The Inaugural Mihaly Invitational Cup of Cardenao(Semi-Open)

by **Cardenao** » Tue Dec 20, 2022 9:14 pm

Welcome to the first ever international football tournament hosted by Cardenao! Invitations were sent straight from President Mihaly Otamendi’s desk to nine other nations that are, for various reasons, important to the Republic of Cardenao. The Mihaly Invitational Cup of Cardenao is a lighthearted glorified friendly tournament with supreme bragging rights the sole prize, but the Invitational also presents the opportunity for invited nations to deepen their bonds with one another and to test out unproven international players in preparation for the upcoming World Cup. The Final winner will be crowned champion of the Mihaly Invitational Cup of Cardenao and will be awarded all of the bragging rights as well as a nice trophy!

The nations invited are:
The Kingdom of Banija (Accepted)
The Kingdom of Quebec and Shingoryeo (Accepted)
The Metallic Brotherhood of Tikariot (Accepted)
The Republic and Community of Ochre Islands (Accepted)
The Interstellar Empire of Drawkland (Accepted)
The Holy Empire of Juvencus (Accepted)
The Plurinational State of Huayramarca (Accepted)
The Loquacious Lipograms of Zwangzug (Accepted)
The Republic of Ceni (Accepted)
The Republic of Cardenao (Hosting)

The group stage will consist of two groups of five teams. The tiebreakers used will be as follows:
1. Points
2. Head to Head Result
3. Overall Goal Difference
4. IC Coin Flip (an additional match is scorinated between the two teams at a neutral venue)

The schedule of play will be as follows:
Group draw: 12/24/22
MD1: 2 vs 5, 3 vs 4 (1 bye) 12/29/22
MD2: 5 vs 1, 3 vs 2 (4 bye) 12/31/22
MD3: 1 vs 4, 5 vs 3 (2 bye) 1/2/23
MD4: 3 vs 1, 2 vs 4 (5 bye) 1/4/23
MD5: 1 vs 2, 4 vs 5 (3 bye) 1/6/23

Group Cardenao:
Zwangzug
Independent Athletes from Quebec
Drawkland
Ceni
Ochre Islands

Group Mihaly:
Banija
Huayramarca
Tikariot
Juvencus
Cardenao

ICly during the group stage, the matches will occur with the first pair of teams competing in the morning and second pair playing in the evening at the same stadium. After the single-round robin group stage, the top two teams from each group will progress to the semi-finals structured as A1 vs B2, A2 vs B1. The winners will advance to the final, while the losers will compete in the Third Place Playoff. The third place team in each group will compete in a ‘Best of the Rest’ elimination game. The bottom two teams from each group will play in a consolation semi-finals structured as A4 vs B5, A5 vs B4, with the victors participating in the “match no one cares about.” The loser of the consolation semi-final goes home because they are losers.

The schedule of elimination play will be as follows:
Semi finals: 1/8/23
Best of the Rest: 1/9/23
Third Place Playoff and the match no one cares about: 1/10/23
Final: 1/11/23

Roleplaying
Results will be scoronated using NSFS, while modest RP bonuses will be awarded on a quality-scale. KPB rankings will form the basis of the scoring system. There will be a bonus for posting a roster so make sure to get those easy points! There will be an RP prompt for each matchday, this is purely optional and a nation won't be penalized for not interacting with the prompt. The Pre-Matchday 1 prompt is simple, How does your nation feel about the other nations in their group? What, if any, has your interaction been with these countries or their citizens?

Cutoff will be at approximately 7pm PST (03:00 am UTC).

Enjoy, have fun, and thank you very much for participating.

Please don't post in this thread unless otherwise authorized to!

by **Cardenao** » Wed Dec 21, 2022 7:52 am

Hosting Stadium and City Information
For the group stage: the first match will take place in the morning, the second in the evening at the same stadium.

La Academia, Joya del Sol (Capacity: 47,845)
Hosting the Group Cardenao matches is La Academia, home to the current Cardenao MegaPower League champions La Escuela Nacíonal DCPF. The stadium started off humbly as the backyard pitch for the dormitory for La Escuela’s youth academy, home to the brightest young talents from across the country. Over the years the backyard pitch became the matchday pitch for the club, but legal wording meant that the brick and rock dorm had to stay. Thus, the stadium was built around the dormitory, with those lucky young talents' bedroom windows looking right down the halfway line. Sure, the club loses out on a good bit of matchday revenue with one of the main stands being effectively full of subsidized children, but every young Cardenaoan dreams of earning a stay in those rooms at La Escuela Nacíonal De Cardenao Por Football.

Casa Cartablanca, Cartablanca (Capacity: 41,000)
The hosting stadium of Group Mihaly is the dramatic Casa Cartablanca, home to AS Cartablanca, representing the city of…Cartablanca. It is a regal, almost house of worship like architecture that has earned it the nickname of La Catedral, though the only thing worshiped here was the glory of football. Much like the country itself, there is a fusion of more modern amenities and building styles, with a fantastic billboard displaying alternating real time stats and insights, curiously those insights almost exclusively focus on the away team. The stadium itself is located at the top of a large, white rock cliff with the ocean battering against it on the eastern side, while sandy calm beaches on the west side provide a relaxing getaway for tourists.

RTC Transhub Arena, Sareña (Capacity: 36,420)
Hosting the A4 vs B5 consultation semi-final and home to Sareña FC is RTC Transhub Arena. Sponsored by the Banijan Corporation, railways feature prominently in the stadium’s fun architecture, from railroad tracks imprinted into the ground at certain points of the stadium, to small functional trams mocked up as trains that shuttle fans to different parts of the facility, the whole experience is very fun and engaging for match going fans. There is a lot of moving machinery, though being RTC funded it is all very safe and entertaining. The city of Sareña sits on the largest island directly north of New Cardonia, situated on its southernmost tip and is famous for its vibrant night scene with plenty of clubs, substances, and good times to be had.

The Cottage, Küsbon (Capacity: 33,800)
Hosting the A5 vs B4 consultation semi-final is the iconic yet cramped home to Küsbon Town. The Cottage was inspired by the starkness of the San Gabriel Mountains, which the stadium sits at the base of. Four separate stands, sitting square to the pitch and made of concrete, with four connecting curves of concrete wrapping everything together. A third tier is supported by 11 cylindrical towers that match goers can use to access the various levels. The whole effect is one of a hollowed out castle, and the red and black decor of the home team reinforces that. The city of Küsbon is largely similar, a quaint town with an air of quiet determination about it. There isn’t much in the way of partying and entertainment within the city, as the playground of the mountain range provides all the fun needed.

The Library, Puente Alexandria (Capacity: 7,777)
Hosting the Match No One Cares About is the unique home to Alexandria United. The Library hosts 7,777 fans and is built very vertically, with the three tiers stacked narrowly on top of each other. It feels more like a basketball arena than a football stadium and the packed seating arrangement means the 7,777 fans sound like a helluva lot more as they tower over the pitch. Curiously, both teams' benches are cut underneath the fan seats themselves, so the players must deal with the constant, nearly deafening pounding of fan’s feet, though there is notably more soundproofing in the home dugout. Puente Alexandria is a port city located at the northeasternmost nub of Eastern Cardenao on Nova Calania. The city is an intoxicating mixture of bohemianism and the culture of those that live on the sea, with a very healthy dose of the various cultures and nationalities that pass through Puente Alexandria, and tourists will experience many memorable nights getting swept along the dreamy alleys.

CNF Corp Center, New Cardonia (Capacity: 57,772)
Hosting the A1 vs B2 semi-final is the Cardenao National Fishery Corporation Center, thankfully officially known as the CNF Corp Center. Home to the winners of the first ever Cardenao MegaPower League winners, Cardonia FC, the stadium is a modern house of football. CNF Corp Center boasts a full color changing exterior, and the 57,772 match goers enjoy all the comforts of a covered stadium. Modern amenities, interactive screens throughout the stadium for fans to perform their own replay analysis in live action, functioning toilets, and plenty of adult beverage stations makes the Center a party for all. New Cardonia is a fun city at the heart of the modern vs old Cardenao struggle, with the city slowly undergoing a metamorphosis with more modern buildings featuring posh coffee shops and artisanal ice creameries and bars designed to imitate the dive bar aesthetic common across Cardenao. There’s something for everyone within the fun capital of Cardenao.

Il Palomino, Alameda (Capacity: 33,223)
Hosting the semi-final featuring A2 vs B1, is Il Palomino, home of the Alameda Desperados. The stadium is defined by the slice of the northern side of the stadium that was intentionally left out so that the pitch looks out onto the golden sand beach that Alameda is famous for. The city of Alameda itself is quite a wealthy one, with many luxurious bungalow homes dotting the city where the rich and famous come to play and have fun. Nightclubs with exorbitant entry fees, the trendiest restaurants, fancy cars and signs of wealth, it is not a city for the light-pocketed matchgoing fan to take full advantage of.

The Palace, Alegria (Capacity: 47,359)
Home to the Third Place Play Off is The Palace, named after the royal palace in the idyllic city of Alegria. Yes, Cardenao has a royal family. Or rather, had. Eshan killed them off over a hundred years ago, extinguishing the entire royal bloodline in the treacherous attack that flooded the landbridge between Eastern and Western Cardenao. Anyway, the stadium is pretty extravagant, with plenty of the crimson and gold coloring associated with royalty and the home club Real Alegria. It is renowned for the use of actual marble in the walkways, and indeed may have originally been made entirely of marble before stands were later coated with concrete if local legend is to be believed. Alegria is a dreamy city with majestic sunsets and is located at a bay at the westernmost point of Cardenao, looking directly west towards the island of Marriapa. Wealthier tourists will be able to enjoy the city to the fullest, though those less well off will still find plenty to do in and around Alegria.

Stadi Cardenao, New Cardonia (Capacity: 83,500)
Hosting the Finala and sitting centrally on a massive grass lawn is the newly constructed Stadi Cardenao, home to the Cardenao national team and one third of the Cardenao MegaPower League season fixtures. The supermodern stadium boasts all the amenities of top stadiums in the multiverse and is a crowning product of President Mihaly Otamendi’s commitment to both sporting in Cardenao and national development as a whole. It was a classic football oval, not too much to it, with a retractable roof providing cover from the elements on the rare day something stirs up. There’s a network of paved pathways across the lawn with a small but growing number of shops spread throughout. A good deal of the lawn touched the Ocean of Ayes and stared across to the unseeable Eastern Cardenao across the blue. New Cardonia is the most modern city in Cardenao and presents a fusion of historical, cultural, and flat out party fun opportunities for tourists and players.

Way of Life

Cardenao is a rapidly developing country, though the majority of the country still lives in poverty. The nation is located in the southern hemisphere of Anaia, and has a geographic location of extreme importance: Cardenao has two mainlands on the continents of Calania and Lurhautsia, and the shallow Strait of Cardenao presents a bottleneck for trade and movement between the Ocean of Ayes and the Itsasoan Sea. The Strait of Cardenao used to be an epic land-bridge with an intricate system of dikes, dams, and floodgates keeping the sea at bay, however a treacherous attack by the Eshan Republic resulted in the total flooding and submersion of the land-bridge. Due to the fertile nature of the soil thanks to farming and the warm waters that now cover it, the Strait of Cardenao is renowned for its world-class fisheries. In addition to the two continental mainlands, Cardenao also boasts 13 islands of varying sizes, though they are even more undeveloped than the mainlands are.

*New Cardonia

The Cardenaoan people are known for being very laid back and easy going, a passionate people who pursue leisure and pleasure and are notorious for being unpunctional. They love a good party and being around their friends, and are physically active people with practically everyone in the country involved in regular activity. As previously mentioned, the individual Cardenaoan is quite poor, however there are pockets of extremely rich citizens across the country. Overall though, most Cardenaoan’s live off unpaved roads, in slapdash favela-like conditions where the electricity is off more often than on, and the luxuries that are common for a first-world citizen seem closer to science fiction than a possibility for them. With that being said, the general quality of life of both the country and the average individual is improving faster than it ever has in Cardenao. As part of President Mihaly’s grand modernization plan, the country is experiencing a great deal of change as the President attempts to pull Cardenao into the modern, first-world era. That means roads are being paved, energy infrastructure is getting developed, fresh water is reaching more of the country day by day, and the country as a whole is becoming more developed. It will be a long process and many decades before Cardenao could possibly be considered to be a modern nation.

The average citizen probably has employment, plays football most days of the week, consumes alcohol and marijuana while ‘going hard’ on a weekend every once in a while. They’re not particularly religious but they are spiritual and feel in tune with higher energy when observing great natural beauty, which Cardenao spouts in abundance. They’ll probably have finished high school as college/higher graduates are a rare breed in Cardenao.

Some relevant laws/cultural doings are:

The legal age to buy alcohol, marijuana, and tobacco products is 18 years
This is completely overlooked 99% of the time as Cardenaoans don’t really care that much
Other drugs, such as magic mushrooms, LSD, cocaine, MDMA et al, are legal for anyone over 18 years of age
The use of CAD-E is illegal and punished by fine.
Blackmarket and ‘alternative retail’ market interaction is commonplace
The age of consent is 18 years
This is completely overlooked 99% of the time if the individuals involved are all minors
Prostitution is legal for those over 18 years
Cardenaoans are allowed to carry weapons for personal use. Firearms are very rare, yet gradually becoming more accessible as the country grows.

Tourism and Travel

Tourism in Cardenao is very much in its infancy but it has already become one of the biggest industrial sectors in the country. The combination of beautiful scenery, generally warm and Caribbean-esque nature, delightful people and national affinity for fun times makes it a very attractive destination, doubly so when the cheapness of the trip is considered! Fishing, lazing on the beach, surfing, kayaking, jet skiing, all that sort of aquatic fun is commonplace in Cardenao’s impossible to measure coastline. The climate of Cardenao does vary, being much drier and cooler on Eastern Cardenao and the five islands closest to Nova Calania, this is due to the San Gabriel Mountains that seals Eastern Cardenao off from the rest of the continent. There is a variety of different climbing, hiking, camping, backpacking, and other related activities for tourists to partake in the mountains.

The capital city of New Cardonia represents a much more modern city experience, though the poverty is still very much mixed into the city's fabric, while wealthy tourists might enjoy the rich Ocean of Ayes-side city of Alameda. The half submerged November City is a remnant of the pre-Echani attack, and was a bustling first-world city; now many of the buildings that once housed offices, coffee shops, and signs of civilization have been overtaken by an increasingly dense swamp. Certainly a tantalizing prospect for the intrepid explorer!

Travel in Cardenao was traditionally done by boat and still is for a majority of the population. Tourists will find many boatmen eager to provide a ride, though the government of Cardenao can’t guarantee a thorough safety check has been completed, so travel at your own risk! There are a variety of reliable and safety approved ferries that operate between the islands and mainlands of Cardenao, so that is always an option too. Travel via land can be a little less than comfortable due to the generally unpaved road system, so tourists are usually best off relying on the burgeoning and high quality rail system built and operated by the Regional Transit Corporation of Banija. The other, more authentic method of land travel would be to buy or rent a cheap beater vehicle to travel and enjoy the country at its finest.

by **Huayramarca** » Wed Dec 21, 2022 2:00 pm

Football Federation of Huayramarca

Official Roster for the 1^st Mihaly Invitational Cup

About Huayramarcan Grassroots Football: Huayramarca has been known for being one of the few countries that hasn’t invested (until now) in forming footballers for its future, for having little to no infrastructure to promote players. Aside from the lucky ones that decide to test themselves in the already existing Liga 1-2-3 teams, without having a formal approach to tactics or real discipline, that jump to the top teams and try to fight for a position in the Senior National Team, there’s need to forge a new identity, as there’s growing awareness among fans and FA directors that Huayramarca will need, soon, a generational shift.

Things had to change and that’s where Omar Caicedo and Rodolfo Zelaya appeared suggesting, to the Huayramarcan FA, a new approach to prepare the talent across the regions of this vast nation and help them transition into the Senior NT, as its obvious that we won’t have Bryan Tello, Ian Mamani, Gabriel Sayritupac, Kevin Quispe or Juan Mamani for our entire lifetimes. In 1986, just about to begin the World Cup 91, the project was created and had plans to find a new manager for the Grassroots National Teams, one that would be a connoisseur of the methods utilised by Omar and Rodolfo, as that would be important to make a seamless transition through the entire National Team ecosystem proposed.

Many potential candidates took part from a course where the basics of the to-be-instituted-style were taught and refined among them, pretty much like a zero-to-hero course for many of them that would feature a capstone project, where they would not only showcase their abilities and what they learned, also challenged their understanding of the proposed tactics. After three months, a new name popped up, and that was Marcos Álvarez for the U-18 side and Luis Díaz for the U-21 one, both will be working together to gather feedback and improve their tactics towards the process required to let the players ready for the expected National Team jump.

The project took more time to start and fly, it was the year of 1987 when the reality seemed to begin a slow change, as the Huayramarcan Football Association put the program to work, asking the manager of this U-18 side, Marcos Álvarez, to create a roadmap to put his team into work and in rhythm for tournaments across the Multiverse to showcase them. After some work, he decided to take the ideas of Omar Caicedo when it comes to tactics, search for footballers across the whole nation and then sign Huayramarca for the prestigious RTC U-18 World Cup as a beginning for this team, one that will provide the players a good experimentation field to let their tactic framework function properly, against some of the top squads across the Multiverse.

El Huayco (mudslide), as it is called the main tactic scheme used by the senior Condors, focuses on demanding a team with good physical conditions for the entire game, as it requires a lot of concentration and pressing to achieve its main goals. Hence the search across Huayramarca, for some new talents that could fulfill the needs that the Senior National Team could have in a couple of years. Through the 20 departments, no matter the region or how far the city is, Álvarez and his coaching staff visited and organised trials to check what the nation had to offer him and his plan to prepare the future gems of Huayramarca for their first international exposure.

From those trials and scouting done, a group of 27 players have appeared for the U-18 and U-21 projects, but age constraints have forced the pool to increase its size to 39 players, as the FA has asked to send 26 players as a minimum to each tournament. This new pool features some interesting footballers, from fast ones, tough and technical, dual nationals who switched allegiance to Huayramarca and people from the very last corner of the nation, making sure to gather a good representation from everybody, be it Huayramarcans or people who are searching for a new opportunity in this country.

How We Play Football? El Huayco is a style of play in which you look to win back the ball as soon as you lose it, and you try to win it back as high up the pitch as possible; that means you’re closing down a lot to put pressure on the player that's just won the ball back.

The idea is that the player who just won the ball will be vulnerable and won't have time to think about his first pass. You just close him down to win the ball back quickly as high up the pitch as possible, and then you initiate a counterattack. You're likely already halfway there and ready to go past into space and score a goal.

You can also use this tactic to target specific weak players if you have noticed a weakness in a certain team. Maybe central defenders or full backs aren't comfortable on the ball, and you can look to press and close certain individuals to try and make the most out of this game pressing style.

During the last couple of years, this scheme has suffered some modifications in order to keep it updated with the latest trends in modern football, reinforcing creation duties in the midfield and gaining extra protection in case the team losses the ball have been decisive to take this model to a higher level. The wingers now have a protagonist role as they might venture more often in attacking duties, transforming their roles to be strikers when needed, so, Huayramarca could have a 4-3-3 scheme at certain moments of the match.
To achieve Caicedo’s main goal, there are several prerequisites for successful counter pressing. The decisive factor is the overall positioning of the team and their playing style right before attempting to counter press. The players must play as close to one another as possible so that they can press together as a unit right after the ball is lost – which is a given in short passing football. At the same time, they should not stick so close to one another that they neglect to cover enough space.

Many teams also have problems deciding when to stop pressing, for example, when we stop pressing if we can’t win the ball back? When should we retreat? How long should you press and with how many players? This is particularly problematic because the position of the ball is always changing. Therefore, there is a theory created by Caicedo – the five second rule. Immediately after losing the ball the team should press at top speed and with maximum intensity for five seconds, if not possible, then switch to defence.

Now, Marcos Álvarez has the goal to make sure that his pupils learn the fundamentals of this style, to help them create memory plays that may help to optimise this scheme and make it more effective while using it. Also, his responsibility will be to notice some patterns that might indicate that there’s need to modify the system furthermore, to make it suit to the abilities that the new generation will display in the pitch, as it will be important to adapt the game to the players rather than forcing players to get used to something that doesn’t benefits them.

Without further ado, the starting XI and substitutes are presented in the following tables:

Starting Eleven

Line-up:

Substitutes

Summary


Nickname: Los Cóndores (The Condors).

Captain: Ruben Cochachi.
Second Captain: Lucien Alszeghy.
Third Captain: Carlos Cedeño.
Most likely to score: Lucien Alszeghy
Most likely to get red carded: Dylan Adame.
Prone to get injuries: Marcelo Huanca.
The genius: Carlos Cedeño.
The motivating soul: René Matsabanda.
Goal Tune: Gol de Huayramarca ¡Carajo!

Manager: Marcos Álvarez. (47) 
Assistant 1: Rodolfo Zelaya. (38) 
Physio: Lautaro Huamán. (65) 
GK Trainer: Martín Zubeldía (47) 
Doctor: Luciano Zambrano. (57)

Álvarez took one thing seriously while searching players for the team, he wanted the fastest ones possible when it comes to decision-making processes and physical speed, something this team really exploits in the wings from Cochachi and Caicedo who sometimes go up and help to attacking duties, then they return as fast as possible. They are always supported by a quite strong defensive core in the shape of Adame and Arteaga, who tend to play strong and borderline when it comes to the rules, both possess a good aerial game, but Arteaga can be a bit loose while marking rivals.

In the midfield, Mamani and Huanca often switch roles, as they can protect the playmaker and brain of the team Cedeño, or help him to distribute the game to the wings with Matsabanda and Mendoza who are lethal with speeds and have different specialties, as Matsabanda can be good while getting into the area and dribbling players to seek a chance for himself, or Mendoza who is a specialist with crossing passes to the attackers. Sometimes, the midfield might rely on the defenders to create chances, then pass the ball to Cedeño who might also try a shot from mid-range, something he’s good at. If we assess weaknesses of the team, Huanca tends to be delicate while marking due to his proneness to injuries, Cedeño might lose temper if provoked and Mamani could go harsh when tackling.

The wingers have the sole mission of feeding Alszeghy with passes, Lucien might always take every chance to score a goal, as he is pretty much always in the right spot to push the ball into the net, an opportunist like the legendary Bryan Tello, he could be marked heavily but he will always find the way to shoot and score. Alszeghy has good skills with set-pieces and mid-range shoots, although not good when it comes to penalty kicks and, lastly, he’s regular with the aerial game, might always help.

The Kits: Huayramarca’s social mindset is to aim for local consumption in the long term, hence the HFF decided to hire “eva Sportswear” to manufacture the kits for the national team. “eva” decided to take the ball out of the park with some unique designs for Huayramarca, reflecting the national identity and adding up some motivational phrases on them for mere sake of marketing. Those kits are based on the geography of this nation, from the coast to the highlands and jungle to promote a sense of national unity, especially on a stage that the national team might try to do something decent in their first World Cup Qualifiers venture.

As backgrounds, you might notice some decent spots that Huayramarca has to offer, such as Uyuni's salt lake with some astrophotography in it, Huayna Picchu's monument to Inti (Sun), Lake Quilotoa (an old volcano near the city of Tulcán), Puerto Odriozola at the San Carlos Islands, the Ojos del Salado Volcano with a lavender field and then, the second flag of the Plurinational Republic, the Wiphala, a representation of the old Incaic glory of Huayramarca and banner of the Aymara and Quechua nationalities.

“eva” decided to depict elements that provide some sense of pride and national identification for Huayramarcans, no matter where they from are, those are universal icons of what Huayramarca is and its roots. Strong roots, strong legacy, and strong people forging their future with pride and hope.

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

    Godmod scoring events: N.
    RP injuries to my players: Y - Contact me first, so we can agree.
    Godmod injuries to my players: Y - Contact me first as well.
    Give red cards to my players: Y – Max 3 per match.
    Godmod other events: Y – Contact me, so we can agree.

    Style Modifier: +4.30

Nota Bene: Do not RP a pandemic on Huayramarcan soil nor involve any of my players on it.

by **Zwangzug** » Thu Dec 22, 2022 1:26 pm

With the senior team getting a well-deserved rest, Zwangzug called up an all-star team of players from the most recent university season for the return of the Brevity Challenge Cup; they reached the final, losing to Poafmersia, but enjoyed it so much they're back for more. (ie, this is not considered a "full" tournament for our statistical purposes.) However, some of them might feature on the full NT someday. Like the senior team, they play a -2.

As the 38th Transfer Window is still ongoing, many of these players would be interested in moving to other leagues. I don't have specific notes but they could potentially take a wide range of trajectories. Contact me on Discord or by TG if interested!

Manager: Lynn Ragnailt (f) - Engdahl Institute

Goalkeepers:
1. Valery Korolev (m) - AIU
12. Sullivan Fizel-George (m) - Fleinhardt College
23. Alexis Schwartzerdt (f) - St. Deedrag University

Defenders:
2. Abernathy Mueller-Vorr (m) - St. Deedrag University
3. Amadou Sefe-Imdaro (m) - Minong College
4. Gretchen Hargrave (f) - Engdahl Institute
5. Yoonjung Lin (f) [captain] - Glune Institute of Natural Sciences
13. Nellie Ash-Vander (f) - AIU
14. Rebecca Trape-Almie (f) - Maddon College
15. Susanna Lusener (f) - Bulkeley College
16. Aidan Murphy (m) - Henssen Institute

Midfielders:
6. Yolande Ruvil-Shon (f) - Taravin College
7. Noah Drisk-Alban (m) - Bulkeley College
8. Travis Pasowik (m) - Stiglex University
9. Julia MacEacharna (f) - Neume College
10. Liam Tarquin (m) - Henssen Institute
17. Jude McWaler (m) - Glune Institute of Natural Sciences
18. Robin Fletcher (m) - University of Holmer
19. Arthur Quond-Martinez (m) - Lanius University
20. Briony Gull-Lopez (f) - Westfield College
21. Saroj Kinnar (f) - Engdahl Institute

Attackers:
11. Ryan Launds-Peterson (m) - Lanius University
22. Katherine Stafford (f) - University of Dauclem
24. Sveta Markova (f) - Neume College

Numbers 1-11 are the most likely to start, but feel free to vary that.

RP permissions: feel free to choose goalscorers, injure and issue fouls to my players. Please ask permission before causing permanent harm to my characters or in my country, or by doing anything that would be metaphysically challenging to do to your country (i.e. literal godmodding).[/quote]

by **Cardenao** » Tue Dec 27, 2022 10:29 am

Good evening friends, foes, participants, and observers. It is with great pride I may announce that the group draw for the Inaugural Mihaly Invitational Cup of Cardenao, aka the Cardenao Mihaly Invitational, has been completed! Please see the attached minimized document for a transcript of proceedings if desired, otherwise please see below for the finalized group draw.

Group Cardenao:
Zwangzug
Independent Athletes from Quebec
Drawkland
Ceni
Ochre Islands

Group Mihaly:
Banija
Huayramarca
Tikariot
Juvencus
Cardenao

by **Cardenao** » Wed Dec 28, 2022 11:41 am

Official Name: The Kingdom of Cardenao Men’s National Football Team
Official Nation Name: The Federated Republic of Kingdom of Cardenao
Country Code: CAD
Officiating League: The Cardenaoan MegaPower League
Officiating Body: The Cardenaoan Football Association
Regional Officiating Body: CAFA LigAnaia
Records:
All-Time W/D/L: 23-17-24 86 points from 64 games
All-Time Stats: 126gf-123ga +3GD
Elimination Round Record: Round of 16: 0-2
Titles: 0
International Rank: 72nd
Nickname: The Blue and Golds, La Furia Azule
Style: +3.0 out of 5.0

Primary kit:

Alternate kit:

THE ROSTER

Goalkeepers

1- Iñaki Pena
6'4 - 206lbs – 21 – Capitol Athletic (SYL)

While still in the early days of his goalkeeping career, Iñaki Pena already had two full seasons as Bananada CF’s starting keeper before his offseason transfer to Capitol Athletic for $4m. The witty yet pedantic 21 year old has a combination of height, sharp reflexes, and natural goaltending abilities that make him a very promising long-term prospect. Pena’s an expert with the ball at his feet, capable of picking out passes long and short, but sometimes he gets a little too cocky and gifts the ball to the other team. He’s only played once for the national football team as Ray Holland’s dominance in goal means Pena rarely sees the field. This is his opportunity to get some regular time for Scooter McNash’s side and show why he’s Cardenao’s keeper for the future.

13- Emiliano Parodi
6’1-184lbs-21-November City Sporting Club

Coming off a strong season for NCSC is the under21 national team starting goalkeeper, Emiliano Parodi. While he might not be the tallest keeper, he’s very agile and hurls himself towards the ball with his quick feet and quicker reflexes. Parodi is reliable with the ball at his feet, firing off precise passess without being capable of anything too fancy (which isn’t necessarily a bad thing for your goalkeeper). Off the pitch he’s quite practical, eschewing the glitzy sports cars for a reliable, high mpg compact that’s perfect for traveling around gas station sparse Cardenao. The same age as Iñaki Pena, Parodi will be working hard to dethrone the long anointed next great Cardenaoan goalkeeper and make the position his own.

30- Alejandro Gomez
6’8-213lbs-28-Catamulina Catarollas

A tall, tall person, Alejandro Gomez is 6’8 and commands his box just like you’d expect. Always yelling and martialing his defenders, coming out and easily catching crosses, presenting a huge obstacle in 1v1s, he was made for this position. Alejandro is poor with the ball at his feet, but with his quality shotstopping it doesn’t particularly matter. At 28 years of age, he’s entering his prime as a goalkeeper and the Catamulina Catarollas will be thrilled to have his services.

DEFENDERS

Leftbacks

3- Moustir-Yves Almeny
5’11-162lbs-19-Escuela Nacíonal DCPB

A fast, agile leftback, Moustir-Yves Almeny likes to operate at the left midfield spot when La Escuela is in possession, pushing forward and holding position to shore up space left open when the team is on attack. He’s comfortable on the ball, but prefers to pass it to one of the more creative players available. He broke into the starting lineup at 18 before winning the league at 19. Moustir is a solid defender, pushing wingers out towards the touchline and herding them out of bounds, and presents a very interesting option for Scooter McNash to experiment with.

28- Iván Umokoro (27-La Escuela)
6’1-165lbs-27-Escuela Nacíonal DCPF

Iván Umokoro is the reverse image of the typical Cardenaoan attacking fullback. Umokoro takes pride in being a defensive first player, strolling around the pitch with class and accurately tackling the ball away with his long legs. Iván represents a safe option in possession, just because he’s defensive minded doesn't mean he can’t cleanly pass the ball, and when his team does have control of the ball, he prefers to stick back with the defense, creating three at the back to suppress counterattacking efforts.

Centerbacks

5- Samuel Alcatron
6’5-172lbs-25-La Escuela Nacíonal DCPF

Samuel Alcatron cuts an elegant figure on the pitch with a trim 6’5 frame and strong technical skills that see him poke the ball away from the opponent before smartly pinging the ball to an open teammate. He has a high top speed but he’s a little slow off the starting block, but Alcatron’s strong sense of positioning means he rarely has to sprint to catch up to an opponent. He carries the ball out of the back with confidence, and has the passing and dribbling skills to make him one of the nation’s best in that role. Samuel was commanding for La Escuela Nacíonal DCPF in their recent MegaPower League winning season, and that run of form earned him a spot in Cardenao Mihaly Invitational.

13- Gelson Mukendi
5’10-168lbs-22-La Escuela Nacíonal DCPF

Gelson Mukendi is an athletically dominant presence in the centerback position, using his strength, speed, jumping ability, and general agility to make life hell for opposition players. It’s interesting as, at 5’10, he’s a bit shorter than the prototypical centerback but his natural athletic gifts, keen eye for a tackle, and ability to pass the ball out of defense make him a key player for the Alameda Desperados. He does have the occasional lapse in concentration, sometimes keeping opposing forwards onsides with his sloppy movement, but that’s something that can be coached out of the lad.

25- Vinicio Juapuala
6’3-184lbs-29-CMI FC

A very physically imposing defender, Vinicio Juapuala is one of the most physically intimidating players in the league, and pairs that with pace and positioning to present a strong presence in the backline. Lacking much of a passing or dribbling ability but making up for it with hard-hitting tackles that are as technically clean as they are punishing. Vinicio embraces being a classic hardman and loves to wind opponents and their fans up, while using his quickness, agility, and strength to be a lockdown defender at the heart of defense for CMI FC.

26- Max Packham
6’1 189lbs 24 Cardonia FC

Max Packham is an all-around solid defender. He’s got the size, the powerful build, the aerial ability, decent enough passing, keeps a cool head about him and can get stuck in with some strong tackles. He’s not the best nor particularly elite at any one of those categories, but he’s good enough at all of them and that’s made him a MegaPower League champion with Cardonia FC. He’s been one of the best defenders in the league these past two seasons and this will be his opportunity to show why he should be in the national team.

Rightbacks

2- Salva Perez
5’10-154lbs-21-Club Valentino

An energetic young right back, Salva Perez has had two strong seasons for Club Valentino and has more than earned a spot on this team. The 21 started his career as a winger before transitioning to his current spot in the backline. He still presents, and prefers to be, an offensive threat with his top dribbling and flair. Perez goes forward with skill, intelligent movement and strong crossing while also being aware of his positioning in relation to the rest of the defense, and has the speed and stamina to sprint back to cover a counter attack. He’s not the best tackler in the world and picked up 11 yellow cards for fouls last season, but he’s got plenty of time to perfect his game.

18- Charlie Montvedi
6’1-163lbs-24-Sporting Club November City

Charlie Montvedi is a typical Cardenaoan fullback, tons of offensive, minimal defense, 100% effort. Well maybe not 100% effort in Charlie Montvedi’s case as he is prone to losing concentration at times, but with his skill in carrying the ball and providing a progressive passing option make him invaluable to Sporting Club November City. The 6’1 wideman does have some real speed about him, and combines that with clever dribbling and inter-locking passing with his teammates to advance up the field. He likes staying wide with the ball, overlapping the winger to get the ball near the touchline before firing in a cross. Charlie Montvedi is a solid player and will be looking to make the most of his opportunities during this friendly cup.

Midfielders

Defensive Midfielders

23- Paul Arano
6’-179lbs-27-Conchara Marriposa

Paul Arano is the rock that holds his Conchara Marriposa squad together, both on and off the pitch. The 27 year old captain cuts an unassuming figure on the pitch but his excellent sense of positioning and anticipation help Arano snuff out opposing attacks before they get going, before making use of his great range of passing to set up attacking opportunities. He’s got several go-to dribbling moves to shed any pressure from opposition players, but can be trusted to always find a pass before he gets himself in too much trouble.

12- Sven Garrison
6’2-180lbs-22-Cardonia FC

A fantastic defensive midfielder and possession recycling asset, Sven Garrison is the perfect shield for the defensive line. Tall and strong with a powerful build, Sven rarely pushes forward from his spot in front of the defense, and prefers to simply lay the ball off to more creative players then try to produce some magic himself. Sven Garrison is nice at hitting the long long ball, able to ping it forward exactly where he wanted it. Off the field, he’s known among his friend group for being extremely punctual, always showing up to a party or event at the precise second it begins, it’s an Eastern Cardenao thing.

4- Diego Valenzuela
6'1 - 170lbs - 24 - Jucuacanos Silver Surfers

A strong defensive midfielder, Diego Valenzuela commands play from his position in the heart of midfield. With fantastic passing over all distances, Val has always dictated tempo with a calm, calculating approach to the game that would lend itself well to a battlefield, let alone a football pitch.Diego V was a stalwart for his boyhood club, the Jucuacanos Silver Surfers, but recently followed the well trod path from Cardenao to the Tikariot Premier League as he joined the illustrious Tikariot City FC. It’s highly unlikely the Captain actually plays in this tournament, but his leadership and locker room presence will do wonders for the rest of this untested team.

Center-Midfielders

8- Lonzo Capiatelli
6’3 - 174lbs - 22 - Bananda CF

Lonzo Capiatelli emerged from obscurity as a teenager to one of the most desired midfielders in Cardenao by the age of 22. The Bananada CF captain has become a household name with his talent in both attack and defense alike. He’s got solid, meaningful dribbling, world class vision and a passing ability to match, he’s got the flair, trickery, and pace of a winger but still knows how to put in a clean tackle, and how to mark a man out of the game. Most importantly, Lonzo Capiatelli knows how to make it all work. With his skill-set, he can play in any role across the midfield, but just letting him follow his instincts has worked out very well for his club team. He’s a natural leader, a perfectionist, and by all accounts an intelligent and well-spoken young man, it seems Lonzo Capiatelli has a very bright future.

10- Jenarío Cervahir
5’10 - 152lbs - 24 Real Alegria

The elegant Jenarío Cervahir displays football in all of its beauty, with picture perfect passes, impossibly curving shots, and dribbles past defenders with trickery and flair. With his extreme agility and ability to keep close control of the ball, Jenarío easily slices through defensive lines before slipping a pass through to his teammates. He can pass it short, long, in the air, driven passes, outside of the boot, everything and he’s proven it with 48 assists in 107 MegaPower League appearances. He’s got 29 goals to go with it too, able to score from close up and far out with curving precision. Jenarío is the ultimate professional, doing everything he can to make the most out of his ability and body.

14- Jamie Persuapuade
5’11 157lbs 23 Alexandria United

Jamie Persuapuade seemingly has four lungs with the endless stamina he displays every night. Usually playing as a box-to-box midfielder, Jamie can also slot in as a defensive midfielder. He prefers to line up as a central midfielder closer to the right side of the pitch, where he can make the most of his deceptively good dribbling and flair to help shield the ball. Jamie is a real athletic and hardworking midfielder who constantly presses high up the field and has been praised for his tactical intelligence and leadership both on and off the pitch.He is also known for his ability to win challenges, transition the ball forward, and make attacking runs from midfield to get into good offensive positions. All in all, Jamie is a fine young player whose best is yet to come.

6- Maximos Jeong-Hui
5’6 - 148lbs - 28 - Purellía Vida

A complete, consistent, hardworking and versatile midfielder, Xavi Arisilde and is capable of playing both center midfielder and defensive midfielder. Arisilde has good technique, solid vision, and fantastic passing range, and primarily plays as a deep-lying playmaker, but he is also capable of playing as a defensive midfielder due to his positional discipline and rabid tenacity and aggressive tackling style help him police the line. In attack, Maxiomos Jeong-Hui showcases some very impressive shooting from distance, presenting a reliable threat for his team to count on. Occasionally guilty of committing hard challenges, and for his tendency to blow his top and rack up cards for particularly hard fouls.

Forwards
Left Wing

7- Reynaldo Minarinho
5’10 - 153lbs - 22- Fishermen FC

A slippery, dangerous player from the wing, Reynaldo Minarinho is a veritable double threat on the pitch with his 23g/32a totals for his club team. Featuring direct and explosive dribbling to evade his defender, Reynaldo is especially dangerous from distance with an elite right foot hitting long range curling shots. His 32 total assists show his ability to create quality goal scoring chances for his team, and with the high standard of offensive players in this team, it’s easy to imagine him creating plenty of good opportunities.

17- Jamal Mustafason
6’ - 152lbs - 20 - Avondale Beach, Sylestone

Jamal Mustafason is a very talented dribbler, keeping the ball glued to his feet as he cuts in from the left wing. With 13 goals and 15 assists in 57 MegaPower League appearances, Jamal has already made his mark on Cardenao football. He has a great eye and feeling for choosing the right spaces, using his dribbling and affinity for one-two passes to open up attacking angles. Perhaps most notable is just how confident Jamal is on the ball, seemingly never afraid of attacking his defender and always looking to go to goal. His shooting ability is a bit rough, especially from outside the box, but with his agility and trickery, he’s able to get up close before slotting the ball past the keeper. With his skill set, he’s capable of playing all across the front line, but using him as an out and out striker seems like a waste of his particular talents. At 6’0 he has a good frame, but the lad is still young and wiry, and that can lead to him getting bullied off the ball. He recently completed a $2.5m move from Sporting Club November City to Avondale Beach of Sylestone and fans will be excited to see how the talented youngster develops.

21- Kaison Sibonaliso
5’9 - 160lbs - 20 - Real Alegria

Staying far, far out on the left wing is Kaison Sibonaliso. Mr. Hug the touchline loves staying outside to stretch the defense before using his burst of pace to latch onto a through ball. His most notable trait is his excellent crossing and general wing play, while he’s a deceptively good finisher who stays within his limits, scoring seven (7) and assisting 16. He also has a defensive engine too, tracking reasonably well back in defense and getting stuck in every now and again, much to the fan’s delight. Off the field, Kaison is known for being somewhat ignorant of the rough life of the average Cardenaoan. That wasn’t malicious or anything, he’s just a rich kid from a rich town getting paid a rich wage who doesn’t know any better. Hopefully as he ages and matures, he can get a little more educated as to the plight of his nation.

Strikers

9- Alberto Godwine
6’1 - 160lbs - 25 - Küsbon Town

Alberto Godwine was born to score goals, and score goals he has. 64 in 114 matches for Küsbon Town. Blessed with blazing pace at 6’1 and a good understanding of off the ball movement, the 25 year old devastates defenses with his runs, feints, and ability to put the ball in the net. Up close, far out, with a defender on him, a header, the occasional free kick and two hand-assisted goals, Alberto Godwine really can score in all manners. Accordingly, he is not a great passer and woeful at facilitating so he shouldn’t be counted out to control the game by any stretch of the imagination. He has decent enough dribbling but tends to lose control when he tries to flat out sprint with the ball, so placing him on the wing might not be the best usage. No, to get the most out of Alberto Godwine, just stick him up top and point him at goal.

20- Serge Diallo
5’11 - 162lbs - 23 - Bananada CF

The 23 year old Serge Diallo is a classic advanced forward. Blessed with an incredible amount of speed and an elite first touch to capitalize on it, the Bananada CF academy product has secured his position as one of the most dangerous goalscorers in the MegaPower League. 35 goals last season, 26 the one prior, it’s clear Serge Diallo is all Dialloed in on goal. Like dialed but dialloed…anyway, he’s a pure goalscoring threat through and through! He doesn’t offer much in the way of build up play, only seven (7) assists after these two seasons is the exclamation on that point, but for the national team that’s alright, sometimes you just need to bring someone in who’s quick as fuck and can put the ball in the net, no fuss about it. Serge Diallo is that player.

15- Theodore Ryūnosuke
5’9 - 157lbs - 27 - Club Valentino

The first of the Club Valentino strikers, Theodore Ryūnosuke is much shorter than his companion but boasts elite speed to burst from deeper on the pitch to run onto a free ball to score. 31 goals this season and 27 the one prior, he’s lethal when shooting after a single dribble, while also getting a fair amount of goals from following shots and using his agility and quickness to get easy rebound goals. Ryūnosuke is fairly limited as a build up player, but he combines very well with his fellow Valentino striker to score 71 of their team’s 94 goals. Off the pitch he’s famous for his charity work, making multiple appearances per week at local facilities.

27- Radoslav Jiménez
6’4 - 187lbs - 29 - Club Valentino

And the second of the Club Valentino strikers, Radoslav Jiménez is the target man of the pair. The 6’4 forward is a powerful athlete with a wonderful ability to post up his defender and roll off them onto a pass to shoot and score. Radoslav is strong in the air and a generally prolific scorer for Club Valentino, netting 38 goals in the most recent MegaPower League season and 33 in the one prior. He’s a certified goalscorer and backs up with an arrogant attitude both on and off the pitch.

29- Babou Charlemo
5’10 - 153lbs - 23 - Sareña FC

At only 23 years of age, Babou Charlemo has already had two remarkable seasons in the MegaPower league. In the first edition of the league he scored 18 goals and assisted another 23, while last season he exploded for 32 goals and created 15 more. He’s got a big bag of dribbling tricks and is always pulling something out to give his defender the slip. Add on pace4dayz and an accurate right foot and you’ve got the goal machine that is Babou Charlemo. The Sareña striker is a generally unselfish player, always looking to create opportunities for the team but he certainly doesn’t avoid putting his head done and “going at it” every now and again.

Right Wingers

11- Paolo Van Montanari
6’1-157lbs-21-Alameda Desperados

One of the most entertaining Cardenaoan players to watch, U21 national team star Paolo Van Montanari combines world class speed, with a fantastic and flamboyant dribbling ability. Add in natural flair and a tendency for the spectacular, and you have a very easy on the eyes player who constantly leaves his defender dreading this matchup. Paolo does lack on the end product, only registering 8g/8a this season for the Alameda Desperados after 15g/6a in the season prior. Van Montanari can absolutely continue to improve and has all of the tools to be a very good player if he can put them together.

24- Chevaugn Williams
6’4-188lbs-33-Escuela Nacíonal DCPF

Chevaugn fills a unique role in the Cardenian attack as a hulking 6'4 presence who takes advantage of his size to bully his defender. The big man’s strength comes from his great playmaking ability from the right wing position. Chevaugn’s got great vision and passing, and the technique to pull off some remarkable passes. He boasts a strong back to goal game, posting up his defender to help with building up a goal scoring chance, while Chevaugn also provides a confident and accurate shooter from within the box, not to mention a reliable goal threat from set pieces. After being dropped from the national team for three successive cycles, his 10 goal and 21 assist season for La Escuela Nacíonal DCPF en route to winning the title won him a place back as an accomplished veteran presence who knows Scooter McNash’s system. Now at 33 years of age, he will be sure to make the most of this experience.

16- Dimitri Micalizio
5’8-148lbs-22-Cardonia FC

Dimitri Micalizio is a classic goalscoring threat from out wide. Starting on the right wing, he likes to sit narrowly so he can explode towards goal with his great acceleration and pace. Dimitri’s got a good bag of dribbling tricks to help him slip by his defender, but his top quality is his accurate and powerful shooting ability. He’s a bit arrogant and loves dribbling with the intent of humiliating his defender, and he backed it up with 22 goals last season for Cardonia FC, with his blend of speed, dribbling, and shooting will make him a direct option for the team in attack.

PLAYER RESPONSIBILITIES

Head Coach: Scooter McNash
Height: 6'1 – Weight: 178lbs – Age 52 years old

A striking legend in his younger days, the eccentric Scooter McNash took the lead of the Cardenian national team during our maiden outing and has been absolutely outstanding, leading the team to the 72nd world ranking after advancing to the knockout stages of the Cup of Harmony for the first time in the nation’s history.

PRIMARY FORMATION

-------PENA-------

---MOUSTIR--ALCATRON--MUKENDI--PEREZ---

-----CAPIATELLI---PERSUAPUADE-----

-------J. CERVAHIR-------

----VAN MONTANARI---GODWINE---REYNALDO----

Roleplay Permissions

by **Tikariot** » Wed Dec 28, 2022 10:32 pm

The same the fans of the senior team, the fans of the Owlets also deserve particular mentioning. Not only are they renowned for their chants, but they are also bringing the Thunder Clap (Click here for example) to the stadium, something that the players join in as a pre-game ritual that has left an impression on the opponents and opposing fans more than once (OOC: similar to the Haka of the New Zealand All Blacks). The players will form a triangle near the kick off circle and lift their arms, which the fans do as well. Then a lone drum will start to signal the rhythm and both players and fans alike will move in unison, each clap accompanied with a loud cry, the claps (and cries) speeding up, creating an overwhelming sense of impending doom.

Brian McAllister - 48

After having been assistant to now former coach Stuart Ekstrom, Brian McAllister made the move to Sargossa and enjoyed a lot more success than his former mentor, having two Copa Rushmori victories under his belt, so with the expiration of his contract in Sargossa and Ekstrom's dismissal after the disappointing string of results aligning, the timing was perfect for McAllister to return to his native country in the driver's seat. having grown up in Tikariot, he also is a proponent of the same flexible 4-3-3 setup that Ekstrom had almost perfected to a point and that has not changed during his Sargossan employment.


Pos     Name                       Age          Team                    
GK      Alighieri                   21          Guillarim Blades FC
LB      Hank Stevenson              21          Khalgarh United FC
CB      Connlaodh Mac Gofraidh      19          Lydholm Forened (CNR)
CB      Zsuzsanna Szomogyi          21          Carathyr Emeralds FC
RB      Samuel Arncross	            21          Alcassar 1896 FC
LM      Easton Aird                 21          Oriannor Mountaineers FC
CM      Stuart Prycross             18          Parakleion Firebirds FC
RM      Corey Sedar                 21          Guillarim Blades FC
W       Annika Nurmsalu             21          Miruan City FC
CF      Joe Delianov                21          Tikariot City FC
W       Malcolm Sanford             21          Oriannor Mountaineers FC


Pos     Name                       Age          Team                    
GK      Elisapeta Talatonu          21          Varakoula Warriors FC
LB      Saulo Autagavaia            21          Varakoula Warriors FC
CB      Katarzyna Heaney            21          Betham FC (SYL)
CB      Joel Basiala                19          Oriannor Mountaineers FC
RB      Ragnhild Fjeld Stenevik     21          Kyethas Rivermen FC
LM      Simon Develey               20          Port Tacassam FC
CM      Townsend Green              21          Crimsonhawke FC
RM      Simon Vlammenzee            19          Miruan City FC
W       Liselotte Strannegård       21          Tikariot City FC
CF      Giacomo Patriarca           18          Kyethas Rivermen FC
W       Melisande Covarria          21          Miruan City FC

+4

My opponent, if they RP first, may do the following:
Choose my goalscorers: Y
Godmod scoring events: N
RP injuries to my players: Yes (just please be reasonable)
Godmod injuries to my players: No
Hand out yellow cards to my players: Yes (again please be reasonable)
Hand out red cards to my players: Yes (same deal)
Godmod other events: N

by **Banija** » Thu Dec 29, 2022 10:45 am

Mihaly Invitational Cup - A chance for fringe players to impress on the international stage

CARDENAO- The Mihaly Invitational Cup is happening in the home nation of our very close ally, Cardenao, out in Anaia. Happening at the same time as the AOCAFs, the main squad will be in Atlantian Oceania, trying to defend their regional title. But that doesn't mean that there isn't value in what happens at this tournament. "We're going to use this tournament as a chance to trial players who, obviously, are not on the main squad. But also a chance to trial players who will get their first taste of international football at this tournament." Pamela Scott, the senior NT manager, told reporters. "We haven't done the best job of getting to youth international tournaments lately, so this will be a good chance for many players to have the opportunity to put on the shirt."

It will not only be a chance for various young players, and other players who haven't had a chance to play with the main NT, to impress. It will also be a chance for coaches to impress. With the main staff preparing for AOCAF 68, there will be some young coaches who will be introduced to the international stage. "Building a strong national team is not only about building the player pipeline, and fostering competition for the best XI by the time the next World Cup Qualifiers come around." Pam Scott told reporters. "It is about building out the entire infrastructure for the sport. And that's all about building out the coaching infrastructure as well."

The job for senior manager for this tourney will be the up and coming Sporting Iturributa assistant manager, Namakula Kawesa. She was loaned to the RBSA for the women's world cup, and she will be back temporarily once again, for this tournament. "I would like to thank Pamela for her believing in me for a role that is this important." She told reporters. "And my club for allowing this to happen. Obviously, I have great memories playing for the national team- winning the World Cup, putting on this shirt, it means everything. And now, getting to coach on the sideline- important. Obviously, we want to evaluate players, and test players, while we're here- that's the important part of this tournament. But I'm competitive as hell. There are a bunch of excellent teams here at this tournament, and there's a trophy available that's just there for the taking. I want it."

Kawesa is still putting together the final squad, alongside Pamela Scott. "Obviously, Pam will take the lead here- she knows what players she wants to see, who has a chance of contributing to the NT in World Cup 93 Qualifiers and beyond that. I'll take whoever she gives us, but other than that, I have full autonomy- I'll manage these players as I see fit."

Pam Scott told reporters that she doesn't have any specific age restrictions. "It'll be kind of like an Olympic squad- U23+3? Something like that. But we aren't beholden to just U23s, or just 3 'overage' players, especially if we feel as if they may have something to contribute in the future. But, obviously, a team like this, it is going to be majority young players. But this is an intriguing tournament, with all sorts of enticing matchups. I plan on giving Namakula a squad where she can make a deep run with them, and hopefully have a legitimate shot of grabbing a trophy. I've got a rough taste in my mouth after coming so close at World Cup 92."

The squad list is not ready- it is expected to be released shortly before Matchday 1. With Banija having a bye to open the tournament, they can release their squad a bit later than everyone else.

by **Juvencus** » Thu Dec 29, 2022 12:22 pm

SQUADRA NAZIONALE DI JUVENCUS

Information about Juvencus:
Capital: Pomena
Population: 130,656,702 ethnic Juven, with a total of 150,048,720 including naturalised immigrants.
Demonym: Juven
Country Code: JUE
Football Association: JFA(Juven Football Association)
Nicknames: Gli attaccanti(The attackers), La squadra(The team)
Football philosophy: At this point, to play football in Juvencus you need to understand that no matter who you are, pushing forward is the MOST essential core value you can bring in your game. Both strikers and defenders alike are equally likely to strike from any range at any time. Defense is not neglected, but is not as valued as being a scary goalscorer up front.

Starting XI:

GK:Sócrates Wright(Age 23)(AC Pomena)
Description: Wright might be a surprise entry in this list. But fret not as he possess undeniably the best vision out of any goalkeeper in the Campionato and managed to save the AC Pomena side from multiple embarrassments with his excellent leaps and heroics. He is a clutch goalkeeper and perfect for saving penalties.

CB:Lucia Agnelli(Age 24)(Victoriaville City

)
Description: Positionally adept with great tackling ability. Lucia Agnelli has all that is required of a Juven defender. Due to her small stature and short gravity center, she is also able to attempt risky dribbles on the defensive side with a high success rating.

CB:Carlos Coste(Age 25)(Glenmount Town

)
Description: Coste has an eagle eye, with a good crossing ability. Aside from that he is very focused in the game and possesses highly accurate passing that is useful for fast counter-attacks.

CDM:Giuseppe Conte(Age 26)(AC Serone)
Description: Giuseppe Conte is not the flashiest player in the team, however he possesses a high effectiveness level in regards to his crossing ability as well as a sickening ball handling technique that makes it hard to get the ball away from him.

CDM:Félix Sissoko(Age 25)(Kingston FC

)
Description: When in need, call Sissoko. Sissoko can instigate attacks out of thin air with a simple cross, or just a pass. His vision allows him to be always updated on the game. Though not particularly endurant, he makes up for it by being put in his place and playing his game. He is also lucky enough to have a slightly better chemistry with his squadmates than other players, no matter the enviroment.

RM:Simon Oliveira(Age 25)(Newark Argyle

)
Description: Simon Oliveira is very much a nuisance to play against, a swift dribbler, excellent passer with a high chance of raining long-distance attempts at a goal or assist. Despite of many rumors of him representing a Campionato side, Newark Argyle of Tumbra swiftly took hold of him.

LM:Lucien Cavallo(Age 28)(AC Pomena)
Description: AC Pomena's midfield maestro, Cavallo is a flexible midfielder, often times switching sides in the midfield in an attempt to find the perfect position to orchistrate an organised attack, with some surprise elements and it works a lot of the time. While not directly scoring or assisting much, his input is of utmost importance as he starts a number of frontline offensives which lead to goals.

RF:Gilberto Soares(Age 26)(U.S Scudelli)
Description: Though normally a deadly striker, Gilberto Soares possesses explosive speed which allows him to be dangerous out of dead air, which is a very critical trait for a winger and a player who could just not be left out of the team. He also possess cat-like leaps that allow him to jump high in the air, giving him an advantadge in headers.

LF:Ganymede Garcia(Age 25)(Mipojoseon

)
Description: Garcia is a big game player right off the bat, he will score that one random header or tap-in when you least expect it, however he is a clinical finisher regardless. With traits like that, he is perhaps the team's only remaining poacher up front, despite his winger status.

CF:Giordano Limene(Age 29)(Garden City

)
Description: Limene is on fire, an unstoppable attacking machine that keeps on scoring and scoring with every given opportunity. Despite a long waiting time for his engines to start, when they do start, they do not stop no matter how many walls will be put on that defensive line. An innate ability for curved shots, it is very hard for any goalkeeper to stand a chance against him. He has been unstoppable in the Flavovespian league, bringing terror to the sides he has played against.

Main Substitutions:

GK: Luisinho Palazzo (Age 30)(Odiol Vinceti)
Description: Palazzo kept an ungodly amount of clean sheets in the Campionato last season, which in turn made him a no brainer to pick for the 7 Nations Cup team.

CB: Ottavio Perot (Age 23)(USC Toro)
Description: Strong, speedy player, very positionaly adept. Very instrumental in this USC Toro team.

CB: Teodora Alberto (Age 31)(Canzaria FC

)
Description: Canzaria FC's captain not entering the 7 Nations Cup team would be a fatal mistake. Teodora Alberto has been the team's most commanding presence on the pitch and has developed both the traits of the traditional Juven defender, that being fast and great at positioning and a more rugged Osci approach to the game, willing to take hits.

CDM: Oliviero Traversa (Age 25)(AC Picilia)
Description: A player that can dictate the speed of a game at any given moment, he was the assist leader of the Campionato(OOC:2033-34, not the season I just posted) last season with 14 assists.

CDM: Belinha Leone (Age 28)(AC Pomena)
Description: Belinha Leone is a player that is often overlooked in the AC Pomena side but is nonetheless an excellent passer that could make the first XI in most teams.

RM: Moïse Naggi (Age 25)(U.S Scudelli)
Description: Excellent crosser, very important in U.S Scudelli's lineup. Much to show for.

LM: Teofilo Greco (Age 27)(AS Aguajú)
Description: Approaching his peak, Los Amazones' left midfielder is a great dribbler and an equally great crosser as Naggi. Instrumental in their title winning run last season.

RF: Tatiana Vicario (Age 20)(AS Aguajú)
Description: Youthful winger with a lot of stamina and a knack for cutting the ball in and scoring beautiful goals.

LF: Pompeo Tailler (Age 30)(Union Juven

)
Description: Experienced Union Juven winger, he has been quite the force in the Osci Campionato.

CF: Angelina Turati (Age 26)(FC Herone)
Description: FC Herone's new signing has proven herself at her previous club AC Guillermont, scoring 2 digit amounts of goals for the past 4 seasons. She is a clinical finisher with a strong shot.

Staff:
Main Coach:Dudu Madeiros
Junior Coach:Nino Russo
Assistant Coach:Calixto Conti
Assistant Coach:Sebastian Galletti
Team Doctor:Carlo Micheli
Team Physician:Mathis Rotolo

Roster comments: A mixed team comprised of substitutions of the main team as well as the delegation sent in the 7 Nation Cup will be fielded for the invitational Mihaly Cup. It will serve as a good preparation for the main team's substitutions who are not getting as much playtime but also as a good experience for the depth squad fielded at the 7 Nation Cup. Morale is on the team's side, as always, with respectable seasons past most of the players included.

My opponent, if they RP first, may do the following:
Choose my goalscorers: Yes
Godmod scoring events: No
RP injuries to my players: Yes, light ones only
Godmod injuries to my players: No
Hand out yellow cards to my players: Yes, 3 per game and notify me in TGs or discord for which players you carded
Hand out red cards to my players: Yes, 1 per game and notify me in TGs or discord for which players you carded
Godmod other events: Depends on severity, TG me or message me through discord for more
Style modifier: +5

by **Ceni** » Thu Dec 29, 2022 4:51 pm

ROSTER FOR THE 1st MIHALY INVITATIONAL CUP

INFORMATION

After a rogue Cenian FA member threw the Cenian national team forward in time 20 years in a vain attempt to remove archenemy Andrew Arrowsword from international contention, the Cenian football scene plummeted into disarray. The world-leading Terranean League disbanded, as did the Cenian national team itself. Many players continued plying their trade abroad, but a significant number also hung up their boots. Now that the forsaken team has returned, the Cenian FA reluctantly approved a return to World Cup competition. After a relatively successful WC campaign, and some political changes as well, the FA has grown more receptive to broader international competition, including the Campeonatos Rushmori Juveniles and now the U-18 World Championships. Ceni will send a U-21 team to the Mihaly Invitational under Arrowsword's leadership.

While Ceni's academies produced many young footballers, given the relative lack of footballing infrastructure in Ceni, many have chosen to pursue other opportunities beyond football. But the current crop of academy-produced footballers is on the cusp of a new era in Cenian football, and Cenian NT manager Luke Longstar will be watching this tournament and the upcoming Di Bradini Cup for prospects to refresh the NT in the future.

Manager:

Andrew Arrowsword
Assistant Manager:

Allison Swan

Despite some resistance from FA director John Asteem, Andrew Arrowsword will take his first managerial job as Ceni enters the U-18 World Championships for the first time. Arrowsword's career is extensive and well-decorated, the highlight being the UICA Champions' Cup in its 66th cycle with Real Azuris. He also won the Harlighet Ligan four times and the Sanford PREMIER League twice, although his best result in international football is only a World Cup quarterfinal. Once touted as a world-class player, Arrowsword lost much of his mojo when his teammates disappeared and international football in Ceni stopped its march forward. During that dry spell, he went on the Immortality Quest in TiSoFah with then-boyfriend Liam Pendryn and will now grace (or annoy or piss off, whatever your persuasion) the sporting realms for all time.

Arrowsword and assistant manager Allison Swan (another long-time Cenian national team stalwart) have opted to play with four defensive players for the first time in modern Cenian footballing history, recognizing the longtime defensive woes faced by a national team with only three defenders but also a number of exciting prospects at Ceni's three major footballing academies. Ceni tends to produce strong "builder" central midfielders along with playmaker attacking midfielders, and this team is no exception. As a result, Ceni usually rushes into the attack, all guns blazing, with a consequent vulnerability to quick counterattacks. Arrowsword and Swan hope that their bulked up defense will somewhat mitigate this trend and get the attack back on track, so to speak.

For scorination purposes, Ceni will play with a +2.777 style modifier.

For some background on Cenian player development: Pinnacle Project is by far the largest and most established football academy in Ceni located on the campus of the University of New Oxford; Apex Academy is a newer (and somewhat more upper-class) outfit located in the upper-class suburban town of Westgreen; Project +90 Ceni is an offshoot of the (now defunct but formerly widespread) player development academy from the Northern Sunrise Islands that focused on international clubs as a target market. It acts more as a network and broker for local teams and academies rather than a more formal club.

Ceni does not usually play rough, but more cerebrally rather than anything else. That being said, Ellex-Mar is somewhat tempestuous, so he's the most likely to pick up a warranted yellow card or red card. Otherwise, the most likely way a Cenian will pick up a caution is arguing with a referee, probably over a very technical or minute section of the Code.

ROSTER

Pos. 	Name			Age	Club
				
GK	Aneirin Woodbridge	19	 Herzegovina City
GK	Eilana Avith-Rose	18	 Vaduz Portcullis
GK	Tara Moacyr		19	Tomás Hernández Academy
GK	Xori Callisto		16	Pinnacle Project
LB	Mateo Qurimanta		18	 Port Rhovanyon AFC
LB	Andreia Tiburão		19	Tomás Hernández Academy
CB	Jaina Beren		19	 Vaduz Portcullis
CB	Vyn Voren		18	 Vaduz Portcullis
CB	Elizabeth Girthon	19	Apex Academy
CB	Alejo Palancar		19	Septentrional
RB	Corran Casa-Alta	19	 Mipojoseon
RB	Hannah Valleverde	19	Tomás Hernández Academy	
DM	Lyra Avant		18	 Celtic Noviodunum
DM	Calder-Amilkar Bravo	17	Pinnacle Project
CM	Jasper Berenguer	19	 Celtic Noviodunum
CM	Luca Finnall		17	 Unioneers
CM	Ewan Vespertine		18	 Mazinaw Vanorian
CM	Carson Credo		16	Archival Geese
AM	Marco Santa Oria	20	 Lexington Victory
AM	Aidan Koromin		17	Polaris
AM	Kyn Koriden		18	Cenial Halcyon
AM	Eréndira Wallace-Zárate	16	Pinnacle Project
ST	Sebastian Ellex-Mar	17	 Olympique de Rimouski
ST	Xek Sunsaber		17	 Burnaby SC
ST	Nova Daneraj		18	1860 Azoth
ST	Xoán del Alcázar	16	 Lexington Victory

Default Starting Lineup

RP PERMISSIONS

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

Choose my goalscorers: YES
Godmod scoring events: YES
RP injuries to my players: YES, but most certainly no career-ending injuries.
Godmod injuries to my players: NO
Hand out yellow cards to my players: YES, although read the information section before you decide to hand out a yellow card.
Hand out red cards to my players: YES, although read the information section before you decide to hand out a red card.
Godmod other events: Please PM me on Discord @credo#6104 to discuss. I'm much better at responding to Discord PMs than TGs so you're more likely to get a quicker response from me.

I will ignore cannon any references to a pandemic taking place.

Style Modifier (redux): +2.777

by **Cardenao** » Thu Dec 29, 2022 11:53 pm

Mellowest greetings, this is your host speaking! Consider this……a cutoff!

by **Cardenao** » Fri Dec 30, 2022 12:20 am

MATCHDAY 1

Group Cardenao

Independent Athletes from Quebec 1-0 Ochre Islands
Drawkland 4-1 Ceni

Group Cardenao Standings

   Team                                 P W D L For Ag +/- Pts
 1 Drawkland                            1 1 0 0  4  1  +3  3
 2 Independent Athletes from Quebec     1 1 0 0  1  0  +1  3
 3 Zwangzug                             0 0 0 0  0  0  +0  0
 4 Ochre Islands                        1 0 0 1  0  1  -1  0
 5 Ceni                                 1 0 0 1  1  4  -3  0

Group Mihaly

Huayramarca 4–4 Cardenao ((Scoronated by Quebec, many thanks!))
Tikariot 1-4 Juvencus

Group Mihaly Standings

   Team            P W D L For Ag +/- Pts
 1 Juvencus        1 1 0 0  4  1  +3  3
 2 Cardenao        1 0 1 0  4  4  +0  1
 3 Huayramarca     1 0 1 0  4  4  +0  1
 4 Banija          0 0 0 0  0  0  +0  0
 5 Tikariot        1 0 0 1  1  4  -3  0

by **Cardenao** » Sat Dec 31, 2022 5:07 pm

Heroic Comeback To Tie 22nd Best Team In World

Ladies and gentlemen, assorted readers from Cardenao to our friends in Banija and frenemies in Ochre, those Juvencunts and all the way to the interstellar shores of Drawkland. Man, I even have readers in Ceni and the world champion Zwangzung, at least that’s what my editor tells me! Of course, of course, we all know why you’re reading, why I’m writing.

The first ever Mihaly Invitational Cup of Cardenao. First things first, what the hell is that name? I’m sorry but it’s just too much, with the multiverse’s eyes on us, shouldn’t we have a tournament name that’s a little easier to get off the tongue? Like…The Cardenao Invitational. There you go, saves people time, doesn’t sound as pretentious, easier to say. Either way, however you call it, I am just thrilled to see an actual international football tournament being held on Cardenaoan soil. It was only six years ago when President Mihaly Otamendi officially brought Cardenao onto the world stage after 100 Years of Solitude, and now look at us. The World Cup champions AND runners up are now playing on our soil. Our dear friends the nations of Banija and Quebec are here, and our soon to be officialized national allies of Ceni and Tikariot (if rumors of treaties are to be believed), everyone is here and it’s grand.

Even more grand was getting the tournament started with a match against the 22nd best team in the world, Huayramarca. Yet again we match up against our fellow Anaian side and as always, we were looking forward to butting heads against this free flowing attacking side. From the first whistle, it was clear the young side coached by Marcos Álvarez and the legendary Rodolfo Zelaya was set up in the same mold as the senior team, playing the same swashbuckling Huayco style. Lots of pressing, lots of high intensity play from both sides right from the get go and the 41,000 fans in attendance at Casa Cartablanca knew it was going to be a fun game.

The fans didn’t have to wait long for the scoring in the Cardenao Invitational (yes I am calling it now, what’s Mihaly going to do?) to get started. In the fourth minute, captain Lonzo Capiatelli won the ball in midfield with a neatly timed tackle of Huanca and started to charge up the field with his 6’3 stride helping him out-stride the Huayran midfielders. Capiatelli neatly side-stepped a challenge from opposing captain Ruben Cochachi to advance into the right wing attacking zone. From there, he whipped in a driven cross into the box for Alberto Godwine to collect with one touch and slam the ball into the back of the net with another to make it 1-0 to the hosts. Us. Cardenao. The hosts. I still can’t get over that!

Unfortunately, the Huayrans certainly got over being behind when they equalized in the 11th minute. Valetín Mendoza showed his blistering pace as he latched onto a nicely placed through ball, going up against our leftback Moustir-Yves Almeny, the 22 year old from Purellía Vida. Moustir sagged off a bit, anticipating a cross from Valetín’s accurate feet, but it never came. Instead, it was a brilliant fake cross from the young Huayramarcan that sent Moustir into the air to block, while Valetín blasted into the box, settled himself, and picked out the far side of goal with a neatly placed shot to make it 1-1 and we had ourselves a game!

Lots of back and forth play, the two sides shared a similar philosophy of fast-paced football with intense pressing on both sides to try and win the ball back. The pace and athletic vigor of the young side from Huayramarca caused plenty of problems, with their attacking group coming close on several occasions between their first goal and the 30th minute but they finally got their second when Álvarez’s five seconds or less pressing scheme paid off. Paul Arano lost the ball out to Carlos Cedeño, who played a genius ball over the top to Matsabanda, who showed why he was a goal threat with some neat dribbling to separate from Gelson Mukendi and get in on goal. A neat fake shot sent Iñaki Pena to the floor and it was a simple matter for René to knock it over him and he wheeled away to motivate his teammates by doing a little celebratory dance.

1-2 to the visitors but our spirit as fans of this incredible Cardenao team was not broken, not even when we’re trailing the 22nd best team in the world. We can take a lot of pride in our boys in blue and gold, we’ve bested nations like Krytenia, Pasarga, and Tikariot while reaching the Round of 16 in both the Cup of Harmony and the CAFA Cup, all within our first two attempts at the World Cup. We’ve clawed back from bad spots before and that optimism was alive and well within our hearts.

Ten seconds before the end of the half, the referee was looking at his whistle, when bang. The equalizer. Reynaldo Minarinho got a hold of a through ball from Jenarío Cervahir in the left wing area and started off towards goal. The slippery winger from Fishermen FC kept the ball close to his foot as he danced past two defenders before chipping in a short cross that was met by Alberto Godwine’s towering header to level the score at 2 a piece right as the half-time whistle was blown. The break was festive in atmosphere, with supporters of both teams celebrating their teams, sharing food and drink, making memories that form the foundation of national friendship. Good company, food, drink, and most important of all, good football.

With the new half came some substitutions from Scooter McNash. Dimitri MiCalizio came in for Paolo Van Montanari on the right wing, while Paul Arando was taken off in exchange for Sven Garrison in the defensive midfield position. With a blow of the whistle, the second half kicked off and it picked up exactly where the first half left off, attack after attack, pressure after pressure. Back and forth, back and forth with both teams coming close to goal, but it was the dreaded visitors who got the go-ahead goal.

Iñaki Pena took a goalkick and blasted it up field, with Alberto Godwine flicking it on into space where there was no Cardenaoan presence. Huayran rightback Camilo Caicedo collected the ball and advanced up the field, crossing into our half uncontested. The 18 year old looked up, then focused on the ball as he hit a raking ball over the top of our defensive line right into the perfect run of Lucien Alszeghy. The 17 year old wearing the famous #10 collected the ball with the outside of his right foot before firing in a precise shot to make it 2-3 to the 22nd best team in the world.

Us Cardenaoans were put further into misery only four minutes later, when they went up 2-4 in the 57th minute when Gelson Mukendi brought Valentín down in the box with a hard foul and the referee immediately pointed to the penalty spot. It was Lucien Alszeghy who stepped up, took a breath and blasted the ball into the net. Down 2-4 with only a little over 30 minutes left is not an ideal place to be.

But we are Cardenao, we always find a way back! And a way back was found in the 68th minute, when Jenarío Cervahir destroyed Cochachi and Adame with a neat reverse elsatico to split between them and go through on goal. It was just him with Zambrano in goal to beat, every Cardonian in the crowd was on their feet when Jenarío stopped and backheeled the ball away from goal. For a heartbeat, complete and total shock in the stadium, just what the hell was the lad thinking?? A heartbeat later, as Lonzo Capiatelli’s right foot connected with the ball at the top of the 18, the genius was laid clear. Another heartbeat later, with the ball firmly in the back of the net, the celebrations started. 3-4 with 20 minutes left. Plenty of time to come back and defend our national honor.

The battle was fierce over the final minutes, with the Cardenaoan’s pushing forward valiantly to grab the equalizer while the Huayramarcans had drawn their line in the sand and were fighting to hold the defense. Alberto Godwine’s replacement Serge Diallo came close in the 82nd minute, with a sweetly hit shot just barely whistling over the bar. Maximos Jeong-Hui knocked on the door with a long range curling shot but it was parried away strongly by Zambrano and the score was still excruciatingly 3-4.

In the 88th minute, left wing substitute Kaison Sibonaliso made the breakthrough. The 20 year old from Real Alegria was hugging the touch line out wide and timed a run nicely to get on the end of a weighted pass from Lonzo Capiatelli. Kaison did well to dribble the ball up the field before firing in one of his precise crosses to meet, to everyone’s surprise, Samuel Alcatron’s wide open head. With a thunderous punch of his large forehead, the centerback powered the ball into the net to make it 4-4 to the shock of everyone. I mean, what the hell was he doing up there? Striker Alcatron is apparently a thing!

When the referee blew the final whistle, all in attendance walked away having greatly enjoyed the friendly spectacle. It featured wide-open attacking play, some great goals and display of footballing skill, and it also gave the 41 thousand fans in attendance the opportunity to co-mingle, to share culture and thoughts and ideas and words.

For all intents and purposes, it was a victory for Cardenao even if the three points didn’t come as well. A draw against the 22nd best team in the world, a new link to a new national friend in Huayramarca, and Cardenao’s first successful international hosting matchday.

by **Tikariot** » Sat Dec 31, 2022 6:15 pm

The first game against Juvencus definitely did not go to plan. They knew that bringing a young, quite inexperienced crew to a tournament had its risks, but a 1-4 was not quite what they had expected. Coach Brian McAllister was sitting in his hotel room with a notebook, re-watching the game and trying to narrow things down to what went wrong and he didn't even know where to start. Defence, midfield, offence, it would probably have been easier to write down what didn't go downhill. Sure, they scored a goal and it was not a huge surprise that it was Annika Nurmsalu, who fired the ball past Sócrates Wright, but there were approximately four too many balls crossing the line on the other end of the pitch. Reporters were going to ask him about line-up changes and all that. He sighed and turned off the TV. Who was next again? Huayramarca. He took a deep breath and nodded. He had a plan. He wasn't going to change one thing! They put themselves into the mess, they had to have a chance to pull themselves out of it.

He got up and headed for the door, knowing that the journalists were going to be waiting somewhere, might just as well get it over with. And then he'd need a glass of some nice Cardenaoan chestnut liquor. He had heard many things about it and today was as good of a day as ever to give it a shot!

by **Cardenao** » Sat Dec 31, 2022 7:23 pm

You can consider this a cutoff. Because it is a cutoff. So……cutoff!

by **Cardenao** » Sat Dec 31, 2022 7:51 pm

MATCHDAY 2

Group Cardenao
Ochre Islands 0-1 Zwangzug
Drawkland 4-2 Independent Athletes from Quebec

Group Cardenao Standings

   Team                                 P W D L For Ag +/- Pts
 1 Drawkland                            2 2 0 0  8  3  +5  6
 2 Zwangzug                             1 1 0 0  1  0  +1  3
 3 Independent Athletes from Quebec     2 1 0 1  3  4  -1  3
 4 Ochre Islands                        2 0 0 1  0  2  -2  0
 5 Ceni                                 1 0 0 1  1  4  -3  0

Group Mihaly
Cardenao 2–5 Banija ((Quebecinated, TGOD!))
Tikariot 0-1 Huayramarca

Group Mihaly Standings

   Team            P W D L For Ag +/- Pts
 1 Juvencus        1 1 0 0  4  1  +3  3
 2 Huayramarca     2 1 1 0  5  4  +1  4
 3 Banija          1 1 0 0  5  2  +3  3
 4 Cardenao        2 0 1 1  6  9  -5  1
 5 Tikariot        2 0 0 2  1  5  -4  0

by **Tikariot** » Mon Jan 02, 2023 4:28 pm

-- The Tikariot Premier League is covered by Simon Nighthorse and Sakari Pernfors --

For the first time in 35 years the Tikariot Premier League has announced a new logo for the competition. League president Donovan McLeod unveiled the new logo today in Cartablanca, Cardenao, prior to the U21's match against hosts Cardenao.

It is with great pride that I can announce and unveil the new logo of the Tikariot Premier League. While the old logo has been the time-honoured and historic image of the league for over three decades, the league has grown leaps and bounds in the past few years, especially since the opening and welcoming of international players, which has taken the league to a completely new level.

The new logo is retaining the image of a flying owl, but within a completely redesigned environment.

We really wanted to keep the owl as it has been an iconic image and mascot for our league and by extension the whole nation, but we added a lot more depth to the logo as a whole. It features the three national colours of Tikariot of black, white and burgundy, while the triangular shape of the logo represents the wings of an owl in flight to show the dynamic nature of our league. We hope that this new approach will continue to visualize the progressive character of the Tikariot Premier League and be a herald for a bright future.

The reactions by fans and media were widely positive, with some critical voices mourning the classic and simple look of the previous version, however, the majority sees it as a visually attractive step forward. The logo was designed by Adrian van Vliet of Van Vliet & Partners, a design studio based in Ilmarcess, who had been responsible for the new crests for TPL teams Parakleion Firebirds and Avanaroch White Wings during the off-season as well.

by **Zwangzug** » Mon Jan 02, 2023 5:33 pm

(Content note: entire RP is the setup for a terrible pun, which I did not create but which is relevant for Zwangzug. You've been forewarned.)

Inside the lobby of a hotel in Cartablanca:

Gretchen Hargrave: Anybody know what's going on at StoalSci?

Travis Pasowik: StoalSci are mediocre, they lost in the first round this past cycle.

Gretchen: I don't mean their team, I mean their cannon.

Yolande Ruvil-Shon: Oh! It's a new year in some calendars, when they get back to campus for the new term they blow flowers out of the cannon. You know, college pranks.

Amadou Sefe-Imdaro: That's pretty dumb.

Gretchen: StoalSci are just silly. All the stupid pranks, worrying that Polytek are gonna steal their stuff...Just ignore them.

Noah Drisk-Alban: They're harmless. Besides, I think we should be proud of them.

Travis: Proud of them? Like I said, they're mediocre, none of them qualified for this team.

Noah: Not in terms of "they're good at football," just in terms of "our country has a lot of traditions and we should celebrate that." Sure, maybe the rest of the world doesn't know which district is Stoal or who their archrivals are, but why not? We should tell them! We're the champions of the world!

Valery Korolev: While I admire your optimism, none of us are on the full national team yet.

Amadou: There will be some retirements before next cycle, we have to be the front-runners.

Noah: I mean, we as in our country. Sports-person plural. Zwangzug we.

Gretchen: It's dangerous to take credit for everything your compatriots do...

Yolande: Not when they're successful. I heard we might be the #1 IFCF association once the dust settles!

Ryan Launds-Peterson: And the Zebras are great, there's a bunch of them playing in the Llamaphant league.

Yoonjung Lin: And Julia is great at the saxophone!

Julia MacEacharna: Thanks, but I'm not sure that counts.

Yoonjung: It absolutely counts! If we can be self-deprecating about our board game history, we should take pride in the other stuff we do well, even when it's not directly sports-related!

Valery: Um, our compatriots are very good at not getting killed in wars. Not like those other warmonger countries where people are getting killed all the time. That's something to be proud of, right?

Gretchen: I don't think that's exactly--

Yoonjung: It's the spirit of the thing, you're on the right track.

Yolande: And our commitment to environmentalism is substantial!

Amadou: And our economy somehow manages not to suck! Mostly thanks to the robots!

Julia: But we programmed those robots, so really, that's a triumph for our scientists' brainpower!

Yoonjung: Yeah, that's the spirit! We're the champions! We're the team to beat! Give me a Z!

Hotel manager: Okay, that's enough.

Yoonjung: What?

Hotel manager: Get back to your rooms. You're creating a scene.

Yoonjung: But we were just trying to have a pep talk--

Hotel manager: I don't care whether it's Christmas or New Year's or what. We do not approve of chess nuts boasting in an open foyer.

by **Banija** » Mon Jan 02, 2023 6:14 pm

Banija National Team- The Kadongo Kamu

Information
Country code: BNJ
Denonym: Banijan(s)
Association: Royal Banijan Soccer Association(RBSA)
Nickname: The Kadongo Kamu
Manager: Namakula Kawesa. With the Senior team at the AOCAFs, Namakula Kawesa will manage the 'B team' here at the Mihaly Invitational. She is a previous manager of the women's Olympic squad, and currently a full-time assistant at Sporting Iturributa. She is on loan from the RBSA for the tournament, and will return to the club after the tournament is done.
Senior Assistant Manager: Jajah Ijendu. 42 years old.
Captain: Wanda Kouyaté
Alternate Captain: Sarafina Ikpeazu
Home Kits: Green
Away Kits: White
Alternate: Orange

RP Permissions
Choose my goalscorers: Yes
Choose Scoring Events: Yes
Godmod scoring events: No
Hand out yellow cards to my players: Yes
Hand out red cards to my players: Yes
RP Injuries to my players: Yes(please state what injury they have suffered and how many games they will miss. No deaths without my permission)
Godmod injuries to my players: Yes(please state what injury they have suffered and how many games they will miss. No deaths without my permission)
Godmod other events: Yes(However, there is a hard ban on any Banijan nationals, player or fans or whoever, from catching a pandemic)
Style modifier: +3.5

Statistics(All up to date as of right before the start of World Cup 92 Qualifying, friendlies included. Banijan statisticians count OT and PK shootout wins and losses as wins and losses, as opposed to draws like most international statisticians):
All-Time Record: 381-172-94(W-L-D)
All-Time Winning Percentage: 58.89% (Wins over total games played)
All-Time Points Percentage: 63.73% (Wins plus 1/3rd of draws over total games played)
Current WCC Rank: #2
Current AOCAF Rank: #3
Top 10 All-Time Leading Goal Scorers: Italicized players are retired from international duty.
1. Ilman Jawara(110 goals)
2. Gitonga Kahara(109 goals)
3. Idai Uster(89 goals)
4. Kausu Dione(67 goals)
5. Namakula Kawesa(59 goals)
6. Madu Okparra(57 goals)
7. Chibuzo Afolayan(54 goals)
8. Sarafina Ikpeazu(53 goals)
9. Kiggwe Mavuto(52 goals)
10. Mzukisi Nzo(49 goals)

World Cup Appearances: 11- World Cup 80, World Cup 81(co-hosts), World Cup 82, World Cup 83(co-hosts), World Cup 84, World Cup 85, World Cup 86, World Cup 87, World Cup 88, World Cup 90, World Cup 91, World Cup 92
Times Ranked #1 in the KPB- Pre-World Cup 86 Qualifying, Pre-World Cup 86 Finals, Pre-World Cup 87 Qualifying, Pre-World Cup 87 Finals

Trophy Cabinet:
Senior-Level
Champions of World Cup 86
Champions of Eagle's Cup VIII
Champions of AOCAF LXIV
Champions of AOCAF LXVII
Winner of the Afro-Carribean Heritage Festival
2nd Place at World Cup 92
2nd Place at AOCAF LVIII
2nd Place at Eagle's Cup IX(Winners of the tournament's Cup of Champions)
3rd Place at World Cup 83
3rd place at World Cup 85
3rd place at World Cup 90
3rd Place at AOCAF LXII
3rd place at the United Valhaven Regional Football Championships

Youth Level
3rd place at 42nd Di Bradini Cup
Champions of the 8th Sporting World Cup
Champions of the 47th Di Bradini Cup

World Cup Hall of Famers
Adama Sowe(former RBSA Chairman, current WCC Vice President)
GItonga Kahara(all-time leading goalscorer, World Cup winning captain, all-time cap leader)
Marcus Waters(Banija's winningest manager, has led Banija to 100% of our World Cup Qualifications, and has never failed to qualify for the Finals)
Namakula Kawesa(first female star, 3rd all-time leading goalscorer at time of retirement)
Kuma Bultum(Champions League Winner, World Cup winner, most appearances on the Galacticos list for a Banijan)

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

Mihaly Invitational Cup Roster

Starters: 4-2-1-3.
Players who are based in a foreign league are bolded.
Every single player has never been capped for the national team before this tournament.
BSL = Banijan Soccer League, Banija's second tier. National league. S-FPL is the joint first tier soccer league for Farfadillis, Banija, and the Busoga Islands.
GK #23 Kutaaka Sebabenga. Age 19. Comes off the bench for Herzegovina City FC in the S-FPL.
LB #20 Yeelee Tanso. Age 19. Starts for Mynda Electra in the S-FPL.
LCB #4 Ousman Jobateh. Age 28. Plays for Hondo FC in the Elven Premiership. Captain.
RCB #5 Kutaaka Muteesa. Age 19. Starts for Busukuma AC in the S-FPL.
RB #2 Setimba Kizunga. Age 19. Comes off the bench for the Hoima Warriors in the S-FPL.
CM #8 Oburu Oigo. Age 27. Comes off the bench for Herzegovina City FC in the S-FPL.
CM #14 Burama Kaba. Age 29. Starts for Jinja City FC in the S-FPL.
CAM #10 Oboyo Okombo. Age 23. Comes off the bench for Kitara AA in the S-FPL.
LW #11 Ochieng Mulangwa. Age 18. Starts for the Hoima Warriors in the S-FPL.
ST #9 Eli Aero. Age 25. Starter for Jinja City FC in the S-FPL.
RW #7 Odongo Kagenda. Age 19. Starts for Herzegovina City FC in the S-FPL.
Bench:
GK #35 Jumu Kaba. Age 36. Comes off the bench for Jinja City FC in the S-FPL.
GK #39 Onindo Otiende. Age 23. Comes off the bench for Istria City FC in the S-FPL.
LB #44 Wanyanga Obote. Age 23. Comes off the bench for Herzegovina City FC in the S-FPL.
CB #30 Opio Bikya. Age 22. Comes off the bench for Jinja City FC in the S-FPL.
CB #3 Zikoranaudodimma Obike. Age 21. Starter for Lakiska SC in the BSL.
RB #15 Hiryangana Kaweré. Age 23. Comes off the bench for Aissa United in the S-FPL.
CM #6 Musisi Nnyika. Age 16. Comes off the bench for the Hoima Warriors in the S-FPL.
CM #25 Munyiga Wabinga. Age 19. Comes off the bench for Busukuma AC in the S-FPL.
CAM #15 Kakyomya Mabirá. Age 20. Comes off the bench for Mynda Electra in the S-FPL.
RM/RW #21 Kato Sseka. Age 20. Starts for Busukuma AC in the S-FPL.
LW/LM #22 Bagamba Lubaya. Age 19. Comes off the bench for Istria City FC in the S-FPL.
ST #12 Luzige Musujja. Age 19. Starter for the Busembe Timberwolves in the BSL.

Notes:
- Our free kicks are taken by Ochieng Mulangwa. Our corner kicks are taken by the winger on whatever side the corner kick is on.
- Our penalty kicks are taken by Eli Aero.

Group Mihaly Schedule
Matchday 1: BYE
Matchday 2: Cardenao v. Banija @ Casa Cartablanca(cap. 41,000) in Cartablanca, Cardenao
Matchday 3: Banija v. Juvencus @ Casa Cartablanca(cap. 41,000) in Cartablanca, Cardenao
Matchday 4: Tikariot v. Banija @ Casa Cartablanca(cap. 41,000) in Cartablanca, Cardenao
Matchday 5: Banija v. Huayramarca @ Casa Cartablanca(cap. 41,000) in Cartablanca, Cardenao

by **Huayramarca** » Mon Jan 02, 2023 8:02 pm

Scenes after the defeat vs Aleirave at CAFA 5 QFs

The players look extremely confused in the pitch, Omar Caicedo, Rodolfo Zelaya and Hazel van Robben also look surprised and speechless… One of the most humiliating results that Huayramarca has had was consummated, the Aleirave National Team steamrolled a team that was already resenting a floppy performance in the World Cup Group Stage, two painful results in the psyche of fans, Huayramarcan FA and, of course, the ones who were managing during the process.

Omar Caicedo and his colleagues have been a rather successful team, working through 8 cycles, from the beginnings of Huayramarcan football to turn it to what it is right now, a decent force in the Multiverse, but one force that was failing to do the final steps to leave the label of “decent” to be a “real force”. Huayramarcan fans are extremely patient, although they know when the team can give more, they know how to identify when there’s something that it isn’t working as it should. Omar Caicedo and the managerial team were now being pinpointed as the ones who weren’t properly working anymore.

The Huayramarcan FA, in the other hand, despite pouring resources to support Caicedo and his plans to improve the Condors, were satisfied with the improvements shown during the Group Stage, a perfect stage and no goals against; the problem was the hurdle that the knockout stages mean for Huayramarca. The lack of resolution of the team, attributed to poor tactical choices from Omar Caicedo and his staff was taking a toll in the confidence that the FA had in him, a big one that got quite deteriorated fast.

The head of the FA, Dalila Guerrero, who already had spent some time as Vice President, was already considering options to replace Caicedo within the international market, she opened a postal box for managers from outside to apply, while the team in charge of that new election was working to find his replacement in a two-way search. Both domestic or national team level, managers able to cope with pressure and able to play in the offensive manner that Caicedo had imprinted in the team, but adding new features that could make the system more robust and fang-y.

After some time and rejected proposals from different parties, it came to the attention of many in the committee the temper and game style of Blâás Âgínsôgnó, a Rulandese manager from Dí Maözokê, one of the top performers at the S-FPL joint league of Banija and Farfadillis. Aggressive, harsh, disciplined when it comes to preparing the players and a crazy football style based on offence, taking Caicedo’s ideals to the next level, that was him in a nutshell; opinions where from “Hmm… He seems to be foul mouthed; the players need some insults and there’s no better mouth to do it than their manager’s one.” To “Craziness and unpredictability is what this team needs to excel.”

Talks started with Âgínsôgnó and the Rulandese team, as the FHF wanted to get things done as soon as possible, in time for the World Cup 93 Qualifiers, Âgínsôgnó said “I’m [swear] satisfied of being taken into consideration. I’ll [action]-up those players and turn them into contenders. I need man with big balls and not fancy boys being with those colours.” The team asked for a replacement in case Âgínsôgnó wanted to move, to what the FHF accepted and asked for a day in order to present the offer to Caicedo.

Caicedo was notified about the situation, he was notoriously sad due to the ending of the project he dreamed-up, he managed to turn a group of students, rascals, junkies and workers to be a competitive side in football, although he didn’t achieve his main dream, winning the World Cup. “It’s sad, but it is the time to leave… I’d love to return someday” to what the FHF accepted his wish, but also offered him the chance to move to Dí Maözokê, Caicedo nodded and said “I’m pleased that you already considered my future, so I won’t be jobless, I accept the swap.” With their approval, the FHF did one of the weirdest movements in a national team, that’s for sure. Rodolfo Zelaya left to manage Oberour Ar Moro and Zubeldía, the goalkeeper manager, left to manage New Portland States. Hazel van Robben will continue on her role with the National Team.

It will be, for sure, an interesting development that, hopefully, will be the transition that Huayramarca needed to be a significant force in the multiverse.

by **Ceni** » Mon Jan 02, 2023 8:21 pm

Cam Cross at the Inaugural Mihaly Invitational Cup live draw:

Drawkland vs Ceni matchup? This'll certainly be interesting ...

Drawkland: a country that Ceni had only played in friendlies or invitational tournaments. Drawkland: a country that Ceni had defeated three times before. Drawkland: a country that had indirectly led to the Cenian national team being sent twenty years into the future.

Of course, the current crop playing in the Mihaly Invitational had little idea of this history. Their manager had every idea.

As a Cenian with Drawkian citizenship, Andrew Arrowsword probably should have felt conflicted about the fourth instance of this rivalry. But he did not: He would root for Ceni every time that the two nations played. He'd been Cenian longer than he'd been Drawkian, after all.

Would Ceni win in this edition?

They had not a scintilla of a chance if Drawkland brought its 23rd ranked senior team to the table. Ceni had chosen to field a U-21 team, betting that a Di Bradini Cup might not happen; while the play could be included in the "Recipes for Disaster Cookbook," at least the team would have some experience on the field together before dispersing back to their original clubs.

Andrew thought back to the live draw ceremony, where he had represented Ceni (perhaps a little unwillingly).

His sister Sarah and her entourage had arrived late; he returned the commotion simply by shooting a glare at his errant sister. But the Cardenaoans enjoyed their drama and turned the spotlight to focus on the siblings. That spotlight revealed Sarah blowing a raspberry, perhaps to the delight of the crowd.

Would that interaction set the tone for the rest of the tournament? The rest of the tournament blowing a raspberry at Ceni, at least in terms of the football?

Andrew wouldn't know until the last whistle blew. But until then, he would dread playing Drawkland.

by **Banija** » Mon Jan 02, 2023 10:00 pm

"Time for Celebration" - Banijans defeat the hosts convincingly to open the Mihaly Invitational

Banijans celebrate the opening goal of the match against host nation, Cardenao

CARTABLANCA, CARDENAO- "We're here to make an impact, and continue our winning ways." Said the team's manager for the tournament, Namakula Kawesa. The Mihaly Invitational has kicked off, and is alive and well. With the Kadongo Kamu not playing on Matchday 1, the squad list came in a little bit later. Get some more training done in Banija, before they ship off to Anaia. "This is a business trip- not a sightseeing trip for us, even though we're in an absolutely beautiful country." She told members of the Banijan press. "There are 10 teams here who are all trophy hunting, and that very much includes this squad. With our team not playing on Matchday 1, that means we needed to start strong, and start fast. Especially starting with a road game- we could've put ourselves into an unintentional deep hole to start things off."

That surely could have happened to this team- especially considering how this team was put together. It is a team full of players who are fully embracing their first ever international caps, their first chance to wear the jersey. While there are plenty of U23s, there are plenty of older players on this team as well- showing that Pam Scott, the senior manager, is looking anywhere and everywhere for talent to help fortify the senior team. You've got Ousman Jobateh, the center back at Hondo FC, serving as the squad's captain. While 6 of the 11 nominal starters are teenagers, you've got the captain, who is 28, and you've got a central midfielder, who is 29. And, of course, a backup goalkeeper at 36. It's not a youth team here- it's a young team, yes, but full of players who are looking for their opportunity.

"They'll be evaluated on everything while they are here." Namakula Kawesa said. "But, of course, you get a chance to do what you dreamed to do as a child- come to an international tournament, wearing the shirt, and winning a trophy for your country. That's why you choose to play this game, right? So that's the primary goal- win games, chase that trophy. But we have other goals, too. Connect with the Banijan community in the country- entertain the fans, make them feel their connections with home. Evaluate players. How do they handle distractions? Are they working hard on the pitch, in training, following curfew, etc... There are a TON of distractions in Cartablanca. Great for fans, and an opportunity for the coaches to really watch players."

Fortunately, the match itself went about as well as it could have. This team has always been one that likes to get forward, and there was no difference here, as we got after it from the early going with Cardenao. There's nothing like an early goal that can silence the crowd, and suck the energy out of the stadium, right? That's exactly what happened, with Eli Aero heading in a cross from Ochieng Mulangwa to open the scoring. The seventh minute header gave them confidence. "We were able to take control of the game from that point, and you know how we want to do it- take control, finish it, go for the kill. Cardenao is an excellent team- we drew them in a friendly just last cycle? So we knew the game was far from over."

But on this day, it would be the home fans who were silenced, and the visitors who danced the night away in Cartablanca. Odongo Kagenda doubled the Banijan lead in the 32nd minute, and sprinted to the Banijan visiting fan section. None other than former national teamer, and current Banijan Ambassador to Cardenao, Toyuwa Okafor, was found in the front row of the crowd, painted head to toe in Banijan flag colors. Kagenda leapt into the Ambassador's arms, as the two fully embraced one another. We took a 2-0 lead into halftime, and continued to build on it. Luzige Musujja came off the bench after halftime and scored the third for team Banija, to make the score 3-0.

While Cardenao would score twice to make the score 3-2 by the 75th minute, the Kadongo Kamu killed off the miraculous comeback. Veteran midfielder Oburu Oigo scored the fourth goal of the game, all alone on a counter-attack, to make it 4-2 in the 82nd minute, and just 2 minutes later, Odongo Kagenda would kill off any remaining hopes for Cardenao, as he scored his second and the Banijans would earn a 5-2 win. "Absolutely this is both an emphatic and fantastic start to the Mihaly Invitational." Kawesa told reporters. "Anytime you are putting up 5 goals in an international tournament, it's a great performance. Now, we have to build on it. Juvencus is a talented opponent, and will be a huge challenge for us. Tonight we celebrate- but tomorrow, we prepare. The most important game is always the next one."

by **Cardenao** » Mon Jan 02, 2023 10:13 pm

Cutoff nation, it’s that cutoff song! Cutoff theme yeah, it’s the time right meow!

by **Cardenao** » Mon Jan 02, 2023 10:35 pm

MATCHDAY 3

Group Cardenao
Zwangzug 3-0 Ceni
Ochre Islands 1-0 Drawkland

Group Cardenao Standings

   Team                                 P W D L For Ag +/- Pts
 1 Zwangzug                             2 2 0 0  4  0  +4  6
 2 Drawkland                            3 2 0 1  8  4  +4  6
 3 Independent Athletes from Quebec     2 1 0 1  3  4  -1  3
 4 Ochre Islands                        3 1 0 2  1  2  -1  3
 5 Ceni                                 2 0 0 2  1  7  -6  0

Group Mihaly
Banija 2-1 Juvencus
Cardenao 1–1 Tikariot ((Scoronated by Ceni!!))

Group Mihaly Standings

   Team            P W D L For Ag +/- Pts
 1 Banija          2 2 0 0  7  3  +4  6
 2 Huayramarca     2 1 1 0  5  4  +1  4
 3 Juvencus        2 1 0 1  5  3  +2  3
 4 Cardenao        3 0 2 1  7  10 -5  2
 5 Tikariot        3 0 1 2  2  6  -4  1

by **Banija** » Wed Jan 04, 2023 8:49 am

In intense group stage matchup, Banijans narrowly take all three points against Juvencus to storm to the top of the table

CARTABLANCA, CARDENAO- "Nothing is given- everything is earned." Namakula Kawesa told reporters after the match. After the Banijans romped in their opener against the hosts, Kawesa knew that the team needed to hunker down. "Everything that could have gone right in our opener, went right. A few things go differently, a few kicks of the ball go wayward- it's an entirely different game." She told reporters. "This is what we love about the beautiful game, right? You're always in it. The margins in this sport are incredibly slim. That's why our opening win was so fantastic, so thunderous. But we had to hunker down- we put a target on our backs with that game, and Juvencus are eager to show what they are all about."

And that is exactly what happened in this match. The margins were much slimmer- but the first half was all to the Kadongo Kamu. This team is exquisite going forward, and they can finish squads off with a sort of ruthlessness that Pamela Scott would be proud of in front of goal. They play with that youthful energy and exuberance, exemplified by the fact that 6 of their starters are just 18 or 19 years of age. It would be one of those teenagers who would be responsible for the team's opening goal, as Ochieng Mulangwa had a sublime finish past the keeper on a counter-attack to make it 1-0, after just 22 minutes. And, in the 44th minute, the team was able to double their lead when veteran center back, Ousman Jobateh, was able to quite literally rise above the crowd, and head one home powerfully.

2-0 to the Banijans, going into halftime. Were they going to run with this one like we did on matchday 1? Juvencus stood firm and said- "hell to the damn no." The words are easy, eh? This is a team that loves getting forward, and have a number of players playing in big leagues abroad- like Quebec and Audioslavia. But it would be one of those home-grown strikers who would make it 2-1. Gilberto Soares was able to sprint past everybody on a fantastic long ball, and beat the keeper to cut our lead in half just 2 minutes into the second half. It would be time to bunker down, and hold on for dear life.

And that we did do. They created a host of opportunities, while we had our own on the counter- but neither team brought their finishing boots to the second half, outside of that opening strike. Giordano Limene was uncharacteristically sloppy in front of goals, twice failing to put what were essentially free headers on target, sending them high and over the crossbar. The referee probably missed a penalty when Kutaaka Muteesa brought down Lucien Cavallo in the box, with what seemed like a near gridiron tackle. But it is what it is, right? Juvencus may have felt hard done by it, but when they final whistle blew, the Banijans had earned a 2-1 victory.

"There's no ifs or buts about it- we escaped with that one." Said Ousman Jobateh, the team's center back and captain. "But three points are three points, no matter how they come. There's a lot that we have to clean up, but we'll look forward to facing off against Tikariot in a few days."

The Inaugural Mihaly Invitational Cup of Cardenao(Semi-Open)

The Inaugural Mihaly Invitational Cup of Cardenao(Semi-Open)

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