Copa Rushmori XXXIV Everything Thread (Closed)

[Nephara]

Falkyr 0 - 3 Nephara
(4-4-2) 1 - Mercator; 2 - Stride, 5 - Thorn (c), 22 - Lockheed, 19 - Katarec; 7 - Kuepper (13 - Saroszi 77'), 15 - Kastriot, 8 - Chalk, 16 - Deventer; 17 - Avetisyan, 9 - Bastable (23 - Lovelace 65')
Goals: Kuepper 36', Katarec 51', Lovelace 74'

Mercurio Kastriot had come a long way.
More... more metaphorically than physically, it did have to be said. It was hard to talk about physically coming a long way when Voska Avetisyan was right there and had just made her debut, a hat-trick on that debut... and she wasn't even Nepharim, not really. She was, however, really tall, bristling with muscle, and had proven able to repeatedly out-jump Cameron and Lalonde. Lalonde had actually had a brief stint in Nephara, with Greygate, largely consisting of being horribly beasted by hulking Nepharim strikers. Perhaps that had been a nostalgic experience for him.
Kastriot had a claim to having come the second-longest way in most senses. And unlike some he could name, he'd never expected any kind of dream debut, short of a debut at all. That much was unexpected, he was thankful, he would have bit someone's hand off if they'd offered him a lone cap when he was fifteen or so. Before things started to really take off at the Bohemians. And things had undoubtedly taken off at the Bohemians, hence his no longer being at the Bohemians, and nothing had been a greater compliment to his ability than the Bohemians getting fucking relegated as soon as he stepped out the door. Even moreso than, you know, winning the title in his first season at Crisisbless at the same time.

Kastriot was slightly unusual for a footballer, in terms of background. He was fairly established middle-class, a single child whose parents had leapt at the chance to neglect him by just dumping him on an academy as much as they could. Some coaches had felt that might leave him lacking some hunger, some desire; apparently it was a factor when the Moths came to see if they wanted to poach him and turned him down, in part because he wasn't an urchin who subsisted on rats and bitterness. His home was broken in subtler ways.
He'd proven them all wrong. He liked kicking people. He liked scything people down. He liked wrestling people, ankle-tapping them, getting any advantage he could. There were a lot of thugs in Sabrefell who could do that, of course, but few were as good at timing. Kastriot had a natural knack for breaking attacks, and that wasn't the same as just breaking legs. When Kastriot gave away a foul, it wasn't a free kick the attackers would enjoy having.
That alone made him a decent First Division player in the making. But one also had to consider his work on the ball, where a manager eventually realised more could be coaxed. So began a year or two swapped in and out of attacking midfield, where he may not have really scored the goals or laid on the direct assists to truly have his destiny in that position, but he did get used to hurdling the challenges of, well, other Kastriots, and sweeping out accurate passes under duress.
He was thrown into the fire relatively young, quickly became a key player for the Bohemians in the midtable Premiership, then jumped ship to Crisisbless at the exact right moment. Each time, he'd had to draw something new from himself; from just a fierce competitive edge, to a knack for breaking charges, to an ability on the ball, and to the skill required to run the show from deep for a world-class side. And now here he was, for the national side. What would they require of him? The seasoned assistant manager, Monica Brightwater, took him to one side moments before he was set to line up in the tunnel.
"Merc?"
"Yeah?"
"Just put the everloving fear of God into them, yeah?"
Well. Okay. He could do that.

[Darmen]

Darmen Times

Vol. 156, Issue 284                                                  Thursday, October 11, 2046                                                                 $1.00

Myers reprimanded by DFA, told to stop throwing things
"You're a football manager, not a fast bowler"

LODGERTIA, EASTFIELD LODGE - The Darmeni Football Association has officially reprimanded Darmeni national team manager Berhtoald Myers after reports surfaced that the 40 year old had thrown a water bottle at 26 year old right-back Cyrus Spalding. Myers', whose throw narrowly missed Spalding, was told to keep his attitude in check.

While Myers himself has remained quiet on the situation, other members of the team management and some of the players themselves, have stood by their manager, claiming he was only trying to motivate the team and had already exhausted several other less-violent means of doing so, to no avail.

---

Berhtoald Myers had ripped the painting out of the frame in his hotel room and replaced it with the front page of the Darmen Times sports section. He wasn't a fan of abstract art anyways.

The incident had occurred over two weeks ago. At first, following the nil-nil draw against Crystalline Caverns, it appeared as thought the ploy had failed. But then a 1-0 win over Taeshan and a 3-2 victory over Sargossa, probably Darmen's two biggest rivals after Valladares, followed and Myers was ecstatic. Knockout Copa Rushmori football, for the first time in several years.

But the cynicism that had been so prevalent at the beginning of the Copa wasn't completely stamped out. Losses in the knockout stage are tough on any team, but the All Greens were preparing themselves for such an eventuality by accepting that it would happen.

"So you don't think we can beat Saintland?" asked Myers.

22 year old Bill St. John, the youngest member of the All Greens in Eastfield Lodge, sat opposite Myers. "Well, I think we can do anything, we're just more likely to cock it up than win it."

"Why so?"

"Because we haven't won an international football competition since... well... before I was born," replied St. John.

"That's true, yes. Copa Rushmori 13, way back in 2013. Hell, even I was only six years old. But you know what. The All Greens then were playing their very first tournament under a new manager. A foreigner to boot. William St. John de la Ware. St. John? Are you two related?"

"I don't think so," said St. John, leaning in closer.

"Well anyways," continued Myers, "de la Ware had faith that the team would win the Copa. There was even a mini-player revolt at the beginning of the competition. The players on the team wanted their old manager back. But eventually they all banded together and played as a team and won the thing."

"But that was still 33 years ago," said St. John, still not convinced Myers' talk had a thesis statement.

"I have faith. The rest of the team doesn't seem to have as much. They're too worried about cocking it up at the last second. Screw that. I need you to have faith. I need you to lead the team."

"But I'm the youngest player and I spend most of my time on the bench."

Myers sighed and shook his head, before grabbing St. John by the shirt collar and pulling him level with his face, "Not anymore ye' of little faith! You're starting tomorrow and if I sense one iota of unbelief, I'll unleash a horde of angry nuns on you!"

"You'll wha..."

"Listen kid, I have my connections!"

---

Southwest Eastnorth 2–5 Darmen
Campo - Espinosa, Di Stefano, Abbey (GOAL 52'), Spalding - Ramírez, Goldschmidt - Mac Pharlain (GOAL 66'), Svendsen (GOAL 34'), Stafford - Blackwood (GOAL 21', GOAL 78')
Subs: Ó Baoghill for Di Stefano in the 67th; Tobias for Goldschmidt in the 74th; Cardoso for Svendsen in the 81st

Darmen 0–0 Crystalline Caverns
Campo - Espinosa, Di Stefano, Abbey, Spalding - Ramírez, Goldschmidt - Mac Pharlain, Svendsen, Stafford - Blackwood
Subs: Krämer for Abbey in the 62nd; Hurst for Blackwood in the 74th; Armbruster for Mac Pharlain in the 74th

Taeshan 0–1 Darmen
Campo - Espinosa, Di Stefano, Abbey, Spalding - Ramírez, Goldschmidt - Mac Pharlain, Svendsen, Stafford - Blackwood (GOAL 49')
Subs: Tremblay for Spalding in the 57th; Tobias for Goldschmidt in the 63rd; Hurst for Blackwood in the 87th

Darmen 3–2 Sargossa
Campo - Espinosa, Di Stefano, Abbey, Spalding - Ramírez, Goldschmidt - Mac Pharlain (GOAL 12'), Svendsen (GOAL 65'), Stafford - Blackwood (GOAL 33')
Subs: Wilkie for Espinosa in the 69th; Good for Ramírez in the 69th; Cardoso for Svendsen in the 78th

Lineup against Saintland: Campo - Espinosa, Di Stefano, Abbey, Spalding - Ramírez, Goldschmidt (c) - Mac Pharlain, Svendsen, St. John - Blackwood

[Savojarna]

Bridgetown, Eastfield Lodge, Savojar team bus

On the mobile phone of Polina Zirkova, an article from two months earlier flashed up - coverage of the Copa draw. “Good draw for Savojarna, avoiding top teams early on”, the headline said. “Road to semifinal seems paved easier than ever”, boasted another paper. SavojarSports.sj, always the cautious force they were, at least kept it at “Savojarna draw winnable group”. At least that much was true. The headlines seemed like a cruel joke now that they were preparing for their quarterfinal game. Savojarna had done their part, sure - winning over the top teams early on, edging out Saintland, and then coasting through on a nil-nil to Pridnestrovia - but nobody had taken Group B into account. Darmen, of all teams, not even poised to make it out of the group by most observers, had upset the Sargossans. And now, that formidable force that they had been so lucky as to avoid in most of the past, would face them in the quarterfinals. Like most Savojar fans, it just didn’t seem quite fair to her. In the Copa 32, they had done their job only to stumble upon - and fall to - an Eura that had underperformed in the groups. In the 33rd, a perfect group stage had been topped off with a swift 3-5 defeat to Schottia in quarters. It could be said that Savojarna were developing a solid knockout trauma, and she seemed to be right in the middle of it.

Next to her, Victoria Maersk smiled to herself and turned to the young defender. She had taken it onto her to guide Polina, and Linne had agreed to take on Aleksandra Virulainen. Victoria turned to her neighbour. “Nervous?”, she asked. Polina nodded, hesitantly. “I don’t know, Sargossa… they’ve always been a big one, you know?”, she said. Victoria could immediately imagine her feelings. She had them too, back when they had played Nephara in the Copa 31 and needed to win. “Don’t worry, Polina. It’s gonna be okay. We play as good as we can. Six years ago, I was like you, when we played Nephara. I tell you, we were all shit scared. Vikki Petrova has ran to the bathroom three times in the half-time of that match”, she said, with a smirk on her face. Polina giggled, unaware of those facts. She probably grew up with Vikki as an icon, Victoria reminded herself. The young Russian seemed relieved.

“Do you wanna know about the first time I played in the Premiership?”, she asked, smiling at her younger teammate. Zirkova nodded, smilingly. “North Sabrefell had picked me up on a free. On one hand, I guess they didn’t really expect much, but I mean… it was Nephara. No Savojar had ever played there. Nobody has waited for me over there. Back home, I know it looked like I was a star, but in Nephara I was pretty much a nobody. Surely there were no news articles on me. But then I played my first matches, and it was just fine, you know? It’s football. It works the same everywhere. I was shit scared against the top teams, everytime. Metzger dribbled past me in the first few minutes, easily. I looked like an absolute fool, I was ready to hand in my shoes and book a flight to Savojarna. It hadn’t been a goal, our keeper had cleared it, but I was sinking into the floor. Then, in half-time, our coach came to me and lauded me for my first half. I was so dumbfounded, didn’t the coaches see I was getting battered there? They had, but they knew Metzger was a top player. ‘Better players than you have been beaten on Nepharim fields, and better players will be. Go out there and play good football, and we’ll be fine’, they said. And well, apparently I did. At least they still wanted me”, she said. Polina seemed to hang at her lips. At least she didn’t seem nervous anymore.

[Eura]

The Euran Football Association’s Copa Rushmori XXXIV Squad

Manager: Michael Brandon (54, Nephara)

The unceremonious sacking of Daniel Belgrave as Eura manager following an unexpected and unfortunate exit from the 82nd World Cup group stages caused one of the biggest controversies in recent Euran footballing history. Eura hadn't lost a single game until the final match of the group stage (a surreal 3-0 defeat to Sargossa built on a first half collapse), but in an unlikely turn of fate, three teams finished on six points, and the side went out on goal difference. As Eura's dry spell without trophies extended another year, the EFA had clearly felt they had given more than enough time to Belgrave's project. Many saw this decision as harsh on Belgrave, still regarded by most as something of a national hero given his role in winning the 66th World Cup as a player and winning over two hundred caps. They called it a fluke exit.

However, the writing had been on the wall for longer. Eura had finished qualifying unbeaten but drew an unprecedented seven games. The defeat against Sargossa that directly triggered Belgrave's dismissal was the latest in a string of bizarre Euran collapses to bow out of tournaments that could have been won, adding the Corsairs to a list of at-the-time underdogs including Savojarna, Free Republics and South Covello. There are also ramifications for many players in the squad; indeed, following Belgrave's exit, all four of John Leach, Dominic Miller, Alex Wyatt and even Josh Holmes called time on their international careers.

A dilemma had been created for the EFA on how to proceed. Assistant Mike Humphrey had also been dismissed leaving a need to recruit an entirely new management team. Brief rumours of legend Steve Thompson riding to the rescue from retirement were quashed immediately. Rumours of a dramatic swoop for wildcard Skorji Oslograd were also laughed off. Talk of Lee Sharp (Eura's greatest ever player, former Audioslavia manager and now 1830 Cathair boss), Tom Benedict (Sabrefell Athletic coach and long rumoured target of the EFA) or Walter Crasder (Ulsa) also came to nothing. In the end the appointment made after months of what the selection committee called "challenging reflection" was a choice that could be seen as either surprising or completely natural depending on whether you see the appointment as a nostalgia trip or a return to Euran football's core identity.

Michael Brandon, a stalwart of Directus as a player, one of Nephara's first great players and an iconic manager of the Nepharim side itself, was handed a three year contract. Tom Riley, Euran World Cup winning captain and Brandon's former teammate, was appointed as assistant. It came as a shock in Brandon's own country, where it was widely anticipated that he may take the Brinemouth job in the near future. Instead Brandon has clearly sensed an opportunity to take on one last chance to win the big prize, and to return the favour to the country that made his name. He has been given the freedom to make radical, or even ruthless changes to the Euran side in an attempt to take them away from Belgrave's cautious game to a more stereotypical Euran attacking identity.

After a strong start to his reign at the 32nd Copa Rushmori, disaster struck during an abysmal qualifying campaign for the 83rd World Cup. However Eura won just enough points to make the qualifying playoffs, and went on to record a decent winning run into the finals that predictably ended in the quarters against Equestria. They followed this up with reaching the semi-finals of the 33rd Copa Rushmori, exiting to Sargossa on penalties and losing the third place play off to a returning Schottia. Then came a much stronger World Cup performance at World Cup 84. Eura dominated their qualifying group, went all the way to the semi-finals, only to agonisingly fall short again versus Farfadillis. Nevertheless the team has clearly progressed under Michael Brandon and he has goodwill on his side at the moment.

Assistant Manager: Tom Riley (59, Eura)

Riley was Eura's captain when they won the 66th World Cup and, like Brandon, has a reputation as a hard working, organised leadership figure who played as a short passing central midfielder. Brandon will not be an unfamiliar figure to anyone in the dressing room but Riley may add a degree of intimate familiarity with the way things work. He will be vital to bringing back the work ethic and team spirit that drove previous title winning Euran sides. The two men have been inseparable as a management team and it is expected that, like Belgrave and Humphrey, they will be treated as mutually accountable for better or worse. Brandon has also brought many of his coaches with him from the Nepharim set up that left following his departure there.

Styles and Permission

Style Modifier: +3

My opponent, if they RP first, may do the following:

Choose my goalscorers – YES
Godmod scoring events – YES
RP injuries to my players – YES
Godmod injuries to my players – YES (But only how the injury happens, not the extent of the injury)
Hand out yellow cards to my players – YES
Hand out red cards to my players – YES
Godmod other events – YES, provided you keep events within the realms of realism, so no deaths etc.

30 man squad

Shirt number – name – position – age – caps – goals – club
Caps and goals not included currently as stats are out of date by one cycle

Goalkeepers

1 - Kevin Belgrave - GK - 30 - Directus
13 – Robert Griffin – GK – 34 – Sabrefell Moths (Nephara)
30 – Ryan Bull - GK - 31 - Brinemouth (Nephara)

Defenders

2 – Scott Coles - RB - 33 - Ulsa
3 – Stanley Burns – LB – 24 – Holdenberg
4 – Charles Roberts - CB - 28 - Bastion
5 – Harvey Blake - CB - 30 - Spartangrad
15 – Dean Steele – CB – 25 – FC Endeavour (Apox)
19 – Samuel Hopkins - CB - 29 - Eastweald (Cosumar)
21 – Jon Haines - RB - 30 - Sabrefell Moths (Nephara)
23 – Ben Hall - LB - 30 - Oakstone
25 – Jake Newton - CB - 26 - Baskita FC (Pasarga)
27 – Alex Ingram - LB - 22 - Spartangrad

Midfielders

6 – Monica Rowland (F) - CM - 28 - Bastion
7 – Oscar Coltrane - AM - 34 - Sabrefell Athletic (Nephara)
8 – Liam Armstrong - CM - 31 - Starling (Nephara)
11 - Anthony Townsend - RM - 30 - Whitepill
12 - Rhys Griffiths - AM - 28 - Revolutionaries
16 – Damion Bowman – LW – 24 – Crisisbless (Nephara)
18 – Chris Ashton - CM - 28 - Cassandra City (Cosumar)
20 – Moira Woakes (F) – AM – 25 – Crisisbless (Nephara)
22 – Harry Humphreys – CM – 28 – Raynor City United (Valanora)
24 - Frank Bevan - CM - 28 - Holdenberg
28 – Vincent Robshaw - CM - 25 - Northern Union (Brenecia)
29 – Freddie Wright – RW – 27 – Brigham

Forwards

9 – Brian Bond - LW/ST - 28 – Eastweald (Cosumar)
10 – Dion Underwood - ST - 34 - Bastion
14 – John Fletcher – CF – 29 – AFC Treason (Nephara)
17 – Morgan Fox - CF - 30 – Olask Islanders (Cosumar)
26 – Tommy Sutton - ST - 23 - Falourr

Preferred starting lineup

Note; does not take into account suspensions, injuries or any other change. At the end of each RP I post, I will try to give a team for the next match and formation type. If no such lineup is posted, assume that there have been no changes and use the lineup below.

GK - 1. K Belgrave
RWB - 2. S Coles
RCB - 4. C Roberts
LCB - 5. H Blake
LWB - 3. S Burns
RCM - 6. M Rowland
LCM - 8. L Armstrong
RAM - 11. A Townsend
CAM - 20. M Woakes
LAM - 12. R Griffiths
ST - 9. B Bond

Eura may sometimes play 4-2-2-2 with Coltrane shifted to the left and Wyatt benched for another striker, or a 4-3-3.

Subs

13. R Griffin
21. J Haines
15. D Steele
23. B Hall
24. F Bevan
18. C Ashton
7. O Coltrane
17. M Fox
10. D Underwood
14. J Fletcher

Player Roles

Squad Captain: Scott Coles
Vice Captain: Monica Rowland
Direct free kicks: Anthony Townsend (Right footed)
Indirect free kicks: Liam Armstrong (Right footed)
Right corner: Liam Armstrong (Right footed)
Left corner: Liam Armstrong (Right footed)
Penalties: 1. Brian Bond 2. Liam Armstrong 3. Anthony Townsend 4. Moira Woakes 5. Scott Coles

Stadium

Eura play their international home games at the Bastion Arena, the 110,000 capacity all-seater stadium at the heart of Eura's capital.

Kits

[Eura]

emplor.eur/main/sport/football
GROUP STAGE RECAP: EURA COAST INTO KNOCKOUT ROUNDS
Euran's edged by Nephara on goal difference but progress regardless
Report by our Euran international team correspondent Isabel Haynes

The heartbreak of the 84th World Cup is still fresh in the minds of all football fans across the nation. But - there's always a but, isn't there? - the much improved performance on recent years was refreshing, especially as we were unlucky enough once again to go out to the eventual champions. That performance appears to have continued at the Copa Rushmori in the group stages where Eura have progressed from Group D unbeaten. Michael Brandon's team, which is very similar to the one fielded at the last major tournament, comfortably won their first three games before playing out an edgy draw with Nephara. Ahead of a tough quarter final draw against Cassadaigua, we've looked back briefly at those games.

Eura 3–1 Valladares at Norrion Park, Norrion
The draw for Group D featured three big name teams in Eura, Nephara and Valladares (with the Askari Union and Falkyr playing the role of plucky underdogs of course). Eura-Valladares is a classic Rushmori footballing rivalry, one the Euran's have usually had the better of but certainly not every time they meet and not in the Copa, where Eura historically have underperformed compared to other major Rushmori footballing nations. However Valladares were not at their best in this one, starting slowly in the first half and allowing Eura to set the agenda for the game. They were punished for their sluggishness early on when Brian Bond demonstrated his intention to continue his world beating form from the last World Cup, smashing a harsh shot through the gloves of Paulo Gaviria at close range after a defensive mix up.

Eura continued to control the game and got a crucial second with half time only minutes away, Moira Woakes swinging her right foot through the ball from just outside the box and sending it crashing in off the right hand post. The Valladars improved noticeably after the break and got themselves a foothold in the game, Martín Delgado heading home from a corner and passionately rallying the fans as he ran the ball back to the centre circle. The recovery was to be short lived and Eura did what they have done best for a few years now; got Dion Underwood on, pumped it up for him to run onto on the counter, and watched as the Bastion hitman rounded yet another goalkeeper to score yet another international goal.

The Askari Union 2–3 Eura at Norrion Park, Norrion
Since Skorji Oslograd's departure the Askari Union have matured a lot as a footballing nation, but remained unfancied going into this tie. Cue pandemonium when they took a seventh minute lead through a goal that Skorji himself would have been proud of in his playing days - Sierra Aurtenetxe pummeled a volley past a desperate Kevin Belgrave from twenty five yards out. This early shock seemed to wake Eura up a bit from what had been a complacent start and they got on level terms as quickly as possible, equalising five minutes later through a fairly simple Armstrong corner on to Roberts' head and in. Bond then netted his second in two games, calmly sidefooting past Dramane Caragin. It was a historic moment for Bond and for Eura - he had scored his 50th international goal in only 61 caps, by far the quickest half-century of goals by any Euran ever at international level. Then the Askari fought back and once again took Eura by surprise early in the half, Aurtenetxe taking advantage of an erroneous Stanley Burns backpass to set up Sylvain Croxier for an easy finish. Fortunately for Michael Brandon's sanity, a miracle was not on the cards. John Fletcher came off the bench to seal the win with an emphatic header from Townsend's cross.

Eura 2–0 Falkyr at Olympic Park, Mount Salt City
Eura were already well on their way to getting out of this group and with that in mind Michael Brandon rotated his side for Falkyr, with one eye on Nephara coming up next. The substitutes and reserves played well, even if Falkyr didn't set the world alight. Make no mistake, Eura's opponents were set up to defend with a lone striker, a deep lying midfield and five at the back. It was no surprise then that this game was Eura's best defensively in the group stage, though they'll be disappointment it was the only clean sheet. Robert Griffin and his defenders went unchallenged for most of the game. The real difficulty for Eura was breaking down Falkyr's organised and disciplined defensive set up. Falkyr captain Zdzisława Laukkanen had an answer to every cross, through ball and shot, marking herself out as a potential subject of interest for many international clubs who so far haven't seen much of this nation's players. Eventually however the endless pressure told as a mistake finally crept into their game; Patryk Westerberg went in late on Morgan Fox in the box, offering up a penalty that the former Falourr striker easily dispatched. Current Falourr striker Tommy Sutton was lively and with Falkyr now needing a goal, the young forward had the opportunity to roam into newly available space. He took his opportunity to find some, skillfully wrongfooted Laukkanen and then rolled the ball into the path of Damion Bowman for the wonderkid to finish the job.

Nephara 2–2 Eura at Norrion Park, Norrion
Normally a tie between Eura and Nephara is hotly anticipated and top of the television billing, two footballing heavyweights duking it out. Nephara have had the better one on one record in recent years, but Eura tend to have gone further at tournaments (once again though, the Copa does not follow this pattern). This time there was less anticipation as it was a dead rubber. Both teams had already secured their places in the next round making this game solely useful for deciding the first and second place seedings. Given that both sides knew from experience that any draw in this tournament is a tough one no matter how you're seeded, that didn't seem too important either. Nevertheless they both fielded strong teams with a couple of rotations and experimental selections. It was a gritty affair as this fixture so often is, with Nephara attempting to bully the Eurans and Eura attempting to exhaust the Nepharim. There was a lot of goodwill off and on the pitch as is usually the case for this friendly, solely competitive rivalry. With the notable exception of Tawny Shone and Monica Rowland glaring at each other a lot, as they tend to do.

It all spiced up a bit not long after half time with the score still at 0-0. Shone left a boot in a tackle on Woakes beyond what was necessary, earning herself a booking. Something was then said in an exchange which infuriated Woakes. For a moment they squared up while their teammates half-tried to cool it down, half-tried to get involved with the handbags themselves. Then Rowland strode up - the officials must have been watching with baited breath. Instead of escalating things, Rowland pulled Woakes away, had a word with her and the referee, and the game carried on. Shone was substituted and the feud ended there. Then the goals came - Bond with a header, Bastable with another. Strongbow couldn't resist scoring a naughty chip over her Directus teammate Belgrave, and must have thought she'd won the game. Then with only a few minutes remaining, Underwood came off the bench to save the day again, this time in more clumsy fashion as he shinned home from a few yards out after Bowman had embarrassingly cut wide an easy shot. Needless to say, the second half of the game would dominate the replays later that night.

[Cassadaigua]

Them, again,
by Kaitlyn Scoville, Concord Heights Times

The Group Of Brutal Torture has been won! Despite conceding a goal for the first time in the group stage against Oberour Ar Moro, the Fillies pulled off a 2-1 win against that side, allowing the team to finish in the top spot, with an overall record of 3-1-0. Goals were scored by Preston Newfeld in the 17th minute, and Meghan Wolcott in the 63rd. That gave us a 2-0 lead, and we would hold on for the win. Pasarga slides into in the second spot with a 3-0-1 record, making the head to head game between us the defining moment between us. We’d love to talk about how much winning this group means to us, since sustained success in the Copa Rushmori has generally eluded us. Of course, just making it into the knockout rounds is not going to solve that, but it is a positive start.

World Cup 84 heartbreak. Eura thinks that they know it. Well, they probably do, as everyone will experience their own, in their own way. But while you may experience a heartbreak, you have also dealt a death blow to someone in the process. That’s what Eura did to us. World Cup 84, ranked fourth in the world, and on our home soil. The stories were ready to be written about us having a great run in the tournament and the great Hannah Ranucci ending her international career after being lifted on the shoulders of her teammates following the World Cup title. That would have been the ultimate story, but variations of us performing really well at home would have been accepted. The story of World Cup 84 could have been so much greater for us. Instead, it ended with a 1-0 loss to Eura, after extra time, in the round of 16, coming at Dagan Airways Stadium. Frustration. Agony. Tears. Many hearts broken. The team had played well defensively, but could not find a way to score even a single goal. In the end, Hannah Ranucci’s international career ended at Dagan Airways Stadium, but in a tough loss. For a great forward of her caliber, it not only stings that you lost the game, but the actual result hurt even more, 1-0 to their favor, after extra time. 3-2 would have been easier to swallow. Ranucci slowly walked off the field that say and did get some applause, eventually. But the fans knew what was going through her mind. Ranucci did indeed retire from international play that year, and retired as a player a year later. She is enjoying her retirement, and will occasionally appear as a special analyst on various soccer programs throughout the year. She did not make the trip to Eastfield Lodge, but told me from her home that, “There is a lot of players on that Copa Rushmori side that experienced the emotional blow to our stomachs that Eura provided in the Round of 16 in World Cup 84, on our home field. I would like for nothing more then for them to get the big win over them. I will definitely be watching from home. I don’t want to say anything that will add any more pressure to anyone, as I know it is a young team in ways, too, and has some players who did not experience what happened in World Cup 84. Play your game, and you can make it happen.”

It is the Copa Rushmori. A tournament we would love to have a great result in. Coming a year after the World Cup 84 anguish, eliminating Eura would be redemption. Midfielder Sierra Mattison, one of those players who was a part of the World Cup 84 team says the team looks at this game as being much more, “It’s still in our memory, that round of sixteen loss and not making it as far as we would have wanted too. The road would have remained hard, since we would have had Banija next, and then Farfadillis, but the further you make it when at home, the better the result is a little. Losing in the round of sixteen was not what we were after. Eura was the better team that day, but are they that much better then us? This is a dffierent team, I get it, but we’re ready to roll.” Mattison then showed me a Farfadillis hat she bought, “I wore this during the semifinal. I did not want Eura to continue to have success in our country after beating us. You know they beat Banija after beating us. I was so happy the Favres won that match against them.” Could Cassadaigua have defeated Farfadillis? Mattison wouldn’t say either way, “No one will know, but I do know that we would have loved the opportunity to do so.”

At Olympic Park and Mount Salt City, the locals will be treated to this entertaining match that is far more then a quarterfinal to us. You almost have to think that if they won this match, it would be like winning the whole tournament. They won’t say that, and will say things like only the next opponent matters. But for those that have since moved on from the team, playing Eura again one year later is a great opportunity for a little payback. Bars across the Matriarchy expect huge crowds to watch this game. It’s a good thing we won the World Baseball Classic quarterfinal quickly allowing today to be a bye day, because there would have been some hard decisions for our fans on what to watch.

[Pasarga]

They say the game is a game of inches, one where the smallest of off beats or chances can change ones entire fortune. Where great teams can crumble from one minor mistake and where a star can be born because of being on the right side of the post or crossbar. The game is littered on its history of these moments where fortune changes on what seems the width of a hair or a moment of brilliance. Unfortunately for Schottia, they were on the wrong side of that moment when they took on the Wanderers in the last group game to decide who would advance from the group.

By all accounts, Schottia was the in form side who came into the match as favorites despite the Wanderers being the back to back champions of the trophy. Thua far in the tournament, Schottia had looked the more cohesive unit even if the Wanderers looked to have had the more individually skilled amount of players on the pitch. As the Qualifiers had shown, individual talent could only do so much if the team did not perform as a group. Then again, a drubbing of Mavinet might have been all the tonic needed for the champions to have bounce back from their opening day defeat to the World Champs.

The affair was tense and the much maligned midfield and defense was actually doing well to keep the Schottia opposition at bay. Tackles were crunching and all fifty fifty balls were being heavily contested. It was clear to all the fans in the stands and watching at home that both sides were seriously going for the win. Any notion that the regional tournament was something not to take seriously was not something that was on either squads mindset. For every Pasargan punch there was a Schottia counter punch and vice versa.

Yet as these things do, there was a breaking moment where through mental exhaustion or physical fatigue, a gap appeared in the Schottia defense. It was not something the Wanderers would overlook and the attack lurched forward to capitalize on the opening. The passing triangles did what they were meant to and Gere was able to get free on the wing before sending in a low whipped cross. It was a cross that found the foot of Alexander Jager who easily redirected it past the keeper and into the back of the net. For only a moment Schottia was not at their peak but it had cost them everything. Jager would double his tally in the 80th, before Schottia got a consolation goal in the 89th. Paragraph was through, Schottia for all their form was not, hard done by by the fickle nature of the game and an absolutely brutal group.

For their efforts, the Wanderers will now take on Nephara., who managed to edge Eura for their group crown. It is clear this half of the competition is stacked, with four teams who all have World Cup titles to their names meeting in the Quaterfinals. Nephar will have every right to be confident, yet as we saw in the Cup of Harmony and this tournament so far, the Wanderers get stronger the longer they are in the competition. Nephara would love to add a regional title to their cabinet but our Wanderers have a crown they want to successfully defend for a second time of asking.

[Sargossa]

SSM | Sargossan State Media

International Edition - Sport



End Of The Road for Rod


Blanco Borrayo reports from Eastfield Lodge;

It had been one of the worst kept secrets in Sargossan football’s recent history but now itis officially canon. National coach Rodrigo Defederico will step down when his contract expires at the culmination of this tournament. It didn’t seem like an announcement that had been cleared by the Football Federation’s communications team. Instead the coach himself decided to end the speculation in the press conference prior to the 3 – 2 defeat to old foes Darmen.

‘It seems a good way of avoiding talking about a defeat’, the coach smiled. ‘But, yes. I’m done after this Copa. It’s been a wild ride but, quite frankly, I am knackered. I’m looking forward to going out to dinner and not having someone tell me why Saúl Escribano would actually be better deployed as a fallback.’

The fixture against the All-Greens was Defederico’s one hundred and forty first match in charge. Making him the nation’s longest serving national coach, slightly ahead of Elías Carrasco on eighty nine. After a spell as boss at Nuevo Onwere he took the reins at hometown club Dunas Del Sol, steering them away from what had looked like certain relegation. The next season, his first full campaign at the helm, he led the ream from the resort city to seventh place in the SuperLiga and to the final of the Copa Sargossa. With Dunas continuing to punch above their weight in the following season Defederico was placed firmly in the FFS’s sights after the sacking of Rafael Barrios. It helped too that he had had experience as part of Minthârtar Nelésian’s backroom team and during a brief spell as Olympic coach.

There was a certain amount of chaos following the sacking of Barrios so we can only assume that Defederico taking it upon himself to announce his own departure would only come about if his replacement had already signed upon the dotted line. As to who that could be, well, the outgoing coach wouldn't be moved on that one. Although certain bookmakers, normally the most reliable sources of information at times like this, have already stopped taking bets on that new incumbent being Juan José Barreto. Fresh from a second successive title win with Ciudad Soluca Barreto, the grandson of former coaching great 'Professor' Félix Barreto, was linked to the post prior to Defederico's appointment but was considered to be 'too raw' at the time. Now looks like his time to shine.

But for Rodrigo Defederico the work is not yet over. The Corsairs are still very much active in this Copa but are faced with a huge task ahead if they want to advance any further. Next up it's a trip to Bridgetown for what is surprisingly the first ever match between Sargossa and Savojarna.

[Eastfield Lodge]

Copa Rushmori 34 Quarter-Finals

Savojarna 2–1 Sargossa
North Bank Stadium, Bridgetown

Saintland 2–2 Darmen (2–2 AET) (4–3 pen.)
East Monksville Park, Monksville

Cassadaigua 1–3 Eura
Olympic Park, Mount Salt City

Pasarga 2–3 Nephara
Norrion Park, Norrion

Semi-Final Fixtures

Savojarna vs Nephara
@King Iqbal II Stadium, New Lodger City

Saintland vs Eura
@Vorgan Park, New Lodger City

[Nephara]

Pasarga 2 - 3 Nephara
(4-4-2) 1 - Mercator; 2 - Stride (18 - Longship 80'), 5 - Thorn, 6 - Brosch, 3 - Close (c); 13 - Saroszi, 4 - Shone (15 - Kastriot 80'), 21 - Moxham, 11 - Strongbow (16 - Deventer 73'); 9 - Bastable, 10 - Metzger
Goals: Metzger 25', Saroszi 37', Deventer 78'

2-0. The most dangerous scoreline. That's what they say, isn't it?
Well, it's bullshit. 2-0's a lot better than 1-0. If it'd been 1-0 instead of 2-0, Pasarga still score twice, probably. And they get a draw. Maybe even hold out for the win. 2-0 is a great place to be unless, on aggregate, you need three goals, which Nephara did not. 2-0 was mint.
Such were Hesterine Mercator's characteristically clinical thoughts between the posts for the Cormorants. She'd made one brilliant save in the seventh minute, when a razor-sharp passing move from Sebeok to Foeldessy to where exactly did Gersten come from? But he picked out the bottom corner, Mercator having to balletically tip it around the post, practically shattering her elbow as she came to earth in a bundle of limbs, raptures from the audience. The corner was headed out by Brosch, which was a damn good thing because Mercator was sure as hell too shaken to come out far for it.
That was... about all she'd done, a couple optimistic strikes from Orsolya Gere aside. The Cormorants had put their foot on the game, Chimera Moxham danced into command of midfield, set up an insolent little flick over the defence that Aristide Metzger chested down and absolutely blasted past the exposed Ambrus Galambos. There was blood in the water. Moxham cracked a shot against the post, then bore down on goal more close and personal, giving Berg the eyes and forcing him back, back... and sliding the ball across with her right boot so subtly Berg didn't even notice until Monako Saroszi was streaking past him and firing with full power and perfect placement past Galambos' near post, single-handedly debunking the theory that all near-post goals are goalkeeping howlers.
So far, so good. The crowd were in good spirits. A guy painted head to toe in green was straddling the Godhead, lighting flares off its cigar. All was as it should be.
And then...

Well, it could happen to anyone, couldn't it. If it could happen to her it could happen to anyone, certainly. Except Aranea Provost, probably, darling of the press. Mercator had never met her in her life, but was starting to resent the young lass. She hadn't played a top-flight minute yet! Why were people so desperate to generate a wunderkind when that had never been the Nepharim way? Especially not in goal. Especially not there. Even Di Ballard had been kept waiting into her mid-20s before making the one her own. Or, you know. Her. Hesterine Mercator. One of the greatest to wear the shirt, or on track to be, if she didn't make mistakes like this.
It wasn't even a freak error. At Sunday league level it wasn't an error at all. Gere's shot was well-placed, but not powerful. Mercator had sprung for it, looking impressive without it really being impressive. She'd got a paw to it. You're meant to flick it with your fingertips off to the side. You aren't meant to scoop it back into the mixer of the box. Julia Mueller is in the mixer of the box, and she's fast enough to steal a march on Thorn, stab home the ball and vault over your sprawling carcass. Damn.
That was the thing about being a goalkeeper. If she'd saved this and conceded earlier to Gersten nobody would have cared, it would've been par. Here? Same result, but...
Anyway, that was Daniella Strauss making her 'time to rip up the game notes' face of tranquil fury on the sidelines. That was the untranquil fury of Monica Brightwater behind her. Oh, she was in for it. Grand.
44th minute, kick in the teeth. Stride gave away a throw-in or something to end the half on a damp squib.
2-1. So why didn't they feel like winners?

"We're still winning," Strauss had told them, straightforward. "Just keep tight, keep sharp. Score a goal and they're out of this fucking tie. Hey, Hesti, don't concede at all and guess what? We fucking win anyway. I'm not gonna kick your arses 'cause that was forty minutes of outstanding, dominant Nepharim football. Go out and show 'em what shade of green is best."
It was a strong coda to a good speech. Most of all it was relaxed. You didn't exactly want to melt into a puddle, but you could ease back into control, unless Jager sent a cheap free kick into the top corner in the 52nd minute to level the scores.
Hrm.
The fans hadn't stopped cheering, they never did. Just there was more desperation in it now. What was needed was a moment, and what they got was a grind, and at 2-2 that was no time for it at all. Let the bitter attritional stuff have happened back at 2-0! Worryingly, they seemed short of inspiration up front, mostly just a litany of people trying to get the ball to the lads up front as if Bader and Berg weren't literally the strongest point of the Pasargan team.
The fans didn't know what the answer was. The fans were pretty sure that the answer wasn't taking off Rowena Strongbow. What? Their talisman? Even if she'd done pretty much nothing all half, looked jaded, and was backed up by someone who started week-in week-out for Brinemouth? Nahhhh. They booed. Strauss smiled, wryly. So did Morena Deventer.
Maybe the little occultist knew something they didn't, or maybe she just had her usual attitude problem. Because five minutes later - five minutes! - a ball squirreled wide after Metzger, picking up scraps off a deflection, desperately stabbed it into the post. It skimmed wildly, Csikos went for the clearance, Csikos became suddenly aware Deventer was right down his throat and hedged his bets and had it stolen, and there was space, space to drive outside and fire inside underneath the beleagured Galambos.
Crisis? What crisis? It was never in doubt.

[Savojarna]

Bridgetown, Eastfield Lodge, Savojar locker room

Polina had found her standing a bit, after the horrible nervousness that befell her in the bus. If Victoria’s stories hadn’t completely calmed her, at least they made her think of something else than the upcoming game and how horribly out of place she still felt in the Savojar national team. The papers constantly chalked Polina up to be Savojarna’s next star, the centre around which CASK’s winning defence shall be built, or the national team’s future, or something similarly lofty. She hated it. She felt like she was constantly under observation, as if every single opposition team had made her out to be the weak link that would fall apart if only lightly tested. The biggest problem, however, was that apparently almost everyone in Savojarna seemed to believe Polina had wanted to be the prodigy that carried Savojarna’s future. It seemed like no centreback that had any ambitions in the next few years liked her. Everyone just wanted to one-up the great Polina Zirkova, who had never asked for that place at all and just wanted to play. And now, a quarterfinal. At least the press would have someone else to think about. That’s when Mikaela Rangren entered the room.

The coach’s speech largely went over Polina’s head. She was too deep in her thoughts about the upcoming game, about her career, about how CASK would finally expect something brilliant of her, everything, to catch more than a bit of Rangren’s rousing speech about the history of the Copa or some other stuff like that. She had read it all in the papers. Duel of the best un-crowned Rushmori side, the number one behind the World Cup winners of Nephara and Eura, and all that stuff. A victory would let them play the Cormorants, a team with whom they had some history. Pleasant history, for sure, but nonetheless a game that was, as the press loved to say, more than a game. Polina hated journalists.

Then, finally, something shook her from her lethargy. Victoria. The midfielder covertly nudged her side. “Defenders. I think you should listen, Polina”, she said. Rangren looked at her sternly, and Polina immediately felt a need to apologise, but the coach didn’t let her talk. “Okay, where was I? Right. Defence”, she continued her talk, “we’ll need you today. Sargossa are an offensive side. Harsh, with high wingbacks, they are gonna pressure us, okay? We need to play fast out the back. This is where you guys come in. We’re doing it a bit differently today, because I want you guys to be fast and creative. Matts, Alexey, you pressure their wingbacks. They have no wide midfielders, so you can go up a bit. Centrebacks, we’re doing a bit of a change today”, she announced. Polina’s heart sank a little, feeling as if she were dreaming. “Linne told me she’s a bit hurt, and I want my defence to be quick today. Roman, you play a bit more conservative, okay? You’re our defensive leader today. Linne, you’ll be resting the first half. Maybe later, if you feel good. Polina. You’re starting with Roman”, the coach said. Polina felt her heart rate shoot up through the roof as Victoria shrieked and hugged her younger teammate.

“GIRLS!”, Rangren’s voice shot through the room. “I was explaining my tactic, Victoria. I’m happy you guys support each other, but we only have a few more minutes before the warmup, and I wanna talk to Polina before we go. So, you’ll have to be our distributor in the back. I know you can do that. I have seen you train. You’re made for the job. Come to me after the meeting is over, okay?”, she said before moving up to the midfield. Polina, now knowing she would be on the field, tried to listen. But she couldn’t, with her heart pounding in her chest and her mouth drier than ever. She grabbed her bottle, unable to swallow the water in it. Starting member of the Savojar national team. At age 22. In a Copa Rushmori quarterfinal. She could not believe it. What was this magic? How would she be able to hold up to a Sargossan side that she had barely watched, like all of them hadn’t? What if she would mess up?

Mikaela Rangren seemed to have felt her defender’s worries. Before the warmup, she called Polina towards herself. “I know this was sudden, Polina. I’m sorry for that. Linne has only told me now that she isn’t feeling all that well, and I don’t wanna risk anything against a hard and offensive side, okay?”, she said, with a motherly tone in her voice. Polina had to swallow dry a few times. “What… why not Simon? Why me?”, she could muster. “Simon isn’t in form. He’s small, not that good at holding up against pressing. You’ve trained better, that’s why. I trust you, Polina. I don’t do this because everyone and their mother thinks you’ll be the next Krister Voynov. I do this because I think that right now, on this day, against Sargossa, you’ll play better than Simon”. Strangely, her words seemed to actually soothe the player. “But… what if I mess up?”, she asked, still as pale as the washed out concrete of the player’s tunnel and out of breath. “Then maybe we concede. And then their centre backs will mess up. And maybe we lose. It’s football, Polina. Only one can win. Sometimes you play your best game and you still lose. Don’t sweat it. I promise you that as long as I am coach, a single bad game will not let you fall out of the team, and nobody will blame you for a mistake”.

---

Bridgetown, Eastfield Lodge, Pitch of the North Bank Stadium

The clock was ticking down, and the game was locked in. 1-1. Savojarna had taken an early command of the game, and the first goal fell to the Northlights after Maersk had seen a gap on the left side. Krister Voynov didn’t really need an invitation to score against a team whose only wide players were two fullbacks, and before Carter could reach him, he had swung inwards. Matts Pedersen took his place, and Krister passed him a through ball that the leftback crossed inwards, exactly on Jotansson’s head. The Sargossans had pushed back hard after the lead, but Polina and Roman Forsberg tightly marked their forwards. Still, their captain Espina had struck gold before the break, and circled a distance shot in perfectly. Iiro Pakanen was chanceless against a perfect shot, and the defenders beaten. In the locker, Mikaela Rangren had encouraged Polina. “See, you did fine. They needed to shoot from far out. Nobody can stop that one, goals happen, just as I said. Keep doing exactly that, and we’ll be in for a good one”, she had said to her young Russian.

Now, the time was on its final ten minutes, and Polina still stood on the pitch. She had surprised herself with her calmness. Sargossa’s attacks had intensified in the last ten minutes, but now they were winding down. Maybe the Corsairs got tired after all. Once more, a long ball came into their box, and Roman cleared it out with his height. It dropped onto Polina’s feet, who found herself with a bit of room. To her right, she heard Victoria shouting. “Palya, here! Our time!”, the midfielder shouted, but Goyoso pushed towards her. Up the pitch, she saw the solution. Morten Poulsen had dropped back just a bit and was looking in her direction. She waved towards him and smacked the ball up the pitch.

Morten got the message immediately. He turned on his heel and shot into the hole left by Sargossa taking out their defensive midfielder. For a moment, neither Goyoso nor Espina had stuck with the Savojar playmaker. He picked up speed, drawing out the centre-back, before dropping the ball out to Jashkin on the right. The fullbacks had advanced, and it was now four against three. At the second post, Voynov was gearing up, and in the middle, the tall Freya Sigurdsdottir lurked. But Jashkin had other plans. Out of nowhere, he hit the ball perfectly, and dryly shot it to the near corner.

The sound made Polina’s ears almost explode. Victoria was first to reach her, falling around the Russian’s neck. “Great ball, Palya, great ball! You did it! You brought us to the semis!”, Savojarna’s captain shouted. When Victoria let go of her again, Roman held his hands up for a high five, always the cool distanced man that he was. “Good pass, Polina. Semifinals!”, he said, before the team returned to their half and Morten got to thank her for the attack. Then, Freya pointed to the sidelines. Mikaela Rangren had waved her over, with Linne Kjaer standing by the sidelines. As Polina left her first Copa Rushmori game, it felt as if she could hug the world. But as she reached the sideline, she had to do with Linne, and then with Rangren. “YES, Polina! That’s exactly what I have wanted from you”, the coach said as she left the game and Dr. Ljungberg handed her a training jacket. “Linne’s gonna bring in some more stability for the last minutes. You did brilliantly. Now go rest”, she had said. As Polina sat down, she finally realised what she had done, and a deep joy sunk in. This was football. It was what she loved most.

Savojarna 2-1 Sargossa (1-1)
North Bank Stadium, Bridgetown/EFL; 50’000 spectators (sold out)

Goals: 16’ Jotansson 1-0 (Pedersen). 39’ Espina 1-1. 83’ Jashkin 2-1 (Poulsen).
Yellow Cards: 38’ Forsberg, 54’ Esnáider, 77’ Muñoz (all foul).
Remarks: 59’ Murillo (Sargossa) hit post.

Savojarna: Pakanen - Pedersen (80’ Thorvaldsson), Zirkova (84’ Kjaer), Forsberg, Nurkanen - Voynov, Andersson, Maersk, Jashkin - Poulsen - Jotansson (71’ Sigurdsdottir).
Sargossa: Penedo - Escribano, Esnáider (68’ Fonseca), González, Muñoz, Carter - Espina, Pomar (78’ Berganza), Goyoso - Costa, Murillo (72’ Guzmán)

[Eura]

emplor.eur/main/sport/football
EURA DOWN DAGANS AFTER COMING FROM BEHIND
Vibrant second half performance ensures progress from quarter finals
Report by our Euran international team correspondent Isabel Haynes

Cassadaigua 1–3 Eura at Olympic Park, Mount Salt City
Pierce 34 - Woakes 51, Griffiths 64, Bowman 79

There's a patchy history between Eura and Cassadaigua. When the former were still a rising force on the international stage, the latter had very recently been world champions consecutively at the 50th and 51st World Cups, and left a mark on the Euran sporting memory with a stinging, controversial defeat in World Cup qualifying at the Bastion Arena. Eura then famously traveled to the return leg and earned what was at the time a significant point thanks to a Lee Sharp equaliser. Its the kind of result that might be expected now, but at the time it was seen as a milestone for Euran football - a sign that it could compete with the bigger names in the game, even if Ben Randall's side didn't qualify on that occasion. As time passed and Eura transformed itself into one of the world's premier footballing nations, the Dagans suffered a decline relative to their previous status. After a lot of hard work, they were back in action before long and would soon meet Eura again several times. This time the teams were truly equals, and Eura got the better of the Dagans on most of occasions. Now they're both near the summit of world football, but a couple of steps short of seizing the mantle.

Most recently they met in the 84th World Cup, where both sides experienced crushing disappointment. Eura dominated their qualifying section in stark contrast to the crisis of 83rd World Cup qualifying, and went very far in the tournament only to fall at the penultimate hurdle to eventual champions Farfadillis. But this only happened after they had inflicted a very similar kind of pain on Cassadaigua at a World Cup the Dagans were co-hosting. The two sides met in the round of sixteen at the Dagan Airways Stadium with the hosts dreaming of victory in a home World Cup, bringing back the glory days of old. The Dagans, or Fillies as they are formally nicknamed, led an onslaught against an oddly quiet Eura during the first half, but were unable to score with Kevin Belgrave on fine form in the Euran goal. Having allowed their opponents to expend most of their energy for naught, Michael Brandon's team gradually took control of the game in the second half and turned the screw, until finally their own pressure brought a chance for a breakthrough. It couldn't have come any later; in the fourth minute of second half stoppage time, Lupe Enriquez inexplicably appeared to throw away his sides chances by clattering Rhys Griffiths in the box. A penalty was awarded, and Enriquez sent off for a second bookable offence.

Kelsey Morgan had the unenviable task of facing Eura's best attempt at a live action superhero from the penalty spot, Brian Bond. All six foot two of him would normally dispatch a penalty into one of the top corners without generating as much as a single bead of sweat on his brow. Yet just as Enriquez had taken leave of their senses to give the penalty away, Bond abandoned his and wasted it, his tame penalty presenting an easy save for Morgan. Morgan was the hero and Bond, so used to being unstoppable, was forced to stand in shock for several minutes contemplating his error. Extra time followed and for most of it the Dagans made war on Eura's goal, playing with ten but with the willpower and energy of twelve. When Rhys Griffiths limped off injured Brandon took the fateful choice to bring on Dion Underwood. Eura's senior striker, now third choice, broke the run of play and with it Dagan hearts by running on to an opportunistic lumped ball forward from Belgrave, and doing just enough to lift the ball over Morgan to win the tie. Cassadaigua was a nation with heads in collective hands. Few ways of exiting a home tournament could play out more cruelly than the events of that evening.

The Dagans watched on as Eura weren't able to convert their progression into a third World Cup title, reportedly with a pleasant feeling of schadenfreude, whereas the Eurans were much more focused on their own agony against Lui Wceil and his compatriots. Pre-game reporting in the country suggested this feeling hadn't gone away, and that after drawing Eura in the quarter final draw for this Copa, revenge was on the cards. Only a few of their players from that World Cup game were in the lineup for this match and they didn't hide themselves well, flying into tackles early on - Lupe Enriquez caused a nervous stir on their bench when she went in on Griffiths, luckily for them outside the box this time. There was a sense of familiarity in the air at first as Eura struggled early on but that's where the similarities between the two games ended. The Dagans had learned their lesson - take your chances. When they finally got a shot on target in the 34th minute it was 1-0. Courtney Graham lobbed a long ball into the box that was well cleared by Harvey Blake. It dropped outside of the box where Madison McClain was waiting to drill the ball back towards goal. It pinged about off several players like a pinball before coming to rest on the edge of the six yard box where Zack Pierce was waiting to slot home.

Pierce's goal was celebrated with verve and vigour, a historic moment for the nation's first male national team captain against a top team, one whom until recently had exclusively male players. Eura's women have proven themselves many times in the short period since that rule changed, and did so again against the Dagans after the team went into half time 1-0 down. Brandon allegedly gave exactly the kind of dressing down that was needed and the Eurans emerged a different team. The equaliser came quickly and with merciless efficiency. Scott Coles wrestled McClain off the ball and carefully placed a long pass through a midfield gap to find Monica Rowland. Rowland twisted on the spot and then waited a moment, picking her timing perfectly to slip through a second pass for Moira Woakes to run on to. Woakes careered into the box, let off a shot with her right foot with only moments left until her balance gave way, and hit it hard and high enough to beat Tiffany Nelson at the near post. Brandon's celebrations were muted. A lot of football was left to be played and Eura had already used two substitutes, with Anthony Townsend and Stanley Burns having gone off injured. Brian Bond was also struggling. He could be forgiven for thinking he's cursed against this opponent. In the 60th minute he let fly with a perfectly struck long range shot from thirty yards that looked destined to go in. Instead it swerved ever so slightly and clipped the intersection of the bar and the left hand post, infuriating the striker immensely.

Griffiths on the other hand was having a much better game and looked the most improved player since the break. A few minutes after Bond's miss, the Revolutionaries winger cut inside Enriquez and curled a shot towards the far post. It looked like an optimistic effort at best, until it rebounded in off the inside of the post and left the Dagans stunned. Now they made their own changes, knowing they had to score to at least take the game beyond ninety minutes. Chances were few and far between as the Eurans locked down their half. They were disciplined in defence, expertly orchestrated by Coles and Belgrave and setting a platform for the midfield to take control. The longer the game went on the less likely it looked that the Dagans could pull it back to 2-2, and the Eurans retained the ball in the middle through a series of impressively creative passing moves. In time they landed a killing blow, Damion Bowman patiently waiting at the back post for an opportunity amidst a scuffle for the ball on the right, and then prodding it through the goalkeepers legs when a Griffiths cross eventually found its way to him. The contest continued to be lively right until the final whistle, at which point Eura were able to relax and reflect on a job well done. However there is no news yet on the injuries to Townsend and Burns, or who will replace them.

[Eastfield Lodge]

Copa Rushmori 34 Semi-Finals

Savojarna 2–0 Nephara
@King Iqbal II Stadium, New Lodger City

Saintland 0–1 Eura
@Vorgan Park, New Lodger City

Third Place Playoff

Nephara vs Saintland
@Parliament Stadium, Lodgertia

Grand Final

Savojarna vs Eura
@Lodger City Memorial Stadium, New Lodger City

[Savojarna]

SavojarSports.sj - inside reports from all Savojarna
YOU ARE HEROES -- Copa Final Special

By SavojarSports.sj Editorial Team

INFOBOX FOR FOREIGN READERS -- Warrior’s Chant

It is an old tradition of Savojarna’s past that before the warriors of a Savojar Army went into the field, parts of the traditional Savojar funeral rites would be performed in order to allow the warriors to fight without fear of leaving the souls of their loved ones behind. Common warriors would perform them with their families and village communities, while highly decorated warriors and leaders usually did so with high religious authorities or with their kings, jarls, or elected leaders. Besides a select set of prayers and a ritual burying and burning of an item connected to the warrior, it also included a practice where family members and friends would present short songs to the warrior in question. The practice was widely believed to take away the fear of death for a warrior, and ensure that if they would fall, their death was quick and painless. SavojarSports.sj decided to adopt this practice in order to motivate the Savojar squad before their battle with Eura, and empower the team. In traditional Savojar fashion, the songs are written not with rhymes in mind, but with alliterations.

To Iiro Pakanen, the Steel Wall of Jinja City
Born a boy in the birches of the bay
To Banija you went, to become the best in the net
Inheritance of a legend in her inforgettable prime
Iiro the Wall, in our hearts and minds.

To Matts Pedersen, the Conqueror of the Left Flank
Drive! Drive, with dribbles and passes and dreams
Drive forward our play, daring deity that you are
Defend, and don’t let them deliver the cross
Tired, you never are, and never shall be.

To Victoria Maersk, the Engine from Nephara
To conquest! To conquest of a coveted land
To the South; tough, strong and supreme
Sailed you, to reign or to fall in strife
Triumphant you turned back to us.

To Krister Voynov, the Hawk at the Line
Dazzle us and dribble, shoot and destroy
Despair your opponents, drift far and close
You, a legend, in life and long after death
Lasting impact, leaving behind but legend and song.

To Arvid Jotansson, the Tank of Ejana
Taller than trees, tougher than towers
In triumph or tattering shame
You stand above all, atop all the hills
As the world falls, all we shall trust in you.

Savojarna 2-0 Nephara (0-0)
King Iqbal II Stadium, 90’000 spectators (sold out)

Goals: 59’ Jotansson 1-0 (Jashkin); 79’ Karjanen 2-0 (Maersk).
Yellow Cards: 19’ Omark, 35’ Stride, 57’ Nurkanen (all foul); 80’ Karjanen (excessive celebration); 84’ Kastriot (foul)
Red Cards: --
Remarks: --

Savojarna: Pakanen - Pedersen (65’ Thorvaldsson), Omark, Forsberg, Nurkanen - Voynov, Andersson, Maersk, Jashkin - Poulsen (80’ Zirkova) - Jotansson (73’ Karjanen)
Nephara: Mercator - Stride, Thorn (86’ Chalk), Brosch, Close - Saroszi (59’ Kuepper), Shone (73’ Kastriot), Moxham, Strongbow - Bastable, Metzger

[Eura]

emplor.eur/main/sport/football
ONE GOAL ENOUGH AS EURA SINK SAINTLAND
Patient semi final performance does the trick
Report by our Euran international team correspondent Isabel Haynes

Saintland 0–1 Eura at Vorgan Park, New Lodger City
Coles 68 (pen)

Building up to this semi-final against Saintland, all of the talk in the Euran camp was not about who would be present, but rather who wouldn't. Injuries in the quarter finals sustained by Anthony Townsend and Stanley Burns had ruled them out of the fixture against Saintland meaning Michael Brandon would have to adjust his strongest side at very short notice. Burns was replaced in the easiest way possible as second choice left back Ben Hall came in to deputise, a player who has plenty of tournament experience with the national team. Picking a replacement for Townsend was harder; many took it for granted that Brandon would pluck for experience and select Oscar Coltrane, but he was hardly the only option available. In the final lineup, the highly rated but relatively raw Damion Bowman was the man in on the left, with Griffiths moving to the right to fill the gap left by Townsend. Saintland had comparatively few selection dilemmas to worry about. They lined up in their usual highly defensive 1-5-1-1-1-1 formation, fully intent on stifling Eura's attacking strengths and grinding out a result.

Eura have played Saintland before, usually but not exclusively winning these contests. In recent years the Sanctii have declined after a long period of political division, yet anyone who knows their footballing pedigree could recognise that they remain a genuine threat.Their overtly defensive and physical playing style has been described as anti-football at its extreme by some, and a stroke of genius by others; a prime example of playing to your strengths. There's no denying that its effective. After all, Saintland scored less goals than any other side in qualifying for the 84th World Cup and at the 76th Cup of Harmony, but got results regardless because of their immaculate defensive record. However their ineffectual offensive capabilities become a problem once they face top sides, a category in which Eura could justifiably be included. This match was no exception to that. The Sanctii were undoubtedly firm at the back from the first minute. Yet they offered no threat going forward, occasionally hoofing the ball up to Iacobus Sosia, and watching as one of Harvey Blake or Charles Roberts intercepted and regained possession without much effort.

The problem facing Eura was how to score and avoid the game going to extra time or a penalty shoot out, where the Eurans advantages would be minimised in favour of a lottery of chance and circumstances. Throughout the first half Eura stuck to a tried and tested strategy for getting the ball in the net - passages of play dominated by short passes that allowed them to walk the ball into or around the box and finish, combined with well timed crosses in to test the defence and give strikers a more direct opportunity to score. Brandon's side did this well and couldn't be faulted for effort. Unfortunately the Sanctii were on form which neutered that effort. Andreas Munatius, Paulus Vibenius and Georgius Maianius formed an impenetrable trio of centre backs that cleared every ball in and were on call to tackle every time a Euran player threatened to break through. There were a few chances on goal - an otherwise frustrated Brian Bond cracked a shot narrowly over the bar, and Liam Armstrong tested Alessandro Suedius from range. It was not enough. Half time arrived with the score at 0-0, and for the Eurans the frustration was already starting to show.

Half time passed quickly and the same routine played out for fifteen minutes before the Eurans changed their strategy. They switched to three at the back, Hall coming off and another striker, John Fletcher, coming on. Fletcher is the most physical forward option available in the Euran squad and made his mark straight after coming on, wrestling his way past Vibenius to flap at a loose ball and send it just past the right hand post, a half chance but one that should have been a warning sign for Saintland. The Sanctii stuck to their usual plan and held firm. It transpired that this was a mistake, because soon after the Euran tactical change they got their breakthrough. It happened in a flash as Woakes flicked a tricky cross into the box, Maianius headed it down and Munatius went to clear it. At the last moment Munatius saw Bond racing in to snatch at the ball with his left boot and went in for the tackle. It was late and hard, a clumsy tackle that send Bond sprawling and left the referee with no choice but to point to the spot. Saintland protested to no avail as Euran captain and makeshift centreback Scott Coles took the ball, taking responsibility for this massive penalty. He's usually fifth in the order of Euran penalty takers, but no-one challenged him as he took control. Coles was made to wait for a time before casually jogging up to the ball and dispatching the penalty kick into the top right hand corner.

Less than twenty five minutes remained which meant Saintland had to go on the offensive. By their standards that meant playing a slightly higher line and introducing Abraham Justus, a second striker, for one of their six defenders. It was not enough. Eura tightened up themselves at the back with the introduction of Chris Ashton and Frank Bevan in midfield, shielding the back three from Sanctii attempts to burst forward and grab an unlikely equaliser. There was one near miss for Eura which Justus will not want to see replayed too often. The striker was played through by Matthaeus Asinius in a rare moment where the Euran defence collectively switched off. He had plenty of time and space just inside the box, shaped up to shoot, and curled a finessed shot toward the bottom corner at the near post. Kevin Belgrave correctly anticipated this and got down in time to stop the ball dead with his outstretched left wrist, partly thanks to the lack of power applied to the shot. Justus boiled over at himself in spite of the reassurances of his team mates, as he knew he'd thrown away a golden chance to level the scores. Eura did not allow any further clear opportunities and were able to gradually play out the remaining minutes until a 1-0 win was confirmed. Saintland had given it their all at the back and had been undone by one moment of weakness. On the other hand Eura had been rewarded for their patience, and Coles had made sure that reward bore full fruit. Brandon now had to think carefully about whether three at the back might work better than he thought.

[Eastfield Lodge]

Copa Rushmori 34 Third Place Playoff

Nephara 3–2 Saintland
@Parliament Stadium, Lodgertia

Copa Rushmori 34 Grand Final

Savojarna 2–2 Eura (2–2 AET) (0–3 pen.)
@Lodger City Memorial Stadium, New Lodger City

Congratulations to the winners, commiserations to the runners-up, and thank you all for participating in this Copa Rushmori.

[Eura]

OOC: Apologies for the long overdue final RP.



REPLAY: Eura vs Savojarna – the 34th Copa Rushmori Final…Live!
- Live coverage from Lodger City Memorial Stadium, New Lodger City, Eastfield Lodge
- Venue sold out all 150,000 seats as Eurans and Savojars pack out
- Team news: Michael Brandon names unchanged Euran side from semi-final win over Saintland – one change for Savojarna
- Eura chasing third Copa title, Savojarna their second
- Reporting by Chris Edwards, Mia Bates and Harvey Hallworth

Welcome to REPLAY, where we dig into our archive to see how our live news feed reported famous sporting events as they happened. To mark the beginning of the 35th Copa Rushmori, we’ve focused in on our coverage of the previous Copa final, where Eura played Savojarna. We join the live feed just ten minutes or so before kick-off.

18:48 - …thanks to our pre-game team and Chris Edwards for covering the build-up. It’ll now be Chris, Harvey Hallworth and me, Mia Bates, to take us through these final minutes. Chris and I will be updating you on events at the Lodger City Memorial Stadium as they happen, and Harvey will be our stats guru.

18:49 - We’ll also be giving you select quotes from our commentary team in the stadium for EBC television, a stream of which you can access via this page if you live in Eura or the Overseas Territories and hold a valid EBC Pass. Tonight, our commentators will be the iconic Terry Chamberlain, EBC lead commentator, and legendary former Euran international Craig Sinclair, who won 286 caps and scored 114 goals for his country. They will be joined by former Savojarna captain Kristina Midström bringing us the opposition perspective.

18:51 – The pre-game ceremony is wrapping up now, and I have to say the Eastfielders have hosted a fine tournament. There were maybe some doubts given the unusual metaphysical circumstances of its existence, but hey, Rushmore was open to giving it a try and everything has worked out fine. Chris still hasn’t found his sunglasses though. A reminder of the teams lining up tonight:

Eura name an unchanged 4-2-3-1 line-up from the one that saw off Saintland 1-0 at Vorgan Park. That said the team is a departure from Michael Brandon’s usual selection; Anthony Townsend and Stanley Burns missed the Saintland match through injury but, despite both being fit, have not retaken their starting births. Brandon is clearly relying on consistency in selection, the experience of Ben Hall, and Damion Bowman’s raw talent.



Savojarna come close to making this a repeat of the semi-finals for both teams in terms of line-up. However, they have made one change from the team that sensationally defeated favourites Nephara 2-0, with Linne Kjaer coming in for Simon Omark. That’s a big change at the back for Mikaela Rangren’s Savojars, who line up in their usual 4-4-1-1.



18:52 – For those who are out of the loop, this is something of a mismatch historically but could go either way on current form and ability. Eura has become a giant of the game at all levels but is perhaps the most underachieving nation in the Copa Rushmori, at least relative to expectations, having won it only twice in the 23rd and 27th editions. They’ve lost three finals, the most recent a shock defeat to Pasarga in the 32nd edition having dominated the tournament.

At this Copa, Eura got out of their group easily with victories over The Askari Union and Falkyr, and a draw against Nephara. But in the knock out rounds they wobbled, relying on vastly improved second half performances to beat Cassadaigua and Saintland.

Savojarna have the opposite reputation, as a country with a rising reputation in world football, and a team who have only a short history of participation in the Copa – but one that is hugely successful in that context. Their memorable victory in the 31st edition final against Nephara was one for the ages, and they capped off a great run in this edition of the tournament by seeing off the Nepharim yet again at King Iqbal II Stadium.

It was a tighter game than the 2-0 scoreline suggested. Nevertheless, the Savojars took their chances well, Arvid Jotansson giving them the lead before Perttu Karjanen came off the bench to score a Dion Underwood-esque counter attacking goal to finish it. Can they repeat the same heroics tonight?

18:53 – Here’s what our commentary team have to say in the final moments before this huge final, as the players get ready to come out onto the pitch:

Terry Chamberlain, EBC TV commentator: “It really is a tale of two very different sides this. The Eurans have the heavy weight of expectation upon them to end a long drought in this tournament, and several older players for whom this might be a last shot at silverware. The Savojars will be more relaxed – they know that reputation and on-paper strength only matter for so much in 90 minutes. They have a decent record against Eura at the Copa. Still, I think Eura will edge it after extra time.”

Craig Sinclair, former Euran international, World Cup and Copa Rushmori winner: “It’s not easy being a Euran in a major final, and I should know. There are billions of eyes on you from your own country let alone anywhere else. I think Michael Brandon has been positive again tonight, he’s gone with a good balance of experience and pure ability and I think Eura should win. If they get the ball to Brian Bond up top he will score sooner or later. They’ve got to be careful though, this is an opponent who will have a lot of belief that they can do it.”

Kristina Midström, former Savojarna international, captain of their Copa Rushmori winning side: “When we won it a few years ago I remember the absolute jubilation it caused around the country. Well, the novelty didn’t have time to get old; if it happens again you’ll see parties on the streets once more. We’re stronger than last time too. Eura have some big names to contend with, but every one of Rangren’s men and women knows what they have within them. Jashkin is a hell of a player especially as any Farrenton fans know. I’m going to be optimistic – Savojarna to win in extra time and bring the trophy back to Sjoedrhavn!”

18:54 – It’s a beautiful stadium this. The info given to us by the hosts calls it the “crown jewel” of the nation’s stadiums and you can see why. There’s also a touching detail; over five million names are inscribed on the structure of the ground, each a victim of a notorious disaster here that devastated this city and destroyed the stadium that existed on this site before.

It feels almost mundane to use a place like this for football. Then again, what better way is there to move on? It worked for Oakstone. They’re ready to march out of the tunnel now. Here we go.

18:55 – Out come the two teams, followed by their managers, to a great deal of fanfare in front of an absolutely enormous 150,000 capacity crowd (both teams get a 50,000 allocation concentrated mainly behind the goals). Mikaela Rangren looks excited as usual. Who can blame her? Few would have expected her to reach the Copa final in her first tournament in charge. Michael Brandon is maybe a little calmer. He’s been here before.

18:56 – Here come the national anthems. Savojarna first.

18:58 – You’ve got to love a flag waving socialist anthem now and again, the International in this case. Sung heartily and with passion by the Savojars in the stadium, as is their nature. Now for the Euran anthem.

“Ohhhh Eura, my own Eura, how dear is theeeee…”

OOC: To the tune of this, of course.

19:00 – There’s something quite special about watching fifty thousand Eurans sing Ode to Eura. A wall of sound.

19:01 – Handshakes go off without incident. There’s been some geopolitical wrangling between Eura and Savojarna in recent years but little sign of it translating into this occasion like it has in matches past. It seems the hatchet may have been buried, on the pitch at least.

Enough pleasantries. It’s about to go off. Eura play in red and gold trim as per, Savojarna in blue with a distinctive red and white trim.

19:02 – Eura win the toss, choose to kick off, and do it so quickly I think half the stadium hadn’t realised play had begun. There’s a delayed roar of encouragement for both sides.

Craig Sinclair on EBC TV: “You could tell from the way they set up at kick off that Eura are out to leave a mark on Savojarna here. Pouring straight into their half. Savojarna look a bit more closed up and will likely play direct and on the counter.”

19:04 – There’s little to report from the first couple of minutes. That’s often the case in major finals. No-one wants to be the first side to make a mistake.

19:05 – MISS - I spoke too soon! Eura get the ball in the danger area early as Damion Bowman drives a powerful cross into a tricky area for Savojarna, just outside their six yard box. It’s low and cleanly hit but Brian Bond’s shot is not. He’s wellied that well wide and should have done better.

Kristina Midström on EBC TV: “That was a beautiful ball, but I’m not sure what Bond thought he was doing there. He couldn’t get around it well enough for placement and didn’t seem to know how much power was going into the shot either.”

19:06 – We’re at a loss too up here. Bond is not usually profligate in front of goal. His importance to this Euran side cannot be understated; he’s got a comparable goals per game rate internationally to Needle, Oslograd, Campbell and Underwood. He offers a lot physically too though, with the strength of Oslograd and pace not far short of Underwood. It’s reasonable to argue he’s a unique player in the pantheon of great Euran strikers – not least because of the male modelling!

19:08 – Another venture forward by Eura who have definitely had the better of the first five minutes. Ben Hall overlaps Bowman on the left, cuts the ball back for the young winger, and watches as he tries to surge into the box. A solid Alexey Nurkanen tackle sees him lose the ball and Savojarna regroup. Nurkanen is going to have to play the game of his life tonight to deal with Bowman.

19:09 – SAVE - The second Euran shot comes from an unlikely source. Charles Roberts takes his chance from range which offers an easy save for Iiro Pakanen. Although Bond is the key man up front it is worth remembering this Euran team can score from anywhere. They’ve scored fourteen goals in six games this tournament. Bond is top scorer with three. Woakes, Underwood and Bowman have two apiece. Five players have one goal to their name, Roberts included.

19:11 – A little better here from Savojarna who create something for the first time. Only a half chance, Mikhail Jashkin sending a long ball into the right channel for Morten Poulsen to run onto, only for Poulsen’s cross back to Arvid Jotansson to be easily collected by Kevin Belgrave. An early sign of the danger Jashkin causes in particular.

Terry Chamberlain on EBC TV: “Beware Mikhail Jashkin above all. Ben Hall really needs to be on it throughout or the Farrenton man will do something.”

What does “something” mean, Terry? Hold up a bank until Belgrave lets a shot in?

19:12 – CHANCE - Almost an incident of commentators – I mean, err, reporters – curse. Just as I imagine the thought of Jashkin wearing a black and white hooped shirt and carrying a bag of swag out of a vault, he instead chooses to rob Hall of possession. Jashkin charges forward and cuts a low ball across goal. Fortunately no-one is there to steer it in.

19:14 – Eura take a couple of minutes to settle down and regain control. Bizarrely we are made to wait twelve minutes for the first foul of the game as Liam Armstrong is cut down by Victoria Maersk. The battle of the box-to-box midfielders will be an interesting one to watch.

19:15 – CHANCE – Rhys Griffiths can be so, so deadly when he gets going. He sets off on a run down the right and leaves Matts Pedersen in the dust, then cuts back inside Linne Kjaer, and curls a quality ball towards the back post. Bond is there and is only denied a goal by Pakanen punching the ball away. Eura then win a couple of corners which come to nothing. Savojarna need to be careful not to let Eura have so many set piece opportunities.

19:17 – CHANCE - Bowman heaves another ball deep into the box and Moira Woakes manages to reach this one, but she can’t get a clean head on the ball and it runs out for a throw in on the other side. Technically that was an attempt on goal and not a very good one.

19:18 – Kjaer gets into a spot of bother at the back and tries to pass back to Pakanen but under-hits the back pass. Bond bears down on the loose ball furiously but Pakanen just about gets there to lump the ball into the crowd.

Kristina Midström on EBC TV: “Savojarna need to show a bit more intent here. There’s a lot of pressure building and it feels like Eura are going to take one of these chances eventually.”

Kristina may be right. Just as she finished speaking, Bowman was on hand to deliver another cross, and Kjaer’s awkward clearance almost went into the top corner. The corner is a good one but Pakanen gets to it first.

19:19 – BOOKING – We have our first yellow card of the final. Matts Pedersen has been struggling so far against Griffiths and Joonas Andersson has tried to help by providing support on the left flank. Andersson goes in late instead and earns himself a booking, and gifts Eura a free kick in a good position. Good opportunity this. Bond is standing over it…

19:20 – SAVE – Outstanding strike and an even better stop. Bond has gone for power at about 30 yards, hit the ball well towards the top right hand corner, and Pakanen has done brilliantly to get up and tip that over the bar. Eura’s corner comes to nothing. Other than that Jashkin flurry ten minutes ago it’s been one way traffic.

Craig Sinclair on EBC TV: “That would have been a contender for goal of the tournament – what a huge save by Pakanen.”

19:22 – MISS – Missed opportunity for Eura and Liam Armstrong is absolutely fuming. He’s done everything right, dispossessing Maersk with a well-timed tackle, exchanging a quick one-two with Monica Rowland to bypass Andersson and then played in Griffiths. The Revolutionaries player is alone on the inside right of the penalty area, has all the time in the world to pass across for Bond to score, and opts instead to shoot across goal. Pakanen lets it go wide. Armstrong exchanges choice words with Griffiths.

Terry Chamberlain on EBC TV: “What was Griffiths thinking there? You can’t be that naïve in a major final. Just take the clearest option, don’t go it alone and waste that good a chance.”

19:24 – We have some respite for the first time after a late tackle on Krister Voynov means medical attention is required. Both teams need a pause it seems and are getting tactical instructions from their managers. Rangren is looking pretty animated.

19:25 – And we’re back on. Rowland has a pop from outside the area. The shot goes over the bar.

STATS – Eura have had all six attempts on goal so far, two on target and four off target. They have had all four corners. Can Savojarna get out of their own half?

19:27 – After that talking to from their head coach the Savojars are looking a bit more positive. Still, Eura are controlling the game.

19:29 – SAVE – Griffiths on the wing, rolls the ball off for Coles, he gets the most out of his veteran legs to clip a ball through the legs of Pedersen, whips it across the box and there’s Brian Bond! Straight at the keeper. Weak shot too.

Craig Sinclair on EBC TV: “Brian Bond will not be happy with himself. That was a poor finish even if the angle was tight. Eura might regret not taking advantage of their current dominance.”

Craig can speak from a lot of experience after his illustrious career. He looks quietly anguished as an Armstrong corner from the left floats harmlessly out of play for a goal kick.

19:31 – Finally a shot for Savojarna who have barely got out of their half for twenty minutes. Maersk goes it alone, beating Armstrong with her strength and apparently superior willpower. She shoots from too far out for it to be a problem as the ball trundles wide. Nevertheless it’s a start.

19:33 – It’s quietened down a lot here in the Memorial Stadium. There’s not been much to celebrate for either side. The overwhelming feeling is one of tension.

19:35 – BOOKING - Hold on, Eura are back on the front foot and Kjaer has given them a free kick in a great position with Savojarna’s sixth foul of the half. The Dynamo Sjoedrhavn defender didn’t look comfortable holding off Bond as he received a Rowland pass, and ended up clearing him out from the side. An easy decision for the referee to give her a booking despite Maersk’s protests. This is 25 yards out and a couple of Euran players are lingering over it…

19:36 – GOAL!

EURA 1 – 0 SAVOJARNA – BRIAN BOND (34)

WHAT A BANGER.

Absolutely no chance for Pakanen as Brian Bond demonstrates why so many Euran clubs want to bring him home. The Eastweald striker hits this one with less force than his earlier effort. However the placement is spot on, a postage stamp strike into the top left hand corner that dips just in time to go under the bar. Pick that one out! Advantage Eura.

Craig Sinclair on EBC TV: “What a screamer!”

19:37 – Bond’s celebration summed up the man better than any article, book or documentary. He jogs leftwards away from his teammates, initially not reacting, then raises his right arm and blows a kiss and a wink to the cameras. Bond is exactly the kind of arrogant so-and-so Euran football lacks all too often. He backs it up with results too.

Kristina Midström on EBC TV: “What does Rangren do here? For a minute it looked like we’d make it to half time then change but that’s not happened. She’ll need to be careful not to lose the game before the break.”

19:38 – It’s a good question and one that gets an answer as Savojarna sink into their own half further. This is surely an attempt to avoid going two down. Less than ten minutes to half time plus stoppage.

19:39 – CHANCE – So unlucky! Eura win a corner which seems to have gone nowhere having been headed away easily by Roman Forsberg, who has so far been Savojarna’s best player. It then lands at the feet of Armstrong, who curls a shot back at goal first time that has clattered into the crossbar and come back out again. Forsberg reacts quickly to clear for a second time in moments. Savojarna clinging on here.

STATS – Harvey points out that, as far as we can remember, Bond has never scored a free kick for Eura before and only taken a handful. Hard to see that staying the same after this half of football.

19:41 – Forsberg launches a long ball deep into Eura’s half and Jotansson has used his height well to win it ahead of Roberts. He takes the ball down and could go further. Unfortunately Jotansson’s aerial ability is not matched by his pace and Roberts soon catches up to nick the ball back and put Eura back on the attack.

Kristina Midström on EBC TV: “Jotansson needs to do a lot better than that if he’s going to play in another game this big again. Sigurdsdottir is out of form, sure, but she’s got more quality. I think she’ll come on sooner rather than later at this rate.”

19:44 – The first half is now winding down a bit. Eura have had nine shots to Savojarna’s one. No-one in blue looks happy. Nurkanen clips Bowman’s ankles in frustration. He’s lucky that the subsequent indirect free kick is floated harmlessly over the box and out of play.

19:45 – Savojarna get the ball forward a bit only to run into a wall of Euran defenders and the midfield dropping back rapidly. Rowland is orchestrating the whole thing beautifully. If it goes on like this there’s only going to be one winner.

19:46 – MISS – If I were Forsberg or Pakanen I’d be giving Morten Poulsen an earful right now. The playmaker has dropped back to support the defence as stoppage time approaches. He clatters Woakes from behind and is fortunate not to be booked when Forsberg looked set to take the ball off her ankles. The referee waves play on as Eura still have the ball; however the chance isn’t taken by Griffiths who snaps up the loose ball and laces it just wide.

19:48 – We are into three minutes of stoppage time and everything has slowed down. Savojarna have strung a few passes together – they look so much better when they play the more intricate style we’ve been used to prior to this tournament. They’ve got an opportunity for a long throw though.

19:49 – PENALTY – SAVOJARNA

Unbelievable.

19:50 – BOOKING - Actually, no, it isn’t unbelievable. This is exactly what Eura do every time they reach a World Cup quarter final or semi-final. After dispatching quality opposition, playing beautiful football, scoring sensational goals and putting themselves in prime position to win a trophy, they lose their head and throw it away.

That’s what’s happened here as the throw in is harmlessly bouncing out of play, when Voynov sets after it. Harvey Blake has stepped across, apparently to shepherd the ball out, only to stick in a loose leg and clear out Voynov. It is a completely idiotic thing to do for player who has won the UICA Champions Cup, Gold League and Copa Rushmori, and to boot is playing their 100th game for Eura today. Eura don’t protest the decision, how could they?

To Voynov’s credit though, nothing would have come of that throw in if it wasn’t for his persistence in the face of adversity. Victoria Maersk has the chance to score a huge goal here for her country.

19:51 – GOAL!

EURA 1 – 1 SAVOJARNA – VICTORIA MAERSK (45+2)

Victoria Maersk buries it to Belgrave’s left. By her compatriots admission, she’s not a top class player in any single aspect. As a leader though Maersk is the finished article in every sense – there was not a glimmer of nerves as she stepped up to take the penalty.

19:52 – Eura pile forward to try and nab a second before the break. The ball bounces out harmlessly.

Terry Chamberlain on EBC TV: “How do Eura pick themselves up from that?”

Kristina Midström on EBC TV: “That’s why Maersk is the captain. She leads by example.”

19:53 – HALF TIME

EURA 1 – 1 SAVOJARNA

Harvey Blake is looking very guilty as he trudges off. Rightly so.

19:55 – STATS – Eura had 64% of the possession in that half, ten of the twelve attempts on goal, all six corners and committed half as many fouls as their opponents. And yet the scores are level.

19:57 – There’s been a lot of social media reaction which you can find covered on our “Involvement” feed. In the meantime we’re looking at a 20:05 start to the second half, so while you wait, here’s a reminder of the teams:

EURA – Belgrave, Coles (C.), Roberts, Blake, Hall, Rowland, Armstrong, Griffiths, Woakes, Bowman, Bond (GOAL 34)
SAVOJARNA – Pakanen, Nurkanen, Forsberg, Kjaer, Pedersen, Maersk (C., GOAL 45+2), Andersson, Jashkin, Voynov, Poulsen, Jotansson

20:00 – The bench players for both sides are warming up and if there’s one thing that gives Eura the advantage tonight it’s their strength in depth. Michael Brandon has so many options. Stanley Burns, Dean Steele, Anthony Townsend, Frank Bevan, Vincent Robshaw who has just won the Champions League with Northern Union, and veteran star Oscar Coltrane. That’s not even getting to the strikers. Fletcher, Fox and Sutton are all good enough to start at top clubs and Underwood’s age doesn’t change that he has world class quality.

Savojarna are by comparison a lot less blessed with real quality to bring on and have a smaller squad. Then again you could say their first team is a lot weaker on paper as well, and yet here we are, 1-1 at half time of the Copa Rushmori final. Eura dominated the opening period but that sickening twist at the end has opened up the game massively.

20:03 – Both teams are now back in the tunnel. The second half beckons. Here’s the thoughts of our commentary team:

Terry Chamberlain, EBC TV commentator: “I can’t imagine Michael Brandon will be too pleased with the way Eura have thrown away their lead, or that they only scored once. He and his players have to keep their head though. They have experience, quality and fitness on their side. I’ve watched Eura in ten major finals now and they’ve lost six of those; this doesn’t feel like number seven despite the equaliser.”

Kristina Midström, former Savojarna international, captain of their Copa Rushmori winning side: “I don’t think it was actually the best half for Savojarna in terms of the performance, Eura were on top as expected but at times it looked like my compatriots were going to struggle to get anything from the game. Now it’s completely changed. The moment that penalty went in I think it lifted a huge weight off their minds. I still think it would be wise to make a change or two early in the second half to sustain momentum. Eura are a good team but we know they’ve got a wobble in them, the question is how long will it last.”

Craig Sinclair, former Euran international, World Cup and Copa Rushmori winner: “You’ve got to feel for Harvey Blake right now. He’s going to be distraught. There are a lot of positives though for us – for forty minutes Eura were well on top. If we can maintain the same level for most of the second half and take a couple of chances then we’ll win. Savojarna must be buzzing though, what a moment that penalty was. They’ve got a chance now when the game should have been gone earlier.”

20:04 – SUBSTITUTION - The players are back out and we are ready to go. Savojarna have made a change by the way; Linne Kjaer has been rocky all game and is replaced by the talented prospect Polina Zirkova. A huge moment for the 22 year old who has reportedly attracted the attention of Ulsa’s scouting team. This could be the first time Euran audiences watch a new Frank Ainsworth.

In 45 minutes, longer if the scores are tied after that time, there will be a new champion of Rushmore.

20:05 – Seconds after kick off, Rowland and Maersk run into one another and both come off worse for wear. There’s a fleeting exchange of minor vulgarities between them as the referee makes sure it all stays peaceful. Is this a sign of things to come?

20:07 – CHANCE – Almost a total disaster at the back for Savojarna and their young substitute Zirkova. Zirkova is an adventurous sort considering she’s a centreback and that’s almost her undoing as she loses the ball on the edge of the centre circle to Rowland. The former Nephara captain quickly punches through and lays the ball off for Woakes on her left to run at the box. Woakes gets close and cuts the ball back for Bond, but just as Eura’s primary threat shapes to shoot, Forsberg is in with a brilliantly timed slide tackle and Pedersen hoofs clear.

Kristina Midström on EBC TV: “Twenty two million people will have had their hearts in mouths there. Zirkova is the most talented young defender we have but she’s just that, young, and that means she’s going to make mistakes.”

20:08 – SAVE – Much, much better from the Savojars. Maersk has been everywhere tonight and she’s done well here to set up Poulsen with space to shoot on the edge of the area. He’s normally a good finisher, yet can only hit a tame sidefooted effort straight at Belgrave. Even so that’s their first shot on target from open play which can only be considered an improvement.

20:10 – Better from the young Zirkova as well now. Bowman caused havoc at points in the first half and this time he’s driving in from the touchline towards the box leaving Nurkanen behind. Zirkova comes across and puts in a resolute challenge that forces Bowman back, and Nurkanen is able to clear.

20:12 – MISS – Bowman goes direct this time, attempting a shot from range. It flies over by a couple of metres.

20:15 – This half has been slower so far. It’s also been more equitable. Savojarna look considerably more comfortable on the ball than before and are playing more instinctively as a result. Mikaela Rangren seems to have compromised on her direct style and its had a positive impact.

Of course, just as I was typing that, Andersson sends a pass straight to the feet of Woakes, who then launches a shot from range that sails wide. A timely reminder that Eura have the capability to threaten from anywhere.

20:18 – We haven’t had a notable chance since Poulsen’s shot so Chris has gone to get me a coffee. All quiet on the Eastfield front.

20:19 – Now, this is interesting. Savojarna are lining up a second change after just 59 minutes. It must be another tactical switch.

20:20 – SUBSTITUTION – Coles concedes a throw in and here comes the change. Freya Sigurdsdottir is coming on for Arvid Jotansson who has been anonymous as Kristina Midström suggested might happen earlier. Big gamble this – the 33 year old could give Savojarna more bite and has plenty of experience, but she’s not been scoring and when she does it tends to be against weaker teams.

20:21 – SAVE – Finally Mikhail Jashkin is coming into the game properly. He’s been the only player in the last five minutes to threaten much, and has just stung Belgrave’s palms with a fizzing shot from 20 yards. The Directus keeper diverts the ball behind for a corner…

20:22 – …which he intercepts gracefully. Belgrave releases his team onto the counter with a long throw. Bowman gets beyond the half line before mixing up his feet and the ball goes out for a throw.

20:23 – Jashkin threatens again, this time forcing Ben Hall into retreat with a silky dribble at the edge of the box. He then flicks the ball on for Nurkanen who is bombing down the right on the overlap and the right back sends in a whipped cross that Blake heads away.

Craig Sinclair on EBC TV: “Savojarna are vastly improved compared to the first half. We have a real game on here.”

20:24 – INJURY – Eura have got a problem here. They’re off on the counter when Bowman goes down and holding his calf. He doesn’t seem to be in a huge deal of pain and is soon back on his feet, however it’s not clear he will be able to continue.

20:25 - GOAL!

EURA 1 – 2 SAVOJARNA – MIKHAIL JASHKIN (65)

Oh dear. Now Eura have two problems because the Savojars have two goals, and it’s a stunner from Mikhail Jashkin. Vindication for Rangren as her tactical gambit pays off. Poulsen crosses from the left after taking a free kick quickly, and Sigurdsdottir is well positioned to head the ball beyond Roberts and Blake as they both rise to it. Jashkin waits at the back post on the right. He chests the ball down, and crisply drills the ball on the volley into the top left hand corner, through Hall’s block and Belgrave’s attempt to make himself big at the near post.

b]Kristina Midström on EBC TV:[/b] “Wow! Underdogs, they said...what a turnaround!”

20:26 – Michael Brandon paces in silent fury as he is prone to do. Just like that it’s Savojarna who are about half an hour from being champions of Rushmore again, the same number of times as Eura – who have competed at this level for much longer. This will be a serious test of the Euran team spirit, that’s for sure.

Terry Chamberlain on EBC TV: “Make no mistake; this is the most serious test of Michael Brandon’s management of the Euran national team so far. No-one begrudged him for the Farfadillis defeat in the World Cup. Losing a 1-0 lead after 40 minutes of dominance in a Copa final would be less easily excused.”

Craig Sinclair on EBC TV: “Jashkin’s finish is irresistible. I would have been proud of that one”.

High praise there for Jashkin from Sinclair, a footballing icon. I think Jashkin would happily trade it for the final whistle blowing now.

20:28 – CHANCE - A Euran double substitution is on the way which should surprise no-one. They’ll be allowed to make it after the ball goes out of play, Poulsen curling a shot just wide from outside the area.

20:29 – SUBSTITUTION – Right, Bowman is off which is a big blow, as is Rhys Griffiths who has been wasteful in front of goal. On come two veterans – Dion Underwood and Oscar Coltrane. If Eura don’t reach the final of the coming World Cup this could be their last chance at international silverware. No pressure then.

20:31 – Eura have switched to their classic 4-2-2-2 rather than pushing Bond out left to fit the 4-2-3-1. Coltrane will play on the right and Woakes on the left with Underwood partnering Bond up front. No sign that it’s worked yet.

20:33 – SAVE - Okay, that is more like it. Bond controls a ball forward from Hall magnificently with his left boot, performs a skilful flick over the head of Nurkanen and Woakes sprints on to it. She gets close to goal and shapes to shoot but Forsberg and Zirkova do an excellent job of narrowing her shooting angle. Pakanen saves without difficulty.

20:35 – Eura have their first corner of the second half, which has definitely been Savojarna’s better period. Armstrong sends it to the near post and Blake heads on. Sadly there is no-one at the back post to get another header on target.

20:38 – SAVE, CHANCE – After a quiet couple of minutes Savojarna have a couple of corners where they threaten to end the contest. Sigurdsdottir’s header is punched over by Belgrave from the first, and Forsberg volleys miles over the bar from the second. We are now in the 78th minute and Eura desperately need an equaliser. They need to produce something.

20:39 – MISS - Jashkin flashes a shot into the side netting when he’s given a second too long inside the box by Hall, who has not played brilliantly. Belgrave goes long with the goal kick, and Eura are away on the counter again...

20:40 – CHANCE – Goodness me, how have Eura not scored there! Forsberg and Zirkova are completely let down by their fullbacks who haven’t got back from the previous attack and its four on two. Coltrane has the ball and picks up a surprising amount of speed for a 34 year old, galloping deep into Savojar territory before passing to Woakes. Woakes does a stepover or two and throws Zirkova off balance, allowing her to pass – only she doesn’t, instead hesitating, before being charged down by a retreating Andersson. What a waste.

Craig Sinclair on EBC TV: “It’s so frustrating that we haven’t scored there, what was Moira playing at? They’ve got to get a grip sharpish.”

20:41 – MISS – The game is really livening up in the final stretch as Eura realise this is getting away from them. More complex interplay ends with Coltrane having a shot from a tight angle that sears through a crowd of bodies and only millimetres over the bar. Eura need to produce something now. They get another corner which comes to nothing.

Kristina Midström on EBC TV: “If Savojarna hold on here it will be in no small part thanks to that second half centreback pairing of Forsberg and Zirkova. Apart from Zirkova’s near calamity when she came on they’ve been superb.”

STATS – We need to double check the accuracy of this, but according to our records Dion Underwood has scored more goals in the last ten minutes of games for Eura than any other player since Lee Sharp. If anyone can produce something here it may well be him.

20:42 – BOOKING - A long ball reminiscent of first half Savojarna achieves nothing for second half Savojarna. Belgrave hurries to get the ball way after catching it. Poulsen deliberately obstructs him and is booked for his trouble. Belgrave gets it up the pitch yet again; Eura aren’t playing out from the back any more.

20:43 – A lot of depressed faces in the red, blue and gold portion of the crowd right now. In stark contrast the Savojars are having a wild time.

20:44 – BOOKING – Pointless. Roberts cynically takes out Poulsen on the halfway line and goes into the book. Both Euran centrebacks are now booked which is another problem for Brandon. Savojarna try to get the ball into the Euran box only for Belgrave, again, to grab the aerial ball before anyone can meet it. Belgrave has heftily launched this up field from the edge of his box…

20:45 – GOAL!

EURA 2 – 2 SAVOJARNA – OSCAR COLTRANE (85)

It’s there! Genius from Belgrave, from Underwood and finally from Oscar Coltrane! Belgrave’s drop kick is wonderfully placed into a gap for Underwood to sprint on to. The 34 year old striker still has enough in him to run at track and field speeds for short periods and does so here, zipping past Forsberg and Nurkanen.

About 20 yards from goal Zirkova has been less slow and positioned herself to slide in. Underwood anticipated the challenge, hit a beautifully timed pass rightwards to Coltrane, and watched with delight as the Sabrefell Athletic icon laced an unstoppable drive into the top right hand corner from the edge of the box.

20:46 – I’m not sure if our commentary team have recovered yet from the drama of that goal. Let’s go back to them in a minute. In the meantime Savojarna have picked themselves up quickly to kick off and get down the other end but a Voynov cross is hoofed out for a corner by Coles.

Rangren is still shaking her head, clearly unhappy at the lack of organisation and defensive work rate that allowed Eura the opportunity to score. In Savojarna’s defence, when Eura pull together a move like that, there isn’t much anyone can do about it.

20:47 – Coltrane’s goal makes extra time highly likely now so I expect we won’t see either side use their third substitute right away. Our commentators are back:

Kristina Midström on EBC TV: “Heartbreaking. Rangren is right to be angry. What a goal though.”

Craig Sinclair on EBC TV: “I’m so proud of Ozzie. That’s the biggest goal of his career and he’s scored a few. Great work by Kevin and Dion too in the buildup.”

20:48 – Terry Chamberlain has just said something rather insightful. We didn’t catch the exact quote, basically though it appears that Scott Coles orchestrated that amazing counter attack from right back. On the replays he can clearly be seen having a word in Belgrave’s ear before the Savojar free kick came in, and he had instructed Underwood and Coltrane to both stay up for it.

STATS - That’s Oscar Coltrane’s first goal in a major international final. What a time to score it.

20:50 – Once again there’s a lull as both sides probe for a way through. I think that we are definitely going to extra time now. Only three minutes of stoppage time.

20:52 – MISS - Nothing more happens until the dying seconds when Mikhail Jashkin sets up Andersson for a shot. The defensive midfielder is not exactly a goalscoring machine and shows it with his skewed effort wide of the post.

20:53 – FULL TIME – MATCH GOES TO EXTRA TIME

EURA 2 – 2 SAVOJARNA

20:55 – Be honest. How many of you predicted it would come to this? We’re going to take a five minute break before play resumes.

STATS – Eura dominated the first half. The stats suggest Savojarna had the better of the second, reducing Eura’s hold on possession down to 57%, taking eight shots compared to Eura’s six. Savojarna also won four corners after having none in the first half, while Eura won only two.

21:00 – Ok, we’re back. Thanks to Harvey for that reflection on the stats. I know its cliché, but it has to be said that this has been a game of two halves and the numbers show it. The teams are back out. No substitutions have been made. Thirty minutes plus stoppage remain. If we’re still level after that it goes to penalties.

Terry Chamberlain on EBC TV: “I can see this coming down to either penalties or one team taking a single chance. If anyone scores in extra time they’ve won it.

21:03 – A bizarre start to extra time here in Eastfield Lodge where, in the first few minutes, I don’t think either team has got close to the others penalty area. Since the Coltrane goal the game has petered out.

21:05 – CHANCE – I spoke too soon. A mazy run from Poulsen ends in a good tackle by Blake. Unfortunately the ball rolls to Pedersen on the overlap who chips a masterful cross into the box. It’s at the perfect height to be met by Sigurdsdottir only for Roberts to head it out for a corner. Coles intercepts the corner easily and Eura break away.

21:07 – CHANCE – That really is dreadful by Bond who in fairness hasn’t threatened for a while now. The counter attack ends with the ball at his feet inside the box, and all he can do with it is drag a lame shot into the feet of Forsberg who clears.

21:08 – I don’t think this will go down well online:

Kristina Midström on EBC TV: “Brian Bond? He’s just a fancy Arvid Jotansson.”

Did she miss Eura’s first goal or…? I’m only kidding of course. Kristina has been the star of the show for our team tonight if the social media feedback is anything to be believed.

21:10 – SAVE – Close! I’m not sure what more Underwood could have done there. He’s placed a sublime shot as far as possible into the bottom right hand corner, and Pakanen has done a great job getting down to tip it around the post. Armstrong’s corner is then met by the head of Zirkova who has been having the game of her life at the back.

21:11 – Underwood is caught offside in a subsequent attack a minute later. Remarkably we’ve only seen five offside calls all game, three Euran and two Savojar.

21:13 – CHANCE - Exquisite piece of skill by Bond who isn’t done yet by any means. He rolls the ball from left to right foot like it’s stuck to him by some kind of invisible glue to keep Forsberg guessing. Then he slips it between the centre back’s legs, makes a trademark powerful run around him, and gets into the penalty area with only Nurkanen and Zirkova threatening to stop him.

Bond unselfishly decides not to risk a shot and lays the ball off for Woakes who has cut inside but she is too slow to the ball and Bond can only watch as Pedersen runs in to get there first.

21:15 – There’s one more shot from Woakes who tries to lob Pakanen ambitiously. It’s an easy save and going over anyway. That is the end of the first half of extra time.

HALF TIME IN EXTRA TIME

EURA 2 – 2 SAVOJARNA

21:18 – Some final input from our commentators as we briefly pause for half time in extra time, they’ve been discussing what the managers will be doing (or should be doing) at this very moment:

Craig Sinclair on EBC TV: “If I were Michael Brandon I’d be thinking about finishing this off now. Savojarna look tired and haven’t done anything for ten minutes. Eura have the quality to finish the job here, they just need one good chance and to take it. You don’t want the lottery of penalties.”

Kristina Midström on EBC TV: “It’s been a difficult fifteen minutes for Savojarna. I think Mikaela Rangren maybe just needs to give them a bit of a calm talk compared to her usual stuff; tell them to keep going, keep plugging away and just look for that one opening. Eura have a mistake in them and as Craig said they’ll want to avoid penalties. Savojarna should take advantage of that and hit them on the counter.”

Terry Chamberlain on EBC TV: “That tactical question, about whether to go for it in the last quarter of an hour or accept this is going to penalties and prepare for that psychologically…it’s a tough one. Savojarna have a great mentality to them and team spirit and are under less expectation than Eura. On the other hand Eura have a strong record historically in penalty shootouts. If I were either manager I’d forget about that until the last couple of minutes and just focus on eking out a set piece or something to break the deadlock.”

20:20 – SUBSTITUTION - Ok, the break is over and we’re now into the last fifteen minutes. Savojarna have made their choice; they’re going to try and nab a winner on the counter-attack and avoid opening up. An exhausted Matts Pedersen is swapped out for Niklas Hoyberg.

The Savojars switch to five at the back – Andersson drops into the defence with Hoyberg plugging the gap alongside Maersk in the centre, while Krister Voynov is asked to deputise at left back in Pedersen’s place. Poulsen has now drifted out to the left, leaving Sigurdsdottir alone up front. Eura are unchanged.

20:22 – MISS - Almost an immediate impact from the change. The five player backline steadfastly blocks off a Euran advance and acts as the base for a counter. Poulsen is clearly exhausted meaning Jashkin, who is still moving a lot on the right wing, bears the brunt of responsibility. He runs onto a long ball forward down the right, waits for Hall to commit to a challenge and then effortlessly drifts past him. He loops in a cross that Sigurdsdottir gets to first – her header goes just wide.

20:23 – Eura lose the ball as they try to play out and it’s with Jashkin again. He’s been exceptional tonight. The Farrenton midfielder tries to cut inside to shoot, and finally Hall gets the better of him, the Oakstone defender putting in a well-timed challenge to dispossess his opponent. There’s a roar of approval from the Euran portion of the crowd.

Terry Chamberlain on EBC TV: “It hasn’t come up a lot from us tonight here at EBC. To confirm, the crowd here in the Memorial Stadium is as good as it sounds to you at home. Both sets of fans haven’t stopped singing all night.”

20:25 – SUBSTITUTION – Only ten minutes remain and Eura have decided to make their final change. It’s a little bit of a risk actually as Harvey Blake makes way for Anthony Townsend who will play on the right wing, allowing Coltrane to play centrally as Eura switch to three at the back. Townsend is a decent penalty taker but given the change in formation I don’t think this is a case of Brandon playing for penalties.

20:26 – SAVE – OH MY WORD! That’s surely the save of the tournament by Kevin Belgrave.

A total cock up at the back for Eura – sound familiar? – as Roberts attempts a foolhardy through ball from defence that goes straight to Maersk. The Savojar captain reacts quickly despite her tiring legs and clips the ball away to Jashkin who is immediately away. Hall chases and Woakes doggedly tracks back – it doesn’t matter, Jashkin is bearing down on goal.

He gets to the box, one on one with Belgrave who decides against rushing out and stands his ground on the edge of the six yard box. At a roughly 45 degree angle to the right of the goal at the edge of the box, Jashkin looks likely to win the Copa Rushmori for Savojarna with a well hit curling finish into the top left hand corner. Belgrave is a big lad and still wouldn’t be expected to save this. Yet he does – full stretch, acrobatic dive slightly diagonal and backwards, flicking the ball over the bar with his glove. Sensational.

Terry Chamberlain on EBC TV: “Phenomenal bit of goalkeeping that, reminiscent of his father. Surely that was the chance for Savojarna?”

20:27 – I have to say, Jashkin has been non-stop all game, now though he looks deflated for the first time. That was crushing. He’ll look back on that one for a long time. He rushes over to take the corner and hits it well. Belgrave is there to dominate the ball yet again.

20:29 – Eura are now getting forward and it looks like that’s the way it’s going to stay. They only need one opening, though I suppose Savojarna thought the same.

20:30 – MISS – Frustrating. Townsend rifles a shot low and hard and it goes just wide when he had three people in the box to pass to.

20:31 – The clock is ticking down now and Eura are passing it about a lot without any end product. Four minutes remain…

20:33 – A couple of aimless shots from Woakes and Armstrong fail to find the target. More time ebbs away.

STATS – Only a third of Eura’s shots have been on target tonight, compared to half for Savojarna. A disappointing performance from that perspective.

20:34 – SAVE – That was it. That was the chance. Brian Bond is set up by the cross Woakes has been looking for all game, a whipped effort that finds him 10 yards from goal. It’s a good header, down at the keepers feet, but Pakanen does well to save it with his right foot and Forsberg clears again. Both keepers have been on top form.

20:35 - FULL TIME IN EXTRA TIME

EURA 2 – 2 SAVOJARNA

THE MATCH GOES TO PENALTIES

20:36 - Penalties it is. Harvey has produced final stats for the 120 minutes of play plus stoppage time:

GOALS – EUR 2 – 2 SVJ
POSSESSION – EUR 59% - 41% SVJ
SHOTS ON TARGET – EUR 8 – 6 SVJ
SHOTS OFF TARGET – EUR 15 – 6 SVJ
CORNERS – EUR 9 – 6 SVJ
FOULS COMMITTED – EUR 12 – 17 SVJ
OFFSIDES – EUR 4 – 2 SVJ
YELLOW CARDS – EUR 2 (Blake, Roberts) – 3 SVJ (Andersson, Kjaer, Poulsen)
RED CARDS – EUR 0 – 0 SVJ

20:37 – It must be so tense for the players down there right now. Final thoughts from our commentary team:

Craig Sinclair on EBC TV: “There’s no way you can really prepare for a penalty shootout other than mentality training. Technically, it’s not a difficult task. Both teams should just pick the five people who look most confident and collected.”

Kristina Midström on EBC TV: “Savojarna have come such a long way to get here, this would be a cruel way to lose – and a thrilling way to win. It’s down to chance now.”

Terry Chamberlain on EBC TV: “If you were thinking of going to the toilet around about now, I’d recommend you don’t. Or do, if you’re of a nervous disposition, for the sake of the living room carpet.”

20:38 – That is just classic Terry Chamberlain. A Euran hero.

20:40 – The shootout is happening in the goal down to our right, with the Euran fans behind it. I doubt for professional footballers it makes much difference but, if it were me, I’d want to shoot at the opposition fans. They can distract you but they can’t look disappointed if you miss.

We’ll drop the time stamps now as there’s little point. Eura to take first. It’s going to be Brian Bond…

PENALTY – SCORED! BOND (EUR 1-0 SVJ)

I don’t think that was ever one Iiro Pakanen could save. Bond looked supremely confident as always and hammered it into the top left corner.

Savojarna’s first taker will be Sigurdsdottir. She’s taking her time…

PENALTY – SAVED! SIGURDSDOTTIR (EUR 1-0 SVJ)

Belgrave to the rescue yet again and Eura have an early advantage! He dives to his left and saves well from a decent but not unstoppable spot kick. Sigurdsdottir kicks the turf in annoyance.

Can Liam Armstrong double the advantage? He’s a good penalty taker, but famously missed one in stoppage time against Free Republics, dumping Eura out of the World Cup…

PENALTY – SCORED! ARMSTRONG (EUR 2-0 SVJ)

No problem at all for Armstrong. Cool as a cucumber, he dispatches it into the bottom right corner. Pakanen almost got there.

The pressure is really on now for Victoria Maersk.
 
PENALTY – MISSED! MAERSK (EUR 2-0 SVJ)

Disaster for Savojarna. Their ever reliable captain – who scored a penalty to equalise earlier - steps up after a short run up and takes a side footed shot against the right hand post. Belgrave went the wrong way, not that it matters. Maersk has her head in her hands as she walks back while Belgrave punches the air.

If Anthony Townsend scores this, Savojarna can’t miss another.

PENALTY – SAVED! TOWNSEND (EUR 2-0 SVJ)

A lifeline for Savojarna now, Townsend’s penalty is poor and Pakanen saves with his feet again! Great effort from him, poor from Townsend.

They have to take advantage of this now. It’s going to be Poulsen.

PENALTY – SAVED! POULSEN (EUR 2-0 SVJ)

YES! Sorry, my neutrality has wavered a bit there. Poulsen goes right and Belgrave goes to (his) left, clawing away what was a good penalty and in all likelihood winning Eura the Copa Rushmori. An incredible moment for the Directus keeper. This is harsh on Savojarna – a penalty shootout was always going to be a cruel way to end such a competitive final.

Oscar Coltrane can win the Copa Rushmori if he scores here.

PENALTY – SCORED! COLTRANE (EUR 3-0 SVJ)

EURA WIN THE PENALTY SHOOTOUT 3-0

COLTRANE SMASHES IT DOWN RIGHT AND MIDDLE AND PAKANEN CAN’T GET THERE! THEY’VE DONE IT!

EURA WIN THE 34TH COPA RUSHMORI