Baptism of Fire 73 - Everything Thread

by **Se Vende Skooma** » Sat Aug 15, 2020 9:01 pm

The Se Vende Skooma Potato Cannoneers

Style Mod + 4

Legendary Manager: Umberto BARF
Brigadier Manager: S.D.G. BACH
Assistant Manager: Paul SPREE
Adjunct Manager: Julian SOMMER, Dan TENBOB, Arunati COUNTER-TENOR

Constable (Keeper): Nostradamus PLOWSHARES

Wide Enforcer (Left Back): Tabarouette JOHN-JOHNSON
Front Middle Enforcer (Center Back): Goodman PHELPS
Bailiff (Defensive Midfielder): El Corregidor SOLAMENTE
Line Enforcer (Right Back): Zod RHAETIA

Right Ballkicker (Right Midfielder): Frank BONAPARTE
Central Ballkicker (Central Midfielder): Indelicato POPE
Left Ballkicker (Left Midfielder):Jeremiah BONAR LAW
Super (Attacking Midfielder): Funky Fresh DELICATESSEN

Power Forward (Striker): PSEUDO-DIONYSIUS
Small Forward (Shadow): Harrison BUTTAFUOCO

My opponent, if they RP first, may do the following:
Choose my goalscorers: Yes
Godmod scoring events: Yes
RP injuries to my players: Yes
Godmod injuries to my players: Yes
Hand out yellow cards to my players: Yes
Hand out red cards to my players: Yes
Godmod other events: Yes

by **Chromatika** » Sat Aug 15, 2020 10:51 pm

Things will start getting clearer now - where will your team stand? Cutoff for MD3, Chromatik region!

Baptism of Fire 73
Matchday 3 - Chromatik Section

Group D
Fluvannia 1–6 Squidroidia
Woryand 1–1 Pemecutan
Unimon 1–4 Glazgo

Group D                                  Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Glazgo                                   3   3  0  0   13   5  +8    9
2 Squidroidia                              3   3  0  0   11   4  +7    9
3 Pemecutan                                3   1  1  1    5   5   0    4
4 Woryand                                  3   0  2  1    4   6  −2    2
5 Unimon                                   3   0  1  2    3   7  −4    1
6 Fluvannia                                3   0  0  3    4  13  −9    0

Group E
Mathuvan Union 0–1 Southern Palm Islands
Netop 2–1 Rangers FC
The Gothanita Isles 1–0 TOTEL

Group E                                  Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 The Gothanita Isles                      3   3  0  0    6   1  +5    9
2 Netop                                    3   2  0  1    8   3  +5    6
3 Mathuvan Union                           3   2  0  1    4   1  +3    6
4 Southern Palm Islands                    3   1  1  1    3   4  −1    4
5 Rangers FC                               3   0  1  2    2   4  −2    1
6 TOTEL                                    3   0  0  3    0  10 −10    0

Group F
Se Vende Skooma 0–2 Megistos
Tioguldos 2–1 NorraLesse
Quebecois Acadiana 2–4 Liberal Democratic Socialist States

Group F                                  Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Megistos                                 3   3  0  0    8   1  +7    9
2 Tioguldos                                3   3  0  0   10   4  +6    9
3 Liberal Democratic Socialist States      3   2  0  1    9   9   0    6
4 Se Vende Skooma                          3   1  0  2    4   6  −2    3
5 NorraLesse                               3   0  0  3    2   7  −5    0
6 Quebecois Acadiana                       3   0  0  3    4  10  −6    0

RP Prompt for Matchday 4:
RP Prompts are here to suggest a topic to write about. Writing about the prompt won't give you any additional points, but if you're ever stuck, feel free to give these a whirl!

MD3 - The Competition.
Have you ever had run-ins with other nations in this Baptism of Fire or the hosts? Are there any from your region that is participating in this tournament? If not, are there any who will be waiting for you in the World Cup?

If none of these apply, write about your neighbors and your relations to them, history with them, etc.

by **Southern Palm Islands** » Sun Aug 16, 2020 3:32 am

PALM ISLAND TIMES
A Win at Last!!!

"Southern Palm Islands!!!! It's time to rejoice!!! It's a win! The first win in the BoF!!" says Sembara Bunian, the coach of SPI. SPI won the match against Matthuvan Union for a score of 1-0. The goal was scored by captain Plascas in the 49th minute. "How incredible goal was it? It's just luck" says Plascas after the match. The Matthuvan striker missed a free kick and it got saved by the goalkeeper. The ball was then passed to Peter Plascas and then to Daniel Plascas who scored the goal. The stadium growled with happiness as they saw their team winning a International (Non-MA) match for the first time.

Matthuvan Union 0-1 Southern Palm Islands
- D.Plascas 49'

Romantic Goals from The Past
PART-2

Till now: Captain Plascas and Reporter speaks about the life of the captain and what he is.

P: yes, I'm a historian so let's go to history.
R: But, History? We are hear for sports.
P: Wait and hear what I want to say..
R: Okay
P: Southern Palm Islands is the southern most landmass in Melayu Archipelago. It is home to the Melayu Spice Trade and Hindu-Imdo Culture in Melayu. Cardamom, Saffron and cloves are extensively produced in the palm islands. The only spice that is imported is the Star Anise, which isn't cultivated in SPi. The white Melaya Elephants are only found in SPI and Mitra and Soma in Eraman. It is said in the epic "Sri Pala Padmanabha Vijaya" it is said that SPI, Pemecutan, Sharktail,Eraman was a single landmass called Jambuva Landmass. It was ruled by a dynansty called Sripala. It stretched from the borders of Samudera Darusalaam to Kimbishtki Island in SPI. It is said that the land got divided because of a event and floods which are collectively known as the "Katanaga Series". The epic says that the landmass at its last years was ruled by 3 Kings: Sripala King,Mitran King and Soman King. All these kingdom bordered each other at a place in North Sripala where situated a large Temple of the Trimurti. At the last years the kingdom witnessed a large flood, The bordering areas got submerged and the temple was completely destroyed and a Relic came at the spot with a golden sword in it. The relic read "Oh!Emperors of Lands here lie the weapon which gives you the key to the eternal world, take this to your crown and get yourself salvation!".
R: Then! then? What happened?
P: The real story starts now.... Then....
R: Then?
P: Then...
(Captain gets called for practice)
R: Oh no...
P: Then tommorow. Bye.

To be Continued...

by **Praeceptia** » Sun Aug 16, 2020 4:11 am

Fun DanceALot Newswire

BREAKING NEWS!

The Tickler
• Alligator apologizes to man, checks into methadone clinic
• Taxi drivers discovered to be trafficking ducks
• Social parties with simians banned

Politics

• Minister of Clothes and Garmants declares war on top hats
• Further Ossumastu officials resign over allegations
• Your guide to inflicting corporal punishment

Sports

• Using 7 football strategies like the pros!
• The new Stadius ex Heroibus: The Ultimate Deal
• 3 ways to master football without breaking a sweat

A blind man on a rainy night in Himiae could have scored

Praeceptia failed to score even one single goal, all despite their 27 shots on target! Savigliane's defense and goal keeper proved unstoppable. Not even Novus, our seven goal in two game striker, could find the back of the net. The striker could barely hold onto the ball, let alone get past Savigliane's back three. Novus had a particularly frustrating night against Moreau, who managed three clean tackles that left our striker alone in the field. "Blame the public ridicule, not the failure," is all the mysterious Novus would say.

Coach Amet looked shaken at the final whistle. He is surely rethinking his defensive plans after watching Coste glide past Fil Tzoounes, while Grandis was held up marking the physical Grimaldi. One can wonder at how goal keeper Mumu could handle the onslaught of shots from Savigliane. Coach Amet claimed "We're going to struggle without goals, I think." One wonders what the coach, also the Minister of Sports and Recreation, will be telling his higher ups. They will surely be demanding nothing but the very best after the countless Oneros spent on the national side.

Few would have been pleased under the circumstances, but especially after Varro Bibulus left the field early from "decongestion," despite being seen with a flask in his hand outside the stadium. Surely he was in trouble when faced with Vitali's far superior athleticism. Both are known for their crossing, but only the Savigliane midfielder possesses professional level fitness. "Sway forwards with your feet crooked," Bibulus told us at the press conference after the match. After downing two shots of whiskey, he went on to claim that "conformity is not to forget, but to re-forget." Are there regulations for professional alcoholics?

The Minister for Following Up declared that "we'll have to wait and see" whether Coach Amet retains his position. "Always repair your own remorses," the Minster went on, "to some, failure means a hospital. To others it means so much more... it's a prince." Coach Amet's goal when entering the tournament was to reach the knockout stage, but that could be in danger after two draws in a row and questionable performances across the board. We will have to pick it up in their next match against the Pripet Socialist Republic whose highly defensive team will make life difficult for us. Coach Amet, wringing his hands and dabbing sweat from his brow, left us with this quote, "A dentist will always be a dentist. Any questions?"

Ed's Op Ed
Last night was a disaster almost as bad as the Titanic. Praeceptia couldn't score and if they can't, what man can? They struggled all night to put the ball in the back of the net. I called my doctor and asked him about it. He says they suffer from goal-ectile-dysfunction. The coaches claimed it was from a lack of communication, so my question is where are the marriage counselors at? But the players, for their part, had their own answer. The players insist that losing is part of the game. Yeah, so is winning.

They say that you miss 100% of the shots you don't take. Obviously they never met Praeceptia. Some fans called out to the team during the game, "if you can't outplay them, outwork them!" Clearly Praeceptia didn't hear it. I asked Coach Amet about all of this after the game last night. He looked at me full of enthusiasm and shouted "we must fail over and over again to succeed!" So, where's the success part?

Thank you, that is all.

by **Squidroidia** » Sun Aug 16, 2020 5:23 am

If there's any revelation as Squidroidia reach the just-over-halfway point of their Baptism of Fire group stage trek, it was that everybody in Group D was having Fluvannia for breakfast. That, of course, included Squidroidia themselves - 6-1 victors at the Warriors Arena in Knetyohai, they are now set for a 1st vs 2nd clash against Glazgo as both teams head towards Deprí Sanar. With more coverage on Squidroidia's Baptism of Fire run, here's Ryū Kanda.

Baptism of Fire 73 - Squidroidia Red Hot Preparing for Glazgo
Ryū Kanda - International Football Reporter, SBN News

"Full time from Knetyohai, another win for the Inklings of Squidroidia."

This, of course, was par for the course for the Squidroidian national team. After their incredible IAC run in Omerica in which they advanced to the knockout stage for the first time in Squidroidian history, going 3 from 3 in their first few games in a World Cup Committee tournament doesn't look impressive. It was a given that the team would beat Fluvannia, but of course, they had to thrash them, as so far they are the punching bag of Group D.

Squidroidia got the proceedings under way, Ogasawara lofting a big pass up to Jo Jun, making a run as the 29 year old slotted the ball into the net in the 12th minute. His first ever competitive goal for his country, he shred up an air guitar in celebration, being the defensive-mid rockstar that he was. This, of course, would be followed by a goal from Hideo in the 34th, yet another goal from the prodigy who plies his trade in South Newlandia, for the Walstreim Lions.

The score was 2-0 as the 2nd half began, and 30 seconds after kickoff, Hoshi would intercept the ball and run. And run. Dribbling past the Fluvannian defense like it was nothing, he struck the ball low as it went back into the net, and Squidroidia were 3-0 up. After a Fluvannian goal in the 52nd minute, Squidroidia would blare out their sirens once again in the 64th as Itoh got his brace, followed by a first time shot and goal from the 23 year old Kabuto Tadataka, the Inklings leading 5-1. One last goal would come, Hideo running through the wing in the 85th, crossing the ball and finding... Ohashi Kiichi. His first ever goal for the Squidroidian national team. Final whistle, boom goes the dynamite, 6-1 win.

With that result, Squidroidia stay in 2nd in Group D, behind Glazgo on goal difference as both teams have the full 9 points heading into their match against each other in Deprí Sanar, knowing for a win for either team can seal their places in the last 16. But Manager Ryūzaki Mito is confident that Squidroidia can win giving the circumstances.

"We showed real class against Fluvannia, and we look like the better team on paper heading into our clash with Glazgo. Unlike them we actually have experience in do or die group games, winning against Poaf and Fleft in IAC, so we're more ready than anyone."

Time will truly tell if the Squidroidians advance to the knockout stage.

Ryū Kanda, SBN News.

by **The Gothanita Isles** » Sun Aug 16, 2020 7:07 am

Previous RP

RP Series: Getting to the top
Chapter 1: Aiming to be the very best
Part 3: Addicted to winning?

When you win the first match, you just think that you got a relatively easier opponent.
When you win the second match, you just think that you got some crazy luck.
When you win the third match, you start thinking that you are actually a strong side after all.

Ultimately, trying to aim to be the very best and being the very best is very different, but the more you win, the more confidence you get. Especially against a bunch of teams who are making their debut performances here in the Baptism of Fire, bringing with them new techniques and new strategies which you may not have seen before. After all, you cannot deny that to get to the very top, one of the things that you are interested in is to be "the top student of your class". To do that, you would naturally start looking at teams around you in the Baptism of Fire, see how they have performed, and understand how difficult it is.

Among sides which we have taken notice of include Lovisa, Tikariot, Graintfjall, Overseas Territories of Sylestone and Squidroidia. Lovisa are technically cheating - just like Quebec in the previous Baptism of Fire, they have previously participated in the World Cup, took a long hiatus, and now are making a return back into international football. Their performances thus far has been disappointing, but so has Quebec been the last BoF. Maybe they would just crash out of the BoF, but produce a really nice performance in the World Cup Qualifiers. Tikariot and Graintfjall's performances has been sparkling thus far, and their matchday 3 encounter was really exciting. We had learnt of their players through their respective domestic leagues, and their respective performances in the IFCF club competitions. (OOC: Time Lap issues mean that this BoF happened after IFCF cycle 4, so both would have submitted at least 1 league to the IFCF by then) Sylestone debuted in World Cup cycle with a rather interesting squad made up of sapients we thought were inanimate objects. Their sister nation, the Overseas Territories, are also a side we are interested to watch following Sylestone's performance last season. Last but not least, it is Squidroidia we are extremely scared off. They did exceedingly well in the Independent Associations' Cup just half a year ago, getting first place out of a really difficult group including Sajnur, Abanhfleft, Kayangan and our friends Poafmersia, and even beat top seeds Poafmersia along the way. Even results from Matchday 3 has shown the clear and obvious winners - 6 teams have already lost any chance of getting into the top 2, while 2 teams have been guaranteed to place no worse than 3rd in their respective groups. One of them is Squidroidia, the side from Europe that we believe are favourites to win the title, apart from us, of course.

So the team treated the next match against TOTEL really seriously. Although they leaked 6 goals to Netop and 3 to Mathuvan Union without outputting a single goal, the Isles really wanted the win and ensured that the opposition don't pile themselves on us. It was a slug fest, considering that the opposition players were desperate to get a performance in order to answer to their One True Eternal Leader, but the Isles wanted to produce a win and went all out for it. The weather was just hot and the players got really sweaty, but they put in their very best performance in order to grab that 3 points. In the end, it was creative midfielder Tyler who brought in the goal in the 67th minute, scoring a really nice long range shot from just outside the box to hit the top right corner.

The moment the final whistle blew and the Gothanita Isles got their 3rd win in the group stage, the fans were shouting "we are the lions of the field", taking a reference to the side's new nickname which was recently revealed. The Isles' football side are now better known as the "Yellow Lions", a name that was decided based on a poll conducted online among Gothanitans. The players' "never say die" spirit, the players aim to be the best, has clearly paid off, now they are on their way to bring themselves into the Round of 16. So far, it has been a perfect audition, with only 1 goal leaked and 3 wins out of 3.

Co-manager Jurica Bouchard was interviewed by the reporters after the match, and he was very grateful that the players have presented their best performance. "I think the match was an absolute bash from our players. Despite the opposition looking to put forth a reaction, we did really well. Under the burning sun, which was an absolutely brutal weather for our players, the players showed off a performance well deserving of the 3 points. From the first minute, although the opposition was putting forth a really strong resistance, they dictated the tempo of the game. The opposition, after letting in 9 goals, was determined to park a really big bus and try to stop us, knowing that we are a team that focuses on defence first. However, the players realised it really quickly and threw the boring old playbook away."

Among the players, there was also this curious conversation. As for who made the conversation, we aren't particularly sure.

"There is this so-called fact that teams that focus on defence can't score!"
"Who said that? 6 goals in 3 games we have presented here - haven't we pushed away that prejudice?" (Someone swears that this player said "negative style mods don't mean anything", but that would be breaking the 4th wall)
"Well, we have won today, so I guess we are carving our own path to glory."
"Obviously? Now those naysayers who think that we are weak can have a taste of our raw power."
"Looks like our nickname is correct - Yellow Lions. We are the lions with the strong claws that will carve anyone who stands in our way."
"Come on, this is just matchday 3, we have more matches to go, especially one against Mathuvan Union."
"Who cares who is the opponent, we just beat everyone along the way."

Whatever that conversation was targeted at, the coaching team know very well this path to getting our own kingdom (or queendom if you prefer) is no joke. The predictions that they have previously made didn't really fail them, they just know how dangerous certain teams are becoming. But if this team are really the Lions they have called themselves, then their howl must be heard throughout the area, and everyone is starting to look at our young Lions with fear.

by **Megistos** » Sun Aug 16, 2020 10:24 am

Se Vende Skooma 0–2 Megistos

Another win for 'The Kids' meant they maintain their position on the top of the table ahead of Tioguldos on Goal Difference. Let's take a look at the 2-0 win for Megistos.

In the 10th minute, action was starting. Before the 10th minute was ticked on the clock, it had been a possession game. But when the 10th minute ticked on the clock, Megistos ticked on the bomb and started attacking left and right. In this minute, Fri received the ball from Becks, and spotted an unmarked Cringan. He passed the ball to Cringan, who megged the goalkeeper for the first goal.

Megistos really ticked the bomb, as SVS had no chances so far, and Megistos were on the attack again, in the 36th minute. Robertson had found the ball at his feet and he curled the ball at the far post, but the goalkeeper made a diving save and made Megistos settle for a corner

When the halftime whistle was blown, the Megistians were clearly happy but they wanted more. Apparently, so did the coach.

"We are up by 1, kids. We need more. We are leading, but add the cherry on the cake. Now go out there and win!"

In the 67th minute, Robertson scored for the Megistians. He won a free-kick at the edge of the D, and curled the ball in to the top left corner of the goal, and scored. Megistos were 2-nil up, but SVS could get the comeback.

That never came true, but they almost got 1 goal in the 90th minute. The striker of SVS ran down into the box, cut inside, but Fran caught him on the thigh and he went down, while Fran was yellow carded. The left-winger of SVS tried to convert the penalty, but Becks saved by his fingertips. After the clearance following the penalty miss, the game was over. Megistos was top of the table!

by **Netop** » Sun Aug 16, 2020 2:00 pm

Netopian Leaders meet to discuss a domestic league

By: Lincoln Porter: Foster Gazette

As the Baptism of Fire rages on and our football team continues to do well the popularity of an already immensely popular sport has risen. When the team played Rangers FC in a very close battle it seemed as if the entire island of Foster had completely changed as everyone rushed to the town's center to watch the game. When it had been reported that during the TOTEL match 1700 kids across the Islands had abandoned their classes and gone to watch the game, school had officially been cancelled for two hours as everyone went to watch the Rangers FC match.Football in a mere three games that our National team has played went from an extremely popular sport that many people played to a complete lifestyle and necessity for the people in Netop.

All that leads me into the main point of this article. Calls for a domestic league in Netop are commencing as the Nation becomes crazed over the sport of football. While many in the Government and most of Netop had rejected the idea of an actual professional domestic league instead of drunk dudes getting to play some 7 on 7 against each other (although some amateur leagues were better than this). While most of the leaders of the government are adamantly opposed to the idea of a domestic league, some are starting to think it's a good idea. Let's go over the benefits and downsides of both.

Benefits
The nation needs more football, it just does. This BOF has been a complete success and as we prepare for qualifying for the World Cup it would be a great decision.
Football is a very popular sport and can make the country lots and lots of money. Merchandise, attendance, and victory abroad can generate lots of wealth.
If this nation really wants to compete at International football competitions, how are we ever going to get anywhere far without a domestic league to groom and prepare our players? We saw how the team fared against a much more professional side in The Gothanita Isles. It will help the talent levels of our players grow and grow.
It will also improve foreign relations with other countries as silly as this might seem. Clubs will be able to bring in players from other nations to increase their talent levels, and some of our players will be able to play abroad. We will also be taken more seriously by other Nations if we establish a domestic league.

Downsides
The main downside is obviously the money it will cost. The Government already after spending weeks debating this finally commissioned a brand new 7000 seat stadium to be built in Foster for the World Cup qualifiers. It is not yet completed yet and has already cost lots of money to a financially struggling nation.
How will these new stadiums be funded? We for good reason will not allow foreign corporations to sponsor and buy out teams, they will have to be funded by Netopian companies who sadly have not done well and may not be able to afford this.
How do we know this football craze will last? There's a reason we haven't started a domestic league before this and if our team starts losing people may quickly become disinterested in the prospect.
If we start a domestic league it would encourage people to stop taking up practical jobs that help out our Islands and instead would start pursuing far off fantasies where playing a sport will make you enough money to support yourself.
How are we supposed to pay these player's salaries. The clubs would need to make enough money to pay our players the salaries their skill levels deserve.

With all of these benefits and downsides taken into consideration the Board of Football in Netop has officially sent out a 129 page document outlining the risks and rewards of starting a domestic league and has polled a number of people which found that an overwhelming 87% of them support a domestic league. This document is being reviewed by the Government of the Islands and will be heavily debated in the coming months especially as the BOF and qualifiers heat up. Parts of it, in total about 22 pages have been released to the Public but the grand majority of it has not yet been released.

How do I feel on this issue? I am definitely opposed to the financial risk it would take and the fact that being a footballer is not a practical job and should be practiced on the side of a real job. Yet I also that the people of the Islands need this hope and an overwhelming majority of them want this league as soccer has become a crazed obsession.

I will continue to monitor the situation in the coming months for the Foster Gazette.

by **Tioguldos** » Sun Aug 16, 2020 2:14 pm

The Red Army making history
Interview with 'Nese' Niforro

The Red Army before its match against NorraLesse

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...And about the matchup against NorraLesse. What do you think of the team's performance, Nese?

Well, we're really happy with the result that our preparation is giving. We've been working hard and it's being reflected in the final scoreboard. Against NorraLesse we were not as aggressive as in the first two matchdays. We played calm and we did not lose our cool when they scored the equalizer. I think Oroso was the MVP. He already has 4 goals in these three games.

Which players would you have wanted to have on the team if you were the coach?

We have a great team and I think all the pieces are indispensable. If it were up to me, I would go for a wider style, bringing in Omugulbaku and Orepo from Enako to complete the midfield. I also find Tunase Los Tios from OMB a great player. But I reiterate, the team is excellent. Mebal orders us excellently and brings out the best in each one. It is a pride for me to be able to play alongside them.

OK. Now tell me about yourself. How did you get to Pmig Enako?

During the war I used to play with my friends in Barkenuse. As I grew, the situation became complex. I considered emigrating to be able to dedicate myself to football, since I had skills and I knew that I would have a chance. However, I eventually enrolled at Barkenuse National University, where I began studying Agronomic Engineering. During the last years I played in the university team, even traveling to other cities. When the armistice was signed and the People's Republic began to reorganize, many of the players decided to found a club that was to operate in parallel with the University of Barkenuse. We ended up being chosen to participate in the Muko Tiog and we achieved a third place.

What about your nickname? Where did 'Nese' come from?

It was given to me by my teammates for my ways in the field. They say I move too much and I'm exaggerated. It means 'monkey'...

Oh! haha. Makes sense. Going back to the Red Army, what do you expect for this Baptism of Fire?

I am very excited. Considering that we're playing very well and fighting for the top spot in our group, I think we can advance to the next phase and, who knows, maybe we'll fight for the title. I'm enjoying Chromatika. It is a wonderful place. I was fascinated by Z'ai'ai, it has incredible landscapes and the food is something from another world. I hope to advance from the groups to get to know other districts and also enjoy Valladares. Obviously it does not depend only on us. We will have to show that we deserve that place, and we will continue to work hard to prove to ourselves, to our fans and to the world that Tioguldós and the Red Army are no small thing. In my country we have a philosophy that can be condensed into one word: 'Gaslaranekh!'. 'We'll win'. It may take time and effort. We may fall countless times, but we always get up with our heads held high and give it our all until we reach our goal.

Thank you very much, Nese

by **The Overseas Territories of Sylestone** » Sun Aug 16, 2020 3:28 pm

Another victory, this time against Ihilthracna, has put OTS into second place in the Group C ladder. They are equal on pints with Southwest Eastnorth, a side that came fourth in the recent Copa Rushmori. It looks set to be a thrilling MD5 game. But for now, we’ll focus on our slender 1-0 victory and the next game against third-placed side The Holy Junta.

It was a tense game that Ihilthracna and OTS fought out in Valladares. OTS once again kept possession, finishing with a whopping 61%, a figure which undoubtedly won them the game. They just worked themselves over the opposition defence and scored early in the second half. Ihilthracna now seem to be in risk of elimination and their final two games will be vital if they are to progress. For OTS, however, a win against either The Holy Junta or Southwest Eastnorth will be sufficient for progression to the Round of 16.

The start of the game was quite slow as both sides’ defences were tested, but they always came out on top. There was only one shot on goal, by OTS, during the entire first half. Only three other shots all went out. Both sides played well, although OTS certainly were not playing the way they did against Valanora, Flavovespia, Delaclava and Hwiccemark.

The second half started, and with a strong pep-talk from the coach, the Broomstick managed to slip between the Ihilthracnan defence and chipped it over the Goalkeeper to score. It was the first, last and only goal scored in the defensive-minded game as OTS upped their defensive line to stop the desperate Ihilthracna offensive manoeuvres. By the 80th minute, the midfielders had effectively dropped back into the defence and the forwards were playing as midfielders. The result was keeping the opposition attacks at bay to win a tight game 1-0. As the coach said “You played alright. Much better than you did against Staypuftonia, but not as good as how you played against Hwiccemark. If we play like we did today, we should be able to beat the Holy Junta, but we’ll need to improve to get any result against Southwest Eastnorth. We have a chance at this, you know? So why don’t we show it?”

by **Iles Rogieres** » Sun Aug 16, 2020 3:39 pm

Excerpts from the Diary of Marc Pierroix

Translated from French

Friday, 15th of August 1931 - Maldonado, Valladares
Finally, we’re back in the hotel after the game against Lovisa. Slowly we are adapting to the different style of life and technology here in Valladares. We are no longer as excited about the TV, even though Jules still spends his whole days watching the other teams & being very fascinated by it. He now talks about buying one; I told him it would be impossible to get it running in Iles Rogières. We are also getting used to the ball. In the previous games we were very good at losing the ball, and playing it wrong. JJ was playing a lot of bad passes, very unlike himself. A lot of our balls were too long because their modern balls are much lighter than our leather ones. I notice that my play is getting a lot better because of it, and now that I am used to it it gets a lot easier to handle too.

Me & some of the boys went to a sports shop in the city to buy some football shoes from a local brand. They are so colourful, it is incredible. At home all the shoes are brown or black leather. Now I own a new pair of blue and yellow shoes from a very lightweight material that they don’t know back home & a set of the new balls we use here. I can’t wait to bring them to the Islands to play with my old teammates there! Probably they are at home listening to the radio. In the last years radio got very popular in the Isles; Patrice said that even in the worker areas they have radios in the block. In his house, only his family has a radio they got from his footballer wage & the whole block is listening in their living room when they come to speak of our games. Apparently they also flew out video with the post plane, first by a big modern plane to Banija & then to the Islands with a steamship. Yesterday, Héctor was called by his parents who said they saw him in the theatre, in the little videos they show before the films. They were very proud because he scored in our first game.

Now, it was my time to score against Lovisa. In our last game I had only managed a pass to André, because my shot had been blocked. Now I have actually scored. It was because of Jules, he won a ball and shot a long pass in the back of Lovisa’s defence & I managed to get it first. I was just a few metres from the goal, scoring between the keeper’s legs, for the 2-0. André is getting quite annoyed because so many teams play with four or even five defenders, something I have never seen back home. He isn’t getting as many balls & it frustrates him. Nobody of us has ever seen players with such a speed & with so much defending. Christophe keeps talking about how that’s how they do it on the mainland & that it is supposed to be a better style, but we are winning our games in our style.

Christophe is probably just mad because he isn’t scoring as much. The four defenders make it harder for him, because he cannot just beat someone in a one versus one. He is a bit frustrated by how physical & how disciplined they defend him. Yesterday he just knocked into someone’s leg and got a yellow card. I like the cards, it’s another thing we never had & the FA wants to bring back from this travel. I think this trip, regardless of how we play, is going to be very helpful for the Isles. We are going to learn a lot about international football & we will need it soon in the World Cup Qualifiers. Now, it is time to think about the Baptism. Next time, I’ll score double and show Christophe that we can play well against those modern defences.

by **Woryand** » Sun Aug 16, 2020 3:53 pm

A draw: A good result?
Woryand's performances have been so poor lately that even a draw might give cause for celebration

Woryand's subpar performances have continued today following a 1-1 draw against Pemecutan, leading some to speculate that this quality of result is all that can be hoped for in the future and consequentially is one that should be celebrated.

Early attacking play gave the Woryandian fans great hope that they could notch their first win in this competition; however, sublime marking by Pemecutan's 5 defenders allowed for most of them to be stopped easily. It seemed as if this had broken down near the end of the first half, but upon review Ēvōzi was found to be several feet offside.

The second half proceeded similarly, but the clearly tired Pemecutani defenders were unable to keep up with Woryand as effectively as in the first half. This allowed a barrage of shots on target from Canīr, Plançā, and Ēvōzi, culminating in a spectacular run from Canīr that led to a great goal to put Woryand up 1-0. However, this celebration was short-lived; a brilliant passing play by Pemecutan's five non-defensive players allowed for an equalizer to be scored by Oka Jaya mere seconds later. Neither side was able to make much progress in the remaining few minutes, leaving the score level at one goal and point a piece, a disappointing result for both of the knockouts-contending sides but better than what could have easily been.

Scoreline:
Woryand: Ēvōzi 41' (DISALLOWED), Canīr 77'
Pemecutan: Oka Jaya 78'

Have comments about today's newspaper? Message the editor!

by **Fluvannia** » Sun Aug 16, 2020 4:03 pm

DIVISION STREET JOURNAL

Sunday, August 16, 2020

1.50 Mark

FLUVANNIA STILL WAITING ON B.O.F. DEBUT

KNETYOHAI, CHROMATIKA -- If anyone has found the Fluvannian national soccer team, alert the authorities. We're not certain who these players are who have represented us these past three matches -- certainly their names appear to be the same, but if their hearts are in it then they may need to see a cardiologist.

"Well, it's our first appearance on the world stage, at any level," explained head coach Warren Richards. "Suffice it to say the tournament is aptly-named."

Sorry, coach, but that's not cutting it. We're not certain if you had a whole lot of time to watch the World Cup of Hockey, but Fluvannia needs a win. Things are getting serious here: last week one of the Minarchist members of the House of Delegates -- part of the governing coalition, mind you -- mused very pointedly on social media about why exactly we fund international sports competition at all. For the fate not just of your team, but of athletes the country over, a course correction is desperately needed.

The schedule for Fluvannia's group play is as follows:

Fri., Aug 14: vs. Glazgo, L 3-6
Sat., Aug 15: vs. Pemecutan, L 0-1
Sun., Aug 16: vs. Squidroidia, L 1-6
Mon., Aug. 17: vs. Woryand
Tues., Aug. 17: vs. Unimon

Catch all the Action on Arena!
If You Can't Be There, BE HERE!

FLUVANNIA NATIONAL SOCCER TEAM

Coach: Warren Richards

FORWARDS:
Daniel Vaudois
Greg Burton
Jori Huursonen

MIDFIELDERS:
Huroda Iezusu
Chad Gordon
Carlton Paul
Larry Lambert

DEFENDERS:
Ivan Mcdaniel
Vilppu Lattiniemi
Howard Hale

GOALKEEPER:
Tadamori Asahiko
Sam Summers (reserve)

RESERVE:
Sylvester Kelly
Hukko Rojola
Francisco Dixon
Clyde Matthews
Bernard Patterson

by **Tikariot** » Sun Aug 16, 2020 4:21 pm

Duncan Haldane: Good evening ladies and gentlemen and welcome to Fontvielle for our live coverage of the much anticipated meeting between Tikariot and Græntfjall here in a hot and humid Stade de l'Amitié, the Stadium of Friendship here in Valladares. 29,185 spectators are here, one half blue and white, the other side black and purple, so there definitely is no mistaking who is who.

Martin Seagrave: So before the teams will come out of the cabins, let's have a look at the line-ups for tonight's game. First Tikariot with no surprises, but one change compared to game 2 against Wymondham. Brian Merson in goal, defence again Zion Grimes, Randy Kovalchuk, James Coronello and Vincent Liniack, midfield with Rory McNair, Marvin Thorniley and Jenson McTierney and upfront Jesse Liljestrand in the centre, Jardel Connolly on the right and replacing Morris Nighthorse, who still is not 100% after having to be substituted in the first half of the Wymondham game, we have Atlas Baxter making his Baptism of Fire debut.

Haldane: Græntfjall also is sticking to the same starting line-up that had beaten Kencana 4-1 with Alexander Leonardsson in goal, Ralf Álfarsson, Ørjan Jeffsson, Vilbjörn Hjörleifursson and Öne Svanbergursson in defense. The midfield is made up of Hæming Tronsson, Hrærekur Jvarsson, Andrin Franklínsson and Hlégestur Snæþórsson (30) and trying to continue their scoring streak Love Nilsson and Dan Antoninsson. Now Græntfjall is fielding one of the oldest squads of the tournament with an age average of 31.7 years, on the other hand Tikariot averages at 25, so let's see how much the weather may affect things here.

*****

Seagrave: The hymns are done and as the photos have been taken, Team Tikariot is going right up to the middle circle in their formation, arms raised and the fans are doing the same. Here's the drum and so it begins!

The drum sounds and both team and fans in unison clap. The drum sounds again, another clap, continuing with increasing speed until the fans take over and just clap and start their chants of "Tee-kaa-ree-ott".

Haldane: Liljestrand is ready with the ball and there's the whistle, off we go!

*****

Seagrave: So far the game is not a very fast affair, which is not surprising given the heat, so the teams don't want to exert themselves too quickly, with Andrin so far the best player on the field, demanding the ball and trying to orchestrate some offense, same for Marvin Thorniley on the other end, but the defenses are very well organized. But there is Andrin again, takes the ball off McTierney, none of the other Græntfjallers are free, so he decides to push forward on his own. Liniack is not attacking fiercely enough, giving Andrin an opportunity to go to the goal line, he brings in a sharp cross and Merson can barely punch the ball out of the danger zone before Hæming can get to it, this was close! But now Grimes is going down the left flank, nice one-two with Thorniley. Cut-back to Baxter who shoots from 25 metres out and just over the crossbar!

Haldane: Funny how things suddenly kick into motion! Alexander with the long kick to Hrærekur. Lays it off to Andrin, but Tikariot is now doubling the Altendalur player and Liniack goes in between. A long ball forward in the hopes of finding Liljestrand, who gets his head to it, but Connolly cannot get to the ball.

*****

Seagrave: It's almost half-time and free-kick for Tikariot. Jenson McTierney and Rory McNair are standing together, so this could either be a filigree curve or the jackhammer. If it is McNair, I feel sorry for whoever is standing in the wall.

Haldane: Here's the whistle and looks like it'll be McNair and right into the wall! Man down! Love was hit, not sure where, here's the replay. Oooooh, right into the side of his head! The medics are coming onto the field.

*****

Seagrave: The second half is about to start and we have a few substitutes, Love is off and Lyngar Rögnvaldursson is taking over his spot, we have heard, however, that Love has not sustained anything bigger, just some precaution, also Vilbjörn has stayed in the cabin and Ásgautur Johannesson is coming on for him. For Tikariot Baxter and Connolly have come off and Iain Aspinall and Ashton Tomlinson are on to give the wings some fresh blood.

*****

Haldane: So far Lyngar has really done a lot for Græntfjall's game with his aerial prowess holding his own against Kovalchuk and Coronello, but his problem is that whichever balls he tries to lay off do not find any team mates and the ones he gets on the foot he still loses too easily.

*****

Seagrave: Another freekick for Tikariot. Again McNair and McTierney and I can see the fear in the faces of some of the Græntfjall players as he takes a run, but instead of going of the cannon he plays it out to Tomlinson, low cross in, Liljestrand gets to it and Alexander manages to just get his fingertips on the ball to redirect it over the crossbar for a corner kick.

Haldane: Thorniley with the corner, it comes in and Ásgautur with the header. The ball comes to Andrin. Now he has to keep up the pace to stay ahead of the Tikariotian defenders! Loops it over Kovalchuk to Lyngar. Kovalchuk signals that it was offside, but the referee has none of it. Now Lyngar against Merson and with the tip of the foot Merson can take the ball off Lyngar's foot! What a counter attack for Græntfjall!

*****

Seagrave: Five minutes to go and the players look ready to quit. There is not a wisp of a breeze in the stadium and the referee at least is allowing each team ample opportunities to drink and cool down.

*****

Haldane: And it is done! A goalless draw in a battle not just with each other, but also the weather. In the end neither team really deserved the win, but it keeps both of them without a loss and moving into the next game Tikariot will face Eurasies, who they had one win and one draw against at the IFC and for Græntfjall it is the Free Republic of Hong Kong, both should be surmountable challenges.

Seagrave: They should be and both teams here have been pegged as top two in the table, in the end it might come down to the goal difference, where Tikariot is one goal ahead at the moment, so we will really have to hope and see. That was all from us tonight, hope to see you again tomorrow when Tikariot will try to keep their unbeaten streak against Eurasies and in the tournament going in Junín!

by **Savigliane** » Sun Aug 16, 2020 4:22 pm

IV. Laurent Chambéry
22 October, 2017
The Chambéry Residence
Trinité, Savigliane

Laurent Chambéry had made a career out of adaptability and resilience. When he'd been cut by AS Villeneuve, the club he'd dreamt of playing for as a kid, he'd found a spot playing for second-tier Stade-Ferre Trinité, whose purchase by a new owner soon saw them compete for league titles with Villeneuve. When he wasn't able to make it as a midfielder for Trinité, he'd converted to central defense, becoming the linchpin of Trinité's defense for a few years. When injuries had brought his playing career to a premature end, he'd immediately gotten his coaching badges and finessed his way into a job as Trinité's U23 coach. And when Trinité had refused to promote him to senior team manager, he'd gone abroad, becoming a decorated manager in the Hibernian Premier League before coming home to manage the national team.

This, though, was pushing it. For the past few days, the nation had been in chaos. A state of emergency had been declared, followed quickly by martial law, as a significant minority of Saviglianos had believed that it was the end of the world. The government, already spread thin by divisions between the Francophone and Italophone halves of the country, now found itself managing crisis after crisis. There were calls for President Achille Canaveri to resign, and it was widely believed that the events of the past week would permanently change Savigliane's party system.

Laurent hadn't been personally affected. His family was safe and sound in Villeneuve, and while some of his closest friends had been abroad when Savigliane had jumped dimensions, he counted himself as one of the luckier Saviglianos. It had given him time to prepare his team for the Baptism of Fire, which was to start in just a few weeks. He was grateful for the distraction that the tournament offered - the more time he spent fine-tuning his tactics and squad selection, the less time he spent wondering what the fuck had just happened to his country.

But even in the relative respite of this tournament, the outside world crept its way in. Many players were refusing to be called up, while others - like Gabriel Lefebvre, a key player in the 3-4-1-2 system Laurent had wanted to run - had gone completely unresponsive. Lefebvre, as well as the still-missing Bianca Fiore and Raphaël Rovira, who was still stranded overseas, were the biggest losses - but every missing player cut just a little deeper into the flexibility that Laurent had cherished so much.

But as soon as he'd seen the group draw for the Baptism of Fire, and done the barest amount of opposition research, the outside world had come creeping in again. The world Laurent Chambéry came from was one of fairly standard tactical setups at the top level - while there were differences in formation between managers, most of the best national teams kept to a few standard formations - your 4-3-3s and 4-2-3-1s and 3-4-3s. Whatever dimension Savigliane was in now did...not do that.

Pripet Socialist Republic, which seemed to be this dimension's version of The Novgorod Republic, had at least stuck to the script, playing a defensive 4-4-2 that Chambéry hoped his team could break down. The other two teams in the roster had distinctly not done that. Praeceptia played an ultra-attacking 2-4-4 formation, with one of the two defenders on the entire team playing by lying on the ground and making faces at his opponents. A chimpanzee started at goalkeeper, a mountain of a man played as a "stopper", and the rest of the team pushed forward with reckless abandon (the match between the two teams would later end as a 0-0 draw, defying all logic or reason). Meanwhile, Iles Rogieres played a 3-2-5 formation straight out of the 1930s - the year that it apparently was in that country.

Everything about the situation was patently absurd. But Laurent had made a career out of flexibility and adaptability, out of taking even the strangest tactics and adapting his own team's playstyle to counter them. And he wasn't going to stop now.

BoF MD3: Savigliane 0 - 0 Praeceptia
Lineup: Notari 10; Garcia 7, Giraudo 8, Beccaria 9; Marchetti 5 (Toscani 75), Vatrican 6, Petit 6, Dutto 4 (Vitale HT); Lefebvre 6 (Durand 53); Coste 8, Grimaldi 8
Goals:

Lineup to face Lovisa (4-3-3): Notari (C); Marchetti, Garcia, Beccaria, Dutto; Vatrican, Giraudo, Toscani; Coste, Grimaldi, Durand

by **Pemecutan** » Sun Aug 16, 2020 8:00 pm

Monday, 17 August, 2020 (Soma Kliwon Wuku Wariga, Pawukon 1780)
A Draw That Halt Them

Depri Sanar, Chromatika - Reaching the third match day, Pemecutan clearly needs another win so they can keep up with the top two leader of Group D which until the second day have a tremendous winning streak. And facing Woryand can't be seen as an easy match, although they only manage to have a draw and a loss from previous matches.

Starting the match, Pemecutan players is clearly under the pressure. Woryand have build up their attacks while Pemecutan have to continue defense their baseline. The situation keeps worsen until nearly the end of first half when Ēvōzi scored a goal for Woryand. But the fortune likely still on Pemecutan side. The referee annulled the goal as Ēvōzi is in offside position. The result surely give a bad impact to Woryand players.

The second half started with both teams played rather equally. Attacks and counter attacks are made by both teams. But the stalemate situation is again broke by Woryand after in minute 77 they score their first goal in the match. Pemecutanian players didn't back down. They build up their attacks and taking advantage of the still in euphoria Woryand players, Oka Jaya scored a goal that equalize the result. Woryand made another attempt which surely gives difficulties to Pemecutanian defense. But fortunately, this time Pemecutan goal still intact. The match ended in a draw.

Seeing the performance of both teams, the commentator stated that a draw is a good result for Pemecutan. As the team has been under pressure right from the start. Pemecutanian players able to play more relax and focus after halfway in the second half. And they surely have to thanked Oka Jaya for the great goal shoot and Rama Karyadi for the brilliant assist.

With the result, Pemecutan is stuck in the third place of Group D. Now their points difference widen into 5 points after both Glazgo and Squidroidia win their match. While Woryand itself sticking in the fourth place with only 2 points from 2 draws. In the fourth match, Pemecutan will go back to Depri Lanar to face Unimon. Currently, Unimon is seating in the fifth place with only 1 point from their draw match against Woryand.

by **Southwest Eastnorth** » Sun Aug 16, 2020 8:21 pm

Quick striking Frontiersmen/Pioneers strike early and often in 3-0 romp
excerpt from http://www.swensport.swe/football/BoF72.htm

VALLADARES - well you may remember that we stumbled out of the gate with a 2-2 at the start of the tournament. Well since that game the next two games have devolved into blowouts with a combined score of 8-1 (Sorry to any Happiloppers reading this). A 3-0 victory over the holy junta sees two more goals from Chris Houton and a penalty kick by this games designated penalty kick taker Miles Mikohoffer. Because of SWEN team rules, that allow for a new PK taker. Mikohoffer was almost stunned he got it in, when asked how he got chosen he said

Yeah I went up to coach Tipoli and joking to him I said I wanted to be the Penalty Kick taker for the game. So I thought when he said "yes" he was joking, but here I am with my first ever goal. I really the Feds don't make me take Penelty Kicks for them now, I doubt I can replicate beginners luck like that!

The "Feds" line is of course is talking about Mikohoffers team the Auberlin Federal Football Club. The Feds are a team in the SWENNIC Standard League. It was a relatively loose affair for the Frontiersmen/Pioneers, as the Holy Junta had been strong but matched up horribly against Southwest Eastnorth. This allowed the Frontiersmen/Pioneers to rule possession. Also allowing the Frontiersmen to play keepaway with the ball when needed. Mikohoffer may have stolen the the show against thj, but Houton stole the record book! A quick goal saw him break the record by Van Austin in a friendly versus Starcom Racing, for quickest goal scored in history. His quick seizing of the ball saw many THJ players set off position and an early minute one goal put the Frontiersmen/Pioneers out front and from there the throttling was on! Houton and Mikohoffer did amazingly and are on a run when needed most as the other big teams in the group (OTS and Staypuftonia) lie ahead, can the 8-1 (again sorry to the Happiloppers reading) run stay this way?

SOUTHWEST EASTNORTH 3
Houton 1' 50'
Mikohoffer 37'

The Holy Junta - 0
...

by **Valladares** » Sun Aug 16, 2020 8:36 pm

This Baptism of Fire is reaching its time for definitions. Will your team be able to take one step closer to glory or will it be one step closer to home instead? Time to find out with this RP cutoff for Matchday 4 in Groups A-C.

Baptism of Fire 73
Matchday 4 - Valladar Section

Group A
Pluvia and the Saxean Isles 1–4 Iles Rogieres
Savigliane 1–0 Lovisa
Pripet Socialist Republic 3–5 Praeceptia

Group A                                Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Iles Rogieres                          4   3  1  0   17   9  +8   10
2 Praeceptia                             4   2  2  0   14   8  +6    8
3 Savigliane                             4   2  2  0    4   1  +3    8
4 Pripet Socialist Republic              4   1  1  2    6   9  −3    4
5 Pluvia and the Saxean Isles            4   1  0  3    4   9  −5    3
6 Lovisa                                 4   0  0  4    6  15  −9    0

Group B
Graintfjall 3–1 Free Republic of Hong Kong
Wymondham 1–0 Kencana
Tikariot 3–1 Eurasies

Group B                                Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Tikariot                               4   3  1  0   11   3  +8   10
2 Graintfjall                            4   3  1  0    9   2  +7   10
3 Wymondham                              4   2  0  2    2   4  −2    6
4 Eurasies                               4   1  1  2    2   4  −2    4
5 Kencana                                4   1  0  3    5   6  −1    3
6 Free Republic of Hong Kong             4   0  1  3    3  13 −10    1

Group C
Southwest Eastnorth 3–1 Staypuftonia
Ihilthracna 0–1 Hwiccemark
The holy junta 2–5 Overseas Territories of Sylestone

Group C                                Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Southwest Eastnorth                    4   3  1  0   13   4  +9   10
2 Overseas Territories of Sylestone      4   3  1  0   13   5  +8   10
3 The holy junta                         4   2  0  2    6   9  −3    6
4 Staypuftonia                           4   1  1  2    5   8  −3    4
5 Hwiccemark                             4   1  0  3    3  11  −8    3
6 Ihilthracna                            4   0  1  3    2   5  −3    1

Teams in green have advanced to the round of 16.
Teams in blue have secured top three finish in their group.
Teams in orange may at best finish as third-placed in their group.
Teams in red have been eliminated from contention.

by **Chromatika** » Sun Aug 16, 2020 10:42 pm

Where will your team's chances lie after four matches? Time to find out!

Baptism of Fire 73
Matchday 4 - Chromatik Section

Group D
Squidroidia 5–2 Glazgo
Pemecutan 1–1 Unimon
Fluvannia 1–1 Woryand

Group D                                  Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Squidroidia                              4   4  0  0   16   6 +10   12
2 Glazgo                                   4   3  0  1   15  10  +5    9
3 Pemecutan                                4   1  2  1    6   6   0    5
4 Woryand                                  4   0  3  1    5   7  −2    3
5 Unimon                                   4   0  2  2    4   8  −4    2
6 Fluvannia                                4   0  1  3    5  14  −9    1

Group E
Southern Palm Islands 2–1 TOTEL
Rangers FC 2–2 The Gothanita Isles
Mathuvan Union 0–2 Netop

Group E                                  Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 The Gothanita Isles                      4   3  1  0    8   3  +5   10
2 Netop                                    4   3  0  1   10   3  +7    9
3 Southern Palm Islands                    4   2  1  1    5   5   0    7
4 Mathuvan Union                           4   2  0  2    4   3  +1    6
5 Rangers FC                               4   0  2  2    4   6  −2    2
6 TOTEL                                    4   0  0  4    1  12 −11    0

Group F
Megistos 2–1 Liberal Democratic Socialist States
NorraLesse 0–0 Quebecois Acadiana
Se Vende Skooma 1–3 Tioguldos

Group F                                  Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Megistos                                 4   4  0  0   10   2  +8   12
  Tioguldos                                4   4  0  0   13   5  +8   12
3 Liberal Democratic Socialist States      4   2  0  2   10  11  −1    6
4 Se Vende Skooma                          4   1  0  3    5   9  −4    3
5 NorraLesse                               4   0  1  3    2   7  −5    1
6 Quebecois Acadiana                       4   0  1  3    4  10  −6    1

Teams in green have advanced to the round of 16.
Teams in blue have secured top three finish in their group.
Teams in orange may at best finish as third-placed in their group.
Teams in red have been eliminated from contention.

Reminder: The four best-placing third placed teams will make it to the Round of Sixteen, with tiebreakers as follows: Points, Goals Differential, then RP bonus.

3rd Placed Teams                         Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts
A Savigliane                               4   2  2  0    4   1  +3    8
E Southern Palm Islands                    4   2  1  1    5   5   0    7
F Liberal Democratic Socialist States      4   2  0  2   10  11  −1    6
B Wymondham                                4   2  0  2    2   4  −2    6
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
C The holy junta                           4   2  0  2    6   9  −3    6
D Pemecutan                                4   1  2  1    6   6   0    5

RP Prompt for Matchday 5:
RP Prompts are here to suggest a topic to write about. Writing about the prompt won't give you any additional points, but if you're ever stuck, feel free to give these a whirl!

MD5 - The Fans.
What is your fan culture like? Is there a name for them? Do they gather in bars and homes, or go to parks and watch on huge screens? Are there any chants, songs, or the like for your national team? What are they like in home matches? Are they notable for being nice and courteous, or rowdy and hostile? Are they supporters of your team no matter what, or do they demand results that can put pressure on your squad? Take a hard, long look at your supporters.

by **Southern Palm Islands** » Mon Aug 17, 2020 12:33 am

PALM ISLAND TIMES
Towards Qualifications!!

It's time for celebrations!! Southern Palm Islands has secured a safe passage to the eound of sixteen. Yet, it's gonna be more tough. SPI won the previous match against totel for a score of 2-1. The goals were scored by the brothers D.Plascas and P.Plascas . If the team want to qualify directly to Ro16 then they should win against Netop in the next match. Netop and SPI having the same chance to qualify. Netop is second in group as they have 9 points and SPI 7 points. If SPI win the next game they can qualify with 10 points and 2nd place.

SPI 2-1 Totel
- D.Plascas 76'
- P.Plascas 87'

Romantic Goals from Past
Part 3

Till now: The interview between Daniel Plascas and Reporter continues... Plascas is talking about the epic of SPI "Sripalapadmanabhavijaya".

(Plascas meets Reporter again after practice)
P: I hope you aren't fed up with the interview.
R: No. Not at all
P: Ok. Shall I continue?
R: Yes. The relic...
P: Oh. It seems that you are interested in this so...
R: Yes..
P: The kings of Sripala. i.e.the three kings from Sripala,Mitra and Soma who are the most greatest and strongest kings in history hears about the incident. Rumors spread around the Landmass that the sword made the person who has it immortal. So, The three kings plans to go to the Site. They reach the relic at the same day. The day is considered as the 12th day in the Hindu month of Falguna. The kings get together and says that they are the real owners of the sword. Later it changes into a fierce fight. The fight is said to last sixteen long days and it ended with complete destruction. At the end the Mitran King kills the Soman King and advances towards the sword but at that time the Sripalan King slips and his sword kills the Mitran King and he fell into the head of the Relic Sword. The sword fell down and the sky went dark. All the three kings were dead. The kingdoms have no heirs. Suddenly a divine light appeared and the three kings vanished to the sky and a spirit came down and took the sword and went up in the sky. He vanished with a sudden Booming sound and the Jambuvan Landmass got divided into several islands. The spirit then got divided into three and went into the three kingdoms installing themselves as the idol of the new holy temples. The temples at SPI is having the spirit of Sripalan King and is called the Sripaleshwara Temple and the others are in Mitra and Soma respectively and is known as Mitradeva and Someshwara temples and a great Trimurti temple rose up near the Sripaleshwara Temple. Then there was frequent disasters known as the Katanaga Series which divided the islands again. Thus came into being the Floating Paradise of Southern Palm Islands and other nations of the Jambuvan Landmass.
R: Wow. That's amazing and too mythical.
P: It is and the only surviving Sripalan prince left for Sharktail. He established a kingdom in Sharktail and ruled here after.
R: SPI has a really diverse history and culture
P: Yes.
R: But sir... How is this connected to sports in SPI?
P: You mean the origin?
R: Yes sir.
P: Don't call me sir. Call me Davie
R: Okay. So Davie how's this related to sports.
P: I will move to that now. Everything started from Eraman.
R: Oh
P: Well... I will say that tomorrow. It's getting late.
R: Ok Davie. Bye.
P: Bye.

To be Continued...

by **Squidroidia** » Mon Aug 17, 2020 6:18 am

Back to the coverage of the 73rd Baptism of Fire in Chromatika. Squidroidia have locked up advancement to the last 16 with another dominant display, this time a 5-2 drubbing of Glazgo. However, results elsewhere meant that it didn't matter anymore for the 2nd place nation, as they are also guaranteed a berth in the knockout stages. With more, here's our correspondent Ryū Kanda.

Baptism of Fire 73 - All Set for Squidroidia with Game to Go
Ryū Kanda - International Football Reporter, SBN News

Deprí Sanar. A city known for its furniture and the Death Templars Law Firm, hosted a group decider between the Inklings and Glazgo.

The game, held at the 122,000 capacity Hive, was the loudest Squidroidia had to play in for this group stage. The pack of Squidroidian fans was deafening at times. But this, of course, caused a pseudo home team advantage to be placed on the Inklings. Manager Mito was seen on the touchline sporting Squidroidian blue earmuffs to make sure he didn't go deaf after the whistle blew for full time. Everyone else, however, including the Inklings on the roster, was going through this without noise protection.

After the first whistle blew for what was billed as a dramatic game between the European power and the Rushmori nation, it quickly turned into another traditional Squidroidian blowout. Of course, the 30 year old veteran Itoh Hoshi would be the first to slot in the ball into the goal using his dominant right foot, Glazgo keeper Ivan Gunn not getting a finger on it. As such, the Squidroidian fans roared in celebration, their noise reaching 130 decibels, typical for a stadium like the Hive, with only 18 minutes passed.

The cheering and screaming would continue, even though Glazgo gave Squidroidian keeper Go Kyushichi a hard time. After Itoh scored, Nariaki did the same in the 26th, off the post and into the net. Glazgo weren't deterred and let a howler from Andrej Kalashnikov score their first of only 2 goals in the 42nd. Halftime, and Squidroidia were leading.

The fans kept singing and cheering as if the game went on during the interval, singing about their star men like it was no tomorrow. Here's a song about Squidroidia's best player, Itoh Hoshi:

Oh when Itoh, comes marching in,
Oh when Itoh comes marching in,
Oh he will play some damn good football,
Oh when Itoh comes marching in!

And here's an anthem for the entire team:

Come on everybody, Squidroidia's here
Squidroidia's here to play for "we",
The Inklings are ready, fire the shots,
Today we're playing like it's hot!

Although not as great as the traditional Tikariot viking clap, there were some efforts from the Squidroidian fans in attendance for the game.

Eventually the players got back on the field and the 2nd half commenced. Squidroidia didn't lose a single beat as Makino Hideo, the youngster plying his trade in South Newlandia, grabbed another goal to get the Squidroidians back to 3-1 up in the 52nd minute of the game. Glazgo were hot on their tail again, responding 4 minutes later with a goal from Piotr Charters. Kyushichi was having a hard time in between the sticks, but the Squidroidian team would charge back to win the game 5-2 off of another goal from Hoshi and a strike from Umezaki Moronobu off the corner.

With that Squidroidia go top of the group and are the 1 seed heading into the final game against Woryand. At this point, they and Glazgo are assured advancement due to 1-1 draws between Pemecutan and Unimon and the aforementioned Woryand and Fluvannia, the latter getting their first point of the group. Squidroidia were ready for yet another knockout journey.

Ryū Kanda, SBN News.

Sem · by **Glazgo** » Mon Aug 17, 2020 9:33 am

"So, Glenn, do you feel as if the team have lost momentum a bit now after that loss to Squidrodia?"

Glenn Tamnavulin eyed up the journalist who asked that question, sitting in the front row of a more-busy-than-ever press-room. It was the game of the group, according to the journalists, the two strongest team locking horns. It was Squidrodia who would win, 5-2 in fact - goals from Andrej Kalashnikov and Piotr Charters not enough as their opponents stormed through to victory.

"Not at all, not at all." smiled Glenn. "In fact, I'm glad we've had our first loss fairly early on. It gives us time to work on it and rebuild for the knockout stages. We'd like to go as far as we can in this tournament, of course winning the damn thing is the goal - but we're realistic here. World Cup qualification will be hard and we'll undoubtedly have a few losses. I'd like to prepare the team for that and not ensure they get too down about it. Next-"

"But won't that make you worry that others will view you as a pessimist?" interrupted the same journalist. "After all, admitting you're expecting to lose in the nation's first ever World Cup qualifiers doesn't look too good, does it?"

Glenn gave him a cool stare. "What was your name again?"

"Er, Mikhail Kosovich, Carntyne Mail."

"Well, Mr. Kosovich. I'm sure if you ask any of your fellow professionals in this room, they'll disagree with you. And I'll disagree with you too, respectfully. It's not being a pessimist. We're not an established superpower, we've played four international games and just had one domestic season for God's sake. What do you expect? It's not a losing mentality, it's a realistic mentality. If I send my players into a game against Nephara, or Valanora, or Banija, or Vilita, or any other team of their calibre, and we get tanked 8-0, how do you think they're going to feel if I've been telling you them they're going to win every time?"

Kosovich nodded. "But still, you're saying you're allowing them to go out there and lose?"

Glenn placed his cup of water down on the table. "No, not at all. I don't want them to lose. What I'm trying to say, Mr. Kosovich, and what I've been trying to say for the past few minutes, is this - don't be too downhearted if we lose now, we have plenty of time to improve."

Kosovich murmured some response which Glenn couldn't be bothered to hear, as he promptly moved onto the next journalist. "Who's next?"

"Ivana McCardell, Carntyne Telegraph-"

"Are there any other journalists here who aren't from Carntyne?" smiled Glenn.

The whole room chuckled. Ivana smiled, and looked over her glasses. "Mr. Tamnavulin, now each of your players have all completed at least one full game, how does that make you feel in regards to team selection?"

Glenn smiled to himself. Finally, a journalist asking a sensible question - and one with a bit of respect too, it must be a miracle. He didn't mind that much being called Glenn by people he didn't know, but the smug nature of people like Kosovich began to irritate him after a while.

"Well, for starters I won't reveal any lineups before the game. After all, the element of surprise seems to work now and again."

The journalists laughed again.

"But what I will say, I have been thoroughly impressed with everyone. It wasn't the best performance against Squidrodia, but everyone gave marvellous accounts of themselves in previous games. We have two strong formations, the 4-3-3 and the 4-3-1-2 and depending on our opponent we will tailor those formations and systems to who we face. I want to give everyone a chance to impress this tournament, particularly in the group stages, as if we want to win we'll need our strongest players in the knockout stages. That's not to say players will be guaranteed to sit out those games, however, everyone will always have a chance if they're in the 23."

McCardell nodded and scribbled into her notepad.

"Any more questions?" asked Glenn.

"Radoslav Hendricks, Possilpark Observer. Are you confident of your team's chances in progressing in the knockout stages?"

"We're not there just yet, Mr. Hendricks. We're second place, and if we finish in that position then that'll mean it's likely we'll face one of the group winners. We've all done our research on the other competitors, so we have to be wary of everyone, no matter where they finished. Being on our guard at all times is vital to our potential success, so it all depends on that. We made mistakes today - but like the mistakes we made in earlier games, we've learnt from them and I'm confident we can do the same."

Satisfied, Hendricks turned off his dictaphone and sat back down.

"That will be all," the press assistant said to the journalists. "If you'd like to exit row by row in an orderly fashion, and please keep your ID cards on until your exit from the stadium grounds..."

Glenn smiled and waved and went back into the tunnel. It was quite a walk to the changing rooms, where the players were being spoken to by his older brother and assistant, Ken.

"Alright, time to get on the coach people." said Glenn. "I want to get back to the hotel A.S.A.P, it's an early start tomorrow. Let's end our final group game against Pemecutan on a high and get ourselves in the best possible position for the knockout stages!"

Murmurs of collective approval from the team followed, and they began filing out of the door to make their way to the car park. As Johan Karlstrom was about to exit, Glenn stopped you.

"Let me talk to you, Johan."

Karlstrom nodded. "Yes, boss?"

"Listen, don't beat yourself up. I know you feel you haven't been doing your best these last couple of games, but I know you can do it. Just have confidence in yourself, you're my vice-captain for a reason." said Glenn. It was true, Johan Karlstrom hadn't exactly shined as much as the nation hoped him to, and his confidence seemed to be low as a result. The press' comments had taken it's toll.

"Ignore the idiots like Kosovich. No one bothers reading that paper outside of Carntyne anyway. And as for the national papers, they know any story regarding the Baptism of Fire will sell copies, they're just making money. I know you're going to get through this." continued Glenn.

Karlstrom smiled. "Thank you." he said. Fairly quiet off the pitch, he'd been quieter than usual and Glenn really was worried. It was only four games in.

"If you need a rest, let me know. I want you in your best conditions for the knockout stages?"

"If that's possible. I don't want to look like a sell-out, but..."

"You're not. It's fine. I'll give one of the others some gametime. As long as you're ready to go for the round of sixteen, okay?"

Karlstrom smiled and nodded, and the two made their way to join the others on the coach.

Starting XI v Pemecutan (4-3-3): Kilmarnock; Pettersen, Clackmannan, Tomic, Eriksen; Bauer, Bank, Charters; Dunayev, Bannantyne, Ekomov.

Glazgo v Unimon (3-4-3): Kilmarnock; Kilmarnock; Karlstrom, Clackmannan, Allister; Dunayev, Bank (Pastorek 55), Charters (Johnstone 55), Ekomov; Haavikko, Bannantyne (Cederland 83), Kalashnikov
Goalscorers: Bank '7, Haavikko '19, Kalashnikov '47, Dunayev '80

Glazgo v Squidrodia (4-3-3): Gunn; Pettersen (Glennon 87), Karlstrom, Tomic (Polak 65), Kaasa; Bauer, Bank, Charters; Dunayev (Haaviko 74), Kalashnikov, Ekomov.
Goalscorers: Kalashnikov '42, Charters '56

by **Savigliane** » Mon Aug 17, 2020 10:01 am

V. Camillo Notari
31 October, 2017
Arena Bohemians
Metropolis, Valladares

Bianca Fiore may have only been five-foot-seven, but the shoes that she'd left for Camillo Notari to fill were absolutely massive. Unbreakable on the field and indomitable off of it, the defensive midfielder had been Savigliane's captain since she was twenty-two and the anchor of the national team for nearly a decade. In the away win to Varanja, she'd been the MOTM with a brilliant performance that shut down their opponents' attack, and while she'd been unjustly sent off in the second leg, she'd still had a tremendous defensive impact on the match.

Fiore had been one of the highest-profile disappearances after Savigliane's dimension switch. And while the friends of other celebrity disappearances, such as Foreign Minister Sofia Tonelli or musician Christian DuBois, had the certainty of knowing they were still safe, albeit in a new dimension, Bianca Fiore was missing and presumed dead. Even amongst the few Savigliano players who had not lost family during the shift, the loss of their captain weighed heavily on them. Some of them had even seen Bianca run out of the tunnel to spend the End of the World with her teammates - her last act as captain - and it was an image that would haunt their memories forever.

And so, just two weeks after Savigliane had switched dimensions, it was the goalkeeper, Camillo Notari, who found himself giving the team talk before the opening match of the seventy-third Baptism of Fire. Notari was hardly soft-spoken, but even he had been taken surprise when Laurent Chambéry had asked him to captain the Red-and-Blues. Unlike Pietro Giraudo, Marco Beccaria, Amara Vatrican, or Fiore's vice-captain Gabriel Lefebvre, he wasn't a captain on the club level. But with Lefebvre still recovering mentally from the events of the past fortnight, Chambéry had seen it fit to give his starting goalkeeper the role instead.

"Right, well...I bet you're all wondering, 'how'd this fucker get the armband?'" he started, to some laughs. "And the truth is, I shouldn't be wearing this. We all know Bianca should be the one wearing it. I'll take the armband since somebody has to, but we all know who the real captain of this team is, no matter what we do at this Baptism of Fire."

"But the truth is, Bianca isn't the only one missing. And those of you who have only lost Bianca are the luckiest among us. Because right now, Savigliane is defined by the Biancas and the people that they've left behind. We are a nation searching for, mourning, all of the loved ones we've left behind. As footballers, especially those of us who were playing abroad two weeks ago, we've left even more behind then most. But that makes it all the more important that we have each other."

"So when we take the field in a few minutes, our job is to make every other Savigliano feel that way as well. That no matter who or what is missing from our lives now, that we still have a duty to those that we've left behind to take care of each other, lift each other up, and do the best that we can. Anything else would be spitting on Bianca's grave. So, uh, let's do this."

Fifteen minutes later, the Savigliano national anthem was heard for the first time by the international community that Savigliane was now a part of. Across the nation, millions watched as their national team took to the field for the first time in a new era.

BoF MD4: Savigliane 1 - 0 Lovisa
Lineup: Notari 6; Marchetti 8, Garcia 7, Beccaria 7 (Petit 65), Dutto 8; Vatrican 9, Giraudo 6, Toscani 7; Coste 7, Grimaldi 5 (Squarciafichi 68), Durand 8 (LeClerc 84)
Goals: Durand 79

Lineup to face Iles-Rogieres (4-2-4): Notari (C); Marchetti, Giraudo, Moreau, LeClerc; Vatrican, Petit; Coste, Grimaldi, Durand, Vitale

In a must-watch match between the immovable object that is Savigliane's defense (just one goal conceded through four matches) and the unstoppable force of Iles-Rogieres' attack (seventeen goals in the same timespan), Savigliane's tactics have introduced a new twist. Laurent Chambéry, as a response to Iles-Rogieres' old-school W-M formation that has proven to be surprisingly successful, has opted to switch to a more fluid 4-2-4 formation, historically a strong counter to the W-M/3-2-5 formation that Antoine Lemaître has used during this Baptism of Fire. Only a win will guarantee Savigliane's advancement to the Round of Sixteen, while a draw or loss would mean Savigliane would need other results to go their way to advance. Cognizant of this, Chambéry appears to want to start the game more openly, although by deploying LeClerc at right-back and shifting Vitale forward to play on the wing, he leaves open the option of switching back to a back three whenever he chooses.

by **Megistos** » Mon Aug 17, 2020 10:20 am

Megistos 2–1 Liberal Democratic Socialist States

Megistos secure advancement to the knockout stage, as one of the favorites [Megistos] beats LDSS 2-1. Let's dive in and take a look at the match that secured Megistos.

The 24th minute was the minute that the first goal came, and it fell to Megistos. Fran started a attack with a opening pass to Jorgenson, who dodged Imper's lazy slide tackle with a ball flick into the air and a jump, and passed it to Lam. Lam took the shot, but the ball deflected off both Neifk and Readko. Jorgenson took the cross at the far post and Williams jumped and met the ball with his head, and headered the ball to the near post, which Readko nor any other LDSSian players could reach.

Megistos hit the 2nd goal on a counter attack when Olnod poorly shot directly at Becks, and he wasted no time and threw it to a open Cringan. Cringan, being a speedy player, annihilated the defence of LDSS and saw an open and running Robertson, who he passed to, and all Robertson had to do was slot it in. Of course, Robertson being Robertson, and being in front of TV, he used the rabona. Simple and done.

Half-time approached, and the players knew they would have to play defensive. The coach also knew this too. So he told them to play defensive, and counter-attack Megistian style.

Nothing much happened in the second half, except the goal for LDSS. It happened in the 90+1 minute, meaning that LDSS had no chance to tie. Olnod ran down the wing, and found Werne, and passed to him. Becks was guarding the near post; as a result, he stretched to the far post, and Werne slotted the ball between his legs.

Now Megistos face second place, and my bet is 1-1 if both teams play attacking and 1-0 to Megistos if both play defensively.

by **Hwiccemark** » Mon Aug 17, 2020 1:35 pm

The Gazette
Is Jacquette's first victory his last?

Coming out of the 1-0 defeat to Staypuftonia Jacquette looked to be sporting the thousand mile stare. Here was clearly a dead man walking. Hwiccemark were effectively eliminated from the Baptism of Fire, and yet he would have to motivate his team through two more matches, a ghost in his own technical area. And yet, in his first match as the ex-manager of the national side, he managed to get his only victory in his 8 games in charge so far. The performance wasn't the strongest, but the players looked motivated despite their predicament and gave a solid performance for a 1-0 win.

The match against Stapuftonia saw a shift in system. Hwiccemark had been repeatedly outmaneuvered down the flanks, the 5-3-2 system leaving only one player covering the area, allowing the other teams to play down the wings again and again. Additionally, wing-backs Wortham and Cimini are both slower, more defensive players, and hence Hwiccemark had no thrust down the wings and no way out of their own half. The two humiliating 5-1 defeats to Southwest Eastnorth and Sylestone effectively eliminated Hwiccemark, and cast serious questions over Jacquette's system and selection. He shifted to a 5-2-3. Wortham and Cimini were out, in came Lindsey and Wieczorek, two players far more comfortable raiding forward. Additionally, out went creative midfielder Farrel, and in came Van Der Laar. Jacquette had packed no true wingers in his case, so Van Der Laar and Merten were shifted out and asked to track back, despite their discomfort doing so. The shift produced a defeat, but a much narrower one.

Going into the match against Ihilthracna, the 5-2-3 shape was maintained. Coming up against a formation that looked to be a 3-5-1-1, however, the forwards had far more license to not track back, there being only one opponent coming down the wings. The wing-backs were also given more license to raid forward. The resulting victory came from a greater ability to get the ball forward on Hwiccemark's part, but the overall performance remained largely unspectacular, with the side remaining in their shape for long periods, congesting space and being difficult to play through. A header from Merten, who drifted in behind the back line, provided the only goal of the contest.

Questions will surely be asked about the appointment of Jacquette. He had pedigree, having taken Longborth Cross to a double, but had done so playing a defensive system that relied on a small, cohesive squad that have worked together for years. His brand of football, and national team selections, have been very uninspiring, and the FA have questions to answer over their selection of him at manager. The race is now on to replace him, Racing Clube De Brehat's Debbie Parker is one option, although a CV of having won the second tier is slightly thin. Matthias Kluivert, legendary Tilbury Scuttler's manager, has also been mentioned, but his retirement was 5 years ago, and ended with him narrowly returning his side to the top tier after a relegation.

Baptism of Fire 73 - Everything Thread

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