fought Audioslavia to a hard-fought, narrow tie to round out the first round robin at three wins, one draw, and a loss, the Chromatiks find themselves the best third place team in the tournament, which would net them a spot in the Playoffs if the tournament ended today. With three of the next five matches at home - including games against Cosumar and Starblaydia, they seem poised to at least make it to the knockout rounds.

In the meantime, the upcoming Transfer Window is the talk of the multiverse. This window will be extremely important for the Chromatik Team, with numerous players not having a club team at the moment. No less than fifteen players on the previous World Cup Roster will be available, and there is talk of some of the established players moving as well. The biggest names involve Mia Ria, who will take over for Jillian Nier full-time next cycle at goalkeeper; Olivia An and Aiofe Ruth, the two who are still fighting it out to be the starting right back; All of the Chromatik backfield beside Henri de Aea and Yeri Ibex, Hermaeus Mora the centerpiece of the team, Xi Xe, the first Chromatik who was in the Farvish Leagues before that system folded, and Silian Parker himself, if he doesn't find a job managing another national team.

This will also be the first time that the graduates of the Chromatik Collegiate Football Association will find themselves testing the international market, provided they want to continue to play football. Kristian Non is the hottest name on that market, but there will be plenty of Chromatiks to go around, for sure.

World Cup 81/82/83/84

Commonwealth head into 2nd Half of AOCAF
Frank Armitage
The Daily Mail Chief Soccer Writer

The Baker Park national Team will square off against Lochario on matchday 6 of the group stage of AOCAF LIX at Scotland Stadium in Endborough, and be looking to get back on the winning track following two draws to close out the first half.

The 3-3 draw against Mriin did no damage to either side, who are both expected to progress to the knockout stage, but both the Reavers and the Bees will be seeking to not drop any further points against the rest of Group C down the stretch.

Co-captain Eric Herrera discussed the upcoming return fixture against Lochario, and he expects it to set the tone for the rest of the competition.

"The scoreline didn't really tell the story (in the first meeting, a 1-0 win) and Pam has talked about not trying to go out and prove something just to make the people who don't actually watch the match think that we can stomp people at will."
He continued down a path of talking about the manager and the relationship players have with particular bosses. "I'm proud to be a captain for Pam--not as any disrespect to Trevor (Richmond), but I've played for her a little more over the last several years, and I think she clicks with me mentally better. Again, I have nothing but respect for Trevor, I owe him an enormous debt. I'd imagine if (your Daily Mail reporter) did another one of those anonymous questionnaires like he did before, you'd probably find some of the gals who would say they clicked better with Trevor; I've heard it said out loud, not as a way of diminishing Pam's style, but as humans we all respond in different ways to various approaches to motivation and interaction."

The match at Endborough will be only the 4th time the National Team have appeared at the University of Endover; it is thought that the FAC are looking to include the stadium among a list of proposed sites for their impending bid to co-host World Cup 84.

by **Equestrian States** » Mon Oct 21, 2019 10:06 pm

-AOCAF CUP LIX COVERAGE-
Ponies Sitting Pretty in AOCAF Group E
Equestria holds comfortable lead entering second half of group stage
by Steve McNotapony

  AOCAF CUP 59 - GROUP E          Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts
1  Equestria (1)                 5    5   0   0    20    4  +16    15
2  Siovanija & Teusland (10)     5    3   0   2    10    9   +1     9
3  Busoga Islands (22)           5    2   1   2    10   12   −2     7
4  Qasden (17)                   5    2   0   3     6    6    0     6
5  Hapilopper (UR)               5    1   1   3     9   18   −9     4
6  Gyatso-kai (UR)               5    1   0   4     5   11   −6     3

We are now halfway through the group stage at the 59th AOCAF Cup, and the Ponies have thus far lived up to their billing as defending champions. Following group stage stumbles in their previous two regional championship campaigns, it certainly comes as a relief to Equestrian hoofball supporters to see their team finally matching expectations of dominance for once. The Ponies have an unfortunate habit of playing down to the competition when favorites, but have done everything but that in their first five AOCAF matches.

An 8-1 demolition of unranked Hapilopper in the group stage opener set a blistering early pace for the Equestrians, with striker Pristina Shine netting a hat-trick against the hapless Haps. In the Ponies' second match, the unicorn forward continued her assault on Fire Dash's national team scoring record against Siovanija & Teusland, scoring a brace in Equestria's comfortable 2-0 victory. Manager Pearly White would rest her starters during the Equestrians' trip to the Busoga Islands, but Midnight Strike, Sunny Day, and Indigo Zap filled in seamlessly and easily secured the three points in a 5-2 win. Against Gyatso-kai, it was Wither's turn to shine, as the soon-to-be-retired veteran striker scored one goal and earned an assist in a 3-0 victory at Cloudsdale's Sky-High Coliseum. Finally, the Equestrians headed over to Qasden, and came out of Stade de Solis with another win to finish the first half with a perfect record.

The Ponies hold a six point lead on second place Siovanija & Teusland and have only cemented their position as favorites to finish atop Group E and advance to the knockout stage in Chromatika and Freeport.

by **Chromatika** » Mon Oct 21, 2019 10:34 pm

AOCAF Cup LIX
Match Day 6 Results

Group A

Starblaydia 3–1 Cosumar
Nellietopia 3–5 Audioslavia
Chromatika 4–2 Schiavonia

  Group A                       Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts							
1 Starblaydia                     6    5   0   1    12    5   +7    15
2 Chromatika                      6    4   1   1    18   10   +8    13
3 Cosumar                         6    4   0   2    18    9   +9    12
4 Audioslavia                     6    2   2   2    10   12   −2     8
5 Nellietopia                     6    1   1   4     6   19  −13     4
6 Schiavonia                      6    0   0   6     5   14   −9     0

Group B

Tropicorp 3–2 Demot
Banija 2–0 Saltstead
Sarzonia 2–0 Torisakia

  Group B                       Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts							
1 Banija                          6    6   0   0    13    4   +9    18
2 Tropicorp                       6    4   0   2    11    8   +3    12
3 Demot                           6    3   0   3    12   10   +2     9
4 Saltstead                       6    2   1   3     7   10   −3     7
5 Sarzonia                        6    1   1   4    10   16   −6     4
6 Torisakia                       6    1   0   5     8   13   −5     3

Group C

Baker Park 3–1 Lochario
Sultanate of Oontaz 2–0 Timuria
Cult of Motherbread 3–5 Mriin

  Group C                       Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts							
1 Baker Park                      6    4   2   0    15    4  +11    14
2 Mriin                           6    4   2   0    19    9  +10    14
3 Lochario                        6    2   1   3     8   10   −2     7
4 Cult of Motherbread             6    2   1   3     9   14   −5     7
5 Sultanate of Oontaz             6    1   3   2     4    4    0     6
6 Timuria                         6    0   1   5     4   18  −14     1

Group D

Ko-oren 1–0 Valanora
Bolgano 0–0 Anthor
Vilita & Turori 2–0 Dogsmouth

  Group D                       Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts							
1 Vilita & Turori                 6    6   0   0    21    7  +14    18
2 Valanora                        6    3   1   2    11    5   +6    10
3 Ko-oren                         6    3   1   2     6    7   −1    10
4 Anthor                          6    2   2   2     8    6   +2     8
5 Bolgano                         6    1   1   4     7   15   −8     4
6 Dogsmouth                       6    0   1   5     0   13  −13     1

Group E

Hapilopper 0–1 Equestria
Qasden 4–3 Siovanija & Teusland
Gyatso-kai 3–2 Busoga Islands

  Group E                       Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts							
1 Equestria                       6    6   0   0    21    4  +17    18
2 Qasden                          6    3   0   3    10    9   +1     9
3 Siovanija & Teusland            6    3   0   3    13   13    0     9
4 Busoga Islands                  6    2   1   3    12   15   −3     7
5 Gyatso-kai                      6    2   0   4     8   13   −5     6
6 Hapilopper                      6    1   1   4     9   19  −10     4

Group F

Krytenia 1–4 Freeport
Farfadillis 2–1 95X
Euran Oceania Territories 1–1 Flavovespia

  Group F                       Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts							
1 Farfadillis                     6    4   0   2    11    8   +3    12
2 Krytenia                        6    3   2   1    11   10   +1    11
3 Freeport                        6    2   3   1    14   11   +3     9
4 95X                             6    2   2   2    10   10    0     8
5 Flavovespia                     6    1   2   3     6    9   −3     5
6 Euran Oceania Territories       6    1   1   4     8   12   −4     4

Third-Place Teams

The winners and runners-up from each group, as well as the four best third place teams, will qualify for the knockout rounds.

   Third-Place Teams             Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts							
A3 Cosumar                         6    4   0   2    18    9   +9    12							
D3 Ko-oren                         6    3   1   2     6    7   −1    10							
F3 Freeport                        6    2   3   1    14   11   +3     9							
B3 Demot                           6    3   0   3    12   10   +2     9							
-----------------------------------------------------------------------							
E3 Siovanija & Teusland            6    3   0   3    13   13    0     9							
C3 Lochario                        6    2   1   3     8   10   −2     7

by **Gyatso-kai** » Mon Oct 21, 2019 11:53 pm

***********************************

by **Sarzonia** » Tue Oct 22, 2019 5:24 am

For the first time since the AOCAF began, the dressing room scene was sheer jubilation.

A team in over its skill level defeated the 38th ranked team in the region, notching a 2-0 victory that saw its star goalkeeper make five saves and an energised and motivated defence shut down the Torisakian attack.

It saw sparkling cider spraying forth, as the Stars players decided en masse to eschew alcohol. It saw the team hugging teammates, coaches, staffers, pretty much everyone who ventured into the room.

Jake Campos scored the first Stars goal from th penalty e spot in the 38th minute after a Torisakian defender got all man with a cynical tackle that briefly felled midfielder Edwin Campbell.

Clayton Wilson scored the second goal with a dramatic bicycle kick against the run of play in the 78th minute. The Torisakian manager made his third and final substitution to send in a reserve striker, but the Stars won the ball in midfield and played keep away from then on.

For Sarzonia (1-1-4, four points), the result inched them out of the bottom of the table ahead of Torisakia, who have lost five straight after opening with a victory over the Stars. The Stars actually have a tiebreaker advantage in away goals for anyone curious.

A cider-soaked Ostrom walked up to the desk and sat down with a bemused look on his face, scanned the room's assembled media, smirked, and said, "Boom!"

After the laughter died down, he said, "Hats off to the players. They played a spirited match. I couldn't be more proud."

The match was not a sellout at Joe Gibbs Stadium by any stretch. Tarps covered wide swaths of the upper deck, but many of the 38,946 in attendance cheered, sang, and danced like it was the halcyon days of Sarzonia football, and it was Carlton Sandt's older brother, the legendary Horace Sandt, watching the woodwork.

Sarzonia knows its work is still cut out for it. Thirteenth ranked Tropicorp visit Joe Gibbs Stadium next. But a team most expected to lose every match by embarrassing margins has greatly exceeded expectations.

And that's something to dance about.

[OOC: I did this RP on my mobile phone. Just because.]

by **Flavovespia** » Tue Oct 22, 2019 8:33 am

Euran Oceania Territories 1–1 Flavovespia

In the battle at the bottom of the group, Euran Oceania Territories and Flavovespia played out a 1-1 draw, one both sides could have done with being a victory instead. An improvement for Flavovespia as they didn’t lose, but ultimately not a result putting them any closer to 4th place or above.

The match started poorly for Flavovespia. On the very first attack, Euran Oceania Territories broke down the left flank. The ball was played square into the box, and with no Flavovespian defender getting a touch on it, the #9 had little difficulty in putting it past Dobson and into the net. 1-0 to the hosts, with not even 2 minutes on the clock, and a disastrous start for Flavovespia.

Flavovespia needed to try and put that behind them, but seemed quite nervous and uncomposed as a consequence of going behind so early. Down the wings, Maddox and Moore seemed nervous and lacking in confidence, and that showed in an inability to create anything down the flanks. It was Steven Hall tasked with being the creator in the centre, and with little backup was struggling with the marking of Euran Oceania Territories.

Nevertheless, it wasn’t all one way traffic. Since their first goal, the centre backs of Flavovespia looked more composed, limiting the number of shots they had, and it was beginning to frustrate the hosts. At the other end, good saves prevented Mason or Coleman from getting on the board, and Hall had a spectacular 30 metre shot fly only a few centimetres over the bar.

Near the end of the half, and it was Flavovespia who managed to get the all-important equaliser. It was from a corner, with James King whipping in an inswinging ball. Mark James rose highest, and headed the ball down out of reach of the goalkeeper and any defenders, and into the net. It was 1-1, with the defender celebrating his first ever goal at international level. After the celebrations finished, the visitors did enough to keep it at 1-1 at the half time whistle.

Into the second half and Euran Oceania Territories launched some quick attacks to try and catch Flavovespia napping. However this time the visitors were wise to the threat, and deal with each and every attack effectively. The addition of Stephen Shepherd and Ian Johnson as the wing backs off the bench helped matters.

It was another set piece in the 63rd minute that nearly gifted Flavovespia a goal to take the lead. From a corner, the keeper dropped the ball after catching it in the air. It fell to the feet of Alexander May, but he rushed the shot, and blazed it over the bar. A striker would have most likely buried It, and it was unfortunate for Flavovespia they dropped a great opportunity.

Into the dying minutes of the game, and Euran Oceania Territories went for a more attacking approach. This was risky, despite creating opportunities, as they were vulnerable to a counter attack. In the 85th minute, a long clearance fell to Coleman just in the opposition half. As he looked set to break clear into a 1 vs 1 with the keeper, he was hacked down from a late challenge by a defender. A yellow card was produced, but Nick Cole and several Flavovespian players were fuming it wasn’t a red. To add insult to injury, with Jordaan Wolfson subbed on for Henrik Jensen, Flavovespia had to finish with 10 men as Coleman limped off. It would finish 1-1, a fair result over the course of the game, but one some Flavovespians would have wanted a victory from.

For Coleman, he looks set for a stint on the sidelines. The extent of the injury isn’t yet fully clear, although he is definitely out for the clash against Farfadillis. In terms of overall progress, with 4 games to go, Flavovespia are 4 points off of a Round of 16 place, but as long as they can pick up a few more points, they should avoid a wooden spoon. In any case it does look as if the team will at least meet the basic expectations.

by **Banija** » Tue Oct 22, 2019 10:14 am

Banijan defense rounding into form with third consecutive shutout at AOCAF LIX

Fans drum in Busukuma after 2-0 victory over Saltstead

BUSUKUMA, NATIONAL CAPITOL REGION- While the Banijans went 3-1 in their World Cup warmup friendlies, there was some serious worries shown on the pitch in those games that the Banijans would have a leaky defense. While Lemuel Bereket was strong in front of his new look defense, with no Ensa Camara or Abate Brehanu or Jalang Ba in front of him, the defense naturally struggled. They did not play particularly well against GSW rivals Siovanija & Teusland away from home, nor did they impress particularly against Lisander. But both games were strong victories- the team overall looked good, so there was not a ton of concern. But there was concern when they played against Xanneria away from home, and earned a 5-3 wild victory away from home. While it was an entertaining friendly, with 8 goals scored between the two sides, there was worry from the fans of the Kadongo Kamu- were they going to simply get scored upon by all kinds of opponents? Of course, Xanneria has a particular high pressure attacking style, and the Banijan response of putting in five of their own helped. But this team does have a history of its back line struggling when it gets eliminated. They allowed 3 in the World Cup 83 semifinals to Starblaydia, and right in our own capitol at the Stadium of the Restoration, we allowed four to Equestria in the AOCAF LVIII Final.

That went almost into full blown panic mode when, in our final friendly, we lost by a score of 4-3 to Tamgu. It was a poor display all around away from home, and even though Lemuel Bereket and Kawsu Kaba weren't playing, there were serious, gaping holes in the back line that needed to be filled for the Banijans to make a serious run. Marcus Waters wanted to plug them, and ensure that the back line would not leak like it had so far in this tournament. But of course, right when the panic buttons were being pressed at the RBSA... Things went right back to normal. Now of course, it took a while for the Banijans to claim a clean sheet. While earning victories and playing mostly well, dating back to World Cup 83, the Banijans had conceded in 11 straight games. That's not a terrible record, when you consider the list of opponents Banija has played and the stakes they were playing in(the freaking World Cup knockout stages), but still, a cause for concern. This Banijan team believes that they are ready to compete for, and win, major tournaments, and you must be strong in the back if you are going to win a major tournament.

But with that lack of a clean sheet at 11 consecutive matches, though the defense improving from the friendlies to this tournament, they have started to play extremely well. The defense is not centered on Kawsu Kaba, the center back who has been asked to take a bigger role after the retirements of veteran defenders Jalang Ba, Ensa Camara, and Abate Brehanu. But Kaba has been ursurped by his younger counterpart who is pairing with him at center back, Kuma Bultum. The 22 year old defender for Bunyoro RSC had a good enough club season to earn a callup to the national team once Jalang Ba retired, and earned his spot in the national team. And ever since then, he has been playing extremely well in the back line, probably ursurping the on and off Kawsu Kaba as the anchor in the middle of the back line. He's got the talent in the back- he's aggressive, he times his tackles well, he gets along well with teammates. But the key for him, as is the key for a lot of the best defenders, is that he loves defending. He plays with emotion, and he gets animated with every tackle he makes. He doesn't charge recklessly. He's been combining youthful energy with some veteran saavy, and while he certainly has much to learn, at just 22, he's going to be a star for a long time.

The numbers don't lie, right? And there is number that does not lie in regards to Kuma Bultum- 22 million. That's right. He sat out his first game of the tournament, and did not attend, as he flew to Valanora to attend a signing ceremony with Raynor City United. That's right- they made a stunning $22 million NSD offer for Bultum, which was an offer so great that Bunyoro RSC did not have a choice. The chance to play for Raynor City United, one of the great historical clubs of the multiverse, and probably the greatest club in the Glorious Southwest, was too great. Bunyoro RSC's tough teams seem to be disintegrating at our very eyes. With Bultum bolting for greener pastures in Valanora, and their manager, Adam Jeffreys, taking the job at Busukuma AC, they are certainly going to regress. But this article isn't about the fortunes of the Bunyoro RSC side- it's abotu the national team. And the fact of the matter remains, is that Raynor City United shattered all sorts of Banijan transfer records to get their hands on this talent. Gitonga Kahara, the previous Banijan record holder, was less than half that. Aaron Aiza, who also plays in Valanora but for Hondo FC, also sold for less than half that. But it makes sense. Nobody poaches starters from a club like Raynor City. If he's a fixture on the team sheet for the next 10 years, then it's a move that is worth it. You make a move like that, a player who wasn't for sale is a guaranteed sale. Bunyoro RSC, even in the light of the BSL's new broadcasting deals, cannot say no to a deal like that, especially when they have a new stadium. A shrewd move by the Sporting Director in the Vanorian capitol.

As Bultum anchors this back line, they have been playing their best football recently. A pair of 1-0 victories over Demot and Tropicrop essentially made the once competitive group Banija's to lose, and they seized the opportunity by the throat. But in 1-0 victories of course, the margin for error in the back is slim. Any slip up, lost footing, a mistimed offside trap, or a foolish dive can easily see the game go to 1-1 from 1-0, and there needs to be energy and focus for the entire 90 minutes. The back line ensured that, and in those two matches, the biggest so far of this tournament, they ensured that the Banijans could go home with 3 points. In their last four games(@Tropicorp, v. Demot, @Baker Park(friendly), v. Saltstead) the Banijans have conceded just once, ensuring that goals against average remains strong. People talk about the strength of schedule of their warmup matches, but this mid AOCAF friendly against Baker Park was scheduling genius from Ezera. Against another top 5 side in Atlantian Oceania, the opportunity to play a quality opponent, and do so once again away from home. It was a friendly, of course, so not the most intense match we've ever seen, but a quality 1-1 draw against an excellent Commonwealth side. Baker Park's attack put plenty of pressure on the Banijan back line, and while we conceded once in this one, it was overall a very strong performance against a side that has championship expectations in the AOCAF.

They are, of course, three consecutive AOCAF matches without a goal conceded, and they will look to continue that streak, with Bultum reinserted back into the lineup as they pay a visit to Torisakia. There will be some serious squad rotation for this match. Marcus Waters said that this visit, after a lot of flights across the region, would be an opportunity to ensure that much of the 23 got a chance to play in this competitive, while resting a fair number of regular starters, as the stretch run of the group stage still looms around the corner. Marcus Waters said, however, that rotating the squad does not mean that they are ignoring the opponent- they still expect results. "Torisakia is a strong side." Waters told us. "They have some talented players on that squad, but we need to keep our first XI fresh for the remainder of this tournament. The games only grow in importance from here, and with this format, you were always going to need contributions from the entire 23, not just the regular XI. HE said that he expected the game to be a competitive one, and that it would be a quality measuring stick on how quality the depth of the Kadongo Kamu is, especially as they try to wrap up a birth early in the knockout stages.

by **Timuria** » Tue Oct 22, 2019 10:57 am

Red Wolves' Discipline Collapses in Defeat

by Tufan Nursultan

Sultanate of Oontaz 2–0 Timuria
Eduardo Estevez (34, 65)

The Red Wolves' terrible AOCAF Cup debut continued in that fashion as they entered the second half of the group stage with a decisive 2-0 defeat at the hands of Sultanate of Oontaz after falling to nine men. This result has cemented a sense that the team is in free fall and has made rumours of inappropriate conduct gain credibility in the public consciousness. While the Football Federation has refused to be drawn into rumours about Bekir Altingunes's future, many have begun to speculate as to whether they will be considering terminating it at the end of this cup.

The match began as a stop and start affair, with both sides playing far too physically to allow for free flowing play, though that does not mean that there were no decent chances produced in the match. The first substantive chance fell to Caner Turan who scuffed his shot from close range wide. This was followed up by a chance for Eduardo Estevez which was palmed wide by Iskender Nur. In the 28th minute, Vatan Ercetin found the ball at his feet and managed to send the ball high and wide.

A critical breakdown in discipline from Hasan Maratov, resulting in his sending off in the 31st minute left the Red Wolves shorthanded, just before Eduardo Estevez's 34th minute goal, a lob over Iskender Nur who could only sprawl for the ball unable to stop it from going in. The Red Wolves bunkered down, trying to see out the half without conceding more goals, a task they would prove to be equal to. There was cause for cautious optimism despite being down a man and a goal at the break, with Bekir Altingunes looking more engaged than he was at half time of the previous match.

The second half began with yet another breakdown in discipline this time from Azer Erdinc who managed to get a red card for a professional foul on Abu Nayef who was fortunate to emerge from the reckless and dangerous challenge unscathed. After a period of getting every man behind the ball the Oontaznik team found their way through the unusually stout defence of the nine man Red Wolves and found Eduardo Estevez in space allowing him to double his and his team's tally.

The match ended in a whimper with a series of poor period of play from both sides and low quality chances produced at both ends. The result leaves the Red Wolves cut adrift at the bottom of the table, with effectively no chance of progression. Elsewhere in the group, Mriin won an entertaining match up with Cult of Motherbread where no less than 8 goals were scored 5-3 away from home as group leaders Baker Park saw off Lochario 3-1.

What they said after the match:

The Red Wolves failed to provide someone to take questions from the press following this match citing an urgent meeting between the management team an the Football Federation.

Player Ratings:

Iskender Nur 6/10 - Made a series of good saves during this scrappy affair, was comfortable between the sticks and was largely blameless for the two goals that got past him.

Hasan Maratov 4/10 - Foolishly got himself sent off, his red card is a symptom of a larger problem with this team.

Eyup Mustafa 6/10 - Marshalled the defence as well as he could given the circumstances around him.

Levent Ahmedoglu 6/10 - Needed support from his teammates but managed to have a passable day.

Gokdeniz Dag 6/10 - Showcased his usual reliability and solidity. Was able to shut down most of whatever was thrown at him.

Atilla Acar 5/10 - For a player who relies on his athleticism to look so lethargic naturally puts a low ceiling on his level of performance, needs to rediscover his energy.

Azer Erdinc 4/10 - Rashly and foolishly got himself sent off, a walking discipline issue and many are questioning the management's judgment in keeping him.

Ragip Eyuboglu 6/10 - Was the more dangerous of the two wingers on the team, but was still largely inconsequential.

Caner Turan 5/10 - Was kept really quiet and lacked final product the whole match.

Ertan Renda 6/10 - Was largely ineffective, but showed brief flashes of his obvious ability.

Vatan Ercetin 5/10 - It was troubling how poor he was at taking his opportunities in this match.

Substitutes:

Beyhan Enver 6/10 - Came on in difficult circumstances and did a passable job.

Yusuf Ihsanoglu 6/10 - Also had a difficult situation to enter when he came onto the pitch, provided a bit of stability on the nine man team

Man of the Match: Eduardo Estevez - Grabbed two excellent goals and was the decisive factor in a scrappy encounter.

Player of the game for Timuria: Iskender Nur - Couldn't do much about the defensive issues and lack of full team in front of him and he performed admirably if not excellently.

Schedule and results:

MD1: vs Sultanate of Oontaz D 1-1
MD2: @ Lochario L 1-4
MD3: vs Baker Park L 0-5
MD4: vs Mriin L 1-4
MD5: @ Cult of Motherbread L 1-2
MD6: @ Sultanate of Oontaz L 0-2
MD7: vs Lochario
MD8: @ Baker Park
MD9: @ Mriin
MD10: vs Cult of Motherbread

The next match: The national team will be looking for a friend for their solitary point as they return home for a match against Lochario who are coming off a 3-1 defeat at the hands of group leaders Baker Park.

by **Valanora** » Tue Oct 22, 2019 11:03 am

The collective brain trust the VSC who looked over the VFA sat gathered round a table, dozens of papers before the five members who were deciding who would be the next manager of the national team. As expected, they had received several applicants of varying promise and experience, nearly every single one of the applicants had merit for being the man or woman to oversee the Marauders program for the next six years, provided they didn't do something that would result in their termination or otherwise render them unable to see out their contract. Managers of the national team were going to be held to a high standard, not just on the pitch with the numerous trophies that are on display in the Hatire Memorial, but also off of it. There is an unspoken rule that when you accept the managerial position of the Eternal Empire's national team football program, you are accepting that you are the face of the team (outside the hero quartet) and are expected to exemplify the professional nature that the Marauders have been known for when it comes to playing the beautiful game.

That standard meant that what was the preferred first choice, at least when it came to tactics, was more than likely going to get passed over, even for the assistant position. While they had a great attacking philosophy, they were seen as something of a maverick and willing to break or bend rules to get things to go their way. While it might have been an effective method of getting results or the best out of their players, it was unbecoming of the Marauders manager. The team was supposed to be classy on and off the pitch, there was a reason some of the more "mean" defenders that had come up through the ranks for years had not found their way on to the national team. Dirty play was simply something that was not tolerated on the squad and that was going to be the same standard that would be applied to the man or woman who was going to be running the program as well.

Others had the sort of quality they were looking for in a managerial when it came to their way of conducting themselves, yet were too far a departure from the usual Vanorian style of either a possession based approach or a high pressing attack that let the midfield and wingers overload the attack area. Generations of fans in the Empire had grown watching very attractive football both with the national team but also with the domestic league, as few teams that had much success in the Elven Premiership were known for taking a defensive style of play, albeit a few did like to use a countering formation especially against some of the stronger teams in the league. It would cause too much upheaval in the fan base to go from that attractive style of play to something that would be very hard on the eyes of those who were fans of the team, even if the motto of the day was defense wins championship.

A dozen good applicants but it seemed there was only two that really suited everything that the VSC, VFA, and the fan base itself would be looking for in the manager. The choice between them was clear though, if the hire was going to be for the next three World Cup cycles, as they were slightly shorter in the tooth than the other, even if they were a bit less experienced when it came to the actual running of a program. The vote between the two was a decisive four to one and the gathered group knew that for better or worse, they had made their hire as the next manager for the Marauders.

Colin Donaldson would soon be making his flight from Schottia to Valanora, with a mountain of expectation ahead of him...

by **Ko-oren** » Tue Oct 22, 2019 11:07 am

Introducing soccer's popularity across regions

And of course, even if soccer is undoubtedly Ko-oren's largest sport, it's still not the single largest athletic event in every single part of the country. It's huge though, with all of these teams everywhere. Gridiron is another nationally popular sport, but their teams are very limited: large roster sizes mean that it's just not possible to support dozens of teams in this 27-million people country of ours. Gridiron teams, as far as they exist, are all full-professional. Soccer teams, especially from the third division down, are semi-pro or amateur teams - and with 36 teams at the second level, there are even semi-professional teams found in this layer.

Soccer is the absolute king of sports in most of Intermare, which has two professional teams and a lot of teams in the second division as well. This spills over into western Sudaefjoll, which has one professional team and a few second division teams as well. To Intermare's west lie the capital cities, which are a bit undecided between gridiron and soccer. The soccer following that is there usually follows the biggest team of their city: Maethoru in the Top League, or Gehrenna FC, Senoren FC, or the Mayara Soccer Guild for the other capital cities. Mayara's club is by far the smallest, but then again Mayara is dominated by two professional gridiron teams - so it all works out again. Soccer is also the undisputed king in Finisterre. In nearly all other areas of Ko-oren, soccer comes in second place. If not, it's third, but never lower.

That separates the regions of Ko-oren into big markets, medium markets, and small markets. The current distribution of Top League teams is based on that, with the largest markets represented in the Top League. Schemerdrecht and Straudum for Intermare and Sudaefjoll, Branvon and Miradela for Finisterre, Maethoru as the nation's largest club for the Capital Cities. Some big markets and a lot of medium markets are found among the 36 second division teams.

A proposed soccer pyramid, with one Top League, one second division, two third divisions and then amateur teams all the way down, relies on the markets system as well. At first, nothing would change, with the current Top League teams staying where they are. The underrepresented areas would then be 'promoted' to the newly formed second division. So which teams and regions would fit here?

It would be obvious that out of the three Capital Cities other than Maethoru, at least one would go to this new layer. Gehrenna (the city) FC and Senoren FC would fight over a single spot, with Gehrenna (the city) being the larger, but less sport-friendly city.

All of Ko-oren's southwest, including our two largest cities, have just one team representing them: the bottom dwellers of Maynard. It wouldn't be crazy to have nearly half the league coming from the subdivisions of Surbourneshire (currently: 0 pro teams), Mawryshire (0 pro teams), and Gehrenna (the subdivision, 1 pro team). Each of these subdivisions are massively represented in the semi-pro realm. Cricket, gridiron, and rugby union are the other big sports here, and amateur soccer fits the region better. That said, one Mawryshire team should be in this league: Llandy. From the various regions of Surbourneshire, we'd draw three teams: Ambergate City from the island of Burnet, Limecroft & Abyss FC from Abyss, central Surbourneshire. Lastly you could make the case for Grainshire United, from Surbourneshire's west (which would saturate the region a little), or Zinchester Town (from the region of Cirelbourne and Bruncester: also saturated, but there's not much else here). Gehrenna would then supply one or two teams: Anarcourt CF, Leeshire United (near where Maynard is), or Huthwich & Iduloren FC (from northern Gehrenna). My personal preference goes to Anarcourt and Huthwich, but you never know. That's half the new second division filled.

Yoshima currently has its own weird division, but they will have to give up one or two teams for the new league as well. Out of their 12 semi-pro teams, I want to pick some from the underrepresented islands: Motojagava, one of the most successful teams of the region, and Teragaseki, which would be the only way to represent their island. More realistic options would be Otavura, Echizen, Chikuno, Vurusen, or Aviansola. Plenty of options here, but honestly... these teams are a little same-ish.

Four teams left. One from West Strand Riding, permanently underrepresented in everything: enter WSR AFC. One from the north: Arboren FC or Serevne AFC, which would both have insane home advantages due to their remoteness and climate. One from Intermare, in a cruel battle for this position: Rozenvoorde FC, Laringen AFC, or Tuinderbeek FC. My vote goes to the first or second one. One from Cote Austral: Couziers-Olympiques or Amandine AdF, two storied clubs and it would be a shame to demote one of them, but we must. The last one is to come from Finisterre, and we're lucky: there's only one semi-pro team from here: Castelo e Calvente CS, from Ferrovente, to break through the dominance of the city of Santa Teresa in this subdivision.

by **Chromatika** » Tue Oct 22, 2019 10:29 pm

MD6: Chromatika 4-2 Schiavonia
Goals: Kelly '8, Croix-Pierre '62, Andisori, B. '83, Vidal '88.
Starting Lineup: Ria; McBee - Anderson - Will - Damjana (C); Kelly - Kuzami - Armageddon - Croix-Pierre; Vidal - Andisori, B.
Substitutes: de Aea -> Anderson ('51), Conrad -> Croix-Pierre ('78), Victoriane -> Andisori, B. ('85)

Even Silian Parker had to crack a smile at his current predicament. After the disaster that was the World Cup 83 Group Stage - earning no points in the World Cup Proper after barely making it to the big dance - he had handed in his resignation before the CFF had to make a move; he knew the front office well enough to know that they'd have eventually made the decision after some time to build up the case to the public.

No, to Silian Parker, preparation was key, and having a backup plan was everything.

His stint on the team was essentially over once Rachel Hellion, Alyss Montague, and Sandra Sybill became too old to hold up the middle triangle of the vaunted 3-5-2 that brought the Chromatiks such success. Converting Jazmin Dragana to play left midfielder would remain one of the greatest moves that he has ever made in his managerial career; allowing a youngster like Keira Andisoir to continue to thrive, helping Jillian Nier get over the loss of Nikolai Thorben, continuing to use a speedster in the team (previously Meagan Kelly, now Mimi Kuzami) and the like had become his calling card as a Chromatik National Team Manager.

His proudest moment? Winning AOCAF 55; the only tournament the team has ever won. What a miraculous run that had been, one that would be remembered in Chromatik sports history for the rest of time. The run through Starblaydia, Equestria, Cosumar, and then Valanora. A murderer's row of opponents, accentuated by Keira Andisori and Alyss Montague's wedding. What a night that had been.

Silian's eyes furrowed as he caught the headline of a news bulletin behind him - Valanora had selected a new national manager, and it wasn't him. Thankfully, the news outlet didn't know he had thrown his hat into the ring. It was worth a shot, he reminded himself, before the tournament was over, to try to find employment.

Now, he'd have to test himself on the market. Which clubs would want someone like him? Perhaps another country?

And, for the first time in a while, Silian Parker felt a tinge of uncertainty.

by **Chromatika** » Tue Oct 22, 2019 10:36 pm

AOCAF Cup LIX
Match Day 7 Results

Group A

Chromatika 1–1 Starblaydia
Schiavonia 0–0 Nellietopia
Audioslavia 0–3 Cosumar

  Group A                       Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts				
1 Starblaydia                     7    5   1   1    13    6   +7    16
2 Cosumar                         7    5   0   2    21    9  +12    15
3 Chromatika                      7    4   2   1    19   11   +8    14
4 Audioslavia                     7    2   2   3    10   15   −5     8
5 Nellietopia                     7    1   2   4     6   19  −13     5
6 Schiavonia                      7    0   1   6     5   14   −9     1

Group B

Sarzonia 0–1 Tropicorp
Torisakia 0–1 Banija
Saltstead 2–2 Demot

  Group B                       Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts				
1 Banija                          7    7   0   0    14    4  +10    21
2 Tropicorp                       7    5   0   2    12    8   +4    15
3 Demot                           7    3   1   3    14   12   +2    10
4 Saltstead                       7    2   2   3     9   12   −3     8
5 Sarzonia                        7    1   1   5    10   17   −7     4
6 Torisakia                       7    1   0   6     8   14   −6     3

Group C

Cult of Motherbread 1–4 Baker Park
Mriin 4–3 Sultanate of Oontaz
Timuria 0–1 Lochario

  Group C                       Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts				
1 Baker Park                      7    5   2   0    19    5  +14    17
2 Mriin                           7    5   2   0    23   12  +11    17
3 Lochario                        7    3   1   3     9   10   −1    10
4 Cult of Motherbread             7    2   1   4    10   18   −8     7
5 Sultanate of Oontaz             7    1   3   3     7    8   −1     6
6 Timuria                         7    0   1   6     4   19  −15     1

Group D

Vilita & Turori 1–0 Ko-oren
Dogsmouth 0–1 Bolgano
Anthor 1–2 Valanora

  Group D                       Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts				
1 Vilita & Turori                 7    7   0   0    22    7  +15    21
2 Valanora                        7    4   1   2    13    6   +7    13
3 Ko-oren                         7    3   1   3     6    8   −2    10
4 Anthor                          7    2   2   3     9    8   +1     8
5 Bolgano                         7    2   1   4     8   15   −7     7
6 Dogsmouth                       7    0   1   6     0   14  −14     1

Group E

Gyatso-kai 0–0 Hapilopper
Busoga Islands 2–3 Qasden
Siovanija & Teusland 2–3 Equestria

  Group E                       Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts				
1 Equestria                       7    7   0   0    24    6  +18    21
2 Qasden                          7    4   0   3    13   11   +2    12
3 Siovanija & Teusland            7    3   0   4    15   16   −1     9
4 Busoga Islands                  7    2   1   4    14   18   −4     7
5 Gyatso-kai                      7    2   1   4     8   13   −5     7
6 Hapilopper                      7    1   2   4     9   19  −10     5

Group F

Euran Oceania Territories 1–3 Krytenia
Flavovespia 0–3 Farfadillis
95X 3–4 Freeport

  Group F                       Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts				
1 Farfadillis                     7    5   0   2    14    8   +6    15
2 Krytenia                        7    4   2   1    14   11   +3    14
3 Freeport                        7    3   3   1    18   14   +4    12
4 95X                             7    2   2   3    13   14   −1     8
5 Flavovespia                     7    1   2   4     6   12   −6     5
6 Euran Oceania Territories       7    1   1   5     9   15   −6     4

Advance to Round of 16
Eliminated

Third-Place Teams

The winners and runners-up from each group, as well as the four best third place teams, will qualify for the knockout rounds.

   Third-Place Teams             Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts				
A3 Chromatika                      7    4   2   1    19   11   +8    14				
F3 Freeport                        7    3   3   1    18   14   +4    12				
B3 Demot                           7    3   1   3    14   12   +2    10				
C3 Lochario                        7    3   1   3     9   10   −1    10				
-----------------------------------------------------------------------								
D3 Ko-oren                         7    3   1   3     6    8   −2    10				
E3 Siovanija & Teusland            7    3   0   4    15   16   −1     9

by **Gyatso-kai** » Wed Oct 23, 2019 1:14 am

Pulled from Avatarian Sports Blog KickMeWhenImDown.blogstain.gki

After such a victory, we just couldn't keep that momentum going. Our first draw in the tournament, and against a team that we wanted to beat.

Sure, if we had won, we would have jumped from second to last to tied-for-third (which is only one spot up the group, but hey, it sounds better). Sure, it would have kept the momentum going into tomorrow, where we have our rematch with Qasden; a team we defeated in the first leg of the tournament, so you'd like to think we could win again. And of course, after Qasden comes the home game against Equestria...

You know... The undefeated team in our group and a sure beat for tournament champion at this rate...

So let's face it... The tournament looks real bleak here for us. The Bisons only have three games left; Qasden, Equestria, and Siovanija & Teusland. Our only hope for advancing really, is win out all three and Siovanija just taking a crap in the middle of the pitch every game. But... Siovanija faces Hapilopper tomorrow, which should be a win for them, then Busoga who we beat yesterday, and then us... We might be able to give them one L, bit unless the other teams pull off some underdog heroics, The Bisons may have to pack it up early.

Which brings me to the next hottest topic in Avatarian Sports since yesterday's announcement of the return of the Ice Bisons...

Kad'e Tay'haai

Spend any time online in the Avatarian channels and you'll hear the same call from just about every fanboy, fangirl, fanNBI, and fanpony.

FIRE TAY'HAAI!

Yet you won't hear it from my blog! So the man has had a rough first tournament at the helm, so we are likely taking the first exit and returning to Gyatso-kai with maybe an official AOCAF rating as our prize. However, a quick glimpse to the horizon already tells you everything you need to know about Tay'haai,'s future with the Bisons. You see, the National Sports Council as already announced the intention to compete in the Official Would Cup tournament; even without an official host yet, the 84th World Cup will be the return of Gyatso-kai to the world stage outside of regional games. And it would be foolish to change coaches so soon to the next tournament.

So prepare to see Tay'haai for at least a tournament or two more...

by **Flavovespia** » Wed Oct 23, 2019 8:32 am

Flavovespia 0–3 Farfadillis

Flavovespia were simply outclassed by the much superior Farfadillis in their Matchday 7 meeting. The matchup didn’t look close on paper, but it still didn’t stop the home fans from coming away from the match disappointed with the overall result.

Despite the absence of Coleman, with Ramon Martin taking his place, Flavovespia came into the match hoping to be able to snatch at least a draw, with Farfadillis not running away with the group despite their high seeding. The roof was open on the stadium in what was a bright, sunny day.

The early exchanges looked fairly balanced, despite the difference in rank for the 2 sides. Both had an early shot on target, although nothing that either goalkeeper was overly troubled by. Nevertheless, the confidence of the home crowd was raised by their early chance, as they hoped for an upset.
11 minutes in, and that optimism was dashed. An early cross was punched away by Dobson, but only into the path of the Farfadillis #9. The ball fell at his feet and with Dobson out of position, he hit a fierce but accurate shot straight into the net. 0-1, and the visitors had the lead. Disappointment for Flavovespia, as they had it all to do.

Unfortunately for the hosts, the goal seemed to hit their spirits hard. They began to struggle with the basics, with the defence rarely able to get a ball to a midfielder or attacker in a decent position, and the wingbacks of Maddox and Moore were pinned back by the skill of the Farfadillis players on the wing. Indeed the shot on goal in the first 10 minutes was the only one Flavovespia had in the entire first half.

Farfadillis looked for more goals in the first half, but they weren’t forthcoming, with Dobson making a few good saves, and the defensive trio of May, James and Gardner putting in some good work. Some were optimistic that after the break, Flavovespia could get an equaliser, but others thought goals for Farfadillis were inevitable.

49 minutes, and the lead was doubled. The Farfadillis #9 on the edge of the box played a clever through ball to the incoming #10, who hit it first time. It went beyond the reach of Dobson, and low into the goal, to make it 0-2. With a 2 goal lead, it looked far more comfortable for Farfadillis, with Flavovespia shot of ideas on how to turn it around.

Henrik Jensen came on for Charles Winward, as the first sub that Nick Cole made. Jensen did at least provide a more solid defensive platform for Flavovespia, and limited the creative opportunities that the visitors had. Stephen Shepherd replaced Stephen Moore on the right wing, but that didn’t really do much in terms of creating more opportunities. King did come close in the 74th minute, with a curling shot, but it was well saved. Flavovespia would only get 3 shots on target all game.

In the first minute of injury time, Farfadillis added insult to injury with their 3rd goal. Flavovespia pushed forward to find and equaliser, but were caught on the break. The #20, on as a substitute midfielder, broke forward. Dobson rushed out of his goal to challenge, but was chipped, with the ball floating in just under the crossbar and into the net. 0-3 it was, and would finish, with Flavovespia set to mull over a disappointing performance at home.

Flavovespia’s chances of progressing are now very slim, although that’s not a huge surprise compared to pre-tournament expectations. The optimistic target is to usurp 95X for 4th place, however not getting the Group F wooden spoon is probably a realistic goal to look to. Still, with 3 matchdays left, anything could happen.

by **Timuria** » Wed Oct 23, 2019 10:22 am

Red Wolves Eliminated After Sideline Altercation

by Tufan Nursultan

Timuria 0–1 Lochario
Ghittin (89 pen)

An otherwise dull and laborious affair was livened up at the end as a controversial decision by the referee to give a penalty to Lochario in the 89th minute thwarted the Red Wolves in their quest to add their miserable one point so far in the AOCAF Cup. The decision led to an incredibly out of character outburst from Bekir Altingunes who could be seen shouting at the fourth official as players pleaded their case about the decision. With elimination the Football Federation is said to be considering the future of the management team.

The first half of the match passed as a mostly dull affair, with very little in the way of quality play. The Red Wolves' attack faltered repeatedly and failed to produce much in the way of quality finishing. The most profligate player was definitely Ragip Eyuboglu, who took no fewer than 6 shots with none hitting the target. Vatan Ercetin produced the best attempt of the half, with a curling shot that was palmed wide by the Locharian goalkeeper.

The second half was a similar affair, with the match being a very stop and start affair as the physicality of the defences came to the fore. Both sides were lucky to come out of this match without any injuries and only one yellow card between them going to Yusuf Ihsanoglu. The final stages of the match were a subject of much controversy resulting in the aforementioned altercation between Bekir Altingunes and the referees. The resulting penalty was slotted home by Ghittin who sealed the three points for the visitors.

The result confirmed the Red Wolves' elimination as Mriin saw off the Sultanate of Oontaz 4-3 and Baker Park defeated Cult of Motherbread 4-1.

What they said after the match:

Bekir Altingunes: "I'll only be commenting on one incident. I think you all know which one it is. I'd like to apologise for my conduct today and I have apologised to the referee in question and to the whole refereeing team. As the manager I know that my conduct sets the tone and while I may have been angry and disappointed at certain decisions, I should not have allowed that to escalate to the level it did."

Player Ratings:

Iskender Nur 6/10 - Had a decent day between the sticks and could hardly be held responsible for conceding the penalty kick.

Beyhan Enver 7/10 - Put on a much improved performance on his last offering, apparently meaning he's intriguing enough to be given the start at left back from now on.

Eyup Mustafa 6/10 - Had a thankfully dull performance, his name was hardly called out all match, which is usually good for a defender.

Levent Ahmedoglu 5/10 - Conceded far too many fouls and was outmatched in the air.

Gokdeniz Dag 6/10 - Had a boring day as he routinely shut down his opponents.

Atilla Acar 6/10 - His energy has returned, but his final product still eludes him, justifiably dropped.

Yusuf Ihsanoglu 6/10 - Provided a nice screen for the defence and hardly put a foot wrong.

Ragip Eyuboglu 5/10 - Was deeply wasteful and betrayed his inexperience at this level.

Caner Turan 6/10 - Created a few good chances, but was really a non-entity for much of the match.

Ertan Renda 6/10 - Pressed well and showed good effort, but unfortunately like the rest of the team appeared to be lacking in quality today.

Vatan Ercetin 5/10 - Wasteful in front of goal and didn't cover himself in glory.

Substitutes:

Osman Hasanoglu 5/10 - Conceded the decisive penalty, not a good outing overall.

Tayyar Ozel 6/10 - Had a few decent runs at the defence, but will need to show more if he's to regain his place in the starting XI permanently.

Man of the Match: Dakir - Was a thorn in the side of the Timurian attackers, often instrumental in preventing any positive attacking momentum they could generate.

Player of the game for Timuria: Beyhan Enver - Had a very good match at right back, couldn't help that the team conceded a penalty making his performance, sadly, not relevant to the final outcome.

Schedule and results:

MD1: vs Sultanate of Oontaz D 1-1
MD2: @ Lochario L 1-4
MD3: vs Baker Park L 0-5
MD4: vs Mriin L 1-4
MD5: @ Cult of Motherbread L 1-2
MD6: @ Sultanate of Oontaz L 0-2
MD7: vs Lochario L 0-1
MD8: @ Baker Park
MD9: @ Mriin
MD10: vs Cult of Motherbread

The next match: The national team will be solely playing for pride going forward as they face Baker Park in the next match, Bekir Altingunes has indicated since the team has been eliminated that in order to protect certain players from injuries and to begin the process of analysing their performances they will be going with this amended starting XI from now on:

GK: Murat Yigithan
DL: Hasan Maratov
DC: Yildiray Sabuktiginoglu
DC: Levent Ahmedoglu
DR: Beyhan Enver
MC: Berkin Batuk
MC: Azer Erdinc
AML: Ragip Eyuboglu
AMR: Tayyar Ozel
AMC: Metin Aytacoglu
ST: Ismail Burhan

by **Ko-oren** » Wed Oct 23, 2019 10:59 am

The Dragonflies are right back into it

The horrible start has almost been cancelled out. The double loss versus the group's best two teams and the tacked on draw against punching-above-their-weight Anthor saw the team take a few punches, but now has dished out a few of their own. Vilita and Turori are in the second round already, so any points against them would have been bonus points, but the 1-0 win over Valanora has been a welcome one. A necessary one, in fact. Ko-oren are now in sole possession of third place, and winning out should mean that we go to the second round of the AOCAF. We are on the outside looking in as the current 5th best third placed team, but we've got a comparably easy schedule, and we're only a single goal behind 4th place - which is a ticket to the second round.

This team needed a turning point, and they might have just forced one in the 1-0 win over Valanora. It wasn't a pretty goal, but if that's all you're given and then you don't give one up, that's three points and we'll never mention it again. Van Schelven, Lampshire and Benjamin were very much like the legendary back threes of the old days, and with better performances in the World Cup and in the AOCAF, we could say that the darkest days are over. We have a solid back line again, and Lionel Dalton has been around long enough to play in the previous great team as well as this one, the one steady factor in a team that's changed so, so much in the last decade. As we hoped to see, the Vanorian five man midfield was mitigated by the defence as well as the midfield, leaving Van Schelven and Lampshire free to deal with Fresco and Nygard. Most of the time, the Elves were in possession, with Soldarian often the one to redistribute the ball. Our zonal defence was as strong as it's ever been, though unfortunately couldn't handle all of Valanora's passing lanes. It was too easy for them to set up Lithvathar and va Drake, though they had zero support, Hatsune and Hawk failing to link up near the sidelines. It was then an easy press for Dalton and Hergulauthen, often with Benjamin, Yokota, or Janoreirinthen, to get the ball back. That was usually the start for the Dragonflies' troubles, who were so backed up they had few options to pass to themselves. Most of the time, the Ko-orenite half contained 17 or 18 of all 20 field players, but at least little threat came from either team. Valanora then switched up the game plan to build up through the centre a lot more, Hawk, Hatsune and Soldarian were to use their vision and sense of space in order to get the ball to Fresco or Nygard. They failed to do so in the first half, but were dangerous and ever so close at the start of the second half. At this point, however, winning the ball back was actually a good thing because there were plenty of options on the wing for Ko-oren to attack - Longchambon retired to the right side and Vaugrenard to the left, and now it was the job of Fjortoft, Salverda, and Strommen to prevent this three man attack (Tsuchida waiting in the middle) from putting Smordal under pressure. The chaotic counter attack after counter attack went on for a little while, but then Tsuchida finally struck - Fjortoft and Salverda were focused on Longchambon, then Vaugrenard pulled away Strommen, Janoreirinthen delivered the ball to a wide open Tsuchida - and the inside of the right post was kind enough to let the ball in.

A barrage on Munks then started, the Dragonflies digging themselves in to avoid the equaliser, Juliasterinthen taking off Tsuchida and putting on Train, and other overly defensive measures, and it worked out: despite five more shots on goal in the final 15 minutes, Ko-oren won three points and the upset victory over an admittedly stronger Valanora side.

Who knows what happens next - a win over Anthor puts us in a very nice spot of maintaining third place until the final day, and we have to rely on Valanora to drop more points if we want to leapfrog them into second place. If not, we'll have to get four or six points in the final two games against Dogsmouth and Bolgano to increase our chances on the third placeds' ranking, which currently has hosts Chromatika and Freeport in a comfortable position, and Demot, Lochario, Ko-oren as well as Siovanija and Teusland in a more precarious place.

Beyond the AOCAF, who knows what the national team looks like soon? Half of our starters are on the transfer sheet in what could be the biggest exodus from Ko-oren in a long, long time. Hopefully the professional teams of the Top League can save up for a marquee purchase or a major upgrade of the youth system, in order to continue our way up the UICA rankings. For the players themselves, foreign moves can be a godsend or a huge form drop - who knows - so in the latter case, there are plenty of other players to take their place. It's a risk, with a very high reward.

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