Cup of Harmony 73 - Everything Thread

[Mattijana]

Mattijana Steal Point From Acronius To Keep Knockout Hopes Alive

MFO SPORT

Acronius 1-1 Mattijana

-Pascale (28)

-Hoffman (77)

Sky-High Coliseum, Cloudsdale
Attendance: 45,674

Marmots remain in contention, but must rely on other results to escape precarious position.

Substitute Mattias Hoffman rescued a point for Mattijana to effectively prevent their elimination from the 73rd Cup of Harmony in the Equestrian States, but Dusan Vukoja's side were unable to push on and gain a vital 3 points to get their campaign back on track.
The team must now beat the Squornshelan Remnant States and hope Mytanija avoid defeat against Acronius if they are to qualify for the round of 16, but have a tight group to thank as they look to come from bottom to take second place and progress.

The location of the Sky-High Coliseum high above the Equestrian States was one of the more memorable stadia that Mattijana have blessed the hallowed turf of, but the start to the match didn't live up to the location with both teams feeling each other out. That largely resulted in a lack of goalmouth action, but it was Acronius who went closest in the opening 20 minutes when captain Marin Trésor forced Handanovic into a smart save with a fierce drive from the edge of the 18 yard area.
That looked like it would be one of a rare few chances in the first half, but Acronius made a breakthrough out of the blue 9 minutes later. A clever through ball from Shin Kra sent striker David Pascale through on goal. Despite Handanovic's best efforts to come out and smother, a player of Pascale's quality was unlikely to waste such a golden opportunity and he duly slotted home into the bottom corner of the Mattijanan net.

Going behind seemed to wake the Mattijanans up from their lethargy and they nearly found an immediate equaliser from a corner when Rikard Illicic got up higher than his marker, only for the big centre-back to plant a powerful header onto the crossbar. Acronius tightened up after that scare and held out until the half-time interval without any further drama, much to the frustration of Dusan Vukoja and his team.

After the break, it was Mattijana who continued to have the majority of posession, but once again their huffing and puffing was failing to blow down the Acronius defence. They finally created a good chance to get level when Sophia Velezia, kept unusually quiet for most of the match, wriggled past right-back Dimitri Péguy and sent in a skidding cross towards the Acronius six-yard line. Mathilde Lekarisa was able to get a toe to it, the ball deflecting off Pierre Paulois and narrowly past the left-hand post with Marc De Brassai totally wrong-footed.

Moments later, Marko Hojbjerg fired narrowly over from distance, but it increasingly looked like it wasn't going to be Mattijana's day. With an unconfirmed, but highly likely exit from the tournament imminent, Vukoja chose to gamble on his formation with Andreas Weiss joining the fray up top in place of Jago Adrianov and Katarina Jakupovic making way for Mattias Hoffman.
Sofiane Bisrali replaced Velezia in a like-for-like swap, but it was the increased weight in the centre of the park that would ultimately make a difference on the scoresheet.

With 13 minutes of normal time to go, Hojbjerg fed the ball to Hoffman on the edge of the penalty area. The Burges midfielder played a neat one-two with Lekarisa before blasting emphatically into the roof of the net from the right edge of the 6 yard box.

The goal kept Mattijana's hopes of qualifying for the round of 16 alive, but they were nearly improved further when a floated cross from Jessika Struna gave Weiss a free header at the back post. The veteren striker got up well and made good contact, but pushed the ball too close to Acronius goalkeeper De Brassai who got down low to push the ball to safety.

Both sides in the end were happy to settle for the draw, but it will be Acronius who now have the greater chance of qualification with their two draws. A win against Mytanija would be enough to see them through, most likely as group winners, and would also eliminate Mattijana from the competition.

If Mattijana were to scrape through in second place, their task may not in fact be as hard as expected. Top seeds and 24th-ranked side Abanhfleft currently trail 68th-ranked Omerica, albeit only on goals scored, leading into the final matchday. The match between the two ended in a 1-1 draw on matchday 1, so Omerica must only better the result of their rivals to guarantee their progress in top spot. Whilst the fleftics current position indicates they may not be firing on all cylinders, Dusan Vukoja would most likely be happier facing an Omerica side ranked 10 places below his own than one of the tournament favourites.

All will be decided tomorrow evening, 4:00 PM Mattijana time on MFO 1 and MFO Radio 5 Sport.

[New Lusitania and the Algarves]

STL|Serviços de Transmissão Lusitana
Sport | Football|
Cup of Harmony 71


STAR OF THE SHOW
Silveira's Masterclass in Action
Blaneu 1-2 New Lusitania @ Star Stadium, Canterlot

CANTERLOT, EQUESTRIAN STATES -
The game against Blaneu was an imperative win if New Lusitania was to progress. Playing in the state of the art new Star Stadium, New Lusitania fielded Patríce, Guerreiros, Carriça and Cancela in defence, whilst Nevais played the defensive midfield, Breu in for originally Mário which was unavailable due to a knock. Also in midfield, Fernando, Gama and Moreira this time. In front, Silveira and Cavalariça instead of regular Jota. For Blaneu, O'Brian in goal, Jones, Sketty and MacDermot in defence, Elron, Sparks, Starkey and Fitzstephens in midfield, as Navarro, Davis and usually sub MacDaffyd in attack. The first goal came for New Lusitania at 38 minutes of play, Gama passed it to Fernando, who passed it to Breu. The man on the left passed it back, and he crossed it to Silveira, which beautiful heads it into the net. Just before halftime though, MacDaffyd passed the ball into the middle and Davis shot it into the Lusitanian goal, in a way Patríce had no chance due to the sheer power of the shot. New Lusitania spent the second half trying to get the winning goal but it just wouldn't come. At the ninety third minute however, Cavalariça managed to cross a ball into Silveira which scored his second goal, a terrible upset for Blaneu and great jubilation for New Lusitania.
FULL TIME: 2-1

Meanwhile, at the Grand Regal, Taeshan beat Saint Émelie 1-0, meaning they keep the pressure on New Lusitania in Group A, with the Seleção leading only on goals scored


Around the Grounds
In Group B, Krytenia lost to Qusmo by a goal, whilst Juvencus drew with East Belzaria meaning the former are second with four points and the latter a single point. Krytenia are completely out of the tournament.

In Cloudsdale, Acronius drew with Mattijana by one, whilst the Remnant States had a goalless match with Mytanija. Mytanija leads with four, Acronius and the Remnants have two and Mattijana has one point, in Group C.

In Group D, Acronius beat Geisenfield 1-0 in Appleloosa, whilst Omerica beat Darkmania 4-3 in a Manechester Thriller. The two winners on four, the two losers on one, with Omerica topping Group D.

In Group E, at Lakeland, Beepee drew with Freeport, as Kelssek lost to Tinhampton three nil. This means that Tinhampton has already qualified, with two victories, Kelssek have one foot in the next phase but need at least a draw being with four points, with Beepee and Freeport.

In Group F, South Toronto beat Polkopia 4-2 in Brattleboro, whilst a thrilling match, possibly the best this edition, a 4-5 victory of Dreamplanet over Eastfield Lodge in Winchester. All open as Dreamplanet leads with 4, South Toronto and Eastfield Lodge, and Polkopia in last with one point, though qualifying isn't impossible.

Savojarna are qualified to the next phase, after a victory against Teusland by 3-1, as Karuclija best Adab 4-1, meaning they are in second with both losers of these ties in third tied with one point.

The Main Nation Ministry's draw at three each against Oberour Ar Moro meant that everyone was still in the hunt in Group H. Jeruselem meanwhile beat 2-1 against The Maccabees in Concord Heights with both teams with three points.

At the World Cup, we're at the business end of the competition. In Banija , Turori beat the hosts In extra time. Ethane beat Cassadaigua, 3-1, Nephara beat Darmen in a 5-4 thriller. Meanwhile, Vilita beat Saragossa 4-3. In the other nation, Eura beat Brenecia 1-0, hosts the Free Republics beat Barunia 4-3. In Iodara, South Covello beat the Commonwealth of Baker Park by a single goal. The great Equestrian States beat Ko-oren in Roxawa also by a single goal.


POST-MATCH INTERVIEWS and REACTIONS
I: Comments on the match today?
VSC: We got the three points, that was the most important thing, however I must point out that both teams played really well, we just scored the goal, but it could easily of been the other way around.
I: Thoughts about your next game?
VSC: It's Matchday 3, and ideally our objective is to win the group, officially though, no one's out yet, so qualifying is our first objective. We are up against Saint Émelie, which have shown good quality in this tournament, so yeah, it's going to be a good one.
I: Thanks, Victor.

Opposition Scout - from Grassroots (STL 1)
Yet another 3 man defence, with four midfielders and three forwards, is the case of Blaneu. The usage of flanks is possible and the central midfielders drop off to collect the ball down in defence and from there free form appears, trying to optimise passing and unpredictability. In a defensive position, the wingers turn into two more defenders, and in this case the forwards will be in position to collect the ball from either them or the central midfielders. This game will be complicated to break down, but the Lusitanian usage of width and a closed defence, might just be able to do it.

Lads On Tour: The Seleção in the Equestrian States
The Lusitanian side was seen, in the old streets of Canterlot, getting the general ambiance. Jorge Almeida, part of the coaching team, and part time correspondent for STL was asked and permitted to do this segment for the National Broadcaster. This time they didn't go back to their rural campus, but went back into the streets and into the town's main square where a screen has been installed. This screen shows Cup of Harmony games but also the World Cup, as the two are played in separate timetables, and what a day to be there! A full square, ready to see the match against Ko-oren in Roxawa. Victor Santa Cruz has constantly said that "the Lusitanians, the English and the Equestrian populace are the best crowds in the world and seeing two of those three together is a beautiful sight. The pure passion that irradiates of the unity is amazing, despite the fact the Equestrians are more optimistic than us, fact." Celebrating with the home crowd, the Ponies' progression to the Quarter-finals was a great experience.


RATINGS, AWARDS AND OPINIONS

LUS Ratings : Patríce 8, Guerreiros 7.5, Carriçe 8, Cancela 7.5 , Nevais 8, Breu 8, Fernando 8, Moreira 7.5, Gama 8, Silveira 9.5 , Cavalariça 8.5 OVERALL : 8
BLN Ratings OVERALL: 8.5

STATS (LUS/BLN)
Goals: 2/1
Shots: 8/6
Shots on Target: 5/5
Corners: 4/3
Fouls: 4/3
Cards - Yellow: 0/0
Cards - Red: 0/0/0
Posession: 45/55


THE HUB
Nothing to Report

GOALS: André Silveira (2)
ASSISTS: Fernando (1), Cavalariça (1).
CARDS: -
INJURIES: Mário (Knock)

World Cup Quals
Top Goalscorers: Silveira, Gama (11).
Assists: Fernando (9)
-----------------------------------
Matchday: Internationals
coverage of the best from qualifying
STL1 21:00 GMT
-----------------------------------
World Cup 81 & Cup of Harmony 73
The best of the action on STL
New Lusitania in exclusive.
-----------------------------------
#stl #forçaselecção #CoH73 #LUS
#LUSBLN
----------------------------------
STL in association with FLF
MMXVIII

[Oberour Ar Moro]

The family of Geoffroy Dlajoenie deyt Fijac made floss. Dental floss. Waxed, unwaxed, and floss picks. Flavored floss for children, even. Geoffroy’s grandfather had started the company, his father ran it, and someday Geoffroy would take the lead.

Specifically, Rodolphe Dlajoenie deyt Fijac was a member of Oberour Ar Moro, when thirty-nine years previous his dental floss concern was clearly placed as Oberour Ar Moro’s dental floss company. Store shelves from Massalia to Cyrene to Regium now had floss from his company. This made him fabulously wealthy. Everyone needs dental floss, though the vast majority never use it. And so, the Dlajoenie deyt Fijac family made floss.

But for now, however, Geoffroy Dlajoenie deyt Fijac played football. He seemed, he thought at least, pretty good at it. He had started with Altair, then was bought up by Cyrene Bay, where he was starting center midfielder. He played a more defensive role, working midfield.

At Cyrene Bay he was a valued though little-known part of the team. Kerrian Odierne was a teammate on the national team, and he scored even more in the Premier Division. Celestin de Houlande was Cyrene Bay’s Captain. Manager Kouig Belhumeur had a knack of making himself the story wherever he went.

But when Daric de l’Amie became Manager of the National Team and had his massive training camps, he made it clear from the very beginning: Geoffroy was his captain. Geoffroy was the man who would lead the National Team on the field. Daric de l’Amie believed he was captain material, and Geoffroy agreed.

But Geoffroy couldn’t help but have his doubts. He was pretty sure that another manager would have given him the responsibility. He wasn’t even sure another manager would have had him as a starter, or possibly even have him on the team. Geoffroy could go online, he could see that he was described as a almost nepotistic pick: A Cyrene Bay based manager making a Cyrene Bay player captain. Typical, right?

Not typical, Geoffroy would tell himself. Correct. But the results had not born that out. Game two of the Cup of Harmony. Cyrene Bay is facing off against Main Nation Ministry. Main Nation Ministry had defeated Jeruselem 2-1. Oberour Ar Moro had looked somewhat lost in their loss to The Macabees.

And for now, they were losing to Main Nation Ministry.

What a great start they had! Kerrian Odierne had scored once, and then twice, and Oberour Ar Moro found themselves up 2-0 in the first half. The second goal was particularly good, as Xenos Johnsson had fouled Odierne, setting up a penalty kick while Johnsson gave himself a yellow card.

But, as befits a team with a drill sergeant as one of their coaches, Main Nation Ministry had sharpened their play. There was the first goal by Guido Hasselblatt right before halftime. Then they came out of the locker room and almost immediately scored again, with Claiborn Cai burying the ball in the back of the net. And then a third, unanswered goal, by Xenos Johnsson, fighting his way through Maudez d'Annet, clearly not thinking about possible foul trouble.

So Oberour Ar Moro had gone from major upset to crushing defeat in about 30 minutes of game time. But there was time on the clock. If the team could just stay encouraged.

They weren’t, of course.

All but relentless upbeat, probably lying to himself, Geoffroy Dlajoenie deyt Fijac. That is how he perceived his job. His role is to lead his men by example. And by words. So Geoffroy kept flitting around the field best he could. A few words to Brevalan Gaspard, over-cheering Laurens Desainctvictori when he made a fairly routine save, walking-and-talking with Marzhin Petit as he was substituted in, and then thanking Ruvonig Bouclier de Fer for his good eye and strong outlet passes.

Keep the faith. Keep the team going. Keep the game going. Geoffroy was going to earn his keep again, just like he earned his keep every game. His family made floss, but he played football, and no matter how many times his teammates tittered when the words “oral care” were said out loud, he would keep working.

In the 80th minute, Oberour Ar Moro started another attack. An utterly worn Phelippon de Gentilli took the pass from Desainctvictori and started walking the ball upfield. He passed it across the field to a fresher Kieran Aucagne, just substituted in for his first cap. Aucagne clearly wanted to make a mark, but his first touch was rough, and his second touch was nearly stolen from him. Wheeled around, he passed the ball wildly, to space in front of Geoffroy.

Geoffroy found some energy and started toward the ball, taking it on an 80-minutes-(plus-six-minutes-of-first-half-of-stoppage-time) dash. Geoffroy started towards the sideline, looking to his left, looking for an Odierne or Eneour Pique-Pain, someone who could put the third goal on the board.

Odierne was tangled up with defenders, and Pique-Pain was on the other side of the field, but Geoffroy couldn’t really tell since the Main Nation Ministry goalkeeper was in the way.

Wow, their goalkeeper was really far outside the box. A goalscorer could loft the ball up and over and into the net.

Geoffroy played more defensively, but he kept pushing the team to take chances, to believe in themselves, to believe they could come back, so why the hell not? He took the shot.

Farrel Millikan was clearly surprised as the ball bounced over his head and rolled into the goal. The tying goal, the goal that would give Oberour Ar Moro its first points of the cup. A loss would have almost certainly meant Oberour Ar Moro’s time in the Cup of Harmony was effectively over. But for now, it effectively wasn’t.

So for at least one more night, Geoffroy Dlajoenie deyt Fijac was captain of the Oberour Ar Moro National Team. And for another night, in Auintus, Oberour Ar Moro, a factory owned by the Dlajoenie deyt Fijac family continued to churn out floss.

[Tinhampton]

OOC: Kids, this is what happens to you when you do absolutely nothing about your addiction to RLStates!

---

Rachel Coltfield's Top 1,093 Tips for Becoming A Successful Manager

1. Don't reveal everything you know to the enemy.

[Cassadaigua]

Who's moving on?
Who's going home? If you are in groups E-H, you will be finding out shortly! Cutoff!

Cup of Harmony 73
Groups E-H :: Match Day 3 Results

Group E

Beepee 0–2 Kelssek
at Starksville Stadium in Starksville, CDG

Tinhampton 1–0 Freeport
at New Lakeland Stadium in New Lakeland, CDG

  Group E                    Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts
1 Tinhampton                3   3  0  0    6   0  +6    9  Q
2 Kelssek                   3   2  0  1    6   4  +2    6  Q
3 Freeport                  3   0  1  2    2   6  −4    1
4 Beepee                    3   0  1  2    1   5  −4    1

Group F

Polkopia 4–5 Eastfield Lodge
at Concord Heights Stadium in Concord Heights, CDG

Dreamplanet 1–3 South Toronto
at Victoriaville Stadium in Victoriaville, CDG

  Group F                    Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts
1 Eastfield Lodge           3   2  0  1   11  10  +1    6  Q
2 South Toronto             3   2  0  1    8   5  +3    6  Q
3 Dreamplanet               3   1  1  1    7   8  −1    4
4 Polkopia                  3   0  1  2    7  10  −3    1

Eastfield Lodge ahead of South Toronto on H2H results (2-1 victory on MD1)

Group G

Adab 1–2 Savojarna
at Grande Mountain Stadium in Grande Mountain, CDG

Siovanija & Teusland 1–1 Karulicja
at Northbury Stadium in Northbury, CDG

  Group G                    Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts
1 Savojarna                 3   3  0  0    7   2  +5    9  Q
2 Karulicja                 3   1  1  1    5   4  +1    4  Q
3 Siovanija & Teusland      3   0  2  1    3   5  −2    2
4 Adab                      3   0  1  2    3   7  −4    1

Group H

Oberour Ar Moro 2–3 Jeruselem
at South Granby Stadium in South Granby, CDG

The Macabees 1–1 Main Nation Ministry
at Brattleboro Stadium in Brattleboro, CDG

  Group H                    Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts
1 Jeruselem                 3   2  0  1    6   5  +1    6  Q
2 Main Nation Ministry      3   1  2  0    6   5  +1    5  Q
3 The Macabees              3   1  1  1    4   4   0    4
4 Oberour Ar Moro           3   0  1  2    6   8  −2    1

Round of Sixteen Fixtures:
Tinhampton vs South Toronto @ Grande Mountain Stadium, Grande Mountain
Savojarna vs Main Nation Ministry @ New Lakeland Stadium, New Lakeland
Eastfield Lodge vs Kelssek @ Concord Heights Stadium, Concord Heights
Jeruselem vs Karulicja @ Brattleboro Stadium, Brattleboro

[Geisenfried]

All or Nothing Against Omerica
Die Steinadler fail to topple group favorites, face must-win scenario

APPLEOOSA, EQUESTRIAN STATES - Geisenfried finds itself on the edge of making their return journey to the Equestrian States just as short as their previous odyssey, as an otherwise solid defensive performance against the top side in the group was ruined by a slip up midway through the second half. Geisenfried's die Steinadler were unable to equalize in the last twenty minutes or so of the match, and so the Golden Eagles find themselves, at the moment, on the outside looking in at the 73rd Cup of Harmony Invitational, needing a result against Omerica should they hope to advance to the knockout stage of a tournament for the first time in a generation.

Whereas Geisenfried opened up their match against Darkmania with a surprisingly aggressive push forward, their game against the Fleftic squad showed their more typical reserved, disciplined approach - allowing Abanhfleft to largely control possession, and in turn limiting their own opportunities, but controlled the defensive space well, time and again blunting turning back Abanhfleft's attacks, and limiting the number of solid goalscoring chances to a minimum despite how long they owned the ball. Still, the Geisen offense let a lot to be desired in the first half, with their only counterattacks not amounting to much and never seriously challenging keeper Carlos Cohen before the break. Their offensive inadequacies early lead them to open up a bit more come the second frame, but in doing so opened up their back half over time. Abanhfleft finally managed to crack it when a dangerous thru ball managed to get between Elias Metzger and Karl Mertens and rolled to the feet of Fleftic striker Kareem Dagen, who managed a laser of a shot into the side netting to put Abanhfleft ahead. This lead to an even more frenzied offensive press on the Geisen side, but their struggles continued to mount as the time clicked ever closer to ninety. They'd eventually manage to force Cohen to work for a couple saves, but in the end, nothing managed to get past his gloves, leaving him with a clean sheet and Abanhfleft with three points.

This match has brought back some criticism of Geisen manager Henrik Büchner, saying that he's played too defensively against some of the top teams, wanting not to lose rather than to win. Those who support his gameplan point out that this has earned some surprising results, including managing to hold Qasden to a scoreless draw early in World Cup play. Others, however, contend that some of their best surprise results, like the 3-2 victory over 95X in Königseifert, came on strong offensive performances rather than managing to slip one through on a counterattack and then holding down the fort for the rest of the match. Still, given how surprisingly strong Büchner's results have been in World Cup qualifying since the first five or so games of that tournament have been, he's earned himself plenty of leash from the GKFV.

As for the scenario moving forward, the stakes are surprisingly simple. If Geisenfried can manage to topple Omerica in Manechester, then head to head tiebreakers will see them over Les Incorrigibles, as they'd be matched at 4 points a piece. All they'd need is Abanhfleft not to fall to Darkmania - and given the offensive barrage in the previous match in Manechester, it makes it likely they need at least a draw to advance themselves. That they are the top-ranked team in the group (and the tournament) also helps Geisenfried's chances, and it's not an entirely otherworldly scenario. Still, the last time Geisenfried faced a win or go home game, they promptly went home after a 2-0 loss to Qasden, even though they would manage to win every game after that point. The Golden Eagles have shown an ability to punch above their weight before - with all the cards on the table, will they be able to do so again?

Abanhfleft 1 - 0 Geisenfried
Dagen (68')

[Mytanija]

I used Acronius' roster from the World Cup to mention the potential starters that we could face. Hope that's okay. Also:

Mytanija team to face Acronius: Savic; Vukovic, Azanovic, Obadko, Isaev; Brkljacic, Todorov, Fejzuli; Odonelec; Ocokoljic, Aleksic.

Subs from: Kasun, Feric, Anac, Yanev, Madar, Stojkovic, Zekic.

“What do we think, tactically, Lev?” Robin Hjik asked of his trusty lieutenant and two-time Cup of Harmony winner Lev Repin. As a managerial pairing they were well suited, Hjik was the motivator, the man who got the best from the players by giving them the confidence to go out and play. Repin was the strategist, creating the best system for the players they had at their disposal, to play to their strengths and attempt to minimise their opponents’.

“Well, our game against Squornshelan Remnant States was pretty much what we expected it was going to be. The two sides cancelled each other out completely, which we’re happy enough with, obviously. But I think we should look back to what we did when we made the substitutions versus Mattijana.”

“Right?” Hjik raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”

“Well, we’ve played Acronius twice very recently and we lost both times during qualifying. So we need to learn from our mistakes and employ a different tactic, I feel like going with more attacking full backs could be the way to beat them.”

“How come?”

“Both times in qualifying they came out in a 4-4-2.” Lev explained, moving the magnets on the tactics board on the wall in conference room. “We usually play a 4-3-1-2 formation, which we enjoy numerical dominance in the middle of the field, but they can get at us down the sidelines. Having more attacking full backs could force their wide midfielders and full backs backward as they’ll have to deal with something defensively.”

“So do you think we should give Vukovic a start?”

“It’s an idea.” Lev replied. “I’m just not one-hundred percent on it yet. The narrowness of our midfield gives us an advantage so I don’t want to change that, but having Vukovic on the left really worked against Mattijana. If he can get forward in possession and Jasno Odonelec can drift out to the left-flank too, we could create overloads again and it could force Acronius into a more defensive mind set as they won’t be able to constantly attack us down the wings and keep our full backs pinned back.”

“I just worry that not starting Feric could hurt us defensively, Lev.” Hjik said with concern etched on his face. “And what about Petr Isaev at right-back? I don’t think Isaija Yanev is ready to play against Antoine Le Kervelec yet, he caused Petr enough problems, never mind Isaija.”

“We have to take a risk here to try and get a positive result, a draw will see us through and a win will see us top the group. I don’t think a defensive shape will benefit us here because we know Acronius can break us down – they beat us 6-3 over the two games in qualification!”

“We’ve improved no end since that first game when we played them, though, I back us defensively here.”

“I back us defensively too, but we can cause them problems Robin.” Lev explained eagerly. “We can get at them down the flanks and once we have done that, their attacks won’t come in the same gung-ho way as they did in the two qualifying games. They’ll have something to think about and it may force Le Kervelec and Shin Kra backwards a bit. Once we’ve done that we can exploit the numbers in the middle.”

“Yeah, I see what you mean.” Hjik replied. “So do you propose starting both Srdan [Vukovic] and Isaija?”

“Srdan has earned a start and the way he worked with Jasno down the left against Mattijana is basically the blueprint for us here. Odonelec can cut in on his right foot as well down that side.”

“So is that a no to starting them both?”

“Yeah. I think that would be best. We could potentially try starting both to really pin them back but I think having Petr Isaev against Le Kervelec defensively is a better match-up than if he was against Isaija.”

“Yeah, that was my thinking.”

“We can combine defensive responsibility with a sense of adventure, you know?” Repin grinned.

“I’m starting to believe you, don’t worry!” Hjik laughed in response.

“Keep the 4-3-1-2, with Srdan Vukovic starting at left-back and Odonelec trying to drift out to the left as much as possible in order to keep Shin Kra honest and Péguy at-home as much as possible and then on the other side we can focus on Isaev defending against Le Kervelec.” Repin explained, almost trying to get the idea secure in their brains.

“Yep, I think we’re agreement on that part. You know we’ll have a two versus two situation with our centre-halves against their strikers as well?”

“Yeah I realise that, it’s not ideal. We could try and get Mehmet [Elvahic] to drop in and help them?”

“That’s a possibility. What about playing Branko [Brkljacic]?”

“That’s actually a good idea.” Repin replied. “We can have him as part of the three but he can drop into defence as an extra man when Srdan goes forward. He can stay on the left-side of the three central midfielders – where Fejzuli would normally play, so that he can drop in on the left-side of defence when Srdan goes forward.”

“Yeah, I like the sound of that. Gives us some security knowing that we will have an extra man in the case of any counter-attacks from them. I much prefer the odds of a three versus two over a two on two.”

“I get you, we also have the reassurance of knowing that Isaev will be practically man-marking Le Kervelec as well.”

“Yeah, good point. He’s the real danger for them you know. We need to keep him quiet.” Hjik stated grimly.

“Isaev will do a good job against him, always Mr. Reliable is our Petr.”

“Haha, too right. Anything else you can think of?”

“Only one thing. I’d think about keeping Grigor Todorov in the middle of the three central midfielders just so there’s no imbalance with him bombing forward off the right-hand side. Fejzuli can play on the right, may be a bit unfamiliar to him but he’ll quickly get used to it and it’ll allow him a chance to play those lovely diagonal passes to Odonelec, Vukovic and Ocokoljic over on the other side of the pitch.”

“We really need to exploit the potential three versus two we have in the middle you know, couldn’t help but feel Trésor and Chimneys were there for the taking at certain times in the two qualifiers.”

“Yeah I know what you mean, hopefully Jasno can find some time to exploit the space they leave behind them too. Obviously could be difficult when he’s trying to drift out to the left-flank too, but he’s great at exploiting the space. Ocokoljic could easily drop into it too which would be useful.”

“It’s all about creating overloads.”

“Always, Robin, always.” Lev smiled. “We’ve come a long way tactically since you lifted the Cup of Harmony. It’s not all down to your heroics anymore, we have strategy too!” He teased, laughing.

[Omerica]

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

---

URSF announce a former DCR director as the first Omerican World Cup Hall of Fame inductee
Carola Lefebvre joins the ranks of Simeone Di Bradini, Laborious Hawk and Jeremy Jaffacake in the gauntlet of esteemed football VIPs

Port-Alexandre, Philibiscostal — When you think of important and esteemed figures in the history of the World Cup, tax collectors are not the kind of people you would be likely to imagine. However, the United Republican Soccer Federation have chosen to do just that, enshrining a former director of the Department of Customs and Revenue—Omerica’s federal tax agency—as its first World Cup Hall of Fame inductee.

The infamous corruption scandal that took down the Omerican Football Federation and was partly responsible for the nations semi-voluntary seven-year international hiatus began with an internal investigation into the tax filings of top OFF executives. With several MPs, plenipotentiaries and the President of the United Republics potentially ensnared in the plot, Director Carola Lefebvre became deeply integral to the unfolding of the investigation and subsequent prosecution.

“Honestly, I never imagined that something like this could unfold,” Lefebvre told SRFD in an interview after her induction was announced. “I honestly thought that it might just be some crooked execs with maybe a few people in middle management, but when things started to spread out to the Federal Diet, my face flushed. I would see this coming in a dictatorial backwater, but I could never have imagined that something like this could happen in the United Republics.”

The scandal started unfolding with the release of a classified internal DCR memo explaining the scope of the investigation, which combined with increasingly dangerous and out-of-hand hooliganism, plunged the OFF into a crisis that would wind up resulting in its downfall. URSF Secretary General Jean-André Simonetti was President of Football Tesserais, one of the local republican football associations that compose the current URSF, when the crisis truly began to unfold.

“This was beyond anything I could have thought of,” Simonetti said in a televised interview before Omerica’s Cup of Harmony opener. “The federal and republican FAs weren’t organisationally linked back then, so I felt almost powerless in the midst of the chaos. The Tesserais police and I were in close contact during that time and they believed the same thing I did: the OFF were in it for themselves. Nobody at the top really cared what happened below because they didn’t have that connection down at the grassroots. They lacked empathy.”

The scandal involved executives betting on the outcomes of Omerican international matches, raking in large profits off their results. To ensure that the games went according to the executive’s bets, foreign officials and football associations would be paid off to achieve certain results. Additionally, top executives would add to their own personal coffers by embezzling funds that were earmarked for youth football programs and anti-doping initiatives, including a portion of prizes won by OFF-affiliated football clubs in UICA competitions, laundering the money through other enterprises and stuffing it in off-shore bank accounts.

But before the corruption scandal broke, football hooliganism had culminated during qualification for World Cup 74—Omerica’s only successful qualification campaign as of the time of writing—in a bus tipping in the Cathédrale district of Philibiscostal which left 31 people dead and another 59 injured. However, hooliganistic incidents were a partial motivation for Omerica’s absence from the subsequent Campionato Esportiva and would continue into the next World Cup campaign. The inaction of the OFF in the face of innocent death tarnished the reputation of the Federation long before the scandal had broken and damaged the ability of the Federation to effectively do damage control, making it harder for the OFF to survive the scandal.

“If it had just been the corruption scandal,” Simonetti explains, “the OFF would probably still be here. The Bus Tipping put the stake in their chest and the scandal hammered it in.”

As the number of charges began to pile up in the offices of the Federal Procuratorate and several federal politicians were toppled in disgrace, Lefebvre became a national anti-corruption icon. By the end of the ordeal, football executives had been sacked and jailed, the Federation was dissolved and liquidated by the Metropolitan Sessions Court and Omerica fell in a qualifying playoff to Electrum. Lefebvre played a key role in the trial as a witness, testifying against the organisation and giving depth to how executives had dodged taxes for so long—a charge that had laid the groundwork for the entire investigation and prosecution.

“I think I might be the first tax collector in history to be popular with people,” Lefebvre joked. “I would never have gone to work for the DCR if I had been against the idea of people hating me.”

Lefebvre’s induction is notable not just for her inclusion among celebrated and sadly-forgotten characters in the long and murky history of football’s global championship, but also for the fact that it happened at all. Per its rules, associations may nominate one person to the Hall of Fame per world championship, per four World Cup finals appearances and per seven contested qualifying campaigns. Before inaugurating Lefebvre, the URSF had refused to recognise the legitimacy of results attained by representative teams of its predecessor, worried that corrupted results would taint actual achievements and call all of Omerican international history into question.

“This was a long and painful debate,” the Federation’s Executive Director Thymen Sanna stated in a press conference announcing the decision. “To fill this long empty space, we had to ratify that which was done by our disgraced predecessors. That was not an easy decision to make and there were and still are impassioned voices on both sides. But by recognising the hard work done by the Department of Customs and Revenue, the Omerican Federal Gendarmerie and the Federal Procuratorate in combating corruption across this great nation, I think we’ve done a great service by honouring the athletic achievement of those players who have proudly worn the Omerican shirt, while remembering the ugly stains of Omerican football’s past.”

The complexion of Omerican football has changed drastically in just under a decade. The republican FAs have now taken the initiative in Omerican football by forming the United Republican Soccer Federation, Omerica’s current federal FA. Alcohol is now banned in sporting venues across all twenty-four republics and strict anti-hooliganism legislation has been enacted from coast to coast. And, inspired by the Electrumite Match Integrity Unit, the Sporting Integrity Division was formed to investigate any future scandals that may have arisen.

In the years since, Omerica have recorded two World Cup qualifying campaigns with net losses—only Omerica’s début campaign had seen the nation lose more matches than it had won before the formation of the URSF—and opted to contest the Independents Cup without much in the way of success. But after the rise of Anne-Sophie Groothuis to the managerial post, Omerica recorded its best qualifying campaign in more than a decade and currently stand on the brink of their fifth appearance in the knockout stages of a major tournament, match against Geisenfried notwithstanding.

“It may not have always felt as if it were true, but we are firmly in a better place after all of this,” Sanna concluded by stating. “Coming to terms with the past means recognising the past, being honest about the past and making a commitment to learn from the past. Anything else is suicidal.”

Groothuis acknowledges Lefebvre’s role in the strides that have been made since her memo leaked to the public. “I think its great that we’re honouring a strong and dedicated woman as our first Hall of Famer. Without Carola’s contributions, I very likely wouldn’t have my job right now, Frédérique [Acardi] and Morgan [Barzetti] wouldn’t be playing in Omerica shirts and nobody in the international footballing community would respect us. An object at rest stays at rest unless acted upon by an outside force. Carola was and still is that outside force.” ⚜️

[Qusmo]

Almost always when I do a personal narrative RP, I call upon Qusmo’s resident much-maligned, agonized teenage phenom striker: Rilan-Jerat Nev. That has meant that they have had to deal with a lot of very difficult situations, especially emotionally. This RP is no different. Here are some other RPs in which Rilan-Jerat has featured, or at least been mentioned, if you’d like to explore.

• Nev is bad
• Nev is determined
• Nev is ashamed
• Nev is promising
• Nev is successful
• Nev is denied
• Nev is awarded
• Nev is slumping

Enjoy. Nev won’t.

Nev glanced down, nervously, at their hands. Their palms were starting to sweat just a bit. Or was it the humidity? They ran their left hand through their hair, from their hairline to the base of their neck, taking care to brush their scalp with their fingertips all along the way. Their hair was softer than normal, though they didn’t really even notice. All they felt was a vague sense of comfort, at a time they desperately needed it.

Nev glanced down, nervously, at their other hand. It fumbled with a pen. Nev was rotating it around & around & around. They did that when they were nervous. Their forefinger & thumb gripped the pen just above the nib, their thumb on the side closer to them than their finger. They loosened their grip, allowing the pen to rotate down, away from their palm. Their middle finger secured the pen just underneath their forefinger, allowing it to journey to just above their thumb, which they placed on the other side of the pen, underneath their middle finger. In one swift movement, their middle finger released & their thumb tightened its grip, making the pen stand back at attention, back to where it was before. It all looked like a smooth motion, really. It happened in just a second, or maybe less, before it happened again. But it was a whole set of movements, carefully timed & coordinated with each other. It was a nervous habit; Nev didn’t notice.

Nev glanced down, nervously, past their hand. On a slip of paper - a torn edge of a napkin, in truth - they had written down a number. It wasn’t just any number of course. They wouldn’t write down any number. There were too many numbers for Nev to write all of them down. But this one was special. Nev knew this was special. This was a phone number. Nev did notice this. It was all they could think about, in fact. Funny. Nev was bouncing their leg, stroking their hair, & spinning their pen, but all their focus was on one small, torn piece of a napkin.

Nev glanced down, nervously, at their left hand. Somehow, it was holding a phone. &, almost without their realizing it, they had put down their pen. They held their finger just above the screen. They couldn’t get themselves to type the number in; their finger just hovered there. Would Nev do it? Should Nev do it? Could Nev do it?

Nev glanced down, nervously, at their hand. Dialing, it said. So they had done it after all. Nev heard the phone ring. Nev heard the phone ring again. Nev heard the phone ring again. Nev heard a dial tone.

Nev glanced down, nervously, at their hands, & buried their head in them, trying not to cry.

Group B

Krytenia 0–1 Qusmo
at Wild Grounds in Everfree, EQS

Juvencus 0–0 East Belzaria
at Derby Field in Manehattan, EQS

  Group B                           Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts
1  Qusmo                           2   2  0  0    2   0  +2    6   Q
2  Juvencus                        2   1  1  0    2   1  +1    4
3  East Belzaria                   2   0  1  1    0   1  −1    1
4  Krytenia                        2   0  0  2    1   3  −2    0   E

QNT advances to Cup of Harmony knockout rounds with another narrow win
Krytenia 0–1 Qusmo
Wild Grounds, Everfree, Equestrian States

---

GK  Xynat-Evela Cuf
CB  Cunix-Betva Tla
CB  Yelto-Alfan Ono
CB  Ozolx-Alfan Ixi
78’ Lynul-Savar Mal
CM  Yamaj-Blonz Jok
71’ Yunal-Julad Waz
CM  Ilinx-Kepex Zev
AM  Ilinx-Vulav Ixi (66’)
LM  Kynda-Sevet Pec
57’ Helek-Nenzi Ono
RM  Forzu-Ralox Kal
SS  Paliv-Xilit Max
ST  Xilit-Zaxac Yol

[Equestrian States]

This is your MD3 cutoff for groups A-D in the Equestrian States

Cup of Harmony 73
Groups A-D :: Match Day 3 Results

Group A

Taeshan 2–0 Blaneu
at Star Stadium in Canterlot, EQS

New Lusitania 3–2 Saint Émelie
at Royal Equestria Stadium in Canterlot, EQS

  Group A                           Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts
1  Taeshan                         3   2  1  0    3   0  +3    7   Q
2  New Lusitania                   3   2  1  0    5   3  +2    7   Q
3  Saint Émelie                    3   0  1  2    2   4  -2    1
4  Blaneu                          3   0  1  2    1   4  -3    1
  Taeshan (+3) ahead of New Lusitania (+2) on goal difference
  Saint Émelie (-2) ahead of Blaneu (-3) on goal difference

Group B

East Belzaria 1–1 Krytenia
at Wild Grounds in Everfree, EQS

Qusmo 4–3 Juvencus
at Shady Grove in Whitetail, EQS

  Group B                           Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts
1  Qusmo                           3   3  0  0    6   3  +3    9   Q
2  Juvencus                        3   1  1  1    5   5   0    4   Q
3  East Belzaria                   3   0  2  1    1   2  -1    2
4  Krytenia                        3   0  1  2    2   4  -2    1

Group C

Mytanija 1–1 Acronius
at Sky-High Coliseum in Cloudsdale, EQS

Mattijana 2–2 Squornshelan Remnant States
at Manehattan Industrial Park in Manehattan, EQS

Tiebreaker Playoff:
Acronius 2–4 Squornshelan Remnant States
at Derby Field in Manehattan, EQS

  Group C                           Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts
1  Mytanija                        3   1  2  0    3   2  +1    5   Q
2  Squornshelan Remnant States     3   0  3  0    4   4   0    3   Q
3  Acronius                        3   0  3  0    4   4   0    3
4  Mattijana                       3   0  2  1    4   5  -1    2
  Squornshelan Remnant States ahead of Acronius on playoff

Group D

Darkmania 1–1 Abanhfleft
at Diamond Park in Stalliongrad, EQS

Geisenfried 3–1 Omerica
at City of Manechester Stadium in Manechester, EQS

  Group D                           Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts
1  Abanhfleft                      3   1  2  0    3   2  +1    5   Q
2  Geisenfried                     3   1  1  1    5   4  +1    4   Q
3  Omerica                         3   1  1  1    6   7  -1    4
4  Darkmania                       3   0  2  1    6   7  -1    2
  Geisenfried (3) ahead of Omerica (0) on H2H points

---

Groups A-D :: Round of 16 Fixtures

Taeshan vs. Juvencus
at Sky-High Coliseum in Cloudsdale, EQS

Mytanija vs. Geisenfried
at Star Stadium in Canterlot, EQS

Qusmo vs. New Lusitania
at Elements Stadium in Ponyville, EQS

Abanhfleft vs. Squornshelan Remnant States
at Shady Grove in Whitetail, EQS

[Main Nation Ministry]

Non-Fiction: A Rather Not-So Peaceful Meeting

Near one of the newest education facilities, an old schoolhouse was still left intact, which was in the middle of plans of being demolished to make way for an outdoor tennis court. However, today it served a purpose as a meeting spot for several important officials in what has been described as a series of assassins that has plagued the nation. Miss Izzy Chesterton arrived inside the empty structure, while the Secretary of the Ministry of Foriegn Affairs Dorbi Truman arrives, looking unhappy. "When will the General arrive, so we can get this nonsense over with?" Dorbi complained, as Izzy looked outside briefly. "Is this about the former Minister of Public Education? It could be a meeting of the possible threat that's plaguing the nation." Izzy said.

General Emmanuel Jones arrived, carrying aside a courier who Truman bought along. "The meeting stated that it is to be only the 4 of us. You can't have the rules be broken like this." Jones scolded Truman. "I need him to send several officials in the Foreign Affairs information! This is a matter of national security!" "Have this man send for immediate amnestics, or I have your position in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs downgraded!" Jones demanded. "Bloody bureartic piece of shit is that you are-"

BANG!

The courier that Jones had in his grip had a large hole in his head, where brain matter started to seep from the entry and exit wounds, causing Jones to let go of him. Izzy let out a muffled scream, while Jones and Truman showed looks of surprise. At the entrance, the Leader put the bullet casing in his pocket, as he let one of his bodyguards take the pistol he used to eliminate the courier. "Truman, you supposed to follow the rules. Just because the news announced that your Deputy Under Secretary along with his valet were shot to death today, doesn't mean that you should spread the word to create more paranoia." The Leader calmly explains, despite the fact that he murdered Truman's courier in front of everyone.

"But-t-t-t."
"Do we have your confirmation?"
"Yes, Leader!"
"Good. Now. We have checked the footage from our nearby security cameras, which reveal an interesting secret. We do have a status on the assassins, which reveal some corruption that I recognize. It turns out that the assassins are soldiers that appear to work for us or could possibly be former soldiers impersonating our men."
"So all of this is the work of some of our own trusted and serving men?"
"I think I have a hunch that the people behind this is doing this for a purpose. So we already have a possible indication on where they will strike next." The Leader explained.

"I will send troops to likely locations of their next target to reduce the causalities and have inspectors check on any person who were dishonorably discharged." Jones said, where Izzy maintained her composure. "I will make sure that all of the children are not worried!" "And you Truman. You get to be the last to leave to clean up this mess." The Leader said, as the courier's body was leaving behind a blood puddle.

[Dreamplanet]

HEARTACHE

Aaron Hungar and the team's dejection following the premature elimination.

As the final whistle went, Os Tricores went out of the Cup of Harmony emptyhanded and with the what-ifs, as Dreamplanet has now gone 3 years without reaching the Round of 16, the only time being the 66th Baptism of Fire.

The match started full of hope for Dreamplanet as Luis Silva scored a brilliant 29th minute free kick, looping over the wall and past the goalkeeper to kickstart Os Tricores, with that being the half time score. With Dreamplanet heroically defending to keep South Toronto out, it looked like glory was on the cards, but just when Dreamplanetians started wondering who their Round of 16 opponents would be, South Toronto defender, Bryan Penelope, equalised by heading in a corner in the 56th minute.

Not to be denied, Os Tricores came roaring from kickoff and went up a gear with their attacking football, entering do or die mode. Dreamplanet came so so close to regaining the lead when Luis Silva passed it to Paulo Figueiredo for what seemed to be an easy tap-in, however the ball went right into the posts and the hands of Juan Estaban de Mites, and as Dreamplanet were stunned, the goalkeeper kicked the ball upfield, easily finding Decepti Vardez Jr. who was able to run past Jorge Cardozo and shoot the ball past Filipe Vaz.

And the pain was sealed as a failed clearance by João Pedro left Jozy Dembele through, rounding Filipe Vaz, and that’s how it ended, the golden generation yet to show their worth as they fell at the final hurdle, will it ever be our year?

Dreamplanet 1 - 3 South Toronto
(Luis Silva 29' - 56' Bryan Penelope, 65' Decepti Vardez Jr., 75' Jozy Dembele)
Victoriaville, Cassadaigua

Saturday, October 6: MD1 - Polkopia 1-1 Dreamplanet
Monday, October 8: MD2 - Eastfield Lodge 4-5 Dreamplanet
Wednesday, October 10: MD3 - Dreamplanet 1-3  South Toronto

  Group F                    Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts
1 Eastfield Lodge           3   2  0  1   11  10  +1    6  Q
2 South Toronto             3   2  0  1    8   5  +3    6  Q
3 Dreamplanet               3   1  1  1    7   8  −1    4
4 Polkopia                  3   0  1  2    7  10  −3    1

Qualified for Round of 16
Eliminated

[Jeruselem]

Cassadaigua, South Granby Stadium in South Granby. Princess Cassie and Katya Dallas ...

Cassie: This is Princess Cassie for Naked News Jeruselem covering the Cup of Harmony 73 in Cassadaigua or Cassie Land as my daughter would say. She calls Equestrian States, Pony Land for obvious reasons. I'm with Katya Dallas, one of our players.
Katya: Oh hi ... err
Cassie: Today, in Group H. Jeruselem took on Oberour Ar Moro and Main Nation Ministry played The Macabees. It was all to play for today for all teams. All had chance to make the 2nd round ... well most of them. Oberour Ar Moro needed to win and hope for the best from the other game. Well, that didn't happen!
Katya: Yeah ...
Cassie: Jeruselem beat Oberour Ar Moro, 3-2 and headed to the top of the table while The Macabees drew with Main Nation Ministry. Main Nation Ministry took 2nd spot and well the other two are out. The Macabees really needed to win that game in case we won.
Katya: It's good to win something, like the group stage of something.

Cassie: Not our best game, but we're winning stuff. If that matters. It was a bit of struggle in group stage game one with a loss to Main Nation Ministry but two wins to end the group stage.
Katya: Yeah, I was worried after that loss.
Cassie: We have to move forward and face our new opponent. It's Karulicja, if I said that correctly. I can't spell it.
Katya: A dumbass like me has trouble spelling that.
Cassie: Karulicja, was 2nd in Group G where Savojarna won all games to win the group. Karulicja was second with a win and draw.
Katya: Isn't that an upset?

Cassie: Yes. Savojarna was top seed. Karulicja was the lowest seed, Siovanija & Teusland should have made the 2nd round just based on rank.
Katya: I guess we did alright
Cassie: We were the top seed. Main Nation Ministry was 2nd highest seed so Group H was actually to rank.
Katya: I'm glad we did win today
Cassie: Yeah, otherwise we might have faced Savojarna instead.
Katya: True

Cassie: Karulicja had 1 win, draw and loss with 5 goals scored and 4 conceded. We won the group with two wins, 1 draw and 6 goals scored, 5 conceded. Really not much difference in form.
Katya: We got a leaky defense.
Cassie: We avoided Savojarna, who let in two goals and scored 7. They play Main Nation Ministry who didn't lose a game with 1 win and 2 draws. Scored 6, conceded 5 like us.
Katya: I guess we have play them later if we progress further.
Cassie: Yeah, they are one of the big threats.
Katya: Any news from Pony Land?

Cassie: No, we don't have results from Equestrian States as yet. But what happens there don't directly influence us until the finale anyway.
Katya: OK
Cassie: The other 2nd round games we know of, Tinhampton face South Toronto and Eastfield Lodge vs Kelssek. Yes that Kelssek from the past. Eastfield Lodge are one of the favourites. All Pot 1 teams in Cassie Land, survived.
Katya: Including us!
Cassie: I hear good things at your end, you might be moving club.
Katya: I'm getting offers, I haven't decided.

Cassie: It's not because you look like a Princess?
Katya: Err, no. I'm not that good looking really. I'm no Princess.
Cassie: You deserve a pay rise
Katya: Well, after this cup I have to decide. I guess other teams suddenly think I'm worth something more.
Cassie: You're better than me, I just suck ... at football
Katya: But I've seen you play, you weren't that bad.

Cassie: I don't have much endurance. No toughness.
Katya: I think it's more bloodymindness in my case. I just keep playing until I have to stop.
Cassie: We need more people like that, people who don't give up.
Katya: I think it's more I'm just stubborn as well.
Cassie: Just keep up the good work.
Katya: I do my best.

[Karulicja]

“I would like to propore… porpoise… propose a toast!”

The remains of the wine glass Armend Rroshi had just decapitated with his butter knife were still flying around when he did an attempt to climb atop of his chair – a struggle reminiscent of the most heroic of mountaineers. He wasn’t the first to attempt this tonight but contrary to Moscardelli, who had kept it stern and positive, and Derbali’s short and sweet words, the central defender didn’t seem to know right from left anymore.

A small glance from Azzini learned me more than I needed to know and once more, I went off to sooth the restaurant holder. All in all, it hadn’t been haute cuisine but we were honoured enough to find a place with room for a large group that late in the night after what had been (another) landmark moment in our football history. Some rolled-up banknotes later, I got back at the table to see that Rroshi was struggling to get past his first lines.

“This is… Guys… Wow… I just wanted to share… Ehm… Magnificent! Yes, that was what I… Ehm…”

A relative newcomer to the group, the centre-back notoriously struggled to hold his liquor. However, some of the veterans had convinced him that after his stellar performance against the Goldhorns, keeping Kynev from opening his account at this tournament, a drink wouldn’t hurt. It seemed as if those bastards had played an old yet neat trick on him. Good pastis, quite popular in our regions, looked like still water when not mixed and it seemed as if they had switched the recipe, usually four parts water and one part pastis, around for poor Armend. Keeping his balance would have a challenge on a floor, let alone high in the air with one foot on the table.

“I just wanted three cheers for Roberto… Great game, you old fart, especially at your age!”

Laughter and applause mixed and even if the captain was not always as amused with the ‘retired’ jokes, he raised his hand and smiled it away. He deserved it, to be fair. Siovanija knew that only a victory could save them and stormed forward from the first whistle onwards. Playmaker Viktor Dimitrov had been instrumental in this stampede but various saves kept the harvest limited to a single goal for the blue-and-gold, an unstoppable lightning bolt from Lutz von Bergen late in the game.

“Yeah, good job, Robby… Fuck yeah, were we good or what?”

More boisterous cheers filled the place and only one anxious look from me kept the maître from stopping it right there. Maybe he had seen the game as well and left it like that just for now – thirty paying customers who didn’t care too much about the run-up of the bill was a good investment. After all the pressure in the last few days, it had been I who suggested to go for a slightly more relaxed evening. We had been the lesser on the pitch but kept afloat on tenacity and stamina, to get further than anyone expected. Just an evening off before preparing for the Jeruselem game made sense.

“And Gianni – I raise my glass to you!”
“Raise it or drink it, my friend?” Altacci teasingly asked.

As Armend downed his drink in one take, the cheering became roaring and bellowing. I tried to make eye contact but couldn’t figure out what Azzini was thinking at the moment. It had taken all our arguments to convince him so, but eventually he did decide to field Altacci after all. That he had swallowed his pride and placed the goalscorer and his team above his own future was a grand gesture – one that no one would know or understand. I felt for him.

Nonetheless, it had paid off. Altacci and Prigidar, as far apart in character as they were, formed a difficult pairing for the opposition. They were difficult to keep out of the game and kept defenders occupied. In between the pressure from Dzekov’s men, they did manage to earn a few chances of their own. The best one saw Prigidar wrestle the leather of Karapetrov and pound it towards Viktor Venev. It had been a cannonball and the Siovanijan goalie let go off the ball, only for Altacci to slide it in timely. Not a beauty, but what a goal!

Armend, who waved more and more like a flag during a heavy storm, wasn’t finished yet.

“And of course, three cheers for our manager, Dusan Azzini!”

Although they were given, and with enthusiasm, it didn’t escape my attention that they resounded far more reserved than the previous ones. Suddenly, we sounded almost civilised – something the few remaining guests who hadn’t fled the restaurant yet would definitely not confirm. Most of them looked at us with something between disgust and disdain, and who could blame them.

“Now onto Jeruselem and beyond! I did the key research to their midfielder Verge already, boys, so no worries.”

The cheers and the laughter did their utter best to drown one another. Who would have imagined that from Rroshi, that powerful tree of a man who was your dictionary example of a diamond in the rough, who looked like a cagefighting trucker and talked with the softest of voices. Well, when he was sober, at least.

“And to round up…”

We never would know what Armend was going to round it up with. He himself definitely did not remember it when he awoke the next day, much to his own surprise looking like a war victim as halfway his sentence he smacked, facedown, across the table, crushing the glasses with his body and face. Thirty paying customers is one thing but wrecking the place is a different one so the restaurant owner pointed us towards the door. With three, we grabbed hold of Rroshi and directed everyone towards the cab stand.

Although it hadn’t been on the mind of most, I had done some of the preparation for the upcoming fixture already. It would never be a walk in the park against one of the most experienced sides of the multiverse – but their defensive quartet showed vulnerability. The odds were against us – but not hopeless. Unless the Princesses had kept the best for last, this could be far more evenly matched than the bookies predicted – Dusan Azzini agreed on that one.

However, looking with the two of us how Ervin tried to bring some life in Armend by feeding him water, he seemed less powerful, less ready for combat then I knew him. As if he had read my mind, Dusan turned to me.

“It will be a tough one, Jaka.”
“Definitely… But that 4-4-2 could play out in our advantage. If we can overpower them in the middle of the pitch and…”

He smiled so wearily that I stopped right there.

“You’re ok, Dusan?”
“I think… I think Jeruselem might be my last one,” he spoke.

We didn’t talk anymore until we reached the hotel – we tried to figure out how to fold Armend into the elevator – but Dusan Azzini looked more relieved than he had been all tournament.

[Taeshan]

It was an interesting matchday three in group A as the Purple Knights took on Blaneu, while New Lusitania took on Saint Emelie. With both likely moving on it was a matter of who would finish first and and second. With Group B's matches earlier in the day they new what that meant, first place a meeting with possibly the best team in the Cup of Harmony, Juvencus, second place a meeting with a lesser ranked, but perhaps more impressive this tournament, Qusmo. The Knights ever up for a challenge stormed onto the field in Canterlot ready to play themselves to first place.

It was an impressive game overall from the side in Purple. It was the first match that Miles Snavely was a possibility on the bench, but Xander McDrew was hopeful to save him for the Round of Sixteen. The Knights striking corps finally connected in the end of the last match, could they keep that chemistry in this one? Well it seemed early on like they were ready to attack as Aleksandr Denisov almost made it 1-0 early, but was thwarted by the flag. For his part Abriel Torres came close himself off a corner kick but the sides went into the half knotted at 0.

With the other game in Canterlot a more attacking battle, the Knights came out in the second half ready to prove they could win the group and ready to set up a meeting with another strong side, to prove their mettle. It wasn't long before Randall Abl Bakr played basically the whole Blaneu back four out of the moment with a strong through ball to Alson Figeuroa for the opener. The Knights would continue their mind numbing defense and counter attack for the rest of the game until Shiloh Morgenstern on as a substitute scored his first career international goal in his second career cap slamming the ball into the net to give the Knights their 2-0 win.

[Kelssek]

NOT COMING HOME: KELSSEK INTO LAST 16 AT CUP OF HARMONY
by: Patrice Lafonce

Kelssek overcame the odds to secure passage to the knockout rounds of Cup of Harmony 73 with a stunning 2-0 win over Beepee in the Starksville Stadium. “Not coming home!” chanted the travelling fans, and one imagines some quick work in a recording studio will send a new track to the top of the charts.

Form, history, and supportive optimism can make for lots of cognitive bias. But rational minds would have been jumping at the bizarre odds on offer by Beepee bookmakers, who would have paid out 100 to 1 on a win for the higher-ranked team. And few would have expected the second-lowest ranked team in the tournament to advance with two wins.

Indeed the oddsmakers in Beepee have been remarkably pessimistic about their team’s chances all tournament, estimating their chances at the level of an overripe peach in the bottom of a lunch box on a hot day.

Perhaps they were on to something, as Kelssek did not need to be anywhere near their best to win. They came out looking more like they were battling hangovers on a Sunday afternoon than a national team needing a result to stay in a major tournament. But Beepee’s defence were highly accommodating, and they could have been quickly put to the sword with better finishing from Brayden Custworth.

But Custworth made no mistake when Kelssek were gifted a penalty in the 38th minute. An incisive 60-yard diagonal ball from Thamior Liadon left Beepee’s Jason Baker with no other way to stop a speeding Matt Lister than by sweeping the CS Saint-Rémy striker’s legs out from under him. While the referee ruled Baker to have made a genuine attempt for the ball, the question of whether he should have seen red gave plenty of grist for the half-time pundits to mill. It would certainly have been clear-cut a couple of years ago, or had the challenge happened outside the box, but as it stood the yellow card certainly dampened Baker's enthusiasm for the hard tackle.

If words of inspiration were uttered in the Beepee dressing rooms they were not evident after the break. It was all too easy for a Kelssek team which never quite got out of third gear, and an anticlimax for all the build-up duly delivered by the National Sports Network. Francois Shep could barely be bothered to save a 40-yard hoof in injury time which Ruslan Demetriev was probably just trying to get clear.

The Kelssek fans were jubilant regardless, and the team marches on to face Eastfield Lodge in the second round.

[Savojarna]

SavojarSports.sj - inside reports from all Savojarna
The Tactics Blog - how the Northlights outflanked Adab

By Linus Pahlqvist
The matchup between Savojarna and Adab featured an interesting tactical battle between a team that very much operated through the centre in a christmas tree formation, and a team that relied on a 4-2-3-1 with a set of hybrid wingers that were very offensively oriented throughout the CoH campaign, meaning that the Savojars often shifted to what almost looked like a 4-3-3 and especially against Adab were able to utilise Voynov and Jashkin in a "pinch movement" that often cut the midfield out of the game. This interesting tactical concept proved to be highly effective against the centralised Adab team, but also had some dangers that led to the equaliser scored by Zambiya before the break. In the Tactics Blog, we will break down the game of the Savojars one-by-one and see whether this concept may be of use against the Main Nation Ministry.

THE FORMATIONS

We already outlined the basics of the formations, but as we all know, the relevant part is how the people move on the field and not what the lineup said. Especially in the case of Savojarna, we will see notable discrepancies. Adab's formation is a "christmas tree", a 4-3-2-1 that operates with a wide base and a single attacker, but two offensive midfielders that join the attack situationally. The wings are usually a bit weak, but in the Adab case that was fixed by letting the fullbacks advance quite a bit and having the three defensive midfielders branch out if needed to close down the back. This formation required a lot of running by the team, but for the young Adab side that seemed to be no big deal. The graphic below outlines a typical Adab setup when they had the ball and could build up calmly. Black lines denote offensive movements, red show defensive movements without the ball.



What we see is that Adab's offence tried to overload the sides, with the fullbacks being far advanced and getting ahead of the midfielders, mandating them to run a lot and making them vulnerable against a counter. However, Orlev and Al-Muntar tried to minimise the risk by securing the sides and falling back to the centre when the fullbacks were back in position. This allowed the two backs a lot of freedom to create chaos against the Savojar sides, but they mostly failed in that because of the Savojar flanks being well organised and the full-backs, in meeting their counterparts, were often supported by the wingers and thus had a 2-on-1 against Adab's backs. Aminuddin fell back between the centre-backs, meaning that without the ball, Adab basically operated in a 3-4-3, with the two fullbacks drawing back into a 5-2-3 when required. With al-Muntar and Orlev drawing back in, this led to the defensive centre being closed, but allowed space in front of the bulwark and on the sides. Let's see how Savojarna used this to their advantage:



The Northlights also played with far advanced full-backs, with Thorvaldsson and Nurkanen almost acting as additional wingers when Jashkin and Voynov sway inwards. However, the main difference was the presence of wingers that lifted some weight off the fullbacks' shoulders in offence. Karjanen assumed a lurking position, pouncing on second balls or running for the far post when the wingers stayed outside, while the main threat for direct shots came from Voynov and Karjanen. In the defence, we can see a clear distribution of tasks between Hoyberg and Andersson, which means that in offence, the two were almost stacked on top of each other and could either form a triangle with the two centre-backs or with Hytönen and either winger or fullback. Andersson's falling back also transformed the Savojar side into a three-man-defence most of the time, meaning they played in effectively a 3-4-3 with a diamond in offence. Especially the triangle of Hoyberg, Hytönen and Voynov would be decisive in the Savojar victory, as the game showed. In defence, the Savojars modified their formation to be closer to the original 4-2-3-1, with the wingers falling back behind Hytönen and the full-backs falling out towards the sidelines.

SAVOJARNA'S PINCH MOVEMENT

The main problem for Savojarna in this game was how to get behind the relatively tight Adab defence. For this, they showed an interesting innovation relying on a fast buildup around the sides. They would often build up over the full-backs, aiming to get the ball behind the trident Uhwan - Zambiya - Yargab as quick as possible and then pushing down the sides. Using the support of Hytönen and the full-back, they would try to pass the anchor point provided by the Adabian midfielders and get past the full-back either by speed or by winning a 1v1. Both Jashkin and Voynov were often swaying inside behind the Adabian defence, while the full-backs aimed to man the sideline. This led to some chaos in the defence as centre-backs and full-backs were often unsure who would cover the diagonally charging winger and who would cover the defenceman. Such a misunderstanding was used for the first Savojar goal, when al-Tikriti covered Karjanen and Abdulmahrim abandoned Jashkin to defend against Nurkanen, who was getting into position for a cross. The misunderstanding led to some space for Jashkin, which he used to convert with a flat shot to the near corner.

The pinch movement by the wingers cutting in diagonally was hard for Adab to control, but they found a way by having Aminuddin falling further back and thus managing to control the effective 5-man-attack by Savojarna. However, this opened more space between the lines, where Hytönen (and from the 67. minute Poulsen) found room to be creative now. With Thorvaldsson moving up the field, there were often possibilities to create a combination between him and Voynov, and shortly before the end the Adabian defence was tricked by exactly such a movement. Thorvaldsson, Voynov and Poulsen had cycled the ball among themselves to drag out Nahmoud. This was immediately used by Thorvaldsson, who went deep to bind Frangieh, and Voynov who cut into the space opened by Nahmoud. Via Poulsen, the ball came to Krister Voynov, and an overloaded al-Tikriti could not stop Karjanen from scoring on the rebound to decide the game.

WILL IT WORK AGAIN?

The Savojar Pinch is possible against opponents who open up space on the sides and allow for the cut of the wingers into the back of the centre-defence, forcing the CB to engage with three players (Jashkin, Voynov and Karjanen). The Main Nation Ministry is less likely to leave as much space as the much more offensive Adab, but the less offensive nature of MNM also means that there is less risk associated with the pinch movement. This means that while it is not guaranteed to work as well as against Adab, the pinch is also less likely to lead to a counter in which the fullbacks are missing and the relatively weak Savojar centre gets overpowered too easily, as happened before the equaliser in the Adab game. However, the Savojars have many other arrows in their quiver - I expect a thrilling game against the Ministry!

[New Lusitania and the Algarves]

STL|Serviços de Transmissão Lusitana
Sport | Football|
Cup of Harmony 71


A SMALL UPSET, THOUGH THROUGH
Opposition snag late goal to put the Seleção as Runners-Up
New Lusitania 3-2 Saint Émelie @ Royal Equestrian Stadium, Canterlot

CANTERLOT, EQUESTRIAN STATES -
The game against Blaneu was an imperative win if New Lusitania was to progress. Playing in the state of the art new Star Stadium, New Lusitania fielded Patríce, Guerreiros, Carriça and Cancela in defence, whilst Nevais played the defensive midfield, Mário played back from injury. Also in midfield, Fernando, Gama and Moreira this time. In front, Silveira and Jota returned. For Saint Émelie, Joubert starts in goal with Charléne and Léstiene in the wide positions, whilst Bouchard and Laureille hold the fort in the centre. Diamonds are forever as Bastereud plays in defensive midfield with Caseille and Laurent in centre park, up front Peltier, Trijononvic and Trion.
The match indeed began and New Lusitania had a lot to lose in a defeat here and so they pressed on. Saint Émelie however, led a very strong and physical game. A first goal came from Mário's foot that crossed it in to the box, with Gama heading it in, as it was too long for Silveira. The opener had been scored but the battle had only commenced - only forty minutes had passed. In the second half, Katjanovic scored early with Laurent getting the assist, a beautiful top right corner shot, in which there was nothing to do about it. Later on, Fernando hoofed it up, landing in Jota, which shot the ball past the goalkeeper which such power and accuracy, simply stunning. At seventy-five minutes of play, Jota went running up the pitch again only to have the ball taken from him with certain force by an opposition player, Bouchard in this case. This left Jota on the pitch, and needing medical attention. Due to this, Breu and Laurent got into a bit of a disagreement leading to a yellow card for the foul, and two others for each of the players, and, Hélder came on. Nevais was to take the free-kick, an absolute specialist at it as well. He went in to take the free kick, and scored! A two goal lead, would put them at the top of the group! They were wheeling away in celebration there. However, on the eighty-nineth minute of play, supersub Fouché scored the second. Though, Saint Émelie was still a goal behind, it hurt New Lusitania as they were now second. And so it would be, full time.
FULL TIME: 3-2

At the Star, Taeshan beat Blaneu 2-0, meaning they go top by one single goal. STANDINGS: Taeshan 7 (+3), New Lusitania 7 (+2), Saint Émelie 1 (-2), Blaneu 1 (-3)

Around the Grounds

In Group B, Krytenia avoided ending up with no points, after a draw with East Belzaria by a goal. Another thriller , this time in Whitetail, as Qusmo beat Juvencus 4-3 to take the group. Qusmo go in undefeated, that will give them confidence to stride through. STANDINGS: Qusmo 9 (+3), Juvencus 4 (0), East Belzaria 2 (-1), Krytenia 1 (-2).

In Cloudsdale, Acronius drew with Mytanija by one, whilst the Remnant States had a 2-2 drawn match with Mattijana. This sparked an interesting situation, as Acronius and the Remnant States had an equal perfromance, needing a playoff, to be played tomorrow morning. STANDINGS: Mytanija 5 (+1), S.R.S. 3 (0 - 4-4), Acronius (0 - 4-4) , Mattijana 1 (-1).

In Group D, Abanhleft drew with Darkmania 1-1 in Stalliongrad, whilst Omerica were beaten by Geisenfried 3-1 in Manechester. STANDINGS: Abanhleft 5 (+1), Geisenfried 4 (+1), Omerica 4 (-1), Darkmania 2 (-1). Geisenfried qualify on head to head points.

In Group E, Tinhampton remain Invict, by beating Freeport, and Beepee lost to Kelssek, 1-0 and 0-2 respectively. STANDINGS: Tinhampton 9 +6, Kelssek 6 +2, Freeport 1 -4, Beepee 1 -4 (on Goals Scored). .

In Group F, South Toronto beat Dreamplanet 1-3 in Victoriaville whilst yet ANOTHER thrilling match, a 4-5 victory of Eastfield Lodge over Polkopia in Concord Heights. STANDINGS: Eastfield Lodge 6 +1, South Toronto 6 +3, Dreamplanet 4 -1, Polkopia 1 -1

Savojarna were already qualified but beat Adab 2-1, as Karulicja drew against Siovanija & Teusland 1-1. STANDINGS: Savojarna 9 +5, Karulicja 4 +1, Siovanija & Teusland 2 -2, Adab 1 -4.

The Main Nation Ministry's draw against The Maccabees 1 all meant that everyone they qualified in second in Group H. Jeruselem meanwhile scraped 3-2 against Obeour Ar Moro conquering the group somehow. STANDINGS: Jeruselem 6 +1, Main Nation Ministry 5 +1, The Maccabees 4 0, Obeour Ar Moro 1 -2

At the World Cup, we're at the business end of the Competition, going into the quarter finals. The teams are training tonight with the Semi finals this weekend, the semis midweek and the Grand Final on Sunday (23h30 hour) along with the Third Place Playoff the day before. Turori beat Ethane 1-0, Nephara were beaten by Vilita 3-4, now having to play each other , as the Equestrian States were sadly knocked out by South Covello, and as the Free Republics won against Eura, surprisingly in a 4-3 thriller.

Errata: In the last edition, it said Acronius had beaten Geisenfried when in fact it had been Abanhleft. Apologies on some misspellings over the editions as well


POST-MATCH INTERVIEWS and REACTIONS
I: Comments on the match today?
VSC: Well we got the three points and that was important but it's a tad disappointing we let that one through and end up as runners up in a Group where we played well, despite not being the best in the tournament.
I: So you're qualified, what now?
Well, first off it's a personal best for the team, we've never gotten past the groups or first phase or anything, as we always end up plagued with injuries just days before! So that's good in itself, we play Qusmo next and they're quite difficult - they haven't lost a point just as us, but they have three victories, which will give them a positive attitude. We're hoping we can take them, but it'll take work.
I: Thanks, Victor.

Opposition Scout - from Grassroots (STL 1)
Diamonds are the name of the game in Saint Émelie, a team that can be unorganised at times but manages to pull through. A four man defence uses two wingers that run up and down the flanks, whilst two robust centre banks hold the fort down, a centre defensive midfielder stays with them at all times. The two centre midfielders are used for supplying the ball and forward diagonal runs, for crossing opportunities. The two forwards plus the centre attacking midfield, which works as a bridge between midfield and the front as well as Katjanovic who acts as a Fox in the box. This team is uses the Physical vertent of the game a lot, so it'll be hard to ignore this facet of the side. All in all, can be beaten by quick usage of the ball, and aerial game, something New Lusitania isn't too good with. Expect a high scoring game.

Lads On Tour: The Seleção in the Equestrian States
At the training camp, the team welcomed a day's rest, though not without training beforehand. After training, the team met up with family members as a small celebrations was made with a good Lusitanian dinner. At night, already alone once more, a friendly game of cards was played as some looked at the stars above. The match against Qusmo is close and so they must get ready, though regardless of the score. they'll go into town after the game at the Elements' Stadium. Let's hope for the best... Come on New Lusitania!


RATINGS, AWARDS AND OPINIONS

LUS Ratings : Patríce 7.5, Guerreiros 7, Carriçe 7, Cancela 7, Nevais 8, Breu 8, Fernando 8, Moreira 7.5, Gama 8, Silveira 9.5 , Jota 8 OVERALL : 7.5
STE Ratings: Joubert 7, Forestier 9, Bouchard 6, Laureille 7, Léstienne 7, Bastereau 7.5, Caseille 6.5, Pelletier 7, Laurent 7, Trion 6 (Fouché 7), Katjanovic 8. OVERALL: 7

STATS (LUS/BLN)
Goals: 3/2
Shots: 11/7
Shots on Target: 6/4
Corners: 3/2
Fouls: 5/11
Cards - Yellow: 1/2
Cards - Red: 0/0
Posession: 55/45

Round of 16 Preview in Jornada (Gameweek)
with Pedro Ferreira, Rui Lourosa and António Soares
PF: What do you think of New Lusitania's chances?
AS: We don't have a great chance of progressing to be honest, we're up against one of the best teams in the world so I think it's the end of the line
RL: I actually think we have a chance. Patríce has been on top form recently. The defence and finishing needs work, but the midfield has been quick on their feet to change things up.
PF: So, predictions? I'm going for a 2-1 myself to us.
AS: No way, we'll lose about 1 or 2-3 but I'll go with the former. Sure Silveira, Gama, Fernando or even Nevais might get one in , two if they're lucky but they'll ultimately lose in my opinion.
RL: I'm going for a draw with New Lusitania progressing in Extra Time, whilst this is a very hard opponent, anything can happen after ninety.
PF: Right, so what about the others? We are recieving news that Acronius are out! That leaves the Remnant States on. They'll play Abanhleft, that's a defeat for the S.R.S. in my personal opinion. You?
RL: I'll agree with you there Pedro, Abanhleft are definitely one of the favourites to go far so it'll be a surprise if the SRS get them.
PF: Fellow Group A team Taeshan play Juvencus. Thoughts?
RL: Well it proves we'd get a tough team either way.
AS: Yes, indeed. Juvencus haven't shown themselves that much in this tournament but I think they're pacing themselves and they'll go through.
PF: Right. Meanwhile, Mytanija against Geisenfried.
RL: Well we got the Mytanija-Mattijana confusion out of the way. As for the winner, Geisenfried have similar courses in the group, to be honest I think Geisenfried will edge them out.
AS: I agree, on all accounts.
PF: In Cassadaigua, one of the favourites, Tinhampton will play South Toronto a team in form.
AS: All in all they've been the most consistent side, they've won all three, and I think they'll go on.
PF: Do you agree, Rui?
RL: I do, we did beat them ... In a pointless Friendly, but they're a great side and should we ever have to play them competitively we will struggle. So yeah I think they will go through.
RL: You're agreeing a lot with me tonight , that's weird, eh?
AS(laughing): Yes, peculiar really.
PF: A cracker up next, Savojarna against the Main Nation Ministry.
RL: Ooh that's a good one! Savojarna have shown more consistentcy but the Ministry are a tough bunch, should be good.
PF: Finally Eastfield against Kelssek and Jeruselem against Karulicja.
RL: I'm going for the Lodge and a surprise from Karuclija to be honest.
AS: You're mad! Two straightforward matches, the Lodge and Jeruselem shall go through. If any surprise will happen it'll be Kelssek.
PF: And at the World Cup semis we have Vilita and Turori in a great Derby, and the Free Republics against South Covello. Guys?
RL: First off, sad to see the Equestrians with their great positive football leaving despite their personal best. I'd go for Turori against the Free Republics in the final.
AS: And I concur, it's a weird night. I'm actually agreeing with you more than usually....
RL: Anyway, Turori were rock solid through qualifying, we struggled a lot with them, so it proves our potential as well to see them this far. Meanwhile, the Free Republics are riding on their home advantage, and boy has it been a great cycle for them. Ultimately, two strong sides which have been the best so far for me.
AS: To be fair, though, they Turori had a week group stage just scraping thorough, whilst the Free Republics qualified behind the now knocked out Equestrian States. South Covello have been the most consistent of the four, qualifying with two wins and a draw, and striding reasonably easily through, and So for me, it's Turori Vs South Covello.
PF: We didn't have a lot of time today for great detail on this account at the end, we'll continue that tomorrow , the day before the games. That's all from us, good night .
AS: Good night.
RL: Good night. Come on New Lusitania!!



THE HUB
Nothing to Report

GOALS: André Silveira (2), Gama (1), Jota (1), Nevais (1).
ASSISTS: Fernando (3), Cavalariça (1), Mário (1),
CARDS: Breu (1Y)
INJURIES: Mário (Knock), Jota (Out - 2 weeks, Rest of Tournament)

World Cup Quals
Top Goalscorers: Silveira, Gama (11).
Assists: Fernando (9)

----------------------------------
MATCH PROGRAMMING

Playoff: Acronius X Remnant States 22h00 TONIGHT STL Sport 1
Tinhampton X South Toronto STL 4 18h45
Savojarna X Main Nation Ministry STL Sport 2 18h45
Eastfield Lodge X Kelssek STL Sport 3 18h45
Jeruselem X Karuclija (18h45 TNI)
Qusmo X New Lusitania - STL 1 21h45
Taeshan X Juvencus 21h45 STL Sport 1
Mytanija X Geisenfried 21h45 STL Sport 2
Abanhleft X S.R.S. 21h45 [RTU 21h45]
WC81 - Turori X Vilita 17h00 STL Sport 1
WC81 - South Covello X Free Republics 19h00 STL 2

-----------------------------------
Matchday: Internationals
coverage of the best
TOMORROW STL1 21:00 GMT
-----------------------------------
World Cup 81 & Cup of Harmony 73
The best of the action on STL
New Lusitania in exclusive.
-----------------------------------
#stl #forçaselecção #CoH73 #LUS
#LUSSTE
----------------------------------
STL in association with FLF
MMXVIII

[Squornshelan Remnant States]

Three Things
Double Bonus Football!
Salwan Mynhier

The Black-and-Reds have advanced to the second round of the Cup of Harmony in the most improbable fashion. Certain going into the final match of the group stage that we needed a win to have a realistic chance, only able to manage a draw against Mattijana, we somehow outscored Acronius and ended up dead even in every statistic. The only solution was a tiebreaker playoff match. When the dust had settled, the two top seeded teams of Group C were eliminated, while the lower seeds advanced.

Scoreboard-Watching Nail-Biter
With a few players at risk of suspensions after receiving yellow cards against Mytanija, Lopal Daror again shuffled his starting lineup. The physical presences of Zemen Ystrad and Vaarin Strepol were relegated to the bench, and Ctibor Tkermec rejoined the back line, while Zholtokh Dzrenin got the nod alongside Damot in what promised to be a more offensively dynamic midfield than the one that was shut out by Mytanija. Demkjo Jzvanic was therefore the only player in the starting lineup with a booking on his record.

The early stages of the match were a fairly tactical affair, as both sides clearly wanted to avoid making an early mistake. Over time, the match settled into a rhythm, with Mattijana generally having more possession, probing at the corners of the Confederate defensive box, and the Black-and-Reds watchful for opportunities to create turnovers and quick counters. At first, neither side was able to create a truly incisive play, and most shots were launched from distance, ending up high, wide, or both. It was not until over 25 minutes had elapsed that either team started to look dangerous. It was Mattijana who struck first, as Jessika Struna made an excellent run down the line, beating Geladi around the outside and launching an out-swinging cross that found Lekarisa in the box. The forward made a deft left footed finish to the near post, far out of Munib's reach.

The Mattijanan celebration was short-lived, however, as the Black-and-Reds responded off the ensuinjg kickoff, pressing forward by short passes. As the defense concentrated to close down any path into the box, Zonde played and excellent one-two with Dzrenin to break in alone and placed his finish perfectly. With the score tied once again, both teams settled into another period of more cautious play, largely content to probe and wait for halftime by all appearances. Marko Hojbjerg had other ideas though, and after receiving a fairly routine pass inside from Velezia, he took one touch to settle the ball and then blasted it from nearly 30 yards. Munib, caught flat-footed, saw the ball fly past his outstretched fingers to put the Black-and-Reds behind the eight ball going into half time.

Coming out after the break, Geladi had been replaced by Dzarkhin, who was better suited to contain Struna. The Black-and-Reds seemed to have adopted a strategy of smothering the Mattijanan attack, closing down at every opportunity, and concentrating defenders at the point of attack. The strategy seemed to work, though not well enough to earn the Confederates an equalizer. They did earn a few shots on goal, but none were particularly challenging for Handanovic, except for a long range shot from Dzrenin that deflected wildly off of Illicic. Luckily for Handanovic, the deflection also took most of the speed off the ball, and she was able to recover in time to smother it with Jzvanic barely a foot away.

The play was emblematic of the Confederate striker's evening, as he always seemed just on the verge of making a big play, but couldn't seem to break loose. Seeing that Jzvanic was out of sorts, Daror brought him off in favor of Ajao in the 65th, a move he said after the match was meant to open up aerial service into the box and open more space for the wingers. Whether his comments had the benefit of hindsight or not, that is exactly what the move accomplished. Ajao, after a frustrating run of play, was in top form as a target man, holding up play and playing flicks to other attackers. Burnisevic looked out of her depth trying to mark him, and Illicic, who had picked up a yellow card early in the second for persistent fouling was not at liberty to play as physically as was necessary. This all culminated in the 78th minute, when Ajao flicked on Zonde's soaring cross to Vladcik, who had managed to get inside position on Krychowiak and side-footed the ball home at the far post.

As the celebration at the Confederate end of the stands eventually died down, there was a flurry of smartphones being pulled out as everyone checked the out of town scoreboard. [details of final minutes pending Mytanija v Acronius match report] As the final whistle blew, there was another flurry of phone activity, as Confederate fans logged on to book tickets for the tiebreaker playoff match, and Mattijanan fans booked their tickets home.

Mattijana                2 - 2  Squornshelan Remnant States
Lekarisa (Struna) 28'           Zonde (Dzrenin) 30'
Hojbjerg (Velezia) 45+1'        Vladcik (Ajao) 78'

Venue: Manehattan Industrial Park (cap. 47,160), Manehattan, EQS

SRS (5-4-1): Munib; Geladi (Dzarkhin 45'), Raktsov, Oleb, Tkermec, Ulcviecel; Vladcik, Dzrenin, Damot, Zonde; Jzvanic (Ajao 65')
MTT (4-1-2-3): Handanovic; Neumann, Illicic, Burnisovic, Krychowiak; Adrianov; Jakupovic, Hojbjerg; Velezia, Lekarisa, Struna

Do or Die Triumph

And so it was that the Black-and-Reds would head across town to meet Acronius once again. This time, there would be no draw, as the teams would play until someone was victorious. The venue for this decisive match was the significantly larger Derby Field, and even on such short notice, attendance was excellent. The starting lineup for the Confederacy was the exact same one that had just faced Mattijana, as Lopal Daror said he had liked what that group of players had been able to create in the attacking third, and that he felt with a few minor tactical changes in midfield, they would be well-suited to picking apart attacks and countering against the aggressive Acronians.

The match began on a dismaying note for the Black-and-Reds, as Acronius seemed immediately to be in control, holding possession in the Confederate third, and probing constantly for weaknesses. They broke through after just seventeen minutes, as le Kervelec made a run against Ulcviecel low. The Interblag right back did a good job of shutting off the path to goal, but left a passing lane to the top of the box open. le Kervelec found Trésor making a late run and the Acronian captain finished strongly, putting his side on top, and one step closer to the second round. Six minutes later, however, it was the Confederate left winger's turn to create a goal. Damot stepped up to cleanly intercept a an errant pass and the counter was on. Damot played a long ball forward that Vladcik ran on to, and he was able to open a little space for the cross with a quick stepover against Péguy. His low cross was perfectly placed and weighted, far enough forward to get past Maçon but not so far as to end up in de Brassaï's arms. Jzvanic, who had found space on the run in between the two center backs, powered the ball home, leaving the keeper standing.

The quick equalizer seemed to take the wind out of Acronian sails, and energized the Black-and-Reds, who seemed unable to do any wrong for the remainder of the half. de Brassaï was frequently called upon to leap and hold lobs and crosses into the area, and the Acronian transition game seemed lost, as Dzrenin and Damot were everywhere. Inevitably it seemed, the Black-and-Reds took the lead only eight minutes after they tied the game. de Brassaï conceded a corner when he punched a long, arcing shot from Dzrenin over the bar. Damot's in-swinger met Raktsov's head perfectly, and the ball bounced just as it crossed the line, nearly impossible to save.

One might have expected Lopal Daror to rein his team in at this point, but having played to a pair of 2-2 draws this very tournament, he could be seen encouraging them to continue to press the attack. This leeway paid off again just before the half. Zonde was able to cut inside against Althusse, and while his shot beat the diving de Brassaï, it could not be the crossbar, springing off the underside of the bar and out into the penalty area. Unfortunately for the Acronians, the ball fell perfectly for Jzvanic, who had an easy tap in with the keeper still sprawling. Incredibly, the Black-and-Reds went into halftime leading Acronius by two goals, knowing that all they needed to do to advance was to defend.

As was easy to predict, the second half began with a flurry of Acronian possession and attacking movement. The Black-and-Reds were bunkered down in their own zone for much of the first fifteen minutes, but a few timely tackles and one heroic save on a close in shot from Pascale kept the scoreline at 3-1. The number of players committed to pulling within one, however, left Acronius vulnerable at the back, where at times only Maçon remained on his own side of center. One one run forward by Paulois, he misplaced his pass, and Oleb found Jzvanic with a long clearance, forcing Maçon to retreat and hope for reinforcement. More white shirt appeared than blue, however, and as Maçon closed off Jzvanic's shooting lane, the striker played the ball square to Dzrenin at the top of the box. The veteran midfielder made no mistakes, and his finish smashed into the top corner. 4-1.

While the Acronians and their fans were certainly dismayed after the first half, they knew their team was certainly capable of putting up goals in the second. This turn of events, leaving them down three with little more than half an hour to be played, left their end of the stadium hushed. Their manager had evidently seen enough, as a few minutes later he made a substitution, bringing on veteran midfielder Jérôme Pasteur for the youngster Shin Kra, who had been struggling to find space. Daror responded almost immediately by bringing Geladi off and sending Dzarkin on to counter Pasteur's fresh legs down the flank. He then brought of Dzrenin in favor of midfield enforcer Hagaz, signalling clearly that the Black-and-Reds were done pressing the attack, and would park the bus for the remaining 20 minutes.

A communication breakdown in midfield led to another goal, and a ray of hope for Acronius in the 76th though, as Hagaz misjudged Damot's intentions and played a pass directly to Chimneys. The Acronian midfielder took full advantage of the opportunity, and played a through ball to Pascale before the defensive line could reset, sending him in alone against Munib. He finished calmly, slotting the ball into the short side corner as Munib rushed out to confront him. Acronius pushed forward again, much as they had done at the beginning of the half, but were given no more gifts. Daror's addition of Strepol to the midfield picture, bringing Jzvanic off to an ovation in the 88th minute, further limited the space available in the Confederate third. The only further drama was Munib being shown a yellow card for time wasting. Acronian players and fans alike looked in disbelief as the final whistle blew, bowing out early from a group they must surely have expected to win.

For the Black-and-Reds, the reward for this victory is short rest, and a trip to Whitetail to face 24th ranked Abanhfleft, the highest seed in the entire tournament. The pundits and prognosticators to pick us to advance will be few indeed, but then of course very few of them would have expected both the Confederacy and Mytanija to advance from Group C. In any case, the match is sure to be entertaining, and our fans and players can definitely be proud of this team, whatever the result.

Acronius                 2 - 4    Squornshelan Remnant States
Trésor (le Kervelec) 17'          Jzvanic (Vladcik) 23', (Zonde) 44'
Pascale (Chimneys) 76'            Raktsov (Damot) 31'
                                  Dzrenin (Damot) 58'

Venue: Derby Field (cap. 65,000), Manehattan, EQS

SRS (5-4-1): Munib(Y 90+2); Geladi (Dzarkin 64'), Raktsov, Oleb, Tkermec, Ulcviecel; Vladcik, Dzrenin (Hagaz 70'), Damot, Zonde; Jzvanic (Strepol 88')
ACR (4-4-2): de Brassaï; Althusse, Paulois, Maçon, Péguy; le Kervelec, Trésor, Chimneys, Kra (Pasteur 62'); Fontanils, Pascale

Transfer Prospects: Giants of Megabrantis
Home to both blue bloods and new money, Megabrantis is the cultural and financial heartland of the Confederacy, and where several of the best supported and wealthiest SCFA clubs may be found here. While the Brantid clubs represented on the national team all did manage to finish in the upper half of the final table, most had distinctly disappointing seasons, and will be looking to spend heavily in the upcoming transfer window. The main opportunities for other clubs here will be to pick up players in need of a fresh start after a difficult season.

Olympia Arkintoofle
Arkintoofle would be an obvious pick to move upward in the standings next year, given the probably regression by Interblag, and possibly Traal, but some internal conflicts that could lead to the departure of a star player lead me to believe they'll be more likely to finish 10th next year than improve on last year's 5th.
Zemen Ystrad - CB - 25
Ystrad has had somewhat of a bumpy road through Baptism of Fire, Qualifying, and now the Cup of Harmony. His readiness to play physically at the back has been valuable at several points, but a liability at others. Currently, the rumor mill has it that he is dissatisfied with management of the roster at Arkintoofle and is looking for a move elsewhere. He would be an excellent addition to any team looking to add a little intimidation to their back line.
Polter Yndel - RM - 22
Yndel played very little during qualifying, and was not named to the Cup of Harmony team. He will likely remain at Arkintoofle, however, as they would be loathe to part with a promising player so young.

Brantisvogan Football Club
Always among the richest teams in the Confederacy, Brantisvogan are much more likely to add players this off season than subtract. The main items on their wish list are a playmaking center midfielder and a goaltender although adding another high caliber player to their abysmal defense would be a good idea too. While they could theoretically find those pieces by poaching from other SCFA teams, I wouldn't be surprised if they were the first Confederate club to buy themselves a foreign player.
Ortzi Perparim - CB - 27
Perparim played well in his six appearances in qualifying, though not well enough to earn a spot at the CoH. His play for club was less promising last year, but he's the best thing Brantisvogan have going at the back, and if they can improve on the supporting cast around him, they should see vast improvement in defense.
Girma Mikhulat - ST - 26
Mikhulat didn't get much opportunity to play during qualifying, but was able to contribute an assist. He also looks like a lock for Brantisvogan's roster next year.

Chalesm Football Club
Chalesm boasted the league's top scoring offense, and were the only team in the entire SCFA to average two goals per game. They also had the second worst defense of all top half finishers, better than only Brantisvogan. They therefore find themselves at a crossroads. They can keep their team more or less the same and be fairly certain of another top half finish behind the high flying attack, or make some changes, shore up the defense, and possibly challenge for the top 4.
Shrike Hagaz - CM - 24
Hagaz is an excellent young player, but he may not be the player that Chalesm needs right now to address their problems in defense. As more of a midfield enforcer, Hagaz is useful for breaking up attacks, but isn't in the right place to be able to really make a lasting impact on defense. Between this and the fact that his age will inflate the fee he would command, I would expect Chalesm to sell Hagaz to help fund a complete overhaul of their defense.
Zoban Ajao - ST - 22
Ajao has been inconsistent on the international stage, scoring a respectable number of goals, but lagging behind in assists, and losing his starting spot to Demkjo Jzvanic. No one can argue, however, with his league play, and he will be the centerpiece of the Chalesm attack again next year, unless some club swoops in with a truly massive bid.

Megabrantid Sports Club
MSC were the definition of "above-average" last year, finishing around the middle of the table with generally respectable play, but nothing spectacular, and they never looked like threatening for the title. They'll be looking for a player or two to add some flash and excitement to their team, and help them climb higher up the table next year.
Abdeg Darbo - CB - 31
MSC captain, Darbo played dependably in the league, but internationally, the fact that his pace has faded with age was exposed, and he was victimized on a few plays. At his age, it's unlikely someone would make an offer that would make parting with a longtime captain worthwhile, and he is still a perfectly serviceable player at the SCFA level of play.
Iuri Takala - CM - 20
If Darbo is the past, Takala is the future. He managed to earn his first cap during qualifying, but his best days are most certainly ahead of him. MSC will doubtless hang on to him at least until they know more the sort of player he will become.

Viltvodle City Football Club
A common thread among the big Brantid clubs is that most had disappointing years, and City are no exception. Their main shortcomings seemed to be in midfield, where Ozol Gebara was often the only bright spot.
Ozol Gebara - LM - 27
By far the team leader in assists and second in goals, Gebara did everything he could to claw City higher up the table. He also managed to bring his goal-creation game to qualifying, where he added two assists in seven appearances. Viltvodle should retain his services if they have any ambitions at finishing in the top half again next year.
Kambiz Avagyan - ST - 25
Avagyan was the other dynamo leading the attack for City, as he and Gebara accounted for the majority of goals and scoring chances. His brief playing time during qualifying was unimpressive, however, and he will likely be hoping for City to add at least one quality player in midfield so that he can impress national team management over the next two years.

Viltvodle United Football Club
Yideg Abhe - CM - 26
United finished a little higher than most of the other big Brantid clubs, mostly on their ability to earn draws. Their lone national team selection was midfield centerpiece Yideg Abhe. This is not to say that the rest of the team are unskilled however, just unremarkable perhaps. United are in a bit of a strange dilemma: with average or above-average players at most positions, where should they look to improve the team? Abhe struggled to find his form with the national team, and the team might look to move on, replacing him with a more dynamic player.

Squornshelan Remnant States Cup of Harmony 73 Schedule:
MD1: Squornshelan Remnant States 2-2 Acronius (Manehattan Industrial Park, Manehattan, EQS)
MD2: Squornshelan Remnant States 0-0 Mytanija (Elements Stadium, Ponyville, EQS)
MD3: Mattijana 2-2 Squornshelan Remnant States (Manehattan Industrial Park, Manehattan, EQS)
P/O: Acronius 2-4 Squornshelan Remnant States (Derby Field, Manehattan, EQS)
2nd: Abanhfleft v Squornshelan Remnant States (Shady Grove, Whitetail, EQS)

[East Belzaria]

Lorn Monte gave his nation hope when he finally broke his drought against Krytenia, giving East Belzaria a 1-0 lead, just several minutes before halftime. But in the end a 90th minute counterattack from Krytenia sent East Belzaria home. Shad Radclyffe missed a golden chance to make it 2-0 just seconds earlier. Had he suceeded, East Belzaria would have overcome Juvencus on goal difference and advanced to the next round.

"It didn't happen in the end, but I'm proud" says David Madridson. "We started this entire journey with hope and optimism, and our good work got us to this tournament. And at this tournament, we held off Juvencus in a stunning display. And overall, it was unfortunate that Krytenia was allowed in." Shad Radclyffe was inconsolable. With tears in his eyes he said "I let down East Belzaria today. And I feel shame for doing so. This could have been the best moment of their history, and because of me, it wasn't." Lorn Monte showed concern for his teammate. "I don't think he should be too upset." says Monte. "He has the next cycle to look forward to. We're all looking forward to it!"

From everyone here at EBSM, it has been a pleasure to report on the glorious journey of East Belzaria, and we look forward to following the team through their World Cup 82 Journey.

[Tinhampton]

Home dressing room, Grande Mountain Stadium, an hour before the match against South Toronto
The more digitally intrigued amongst you may have read of a famous RLStates philosopher referred to by the player behind the United Kingdom as "David Hume," who noted what we understand to be quite a while ago that the mind is, so to speak, empty as the blackboard in a classroom before the teacher strides in for his - or, as it is now, her - first lesson that day. Real or imaginary aside: What, then, does the state of the board in the Grande Mountain dressing room tell you about Tinhamptonian thoughts right now?
Quite a fair bit. It was not even going to be an hour before kickoff when every last soul in that room was having their own little natter amongst themselves, few related to the match itself. "Oh, did you hear about the one where Julia Atherton went down the pub with the Freeport captain?*" "Honestly, we need to capitalise on this opportunity if we're to..." "Rachel might be a bit annoying, yeah? Least she knows what teamwork is..." "Daniel Steer has probably thrown away his entire..." "I'm still not sure that our training drills are..." "Failing to go nuclear against them will cost..." "If one of us can pull off an Estrella Hawke against---"
"Keep quiet or I will shout at you!" was what Ian Jones was forced to clarify, ironically whilst nigh-on shouting. A couple of minutes later, when the pot had simmered down and resealed, he made his troops aware that "This is the biggest match in your fucking history. A round of sixteen match with a quarterfinal against the Ministry - hell, it's probably against Savojarna - on the line! We haven't conceded in our past two-hundred and ninety minutes of football or so, that includes ex---injury time, and I can seriously convince myself that we can pull it off again here and now, tonight, nine o'clock to quarter to eleven if not closer to midnight."
"There is, however, just one minor problem we've had to face if we're to keep up this record," tagged on Rachel Coltfield. "Yeah, you see this over here, green with a brown border? If you have a look here, you'll be reminded of how tall you are if you started for us against Freeport, I blame the rogue TFA staffers. Which you will do because I've already submitted the fucking teamsheet to the refs! How are we supposed to keep anything out when you, Julia over there, happen to be a foot shorter than De Mites between South Toronto's sticks, huh?"

"And in case matters needed to be fucked-up-ier," complained Jones further, "look at this cheeky little sheet of A4 paper I've been handed by the TFA. This shows us that the other guy has a very slight advantage if it does go to penalties, of course we're fucked!"
"This thingy isn't exactly true," astutely pointed out Steve Andrews: "Yes, the South Toronto bloke may be taller, but you're disregarding the possibility of dismissal and injury which could... level the playing field, so to speak. One of their strikers can't even score outside the box, if we're to trust me 'andy Roster Guide to the Cup o'Harmony, we should have this in the bag!" For obvious reasons, Atherton nodded her head; it is less known as to why she refrained from randomly shouting whilst doing so.
"Yes, this is correct," replied noVenaxali, "and perhaps he cannot reach the lower down shooted ones is what Stevie over here is trying to tell me. May I look here...? Ah, yes, we mustn't pray for these people to have a bad day, all well, all good, but we need to be at our best possible for victory, right?"
"Should... should..." vaguely repeated Coltfield. "We should win today, but that all but guarantees it. I am fully confident of your abilities when you get out on that pitch and actually work as a coherent unit, but my problem is that our defence is a bit too short. Our team might be a bit too bang average for our likings, but at least we can play..."
She had barely finished sighing when Jones added that "Our main objective is to keep on defending, for the most part, and then try and hoof the ball to the big man up front... a man who is a woman, has a ponytail and is the joint-second-shortest player in the entire team. Yes, I checked that much."
"Does size really matter, for once," lamented North, "no matter how much some people try and spin it? At the end of the day, it's not about how genetically or spiritually endowed you are, it's about how much teamwork has been instilled into you, as at least five people in here can testify. In fact, the clash of large-scale gelling, combined with experience posed by the South Torontons, might lead to a huge threat against---"
"FOR PITY'S SAKE! We're playing against a BUNCH OF YOUNG NOOBS here!", finally cried Atherton. "Do you have ANY IDEA how bad these people are? Their immediate defensive form is woeful, they have a worryingly low level of stamina in their ranks, so Steve's pamphlet tells me, and turns out that Jozy Dembele scored after SEVENTY-FIVE fucking minutes against Dreamplanet! Ya know what that means? One less star striker for me to bite my fingernails about because he played past the hour mark, ergo probably out until the final, if they get that far! OF COURSE we can do this shit, and if we don't, we'll get their backs eventually!"
"I think I'd forgotten something!" further bemoaned North.
"About that one, Pete, I'm sorry for the interruption," cleared up Atherton, "which is something I hope turns out to be the biggest shock we get today."
"Right, then," muttered a surprisingly shocked Jones, "now what shall we do for the rest of the game preparation thing with all of this being flung about...?"

In a first for Tinhamptonian football, the Miners' round of sixteen tie against South Toronto is being televised EXCLUSIVELY LIVE on the TinChannel satellite channel from 6:30pm tonight. Subscription fees are now just ten dollars per month, or fifteen for those of us watching overseas.

*OOCly, more information on this in time for the quarterfinal cutoff, unless EQS/Freeport decides that this scenario is already too unrealistic

[Cassadaigua]

Time for some to be knocked out in Group E-H with this cutoff!

Cup of Harmony 73
Groups E-H :: Round of 16 Results

Tinhampton 2–0 South Toronto
at Grande Mountain Stadium in Grande Mountain, CDG

Savojarna 2–3 Main Nation Ministry
at New Lakeland Stadium in New Lakeland, CDG

Eastfield Lodge 0–1 Kelssek
at Concord Heights Stadium in Concord Heights, CDG

Jeruselem 5–1 Karulicja
at Brattleboro Stadium in Brattleboro, CDG

---

Groups E-H :: Quarterfinals Fixtures

Tinhampton vs. Main Nation Ministry
at New Lakeland Stadium in New Lakeland, CDG

Kelssek vs. Jeruselem
at Concord Heights Stadium in Concord Heights, CDG

[Qusmo]

SPONY LUQ TELEVISION

Hello, all. Welcome to Spony Luq Television, broadcasting from Qanz, Qusmo. The Qusma national team has performed very well in the Cup of Harmony, being one of only three teams to win all three of their group stage matches. Of course, that means that Qusmo has won Group B & will be heading to the knockout rounds. In the last edition of this tournament, Qusmo won their group on seven points before running into a nation known then as Soltsteed, which they played to a scoreless draw through extra time but fell to on penalties. Qusma fans will be hoping that they can advance to the quarterfinals - or possibly further - this time. With that said, let’s take a look at the round ahead. Let’s take our first question from a viewer in Polan.

How will the Round of Sixteen play out?

That’s an excellent question. Let’s look at each of the eight matches in the Round of Sixteen, paying particularly close attention to those played in the Equestrian States, where Qusmo is being hosted for the tournament.

Taeshan v. Juvencus
Sky-High Coliseum, Cloudsdale, Equestrian States

---

(52) Taeshan
1st in Group A - 7 points (2-1-0) v. New Lusitania, Saint Émelie, & Blaneu (+3, 3-0)
World Cup 81 Qualifying: 3rd in Group 17 - 36 points, 11-3-4 (+17, 26-9)
9 points behind Group 17 winners Baker Park (2nd in World Cup Group H, with 4 points; advancing to Round of Sixteen match v. South Covello)
6 points behind Group 17 runners-up Darmen (qualified via playoff; 2nd in World Cup Group A, with 4 points; advancing to Round of Sixteen match v. Nephara)
Other Group 17 Cup of Harmony teams:
Freeport (finished 8 points ahead; 3rd in Group E, with 1 point)
Recent results: 6th in World Cup 80 Qualifying Group 7 & Group Stage in Cup of Harmony 72

(33) Juvencus
2nd in Group B - 4 points (1-1-1) v. Qusmo, East Belzaria, & Krytenia (±0, 5-5)
World Cup 81 Qualifying: 2nd in Group 2 - 38 points, 11-5-2 (+24, 45-21)
11 points behind Group 2 winners Cosumar (4th in World Cup Group H, with 3 points)
Lost 4-7 (1-1, 3-6) in playoff to Audioslavia (4th in World Cup Group G, with 2 points)
Other Group 2 Cup of Harmony teams:
The Macabees (finished 4 points ahead; 3rd in Group H, with 4 points)
Saint Émelie (finished 10 points ahead; 3rd in Group A, with 1 point)
Recent results: 3rd in World Cup 80 Qualifying Group 4 & Group Stage in World Cup 80

---

Taeshan v. Juvencus will likely be the marquee matchup in the Round of Sixteen in this Cup of Harmony for neutral observers. Of course, no other match will feature two Pot 1 teams, & their status in the top pot will have both teams thinking that they have the potential to make a deep run. However, what stands out most is these two teams’ style of play.

Taeshan has only scored three goals this Cup, but they’ve seen that result in two wins & one draw to win Group A; they are one of a vanishingly slim few who have yet to concede ten goals during the entire cycle in World Cup Committee-sanctioned events, as the nine goals they conceded during their eighteen World Cup Qualifying matches tied them with Qusmo for joint-fifth-best defense in Qualifiers.

On the other hand, Juvencus has an offense that is capable of giving even the most sturdy defenses trouble; Qusmo had also yet to concede in the Cup of Harmony, with nine goals allowed in their past twenty-two World Cup Committee-sanctioned matches, dating back a full cycle to the last matchday of the Cup of Harmony 72 group stage, before Juvencus scored three on Matchday Three of this Cup of Harmony.

This match seems to be a tale of an unstoppable object meeting an immovable force. That said, we may get a clue about how this match will go from each of these sides’ forms this cycle. Juvencus did make the World Cup Playoff, but they only managed two more points than Taeshan did in Qualifying - & they had a group winner & playoff opponent which both finished bottom of their respective groups; Taeshan, on the other hand, finished third, behind two teams which are through to the World Cup knockout rounds. On paper, Juvencus looks like they had the better Qualification cycle, but the strength of Taeshan’s opposition hints that the performance of the Purple Knights may have been even more impressive.

That excellent form has continued in another purple nation, as Taeshan is unbeaten in the Equestrian States, being one of only two teams in the tournament yet to concede a goal. Their offense seems to be trending in the right direction, too, as they were held scoreless in their opening group stage match but rebounded to score once on Matchday Two & twice on Matchday Three. Juvencus, on the other hand, is trending in the wrong direction; after an opening-match win over Krytenia, they drew with East Belzaria & then lost to Qusmo.

These are two teams that had hopes of going far in this tournament before it began; Juvencus, which won Cup of Harmony 71 - when they last competed in this tournament - was even a popular choice to win it again. However, one of these two teams has to bow out in the Round of Sixteen. With metrics that are not as impressive underneath the surface, & with an opponent that has a top-notch defense & wonderful form, we think that the time is ripe for an upset.

---

Prediction: Taeshan

Mytanija v. Geisenfried
Star Stadium, Canterlot, Equestrian States

---

(120) Mytanija
1st in Group C - 5 points (1-2-0) v. Squornshelan Remnant States, Acronius, & Mattijana (+1, 3-2)
World Cup 81 Qualifying: 6th in Group 7 - 27 points, 8-3-7 (-1, 20-21)
24 points behind Group 7 winners Eura (2nd in World Cup Group G, with 4 points; advancing to Round of Sixteen match v. Brenecia)
6 points behind Group 7 runners-up Acronius (did not qualify; 3rd in Cup of Harmony Group C, with 3 points)
Other Group 7 Cup of Harmony teams:
Blaneu (finished 1 point ahead; 4th in Group A, with 1 point)
Mattijana (finished 5 points behind; 4th in Group C, with 2 points)
Recent results: Did not attempt to qualify for World Cup 80

(107) Geisenfried
2nd in Group D - 4 points (1-1-1) v. Abanhfleft, Omerica, & Darkmania (+1, 5-4)
World Cup 81 Qualifying: 3rd in Group 15 - 33 points, 10-3-5 (+8, 29-21)
18 points behind Group 15 winners Pasarga (3rd in World Cup Group A, with 4 points)
11 points behind Group 15 runners-up Qasden (qualified automatically; 4th in World Cup Group D, with 3 points)
Other Group 15 Cup of Harmony teams:
Squornshelan Remnant States (finished 4 points ahead; 2nd in Group C, with three points; advancing to Round of Sixteen match v. Abanhfleft)
Recent results: Did not attempt to qualify for World Cup 80

---

Taeshan-Juvencus is likely to be the most-watched Cup of Harmony match in this Round of Sixteen, but the only clash between Pot 4 teams in the Round of Sixteen may be a close second - not because fans want to watch two plucky underdogs start a run through the tournament, but because fans have to respect these two teams’ records in the history of the game. These sleeping giants have announced their return on the multiversal stage with a trip to the Cup of Harmony knockout rounds, & one of them will reach the quarterfinals - if not farther. But which one will it be?

To see, we may have to delve into the numbers again. The two teams are similarly ranked, both between 100th & 120th in the KPB rankings. They have performed similarly well in the Equestrian States, too; both have scored one goal more than they have conceded in the group stage, while Mytanija has five points so far in this tournament, while Geisenfried has four. However, if we look more closely at the numbers, we see differences here, too.

Mytanija was in an absolutely wild Group C, as a single win was enough to top the group - because it was the only win that any team in the group managed to earn. In the end, the bottom-seeded team won the group, while the second-lowest-seeded team in the group advanced as the group runners-up - but only after having to compete in a playoff to determine whether they would advance. Mytanija could manage only a win over a disappointing Mattijana & draws against Squornshelan Remnant States & Acronius, an underwhelming resume for a group winner.

They will face a team that doesn’t have the strongest of records in this Cup of Harmony, but certainly doesn’t have the weakest, either. Geisenfried drew against Darkmania, on a matchday in which both Group D matches ended indecisively, to start the tournament, & they then lost to Abanhfleft. However, there was no shame in that loss; Abanhfleft is, by a fair margin, the highest-ranked team in the Cup of Harmony, & Geisenfried was able to prevent conceding any more than one goal. Then, with their backs against the wall, needing a win to advance, Geisenfried was able to beat a strong Omerica side, & by a two-goal margin at that.

Geisenfried also had some impressive opposition, & impressive results, in World Cup Qualification. They were in Group 15, which was won by Pasarga, & Qusma manager Cralt-Nirlo Fox’s Qasden qualified out of the group without a playoff as one of the top three group runners-up in the field. Geisenfried, of course, kept a clean sheet against the high-flying Qads, earning a scoreless draw in the first match in which Cralt-Nirlo served as a national team manager in which their team did not win, in their sixth match in charge. They also defeated teams such as Atlantian Ocean stalwart 95X, & they eventually finished third in their group, with a respectable 33 points & +8 goal differential.

However, Mytanija was not so successful during their Qualifying campaign. They only managed 27 points, & they scored nine goals less than Geisenfried despite conceding the same amount; in fact, Mytanija scored fewer goals than it conceded during Qualification. Group 7 sent only one team to World Cup 81, & Mytanija ended 24 points behind it; had the Mytanars drawn one of their eight wins, they would have finished with fewer than half of Eura’s points in the group - as well as with equal numbers of wins as losses, not to mention in seventh place. Ultimately, Mytanija finished sixth.

Mytanija wasn’t in the toughest Qualification group of the cycle, either. Though it sent several teams to the Cup of Harmony in addition to its one World Cup qualifier, Blaneu finished bottom of their group in the Cup of Harmony, Mattijana finished bottom of their Cup of Harmony group, & the only team which finished below Acronius in its Cup of Harmony group was Mattijana. In fact, despite winning Group C, Mytanija only ended up above one team that did not play in Group 7. It is very difficult to ascertain how well Mytanija has done, when so much of their competition has been against the same nine teams, but - with the exception of Eura - those teams have not performed very well when exposed to other teams.

So, Mytanija & Geisenfried may seem like similar teams at first glance, but there seem to be more trends once you delve into the data. Given their superior record at this tournament so far, many might expect Mytanija to continue into the quarterfinals; however, we think that, while it likely will be close, one team has the better underlying record in their return to the stage.

---

Prediction: Geisenfried

Qusmo v. New Lusitania
Elements Stadium, Ponyville, Equestrian States

---

(57) Qusmo
1st in Group B - 9 points (3-0-0) v. Juvencus, East Belzaria, & Krytenia (+3, 6-3)
World Cup 81 Qualifying: 3rd in Group 9 - 35 points, 10-5-3 (+21, 30-9)
6 points behind Group 9 winners Valanora (3rd in World Cup Group D, with 4 points)
4 points behind Group 9 runners-up Polkopia (did not qualify; 4th in Cup of Harmony Group F, with 1 point)
Other Group 9 Cup of Harmony teams:
Eastfield Lodge (finished 1 point ahead; 1st in Group F, with 6 points; advancing to Round of Sixteen match v. Kelssek)
Karulicja (finished 10 points ahead; 2nd in Group G, with 4 points; advancing to Round of Sixteen match v. Jeruselem)
Recent results: 7th in World Cup 80 Qualifying Group 11 & Round of Sixteen in Cup of Harmony 72

(65) New Lusitania
2nd in Group A - 7 points (2-1-0) v. Taeshan, Saint Émelie, & Blaneu (+2, 5-3)
World Cup 81 Qualifying: 2nd in Group 1 - 38 points, 12-2-4 (+31, 48-17)
9 points behind Group 1 winners Turori (2nd in World Cup Group B, with 4 points; advancing to Round of Sixteen match v. Banija)
Lost 2-6 (2-3, 0-3) in playoff to Nova Anglicana (3rd in World Cup Group B, with 4 points)
Other Group 1 Cup of Harmony teams:
Beepee (finished 2 points ahead; 4th in Group E, with 1 point)
Recent results: 5th in World Cup 80 Qualifying Group 4 & Group Stage in Cup of Harmony 72

---

Neutrals might watch Taeshan-Juvencus. Football history buffs might watch Mytanija-Geisenfried. Qusmi’y will watch Qusma-New Lusitania.

Qusmo has performed very well so far. They had the joint-fifth-best defense in the Multiverse during World Cup Qualifying, which preserved several lengthy clean-sheet streaks. Two centre backs started each match of Qualification, with another starting sixteen of the eighteen matches, including the whole of the second half. They produced excellent results throughout, including producing a twelve-match unbeaten streak that encompasses the whole of the second half of World Cup 81 Qualification & the Cup of Harmony 73 group stage.

Of course, Zenon-Gerol Kal ended that defensive stability during the tournament; after needlessly conceding a penalty in Qusmo’s first group stage match against East Belzaria, which nearly got Qusmo into an early hole in the group with dropped points, manager Avarn-Oxolt Ban dropped them from their Starting XI. In the wake of a three-goal outburst from Juvencus, however, Avarn-Oxolt will likely decide to revert to the same back three that performed so well for so long once the knockout rounds come around. That said, Qusmo may be encouraged by the fact that their 4-3 win over Juvencus shows that they can win a shootout - just as they did the last time they conceded in a competitive match, which finished in a 6-3 win over Eastfield Lodge.

That said, New Lusitania will be no small test. They have not lost in this tournament so far, either, & only a late goal in their final match made them lose a tiebreaker for Group A. They’re only in this tournament because they lost in a World Cup playoff to Nova Anglicana, too. They earned 38 points with a defense that conceded only seventeen goals in eighteen matches, & they had a blistering attack, which scored forty-eight times in Group 1, more than even Juvencus. By those measures, New Lusitania may well be a better opponent than Juvencus was - & they took Qusmo to the wire, despite an offensive explosion from Qusmo that it does not normally see.

Both of these teams performed well in tough World Cup Qualification groups, & both have performed very well in the Cup of Harmony, with a loss yet to appear on their tournament record. That is why this match is one of the toughest to predict among all those in the Round of Sixteen. New Lusitanian outfit Journada, for example, was closely split on the chances of their nation advancing.

We understand why; however, we think that a clue might be in the two nations’ performance in Cup of Harmony 73. Simply put, Qusmo had to navigate one of the toughest groups in the tournament, whereas New Lusitania simply didn’t. Qusmo won every match in its group, while New Lusitania could only earn a draw against Taeshan, which is why they are in this match as a group runner-up.

Ultimately, who will Avarn-Oxolt Ban employ in their Starting XI, & who will rise to the occasion? Can the defense regroup, likely with a back line reverted to that of Qualifying? Can the offense continue to fire at all cylinders? If so, Qusmo could be going on to the next round - & might have a potential to advance even further. If not, New Lusitania is more than capable of making them pay dearly.

---

Prediction: Qusmo

Abanhfleft v. Squornshelan Remnant States
Shady Grove, Whitetail, Equestrian States

---

(24) Abanhfleft
1st in Group D - 5 points (1-2-0) v. Geisenfried, Omerica, & Darkmania (+1, 3-2)
World Cup 81 Qualifying: 2nd in Group 11 - 37 points, 12-1-5 (+13, 37-24)
10 points behind Group 11 winners Mriin (3rd in World Cup Group H, with 3 points)
Lost 4-9 (3-5, 1-4) in playoff to Darmen (2nd in World Cup Group A, with 4 points; advancing to Round of Sixteen match v. Nephara)
Other Group 17 Cup of Harmony teams:
Jeruselem (finished 1 point ahead; 1st in Group H, with 6 points; advancing to Round of Sixteen match v. Karulicja)
Darkmania (finished 4 points ahead; 4th in Group D, with 2 points)
Dreamplanet (finished 5 points ahead; 3rd in Group F, with 4 points)
Recent results: 3rd in World Cup 80 Qualifying Group 2 & Group Stage in World Cup 80

(99) Squornshelan Remnant States
2nd in Group C - 3 points (0-3-0*) v. Mytanija, Acronius, & Mattijana (±0, 4-4)
World Cup 81 Qualifying: 5th in Group 15 - 29 points, 9-2-7 (+8, 25-17)
22 points behind Group 15 winners Pasarga (3rd in World Cup Group A, with 4 points)
15 points behind Group 15 runners-up Qasden (qualified automatically; 4th in World Cup Group D, with 3 points)
Other Group 17 Cup of Harmony teams:
Geisenfried (4 points behind; 2nd in Group D, with 4 points; advancing to Round of Sixteen match v. Mytanija)
Recent results: Did not attempt to qualify for World Cup 80; Quarterfinals in Baptism of Fire 68

---

Some matchups look really close & need a deep look into the statistical minutae of each of the competitors to determine who is most likely to win, no matter who the favourite is. This match does not fit in that description.

Abanhfleft is one of the biggest favourites in this tournament, much less this Round of Sixteen matchup; the Squornshelan Remnant States competed in the Baptism of Fire this cycle. Abanhfleft is the only Cup of Harmony team ranked in the top thirty of the world, much less twenty-fourth; the Squornshelan Remnant States are only barely inside the top hundred.

Of course, Abanhfleft’s record, with only five points & one win, is concerning. Then again, their opponents’ aren’t much better. The Confederates did not manage to win a single group stage match & had to resort to a playoff against Acronius to qualify. That extra match will mean more wear & tear, more fatigue, less rest, & less time to prepare. They cannot afford that against an opponent like Abanhfleft.

Even looking back to the Qualifying cycle, Abanhfleft has a big advantage. Abanhfleft earned 37 points, took second in their group, & reached a playoff against a team which eventually advanced to the knockout rounds in the World Cup. The Squornshelan Remnant States, on the other hand, only finished fifth in Group 15, with 29 points in sum.

Of course, Abanhfleft can still implode, or the Squornshelan Remnant States could still rise to the challenge. The Confederates have a good team; however, Abanhfleft has an excellent squad, & even our projections have a hard time not anointing them the favourites to advance to the quarterfinals.

---

Prediction: Abanhfleft

Of course, the Equestrian States are not this Cup of Harmony’s only host; there will be a lot of action in Cassadaigua, too, though these matches will impact Qusmo only if a hypothetical final or third-place match, if they can advance to the semifinal. Let’s take a briefer look at each of the competitors & matchups in the Matriarchy.

Tinhampton v. South Toronto
Grande Mountain Stadium, Grande Mountain, Cassadaigua

---

(56) Tinhampton
1st in Group E - 9 points (3-0-0) v. Kelssek, Freeport, & Beepee (+6, 6-0)
World Cup 81 Qualifying: 3rd in Group 16 - 40 points, 13-1-4 (+18, 27-9)
3 points behind Group 16 winners Brenecia (1st in World Cup Group H, with 7 points; advancing to Round of Sixteen match v. Eura)
7 points behind Group 16 runners-up Cassadaigua (qualified via playoff; 2nd in World Cup Group D, with 4 points; advancing to Round of Sixteen match v. Ethane)
Other Group 16 Cup of Harmony teams: None
Recent results: 5th in World Cup 80 Qualifying Group 3; not invited to Cup of Harmony 72

(63) South Toronto
2nd in Group F - 6 points (2-0-1) v. Karulicja, Siovanija & Teusland, & Adab (+3, 8-5)
World Cup 81 Qualifying: 4th in Group 19 - 35 points, 11-2-5 (+20, 43-23)
15 points behind Group 19 winners Chromatika (3rd in World Cup Group E, with 3 points)
5 points behind Group 19 winners Nova Anglicana (3rd in World Cup Group B, with 4 points)
Other Group 19 Cup of Harmony teams:
Savojarna (finished 3 points behind; 1st in Group G, with 9 points; advancing to Round of Sixteen match v. Main Nation Ministry)
Recent results: 5th in World Cup 80 Qualifying Group 6 & Group Stage in Cup of Harmony 72

---

Prediction: Tinhampton

Savojarna v. Main Nation Ministry
New Lakeland Stadium, New Lakeland, Cassadaigua

---

(31) Savojarna
1st in Group G - 9 points (3-0-0) v. South Toronto, Dreamplanet, & Polkopia (+5, 7-2)
World Cup 81 Qualifying: 3rd in Group 19 - 38 points, 11-5-2 (+15, 34-19)
2 points behind Group 19 winners Chromatika (3rd in World Cup Group E, with 3 points)
12 points behind Group 19 runners-up Nova Anglicana (3rd in World Cup Group B, with 4 points)
Other Group 19 Cup of Harmony teams:
South Toronto (finished 3 points ahead; 2nd in Group F, with 6 points; advancing to Round of Sixteen match v. Tinhampton)
Recent results: 2nd in World Cup 80 Qualifying Group 2 & Group Stage in World Cup 80

(81) Main Nation Ministry
2nd in Group H - 5 points (1-2-0) v. Main Nation Ministry, The Macabees, & Oberour Ar Moro (+1, 6-5)
World Cup 81 Qualifying: 3rd in Group 14 - 35 points, 10-5-3 (+19, 46-27)
8 points behind Group 14 winners Kita-Hinode (3rd in World Cup Group G, with 3 points)
3 points behind Group 14 winners Sargossa (2nd in World Cup Group C, with 6 points; advancing to Round of Sixteen match v. Vilita)
Other Group 14 Cup of Harmony teams:
Siovanija & Teusland (finished 5 points ahead; 3rd in Group G, with 2 points)
Recent results: 8th in World Cup 80 Qualifying Group 6 & Group Stage in Cup of Harmony 72

---

Prediction: Savojarna

Eastfield Lodge v. Kelssek
Concord Heights Stadium, Concord Heights, Cassadaigua

---

(50) Eastfield Lodge
1st in Group F - 6 points (2-0-1) v. Karulicja, Siovanija & Teusland, & Adab (+1, 11-10)
World Cup 81 Qualifying: 4th in Group 9 - 34 points, 10-4-4 (+14, 36-22)
7 points behind Group 9 winners Valanora (3rd in World Cup Group D, with 4 points)
5 points behind Group 9 runners-up Polkopia (did not qualify; 4th in Cup of Harmony Group F, with 1 point)
Other Group 9 Cup of Harmony teams:
Karulicja (finished 9 points ahead; 2nd in Group G, with 4 points; advancing to Round of Sixteen match v. Jeruselem)
Qusmo (finished 1 point behind; 1st in Group B, with 9 points; advancing to Round of Sixteen match v. New Lusitania)
Recent results: 2nd in World Cup 80 Qualifying Group 1; not invited to Cup of Harmony 72

(120) Kelssek
2nd in Group E - 6 points (2-0-1) v. Kelssek, Freeport, & Beepee (+2, 6-4)
World Cup 81 Qualifying: 7th in Group 6 - 27 points, 8-3-7 (±0, 34-34)
19 points behind Group 6 winners Farfadillis (3rd in World Cup Group C, with 4 points)
11 points behind Group 6 runners-up Indusse (did not qualify; not invited to Cup of Harmony 73)
Other Group 6 Cup of Harmony teams: None
Recent results: Did not attempt to qualify for World Cup 80

---

Prediction: Eastfield Lodge

Jeruselem v. Karulicja
Battleboro Stadium, Battleboro, Cassadaigua

---

(54) Jeruselem
1st in Group H - 6 points (2-0-1) v. Main Nation Ministry, The Macabees, & Oberour Ar Moro (+1, 6-5)
World Cup 81 Qualifying: 3rd in Group 11 - 36 points, 11-3-4 (+15, 44-29)
11 points behind Group 11 winners Mriin (3rd in World Cup Group H, with 3 points)
1 points behind Group 11 runners-up Abanhfleft (did not qualify; 1st in Cup of Harmony Group D, with 5 points; advancing to Round of Sixteen match v. Squornshelan Remnant States)
Other Group 11 Cup of Harmony teams:
Darkmania (finished 3 points ahead; 4th in Group D, with 2 points)
Dreamplanet (finished 4 points ahead; 3rd in Group F, with 4 points)
Recent results: 5th in World Cup 80 Qualifying Group 10 & Group Stage in Cup of Harmony 72

(130) Karulicja
2nd in Group G - 4 points (1-1-1) v. South Toronto, Dreamplanet, & Polkopia (+1, 5-4)
World Cup 81 Qualifying: 6th in Group 9 - 25 points, 8-1-9 (+3, 35-32)
16 points behind Group 9 winners Valanora (3rd in World Cup Group D, with 4 points)
14 points behind Group 9 runners-up Polkopia (did not qualify; 4th in Cup of Harmony Group F, with 1 point)
Other Group 9 Cup of Harmony teams:
Qusmo (finished 10 points behind; 1st in Group B, with 9 points; advancing to Round of Sixteen match v. New Lusitania)
Eastfield Lodge (finished 9 points behind; 1st in Group F, with 6 points; advancing to Round of Sixteen match v. Kelssek)
Recent results: 5th in World Cup 80 Qualifying Group 4 & Group Stage in Cup of Harmony 72

---

Prediction: Jeruselem

Of course, only time will tell for sure how any of these matches end up, but we feel confident about these predictions - & hopeful about one in particular.

Group B

East Belzaria 1–1 Krytenia
at Wild Grounds in Everfree, EQS

Qusmo 4–3 Juvencus
at Shady Grove in Whitetail, EQS

  Group B                           Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts
1  Qusmo                           3   3  0  0    6   3  +3    9   Q
2  Juvencus                        3   1  1  1    5   5   0    4   Q
3  East Belzaria                   3   0  2  1    1   2  -1    2
4  Krytenia                        3   0  1  2    2   4  -2    1

QNT staves off Juvencus to win match & Group B
Qusmo 4–3 Juvencus
Shady Grove, Whitetail, Equestrian States

---

GK  Xynat-Evela Cuf
CB  Cunix-Betva Tla
52’ Lynul-Savar Mal
CB  Yelto-Alfan Ono
CB  Ozolx-Alfan Ixi
CM  Yamaj-Blonz Jok
CM  Ilinx-Kepex Zev (58’)
66’ Yamaj-Blonz Jok
AM  Ilinx-Vulav Ixi (30’)
LM  Kynda-Sevet Pec
RM  Forzu-Ralox Kal
SS  Paliv-Xilit Max (9’, 72’)
66’ Rilan-Jerat Nev
ST  Prant-Pertz Gor

[Mytanija]

DRAW SEES MYTANIJA THROUGH TO LAST SIXTEEN
MYTANARS RECEIVE A TASTE OF THEIR OWN MEDICINE WITH LE KERVELEC’S LATE EQUALISER

by Nevenka Planinc

MYTANIJA 1-1 ACRONIUS
MYT: Vukovic 34’
ACR: Le Kervelec 86’

MYT (120): 1. Savic; 13. Vukovic (sub. Feric 70’), 3. Azanovic (C) (sub. Anac 70’), 15. Bobic, 5. Isaev; 18. Brkljacic, 7. Todorov, 6. Fejzuli; 10. Odonelec (sub. Madar 64’); 9. Ocokoljic, 11. Aleksic

ACR (49): 2. de Brassaï; 13. Althusse, 3. Paulois, 4. Maçon, 5. Péguy; 7. Le Kervelec, 6. Trésor (C), 16. Chimneys (sub. Depoorter 52’), 17. Kra; 9. Fontanils (sub. Nakayama 68’), 10. Pascale (sub. Truglia 68’)

In the same manner that Mytanija dealt a late blow to Mattijana in the group opener, Acronius’ late equaliser could have potentially done the same in the final group game – this time to the Hoops. Vukovic’s first-half goal was cancelled out by the player we all knew to be the dangerman: Antoine Le Kervelec. As it was, we knew that a draw would likely be enough for the team to qualify to the knockouts rounds and so it proved. A draw between Mattijana and Squornshelan Remnant States in the other game meant Mytanija would top the group with 5 points (1 win, 2 draws), and would meet Group D runners-up Geisenfried in the last sixteen.

Pre-game, Robin Hjik had spoken of minor tactical tweaks to try and combat the threat Acronius posed down the wings. Srdan Vukovic came in for Tihomir Feric and Branko Brkljacic came in for Mehmet Elvahic – although Brkljacic played on the left of the three in central midfield rather than on the right, as Elvahic normally would. Luka Bobic would also be selected due to Niksa Obadko's suspension for picking up a yellow card in each of the first two games. There were some raised eyebrows at the inclusion of Vukovic, who is known as a more attacking option than Feric. Many wondered exactly how Hjik proposed to combat the Acronian wingers without the better defensive full-back on the field, but he was vindicated in the first-half.

Vukovic took up a position high up the pitch when Mytanija were in possession and this allowed the team to get forward well down the left-hand side, he worked well with Odonelec who drifted out to this side in a similar manner to the way he did once Vukovic entered the fray against Mattijana. The two have an excellent relationship on and off the field and it shows, at times their interplay is almost telepathic. This position, well into the Acronian half of the field also had the happy consequence of keeping Shin Kra – Acronius’ right-sided midfielder – pinned back in his own half. He couldn’t stay high up the field himself or he would be leaving his full-back defenceless against a two-on-one against Vukovic and Odonelec.

Hjik’s tactics – likely masterminded by Lev Repin – were vindicated. Branko Brkljacic played a covering role when in possession – assuming a deep-lying position just inside Acronian half – occupying the space vacated by Srdan Vukovic as he forayed up the left-flank. Brkljacic played this role excellently, contributing in defence a couple of times by disrupting would-be Acronian counters, whilst also remaining a threat from deep due to his long-range passing ability.

The first chance of the game fell to Nebojsa Aleksic as he latched onto a beautifully looped ball that simultaneously took out both the Acronian midfield and defence, but the half-volley was slightly mis-timed and ended up going over the crossbar. It was a sign of things to come, though, with Brkljacic’s deep-lying role being pivotal in the game.

Acronius may not have realised how skilful Brkljacic was when it came to passing the ball, but as soon as that pass had been played they were immediately more cautious and dropped about ten yards. They realised they couldn’t continue to play a high-line as Brkljacic was able to drop passes over the high-line for Aleksic and Ocokoljic to run onto. Therefore, they dropped deeper, and this allowed the Hoops to begin to play in front of them a bit more and find pockets of space in between the defence and midfield.

It was from one of these pockets of space that the opening goal came from as a nice bit of work from Vukovic and Odonelec down the left-hand side of the Acronian bypassed Shin Kra – who looked completely bamboozled as to what to do against this particular Mytanar tactic – and Vukovic then pinged a pass along the pitch inside to Ocokoljic who had dropped into the space left between the Acronian defensive line and midfielders. Vukovic carried on his run and Ocokoljic timed a perfectly dinked pass excellently to beat the offside trap and play Vukovic in. The 1896 Ebor left-back made no mistake with his finish from a tough angle, taking one touch to bring the ball close to his feet and then a second to almost ‘punch’ the ball past de Brassaï. 1-0 and Mytanija’s tactics were looking productive to say the least.

Soon after Vukovic was causing havoc once again down the left-hand side for the Acronians. He received a wonderfully threaded pass from Odonelec, running onto the ball and taking it in his stride before playing it across Dimitri Péguy’s body and in the process getting his own body between Péguy and the ball. The Acronian right-back stumbled into Vukovic and despite Vukovic’s desperate appeals for a penalty, the referee gave it as a free kick just outside the penalty area.

Television replays would show that it was marginally inside the box, but by such a margin that the referee should perhaps be forgiven for his error – questions regarding VAR and its use would have roared on in the Mytanar media for weeks had the result of this game and Mytanija’s positioning within the group hinged on that decision. The Mytanar protests fell on deaf ears as the referee refused to consult VAR and evidently did not listen to anything being said on his earpiece either.

The resulting free kick came to nothing as Odonelec crossed in and Aleksic headed wide. But the Mytanar team were definitely on-top and this was received well in the stands as the sizeable Mytanar contingent created a boisterous atmosphere in the upper decks of the Sky-High Coliseum. It was certainly a change from the two losses the team endured against the same opposition during World Cup qualifying – the Mytanar management clearly learning from those losses with the strategy they employed during this game.

Half-time came and went and it was more of the same, Vukovic was a constant thorn in the side for the Acronians and he came close to setting up Ocokoljic for a tap-in, but Louis Maçon heroically cut the pass out and cleared it out for a throw-in rather than it leading to an almost certain goal.

Seven minutes into the second-half, Acronius manager Massimiliano Abdullahi (of Free Republics, the hosts of the current World Cup who have made it all the way to the semi-finals), had seen enough from his team and made the first change. He brought on David Depoorter for Ryan Chimneys and the change was almost instant. Depoorter brought a sense of calm to the Acronian midfield and was a little better defensively than Chimneys too as he sat in the space that Ocokoljic and Odonelec had been exploiting and disrupted the Mytanar passing lanes. Soon after, Hjik made a change of his own and signalled his intent to switch to a more defensive game-plan as Duje Madar came on for Jasno Odonelec and the Hoops switched from the 4-3-1-2 formation to a 4-1-3-2 with Madar sitting in front of the defence to shield them from any counter attacks.

Less than five minutes later, Abdullahi made a double substitution, like-for-like changes for his strikers with Fontanils and Pascale having been fairly ineffective up until that point he looked to change things with two young strikers entering the fray. Nakayama and Truglia came on and instantly there were issues in the Mytanar back-line as the substitutes began to take up less predictable positions and began to drag the centre-halves out of their rigid defensive shape.

It caused the captain’s substitution, Azanovic had followed Truglia out to a position on the right-wing and in doing so lunged to try and intercept a pass – which he successfully did, clearing the ball – but in doing so he sustained a muscular injury. He attempted to go on, but fell to the turf again seconds later when it was clear he would not be able to run and was substituted for Mojmir Anac. Grigor Todorov took the armband as the captain trudged off, clearly disappointed that he would not be able to see out the game.

Srdan Vukovic also went off at the same time as Azanovic having run himself into the ground for the team he got a rapturous ovation from the travelling Mytanar contingent. Tihomir Feric came on for him and suddenly the Mytanar team looked very defensive minded once again (Feric is not a defensive full-back per se, but he is seen as a more risk averse option in Mytanija).

Suddenly the Mytanar defensive line was sitting very deep and the Acronian team were getting joy where they had not been able to find any earlier in the game. Shin Kra was high up the pitch and Antoine Le Kervelec imitated him on the other side of the pitch. Petr Isaev had kept Le Kervelec quiet for the entire game up until that point, but he rattled the post with a curled effort from the edge of the box and it was clear the Mytanar team would have to be stay on their toes to maintain the 1-0 lead and take all three points.

It wasn’t to be and in the 86th minute, Le Kervelec was sent free by a delightful ball from David Depoorter. Depoorter had fired a ball into Kenji Nakayama who had side-footed it back to him first time and then Depoorter fizzed a pass between Bobic and Isaev into space for Le Kervelec to run onto and the winger made no mistake, dinking the ball over the oncoming Jasmin Savic who could do nothing to prevent the ball from going in. 1-1 and potentially a nervous finish to the game.

It finished like that and the 2-2 result in the other game confirmed the Hoops position at the top of the group and in the knockout rounds of the Cup of Harmony for the first time since Lev Repin lifted the trophy as captain in CoH 59.

Ratings.

Starting XI.

1. Savic – 7/10. Didn’t have too much to do for a good hour but still acquitted himself well when called upon. Was unfortunate with the goal as there was not too much he could do, Le Kervelec had plenty of time to think about how he was going to finish and Savic made himself big, but the winger’s quality shone through with a cheeky dink.

13. Vukovic – 9/10. Man of the Match. A really good performance from Vukovic, he was irresistible down the left-wing in this game. Acronius truly had no answer to him as he took up positions much more advanced than Feric had in either of the two games during WCQ’s. His goal was well taken and was a constant thorn in the side for the Acronians. His offensive output actually made us defensively solid, too, as it meant they couldn’t attack down that side without giving us potential overloads down the left-side of their defence.

3. Azanovic – 6/10. A solid performance from the captain as we have come to expect. Showed his quality on the ball a few times with raking passes to find Vukovic and Odonelec. His injury could be costly for the rest of the tournament, though, so we will have to keep our fingers crossed for good news. Anac’s a good replacement, but may be a bit green for the business end of the tournament.

15. Bobic – 4/10. At fault for the Acronius goal. He allowed too big a gap to form between him and Petr Isaev and this was swiftly exploited by Depoorter’s excellent pass and Le Kervelec’s run and finish. It’s a good thing Obadko will be back for the first knockout game as having neither Azanovic nor Obadko could be a recipe for disaster. As it is, Hjik may prefer a partnership of Obadko and Anac following Bobic’s error today.

5. Isaev – 5/10. Kept Le Kervelec quiet for 85 minutes of the game. The problem is that all it takes for players of Le Kervelec’s quality is one error from the opposition and between Bobic and Isaev one was made that allowed the Acronian winger to score the equaliser. Isaev should perhaps have known better given his greater experience at this level but Depoorter’s pass was that good there was little he could do about it – should have been tighter to Le Kervelec, though.

18. Brkljacic – 8/10. Very good performance from the midfielder. He’s known for being a defensive midfielder who can pass the ball but this was a performance that showed he could do a lot more. He was brought into the side to play a certain role but there will be pundits clamouring to see him included on a more regular basis as his proficiency in defending seemingly brought the best out of several players playing alongside him. Could be the conduit for Hjik and Repin to move towards a more attacking approach.

7. Todorov – 6/10. Solid performance from Todorov today, took the captain’s armband following Azanovic’s injury and marshalled the team well when their heads could have dropped.

6. Fejzuli – 7/10. We may have seen the new role for Fejzuli today on the right-side of the midfield trio, he was effective and Brkljacic’s inclusion on the opposite side may have been the main reason for that. A couple of lovely passes could have led to goals but for some decent defending.

10. Odonelec – 7/10. A good performance from Odonelec, he relishes playing alongside Srdan Vukovic, the 1896 Ebor full-back constantly giving him an option down that left-flank. Odonelec did well when drifting into the space in the left channel and was only stopped when Abdullahi introduced Depoorter to close-off this space.

9. Ocokoljic – 6/10. Got the assist for Vukovic’s goal but was otherwise a bit of a non-entity when going forwards. He hasn’t had the best tournament so far despite being our main man when it comes to scoring goals. Hjik and Repin must really be waiting for him to set this CoH alight.

11. Aleksic – 4/10. Not his best day at the office, had a few opportunities (notably the first chance in the game and a header from a free kick), but didn’t hit the target. Aleksic is a good goal scorer but similarly to Ocokoljic just hasn’t been able to hit the ground running in this tournament for whatever reason.

Substitutes.

2. Feric – 5/10. Did alright when he came on. Didn’t have too much to do as Shin Kra had seemingly been completely discombobulated by the Mytanar approach to the game.

14. Anac – 6/10. Put in a crunching tackle on Truglia that got a big reaction from the Mytanar fans. People thought Obadko would be a future captain with the national team but we’re starting to think that Mojmir Anac may be the more likely candidate. An excellent centre-half in the making and already captain of his club side!

17. Madar – 4/10. Didn’t really get involved too much once he had come on and certainly didn’t fulfil the role he was supposed to. Had he done his job, he would have intercepted the pass by Depoorter that set Le Kervelec through but Madar was mysteriously absent from the scene there. Will be surprising if Hjik brings him on to close a game out again, he may even prefer right-back Isaija Yanev in the defensive midfield position as this was a disappointing showing by Madar.

NEXT UP:
Geisenfried (107): So far Mytanija have a victory over 58th ranked Mattijana and draws against 49th ranked Acronius and 99th Squornshelan Remnant States, so this tie against Geisenfried – ranked a much more proximate 107th – should be an interesting encounter if nothing else. That being said, they obviously did well to qualify out of a group that included the top ranked team in the tournament Abanhfleft, along with 68th ranked Omerica and 87th Darkmania. Their 3-1 victory over Omerica in the final match secured their spot in the round of sixteen and the Mytanar team will have to be wary of striker Kieran Thiessan (8 goals in 19 caps), and set-piece specialist Rudi Löwenthal. We have also played them before, in a qualifying play-off way back in the WC62 cycle. We won that time, here’s hoping the Hoops can do the same thing in this game.

Team to face Geisenfried: Savic; Vukovic, Anac, Obadko, Isaev; Brkljacic, Todorov (C), Fejzuli; Odonelec; Ocokoljic, Aleksic.

Subs from: Kasun, Feric, Bobic, Yanev, Stojkovic, Elvahic, Zekic.

IC explanation being Vukovic and Brkljacic's good performances versus Acronius meaning they retain their starting roles, Anac replacing the injured Azanovic and Obadko returning from suspension.

[Main Nation Ministry]

Non-Fiction: Flaming Bears

The Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Dorbi Truman was inside his car in the middle of the night, opening an envelope. As he was checking the contents, there was a knock on the car window on the driver's side, where a soldier was gesturing to have the window down. A typical questioning, it seems. Dorbi had the window go down, where the soldier asked for identification. "I can assure you, sir. I'm a natural born citizen in Victory Square. There is no need to identify me further." Truman said, until the soldier suddenly aimed a pistol at him.

"Is there going to work? He's taking the bait."
"Calm down, Truman. The decoy is such a good actor, it's sad this night is his last performance."

As the soldier proceeded to unload his clip at the decoy, several spotlights turned up simultaneously, bathing the soldier in light. Dozens of other soldiers proceeded to surrounded the assassin, as he was immediately shot in the arm, causing him to drop his weapon. As he was being approached, the assassin attempted to break his own jaw by deliberately smashing his face into the ground.

At a fancy restaurant where all of the men from the armed forces go to for celebrating after a hard day of training, the Leader was eating his meal of grilled snakefish with Dorbi Truman. "So they've spilled the beans?" Truman asked the Leader. "Of course. We send him to one of our favorite "rooms", so we can inflict all sorts of trouble upon him. I do need to make some legislation in the mean time." The Leader said, slicing up the fish. "So..Who were the people doing the assassinations?"

"You will be surprised to hear that it was a bunch of disgruntled soldiers who didn't take some retractions seriously."
"At least, who was the mastermind? Just tell me!"
"Oh? The mastermind. It was an army captain named Rajmund who couldn't get out of his head that he was ABANDONED TO BE KILLED, out of all ways to die."
"What did you do to Rajmund?"
"Well, I gave some of his conspirators an addendum to give him a fitting punishment. Rajmund demanded, if any of his men were caught, they would have to die. However, we gave them a choice to have them live, in exchange for Rajmund for taking all the blame. It's sad how people do everything to survive." The Leader said.

Meanwhile, Jones was entering the restaurant trying to look for the Leader, simply trying to find a sign of his presence, usually by his bodyguards. However, the soldiers were watching the Cup of Harmony on the flat screen TV's, as it was happening around happy hour, where everyone was getting drinks of victory gin from the bar. However, Jones did see a glimpse of what appeared to be Dorbi Truman.
"So why did you get rid of this machine in the first place. I was told I was going to mauled to death by a FLAMING BEAR."
"You would have been shot to death. It was revealing fake information."
"Really? To be fair, I would have most likely died from something similar to what has just happened. I think you're correct."
"I can confirm it, also. Because I took the test from the Machine of Death, also. That machine gave me a card that showed me something that was never going to happen. I got BEAR to after all. But I knew I can never die from a bear, because I'm prepared on how to handle a bear. Like everyone should."

Emmanuel Jones heard what the Leader said, but pretended to the Leader that he wasn't eavesdropping as he walked up to the two. "Leader, sir? Mr. Aldridge has been released from custody, due to the neutralizing of the threat." Jones said, explaining that there was no more comic pages drawn by Aldridge that seemed to suggest a future catastrophe. "Well, that seems like good news. Come sit down, Jones. It has been a hard week, I would say. I can order you some snakefish. We can watch the game, also." The Leader, letting Jones sit down.

---

Dennis Aldridge was free. Along with his son. The tests were negative for days. It seemed like since the situation was resolved, there would be no sense of worry now. Night was approaching, as he tucked his children to their beds, where he himself walked briefly to his study, then heading to bed. Dennis Aldridge was imagining himself as one of the characters in the Azerty series in his dreams. He was helping a human survivors against the robotic forces that attempted to capture them. But, what's this. Dennis was dreaming that he was being captured by the robots. And now, they seemed to be bringing him over to a burning building, where he can see his children burning alive-

Dennis Aldridge immediately woke up from his nightmare, turning on his bedside lamp. He looked at his wrists to make sure he didn't slash them open to use his blood as paint. No injuries. Seemed like a simple nightmare. But why was he getting this awful feeling? Dennis sat up and walked to his children's bedroom to check up on them. Then, the fear perked up. That awful fear that every adult seems to have. His children were gone. The covers were a mess, as if something grabbed them from their beds and took them away. The front door of the house was left open, but it was when Dennis noticed that the door to his study was open was when he investigated.

On his desk was another comic panel that he immediately recognized did not belong to him or was made by him. On the comic page, he saw what looked like a movie studio being ablaze where he sees his children in the background with third to fourth degree burns all over their bodies. Below the comic panel was a message, "Come to the Triumph Seashell Studios in Sector 79 tomorrow morning. If you tell anyone about this, you and your children will die in the most painful ways possible, where we will make sure your life will be ruined."