AOCAF LIVe :: Roster | RP | Scores

by **Tropicorp** » Tue Aug 29, 2017 3:34 am

Vilita & Turori Goalie Prospect Steals the Show

Tropicorp Park, Tropicoast, Tropicorp :: It was a big day for the Scientists, Engineers and Researches for Tropicorp and Cocoabo Park as their first planned public test of an integrated Cocoabo - Citizen squad was about to begin.

The Citizen v. Cocoabo headlines were all over the place during World Cup 78 Qualifying as the Turori National Team struggled to get grips on the best path forward. While the Citizens crashed out of the World Cup Finals, the Cocoabo were in Vekaiyu earning a Silver Medal in the Olympics in their debut performance.

They did briefly try an integrated squad, but only introduced a Cocoabo Goalkeeper for Turori's final World Cup 78 matchday victory over eventual Runners-Up Eura.

This time, however, data would be collected. There was one researcher absent from the Techies lineup against Ngolia, however, and that was the Goalkeeper. Instead of a wise looking scientist or a tinkering engineer it was the young 15 year old Hanauma Ranbomahi. Being scouted by both the Vilitan and Turorian National teams, Ranbomahi was invited to join the Vilita & Turori National Team camp for AOCAF 54 but was not assured any playing time. Instead, Ranbomahi decided to join up with the Tropicorp team and has been named their Starting Goalkeeper for all 3 Group Stage Matches It is expected that Ranbomahi will give way to either Cocoabo #86 or Cocoabo #87 at half time of each Group Stage match. Since Tropicorp is a quasi-governmental non-WCC entity, Ranbomahi has already received assurances that their participation on the Tropicorp squad would not invalidate their ability to be called up to either the Vilita or Turori National team in the future for World Cup matches.

It wasn't all about playing time, however. Ranbomahi is the first Tropicorp-born player to invited as part of the Vilita & Turori National Player Pool and it is a fact that the young Hanauma takes pride in. Pulling on the Techies uniform for the first time, Ranbomahi put up a perfect performance in the opening 45 minutes as Tropicorp went into the half up 2-0 over Ngolia. As the team exited through the tunnel for their half time break, it was high fives all around for Ranbomahi who knew they would not be returning for the second half.

Cocoabo #86 eventually played goal in the second half, conceding one tally and making the final scoreline a little closer than Tropicorp Officials would have liked, Tropicorp still being victorious on the opening matchday.

Overall the Cocoabo Defense did well whether it was Ranbomahi or Cocoabo #86 calling the shots behind them and provided good distribution up to the Citizen midfielders. Up next for the hybrid team - Midfielders, taking the field in the prime-time matchup at Tropicorp Park against Eshan on MD2.

by **Tropicorp** » Tue Aug 29, 2017 7:29 am

Matchday 2

--- COCOABO ZONE ---
Group 1
Royal Kingdom of Quebec [3] Demot [0]
Click Here to choose the venue
Komarov-Thomiya [0] Cosumar [1]
Click Here to choose the venue

Group 2
Iskandervale [4] Rossaline [0]
Click Here to choose the venue
Osarius [3] Starblaydia [0]
Click Here to choose the venue

Group 3
Tallaga la Falla [0] Blackmont [1]
Click Here to choose the venue
Blouman Empire [0] Chromatika [2]
Coliseum of the Inurahtii, Inura, Turori

Group 4
Valanora [3] Lisander [1]
Click Here to choose the venue
Euran Oceania Territories [1] Qasden [3]
Cocoabo Park Arena, Cocoabo Park, Cocoabo Forest

--- TROPICORP ZONE ---

Group 5
Mriin [3] Oceanian Spaam [3]
Click Here to choose the venue
Semarland [1] Vilita & Turori [3]
Turoki National Stadium, Turoki City, Vilita

Group 6
Ngolia [0] Kebec [0]
Click Here to choose the venue
Tropicorp [1] Eshan [1]
Tropicorp Park, Tropicoast, Tropicorp

Group 7
Legalese [4] County Davidson [1]
Click Here to choose the venue
Oontaz Dert Li Ng [2] Krytenia [0]
Colonial Field, Sile, Vilita

Group 8
95X [6] Ctulhtii [1]
Tropicorp Training Ground, Tropicoast, Tropicorp
Equestrian States [2] Farfadillis [5]
Click Here to choose the venue

-------Group A----             P  W  D  L GF-GA     GD  Pts
[1] Royal Kingdom of Quebec    2  1  1  0  5-2    +3   4
[2] Cosumar                    2  1  0  1  1-1    +0   3
 3- Demot                      2  1  0  1  1-3    -2   3
 4- Komarov-Thomiya            2  0  1  1  2-3    -1   1

-------Group B----             P  W  D  L GF-GA     GD  Pts
[1] Osarius                    2  2  0  0  6-1    +5   6
[2] Iskandervale               2  1  0  1  5-3    +2   3
 3- Starblaydia                2  1  0  1  2-3    -1   3
 4- Rossaline                  2  0  0  2  0-6    -6   0

-------Group C----             P  W  D  L GF-GA     GD  Pts
[1] Chromatika                 2  2  0  0  5-1    +4   6
[2] Blackmont                  2  1  0  1  2-3    -1   3
 3- Tallaga la Falla           2  0  1  1  1-2    -1   1
 4- Blouman Empire             2  0  1  1  1-3    -2   1

-------Group D----             P  W  D  L GF-GA     GD  Pts
[1] Qasden                     2  2  0  0  9-2    +7   6
[2] Valanora                   2  2  0  0  6-1    +5   6
 3- Euran Oceania Territories  2  0  0  2  1-6    -5   0
 4- Lisander                   2  0  0  2  2-9    -7   0

-------Group E----             P  W  D  L GF-GA     GD  Pts
[1] Vilita & Turori            2  2  0  0  8-1    +7   6
[2] Mriin                      2  0  2  0  4-4    +0   2
 3- Semarland                  2  0  1  1  2-4    -2   1
 4- Oceanian Spaam             2  0  1  1  3-8    -5   1

-------Group F----             P  W  D  L GF-GA     GD  Pts
[1] Tropicorp                  2  1  1  0  3-2    +1   4
[2] Eshan                      2  1  1  0  3-2    +1   4
 3- Kebec                      2  0  1  1  1-2    -1   1
 4- Ngolia                     2  0  1  1  1-2    -1   1

-------Group G----             P  W  D  L GF-GA     GD  Pts
[1] Oontaz Dert Li Ng          2  2  0  0  5-1    +4   6
[2] Legalese                   2  1  0  1  5-4    +1   3
 3- Krytenia                   2  1  0  1  2-2    +0   3
 4- County Davidson            2  0  0  2  1-6    -5   0

-------Group H----             P  W  D  L GF-GA     GD  Pts
[1] 95X                        2  2  0  0  8-2    +6   6
[2] Farfadillis                2  2  0  0  8-2    +6   6
 3- Equestrian States          2  0  0  2  3-7    -4   0
 4- Ctulhtii                   2  0  0  2  1-9    -8   0

For those who have not completed the Roster Challenge or the MD1/2 Challenge yet, you may still do so on subsequent matchdays.

Roster Challenge: Include on your Roster at least one player who either plays in another AO Nation (or, has a story of historical lineage to another AO Nationality)

MD 1 RP Challenge :: Post a picture of a Postcard that would be found in your nation; See the "Postcards!" thread on the AO Forum for some inspiration. Double posting your creations here and there is encouraged!

MD 2 RP Challenge :: National Holidays; Incorporate one of your nations National Holidays into your RP, or present its recognized holidays. Posting a summary list of your National Holidays in the thread on the AO Forum is encouraged!

MD 3 RP Challenge :: Nation Name Origin; What is the origin of your Nation's Name? Cross-posting in the thread on the AO Forum is encouraged! :: OR :: (for the graphically inclined) Weird Road Signs from your Nation; Show us what weird or unique Road Signs might be found in your nation, and what they mean!

by **Tomikosan** » Tue Aug 29, 2017 8:30 am

From the POV of Marcus Braeskan

Dammit, I've lost! My team had hold it for so long and now they screwed up, big time. I can't believe this whole thing about bringing in young players can't even work. How can this happen? How in lord's hell do we lost by just a single goddamn goal!? Good god, such an awful game. I thought the defence can notch up after the draw. I thought the attacking form is consistant after the last match. Oh man was I so wrong!

Now how am I going to explain this to President Nagata, if he saw this kind of result? I understood that we get smacked, like 5-0 or something, but even that one goal can cost us a qualification and throw us out of the competition. I expect a win here, not a loss! It's that simple, yet you messed so badly that we need to secure a win against Dermot! I am hoping for a 2-0 and up, and Consumar to lose against Quebec. If not, I am done for it!

by **Blackmont** » Wed Aug 30, 2017 1:34 pm

The Rookies

Part Ten. In which they talk about uncomfortable subjects.

“I wish I could tell you that things will pick up for you if you give it a bit of time and hang in there, but that's a lie. That's something that people who haven't actually been at rock bottom say, because if they had ever been in that place, they would know that time can't heal every wound. Some things take more intentional effort, and some things leave a scar. I wish I could tell you how to get rid of those scars, but at this point, I still haven't dealt with my own. Being a member of the Blackmont nobility is the source of most of the good things in my life, and yet, my title has sometimes left me wishing that I was just a commoner, or that I hadn't been born at all. Either scenario would leave me without the problems that are exclusive to those at the top of society. I know that sounds… Ungrateful. And you're most likely upset with me for saying something like that, as you are someone who, and I don't mean any offense by this, comes from nothing. You would probably kill for my title, I'm sure.”

“I'm not offended. I might not understand, but perspective is important, I guess. If you've never had to see what the trenches are like in a civil war, if you've never had to fear for your life in a poor part of a beaten down city… Your struggles that the rest of us would consider petty will seem just as big as those things, to you,” says Rain Delacruz, walking along one of the innermost battlements at Blackmont Palace, where all of the nobility was gathering for the celebration of Crown Day, which marked the restoration of the Blackmontese monarchy and the withdrawal of Gallian colonialism. They were still a territory of Gallia, of course, but the one difference between then and now was that they now had a degree of independence and they now had their own rulers, not foreigners from Rushmore who were elected by a separate people.

“Yes. My own struggles may not have threatened my life in that way that yours have, although the affairs of the royals can sometimes result in blood being spilt, but who is truly better? The proud soldier with an unbroken fighting spirit and the camaraderie of his brothers in arms, or the royal who has everything but finds no happiness in it? The royal who has to put on a happy face for her people, but who is a totally different person around her innermost circle and her closest kin?”

Rain and her noble acquaintance stop walking when they reach the point where they can see Blackmont City in the distance, and they lean against the edge of the battlement and stare off into the distance, somewhat absentmindedly. “What's not to like about your title, though? It's Lady of Red Mountain, right? You have a whole city under you. And you're heir to North Blackmont, if I read all the information on the nobility correctly.”

“You did. But let me tell you this, Rain. There's only a few powerful people in this nation, and the rest of us are all just cogs in the machine. The people of North Blackmont were once proud and free, and we once flew our own banner. But the Lion is more powerful than the Rooster, and thus their sigil is now raised in North Blackmont, reminding us of who really controls these lands. You don't know how my family gained their prominence, do you? Not many seem to remember the correct story.”

“I can't say that I do remember, even though I did my research. I'm sorry,” said Rain, noticing the emotional twinge that her friend’s voice now had.

“No, don't be, because you wouldn't know unless you were from here. Some people that are from here don't know. But the real story is that the two parts of Blackmont went to war. The two major cities did, and the two houses that rule those cities. House Mundell, and House Caroline. And you know what happened? They stormed into Red Mountain within months of the war starting, they put down the northern armies, and then they looked for the one major house in the city that hadn't raised their banner against them. They found us, House Baine, and saw that we hadn't raised our banners for Red Mountain, despite controlling the finances for House Caroline. We're in power because we sold out everyone who supported us, when the time came for the bloodiest event in Blackmont history.”

“Didn't that happen a really long time ago? Way before you were born?”

“Yes, and the effects of it are still here. Let me ask you, Rain, who really has power? The nobles in Red Mountain who gained their status by bending the knee when everyone else fought to the death? It's a farce. The fact that we’re here today to celebrate the Blackmont crown shows that all of us from House Baine are just what I said we are, cogs in the fucking machine that the Mundells have forced all of us into. And don’t ever tell anyone what I’ve told you, but just between you and me, House Adair feels the exact same way. After all, they were the only house to fight the Mundells at one point and still remain one of the major ones.”

“You’re saying that you don’t like being a royal because you’re just a puppet for the King.”

“I’m saying there’s a lot of drawbacks to living the noble life, that most people don’t see, and that there’s barely a benefit for someone like me. I’m saying that life as a commoner is way more simple, and that even though you’re from a worse place than me, I can understand everything you’re going through.”

Rain raises an eyebrow, thinking back to earlier. “I never told you what I was going through.”

“But when you, your brother, and your friends Mara and Niko were at lunch with us, you said that you were tired of everything. You didn’t say that you were sad, angry, or anything like that. You specifically said that you were tired, and those aren’t the words that a happy person says. Those aren’t the words that someone says unless they’re going through something. Trust me, I know.”

“You’re sure showing a lot of interest in someone you’d never met before this week.”

“You remind me of myself, that’s why. And besides, we’re both footballers. It makes sense for us to look out for each other. I think I can make an accurate guess that football is one of the things that keeps you sane. It keeps your mind off of other things.”

There’s a long pause, before Rain speaks up again. “So, what are your scars? What makes you think we’re the same?”

“You think I trust you enough to tell you.”

“I don’t know, but you’re the one that interrupted my training to bring me out here to the palace, to talk about… Life. I was doing a good job keeping my mind off of the shit. Plus, you can’t tell me that we’re alike and then not say anything about why. Not fair.”

“Let me flip that question. What are your scars? Why aren’t you on top of the world, after gaining fame from that Independents Cup run?”

Rain shrugs, still staring into the distance. “I don’t know.”

“Don’t know, or don’t want to tell?”

“Sometimes I feel bad about the civil war.”

“And?”

“What do you mean, and?”

The other woman doesn’t respond, and Rain eventually speaks again. “I feel bad about the civil war, and sometimes I think about my life choices and wonder what the hell I’m even doing with my life. You might have seen that MMA fight in Gallia, the one where I barely made any cash but I fought anyway, because it gave me a rush. But most people don’t realize that I cried myself to sleep that night, even though I won, because it made me ask myself, what the fuck am I even doing? Why am I out here hunting for an adrenaline rush? Why the fuck am I so insecure that I had to put on a luchador mask and beat the shit out of someone to prove myself… Not to others, but to me?”

“And?”

“You still want to hear more? I’ve basically given you my life story!” Rain says, her voice raising. “If you want to know something, just ask, but don’t have me tell you everything that’s wrong and then ask for more?”

The woman shrugs. “I’m just waiting to see if you say what I think you were going to say, because I want to see if I’m right about us being the same.”

“Yeah, well, you’re never going to know the full story about me, because I’m too fucking insecure… You know what, fuck it. Fuck this, fuck talking to people about my problems, and fuck your sympathy. I was wrong. You can’t understand this. You’ll never understand me! We’ll never be the same, because you were born in an ivory tower and I was born in a fucking inner city hospital where there’s far more gunshot victims than babies! And that world is all I’ve ever known! Don’t tell me that we’re the same, when your family watched from the sidelines of your conflict, and me and my brother were in the trenches for ours!”

The woman can tell that she struck a nerve, and she shrugs and makes an apologetic gesture. “I’m sorry. I really just wanted to give you advice. I wanted to save you from some of the pain that I went through when I was younger, but if you don’t want the advice-”

They’re interrupted when someone else steps onto the battlement. “Lady Brigid, you’re wanted in the main hall for the Crown Day preparations,” says a man that Rain recognizes as being from the Blackmont football team. “Please come quickly. You know how the Mundells get when their subjects aren’t on time.”

“Thank you, Sir Hannon. I’ll be there in five minutes.”

The knight leaves, and Brigid turns back to Rain. “Know that I’m a friend and that the North of Blackmont has the same plight as the east of Bojikstan. If you want to talk further, you have my number. If not… Good luck with the rest of your life.”

Rain nods without a word, and follows Brigid as she leaves to prepare for Crown Day.

***

“You’re looking very glum for someone that’s on vacation and staying in a nice mansion, Rain,” says Artem, following his sister out of the house as the group gets ready to make the walk to the palace, for the Crown Day festivities. “It’s a holiday, too. Why not lighten up? What could be better than heading to a giant party with all your friends? You normally love this kind of thing.”

“I’m not feeling like myself, lately. And I had this weird conversation with Lady Brigid.”

“Brigid Baines? The one that plays for the Blackmont football team?”

“Yeah. That Brigid. She tried to give me some advice because she thought that we were the same, and that she had been through similar things in the past. But she never told me the whole story with her. Just that she was unhappy and that I reminded her of herself. She tried to get me to open up more, and well… I can’t stop thinking about that conversation.”

“Why’s that? If her advice wasn’t good, why is it still bothering you?”

“What if it is? She was talking about healing from scars… Scars of the mental sort, but I said that she could never understand me because she’s a noble and I’m from the slums. But what if she’s right and I’m going about this wrong and-”

“Why don’t you just talk to her some more, if you’re worried about that?”

Rain sighs, grabbing her hair in frustration. “Because she gives me weird vibes and I hate talking to her! But at the same time, I know I should be listening to her! I just know that she’s not going to tell me what I want to hear, and that… Talking to her, talking about myself to her specifically, is going to bring me a lot more pain before it makes me better.”

Artem grabs his sister by the shoulder, pulling her aside. “You okay? You want to stay in tonight instead of going to the palace? I’ve been busy with my career and with dealing with Niko, I didn’t realize that you were going through things and that you were feeling pain. You want to talk about it?”

“No!” shouts Rain, getting the attention of everyone in the area, before she lowers her voice to a near whisper. “No, I mean. Why would I talk about something that I can’t change? It’s not going to make me feel better. Not now, at least. I just want to get to this party and get drunk and forget about this shit.”

“Okay, we’ll do that-”

Rain is startled when someone jumps onto her back, and she has to suppress an instinctual reaction to spin and throw the person off of her. She thinks it’s Niko Komarov at first, but when she feels the person’s arms around her neck, she realizes that their skin is too soft to belong to an Odenan. She also knows it isn’t Ricardo or Lucas, because both of them are too big, and it can’t be Raquel. Raquel doesn’t do things like this. It’s either Liv or Mara Mandaric, but Liv is usually more withdrawn in social settings like this, at least from what Rain has seen about her so far.

“Jesus, Mara!” Rain screams, as the grip around her neck tightens. Mara is stuck pretty tightly to her back, and Rain almost feels like she’s trapped in a choke hold. Artem is gesturing that Mara might want to get down and not push her any further, but the short girl either doesn’t see or doesn’t listen. Well, she doesn’t listen until Rain starts bending her thumb backwards, at which point she gets the message and jumps to the ground. “The fuck were you doing?”

“I was just messing around!” Mara says, embarrassed now. “I was trying to do that MMA move that you did that time! I was there, you know. Artem told me that you fight, but I guess the secret is out now. Did I do it right?”

She’s embarrassed, but she’s still beaming, hoping for approval from Rain. But she’s not going to get it. “You wouldn’t have taken my back in a real fight,” she snaps, before looking at Artem, her eyes shooting daggers. He’s looking for words to explain why he told Mara, but they aren’t coming. And then Rain starts to storm off.

“Hey, I’m sorry! It was just a joke, why are you so angry?”

“Don’t bother,” says Artem, sympathetically. “She’ll talk to you again when she feels like it. But right now, I have the feeling that she isn’t going to talk to me tonight either. Something’s going on with her, but I can’t say I know what. Unfortunately, I’ve spent more of my time trying to figure out what’s up with Niko. If you do talk to her tonight, though, make sure she doesn’t get into trouble, okay?”

“Will do. And sorry for getting you in trouble with your sister, Artem.”

***

It’s the end of a long dinner, but Rain didn’t eat with the nobles, like Artem and the other footballer guests did. James Almeda, the agent that set this trip up, is close friends with a few of the noble members of the Blackmont football team, but Rain decided not to feast with him and his friends and the others. No, she was at a table with some of the commoners who had found a way here. Some of them worked at the palace, others were knights and soldiers, and others were minor title holders who ruled smaller towns and castles. This table had less of the fancy foods of the nobles and more alcohol, which was the way that Rain wanted it.

When dinner is over, the party breaks into different groups. Some are heading to dance, and others go to the balconies outside the main hall, where they can watch the fireworks that are happening in the distance, in Blackmont City. Prince Darby Mundell, the heir to Blackmont, is giving a speech at the end of the dinner tables. “I’m very happy that all of you could attend, and I hope that you all are able to forget your differences for a day and celebrate the fact that this great country is free. It hasn’t always been this way, but now that it is, let’s not take it for granted. I’m also happy that we can welcome some foreign guests this time, courtesy of our friend, James. Let’s show them some real Blackmontese hospitality…”

Rain slinks away before the speech is over, stepping out one of the northern doors and entering a large and long balcony, which reminds her of the battlement that she had stood on earlier. She saw Lady Brigid enter this door earlier, and she finds her watching the fireworks, a fair distance away from the rest of the crowd that’s gathered. “This world isn’t for me. Nobles, and Princes, and Kings, and Dukes. All of it’s unfamiliar. I feel like a fish out of water, and I’m only slightly drunk right now.”

“There’s still time to correct that, isn’t there?” chuckles Brigid, and that’s when Rain pulls a small bottle from her sack.

“Everyone else is wearing beautiful dresses and perfectly tailored suits, or fancy outfits from the golden age of the nobility, or traditional military uniforms, and what do I have? A skirt that looks like I stole it from a prep school uniform? A plain white blouse? This stupid bag, that looks like something a college student would carry around?”

“This isn’t officially a formal event, you know. You should have brought your own style. It’s better to stand out, anyway. We nobles are expected to dress a certain way, but you have freedom, and you would have turned heads because of it. So yes, Rain. You look like a fish out of water. But only because you tried to imitate us, instead of owning your own look.”

Rain takes a long drink from the bottle of liquor. “I guess I came up here to apologize. I was a bitch earlier, I know. I screamed at you for trying to help me, because I couldn’t… Because I can’t, I mean, own up to myself.”

“I was never offended. But it takes a lot of bravery to say what you said, so thanks. You don’t see many apologies, in Blackmont. Too much pride for that.”

“We’re going to be here for awhile, so there will be plenty of time to talk later. Not tomorrow, though. I think I’m going to be too hammered to talk to anyone, if tonight goes according to plan.”

“You can’t own up to yourself, so you get hammered. Interesting strategy.”

Rain takes another drink. “It’s the offseason. I’ll do what I have to do to get by.”

“It’ll take a toll on you, you know. And your liver. I’d look for a more productive way to get over things, if I were you.”

“Like I said, it’s the offseason. I do some things now that I don’t do normally. I appreciate the concern, though,” says Rain, but her last statement is obviously meant to be sarcastic. “In all seriousness, I’ll be fine. This is meant to be a vacation, anyway.”

There’s a long silence where the only sound is the fireworks and others talking around them. “Why aren’t you with your brother and your friends? Last time I looked in the main hall, they were having a good time on the dance floor. And yet you’re all the way out here, looking for company for your misery. Go have fun, Rain. I’ll be fine by myself.”

“I’m not talking to Artem. I’m pissed at him right now and I don’t know how to talk to him without saying something I’ll regret. There’s… Well, I’m mad at my other friend, too, but I can’t put a finger on why. And if I talk to Niko, he’s just going to try to sleep with me. Maybe another time, but I’m not up for that tonight. Lucas is awkward as shit. It would just be really awkward if we talked. And Ricardo hasn’t talked with me for real since my friends from Odena beat him up over a misunderstanding about a month ago. Those friends are the ones that chose not to come, because they hate formal events. They’re out in Blackmont City somewhere, but here I am, at the palace anyway.”

They make small talk for a few more minutes, before Brigid turns to face the door that leads back to the main hall. “Well, I’d love to stand here and watch the fireworks with you all night, but the rest of my family is going to expect me to do what royals do: engage in some social politicking. I’ll be around the dance floors, hopefully impressing the other families with my skills,” she says, using her tone to make it clear that this is something that she dreads. “Oh, and I see your friend waiting for me to leave, so she can talk to you. Just saying.”

Rain quickly looks away, but it’s less than a minute before Mara Mandaric is at her side, standing at the edge of the balcony with her. “Sorry about earlier. About annoying you with my messing around, I mean. I brought you something to make up for it,” she says quickly, extending her hand and offering a small bag of candy. “They had these at the Prince’s table. They call them dragon eggs, and they’re the hottest candy that I’ve ever tasted.”

Rain just stuffs the bag into her sack, nodding. “Thank you,” she mumbles, avoiding eye contact. “I know I reacted strongly back there. I’m just really pissed about the MMA thing. It was one of the few things I could do without being judged, and my selfish opponent ruins it by pulling my mask off in front of everyone. She could have trash talked all she wanted and I wouldn’t have cared. Hell, I would be the first one to tell her that I respect her and that the trash talk is entertaining, after we fight. But no, she just had to push it too far and pull off my mask. What a bitch…”

“Why did you hide your MMA career? Because it’s illegal in Gallia? You’re so good at it, I would be showing off my fights to everyone if I were you-”

“Well, you aren’t me.”

Awkward silence.

“Rain, I’m really sorry for whatever I did last month that made you mad. I have no idea what it is, and whatever I did, the intent wasn’t to anger you,” Mara blurts out, as she’s leaning on the railing. “And don’t deny that I did something, because I know I did! You’ve been avoiding me, ever since something happened in the Independents Cup… Something that I don’t know about, that I did without meaning to. We used to be close, and now, you won’t even return one of my calls or talk to me at a party like this. I tried breaking the ice earlier and you blew up at me for it. Oh, and don’t get upset at Artem for that. He only told me that you fight because I pushed him for answers. I… I was going to show up in Gallia and talk to you afterwards, but you were so upset about getting unmasked that I backed off and left as soon as the fight was over.”

“It’s just a lot of personal shit-”

“Personal shit that you’re fine talking to that noble about, but not your good friends?”

“The noble won’t judge me-”

“And I won’t either, if you talk to me for once!”

“Just leave me alone if this is how you’re going to act,” Rain remarks, starting to walk back to the main hall. She’s probably going to snatch another bottle of liquor before the servers clean up the dinner area, before leaving early, but she’s stopped when Mara chases after her.

“Please. I just don’t want to lose another friend. I don’t want you to hate me forever because of something stupid that I did without realizing. And if you never want to see me again, fine, but at least tell me what I did, so I can make sure to never repeat my mistake,” Mara says, her voice making it clear that she’s close to giving up. “Just tell me, and I’ll never bother you again-”

“I could never hate you, but I needed my space. It’s not something you did,” Rain admits, stopping and finally making eye contact. “But if you want to know why I haven’t been myself lately… And some of the reasons why the fighting thing pissed me off and why I’m still mad about it… Well, I think I’m feeling drunk enough tonight to talk about it. Come on. Let’s find somewhere more quiet, and I’ll explain.”

by **Kep** » Wed Aug 30, 2017 5:04 pm

AOCAF LIVe

THE WELCOMING PARTY

- By Alexa Vandridie

Kebec XI: Gaudin Maxence - GK; Crevier Lucas - CB; Benett Jean-Charles - LB; Florentin Gainsbourg - RB; Milhaud Jean-Louis- CM; Garnier Roland- LM; Clair Thaddée - RM; Dominic Saint-Xevaux - FCM; Lecerf Lillian - CW/SS; Léger Fabrice - LW; Barthélemy Pierre-Louis - RW
Ngolia XI: The Ngolian FA did not name a roster.

TROPICOAST Its actually really hard to win a match and hold your own against some of the best competition in the world when you can't score goals -- especially when your opponent is an unknown and has held you to an embarresing scoreless draw in front of your peers and foes alike. Never mind the fact you managed to reach the octofinals recently in the third edition of the Global Cup of Soccer, never mind the fact you have a rising star in goal-friendly Dominic Saint-Xevaux who seems to have his golden left-foot on auto-pilot mode. But there's a problem brewing within the Kebec senior national team and it needs to end fast if Kebec intends on progressing to the next stage of play this year, there's a lot on the plate for Kebec this year as it'll face three back-to-back-to-back competitions upon the start of the World Cup calendar: the Baptism of Fire, World Cup-qualifying and the next edition of the AOCAF... and if they're lucky of course the Cup of Harmony since its very much impossible to reach the World Cup on your first campaign. However, we must commend Coach Jude Adjei-Kontoh , the 73 year-old Cosumarite coach who has held the ship together for three tourneys (the second Independents Cup [GS], third Global Cup of Soccer [OF] and now the AOCAF LIV [TBD]), this is also his contract-tournament, so he can either be renewed after this or dropped by the Kebec Footballing Union, and the KFU seems to be taking the no holds barred approach towards the coach this season.

A distant memory: The Kebecois side
celebrates reaching the octofinals in
GCOS 3

However, the big question is not how Kebec will play in their final game which many are already calling Adjei-Kontoh's final game as manager is not who will be the next manager but who will be the next President of the Kebec Footbaling Union, current president, Michel Graenbaer has gained much hate amongst the footballing community in Kebec, particularly amongst the footballers themselves, he has also drawn ire from the Associated Soccer League team owners, before restructuring, the ASL was the highest league on the Kebecois football pyramid -- not a game was even played for that league before it folded under mysterious circumstances. However he has won some praise for his dealing with the latest crisis of the need for a national league, moving quickly in the dying months of his presidency, he has spear-headed the launch of the National League, soon to be the top-flight premier league of of Kebec but at the moment nothing more than words on paper waiting to be breathe to life. Graenbaer however has made crucial mistakes that might determine the course of this election, the one drawing the reddest of the flags being the payment plan of Kebec U18 national team had coach Johnathan Ward -- at the moment, War makes twice the money per year that his senior counterpart, Adjei-Kontoh makes with Ward raking in dough of N$12m over a 3-cycle contract, compared to Adjei-Kontoh who makes a measly N$6m and change. However, Adjei-Kontoh is 73 years-old while there are plenty of rumors from the footie mill that the KFU is developing Ward into a future national team coach, however, he'd first need to coach a U21 team which Kebec does not possess which brings us to our second critique of Graenbaer.

The fact there is no under-21 national team side fielded by the Kebec Footballing Union is an appalling problem and should be a severe source of discomfort for fans everywhere, from immigrants to people sitting in their moms' basement, this hybrid that Kebec has operated will come back to bite us in the butt down the road from now, having a U21 squad is integral to improving talent, having someone jump from U18 to the national team is a large jump many are not ready to undertake, going from the little guys to the big boys club now only requires physical strength but mental dexterity and emotional stability, something 18 and 19 year-olds lack, 21 is a much safer age to join the ranks of the big dawgs and is something that would serve as a way to really separate the greenies from the leaders of the pack and would all around provide a tougher squad for Kebec to field in an all-important game like this next one against Tropicorp's senior national team will be, I really pray we don't get man slaughtered on the battlefield tomorrow.

... Gods help us.

by **Qasden** » Wed Aug 30, 2017 5:22 pm

While driving a motor vehicle on the road, signs posted along the sides of the paths are there to help keep you updated on what you will need to look out for. In this quick lesson, we will go over three specific signs that you will most definitely encounter while travelling across the Qasdonian country: the Major Cat Xing, the No-Go Zone, and the ZRXYN! sign. Let's begin, shall we?

-----------

The Major Cat Crossing Sign, commonly texted as McX, can be found on many outskirts and downtowns of populous cities, such as TVC and Taxson. Like the Standard Cat Crossing sign, the rhombus displays a large silhouette of a cat, which tells road users to slow down and be wary of the felines' favorite block hop spots. The McX, however, forces users to slow down to a complete stop, as cats are more likely to cross the street at those exact locations. The dark red outline and stars represent this mandatory yield by increasing the severity of the punishment if ignored. Running an McX would result in a minimum $3,000 fine, compared to a maximum $1,000 fine for running a standard cat crossing. Furthermore, if you run the sign AND inflict any harm to a cat on the street, your jail sentence TRIPLES what you would serve for killing 6 cats on a normal road. So yeah, stop for the kitties or face bankruptcy or jail time. Next one!

------------

The No-Go Zone Sign is somewhat similar to the McX, as in DON'T FREAKING RUN IT, YOU CRAZY HOOLIGANS! Anyways, the N-GZ warns people that the area they are about to enter is an area of high peril (i.e. a site of high radiation, a fiery area, etc). When coming across one, drivers must either find an alternative route to travel within 5 miles past the initial sign or turn around completely. By ignoring the poker chip-edged sign, you are putting yourself in great danger. If caught by the police without legitimate jurisdiction, you may be escorted away via police car, serving approx. double the time you would spend if you sext. The unique outlining of the sign tells you of the two consequences of breaking the image's order, law enforcement (dark red) or injury/death (white). Better to be safe than sorry!

------------

Unique to Qasden and Qasden alone, the ZRXYN! sign is probably the most important sign to listen to while driving. Encountered solely in parts of Southwestern Qasden, ZRXYN!s can be found at the entrances of mountain tunnels and cross-hill bridges, depicting a strange array of colors and shapes that may be intimidating for a new driver. On the sign you will find 2 mountains, a gear, an arrow, and a strange object in the sky. As tunnels and bridges collapse every now and then, it is important to do one of the sign's 2 things: switch gears and back the f up or drive off the mountain, where mountain nets (flat cliff-like platforms jutting out of the sides of mountains) will catch your car, causing little to no damage compared to what you would receive from a tunnel or bridge failure.

So that's our lesson for the day. Remember to keep that seat belt buckled and pay attention to the road and its surroundings at all times. Breaking this will result in a very painful end to your life. Razzle dazzle Dan, out.

Is this... The Origin of Qasden's Name???

by **Chromatika** » Wed Aug 30, 2017 6:14 pm

Chromatika: The Name

Legends and histories say that the name "Chromatika" came from the fact that one could reasonably expect to see all colors of the spectrum in the nature surrounding the island. From the red of the (now inactive) volcanoes to the blue of the ocean, the green of the forests of Eyrods to the white of the abundant snowfall, and now the lights of the cities that adorn the land, one can really see a myriad of colors. However, there are those that say that this is just propaganda; that the real reason why the land is called Chromatika is because of the Color Code that was enforced rather strictly by the Chromatik Party.

A discussion about the Color Code is probably more natural in another segment, but in summary, it was a way for the Party to limit how much each individual could learn and the dreams that individuals would be allowed to have. With the strict enforcement that marrying between colors would result in their offspring be put into a lower color, those of the BIV (Blue, Indigo, and Violet) community became less and less populated as time went on, preserving the exclusivity of the elite (the Bronze, Silver, and Gold). It was indeed the Chromatik Party that started using the word "Chromatika" in official documents, coupled with the irony of the flag being black and white (to both symbolize the existence of the entire color spectrum as well as the lack of color).

Now, the new Chromatik government has decided to keep the flag as black and white and keep the name to pay homage to that dark time as a vow to never repeat it again. Now, Chromatika is trying to modernize itself in both technology and culture, hoping to establish a different kind of relation to the name - Chromatika because people of every color and every personality are welcome to come and to be whomever they strive to be. Although it is an impossible goal, it is one worth having.

From the simplistic ad grand view of Chromatika's nature to the dark past of the Color Code to the promise of a bright future, Chromatika wears its name with recognition and pride. And remember, the denonym is Chromatik, not Chromatikan!

Important Differences of Road Signs in Chromatika

1. Stoplights
All stoplights in Chromatika are vertical, to the side of the road, instead of horizontal and overhanging. This means that all trees and bushes by the road are kept trimmed, and that no obstacles are allowed to exist where the lights are. Instead of there being green, yellow, and red lights, there are just three light bulbs. All three on means go, two means start to stop, and one means stop. This was instituted after a nationwide study determined that over 10% of Chromatiks are color blind. Thankfully, most colorblind people can determine between black and white, and so the stoplights were changed.

2. Signs
Due to the populace of Chromatika being mostly illiterate (especially in the Red, Orange, and Yellow communities of old) and yet being able to drive, most signs don't contain words, preferring to use symbols instead. Stop signs are in the traditional octagonal shape, but instead of the word "STOP", the sign has a black hand with a red background. Speed limit signs only consist of numbers, slow is represented by a turtle shell, and yield is represented by a yellow triangle with no words.

3. Oddities
If you see a white circle that is on a black diamond sign, you should get your snow tires on - it means that there is heavy snowfall ahead. A blue circle means there is a lot of water in the road, and a yellow square means heavy traffic ahead. The Chromatik government is keen on keeping their citizens up to date on road conditions, and hire employees whose job is to be on call to update signs in a given radius. Such employees are paid rather well and considered an important part of society.

Have any questions about signs you encounter in Chromatika? Contact the CCT (Chromatik Council of Transportation)!

Blouman Empire 0-2 Chromatika @ Coliseum of the Inurahtii, Inura, Turori
Starting Lineup vs. Blouman Empire: Ria; Morningstar - Stef - Damjana; Thorben - Hellion - Kuzami - Liam; Rien - Victoriane (C) - Niro. Subs: Ellen -> Damjana '61, Dragana -> Niro '72, Sybill -> Hellion '80
Goals vs. Blouman Empire: Thorben '42 assisted by Kuzami; Kuzami '69 assisted by Hellion.
Player of the Match: Mimi Kuzami (1 goal, 1 assist)
Summary: A trio of youngsters were the stars of the match this time around, with Mia Ria pitching a shutout and proving that her mentality in the early game may be a work in progress but deserves to be recommended. It may be a while before Nier hangs up her gloves, but until then, and in the matches when Jillian is spared, Mia will be a reliable backup. The real story was the tandem of Thorben and Kuzami, who scored their first goals for Chromatika. Molly Thorben's right footed strike from twenty out gave the Chromatiks the lead - she celebrated by taking a knee to honor her brother - and Mimi Kuzami's screamer after a fast blitz through the midfield of Blouman Empire put the game away for good. Not much was needed from Parker in terms of creativity as the Chromatiks turned in a solid performance, their first one in a while without taking drastic measures. The match against Tallaga la Falla is an important one yet with Group 4 containing both Qasden (two-time Cup of Harmony Champions) and the ever-dangerous Elves of Valanora.
Projected Starting XI vs. Tallaga la Falla: Nier; Morningstar - Stef - Damjana; Thorben - Sybill - Montague - Dragana; Victoriane - Andisori - Antonio (C).

by **Eshan** » Wed Aug 30, 2017 6:39 pm

An arrow whizzed past his head, the fletching cutting his neck slightly before burying itself in a soldier behind him with a wet thud. He jumped from the cobblestone street behind a nearby building, and pulled his musket from his back. He took aim at the shooter, hidden in a nook between two shops.

A breath. A shot. A kill.

"Push forwarrrrrddddd!" He yelled back as he surveyed his troops and started to reload his musket. This particular part of the battle, the great last push in the war for independence, had raged for nearly seven hours as his men had slowly fought their way through the seven levels of streets of Rosaria, clearing houses one by one with fire, steel, and determination to reclaim their land from the Erathore Empire forever. The freedom fighters had endured heavy casualties but were met with great assistance from their fellow citizens still residing within their formal capital. Tired, battleworn; mentally, physically, and emotionally scarred by the fighting, but now they approached the great Citadel and the Tower of the Setting Sun with renewed victor as they pushed toward unstoppable victory.

He stepped through the remains of the final gate of Rosaria, The Great Gate of Sah with his sword in right hand, flintlock in left. The Great Gate of Sah had been shattered by an excellently-placed cannon shot, and now he stepped onto the white stone of the Citadel. His troops pushed past him and fanned out on the wide open Lawn of Kings, putting down the few remaining Erathi soldiers.

He strode up towards the Okillian Door, pausing to do battle by sword before a rifle cracked out and he felt a searing pain through his bicep. He'd been shot but it was a through and through and easily patched by a medic. He took a long swig of the medic's beer before striding on, pausing once to slay an exhausted oppressor with his sword before coming to a stop as hundreds of his soldiers, native to this land and who had seen their families suffer and die at the hands of Erathore. They started yelling and cheering, taunting the final few oppressors locked in the heart of the nation with their victory. He motioned to his troops to quiet down as he knocked on the Okillian Door.

"Surrender or die!"

A pause.

"Surrender!"

The doors opened and a white flag was passed through by the Erathi. Lionel Francesc Silvius grabbed the flag with his bloody hand, leaving a red handprint on an other wise white background.

Victory

"It is here today, December 29th, 1733 that natives of this land have strode through the Great Gate of Sah and freed our home from the Erathore Empire. There is no doubt that this was necessary for our people, an eternal moment in our history where we must settle our differences with our brothers and sisters and unite in the common defense of our homeland.

The offenses committed by Erathore at our expense are too numerous the mention. Chief among them is the total and complete rape of our people and our motherland. The Rights to a free Experiment of Life, the Pursuit of Happiness, Equality, Liberty, and Freedom are the eternal foundations of the rights bestowed upon us as human beings, and we have been denied those rights and have reclaimed them. With this denial of basic Rights fresh and painful in mind, we have convened in the capitol of our nation to declare ourselves free of oppression and unite to form a more perfect nation and government.

We draw from this Hall we sit in, the Hall of Eshane, the name of our renewed nation. We shall be known as Eshan and………

Last.fm · by **Cosumar** » Wed Aug 30, 2017 10:58 pm

Cosumar National Team
AOCAF LIV

National Information

Name: The Fiefdom of Cosumar

Government: Cosumar is a Fiefdom divided into 21 historical 'Fiefs' (jurisdictions of power in ancient feudal Cosumar) that essentially now function as provinces. Cosumar's government is an executive constitutional monarchy, which means that the crown does wield significant governing power but is limited therein by a Constitution and Royal Congress. Cosumarite society is dedicated to complete rights and respect for all sentient beings, advancement of science, conservation of nature and space exploration. Cosumar has the highest Human Development Index in Atlantian Oceania according to WA Census, and is in the Top 1% of the world's Most Developed, Cultured and Intelligent nations. King James II has continued Cosumar's tradition of encouraging technological progress and immigration while simultaneously maintaining our diverse natural features and unique culture.

Region: Atlantian Oceania (far Northeast | COCANEFA)

Nicknames: Primarily Vanquishers (since WC 72) or, traditionally, Azure Dragons

Colors: Navy, Royal Blue, Silver, White

Stadium: Farris Crowley Memorial World Cup Stadium at The Royal Palace (capacity 105,000)

FA: Fiefdom Soccer Federation (FSF), headqurtered in Kaldukosic, Cosumar

Team History

Snapshot: Cosumar made its international debut in World Cup 51 and Finals debut in World Cup 54. In World Cup 73, new manager Gethin Ramsey built on the momentum from winning the preceding Cup of Harmony to qualify Cosumar for the first time since World Cup 62, ending a miserable 20-year drought. Since, the Vanquishers have advanced to five consecutive World Cup knockout rounds and three Quarterfinals. With the program now reestablished as a contender and hosting the big event for the first time, expectations are higher than ever. A first ever trip to the semifinals is the goal.

Expanded History: Cosumar qualified for six consecutive World Cups (54-59) in its original "golden age" of soccer, going out twice in the group stage and then four times in the Round of 16. After World Cup 59, Cosumar reached its peak ranking of #7 in the world. The National Team began a gradual decline in World Cups 60 & 61, in which they were eliminated in the Qualification Playoffs despite strong campaigns. They would qualify once again for World Cup 62 in Astograth, but the downward trajectory had already set in. World Cups 64-66 were particularly bleak and saw our once-elite ranking dip as low as the 80s. Many demanded the sacking of Farris Crowley, manager since WC54, the glory days of his tenure a distant memory. But the FSF stuck with him, and Cosumar began re-emerging as a force to be reckoned with around World Cup 68. A marvelous crop of young talent (Francois Renault, Alexander Pearce, etc.) now lovingly referred to as the "Renaissance Generation" started to restore the former honor to the Dragonshirt. They led several increasingly competitive Qualifying and Cup of Harmony campaigns...though they never did manage to return to the biggest stage. They came so close time and time again, but Margaret was never on their side. Their generation's swansong ended up being 3rd place at Cup of Harmony 62. But then the next cycle, World Cup 72, was a rough transition and threatened to erase all the momentum. It was a colossal disaster. The worst campaign since Cosumar's WC51 debut. Eight draws against lower-ranked sides. Farris Crowley was finally sacked after 40 years. Nephara legend Gethin Ramsey arrived and salvaged Cosumar's ranking by winning the subsequent Cup of Harmony. Ramsey continued to work wonders afterwards, leading his "Vanquishers" to five consecutive World Cup Finals (73-77), including our best-ever finish (Quarterfinals) three times. The Cosumarite game continued to grow in Ramsey's wake. For the first time, Cosumar won the right to host the World Cup for the 78th edition and new manager Alexander Pearce led the team on a run, once again, to the Quarterfinals. With a talent pool deeper than any time in our history, the Fiefdom now sets its sights on success in a competition it has chronically underachieved in: the AOCAF.

Recent Results:
World Cup 74 Qualifying: 1st place in Group 19 (8-4-0)
World Cup 74: 2nd place in Group A (1-1-1), eliminated by The Royal Kingdom of Quebec in Ro16
AOCAF 50: 1st place in Group (4-0-0), eliminated by Valanora on penalties in Quarterfinals

World Cup 75 Qualifying: 1st place in Group 3 (8-3-1)
World Cup 75: 2nd place in Group H (2-0-1), eliminated by Unified Sunrise Islands in Quarterfinals
Eagle's Cup VI: 3rd place in Group B (3-0-3)
AOCAF 51: 1st place in Group E (4-0-1), eliminated by Osarius in Quarterfinals

World Cup 76 Qualifying: 1st place in Group 9 (8-4-0)
World Cup 76: 2nd in Group H (1-2-0), eliminated by Chromatika in Quarterfinals
AOCAF 52: 3rd in Group Y (1-1-2), eliminated by Audioslavia in Ro16

World Cup 77 Qualifying: 2nd in Group 11 (13-4-1)
World Cup 77: 2nd in Group F (1-2-0), eliminated by Quebec in Ro16
AOCAF 53: 2nd in Island Group (4-1-1), eliminated in Play-in Round

World Cup 78: 2nd in Group A (1-2-0), eliminated by Schottia in Quarterfinals
AOCAF 54: _____???

Records:
All-time Record: 350-134-174

First International Match: Cosumar 0-0 Krytenia (World Cup 51 Qualifiers MD1)
First win: Cosumar 4-3 The Ursine Northlands (World Cup 51 Qualifiers MD3)
First World Cup match: Akbarabad 3-0 Cosumar (World Cup 54, MD1)
First World Cup win: Cosumar 2-1 Al Mumtaz (World Cup 55, MD2)

Largest win: Hladio Huggers 0-7 Cosumar (World Cup 57 Qualifiers, MD12)
Largest defeat: Cosumar 0-9 Valanora (World Cup 55 Qualifiers, MD11)

Most glorious moments:
Cosumar 1-0 Cotdelapoms - Cup of Harmony 45 Third Place Playoff - Late Rikki Varshney winner for our first medal.
Cosumar 4-0 Haginonia - World Cup 54 Interzonal Stage - Showdown on the final day of Qualifying with both sides' first World Cup berth at stake: we rolled.
Cosumar 1-0 Sarzonia - World Cup 57 MD3 - Cosumar advances to its first Round of 16 at Sarzonia's expense.
Cosumar 7-3 Kagdazka & Pazhujebu - World Cup 60 Qualification Playoff - Brutal revenge against K&P for ousting us on penalties in the previous World Cup's Round of 16.
Cosumar 5-1 The Sarian - Cup of Harmony 64 Finals - Ramsey and the newly-christened "Vanquishers" propel Cosumar to lift a first WCC trophy.
Valanora 2–2 Cosumar (3–3 AET) (7–8 pen.) - World Cup 73 Round of 16 - After splitting the series in group play, we triumphed over the Elves to claim our first ever Quarterfinals.

Most heartbreaking moments:
Cosumar 1-1 (1-1 AET, 3-4 PKs) Churchma - Cup of Harmony 45 Semifinals - Losing on penalties always hurts, especially when it's to your oldest rival so deep in a tourney.
Cosumar 0-3 Sorthern Northland - World Cup 55 MD3 - It came down to this match for a spot in the Ro16, and we got our asses kicked.
Cosumar 2-4 Sorthern Northland - World Cup 56 Round of 16 - We finally made it to the knockout rounds for the first time, just to be humbled by these guys again.
Cosumar 1-4 Jeru FC - World Cup 57 Round of 16 - Another drubbing in the Ro16.
Cosumar 0-4 The Babbage Islands - World Cup 58 Round of 16 - New Cup, same story. Dragons fall apart in the knockouts.
Cosumar 3-3 (3-3 AET, 2-4 PKs) Kagdazka & Pazhujebu - World Cup 59 Round of 16 - This is THE match that haunts the dreams of every Cosumarite to this day. We had rolled through our Qualification and World Cup groups in dominant fashion - completely undefeated. It was the greatest Cosumarite team ever assembled, seeming destined for new heights. In the Ro16, the Dragons led the Urchins 3-0 late and celebrations had already begun. But Chalia Sajid scored a flurry of goals for an unlikely hat trick in final 15 minutes to force extra time. In the eventual shootout, we would completely choke, badly missing the target twice. Complete and utter shock. Many wandered if Cosumar would EVER be able to advance to the quarterfinals and exorcise these demons. It took nearly 30 years.
Cosumar 0-0 (0-2 AET) Unified Sunrise Islands - World Cup 75 Quarterfinals - On the brink of our first ever semifinals appearance, we are sunk by a Kevin Stabb brace in extra time to lose our chance to play for a WC medal. This "cinematic" USI team, which came out of nowhere, would go on to win the whole thing, leaving Cosumarites wondering what could've been.
Cosumar 2-2 (2-3 AET) Chromatika - World Cup 76 Quarterfinals - Cosumarites come agonizingly close to tasting the semifinals once again. The Vanquishers twice give up their lead and fall in extra time despite Chromatika going down to ten men and infamously moving one of their star attackers to goalkeeper in desperation. Pure torture. The match that made Chromatika our greatest modern rivals.

Most Goals: 104 - Sur Arora (WC 63-72)
Most Assists: 77 - Irvinn Rincon (WC 51-56)
Most Caps: 210 - Anders Engström (WC 67-77)

More records HERE

Team Information

Style Modifier: +2.3

Post-WC78 Ranking: #15 (KPB 33.11)

Formation: 4-3-1-2
Alexander Pearce is entering his first full normal cycle in charge, and will continue the more attacking approach he initiated in the last AOCAF with a 4-3-1-2 that essentially functions like a 4-3-3 but with one of the strikers dropping back to play in the hole as a true #10 behind the other two. Filling that crucial role is Rozelle playmaker Alora Heher. Pearce essentially crafted this formation around the budding star, hoping to maximize her talents better than Ramsey did.

Tactical Breakdown: The play tends to flow somewhat narrow through this formation, with most chances being worked through the center rather than channeling it wide and just pumping in crosses like we did so often under Ramsey. This is ideal because of Heher's instincts pulling string in the middle, and because strikers Valgard and Targaryen are much better finishers with their feet, although Zeale-Riddick and Ruhl are good in the air. When the ball is won in the defensive half, the immediate outlet is then usually Stig Söderquist in the middle instead of always finding the wingers like we traditionally did. LM Bellerophon Serafino covers crazy ground and can also materialize in the middle to receive an outlet before quickly drifting back out to the left. The three-man midfield line can then choose to combine laterally with each other or find one of the three attacking players ahead of them. When they play directly to Valgard or VZR or whoever up top, that sets up the magic situation: the striker can play to the feet of Heher 20 meters from goal, then make a cutting run to receive the ball back in on goal or create space for the other striker. Pearce has been working his young attacking corps relentlessly on these combinations this week. If defenses crowd and overcommit to the CAM in response, that's when the Vanquishers can bring the LM/RM/LB/RB forward and flex some width. This formation does, however, place a lot of strain on the LCM and RCM. They need to provide width in the final third, but then get back and squeeze narrower as the first line of pressure in the case of an opposition counter. Fortunately, work rate is a particular strength of Serafino and Kit Kvanderwyk. In essence, the "up the spine" play style actually funnels the opposing team into the center of park, gives space for strikers to operate and makes the wide players all the more dangerous when the play does calls for them. A by-product of the “funneling” idea is that it forces the opponents to play narrow as well and therefore makes it easier to defend against them if that is not their usual style.

Note on Vloo: The roster consists of 23 players, 22 of whom are standard humans. The other player (defender Bacary Na'Kale) is of the Vloo people (species homo cosumarensis), a humanoid race native to Cosumar. Vloo are, on average, two inches taller than humans (which admittedly can come in handy on set pieces), and they must use different footwear due to their foot structure. Vloo have blue-tinted skin, two small black horns protruding from their foreheads, and spiky spines that be visibly seen from the back of their head/neck for some. And tails. They are distinguished by their surnames, with typically begin with prefixes such as Na', Va' or Vu'. Since World Cup 51, there has always been at least one Vloo player in the squad, but never more than four.

Kit

HOME

AWAY

Cosumar's current kits were prepared for the team by Meski Soccer & Sports Store of Red Blackiland before the World Cup 75 cycle, our 50th anniversary in international competition. The design has been applauded by for improving upon the already-brilliant kits that served us from WC 71-74, while still staying true to the spirit of the beloved WC 54-69 classic kits. The home and away kits make heavy use of the national colours (blue, white, silver) and the majestic Cosumarite Azure Dragon that these lands are famous for. The goalkeeper kit features hints of the royal family's colors: Green and Gold.

Abbreviated Roster

GK 	Jakk Winterfyll	        34m	Kingsgrove        	[BRE]
GK 	Balbulus Grimwade	28m	Ramsissil	        [VIL]	
LB	Bacary Na’Kale		25m	Mâ Âlâmëómë 		[FFD]
LB	Alexis Brill            24f	Violence Chariots 	[NPH]
CB 	Peter Svensson		29m	AFC Treason 		[NPH]
CB	Taddeo Loredan          29m     Creed United      	[NPH]
CB	Deirdre McNessa 	30f	Starling 		[NPH]
CB      Corella da Silva 	25f	Raynor City United 	[VAL]
RB	Mortimer Chisenhall	27m	Real Azuris 		[COS]
RB	Tug Cooper		23m	Ramusok United        	[COS]
CM	Stig Söderquist	        25m	Brinemouth 	        [NPH]
CM	Warren Royannais   	26m	Cednia Beach AFC	[TUR]
CM	Tiffany Elam		28f	Ibini FC		[VAL]
RM	Kit Kvanderwyk        	29m	Cornellians		[SCH]
RM	Bryger Tidesson	        19m	    Real Azuris    	[COS]
LM	Bellerophon Serafino	25m	Cassandra City   	[COS]
LM      Tamer Yilmaz		27m 	Marinos Metropolis	[VLD]
AM	Alora Heher       	26f	Rozelle           	[BRE]
AM	Rowan Varghese		27f	Pelethas United       	[COS]
ST	Romikk Valgard       	24m	Ulsa                    [EUR]
ST	Ragnar Targaryen 	25m	CA Paulinthal    	[PAS]
ST	Vega Zeale-Riddick  	21f	Samaj FC	        [COS]
ST	Airik Ruhl       	23m	Chenoworth Harriers     [NPH]

First-Choice Starting XI

Goalkeeper - Jakk Winterfyll - 34 -

Kingsgrove

Winterfyll is the finest keeper in Cosumarite history. He already has eight World Cups under his belt and has started every WCC match for Cosumar since World Cup 71. His sabbatical saw him miss the AOCAF, so he's eager to put in a strong shift in his return to regional competition. Winterfyll dominated domestically with Crawford City FC early in his career, setting a record for clean sheets in a season. He then became a mainstay in Apox with Exton FC, blossoming into one of the world's elite goalkeepers. When the ANL collapsed, he took his talents to the A-League and won New Player of the Year in his debut season in Brenecia. He's now a champion. Kingsgrove just enjoyed a dominant title season with Winterfyll ever-present in the back. He is known for his seemingly psychic anticipation and springy reflexes. Off the pitch, Winterfyll plays several Cosumarite folk instruments like the vevlira and the flojagu and is a regular contributor to the annual "Sounds of Ancient Cosumar" compilation CD. Full bio.

Left Back - Bacary Na'Kale - 25 -

Mâ Âlâmëómë

After cracking the Cassandra City first team at barely 18 and outshining established players, Na'Kale became the subject of a sudden rainfall of foreign bids. Mâ Âlâmëómë won Na'Kale's services and the Vloo further surprised by locking down the first-choice left back spot in Farfadillis almost immediately. Then 19. Na'Kale has played almost every minute of the last five seasons now for the powerhouse club and helped them to a resurgent title. His rise to club stardom has been mirrored in the National Team over the last few World Cups, in which he has registered a crazy amount of assists for a left back. Na'Kale's pace is his most noticeable attribute, but it is his intrinsic understanding of the position that, when combined with his athleticism, makes him so special. He has also vastly improved his dribbling and crossing since moving to Farfadillis. Where once was a weakness, Bacary has since become better than 90% of fullbacks. He was somehow one of Mâ Âlâmëómë's leading scorers as they competed for the title last season. In with a shout as the best Cosumarite player right now. And he's still so young!

Center Back - Deirdre McNessa - 30 -

Starling

McNessa came out of nowhere to make the WC 75 squad after Starling came out of nowhere to win the Nepharim Premiership. In the five years since, Starling and McNessa have proven to be no fluke, both player and club boldly cementing themselves at the top of the world game. As a top performer for the recent Multiverse champions, McNessa must surely go down as one of the best bargains in Nepharim history after Starling scooped her up as a free transfer. She actually had a promising early career in Cosumar, representing with our U23 and U21 sides while playing for Pardock Island at their peak. But a slew of injuries sidetracked her development and Pardock Island ended up cutting their losses when she just couldn't stay on the pitch. At a crossroads, she signed for some newly-promoted team in Nephara, hoping to catch on there... and you know the rest. She hasn't been hurt since and has maximized her early potential against all odds. In WC 75, she became the first female defender to earn a Cosumarite cap. In WC 76, she then became the first female defender to start a World Cup Finals match for Cosumar. Marvelous story. She is tall, slender, a good passer out of the back and fearless in the air despite her previous injuries.

Center Back - Peter Svensson - 29 - CAPTAIN -

AFC Treason

Detecting a future centerpiece, Gethin Ramsey brought Svensson along slowly during the World Cup 72 and 73 cycles. By World Cup 74, he was ready to take over as the heart and soul of the Cosumarite defense. The entire team looks to Svensson as a leader now. A titanic figure for FC Jansberg through the entirety of its LigAnaia tenure and now for AFC Treason (winning Premiership Debutant of the Year as Treason marched to the CC semifinals), Svensson is the dream center back. He looks as strong as he is, is a master of interceptions, is comfortable dribbling and passing and, most of all, is an infamous aerial threat on set-pieces. He'll contribute several goals per domestic season with his head. It feels like Svensson has been around forever, but people forget that he was only 19 when he started winning titles for Jansberg. He was a homegrown standout for the Na'Malsille Mariners before that. He has so much experience but he's really just now in the peak moment of his career. Is there a better center back in the world right now??? Peter is the nephew of Herrgly Svensson, a famous Cosumarite daredevil known for skydiving out of a space station, and little brother of Erak Svensson, a Congressman.

Right Back - Mortimer Chisenhall - 27 -

Real Azuris

A prized product of the AC Holmenkollen academy, Chisenhall spent several years there as a young phenom before finally completing his long-awaited move to a bigger club at age 22. He had a shaky start to life in Azuris, but found his footing - and more - in subsequent seasons there. The last few years have seen Chisenhall emerge as the best defensive right back in all the Härlighet Ligan. He was part of an Azurian back line that dominated the league en route to a double-digit points gap last season, and was instrumental in Real's astonishing Champions Cup victory two years ago. Chisenhall's attacking capabilities are somewhat limited, but he is simply a sublime one-on-one defender. Off the pitch, he's a quiet lad and almost always has his nose in a book.

Left Midfielder - Bellerophon Serafino - 25 -

Cassandra City

It's apt that this kid is named after a pegasus-riding Greek hero. With long legs and galloping stride that rapidly eats ground, Serafino is a true pegasus-like workhorse. Minus the flying. Sometimes he gets from one end of the pitch to another so fast that opponents probably thought he flew though. Each of the last two seasons, he has broken his own Härlighet Ligan record for mileage covered - instrumental in holding Cassandra City's thinly-spread midfield together. Serafino was somehow still uncapped, but Alexander Pearce made it his first priority to fix that in the last AOCAF - and Belle performed well to cement his place. Pearce is placing a lot of faith in him, constructing the tactics around Serafino so that he's in a similarly instrumental role as at Cassandra City - one that demands him to contribute heavily in every third of the pitch and always being in place in time to do so. Serafino's ability on the ball in limited - he won't beat defenders with individual skill or score many goals - but he can flow in move 'n' pass sequences with the best of them and play some nice long balls in. Off the pitch, he's known for his satirical (we hope?) covers of popular rap songs on social media.

Center Midfielder - Stig Söderquist - 25 - Brinemouth

Stig is a sharp box-to-box midfielder. His best role is to hold, to cover for and feed more attack-minded partners. He doesn't do anything flashy to pop off the screen, but he does all the little things that help a team succeed. Always finishes with an extremely high pass completion rate and ratio of successful tackles in midfield. He's a native of Azuris who joined Real's academy system at age 11 and gradually worked his way up to a starting position for the senior team over ten years. With Söderquist efficient beyond his years as the beating pulse behind the curtain in midfield, Real Azuris swept the rest of the Harlighet Ligan aside for several trophies (and two UICA titles) in recent seasons. As far as tidy midfielders go, Söderquist is a rockstar now. A quietly superb player that any coach would love to have in their side. After a fantastic World Cup 78 on home soil, Söderquist followed Real Azuris manager Lujendra Mescalin to Brinemouth, where he hopes to shine in the world's top league.

Right Midfielder - Kit Kvanderwyk - 29 -

Cornellians

Fan-favorite Kvanderwyk had a great World Cup 77 cycle with 7 goals. If there was any doubt that he was back in the NT fold to stay, the subsequent appointment of his manager/mentor from Cornellians, Alexander Pearce, should remove it once and for all. He and Pearce, along with sister Kathryn Kvanderwyk, have been an unstoppable Cosumarite trio in Schottia, leading Cornellians to the latter stages of the Champions' Cup and multiple domestic titles. Kit was originally a hyped product of the FC Kaldukosic academy who managed to crack their first team by age 17. At 21, he transferred to Cassandra City and helped the Reds win the league, placing in the top five for Player of the Year. That success earned him a super-sub role for the national team throughout the WC 73 cycle, during which he scored three goals. But declining club performances after that saw him slide out of favor until being rejuvenated under Pearce at Cornellians. Kvanderwyk is skillful, inventive and intelligent... but lacking great pace. He won't blow by any opponents - he instead uses his technicality and cleverness to create space before delivering balls in with pinpoint accuracy. Off the pitch, Kvanderwyk is a massive fan of the Cosumarite heavy metal scene even hosts his own annual music festival: the KvanderFest.

Central Attacking Playmaker - Alora Heher - 26 - Rozelle

Heher was a surprise story when she scored a goal and two assists in just 30 minutes on her Cosumar in AOCAF 52. She's not surprising anybody anymore though. Now an established star, all eyes are squarely on her as she takes the reins of the Cosumarite attack for the first time as an every-match starter. After impactful substitute appearances throughout World Cups 76 & 77, most people are saying "it's about damn time". Unfortunately, there's still a little bit of uncertainty as to what exactly she can do in a featured role due to her bad luck with club situations. She missed a season due to Chromatik politics. Her debut season at Rozelle was overshadowed by match-fixing scandals, though she settled in pretty well for them in the last couple seasons, with the last being her best yet. This AOCAF will be an opportunity for Heher to further prove herself on a big shining stage and prove she can be the face of this team long-term after a slightly-underwhelming World Cup at home. She is extremely quick, nimble and energetic, wearing out defenders over the course of the game. Most impressive though is her killer instinct in the final third. She excels threading that perfect ball between the lines, through the defense. Her close touch in tight quarters also makes her ideal for this play-through-the-middle #10 role.

Striker - Romikk Valgard - 24 - Ulsa

Quickly becoming one of Cosumar's biggest stars, Valgard's rate of development has been dizzying. In three seasons after West Gundar scooped the lad up from obscurity for $300k pocket change, he scored 9 goals, then 11, then 16 - the most of any Cosumarite in the Härlighet Ligan two years ago. Many thought Ulsa would be too big of a jump for him, but he didn't take long to find his footing at the Euran superclub: learning from Kris Campbell and notching double-digit goals. He now has the touch, composure, two-footed ability (and ego) of an elite striker. His right-footed shot and natural all-around athleticism were always first-rate. Valgard can thrive finding a window on goal in tight spaces with ball underfoot or running into open space with bursting acceleration and finishing in a variety of ways. Valgard announced his ability to the world in World Cup 77, as he grew before our eyes in all six of his substitute appearances, scoring five goals (including multiple late winners). Instant phenomenon. He's surprisingly weak in the air for someone of his height though, which Pearce has factored into the tactics. Also of note is that Valgard is the first player born on extraterrestrial colony Kalloroda to play for Cosumar. He also has a thing for bananas.

Striker - Vega Zeale-Riddick - 21 -

Samaj FC

"VZR" just had what was quite possibly the biggest breakout season in Härlighet Ligan history. 32 FUCKING GOALS IN 34 MATCHES. Yeah. That's a record-breaker. Sorry, Anders Engström, your legendary 29-goal season has been dethroned. Now, let's be real, Vega will never be the technical wizard or versatile attacking force that Engström was. Towering over most players and with springs for legs, she's more of a traditional center-forward target. At Samaj, she benefits from being the focal point of a system designed to funnel most of the chances to her. Nevertheless, by taking over the starting job there as a teenager and leading them to the Globe Cup and now the Champions' Cup, she has left Alexander Pearce no choice but to give her a look as a starter in the AOCAF. Some question whether Zeale-Riddick will function effectively in Pearce's two-forward system (this will be her first time), but she's more nimble for her size than people would first assume and can score with her feet from reasonable distance. She's also developed a reputation for being a bit of a spoiled "princess", but in something of an endearing way.

Remaining Squad

GK - Balbulus Grimwade - 28 -

Ramsissil

Another brilliant goalkeeper who has long deserved more call-ups than he has. Usually stymied by the equal brilliance of those already in front of him, Grimwade finally made his Cosumar debut at the last AOCAF. He was a logical choice to reprise that role despite missing the cut for the World Cup due to his proximity to the event and familiarity with some aspects of the setting here. Grimwade is perennially-underrated due to his deceptively chubby face and reserved demeanor, but those who know their stuff will recall just how huge he was for OAS Royal at such a young age. The last year there, he allowed only 1.01 goals per match and finished in the top five in Player of the Year voting. He has been quietly brilliant in the V-League ever since, including a year as the top-rated keeper in Vilita, keeping a struggling side afloat with his saves.

LB - Alexis Brill - 24 -

Violence Chariots

Former U21 stalwart Brill has broken through as a starter in Nephara over the last two seasons and solidified her place as Pearce's second-choice left back in the process. She hasn't been a showstopper for Chariots, but she has fared well by most accounts, which is enough to be impressive for a young defender trying to make her way at a major Premiership club. Her acclimation was aided by the fact she was already quite experienced before going to Nephara at 20, having played regular first-team soccer for St. Marie in Kernansquillec since the tender age of 16. Alexis is a slightly undersized fullback whose light-footed energy, pace and deceptive strength help compensate for her small frame. She flies up and down the left side, getting involved deep in the attack and ~usually~ making it back in time to defend. Her cross doesn't have much range, but she's pretty accurate when closer. Off the pitch, she collects antique Cosumarite dolls. According to her Instagram, she and her mom together have over 6000.

CB - Corella da Silva - 25 -

Raynor City United

An elegant defender yet with a bit of scrap to her, Corella broke through as a starter at Valanora's most famous club last season. This will be her first chance at a senior cap.

CB - Taddeo Loredan - 29 - Creed United

One of the best defenders in the Härlighet Ligan for several years, Taddeo was unwaveringly loyal to boyhood club AC Holmenkollen through that time, turning down the deep pockets of Real Azuris and Cassandra City. After guiding the Cedars to yet another stunning underdog UICA berth two years ago, he finally felt like it might be time to try to do it on a bigger stage. Creed United came calling and Loredan settled in nicely in the Nepharim Premiership. That move helped catch the eye of Nepharim manager Gethin Ramsey and Loredan made his Cosumar debut in WC 77. Level-headed and excellent positionally, Loredan usually has one of the lowest card totals amongst defenders. A strong, quiet leader.

RB - Tug Cooper - 23 -

Ramusok United

The Ramusok United product is the latest player trying to make a smooth transition from Cosumar U21 to the senior team. A strong DBC followed by the best club season of his young career (Härlighet Ligan Best XI) saw him claim a place in Ramsey's WC 77 side, squeezing out trusted veteran Sheldon Serra for the first time in a decade. He followed it up with a positive AOCAF and another great club season and is now being backed to win the starting job from Chisenhall soon. His real name is Thon Cooper, but he was given the moniker 'Tug' by his coaches at United because of his incredible stamina (in Cosumar, long-distance racing horses are known colloquially as "tugs"). In addition to his renowned ability to run and run and never tire, Tug is a tenacious and tactically intelligent fullback versatile enough to help the team offensively and defensively. Goes forward more frequently and does so more effectively than starter Chisenhall, but hasn't always been quite as reliable defensively. Still has the occasional lapses there, though they have been minimized lately. Short and stocky with a barrel-like chest, shaggy greyish-brown hair and a smirking grin. Often cited as one of the funniest players on the team, with a clever, sarcastic persona in interviews.

LM - Tamer Yilmaz - 27 -

Marinos Metropolis

Long on the fringe of the national team, former FC Kaldukosic product Yilmaz earned what will be his first caps in official competition by having the best season of his career. Stepping up his consistency and becoming a key figure in the Marinos attack, he helped the club reclaim the Valladar Liga 1 title. The former Cosumar U21 player is a relentlessly technical winger who loves to get into the dangerous areas and take on defenders one-on-one.

CM - Warren Royannais - 26 -

Cednia Beach AFC

Smooth passer of the ball, great footwork, and a good amount of pace on him as well. Has the work ethic and confidence. There's real talent there, but Royannais long lacked the consistency and mental focus of an everyday top-level player, making only sporadic impacts. Last season, however, he was able to sustain it for an entire season at Makosile United, earning him an upward move within the V-League to Cednia Beach in the current transfer window. The former U21 player has big lofty dreams of World Cup 79 and is eager (perhaps overly so) to get his first caps, so he might be a little nervy at first. But his feel for the international game should improve if Pearce has the patience. Spent part of his childhood in Vilita, where he was inspired by watching Jungle Strike FC, and returned there after just one breakout season at FC Kaldukosic at age 22.

CM - Tiffany Elam - 28 -

Ibini FC

Tiffany is a true hustler in midfield - she just doesn't stop running. She's quick, pretty good at pinging the ball around, and can surge forward or make a late opportunistic run into the box... but really she relishes the unglamorous work the most. Elam won her spot in the team after a great sophomore season in the Vanorian top-flight, helping Ibini claim 2nd place and never looking back. A constant feature throughout World Cup 76, she lost her starting place in the pecking order to Stig Söderquist in the camps leading up to WC 77, but she's still an important part of the team. At age 18, Elam turned down the #1 medical school in Cosumar to pursue her soccer career, moving to Kernansquillec to join Project X. She was one of the program's first standouts, immediately being offered a contract upon graduation to join local giants Guingamp. In three seasons there, she became one of Kernansquillec's best players before moving on to Valanora. Elam was the captain of Cosumar's U21 side in two successful DBCs and transitioned seamlessly to the senior squad afterwards.

RM - Bryger Tidesson - 19 -

Real Azuris

Everybody seems certain that Bryger is destined for great things. He scored in the Champions' Cup at age 16, after all, and started in the Cygnus Cup Final at 17. Now showing signs of closing in on an everyday starting role for the domestic champs next season, Tidesson should have a chance to truly attain superstar status. He has everything you want in a winger. He's fearless, creative, technical, puts in effort defensively (even if a tad undersized still). The fact that Pearce has called him up in lieu of an established in-prime player like Corey Simmons III speaks volumes about how highly the Cosumar staff (which doesn't usually call up teens easily) rates him. Kit Kvanderwyk needs to be looking over his shoulder. The Tidesson hype train seems about to truly explode and, once it finally does, he might have that right wing spot locked down for the next decade. A goal in the AOCAF could accelerate that process.

AM - Rowan Varghese - 27 -

Pelethas United

A surprise inclusion for World Cup 78, Varghese continues to earn her place with strong performances in Pelethas. She brings something a bit different to the #10 position than Heher, as a pure goalscorer from midfield a la Lampard. She doesn't quite have Heher's creativity in providing for others, but Varghese's movement is exquisite, she's pacy and she can hit the ball well. Her path to get here, her first World Cup, is an interesting one. A Pelethas homegrown product, she became the subject of out-of-control local expectations after scoring a hat trick in the King's Cup at 16. Weighed down by "club savior" proclamations, she wilted and, by 20, was glued to the bench most matches. So she went away. To Chromatika, where she played for Urrheddiao for three seasons, rebuilding her confidence and reimagining her identity as a footballer. When the Chromatik league folded, she returned to Pelethas United looking like the star she was always meant to be. Partnering with Nepharim veteran Auburn Tarrant allowed Rowan's true quality to sparkle and she scored 11 goals from midfield. Off the pitch, her hobbies include photography and ballroom dancing (which her teammates constantly ridicule her for).

ST - Airik Ruhl - 23 - Chenoworth Harriers

Ruhl is a monstrous forward, using his godlike body to dominate defenders, yet with a surprisingly soft touch and delicate technique for someone of his imposing physique (when he's not smashing headers). Only a year removed from the Sekundar Ligan, he led Chenoworth to the Champions' Cup last season with a stunning tally of 22 goals. Most ever by a Cosumarite in the Premiership. He now finds himself firmly in the mix for his first AOCAF appearances. Maybe even starts, which he publicly demanded (and justified) during WC78. However, his commitment to the game has been questioned in the past as he sometimes seemed like he couldn't be arsed to give full effort for Morponte Fief and Cosumar U21. The reputation has lingered despite his recent successes. He's not exactly a favorite of the Cosumarite media either due to his decidedly un-Cosumarite manners and troubling criminal history, which you can read more about here.

ST - Ragnar Targaryen - 25 -

CA Paulinthal

Ragnar signed with CA Paulinthal at 17 as a top prospect out of Rocinante Preparatory School, Cosumar's most prestigious private youth residency academy. At 23, he finally broke through as a starter at CAP after six years of simmering development. And what a whirlwind year it was! Solidifying himself as part of a lethal attacking trio alongside Valladares international Abel Brücke, Ragnar helped propel CAP to the Copa de Campeones Final... and the brink of the SuperLiga title. His sudden stardom in Pasarga makes him a must-include for new manager Alexander Pearce. Targaryen was uncapped before World Cup 77, but stepped right in and led the team in goals+assists, showcasing his versatility, stellar first touch and passing ability. He doesn't have Valgard's pace, but he's a hard runner. And though he's perhaps below-average height for a striker, Ragnar is sturdily built and has natural heading ability when he can win the ball in the air. He has also earned something of a reputation for scoring from unusual angles in Pasarga. He can still improve at dribbling and hold-up play (which may see him switched in favor of prototypical target Ruhl). Off the pitch, Ragnar is heavily into sci-fi and fantasy fandom - a geek at heart. He's also a big fan of his hometown club: Mallox.

Staff

Manager: Alexander Pearce

Alexander Pearce, 48, is a Cosumarite legend at center back, and is now the fifth person to manage the national team and the first former player to do so. He has large legacies to live up to. Before him, Nepharim icon Gethin Ramsey held the job for five cycles and made five World Cup knockouts, also winning a Cup of Harmony. Before that, Farris Crowley held the post for nearly 40 years and took Cosumar to its first seven World Cups. What will Pearce's legacy be? Well, he's already proven to be quite gifted at building legacies. Just look at what he did in Schottia with Cornellians: overseeing the club's transition from the Multiverse Premier League to the SPL and going on to dominate that league with five consecutive titles. No one expects him to win five consecutive World Cups, but it's reasonable to expect great things. Pearce's credentials extend far beyond just being a once-great player. He possesses a well-rounded managerial skillset: studious tactical acumen, a creative eye for new talent, elegant motivational/persuasive speaking, effective organizational management and even shrewd handling of finances. Known for his ability to coordinate and guide others and effortlessly command attention.
Pearce comes from a family with deep roots in the sport and takes great pride in representing his family name and his country. In his playing days, he was a rangy, mobile defender who could play in the middle or at left back. He is a club legend at OAS Royal FC, having joined upon the Härlighet Ligan's inception and playing at The Royal Palace for sixteen years, winning four titles. Afterwards, he became a player-coach in the MPL for Cornellians, which was his transition into coaching. He played in a desolate era for the Cosumar national team, but appeared in one World Cup Finals and captained the side in WC 67 and 68 Qualifying. Full bio.

Assistant Manager: Casey Brind

With incumbent assistant manager Kennedy Kopenhaver bolting to fill the managerial vacancy at Mallox, Alexander Pearce has decided to recruit his assistant and ex-teammate from Cornellians to the cause. Casey Brind, now 40 years old, was a well-traveled midfielder in her playing days, which weren't too long ago, including stops at Iron City, Cranequin Wanderers, Raven River, Vermillion Rage and then ending at Cornellians. Pearce and Brind are well-oiled machine, a proven good team through recent glories at Cornellians. Brind will be hoping that the success translates to the international level, inspired by helping fill the void of Nepharim legend Gethin Ramsey. Maybe this is the start of a storied international managerial career of her own.

Strategic Advisor: Geisuke Seto

Goalkeepers Coach: Anders Videfors

Defenders Coach: Artis Thomas

Midfielders Coach: Irvinn Rincon

Forwards Coach: Corey Simmons Jr.

Head Trainer: Yvette Carson

RP Permissions

Essentially, full RP permissions. Be creative. Use my characters however you like. You can state that someone was injured, but allow me to determine the severity. I also ask that you telegram me before RPing anything extreme (like a bombing, a fan riot, extreme weather events impacting the game, etc). I'm usually up for anything, but just check with me first.

I Give To My Opponent The Permission To:
=================================
Choose My Goalscorers: Y
Godmod Goalscoring Events: Y
Injure Players: Y, but leave the severity up to me
Godmod Injury Events: Y, but no killing. TG me if you're doing something particularly unusual.
Red Card Players: Y
Yellow Card Players: Y
Godmod Other Events: TG me first.
=================================

by **Qasden** » Thu Aug 31, 2017 2:13 am

Match Update - Valanora V Qasden

Coming off an enthralling 6-1 victory over the veteran newcomers of Lisander in Riailia, the Qasden Vans went out looking for their second opponent, destined to sink their teeth in them. The 5-goal victory has sealed a powerful first place start in Group D, giving confidence to Qad fans ahome and abroad. Making their expedition to the wonders of Cocoabo Forest, TQ took it to the arena where they battled their second opponent of LIVe, Euran Oceania Territories. Despite hard efforts from the Underdogs, the works of Ryan Xandreas (34'), Icarus Darsten (78'), and Jerry Bostun (90+2') overwhelmed Team E.O.T., giving Qasden a 3-1 victory. With a +7 GD and an already-assured spot into the Round of 16, the Vans travel to Kionao to take on the beast they've ever-so desired to defeat. The deities of AO itself.

The Marauders of Valanora aim to defend their title and their record in Turori in Group D's Clash of the Glorious Southwest. The Eternal Realm is one of the region's largest nations in size and multiversal impact. Within previous cycles, the elves alone have managed to gather 5 World Cup titles, 4 AOCAFs, and enough hosted tournaments to last a lifetime. Ranked 10th on the WC-scale and 1st regionally, this Côfcarthor Undorina-managed squad has become the team to beat in any soccer-related event.

Common grounds between us and the Vanorians can be shaky yet straight, with many things found similar in both everyday life and the footballing associations. Under Undorina, the Marauders have played under an almost identical tactic to that of John Merritt and Zachary Sols. In fashion sense, both teams currently play under the dons of the same Krytenian manufacturer, JMC. Now, of course, the Vanorians are practically billionaires to Qasden in their almost perrenial success in these tournaments. However, just like Qasden and many others, even the elven giants have their fair share of screw-ups, something TQ hopes to utilize.

When it comes down to strategy, it's all about hardcore defense and pizzazz. More importantly, its possession, pure pure possession that can make or break this game for the Qads. This was highly emphasized in Sols remarks earlier in the tournament before arriving in Turori.

"Without a doubt, the Vanorians will be our toughest opponent in the entirety of the tournament. Their perfect combination of speed and skill compared to other footballing giants makes them a highly toxic opponent, so it will be critical beyond belief that we possess the ball for as long as we bloody can. The more we hang on to the ball, the less likely they are to score and the more likely we will. It's a matter of impact and defense.".

As both sides have shown previous success in matchups against Lisander and EOT, the victor of this match will take 1st in the group, securing them a comfortable spot in the Round of 16. The loser, while still advancing, will be ill-advised coming into their first knockout match, as Group C leaders, Chromatika, look to keep that name beside their flag for MD3.

Who do you think is going to win? Let us know on social media @QADAN, and be sure to watch the big game tomorrow night on QADAN1. Stay tuned, stay updated, and stay qwerty for our next LIVe report.

by **Vilita and Turori** » Thu Aug 31, 2017 2:15 am

:: Unique Signs of Vilita & Turori ::

:: Vilita - Radiation Warning Sign

While fewer and fewer natives actually recall the events that actually took place, Irougil was once a thriving inland city just to the North East of Arcticala. However when the Sorthern Northland incident occurred, that all changed forever. Sorthern Northland itself was barely even left in remnants, radioactive Geese roamed the land and Radiation filled the air, carried away over the water.

Unfortunately, not too far from Sorthern Northland was Vilita. The radiation being carried by wind currents found a change in currents as it approached Vilita's Inland Peaks and then pushed down by the wall of pressure at Vilita's southern coast. The result: All the radioactive was settling in Irougil.

The town was immediately evacuated and a new home identified just outside Cittea. The remnants of what is now known simply as the 'Stay Out Zone" or "Soz" were left in place to decay on their own. Naturally, however, warning signs were placed such that any passers by would have fair warning that they were approaching a high radiation zone.

:: Turori - Cocoabo Crossing Sign

While these days this sign may be more prevalent at Cocoabo Park in the Cocoabo Forest, the Cocoabo Crossing sign can still be found in some areas of Turori, particularly in roads leading to the North-Western community of Inura in the Inura Forest.

The Cocoabo Crossing sign warns of the presence of Free-Roaming Cocoabo in the area. The Cocoabo Preservation Society has historically count of the number of Cocoabo Crossing signs that are present in the Island Emirate of Turori and uses the addition - or removal of such signs as a first-order indicator of the national impact of their efforts. Of course, since the adoption of the lands of the Cocoabo Forest, it has become even more difficult for the Cocoabo Preservation Society to justify maintaining dedicated native lands for the Cocoabo on Turori's main island and some Cocoabo Crossing signs have been removed in recent years. The Cocoabo Preservation Society is fighting back, however, with a campaign showing positive interactions between Citizen and Cocoabo in a fictional day-to-day setting.

by **Tropicorp** » Thu Aug 31, 2017 2:54 am

Nation Name Origin

Tropicorp is a quasi-governmental corporation created to conduct Research, Development and Production activities primarily on behalf of the Tropics of Vilita. The name "Tropicorp" originated from the formal "Corporation of the Tropics" or "Tropics Corporation" shortened and combined into the singular "Tropicorp"

The creation of Tropicorp itself was a reaction to growing public distrust in large corporations, media and advanced research on Vilitan soil particularly in the wake of the fallout from the Sorthern Northland nuclear event. As such, the Vilitan government identified the opportunity to utilize a region of long-lost Vilitan lands on Calania to re-locate and resume the industrial activities that no longer seemed welcome on the Vilitan mainland.

Upon initially standing up the corporation, its employees would be ferried to the Tropicorp site from the nearby Vilitan island of Turoki. However, as Tropicorp grew and its need for round-the-clock and full time staffing increased, many employees expressed a desire not only to have places to go out and eat other than the company cafeteria, but even to live closer to Tropicorp facilities, on the Calanian mainland, not having catch the ferry from Mavaloiao.

As such, Tropicoast was born. Naturally, with their choice of setting up shop, the new residents of Tropicorp chose a location on the coast at the ideal location - the ferry depot, and built their town around it.

by **Atlantian Oceania** » Thu Aug 31, 2017 7:04 am

HOST ANNOUNCEMENT

AOCAF MD 3 Scorination has been delayed approximately 12 hours due to a minor computer issue this morning that I simply don't have time to address until tonight. Apologies for the delay.

by **Kep** » Thu Aug 31, 2017 2:05 pm

AOCAF LIVe

UNIQUE SIGNS IN KEBEC

- By Alexa Vandridie

N/A // None Available

TROPICOAST Kebec is a nation rich with history and a flavor unlike most nations, with is strong pull to Norse mythology, everything from a sign for the Bifrost Bridge to the warning of Giants exists on the road on the road to protect small human Kebecois from succumbing to a horrible death, maiming or injury, which is why we at the Ice Fisher take great pleasure in unveiling to you our very own guide to the top three most notable signs found thru Kebec. Our sources range from various passer-byers on the streets recounting their rough experience to extensive research from the Kebecious Public Affairs Committee of Transportation, the governments wing of the executive branch in charge of dealing with transportation in the nation. We're proud to say, a rich mix of comments and ideas have been promoted into this page, gods' willing, you'll leave more intelligent on how to ~~survive~~ drive in Kebec.

A glorious sign made
specifically to Ice Fisher
Magazine expectations

VALKYRIE-CROSSING SIGN // VALKYRIE-CROISEMENT SIGNE

Found only in Kebec, the Valkyrie-Crossing sign is usually found alongside major Kebecois highways and bridges, mainly to protect the civilians from the omnipotent Valkyrie which roam the woods of Kebec, these bare-breasted, tall women (No perverts, this is not an XXX-site) possess the ability to choose who will live and who will die in a battle and were once renowned for their abilities, they have now seemingly taken a ceremonious place in the lives of many Kebecois, but being in their presence is a humbling one with only a few 400 known to be in existence. They exhibit an aurora around them that radiates, causing the truth to spill out from the mouths of any caught in their cross-hairs, it is recommended you don't hit them, aside from the fender-bender and the N$950 fine, you might invoke the wrath of a full-grown female Valkyrie on yourself.

JOTUNN-PROTECTED SIGN // PROTÉGÉ PAR JOTUNN SIGNE

Another highly wierded-out sign found once again only in the mystique frozen tundra that is Kebec is the Jotunn-protected sign which is used particularly on mountain trails, roads in high altitudes and places where snow is common (aka as all over Kebec), Jotunn are the frost-giants that live somewhat peacefully alongside humans (1 in 24 humans are attacked each month by a Jotunn) -- you're more likely to get bitten by a shark, but even so exhibit caution when nearing these signs. These signs are there for a reason, its because the government doesn't want to return your bones and torn clothes back to your family, its best if you steer clear of these areas, unless that is your's an accomplished attempted-suicidal person -- this is dangerous y'all, we can strongly advice you to not continue down the path of ending thou life for the sake of excitement or whatever ill-advised fantasy you crave.

BIFROST BRIDGE GATEWAY SIGN // PASSERELLE DU PONT DE BIFROST SIGNE

As any Kebecois worth his grain of salt knows -- the Bifrost Bridge linking Kebec to Asgard opens one every five years for Odin to appoint a new Chief Guardian for Kebec and for the Odin's Invitational Ball where all 11.7-million Kebecois gather in the giant Asgardian ballroom and dance the night away, this is a moment looked forward too by millions of Kebecois, a chance to relax, unwind and fun for the whole family. However, during this party central time, there's always just one problem plaguing it -- traffic has rendered travelling to the portals a no-no which is why a new method was developed 12 years ago by the Kebecois government transportation agency. The Bifrost Bridge Gateway-sign is intended to guide you towards the upcoming portals opened by Odin and his slue of Gods and Goddesses to link you to the ballroom and Asgard, in these zones, you are permitted to go at 110 km/hr. and nothing less than this, you will hit the 'Asgardia Wall', creating a sonic thunderclap, thus transporting you onto the Bifrost Bridge, by the way, parking in Asgard is free!

by **The Royal Kingdom of Quebec** » Thu Aug 31, 2017 5:14 pm

-- Diary Entry of Simon Choo : Day 1111 in Imprisonment -

Hello, world. It's good to write to you again after a couple of weeks without an entry. Hope y'all didn't miss me too much because for one I didn't.

We're now roughly one week into our stay in Cocoabo Forest, a mysterious land filled with mysterious wildlife and stuffy climate. While I've always found Gotham to be hostile in climate, this place proved to be no better- it's so stuffy out there in daytime and mosquitoes are everywhere in nighttime when we returned to our hotel after our first day of practice (we arrived in Cocoabo Forest after 7 days of travels on a hugeass barge carrying corpses, but I'll talk about those later). Yea, you may wonder why all 16 of us were in a hotel room. Well it's pretty simple- cost, cost and cost. The prison guards don't give a shit about us nor the coach, so they just went for the cheapest option the travelling agent provided and we got stuck with that. Not the most comfortable option, but hey, what a way to build teamwork. Right?

Our hotel room's not the most pleasant of options out there: The walls are yellow in vomit-induced light, while green lights are bright torturing. There were some bed bugs and not to mention, three gigantic ticks that they seemed to have brought from Chip Tyson's home country! I've never seen ticks that big in my lifetime before last week, but apparently those are pretty common in Qasden...so guess I did learn something about this world beyond Terra Henrius. lol.

For a couple of days we were handling those "surprises" pretty well, but I guess at some point the blood loss might have gotten too much into us. By Day 3, there were lots of movement by less patient prisoners and a couple of them, I think it was Kief and Yeong Ja, who kicked the door open and ran away before being body slammed by coach Rodney. Based on what I've heard from other guys, The next thing we all remembered, coach Rodney chained them and some of us on top to the wall to make sure that we won't escape from our bug-infested rooms. He first whipped them 365 times in a classy Greggy style. Then he poured some hot chilli pepper on their nostrils and watched them suffer, which I felt really bad about. I know that attempting to escape from their imprisonment is a crime, but why do the others have to suffer as well? You could just let those 2 go through whatever - and I won't mind.

With such incidents happening fairly early into our confinement, it was perhaps of no surprise that our first execution followed after our first matchday draw against Komarov-Tholmya. It was a very hot day in middle of nowhere and our guys were getting outplayed in transition game, leaving poor Armis to be on super-save mode all day long - after a pair of early goals by Nynetjer and Chip, we were outplayed and allowed a couple more. And perhaps, from those disappointing eyes of coach Rodney we were able to see the inevitable and ultimate doom of one of us after the final whistle. The rule of the jungle, after all, mandates an execution of a prisoner after a non-win, and we're only there to observe.

Of course, tomorrow's breakfast consisted of Kief's flesh. It tasted somewhat sweet, which was surprising because of a scumbag he was. A rat-haired weasel who survived like one through his corruption and Loki-looking face. No wonder that guy ended up in Gotham and executed in a two-hour procedure on the stadium locker-room. It was a long, tedious process that not everybody enjoyed, but did not look at it with tears either. People often laughed and cheered, watching this as if it was a form of entertainment and whatnot. Fascinating indeed.

At least the meat did not have to taste like a dead elephant. That didn't taste good when we had it while on our barge from Gotham

.

by **Valanora** » Thu Aug 31, 2017 10:01 pm

Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5

Valanora: A Modern History
Chapter 6: From Many, One

As the nation flourished, it began to stretch out its legs and expand out into the world, with first laying claim to the small island off the west coast of Arrosia, going on to call it Vyinta, after having already established a presence on the island of Capri in the Shallow Harbor between Rinaldi and Quel'Thalas. However Vanorian expansion and colonization was not going to stop as it moved further north and discovered the fledgling nation of Demot, establishing themselves as the nations' overlord and protector in exchange for a yearly tribute. This would be the only known time that Vanorians would take on a tributary state, or puppet as some would call them, in their history. The overlordship seemed to be a point of contention among many of the higher houses in the nation and some saw it as a perverse form of guardianship that should not be tolerated. That sentiment grew over time and nearly fifty years to the day after they established their control over Demot, they granted them full independence and cancelled any further attempts at such tributary or client states.

Shortly after this, the nomadic tribes of the Dark Templara pleaded for protection from the Elves, as they had in the past sent handfuls of their warriors to serve as spies and bodyguards for the Elves in exchange for trade goods. While the exact details were unclear, the Templara claimed that their homelands that they had traveled and cultivated had been put to the torch and without protection and a place for their civilization to establish themselves, their people would soon die off. The Elvess decided to grant the Dark Templara the protection they sought and allowed them to settle into the vast northern lands that the government had claimed and had been recognized by the rest of the regional leaders. While not granted independence like Demot, they were given autonomy like the island-state of Vyinta had been given, where they had the right to self govern but were still part of the Elven nation and owed their loyalty and allegiance to the crown. It was a mutually beneficial arrangement, as the Elves new lands were quick to be settled and the Templara were given the shelter and home that they had sought.

It was nearly a decade after this that Tobias Raynor began to see the forming of a greater nation that what had been before, as additional two nations pledged their loyalty to him and his government, with Assegai Developments having had a bit of history in the sporting arena with the Elves and their client state had come as part of the deal. Where many would have seen the an Emperor ruling over vast lands, Tobias saw a nation being forged and decided to convene the leaders of Vyinta, the Templara, his own council, as well as his two new states and put together the idea of a single nation made stronger from their differences. He dared to name it Valanora, after what the High Priestess had called the Great Others like Gladerial, the Valinor. The citizenship question was one that brought Vyinta and the Templara on board and was the a bit of contentious point for the others. In the end they agreed to the idea of this new nation, and Valanora was formed, though Assegai and their client state would dissolve within six years of the arrangement, leaving only the Elves, Vyintanese, and Templara as those who were part of the nation, and called themselves the Vanor or Vanorians.

by **Tropicorp** » Thu Aug 31, 2017 10:48 pm

Matchday 3

--- COCOABO ZONE ---

Group 1
Komarov-Thomiya [2] Demot [2]
Sokattack Stadium, Mliona, Turori
Cosumar [4] Royal Kingdom of Quebec [2]
Iobabao Legendary Park, Mliona, Turori

-------Group 1----             P  W  D  L GF-GA     GD  Pts
[1] Cosumar                    3  2  0  1  5-3    +2   6
[2] Royal Kingdom of Quebec    3  1  1  1  7-6    +1   4
 3- Demot                      3  1  1  1  3-5    -2   4
 4- Komarov-Thomiya            3  0  2  1  4-5    -1   2

Group 2
Osarius [1] Rossaline [0]
Click Here to choose the venue
Starblaydia [0] Iskandervale [3]
Click Here to choose the venue

-------Group 2----             P  W  D  L GF-GA     GD  Pts
[1] Osarius                    3  3  0  0  7-1    +6   9
[2] Iskandervale               3  2  0  1  8-3    +5   6
 3- Starblaydia                3  1  0  2  2-6    -4   3
 4- Rossaline                  3  0  0  3  0-7    -7   0

Group 3
Blouman Empire [1] Blackmont [1]
Click Here to choose the venue
Chromatika [0] Tallaga la Falla [0]
Cocoabo Park Arena, Cocoabo Park, Cocoabo Forest

-------Group 3----             P  W  D  L GF-GA     GD  Pts
[1] Chromatika                 3  2  1  0  5-1    +4   7
[2] Blackmont                  3  1  1  1  3-4    -1   4
 3- Tallaga la Falla           3  0  2  1  1-2    -1   2
 4- Blouman Empire             3  0  2  1  2-4    -2   2

Group 4
Euran Oceania Territories [1] Lisander [2]
Click Here to choose the venue
Qasden [1] Valanora [2]
Kionao Minor Field, Kionao, Turori

-------Group 4----             P  W  D  L GF-GA     GD  Pts
[1] Valanora                   3  3  0  0  8-2    +6   9
[2] Qasden                     3  2  0  1 10-4    +6   6
 3- Lisander                   3  1  0  2  4-10   -6   3
 4- Euran Oceania Territories  3  0  0  3  2-8    -6   0

--- TROPICORP ZONE ---

Group 5
Semarland [1] Oceanian Spaam [1]
Click Here to choose the venue
Vilita & Turori [2] Mriin [1]
Track Venture Field, Sile, Vilita

-------Group 5----             P  W  D  L GF-GA     GD  Pts
[1] Vilita & Turori            3  3  0  0 10-2    +8   9
[2] Mriin                      3  0  2  1  5-6    -1   2
 3- Semarland                  3  0  2  1  3-5    -2   2
 4- Oceanian Spaam             3  0  2  1  4-9    -5   2

Group 6
Tropicorp [4] Kebec [1]
Tropicoast Training Ground, Tropicoast, Tropicorp
Eshan [2] Ngolia [1]
Tropicorp Park, Tropicoast, Tropicorp

-------Group 6----             P  W  D  L GF-GA     GD  Pts
[1] Tropicorp                  3  2  1  0  7-3    +4   7
[2] Eshan                      3  2  1  0  5-3    +2   7
 3- Ngolia                     3  0  1  2  2-4    -2   1
 4- Kebec                      3  0  1  2  2-6    -4   1

Group 7
Oontaz Dert Li Ng [7] County Davidson [0]
Tropicoast Training Ground, Tropicoast, Tropicorp
Krytenia [4] Legalese [0]
Turoki Community Complex, Turoki City, Vilita

-------Group 7----             P  W  D  L GF-GA     GD  Pts
[1] Oontaz Dert Li Ng          3  3  0  0 12-1    +11  9
[2] Krytenia                   3  2  0  1  6-2    +4   6
 3- Legalese                   3  1  0  2  5-8    -3   3
 4- County Davidson            3  0  0  3  1-13   -12  0

Group 8
Equestrian States [3] Ctulhtii [0]
Click Here to choose the venue
Farfadillis [1] 95X [3]
Tropicorp Park, Tropicoast, Tropicorp

-------Group 8----             P  W  D  L GF-GA     GD  Pts
[1] 95X                        3  3  0  0 11-3    +8   9
[2] Farfadillis                3  2  0  1  9-5    +4   6
 3- Equestrian States          3  1  0  2  6-7    -1   3
 4- Ctulhtii                   3  0  0  3  1-12   -11  0

by **Tropicorp** » Thu Aug 31, 2017 11:21 pm

Knockout Round Schedule & Fixtures

Round of 16 Matchups :: "Cutoff No-Earlier-Than..." 09/02 Saturday 23:59 UTC

--- COCOABO ZONE ---

Cosumar [-v-] Iskandervale
Cocoabo Park Arena, Cocoabo Park, Cocoabo Forest

Chromatika [-v-] Qasden
Kionao Minor Field, Kionao, Turori

Valanora [-v-] Blackmont
Coliseum of the Inurahtii, Inura, Turori

Osarius [-v-] Royal Kingdom of Quebec
Cocoabo Park Arena, Cocoabo Park, Cocoabo Forest

--- TROPICORP ZONE ---

Vilita & Turori [-v-] Eshan
Turoki National Stadium, Turoki City, Vilita

Oontaz Dert Li Ng [-v-] Farfadillis
Click Here to choose the venue

95X [-v-] Krytenia
Click Here to choose the venue

Tropicorp [-v-] Mriin
Tropicorp Park, Tropicoast, Tropicorp

Roster Challenge: Include on your Roster at least one player who either plays in another AO Nation (or, has a story of historical lineage to another AO Nationality)

MD 1 RP Challenge :: Post a picture of a Postcard that would be found in your nation; See the "Postcards!" thread on the AO Forum for some inspiration.

MD 2 RP Challenge :: National Holidays; Incorporate one of your nations National Holidays into your RP, or present its recognized holidays.

MD 3 RP Challenge :: Nation Name Origin; What is the origin of your Nation's Name? :: OR :: (for the graphically inclined) Weird Road Signs from your Nation; Show us what weird or unique Road Signs might be found in your nation, and what they mean!

Round of 16 RP Challenge :: National Rivals; Who are your countries biggest rival nations? In sports? Politically? Other? List your nations biggest regional and international rivals and the reason(s) why :: OR :: (for those that have not yet done so) Complete the Group Stage Challenges; and cross-post the information for posterities sake in proper the AO Forum Thread: MD1: Postcards! MD2: National Holidays MD3: Nation Name Origin, MD3: Road Signs

by **Chromatika** » Fri Sep 01, 2017 5:59 pm

The Rival of Chromatika

The word "rival" isn't one that should be thrown around lightly. In order for one to be your rival, you must be at around the same level as them. If one side has dominated, then it is not a true rivalry; only in a give-and-take scenario can the loaded word be used. That being said, there is only one nation that fits the label to a t in the minds of Chromatik fans: The Vanquishers of Cosumar.

It all started in AOCAF 50, the Golden Anniversary of the AOCAF. After a Round of 16 finish in the recent Cup of Harmony 66, all eyes turned to the Round of 16. It was then that the two nations met for the first time, and Chromatika lost to Cosumar by a score of 2-2, 2-3 on penalty kicks as Gabriella Antonio cemented her place as one of the scapegoats of Chromatik history when it comes to penalty kicks. Winterfyll beat Thorben out on a shootout remembered for brilliant saves from both until Antonio whiffed the deciding one directly at Winterfyll. Although Valanora defeated Cosumar the very next match, also in PKs, it was a bitter loss for a nation that had lost to Fluvique in penalties in the recent Cup of Harmony.

It wasn't until the Quarterfinals of World Cup 76 - the one that resulted in a fourth place finish for the Chromatiks, their best finish ever - that the team got to return the favor. Despite using all three substitutions and then losing Jillian Nier to a concussion right at the end of regular time, the Chromatiks rallied behind Antonio playing at goal, and Keira Andisori showed the world her emergence by getting one past Winterfyll two minutes before the game would go to penalties. It is still considered one of the greatest matches in Chromatik history, and Andisori and Antonio's heroics are remembered fondly by fans.

The next time the two teams met was in the Group Stage of World Cup 77. Heralded as the tiebreaker after the two previous results, and Cosumarites still bitter over their defeat, it was heralded as a must-see event.
However, Thorben and Winterfyll completely dominated the match, and the score ended nil-nil. The Chromatiks - due to a loss to Bonesea - lost out to the Vanquishers in terms of seeding and didn't make it out of groups, but Cosumar lost in the Round of Sixteen as well. This match isn't remembered by many fans, and in their eyes, the series is still even.

The two nations haven't faced each other since. In World Cup 78, held in Cosumar and Bonesea, the Chromatiks were put into a group hosted by Bonesea, and fell in the Quarterfinals, while Cosumar fell flat in the Quarterfinals of their side as well. This puts the all-time record at 1-1-1, with Chromatika having the bigger win, but Cosumar having the win in penalties.

With the relationship between the two countries warming up since the Rainbow Revolution - Sybill and Niro are playing in Cosumar's domestic league and Cormak Lethbridge and Gabriella Antonio are actively dating - the rivalry has had room to blossom. The next time these two teams meet, though? Gloves are definitely off. With both sides now among the Top Ten teams of the world, expect hard and beautiful football if they are to meet again.

Chromatika 0-0 Tallaga la Falla @ Cocoabo Park Arena, Cocoabo Park, Cocoabo Forest
Starting Lineup vs. Tallaga La Falla: Nier; Morningstar - Stef - Damjana; Thorben - Sybill - Montague - Dragana; Victoriane - Andisori - Antonio (C). Subs: Kelly -> Thorben '51, Dragana -> Liam '67, Rien -> Victoriane 82'
Player of the Match: Jillian Nier (0 goals allowed, 7 shots saved)
Summary: A brilliant showing on defense by both sides saw a scoreless tie in Cocoabo Park Arena, as Parker's attempt to will the side to score a single goal went awry. Tallaga la Falla did try to score as well with Blackmont being ahead of them in the standings, but Nier and her defense stood firm. It was a rather boring match to watch, as it was physical, testy, and nobody could really get any good runs that resulted in premium chances. The Chromatiks will have to dust off their feet and prepare for a dogfight, as Qasden looms in the horizon, a side that has won back-to-back Cups of Harmony, a rare feat. Parker is expected to start his full side against a side that has scored ten goals in three matches, including only one in the last match against Valanora. If the Chromatiks are to continue their tear in the AOCAF - a fourth place finish after a runner-up performance - they will have to get past a rising power in Qasden first.
Projected Lineup vs. Qasden: Nier; Morningstar - Aart - Ellen; Kelly (C) - Sybill - Montague - Dragana; Victoriane - Andisori - Antonio.

by **Vilita and Turori** » Sat Sep 02, 2017 1:59 pm

Vilita & Turori and 95X have a long regional rivalry that has seen its fair share of ups and downs throughout the years. From 95X's triumph over Vilita & Turori in AOCAF 47 to Vilita & Turori's 7-0 Thrashing of the 95X squad in AOCAF 39.

This series focuses on that long-standing regional rivalry and, appropriately, the Ninety-Five reasons that a Vilita & Turori fan... or in some cases anyone... would have to hate 95X.

::: Reason #52 ::: Suspect decisions cost Vilita & Turori at 95X's Cascade Dome

It had been a flawless campaign for the Vilita & Turori Eel-Cat Things. Victories over Anthor, Blouman Empire and Farfadillis in the group stage saw Vilita & Turori through to the knockout rounds. There they started to cruise. An extra time victory over the timeless champion Starblaydia, then, a comfortable Quarter-Final victory over Eshan to set up a virtually guaranteed victory in the Semi-Finals against Krytenia.

The five-time hosts had been five times 3rd Place finishers and having lost in the Semi-Final even more than that. Just once in their history had the Cy'un even won a Semi-Final match, and that was way back in AOCAF 7 when they ultimately would lose to Starblaydia in the final.

So when the dominant Eel-Cat Things squared off against a Krytenia team that had backed into the Semi-Finals on the heels of an incompetent performance by their own rivals Audioslavia in the Quarter Finals, it was expected that Vilita & Turori would romp.

Instead, however, every time the Eel-Cat Things put the ball in the back of the net, it was called back. Any time a Krytenian player hit the deck, a card was pulled out and shown to a Vilita & Turori by the clearly bias local referee, the Veteran 95X'er - William LaCassel.

LaCassel and his 95X based crew had done such a good job controlling the match that it survived the full 120 minutes without a single goal counting on the scoreboard. Even in the penalty shootout, the 95X officiating team made their mark negating what appeared to be a clean save by Nikki Tzimas, claiming that the Strike FC prospect had strayed off his line before the ball was struck. The resulting re-kick found the back of the net, propelling Krytenia to the final where they would win in stunning fashion 5-1 over Chromatika.

Of course, it was a result that would leave a sour taste in the mouths of all Vilita & Turori citizens. Worse, however, it would leave a sour taste in the mouths of all Atlantian Oceanians as the lovable loser, Krytenia, had lost their claim to fame, no longer a loser forever more... thanks to 95X!

Like AOCAF 52, the Vilita & Turori Eel-Cat Things are off to a perfect start having steamrolled Oceanian Spaam before recording victories over Semarland and Mriin to set up another Knockout-Round fixture against Eshan.

Vilita & Turori [5] - [0] Oceanian Spaam

:: Vilita & Turori Goalscorers ::
:: 31' Rintala Sekagaya
:: 35' Fishtii Blikala
:: 48' Jyuola Mtalata
:: 65' Meldi'ita Mungwaii
:: 66' Jirak Trikala

:: Vilita & Turori Statistics ::
:: Possession: 79%
:: Shots on Target: 8
:: Corner Kicks: 8

:: Oceanian Spaam Statistics ::
:: Possession: 21%
:: Shots on Target: 2
:: Corner Kicks: 2

Vilita & Turori Eel Cat Things Lineup v. Oceanian Spaam ::
[GK] Mako Canopii, [D.] Mikki Mayelli, [D.] Rintala Sekagaya, [D.] Linkat Cjinder, [ML] Va'a-Rio Kiwavn, [MC] Timi'sala Koarena, [MC] Mbdiai Akarenaa, [MC] Cywrenta Vlintejni, [MR] Polaox Torerun, [FC] Fishtii Blikala, [FC] Meldi'ita Mungwaii
BENCH::
[FC] Tenziki Kulakao, [FC] Sipke Tarala, [M] Jyuola Mtalata, [M] Kentu Umaka'a, [U ] Jirak Trikala, [D] Lulu Pumaziiri, [GK] Wiyauw An'maude

Vilita & Turori [3] - [1] Semarland

:: Vilita & Turori Goalscorers ::
:: 16' Fishtii Blikala
:: 17' Polaox Torerun
:: 59' Jurzen Devmiko

:: Vilita & Turori Statistics ::
:: Possession: 59%
:: Shots on Target: 5
:: Corner Kicks: 5

:: Semarland Statistics ::
:: Possession: 41%
:: Shots on Target: 5
:: Corner Kicks: 7

Vilita & Turori Eel Cat Things Lineup v. Semarland ::
[GK] Mako Canopii, [D.] Linkat Cjinder, [D.] Mikki Mayelli, [D.] Lulu Pumaziiri, [ML] Jurzen Devmiko, [MC] Polaox Torerun, [MC] Timi'sala Koarena, [MR] Va'a-Rio Kiwavn, [FC] Wiztsana Iretziia, [FC] Fishtii Blikala, [FC] Tenziki Kulakao
BENCH::
[FC] Meldi'ita Mungwaii, [FC] Sipke Tarala, [M] Cywrenta Vlintejni, [M] Daliora Toru'u, [U ] Linvoi Warazil, [D] Mileke Drokasorna, [GK] Wiyauw An'maude

Vilita & Turori [2] - [1] Mriin

:: Vilita & Turori Goalscorers ::
:: 19' Timi'sala Koarena
:: 50' Meldi'ita Mungwaii

:: Vilita & Turori Statistics ::
:: Possession: 51%
:: Shots on Target: 5
:: Corner Kicks: 9

:: Mriin Statistics ::
:: Possession: 49%
:: Shots on Target: 3
:: Corner Kicks: 3

Vilita & Turori Eel Cat Things Lineup v. Mriin ::
[GK] Wiyauw An'maude, [D.] Mileke Drokasorna, [D.] Linkat Cjinder, [D.] Mikki Mayelli, [D.] Yitizo Mpala'a, [ML] Va'a-Rio Kiwavn, [MC] Cywrenta Vlintejni, [MC] Timi'sala Koarena, [MR] Polaox Torerun, [FC] Meldi'ita Mungwaii, [FC] Tenziki Kulakao
BENCH::
[FC] Fishtii Blikala, [FC] Linvoi Warazil, [M] Kentu Umaka'a, [M] Etamara Kulkkiia, [U ] Sipke Tarala, [D] Rintala Sekagaya, [GK] Mako Canopii

by **Blackmont** » Sat Sep 02, 2017 3:43 pm

The Rookies

Part Eleven. In which they learn more about themselves.

“So, Niko, how are you doing lately?” asks Artem Delacruz, sitting down next to the bar with Niko Komarov and ordering the same drink that Niko has. It’s some kind of blue and white cocktail, with a lemon at the edge of the cup that contrasts the colors nicely. While the bartender nods and makes the drink, Artem turns his attention to Niko, realizing that he looks… Tired. “You enjoying the trip so far?”

“You’re probably going to get on me if I say no, so yes. In all seriousness, though, it’s been alright. I like hanging out with James when there’s no pressures of the season, sure, but I’m not sure I would have chosen to spend the offseason with you guys if I had a chance to go back,” Niko shrugs. “No offense,” he adds, and when Artem doesn’t say anything, he takes that as a sign to keep going. “When you grow up as the middle child, you want solitude sometimes. It’s not personal.”

“Some of this shit between us seemed personal.”

“And I can assure you that it’s not. You just don’t know the circumstances behind it all,” Niko shrugs, his voice getting quieter. It’s hard to hear him over the noise of the party going on in the background, with music playing and people talking, and fireworks going off in the distance in Blackmont City. “Like I said, it’s a thing that middle children will understand. Well, maybe most middle children have it better than me. That’s probably true. But it’s something you would understand if you grew up in my family. I’m jealous of you and Rain. You’re so close, like best friends instead of siblings. We’re not like that, I can assure you.”

Artem raises an eyebrow as the bartender finishes the drink and sets it down in front of him. “Didn’t you say before that your sister Katya is your best friend? What happened with that?”

“Keyword is was, not is. She was my best friend before she got older and started only caring about herself. She really showed her true colors, I guess, because we’re not even on talking terms right now. She was always our parents’ favorite, but now she hates me because I tried to forge my own path instead of buying into these projects of hers. With her agency, and her blogging stuff, and all. I guess there was a lot of tension, and it hit a tipping point when she tried to force some career moves for me that I didn’t want, because she thought that she knew best. That’s why I have James as my agent now.”

“You don’t talk to your sister anymore because of career stuff?”

“Also because I find her to be an insufferable bitch these days, but yes. She doesn’t give a shit about any of her clients or her friends or even her family. All she cares about is being the most popular and famous and living the high life now that she has some money. She completely forgot what she came from. What we came from. She fucked everyone else over for her own gains, including myself and her closest friends. You know the story behind my transfer to 1898 Odena, back when I was done with youth football?”

“I don’t think so. Didn’t you sign there after playing for the National Academy?”

“Yeah, after I fired Katya as my agent. I fired her because she tried to sign me to SC Morievo, because they were offering her a shitload of money for her agent fee. She tried to fake my signature and agree to terms with them without telling me, and I busted her and told her she was lucky I didn’t sue her. But that’s not even what I’m angry about. She was just another poor kid from the streets, like you and me. I can’t blame her for looking out for herself. The thing that I hated was always the family dynamic, and how she always had to take the fucking glory for herself. In school, in accomplishments, in everything. And how our parents didn’t do a damn thing. During the later years when I was at home, our baby brother Dusan was the one who got the attention… Like I said, growing up with two siblings fucking sucked.”

Artem shrugged, taking a sip of his drink. “Well, your siblings aren’t around here now. And aren’t you going to be away from them because of moving clubs, now that 1898 is rebuilding and changing their lineup completely?”

“I’m heading to Valladares for next season, so you’re right,” Niko says. “You might have heard the Alligators rumors, and those are true. But you didn’t ask about my siblings. You asked why I wasn’t happy with hanging out in this group. I gave you the reason.”

“You’re saying that I remind you of your sister?”

“Only at times. I don’t think that you’re an insufferable bitch, Artem. But I do think you have a tendency to steal the spotlight, whether you want to or not. And you’re always wanting to be the popular one, trying to get on everyone’s good side while ignoring all of the tensions and conflicts. You want to be friends with everyone while committing to nobody.”

“I’m not trying to get on everyone’s good side, I just try to help people. I don’t know what’s wrong with that.”

“Whatever. The result is still the same. Why do I want to hang out in another group where I’m stuck in the middle? I’ve experienced those feelings enough as I was growing up and starting off with my career. I don’t need to go through it with you guys, too. And frankly, I feel like there’s not much love for me around here. On the national team in general, really. They don’t like it that I try to play like the last true striker.”

“The last true striker?”

“You know. The kind of player that takes the team on his shoulders, who doesn’t care about flash and style and focuses on doing one thing, putting the ball in the net. But he’s not a poacher, who relies on tap ins. He’s a true number nine, who can push his way through the defense and get past rough tackles and strong central defenders. He’s not one of these modern players that dribbles around you, but one of the old fashioned types who can run through you and still keep the ball at his feet for long enough to finish,” Niko explains, a certain romanticism entering his voice as he talks about it. “He doesn’t dive, he doesn’t bitch to the midfield about not putting the ball on a platter for him, and he doesn’t try to get on the highlight shows with his goals. He just does what he needs to do to get the win for his club, and he doesn’t forget where he’s from. At the end of the day, he’s a blue collared working man, just like anyone else. That, in my opinion, is what being a true striker is all about. At least for Bojikstan.”

“I guess I’m not a true striker, then,” shrugs Artem. “I don’t think I could push my way through a defense to save my life. I’m the type that you mentioned, that dribbles around.”

“You’re not so bad. You don’t dive or look back to the midfield every time a pass is slightly off target, like a bitch,” says Niko, slapping Artem on the back. “You still get on my bad side sometimes, though. I’m surprised you’ve been as persistent as you have. I guess it’s like your style on the pitch.”

There’s awkward tension again, and Artem picks another subject. “So you like Rain.”

“Why would anyone not like Rain? She’s always lifting up everyone around her, even when she has her own shit to deal with. Sometimes I wish I could be more like her, but at the same time, I know the vast majority of people aren’t. And I can relate to her. I guess I feel like two people as insecure as us are perfect for each other. I’m not sure about my chances with her, though.”

“They probably aren’t high. I think you relate to her more than vice versa.”

“Yeah. I know…”

“Speaking of Rain, I wonder what she’s up to right now? I think she left early. I haven’t seen Mara, either, since she talked to her.”

***

On this cold night in Blackmont, things are heating up in one of the dark side rooms of Blackmont Palace. It’s possible to hear the party through the walls, but the two partygoers that have snuck off by themselves aren’t concerned with that. They’re only concerned with each other for now, their bodies pressed against each other and their eyes closed. They can both feel old tensions disappearing as they kiss, replaced with nerves that are there for different reasons. They’re not Blackmontese, but Bojikstani. What they’re doing is still taboo in half of the country, because they aren’t just another couple.

The two girls in the room are Mara Mandaric and Rain Delacruz, and they both know that their reputations will take hits if they get discovered. Both play in the socially conservative east, both come from families that would likely have a problem with what they’re doing, and both of them would face complications in their other relationships if this got out. And both of them still haven’t figured out how to reconcile this with the teachings of the Bojikstani Church. But that hasn’t kept them from being drawn to each other like this, and after weeks of Rain running from Mara to avoid something like this happening, both of them gave in to their desires and decided that it was worth the risk of getting caught. That decision also had something to do with Rain being drunk and fearless as the moment that Mara had talked to her in the main room.

But who would find out about something that had happened during a party in another country, that was nowhere near Bojikstan?

“Do you… Do you do this with other girls?” asks Rain, when the kisses stop and Mara moves back to remove her shirt. While some of the others dressed up formally for the party, Mara didn’t wear anything more than one of her usual outfits, cargo pants and a black sweatshirt. “Is that who you like? Or are you into guys too…?”

“I’m too much of a tomboy to do anything like this with a guy,” shrugs Mara, getting her shirt stuck before finally pulling it off and tossing it aside. “You?”

“I’ve only been with two guys, ever.”

“Yeah, well, I’m about to show you what you’re missing,” Mara says, and their bodies are touching again. And it looks like it’s going to go further, and it probably would have, if Rain hadn’t been alert enough to notice a sound that Mara had missed completely. There’s a camera click, and suddenly, Rain tenses up and instantly looks towards the door. She pushes Mara off of her, with some roughness, and stumbles to her feet. She’s wishing now that she hadn’t gotten drunk, but if she hadn’t, she probably wouldn’t be in this situation in the first place. “What? What’s happening?”

“I heard a fucking camera shutter,” Rain replies, buttoning up her blouse and adjusting her skirt before running to the doorway. She leans into the hall, but she’s too late, and she can only see a quick flash of somebody before they disappear around the corner. “You’ve got to be fucking kidding me. How… How can this be happening right now? You promised me that we weren’t going to get caught, Mara!”

Mara, who still doesn’t have her shirt, follows Rain and puts a hand on her shoulder to calm her down. “Did you see someone?”

“Yeah, as they were fucking running away! I’m never going to find out who it is… It could be some media member who followed us here, or it could be someone from the party, with a phone, and there’s no way of knowing who! You know how many people are here? And the most I saw was a shoe, but nothing more that’s going to identify someone!”

“Rain, please, calm down, let’s just go over what you saw,” Mara says. “If you saw a shoe, can you tell me what it looked like, at least?”

“I just saw a flash of it, how am I supposed to know? The person was wearing sneakers, but that doesn’t fucking narrow it down very much, does it? That’s only, like, every person in this building that isn’t part of the nobility! It could have been one of the Palace workers, a journalist, or someone else from the party, or someone we know, or anyone! And now, whoever took a picture is able to ruin us by giving it to the press or posting it online! How do you know they won’t try to sell it to the media back home?”

“I’ll fix it! I promise, but just calm down and let me think about a way to make this better-”

Mara tries to hug Rain, but Rain shoves her away violently, and starts to walk away. “No! Get away from me! What we were doing was wrong, and now we’re getting punished for it! This is obviously punishment for what we were doing, and… You shouldn’t have took advantage of me being drunk like this. You caused this-”

“You’re the one that brought me here to talk-”

“Because I wanted to explain why I was running from you, not give in to my… Desires! But apparently, I’m not good at carrying out a plan when I’m drunk!”

“Maybe giving in isn’t such a bad thing!”

“Yeah? Of course you’d think that! Your family already hates you!” Rain screams, and with that, she runs off down the hall to see if she can find the person who took a photo, stumbling along the way because of her drunken state. As much as Mara would like to help her, she just sighs and stays back. At this point, she knows that talking to Rain more is only going to make things worse. But she does take her phone out and send a text to Artem.

It’s only two lines: Artem, please help Rain. I know what she’s going through, and I think I made it worse.

by **Eshan** » Sat Sep 02, 2017 7:48 pm

December 30th; 2021. Remembrance Day in Eshan; a national holiday in remembering those who were killed in the fight for national independence from Erathore. A minute of silence every 33rd minute of the day, national military parades and exercises; a combination of remembering the ultimate sacrifice for the greatest reason that could possibly exist and displays of force to show that Eshan would never again be subject to indentured servitude by another nation. In the light of a political year full of green energy innovation and greatly increased defense and education budgets, and a plethora of speeches tinged with Echani Exceptionalism by President Revan, an uniformed observer certainly wouldn't be amiss for thinking it was more of an offensive show of force than a defensive remembrance of independence.

Later at night when the drinks started to flow, Echani all around the Republic turned their conversations to the upcoming national team match against Vilita & Turori. They had been unstoppable during the qualification campaign, making it three from three with ten goals, while only conceding twice in a group holding names such as Semarland and Mriin, and who could forget Oceanian Spaam. We also went undefeated by winning two and drawing one, scoring a disappointingly low five goals and dropping three. At least on paper we're behind, but with Marco van Ciavatinni being himself, Artemis Montanari taking steps with every game to developing into a world-class talent very soon, and Dinko Spisic scoring one and playing very well off the bench, the Echani team is still certainly in with a chance. Gotta put them on a high stage to get the best out of the team, and the match against Vilita and Turori will most definitely provide such a stage. Maybe not a good a one as a the frequent fights and occasional deaths of an Eshan-Erathore match, and the passion of our friendly rivalry with Ethane also gets the players playing at their best.

Giving appropriately considered and certainly earned respect to the attacking superiority of our opposition has lead to, rather ironically to be honest considering it's Remembrance Day, our beloved Erathi manager Alexio del Nieran has confirmed that he will start national team legend with 127 caps and 3 goals, Willian Luc Villaview in the place of Darren Tran, also a national team veteran. The 30 year old Luc Villaview has much better positioning and defending compared to the athletic freak of Tran. The pairing with Eric Bambic will certainly be an interesting thing to see but I believe it will ultimately be a duo that fits quite well, combing solid defensive skills with great passing and technical abilities from both players. A slight issue is the tendency for both players to push up with the ball into the defensive midfield section of our formation, but Luc Villiaview's positional and tactical brilliance will see him set up well, and his vocal leadership will help keep Bambic martialed in their defensive structure.

We've made the knock-out rounds every AOCAF we've participated in, and we've faced some incredible and legendary opposition, and Vilita and Turori are no different from our storied competitors. Well there is one difference.

We've gotten better.

by **95X** » Sat Sep 02, 2017 8:05 pm

(OOC: I can't come up with anything; here's a poor attempt at a Haiku.)

Ninetyfive X lives!

What nation hails the buses?

Clever Ninetyfive X!

by **Tropicorp** » Sat Sep 02, 2017 8:09 pm

Techies Team up with Cocoabo in Knockout Rounds

Tropicorp Park, Tropicoast, Tropicorp :: The Tropicorp Techies returned their sights on Tropicorp Park after playing a brief detour at the Tropicoast Training Grounds on Matchday 3. Their opponent this time, Mriin. It would be the first time that Tropicorp would play Mriin and it would come in a fairly important match in the Round of 16 of Tropicorp's first ever fully hosted Tournament.

Tropicorp's own history in the AOCAF is a brief one, having first competed in AOCAF 49. In the five appearances by the Techies thus far they have twice failed to advance from the Group Stage, once advanced to a play in game against Iskandervale which they lost, still eliminating them prior to the Round of 16, and twice the Tropicorp Techies have not only advanced to the Round of 16, but won that match up before being eliminated in the Quarter Finals. Just a few goals differential the other way, however, and it could have been a massive fixture instead between Tropicorp and Vilita & Turori. The two sides have already met twice in their history, with Vilita & Turori winning both games - Group Stage matchups in AOCAF's 49 and 53.

The fact that the Tropicorp Techies have never been eliminated at the actual Round of 16 stage has some of the scientists, researchers and engineers planning ahead with a two-match plan for how to gain additional data regarding Cocoabo-Citizen hybrid squads. In the Round of 16 matchup against Mriin, it will be Cocoabo playing in attack and along the wings in midfield, leaving the defense and central midfield to be covered by Citizen players. Should the Tropicorp team advance then the roles will be switched for the Quarter Final round with the Cocoabo playing defense and central midfield role and Citizens in attack and up the wings. Both matches will see Vilitan League prospect Hanauma Ranbomahi start the match in net before ceding duties to a Cocoabo in the second half.

by **Qasden** » Sat Sep 02, 2017 8:34 pm

~<R16> Match Update - Chromatika V Qasden <R16>~

Enthusiasm, astonishment, and most of all, heartbreak. After completing a second title run in Metropolon, the Qasden Vans have returned to the regional grounds where they'd hope to make the same shockwaves they made in Drawkland. Travelling to the eastern bunch of islands and land that make up the Vilitan Union, the Vans were drawn into Group D, consisting of artsy newcomers, Lisander, outskirt masterminds, Euran Oceania Territories, and chart toppers themselves, Valanora. Following dramatic wins over Lisander (6-1) and E.O.T. (3-1), TQ hoped to keep that streak rolling against the matriarch of AO football, the Marauders. After one heck of a grudge match, Abbott was bested for the first time this tournament, letting more than one goal fly past him in the match, resulting in a 2-1 defeat and a drop to second place. Advancement was still imminent, courtesy of the previous two matches, but the downgrade to second place has forced our beloved felines to face a much more tedious foe, ranked 9 spots above us.

Chromatika, 5th in the region and 4th in the multiverse, traveled to the Cove following a 2-1 defeat at the hands of Electrum in the World Cup 78 Quarterfinals. Drawn into Group C, the Chromatiks took W's against Blouman Empire and Blackmont before drawing a scoreless match against Tallaga la Falla. Despite not having any major titles themselves, TC can provide one heck of a punch in the guts of major soccer stars, having displayed such strength at the previous 2 AOCAFs and 4 World Cups. Managed by the establish Silian Parker, it will be no doubt they'll be taking their feet and balls all the way to the finals.

Unlike the rivalry with Valanora existing only in Qad eyes, the Round of 16 match will be the first of any kind between Chromatika and Qasden in a competitive environment. One bordered by land, the other by sea, the Vans and Chromatiks could easily be the sorta Magma vs. Aqua rivalry we've all been waiting for, yet the two's fuel for such a derby is little to non-existent. Qasdonians are more focused on the mythical rivalries against Valanora and Farfadillis, while Chromatika fans favor watching a derby against the dragons of Cosumar. Regardless, this match, hosted in Kionao, will be one of the young blood forces. To Sols, this match is everything for the association.

"QAFA and CFA are two rising powers in the sport, destined for the golden podium in the future. The difference? Time. With that statement, ranking no longer matters in this match. Now, it's a test of strength and agility between Merritt and Parker. I know for one thing that Merritt hates, and that's bowing out early, and frankly, I hate that as well. Training has increased 3-fold since our last match, and many more fans are flying to Turori as we speak. Chromatika will be the toughest match we will face in this tournament that we can be fully optimistic about, regarding how neither team has won nor lost their previous tournament. A win means we can proceed as planned, a loss...would only fuel us more for 55. If we can win, good, if we can't tomorrow, we will the next day in a bigger arena.".

As the toxicity rises in Tropicorp, the winner of CMTvQAD will only be handed more work in the quarterfinals, facing either Cosumar or Iskandervale for a chance to play in the semis. As for the rest of the bracket, Valanora will take on the surprising newcomer, Blackmont, in Inura. Osarius, topping Group B, will play the Royal Kingdom of Quebec Slaves, with the Vilitan Union battling Eshan in Turoki City, Oontaz versus Farfadillis, bus-lovers 95X vs on again-off again powers Krytenia, and powerful newbies, Mriin, taking on the hosts themselves.

Who will be advancing to the quarterfinals? Could the cats scratch their way past the anomalies? Watch the match tomorrow on QADAN1 and brace yourself for the high levels of intensity!

Tournament	Win	Draw	Loss	Goals	Goals Against	End Result	Notable Events
AOCAF 49	1	0	3	1	6	5th in Group A	Lost 0-1 to Vilita & Turori
AOCAF 50	1	1	2	7	9	3rd in Group A	Lost Playoff to Iskandervale (1-2 AET)
AOCAF 51	4	1	1	11	10	2nd in Group A Lost 3-1 to Valanora in Quarter Final	Defeated Farfadillis 3-2 Won First Knockout Round Match (2-1 over Chromatika)
AOCAF 52	2	0	2	3	3	1st in Group Y Lost 2-1 to Krytenia in Quarter Final
AOCAF 53	1	2	2	9	9	4th in Island Group	Lost 1-3 to Vilita & Turori

AOCAF LIVe :: Roster | RP | Scores

Cosumar AOCAF 54 Roster

95X AOCAF 54 MD 3 RP

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