85th Cup of Harmony [rosters/RPs/results]

[Eura]

CUP OF HARMONY 85 – GROUP 7 MATCHDAY 5
Eura 5–1 Kirungabi
Scorers:
Archer 9, 79, Singh 14, Almwood 62, Miller 87
Lineup:
1. T Hammond
2. A Mason (sub Mills 80)
4. J Menard (sub Sherwood 66)
5. M Hart
3. L Almwood
6. J Gates (sub Cole 66)
16. G Stewart
11. O James (sub West 85)
7. A Woodman
10. S Singh
14. K Archer (sub Miller 85)

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emplor.eur/main/sport/football
GOALS GALORE FOR GLEN’S GALS
Eura’s women account for all five goals in thumping win to escape group stage

Newspaper editors across the country will be hoping slightly patronising pun-driven headlines hit the right chord this morning, after a sublime display from the female contingent of the Euran national team ensured progression from the group stage of the Cup of Harmony.

Victory would be required against a tough opponent in the form of Kirungabi to settle any doubts about Eura’s progress and Glen Merson selected almost his strongest possible team as a result, with the exceptions of George Stewart replacing the troubled Oscar Vincent, and Kate Archer coming in for Alex Sharp. It was a big opportunity for Archer, who spent much of her early career playing second fiddle at Spartangrad despite obvious talent, while Sharp was cultivated from the start at 1830 Cathair, where it was taken as pre-ordained that his bloodline guaranteed talent.

They have both become fine players but Archer is only just getting the credit with sensational form in Chromatika – and the Crossroads striker did not hang about in challenging the assumption that Sharp is the better player, scoring in only the 9th minute of the game. She gave Eura the lead with a fantastic driven header, meeting an Adam Woodman cross while almost at the edge of the box to score an unusually long range headed goal. Within minutes Eura were two up as, continuing the Chromatika theme, Owen James supplied Chromatik teammate Sophie Singh with a through ball, which Singh took to her feet before rounding the keeper and finishing beautifully.

It was a brutal start for the Kirungans. They had been slightly sluggish from kick off and were punished ruthlessly with Eura’s first two shots on target. From this point it was already going to be very difficult for them to get the result they needed; a win was their only hope and now it was at least three goals away. Many teams might have crumbled easily under such circumstances, yet Cyril Kamembe’s squad dug in deep and saw out a period of pressure where the Eurans laid siege to their goal in search of a killer triple blow.

Their resilience would pay dividends. Eura have been defensively inconsistent throughout this WCC cycle and offered up another easy goal in the 37th minute. Morgan Hart did himself no favours by heading a long ball back towards Tom Hammond from too far out, an ironic reversal of the Archer goal from earlier, forcing Hammond to rush out and hastily punch away as Pascal Mutabazi rushed toward him. For a moment it seemed the danger had cleared, but this panicked defensive manoeuvre broke concentration in the Euran defensive line and, when Patient Habimana returned another long ball into the box, Munyentwali Niyonzima appeared from nowhere behind the offside trap to deliver a slapping strike past Hammond.

A potentially tense second half awaited and the Kirungans continued to push, Mutabazi coming closest to equalising when he forced a fine save from Hammond with a drilled shot from outside the area. The swing in momentum was both a problem and an opportunity for the Eurans as their opponents created more chances, while also opening themselves up on the counter as they chased the game (though Eura knew just drawing might not be good enough due to live scores elsewhere). The opportunity side of that equation gave Lucy Almwood a great chance when a blistering breakaway run from James resulted in a late challenge from Aimable Mbabazi.

A free kick was rightly given just outside of the area, at a slight angle, on the right hand side. Veteran fullback Almwood is the latest in a long tradition of goalscoring Eurans in that position, and she added another to her account here, gracefully curling the ball into the top right hand corner with her left boot, leaving Théoneste Bugasera leaping through the air to make a save without avail. With their two goal advantage restored Eura now had one foot in the next round. Kirungabi simply had to pick themselves up off the canvas and keep going. There was no other choice.

Eura’s swashbuckling opponents piled forwards and switched to a 3-4-3 with substitutions. But their ambition would prove to be costly. Another Euran breakaway saw the Falcons outnumber Kirungabi five to three on the attack, and George Stewart had all the time in the world to slide a final pass into the feet of Archer to drive a sumptuous fourth past Bugasera. Archer would get a single chance to bag a hat-trick – a cheeky overhead kick from a ballooning corner that Bugasera dismissively palmed away. Then her game was over, as she was taken off for Brinemouth’s immensely talented Tess Miller.

Miller had only been on the pitch for a few minutes when she bagged Eura’s fifth, perhaps the least sophisticated of the Euran goals, rolling the ball over the line after a ferocious Singh strike had rebounded towards her via the left hand goalpost. Bugasera was out of position after diving for the Singh shot and was forced to watch from a prone position as Miller inflicted further pain on his defence. A glum looking Kamembe could have been forgiven for looking distraught on the bench, his side having suffered a scoreline that didn’t do justice to their superb work rate and bravery, but Merson had no such concerns as he excitedly embraced his triumphant troops. Meanwhile, Eura’s four distinctly non-bloke goalscorers took in the adulation of thousands of travelling Eurans. Appropriately, Moira Woakes could be seen in a corporate box joining the jubilation. Her legacy lives on.

[Independent Athletes from Quebec]

OOC: Timeline-wise, the NSWC and the IBC kick off first on the two-year cycle, with the rest filing up over the course of the cycle. This means that upcoming season will be the first of two seasons. Of course, you may ignore my way of using chronology if need be.

The Mathletes - Scientific, Literary Venue of Sports Journalism

Q-League Salary Cap announced for the third year, but what does this mean for the league parity?

Jean-Jacques Dreyfuss-Smart

JOONGYEONG, JOONGYEONG -The Q-League is one of the more emerging football leagues of the league. Often known for its brand of defensive, physical style of football played in cold, six-months-a-year winter of the year, the Queue has now firmly established role within the international footballing ecosphere as a middle-power league with the clubs' emphasis on tactics and player development.

At the same time, it is also known to be stable on coverage and relevance outside of footballing strengths and the teams' performances on the international tournament. The Q-League, partly thanks to its geopolitical location in the northwestern tip of the Calania continent directly south of the Blood Sea that links to southern Rushmore, remains as one of the more commercially profitable and yet engaging leagues in the Multiverse. Its broadcast rights, partly thanks to the strong presence of internationals who have played or are currently playing in the league, are heavily coveted, which funnel into the teams' coffers with five-year renewal cycles of the Q-League and the Championship broadcsting rights to the QBC, Tele-1 and FAS TV. The clubs now and then have been able to make splendid signings or to be on the opposite end of such abroad - Kingston FC's Oberon M'bah-Pinho's record-breaking, 15m NSD signing to Tihon is one, while Montreal City's 12m NSD signing of Jason Þórhallursson, while considered an overpay by some, is viewed to be a franchise-defining one for others. Each passing year the league is out there with news, perhaps in a stunning parallel to its competitors such as the Tumbran Premier Division or the Mytanar Prvenstvo, each passing year, and one cannot help but to notice a positive wave that is led by the middle-power of leagues with both reputation of historic and yet sellers' clubs.

Now with that said, the financial side of things up in the air, as the recent influx of financial benefits have brought an interesting outcome to the league that's commonly viewed as the 'one to watch' outdoors in the winter (basketball, hockey and volleyball all play during winters as well, but they are indoors). While the league's parity remains largely in shape, partly thanks to a group of middle-half sides in the league on an ever-changing cycle, the recent cycles' tendencies to see 'The Duo' of Montreal Koreana or Mipojoseon winning the league title seem to suggest that the top is indeed getting a bit more consolidated in past years.

In the last May's Q-League Grand Final, Montreal Koreana, two-time defending champions who also happen to be the winningest club in the league history, played Swangard Athletic, a member of the 'Big Three' of Yoseo-Manitoba clubs. While viewed by many as the tactical battle between Auguste Toset and Daniel Galbraith, both managers on their final ever match due to former's retirement and latter's move to FC Inter Nantwich, the match happened to feature two of the five richest teams in the league by budget and ownership. While the league would see occasional surprises, like that of Haligonian and Olympique de Rimouski's modern-era title runs, or that of the Perce Town's Challengers' Cup quarterfinals run, the league appears to benefit those who do pay, even more so nowadays and in the past, and that's where the interesting dillemma lies with the domestic game - is this successful?

This is a tricky question. Unlike in other professions, professional and collegiate sports leagues do count for antitrust exemption, thanks to a ruling that was created by the House of Lords's Judicial Court Committee in the 1921 decision over the Imperial Football League v. Northern Football League. And while the Royal Quebecois Football Association (RQFA) does not have a particular hostile approach to increased spending practices shared by the Q-League and also the Championship clubs, it has remained particularly alert over 'excessive spending' that have caused troubles in Quebecois footballing history, with the years immediately after the dissolution of LigAnaia super league, and also in the footballing boom of the 1980s that followed with the 1988-1991 Footballing Crash.

Thus it surprises nobody that the fear of replicating the said mistakes, some of which still stir in the minds of many older fans, is firmly etched into the minds of many. As with most other leagues out there, there are certain financial fair play rules that exists, which is allowed to cover up to 25 million Quebecois Pounds on one year within the three year-period of people's choice. Things do work somewhat differently with the Q-League, however, as there exists a soft, forward-based salary cap that is linked to the revenues and the overall footballing expenditure of the club. Designed two years ago, right as the Q-League was reaching the mid-teens of the IFCF international ranking in coefficients, this specific approach of salary cap is designed to both encourage -clubs to spend within greater provisions, and also to prevent clubs from overspending,.

The RQFA's Q-League rulebook, which combines up to 180 pages, details the process. At the end of each August, right as the Quebecois transfer deadline closes down (the Q-League, alongside their Tumbran equivalents, are known for having closer deadlines than most other leagues), all twenty clubs have to submit their revenue and costs, transfers included and updated, for the upcoming season, which include the previous season's cup, league and IFCF competition bonuses that are cashed into the coffers at the end of the previous season.

The RQFA Financial Team then analyse the respective figures and then make the announcement at the end of August, right as the IFCF qualification rounds wrap up and the league starts ramping up into the Ouverture half of the season. Then the RQFA gives the clubs the total sums, written down in millions, that could be allocated to spend it on footballing expenses with one major - that whatever the expenses within the limit could be allocated to the other sporting departments for multi-sport clubs, but not the other way around. This is done to prevent the disaster of Baja Calania Disasters in 1995, where the mounting debts of the football division had nearly risked the dissolution of the Blazers' handball and volleyball divisions as well. The decision reached by the RQFA to dissolute the small-town side remains to this day, and is codified within the rule book.

On the surface this salary cap looks complicated and may be in need of an entire university department to solve it. That said, for most part, the salary cap remains equation remains straightforward, as the upcoming season's cap involves the following:

Total = Season Revenue + Net Revenue [Revenue - Expenditure]
E.g. CSKA Quebec: 242m + 57m [242m-184m] = 299m

The generous nature of this equation would normally mean that the Q-League clubs, provided the current ownership doesn't have to write off significant debt from previous ownerships or projects, are likely to be in the green. Where things do get tricky is when the clubs do reach past the limit, as this does affect possible transfers during the winter windows, or certain categories of spending the club is allowed to do so during the season. This usually means that the team can either find a way to write it off, as Montreal City's current ownership group has agreed to do so on a five-year agreement with the RQFA following their takeover four seasons ago, sell the players to ease up salaries or to sign players, or to reduce existing squad player wages.

Now, on the basis of the calculations of these numbers, The Mathletes would find that the calculations end up being lot more complex than what many, especially those just entering the world of Quebecois football, would imagine:


Also see here, for those interested in viewing it with greater details.

To be continued...

[Fort McKinley]

The unexpected success of the National Team since the second half of World Cup Qualifying was beginning to cause some in Shiloh Springs to think about the way the nation was presenting itself to the rest of the multiverse and how such success could be utilized to promote a more positive image of Fort McKinley's Revolution.

The third meeting with Quebec & Shingoryeo's Grim Reapers would present a challenge to the team on the pitch and the circumstances of the encounter with David Guy Allen would have forgotten in order to concentrate solely on the task in front of them.

Speaking of Allen and that night in Equinox Hill...

There was yet more protesting about Dave's presence in the box just two doors away from their own, but once again the RQFA could only sympathize; the men were guests of the organization and unless they were making some overt threat to anyone in the FMFA party there was nothing more to be said.

The partners of the playing staff were treated a separate entities while on this trip, with wives being given access to the box and girlfriends being consigned to seats in the stadium itself; there wasn't a good reason for this treatment other than it made for keeping track of them easier for the PIC.

Nancy Young (nee Nancy Ray Morris) saw the men through the glass partitions that formed the side 'walls' of the boxes and was determined that she was going to speak to Dave regardless of whatever it took.
She casually milled about in the box until she was at the door to corridor, then slipped out without notice.
She'd have made a clean break but Donald Tim Jones, the agent who had reported seeing Allen and Jason Davis, was stationed just across from the door to the FMFA box.

"You know I can't let allow you to be out here, Nancy."
"I know you've been told not to let anyone out here, but here I am and I'm going to walk down to that door and stick my head in and say a few words to my friend. Then I'm going to come back and we will pretend like this conversation didn't happen." She had a confident smile while saying this, and Jones continued to look at her, not responding one way or another.
After a few seconds, she turned and strolled down the corridor, entering Box 124 like it was where she was supposed to be.

At the very back of the boxes there were solid walls instead of glass, so she stepped off to the side and tried to get the attention of Dave or Jason, which she finally accomplished by saying his name.

"Hello Nance, lucky to see you here." He laughed and she smiled in return.
"We've got to stop bumping into one another like this, the pricks will start noticing."
They caught up on things in a short, matter of fact way, her asking after Lee and Kate, Dave telling her to tell Dennis he was glad to see him playing well.

The three exchanged quick hugs and she returned to Box 120, giving Donald a quick smile. "See, we didn't have this conversation Donnie."

[Graintfjall]

Logo made by Qasden.

RP cutoff for Ro16

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Round of 16
Saint Eleanor 2–2 Gnejs (3–4 AET)
Cassadaigua 0–1 Eura
Mytanija 7–2 Aeragny
Mertagne 1–4 Audioslavia
Sendhang 0–3 Ceni
Independent Athletes from Quebec 3–0 Fort McKinley
Brookstation 1–0 Trolleborg
Drawkland 3–3 Eshialand (3–3 AET) (1–3 pen.)

Quarterfinal matchups

Gnejs v Eura
@ Fjlarkfjall Arena, Þingsnitz

Mytanija v Audioslavia
@ GT Estadio Fútbol De Musarañas De Oro, Molding

Ceni v Independent Athletes from Quebec
@ New Skoðarhüb, Estdal

Brookstation v Eshialand
@ Grander International Arena, Steinaux

[HUElavia]

HUElavia 0–3 Cassadaigua

Apocalyptic Humiliation

HUElavia is eliminated in humiliating fashion by Cassadaigua, resulting in a sacking and new appointment.

Another Cup of Harmony, another early exit. Rinse and repeat. Such is the luck of Los Amarillos/Os Amarelos in this 2nd tier competition. Coming into Matchday 5, HUElavia needed a win AND hoping for Trolleborg to not win OR Saterun to not beat out HUElavia on Goal Difference. Unfortunately for the team, nothing came out in their favor.

Cunningham, Sherwood and McGregor sent the daggers to the hearts of the HUElavians, culminating in that wretched 3-0 scoreline. Matters were made worse at the fact that Trolleborg scored the lone goal against Saterun and sent HUElavia out in 5th place regardless. There was a sense of disbelief in the HUElavian players and fans at everything going against them and while some players had cried at the elimination, this was a reckoning for the team.

The trip back to Curumba was a solemn and quiet one, where the players were greeted with some jeers but more of consoling support from fans. Although, such mercy was not given to Coach Cristiano Aveiro Lima, the all-time greatest HUElavian player who got whistles and boos from the crowd, who seemed to be the main blame by the fans for the team's failures. Once in Curumba, Coach Aveiro was called up to the office, and what was expected to happen came to be. A little past 5:30 PM, HFA President Rebecca Fonseca Nazário announced that Cristiano Aveiro Lima was relieved of his duties as the HUElavia National Football Team Coach. While a successful coach, especially in the IAC, giving the team their 2nd consecutive title in IAC 16, he could not match what Leonardo Conavacio did with the team and could not get the team to a World Cup, nor a decent run in the Cup of Harmony.

There was only one name that the HFA relied upon to become the new coach for HUElavia: Lester O'Reagan. HUElavia once more taps into the coaching market of Quebec and Shingoryeo, one of the country's long-time allies, as a place where they could get a reliable coach for the team. The 41 year old manager from Montreal City FC is known for liking an attacking, flashy style of Football, making him a good fit for the kind of football that is loved and adored by HUElavians. A week after Aveiro's departure, he was negotiated for and came to terms for the next four years, in order to help with the rebuild cycle for the National Team. In his first press conference, Coach O'Reagan was quoted as saying: "I'm pleased and honored to take the reigns of managing this great National Team. I hope to learn from my predecessors, especially in the legendary Conavacio and Aveiro, during these next four years. I hope to bring great results with these players, as well as bring titles for this nation." Social Media was lit ablaze in praise for the new manager, where the main consensus was that this may be a great fit for a nation that begs for great and attacking football.

A week later, HFA President Rebecca Fonseca Nazário announced her resignation, citing that she felt she did what she could and did not want to further contribute to the stagnation HUElavian football had been plagued with for years now and wanted new faces to guide this Association. In the subsequent voting process among all clubs associated with the HUElavian Football Association, 48 year old Xavier Rabellini was voted as the new president of the HFA. Having mainly served with RCD San Rafael throughout his sporting career, he held various positions within the club management and was seen as part of what made RCD San Rafael as a force in the HUElavian Football League. He was quoted as saying: "The past few years have been heartbreaks for the national team in various levels, and we have had stagnation run rampant in the levels. If we want to match and even surpass what our Golden Generation did in the 2070s and 2080s, we have much to learn and do to achieve that. I hope to make important changes to help our football grow to be among the very best in the multiverse."

It's a new dawn in HUElavian Football. While it was a painful end, there is still promise with the young players and what can be done ahead. Here's to what can be a brighter future.

FORCA HUELAVIA! VAMOS HUELAVIA! GO HUELAVIA!

[Audioslavia]

IMPRISONING WORTHY BROADSHEET SPORTS JOURNALISM BEHIND A PAYWALL SINCE 22XX, IT'S

Cauliflower Derby
Mytanija Await Bulls in Quarter-Final

Audioslavia eased past an out-of-sorts Mertagne on Wednesday night to clinch an unlikely spot in the last eight. Shorn of some of their top players due to a bout of the flu*, a sub-strength Mertian unit were ill equipped to deal with an Audioslavia side looking to take advantage of their undeserved second change at CoH85.

In terms of solidifying his position as Bulls manager for the next cycle, Ager Alaba isn't entirely out of the woods yet. Defeat to Mytanija in the Quarters still represents a backwards-step for the Bulls. Never a popular pick with the fans, despite his credentials, Alaba remains at risk of the FFA making a rash decision after the tournament.

And Ager Alaba is not the first manager to go into a match against Mytanija with his jaiket wobbling on a shoogly peg.

A brief thirty-one cycles ago, Audioslavia hadn't qualified for the World Cup in their last three attempts, had struggled to find form through early games, and found themselves in a high-profile game against a technically superior Mytanija team. The more things change. On that occasion, manager Txo Morea found himself needing to defeat his green and white hooped opponents to stand any chance of keeping his reputation, let alone his job. Heavy defeats to Ossidiacqua (4-2) and New Montreal States (5-2) after a 1-1 draw with a Quebec side that would lose each one of their subsequent qualifiers that cycle had put his Bulls side firmly on the back foot, and despite the likes of Janssens and Eiger on the field - two heroes of Cycles 63 and 64 - his side could not get going in the qualifiers for World Cup 62.

It was a make or break situation, and the coin landed on 'break'.

One moment sticks out. With Mytanija already five-one up, a young local lad jumped the barricades and ran over to Txo Morea and waved an open hand in front of the manager's face, each finger signifying one of Mytanija's five goals. The pitch-side cameras caught it, and caught Morea's response. An F-bomb, unsurprisingly, followed by a threat to give the Mytanijan kid a cauliflower ear.
"Rather a cauliflower ear than a cauliflower brain" came the kid's response, shortly before being rugby-tackled to the ground by security.

Everyone heard it. The media ran with it.

**
Txo Morea: Cauliflower

Morea would somehow remain in charge of the Bulls over the next six games, preciding over three wins followed by three further defeats - Ossidiacqua and New Montreal States again, followed by a reverse against Blouman Empire that ultimately finished Morea off. He remains the Cauliflower Manager according to the fans.

Temporarily replacement James Hall would gain some form of retribution against the Mytanars, leading the Bulls to a 3-1 win in Audioslavia, before handing over the reigns to Israel Klimt. Klimt's exploits over cycles 63 to 65 are well documented. Trophies, World Cups, Karsten Eiger blootering it blah blah blah, but even so, Klimt's Audioslavia failed to defeat Mytanija in two further attempts. First, on matchday three of World Cup 63, the Bulls celebrated a 0-0 draw like it was a win, sending the side to a second-round showdown with Taeshan. Secondly, on matchday three of World Cup 65, a one-all draw with the Mytanars was met with dismay, eliminating the Bulls from the tournament on a 0-2-1 record.

The Qualifiers for World Cup 87 featured two more fixtures with Mytanija, with a 3-1 reverse followed by a two-all draw, meaning our record thus far against this particular opponent is 1-3-2, with eight goals scored to Mytanija's twelve.

These days there's little to choose between two sides. Both reached the second round of World Cup 90, and Audioslavia's flirtation with the last four of the Cup of Harmony has yielded as many ranking points as Mytanija's two draws from six finals games over the same period. On the fringe of the top thirty-two, neither side is their best vintage but both have weapons at their disposal.

Perhaps the most interesting match-up on the field is that of Raynor City United striker Helios Roy versus Zozi centre-half Grigorij Savicevic. Familiar with one another from Helios's days at Zozi, the winner of the resumption of hostilities may well tilt the tie in their favour. At the other end of the field, both Archer Flat and Obadele Volonte are in the twilight of their careers, and 1923 Esca striker Drazen Skara may fancy his chances against their advancing years.

* a reference to Mertagne having the ill, not to COVID
** image made by Audio in 2013

[Mytanija]

SEVENTH HEAVEN FOR HOOPS
AFTER HITTING AERÁGNY FOR SEVEN, AUDIOSLAVIA AWAIT

by Nevenka Planinc

MYTANIJA 7–2 AERÁGNY

MYT: Ovsyannikov 8’, 34’, 56’; Skara 47’, 59’; Atsev 75’, Ocokoljic 84’

AER: Garyabh 41’, Budd 64’

Mytanija have advanced to the quarter finals of the Cup of Harmony following an emphatic 7-2 rout of Aerágny in a highly entertaining last sixteen encounter at Sanktjakobvöllur in Korsbach. A large Mytanar contingent witnessed a fine performance from the national team, comprehensively defeating their opponents with a second half flurry of goals. Denis Ovsyannikov was particularly influential, hitting a hat-trick of goals and laying on two assists for Drazen Skara, the pair forming quite the duo on the pitch and continuing to develop a good on-field understanding. The victory means that Mytanija will make the trip to Molding to play Audioslavia in the quarter finals in what may well be the tie of the round, with the winners getting the opportunity to play against the winner of Gnejs versus Eura for a place in the Cup of Harmony final.

The match got off to a blistering start as Mytanija moved the ball quickly and operated an aggressive full-pitch press from the off. This was a change to the usual approach Dzvezdan Kitanchev employs, normally preferring his players to drop back into more of a mid-block when they have lost possession, but the change seemed to catch Aerágny off guard and allowed the Hoops to sustain a solid period of pressure during the opening ten minutes of the match. That pressure told as Mytanija took the lead in the 8th minute through Denis Ovsyannikov, who curled in a beautiful shot from the edge of the box after Omer Kuhar-Arh won possession from Sam Allbhy deep inside the Airannian half of the pitch. Kuhar-Arh simply squared the ball to Ovsyannikov and he did the rest, beating the goalkeeper all ends up.

Mytanija’s second came later in the first half, and it was Ovsyannikov who was at it again, latching onto a through ball from Drazen Skara and calmly slotting past Odês Victorya éys to double Mytanija’s lead. However, Aerágny refused to lie down and managed to get a goal back just before half-time when 22-year-old Pyathora Mariners striker Khriss Garyabh stooped to head in from a corner kick, giving Aerágny some hope of progression heading into the half-time break. Mytanija had played reasonably well, but the inability to kill teams off had been something which had hindered the team during World Cup qualification and here, in a knockout game, there was a degree of nervousness that it might be happening again.

Fortunately, any hope of a comeback was quickly extinguished by Mytanija as they came out with all guns blazing in the second half. Skara got things underway by scoring a brace of his own with goals in the 47th and 59th minutes, both generously provided by Ovsyannikov. The first was a deliciously difficult to read low cross from the left, Ovsyannikov providing an overlapping run for a drifting inside Nenad Tejic and Tejic obliged by playing the ball to him perfectly. The Atletik midfielder didn’t have to break stride to put the ball across and Skara did the rest. An audacious dink over the Airannian back line put Skara sprinting through for his second, with his delicate volleyed dink over the onrushing goalkeeper being one of the more creative finishes seen at this tournament.

Mytanija’s fifth, probably the goal which really killed the game off, came from who other than Ovsi, as he completed his hat-trick by finishing off a wonderful team move, firing home from inside the penalty area after Mirko Hranilovic cleverly cut the ball back to him. It was the perfect end to a 26 pass move which got Mytanija from back to front effectively and made the score 5-1 with around half an hour to play. The Airannians continued to battle, pulling a goal back in the 64th minute when Touz Budd got a free-kick up and over the Mytanar wall and back down again in time to beat Semir Besak, but it was all rather futile as Kitanchev began to send subs of the quality of Gavril Atsev and Jezdimir Ocokoljic onto the pitch to see the game out.

Both of those substitutions worked beautifully, with Atsev adding a sixth goal with a left-footed strike from around 25 yards out and Jezdimir Ocokoljic rolling back the years to add a brilliant seventh. It was an Ocokoljic classic, dropping into a number ten position to receive the ball from a midfielder – on this occasion Nurija Papez – before laying off a short pass to a more advanced midfielder and spinning in behind the opposition defence to receive the ball back. Muharem Hajdarpasic obliged, neatly threading the ball through for Ocokoljic and he lashed the ball into the net to complete the scoring, taking advantage of a tiring Airannian defence to get in behind in a manner which is becoming more fleeting as his career starts to get nearer to its inevitable conclusion – how good would it be to propel him to an international triumph before that?

It was undoubtedly a dominant performance from Mytanija, the sort of showing that Dzvezdan Kitanchev would have preferred to see a few more times in qualification for the World Cup. The goals were hard to come by at times then, but here they flowed a lot more freely and a lot of that was down to the increased influence of Denis Ovsyannikov. A lot has been said about Ovsi during this World Cup cycle, it has felt like – after failing to qualify for the World Cup – that the cycle has mostly been about Ovsyannikov’s emergence as a key player for the national team, something he has taken to like a duck to water. That sometimes makes it easy to forget that he is still such a young footballer, but it is the authority and the assuredness on the pitch which makes him really stand out. His play can sometimes appear nonchalant, a flick with the outside of a boot here or a backheel there, but he is so sure of his technical ability that he just sees it as the most effective route forward. It’s a devastating combination of ruthlessness and panache which is so exciting to watch. Here Ovsi got a first career hat-trick and a brace of assists for Skara, but his movement, positioning and awareness were all impeccable and meant he could have been a deserved player of the match even without the goal contributions. He’s both one for the future and one for right now, which makes the player he could become a real tantalising prospect.

It wasn’t just the players that impressed, however, with the Mytanar travelling support making the short journey across Rushmore in large numbers and creating an impressive atmosphere in Korsbach. The passionate chanting and singing throughout the match is par for the course, naturally, but it did help to create an electric atmosphere which the team surely benefited from. They were treated to a symphony of attractive football as Mytanija progressed to the quarters with a dominant display, but you can be sure that that stage might be a little bit stodgier, a little bit more cut-and-thrust, because Mytanija were rewarded for their efforts with a match against Audioslavia. Over the years there has been little to separate the Hoops and the Bulls, despite the latter being a lot more successful in terms of medals won and having competed rather more consistently.

It will be interesting to see what the supporters have for one another this time, with the fixture being famed for a number of instantly recognisable memes: from the young Mytanar running onto the pitch and past Audioslavian manager Txo Morea with an open hand to signify each of the five goals the team had put past his side, a few brief words later involving cauliflowers and Morea was doomed to be forever memed with a cauliflower for a head; to the infamous Audioskelping banner unfurled after Mytanija’s 3-1 home win upon returning to international football for World Cup 87 following a period away due to conflict, telling Jeremy Jaffacake in no uncertain terms what to do. It’s not a rivalry in any sense of the word, but with two of the more creative sets of supporters in the multiverse there is always potential for a new meme to be birthed, which for some is almost as important as the action out on the pitch, though both countries will pause what they are doing for a game of this magnitude.

[Brookstation]

WARNING: This is a blog about haunted places thus obviously, it is supposed to contain scary themes and dark imagery. READ FURTHER AT YOUR OWN RISK!

1. Long District Mines, Norwegian wood

Located around 15 km from Norwegian wood, the Long District Mines hidden within the plush green hills of Norwegian wood happens to be the most haunted place in Brookstation. The mine is located several miles behind a rocky trail, which makes it difficult to access this place. If someone thinks Brook history isn’t dark, he is highly mistaken. After Brookstation’s successful annexation of Asgharbad, several Asgharis were brought to Brookstation as slaves and made to work in Brookstation’s various mines.

The Long District Mines, used to be one of Brookstation’s most prominent bauxite mines at one point of time with an immense labour force, comprising mostly of Asgharis. The productivity in the mine was growing at an exorbitant rate but the government’s failure to manage the mines properly led to extreme working conditions and an unsafe working environment. 16th May, 1982 saw a massive furnace blast, which accounted for at least 500 deaths. A total of 1000 deaths have been assumed to take place due to improper working conditions. Following the disaster, the mine has been abandoned for over four decades now and the condition of the site has just degraded over time, making the remote location a haunted house. Furthermore, the various creepy graffiti made on the walls of the abandoned structure and the dead remains of various birds and animals make this site an absolute thriller for mystery lovers.

2. Springwood Estate, Dreamland

The famous Springwood Estate on Fulton Drive is said to be a place where one can find the dead man walking (quite literally?) The person under discussion is General Dwight McCullough, infamously known for playing an integral part in Brookstation’s invasion of Asgharbad. A significant government building during his time, he was brutally assaulted in the premises of the building by revolutionaries, all of whom received a death sentence later on. The lore, surrounding the building is scary enough but the credibility of an actual ghost residing the building is still doubtful. Caretakers and security guards who work late at night often report strange noises and a grim voice. Irrespective of whether the building is haunted or not, no one dares to go near the building after sunset. It is said that till date no guard has been able to continue their job for over a month.

3. Thomson College, Other side of Paradise

The massive premise which houses the Thomson College, used to be the residence of Sir John Thomson, former finance minister of Brookstation. The downfall of the authoritarian Democratic Party was both a boon and a bane. The positive side saw more equality among citizens and growth in civil rights but at the same time, the treatment meted out to the former government officials were pretty severe.
One such victim was Sir John Thomson, who was firstly impeached from his office and then made a subject of several misconducts, the validity of which are still under question. Following around a decade of trial, Sir Thomson was imprisoned for the rest of his life. The unsatisfied spirit of Sir Thomson is said to haunt the house, in a supposed attempt to get hold of the 'doctored' documents which were responsible for his acquittal.

With the passage of time, the frequency of ghost sightings have decreased as the building has now been converted to a college. The busy college, bustling with students throughout the day doesn't let the haunted vibe creep in but ghost sightings are still reported by students and staff at times.

4. Erde Kommen, Essidise

The abandoned edifice, Erde Kommen (meaning Earth, come) is the scariest place in Essidise. The mansion was built in the 1940s by Ed Foden. In 1989, Foden's only daughter Clara had been a victim of homicide by an unidentified attacker. Since then, the family has moved out of the house, considering the building to be nothing but a haunting memory. Following the tragedy, no one has ever shown any interest to move into the building either, which leaves the great building deserted for over 30 decades now. Tourists often visit the site but surprisingly enough, no one has been able to come out with a clear picture of the artefacts inside the house till now. Each and every time, the visitors return with blurred and distorted images, a weird phenomenon that hasn't been explained till now.

5. Saint Elias’ Episcopal Church, Artiana

It’s indeed very surprising to learn that a place of religious significance can be haunted but that’s what the Saint Elias’ Church in Artiana is all about. Located in a very remote location, almost 10 km from the main suburb, the Church is one of the most famous sites in Artiana. According to local legend, the church dwells on the graves of two brothers. These two brothers who were the sons of a very rich landlord fought among themselves to inherit their father’s immense wealth but at the end, both made an unfortunate demise and the area was passed on to the government. But at the same time, none of these local claims can be backed by solid historic evidence.

John Louise Brown, a paranormal researcher has conducted several studies on this site and has claimed this place to be undaunted. “I have led a detailed exploration of this place twice and I can assure that there is no spirit in this area but at the same time I must admit that this is one of the scariest places in the nation.” According to Brown, it is the eerie ambience and the silent surrounding that makes the place haunted. The so called, strange noises heard by locals are nothing but noises of rare birds and animals which reside in the forests of Artiana. Nevertheless, it is a stellar task to convince the locals, none of whom dare to roam around the church area once the sun has set below the horizon, to believe in Brown’s theory.

6. Poplar Field Mills, Halebid

Established by the pioneer Thomas Johnson , one of the biggest industrialists in Brookstation's history, the Poplar Field Mills operated smoothly for many years. It is the only mill in Halebid, surrounding Brookstation’s shoreline. But very soon, these mills proved to be a failure with the downfall of the textile industries in Brookstation. In 1976, the mills were shut down but a disastrous fire, the origin of which is still unknown, in the mills after just a few years, would seal the fate of the mills once and forever.

The mills would not make the news for several years until a photographer, Oliver Tembe, would discover the place and decide to conduct a photography session from the rooftop of the abandoned structure. Once Tembe and his team were in the abandoned structure, several paranormal activities would occur. Firstly, Zachary May's, a member of the team would constantly complain of some unreal silhouette watching him constantly, which would greatly affect his mental health. Furthermore, the watchman would also report seeing a figure in one of the rooms on a day, when shooting wasn't taking place. The project would finally be closed down when Tembe himself would suddenly faint while clicking a picture, without feeling any discomfort prior to the incident. Since the project, no one has dared to enter the remains of the mills and subsequently, nothing has been heard of the mill ever since.

Thanks to the positive response we received last time, we decided to bring forward to you six more haunted places in Brookstation. Give this article a read before its gets censored due to it controversial nature. Meh

[Gnejs]

Today’s News

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Sports - Cup of Harmony

Aet, Pray, Love

By: Theodora Anckarström, reporting from Hofvinger, Græntfjall

It was David versus Goliath. Or rather it was The Rock versus Saint Eleanor, which sounds like a porn film, or a morally relentless Gnejsian folk tale, or a strange combination of both, but either way it had that kind of allegorical quality where someone small tries – against all odds – to overcome unyielding hammering from a superior force.

It was the stuff of stories, when the Dandelions managed to hold Drawkland to a draw and progress, because few expected the Union defense to hold up to the forceful Drawk assault. But it did, and now they were up against yet another foe of greater skill and experience. They clearly lack the star power and technical ability of its rivals, those Dandelions, and although some say they make up for that with their defensive prowess, for how long is it reasonable to assume that a wall of flesh can withstand more advanced playmaking and firepower?

Not for too long, it seemed, because less than 5 minutes in they were already down 0-1.

The game was intense, and the Eleanorians kept attacking relentlessly, dominating possession of the ball and continuously bombarding the Dandelion half with quick passes and accurate shots. It seemed clear enough that they were determined to score as many goals as possible, with a clear-cut strategy of using their wings to create space on the flanks and getting the ball to their forwards, ready to receive in- or just outside the penalty box. Their second goal was a well-executed play, the ball swiftly travelling from midfield to the left-wing and then crossed into the box center where a powerful header met it. If it hadn’t been for the crossbar stepping in as the 12th Dandelion at around 43 minutes it would have been three to nothing after the first half.

The Dandelions had been forced to defend for the entire duration of the first half, and normally they probably wouldn’t have minded, because their strength was in a disciplined backline, well-drilled and organized, tenaciously hoarding the ball whenever possible and acting swiftly when the opportunity presented itself. But their opponents were smart. They hogged the ball and used it to their advantage, tricking the Dandelions into playing high and loose, dragging them out and separating them from one another, constantly exposing them to the Elenorians pace and skill.

But they knew what they had to do come the second half. They knew they had to dig deep and focus on playing the only way they knew how, and that's exactly what they did. They came out on the pitch and formed their notorious solid and layered wall of defenders, making it all but impossible for the attacking team to penetrate. They resisted the urge to chase the ball, instead relying on opportunities coming to them in due time, and as the game progressed the attackers became restless and seemed hellbent on piercing the wall and scoring another goal.

They came at the Dandelions from all possible angles, and while they were mostly frustrated, both two and three chances surfaced, with shots hitting the woodwork, being blocked by defenders, or saved by the goalkeeper. It was in the aftermath on one of these chances when the tables turned. August Bjørneboe snatched the ball and – instead of just clearing it like they had done up until that point – found Phaedo Svensson lurking just on the right side of the Eleanoran defensive line and almost before anyone had a chance to react, he had made his way up the pitch and put one past the goalkeeper.

The opposition was rattled by this sudden turn of events, and in the midst of what seemed like a change in strategy, they made both one and two defensive errors that the Dandelions could make use of. After Menexenus Nilsen hounded a Eleanorian defender to give away a corner with just minutes remaining, what had seemed like an unlikely comeback at halftime was suddenly reality, when Simon Naess somehow managed to force a goal out of the box chaos, sending the Union fans into a frenzy, all of them removing their trousers and waving them over their heads, in the traditional Union fashion.

So, it came down to extra time. They’re no strangers to Cup of Harmony extra time, the Dandelions, having emerged victorious against Cabo Azure in the CoH84 Round of 16 and also fighting Juvencus in extra time in the subsequent quarterfinal. I don’t know what Coach Eriksen said to his squad those precious minutes after full time - probably a parable ending with someone dying while screaming in agony - but it was clear the Dandelions entered the pitch with a plan, and they quickly took charge and gained the upper hand as the extra minutes wore on. First Menexenus Nilsen served Phaedo Svensson with a beautiful through-ball that the latter made sure to capitalize on, and then Cratylus Hansen took advantage of another corner (fun fact: four of the Dandelions seven goals scored in this CoH have come from corners) and with only five minutes remaining the score was 4-2 in Dandelion favor. While Saint Eleanor managed to score once, they never got the equalizer needed to save them, and the Dandelions and their fans could celebrate a remarkable comeback, which will go down in history as one of their greatest ever victories

When the dust - or snow - had settled, it became clear that the quarterfinal opponent will be regional behemoth Eura, and now I kind of regret using up the David-Goliath analogy. I did come up with a great porn name for that upcoming fracas, but it’s probably best not to go there.

Our other top stories

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Union man charged with crimes against the Prohibition of Offensive Imagery Act in Maigburg court - «He’ll be alright,» comments brother-in-law

Record number of Union citizens detained abroad - «This is why we generally advise people not to travel,» says Foreign Office representative

[Eshialand]

Clutching it out at the End
Drawkland 3-3 Eshialand (3-3 AET) (1-3 pen.)

120 minutes passed, and the score remained tied, despite the Elite Eleven's best attempts to break it. Eshialand were inexplicably holding their own against a top 25 team, and now, as the whistle blew to end extra time, it would be going to a penalty shootout, the score having refused to budge from three-all during the last half-hour of play, meaning Eshialand would be playing its first penalty shootout in five years, since their Round of 16 match against Marigred in their Baptism of Fire.

Drawkland would win the coin toss and kick first, Ross Hunter being their first kicker.
"Here we go, the first penalty shootout the Owls have seen in five years..."
"I can't even watch..."
"Don't worry Karsten, it'll be alright... Hunter kicks the ball up and to the left, but KOLEK IS RIGHT ON THAT AND IT DOESN'T GO IN!!"

Coach Morgan could be seen on the bench, his head in his hands. "What's going on, Coach?" Mel Carey asked, as Alice Carroll stepped up to take the first kick for the Owls.
"Oh, it's nothing, just... why does this have to be so stressful? All I want us to do is have some fun out here but yet I get so stressed over--"
"Look, it'll be fine. This happens to all of us... we won't crack under the pressure though. We've got this."

"Carroll's ready, she's lining up to take her shot, and down to the bottom right corner it goes, Xander dives for it but HE CAN'T GET THERE! 1-0 FOR ESHIALAND!!"
"She had the perfect shot and she really did make the most of it there... holy heck. That was crazy."
"Come on Owls, you have the lead, don't mess this up..."

It was Roger Apollo's turn to shoot for the Elite Eleven, Drawkland now playing from behind. "He's definitely got some swagger out there..."
"Let's see if that will translate into a good shot... oh that's a high one, over Kolek's head but not over the net, Drawkland ties it 1-1!"
"That's okay, just as long as Eshialand can keep the momentum going..."
"Jake Harran's next, so we'll just see about that."

Jake stepped onto the pitch, staring down the ball. "Calm down..." he told himself, "it's just a game. Kick the ball, and think about nothing el--"
"WOAH THAT ONE'S WAY OFF THE MARK!"
"It didn't even feel like he kicked it right, it was such a weird ball..."
Jake was understandably pissed at himself over it, and as he walked back to the Eshian bench, Alice had to hug him to try and console him. "Don't worry, we've still got this..." she said, although there was still some doubt in her mind about whether they did in fact have this.

Next up for the Drawkians was Richard Hanson, feeling pretty confident about his ability to slip one past Kolek. "It almost feels as if he's too confident, right Karsten?"
"I dunno Josh, I think he has a decent chance at this one..."
"Well not if that kick is DIRECTLY AT KOLEK! He saves it easily, and this thing will remain tied for... looks like Avery MacDougall's coming off the bench."

Avery had been the winning scorer in Eshialand's only other penalty shootout, those five and a half years ago in their BoF... surely she could make some magic happen again tonight, right? Sure, she wasn't in a position to seal it, but a goal here would go a long way..."
"That ball's hit well--"
"Fine like a well-done steak!"
"Karsten wha-- Xander can't quite get to it, IT'S IN! ESHIALAND TAKES THE LEAD BACK, 2-1!!!"
"Don't question my similes, only question my sanity."
"He said it, not me."

The Elite Eleven brought Jaxon Madison onto the mark, ready to tie this game back up again...
"That's a decent kick to the left side..."
"But it's got spin, and it's spinning right back to Kolek, who MAKES THE SAVE!!! ESHIALAND CAN SEAL THIS GAME WITH ONE MORE SHOT!!!"
"That was just... a bit unfortunate, really."
"Team captain Melissa Carey is stepping up now, hoping she can end it all right here, right now..."

Every player has those moments. You never know when a moment is going to be until it happens, but for Mel Carey, that moment was here. This ball would be one of her greatest moments, and she just had to not screw up... she took a breath, and launched the ball.
"It's going up, to the corner..."
"I think it's going to be a bit too high, Josh--"
"No it isn't, NO IT ISN'T! SEPTIMUS XANDER CAN'T GET TO IT, AND CAREY SCORES, ESHIALAND WINS THE SHOOTOUT 3-1! WE'RE GOING TO THE QUARTERS! WE'RE GOING TO THE QUARTERS!!!!!"

Somehow... somehow... she pulled a rabbit out of her hat. Drawkland was one of the most formidable teams in this Cup of Harmony, and the Owls had secured a victory. Sure, it would go down in the record books as a draw, but they were going to live to play another game. Off to the quarterfinals they went, a team who was never expected to make it half as far...

As the team celebrated their victory, they weren't thinking about anything else, and they honestly didn't need to. They were on a miracle run, now the lowest-ranked team left by far and still seemingly going strong... their next battle, however? Well this would be an interesting one.

Remember how Eshialand are the lowest-ranked team left? Why, their next opponents were the next-lowest. 56th-ranked Brookstation (compared to Eshialand's 77th). Brookstation had debuted alongside Eshialand at the 75th Baptism of Fire, one of the just six teams still active from that tournament. The two nations didn't get to face each other, however, as they were in different nations in the group stage and opposite sides of the bracket in knockouts. Despite going undefeated in the group stage, Brookstation would wind up being the first team knocked out by the Owls' eventual finals opponents, Le Choix, and that was that.

These two teams did eventually get to interact in the qualifying stage of World Cup 90. This is still to this day considered the best chance the Owls ever had at making the big dance, but two agonizing draws against the Brooks, 3-3 and 1-1, would see Eshialand finish 4 points out of a playoff spot in 4th place, with Brookstation getting 5th, although they were closer to last than to Eshialand in terms of points. Now? It's time to settle things.

As a bonus, the winner of this match would become the first team from that Baptism of Fire to make it to the semifinals of a Cup of Harmony. Since no team from the BoF75 class had qualified for the World Cup either, whoever won would have the best cycle a team from that tournament had seen. With a past score to settle and history to be made, you could say there was just a little bit of excitement about this matchup. Just a little.

And all for a game between the two lowest-ranked teams left. Heh, funny how things work out like that.

[Ceni]

Eylaugsson-Arena, Reschensreppur
Sendhang 0–3 Ceni
 Asher Koromin '21, Renning '77, Santa Oria '90+3

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Millennium City & Cenial Wharf

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These neighbourhoods, located along the water just north and east of the National Mall, are at the heart of Cenial's economic activity with economic institutions like the Cenial Stock Exchange, headquarters of such major corporations as Air Terranea and Cityscapes Architecture and Construction, and the Cenian outposts of Euran corporations. Even though nobody's here to see sterile office buildings, there are certainly things to see in these two vibrant areas. Read on to find out...

Many Terranean travelers will start their journeys at the Cenial City Airport, which offers close proximity to the offices in Millennium City. It's not a tourist attraction per se, even though it does offer a small museum of aviation and opportunities to plane watch, but it's certainly a major part of the area's infrastructure and transportation framework.

We then proceed north to south throughout the two districts, starting at Cenial Wharf. From a distance, Caravel Place at Cenial Wharf immediately draws the eye: Its six halls (all clad in bronze) have the appearance of a sailing ship, specifically the caravel type that inspired its name. Most tourists probably won't have reason to visit unless they're coming to a conference, event, or exposition held there, but the surrounding area has an incredibly diverse restaurant selection, and of course it's a recognizable landmark that tourists should look for.

Further south along the wharf, passing the major ferry terminal to catch a boat to the Isles of Avon and the main commercial import port in Ceni, there are two major museums to visit. The Cenial Maritime Museum takes full advantage of its waterside location to display several ships from all periods in Ceni's history, dating back from those older caravels to a modern-day lifeboat. Indoors, the Museum displays documents, paintings, and other ephemera tracing Ceni's maritime history. Only a few blocks away, the Portside Museum of Science is directed more towards families with children, but if you fall into that demographic, the demonstrations and hands-on activities will certainly engage tots of any age. (There is one floor aimed towards adults with an engrossing display of scientific instruments.)

Returning closely to Cenial City Airport, we now come to Zelona Park. Named after one of Ceni's founding fathers, Trent Zelona, Zelona Park is an oasis of green space where families frolic in the water features and singles have the opportunity to run amidst the trees. In the evening, bankers and families alike gather to watch planes from CCY descending into the sunset. It's testament to the emphasis that Cenial urban planners have placed on green space within the park.

Heading southward, we come across Novastar Avenue, which runs east-west between the Endemien Ocean and Lake Cenial. Novastar Avenue is THE place to be in Cenial: It has the most glitzy shopping, the most glitzy restaurants, and the most glitzy nightlife. The area also hosts luxury hotels like The Orion Novastar, which is the flagship hotel of the Orion International hotel chain. Of course, there are some quibbles about this area: As one Ferret Civilization commentator wrote a few years back, "it seemed like everything was a small fortune for not a whole lot of anything special" in the shopping areas. Only a few blocks away is the Cenial Stock Exchange, which nominally offers public tours (that are nonetheless hard to book).

Only a few blocks away from Novastar Avenue, and closer to Lake Cenial, is the so-called "Bibliophile District" which hosts several famous independent bookstores. (It's an unofficial name, and it won't appear on any official maps, but it's still worth a visit). There are three that might catch the eye of the median tourist: The Timeless Tome has a massive collection of antique books (that are more eye candy than actual wares); Libreria Horizonte specializes in Faroleran-language books and social activism (including recent fundraisers for refugees from the civil war in Farfadillis); and Pyixu & Sons Booksellers has a wide collection of books in the social sciences as the largest independent bookstore in Ceni by number of volumes.

Moving furthest south in this district, almost bordering the National Mall, we come across two small (but mighty) museums. The Millennium City Gallery shows modern (like, funky modern) art in a light-filled space with modern curves and lines; the Hothil-Amasanti Museum hosts a collection on the history of printing and the written word in a surprisingly interesting collection.

[Independent Athletes from Quebec]

OOC: Timeline-wise, the NSWC and the IBC kick off first on the two-year cycle, with the rest filing up over the course of the cycle. This means that upcoming season will be the first of two seasons. Of course, you may ignore my way of using chronology if need be.

The Mathletes - Scientific, Literary Venue of Sports Journalism

Q-League Salary Cap announced for the third year, but what does this mean for the league parity?

Jean-Jacques Dreyfuss-Smart

In continuation from here...

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On the surface it appears to be straightforward. We would get a simplified analysis along following lines:

The three-time defending champions and Coupe de la Reine finalist, Montreal Koreana, surprises nobody by leading the salary cap table with an increase of $64 million (Q£32 million, with the fixed exchange rate of $2 NSD = Q£1). The increase, one that is followed by a Champions League second round appearance and historic threepeat for the first time in fifty years by a Quebecois club, means that the Songak side's spending limit is set to $439.34 million NSD (Q£219.67 million).

Their rivals CSKA Quebec and Mipojoseon, in the meanwhile, trail behind at second and third place, but with mixed fortunes. Having successfully made into final sixteen of the Associations Trophy, winning the Coupe de la Reine and making to the Mossun Cup final, Mipojoseon's finances look a bit better than what many had feared halfway into the season as they had recouped a majority, if not most, of the cost into their season that, while unsuccessful in bringing title home this season, was successful on many other metrics. Presented with a squad with little turnover and the addition of Brenecia international Irina Alderwood, they have been presented with a total spending limit of have seen their limit reduced by $17.69 million (Q£8.84 million), but still comfortably within their spending range for both the future and other divisions within the multi-sport club.

CSKA Quebec, in the meanwhile, would see their spending limits increase substantially by $39.47 million NSD (Q£19.74 million), a moderate increase that have matched their organisational stability. Having finished second for the first time in eleven years, their highest since their title campaign under former manager Ross Killanen, Alvaro Javier Zanetti's side is close to overtaking Mipojoseon for the second place. With the Joongyeong federal province solely represented by the Tiger-Phoenixes once again, it is expected that a top-three finish, one that they are currently favoured to return towards, would ensure further increase in spending cap for the future seasons.

Recent Grand Final attendees Swangard Athletic would also see mixed fortunes. Swangard Athletic, for most part, have seen their spending improve, with Eric Varsteeg's side allowed to spend $151.66m NSD (Q£75.81). It is a modest increase of 8,3% and $11.65 million, but for the squad that has lost significant talent and their charismatic manager Daniel Galbraith, the loss arguably feels greater than that of the financial gains made.

On the bottom of the table exists a mix of three recently-promoted sides, whose limit all goes under $100 million NSD, and Leaside Lions. The 'Midtowners', currently led by the club's ever-chaotic, longtime President Michel Shim-Bakumbu, are expected to suffer another loss-making year by over $15 million on net revenue. They sit on the nineteenth place with the budget limit of $84.57 million NSD (Q£42.29 million), which places them nineteenth-place after a fifteen-percent cut places them behind relegation favourites PLI Islanders and Agawa Athletic.

As discussed earlier, the salary caps definitely are used to not only control overspending practices beyond the means a club could afford, but also to encourage spending practices by showing how much a club, when engaged, could spend it for the season. Not only does it provide a safety valve, it also provides the sense of accountability by raising it out in the public, who holds significant share in a majority of the clubs anyway.

With that said, however, the figures themselves present a more complicated portrait. They themselves cannot be figured out without context. It is with this in mind that the figures, rather than looking at the broad picture, are better viewed with specifics - for every increase seen by Montreal Koreana, CSKA Quebec and Heart of Saguenay would be offset by the losses suffered by Jolbonopolis United, Northandryun Rovers, and Olympique de Rimouski. Right below we have the list of year-to-year changes:

The list of year-to-year changes

57/  58/                  TEAM           Last Season's    This Season's      Salary Cap      Salary Cap            By
 58   59                                    Salary Cap       Salary Cap         Balance      Difference    Percentage
  1    1      Montreal Koreana            $375,000,000     $439,338,000    $236,676,000     $64,338,000        +17.1%
  2    2            Mipojoseon            $320,000,000     $302,315,000    $103,130,000    -$17,685,000         -5.3%
  3    3           CSKA Quebec            $260,000,000     $299,472,000    $114,644,000     $39,472,000        +15.2%
  8    4    St. John's Arsenal            $215,000,000     $241,757,000     $85,682,000     $26,757,000        +12.4%
  4    5            Perce Town            $245,000,000     $225,988,000    $119,144,000    -$19,012,000         -7.8%
  5    6           Kingston FC            $235,000,000     $224,870,000     $93,740,000    -$10,130,000         -4.3%
  6    7 Olympique de Rimouski            $225,000,000     $193,022,000     $79,212,000    -$31,978,000        -14.2%
  7    8   Northandryun Rovers            $220,000,000     $185,476,000     $51,452,000    -$34,524,000        -15.7%
T10    9         Montreal City            $145,000,000     $183,201,000    -$31,598,000     $38,201,000        +26.2%
 15   10     Heart of Saguenay            $125,000,000     $164,910,000     $77,820,000     $39,910,000        +31.9%
  9   11   Jolbonopolis United            $205,000,000     $163,423,000     $20,346,000    -$41,577,000        -20.3%
T10   12            Haligonian            $145,000,000     $157,942,000     $46,684,000     $12,942,000         +8.9%
 13   13     Swangard Athletic            $140,000,000     $151,655,000     $10,810,000     $11,655,000         +8.3%
 14   14    Zenit Attawapiskat            $135,000,000     $141,927,000     $20,854,000      $6,927,000         +5.1%
 16   15  Forest City Athletic            $105,000,000     $136,163,000     $18,326,000     $31,163,000        +29.7%
T10   16  Wansan Noksaekjeonsa            $145,000,000     $127,394,000     $31,288,000    -$17,606,000        -12.1%
N/A   17         PLI Islanders                     N/A      $90,139,000     $17,278,000             N/A           N/A
N/A   18        Agawa Athletic                     N/A      $85,574,000      $1,148,000             N/A           N/A
 17   19         Leaside Lions            $100,000,000      $84,573,000    -$34,354,000    -$15,427,000        -15.4%
N/A   20      Nakdong Athletic                     N/A      $76,700,000    -$35,600,000             N/A           N/A

As you can see here, the figures tend to favour clubs who do two things right - 1) a historically 'big club' with usually titles on their cabinets, or 2) teams with good control over cost. It is possible for them to do both right, and a lot of them do so in fact - that's how they have survived the era of increased competition that have come with improved financial and international performances for those clubs.

From the figures you would notice that this still favours big markets - six clubs from five out of the traditional Six Capitals of Shingoryeo (Joongyeong, Songak, Equinox Hill, Kingston, Chicoutimi and the Dongnae-Halifax County) are represented here, and Mipojoseon comes from Twin Cities, sixth-largest city in the nation by population. This does contrast with the placement of Leaside Lions and Nakdong Athletic at the very bottom of the table. Some would be initially surprised by this but both clubs, regarded as a second or third club within their municipalities better known for other sports, are either heavily localised or just promoted after spending almost forty years in the Championship. Both factors, while easy to ignore on surface, means that their commercial base stands to be limited as higher salaries expected from Q-League competition would cause additional challenges with their upcoming season's budget.

Defending but also on a reset - What does this mean for Montreal Koreana?

Naturally, this means nothing but positives for Montreal Koreana. This means that they could spend, though likely not in the ways they had done so in the past. Hwang Joon-Ho, the former Quebecois international best known for his heroics at both St. John's Arsenal and Port Sebastian, neither club known to be particularly free-wheeling in club history, has stayed largely away from the sweepstakes during his time as club president. His relative frugality, one that contrasts somewhat in comparison to his counterparts in Mipojoseon and CSKA, appears to have raised lots of questions with only one answer given by the front office - 'for the future'.

The club's spending policy, for most part, did not derive much from that of their more recent mantra of buying high-potential players while young. Last summer saw them land midfielder Lauren Engle and centreback Mary McGrath on safe, controversy-free signings with future in mind, while the cycle before also saw the gambles of striker Sandara Park and rightback Sigurbergur Geirröðursson work out brilliant for the club. The signing of four youths, who are all in line to represent their respective countries as the World Cup 93 qualification campaign approaches, have come with high price tag but impeccable conversion rate, with McGrath, Park and Sigurbergur playing well as the starters, while Engle, the youngest of the quartet at age eighteen, is expected to start after a splendid rookie campaign in which she, having won the Under-18 worlds title with Cassadaigua, played as a joker for the team that needed it.

This season's financial report, while better remembered for the high turnover rate and the farewell to most of the remaining members of the club-defining Fifties Generation of youth(ful) players, follows this trend. For the retirements of Alexandre and Giles Ken the previous season, followed this season's transfers, with Cylie Nodis, Abi Lavaud, Mathinna Bouck and Arvid Hansdotter all departed the club for some of the biggest names in the Multiverse. With all four having been key pieces of the club in the midfields and the defence, with the forwards having already gone through this transition before, Montreal Koreana's lack of hesitance with selling squad players when it's inevitable once again showed.

It is a tricky thing to balance out, especially when considering in hindsight that much of the team's sky-high revenue do come from their performance in the league and more importantly, IFCF competition where anywhere between $24 and 96 million NSD could be earned once you reach the group stage. Montreal Koreana's been ridiculously lucky on this department, as they have made group stages of either the Champions' League or the Challengers' Cup for last five seasons, a feat that has not been replicated before or by another Quebecois club ever. There is also the matter of balancing their budgets with the other division, something that the club, while not exactly in trouble, is aware of, even more so with around thirty teams, about ten of which are self-sufficient on income basis, within the organisation, so already you expect significant sum of money, usually $5-10 million to be written off in advance.

This is why their clear lead on the table, even with over a hundred million NSD ahead of nearest challenger, means little. It is famously known that the international competitions, due to its unpredictability and parity, can only bring you so much assurance. Struggles in the international competitions, which has happened to other organisations like Perce Town before, would suggest their hold on the salary cap and thus spending into the competitiveness lot more tenuous to handle.

With that said, there exists a positive outlook for the Blue Devils' fans who may have gotten used to the doom-and-gloom of this analysis. Despite losing four key players from the last Cup-winning team, and over half of the squad (six members having retired or sold), the squad looks stable. With the league's third-highest payroll, which arguably places the team on a greener spot than the green hills facing the famed beaches of Baie-Vert, this gives Montreal Koreana much needed maneuvrability in both salary and transfer windows. The club also looks set on building it back up, signing 17-year-old Kirungan-Quebecois winger Didier Garnacho Siboyintore and 21-year-old centreback Anarr Ebergsson from Jolbonpolis and Schutzenphalia and West Ruhntuhnkuhnland for combined $13 million, and had engaged in talks with Oberon M'bah-Pinho, shortly before the 17-year-old, 34-goal scorer left for Tihon on a record-breaking signing for a Quebecois player in contemporary era.

Mipojoseon and CSKA - Not as pretty, but should be favourites

This season's an odd one, though one long in making, as Montreal Koreana is no longer viewed to be one of the top two favourites. They will remain on the top three, maybe top four, but everybody in Quebec & Shingoryeo, even those at The Samseongoloondongjang, seem to think of it as an off-year or two for the Blue Devils.

And that's more than fine for the league, especially with recent-era giants of Mipojoseon and traditional power CSKA Quebec ready to fight it out for their first title in some time. For Mipojoseon, this season's viewed to be the 'make-or-the-break' season for the St. Botolph's Park faithful, as the world-renowned manager Lisa Amos concluded her first season with the club with a fourth-place finish, but also Coupe de la Reine win and making the Round of Sixteen of the Associations Trophy.

For the most part, the club has stayed quiet on the transfer front, especially with the general view that the team, consisting of internationally-renowned veterans and an above-average group of prospects, needs minor tweaks, but relatively little fix or switch. This likely means that for all the muffled shock and doom-and-gloom about the team's salary cap deficit, the club's relative reluctance to spend isn't exactly one to remember. Their financial situation, while not the most ideal on the salary cap decrease, can be misleading with the club still recording $51.57 million profit (Q£25.79 million) in net revenue, blowing these introductory-level concerns out of the water.

With financial or short-term competitive concerns not exactly on the agenda, Mipojoseon found relatively little trouble on the offseason. On the transfer market, the club hasn't had to sell any of their biggest stars like Alulim Sinmuballit, Ganymede Garcia or Semir Besak, and the peaceful atmosphere of the team clubhouse continues as usual. Anne-Marie Morse, the team's commanding volante-centreback hybrid paired alongside Bosko Pestotnik, was sold to Lanar of Chromatik Red League for $4 million, while Brenecian winger Irina Alderwood, who's known for her tenacity and athleticism, was signed from Sabrefell Moths for $6 million. In Morse's place Alexis Samurtok, a tall, energetic centreback considered to be a comparable to Bastien-Luc St-Onge, was brought into the place, and the team's pieces and their plan, now under Year 2 with Amos, remains as straightforward as they had been in the managers past - to play dilligently, efficiently and effectively.

With Mipojoseon, this lack of action by front office considered a gamble, but one that could ultimately pay off. This is a squad led by elite to world-class players in most positions, a quietly-working front office, and one that genuinely does not have any hole to single out. Other contenders don't have that with CSKA being famous for being streaky even in their winning days a decade back, Montreal Korea already pressed the retool button, and other clubs simply not having the squad at their level. It is not to say that their time for reset is that far away either - it appears lot closer than you would think - but it would be safe to assume that the team's in a financial and competitive position to contend over next half-decade or so.

As for CSKA Quebec, it is a trickier story. On surface their growing cap space suggests a world of good - a charismatic innovator leading their way, a talismanic golden ball winner scoring at a legendary pace, the team famous for their ultras, and the FASTECA-led media firmly in their favour - and the team, at last, appears to be as competitive as the other two members of the media-hyped Big Three of Q-League have been for past five years. Profits are as high as they could be, the team could pay off a bit more of their remaining debt from the construction of 102,000-seater Stade-Lionel-Mah, and direct qualification into the Challengers Cup group stage no doubt adds financial boost to the team.

That said, even with all the positive turnaround the organisation has seen in past year or two, it's not as stable as the fans of the Stade-Lionel-Mah (安菲樓途) would hope to think. In terms of salary the team has actually settled it way better than Koreana or Mipojoseon, and the team's rigour in this matter ought be considered textbook. Where there is less certainty, however, is on the team's tendency to overpay for signings. In taking over such label from Montreal Koreana post-Chloe Anderson saga over five years ago, the CSKA organisation, unlike their rivals, has developed their tendency to spend more freely on transfers, even with more limited finances, and at all cost.

While this has paid off well in a last spade of signings with Petar Petajkovski, Pio Mendonca and Brian Wilson-Didh all becoming major part of the Tiger-Phoenixes, the fans and the football pundits remain particularly cautious around the current narrative of CSKA's resurgence. It's perhaps understandable for CSKA's performance over most of the past decade would suggest such with the Joongyeong side, while never short on talent or high price tag, have struggled with consistency due to other, usually-off-the-turf, reasons that have plagued the team at the times. There is that fear which originates from it and perhaps is added by the departure of team's long-time contributors, goalkeeper Clemence Moussenguet and versatile right-centreback Coralie Higgins-Mah. The departure of fan favourites, who have developed out of the team's renowned academy and into the world of Quebecois internationals, add to this fear for the fans who have always remained devout towards their franchise guys, even to the point where opening up significant salary room or their other transfer successes, whether it be $8m addition of Emily Bruce or a spectacular signing of highly-promising, potential-rich goalkeeper Samuel Hui. To some it is inevitable, but for others it brings the fear of financial downfall.

In the end, it is a weird part of being on the eye of perfect storm for the Tiger-Phoenixes fans. Having not used to the success they have seen over the past couple of seasons, and more familiarised (and even desensitised) to the wilderness that had come between Killanen era and the ongoing Zanetti era, having more than enough room only adds to the uncertainty and worries. Whether this group of front office and Zanetti, who has also accepted an appointment from Cabo Azure, a national team in a relatively-similar position as CSKA from a competitive standpoint, can convert it over the next two seasons, whether on the league or on the IFCF (preferably both, but we all know how difficult that could be), is going to be a massive X-factor for the team's competitive and financial future.

To be continued...

[Eura]

CUP OF HARMONY 85 – ROUND OF 16
Cassadaigua 0–1 Eura
Scorers:
Sharp 70, Menard s/o 71
Lineup:
13. J Hewitt
2. A Mason
4. J Menard
5. M Hart
23. M Taylor (sub Almwood 75)
6. J Gates
16. G Stewart (sub Cole 79)
11. O James
7. A Woodman (sub West 62)
9. A Sharp (sub Bedford 75)
10. S Singh (sub Pearce 87)

---

emplor.eur/main/sport/football
BATTLE IN BUDARBERG DECIDED BY SHARP STUNNER
Eura prevail with ten players in tense, controversial encounter of few chances

Alex Sharp secured victory for Eura in a messy Cup of Haarmony round of 16 contest against Cassadaigua at Frei Stadion in Budarberg, as two countries with off the pitch tensions and high footballing expectations came to blows, with Eura forced to defend a slender lead while a player down after captain Jack Menard saw red.

It’s no secret that relations between the Rushmori states of Eura and Cassdaigua have reached a nadir in recent years. The proximate cause of the standoff has been a brutal Dagan campaign of old-fashioned colonial imperialism and ethnic cleansing in its neighbouring Cooper River region, which the Dagans call “North Cassadaigua”. Eura has strongly condemned the country for this and its other alleged human rights abuses and enacted sanctions – a move that has fuelled resentment from Cassadaigua’s monarchist regime, who analysts suggest have interpreted Euran foreign policy as a threat to its survival.

Meanwhile, an insurgent group known as the River Republic, made up largely of native “Cooperites”, has waged a bloody asymmetric war against occupying Dagan forces for several years. This campaign of armed resistance continues to simmer, but the situation appears to be at a stalemate, the insurgents too numerous and dispersed to wipe out, and the Dagans too firmly entrenched to be pushed out of the disputed territory. Cassadaigua has accused the United Federation of fuelling the insurgency with arms and funding. The Euran government has mostly denied these accusations but been more evasive about the role of third parties who could have backing from Euran sources.

Football is perhaps the one area of Euran-Dagan relations that has not been damaged in this period. Several Dagan players play in Euraleague, most prominently including Loreen Hazen until her recent departure from Falourr. The two countries have a history of competitive rivalry on the Rushmori and world stage. Since relations deteriorated, they have played one competitive international, where Cassadaigua came out on top; despite predictions of potential unrest at the game, both sides held a respectful truce, where football seemingly kept its distance from politics.

Between now and then the conflict in the Cooper River region has fallen further into the background of the rolling news narrative and so it might have appeared before this match that this too would be a game free of political agendas. Some viewers will have been no doubt surprised, then, when the Fillies players stood ready for their national anthem, their fans singing along, a cacophony of boos rang out from the swell of Euran fans in the Frei Stadion. The Dagan fans were initially confused, then angered – they tried to boo down ‘Ode to Eura’ afterwards, though the hearty booming voices of Eura’s travelling hardcore drowned them out.

Alvina Webster is a Professor of Sporting Culture at the Metropolitan University of Holdenberg and an expert in Euran football fan groups and their political affiliations. “Unlike the last time they met Cassadaigua on the football pitch, several major organised groups of Euran fans were in the stadium, mostly from the same cities, rather than the usual pick-and-mix selection. The left wing Union Collective of Workers Union fans and the Falcon Punch nationalist group showed up in large numbers – these are both groups that back the Cooperite revolutionaries and hate the Dagan regime, albeit for quite different reasons.”

Indeed, these groups banners and insignia were visible amidst the throng of Euran supporters throughout the match, accompanied by flags and symbols of the River Republic. Frequent politicised chants such as “murderers, murderers” and “Cassie, Cassie, off with her head” were not sung by a majority of the Euran support, but were certainly carried by enough fans to be clearly audible on syndicated broadcasts of the match. At first Eura’s players were apparently unfazed, and the Fillies squad appeared indifferent themselves. However, whether it was the atmosphere in the ground that did it or not, the game would take a fiery turn, starting with a crunching Menard tackle on Madison Rutland in just the second minute of the game.

Menard’s tackle earned him a yellow card and set the tone for a match where both sides were more than happy to lay into one another. Tackles were flying in throughout a first half where neither side created many chances of note. The best fell to Sophie Singh in the 27th minute, lashing an overly ambitious shot from 25 yards towards goal which Stacie Thornton had no trouble getting behind with a solid take. Promising left back Molly Taylor had her own opportunity, testing Thornton with a lob from out wide, but the Fillies keeper was more than equal to it. By half time there had been twice as many bookings (four) as there had been shots on target (two) between the two sides.

Continued “offensive” chanting from the Euran fans appeared to have caused disharmony at half time when several Dagan coaches and staff confronted a perplexed Glen Merson. The response of the Euran manager wasn’t caught by any microphones but from television footage he looked as bewildered as they were. The second half allowed the Fillies players to try and silence the travelling Falcons-watchers with a more energetic display, yet Brittany Byers team were unable to create many chances. Even the possible wonderkid Shannon Cunningham could only force John Hewitt into a gentle save with her best chance after coming on in the 55th minute.

In a game like this the margins are narrow and victory is usually earned by those who grab the one opportunity they’ll get to score. Enter Alex Sharp – anonymous for most of the game apart from getting booked for bundling over the veteran Morgan Rosenblatt, Sharp had his moment in the 70th minute from a deceptively simple Euran short free-kick routine. The striker popped up from nowhere to acrobatically volley in an absolute rocket from Singh’s cut back, set up by Mason’s free kick, a bolt from the blue winner in the 70th minute while the Fillies defence remained static.

In the celebrations of the goal someone said something stupid, the players came to blows, and Rosenblatt was suddenly on the floor with a bloody nose. Menard saw red for violent conduct – one captain had felled another, an easy decision for the referee. Eura adopted a defensive posture from then on. It was reminiscent of the situation facing them in the group stage (in a certain writer’s strike inducing farce) but with Menard off the pitch rather than playing amateur goalkeeper. This time there would be no late equaliser. An uncharacteristically toothless Cassadaigua ran out of time as Eura run down the clock to win, sealing their progress to the quarterfinals. Despite the feisty atmosphere in a game featuring ten yellow cards and one red, there were handshakes at the end, however reluctant they might have been.

[Graintfjall]

Logo made by Qasden.

RP cutoff for quarterfinals.

---

Quarterfinals
Gnejs 0–1 Eura
Mytanija 0–1 Audioslavia
Ceni 2–3 Independent Athletes from Quebec
Brookstation 2–2 Eshialand (2–2 AET) (4–5 pen.)

Semifinal matchups

Eura v Audioslavia
@ PR-1070 Platz, Oost-Hartburg

Independent Athletes from Quebec v Eshialand
@ Grand National Arena, Gunzlach

[Audioslavia]

God damnit, whose idea was this?

World Cups are blocked out for June, maybe a few games in late May, early July, maybe even August. Cups of Harmony go wherever's handy. Sometimes they overlap the World Cup, the final being played in the short gap between the group stage and the knockouts, maybe the round of sixteen and the quarters. Sometimes you held them in May and had the final lead into the opening ceremony, sometimes, if there was simply no room, you took a step back and held them in the league season's winter break. All well and good if you're somewhere hot, where you're simply dealing with a bit of rain and temperatures in the tens. Graintfjall isn't that country. Hàttmark in January doubly so. The snow has been falling all day, the pitch white with frost and snow and cutting up worse every minute. A white pitch with green lines scored out and an orange ball being mis-hit every which way by twenty two players who look increasingly incapable of spelling the word ‘goal’ let along creating one.

Bolding launches another clearance into my zone, and I'm scampering for the ball ahead of 'Big' Grig Savicevic. I should be able to control this on my chest, but with the ground so slippery I'm going to fall on my arse if I try to turn and, in any case, if I take a touch here Grig's going to go through me to get to this ball, I've experienced that often enough in my career already. I lean forward and try to head the ball back towards the middle, where I know Lucas Keir is patrolling, but I can't get my feet under me and the ball smacks off my cheek as I try to re-adjust. It hurts like a bastard. Denis Ovsyannikov latches onto it, turns, slips on his arse, and Archer Flat just hoofs it as far as he can which, halfway into his own half, makes for a Mytanija goal kick.

Marc-Antoine Trigintillion had begun a sprint down the left and he's still running despite the ball having long since bounced out for the goal kick. The snow is coming down so hard now that he can barely see anything that's more than forty yards away. Sensing something's up, and seeing the keeper collect a new, orange ball, he traipses back to our half. Tridge is wearing more layers than anyone else on the pitch. The Mytanars have largely eschewed the snoods, tights and gloves, while a number of our lot did the same thing as soon as they saw Mytanija lining up, not wanting to look unmanly next to our Rushmori counterparts. Archer Flat hadn't seen any of the opposition before he crammed himself into his customary tight shorts and short sleeves, meaning he has spent most of the game so far getting bluer and bluer. Tridge is wearing a snood, a set of white tights under his shorts, a long sleeved shirt and an actual cagoule under his shirt, with the flimsy hood having been torn off. He looks ridiculous. In his defence, Tridge had alopecia as a kid so the kid doesn't even have eyebrows to protect him from the elements. One fuzzy black hairband, dubbed 'the monobrow' by a few of the lads, is all he has to protect his bald head.

The goal-kick ends up bouncing towards Trigintillion, who manages to screen the ball towards the wing and knock it ahead to where Mata-Curie is sprinting. The full-back thinks about cutting inside, decides against it, and taps the ball towards the corner flag. I'm getting into the box, well behind Zendagorta, but I know what's going to happen. Patrik Odonelec likely knows there's no danger here, with Mata-Curie unlikely to be able to get a good cross in on this turf, in this snow, at sprinting at full-pelt towards a bobbling ball, but he can't take any chances. He slides in calmly, tries to flick the ball out for a throw-in, but an errant bounce causes him to slice it into touch for a corner.

We're shorter than the Mytanars by half a head to a man, but all the same set-pieces are going to be our best chance to score. There's no incisive passing or trickery on this pitch. You get yourself in positions where you get to kick a stationary ball at a target, and hope the resulting deflections result in the ball going in their net. Archer Flat comes forward, looking like an angry smurf in a claret onesie, and with him comes Everton Bolding and Obadele Volonte, our makeshift right-back and most trusted centre-half.

The media had made much of our fragility in defence in the lead-up to the game. Volonte, now thirty-three, was struggling with his knees, a problem exacerbated by the cold weather in Graintfjall, while Archer Flat was almost 37 years old and, if he wasn't such an important tent-pisser, would likely be on the bench right now, if not left out of the squad entirely. Bolding, more of a right centre-back than a full-back, and definitely ill-suited to the 5-3-2 the boss had had us playing, was supposed to be a liability against the pace of Nenad Tejic and Asmir Milosevic on Mytanija's left flank, but while the cold snap had Obadele in knee compression sleeves the entire tournament, the especially snowy weather today had properly negated the pace advantage our opponents were supposed to have. Still the bigger team, still the better team in these conditions, they hadn't been able to get the ball beyond our tenacious defence.

Mata-Curie looks up, glances at me, looks elsewhere, and then balloons a corner-kick to the far corner of the penalty area. There's nobody really theree except Bolding, tracking back, eyes fixed on the ball. He’s big enough and athletic enough to jump and connect with the high ball, but can only succeed in heading it straight up in the air. He lands on both feet, studs sticking into the snow, and keeps his eyes fixed on the ball as it loops into the air. Everyone’s ball-watching, meaning here, at the edge of the D, he has time to let the ball drop and head the ball back into the box.

He fluffs it. Mis-times it in the blizzard. The ball goes almost straight back up in the air again, and this time the Mytanar defenders are getting restless. Two of them break forward to try to stop this ridiculous game of solitaire head-tennis in their own area. Bolding himself is annoyed, and barrels forward to where the ball is dropping. He’s perhaps the only player in claret and green strong enough to out-muscle a Mytanija midfielder, and just does that, ploughing through Nurija Papez and meeting the ball flush with his forehead, sending it looping goalwards. Everyone, even the goalkeeper has been charmed towards the edge of the six yard-box by Bolding’s display, and so the orange ball is allowed to drop merrily into the top left hand corner of the goal unimpeded.

Not often a goalscorer, Everton stands there with his arms raised, not entirely sure what to do in this situation. Marc-Antoine and his red under-cagoule jumps onto his shoulders, and I just chuckle and jog back to the penalty spot. Only one thing happens now: Either Zendagorta or I get subbed and one of the big defenders comes on for a proper 6-3-1 defensive formation. In these conditions, the idea of having a hot shower now, rather than in thirty minutes time, fills me with so much hope that I find myself feigning a limp on my way back to the centre circle. Sure enough, a minute later, my name gets announced over the PA system and I find myself clapping at people in the stands whom I can barely even see.

IMPRISONING WORTHY BROADSHEET SPORTS JOURNALISM BEHIND A PAYWALL SINCE 22XX, IT'S

Bolding's Triple-Header
Frosty Cup Exploits Secure Semi-Final Place

Nobody was expecting a blizzard of goals, sure, but even fewer would have bet on a flurry of headers securing a one-nothing Bulls win over Mytanija on Sunday night. In freezing, frigid temperatures in Molding, Audioslavia sneaked their way into a third Cup of Harmony semi-final in three cycles by virtue of an Everton Bolding goal that has already done the rounds on social media.

Leaping for a header, Bolding's first two attempts at sending a dangerous ball back across goal failed, resulting in the frustrated defender scoring the strangest accidental goal you'll see in a while.

Eura's similarly tight victory over a game Gnejs side sets up a rematch of the CoH final from two cycles ago, with the Eurans looking to secure a fourth ever appearance in the final of the tournament. To do so, they'll need a measure of revenge for that Cycle 91 final, in which Helios Roy scored a similarly accidental header for the only goal of the game.

In terms of Rushmori footballing nations, it's Mytanija that shares the most cultural DNA with Audioslavian football, what with shared interests in gamesmanship, anti-coefficient sentiment and old fashioned elbows-to-the-ribs football, but it's Eura that our nation has found the most camaraderie, and rivalry, with. Audioslavian Kelly Sporadic lead the Eurans to a World Cup final, Euran Lee Sharp took Audioslavia to the World Cup 69 final, tutoring a young RJ Styrn who, aside from becoming one of our national team's most memorable strikers, found herself working alongside Dean Sharp as manager of the Audioslavia national team and, at club level, helping Alec Sharp become the player he is today via a stint at struggling Guerrilla Cathair.

Eura will line up with one or both of Cathair defensive partnership Menard and Sherwood, while Directus centre-half Obadele Volonte is set for a fitness test ahead of the game, with the thirty-three year old defender struggling through with a knee injury for most of the tournament thus far. Cathair's Alec Sharp, a substitute in the two teams' meeting in the CoH83 final, is almost certain to start.

Like the Bulls's rivalry with Mytanija, history is slightly on the side of the opposition. Whereas Audioslavia versus Mytanija now sits at a 2-3-2 record, Audioslavia are 3-3-4 against the Eurans. A loss to them, shortly before score-draw with Mytanija, accounted for the then-champions failure to progress from their World Cup 65 World Cup group. The Bulls won out 1-0 in the first round of World Cup 69 - Lee Sharp accounting for his old team - and Eura won in World Cup 72's quarter-final by two goals to nil and World Cup 74's Third Placed Playoff by four to two, before the Bulls's World Cup 76 second-round one-nothing victory. Eura took four points from the Bulls in World Cup eighty-two's qualifiers, a cycle after the pair had drawn on matchday two of World Cup 81, with a goal-less draw in World Cup 90 sending the Bulls through to the second round at Eura's expense before, most recently, the Bulls winning that Cup of Harmony final.

For Audioslavia's Astograthian manager, Ager Alaba, the Mytanija win may represent the last of his run of five win-or-fired matches, all of which he has, to his credit, guided his side to victory in. What remains to be seen is whether Ager will decide to continue on in a job where he has been overlooked for credit in victory and seemingly singled-out in defeat. Even if Audioslavia win the entire tournament, this cycle may still go down in history as the time when an inanimate glass swan, and not a hard-working Astograthian veteran, pulled the national team to a piece of silverware they perhaps didn’t deserve on form alone. Should Alaba walk away, one feels there are very few managers in the world, let alone those of Audioslavian birth or blood, who could fill his shoes.

[Eshialand]

Further than Ever Thought Imaginable
Brookstation 2-2 Eshialand (2-2 AET) (4-5 pen.)

Well, it was happening again. Somehow, only a couple of nights after playing their first penalty shootout in over five years, the Owls had managed to get themselves into another one. Nobody was expecting it to happen the first time, and nobody was expecting it to happen again... although, maybe they should've been a bit more prepared for it after the first one.

Unlike the first game, however, this would remain tied for just a little bit longer, with the first five shots from both sides being unable to settle things. Carroll started out by scoring for Eshialand, while Robes' shot was barely stopped by Kolek. Harran and Wague both scored in round 2, before MacDougall's shot was saved in round 3, letting Johnson equalize. Both Carey and Polnareff scored in round 4, but Meilling couldn't beat Logan and Veum's shot sailed high and wide... so a sixth round would be needed, the score still being 3-3.

"If you thought the tie against Drawkland refused to be broken, this one is going to extra rounds of penalty kicks!!"
"Definitely set to be the single closest game played in Eshian sports history, even closer than I was to getting arrested last week!"
"Karsten you what?"
"You... heard me. I promise I did nothing wrong."
"Uh... okay Karsten... Alyssa Longfield coming on to shoot now, interesting decision by Kenny Morgan to leave her on the bench until round 6..."

"Take a breath, you've got this..." Alyssa told herself as she readied up to take what could be a make-or-break shot. "No pressure..."

"That ball's got air, and it's going PAST LANCE LOGAN! ESHIALAND HAS THE LEAD, 4-3!!"
"Please Alex, save the next shot, let it end here..."
"Brookstation's next shooter will be Alexis de la Vega... he'll take a shot that just BARELY gets past Kolek, sorry Karsten, we can't go back to the hotel quite yet, 4-4."

George Habisbrauer stepped onto the pitch, nervous as could be. He wasn't supposed to be taking penalty kicks, he was a defender! Yeah, he could play midfield, but relying on him for a shot such as this--

"Habisbrauer is out there shaking like a leaf at the penalty mark..."
"Nonono don't blow this like a clown blowing up a balloon animal!!"
"And nope, that ball is not going to the net. I dunno where it's going, but not the net."
"NOOOOOO I can't watch this anymore..."
"Relax, Alex Kolek just needs to stop Louis Vassell from scoring..."

Kolek took a deep breath, and focused purely on the ball... he just had to keep it out...

"WHAT A BEAUTIFUL SAVE BY KOLEK! KARSTEN, YOU MISSED THE GREATEST SAVE EVER!"
"Wait what??? No!!!"
"Don't worry, I'm just messin' with ya, it was a routine save. Dominique LaPlante is next in Round 8..."
"Stop that Josh, that's mean..."

Dominique looked at the ball, then up at Lance Logan. This was her moment. Just score and bring it home...

"And that shot is going to be ENOUGH TO BEAT LOGAN, 5-4 ESHIALAND!!! COME ON KOLEK, SAVE IT AND SEND US TO THE SEMIS!!!!!"
"Aaaaaaaa--"
"Here comes Kearyn Caceres, he has to score to keep Brookstation alive in this tournament..."
"Please please please..."
"And the shot is STOPPED BY KOLEK!! ESHIALAND ARE GOING TO THE CUP OF HARMONY SEMIFINALS!!! HOLY SHIT! HOLY SHIT!!"

With that save, Eshialand had officially gone farther than ever thought imaginable. Whereas the quarterfinals were a stretch goal, the semifinals were viewed as a pipe dream... a dream that had just come into reality. The Owls were now in the final 4, the other three of those nations being Audioslavia, Eura, and the Independent Athletes from Quebec. This team was playing with the big boys... they had made it. It was time for them to be taken seriously, as a soccer nation on the same level as the others.

The doubters were still there, of course... but now, their voices were drowned out by the believers. Those who knew deep down inside that, yes, the old era of Eshian soccer was coming to a close, it always was going to... but the new era was so, so much more exciting. There was a bright future ahead for the Owls, and it was starting right here, against the Independent Athletes.

A podium position may be a bit of a stretch, but this was a golden opportunity. Let's go Owls!!!

[Eura]

CUP OF HARMONY 85 – QUARTER FINAL
Gnejs 0–1 Eura
Scorers:
Singh 59
Lineup:
1. T Hammond
21. K Mills
15. K Sherwood
19. Q Phillips
3. L Almwood
6. J Gates (sub Cole 90)
8. O Vincent (sub Champion 73)
11. O James (sub Barnes 84)
18. B West
10. S Singh (sub Bedford 90+3)
26. O Holden (sub Pearce 84)

---

emplor.eur/main/sport/football
DIVIDED DEFENCE UNITES TO PULL THROUGH
Eura grind out a victory against Gnejs, even as frictions simmer

Euran fans might have ended their Cup of Harmony quarter final tie chanting “We only Singh when we’re winning”, but the real story in Pingsnitz was the frenemies her teammates made along the way.

The hostile battle with Cassdaigua in the round of 16 had left Eura battered and bruised with multiple knocks and an exhausted first team. Making matters worse, captain Jack Menard would now have to miss a game, suspended for his red card in the victory over the Fillies. With the quarter final in sight, Glen Merson was forced into making a raft of changes to the in-form selection that had triumphed in the last round. Ana Mason and Morgan Hart made way for Kingsley Mills and Quentin Phillips, while Menard’s prominent role would be taken by 1830 Cathair teammate Kevin Sherwood. Molly Taylor was pulled too so that Lucy Almwood could inject experience into the backline and take over the armband from Menard.

In midfield George Stewart had to come out of the team due to injury – forcing the possibly premature return of an alienated Oscar Vincent. Ben West would join him in place of Adam Woodman, and up front there would be no Alex Sharp, brought out of the team for Owen Holden. This rotated outfit will have sent jitters through most Euran fans. One of Eura’s most frequent problems in recent years has been overly rotated selections blowing games – regardless of how good some of the alternative options in the squad might be individually – through a lack of practice together as a unit. This phenomenon played a big part in the downfall of Sterling Rose. Now Eura were doing it again in a knockout game late in a tournament.

Quarter final opponents Gnejs might have been offended by a below full-strength Euran line-up if they had time to stop and pay attention. But the Dandelions had come so far in this tournament against relatively low expectations (and had been through so much already) that it’s unlikely they were concerning themselves with the internal tribulations of the Euran camp. They appeared at near full strength, even after the gruelling extra-time ordeal they had been through against Saint Eleanor that had left many of these players running on empty. Despite nervousness at a supposed “big name” of the game being their opponent, the players of the Union lined up against those of the Federation as if there were no more barriers, and no-one left to fear.

A good team spirit really can mean everything and that showed in the first half of this tie. People watching at home will have noticed a disjointed Eura struggling against a swashbuckling, confident Gnejs attack knocking on the door for a very long time; fans in the Fjlarkfjall Arena itself will have truly seen behind the curtain. Up close, the unfamiliar Euran defence was arguing, with many of these players having played through some of the worst humiliations of World Cup qualifying. Lucy Almwood was bickering with Kevin Sherwood, the former beginning to sweat as her hopes of international success slip a little closer to the bin with every minute that passes on the way to retirement. The latter was making nervy, uncharacteristically amateur mistakes as he tried to focus and assure himself of the place he had agonisingly lost to Hart.

Oscar Vincent cut a disgruntled figure throughout that painful 45 minutes. He barely touched the ball and his usually silky, creative footwork was absent. At one pointed he receive a pass in space and distributed out to Owen James, except what he actually did was clear James’ head by about 10 feet, putting the ball into the stand rather than completing what should have been a simple pass. His performance made things harder for the entire midfield which added strain to the defence, who could not rely on those in front of them to close down gaps and keep the pressure off the back four. It all came to a head in the 39th minute when Phillips, one of Euraleague’s best centrebacks of recent years, cleared a ball into row Z rather than passing to an open Mills.

Mills might be inexperience in the red and gold shirt but he showed he was not intimidated by rank and experience as he launched into a tirade at the more frequently capped Phillips. The two almost came to blows; a double red card could have resulted that would have likely crashed Eura out of the tournament. Thankfully other members of the team intervened and defused the situation, but only just. It is exceptionally fortune for Eura that the one thing going their way in the first half was Gnejs’ ability to hit the target. The Dandelions were well on top and created a host of chances. But only one was on target – a searing and yet ultimately straight as an arrow long range shot into the grateful grasp of Tom Hammond. Before they knew it the half-time bell came to Eura’s rescue.

No-one outside of the Euran dressing room can know exactly what was said at half time. What we do know is that manager Merson started the second half without making any substitutions. It was a risky move given what had come before and many eyebrows were being raised. When Gnejs opened the second half by rattling the bar with a sublime Cornelis Ceder strike, desperately unlucky not to score, it appeared viewers may be treated to more of the same. However, there was a shift as the second period of the game got rolling, and in the 52nd minute an overexcited Holden forced Samuel Wijk into his first proper save of the game, attempting a rather silly 35-yard wonder strike that dipped suddenly in the wind, only for Wijk to tip it over the bar.

That shift was built on something that changed fundamentally towards the rear end of the Euran lines. Sherwood and Almwood were suddenly acting more in sync, seeming to remember they have played together at an international level for years as if it had never been in doubt. Mills shut his trap and got his head down after the stresses of the first half – and Phillips put more trust in the Makosile United wingback, feeding him regularly as Eura played out from the back rather than hoofing the ball away. Most crucially of all, someone or something had snapped something in Oscar Vincent’s brain. He was now blowing hot rather than the first half cold. Wingers were being supplied with incisive diagonal balls behind the Gnejs fullbacks and Gates was not being left to mop up every loose ball himself.

Eura were perhaps bailed out as they were finding themselves by the sheer talent of Sophie Singh who had fruitlessly run around up top without achieving anything for most of the game. It was only in the 59th minute that she found her moment and exploited it, much like Alex Sharp against Cassadaigua. Sharp’s goal had been spectacular. Singh’s was more basic. Another corner had been won and Lucy Almwood whipped it in, West headed it down at the back post in an unlikely aerial victory over David Knardal, Gates wisely let the ball bounce between his legs rather than trying to flick it and there was Singh, two yards off the goal line and ready enough to pounce. Eura have a reputation for flowing, passing goals, but this was the kind of back to basics set piece beauty that they needed.

The goal gave Eura heart, and they enjoyed a period of dominance throughout the middle of the second half where the lead threatened to stretch to two or three goals. Yet they were not able to take advantage of this ascendancy – James really should have done but the winger will not want to rewatch the 74th minute sitter he dragged wide of the post. Bjornstjerne Eriksen decided to throw the kitchen sink at Eura in the last ten minutes with a flurry of attacking substitutions as his side’s hopes began to fade. For a brief and glorious slice of time and space, the normally ultra-defensive Gnejs played four up front. It was the stuff of dreams. Alas, it was too late for the brave Dandelions. Full time would come and go. Eura’s formidable defence had come together, and they were not going to let go.

---

Whisper (Political gossip blog, non-partisan, central Bastion)
BLACKHALL INTERNATIONAL MONITOR: THE LATEST WORLD NEWS STORIES FROM A BASTION PERSPECTIVE

NO PASARGARAN
Politicians, citizens and butt clenched Rushmorocrats are rejoicing after Pasarga voted to remain in the Common Rushmori Community by a non-cursed margin of approximately 53.1% to 46.9%. The isles have gone through turmoil and then some in the last two years. A gang of parliamentarians and businesspeople attempted to change the royal line of succession via legal means, before suddenly opting for force after losing a parliament vote. Foreign mercenaries swept into the country in collaboration large swathes of the army and took much of the country over, causing bloodshed and ruin for many citizens. Queen Azra Majistar faced death let alone exile.

Fortunately for her lucky, divinely appointed backside, a combined Euran-Sargossan military intervention that lasted barely a couple of days dismembered enough of the rebellion to crack it apart, allowing the loyalist elements of the Pasargan military and parliament to retake control. But a perception that the CRC had failed to prevent the conflict became the focal point of much unhappiness since the end of the brief civil war, as anti-democratic forces of the historically un-democratic country looked for a scapegoat for the crisis. A broader interrogation of democracy and Pasarga’s international relationships threatened to drag the country backwards into a pre-modern past after decades of hard work, or even reignite the flames that had only just been put out.

Queen Azra put the matter to a vote – staying neutral herself to avoid swaying it one way or another – but it seems the populous cities and towns had the strength in numbers to secure Pasarga’s place in the Community, an opening shot in favour of the pro-liberal democratic forces in Pasarga. Sources in the remain camp called the vote “the will of the people, and a renewed vote of confidence in the democratic, internationalist path”, while those in the leave camp claimed Pasargans “have been swayed by Euran disinformation and false promises into missing a golden opportunity”. Bastion has not commented, but champagne corks were reportedly heard breaking the sound barrier in Blackhall as the results came in.

LET THEM EAT KRAKEN
When Eura’s Minister of Environment, Jermaine Alloton, travelled to Altendalur in Graintfjall, there was little anticipation of a major breakthrough for international relations and climate policy back in Eura. Yet the Euran political media has heaped praise on the CORNCOB summit and its Graintfjaller organisers for at least one key element – the food. “Fuck me, this is delicious!” broadcast Alloton as he gnawed on a large shrimp in front of reporters. This was his third trip to the buffet of the morning session yesterday, and by 3pm he’d reportedly entered a deep food coma along with many of the other Euran delegation members.

Relations haven’t always been brilliant between the United Federation and the White Winter Queendom; local sources are optimistic that they can change that. “We know the Eurans are greedy bast- sorry, I mean, we know they love to eat, so we’ve really tried to emphasise the catering arrangements to them. The other delegations might not appreciate to the same degree the sheer breadth of free food available here. We’ve really pulled a blinder!” On the Euran side there is no surprise that this is one of the features of the summit. “We’ve seen Graintfjall at other summits like Varakoula – they’re first to the buffet and last to sign on to any agreement. This is something else though. A for effort. Have you tried the tiramisu?”

Of course, the main focus of the international community will be on securing lasting gains for combating climate change and other environmental issues, not just stuffing themselves on brioche buns and sea bass. For their part, the Euran government have been very open to the prospect of agreement. “Yes, ok, we consume a lot, and good lord do we bring in oil by the…well, obviously the gallon, I don’t know. A super gallon? Look, the point is, we’re trying to do better, and we know others are as well. Let’s sign something or whatever and get back to the buffet.” Official Euran sources have reiterated again the vast use of nuclear power in Eura as a positive sign of what Eurans can bring to the table. “And as long as the Graitnfjaller’s bring more to their tables”, one Euran delegate told us, “then we might just get a deal!”

[Independent Athletes from Quebec]

OOC: Timeline-wise, the NSWC and the IBC kick off first on the two-year cycle, with the rest filing up over the course of the cycle. This means that upcoming season will be the first of two seasons. Of course, you may ignore my way of using chronology if need be.

The Mathletes - Scientific, Literary Venue of Sports Journalism

Q-League Salary Cap announced for the third year, but what does this mean for the league parity?

Jean-Jacques Dreyfuss-Smart

In continuation from here...

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Traditionally, Quebecois football clubs - though this could also very much apply to other sports - have enjoyed the decentralised, region-driven nature of their base in support. This runs somewhat contrary and in line with the nation for Quebec and Shingoryeo, while a large-sized country on both size and population nearing 94 million, is a country that is particularly centralised around its two largest, most significant metropolises of Joongyeong and Songak.

The decentralisation inherent in Quebecois sports, as seen by the nationwide spread of the clubs and relative struggles of the metropolises's 'second clubs', so to speak, would mean that it runs somewhat differently than what the nation is known for now and then in public memory. Sports clubs, in which many of these sides have made their names known in not only football, but also basketball, hockey or volleyball, can provide significant sense of identity to the people. In the stands you would notice no shortages of memorabilia and banners tied towards the club and their cultural origin, and they alone would indicate you what part of the city or what demographic you would associate with.

For a vast majority of the Quebecois footballing history, this has been used as a strengthening device, something that is perhaps best reflected in the spread of strength. The Quebecois Premiership, which would eventually brand itself to the Q-League in 1987, was nationwide from its inception in year 1890. By this point, however, the regional leagues have long been in the play for a decade or two prior, and the active role played by the multi-sports clubs, both present and were in the process of creation, have no doubt spurred the league's development. Quickly came the consolidation of local footballing talent into regional powers, who themselves would be able to hold their own fort against the Big Two with advantages in the nationwide recruitment, and this advantage, while somewhat faded since then, continues to exist.

See below on the list of past champions past those who have won four or more league trophies:

Titles
   Won
    32  Montreal Koreana      1904-05, 1909-10, 1951-52, 1956-57, 1964-65, 1966-67, 1992-93, 1993-94, 1996-97, 1998-99,
  ★★★                       1999-2000, 2000-01, 2007-08, 2009-10, 2010-11, 2012-13, 2016-17, 2018-19, 2019-20, 2023-24,
                              2024-25, 2028-29, 2030-31, 2033-34, 2040-41, 2041-42, 2043-44, 2044-45, 2047-48, 2052-53,
                              2054-55, 2056-57
    21  CSKA Quebec           1892-93, 1902-03, 1905-06, 1913-14, 1921-22, 1922-23, 1945-46, 1952-53, 1955-56, 1965-66,
   ★★	                      1975-76, 1978-79, 1979-80, 1982-83, 1984-85, 1986-87, 1989-90, 2020-21, 2036-37, 2037-38,
                              2045-46
    14  St. John's Arsenal    1924-25, 1934-35, 1936-37, 1947-48, 1970-71, 1988-89, 1995-96, 2002-03, 2003-04, 2017-18,
     ★                        2020-21, 2022-23, 2025-26, 2032-33
    12  Haligonian            1891-92, 1898-99, 1900-01, 1911-12, 1916-17, 1931-32, 1954-55, 1959-60, 1977-78, 1983-84,
     ★                        2038-39, 2042-43
     9  Zenit Attawapiskat    1908-09, 1932-33, 1940-41, 1941-42, 1958-59, 1974-75, 1997-98, 2013-14, 2021-22
     8  Heart of Saguenay     1893-94, 1907-08, 1914-15, 1917-18, 1939-40, 1971-72, 1973-74, 1980-81
     7  Olympique de Rimouski 1972-73, 1985-86, 1991-92, 2006-07, 2027-28, 2045-46, 2049-50
     7  Jolbonopolis United   1918-19, 1925-26, 1943-44, 1949-50, 1950-51, 1957-58, 2001-02
     7  Levis Athletic        1912-13, 1920-21, 1929-30, 1942-43, 1960-61, 1969-70, 1987-88
     6  Mipojoseon            1896-97, 1926-27, 2048-49, 2050-51, 2051-52, 2053-54
     6  Kingston FC           1923-24, 1928-29, 1963-64, 1976-77, 2005-06, 2039-40
     5  Swangard Athletic     1981-82, 2004-05, 2031-32, 2034-35, 2035-36
     4  Northandryun Rovers   1930-31, 1937-38, 1962-63, 1994-95

Notable power sides that have won titles and have consistently secured their stay in the Q-League, but fewer than four: 3 - Wansan Noksaekjeonsa, Forest City Athletic, 2 - Perce Town, Montreal City

Most of the teams you could see here are familiar names, and eleven of the twelve sides that have won four league titles or more, remain in the league. While the historical factors no doubt play into their successes, it is something that very much exists into the modern-era mantra thanks to factors that continue into this day as well. The culmination of strong local talent into these clubs, combined with strong management practices, and intense, exciting fan culture brought municipal and regional identities, have come from the nation's history of diverse but distinct peoples.

Recent years of internationalisation, one that was followed after a decade of self-limitation imposed by the RQFA and before that a short era of LigAnaia super league, have also factored in nicely for these sides. Those regional powers, while not exactly known for their names, too have explored in various directions, with the likes of Kingston FC, Northandryun Rovers and St. John's Arsenal have made their active stance known in the transfer market, while Olympique de Rimouski, Perce Town and Swangard Athletic have been able to ramp up their low-cost, development-friendly approach through active international market.

In the end, the combination of these factors have no doubt allowed the regional sides to compete and flourish, and stand as among more distinctive powers in the league. This is by no means a phenomenon, as those familiar with the leagues of similarly stature abroad could confirm. With that said, internationalisation of the game have brought forth challenges to the Q-League sides and their counterparts abroad, with the fear of losing the club identity, while balancing the finances, very much in play.

Currently in the Q-League there are two extended families that own more than one football club, all four bearing some regional identity own their own. More famous of two examples are the Slimani-Parks, as the Tamazghan-Quebecois owners Magnus-Calania Motors conglomerate fame own Wansan Noksaekjeonsa and St. John's Arsenal on different branches. Their long history in the Quebecois industry and sport, best explained through their roles with the Royal Quebecois Olympic Committee (RQOC), the Calania Motors' sponsorship of the NSCAA competition, and the common presence of their sedans across the Multiverse, cannot be ignored, even as the quarrel between the elderly Slimani siblings and their nephew, Mohammd Slimani-Park continues to make the television news.

We'll have a look at more promising of these family-owned regional powers, and how they fare in this day and age of salary cap for the Q-League sides:

The Tale of Cousins: Perce Town and Montreal City

On surface you would not believe that these clubs, both of whom sit well within the qualification zone for the IFCF tournaments, hold much connection between the two. The P-Town and les Citoyens, after all, are two clubs of the opposite profile and financial status, and the fan demographics and cultures of the two clubs drastically vary - it's inevitable when you have a maritime city of 175,000 people on one end, and the south side of the nation's economic capital on the other.

Still, such entry-level dismissal of club-to-club connection doesn't exactly deliver when trying to understand the shared connections between two clubs, which the two families - the Dreyfus-Millikens and the Sierra-Heos - have come to establish. The 40-year old Ji, who was born four years before the current Perce Town co-owner, was adored by Myeong-Yoon's father, who was Ji's distant uncle with shared great-grandparents, from when he was a baby. Over time, Ji would come to serve as Heo siblings' mentor figure as he entered foreign service, before transitioning into his 'calling' in the sports administration.

It is in this where the storyline would get complicated, as a marriage two years ago would drive the situation to a rabbit hole for the two clubs. At age 38 Ji, who was by then vice-president (international) of the National Racing Authority (NRA), would later meet Maisie Dreyfus-Milliken, the oil heiress with ambition matching that of his own. They would fall in love and get married two years later, with Ji being brought to the famed family, who are best known for long history with sports team ownerships including Heart of Saguenay, where they were the owners of the club between 1948 and 2001. Came with it was the ownership of Montreal City, majority owned by the Misiriyaa Football Group (50% Maisonbleue Investment and Development Fund of Al-Tamazgha, 35% by Dreyfus-Milliken) for three years prior.

The same year would also see as a competitive bidding process for Perce Town's 49% ownership stake (other 51% is publicly owned by the fans), with three parties involved in the process. While the process would come to drag on for six months, it would eventually be the Sierra-Heo couple, represented by hall-of-fame basketballer Heo Myeong-Yoon, and Krytenian pop star turned major film producer in Rico Sierra, who would prevail as their partnership alongside Einar Salihamidzic, current Director of Football, would win out on a surprise for many.

To this day the reasons behind their success, even with the fewest financial fund available out of the three bidders, vary among the pundits, but theories have been raised in the past that the MFG, chaired by Dreyfus-Milliken, have placed their strong endorsement of the Heo-Sierra-Salihamidzic group. Both teams' ownership groups actively deny this theory, and the lack of shared financial sources for the two teams would suggest that they are right. Still, the RQFA, aware of these connections, have established a set of rules that involve transfer bans between the two clubs, and would also run a series of extensive financial audits involving both clubs for the next year that would only end in June, when les Citoyens would, at last, be promoted back to the Q-League.

While none had come out in the end, and both clubs walked off free, all of this was more than enough to ire their fanbases who, while understanding the necessities, have come to establish a minor stance of 'RQFA against Citeh/Our Town'. So in that aspect, the two fanbases share a common attitude against the RQFA, which has long been viewed as way too friendly to the 'Big Two' of CSKA and Koreana. Still the two clubs, coming from the opposite financial state, have their own stories to be told based on their salary cap.

Perce Town - Re-set means what?

For Perce Town, this season's considered to be one for the reset, as a half-decade of success, where they had reached the Grand Final by making the Fermeture title two seasons ago and also made it to the Challengers' Cup quarter-finals the same season, would come to a quiet close with ninth-place finish and early exits at both the Coupe de la Reine and the Mossun Cup.

With this in mind, Perce Town would come to engage on an active, aggressive role on the transfer window, which has caused drastic change to the short-benched, familiar-looking squad with the departure of six starters. Three biggest names within the team, Baker Park and Tumbra internationals Emily Bruce and Julie Hardaker, as well as the Grim Reapers' libero Clement Mattern-Soh, would depart for a king's ransom of NSD 19 million. This, even without taking account into departures of Marc-Andre Onasi and Perry Oosterhuis, and Tathan-Antony 'Tata' Berhalter's return to Metropolis Alligators, have no doubt left behind a massive hole in the club's competitive edge.

The club would not shy away from making a return in the investments, quickly securing the services of national team prospects Odette Tsioui and Patriotlandia international Roch Clairon for much less, and have also hired former Elmyia national team manager, defensive strategist Benni Massi, to succeed renowned Pierre-Karl Varsteeg. Even then, however, there is a sense of doubt among the Perce Town fans that their ownership, quick to press the retool-and-reset button, may not be who they are looking for.

On the surface they appear to be on a stable foothold, with $119.14 million net positive on salary cap balance against the expenditure, where their transfer window policy has no doubt paid off. The team's salary structure is stable, perhaps even more so now and then ever with Shreya Krusan, their talismanic goalkeeper whose performance as goalkeeper have cemented her place on the national team, being the only squad player to earn more than $10 million NSD. The net revenue for the team stands on $59.57 million, which is impressively second only to Montreal Koreana who blows out everybody else in the league, outstanding sign considering their lack of income from the Cup or international competition. The team, with their net revenue made from the previous year, has vowed to spend more on the academy and the future settings.

But it's more complicated than that, as the promises shown by their salary cap, which stands sixth in the league at around $225.99 million, are likelier to be left unfulfilled. It would not be mis-fulfilled, unlike the Olympique organisation that had famously spent 10m for four injury-plagued seasons of Tara Filan (now with Leaside Lions), and the team's profits will mostly go back to the club itself. But past it, things look more bleak you would not see them spend to their full capabilities as the fifteen-percent drop from the previous year would suggest.

It is perhaps inherent with how small the northern Acadie market, where the club is based on a small, maritime city, and the nature of the ownership, with the medium-sized film company in both sides of Calania, combined with personal wealth of both Heo, Sierra and Salihamidzic, likely not enough to keep up with the increasing bills to maintain the league. Often with clubs like Perce, the key for the long-term success is to ignore the highs and to focus on the cyclical nature of the small-town clubs' successes. They had done this well over the previous ownership, and the Olympique had done this during their entire existence.

Now, there is no denying that the Sierra-Heos have done so, and their active public display, best shown through dozens of thematic jerseys and memorabilia that have served quite well, suggests that the team should be having an upward trajectory with it. But the bigger question lies elsewhere: Can they get back to their winning ways quickly enough? And will they have enough finances to keep it up, even with these progresses?

[Graintfjall]

Logo made by Qasden.

RP cutoff for semifinals

Schedule adjustment: it is definitely not going to be possible for me to scorinate the final on Tuesday, therefore I am pushing it (and the 3PPO) back 24 hours to Wednesday 29, 2259 UTC. Please note this is one hour earlier than the previous cutoffs have been (and will realign the cutoff with midnight UK time) but you are getting an extra 23 hours in exchange. So the final+3PPO will be scorinated 71 hours from now. Apologies for the inconvenience, and good luck to all.

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Semifinals
Eura 0–0 Audioslavia (1–1 AET) (4–2 pen.)
Independent Athletes from Quebec 3–4 Eshialand

3PPO

Audioslavia v Independent Athletes from Quebec
@ TQG Langvöllur Arena, Hofvinger

Final

Eura v Eshialand
@ GT Estadio Fútbol De Musarañas De Oro, Molding

[Eshialand]

Dreams Come to a Head Tonight
Independent Athletes from Quebec 3-4 Eshialand

"Is everything alright out there Alice?" Coach Morgan asked, after his star striker missed a clean shot by a mile.
"Yeah, I'm doing alright... just one weird shot, that's all."

This score had been tied at 3-3 for what seemed like forever. On the one hand, it was amazing that the Owls were able to hold out as they were, but on the other, if a third game in a row was going to extra time -- and possibly even another penalty shootout after that -- that wouldn't be ideal for a team who were far too used to penalty kicks for their liking.

"Okay, just let me know if you need to be subbed out, I can call on Faith or Keiar any time."
"No worries, I've got this."

As play restarted, fans were completely speechless, waiting with baited breath for the conclusion of the semifinal match. It was the 85th minute, the score was tied... the perfect opportunity for someone, anyone, on either team to make magic happen.

"The Owls have been pushing aggressively over the past 10 minutes, doing their best to break this tie, but nothing seems to be working..."
"Yeah, this score seems to be stuck harder than the toilet after 9-year-old me flushed one too many candy wrappers down it..."
"Karsten-- never mind. I don't even wanna try... Silver takes the ball from Vanderley... she passes up to Carey..."
"Could this be it??"

Melissa Carey passed the ball off to Avery MacDougall without thinking much of it, but time stopped for her as the ball left her foot. Something inside her was telling her this was different from the other plays... no, it couldn't be. There was no way. She kept running up the pitch as she had been, watching Avery run the ball up the pitch... then the pass over to Jake... then to Alice...

"Harran's pass gets to Carroll, she has another opportunity to make up for her miss earlier--"
"Brown looks ready to save this one..."
"She shoots--"

Alice, Melissa, and the rest of the team could only watch in horror as the ball approached the net. Somehow, something deep inside them said that this ball wouldn't go in. That Quebec would take the win in the end, and it would be over right here--

"AND SHE SCORES!! BROWN CAN'T STOP IT, THE OWLS HAVE BROKEN THE TIE HERE IN THE EIGHTY-SIXTH!!! AAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!
"Please please please Alex Kolek do NOT screw this up I'm begging you pleaseeeeee..."

Screw it up, he did not. Time would run out, and at full time, the score would be Quebec 3, Eshialand 4. Against all odds, Eshialand had made it all the way to the finals to face Eura.

A team that had once been seen, even by its diehard fans, as one that would be lucky to see knockout action at all, was now just 90 minutes away from the Cup of Harmony championship. This Cup was truly a turning point for the state of Eshian soccer... gone, seemingly, were the days of eternal fifth-place qualification finishes and Cup of Harmony group stage exits. These Owls could contend with some of the best, and come these finals, win or lose, the Owls would come home as heroes. Those who did the impossible and broke so many barriers that none had even dreamed of.

Would a win against Eura in the finals be likely? No, probably not. But none of that mattered. The Eshian team had done more than they'd come to do, and now, it was time to put on an amazing show. Everyone in the nation would be watching... no pressure, right?

---

"And that's a wrap!"

As the cameras stopped rolling in ENN's mobile studio in Græntfjall, Josh Seametzle remained seated at the Tournament Report desk. "What's going on..." Karsten asked him, as he was getting ready to go back to their hotel room.

"It's just... not sure I have words for this, to be honest. I can't believe what the team's done, how they've gotten here..."

"Heh, at first, neither did I... but you know what? This team is amazing. Sometimes, freak occurrences happen and there's no real good explanation, like the time the king got hit in the head with that baseball... but other times? Things happen because they deserved to. Maybe not right away, they can take time, but they'll happen. This performance? The team earned that one. They're just that good. Don't ever forget that."

"I guess so, Karsten..."

"Ey, we should probably order something for dinner..."

"Okay, just... not what we had last night. You're terrible at picking meals. Absolutely terrible."

As Josh closed the door behind the two of them, he knocked on it four times. "What was that?" Karsten asked.

"Oh, nothing..."

knock knock knock knock
LET'S ​ ​ GO ​ ​ ​ OW ​ - ​ LS!!

[Audioslavia]

IMPRISONING WORTHY BROADSHEET SPORTS JOURNALISM BEHIND A PAYWALL SINCE 22XX, IT'S

Grand Sham
FFA once again trying to make Medal Thing happen
Opponents would ‘melt medals down’ - FFA would prepare open-top bus

There aren’t many games as meaningless as a third-placed playoff. In the context of tournament football, only group-stage encounters between already eliminated teams is up there in the pointlessness stakes. In a World Cup, that involves two sides who lost both of their opening games going up against one another for little more than something pleasant to talk about on the early flight home.

Audioslavians can thank their lucky stars that, with five group stage matches on offer rather than three, they were given the opportunity to bounce back from their own pair of opening losses to make it this far into the tournament. Their reward is to end the campaign like this. And what a campaign it’s been.

The 43rd match of a marathon cycle will decide whether we finish 35th or 36th

It’s been a marathon cycle for Audioslavian football, starting with a dreadful 2-1-4 in Ko-oren’s Dragonfly Day tournament, following with elimination from the CAFA Cup despite two wins in three group games, before a promising qualifying campaign would end in extra-time defeat in the playoffs. Going into the Cup of Harmony, with its nine matches to the World Cup’s 7, ensures Audioslavia have endured almost the longest possible cycle. Only progression to at least the last four of the CAFA Cup would have pushed our matches-played total over 45.

It’s been an arduous cycle for Ager Alaba, tasked with improving on Audioslavia’s patchy Cycle 92 performance. Victory against a Quebec side who seem stronger, on paper, than the Bulls is now the only way to assure a level of measurable progression.

Four years ago, Audioslavia were on the brink of a second successive appearance in the Cup of Harmony final, only to be soundly beaten by eventual champions Saint Eleanor. Most Audioslavians were disappointed, having become enamoured with the prospect of becoming back-to-back Frosty champs, but there were a couple, thankfully largely ignored by the media, who had become excited at the prospect of dropping into the Third Place Playoff. The nerdier among our nation have been delving into the archives, as they’re wont to do, and have posited that Audioslavia could become the first team in international football history to attain the ‘full set’ of possible medals across all three WCC tournaments and Regional football.

They call it the Grand Sham

* this is obviously a very big asterisk. For the purposes of this chart, only the three WCC tournaments and the Regional tournaments are counted. The single regional tournament operated by the defunct region of FIFA in cycle 28 is *not* counted, although Audioslavia did indeed win that cup. Friendly/invitational tournaments are not counted. There is only one entry for the Baptism of Fire trophy because it is only possible to enter it once, and thus impossible to secure more than one medal. A 'Cycle' ends with the World Cup Final because doing it any other way involves one cycle's tournaments taking place at the same time as that of the next/previous cycle.

Mostly won between cycles 59 and 69, although added to here and there by successive less successful Bulls teams, almost all permutations of final-three (and, as it turns out, final-four, although a fourth-place finish in a regional tournament is also missing) have been attained. Victory over our opponents on Saturday night, 24 hours before the game people will actually be watching, will give the Bulls that complete set and, I assume, unlock some sort of achievement.

Achievement unlocked: Do this for entirely too long!

For opponents Quebec, a team against whose various forms the Bulls have thus far achieved a 4-2-1 record, the third placed playoff is, according to reports from within the country, more of a quest for ranking points to further solidify the former World Cup semi-finalists’ position in the world’s top twenty - a position well out of Audioslavia’s reach for a decade now.

Should Quebec win, the fate of their bronze medals may be the same as what happened the last time they took third place in the Cup of Harmony - melted down and turned into floor plates in a locker-room. Should Audioslavia win, nerds around the country will rejoice in the team having won the Grand Sham. A fitting end for a cycle that saw the nation fall in thrall to a glass bird and fail to qualify for the World Cup for the third time in three cycles.

Either way, Ager Alaba has vowed to continue on as Audioslavia manager for another cycle, his contract reaching to the end of Cycle 94. He will likely enter that cycle with a new flock of bulls. He may hope to give the current set a fitting send-off.

[Independent Athletes from Quebec]

OOC: Many thanks (there will be a few more afterwards) to Gyatso-Kai for his cooperation in creation of this RP. Much context behind the RP could be found here, on Gyatso-Kai's own series regarding multidimensional fissures. Of course, the Avatarians and the Quebecois are trying to make different things happen.

An additional thanks to Poafmersia for his permissions with the use of Panjias and the historical incident of a man who died after tempting with his own fate.

Dr. Heo and the Portal of Madness II: Map of the Problematique

PART 2.11 (44) - Peace

In the morning, Jang Joon-Gweon, Dr. Heo, and The Creator had managed to find their way in Gyatso-Kai. And it had been about two hours since the pair had entered the Ministry of Magic headquarters in the Republic City for registration. The Creator, who preferred not being seen on foreign soil unless absolutely necessary or on deserted places (which Republican City, even on alternate realities, had no chance of this happening), had used this opportunity to travel back to Dr. Heo-711's Ranch in Quebecovello-Sud, where his mock-up was now asleep before their trip to the very bottom of the shaft the very next morning.

Little time would pass in the building before they would be telephoned by a certain Dr. Li Shercru, the Director of the government-run Institute of Multi-Verse and Temporal Studies, to make their way to the institute building. She had made it clear that the incidents spotted across the Multiverse, which began with the appearance of the sea monsters out Quebecois east coast, and would spiral into paranormal incidents across surrounding nations of AO and Anaia, two nations that the Quebecois state had firmly found themselves into, into both clockwise and counterclock-wise directions.

By one in the afternoon, the pair were standing in front of the IMVTS Director in her office. 'So you and I are both looking for answers, so to speak,' Li said, as she looked sharply back at Joon-Gweon and Dr. Heo. 'The opposite side of the cissures of spacetime, especially since we are looking to open it up, while you guys are trying to close it down, so to speak.'

'Perhaps that's one way to put it forward,' Dr. Heo said, as he took a peek at all three walls in the room filled with liquid tree tanks of water and micro-algae 'Did you always have the room full of those...tanks? I don't think the Avatarians are into this kind of inventions, if anything.'

'Because they don't come from this universe, and in the Multiverse we have to consider any possible outcome.' She answered, before suggesting that there's another universe where the Avatarian lands had taken the other way. 'Safe to say that the land where this had come from is bleak, densified and absence of valuable flora and fauna. Not the worst of universes we have seen though, though it looks like neither of you have managed to find a way to reach other universes either.'

'Were there worse universes out there by any chance?' Jang Joon-Gweon asked, the youngster intrigued to find out.

'Plenty, like the world where Avatar Roku was assassinated, the Air Tribes all but eradicated, and the Water Tribe decimated under decades of war.' She answered. 'Combine that with a nuclear disaster and you could guess the worst case scenario.'

Jang and Dr. Heo both swallowed their spit, as they figured out that the cissure of multiversal portals, especially when uncontrolled, could cause even bigger problems. 'So what you are saying is that unless we fix this, we are fucking fucked and maybe the Avatarians too.' Jang said, accidentally spitting out swear words in front of a dignitary.

'A bit "difficult" of wording, but yes,' Li answered. 'So your case also matters to us, because if our nearby friends in Quebec are being affected by it all, and the neighbouring nations in Atlantian Oceania - yes, I do mean their variants too - then there exists a possibility of cissure affecting us...' She continued to speak. 'For several years the Quebecois appears to have handled the situation quite well, almost as if their ways have worked out to the optimal solution of Laputa and Hades, if I'm using the Western terminologies correctly. But apparently your situation, while sweet in the start, turns out to require more stable, fundamental solutions, especially in order to prevent from bringing ten other nations to the suckage.'

'That would be a correct way of assessing the situation, ma'am,' Dr. Heo said. 'And that is partly why we have come all the way out west to here, to find support needed to help consolidate the power base and then to erect a renewed interrealm boundary around our lands, so that stronger protection be placed around it.'

Li, her arms cris-crossed, nodded along. 'Go along, please.'

'We have set a rough thread around the boundaries of the traditional Shingoryeoite boundaries into the new, torch-like device, one that the Creator of our universe had set aside for the three-manned tribunal to deliver,' Dr. Heo explained. 'Regional boundaries aren't necessary the problem, especially as the all-seeing peoples have no problem transcending between them anyway, and the boundaries do not have a height limit until you hit the stratosphere, let's say, it's more set aside by rough area and no more.'

'A failsafe idea, but I assume the erosion by outside forces and whatnot may have happened.' she said. 'It doesn't look like an external force or two had dismantled the walls though. Or that of your own doing - those at the Institute would have had to report such as well.'

'No, it wasn't,' Joon-Gweon answered. 'It's just all happened out of sudden, almost as if a system failure had occurred. And truth be told, there is no other way to describe such a situation like that, but it is best if we could seek your support, especially considering the Avatarian familiarity to it all.'

A minute of silence had followed, before she would respond. 'Yes, we must,' Li answered in firm agreement. 'Dozens, hundreds, you ask and I will do my best to deal with the Councils at earliest time possible.' She then stopped, before resuming to speak. Li knew that this topic would be one of her interest: 'With that said, I have heard of an incident that may be of your interest. A Quebecois citizen's found in middle of a Water Tribe beach one day, and was immediately brought to his attention. I heard that he's in solitary confinement right now.'

'That being?'

---

The last days of Fabrice Nelson-Ryong's life in year 2022 were tragic. Returning home after attending an important set of business meetings with the Bank of Shingoryeo, the ever-leaky TeleNord and the Royal Quebecois Olympic Committee that was discussing possible withdrawal from the Games of the XI Olympiad that was scheduled to be held in Ilysea, Ilysium, Fabrice's mind was start to wear down on him.

Becoming even more accustomed to travelling farther, more exotic places for votes and support, and stress wearing the 93-year-old man's body out, Nelson-Ryong became indulgent for the first time in fifty years. Then he would start developing certain eating habits where he, in search for every pungent taste in the world, would look for rare foods that would convince him at the verge of death.

What would eventually cost his own life, of course, was Fabrice's desire to try consuming a Panjia in Poafmersia, where the red horse that the native to the land considered to be sacred, while on a trip. His assumptions that a Panjia, a seemingly-mythical creature whose status were only magnified by the centuries of isolation by the North Pacific nation, was worth risking his life. Receiving the birthday gift from his son, Maurice, that was the travel logs of the legendary traveller in the late-1800s, Gabriel de Siches, he would find himself reading into his travels across the Multiverse's Seven Seas, which included the likes of Deltic Waters, Equestria and the mists of Tyran that took another long trip out west. His reading about the land of Poafmersia, a land on the North Pacific with their 'worshippings' of the almighty Potato and the art of permutations, was more than enough to convince him that risking his own life on a foreign land, as de Siches had once done so on the final chapters of his travel log, was worth the risk that would be put on his life.

But what Fabrice did not realise was that his travel logs ended there because he failed to make it back to Quebec. When he feasted upon a Panjia in middle of the forest the night before his departure, he was struck with a mortal curse. Having rid of all possible evidence he thought he had a chance to evade the all-seeing eyes of Lord Almighties before him, but all efforts were futile for once he was on a long ship ride back to Poafmersia, in order to pay tribute to the original route taken by de Siches, he found his skin turning blue, his nostrils tighten, and breathing near-impossible. Inside his suite he would scream for help by pressing all the call buttons and ring the telephones, but all connections were cut off during that very hour that by the time emmergency staff had broken past the door, Fabrice was found dead, reaping what he had sown.

Thirty-four years later, the scene had changed. Well, not exactly the same, but Fabrice was in confinement for sure. It was a tight, narrow, glass chamber inside the Institute of Multi-Verse and Temporal Studies in Republic City, Gyatso-Kai. Though separate from everybody else by the glass walls, Fabrice was never left alone. He would be attended and attended by the members of the Institute who often bore their own bending abilities, while bringing forward the pictures and the holograms of his past-life self - that of his childhood in the Economic Depression of 1930s, the final year of the Southern Rushmori War when he had enlisted as a twenty-two year old, and his postwar life that would see him go down into deep and dirty reaches of financial secrecy.

Sweet, sweet memories...the recantation of the past, he would think to himself. No need for a shame in them now that I have long past, and paid the price by being a ghoul, without a presence in flesh.

This part, after all, was true. His will, which was opened within hours of the passing by the calculated, cold-hearted executors of his estate, exactly followed his wishes to dispose his own body in natural state - that being to leave it out in the open if on the mountains, or to throw it over the water if on ship. So for what many would mean as in 'without a presence in flesh', this had turned into a literal meaning for Fabrice's afterlife, as he literally had no body to go back into.

Three days on, the glass chamber remained the same. But the lab surrounding it was covered by moss and tree branches that had grown out of nowhere. It was reminiscent of the childhood dream of his, when he was an orphan growing up in now-abandoned rural town of population: 1246, or when he would start providing financial support towards environmental activism and education at the seventies of his life. During those lingering times he would start envisioning the creation of a nature reserve, where he could eventually retire to a hut within it without worries or responsibilities/

'I see that they look similar to the forests that I had dreamed of retiring,' said Fabrice, as the old man spoke back to Zhao Feng. Zhao, the ambitious vice-director of the Earthbending Corps of Agricultural Development, was an impressive-looking man with long beard, His interests in Fabrice's abilities made them good talkmates now and then, both the ones that he had used before (like how to manipulate stock exchanges and bonds without a sign of manipulation), or those that he had only found out after his passing (like the ability to generate environments out of nowhere. 'Not bad compared to some of the sights that you've witnessed over the walls.'

'Very much so,' Zhao Feng nodded. 'And you are telling us that you aren't the only one from your homeland who could utilise or travel through the temporal anomalies from another Multiverse.'

Fabrice raised his eyebrows. 'Sure, a couple hundred or more,' he said. 'But it depends if your concept of temporal anormalies include travelling between the dead, the living, and those way past your understanding of the spiritual realms, so to speak,' he said. 'It's taken me over thirty years to have tiniest of sense in flying between them, so what makes you think that poor me could make a difference in it?'

'So that maybe you could help bringing us with a project,' Zhao Feng said. 'It is well known, after all, that Quebec & Shingoryeo, and Gyatso-Kai, have been long time friends. If anything, plenty could claim ancestry through those who had travelled from the Avataria to your land of Iris - I think it's named Inteachan? - in the Middle Ages.'

He then continued to speak: 'But the problems that your people, that of the cissure between the universes, is something that we are also trying to find an answer out of,' he cleared his throat. 'It's a problem for the Quebecois, but it's also the solution for us. One that would involve moving an entire island group into this universe from other versions of the Multiverse that had not experienced interregional incidents such as let's say, a Foxchester split.'

'I see that you are looking to find a way to expand using the temporal portal,' he responded. 'And that's a valiant idea. That said, I do not know if that's the safest of options - I'm sure that there are better ways to handle such a move, those that do not exactly transport them as such. From what I have been hearing the consequences of those moves, without consideration, could be a bad idea-'

It was around then they were disrupted, as the entrance to the Lab opened. A pair of guards turned from the side to face each other as both Zhao Feng and Fabrice Nelson-Ryong turned to face who had come out of it. Zhao immediately recognised the woman in the middle who bore thin, graceful smile of her own and was of much higher rank, as Commander Li Shercru, the Director of the Institute of Multi-Verse and Temporal Studies. Their stances in the recent incidents of interdimensional anormalies, which had been described as moves between -verses of Hertz-like 'frequency changes' (OOC: I am going under Gyatso-Kai's wordings in this case -e.d.-) with minimal physical incidents, have no doubt differed, and the arrival of the Quebecois, who had their own situations unfolding, made things difficult.

As for Fabrice, however, he was delighted to see Joon-Gweon and Dr. Heo, even though it was apparent that they, now dressed as two of the members of the three-man tribunal body, were different in status. 'Lads, lads, glad to see you all here.' He said, in an effort to get the pair to pay their attention to him.

'We do too, Fabrice,' answered Dr. Heo. 'We are here to rescue you. And to start tracing our way back to fix the fissure. Counter-clockwise.'

[Graintfjall]

Logo made by Qasden.

RP cutoff for 3PPO

3PPO
Audioslavia 1–0 Independent Athletes from Quebec

[Eura]

CUP OF HARMONY 85 – SEMI FINAL
Eura 0–0 Audioslavia (1–1 AET) (4–2 pen.)
Scorers:
Sharp 113
Lineup:
1. T Hammond
2. A Mason
4. J Menard
15. K Sherwood
23. M Taylor (sub Almwood 115)
6. J Gates (sub Stewart 85)
8. O Vincent
11. O James (sub Barnes 87)
7. A Woodman
9. A Sharp
10. S Singh

---

emplor.eur/main/sport/football
PENALTIES PAY A DEBT OF REVENGE
Eurans hold their nerve to best Audioslavia from the spot

Tom Hammond secured Eura’s place in the final of the Cup of Harmony after a semi-final contest with Audioslavia that took a couple of hours, but felt like a lifetime.

Casting their minds back to Cup of Harmony 83, most Euran fans will have shuddered at the thought of a repeat of their last clash in this tournament with Audioslavia. Ana Mason’s moment of madness, a volleyed backpass to Elliot Palmer, Jack Menard a yard too slow, Palmer’s panicked clearance – and then a calamitous goal. The two teams have a long history against one another but the Bulls seem to have had the measure of Eurans in the most recent episodes of this long friendly rivalry. The two teams drew in the World Cup 90 group stage, but only Audioslavia progressed to the knockouts. And then there was that Cup of Harmony final.

Last night’s semi-final would be taking place at PR-1070 Platz in Oost-Hartburg, which was either about to become another foreign field to elicit bad memories for Eurans, or the site of a significant victory for Eura at a time of upheaval in the national game. Glen Merson might have been appointed as an interim manager but the government’s wide ranging review, rumbling on in the background, has put a level of pressure on him and the players to do the country proud in Graintfjall after a dismal year for the national team.

The Bulls had their own problems. Manager Ager Alaba has survived a whirlwind of goings on – Eurgle* “glass swan” and you’ll see what we mean. One similarity between our countries is the overwhelming media scrutiny heaped upon our footballers and national team manager. Alaba has done a fine job of pulling through it and went into this semi-final having perhaps finally established himself as the best man for the job regardless of whether he could get a result against Merson’s team.

A bruised and battered Eura had been forced to shuffle the back in the quarter final against Gnejs after the trials of their previous game against Cassadaigua. By now the injured had licked their wounds. Most importantly, team captain Jack Menard would be back in action after serving a suspension. There was much speculation going into the game about both centreback pairings. For Eura it was whether Audioslavia-based, 1830 Cathair teammates Menard and Kevin Sherwood would play together, and for Audioslavia it would be whether Eura-based, Directus regular Obadele Volonte would be fit enough to partner veteran Archer Flat.

Menard and Sherwood’s emergence from the tunnel opposite Volonte and Flat answered those questions. The national anthems rang loud, the fans roared, the players pumped each other up, and all the while Merson and Alaba watched with mutually furrowed brows from the sidelines. A chaotic opening ten minutes resulted in three yellow cards and a series of defensive errors, one of those cards and most of the mistakes going the way of a nervy Sherwood. But the dust soon settled and after that the game was dragged to a snail’s pace.

The Bulls “post football” sideways balls and negativity was proving complementary to the neat but ultimately tepid and fruitless passing play of the Falcons. However, with time, that dynamic shifted in Eura’s favour. Their defence were doing a good job of neutralising Wilhelm Zendagorta and Helios Roy on the occasions where Audioslavia half-heartedly initiated a breakaway by taking a man marking approach, unusual for this Euran team, where Sherwood would focus on cutting off Roy’s opportunities to find space, while the heavier Menard would bully Zendagorta off the ball every time he tried to hold it up.

Shutting down the Audioslavian front line reduced the urgency for Eura’s midfield to release the ball in possession and afforded them the luxury to gradually ratchet up the pressure on their opponents. Oscar Vincent was looking like a different player to the one who has frequented the national team shirt most recently, causing a mini-crisis for the opposing midfield each time he had possession, driving forwards with powerful runs or picking out the perfect pass to move the play forward. The most dangerous moment of the first half for either side came when Vincent got going towards the box and carried himself through Unai Cappadonna and Flat, before firing off a shot that Constance Creighton only just managed to push over the bar.

There was the problem, though – that was the best chance of the first half. At the break there had been only three shots on target (all Euran) and there was no sign of any improved cutting edge come the second half. Alex Sharp, the most talked about player in the stadium due to his prominence in Audioslavia, was being kept relatively quiet even as the Eurans generally controlled the game. In the 62nd minute the Audioslavians threatened to upset the run of play when Inigo Brandao finally registered a shot on target, but Hammond was more than equal to it.

Underlying this stalemate was an undeniable tension that made this game a long, uneventful, yet somehow exciting semi final to remember. It was like footballing trench warfare. Two teams had come to win, and instead shut each other down, neither able to break through. A shallow reading of the game would make a viewer bored, while those with a more refined taste would be feasting on the immense levels of concentration and defensive organisation on display. That is how we would see it anyway. Many fans at home might have been too busy hiding behind the sofa at yet another Euran run in the Cup of Harmony, to notice how few chances there had been.

The final whistle arrived and rewarded Eura with a third consecutive 90-minute clean sheet. Merson resisted the urge to make wholesale substitutions, although a couple of like-for-like changes had already been made, while Alaba had gone early and made four out of five of theirs before extra time. The Bulls were rewarded for their sudden sense of urgency with a goal from nowhere. A petulant foul by Mason on Brandao gave away a free kick in the centre circle which was lumped towards the box. Several players rose and the defence ordered Hammond to hold on his line. Zendagorta finally got the best of Menard – header, top right hand corner.

History was repeating itself. An ugly headed goal permitted by poor defensive decision making had yet again felled Eura against Audioslavia in the Cup of Harmony. Mason cut a distraught figure on the right flank, her world crashing down after a second decisive error in consecutive encounters with the Bulls, reassured only by a “come on!” pep talk and thump on the back from Vincent. Merson called in his captain and a couple of other senior players to have a word; there would be no changes for now, and it was on them to produce something. The past might have been making itself known, but Eura were intent on refusing to follow it, and they threw themselves forward in search of an equaliser.

Alex Sharp had been flagging since the last ten minutes or so of normal time, and had barely touched the ball since, when Adam Woodman found him with a 113th minute diagonal ball from within the Euran half. Sharp was still 40 yards from goal and apparently had nowhere to go with Flat and Volonte camped in front of him. But he had just a little bit of space, and an even thinner slice of time. The striker took the ball on his chest and forced it down to the ground, almost striking his hand, before knocking it forward a few yards further. Flat and Volonte stood off. Sharp might have considered shooting for a moment. Instead, he played the ball out wide.

Ana Mason had recovered from her moment of failure. Composed and determined, she received Sharp’s pass and began to run forward with the ball tightly wound to her feet, wrongfooting Hernan Mata-Curie before rolling the ball past him as he struggled to keep up. The Euran wingback glanced upwards and saw Sophie Singh at the back post screaming for the ball. The cross wasn’t on. Mason stopped the ball with the underside of her right foot and screeched to a halt. A retreating Mata-Curie came flying in for the sliding tackle but Mason saw it coming and once again fleeced the left back for all she was worth, bringing the ball back two yards and onto her left foot.

Singh was in the box with Vincent and Woodman who had both rushed forward. Sharp, for some reason, had hung back just a little. Mason didn’t fancy her left foot for a cross and could see a wide open space between the edge of the box and Sharp. She saw it. He saw it. Mason rolled the ball back for him, a perfect set up, and Mata-Curie was forced to watch as her 1830 teammate strode up to the ball and whipped it toward goal with his right foot. It was actually not a particularly well hit strike and lacked the power to reach the promised land of “top bins”. But it did have enough on it to make Creighton dive, stretch out a desperate hand, and reach the ball just a split second too late to prevent it punching out the back of the loose net.

Eura used the next five minutes to push for a late winner without success. Even as the aging centreback pair of Volonte and Flat went read in the face, as their last iota of energy was wrung out of them, they would still not fold again. Penalties beckoned and Merson was ruthless in making sure his best penalty takers were on the pitch. Lucy Almwood was brought on for Molly Taylor despite the latter putting in an excellent performance. The dreaded shootout was unavoidable and before long Tom Hammond was between the sticks while everyone else stood in the centre circle. Zendagorta marched towards him with purpose and fire in his eyes. This was the moment of truth.

The Bulls number nine might be an all-powerful action man kind of forward, but from the spot he tends to try and precisely hit the target rather than thump it past the keeper. He surprised no-one by trying to place a finessed shot in the bottom left quadrant of the goal, least of all Hammond, who dived the right way and easily clawed the ball away. A huge opening blow for Audioslavia had created an opportunity for Eura to take the initiative. Alex Sharp stepped up and hit it hard, sending Creighton the wrong way. Flat and Cappadonna would then score for Audioslavia – but so would Almwood and Singh for Eura. Then Brando stepped up…and Hammond got there again, going left again. That left Oscar Vincent, the most maligned of all the Eurans, to step up and bury the winner

* For the benefit of our foreign readers, Eurgle is a search engine provider that is so ubiquitous it is often used as a verb in Eura, e.g. “Phillip Eurgled 2+2”. For the benefit of our domestic readers, this is not a product placement, and the Emplor have received no payment in order to promote the Eurgle brand. If you don’t believe us, Eurgle it.

[Graintfjall]

Logo made by Qasden.

RP cutoff for final

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Final
Eura 3–1 Eshialand