Independent Associations Championship 12 [IC]

[Central Shaneville]

UNBELIEVABLE SCENES...
The three way fight for second place was definitely on last night as Central Shaneville, Devonta and Omerica all fought tooth and claw for this spot and all teams had a point to prove.

Up first in the day was the big match between Omerica and Devonta which Central Shaneville manager Cam Meister personally attended (despite having a match a few hours later that same evening) which is quite rare in international competition to actually watch your rivals in person but alas he did whilst Central Shaneville's assistant manager gave the final warmup drills of the day, after 90 minutes though and Omerica claimed a 3-0 victory meaning Central Shaneville's chances were dashed but no one knew that yet as the tension was getting to fans and pundits alike.

It was red hot in Muralos as Central Shaneville stepped out onto the pitch with manager Cam Meister at their side and they were clearly fired up as shots were coming in left, right and center on the HSOWA keeper who was struggling to deal with Smith (who took the last match off due to personal issues) and Vujanic despite this the pressure was getting to Central Shaneville as only one goal was scored as the final whistle blew.

After the match in the locker room, Cam Meister and the whole Central Shaneville team waited for the final group table but it showed 3rd....silence....head in hands....alot of emotions were present in that locker room at that precise moment.

After everyone had let what had happened sink in, Mr. Meister went and did an interview congratulating HUElavia and Omerica saying "They deserved it more than us, credit to them and I wish both teams all the best in the knockouts but for us we need to go back to the drawing board."

[TJUN-ia]

By Peter Davis

After securing another IAC knockouts berth with a win over Srednjaci, the Co-Manager Era of TJUN-ian Football is certainly off to a great start so far, with both David Seems and Li Xiu Ying seemingly thriving under the new arrangement. There was certainly a calming atmosphere at the Moonlight Coliseum tonight as the already-qualified Jags took on the already-eliminated Pot 4 Kriegiersien in what could be described as an elevated friendly before the knockouts began.

This game would certainly feel like a friendly from the get-go and both teams were allowed time to get into this before the fun really began in Kuritibah. The 20th minute would see a shift in the actions as both teams set about trying to win the day, but TJUN-ia had the better players overall and that would lead to 2 goals before the first half. The first came in the 23rd minute as Pelinho decided to take matters into his own hands by scoring from just within the box, a rare sight in TJUN-ian football in this day and age, while the 2nd goal came in the 41st as a Pedro Vasquez corner was headed in by Captain Jeff Donaldson himself. Once the players returned, the game returned to its calmer pace and both teams were simply playing to waste time until the final whistle, but that wouldn't mean goals wouldn't be scored. Kriegiersien would actually get a goal for themselves here, Eetu Peerson heading in a corner from Miguel Owomoyela in the 67th, but TJUN-ia would respond soon enough through Kepo Ulawaya, his shot curling past Che Lopera in the 71st. That would be the final piece of action both in this game and in this group as TJUN-ia goes through as the group winners, 2 points clear of 2nd-placed Squidroidia - the only team we dropped points to in the opening 5 games.

As it would turn out, finishing the group didn't mean TJUN-ia was finished with the Moonlight Coliseum just yet. TJUN-ia's Round of 16 game will also take place here, the Jaguars' 6th in Kuritibah, when it takes on the 2nd-placed team in Group C: fellow Pot 2 team Space, a team we have played before at this tournament and one everyone knew could be a nightmare on their day. In order to reach the quarters, the Jaguars must best another old foe and with the CO-Managers more determined than ever, it will be very interesting to see how things go in another game in the Moonlight. GO JAGS!

---

SCHEDULE (Group D, Matches in Almuzahara)
MD1: vs Montana Verde (Pot 5) - Moonlight Coliseum, Kuritibah W 3-0 (1st)
MD2: vs Squidroidia (Pot 1) - Moonlight Coliseum, Kuritibah D 2-2 (1st)
MD3: vs Sajnur (Pot 3) - Moonlight Coliseum, Kuritibah W 4-0 (T-1st)
MD4: vs Srednjaci (Pot 6) - Moonlight Coliseum, Kuritibah W 4-1 (1st/OFFICIALLY QUALIFIED)
MD5: vs Kriegiersien (Pot 4) - Moonlight Coliseum, Kuritibah W 3-1 (1st/4W-1D-0L/+12GD)
---------------------------------------------------------
Ro16: vs Space (Pot 2) - Moonlight Coliseum, Kuritibah

[Trolleborg]

Greetings, compatriots! It’s TTV from Muralos. Unfortunately, this is our last broadcasting from IAC. Our team don’t overcome difficulties that mounted after second game and out despite rather credible performance.

In the last game of group stage our opponent was national team of Garbelia, sitting dead last. On the eve of the Indian Cup and the qualifying tournament, the coach apparently considered it necessary to see in action a whole group of candidates for the team.

The game started very encouraging for our team. When trying to cope a free-kick in the fight against both his own and our players, the goalkeeper only managed to change the trajectory of the ball away from the goal, but Berglund was the first at the far end and struck with his head from an acute angle, and Jivoglot just controlling the situation, ruled out all sorts of accidents.

This is not only this one situation for our lads, but only in the second half the team scored the second goal. After a quick attack, Pathmoor shot powerfully, the goalkeeper barely managed to ward off the threat, but Berglund immediately drove the rebounding ball into the net. The defenders tried to challenge the goal, arguing that Berglund was offside, but it was completely in vain: our striker received the ball "from the goalkeeper", and even closer to the goal there was still a defender who remain right on the goalline after the previous fight for the ball.

By that time it was already clear that our tournament situation would definitely not change for good, so the team played without regard to the result, but could no longer score. Thus, the IAC gods confirmed their dislike of us. Our guys leave the tournament, but with their heads held high: the team's play was at a very decent level, and apart from an absolutely inexplicable defeat in the second game, players cannot be blamed for anything. But such is the things in short tournaments - a second of relaxation and the whole team is out of the playoffs.

[Squidroidia]

NOTE: This is entirely based off of the NationStates "Best Nation in the World" April Fools joke for 2021. The nations being referenced are real nations in NS, you can go and look them up for yourself right now.

---

"...And now we go down to Inkopolis Plaza where it seems that a lot of people have congregated in Squidroidian blue and white attire... What the hell is going on?"

It was just after the multiverse-wide voting for the "Best Nation in the World" had ended. An event that compared many, many nations from across different realms and pitted them against each other. Squidroidia... Were ranked 178th overall.

"It's almost like the Inklings have won the World Cup here... Are you kidding me, this is insane! All I see are fans carrying their flags and waving them along as one big ass party erupts in the Plaza! People have told me that they came from every single town and city and village in the nation to celebrate being among the best nations in the wider world, not just in football, but OVERALL! I'm in a literal SEA of smoke and sparklers and these people won't stop until 3 in the morning!"

Indeed, they weren't stopping. Squidroidian citizens Inkling and human alike were partying as one, flying their flags all over the place. The reporter notices a flag with a weird muscular wizard on it and approaches the man waving it.

"This is SBN News, what sort of flag is this? I've never seen a flag like this in my life!"

The man would look at the reporter and flash an offhand smile.

"It's only the flag of HEAVY METAL WIZARD MERLIN, the 42,951st best nation in the multiverse. Loved the nation based on the flag and the flag alone. It's such a shame that they couldn't break the top 30,000 but not a lot of people are waiting for HEAVY METAL WIZARD MERLIN, not so much supporting them."

"HEAVY METAL WIZARD MERLIN, huh... The multiverse is weird sometimes. Okay, I just got word from a colleague of mine that this was actually part of a polling event featuring every known nation within the multiverse! People have been voting on these stuffs for an entire day and a couple hours more, and won't you just look at the forums for the matchups that the Squidroidian public had to decide upon! Kimura versus The Utah Jazz was one that one viewer had trouble upon deciding, there were nations like Pope Thanos and Tina is what I see who got into the top 10,000, and Gender rolls got into the top 5,000 and was a top 200 nation at one point in time. What the hell even is Bob Fosse!?"

"None of this nonsense now, we have the damn news to cover, okay!?" The anchor says to his reporter as the sports bulletin was about to begin.

"Alright buddy, I am so sorry..."

---

"Going over to sports now, and Adam Johnson's Squidroidian national football team just barely survived a hard fought game against Sajnur 1-0 to book their place in the last 16. Their opponents just might be favorites to win the entire tournament however, as New Lusitania and the Algarves only gave up their first goal of the group stage in a 3-1 victory over Space on the final matchday. That's 22 goals scored and only one goal that ended up in Rui Patríce's net all tournament so far. Nobody has had a better goal scoring record, and only one other team has let in 1 goal in the group stage, that being Omerica. Just how much of an underdog is Squidroidia? The answer, of course, is a lot."

The screen points over to the results that both nations had over the course of the 5 group stage matchdays heading into their Round of 16 tie, as well as their own "Best Nation In The World" ranking. All green on the New Lusitanian side, with a couple yellows and a red on the Squidroidian side.

"You take a look at the New Lusitanian scores: 5-0 against Hebitaka and Oscioru back to back, 6-0 against Fujai, 3-0 against Gadhavi and 3-1 against Space. That's almost 4 and a half goals scored A GAME. This side is one of the most high scoring teams that people have seen in a while in the IAC, in fact you have to go back a decent amount in the IAC history books for a goals per game tally that beats the amount New Lusitania has put up in this group stage, that's IAC 7 host nation and tournament runner-up Drawkland, who scored 4.6 goals per game in a 3 game group stage! New Lusitania sit right between the Kicks Corps and 4th place Kavagrad from that tournament, as well as a handful of others who stretch all the way back to Space in the inaugural IAC in terms of sheer goals scored, on the all time group stage goals scored average leaderboard. We might as well count ourselves out already!"

The reporter goes over to the Squidroidian side of the board.

"Because with only a goals per game average of slightly more than 2? You're looking at, ON AVERAGE, a 4-2 game in New Lusitania's favor. And don't even talk to me about the Best Nation in the World poll, because guess what? NLA beat us there too! Book your tickets back to Inkopolis, boys!"

[Space]

This was not the way to end a Group for Space. It was for three games a perfect competition with three victory results and no goals against. It would all be a different story when playing against Hebitaka.

Everyone in Space knew that Hebitaka would be the difficult match. It is just the other nation of Group C are not nation who are known. Gujai - who? Osciouru - who? Fadhavi - who? These are the nations Space defeats without concern. But Hebitaka - hmm? and of course later it will be New Lusitania and the Alvarves - ut oh? The nation that makes it so you have to turn your head to the right and maybe even scroll a little to see how many points everyone has.

It would have been nice and tidy in the standings if not for New Lusitana and the Algarves. If only it was Hebitaka the longest nation. Maybe if Tjunia was into Group C it would be so much condensed. It wasnot.

So Space is playing Hebitaka and its not going well. The balls are going into the nets on both sides of the field. This is not something SPACE has been familiar with in this tournament so far. The game ends a draw. A draw? Oh no. The perfect start has ended and it is the worst time for Space because of course the next nation has a name so long it is still being written. Also of concern, it is also a good nation. In four game before playing SPACE New Lusit... the opponent of space for Matchday 5 has not let any goals in. not one. just zero. 19 goals in and 0 goals against. Now there is still a chance for SPACE to lose in the result of Group C to Hebitaka. It is knowing that they need to keep the score close or get a point or more from New Lusitania and the Algarves to advance.

Well Space will lose to New Lusitania and the Algarves. It is reality and now it is done. But there is still great news even in defeat. Firstly, SPACE has SCORED against this top team of Group C. They are not so perfect anymore so it was a great job for Space to get a goal on the board. Hooray! Secondly, Hebitaka is held by Fujai so guess the news is better, SPACE is through! Knockout round return for the Astronauts.

Well, thats the end of the good news. Now SPACE play TJun-ia and these Jaguars are fiesty. They are wanting to win. Space wants to win too but they are not Jaguar's. it will be difficult and tough and finally the meeting will be again with Tjun-ia. They have the call "Go Jags!" well we also will have a call "Go 'Nauts!" lets do it for all of SPACE!

[PotatoFarmers]

Red Panjias make up for loss against Confederates with a 5-0 hammering of Brittland Isles
As reported by Sporting Daily

The Red Panjias have showcased their determination and grit to bounce back from a defeat against familiar foes Squronshelan Remnant States to trash Brittland Isles 5-0, securing their spot in the Round of 16.

In what has been termed as a "do or die match", manager Suliaha pulled off a really strong team aimed at securing all 3 points. With North Alexia, who bounced back from their opening 0-8 loss against our team with 3 solid wins, playing against the Confederates, the Red Panjias just have to ensure that they secure more points that North Alezia to prevent themselves from getting to a shock group stage elimination on their title defence. Adnan Suliaha player his strongest front 3 of Shakira, Joel and Pete, and was instantaneously rewarded with a 18th minute goal. The opposition, who have been poor all tournament, provided some firm resistance, taking special interest in our veteran captain Shakira Handris. Frustrated, Handris was only able to help Haodao with a second goal by slipping the ball past a defender who failed to reach for the ball in time, and Adnan threw on Iulianus to inject more livelihood in the team.

With Gisiik Moonar and Daas Taisg pulling the strings in midfield, it was substitute Innocenti who got a nice through ball from Moonar - the classic assist, and Innocenti had to just tap it in to ensure the Red Panjias maintain a 3-0 lead with over 17 minutes on the clock. A late brace from Pete Carisa secured Poafmersia's 3 points and gave them a ticket to the Round of 16 - though this is the much harder route to the finals.

Following the results, Poafmersia has clinched their knockout stages spot in second place, playing against a Reçuçen side aiming to cause lots of trouble. It could have easily been a Round of 16 repeat of what happened 4 years ago, when they played Squronshelan Remnant States in the Round of 16 of IAC 10, but instead, Poafmersia awaits them in the Round of 16. The two sides last met in the World Cup 85 qualifiers, which ended in draws for both fixtures. The winner of the fixture will next play former champions New Lusitania or rising stars Squidroidia, a match which is likely to be yet another slug fest.

---

Katiri Hedge was busy pacing up and down the room, horrified at the bracket.
"This may be actually ridiculous. If we win Reçuçen tomorrow, we may very well be playing New Lusitania in the IAC again. A side who is out for blood, because we have killed their hopes before. Even if it would be the Inklings, I think it can't get any better, because we should not fail to forget that we lost to them in IAC10. And in the semifinals, probably we will play the Confederates again, else it would be TJUN-ia who is likely to be the one waiting for us. And not to mention a possible third straight final against HUElavia."

"All is well," said Adnan Suliaha. "These players are very well capable of bouncing back from a loss even stronger. The experience in the World Cup has taught them a lesson."

"Adnan, I am not sure if you are just trying to counteract me once again, but I feel extremely worried. Look at what happened against the Confederates..."

"It was an accident."

"What?"

"The players underestimate our opponents. A side whom we have not lost to in 4 attempts before, and they chose to think that they will win again. Thankfully, that lesson isn't fatal, and we could very well be on our way to making sure that the team only puts in 100% after this."

"You are too optimistic"

"And you are too pessimistic," said Adnan. "We have always balanced out each other. No harm at all. In fact, I think the team needs to maintain that balance to move forward."

"You know, I have times where I disagree with your opinion," said Katiri. He sat down on a chair. "Sure, we are friends and all, and usually we reconcile our differences. This time is different. The situation calls for caution."

"Is 3 clean sheets not good enough?"

"Tell that to Kistina Galaxy."

Adnan laughed. "Yeah but we don't have elves calling the shot."

Poafmersia 3-1 Treekidistan
Scorers: Makana Tuft 40' (assist by Gisiik Moonar), 81'; Iulianus Innocenti 63' (assist by Shakira Handris)
Kristy Johnson 17'
Lineup: Sandi Jaliaha; Nasri Sanchez, Mitchel Rosales, Alex Hoboson; Dargis Walshor, Gisiik Moonar, Daas Taisg (Arnold Shwentin 56'), Aubrey Mayer; Iulianus Innocenti, Shakira Handris (c), Makana Tuft

SRS 3-1 Poafmersia
Scorers: Pete Carissa 27'
Walda Harkhan 11'; Lyzolda Petrov 45+1', 80'
Lineup: Sandi Jaliaha; Nasri Sanchez, Mitchel Rosales, Alex Hoboson; Dargis Walshor, Gisiik Moonar, Daas Taisg (Arnold Shwentin 65'), Aubrey Mayer; Shakira Handris (c), Makana Tuft (Joel Haodao 72') Pete Carisa

Poafmersia 5-0 Brittland Isles
Scorers: Joel Haodao 18', 51' (assist by Shakira Handris); Iulianus Innocenti 73' (assist by Gisiik Moonar); Pete Carisa 80', 90+1' (assist by Aubrey Mayer)
Lineup: Nicole Potts; Nasri Sanchez, Mitchel Rosales, Alex Hoboson; Dargis Walshor, Gisiik Moonar, Daas Taisg, Aubrey Mayer; Joel Haodao Shakira Handris (c - Iulianus Innocenti 57'), Pete Carisa

[HUElavia]

Disappointing Draw gives HUElavia a Challenging Test for Knockouts!

HUElavia 1-1 Al Wadiya
(Tiong Belleza 40' | Mameyadov 68')
(Alexandrovsk-Sakhalinsky Arena, Saĥalena-Urbeto)

Coming into Matchday 5, HUElavia was already guaranteed to advance to the Round-of-16 for the 5th consecutive time. This was especially the case after the team came off a throbbing 3-0 victory over Devonta to secure their place. As a result of this success. Coach Salgado Lacerda opted to play with mainly his B-Team, except with Liberman and Sol playing as starters. Marin was the starting Goalie and D'Aquila was the Captain for this match. The Home Special Uniform was worn for the match, debuting another uniform combination in this tournament. The match was played at Alexandrovsk-Sakhalinsky Arena (21,484), in Saĥalena-Urbeto. This match was heavily Pro-HUElavia, with thousands of HUElavians flocking to the stadium to support the team. Once the anthems were played, the coin was flipped and the ball was rolling to close out Group G.

From the start, HUElavia was playing fairly calm and the players took turns taking shots at Kankhava. The opening shot came at 6 minutes, when Tiong Belleza sent a cross into the box, only for the now recovered Moutinho-Figo getting a header in and it was deflected by Kankhava to go out for a corner. Al Wadiya had their own chances, with the first one coming in the 17th minute, when Edinson got the ball from Al Maktoum, taking a shot that was catched by Marin and she rolled it out to continue the play. Time ticked away and the fans felt there could be more being done by the backup players. The opening goal would come in the 40th minute, when Sol won the ball from Edminson, and ran on the right flank, getting to the byline, where he sent a low pass into the box, and passing Abdedov, Tiong Belleza appeared out of nowhere to tap the ball past a scrambing Kankhava into the goal to make it 1-0. The HUElavian crowd jumped up and cheered loudly and passionately to make the stadium rumble, while One more Time played in the background. Tiong Belleza did the Sign of the Cross and cheered with joy, while going to the bench to celebrate with her teammates and the bench. Shortly after some additional minutes, the half ended, and both the team and fans alike were happy with the result.

The second half had a similar tempo to the first half, where both teams continued taking shots at one another throughout the half. Al Wadiya had some more chances, but not enough to worry Marin, who made routine saves or saw the ball go out for a goal kick. Al Wadiya would have their opportunity to strike, as in the 68th minute, Muller got the ball from Savedra (in for Tiong Belleza), and was looking for someone to pass to. She got dispossessed by Mameyadov, who was unmarked and ran one-on-one with Marin, who came charging at him to make a save, but he took a shot to slot it past Marin and into the bottom right corner of the goal, making it 1-1. Mameyadov celebrated with his teammates while the small, but notable crowd of supporters for Al Wadiya celebrated with joy. HUElavia began to attack some more, taking shots left and right, bringing on Hamada-Navarro and Conti-Esposito (in for Moutinho-Figo and Mantovani-Jardim respectively), looking to open up the match. Despite the shots, Kankhava made the saves necessary to prevent any more goals from coming in. At the end, HUElavia had to deal with the 1-1 draw, but knowing they advanced into the Round-of-16.

With the other results from Group G being Omerica defeating Devonta 3-0 and HUElavia drawing 1-1 with Al Wadiya, this means that Omerica win Group G with 12 Points (4-0-1), while HUElavia advance with 11 Points (3-2-0). Thus, Los Amarillos/Os Amarelos have a very formidible opponent for the Round-of-16: Group H winners, Drawkland. The #7 team in the IAC Rankings has a similar history to HUElavia in the competition, being the fact that they have also played in 4 consecutive IAC Finals, winning only one title of four possible ones. In reality, both teams have participated in 8 of the 11 previous finals combined, or about 72% of the Finals in the IAC. This is the 2nd time these two teams have faced, only meeting in the Group Stage of IAC 5, 32 years ago. The A-Team for both teams will be used, with in the case of HUElavia, Ramos will start in goal and Navarro will be Captain for the match. The Home Alternative Uniform will be used for HUElavia. The match will be played at Dynamo Stadium Makarov (29,970) in Makarov. The team continues to train hard and study film to prepare for this historic match. The team also contiunes to see their Sport Psychologists to help them overcome the draw and push forward with motivation for the match against Drawkland. The fans are looking forward to the match and are planning to flock to the stadium, with banners and prayers for Los Amarillos/Os Amarelos. A Phantom of Failure lingers on these two teams, both of them looking to exercise this phantom, in the quest for the IAC Glory. Here's to what can be a historic match.

FORCA HUELAVIA! VAMOS HUELAVIA! GO HUELAVIA!

Drawkland vs HUElavia Intro

Tonight, we have one of the most tantalizing, yet simultaneously morbid match. Two teams come in sharing a very similar story in this competition.

On one end, Drawkland. A nation that played in 4 consecutive IAC Finals, only to win it in a Penalty Shootout 24 years ago. Now, they seek to come back to the top of the IAC, wanting to win it all. Led by Rodger Apollo, the team has been scorching defenses in their run throughout this tournament.

On the other end, HUElavia. The other nation that has played in 4 consecutive IAC Finals, failing to win it each time. They continue to push forward in order to attain the title that's eluded them for nearly 16 years now. Led by Marc Navarro, the team continues to dazzle spectators with their specatular goals and flexiblity on the ball throughout this torunament.

One had a gradual rise that lead to a historic peak, and looks to return to that form. The other came from being an overnight sensation to the perennial contender looking to win it all. These two teams might as well be looking into a mirror at each other.

In what is a Final in terms of quality and strength of these two teams, it does not matter what are the narratives of these two teams. It's simple stuff: Win and your IAC Dream continues into the Quarter Finals. Lose, and it's a long trip home.

Tonight, these teams will arm themselves with the very best players they have to offer. All for the desire of moving forward in this grand tournament, one that brings together so many dreams from so many regions, just to be named the very best of the Independent Associations Championship.

So, do all your pregame rituals to bring luck and support for your team. Do all the prayers you need to do. Sing all the songs you want to sing about your team. Cause your team needs you right now.

Here's to what can be a historic match in IAC History. One that keeps one of these two dreams alive.

As a saying goes: You gotta beat the best to be the best.

Match 128

Match 6

Drawkland vs HUElavia

[Sannyamathland]

Sports Times

The Lions Create History

Chubukov scored 2 goals to lead the Lions to victory

Sannyamathland:3-2:Abanhfleft
It was a historic moment for the Sannyamathland national team, as they qualified for the Round of 16 of an Independent Association Championship, for the first time in their sporting history. It was a difficult fixture of the Lions as they had to face an Abanhfleft side who were equally determined to proceed to the Round of 16. For this match, Kramnik had made 2 changes to the squad that had lost against Tequilo. Philips was made to sit on the bench, while Max Asov got his 2nd start of this tournament. Vladinovich was replaced by the 21 year old Ostrovsky in the defense. These 2 changes proved to be decisive. Although it was an Abanhfleft player who scored the first goal of this match. Kelly McGinnis opened the scoring for Abanhfleft before Sandiev equalised in the 36th minute. No other goals were scored in the first half. The 3 other goals were scored in the 2nd half. Chubukov scored his first goal in the 52nd minute to give the Lions a one goal lead. This was followed by a chaotic performance, in which Mount missed a penalty and Amelie Rusev's long shot hit the woodworks. After numerous failed attempts, Chubukov finally scored his second goal in the 79th minute. Chubukov made no mistake in receiving Mount's clever backpass, and fired the ball into the goal, as Churchill made a failed attempt to save it. Rusev finally scored a goal in the 83rd minute, but that was not enough to save her team from being eliminated. As the referee blew the final whistle, the players burst into celebrations. Chubukov was warned by the referee for making obscene gestures at the opposition supporters. Nevertheless, the Lions truly did a great job, something that will be remembered by the people of Sannyamathland for a long time. If we can qualify for the Round of 16, then we can definetely qualify for the Finals, and can also win this thing if we try hard. Let's go Lions !

[Squornshelan Remnant States]

A Return to the Knockouts
Salwan Mynhier; BINSAKULA, Almuzahara

Ok, full disclosure here, I'm not actually in Binsakula right now, nor have I been for a couple days. That title line is a lie. I'm writing this from Metropolon (look, you try finding a flight to Sonnel that doesn't connect through Drawkland). As some of you may already know, I took the opportunity to crash a press conference in Muralos, where the Imperium is being even more horrible than usual to one of its citizens. Luckily, it seems like she managed to give them the slip long enough to get into protective custody with Muralosian authorities. So, a good day all around. A young woman's life is no longer in imminent danger, and I got the chance to mercilessly embarrass their stooge of a manager in front of the sporting press of the multiverse. Chalk one up for the good guys!

In the meantime, our Black-and-Reds have put the finishing touches on an undefeated group stage, and are beginning to look like a dark horse contender. Their victory over Poafmersia was one of the surprises of the tournament thus far, as the Red Panjias had looked unstoppable up to that point, and followed up their loss with a 5-0 annihilation of Britland Isles. The Black-and-Reds were perhaps a little fortunate, earning an early corner that Walda Harkhan was able to get her head on, outmuscling Sanchez on the leap. Carissa struck back for Poafmersia, but Petrov added her third of the tournament just before the halftime whistle to restore the lead, and her fourth late in the match to seal it. She was in good form again facing North Alezia, opening the scoring on an excellent individual effort, dribbling past Kazada and Shamaima before capping off her run with a powerful shot to the bottom corner that eluded San Rousvalais. Sharifuddin managed to equalize on a good layoff from Saratov early in the second half, only for Takala to reply just a couple minutes later. He took advantage of too much attention paid to Petrov's movement off the ball, and walked forward into the space he was given for the shot.

With the group stage done with, our attention turns to the knockouts. The bracket draw has definitely been more forgiving to the Black-and-Reds than to some other teams. Our half of the bracket is still definitely the stronger, but our particular quarter is second-weakest by IAC rank. Up top, three previous champions and a likely future one will slug it out for a single semifinal spot, with Reçueçn (7.164), Poafmersia (18.147), New Lusitania and the Algarves (14.908), and Squidroidia (11.417). This is the clear quarter of death, rivaled in strength only by the bottom quarter. Over in Muralos, we find the co-hosts themselves (5.778), Tequilo (12.5), along with perpetual runners-up Drawkland (8.266) and HUElavia (15.46). Brutal. Our section of the bracket is quite a bit more modest, without having any extreme outliers at the low end. The Black-and-Reds (4.596) are grouped with Silver Beach (3.953), Space (5.373), and TJUN-ia (7.393). Rounding out the quarters is by far the weakest on paper, featuring upset-minded teams from Ginadjkrum (1.333) and (1.778), longtime IAC participants and former champions Omerica (5.907) and the Imperium itself (6.82). This week, perhaps more than ever before, we are all pulling for les Incorrigibles.

For our own match, the Black-and-Reds will remain in Binsakula, where they are considered narrow favorites over Silver Beach, and would be underdogs in a hypothetical quarterfinal match against either TJUN-ia or Space. The Silverians play a significantly more aggressive style, employing a back four with two holding midfielders, but the other four players employed primarily in the attack. It is very nearly a mirror image to Groothuis's own 4-2-3-1, just skewed slightly forward. Captain Oren Set is the key player for them, although some confederate fans may recognize Ishmael Rosenstein as the successor to Jinkzta Ulcviecel at Jinja City after the former Interblag man retired. It will be important for Hashemi, Marrish, and Takala to be on their game early. I would also expect Groothuis to opt for Naqvi out left, for the way she can use her technical skills to help the team hold possession. The Black-and-Reds manager has declined to comment on her lineup or tactical choices as of yet. "I'm satisfied overall with our past few matches, though I do think we need to tighten things up at the back a bit going forward," she explained, "We keep finding a way to let the opposition get one, and we can't afford to give anything away in the knockouts."

It has been a full two cycles since the Black-and-Reds last knockout victory in any tournament: a thrilling penalty shootout over Reçueçn. To find the last knockout wins before that, you have to go all the way back a further two cycles to our third-place finish in IAC 8, and quarterfinal appearance at Cup of Harmony 75. No one at home in the Confederacy needs to be told this, but to my foreign readers: the country really, really needs this. With the Imperium prospering while committing heinous crimes with apparent impunity, a decent run for the good guys would really be welcome. We put our faith in you Anne-Sophie, bring it home.


Goalscoring:

5 - Petrov
2 - Takala
1 - W. Harkhan
1 - Hashemi
1 - Naqvi
1 - Starosta

SRS Schedule and Results:

MD1: SRS 3-1 TKD @ Conceição National Sporting Center (cap. 26,000)
MD2: SRS 1-1 BIS @ Conceição National Sporting Center (cap. 26,000)
MD3: QOD 1-2 SRS @ Binsakula Workers’ Stadium (cap. 28,300)
MD4: SRS 3-1 PFA @ Hassan Conceição Memorial Field (cap. 31,600)
MD5: NAZ 1-2 SRS @ Binsakula Workers’ Stadium (cap. 28,300)
R16: SRS  v  SVB @ Binsakula Workers’ Stadium (cap. 28,300)

[Recuecn]

Margaret has blessed us.

We made our sacrifices at her altar with gladness in our hearts, and she repaid our diligence with victory and honor. When we were young in the world, she gave us the power to carry her banner, and with her might, we carried it further than anyone believed we could. When no one knew our name, we won an IAC medal, and the people said, "This is Margaret's child." Before we were listed among the nations of the world, we went into battle and showed our worth on the pitch against all others, even unto the world cup. And the people said, "This is Margaret's favored son."

When we returned to the IAC, we were crowned with the victor's wreath and given the champion's trophy. Once more in the World Cup, we proved that our success was no whim of Margaret, but Maggie's will - her good, pleasing, and perfect plan. We returned again, a third time, and then a fourth. We entered Margaret's holy temple and brought back her word to the people. By Margaret's grace we were here to stay; a new nation, conceived in destiny, and dedicated to the proposition that all nations are created equal. You do not know what a day may bring, for Margaret may say unto herself, "Fuck it, we're using SQIS today", and all your designs be thrown awry.

But we have lost Margaret's blessing.

For Margaret examined us, and saw in our hearts that we took pride in ourselves, and credited to ourselves what was not our accomplishment. So Margaret said, "I will lay low this upstart nation, and the peoples of the earth shall see that my arm is long and my hand is mighty. Not by might, nor by power, Reçueçn, did you qualify unranked and maintain a perfect World Cup qualification streak, nor by the strength of horses and chariots, because how the hell is that applicable in a sporting context, but by my spirit did you succeed."

And lo, we haven't made it past the IAC round of sixteen ever since winning the damn thing. Nor did Margaret see fit for us to carry her banner once more unto the World Cup, but banished us to the lower realms, that we should suffer in the pits of hell - I mean, the Cup of Harmony - until we learned to repent and change our ways.

And so here we are, amid trial and tribulation, once more in an IAC round of sixteen, only this time it's absolutely fucking stacked. For now we are engaged in a great battle, testing whether our nation, or any other nation drawn into this knockout bracket, can long endure. We see the greatest nations of our generation destroyed by madness, dragging themselves through the gauntlet at dawn, struggling one against another to survive into the next round. The mighty tremble and are afraid: Omerica, Huelavia, Squornshelous, Drawkland, Tequilo, Poafmersia, all must face a moment of truth.

And yet one thing remains. Margaret's blessing may still be seen, guiding those who trust in Her. Blessèd are those on whom her favor rests, Ginadjkrum and Sannyamathland^[who?], who under her hand have come safely this far and one of whom shall continue even onward. As Poafmersia finally kicks our ass, Margaret shall extend her banner to one of these nations, and they shall bear her sign unto the world.

Therefore let us repent, examining within ourselves why we have lost faith in Margaret and put our pride in ourselves, attempting to do by human power what is the right of RNG alone. Let us confess our helplessness and praise Maggie in our hearts, hoping that She may once more find favor in us and extend to us her blessing, not as something we have earned, but as a symbol of her grace. For this nation which we thought hallowed is no special place, no holy ground that may not be trampled, just as those who ruled the World Cup once thought themselves safe from upstart challenges.

May Margaret grant us her strength, in winning or in losing, that we find joy in the game, and smile, counting ourselves proud as the IAC to have among ourselves such a stalwart roll of nations, a region without a region, worthy of respect.

Maggie's will be done, Amen.

[Drawkland]

IAC-12 SONNEL SUFFERING!
Written By: Craig Bakker and Natalie Dawson

---

We have good news, and we have bad news. The good news is that, as expected, Drawkland topped their group. We had four victories, one loss, and that one loss was to a Sonnelian side. All things considered, it's the ideal cycle for us! This is where the good news ends. For starters, this tournament was expected to be a coming-out party for Sonnel in the IAC. Unfortunately, this didn't come to pass. Only two of the six Sonnelians to enter IAC-12 have qualified for the playoffs, which is unfortunate. Still, it's cool that we're not the only ones anymore. Further bad news occurs when we consider who we're playing the first round of the playoffs. All that and more further in the article!

My name is Craig Bakker, defender for the Elite Eleven Kick Corps, and I've been asked to author most of this article. Enjoy.

vs SQUORNSHELOUS
Being the top team in our group, the chances of advancement were very high. Our second pot side in Squornshelous were our biggest threat to advancement. Juvencus and United Pink States, two Sonnelian nations, were also in our group. We were hoping that the Squornish would take a couple too many upsets and maybe another Sonnel squad would sneak through in the second slot in the group, but ultimately our priority is for us. Our first match would be our hardest, taking on Squornshelous to open the play here in Muralos.

I'm not going to pretend to have any idea on what Squornshelous's deal is, but one of their players, Tyra Volam, knelt while their anthem played. According to the information we were given pre-match, we were led to believe Volam would be starting the match in the midfield, but after the "stunt" she pulled in the pregame, she was apparently pulled from the game. We couldn't see her on the bench or anything. Weird, and a little alarming, but it's not our place to deal with that shit. Anyway, that seemed to have the entire Squornshelan squad on edge, and we were able to capitalize. Both our teams are quite offensive in nature, and their defense was the weaker link.

Over the course of the match, our defense was on-point, especially thanks to yours truly. Our lowest point came in the 68th minute, when an impressive blocked shot by their goalie Hege Vogdahl went into the feet of one of their defenders, Dorthe Storvoll, who cleared the ball quickly. This flipped field and threw them into the counterattack, which we were a bit to slow to catch up to. Lucia Krupin ended up with the ball down the middle with an extra step on Nick Kingston, and she managed to net the shot past Septimus Xander to score. By then we were already up (Mike Rodney 14', Jaxon Madison 33'), so this just made the score 2-1. When play restarted, they seemed to be a little more confident now that they were on the board. In my opinion, they were a little overconfident, and I took advantage of that by managing to disrupt a pass by their offense and we had a counterattack of our own, punctuated by the final goal of the game (Madison, 74'). It was a very good win to start the campaign, and set the stage for things to come.

SONNEL DOUBLEHEADER
After the big matchup against Squornshelous, we got to play two Sonnel nations in a row, which was a great treat. The first of these two matches would be against the easier opponent, that being the relatively "newer" nation of the United Pink States. I must convince, I'm not really what you'd describe as a "geography expert," so I can't tell you a whole lot about the UPS as a nation. I know they're on the Tuncalp continent, which is pretty close to us if you go by the Navis Ocean. You could also go the other direction across the entire rest of the planet. I'm not sure why you'd do that, but I guess if you believed in the Flat Sonnel Theory then that'd be your only option.

One thing I do know about the United Pink States: they really wanted to beat us. It feels a bit egotistical to say it, but we truly are the top dogs of Sonnel. Taking points off of us is a point of pride for probably everybody on the planet that isn't us. It's cool to be the most important team in the region, but it also puts a big target on our back. The Couriers only had one win in their IAC campaign, and that win came against us. Their team is normally pretty balanced, but they employed a rock-solid defense for this match that made life hard for us. Byron Smith, their captain, was the only player to score all game. Halftime we were deadlocked at zero, and in the 71st minute he benefitted from a pretty assist by Ava Brookdale to cash in and score. From there, they managed to hang on for the remaining 20 minutes and come away with the upset victory.

At the time, I was pretty salty about the loss, especially because our campaign was in a bit of jeopardy, but now that we've advanced, I don't mind the loss. Plus, does anybody remember the Pinksters' victory over Eura last qualifiers? That was the straw that broke the camel's back and relegated Eura to the CoH. The United Pink States may not have a truly elite team (yet), but damn if they don't have the ability to show up for big games. Hopefully we'll see more from them someday, because that's the makeup of an elite team, if they can start getting the results against weaker opposition.

The second half of our Sonnel doubleheader was a renewing of the Revoda Sea Rivalry. Juvencus, our brothers to the south, had been in a slump for a few years. However, they've recently come back with more fire, looking to make a name for themselves again. This would be the first matchup in a meaningful setting against Gli attacanti since Baptism of Fire 64, and the first time us in the Elite Eleven have gone head-to-head with them. We were pretty hyped for the matchup, and knowing our offensive-leaning tactics, we figured it would be a high-scoring game.

That simply wouldn't be on the cards, though. At first it seemed like it, as Ross Hunter cashed in his first goal of the game early, just in the 12th minute. From there, though, both our teams were just a little out of sync. The defense did our job, and so did Juvencus's. Our strikers weren't really clicking on all cylinders, and neither were theirs. It was simply not an ideal game for either of us, but at least it ended in a win for us!

FINAL STRETCH
We'd play two newcomer nations to end the group stage, which was ideal since we needed points to stay ahead in the race. We'd likely be playing one of HUElavia or Omerica in the Round of 16 thanks to the bracket, so we'd prefer to have the easier draw by finishing first in the group. Thus, these two games to end the group stage would be vital to come away not only with points, but with wins. The first of these was our easiest match, that being against Galimencia. We didn't have any scouting information on these guys, so we didn't know what to expect, but we figured they'd probably be a middling squad with little cohesion.

That would end up being the case, and our offense ran rampant over them. We had three goals in the first half (Rodney 21', Garnet 36', Apollo 44'), and in the second half we did some of our signature fancy shot attempts, since that's what we like to do in blowout games. Mike Rodney managed to cash in one, getting a solid bicycle kick goal in the 69th minute (pretty sure he did that on purpose) to make it 4-0. Later in the game, essentially camped on their half of the pitch, we had a long possession where nearly everybody got shots in. Who else but I, Craig Bakker, came in to score the last goal of the game? As a defender, scoring goals is rare, but it's so sweet when I manage to net one.

That win confirmed our spot on the top of the group. We were tied with Squornshelous on points, but our MD1 victory gave us the head-to-head advantage over them in the table. The only thing standing in the way of our potential qualification was the new nation of Lorrana, who sat at 7 points compared to our 9. As long as we didn't lose this game, we would advance. If we lost but Squornshelous lost as well, we'd advance in the second position behind Lorrana, while a draw compared to a Squorn win would have us advance in second position under Squornshelous instead.

At that time, HUElavia had just confirmed their advancement to the playoffs in Group G, so we wanted to be in first place for the group to avoid having to take on the perennial runners-up. A win against Lorrana is just what we needed, though it felt a little bad eliminating a new team who'd been having a breakout cycle. Technically they weren't new to international soccer, but this was their first IAC tournament. Unfortunately for them, their dream run would come to an end. Their team put up a solid fight, and for the first half, their defense was doing a good job at keeping the pressure up and making life difficult for our forwards. Their quick build-up was difficult to adjust to at first. While we got the first points on the board in the 17th minute thanks to a penalty shot by Apollo, Lorrana struck back quickly. Their midfielder Kiyon was one we knew we had to watch, but their set piece was executed to perfection, and Kiyon struck gold in the 21st minute, and the score was tied. The pressure was working, but on occasions a bit too well. Apollo would get another penalty opportunity in the first half, and he'd cash in again in the 40th minute to make it a 2-1 game by halftime.

This is where the game started to turn around in our favor. Lorrana had a good, strong start, but their defensive pressure was starting to wear our their defenders more than our forwards, and they began to lose a step. On top of this, our defense managed to catch on to their schemes and interfere before they could get plays going. From there, we managed a couple scores on counterattacks (Hanson 62', Hunter 78'), and the last ten minutes of the game was spent mostly with us surrounding the Lorrana goal, as their defense was too gassed to keep up. The final score came in the 86th minute, with Dominic Southers hitting the net to make the final score 1-5. It was a well-fought game by Lorrana though, and we're excited to see what kinds of things they can achieve in future tournaments.

SONNELIAN PERFORMANCE
As far as Sonnelian nations are concerned, this was a pretty disappointing outing. It's true that the odds were a little stacked against us to begin - half the Sonnelian nations were in the same group, and two were in another group together. While this was cool to foster some of those regional rivalries, it was sad that the friendly fire would result in some of the teams would definitely miss out on the playoffs. At best, only 5/6 Sonnelian nations could possibly make the playoffs, and after a few games into the group stage, it was clear that it would be even fewer. Plus, only half of us even got to play in Sonnel! Muralos is a great nation and I'm glad we made the trip out here, but I wish we were playing in Almuzahara right now. Oh well!

Oscioru and United Pink States were both low-pot nations that weren't expected to advance. They both ended with a 1-1-3 record and finished fifth in their groups. Something to build on perhaps, but we don't really expect them to do anything for another couple cycles at least.

Juvencus were a little disappointing this time around. They went 1-2-2, with a loss to us (I can't complain) and a draw to United Pink States (ideal). They lost to Squornshelous on the final matchday, which was unfortunate, but it was expected. By then they were already eliminated, thanks to an earlier draw to Lorrana which took too many points off the board for gli attacanti. Had they won that match against Lorrana, they would've been sitting at 7 points instead, and their match against Squornshelous would've been decisive for who advances to the playoffs, rather than our match with Lorrana. We know Juvencus is a quality nation that can produce a World Cup-level squad, and I hope we see that from then again sometime soon.

Silver Beach and Almuzahara, newly-minted rivals thanks to last cycle's 7 Nation Cup, were drawn together in Group A. This was a situation where, despite Almuzahara being only one cycle removed from their debut, and Silver Beach not achieving much in the IAC lately, we could realistically see both teams advance. Almuzahara, being hosts, acted as the Pot 1 team, and Silver Beach were a decent Pot 3 side. The main nation in the way of this dream? Reçueçn (those bastards that rigged IAC-8). Silver Beach sat at 3-0-1 going into the final matchday, with qualification ensured. Almuzahara had a worse start, being 1-2-1 going into the final match. With Reçueçn sitting a point above Almuzahara, and set to face Silver Beach, all Almuzahara had to do is win against bottom pot Britonisea and pray their Sonnelian rivals could take points off of Reçueçn.

Unfortunately, this didn't pan out, and the dream of both Sonnelians escaping Group A fell through. Silver Beach still qualified, though they were now in 2nd place thanks to being tied on points and losing by head-to-head against Reçueçn. You reap what you sow, Silverians!

Ultimately, Sonnel's citizens had a little less to cheer for by the end of this group stage as opposed to the start. Maybe next year, fellas, maybe next year.

PLAYOFF PROJECTION
So, we managed to capture first place in the group thanks to our final matchday win over Lorrana and our first matchday win over Squornshelous. Our reward? Playing HUElavia in the first round of the playoffs. This is the exact matchup we were trying to avoid by getting first place! Given the choice between HUElavia and Omerica, I'd rather play Omerica. Sure, "we" lost to Omerica in the IAC-7 final on home soil, but that was the old Kick Corps, not us. This game is a big matchup, and not one we hate to play in general, just one we hate to play so early in the playoffs.

The story of Drawkland and HUElavia in the IAC is interesting. Over two thirds of IAC championships have had either Drawkians or HUElavians playing in the final, despite the fact that we've never played each other at this stage. The Old Corps was renowned for choking in the IAC final, making the final four straight cycles (4-7) and only coming away with one victory (IAC-6 against Omerica). As we took over for them in representing Drawkland on the international stage, we took it a little less seriously and have had more subpar results in the playoffs. In our stead, HUElavia has gone on to make the final four times, but they've never lifted the trophy.

This is a game that I think everyone would've loved to see in the championship, a Championship of Chokers if you will. Sadly, one of us are going to go home early. The most twisted part of the joke is that, no matter who wins, we'll also have a gauntlet in the second round. We'll be facing either the madly underrated Tequilo, or the hosting Muralos on home soil. The other side of our bracket features Omerica vs Squornshelous, and "Ginadjkrum vs. Sannyamathland". No offense to these nations, who are clearly skilled enough to make the IAC playoffs, but this looks like my dog just attacked my keyboard and threw it on the floor. The fact that one of these nations is guaranteed a semifinal berth, and only one of Drawkland/HUElavia/Tequilo/Muralos are, is just too ridiculously depressing to me. The Almuzahara side of the tournament is only slightly better, but at least the Round of 16 matches are relatively tame (with the exception of Reçueçn vs. Poafmersia, which is like Drawkland vs. HUElavia but against teams who are actually good at winning).

As far our game against HUElavia, it will likely be a very exciting matchup. Like I said, it's sad one of us will be going home this early. Whoever wins will likely have to play Tequilo (our only meeting with Tequlo was them eliminating us from the quarterfinals of IAC-10, so I'm not really excited at the prospect of playing them against in the IAC quarterfinals), and whoever wins that matchup will probably go on to win the semi and play in the championship (likely against whoever comes out of the Reçueçn/Poafmersia/New Lusitania/Squidroidia piece of that bracket).

The dream of a Sonnel vs Sonnel IAC championship is still alive, though. The only possible option is Drawkland vs Silver Beach, and the chances of that are very slim. Really, it's entirely possible neither of us even make the quarterfinals. Either way, we'll be fighting our hardest for this dream, and maybe, just maybe, it'll happen.

Fat chance! Enjoy the Show of Suffering, the Play of Pain, between Drawkland and HUElavia. For the Elite Eleven, I'm Craig Bakker. On Corps, baby.

[Zwangzug]

The Arlington Moon-Tribune

The group stage of IAC 12 has concluded; Tequilo, resting several players due to injury and resting up for the knockout stages, were nevertheless able to sweep aside their Picksall Islands opponents. Pūdeve Gokaē earned the distinction of being the first player to score against the Pitxileros this tournament, three minutes after the restart. (Maybe having plenty of Cabañas effect is the secret; if you can't beat them, join them?) Elsewhere in the group, Sannyamathland defeated Abanhfleft to join Tequilo in the knockout stage.

What lies ahead for the Islanders? Some of the sides that participate in the IAC are known WCC members, and the Picksall Islands have at least as valid a claim to autonomy as some disputed territories (don't ask us what the bleep is going on in the Squornsheli, we don't know either). However, it seems unlikely that they will compete at that level, not so much due to mediocrity (again, they don't have to be good to be at least a match for some of these nations) as to lack of full-fledged "autonomy." It's one thing to show up while the rest of the country is watching baseball or whatever; it's another to show up while Zwangzug are high seeds in some other, or maybe the same, qualifying group. If the Picksall Islands can, why not the Zebra Isles? Or an "indigenous" all-Namiri side? (To be clear, that was satire, not a suggestion.) Perhaps the fact that they let the Islands do their own thing is an indirect way of the Zwangzug federation snubbing the FFI and their diacritic shenanigans. More likely, they just don't care, and it was left to Higden--normally so reserved both on and off the pitch--to take an unlikely leap forward and put the Picksall Islands on the footballing map. Figuratively, if not literally.

Quita (3, 72), Iscla (26), Çenturion (45+1), Chicote (59); Gokaē (48), Waukan (67)

Sentence of the day:

Bēg būnemyēk pa vokā. We cannot sing in church. (Our foreign correspondents tried to report on some international Easter celebrations but apparently they got stuck in a country that still has lockdowns going on for some reason, oops.)

[New Lusitania and the Algarves]

STL | Serviços de Transmissão Lusitana | EN
Sport | Football
IAC 12 - Independent Associations Cup

THE NEEDED RESULT WITH SOME SPRING
New Lusitania 3-0 Gadhavi
@Kulun Stadium, Alfira/Elvira, Almuzahara (Att: 21 501)

With three impressive showings now with 16 goals scored, New Lusitania put their next opponent, Gadhavi, in sight. Patríce would start his third game of the tournament, alongside seasoned defender Leiteiro, Cancela being the only defensive player remaining from the previous match. Guerra, Palhagueira, Caldeirão, Pereira and Veiga would be starters in midfield, Fernando being the only and most clear absence from the middle of the park as Silveira and Paciente were the choices up front. After the match, these choices were, of course, questioned considering the form being given and the fact that the game could secure progression early at the start. Francisco Grilo would answer that “of course we wanted to progress today, that was always the plan but in part (he) wanted to rest some of the players while also giving some very important time to others”. The game was very clearly a test and a roadmap for World Cups 88-90, in theory, as we see the exclusion of some of the older players, Leiteiro being the exception to this. The midfield in particular has the absence of Fernando and Gama who will probably be leaving the unit after ‘88.
The sweltering Almuzahara sun set behind the horizon as these two teams started to put their all onto the pitch. New Lusitania as expected, took a lot longer to get into the swing of things as the team was completely different. Gadhavi, who had yet to make a singular point in the group were fighting for pride at this point, but it wouldn’t matter as they pressed on and with the Selecção still finding a footing, it’s no wonder that nearing half-time it was still a quite dull goalless draw. Space at this instance were leading meaning that despite all those goals, a lead change could happen on the fourth match. A Equipa das Quinas had an invitation to score though as what could only be classified as a silly defensive mistake gave away a penalty from the Gadhavi side. Silveira was the default pick and so would go up to the spot to take it – not needing a second invitation, the opening goal was taken quickly straight down the middle, as many penalties are nowadays. It was a nice boost just before halftime with a team that had been playing decently, all things considered.
With half-time over, the two teams returned to the pitch the second goal came fairly quick into the closing part as Caldeirão got a second goal in this IAC as Paciente delayed the ball back to give the youngster a clear shot at the net, which he took full advantage of. 0-2. The third goal came way later and really only served as a final nail in the coffin from substitute J.P.Dias up front, who managed only seventeen minutes of playtime but still got time enough to make an impact on the scoreline. A 3-0 scoreline was still a very convincing even if it wasn’t by as big a margin as the previous three. Space surprisingly drew against Hebitaka two all, giving the latter some hope of qualifying with Fujai out after a 1-1 draw with Oscioru. Hebitaka played Fujai and a win could possibly put them through depending on the New Lusitania result, but Space was likely through due to a very positive goal difference.

GROUP WIN SECURED WELL
Space 1-3 New Lusitania
@Alfira International, Alfira/Elvira, Almuzahara (Att: 28 619)

Matchday Five. Space is a daunting place and have some IAC pedigree but the press hailing from the Nauts’ home weren’t too confident that they could do much. Simultaneously, New Lusitania were wary of them especially because a defeat would mean they’d be unseeded in the Round of Sixteen. Patríce remained as well as Mendonça after a positive match, Ferradura returned with Cancela also keeping his position. Azinheira, Fernando, Horta, Caldeirão and Gama would be the midfield five, as Silveira and Jota would resume [/code][/code][/code]their positions up front. The Group Stage’s final matches commenced in Alfira with great expectation from both sides.
It was a well contested match, New Lusitania had a hard time breaking their opponent’s wall, but sure enough the first half would have goals. Fernando showed his ever-present and ever-importance with the first goal of the match, one that was a volley spurred by a corner taken from the left, from Horta. Before halftime, the Lusitanians let their guard down though and sure enough their first concession of the entire tournament came with a great equaliser – a curved shot with some real flair sent a message and a lot to think about during the fifteen-minute interval.
With everyone back on the pitch, the final forty-five minutes of the first phase awaited. Currently New Lusitania would qualify ahead on their goal differential due to the head-to-head draw, but Space were looking at a draw that could also progress them into the final sixteen. Both teams pressed on hard nonetheless, with good chances from both sides. It would be with New Lusitania it would pay dividends though as a second goal came on the sixty-seventh minute of play as Jota would capture another good counterattack to find his way to the goal. Space pressed on and even hit the post, but the third goal on eighty-two minutes really tied the game up completely as sub Veiga did a mad sprint down the middle of the park and handed it over to Silveira to finish with a good touch. The overall score doesn’t quite demonstrate how tough a good part of this match was for the Selecção but for now there’s some joy in being a seeded qualifier as they advance to the all-important knockouts on their way to the final.

THE FINAL SIXTEEN HAVE ARRIVED

[Muralos]

Cut-off for the Round of 16 matches in Almuzahara! With how exciting these matchups are, you could expect the games to get physical.

Reçueçn 0 - 3 Poafmersia
Stadium of the Vanguard, Al-Fayit, Almuzahara

New Lusitania and the Algarves 0 - 1 Squidroidia
Estadio Los Leones, Alfira, Almuzahara

Squornshelan Remnant States 1 - 2 Silver Beach
Binsakula Workers' Stadium, Binsakula, Almuzahara

TJUN-ia 2 - 1 Space
Moonlight Coliseum, Kuritibah, Almuzahara

Quarterfinal Match-ups in Almuzahara

Poafmersia vs. Squidroidia
Hassan Conceição Memorial Field, Binsakula, Almuzahara

Silver Beach vs. TJUN-ia
Alfira International, Alfira, Almuzahara

All matches will take place Tuesday, April 6, with the cut-off time being the same (15:00 to 16:00 Hawaiian Standard Time, or April 7th 01:00 to 02:00 UTC).

[Muralos]

La Gazeto de Sportoj
Muralosian National Soccer Team Advances to Knockout Stage of the 12th Independent Associations Championship
Hawks Are First Host Team Since IAC9 to Enter Knockout Stage
(Easter Egg: More of the IAC-12 on Social Media)
By Adamo Tanaka, Jonathan Liu, and Klara Antonova
April 3, 2021

(OOC: While this article does not cover the disappearance of Squornshelan soccer player Tyra Volam, Muralosian media has covered the investigation into Ms. Volam's whereabouts extensively, as well as news about the Muralosian police having sheltered her.)

URBO- On Friday, the Muralosian national soccer team advanced to the knockout stage of the 12th Independent Associations Championship after their final group stage match against Adab in Dynamo Stadium Nord-Urbo. The Hawks entered the match in a precarious situation. They were second in Group E to Ginadjkrum, but would lose that spot if they lost the match, or if they drew the match and Kohnhead won their final group stage match against Ginadjkrum.

Through the IAC-12, Adab had also proven itself to be a challenging opponent. Their team went 1-2-1 going into Friday's match, and the one win was a stunning 5-1 victory against Indusse. Adab had a respectable record in the 81st World Cup qualifiers as well. The same squad of Adabian players finished third in their qualifying group, behind the illustrious sporting nations of Audioslavia and Starblaydia.

Shortly after kickoff, Adab's team gained the upper hand, keeping the ball firmly in their possession. While the Hawks' Koralo Petrov tried to mount a counterattack in the 5th minute, passing the ball to Georgo Zhong (who started the match in place of Nikolaj Granda), Adab's Alulim Sinmuballit intercepted the pass. Sinmuballit started off a series of passes within the Adabian attacking front, and eventually, Ephraim Orlev passed the ball across to Adab's star player Enlilbani Yargab. Yargab scored a goal deep into the back of the net. While the ball took a straight trajectory, the Hawks' Rodion Markov mistakenly dove to the right.

"The Hawks have given their all through the IAC-12 group stage, and perhaps they need to today more than ever," RTM-1 commentator Kirill Chen said after Yargab's goal, his 6th in the tournament. "That was just a spectacular goal from the Adabian center forward."

Soon enough, the Hawks would begin to answer Yargab's goal. In the 14th minute, Adab's Taymour Frangieh tapped the ball out of bounds while challenging the Hawks' Vilhelmo Lumin. Lumin was awarded a corner kick, which Adamo Brava received expertly. Brava was not in an ideal position to score, however; he passed the ball diagonally to Georgo Zhong, who made a rather low-flying shot off to the right side of Adab's goal. With that, the Hawks had tied Adab 1-1. Six minutes later, the ball entered Muralos' attacking front again; Johano Abramovich advanced ahead of his Adabian counterparts Orlev and Sinmuballit. He then sent a curved cross to striker Valora Lin (standing in for Rui). Lin delivered with yet another low-flying goal.

Down 1-2, Adab's squad intensified their attack, creating several chances in the rest of the first half. A shot by Rebekah Yissakar hit the crossbar, and Emma Arthur was also awarded a corner, but the Hawks' Ryo Takeda cleared the ball after Arthur took the shot. Soon after this corner kick, Adab re-gained possession of the ball and Yargab took a shot on goal that Rodion Markov managed to catch.

The second half of the match seemed to mirror the first half, only with the Hawks winning possession at the start. Georgo Zhong made a long-range pass in Adamo Brava's direction. Brava managed to stop the ball off and tap it in Valora Lin's direction, leading to another goal of her's and the Hawks' third in the match. Not long after, the Hawks broke the flow of an Adabian counterattack. Reserve midfielder Lerta Donaldson ran with the ball and dispatched it into the top right corner of the net.

Georgo Zhong– a stellar assister for the Hawks, but less of a scorer– was awarded an indirect free kick with just 4 minutes left in the match. Zhong's free kick bounced off of Muralosian defender Rebeka Mori, after which the ball returned to him. This time, Zhong kicked the ball high, and it entered the goal, skimming the crossbar along the way.

FINAL
Muralos 5 - 1 Adab
Zhong 15', Lin 21', 50'; Donaldson 54', Zhong 86' | Yargab 5'

With that, the Muralosian national soccer team advanced to the knockout stage of the IAC-12, finishing second in Group E to Ginadjkrum. As a co-host of the IAC-12, Muralos is the first host nation to advance to the IAC’s knockout stage since HUElavia in the IAC-9.

"I am extremely thankful to have been able to score for the Hawks," Georgo Zhong told La Gazeto de Sportoj in a post-game interview. "It definitely helped that, for both of these goals, I knew that I had to get the ball to the net, first off the corner and then with the indirect free kick."

Muralos next faces Tequilo on Sunday, April 4th, in Spartak Stadium Okcidenta-Havenurbo. Tequilo is an impressive opponent, ranked 4th out of the 48 IAC-12 teams. When asked about Tequilo's squad, Muralosian assistant coach Hina Kageyama noted that "they are an especially organized squad with a strong attacking front"– adding confidently, though, that "the Hawks are prepared for teams like this. Our entire squad has been dotting their I's and crossing their T's." (Translator's note: Coach Kageyama used the following phrase that has entered the Esperanto lexicon on Muralos: "minding their ĉ's, ĝ's, and ŭ's." This phrase is analogous to its English counterpart about the letters i and t.)

The Muralos-Tequilo Round of 16 match will be broadcast live on RTM-1, Radio Muralana-Sportema (FM 90.1), and rtmnet.mur. Tickets for the match can be bought on biletoj.mur or by calling +8 42 245-3865.

Easter Egg: Another IAC-12 Moment, As Captured on Social Media
(OOC: These are social media posts by fictional users. Do not make mock social media posts for real people.)

Students Continue to Watch Games in School, as They Did During the IAC-11

All users gave La Gazeto de Sportoj permission to publish these posts.
The username iras-nova-sento is a reference to the first line of Muralos' de-facto national anthem "La Espero." [The line actually reads "En la mondon venis nova sento," which translates to English as "Into the world came a new feeling."] The anthem is a de-facto anthem, as it was used by advocates of the Esperanto language prior to Muralos' formation, and does not mention Muralos explicitly. Composed by Felicién de Menil with text by Esperanto's inventor L. L. Zamenhof, the anthem's lyrics describe a united world that has Esperanto as a common language. Here is a recording of "La Espero" by the a cappella choir Akordo.

An Inventive Teacher Comes Up With a Solution

Octavia Ruiz and Gao Hui gave La Gazeto de Sportoj permission to publish these posts.
(English translation:
"I teach computer science in high school. We coded a bot that detects when the Hawks score. When it does this, it plays a voice that says "[player name] has scored!" along with the score. No more checking phones or watching matches in class [presumably because the bot narrates the score in the middle of class]"
"I did not expect this many replies! Thank you very much. ^_^ Because many were interested, here is a link to the program and to an assignment prompt for [other computer science] teachers. octavia.gitnabo.mur/futbalabot.php"
From the RTM-1 commentator Gao Hui [verified]: "From one [former] teacher to another: you have solved one of the biggest problems in the classroom today!" [Gao Hui was a high school history teacher and soccer coach in Oleo before he became a commentator in 2020 for RTM-1, Muralos' national sports television network.])

[Squornshelous]

Scions, Chapter 4
Chapter 1, Chapter 1.5, Chapter 2, Chapter 3

The Muralosian police had set Tyra up in a student apartment. She occupied a small, spare bedroom. It had a thin mattress on a metal bedframe that creaked faintly when she lay down or rolled over. The walls were white, as was the dresser that was the single piece of furniture in the room. It was squarish, with black plastic handles, and the top drawer stuck on one side. Not that she had much of anything to put into it anyway. The officer who'd brought her here, Tyra had forgotten her name, had given her a shopping bag with a few essentials. A couple changes of clothes, toothbrush, soap, and so on. It all fit quite easily into the corner of the middle drawer.

The other rooms in the apartment were empty, except for the one used by the resident officer here. He'd said his name was Jakobo. His job was apparently to manage the safehouse, go out for groceries when necessary, and generally keep an eye on things. It was a strange feeling, being here with very little to do. Almost like being back in the hotel room. They'd asked her not to leave the apartment, nor to make any phone calls. There there was a TV she could watch though, and she ended up spending the majority of her time in front of it, sinking into the worn foam of its cushions. It was strange. Police dramas had been one of her favorite ways to unwind once. She'd never thought she might end up in the middle of one.

TV helped take her mind off of things. Relieved the silence, even if most of the programming was in Esperanto, meaningless babble to her. Watching the matches, or highlight shows, she didn't need to understand the commentary. When it became too much, and she just couldn't watch anymore, she paced, or retreated to her room. There was a window there where she could look out at Most of the view was blocked by the neighboring building, but from one side, she could just see the corner of a little park. She had decided she'd like to visit it once they let her out. Inevitably though, her thoughts would eventually turn inward.

Had this been the right decision? She would never regret kneeling. That had to be done, and she'd known it might cost her career, maybe even her freedom. She'd been prepared for that. This was something different. She'd requested asylum from a foreign country. That meant leaving home, probably forever, and there was no taking it back. As upset as the Imperial government had been before, it would be so much worse for her now if she tried to return. She didn't think she could stay here long term either. Apart from not speaking the language, it just wasn't home, though she supposed nothing would be now. It felt like deserting the people she wanted to help. How could she claim to stand with those fighting to change the country, and then turn around and leave the first chance she got? It wasn't at all what she'd imagined, what she'd hoped for.

The attention being paid to her as an individual was also a surprise. She'd found out since arriving at the safehouse that there had been quite a stir online about her absence. She felt a strange sort of gratitude toward those strangers who had tried to help her. She didn't know whether they'd really helped much, but Jakobo had read her some of their comments, and it was touching that strangers, people from across the multiverse would care. Still, it had never been her plan to become some kind of symbol. Attention needed to be brought to the struggle taking place at home, and she'd been in a position to accomplish it. It worried her how often she was able to hear her name in the football commentary, despite the language barrier. How each time her team was up for discussion, her face would eventually appear on the screen. The photo of her leaving the hotel, ducking into a police car, still draped in the hotel's blanket had apparently become a meme. No one in the Muralosian police had apparently thought their safehouses needed computers and high speed internet installed, so she had to take Jakopo's word that it was a very popular new format, along with the images he shared with her when he was in a chatty mood. Most shocking of all had been a twiit in support of her from none other that Lyyti Vang. She hadn't been able to stop grinning for an hour afterward.

Today though, Tyra felt listless. She stared out the window at a brilliantly sunny day she couldn't share in. She wished it would rain. She'd been able to watch the team's victory over Juvencus to clinch advancement, but all she'd felt afterward was anxiety. She knew for a fact Lucia wouldn't approve of what she'd done. How many of the others felt the same way? She was sure a few were simply too frightened of the consequences to speak up, but that wasn't much better. It was hard to understand how people could look at the Imperium and think that everything was ok, that things could just continue the way they were. She was sure at least a few agreed with her, even if they weren't willing to speak up yet.

Heaving a sigh, she got up off the bed. Sitting here was only going to make her feel worse. Maybe she could find something on TV in Russian that wasn't financial news. When she entered the common area, Jakopo was already sitting on the couch. He looked up at her, then quickly muted the TV and stood.

"Tyra, I'm glad you're up. There's news."

"What is it?"

"They've made a decision on your asylum request."

"Are they going to grant it?" She was breathless with fear that he would say no.

"I don't know yet, they haven't told me. We're going to be moving though, heading to the courthouse for the formal hearing and verdict. A car will be here in about an hour."

"Court? I can't go to court in a t-shirt and leggings."

[Omerica]

|national football| |club football| |basketball| |hockey| |volleyball| |lacrosse| |tennis| |cycling| |golf|

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IAC 12 round of sixteen: The world are backing the Incorrigibles in their clash against Squornshelous
Abducting players for acts of protest crosses “a moral event horizon” that simply cannot be stood for, says the URSF Executive Director

Novikovo — Though she won’t be physically present at the match, Tyra Volam will loom large at the IAC knockout clash between Omerica and Squornshelous in Novikovo. And it is because of her that supporters across the multiverse have belting out the timeless Omerican football motto “‘ome sweet ‘ome”.

In the midst of all this, it is easy to forget that just two years ago, Omerica was the centre of controversy at the Independent Associations Championship. The separate “Independent Football Federation”, partly administered by officials from Havynwilde, was long a point of contention in Omerica and when the IAC Organising Committee awarded the Havynwilde Football Association hosting rights for IAC 11 without any opportunity for participating associations to object, the Omerican Professional Soccer League were furious. Ultimately, though, it was players’ concerns for their safety that led to a formal boycott of the tournament moving forward and the United Republican Soccer Federation having to send an amateur selection to fulfil Omerica’s fixtures. The IAC-OC hit back with a disqualification for “bringing the Independent Associations Championship into disrepute,” leaving Omerica a self-made outcast within indie football.

Yet that has not dented the Incorrigibles’ IAC 12 campaign in Muralos one iota. Second seeds by the machinations of the interim seeding system designed for IAC X (and carried through the subsequent two editions), every single Omerica made has gone according to the ranks: losing to a Huelavia and defeating everyone else in the group, including an 8–0 thrashing of the single most unfortunate nation at this Championship. Ulimately, Huelavia dropped points in two of their other four group games—likely to do with their supporters never being in the right place at the right time—and handed victory in the group to the Incorrigibles.

With the Incorrigibles through to the knockout stage for the first time since their disappointing title defence campaign in Reçueçn, they now face the runners-up of a very tightly contested Group H: Squornshelous—not to be confused with the overly-long Squornshelan Remnant States. To the disappointment of everyone who thought the Incorrigibles would get to tee up against their former manager, the Imperium (as it is commonly known) started off their Championship début with a 3–1 defeat to Drawkland that drew attention for all the wrong reasons. In the midst of domestic political turmoil and growing supporter for the left-wing anti-authoritarian Alliance for a New Confederacy back home, Squornshelan midfielder Tyra Volam kneeled in protest during the Squornshelan national anthem. Volam was ultimately subbed off by manager Teresa Lagerkron during the match, but mysteriously did not re-appear for the second half.

Even more strangely, the Imperium FA removed her from their roster entirely, leading to rumours that she had been abducted by the Imperium authorities. The condemnation was swift, with United Republican Soccer Federation Executive Director stating that the Squornshelans had “crossed a moral event horizon.” Seemingly every association in the multiverse—save the expected exception of Drawkland—expressed concern for Volam’s safety and condemned her disappearance. Federation President and former Incorrigibles goalkeeper Frédérique Acardi was particularly scathing in her remarks: “It takes real cowardice to kidnap someone like that for an innocent act. Tyra Volam’s courage is something to be admired and we here in the United Republics pray for her safety.”

Ultimately, those prayers seem to have been answered. A Muralosian Soccer Association investigation has not revealed the exact details of what happened to Volam, but the MSA reckon that Volam was taken out of the City Stadium of Poronaysk. It is believed that Volam was detained in a hotel, but reports from the SRS confirm that Volam is currently in the custody of Muralosian police.

The match between the dictatorial Imperium and fiercely democratic United Republics thus promises to be highly charged. The Incorrigibles’ Supporters Association has planned a silent demonstration to take place during the Squornshelan anthem in solidarity with Volam and the Squornshelan democracy movement, which will certainly raise the tension between the two sides. Meanwhile, the Imperium is biding its time and hoping to pull a surprise on a former Championship-winning nation. The multiverse, though, are hoping that Squornshelous will not be the breakout stars of the tournaments and that Omerica can put them to the sword before they have a meeting with Ginadjkrum or Sannyamathland—the two lowest-ranked teams in the knockouts—for a place in the semifinals.

Unfortunately, the Squornshelan team are on a four-game winning run at the Championship and Omerica manager Alexis Stepanidis has a notoriously poor record against higher-ranked opposition. Though her Incorrigibles did manage to get three draws from four games against Starblaydia and Equestria during the last World Cup qualifiers and take eventual Cup of Harmony winners Mriin to penalties, Stephanidis has only once led Omerica to victory over higher-ranked opposition, namely a 5–1 victory over Jeruselem at the Cup of Harmony before last. Squornshelous’s shock qualification for the last World Cup finals and the machinations of Championship seeding mean that Squornshelous were ranked 0.913 points and two places higher than Omerica when the draw was made, making the Imperium the bookies’ clear favourite to advance to the semifinals.

But for Omericans, it’s just being there and standing up that counts: “At the end of the day, football is football,” Kyran Desrosiers, an Omerica supporter from coastal Northavon, told SFRD. “Games come and go. You can win all the trophies in the world, but you’re a still a loser if you don’t stand up for the things that really matter.”

Omerica search for a first IAC knockout win in nearly a decade in their match against Squornshelous at the Novikovo Stadium in Novikovo with live coverage available on SFRD Sport. ⚜️

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For your reading pleasure
▶ IAC 12: Huelavia will finally have all of their supporters in the right place for once this Championship
▶ IAC 12: Leading West Squornshelous has damped the once-brilliant shine of Anne-Sophie Groothuis
▶ OPSL: George Kostas agrees to stay on at Saint Anne after saving the club from top-flight relegation
▶ OPINION: Birds are most certainly real and most certainly should not be footballers

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United Republican Soccer Federation
6 Jacques la Rouge Road
Port Alexandre, MS 18-A40
UNITED REPUBLICS OF OMERICA

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Omerica 3–0 Devonta
Independent Associations Championship 12 group stage — Matchday Five
Alexandrovsk-Sakhalinsky Arena, Sahalena-Urbeto, Muralos
Omerica goalscorer(s): Alexis Chrysanthos 13’; Jamal Ahmad 29’, 74’
Omerica lineup (4–3–3): Valentine Augustin (captain); Alphonse Notley, Anna Charles, Justin Thyme, Sacha Sepulveda; Maxime Fournier, Fearchar Mac Cléirich, Thom Magalhães; Jessie Beckett, Alexis Chrysanthos, Jamal Ahmad

Omerica v Squornshelous
Independent Associations Championship 12 knockout stage — Round of Sixteen
Novikovo Stadium, Novikovo, Muralos
Omerica lineup (4–3–3): Valentine Augustin (captain); Alphonse Notley, Frédérique Marquetti, Justin Thyme, Sacha Sepulveda; Alphonse Fontaine, Fearchar Mac Cléirich, Thom Magalhães; Jessie Beckett, Alexis Chrysanthos, Adélaïde Argyris
Substitutes: Antoine Vicario, Alexandra McGuire; Anna Charles, Jacques Laurent, Raphaël Martin, Felix Zanetti; Maxime Fournier, Paige Boyce, Christian Marts; Jean-François Fernand, Malcolm Beauchesne, Jamal Ahmad

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[Almuzahara]

Ro16 cutoff. Will you be moving on, or left behind?

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IAC12: Ro16
Muralos

Ginadjkrum 2-4 Sannyamathland
Komcatt Arena, Urbego, Muralos

Omerica 3-1 Squornshelous
Novikovo Stadium, Novikovo, Muralos

Tequilo 2-1 Muralos
Spartak Stadium Okcidenta-Havenurbo, Okcidenta-Havenurbo, Muralos

Drawkland 1-2 HUElavia
Dynamo Stadium Makarov, Makarov, Muralos

Quarterfinal Match-ups in Muralos

Sannyamathland vs. Omerica
Komcatt Arena Urbego, Urbego, Muralos

Tequilo vs. HUElavia
City Stadium of Havenurbo, Havenurbo

All matches will take place Tuesday, April 6, with the cut-off time being the same (22:00 - 23:00 Mountain Standard Time).

[Tequilo]

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LETTERS OF THE WEEK
When it needs saying and you're not afraid to say it...

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Good morning everyone. We have letters!

Regular correspondent Rùben Curto of Chanco Cóndor wants to remind us that he pays for his GOLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLa!!! Daily and expects to have daily reports in return: "I see you missed a match report against Picksall Islands and I had to listen to it on my little red radio, and draw my own conclusions instead of having yours foisted on me. Some might say this is a good thing, but I want to remind you that I pay for my GOL-(etc)-a!!! Daily and I expect to have daily reports in return. What happened?"

We'll ask Cariño Niebla, our own GOLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL-a!!! Daily reporter, to help you with that. Coincidentally he writes in from Kelssek: "Hello Ed., apologies for missing the Picksall Islands report deadline; I think I am in the wrong country. I cannot find Havenburo anywhere - is it related to Havynwilde? I hope not, because I haven't had my vaccine yet against the Kipolalia contagion. Sorry, we aren't supposed to mention that, are we?" Well, he's already talking gibberish so he probably is in Havenwylde, and not Kelssek as he states. The editor wonders why he doesn't consult his company-issued multiversal map & gazetteer.

Meanwhile, our intern right here at the Daily, Juan-Line Juateguay, yells across the office: "He's left it on his desk!" Well, that would explain a lot.

On a different subject, we note the IFCF have been up to their administrative tricks again - namely to irritate Motozintla fans by making them replay preliminary rounds of the Challengers Cup several times over until they get eliminated. Naturally, this hasn't gone unnoticed at the conspiracy-loving Arenamoto; Moto ultra Dolores de Silva, of Dolores writes: "Anything to Make Moto Fail Again! What is it this time, an errorist attack by an unhinged error cell from New Montreal States? The old 'it must've gone in my spam folder by mistake' excuse? Elves ate my homework?. Someone should sack the board and put the Vilitans in charge!"

On a similar theme, Young Juanita Lirraytegui, aged 6 and three quarters scrawls: "My dad says that naughty man from Rúi de Los Rovas (my favourite comic) could do better than that shower. He says put FIFA in charge!"

Can you imagine? That comic book villain Herr Blatter, head of a fictitious drug- and people-trafficking crime syndicate, in charge of world football?! Oh Juanita, you funny infantino. That could never happen.

If you have spotted an administrative error in the results column, want to disagree with our correspondents or just like to share your opinion on the pitxi, please drop us a line at Letters To The Editor, spambucket@gola.teq or slowmail to PO Box 654353583.2, Grand Central Post Office, Tapalupé.¹.

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[1]Or TG Tequilo and we'll be sure to publish you in the next edition of the DAILY!

SMASH & GRAB & SMASH AGAIN
TEQUILO 5-2 PICKSALL ISLANDS HT: 3-0

Location: @ City Stadium, Havenurbo, Muralos
Attendance: 12,888 locals, a Picskall Islander dressed as an Easter Bunny and the Ultra-Mariachi Band (8 sombreros + dog)
Scorers: Mani Quita 3' 72' Jaïr Iscla 26' Çenturion 45+1' Tol Chicote 59' | Pūdeve Gokaē 48' Udomp Waukan 67'
Assists: Diogo Junco 3' Mani Quita 26' Pedro Rôa 45+1' 59' 72'| Dūhūgā Yaēmā 48' Pōfbag Nokhōē 67'
Booked: Wōkēnd Kufind (Picksall Islands)
Tequilo Line-Up: (4-1-3-2) Abas Juanarena | Ostando Bertendona, José Tavia (sub: Emmanuel París 46'), Tol Chicote (C), Diogo Junco (sub: Mó Reverté 83') | Lorenzo Pero | Jaïr Iscla, Çenturion, Tsttnauayui | Pedro Rôa, Mani Quita
Player of the Match: Mani Quita (Tequilo)

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NO HOME COMFORT
TEQUILO 2-1 MURALOS HT: 0-1

Location: @ Spartak Stadium Okcidenta-Havenurbo, Okcidenta-Havenurbo, Muralos
Attendance: 27,791 locals and the Ultra-Mariachi Band (8 sombreros + dog)
Scorers: Jaïr Iscla 57' Çenturion 80' | Rui 12'
Assists: Alexandro Calvoecheaga 80' | Nikolaj Granda 12'
Booked: José Tavia | Rui
Tequilo Line-Up: (4-1-3-2) Abas Juanarena | Ostando Bertendona, José Tavia (sub: Emmanuel París 50' - sub: Lorenzo Pero 71'), Tol Chicote (sub: Mó Reverté 47'), Diogo Junco | Ixtub Tün | Jaïr Iscla, Çenturion, Tsttnauayui | Mani Quita, Alexandro Calvoecheaga
Player of the Match: Jaïr Iscla (Tequilo)

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DAFT PUNKS UP NEXT
After going unbeaten in the group stage with a final match romp against Picksall Islands, Los Pitxileros came up against one of the host nations in Muralos, an emergent power on the Indy scene, and had to negotiate a tricky fixture to reach a third consecutive quarter-final after narrowly beating the hosts on their home turf. Amid noisy scenes at the Spartak Stadium, it was The Hawks who settled the quicker, enjoying their fervent backing and dominating the early clashes. Striker Rui latched on to a fine through ball from Nikolaj Granda in the 12th minute to find himself into a head to head with the emerging keeper Abas Juanarena, his neat feint committing the keeper one way before he moved the other to deftly put the home side ahead, and it looked like it would be an uphill battle for the Agave-Blues. But this decent group of players, led on the field by the vocal and calm Tol Chicote, did not panic under pressure and slowly grew into the game, matching the home side for possession and arguably creating the better chances, though failing to convert any before the break. The second half was equally competitive on both sides, the visitors holding their own against the well-supported host nation, and player of the match Jaïr Iscla, so dangerous on the left, pulled Tequilo level just over ten minutes into the second half after a mazy run at the flat-footed defence. Great movement from Mani Quita ahead of him flummoxed the markers, opening up a space which Jaïr exploited mercilessly before finishing with a fine shot into the top corner. Extra time looked a fair bet moving into the latter stages with the teams deadlocked, until Mani Quita again used his football intelligence to play attacking midfielder Çenturion through on 80 minutes, and his fine finish enough to see Los Pitxileros through into the next round.

Next up for the Agave-Blues are the Daft Punk-loving 'Lavios, who have been a fixture at this end of the IAC tournaments down the years but yet still hungry for a first title, long overdue. Coach Juan-Manuel Botín's boys will not be in the mood to oblige them this time around as they attempt to make a second semi-final in three tournaments, and will gladly welcome back captain-keeper Oscar Bienvenida after injury, making his record-equalling 80th appearance for the national team. In order to break that record, he will want to guide his team through to the semis and since he is yet to concede a goal himself in this tournament, that is another record he will want to keep going. Vice-captain and leader in his stead Tol Chicote limped out of the Muralos game late on and rumour has it he won't be back for this tournament, which is a big loss, and the coach has multiple worries in defence with Jatsu Cañaverri, Mó Reverté and Lorenzo Pero all sitting out this match, leaving the team with no room to manoeuvre at the back. Aiker Têa is fit again at least, and will be on the bench for this game - likely the only defensive spare available and so potentially expected to cover any position across the back four if necessary. After two brilliant performances including the match-winner last time out, Çenturion has to settle back on the bench again as the coach brings Niño Pinto back into the starting XI.

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TEQUILO STAT SUMMARY

Competition goals: Jaïr Iscla, Alexandro Calvoecheaga (3) Niño Pinto, Çenturion, Mani Quita (2) Ixtub Tün, Tol Chicote, Macedoni Altés (1)
Competition assists: Pedro Rôa (3) Alexandro Calvoecheaga, Niño Pinto (2) Jaïr Iscla, Tsttnauayui, Ixtub Tün, Diogo Junco, Mani Quita (1)
Competition PoMs: Alexandro Calvoecheaga, Emmanuel París, Tsttnauayui, Niño Pinto, Mani Quita, Jaïr Iscla (1)
Competition cards: Milan Lucio (1 red, 1 yellow) Ostando Bertendona, Tsttnauayui, Urbano Noboa, Tol Chicote, Oscar Bienvenida, Abas Juanarena, Jose Tavia (1 yellow)

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Confirmed Line-Up for TEQUILO vs. HUElavia
@ City Stadium, Havenurbo, Muralos (capacity 28,000)
(4-1-3-2)
Oscar Bienvenida (C) | Ostando Bertendona, José Tavia, Diogo Junco, Ochoa Abril | Ixtub Tün | Jaïr Iscla, Niño Pinto, Tsttnauayui | Mani Quita, Alexandro Calvoecheaga (VC)

Unavailable: Macedoni Altés, Jatsu Cañaverri, Milan Lucio, Tol Chicote, Mó Reverté, Lorenzo Pero (injured)

[TJUN-ia]

By Peter Davis

After cruising to another IAC knockouts stage with only 2 dropped points in 5 games, the Jaguars of TJUN-ia were getting ready for one more game at the Moonlight Coliseum in Kuritibah no matter what happened. David Seems and LI Xiu Ying have certainly kicked off the Co-Manager era of TJUN-ian football in style so far, but the knockouts of any competition are the true tests of who is legit in this sport and with the history the IAC has under its belt, no one knew for sure how things were going to go. It was going to be the final TJUN-ian match in Kuritibah no matter the result and it was going to be an old foe in Pot 2 Space that would be the first true test of this new era.

TJUN-ia have played Space before, in 2 previous IACs in fact, so everyone knew what this team could be capable of entering this contest. The first half would show just how well both teams knew each other as it would turn into a bit of a siege here in Almuzahara. Both Harold Gylfisson and The Keeper of the Milky Way would have their work cut out trying to keep all shots from the back of those nets, but they certainly did a good job in this first half. Joe Green would have the best chance for the Jags in the 23rd while the best chance of the whole half came in the 34th, Saturnia just about hitting the outside of the post from long range. At half-time, it was still deadlocked at 0-0 and everything was still in the balance under the Moonlight.

Once everyone came out for the 2nd half, the true battle for the Quarterfinals began. Fatigue was beginning to set in on both sides of the pitch and everyone knew that someone had to crack before the night was up, so every move now counted. That would be perfectly seen in the 67th minute when The Defender of Mars accidentally passed the ball to Vladimir Podolov, who would then find a way past The Keeper to get the first crucial goal of this contest. TJUN_ia would bring on the Galarians to try and help bolster their position and they would all help in providing TJUN-ia's 2nd in the 78th, Ruben Gibson finding Archer Andrews, who would then find Prince Carter's foot to give us the 2-goal advantage. The Explosion of the Pinwheel Galaxy would try and keep this game alive with a goal in the 87th, but TJUN-ia would hold on in order to reach their first IAC Quarterfinals since the debut at IAC9.

David Seems and LI Xiu Ying have finally helped us reach the Final 8 again but now, we must finally leave our home away from home in Kuritibah. We must now travel to Alifra, the cultural capital of this nation, and the 29,000 capacity Alifra International as we take on a Pot 3 team in Silver Beach in this Quarterfinal. Otsile Kgotso's Silverians lost twice on route to 2nd in Group A, losing out on the top spot to Recuecn after a 2-1 loss on the final day, but this team beat out the Squornshelan Remnant States in the Round of 16, so this attacking team should not be underestimated at all. TJUN-ia are finally back in the IAC Quarterfinals, but is this the true peak of our powers in this competition? Only time will tell...GO JAGS!

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SCHEDULE (Group D, Matches in Almuzahara)
MD1: vs Montana Verde (Pot 5) - Moonlight Coliseum, Kuritibah W 3-0 (1st)
MD2: vs Squidroidia (Pot 1) - Moonlight Coliseum, Kuritibah D 2-2 (1st)
MD3: vs Sajnur (Pot 3) - Moonlight Coliseum, Kuritibah W 4-0 (T-1st)
MD4: vs Srednjaci (Pot 6) - Moonlight Coliseum, Kuritibah W 4-1 (1st/OFFICIALLY QUALIFIED)
MD5: vs Kriegiersien (Pot 4) - Moonlight Coliseum, Kuritibah W 3-1 (1st/4W-1D-0L/+12GD)
---------------------------------------------------------
Ro16: vs Space (Pot 2) - Moonlight Coliseum, Kuritibah W 2-1
QF: vs Silver Beach (Pot 3) - Alfira International, Alfira

[Squidroidia]

Jubilation - Alfira

"The crowd is on their feet, New Lusitania has not scored a goal against Squidroidia so far this game! It's the 85th minute, 5 minutes to go until stoppage time, and it is STILL nil-all here at the Estadio Los Leones! Could we see the upset of the tournament?"

The exaggeration by Takanaki Osa, the main SBN Sport commentator for Squidroidian football matches, was what was expected when a goalscoring machine like New Lusitania, previous holders of the Independents Cup before the Poafmersian dominance began, were being held back by a brick wall known as the Inklings. A team that, in the group stage, scored on average 4.4 goals a game, second most in IAC group stage history, a team that were clear favorites to beat the Inklings 2-0, 3-0, even 4-0, hadn't yet scored a single goal against Takemoto Shingen's net. 35,000 fans were on their feet, on both sides, waiting for someone to answer the call of the Red Panijas, who had just beaten Reçueçn in a 3-0 rout in Al-Fayit. It was sheer frustration for Francisco Grilo, manager of the New Lusitanian national team, who was used to his players scoring goals in the hot sun of Almuzahara. For Adam Johnson, manager of Squidroidia, it felt surreal. Every second that passed, every second that ticked down, he felt like he needed to pinch himself to see if he was really dreaming. Squidroidia didn't deserve to be holding even with a team like this, favorites to win it all... But they were.

0-0. 85:32. Playing out from the back, João Palhagueira is met face to face with Yoneda Toshikuni in the midfield. This felt like an easy battle - Both midfielders had faced each other in the cutthroat Tikariot Premier League, Toshikuni playing for the Bulls of Dhun Lagarr, Palhagueira playing for Valnohar Rovers. This was supposed to be easy. It turned out that it didn't, as Kabuto caught onto João's ball and got it to the Inklings, although plenty of work was still to be done if he had any chance to break the deadlock. Captain Bruno Fernando was approaching him like a missile, ready to break down the Squidroidian and make sure that they would have the chance to break the deadlock instead of the Inklings. Toshikuni sees this and runs out with all the energy he had, making sure that he could at least see a person wearing blue and white. And he eventually did. Just as Fernando was about to block the pass, Toshikuni got the ball over to Charlie Colbert, the 21 year old Inkling who had come off the bench to replace Takara Ashihei 12 minutes ago. Squidroidia had no more subs to put on the field afterwards.

Colbert knew that this was one of Squidroidia's last opportunities to go ahead in this crucial match, so he would make a run for it. The squid paced through the right wing as fast as he could, members of the Selecção marking the Squidroidians just in case he was to cross the ball. Colbert kept going, his speed from his drills at the military on full display as he cut past Francisco Gama, the center of the box in sight. He knew he had to cross. The Inkling, looking at the two strikers, Itō and Hideo, kicks the ball high, the ball traveling in an arc towards the center of the box. Rui Patríce was slightly off his line ready to brace for a header. The ball was starting to come down, and Itō's head got to it first...

"Cross by Colbert, finds Itō, SAVED by Patríce, but it's not out of the box! Tetsuo gets to it, sees an opening, HIDEOOOOOO! DO NOT ADJUST YOUR TV SET, DO NOT PINCH YOUR ARM, THIS IS NOT A DREAM! SQUIDROIDIA HAVE GOTTEN THE LEAD AGAINST NEW LUSITANIA IN THE 86TH MINUTE!!!"

Makino Hideo, overwhelmed in joy from the sudden strike that hit the net, rushes over to the Squidward Roids, the Squidroidian ultras group that defied Almuzaharan scrutiny to come to the IAC to cheer on their team, screaming uncontrollably, his knees on the grass as he pumps his arm in jubilation, the front half of the team surrounding him. Adam Johnson gets up and screams too, the entire bench on their feet and running with him, screaming like they just won the IAC itself. On the New Lusitanian side, Fernão Ferradura was on his knees, arms covering his head whilst Francisco Grilo was looking down at the grass at Alfira. 22 goals for, 1 against in the group stage. And of all teams, in any stage of this tournament, the dagger came against a Squidroidia team that just barely got out of their group in the Round of 16.

New Lusitania and the Algarves 0. Squidroidia 1.

"Tens of thousands of New Lusitanian hearts have fallen in Almuzahara, millions more in Lisboa... They are wondering what the hell just happened! 22 goals in the group stage, the most in any IAC group stage in the tournament's history, only 1 goal let in across 450 minutes... 86 minutes later, and they are most likely heading home in what has to be a national embarrassment. In Inkopolis, the crowds have gone out of control, packing the Plaza much the same way they did when the results of that Best Nation in the World poll were released! They weren't expecting this, they were expecting a one and done, they were expecting a blowout loss to end their tournament... And if it holds on for just a couple more minutes, they will play the defending champions Poafmersia in Binsakula!"

And they held on. Past the 90, past stoppage time, their fate was sealed. The Lusitanians played Squidroidia in the Cup of Harmony back a couple cycles ago, back when Mito ran the team, back when the tournament was held in Ethane and Sylestone... The Selecção won 3-2 in that group stage game. But this was now, stuck in Almuzahara, in the knockouts, and Squidroidia got the fish they didn't deserve to catch before the ball was kicked. An historic upset, only rivaled by Silver Beach getting the better of the Squornshelan Remnant States. Clean sheet for Shingen. A wonder strike by Hideo. NLA were now out.

"Never in the history of this New Lusitanian national team, spanning since IAC 2, have they failed to advance to the Quarter-Finals since their first advancement in IAC 6... Until this game, until today. The team will never forget this game, a game that they should have won on their path to a second title, their run cut so short. They thought they could rematch Poafmersia, who knocked them out of Havynwilde last edition after they beat them on their way to winning IAC 9. It is, unfortunately for them, not to be. It will be Squidroidia who answer the call of the Red Panijas."

Takanaki Osa was holding back tears as the cameras focused more on the anguished Selecção than the jubilant Inklings. He didn't expect this, the crew weren't expecting this, nobody did foretell the tale that took place at the Estadio Los Leones. Adam Johnson, who guided his homeland Barunia to the Semi-Finals of the first IAC in the Boreal Islands, patted Francisco Grilo on the back. New Lusitania snapped their 6 game Quarter-Finals streak today. Squidroidia had just advanced to the last 8 for the third straight time.

The rematch awaited them. Poafmersia awaited them, ready to trounce Squidroidia on the way to their third straight title. Did Johnson have another upset in his cards? Or were the Red Panijas just too good?

[HUElavia]

HUElavia Agonizes and Advances in Classic Thriller!

Drawkland 1-2 HUElavia
(Rodney 38' | Navarro 5', 90+5' (P))
(Dynamo Stadium Makarov, Makarov)

For the 5th consecutive edition of the IAC, HUElavia was participating in the Round-of-16 once again. Compared to 16 years ago when Los Amarillos/Os Amarelos slipped their way through in a comeback to be among the 16 best of the Independent Nations, today this was an expectation at the bare minimum. After having a fairly decent Group Stage campaign, the team had to be satisfied with advancing as the Runner-Up of Group G, behind Omerica. Their reward for this finish was more of a punishment: Facing against #7 Drawkland. The Group H winners and the other nation that shares HUElavia's record of appearing in 4 consecutive IAC Finals was the opponent that Los Amarillos/Os Amarelos were given. These two nations had a combined 8 out of 11 Finals appeared, and only 1 title to their name, which was Drawkland's IAC 7 Title. The teams were set to meet at Dynamo Stadium Makarov (29,970), in Makarov, where the stadium was filled 50/50 with fans from both nations. HUElavia chose their Main XI once more, with Ramos in goal and Navarro as Captain. Drawkland wore their Home Uniform while HUElavia wore their Home Alternative Uniform. Once the teams came out, the anthems were played, and the coin was flipped, the balll rolled and the match was underway!

Both teams did not hesitate to go at each other's throats from the very start, with the opening shot coming in the 2nd minute, with Hamada-Navarro getting a pass from Conti-Esposito and taking a long distance shot that went wide for a goal kick. In the 3rd minute, Rodney got the ball from Gagne-Leblanc and got loose to pass it to Hunter, who took a low shot that was saved by Ramos. In the 5th minute, Guilbert was on the ball towards the side of the box and was taken down by Kingston for a free kick. Navarro opted to take the kick, and with his right foot, took a low shot that went through the players and past a falling Xander into the goal to make it 1-0. The HUElavian crowd erupted and jumped with cheers and passion to make the stadium rumble, all while Navarro was hugged and congratulated by his teammates for the cheeky free kick, finalizing with a hug and kiss with his wife, Hamada-Navarro. Drawkland kept on applying pressure after the goal, getting attacks in on the HUElavian defense. In the 23rd minute, a counter attack was made by Drawkland, with Southers giving the ball to Garnet, who in turn passed it to Apollo, where he took a cross into the box, and it reached the head of Hunter, where it was headed down, only for Ramos to do a diving deflection, sending the ball out to a corner. In the 38th minute, Drawkland was on the attack, where Madison put a shot towards goal, only for Muller to send the ball outside of the box, and before Mendieta could send it far, out came Rodney to send a blistering shot past a reaching Ramos into the top left corner of the goal, making it 1-1. The Drawkian crowd jumped up to celebrate with passion and joy, while Rodney slid to the corner flag to celebrate, all while his teammates and the bench went to mob and hug him for the spectacular goal. There was some attempts in attacking after the goal, but the half ended at 1-1, but the momentum was swinging towards Drawkland.

The second half continued to be a series of attacks from both teams alike. Drawkland went deeper and deeper, but the pairing of Muller and Mendieta was strong to prevent any shots from reaching Ramos. In some corners, Ramos was able to pluck the crosses with ease. Lieberman and Mariño also were playing strong to send deep, long balls forward to help aliviate pressure on them. In the attacks, passes from Conti-Espoito and Gagne-Leblanc went through to reach Navarro and Sol, who sent passes to Guilbert and Hamada-Navarro to take shots at Xander. In the 70th minute, with the game still tied, substitutions were made, with Sol and Gagne-Leblanc going off for Savedra and Mantovani-Jardim respectively. The game kept on going on and on, and in the final minutes of the game, it was looking as if both teams were playing for Extra Time. As the 90th minute came, HUElavia gave an attacking looking to get another chance to score. A pass went from Conti-Esposito to Savedra, who ran into the box, was covered by Kingston, gave a small pass towards Guilbert, but was taken down by Kingston for a foul. The referee did not hesitate and she gave a penalty, while giving Kingston a Yellow Card. The Drawkians protested and a yellow was given to Xander for the protests. Meanwhile, Savedra was on still lying on the ground, seemingly hurt from the foul. Tiong Belleza quickly warmed up and was substituted into the match to possibly hold out the remaining moments. Once all was settled, Navarro stepped up to take the kick and was one-on-one with Xander. With the crowd anxious, the referee blew her whistle, Navarro ran up and sent a blistering shot past a reaching Xander into the top right corner of the goal to make it 2-1. Navarro ran to the corner flag to celebrate with his teammates and the bench while the crowd jumped and celebrated with joy and passion, screaming and cheering for the late winner. Finally, Navarro and Hamada-Navarro hugged tightly and shared a passionate kiss, a nice and emotional award for HUElavia's captain for getting such a vital goal. After the kickoff, Drawkland let off two more attacks, giving shots by Apollo and Madison, but the HUElavian defense held out and the referee blew her whistle, with the bench running onto the pitch to congratulate the players for surviving the tense and tight game.

With the victory, HUElavia advances for the 5th consecutive time to the Quarter-Finals of the IAC. Their next opponents will be Tequillo, Group F winners that defeated Co-hosts Muralos, 2-1. This is the 2nd time these two teams meet, with the one previous meeting having been in the Group Stage for IAX in Omerica, where Tequillo won the match, 1-0. The match will be at City Stadium (28,000), in Havenurbo, where it will be sold-out with a 50-50 support between Tequiloa and HUElavians. The A-Teams will play for both teams, with the case of HUElavia having Ramos in goal once again and Navarro as the Captain. Tequillo will wear their blue home uniform, meaning HUElavia will play their Home Uniform for the match. This match will close off the Quarter-Finals, one where these two attacking teams will be going at each other with inexhaustable energy. The team, while happy with the victory, are still getting treatment from the Sport Psychologists, where the doctors continue to help them keep their cool and focus for the next match. They also continue training well and studying film to understand and play well against Tequillo. The fans continue to enjoy their stay in Muralos, and are looking forward to support the team in what can be a historic day. A spot in the Semi-Finals is up for grabs, and this is the match of the round to watch. Here's to a match that can be historic and entertaining.

FORCA HUELAVIA! VAMOS HUELAVIA! GO HUELAVIA!

Tequillo vs HUElavia Intro

What a match the Football Gods has given us: Tequillo versus HUElavia. Two of the strongest teams in the IAC go head to head in what we can hope will be a spectacular match.

Tequillo come off taking out one of the co-hosts in a late thriller, while HUElavia come out outlasting an attack-heavy team that shares a similar legacy of suffering and failure.

There's plenty of firepower from both teams to light things up: Calvoecheaga and Navarro. Rôa and Hamada. Tün and Conti. Chicote and Mendieta. Bienvenida and Ramos. All spectacular players to watch and follow.

Tonight, one of these heavy hitters will be heading home early, while the winner advances to the Semi-Finals. For both teams, expectations are high for their team to make a deep run in this tournament.

Once again, the motto You gotta beat the best to be the best applies to both teams.

Here's to a match where the players get to the goals and light 'em up.

Match 132

Match 7

Tequillo vs HUElavia

[Silver Beach]

The Silver Standard
Silver Beach's #1 source for news!

Somebody pinch me- Silverians stun the Squornshelan Remnant States to reach the Quarterfinals of IAC 12


It fits- for now

BINSAKULA, ALMUZAHARA- "What the hell is going on." That was the words of the President of the Hebrew Republic. And it perfectly represents what Silverian fans are feeling right now. Nobody knows what's going on, and everybody loves it. Silver Beach, for many, many years, pre, you know, the whole Vvarderenfell region getting nuked out of existence and becoming a nation essentially of refugees out here in Sonnel, was a footballing nation that loved the sport. And... Did absolutely nothing of consequence in it. Plenty of World Cup Qualification campaigns, never got close. Plenty of Cups of Harmony- never got close. Couldn't even remember their name.

But this past cycle, all of a sudden- we are stunning everybody we play, left and right. We came out to the 7 Nations Cup in Drawkland with a mission, and that was to bring a regional title back to Silver Beach. A tournament with a high-flying Almuzahara side, as well as regular World Cup participants Juvencus and Drawkland. And yet... We pulled the upset and actually won the damn tournament. And then won the thug final as well against the United Sunrise Islands, for good measure. And now, we're back in the IACs.

9 points in the group stages were plenty to get to the next round. 3 group stage wins- was Silver Beach actually going to what was a legitimately major tournament, and performing well? What the hell was going on. Our non-WCC band of kids, from our small Sonnelian nation, actually punching above its weight. And then, a massive upset- downing WCC nation the Squornshelan Remnant States by a score of 2-1. Nobody thought we could do it. But we blitzed them fast, and then held on for dear life. A 7th minute strike from distance by Benjamin Robero made it 1-0, and then Miri Herzl scored five minutes later to make it 2-0. Up two inside the first quarter of an hour, SRS were shell shocked. They clawed their way back, but they could only score once as we held on for the historic win.

Now we find ourselves in the quarterfinals of the IAC. Hell, this may be the best we've ever done in a tournament as big as this one. And we find ourselves as massive underdogs again, with TJUN-ia the team projected to slay us all. They've got players from all sorts of big leagues, including in Audioslavia, the S-FPL, and in Vilita & Turori. Our run, while memorable, probably ends here. But the semifinals are in reach. Can we get through to the semifinals?

[Muralos]

Cut-off for the quarterfinal matches in Almuzahara! You all have been on a long long long journey through the IAC-12, and I respect you for that.

Poafmersia 0 - 1 Squidroidia
Hassan Conceição Memorial Field, Binsakula, Almuzahara

Silver Beach 2 - 1 TJUN-ia
Alfira International, Alfira, Almuzahara

Semifinal Match in Almuzahara

Squidroidia vs. Silver Beach
Said Benhaddou National Arena, Al-Fayit, Almuzahara

The semifinal match will take place on Thursday, April 8, with the same cut-off time (15:00 - 16:00 Hawaiian Standard Time, or April 9th 01:00 - 02:00 UTC).

[Omerica]

The Northern Times
The Voice of the Lallands

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First Squornshelous, now Sannyamathland: a dictatorship to dump out of the IAC

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Urbego, Muralos — Tyra Volam’s disappearance has been one of the dominant stories of the Championship in Muralos and Almuzahara. The Squornshelous midfielder was allegedly abducted from the City Stadium of Poronaysk during the team’s opening day clash against Drawkland and held captive in a hotel room before managing to escape. The Volam incident has become the biggest local story in Muralos and hung large over the knockout game between the Imperium and the United Republics of Omerica.

But there is another nation at this tournament that it would be unsurprising for players to defect from and it is none other than Omerica’s quarterfinal opposition: the United Soviet Republic of Sannyamathland.

The long and grim history of Squornshelous as a nation is documented, as evidenced by the fact that its entire western half split away in a civil war that the Imperium is still trying to bicker about to this day. But our question is what goes on behind the doors of Sannyamathland. It is a dictatorial state in much the same vein as Squornshelous, but painted with a veneer of “workers’ liberation” in place of the patriotism and traditionalism that characterises regimes like the Imperium. Of course, this veneer is merely a lie that serves only to keep the ruling authorities in the Sannyamthic Communist Party in power.

Of course it should be noted that the powers that be have no intention to actually achieve anything that could remotely be called “liberation”, most obviously evidenced by how the Sannyamthic national team seem to have sponsors, unlike virtually every other team at the tournament. And dictatorial regimes like the one in Mathgrad invariably use sporting events like the Independent Associations Championship to distract from their human rights abuses at home, such as Sannyamathland’s “correction centres” (i.e. gaols by another name), or their alleged threats of assassinating opposition to their regime across the world.

The Lions’ appearance in the quarterfinals and a potential semifinal match against Tequilo or Huelavia will doubtlessly be used as propaganda for the Communist Party to distract the people of Sannyamathland from their nation’s involvement in imperialistic wars waged in the name of “fighting imperialist dictatorships”, just as a Squornshelan victory over Omerica would have been weaponised in the fight to sideline and ultimately defeat the dissident Alliance for a New Confederacy. But at least we known about the NewCon: Sannyamathland successfully managed to keep a tight lid on happenings at home, meaning we have no clue of how large dissident movements may be there or how brutally the authorities may be repressing them—and dictatorships like Sannyamathland invariably resort to repression.

So where is the Incorrigibles’ Supporters Association—who organised a sea of raised fists during the Squornshelan national anthem—advocating for protest during the quarterfinals? Silent. Where are the Omerica players and administrators condemning the Communist Party’s human rights abuses? Nowhere to be seen. Where are the people of the world decrying the dictatorial regime in Mathgrad? Nowhere to be heard.

The world knows the evils of the Squornshelan imperial regime. The testy and hard-fought game in the Novikovo Stadium sounded almost like a home game for the Incorrigibles, with the Muralosian crowd aghast at what a sovereign state could do to one of its own citizens, but that support does not appear to be guaranteed for the quarterfinal game at the Komcatt Arena. While the world celebrates one tyrannical dictatorship’s exit, another may just get one step closer to the grand final. Why would the world be on our side against Squornshelous, but stand silent when we play Sannyamathland? That simply is not right. ⁕

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@AlexMulryanCR Pack it in, everyone, The Northern Times just went full on horseshoe theory.

@AlexMulryanCR Call me when Sannyamathland actually kidnap one of their own players, @TheNorthernTimes

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United Republican Soccer Federation
6 Jacques la Rouge Road
Port Alexandre, MS 18-A40
UNITED REPUBLICS OF OMERICA

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Omerica 3–1 Squornshelous
Independent Associations Championship 12 knockout stage — Round of Sixteen
Novikovo Stadium, Novikovo, Muralos
Omerica goalscorer(s): Alphonse Notley 33’; Alexis Chrysanthos 56’; Fearchar Mac Cléirch 79’ (p)
Omerica lineup (4–3–3): Valentine Augustin (captain); Alphonse Notley, Frédérique Marquetti, Justin Thyme, Sacha Sepulveda; Alphonse Fontaine, Fearchar Mac Cléirich, Thom Magalhães; Jessie Beckett, Alexis Chrysanthos, Adélaïde Argyris

Sannyamathland v Omerica
Independent Associations Championship 12 knockout stage — Quarterfinals
Komcatt Arena, Urbego, Muralos
Omerica lineup (4–3–3): Valentine Augustin (captain); Alphonse Notley, Frédérique Marquetti, Raphaël Martin, Sacha Sepulveda; Alphonse Fontaine, Fearchar Mac Cléirich, Thom Magalhães; Jessie Beckett, Alexis Chrysanthos, Adélaïde Argyris
Substitutes: Antoine Vicario, Alexandra McGuire; Anna Charles, Jacques Laurent, Justin Thyme, Felix Zanetti; Maxime Fournier, Paige Boyce, Christian Marts; Jean-François Fernand, Malcolm Beauchesne, Jamal Ahmad

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