Di Bradini Cup 56/U21WC77 RP And Scores Thread

by **Valanora** » Wed Nov 01, 2023 5:19 am

Starblaydia wrote:OOC:For complete newcomers, please see the Guide to Sports Roleplaying. If you need to ask anything of the host or your opponents, arrange RP angles or generally chat about the goings-on, please use the World Cup Discussion Thread. Misspellings of 'Di Bradini' will be met with zero tolerance.

The Valanora Footballing Association presents

In association with the Starblaydia Football Association:

The Fifty-Sixth Di Bradini Cup
a.k.a
The 77th Under-21 World Cup

The Valanora Footballing Association proudly presents the fifty-sixth edition of the Di Bradini Cup, the twenty-fourth edition to be held within Valanora. Recognized as direct successor to the original Under-21 World Cup run by Total n Utter Insanity, this is also the 77th Under-21 World Cup.

This tournament is named after Starblaydia's most-famous player, the first person to score for Starblaydia's own Under-21s, currently the fifth-highest goalscorer in Starblaydia's history, World Cup Winner, member of the World Cup Hall of Fame and one-time President of the World Cup Committee: Simeone Di Bradini. We present, for your participation: The 56th Di Bradini Cup, a.k.a. The 77th Under-21 World Cup!

Helpful Di Bradini Cup/U21 World Cup Links
Guide to Sports Roleplaying || General Sports Roleplaying Questions || OOC Discussion Thread || DBC 56 Signup/Roster Thread || Previous Edition

Format
We have 32 teams! Ergo, it'll look like a senior World Cup- 8 groups of 4. Single round robin, top 2 in each group move onto the Round of 16. From there, the tournament is single knockout. All games will take place in Valanora.

Groups
Group A
Valanora
TJUN-ia
Huayramarca
Qasden

Venues: The Battleground, Turmondale Grounds

Group B
Kita-Hinode
Xiaolin
Aphrilia
Tikariot

Venues: Haramos Park, Hellgate

Group C
Squornshelan Remnant States
The Kytler Peninsulae
Baker Park
Chromatika

Venues: Artani, Donna Cathedral

Group D
Abahnfleft
Shieldstan
Yuezhou
Quebec and Shingoryeo

Venues: Angelotic Temple, Miner's Haven

Group E
Semarland
Sea Dome
Elymia
The Ko-orenite Constellation

Venues: Metropolis, The Tar Pit

Group F
Muralos
Captina Island
Cabo Azure
Græntfjall

Venues: Sabinal Stadium, River City Stadium

Group G
Zenic
HUElavia
Saint-Jean-Jacques et Burnham-on-Stove
Polar Islandstates

Venues: Lathal, The Pitch

Group H
Darmen
Khantari
Josifovo
Mytanija

Venues: Raynor Memorial, Duran Palace

Calendar
Group Stage Dates & Matchday Schedule
CUTOFF TIMES: 4 PM- 7 PM EST.
Matchday 1- Friday, Nov 3rd. Matchups: 1v4, 2v3.
Matchday 2- Sunday, Nov 5th. Matchups: 4v3, 1v2.
Matchday 3- Tuesday, Nov 7th. Matchups: 2v4, 3v1.
Knockout Stage Schedule
Round of 16- Thursday, Nov 9th. Matchups: A1vD2, B1vC2, C1vB1, D1vA2, E1vH2, F1vG2, G1vF2, H1vE2
Quarterfinals- Saturday, Nov 11th. Matchups: R1vR2, R3vR4, R5vR6, R7vR8
Semifinals- Monday, Nov 13th. Matchups: Q1vQ2, Q3vQ4
3PPO/Final- Wednesday, Nov 15th.

Group Stage Tiebreakers
1) Overall Goal Differential
2) H-2-H Wins
3) H-2-H Goal Differential
4) Overall Goals For
5) Coin Toss(aka RP bonus only scored match between the two teams)

RP Permissions
Please post this either with your roster or your first RP with a yes or a no(with any qualifiers) for each question. These are all permissions to help facilitate an acceptable RP to you if somebody else RPs your match first, and vice versa.

Code: Select all: [u]RP Permissions[/u] [b]Choose my scorers:[/b] [b]Choose my scoring events:[/b] [b]Godmod scoring events:[/b] [b]RP injuries to my players:[/b] [b]Godmod Injuries to my players:[/b] [b]Give Yellow Cards to my players:[/b] [b]Give Red Cards to my players[/b]: [b]Godmod other events:[/b]

As a side note, please do not reserve posts. Only the host nations may reserve posts, and only for their basic IC information- everyone else is encouraged to use the draft feature on the boards if they must come back to their post later.

May the games begin!

by **Valanora** » Wed Nov 01, 2023 5:20 am

Map of Valanora

Valanora Information
The most important thing to know about traveling through Valanora is that automobiles are banned except for government officials. A high tech railway system connects the entirety of the nation, with three most popular international airports in Raynor City, Gladerial, and Baysleef. A ferry from Rinaldi travels to and from the island of Capri every hour on the hour. The most distinguishing feature of Valanora is the prevalent amount of forests standing in many of the inner half of the nation, even in cities, with the elven attempts to live in harmony with nature. Vanorians are a polite if not a bit high on themselves, believing elvenkind to be superior to humans, though they show a respect for the potential their humanoid cousins have.

Venues

The Battleground

Capacity: 78,000
Location: Raynor City

Artani

Capacity: 74,000
Location: Mar Sara

Angelotic Temple

Capacity: 71,000
Location: Longview

The White Fortress

Capacity: 70,000
Location: Gladerial

Donna Cathedral

Capacity: 60,000
Location: Mar Sara

Hatire Memorial

Capacity: 60,000
Location: Capri

Sabinal Stadium

Capacity: 56,000
Location: Sabinal

Hellgate

Capacity: 54,000
Location: Raynor City

Aranfield Bridge

Capacity: 52,000
Location: Everlin

Duran Palace

Capacity: 51,000
Location: Valanari

Castle de Mot

Capacity: 49,000
Location: Wexax

Rose Gardens

Capacity: 49,000
Location: Kareen

The Pitch

Capacity: 46,000
Location: Turbani

Turmondale Grounds

Capacity: 43,000
Location: Raynor City

Haramos Park

Capacity: 43,000
Location: Cartmot

Caddo Park

Capacity: 42,000
Location: Caddo

Raynor Memorial

Capacity: 40,000
Location: Hondo

The Tar Pit

Capacity: 39,000
Location: Char Sara

Metropolis

Capacity: 39,00
Location: Ibini

Orange Gate Falls

Capacity: 39,000
Location: Monaven

Miner's Haven

Capacity: 36,000
Location: Goldsan

River City Stadium

Capacity: 35,000
Location: Bexar

Tiradir

Capacity: 31,000
Location: Gladerial

Lathal

Capacity: 29,000
Location: Ianisle

World Cup 81/82/83/84

© Sporting Times Daily 2023
BP Under-21's ready for tough DBC field
by Karl Liebler, Staff Soccer Writer

The Commonwealth National Under-21 Team have arrived in Mar Sara to compete in the 56th DiBradini Cup which also marks the 77th edition of the Under-21 World Cup; DBC 42 was the first tournament the FAC sent a team to compete in at the start of what is now known as the "post-modern era" of the FAC which incorporates the beginning of mixed gender rosters.

Manager Matt Villareal is excited about the squad that he's brought to the Eternal Empire, a group with no connection to the DBC 53 title winning team and which has known only disappointment over the last two visits here; the opener against The Kytler Peninsulae at Donna Cathedral in Mara Sar will mark the fourth time in the last seven fixtures in this tournament that BP have played here, being outscored 14-4 as part of a 6 match winless streak that stretches back to the after the DBC 53 Final in Raynor City against Tumbra.

"We come here again to this nation where we love to visit and play, to a tournament that we consider our participation in as a fundamental element of our mission as an association. But we know the score...our guys and gals are quite aware of the recent past. We gave them a star to wear on the shirt but they know that doesn't have anything to do with them. This is a lesson to be learned...an obstacle to overcome, and they are the ones who have to figure it out. I'm not here to force the answer on them, I can only provide the information they can decide to use."

Villareal is joined on the coaching staff by former NT defender Darren Haller, who is Villareal's #2, in addition to assistant goalkeeping coach Rich Gabriel, plus NT coaching pool assistants Melissa Kinney and Ashley Delgarro, with the latter also having been capped 54 times; it marks the first time that three former national team players will serve together coaching an official squad for the FAC.

by **Khantari** » Thu Nov 02, 2023 12:56 am

by **Aphrilia** » Thu Nov 02, 2023 2:52 am

"It honestly feels like a dream, mate."

"I know, right?"

Phillip Karnwell could only describe the opportunity given to him as a blessing. Not from Ezo, of course, but perhaps fate decided to give him good luck by having him be the number one. The number one for what, you may ask? The 56th Di Bradini Cup/77th U21 World Cup is the answer. When the selection for a U21 team came up out of nowhere, originally, Karnwell had no hope on him being selected. He thought he wouldn't be good enough for one of the two pre-determined goalkeepers and yet here he was! Not only that, he was chosen as captain. Karnwell thought that the National Aphrilian Football Association (NAFA) had made a mistake in their selection, but his best friend and long time teammate Steven O'Truffet convinced him otherwise. The dream to play football in other nations, it was quite the adrenaline rushing thought... And now it'd become reality.

There were a lot of reasons as to why Karnwell was certain he wouldn't be selected at first. The first being that he barely has any experience with the supposed tactics that the Junior Anchors would be using for Aphrilia's first ever Di Bradini Cup. A 4 - 3 - 3 formation with a CDM or a 4 - 4 - 2 without left or right midfielders wasn't a problem, the formation was never it. The issue was the possession style that the team would be using. Karnwell and O'Truffet played for a team that focused on counter-attacking on the midfield transition. Rarely ever their team focused on holding the ball, but unlike O'Truffet whom had excellent ball control for his position, Karnwell was horrendous at passing. Which is one of the other reasons. Another one was that Karnwell had zero experience as captain, he never wore the captain's armband before and now he was doing it for his country?

"I'm still scared though... What if I mess up in net? As a captain nonetheless?"

"Every keeper messes up all the time, Phillip. Even the ones as captains! I mean, c'mon, what's there to fear?"

"It's just... We got some big names on this U21 team and I kind of want to make an impression."

"You have a point there, but you shouldn't be scared. Show them that you're worthy of it!"

The two had their points. They weren't the best talents within this team. That term belonged to two other players, rival players in fact! Kevin Lacey is one of them, a quick moving and accurate center forward whom is known for his shooting capability. But his strength relies in his technique rather than utter raw shooting power. Not only that, his dribbling and ball control were immense, largely due to him playing in the urban streets of a peculiar small city for a time before being picked up by a football academy. Not only that, due to him having played in the streets, Lacey has somewhat earned a reputation for his demeanor at times. Especially during matches where he's been known to have a desire to throw punches. And he's also hard to soothe, with emotions often taking the best of him. Karnwell and O'Truffet hopes the coach can handle the forward's problematic behavior.

Meanwhile, the other player they were talking about is Kennedy Christonson, who will be Steven's center-back partner as they are the primary center back pairing for the team. Christonson grew up to a rich family, his family name tracing back to nobility in the 1300s. This has made Christonson somewhat spoiled as he was enrolled into a football academy early on, and yet despite that he was showing great results that were a sign of his talent and capability. His relentless endurance and physical capability made him a hurdle to get past. And now you may be wondering where Christonson and Lacey started their rivalry? Well, a simple match up between their two teams was all that was needed for a rivalry to spark. They fought each other in that match viciously, as Lacey's team won 2 - 1. And whilst being in the heat of the moment, Lacey said some questionable things to Christonson which has caused their rivalry to grow ever since, to the point that the two are not on speaking terms even after the national team was declared.

"Fine, I'll do my best. You do know I always try my best?"

"Don't worry mate, I know. Make sure you keep yourself calm and steady throughout, Phil. You're going to be this team's anchor."

"I will, Steven. Trust me."

by **Josifovo** » Thu Nov 02, 2023 11:55 am

Спортски Журнал
All the sports, by the people, for the people

UNDER-21 WORLD CUP SEES JOSIFOVO IN TOUGH GROUPING

Josifovo is not known as a country that has heavily invested in its youth infrastructure. Such results are apparent from the performances of the team in international competitions as well as the domestic league. While there is a steady flow of some talent, it is obviously not enough to compare or even compete with the talents produced abroad. The plan of the ФФЈ is to foster competitiveness from an even younger age by assembling national teams through the youth ranks of the nation to promote a trickle of talented players and to deepen the pool of availability to choose from. While this came at the cost of being transparent, this could yield good results, if proven effective in this current experiment at the Di Bradini Cup in Valanora.

The team was pitied against Darmen, Khantari as well as Mytanija. All those sides are known for producing pretty strong and well-performing youth teams which have formed some of the core of the lineups in the senior sides to come. Mytanija, as is known to us, is one of the multiverse's most talented teams, while Darmen is an enduring presence in the multiversal football sphere. Lastly, Khantari has had good youth performances in recent memory and has an exciting domestic league to follow through.

What this shows is that the Josifski players have a lot to prove, firstly to themselves and then to the international football stage. Not all academies were made known because not all academies play in national leagues, with most sticking to regional or even municipal leagues and tournaments. This shows some gaps in the ranks of the professional teams' ranks and an overreliance towards recruiting unproven players. However, seeing how the selection process favored Josifski players over any other ethnic group, including the amiable Kicuvski, this could signal alerting signs as to how the team will perform and how much support it will get to the pitch.

Everything is set, however as we will see the Under-21 National Team take on Khantari for matchday 1, Mytanija for matchday 2 and hopefully progress out of this hellish group on matchday 3 after playing Darmen. Mirko Tomčić seems to have a lot of faith on the team even making the time to state "We have taken the time to let the players learn about each other and learn the tactics that I have set out for them in accordance to what I believe is in within the limits of their skillset. I believe there is a lot of work to do, but the signs shown so far are promosing. Only time can tell from now on and if need be, tactics can change a little bit over the matchdays to see what fits best in the multiversal standard."

by **Valanora** » Fri Nov 03, 2023 8:37 am

The Eternal Empire is preparing to host, and participate in, the Di Bradini Cup once more. After a few editions where hosting duties have been shared with other nations for various reasons, the tournament is once more solely back within the Empire lands and fans of the beautiful game are getting ready to experience the wonderful tournament in droves again. Last edition saw the event shared between the Eternal Empire, Busoga Isle, as well as Banija, thanks in large part to a massive stadium restoration and renovation effort throughout the entire Empire. From Vyinta to Sabine and Caddonia, dozens if not hundreds of stadiums were given a bit of tender love and care with some touch ups to bring them up to compliance with their respective league regulations as well with furnishing some more modern amenities to make the matchday experience all that more enjoyable. That time has come and gone however and now with stadiums with a fresh coat of paint as it were, some literally so instead of figuratively, the Empire welcomes all the teams and fans attending the event with open arms.

The team itself looks to be a nice mix of those who ply their trade within the Empire as well as those who have found their way out of our shores to continue their development, with a little over half of the team playing abroad that have made the roster. Kasper Volheim's experience as an assistant to the senior national team has definitely given the manager a bit of an edge up one might expect, having gotten to see how Dan Eastwood has worked his wonders with the Marauders over the last few years. The belief being that the time spent as learning from the legendary Euran with the senior team will allow Kasper to be able to effortlessly flow into the youth team and have the same effect. There was mixed results last edition but it was also a bit of an odd tournament all together for the team and this looks to be the edition where Kasper either makes or breaks his reputation, to see whether he will remain an assistant or be able to actually get a managerial job at a top club or another national team in the near future.

There is no way to talk about this team without highlighting the main man and whom the squad is going to be relying heavily upon if what we have seen at the domestic level is anything to go off of, and that of course is Imre Haaland. After doing well in the Premiership for a trio of seasons before Juavi inevitably was relegated, letting the striker to finally get a bigger move, he has truly develop as being the head of the spear with Stein-los Turkish in Pasarga. He is neither the fastest, nor the strongest, but he has what is that skill that every excellent striker needs, simply putting the ball in the back of the net. We have seen moments of majesty from Imre but he's usually just showing off his good football acumen to be present at the right time and place or to be making near inch perfect runs to get behind the defense. The Marauders opponents are going to have their hands full trying to slow down a player who simple is just good at putting the ball in the back of the net regardless of the situation they find themselves in, being something of an enigma in trying to mark out of the game as he can use what speed, strength, or technical skill he has to find a way to beat you.

The group is far from easy though for the Marauders, though they will be feeling a bit confident with the home fans behind their back and all the comfort and joys that comes with being the host nation in a huge tournament like this. Yet TJUN-ia is no slouch and there is no denying the vast improvements that Huayramarca has seen over the last few years to their game. Both of these are truly dangerous teams and are going to be quite the test for the Marauders to try and pass in this group stage. That only scratches the surface though as the Marauders open up their group play with the current holders of the competition in Qasden, a fellow Arrosia nation and one whom at the senior level the Marauders generally have a good record against. Yet it was not through pure luck that the Qasden team was able to win the title last edition, there is a wealth of skill and talent in this team and Qasden is a nation whose footballing prowess is on the up and up. While nothing is ever easy, this is like having a final exam on your first day, it will be a quickfire test to see whether this team will sink or swim when put in intense situations.

by **Polar Islandstates** » Fri Nov 03, 2023 12:43 pm

SOUR CHERRIES
Part vii.a)
Authority/Ability
i - ii - iii - iiii - v - vi - vii.a) - vii.b) - vii.c) - vii.d) - vii.e) - vii.f) - vii.g) - viii
Volume Two
** ** ** ** **

As he caught sight of his reflection in the lens of a television camera, even through the funhouse warping of his image, Youssef Nijgaard could tell he looked as nervous as he was. Taking his place at the end of the queue in the tunnel before the opening match of the DBC against Zenic, he had nothing else to do for a few moments but to dwell on this fact. He tried to talk himself out of it, but no. For perhaps the first time in his international career, Youssef was nervous. Properly nervous.

Unsettled, he shifted from foot to foot. Where had this come from? It wasn’t even like he was captain. That accolade had gone to Nic, and deservedly so. But as vice-captain, Youssef knew for the first time that people would be looking to him for leadership on the pitch. Perhaps they always had. Perhaps that detail was something that had passed him by. But if he was a natural leader, designating him as such with a label had made him think twice.

The referee led them out, and he followed the line of players out onto the pitch on autopilot whilst thoughts raced through his head. He thought of his Terns-mad nephew Isaiah and the thousands of children just like him that he now knew he was a role model to. He thought of the jetties and pontoons of home and the black and green posters with his face on that looked over them, those freeze frame photographs of his goals that had helped propel the Flotilla to the title. Most of all, though, he thought of his friend and strike partner, Emmanuele Niemi.

He’d always felt protective of his strike partner. Even though Niemi was the older of the two by almost eighteen months, there had always been something in his nature that made Youssef instinctively feel like his big brother. A figure to look up to. A steadying presence. Someone to support him as he battled his demons.

Or should that be, ‘as he battled The Party’? Youssef was no idiot. He’d seen the accident that caused Emmanuele to lose his thumb at the last DBC. ‘Accident’. There had been shadowy figures around, people Youssef didn’t recognise. He was smart enough to see that Emmanuele was an irritant to The Party; born in Fallenmark, mixed race, erratic, vocal, effervescent, uncompromising, and scoring goals for fun with a VFA badge on his chest. He was the exact opposite of every message The Party were trying to exploit the Terns for. As one of a handful of black Polarians to ever wear the Terns jersey, Youssef had felt the responsibility to try and guide his angry young… sorry, angry older colleague through the maze of pitfalls that was being true to both his heritages.

Race had never been much of an issue until recently. Federation was almost overwhelmingly white, true, but Youssef’s father had spoken in glowing terms to him about the likes of Yann-Erik Nilsson and Victor Larsen; black pioneers in Terns jerseys, and consequently the shoulder-bearers for an almost unimaginable weight of expectation, hope, and responsibility. Expectation to tell their story and live their life in public, justifying it at all turns to all people. Hope that a more inclusive future was ahead. Responsibility to wear it well. Youssef couldn’t imagine being the first. He was happy to stand on the shoulders of giants, but he also felt responsible. A responsibility for Emmanuele.

It wasn't that The Party had ever said anything, but the atmosphere they were breeding was one of suspicion. Anger and fear had driven their rise, and now they were manipulating suspicion of the 'other' to get their new agenda across. They weren't scapegoating anyone, quite the opposite. But Youssef saw it. He wasn't stupid. He was smart enough to not say anything though. You didn't calm suspicious eyes by being reactionary. He was going to wait for the right moment to act, should that be necessary. As yet, it wasn't. Not outwith isolated cases like Emmanuele's, anyway. There. There was that protection again.

The band struck up the national anthem, and Youssef started singing. Again, on autopilot. Not doing so wasn't an option, but his mind wasn't paying attention. He was thinking about his position as vice. Maybe that was why he'd been chosen. Apparently he'd been a leader all his life and just hadn't realised. As a black Polarian in a world of increasing ice, he'd remained calm and measured. And he was going to look out for his strike partner. He had to. Which was exactly when clarity set in. He knew had the authority all along. His mind stopped racing. The nerves flittered away as the teams applauded the anthems and got ready for handshakes. He was a leader, and he was going to get Emmanuele through this. Youssef wasn't sure who exactly to look out for in order to do that however. Bombastic speeches from the Secretary General, your average Sven Svensson, or more shadowy figures in little round glasses.

You never knew with this government. That was the problem.

/

Emmanuele Niemi knew he was good. Self-belief was never the problem. The problem was that he needed everyone else to know it too. It was what had driven him to play in the last final despite not being fit. It was what had driven him to turn down the invitation to be the only exception to Miroshnichenko's rules and join the senior squad in Naixi. It was what was driving him now as he took his spot in the centre circle for kickoff. He was back at the DBC. It was his last chance to play in it, and he reckoned he was due a bit of karma.

He had a score to settle, and he was ready to go. This tournament owed him. He gritted his teeth and snarled, anger rising inside him as he got ready to take what was his. It had already cost him a thumb.

His strike partner looked back at him from across the ball with a look somewhere between pride, determination, and sympathy. He had a lot of time for Youssef, and was proud his friend had been made vice, but he was there with a score of his own to settle and had made the decision not to waste too much time checking what other people wanted from the tournament unless it was the same thing as him. He wasn't going to watch another defeat from the sidelines. He remembered that pain all to well. That frustration. That sense of ennui.

The crowd was building in anticipation as the referee did their final technology checks. He was impatient, restless, took two strides out and two strides back again. He was ready. He was champing at the bit, anxious to succeed this time. Not to fall.

He felt taut, powerful. Ready to steal in with the grace of a dancer and hit them with the force of a tsunami.

It was his time. Finally. Emmanuele Niemi and the DBC. Seconds out! No more stupid accidents, no more distractions, no more men in suits. The whistle went. His ears perked up. Time to receive payment.

He kicked the ball to Youssef and set off at a sprint. Time to play.

** ** ** ** **
Volume Two
i - ii - iii - iiii - v - vi - vii.a) - vii.b) - vii.c) - vii.d) - vii.e) - vii.f) - vii.g) - viii

by **Sea Dome** » Fri Nov 03, 2023 1:14 pm

It was SDU and DBC starting forward McTallguy who first announced to bored teammates that he was going to find a way to mush association and australian football codes together with a hint of basketball. At first it was taken as an odd, anorak-friendly sort of bluster; it wasn't immediately obvious what it was meant to accomplish, and dropped as awkwardly as it was picked up. Before long he was posting seemingly genuine requests for players, and it became all too clear that he really was attempting to combine basically every sport from Earth History that rewards tallness. The thing is, in the full light of day, this wasn't much stranger a proposition than playing Earth sports to begin with...except to the Earth refugees of County Massive, who have displayed absolutely no interest.

Mastri: Just play all the sports you like, dude. Why does everything need to be everything these days?

Nauscus21: This is fucking stupid.

Gunch Muncher: I have gone for some real gunch in my day but this is a lot

Amblix: I guess you could say Mr. Guy has a sort of unorthodox interest.

Countiste6: Stop, he's already dead!

But if McTallguy speaks Earth languages or is bothered by Earth refugee opinions, he didn't show it.

And so it was that Tallball moved from the world of electronic talk into cold, hard reality. "Right mate, what are we after exactly?" asked the 22nd player to show up to West City Field and Recreation Zone, Grumvoc Mojito, a bit cryptically. To which McTallguy of course unrolled an electronic whiteboard already marked up with diagrams and rules. Clearing his throat, he began as the other 21 players gradually took their seats on the grass: "Thank you all for coming, I really do appreciate it. Let's get right to business. Tallball is a multi-code form of football, with two distinct phases per game. In Phase 1, the game resembles australian football: players advance and pass the ball with fists and kicks, defenders may attempt a tackle to steal possession, but are required to leave room for the carrier to dispose of the ball." At this point he finally produces a standard AFL style football. "The ball carrier also has to dispose of the ball. Unlike in Historic Australia, it's not just some tipoff. We will actually use intelligent video software-"

Mojito piped up again, "Why do you talk like that dude", which the presenter ignored: "- to determine whose fault it is that the ball wasn't released, and the other team has a penalty kick from that spot. Every time." This had at long last answered the obvious question, "why not just play australian football"? Rather than a gentleman's agreement, this is a proper game requiring each player trust only the computer referee. Also, the nets: "You'll notice instead of uprights this field has its soccer goals installed. Anyone can kick the ball over the crossbar for one point at any time, or throw/slap/punch a ball in for 2, or kick one in for 4. As in the australian code, there is a goalie, but with no special rules or abilities other than a right to face the shooter in a penalty kick. A team can also secure a free kick by passing the ball from an upward-angled kick to a clean reception, at which point the game stops and the opposing team must take a certain distance. Oh yeah, and if you want to run forward with the ball, you've got to dribble, like something between basketball and australian."

At this point McTallguy bounced the ball effortlessly to the ground and received it again, demonstrating the process. Tappler, the young Black Star member and McT's DBC teammate, now asked, "What about touch?" McT pointed the ball at him like an American politician gripping a pigskin, grinning. "I've fixed that too. Instead of a ridiculous backwards throw in, we simply determine who the ball went off and let the other team kick it back into play." A low buzz of processing and comment followed, then- Mojito again- "Yellow and red cards?" McTallguy nodded, once more the center of attention. "And I'm glad you brought up soccer. Phase 2

by **Huayramarca** » Fri Nov 03, 2023 2:06 pm

Another edition of the Di Bradini Cup, another appearance for Huayramarca at this prestigious tournament. As always, there's the incentive to inject new blood to the torrent called Huayramarcan Football, but this time there's a special ingredient to all of this, the fact that part of the core of the team has had already international projection before this tournament, as figures such as Ferguson Lijerón and some others have been playing some matches during the last CAFA Cup, in which they were a key factor that helped Huayramarca to win its first piece of international silverware.

Exciting prospects, experience on some of them, headed by Blâás Âgínsôgnó himself, and having continuity between them and the Senior NT when it comes to a defined identity of play, makes the fans label them as promising. Nafuna Congo and Lijerón are already a great duo for the team, as both have speed, are ruthless and courageous to score; Lex-Crowley Caicedo and Everett Delgado in the midfield, a pair known for controlling that area of the pitch with ease, as they both rotate functions according to the needs of the match, as they use technique or strength according to what the rival offers and what they need to achieve a favourable score.

Lijerón, Dante Rumiñahui and Dylan Adame have been useful for this team when it comes to transfer the experience they have won with the Senior NT, acting as mentors to the rest of the U-21 team, and a support when they need the most. The transfer is of the utmost importance for the project that Âgínsôgnó wants to create in Huayramarca. In the latest press conference, he emphasised that "If Huayramarca wants to continue in the spots we already have in the World Cup scene, and if we want to be usual contenders, we need to have a fresh steam of players able to respond at any given circumstances that the high level of competence can demand of them... Let aside the talent and tactic attitudes they must possess in order to be a competing side." The resounding effect of his words seem to reflect in the level of expectation the fans have in this current generation of U-21 players for the tournament.

The Group A of this tournament will be the initial stage for this set of players, as they will have to face the home team of Valanora, who are always a contending side one must take care of, according to Rumiñahui "Vanorians will always be contenders, we wish to contend too, but we must be careful of them as that kind of matches aren't considerate of any kind of mistake you can commit during the game. TJUN-ia is also a strong side, a problematic one for any kind of rival, as they have a pretty offensive game scheme that works based on high-pressing, which can cause confidence or precision issues during the match, why confidence? Because a mistake from pressing can be devastating for the player and even the whole team. Qasden is making a comeback to football, which is an added spice to the sauce as they want to provide the best image possible to mention that they will be back as strong as they used to be, or even better than before, which is something to take care of.

by **Graintfjall** » Fri Nov 03, 2023 4:33 pm

DBC an early audition for bigger things for Franklínsson?

If there’s been a tempering note in Græntfjall’s success in international football – going from the Baptism of Fire to World Cup champions in a decade, and making two of three subsequent semifinals – it has that the Snow Wolves’ legacy has largely been overseen by foreign managers. But after the announcement that World Cup 95 will definitely be the last at which Ingþór Auðbjörnsson will helm the Græntfjaller national team before a rumored return to his home country of Pasarga, there is a growing appetite for a homegrown manager to take over. And among the candidates, one has a chance for an audition on a World Cup stage, as Andrin Franklínsson leads the Snow Pups in Valanora for the Under-21 World Cup. Depending on how the campaign goes, it could serve as his audition piece for the national team job.

Franklínsson’s appointment comes after a brief, inglorious stint as manager of the Schutzenphalia and West Ruhntuhnkuhnland national team lasted for all of 9 games. The Mountaineers came away with 2 wins and a 7th place in qualifying at the Copa Rushmori 44: actually beating their historical average record, but not enough to save Andrin his job. A free agent, he was promptly recalled to the Græntfjaller youth setup (he previously served as assistant manager on the Under-18 team that reached the quarterfinals of the 19th RTC World Cup). Of course, his installation as “Coach” comes with a couple of question marks, in the form of Nathanael Hobbs and Sopo Chacuzca, the former now in a Director of Football role overseeing all Græntfjaller youth and developmental football, the latter as Senior Creative Director of Orthogonal Thinking in a role that is said to encompass “aggregating performance based portals”, “iterating the productizing of multifunctional methods of empowerment”, “integrating turnkey products into synthetic equity invested systems”, and “chopping up the halftime oranges”.

While Franklínsson’s exact degree of responsibility may be unclear, he is the only one of the management trifecta actually travelling to Valanora, and thus will clearly have day-to-day operational duties. The Di Bradini Cup is regarded as one of international football’s most competitive tournaments, and features many of the next generation of stars – as well as many young players who will drift into obscurity. It’s a bubbling cauldron of possibilities in which Franklínsson has a chance to make a name for himself with a good performance, whether that’s in a strong run for the Snow Pups or in cultivating a few Snow Wolves of tomorrow. And it’s a chance to stand out given how few Græntfjaller-born managers have made the ground, with Trine Kakalisdóttir the only one to have won any of the country’s international titles – the Under-18 World Cup. Both senior and Under-21 World Cup victories were orchestrated by foreigners, Nepharan Igrene Cantor and Tequiloan Chacuzca, while Pasarga’s Thor was at the helm for the Copa Rushmori victory.

Franklínsson made his name at Altendalur, a one-club man who went from stalwart player to club captain to getting his first taste of managerial experience. On the pitch he was a productive right midfielder who had the misfortune to be born a little late for international glory: already in his 30s when Græntfjall made their Baptism of Fire debut, he shone during the tournament only to earn an ignominious red card in the final that has seen his contribution to a championship in which he was one of the key players relegated to that of the fall guy whose sending off merely compounded the drama of Jason Þórhallursson’s hat-trick in the final. In subsequent World Cup qualifying he was eclipsed by the return of Bríana Noahsdóttir in the starting lineup, and injuries and the inevitable march of age saw him drift out of contention. But he remained a popular Chessman and when his domestic career was ended by a knee injury, a move into management was a logical next step for a man who lived and breathed Altendalur football.

If his managerial tenure with the Mountaineers in Naixi didn’t go well, it was little reflection on him: no more could be unexpected from what is statistically one of the worst teams in World Cup and Copa Rushmori history. But taking a national team role certainly established himself as a contender for the future Snow Wolves vacancy. And after more than a decade of foreign coaches, there is a growing sense that it’s time for another Græntfjaller to be given a chance. Sigtryggur Brynjólfursson’s brief reign went from the highs of Baptism of Fire triumph to the lows of the crushing disappointment of Copa Rushmori 36, after which he was bundled out in favor of Kang Guilin. After Kang came Cantor, and now Thor. But he is done after World Cup 95 no matter what the Snow Wolves achieve, or don’t.

Perhaps the biggest irony, although to be honest I’ve never really understood what irony is so insert here a George Carlin routine, is at the core of Franklínsson’s team for this tournament: if he does well enough to be considered as an autochthonous managerial prospect taking over from a Pasargan, it may be because of a player… born in Pasarga. Benjámin Kristófsson was born Benjámin Takács, before moving to Græntfjall as a teenager during Pasarga’s brief succession dispute as his family sought safety. He remained there, signed on by GT Molding as a youth prospect, and has been naturalized as a dual-national. While a number of Græntfjaller dual nationals have represented other countries, Græntfjall has itself been sparing in the use of the policy, but their claiming of Kristófsson demonstrates just how much faith is being placed in the talented young midfielder. He replaces Baldur Márusson, the once-vaunted prospect who flopped in Elmyia so badly he’s now not even considered for a youth international squad.

Ástríður Arndórsdóttir has a tough job in the opening game defending Muralos midfielder Niutanimats*

Other key players could be holding midfielder Líf Autumnfollower, following in the footsteps of another Kamdyr DM, Erin Marshlily; pacy wingback Ástríður Arndórsdóttir, who as questions persist over the left-back role at senior level has this tournament as a potential springboard for full international selection; and striker Eiður Leonsson, who isn’t particularly good at football but is about 7 feet tall and looks like he eats two bison a day, so hopefully at some point some goals will just sort of bounce in off his head, which is as large and misshappen as if you took two normal people’s heads and smushed them together. Winger Kórekur Efraímsson has become a viral hit for his trick free-kick videos but the player, a rare Snow Wolf of Jewish descent, is yet to translate the training ground highlights into match accomplishments.

Also in the paper:

NEWS: Græntfjall forecast to have 10% Muslim population by 2050 under “high immigration” scenario
BUSINESS: twii.tur stocks crash after popular users migrate to cica.da
POLITICS: Spending review promises fiscal pain amid tightening local budgets
MUSIC: Incredibly mid-level G-pop star inexplicably popular with Farf immigrant population
SPORT: Græntfjall wins third gold medal after decade-long absence from Olympics

*Image generated using AI.

by **Valanora** » Fri Nov 03, 2023 4:42 pm

Matchday 1

Group A
Valanora 1–0 Qasden
TJUN-ia 0–1 Huayramarca

Group B
Kita-Hinode 4–2 Tikariot
Xiaolin 4–4 Aphrilia

Group C
Squornshelan Remnant States 4–2 Chromatika
The Kytler Peninsulae 1–0 Baker Park

Group D
Abahnfleft 1–3 Quebec and Shingoryeo
Shieldstan 2–0 Yuezhou

Group E
Semarland 2–0 The Ko-orenite Constellation
Sea Dome 4–2 Elmyia

Group F
Muralos 0–0 Græntfjall
Captina Island 4–0 Cabo Azure

Group G
Zenic 1–4 Polar Islandstates
HUElavia 2–2 Saint-Jean-Jacques et Burnham-on-Stove

Group H
Darmen 0–2 Mytanija
Khantari 1–2 Josifovo

by **Khantari** » Fri Nov 03, 2023 5:59 pm

Khantari U21 1–2 Josifovo U21
Khantari: Tristan Winterhound 40' (assist by Justin Windford)
Josifovo: Trajan Grbić 37' & Ivan Knežević 80'
Stadium:  Duran Palace

Khantari U21     	1-2	Josifovo U21
37'                     0-1	Trajan Grbić
Tristan Winterhound     1-1	40'
80'                     1-2	Ivan Knežević

"Bitter Result For "The Young Khans"
The 1-2 loss by the Khantari U-21 team better known as "The Young Khans" to Josifovo in Match Day 1 of the Di Bradini Cup 56/U21WC77 Championship was a disappointing match for the fans and supporters of the young Khantari team. The match, which took place at the luxurious Duran Palace stadium, showcased the real challenges faced by Khantari's young team at the international level.

Tactical Combat
When we look at Josifovo's victory, we cannot ignore the role of the tactical strategy of Mirko Tomčić, Josifovo's coach. He uses a 4-4-2 diamond formation that dominates the midfield, allowing his team to control the game. Josifovo's determination in movement and defense showed their tactical efficiency which led to two goals in return. On the other hand, Khantari's team under the leadership of the famous head coach, Ridley Cometts, has taken an attacking 4-4-2 formation approach which is Cometts' favorite style. It emphasizes counterattacks and fast attacks. Tristan Winterhound, with an assist from Justin Windford, managed to score a goal for the Khantari team in the 40th minute. However, Josifovo's persistence did not stop, and they managed to score two goals that decided the final result.

Khantari Team's Hard Work and Commitment
Despite the unsatisfactory results in the first match, we should remember the characteristics and committed approach of the leadership of the Khantari team, especially from the head coach Ridley Cometts. The coach is known for their distinctive management style that emphasizes the importance of controlling the ball and dictating play. He is also known for his high demands on the physical fitness and work ethic of his players. For the coach, a high level of physical fitness is essential for a player's best performance. Detail and a keen understanding of the opposing team's tactics are some of the hallmarks of the Ridley Cometts' leadership. He spends a lot of time analyzing opposing teams, studying match footage, and putting together comprehensive game plans. This allows him to identify weaknesses in the opposing team and exploit them effectively. The coach is also strong in the development of young players. He cares about developing young talents, focusing on improving technical skills, tactical awareness, and overall understanding of the game. Under his guidance, players have shown significant progress, both individually and as a team. With his wisdom, hard work, and passion, Ridley Cometts inspires his players to give their best both on and off the field. He sets high standards for himself and his team, always striving for improvement and success.

Conclusion
The 1-2 defeat by "The Young Khans" in their first match at the Di Bradini Cup 56/U21WC77 is a reminder that competition at the international level is challenging. However, with the leadership and commitment of head coach Ridley Cometts, the Khantari team still has a chance to rise and achieve success in the upcoming matches. We will continue to follow their progress throughout the tournament.

by **Yue Zhou** » Fri Nov 03, 2023 11:42 pm

YUEZHOU DBC56: FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Q: Why are there so many dual nationals?

A: Yuezhou had a major civil war roughly twelve years ago. It started as a military coup against a weakened socialist government, escalated into the new military government fending off multiple wars of independence from separatist provinces, and ended with one of the provinces occupying the entire nation and declaring a new government. Unsurprisingly, many people living in Yuezhou at the time decided to move elsewhere, leading to a wave of dual nationals a decade later. Not everyone has this background - Songwei Milosevic's fiercely communist parents moved to Yuezhou before the war, and we have no idea what makes a guy named "Marius von Kampen" at all Yue, but it's by far the most common origin.

Q: Why aren't Yuezhou normally at the DBC?

A: The Yue Football Association is not especially well-funded, and youth development isn't a priority at the club level. As such, Yuezhou historically hasn't had any sort of youth national team structure. It turns out that this is a great way to get the most promising young talent to move out of the Yue Super! League, something the YFA have been trying to push for ages. To counteract this and try to get more homegrown talent, Yuezhou have decided to try the DBC this cycle to see if it's something that'll help them long-term.

Q: Why don't they have a better manager?

A: While this is mostly based on hearsay, multiple news outlets have reported that National Team advisor Kang Guilin dropped his wrongful termination lawsuit against the YFA in exchange for his nephew, Kang Yongnian, being named head coach of the U21 team. The elder Kang was sacked from the national team after instigating a fight with now-retired midfielder Wan Sheping during the World Cup 94 group stage. Despite this, his legendary decades-long tenure at the helm of Nangang Royals and his time as NT manager make him a revered figure within the YFA, so it'd come as no surprise if such a blatant quid pro quo was accepted. NT manager Elaine Ashdown had reportedly wanted assistant manager Liang Bo to manage the U21s to get some experience: whether the YFA's continued favoritism towards an eighty-year-old man who has no effect on their future will cost them their manager (again) remains to be seen.

Q: What's a qiuniu?

A: Yuezhou's senior NT is commonly known as the Dragons. In classical Yue mythology, the qiuniu is one of the children of the Dragon God. The rest of this answer is left as an exercise for the reader.

Q: Who are the team's stars?

A: Stalwart center-back Esekíel Zeminsson Yao, marauding wingback Songwei Milosevic, and diligent winger Vincent Tong are the most experienced players, and all three have significant experience in some of the bigger leagues in the multiverse. But you should also keep an eye out for metronomic midfielder Wang Xianliang, a Chromatika-born Yueren who carried Yincheng Phoenixes to a shock second-place league finish last season. And while the attack is far less proven, each of Miljka Yun, Liljan Álfarsdottír Zhou, and Jia Luka Siski have diehard fans who already swear that they're the next Liu Huiying.

Q: Are they good?

A:

Valanora wrote:Shieldstan 2–0 Yuezhou

No.

by **Cabo Azure** » Sat Nov 04, 2023 4:44 am

TJ’s Grille is a rather unremarkable establishment on a commercial street adjacent to, but not technically in, the Playa Silva neighborhood of Sao Simone. The menu could be described generously as “Terranean fusion”, or less generously as “Azurean street food”; a mix of standard Azurean dishes like bacalhau and fare that is more likely to be familiar to TJ’s regulars, who are a motley group of expats from Terranean-speaking mainland countries like New Gelderland and Electrum who gather irregularly to be among their own kind and watch the Gold League and the Zenith on the one plasma screen TV above the counter.

TJ’s is not, as a rule, the kind of place one goes to get drunk night after night, but that is more or less what Ryan Blair has been doing for the past three weeks, posting on the same bar stool downing Macarica after shot of Electrumite whiskey, peddling his tale of woe to anyone who will listen. The community of mainland Terranean expatriates in Sao Simone is smaller and tighter-knit than the Cenians or Olastorians, and Ryan’s misfortune is well known in those circles, so mostly they give him a wide berth. The native Azureans who patronize the bar, some sports fanatics looking for an “authentic” experience, others just hungry, are generally more amenable to having their ears bent; one might attribute this to empathy, cultural taboo, or simple schadenfreude at the plight of the clueless gringo.

See, while marriage in Cabo Azure is sacrosanct, and legal annulment still requires the blessing of a priest (or a royal, and some are hopeful that the new Graintfjaller-born royals will prove more liberal than their cousins), Azurean dating culture is surprisingly freewheeling, and the concept of engagement especially doesn’t exist the way it does in other cultures. Outside of the Terranophile (or Quebecophile) upper classes, weddings in Cabo Azure are simple affairs, typically conducted aboard a ship with Two people may be said to be planning a wedding together, but there is little stigma around calling off a wedding in the planning stages and there is no implicit contract of monogamy until after the wedding.

Many a Terranean or other foreign visitor, usually but not exclusively male, has found themselves feeling wronged by this relatively cavalier attitude. Young Azureans, especially those in the cosmopolitan center of Sao Simone, love social media and dating apps and use them to fill their social calendars. Despite being by far the largest city in Cabo Azure, Sao Simone isn’t much more than a big town, with a population just a shade over three hundred thousand, so foreigners are a welcome mix to a dating pool that would otherwise stagnate relatively quickly. The types of casual relationships born out of these dating sites are often ideal for expatriates new to the city; the newcomer brings a fresh perspective from the mainland, while the Azurean object of their affections brings an intimate knowledge of the city and a social group.

Going back to our friend Ryan, he was in one of these relationships when he first arrived in Sao Simone about six months ago. He “met” a girl, Tonia, over one of these apps while he was still living in his parents’ cramped apartment in Bastion and after verifying her identity via several forms of back-and-forth, some safe-for-work, some not, agreed to visit her in Sao Simone. His mum had been after him to get out more, after all. Tonia met him at the airport in Natal and the weekend they spent together was a whirlwind of dancing, drinking, and sex, sex to equal the amount Ryan had in his entire life up to that point. Returning home with his head swimming in oxytocin, Ryan quickly transferred to a remote position with his firm, taking a significant pay cut in the process, and started the process of uprooting his life to move to Tonia in Sao Simone. The work visa process, he learned, was mostly a formality in Cabo Azure if you were planning to work remotely for a foreign venture; his contributions to the Azurean treasury would come in the form of sales tax on the foreign goods he bought and on his frequent flights home to Bastion to see his family or deal with work stuff.

Ryan met up with Tonia upon his return to Sao Simone, and his first weekend as an expatriate was an echo of the weekend they’d spent together when he was visiting. Over the following weeks, however, he saw her less frequently, and she dodged him with increasingly unlikely excuses. Eventually he heard through mutual friends she’d been seen with someone else; jilted, he confronted her, and she laughed as she told him that he had clearly misunderstood their relationship. Her laughter, the Azureans with whom Ryan had become acquainted assured him, was equal parts out of discomfort and mirth at how out of hand the situation had gotten, but Ryan could only hear cruelty, and hadn’t contacted her since despite several bona fide efforts on her part to reach out.

So now his life has been reduced to working in his apartment on his laptop, watching Euran TV in his apartment on his laptop, and occasionally making the trek to TJ’s to drink Macarica and cheap Euran whiskey. His mother wants him to come home, his friends back in Eura want him to “get back out there” so they can live vicariously through him, but Ryan has no plans on doing either; in fact, his entire life appears to revolve around “winning Tonia back”, though how he plans to that without calling her is anyone’s guess.

by **Aphrilia** » Sat Nov 04, 2023 6:11 am

GK to FW, L to R
Xiaolin Starting XI: [4-3-3] Duan; Lynch, Fletcher, Mitchell, Karasumaru; Suganuma (C), Griffin, Bevan; Akizuki, Konno, Hughes
Aphrilia Starting XI: [4-3-3] Karnwell (C); Edwards, O'Truffet, Christonson, Jackson; Costiff, Mackey, McPreston; Collins, Lacey, Evans

"Steven, I conceded FOUR GOALS in the span of EIGHTEEN MINUTES for Ezo's sake!"

"Phil, calm down, at least we drew and got a point! And plus we couldn't have turned it around without you saving the next ten shots!"

"I know, but I made things harder for the team-"

"Karnwell has a point, O'Truffet. But to be fair, it was also the defense's fault for not covering his weakspots."

The one who said that was Christonson himself. While it was true for the Junior Anchors first ever match that they conceded four goals and Karnwell conceded those goals by being unable to stop them, the defense was also to blame especially after post-match analysis which showed that O'Truffet and Christonson couldn't properly adapt for each other. While Alan Jackson and Jacob Edwards were able to quickly get used to the new system of football that the manager wanted to use, and the midfield excelling in the possession system, the other part of the team that struggled to get into the groove was left wing which Campton Collins was playing. Due to these disconnections among the team, it leaded to a lack of communication and thus decreased Aphrilia's capability to face off against The Tiger's extremely high press which ended up in the four goals conceded.

Two goals from Akizuki, one from Konno and the other from Hughes on the 12th, 17th, 22nd, and 29th minutes respectively. The defense was completely run over by The Tigers in just one half. Aphrilia would only muster a consolation goal by Joshua Evans from a corner taken by Elliot McPreston on the 44th minute. By half time, the scoreline was 4 - 1 and the team along with the fans knew that someone would have to muster up a sort of miracle to even consolidate a point in the standings. And that's exactly what happened, as Kevin Lacey decided to score a hat trick in the second half. The first goal of the second half was on the 51st minute and it was a simple shot outside the box curled in past Dajon Duan. The second goal was a simple tap in after a saved penalty on the 67th minute, while the third goal was a shot just inside the box. Lacey had kicked the ball so hard it rattled off the crossbar and went into the net by hitting the ground first. Insane, pure power. Which was unusual for Lacey, who's a more technique focused player.

"You all are lucky I'm on the team, no way McNeil would pull that off." - KL

"Oh shut up Kev, your work rate was horrendous during the first half." - SO'T

"You forgot or something? I'm a forward. I have no defensive responsibility." - KL

"You still have the responsibility of leading the transition, which you failed horrendously at." - KC

"Shut up! Plus, I remember you not wanting to speak to me ever since that match. What's wrong? Little rich pants finally braved up huh?" - KL

"Because I am doing this for the sake of this team. I already talked to the rest during our post-match analysis with the manager, and plus, your terrible management of your temper will get one of us harmed or it might even crush our chances of even getting through the group stage." - KC

"What did you say about my temper?"

"Shut it, Lacey! And Christonson, knock it off." - PK

"Hmph." KL & KC

This was going to be quite the time of his life for Karnwell.

by **Saint-Jean-Jacques et Burnham-on-Stove** » Sun Nov 05, 2023 3:38 am

Saint-Jean-Jacques et Burnham-on-Stove draws with HUElavia

Turbani, Valanora - The Under 21 Cup, commonly known as the Di Bradini Cup just kicked off and Saint-Jean-Jacques et Burnham-on-Stove drew 2-2 with HUElavia. The Tapirs scored at the 24th minute when Rose Van der Jagt made a short pass to Charlotte Gibouleau-Beaudoin who dribbles and kicks from 25 meters and the ball is in. Saint-Jean-Jacques et Burnham-on-Stove takes a 1-0 lead and this is the score at halftime. HUElavia tied the game at the 64th minute when Sabrina Pessoa Kanashiro made a cross to Josefina Sapateiro who kicks the ball into the net. At the 71st minute, Baraxil Guerricagoitia made a header pass to Lide Vidarte who heads the ball int the net ans HUElavia takes a 2-1 lead. At the 83rd minute, Charlotte Gibouleau-Beaudoin made a short pass to Rodrigo Guénette-Velazquez who kicks it. The ball accidentally touches Sara Muñoz' forearm in the penalty area and it's a penalty kick. Lily-Rose Malboeuf takes the kick, she kicks the ball past Fabiana Barboza. It's a goal and the game is tied at 2-2. This is the final score.

On matchday 2, the Jean-Jacquois and Burnhamese will play against Polar Islandstates. Evan MacNeely has a minor foot injury and he'll be replaced with Madison Ruzekowicz in the starting XI. The Polar Islandstates won 4-1 against Zenic and are actually first in group G.

Chloé Bellefleur

by **Josifovo** » Sun Nov 05, 2023 8:02 am

Спортски Журнал
All the sports, by the people, for the people

JOSIFSKI UNDER-21 TEAM CLINCHES IMPORTANT VICTORY IN OPENER AGAINST KHANTARI

Competition in the highest level of multiversal youth football is intense, as was observed in Duran Stadium in Valanora for the opening matchday. Josifovo faced off against Khantari in a close game that saw our nation's team emerge victorious with an 1-2 scoreline and with a lot of questions as to how future games are going to pan out. With a strong defensive showing throught the majority of the game and following effective counter-offensive strategies when need be, it shows clear progress on the Zlatni Lavovi's part.

Mirko Tomčić's thought process would not unfold as perfectly as planned out of course. That is of course since both teams were examining the way the other played in the start of the game and for the most part, the gameplay in the first half did not have much action. Uroš Tadić would show signs of brilliance throught the entire game and it was most prevalent in the 37th minute when he'd find a small gap on the Young Khans' left flank to expertly pass it to Željko Milojević and with a swift cross, Trajan Grbić would be the one to convert the subsequent header. Celebrations for the first international goal of Josifovo in U-21 World Cup would not last for long, as Justin Windford would lead the attack which would culminate with Tristan Winterhound scoring the equaliser.

With the scores level on half-time and seeing as the Khantari would dominate the offense on occasion, the defensive core would be strengthened with the entries of Ilija Ćosić and Grozdan Krstevski, both of which would be able to stop any attacks by the Khantari on the flanks. With the possession being 60-40 in favor of the Young Khans, it looked as if they would be finding the space eventually. The came close with Tristan Winterhound once again on the 73rd minute, but Kristijan Jurić would make a heroic save to Winterhound's rocket to keep the Zlatni Lavovi's chances afloat.

This save would prove to be the changing point for the match, as the team would finally apply more pressure to the Khantari team and regain possession more and more often. Eventually this would lead to securing the midfield, which would allow for Tadić to control the ball with the chest and with a quick backheel find Knežević who would score and give the team the advantadge which would remain until the end of the game.

Securing a victory on the first matchday of the U-21 World Cup, also known as Di Bradini Cup was pivotal and it will serve as a lifeline for future matchdays. Next matchday is against Mytanija, in what will be a battle against a familiar(to the seniors) foe and it will indicate whether the Josifski or the Mytanar have a brighter future ahead of them as things currently stand. With Mirko Tomčić stating "Every single matchday is a final for us, Mytanija being no different. We will focus on our game, playing with our tactics and improving what went wrong today. We have a long campaign ahead of us."

by **TJUN-ia** » Sun Nov 05, 2023 11:22 am

Oh crap, DBC's on.

Uh...Boot It! already ended...what the fuck do we do before we start The Book?

Ok...let's see what happened then.

We lost 1-0 thanks to a goal from Nafuna Congo? Ok, that's fair enough. GGs Huayramarca.

Two more games. GO YOUNG JAGS!

by **Chromatika** » Sun Nov 05, 2023 1:41 pm

Silverman Promises to Perform Better as Young Anomalies Allow Four

To say it mildly, Chromatika got smacked in the mouth by the Squornshelan Remnant States in their tournament opener in DBC 56.

Yes, they scored two goals - D'Aboville and Gennadievna getting in the action - but they allowed four. All four came in transition, when they were pressing on the opposing end; all four of them were balls that Silverman could've gotten, and all four of them were almost contemptuously easy.

"He had a bad day," stated Manager Pare-Achel of Silverman, "He'll grow and get better, or we'll learn really quickly that he isn't cut for international competition."

Silverman owned up to the miscues, saying that "I need to be better at reading the flow of the game and reacting faster."

Chromatika will have two more chances - against The Kytler Peninsulae and Baker Park.

Otherwise, their tournament will be over - and any chances of Silverman impressing the CFF in the near future.

by **Graintfjall** » Sun Nov 05, 2023 1:52 pm

Muralos – 0 (0)

Græntfjall – 0 (0)
Annabella (c); Sveinþór (32’ Mattías ), Dan, Bogi (82’), Ástríður (65’ Heiða ); Líf; Kórekur, Benjámin, Grímnir (65’ Nóel ), Snæbjörn (87’ Aríana ); Eiður (87’ Auðkell )

Posted on the In Brief section of the GS SuperSports+ website.

Sólmundsson injury compounds woeful start for Snow Pups

by **The Kytler Peninsulae** » Sun Nov 05, 2023 2:56 pm

There's been quite a few time dilation shenanigans around the interaction of this tournament and the Olympics, making it difficult to know quite who was actually playing when for this team. But the final score doesn't lie; the Kytlerian U21s have won their opening match against a nation who have actual recent history in this sport (including winning this very tournament just three cycles ago), and that was not something most expected.

Of course, the youth level shouldn't be so bound by the past, and this generation is very specifically the first in decades to have had any childhood dreams of representing their country, which has to have helped them. (Could that make them the foundation of the senior team sooner rather than later? The combination of the DBC and the split-squad approach for the Brevity Challenge Cup and Copa Rushmori was an explicit attempt to find out, by way of maximising the number of players given their shot in Margaret green and seeing who rose and fell.) Still, nobody realistically expected that much from the Kytlerians yet even at youth level.

And it turns out they've already got something. More to the point, that something is Vicente Bautista Oleandro, mercifully to be known by all and sundry as Vincent. He's even got a trademark goal celebration - a "V for victory" - that has become somewhat familiar to Kytlerian domestic soccer fans through his early success at Real Santa Mordana and now got its international debut following what turned out to be the only goal of the match in the 32nd minute. Most of his best work in this match came from drifting around the half-spaces, and the goal was no exception as he drifted from a central position to play a one-two with Andy Pickett on the left, before cutting inside and unleashing a curling strike from the edge of the box that may or may not have been on target before it took a slight nick off Chrissy Little, but certainly was after that. Maddie Terwilliger was helpless in the Baker Park goal, but what was most impressive was how an attack-minded Baker Park side simply couldn't find a way past a stubborn Kytlerian back four in the second half. When they did, Reggie Foster made two smart saves to deny Becky Shock and lock in the shock.

Kytlerian beginner's luck is back for a new era in this of all sports? Maybe!

by **Polar Islandstates** » Sun Nov 05, 2023 3:36 pm

SOUR CHERRIES
Part vii.b)
Brutality/Brevity
i - ii - iii - iiii - v - vi - vii.a) - vii.b) - vii.c) - vii.d) - vii.e) - vii.f) - vii.g) - viii
Volume Two
** ** ** ** **

Beginning a competition campaign with a win was crucial. Everyone knew that. And everyone knew that the bulk of this squad had a score to settle after the last tournament had ended the way it had ended...

Really, though. Was anyone expecting this? This?

Unless you were a foolhardy optimist, you wouldn't have seen this coming. Not exactly.

This wasn't just a fast start, this was brutal. Youssef had never seen Emmanuele play with a fire like this in his belly. Straight from that opening kick-off, they'd flown down the field. The ball had been forced backwards temporarily, but as Nic floated in a deliciously weighted lofted pass, Youssef was able to nod the ball down into the area where he knew his strike partner would be, and such was the speed with which he'd accelerated through the space, he'd almost missed him.

As it was, the shot almost took the net off. One-nil, and Zenic hadn't even touched the ball yet. Minutes later, Emmanuele had his second. Then Youssef himself got in on the action a few minutes after that, and before too long, here they all were: sprinting into the corner to follow an ecstatic Emmanuele Niemi, collecting on a personal promise and scoring a hat trick to put the Chicks four-nil up after just eighteen minutes.

Looking into the crowd at the celebrating fans as he clutched his teammates' shoulders though, Youssef thought he saw something. Someone. Surely not. Not again. Emmanuele wasn't even doing the hand signals he'd gotten into trouble for previously, but... Youssef had thought he'd seen someone out of place.

In fact, he was sure of it. Someone skulking. Someone in a suit. There were limbs and arms everywhere, but...

There! Definitely. In a crowd of people celebrating like crazy, the one person trying to hide behind a corner with a serious look on their face was always going to stand out. Youssef felt a lurch in his stomach as he wondered if anyone else had spotted them.

You had to admire their tenacity, if nothing else...

/

Clenching both fists, Emmanuele Niemi turned and faced the fans as he walked backwards. He raised his arms in the air and watched as the fans gratifyingly returned the gesture. Start as you meant to go on, that was the plan. Winning Divisjon One would be one thing, but this was what he craved more than anything else right now. He'd give almost anything. The way he saw it, he'd already given a thumb.

His therapist had spoken to him about finding outlets, and handling his power and responsibility better, but this was the way he wanted to do that. Surely there could be not better way to release his anger?

Every fibre in his body was singing, no, screaming at him as he returned to his half for the restart. It was taken quickly. Clearly Zenic were keen to reduce the deficit, and the suddenly, bam. Emmanuele had been megsed on his way to close the ball down. He saw red. A mist descended past his eye.

Two steps. Chase. Turn. Lunge. And the defender went down like he'd been stabbed with a shiv.

Whatever. Emmanuele spat on the floor. If you couldn't handle the pace of the game, go home. He was here to play. If they weren't, maybe they'd be happier watching from Zenic with a bowl of muesli.

The expected yellow card came, as did the signal to calm down from Youssef and Nic. Another spot on the floor. He didn't want to let them down, but nobody was going to make a fool of Emmanuele Niemi. Not at this tournament. The free kick was taken, and he received a hard jostle from a Zenic player as they ran past.

Emmanuele smiled and started running in pursuit of the ball. This was what it was all about. If they wanted him gritty, he could do gritty...

** ** ** ** **
Volume Two
i - ii - iii - iiii - v - vi - vii.a) - vii.b) - vii.c) - vii.d) - vii.e) - vii.f) - vii.g) - viii

by **Valanora** » Sun Nov 05, 2023 5:16 pm

The stadium has been loud and boisterous as the two teams took to the field, a sold out crowd for the opening match of the tournament with the Marauders taking the traditional opening match in the might Battleground. The home of the famous Raynor City United, a club where several of the players on the team either played for currently or had come through their system before moving away from the mighty club. The club like the stadium itself was the stuff of legend and near on myth within the Empire, as steeped in legend and success as the legendary Laborious Hawk, captain of the senior team. The players could feel the atmosphere as well as the pressure of playing in this grand location with over seventy thousand home supporters expecting them to put on a show as well as get a result. The ghosts of legends past who had called this stadium home or had some major moment in the stadium, like lifting the senior team's record tying fifth World Cup title, peering at them with pale, expectant eyes that they live up to the hype behind them.

Pressure is a funny thing, it has a way of either having a player, or a team in this case, collapse underneath its weight, wilting away under the might of its exerting force. Or it could instead find a way to have you reach depths that you had not known were within your grasp and pull out performances that you might have believed were beyond your skill. It is difficult to say if any of the Marauders or the team as a whole felt either of those in the matchup against current Di Bradini holders, but they definitely look a bit awed in the first half hour of the match, finding it difficult to find their footing. Qasden was showing their quality and how they were able to win the the tournament last edition, stifling the Marauders midfield from being able to make opportunities for the lethal attackers at the front to do much with. Eventually though, the squad was able to break through the stranglehold that Qasden was making in the middle and Imre Haaland cooly slid in an effort from just outside the six in what would prove to be the only goal in the match.

Elsewhere Huayramarca defeated TJUN-ia also by a goal to none, leaving the two sides at the top of the table through the first matchday and with plenty to play for and plenty for members on both squad could prove. Haaland was starved of possession for large swathes of the game against Qasden but never looked frustrated or like they were out of the game, still triggering the pressing and tracking back when he was needed to. That effort was rightly rewarded as everyone got to see his positional sense at work as he was able to maneuver through the defense for an easy tap in with the through ball to him. While it does not look flashy like a long run through the defense or as impressive as simply blasting one from the top of the box and ruffling the back off the net, yet for those who appreciate the little things in the game there is a certain beauty to his efficiency and ability to pop up in scoring positions and convert when offered them. That sort of ruthless efficiency has served the Marauders once already, will they need to do so again in the rest of the group stage or the knockouts if they make it that far and can the young star deliver when called upon again?

by **Valanora** » Sun Nov 05, 2023 5:16 pm

Matchday 2

Group A
Qasden 2–4 Huayramarca
Valanora 3–0 TJUN-ia

P Group A                                   Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Valanora                                    2   2  0  0    4   0  +4    6
2 Huayramarca                                 2   2  0  0    5   2  +3    6
3 Qasden                                      2   0  0  2    2   5  −3    0
4 TJUN-ia                                     2   0  0  2    0   4  −4    0

Group B
Tikariot 1–2 Aphrilia
Kita-Hinode 1–2 Xiaolin

P Group B                                   Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Aphrilia                                    2   1  1  0    6   5  +1    4
  Xiaolin                                     2   1  1  0    6   5  +1    4
3 Kita-Hinode                                 2   1  0  1    5   4  +1    3
4 Tikariot                                    2   0  0  2    3   6  −3    0

Group C
Chromatika 1–0 Baker Park
Squornshelan Remnant States 0–1 The Kytler Peninsulae

P Group C                                   Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 The Kytler Peninsulae                       2   2  0  0    2   0  +2    6
2 Squornshelan Remnant States                 2   1  0  1    4   3  +1    3
3 Chromatika                                  2   1  0  1    3   4  −1    3
4 Baker Park                                  2   0  0  2    0   2  −2    0

Group D
Quebec and Shingoryeo 0–0 Yuezhou
Abahnfleft 0–1 Shieldstan

P Group D                                   Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Shieldstan                                  2   2  0  0    3   0  +3    6
2 Quebec and Shingoryeo                       2   1  1  0    3   1  +2    4
3 Yuezhou                                     2   0  1  1    0   2  −2    1
4 Abahnfleft                                  2   0  0  2    1   4  −3    0

Group E
The Ko-orenite Constellation 0–1 Elmyia
Semarland 1–2 Sea Dome

P Group E                                   Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Sea Dome                                    2   2  0  0    6   3  +3    6
2 Semarland                                   2   1  0  1    3   2  +1    3
3 Elmyia                                      2   1  0  1    3   4  −1    3
4 The Ko-orenite Constellation                2   0  0  2    0   3  −3    0

Group F
Græntfjall 1–2 Cabo Azure
Muralos 3–0 Captina Island

P Group F                                   Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Muralos                                     2   1  1  0    3   0  +3    4
2 Captina Island                              2   1  0  1    4   3  +1    3
3 Cabo Azure                                  2   1  0  1    2   5  −3    3
4 Græntfjall                                  2   0  1  1    1   2  −1    1

Group G
Polar Islandstates 2–0 Saint-Jean-Jacques et Burnham-on-Stove
Zenic 1–2 HUElavia

P Group G                                   Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Polar Islandstates                          2   2  0  0    6   1  +5    6
2 HUElavia                                    2   1  1  0    4   3  +1    4
3 Saint-Jean-Jacques et Burnham-on-Stove      2   0  1  1    2   4  −2    1
4 Zenic                                       2   0  0  2    2   6  −4    0

Group H
Mytanija 3–1 Josifovo
Darmen 1–1 Khantari

P Group H                                   Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Mytanija                                    2   2  0  0    5   1  +4    6
2 Josifovo                                    2   1  0  1    3   4  −1    3
3 Khantari                                    2   0  1  1    2   3  −1    1
4 Darmen                                      2   0  1  1    1   3  −2    1

Di Bradini Cup 56/U21WC77 RP And Scores Thread

Di Bradini Cup 56/U21WC77 RP And Scores Thread

Before The Book (I)

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