Wonder Cup: Back From The Stars! [IC Thread]

by **Qasden** » Thu Dec 03, 2020 12:20 am

What would you do if you were on the cusp of greatness? Would you pursue without a hitch, blissfully unaware of the generous fortuity brought upon you? Or, once distracted by the golden mirage, would you fall into the elephantine pit of defeat occupied by those you outlasted? This is something that only you can truly answer, but to even ask oneself this question, you must make the treacherous journey to the gates of victory in the first place. To make that trip, you must stay above the rest for as long as multiversally possible, and the grounds for which you must roam are here; in the quaint, cat-loving principality along the River's End. As the sun sets on the final day of this showcase, the myriad that makes up our existence will finally know who among us will get to experience answering that very question; but until then, we must press on through the bountiful competition that lies ahead. Ladies and stray cats, this is the Wonder Cup: Back From The Stars!

Over the next weeks, 16 teams from across the athletic spectrum will compete in a competition as intense as the core beneath our arenas. 2 Leagues of 8 will compete in an all-out brawl to determine who among them will rule the day and night, but can their newfound reign carry over into the second phase, whose morning crown beckons for the best of the best?

For now, let us admire those willing to brave this daring dash to glory. Among them, only one will rule the Dawn Bracket and claim the Wonder Cup title with it, so stay tuned, stay updated, and stay alert for this once-in-a-daytime show from the cosmos!

Banija Women's
Megistos
Hebitaka
Saint-Domingues
Hispinas
Icecliff
Indusse
Khytonya

Gouvanarch
Sannyamathland
Kohnhead
Starcom Racing
Chartistan
Royal Kingdom of Quebec
Sarzonia Women's
Ibixa

Schedule
12/2- IC Thread Posted
12/3- Group Draw
12/4- Break Day/Training
12/5- Match 1 (1v8|2v7|3v6|4v5)
12/6- Match 2 (8v5|6v4|7v3|1v2)
12/7- Break Day
12/8- Match 3 (2v8|3v1|4v7|5v6)
12/9- Match 4 (8v6|7v5|1v4|2v3)
12/10- Match 5 (3v8|4v2|5v1|6v7)
12/11- Break Day
12/12- Match 6 (8v7|1v6|2v5|3v4)
12/13- Match 7 (4v8|5v3|6v2|7v1)
12/14- Quarterfinals (Dusk Bracket)
12/15- Quarterfinals (Dawn Bracket)
12/16- National No Games on the 16th Day (Break)
12/17- Semi-Finals (Dusk Bracket)
12/18- Semi-Finals (Dawn Bracket) & Dusk Bracket 3PPO
12/19- Dusk Bracket Championship & Dawn Bracket 3PPO
12/20- Dawn Bracket/Wonder Cup Championship
Cutoffs for matchdays should be expected to occur between 21:00-22:00 CST (3-4 UTC).

by **Qasden** » Thu Dec 03, 2020 12:22 am

Reserved for incoming IC information

Please refrain from reserving spots for rosters below. Thank you and good luck to all!

by **Chartistan** » Thu Dec 03, 2020 5:08 am

Oh, written in the stars
A million miles away
A message to be laid
Seasons come and gone
But I will never change
And I'm on my way

CHARTISTANI NATIONAL TEAM
The (I) Wonder (What It's Like To Be Loved By You) Cup

About the National Team

The Chartistani national team picture varies from week to week as do the Chartistani... Charts. The Chartistani NT was decided by this week's Chartistani Hot Chart, a 100 player index of the top players in Chartistan, the Bubbling Under Hot Chart, a 25 player index of up and comers, and whatever other chart we could find.

The main Chartistani home kit is purple with blue accents, while the away kit is mostly black.

Manager: Doctor Lucas Combbrush
A Musicville district citizen of Chartistan's largest city Billboard, Doctor Combbrush has been inside and outside the game of football for the last couple of years as a player and a manager. He hopes to guide the Chartistani NT to success in their first go around in a footballing tournament.

Hot 11

Formation - 4-4-2 Shadow Striker

#1 (Goalkeeper) - Adult Royce - Billboard resident who is so done with his job.
#2 (Leftback) - Ritz Moms - 3 little birds...
#3 (Centerback) - Nico Celestium - Musicville resident and the "face" of that district's footballing scene.
#4 (Centerback) - Tatertot Crazy - Cana district member, gets a bunch of love in Official City for no reason.
#5 (Rightback) - Little Exnash - Chartistani legend, Billboard resident and that guy who came in with a Porsche.
#6 (Left Midfielder) - Paul McNard - Another Musicville resident. What does that say about his broken heart?
#7 (Center Midfielder) - David Devinson - That Musicville guy with one beer.
#8 (Center Midfielder) - Louis Christainsen - Official City resident and official screaming toddler.
#9 (Right Midfielder) - Jhawn Corerra - Random shmuck who found himself at the right place at the right time.
#10 (Shadow Striker) - Air Latte - Always switching posititons.
#11 (Main Striker and Captain) - Kimmi Yamjune - Gaon resident and rising up and comer for the better part of 7 years.

Bubbling Under Hot 11

That one part of the team that once had a Minceraft streamer in its ranks.

#12 (Goalkeeper) - Small Peejay
#13 (Centerback) - Chris Natal
#14 (Rightback) - Devin Lunch
#15 (Center Midfielder) - Westward Zodiac
#16 (Center Midfielder) - Gabriel Garage
#17 (Shadow Striker) - Donald Daniel Gomez
#18 (Main Striker) - Smood Zitter

Absolute Juveniles of Reserves

Let's go out with a bang...

#19 (Leftback) - Jose Puebes
#20 (Centerback) - Kia Soul
#21 (Center Midfielder) - Dimeheart
#22 (Main Striker) - City Exploseo
#23 (Goalkeeper) - Cheesus Cheesus

RP Permissions - I will allow the person to RP before me to:
Choose my goalscorers: Yes
Godmod scoring events: Yes, but within reason
RP injuries to my players: Yes, but only for a couple games
Godmod injuries to my players: TG me first
Hand out yellow cards to my players: Yes, only a couple
Hand out red cards to my players: Yes, but only one, TG if interested
Godmod other events: Yes, but within reason and also no cases of the F2020, the 6 Feet Apart or the Stuck With U

Sometimes good things last forever after all...

by **Hispinas** » Thu Dec 03, 2020 7:44 am

Hispinas National Football Team
Equipo Nacional de Futbol de Hispinas
Pambansang Koponang Pamputbol ng Hispinas
Hispinako Futbol Talde Nazionala

TEAM INFORMATION / INFORMACION DEL EQUIPO
Team Record: GP 5, W 3, D 0, L 2, GF 3, GA 7, WP 60%, latest as of post-CR36
Consultant: Iago Escobar Ferreiro, 50, Male, native of Ciudad de Cebuenas
Head Coach: Alfonzo Medrano Rama, 49, Male, native of Ciudad de Cebuenas
Assistant Coach: Gorane Iturraspe Zarauz, 40, Female, native of Haranbehera
Coaches:
Josepe Agerre Norzagarai, 35, Male, native of Vallezul
Maria Jesus Capote Andino, 51, Female, native of Lirio
Captain: Cordovan Chia Hierro, 32, Male, native of Felipamerigo
Vice-Captain: Ozeano Amunategui Gonzalez De Artaza, 28, Male, native of Vallezul

TEAM ROSTER / LISTA DEL EQUIPO
Goalkeepers
1 - GK - Natalio Londono Cerna, 22, Male, native of Ciudad de Cebuenas - 1.97 m, 85.1 kg
13 - GK - Errasti Ochoa De Olza Ecala, 22, Female, native of Seviguio - 1.93 m, 82.2 kg
23 - GK - Ovidio Javier Guitierrez, 26, Male, native of Piedramarilla - 2.1 m, 101.2 kg

Centerbacks
5 - CB - Chequil Puma Bonito, 25, Male, native of Mandrid - 1.93 m, 83.2 kg
6 - CB/RB - Guilla Ledezma Plata, 23, Female, native of Ciudad de Cebuenas - 1.78 m, 79.5 kg
16 - CB - Casimiro Coro Velasco, 23, Male, native of Murosur - 1.87 m, 88.7 kg

Side/Wingbacks
2 - RB/CB - Gurutze Aranaz Azcarate, 25, Female, native of Haranbehera - 1.75 m, 68.4 kg
3 - LB - Fermin Maquibar Artazcoz, 23, Male, native of Piedramarilla - 1.67 m, 74.2 kg
17 - LB - Latisha Gurule Matute, 24, Female, native of Ciudad de Cebuenas - 1.60 m, 65.6 kg
19 - RB - Geralda Uriarte Moralez, 22, Female, native of Mascardo - 1.63 m, 66 kg

Central Midfielders
4 - CM/DM - Cordovan Chia Hierro, 32, Male, native of Felipamerigo - 1.80 m, 84.5 kg
8 - CM/AM - Trinidad Quevedo Nepomuceno, 28, Male, native of Ciudad de Cebuenas - 1.53 m, 61.2 kg
14 - CM/AM - Maite De la Pena Sedano, 28, Female, native of Piedramarilla - 1.64 m, 68.3 kg
18 - CM/DM - Rogerio Coloma Cosio, 27, Male, native of Punta de Malklan - 1.83 m, 91 kg

Side Midfielders
7 - LM/CM - Salomon Duran Acevedo, 24, Male, native of Ciudad de Cebuenas - 1.55 m, 60.2 kg
11 - RM/RW - Florita Carrion Tallon, 27, Female, native of Punta de Malklan - 1.56 m, 68.4 kg
12 - LM/LW - Perez Pardo Alegria, 25, Male, native of Vigano - 1.66 m, 61.3 kg
21- RM/CM - Barkarna Anchia Zuluaga, 33, Female, native of Seviguio - 1.56 m, 58.1 kg

Wingers/Forwards
9 - ST - Ozeano Amunategui Gonzalez De Artaza, 28, Male, native of Vallezul - 1.86 m, 90.6 kg
10 - ST/LW - Peppi Palmero Campana, 25, Female, native of Piedramarilla - 1.70 m, 66.6 kg
15 - LW/RW - Gorka Uralde Cruzalegui, 30, Male, native of Vallezul - 1.58 m, 63.9 kg
20 - ST/RW - Carmelita Grimaldo Lainez, 25, Female, native of Ciudad de Cebuenas - 1.64 m, 69.8 kg
22 - ST - Adrin Losada Solis, 26, Male, native of Mandrid - 1.84 m, 82.4 kg

FORMATION / FORMACION

STYLE OF PLAY / ESTILO DE JUEGO
Style Modifier: +2
Description: Alfonzo Medrano likes to play attacking football with three players up front, with tall strikers Amunategui or Losada in the middle and abundance of wingers capable of playing multiple positions at their disposal. The three players upfront is mandatory in his lineups, and he prefers the 4-3-3 over the 3-4-3 formation due to lack of central defenders in his squad. He may also play 2-5-3 depending on the situation. They also employ a physical brand of football where players commit to tackles and prefer to roughen up the opposition.

The team prefer the usage of wingers to deliver the ball to the box via low to high crosses, and does not prefer to keep the ball at the middle of the park. Corners are usually delivered via crosses with the ball kicked from the corner spot.

Medrano is a calm man and is less likely to react violently to partial calls. His coaching staff however, have a quirk to start touchline brawls.

Most likely to:
Score penalties: Quevedo, Amunategui, Chia
Score a direct free kick: Chia, Quevedo, Palmero
Concede a penalty: Ledezma, Puma, Aranaz
Booked for short temper: Puma, Duran, Maquibar

OFFICIAL KITS / EQUIPOS OFICIALES
Provided by Harrokeria from Vallezul. Bring on the swag.

ROLEPLAY PERMISSIONS / PERMISOS DE JUEGO DE ROLES

My opponent, if they RP first, may do the following:
Choose my goalscorers: Yes
Godmod scoring events: No
RP injuries to my players: Yes
Godmod injuries to my players: No
Hand out yellow cards to my players: Yes
Hand out red cards to my players: Yes
Godmod other events: Yes

ADDITIONAL NOTES / NOTAS ADICIONALES

IC History with Hispania y Filipinas is expunged and not recognized by the Hispino Monarchy. Thus, any mention of the Hispania y Filipinas name or its stint in the past IBCs will be met with raised eyebrows by the government.
Spanish naming customs is followed, Given name, then paternal name, then maternal name. Jersey names will be the players' paternal names, in certain exceptions, the known nickname of the player, is used

by **Sarzonia** » Thu Dec 03, 2020 8:31 am

Sarzonia Stars

Permissions:
Anything but killing or tournament-ending injuries is fine.

Manager: Brenda Allison, 49
Allison is the niece of a financier who wants to resurrect Sarzonia's women's football league. She grew up watching the Women's World Cup, but came of age when Sarzonia entered its most recent period of isolation. She was a defender on the Woodstock Justice before the Sarzonian Football League ceased operations.

Assistant: Dean Gold, 52
Gold was an coaching intern with the Portland Power before the SFL folded into the Sarzonian Football Confederation as a combined Sarzonian Football League. He agreed to be the manager of a new Portland Power in a new league.

ROSTER (starters in BOLD) (WIP, will work on this later)

GOALKEEPERS
1 Klarissa Knight-Langham, 27, 5-foot-11, 165 pounds
Knight-Langham won the job with her instincts and ability to command the box. She has a challenge to control her temper at times and a roving eye for men.

18 Marce' George, 22, 5-foot-8, 145 pounds
George (her first name is pronounced Mar-SAY) shows great athleticism but is unpolished in the back. She may see playing time regardless.

30 Carly Parsons, 30, 5-foot-10, 170 pounds
Brought in as a veteran backup for George after Knight-Langham got suspended.

DEFENDERS
2 Blayre West, 23, 5-foot-6, 130 pounds
West brings speed to her position at left back and she is expected to tightly mark her assigned player.
3 Clara Hawley, 29, 5-foot-10, 160 pounds
A natural lefty, Hawley has played sweeper in a 3-5-2, but is more comfortable with the 4-4-2.
4 Joyce Tyler, 24, 5-foot-8, 140 pounds
She expects to learn from Hawley as they will room together on the road. She is playing central defence for the first time.
19 Tara Stanley, 22, 5-foot-9, 145 pounds
Stanley is another outside back with great speed, but with less polish than West has.
22 Virginia Ashfield, 23, 5-foot-4, 125 pounds
28 Geraldine Tambor, 25, 5-foot-7, 140 pounds

MIDFIELDERS
8 Callie Edwards, 24, 5-foot-3, 145 pounds
Edwards is a rugged defensive midfielder who frequently marks the opposing team's playmaking midfielder and generally operates as a pest.
9 Lois Robinson, 22, 5-foot-10, 155 pounds
She takes the lefty free kicks and corners. She can control the ball on the left side, but isn't the surest passer, so she doesn't serve as playmaker.
10 Joelle Burns, 26, 5-foot-6, 140 pounds
Her vision and passing ability made her the natural fit for playmaking midfielder. She takes the righty free kicks and corners. Her defence is a bit suspect.
14 Winnie Taunton, 27, 5-foot-9, 150 pounds
Taunton takes a majority of the penalties and produces blinding speed on the wings.
15 Xander Williams, 19, 5-foot-8, 160 pounds
20 Sierra Dawkins, 29, 5-foot-9, 155 pounds
23 Mariama Vance, 25, 5-foot-10, 170 pounds

FORWARDS
11 Carly Wilcox, 22, 5-foot-11, 175 pounds (Woodstock Wild reserves)
Wilcox retained her place on the Wild's reserve squad and made eight appearances and six starts after her transition. She was invited to train with the men's national team, but declined after she suffered an injury.
12 Jolene Walter-Campos, 31, 5-foot-1, 130 pounds
The creative forward on the team, she modeled her game after her younger stepbrother Jake Campos on the current men's national team.
16 Ellen Magruder, 24, 5-foot-8, 150 pounds
17 Pietra Stanicek, 27, 5-foot-9, 160 pounds

by **Gouvanarch** » Thu Dec 03, 2020 10:11 am

Kevredigezh Gouvanarchais de Mell-Droad
Gouvanarch Football Federation

After decades of international dormancy the Kevredigezh Gouvanarchais de Mell-Droad has decided to bring Gouvanarchais football to the international stage and as deemed the Wonder Cup as the perfect opportunity to test their strengths against other national teams. Football is the by far and wide biggest sport in Gouvanarch, yet there is no benchmark as to its strength. This is about to change. Tactically Gouvanarch is fairly conservative, sticking to a solid 4-4-2, but they are trying to learn from this tournament to potentially gain more tactical flexibility.

Cadhoiarn de Rely - 47
As first national team coach of the international era of Gouvanarchais football, the federation chose one of the few candidates that have some international experience. Cadhoiarn de Rely interned at the academy of Tikariotian powerhouse Oriannor Mountaineers and has gained valuable insight into the inner workings of a strong team, trying to emulate this for the national team as well. While playing a 4-4-2 formation, he puts great emphasis on pressing the opponent, tryingn to force them into making mistakes in their own half.

G Eudon Rocque - 21 - US Laorivoaré
Rocque is showing great potential, but still suffers from inexperience in most areas of his play. He possesses excellent reflexes and is using his height very well for high balls, but he still is insecure when coming out of the goal and sometimes still mistimes his jumps.
LB Judoc Tanet - 28 - AS Plourafel
One of the older players in the squad, Tanet is the calm rock in the Gouvanarchais defense. He does not play flashy and also does not contribute a whole lot to the offense, but he is extremely dependable against oncoming attackers and also does not lose his calm under pressure.
CB Alanig Quiviger - 23 - US Laorivoaré
Quiviger has been likened to a terrier, following his opponents wherever they go and not letting go. While unnerving his opponent(s) and often preventing them from getting to the ball to begin with, he also concedes too many free kicks close to his own team's box and the coaches hope that some additional international experience will help him become calmer. His physical presence, however, already is impressive.
CB Guimand de la Verdure - 18 - Port Tacassam FC Academy
A very modern defender, de la Verdure possesses surprising technique for a centre back, but he is capable of winning the ball and then immediately initiating the counter attack with great long passes into the other half, capable of seeking out offensive midfielders and strikers alike. He is quick, but is lacking aerial play, which requires him to have a strong, tall defender to complement.
RB Domard Prudhomme - 32 - Olympique Sarantec
The oldest player in the starting lineup, Prudhomme is maybe the weakest point in the Gouvanarchais team, lacking speed and offensive contribution, even though he is a dogged contender in any challenge. The defensive right side is a problem area and some experts call Prudhomme the "least likely to commit a fatal mistake".
LM Jagu de Vandes - 19 - FC Carnoël 84
Part of the championship winning team of FC Carnoël 84, de Vandes is one of the biggest raw diamonds in Gouvanarchais football. He has the speed, the technique and a good tactical acumen, but is severely lacking the physical robustness modern football requires and he also has to work on his decision making. His talent, however, is great and several international teams have already expressed interest in signing de Vandes in the upcoming offseason.
CM Jacut Desesprechin - 27 - Stade Saint-Joadoc
Desesprechin is the central presence in Gouvanarch's defensive midfield and has speed, physicality and a mean streak when it comes to chasing down his opposition. A tireless worker he is known to get stuck in and do (almost) whatever it takes to capture the ball, often toeing the line of what is allowed in the rules, making him a potential red card risk in the more intense games. His freekicks are feared throughout Gouvanarch with some players refusing to go into the wall when he is ready to shoot.
CM Waleran Bracquaval - 27 - US Laorivoaré
Waleran Bracquaval is the midfield motor for Laorivoaré and hopefully also the national team. He is a virtual ball magnet that attracts it and he also has a great eye to redistribute it. The tendency for almost every attack going through him, however, also poses the risk of predictability, which is one thing coach de Rely is trying to instill into the team to avoid. He also possesses a great shot from a distance, making him one of the more dangerous midfielders in this sector as well.
RM Jodoc Gane - 17 - FC Carnoël 84
Another one of the unpolished gems, Gane played a surprisingly large role in Carnoël's road to the championship. He is all speed and offense, creating a sometimes dangerous vacuum between him and the extremely defensive Prudhomme, but his defensive play leaves a lot to be desired. He has strokes of brilliance that can open up the game, but also is still prone to horrendous mistakes, which then put his defensive teammates in trouble.
FW Adhémar Desreaulx - 24 - AS Guelzec
Tall and wide, Desreaulx is a very powerful, physical attacker, whose nickname "4x4" is program. He does not have the best technique, but once he gets rolling it is very hard for any defender to get him off the ball without committing a foul. Equipped with a powerful shot he is capable to tear down a defense on his own if he can survive the first touch that still has a tendency to bounce too far.
FW Barthelemy de la Cormeilles - 18 - Tikariot City FC Academy
Widely regarded as likely the biggest talent in Gouvanarchais football, Barthelemy de la Cormeilles already is playing for the Tikariot City FC Academy and has all the tools to become a complete striker. He has speed, technique and a decent robustness which is the main point of criticism for now. He possesses a great scoring instinct, but still has to learn to have a better eye for his teammates as he has a tendency to try too much on his own.

GK - Conomor de la Ruelle - 25 - AS Plourafel
LB - Tilio de Lorraine - 17 - Stade Saint-Joadoc
CB - Agenet Boisivon - 32 - AS Plourafel
CB - Cedric Lefebvre - 21 - Stade Olympique Carhaix
RB - Goneri Le Seigneur - 26 - FC Carnoël 84
LM - Paol Damours - 21 - AS Plourafel
CM - Gwenaël Decottignies - 27 - Campaneac Football
CM - Nolwenn Le Houérou - 27 - AS Douarnac'h
RM - Tudon Bleuzen - 18 - US Deaclan-Gavorique
CF - Eon de Hattes - 22 - FC Vaouënnec
CF - Brocardo de Vymont - 18 - AGS Saint-Pavard-sur-Brocat
GK - Gervese Desmares - 22 - Olympique Sarantec

+2

My opponent, if they RP first, may do the following:
Choose my goalscorers: Yes-ish (TG me and I can give you the names, but we'll figure this out one way or another)
Godmod scoring events: No
RP injuries to my players: Yes (just please be reasonable)
Godmod injuries to my players: No
Hand out yellow cards to my players: Yes (again please be reasonable)
Hand out red cards to my players: Yes (same deal)
Godmod other events: Maybe? (Please TG in this case)

by **Saint-Domingues** » Thu Dec 03, 2020 1:12 pm

Saint-Dominguan national football team
Equipe de Saint-Domingue de football (French)
Selección Santo Domingo de Fútbol (Spanish)
Ekip foutbòl nasyonal Sen-Domink (Creole)

Information
The Saint-Domingue national football team represents the Republic of Saint-Domingue in association football and is controlled by the Saint-Domingue Football Association (SDFA), the governing body for football in Saint-Domingue. The team is coached by Camilo Canisbro, Saint-Domingue's first Hispanophone head coach.

Nicknamed 'the Avengers', the senior side will be making their competitive bow at the Wonder Cup, following on from appearances by the youth sides at the U18 World Cup and the Di Bradini Cup.

Head Coach: Camilo Canisbro
Captain: Guillaume Boleyn
Style: -2

No.	Pos.	Player	Age	Club
1	GK	Jules Binet	28	Saint-Marc
2	DEF	Mathieu Ahearn	26	Jérémie
3	DEF	Jacques Charbonneau	28	Gonaïves
4	MID	Maxence Vignon	24	La Navidad
5	DEF	Guillaume Boleyn	27	Jérémie
6	DEF	Kevin Le Guen	23	Les Cayes
7	MID	Adama Keller	26	PAP
8	MID	Carlos Sanabria	31	Atlético Domingo
9	FWD	Julien Babesco	25	La Navidad
10	FWD	Jean-Pierre Jeune	27	PAP
11	FWD	Diego Palacio	32	Atlético Felipe
12	DEF	Alfredo Cotilla	23	La Navidad
13	GK	Bruno Mastache	34	Atlético Domingo
14	FWD	Daniel Trinchard	29	Mirebalais
15	DEF	Corentin Sauvage	33	Le Cap
16	DEF	Antonio Pareja	26	PAP
17	MID	Fabian Delannoy	17	Gonaïves
18	DEF	Emilio Campos	30	Atlético Domingo
19	FWD	Raoul Gimenez	22	Jérémie
20	MID	Josep Carpeña	25	Atlético Pantoja
21	MID	Tanguy Lacourse	30	Les Cayes
22	DEF	Giuseppe Cojuangco	22	Le Cap
23	GK	Slyvain Deforest	22	Jacmel

Expected lineup for matchday one:

My opponent, if they RP first, may do the following:
Godmod scoring events: Y
RP injuries to my players: Y
Godmod injuries to my players: Y
Give red cards to my players: Y
Godmod other events: Y (no death)

by **Khytonya** » Fri Dec 04, 2020 7:42 am

In an unexpected turn of events, Khytonya's U-21 side is involved in the Di Bradini Cup. The controversial decision has met with criticism as the players would not logically be involved in two separate tournaments. RKFA's president Shawn Francis told the media Khytonya are misinformed about the starting date of both the tournament and the Di Bradini Cup. To compensate for the concerning fans' troubles, the senior squad is called upon once again to act as a preparation for the anticipated Baptism of Fire.....with a few changes. Namely a new set of players and tactics.

Following a debut in the latest AOCAF, Khytonya sends the main team to Qasden for an invitational cup known as the Wonder Cup. The country that sanctioned the cup, Qasden, has been notable in the international football scene ranking 48th in the World Cup rankings. This is the second time the Wonder Cup tournament is hosted following the success of the first one. On an unrelated note, Francis hopes the tournament should be a test of showing the Magical Bhoys' capabilities in a major tournament.

If he has kept his words, can Khytonya pull off a victory in a tournament? Would it be too hard for them to handle or are they just throwing a minor caution to the wind? Khytonya's campaign in the Wonder Cup begins here.

THE KHYTONYA NATIONAL FOOTBALL TEAM

Nickname: The Magical Bhoys
Association: Royal Khytonian Football Association
Head Coach: Arthur Hartley
Captain: Thomas Liaw Cheng Swee
Home Stadium: Scarlet Park
Trigramme: KHY
Style Mod: +2.5

Full Squad List/Fomartion

#       Pos     Name                    Age     Team
1	GK	Yukiko Honma	        27	UCD Tsukigawa
2	LB	Vickie MacTavish        25	Royal Navy United 
4	CB	Jack Conacher	        24	Murrayfield Rovers
5	CB	Kyle Conacher	        25	Murrayfield Rovers
3	RB	Wendy McKenna           20      Honeport Crowns FC
6	CM	Dawn Williams	        28	ASC St. Nicholas
11	CAM	K.P. Boucher	        23	1. FC New Emden
9	CM	Alice Matthews	        25	Honeport Victory FC
21	LW	Larsen Reinhart	        30	Fort George Bells
22	RW	Nigel Neilson	        32	UCD Tsukigawa
11	ST	Thomas Liaw Cheng Swee  26	Murrayfield Rovers

This time, Hartley employed a high-powered pressing 4-3-3 formation. He has seen the success of the last two AOCAF matches, particularly a 2-4 loss against Twicetagaria and a 2-0 win against Yesopalthia which he believed he struck a perfect diamond in the rough. Regardless of what fans feel about this tournament, there will be questions bound to happen. Is it effective against teams? Will the absence of O'Reilly affect how the defenders play? Is Hartley's time up in his tenure as a national team manager? All of them will be answered when the tournament starts.

Yukiko Honma returns to the lineups once again. Despite numerous setbacks, her excellent positioning skills are as praiseworthy as ever, and would not risk rushing in to take the opponent's opportunity away, instead preferring to predict where the ball comes from. Honma's towering height is quite helpful for intercepting header's, too.

The same goes for the back four. Vickie MacTavish and Wendy McKenna are the usual favourites for good wide backs with their impressive physical skill. The Conacher brothers are now quicker with the ball, and now their dribbling part has improved moderately. There are still not great dribblers but that should satisfy Hartley. The main difference is the lack of a central defensive midfielder. The back four would need to work a little harder without the help of O'Reilly, but now it's a test to see if they are over-reliant on one man to do their job.

Alice Matthews, Dawn Williams, and K.P. Boucher are still in the lineups. Not much of a change here except for some gameplan changes. They're pretty successful in the last tournament due to their high offensive prowess so why fix what's not broken?

The forward position is where the real change comes. Thomas Liaw remains as Khytonya's main striker, but he would be assisted by two aging yet formidable wingers Larsen Reinhart and Nigel Neilson. Unlike a few players who are thrown under the bus, Reinhart and Neilson stayed in the squad because of Hartley's transition from a 4-1-2-1-2 to a 4-3-3. Both players are the quickest in the whole team despite their old age. In fact, there are not many young wingers to take their place should the change become permanent. When they do, it's always someone out of their position. Khytonya would need to keep searching for potential wingers in the future.

#       Pos     Name                    Age     Team/Academy
12	GK	Joel Monahan	        20	Honeport Victory FC 
20	GK	Kim Worters	        22	ASC St. Nicholas
13	LB	Leroy Anderson	        23	Thames Valley 55ers
14	CB	Juffri Stefan	        28	Fort George Bells
13	CB	Chester Holt	        29	Honeport Victory FC
15	RB	Sebastien Guidolin      30	Murrayfield Rovers
16	LM	Bryan Daneyko	        28	Honeport Crowns FC
17	CDM	Jared O'Reilly	        25	Dundee Flyers 
23	CM	Ansell Clarke	        21	Heaven's Bay Wanderers
25	RM	Erica Armand	        20	1. FC New Emden
19	LW	Giovani Tartaglia	33	Fort George Bells
32	ST	Keiji Sakai             30	Royal Navy United

Five players now replaced with another five players supposedly 'far from reaching their peak', at least on the defender department. For starters. Joel Monahan is benched as usual. While he played the best in a few matches, it's pretty clear that he's not ready to replace Honma soon. A new addition to the squad is Kim Worters, a 22 year old stoic keeper that serves as a second backup to Monahan. She's not quite a competent keeper largely due to her size and a low awareness but would make up her weakness as someone with controlled aggression in a midst of the attacking play.

Kieran Howe, Lee Gagner, and Ron Westwick are nowhere to be found (only Sebastien Guidolin survive the cut). Now comes three new defenders with longer 'longevity'. In reality, they are fairly old footballers with several years in the KPL. Left-back Leroy Anderson is known for his good stamina that would last well into extra time, as well as his reputation as a physically-lacking man not willing to go in for a tackle. Still, Hartley and the fans should keep a keen eye on Anderson if he shows some promise. Meanwhile, Juffri Stefan and Chester Holt are in their late 20s, but like the Conacher brothers, both are pacier and slightly better in dribbling than the players in the last AOCAF cup.

The same goes for the midfielders. Steve Ashton, Terry Sillinger, and Hironobu Miura are taken over by two new midfielders: Ansell Clarke and Erica Armand. Feeling the need for fresher legs in the midfield section, Hartley picked them to add in-depth to the squad. Throughout their time in the KPL, Clarke, and Armand don't bode well as teammates due to a nasty incident that nearly leaves the players on a sour note. There could reasonable reasons why Hartley chooses them to be included as new substitutes, but it needed more than just a team-bonding session. It required both Clarke and Armand to bury the hatchet and forget its troubled past. Otherwise, Bryan Daneyko and Jared O'Reilly still have some gas left in the tank so there won't be kicked out in the future unless Khytonya found someone much better than them (though O'Reilly is still a key component in a 4-1-2-1-2.

The forward part of the substitutions is where the experience takes on the field. Keiji Sakai will be utilised as a winger for Reinhart with Armand functioning the same with Neilson. He might only be suited as a central forward, but now he would need to compete against the oldest player in the squad. Enter 15-year veteran striker Giovanni Tartaglia. Tartaglia bounced around many teams in Khytonya before landing on a permanent stay as a member of Fort George Bells, where he played for the last five seasons with the team. Now called up to the senior squad by Hartley, Tartaglia is a keen shooter with a great scoring touch that surprisingly didn't disappear even during his twilight years. He's not your average striker because he is just a catalyst on setting up goals, much like how Boucher would. Still, Tartaglia is added in for his vast knowledge of football. Could he do the same on the international stage?

Formation

Specialities

Role              Name
Captain           T. Liaw C. S.---> K. Boucher---> A. Matthews
Free Kick         A. Matthews
Corners           N. Neilson/W. McKenna
Penalties         T. Liaw C. S.---> A. Matthews---> K. Boucher---> D. Williams---> N. Neilson

RP Permission

by **Chartistan** » Fri Dec 04, 2020 9:44 am

THE BILLBOARD GAZETTE

I WONDER WHAT IT'S LIKE TO PARTAKE IN THE WONDER CUP

Right before the start of the Wonder Cup, Chartistani manager Combbrush goes over his ambitions for a fledgling national team

When the Chartistani Football Association announced they would send a roster to the 3rd edition of the Wonder Cup, many reactions were mixed - Some diehards wanted to see Chartistan's best take on the rest of the wider footballing world in a tuneup before the Baptism of Fire, while others were dicked down in Dallas knowing that this would exhaust national team prospects. Now that their position is known and not switched and hanging in the kitchen, with their first Midnight League game coming up against the Starcom Racing national team, a semi-experienced side when it comes to international football.

Now 24 hours before the check is signed and the party can begin, newly appointed Chartistani national team boss Doctor Lucas Combbrush has spoken with the Billboard Gazette over his national team setup, how the competition will look to pan out in terms of the Midnight League, and what his goals are for the first cycle of this Chartistani team's existence.

-----

BBG: You based the national team on the charts right now, and that is apparent. Why did you choose Air Latte over someone like Ivan Door or Abby Borset?

LC: Air Latte is a Chartistani legend. Door and Borset have potential to be in the team but they're not that really experienced yet, even though Borset to be honest has had one hell of a journey to get to her peak. Latte has been saving up her energy this long and it's about time she unleashed it with Namjune partnering her.

BBG: The Wonder Cup is starting soon, your national team is playing Starcom Racing on the first matchday. How do you feel the result will go?

LC: Starcom Racing aren't really a powerhouse team when it comes to football, but I believe that it's going to be a victory for us. Namjune has proven to us that he is a freak athlete, but he is only human. Sometimes his legs hurt bad from all his running he puts into his training, and that's fine. But we shouldn't be complacent against Starcom. As Little Exnash said to me when the draw happened, we can't stay away from this game. They will know us when the ball kicks off.

BBG: Speaking of the draw, how do you see Team Chartistan go through when it comes to the Midnight League?

LC: We can beat the likes of Sannyamathland and Ibixa and of course Starcom Racing, but everyone else, even Gouvanarch to be honest, is going to be difficult. You know it's bad when you potentially have a full strength Quebec squad and the defending champions in Kohnhead in your league. Sarzonia's womens team look deadly, almost toxic from the way I love what they could do, but we should either make the Dawn bracket by the skin of our teeth or win the Dusk. We do not look like a team that can win the championship.

BBG: After the Wonder Cup you got your hands full - Your team has the Baptism of Fire and the World Cup qualifiers going on. How do you think your team will fare against other opposition?

LC: We should be setting the city on fire in the Baptism of Fire, but I don't think we're going much higher than maybe top half in World Cup qualification. This program is only so young, it doesn't have the experience to compete in the same way a titan like Banija could. But then again you have some promising Baptism of Fire prospects - Hispinas, Ranoria, Icecliff, Sett Forest, Khytonya, Saint-Domingues, maybe Gouvanarch and North Alezia, they can all challenge for a victory in the tournament. We should be making a run for at least the Quarters though.

BBG: Anything else to say?

LC: I chose Cheezus Cheezus as a joke. If she manages to find it she might possess me though, but hey that's life for ya.

by **Banija** » Fri Dec 04, 2020 11:29 am

Banija Women's National Team- The Wanawake Kadongo Kamu

Information
Country code: BNJ
Denonym: Banijan(s)
Association: Royal Banijan Soccer Association(RBSA)
Nickname: The Wanawake Kadongo Kamu
Manager: Alan Bettles, 73 years old. Spent the last 5 seasons in the BSL as the manager for the Kitara Athletic Association before retiring. Wants one last hurrah before leaving the touchline for good, so will manage the women's national team as a 'one-off'.
Senior Assistant Manager: Namakula Kawesa(Female). 30 years old. Longtime starter on the senior national team. Starting every game at both World Cup 86 and the most AOCAFs, she got plenty of international mileage on her legs and so will not be playing in this tournament. However, while she still has 'plenty of years' left as part of her playing days for both club and country, she is going to serve as an assistant coach for this tournament, and explore the world of management and coaching.
Junior Assistant Manager: Idai Uster(Female). 24 years old. At just 24 years of age, she's established herself as one of the multiverse's premier strikers, scoring 24 goals in the world's toughest league, the Nepharim Premiership, en route to a league title. With her starting every game of the most recent AOCAFs, and her spot in the starting XI secure for the senior side, she also will not be partaking in the tournament as a player as a way to rest her legs. However, she will also travel with the team, as a junior assistant manager, as she said she is "surely" interested in playing for the women's side at the Olympic Games.
Captain: Wanda Kouyaté
Alternate Captain: Uzoma Iruka.
Home Kits: Green
Away Kits: White
Alternate: Orange

RP Permissions
Choose my goalscorers: Yes
Choose Scoring Events: Yes
Godmod scoring events: No
Hand out yellow cards to my players: Yes
Hand out red cards to my players: Yes
RP Injuries to my players: Yes(please state what injury they have suffered and how many games they will miss).
Godmod injuries to my players: Yes(please state what injury they have suffered and how many games they will miss).
Godmod other events: Yes(However, there is a hard ban on any Banijan nationals, player or fans or whoever, from catching a pandemic).
Style modifier: +4

Jerseys

Full credit to Filindostan for the design and production of these jerseys. Thank you very much!

Do whatever you want besides godmodding the actual goals(I prefer the actual goals to be real). If anybody dies, please TG me who so I can replace them.

http://lineupbuilder.com/?sk=vy2jy0

Roster for the Wonder Cup

This roster pulls from all sorts of players. They pull from players who are trying to work their way into, or solidify their spots within, the national team setup, so some players from abroad are in the squad. They pull domestically from the professional leagues, from all three tiers(the S-FPL, the BSL, and the regional leagues). And lastly, they pull from the college soccer scene, which has long been the preferred route to professionalism for women in this country.

Starters: 3-4-1-2
Players who are based in a foreign league are bolded.
All players are female. Anyone who has received caps for the senior co-ed national team is italicized.
BSL = Banijan Soccer League, Banija's second tier. National league. S-FPL is the joint first tier soccer league for Farfadillis, Banija, and the Busoga Islands.
GK #23 Wanda Kouyaté. Age 27(Female). Plays for Jungle Strike FC in Vilita. Only player on this team to be a world champion at every level- U18 World champion(Sporting World Cup 8 ), U21 World Champion(DBC 47), and World Cup Winner(World Cup 86). Captain.
RCB #2 Uzoma Iruka. Age 27. Plays for Hoima Warriors in the S-FPL.
CB #3 Awa Sene. Age 26. Plays for Nsade United in the Lower Coastal League.
LCB #4 Koba Konateh. Age 21. Plays for Umbazi Metropolitan SC in the S-FPL.
RM #22 Theresa Lubalo. 28 years old(Female). Plays for Ibini FC in Valanora.
RCM #6 Kendra Yisake. 21 years old. Plays as a Redshirt Junior for Wild Valley University.
LCM #8 Immaculate Kaba. 24 years old. Plays for Capitol City FC in the BSL.
LM #7 Mariam Guiss. Age 28. Plays for Rukunbi FC in the BSL.
CAM #10 Abigail Admassu. 25 years old. Plays for Energie Thorsborg in Savojarna.
LS #17 Juka Jarju. Age 21. Comes off the bench for Jinja City FC in the S-FPL.
RS #9 Sarafina Iyasu. Age 27. Comes off the bench for Kitara AA in the S-FPL.
Bench:
GK #35 Anti Kandeh. Age 34. Plays for Barmos United in the Northwestern League.
GK #39 Gloria Eyasu. Age 18. Plays for Hangaza Tech as a Freshman.
CB #27 Sarah S'kulekile. Age 31. Plays for the Mukegara Warriors in the Southern League.
CB #20 Janet Mgwazeni. Age 33. Plays for the Mukegara Warriors in the Southern League.
LCB #5 Sarah Williamson. Age 31. Plays for Askatasuna FC in the BSL.
CM #15 Saida Shale. Age 22. Plays for the University of Moravica as a Senior.
CM #14 Jennifer Yaaseen. Age 21. Plays for Kizza I College as a Junior.
CAM/CM #29 Mariama Dabo. Age 19. Plays for Northern Moravica University as a Sophomore.
CAM #21 Kadi Ceesay. Age 20. Plays for the University of Loyola-Istria as a Redshirt Sophomore.
LW/LM #17 Ifammah Zebenjo. Age 27. Plays for Amaku City FC in the Southern League.
RW/RM #12 Isa Faye. Age 29. Comes off the bench for Jinja City FC in the S-FPL.
ST #27 Zema Biruh. Age 31. Plays for Capitol City FC in the BSL.

Notes:
- Our free kicks and penalty kicks are taken by Abigail Admassu.

Midday League Group Schedule
Matchday 1: Banija Women v. Khytonya U21.
Matchday 2: Banija Women v. Megistos.
Matchday 3: Banija Women v. Hebitaka.
Matchday 4: Banija Women v. Saint-Domingues.
Matchday 5: Banija Women v. Hispinas.
Matchday 6: Banija Women v. Icecliff.
Matchdah 7: Banija Women v. Indusse.

by **Indusse** » Fri Dec 04, 2020 9:07 pm

INDUSSE NATIONAL TEAM
Wonder's Cup

Manager/Coach: Joseph Mouteudi
Sponsors: Fiarti Automobiles
Trigamme: INS
Players in camp: 18

SQUAD

GK 1 Steve leghourn *
GK 34 Akbar ali
DF 6 Sampath Singh Aksinwala *
DF 13 Mathias Paulson *
DF 4 Aaron Mcmuller *
DF 86 George Horsehood
DF 69 Sadin-al-kharushi
MD 16 Xing-hong-taw
MD 9 Alexis Budtedjson *
MD 14 Djetson Hasle*
MD 13 Raman Sreevastva
FD 10 Baskar H Kumar (c) *
FD 7 Bechun butea *
FD 11 Antonio Mersias *
FD Kishen Rajpoot
MD 99 Rana Mrityunjai Singh
FD/MD 100 Goblin Grundjee *
MD 8 Abdul Khaseem
DF 41 Gregor Tempetson

* An Asterisk indicates the playing 11.

KITS

Choose my goalscorers: Yes
Godmod scoring events: Yes
RP injuries to my players: Yes
Godmod injuries to my players: No
Hand out yellow cards to my players: Yes
Hand out red cards to my players: Yes
Godmod other events: No

by **Saint-Domingues** » Sat Dec 05, 2020 11:34 am

Midday League: Preview
The pundits at RTD offer up their opinions on the teams in the Midday League and try to give us a taste of what we can expect from the teams.

Banija
First up we have the Banijans, who have decided to send their women's team to represent the country at the Wonder Cup. Alan Bettles is the manager, fresh off a stint at domestic side Kitara Athletic. Well-known for his emphasis on attacking tactics, this will be the last time Bettles will be seen in the dugout, as he is set to retire at the conclusion of his contract.

Interestingly, the Wanawake Kadongo Kamu have elected to bring with them two current players as part of the coaching staff, in the form of the two assistant managers. Namakula Kawesa and Idai Uster. The two women have a substantial number of caps and tournament appearances for the senior team and although neither are included in the squad for the Wonder Cup, it is likely that the experience of the two will be much appreciated on Paul Bettles' bench. One of our favourites to make the knockout rounds.

Player to watch: Abigail Admassu

Megistos
[REDACTED]

Hebitaka
[REDACTED]

Saint-Domingue
The team that we would expect most of our readers to be familiar with, it's Saint-Domingue.

Camilo Canisbro comes into his maiden tournament as an international manager in unusual circumstances. After winning the title last year with Atlético Domingo, Canisbro was appointed as the new head coach of the Avengers - a contract which is set to last until the end of the World Cup cycle. Canisbro, who has previously criticised the SDFA for its bias towards Francophones, has become the first head coach of the national team to be a native Spanish speaker. Questions have been raised in the media about his ability to communicate with a primarily French-speaking squad, something controversially echoed by striker Daniel Trinchard. Canisbro's decision to select his old captain at Domingo, Carlos Sanabria, as his midfield lynchpin has also brought accusations of club bias. A strong showing from Saint-Domingue is required to keep the doubters quiet back home.

Player to watch: Josep Carpeña

Hispinas
A name that will be familiar to keen football fans. Hispinas' under-18 side were recently crowned World Cup champions, defeating Tequilo 3-1 live on RTD. Although no players or coaches (save for consultant Iago Escobar) from that victorious campaign will be present at the Wonder Cup, the Hispanian higher-ups will undoubtedly be hoping that they can add the Wonder Cup to their list of honours.

Player to watch: Trinidad Quevedo

Icecliff
[REDACTED]

Indusse
Returning in their iconic orange and white stripes, it's Indusse. Another team which RTD have previously covered at the U18 World Cup, the Indussean team lit up Group C where they finished top before being upset by Abanhfleft (who would go on to also defeat Saint-Domingue) at the round of sixteen on penalties.

Can Joseph Mouteudi's side do better than the youth side and win the Wonder Cup? The coach has named a smaller side than most with just 18 names, preferring to rely on a close-knit side of players that he trusts. He will be hoping that captain Baskar Kumar can reward such faith with a positive showing.

Player to watch: Baskar Kumar

Khytonya
After a debut appearance at the AOCAF, the Khytonians return with an appearance at the Wonder Cup. Managed by Arthur Hartley, the Magical Bhoys are best known for sparkling attacking play and determined high-field pressing. Hartley has elected for a younger side than in previous editions, with just one of the predicated starting eleven older than thirty. Will his young side be able to maintain a high-disciplined press to snuffle out the chances of their opponents?

Player to watch: Larsen Reinhart

by **Kohnhead** » Sat Dec 05, 2020 1:19 pm

Kohnhead Secondary Football Team
Nation Name: The Galactic Empire of Kohnhead
Shortened: Kohnhead
Trigramme: KHD

Information: Kohnhead will not be sending their top team to the Wonder Cup, instead they will be sending their secondary team. The Kohnhead National Football Team actually won the 2nd edition of the Wonder Cup two cycles ago as part of their second ever tournament defeating teams like Baker Park, Poafmersia, and Cassadaigua in the process although they didn't send their best teams. Expectations are not that the secondary team will win but rather they get some experience, have fun, and try their best.

Manager: Anna Ureger Age: 54

Starting XI
GK Emily Evans (Barnley FC) #1 Age: 23
RB Mitchell Traverse (Kohnhead City FC) #15 Age: 27
CB Clark Levers (Kohnhead City FC) #76 Age: 29
CB Dylan Vargas (Swisston City FC) #31 Age: 23
LB Roddy Callahart (Barnley FC) #20 Age: 27
RM Meghan Dailford (Sporting Kohnhead City) #62 Age: 30
CM Jonathon Waterson (Liverpool Town) - Murphtannia #13 Age: 24
LM Robinson Caldry (Nickelson FC) #9 Age: 23
RF Lauren Starver (Northern FC) #10 Age: 24
LF Edward Torres (FC Kohnface City) #11 Age: 31

Formation: 4-3-3

Bench
GK Georgia Summers (Real Dawson) #18 Age: 22
Def Krystal Munchin (Kohnhead City FC) #51 Age: 24
Def Sabrina Jortan (FC Wangor) #32 Age: 27
Def Gretchen Busty (Dawson Diamonds) #14 Age: 31
Mid Hannah Horsford (Philtront Pioneers) #2 Age: 31
Mid Connor Crarter (Barnley FC) #29 Age: 26
Mid Justin Jeffrey (Porter City) #19 Age: 30
For Jamaal Davis (Philtront Pioneers) #7 Age: 24
For Petuina Pallard (Real Dawson) #21 Age: 23
For Rosie Preece (Sporting Kohnhead City) #30 Age: 22

RP Permissions - I will allow the person to RP before me to:
Choose my goalscorers: Yes
Godmod scoring events: Yes
RP injuries to my players: Yes
Godmod injuries to my players: Yes
Hand out yellow cards to my players: Yes
Hand out red cards to my players: Yes
Godmod other events: Yes

Style Mod: -2.5

by **Gouvanarch** » Sat Dec 05, 2020 3:08 pm

A hotel room in Qasden has been repurposed into a makeshift press room for the Gouvanarchais national football team. A table is decorated in black and orange with an equally black and orange backdrop with the flag of Gouvanarch and the logo of the Football Federation of Gouvanarch. A clearly uncomfortable man with long, curly black and white hair and a long white beard is sitting behind the table, suspiciously eyeing the wall of screens assembled in front of him. He is wearing a dark blue overcoat and oddly filly white shirt, looking very, very nervous as one by one the screens in front of him light up with closeup images of different reporters. A middle-aged woman dressed in regular clothes walks into the view of the camera, sitting down next to him.

Gwennaëlle Quincarnon: Are you sure you are up for this, Monsieur?

The man has now begun to sweat profusely, staring into nowhere, but still managing to nod. Gwennaëlle sighs, but presses a button causing the camera feed from the hotel room to go live.

Gwennaëlle: Good evening, ladies and gentlemen and welcome to the first press conference of the Football Federation of Gouvanarch here at the Wonder Cup in Qasden. With me is the president of the KGM, Monsieur Uenomail de Mesnildo, and he will be taking your questions.

Reporter #1: Damian Slaney, Tikariot City Times. Monsieur de Mesnildo, this is the first time a team from Gouvanarch is participating in an international tournament. What made you decide to take this step?

Uenomail de Mesnildo: De-degemer mat--

Gwennaëlle: Uh, Monsieur, the reporters do not understand Breton.

Ueonmail looks at her as if she just sprouted three heads. Then his eyes flit from reporter to reporter as he dabs his face with a cloth handkerchief.

Uenomail: J-je suis desolé, mais--

Gwennaëlle closes her eyes and sighs.

Gwennaëlle: Monsieur, we have talked about this, you need so speak English, ok?

Another nervous nod and more sweat.

Uenomail: W-welcome a n-notre armel conference. Mon anv is Uenomail de Mesnildo and je suis the president de Kevredigezh Gouvarchanais Mell-Droad.

Gwennaëlle groans.

Gwennaëlle: Please excuse us for a moment, we will be right back, thank you for your patience.

She presses another button and the red light on the camera goes out. She turns towards Uenomail.

Gwennaëlle: Monsieur, uh, monsieur? Are you alright?

Uenomail is staring straight ahead, not even blinking. Sweat is running down his face in little rivulets now and his breathing is laboured.

Gwennaëlle: Oh mon Dieu!

She gets up and rushes towards the door. From the off we can hear her yell.

Gwennaëlle: You, get me Balian and Adhémar, Monsieur is not feeling well. And you, find Cadhoiarn, right away! No, I don't care how you find him, but I need him here - now!

After a minute or two the two doctors of the national team rush in to find Uenomail still completely frozen. He does not react to them talking to him or getting his attention any other way. Finally they manage to half lead, half drag him out of the chair while Gwennaëlle is nervously pacing back and forth.

Gwennaëlle: I knew he was not ready, I knew it! They should never have allowed that old codger out of the country.

Voice from the off: Who are you talking about?

Gwennaëlle wheels around to come face to face with Cadhoiarn de Rely, head coach of the Gouvanarch national team, standing in front of her out of breath. Gwennaëlle blushes at the realization that she had just called the president of the federation an old codger.

Gwennaëlle: I, uh, well, good that you are here, you have to save this press conference!

Cadhoiarn: Wasn't Monsiuer de Mesnildo supposed to be doing this?

Gwennaëlle: Yes, yes, but he froze up. Started to talk in Breton, French and English at the same time, then he started to stare into nowhere and, yes, that was it. So please, pleeeeaase, take over for him and save me from throwing myself out of the window right now.

Cadhoiarn looks over at the window she is pointing at.

Cadhoiarn: You know that we are on ground level, right?

Gwennaëlle freezes up, then completely ignoring his remark turns and points at the screens.

Gwennaëlle: Here they all are. You need to save us, ok? At least you know what you are talking about and speak English!

Cadhoiarn: Alright, guess this comes with the territory. I'll do it.

She breathes a voiceless thank you and presses the red button again.

Gwennaëlle: Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for your patience and sorry about this interruption. The Monsieur is not feeling well, but thankfully our coach Cadhoiarn de Rely is here to answer all of your questions. In English. And with knowledge. And--

Cadhoiarn puts his hand on hers.

Cadhoiarn: Relax, I've got this, ok? OK, so where were we?

Damian Slaney: Damian Slaney, Tikariot City Times. Monsieur de Mesnildo, this is the first time a team from Gouvanarch is participating in an international tournament. What made you decide to take this step?

Cadhoiarn: Well, if you want to know how strong you really are, you have to go international, so the Federation has decided to register for the World Cup qualification and Baptism of Fire tournament. And we figured that taking part in the Wonder Cup to get some experience with these kinds of games before going in for the big ones.

Gwennaëlle looked at Cadhoiarn and couldn't help but smile. He was a natural. She should never have let them talk her into letting the old bat in front of a camera.

by **Icecliff** » Sat Dec 05, 2020 6:53 pm

Icecliff Football Team

Style Modifier: +5 (I want GOALS dammit

)

Roster

Formation: 4-2-4, but turns into a 2-4-4 when attacking.

GK: Tod Power
Age: 23
A star in the Icecliff Domestic League, Power is known for his athleticism and conservative approach to stopping shots.

LB: Garrett Ware
Age: 25
Ware is an aggressive player, often moving up near the midfielder line. This makes him dangerous, as opponents do not expect an out-of-formation play, and the LCD will cover for him if needed.

CD: Linus Carlsen - Team Captain
Age: 27
Linus is a very smart and sportsmanlike player who always seems to be in the right position at the right time. He is a teammate of Ware's and is used to covering for him; the pair make for a dangerous duo.

CD: Fritjof Gibb
Age: 20
A younger player, Gibb is known for his athleticism, able to head balls away from other players and very good at blocking shots. He is overly physical, though, and often gets into foul trouble.

RB: Katy Steinsson
Age: 19
The only female player on the team, Steinsson is one of the fastest, along with Rowe. This enables her to attack aggressively and get back quickly. She has worked on her stamina a lot over the years, so she can sustain this throughout a game.

LCM: Josef Blake
Age: 24
An aggressive, well-known for his accuracy and power on shots and passes. He should pair well with Rowe.

RCM: Ragnar Wolff - Alternate Captain
Age: 30
The team's old man, Wolff doesn't play like it. An aggressive player, he will pair well with Steinsson as she supports during attack plays.

LW: Hjalmar Rowe
Age: 18
The team's baby, Rowe does not play like it. Coming from an incredible performance in the Sporting World Cup in which he led the U18 team to a Quarterfinals finish in Icecliff's first international appearance, ever, he is sure to perform. Rowe presents an unusual problem for opponents: he is fast enough to get inside the box as a winger and powerful enough to score. This means that, at any one time, Icecliff may effectively have three strikers.

ST: Roland Sanford
Age: 22
Easily the player with the best ability to dribble on the team, Sanford is good at creating and using space and crushing the ball into the net whenever he has the chance.

ST: Zackary Davidson
Age: 21
An athletic player whose job is to get those hard-to-reach balls and make each one count on the scoreboard.

RW: Artturi Leonardson
Age: 24
A celebrated passer who is favored to get the most assists for the team.

Subs

GK: Kirby Nordskov
Age: 28
The former No.1 goalkeeper until Power began to develop, now the No. 2 goalkeeper. He uses the favored Icecliffan Keeper style, that of conservative play using athleticism to stop shots, but he is able to come out on close shots and cut down the angles quite well.

B: Lachlan Kaspersen
Age: 21
Unique in that he can use both feet equally powerfully, Kaspersen is best known as a strong passer.

D: Gray Hayden
Age: 19
He likely would've starred in the Sporting World Cup had his birthday been a few days later, but Hayden was too old by five days for Icecliff's inaugural appearance and will "settle" for playing on the top team. A big, physical player, he has a cannon of a kick, but that is not an accurate one.

M: Linton and Roy Burrell
Ages: 18
These twin midfielders played very well in the SWC and have played together all their lives. Their biggest advantage is their ability to sense what the other will do, so they will usually only be subbed in as a unit.

W: Dagur Jokinen
Age: 26
A conventional winger, capable of skilled footwork and pinpoint crosses.

ST: Kresten Winston
Age: 25
A striker with an impressive control of his body that comes from his being a gymnast. He has been known to score while flipping in the air. Unfortunately, this comes as a detriment to his other talents and he is not the greatest football player outside of acrobatics.

Personnel

Coach: Jonas Wallace
Age: 42
A former football player, Wallace is an impressive strategist who came up with the fluid formation system Icecliff uses.

Trainer: Patrick Albertsson
Age: 33
Albertsson is the team trainer, the best available in Icecliff, who has already developed an impressive resume as a trainer for Icecliff Castle FC, consistently a top team in the Icecliff Domestic League.

My opponent, if they RP first, may do the following:
Godmod scoring events: Y
RP injuries to my players: N
Godmod injuries to my players: N
Give red cards to my players: N
Godmod other events: N
If you want to do something I don't allow, either telegram me or DM me on Discord, I typically respond within 12 hours but often more on weekends.

RP Suggestions:
Penalty Kick Order:
Blake, Sanford, Davidson, Rowe, Wolff
Most likely to score from close in are Sanford, Davidson, and Rowe, while Leonardson, Blake, and Carlsen are most likely to get assists, and Blake can also snipe. If you want me to score a ridiculous acrobatic goal, sub in Winston.
In manner of scoring, Sanford will look for an opening and shoot through it, using footwork to assist with that. Davidson will get most headers and crosses, one-touching them into the net. Rowe will get a pass while sprinting laterally towards the net, then turn his right foot and kick towards the near post. Blake will snipe.

by **Qasden** » Sat Dec 05, 2020 9:39 pm

Leauge - Day 1

Welcome back to Qasden! What were you expecting? 16 teams will begin their journey today for the league titles, but will yours hit the ground swinging?

Banija Women's 1–5 Khytonya
@ Stade de Solis, Fyre

Megistos 0–3 Indusse
@ Municipal Amphitheater, Taxson

Hebitaka 0–2 Icecliff
@ Hotchskarth Cabin, Destiny

Saint-Domingues 3–3 Hispinas
@ Merellin Park, Elder

Gouvanarch 1–0 Ibixa
@ Royal T.V. Stadium, T.V. City

Sannyamathland 1–2 Sarzonia Women's
@ Marina Greens, Port Harston

Kohnhead 0–0 RK Quebec
@ New Qad Field, Qad City

Starcom Racing 0–0 Chartistan
@ MaxCap Stadium, T.V. City

Tables to be added on Day 2

by **Hebitaka** » Sat Dec 05, 2020 10:14 pm

Hebitaka National Team

The team has send 18 players to Qasden and we are hoping a good result.

RP allowed:

Choose my goal scorers: Yes
Godmod scoring events: Yes
RP injuries to my players: Yes
Godmod injuries to my players: No
Hand out yellow cards to my players: Yes
Hand out red cards to my players: Yes(Up to 3)
Godmod other events: No

Style modify:+2

Playing Eleven:

Formation:4-3-3

GK: Warren Davis(C)
Age: 33
Team: Blasters
Playstyle: Stay and Keepdown

RB: Farid Farhan
Age: 23
Team: Athletic Club
Playstyle: Traditional Stamina and Power play

CB: Takeshi Kazuto
Age: 20
Team: Demolishers
Playstyle: Speed play and Slide Tackles

CB: Rohit Talukdar
Age: 25
Team: Giants
Playstyle: Highly Disciplined and co ordinated game

LB: Kriton Loas
Age: 27
Team: Athletic Club
Playstyle: Modern skill and Speed play

RM: Nakamura
Age: 29
Team: Blasters
Playstyle: Traditional Stamina conservation play

CM: James Losh
Age: 31
Team: Warriors
Playstyle: Long ball

LM: Krishanu Ramesh Ravi
Age: 29
Team: Daredevils
Playstyle: Moderate passing and Dribble

CF: Roshi Namako
Age: 22
Team: Cantonment Club
Playstyle: Stamina and Flank Pass

ST: Ram Vijay
Age: 27
Team: Athletic Club
Playstyle: Skill and Swing Shot

CF: Tarun Masake
Age: 28
Team: Demolishers
Playstyle: Power and Flank Long pass

Subs

Jim Roney(ST)
Karan Raziq(RM)
Wazir Fareem(CM)
Chahar Rai(LM)
Hari Sur(RB)
Nasae Matoko(CB)
Ganesh Tinnu(GK)

Personels:
Coach: Ravi Heera
Manager(Asst.): Hiroshi Sumoto

by **Indusse** » Sat Dec 05, 2020 11:55 pm

IFA NEWS NETWORK
We are back Qasden!

Was that the beginning? Yes! That was the best beginning! Indusse defeated the Megistos National Team at the Municipal Amphitheatre in Taxson for a score of three nil. Was that expected? Yes, it should be. Why? Because Indusse was the last Wonder Cup Moon Bracket Finalist. In the Moon Bracket Final of last Wonder Cup, Indusse faced defeat against Delaclava. Delaclava, who isn't participating this time has just made Indusse's journey easy. But, as usual there will be tiny tots who will change into uncontrollable monsters and 'yeet' down the Indussean stronghold. If we check at the other Midday League participants, Khytonya and Icecliff also secured a win against Banija Women's and Hebitaka Respectively. But, Saint Domingues and Hispinas got drawn in the Merelin Park Stadium at Elder.

In the match against Megistos, Indussean Captain Baskar H Kumar scored a double at the 12th and 67th Minute and Mersiás scored the final game winner in the eighty seventh minute. The game didn't go for extra time and Megistosian Defeat was written down. If we look at the Midnight League Group, Gouvanarch, Sarzonia Women's won their games against Ibixa and Sannyamathland respectively. Kohnhead, RK Quebec, Starcom Racing and Chartistan got drawn for the score null for null. With the Matchday one SC evaluation, Khytonya won with the best goal margin followed by Indusse and Icecliff. The Hebitaki Players are also known in Indusse because they're one of the most important sporting nations in India. So, everyone is waiting for a Hebi-Indussean Match and the soccer fans association of India has placed a appeal in the courts for making Hebitaka X Indusse match the elclassico of India. Currently, Pratapgadh X Indusse was the Classico and with the degradation of Pratapgadh Empire from India, the El Classico came to a big stop.

by **Sannyamathland** » Sun Dec 06, 2020 4:05 am

Sannyamathlandian Squad for the Wonder Cup

Coach:Dmitry Miloven
Squad:
Goalkeepers:
1.David Santos Jr(28),club:Sanderburry City FC Sannyamathland
2.Mark Handanovic(32),club:Edenborough FC Sannyamathland
3.Martin Kasparov(17),club:Wellington Rangers FC Al Wadiya

Defenders:
5.Jeff Chalov(26),club:Hepley United FC Sannyamathland
3.Leon Vladinovich(23),club:East Rowling FC Sannyamathland
2.Vladimir Ivashkov(33),club:Brownwidth FC Sannyamathland
4.Nathan Drake(26),club:Oldcastle United FC Sannyamathland
25.Joe Wallow(23),club:Edenborough FC Sannyamathland
Midfielders:
11.Vladimir Savchencko(25),club:Lommardy FC Sannyamathland
13.Samuel Kuschaev(29),club:Sanderburry City Fc Sannyamathland
15.Alexei Diyev(20),club:Damas FC Sannyamathland
17.Michael De Silva(22),club:West Rowling Albion Sannyamathland
22.Lev Bronstein(23),club:Oldcastle United FC Sannyamathland
13.Joe Leck-Ngidi(19),club:Wilkes Wonderers FC Sannyamathland

Forwards:
19.V.I.Mount (27),club:Hepley United FC Sannyamathland (captain)
10.Peter Philips(17),club:West Rowling Albion Sannyamathland
9.Fydor Tchaivok(23),club:Oldcastle United FC Sannyamathland
18.Anton Zerev(22),club:Delbert Giants FC [nation] Wizcity

by **Chartistan** » Sun Dec 06, 2020 9:10 am

Yawn...

Wonder Cup Midnight League Matchday 1

Chartistan 0-0 Starcom Racing

MaxCap Stadium, T.V. City, Qasden

This game was a kick up your feet with no Assassin's Creed kind of game, and not a pretty one. 0 goals scored in either the Chartistani or Starcom net for the first ever Chartistan national team game, and despite Adult Royce keeping his net safe and sound, this squad was boring, soulless and might as well have Tatertot Crazy shout at the top of her lungs. Forget Dracs, sticks and all type of blicks, both of these teams had their weapons as a bunch of blunt wood twigs. They didn't help either team get them the win they needed, and hence this borefest ended with no goals... Just like Quebec versus Kohnhead.

Good news is that we have Ibixa next, and if we do want to score in our next game, we might stay at the Lotus Inn. I heard Shorty was fireburning on the dancefloor after staying there, so hey why not give it a shot?

Diaries of the Chartistanis
Entry 1 - Tatertot Crazy

I used to have this lover. He lived out in the rich parts of Billboard, always drunk at the parties and having his car break down in the middle of the street. I swear his car must be a chart decade old... When he was having these things as excuses, I thought that he was thinking of dating some other girl... From Official City or otherwise. Heard that she was part of a 3 a side football team that was a beast in Official City. I kept calling him. Calling him wanting to make my voice heard before he cheats on me. Every single time that stupid phone was off, and just recently he finally decided to pick that thing up.

He relied on me more than everything to fix everything in his messed up life in Billboard, all the while I kept working at my craft. I swear many times during practice this hot boy interrupted me so I can go clean the dishes or some mundane task. I was TRYING to get known, and guess what? He delays it because he wants me to help out when he could easily have done it himself! Where did he get the nerve to do this? Was it because he wanted to impress that girl he wanted to date? He kept on bringing these excuses to the table, but he kept breaking me to pieces... So we broke up. He broke me.

Look at me. I am still broken. I would just stare at that phone and that name of that boy who moved on faster than I could ever move on... He knew that hurt me more than him. I don't know what to say. If I could message him back, I would shout at him, scream at him, WHAT WOULD YOU THINK WOULD HAPPEN? But I need to move on... Find a lover better than him. He broke me first and foremost. He will never have me back.

by **Saint-Domingues** » Sun Dec 06, 2020 9:11 am

Saint-Domingue 3-3 Hispinas: Avengers and Golden Sealions share spoils in six-goal thriller
HT 1-1

Saint-Domingue and Hispinas began the Wonder Cup in pulsating fashion, each scoring three goals in what was a breathtaking contest.

Each side showed attacking intent and some moments of sparkling brilliance, with each side's respective number nine greatly involved in all of the action from the offset. Ozeano Amunategui threatened from distance on the three minute mark which had Jules Binet scrambling to cover his far post. In return Julien Babesco almost caught out Natalio Londono with a shot that took a wicked deflection off of Chequil Puma.

The first goal came after twenty minutes down the left-hand side. Fermin Maquibar exchanged passes with Peppi Palermo and then fired in a cross which ended up in the back of the net without taking another touch. Saint-Domingue's respond was near-instantaneous however when Babesco nicked possession off of Guilla Ledezma who was dawdling too close to her own area, teeing up strike partner Jean-Pierre Jeune who swept home the equaliser.

The action continued, and the scales almost tipped back in Hispinas' favour straight away when Gorka Uralde headed narrowly over, followed by Amunategui shooting into the side netting. Adama Keller should have put Saint-Domingue into the lead but his shot only found the legs of Londondo when one-on-one, whilst Aheran hit the post from a diving far-post header which met Sanabria's corner kick. A smart block by Guillaume Boleyn to prevent Palermo getting a shot away concluded a high-intensity first half in which both sides could stake a strong claim that they deserved to be leading.

Both sides were looking in high spirits after leaving the dressing rooms, but it was Saint-Domingue who broke the deadlock this time by racing out the blocks. Babesco pulled away from his marker and fired a low shot into the left corner before the goalkeeper could ready themselves to put his team into the lead. Trinidad Quevedo challenged the lead with a rasping shot from distance which drew a full-diving save, though Binet was helpless to stop his next effort when Quevedo blasted into the corner on the edge of the box.

Hispinas continued their momentum, and just three minutes later took the lead again. The excellent Amunategui twisted and turned in the area to wriggle away from two defenders before slotting past the goalkeeper to much acclamation from the bench. Camilo Canisbro responded with an attacking substitution, bringing on Atlético Felipe striker Diego Palacio and it was this change that secured the point, when he burst past Aranaz down the left, cut inside, and curled around Londondo in goal.

Both sides will find plenty of positives in the result, with a great deal of lovely attacking moments sure to fill the highlight reel. Questions may be brought up over the two defences, though for the neutral there will likely be no complaints. A point offers both Saint-Domingue and Hispinas a solid base to continue their campaigns in the Midday League.
Lineups:
Binet
Cotilla
Boleyn
Le Guen <- Pareja 88'
Ahearn
Campos
Keller <- Vignon 80'
Sanabria
Carpeña
Babesco
Jeune <- Palacio 62'

Saint-Domingue: Jeune (23), Babesco (47), Palacio (67)
Hispinas: Maquibar (21), Quevedo (57), Amunategui (60)
Venue: Merellin Park, Elder

by **Sarzonia** » Sun Dec 06, 2020 9:29 am

Many of Sarzonia's national team managers won't admit to feeling nerves or anxiety before their teams play their matches.

Not so Brenda Allison. The Sarzonian women's national team manager admitted to the entire dressing room at being "scared shitless" before her Stars faced off against Sannyamathland in both teams' opener of the Wonder Cup. Her decision was intentional.

"I wanted to show our team that it's OK to struggle with mental health, and it's healthy to be open about your struggles," she said before Sarzonia's 2-1 victory over Sannyamathland. "I've seen too many people try too hard to wear a proverbial mask and conceal their struggles. That's part of why there's such a huge stigma around mental health."

Allison's team gave her reason to rest a little more easily as Jolene Walter-Campos and Joelle Burns scored the two goals for Sarzonia, sandwiched around a Peter Philips tally. Klarissa Knight-Langham made three saves and was a force commanding the box for Sarzonia's back four.

Sarzonia will face Kohnhead, who have become a familiar opponent across several sporting competitions. Unlike Sarzonia's all-women's team, Kohnhead will fax the Stars with a mixed gender team. That fact doesn't seem to concern Allison.

"We've played teams of all men and teams of all women," she said. "We just play against whom we have in front of us." Even though it doesn't include Banija.

"We'd love another crack at them," Burns said.

by **Banija** » Sun Dec 06, 2020 4:06 pm

Alan Bettles at Banija's training facility, film study

"That watch was even worse a second time around." Alan Bettles said. Two of the assistant manager he had brought along, Namakula Kawesa and Idai Uster, agreed. The Wonder Cup was always going to be an uphill tournament- cobbled together coaching staff, with two important assistant coaches being players who, of course, do not have coaching experience. Alan Bettles, of course, is experienced, but has only coached at the club level his entire career, never coaching in an international management situation.

"Yea it was." Namakula Kawesa said. And she was right. They had just finished watching the film of the Banijan women 5-1 loss to Khytonya- and boy, it was brutal. Watching the game was bad enough. It had gone into halftime an equally divided matchup, with an opening goal from Khytonya striker Larsen Reinhart being cancelled out by a Marium Guiss strike in the 34th minute. But the second half was disastrous. The Banijans got dominated in every phase of the game. 64% of possession to the opposition. They outshot Banija in this period with a stunning 11 shots on goal, compared to just one for Banija.

"Well, first impromptu lesson in coaching. And a brutal one- you've got to be able to learn how to respond to this." He told Kawesa and Uster. "Everyone loses at some point or another, and sometimes you suffer bad, even shocking losses. This is a bad loss. It's harder when the ladies haven't been together for that long, and are just here for the tournament without a long-term future on this team. But we can do it. We've got to build the confidence up in our players. Make sure our veterans are confident- the Lubalos, Admassus, and Kouyatés of the world. The youngsters will follow."

They both nodded. "Here's what we need to do." He said, while Kawesa and Uster listened attentively. "We're going to go out and turn this boat around, immediately. It's sink or swim out here, and damnit, we're going to swim against Megistos. This is a plan that can work- we didn't execute, we got behind, we lost confidence, and everything fell apart. But we've gotta find that mental toughness. That's why I brought you two along- you're both world champions. You can connect with these players in a way that I cannot. Let's show em."

Kawesa and Uster agreed, and when they got to the training pitch the next day, they were talking to players individually. Lifting up their spirits. Them and veterans were trying to raise the spirits in the camp. This was a 7 game group stage- if they were miserable after a Matchday 1 blowout loss, this tournament in Qasden would be the longest 3 weeks of their entire lives. But they were determined not to let that happen. They may be in last place for now- but if they were able to get through to their players, Megistos wouldn't know what hit them...

by **Gouvanarch** » Sun Dec 06, 2020 5:22 pm

While one of the team doctors is once again attending to a hyperventilating Ueonmail de Mesnildo who relapsed at the sight of a TV camera in the background, Gwennaëlle Quincarnon is looking at the setup in the press room of the Qasdonian stadium with a mix of awe and trepidation. Sure, her job is that of a press liaison, but by Gouvanarchais standards this was like science-fiction. Unlike the Monsieur, who seems to be living somewhere three hundred or so years ago, she is not a stranger to technology, but the height of Gouvanarchais TV prowess is two analogue cameras, so all the wireless equipment in front of her is exciting. And obviously far too much for the man who was supposed to be the figurehead here at the Wonder Cup. She looks back at him and just shakes her head. Some commotion from the side entrance catches her eye, though, as the coach from Ibixa is strolling in, the look on his face not one of happiness, followed by Cadhoiarn de Rely and the scorer of the first international goal for Gouvanarch ever, forward Barthelemy de la Cormeilles. Immediately a barrage of flashes goes off, sending Monsieur de Mesnildo in full plank mode.

Reporter #1: Andreas Kronstad, Skarraborg Sentinel. Monsieur de Rely, congratulations to winning your first ever international game, how does it feel?

Cadhoiarn de Rely: It feels great. How else could it feel?

Andreas Kronstad: Well, you could have had certain expectations.

Cadhioarn: True, but we had absolutely nothing to go by. I mean, I think my players are great, but who was to say that we could not have lost 9-0? Just because I think they're the best Gouvanarch has to offer doesn't mean that we actually are good.

Andreas Kronstad: You make a good point. So how do you see your team now?

Cadhoiarn (laughs): Well, it's been one game, so I wouldn't want to proclaim us the next World Cup winner. But the guys really put the tactics we've been trying to train into practice and that makes me happy. Sure, that they won makes me happy, too.

Reporter #2: Odart Le Paulmier, Journal de Laorivoaré. I have a question for Monsieur de la Cormeilles. You scored the first goal and with that are going down into Gouvarchanais sports history. Do you feel special?

Barthelemy de la Cormeilles (chuckles nervously): Not really. I mean, sure it's a once in a lifetime thing, quite literally, but any of us could have scored it. It doesn't make me any better than any of the others.

Odart Le Paulmier: Does the fact that you scored in the 89th minute make it any more special?

Barthelemy: Yes and no. Yes, because everybody pretty much was expecting a 0-0 at that point, no, because a goal still is a goal, be it in the first or last minute.

Odart Le Paulmier: Monsieur de Rely, now that you have one game behind you, looking forward you will be facing Sannyamathland next, who lost their first game against the Sarzonia Women's team. What do you expect for the game?

Cadhoiarn: The only thing I'm really expecting is for my team to stay focused and do what they did in game one. If we win, great, if we don't, we'll just do whatever we can to learn from it.

Reporter #3: Lamar Sorokar, Port Rhovanyon Chronicle. Barthelemy, you play in the Tikariot City FC academy, does that put you into any kind of advantage over the players still playing in Gouvanarch?

Barthelemy: I think an advantage, because I can benefit from the experienced training staff and great facilities. There are a few other Gouvanarchais that are playing in Tikariot academies now, like Guimand in Port Tacassam, so I think that both players and the national team can only benefit from this.

Lamar Sorokar: So are you telling others to make the same move? People at teams in Gouvanarch might not quite like you for that.

Barthelemy (laughs): Hahaha, I guess not. But if they ask, sure, why would I not recommend it?

Gwennaëlle Quincarnon: Thank you for your questions, this is all we have time for, but I am sure that our colleague from Ibixa will be happy to-- Oh, where did he go?

fades out

by **Hispinas** » Sun Dec 06, 2020 8:57 pm

●●● Saint-Domingues 3–3 Hispinas ●●●
Wonder Cup - Merellin Park, Elder, Qasden
HSP Scorers: Fermin Maquibar (21'), Trinidad Quevedo (57'), Ozeano Amunategui (60')
HSP Lineup: Natalio Londono, Gurutze Aranaz, Guilla Ledezma ▼ (▲ Casimiro Coro 45'), Chequil Puma, Fermin Maquibar, Cordovan Chia, Barkarna Anchia, Trinidad Quevedo, Gorka Uralde, Peppi Palmero ▼ (▲ Perez Pardo 64'), Ozeano Amunategui ▼ (▲ Carmelita Grimaldo 86')

The Wonder Cup has given Alfonzo a chance to evaluate his squad, with all but two players having played in the recent Copa Rushmori, in preparation for the Baptism of Fire and World Cup qualifying campaigns. He planned that every other matchday, an entirely different starting outfield will take on the field, with the last matchday of the groups reserved for what he believe will be the strongest possible lineup from this squad. He will also make sure to use distinct substitutions per match, meaning those who have been subbed in the match against Saint-Domingues which ended 3-3 will not be playing in Hispinas' third and fifth matches. It is a different story though for the keepers, as Errasti Ochoa de Olza will be taking over the duties between the sticks from Natalio Londono in the Icecliff match.

Medrano used the same starting 11 he used in their 5-0 loss to Savojarna in their first international appearance, and their drastic improvements showed in the field, probably much due to the fact that the Wonder Cup brings less pressure to the players, than these regional tournaments and the World Cup Committee-sanctioned tournaments, but he had let his squad known that their performances in these next set of matches are being evaluated, and the players know that he is also keeping an eye on the Under-21 players as they were thrashed by Tikariot, 4-0, in the Di Bradini Cup.

Fermin Maquibar opened the scoring for the Golden Sealions in the 21st minute, but the Avengers put one back with Jean-Pierre Jeune's goal, which exposed Guilla Ledezma's weakness of having the possession of the ball too long while not being aware of the positioning of her teammates which led to the possession loss. Those were the only goals in the first half, but it was Saint-Domingues who broke the deadlock. Casimiro Coro, who have replaced Ledezma at half-time, was unable to stop the attack from Julien Babesco and the latter was able to put one past Londono.

The Avengers though have only enjoyed the lead for ten minutes, as goals from Trinidad Quevedo and Ozeano Amunategui gave the Rushmori nation the lead again by the hour mark. Medrano made his second substitution of the match on the 64th minute, when Peppi Palmero was taken off the pitch for precautionary measures as she took a knock in the 55th minute, with Perez Pardo coming into the match. They were unable to hold the lead though as substitute Diego Palacio made an immediate impact on the pitch as his goal put both teams at level pegging again.

Carmelita Grimaldo was brought in to replace Amunategui late on the match at the 86th minute, but she and the rest of the squad were unable to score the winning goal, same to their opposition which have asked a few questions on the shaky Hispinian defense. If there is anything that can be inferred from the match, it is that Guilla Ledezma's spot in the squad is not safe, but she will be given two more opportunities to change Medrano's perception of her in relation to the squad. Peppi Palmero is also a question mark in the next matches, but passing a late fitness test have made sure that she will be given a starting spot in the third match against Icecliff.

HSP Starting 11 against Khytonya: Natalio Londono, Geralda Uriarte, Casimiro Coro [c], Rogerio Coloma, Latisha Gurule, Maite De la Pena, Florita Carrion, Salomon Duran, Perez Pardo, Carmelita Grimaldo, Adrin Losada

Wonder Cup: Back From The Stars! [IC Thread]

Wonder Cup: Back From The Stars! [IC Thread]

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