World Cup 79 • CREDRAWK • RP Thread

[Mriin]

"Did you see that they've got the wrong heading on their roster?" Maas had apparently gotten over his fear of fire, and was once again addressing Don on the bench.

"I don't see why I would care..." the dragon whispered, focusing on Ait Ahmed trying to pull a fast one on Malia.

"No, see, look, in their official WCC statement--it's got 'for the 3rd Independents Cup' right at the top. Don't they have editors?"

"I don't know, do you have modes other than 'insufferable twat'?" He nearly lost Azellay's shot in the soot from his own derisive snort, but could tell from the way Zilia popped back up that she'd saved it. This has been her best performance of quals. Less so for the backs... but it's not been egregious.

"Oh, uh..." Maas shuffled his hooves. "Well... so, the game. We've got this in hand, right?"

There was an extended pause as all eyes followed Kalia on a more daring run than she'd taken a while, but Azergui managed to intercept her and get the ball loose. "I wouldn't say that when it's still nil-all."

"Yeah, but like, it's Kel Assuk."

Don turned his head this time, giving Maas a genuine look of incredulity. "Yes, they are indeed Kel Assuk, a team that held us to a draw and then proceeded to force another in Pasarga. And they've been playing very well today! Are you paying any attention?"

Maas went to answer, but was promptly cut off by the roar of the crowd.

"Shit!" Don snapped back to the field, where Solara was wheeling back to the middle and cheering the fans on. "I have check the vod for that tonight."

"Don't you rewatch all these games a million times anyway?"

"I try and put some time between the actual game and review it. Can't focus on proper analysis if you still feel the adrenaline."

"I still think those sabre-whatsits is a load of hooey," Maas basically scoffed.

"Nivix help me." Don motioned like he was 'pinching his nose', though the gesture doesn't make a whole lot of sense with a dragon's snout; it's one of the habits that every dragon who regularly works with satyrs and humans picks up, curiously. "Please just go away before I miss anything el--"

The crowd cuts in.

Maas was very wisely nowhere to be found, letting the lick of flame harmlessly dissipate mid-air.

[Eshan]

THE ECHANI REPUBLIC
Executive Office of the President of the Echani Republic
 An International Address from President Revan in Response to Covellan Allegations

“Well I’m sure by now you’ve all heard the……interesting sort of accusations coming out of Southern Covello, so I won’t waste anybody's time with my comments today. I must admit that I find it interesting that this is how the Covellans feel is an appropriate manner to repay a country that helped free them from the despotic and psychotic rule of Gregory; the Echani people were only too happy to put their lives on the line so that the nation of South Covello may have a chance at birth and a free life. I will be entirely to the point here for my fellow Echani; yes I offered the support of our nation to both candidates. I ask if that is a wrong thing. Is it wrong to want to see democracy triumph? Is it wrong to want to monitor and ensure that both candidates act according to the law? Is Eshan the first nation to ever take some interest in the elections of other nations? I think anyone with at least an ounce of reason would be able to understand the answers to these questions, and that’s why I’m just so disappointed at the two individuals from South Covello. First off, you’re welcome for sacrificing Echani lives for your freedom fight, not that these two individuals were ever so gracious or perhaps even understood what had happened in their nation to offer it, and since the government of South Covello seems perfectly fine not thanking a single nation for their help whatsoever, I will preemptively accept their gratitude.

It must be said, these two people see an opportunity for a lasting friendship with the Echani Republic as a……I’m not really sure to be honest with you; the two individuals don’t actually really quite say what they’re worried about, just a whole lot of empty bullshit. I suppose I have a cult of personality though now, which I must admit is rather laughable to read, although I will remark on that later. At the risk of making an inappropriate comment, like these two individuals made plenty of, I command all Echani to drink poisoned Kool-aid! I would like to draw the attention of the two Covellans that, despite the power of the ‘cult of personality’ these derraigned Covellans believe exist around me, not a single Echani drank poisoned kool-aid. The only cult that exists is the cult of these two individuals, being that they belong to the cult of non-virility. You are forced to wonder if derraignment is something that runs in the water in Covello, or if Gregory’s seed runs deep and the minds of the lot are all touched. So let us examine this joint……appearance by the two Covellans, so I may speak to you Echani and allies of Eshan all over the world, and put these admittedly hilarious accusations from classical ignoramuses behind us.

First of all, I would like to remind the global community of the sacrifice that Eshan has made on the front lines of combat in the name of freedom and democracy. From fighting against pro-Immaduran forces in Nuevo Caracas, to standing ready to help both Valanora and Starblaydia in our own Atlantian Oceania as they deal with crises of their on, and let us not forget, as apparently both of these individuals have, that Echani soldiers gave their lives on the Covellan soil so that both of these people may stand where they are today. These imposters, who give handshakes like a wilted petunia, stand on the broken bodies of slain Echani and have the audacity to berate us; I hope I am not alone in seeing how preposterous that is. I respect the female individual for having the courage and the love for her country to devote herself to the Covellan cause as a medic; as for the “male”…I could carve out of a banana a man with more a backbone then he.

Returning to the statement delivered by the two individuals, it seems that a major part of their so-called insight into some sort of grand conspiracy is that people address me by my first name. Now, I am trying very hard to refrain from going on a fifteen minute tangent on just how……just how laughable, how absolutely just ridiculous this is. So I ask you my fellow Echani, have you ever asked a friend to refer to you by your first name? Or that you find yourself calling a friend by their name? Oh, literally all of the time you say? How strange. What about you, you two Covellans? You two little emasculated mass of inanity with minds that function at six guinea-pig power, have you ever had a friend, or someone refer to you by your first name? Then you will see just how stupid and weak your arguments are. My fellow Echani can call me Revan. They can call me Bernat. They can call me Fitzgerald. They can call me RFB, President Revan, President Bernat, President RFB, President, Presidente, El Presidento, the Grande President, they could call me whatever and it would all be fine with me. And do you know why that is, you two Covellans that have so little personal strength that you resort to attacking your allies for how their citizens refer to them? It is because the Echani people recognize strength in me, they recognize that I am a leader, that I will always fight for my country, that I have a backbone, that I come with a strong handshake. And what can be said for you, you white-livered weaklings?

Now let’s see, the next portion of their cute little speech comes from them calling for my resignation, to which I only have to say if the Echani people were to come forth in such numbers as to make it obvious that my resignation was the will of the people, I would be certain to move aside, so I’m not entirely sure what point they’re trying to make, but that could be said to the entire bit of pathetic drivel that spewed forth from the ill-educated mouths that were inflated with a false sense of importance. The next bit they talk about urging the Echani people to vote me out of office in the next election, and by all means, listen to their advice! Perhaps the one area these two pinheaded cranks have one quotient of intelligence between the two of them is in the basic rules of a democracy. My fellow Echani, if you don’t want me in office, I amply their message a hundredfold to you! Show up, vote me out of office, get out the vote in your communities! I must politely refer to the two Covellans my poll numbers, maybe they should endeavor to learn how to read before making ridiculous and baseless ‘points’.

The next bit they mention is particularly disrespectful, not only to the Echani that died on the Covellan soil, but to every single nation that went to war for the Covellans. From Damukuni to Mercedini, Equestrian States to Eshan, all of our nations went above and beyond the call of duty to free YOUR people from the reign of Gregory. We all died on the battlefield, our soldiers were killed fighting for you. And this is how you repay us? Threatening to declare all Echani soldiers persona non grata and forcing them to leave the country? First off, if that’s your threat, that does a better job of showing just how pitiful you are then my words ever could, second off, that’s one helluva way to treat soldiers that have fought for your freedom, to stab them in the back like this. I’m sure the other nation’s that stood up for the Covellans will be so happy to hear that this is how they can expect their sacrifices in lives, blood, and money to be repaid.

Another note, to the two individuals who say that Echani soldiers would be arrested as foreign agents, I have this to say in response, and I will make this beyond clear. Do that, do as much as touch one of our soldiers, and we will fuck you up. Do not misinterpret my words, do not look at it as a joke. If you treat our soldiers without the dignity they deserve and earned fighting for Y O U R freedom, we will end you. You do not have the capability to match us. You do not have the resolve in the matter that we do. You do not have the allies that we do. You do not have any of the capabilities of a nation such as Eshan’s whatsoever. So I will warn you again, fuck with our soldiers, and we will be more than happy to take action against South Covello. Although I must admit, I applaud the two individuals for making such a threat when they have absolutely zero chance of enforcing it and it ending well for them. But I must make the Echani position perfectly clear: If the winner of the Covellan election does not want our soldiers present, our soldiers are more than happy to go, and indeed the vast majority of Echani soldiers that fought bravely and died for your freedom without literally any thanks from the South Covellan government whatsoever have already left. Anyhow, we will be happy to leave peacefully under our own accord. If you try to imprison our soldiers or do whatever low-brained, weak skinned conniving bullshit nonsense that will take you a year to dream up, then we will respond with greater force than you use. Eshan is a global presence. South Covello is literally nothing. Remember your place and mind the gap.

And again I find myself forced to respond to these sheer delusions that, somehow offering support is equal to “destroying the freedom we worked so hard to gain”. No, of course I’m not threatening the freedom that the Echani soldiers worked so hard to gain for the Covellans. That would just be stupid and it really is quite funny to me that these two low-energy individuals could somehow confuse the realities of these situations.

Fortunately, their cute little faces on TV giving a speech moment was just about over, as are my comments on the matter. These two, with their entire spine and character made from chocolate eclair, seem to call me a dictator, a deity, and a “psychopathic maniac”. To my fellow leaders of the world, especially those engaged with the coalition to free South Covello, I ask you if this is true, or if these sound like the words of two sane people? They call me a dictator when I was democratically elected, and am polling very well in an upcoming democratic election. They call my a deity when…well that’s obviously just not true. If you were to shoot me now, I would be dead. They call me a psychopathic maniac when I clearly am neither of those things. So I would kindly ask these two individuals to attempt to learn the meaning of the words they say, before they continue to embarrass themselves by saying things they don’t understand as they take away the meaning of the very words they use. They are part of the problem in this regard.

And then again they call upon you, the people of Eshan, to vote me out of office. And again, I encourage you to do exactly that. If you believe me unfit for command, organize your neighbors against me. See, that’s the beautiful thing about an actually well-run nation that the international community enjoys, that’s the thing about having a nation run and populated by competent individuals, instead of the shitheap of the two people claiming to represent the people of South Covello. We are an actual country. We have an actual democracy where the people can go to the polls, can go to the booths, can go online and make their opinions known and try to get their person in office. We don’t rely on the idiots like these two individuals of another nation telling our people what to do.

I must greet with great appreciation the individual’s proclamation that all documents related to the Covellan election will be released to the public. I hope that those include the communications I sent to both of these individuals, as the South Covellan people will be confused to see how the similar cordial message sent to both of these candidates was twisted into the nonsensical, laughable stream of human excrement that these two individuals have shit forward from their mouths.

I encourage the Covellan people to read these messages and wonder, not only how, but especially why their two candidates would take those words and twist them into the drivel that they now spout, little bits of shit sticking to their lips and spewing from their tongues as they open their mouths.

Indeed, I ask the Covellan people to look beyond these two candidates. These are not the only two people available to you. Look amongst yourself and find someone with some courage, a sense of dignity, a backbone, some elegance, find someone who is not openly laughed at and mocked on the international stage like these two fools are. I know the strength that resides in the Covellan people, I know how strong and powerful you are; you are capable of more than these two, they do not represent who you are. They represent weakness and insecurity, snakes that will turn on you and your allies as soon as they think they might get a political point from that.

They are weak, powerless, mocked, uneducated snivelers who detract from the total sum of human knowledge whenever the gods decide to punish us by having them open their mouths. They are not respected on the world stage, they are betraying their allies, they will lead the Covellan people to death and destruction. They are sad, pathetic, empty little gremlins who lucked themselves into a position where their greatest sense of duty is stealing the work of others and representing it as their own, and in their idiotic bamblings they only serve to do more damage to the to their own citizens.

People of South Covello, the Echani stand with you, for now and forever, despite the laughable attempts of just these two individuals to ruin the relationship between our two nations. We fought for your right to independence, and we would do so a million times over again. We will fight for your right to exist until the end of time, we will do whatever we can to help you. And that established, and speaking as your allies, I beg the Covellan people to reject these two meeklings, neigh I implore you to do so. If you elect either of them, Covello will stall, wither, starve, and die. They are not strong. They are not respected. They will not deliver you to the heights the Echani know the Covellans can reach. So please, listen to their speech. Listen to the lunacy and ramblings, the almost Gregory-esque mannerisms with which they speak, the certainly Gregory-esque levels of idiocy and delusion that they speak with. Listen how they attempt to vilify Eshan, a nation that fought by your side for your freedom. Think about that.

And I ask the same of the international community. Please examine these unfounded and completely baseless allegations, please explore the great relationships Eshan keeps. Ethane, Damukuni, Drawkland, Qasden, Starblaydia, Mercedini, Electrum, Quebec, the list of our allies goes on and on. Why would we mess with the proceedings of a country, whose freedom we fought and died for, that is in the international spotlight? That is quite simply not logical, and thus the entirety of their crackpot ‘announcement’ is not logical as well.

It pains me that these two individuals have soured the course of history with their remarks. Perhaps one of them will have some sense to speak to the Echani people with some level of thanks for what our people did to free them from Gregory. Maybe one of them will see how powerful of allies we can be. But at the end of the day, it doesn’t particularly matter.

Eshan is a Great Republic, withholdings and allies all over the world. Our citizens are free, happy, well paid and living in luxury, well-protected by a powerful military and respected by the international community. If lead by either of those two individuals, it is unlikely that South Covello will have any of that. And yet that’s all Eshan wants, all I want. We Echani just want your nation to be successful, and either of these two individuals will take you directly away from that.

To the countless allies of Eshan around the world, we reaffirm our commitment to you. Do not let the stupidity of these two individuals fool you into thinking Eshan is some sort of psychotic nation. We have fought by your side before, and we would do it again in a heartbeat.

To the people of South Covello, the Echani and myself have faith in you. We know how strong you are, how much you stand capable of achieving, and we want to do everything in our power to help you reach those heights. Our quarrel is not with you, merely these two individuals. Search amongst yourself, there is someone better than these two.

And to the two individuals, I want to make something very clear to you. Your words mean nothing to me. Your threats are laughable, your false sense of self-importance is pathetic, your “speech” itself was childish and ill-thought out. You are weak and not representative of the Covellan people in any way, shape or form. If you truly believe what you say, that you want what’s best for South Covello, then you will immediately walk away from your campaigns and let the Covellan people choose someone who is strong and represents them. You will only end up failing, it’s in your character.

To the people of Eshan, my faith in you is unwavering, my trust in you ceaseless, my belief in what we can accomplish together, limitless. I ask you to read the speech given by the two Covellans. We will never kneel or allow ourselves to be beat round the brow by insignificant nobodies desperately crying for importance. Revel in their words. Revel in their jealousy, their weak-minded wishes to be a tenth of a nation as we are. Take pride in being an essential member of a global Republic, while those who try to tear us down are weak little cowards with no power whatsoever. We will last forever.

Thank you for your time, and may the Republic live for a thousand years!”

---

---

Probably a little too rough Revan thought to himself, but he wasn’t about to let Eshan be pushed about in the public domain by some fucking low country. No, Eshan was a global power, and it was essential to protect that reputation, so the speech made by the Covellans was met with much greater force in the language of Revan’s speech. A marker of sorts had been thrown out to the world: Eshan would not be pushed around in any way.

He felt slightly bad, the Covellans were good people and could have been good allies, and the role that Eshan had played in their freedom was something special to him, but he had to think about the bigger picture, and part of that was standing up for Eshan no matter what, and defending the honor of his people. This had been one of those situations. He had almost certainly lost an ally, but he wouldn’t lose sleep over that. South Covello was nothing to cry over, nations like them were a dime a dozen. He lost Covello, but had made the Echani position entirely clear to the world, and that was worth infinitely more.

[Drawkland]

I'm getting beat up by these finals aha cutoff + results

[Nephara]

Nephara 2-0 Al Qurija
(4-2-3-1) 20 - Swoboda; 2 - Asante, 5 - Konoval (c, Scharner 74' (vc)), 22 - Steelhenge, 19 - Vicelich; 4 - Rowland (23 - Chilmark 81'), 8 - Rosenthal; 7 - Coffey, 14 - Rowan, 16 - Aspenwood; 9 - Kendall
Goals: Kendall 19', 64'

Heron Kendall
The long-legged freshwater and coastal birds in the family Ardeidae, with 64 recognised species, some of which are referred to as egrets or bitterns rather than herons.

Kendall liked watching the pre-game buildup. Somewhere, the NFA had found a couple of priests - one Catholic, one Orthodox - to solemnly walk across the pitch, scattering it with salt.

Of course it was here, at Vermillion's Iron Hill, where the Incident (home leg) had occured.

Kendall hadn't been there. Truth be told, she hadn't been watching - and that was seemingly a point in her favour at the moment. Kendall had come out of pretty much nowhere to the casual fan's eye, and had the dubious distinction of having played in four nations in as many years.

First, Nephara. She'd come through at Cranequin Wanderers, struggled to break through under the conservative manager, Levan Kyprianou. But she'd taken her chances - especially in her final season with the club, and her elegant, loping stride and keen eye for goal made it clear to every fan that she was there to stay.

Except that the short-lived Iron Syndicate league threw a lot of money at the Wanderers to secure her. She was considered something of a coup, and for her own part, well, the money was good. Kendall had a single mother - an artist - and so money was not something she was used to. She'd flourished in a weaker standard, but when the league collapsed around her and withdrew from UICA, she was on the first plane to Buyan.

Buyan was a far more heralded league, one with a history, but struggling to live up to that history in the present day. Kendall joined a clutch of other foreigners in the re-emerging league and was as keen as any of them to make a name for herself - although she rarely showed it. Her start was, admittedly, agonisingly slow, and she was quick to admit as any that it got to her, the idea of being, essentially, a waste of money. A failed investment. And she could hear the whispers; had her time chasing the money in the Syndicate ruined her?

But she worked and fought hard, and when the goals started to come, they didn't stop. They were good goals, too, and she was rapidly starting to carve out a skillset for herself, based around her height and no shortage of strength but also a razor-sharp football intelligence, reliable at making the right choices and right runs and right finishes.

And then, she happened to be the right player in the right place at the right time.

Viztourzys Kolektyvinis liked having Kendall, but they liked money more. This was an opinion that Kendall could relate to, and so she was understanding when they saw the gap in the market, with few strikers of recognised quality up for grabs, and decided to flip her at a substantial profit. The option to return home was there - Coret Hawks badly wanted her to replace Gabriella Antonio and AFC Treason flip-flopped over their desire, but the Stags left her with the distinct feeling that she was very much just the dregs left over from when bids for Hawke and Renshaw fell through. Sure, it was true, but it wasn't polite to make it so obvious.

Besides, Port Sebastian represented a comfortable step up. The Schottic league was a genuine force these days, and Port Sebastian a prominent name within it. Certainly, it was only with a club of that stature that she found herself here tonight, starting for the national team, wearing the rested Estrella Hawke's number 9. She aimed to still be here next international break.

Two goals; a powerful, surging drive lead to a flying header off Coffey's cross, and then when Rosenthal threaded her a pass through a tiring midfield she forged herself a path, forcing her way past the young Nejem before forcing her shot past Sultan's near post. That was enough, she hoped, to give the crowd something to remember them by.

By the end of the night, the Incident seemed a distant memory.

NEPHARIM NATIONAL TEAM SELECTION - FORTNIGHT 7
Goalkeepers: 1 - Apostolos Tsattalios (Falourr, EUR), 12 - Gideon Fletcher (AFC Treason), 20 - Andreas Swoboda (1830 Azoth, CEN)
Defenders: 2 - Ruon Asante (AFC Serpentine), 3 - Isidra Jeurissen (Coret Hawks), 5 - Dieter Konoval (KT Moreazerua, AUD), 6 - Malachite Scharner (Jungle Strike, VIL), 18 - Danijel Brymora (Brinemouth), 19 - Lux Vicelich (Sabrefell Moths), 22 - Dragora Steelhenge (Parrhesia United)
Midfielders: 4 - Servet Misidjan (AFC Treason), 7 - Roxana Coffey (Bishop), 8 - Circe Rosenthal (Marionville, SCT), 11 - Rowena Strongbow (Avenida Leal, FFD), 13 - Ishtar Fanaiyan (Eastweald, COS), 14 - Ursula Rowan (Cassandra City, COS), 15 - Rusalka Klein (Crawford City FC, COS), 16 - Regatta Aspenwood (Handon United, SCT), 21 - Konrad Gosforth (Mâ Âlâmëómë, FFD, c), 23 - Monica Rowland (Parrhesia United)
Forwards: 9 - Estrella Hawke (Sabrefell Athletic), 10 - Heron Kendall (Port Sebastian, SCT), 17 - Dragan Stavanger (Tannenberg FC, VLD)

SCHEDULE
Thibaea 0 - 1 Nephara
Nephara 4 - 2 Natanians and Nosts @ Godswatch (Crisisbless)
Al Qurija 2 - 4 Nephara
Nephara 4 - 0 Taeshan @ The Gauntlet (Treason)
Rotztotzka 1 - 5 Nephara
Akatsurai 0 - 1 Nephara
Nephara 2 - 1 Apox @ Farham Arena (Sabrefell)
Ko-oren 0 - 1 Nephara
Nephara 3 - 0 Eura @ Farham Arena (Sabrefell)
Nephara 6 - 4 Thibaea @ Eagle's Club (Brinemouth)
Natanians and Nosts 0 - 4 Nephara
Nephara 2 - 0 Al Qurija @ The Iron Hill (Vermillion)
Taeshan vs. Nephara
Nephara vs. Rotztotzka @ The Gauntlet (Treason)
Nephara vs. Akatsurai @ Phoenix Rise (Corvistone)
Apox vs. Nephara
Nephara vs. Ko-oren @ Eagle's Club (Brinemouth)
Eura vs. Nephara

[Kernovi]

Kernovi (173) Record
MD12
3 W - 2 D - 7 L
11 Points - 7th in the Group
7 Point from 6th; 18 Points from 1st
Qualification Chance: <1%

1st Half Home Games @ Isca City Stadium
(Capacity: 50,500)
2nd Half Home Games @ Memorial Stadium
(Capacity: 31,600)

First Leg:

• Kaboomlandia (52) 3 - 0 Kernovi
• Kernovi 1 - 4 New Danican (107)
• West Violence (235) 1 - 0 Kernovi
• Kernovi 1 - 0 Turori (22)
• Valanora (10) 0 - 0 Kernovi
• Kernovi 1 - 0 Omerica (UR)
• U-62 (273) 1 - 1 Kernovi
• Tinhampton (47) 2 - 0 Kernovi
• Kernovi 2 - 4 Yesopalitha (92)

Second Leg:

• Kernovi 0 - 1 Kaboomlandia
• New Danican 2 - 0 Kernovi
• Kernovi 5 - 2 West Violence
• Turori v Kernovi
• Kernovi v Valanora
• Omerica v Kernovi
• Kernovi v U-62
• Kernovi v Tinhampton
• Yesopalitha v Kernovi

Kernovian Tremenyas - Bes Hanaf 79 Dyllans
Eng: Kernovian Traveller - World Cup 79 Edition

The Kernovian Tremenyas (Eng: Kernovian Traveller) is sponsored by the Kernovian Football Association - The Kowethas an Pel Droos Kernovi.

Now we're into the second leg of the tournament, a last minute decision means that the second-leg home games will be taking place in the Memorial Stadium, situated in Wekhe, Stengwlas. It defeated the City of Sveinhart Stadium in Sveinhart, Swyftlandre in association on a vote of 59-41 in favour of Memorial Stadium. Today then, we will be exploring the Memorial Stadium.

The city of Wekhe began drawing plans for a stadium in 1927 under the Nancekie Conservative Government, but plans were disrupted by economic hardship and ultimately cancelled in 1932 when Josef Conomor won the National Revival Party a majority. The stadium was originally intended to carry the name Memorial Stadium to commemorate the dead from WWI. The plans were revisited in 1973, where it was built and commemorated to the memory of those who died in WWI and under Conomor's fascist Kernovian regime. The stadium was primarily used for the sport of rugby league, with the Finals of the Kernovian Rugby Football League being held at the stadium every year from 1976 to 2001. The stadium fell on hard times in the early 2000's however, and was purchased and renovated as the home ground for the Wekhe Prospectors (then Wekhe FC), a K1 (Short for Kesunyans-1 or in English, League-1) team often seen as the representative team for the entire province of Stengwlas.

The stadium is situated in the Loxian District of Wekhe, in the west of the city and can be reached from numerous sites around the city by dedicated shuttle coaches provided by the city for free on presentation of your match-day ticket.

The stadium has a capacity of 31,600 and the pitch is surrounded by four all-seater stands. The stands, much like the Isca City Stadium, are also all officially named. The south stand is known as Molineux Stand, named for a famous freedom fighter during the Conomor regime years. The west stand is known as Loxian River, named for the river of the same name that runs by the west end of the stadium and also gives its name to the district. The east stand is known as the Waker Bal, the largest mine in Stengwlas and third largest current mining operation in the nation after Utican Bal (in the province of Isca, some distance from the city of Utican) and East Cobonno Bal (in the province of Sten Omdhi'Skans). The northern stand is simply known as the Grand Prospector stand, named before Wekhe FC re-branded as the Wekhe Prospectors under new management.

Memorial Stadium will serviced today's game against West Violence, serviced the 1-0 loss against Kaboomlandia and will service future qualifying games against Valanora and U-62. Due to unforeseen circumstances, the stadium will not be used in the home game against Tinhampton, which will take place in Sveinhart Stadium, Swyftlandre.

---

The Game - Goals:
COPPER - 11', 73'
UNNAMED PLAYER (WEST VIOLENCE) - 29'
MURDOCH - 42'
UNNAMED PLAYER (WEST VIOLENCE) - 66'
CORMAC - 82'
TRENGROUSE - 90+1'

Top Goal Scorers:
Adlai COPPER - 5
John CORMAC - 2
Bill CHILDS - 1
John TRENGROUSE - 1
Nicholas MURDOCH - 1
Loic TREDOLSK - 1

[Buyan]

If it were for him, the game would have nothing but the goal.

A part of him still chuckled at the thought of his dad going back to complex when he received that note on his half-season review, smacking it on the desk of the youth coordinator. He was a quiet man who died as he lived – he had a heart attack on the bus and drove around for four more hours before someone noticed, doing his utter best to be as silent or as little a trouble to anyone out there – but that even he was fuming. He had driven through a horrendous snow storm to get there, gripping the wheel of his decrepit Ulcan Sport, not saying a word as ever. But contrary to usual, he visibly clamped his lips just to blurt it all out till he met the man who had given his kid a mediocre review.

”The boy understands this game better than any of you nitwits ever will.

Two days later, a thirteen year old Emil Eklund signed his very first youth contract for Bengtsmark IF. He would not leave the Yellows until he was twice his age.

---

There was a part of him that fell guilty that it had taken him so long. He was already combing his hairs after two showers – one with wasted champagne and another one with refreshing water – before the time his mind wandered to his dad. At a certain point in time, it had been the first thing to cross his head after he had fired a successful shot, the thing to hit him before he ran to the fans with his arms raised. In a way, he considered it a healthy thing – a sign that the healing had taken many positive turns. By the time his trademark haircut, short on the sides, magnificent cowlick on top, was back in shape, he could imagine how the ride home would’ve been if this wasn’t the National Team but the Nalsjoo U12’s.

*long silence*
”Not a bad game, huh, dad?”
“Could’ve been better.”
“But…”
“You must stay focused till the last minute. What was that in the extra time? Starting backheeling to Ake… Gallery play is for kids on the street – this is real football. On a pitch, no monkey business.”
“But he had given three assists already and…”
“If he wanted to score, he’ld have done it.”
*silence*
“But my three goals were good, right?”
“Could’ve been four.”

They say that time erases all, but Emil struggled to believe that. He still remembered tossing the Mullsphaller Tribune through the room that opened with EMIL EKLUND – I WOULD’VE GOTTEN NOWHERE WITHOUT MY DAD. Emil believe he mainly hurled it because, when the journalist asked it, he had meant every word of it.

”Good game, Emil. But…”

He stood and turned. It was hard to find the last time Valter had actually spoken to him – all basic football words aside.

”But…”

Valter Isaksson hesitated. Maybe something was wrong, maybe…

”No buts. Enjoy the match ball.”

[Brenecia]

Brenecia 1 - 0 Pridnestrovia
(4-2-3-1) 12 - Calhoun; 19 - Hamilton, 18 - Heneghan, 6 - Szubanski, 22 - Lovelock; 23 - Alweather, 21 - Skorupska; 15 - Crowther, 8 - Hartsdown, 10 - Ashbrown; 17 - Bannion
Goal: Hartsdown 54'

Damukuni 2 - 0 Brenecia
(4-2-3-1) 1 - Woodgate (c); 2 - Carrack, 5 - Scrivener, 6 - Szubanski, 3 - Quill (22 - Lovelock 80'); 4 - Gryphon (c), 16 - Drover (8 - Hartsdown 67'); 15 - Crowther (7 - Trevelyan 72'), 11 - Balliol, 13 - Keohane; 9 - Riordan

Colm Beckwith
An Old Irish word meaning 'dove', derived from the Latin 'columba'.

There was a thunk, as Kakuza, having slipped between the lines, got on the end of Rivera's through-ball, and then the endlessly satisfying sound of the net rippling.
The stadium erupted.
Colm Beckwith grimaced. That was the problem with playing a reactive system - sometimes, the opposition just did their own thing and it worked. Damukuni's shit was working today, and Lillianna Rivera in particular was excelling with a goal and now an assist. 39 minutes in and there was no doubt in anyone's mind who was the better team today, just as the Patriots had dominated them at home.
In a dull second half, the Patriots did at least manage to defend better, very solid at the back. A couple of chances were carved out for Griffin Riordan on the break, but both were squandered. Meghan Hartsdown was injected to replace a jaded-looking Drover, then seasoned heads Trevelyan and Lovelock came on to try and force the issue. Keohane, after a mazy run past Hawkins, hit a blazing strike in injury time that Tatsuyumi made a Herculean leap to claw over the bar. But nothing stuck, and 2-0 the score remained.

Nights like this, Beckwith had to watch Bardsley carefully.
She'd been quietly disappointed post-match, a look that suited her. With Bardsley, shouting was reserved for when someone had seriously fucked up. This was just being outplayed away to the second seed. It was poor, it was damaging, but at the end of the day, they could just move on safe in the knowledge that they remained well on track. The players shuffled out, suitably disappointed in themselves.
When it was just the two of them, Bardsley sighed and, just in that moment, finally looked all of her 58 years. "I'm not sure how much more of this I can take."
Beckwith raised an eyebrow. "Gaffer?"
"No, Colm, I mean it. We're successful again now, and that's... that's a rod for our own back. I remember back when glorious failure used to be enough, you know? Glorious failure used to be a step on the pathway to glorious success. And now..." She smiled, grimly. "Now we can't afford a backwards step."
"It's just one game, gaffer."
"Nothing's ever just one game. This was the toughest match we had until the World Cup - and with respect to Damukuni, we'll be facing stronger opposition when the time comes."
"On neutral ground. Not hostile."
"Yeah, but..." Bardsley scratched her neck irritably. "Look, you're drawing me away from the point. And the point is that it's damn tiring, having to tapdance on ice, balance the BFA's demands with fan expectations and with what I want. And I want to win, damn it. And I know we have the players for it, but I don't know if I can hang in there for another couple of years. They've been... long years, Colm." Her voice softened. "And I'm... I'm fucking tired."
She never told anyone about what had happened in Sameba. But just for a moment, it seemed like those events cast a shadow over the room.
Beckwith was good at watching. It made him a great coach, and a better assistant - he could see flaws in training and address them, concisely and directly, and wasn't afraid to go against Bardsley's opinions. And his watching extended to Bardsley herself.
The BFA had given him strict orders; report any signs that she was cracking under the pressure, immediately. They'd seen too many reports of what happened to Nephara's managers - disappearances, attempted bloody suicide - and they weren't about to make the same mistakes. Especially with someone this... high-risk.
Bardsley took a deep, shuddering breath. "Ahh, it's probably nothing. Doesn't matter now, anyway. We've got West Angola to plan for."
She strode out of the room, clapping Beckwith's shoulder as she passed. The assistant hesitated, then nodded. "As you say, gaffer. As you say."
As long as it was under control. As long as the shades of the past remained, well, just that. If all that could be pushed aside... then Beckwith knew that Bardsley represented Brenecia's only chance of forcing its way to the World Cup.
They could be legends. All of them. All she needed to do was hang in there.

BRENECIAN NATIONAL TEAM SELECTION - FORTNIGHT 7
Goalkeepers: 1 - Mathis Woodgate (Myrmidon, CEN), 12 - Rostyn Calhoun (Cenial United, CEN), 20 - Rosalind Buchanan (Lunas FC, PAS)
Defenders: 2 - Brun Carrack (Bengtsmark IF, BYN), 3 - Gethin Quill (Revolutionaries, EUR), 5 - Anaximander Scrivener (Brigham, EUR), 6 - Niko Szubanski (Rozelle), 18 - Cheney Heneghan (Ernesse Stahl, BYN), 19 - Vaila Hamilton (Lotus Park), 22 - Ophelia Lovelock (Sabrefell Athletic, NPH)
Midfielders: 4 - Catherine Gryphon (Starling, NPH, c), 7 - Squire Trevelyan (FC Endeavour, APX), 8 - Meghan Hartsdown (Kings Park, SCT), 10 - Tiferet Ashbrown (Kings Park, SCT), 11 - Sander Balliol (Tanrisal, PAS), 13 - Keohane (Ramusok United, COS), 15 - Brae Crowther (Chenoworth Harriers, NPH), 16 - Elsie Drover (OAS Royal FC, COS), 21 - Aleksandra Skorupska (Northern Stallions), 23 - Catsidhe Alweather (Eastal Lunar, VIL)
Forwards: 9 - Griffin Riordan (Klyde, COS), 14 - Fox Charnwood (Hellinic-Rouge, PAS), 17 - Aelfwynn Bannion (North Hall)

SCHEDULE
Brenecia 3 - 1 Krytenia
Pridnestrovia 3 - 2 Brenecia
Brenecia 2 - 0 Damukuni
West Angola 1 - 3 Brenecia
Brenecia 1 - 0 Yuezhou
Empire of Donner Land 0 - 1 Brenecia
Brenecia 2 - 0 Garifunya
Brenecia 2 - 0 Gangnam
EEC 0 - 1 Brenecia
Krytenia 1 - 1 Brenecia
Brenecia 1 - 0 Pridnestrovia
Damukuni 2 - 0 Brenecia
Brenecia vs. West Angola
Yuezhou vs. Brenecia
Brenedia vs. Empire of Donner Land
Garifunya vs. Brenecia
Gangnam vs. Brenecia
Brenecia vs. EEC

[Schottia]

CMB

Part Three.

Taking the edge off.

'It's - it's this massive stadium.' Ross used his hands to demonstrate, although it could hardly have cut the mustard. 'The Cednia Beach Centre; holds 103,000 spectators, really, really breathtaking.' The Coconuts' star had been in full flow for some time now. 'How he'd weighed up all the options, how he had turned down good offers, he he was adamant that this was the best stepping stone he could have taken. 'Sirkii Moliaud is such a good coach too, so well respected.'

'Yeah, Cednia sounds like a pretty cool place...' Connie answered, her eyes still focused on a corner of her right index finger, which she had already picked into bleeding. A glass of water sat untouched in front of her. Ross had insisted in getting her something from the hotel bar, and after much arguing, a tap water was ice was decided upon. Connie hated being placed under any sort of pressure to make a decision, and maybe Ross was coming to realise that now, as he moved very decisively to order the water.

'Anyway I feel like I've been talking about the V-League for a while now.' Ross smiled nervously, as he looked at the time on his phone.

'Yeah... About twenty minutes... only pausing for breath...' Connie informed him, as she finally succeeded in removing the piece of skin, causing a steady line of red to run down her hand.

'Shit, sorry.' Ross took a sip from his coffee. 'So what about you?'

'It's cool, you're excited, I get that.' She reassured him, before sucking the blood from her finger and sticking her hands back inside her pockets. 'As for me, there's fuck all happening as usual. This is the first time I've played football in months - Polaris are out of UICA competition before I even got a chance to kick a fucking ball.' She watched as Ross' face fluctuated between concern and sympathy. It seemed that he was having difficulty in working out which emotion fitted the situation best, and was trying a couple of them out. It was undoubtedly hard for him to empathise, given the fact that his move to the V-League had injected a little lustre into his stride. As for Connie, she knew she just needed to string some consistent domestic form together. Weirdly, it had been her physiatrist, Dr Durí, as opposed to any coach, who had helped show her that the solution to the club's problems lay within her. Connie had been far too quick to blame other people of their domestic shortcomings, when really she should have been looking closer to home, and her inability to go more than half a dozen matches without picking up a red card.

'If we got to the final of the CEdC and the semis of the Champions' Cup - Blue Coast I mean - then I've no doubt Polaris can do the same.' Actually reasonable encouraging words - had Ross been doing an evening course in compassion? Really though, Connie shouldn't have been criticising anyone on that front, given the fact that she was about as compassionate as a kick in the balls. 'You've got a good squad, pound-for-pound there is nothing to stop you winning the TL-East next season.'

'Meh.' Connie would take his word for that, when it came to football analysis Ross could run rings round her. He could likely even name Polaris' third choice keeper; and while she could picture his face, the name escaped her.

'It's a multi-associational league.' Ross was now well within the parameters of his comfort zone, talking about football. 'You've got to remember that. It's made up of the best Cenian teams and Avonian teams, so there's no filler.' Connie gave a small nod of agreement: Fucksake, what was with her aversion to enthusiastic response. 'Some of the yo-yo teams at the bottom of the Schottic league are just gimmes for the likes of Cornellians and United. The standard of football on the Terranean coast is very high though.'

'Yes! Very good!' Connie shouted, as she thrust both fists into the air catching Ross by surprise, and causing a few heads within the hotel bar to turn. 'Enthusiaaaaaasm!' Not at all erratic behaviour. This was perhaps a good illustration of why caffeine was generally a very bad idea.

After Ross was finished his coffee, and Connie was done staring at her water, she made her excuses and said she was going to head back across the road to the gym - holding up a not-too-athletic looking arm as evidence for how badly it was needed. Ross had another one of his excruciating moments, where he didn't know how to say goodbye, and Connie of course left him hanging like a complete tit. In the end he went for another pat on the shoulder, before scurrying off like a small mammal to hide under a rock and over-analyse his insecurities.

You'd think someone in Connie's position would be more sensitive to the sufferings of others when they experienced such embarrassment. But somehow that wasn't the case; that would mean feeling compassion.

It was a ten minute walk from the hotel to the Schottia training facilities, just on the other side of the main road, it meant walking down past the field, and crossing the road outside the pub. It was fairly remote, but there was always the chance of bumping into a young fan who might be chancing their luck for an autograph. Connie avoided these individuals like the plague. Before heading down, she would always don a top with the hood pulled down over her eyes. It was a warm summer's day, and despite passing a couple of dog walkers, the Polaris striker didn't see a soul. It was just as well, as it gave her some time to think. The initial practice game had gone okay, and she had caught the eye of the manager a couple of times, which had to be positive. She had hear Mah say to one of the other coached; 'And she is only going to get fitter.' Which had to apply to her she reckoned. Lucy Curren was going to be favourite to start the opening game in 95X, there was no doubt about it. What's more, Ross was looking fit, strong, and sharp, which meant more competition. After watching him in practice, Connie wasn't surprised that he had won a move this summer. Maybe she could have been nice to him and mentioned that... but that would mean paying a compliment, and that was, for her, a red line.

Not believing in paying compliments - what a warped and distorted way to be. Why not..? In case it gave them an edge over her? If she had been released from Hospital, should that not mean she was better now? She was as bitter and twisted as ever.

Growing up, Connie had always hoped that if she could just be normal, then she would be able to take her football to the next level. Dr Durí had spent a long time trying to help her see that her condition was part of who she was, and that it might be unhealthy to think of it as curing herself from herself. What if Dr Durí was wrong though? What if she could live a normal life? What if she could have a sensible life? She might never find a cure, but maybe she could learn to deal with what afflicted her in such a way that it could be pushed down deep inside and not resurface... What if she could be known for being one of the world's top strikers, instead of a bad parody of a Hazel van Robben? What if she had teammates who respected her, rather than just fearing her? What if she had a mother-daughter relationship with her mum, as opposed to carer-patient relationship? What if she stuck at it with Polaris, instead of looking for a move out of there every five minutes? And what if she actually had a loving relationship, instead sporadic sexual encounters with strangers, prostitutes, and Xavier Hertel whenever he got bored of his marriage.

'Fuuuck!!!' Connie bent down on her haunches in the middle of the path and screamed loudly into her hands, until she lungs were empty.

What was the time? She had no idea, no watch, and no phone. Well the gym could wait for half an hour she thought, as the pub came into view at the bottom of the road. She needed something to quickly take the edge off.

[Filindostan]

Continued from here.

Manyakol | Part 3

---

Despite his football career growing while in the PSSR Wardogs club, Manyakol was not selected to play for the first squad of the national team for the Campionato Esportiva and the Baptism of Fire campaigns. Willy, at that time, viewed other midfielders playing for the big teams as better players than him. This led Manyakol to improve his weaknesses as he played for the club through the Filindostan Football League. During that time though, his now so-called friend, Rai Sanada, was playing for the flag during the trip to Mattijana. However, she was not selected since then, and most likely accepted that it would be her last appearance, unless other forwards retire unexpectedly.

She opened this up to Manyakol, along with other information that usually she does not share.

RS: "Hey."

M: "What?"

RS: "It seems... you haven't doing what you're doing... like... the touch thing..."

M: "Like this?"

Manyakol reached his hands closer to her body... then stopped, and pulled the hand back.

M: "...no. I need to change my attitude. I can't stop staring at girls' chests, but there will be a time that I will no longer be associated with the nickname I currently have."

RS: "I need to tell you something."

M: "What?"

RS: "Maybe I won't get further call-ups for the Pula Garuda."

M: "Why? You're just... seventeen?"

RS: "The duo of Yish and Bochog. Then there's Bienvenido, Tri Buana, Fizzy and other players. The collegiate sensation, Ina. There seems to be a pipeline of Filindostani forwards better than me."

M: "You're seventeen. You're still young. You can stlll make the U-21 squad. Lead them."

RS: "Yeah, maybe. Are you hoping to be called up as well."

M: "Well, to answer you that, maybe."

RS: "And if you're called up and start, what do you plan to do?"

M: "I want to change my nicks once I score a hattrick for the national team."

RS: "To what?"

M: "Yakob. That's my actual nickname. Well I was called Manyakol since I was a child. My father gave me the name 'Manny Yacob Lou', and that's where the nick came from."

RS: "You were Manyakol from the beginning then."

M: "At first I didn't know what that meant. When my parents died in the hands of the police, I started doing things that I did in the streets. That's the time I came to know that the nick was fitting to what I do, then I got used to it."

Manyakol paused, with Rai looking like an idiot, frozen. He provided to give her a smack to her lips and guarded knowing Rai will slap him in the face once again. Nothing came.

RS: "...keep going."

M: "I wanted to drop the nick once I started to play for the Wardogs, but it was already registered, so I had no choice. Maybe next season... Hey are you still listening?"

Without him noticing, tears flew into Rai's face and proceeded to embrace him.

RS: "Sorry for your parents' demise."

M: "It's nothing. They're long gone. I've already accepted it. I actually accepted that I could follow them next to heaven, but it seemed you saved my life, and I thank you for that."

RS: "Can we stay like this?"

M: "What like this?"

RS: "Lovers."

M: "Hmm, maybe. Should we?"

RS: "Yes."

---

Manyakol sent Rai a postcard as part of Willy's postcard program. It depicted a jeepney plying a particular route in San Rafael - where he usually did his heinous activities then.

Rai,

How's life there in San Rafael? I heard you're doing well in charity work by our club, well, sorry, your club.

I got an offer from Perseuno. The team told me to accept their contract offer. Well the terms were good, so I accepted it. I heard you're on the move as well. Maybe you can deal with it better than I do.

The frustrating thing here was that I was registered in the squad as Manyakol. So I had to use it for the entire campaign. Maybe if I score a hattrick for the Pula Garuda that I will request for a nickname change.

Let's have a hot steamy date when I come back there in San Rafael. :3 ILY.

Love Lots,
ManyakolYAKOB

By the time Rai received the postcard, they have already played at Jabok. She sent a IM message to him:

RaiLoves
Nice postcard, Manyakol, oops, I mean, Yakob. Nice hattrick. Sorry but I stayed at PSSR. Don't want to be a reserve player at the big teams. I'll make the DBC squad hopefully then put them on notice Let's have a nice date when you go home. Mwah.

-Manny Yacob Lou "Yakob" Rivas

---

FFF Office
San Marco, Filindostan

Willy and Vicky were in the federation's office to submit their trimmed 26-person squad, as well as their explanation on how they chose them... and how they failed to score a goal against Islana Lunigo which can prove costly to their qualification hopes.

Willy: "For the goalies, it was a no-brainer and unanimous decision. We'd go with Gerry, Abram, and Tonyo, same as the BOF goalie squad."

Vicky: "At the defense, we chose 8 players. 4 side backs, and 4 centerbacks. They are, Mila Khalifa and Casimir for the leftbacks, Enzo and Graci for rightbacks, and the same centerbacks in BoF: Dina Satyawan, Alex Jampang, Kartio and Buknoy."

Willy: "For the midfield, we included five wingers, or perhaps, side midfielders, and five central midfielders.For the left midfield we have Damaris and Zemira Zai; at the right we have Domo, Edna, and MMM, which one of them will be dropped after the qualifiers, and the central, we have Mohd Safri, Siharto, Onyok, Yakob, and King. Well for forwards, we decided to retain the following: Bochog, Bienvenido, Fizzy, Tri Buana, Yish."

Estie: "Who's Yakob?, and King is still in the squad?"

Vicky: "He was the Rivas one, Ms. Estie."

Esite: "Oh, okay, okay, I got it. Keep an eye on both of them though, their personalities may clash. I also believe that there will be three more to drop after the qualifiers right?"

Willy: "Yes. Ms. Estie. We're dropping either MMM or Edna, then a centerback, either Buknoy or Kartio, and one of the CM's, probably Siharto."

Estie: "I'd want to see improvements from Onyok. If I can't see any then I recommend dropping him and put Manyak--- oh wait, Yakob, into the CAM position."

Willy (reluctantly): "Yes."

Estie: "I hope you should start scoring goals soon. I was not happy at our performance at the Westportiva Park."

Vicky: "We're now looking to get the players used to our new philosophy."

Esite: "Okay. You can go."

The federation is now starting to expect good results from the Filindostani team in the coming matches, which should not be as hasty as how the team quickly learned the ropes and currently place second in Group 13 of Qualifying for the World Cup 79. The pressure is now on Willy and Vicky to sustain their position.

OOC Note: Squad and style mods updated in the roster thread post.

[Kita-Hinode]

CHAPTER XII - INVESTIGATION

Downtown
Friday, 12:00 PM

[Nurse] - Doctor, we've been walking for the past six hours and we found nothing!
[Doctor] - Well, not... really.
He continued on walking before finding a gathering.
[Doctor] - There you go. We found something.
[Nurse] - Yeah. But now what?
[Doctor] - Don't you see? Think about it.
He started to walk in circles.
[Doctor] - People aren't supposed to be roaming around, right? So think this, why would there be a gathering in the middle of an empty city.
[Nurse] - Maybe they're the bad guys!
He then pointed to a sign with the words Edna's Dinner near a restaurant where the gathering was.
[Doctor] - Or even better, they're having lunch.
[Nurse] - ...Wait, how's that good?
[Doctor] - Follow me.
He dashed towards the gathering.
[Nurse] - Didn't need to ask me twice, I'm hungry!

The two waited for a while on the line, finally reaching the entrance of the restaurant a good twenty minutes later.
[Nurse] - Well, that took long enough. I'm still hungry!
[Doctor] - Don't forget our mission, however.
He examined the room, finding a waitress serving a table that happened to have six teenagers.
Notably, a group of rollerblades laid to their side.
As they waved, however, another waiter attended them.
He seemed undeniably upset, however.

[Damukuni] - Edna's Dinner, can I... sigh... take your order?
[Nurse] - Well, yes! I'd have a number 25 with two number 4s and a 75 for dessert.
[Doctor] - You seem... particularly upset.
[Damukuni] - Yeah. Because I am. What's your order?
[Doctor] - My order would be... hmmm... a large number 8 and a 100 for desert... and also to know what exactly bothers you.
He smirked.
[Damukuni] - You're gonna have to double my tip then.
The Doctor took out a mysterious paper, at least in the eyes of the Nurse.
Damukuni saw it as a check.
[Doctor] - You got yourself a deal.
He nodded, leaving the two.
[Nurse] - Do you think the food will be good?
[Doctor] - I don't bother myself with that.
[Nurse] - What? Are you nuts? My stomach is almost eating itself from the inside!
[Doctor] - Our mission is more important than whether you're fed or not, Nurse.
[Nurse] - You say it that way because you don't feel hunger.
[Doctor] - Quite the opposite. I do feel hunger.
[Nurse] - Huh. Thought that wasn't the case.
[Doctor] - Hunger for Justice!
She dropped face first on the table.
[Nurse] - Why did I agree to travel with you?
[Doctor] - Because life's boring without me, clearly.

Twenty minutes later, Damukuni returned with the orders.
He struggled to not let anything drop but managed to reach their table without massive problems.
[Nurse] - Thank Arceus! I didn't know how much more I could last...
[Doctor] - Thank you. But now, I'd like to listen to your story.
[Damukuni] - Well... I'm Damukuni, the fastest thing alive!
The Doctor did a double take.
[Damukuni] - Uh... Without the need of artificial parts, machinery or anything of the like.
[Doctor] - Hm. If you say so.
[Damukuni] - I had a business, you know. Super Sonic Delivery!
[Doctor] - Doesn't sound very catchy.
[Damukuni] - Well, it worked. Sure, the business was just... well, me, but still.
[Doctor] - I see.
[Damukuni] - Anyway, our... uh, my orders dried up. And then...
He sighed.
[Damukuni] - I got an order one day. A guy with this black helmet showed up, offering me this solid job of taking some package. Told me to never open it, just deliver.
He looked back at the Doctor.
[Damukuni] - And I did. The receiver thanked me for it. It was all fine and well until I overheard her. I just delivered the blueprints to the Z-Crystal container the Army used...
[Doctor] - Hmmm...
[Damukuni] - So I paid the rent and just left. My business is now... technically, on hiatus.
He sighed.
[Damukuni] - For now, I'll just stay here, working. Hopefully, I can pay the rent regularly.
[Doctor] - Hmmm... Say, was the girl wearing rollerblades?
[Damukuni] - Yeah! Had this incredibly high pitched voice as well.
[Doctor] - Say...
He noticed the girls leaving.
[Doctor] - Did they resemble those girls?
[Damukuni] - The clothing is similar...
[???] - DAMUKUNI!

He dashed towards the kitchen.
Soon enough, he returned, carrying a case of food.

[Doctor] - Say, young lad. What's that?
[Damukuni] - That group of girls left some food. Edna told me to deliver it to their place. Weird, but it's my job.
[Doctor] - Would you mind if we followed you?
[Damukuni] - Huh?
[Doctor] - We're looking into investigating the theft of the Z-Crystals and maybe it's their hideout.
[Damukuni] - Don't you think it'd be a bit dumb of them to just give away their hideout like that?
[Doctor] - Yes. Still, worth a shot. We don't have any other clues.
[Damukuni] - Fair enough.
[Doctor] - Let's go, nur-
BURP!
[Nurse] - Uh... Let's...

[Turori]

Cocoa-bo, an establishment taking its name directly from the beloved national animal of Turori, started as a small dessert shop in Kionao. However, it was only after they added chocolate topped drinks to their menu that their popularity started to soar. As more and more patrons scooped up their chocolate flavored pick-me-ups, demand for the Cocoa-bo product skyrocketed and soon new franchised locations were popping up all throughout Turori. Shifting to more of a social 'hang-out' then just a casual place to drop in, get a dessert, and leave, the new locations started adding small foods such as Bagels for the morning, Soups and Sandwiches for Lunch or Dinner and Salads for the entire day. Cocoa-bo has expanded outside of Vilita & Turori. Their first regional location was opened in Andossa Se Mitrin Vega and the company continues to explore avenues to further increase its image, expanding the company footprint across Atlantian Oceania and beyond.

Cocoa-bo has been taking its now-famous marketing campaign, "Everything's Better With Cocoa-bo" on the road along with the Turori National Team, bringing to bus stops, digital screens and social outlets the image of the host countries flag and backstory 'altered' to show how it would be "Better with Cocoabo"...

While they could simply take the Cocoa-bo campaign to the 9 nations that the Turori National Team would be competing against during the World Cup 79 finals, that prospect seemed both overly exclusionary due to the number of potential nations that would be left out in such a campaign, and somewhat fruitless, as some of the marketing dollars would not be well spent in the more uninteresting locales the Turori National Team, through no fault of their own, would end up during the Qualifying Cycle... such as U-62.

So the folks at Cocoa-bo decided to leave it up to a poll to see what the next nation that would be "Better with Cocoa-bo" would be!

The first round of voting permitted participants to put forth as many nations as they wish for selection. Any nations which were not put forth as a future target for being Better with Cocoabo, as well as any nations which only received a single nomination for being Cocoa-bo'd were eliminated from consideration.

The second round of voting contained 24 nations and the number that could be put forth for further consideration was limited. Half of the nations would be eliminated and put forth into a more serious round of voting which would include on-site visits by representatives from Cocoa-bo to begin to piece together a plan should that nation ultimately selected to be betterified by means of Cocoa-bo.

After adding the budding nation of South Covello and the similarly harsdhipped nation of 95X to the proceedings, the third and final round of ballot reduction polling was able to begin. 14 nations were under consideration but just five nations would survive the final cut and move on to the final consideration round.

The Final Five nations under consideration - Cassadaigua, the Equestrian States, The newly risen South Covello, upon the former lands ruled by the not-so-mighty Gregory, Northwest Kalactin and Starblaydia were all toured by representatives of Cocoa-bo. Making the cut, however, would be the Equestrian States and Starblaydia, the only two Atlantian Oceania native locations to remain under consideration by the Cocoa-bo team. Joining them would be Cassadaigua, Northwest Kalactin and finally the in-flux situation as developing in the Former land of the Almighty Gregory - or South Covello.

Full marketing plans for each country including identifying locations for pop-up delectable stands and appropriate places for Poster and Flag campaigns to be distributed. Of course, the marketing department rue'd the fact that 95X was not one of the finalists, as the marketing plan in 95X would have been the most obvious, simple plan they had ever written.

Once the Marketing Department had their say, Location scouting was completed and the art department drafted up their designs, the polling was factored in. While the scout team was looking for one, maybe two target nations for final consideration, in the end three nations were found to be virtually inseparable in the final consideration. Northwest Kalactin, while receiving first consideration in some categories, also received last consideration in more categories than any other nation and was hence eliminated from final considerations. In a quite opposite scenario, Cassadaigua received virtually no last considerations, but also virtually no first considerations in any category of rating. Without any obvious first considerations, Cassadaigua was also eliminated. That left the Equestrian States, South Covello and Starblaydia. While South Covello received the most first considerations, the Equestrian States and Starblaydia received the most first and second considerations.

The scout team was unable to differentiate between thre three in the final consideration stage and decided to move forth with a plan to support the possibility of making all three nations 'Better with Cocoa-bo'

One of the considerations of the final consideration phase considered by the considerations board was the fact that both the Equestrian States and Starblaydia were locally positioned in Atlantian Oceania and making both nations better with Cocoa-bo would be equally as taxing on the Cocoa-bo team as would making a single nation outside of Atlantian Oceania better with Cocoa-bo.

So the Cocoa-bo team prepared a final plan and initial marketing materials. Pending and final limitations from the host nation, the Cocoa-bo team would set out with pop-up locations and initial marketings to establish long-term sustainability of the delectable product line in that nation. If the pop-up locations received support from the locals as well as the promise of decent profits and support from the host nations, then a more permanent Cocoa-bo presence in the nations would be possible.

As the Cocoa-bo pop-up team set out to make things better with Cocoa-bo in the target nations, the team in Mliona awaited proposals from the three remaining host nations on the long-term presence of Cocoa-bo.

[Mercedini]

World Cup Catch-Up
@ Zoloroni Sports City Stadium - Zoloroni, Mercedini

Due to the frantic World Cup schedule for all the teams involved, it is very difficult to be in the right place at the right time meaning we have to miss a couple of matches to ensure a decent coverage for the rest of them. Today is the day we catch up with all those matches we couldn't make to ensure all of our databases are up to date with the correct information at time of recording. There were plenty of goals that we missed, so lets relive those matches to keep you in check with all the happenings in Group 10.

MD4
Alpine Union 1-1 Mercedini @ Alpine Union National Stadium - Ibrahimovicstadt, USAR

Starting XI: Hosset • Aznelik - Ossun - Dosic - Park (Catessic 68') • Crasic (Kuznetsov 56') - Kraljic - Nymark (Patenkov 73') - Presic • Chillotov - Dostalok
ALP Goalscorers: unknown 38'
MRC Goalscorers: Chillotov 73'

---

MD9
Mercedini 3-4 Abanhfleft @ Zoloroni Sports City Stadium - Zoloroni, Mercedini

Starting XI: Hosset • Aznelik - Ossun - Dosic - Park (Di Sansev 60') • Crasic (Pavlek 90+1') - Kraljic - Nymark (Patenkov 73') - Presic • Chillotov - Dostalok (Spartoni 60')
MRC Goalscorers: Chillotov 10', Dostalok 19', Crasic 60'
ABF Goalscorers: Dagen 5', Zima 43', Marilungo 71', Lee 90+3'

---

MD10
Mercedini 7-2 Indusse @ Zoloroni Sports City Stadium - Zoloroni, Mercedini

Starting XI: Hovek • Kuznetsov - Patenkov (Ossun 71') - Toivonen - Di Sansev • Vaselko - Karlovic - Kraljic - Pujanic (Presic 56') • Alotic - Billic (Spartoni 77')
MRC Goalscorers: Alotic 4', 83', Billic 27' 58, Karlovic 44', Ossun 73', Spartoni 87'
IND Goalscorers: Kumar 11', 36'

---

MD11
Mercedini 3-2 Bjornoya Islands @ Zoloroni Sports City Stadium - Zoloroni, Mercedini

Starting XI: Polasic • Aznelik - Ossun - Dosic - Catessic (Di Sansev 80') • Crasic - Jackic (Kraljic 80') - Nymark - Presic • Dostalok - Billic (Chillotov 89')
MRC Goalscorers: Dostalok 43', 60', Crasic 85'
BJN Goalscorers: unknown 22', 67'

---

MD12
Lisander 3-5 Mercedini @ Vermillion Arena - Soria, Lisander

Starting XI: Polasic • Aznelik - Ossun - Dosic - Di Sansev • Vaselko - Kraljic - Nymark - Pujanic • Dostalok - Chillotov
LIS Goalscorers: Ávila 65', Camden 80', Walker 85'
MRC Goalscorers: Dostalok 2', 40', Chillotov 15', 36', Kraljic 89'

.   Group 10                  Pld   W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
 1 Abanhfleft                 12   10   1   1    36   16  +20    31  3-4   -
 2 Mercedini                  12    9   1   2    43   22  +21    28
 3 The Holy Empire            12    9   1   2    35   22  +13    28  1-2   -
 4 Equestrian States          12    7   2   3    18   16   +2    23   -   4-2
 5 Alpine Union               12    5   5   2    20   17   +3    20   -   1-1
 6 Lisander                   12    5   0   7    29   33   −4    15  3-2  5-3
 7 South Toronto              12    2   3   7    21   31  −10     9  5-2   -
 8 Indusse                    12    2   3   7    15   27  −12     9  7-2  2-0
 9 Bjornoya Islands           12    1   3   8    11   23  −12     6  3-2  2-0
10 New Doltania               12    0   1  11    12   33  −21     1   -   7-2

So there we have it, Mercedini are back where they want to be in second place and in a qualification spot for the 79th World Cup Finals. Mercedini will play all of the main players in their six remaining games they have in qualification, and will have to get at least a point from all of those if they want to have a realistic chance of punching their ticket to Ceni and Drawkland. If they don't, there's still hope but they will eed help from other teams to ensure a top two finish. That's all from us at Mercedini Sports Daily, we hope to be back to our regular schedule shortly but from Zoloroni, goodnight!

[Abanhfleft]

(OOC: Just match reports for today once again. I really am quite pressed for time at the moment and writer's block for some of my intended RP series has arrived as well, so...)

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WORLD CUP 79 QUALIFIERS: LISANDER VS ABANHFLEFT
By Malik Qazizadah


Abanhfleft's Kevin Kelvin celebrates his third goal against Lisander in the World Cup 79 qualifiers. (Courtesy of Crescent News Network Sports Channel/Andros Tasasa)

LISANDER - Abanhfleft moved one step closer to qualifying for the 79th World Cup once again with massive and dominant win against Lisander at the Vermillion Stadium on the back of a hat trick from the resurgent Kevin Kelvin.

Kelvin, who makes his first start for the Fleftics following Vitaly Zima called in sick the previous day, made the most out of his chance to return to the starting eleven of the Revolutionaries, and it was his classic direct play style which led to Abanhfleft's first goal of the game, a screaming run down the right flank into the penalty box which he cut back to Kareem Dagen to start off the coming shower of goals.

Dagen turned from scorer to provider fourteen minutes later when it was his turn to make a surging run into the box, and Dagen's cutback for Kelvin was more of a lobbed pass over the heads of the Lisanderan defense towards Kelvin, who needed just the slightest of touches from his head to direct the ball past the gloves of Martin Garmin.

While it was mostly one-way- traffic for the majority of the first half, Lisander did have their chances throughout the half and one of those chances eventually resulted in a penalty for the hosts after Luke Edwards was judged to have tackled Yoann Dawson with a little too much force inside the box, and Dawson struck home the spot kick strongly and towards Carlos Cohen's right post; the Sporting Ceneisis goalkeeper didn't stretch himself out to his full reach for the attempted save.

Kevin Kelvin was able to reassert Abanhfleft's dominance just six minutes later, this time with a well-struck first-time effort from just inside the box after an ingenious solo run that took him past at least three Lisanderan defenders before capping it off with his second goal of the night. More was to come from the Fleftic perspective.

Abanhfleft started right where they left off in the second half, and Rory Edwards made it four in the same number of minutes when he nodded home Andrea Marilungo's corner kick, although Abanhfleft wouldn't be made to rest on their laurels by Lisander, who continued on despite the rapidly increasing odds against them, and they were able to score a deserved second goal courtesy of Milen Kaplanoski and his great finish from a tight angle with both Carlos Cohen and Daisuke Ogigayatsu closing down on him.

This didn't stop Abanhfleft from putting the pressure on Lisander even though they were away from home, and Kevin Kelvin finally got his deserved hat trick less than twenty minutes from the end of regulation time and Ainsley Gibson capped off this impressive Fleftic display with a stunning solo goal from the edge of the box at a tight angle that was always curving away from the Lisanderan goalkeeper but still retained enough spin to nestle into the net at the 88th minute.


Abanhfleft manager Ranulph Bustamante: People will remember this game forever

Abanhfleft manager Ranulph Bustamante: "This was another one of those games for the ages. It was all end-to-end stuff; anything could have happened. But we took our chances and scored from them and then we defended well against Lisander, who are a very great team no matter what this result tells us. They will grow to become one of the future contenders; I can feel it in my bones. They will give us better tests than this in the future, I can tell you that much. People will remember this game forever both for what we did in it and what will happen when we meet again in the future."

        LISANDER 2 - 6 ABANHFLEFT
DAWSON (35' pen)       DAGEN (4')
KAPLANOSKI (60')       KELVIN (18', 41', 72')
                       R. EDWARDS (49')
                       GIBSON (88')

ABANHFLEFT
GK: 1 Cohen
RB: 2 Afolayan
RCB: 4 L. Edwards █
LCB: 5 Gibson
LB: 3 Ogigayatsu (Wayne - 65')
RM: 6 Pearson
CM: 7 Zolnerov (Vincelot - 65')
LM: 8 Marilungo
CAM: 10 R. Edwards
RS: 20 Kelvin
LS: 9 Dagen (MacAlistair - 84' █)

LISANDER
GK: 1 Garmin
RB: 2 Lasses
RCB: 4 Rosell
CB: 5 Ávila
LCB: 3 Wagner
LB: 6 Kaplanoski █
RM: 8 Heretier █ (Stockport - 85')
CM: 10 Camden
LM: 7 Nantel (Leenvrouw - 80')
RS: 11 Dawson (Potenza - 71')
LS: 9 Walker █

MATCH STATISTICS
Possession
Lisander: 45%
Abanhfleft: 55%
Shots
Lisander: 10 (4 on target)
Abanhfleft: 15 (8 on target)
Corners
Lisander: 4
Abanhfleft: 5
Fouls
Lisander: 18
Abanhfleft: 23

---

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WORLD CUP 79 QUALIFIERS: ABANHFLEFT VS ALPINE UNION
By Malik Qazizadah


Abanhfleft's Tristan Lee celebrates the only goal of the game against the Alpine Union. (Courtesy of Crescent News Network Sports Channel/Andros Tasasa)

RELEINTHI - Abanhfleft avenged their 5-4 loss against the Alpine Union early in the first round of qualifiers for the 79th World Cup by beating the Alpines in the reverse fixture and cement the Revolutionaries' place among the top teams vying for an automatic qualification slot into the World Cup.

Unlike the last match played between these two teams, though, goals would come at a premium, and in the end only one was required to win this particular contest, and it would come courtesy of the late substitute Tristan Lee.

Chances were a bit lacking in the first half, although what chances did pop up were more often than not good chances and would have stood a good chance of actually being converted into goals were it not for two stellar performances from two world-class goalkeepers in Carlos Cohen and Zofia Kwietniewska for Abanhfleft and the Alpine Union, respectively.

It was the Alpines' Sarah Schroffenegger who had the best chance of the entire half with her straightforward shot from just outside the penalty arc beating Carlos Cohen through a forest of players but hitting the wrong side of the near post afterwards. The Fleftics' best chance was from the ever-present Kareem Dagen, who really should have done better than to scythe the ball wide of the far post after making a striking solo run through the Alpine defense.

It was more of the same in the second half, with Zbiegniew Zajaczkowski trying his luck from distance and nearly converting from it too, but Carlos Cohen was up to the task and cradled the ball securely in his hands after catching it. Vitaly Zima also had a good chance of his own before he was substituted off with a looping header from Andrea Marilungo's corner that ended up only bouncing off of the top of the roof of the net.

Tristan Lee, who came on for Dagen in the 80th minute as part of Ranulph Bustamante's attempt to find the goal that would break the Alpines' resistance, finally found the mark three minutes after taking to the field after Rory Edwards and Marilungo's short corner set piece straight from the training ground found Lee in space inside the box, and Lee used his first touch to make a volley on goal that squeezed past Kwietniewska's fingertips.


Abanhfleft national team manager Ranulph Bustamante: This is a strong message to the rest of the group

Abanhfleft national team manager Ranulph Bustamante: "Last time we met the Alpines, we were defeated in a thrilling match, if a bit disappointing from our perspective. But now we've met them again and this time we won. This sends a strong message to the rest of the teams still fighting for qualification out of Group 1. There are a lot of teams still in the race but the way things are going, some of them are going to drop off and others are going to maintain their runs. Our work is cut out for us. We must maintain the momentum and keep up the pace of our victories."

Abanhfleft will next face South Toronto at Anthian Bridge in South Toronto for matchday twelve of the 79th World Cup qualifiers.

ABANHFLEFT 1 - 0 ALPINE UNION
 LEE (83')

ALPINE UNION
GK: 1 Kwietniewska
RB: 5 Zawistowski (Zubrowska - 82')
CB: 3 Januszkiewicz
LB: 4 Strzyzowski
RM: 77 Ksiezniakiewicz
LM: 8 Welzmüller █
RW: 6 Schroffenegger
LW: 7 Wawrzienkiewicz
CAM: 10 Zalwowska (Szczepankiewicz - 71')
RS: 15 Kleineheismann (O'Maoilsheachlainn - 79')
LS: 11 Zajaczkowski

ABANHFLEFT
GK: 1 Cohen
RB: 2 Afolayan (Popov - 70')
RCB: 4 L. Edwards
LCB: 5 Gibson
LB: 3 Ogigayatsu
RM: 6 Pearson
CM: 7 Zolnerov█
LM: 8 Marilungo
CAM: 10 R. Edwards
RS: 11 V. Zima (Kelvin - 68')
LS: 9 Dagen (Lee - 80')

MATCH STATISTICS
Possession
Abanhfleft: 52%
Alpine Union: 48%
Shots
Abanhfleft: 9 (4 on target)
Alpine Union: 7 (3 on target)
Corners
Abanhfleft: 4
Alpine Union: 4
Fouls
Abanhfleft: 15
Alpine Union: 12

---

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WORLD CUP 79 QUALIFIERS: SOUTH TORONTO VS ABANHFLEFT
By Malik Qazizadah


Abanhfleft's Ainsley Gibson wheels away to celebrate his goal in Abanhfleft's 2-0 victory over South Toronto. (Courtesy of Crescent News Network Sports Channel/Andros Tasasa)

SOUTH TORONTO - Abanhfleft took one step closer to attaining an automatic qualification spot for the 79th World Cup with another seamless win against South Toronto, even if at times the effort seemed labored.

It was all quiet in the first half, no team getting very decent chances, although Vitaly Zima had a shout at opening the scoring at just fifteen minutes in with a decent header that was saved by the South Toronto keeper, and Jozy Dembele had his shot at giving the home side the lead just three minutes later with a looping shot that nevertheless bounced off of the post and out of play.

In the second half, a piercing run by Kareem Dagen finally broke through the South Toronto defense and resulted in the first goal of the game, and Ainsley Gibson's late header in the last three minutes from Andrea Marilungo's corner eventually sealed the result in favor of the Revolutionaries.


Abanhfleft national team manager Ranulph Bustamante: "This may not have been the best performance from the team but it's still three points. After a rough start we are now on a good winning run. Let's hope we can extend it to the Equestrian States at our home."

Abanhfleft will face the Equestrian States once again on matchday thirteen of the World Cup 79 qualifiers at home at the May 26 Revolution Memorial Stadium in Riuwiee.

SOUTH TORONTO 0 - 2 ABANHFLEFT
                    DAGEN (51')
                    GIBSON (87')

ABANHFLEFT
GK: 1 Cohen
RB: 2 Afolayan
RCB: 4 L. Edwards
LCB: 5 Gibson
LB: 3 Ogigayatsu
RM: 6 Pearson
CM: 7 Zolnerov (Vincelot - 55' █)
LM: 8 Marilungo
CAM: 10 R. Edwards
RS: 11 V. Zima █ (Lee - 76')
LS: 9 Dagen (Kelvin - 84')

SOUTH TORONTO
GK: 13 Cilimintaro
RB: 2 Abou Diaby
RCB: 3 Killerich
LCB: 4 Bakayoko █
LB: 5 Makanjoko █
RM: 7 Son
CM: 6 Bergman (Sachadev - 86')
LM: 8 Wright
RS: 11 Kiese Thelin (Dagnall - 56')
CF: 9 Dembele
LS: 10 Mackay (Mamoeapa - 79')

MATCH STATISTICS
Possession
South Toronto: 44%
Abanhfleft: 56%
Shots
South Toronto: 8 (3 on target)
Abanhfleft: 9 (4 on target)
Corners
South Toronto: 3
Abanhfleft: 5
Fouls
South Toronto: 17
Abanhfleft: 21

[Alasdair I Frosticus]

The Laboratory of Professor von Madscientisto

'...und so you see that with the rotting away of the leg ligaments, the zombie space pirates are being unable to run with what you are considering speed, ja?'

'But Professor von Madscientisto, what can we do? A shock loss to Equestrian States and even more shocking away draw to the unranked Bjornoya Islands have left us third in the group; our World Cup qualification chances are in jeopardy. We might go from semi-finalists to non-qualifiers in the space of two tournaments. More and more of our team are succumbing to the zombie virus; the entire substitutes' bench is now zombified, and goalkeeper Calico Sirius Rackham - hero of the performance against the Equestrian States succumbed during the Bjornoya Islands. Even Juan Tzimisces is struggling to keep this lot competitive; we just don't know what to do...'

'Ah, well; you HEFA officials are always prone to the panicking, no?'

'I wouldn't call this panicking?'

'What are you calling it then, Mr Panic McPanicky?'

'It's realism; our reputation is on the line. We have crucial home matches against Abanhfleft and Mercedini to plan for; we need to know that we can be competitive for those matches.'

'If you are wishing to be competitive, why are you doing the entering of zombie space pirates into World Cup when zombies are clearly struggling against teams of living, ja?'

'They weren't zombies when we picked the team.'

'Ja, this is what I believe is being called the fair point.'

'When we started, we were more worried about the space pirates sacking Equestrian States and carrying off their flying ponies to sell in the intergalactic slave market.'

'Und now you are being more worried about possibility of zombie plague not just making team uncompetitive, but also infecting helpless mundy teams who are not having cure, ja?'

'Precisely.'

'Vell, I can be bringing to you the good news.'

'Help us, Professor von Madscientisto; you're our only hope.'

'You are probably not being the surprised at how often I am hearing this. But I do the digressing. I am in communication with famous mundy scientist with knowledge of Ordinary Reality conditions, and soon am wishing to have the correspondence with second mundy scientist.'

'Tell me more.'

'You must be having the patience; I vill tell you in the due course. The first scientist is famous Dr Herbert West of well-known medical school of Miskatonic University, in mundy place called Arkham. Dr. West has developed serum that appears to be capable of temporarily reanimating dead flesh.'

'So he could bring the zombie pirates back to life; this is excellent...'

'You are being too fast, my young football administrating friend. There is being problem with serum of Dr West in that it is best working on the newly dead. Alas, zombies are being dead for too long for serum to be working with great effectiveness. At best it will temporarily restore strength to one or two limbs for period of 90 minutes to two hours. Which is perhaps being enough to make legs of players return to something resembling original effectiveness, but is not being enough to bring pirates back to life.'

'Well, that's something, I suppose.'

'Also, there are being side-effects.'

'What sort of side-effects?'

'This is perhaps something that HEFA are best to not be knowing.'

'But....'

'It is perhaps best that you are doing the trusting of me here.'

'But...'

'You are really not wanting to know, I will assure you.'

'But...'

'Though Juan Tzimisces has been fully informed so he can do necessary planning for all eventualities should side effects manifest during match.'

'Well...'

'And now perhaps we should be discussing second scientist.'

'But...'

'Second scientist is famous Vilitan personality Dr. Hamonii, who is being well-known for work on Cocoabo project. Dr. Hamonii is interesting character who is not knowing difference between interest being piqued and interest peaking, but he is otherwise sound and brilliant mind.'

'But what can a mundy scientist best known for his eccentric work on the native bird life contribute to our squad of shambling zombie space pirates.'

'I am reminding you that five of the starting squad are not yet the zombies.'

'Though they likely will be.'

'This is perhaps being true, but in search for scientific break-through, it is important to strive for accuracy, ja?'

'If you say so.'

'Anyway, I am believing that Dr. Hamonii is in position to help squad perform better in range of mundy climates, instead of team worrying about impact of tropics on rotting zombie flesh. Perhaps he is also in position to help with optimisation of zombie response in range of weathers; it is always being perfect climate in Dreamed Realm, and flesh is not doing rotting outside of Ordinary Reality, so am I am perhaps not the best-placed for this particular challenge.'

'And are you in touch with this Dr. Hamonii?'

'It is funny that you should be the saying of this, for am I just writing him now to invite him to engage in great collaboration of greatest of scientific minds in Vilita and Dreamed Realm, where we will transform science of zombification and application thereof to international football. I am believing it is offer that he can not do the refusing of. Now please be excusing me while I engage in the maniacal laughter to emphasise point.

BWA-HA-HA-HA.'

[Bojikstan]

Embarrassing collapse invokes rage from Horda Azul
Bojikstan's support was nearing a riot after the team blew a chance to take home points during their Kyrjasmark trip
Posted by Loic Lande, Football Correspondent

When Bojikstan traveled to Kyrjasmark for a clash in a qualifying campaign that’s already all but decided, they were followed by a loyal group of fans under the banner of Horda Azul, numbering roughly 2,000 and bringing the same energetic support that national team matches in Strasburg are known for. However, those 2,000 fans would leave disappointed and many of them would whistle their team as they exited the pitch afterwards, because of the late collapse and the poor performance that really is just a continuation of the struggles of the earlier parts of the cycle. This campaign has been a nightmare for Bojikstan, where they’ve routinely lost to the higher ranked teams and failed to be competitive against the other ones that are close to their level, and frustrations hit their peak on this night in Kyrjasmark.

The players were pelted with flares after the last opponent goal, thrown from the upper stand to the area behind the goalkeeper, Lucas Alberg. Those same fans would unfurl a banner immediately after the match, reading “Enough is enough, Bermejo Out,” referring to the BFA President that has become very unpopular after attempting to withdraw pay from the players for their performances. That attempt would fail after players personally stormed the BFA headquarters in protest after their draw with Somecoldwetislands, but hurt team morale and didn’t give the fans any reason to have faith in the federation that’s running the team. However, these fans also aren’t on the side of the players and management. Another banner was unfurled after the third goal for the opponents, reading “THIS IS NOT OKAY.” The banner is a reference to Marco Christensen’s calm managerial style, which involves him frequently telling the press that things are okay after losses.

Bojikstan initially took a 1-0 lead in the tenth minute behind Alexy Hesse getting on the end of a cross from Javier Velazquez and then putting the ball into the back of the net from short range after successfully chesting it down. Kyrjasmark, however, would storm back and score two goals within the half, with winger Frey Sunden successfully taking on Velazquez twice and blowing by him before putting the ball into the box for Torsti Ostergaard and Johannes Thorsten. Those two would score in the seventeenth and forty first minutes, respectively, forcing Bojikstan to jump back to a draw in the sixtieth minute when Scaffield winger Dimitar Kovalov came off of the bench and bagged a rough goal, taking the ball off of defender Walter Asmund and shooting it before Sigurd Helgisson could react properly to the interception. The result should have been a draw.

But this wasn’t the ideal match for Bojikstan. The defense only needed to hold on for stoppage time to go home with a point, but Frey Sunden wasn’t contained by Velazquez and Chico Suarez missed a sliding tackle attempt to give the winger an open look on goal. This time, he would finish the chance by himself rather than passing, with Lucas Alberg unable to get a hand on the fast moving shot. Niko Komarov would have one last chance to salvage a draw for Bojikstan after getting on the end of a volley from Eric Dern, but would fall down in the box without a foul being called. Shortly after, the final whistle was blown, inciting the rage of the Bojikstani traveling supporters who had just watched their team collapse during the four minutes of stoppage time.

The Bojikstani team would decline to hold a press conference after the match, and the only comments were given by Mara Mandaric at an impromptu media scrum outside of the locker room: “This qualifying campaign is hell and I hate to say it but there’s no other way to describe it when the people that you fight for turn on you because of your performance. Sometimes it’s not warranted but this is one of those times where you know that you deserve it, and that’s why it hurts so much. Four minutes. That’s all we had to hold on for and we would have gotten a point, but… We’re not good enough. We deserve all the hate we get. Simple as that. We’re one of the worst sides in the World Cup so it looks like we’re going to have to go back to the drawing board, and maybe make some changes in the BFA, because we care about it when we disappoint these people that travel to see us and we never want to do this to them again.”

[Equestrian States]

Equestrian States a Finalist for Cocoa-bo Expansion
by Bean Counter

CANTERLOT - The Equestrian States has reportedly been made a finalist in Cocoa-bo's search for another foreign expansion. When Cocoa-bo's leadership announced its plans to expand overseas from Turori once again, Equestrian investors were quick to express interest in bringing the dessert and snack franchise to the Equestrian States, where they believed that it would be a natural fit and find tremendous success. The Equestrian States has survived several rounds of voting as well as a couple of visits by Cocoa-bo marketers and analysts, thus reaching the final stage of eliminations alongside Starblaydia and South Covello, formerly Gregoryisgodistan, recently-liberated by an international coalition that included the Equestrian Royal Navy's Esportiva Task Force.

One of the Equestrian States' best selling points seems to be its location in Atlantian Oceania, which has been cited several times as a key factor in consideration. However, potential Equestrian investors have also been quick to point out that Cocoa-bo would be a natural fit in the country's café scene. Cocoa-bo is particularly famous for its sweet chocolate-topped drinks which would play well with the famously sweet-toothed Equestrian public, but the company has also made a concerted effort to be more than just a casual place to drop in, get a dessert, and leave. Given how many Equestrians, particularly the country's equine inhabitants, are extremely friendly, the public would likely quickly embrace the location as a social "hang-out". Furthermore, the availability of other small foods outside of the store's famous sweets such as bagels, soups, sandwiches, and salads would make it a smash hit. Though some small changes might have to be made to the existing menu and further expansion of vegetarian-friendly options given the majority enjoyed by the Equestrian States' population of herbivores, it's likely that any expansion of Cocoa-bo would be well-received by the public here.

With Cocoa-bo announcing pop-up shops in several Equestrian cities (locations in Canterlot, Manehattan, Ponyville, and Everfree have all been confirmed thus far), locals will be given a first-hoof taste of what the Turorians have to offer, and - Equestrian investors hope - it will be seen that the Equestrian States is better with Cocoa-bo.

[Mattijana]

World Cup 79 Roundup: Matchday 12

MFO SPORT

Mattijana Bounce Back, but Qualification Hopes Remain Bleak

Mattijana recovered from their first multi-goal defeat at the hands of Tumbra with a 3-0 victory against St Wilhelm, but look to only be in the hunt for the best of the rest spot in group 12.
Following the disappointing result at the Stadijo Nasinal against the group's second-placed side, Dusan Vukoja's team hit back in imposing fashion against the group's second-bottom side away from home. After an unconvincing 1-0 win in Puljanka on matchday 3, goals from Andreas Weiss, Jessika Struna and Mattias Hoffman saw Mattijana to a much more convincing victory.
Weiss scored the opener after just 11 minutes having just shot wide from a tight angle when he met Struna's low cross and slotted past the goalkeeper from close range.

Having had their main threat down the wings largely contained by Tumbra, particularly on the counter attack, Mattijana's full-backs and flankers were once allowed the space to make dangerous runs and whip in some appetising crosses for Weiss and Lekarisa to attack.

Mattijana's second came just before the break when another pull-back, this time from right-back Dominik Illisevic, beat everyone in the six-yard area, falling to left-winger Sofiane Bisrali. The Shalkar player hit a first time shot that curled its way into the top corner, leaving the goalkeeper standing.

After half-time, St Wilhelm became a little more canny, trying to block the channels that Mattijana had exploited. The home side brought on another defender in place of their striker to adopt a 5-4-1 formation, making the final third much more congested than it had been in the first half.
With less-reward for the Mattijanans, Dusan Vukoja brought on the more mazy Sofia Velezia for Bisrali and the driving Mattias Hoffman for Katarina Jakupovic. The 23 year old had an immediate effect, having a shot deflected against the post before releasing Mathilde Lekarisa to have a shot well saved from an angle. He got his reward with 15 minutes to go, playing a give-and-go with Lekarisa and finding space on the edge of the box to fire a low drive into the bottom corner.

St Wilhelm had already shut-up shop, but did so even more in the final stages with Mattijana trying to get a fourth. They almost did when Katija Burnisevic, on a rare expedition forward for a corner, volleyed over the crossbar.

The final whistle blew shortly afterwards with Mattijana satisfied to secure not just a win, but a convincing one after many accused them of losing intensity following their first back-to-back defeats since the opening two matchdays. They will face a tough test next time however, coming up against New Gazi at the Stadijo Snezn. The micro-nation have a surprisingly competent football team and despite a 5-1 defeat to Tumbra, also managed to recover in recent times with a 7-2 win against St Wilhelm and 1-0 victory against rivals Soltsteed in their last two games.
Mattijana secured a 4-4 away draw in their first and only encounter, so optimism will be high in the north. Yet hopes for the visitors will also be high after the victory against their rivals and with Soltsteed, Mattijana and New Gazi all tied on 22 points, every game matters, particularly those 6 pointers in the battle for third.
Two big games are coming.

Elsewhere...

With out beloved Mattijanan team actually making a decent fist of things over in group 12, we haven't really got anyone obvious to slate, rip into or generally ridicule for being rubbish. But don't panic! There's always someone hanging around at the bottom of a table to kick whilst they're lying down.
In fact, two sides in particular have seemingly gone out of their way to show off their stunning ineptitude. The United Celtic Peoples are familiar to Mattijanans, propping up group 12 with a grand total of 0. Nout, nada, zilch. However you describe it, there is no disguising the fact that the Celts are yet to win, or even draw, a match. Having said that, they did show some backbone against Tumbra, only losing 4-3 and scoring a quarter of their current supply of goals in the process. Furthermore, two other teams have an equally abysmal goal difference of -23, Romaian and St Wilhelm, so maybe things are going in the right direction for the 'probably less united than they were on Matchday one' Celts.
But that is just one side and I said there were two, so somebody else must somehow be able to trump the Celt's impressive ability to be thoroughly unimpressive. In group 8 lies a side who also scored a quarter of their goals tally in their most recent game, and only scored one goal. That side is Akatsurai.
Sure, the plucky Akatsuri were only beaten 1-2 by Eura, who are a thoroughly decent team and look to be on course to reach another set of finals, but like the Celts, that most recent fixture is a rare glimmer of hope. Akatsurai have also failed to win even a point and have an even more woeful, and completely unparalleled goal difference of -25. They also have the lowest goals for value in World Cup Qualifying, followed by Razenthuria's marginally less incompetent total of 5.

However, as unranked sides, that level of abject failure is perhaps to be expected. It is the more experienced sides who's inability to do well is much less forgiveable.

We start over in group 8 with Natanians and Nosts, who at 83rd in the world, you would be expecting to at least be in the often tight and confusing battle for mid-table obscurity. Yet the Natanians (and indeed Nosts) have excelled themselves with their abject performances, accumulating just 16 points and sitting 7th, behind newcomers Al Qurija. They have also benefited from the ineptitude of the token whipping boys, our old friends Akatsurai.

However, if being wholely underwhelming is a skill, which we completely believe it is, Jeckland have further excelled. At 65th in the KPB rankings, you would be forgiven for thinking that the Jeckish had an outside shot at qualification, but an impressively stodgy run of form including only 4 victories has seen the Jeckish slump to 6th place in the group, part of a pit of mediocrity that contains 3 teams on 14 points.
Having said that, Mattijana only got 17 points last cycle, so we can't really talk.

[Super-Llamaland]

STEELING'S FUTURE WITH TIGERS UNCLEAR
Chris Reed-Hansen, LSN Football

SCOTT CITY, DARMEN -- After last night's two-one defeat to Darmen in World Cup Qualifying, a result virtually nobody expected, the Super-Llamaland national football team has sunk to a pathetic fourth in their group, three points behind Jeruselem and one behind a resurgent Darmeni side. With San Jose Guayabal cruising to first place, the Tigers are in serious danger of not qualifying. And if they can't make it to the World Cup, Ethanian manager Curtis Steeling's job could be in danger.

The former manager of Ethane, noted for his unique brand of "Explosive Football", was appointed after Jürgen Reichart oversaw a very poor World Cup 77 performance in which the Tigers brought home exactly zero points from their group. Although a number of domestic candidates interviewed for the job, the LFA saw Steeling as the best fit for the Tigers. At the time, it was a controversial decision - how could Steeling possibly reconcile his counterattack-heavy style of play with the level of attacking talent the Tigers held? Jeremy Hayes, who'd had great success with an attack-minded New Llama Stars side, had been seen by many as the far better fit. But despite this, Steeling - a dark horse for the position before taking the LFA's offer - became manager.

But although many disagreed with his style of play, the results were hard to argue with. World Cup 78 qualifiers saw the Tigers finish a comfortable 11-2-3, qualifying five full points ahead of third place. Although Schottia were never going to be caught, Super-Llamaland brought home an impressive 2.5 points per game against the other teams in the group. The World Cup proper saw Steeling continue to impress, beating Tumbra and drawing Vilita before missing out on the Ro16 on goal difference. And Steeling's next tournament saw the Tigers pick up their first-ever silverware after winning the twentieth Campionato Esportiva.

But despite these strong performances, Steeling's Tigers have looked absolutely awful these qualifiers. With a 7-3-2 record, the Tigers have already dropped as many points as they did last cycle in four fewer games. Worse, these dropped points have come to the likes of Jeruselem and the Isles of Avon, teams that fans would expect the Tigers to comfortably defeat. As a result, the team now languishes in fourth place - and cannot afford to drop any more points if they want to qualify again. If the Tigers did finish in fourth place, it would equal their lowest finish in their qualifying group in twenty years - and Steeling would surely be sacked.

Would firing a manager based on a single poor qualifying campaign be short-sighted? Perhaps. But even in the long term, Super-Llamaland has not exactly adopted Explosive Football the way Steeling would like them to. The old concerns over Steeling's style being a poor fit for the national team are beginning to resurface; the Tigers continue to ship more than a goal per game against inferior opposition despite Explosive Football calling for a defensive style of play. As a result, one could expect Steeling to be heading back to Ethane if the Tigers cannot qualify.

If he can return to the World Cup, though, the LFA will absolutely be extending Steeling's contract. Steeling's style is perfect for a Llamanean national team looking to make the next step - qualification to the World Cup knockout rounds, which will mandate results against stronger teams. If he can truly integrate his style of play to this national team, we could be reaping the benefits for years to come. But if he wants to do that, qualification will be imperative.

[Banija]

10 man Banija survive a trip to Reuss-Lippe with a big visit from Eastfield Lodge looming


Sia Fall celebrates game winning goal against Reuss-Lippe

BUSUKUMA- The Kadongo Kamu needed to take care of business away from home, and they turned to their backups to do so. They were always going to be favored to take care of business as the away team against Reuss-Lippe, the worst team in the group. With all due respect to them, Banija dispatched them easily on home soil, and they were always going to be favored to win that matchup. Banija, who looks most likely to finish fourth in this group, are still in the running for the second spot from Group 3 into the World Cup Finals. They would use the bench and a temporary formation change, of course, to gain these three points, and improve to 8-4 overall in group play, including winners of 7 of their last 8 and improving to 3-3 overall away from home.

While this was a game that Banija would be expected to win if they want any serious chance to keep their longshot World Cup qualification dreams alive, it was not going to be easy. Reuss-Lippe was tired of being pushed around by the group- even if world cup qualification was no longer a practical goal, even if it was still mathematically possible for the hosts by kickoff, they were playing for pride. They had their backs against the wall, they had nothing to lose, and would play with no fear.

Matthias Muhumuza opened the scoring in the 34th minute, when he headed in a cross from veteran John Katumba, to give his side a 1-0 lead. Just before halftime, however, a terrible moment happened for the Banijans. Muhumuza himself, on the corner kick, clearly reached out with his hands to knock the ball down. THere was no question- a straight red for an intentional handball, and a penalty kick. While the initial effort was saved by Namara, the ball bounced right back to the penalty taker, who neatly slotted home the rebound to draw his team level at the half. The hosts had the extra man alongside the momentum, which meant Banija was in trouble.

The two teams would battle, fairly evenly, back and forth. Randolf Cherry was adamant about his substitutes finishing this one out- not a single player on his bench, or in other words, a regular starter, was going to even warm up throughout the duration of the match. His patience, however, paid off. A 79th minute goal from Sia Fall on a free kick let the Kadango Kamu take a 2-1 lead, while Nega Bazin scored on a counter-attack in the 82nd minute to give Banija a 3-1 lead, which was the final score.

They took care of business. "We came here for three points, and we will leave for Busukuma with three points." Said Banijan manager Randolf Cherry. "It was always going to be an uphill slog here- there's no such thing as easy points away from home. But I trust the boys, and they came through. You must be able to trust the full 23, and today, we showed that we could do exactly that." He will go back to his normal lineup, of course, for his home game against Eastfield Lodge.

The game against Eastfield Lodge will be a tough one. Their visit to Eastfield Lodge on Matchday 4 did not end up well for the Kadongo Kamu, as they lost 3-2. But that was a team that was reeling, as that loss was their 3rd in 4 to open qualifying. But Banija has turned it around. We've now won 7 of 8 since that loss, and the schedule has finally come full circle. This team has undoubtedly improved- shock upset victories at home against both Eshan and Chromatika happened after that loss, as well as an upset away to Boring Paradise. That, of course, puts Banija in a position nobody thought we could be in after our visit to Eastfield Lodge- competing for World Cup Qualification. Not exactly on the verge, as they are 4 points behind second place Eshan, but in 3rd place and having a legitimate chance. They are heavy favorites to finish top 4 in the group and earn a spot in the Cup of Harmony, should they fail to qualify for the World Cup.

Can Banija exact revenge for their Matchday 4 loss at home against Eastfield Lodge? The Kadongo Kamu exacted revenge against both Boring Paradise and Bostopia on Matchdays 10 and 11. The Kadongo Kamu, even with a win here, will probably be on the outside looking in when it comes to actually getting to the big dance. Can Wangolo and Jawo be solid in the back? Ultimately, this is essentially a must-win for both sides, as the chances of the loser getting to the World Cup Finals will be next to impossible, barring a miracle.

Unfortunately, a draw here would see both Chromatika and Eshan celebrate, as they'd almost both be absolutely assured of earning a berth in the World Cup Finals. What do we predict, then? A 2-2 draw. Banija will do itself proud and play well, but Eastfield Lodge is too talented to lose this game with this much on the line. That said, they won't be able to get past Banija either, who has played heroically on home soil for the duration of this campaign. We expect this to be the nail in the coffin that sends both Eastfield Lodge and Banija to the Cup of Harmony.

[Chromatika]

Matchday 12: Bostopia 1-3 Chromatika @ Bostopia
Chromatika: Kelly, W. '8, Kuzami '35, Hellion '85
Starting Lineup: Justus; An - Sorendai - Anderson; Thorben - Kuzami - Mora - Liam (C); Kelly, W. - Gail - Metod. Subs: McBee -> An '49, Will -> Sorendai '66, Etienne -> Thorben '71
Summary: Take away one moment of brilliance, and the Chromatik backups absolutely dominated this match away in Bostopia. Everything started with the midfield, where Molly Thorben, Mimi Kuzami, Hermaeus Mora, and Carrol Liam had everything running like a well-revved machine. It helps to have Liam's experience along with the three youngsters, but this qualifying cycle has shown that the future in the midfield is rather bright. Thorben is the consummate big playmaker who isn't willing to get her hands dirty, Kuzami more of the speedster (except from the center, which is new for Chromatika), and Mora the creative playmaker willing to take risks to gain an edge over the opposition. Up front, both Whitney Kelly and Miranda Gail profited over that midfield dominance, the younger Kelly showing that she isn't just on the team because of the influence of her sister.

Nika Justus also picked up right where he and Sherlyn had left off, only conceding the lone goal that wasn't really his fault as Anderson had been out of position. Cierra, though, rebounded to help keep the net clean for the rest of the match, earning praise from Parker for her resiliency.

Matchday 13: Chromatika vs. Reuss-Lippe @ The Capitalizt Dome, Chromatik City, Chromatika
Projected Starting Lineup: Joy; McBee - Bozena - Ilya, V.; Etienne - Kuzami - Mora - Han; Drea - Moon - Chesser (C).
Alexandria Chesser gets the Captain's Armband again as Chromatika hopes to stay focused against Reus-Lippe before the return leg matches against Eastfield Lodge and Eshan, with the revenge match against Banija in the horizon. The Chromatiks are still seven points ahead of third place, with eighteen points to go, meaning that the team still has a small margin for error but not much.

Expect them to make short work of Reus-Lippe. Chromatika 3-0 Reuss-Lippe.

[Yue Zhou]

PREMIER REN TAKES DECISIVE ANTI-SANGAU ACTION
Bo Beiliang, Beian Daily

YINCHENG CITY -- Premier Ren Qiang announced this morning that the People's Federation of Yuezhou would be taking "decisive actions" against Sangau in order to counteract the actions of the SNM (Sangauese Nationalist Movement) and maintain order in the region. The announcement comes on the heels of the horrific assassination of Sangau Governor Ge Enlai in Leimayi, and has been met with widespread approval from the Yue nations of our federation.

"The instability and chaos of Sangau has become unbearable for our great nation," Premier Ren stated, "as such, decisive actions must be taken to restore order to Yue territory." In addition to appointing Yincheng native and former Secretary of War Lin Xilai, which the opposition has called a "puppet governor", to replace the deceased Ge, Ren has declared a state of martial law in the region and sent in the Yue military to "pacify" the region. In a separate announcement, Lin Xilai echoed these statements. "The rebellious Sangauese have caused great harm to the region in which they reside. The provisional government's recent actions in the region will, if properly executed, be welcomed by the majority of the Sangauese and fully restore the status quo."

Of course, for those living in Sangau, the status quo is exactly what they seek to avoid. An SNM response to the Yue military actions and appointment of Lin Xilai this morning stated that "We oppose the idea that Sangau cannot govern itself like the other four republics that form the Yue Federation. By sending the national military into our homeland and by appointing a foreigner to govern us, Premier Ren continues to fail to understand that Sangau simply wants to be equal to Nanhai, Beian, Jiangdong, and Xilindao. Until a Sangau native leads our ascension into the Federation as an equal partner, the SNM will not remain quiet."

Tensions remain high across the nation as instability continues to mount. We've had many crises in Sangau before, but will this be the one that finally leads to change in the Yuezhou-Sangau relationship?

[Bonesea]

.

[Ko-oren]

Still a little shaken from his earlier argument with Katherine Davenport, Katanmak Juliasterinthen walked up the stairs at the association's offices. His own office was on ground floor, perfect for running in to and out of during training sessions, but that wasn't where he was headed right now. Katanmak, the head coach, entered a bright and airy conference room. It wasn't exactly set up as a serious board room: there was the trademark large, round table, but there were also large, comfy chairs. Every odd chair was a soft minty green, every even chair a nice baby blue. Attatched to the ceiling was a large white dragonfly from which light shone up to the ceiling, and from there it lighted the entire room. All in all, the room had the gravity of a board room but also a friendliness as if you were talking to colleagues at the coffee machine.

Waiting for Katanmak there, he saw about 10 people. Some familiar faces, from the national football association, and some vaguely familiar faces, affiliated with the department of research and development or from local research institutions. "Katanmak, you're a little late, is everything alright? More importantly, how are the players reacting to the programme?" said Pet Rilasthaunden, chairman of the Ko-orenite national football association. The question immediately grabbed the attention of the vaguely familiar faces in the room, who turned around to hear the answer.

"So far, everything is going, well, alright. The results aren't great and some players are losing faith in the programme," he responded. One of the vaguely familiar faces asked "The players aren't yet aware of the programme, are they?". Another asked "How exactly are the players responding to it?", and others were asking different questions again, but they got lost in the murmur of the room. Katanmak tried to address them one by one, as far as he could follow what they asked. "The players aren't aware, but they do know that the approach is different from the coaching in the last couple of years. Some of the players that have been on the team since, well, when I was a rookie, have expressed their doubts. Especially, " and stopped mid-sentence, leading to another barrage of questions. The head coach put his thoughts in order and continued. "As I said, some of the veterans aren't sure of how the approach will lead to better results. According to them, there's too much rules and boundaries, too much studying, and they can't see any kind of application. We're telling them to behave in a certain way around a certain opponent, but they can't see how they could use that information in a match. It's just too much information, too little time, and it's affecting training, quite frankly."

Pet spoke up: "Earlier, you said there was one person specifically who is unhappy with the programme? Who is that?"
Katanmak saw the question coming. "It's Katherine. She's been on the team as long as I have. I haven't told her anything about the programme, but I have a hard time keeping up the story that I have a plan, I'm experimenting, I'm trying to break with the defensive play that we've done for decades, and that the statistics we provide are always right, they just need to use them. I could keep up this story for Timo, for instance. He's been on the team almost as long as I have. But I never formed a direct team with him. It's different around Katherine. She's smarter, for one, she's protective of the team, and most importantly, she's always been by my side on the pitch."

One of the vaguely familiar faces, associated with some research facility, spoke next. "We've thought something like this could happen, either with Katherine or maybe Timo. But I imagine Timo doesn't mind the offensive shift. It makes sense that she's having problems with it, then. I suppose... we could introduce her to LISA. She'd have to give up her international playing career, she'd have too much of an advantage. Mid-cycle introduce her as a new assistant coach. LISA, did you get all that?"

".. Yes, Charles, I understood it all. It is certainly a possibility. She has qualities that are of use to the team. But if she would otherwise compromise the programme, I suppose we can run the simulations, introduce her to the programme, and find a new player that complements the team, after all, I cannot account for personality yet .."

[Ethane]

The Viewfinder

Calls for Widening Participation in Sports

With the world cup qualifying raging on and the group looking to be very tight - with matches against Coldfield and Cassadaigua crucial to Ethane's qualifying hopes - you'd expect the nation to be gripped. You'd expect the people of Ethane to be out on the streets encouraging their team, attending the matches in droves, and engaged with the campaign.

This doesn't paint a true picture of the current state of sports in Ethane though. It doesn't reflect current attitudes to the world cup or to sports throughout the nation.

Sports are an integral part of our country. Not only do they have health, fitness, and entertainment benefits, they also foster a sense of community and inspire young people to participate and dream that one day, they can be up there with the greats like Declan Smith, one of the youngest players to debut for the national team. A sports system in which dreaming is encouraged and where everyone feels welcome should be central to the aims of any sporting body, official or non-official, no matter what their aims are.

Yet when I look out to the state of Ethanian sports, this is not what I observe. There are a number of issues, some of which go to the heart of our organisations in our nation, which need to be dealt with so we can foster a spirit of community and engagement around our sports. Sports in Ethane at the moment is not very inclusive or welcoming or engaging, ideals that come from the heart, and that we should be expressing not just in our homes and our hearts, but also on our fields and in our changing rooms with our friends and teams.

One of the greatest issues with sports in Ethane at the moment, and it is the world cup that really brought this home for me, is that everything seems to be centred around New Sarum. Every major sporting team, every major sporting event, every major sporting organisation, seems to be centred in New Sarum. The centralisation of major sports into one hub in New Sarum is damaging to the wider participatory network within Ethane which is needed to foster a sense of community around sports, and to create a wider competitive league system in the nation, encouraging and inspiring people from all regions of Ethane.

The lack of funding for sporting ventures in other regions of Ethane, such as Swanmouth, means that every major organisation and many of the major sporting teams base themselves in or around the capital. Have you ever wondered why the teams along the south coast, closer to New Sarum, always seem to do better than the teams further away such as those in Swanmouth, whose 2 teams in the top league were both fighting in the relegation battle this past season? The reason teams further away from New Sarum don't achieve the same level of success is because of the lesser amounts of funding they receive, mainly because they aren't judged to be as high a priority.

There are problems with centralising all sports into a sports hub in New Sarum. The capital city has a population of just under 2 million people - under 1/4 of the nation's population in total. In fact, Swanmouth - one of the cities furthest away from New Sarum - has a larger population than New Sarum, yet their sporting initiatives are severely underfunded. New Sarum also may be accessible to those living along the south coast, but it is harder to travel to from the north coast in cities such as Merseyshore and Swanmouth amongst others. The lack of a motorway linking the north and the south hinders transport between the two sides of Ethane, with a plane - unaffordable for many - being the most efficient way to travel to New Sarum from the north. Centralisation of sports into New Sarum ends up alienating and leaving out much of the Ethanian population. Therefore, tackling centralisation of the sporting infrastructure is key to improving the experience of sport for many young people across the nation.

One of the first places to tackle centralisation is within the world cup qualifying campaign. All the matches this cycle are taking place at the King Edward VI stadium in New Sarum. This leaves many people who can't reach the stadium for many reasons without any experience of observing world cup football, even though they may wish to do so. To encourage wider participation in sports, a good first step would be to see one of the matches in this campaign to be played elsewhere in Ethane. Playing a game elsewhere such as Swanmouth or Merseyshore City would encourage a group of people who don't ever get the chance to participate or observe in the world cup to come out and support their national team, inspiring young people who may not have even reached football before to pursue a footballing career.

This leads me on to my next point, which is the sore lack of youth provisions in sports wherever in the country you are. Not enough is being done to help and encourage young people into sports. The only experience of sports for most young people is that provided in sports, and even that is poor in comparison to what should be provided for these young people.

There are some local community initiatives in localised regions in Ethane, particularly in areas where the sporting bodies neglect, but despite their good work they obviously can't do enough to cater for young people. Often, teams have some sort of youth academy, but the majority provide for only the best players that they scout and don't do more to encourage community sporting participation. It is the lack of sporting infrastructure for the ages 5-25 that turns people away from sports before they have even had a go at it.

South Saints is about the only club that does a good job of encouraging wider participation within the community. They have monthly fun matches for the local community with different level games for those with different level abilities. They are also involved in setting up a local community league within Southern Hampton and the surrounding areas for those who don't get to participate in sports as is. They also work with local schools to provide sports classes, competitions, as well as free tickets and tours. They sometimes provide their players to teach in schools as well. South Saints is an example of a team that completely believes in community participation and fostering a welcoming, friendly spirit around their club. Their example is something that should be adopted by league clubs all around the country. If every club in the top 3 leagues of Ethane were to pursue a widening participation strategy such as this, imagine the number of young people who would be touched by sports who wouldn't be under the current system prevalent in the nation.

However, there is no point pushing on with community participation schemes if there is nothing to aspire to for local communities which enjoy sports. Not everyone can be a world-class footballer. Not every player can make it into one of Ethane's professional footballing clubs. Some people have to settle for playing football in their spare time. But they all enjoy it. Yet they need somewhere, some sort of organisation, to participate in sporting initiatives through. You can't inspire a generation of youth into sport then say there's nothing for them after they turn 18.

The lack of a community-style league is damaging. It limits participation to professional league football, or to localised teams which can only be joined by local teams and therefore exclude a rather large proportion of the Ethanian population. This just isn't good enough.

There were rumours and logos floated about a community league coming into being, but it appears that plans for that were dropped. I'm unsure why, because that is exactly what this nation needs in regards to sports participation. A number of national or regional leagues with semi-professional teams, open to everyone. Anyone can create a club in their local area and join a league. Make a team, participate, and have fun doing it. Every village, every local community, every church who want a football team can have one, and can participate in individualised community-level leagues with other teams wishing to participate in a football league with them. This isn't something that really needs much funding from a national level such as an official sporting body, just a little funding and an organisation through which local communities can create these teams and leagues officially. South Saints is attempting a similar sort of league system themselves in Southern Hampton and it appears to be going fairly well, so I see no reason why such a widening participation in sports strategy couldn't be adopted nationwide.

Much of my focus so far has been on football. That's because football is one of the most popular sports in Ethane at the moment, and is extremely relevant because of the world cup qualifying campaign that is currently in progress. Yet my focus on football is not reflective of my preferences; it is reflective of nationwide attitude towards sports - too much focus is put on football and not enough on other sports.

Not every young person wishes to participate in football. They may not like football. Instead, they may prefer tennis, cricket, baseball, or even motor racing. If you thing football is sometimes neglected in this country, then you should look at the amount of funding and effort going into these sports. There isn't enough money in sports other than football, and that needs to change.

Sports like cricket amongst others are loved and embraced by our nation when events occur, but when there aren't events they are ignored. Why? Because nothing happens. Cricket, baseball, basketball, motorsports, tennis, and many other sports either don't have a national league, or have a national league that's given as much publicity as a pomegranate in a fridge in someone's home. These sports need the development of sporting infrastructure to survive and thrive. Not everything is about football, and that needs to be recognised. These sports need similar infrastructure to football, and that should be one of the official sporting body's priorities if they wish to enocurage participation. Give people choice and they will choose. Give people no choice and they refuse.

[Apox]

Results of the Dwile Council Elections by Ward, with the Red representing the ANP, green the Green Party and white the Free Party.

The Second Dwile Election results are in

by Alaric Thornley

With the collapse of the first Dwile Council after less than a year after it was initialised, the second election for the council has taken place, with the number of wards expanded to 25 from the original 19 in order to provide better representation. Once again, there is a strong showing for the ANP in it's heartland, with Greenwick and Egloskerry all going red with the exception of Greenwick West.

With the quirk of the party with the most votes getting a separate seat on the Council rather than the most ward results, once again the mayor of Dwile will come from the ANP - although with previous mayor Hannah Montari stepping down, the new mayor is Jules Buchanan, born and raised in the Docklands ward, and previously being the GW for Dwile Docklands. A popular career politician, Buchanan is thought to represent a step away from the more analytical, reserved Montari. How well this will reflect in the policies pursued within Dwile remains to be seen, but for now though the ANP will be hopeful to see a Dwile Council run by them last for an entire term of four years.

With the next Government House election scheduled in for 600 A.T, this is an interesting result for Apox's largest city. The ANP have made gains to remain in power in the city, while the Free Party and Green Party have largely maintained the same vote share. While the more rural Apoxian regions tend to favour the Free Party, it is still a good litmus test, and Lorcan Oberhausen will view this election with great interest as his party seek re-election in two years time.

With regards to the actual results, the ANP polled 55.0% overall (up 2.2%) while the Free Party remain in second with 22.4% (down 1.9%) and the Green Party a close third with 19.8% (up 0.2%). The minor parties managed to amass 2.8% between them with the majority going to New Dawn and Pirate Party. This has translated into 12 seats for the ANP (13 with the mayor, exactly half of the total seats in the council), 8 seats for the Free Party and 5 seats for the Green Party.

Buchanan will likely continue to push his agenda on better education and transport in the city, which are the two key campaign promises the ANP ran on, as well as attempting to bring crime down in the city and work with the Apoxian government to close several financial loopholes of big businesses in Dwile. The Council will first sit on 7th February 598 A.T