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[Vephrall]

Collegiate Sporting Alliance, 1782 season

Conference realignment, whoo! It's pretty minor, though.

Anhenir University has perhaps the only team that pretty much everybody in Vephrall has some opinion about. As a general rule, you either love the Fighting Sortherners or you hate them; there's not much of a middle ground. Following the 1781 season, Anhenir entered into talks with major Vephrese television network MTN. MTN expressed great interest in broadcasting live all Anhenir football games. This arrangement, however, was incompatible with the Big West Conference's existing TV contract. As a result, Anhenir has elected to withdraw from the Big West and compete in football as an independent.

This defection left the Big West with only eleven teams, which was undesirable, so BWC officials began the search for a team to replace Anhenir. They soon chose former independent Continental University, the only independent to have ever gained a berth in the national championship tournament, entering as last year's number five seed. Continental begins play as a member of the Big West immediately.

Big West Conference
Well, that acquisition of Continental looks pretty darned good, doesn't it? The Bulls come in at full throttle and win the league in their first year.

Rank  Team                 P   W   D   L   GF   GA   GD  Pts
   2  Continental         15  11   2   2   25    9   16   35  Q
   5  Dettune             15   9   5   1   30   16   14   32  Q
  14  Northern Darnai     15   8   4   3   18    9    9   28  Q
  24  Sirinis Ag          15   6   4   5   23   17    6   22
      Virdys              15   5   6   4   15   14    1   21
      Western Dettune     15   5   6   4   21   21    0   21
      Highland            15   6   2   7   19   20   -1   20
      Seibeng             15   5   4   6   21   28   -7   19
      Western Darnai      15   5   1   9   18   25   -7   16
      Sirinis             15   4   3   8   24   31   -7   15
      South Sirinis       15   3   5   7   16   21   -5   14
      Dettune Mtn         15   1   6   8   13   26  -13    9

[float=left][/float] Champions:
Continental University
Bulls
(last season: Northern Darnai)

East Coast Conference
The East Coast comes crashing back to earth this year. Last time they had four teams ranked in the top ten; this time only two make it to the tourney at all, but Calamen is able to defend its title.

Rank  Team                 P   W   D   L   GF   GA   GD  Pts
   4  Calamen             15   9   5   1   37   10   27   32  Q
   8  Till                15   9   4   2   28   15   13   31  Q
  17  Salle Southern      15   6   6   3   27   14   13   24
  19  North Salle         15   7   3   5   22   13    9   24
      Calamen-Petaki      15   5   5   5   17   17    0   20
      Solonds             15   5   5   5   17   23   -6   20
      Salle               15   6   2   7   21   35  -14   20
      Rascenass           15   4   6   5   17   21   -4   18
      Sheoron             15   4   5   6   16   16    0   17
      Calamen-Custles     15   5   2   8   18   30  -12   17
      Southeastern        15   3   6   6   17   19   -2   15
      Defae               15   2   7   6   13   18   -5   13

[float=left][/float] Champions:
University of Calamen
Grizzlies
(2nd consecutive season)

Isthmian Conference
WHO won the league? That's right, noted basketball powerhouse Eastern Darnai, which has never previously made it into the tournament, never mind won its conference. Sorry, we weren't prepared for this, and we don't have a logo for you. Frankly, we're still in shock.

Rank  Team                 P   W   D   L   GF   GA   GD  Pts
   3  Eastern Darnai      15  10   4   1   29   10   19   34  Q
  10  Bektys Coastal      15   9   3   3   26   14   12   30  Q
  15  South Bektys        15   8   3   4   23   10   13   27  Q
      Riestre-Clyddly     15   5   6   4   24   19    5   21
      BTI                 15   5   6   4   22   17    5   21
      Isthmian            15   5   5   5   17   14    3   20
      North Bektys        15   5   2   8   13   26  -13   17
      Flaarickug          15   5   2   8   17   31  -14   17
      Scusenany           15   3   7   5   18   18    0   16
      Bektys State        15   4   2   9   16   23   -7   14
      Fishbog             15   4   2   9   12   23  -11   14
      Western Shentarong  15   2   7   6   15   25  -10   13

[float=left][/float] Champions:
Eastern Darnai University
Devils
(last season: South Bektys)

Lowland Conference
Jishmid wins. Sorry, really nothing interesting here.

Rank  Team                 P   W   D   L   GF   GA   GD  Pts
   1  Jishmid             15  11   2   2   25    8   17   35  Q
   6  Dettune State       15  10   1   4   21   10   11   31  Q
  18  NW Sumbobor         15   8   2   5   24   18    6   26
  20  Middle Bektys       15   7   4   4   25   20    5   25
      Chezlot             15   6   4   5   24   18    6   22
      Bayside             15   6   3   6   19   18    1   21
      Narrows             15   6   3   6   22   22    0   21
      Speilers            15   5   4   6   13   15   -2   19
      Central Sumbobor    15   5   4   6   18   23   -5   19
      Baseng              15   5   3   7   16   19   -3   18
      Mersira             15   4   4   7   17   20   -3   16
      Sumbobor Tech       15   3   4   8   18   29  -11   13

[float=left][/float] Champions:
Jishmid College
Cougars
(last season: Northwest Sumbobor)

Midland Conference
The Midland might be the most competitive conference year in and year out; for at least the second year running, first and fourth place are separated by two points or less.

Rank  Team                 P   W   D   L   GF   GA   GD  Pts
   7  Till State          15   9   5   1   23   14    9   32  Q
  11  NE Riestre          15  10   1   4   27   20    7   31  Q
   9  Riestre             15   9   3   3   30   16   14   30  Q
  12  Siellal             15   9   3   3   16   10    6   30  Q
      Riestre Tech        15   6   3   6   21   16    5   21
      Westlake            15   6   3   6   17   19   -2   21
      North Shentarong    15   6   3   6   16   22   -6   21
      Shentarong Tech     15   5   4   6   23   21    2   19
      Taeschand           15   4   6   5   22   21    1   18
      Riestre State       15   4   3   8   12   17   -5   15
      Military            15   3   5   7   18   27   -9   14
      NW Salle            15   2   6   7   18   27   -9   12

[float=left][/float] Champions:
Till State University
Cougars
(last season: Siellal)

Southern Crescent Conference
Two bids! Congratulations, you're finally a big-time conference again, sorta.

Rank  Team                 P   W   D   L   GF   GA   GD  Pts
  13  Fekliir State       15   9   2   4   28   16   12   29  Q
  16  Southwestern        15   8   2   5   28   17   11   26  Q
  21  East Point          15   8   1   6   21   18    3   25
  22  Shentarong State    15   7   3   5   30   20   10   24
  23  Darnai              15   6   5   4   24   21    3   23
      Shentarong Southern 15   6   5   4   17   18   -1   23
      Sumbobor State      15   5   5   5   21   23   -2   20
      Sumbobor            15   4   5   6   21   20    1   17
      Twin Cities         15   3   6   6   15   20   -5   15
      Nenbondle           15   4   2   9   15   26  -11   14
      Shentarong          15   3   4   8   19   36  -17   13
      Astenast State      15   3   3   9   16   27  -11   12

[float=left][/float] Champions:
Fekliir State College
Bulldogs
(last season: Shentarong State)

Independents
Now that Continental has joined the Big West, it's up to former Big West member Anhenir to carry the banner for the independents. Well, at least they just barely managed to finish in the final top 25 poll.

Rank  Team                 P   W   D   L   GF   GA   GD  Pts
      Salle State         15   6   5   4   19   16    3   23
  25  Anhenir             15   6   4   5   18   17    1   22
      DMA                 15   4   4   7   17   23   -6   16
      Darnai A&M          15   5   1   9   16   30  -14   16
      Northern Riestre    15   3   2  10   20   30  -10   11
      Gloem               15   0   1  14    9   38  -29    1

National Championship Tournament

First Round
Incredible! The top seed actually won its first round match for the first time since 1777. To make up for that, #2 Continental went out on penalties to #15 South Bektys. That's two appearances for the Bulls, both times seeded in the top five, and two first-round exits. The 3, 5, and 6-seeds also lost in what is always an upset-heavy opening round.

(1) Jishmid 4-2 (16) Southwestern
(8) Till 0-2 (9) Riestre
(5) Dettune 0-1 (12) Siellal
(4) Calamen 3-1 (13) Fekliir State
(6) Dettune State 1-3 (11) NE Riestre
(3) Eastern Darnai 2-4 (14) Northern Darnai
(7) Till State 4-3 (10) Bektys Coastal
(2) Continental 0-0 (15) South Bektys (1-1 AET, 2-4 PKs)

Quarterfinals
This is one of those years where the 15-seed is going to be annoying and get all the way to the final, isn't it? On the bright side, they might actually face the 1-seed, which is the only single-digit seed to make it into the semifinals. The CSA tournament seeding process: proudly without credibility since the dawn of time!

(1) Jishmid 1-0 (9) Riestre
(12) Siellal 1-0 (4) Calamen
(11) NE Riestre 2-1 (14) Northern Darnai
(7) Till State 1-2 (15) South Bektys

Semifinals
Northeast Riestre, I have a bone to pick with you. Namely, how do you miss every single shot in a penalty shootout? Maybe SBU's keeper is just that good; at any rate, they clinch an IUCC spot along with Jishmid, who they'll face in the final.

(1) Jishmid 2-0 (12) Siellal
(11) NE Riestre 2-2 (15) South Bektys (2-2 AET, 0-3 PKs)

Third Place Playoff
After a couple years of meaninglessness, this match now once again decides the third and final IUCC place. And I suppose we shouldn't be surprised that the Conquerors came out on top.

(12) Siellal 2-1 (11) NE Riestre

Final
Well, at least the top seed got to the final, but you've gotta figure losing there to a team that barely made it into the field must be pretty embarrassing.

(1) Jishmid 1-2 (15) South Bektys

South Bektys, Jishmid, and Siellal will participate in IUCC25.

[Eastfield Lodge]

PELS News

"In a surprise move today, the ELFA has decided to scrap the League for its first official Season. This is because it wants to change the league structure completely, but the UICA qualifications mean that it will become complicated. The ELFA have said that the King's Empire Cup will continue, but will be now known as the King's Commonwealth Cup. New UICA Qualifications for this edition only are: the winners and the runners-up participate in the TQCC, with third and fourth place taking part in the Globe Cup and the highest finishing two current promotional tournament teams will go to the SBCC. That all for now, stay tuned for more developments. Oh, and Nile Bridge keeper Matthew Barnett has left for Sparta U Gladiators in Kalasion, and will be replaced by Jessica Day at the end of her season, although by then it'll probably be too late."

---

Well, here are the results of the Round of 16:

Monksville United 10-3 Lodgertia City
Lodgertia United 5-0 Pontifucia United
VLC FC 0-3 Norrion Rovers
Yillog City 0-0 Indionion Athletic (3-5 AET)
St. Bartholomews Wanderers 0-0 FC Tavernia (3-5 AET)
Royal Dillvill 0-3 RGS Athletic
SS City 0-4 NT United
Nile Bridge 0-0 FM Town (1-0 AET)

2 major upsets marked the end of the Round of 16. Only 1 game had less than three goals scored. Two games had eight goals in the space of 30 minutes. A game had ten goals scored by one side, and it still wasn't a clean sheet. Talk about useless defending. Still Monksville United and Lodgertia City gave very end-to-end games, with 13 goals being scored in total. If both teams had goalies with the skill of the Lodgertian goalie, who knows how many goals would have flown in; I'd guess at least thirty. For passion and sheer determination, you'd have to look at the secondary upset of the day: FC Tavernia pulled back from three goals down to win 5-3, every single goal being scored in extra time, looking at it, that's their second upset of the campaign. The major upset of the day: VLC FC, who were top of the table before the leagues were cancelled, losing 3-0 to a team previously ranked a division and a bit below. Still, a lot of people are now looking towards defending champions RGS Athletic playing giant killers FC Tavernia, in the quarter-finals:

Monksville United 0-0 Lodgertia United (4-0 AET)
Norrion Rovers 2-1 Indionion Athletic
FC Tavernia 0-0 RGS Athletic (0-0 AET) (0-3 PK)
NT United 2-0 Nile Bridge

How nailbiting was that match-up between RGS Athletic and FC Tavernia. Although they are at almost opposite ends of the spectrum, nothing was between the two sides in time, so penalties had to be called in to decide the winner, which comfortably was RGS Athletic. Still, FC Tavernia go to the SBCC for being one of the last two surviving non-division team, the other being Indionion Athletic, who played a pretty equal game themselves, a late strike by the Norrion Rovers captain undoing all the hard work. Still, Monksville produced the most goals again, but just 4 this time, but what does that matter as they are through anyways. So, we have our TQCC candidates, our Globe Cup candidates and our SBCC certainties. But we need the sem-finals to sort the winners from the not quite winners:

Monksville United 0-0 Norrion Rovers (0-0 AET) (4-1 PK)
RGS Athletic 2-1 NT United

Monksville United were taken to penalties (and to court, but that is another matter altogether) by Norrion Rovers, but still managed to come through to the final, against an RGS Athletic side who are looking to make it two in a row after dispaching NT United 2-1, in their semi-final. This means that Globe Cup qualification goes to Norrion Rovers and NT United, who meet in the third place playoff. TQCC qualification goes to RGS Athletic, and to Monksville United. But we still have two matches left to play folks:

Third place playoff:
Norrion Rovers 0-1 NT United

Final:
Monksville United 1-3 RGS Athletic

For once, no match went to extra time. RGS Athletic went dow early on, but a hat-trick from Shabeen Ahmad Jnr restored the order of things to the cup. RGS Athletic go home with aforementioned cup and gold medals, Monksville United go home with silver medals, NT United go home after just scraping a win against Norrion Rovers with a bronze, and Norrion go home with a small badge. So here are the UICA competitors:

TQCC: Monksville United and RGS Athletic
Globe Cup: Norrion Rovers and NT United
SBCC: Indionion Athletic and FC Tavernia

The Stadium put forward for the SBCC is Dillvill Park in the north of Eastfield Lodge. Capacity: recently increased to 100,000 from 75,468.

[Vephrall]

International University Challenge Championship 25

Welcome to the twenty-fifth edition of the IUCC, the premier tournament for university football teams around the multiverse.

The IUCC final is normally scheduled to take place in the nation of the defending champion; however, defending champion nation West Zirconia has not entered IUCC25. As a result, the final has been moved to the brand new Isthmian Arena in Meice, Vephrall.

A total of 27 institutions from nine nations were entered into this year's tournament. Thirteen of these 27 teams will be given byes directly to the group stage: two from each of the tournament founding nations (Ad'ihan, Dancougar, and Vephrall), two from the highest-ranked non-founding participant (Candelaria And Marquez), and one from each other participating nation. The remaining fourteen teams will participate in the qualifying stage, which will consist of a single round of home-and-home matchups, with the seven winners proceeding to the group stage to make a total of 20 teams.

The qualifying round fixtures shall be drawn at random, with the exception that no association shall have both of its representatives face each other.

Rankings by association prior to IUCC25 (bold = founding member; blue = IUCC25 participant; numbers in parentheses indicate change from previous edition):

1. West Zirconia - 224 (+37)
2. Dancougar - 154 (+15)
3. Candelaria And Marquez - 121 (+25)
4. Ad'ihan - 112 (+8)
5. Academy Sporting Association [Paripana] - 110 (-8)
6. Vephrall - 107 (-23)
7. Taeshan - 52 (+3)
8. Sorthern Northland - 51 (+30)
9. The Babbage Islands - 39 (+3)
10. Unreal229 - 17 (-20)
11. Balida - 4 (-1)
12. Daehanjeiguk - -1* (-1)
13. Liventia - -1* (-1)

* Both Daehanjeiguk and Liventia, which did not have any teams win a match in IUCC24 (and in Daehanjeiguk's case, had their lone group stage participant finish on zero points) have a coefficient of -0.675, the minimum possible for a one-time entrant.

The qualifying round is two-legged, with the team listed at left playing the first leg at home:

1. [TAE] Air Force - St. Pat's, Little Clotaire [SNO]
2. [HAN] Seoan Bulsajo Academy - Talbott University [LEN]
3. [ADN] Tech Inst at Dalinn - Caires Metropolitan Univ [CAM]
4. [TAE] Fadron University - Novaria Tech Inst [ASA]
5. [LEN] Jesner University - Siellal University [VPH]
6. [HAN] Gyeongdo Univ - Van Prooijen Univ [ASA]
7. [DAN] Carnegie Tech Inst - Beningrad UBO [SNO]

The winner of each qualifying round match shall proceed to the group stage, which will consist of four groups of five teams each playing a single round-robin. The top two finishers in each group will proceed to the knockout stages as follows:

Quarterfinal matchups
Q1. A1 v B2 (winner of Group A v Group B runner-up)
Q2. C1 v D2
Q3. B1 v C2
Q4. D1 v A2

Semifinal matchups
S1. Q1 v Q2
S2. Q3 v Q4

Final: S1 v S2

Qualifying results and the group stage draw will be posted Monday; the group stage and knockout round results will be posted Tuesday.

[Glynorhan]

Anyone looking for transfers?

[Toiletdonia]

Why not?

[Somewhereistonia]

Anyone looking for transfers?

Why not?

To reduce clutter, please post this sort of thing in the International Domestic Soccer Discussion thread.

[Krytenia]

O-LEAGUE SEASON VI - PART ONE

Swann versus Spencer. Le Lan versus Clayton. Padawan versus Hean. And fourteen teams that aren't Mercia Bromham or Ousevale Borough. But first, this.

Cygnus Super Cup
The KFA have decided the Super Cup will decide the competing team in the next Aeropag Invitiational; that team will be Ousevale, who beat Beckton quite easily thanks to goals from Ricky Sexton and Michael Willem.

OUSEVALE BOROUGH 2-0 BECKTON SUPERMARINE

KFA Cup Round One
The curtain-raiser for the lower division teams raised a few eyebrows; top of the shocks were O-League Six outfit Zoderby United, knocking out Aylesford of Three on penalties. East Green Phoenix had a great run last season, and they started by overturning a two-division gap to defeat Olbrook.

Misery though, for Club Francophone; penalties did for them as well, with Tuvera City knocking them out of the competition at this early stage.

Results:
Adanac City 2-3 Ilham & Welford
Aigburth Athletic 3-0 Buyon
Ashton United 1-0 Beldon Wanderers
Aylesford 1-1 Zoderby United (AET; FT 1-1, Zoderby win 5-4 on penalties)
Bulham City 1-1 Whitehill Rovers (AET; FT 1-1, Whitehill win 4-3 on penalties)
Chesamer 0-1 Yardley Forest (AET; FT 0-0)
Diorville 3-0 Huntsford
East Green Phoenix 4-3 Oldbrook
Faversham 1-0 Bletcham Devils
Foxham Rovers 0-2 Challenger
Fleetham 0-2 Milditch
Grafton Town 1-1 Dynamo Gravea (AET; FT 0-0, Grafton win 4-2 on penalties)
Hoxton 2-2 Sporting Adanac (AET; FT 2-2, Sporting win 5-3 on penalties)
Maidenstone 0-1 Nenbridge
Neathill 3-2 Fenwick Town
Newley 2-1 Quinton City
Newport 0-1 Linford United
Noton United 0-0 Shruton Town (AET; FT 0-0, Shruton win 3-2 on penalties)
Porthscadoch 2-1 Locomotive Wolverton
Prutton 2-0 Sladehill Rovers
Salton 0-1 Westleigh Rovers (AET; FT 0-0)
Sefton Athletic 0-1 Byrrim
Southgate Athletic 1-0 Foxchester Rovers
St Peter's 3-0 Charnham Town
Teddington 1-3 Highfield
Tuvera City 0-0 CFF Monthuez (AET; FT 0-0, Tuvera win 5-4 on penalties)
Valque United 1-2 Bohemians
Walton City 2-1 Hefor
Walton Park 3-2 Cordell City
Wick Town 3-0 Blakeland
Wroxham Trinity 1-3 Oxley
Wylon United 0-2 Buchinia Academicals

Matchday One
The season proper begins with a goal from John McMillan, as he helps Beckton Supermarine to a five-one hammering over Ousevale Juniors. Not the best of welcomes to the top flight for the University City's second team, but it does make history for the Mariners, as they top the league for the first time in their history. The other two promoted sides faced each other, as Avidia City and Secklow shared the points in a goalless draw.

The title favourites, meanwhile, both made good solid starts with two-one wins; Borough doing theirs the hard way, coming back from a goal down to beat Stratford. Mercia were far more in control as they defeated Stanton “Tenth Was A Blip Last Season, Honest” Town.

Results:
Avidia City 0-0 Secklow
Beckton Supermarine 5-1 Ousevale Juniors
Bradwell Saints 0-2 Notegia Rangers
Casuals Osteria 1-3 Avidia United
CF Avides 1-2 Krytenia Emberton
Emberton Reds 2-0 New Cefn Albion
Mercia Bromham 2-1 Stanton Town
Ousevale Borough 2-1 Stratford Rovers

Matchday Two
It's time for a new phrase to enter the Krytenian footballing lexicon: “Ousevale Derby”. Campbell Park's very first O-League Premier fixture...and it's city rivals Borough at home. The result, very unexpectedly, was a goalless draw, and home fans going home far happier than the Tigers supporters.

Elsewhere, Mercia stated their intent by going top with a five-one crushing of Krytenia Emberton, and Avidia City mauled Bradwell. Avidia United, meanwhile, moved up to second with victory over Secklow, and Casuals lost their second in a row to Stanton, a result that leaves them fifteenth.

Results:
Avidia City 6-0 Bradwell Saints
Krytenia Emberton 1-5 Mercia Bromham
New Cefn Albion 3-0 Beckton Supermarine
Notegia Rangers 0-0 Emberton Reds
Ousevale Juniors 0-0 Ousevale Borough
Secklow 1-2 Avidia United
Stanton Town 3-0 Casuals Osteria
Stratford Rovers 0-2 CF Avides

KFA Cup Round Two Draw
Time for the top sides to find out who they're playing. Will Beckton make it three in a row? They're about to find out the first team standing in their way...

...and that team is CF Avides, in one of four all-Premier ties. Ousevale Borough have a tricky tie against Avidia City, and there's Bradwell-Osteria and Secklow against Krytenia Emberton. Tuvera City of O-League Five, meanwhile, get a home tie against top-flight opposition in the form of New Cefn Albion.

Full Draw:
Neathill v Ilham & Welford
Shruton Town v Walton City
Yardley Forest v Highfield
CF Avides v Beckton Supermarine
Notegia Rangers v Westleigh Wanderers
Leston Town v Bromham City
Thackworth Rovers v Diorville
Prutton v Bohemians
Byrrim v Porthscadoch
Penniton United v Newley
Bradwell Saints v Casuals Osteria
Camberley Town v Challenger
Avidia City v Ousevale Borough
Tuvera City v New Cefn Albion
Ashton United v Faversham
Whitehill Rovers v Aigburth Athletic
Nenbridge v Sporting Adanac
Ousevale Juniors v Wick Town
Ellisham v Emberton Reds
Mercia Bromham v Westleigh Rovers
Zoderby United v Oustia
Sandwell Rangers v Milditch
Secklow v Krytenia Emberton
Caledon Simpson v Stanton Town
Norton v Dereapolis City
East Green Phoenix v Buchinia Academicals
Hastings County v Caversham
Oxley v Kallia United
NSE Kovenham v St Peter's
Avidia United v Grafton Town
Stratford Rovers v Southgate Athletic
Walton Park v Linford United

Matchday Three
Mercia top, Ousevale second, Reds third, and already the table is starting to look familiar. Casuals notched their first win of the season, pushing Krytenia down to thirteenth, while Bradwell are still waiting for their first goal and first point of the campaign.

Results:
Avidia United 0-0 Stanton Town
Beckton Supermarine 0-1 Notegia Rangers
Bradwell Saints 0-2 Secklow
Casuals Osteria 3-0 Krytenia Emberton
CF Avides 2-1 Ousevale Juniors
Emberton Reds 2-0 Avidia City
Mercia Bromham 4-1 Stratford Rovers
Ousevale Borough 4-0 New Cefn Albion

Matchday Four
Juniors are the surprise team of the week, John Maynard cancelling out Welton's opener to earn a point against league leaders Mercia. The result allows city rivals Borough to pull level with a three-nil win over Notegia, though the Midlanders still lead on goals scored. Emberton stay third, despite only drawing with Bradwell, and Stanton leapfrog Avidia United into fourth after their victory over Secklow.

At the bottom, Stratford lose their fourth on the bounce against Casuals, and go bottom; Bradwell and Juniors' draws are not enough to lift them out of the bottom three, despite Avidia City and Secklow both losing.

Results:
Avidia City 0-1 Beckton Supermarine
Bradwell Saints 2-2 Emberton Reds
Krytenia Emberton 2-1 Avidia United
New Cefn Albion 4-0 CF Avides
Notegia Rangers 0-3 Ousevale Borough
Ousevale Juniors 1-1 Mercia Bromham
Secklow 1-2 Stanton Town
Stratford Rovers 0-2 Casuals Osteria

Matchday Five
Well, that shook things up. Emberton Reds' nil-nil with Secklow drops them to sixth, with Avidia United, Notegia Rangers, and Beckton “How Are They Still This Good” Supermarine overtaking them – Rangers doing so with an impressive five-one win over CF Avides. Mercia and Borough, meanwhile, both won convincingly to put themselves three points clear of the pack.

No change in the bottom three, with Stratford, Bradwell, and Juniors all losing, but on the bright side, so did Avidia “Thirteenth” City. Oh well, at least the KFA Cup will be a welcome distraction...

Results:
Avidia United 3-0 Stratford Rovers
Beckton Supermarine 3-0 Bradwell Saints
Casuals Osteria 1-0 Ousevale Juniors
CF Avides 1-5 Notegia Rangers
Emberton Reds 0-0 Secklow
Mercia Bromham 4-0 New Cefn Albion
Ousevale Borough 3-0 Avidia City
Stanton Town 1-1 Krytenia Emberton

Top Five At-A-Glance:
Mercia Bromham - 4-1-0 – 13pts (GD +12)
Ousevale Borough - 4-1-0 – 13 (GD +11)
Avidia United - 3-1-1 – 10 (GD +5)
Notegia Rangers - 3-1-1 – 10 (GD + 4)
Beckton Supermarine – 3-0-2 – 9

[Vephrall]

Qualifying round results
(teams in blue advance to group stage)

Air Force [TAE] 1-2 St. Pat's, Little Clotaire [SNO]
St. Pat's, Little Clotaire [SNO] 2-1 Air Force [TAE] (agg 4-2)

Seoan Bulsajo Academy [HAN] 0-1 Talbott University [LEN]
Talbott University [LEN] 1-1 Seoan Bulsajo Academy [HAN] (agg 2-1)

Tech Inst at Dalinn [ADN] 0-2 Caires Metropolitan [CAM]
Caires Metropolitan [CAM] 1-1 Tech Inst at Dalinn [ADN] (agg 3-1)

Fadron University [TAE] 2-1 Novaria Tech Inst [ASA]
Novaria Tech Inst [ASA] 2-0 Fadron University [TAE] (agg 3-2)

Jesner University [LEN] 1-2 Siellal University [VPH]
Siellal University [VPH] 3-2 Jesner University [LEN] (agg 5-3)

Gyeongdo University [HAN] 0-6 Van Prooijen University [ASA]
Van Prooijen University [ASA] 2-1 Gyeongdo University [HAN] (agg 8-1)

Carnegie Tech Inst [DAN] 0-1 Beningrad-Bleeding Obvious [SNO]
Beningrad-Bleeding Obvious [SNO] 2-0 Carnegie Tech Inst [DAN] (agg 3-0)

Group stage draw

By rule enacted following IUCC22, no group can contain more than one team from the same association. The 20 qualified teams have been divided into 5 pots based on ranking and drawn into the 4 groups from those pots. Higher-ranked teams are listed at the top of each group.

Group A
St. Mary's College, Albrecht University [CAM]
Evestigatus Institute of the Arts [ASA]
Jishmid College [VPH]
Mt. Ceabring [TAE]
Armed Forces FC [HAN]

Group B
Thane College [DAN]
L'Uni française du Modna Nord [ADN]
Novaria Technical Institute [ASA]
University of the Fine Arts, Snowspire [SNO]
Talbott University [LEN]

Group C
Kabuto University [DAN]
Gassett College of Sports Development [CAM]
Van Prooijen University [ASA]
Siellal University [VPH]
Beningrad University of the Bleeding Obvious [SNO]

Group D
Frontier College [ADN]
South Bektys University [VPH]
Caires Metropolitan University [CAM]
Saint Patrick's University, Little Clotaire [SNO]
Dover University [LEN]

The top two finishers in each group will proceed to the knockout stages as follows:

Quarterfinal matchups
Q1. A1 v B2 (winner of Group A v Group B runner-up)
Q2. C1 v D2
Q3. B1 v C2
Q4. D1 v A2

Semifinal matchups
S1. Q1 v Q2
S2. Q3 v Q4

Final: S1 v S2

Group stage and knockout round results will be posted Tuesday.

[Daehanjeiguk]

Season 13 Clausura Results
TQCC Qualifiers
Kapundae FC
Seoan Cheonma

Globe cup Qualifiers
Gwangju FC
Cheonjin FC
Yeonseong FC

SBCC Qualifiers
Namgyeong Songhan
Goguryeo FC
Hayan Horangi
Jonam Jigante

Stadium Bids
TQCC: Shinhan Jungan Imperial Stadium, Gyeongju - 108,000
Globe Cup: Gwangdong Imperial Sports and Stadium Complex, Gwangju - 80,000
SBCC: Seobanya National Football Stadium, Malnira - 56,000

[Valladares]

HYDRO SUPER LEAGUE - SEASON SIX (PART I OF IV)

The sixth season of the Valladar Super League, better known as the Hydro Super League for sponsorship reasons, started this time with the (unexpected) Bezieres' seventh place in the Aeropag Football Invitational. To be honest, Bezieres did a better work than their arch-rivals and last champions, Fontvielle Impact, when they were invited to take part in the first edition and returned home as last-placed. This edition is special because of the return -or maybe debut- of a traditional team: Nacional (with no sponsor yet), who were the last five seasons competing in the B-League.

Also, following a proposal from Canalave Dragons, in which they asked the Super League Executive Board to change the format due to the fluid time, the Executive Board has decided to change the format of the Super League (again). In this new format, the Apertura and Clausura tournaments are still with their single round-robin format, in which each team play each other once, however, the Play-Off Round in both tournaments is eliminated. In this case, the team with the most points in each tournament will qualify to the TQCC, and the three best teams non-qualified to the TQCC in the Overall Standings are still qualifying for the Globe Cup. The relegation system did not suffer any modification. The criteria to qualify teams for future AFIs is still on discussion.

Apertura Tournament

MD1:

Hamanos 2-1 Cerro
Marinos 1-0 Nord Energie
Caimanes 1-0 Montreux
Eterna 2-2 Fontvielle
Valencia 0-1 Tannenberg
Tallin 0-0 Cardenales
Bezieres 1-2 Slateport
Pumas 1-1 Chiquito
Canalave 2-0 Alligators
Nacional 3-1 Pradera

The Super League started with three interesting matches: Eterna Stars v Fontvielle Impact, AS Bezieres v Slateport Bulls and Canalave Dragons v Metropolis Alligators. The Dragons were the stars of the Matchday's surprise, after beating the Alligators at Dragon Stadium. Nacional, in their debut season in the first tier, defeated Pradera without any problem.

MD2:

Cerro 0-1 Nacional
Nord Energie 2-0 Hamanos
Montreux 1-2 Marinos
Fontvielle 1-0 Caimanes
Tannenberg 4-1 Eterna
Cardenales 1-0 Valencia
Slateport 2-0 Tallin
Chiquito 0-0 Bezieres
Alligators 2-0 Pumas
Pradera 1-1 Canalave

In the first National Derby in the season, Tannenberg crushed Eterna Stars 4-1 and leads the standings with 6 out of 6 points. Slateport, Nacional and Marinos also won their respective matches, and hold a perfect record after two matches. Metropolis Alligators managed to recover from the last defeat and beat Pumas to get their first points in the season. Cerro, Montreux and Valencia have lost their two matches.

MD3:

Cerro 2-1 Nord Energie
Hamanos 0-0 Montreux
Marinos 1-2 Fontvielle
Caimanes 2-3 Tannenberg
Eterna 1-0 Cardenales
Valencia 0-0 Slateport
Tallin 0-2 Chiquito
Bezieres 1-1 Alligators
Pumas 2-2 Pradera
Canalave 1-1 Nacional

Perfect record for Tannenberg after Matchday 3. With an important victory in Campo Grande, the "Citizens" are leading the way in the Super League. Slateport tied with the weakest Valencia we have seen in the Super League history, Nacional managed to get at least a point from Canalave City and Marinos lost to the Impact at the Dome. All these results helped Tannenberg, and approached Fontvielle to the first place.

MD4:

Nord Energie 1-0 Nacional
Cerro 3-2 Montreux
Fontvielle 4-0 Hamanos
Tannenberg 1-1 Marinos
Cardenales 2-0 Caimanes
Slateport 1-1 Eterna
Chiquito 2-0 Valencia
Alligators 5-1 Tallin
Pradera 1-2 Bezieres
Pumas 0-2 Canalave

Fontvielle Impact thrashed Hamanos AC, and taking advantage of Tannenberg's tie with Marinos, took the first place in the Super League. Chiquito, after winning two matches in a row, now are placed in fourth place, with 8 points and only with 2 points less than the leaders. Meanwhile, their arch-rivals, and candidates for UICA qualification places, SC Caimanes, entered a crisis after losing their last three matches. Metropolis Alligators crushed a weak Tallin and they are now in sixth place.

MD5:

Montreux 0-2 Nord Energie
Fontvielle 1-1 Cerro
Hamanos 0-3 Tannenberg
Marinos 2-1 Cardenales
Caimanes 0-2 Slateport
Eterna 2-1 Chiquito
Valencia 0-1 Alligators
Tallin 2-0 Pradera
Canalave 0-1 Bezieres
Nacional 2-1 Pumas

Tannenberg won their fourth match, and are still leading the Super League with 13 points. Fontvielle Impact could not defeat Cerro and are now in second place with 11 points. Slateport, and the other three Metropolitan teams won again, and are fighting for the lead. Caimanes continues in crisis and Montreux and Valencia are deservedly placed in penultimate and last place, respectively.

MD6:

Nacional 2-0 Montreux
Fontvielle 2-1 Nord Energie
Tannenberg 0-0 Cerro
Cardenales 1-1 Hamanos
Slateport 1-0 Marinos
Chiquito 0-2 Caimanes
Alligators 1-1 Eterna
Pradera 1-0 Valencia
Canalave 3-0 Tallin
Pumas 0-2 Bezieres

The fight for the first place in the Super League is now a matter for three teams: Tannenberg (+8), Fontvielle Impact (+7) and Slateport Bulls (+6) are tying in the first place with 14 points. Nacional is now escorting the three leaders with 13 points. In the Chiquito derby, Caimanes won again after four losses in a row, and the National Derby between "Alligators" and "Stars" ended with a tie.

MD7:

Montreux 1-1 Fontvielle
Nord Energie 0-2 Tannenberg
Cerro 2-0 Cardenales
Hamanos 1-0 Slateport
Marinos 3-1 Chiquito
Caimanes 2-2 Alligators
Eterna 2-0 Pradera
Valencia 0-2 Canalave
Tallin 2-3 Pumas
Bezieres 0-1 Nacional

Tannenberg is now sole leader after their victory at Nord Energie's home, Impact's tie and Slateport's defeat. Nacional is in second place with 16 points. The "Reptilian derby" between SC Caimanes and Metropolis Alligators ended 2-2, result that led to Ronaldo Salgado (Caimanes coach) getting fired. Valencia is in last place with only one point. In seven matches, Valencia has not been able to score at least one goal. In the next matchday: Nacional v Fontvielle Impact and Metropolis Alligators v Marinos Metropolis...interesting matches.

MD8:

Nacional 2-0 Fontvielle
Tannenberg 2-1 Montreux
Cardenales 0-0 Nord Energie
Slateport 2-1 Cerro
Chiquito 1-0 Hamanos
Alligators 2-1 Marinos
Pradera 0-3 Caimanes
Canalave 1-0 Eterna
Pumas 3-1 Valencia
Bezieres 2-0 Tallin

Tannenberg are keeping the first place, however, Nacional are making even more and more pressure over them. Canalave Dragons, after their victory against Eterna Stars, are now in third place, with three points less than the "Citizens". In the other important match in MD8, the Alligators defeated Marinos in another edition of the Metropolitan Derby. Caimanes, without a coach yet, managed to win in Pradera City.

MD9:

Fontvielle 3-0 Tannenberg
Montreux 1-0 Cardenales
Nord Energie 0-2 Slateport
Cerro 2-0 Chiquito
Hamanos 1-3 Alligators
Marinos 2-0 Pradera
Caimanes 1-1 Canalave
Eterna 1-0 Pumas
Valencia 1-3 Bezieres
Tallin 0-3 Nacional

Nacional thrashed and Tannenberg was thrashed. That means, Nacional is the new leader of the Super League, with 22 points. Tannenberg was defeated by the Impact, with 18 points after that victory. Slateport won an important match in Toril, and the Alligators, Marinos and Eterna are a bit far from the leader. In the next matchday we have...Nacional vs Tannenberg FC! I would say this would be the best match so far in the Super League.

MD10:

Nacional 2-0 Tannenberg
Cardenales 1-2 Fontvielle
Slateport 2-0 Montreux
Chiquito 1-0 Nord Energie
Alligators 3-1 Cerro
Pradera 3-0 Hamanos
Canalave 1-0 Marinos
Pumas 0-2 Caimanes
Bezieres 1-2 Eterna
Tallin 0-2 Valencia

Nacional, one of the traditional teams in Valladares, that was only recently promoted to this season, fighting against everything, with no sponsor and despised by the private valladar companies, is leading the Super League with 25 points. With an excellent collective game, "La Academia" is hammering teams like Metropolis Alligators and Eterna Stars. With the loss to Nacional, Tannenberg FC was displaced to the sixth place, with 20 points. Slateport Bulls, with 23 points, and Metropolis Alligators, Fontvielle Impact, and the Canalave Dragons (surprise of the season), with 21, are now trying to reach the first place that Nacional currently holds. And other "Big" teams like Eterna Stars and Marinos are currently far from the top places, with 18 and 16 points respectively. As for the relegation places, Montreux, Valencia and Tallin had a bad start, however, they can change everything during the season, and they must do that if they want to continue in the top tier.

Standings after Matchday 10 - Apertura Tournament

Pos  Team                       P   W   D   L   GF   GA   GD  Pts
   1  Nacional                 10   8   1   1   17    4   13   25  
   2  Slateport Bulls          10   7   2   1   14    4   10   23  
   3  Metropolis Alligators    10   6   3   1   20   10   10   21 
   4  Canalave Dragons         10   6   3   1   14    4   10   21 
   5  Fontvielle Impact        10   6   3   1   18    9    9   21 
   6  Tannenberg FC            10   6   2   2   16   10    6   20 
   7  Eterna Stars             10   5   3   2   13   11    2   18 
   8  AS Bezieres              10   5   2   3   13    8    5   17 
   9  Marinos Metropolis       10   5   1   4   13   10    3   16 
  10  SC Caimanes              10   4   2   4   13   11    2   14 
  11  AD Cerro                 10   4   2   4   13   12    1   14 
  12  Chiquito FC              10   4   2   4    9   10   -1   14 
  13  Nord Energie FC          10   3   1   6    7   10   -3   10
  14  Cardenales FC            10   2   3   5    6    9   -3    9
  15  Pumas Maldonado          10   2   2   6   10   17   -7    8
  16  Pradera FC               10   2   2   6    9   17   -8    8
  17  Hamanos Athletic Club    10   2   2   6    5   18  -13    8
  18  AS Montreux              10   1   2   7    6   15   -9    5
  19  Valencia FC              10   1   1   8    4   14  -10    4
  20  AC Tallin                10   1   1   8    5   22  -17    4

[Vephrall]

Group stage results

Group A

Evestigatus Arts  [ASA] 3-0 Armed Forces FC   [HAN]
Jishmid College   [VPH] 1-0 Mt. Ceabring      [TAE]
Jishmid College   [VPH] 1-4 St Mary's Coll-AU [CAM]
Armed Forces FC   [HAN] 1-1 Mt. Ceabring      [TAE]
St Mary's Coll-AU [CAM] 1-0 Armed Forces FC   [HAN]
Evestigatus Arts  [ASA] 4-3 Mt. Ceabring      [TAE]
Evestigatus Arts  [ASA] 0-3 St Mary's Coll-AU [CAM]
Armed Forces FC   [HAN] 2-3 Jishmid College   [VPH]
St Mary's Coll-AU [CAM] 3-0 Mt. Ceabring      [TAE]
Evestigatus Arts  [ASA] 1-0 Jishmid College   [VPH]

 Pos  Team                       P   W   D   L   GF   GA   GD  Pts
   1  St Mary's Coll-AU [CAM]    4   4   0   0   11    1   10   12
   2  Evestigatus Arts  [ASA]    4   3   0   1    8    6    2    9
   3  Jishmid College   [VPH]    4   2   0   2    5    7   -2    6
   4  Mt. Ceabring      [TAE]    4   0   1   3    4    9   -5    1
   5  Armed Forces FC   [HAN]    4   0   1   3    3    8   -5    1

Group B

L'Uni française   [ADN] 3-1 Talbott Univ      [LEN]
Novaria Tech Inst [ASA] 1-1 Fine Arts-S'spire [SNO]
Novaria Tech Inst [ASA] 1-2 Thane College     [DAN]
Talbott Univ      [LEN] 0-1 Fine Arts-S'spire [SNO]
Thane College     [DAN] 5-2 Talbott Univ      [LEN]
L'Uni française   [ADN] 2-0 Fine Arts-S'spire [SNO]
L'Uni française   [ADN] 1-1 Thane College     [DAN]
Talbott Univ      [LEN] 1-4 Novaria Tech Inst [ASA]
Thane College     [DAN] 3-0 Fine Arts-S'spire [SNO]
L'Uni française   [ADN] 1-1 Novaria Tech Inst [ASA]

 Pos  Team                       P   W   D   L   GF   GA   GD  Pts
   1  Thane College     [DAN]    4   3   1   0   11    4    7   10
   2  L'Uni française   [ADN]    4   2   2   0    7    3    4    8
   3  Novaria Tech Inst [ASA]    4   1   2   1    7    5    2    5
   4  Fine Arts-S'spire [SNO]    4   1   1   2    2    6   -4    4
   5  Talbott Univ      [LEN]    4   0   0   4    4   13   -9    0

Group C

Gassett Sport Dev [CAM] 3-0 Beningrad UBO     [SNO]
Van Prooijen Univ [ASA] 2-0 Siellal Univ      [VPH]
Van Prooijen Univ [ASA] 2-0 Kabuto University [DAN]
Beningrad UBO     [SNO] 0-0 Siellal Univ      [VPH]
Kabuto University [DAN] 0-0 Beningrad UBO     [SNO]
Gassett Sport Dev [CAM] 1-2 Siellal Univ      [VPH]
Gassett Sport Dev [CAM] 2-1 Kabuto University [DAN]
Beningrad UBO     [SNO] 0-3 Van Prooijen Univ [ASA]
Kabuto University [DAN] 1-2 Siellal Univ      [VPH]
Gassett Sport Dev [CAM] 1-1 Van Prooijen Univ [ASA]

 Pos  Team                       P   W   D   L   GF   GA   GD  Pts
   1  Van Prooijen Univ [ASA]    4   3   1   0    8    1    7   10
   2  Gassett Sport Dev [CAM]    4   2   1   1    7    4    3    7
   3  Siellal Univ      [VPH]    4   2   1   1    4    4    0    7
   4  Beningrad UBO     [SNO]    4   0   2   2    0    6   -6    2
   5  Kabuto University [DAN]    4   0   1   3    2    6   -4    1

Group D

South Bektys Univ [VPH] 5-0 Dover University  [LEN]
Caires Metro Univ [CAM] 0-2 St Pat's-Li'l Clo [SNO]
Caires Metro Univ [CAM] 0-1 Frontier College  [ADN]
Dover University  [LEN] 0-3 St Pat's-Li'l Clo [SNO]
Frontier College  [ADN] 5-1 Dover University  [LEN]
South Bektys Univ [VPH] 2-1 St Pat's-Li'l Clo [SNO]
South Bektys Univ [VPH] 2-2 Frontier College  [ADN]
Dover University  [LEN] 0-2 Caires Metro Univ [CAM]
Frontier College  [ADN] 3-1 St Pat's-Li'l Clo [SNO]
South Bektys Univ [VPH] 1-1 Caires Metro Univ [CAM]

 Pos  Team                       P   W   D   L   GF   GA   GD  Pts
   1  Frontier College  [ADN]    4   3   1   0   11    4    7   10
   2  South Bektys Univ [VPH]    4   2   2   0   10    4    6    8
   3  St Pat's-Li'l Clo [SNO]    4   2   0   2    7    5    2    6
   4  Caires Metro Univ [CAM]    4   1   1   2    3    4   -1    4
   5  Dover University  [LEN]    4   0   0   4    1   15  -14    0

Quarterfinals

St. Mary's College, Albrecht University [CAM] 2-0 L'Uni française du Modna Nord           [ADN]
Van Prooijen University                 [ASA] 1-2 South Bektys University                 [VPH]
Thane College                           [DAN] 2-0 Gassett College of Sports Development   [CAM]
Frontier College                        [ADN] 0-0 Evestigatus Institute of the Arts       [ASA] (0-1 AET)

Semifinals

St. Mary's College, Albrecht University [CAM] 1-2 South Bektys University                 [VPH]
Thane College                           [DAN] 1-1 Evestigatus Institute of the Arts       [ASA] (2-1 AET)

Final (@ Isthmian Arena, Meice, Vephrall)
A Vephrese team is able to make it to the home-soil Samseong IUCC final and manages to hold serve for two hours, but a complete meltdown in the penalty shootout causes the Entruuga to miss out on the trophy.

South Bektys University                 [VPH] 0-0 Thane College                           [DAN] (0-0 AET, 0-3 PKs)

Thane College has won the IUCC, bringing the trophy back to Dancougar, which will therefore host the IUCC26 final.

The 26th Samseong International University Challenge Championship is expected to take place in mid-March.

[Aguazul]

Two years, or possibly decades, in the wild world of international domestic soccer. Football. Whichever. How time flies.

International non-competition (part I)

Trecelunas FC didn't get invited to the invitational! Woo! Serves you right! Seriously, this was great news.

Okay, next? Well, shredding the defense of and having our own defense shred by Sargossa was so much fun, and Mapabore Juventud were so sick of having their players distracted, we decided to move some around...

Alvaro Sáez -> Deportivo Soluca
Naike Leiva -> Sporting San Marquez

David Sanz -> Mapabore Juventud
Pedro Castro -> Piratas de Grisolon

International competition

Basically, we have a bunch of defensive teams who don't appreciate the excitement of their matches. But luckily, we also have Piratas de Grisolon.

Trecelunas FC gave us a sign of things to come by rallying back from a 2-1 first leg loss to CS Lac-Amédée with what seemed too grueling to be a 4-3 victory. And it still wasn't enough. 12 de noviembre capitulated more quickly, but FC Nacional made it to and CF Clan Tropa out of the SBCC second preliminary round. Alianza Ciruelas started out slowly enough, defeating Bletchley City, though CF Clan Tropa were ousted by Secklow. Deportivo Peralta fell to some up-and-coming (we sort of hope) Candelariasians in the form of Cathedral City, while the Pumas defeated Tulduroc United.

And then the real fun began. Ciruelas scored five against Ashington in a match, progressing more than comfortably to take on our new Sargossan friends. The Lopez Principle would be corroborated once more in brilliant fashion, with a 6-4 win for Ciruelas paving the way for an 8-6 finish. Perhaps the bulk of the credit was due to Gunsedal Cisneros. He would have been the only Gunsedal in his class. I think maybe they put fake names on these websites to bust plagiarists.

But anyway, Cisneros. Far too flamboyant for the administration's tastes, and a bit too offensive as well, but there's no reason not to put up with him with those kinds of results, especially when Trecelunas FC and 12 de noviembre's goalless draws only led to defeat against Eastport United and the Atlantea Hurricanes respectively. Estudiantes de Íguen, on the other hand, got an extra time winner against İlhanköy. And then they got another goal. And were much less pleased than they should have been.

At last, Piratas de Grisolon showed up, and duly drew half their group-stage matches 1-1. It was still enough to go through, though. San Pablo, for their part, also wound up with nine points despite not drawing a match...and still finished with the same totals of goals scored and conceded.

Estudiantes de Íguen really had no reason to enjoy their 4-2 defeat to Casuals Osteria, seeing as how it was a defeat, but at least gave Four Towers a chance to really play FTW. And Ciruelas? Another encounter with Sargossa. More excitement from Cisneros. And another 6-4 victory for fans who don't know how spoiled they are.

Bringing the cycle full circle, CS Lac-Amédée fell 3-1 to Piratas de Grisolon...and then 5-3, much to the delight of Piratas fans. San Pablo seemed to be destined to trade 4-0 wins with Galáxia, but snuck in a goal to advance to the quarterfinals, where a goalless draw would ultimately oust them on away goals to AS Sharala. Meanwhile, the Pirates took the Sonoma Center Panthers to a penalty shootout. After Gwon Suŋ-ûg's shot hit the post, it was up to Paloma Chamot to book Piratas de Grisolon's place in the semifinals...where they lost to Atlético Jutense.

Ciruelas, meanwhile, finally coalesced into something more befitting their usual style. After beating Tallyn Rovers in the first leg, they drew scorelessly before heading to--of all places--Aeropag, where they scored two useful away goals. See, some attack helps when it comes to this Aeropag thing. Another scoreless draw closed the door on FC Capri, but Football Nordiqueville were too much to overcome. On the other hand, they apparently came third, which is cool.

And then they decided that Cisneros had to go.

International non-competition (part II)

Or, I Am Somewhereistonia (And So Can You)!

More Rushmori transfer deals? Yep. This time it was Alianza Ciruelas unloading onto Qasarian City and second-division clubs in fire sales (not like that though).

Otoniel Sepúlveda -> Ventspils Redwings
Gunsedal Cisneros -> Qasarian City
Olivar Bravo -> Qasarian City
Emilio Guaman -> Cathedral City

Karl Nurkse -> 12 de noviembre
Max Markov (Malak Free State) -> Trecelunas FC

Finally, Barniza, frustrated with their inability to break into the Ciudagua market, have sponsored young ICD Zhodzina, located in the new Somewhereistonian state of Irk. It sounds like fans of Estonian music unsure what they're getting themselves into, those unconvinced that control-f-and-replacing-flag-TLAs really furthers the cause of diversity, and fourth-division footballers are all welcome to join. Contact Barniza for more details.

Domestic non-anything

As per usual. We just wanted to explain why this was in a way that does not necessitate rationalizing the laziness of our bums. See, we're rational actors here, right? Economic transactions only take place when both sides agree that they're gaining something of greater or equal value than they're giving away. But they can't both be gaining something of greater value, as that clearly isn't rational, and there's no point in just trading equal for equal, so why bother moving players around at all? Only this doesn't apply to overseas transfer deals because of...exchange rates. Yeah.

Primera División

⁠⁠                     W  D  L GF GA GD Pts 
Trecelunas FC        10 5  3 22 14 8  35  C/TQCC
Estudiantes de Íguen 8  6  4 21 18 3  30  TQCC
Mapabore Juventud    7  8  3 32 25 7  29  TQCC
Piratas de Grisolon  7  6  5 25 23 2  27  GC
Alianza Ciruelas     5  8  5 20 20 0  23  GC
Arcrés Millos        5  7  6 30 29 1  22
Unión de Ciudagua    4  7  7 27 30 -3 19
Deportivo Peralta    2  10 6 22 25 -3 16
CA Condadore         3  7  8 18 27 -9 16
12 de noviembre      1  12 5 21 27 -6 15

Remember when Mapabore Juventud won the league? Eh? Well, basically, they won the league after making the TQCC final. And just as they had sneaked through round after round on tiebreakers, so too did they lead the league in draws (and there were plenty of draws, for everybody except Trecelunas FC). Games went down to the final minutes, with plenty of nerves and suspense all around the league. Yes, draws can be exciting things. We have nothing against them. In principle.

In practice, however, a season full of draws for miserable teams wound up with Trecelunas FC failing to get that memo, being defensive and annoying, and winning the league again. In front of Estudiantes de Íguen, no less. At least Mapabore came in third; scheduling Aperturas in the BoF timeframe does tend to do wonders for not having the national team on duty. Or maybe they really should have gotten rid of the guys they got rid of, though Millos' jump back to sixth suggests otherwise. Not sure how to explain Piratas de Grisolon's fourth-place finish, though.

But speaking of bouncing back, 12 de noviembre apparently didn't. Last place with twelve excruciating draws (six of which were 1-1, you'll no doubt be pleased to hear), and just one victory. Outrageously enough, that came over Unión de Ciudagua, so they have the derby if nothing else. Deportivo Peralta also had six 1-1s, and were hardly better. And then there's CA Condadore. The would-be-inspiring rally has given way to "now what"ism, and pretty much every point is an upset.

Segunda División

⁠                         W  D L  GF GA GD Pts 
San Pablo                12 5 1  30 16 14  41 C/SBCC
Ojedo Cerro              10 3 5  29 20 9   33 SBCC
2 de abril               8  6 4  28 19 9   30 SBCC
Universidad de Dénprade	 8  1 9  23 27 -4  25 SBCC
FC Nacional              5  8 5  27 26 1   23
CD Quemavilla            5  7 6  23 23 0   22 
ICD Villago              5  7 6  18 19 -1  22
CF Clan Tropa            5  3 10 16 23 -7  18
CSD Trecelunas           4  4 10 15 28 -13 16
AC Mineros               3  6 9  20 28 -8  15

San Pablo are really good. And if I hadn't fixed an error in the tables (blast from the past much?) they would have been even better.

Same for the rest of the city, to a lesser extent, as Ojedo Cerro join them in the ten-win club. 2 de abril rebound from last season's failures, while Universidad de Dénprade were the only ones to beat the Pumas (2-1 at home).

Anyhow, Anbessa Unzues still has what it takes, as does Chago Villalobos. Which is good. Even with this, we still have an overall dearth of wingbacks, and might need desperate measures for the national roster.

But that's okay. For now, we can be done. No really, we're done. You don't want to see Trecelunas FC win anything else, do you?

[Valladares]

HYDRO SUPER LEAGUE - SEASON SIX (PART II OF IV)

Apertura Tournament

MD11:

Tannenberg 3-1 Cardenales
Fontvielle 1-0 Slateport
Montreux 2-1 Chiquito
Nord Energie 1-1 Alligators
Cerro 2-0 Pradera
Hamanos 0-2 Canalave
Marinos 1-0 Pumas
Caimanes 1-2 Bezieres
Eterna 4-0 Tallin
Nacional 0-0 Valencia

Nacional, despite having tied in a boring match against one of the worst teams in this Super League, are still leaders with 26 points. Canalave Dragons and Fontvielle Impact won their matches and are now the escorts for "La Academia". Metropolis Alligators tied with Nord Energie, and is losing terrain respect to the top teams.

MD12:

Nacional 1-0 Cardenales
Slateport 3-0 Tannenberg
Chiquito 1-1 Fontvielle
Alligators 2-0 Montreux
Pradera 0-1 Nord Energie
Canalave 1-1 Cerro
Pumas 2-0 Hamanos
Bezieres 1-1 Marinos
Tallin 0-3 Caimanes
Valencia 1-2 Eterna

In the most important match in this Matchday, Slateport Bulls defeated Tannenberg FC, and now are in second place in the Super League, with 26 points. Nacional is still leader, after the victory against Cardenales. Eterna Stars is recovering from the bad season start, with their fourth victory in a row. In the relegation places, Hamanos AC, Valencia and Tallin are starting to prepare their return to the B-League.

MD13:

Cardenales 0-1 Slateport
Tannenberg 1-0 Chiquito
Fontvielle 2-0 Alligators
Montreux 3-3 Pradera
Nord Energie 1-2 Canalave
Cerro 2-0 Pumas
Hamanos 0-4 Bezieres
Marinos 6-1 Tallin
Caimanes 2-0 Valencia
Eterna 2-0 Nacional

Marinos thrashed AC Tallin in the match with the biggest thrashing so far in the Super League. However, the 6-1 does not help Marinos, as they are still in ninth place, far from the leaders and their escorts. Fontvielle Impact, as per custom each time they face each other, defeated Metropolis Alligators. Nacional lost to the "Stars" in Eterna City, allowing Slateport Bulls to take the first place with their victory in Valencia. Canalave Dragons, surprisingly, are now in third place, after the aforementioned teams.

MD14:

Nacional 2-3 Slateport
Chiquito 1-1 Cardenales
Alligators 2-1 Tannenberg
Pradera 0-1 Fontvielle
Canalave 1-1 Montreux
Pumas 3-0 Nord Energie
Bezieres 2-1 Cerro
Tallin 0-2 Hamanos
Valencia 1-2 Marinos
Eterna 1-0 Caimanes

Slateport defeated Nacional in a thrilling match, and confirmed their first place. Fontvielle Impact and Eterna Stars escort the "Bulls" with their respective victories. In another "National Derby", Metropolis Alligators got rid of Tannenberg with a 2-1 victory. With this loss to one of their most hated rivals, the "Citizens" were sent to the ninth place in the standings. Is there a crisis in Tannenberg? Some Tannenberg fans are really disgusted with the poor results Tannenberg has got in the last matches.

MD15:

Slateport 1-1 Chiquito
Cardenales 0-2 Alligators
Tannenberg 1-0 Pradera
Pumas 2-0 Alejandría
Fontvielle 2-2 Canalave
Montreux 1-2 Pumas
Nord Energie 0-1 Bezieres
Cerro 3-0 Tallin
Hamanos 1-2 Valencia
Caimanes 1-1 Nacional

Slateport Bulls are still leading the Super League, however, Fontvielle Impact, Metropolis Alligators and Canalave Dragons reduced the point difference to just one point. That makes us believe the final of the Apertura will be thrilling. In other news, Valencia FC managed to get their second victory in the season in Hamanos Town, however, that victory is not enough to help them go out of the relegation zone.

MD16:

Nacional 2-1 Chiquito
Alligators 1-1 Slateport
Pradera 3-0 Cardenales
Canalave 1-2 Tannenberg
Pumas 0-0 Fontvielle
Bezieres 2-1 Montreux
Tallin 1-1 Nord Energie
Valencia 1-2 Cerro
Eterna 3-0 Hamanos
Caimanes 2-1 Marinos

Four teams with 33 points escort the leaders Slateport Bulls (34): Bezieres, Fontvielle Impact, Eterna Stars and Nacional. Metropolis Alligatros and Tannenberg FC (32) still have chances to win the Apertura and become the first valladar team qualified to the next TQCC. With three matches left, the Apertura final matches are very important for many teams in the top places of the Super League.

MD17:

Chiquito 1-0 Alligators
Slateport 2-0 Pradera
Cardenales 1-1 Canalave
Tannenberg 3-0 Pumas
Fontvielle 1-1 Bezieres
Montreux 0-0 Tallin
Nord Energie 1-0 Valencia
Cerro 1-1 Eterna
Hamanos 0-2 Caimanes
Marinos 2-1 Nacional

All the Metropolitan teams practically buried their chances with their results in this matchday, alongside with Canalave Dragons. They need to get all the six points (two victories) remaining in the Super League to reach 37 or 38 points, but their chances to win the Apertura are seriously hurt with with the results they got. As for the other teams with chances, in the next matchday some of them will have to face direct rivals for the title, for example: Bezieres and Tannenberg will face each other, and Slateport will have to play for the title in Canalave City.

MD18:

Nacional 1-2 Alligators
Pradera 2-0 Chiquito
Canalave 1-3 Slateport
Pumas 1-0 Cardenales
Bezieres 2-1 Tannenberg
Tallin 0-1 Fontvielle
Valencia 2-3 Montreux
Eterna 1-0 Nord Energie
Caimanes 2-1 Cerro
Marinos 3-0 Hamanos

In the featured matches for this matchday, Bezieres destroyed Tannenberg's chances after defeating them 2-1, and Slateport Bulls are now one step closer of the title after defeating Canalave Dragons at their home. Now, only four teams are able to fight for the title in the next and last matchday of this Apertura. Slateport Bulls just need a tie against Pumas to win the Apertura, while Bezieres, the Impact and the Stars need to win their respective matches, and wait for a Slateport's defeat.

MD19:

Alligators 2-0 Pradera
Chiquito 1-2 Canalave
Tannenberg 2-0 Tallin
Nord Energie 1-1 Caimanes
Cerro 1-0 Marinos
Hamanos 1-3 Nacional

Slateport 3-0 Pumas
Cardenales 1-1 Bezieres
Fontvielle 2-1 Valencia
Montreux 0-2 Eterna

Slateport Bulls were crowned as Champions of the Apertura Tournament after beating Pumas Maldonado 3-0. Despite Fontvielle's and Eterna's best efforts, they were not enough to stop Slateport. Bezieres tied, and also lost the chance to win their first title. And, here are the standings:

Standings after Matchday 19 - Apertura Tournament

Pos  Team                       P   W   D   L   GF   GA   GD  Pts
   1  Slateport Bulls          19  13   4   2   31   10   21   43  APERTURA CHAMPION - TQCC
   2  Eterna Stars             19  12   4   3   30   15   15   40  
   3  Fontvielle Impact        19  11   7   1   29   14   15   40 
   4  Metropolis Alligators    19  11   5   3   32   17   15   38 
   5  AS Bezieres              19  11   5   3   29   15   14   38 
   6  Tannenberg FC            19  12   2   5   30   19   11   38 
   7  Nacional                 19  11   3   5   28   16   12   36 
   8  Marinos Metropolis       19  11   2   6   31   18   13   35 
   9  Canalave Dragons         19   9   7   3   27   16   11   34 
  10  SC Caimanes              19   9   4   6   27   18    9   31 
  11  AD Cerro                 19   9   4   6   27   19    8   31 
  12  Pumas Maldonado          19   6   3  10   18   27   -9   21 
  13  Chiquito FC              19   5   5   9   16   22   -6   20
  14  Nord Energie FC          19   5   4  10   13   20   -7   19
  15  Pradera FC               19   4   3  12   17   29  -12   15
  16  AS Montreux              19   3   5  11   17   30  -13   14
  17  Cardenales FC            19   2   6  11   10   23  -13   12
  18  Hamanos Athletic Club    19   3   2  14    9   39  -30   11
  19  Valencia FC              19   2   2  15   12   29  -17    8
  20  AC Tallin                19   1   3  15    7   44  -37    6

With this title, Slateport Bulls will represent Valladares in the TakilQuip Champions' Cup 21. The other valladar teams in the next international tournaments will be announced after the Clausura Tournament.

[Dancougar]

Kingdom of Dancougar College Football
Season Capsules: 2055/56 Competition, 2056/57 Classification

2055/56 Competition

Nara's championship run had been the product of hard work and cuts according to the coach, who dismissed the notion of the bipolar 10-0-6 regular season as the team's true nature. The team's follow-up campaign, though, gave new credence to the argument that they'd simply caught fire at the right time. A thoroughly average 5-5-6 record and goal differential of zero was good enough to finish smack dab in the middle of the Kishin Delta. Raizon College, at 10-5-1, were deserving champions and finished the season ranked second by the media. Runners-up of the previous year, Kabuto, fared far better. They finished atop the Big North with a 10-3-3 record, level on points with the University of Masato but ahead on tiebreakers to claim the conference's automatic tournament bid.

The number one team in the nation, though, was Thane, which put together a rare undefeated regular season by rolling to an 11-3-0 record and +28 goal differential. This was a full fifteen points ahead of their nearest challengers for the Shiba Valley title, Shiba State, as no other team in the conference managed more than five wins from fourteen matches. Analysts slammed them for just being the best team in a poor conference, although given what they'd accomplished over the past ten years, others wondered if this was merely the outcome of the program's meteoric rise. True, several conferences have been converging on a few power teams that win again and again with the occasional surprise. Thane's performance in the tournament would certainly validate one group's opinion... but which one, I wonder?

Top 25
 1 Thane College			11-3-0, 41/13, 1st Shiba Valley
 2 Raizon College			10-5-1, 35/24, 1st Kishin Delta
 3 Hazuki State University		11-2-3, 31/15, 1st Hazuki CPL
 4 Kabuto University			10-3-3, 35/15, 1st Big North
 5 University of Dancougar		 9-3-2, 32/18, 1st Yuki CPL
 6 Katya City College			11-0-3, 31/13, 1st Igor Valley
 7 University of Masato			10-3-3, 39/21, 2nd Big North
 8 Stoneridge Technical Institute	 9-4-3, 29/18, 1st Northern Plains
 9 Dancougar Royal Academy		 9-3-2, 30/16, 2nd Yuki CPL
10 Foster College			10-0-4, 23/10, 1st Big Northeast
11 Monagham State College		 9-2-3, 26/13, 1st Shikibu CPL
12 Chastain College			 9-3-4, 31/15, 2nd Northern Plains
13 University of Juusenkitai		 9-2-3, 21/13, 1st Big East
14 Purnell College			10-2-2, 28/19, 1st Metro East
15 Ouran College			 9-4-3, 29/20, 2nd Hazuki CPL
16 University of Lunarossa		 8-5-2, 36/18, 1st Lunarossa CPL
17 Eastern Desugaia University		 9-4-3, 23/18, 1st Big West
18 University of Helmut			 9-2-3, 28/20, 1st Helmut CPL
19 Glassport City College		 8-6-2, 33/18, 1st Sullivan CPL
20 Zane Island State College		10-0-4, 24/12, 2nd Big Northeast
21 Lunarossa State University		 8-5-2, 26/15, 2nd Lunarossa CPL
22 Takano University			 8-3-3, 25/16, 1st Kotaru CPL
23 Raymaley College			 8-3-3, 30/17, 1st Red River
24 Jefferson College			 8-3-3, 22/11, 2nd Big East
25 Yuki State University at Helmsley	 8-3-3, 28/20, 1st Coastal Plains

There weren't many shake-ups in the first round of the tournament, with the biggest result being No. 7 Masato's loss to Baptista. After failing to score in the first leg at home, Masato came out with a more attack-oriented strategy in the road leg and fell prey to some well-executed counters. The most exciting matchup, though, was Shadyside Academy's 3-2 aggregate win over No. 21 Lunarossa State. After all, it was a intra-conference rivalry when the random draw placed Lunarossa's two at-large teams together. Despite finishing four points behind Lunarossa State during the regular season and losing the head-to-head matchup 3-1, they were able to turn things around in the tournament.

The Conference Round was good to No. 1 Thane, which rolled 6-1 over No. 14 Purnell, suggesting that the Metro East champion might still have been overvalued despite a ten-win season. Baptista nearly put together another upset, but a pair of draws sent their tie with No. 16 University of Lunarossa into penalties, where the former champions scraped into the round of sixteen. Both the No. 9 Royal Academy and No. 5 University of Dancougar advanced to make it a good year for the granddaddy Yuki CPL, while traditional power No. 3 Hazuki State showed some mettle by taking two wins from No. 17 Eastern Desugaia. And this certainly isn't foreshadowing, but Reyes opened a few eyes with a 4-1 aggregate win over No. 18 Helmut.

The Sweet Sixteen presented a juicy matchup between University of Dancougar and No. 4 Kabuto, but with fellow Big North power Masato already out of the running, Kabuto weren't far behind. UDan's pair of 2-1 wins saw them through. The Royal Academy had no such luck in losing 3-2 to Reyes, while Thane handled Lunarossa 4-1 in the first leg, giving them a chance to play reserves in the second. It was more of the same in the quarterfinals, with UDan ousting No. 15 Ouran with ease 6-1, Thane edging No. 8 Stoneridge Tech 6-5, and Reyes scraping past No. 22 Takano. The final semifinalist was Keats Island, which tackled Carnegie Tech and its rowdy kilt-wearing pep band.

The random draw produced one tie which everyone cared about -- Thane vs. UDan -- while Reyes and Keats Island were left to play out of the national spotlight. Reyes was expected to roll anyway, since they'd beaten some good teams on the way to the semifinals. Conversely, Keats Island had only played one ranked team in its three rounds, No. 25 Raymaley, and was duly beaten 5-1. Meanwhile, Thane was busy putting on a show in the second leg at home, twice coming back from a goal down to earn a 3-3 draw and a 4-3 aggregate win. They now had a chance to duplicate their feat from 2043-47 of two titles in four seasons... and duplicate it they did, winning 2-1 in the National Stadium.

IUCC Roundup

On the heels of an embarassing overall performance which saw Ledesma exit in the quarterfinals to leave Dancougar without a team in the semifinals for the first time in six editions, it was up to Nara, Lunarossa, and Carnegie Tech to restore Dancougar's honor in the tournament it had helped found. Tech got off to the right start by winning its qualifying-round match against the pesky University of Gernsback 4-1 on aggregate, a comfortable result which saw them advance to Group B. All teams did well at this stage, too; although neither won their group, they each finished second to advance. In Group A, Nara finished ahead of Caires Metro on goal difference after coming in even at 10 points apiece. Carnegie Tech likewise needed the tiebreaker to pip SMC-Albrecht after they were level at 8. Only in Group C was there a clear gap, with Lunarossa finishing two points clear of Lusambo Academy of Science.

But perhaps that was telling, because in this field, Dancougar was clearly the second best no matter where it went. This was aptly demonstrated in the knockout stage, where three of the four semifinal slots were claimed by schools from West Zirconia. St Mark's/Mort Park downed Tech 2-0, and Snaith Maritime beat Lunarossa by the same scoreline. Only the Nara-Mount Ceabring tie broke the monopoly, with the Dancougaran champs advancing. Markham University awaited to claim its prize and completed the Zirconian sweep, doing so 3-1. So while it was a better showing than in the previous tournament, it was still a disappointment to see dominance by another country... and in a fashion that Dancougar had never achieved despite its proud college history.

The road to redemption began in IUCC 25, which once again happened off-cycle and forced a timewarp tournament to select three competitors. Carnegie Tech were among the winners and found themselves in the qualifying rounds yet again. This time, not so lucky: the Beningrad University of the Bleeding Obvious blanked them in both legs, winning 3-0 overall. Things looked even worse when Kabuto University turned in a miserable 0-1-3 record in Group C, finishing dead bottom and managing to finish behind a Bleeding Obvious team which didn't even score a goal in its four matches. Fortunately, Dancougar still had Thane.

Thane College has done enough in recent years to have earned the moniker "The Invincibles" for their consistent level of success both inside and outside of Dancougar. With 216 teams contesting for the title and a wide open field which can depend more on luck than skill, their four domestic titles in thirteen seasons is an incredible accomplishment. Their international trophy case includes wins in IUCC 19 and 20 as well as a loss in the 22nd edition. After rolling through the group stage with a 3-1-0 record and 11 goals scored, they found the knockout bracket to be taxing but not unmanageable. A 2-0 win over Gassett was the only match of the knockouts to end in normal time.

The semifinals required extra time to oust Evestigatus Institute of the Arts, and in the final, a 0-0 draw after 120 minutes forced penalties against South Bektys. Their Vephraller opponents suddenly forgot how to shoot, and a 3-0 shootout win handed Thane its third international title and restored Dancougar to college prominence. Sure, it's possible that West Zirconia's failure to enter the 25th edition helped more than a little bit... no, we didn't send them any interns, we have no idea how you'd even suspect that.

SBCC Roundup

So rebuilding seemed not to be a problem for Thane en route to a national title and an IUCC crown... would they also be able to put together another magical run in the SBCC? No one was counting on it, but once again, Dancougar put a team in the knockout stages. "Rumors of our demise have been completely exaggerated" became a common forum post by fans of schools in the tournament, although it's still clear that second-division professionals still have the upper hand in general.

Gilderome and Thane both got to the playoff round with away-goal victories under their belts, but Thane were unlucky to lose to Humai Titans on penalties with the group stage right in front of them. And only Gilderome looked thoroughly outclassed in a 7-0 loss to UF Cafundeaise. Kabuto and Nara, the finalists from the previous Classification season, both won their ties comfortable -- 4-1 over Harley County and 5-1 over An Blascaod Mor, respectively -- to advance to the group stage. Both played admirably, but only Nara would survive.

Kabuto finished third on eight points, tied with For Urizen but eliminated on goal differential. A 4-1 loss to group leaders Secklow was really what did them in, not because of the dropped points but because of the -3 hit in the tiebreaker. Nara, however, advanced from Group C by finishing second with nine points. Turmondale United carried the group as expected and didn't lose any of its six games. That Nara was able to advance while compiling a disappointing 5-5-6 regular season record domestically drew some flak, as some fans though they were putting their focus on the wrong tournament.

As it stood, Nara's regular season ended in December and they didn't qualify for the spring tournament, meaning they were badly out of form by the time February rolled around and the SBCC resumed with the round of sixteen. They managed a 3-2 win over Civil Service in the opening leg but were unable to hold on in the second, losing 2-0 to go down 4-3 on aggregate.

2056/57 Classification

Thane felt a little bit of a pinch following the draft, and while they still won the Shiba Valley, they weren't nearly as dominant this time around. Yes, their goal differential was a commading +11 better than their nearest competitor, but this time only five points separated them from Shiba State. Still, 8-4-2 was nothing to be scoffed at, and their latent potential was reflected in their final media ranking of No. 13. An unlucky number, perhaps. Then again, last year they became on the second No. 1 team to win the college tournament, so they probably could make their own luck as a counter.

The big news, though, was that another undefeated regular season had been turned, this time by Igor Valley champions Barynsk. They managed to also look vulnerable in the process, as finishing 10-4-0 only gave them a five-point cushion over second-place Katya City, which also finished impressively at 9-2-3. They cleaned up the rest of the conference, though, as none of the remaining six teams were able to eclipse five wins. The Royal Academy was next in line after a 12-0-2 season in a Yuki CPL that was just about as competitive as th Shiba Valley.

Code: Select all

Regular season media ranking in parentheses.
Asterisk denotes tournament selection.

Yuki Collegiate Premier League
 Pos  Team                       P   W   D   L   GF   GA   GD  Pts
   1  (2) Dancougar Royal Acad  14  12   0   2   41   17   24   36 *
   2  (15) Univ of Dancougar    14   9   2   3   33   19   14   29 *
   3  Dancougar Army Academy    14   6   4   4   20   20    0   22
   4  Carling College           14   5   4   5   18   18    0   19
   5  Yuki State University     14   6   0   8   23   23    0   18
   6  Carling Military Inst     14   2   5   7   17   26   -9   11
   7  Barclay State College     14   2   5   7   17   27  -10   11
   8  Kishin Academy            14   3   2   9   13   32  -19   11

Kishin Delta Collegiate Premier League
 Pos  Team                       P   W   D   L   GF   GA   GD  Pts
   1  (17) Dancougar Naval Aca  16   9   4   3   30   17   13   31 *
   2  (19) Port Royal Univ      16  10   1   5   34   25    9   31 *
   3  Raizon College            16   8   4   4   25   17    8   28 *
   4  Gabthley University       16   8   2   6   25   23    2   26
   5  Kildare Maritime Academy  16   6   6   4   24   18    6   24
   6  Nara College              16   5   6   5   20   20    0   21
   7  Eastport State University 16   4   4   8   20   26   -6   16
   8  Weston Technical Inst     16   3   4   9   21   40  -19   13
   9  Fujiwara State College    16   1   5  10   18   31  -13    8

Shiba Valley Conference
 Pos  Team                       P   W   D   L   GF   GA   GD  Pts
   1  (13) Thane College        14   8   4   2   36   22   14   28 *
   2  Shiba State University    14   7   2   5   26   23    3   23
   3  Shiba Technical College   14   7   2   5   24   21    3   23
   4  Grandborough University   14   7   1   6   28   31   -3   22
   5  Pembrooke Academy         14   6   1   7   24   22    2   19
   6  Lansing College           14   4   4   6   19   24   -5   16
   7  Grandborough Tech         14   3   5   6   15   18   -3   14
   8  Ochoa City College        14   3   3   8   19   30  -11   12

Coastal Plains Conference
 Pos  Team                       P   W   D   L   GF   GA   GD  Pts
   1  (8) Pollock College       14  11   1   2   28   15   13   34 *
   2  (24) Hale University      14   9   2   3   29   16   13   29 *
   3  Southport City College    14   8   2   4   34   21   13   26 *
   4  Yuki State - Helmsley     14   6   5   3   29   22    7   23
   5  Hinata Academy            14   4   3   7   15   24   -9   15
   6  Yuki Technical Institute  14   3   4   7   20   27   -7   13
   7  Kanata State College      14   3   2   9   16   32  -16   11
   8  Mandrake City College     14   1   3  10   11   25  -14    6

Hazuki Collegiate Premier League
 Pos  Team                       P   W   D   L   GF   GA   GD  Pts
   1  (5) Kimstown City College 16  11   2   3   31   21   10   35 *
   2  Chester Academy           16   8   2   6   31   27    4   26
   3  Ouran College             16   5   8   3   21   20    1   23
   4  University of Hazuki      16   5   6   5   20   19    1   21
   5  Briggs College            16   5   6   5   24   25   -1   21
   6  Beresford College         16   5   5   6   30   25    5   20
   7  Hazuki State University   16   6   2   8   22   25   -3   20
   8  Kasai Academy             16   5   3   8   24   30   -6   18
   9  Mugen Bend State College  16   4   2  10   16   27  -11   14

Big Northeast Football Conference
 Pos  Team                       P   W   D   L   GF   GA   GD  Pts
   1  (10) Muddy Banks St Col   14   9   3   2   39   23   16   30 *
   2  Zane Island State College 14   8   3   3   30   19   11   27 *
   3  Dyson College             14   8   1   5   28   22    6   25
   4  Foster College            14   5   4   5   21   23   -2   19
   5  Port Vigilance City Col   14   5   4   5   20   23   -3   19
   6  Koi Shores Technical Col  14   5   1   8   18   25   -7   16
   7  Maribito University       14   3   4   7   26   29   -3   13
   8  Northeastern Masato Univ  14   2   2  10   10   28  -18    8

Shinobu Valley Conference
 Pos  Team                       P   W   D   L   GF   GA   GD  Pts
   1  Reyes Academy             14   9   1   4   32   19   13   28 *
   2  Shapiro State - Dawes Pte 14   8   2   4   21   19    2   26
   3  Maehara University        14   7   2   5   19   14    5   23
   4  Shinobu State University  14   6   3   5   21   23   -2   21
   5  Deimon City College       14   5   4   5   19   19    0   19
   6  Brackston College         14   3   6   5   23   21    2   15
   7  Akiba College             14   4   1   9   13   25  -12   13
   8  Callihan College          14   3   3   8   16   24   -8   12

Helmut Collegiate Premier League
 Pos  Team                       P   W   D   L   GF   GA   GD  Pts
   1  Helmut State University   14   9   2   3   25   19    6   29 *
   2  University of Helmut      14   8   3   3   27   20    7   27 *
   3  Granger Island College    14   7   2   5   20   14    6   23
   4  Branstein College         14   5   5   4   19   20   -1   20
   5  Schwartzer College        14   6   2   6   21   23   -2   20
   6  Jena College              14   6   1   7   23   18    5   19
   7  Kimei Academy             14   4   2   8   16   25   -9   14
   8  Lake Gandor State Univ    14   0   5   9   14   26  -12    5

South Central Conference
 Pos  Team                       P   W   D   L   GF   GA   GD  Pts
   1  Crane State College       16   8   3   5   26   20    6   27 *
   2  Derry College             16   7   3   6   23   22    1   24
   3  Shikibu Northwestern      16   7   3   6   22   21    1   24
   4  University of Shikibu     16   7   3   6   26   28   -2   24
   5  Leona College             16   7   1   8   24   19    5   22
   6  Kinnikun College          16   5   6   5   24   24    0   21
   7  U of Shiba - Grandborough 16   6   3   7   26   28   -2   21
   8  Benton College            16   5   4   7   18   24   -6   19
   9  Shiratori University      16   4   6   6   27   30   -3   18

Red River Conference
 Pos  Team                       P   W   D   L   GF   GA   GD  Pts
   1  Raymaley College          14   7   2   5   27   18    9   23 *
   2  Regola University         14   7   2   5   26   21    5   23
   3  Seanor City College       14   7   2   5   25   24    1   23
   4  Hyland College            14   7   1   6   25   20    5   22
   5  Rizzi College             14   7   1   6   25   27   -2   22
   6  Meadowridge University    14   5   4   5   21   26   -5   19
   7  Waugaman City College     14   5   1   8   19   23   -4   16
   8  Masato State University   14   3   3   8   17   26   -9   12

Big West Conference
 Pos  Team                       P   W   D   L   GF   GA   GD  Pts
   1  (3) Inbit College         16  11   4   1   37   16   21   37 *
   2  (6) Univ of Desugaia      16  10   4   2   31   16   15   34 *
   3  Mount Fujiko State Coll   16   8   3   5   26   26    0   27
   4  Eastern Desugaia Univ     16   6   4   6   20   20    0   22
   5  Friedmann College         16   5   4   7   22   26   -4   19
   6  Randall College           16   5   3   8   34   37   -3   18
   7  West Valley College       16   4   5   7   26   34   -8   17
   8  Air Force Academy         16   4   4   8   18   27   -9   16
   9  Pine Bluffs State College 16   1   5  10   19   31  -12    8

Lunarossa Collegiate Premier League
 Pos  Team                       P   W   D   L   GF   GA   GD  Pts
   1  (12) Wightman College     15   9   4   2   30   13   17   31 *
   2  (16) Craig State College  15   9   4   2   24   15    9   31 *
   3  (22) Lunarossa State Univ 15   9   2   4   33   21   12   29 *
   4  Neville Island St Coll    15   7   4   4   27   22    5   25
   5  Shuuei Academy            15   7   3   5   21   20    1   24
   6  Bouquet College           15   7   3   5   17   16    1   24
   7  University of Lunarossa   15   5   7   3   28   20    8   22
   8  Stanwix College           15   5   3   7   19   26   -7   18
   9  Negley Run Academy        15   4   5   6   19   21   -2   17
  10  Bigelow University        15   4   5   6   19   22   -3   17
  11  Morewood Technical Inst   15   5   2   8   20   28   -8   17
  12  Baum State College        15   4   5   6   15   23   -8   17
  13  Shadyside Academy         15   4   3   8   19   23   -4   15
  14  Aiken College             15   4   3   8   19   25   -6   15
  15  Lakeport University       15   3   5   7   17   23   -6   14
  16  Forbes College            15   3   4   8   14   23   -9   13

Big North Conference
 Pos  Team                       P   W   D   L   GF   GA   GD  Pts
   1  Tetsuya State College     16   9   4   3   25   15   10   31 *
   2  Billick College           16   8   4   4   29   24    5   28
   3  Baptista College          16   8   2   6   24   22    2   26
   4  Wenger College            16   7   4   5   25   25    0   25
   5  Kotetsu Tech              16   5   5   6   23   21    2   20
   6  Kabuto University         16   6   2   8   22   22    0   20
   7  Gotei College             16   6   0  10   18   23   -5   18
   8  Hibiki University         16   4   5   7   15   21   -6   17
   9  University of Masato      16   4   4   8   19   27   -8   16

Metro East Football Conference
 Pos  Team                       P   W   D   L   GF   GA   GD  Pts
   1  Purnell College           14   7   4   3   31   23    8   25 *
   2  Cyert Technical Institute 14   6   5   3   30   20   10   23
   3  Porter College            14   7   2   5   30   29    1   23
   4  Morrison College          14   7   2   5   27   26    1   23
   5  Hornbostel University     14   5   4   5   23   21    2   19
   6  Doherty College           14   5   0   9   16   23   -7   15
   7  Hamerschlag University    14   3   5   6   14   21   -7   14
   8  Wean State College        14   4   2   8   15   23   -8   14

Igor Valley Conference
 Pos  Team                       P   W   D   L   GF   GA   GD  Pts
   1  (1) Barynsk College       14  10   4   0   31   10   21   34 *
   2  (14) Katya City College   14   9   2   3   33   23   10   29 *
   3  South Kotaru State Univ   14   5   5   4   18   16    2   20
   4  Andrews College           14   5   3   6   18   24   -6   18
   5  University of Igor        14   5   2   7   23   28   -5   17
   6  Earlsburg College         14   4   1   9   17   24   -7   13
   7  Darrough University       14   3   4   7   14   21   -7   13
   8  Pearson University        14   3   3   8   16   24   -8   12

Big East Conference
 Pos  Team                       P   W   D   L   GF   GA   GD  Pts
   1  (7) Amesborough College   14   9   5   0   34   17   17   32 *
   2  (23) Univ of Juusenkitai  14   8   4   2   26   18    8   28 *
   3  Amada University          14   8   2   4   23   13   10   26 *
   4  Seiei University          14   8   1   5   23   20    3   25
   5  Chirico College           14   6   4   4   25   17    8   22
   6  Jefferson College         14   4   7   3   15   11    4   19
   7  Mainstead City College    14   5   4   5   20   22   -2   19
   8  University of Fujiwara    14   5   3   6   22   24   -2   18
   9  Vartla City College       14   4   5   5   16   17   -1   17
  10  Marble Cliffs State Col   14   3   7   4   17   16    1   16
  11  Masaharu College          14   4   4   6   20   27   -7   16
  12  Konoha Academy            14   3   5   6   22   27   -5   14
  13  Sanders College           14   2   6   6   12   24  -12   12
  14  Moore-Worth College       14   3   3   8   17   30  -13   12
  15  Daikon Academy            14   1   4   9   14   23   -9    7

Shapiro Collegiate Premier League
 Pos  Team                       P   W   D   L   GF   GA   GD  Pts
   1  (20) Shapiro State Univ   14   9   3   2   25   18    7   30 *
   2  Karin Technical School    14   7   3   4   26   14   12   24
   3  Canton College            14   7   3   4   27   23    4   24
   4  Bremley College           14   6   4   4   24   19    5   22
   5  Castillo University       14   5   4   5   24   25   -1   19
   6  Eimoto College            14   4   5   5   16   18   -2   17
   7  Gekiban College           14   3   2   9   18   28  -10   11
   8  Souichiro City University 14   2   2  10   12   27  -15    8

Kishin Plains Conference
 Pos  Team                       P   W   D   L   GF   GA   GD  Pts
   1  Frickstowne College       14   8   2   4   24   12   12   26 *
   2  Herron University         14   7   3   4   20   18    2   24
   3  University of Shiba       14   6   5   3   21   17    4   23
   4  Carnegie Technical Inst   14   6   2   6   22   21    1   20
   5  Clay Academy              14   5   4   5   18   19   -1   19
   6  Buhlsborough City College 14   5   4   5   24   28   -4   19
   7  Montefiore College        14   3   4   7   18   24   -6   13
   8  Bloomfield College        14   3   2   9   18   26   -8   11

Kotaru Collegiate Premier League
 Pos  Team                       P   W   D   L   GF   GA   GD  Pts
   1  Hinamizawa College        14   9   0   5   26   15   11   27 *
   2  Akasaka University        14   7   3   4   30   19   11   24 *
   3  Okinomiya Academy         14   7   3   4   25   24    1   24
   4  Takano University         14   6   3   5   19   17    2   21
   5  Furude College            14   6   2   6   20   21   -1   20
   6  Ryuugu Academy            14   5   4   5   22   20    2   19
   7  Kotaru University         14   4   3   7   21   29   -8   15
   8  Irie City College         14   2   2  10   12   30  -18    8

Gilderome River Conference
 Pos  Team                       P   W   D   L   GF   GA   GD  Pts
   1  (9) Shadow Cliffs St Col  16   9   5   2   43   19   24   32 *
   2  University of Gilderome   16   8   4   4   28   21    7   28
   3  Portola City College      16   8   2   6   28   27    1   26
   4  Concannon College         16   8   2   6   18   24   -6   26
   5  Stoneridge University     16   7   4   5   21   19    2   25
   6  Murrieta University       16   6   2   8   20   27   -7   20
   7  Vasco College             16   5   2   9   20   27   -7   17
   8  Pleasanton College        16   3   7   6   19   24   -5   16
   9  University of Zorbados    16   2   4  10   25   34   -9   10

Northern Plains Conference
 Pos  Team                       P   W   D   L   GF   GA   GD  Pts
   1  (11) Chastain College     16   9   4   3   35   21   14   31 *
   2  (25) Gilderome State Univ 16   9   3   4   34   22   12   30 *
   3  Daigoji College           16   8   1   7   25   25    0   25
   4  Akatsuki University       16   6   3   7   26   22    4   21
   5  Stoneridge Technical Inst 16   6   3   7   22   29   -7   21
   6  Donovan Academy           16   5   5   6   23   27   -4   20
   7  Angel Grove State College 16   5   4   7   28   33   -5   19
   8  Misamaru College          16   4   5   7   20   25   -5   17
   9  Big Mountain State Col    16   5   2   9   28   37   -9   17

Shikibu Collegiate Premier League
 Pos  Team                       P   W   D   L   GF   GA   GD  Pts
   1  (21) Donneley College     14   9   3   2   29   13   16   30 *
   2  Ladsdburg College         14   7   3   4   30   18   12   24 *
   3  Monagham State College    14   6   4   4   23   19    4   22
   4  Ledesma College           14   6   4   4   23   21    2   22
   5  Nikkei Academy            14   5   5   4   20   22   -2   20
   6  Ogasawara City College    14   4   2   8   15   23   -8   14
   7  Port Gintoki University   14   3   4   7   17   28  -11   13
   8  Stoddart-McLean College   14   1   5   8   20   33  -13    8

Sullivan Collegiate Premier League
 Pos  Team                       P   W   D   L   GF   GA   GD  Pts
   1  (18) Univ of Sullivan     16   9   4   3   31   20   11   31 *
   2  Monroeville College       16   8   3   5   26   22    4   27
   3  Glassport City College    16   7   5   4   25   19    6   26
   4  Coraopolis University     16   6   6   4   29   25    4   24
   5  Wexford College           16   6   3   7   20   18    2   21
   6  Sullivan State University 16   6   2   8   23   29   -6   20
   7  Kensington University     16   5   4   7   24   32   -8   19
   8  Mifflin College           16   4   4   8   17   19   -2   16
   9  Trafford Technical Inst   16   4   3   9   24   35  -11   15

Keats Island Collegiate Premier League
 Pos  Team                       P   W   D   L   GF   GA   GD  Pts
   1  (4) Alameda Academy       16  11   3   2   29   15   14   36 *
   2  Hayward College           16   9   2   5   32   23    9   29
   3  Millbrae University       16   6   7   3   29   22    7   25
   4  Richmond College          16   6   5   5   25   24    1   23
   5  Keats Island University   16   6   5   5   24   25   -1   23
   6  Mountain View State Col   16   5   6   5   26   24    2   21
   7  Berkeley State University 16   3   7   6   17   26   -9   16
   8  Redwood City College      16   3   4   9   19   24   -5   13
   9  Fremont University        16   1   5  10   11   29  -18    8

Monroeville and Hayward thought they merited an at-large despite being five-loss teams, saying they were better than some of the so-called strong 7-3-4 teams like Ladsdburg, which had a medriocre record but compiled big wins and, by extension, impressive goal differentials.  Karin Tech was one such school which did NOT get in despite that credential, and both Gilderome and Billick were a pair of 8-4-4 teams which thought their body of work was equally good.  Once the conspiracy theorists and apologists had their say, the games began.

[u]At-Large Round[/u]
(#23) University of Juusenkitai 2-3 (#6) University of Desugaia
Akasaka University 1-3 (#19) Port Royal University
(#15) University of Dancougar 3-4 (#25) Gilderome State University
(#22) Lunarossa State University 2-3 (#24) Hale University
Ladsdburg College 2-3 University of Helmut
(#16) Craig State College 4-3 Zane Island State College
Raizon College 2-4 (#14) Katya City College
Amada University 0p-0 Southport City College

Right off the bat, there were some tough draws. Desugaia found itself in a battle with Big East power Juusenkitai, which has joined the upper echelons in just the last few years. All of the ranked-vs-ranked matchups produced excellent football which kept fans on edge, which was good for the tournament. It did mean the early exit of fan favorites University of Dancougar and Lunarossa State, but that's to take nothing away from Gilderome State and Hale. Almost anything would be preferred to the nil-nil stinkers put together by Amada and Southport, and it's wonder that penalties were able to settle that one given how poor the finishing was.

Conference Round
Tetsuya State College 1-2 (#19) Port Royal University
(#18) University of Sullivan 3-5 (#17) Dancougar Naval Academy
(#9) Shadow Cliffs State College 7-2 University of Helmut
Hinamizawa College 0-3 (#13) Thane College
(#8) Pollock College 1-8 (#1) Barynsk College
Raymaley College 2-3 (#20) Shapiro State University
(#21) Donneley College 4-1 (#12) Wightman College
(#14) Katya City College 4p-4 (#16) Craig State College
(#5) Kimstown City College 3-4 (#11) Chastain College
Purnell College 5-0 (#24) Hale University
Frickstowne College 2-4 Amada University
Reyes Academy 0-3 Helmut State University
(#2) Dancougar Royal Academy 4p-4 (#25) Gilderome State University
Crane State College 1-4 (#7) Amesborough College
(#10) Muddy Banks State College 4-6 (#6) University of Desugaia
(#3) Inbit College 2-3 (#4) Alameda Academy

Critics of the random draw were out in full force after several ties were constructed feature highly-ranked teams, all but ensuring a diluted field in the later rounds. At least that was the argument. Then again, giving the beating that Barynsk put on Pollock in a 1-vs-8, one wondered how much truth there was to it. Fortunately for the casual viewer, the remaining ties were about as exciting as billed, with the possible exception of Purnell's 5-0 beatdown of Hale and Shadow Cliffs' 7-2 victory over Helmut. Thane comfortably saw off challengers Hinamizawa 3-0, while Reyes found themselves on the wrong end of a 3-0 result against Helmut State.

Sweet Sixteen
(#4) Alameda Academy 3-7 (#19) Port Royal University
(#2) Dancougar Royal Academy 3-2 Helmut State University
(#21) Donneley College 3-4 (#14) Katya City College
(#17) Dancougar Naval Academy 1-10 Purnell College
(#13) Thane College 1-0 Amada University
(#6) University of Desugaia 4-3 (#7) Amesborough College
(#1) Barynsk College 1-4 (#11) Chastain College
(#20) Shapiro State University 1-3 (#9) Shadow Cliffs State College

Far from diluting the field, the conference round produced the highest-ever density of ranked teams in the last sixteen. Only three teams came in from outside the Top 25, and only one of them would proceed. That would be Purnell, who put together a record-setting performance by crushing the Naval Academy 6-0 and 4-1. Suddenly, nobody wanted to play them, since the Navy wasn't the pushover it once was. Barynsk finally ran out of luck, downed 4-1 by a capable Chastain team, while Thane continued its run by beating Amada by the minimum score. Their bid to be the first school to repeat as champions remained intact.

Quarterfinals
(#2) Dancougar Royal Academy 4-6 (#19) Port Royal University
Purnell College 4p-4 (#11) Chastain College
(#13) Thane College 5-2 (#9) Shadow Cliffs State College
(#14) Katya City College 3-2 (#6) University of Desugaia

And it stayed intact after an aggregate win over Shadow Cliffs. A 3-0 home win was more than enough, as a draw in the second leg put them back in the semifinals, all but ensuring them of international football once again. The matchup between the Royal Academy and Port Royal was expected to be a good one, too, and it certainly looked that way after the first leg finished 2-2. Port Royal got a couple late goals at home in the second leg to pull away 6-4 on aggregate but the match was, in reality, much closer than that. Purnell could sense its momentum starting to come to an end, but penalties saw them get past a bitterly disappointed Chastain. Katya City, at least, continued to carry the Igor Valley's torch by advancing over Desugaia.

Semifinals
(#13) Thane College 4-3 Purnell College
(#14) Katya City College 4-2 (#19) Port Royal University

Purnell's luck sure had run dry when their opponents were named -- Thane College, the Invincibles, they of two titles in four seasons and four overall, the most of all-time. And defending college world champions to boot. No pressure, right? Well, the scrappy Purnell team managed a 2-2 draw away in the first leg, so they were feeling when they came home for the second. But Thane found a way through, winning 2-1 to make their second straight final. In the other tie, Katya City essentially punched their ticket in the first leg with a 3-0 win at home. Port Royal threw everything they could at net in the second leg, but their 2-1 win was not enough.

Collegiate Grand Final
(#13) Thane College 3-1 (#14) Katya City College

You know, it took nineteen years of tournament play before any school managed to win two of them. Only two schools in 38 years have ever made it to the tournament final in back-to-back years -- Gilderomme and Carnegie Tech -- and both lost the first and won the second. So what do we have to say about Thane's unprecedented repeat victory? Seriously, after all the praise we've already heaped upon them, what do you think?

International Qualifiers

With Katya City reaching the final and Barynsk finishing the regular season at No. 1, it was good to be a follower of the Igor Valley conference, because their performance during the Classification meant that the conference would be sending two of its eight teams to an international tournament. No to shabby for the frigid north, eh? Purnell won the fan vote but opted for college opposition rather than profession. Quarterfinal opponents Port Royal and the Royal Academy were the College Alliance's selections for the remaining slots, with Port Royal getting the SBCC nod by virtue of the head-to-head victory.

IUCC1: #13 Thane College (national champion)
IUCC2: Purnell College (fan voting, deferred SBCC4)
IUCC3: #2 Dancougar Royal Academy (College Alliance selection)

SBCC1: #13 Thane College (national champion)
SBCC2: #14 Katya City College (national finalist)
SBCC3: #1 Barynsk College (regular season media No. 1)
SBCC4: #19 Port Royal University (College Alliance selection)

[Dancougar]

Season Capsules: 2055/56 Apertura, 2056/57 Clausura

2055/56: Apertura

At long last, the transfer market silence is broken... oh, what's that, Ciudad Soluca just wanted Marcos Garcia Fernandez back from Kildare? Oh, very well. But Kildare at least showed a little gumption by looking overseas for a replacement, eventually bringing in Somewhereistonian Vincas Taska. The majority of the action, though, was the excitement surrounding the D-League draft given that teams now had a Di Bradini Cup to help evaluate players. Notable draftees were Jermaine Fessenden to Super Dimension, Alexis Dellasanta to Bradford, and Kaito Watanabe to Stoneridge. Ultimately, though, the player from the new class who had the great impact in their new team was Jimmy Heathcote as King's Eleven, which surged to fifth in the table.

The title, though, belonged to Lakeport. No longer a spry youngster, Jeremy McAllister, Jr. was still a force to be reckoned with, only now he was playing with the experience accrued from a long, successful career. King's Eleven could taste glory as late as Week 25, when they were level with Lakeport at 46 points. But a month of matches saw Lakeport build an eight-point lead, and suddenly it looked over. King's Eleven faded down the stretch and Eastport, although looking strong despite the retirement of both Lynn DiMino and Aiko Yoshida, were unable to mount a serious charge. Lakeport's 3-0 against Stoneridge in Week 36 saw the lead at eight points with two matches remaining, allowing them to lift the trophy early at the Joe Gandor.

Code: Select all

 Pos  Team                       P   W   D   L   GF   GA   GD  Pts
   1  Sporting Lakeport         38  24   5   9   65   42   23   77 ^ 7
   2  Eastport United           38  21   7  10   78   53   25   70 v 1
   3  Teknika Schlieffen        38  17  10  11   57   52    5   61 ^ 3
   4  Yuki City Athletic        38  18   5  15   73   55   18   59 v 1
   5  King's Eleven Yuki City   38  16   9  13   56   54    2   57 ^ 6
   6  Dynamo Kalinsk            38  17   6  15   61   61    0   57 ^ 3
   7  Stoneridge United         38  17   5  16   53   50    3   56 ^ 5
   8  Shuukyuu Kishin           38  15  10  13   68   61    7   55 v 3
   9  Port Royal FC             38  16   7  15   61   59    2   55 v 7
  10  Grandborough FC           38  16   5  17   62   58    4   53 v 3
  11  Sporting Kildare          38  14  11  13   58   62   -4   53 v 7
  12  FC Takano 1983            38  15   7  16   64   60    4   52 ^ 4
  13  CF America Chuuoushi      38  13  13  12   45   49   -4   52 -
  14  Bradford United           38  13  10  15   48   64  -16   49 -
  15  Port Vigilence FC         38  13   6  19   58   62   -4   45 v 5
  16  Aiken City United         38  12   9  17   55   63   -8   45 ^ 3
  17  Super Dimension Ogasawara 38  11  11  16   39   48   -9   44 ^ 1
  18  Coraopolis FC             38  11  10  17   48   57   -9   43 ^ 2
  19  Raymaley Athletic         38  10  10  18   41   59  -18   40 v 2
  20  Mizuno no Juuichi         38   5  16  17   38   59  -21   31 v 5

International Roundup

Dancougar's performance in recent TakilQuip tournaments has been less than inspiring. It's been demotivating at best. This year's was especially bad. In eight matches played by D-League teams, not a single one ended in victory, as Port Royal, Eastport, and Sporting Lakeport combined for a massive three points. But given that owners around the league have refused to commmit to spending the amount of money needed to win, it looks like we'll just have to grin and bear it. How long until we lose that automatic group stage slot, I wonder?

Things looked better, though, in the Globe Cup, which continues to grow front-heavy with a ridiculous number of uniquely-named preliminary stages. This time we had the Playoff Access stage for Grandborough to get its start, and they pounded Port of Hartford 7-1 on aggregate. Then, in the Selective Stage, it was 8-1 against Stacey Athletic. They continued to win and wound up with one foot in the groups after drawing Tannenberg FC away. Ah, but a 1-1 draw at home gave the opponents an away goal which saw them through.

Dancougar managed two teams in the group stage. Eastport United, fresh off of elimination from the third preliminary stage of the TakilQuip, beat Aguazul's Trecelunas 2-1. (All thirteen of those moons, it seems, were unlucky.) Shuukyuu Kishin also managed to win their first and only preliminary round matchup, 5-3 over Pasarga's Tanrisal. The other team in the ground, Port Royal, was beaten by FC Wexax, but that was expected.

Wexax was given that chance to pull of a Kishin Delta sweep when they drew Eastport in Gropu C, and sure enough, they took four points from the D-League side. But Eastport managed to scrape through on goal differential after finishing level with Mort Park on eight points. Arrigo Portuguese would deal with them in the Round of 32, although Eastport did make a match of it. Entering the away leg down 2-0, they raced out to a 3-1 lead and were set to go through on away goals. But the Portuguese pulled one back in the 81st, so the win was just a badge of honor and nothing more.

Shuukyuu won a ridiculously tight Group H. Their only loss was a 5-2 humiliation at home to Septentrionia's FC Cap-Phare, which ended up at the bottom of the group on seven points. But given that the teams finished 9-8-8-7 -- all four managed two wins in the group, so draws made the difference -- the thing that made it humiliating was the margin and the location, not so much where they finished. The Psychiatrists of Estresse Intenso awaited in the Round of 32, and they overcame a 3-2 first-leg loss to win 4-3. But those pesky Vephrallers aren't willing to let us leapfrog them in the coefficients anytime soon, and Merpisms made sure of that with a 3-0 win in the Round of 16.

2056/57: Clausura

A note on the Dancougar league calendar: the Clausura takes place concurrently with World Cup 50 qualifying, so this writeup will be somewhat ahead of the qualifying thread. In our timeline, the World Cup/Cup of Harmony take place in the summer after the conclusion of the Clausura.

The rest of the Di Bradini 12 team made it into the D-League via the draft, and while pundits said that it merely meant that more promising talents would be stuck in the doldrums of the league table thanks to being taken by the likes of Mizuno and Raymaley, there was always a beacon of hope that another Teknika might emerge. The champion, though, was most likely to come from one of the usual suspects based on the previous season. Eastport's midfield was blossoming with young talents like Eric Holdman and Stefan Meineke, and with Ken Antonovich still scoring buckets of goals, the team figured to be in the hunt. Teknika still looked in good shape despite losing forward Kenny Banister to retirement, but midfield anchor Lincoln McFarland let it be known that, at age 36, he was playing his final season.

We could trace the entire season from start to finish, but the finish is really all that matters here. And it was a doozy. Here's how things looked on that day in May: Yuki City Athletic, behind Shannon Brookhouse and her league-high 26 goals, could do no worse than fourth but no better than second. They had 69 points, two behind Eastport and Teknika. And they were two points behind Shuukyuu Kishin, who led the league with 73 points, a league-high 87 goals, and a league-high +42 differential. Teknika had an easy road game at Mizuno and was expected to win. Athletic likewise had an easy road game at Coraopolis.

But Eastport and Kishin played each other, and then the scenarios were scrutinized. If Kishin won, the title was theirs, period. If Eastport won, Teknika would have to win and make up a 6-goal differential for tiebreakers, which was unlikely even against Mizuno. And if it was a draw? Teknika would have to win and make up a massive 22-goal differential to match Kishin. So not only was there just one meaningful game, there were only two teams with a realistic shot at the title, making Kishin-Eastport the de-facto championship game. As soon as the networks realized that, it was flexed to Sunday night.

There was a party atmosphere in Eastport as fans from both cities converged on the Kishin Delta for the game. Bars were overflowing, songs and flags filled the air, and tickets were commanding record prices. The television ratings were the best ever for any D-League game, coming in at 30.3/49.1, numbers which could only be bested by World Cup games. And the game itself? Nail-biting for the most part. Even though Eastport got the 3-1 win which delivered the title in front of the home fans, the result was in doubt throughout the second half. Eastport clung onto a 2-1 lead until the 73rd minute when Antonovich headed home a corner, but even after that, Kishin theatened to cut the lead on several occasions.

Code: Select all

 Pos  Team                       P   W   D   L   GF   GA   GD  Pts
   1  Eastport United           38  22   8   8   80   52   28   74 ^ 1
   2  Teknika Schlieffen        38  21  11   6   71   49   22   74 ^ 1
   3  Shuukyuu Kishin           38  21  10   7   88   48   40   73 ^ 5
   4  Yuki City Athletic        38  21   9   8   87   50   37   72 -
   5  Sporting Lakeport         38  18  10  10   72   56   16   64 v 4
   6  Sporting Kildare          38  19   5  14   70   56   14   62 ^ 5
   7  Port Royal FC             38  17   9  12   70   64    6   60 ^ 2
   8  FC Takano 1983            38  17   6  15   63   60    3   57 ^ 4
   9  King's Eleven Yuki City   38  13  15  10   69   64    5   54 v 4
  10  Grandborough FC           38  15   8  15   57   54    3   53 -
  11  Stoneridge United         38  12  11  15   51   57   -6   47 v 4
  12  Dynamo Kalinsk            38  12  11  15   51   60   -9   47 v 6
  13  Coraopolis FC             38  12  11  15   43   53  -10   47 ^ 4
  14  CF America Chuuoushi      38  13   6  19   52   69  -17   45 v 1
  15  Bradford United           38  12   7  19   40   52  -12   43 v 1
  16  Super Dimension Ogasawara 38  11   6  21   42   59  -17   39 ^ 1
  17  Aiken City United         38   9  10  19   48   62  -14   37 v 1
  18  Port Vigilence FC         38  10   7  21   40   65  -25   37 v 3
  19  Raymaley Athletic         38   9   8  21   41   76  -35   35 -
  20  Mizuno no Juuichi         38   9   6  23   40   69  -29   33 -

International Qualifiers

Eastport and Teknika were clearly in the TakilQuip field after finishing in the top three in both the Apertura and Clausura, although Lakeport's runaway Apertura ensured that they made the field despite falling four sports to fifth. As for the Globe Cup, Kishin and Athletic had no problems making the field, but tiebreakers were needed to decide whether Kildare or Port Royal would get the last slot...

TQCC1: Eastport United
TQCC2: Sporting Lakeport
TQCC3: Teknika Schlieffen
GC1: Yuki City Athletic
GC2: Shuukyuu Kishin
GC3: Sporting Kildare

International Stadium Bids

TAKILQUIP CHAMPIONS CUP

Stadium: Kirk Patrick Lockhart (KPL) Arena
Location: Kildare, Juusenkitai
Home of: Sporting Kildare
Capacity: 61,000
Info: Although the area's logistical capabilities were in question when it first applied to host an international event, some of those fears were allayed at the stadium, the first in Dancougar to have a retractable roof, was used for the finals of the fifth International Basketball Championships. The city has learned from that experience and expects the next event, should it land one, to proceed more smoothly.

SERIES B CHAMPIONS CUP

Stadium: Satoshi Hirano Stadium
Location: Kishin, Yuki
Home of: Shuukyuu Kishin
Capacity: 58,000
Info: Located fifteen miles east of the capital, Yuki City, just outside the beltway, Kishin is an affluent borough with a more oriental flavor. Its central location in Dancougar means that it has ample transit links and also shares many services with the nearby capital. Its location on the Kishin River also provides a relaxed atmosphere.

GLOBE CUP

Stadium: Joseph Gandor Stadium
Location: Lakeport, Lunarossa
Home of: Sporting Lakeport
Capacity: 51,000
Notes: When Empire Motors came onto the board of directors as a primary sponsor and major investor, the lake-front stadium got a much-needed refurbishment and expansion. The stadium itself is just north of the city, although that area also got major redevelopment in the years following the project. The Stadium District is now one of the most popular destinations in Lakeport.

[Valanora]

Season 20,025/6

Playoff: [Host of second leg - aggregate score(first leg score) Host of first leg]

Premiership

Pos   Team                       P   W   D   L   GF   GA   GD  Pts
   1  Raynor City United        38  23   5  10   82   55   27   74     Champions
   2  Club ESF                  38  21   9   8   73   49   24   72     TQCC
   3  FC Capri                  38  19   8  11   70   63    7   65     TQCC
   4  Hondo FC                  38  20   4  14   72   57   15   64     TQCC
   5  Char Sara FC              38  18   6  14   77   63   14   60     GC
   6  Soldarian FC              38  18   6  14   81   73    8   60     GC
   7  Juavi FC                  38  14  13  11   88   81    7   55     GC
   8  Rolalas FC                38  15  10  13   57   56    1   55
   9  Wexax United              38  16   6  16   61   57    4   54
  10  Mar Sara FC               38  16   6  16   53   50    3   54
  11  Quel'Thalas FC            38  14  11  13   56   56    0   53
  12  SC Ianisle                38  14  10  14   55   70  -15   52
  13  SC Rinaldi                38  13  10  15   53   54   -1   49
  14  FC Therathor              38  12  11  15   49   47    2   47
  15  Turmondale United         38  11  13  14   44   49   -5   46
  16  FC Wexax                  38  12   9  17   46   62  -16   45
  17  AC Hartdale               38  11  10  17   45   60  -15   43
  18  AS Sharala                38  10  11  17   37   46   -9   41     Relegated
  19  Club Valanora             38  10  10  18   62   77  -15   40     Relegated
  20  FC Travesian              38   6   6  26   44   80  -36   24     Relegated

Star League

Playoff: Kareen FC 3-4(2-2) Gladerial United

Pos  Team                       P   W   D   L   GF   GA   GD  Pts
   1  AC Zul'Atun               38  25   7   6   89   49   40   82     Champions
   2  AC Valanari               38  22  10   6   61   32   29   76     SBCC
   3  Kareen FC                 38  19   9  10   62   43   19   66     SBCC
   4  Gladerial United          38  16  14   8   59   45   14   62     SBCC
   5  Straightdale FC           38  17  11  10   56   43   13   62
   6  Manavawi Athletic         38  17   8  13   43   44   -1   59
   7  Everlin FC                38  16   9  13   49   50   -1   57
   8  Baysleef FC               38  15  11  12   48   44    4   56
   9  Athletic Rolalas          38  15  10  13   64   67   -3   55
  10  AC Stormguard             38  16   4  18   58   65   -7   52
  11  Travesian AS              38  14   9  15   56   52    4   51
  12  FC Vernad                 38  13  10  15   33   40   -7   49
  13  FC Longview               38  13   8  17   52   52    0   47
  14  FC Vamas                  38  13   7  18   47   51   -4   46
  15  Sharala AC                38  12   8  18   51   58   -7   44
  16  AC Cartmot                38  11   9  18   25   41  -16   42
  17  FC Monaven                38  11   8  19   38   56  -18   41
  18  Oliviena United           38  10   9  19   30   44  -14   39     Relegated
  19  Turmondale FC             38   9   9  20   43   64  -21   36     Relegated
  20  Vaharia FC                38   7   8  23   39   63  -24   29     Relegated

Green League

Playoff: FC Quel'Mathar 3-1(0-1) RC Rikana

Pos   Team                       P   W   D   L   GF   GA   GD  Pts
   1  AS Everlin                38  23   7   8   79   54   25   76     Champions
   2  Raynor City FC            38  20   4  14   78   60   18   64     Promoted
   3  FC Quel'Mathar            38  18   9  11   65   57    8   63     Playoff
   4  RC Rikana                 38  16  13   9   63   52   11   61     Playoff
   5  AS Zul'Daratar            38  16  10  12   60   59    1   58
   6  AS Soldar                 38  13  15  10   60   57    3   54
   7  Char Sara United          38  16   6  16   45   45    0   54
   8  AC Goldsan                38  13  14  11   57   52    5   53
   9  DC Aulian                 38  15   8  15   67   64    3   53
  10  FC San Diromia            38  13  13  12   56   57   -1   52
  11  Bree FC                   38  14  10  14   53   54   -1   52
  12  Mar Sara AC               38  15   6  17   66   61    5   51
  13  RC Vahama                 38  12  13  13   47   52   -5   49
  14  FC Silvershire            38  11  14  13   49   56   -7   47
  15  Aras United               38  11  13  14   50   56   -6   46
  16  SC Longview               38  11  12  15   59   57    2   45
  17  Cartmot Pride             38  11   9  18   46   57  -11   42
  18  Arouw United              38  10  12  16   40   55  -15   42     Relegated
  19  SC Quintal                38  10   8  20   39   56  -17   38     Relegated
  20  Erran FC                  38   9  10  19   44   62  -18   37     Relegated

Blue League

Playoff: Ironwind United 1-2 (0-2) RC Durmosa

Pos   Team                       P   W   D   L   GF   GA   GD  Pts
   1  Turbani FC                38  19  11   8   62   49   13   68     Champions
   2  Quel'Tir United           38  20   6  12   65   39   26   66     Promoted
   3  Ironwind United           38  17  15   6   42   20   22   66     Playoff
   4  RC Durmosa                38  19   8  11   79   60   19   65     Playoff
   5  AS Char Sara              38  19   4  15   74   57   17   61
   6  Zanabia City              38  16   9  13   63   59    4   57
   7  FC Kilai                  38  14  14  10   55   48    7   56
   8  AS Zul'Atun               38  15  10  13   62   53    9   55
   9  Arouw FC                  38  16   7  15   61   57    4   55
  10  FC Solqual                38  15  10  13   56   59   -3   55
  11  FC Rosenthal              38  13  13  12   56   60   -4   52
  12  AC Rinaldi                38  13  10  15   50   60  -10   49
  13  Inter Gladerial           38  12  11  15   64   67   -3   47
  14  Yolan FC                  38  14   5  19   49   69  -20   47
  15  Suax United               38  12   9  17   64   69   -5   45
  16  SC Soldar                 38  14   2  22   52   71  -19   44
  17  FC Ispan                  38  11   9  18   60   69   -9   42
  18  RC Elunita                38  12   6  20   62   79  -17   42     Relegated
  19  AS Solqual                38  10  11  17   40   58  -18   41     Relegated
  20  Zul'Daratar FC            38  11   6  21   62   75  -13   39     Relegated

Rose League

Playoff: Erran United 2-2[3-2 AET](1-1) DC Bree

Pos   Team                       P   W   D   L   GF   GA   GD  Pts
   1  AS Rikana                 38  20   6  12   57   38   19   66     Champions
   2  FC Suax                   38  17  12   9   63   49   14   63     Promoted
   3  Erran United              38  16  12  10   61   53    8   60     Playoff
   4  DC Bree                   38  17   7  14   53   47    6   58     Playoff
   5  AC Rosenthal              38  16  10  12   49   45    4   58
   6  RC Jumangas               38  15  12  11   41   33    8   57
   7  DC Quel'Tir               38  16   9  13   43   46   -3   57
   8  AC Therathor              38  15  11  12   58   55    3   56
   9  RC Liogan                 38  13  14  11   44   40    4   53
  10  AC Ispan                  38  13  13  12   54   50    4   52
  11  AC Jumangas               38  14  10  14   48   51   -3   52
  12  AC Durmosa                38  12  15  11   54   55   -1   51
  13  DC Melikkiaz              38  13  11  14   52   50    2   50
  14  AS Aras                   38  12  14  12   44   46   -2   50
  15  FC Melikkiaz              38  12  12  14   45   48   -3   48
  16  AS Vaharia                38  13   7  18   44   48   -4   46
  17  DC Liogan                 38  12   7  19   38   47   -9   43
  18  AC Port Swell             38  10  10  18   41   56  -15   40
  19  DC Kilai                  38  10   9  19   38   54  -16   39
  20  RC Quel'Mathar            38  11   5  22   46   62  -16   38

Silver Cup 20,025
Holders ~ Raynor City United

Due to broadcast restrictions we pick up action in the Quarterfinals

Quarterfinals
Raynor City United 1-0 AC Valanari
Manavawi Athletic 0-2 FC Wexax
Club ESF 1-2 Rolalas FC
Hondo FC 3-4 Everlin FC

Semifinals
Everlin FC 0-1 Raynor City United
Rolalas FC 0-0(0-0 AET)[1-3 PKs] FC Wexax

3PPo
@ Hatire Memorial, Capri
Rolalas FC 2-1 Everlin FC

Final
@ Artani, Mar Sara
Raynor City United 2-2(2-2 AET)[3-2 PKs] FC Wexax

Navy Cup 20,025
Holders ~ Wexax United

First Round
AS Sharala 2-2 Juavi FC | Juavi FC 0-1 AS Sharala
Aggregate: AS Sharala 3-2 Juavi FC

Mar Sara FC 1-1 FC Travesian | FC Travesian 2-2(2-2 AET)[1-2 PKs] Mar Sara FC
Aggregate: Mar Sara FC p3-3 FC Travesian

AC Hartdale 0-0 FC Therathor | FC Therathor 0-1 AC Hartdale
Aggregate: AC Hartdale 1-0 FC Therathor

SC Rinaldi 1-0 Turmondale United | Turmondale United 1-1 SC Rinaldi
Aggregate: SC Rinaldi 2-1 Turmondale United

Second Round
Club Valanora 2-1 FC Capri | FC Capri 1-2 Club Valanora
Aggregate: Club Valanora 4-2 FC Capri

Quel'Thalas FC 0-0 Mar Sara FC | Mar Sara FC 0-1 Quel'Thalas FC
Aggregate: Quel'Thalas FC 1-0 Mar Sara FC

Wexax United 0-3 Char Sara FC | Char Sara FC 1-1 Wexax United
Aggregate: Wexax United 1-4 Char Sara FC

Soldarian FC 4-1 SC Rinaldi | SC Rinaldi 1-1 Soldarian FC
Aggregate: Soldarian FC 5-2 SC Rinaldi

SC Ianisle 4-4 Club ESF | Club ESF 3-0 SC Ianisle
Aggregate: SC Ianisle 4-7 Club ESF

AS Sharala 1-0 FC Wexax | FC Wexax 2-1(3-1 AET) AS Sharala 
Aggregate: AS Sharala 2-3 FC Wexax

Rolalas FC 0-2 Hondo FC | Hondo FC 2-2 Rolalas FC
Aggregate: Rolalas FC 2-4 Hondo FC

AC Hartdale 2-1 Raynor City United | Raynor City United 2-0 AC Hartdale
Aggregate: AC Hartdale 2-3 Raynor City United

Quarterfinals
Club Valanora 1-4 Quel'Thalas FC | Quel'Thalas FC 2-3 Club Valanora
Aggregate: Club Valanora 4-6 Quel'Thalas FC

FC Wexax 2-2 Raynor City United | Raynor City United 1-0 FC Wexax
Aggregate: FC Wexax 2-3 Raynor City United

Hondo FC 1-1 Char Sara FC | Char Sara FC 1-2 Hondo FC
Aggregate: Hondo FC 3-2 Char Sara FC

Club ESF 1-1 Soldarian FC | Soldarian FC 3-2 Club ESF
Aggregate: Club ESF 3-4 Soldarian FC

Semifinals
Raynor City United 4-2 Soldarian FC | Soldarian FC 2-1 Raynor City United
Aggregate: Raynor City United 5-4 Soldarian FC

Quel'Thalas FC 2-4 Hondo FC | Hondo FC 4-1 Quel'Thalas FC
Aggregate: Quel'Thalas FC 3-8 Hondo FC

Final
The White Fortress, Gladerial
Raynor City United 3-1 Hondo FC

End of Season Awards

Manager of the Year
Daersirien Undolond - FC Capri

Golden Boot
Ardaugien Ealomiel (21 goals) - Juavi FC

Player of the Year
Faeron Soldarian (18 goals, 16 assists) - Raynor City United

Striker of the Year
Ardaugien Ealomiel (21 goals) - Juavi FC

Midfielder of the Year
Faeron Soldarian (18 goals, 16 assists) - Raynor City United

Defender of the Year
Kathanon Berthanthor - Club ESF

Best XI
GK: Moréethiel Mitheredal - AS Sharala
CB: Kathanon Berthanthor - Club ESF
CB: Placibus Hardsworth - Hondo FC
RCB: William Vaughan - Raynor City United
RW: Tatolron Ondotaur - Club ESF
MC: Faeron Soldarian - Raynor City United
AMC: Artulcdhron Zetaback - Soldarian FC
LW: Veryafinon Cunaril - FC Capri
ST: Juninho - FC Capri
ST: Lucas Hearts - Hondo FC
ST: Medtôrwen Gwaval - Club ESF

International Qualifiers
TQCC: Raynor City United, Club ESF, FC Capri, Hondo FC
GC: Char Sara FC, Soldarian FC, Juavi FC
SBCC: AC Zul'Atun, AC Valanari, Kareen FC, Gladerial United
AFI: Raynor City United

International Stadia Bids
TQCC: Artani (74,000), Mar Sara
GC: The Battleground (78,000), Raynor City
SBCC: Donna Cathedral (60,000), Mar Sara

[Queer Poco el Mono Ara]

Una Serie Season VI Finale

League Stuff
2 years after last winning a league title, Pythons are back on top and Mark Sloan’s detractors who lost faith when he sold the older players and brought in youngsters have finally been silenced. Stunning season long performances by Malak duo Dmitri Žukava and Anatoly Milinkievič and the season of his career from former international forward Frederico who is set to hang his boots up fired Pythons to the league title. Elsewhere Royal’s stuttering start meant they were playing catch up all year long and were unable to… catch.. Pythons, finishing second four points clear of a rejuvenated Almondvale side, who under Daryl Ferguson are going from strength to strength.

At the bottom of the league, it was a tale of a single point once again and sadly Real Minanda’s tenure in the Una Serie. Just like the season before, the margin at the bottom was so slim only a last day win could rescue Salaga from imminent relegation, and by Jesus did they get that win, prolonging their stay for another year.

Code: Select all

 Pos  Team                       P   W   D   L   GF   GA   GD  Pts
   1  Pythons                   44  26  10   8   82   46   36   88
   2  Royal Khaldoon            44  25   9  10   92   68   24   84
   3  Almondvale                44  24   8  12   94   62   32   80
   4  Augustus                  44  21   8  15   82   67   15   71
   5  Jonastown United          44  19  10  15   71   69    2   67
   6  Skyte City                44  20   5  19   65   53   12   65
   7  Ridgemont Town            44  18   7  19   78   78    0   61
   8  Athletic Khaldoon         44  14  13  17   61   64   -3   55
   9  1860 Flumineiro           44  11  13  20   51   68  -17   46
  10  Villa Ortiz               44  13   6  25   68   92  -24   45
  11  Salaga F.C                44  11   7  26   51   85  -34   40
  12  Real Minanda              44  11   6  27   54   97  -43   39

In League I, Valengren Kickers, the only side owned by foreign investors eradicated all the opposition to leap straight back into the Una Serie looking stronger than ever and a threat for the international club competitions. At the bottom of League I it was Sunset Village who finally slipped off the horizon and disappeared back into the lowest level of professional football in Queer Poco el Mono Ara and into League II, swiftly replaced by, Athletico Palampas.

League I

Code: Select all

 Pos  Team                       P   W   D   L   GF   GA   GD  Pts
   1  Valengren Kickers         44  26  10   8   91   55   36   88
   2  Barbossa                  44  19  12  13   73   68    5   69
   3  Burston Wanderers         44  19  11  14   61   51   10   68
   4  Rydell United             44  15  17  12   56   54    2   62
   5  New Boys Royceton         44  15  16  13   46   47   -1   61
   6  Belle-Isle on Sea         44  15  14  15   66   62    4   59
   7  Garrincha F.C             44  15  12  17   64   65   -1   57
   8  Port Los Renato           44  15  10  19   72   74   -2   55
   9  MS Leighton               44  13  14  17   68   79  -11   53
  10  Racing Cruzeira           44  14  11  19   62   77  -15   53
  11  Valengren Rovers          44  13  10  21   56   71  -15   49
  12  Sunset Village            44  10  13  21   51   63  -12   43

League II

Code: Select all

 Pos  Team                       P   W   D   L   GF   GA   GD  Pts
   1  Athletico Palampas        44  20   8  16   67   57   10   68
   2  Old Forrest               44  19   9  16   69   63    6   66
   3  Racing Minanda            44  16  15  13   64   47   17   63
   4  Burley United             44  18   9  17   71   64    7   63
   5  Allied Motor Trade        44  16  14  14   62   64   -2   62
   6  East Khaldoon Park        44  17  11  16   64   69   -5   62
   7  Ajax Khaldoon II          44  18   7  19   66   63    3   61
   8  Stourton Town             44  17   9  18   55   54    1   60
   9  Hunslet Wanderers         44  17   8  19   73   91  -18   59
  10  Renato Albion             44  17   7  20   58   55    3   58
  11  Palampas                  44  16   9  19   57   69  -12   57
  12  Villa Flumineiro          44  15  10  19   51   61  -10   55

Cup Stuff
We pick up in the Trofeo Royal where we left off. In round three where the big teams are introduced. The biggest shock came as two sides from the capital clashed. Una Serie’s Augustus and League II’s Ajax Khaldoon II. A valiant 2-2 home draw against the three time winners was rewarded with a 3-0 penalty shootout win. Elsewhere in round three mega rich Royal Khaldoon’s youngsters thumped Hunslet Wanderers 6-0 suggesting spending vast sums of money isn’t essentially the best way to go when building a title challenging team (Unless you happen to pay attention to the previous two seasons and Valengren’s ascent back into the Una Serie).

Real Minanda 1-1 Renato Albion (1-1 AET) (Real Minanda wins 2-0 on penalty kicks)
Garrincha F.C. 1-2 Valengren Rovers
MS Leighton 3-1 Belle-Isle on Sea
Ajax Khaldoon II 2-2 Augustus (2-2 AET) (Ajax Khaldoon II wins 3-0 on penalty kicks)
Rydell United 2-2 Salaga F.C (2-3 AET)
Hunslet Wanderers 0-6 Royal Khaldoon
Port Los Renato 2-3 Athletic Khaldoon
Villa Ortiz 1-1 Racing Cruzeira (1-2 AET)
Skyte City 4-1 New Boys Royceton
1860 Flumineiro 2-0 Sunset Village
Almondvale 1-3 Pythons
Jonastown United 2-1 Atletico Palampas
Allied Motor Trade 0-1 Ridgemont Town
Barbossa 1-1 Stourton Town (1-2 AET)
Racing Minanda 1-3 Athletico Palampas
Valengren Kickers 1-1 Burston Wanderers (2-2 AET) (Valengren Kickers wins 1-0 on penalty kicks)

And on we marched into Round 4. Ajax Khaldoon II once again stunned opposition from a higher league beating MS Leighton away from home to reach the quarter finals of what may prove to be a Cinderella story.

Real Minanda 3-0 Valengren Rovers
MS Leighton 1-2 Ajax Khaldoon II
Salaga F.C 1-3 Royal Khaldoon
Athletic Khaldoon 1-0 Racing Cruzeira
Skyte City 2-1 1860 Flumineiro
Pythons 5-2 Jonastown United
Ridgemont Town 3-1 Stourton Town
Athletico Palampas 0-0 Valengren Kickers (0-1 AET)

Round 5 – It wasn’t though as the new life breathed into Valengren Kickers saw them edge out Ajax Khaldoon 2-1 and put pay to any ideas they were getting of reaching the final. The other three games were hotly contested entirely Una Serie fixtures, with Royal getting the better of Athletic Khaldoon and Ridgemont and Pythons making their way to the semis also.

Real Minanda 2-3 Ridgemont Town
Valengren Kickers 2-1 Ajax Khaldoon II
Royal Khaldoon 3-1 Athletic Khaldoon
Skyte City 3-5 Pythons

The semis saw the best two teams in the league clash in the capital and League I leaders Valengren face Ridgemont Town who had yet to win any silverware since the inception of the league, the pressure was on for Ridgemont.

Ridgemont Town 3-2 Valengren Kickers
Royal Khaldoon 5-2 Pythons

The Final

They made it. Valengren get League I and Pythons get the Una Serie title so it came down to this, the very last game of the season. Could Royal finish the year with a cup after their destruction of Pythons or would Ridgemont ruin their party and claim their first trophy… ever.

Ridgemont Town

vs
Royal Khaldoon

Ridgemont Town 2-1 Royal Khaldoon

Boo-ya! Ridgemont are the Trofeo Royal champions and become the 3rd team to lift the trophy in it’s short history. And by winning the cup, they also nab themselves a place in the Globe Cup! Hoorah for Ridgemont, as we’ve remembered to enter teams this time around! oh and the other teams too.....

TQCC: Pythons + Royal Khaldoon
Globe Cup: Almondvale + Augustus + Ridgemont Town
SBCC: Valengren Kickers + Barbossa + Burston Wanderers

*Still to come Petr Ollic Testimonial and Awards!*

[Zarbli]

The hot rising of Polar Zenith

Polar Zenith has won the 2nd Duke League (Zarblese 1st division). The club, which was not amongst the favourites at the beginning of the season achieved the top spot at the fixtures only in the round before the last, taking the place out of the Knights, the runners-up, who lead most of the championship.

Polar Zenith's deffender Jeba (left) disputing the ball with Warriors' Kaipira during Zenith's away victory (3-4) that gave them the title in the last round

The mountain city of Zenitis, considered to be the coldest city in the country sure became a little warmer as the celebrations went on. "It's a heck of a good feeling to bring the Crown [as the league's trophy is called] to Zenitis. People are wild!", said Zenith's center-forward Jelado as the team paraded it's home city on a firetruck.

Title holders Billiard ended up only in the 6th place.

In the bottom end of the standings, Drooler, Xegei and Sligdish return to the Marquiss League [2nd division] after only one season with the big shots. Flame joins them after a terrible season for the once traditional team. "There's nothing to explain. You have no one but me to blame", said the laconic Flame coach Tomaix D. Krioka.


Duke League II

Meet the Top 20 Zarblese clubs that played the 2nd Duke League (click for badge and uniforms):

Asia FC | Battle | Billiard | Balance | Cannibals | Classics | Cross SC | Drooler | Flame
Goyoreh | Knights | Lichen | Lunar | Mountain Chain | Polar Zenith | Pyramid AC | Romans | Sligdish | Warriors | Xegei

Final fixtures:

Code: Select all

Pos  Team                       P   W   D   L   GF   GA   GD  Pts
   1  Polar Zenith              38  22   9   7   86   59   27   75   Champions - TQCC
   2  Knights                   38  21  10   7   73   54   19   73   TQCC
   3  Cannibals                 38  20  10   8   95   64   31   70
   4  Asia FC                   38  21   6  11   89   71   18   69
   5  Battle                    38  18   8  12   77   60   17   62
   6  Billiard* #               38  18   7  13   97   77   20   61
   7  Romans                    38  16  10  12   82   74    8   58
   8  Classics                  38  17   7  14   69   68    1   58
   9  Warriors                  38  16   7  15  101   95    6   55
  10  Lichen                    38  17   4  17   84   86   -2   55
  11  Cross SC                  38  15   7  16   70   75   -5   52
  12  Mountain Chain            38  16   4  18   70   76   -6   52
  13  Goyoreh                   38  13   9  16   81   87   -6   48
  14  Lunar                     38  12  11  15   68   79  -11   47
  15  Pyramid AC                38  13   7  18   85   85    0   46
  16  Balance                   38  11  11  16   70   75   -5   44
  17  Drooler                   38  12   6  20   74   87  -13   42   Relegated
  18  Flame                     38  11   7  20   49   64  -15   40   Relegated
  19  Xegei                     38   8   6  24   60   94  -34   30   Relegated
  20  Sligdish                  38   7   6  25   54  104  -50   27   Relegated

* Previous champions (number of * represents the amount of previous titles)
# Title Holders

Champions

Here're the Marquiss League [2nd division] final standings. As the top 4 are promoted to the Duke League, Union and TFC return to the 1st division after one year in the 2nd. The Bloodthirsty Killers joins them along with the surprising Coconut Trees, a modest club from the jungles of the nation of Kanibaldi.


Marquiss League II

Code: Select all

 Pos  Team                       P   W   D   L   GF   GA   GD  Pts
   1  Union                     38  22   6  10   90   52   38   72   Promoted
   2  TFC                       38  21   9   8   99   62   37   72   Promoted
   3  Coconut Trees             38  20   7  11   94   80   14   67   Promoted
   4  Bloodthirsty Killers      38  19   7  12   90   71   19   64   Promoted
   5  New Athenian              38  19   7  12   88   71   17   64
   6  Brilliant                 38  19   7  12   76   65   11   64
   7  Guilliotine               38  18   7  13   80   68   12   61
   8  Watermen                  38  18   7  13   68   59    9   61
   9  Morphologic               38  16  10  12   68   57   11   58
  10  Endoplasmatic Reticulum   38  16  10  12   64   66   -2   58
  11  Zug-Zug                   38  15   8  15   85   84    1   53
  12  Imperial FC               38  14   9  15   70   79   -9   51
  13  Jungle Club               38  14   8  16   72   77   -5   50
  14  Discoverer                38  13  10  15   55   59   -4   49
  15  Demigods                  38  11   9  18   73   87  -14   42
  16  Mobsters                  38  11   8  19   63   78  -15   41
  17  Super                     38  11   8  19   71   88  -17   41
  18  Yema!                     38  10  10  18   67   86  -19   40
  19  4                         38  10   4  24   56   94  -38   34
  20  Hot AC                    38   4   7  27   46   92  -46   19


[Candelaria And Marquez]

UICA Qualification Clarification

TQCC22 – Albrecht FC, Marquez-Onwere, Green Island, Port of Clotaire
TQCC22 Stadium – Tristar Songstress Stadium, Albrecht [cap. 88,200]
GC19 – Albrecht Turkish, Radyukevich CSC, Caires City
SBCC19 – Gamboa FC, Webley Stadium, Cathedral City, Sloane Wanderers
SBCC19 Stadium – Wallpark Road, Abiodun [cap. 30,092]

Code: Select all

Last Five Seasons
       CMSC Winners  Runners-Up  Third Place  Cup Winners   Runners-up
XXXIII Albrecht FC   A.Turks     Green Island Albrecht FC   MarquezOW
XXXIV  Green Island  MarquezOW   Tenderville  Albrecht FC   Tenderville
XXXV   Green Island  Albrecht FC Caires City  Tenderville   El din Marbles
XXXVI  Green Island  A.Turks     PoC          Portuguese    Albrecht FC
XXXVII Albrecht FC   MarquezOW   Green Island Tenderville   A.Turks

CMSC XXXVIII Preview

Put the razors away, chaps and chapesse… oh, who’re we kidding? Chaps. Jesus is ris, and He has blessed us with the preview for the new Candelaria And Marquez Soccer Championship season. Rejoice, you sexy devils. Rejoice!

Basically, this one is pretty much the same as last season’s, ‘cos we’re all busy… with the… harvest…? Or something.

Oh, and it doesn’t look as though all the actual pre-season signings have been actually made yet, actually, thus rendering this whole ‘Preview’ business an utter nonsense.

Bah.

The big news, of course, involves the wholesale collapse of Green Island, with the entirety of its Vanorian community buggering off from whence they came or, alternatively, to Albrecht Turkish. That would appear to leave the title race firmly between the Big Two from the capital, so… One wonders why we’re even bothering with all this palaver, really.

Still, Webley Stadium got promoted.

My God, I can barely contain myself.

Foreign transfers prior to XXXVIII
Emilio Guaman (Aguazul) ----------> to Cathedral City
Shayaz Azam (Akbarabad) ----------> to Caires City
Amate (Cafundéu) ----------> to Arrigo Portuguese
Doramílton (Cafundéu) ----------> to Arrigo Portuguese
Evandro (Cafundéu) ----------> to Marquez-Onwere
Teteo (Cafundéu) ----------> to Arrigo Portuguese
Pak Yong-ho (Daehanjeiguk) ----------> to Arrigo Portuguese
Damon Parker (Krytenia) ----------> to Radyukevich CSC
Thomas Scarborough (Krytenia) ----------> to Radyukevich CSC
Boris Atroshchenko (Malak Free State) ----------> to Gamboa FC
Siarhiej Karatkevich (Malak Free State) ----------> to Cathedral City
Andrei Mirnyi (Malak Free State) ----------> to Gamboa FC
Ivan Volodinsk (Malak Free State) ----------> to Gamboa FC
Leo Delamater (Nethertopia) ----------> to Gamboa FC
Daan Sneden (Nethertopia) ----------> to Gamboa FC
Geert Winnick (Nethertopia) ----------> to Gamboa FC
Marc Vilito (Osarius) ----------> to Albrecht FC
Kasper Grinius (Somewhereistonia) ----------> to Green Island
Vladimir Kūks (Somewhereistonia) ----------> to Green Island
Peter Jones (Sorthern Northland) ----------> to Port of Clotaire
Leroy Nghiem (Sorthern Northland) ----------> to Marquez-Onwere
Mike Reynolds (Taeshan) ----------> to Webley Stadium
Orion Swimmer (Taeshan) ----------> to Webley Stadium
Thankanion Elenelwa (Valanora) ----------> to Green Island
Armando Rivas (Valladares) ----------> to Cathedral City
Nastadgus Dotos (Vephrall) ----------> to NAPPC
Prarbens Izorigor (Vephrall) ----------> to NAPPC
Quentin Gorrie (The Weegies) ----------> to Caires City
Lawrence McKillop (The Weegies) ----------> to Tenderville United

Players marked with a * are foreigners born in Rushmore or otherwise Rushmori citizens, and count only as ½ foreigners for the purposes of the four-player quota system. Nethertopian players moving to and between Nethertopian clubs are excluded from the above list, for sanity’s sake.

Players marked with a ** are those who were formally registered as members of C&M clubs’ youth academies, and thus counting as ‘home-grown’; C&M-born foreign internationals; or foreign-born players able to claim Candelariasian citizenship for quota purposes.

Albrecht FC: Rosalia – Vilito, Van Aulen**, William**, St. Louis (c) – Tekeste, Nakatsuru, Go**, Kouakou Kouamé, Morrison – Hamizi
Nickname(s): The Scorpions
Stadium: Tristar Songstress Stadium, Albrecht [cap. 88,800]
Coach: Luis Enrique Torrealba
Background: The capital giants, the biggest club in the country, two-time TQCC winners, eleven-time CMSC1 winners, a couple of recent CMS Cups in the bag an’ all… And last season they returned to the top to bring Green Island’s long reign to a close and – they hope – kick off a mighty era of renewed dominance all of their own, with Torrealba’s Tots now that little bit more experienced. The Candelarias are probably going to be their oyster for a while again, now, and what’s more they’ve got a bloody enormous new stadium to enjoy it in. Bastards.
Team Style: 4-5-1, but by no means defensive with an extremely talented midfield packed with creativity. Bastards.
Star Names: William is one of the best defenders in the world, Francois St. Louis surely the most experience without pointy ears. Jesse Nakatsuru is awesome, and he’s even Candelarian, would you believe it, while George Morrison would have a case for being the multiverse’s best left winger, on his day. Bastards.
On the Other Hand… There are holes… Xavier Tekeste, while providing something different on the right, isn’t quite up to standard and there are few other alternatives in that department either, while Harry Rosalia’s recent celebration of his thirty-fifth birthday may mean… Oh, who’re we kidding?
Transfer Market: Not a lot, barring a few squad players to plug holes, with Osarian right-back Marc Vilito being a useful upgrade on Matthew Logan and right-back, but why upset a winning team?
Options: A few – they’ve got a Han international striker to pull off the bench, after all. Albrecht FC have always emphasised bringing through the kids, and twenty year-old holding midfielder Jiwani Pankharia can expect to push Go Song-ji for games. Teenagers Jake Bullingham and Tara Bekker, at the back and up front respectively, may make an impact.
The Fans Expect: Pessimistic? Us? When!? Oh yeah, back then. Start of last season. With all them kids and that… We-eell… We’ve had a change of plan. Yeah. We’d like the title again, please, and a good go at the Champions’ Cup again. Actually, can we win it again, please? Bless you.
The Pundits Expect: A nice, old-fashioned, battle betwixt the capital city giants will end with Turkish just having the edge. Or the Scorpions. Or Turkish. Or the Scorpions. Oh, I dunno. The move to the TSS may disrupt the start of their campaign however, so don’t expect them to be among the pace-setters until they’ve adjusted.

Marquez-Onwere: S’toris** – Evandro, Fishsnapperbottom, Stewart, Cotuba (c) – Gómez**, Joaio*, Souto Maior, Gatti, Oliveira Tavares – Smit**
Nickname(s): MarquezOW, the Naranja
Stadium: La Escalera Naranja [cap. 38,080], Onwere, Marquez
Coach: Alejandro Blanco da Cruz
Background: Founded for the inaugural CMSC season, their fanbase consists of university students, former university students, and toothless Hispanic grandmothers. They were noted for perhaps the best youth development system in the country prior to the arrival of the now deceased Sam Wendell – who ploughed in enough cash to almost get them back towards their former glory. Having lifted the Globe Cup soon after arriving from Castrograd, Blanco da Cruz brought the naranja to within a handful of points of the title last term.
Team Style: Somewhat slower and more calculated than, say, Green Island; MarquezOW keep it on the floor and make liberal use of the available width… until they get into the area, where Bas Smit’s rather more belt-and-braces approach comes to the fore. Blanco da Cruz is another firm proponent of the art of squad rotation, being more than happy to drop big names and egos to the bench if needs be.
Star Names: A big Marquezian ¡hola! to the pensioners’ eleven, if you please. At thirty-three, Souto Maior remains the centre of attention and the key provider of the creative spark, though Macario Oliveira Tavares remains arguably their most reliable weapon out wide. Big Bas Smit truly came of age last term and will need to score just as many goals this time around, but can this aging side provide the service? At least they have a superb ‘keeper in Amern S’toris to fall back on.
On the Other Hand… Their minds may still be willing, but are their bodies? Cotuba, Souto Maior, Joãio, Smit and Oliveira Tavares are all pushing on, Wildash Gatti is still ever-so fragile, and will the knowledge that this is surely this particular squad’s last chance of league glory heap on too much pressure?
Transfer Market: A couple of minor arrivals to the bench, including MN Smith holding midfielder Jamie Small and Sorthern ‘keeper Leroy Nghiem, with Cafundelense right-back Evandro being the biggest name after pitching up from São Jorge. Apparently.
Options: Luís Sáez and Smit worked well together last term when given the chance, in a classic little-and-large partnership that Blanco da Cruz has thus far used with caution. He may well get his chance yet again, should Souto Maior pull up short, with young strikers Javier Fernández and Rafal Ireland also waiting in the wings.
The Fans Expect: A final title push before a major overhaul.
The Pundits Expect: Quarter-finals of the Champions’ Cup or better – with the naranja’s brittle bones simply not up to the task of maintaining a league challenge throughout.

Green Island: Gwyther – Paterson, Elenelwa, Grinius*, Raviranjan** – t’son o’Henry – Aldren, Robertson, Young (c), Pond – Clayton
Nickname(s): GIZ
Stadium: Marlow Park [cap. 40,144], Zapata, Green Island
Coach: Ben Young
Background: A bunch of backward inbreds from the Candelarias’ oft-maligned third-largest island; the denizens of Green produced little of note prior to Lloyd Donnelly’s title-winning GIZ side back in XVI. Years later, Hane Davies got them promoted again, signed an obscure elf, led the club to second in the league – and they’ve since emerged as one of the dominant forces of the International Era, with three straight league titles now under their belts and lots and lots of Vanorians. Well, until this summer…
Team Style: I… don’t know?
Star Names: With Espy va Drake showing his true colours and trotting off to the bigger bucks on offer at Turkish and Daft Massimo taking up a post elsewhere, the rest of the GIZ’s pointies appear to have suddenly noticed that their adopted island isn’t an especially pleasant place to be right now. They’ve taken their rolling contracts and offski’d, leaving a certain Jhanna Young as the heartbeat of an utterly gutted team. Her C&M team-mate Jameson Aldren’s dead ball ability will be vital alongside Young’s creativity, while veteran full-backs Paul Paterson and Campbell Raviranjan must assume the leadership mantels that will no doubt be thrust upon them.
On the Other Hand… In desperation at their imminent disintegration, the board have made the frankly bizarre move of handing completely untested chief scout Ben Young the managerial job, at least for the first few weeks – a man who, it may not have escaped your attention, happens to be our Jhan’s daddy. Pandering to their best player in this manner, in a desperate attempt to cling onto her, doesn’t do Green Island’s rocky international standing much good, and it’s impossible to know whether he can get enough out of kids like Ethan Robertson and Jacob Pond to make them even top seven contenders.
Transfer Market: Not that the money has dried up, or anything, with another Vanorian international – one with a tad more backbone than his countrythings, one assumes – and the Somewhereistonian Grinius joining Turkish reject Lyle Gwyther in the first XI. Ogus Kures is another name departing for pastures new – Cafundéu, it may not stun you to discover – while other incomers include youngster Vladimir Kūks up front and Zapata’s own Steve Newman, the academy graduate and holding midfielder coming back in following an extended spell with Turk’s Club.
Options: There are familiar faces among the forgettable veterans, but the real stars of the show could Allan Puckett’s latest generation of kids, including the magical toes of midfielder Finlay Whistler, and giant centre-half Zach Hoye.
The Fans Expect: What is that thing lurching towards me, groaning? Help. Help? Please? ANYONE!?
The Pundits Expect: Young and Aldren can keep them in the top half, but no better… A sixth straight top-three finish is surely out of the question.

Port of Clotaire: John – Gordon, Garrett, Andrews (c), Fuentes** – O’Airmeadhaigh, Hooper*, Jones – Hamblett, Arrigorriagakoa**, Sánchez García*
Nickname(s): PoC, the Harpies
Stadium: Harper Street [cap. 26,600], Clotaire, Candelaria
Home Kit: Bright red shirt with white sash, black shorts
Coach: Winston Muscat
Background: An elderly club playing at the oldest stadium in the division, the PoC had little to shout about for most of the International Era, particularly during the inexplicably extended reign of Muscat. And then, two terms ago the Harpies became arguably the stories of the season – pushing Green Island (almost) all the way in the title race and playing kamikaze football that made a mockery of their dour image. A true people’s club, even if they are dominated by Sortherners these days in everywhere but the boardroom, the PoC appear set on a mission to completely rewrite their history of tedium.
Team Style: A hugely entertaining 4-3-3 for preference. It’s not necessarily what you’d call technically fantastic, but Muscat’s “eh what the fuck; chaaaaaarge!” approach after all these years is paying sizable dividends.
Star Names: One generation of Sortherners is steadily giving away to another, with Caleb Edwards finally hanging up his boots for the world of chips, tea and sticky toffee pudding, and Alan Cooper being well looked after by a cadre of thoughtful nurses. Will Hooper will now be handed the responsibility for stalking the midfield, but the big names – quite liderally, in fact – remain striker Francisco Manuel Sánchez Garciá and C&M’s very own box-to-box star Toirdhealbharch O’Airmeadhaigh.
On the Other Hand… Going forward the PoC have few problems, with the focus of concern being placed on the back four instead – and principally on two young Candelariasians returning from a sojourn at St. Patrick’s. Ryan Gordon and Noah Garrett are talented boys, but the CMSC1 is a big step up from the Sorthern second division. Apparently.
Transfer Market: James Connelly’s Peter Jones (or possibly the other way round, who can say?) looks to be coming up to boil just at the right time and should keep his place in the side until the Harpies go and nick Tadhg Ó Lorcáin from St. Pat’s. Ricky Archer goes out, meanwhile, after being picked up by Ranco Toco. The poor wee sod.
Options: As symbiotic as that little threesome up front is becoming, Muscat still has two potentially exceptional young strikers at his disposal in the form of Isaac Walker and Charlotte Fuller, along with a reliable bench including set-piece daemon Robin Morrissey and, of course, Tore Flasher.
The Fans Expect: A return to the top three and pushing the big two all the way. And WORLD DOMINATION!!!11, obviously.
The Pundits Expect: A return to the top three and pushing etcetera, etcetera, you get the idea with that.

Albrecht Turkish: Van Linschoten – Rafaela*, Mihály*, Titenburg, Qiu – va Drake, Werner (c), Robinson, Randjelovic – Calabrese*, Bakker**.
Nickname(s): Turkish, Millermen, Kinsmen, A.Turks
Stadium: Solidarity Stadium [cap. 66,200], Hoxton, Albrecht, Candelaria
Coach: Fabio Mannasuch
Background: Second biggest club in the country, yesyoowar, yesyoowar; the capital’s more bourgeois outfit (albeit with a slightly more exotic heritage) have largely lived in Albrecht FC’s shadow, but were the first to take the TQCC and have more league titles than anyone over the previous ten. Last season saw the side, under the last pointy in Saigon, fall away badly during the Apertura before pulling off an exceptional second half of the season to fall only just short of a TQCC place. Mannasuch may be nothing if not unpredictable, but the wisdom of his countless decades of managerial experience cannot be underestimated.
Team Style: A master rotator, Mannasuch has been feted and mocked in equal measure for his predilections towards the tinkery since dropping in on the Candelarias, but one can probably expect this revoltingly even-keeled 4-4-2 to stay pretty much the same throughout the season.
Transfer Market: Turkish’s transfer policy, since coming under Vyintanese ownership, appears to involve guaranteeing one big pre-season move every term – with the arrival of Koviljko Randjelovic being following up this time by Espy va Drake himself. Attracting rather fewer headlines, Cobus van Linschoten arrives from KT Hotspur replaces Gwyther in goal after the Hoxton native was rather publicly – and somewhat unfairly – blamed for much of Turkish’s relative woes by Mannasuch late last term. Kashkir Tjarik, or whatever his name was, leaves for somewhere hot.
Star Names: Randjelovic, on his day, is one of the multiverse’s finest left-footed wide men and shouldn’t be overawed by the presence of va Drake on the opposite flank, while Titenburg’s move into the centre of the defence should benefit the side immensely. New club captain and fan’s favourite Werner remains a vital cog at the heart of the midfield, while Mannasuch’s faith shown in the club’s youth policy last Clausura sees young Brandon Qiu favourite to hold down the left-back spot.
On the Other Hand… One still cannot help but wonder if the partnership of Daniel “So native he plays for Nethertopia” Bakker and Ausilio “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step” Calabrese – fine players as individuals though they be – will ever form a genuinely terrifying unit, especially in these days where two up front is just, like, so passé.
Options: As long as Ricky Best keeps churning out the kids, it would appear, Mannasuch will keep filling out the squad with ‘em. As such, the experience of Denny Alexander wide on the right and centre-half Pablo Estévez will be augmented by the likes of big defender Mo Evans, energetic midfielder Joe Czajkowski, ‘keeper Cockburn Wu and – probably the best of the lot – seventeen year-old full-back Dontano Perna.
The Fans Expect: Va Drake to hit the ground running and bring the title back to the Solidarity for the first time in a decade.
The Pundits Expect: Va Drake not to hit the ground running, since he never does, but he alone should be enough to leave them pushing the Scorpions all the way… providing they can score enough goals.

Radyukevich CSC: Stockley – Anderson, Fox* (c), Higuain, Edwards – Gaggioli, Williams*, Hyde*, Scarborough** – McDermott, Parker**
Nickname(s): Jukos, Lilacs, Pigmen
Stadium: Hilltop Stadium [cap. 31,039], Clotaire, Candelaria
Coach: Wayne Davis
Background: Hailing from the posher half of Clotaire, Radyukevich are one of the most popular clubs in the Candelarias thanks to a heritage of off-field quirkiness and progressive football. Overseas their profile is more limited, despite past performances in the Series B Champions’ Cup, but the years of unrestrained mediocrity that have blighted their International Era look to be over at last following the club’s takeover by some rather wealthy Krytenian chap.
Team Style: Those days of pretty, pretty passing have long since passed and, though Davis’ side are by no means the most defensively oriented in the league, they may well be one of the most robust and direct.
Star Names: The Jukos’ top-half displays last term were built around Patrick Williams, the West Zirconian veteran who came from nowhere to establish himself as one of the most feared midfielders in the league, but Davis has other tricks up his sleeve – from brutal Osarian defenders JJ Anderson and Rafael Higuain to increasingly reliable young striker Jasari McDermott.
On the Other Hand… Williams certainly enjoyed his first CMSC season, but will he and his mate Damion Hyde be found out during their second outing? Will referees continue to show such sympathy towards the somewhat vigorous defending on show? Is Francesco Gaggioli, scourge of the CMSC2, really up to it at this level? Will Davis succumb to historical precedent and slip into obscurity after his fine start to managerial life?
Transfer Market: Is Damon Parker really as good as he looked at the Di Bradini Cup? Why has he been allowed to bring along his mate Tom? Is chubby funster Ciaran Stockley really an upgrade on Daniele Lanchini in goal?
Options: Is Manny Soriano ready to step up and partner Williams, or even succeed him? Will Jermaine Endacott and Zlatko Redzic descend into a perpetual strop after losing their first team places or can they still play a significant roll? Why is striker Amy Idle? Is she on mogodon?
The Fans Expect: How about the CMS Cup? Is that suitably quirky?
The Pundits Expect: Additions aside, they surely won’t be able to maintain their place in the UICA positions, particularly with the Globe Cup as a distraction again, but steady development under Davis is all that’s needed just yet.

Caires City: Becker (c) – Sheppard, Masters, O’Connell, Azam, – Agostinho**, Zoric, González, Wilkinson – Williams, Gorrie**
Nickname(s): City, the Errant Knights, the Towers
Stadium: McNeil Bingo Arena [cap. 40,144], Caires, Candelaria
Coach: Dionísio Madeira Lobos
Background: Once the smallest of Caires’ three professional clubs, City would instead emerge in the last couple of decades as standard bearers for the once dominant north of Candelaria, and the perfect model for a Candelariasian club. Two league titles under the great Elgin Dannat gave way to a (very) modest decline, but most fans still saw the subsequent sacking of Hane Davies as a big mistake and the arrival of utterly untested new manager Dioníso, a proper club legend, as nothing more than a sop. Major challengers to Green Island throughout XXXV; they suffered a dramatically poor XXXVI Apertura in which relegation looked a genuine possibility, and the failure of a side now past its prime suggests a return to former glories should be a way off.
Team Style: More prosaic than they once were, but Dionísio is certainly a man and a manager committed to upholding the free-flowing values of the Dannat era.
Star Names: The days when World Cup winning captains graced this side are long gone, but there remain names to celebrate – including international centre-half Shawn O’Connell and James Masters, who serve to make City a threatening prospect defensively. Seemingly set to switch to a 4-4-2, their hopes may well rest on Leo Williams – quite possibly the most naturally handy forward the country has produced for the last decade, but one who’s career has thus far been blighted by injury and ill discipline – and Harvey Wilkinson, the teenage left-winger who cost City a bucket in compensation last term but may well have the talent to repay it in forks. Salvador González and Patrick Zoric are a rather useful midfield duo as well.
On the Other Hand… With Agostinho shoved out onto the right it’s all a bit imbalanced and, in any case, considerable doubts remain over Dionísio’s true ability as a top-class manager. And Williams is a crock.
Transfer Market: High hopes surround Weegian youngster Quentin Gorrie, for some reason, after his arrival from City’s little buddies Rossiemannock Rose, while Shayaz Azam will add experience at left-back. Apparently.
Options: If the new front two don’t click, Luke Lewis is still around and young Samuel Murray showed flashes of allrightness last term, while Kent Thompson could push Russ Becker between the posts and former C&M internationals Austin Neal and Nic Lloyd will continue to get games here and there.
The Fans Expect: Top four push and a bid for a second Globe Cup title’ll do ‘em.
The Pundits Expect: Part of the clump chasing the capital giants and the Harpies, but the fluke of Dionísio’s first season is starting to look like just that.

El din Marbles: Kay – Díaz García*, González* (c), Hastings, Rosenthal – Herráez*, Pavoni, Nixon – Erik Visser*, Silva**, Macanás.
Nickname(s): Marbles
Stadium: The Marble Ground [cap. 40,052], El din, Marquez
Coach: Félix Barreto
Background: With a fanbase drawn from amongst both the poorest urban districts in the land and some of its most opulent neighbourhoods, the Marbles have gone through many different lives before finally emerging from Cathedral City’s shadow. Now under Sargossan ownership and management, they certainly have wealth but have yet to come close to a title challenge and fell just outside the UICA place last term following a fine start.
Team Style: Once upon a time, the Marbles faithful were ‘treated’ to a 3-6-1, of sorts. Then it was a 4-5-1. Then it was a 4-4-2. And now…? Now, it would appear to be a 4-3-3, with a big target man, irritant little mossies trotting about around him, and a completely overawed and largely ignored midfield. Awesome.
Transfer Market: Two fairly sizable new signings, with C&M international Gabriel Macanás joining from Portuguese in the biggest domestic move of the summer. Versatile Starblaydi defender George Rosenthal comes in from Caires City to join his mate Rodrigo Silva, meanwhile.
Star Names: Silva has proven himself a useful goalscorer over the years, Ricky Visser is an irritant in every sense of the word who no-one likes playing against, and Macanás is a big old unit who can also conjure up double figures every season. The defence is just as vital to their hopes however, with young Darren Hastings steadily emerging as one of the best Candelariasian centre-halves of recent times and CoH-winning captain Néstor González being, um, good.
On the Other Hand… On one level, by-passing the midfield doesn’t look a terrible idea – with no holding midfielder this time around, home-grown Luís Pavoni is going to have to do an awful lot of running about; while Kayben Nixon and Alberto Herráez are touchline hoggers by trade who are unlikely to look especially comfortable in more central roles. On another level, um… They were a British soul and R&B influenced quartet, active in the late 1990s. I’m getting a bit weary by this point.
Options: Bloody loads, with the Marbles winning this term’s award for the most unnecessarily bulky squad. Particularly useful players include creative midfielder Erwin Visser, young(ish) strikers Arouna Soro and Luis Jiménez, full-back Antonio José Cantero and big central midfielder Miguel Ángel Madrid, but they’re pretty much covered wherever you look – and that could well prove their biggest advantage over the course of a long season.
The Fans Expect: Top six, decent CMS Cup run, an extensive council-led programme of inoculations and a new sewage system.
The Pundits Expect: A better XI than last term will take time to adapt to a new formation… so, about the same finish as last season, then.

KT Hotspur: Tipping – Naysmith, Maxwell, Szathmári*, Cummins (c) – Rataran, Tiller, Makedonski, Clayton, Collins – Dariegan
Nickname(s): The Spur, KT, the Lilies
Stadium: The White Palace [cap. 41,472], Rose of Sharon, Candelaria
Coach: Ben Landry
Background: By some distance the most famous export of their depressed-former-mining-town home, the Spur were formed from the off as the product of the Adamczyk clan, whose cash handed them a league title and made them a consistent force in the top-flight. Without a title challenge for a good few years now, they’re now known pretty much singularly for their traditionally… cautious style of football – and even that’s slowly dying a sad death now, poor things. Having done a fine job of keeping them in the top half of the table, manager Revault left for Portuguese and young replacement Landry has thus far… done alright, actually.
Team Style: Defensive. But not that much… Indeed, they have an actual back four now and – get this – are starting to play it on the floor. It’ll never catch on.
Transfer Market: Unusually, they’ve actually brought some people in – including highly-rated youngish Mayo Valley ‘keeper Greg Tipping, mobile midfielder Daniel Tiller from MN Smith and… well alright, that’s about it, and they’ve also lost Cobus van Linschoten and Miguel González into the bargain, but it’s a start, eh?
Star Names: In the wake of Caires Sports’ rather upsetting relegation, their north-eastern vaguely-neighbours are now the last bastions of Yaforite…ness in the CMSC1, albeit with players in the form of free-kick monster Ras Rataran and veteran forward Vorin Dariegan rather than defenders or owt. Left-sided midfielder Noah Collins continues to improve and is arguably the Spur’s major weapon these days, and Landry will be hoping to get the most out of his partnership with the ever-popular Love Cummins dribbling down that particular flank. As it were. Um.
On the Other Hand… Gwynfardd Lopulalan’s boots are sizable and William Naysmith, for a twenty-three year-old, is regrettably untested. Successive managers, meanwhile, appear inexplicably fond of Blagojce Makedonski, who must be something special in training…
Options: Dariegan’s reliable record in front of the net dropped away somewhat last term as injuries took their toll, but it still appears unlikely that he’ll be supplanted any time soon – and, if anything, Landry’s past with Fallon United suggests a greater potential willingness to drop a striker entirely in favour of giving young midfielders Francisco Martinez, Hayden Collins or Saeunn Zipperling more of a chance. Nethertopian Mark Maas remains a robust alternative at the back, meanwhile.
The Fans Expect: Having been left rather surprised by Landry’s ability to keep the side trotting along on a more-or-less even keel last Clausura, they anticipate a season of mid-table pleasantness featuring the steady integration of their various useful teenagers.
The Pundits Expect: Landry’s inexperience is a concern, but the side is surely good enough to avoid a relegation scrap.

Tenderville United: Van Staatsel – Gaggioli, Lilithian (c), Pohl – Lewis, Van Patten, Robbert, Rau, Holtz* – Van Braam, Night
Nickname(s): Tenderville, the Dragons, the Blue Storm
Stadium: Home of the Dragon [cap. 45,200], Tenderville, Nethertopia
Coach: Andrés García
Background: The grey squirrels of the CMSC1, the Nethertopians came over ‘ere, employed our Candelariasians, added to our national coffers… no wait, that doesn’t sound right… So, the Ratos Island club were never expected to make the kind of impact they have, making the top four for a couple of seasons before dropping away modestly over the last couple of terms but becoming the first side from beyond the Candelarias to win the CMS Cup. Twice. That just isn’t cricket, which is presumably why it’s worked, because they suck at cricket. Poor benighted fools…
Team Style: A 3-5-2, these days, but otherwise it’s much the same – lots of passing along the floor and flowing moves (ponces), all into the feet of a particular Mister…
Star Names: Oh. No Deleks. With the irrepressibly Rennidanian striker moving to pastures new, Tenderville could be in danger of becoming rather toothless unless shiny new signing Adriaan van Braam is as useful as everyone suggests. Much the same applies for the new goalkeeper too. Actually, most of this lot are pretty anonymous, come to think of it, the Candelarian duo aside, with pretty much everything relying on the undeniably talented Mertijn van Patten following his move into the centre.
Transfer Market: Oh, and they’ve signed veteran Weegian international Lawrence McKillop as well, for some reason.
Options: Jantje Rietbergen! Olaf Schaap! Yannick Diakité! Harry Reargold, who now appears to have taken up Nethertopian citizenship! I don’t know who any of these people are.
The Fans Expect: For the board, a return to the top six is the order of the day. For the fans, somewhat pissed off by the loss of Deleks, having something to show off with in Nethertopia would be nice. So that’s the CMS Cup again, then.
The Pundits Expect: Top six and the CMS Cup title again, probably.

Arrigo Portuguese: Romero Fernández – Darby, Galindo, Teteo**, Wilkinson – Anderson*, Doramílton, Alvaréz, Pak, Oughton (c) – Amate
Nickname(s): Portuguese, the Heuva
Stadium: Estadio Nacional [cap. 50,138], Arrigo, Marquez
Coach: Juan Carlos Revault
Background: Proper underachievers hailing from C&M’s second city, Portuguese have never won the league title and aren’t even as wealthy as they used to be (owner Eduardo Morales being stinking rich by Candelariasian standards, but Candelariasian standards hardly matter any more), while the lengthy obsession with all things Kura-Pellandi is now officially over. Oh, and so is Morales – selling out to a spectacularly vast array of Cafundelense interests to make the club arguably the richest in the country.
Team Style: Though Revault shouldn’t be tarred with the brush of KT Hotspur, from whence he came half-way through last season, it’s asking a lot to think that they’ll be anything other than functional.
Transfer Market: We’d be fibbing if we claimed to have heard of most of the newcomers, who include former Han international Pak Yong-Ho, a couple of almost-but-not-quite Cafundelense internationals and a kid or two from those parts an’ all. Plus Miguel González, one of Revault’s favourites from KT Hotspur, though he may struggle to get off the bench as it stands. The loss of Macanás however, sold days before the Cafundelense takeover, will take quite some getting over.
Star Names: Harry Oughton still has talent, though being shoved out on the left won’t do him much good, while Pocoan wide man Hugo Anderson offers of pace but regular first-team football since the age of sixteen has left him a trifle fragile. There’s a World Cup winning captain here, in the form of Oliver Wilkinson, as well as the extremely versatile Israel Álvarez, and ebullient ‘keeper Romero, and… actually, they’re not at all bad, are they?
On the Other Hand… Who’re all this funny new people, eh? They look pretty shifty to me, what with their single word names, or names that are the wrong way round, and all that. Don’t trust ‘em as far as I can throw ‘em, they’re as bad as the Squornshelans.
Options: Wide midfielder Hugo Matos impressed on his first senior season last term, but there are other youngsters who should prove even more useful – deep-lying playmaker Roberto Rodríguez (because we don’t have enough Rodríguezes and Gonzálezes hanging about) foremost among them, alongside compatriot Jake Jukic. Somwhereistonian centre-half Anto Parrott’s still here, for some reason, and young ‘keeper Alejandro Salinas could – but won’t – put pressure on Romero.
The Fans Expect: You know the drill by now, surely. At the worst of times, the second city faithful believe title challenges at home and abroad to be theirs by right, despite having the grand total of one CMS Cup to their name. This season, with their potentially staggering new wealth, will be no different.
The Pundits Expect: Certainly a return to the top half; probably a return to the top six; most likely a push for Globe Cup, CMS Cup or top four honours.

McDonald SC: Andu** – Logan, Davies (c), Shannon, Doswell – Kenroe, Connah, García, Munir – Andryan, Wanderley**
Nickname(s): Dons, Flying Fish
Stadium: Oakley Park Self-Catering Holidays Arena [cap. 16,921], Saurin, Candelaria
Coach: Mike Alvintzi
Background: A slightly tedious team from northern Candelaria, who we’d all rather weren’t here. I mean, nothing against them personally, you understand. But there are so many more interesting clubs out there… Anyway, they tend to bounce up and down, never done anything of merit, formed by fascists, force their players to play charity cricket matches every now and again, and are onto their third straight top-flight season after staying up without breaking a sweat. Again. Annoying.
Team Style: Rather pleasant, actually. Nothing to write home to your mam about, but they keep it more-or-less on the floor. Yay, I suppose. Weee.
Star Names: The proud home of some mediocre Jesseltonians, McDonald actually have some pretty big names these days – chief among them being Wanderley, an Albrecht FC-raised Cafundelense with a frankly silly CMSC1 goalscoring record. No less important to their chances are the likes of left-back Sam Doswell – another Scorpions reject of sorts, but probably one of the best players in his position in the Candelarias – and Rubén García, because we really don’t have enough creative, goalscoring midfielders in C&M.
Transfer Market: The teensy ickle handful of newcomers include Matthew Logan – a full-back released, and you’ll like this, by Albrecht FC of all places – and Tyler Kenroe, a much-travelled Taeshite winger.
Options: Some… men?
The Fans Expect: Whilst the tedious Tories of northern Candelaria outweigh the over-exited students at Oakley Park, the aim will simply be to stay up and… yes. That, really.
The Pundits Expect: Perhaps more of a struggle this time around, given the spending other clubs have been able to indulge in, but Alvintzi has oodles of experience when it comes to relegation battles and they should survive once more. *sigh*

Mayo Valley: Zamora – Williams**, Gaynor, Johansson**, Lilja – Živkovic, Tillström, Allbright, Warren (c) – Subudhi*, Szatmári*
Nickname(s): Mayo, Valley, the Sky Blues
Stadium: The Wall [cap. 21,867], Hodgehill, Candelaria
Coach: Zachary Telemans
Background: Based in a tiny little town in western Candelaria, they remain the definitive team for a huge swathe of the rural part of the country, and last term managed the curious achievement of matching their XXXVI result – a 10-9-15 record – to the letter. Having done precisely the same the previous season as well. Consistent? Yeah, just a bit…
Team Style: Safety-first, 4-4-2, but surprisingly pretty for it. One can’t rave, as such, but they’re not a bad advert for mid-table sides, all things considered.
Star Names: Alice Gaynor really came of age last term following her move from Albrecht Independent – with the exodus from Zapata she’s arguably the second-best female player in the division these days and forms a not un-handy back four alongside a couple of now vastly experienced Toyur internationals and still more-or-less Ad’ihani full-back Dennis Williams. The heart of the team remains captain and big, cuddly teddy bear Manny Warren, a nice man with a collection of interestingly disabled adopted children.
On the Other Hand… If Jaival Subudhi, the Sterogan, is going to be the ‘future legend’ we were promised, he’s going to have to show signs of stepping up this season. Rather more of an unknown is Zoran Živkovic, an eighteen year-old seemingly entrusted with the right flank well before he’s truly ready.
Transfer Market: With consistency very much Telemans’ watch-word (and who can really blame him?), goalkeeper Jaime Zamora is the only truly notable new arrival.
Options: Joseph Milošević will be battling Živkovic for his starting spot while Archie Zelic should get games ahead of the veteran Justin Tillström. Meanwhile, with Oscar Simovic and Branko Rodic coming through the ranks, the Home Office surely has good reason to investigate a suspected people trafficking ring.
The Fans Expect: Ten wins, nine draws, comfortably above the relegation zone. The sound of complacency is almost starting to drown out the banjos and the incest.
The Pundits Expect: May be marginally better than McDonald this time around, assuming Williams, Gaynor and Subudhi can step up and prove themselves extremely solid CMSC1 campaigners. No ambition; no worries.

NAPPC: Meléndez – Veldkamp, Singer, Van Syle, De Opper – Barentstochter of Bergkamp of Drotske of Groethuysen of Hackenbroch of Struycken*, Prescott**, Thwante, Cuesta* – Van Dyke* (c), González Rodríguez**
Nickname(s): Peregrines, Knights Templar
Stadium: Falcon Stadium [cap. 51,300], Peregrinus City, Nethertopia
Coach: Victor Wildeman
Background: The other Nethie club in the CMSC1, and no less evil. While they’re yet to reach the heights of their rivals since joining the Candelariasian game, the Peregrines have been clinging onto their topflight status like grim death the past few seasons, just about justifying their not-playing-in-Nethertopianess. With their financial crumblings, however, the future really doesn’t look especially bright.
Team Style: Wildeman (growl, roar, snarl) looks set to try something a little more offensive this time out but, as we always say, they have a history of playing a quick paced defensive game, looking for goals out of counters. Mm-hm.
Transfer Market: Couple of Vephrese kids, but otherwise they have zip in the way of funds and that translates to an ominously quiet summer.
Star Names: That would be talismanic Pocoan veteran forward Ishmael Van Dyke, then. And former Vephrese midfielder Wais Thwante, who’s surely about fifty by now. And Daniel González Rodríguez, who we still reckon should be playing more for Sargossa. And Brittany Prescott, who’s not unattractive in a good light.
On the Other Hand… A grand total of three Nethertopians in the expected first XI, comprising experienced full-backs Wim Veldkamp and Marco de Opper, and young centre-half Sven van Syle. Not sure whether that’s a good thing or not, really. I’m not in a particularly decisive mood, to be honest. Make your own mind up.
Options: Dhiraj van de Wouw. Harke Spoelstra. Chester van den Bogert. The names get sillier; NAPPC get worse.
The Fans Expect: The fans hops to keep Wildeman as their manager and a finish above the relegation line. The board shares their opinion, but hope on some unlikely international success to get a positive financial balance. The pretty overall message is to not go down, please, because that could mean the end of the club.
The Pundits Expect: Laters.

Ironside-Talinger: Giménez – Palmer, Smith, Fairhope, Du Guesclin* – Le Tisser*, Illés* (c), Sanroman, Haskay – Sheppard, Anastasiadis.
Nickname(s): The Irons
Stadium: West End Park [cap. 17,212], Talinger, Candelaria
Coach: Ebbrell Klein
Background: One of the oldest clubs in the country still alive and kicking, Ironside’s green kits are just about the only other notable element of a history spent bouncing around the top couple of divisions. Making a CMS Cup final as a CMSC2 club, losing the SBCC2 final, hiring Candelariasian football’s first female manager for a while, until it all went tits up – as it were – as they were relegated… it’s not especially thrilling. They do a nice line in chants mind you, and sell some decent pies at their historic old venue, but… now what was that other thing…? Oh yes, they’re now owned by a Pocoan millionaire and are absolutely stinking rich. I remember now.
Team Style: Disappointingly negative, which is unlikely to impress Deacon Farley or his minions for too much longer.
Transfer Market: Um. Well. Thing is, right, last term they brought in about a dozen new players and completely tore up a side that had cruised to the CMSC2 title. This time, there are no newcomers whatsoever – although it’s not for the want of trying, and by all accounts one or more new faces could still pitch up to provide the element of surprise after the first matchday or two…
Star Names: Key players in their efforts to cling to survival last term included greatly talented fox-in-the-box Ryan Sheppard – who’s certainly better than this level, and is unlikely to put up with this kind of blah for very long – tricky young winger Harry Haskay and Pasargan vet Gerszon Illés at the base of the midfield. They’re quite good. Everyone else…
On the Other Hand… …meh.
Options: At the current time, midfield bodies Perry Folks and Chris Wilde are about as good as it gets. Ooh, and… no… no… no, false alarm. That really is it.
The Fans Expect: Another relegation battle. Surely.
The Pundits Expect: Another relegation battle. Unless they’re very lucky. Surely?

Gamboa FC: Volodinsk* – Atroshchenko**, Davis, Winnick*, Delamater* – Mirnyi*, Graham, Bell (c), Sneden* – Potter, Roberto.
Stadium: Wallpark Road [cap. 30,092], Abiodun, Candelaria
Coach: James Hannah
Background: Former greats, Gamboa were the playthings of the denizens of the wealthiest single district in the whole bloody country… and still are, up to a point, but there’s no way said poshos can fund a genuinely competitive team these days. Once Cafundelense dominated on-field, now with a more Rushmori flavour; nobody really likes them and they themselves certainly don’t care.
Team Style: With former PoC and MN Smith manager Hannah on board, you can guarantee effectiveness but not a great deal in the way of excitement. 4-4-2 and achingly sensible.
Star Names: The king of the penalty box free-falls, Jorge Roberto, makes an unwelcome return to the CMSC1 and may well be all that stands between Abiodun’s Gamboan Club and a return from whence they came, CMSC2 title or no. The newcomers will be vital, who include some Nethertopians we’ve never heard of and a handful of Malak internationals, who would appear to have a certain promise.
On the Other Hand… Oh, those were supposed to be the plus points? Oh dear…
Options: A small squad, the bench primarily consists of Candelariasians who helped them to promotion before being dumped in favour of their continental cousins. Big forward Ben Hill and tricky winger George Price are probably the best of the bunch.
The Fans Expect: The fans are loathsome wealthy people. I wipe my hands of them.
The Pundits Expect: If the output of the Malak Free State doesn’t turn out to be quite as good as the Copa Rushmori and Baptism of Fire might have indicated…? Straight back down.

Webley Stadium: Armstrong** – White (c), Swimmer, Manilo**, Tartaglia – Robinson, Reynolds, Rodriguez** – Vey**, Scott, Grey**.
Nickname(s): The Stads, the Flowers
Stadium: Webley Stadium [cap. 38,780], Webley, Candelaria
Coach: Archie Dubicki
Background: Top-flight debutants, the Stads would have been quite the most unlikely addition to the CMSC1 pantheon prior to coming under Taeshanese ownership a couple of seasons ago and bounding from a history spent in semi-professionalism into the big time. Their traditional tiny crowds should swell almost into five figures as the north Candelarian fans pack into their stupidly big stadium, and everyone will be left hoping desperately that this bizarre carbuncle on the face of Candelariasian football disappears sooner rather than later and takes their bloody foreign pizza with ‘em.
Team Style: 4-3-3, but don’t go thinking that translates to a progressive outlook, my word, no. These are Taeshanis we’re talking about, after all, with defence absolutely the first priority and the front three – big Tom Scott making a nuisance of himself while youngsters Tom Grey and Lee Vey (you’ve got to have a system) mark the opposing full-backs – will be aiming to pass goalscoring duties to Mike Reynolds and the rest of the midfield.
Star Names: Some young Taeshanis, some old Taeshites, some people who aren’t Taeshanese at all… Winger Adam Robinson’s quite good, really, I suppose. Marion White’s been around the houses a bit.
On the Other Hand… Five of the Taeshan…whatevers aren’t even twenty-one yet; Archie Dubicki has zip in the way of top-flight experience; the Stadium itself should present the CMSC1’s worst matchday atmosphere of all time… Gawd.
Options: Picking up teenage midfielder Phelan Jones O’Caomhain from MN Smith looks like a good move, and there’s top-flight experience in the form of defenders Reuben Ward and Tiverton Falconbridge, but versatile young wide man Jamie Kennedy looks best set to make an impact.
The Fans Expect: Staying up wistaying up stayingu stay st… Gosh, there’s a terrible echo arogosh there’s agosh therterri gosh cho… Quack?
The Pundits Expect: Ahh, that’s better. Well, you never know. They might cling on. *Giggles*

Cathedral City: Larrenta Ibanez – González Mateo, Tiller, Cortés (c), Valdez – Rivas, Karatkevich*, Delara**, Guaman – De Winter*, Innisvale.
Nickname(s): Catedral, Cats
Stadium: La Neuva Decimotercia [cap. 27,227], El din, Marquez
Coach: Fran Russell
Background: Traditionally the number one force in El din, the Cats have a laughable record when it comes to actually winning stuff. They’ve fallen quite some way since they were title contenders in XXIX and TQCC2 semi-finalists, a collapse coming off the back of woeful financial mismanagement that arguably left them within hours of destruction at one point, and their most recent attempt to prove that their recent spell in the second tier was but an embarrassing blip failed miserably… but they’re pack, again, and so they damn well should be.
Team Style: Iberian.
Transfer Market: A couple of Spanish-speaking nations previous unknown to the CMSC, namely Aguazul and Valladares, are plundered for internationals, with other newcomers including the Malak starting central midfielder holding court; Ad’ihan veteran forward Gary Innisvale; and some useful young-ish Candelariasians including underused MarquezOW full-back Alejandro Valdez and MN Smith centre-half Leon Tiller.
Star Names: Familiar returning faces include Nicole Delara, who seems to have been around forever, but whatever, and Innisvale’s strike partner Marcel de Winter; but Catedral’s big hopes are ‘keeper Erika Larrenta Ibanez – just twenty-one years of age and surely inching towards a senior call-up – and centre-half Miguel Ángel Cortés, a giant very much in the mould of a Silva de Aviz or Christmas. If that means anything to you. At all.
On the Other Hand… They’ve relied on kids to get them through before, and it’s gone awry on too much occasions – and usually ended with their young stars going elsewhere come the end of another disappointing season. One also wonders if there are enough goals in this team, particularly coming from up front.
Options: A certain amount of experience, with forward Thomas Rich proving himself at CMSC2 in their promotion push and centre-half Hla-Thein still around, but teenage midfielder Michael Estévez could be the one to keep an eye on.
The Fans Expect: Fifteenth.
The Pundits Expect: Quite possibly rather better than fifteenth, actually, if only because Fran Russell remains the next-big-thing in the minds of many. But this is a half-decent team he’s assembled as well, and it would be no surprise to see them hitting the ground running.

[Candelaria And Marquez]

Matchday One… Hello children. Are you sitting comfortably? Then we’ll begin.

So, what did we learn this week, my dearest darlings? Here’re a few suggestions.

1. Transfer window? What transfer window? It’s always been one of the most utterly pointless additions to the CMSC, and it’s nice to see a fine, old club like Ironside taking matters into their own hands and ignoring it altogether. No fewer than three new arrivals popped in to say hello and went straight into the starting eleven to face Tenderville – Turkish bench-warming ‘keeper Cockburn Wu, McDonald SC full-back Sam Doswell, and former Pocoan international Ruud Seedorf. There could even be more to come, so we’re told, leaving us in little doubt that this Deacon Farley fella really does (off the back of his rusks, presumably) have considerable riches to splash. And the wisdom to give Ebbrell Klein a real chance in the job, rather than having sacked him as soon as things had started to look a little sticky last term. Well done, that man.

Of course, Isabella Klein’s little boy may not be so appreciative of the slightly scattergun approach to the new arrivals forced upon him. Doswell may have been on the verge of winning senior C&M honours and is clearly a tremendous defender – the Flying Fish from up Saurin way will miss him horribly, poor dears – but Oberour ar Moro international Corentin du Guesclin will surely be a tad put out at having to settle for a squad role only. Ditto ‘keeper Adeliz Giménez, come to that.

On the other hand, it possibly wasn’t coincidence that the entirety of this trio had superb games as West End Park hosted the Dragons – meaty new midfield presence Seedorf in particular dominating proceedings against the Nethertopians. One goal was all that separated them, coming early from Ryan Sheppard (another former McDonald man, as it goes), but the visitors struggled to create chances throughout and, this time, there was no Drunn Deleks to put those that did arrive away. Ironside for the top half? You wouldn’t bet against it.

Unless you would, of course. In fact, you’d be more likely to bet against it than ever now, given that you’d get rather fatter revised odds. But… shut up.

2. Holding midfielder? What holding midfielder? Oh, that holding midfielder. Yeah, he’s good, isn’t he? Also opting to make a monkey of our preview writers were Félix Barreto and the Marbles – admittedly only in the form of dropping Kayben Nixon and playing big Miguel Ángel Madrid as the central component of a really rather narrow midfield three, but still. A bit of warning might’ve been nice. Arseholes.

Anyway, if that’s the way it’s going t’go from now on, it looked pretty decent; the home side comfortably failing to be overrun by the greater midfield numbers and width of Caires City. How this formation will fair when the Marbles go on their travels is another matter, prompting wild speculation that the Sargossan coach might even – and you may want to hold onto something for this bit – consider changing his tactics away from home.

Heady stuff.

3. Leo Williams? What Leo Williams? Also in Caires City news; forward Leo Williams chipped a nail and went off injured.

Actually it was a groin strain, or something of that ilk, but the unavoidable reality now is that Dionísio must surely now accept that this once promising forward simply isn’t ever going to be capable of completing more than a couple of matches in a row. Samuel Murray and debutant Quentin Gorrie dovetailed quite nicely together and should be given a few starts over the Apertura’s early stages, but a reversion to a 4-5-1 wouldn’t be a stunner either.

On the plus side, ridiculously highly-rated teenager Harvey Wilkinson made some pretty decent runs down the left, but it’ll be a lengthy while before the manager can come to rely on him, one suspects.

4. Fur? What fur? A first CMSC1 outing for Archie Dubicki and Webley Stadium ended in an entirely expected defeat at home to Turkish this weekend, despite a valiant fightback attempt after dropping two goals down inside ten minutes – Espy va Drake cheerfully ignoring tradition by getting his domestic season off to a sensational start.

Dubicki’s pre-season presence in the press has been dominated by speculation over his private life, but the snouty, bespectacled (hmm) former CandelariaAM defender’s side – while being anything but progressive in style – showed enough flashes of handiness against the far superior visitors to suggest they may not be entirely overawed by their first top-flight campaign. As for the stadium itself; it survived, just about, with some newfound life-long supporters even venturing as far as the long-abandoned and almost certainly structurally unsafe upper tiers in search of a view to watch the Flowers take nil pwoh against ten-man Turkish after Aron Mihály had got himself sent off in the final fifteen minutes.

5. New stadium? What new stadium? Oh, this new stadium! Yeah, it’s good, isn’t it? A first competitive game at the Tristar Songstress Stadium saw six goals and a home win – the purpley Krytie-Osarian-Zirconians of Clotaire playing their full back in an entertaining opening fixture ultimately dominated by Jesse Nakatsuru. Two goals, an assist and a terrifying presence throughout; on current form the acne-clad pretty-boy must be pushing va Drake for best-player-in-the-league honours right now – and one wouldn’t dismiss out of hand suggestions he could be right up there with the top two or ten on the planets.

As for the TSS itself, the first game saw more than eighty-eight thousand fans – more than double the MSS’s average gates – fill out their vast new home, and the occasion passed off with nary a hitch. There aren’t enough toilets, I’ll grant you, but that’s pretty much par for the course. Only time will tell whether it’s too big, but don’t expect figures to drop too far while the Scorpions keep winning and winning well.

6. Eesseffians? What Eesseffians? Oh, you mean the Eesseffians that used to be at Green Island before va Drake took the Vyintanese… whatever currency they use, I forget, and the rest of ‘em cried off back to mammy? Those ones? Yeah, who needs them?

Certainly not the GIZ – for anything those albino Maasai guys and girls can do, the Green Island yokels (ably assisted by the odd Candelarian, West Zirconian, Somewhereistonian and, um, Vanorian) can do equally as well, ta very much. Granted, NAPPC were the opposition – but Steve Newman, Jacob Pond and Ethan Robertson played like they had a decade of top-flight experience under their elastic, Miss Young was exceptional in front of a thus-far taciturn daddy dearest (big Ben currently declining to natter to the national media, but that’s nothing new for CMSC1 bosses these days), and the club duly roared to a four-nil win in Peregrinus City to top the early table. Good for them.

6. Lunch break? What lunch break? Oh well.

Marquez-Onwere 0-0 Cathedral City
El din Marbles 2-1 Caires City (Macanás 7, Silva 39; Murray 56)
Gamboa FC 3-2 McDonald SC (Potter 6, Sneden 18, Roberto 63; Kenroe 17, Andryan 46)
Ironside-Talinger 1-0 Tenderville United (Sheppard 10)
Mayo Valley 1-1 Arrigo Portuguese (Subudhi 37; Amate 7+1)
NAPPC 0-4 Green Island (Robertson 29, Clayton 53 and 63, Young 78)
Port of Clotaire 3-0 KT Hotspur (O’Airmeadhaigh 15, Hamblett 39, Sánchez García 68)
Albrecht FC 4-2 Radyukevich CSC (Nakatsuru 2 and 7, Go 23 and 80; Gaggioli 14, Parker 87)
Webley Stadium 1-2 Albrecht Turkish (Mihály og 49; va Drake 4, Robinson 9)

Matchday Two… You’ve had a long morning, Terry from accounts was this close to discovering your google search history, your next door neighbour’s petunias are repeating on you something shocking… and then Matchday Two reveals itself, and all is right with the world for five minutes. Aren’t we great?

Sooo… Erm. What now?

Oh yeah, the Nethertopian derby was a draw.

Largely thanks to some serious sloppiness from Tenderville in the Peregines box, and it really is becoming ever increasingly clear how much they relied on Deleks over past years to turn them into a top six team. The side that remains appears more than a trifle imbalanced, with Mertijn van Patten full of tricks but lacking presence in the centre and Carlo Gaggioli clearly needing time to adapt to a role on the right of the defensive three. With Francisco Cuesta running the left-hand channel and Daniel González Rodríguez (who we still think should be… oh), it was only thanks to shiny new ‘keeper Puc van Staatsel that the Dragons weren’t embarrassed royally on home turf – and, as it was, the Sargossan striker befuddled a tiring Gaggioli late on to snatch a well-deserved point for the visitors.

Intriguingly (kinda), six of the seven sides defeated on day one bounced back with at least a point, with the Jukos the best performers in the battle of the noovo reesh – argentals winning out over vintems as the World Cup winning Gaggioli’s younger brother Francesco stole the show at the still rather optimistically named Estadio Nacional in Arrigo. Radyukevich did suffer a major blow early in the second half when Patrick Williams, a true star of the season last time around, crumpled following a nothingy 50/50 with Portuguese debutant Pak Yong-ho and was stretchered off having done his crooshie a proper mischief and no mistake. Guv’nor.

Williams could now be out for the Apertura, and an already youthful Radyukevich attack will be forced to rely on the as-yet untested talents of Manny Soriano in the heart of the midfield, but they weren’t the only side to suffer with potentially serious knocks. Minutes after scoring the consolation goal in Gamboa’s three-one defeat to the Errant Knights, midfielder Gabriel Bell broke an ankle to certainly end his first half of the season – a blow to the Abiodun club’s hopes, though one assumes an accidental time-traveller from the future will ship up at Wallpark Road and, coincidentally looking much like the twenty-nine year-old, take his place in the team and… and…

No? Really?

*sigh*

Webley Stadium suffered an even bigger blow in losing Adam Robinson, meanwhile, in a one-nil defeat against new local rivals Saurin to leave them the only club without a point. There’s a stunner.

Certainly the biggest game of the weekend, which is the one we should have reported on first, really, but whatever; was MarquezOW versus Albrecht FC – the clash between XXXVII’s top two resulting in a first-half caning for the naranja. Rings were well and truly run around the home side’s back line as Kouakou Kouamé and Nakatsuru continued their scintillating form and earn a big three-nil win. Impetuous heads are already counting MarquezOW out of the running.

With Turkish held at home by a combative – if a trifle fortunate – Mayo Valley, and again going down to ten men with Randjelovic picking up two needless yellows, the top three has an annoyingly familiar look about it. Green Island slot in behind Albrecht, but it’s Port of Clotaire who lead the way following a four-nil drubbing of the Marbles in the display of the day.

We’d’ve put that one first, too, but we wanted to soften the blow for our Sargossan readers.

Loooosers! HA!

Albrecht Turkish 1-1 Mayo Valley (Bakker 5; Warren 43)
Arrigo Portuguese 1-3 Radyukevich CSC (Matos 71; Gaggioli 14 and 37, Parker 65)
Caires City 3-1 Gamboa FC (González 6, Gorrie 57, Murray 71; Bell 74)
Cathedral City 1-2 Green Island (De Winter 45+2; Young 17 and 78)
KT Hotspur 1-0 Ironside-Talinger (Nilsson 70)
Marquez-Onwere 0-3 Albrecht FC (Go 14, Hamizi 24, Nakatsuru 39)
McDonald SC 1-0 Webley Stadium (Andryan 18)
Port of Clotaire 4-0 El din Marbles (Hamblett 7 and 71, Garrett 19, Hooper 75)
Tenderville United 1-1 NAPPC (Night 57; González Rodríguez 83)

Matchday Three… It’s been many a month since we called the CMSC1’s fixture compiling team a bunch of knobheads, so let’s do that now. Everything in life is cyclical after all, isn’t it?

They’re a bunch of knobheads.

Well I’m sorry, but you don’t gerrymander any added interest into the opening few weeks of the season by setting up half a dozen big games before anyone’s really got into the swing of things. You just don’t. You’ve got to let it breathe, let it build. Foreplay, dear chaps, foreplay! Don’t just stick it in half-cocked, and expect world-class results, you damned fools!

Un-less…

OH!

EM!

JEE!

There’s a conspiracy against Albrecht FC, isn’t there!!

Why did I not think of this before? The CMSC is headed up by former Albrecht Turkish president Robert Gilbert, after all. And no-one weally wants to see the Scorpions go on a run of domination akin to that which took place in the period immediately prior to the International Era, do they? Certainly not the Hoxton mafia now running things. So, it’s only natural that they’d give the champions two huge games against MarquezOW and Green Island within the first three weekends of the season, right? They’re trying to derail them, clearly. Put the wind up them. Leave them struggling behind the GIZ, PoC or even Turkish themselves, with the TQCC suddenly becoming a more attractive proposition instead. Oh, Mr Gilbert, you dastardly fiend, you. Aaand such forth.

So much for all that, then. Three-nil. Ouch.

It was as professional a performance as you’re likely to see, despite Torrealba’s pre-match grumblings to the above effect, with the home side ultimately left disappointed not to score even more. Green Island, for their part, were poor – and, despite Ben Young’s excuses, there can be no excused for even a side as youthful as his to be so overawed in the face of the baying masses at the shiny new TSS. The GIZ have, after all, played internationally at vast, foreign arenas for years.

Except… This isn’t the GIZ, really, is it? Paterson and Raviranjan know what it’s all about, but there’s always been a sense – if we’re being really honest – that the full-backs have been carried by their more illustrious team-mates over the years. And, while Aldren and big Ben’s little lass have more experience on the biggest stages than most players in their early twenties, the rest of this side really are complete neophytes; hopelessly under prepared for a clash of this magnitude. The new manager himself brushed off accusations that his team had wilted in the limelight, but admitted to failing entirely to deal with Albrecht’s movement. Green Island chased shadows throughout, and the Scorpions are just a little bit terrifying. The Tristar Songstress Stadium certainly feels like home already.

While we’re eulogising over Torrealba’s not-so-toddlers, we shouldn’t ignore Port of Clotaire’s claims to be early pace-setters. While the PoC were given a healthy test at Caires City, Muscat’s men were more than up to the job of taking three away points – with Ryan Gordon and Noah Garrett in particular impressing in defence despite fears that the Candelarians would be unable to make a seamless step up from life at St. Pat’s. Sánchez García ultimately found the winner, climbing above young City full-back Warren Shepherd to plant a flying header past Russ Becker and leaving the Harpies top of the official table.

Somehow. Actually, they’re completely level with Albrecht, so you’d think the Scorpions’d be ahead in alphabetical order. But there we go. Perhaps they have a better stocked wine cupboard.

It’s possibly worth mentioning, by the by, that Leo Williams came off the bench to replace the ineffective Murray for City with ten minutes to go. And then went off again three minutes later. He’ll be out for a month, according to club physio Glen Wright. Bless.

Elsewhere; El din’s back, baby, with both clubs inside the top seven. Bully for them.

Also elsewhere; MarquezOW… isn’t. Back, that is. Fading fast, by the looks of it, with a more-comprehensive-than-it-looks, three-two home defeat to a Portuguese side steadily getting their act together. The naranja, so close to taking the title last time out, sit bottom after three with just a point to their name and behind Webley and (*giggles*) Tenderville on goal difference.

Albrecht FC 3-0 Green Island (Tekeste 20 and 88, Kouakou Kouamé 50)
Caires City 2-3 Port of Clotaire (Agostinho 11, John og 61; Masters og 39, Arrigorriagakoa 51, Sánchez García 80)
Cathedral City 3-1 Tenderville United (Guaman 8 and 10, González Mateo 78; Van Patten)
Gamboa FC 1-1 Webley Stadium (Sneden 48; David og 11)
Ironside-Talinger 1-2 El din Marbles (Seedorf 66; Hastings 30, Erik Visser 56)
Marquez-Onwere 2-3 Arrigo Portuguese (Gómez 17, Smit 88; Pak 25, Amate 45, Álvarez 70)
Mayo Valley 3-2 McDonald SC (Szatmári 23, Živkovic 69, Allbright 72; Lilja og 17, Wanderley 90)
NAPPC 1-1 KT Hotspur (Barentstochter 77; Clayton 28)
Radyukevich CSC 1-2 Albrecht Turkish (Parker 47; Patris and Bavent 70, Qiu 74)

Matchday Four… So, it doesn’t look like Ironside are receiving any extra additions to their squad after all. That’s a shame. An extra defender or two might have come in handy this weekend, what with their five-nil loss at Harper Street, and all…

Rather wonderfully for us, all blame for this little nightmare must be placed on the shoulders of furruners – principally Jake Smith, the young Taeshanese, and Muhammad Fairhope, the Arozzan, who were gash. Fairhope’s future in particular must be under increasing doubt, though Klein has to take a certain responsibility for consistently playing the full-back out of position for many a month. This would appear to be one of those classic examples of a manager giving extra time and patience to one of his best trainers and refusing point-blank to accept the reality that, come the match proper, his little mate simply isn’t up to the job. Sometimes, we’d humbly suggest, the supporters really do know better, precisely because they don’t receive a complete picture of the particular player’s all-round ability.

Or… something.

Does that make any sense?

Look, the point is, Klein obviously believes he sees enough from Fairhope in the training ground to convince him that he’s capable of partnering Smith at the highestish level. He’s wrong. With a bit of luck, he’ll realise that before he gets sacked.

Candelaria’s very own Cockburn Wu did, admittedly, make a complete fist of keeping out Will Hooper’s second-half header, but by then it was all over bar the giggling. The Sorthern national team, and their assorted Candelariasian hangers-on, had taken Ironside apart and even Lottie Fuller got on the scoresheet. Worryingly, even Gerzson Illés and Seedorf were unable to come even close to controlling the midfield, though in truth the Irons probably aren’t yet expecting to take points off the title chasers just yet. What they think about that in the boardroom is another matter entirely, mind you.

Albrecht FC also retained their 100% record, but in rather less impressive circumstances – relying on a hero’s performance from Jesse Nakatsuru in Tenderville, the C&M international putting away a vicious free-kick that Van Staatsel couldn’t keep out even with both hands on the ball. On the plus side for the Dragons, it was a much improved performance, but again they struggled to carve out chances and Gijs van Aulen in particular proved immense against the relatively feeble challenge of Adriaan van Braam and Ariel Night.

Elsewhere, MarquezOW suffered defeat once more – with the somewhat unlikely figure of Brandon Qiu on hand to score his second Turkish winner in as many games. As Koviljko Randjelovic steadily adds a certain amount of defensive responsibility to his game, so his overlaps with the twenty year-old left-back Qiu are boding well for both club and country and the young Songstress native once again looked preternaturally composed in the box to put away Turkish’s second with ten minutes to spare. Quite how David Stone at the Scorpions Academy managed to let this one – and his younger brother Jesse – slip through his and Albrecht FC’s fingers is becoming a proper mystery.

Elsewhere still, the El din Marbles won and move into the TQCC positions. Doesn’t that just make you feel proper gooey inside?

Albrecht Turkish 2-1 Marquez-Onwere (Czajkowski 55, Qiu 79; Souto Maior 38)
Arrigo Portuguese 0-0 Green Island
Caires City 2-1 Webley Stadium (Murray 21, Gorrie 29; Vey 85)
El din Marbles 2-0 NAPPC (Hastings 10, Silva 64)
KT Hotspur 0-0 Cathedral City
Mayo Valley 1-0 Gamboa FC (Szatmári 53)
McDonald SC 0-2 Radyukevich CSC (McDermott 31, Edwards 85)
Port of Clotaire 5-0 Ironside-Talinger (Arrigorriagakoa 8, O’Airmeadhaigh 15, Jones 19, Hooper 60, Fuller 79)
Tenderville United 0-1 Albrecht FC (Nakatsuru 90+1)

Matchday Five… We’re duty bound to make our first port of call the city of El din for the first clásico in three years. Always a fixture with particular venom; Cathedral City appear to have long since accepted their cruel fate as perpetual underdogs against their once lowly neighbours and played like it too, early on. Fran Russell’s side spent the first half merely reacting to the Marbles’ play, snapping at their heels where possible but limply going two behind in comfortably less than half an hour.

While Catedral may not have entirely solidified their various newcomers and CMSC2 stalwarts into a genuinely fearsome force just yet, however, Russell has certainly got some worthy individual talent to work with. In signing Emilio Guaman and Armando Rivas, the Cats appear to be setting out their stall as the country’s premier Hispanic side once more, taking up the mantel discarded in recent times by a forlorn Castillo FC outfit, but by being unafraid to bring in the likes of Greg Innisvale and Leon Tiller as well the club are clearly aiming for a rather better balance than their parochial predecessors. Good for them, I suppose.

Still lost, mind you, but at least they pulled a couple back to go down three-two.

The visitors even forced the inevitable sending off – Miguel Ángel Madrid succumbing to the heatedness of the occasion and picking up two yellows for fouls on an extremely pesky, shirt-pully Miguel Ángel Cortes – but the Marbles were simply too good and hefted themselves into third.

Thoroughly mixed fortunes for Marquez’s other sides, meanwhile – with Portuguese taking the points (and Amate a first hat-trick of the season) at Tenderville, and the naranja falling to a sign-of-the-times defeat at home to McDonald.

Beyond the age issue, it’s pretty much impossible to say quite how one of the country’s wealthiest sides and a team that finished second just last year have crumbled so quickly to sit bottom of the table. Plenty have speculated that Blanco da Cruz’s fondness for rotation has come back to bite him at last, but we certainly haven’t seen the last of it with the Sortherner promising a raft of different faces next week – as if the likes of Thjis Stot, Santi Castilla and Jamie Small can really inspire confidence that MarquezOW can haul themselves back into the UICA positions where they belong. At this rate, their Champions’ Cup campaign is going to be a proper bloodbath.

Likewise for Port of Clotaire, as it happens, albeit for very different reasons. A second set of five goals in a fortnight leaves the Harpies having scored twice as many as anyone else bar the Scorpions. Which is just silly, frankly, so we’ll speak no more of it.

Or of anything else, come to that.

Albrecht FC 1-0 KT Hotspur (Hamizi 78)
El din Marbles 3-2 Cathedral City (Erik Visser 14, Silva 21 and 73; Rivas 68, Guaman 84)
Gamboa FC 0-1 Radyukevich CSC (Scarborough 49)
Green Island 1-0 Albrecht Turkish (Young 59)
Ironside-Talinger 0-1 Caires City (Gorrie 45)
Marquez-Onwere 0-2 McDonald SC (Munir 69, Wanderley 90)
Port of Clotaire 5-1 NAPPC (Hooper 11, Arrigorriagakoa 39 and 67, Hamblett 45+1 and 77; Van Dyke 23)
Tenderville United 2-3 Arrigo Portuguese (Night 27, Jans 81; Amate 1 and 14 and 76)
Webley Stadium 0-3 Mayo Valley (Subudhi 1, White og 17, Armas 51)

Matchday Six… A couple of brief updates now we’ve got going and, equally, now the sun has come out.

As you were at the top; Turkish – who either go in for god-awful starts or utterly wondrous ones – are flirting outrageously now with the former following defeat to – hehehehe – Tenderville; MarquezOW finally have a win after giving Gamboa a good hard kicking to kick-start their season; Portuguese and KT Hotspur share cheerfully middle-of-the-road 2-2-2 records after the former’s defeat to the latter; Francesco Gaggioli continues to make an unexpected case to be C&M’s next big thing on the right of midfield (albeit against Webley, who are crud after all); Mayo Valley are still undefeated, would you believe it?

Albrecht FC 3-0 El din Marbles (Teskeste 23 and 69, Hamizi 49)
Caires City 1-1 Mayo Valley (Agostino 29; Subudhi 47)
Cathedral City 2-3 Port of Clotaire (Karatkevich 10, Innisvale 59; O’Airmeadhaigh 11, Hamblett 48, Walker 81)
Ironside-Talinger 1-0 NAPPC (De Opper og 1)
KT Hotspur 3-2 Arrigo Portuguese (Tiller 12, Dariegan 14, Maxwell 79; Oughton 42, Darby 49)
Marquez-Onwere 4-1 Gamboa FC (Souto Maior 27 and 52, Smit 37, Fernández 86; Roberto 71)
McDonald SC 0-4 Green Island (Young 2 and 90+1, Pond 52, Robertson 85)
Radyukevich CSC 3-0 Webley Stadium (Gaggioli 19 and 24, Tartaglia og 59)
Tenderville United 2-1 Albrecht Turkish (Holtz 1, Jans 80; Randjelovic 2)

Matchday Seven… Ahh, the biggest game of the season thus far. What a pity we don’t have time to go on about it. What a shame. What a damn, damn shame.

Oddly enough, Port of Clotaire versus Albrecht FC – the clash of the two best teams in the country this year, don’tcha’know – turned out to be something of a damp squib, despite an extremely promising start; Noah Garrett heading in an early PoC opener from a Peter Jones corner. Possession from that moment forth belonged to the visitors to Harper Street, but Albrecht struggled in an almost Tendervillian fashion to translate their dominance into goals whilst Karl John, in the Harpies net, played an absolute blinder. He was arguably the only one – Peter Jones being a threat throughout, until hobbling off with twenty minutes still to play (And for that reason; he’s out. Um. Of the next couple of matches. Um.) – but, promisingly for Muscat’s men, mediocrity was enough to secure three points, maintain their 100% record, and open up a little three point gap over Torrealba’s toddlers.

Coming up close on the rails are Green Island, who struggled to a two-one victory in Abiodun to sit two points further back – Jhanna Young notching up a seventh goal in seven games as part of a personal quest for individual gongs come the close of the season.

Elsewhere, Mayo Valley rejected the chance to save their undefeated record – and avoid plummeting to eighth – with a solid beating at the hands of Radyukevich. Zachary Telemans set his stall out well enough; experienced campaigner Altay Çelebi making a rare start and tracking Gaggioli’s every movement in determined fashion to block off the Jukos’ major supplier of creativity, but his players would soon let their manager down. The visitors were instead able to open the scoring after just six minutes when Gustav Johansson let a loose pass run on to Thomas Scarborough who daintily touched the ball into his countryman Damon Parker’s path for the striker to put away the opener.

With Davis’ men missing both Patrick Williams and Damion Hyde due to injury, Mayo always had a chance and drew level through their own Williams, Ad’ihani full-back Dennis, from a Manny Warren corner. It wouldn’t last – Scarborough soon putting Radyukevich back ahead – and the home side wilted thereafter, Jasari McDermott making the game more-or-less safe early into the second half.

Support for the notion that the Krytenian-owned Clotaire club could yet maintain a top four place all the way to the close of the Apertura varies, but few pundits can argue that Davis isn’t on course for Manager of the Season honours given his current record and the relative lack of cash yet splashed since the move to foreign ownership. The Jukos cruised to victory this weekend though, Mayo down to ten men with fifteen minutes to play after Çelebi (or possibly Altay… we’ve never been entirely sure) very nearly brained Gaggioli with a head-high tackle (the left-back was later seen seeking forgiveness at his local mosque), and with the travelling loonies in the stand duly celebrating with the tediously traditional release of live piglets, sparrows and – in one intriguing if extremely handy instance – an oriole onto the pitch.

Elsewhere, MarquezOW took a second win in as many games – but it was only in Webley, to be fair – and Turkish moved to join City and the Marbles on thirteen points; while even Tenderville found the back of the net – four times, no less, against an unfortunate Sanizan Andu and his visiting McDonald side.

Could’ve been worse, mind you. Could’ve been thirteen-nil. Then we’d never have heard the end of it…

Albrecht Turkish 2-0 KT Hotspur (Robinson 75, Bakker 87)
El din Marbles 1-1 Arrigo Portuguese (Madrid 8; Doramílton 51)
Caires City 3-1 NAPPC (Gorrie 28 and 80, Agostinho 38; Bertotten 67)
Gamboa FC 1-2 Green Island (Winnick 23; Young 31, Clayton 87)
Ironside-Talinger 2-0 Cathedral City (Haskay 43, Sheppard 54)
Mayo Valley 1-3 Radyukevich CSC (D. Williams 13; Parker 6, Scarborough 26, McDermott 50)
Port of Clotaire 1-0 Albrecht FC (Garrett 4)
Tenderville United 4-0 McDonald SC (Lewis 27, Night 46 and 61, Van Braam 81)
Webley Stadium 0-1 Marquez-Onwere (Smit 73)

Matchday Eight… Christ on a bike, there were a whole lot of goals this weekend. Not to mention some seriously screwy results. Someone’s been fiddling with our water supply, clearly…

All things considered, it was actually surprisingly short on incident (yaay!), with the main focus being some truly woeful defending. Top prize goes to MarquezOW centre-halves Fishsnapperbottom and Stewart – though the latter can be let off a tad, seeing as he only managed forty minutes before exiting with what was later diagnosed as a fifth metatarsal fracture – along with Stewart’s replacement Santi Castilla, who simply couldn’t stand up to the attacking might of… Mayo Valley? Really?

By the time Manny Warren had slid past Castilla’s non-tackle to put the fifth away, even beleaguered ‘keeper Amern S’toris could afford a sorry smile. He, and most of his team-mates, dismissed the game as a thoroughly bad day at the office and nothing more, but my word it didn’t half bode.

A little way to the west, the good folk of Arrigo witnessed a seven-goal thriller and an awesome comeback victory for the home side – Portuguese battling back from three-two down against the league leaders to sent the Harpies crashing to their first, albeit narrow, defeat. Albrecht FC failed to make much headway, taking just a point from Talinger thanks to some truly shocking profligacy from Hamizi and – for once – Nakatsuru, and sit level on points with Green Island.

Performance of the matchday was certainly reserved for those pesky Marbles, who made such a mockery of Turkish at the Solidarity that their display deserves at least two or three paragraphs of gratuitous oozing over just how wonderful they and Barreto were.

Can’t be arsed, though.

Albrecht Turkish 1-4 El din Marbles (Bakker 39; Macanás 6 and 79, Jiménez 9, Erik Visser 18)
Arrigo Portuguese 4-3 Port of Clotaire (Doramílton 22 and 76, Pak 27, Amate 74; Hooper 13, Garrett 37, Gordon 57)
Cathedral City 3-1 NAPPC (De Winter 5 and 45+1, Rivas 51; González Rodríguez 38)
Green Island 3-0 Webley Stadium (Paterson 49, Kūks 57, Pond 59)
Ironside-Talinger 1-1 Albrecht FC (Sheppard 80; Nakatsuru 39)
Marquez-Onwere 3-5 Mayo Valley (Smit 3, Small 49, Gaynor og 88; Tillström 16, Johansson 22, Subudhi 37 and 77, Warren 81)
McDonald SC 3-1 KT Hotspur (Wanderley 29, Andryan 39, García 72; Rataran 87)
Radyukevich CSC 2-2 Caires City (Gaggioli 16 and 49; Gorrie 62, Murray 90+1)
Tenderville United 4-1 Gamboa FC (Holtz 19 and 21, Night 55, Van Braam 81; Sneden 16)

Matchday Nine… Back to the Solidarity this weekend, for Turkish’s hosting of Port of Clotaire.

Right now, there’s no finer sight in Candelariasian football than the Harpies in full flow, but that can inevitably leave them just a tad short at the back – a significant demerit when facing a side featuring the individual, momentary brilliance of Espy va Drake. The growing relationship between Brian Andrews and Noah Garrett may yet be the difference between Muscat’s men taking the title or failing to make the top four, but for now both are still prone to lapses in communication – and Turkish were able to profit fully, principally through their Vanorian superstar. Hitting the PoC on the counter after just twelve minutes, va Drake faced off with Santiago Fuentes, did him up like a… like a… like a sausage, yes, there’s a fine analogy, and delivered a perfect pass into Darren Robinson’s feet.

A similar move brought forth a free-kick ultimately bundled home by Werner and, forever on the back foot thereafter, the visitors simply couldn’t get a handle hold back on the game. A three-one defeat saw Port of Clotaire tumble down to third in the table, with away victories for Albrecht FC and Green Island putting both sides on twenty-two points.

Against all expectations, it’s the GIZ who top the table after comfortably disposing of Mayo Valley in the first half. For many neutrals that’ll be quite a popular result, for Zapata’s finest have really come full circle over the last few months. It’s been many years since they first won the league title as plucky, slightly other-worldly underdogs, before a growing reputation for racist chanting and a generally unpleasant demeanour towards mainlanders of any hue dented their regard among otherwise impartial Candelarians. By the time of their third straight title under Massimo they were pretty much reviled – the often beauteous standard of the football played by their uncomfortably willowy personnel arguably only adding to the air of distaste – but suddenly they’re the plucky underdogs all over again.

It helps that Aldren and Young (both of the Youngs, in fact) are bona fide C&M stars and therefore ‘ours’, but their set of young players are equally capturing the heart of the nations just as much as Albrecht FC’s most recent generation of academy graduates managed – if not even more so. Much more so, in fact. Combining an oxygenating atom of home-grown vigour with the individual elements that serve to make each of them very special talents (oh alright, shush, at least we’re trying); these kids would be pretty popular winners all round – particularly compared to the Scorpions, or even the Sorthern-dominated Harpies.

The Marbles, bless ‘em, remain clinging to the top three’s coattails and Turkish will surely pull towards them following displays like this weekend’s, but you can probably count out anyone else now. A word or two must be offered for Tenderville however, very much the league’s form team all of a sudden and up to ninth with a fourth straight victory. Webley Stadium were the unlucky victims, though no-one should feel too sorry for them – not when Archie Dubicki, the big furry bugger, appears convinced that adopting an increasingly vicious brand of defensive football is the best chance the Stads have of pulling themselves out of the mire. Andrés García certainly had anything put warm words for his counterpart following the match, never mind for the referee, with some patently ridiculous penalty box wrestling going entirely unpunished – and a grinning Orion Swimmer left holding stretches of white and black cloth on more than one occasion – while Harvey Lewis was left with several little mementos of a rather one-sided clash with Daniel Tartaglia (and an ankle fracture into the bargain) for which the Webley left-back somehow escaped scot free. The Dragons had the last laugh with two second-half goals, but Webley better be watching themselves if they don’t want to become the CMSC1’s least favoured outfit.

Elsewhere, a very jolly Talinger Day – celebrating the town’s official establishment, with a street party featuring nibbles, cheesy things on sticks, a wide array of bacons and, of course, a tombola – culminated in a crushing three-nil win for Ironside over Portuguese, while Gamboa picked up three valuable points at home to fellow strugglers KT Hotspur.

Albrecht Turkish 3-1 Port of Clotaire (Robinson 12, Werner 30, Vostakova 79; Hooper 50)
Caires City 1-2 Cathedral City (Gorrie 11; De Winter 51, Estévez 60)
El din Marbles 2-1 McDonald SC (Macanás 39, Shannon og 25; García 78)
Gamboa FC 1-0 KT Hotspur (Roberto 9)
Ironside-Talinger 3-0 Arrigo Portuguese (Anastasiadis 34 and 48, Illés 50)
Mayo Valley 0-3 Green Island (Williams og 21, Pond 31, Robertson 35)
NAPPC 0-1 Albrecht FC (Kouakou Kouamé 90+1)
Radyukevich CSC 1-1 Marquez-Onwere (Parker 76; Smit 15)
Webley Stadium 0-2 Tenderville United (Robbert 68, Rau 74)

Matchday Ten… This weekend, life got even sweeter for the oxides, those kooky kids down in Zapata.

Their trip to the Hilltop Stadium should have been one of Green Island’s trickiest tests of the season thus far, but the Jukos have certainly blown hot and cold during the first ten games of the Apertura and on Saturday they simply crumbled in the face of a truly relentless GIZ performance – only a late consolation strike from McDermott souring an otherwise perfect four-goal display from the visitors. The sheer variation in their play right now deserves proper plaudits for, for all that Jhanna Young continues to carry the greatest responsibility to create chances, Ethan Robertson in particular is emerging as a particularly fearsome prospect in his withdrawn role behind the striker, and keeping Vladimir Kūks out of the side as a result. The Vanorian influence on this club may have been dramatically reduced these last few months, but one suspects that the experience of training alongside those subtle, flowing foreigners for so many years will leave a lasting impression on the youngsters that continue to pass through the academy at a rate of knots.

It’s not as though they’re bad at the back either, Grinius and Elenelwa looking more than worth their groats at the moment, while the returning Steve Newman – now having firmly replaced George t’son o’Henry in Ben Young’s thinking – has thus far been controlling the centre of the park with aplomb. The foreigners are still extremely important to this club’s chances over the next year or two, but it’s not unfair to say that, at this point in history; Green Islanders Do Things Better.

Meanwhile in Saurin however, we must retread increasingly familiar ground with the revelation that Port of Clotaire aren’t very good away from home. The Harpies may have opened the scoring against McDonald, but they were soon pegged back and struggled badly to produce the kind of dominating display the two club’s relative positions in the table demanded. At two-one down and seemingly going nowhere, that most Candelariasian of Candelariasians, Toirdhealbharch O’Airmeadhaigh, brandished his mighty tongs to pull the PoC’s fats out of the fire and complete his brace – but the Albrecht native can hardly feel satisfied with his afternoon’s work after being outclassed by Caires City reject Sascha Connah. The midfielder controlled the pace of the game throughout and was the real star of the show – even if Nashroy Andryan will take the glory, and the match ball, for a hat-trick that took full advantage of Brian Andrews’ declining speed of thought and foot.

It wasn’t a great day for Albrecht FC either – or, no less importantly, for C&M. The early loss of Jesse Nakatsuru left the Scorpions’ star midfielder facing a minor op and a couple of months out of action; an outcome that clearly impacts badly on the champions’ hopes of topping the half-way table at the very least. A switch to a 4-4-2, with Kim Mihyeon returning to the starting XI, looks likely from next week on with Torrealba’s decision to stick with the familiar formation and throw on Richard Mendez for Nakatsuru rewarded only with a two-all draw at Catedral. Not jolly. Not jolly at all.

Seeing Turkish then ease to a three-nil win over Ironside didn’t taste particularly sweet on the palate to Scorpions fans either, with the points gap between the two capital giants narrowing despite Daniel Bakker’s brief injury absence – extensively-surnamed forward Samson Patris and Bavent leading the line well enough in his absence, while Ausilio Calabrese finally got on the scoresheet as well.

Elsewhere, Webley Stadium took a nil-all draw in Rose of Sharon – a result enough to firmly embroil KT Hotspur in the relegation mix-up for the first time in quite some years. Though the home side had plenty of possession, Vorin Dariegan’s powers are clearly on the wane – any back four with sufficient pace handles him well enough these days, in truth – and the second-season curse of the young Candelarian coach looks ready to bite. Add in a nasty-looking injury to ‘keeper Greg Tipping, and the natives will surely be growing pretty restless sooner rather than later.

Other games saw disappointment for the top-six chasing Marbles in Abiodun; NAPPC won their first game of the season in Arrigo; and the Mayo duo of Alice Ganor and Gustav Johansson were left seeing spirals following an immense second-half display from Tenderville. Who’re really quite good at the moment, you know.

Albrecht Turkish 3-0 Ironside-Talinger (Patris and Bavent 14, Calabrese 26, Robinson 30)
Arrigo Portuguese 0-2 NAPPC (Van Dyke 49, Cuesta 64)
Caires City 0-0 Marquez-Onwere
Cathedral City 2-2 Albrecht FC (Guaman 28, Molina 48; Morrison 34 and 37)
Gamboa FC 2-0 El din Marbles (Mirnyi 55, Hastings og 86)
KT Hotspur 0-0 Webley Stadium
McDonald SC 4-2 Port of Clotaire (Andryan 15 and 70 and 80, Wanderley 30; O’Airmeadhaigh 12 and 67)
Radyukevich CSC 1-4 Green Island (McDermott 90+1; Aldren 3, Newman 28, Clayton 40, Pond 80)
Tenderville United 4-0 Mayo Valley (Van Braam 54 and 71, Robbert 57, Gaggioli 72)

Matchday Eleven… The close of the half-way stage is starting to move into sight, and the early hopes of Albrecht FC and Port of Clotaire to plough through the season without pausing for breath are well and truly over. Both clubs have spent the last month being brought back down to earth with a sizable thump.

This weekend, the Tristar Songstress Stadium witnessed its first home defeat, against Dionísio’s Caires City. Though the Errant Knights still look a long way from being title challengers themselves, their Cafundelariasian manager has slowly refined his team and tactics over the last few weeks following the introduction of three youngsters alongside Shayaz Azam and, after two drab terms, the former champions are starting once again to take on the look of a side on the verge of stepping up. With Leo Williams apparently fit, but consistently left out of the matchday eighteen, Dionísio has switched to one up front with Tomer Lagorio – making a belated impression in the CMSC1 – tucking in behind Quentin Gorrie.

The teenage Weegia… Weeg… the Rossiemannock native has made, by anyone’s standard, a frankly awesome start to his career in Candelariasian football, and his reward of an international call-up came as little surprise to anyone but the youngster himself. All gangly legs and carefree spirit, Gorrie plays as though top-flight football is but an enjoyable pastime right now, and one cannot help but wonder if his form will suffer once the realities of his responsibility to the future of City and his nation alike finally hit home over the coming months. For now, at least, he’s a terror – his mere presence and unpredictability enough to make even a defender of the stature of William a trifle nervy, though this weekend he had to be content with an assist. It was his foresight that saw a gap between William and Francois St. Louis and, taking the ball from Salvador González’ quick free-kick, he laid on a cross for the overlapping full-back Warren Shepherd to put away early during the second period. With James Masters and Shawn O’Connell on form, it was his side needed to take the three points.

We’d point out, by the by, that this round of games took place before Shawn’s unfortunate bout of food poisoning. We all hope he gets better soon.

A comment which segues us nicely into the PoC, who we all hope get better soon. A point away from home, even in Abiodun, looks like a good result given their current form but how they let a two-goal lead slip is anyone’s guess and this was a game that will surely haunt them for quite some time to come. After Andrews’ cock-ups last time out, it was Noah Garrett who must take the blame for twice failing to keep an eye on that little pest, John Potter – the bright-eyed, wet-nosed Gamboa mouser allowed to ferret around in the grouts for half-chances and coming up with a couple of hit-and-hope strikes that inches their way past Karl John. Potter does possess an uncanny knack for capitalising on those kinds of seemingly lost chances, and the Harpies as a whole can’t be blamed fully for either goal, but the draw was poor reward for their dominance.

As for Green Island, though, there were no such problems – even if they did leave it late to take the three points in Onwere. With Joãio playing waiter in midfield, his helpful slip handed Young the Younger the ball on a plate and allowed to snake around a horribly out of position Santi Castilla to pop her eighth league goal of the Apertura under S’toris. Even at one-all the naranja had the look of a beaten side and remain XXXVIII’s premier underachievers, marooned in the bottom three. Blanco da Cruz must be watching his national team with increasingly misty eyes.

Elsewhere there was an impasse apiece in Arrigo and Clotaire – the derby, of sorts, between Portuguese and the Cats ending in a hard-fought stalemate while Tenderville brushed off the Hilltop Stadium’s increasingly eclectic selection of imported animal life (two badgers, a rather bemused guinea pig and a collection of linnets, this time) to take a point.

Albrecht FC 0-1 Caires City (Shepherd 56)
Arrigo Portuguese 0-0 Cathedral City
El din Marbles 1-0 Webley Stadium (Silva 22)
Gamboa FC 2-2 Port of Clotaire (Potter 64 and 87; O’Airmeadhaigh 53, Sánchez García 56)
Ironside-Talinger 2-2 McDonald SC (Anastasiadis 18, Haskay 90+1; Shannon 66, Andryan 70)
Marquez-Onwere 1-2 Green Island (Smit 70; Robertson 60, Young 83)
Mayo Valley 0-2 KT Hotspur (Witt 30, Živkovic 57)
NAPPC 1-1 Albrecht Turkish (Van Dyke 44; Calabrese 18)
Radyukevich CSC 0-0 Tenderville United

Matchday Twelve… Life is hard, and I am beautiful.

Albrecht FC lost, and in Arrigo to boot.

Turkish won, and drew level with their great rivals.

Port of Clotaire won away from home… but remain six points behind the leaders from Zapata.

Oh, that’ll do, won’t it? You weren’t expecting bloody War & Peace, were you?

Albrecht Turkish 3-2 Cathedral City (Bakker 3, Calabrese 32, va Drake 69; Innisvale 24, De Winter 90)
Arrigo Portuguese 2-0 Albrecht FC (Oughton 25 and 59)
Caires City 0-1 Green Island (Whistler 53)
El din Marbles 1-2 Mayo Valley (Pavoni 21; Tillström 9, Živkovic 79)
Ironside-Talinger 0-1 Gamboa FC (Sneden 68)
McDonald SC 4-1 NAPPC (Connah 39, Kenroe 47, Wanderley 68, García 70; Davies og 53)
Radyukevich CSC 1-0 KT Hotspur (Gaggioli 70)
Webley Stadium 0-1 Port of Clotaire (Garrett 79)
Tenderville United 0-1 Marquez-Onwere (Fishsnapperbottom 90+1)

Matchday Thirteen… Unlucky for some. Unlucky for those hankering for a nithe long report. And unluckiest of all for Albrecht Turkish, who dominated the capital city derby but came away with nothing.

Green Island, on the other hand, were well beaten on Ratos Island of all places, while Port of Clotaire’s long-awaited homecoming (bloody fixture compilers) saw a return to form and a five-nil thumping of Mayo Valley.

The other big clash at the top saw the Marbles go fourth again after getting the better of Radyukevich – but the Jukos can at least expect to welcome Patrick Williams back next weekend.

Yaaay.

Albrecht FC 1-0 Albrecht Turkish (Morrison 24)
Arrigo Portuguese 1-2 Caires City (Oughton 88; Gorrie 42 and 50)
El din Marbles 2-0 Radyukevich CSC (Macanás 37, Pavoni 44)
Gamboa FC 0-1 NAPPC (Van Dyke 28)
Marquez-Onwere 0-0 KT Hotspur
McDonald SC 1-0 Cathedral City (Munir 44)
Port of Clotaire 5-0 Mayo Valley (Arrigorriagakoa 38, O’Airmeadhaigh 43, Jones 55 and 58, Sánchez García 78)
Tenderville United 2-0 Green Island (Van Braam 67, Rau 90+1)
Webley Stadium 0-1 Ironside-Talinger (Adriaens 10)

Matchday Fourteen… Not far ‘till half way now, dearies, and fourth place is still very much up for grabs.

Indeed even the top three isn’t as done and dusted as we all assumed it would be, with even Green Island needing an extra point to confirm another Champions’ Cup campaign next time out. Ironically, they may receive a boost – after only taking a goalless draw in Rosasharn this weekend – from their frankly pathetic showing in this particular round of international club fixtures, with the kids utterly overawed and Aldren and Young anonymous in winning only one game and crashing out without even a Globe Cup run to follow.

With Port of Clotaire’s ghastly form on the road continuing overseas, and the Harpies suffering a similar fate, there are certain signs that the CMSC’s influence on the global game may just be on the wane, but two clubs remain in the knockout stages to maintain Candelariasian honour.

One is Albrecht FC, who continued their return to winning ways with a very comfortable victory in Saurin – a Hamizi hat-trick, and a great performance alongside Kim Mihyeon, handing Torrealba a new selection and formation headache in Nakatsuru’s continuing injury absence. They hold a four point lead over the fourth-place Marbles, thanks to the sterling effort of the other Candelariasian side in the TQCC21 last sixteen, Marquez-Onwere.

Given that they opened their group stage campaign with a nothingy one-nil defeat to Blanco da Cruz’s countryfolk at Heathfield, the fact that they’ve earned the right to face Cafundó do Juta over the next couple of weeks is a real surprise. Returning there next year is surely impossible – unless they go and win the thing, of course – but no-one’s predicting that just yet.

Apart from Macario Oliveira Tavares, as it happens, who told his followers on blatter that the world was about to tremble before the might of a rejuvenated naranja. What an odd bloke.

This weekend’s main focus, before the CMS Cup break and the true Apertura run-in, was on the Clotaire derby – one-all, both in goals and sendings off, with Fuentes going for a late tackle on a thankfully unharmed Thomas Scarborough, and the returning Patrick Williams picking up two bookings for decent, the old twit. Elsewhere, Webley’s impressive SBCC form failed to continue into the league – defeat in Peregrinus City leaving them with just two points still, and ten behind NAPPC themselves – while Quentin Gorrie, despite picking up a minor knock late on, can start dreaming of seeing his name on the Young Player of the Season trophy (assuming he dreams of such things, of course… Looking at him, we’re not convinced the little lad’s old enough for ladyforms to have entered his radar just yet) after a brace in City’s four-one drubbing of Tenderville.

Albrecht Turkish 0-0 Arrigo Portuguese
Caires City 4-1 Tenderville United (Gorrie 25 and 34, González 67, Agostinho 79; Jans 40)
Cathedral City 4-0 Gamboa FC (De Winter 42, Winnick og 60, Delara 66 and 89)
KT Hotspur 0-0 Green Island
Marquez-Onwere 3-1 El din Marbles (Gatti 15, Oliveira Tavares 45 and 49; Macanás 89)
Mayo Valley 2-0 Ironside-Talinger (Živkovic 22, Szatmári 87)
McDonald SC 1-5 Albrecht FC (Connah 15; Kouakou Kouamé 6, Kim 28, Hamizi 52 and 64 and 90+1)
NAPPC 2-0 Webley Stadium (De Opper 1, González Rodríguez 6)
Radyukevich CSC 1-1 Port of Clotaire (Hyde 42; Sánchez García

[Commerce Heights]

The deadline for entry to TakilQuip Champions’ Cup 21 and Cygnus Series B Champions’ Cup 18 is tentatively set for 03:00 UTC on Wednesday, 2010-03-10. As a reminder, the entry limits were previously posted.

[The Weegies]

OOC: Currently, I'm not able to scorinate because of a lack of computer access which allows me to run NSFootySim. This is a temporary thing. If I don't get to do this by next Weds, I humbly request to be able to submit my teams without scorination.

[Tyrrin]

The Commander's League

Preferred Abbreviation: TYR

This year, the Tyrrin Sport Commission is proud to announce that Tyrrin plans to enter international competition. They won’t tell you that this is mostly so the clubs can make big bucks from sponsorship deals, but that is the real reason. Anshel Tapani might tell you it is “to create a more global perspective and increase awareness of Tyrrinian culture”, but don’t listen to him. Nonetheless, here is a rundown of the clubs involved, in case anyone cares about a minor country where the majority of the population couldn’t spell “scorinator” a week ago.

The season schedule dictates that each team plays each other once. Each team plays teams in its division twice. North Division includes Royale, Foresters, Raiders, and Icebirds. South Division includes Mertag FC, Coranto FC, Mariners, and Sultan. The Commander's Cup competition holds a matchday every two weeks, which is played for kicks, giggles, and lots of money.

Tyrrin Royale
Colors: Red and White
Stadium: Remembrance Park (70,000), Tyrrin
Manager: Leon Agapito (2nd season)
Overview: Royale have won the Commander’s Cup the past seven years with tons of funding, a massive fan base, and international talent. The departure of Willem last year put them in an uncertain position, as they no longer had his four goals per game to count on, but this well-managed side will be fine with the talent they have left.
Stars: Aaron Williamson (Krytenia), Alan Fionnlagh (C), Tjaard Fedde, Jody McMicheal (Taeshan), Faraq Aziz(QPeMA)
Strengths: Strong virtually everywhere, but their midfield looks to be top notch this season. Savas and Fionnlagh are an unstoppable pair, and McMicheal has been a great addition on the right side. Aziz and Fedde have been playing very well on the back line, and Islay has been proving he is a top notch keeper.
Weaknesses: Willem’s departure hurt Royale a bit, but this isn’t there biggest problem. Royale is getting old, and they are going to have to face that fact soon. Injuries might be a factor for them this year, and if they are, they could jeopardize Royale’s chances of an eighth straight Cup.
Expectations: Royale will finish at least in the top two, and fans expect another Cup win. Pundit’s expectations aren’t so high, and a lot of criticism has fallen on Agapito’s inexperience and the club’s overall age.

Foresters
Colors: Green and Brown
Stadium: The Canoparium (34,000), Kowa
Manager: Adrien Bertil (1st Season)
Overview: Kowa has had terrible luck lately in the Commander’s League. A bad combination of poor management and a low fan base has put the Foresters near the bottom of the league in recent history. Adrien Bertil is their fifth manager in four years.
Stars: Wilson Tolley (Eastern Volleyball) (C), Marty Ruaridh, Levi Abdul-Hamid
Strengths: The midfield is capable of making things happen, and Tolley has been an excellent pickup out of a now defunct nation. The defense has been making great strides now that Ruaridh is recovering from several injuries.
Weaknesses: The Foresters are notorious for being awful at scoring. They just can’t seem to get the ball in the net. Warrick and Ampellio are god-awful, so Kowa has been looking for a good striker for a while. Combine that with the sketchy play of Tzefanyah in goal, and this team has a lot of holes.
Expectations: Despite many weaknesses, many predict that Kowa will do better this year. The fans aren’t so hopeful, and they don’t expect any better than last place. This club desperately needs a foreign sponsor to come in and clean them up.

Mertag FC
Colors: Purple and White
Stadium: Muon Stadium (58,000), Mertag
Manager: Adam Rhisiart (6th Season)
Overview: Mertag has had lots of success in the past with a team that generally excels in all areas. However, much of their old talent has retired or is getting old, such as Alan Donnchadh. Rhisiart, a former MFC player himself, is going to have to get as much as he can out of young talent.
Stars: Deandre Rodrigo (C), Tiger Baptista, Ainsley Emir
Strengths: Young players mean speed, and Mertag has plenty of it. Expect fast-paced offense with defensive wings moving forward. Also, Emir is now recognized as the top keeper in the nation, which always helps.
Weaknesses: Young players also mean inexperience, which may come back to haunt them when they play squads like Royale. Nacio and Kirabo aren’t great up front either, so most of the goals will have to come from the midfield.
Expectations: Mertag will probably finish in the middle of the pack. Pundits are thinking their games will be one sided and high scoring, with the team either playing really well or terribly.

Sultan
Colors: Black and Yellow
Stadium: Redgold Oil Dome (55,000), Racaw
Manager: Kamal Ziyad (17th Season)
Overview: Sultan is funded by the Ziyad family, a group of oil tycoons related to the old Sultanate aristocracy. Tyrrin is different south of the Racaw Mountains, and their football club is no exception. Sultan fans want to see goals scored, and the Ziyad family never fails to provide top offensive talent. They are the only club to play a 3-4-3, which obviously emphasizes attacking. Kamal Ziyad is most likely near the end of his dynasty as Sultan manager, but pundits expect him to go out with a bang.
Stars: Chase Koit, Rio Fortunado (C), Arcady Vincenzo
Strengths: Koit is rapidly turning into a very talented striker who is always near the top in total goals. But it is Fortunado, the developing international star, who takes center stage on this squad. He directs a potent midfield that can transition to attack in the blink of an eye.
Weaknesses: The midfield’s problem is transitioning back to defense. The Ziyad’s have never spent much on the back line, which is shoddy at best. Milford Farley does his best in goal, but it isn’t pretty when Sultan plays a team with a great defense.
Expectations: The Sultan attacking strategy hasn’t paid off too much in the past, so don’t look for it to help them at all this season. As long as they score plenty of goals, the fans will be happy. Also, the new air conditioned stadium will be great for those 100+ degree days.

Icebirds
Colors: Light Blue and Silver
Stadium: The Moctodome (64,000), Icklyrri
Manager: Joseph Iagan (7th Season)
Overview: The Icebirds’ focus is, and always has been, defense. They put five defenders on the pitch at all times, with only Brecht up top. This conservative approach has paid off, putting them in second place three years in a row. Iagan is a huge believer in defense, and is looking for foreign defensive talent.
Stars: Bernard Brecht, Kegan Diniz (C), Neil Colin, Angus Aulay
Strengths: Obviously, defense. Icklyrri gave away less than a goal per game the last five seasons, and this squad is not looking to be an exception. Colin and Aulay may be getting old, but they are still talented, and Diniz is another excellent defender. Despite being on Icklyrri, Brecht is actually very talented, and can easily score a transition goal.
Weaknesses: The midfield is usually afraid to push up, and Brecht doesn’t get as many balls as he should. As mentioned before, Colin and Aulay are getting old, which was evident when both missed out on a World Cup trip this year.
Expectations: Icklyrri is trying to make a run at the championship this year. Iagan feels it is in his grasp, and rightly so. Royale is slipping, and someone has to pick up the slack. Whether this meek offense can do it remains to be seen.

Mariners
Colors: Navy Blue and White
Stadium: Oklo Stadium (64,000), Oclia
Manager: Andras Marcel (4th Season)
Overview: Oclia is a conservative team, and they like to use their great midfield to control possession. The locals aren’t really huge football fans, so most of their fan base is made up of Corantians on vacation who want to an alternative team to support. They draw large crowds, just not necessarily passionate ones.
Stars: Wayne Ata (C), Arne Duke, Marcius Booker
Strengths: The Mariners’ midfield and defense are strong, and their conservative but skilled squad is highly capable of scoring goals as well as keeping them out of the net. They are also an excellent road team, and are second only to Royale in number of out of town fans.
Weaknesses: They don’t really have any standout players. Ata is getting old, and Duke and Booker are only marginally above average. This is a team that does its job, but when faced with overwhelming talent, they could potentially go under. This could be a problem when facing skilled sides such as Racaw and Mertag.
Expectations: Pundits believe Oclia is a dark horse to win the Commander’s Cup this season. They have all the right parts, but it is up to Marcel to get them to work. Some are worried that they don’t have the talent to pull it off, but the fans are hopeful.

Coranto FC
Colors: Maroon and White
Stadium: Whitmere Arena (68,000), Coranto
Manager: Jacob Baldarich (4th Season)
Overview: Coranto caters to the second largest city in Tyrrin, as well as one of the wealthiest states in the nation. This means they have quite a bit of money to bandy around, but they still have no international talent on the squad. Look for Baldarich to look around in the off season for some foreign players.
Stars: Zia Thorvald, Greg Elias (C), Donato Shlomo
Strengths: Thorvald is very talented, and is one of the top strikers in Tyrrin. The defense is good, but not great. Midfielders like Greg Elias provide experience and talent to the team.
Weaknesses: Besides Thorvald, no one spot is extraordinary. This needs to be fixed via the transfer market as quickly as possible. The largest problem facing Coranto is the utter lack of skill displayed by Anatolios in goal.
Expectations: If they don’t sign anybody (which they will), don’t expect much. DO expect a lot of fan support and some midfielders to be signed within a month.

Raiders
Colors: Blue and Red
Stadium: Raider Arena (53,000), Foroch
Manager: Konrad Royce (10th Season)
Overview: Foroch is known for physical play and beer, with physical play being more related to football, unless we are talking about the supporters, who are some of the best fans around. Foroch has money to spend, and are looking for a midfielder to take some of the pressure of Yasen, who has really
Stars: Ludwig Yasen (C), Scott Pierrick, Michael Mu
Strengths: Michael Mu is one of the top keepers in the Commander’s League, and it is a shame that he hasn’t been recognized more. Yasen has done a great job at directing the midfield lately. He is right at home in Raider Arena, bumping midfielders off the ball.
Weaknesses: The Raiders have a lack of talent up top. Cuthbert and Jove only scored ten goals all last season, so they will have to pick it up, or Foroch may go to the transfer market. Other than that, the defense is tough but not particularly skilled, with Pierrick playing well but getting up there in years.
Expectations: Foroch could finish near the top, or at rock bottom. At this point, many pundits believe it is up to Royce to get the best out of these players, or he will have to find new ones abroad.

[Krytenia]

O-LEAGUE SEASON VI - PART TWO

KFA Cup Round Two
Last season, Ellisham were involved in the biggest shock of Round Two when they lost to East Green Phoenix of Six; this season, in a round largely devoid of shocks involving the real big fish, came up with arguably the big story of the round as they knocked out Emberton Reds.

That's not to say there weren't shocks; just not ones involving Premier sides. Penniton United and Oustia, both of the second flight, were knocked out by O-League Six opposition, whilst NSE Kovenham fell at the hands of St Peter's, who were relegated to Five last season.

Almost as a footnote, the Cup won't be going back to Beckton this year after the Mariners were beaten by CF Avides. Oxley of O-League Five, meanwhile, find themselves as the capital city's only hope for the Cup after Krytenia Emberton fell to Secklow. Look out for “the Oxen” as ball 28 in the draw.

Other big names and their numbers in the Round 3 Draw are Casuals Osteria (11), Ousevale Borough (13), Mercia Bromham (20) and last season's champions Stanton (24).

Results:
Ashton United 1-2 Faversham Town (AET; FT 1-1)
Avidia City 1-2 Ousevale Borough
Avidia United 1-0 Grafton Town (AET; FT 0-0)
Bradwell Saints 1-2 Casuals Osteria
Byrrim 0-3 Porthscadoch
Caledon Simpson 1-1 Stanton Town (1-1 FT, 1-1 AET; Stanton win 3-2 on pens)
Camberley Town 1-0 Challenger
CF Avides 1-0 Beckton Supermarine
East Green Phoenix 2-0 Buchinia Academicals
Ellisham 2-1 Emberton Reds
Hastings County 2-0 Caversham
Leston Town 0-3 Bromham City
Mercia Bromham 3-2 Westleigh Rovers (AET; FT 2-2)
Neathill 0-2 Ilham & Welford
Nenbridge 3-2 Sporting Adanac
Norton 3-0 Dereapolis City
Notegia Rangers 3-2 Westleigh Wanderers
NSE Kovenham 0-1 St Peter's (AET; FT 0-0)
Ousevale Juniors 3-2 Wick Town
Oxley 1-1 Kallia United (1-1 FT, 1-1 AET; Oxley win 4-2 on pens)
Penniton United 0-1 Newley
Prutton 0-1 Bohemians
Sandwell Rangers 4-0 Milditch
Secklow 1-0 Krytenia Emberton (AET; FT 0-0)
Shruton Town 0-2 Walton City
Stratford Rovers 3-0 Southgate Athletic
Thackworth Rovers 3-0 Diorville
Tuvera City 1-2 New Cefn Albion
Walton Park 0-1 Linford United (AET; FT 0-0)
Whitehill Rovers 2-4 Aigburth Athletic
Yardley Forest 1-2 Highfield
Zoderby United 1-0 Oustia


Matchday Six
Bromham win the match, but lose top spot, as their goal difference is eclipsed my a mighty eight-nil victory for Ousevale Borough at Abbey Road. Avidia United keep their top-five place with a win over the other Ousevale, whilst winds for Stanton and the Reds put them back in the top five. Stanton's win also means Stratford are still to register a point; the bottom three stays as is as Rovers, Juniors, and Saints all lost.

Results:
Avidia City 0-0 CF Avides
Bradwell Saints 0-8 Ousevale Borough
Emberton Reds 3-1 Beckton Supermarine
New Cefn Albion 3-1 Casuals Osteria
Notegia Rangers 0-1 Mercia Bromham
Ousevale Juniors 1-2 Avidia United
Secklow 1-2 Krytenia Emberton
Stratford Rovers 0-2 Stanton Town

Matchday Seven
Well, that put the cat amongst the pigeons. Borough lost to someone other than Mercia Bromham in the league for the first time since Season IV as they were turned over at home by the Reds; Lewis Osmond scoring the fateful goal. Mercia, perhaps even more surprisingly, failed to take full advantage of the situation as Avidia City stole a point from them; Avidia United's draw with New Cefn, meanwhile, saw them overtaken by the Reds, dropping to fourth.

The bottom three all lost; Stratford, therefore, still prop up the table on zero points.

Results:
Avidia United 1-1 New Cefn Albion
Beckton Supermarine 0-0 Secklow
Casuals Osteria 2-0 Notegia Rangers
CF Avides 1-0 Bradwell Saints
Krytenia Emberton 2-0 Stratford Rovers
Mercia Bromham 1-1 Avidia City
Ousevale Borough 0-1 Emberton Reds
Stanton Town 2-1 Ousevale Juniors

KFA Cup Round Three Draw
Eleven top sides remain in the competition at this stage; surprisingly, though, the draw has only produced one all-Premier game. It's a doozy though, as Avidia United travel to New Coalfields to take on the Casuals. Elsewhere, Borough have a potential banana skin at home to O-League Two high-flyers Sandwell, there's a winnable tie for everyone's cup sweethearts East Green Phoenix, and Zoderby's reward for beating a team above them is a trip to Newley, guaranteeing that there will be precisely one O-League Six side in the last sixteen.

Full Draw:
Ousevale Juniors (OLP) v Highfield (OL5)
Mercia Bromham (OLP) v St Peter's (OL5)
Ellisham (OL2) v Porthscadoch (OL5)
Ousevale Borough (OLP) v Sandwell Rangers (OL2)
Linford United (OL3) v Stanton Town (OLP)
Faversham Town (OL4) v Norton (OL2)
East Green Phoenix (OL5) v Walton City (OL3)
Nenbridge (OL3) v Bromham City (OL2)
Newley (OL6) v Zoderby United (OL6)
Oxley (OL5) v New Cefn Albion (OLP)
Notegia Rangers (OLP) v Ilham & Welford (OL5)
CF Avides (OLP) v Aigburth Athletic (OL3)
Stratford Rovers (OLP) v Thackworth Rovers (OL2)
Casuals Osteria (OLP) v Avidia United (OLP)
Camberley Town (OLP) v Secklow (OLP)
Hastings County (OL2) v Bohemians (OL5)

Matchday Eight
We may be barely a quarter of the way through the season, but already the wheels seem to be coming off Casuals' season. The Season III champions find themselves in eighth place after losing to a resurgent Avidia City, and with the top four all winning, that TQCC place is disappearing fast over the horizon. Mercia stay top despite a shaky performance in their win over Bradwell, who now find themselves bottom after Stratford collected their first point of the season in a goalless draw against Secklow. Top win of the week, though, went to Avidia United, who demolised Notegia five-one.

Results:
Avidia City 2-1 Casuals Osteria
Beckton Supermarine 0-2 Ousevale Borough
Bradwell Saints 1-2 Mercia Bromham
Emberton Reds 3-0 CF Avides
New Cefn Albion 2-0 Stanton Town
Notegia Rangers 1-5 Avidia United
Ousevale Juniors 0-0 Krytenia Emberton
Secklow 0-0 Stratford Rovers

Matchday Nine
All change please, all change! Mercia Bromham lose their unbeaten record as Emberton Reds make their mark for the second time in three weeks. Ousevale win comfortably to overtake the Midlanders, who also slip behind the Reds into third. Avidia United are now breathing down Mercia's necks after winning in the “proper” Avidia derby, and New Cefn quietly take fifth place after a superb win over Krytenia Emberton. Casuals, meanwhile, are having one of those up and down years; they beat Bradwell to hop back up to seventh.

Congratulations, also, to Ousevale Juniors, whose win over Stratford is their first ever at this level, and puts them to within a point of thirteenth-placed Secklow.

Results:
Avidia United 1-0 Avidia City
Casuals Osteria 3-0 Bradwell Saints
CF Avides 1-1 Beckton Supermarine
Krytenia Emberton 0-2 New Cefn Albion
Mercia Bromham 0-1 Emberton Reds
Ousevale Borough 3-0 Secklow
Stanton Town 0-0 Notegia Rangers
Stratford Rovers 0-1 Ousevale Juniors

Matchday Ten
A good day for the University City, as Borough beat Avides to stay top, and Juniors beat Secklow to hoist themselves above the Hoops and out of the relegation zone for the first time in two months. Mercia take second place back with a victory over Beckton, whilst the Reds can only draw with Casuals. Bradwell open their win account with a surprise result over Avidia United; the result also means the Eagles suddenly have Albion breathing down their necks, thanks to their victory over Stratford “One Point All Season” Rovers.

Results:
Avidia City 0-0 Stanton Town
Beckton Supermarine 0-1 Mercia Bromham
Bradwell Saints 2-1 Avidia United
Emberton Reds 1-1 Casuals Osteria
New Cefn Albion 3-0 Stratford Rovers
Notegia Rangers 0-2 Krytenia Emberton
Ousevale Borough 3-1 CF Avides
Secklow 1-3 Ousevale Juniors

Top Five At-A-Glance:
Ousevale Borough - 8-1-1 - 25pts
Mercia Bromham - 7-2-1 - 23
Emberton Reds - 6-4-0 - 22
Avidia United - 6-2-2 - 20
New Cefn Albion - 6-1-3 - 19

[Cafundeu]

CAFUNDÉU - PREVIEW OF THE NEW SEASON
“The Mother of modern domestic football”
PART 1

The same introduction as ever: the most international league of the world, mother of modern domestic football, which is the number one in the international coefficients for a long, long time but doesn't win the TQCC since its 8th edition, returns to activity, and the teams are ready to fight for trophies again. The Cafundelense teams, followed by the entire world due to their quality and the tough dispute for the many titles available, get reinforced once again, to dispute in the national and international competitions.

See the transfers involving foreign players and/or teams:

Foreign Players – Coming from abroad to play in Cafundéu:

*NOTE: if there is a player from your nation that should be but isn’t in this list, contact me.

Maximillian Fischer (Burchadinger) ----------> to Porto Lacruz
Arturo (Balida) ----------> to Cruzeiro do Sul
Fred Gordillo (Balida) ----------> to Eldorado
James Sias (Balida) ----------> to Clube Comercial
Ricky Archer (Candelaria And Marquez) ----------> to Ranca Toco
Ogus Kures (Candelaria And Marquez) ----------> to Atlético Jutense
Harry Craig (Capitalizt SLANI) ----------> to Cafundó do Juta
Victor Ortiz (Capitalizt SLANI) ----------> to Clube Imperial
Kim Ha-Run (Daehanjeiguk) ----------> to Cafundó do Juta
Ken Antonovich (Dancougar) ----------> to Dunboor FC
Leslie Serianni (Dancougar) ----------> to Atlético Jutense
Simon Avant (Kelssek) ----------> to Petardos S/A
Jean-Luc Fournier (Kelssek) ----------> to Ranca Toco
Jean-Antoine Cantona (Krytenia) ----------> to Atlético Jutense
David Usher (Krytenia) ----------> to SC Lasft
Mikhail Dukelsky (Malak Free State) ----------> to Bandeirantes
Talksi Hexa (Malak Free State) ----------> to Eldorado
Owwu Kiko (Malak Free State) ----------> to Eldorado
Eric Audette (Newmanistan) ----------> to América
Ken Bedwell (Newmanistan) ----------> to SC Lasft
Shawn O’Connell (Newmanistan) --------> to Rio Bonito
Amir Ali (Osarius) ----------> to Atlético Insular
Roberto Cassetti (Osarius) ----------> to SC Lasft
Sanosuke Mitsubara (Osarius) ----------> to Eldorado
Enrico Dossena (Queer Poco el Mono Ara) ----------> to SC Lasft
Ahmed Khan (Queer Poco el Mono Ara) ----------> to Clube Comercial
Pedro Cortijo (Sargossa) ----------> to Rio Bonito
Jésus Vazquez (Sargossa) ----------> to Clube Comercial
Mariano Ojeda (Sargossa) ----------> to Rio Bonito
Christian Viera (Sargossa) ----------> to SC Lasft
George Maxwell (Sarzonia) ----------> to Atlético Jutense
Tim Rodney (Sarzonia) ----------> to Ranca Toco
Robert Peters (Secristan) ----------> to A.F.F.
Brett Preston (Secristan) ----------> to Central United
Vytautas Aavik (Somewhereistonia) ----------> to Atlético Insular
Mikhail Sulkiewicz (Somewhereistonia) ----------> to Galáxia
Kazys Xentolov (Somewhereistonia) ----------> to Ranca Toco
Tegan Nash (The Babbage Islands) ----------> to Clube Comercial
Eric Picard (Taeshan) ----------> to Eldorado
Boján Fert (The Macabees) ----------> to Rio Bonito
Sorley Brekke (The Weegies) ----------> to Atlético Insular
Lúthien Anwamanë (Valanora) ----------> to Dunboor FC
Aintôrthea Durosa (Valanora) ----------> to Cafundó do Juta
Jefferson Ospina (Valladares) ----------> to Cruzeiro do Sul
Jêrome Perrin (Valladares) ----------> to Atlético Insular

Cafundelense Players - leaving Cafundéu:

Anti Ilmari (Clube Comercial) ----------> to Metalurgs (SOM)
Lazlo Salathiël (Galáxia) ----------> to Stratford Rovers (KRY)
Escória (Metropolitano) ----------> to Shimyang FC (HAN)
Marcão (Metropolitano) ----------> to Haegu Taepung (HAN)
Tom (Nova Eden) ----------> to Mercia Bromham (KRY)
Abelardo (Petardos S/A) ----------> to Metalurgs (SOM)
Welton (Petardos S/A) ----------> to Mercia Bromham (KRY)
Rosário (São Jorge) ----------> to Cheonjin (HAN)
Rudinei (SC Lasft) ----------> to Joseon (HAN) on loan
Salvador (SC Lasft) ----------> to Sporting San Marquez (SRG)
Aldir (União Trabalhadora) ----------> to Haegu Taepung (HAN)

Foreign Players - between Cafundelense teams, retiring or other changes (there is possibility of error in first name, and in some cases I won’t even write it to avoid the error, as I don’t have rigid records for those):

Sergio Bustamante (Aguazul) ----------> from Cruzeiro do Sul to Atlético Jutense
Hector Ainsley (Bazalonia) ----------> retired, now plays poker in tournaments
Lawrence Amey (Candelaria And Marquez) ----------> retired, will work as a player agent
Jordan Hawker (Candelaria And Marquez) ----------> from A.F.F. to Dunboor FC
David Spooner (Candelaria And Marquez) ---------> retired, bought a house at the top of a mountain to become a hermit
Will Sussex (Candelaria And Marquez) ----------> from SC Lasft to Internacional
Harvey Vavasour (Candelaria And Marquez) ----------> put all his money under his mattress and will use it to start a business
Paul Robinson (Capitalizt SLANI) ----------> retired, now owns a popular pizza restaurant
Stephanie Reeves (Cassadaigua) ----------> from São Jorge to Porto Lacruz
Yi Beomsuk (Daehanjeiguk) ----------> retired, got lost inside a building with 500 floors
Hajime Kuniyoshi (Dancougar) ----------> retired, built a training centre for children
Darren Letson (Dancougar) ----------> from Petardos S/A to Central United
Kent Montego (Dancougar) ----------> retired, returns to Dancougar
Kensaku Nakama (Dancougar) ----------> retired, became a taxi driver
Gunther Janicke (Jaseuyeon) ----------> retired, is to decide his future
Ian Colwyn (Kelssek) ----------> from Porto Lacruz to A.F.F.
Ian Sinclair (Kelssek) ----------> from Metropolitano to Internacional
Simon Bond (Krytenia) ----------> retired, now sells encyclopaedias
Simon Lühmann (Krytenia) ----------> from Cafundó do Juta to Galáxia
Uriel Kennedy (Krytenia) ----------> retired, it seems he has plans in Krytenia, but he still has a house in Lasft, so... no idea
Norbert Fiero (Kura-Pelland) ----------> retired, becomes a celebrity for marrying a model
Ryan McAllister (Newmanistan) ----------> from Serrano to Clube Imperial
Brian Prescott (Newmanistan) ----------> from Central United to A.F.F.
Moricz Vincze (Pasarga) ----------> retired, returns to Pasarga
Odysseas Adraktas (Peisandros) ----------> from Internacional to Petardos S/A
Ernesto Farías (Sargossa) ----------> from Internacional to A.F.F.
Martin Tejera (Sargossa) ----------> from Cruzeiro do Sul to Central United
Todd Carney (Secristan) ----------> retired, spends all day betting on the horses
Paul Bourassa (Septentrionia) ----------> retired, owns a suspicious nightclub in Lasft’s seaside
Martin Vachon (Septentrionia) ----------> from Serrano to Clube Imperial
Anders Lurich (Somewhereistonia) ----------> retired, thinks about working with foreign relations in football
Jon Andrews (Sorthern Northland) ----------> retired, stays in Ranca Toco as an “attitude coach”
Ariel Bogota (Starblaydia) ----------> from Atlético Insular to SC Lasft
Solomon Dante (Starblaydia) ----------> from Cafundó do Juta to Internacional
Rasmus Bjorn (Swartaz) ----------> from Metropolitano to Cruzeiro do Sul
Wilhelm Freudigmann (The Babbage Islands) ----------> from Metropolitano to A.F.F.
Tamuríl Amandil (Valanora) ----------> retired, is full of money and can stop working
Nelson Kries (Valanora) ----------> retired, founded a leisure club for Vanorians
Melfanosion Morose (Valanora) ----------> from Ranca Toco to Dunboor FC
Kiso Night (Valanora) ----------> retires with honours and will become a director of Petardos S/A
Nikali Zubo (Valanora) ----------> suffered an injury and is going to retire
Scunt Boimoks (Vephrall) ----------> retires, returns to Vephrall
Ellad Minanad (Vephrall) ----------> from Serrano to Central United
Urkero Misina (Vephrall) ----------> retired, became a teacher for children
Jehoepe Splebist (Vephrall) ----------> retired, still works in Atlético Jutense as a fitness coach
Dolarin Mijak (Yafor 2) ----------> retired, becomes a security chief in a government building
Karaan Subodnir (Yafor 2) ----------> retired, doesn’t know what to do in his life now
Demir Vaduun (Yafor 2) ----------> from Internacional to Central United

AUGECC/Banco Econômico signed players:

Amate (Cafundéu) -----> to Arrigo Portuguese (CAM)
Doramílton (Cafundéu) -----> to Arrigo Portuguese (CAM)
Pak Yongho (Daehanjeiguk) -----> to Arrigo Portuguese (CAM)
James Particle (Silexhera) -----> to Arrigo Portuguese (CAM)
Teteo (Cafundéu) -----> to Arrigo Portuguese (CAM)
Daeron Srion (Valanora) -----> to Valengren Kickers (QPM)
Sergi Bert (The Macabees) -----> to Valengren Kickers (QPM)
Arif Korkmaz (Akbarabad) -----> to Valengren Kickers (QPM)
Gnomo (Cafundéu) -----> to Valengren Kickers (QPM)
Raulzito (Cafundéu) -----> to Valengren Kickers (QPM)
Nicola Morini (Secristan) -----> to Valengren Kickers (QPM)
Finwë Celebrindal (Valanora) -----> to Valengren Kickers (QPM)
Hélio (Cafundéu) -----> to Lilland Athletic (WEE)
Januário (Cafundéu) -----> to Lilland Athletic (WEE)
Diguinho (Cafundéu) -----> to Lilland Athletic (WEE)
Miguel Eswart (Jesselton) -----> to Lilland Athletic (WEE)
Lisandro (Cafundéu) -----> to Lilland Athletic (WEE)
Diego (Cafundéu) ----------> to Kapundae FC (HAN)*
*others went to Kapundae FC, but these transfers were counted as of the previous season

Foreign Coaches:

Christophe Argentier (Ariddia) ----------> coach of Petardos S/A
Ke Sho (Ariddia) ----------> coach of Nova Eden (2nd Div)
Connor Mengucci (Candelaria And Marquez) ----------> coach of Eldorado
Javier Sanchez (Candelaria And Marquez) ----------> coach of Dunboor FC
Big Gay Al (Jeruselem) ----------> coach of Agreman FH (3rd Div)
Dale Stevens (Newmanistan) ----------> coach of Santa Cruz do Norte (2nd Div)
Ryan Fullerton (Secristan) ----------> coach of Clube Imperial
Patrik Hermanni (Squornshelous) ----------> coach of Pico da Neblina (3rd Div)
Ensio Varg (Squornshelous) ----------> coach of Atlético Jutense
Alfonso Di Angelo (Starblaydia) ----------> coach of Atlético Insular
Caladil Gatamyr (Valanora) ----------> coach of CR Submiria (2nd Div)
Aranaderelion Shalandragina (Valanora) ----------> coach of Penders (2nd Div)
Eddie Barnes (Zwangzug) ----------> coach of Clube Comercial

The line-ups of the 20 best teams of the country(First Division Teams) will probably be the following (foreigners in italics, best 3 players in bold) – (Experts’ Ratings details - the three journalists give the team a rating, from 1 to 5 stars [* - practically relegated; ** - intermediate team, battling against relegation; *** - intermediate team, battling for a top 8 place; **** - top 8 team, battling for a phase title; ***** - battling for the main title]). Finally the writers have decided to look at the uncountable number of mistakes which happened in many of previous editions, and now we hope that there aren’t any more name repetitions or wrong info:


PETARDOS S/A: Taniquentar; Avant, Davis, Bruno Pinto and Alfonso; Marcus Vinícius, Mané, Ickx and Hawk (c); Razov and Adams.
Coach: Christophe Argentier.
President: Augusto Brown.
Team Full Name: Petardos Sociedade Anônima de Futebol.
Team Style: Offensive, uses the centre, passing style.
Strongest Point: all around.
Weakest Point: team balanced in all areas.
Nickname: Bilionários (Billionaires).
Stadium Used: Obelisco Monumental, in Lasft (cap. 300,000).
State: Lasft.
Team Sponsor: Globo Multimedia.
Home Kit: blue shirt and white shorts.
Away Kit: white shirt with blue narrow stripes and blue shorts.
Other facts: for this season, Petardos S/A once made many changes in the team. Once again, the team hired the Ariddian Christophe Argentier to be the coach of the team after Waldenyr Caldas was called to be the coach of the National Team. In the line-up, there are other changes, but the team is still strong and full of stars in order to guarantee a third consecutive national title and pursue another international trophy.
Transfer Market: the retirements of Amandil and Kiso Night have decreased the amount of Vanorians in the squad, and Petardos S/A replaced the players leaving, which included the underperforming Darren Letson, mostly with Cafundelense players, as the promising Bruno Pinto and Amaral. The only foreign reinforcement for this season is Simon Avant from Kelssek, who is supposed to make a good duo with Ben Davis.
Fans’ Favourites: with no doubt the fans’ favourite is the midfielder Laborious Hawk, the eternal #10 of Petardos S/A and team captain. Other players, especially the Vanorian Ikles Razov, have already conquered the heart of the fans too, due to their efficient and brilliant service for the Billionaires so far. Mané appears as another liked player, due to his strong link with the team.
Good Bench Players: Célio Santos (defender), Amaral (midfielder), Ricardinho (midfielder), Adraktas (attacker), Wendel (midfielder).
The Fans Expect: international success – the League title.
Fans’ style: fanatic (big number) – usually seen as being part of high-class; considered mercenaries who would do anything for money... and they actually do, we heard many cases of some of them selling their mothers-in-law.
Club Tradition: very traditional – worldwide success and fame.
Experts’ ratings: Sílvio Ruiz (*****), Jorge Lang (*****), Carlos Alberto Gujabre (*****).


CAFUNDÓ DO JUTA: Fernández Montes; Radicci, Craig, Davies and Hocn (c); Luisinho, Durosa and Kim Ha-Run; Lynch, Jeong Jihun and Rafael Nunes.
Coach: Andreas Gilsoweller Veiga.
President: Tarcísio Castro Sahid.
Team Full Name: Esporte Clube Cafundó do Juta.
Team Style: offensive, passes a lot, but mixes short and long passes.
Strongest Point: the defence.
Weakest Point: lack of reserve options.
Nickname: Esquadrão de Prata (Silver Squadron).
Stadium Used: Praça Maior, in Cafundó do Juta (cap. 180,000).
State: Juta.
Team Sponsor: Banco Econômico.
Home Kit: grey (silver) shirt with white vertical stripes and grey shorts.
Away Kit: white shirt and grey shorts.
Other facts: the team that has the most number of supporters in the country. In the last seasons, the team became a “permanent runner-up”, being ever in the top positions but failing to win titles. The time has come for many of the team’s main players to retire, while others are now approaching this fate. Due to this, some investment was made in the team in order to at least keep it among the best in the country.
Transfer Market: with important retirements in the midfield, the sector received two new players: the Vanorian Durosa comes from Green Island and, as a National Team player, is going to be one of the key members of the squad. Kim Ha-Run is set to make a nice partnership with Jeong Jihun, while Harry Craig was hired in order to be the most versatile player at the defence.
Fans’ Favourites: the defender Hizzen Hocn is the fans’ favourite with a good margin over his opponent, mostly due to his many years of service with the silver shirt. Jeong Jihun is another idol, due to his participation in many titles of the team. Rafael Nunes and Fernández Montes would come after.
Good Bench Players: Estradas (midfielder), Paulistinha (attacker), Lapela (defender), Vavá (midfielder) and Villaminor (defender).
The Fans Expect: the League title.
Fans’ style: extremely fanatic (huge number) – team is seen as the “people’s team”, due for it having people from all classes and even different regions! There are rumours of extraterrestrial beings among its fanbase, and I wouldn’t doubt it.
Club Tradition: one of the football pioneers in the country – highly successful.
Experts’ Ratings: Sílvio Ruiz (*****), Jorge Lang (*****), Carlos Alberto Gujabre (****).

RANCA TOCO: Melkezedeck; Nelsinho, Motallbazadeh, Archer and Tonhão (c); Underdark, Fournier and Rodney; Wilson, Xentolov and Gutiérrez.
Coach: Renário.
President: Maníaco do Parque.
Team Full Name: Associação Atlética Ranca Toco de Carandirú.
Team Style: Extremely defensive, focuses on counterattacks and long shots.
Strongest Point: the central defence, like the old good times.
Weakest Point: no natural wingers.
Nickname: Sarrafeiros.
Stadium Used: Presídio, in Carandirú City (cap. 75,000).
State: Central.
Team Sponsor: Canabrava Cachaça.
Home Kit: purple shirt with yellow vertical stripes and purple shorts.
Away Kit: yellow shirt and purple shorts.
Other Facts: team famous for its violence, which is incentivized by the directors of the club. Gives high value to pride and home games. Its supporters are very violent too, as most of them are prisoners in the prison city. With a better campaign last season than the ones the team was getting lately, this can be the start of a return of the team to the highest level. But some important players left, even with interesting replacements coming to their places. The team is, curiously, more offensive than usual.
Transfer Market: some changes were done in the defence in order to make it be what it was in the old times: Ricky Archer and Nelsinho were the signings, and it is expected for them to make an impact. In the midfield, Fournier and Rodney will try to replace Morose, but this won’t be an easy job. In front, the attack is completely changed after the retirements of the former strikers. Xentolov comes from Somewhereistonia and will work alongside Cafundelense NT player César Gutiérrez.
Fans’ Favourites: the former idols of the team are mostly gone, but Underdark remains. Extremely linked to his team, he even dyed his hair purple to show his commitment to Ranca Toco. Besides him, all the other players still don’t have an idol status.
Good Bench Players: Haesumé (defender), Curupira (goalkeeper), Tonelada (defender), Júrangil (midfielder), Britadeira (attacker).
The Fans Expect: qualification for the TQCC.
Fans’ style: extremely fanatic and highly violent (huge number) – are seen as violent people, vandals and “terrorists” (an accurate view, to be honest... they really get associated with terrorism acts). Sometimes people tend to associate Ranca Toco with the lower classes too. Also, the team is the favourite inside Cafundéu’s prisons... some are even painted with the team’s colours!
Club Tradition: very traditional – worldwide famous and successful
Experts’ Ratings: Sílvio Ruiz (****), Jorge Lang (****), Carlos Alberto Gujabre (****).


A.F.F.: Zecão (c); Maurício, Batoré, Tingacens and Freudigmann; Sanderson, Colwyn and Prescott; Bosler, Peters and Farías.
Coach: Benjamin Oliveira.
President: Sir Petrônio Barbugli.
Team Full Name: Abbade Futebol Familiar Clube.
Team Style: Offensive, uses the wings, long passes style.
Strongest Point: offensive midfield.
Weakest Point: defensive midfield.
Nickname: Os Monges (The Monks).
Stadium Used: Arena América, in Abadia (cap. 120,000).
State: Old Cities.
Team Sponsor: Banespa Investments.
Home Kit: red shirt with black hoops and black shorts.
Away Kit: black shirt and black shorts.
Other facts: this team is controlled by a powerful family, and has a lot of money. Finally they decided to use this wealth, and bought many players. After the title, A.F.F. started to downfall and is now clearly outside the major contenders for the title, and may be well fighting only for a Globe Cup spot. For this season, the team changed nearly the entire starting line-up, and will surely have chemistry problems.
Transfer Market: with more than half of the team changed, A.F.F. comes to this season with new faces: Freudigmann and Maurício join the defence; Sanderson, Colwyn and Prescott are going to compose the midfield; while Farías comes with good performances in Internacional to be the key man in the attack. Even though there were many signings, some believe that the team lacked a really impact signing.
Fans’ Favourite: with so many changes in the team, the ones that have idol status are certainly the ones who stayed. The coach Benjamin Oliveira is the one that enjoys of this situation the most.
Good Bench Players: Mano Firmeza (midfielder), Ezequiel (defender), Moreno (midfielder), Barata (attacker), Dudu (goalkeeper).
The Fans Expect: qualification for the Globe Cup.
Fans’ style: passionate but calm (good number) – majority of fans are adults or old people, and because of that other teams’ supporters generalize A.F.F. as being the “retirement club team”. It isn’t any secret that A.F.F. is the team that asks for more “minutes of silence” before the games due to the death of some influential team member.
Club Tradition: one of the football pioneers in the country – enjoyed a lot of success.
Experts’ Ratings: Sílvio Ruiz (***), Jorge Lang (****), Carlos Alberto Gujabre (***).


DUNBOOR FC: Hodgson; Sarashe, Eiras, Marshall and Schmidt; Hawker, Gérson, Miguel Silva (c) and Morose; Anwamanë and Antonovich.
Coach: Javier Sanchez.
President: Isidoro de Paula Farías.
Team Full Name: Dunboor Futebol Clube.
Team Style: slightly defensive, uses the centre, passing style.
Strongest Point: the attack.
Weakest Point: the defence doesn’t feel very secure.
Nickname: Leões do Norte (Northern Lions).
Stadium Used: Maracatuzão, in Dunboor (cap. 135,000).
State: Dunboor.
Team Sponsor: Editora 25 de Maio.
Home Kit: dark blue shirt with dark blue shorts.
Away Kit: white shirt with white shorts.
Other facts: team that likes to use foreigners, takes advantage of the cold climate of the city in its home games. Dunboor keeps among the top, one season in, one season out of the TQCC. The team is constantly posing as a threat to the top four teams, but seems to be losing terrain to Atlético Jutense and Porto Lacruz. So, the team’s mission is to regain the condition of fifth force of Cafundelense football.
Transfer Market: Dunboor FC was another team affected by multiple retirements and had to work hard in order to replace the players lost. The entire defence is still the same, but there are major differences in midfield and attack. Gérson is promoted to first team status, while Jordan Hawker and Morose come to play. At the attack, Anwamanë comes from good performances in Green Island, and is going to make an attacking duo with Ken Antonovich, of Dancougar’s NT.
Fans’ Favourites: midfielder Miguel Silva has finally won the status of main star of Dunboor FC, thanks to his fast improvement. Goalkeeper Hodgson is considered the second, due to his long spell at the club.
Good Bench Players: Ananias (goalkeeper), Índio (midfielder), Didi (defender), Oreme (midfielder), Leivinha (attacker).
The Fans Expect: qualification for the TQCC.
Fans’ style: festive (good number) – they are one of the most festive and motivating supporter groups of the country, but their mood can change suddenly from good to bad. They love to play songs during the games, so you can check their mood according to the music.
Club Tradition: just slightly traditional – enjoyed a lot of success.
Experts’ Ratings: Sílvio Ruiz (****), Jorge Lang (****), Carlos Alberto Gujabre (***).


CLUBE IMPERIAL: Vachon; Norstrom, Manuso, Vítor Martins and Leahey; Pingo, Vanderhak, Jacobs and André Diniz (c); McAllister and Ortiz.
Coach: Ryan Fullerton.
President: Prince Hector Van Tocco.
Team Full Name: Real Clube Imperial.
Team Style: Extremely offensive, uses the centre and with a fast passes style.
Strongest Point: the offensive midfield.
Weakest Point: the full-backs and general defence.
Nickname: Time Real (Royal Team).
Stadium Used: Estádio Rei Albieri Van Tocco, in Cafundó do Juta (cap. 210,001).
State: Juta.
Team Sponsor: Velog Automóveis.
Home Kit: dark blue with green vertical stripes and green shorts.
Away Kit: light green shirt with dark blue shorts.
Other Facts: finally the team was able to return to an international competition, the Globe Cup, after a long absence. With this, the team maintained as many players as they could, and also the coach Ryan Fullerton. Some players arrived, but the team is still not at the level of the biggest ones. If Clube Imperial manages to qualify again for an international competition, it’ll be done what is expected by them.
Transfer Market: Anti Ilmari left in order to receive more attention in Somewhereistonia, while Diego was seduced by a good wage offer to join Banco Econômico in Kapundae FC. So, the main necessity was to replace these two players, and the team worked fast: Ortiz went to the attack and Ryan McAllister with him. In the goal, Vachon fills the spot left vacant by Nakama.
Fans’ Favourites: due to the many changes in the team, only André Diniz enjoys big popularity in this team.
Good Bench Players: Alcir (goalkeeper), Zorba (attacker), Daniel Dourado (midfielder), Bira (attacker) and Osmar Cantiga (midfielder).
The Fans Expect: qualification for international competitions.
Fans’ style: emphatic (average number) – mostly composed by nobles and people related to the Royal Family. If the team isn’t playing well, they usually attempt to bribe opponents, but as they already earn a lot of money this doesn’t work.
Club Tradition: not very old, with just recent tradition conquered by titles – highly successful.
Experts’ Ratings: Sílvio Ruiz (***), Jorge Lang (***), Carlos Alberto Gujabre (***).


ATLÉTICO JUTENSE: Garrido; Bastian, Maxwell and Serianni; Marco Aurélio, Kures, Rubiano and Adamílson; Jean Carlo, Cantona and Fresco (c).
Coach: Ensio Varg.
President: Maciel Arango, Baron of Tijhus.
Team Full Name: Clube Atlético Jutense.
Team Style: Very balanced, uses more the centre, passing style.
Strongest Point: the entire midfield.
Weakest Point: none, a balanced team.
Nickname: Galo.
Stadium Used: Cerradão, in Cafundó do Juta (cap. 60,000).
State: Juta.
Team Sponsor: Canfudea Canned Food.
Home Kit: yellow shirt and red shorts.
Away Kit: red shirt and red shorts.
Other Facts: once again, Atlético Jutense did a marvellous season, and is already one of the best teams in Cafundéu. Doing a good job both in national and international levels, the only thing left for them is to win trophies, something that is severely lacking. In order to achieve this objective, Atlético Jutense is the team that has the most national talent in all the league, as most teams are full of foreigners... and even they are no exception.
Transfer Market: the best “reinforcements” the team had were the fact that Rubiano, Adamílson and Marco Aurélio grew up to become top players in Cafundelense football. But more additions came from abroad and from inside the league. Leslie Serianni is going to fix the defence, while Ogus Kures and Cantona will give the necessary talent and experience to the squad. Bustamante is seen as a quality player, and will compose the roster.
Good Bench Players: Maximus (defender), Henrique (midfielder), Bustamante (midfielder), Batata (defender), Naldo (attacker).
The Fans Expect: the title – success in international competitions.
Fans’ style: passionate (big number) – seen as peaceful supporters, who enjoy good rivalries... but unfortunately their rivals don’t enjoy when they lose. The second team of the city.
Club Tradition: very traditional – very successful.
Experts’ Ratings: Sílvio Ruiz (*****), Jorge Lang (*****), Carlos Alberto Gujabre (*****).


AMÉRICA: Murilo (c); Figueroa, Farison and Orton; Lewton, Salivani, Cook, Vroon and Maníac; Saavedra and Audette.
Coach: Edgar Gastão.
President: Valdemir Dias Pacheco.
Team Full Name: América Esporte Clube Lasftense.
Team Style: bit offensive, turns defensive when playing away.
Strongest Point: the midfield in general.
Weakest Point: a balanced team, although not world class.
Nickname: Diabos de Lasft (Lasft Devils).
Stadium Used: Estádio Marte, in Lasft (cap. 40,000).
State: Lasft.
Team Sponsor: Guaraná Muquirana.
Home Kit: red shirt and white shorts.
Away Kit: white shirt and red shorts.
Other Facts: founded by fanatic football supporters, it grew fast and now is the third biggest team of Lasft. América lately has been facing ups and downs in the Cafundelense league, and is in the pursuit for regular performances. Now that the team seems well established and full of good players, it has all the chances to do a good job. A place in the TQCC is not out of question.
Transfer Market: there were no major losses apart from retirements for América, which is an excellent thing. A replacement in the attack was already in the squad: Rúben Saavedra impressed the new coach Edgar Gastão and won a starting position. Audette came from Newmanistan to take the other vacancy. Apart from them, no more signings as the team already has a good squad.
Fans’ Favourites: currently the biggest idol of the team is the young goalkeeper Murilo, even though he lost his popularity in the National Team. Ettore Salivani Jr. also is praised a lot, and always has to sign tons of autographs when he goes out.
Good Bench Players: Titi (defender), Esquerdinha (full-back), Cockbadger (midfielder), Fabinho (midfielder), Lelo Bala (attacker).
The Fans Expect: qualification for international competitions.
Fans’ style: fanatic (average number) – love to make jokes about their rivals, and to provoke and be provoked. Can cause some confusions, involving even violence, with opponents. But what they really love are jokes, especially ones related with stereotypes.
Club Tradition: weak tradition – consolidated 1st Division team.
Experts’ Ratings: Sílvio Ruiz (****), Jorge Lang (***), Carlos Alberto Gujabre (***).


CENTRAL UNITED: Tejera; Igor, Vaduun, Rilin and Tiago (c); Nakombi, Preston, Letson, E.Minanad and Arsenault; Kelson.
Coach: Júlio Vargas.
President: Aldir Capetininga.
Team Full Name: União de Futebol do Estado Central.
Team Style: offensive one, using the centre of the field and long ranged shots.
Strongest Point: the midfield.
Weakest Point: the attack, with a lone striker.
Nickname: Alvinegro.
Stadium Used: Toca do Tatu “Bola”, in Cidade Central (cap. 118,000).
State: Central.
Team Sponsor: Tio João - food in general.
Home Kit: white shirt and black shorts.
Away Kit: black shirt with white stripes and black shorts.
Other Facts: Central United is a traditional team which got used to win titles, and had to get used to just stay in intermediate positions. Slowly, the team is returning to get to the top positions, but there is still a lot of work to be done. It currently faces an up-and-down situation. With the league starting to become more polarized towards a group of teams, Central United will do its best to stay in the top half of these teams.
Transfer Market: the team had some good luck in getting Darren Letson from Petardos S/A and some good signings in the names of Tejera, Vaduun and Ellad Minanad. But, on the other hand, the team failed to guarantee a top signing for the attack, having to be satisfied with young attacker Kelson. If he has good performances, then the team as a whole will probably be successful.
Fans’ Favourites: Fugiro Nakombi is the team idol, one which the players identify themselves with, with little space for the other teams to be considered as real idols.
Good Bench Players: Diguinho (defender), Maicosuel (midfielder), Vilmar (attacker), Freddy (defender), Sérgio Soares (attacker).
The Fans Expect: top 8 position.
Fans’ style: passionate (good number) – usually have inventive songs to motivate the team and joke with their opponents. But, although they are creative, they are simply horrible, so no one stands playing or hearing them for a long time, especially the players.
Club Tradition: one of the football pioneers in the country – successful at domestic stage.
Experts’ Ratings: Sílvio Ruiz (***), Jorge Lang (***), Carlos Alberto Gujabre (****).


PORTO LACRUZ: Taylor; Juliano, Kaufman, Roubanis and Rodríguez (c); Capstraw, Reeves, Fischer and Paquetá; Sikkah and Pembace.
Coach: Anatoliy Titov.
President: Compadre Washington Axé.
Team Full Name: Sociedade Esportiva Porto Lacruz.
Team Style: very balanced, likes to make many passes without haste.
Strongest Point: perhaps the attack.
Weakest Point: the defence is good.
Nickname: Praianos.
Stadium Used: Estádio Nacional dos Cocos, in Porto Lacruz (cap. 72,500).
State: Espinal.
Team Sponsor: CMG Medicines.
Home Kit: orange shirt and white shorts.
Away Kit: white shirt and orange shorts.
Other Facts: Porto Lacruz is growing, and fast. The team has money, although no one knows exactly from where this money comes from. Once with a midfield considered legendary, now the team relies in its good defence to do a good job. But no one can deny that things have been better for the team, and that this season wasn’t the best for them in signings. But the presence of Rodríguez and Juliano make things better.
Transfer Market: the loss of Gutiérrez was compensated with the arrival of the experienced Paquetá in the midfield, who will orchestrate the new midfield of the Praianos. The midfield also has the arrivals of Fischer from Burchadinger and Stephanie Reeves from São Jorge. For the other sectors of the team, there is nothing new.
Fans’ Favourites: with the ones who were the idols – An Pilrip and Colwyn – left, the defender Rodriguez became the top idol of the squad. But full-back Juliano and even the attacker Pembace are well-liked too.
Good Bench Players: Doctor (attacker), Eredictar (goalkeeper), Bert (midfielder), Renatinho (attacker), Darci (defender).
The Fans Expect: a spot in international competitions.
Fans’ style: empathic but calm (average number) – the supporters usually don’t get overexcited, preferring to rest rather than getting stressed with the game... some even bring beds and pillows to the stadiums, something accepted by the police, as they are too tired to start a fight to use the pillows as weapons.
Club Tradition: just slightly traditional – established in 1st Division.
Experts’ Ratings: Sílvio Ruiz (****), Jorge Lang (****), Carlos Alberto Gujabre (***).

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