World Cup 85 || RP Thread

[Ko-oren]

"Coach, if I may have a bit of your time?"

"Sure, Reizo, ask away."

"I think the leadership group is a good idea, don't get me wrong. I like that the strikers are represented, and I like that the defence isn't the all-powerful force on it. But are you sure these are the members that should be on it?"

"What do you mean? I asked you if you were ok with the members. You said yes. Even after Lionel and Peter said that they weren't sure about being on the group, everyone was ok with them being there."

"They're not my problem. Lionel is a great pro. Peter is a fine guy, young, sure, but he's going places."

"Is it Dennis?"

"For a part, yes. I'm sure you haven't forgotten the World Cup 81 incidents."

"No, I haven't. I don't think I ever will."

"Then you must know how dangerous it is to keep him on the group."

"I think his rebellious days aren't completely behind him, but even instigating him and six others to leave the team back then was, in his mind, to make the team better. He felt that a few players weren't given due consideration, he made the call to split the team in two."

"Exactly. He wants results, but he doesn't care about anything else."

"Aren't we here for results?"

"We are. But we also can't ignore building a team. After this World Cup, there are going to be others, that we also want to be successful in. We can't just go all-out in this one, burn bridges, and suck from here until whenever. I mean, that'll cost you your job. You were close to losing your job back then, too."

"That's true, but honestly, I've already considered that. For now, I think it's better to keep Dennis on the group rather than running any risk of ostracising him. Ultimately keeping him on board, making sure he's heard, is I think the best way of keeping this team together in the long run."

"That's one way to look at it. I think he's still too dangerous for the entire team building process to keep around. And not just that, but the six that followed him back then - you've invited two more of them!"

"Come on now, Peter just followed him around to feel cool. It's been what, four years since then? He's less impressionable and more professional. And Samou was just angry that he didn't play. He wasn't the best striker back then. He is now. His status is different and he has no reason to be angry anymore. We'll be good."

"As long as the results are there, sure."

"And the results will be."

"We're literally the worst team out there that's currently set to qualify."

"Aha, so we are set to qualify."

"Only... only if everything keeps going as it is. We're being upstaged by a bunch of teams that I hoped to keep far behind me."

"We can blame the schedule. Or, you know, we could just start winning."

"We already have! Everyone here wants to win. But..."

"But?"

"But to win, the process needs to be right. And it isn't right now."

[Taeshan]

Melbergia 0-2 Taeshan
Somewhere in Melbergia, Hopefully
Morgenstern 11’, Nkitilina 60’

Mistakes

I think a lot about little league baseball. Taeshan is kind of a weird nation where so many sports are present, and so many national teams have won trophies, or done rather well over the last two centuries. Baseball champions, soccer trophies, one of the best Football countries in the world historically. There has been a lot of success over the time. I didn’t know what sport I wanted to play when I grew up so I kind of played them all. A lot of coaches want you to pick, but I loved Baseball. I love Volleyball. I chose soccer, but I loved it as much as any of the others.

The reason I quit baseball was such any easy moment to remember. It’s the championship game, bottom of the 9th inning. We’re up 2-1 and I’m playing shortstop. Shortstop is a tough position, one of the hardest on the field. I was capable, and I wasn’t fantastic, but we didn’t have the best league. Grounder to short, I grab it throw it to second base for a double play. But I’m really close to the 2nd basemen and I definitely throw it too hard. He drops it. Like I should have tossed it, but he also should have caught it.

I got reamed by the coach. Absolutely yelled at. We lost the championship. Next batter hits a home run. We lose 4-2. It was a shocking moment in my life. I cost my team the chance to lift the trophy. I blamed myself for the longest time. It was the last year I played baseball. I became a two-sport athlete. That moment haunts me to this day.

It’s hard to be the cause of your team losing. The highest of highs, thinking you are about to win a championship, to the lowest of lows, making it so far and then failing. I think of all the times I’ve seen failure in my life and try to think about what I could do differently. Many times, it easy to tell yourself, any other day I do that, I made a mistake. Life is the mistakes we make right? But why do we spend more time letting them hurt us, than learning from them.

I’ve tried not to overthrow second based everyone moment since then. I make the easy pass. I don’t take risks. But than can also be an issue. Not taking risks is in itself a risk. I think the happy medium needs to be found. But we’re always looking for it. It’s hard to find. I still think about overthrowing second base a lot. But I try not to. But that doesn’t mean that I don’t. You know?

Liam McKenzie

[Sharktail]

Kieran take all the script,pen and paper he needed.Today,he himself will go to stadium to report about match against Twicetagria.The last time he report about the match is when Sharktail facing Khazajamal.After he get promoted as vice captain of the football section,he just do the job checking and and reading the report from other reporter before send to published.He today asking football report section to adjust for hime to go reporting for this match.

On the way to the stadium,Kieran open his phone.He checked about the current stat of World Cup Qualification 85.He take some note.

Let see the stastic after matchday 8.
-The team who still keep their winning streak until now.(Turori,Baker Park,Banija,Cassadaigua,Vilita)
-Until the end of matchday 8,only 5 team still winning all match they played.They all are regular who always qualify to world cup final.So it not to suprising.

-The team that still keep their unbeaten run(expect the 5)
(Kita-Hinode,Terre septentionale,Taeshan,Main nation ministry,south covello,Nephara,Kelssek,Equestria,Xanneria,95x,Reçueçn).
-11 team left.So the total 16 team remain undefeated

From hundred,just sixteen keep the good revord after eight game played.Kieran see Sharktail stastic record.(1 W,3 D,3 L).This team aurely lucky to even get one win.Kieran just smile.Whatever,stiil have a time to win more.They arrived at stadium.

He arrived late after.The match nearly started.He rushed to the reporter side and ready to reoort the match.

The match start with kick off by twicetagria.In first half both team made a few attack toward the goal.Twicetagria made two early shot in the first five minute but all goes wide.Sharktail first to score goal by gaby after 15 minute match played.First shot by gaby saved by keeper but he get the second chance to shot and score.Twicetagria make an attack to tied the game but credit have to be given to defender after they succes cut all their attack.Lesley chase score the goal to tied the game in minute 31.Gaby once again strike the ball into the next give sharktail back leading the game 3 minute after Chase score the goal.The last 10 minute of first half,both team fail to make a shot toward goal ended the first half with Sharktail leading 2-1.

Entering the second half,Sahami make change sub out Hidawi and Badhri for Yusri and Afif.Twicetagria get two chance to score but the long shot from Autum Kiel hit the bar while Torreira shot saved by Ahmad.Sharktail get a chance to extend but free kick from Chandra cleared but Twicetagria defend side.Nik Akif make sure Sharktail in good way to get their second win after scoring the goal for Sharktail in minute 80.Twicetagria seem to lose their confidence after they failed to even arrange their attack toward Sharktail half.The late goal from Lesley Chasey in minute 90 too late for them to search for one more goal.They whistle blowed end the game with Sharktail win 3-2.The second win for Sharktail.

Kieran smile happily.He stand and clap for all the player.They played good.He also happy because this time he can feel the situation to watch this team win.One staff from Sultan Post come and tell him about the cancellation of today interview.Coach and player will the stadium right after match ended.He nodded.He upset cannot interview them but happy this team win.

He get into the car and they go back to the office.He open his phone.He checked the standing again.Sharktail climb the rank up.He close his eye.He happy for it.

Sharktail-3
Gaby (m '15,34)
Nik Akif (m '80)

Line up
Ahmad
Harold
Azmi
Hidawi (sub m '56)
Ashaari
Nik Akif
Chandra
Badhri (sub m '64)
Fikri
Gaby
Shakir

Sub
Yusri (m '56)
Afif (m '64)

---

Twicetagria-2
Lesley Chase (m '31,90)

GROUP 5 MATCHDAY 10

[The Sarian]

Logo-liscous
A look at Saari Football Logos: Part Two.

Bad tidings have arisen in De Pastinaak offices since the last edition of Logo-liscous. Someone lost the damned list. Now, I know that sounds so stupid to be true. How does one lose a list in the age of the notes app which syncs via the cloud? You would have to be a real moron. Well, we made the list on software not backed up by the cloud and then closed the tab. It wasn't even deliberate, it was just neglent stupidity. But then again, what did you expect - we are writing about Saari football afterall... Anyway, last week we brought you the five worst logos from teams we care about in Saari football. Today, we bring you the next five on our countdown. If you thought this would be a marked improvement from the last edition, you haven't been paying attention.

Onwards!

15. Wilaamstad Wrijgers

BONER! Admit it, that's the first thing you thought. Man with a boner riding a horse. A big one, to be fair. Don't pretend you aren't impressed. I know I am. But, alas, you have to dock points for including a erect penis on your soccer logo. On a serious note, what were they thinking?. It's supposed to be a lance, so why not just have it landscape? Admittedly, it would still look vaguely phallic but at least there's some plausible deniability. But all this is just a side show to the real question - why is the Warrior in Wilaamstad Wrijgers so crap? When you think of a warrior, this ain't it. It's just... meh. Uninspiring. Uncool. They're the warriors. Every single little kid could be supporting this team because they're so-effing-cool. Instead they threw that all away for a silly man with big sleeves and an erection. And a horse that looks vaguely moose-like. And coral! Not much to say about it other than it's an ugly colour choice which looks too bright when contrasted with the navy. Admittedly, the white border helps cut through - but it's often unseen because most backgrounds are... white (this one is slightly off white so see if you can find it). The letters being around the interior isn't horrible, but there's some weird spacing to make it happen and I don't like the border on the ltters. Overall, it's not aesthetically displeasing but the opportunity cost of it not being something cooler drags it down. And the boner. 2.5/10.

14. Nieuwgroenlund FC

Okay, this is controversial because some people really like this... for some reason? The colours are wrong, once again condemned by the fact that the team plays in blue and green; the aesthetic crimes of Saari football extend far beyond the logos. I'm gonna be honest, it is the colour scheme that really ruins this logo - but it isn't the only thing which brings it down. The parallegoram-ness of it is ugly. Especially when it's actually put on a football shirt (where they've hilariously had to surround it with a bubble because the logo is the same colour as the shirt). And then the text. All lower case doesn't look good. The 'L' stretching upwards. The diagonal-ness. I resent having to cock my head at a slight angle just to read a bad typeface. The viking is objectively pretty cool but Nieuwgroenlund is a planned, garden community in a city not on the sea. So why the viking? Also, vikings didn't have horns. I don't know whether this was a good idea squandered or just a bad idea from that get go. Either way, it doesn't work. 2.5/10.

13. Zilverstraat SC

It's funny enough that there is literally a top division side named after an unimportant street. Then they go and have a logo which could have been drawn by a child. And a bored one at that. This may be the smallest entry on the list, because there's literally nothing to talk about. There streak of gray is nice, even though they pretend it's silver. The white contrasts with it fine and the football represents that they play football. The yellow is a nice enough shade. The fact they made the Zilverstraat bit look like a street sign is a nice touch. The border is good - not too thick, not too thin. But then the overall product is less than a sum of its parts. It's just so... safe? Uninspiring? Unremarkable? The fact I can't even find the words to describe why this isn't good is the problem. It does nothing. It exists just for the sake of existing. A tick-box exercise that they now have a logo so let's move on. This is a running series about how much we love logos. That simply won't do. 4/10.

12. CvF Oudhaven

The. Text. Is. Upside. Down. WHY!?!? This would be a perfectly fine, if slightly discoloured, logo if the name of the damned football club was the right way up. I hope nobody thinks I'm being petty, but this is a big thing. And it would have been so easy to get right. We aren't asking the club to change their team colours. Not asking them to change their iconography (indeed, an old ship for the community of Oudhaven is an inspired choice). We're asking them to just make sure their text is readable. If we're being picky, I don't like the two big footballs which look a little bit like dimples but in a bad way. What's wrong with just a normal circle? And I would put a comma between Oudhaven and Bondstad, but given it's-fucking-upside-down that would just be an apostrophe. Genuinely, if the text was the right way around this would be in the top ten. Instead, they've committed a cardinal sin. If you're an Oudhaven fan, hit the phone-lines. Get them to fix it. 4.5/10.

11. Noorstad Bondt

We're getting to the portion of logos where they're not terrible, just not particularly good. Noorstad suffers from the same affliction that Oostelund suffered from in Part One - this logo looks like a generic logo which we're showing because we couldn't afford the rights. Apart from that, it's okay - if a little police sherrif-y. Because two sentences aren't enough, I would nitpick that the second border on the central star has rounded edges instead of nice pointy ones but that's petty. The typeface is nice enough, but could maybe be centered a bit nicer vertically - though this is mostly a product of the arches which might be an unsolvable problem. The T is 'Noorstad' is also uncomfortably close to the border. When canvassing ideas about what the write in this bit, someone suggested that the start could be a different colour. That's a trash idea - it would exacerbate the police chief aesthetic and, frankly, I quite like the black and white-ness of the whole thing. Boring? Yes. But ugly? No. Given other logos we've seen in this series, that's a big improvement. 5/10.

Line-up versus Chromatika (4-4-1-1): Oodel Duoztiun / Walt Beunaad, Jaxon Pieuz, Henri Brejzun, Ceutiz Maazden / Luci Berenhaad, Hugo Sint Lo, Jodi Lauri, Maeri Beniut / Wictor Buul / Lach Houten

[Nephara]

Nephara 5 - 0 Aimena
(4-4-2) 1 - Mercator; 18 - Longship, 5 - Verlander, 6 - Brosch, 19 - Muscadin; 7 - Westerveld, 4 - Rauch, 8 - Chalk, 16 - Deventer (11 - Caracole 59'); 14 - Tzorvas (9 - Laiota 76'), 23 - Lovelace
Goals: Lovelace 26', Chalk 52', Deventer 60', Tzorvas 70'

THE HERALD
HISTORY OF THE PREMIERSHIP PART 5: STARLING
Leonora Fischer

The current 'big six' of the Premiership contain five of the traditional powers of the league. Sabrefell Moths and Athletic, the two primary powers of the former capital and largest city, representing broadly its west and east respectively. Crisisbless and Treason, the primary clubs of the second- and third-largest cities. Brinemouth, easily the largest club of its relatively small city, but still Nephara's main eastern port and centre of affluence. And Starling, the sole club of a town of six hundred thousand somewhere between Crisisbless and the Vale, with no history of success or even, particularly, relevance. They are the clear odd one out. This is the story of how they got there.

After their first relegation, the Passerines made it straight back at their first attempt. This time, they'd won the league; but they'd done it with fewer goals, more goals conceded and eleven fewer points than they'd managed to come second with. Manager Amethyst Fegelein had been under scrutiny following the first relegation, and failure to promote would probably have meant her head. They made a handful of purchases, largely of damaged goods. Justinian Hargrave was a young goalkeeper, clearly talented but error-prone, Geneva Rafferty was an accomplished winger but in her early 30s, Emery Hastings was at the start of what would become a journeywoman career and Deirdre McNessa, a 22-year old free agent defender from Cosumar, was seen as essentially made of glass and waiting for the end. These would all become names to remember.

Nobody cared about any of this, because this was perhaps the most high-profile window in the league's history to date. Brinemouth signed three strikers and repatriated another. Old veterans Mahoney, Breton, Mathias and Stewart made their way, with premier defensive midfielder Jonathan Bosetti, legendary striker RJ Styrn and electric playmaker Rutger Locke headlining the arrivals, though those with an ear to the ground paid particular attention to the return of Penumbra Amokachi from a loan in Farfadillis. Styrn and Amokachi were peas in a pod, though at opposite ends of their career; the former proved a huge influence on the latter, and they and Juquinho combined to form a fluid front three of versatile, technical strikers. Making way, Olenna Carrick, strangely, moved from Brinemouth to the Moths to complete moves between three top sides in three years. The Moths also acquired Osarian striker Aaliyah Johnson - remember the name - while the headlines were all about Adnan Zozula, a renowned world-class striker in his prime at 29, snapped up by Treason and at 25m the record signing of the league's history.

The season quickly took shape with the new-look Brinemouth racing to an early lead, undefeated in their first seventeen games despite a string of injuries. They lose once to Stahlburg City. And then win their next fourteen. Off the pitch, the story is dominated by the open secret of Gary Corsie's affair with Chloe Rudden, and precisely what the spring-heeled Spiders winger could ever see in the tubby, weirdy, beardy Chatswood freak, who would later use the earnings from his football career to buy a shack in Kensey. The league itself is fairly predictable; Brinemouth set a new record with 109 points, with Rutger Locke clinching the Player of the Year honours upon his return, Amokachi the U21 award, Bosetti the winning Debutant. Aaliyah Johnson won the Iron Boot for the first of many, many times as she fired the Moths to best of the rest. Chatswood outperform Treason with Cranequin Wanderers, somehow, taking sixth place under the uncompromising Catheline Allister, while Cranequin City once again defy all preseason predictions to finish 14th. Sabrefell Athletic finish outside UICA entirely. Aries Chariots arguably have the best year of all; fourth in the league off the goals of Nate Walker and Kurtis Quinn, narrowly defeated by an Eoin Killanen-inspired Kingsgrove in the CEDC final but picking themselves up to beat Directus 1-0 and win the Globe Cup, a competition the Chariots were beginning to make their own.

Things are relatively understated next window, a state of affairs that would, one would imagine, suit those at the top. Treason were probably those most affected; they handed Rutger Connacht back to South Laithland now that they were good and done with him, bought winger Lienke Vesper from AFC Serpentine to go with their purchase of leftback Scylla Vyntra from them the season prior - this left-flank partnership would soon win the World Cup for Nephara - and, sadly, watched as Roque Acosta hung up the boots. They also sold injury-prone defender Rebecca Moody to Starling - perhaps Moody had seen the way that Deirdre McNessa had been fixed by the Passerines' magic sponges. They would be unable to work the same magic for her, but with the last Nepharan signing of the window, Eastfield winger Ali Asif was parachuted in. Another piece of the puzzle.

The next season is something of a throwback, if again lacking in something of drama. Brinemouth again took the top, remaining unbeaten by the halfway mark and already scoring 65 goals. By the end, despite letting a few defeats on - on paper, this was not quite the equal of last season - it was a hundred and twenty-nine. And that was just in the league; they performed strongly in UICA and went on to win the Cup as well, triumphing 10-0 on aggregate over Vermillion in the semis before beating down the Moths in the final. Penumbra Amokachi was no longer U21 player of the year; now she was top of the lot, and top scorer on top of that with 31 goals at the spearhead, having apparently absorbed RJ Styrn's powers. Gerhard Thunder, managing Brookford Otters, was Manager of the Year; his side pipped Athletic to seventh, in which he took great pleasure indeed.

At the bottom, a decaying, declining Parrhesia United are for the first time sent packing into the second tier, Mirko Vangelis having a truly remarkably useless season on the left wing to replace a man they sold to Brinemouth, Christian Beckcamp. The only positive for the Saints was that this season saw first appearances for goalkeeper Jakob Carter - who would also be bought by Brinemouth eventually - and the triad of Berisha, Avery and Rademacher who would later become the local nucleus of the side. Sheridan also tasted relegation at the first attempt, having scored pitifully few goals. Cranequin City, stubbornly, survived again.

Starling came 13th. Five places better than last year, one place below the top half, one loss more than win, one goal conceded more than scored. Few thought this would be their position to strike, especially after Brookford Otters - flying high under Gerhard Thunder in seventh place - snapped up their star striker, Nikita Loeher. Loeher was needed to replace the 26 goals of the famously one-footed powerhouse Igrene Cantor, yet another World champion who moved to Treason. Every goal Cantor scored seemed to be a pure power screamer with her left, and it never stopped working. Still, the Otters are on their way up, and the Passerines are doing well just to tread water in midtable.

To this day, Nikita Loeher regards the move as the biggest mistake of her career.

NEPHARAN NATIONAL TEAM SELECTION - FORTNIGHT 5
Goalkeepers: 1 - Hesterine Mercator (Eastweald, COS), 12 - Acatha Feldman (AFC Corvistone), 20 - Fasolt Senninger (Creed United)
Defenders: 2 - Rovena Stride (AFC Treason), 3 - Marcin Close (Brinemouth, c), 5 - Roxelana Thorn (Revolutionaries, EUR), 6 - Ilyana Brosch (Brinemouth), 18 - Valeri Longship (Crisisbless), 19 - Vivica Muscadin (Sabrefell Moths), 22 - Gabriel Lockheed (AFC Treason)
Midfielders: 4 - Tawny Shone (Sabrefell Moths), 7 - Marica Kuepper (Jungle Strike, VIL), 8 - Malachi Chalk (Falourr, EUR), 11 - Rowena Strongbow (Directus, EUR), 13 - Monako Saroszi (Ulsa, EUR), 15 - Mercurio Kastriot (Crisisbless), 16 - Morena Deventer (Brinemouth), 21 - Chimera Moxham (Crawford City FC, COS)
Forwards: 9 - Kurtis Bastable (Ulsa, EUR), 10 - Aristide Metzger (AFC Treason), 14 - Arista Tzorvas (CA Paulinthal, PAS), 17 - Voska Avetisyan (Cornellians, SCT), 23 - Konrad Lovelace (Revolutionaries, EUR)

SCHEDULE
Welzat 0 - 3 Nephara
[Bye]
Nephara 2 - 0 Great Lausitz @ Godswatch (Crisisbless)
Huayramarca 2 - 2 Nephara
Nephara 4 - 1 Sarzonia @ Farham Arena (Sabrefell)
Competitive Solitaire 0 - 7 Nephara
Nephara 4 - 0 South Charlia @ Eagle's Club (Brinemouth)
Darmen 1 - 3 Nephara
Nephara 5 - 0 Aimena @ Ludd's Hammer (Stahlburg)
Jeruselem vs. Nephara
Nephara vs. Delaclava @ The Gauntlet (Treason)
Acronius vs. Nephara
Nephara vs. Simpralia @ The Iron Hill (Vermillion)
Nephara vs. Welzat @ Ebony Lane (Cranequin)
[Bye]
Great Lausitz vs. Nephara
Nephara vs. Huayramarca @ Phoenix Rise (Corvistone)
Sarzonia vs. Nephara
Nephara vs. Competitive Solitaire @ Ludd's Hammer (Stahlburg)
South Charlia vs. Nephara
Nephara vs. Darmen @ Farham Arena (Sabrefell)
Aimena vs. Nephara
Nephara vs. Jeruselem @ Eagle's Club (Brinemouth)
Delaclava vs. Nephara
Nephara vs. Acronius @ Godswatch (Crisisbless)
Simpralia vs. Nephara

[Savojarna]

Savojarna faces challenge on its Western border

Tensions with Adyatin are a state of mind in this country, but weeks before Savojarna faces a contested election under the motto of a potential swing to the left with a coalition of Syndicalist Union and Worker’s Party, supported by the minor Green Party and Party of Ejana and united under the charismatic Chairman Candidate Nils Högman (AP, Valdhavn), the tensions are rising to unprecedented extents. Adyati troops have moved into well-known border towns, primarily Varinsk and Ljubrovsk, following allegations of corruption being released on Savojar media after a wave of Adyati whistleblowers made the scandal public.

The move has come not entirely unexpected, but is much more drastic than Savut experts publicly predicted. Prime Minister Svetanov has called the move a defensive reaction to Savojar sanctions, but it seems clear to the Savojar political community that it is an aggressive move destined to distract from the allegations brought against him. In Svetanov’s hometown of Staraya Vetry, there is calmness, but in many other major Adyati cities, other whistleblowers have followed or large-scale protests were shut down. The worst excesses were observed in the industrial town of Novograd, a mere fifty kilometres west of St. Andrei, where there have been shootings and arrests of workers striking against corruption due to them having Savojar-printed books on them, letting them be cast as Savojar spies. The Savut has swiftly denied any such accusations and said in an interview with us that “if we were planning regime change in Adyatin, which we are not, I find it frankly offensive that they think we would do so in such a transparent manner”.

The casting of dissenters as Savojar spies has a long standing tradition in the authoritarian country, and Savojarna’s Executive Commissioner for Foreign Affairs Linde Kjellsen (KPS, Sjoedrhavn) announced yesterday that she will deposit a request for common sanctions at the CRC to punish Adyatin’s disregard for human rights. “We have taken up contact with diplomatic missions in Nephara and Donnacona as two natural partners of the Savojar government; and also reached out to the Euran government to mend our former rifts and do the right thing. It is important to take a common stance as an international community against the clear breach of rights to peacefully assemble and protest against proven and systemic corruption in Adyatin”, the Commissioner said at a press conference. Responses from said nations are still awaited.

The Adyatinian situation has caused discomfort especially in Russica, where people fear another invasion from the West, and near the border. The choir of the town of Zelkava near the border has staged a protest at the edge of the country, singing in an appeal to shared humanity, history and culture, together with an Orthodox choir from the other side of the border in a stance for peace and freedom. In the cities of Novaya Russica, St. Andrei and Jegrava, there have been large peace demonstrations, while in Sjoedrhavn a petition to publicly denounce Adyati actions and move troops to the Southeast in order to combat the threat has arisen and culminated in a mass singing of Bella Ciao, a song that in Savojarna is associated with the resistance against Adyati aggression in the Second and Third Adyati War.

The events could lead not only to crisis, but also to a major swing in the upcoming election as the Syndicalist Union has been criticised for an insufficiently hard stance on the actions. The left swing is now under threat as the KPS is gaining in polls thanks to a quick willingness to sanction Adyati government officials and a level-headed approach to their military strategy, something that has been considered well-handled at large. The AP has so far refrained from making foreign policy a partisan issue, seeing its best bet in laudating the KPS for its approach. There has been a minor rumour that in case of an election victory, Högman may appoint a KPS Commissioner for Defence and keep Kjellsen on his Executive Commission in order to ensure continuity in the approach, but the AP party headquarters have thus far refused to comment on the rumour. It remains to be seen if the election will revert to the economic themes that have driven the left coalition’s rise, or centre on the threat posed by Adyatin.

[Adyatin]

AdyatinInternational

Nationalist fervours rise in Varinsk, Ljubrovsk following Savojar provocations

Adyatyagrad/ATA -- In the Eastern cities of Varinsk and Ljubrovs, large contingents of patriotic Adyatinians have assembled to condemn recent Savojar provocations of our nation. The Savojar media continue to levy accusations of Prime Minister Svetanov’s corruption and illegitimate reporting of income through the football club FK Staraya Vetry, and another so-called “whistleblower” has allegedly crossed the border last night in former Army Captain Ivan Lausheny. Lausheny has indeed been reported as missing from the Varinsk Army Base and has since been declared suspected of treason, to be brought to Varinsk Army Base with force if necessary. Lausheny’s testimony, although unsubstantiated by any sort of evidence, claims corruption in the military with high-ranking generals over-reporting the amount of money that is spent for maintenance of army vehicles, an accusation that has immediately been disproven by the Ministry of Finance releasing a report on military expenditure.

The Savojar propaganda campaign against our Holy Kingdom has culminated in personal sanctions of the Savojar state against our government, a largely useless measure as there is no reason for us to do business with a bunch of communists who are unlikely to produce any goods of value due to the inherent inferiority of their economic system. However, Savojarna has also threatened to block shipments on the Adyatya River, a breach of international law, and has already instigated searches of ships destined for Adyatin at the mouth of the Adyatya in the Savojar harbour of Pawlograd. This despicable measure has immediately prompted a response of the Adyati government, with Prime Minister Svetanov using last night’s football game against The Jovannic (0-1, see sports section) for a speech denouncing Savojar aggression in front of an international audience. The Prime Minister has also announced the intention to move troops to Ljubrovsk to protect the Adyatya river’s crossing into Savojarna, as well as into the main army base at Varinsk in order to protect against potential aggression. Savojar media have completely ignored the speech and called the move “aggressive”, another clear attempt to provoke our government.

In the respective cities, large groups have welcomed the new soldiers protecting their city. Ljubrovsk has seen a spontaneous manifestation of estimatedly 3’000 people, despite the town’s small civilian population of only around 22’000 people, that welcomed the arrival of the troops with song and flags and have then broken out into a parade. There have been some incidents at the border where Adyati youths have been throwing rocks across the border, local police reports state, apparently provoked by a counter-demonstration of Savojar Communist Party youth organisations. However, at another border crossing three kilometres north of Ljubrovsk, members of the Orthodox minority in Savojarna have met with local choirs to sing together at the border, no doubt a show of the connection between the two communities and a show of support among Savojarna’s minority for Adyatin’s policies of protecting Orthodox traditions and minorities elsewhere.

In Varinsk, city officials have organised an official parade to welcome the new soldiers, with an official attendance of 38’000 people along the streets including a large contingent of armed forces. The inhabitants of Varinsk know exactly what sort of trouble Savojarna can cause, as the city was a focal point of Savojar aggression in the 1940s and 1950s and has been a military base ever since. At the edge of the official manifestation, like in Ljubrovsk, there have been some small groups of youth protestors burning Savojar flags and singing patriotic songs, which have been peacefully dispersed by the police to preserve order but have also received laudations from local officials for their commitment, although city representative Ivanov has asked to refrain from flag-burning for security reasons. In Adyatyagrad and Novograd, the city police has arrested small contingents of counter-protestors, with evidence that protests in both cities have been stirred up by Savojar intelligence activity, such as protestors having propaganda books and brochures printed in Savojarna on them and many of them having lived in the country previously.

[Electrum]

The Turnip: Look at all these wonderful, joyous faces of people drinking Cocoa-bo! Yum yum!
by Sweet-T, citizen journalist

We have assembled the world's people, for this historic moment - a celebration of Cocoa-bo!

Please see this inspiring presentation (3.51 MB file) for the greatest assemblage of people enjoying Cocoa-bo of all time! We had such excellent, high quality photos from wonderful Cocoa-bo fans from across the multiverse!

[Baggieland]

The Daily Boing

Havynwilde 2 – 4 Baggieland FT (1 – 2 HT)

Baggieland followed up from their impressive draw against 95X with their first, and much needed, win of the qualification stage.

As soon as the ref blew his whistle to begin the game, Baggieland played with a passion and intensity that had been lacking in too many of their previous games. They passed the ball around with finesse, causing Havynwilde all sorts of problems, and the ball was in the back of the opposition’s net as early as the 6th minute. From Osborne’s throw out the ball was passed between no less than six of the outfield players, with Havynwilde not getting a look in, before the ball ended up at the feet of Richardson. The striker turned on a six pence and unleashed a shot that their keeper could do nothing about. Things got even better for the Throstles in the 26th minute when they doubled their lead. This time a Brunt freekick was lofted into the home side’s penalty box where it was Richardson again who rose higher than everyone else to head the ball home. His first headed goal of the tournament. After that, it was Havynwilde’s turn to boss proceedings and they got their reward for some sustained pressure in the latter stages of the first half, with the teams heading into the break with the score at 1 – 2.

Any hope of Havynwilde getting back into the game was soon extinguished as Baggieland came back out for the second half with a renewed vigour about their play. In the 56th minute the away side regained their two goal advantage with a goal of quality that only Bomber can produce. Brunt pinged a corner into the danger area where Moore headed the ball back towards Baggieland’s captain. Bomber, with his back to goal, attempted an overhead kick and connected with it perfectly, sending the ball into the top right hand corner. Things got even worse for Havynwilde in the 72nd minute when Brunt took charge of a freekick just outside the penalty box. He lined up his shot, and thanks to a small deflection, increased the scoreline to 1 – 4. The travelling support was going absolutely crazy by this stage and their raucous ‘boing’ shook the whole stadium. Before the game was over Havynwilde reduced the arrears by one more goal, but the day belonged to Baggieland.

Baggieland stats:

Scorers:
Jeff Richardson: (6’, 26’).
Bomber Robson: (56’).
Ray Brunt: (72’).

Possession: 58%.
Corners: 14.

Tournament scorers:
Jeff Richardson: 6.
Bomber Robson: 5.
Ronnie Regis: 2.
Ray Brunt: 2.
John Moore: 1.

International goals:
Jeff Richardson: 10.
Bomber Robson: 5.
Ray Brunt: 4.
Ronnie Regis: 3.
Jonas McAuley: 1.
Chris Barlow: 1.
John Moore: 1.

[HUElavia]

B-Team Beats Out Nooooooooooooooo in 9-Goal Comeback!

Nooooooooooooooo 4-5 HUElavia
(REDACTED 11', 44', REDACTED 32', REDACTED 58' | Sissoko 3', Villca 36', 64', Rossi 82', Smirnov 90+6')

HUElavia came into Matchday 9 looking to recover from the reeling 0-2 defeat against Xanneria in Curumba, this time playing at Nooooooooooooooo, a team that is unranked. Due to the lack of ranking, Coach Mendieta-Martinez felt confident to use the B-Team once more, for the 4th time, but this time using Ana Vallares as the goalie. This decision received some backlash from the press and fans that felt Ricardo was more in form to play the match, after conceding only 2 goals (Compared to Vallares' 3 goals and Lobato's 14 goals). Despite this, the fans felt confident that they would win the match.

The first half kicked off, and Los Amarillos got off to a strong start with their attack. The opening goal would fall in the 3rd minute, when a low pass by Almeida met the right foot of Sissoko, who then gave a low shot to put it out of reach from REDACTED to go into the goal, making it 0-1, with Sissoko celebrating with mimicking a sniper shot for the accuracy of the goal. Despite this, Nooooooooooooooo began to go on the attack themselves and got the equalizer in the 11th minute, when a cross by REDACTED met the head of REDACTED, which went past the hands of Vallares and into the goal to make it 1-1, with the sizable crowd going crazy. The match went onto an Ebb and Flow style, with both teams taking turns on attack, which were snubbed by each other's defense. Nooooooooooooooo would get another goal in the 32nd minute, when a pass by REDACTED met the foot of REDACTED, who blasted it past Vallares into the goal to make it 2-1. HUElavia went on the attack once more and got the equalizer in the 36th minute, when a pass by Conti met the foot of Villca, who chipped it over REDACTED and put the ball into the goal to make it 2-2, with Villca celebrating with her teammates. Right before halftime in the 44th minute, Nooooooooooooooo had a corner, which was taken by REDACTED, it met the head of REDACTED once again, and into the goal it went to make it 3-2. The crowd went crazy with the lead and shortly after the referee called the end of the first half at 3-2.

The second half kicked off and both teams once again were on the attack, but having shots saved or blocked by the defense or goalkeepers of both teams. Nooooooooooooooo would get a goal once again when a counterattack in the 58th minute saw REDACTED pass the ball to REDACTED, who gave a long distance blast that had Vallares stuck in place from the surprising shot, and in the ball went into the goal, making the scoreline 4-2. The crowd went crazy as it looked that HUElavia would once again drop another game with a loss. In an act of desperation, Coach Mendieta-Martinez put in 3 substitutions: Hierro, Rossi, and Hamada in for Acosta, Leblanc and Moutinho respectively. This substitution would prove to be useful, as HUElavia began to dominate the match with ease and to their tempo. Los Amarillos would cut the distance in the 64th minute when a cross by Rossi met the chest of Villca, who put it down to her foot and blasted the shot past REDACTED and into the goal to make it 4-3, grabbing the ball and running back to center circle to continue play. HUElavia would then try to attack for several minutes, and would finally tie the match once more when in the 82nd minute, a foul by REDACTED over Hamada gave in for a free-kick for Los Amarillos, where Rossi took the kick, put it over the wall and into the goal past REDACTED to make it 4-4. Rossi was mobbed by the team and bench as they brought the game to a favorable result. Although, this would not be the final moment, as HUElavia kept in on the attack, going in for corners left and right, with the referee putting in an additional time of 6 minutes. Corners were taken but kept on going out for more corners, until the final minute of play came in, and Coach Mendieta-Martinez called up Vallares to help the team score, coming in while Rossi took the corner. The corner came in and met the head of Vallares, who headed it down to the left foot of Smirnov, who then blasted it into the goal with her right foot to make it 4-5, with 8 seconds left in the match. Smirnov was mobbed by the team, players on the bench and the technical staff, as the referee blew the whistle to end the match, with HUElavia taking a vital 3 points in the Qualifiers.

With the victory, HUElavia moves up to 2nd Place once again, after Equestria won 0-1 over Xanneria. Equestria is still in 1st with 23 Points (7-2-0), HUElavia is in 2nd with 21 Points (7-0-2), and Xanneria is in 3rd with 19 Points (6-1-1). For matchday 10, HUElavia is now the team facing with a bye week, meaning for Los Amarillos to stay in 2nd, they need Xanneria to either lose or draw their match at Jamestownnnn. Regardless, the team gets a deserved rest after having very dramatic and difficult matches that sees HUElavia as the team with most goals conceded at 21 goals. Although, HUElavia has also scored the most goals in the group at 32 goals. For the next match after the bye week, HUElavia will host against Equestria, using the A-Team once more, but it is likely that Ricardo will be given the opportunity to start and be named Vice-Captain, due to Lobato conceding 14 goals so far. The match will be at Estadio Capital in Curumba, with an expected sold-out crowd of 90,000.

FORCA HUELAVIA! VAMOS HUELAVIA! GO HUELAVIA!

[Blouman Empire]

THE EMPIRE TIMES

Lo Santano Winners in Wet And Windy Game

The Eagles slipped to a disappointing defeat against Lo Santano, as the home side made the most of horrific conditions.

In a game that lacked any fluent play from the start, the Eagles found themselves behind after just 93 seconds as a harmless corner sailed straight in. It was John Miller in the near post position who had the chance to clear and didn’t, but the midfielder was soon putting things right with a ruthless finish from 30 yards in the 18th minute. The Eagles then hit the bar through Luke Cousin in a first half which also saw Jason Potts hobbling off. It was the half time substitute made by Lo Santano, who struck the decisive blow on the hour to give Lewis Parry’s side their fourth loss of the qualifers. Empire manager Lewis Parry handed a long-awaited international debut to Luca Silca one of the few players on the side yet to have taken to the field.

The home side used their field to their advantage and got straight on the front foot to win a corner, and moments later celebrated an unusual opener in front of the home fans. The corner taken was inswinging delivery was left by Miller at the near post, with Henry Polinoir standing behind the goal line so by the time it reached him the goal was already scored. Whether this was due to the strong wind and heavy rain or just a breakdown in communication, it was a howler for the Eagles and one that even they will have to admit could’ve been avoided. Despite the obvious error by Miller it did not take him long to make amends. After a clearance from the box by the Lo Santano defence the ball bounced back to Miller and the midfielder took all of his frustration out on the loose ball, firing a crisp low shot just inside the near post from 30 yards, leaving the Lo Santano goalkeeper powerless to prevent a clinical equaliser.

In between times, that strangest of openers suddenly made more sense, as the wind and rain made life difficult for the away side in their own defensive third. Playing out from the back, though admirable, appeared ill-advised despite it being typical of Parry’s teams. No sooner had Miller restored parity was Potts limping down the tunnel nursing a hamstring injury, replaced by William Dressen. Despite the setback the momentum was with Parry’s team, and some Brad Hunter trickery worked a crossing position to pick out Cousin, whose header thumped against the crossbar..

The Eagles right side almost resulted in a second goal three minutes into the second half, as Hunter slid the ball inside for Issac Cupstran, who could only manage to hit the side netting. Then Cousin escaped down the inside-right channel, but his pass back seeking Cupstran was overhit.

Instead it was Lo Santano, yet to threaten since the start of the second half, who restored their lead on the hour thanks to some individual brilliance from their striker. Receiving a long ball on his chest, his second touch took him away from Dressen and freed up space to send an unstoppable left-footed shot high into the net from 15 yards. Lo Santano smelt blood and Polinoir looked uncomfortable under another awkward corner and attempted another shot that went agonisingly over the bar only minutes later. It was Cupstran who came closest to earning a point for his team, only to be denied by the keeper as he came rushing out to shut down the angles forcing Cupstran to hit the ball wide.

With the fourth loss recorded for the Eagles their chances of qualifying are slowly slipping away isn’t being considered by Parry. “It was a tough game under tough conditions, rather than focusing on the future we are going to be putting all our focus on the next match and hopefully the weather will be better”. The Eagles next play Xanneria at home with the visiting side looking to get their qualifiers back on track after losing to Equestria falling four points behind the leader.

[Brenecia]

Brenecia 6 - 4 IA Quebec
(4-3-3) 20 - Wright; 18 - Lonergan, 22 - Leadbetter, 6 - Mathers, 19 - Prentice (3 - Watermark 72'); 8 - Matheson, 4 - Townsend (23 - Fallon 65'), 13 - Wheeler (14 - Caitiff 78'); 7 - Cheney, 10 - Ciogach, 16 - Fletcher
Goals: Leadbetter 6', Cheney 31' 50', Ciogach 44', Wheeler 55', Matheson 87'

Qvardax 3 - 6 Brenecia
(4-3-3) 1 - Farrell; 2 - Shepherd (18 - Lonergan 70'), 5 - Horgan, 6 - Mathers, 19 - Prentice; 14 - Caitiff, 4 - Townsend, 13 - Wheeler (21 - Parker 76'); 7 - Cheney (15 - Speaker 64'), 10 - Ciogach, 11 - Pace
Goals: Ciogach 16' 45+1', Cheney 22', Pace 57', Prentice 63', Parker 83'

"... once assembled, the motorcade will pass through Rondel Avenue, entering the restricted zone through this checkpoint. Other checkpoints will be here, here and here, through which only accredited personnel can pass, and--"
"And who gets accreditation?"
Cedric Gerhardt's smile was pained. All he wanted - all the security chief ever wanted from life - was to finish his fucking sentences. He had the desperate patriotism of any Brenecian with a markedly Marcher surname, a natural eagerness to impress and, unusually in combination with these traits, genuine competence and eye for detail. This paralytically dull duty was his life's work. All he needed was for this impertinent Marcher to stop asking questions...
"It's been handled."
"What Mr. Gerhardt is trying to say is that accreditation has been fairly strict, within the limitations of our brief," his aide, Monica Coleman, brightly sparked up. "This is a summit to re-open Brenecia to the world, Mx. Walker. Businessmen, journalists, all sorts will be in attendance. But all have been vetted, do not worry. If you are still concerned, full access to our dossiers is yours-"
"That goes beyond my brief," said Walker quickly. "I imagine you've not gone around inviting dissidents and terrorists, and so long as you've done your due diligence, fine."
"I assure you we have," said Gerhardt stiffly.
"Great. The rest of this..." Walker tapped the little diorama of Rozelle's streets. "You know the city better than I do. You've plainly done your work--"
"Thank you."
"So. Once we're at the summit." Fluorspar Walker was another of four people in the room whose title was some variation of 'head of security', one of two on the Nepharan side. Sharp and athletic, they carried themself with the tension of a coiled spring, while Camilla Rinehart - personal bodyguard to the Margravine - loomed with open menace. "Monaghan? Your plan?"
Cass Monaghan was the shadow Rinehart in this scenario. She was a holdover from Catherine Bardsley's stint in the opposition, and had personally held a role in thwarting an assassination attempt in the past. "We've identified the most likely time to strike as being the ceremony itself. We see your people taking the stage, ours lining the interior and taking the outside perimetre. Nobody gets in without a boarding pass, if you will - they redeem that to the guy at the perimetre to be handed a physical copy, they put that on their lanyard, they go in."
"Two layers of security, then." Walker nodded, relieved. "Yeah, good. Camilla, we can handle the stage, yeah?"
Rinehart grunted.
"That's a yes," Walker clarified. "Alright. Keep working on the specifics, but I'm happy to take this overview to the Margravine."

It very nearly worked perfectly, which is to say that it didn't. One of the press passes was handed to the Navy Dawn, a nationalist tabloid that wouldn't have been in the Overton window pre-Ward. And the Dawn had a columnist in Mary Ulreich who had Gerhardt's problem but without Gerhardt's employability; instead, she focused her rage into explosive commentary about how the conventional order of social democracy was failing.
Mary Ulreich was willing to make a Stand.
The summit had gone well across the first day, largely focused on spruiking business opportunities to foreign suits, but that was just a taster. The second was the big deal. A handshake between the Margravine and the Prime Minister - normally the Queen was supposed to handle such ceremonies, but the Nepharim regarded her title as immaterial and would have regarded her presence as an insult - would have supposedly cemented Brenecia's return back to the fold of the world's democracies, another ally in the Terranea-Northwest Esportiva sphere.
They cut a marked contrast on-stage, each behind their podium. Prime Minister Bardsley was tall and lean, almost gaunt, with a cosmic weariness to her. She was an inspiring orator for the quiet gravity with which she spoke, the sort of charisma that could topple an aspiring totalitarian dictator. She wore a sober slate-grey suit and carried herself with the dignity of someone who had seen too much. Margravine Carrick was younger, shorter, built sturdy and squared-off, tattooed and jangling with earrings. She spoke second, with fire and brimstone and promises of gold. The symbolism seemed hand-picked in advance by the electors; a sickly, world-weary Brenecian safely back in bed with her snarling, protective Nephar.
But a Marcher's promises are like the wind. They flash without substance and shift between your fingers as you go to grasp them.
Carrick's hand reached out for Bardsley's, but never reached it. She glanced aside to the audience, the smoke, the crack of gunfire. Dozens of guards scrambled into action, seeing their careers melting away to dust.
"Oh, you motherfuck--"
Another shot smacked into the podium, and another into flesh, and a fourth into the ceiling before Ulreich was finally brought low by the nearest guard and the bravest journalist in conjunction. Carrick staggered back, still in disbelief even as her legs stopped moving, caught by Rinehart before she could fall. Walker bellowed orders from somewhere behind the stage, and armed Nepharan guards burst from the sidelines, that symbolism impossible to notice, and people screamed, and...

News filtered. Walker, appropriately, paced. Security had been tightened to the point where the head of security themself had been locked out. Just Rinehart, her crew and the medics.
"She's alive," they said when Cass Monaghan turned around the corner to see them.
"She is?"
"Yeah. Well, you saw it yourself. The shots winged her. PR is getting the news out. Still..."
Monaghan noticed Walker's nails, digging gently into a can of Vilaye, looked shorter and more jagged than they had the prior day. Hard to blame them for their nerves. "Today was a bad look," she said, because she couldn't think of anything better to--
"Bad look? Bad look?!" They laughed, manic. "Yes, some Brenecian hick from a fake Brenecian paper infiltrating Brenecian security to try and kill our Margravine on Brenecian soil, yes, Cass, that is a bad look." Their spare hand pointed at her. "You said you could handle this. Gerhardt had that bloody interminable plan! And yet? Here we are. And we'll all be fucked for it."
What could she say? They were right. As was so bloody often the case, the Marcher railed and the Brenecian had to take it.
"I'm glad the Margravine's mostly unscathed."
"Yeah. You and me both."
Monaghan shrugged. They paced some more, interrupted only when a lean Nephar popped out from a door to murmur something in their ear.
The attempt at secrecy was wasted. Walker turned purple. "She wants to bring in the cameras and give them the fucking handshake again?"

It was a strange new era for Brenecian, marked in bizarre fashion. The Prime Minister was photographed from all the angles gingerly extending a hand ot Margravine Althea Carrick, laid up in hospital, with a rakish grin as if to say; couldn't take me down that easy, hey?
It was a rare show of trust and loyalty. Ties would never be as close as they once were, neither side wanted that. But perhaps the failed assassination, besides giving Bardsley and Carrick some common ground, had written a line under the whole thing. No more war, either in the open or in the shadows. No more bodies, apart from the fact that the security guard they eventually suspected to be bribed to take a lax view of examining purses was found in a dumpster four days later. No more distrust or scorn. Just two perfectly ordinarily unusual democracies sharing the same sphere, jostling for power through the accepted channels.
Bardsley smiled, when all was said and done. They'd survived a serious international incident, though Nepharan confidence in Brenecian security had been seriously eroded. Some help had been offered, and then spurned. Unlike her own security arrangements as a candidate, she needed to do it her way and more importantly be seen to do it her way. Brenecia needn't walk alone anymore... but it had to at least stand on its own feet.
She put out the call to the Directorate.

BRENECIAN NATIONAL TEAM SELECTION - FORTNIGHT 5
Goalkeepers: 1 - Cass Farrell (Northern Union), 12 - Opal Cairncross (Marketville, EUR), 20 - Scathach Wright (Raynor City United, VAL)
Defenders: 2 - Caithe Shepherd (Northern Stallions), 3 - Deimne Watermark (Northern Stallions), 5 - Garrett Horgan (Northern Union), 6 - Keane Mathers (Northern Stallions), 18 - Sorcha Lonergan (Northern Union), 19 - Morwen Prentice (Farrenton Athletic, EUR), 22 - Finn Leadbetter (Holdenberg, EUR)
Midfielders: 4 - Finn Townsend (North Hall), 8 - Elysse Matheson (Hornchurch, EUR), 13 - Corby Wheeler (Goldstaff City, COS), 14 - Esther Caitiff (Southern Star), 21 - Riona Parker (Galatica, PAS), 23 - Ronan Fallon (Newrook City, NPH)
Forwards: 7 - Lauren Cheney (Spartangrad, EUR), 9 - Mhacha White (Farrenton Athletic, EUR), 10 - Kara Ciogach (Lajuno, EUR), 11 - Tricia Pace (Northern Union), 15 - Nuada Speaker (North Hall), 16 - Ceridwen Fletcher (Holdenberg, EUR), 17 - Creidne Lindauer (Cazadores Cathair, AUD)

SCHEDULE
Brenecia 2 - 3 Poafmersia
Shokpos 1 - 2 Brenecia
Brenecia 5 - 2 Andromeda Island Group
Revatnagar 2 - 3 Brenecia
Brenecia 3 - 1 Crystalline Caverns
Emastalia 0 - 3 Brenecia
[Bye]
Brenecia 6 - 4 IA Quebec
Qvardax 3 - 6 Brenecia
Brenecia vs. Damukuni
Recuecn vs. Brenecia
Brenecia vs. Grearish Union
Filindostan vs. Brenecia
Poafmersia vs. Brenecia
Brenecia vs. Shokpos
Andromeda Island Group vs. Brenecia
Brenecia vs. Revatnagar
Crystalline Caverns vs. Brenecia
Brenecia vs. Emastalia
[Bye]
IA Quebec vs. Brenecia
Brenecia vs. Qvardax
Damukuni vs. Brenecia
Brenecia vs. Recuecn
Grearish Union vs. Brenecia
Brenecia vs. Filindostan

[TJUN-ia]

Szensky's debut in the world of football was a disaster, but this game was anything but for the Government of the CSTO Zone. The Jaguars hosted "A Selecção" from New Lusitania and the Algarves, a team that many in Beregozera Stadium tonight knew all too well. The large capacity of this ground meant that many from NLA were at this game (21,000 compared with 60,000 TJUN-ians, mostly from the CSTO). Couple that with a fired-up Krasnaya Stena that took up a prominent section of the stand opposite to the away fans, and you've got a mini-Wold Cup Final, in terms of atmosphere, on the shores of Lake Szen.

New Lusitania scored first in HUElavia and they scored first tonight, via Guilherme Paciência (the replacement for André Silveira for the game due to injury) in the 9th minute. But as quickly as they conceded, the Jags bounced back via Kepo Ulawaya in the 12th. TJUN-ia then took the lead as Peliniho decided to shoot for himself in the 26th and just got the ball past Rui Patríce. But then it was the turn of A Selecção to equalise, Daniel Jota just before half time.

The 2nd half scoring would be just as entertaining as David Seems and Victor Santa Cruz duelled in the tactics book. New Lusitania scored again, Jota getting his 2nd in the 57th, but TJUN-ia bounced back again, Vladimir Podolov scoring in front of his regional fans in the 63rd. The pop that produced could have sent the roof of the stadium into the lake and might have registered on the Richter scale in a nearby lab somewhere outside the city. Still, when Sérgio Azinheira scored from a corner in the 83rd, all looked lost for many in the crowd.

Enter Captain Jeff Donaldson. Corner in the 89th, time winding down. David Johnson takes the kick and Donaldson, somehow, kicks the ball over his head and behind Rui Patríce. The crowd went nuts and so did the main commentators from JBBST Sport.

#1: Can TJUN-ia find something here. One minute remaining before added time.
#2: Johnson just needs to curl in it and hope he finds someone.
#1: Johnson - into the box, DonALDSOOOOOOOON!
#2: Oh my god.......
#1: JEFF DONALDSON, WHERE DID THAT COME FROM?! OH, MY WORD! The captain delivers a kick from the heavens and this game is tied AGAIN! TJUN-ia 4, New Lusitania 4 and NO ONE will be forgetting that one ANYTIME SOON. MY GOODNESS!

That kick was the last goal in this entertaining fixture. Both players and managers shock hands after the match to the applause from the crowd in Szensky. TJUN-ia's quest for a home win continues but no one cared: this match was one of the best ever played on TJUN-ian soil, no mater the result. Next up for the Jags is a road trip to bottom-side Necosia before we get slaughtered by Turori at the National Stadium. 3 points at least please, Magaret, if your reading this! GO JAGS!

---

SCHEDULE (Updates on stadiums will occur as soon as we get them)
MD1: @Audioslavia (22) - Arena Kirola, Cathair L 1-2 (T-9th)
MD2: vs Euran Oceania Territories (84) - National Stadium, TJUN-ia City D 2-2 (T-9th)
MD3: @Porticalia (330) L 0-1 (T-10th)
MD4: vs Sajnur (57) - Tiankong Stadium, Tiankong L 2-3 (12th)
MD5: @Jeckland (UR) - Jecken Stadium, Rack City W 2-0 (10th)
MD6: vs Natanians and Nosts (131) - Beregozera Stadium, Szensky L 0-4 (11th)
MD7: @Villablanca (235) W 6-1 (9th)
MD8: BYE (10th)
MD9: vs New Lusitania and the Algarves (42) - Beregozera Stadium, Szensky D 4-4 (10th)
MD10: @Necosia (341)
MD11: vs Turori (12) - National Stadium, TJUN-ia City
MD12: @Astograth (303) - Castle Hill, Gesterlake
MD13: vs Muradil (212) - National Stadium, TJUN-ia City
-----------------------Off Day---------------------------
MD14: vs Audioslavia (22) - National Stadium, TJUN-ia City
MD15: @Euran Oceania Territories (84) - Flynn Arena, Fligsive
MD16: vs Porticalia (330) - Tiankong Stadium, Tiankong
MD17: @Sajnur (57) - ?
MD18: vs Jeckland (UR) - Tiankong Stadium, Tiankong
MD19: @Natanians and Nosts (131) - Stadion Nacional (?)
MD20: vs Villablanca (235) - Beregozera Stadium, Szensky
MD21: BYE
MD22: @New Lusitania and the Algarves (42) - Estádio da Anta do Dragão, Porto
MD23: vs Necosia (341) - National Stadium, TJUN-ia City
MD24: @Turori (12)
MD25: vs Astograth (303) - National Stadium, TJUN-ia City
MD26: @Muradil (212)

[Recuecn]

New Lusitania | NLA/ULG Yesterday at 12:14 PM
"ok then". WC85 works in mysterious ways

To the tune of Mysterious Ways

Jeremy, you should know, tryna qualify soon
Whether frail or strong, there's no one immune
They've been stressing all the time, trying to make a plan
They've been trying to control what they don't understand, luck


She's tricky, you're going down
She'll be there when you hit the ground


It's alright, it's alright, it's alright
Margaret moves in mysterious ways
It's alright, it's alright, it's alright
Margaret moves in mysterious ways, oh


Jeremy, you just write your RP for the game
Either way you'll get results you can't explain
No roster? No deal. Unranked? Then it's sealed.
If you wanna qualify, better learn how to kneel
On your knees, boy!


She's the one, she rolls the dice
But rubber chickens send her wild

It's alright, it's alright, it's alright
Margaret moves in mysterious ways, oh
It's alright, it's alright, it's alright
Margaret moves in mysterious ways, yeah
It's alright, It's alright, alright
You'll still get that CoH invite, oh


One day you'll win, that's when you'll see
Why EFL still won't give up
While you could whine or
You could complain on discord
Or kill rubber chickens


It's alright, it's alright, it's alright
Margaret moves in mysterious ways
It's alright, it's alright, it's alright
Margaret moves in mysterious ways, oh


It's alright, it's alright, alright
Move you, Margaret moves
Move, Margaret moves
Does she move you?
She screwed me over
You'll still get that CoH invite, oh

[Emastalia]

Emastalia 2-2 Damukani
Scorers: Jayne Sample(40), Jayne Sample(45+2), Jamus Aaldenburg(65), Sean Gillapi(74)

Overview: Another draw, although the team was down by 2 goals by the end of the first half we managed to step up our game and pace in the second half, the manager of Emastalia has turned the team around definitely but we cant expect to qualify and live off of these draws, we need a whole lot more wins in order to have a chance at the WC. Beautiful performance from the Emastalian team, it was a bummer they couldn't pull off a last minute win. Alden is expected to come back on Wednesday.

Starting XI
GK: Marcus Relands
LB: Alexandre Phillips
CB: Astas De Vries
CB: Donald Louivereau
RB: Anders Vanderbilt
CM: John Mathieu
CM: Richard Pouveire(C)
LM: Sean Gillapi
RM: Tom Buedeker
CF: Robert Avénard
CF: Jamus Aaldenburg

Substitutes
GK: Richar Llynn
CB/LB: Lourens ter Hofste
CB/RB: Heiko Rouvekamp
CAM/LM: Berg Scholman
CM: Mark Timan
CM/RM: Elijah Obinna
CF: Adje Molink

Injured
CF: Willem Alden

Definitely a few major changes were made by the manager, Obinna and Llynn were taken off the starting roster for the game tonight. But Marcus Relands has shown high promise in training and during the season. He was one of the reason that Emastaly F.C won the G.S Cup and placed second in the Granzion League. He was transferred to Emastaly F.C from Bremen United last summer, and since then has shown a lot of talent with a record breaking 84 saves in the 2019-2020 Granzion Season

As for Tom Buedeker, he has proven why he deserved the spot on the team since 2017, and has contributed to the team with fast plays and high pressing mentality, but ever since his injury in early 2019 he was reclined to the bench. But he has made his first appearance since the game with Ikheria in early March of last year.

[Timuria]

Awkward Encounter Yields Underwhelming Win

Timuria 2–0 The Mann Clan
Omer Tameroglu (57), Kemal Colak (78)

by Tufan Nursultan

The Red Wolves returned to Timuria and despite dominating proceedings only came away with a frustrating 2-0 victory over The Mann Clan, who can count themselves lucky they didn't lose by a larger margin. The match saw Omer Tameroglu make his first start as a Red Wolf with Ismail Burhan kept out of play as a precaution. It looked as if there was no way for them to breakthrough and that they would be left frustrated, but the Red Wolves managed to break through and get two goals.

The early stages of the match saw Timuria on the front foot, with an early effort coming to Volkan Ayhan who was coming off a stellar performance in the Red Wolves win over Patistan, his shot was palmed wide by the visitors keeper. A good chance would come to Vatan Ercetin, who had his back to goal, turned and launched a ferocious shot, which was well saved by the opposition keeper, who was in for a busy day.

The next chance for the Red Wolves would come to Caner Turan, who weaved his way through and cut inside onto his right foot before getting just the wrong touch on his shot sending it just wide. Ertan Renda would lay on a superb pass that saw Omer Tameroglu through on goal in the 42nd minute, but he couldn't strike the ball cleanly and his awkwardly struck shot found its way into the opposition keeper's arms.

The deadlock would be broken after the break, with Ozbek Sarikaya delivering a wonderful cross from deep on the left flank, needing only a slight touch from Omer Tameroglu to take it past the sprawling oppositon keeper who had, up until then, had an excellent match. Reza Karaduman would take a shot at goal, his speculative effort actually catching the opposition keeper flat footed as it clipped the bar before safely going out of play.

The final goal would come from Kemal Colak, a towering header from an Ertan Renda cross that he got the perfect contact with and sent past the keeper. With the Red Wolves now comfortably two goals up, the sides played out the remaining 12 minutes with little in the way of action.

The result means the Red Wolves now sit in fourth place a mere point behind Sargossa as they prepare to travel to Grod Island who suffered a 2-1 defeat at the hands of Audiaslania and sit in ninth place with 10 points.

What They Said After The Match:

Bekir Altingunes: "That was a tough match, but not in the way we might have expected, I think the team has managed to contain some of its frustrations and that's good and a sign that we're getting to the place we want to be. Perhaps if the scheduling had come out a bit different we wouldn't be feeling the need to hit a stride at this point, but that's the way it's played out and we want to wrap up this half of the qualfication in a strong a position as possible and come out swinging. So we're looking for a big convincing win next match to set us up for a big one with Sargossa."

Player Ratings:

Another scheduling conflict has meant that a player-by-player breakdown couldn't be provided.

Iskender Nur 7/10

Ozbek Sarikaya 7/10

Kemal Colak 8/10

Berker Balkan 6/10

Gokdeniz Dag 6/10

Ertan Renda 7/10

Reza Karaduman 6/10

Caner Turan 6/10

Vatan Ercetin 6/10

Volkan Ayhan 6/10

Omer Tameroglu 7/10

Substitutes:

Tekin Yavuz 6/10

Yildiray Sabuktiginoglu 6/10

Person of the Match: Kemal Colak - He played a solid game in defence and even got himself a rare goal. Kemal has begun to find his stride at international level and has been a delight to watch.

Schedule and Results:

Home stadiums will have capacity in brackets

MD1: @ Xuzaqiy W 5-3
MD2: vs Cassadaigua, Dev Halk Stadium (30,000), Demir L 3-2
MD3: @ Kelssek L 2-1
MD4: vs Barunia, Tashkent Belediye Isci Stadium (18,500), Tashkent L 4-1
MD5: @ Audiasania W 3-2
MD6: Bye
MD7: vs Olastor, Belediye Park (5,800), Demir W 3-1
MD8: @ Patistan W 5-3
MD9: vs The Mann Clan, Belediye Park (5,800), Demir W 2-0
MD10: @ Grod Island
MD11: vs Sargossa, Hisar Belediye Sendika Stadium (27,500), Demir
MD12: @ Res Publica Nova Roma
MD13: vs Ziwana, Halkın Güneş Çiftliği Stadium (27,000), Elektriklestirme
MD14: vs Xuzaqiy, Demir-Is Stadium (5,500), Demir
MD15: @ Cassadaigua
MD16: vs Kelssek, Madenci Stadium (27,000), Uryan
MD17: @Barunia
MD18: vs Audiasania, Maden-Is Stadium (3,400), Uryan
MD19: Bye
MD20: @ Olastor
MD21: vs Patistan, Almat Jimnasyum (3,000), Demir
MD22: @ The Mann Clan
MD23: vs Grod Island, Tasova Belediye Stadium (2,000), Tasova
MD24: @Sargossa
MD25: vs Res Public Nova Roma, Dev Halk Stadium (30,000), Demir
MD26: @ Ziwana

[Riennic Isles]

The referee blew, the crowd cheered, and Kanata Shiranami breathed. She mopped her brow with a handkerchief, before hastening across to the away technical area to shake Miguel Hernandez's hand. She couldn't help but notice that the Newmanistan manager had a bit of a wry smile on his face as he engulfed her hand in a warm handshake. Truth be told, Kanata wasn't quite sure how she felt about the result either - a 1-1 draw that didn't come close to reflecting the topsy-turvy nature of the game at the Wavelet Arena.

Much like Riena's previous game against Krytenia had panned out, the Rockets took the lead by virtue of their attacking prowess. Cortez and Vannella combined to shred the Riena defence into ribbons down the left, and Schaefer was presented the ball on a platter six yards out. From that kind of range, a player of his calibre was never going to have a problem slotting home past Minato. But for the third time in three games, Riena showed their newfound grit and determination to rally strongly from a position of weakness - that player Aya Nakiri making it ten senior goals for Riena with a well-timed header following a decent delivery from Uruha out on the left. Riena's spirited fightback meant the game remained finely poised right up to the end of the game, with both teams enjoying periods where they were in the ascendancy, but never quite managing to find that final killer goal that would've sealed three points. As it was, the spoils were shared.

On reflection, Kanata thought, a draw was probably the most equitable outcome. Both teams had had their fair share of chances; both teams had failed to capitalise on all but one of those chances. Yet the emotional side of Kanata's brain overrode the logical side. True, the last two matches had seen Riena play twice against opponents ranked significantly higher than them. Despite them somehow being marooned to the bottom of Group 14, Krytenia were the fourth seed. Newmanistan were the third seed. And Riena? They were a whisker away from being an outright unranked team, with only their participation in the Baptism of Fire averting that particular fate. But Kanata couldn't help but feel as though they should have won both games. Riena had, of course, pulled off the biggest upset of the group so far when they edged Qasden 2-1 a couple of matchdays prior. That victory had shown that Riena were capable of tangoing with the best on their day. It should have been a stepping stone, a platform to build on - and that was why Kanata found herself in the absurd position of being mildly disappointed with two straight 1-1 draws against the third and fourth seeds.

They had been underdogs for both games, but Kanata felt as though Riena had managed to scrape together enough chances to win both. Granted, she was no impartial observer, but when she cast her mind back to that miscued Kirimiya header against Krytenia, or Steiner overelaborating just a touch when she could have put the ball past the 'keeper today - two massive chances gone begging, and maybe, just maybe, two victories snatched from her grasp. Six valuable points became two, mildly tinged with the taste of what could have been. Kanata knew Riena were definitely still overachieving, and by a hell of a lot more than any rational observer could have predicted. They were somehow third in the group with fourteen points, just about keeping their noses in front of the chasing pack right behind them. All this, when even the most optimistic fan would have struggled to see them finishing in midtable, let alone challenging for third.

But the ambitious manager in Kanata pointed to the four-point gap to Qasden, which could very well become seven once they had played their game in hand. Even at this stage of qualifying, a seven-point gap to the second seed, a team that had only dropped a total of six points so far, seemed almost insurmountable for Riena. The top two teams qualified for the World Cup finals, and all the glory and prestige that came with an appearance at the finals. The third placed team got a pat on the back before being packed off to the Cup of Harmony, and that was only if they were invited to compete for it. Kanata hadn't taken on the job just to lead her team to comfortable midtable obscurity. As far as she was concerned, the sooner they were up there with the big boys, regularly challenging for qualification to the finals, the better.

Of course, qualifying was a full marathon, not a short-distance sprint. Riena still had fifteen matches left to play. Was a strong push for second too much to ask of a young, callow team?

Kanata didn't know. But as she made the short journey down the tunnel of the Wavelet Arena towards the home dressing room, she realised that no matter where Riena ended up, she would be grateful for the journey. The gripes about results were, at the end of the day, just that - gripes. She had been given the opportunity to nurture a talented, if inexperienced, generation of players, most of whom she was sure would go on to have long and illustrious careers in the game. As their manager, it was her responsibility to see that the talented players under her care didn't fizzle out into mediocrity. Of course, in the long run, that meant she would have to lead Riena to the World Cup finals. Nothing less would suffice for the sake of her players. But that could wait for later.

Right now, Kanata had a team talk to deliver.

[Hampton Island]

(Scenario: Locker room following win over Sankt Konrad)

Hannah Sanders: Great job guys, and look I just got a text with a great response with some excellent news.

Hank Andrews: You young people are so fancy with those phones. I remember when we had to talk to people on them instead of all your fancy texting.

Edwin Conney: Hank, it’s time to get a smartphone. Evolve with technology.

Hank Andrews: Easy for you to say. Those computer things are the downfall of society.

Roger Grant: Harry, they aren’t that bad once you get used to them.

Edwin Conney: You mean Hank.

Hank Andrews: What?

Roger Grant: Sorry.

Hannah Sanders: Ok guys. Back to what I was saying. I thought you guys played a wonderful game, and now I have even more great news to tell you. Freestyle Mobility is coming on as a major corporate sponsor. They are like so impressed with how you guys have bucked the aging process and have basically like done such a great job. They want to fund your effort and even better guys. They are going to give you all free products of theirs for life.

(Room cheers!)

Roger Grant: Now that’s a great sponsor right there!

Edwin Conney: Good to know, though I don’t plan to need any of their products any time soon.

Hannah Sanders: With them as our sponsor, we can move away from our need from that asswipe at the Stafford City Stadium. He is going to hate this, but remember, he never believes in you. He thought you were going to lose all of your games. But look at you, you are making us be a contender in this group.

Clyde Benner: That’s pretty cool. My father uses one of their electric wheelchairs. It has never failed him.

Hannah Sanders: I wish we could change some of our home games to Marquette Stadium, but we can’t get out of that contract. But what that idiot will probably try to do now is do things at the stadium to make it difficult for you. So if you see anything that is out of whack please take a picture of it.

Hank Andrews: You mean with one of those fancy phone things?

Edwin Conney: Hank, really, it’s time to get a real phone. You’ve made enough money in your career.

Roger Grant: I’m a year older then you and I have a smartphone. You can too!

Edwin Conney: I’ll take the picture for you then, if you see something.

Hannah Sanders: If he tries any bullshit at the stadium then we can document and move to Marquette. Which he will absolutely hate. Freestyle Mobility taking the funding of this operation is making him powerless!

[Filindostan]

---

NATIONAL | BUSINESS | PROVINCIAL | INTERNATIONAL | SPORTS | ENTERTAINMENT | SPORTS PORTAL

---

FOOTBALL
Filindostan 5-0 The Andromeda Island Group: Teterissa on fire as four goals take down Eagles

KOTA JAKULTA - It seems that the big move from Perokojak to Venividicci paid off for Ina Teterissa.

Despite a contrasting set of reactions from the crowd at the Jakulta Esportiva Stadium, Filindostan's primary option up front seemed to have a good game in the field that she called home for several seasons, helping Filindostan register their 4th straight win of their World Cup qualifying campaign and keeping the top 2 teams from running away from the rest of the pack in Group 15. This was also the first match for Filindostan to have a crowd in their home match since the end of the Campionato Esportiva where they were forced to host their matches without any crowd.

The opening minutes of the match showed who is the better side, when Teterissa received a lob pass from Alim Gui to put the ball past the Andromedan keeper in just the 6th minute of the match. Cheers from the Filindostani fans as well as rousing boos from the local fans at Jakulta met the forward who transferred to the blue half of San Marco before the start of the current season. Fifteen minutes later, she was on the scoresheet again when she was left wide open after a scramble on a corner play to give the hosts a two goal lead. She would soon complete a first half hattrick as she would score again 3 minutes plus stoppages before the first half whistle had gone.

The Jakulta native would put herself on the scoresheet once again as a feint free kick from Mordecai Sitindaon put her wide open, with the classic poacher of a ball rolled beyond the hapless keeper in the 67th minute. Annie Pattiasina would secure the five-goal win after her header thumped over the keeper in the 87th minute.

It was a bittersweet homecoming for Teterissa as she was booed all throughout the match by the local fans, who felt betrayed by her departure from the club. When asked what she currently think of the fans in Jakulta, she acknowledges her fans and is aware that her departure left a sour note in Perokojak fans, having been her club since the academy and college days.

Filindostan will travel to Revatnagar to face the bottom team of Group 15, with five points separating the top four, Recuecn, Brenecia, Filindostan, and Quebec.

Written by FSNA Staff.

[Eastfield Lodge]

City Arena, Marthorpe, Flavovespia
Last few minutes of the Flavovespia vs Eastfield Lodge match

The mood was … fractious, you could say, at best. Only a couple of minutes until stoppage time, and the match was fairly tight. Neither side had really dominated it in terms of the play, yet the hosts were leading going into the final stages of the tie, Alexander May poking home a loose ball following a blocked header from a first half corner kick. It was a game of few chances otherwise, neither side really showing enough attacking quality to really cause the opposition defence any problems - of course, neither defence was particularly up to speed either, a plethora of errors at the back almost causing a goalfest. Of note, normally reliable Tony Gardner reverted to his younger self when receiving a square ball from Stephen Shepherd on the edge of the box, only for a heavy touch allowing Murray to steal the ball and get into the box. But in a manner that more or less summarised Eastfield Lodge’s performance in the World Cup so far, she managed to send normally an easy goal to break the deadlock straight into the roof at the back of the City Arena stands.

At the other end, Renato Hargreaves made a similarly clumsy error, as he miscued a clearance in the box straight into Scott Coleman, the striker then finding space to fire a miscued half volley straight into the ground, bobbling into Harvey’s arms. It was very much the story of the match, and both sets of fans weren’t having. The home fans were reservedly happy - they were winning, for sure, but playing so shambolically on occasions the lead could slip at any time. They were in a better mood than the eight thousand or so away fans however, bunched up behind the home net, seeing their side lamely limp their way into a fifth loss in 8 games in qualifying. Whilst the home fans were fairly quiet but happy, the away fans were anything but happy. There was a mixture of loud booing, abject seething misery and just plain disinterest as some fans got out their phones and ignored the match entirely. There were even empty seats appearing around the away section, fans so bored they were leaving early to grab the taxis back to their respective hotels/transport stations/airport.

The Eastfielder dugout was similarly subdued, Jane Williamson just looking on like a woman wondering why she’s even bothering with this anymore. In her head, it was only a matter of time before she would be fired. No matter what she tried, it wasn’t coming off. Her system worked well in training, and even on the pitch it looked good at times, but for some reason, nothing ever fell into perfect place. The only good performance the team had put in over 8 matches was that farce against MR TAYTO, 3-0 up at half time only for the captain to get sent off and take the score back to 3-2. And then maybe the opening match against Freeport, where both sides played really well and fought out a probably deserved 2-2 draw. The win against Maccian was a fluke, they played poorly against what was effectively a second string side - it was a meaningless win in terms of analysis, but at least it meant that they wouldn’t be heading into their bye period in 12th place. Just in 11th, as it stood.

The final whistle went, almost unnoticed by everyone to be honest as the match died as an interesting spectacle a long time ago. Jane stared blankly into space for a few seconds, before realising that her assistant was tugging at her arm to try and get her up. She blinked a couple of times, mechanically shaking hands with the Flavovespian manager and anyone else who offered. She wasn’t paying attention - in her mind, there was just one word blaring out, drowning out all other thoughts.

Resign.

---

MD8: Flavovespia 1–0 Eastfield Lodge
Line-up (3-3-3-1): Harvey - Hargreaves, Carr-Ponce, Whitfield - French, Qwivotic, Shan - Foley, Farrow (<> Stepanov 85’), Berretti (<> Cousin 76’) - Murray (<> Morales 68’)
Goals (Assists): N/A

Line-up to play A Flock of Seagulls (3-3-3-1)
Harvey - Holding, Carr-Ponce, Whitfield - French, Qwivotic, Shan - Foley, Farrow, Berretti - Murray
No injuries or suspension

[Flavovespia]

Hadford Hill

The First Kit

89BU saw Hadford Hill founded, and they would play the first professional game of football against Waldster in this kit. A long red top, white trousers and red socks. Nothing more to it, but it shows the origins of Hadford Hill’s kits, and what kits used to look like way back in the beginning of professional football in the nation. It would be many decades until Hadford Hill eventually made the switch over to red shorts however. Nevertheless, the red shirts of Hadford Hill are one of those kits that just about anyone in Flavovespia can recognise.

Celebrated Classic

29BU was the year the GWNFA loosened off its own regulations on kits. Hadford Hill would switch from white shorts to red shorts, and play in this kit. With its simple white collar and cuffs on an all red kit, with the HH logo included, it is, and seemingly will always be an iconic kit for the team. Worn for 4 seasons, with 2 1st and 2 2nd place finishes in the GWNFA Super League, it also reminds fans of one of their top eras. The all red kit was a bold choice at the time, but it’s stuck ever since, and is one of the classic colour schemes.

Modern Marvel

“Less is more” it seems for Hadford Hill, and their 8AU exemplified this. A small amount of trim on the edges of the sleeves and under the collar, to create the HH effect, alongside some white piping. A few cynics may have argued they copied the idea of the HH from the W of Waldster, but no club can really claim a monopoly on that idea. The shirt was popular in Hadford Hill, and was worn in a title winning season, which is always a big bonus. This kit exemplified everything right about the colour scheme and identity of Hadford Hill.

Colour of Success

We don’t envy anyone who has to select an era or a specific year that Hadford Hill were at their best ever performance. However, the 4 consecutive GWNFA Super League titles from 20BU-17BU wins out. The 18BU season, where they went undefeated with a record of 17 wins and 5 draws is chosen as the year, although this kit was also worn the following season as well. All red, with a splash of white trim, from the collar to the shoulders. There was nothing particularly special or noteworthy about this kit, but its representative of one of the successful eras of Hadford Hill.

Fashion Disaster

Not even Hadford Hill were immune to some of the excesses of the later classic era. This 12BU kit has quite a few of the elements that tended to make these kits fall apart. A shadow pattern, overly large features on the kit, and an attempt to inject “originality” or “identity” into the kit. In this case, it was in the form of a large HH graphic. Unfortunately it looked messy, was too much, and has been voted the worst kit the team have had. Just to top it off, it was the same season rivals Waldster had a similar effect on their kit, so it wasn’t even that original.

[Port Ember]

Blood, Sweat & Glory Part 6

Frazer was in a trance the following few days. After eight years of dedicating his entire life - body, mind and soul - to the pursuit of his life dreams, he managed to achieve them, yet seemingly for only a few fleeting moments. The best player on the team, Ray Reddington was in the process of throwing his life away by overindulgence of alcohol, drugs and women. He stopped attending practice sessions, and when he eventually did, he was still drunk or high, or both. He could barely walk, nevermind perform on the pitch. Come game day, would perform terribly and shatter the unity of the team by shouting and swearing at his teammates, even breaking into a full out brawl on the pitch with a fellow teammates during one matchup. He would engage in swearing and shouting matches with the Coach, and would engage in arguments and brawls with his teammates in nightclubs, much to the joy of the local tabloids. The Coach had enough and benched him for the Ko-oren home match, and decided to start Frazer. He played his heart out during that game, even though the team only managed a draw against their heavyweight opponents, still impressive considering the fact that the young Dragons were still a heavily divided uncoordinated team due to the recent conflicts. Unfortunately for Frazer, Ray seemed to have settled down and started down the path of repairing his life - he did not miss sessions anymore, and where actually sober - performing to the standars which made him famous in the first place. This was an obvious threat to Frazer, as Ray was a far better player than himself, and thus if Ray were back on form - Frazer would lose his starting spot. It was unfair as hell offcourse, Ray were as good as he were due to pure talent, but squandered it on life's pleasures. Frazer on the other hand were not blessed with talent, but he was a hard worker. He worked days, nights, weekends and holidays more than anyone else he knew. He bloody deserved that spot! That pain was nothing however when compared to the blinding, searing pain caused by the combined actions of one Sally Jones and that very same bastard Ray Reddington. Frazer has had a crush on Sally Jones ever since he have met her, when he was just 14 years old - she was about 24, and appointed as the massage therapist of the Port Emberian Football Youth Development Program. As the years dragged on, his crush had slowly transformed into love. He could never muster the courage to approach her and actually speak to her, so he opted to love her from afar over the years. Recently however he has managed to actually speak to her- and quickly befriended her as he received a massage from her on a daily basis post training sessions. He would get jealous if other players also received a massage from her, and he had decided that once she became his officially, he would make her quit her job. He showered her with daily gifts - it would surely win over her heart he believed. He then finally went for the final push and invited her to join him to attend a music concert where her favorite band would perform. She joined him after gladly accepting, and he was absolutely mesmerised by her - and attempted to kiss her. She rejected his advances and made it clear that she wished for them to remain friends. He responded in the only way which made sense at the time - running away as fast and far as possible. Later he discovered on social media that one Sally Jones was now in a relationship with that little shit Ray Reddington. There was absolutely no words in either the english nor esperanto language available which could possibly describe the betrayal and pain which Frazer felt at that moment. Life was not fair. Life was unjust. And all of life's unfairness and unjustness now had a face - and it was the handsome face of Ray Reddington.

During the next practice session, the squad was playing a friendly match - starting squad vs reserve squad - Frazer was still miraculously on the starting squad, but probably not for long he felt, and Ray was on the reserve squad. During the friendly practice match, Frazer actively attempted to go in hard for Ray Reddington, with the clear intention of injuring this demon. Unfortunately for Frazer, Ray was as talented as everyone made him out to be. Everytime Frazer attempted to execute a dirty injury threatening tackle or slide, Ray would dodge, jump or outmaneuver his challenger, making it look as easy as taking a picnic by the lake. Everytime this happened, Frazer would smash into the pitch, sending grass and mud airborne, making Frazer look like an absolute fool. This in turn would only anger him even more, setting a cycle in motion. When the friendly match finalized, the substitute team had beaten the starting squad. The first time in history for such an occurrence to take hold - and it was firmly blamed on Frazer. Frazer was called into the Coach's office, and a good 20 minutes of one way shouting session took place. Frazer was subsequently benched in favour of Ray. The weight of Frazer's very world crashing around him caused his mind to enter a weird state of shock, there were no emotion, no thoughts at all. He simply... existed. He was seated behind the wheel of his car, within the perfect void of simply being alive, when his teary eyes glimpsed one Sally Jones exiting the stadium, and entering her vehicle. Without thinking he started his vehicle and slowly followed her through the city streets - until it came to a standstill outside of a local coffee cafe. He saw her perfect figure the cafe and he remained seated within his vehicle. His mind remained within a state of nothingness and did not even know why he was there - or even that he actually was there. After a few moments he regained some sort of control of his thoughts, but only barely. He started to weep like a babe, uncontrollably. He decided instantly that he needed to see Sally. Perhaps there was just a simple misunderstanding- she secretly loved him and needed him as much as he needed her, he decided. He just needed to speak to her and all would work out right. Without hesitation he climbed out of his car, not even bothering to lock the door. He walked straight into the cafe, immediately spotting Sally seated at the table. There were a cup of coffee in front of her, and opposite her, but no other person. He did not think anything of it and continued to walk up to Sally Jones, and took a seat behind the abandoned coffee. Sally looked utterly surprised and started to murmur "Frazer what are you doi..." Frazer interrupted her, "Sally I love you. I love you with my entire heart. My entire soul. I have always loved you since I have met you. And I know you feel the same, you have accepted all of my gifts, so surely there are feelings for me hidden within your perfect heart!?" Sally had a look of pure confusion on her perfect face. Suddenly her eyes indicated that it snapped to a conclusion "I... I never knew those were from you Frazer. It never had a name attached.. I had always thought it was from Ray, as we have been flirting for months now. If I knew it were from you, I would have told you that we cannot be more than friends, sparing you from this pain. I did not know.." Frazer could not believe what he was hearing. That motherfucker has ruined EVERYTHING. "But why that bastard? You know he has been sleeping with like 40 girls in only the last month right? He has zero respect for anyone on this green earth. He will treat you like shit and break your heart. He does not deserve you." Sally became visibly angry, but before she could respond verbally, Ray appeared at the table, having just came in from the cafe's bathroom. Before any more words could be spoken, Frazer jumped up in haste, charging at him - overtaken with complete anger and hate. He managed to tackle the surprised Ray to the ground, after smashing through a few tables, sending cups and cutlery scattering all over the cafe floor. After delivering a few solid punches, Ray managed to regain a grip on reality, flipping Frazer over, mounting the aggressor, and bashed his face in over and over again. A beaten and bloodied Frazer felt something cold touching his hand.. a knife? Yes. He clinched the knife tightly and stabbed it into the neck of one Ray Reddington. He did it again. And again. And again. And again. He could not stop, his arm having grown a mind of it's own. The faint sounds of police sirens and screams were drowned out by his bloodlust.

---

Port Emberian Broadcasting Corporation - Channel 1

BREAKING NEWS: FOOTBALL LEGEND AND NATIONAL TEAM CAPTAIN MURDERED BY TEAMMATE

Ray Reddington, known as the captain of the Port Ember National Football Team, has been brutally murdered by Frazer Murray - a fellow teammate and player of the Port Ember National Football Team earlier this evening within the Golden Challice Coffee Cafe, situated in the Lilly Black Borough of Port Ember Megalopolis. Frazer Murray has been arrested by the Port Ember Police Service on the scene and has been charged with murder. The motive of this brutal and shocking crime is still currently unknown. Members of the public has allready taken to the streets and social media to convey their despair and shock at this event.

---

The following is a summary of some of the statements which has been released by various entities around the capital in the days following the murder of Ray Reddington:

● "I can confirm that Mister Frazer Murray has indeed been arrested, and have been charged with Murder in the First Degree. He is being held in custody, awaiting the first court appearance within a few days. I can assure the public that with the staggering amount of evidence against Mister Murray, my office will most definitely be pushing for the death penalty." - Jessica Parker; Head Public Prosecutor

● "On behalf of the Port Ember Football Association I wish to declare our utmost shock and dismay at the events which saw Frazer Murray murder his teammate and captain Ray Reddington. There is simply no excuse which can make this better, and we sincerely wish that justice will run its course." - Peter White; Chairman of PEFA

● "There simply is no words available to describe my feelings at this moment. That demon who committed that hideous crime is not my son. My son has a heart of gold. That... thing who committed that crime must be punished with all the might of the law." - Billy Murray; Father of Frazer Murray

● "Coach Stuart Baxter, Head Coach and manager of the Port Ember National Football Team has resigned from his position with immediate effect. We are only at liberty to state that it is due to personal reasons. Our team and Association is still in mourning, and will formulate a plan of the future when we are no longer solely dictated by our immense grief"" - Peter White; Chairman of PEFA

● Despite the recent stain on all of our lives, we are forced to remain true to the fighting spirit of our proud nation, and continue to participate in the current World Cup Qualifier Season. Our next match is an away match within the Holy Empire. Our players will all be donning a red armband during the match in honor and memory of the late Ray Reddington. Our team will don this armbands for the remainder of the season. We also welcome any of our future opponents to do the same, as a sign of solidarity." - Peter White; Chairman of PEFA

[South Newlandia]

ELEPHANT VALLEY MAIL
Sports -> Soccer
South Newlandia plays mediocre, good enough for three points

The Kytler Peninsulae was the last team drawn into Group 13. As the only unranked team, experts thought they would have absolutely no chance in such a competitive group. Surprisingly, they held their own so far, scoring 10 points out of 7 matches before the game in Kinjestad. The small city of Kinjestad is on an island off the shores of South Newlandia, and mostly known for tourism and the beautiful environment. In fact, most of the 9000 people in the seats for the game between South Newlandia and The Kytler Peninsulae would probably rather have been outside of the stadium on the beach or swimming in the sea, as the game hit new standards for “boring”. Over 90 minutes, a total of four shot happened, but in the end, it was enough for the Elephants to keep the three points.

South Newlandia 1-0 The Kytler Peninsulae

The first chance of the game also featured the deciding goal. In the 17th minute, a flank by Patrick McMora was missed by Brandon Irving, but behind him, Corban Green got the ball and scored past the enemy goalkeeper.

South Newlandia seemed, much like in the game against Plane of Possibility, bland and uninspired. The last chance of the second half, in the 41st minute, was actually just the second shot of the game. Brandon Irving had the ball, dribbling through the defense. He passed the ball to Abdurahman Bishop, and his shot was slightly wide.

It was half-time already, and South Newlandia lead by one with few problems to this point. The Elephants have a history with close 1-goal leads, as they have fumbled quite a few of them already. Robert Wolverine was determent to get a second goal, and substituted Brandon Irving for Ricardo Rayner.

Except for two more South Newlandian substitutions, namely Finnley Wallis for Abdurahman Bishop in the 67th minute and Jarod Stuart for Patrick McMora in the 61st minute, nothing happened for over half an hour. It took the Elephants until the 72nd minute to string another chance together, and even then, it only happened after a corner. Corban Green got the ball into the middle, and Bjorn Cohen’s header went half a metre above the crossbar.

In the 87th minute, South Newlandia was almost punished for not scoring a second goal. A sudden breakthrough from midfield had led to a striker getting a good shooting chance for The Kitler Peninsulae. Mikhail Trischuk was awake, and managed to get the well-shot ball around the post.

Just like that, the Elephants had collected the next three points. Over the total of the game, they had 79% possession, but were lacking creativity throughout it. An ineffective opponent side, like The Kitler Peninsulae, may be beatable like this, but against harder opponents, this will not be enough.

Player Rankings

Mikhail Trischuk (GK, Captain) 8
Trischuk played a solid first game after his injury. He hadn’t had a lot to do, but was there when it mattered.

Dhruv Roy (LB) 8

Manuel O’Neill (LCB) 8

Tommy Anderson (RCB) 8

Raphael Moreno (RB) 8

Kevin Mohamed (DM) 8
The entire defense stood solid, although that wasn‘t hard here.

Corban Green (LM) 9
He finally got his first goal of the tournament.

Patrick McMora (RM) 8

Abdurahman Bishop (OM) 6

Brandon Irving (ST) 5
He was weirdly ineffective today.

Bjorn Cohen (ST) 6

Ricardo Rayner (ST) 5
He also never got a grip to the game.

Jarod Stuart (RM) 6

Finnley Wallis (OM) 7

Starters against Kuriko

Coach Robert Wolverine leaves the defensive parts of the formation unchanged, but Ricardo Rayner and Finnley Wallis will get the starts instead of Brandon Irving and Abdurahman Bishop. Simon McCabe will not be returning yet.

Results from Matchday 9, Group 13

Mavinet (218) 5-3 Kuriko (330)
Mavinet is back on track after a win over the Elephant’s next opponents.

Tamgu (79) 2-3 Juvencus (39)
Juvencus also gets an important win.

Pasarga (25) 4-1 Bliuji (99)
Pasarga got the job done as expected while Bliuji continues to struggle.

Eraman (63) 1-0 Valanora (15)
Eraman got an upset in, being only the second team to defeat top seed Valanora.

Ottoman Syldavia (338) 1-2 Plane of Possibility (148)
The Planers defeat Ottoman Syldavia, who now have only 1 point out of the last five games.

South Newlandia (228) 1-0 The Kytler Peninsulae (UR)

Pangurstan had their first bye.

Current standings

Group 13                              Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
 1 Valanora                                9    5   2   2    16    9   +7    17
 2 Pasarga                                 8    5   1   2    16    9   +7    16
 3 Eraman                                  8    5   1   2    16   11   +5    16
 4 South Newlandia                         9    4   4   1    16   13   +3    16
 5 Mavinet                                 9    4   1   4    25   23   +2    13
 6 Plane of Possibility                    9    3   3   3    16   16    0    12
 7 Juvencus                                8    3   2   3    23   22   +1    11
 8 Ottoman Syldavia                        8    3   1   4    11   11    0    10
 9 The Kytler Peninsulae                   8    3   1   4    15   21   −6    10
10 Pangurstan                              8    3   0   5    15   18   −3     9
11 Tamgu                                   8    2   2   4    12   15   −3     8
12 Bliuji                                  8    2   1   5    21   24   −3     7
13 Kuriko                                  8    2   1   5    10   20  −10     7

Schedule for Group 13, Matchday 10

Valanora (15) vs. Ottoman Syldavia (338)
Valanora should have an easy time here.

Bliuji (99) vs. Eraman (63)
This will be interesting, as Bliuji is given a chance to return to the middle of the standings. Eraman could really use that win, too.

Juvencus (39) vs. Pasarga (25)
This is another interesting matchup, as the second and the third seed will face. Neither team can afford to lose this right now.

The Kytler Peninsulae (UR) vs. Tamgu (79)
Tamgu should be able to win here.

Pangurstan (311) vs. Mavinet (218)
Mavinet should also be able to get a win here.

Plane of Possibility will have a bye day.

Kuriko (330) vs. South Newlandia (228)
The Elephants will visit Kuriko next. The team is currently last in the group at only 7 points. As you should never underestimate an opponent, as well as the game being an away game, the Elephants should be careful anyways; this is not the time to drop points unnecessarily.

[Kandorith]

Shinonome Kyoai - International
News From The Empire

---

Record Breaking Match, Results In Fourth Place

*   Group 11                              Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
 1 Equestria                               9    7   2   0    31   16  +15    23
 2 HUElavia                                9    7   0   2    32   21  +11    21
 3 Xanneria                                8    6   1   1    21   13   +8    19
 4 Kandorith                               9    4   3   2    21   17   +4    15
 5 Fujai                                   8    3   3   2    10   14   −4    12
 6 Vdara                                   9    3   2   4    18   20   −2    11
 7 Nooooooooooooooo                        8    2   3   3    15   14   +1     9
 8 Ancherion                               8    2   3   3    14   15   −1     9
 9 Lo Santano                              8    2   3   3    14   19   −5     9
10 South Concepthuania                     8    2   1   5    12   17   −5     7
11 Blouman Empire                          8    1   3   4    12   16   −4     6
12 Jamestownnnn                            8    1   1   6     8   17   −9     4
13 Monglechabagd                           8    0   3   5     9   18   −9     3

Tenkyo, as Kandorith played against Jamestownnnn it became clear, the competition would succumb to a superious side. Winning five to one is a game for the record books. The strategy Hayabusa is laying down before us is proving to be effective once more. The hopes of qualifying for the World Cup are still high. Yet, Kandorith has to be weary. The previous wins have been milestones for the Lotus Warriors and will continue to be so in the football history of the team. The goal is too qualify for the first time in decades, a qualification against all odds. Having drawn against the number one of the group and only suffering minor defeats against the number two and three, the Kandorese fans are ever hopeful.

The recent campaign spell made an impression of how the team is holding up and so far, it's on the positive side. The technique of holding force, as Hayabusa calls it, is establishing results. The next match however, is against Ancherion, a team where Kandorith has to call upon her defensive capabilities to stall the game most likely. Where the Lotus Warriors are normally a very attacking team, they will be careful and watching during the upcoming match. To try and topple the top three is the ultimate goal; yet, not at the expense of team fitness. The Kandorese fans will be looking at the other games too. They have to win, with the number two not playing the fans are hoping for at least a draw for the number three, Xanneria. If this would play out, it creates a huge chance for the Kandorese team. The point is, Kandorith has to secure another victory to stay in the race for a top two spot.

[Kohnhead]

Kohnhead continue dominance at home with 2-0 win

Newcastle looked brilliant in his return

Hosting 127th Wreckeria the stakes were high for The Brains. The Bulldogs of Wreckeria hadn't been doing too good this year as they are trying to follow up a very good appearance in the qualifiers for World Cup 84. The big difference maker in this game for Kohnhead was the return of Keeper Jackson Newcastle. The 34 year old played extremely well keeping a clean sheet in his first game back and he made a couple of crucial saves.

Newcastle got tested early on in the game as Darcy Carman launched a shot at goal but Newcastle palmed it to safety. On the ensuing corner Aaron Boatwright launched a header at Newcastle who showed great composure in catching that. Kohnhead got lucky for their first goal as Scott Murphy had an own goal. It was very weird circumstances. It started when Rallyton sent a low cross near the middle of the box. Korkson was but completely slipped and sent the ball nowhere near the goal where it bounced off of Murphy's knee and deflected into the goal.

Korkson said after the game "It's hard to really celebrate when you get a goal off of an own goal. You feel sorry for the player and especially in this case it wasn't Boatman's fault at all just a lucky bounce for us. But a goal is a goal and I'm not going to complain."

Newcastle wasn't yet done making good saves as in the 37th it looked like The Bulldogs were about to even the score. First Prius-Leonard got caught trying to play the offside trap giving Wyatt the ball in a favorable position. He had a one on one with Newcastle, and fired a shot at the near post. Now it wasn't the best shot and if it had been placed in a better spot it's a goal for Wreckeria but Newcastle made a brilliant diving save to keep his clean sheet.

Claire Corton got her first goal in a Kohnhead uniform in the 46th minute in stoppage time. This time Kohnhead won a corner after Maltos sent a shot that required a diving effort from Leslie to knock out of bounds. Rallyton swung it into the box and it was headed away by Boatwright where it went out to Corton who was playing back up. She fired a shot that surprisingly didn't hit anyone and snuck into the goal. Orange Bull Arena again at full capacity exploded.

In the second half Kohnhead went on cruise control and unlike last game kept the lead and got the 2-0 win. The second half was pretty uneventful, and in the end Kohnhead walked out of the arena with a 2-0 win and maintained 3rd place in group 2. With Busoga Islands dropping points Kohnhead loses the tiebreaker with second on goal differential which shows just how close they are to being in a qualifying spot.

Group 2                                     Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
 1 Kita-Hinode                                   8    6   2   0    21    8  +13    20
 2 Busoga Islands                                8    5   2   1    20   11   +9    17
 3 Kohnhead                                      8    5   2   1    21   14   +7    17
 4 Drawkland                                     8    5   2   1    14    8   +6    17
 5 Squornshelan Remnant States                   8    5   1   2    24   19   +5    16
 6 Torisakia                                     9    4   1   4    18   14   +4    13
 7 Donnacona                                     9    4   0   5     7    7    0    12
 8 Gyatso-kai                                    9    2   3   4    16   19   −3     9
   Jantor                                        8    2   3   3    15   18   −3     9
10 Lochario                                      8    1   4   3     9   14   −5     7
11 Wreckeria                                     8    1   2   5    12   20   −8     5
12 EGM                                           8    1   2   5    11   23  −12     5
13 Balaslandia                                   9    1   0   8    17   30  −13     3

As for their next opponent Kohnhead will be traveling Orange Field to take on yep Busoga Islands in a match that will have massive implications. Here is the roster for said important game which is the same as last games: