Independents Cup III [Everything Thread]

[Mercedini]

Independents' Cup MD2 LIVE
Mercedini vs. United States of Devonta
@ Adel Bagrou Stadium - Adel Bagrou, Kel Assuk

Good evening ladies and gentlemen to a rather warm Kel Assuk night, we have returned to the Adel Bagrou Stadium for another match featuring Mercedini, this time against the United States of Devonta. Thankfully, we have been given the evening match for the day which means cooler weather and more recovery time for the team after thei comfortable 2-0 victory against Mampris. Their opponents, US Devonta won their first game against our region-mates New Scaiva by their own scoreline of two goals to nil. It's poised to be a tight match with both teams winning their opening group matches plus both tipped to qualify for the knockout stages. Mercedini will be naming an unchanged side from their match against Mampris which means another run out for the impressive Dostalok and Alotic plus another cap for reliable players in Nymark, Polasic and Dosic. A much higher attendance for this match with both Mercedini and Devonta filling their attendances plus a good turnout for the neutrals in the centre of each stand, separating the fans from each of the nations. The players appear out of the tunnel for what could be the make-or-break match for both teams in this group.

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0' - Two rendtions of national anthems later and we are all set for the start of this second match between the only two ranked teams in the group. We have already seen one match thus far with Mampris beating New Scaive 2-1 in the match scheuled before ours. This means Mercedini can qualify with a win in this match, meaning Devonta and Mampris would have an all or nothing match in their final game, but those are hypotheticals upon hypotheticals so let's stick to #RealNews in this match between Mercedini & Devonta, the teams have aligned themselves in their formation and it's looks like we're ready for the start of this match.

7' - (MRC 0-0 DEV) - We're about seven minutes into this match and it's already clear that these two teams will fight a hard fight in this game for those three points. Devonta's midfield seems to be keeping the through balls of Nymark at bay thus far, the same can be said for the Mercedinian defence and their attackers with Dosic and Toivonen combining well to hold the ball up and flush out any chance that Devonta try and muster up. The two teams cancelling each other out at the moment, as it remains goaless.

15' - (MRC 0-0 DEV) - Mercedini can see the prize ahead of them in this game and they are beginning to ramp up the pressure on their oppenents. Dostalok went close but his scuffed shot acorss the face of goal whistled wide of the post but didnt really give the goalkeeper any trouble with the effort. Tense times in this match with both teams looking capable of getting a result from this match, it's no wonder theyre the top two in the group.

23' - (MRC 0-0 DEV) - Time is ticking away much faster than I anticipated in this match, the frantic action has been a great distraction from the clock which is a credit to both of these teams. Mercedini look slighty on top in this match due to the attackers having more chances on goal, but Devonta have threatened. They had a chance from a corner which was worked well to the player outside of the box who was in space, they lashed at the shot which made it's way through the crowd and on target, a smart save from Polasic parried it out and the danger was cleared effectively shortly after that.

29' - (MRC 0-0 DEV) - Mercedini ramping up the pace of this match as the fitness of their players are really beginning to show when it comes to the two teams. High pressure has been adopted by Lyndainium, forcing their oppoents to make riskier passes to keep it away from the Mercedinians. The match has gone up a gear and the Devontans are coping with this play so far, although their fitness looks to be fading as each minute passes. Can Mercedini capitalise on that? They have about fifteen minutes left to do it.

34' - (MRC 0-0 DEV) - Just when you thought Devonta are fading, they go and have a series of chaches which have threatened the Mercedinian goal for the second time in this game. The first was a laced shot which flew majestically, the keeper was beaten but the shot just wasnt quite on target and it went off the top of the crossbar and out. A couple of minutes later a quick one-two put their main striker through on goal but he took one touch too many and the ball was smothered by Polasic in the Mercedinian goal. A wake-up call for the Golden Eagles but they have survived that and look to move forward once again.

40' - (MRC 0-0 DEV) - Time is running out for Mercedini in the first half as both teams jostle for postition on the pitch. The midfield has been where most of the battles have been fought, and it is where the ball is now has Nymark fights with his Devontan counterpart for the ball before he lays it off to Markus to continue the spell of posession. Neither team have utilised their wings that much with Vaselko and Presic relatively isolated throughout the match, let's hope they have some more action in the second half, still goalless.

45+2' - (MRC 0-0 DEV) - After a frantic first half in this game, the referee draws proceedings to a close with the first half whistle. It's been a game which has lived up to it's status as the blockbuster match of the group, both teams have gone close multile time but neither team have anything to show for it. Whether it be a spectacular save from the goalkeeper or a shot of target, Devonta and Mercedini have wasted plenty of golden chances in front of goal. Plenty to think about for both managers but at the end of the first half, it's Mercedini 0, United States of Devonta 0

HALF TIME
Mercedini 0 - 0 United States of Devonta

An intruiging first half for the fans ended with neither team forcing the initiative. Plenty of positives from a defensive point of view but the end product is sadly lacking for the teams who are likely to qualify for at least the Round of 16 if not further depending on how the other groups pan out. Plenty to keep an eye on in this secon half with the attackers hoping to break the dealock for their respective teams, whether they will or not remains to be seen, but this match is sure to be an encapsulating match for the fans and the neutrals.

49' - (MRC 1-0 DEV) - A great start from Mercedini has given them their rewards with a goal from the super kid Daniel Dostalok. It's his 20th goal in twenty international appearances for the Handon United striker as he opened the scoring not even five minutes into this second half. A defensive mistake from the Devontan back line gave Alotic the chance to break forward with only two defenders chasing him. He managed to squeeze the ball past the two defenders who were marking him and into space in the box where Dostalok was arriving at a rate of knots. He picked up the ball and sold the goalkeeper a fake before slotting the ball into the open net. A cheeky goal but it gives Mercedini a valuable goal against their main group rivals which could be invaluable come the end of the match!

56' - (MRC 1-0 DEV) - That goal seems to have lifted the spirits of the Mercedinians and they are coming forward with more purpose which Devonta are currently not coping with. Dostalok went close again with a low drive but it went wide of the post, ending what could have been a dangerous and a fruitful attack for the team in blue and black. It's Mercedini who are making all the noise in the stadium with the players reacting positively to the noise in the stadium, but at the moment it remains 1-0 with over half an hour to go

65' - (MRC 1-0 DEV) - Devonta are fading in this match which only spells good news for Mercedini in this game, the midfielders are finally beginning to prove their worth in this match are sending some decent through ball to the target men. Also, the wingers are beginning to get a bit more action and are sending a series of crossed into the mix, but they aren't being converted into a guilt-edged as of yet. Mercedini are looking comfortable but it can be said that Devonta provided some resistance in this match which means a good performance has been given by the players today, that will help them when it comes to later rounds.

77' - (MRC 2-0 DEV) - GOAL and Mercedini have put this match to bed with about fifteen minutes of the match still to go and it's Johannes Nymark who has put the Golden Eagles two to the good with a great goal coming from a corner. It was whipped in by Vaselko and was originally cleared by the defence but a rapid shot was faired back in by Nymark who was hitting and hoping more than anything. It made it's way through traffic and took a wicked deflection which wrong-footed the goalkeeper to end up in the net for 2-0. In the end it seems easy, although they did have to work for it.

85' - (MRC 2-0 DEV) - Mercedini are closing out this game in style with intricate passing and mesmerising dribbling skills from the players. There are some tired bodies out on that pitch and Mercedini are exploiting that to no end, they may get some more goals in this match but at the moment Lyndainium has his arms folded and looks content with his teams performance, it look like another win which would be rather impressive for a new incoming manager. Five minutes to go and Mercedini remain two goals up

90+1' - (MRC 2-0 DEV) - The referee blows his whistle for the end of that match which ends a ninety minutes which caps of a match which was the most impressive so far in the Lyndainium era. Mercedini were made to work for their win but they came through it rather comfortably with goals from Dostalok and Nymark plus a second clean sheet in as many games at this tournament. They have qualified with one match to spare and will face New Scaiva without any pressure on their shoulders. It's finished Mercedini 2, United States of Devonta 0.

FULL TIME
Mercedini 2 - 0 United States of Devonta
Dostalok 49', Nymark 77'

One game to go and Mercedini have already qualified. We will be showing you coverage of Mercedini's final game against New Scaiva & Horshenwurst tomorrow where Mercedini hope to make it three in three and make it through to the qualifying stages for the second successive time after they finished third on home soil. From the Adel Bagrou Stadium in Kel Assuk, goodnight!

[Kel Assuk]

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KEL ASSUK OFF TO WINNING INDEPENDENTS' CUP START

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The Kel Assuk national team has started off their second Independents' Cup campaign in their home country with a bang, scoring eight goals against Petroslovenia and four against HUElavia to lead Group A with two wins out of two and punch their ticket to the Round of 16 for the second time in a row. Although crowd support at the National Stadium in the Queen Dihya Sports Complex was rather low, the team has put that behind them before they play #201 Britonisea to secure their spot at the top of the group.

Kel Assuk's fortunes never looked in doubt against either team as the hot conditions seemingly took their toll on the opposition teams, despite the games being played in the evening and into the night to partially alleviate Kel Assuk's dry heat. A very young team, as their team's official website describes it, Petroslovenia never posed a threat, although they did manage to score twice, as Kel Assuk totally romped past their back line of three men. Saden Khalej and Seyni Ait Ahmed were the men of the match, setting up nearly every goal with runs past the Petroslovenian midfield. Isula Azellay and Ashur Ben Hassi, the team's wingers, were ready to score off the offensive pipeline; Azellay and Ben Hassi each got two goals apiece, while Khalej scored a hat trick and Ait Ahmed added another goal in for good measure.

HUElavia was a more imposing team on paper, ranked at #67 in the KPB rankings, and Kel Assuk has had a history with the team, losing a close game to them in World Cup qualifying before finally defeating the team on the last matchday. However, HUElavia, a team that had lost to the much lower-ranked Britonisea previously, was looking sluggish, perhaps affected by the heat, and never posed much of a challenge, with their only goal coming near the end of stoppage time, an effort that was too little, too late for Kel Assuk's opposition. Again, the team's offense took opportunities wherever they could get them, scoring four times past their competition's leaky defense, getting revenge on them for their loss to them in WCQs. Azellay, Ben Hassi, Khalej, and Hasnaoui scored in a dominant game that ensured Kel Assuk's progression to the Round of 16.

First in the group with twelve goals scored and only three conceded, the team will next play Britonisea, a team that has not looked especially hot against Petroslovania, drawing with the unranked team 1-1, although they did beat the group's second seeds HUElavia on the first day of competition. They are ranked world #201, putting them at a disadvantage to Kel Assuk's national team, ranked #64, in even World Cup and Cup of Harmony competition, and Kel Assuk's national team is heavily favored to win the match, especially considering the two teams will be playing on home soil. Kel Assuk is at that high ranking thanks to a fourth-place finish in their World Cup qualification group and a trip to the Cup of Harmony in Drawkland, although they did make an exit in the group stage.

Coach Eric Desmond is cautiously optimistic about the team's fortunes in the Independents Cup, especially looking at play from teams in Group B. "I'm definitely very happy about twelve goals scored - our team is proceeding very well offensively, and the defense isn't struggling as much as it had been in World Cup qualification." But he warned fans about the dangers of being too cocky. "In the last Independents Cup, we won the group against the likes of United States of Devonta and Tinhampton, but we were knocked out in the Round of 16 by Abanhfleft, who got knocked down in the group right next to ours. We need to be careful - as we may be playing Drawkland or Kalumba, both teams higher ranked than it - in case of a run like that, and be prepared for everything."

[Spaam]

[Space]

Space needs a miracle in Independents Cup

The Space Astronauts will need a bit of a miracle in order to qualify for the next round of the Independents Cup III. The Astronauts have just one game remaining in the group phase and this game will be played against Savalen. Savalen the team are currently the last place team in the last group but Space have just one more point. Of course, this point comes from the draw that Space has on the second matchday against New Danican by a 2-2 scoreline.

New Danican are three points ahead of space going into the final match but have to play the World Championship team Schottia in the final game which hopefully they will lose. Space plays last place Savalen and will have to make up big goal difference against New Danican to advance. In the match against New Danican, goals were alternating from either team. Space took a 1-0 lead in the 15th minute through Saturnia but lost the lead three minutes later when Grayson Barnes scored for New Danican. Space re-took the lead from the opening moments of the second half when the Transporter of Pluto scored a fiery effort but once again Space could not hold on to their lead and were tied up within three minutes. Once again for New Danican it was Grayson Barnes scoring the goal.

It means its important for Space to win against Savalen or they will be eliminated. They will be eliminated also if Schottia is not able to defeat New Danican. If Space can win, and Schottia also win, there is hope for advancing to the knockout round.\

[Spaam]

Group A (Marandet)
 HUElavia 3–5  Petroslovania
 Britonisea 2–1  Kel Assuk

  Group A (Marandet)   Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1  Britonisea          3   2  1  0    5   3  +2    7
2  Kel Assuk           3   2  0  1   13   5  +8    6
3  Petroslovania       3   1  1  1    8  12  −4    4
4  HUElavia            3   0  0  3    5  11  −6    0

Group B (Araouane)
 Kalumba 0–1  Bojikstan
 Kecrazia 1–0  Drawkland

  Group B (Araouane)   Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1  Drawkland           3   2  0  1    4   1  +3    6
2  Bojikstan           3   2  0  1    3   2  +1    6
3  Kalumba             3   1  0  2    3   3   0    3
4  Kecrazia            3   1  0  2    1   5  −4    3

Group C (Abalessa)
 Alpine Union 2–1  The Warbler
 Rhineland Sued 2–3  Bonesea

  Group C (Abalessa)   Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1  Alpine Union        3   3  0  0    7   2  +5    9
2  Bonesea             3   2  0  1    6   4  +2    6
3  The Warbler         3   0  1  2    3   6  −3    1
4  Rhineland Sued      3   0  1  2    4   8  −4    1

Group D (Adel Bagrou)
 U.S. of Devonta 2–0  Mampris
 N.S. and H. 2–3  Mercedini

 Group D (Adel Bagrou) Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1  Mercedini           3   3  0  0    7   2  +5    9
2  U.S. of Devonta     3   2  0  1    4   2  +2    6
3  Mampris             3   1  0  2    2   5  −3    3
4  N.S. and H.         3   0  0  3    3   7  −4    0

[Spaam]

Surprise Draw Puts Hopes In Doubt

A late goal from the Merlara Sehelin prevented a shock defeat in an uncharacteristic poor defensive showing from the Spaamanian team at Paatukar. The second match of the Independents Cup saw big hope of another dominating display after their record-biggest win against Margonda, but they were put on the back foot immediately as the Scottopian forwards swamped the Orange and Black and score a goal in the second minute of the match. They continued to press the advantage against the home team, and it eventually paid off as Galan Romenor executed a poor tackle in the square. The resulting penalty was converted, which resulted in Spaam being down by two goal after just twenty minutes of play.

Star forwards Sehelin and Belmore failed to find any way past the Scottopian defense, with the keeper managing to block every shot. It took a mistake from the Scottopians to change that, with a missed backline pass being pounced on by Kian Rose in the 38th minute, and he found himself on a one-on-one situation with the keeper that he made sure to convert. As the clock ticked down to half-time, the ball spent most of the time in the midfield, and it looked like the Orange and Black would only have a one goal deficit going into the break. However, a gambled 30 metre shot from the visitors seconds before the whistle caught Eletha Gilhana unaware, and the half-time score was 3-1 in favour of the Scottopian Isles.

With an unlikely buffer, the Scottopians buckled down in defense in the second half, which frustrated the Spaamanian attack no end. It was a great display from the 83rd ranked team, who got in the way at every crucial moment to spoil Spaam's strategy. There was a break-through in the 65th minute, as Belmore managed to gain a penalty inside the square after being headbutted by the defense. He showed his experience and nerve by calmly slotting it past the keeper, but with time running out, Spaam was still facing a loss. Darling of the football fans, Merlara Sehelin, eventually brought the home fans alive in injury time as she weaved her way into the mix to catch up with a Belmore pass, and her header saved the day for the home team.

The untimely draw has made sure that Spaam's road to Independent's Cup glory will be a bumpy one, but they still top the table, equal on points with the Scottopian Isles but with a superior goal difference. A draw against Makongo tomorrow will see them progress, but they will be hoping for a win to avoid meeting Abanhfleft in the second round and Schottia in the quarterfinals.

Kel Assuk Rundown

Twists of fate and surprise results have seen the knockout draw for the Kel Assuk half look quite lopsided. A shock win by Britonsea over the hosts has seen them join the same half as Drawkland, Mercedini, and Bonesea who suffered their own shock loss in the second day. It will be anyone's game as four of the top seeds of the competition will be fighting for a single spot in the semifinals, and they will exciting games no matter what.



Britonsea face Bojikstan in Marandet on Tuesday, while the match of the round will see Drawkland go against home team favourites Kel Assuk in Araouane. Abalessa will host the match between the Alpine Union and the United States of Devonta, while the last Round of 16 match in Kel Assuk will see 8th ranked Bonesea go up against 44th ranked Mercedini in Adel Bagrou.

[Omerica]

ucn sport
|national football| |club football| |basketball| |rugby| |volleyball| |lacrosse| |tennis| |cycling| |golf|

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iac³: how can omerica advance out of the groups?
the knockout stage remains a possibility for omerica, but a miracle might be needed to get there

Skaganes, Spaam — After an opening match which left a sour taste of some Omerica supporters, the Incorrigibles’ battle with Cosneolta was a breath of fresh air. Omerica’s 1–0 win keeps the nation’s hopes of at the Independents Cup alive, but Tinhampton’s victory over Flardania complicates the equation for the Incorrigibles and, thanks to the tiebreaking procedures, a one goal win for Flardania on the final matchday is likely fatal.

the state of play

Matchday 1 results: Flardania 1–0 Omerica, Tinhampton 1–0 Cosneolta
Matchday 2 results: Omerica 1–0 Cosneolta, Flardania 2–3 Tinhampton
Group G                Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts
1 Tinhampton             2   2  0  0    4   2  +2    6
2 Flardania              2   1  0  1    3   3   0    3
3 Omerica                2   1  0  1    1   1   0    3
4 Cosneolta              2   0  0  2    0   2  −2    0

After Tinhampton’s 3–2 win over Flardania, Omerica and Flardania have three points apiece, with the tie broken in Flardania’s favour thanks to their victory in the group opener. Tinhampton lead the group with six points, but have not yet secured their spot in the knockout phase, while Cosneolta remain on zero points, but have yet to be knocked out.

the scenarios
To start with the most simple scenario, a Tinhampton victory over Omerica knocks the Incorrigibles out regardless of the result of the final group match. Cosneolta would need to secure victory and ensure that their goal difference overcomes Omerica’s, otherwise, Flardania would advance.

A draw against Tinhampton is not guaranteed to be fatal, but it would require Cosneolta to be victorious over Flardania. Any points for Flardania would see them safely through, with a draw putting the Kitsunes through on head-to-head. Conversely, an Omerican win by any margin greater than one secures the Incorrigibles guaranteed passage, regardless of Flardania’s result, as Omerica would win any tiebreak against Tinhampton on overall goal difference.

A one goal win, on the other hand, makes the result of Flardania-Cosneolta of utmost importance. A draw or Cosneolta win would see Omerica win the group. But if Flardania are victorious, the margin has to be greater than one or Omerica are out (unless the scoreline of Tinhampton v Omerica is unrealistically large: 4–3 at minimum). Any Flardanian win by a margin of at least two goals would put Omerica through over Tinhampton on head-to-head, so if Flardania are one goal ahead, another goal would see Omerica pass regardless of which end it was scored on.

so what will happen?
The game is played on a pitch, not paper, so anything could happen. Including a 4–3 win for Omerica, for that matter.

Tinhampton and Flardania are definitive favourites to win the final group matches, which makes Omerica’s passage sadly unlikely. (At least we wouldn’t finish at the bottom of the group.) Cosneolta may appear to be more likely to pull off an upset thanks to their being ranked and Flardania coming off a bruising loss, but given the state of the group, that doesn’t really help the Incorrigibles out.

Tinhampton will be a tough nut to crack for Ryan Pritchard’s side. The moderately defensive and largely non-professional side are known for their pluck and can-do attitude. Coming off a victory against one of the tournament favourites gives the Miners distinct momentum, more than Omerica can claim. Omerica’s best hope is to sneak up on the Miners when they least expect and pounce, banking on overconfidence in the city-state’s national team after two hard-fought wins.

Our verdict: the Incorrigibles might need some improvement. Brace for a tear-jerker.

Omerica face Tinhampton in their final Independents Cup group stage match at 15:00 CST live on UCN2.

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for your reading pleasure
▶ EDITORIAL: Where does the Commonwealth Soccer Federation go after the Independents Cup?
▶ Corpshire and Altomare reach historic agreement on disputed waterway
▶ Basketball Omerica will not enter the IBC until the rankings “unless and until the rankings are fixed”
▶ Major traffic incident on key Reicastelais motorway kills three, injures nine

[Kel Assuk]

Do you have Nostalgia for earlier times, or are your best days ahead of you? Cutoff for MD3.

Group E
 Scottopian Isles 2–1 Margonda 
 Makongo 1–1 Spaam 

  Group E               Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Scottopian Isles       3   2  1  0    7   5  +2    7
2 Spaam                  3   1  2  0    9   4  +5    5
3 Makongo                3   1  1  1    5   4  +1    4
4 Margonda               3   0  0  3    2  10  −8    0

Group F
 Aggrey-Fynn Land 2–1 the Selkie 
 San Regada 1–2 Abanhfleft 

  Group F               Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Abanhfleft             3   3  0  0    8   4  +4    9
2 Aggrey-Fynn Land       3   2  0  1    9   5  +4    6
3 the Selkie             3   0  1  2    1   4  −3    1
4 San Regada             3   0  1  2    1   6  −5    1

Group G
 Tinhampton 1–0 Omerica 
 Cosneolta 2–3 Flardania 

  Group G               Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Tinhampton             3   3  0  0    5   2  +3    9
2 Flardania              3   2  0  1    6   5  +1    6
3 Omerica                3   1  0  2    1   2  −1    3
4 Cosneolta              3   0  0  3    2   5  −3    0

Group H
 Savalen 1–3 Space 
 New Danican 2–4 Schottia 

  Group H               Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Schottia               3   3  0  0    9   2  +7    9
2 New Danican            3   1  1  1    6   6   0    4
3 Space                  3   1  1  1    5   6  −1    4
4 Savalen                3   0  0  3    1   7  −6    0

Round of 16 Matchups
 Scottopian Isles vs Aggrey-Fynn Land 
 Tinhampton vs New Danican 
 Abanhfleft vs Spaam 
 Schottia vs Flardania 

EDIT: Formatting

[Bojikstan]

The Rookies

Part Four. In which Rain's past resurfaces, and Artem finds a new chance.

There were plenty of warning tales in the history of Bojikstani football. Many of them were young players who had put themselves on the map quickly and gotten off to good starts in their careers, before eventually falling off track for one reason or another. Sometimes, that reason was attitude. There were players who had all the talent in the world, but who couldn’t get along with their teammates and coaches. There were others who couldn’t handle going from poor to rich, and gaining unlimited access to just about every vice in the process. Others became victims of their environment, staying in the bad areas that they had come from and suffering because of it. Those players were the ones who escaped the streets, the world of hustlers and gangs, but felt the need to return to it because it was all they knew. There’s multiple examples of players who lost their lives for that reason.

Was Rain Delacruz about to become the next example? It wasn’t long after the Azules had completed the group stage, but she barely remembered the game and her role in it. She remembered starting, and setting up the attack whenever she could, but she remembered her mind being elsewhere. She most clearly remembered the paranoia. She had escaped the people that were looking for her, that day when she was out jogging with Ricardo, but she didn’t know if evading them was going to make them angrier. She didn’t know if she was going to join the list of athletes who had been knifed or gunned down by the people they knew from the streets. Artem and others had asked her why she was so nervous and paranoid recently, but she never answered. She wasn’t going to drag them into this mess of hers.

She steps out of the hotel with Ricardo once again, hoping to make up for before. It wouldn’t be the first time that her background has scared someone away from her, whether that’s her background from the streets or her time as a teenage soldier in the past. More specifically, she had been a medic, which showed her the worst of the war and made her jaded at a young age. Maybe that was what had given her the stoicism that people often remarked on. “You going to explain what the hell happened back there?” Ricardo asks, though his voice is concerned for her.

“Not really,” Rain shakes her head. “You don’t want to get involved with this. It’s just some personal stuff of mine, from back in Odena, but… You’re too good for it all, Ricky, and once you get involved, there isn’t much turning back.”

“I don’t know that if I don’t know what’s going on.”

“Just some bad friends from Odena. Really.”

“Why did you have to run from them like that? That was real fear in your eyes, and you just took off without telling me anything.”

“Because my friends are dangerous, let’s leave it at that,” Rain admits, looking over her shoulder again. But she does a double take, when she sees that there’s a dark car following them. The car pulls up by the sidewalk, and two people step out. One young man, one young woman. Both of them with leather jackets and white patches that were in the shapes of six pointed stars. The man has what looks like a snake tattoo going around his neck, and the woman has a tribal pattern inked across her face. It's clear that Rain recognizes both of them, and she freezes and stares like a deer in the headlights. The star makes it obvious that they're from the Drustvo, the Bojikstani mafia.

“Friends, Rain? These people are friends?” Ricardo asks, stepping in front of her and putting himself between the mafia members and Rain. It's a touching gesture, really, because there's no way that Hale is going to defeat them in a fight if it comes to that. They're around the same size, but despite Ricardo being an athlete, the gangsters have more muscle. They have bodies that have been toughened up from getting into fights in the past. “What aren’t you telling me?”

“Step aside, kid,” the man snarls, giving Ricardo a hard shove and knocking him to the pavement. “This is none of your business, but if you want to step in anyway, we aren’t afraid to hurt you.”

“Just leave Rain alone-”

“We aren’t here to do her harm,” the woman replies, stepping over Ricardo and looking over Rain, who stares back defiantly without making a move. “Long time, no see, Delacruz. I don’t know why you thought it would be a good idea to run from your family, the way you did. Especially now that you’ve made it big… What were you thinking?”

“You’re not my family...” Rain remarks. “Bitch.”

“That’s no way to talk to your sister. But you know what? You’re right. We’re not your family. We’ve done more for you than your real family. We just want to talk to you again, now that you’re quite the star. Get in the car, and we promise that neither of you are getting hurt.”

Rain just nodded silently and climbed through the open back door, but when Ricardo stood up and went to follow, the man held his hand up and shook his head. “Not you. Just Rain. You won’t be telling anyone about this, either, unless you want to get on our bad side. I don’t think you want that, do you?”

Ricardo stands in silence as Rain gets into the car, while the others get in with her, and pulls off, silently furious at himself for not doing anything. He trusts her, though. If she says that she should go with them, it’s not his place to question that and tell her what to do. She’s the one that knows much more about them…

***

The big marketplace in the older part of town was where Niko Komarov had led Artem, to meet the person that he claimed could turn him into a world superstar. Artem hadn’t heard of this guy, James Almeda, but Niko went as far as to say that he wouldn’t be playing for the national team if it wasn’t for Almeda getting him to 1898 Odena. He claimed that Almeda could get Artem there too, or to a foreign team that’s huge compared to Selta. He said that Artem could be the first Bojikstani player to go abroad in a UICA registered league, and also promised a big pay raise if he went along with this plan.

But Artem just wanted to get the details first, and because the city didn’t have much nightlife or a bar scene, Niko had set the meeting up to happen in the bazaar. “Where is this guy, again?” asks Artem, checking his phone for the time and looking back at the crowd that’s walking the streets.

“Just wait. You can’t miss him. He’s going to be the only guy here wearing a sweatshirt and a gold chain. I think he has someone with him for you to meet, too.”

“Someone who works with him?”

“Not sure. He didn’t tell me everything, just that I had to make sure that you get here.”

After a few more moments, Artem spots the man that he’s waiting for. James Almeda. He’s wearing exactly what Niko said he would be wearing, and it’s a casual outfit for an agent: blue jeans, a nondescript grey sweatshirt, and a thick chain that resembles something that royalty would wear. He’s accompanied by a young woman dressed in hijab, who also wears shades. She doesn’t look like one of the locals, though, and she has a Latino look to her that suggests that she’s part of the Bojikstani minority. “Artem! Niko! It’s good seeing you both, especially you, Artem,” said James, hugging Niko and then extending his hand for Artem to shake.

“Right. I’ve heard a lot about you. Niko says you can make me the first Bojikstani player to go abroad.”

“If you want. I know you’re from Odena, and I can also get you to 1898, if that’s what you want. You’re the one with the talent, Artem. It’s really your world, I’m just living in it and hopefully guiding you in it,” chuckles James. “Also, this is the other client that I brought over here. Liv, introduce yourself. This is the guy you might be playing with, soon.”

“Yeah, you’ve told me that,” Liv says, before turning her gaze towards Artem. “I’m Livia. Livia Resendes Andrade to be specific. But everyone just calls me Liv, the name that’s on the back of my kit. You’re the Selta wonderkid, right?”

Niko and Artem exchange a glance, knowing that Liv is throwing shade by pretending to not know. She’s saying that she’s more relevant than he is, and that she doesn’t even know where he plays. “You could say that,” Artem replies quickly, in an icy tone. “You’re the girl that played for the Strasburg academy before they sent you on loan. I know who you are. I’ve heard your name in transfer talks… Just didn’t recognize you, with the hijab and all. Didn’t know you were into that.”

Artem’s reply was laced with bite, but Liv just rolls her eyes slightly and sounds utterly unimpressed. “Bitch, please,” she scoffs. “I’m just blending in and keeping a low profile. The Strasburg press are everywhere, y’know. And in case you wanted to know what I really believe in,” she starts, pulling her blouse sleeve up to show a cross tattoo on her right arm. “That’s it.”

“Let’s get to the important subjects,” says James, changing the subject and forcing a grin. “If possible, I want you two abroad as a package deal. If not abroad, I at least want to put you in a good spot at a big city. How would you both like to start for 1898 Odena?”

“I’m a Strasburg player when my loan is done. Why would I want that?” asks Liv, raising an eyebrow.

“You aren’t from Strasburg. Their rivalries don’t matter that much to you, do they? What happened to your feud with the Strasburg ultras? Leaving for 1898 would be the easiest and best way to get back at them for how they’ve treated you.”

“As if the Odenan fans would accept me, a westerner that’s known as the top prospect of their rival.”

“And I’m not sure if I want to be in Odena if it’s going to mean I have to compete with both Niko and Liv,” Artem chimes in.

“Liv isn’t a forward, don’t you know? She’s a number ten. The type of player that sits just below you and makes the final pass. She gets her goals, sure, but she’s a playmaker first. Don’t think of it as competition, think of it as forming a big three. You and Niko up top, and Liv making the plays for you and being there to cover when you mess up,” James explains. “Odena is retooling, after their struggles this season, and they’re willing to splash the cash to bring in talents like you two. Especially you, Artem, with your roots in the area.”

“It’s tempting, but I kinda want to wait and see my options. I just… Well, I know what’s involved with playing in Odena, and how tough the media can be there. I feel like I’d have more pressure playing for my favorite team, too.”

“I’m all about options. I’m talking to foreign teams all the time about doing deals. Before, it was for Liv, but like I said, I think you can work together. I think you can bring Rain into this too, and make your own golden generation with some team looking to spend. But there’s no rush. Niko knows how to get in contact with me. You have any destinations that you want, or you have a number that you want for your contract, just tell me. I can tell you don’t believe, but that’s fine. I’ll prove it to you. I’ll prove that I can make you the highest paid player from this country, and the first one to go abroad, if you give me a bit of time.”

***

“You don’t just leave the Drustvo, you know. You don’t just leave us after we’ve looked out for you, and take off to Selta without calling. You don’t just become a big star and not give anything back to the friends that put you in that position by keeping you safe back when you were a youth player from the bad part of town and half your rivals wanted to gun you down in the parking lot after your matches!” says the woman with the tattooed face, her voice rising as she and the two others continue their ride away from the hotel. “You don’t run from family like that.”

“I know you all protected me like that, and I thank you for it, but that life wasn’t for me,” says Rain, staring out of the window. “I wanted to escape it. That was why I put so much into football. I wasn’t one of the rich kids that could play just for the love of it, it was always so I could put myself in a better position. I thought everyone knew that-”

“Our problem isn’t with you taking off and leaving the slums, it’s that you left us there! Look, Rain, your work as a medic was great. You saved my life at least once, so I thought about calling it even. But the truth is, you let me down and you let all your other friends down. You’re rolling in cash now that you’re a pro, and you haven’t sent a cent of it towards any of us.”

Rain doesn’t reply, so the other girl keeps talking. “I’m kinda hurt on a personal level. Like I said, we kept you safe, and haven’t gotten anything in return. I thought we were tight. I thought you really were one of us.”

“I am… I am. I was stupid to run like that, without doing anything for certain people back home. But I’m not rolling in cash. Between taxes and bills and sending some back to my parents, I’m barely even middle class. I’ll try to help, but you’re not going to do any good to bankrupt me because I didn’t give you anything earlier.”

The car is filled with silence, so Rain speaks up again. “Good to have you back, Raquel. I’ll figure something out. You’re right, I shouldn’t have left in the way that I did. But I don’t know if I’m even able to do enough to make up for it.”

---

B.S NETWORK: YOUR TRUSTWORTHY SOURCE
ANGRY ANTON'S RECAPS: KALUMBA VS BOJIKSTAN, INDEPENDENTS CUP
Posted by AngryAnton

Bojikstan is getting out of the group stage with a 2-0-1 record, after defeating Kalumba 1-0. The Azules looked like they might go out on goal differential, but for once, this squad of B tier players came through with some big moments. Lucas Alberg saved the match from being a loss that would certainly mean that they were eliminated, and Niko Komarov captured the win when he put the ball in the back of the net in the seventy first minute of action. But first, let's get to the statement from Marco Christensen that was given to BSN reporters immediately after the game:

“What do I think is going to happen from here? Well, that depends on how we adapt to this pressure, how we do in training, and how well the players get along from here. We looked like one team for the first time, but that was under immense pressure while facing elimination. Will it stay that way? I don't know. I think as long as we're in the final bracket, we have a chance of winning it. We have a chance, and Bonesea has a chance, and Schottia has a chance, and Tinhampton has a chance. My point is that everyone in the last sixteen has a chance to win it all. Ours is a smaller one, but the oddsmakers have always been wrong about us. Take that however you wish. We're just focusing on Britonisea.”

It didn't always look like the team was going to win. Chico Suarez had another shaky game in the back where he gave up two clear cut chances in the second half, that could have sunk the hopes of the Azules. However, Lucas Alberg saved both chances, deflecting one back to the defenders and turning another one against the crossbar. Janis Shenchenko made up for some of the mistakes with expert play at the fullback position, and made several unlikely clearances in dangerous situations.

But if I'm going to rip on something this match, it's going to be the midfield, not the defending. Eric Dern kept trying to show his range without worrying about the passes actually hitting their mark, and sprayed balls all over the attacking third without putting them at the feet of Alexy Hesse, Artem Delacruz, or Niko Komarov. The long balls ended up at the feet of the Kalumbans more than the forwards, and when defending, Dern looked like he was trapped in a spin cycle.

It's all good for now, though. The team qualified for the last sixteen because of the win, which was a result of some magic from Artem. He showed why he's known for being light on his feet, dancing his way into the middle of the defense and then passing sideways to Komarov once he was closed down upon. The fans were screaming for Artem to shoot, but even when the role of the main scorer is put on him, he's not that kind of player that takes every shot and dominates possession. He's always aware of his surroundings, and this time, that worked out as Niko tapped in an easy finish.

We face Britonisea next, and a win sets up a game against either the Alpine Union or Devonta. And whatever happens, the team has already exceeded expectations just by getting here...

[Abanhfleft]

Continued from here.

Young Guns, Part Twelve

138 Coliseum Way
Besanza, Fhulghamous Peninsula
Three months before the 3rd Independents Cup

It was the end of the 3rd Sporting World Cup. Once again, Abanhfleft had come away with only a silver medal to show for their efforts while Anglatia once again brought home the gold medal. It was a repeat of the last tournament's final as well as a repeat of the old result. Well, technically that wasn't true as the first finals meeting between Abanhfleft and Anglatia resulted in a 1-0 win while the second one was a more exciting affair with seven goals and Anglatia eventually emerging triumphant via a 4-3 scoreline. The under-18 team had dispersed back to their club teams; or at least some of them did, for some of the others had been called up for the under-21 team, the one that competed in the prestigious Di Bradini Cup. Some call-ups to the under-21 team were no-brainers like Kelly McGinnis, Bronwyn Churchill, Mauro Magnanelli and Hamad Ahmed Khaled. Others were admittedly a bit more questionable like Alma Walker and Marius Rosenkrantz. Not that there were questions as to their ability but it was more of a question of whether it was really necessary to integrate so-and-so from the under-18 setup to the under-21 setup just to show that there was such a thing as progressing through the ranks of Fleftic youth football.

Anyway, Guildenstern Cardew couldn't care too much about that. Actually, him being left out of the Di Bradini Cup squad was for him a blessing in disguise. Guildy was still reeling from trying to come to terms with his feelings for his friend Marius Rosenkrantz and so perhaps this time away from his friend and secret love might just be the thing for him. But the offseason could be such a boring time, especially when one was playing for a small club like Besanza Emeralds (no offense intended to the Emeralds, of course, but it was a matter of the truth being a bit uglier than people would like to accept). Guildy knew his history: Besanza Emeralds may be the older football club in the city of Besanza (founded in 2010, just about a year after the city of Besanza itself was founded by Fleftic miners rooting for riches in the newly established colony of the Fhulghamous Peninsula) but Airbus Fhulghamous Besanza had become the bigger and more popular club in the city simply by virtue of its affiliation to a big international corporation which inevitably led to money and titles and more money and more titles in an eternal cycle. People liked to say that the Fhulghamous Premier League was a better league than the Fleftic Premier League because it was more local, closer to the grassroots of colonial football, but the truth of the matter was that in recent years, no other team had come close to challenging Airbus Besanza's stranglehold over the Fhulghamousian League. Only in very recent years did teams like Charalambos FC over in the capital Port Thimpodopoulos start becoming a little more relevant to Airbus.

At least there were some new distractions making their way to Besanza in the form of an arena football team in the city. The Abanhfleft Arena Football Association was a new venture being funded by a number of big names in Abanhfleft. It was a Fhulghamousian native, Kelly Profit (who played with the NSCF's Thereisnogodistan Community College before she signed for the Bratsk Dolphins of the newly-established Pridnestrovian Gridiron Super League) who had come up with the idea of introducing arena football to Abanhfleft, although it took a lot of convincing and substantial financial backing from interested rich people like Julian Markovsky and Dirk Ballinger, stadium operators who wanted to find a way to keep earning money from their venues during the offseasons of the major sports, and even the Fleftic Commission on Sports and Games before the AAFA was finally able to take off. Besanza were one of the lucky few to get the rights to a franchise in the league's opening season; it would be called the Besanza Bravery following a city-wide poll from the fans. The Besanza Belugas of the Fleftic Basketball Association had the majority controlling stake of the Bravery while a number of soccer players from the capital like Miriam Hannibal, Tonya Heaton, and even the young Fhulghamous international goalkeeper Wanakamahaga Dudabulatula held minority stakes. Truth be told, Guildy would have expected all three of them to hold out for the placement of an expansion team in the capital but with soccer being much more popular than American football in the colonial capital than the rest of the colony, perhaps their decision did make sense. Guildy didn't let that stop him from throwing in his lot with the Bravery and buying a small stake in the team himself; a year's worth of salary-sized stake, to be exact.

Guildy was there in the Espressi Express Delivery Coliseum in Besanza with Dudabulatula, Hannibal, and Heaton to watch the Bravery's first game in the AAFA, against another team based in a Fleftic colony, the Vikrant Vimanas from Trendstart. Arena football was a bit of a nice distraction for Guildy, but in the end his mind still went back to his friendship with Marius Rosenkratz. It didn't help that he was with Abanhfleft's premier lesbian sports couple that night. Why was it easier for girls in sport to come out as homosexual as opposed to boys? Nobody gave a shit about Miriam and Tonya holding hands and maybe sneaking in the odd kiss here or there but if people only knew of Guildenstern Cardew's true sexual orientation then they would pay really close attention to how close Guildy was seated to Duda (Dudabulatula's nickname because his name was just simply too much of a mouthful to ruthlessly say or spell out every time).

Guildy couldn't even remember who won, nor did he particularly care. He only wanted to go home and deal with his repressed feelings the only way he knew how yet: sleep it off. So when Guildy woke up in an unfamiliar bed the morning after, he had absolutely no idea how he got there. And when a familiar voice spoke up from the other side of the bed, Guildy just got even more confused. "Did you have a good night's sleep, Guildy?" the voice asked.

Her name was "Jenna", although when Guildy had met her for the first time, she was still a man and her name back then was "Tristan". "Tristan" was a few years older than Guildy but the two of them had met in Guildy's high school because only then was "Tristan" able to get the money he needed to complete his high school education, a lifelong dream of his. There was the expected light-hearted ribbing from Guildy's classmates about the older "Tristan" only being able to study at his present age but it was all in good fun. Guildy and "Tristan" naturally gravitated towards each other like it had been written in the stars, meant to be. Guildy himself still hadn't yet come to terms with his own sexuality back then but it was "Tristan" who had helped him discover himself for what he truly was. It was "Tristan" who had walked Guildy through the conflicting feelings that he felt for his friend Marius Rosenkrantz until he finally came to the undeniable conclusion that he was in love with his best friend. When Guildy asked "Tristan" (this was when "Tristan" was already "Jenna") what had drawn her to him, "Jenna" replied simply, "We queer folk have some special talents, Guildenstern. We can smell our fellow gays from a mile away. It's what helps us bond and get together, perhaps for our own safety back in the days when weren't as accepted as we are now. Now, though, it's just a way for us to get together and be ourselves in the presence of people who are like us."

"Tristan" graduated from high school the same academic year that he arrived in Guildy's school. But although they were friends, Guildy lost contact with "Tristan", at least until two years ago when a woman walked up to Guildy after an open practice session by Besanza Emeralds and introduced herself as "Jenna" while at the same time claiming that she was "Tristan" but now in her real body. Guildy had every reason not to believe her but it just figured for him; "Tristan" had said a few things or so about not feeling comfortable in his body, how good it would be to have a female body. And when Guildenstern indulged "Jenna" on a date, he finally learned the rest of her story: after graduating as "Tristan", "Jenna" had spent the rest of her money on gender reassignment surgery. That hadn't gone over well with "Jenna's" family and so she needed a place to crash, and would Guildy like to let her stay at his place for a while, just as long as until she got a place of her own? Guildy didn't see anything wrong with that, but the only problem he really had was that the apartment block where the Emeralds' academy players were being housed was staffed by a night watchman, a cleaning lady, and a janitor who all had reputations for being notorious gossips. For her part, "Jenna" didn't see anything wrong with that arrangement, and she even pulled on Guildy's heartstrings a little on that arrangement: "Are you afraid that people are going to find out that you're letting a transgender woman bunk in your apartment? Are you afraid that people are going to find out that you're gay?"

"Yes, I mean no, I mean yes," Guildenstern had eventually admitted after some impromptu soul-searching.

"Well, what's wrong with that? The time for hiding is long gone, Guildy. Now is the time to be out and proud. All right, Guildy, tell me the truth. Who are you afraid of finding out that you're gay?"

"Marius," Guildy eventually admitted after some more soul-searching.

"So what if your best friend finds out you're gay?" "Jenna" asked back. "Wouldn't that actually make things better between the both of you?"

"Actually, it won't," Guildy said. "Look, Marius is one of those people who believe that it's better for people to live their lives truthfully even if it sucks for them instead of living a life that's a lie even though it's a better life for them. If Marius finds out that I'm gay and that I have feelings for him, I know that he's not gonna take it lightly. He'll think that I'm some kind of faker when in reality, I'm just struggling for the right words to say to him when I'm finally ready to come out."

"Wow, kid," "Jenna" said once Guildy was finally finished. "Well, sister, I don't think I can honestly say that I feel for you just yet, but I'm sure that you will find the right words to tell your best friend eventually. Things will sort themselves out in the end, I promise you that."

"Jenna" had ended up staying in Guildy's apartment only for three weeks before she finally moved into a place of her own. And unlike the last time that the two of them parted ways, Guildy and "Jenna" kept in contact with each other this time, and now Guildy could finally remember the reason why he had ended up in "Jenna's" bed that night. "Did we... uh... you know... do the thing?" Guildenstern asked her.

"Oh, we most certainly and definitely did, Guildy," "Jenna" replied. "In fact, last night, you were practically begging for it. I remember telling you to treat me like whoever you wanted me to be, and you just kept calling out Marius. So you like to be the pitcher, huh? And I have to say that you make a very good pitcher, although I don't think your best friend would appreciate it that much if you pitched at him."

"Did anyone see the two of us together?" Guildy asked.

"Maybe," "Jenna" shrugged off. "It was the first AAFA game in the colony so there must have been some press coverage of it. Heck, it was even televised. The game, I mean."

"Well, so much for keeping the cat in the bag," Guildy muttered. "Well, what's the worst that can happen to me, eh? The opposing fans will call me a fag and some such stuff. Heck, probably even the home fans will call me a fag. Not like they don't already call us that when we're losing, sometimes. Like I said, what's the worst that can happen to me now?"

At that moment, Guildy's cellphone rang. He picked it up and answered, "Hello?" while scratching at his head. His head always itched every time he woke up in an unfamiliar bed.

"Hey, Guildy, where in the world are you?" one of his fellow academy teammates for the Emeralds asked him at the other end. "The last we saw you, you were at the arena football game between the Bravery and the Vimanas and after that, the night guard said that she didn't see you go back to your apartment. Where the hell are you?"

"I'm, uh, staying at a friend's," Guildenstern replied with only a little bit of apprehension. "What's it to you though, bro?"

"Look, well, uh, someone's here looking for you."

"Who is it, bro?"

There was a pause from the other end of the line as whoever was looking for Guildenstern contemplated about talking to him over the phone. Finally, an older and deeper voice answered, "Hello, Guildenstern."

"Hello there, sir. Forgive me for asking but who are you again?"

"Don't you recognize me, Guildenstern? I'm Ranulph Bustamante."

Guildenstern's eyes suddenly widened in shock. Ranulph Bustamante was talking to him! Over the phone, of course, but it was still almost pretty much the same thing! The manager of the Fleftic men's national football team was talking to him! "Yes, sir! I recognize you, sir!" he stammered hurriedly. "Oh, sir, I'm so sorry if I sounded so flippant but I just had a rough night and I'm still waking up and trying to deal with the aftermath--"

"I'm sure that your story is a good one, Guildenstern," Bustamante replied, "but right now I need to ask you something: how quickly can you get dressed and meet me at the airport?"

"The airport, sir? Why are we meeting there?"

"Because I'm taking you to Riuwiee, Guildenstern. You're going to be part of my Independents Cup squad."

---

That had been over three months ago. Ranulph Bustamante had assembled a squad made up of players who had featured in Abanhfleft's youth teams before they were made ineligible due to their age, and Ranulph had wanted to try out these players in the Independents Cup in the hopes of eventually integrating them into the senior national team for the next World Cup cycle. Guildenstern Cardew had ended up working with some very famous names in the form of Valery Zolnerov, Rory Edwards, and Vitaly Zima. Those three players were already fixtures in the senior national team and Ranulph Bustamante had included them in his final Independents Cup squad to supply experience and leadership to the rest of the team. In a sense, they were practically Ranulph's assistant managers.

On the goalkeeping front, Guildenstern teamed up with Carlos Cohen of Sporting Ceneisis and Roy Riney of Thereisnogodistan F.C. Guildy had actually played against Roy Riney before, during a clash in the Fhulghamousian Youth Football Cup between the Besanza Emeralds academy team and the Thereisnogodistan academy team. Roy may be young but he had lightning-fast reflexes in him, something which Guildenstern envied, albeit privately and just a little bit. Both of them had also taken penalties against each other during the inevitable penalty shootout in which Thereisnogodistan eventually emerged triumphant. To finally play for the same team with Roy Riney was something that Guildenstern was also privately thankful for. He hated to be the guy with the ball trying to find a way through Roy Riney's gloves.

Guildenstern got his first start for Abanhfleft in the Independents Cup in the second group stage game against Aggrey-Fynn Land. The dream of every debutant goalkeeper was always a clean sheet for their first ever game, but for Guildenstern though, it wasn't to be. He let in three goals and almost let the team down, and only the quality of Abanhfleft's attack had seen them past Aggrey-Fynn Land. At least one of those goals was save-able and Guildy knew it.

As the team went back to their designated locker room, Guildenstern felt a hand clamp down on his shoulder, Ranulph's. "Never mind about the three goals, Guildy," Ranulph said to him. "We won and that's what matters in the end."

"I know, coach, I know," Guildy replied. "But I could have saved at least one of those goals! I just know it in my bones."

"Yeah, and the next time the ball flies at you the same way, you now know the right way to react to it and save it," Ranulph said. "Look, Guildy, if there's one thing I've learned during my years of managing this team, it's that everything is like a school lesson; you're always learning new things. Everyone makes mistakes, Guildy. What matters is that you learn from your mistakes and not repeat them. Besides, I'm sure that your friends and family are proud of you representing the blue, orange, and green even though you did ship three goals."

"You had to rub it in, didn't you, coach?" Guildy asked, but he was smiling nevertheless.

"I'm sorry; I couldn't resist," Bustamante admitted. "Chin up, do. You've still a lot of years ahead of you. You might even end up becoming Abanhfleft's number one. Always remember that even world-class keepers like Maksim Varamoninov and Victoria Carter also ship goals, but they don't let that affect them. Keep that in mind." With a final reassuring pat on the shoulders, Ranulph Bustamante walked away from Guildenstern Cardew towards the waiting reporters and press conference.

---

CRESCENT NEWS NETWORK
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INDEPENDENTS CUP 3: SAN REGADA VS ABANHFLEFT
By Malik Qazizadah


Abanhfleft's Tracy Rivera scores the game-winning goal against San Regada. (Courtesy of Crescent News Network Sports Channel/Andros Tasasa)

TAABEKA, SPAAM - Abanhfleft finished the group stage of the 3rd Independents Cup with an undefeated record as they came out 2-1 victors over San Regada.

Prince William Luckless had given Abanhfleft an early lead after a through-ball from Garrett Krantz saw the on-loan Duhblakk Rovers striker one-on-one against the San Regadan keeper, and it was an easy move for Luckless to round the goalkeeper and slot the ball home.

The first half ended with only Luckless' goal separating the two teams, although Krantz had a chance to double the New Revolutionaries' lead near the end of the half only for his header from Mauro Magnanelli's corner kick to smash right into the crossbar.

Abanhfleft continued to push for the second insurance goal and Cedric Pearson had a speculative attempt from the edge of the box which was parried away by David López but only by the skin of his teeth.

The New Revolutionaries were then made to pay for the mistake of not taking their chances more clinically when Christian Saavedra thumped the ball into the roof of the net after a protracted chase between him, Hamad Ahmed Khaled, and Ainsley Gibson.

Abanhfleft could very well have rued their chance to secure all nine points in the group stage, but two familiar Independents Cup faces in Vitaly Zima and Tracy Rivera came together to rescue all three points for the New Revolutionaries, as it was Zima's square pass to Rivera which saw the Sporting Ceneisis attacking midfielder score the winning goal at the death.


Abanhfleft national team manager Ranulph Bustamante: The game went down to the wire

Abanhfleft national team manager Ranulph Bustamante: "Oh, that match was a bit quite intense. My heart's still hammering around in my chest. That game really went down to the wire. Sure, it may be a game that the neutrals will like for the excitement and the tension but I don't think my heart can handle all that, not if Abanhfleft play all their games like that. I might have a heart attack and have to be carried away. But in all seriousness, this is a good game for us. It shows that we have what it takes to win anything and everything as the situation demands. It's sure to be a confidence booster for the lads, the whole team. There are of course positives and negatives here but we're going to take them all and learn from all of them. That's howe we're going to keep moving forward."

Abanhfleft will face co-hosts Spaam in the Round of 16 of the 3rd Independents Cup.

    SAN REGADA 1 - 2 ABANHFLEFT
SAAVEDRA (70')       LUCKLESS (22')
                     RIVERA (90+1')

ABANHFLEFT
GK: 16 Riney
RB: 2 Popov
RCB: 4 Khaled
LCB: 5 Gibson
LB: 3 Wayne (Feltner - 83')
RM: 6 Pearson █
CM: 7 Kleinmann (Zima- 80')
LM: 8 Magnanelli
RW: 11 Rozier
ST: 9 Luckless (Rivera - 72')
LW: 10 Krantz

SAN REGADA
GK: 1 López
RB: 6 Toselli
RCB: 5 Zapata
CB: 4 Martínez
LCB: 3 Callejón
LB: 2 Monreal
RM: 7 Bejarano
CM: 8 Torres (Vizcarra █ - 59')
LM: 9 Santos Borré
RS: 11 Hernández
LS: 10 Saavedra (Muriel - 77')

MATCH STATISTICS
Possession
San Regada: 47%
Abanhfleft: 53%
Shots
San Regada: 7 (3 on target)
Abanhfleft: 8 (4 on target)
Corners
San Regada: 3
Abanhfleft: 4
Fouls
San Regada: 14
Abanhfleft: 20

[Schottia]

Up.
You're hammering away, quite the thing. Why on earth didn't you do this sooner? That bookshelf had been a total fucking disgrace. No wonder you never read anymore, when you had to file through that mountain of shite just to find anything. This is a new leaf turned over for sure this time. No going back. There are so many positives to take from the last season, and you should have seen it earlier. You will win the league with Polaris next year- you will win the Globe Cup - you will do it all - as soon as you put this book shelf back together.

Originally the shelves had been held together with screws and doweling, but hammering was way more fun.

BANG BANG BANG

LA LA LA

BANG BANG BANG

WAY MORE FUN

You top up your glass of wine and stand back to admire your handiwork. Maybe a drill would have been better, but

WAY LESS SAT - IS - FY - ING

You step back once more, one hand on your hip, the other balancing the hammer on your shoulder. You really mean business today. You've cleared up, vacuumed the floor, and even done the dishes. Another glug of wine, then you top it up once more. You'd asked the boy behind the counter for the most expensive red they had. Eighty Bewlegis had exchanged hands, and now you had a nice fancy thing to enjoy.

BANG BANG BANG

Transcripts from my appointment with Corinne Martel-Burns: 21/5/2027. Dr Elena Durí BSc MSc MSc PhD
...
...
ED: I don't it has anything to do with the fact that it was a charity match. This would equally concern me if it were a league game. We've been through this many times; there's no excuse for violence.
CMB: Yeah, I'm not sure ohow shit got out of hand so quickly to be honest.
ED: Was it a Handon United - Port Sebastian thing? I know you started out your career at the former.
CMB: No, I hate United even more than anyone actually. [Patient pauses.] I just don't know.
ED: Corinne... You see, I just want to get to the bottom of this, and I feel we might be getting close today. We've covered a lot of ground in this session, I know, but I'm keen to keep you talking.
CMB: Alright.
ED: When you set foot on the pitch, at the start of the match, did you have a feeling at that stage that you might end up in a scuffle?
CMB: I wasn't sure.
ED: Okay. So it's some form of provocation then.
CMB: I think that's fair.
ED: You do? You would agree with that assessment?
CMB: Sure. I don't see what else it could be?
ED: You are doing much better today Corinne. You seem much looser. But anyway: Yes I agree, there doesn't necessarily seem to be a connection between your mood swings and the incidents of violence.
CMB: Let's keep going then; see if we can identify it.
ED: Corinne[...]
CMB: Yeah?
ED: It's just that you seem so different from last time we spoke. I was really worried about you at the end of the season. I was actually quite concerned that you'd taken a big step back after you failed to make the Champions' Cup, but now...
CMB: You win some, you lose some. That's what I always say.
ED: It is? Well that's good. Shall we crack on?
CMB: Be my guest.

CMB

Bed rest.

'COME IN!' Connie shouted at her hotel room door, as she lay sprawled out on the bed flicking through the Spaamian TV channels. She had been ordered to take the rest of the day off from training to try and get her head in the right place before facing New Danican. It was a difficult one to judge, but she had been so low following the Savalen match, that there was no way she could be a positive influence on the rest of the side. It was well documented how Connie seemed to have an uncanny ability to affect people close to here, and it was rarely for the better. It was also further proof that the Schottic coaching staff were utterly unequipped to deal with someone in her condition.

There was a rattling at the handle, before the door was tentatively pushed open. 'Oh sorry. I didn't realise there was anyone here.' Ross Renshaw's head slowly crept round the corner of the door, like a tortoise emerging from its shell.

'You didn't realise I'd be in my own room?' Connie turned the TV down, but kept watching. 'Although I was told hold out here for the rest of the day?'

'Oh, I mustn't have heard the Gaffer say that...'

'Just come in.' She slid her legs off the other side of the bed, bringing herself into a seated position, gazing in the opposite direction from Ross, out of the window. 'I hope you brought some flowers.' facing the other way, Ross would have missed her smirk.

'No I'm sorry, but I can go outside and see if I can find...'

'Bottle of wine then?'

'Eh... well, no...'

'You're fucking useless then aren't you?' Connie sat back onto the bed and turned the TV up. She still hadn't made eye contact. 'Who the fuck ever taught you to suck up to people? Going along empty handed is a fucking atrocious idea.'

'I'll just go then.' Ross had one lest try, but he wasn't sure if he could be heard above the noise emanating from the box in front of her. 'There might be some bottle's of sparkling water in the lobby. Would you maybe like me to bring you one?'

'Oh fucksake man!' Connie put the TV on standby, before throwing the remote at the wall, causing the batteries to dislodge and come flying out. 'Just come in and sit down.'

Ross took a step inside, his eyes darting nervously from side to side before closing the door behind him. One step at a time, he made his way in a robotic stutter across the floor of the room. He had the look of an old man, doddered by age, who had accidentally walked into a minefield.

'The chair.' Connie looked at him for the first time, before jabbing a finger in the direction of the seat beside her bed. 'Just chuck the clothes on the floor and sit down, for fucksake!' Ross seemed to hesitate for a moment before brushing the ball of clothing onto the floor as gently as he could without having to pick it up. Connie had never been the most tidy of individuals, and didn't really ever see the point. For her, getting dressed normally involved a period of sniff testing, and the washing machine was only operated when nothing clean could be found.

'I heard you were a little upset after the Savalen match,' Ross asked eventually. 'Are you okay?'

She shrugged, staring blankly at the wall in front of her. Upset was either a massive understatement or Ross and the other players hadn't been given the whole story. Undoubtedly either were possible. Connie was once again in tuned-out mode; her eyes glazed over, her head and shoulders slouched, and her hair hung over one side of her face.

'You were missed at training?' Ross tried.

'Hah! I'm sure I was.' Even Connie couldn't help but smile at this. 'I take it they were all asking for me?' She had often thought that the majority of people would be quite happy if she were to just disappear. How much were her goals worth? But this was the kind of thing Dr Durí talked about almost every week in their sessions. Just because she wasn't in the room didn't mean that she was the topic of conversation.

'Yeah...' Ross shifted awkwardly. 'There were one or two asking where you were.'

'I'm sure.' Connie continued to study the wallpaper.

'You think you'll be starting against New Danican?' Football was by far Ross' most comfortable topic. He didn't do compassion, humour, or even small talk particularly well. He did, however, make up for it all with his knowledge of football. 'Has the manager said anything to you?'

Connie shook her head once more, seeming more distant than ever. 'Don't know.'

Well that was it then for today most likely. She was too depressed to read, and too depressed to get up and put the batteries back in the remote. There was a net curtain over the window, which didn't look out over anything particularly interesting anyway. Looks like it was going to be an afternoon sat here with her own thoughts for entertainment; as soon as Ross inevitably gave up and left. Sometimes it felt like a sentence worse than death.

However, much to her surprise, the Blue Coast striker stayed where he was.

'Who do you think are the top ten players in the world right now?' He asked very calmly, as if it were the most normal thing in the world to ask.

'Huh?'

'Best players in the world. Top ten. What do you think?'

Connie couldn't have even answered that even if she tried right now, such was here level of lethargy. 'I don't know.' The thought of putting the gears into action and getting her brain working was daunting one.

'Shall I give you my top ten?' Ross' enthusiasm caught her by surprise.

'Yeah, okay. I'd like that.' She answered with a weak smile.

[Union of Socialist Alpine Republics]

The Alpine Union wins 3 and makes the playoffs!

Abalessa, Kel Assuk - (NAP) On matchday 2, the Alpine Union beat Bonesea 1-0 in what is now considered the most memorable game in Alpine history! Bonesea, ranked 8th, is one of the favorites to win the 3rd independents Cup and beating them is a great achievement! The Reprezentacja Alpejski attacked at the 68th minute when Yannick Ksiezniakiewicz passed to Amelia Zalwowska who dribbled and passed to Jean-François Kleineheismann who shoots! The ball hits Climo Tyree's arm and it's a penalty for the Alpine Union! Zbigniew Zajaczkowski takes the penalty, he shoots and the ball is in, it's a goal for the Bisons! The Alpine Union won 1-0 against Bonesea!

BOXSCORE

68th minute: Zbigniew Zajaczkowski (penalty kick)


YELLOW CARDS

Bonesea: Climo Tyree
Alpine Union: Sascha Welzmüller

RED CARDS

Bonesea: None
Alpine Union: None

Yesterday, the Reprezentacja Alpejski played against The Warbler, an unranked team. The Alpine Union played it safe to avoid any injuried and 5 players on the starting XI rested in favor of their backups. The Warbler attacked at the 36th minute when Player #7 passed to Player #11 who made a cross to player #9. Player #9 shoots, Jennifer O'Byrne dives on the left but the ball goes to the right, it's a goal for The Warbler.

The Alpine Union attacked at the 55th minute when Bartlomiej Szczepankiewicz passed to Pawel Wawrzynkiewicz who dribbled and made a header pass to Amelia Zalwowska who shoots and scores, the game is tied at 1-1! At the 86th minute, Yannick Ksiezniakiewicz passed the ball to Jedrzej Kosciukiewicz who dribbled and passed to Amelia Zalwowska who shoots! The ball hits the post and Player #3 clears the ball. Goalkeeper Jennifer O'Byrne takes the ball and shoots from 75 meters, it's a goal, the Alpine Union is leading 2-1! This is Jennifer O'Byrne's 3rd international goal, pretty impressive for a goalkeeper and the Alpine Union won 2-1!

The Alpine Union has 3 wins in 3 games and will face the United States of Devonta in the round of 16. The U.S.A.R. is ranked 80th and the United States are ranked 59th. If the Bisons wins, they'll play against the winner between Britonisea and Bojikstan.

BOXSCORE

36th minute: Player #9 assisted by Player #11
55th minute: Amelia Zalwowska assisted by Pawel Wawrzynkiewicz
86th minute: Jennifer O'Byrne (unassisted)

YELLOW CARDS

Alpine Union: Tearlach MacEachthighearna and Yannick Ksiezniakiewicz
The Warbler: Player #7

RED CARDS

Alpine Union: None
The Warbler: None

[Mercedini]

Independents' Cup MD3 Review
@ Adel Bagrou Stadium - Adel Bagrou, Kel Assuk

Hell and welcome to our coverage of the Independent's Cup coming to you live from the small town of Adel Bagrou in the south of Kel Assuk. We are outside the stadium where the fans are returning their hotel rooms after the match between Mercedini and New Scaiva & Horshenwurst has just concluded. We will be giving you a round-up of the match as well as a look ahead to the knockout phase which Mercedini had already qualified for before the start of the match. So let's see if Mercedini could make it a clean run throughout the groups and as well as if Lyndainium could make it 3-0-0 for competitive matches and 5-0-1 in all matches.

Independents' Cup: Just Our Luck...

---

FINAL SCORE

IAC | MD3

---

NEW SCAIVA & H'WURST 2
Twick-Neur 34', 68'
MERCEDINI 3
Dostalok 40' (P), Spartoni 62', Vaselko 81'

---

Adel Bagrou, Kel Assuk

Mercedini finished top of their group for the second successive time at the IAC Championships with a hard fought 3-2 win over their region-mates and good friends New Scaiva & Horshenwurst which completed a perfect group stage run with three wins out of three, seven goals scored and only two conceded (both of those coming from this match). In a surprisingly even affair both teams had the least at least once in the match but, like their friendly before the most recent World Cup, Mercedini came through a spirited New Scaivan performance to win through in the end and emphatically book their spot at the Round of 16.

The Adel Bagrou Stadium set the stage for the third time with the stadium hosting it's sixth and final group stage game for the Independents' Cup before moving on to the knockout stages. The Mercedinian crowd were out in full force once again as they have made Adel Bagrou their home in the past week or so (although I don't think any of them will be returning any time soon). Lyndainium elected to change some of the players in the starting line-up, in order to rest some of his main players and giving the youth products a chance to state their case for a future in the Mercedinian national team. Dostalok and Rozzy North End's new signing Misha Spartoni started for the Golden Eagles in order for the younger player to learn the expertise of the older striker who is the only player to have a one-to-one ratio of games to goals. Other changes included: Karlovic for Markus, Ytandev for Toivonen and Di Sansev for Catessic.

The match started as your run of the mill meaningless match between an already qualified team versus and already eliminated team. The youth players were energetic and we chomping at the bit to make an impression on the fans and, more importantly, their manager. Mercedini started on the front foot in the match, looking to follow up on their 4-1 victory at the Sports City Stadium with another win over their close neighbours. Spartoni, who moved from Apox's Centre of Excellence to a team in Abanhfleft colloquially known as Rozzy North End looked impressive in the opening half-hour by finding space in dangerous areas and moving the ball forward for his teammates to latch on to. Despite all of their best efforts to put the ball in the New Scaivan net, it was their opponents who took a surprise lead through their now well known striker Frankford Twick-Neur. A defensive error was pounced upon buy Twick-Neur who latched onto a quick one-two with a teammate to put himself in space on the edge of the box, he let loose a stonking shot towards the far post. Polasic's spectacular dive wasn't effective which meant he couldn't get a hand on to the ball, the ball sailing to the top corner for a brilliant opener from the unranked team. It was the first time that Mercedini had gone behind and the first goal Mercedini had conceded at the tournament, which would obviously prompt a response from the team who are looking to go at least one better than last time, where they finished third on home turf. A long spell of possession after the kick off was abruptly ended by a late tackle on Karlovic in the box, to which the referee, after deliberating with the linesman for some time, blew the whistle and awarded Mercedini a penalty. Dostalok stepped up to continue his tremendous scoring record and converted the penalty to level the scores and chalk another on the board for the Handon United striker. That left the teams level which, at the end of the half, was a fair reflection of the state of play, both teams going in at half-time with the score line at one-all.

After a short break which gave the fans a chance to get some cold drinks and the managers a chance to recoup their players for the 45 minutes ahead of them. Many of the main players were taken off for the second half with the likes of Dostalok and Nymark both making way for younger players to save the energy of the more experienced players for future matches while giving the others a run out and a chance to catch the eyes of the managerial team and possible agents for teams around the multiverse. It was a mostly topsy-turvy affair in the Adel Bagrou Stadium with New Scaiva & Horshenwurst giving a good account of themselves in the match, you wouldn't have thought they were bottom of the group at the start of the match with the performances they were giving in relation to the other teams Mercedini had faced in the past. That being said, Mercedini completed their comeback via a Misha Spartoni debut goal which capped off an excellent performance for the youngster. Vaselko came forward on the wing and sent in a cross, it was missed by everyone in the box and came out to Spartoni on the edge of the box. He controlled it well and slotted a low ball which went in off the post to give Mercedini the lead for the first time in the match, he wheeled aay in celebration and was mobbed by his team, they were obviously very happy that a youngster had started off a possibly fruitful career for the national team. Coming off that high, Mercedini were caught off guard with what happened next. Frankford Twick-Neur picked up the ball and dribbled past three players before finishing a sublime solo move with a curled effort which beat the Polasic dive yet again to level the scoring for New Scaive & Horshenwurst. The word 'One Man Team' were being uttered around the stadium and Twick-Neur definitely made it look that way with his scything dribbles and blistering shots surely catching the eye of agents in Mercedini and across the rest of the multiverse. That meant the Golden Eagles were back to square one in the match and had to find another goal to secure the 100% win record in the group stage. Up stepped Jakob Vaselko to send the Mercedinian portion of the crowd into ecstasy. Johan Karlovic linked with the Elspachia winger thread himself through with only one defender to beat. The goalkeeper came out but Karlovic's vision won through in the end as he pulled the ball back to Vaselko who curled the ball around the goalkeeper to score his first and Mercedini's third of the game to edge his nation's nose ahead once again and this time it was good. Ten minutes later, the referee blew his whistle for the end of the match and to mark the end of the group stages which saw Mercedini dominate, win all of their games and sail through to the Round of 16. New Scaiva went close on a number of occasions but their clinical finishing was errant throughout the tournament which ultimately saw them finish bottom of the group on zero points. In Adel Bagrou, it finished New Scaiva & Horshenwurst 2, Mercedini 3!

---

Group D (Adel Bagrou) Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts  vs.
1  Mercedini           3   3  0  0    7   2  +5    9
2  U.S. of Devonta     3   2  0  1    4   2  +2    6   2-0
3  Mampris             3   1  0  2    2   5  −3    3   2-0
4  N.S. and H.         3   0  0  3    3   7  −4    0   3-2

... and following that, the football draw gods were running amok with a Round of 16 bracket which was so lop sided it would probably be toppled by a mouse sneezing. Despite winning all of their group games, Mercedini still face the reigning champions and second best team in the multiverse in the form on Bonesea. Bonesea lost 2-1 in their second match which meant they could only muster a second place finish in the group, meaning the two Baptism of Fire co-hosts clash once again in what could be the blockbuster match of the round. If that doesn't dip your wick then the winner of that match plays the winner of Kel Assuk versus Drawkland, giving the lower ranked teams in the other half a chance to conjure up a deep run while the titans fight themselves. It will surely be a big match, considering Bonesea marmalised us last time where they ran out 5-1 winners as the Sports City Stadium. We will be giving you all the coverage of that plus the rest of the matches, but in the meantime, goodnight!

[Spaam]

[Spaam]

Round of 16
 Britonisea 1–4  Bojikstan
 Alpine Union 2–1  U.S. of Devonta
 Drawkland 1–3  Kel Assuk
 Mercedini 1–1  Bonesea (1–1 AET) (4–2 pen.)

[Aggrey-Fynn Land]

LANDER SPORTS NETWORK

Your plug for all things sport.

---

WAVY ONES RETURN TO SPAAM

After their quarterfinal finish in Eshan during the 70th Cup of Harmony, where they pulled off a monumental upset against the mighty Cenians (whom the Wavy Ones lost to, 3-0, in a friendly rematch after the CoH). The Superstars have now moved onto the their next challenge, namely the 3rd Independent's Cup. This year, it is being hosted by Spaam (the site of Aggrey-Fynn Land's championship run at the 65th Baptism of Fire) and Kel Assuk (the team Aggrey-Fynn Land defeated in order to reach the final of the BoF). The Superstars were drawn into Group F, and played their games in Taabeka. "It feels good to be back in Spaam", said the captain Kendrick, after the group draw. "We've had some great memories here in Spaam, and our fans have too, so it's time to make some more."

SUPERSTARS HAMMER SUPER EAGLES
Aggrey-Fynn Land 4-0 San Regada

GOAL: Grammy (11')
GOAL: Whitlick (47')
GOAL: Kendrick (64')
GOAL: Whitlick (83')

The Wavy Ones made their Independent's Cup debut against San Regada. The fans were expecting a win, but were wary of a shock. "The Regadans are a resilient team" one fan said as she was entering the stadium. "This is the first game, and it'd be a shame if the boys dug themselves into a hole." The game got off to a cracking start, with Tanner Grammy rifling a shot right above the David López's head in the 11th minute. This appeared to set the tone for the half, as Aggrey-Fynn Land kept the ball very well, moving past the Eagles with swift runs and pinpoint passes. However, the goalkeeper would not budge. Perhaps as a result of his gaffe earlier in the game, he was reluctant to allow any other goals in, and he did a good job of that in the first half. Despite the Wavy Ones controlling play, they went into half only up by a lone goal.

Maybe it was due to the inability to score again in the first half which fueled Gordon Whitlick's breakaway run past Cristopher Zapata and the chip over the keeper to put the Wavy Ones up another goal, 2-0. The High Tide was absolutely loving this show of dominance, and made their pleasure known with a roar as Whitlick's ball flew into the net. At this point, Aggrey-Fynn Land was firmly in the driver's seat, and they only pushed harder on the gas. Roman Kendrick put a solid header into the back of the net in the 64th minute, putting Aggrey-Fynn Land up 3-0. Whitlick made it a double in the 83rd minute, when he put a goal in the bottom right corner off of a one-two pass with R.J. Duval. Soon enough, the game was over; Aggrey-Fynn Land dominated with a 4-0 drubbing.

WAVY ONES FALL IN A GOALFEST
Aggrey-Fynn Land 3-4 Abanhfleft

GOAL: Whitlick (9')
GOAL: Luckless (13')
GOAL: Strong (43')
GOAL: Milan (47')
GOAL: Maganelli (53')
GOAL: Gaál (64')
GOAL: Rivera (79')

Aggrey-Fynn Land's next game was bound to be the hardest. They faced off against the best team in the group, Abanhfleft. "This game is crucial to both teams" the manager Simmons remarked. "Whoever wins will be in a much better position to advance to the round of sixteen." The game got off to a quick start, with Gordon Whitlick pinching the ball from the keeper and smashing it into the goal, giving the Wavy Ones the lead nine minutes into the game. However, the New Revolutionaries did not give Aggrey-Fynn Land much time to rest, as Luckless got the ball in a very promising position and delivered a composed finish to tie it up again. No team was able to gain an advantage over the other for a while; play stayed in the middle because of the work of both defensive units. As a result, the next goal would come from outside the box. Jones Strong recieved the ball from Johnson, started to stride towards the goal, and let loose an unstoppable shot from about 27 yards away. It hit the ground a few feet in front of the keeper, took a favorable bounce, and landed in the net. Aggrey-Fynn Land pulled ahead, 2-1, and went into the half ahead.

The Superstars had not shaken off the euphoria from Strong's amazing goal, and took their momentum straight into the second half. In the 47th minute, they got a corner. Milan got on the end of the ball and put a powerful volley into the net. The Wavy Ones went ahead 3-1. However, the New Revolutionaries were not out of it yet. Part of what set the Wavy Ones up for failure was the careless fouling that was starting to take place after they got a two goal lead. Maybe because of complacency, the defensive line became lazier, and gave Abanhfleft very nice chances to get back in the game, and they definitely capitalized on them. Mauro Maganelli had a great free kick opportunity, about 23 yards out. He deftly lifted the ball over the wall and past Jahseh Twins, bringing the gap back to one goal after just six minutes. About ten minutes later, Maganelli got another free kick, but this time farther out from the goal. He lobbed the ball over the wall, and Gaál put his head to the ball and put it into goal; everything was square again. In the 79th minute, Rivera received a one-two pass which gave him a one-on-one opportunity. He slotted it cooly past Twins into the bottom corner for the go-ahead goal. Despite Aggrey-Fynn Land's best efforts, the defensive unit of the New Revolutionaries would not give an inch in those final minutes, and Abanhfleft took the win, 4-3.

SUPERSTARS MOUNT A COMBACK
Aggrey-Fynn Land 2-1 The Selkie

GOAL: Urgharda (36')
GOAL: Duval (74')
GOAL: Johnson (86')

The Wavy Ones went into their final group game against The Selkie. A relatively new team on the multiversal stage, they have only played three games as a team (one of which was a loss to Bape-Supreme, a country directly south of Aggrey-Fynn Land). However, if Aggrey-Fynn Land lost today, they would open the door for The Selkie or San Regada to take their place in the Round of 16 (provided that either could top their +3 goal difference). Most fans were certain that the Superstars would breeze past The Selkie "Their team is inexperienced, and has not won a game to date" one Lander fan told us as he went to go buy some food at the stadium. "There's no way they can beat us! We will crush them!" However, Roman Kendrick's analysis of the opponent was a bit more composed. "Even though it's unlikely they will win, we don't want to take any chances that will put our position into jeopardy." When the game started, Aggrey-Fynn Land had control of the ball, and way running rings around the Lightning. They had chances on goal, but the keeper and the defense was handling them well. It was a matter of time before the Superstars scored. However, it was the Lightning that got the first crack, as Urgharda flew down the field with the ball on the counter, and hit a powerful shot to put The Selkie ahead. Aggrey-Fynn Land did not recover from such a shocking turn of events for the rest of the half, and the Lightning had their run of the play for the rest of the half. However, they couldn't get the brace. The game went to half with The Selkie leading, 1-0.

[Kel Assuk]

Cutoff!

 Scottopian Isles 0–1 Aggrey-Fynn Land 
 Tinhampton 2–0 New Danican 
 Abanhfleft 6–3 Spaam 
 Schottia 2–2 Flardania  (4–2 AET)

Quarterfinals Matchups
Aggrey-Fynn Land vs Tinhampton
Abanhfleft vs Schottia

[Union of Socialist Alpine Republics]

The Alpine Union beat Devonta!

Abalessa, Kel Assuk - (NAP) The Alpine Union beat the United States of Devonta 2-1 in the round of 16 of the Independents Cup 3 and qualified for the quarter finals against Bojikstan. The Reprezentacja Alpejski attacked at the 22nd minute when Sascha Welzmüller passed the ball to Pawel Wawrzynkiewicz who dribbled and passed to Amelia Zalwowska who passed to Zbigniew Zajaczkowski. Zbigniew Zajaczkowski shoots but the ball hits the post, Jean-François Kleineheismann takes the loose ball and shoots but the ball hits the cross bar, Amelia Zalwowska takes the loose ball and shoots but the ball hits the cross bar again, Yannick Ksiezniakiewicz takes the loose ball and shoots, it's a goal for the Bisons who takes a 1-0 lead! The Alpine Union attacked again at the 26th minute when Yannick Ksiezniakiewicz passed the ball to Sarah Schroffenegger who dribbled and passed to Jean-François Kleineheismann but Player #4 blocks the pass with a great tackle and the ball is loose. Player #3 takes the ball and passed to Player #7 who dribbled and passed to player #6 who dribbled and passed to Player #9 who dribbled and shoots from 30 meters it's a goal for the United States of Devonta. The first half ends with a 1-1 draw.

The Alpine Union attacked at the 64th minute when Yannick Ksiezniakiewicz passed the ball to Amelia Zalwowska who passed to the right to Jean-François Kleineheismann who made a cross to Zbigniew Zajaczkowski who shoots but Goalkeeper #1 made a fantastic save and the score is still tied. We're going to see this save again in the highlights of the week. The Bisons attacked again at the 81st minute when Krzysztof Januszkiewicz made a long pass to Jedrzej Kosciukiewicz who dribbled and passed to Jean-François Kleineheismann who shoots. The ball hits Goalkeeper #1's hands and goes over the net, it's a corner kick for the Reprezentacja Alpejski. Yannick Ksiezniakiewicz takes the corner kick, he kicks the ball and it goes directly into the net, it's a goal and the Alpine Union is leading 2-1!

The Alpine Union won 2-1 and will play against Bojikstan in the quarter finals. The winner will advance to the semi finals against either Mercedini or Kel Assuk.

BOXSCORE

22nd minute: Yannick Ksiezniakiewicz (unassisted)
26th minute: Player #9 assisted by Player #6
81st minute: Yannick Ksiezniakiewicz (unassisted)

YELLOW CARDS

Alpine Union: Przemyslaw Zawistowski
US of Devonta: Player #2, Player #7

RED CARDS

Alpine Union: None
US of Devonta: None

[Bojikstan]

The Rookies

Part Five. In which Artem finds Mara's demon.

“To arms, you patriot hearts! Arise, battalions form!
March on, MARCH ON!
Let blood so vile, be spilled, till victory’s won!”

The anthem wrapped up, and the sky was filled with fire as the Horda Azul fans shot firecrackers and other types of fireworks towards the pitch and the area between the pitch and the stands, letting off smoke that drifted towards the players and covered the area in a ghastly fog. The players headed back to the sidelines for the final instructions before the match would begin, but a few of them hung around and watched the scene. On the other end, the flashes were coming from cameras, as the journalists tried to capture the moment that represented the start of the biggest game in Bojikstani history. Artem Delacruz, one of the stars of the team, was one of the ones who just stood around and soaked it all in.

“It happened out of nowhere!
I fell in love with you!
There’s no way to explain it!
My heart is white and blue!
I’ll follow you forever! Until the end of time!
The voices of the Horda! Will never leave your side!
Ale ale ale! Ale ale ale!
Ale ale ale, blanco y azul ale!”

The lineups are being announced, but Artem can’t hear it over the noise of the crowd. Much of that noise is coming from the front row, where the Horda banner is prominently displayed with its large white lettering and its logo that displays a leather football in the same color. It’s the same section of the stands that Artem celebrated in front of, not too long ago. This time, though, he feels more pressure when he looks in that direction. This time, the stakes are higher, and if the entire nation wasn’t watching before, they are now. When the flares are thrown off of the pitch by the grounds crew, it’s finally time for the match to begin.

“Don’t do anything different today. Just do what you do, but step it up for the big stage,” Marco Christensen tells Artem, and the young forward nods and follows the rest of the team out into their formation.

The ref blows the whistle, and Artem takes off down the pitch after Niko Komarov passes the ball backwards to Eric Dern. The defense shifts towards him, but that’s fine. He’s good at finding gaps. He feels a hand on his back, but he pushes hard against it and faces the ball. “Eric!” he calls, and the playmaker spots him and lofts the ball over a couple of players, towards the box. Artem can’t reach it, but he is able to head it into the path of Niko, who fires it off of the gloves of North Quinton.

Artem takes a deep breath, and calms down a bit. He’s his usual self so far, and that’s a relief. Because if the team is going to make it out of this match with a win, they’re going to need him to go above and beyond his usual performance.

***

The final whistle blows, and the roar of the crowd is a deafening sound that makes Artem lose focus for a moment. The others are rushing from the bench to the center of the field, and the players on the pitch are running to meet them. The coaches hold their arms up in victory, and in relief. Making it out of the group was supposed to be impossible for this group of players, but now, they’ve done more than that. They’ve advanced. In the midst of all the chaos, Artem finds his twin and embraces her, congratulating her on her first international goal. “Mom is going to love it that I’m not the only scorer in the family,” he says, following Rain to the south stand.

“She’ll be happier if you lead us to the final,” Rain says, before bowing towards the stands along with the other players.

“Well, Mercedini defeating Bonesea makes that an easier task.”

When the players make their way back to the dressing room, Artem is the big star. He and Rain are the last ones through the tunnel, because the press wanted to ask them the most questions while they were still on the pitch, and when Artem steps into the room, the others cheer and launch their cups of energy drink at him. They don’t have a cooler to dump over his head, but getting hit with that many cups of drink at the same time feels the same. “Let’s have a round of applause for the player who scored one goal and two assists… I speak, of course, about Artem!” says Ricardo Hale, and the room follows him in bursting out in applause.

“Shit, guys, don’t make it awkward,” mutters Artem, but he’s grinning as he takes his wet clothes off and starts to change into one of his street outfits. “But thanks. Let’s just save all the celebrating for when we make the final. Bonesea isn’t in the bracket anymore, you know. Maybe the oddsmakers will finally give us a chance.”

“They never will, but we don’t care,” Niko scoffs. “We play well as underdogs, better than any of the other teams in this cup at least. It makes winning all the sweeter.”

“I’ve taught you well, Niko,” says Marco, watching from a distance as his players greet Artem and change for the press conference. He notices, out of the corner of his eye, that Mara Mandaric is hanging back from the others and not saying anything, but she eventually makes her way over to Artem when the others are dispersing.

“Hey,” she starts, catching his attention and taking a deep breath. “Can we talk quickly, before the press conference? There’s something I should get off of my chest. It’ll only take a minute or two-”

“It’s no problem, Mara,” Artem replies. “Let’s go out to the hallway, the others won’t be out for a bit.”

***

“What I want to say, is that I feel bad about what I said before. I didn’t really mean those things, you know. I’m just insecure about this, and I’m still not super comfortable around this group, and it kind of just slipped out. I do that a lot. Say things that I don’t want to say, I mean,” Mara says, leaning against the wall and looking at her feet while Artem scratches his head and tries to figure out what exactly she’s referring to. “And I hate saying this, but I’m sorry. Religion is just a sore subject for me, and when I was hanging out with you and Rain… Well, I thought that I’d found some friends that I could be with without that mattering, and it ruffled my feathers a bit to find out that you’re like the other easterners-”

“Mar, what are you talking about? I don’t even remember whatever it is that you said,” Artem says eventually, when it’s clear that Mara is going to keep going with her lengthy speech. “Whatever you’re talking about, it’s been bothering you more than it’s been bothering me.”

“Oh. Um… I was talking about the time when I said that religion is just something to oppress people with. And when I said that I thought you were too cool to be a Christian. I thought that it was the reason why we haven’t talked much lately. I just assumed that you were mad about that.”

Artem raises an eyebrow. “No, it wasn’t about anything like that. I’ve just been working on contract stuff. Talking with other players about moves, talking to the people back at Selta about a new deal, talking to this agent that Niko introduced me to. There’s also been the actual games, and it’s just been a blur. I’m not mad at you, Mara. Like I said, I couldn’t even remember what you were talking about.”

“I guess I should have apologized sooner, then, instead of thinking you were angry.”

“Why would I be angry? I’m not some zealot. I wear a cross on my chain, sure, and I get to church on Sunday if I’m not on the road, and I pay tithe, but I’m not going to cut you off because you have different opinions,” shrugs Artem. “You thought I would?”

“Yes. No offense. If you knew what my team, and what my parents, were like, then you would understand my paranoia.”

There’s awkward silence, and Artem asks a question that Mara had asked him not too far back. “Wanna talk about it?”

She chuckles, obviously surprised and flustered by the question. She shrugs, though, and nods. “My parents were always more into this kind of thing than you are. I mean we weren’t the kinds of Christians that just show up at the church on Sunday. They were always the types that went above and beyond. They’d take things further than everyone else, then judge others for not acting the same way, I’m sure you know what types they are. Dealing with them now is hard sometimes, but dealing with them back when I was still under their roof was almost impossible. It’s why I act the way that I do. Why I dress in black, and act like a rebel. Sometimes our arguments got physical. Sometimes I’d come home and find myself locked out of the house. I signed for Morievo because playing in a new city was my way of getting away from it all-”

The door at the end of the hallway opens, and the rest of the players emerge and start the walk to the press conference. “Artem, you can’t dodge the reporters today!” Niko shouts after passing the two and seeing that Artem didn’t move. “C’mon, just stay for the first few questions.”

“I already gave them a full interview on the pitch-”

“The BFF might fine you if you’re a no show, just saying.”

“Alright, alright,” Artem concedes, before glancing back at Mara. “You coming?”

“I think I’m going to head right to the bus. I’ll stop by to see you and Rain tonight, though. Maybe we can go looking for some food, or something?” Mara says, finally standing straight.

Artem takes a few seconds too long to reply. “...Yeah.”

“Please tell me that you aren’t actually lovestruck by Mara,” says Niko, punching Artem in the arm to get his attention. “You can do better than that. Way better. And she’s like, your coworker. You aren’t supposed to look at your coworkers like that-”

“Shut it, Komarov.”

“I’m just saying!”

“For some reason, I feel like I would never have a chance with her, anyway.”

---

B.S NETWORK: YOUR TRUSTWORTHY SOURCE
ANGRY ANTON'S RECAPS: BRITONISEA VS BOJIKSTAN, INDEPENDENTS CUP
Posted by AngryAnton

For once, there’s not too much to complain about with this team! The goals started early, and the offense stepped up enough that they were able to put the game out of reach and not force Lucas Alberg to protect a lead under pressure very late into the clock. Manager Marco Christensen said this after the match, while speaking to BSN reporters:

“This was maybe the first time that we’ve played like one country. Not East Bojikstan and West Bojikstan, but one country. The players didn’t watch each other’s backs before, because of regional lines. But they did on this stage. My focus going into the quarterfinals is protecting that unity. United we stand, divided we fall, and all that. However, creating that atmosphere is easier said than done, and reporters on the outside overestimate a manager’s ability to control it. I can talk to them, yes, but I don’t have mind control. I can’t remove years of bitter rivalry and even outright warfare. I can’t make them forget the civil war and how some of them fought in it, and saw friends and family die in it. It’s asking a lot for them to play on a unified team.”

The scoring opened up early, with Alexy Hesse tapping in a second minute cross from Artem Delacuz, who had kept the ball from going out of bounds and whipped it into the box. After one bounce, Hesse tapped it into the back of the net. I liked how active he was in that sequence and in the match in general, chasing the ball wherever it went and getting stuck in when the situation called for it.

Britonisea’s best moment of the match came about ten minutes in, when they took advantage of an overeager Bojikstani defense that butchered an offside trap and allowed Palmer Criswell to cut inside and receive a great through ball that resulted in a near instant goal. This time, it wasn’t Chico Suarez’s fault, but rather, it was Martin Brander who stepped back to ruin the offside line.

The score was 1-1 at the half, but the second of the two halves was where Bojikstan’s attack shined, and where for once, I don’t have something to rip on. Artem Delacruz scored a scissor kick, Niko Komarov put a direct free kick into the back of the net, and Rain Delacruz converted from range when the defense refused to close down on her, instead doubling up the coverage on Komarov. The flurry of goals came relatively soon into the half, also, which helped ease the late game pressure that the defense had been dealing with.

Now, the team will face the Alpine Union, with a spot in the semifinals on the line.

[Kel Assuk]

---

KEL ASSUK THROUGH TO INDEPENDENTS CUP QUARTERFINAL

---

The Kel Assuk national team upset the number 28-ranked team Drawkland at the National Stadium at the Queen Dihya Sports Complex in Marandet to advance to the team's first ever international football quarterfinal of any kind as part of its overall quest to finally qualify for the World Cup. The #64-ranked Addaxes rebounded after a grating loss to Britonisea in the third match of group stage play, which would have given the team a much better path to the semifinals, but with top seeds Bonesea out of the picture, it is much rosier for the Amalen national team. After losing to Abanhfleft in the second Independents' Cup Round of 16, they will now look to make the semifinals for the first time when they face Mercedini - but even this trip to the quarterfinals will be an accomplishment for this new team, who only marked their two year anniversary at the beginning of this tournament.

Drawkland, who qualified for the World Cup on their first and second attempts, one of the few to do so in recent World Cup history, looked imposing from the start, with the Drawkian players, who tend to be tall and thin, at least two feet taller, on average, than their corresponding Amalen counterparts, who tend to be short and stocky. The seven foot goalkeeper defending the opposition team's goal would mean that they could not rely on chips to keep her off guard; the team would have to aim for low shots. Most players and managers would probably be intimidated by this physical advantage, but Kel Assuk's manager Eric Desmond told his team to adjust their strategy to take advantage of their own physical advantages: agility and fleetness of foot, two attributes that the tallish Drawkians didn't have in abundance as Kel Assuk's players did. They would have to be low and close to the ground so the Drawkians couldn't use their physiques to their advantage.

The strategy seemed to work. Although the team conceded a goal early on, with Cam Cross taking a shot from ten meters out that easily curled past goalkeeper Aksil Saidi-Sief; the Northampton goalkeeper was unused to the raw display of power from the Lexington Victory striker, and the defense, for a moment, forgot their game plans and looked intimidated by the Drawkians. But as the match went on, they grew less and less intimidated as Desmond's strategy appeared to be paying dividends; the Drawkians could not manage to intercept fast, agile dribbling and passes between their legs that the Amalen sent forward, and it resulted in the solid win for Kel Assuk. Ashur Ben Hassi, Saden Khalej, and Seyni Ait Ahmed - the core of the team in the offensive midfield - all scored goals against the Drawkian defense, which was less adept at defending than Desmond, and his team, had thought initially. In all, it was a good win for the team, and one that should increase their confidence in the long run. If they can beat teams like Drawkland and Abanhfleft, they can beat anyone - this should be good news heading into the next World Cup qualification cycle.

The team will face Mercedini, a team that beat #2 seeds in the tournament and overwhelming favorite to set up a finals rematch with their archrivals Schottia on penalties and ranked #44 in the KPB system, with Kel Assuk ranked #64. With that in mind, the Mercedinian team is the nominal favorite heading into this match, although Mercedini's upset of Bonesea proved that anything is possible in this tournament. Mercedini will pose a tough challenge in any case, with young forwards Daniel Dostalok and Ben Chillotov complementing the team's star striker Sam Billic, a player who many argue is already top class. The team's new manager Elidyr Lyndainum, formerly Cenian boss, currently has a perfect record in competitive matches and a very strong record to start off his tenure - suggesting that he's been able to get the best out of his team so far. Whoever wins this match will be the favorite to advance to the final - the other quarterfinal is between Alpine Republic and Bojikstan, two unheralded teams that few would have picked to reach the semifinals.

Manager Eric Desmond says that the team will have to play at their best in order to defeat Mercedini. "Mercedini will be a very tough nut to crack, and it won't be easy for our Addaxes to advance. They're going to have to be at the top of their game to have a chance of pulling off the upset, but after the team's defeat of Drawkland, they're going to have the confidence they need coming into this match." But he warned that they must not be complacent. "We saw we were overconfident heading into the Britonisea match, and look where that brought us. We're going to have to find the right level of play, and the right mental side of things, in order to get this just right. It's a Goldilocks situation, and it's going to be very tough for us."

[Aggrey-Fynn Land]

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---

AGGREY-FYNN LAND SOLDIERS ON TO THE QUARTERFINALS

GOAL: Duval (83')

With a 2-1 come-from-behind victory against The Selkie, the Wavy Ones had locked in their place in the round of sixteen. They finished second in Group F, with two wins and one loss; three points behind Abanhfleft, the group leaders. Due to being the runner-up of the group, they traveled to the capital Paatukar to play the surprise winners of Group E, the Scottopian Isles. Many fans considered this the silver lining of being second; instead of having to play the hosts, Spaam, they were now playing a team ranked lower than them and were on the "easier" side of the bracket. "It's a blessing in disguise, I guess! We definitely got dealt a pretty good hand in the knockout rounds, it's up to the boys to fight onwards." was the opinion of one pundit on the Morning Sports Review. However, Jerry Simmons had a more composed outlook on a draw that seemed like the luckiest of lucky breaks. "Of the teams still around on the Spaam side of the bracket, more than half of them hail from the Top 50. Even if we don't happen to be playing one of those teams now, if we move on, sooner or later we will run into one of them. Until then, we play every game like it's our last."

The start of the game was full of gridlock, as both team's jostled to gain an advantage over the other. It was difficult for Aggrey-Fynn Land to get footing against such an in-form team. Luckily everyone seemed to have brought their A-Game. The ball mostly stayed in the middle to start; neither defensive unit wanted it to be on them if the ball went in. The possession was about equal. Both sets of fans were getting behind their team, trying to will a great chance into being. However, it was nothing doing as most of the half was just a back-and-forth battle in the middle. The Wavy Ones went into half tied 0-0.

In the second half, both teams possessed more urgency, as they realized that they were as close as 45 minutes away from a quarterfinal appearance. In addition, the airtight defensive play began to falter as the half went on. This was to the delight of both attacking units, as they finally had a chance to put their team ahead. But where the defense fell, the goalies stood tall, making a couple of incredible saves to keep their team in it. Time dragged on and neither team was able to bag a goal. However, in the 83rd minute, that would change. Tanner Grammy had a one-on-one chance with the goalkeeper, and he hit a strong ball to the right. However, the goalie predicted that, and hit the ball away. Luckily for the Wavy Ones, the ball fell right in R.J. Duval's path, and he hit a curling shot over the goalkeeper into the bottom left corner. This first goal was also the last; despite the opposition's best efforts, they couldn't get past Jahseh Twins for the next seven minutes. The game ended; the Superstars had won by the margin of one goal. They will travel yet again to play Tinhampton.

[Abanhfleft]

OOC: Continued from here.

This wasn't exactly the dream return to footballing action that Patricia Foulke had imagined it would be.

To be perfectly honest, Patricia, or "Fat Patty" as she was affectionately called by the Fleftic fans due to her very large stature, had managed to keep a clean sheet against Nephara in the second semifinal of the 70th Cup of Harmony, but that was only part of the story as Nephara had also managed to keep a clean sheet against Abanhfleft at the other end. Keeping the other team scoreless for ninety minutes didn't matter a single iota if her own team couldn't score over the course of the ninety minutes as well. Thirty more minutes of this shit, Patty thought as she spit into her gloves and rubbed them vigorously. I think I'm finally getting too old for this shit. Patty certainly felt very old when she had been knocked clean unconscious for a few seconds after a jarring collision with Kel Assuk's captain Seyni Ait Ahmed while Abanhfleft were defending a corner. Yeah, that game against Kel Assuk, the one where the fans thought that Abanhfleft were destined to fail once again. Nobody was expecting Abanhfleft to make it out of the group stage after that shock defeat to Kel Assuk. Then again, nobody was also expecting Yesopalitha to roll over for them so easily at that. In fact, people were predicting or thinking that it was Abanhfleft who were going to be rolling over for Yesopalitha. Oh, football can be such a fickle game anyway.

Patty Foulke was 35 years old and pushing the scales at over 15 stone. A quirk in her genetic makeup had ensured that Patty would have layers of blubber all over her body despite her best efforts to eat healthy and slim down. She had even taken the (for her anyway) extreme option of surgery in the form of both liposuction and gastric stapling but no matter what she did, all the pounds she lost she somehow gained in the exact same amount of time that she took to recover from her two surgeries. At this point of time, now that Patty was potentially looking at her last hurrah between the sticks for the Democratic Republic, she was beyond the point of caring. Fuck the haters, fuck the body shamers, fuck the fat shamers. This is my body and I'll do with it whatever the fuck I wanna do with it.

But being 15 stone still had its disadvantages, especially when it came to playing football. Patty Foulke obviously couldn't always come screaming out of her line like a bat from hell because of her weight, but when she did come running, opposing forwards crapped themselves at the sight of a 15-stone blonde bull charging right at them. But Patty couldn't do that everytime due to the simple fact that it was more effort than she could muster for a whole game so she saved it only for the special moments. Like when Penumbra Amokachi had been played through by Estrella Hawke in the dying minutes of the added time in the second half. Patty Foulke was prepared to swear in front of a judge and a jury that she could smell a faint foul odor coming from Amokachi after Patty had swept the ball away from her feet.

That had been the Nepharan strategy all game: get the ball past the defense and put pressure on Patty for ninety minutes. Amanda Warren, Miriam Hannibal, and Tonya Heaton were good defenders but they had a height disadvantage on them; well, the whole Fleftic team did. The Lady Revolutionaries' tallest player was Stephanie Bryan, and she was the reserve goalkeeper, the goalie who was only there to occupy the mandatory third goalkeeper spot in the official tournament roster. The tallest outfield player in the team was Amanda Warren and she was only five-foot-seven. Miriam Hannibal and Tonya Heaton were good runners but not the type to make a lung-busting run to stop a potential goalscorer from getting into a good position. Nevertheless, Abanhfleft proved in the ninety minutes that the people who said that the team that controlled the midfield were right.

So the Nepharim plan for the next thirty minutes would be to bypass the midfield altogether and pump the ball to the forwards, leaving the Fleftic defenders behind to catch up if they could. And that was how Nephara got the first goal of the game, two minutes into the first half of extra time, a long ball from Tanith Rainsford sailing over the Fleftic midfield and defense, taking them all out of the play, leaving only Estrella Hawke to run up the flank towards Patty and then smashing the ball into the roof of the net. One-nil to the Cormorants. Why couldn't Fleftic players make this same kind of shot when it was their turn to attempt a goal? Cecilia Johnson, Zakarya Bergkamp, and Prince William Luckless headed a long list of Fleftic players who had a attempted a roof shot only to see the ball bounce off of the crossbar. But when it was a person from another country trying to shoot from the same angle, they alwasy scored it the first time. It was almost unfair.

And it was perhaps not the time to talk about Nephara's second goal as well. It was much a similar strategy that the Nepharim took with regards to their first goal: long ball from their third over the heads of the midfield and the defense to eliminate them from the equation and wait for whoever receives the ball to smash it into the back of the net once again. Except this time Abanhfleft at least made an effort to make the second goal from Nephara a little bit more difficult for them to score. That time Ursula Rowan was in between Amanda and Tonya so Rowan had those two to worry about when she controlled the ball with her chest. Tonya went to ground quickly, a little to quickly for Patty's tastes, and soon she was left behind on the turf watching Rowan's legs and behind with a clear shot on goal. Amanda tried to put more pressure on her by chasing after Rowan but it was too late. Teams of Nephara's quality, once given the space and opportunity to strike, would take it in a heartbeat and more often than not, they converted those chances.

Oh, but Abanhfleft did try their best to salvage this game, send it to penalties. The last game against Soltsteed showed that Abanhfleft had the nerve to make it through a penalty shootout and Holly Jonasson was hoping that in that particular game, the Lady Revolutionaries could beat Nephara. But it wasn't to be. Nephara got what they wanted and they were going to hold on to it for dear life.

Well, it had to be fucking Nephara, hadn't it?

---

So it has come down to this. Holly Jonasson's last hurrah for the Fleftic women's national football team, before she would leave to take over as manager of Rayo La Presa Mujeres in La Liga Femenina in the Sultanate of Oontaz, was to manage the Lady Revolutionaries in the third-place playoff of the 70th Cup of Harmony. Their opponents were Buyan, a country which had disappeared off the face of the earth for a few years before coming back with a new government but most of the same players that had last competed for the country all those years ago. Buyan had dropped in the world rankings due to their inactivity but they were still a force to be reckoned with which was why Holly Jonasson had opted to field the strongest line-up that she had at her disposal. The only change that she made from the team that had lost to Nephara in the semifinals in extra time was that Stephanie Bryan would finally be standing between the sticks while wearing the uniform of the women's national team for the first time ever in her senior career. Stephanie had played games for the under-21 squads which competed in the Di Bradini Cup but this was the first time that she was going to physically represent the Democratic Republic at the senior level of football.

But while Stephanie Bryan appeared to have a good game between the sticks for Abanhfleft in the bronze medal game, attention was once again focused on Abanhfleft's forwards, specifically their Mythical Five of Chelsea Stuart, Alexandra Rousseau, Allison Torres, Lillian Prescott, and Adelaide Singh. After four consecutive games of finding the back of the net, the goals had dried up for the Mythical Five, and while Abanhfleft had managed to scrape past Soltsteed in a penalty shootout, this lack of goals had proven to be the difference as Nephara eventually emerged triumphant in the semifinals courtesy of two extra time goals from Hawke and Rowan. Not that Buyan themselves weren't lacking in goals. They'd had some scoreless spells themselves, and tonight looked like they would still be scoreless. The only problem was that Abanhfleft hadn't also scored in this game. Frankly, what Abanhfleft needed was a spark, something to light up their game once again.

That spark would eventually come from an unlikely source: Allison Torres. Sometimes, to make a spark, things needed to be just right. And that was how Sonny Torres would describe herself when she got her head on the right end of a whipping cross from Chelsea Stuart. Sonny would say that she had twisted her neck muscles just right and applied just the right amount of force from her forehead to the leather ball to steer it past the Buyanese keeper and despite the Buyanese defender who felt like he was Velcroed to her ass.

But, as everyone in Abanhfleft knew, a one-goal lead with twenty minutes left to play was never a good lead to have even though the fans were now instilled with a litte confidence by the way that the defense had managed to withstand the onslaught of the Soltsteeders, the Nepharim (at least over ninety minutes), and the Buyanese. But, miracle of all miracles, Abanhfleft held on to their one-goal lead and emerged as the winners. Holly Jonasson had gotten some fruit out of her labors after all, even though it may not be the fruit that she had wanted to reap after all her efforts.

In any case, Abanhfleft had preserved their reputation for getting third place in almost every sporting tournament that they entered. At the very least, it would keep those crazy terrorists from the "Real Fans" of Abanhfleft quiet until the next sporting tournament. Not that they had been rendered quiet after their botched attempt at publicity during the International Basketball Championships....

---

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INDEPENDENTS CUP 3: ABANHFLEFT VS SPAAM
By Malik Qazizadah


Abanhfleft's Hamad Ahmed Khaled in action against Spaam. (Courtesy of Crescent News Network Sports Channel/Andros Tasasa)

ABALESSA, KEL ASSUK - Abanhfleft secured a quarterfinals meeting with Schottia in the Independents Cup after the New Revolutionaries trounced the tournament co-hosts Spaam 6-3 on the night, with Prince William Luckless anything but as he bagged four goals as part of the Fleftic victory.

Luckless handed Abanhfleft an early lead with two rapid-fire goals in the space of five minutes; the first coming from a Garrett Krantz shot which the Spaamian keeper was able to tip only as far as Luckless' feet before the Duhblakk Rovers striker fired into the roof of the net, and the second arriving as a solo wonder goal from the forward on loan from Arsenal de Releinthi as he drove the ball into the bottom left corner.

Krantz finally got his just rewards for his assist for Luckless' first goal when Luckless repaid the favor and squared the ball to Krantz on yet another rushing move at the Spaamian goal, and Krantz couldn't miss the tap-in from a distance of three yards.

Luckless then capped off his first senior hat-trick just two minutes from the end of the half, this time heading in the inswinging cross from Arkady Rozier.

Spaam appeared to be making a case for the game turning into another ball game once again when Merlara Sehelin struck twice in the span of ten minutes, both assisted by Spaamian stalwart Alan Belmore, but as soon as Abanhfleft initiated the kick-off from Sehelin's second goal, Luckless ran with the ball towards the goal, surprising everyone including the goalkeeper, who could only stand rooted to the spot while Luckless rounded him and kicked the ball into the empty net.

Belmore then poked home Spaam's third before Hamad Ahmed Khaled completed the rout after heading in Mauro Magnanelli's corner kick.


Abanhfleft national team manager Ranulph Bustamante: This game had everything

Abanhfleft national team manager Ranulph Bustamante: "Well, this game had everything: goals, mistakes, fouls, saves, the whole nine yards. I'm very proud for Will [Luckless] for having gotten four goals. Who would've thought that he would be bringing home the ball in just the first half, eh? Anyway, credit goes to everyone in this team. They did what they were asked to do and they did it magnificently."

On Schottia, their next opponent: "Ah, now Schottia, they're a very formidable opponent. They're riding high on a wave of confidence after they made it all the way to the World Cup semifinals. We're going to have a very tough fight against those guys, I can tell you that. But I have faith in my boys. I'm confident in them. They can get the job done, just like they've always done."

Abanhfleft will face Schottia, the winners of the inaugural Independents Cup, in the quarterfinal of the 3rd Independents Cup.

                   ABANHFLEFT 6 - 3 SPAAM
LUCKLESS (19', 24', 43', 71')       SEHELIN (58', 69')
                 KRANTZ (31')       BELMORE (80')
               KHALED (90+1')

SPAAM
GK: 10 Inasys
RB: 3 Holamora (Orisys - 75')
CB: 3 Ilirith
LB: 14 Romenor
CDM: 11 Vallen
RM: 16 G. Ralora
CM: 2 Fenzana
LM: 15 B. Ralora
RW: 8 Rose (Kelphine - 73')
ST: 7 Sehelin
LW: 4 Belmore[/pre]

ABANHFLEFT
GK: 1 Cohen
RB: 2 Popov
RCB: 4 Khaled
LCB: 5 Gibson █ (Viger - 89')
LB: 3 Wayne (Feltner - 80')
RM: 6 Pearson
CM: 7 Kleinmann (Gaál - 61')
LM: 8 Magnanelli
RW: 11 Rozier
ST: 9 Luckless
LW: 10 Krantz █

MATCH STATISTICS
Possession
Abanhfleft: 55%
Spaam: 45%
Shots
Abanhfleft: 14 (8 on target)
Spaam: 8 (5 on target)
Corners
Abanhfleft: 7
Spaam: 4
Fouls
Abanhfleft: 13
Spaam: 12

[Schottia]

Down.
What time is it? You reach over for your phone, but it's not on the right side of your bed. No, it's you that's on the wrong side of the bed. Are you even in the right bed? Are you pissed again? You were pissed - past tense - the fact that your mouth is utterly parched is a telltale sign.

Now that you're waking up, you notice that it's not as dark as you previously though. There is a grey light falling softly on the room, like a blanket of snow on the hillside. Maybe it's just getting lighter, maybe the sun is coming up. Four or five in the morning maybe?

Switching to the vertical is a struggle but you make it. You stop for a moment and watch the other person sleeping in the bed you have just vacated. You notice the covers rising and falling slowly, rhythmically with their breathing, as they lie there peacefully.

It isn't easy to find your belongings, as you tiptoe silently across the soft bedroom carpet, hunting high and low for the missing garments. First you locate your jeans, but it's surprising just how difficult it is to put them on without making a sound. Sitting down and raising your feet in the air gets them up past your knees, and then a good deal of wiggling and tugging is required to get them over your hips. Next you find the first sock. Then your jumper comes into view by the window. Your shoes, with your phone and bankcard stuffed inside, thank fuck. Your t-shirt gets slung over your shoulder, your bra stuffed in your back pocket. You look round at the occupant of the bed, still sleeping silently. The second sock is nowhere to be seen, it'll just need to stay here as the soldier you left behind. The door is ajar and it makes it easy to slip out into the hallway unheard. There is the jarring sound of a heavier breath this time, and the sleeper shifts to one side as you leave - but crucially, they stay asleep.

beep-beep-beep beep-beep-beep beep-beep-beep

An alarm goes off, but further down the hallway. You quicken your pace, as you continue to creep silently. There is a dog basket at the top of the stairs, sat beneath a family photograph. You descend the steps staying on your toes, straining hard to avoid the inevitable creaky one. Pictures adorn the walls - watercolour paintings of the coastline.

There's movement up behind you. The sound of bedsprings squeaking and footsteps on the floor. A light comes on, indicating which door. You need to hurry. You are now downstairs and the front door is in front of you. No key in the lock. You look around. All the other interior doors are closed, you might not have time to find another exit. There's a bunch of keys on the side table. Too many to go through. The window then? Yes, it's going to have to be the window. More movement upstairs, you don't have much time. You pull the window open. Voices. Whispers. There's nothing else you can do so you throw yourself through the open window.

Where the fuck are you? How the hell do you get home? You're bum is now soaking wet from where you landed on the dewy lawn. But you don't have time to hang around. You need to run.

CMB

Corpse.

It wasn't until Connie moved, that she realised how stiflingly warm the hotel room was. She had mistaken movement in the net curtain as a breeze coming in from the window, but in reflection, it was more likely to be hot air rising from the radiator behind it. The room felt small, close, and narrow yet strangely tall, with the white of the walls, ceiling, and cornicing blurring together in the changing light. It was similar to the way a mountain could disappear in the clouds, or a church steeple could hide itself amongst the early morning haar.

How much time had passed? When did Ross leave? After he'd gotten past player number two on his list, Connie had lost the ability to even pretend to be interested. To his credit he'd kept going, delivering it as a monologue, while she kept her eyes fixed on the wall in front of her. She could only guess that she'd been left out of the squad for the New Danican match. Someone would have probably come and fetched her by now if she were in the side. They didn't know what to do with her - that was the problem. They were football coaches, not psychotherapists. If her mother knew what was going on, she would be going off her head about level of care. You left my mentally ill daughter in a hotel room by herself! Connie's parents hated her living overseas, and to be fair, they probably had good reason to worry.

'How are you feeling now?' Ross asked, his voice almost sounding alien as it broke the silence.

'How long have you been sitting there?' Connie asked. She felt her dry lips felt crack as she moved them.

'Ten minutes maybe.' Ross answered softly, but his voice still seemed to echo around the room. 'I didn't want to startle you.'

'I should probably get up?' Maybe she'd dosed off at some point. She moved her hands to her side and tried began the process of prising herself from the bed. 'I should go and...' Speech was a real struggle. ...'and apologise, and shit like that. Find out if I'm playing against New Danican?'

'Flardania.' Ross corrected her. 'And, I wouldn't worry about the apology, I don't think any one is...'

'What do you mean Flardania?' Connie was stiff, but she managed to turn herself round on the bed. She pushed her balled fists into her eye sockets and rubbed hard.

'We play Flardania tomorrow, in the last sixteen.' Ross answered, as Connie seemed to be physically straining, as she tried to understand.

'What day is it?' Her face was one of anguish, as she ran her hands through her hair. 'I just don't seem to remember being at the game. I think I'm losing my fucking mind!' A bit of an understatement.

'You weren't there.' Ross said nervously, his tone making Connie aware once again, just how frightening some people could find her. 'I did ask the Gaffer whether someone should look in on you, but he said to let you rest.' Ross tried a smile. 'You know I don't like to rock the boat...' An even bigger understatement.

'So I've been lying on this bed for twenty-four fucking hours!' Connie placed a hand to her crotch just to be sure she hadn't wet herself. 'How the fuck could that have been a whole day.' She placed her hand to her mouth; she hoped she wasn't going to cry. How the fuck could she lose such a big chunk of her life? She had no recollection of doing anything.

'Yeah, probably closer to thirty-six hours.' Connie could sense Ross was thinking about placing a hand on her shoulder, but didn't quite have the courage. 'It's not that bad though. One time I was out drinking with Chad and Paul on the Saturday, and I was so drunk I slept right through Sunday and got up again for training on the Monday morning.' He managed an awkward laugh. 'People do shit like that all the time.'

He was so naive it was almost sweet.

'The Gaffer wondered if you wanted to come down and maybe have some breakfast with the other players.' Ross tentatively added. 'Maybe see if you'd like to train this morning? I offered to go and ask you.'

'Yeah of course.' Connie answered quickly, rushing to her feet now to prove that she was fine, but her circulation was very low. 'Eh, thanks Ross. Give me twenty minutes, I'll have a shower and get dressed.' The Blue Coast striker was already on his feet and heading for the door.

'No problem, I'll see you down there.' He seemed determined to keep using a tone of voice, which suggested there was nothing unusual about the situation. 'It was good to see you again.'

Connie paused for a while, still unable to get her eyes to focus. 'You too,' she eventually nodded.

Reaching the bathroom sink, Connie was at last able to wake up properly, with help from some water. The contrast between her lifeless black hair, and the pastiness of her blood-drained skin, gave her an almost unearthly pallor. Her eyes were heavily bloodshot, and looked deeper snuck back than ever. Her lips were reduced to a thin, almost blue line.

Of course it was entirely feasible that she was dead? No, she wouldn't get off that lightly.

Schottia 4–2 New Danican
Line-up: Gould, Abner, Robertson, Souter, Carlin, Conjure, Bánach, James (Rexmont), Kella, Soria-Luna (Dornenberger), Renshaw (Glendening)
Goals: Luna (2), Renshaw, Rexmont

Schottia had already secured qualification going into the final group game, so it provided Lionel Mah with the chance to rest one or two players ahead of a potentially tricky last sixteen match. Esther Abner was back, with Louis Hordern slipping to the bench. Kllanen, Rexmont, Ünterhausen, and Martel Burns were all given a game off, with Robertson, Kella, Carlin, and Renshaw replacing them respectively.

Schottia looked fairly lively early on against the team ranked 108th in the world, with Liusaidh Kella and Nick James creating a fair few opportunities. Ross Renshaw went close with a header from a Kella cross, and Dilon Bánach hit the crossbar from the edge of the box, as the IAC-1 champions tried to get up and running. Schottia didn't have to wait long to take the lead, after a great solo effort from Camila Luna had Daniel Ingram well beat. Schottia didn't have it all their own way, and shortly before half time, the Lions pulled level thanks to a goal from captain Chance Morris, in probably their best spell of the match. In the second half the Auks responded quickly with a goal from Renshaw, before substitute Steven Rexmont fired in a wonder strike from the edge of the area, cutting in on the right. A freekick from Grayson Barnes gave Phil Johnson's side a glimmer of hope, but a second goal for Marine Coast United player, Luna, ensured Schottia kept their 100% record intact.

Schottia 2–2 Flardania (4-2 AET)
Line-up: Gould, Abner, Killanen, Souter, Ünterhausen, Conjure, Bánach (Morham), James (Addison), Rexmont, Kella (Martel-Burns), Renshaw
Goals: Renshaw, Kella, Martel-Burns, Morham

A lot of us had a feeling going into this match, that there wouldn't be a huge gulf between the two teams. With the utmost respect to the other sides Schottia had faced thus far, Flardania were a very different proposition. The side were ranked 19th in the world, and third in the this tournament. Things were made worse for Schottia by the fact that Camila Luna was out of action nursing a knock picked up against New Danican, while Corinne Martel-Burns was surprisingly left on the bench, as rumours of a mystery illness continue to grow. Ross Renshaw kept his place in the starting line-up, with Liusaidh Kella given the tough job of replacing form player, Luna, in the number-ten role.

Things couldn't have went much better for Schottia in the opening five minutes, with a headed goal from Ross Renshaw giving them an early lead. The Blue Coast forward looked a real handful up front, and showed some good awareness to prod home a Kella pass. Schottia didn't have long to celebrate however, with Renée Guidice pulling Flardania level a couple of minutes later. The match was a real battle and hung in the balance for much of the 90 minutes. There were chances at both ends, and couldn't have come as a huge surprise when disaster struck, as Son Dae Han gave the nation from Atlas the lead. Schottia were forced to knuckle down, and crank up the pressure, with Steven Rexmont going close before Kella showed us why she is so highly rated, with a well-taken equaliser. The match went into extra time, and much to the Schottic fans' excitement, top goal scored Martel-Burns was finally introduced to the proceedings. Despite a couple of lazy first touches, and fluffed shots at goal, the Polaris striker did what she does best, blasting in a Renshaw layoff to give her side the lead. With Flardania understandably committing men and women forward, Schottia were able to seal the win as Krista Morham got a first international goal to send her side into the last eight.

[Mercedini]

Independents' Cup Round of Sixteen Review
@ Adel Bagrou Stadium - Adel Bagrou, Kel Assuk

Hell and welcome back to our coverage of the third Independent's Cup being co-hosted by Spaam and Kel Assuk, we are back at the Adel Bagrou Stadium in a slightly later than billed programme where Mercedini have just finished their match against footballing juggernauts Bonesea. We are back outside the stadium in our usual media spot and with the fans currently piling outside of the stadium, if you can match up the nationality with the emotion, you can probably guess what has happened inside the stadium. The knockout stages are well and truly underway and we will be giving you all of the action in tonight's match plus what that means for the quarter-final draw going forward for what is turning into a rather interesting Independent's Cup.

Independents' Cup: Unbelievable Jeff

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FINAL SCORE (AET)

IAC | R16

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MERCEDINI 1
Catessic 75'
BONESEA 1
Codd 53'

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Penalties

Mercedini

Nymark •
Alotic •
Dosic •
Presic •

Bonesea

Codd •
Tyree •
Clapp •
Banda-Scrote •

---

Adel Bagrou, Kel Assuk

The Golden Eagles finally got past their Baptism of Fire co-hosts and friendly opponents in Bonesea at the third attempt after an agonising two hours of football plus a penalty shootout. It was billed to be the blockbuster tie of the round with two Pot 1 sides thrust together before time with Bonesea finishing second and Mercedini winning their group which set up a tie which many people weren't expecting to see until the quarter-finals or the semi-finals, and it lived up to that billing with chances a plenty as well as a lot of up and coming footballing talent on display after both nations decided to keep some of their main players out of the firing line for the tournament. After a 2-0 friendly win and a 5-1 win in the semi-finals of the last IAC Championships, many Mercedinians see this as revenge for what happened in the last championships, even if the two nations remain friendly with each other. The win means it's the first time Bonesea have missed out on a final at this tournament and is also that Mercedini have made it to their second successive quarter-final. All things to think about for the next match against hosts Kel Assuk, who beat Drawkland who were the second highest ranked team, opening the door for Mercedini to sneak through to their first final.

It was the Adel Bagrou Stadium which set the stage once again for the Mercedinian team as they looked to cause an upset against what many people considered a Bonesea B-team. The current reigning champions had a shocker in their opening group matches, losing to the Alpine Union on MD2 which opened the door for the other teams around them, they finished in second which is why we are here today playing the World Cup regulars and one-time Cup of Harmony champions. The match started as you would expect from these two high ranking clubs, high quality football being the meal of the day with the midfielders jostling for position, the attackers looking for a way through and the defenders trying to cover the passes through in order to preserve their clean sheet. Two teams who were fairly familiar with one-another seemed to have cancelled each other out in the match with neither team forcing the initiative in the opening five minutes. The one thing that would probably define the match would be the playing style of the Boney players, what is described by the Boney fans as 'Greasy Churning' but what others would call 'Assault' set this match apart from the other matches being played on the day. The rough tackling and man-handling seemed to have shocked the Mercedinians but they soon gave as good as they got as the match progressed, something which wasn't developed in the two previous matches between the teams. Yellow cards were dished out like napkins at a barbeque due to the over-zealous nature of the playing style, but there were still plenty of encouraging play at both ends of the pitch. Osma Codd was the eye-catcher on the Boney team with their scything dribbling combined with a fierce shooting boot in their locker meant they were the one to watch when it came to the Boney fans looking for a goal for their side. At the other end, Dostalok and Alotic were fairly isolated at their top end of the pitch due to the wacky Boney formation in effect, that meant the midfielders were out to rescue their strikers, giving them balls to work with as well as carving out the space for the team to work in. Both teams had aspects to work and build on, but the wildly contrasting styles of play meant a rather in cohesive first half came to an end with no goals and everything to play for. The teams went on 0-0, with both teams with work to do if they won't to complete their performances for the fans.

After a short break, the teams were back out for he second half with both Bonesea and Mercedini seemingly conjuring up a game plan to send their team through to the IAC quarter-finals. For Mercedini, their passing play down the wings allowed them to create space and the send a dangerous ball into the Boney box, which has limited effect. Meanwhile, Bonesea went as direct as you could go with balls over the top, through balls down the middle along with heavy tackles and high pressure was the tactic that the management picked for them. In the second half, it was the pitch which came to define the match with the hard, dry and muddy pitch favouring the pass and play movement of Mercedini while the hard tackles and wrestling from the Bonesea players weren't rewarded with their tactics as the hard floor would hit hard against any tumble the players would make, something which would come into play later on. Despite Mercedini being favoured by the pitch, they were undone by a simple ball over the top which beat the defensive line and sent the dangerous Ogma Codd on their way towards the goal. An errant touch initially took the ball out of her feet but she controlled it well and guided the ball low into the net for the opening goal a mere eight minutes into the second half. It was against the run of play at the time which displeased the Mercedinians, but the Boney players and supporters didn't care, they were well on their way to a ridiculous second successive final at this tournament. Mercedini had to regroup after a crushing blow to their tournament chances, the draw gods hadn't served them well but they had to make the best of it in order to avoid a hat trick of losses against this top ten team who have risen to stratospheric heights since their debut a mere four cycles ago. Time continued to tick on and the Mercedinian fans were growing impatient with their teams seemingly static movement on the pitch. I mentioned that the pitch was dry and hard, and it was about to effect the match and turn the tides all on it's own. Nobb Jones was acting like a bit of a knob and gave away a free kick after wrestling with Vaselko down the wing, Nobb took a bit of a tumble after the whistle went and must have fallen on his shoulder against the hard turf, he had to go off the pitch for treatment on the side-line but the free kick stood which meant Bonesea had to defend with ten for the moment. The free-kick was lofted in by Presic with all the players jostling each other for a good chance to claim the ball, a Boney player headed the ball high but not clear, this lead to Dosic winning the second ball and Catessic to scuff the ball home into the net under immense pressure from the rest of the team. The equaliser had been coming but Mercedini were made to work for it even if they were fortunate that their opponents were a man down when the crucial free kick was taken. Now, the teams were level and time was ticking away faster than the opponents had anticipated. Mercedini were coming forward with a new lease of life and thought they had taken the lead in this whirlwind of a match, he dribbled his way around two players before bundling into a player while taking his shot, it seemed like fair game form where we were sitting but the referee thought differently and blew his whistle before Dostalok could wheel away and celebrate. That was a dampener on what was a tremendous performance from Mercedini, but when the referee blew his whistle the teams were level, which meant extra time for the fans and viewers.

After the teams had finished their bottles of water, the physicians has massaged the muscles of their now tiring players and the fans had returned from the stands after a topsy-turvy match between the two teams which would only get topsier and turvier from here. By now, the teams were on their last legs which meant substitutions came to replace their more hard working players to get some fresh legs on the pitch. Action was few and far between in the first half of extra time, night had fallen a long time ago and the wind was picking up drastically from the start of the match which led the ball to do weird things. The fans were getting a bit tired so vocal support had died down somewhat but that didn't mean that the fans weren't cheering their team on when they went forward. The goal scorer, Codd, looked to get their second of the match but was denied multiple times by the keeper, the first was a header from a fast cross which was aimed straight at Polasic, while the second was a half-chance on the edge of the box which was low and swerving but Polasic was equal to it yet again and guided it around the post. Not much else to speak of, as the teams went in still level with only fifteen minutes left till a penalty shootout.

Second half of extra time came and a multitude of factor drove this to being the dullest of period in the match. Tiring legs and high winds blowing sand were all contributory factor to a drab final fifteen minutes in the match. None of the key players bothered to show up for the second half f extra time which didn't please the fans, although most people did expect that such a tight game did go to penalties. The nerves were ramped up a couple of notches as the referee blew the final whistle for the end of the match as we knew it, with the teams still level at one-all. Mercedini's first ever penalty shoot out would need to decide who wins this tiring yet terrific match.

The next ten minutes would send one of the Pot 1 sides home and with the last two hours of football being a credit to the sport, I think many of the fans of both sides would be happy with their nation's performance regardless of the result. Mercedini had pushed a top ten nation all the way but there was still time to but the icing on a rather sandy cake. Nymark kicked off proceeding with a confident stroke to his right which settles any nerves that the fan may have had at the start. Codd, who had arguably been the player of the match, matched the opening strike with a converted penalty on their own, Alotic gave Mercedini the lead again with a ball blasted down the middle to make it 2-1 in the shootout. Bonesea's Tyree was next, they looked nervous and those suspicions were quantified as a shaky shot rebounded off the post with the keeper certainly beaten. That was the gift Mercedini needed and they pounced upon it as defender Liam Dosic coolly rolled the ball into the net to put two between themselves and their opponents. The job wasn't done yet as Clapp kept Mercedini within touching distance by converting down the middle. Presic was next, he looked nervous and nearly did a carbon copy of his Bonesean counterpart and hit it off the post, but fortunately for himself and his team it went off the post and in to re-establish their two goal cushion. Banda-Scrote was the fourth Boney player to step up and take their penalty. They stared each other out for a long time before a short run up was taken, it was the right height and the right distance for Polasic to make a save and send the players and the fans into ecstasy. Mercedini were through on a penalty shootout, 4-2 the final score.

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With that, we bid you goodnight from the Adel Bagrou Stadium where the players and the management have all made history tonight with a first win against a top ten team in Bonsesea. We have to wrap up as it's getting late from here but we hope you can join us for Mercedini's next match against the hosts Kel Assuk. From Adel Bagrou, goodnight!

[Spaam]