International Football Cup 2 - Everything Thread

by **Squidroidia** » Tue Oct 20, 2020 4:30 pm

It's time to begin, isn't it? First cutoff for the 2nd International Football Cup!

Matchday 1

Group A
Squidroidia 1–0 Crystalline Caverns
Muralos 0–0 The Jovannic

Group A                  Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Squidroidia              1   1  0  0    1   0  +1    3
2 Muralos                  1   0  1  0    0   0   0    1
  The Jovannic             1   0  1  0    0   0   0    1
4 Crystalline Caverns      1   0  0  1    0   1  −1    0

Group B
Murphtannia 0–2 Sylestone
Quemorr Isles 0–1 HUElavia

Group B                  Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Sylestone                1   1  0  0    2   0  +2    3
2 HUElavia                 1   1  0  0    1   0  +1    3
3 Quemorr Isles            1   0  0  1    0   1  −1    0
4 Murphtannia              1   0  0  1    0   2  −2    0

Group C
Daehwi 2–3 Tikariot
Hebitaka 0–1 Indusse

Group C                  Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Tikariot                 1   1  0  0    3   2  +1    3
2 Indusse                  1   1  0  0    1   0  +1    3
3 Daehwi                   1   0  0  1    2   3  −1    0
4 Hebitaka                 1   0  0  1    0   1  −1    0

Group D
Central Shaneville 0–5 ZSeparatists
Free Ravensburg 1–2 Megistos

Group D                  Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 ZSeparatists             1   1  0  0    5   0  +5    3
2 Megistos                 1   1  0  0    2   1  +1    3
3 Free Ravensburg          1   0  0  1    1   2  −1    0
4 Central Shaneville       1   0  0  1    0   5  −5    0

Matchday 2

Group A
Crystalline Caverns 1–0 The Jovannic
Squidroidia 1–1 Muralos

Group A                  Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Squidroidia              2   1  1  0    2   1  +1    4
2 Crystalline Caverns      2   1  0  1    1   1   0    3
3 Muralos                  2   0  2  0    1   1   0    2
4 The Jovannic             2   0  1  1    0   1  −1    1

Group B
Sylestone 3–2 HUElavia
Murphtannia 2–0 Quemorr Isles

Group B                  Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Sylestone                2   2  0  0    5   2  +3    6
2 HUElavia                 2   1  0  1    3   3   0    3
3 Murphtannia              2   1  0  1    2   2   0    3
4 Quemorr Isles            2   0  0  2    0   3  −3    0

Group C
Tikariot 6–3 Indusse
Daehwi 0–0 Hebitaka

Group C                  Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Tikariot                 2   2  0  0    9   5  +4    6
2 Indusse                  2   1  0  1    4   6  −2    3
3 Daehwi                   2   0  1  1    2   3  −1    1
4 Hebitaka                 2   0  1  1    0   1  −1    1

Group D
ZSeparatists 2–1 Megistos
Central Shaneville 3–0 Free Ravensburg

Group D                  Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 ZSeparatists             2   2  0  0    7   1  +6    6
2 Megistos                 2   1  0  1    3   3   0    3
3 Central Shaneville       2   1  0  1    3   5  −2    3
4 Free Ravensburg          2   0  0  2    1   5  −4    0

Legend
Green - This team has advanced to the Quarter-Finals
Red - This team has been eliminated from the International Football Cup

by **Squidroidia** » Tue Oct 20, 2020 5:02 pm

A little update, I forgot to add in Muralos's style modifier. As I am new to running a tournament, it was an honest mistake on my end. This will be corrected for Matchday 3.

by **Central Shaneville** » Wed Oct 21, 2020 3:31 am

CENTRAL SHANEVILLE'S INCONSISTENCY ON FULL DISPLAY
Central Shaneville's manager Jay Bucks and all Central Shaneville players were left both ecstatic and angry following the opening two matchdays of the group stage of International Football Cup 2, the debuting nation currently sits 3rd on the same points as Megistos meaning tomorrow's match against Megistos will be one of the biggest in the nation's history since their return to international football.

Central Shaneville 0-5 ZSeparatists
The opening matchday was a day to forget for Central Shaneville with its young defense turning out to be its biggest weak point and it was because of this it was a slaughter on the goal front, Central Shaneville did have some chances in the second half making the game more even as time went on but the outcome was pretty much already decided at this point with Jay Bucks reportedly seething at his players in the dressing room following such a loss, the biggest in Central Shaneville footballing history.

Despite tempers flaring, Bucks congratulated the nation of ZSeparatists and said that "We're just a bit rusty, hopefully we can bounce back" he seemed to have a hopeful tone and hope was coming.

Central Shaneville 3-0 Free Ravensburg
Central Shaneville were back (for this game at least) and better than before, this time Jay Bucks was seen jumping up and down on the touchline and interacting with the fans in attendance as Central Shaneville stepped on the metaphorical gas pedal.

This was the statement they wanted to make following their hiccup in Matchday 1 with a more experienced lineup, a lineup similar to their Independents Cup 5 campaign, Central Shaneville ended Free Ravensburg's campaign in the tournament early following Josh Smith and David Vujanic (the two main Central Shaneville strikers) ruthlessly assaulting the net with shots and headers, Free Ravensburg kept Central Shaneville on their toes but in the end with 2 goals from Vujanic and a 28 yard screamer from Smith, Central Shaneville found themselves 3rd in the group on the same points as Megistos who they face next.

by **Muralos** » Wed Oct 21, 2020 8:47 am

La Gazeto de Sportatoj
In First International Soccer Matches Since 2016, Muralos Is No Slouch
By Adamo Tanaka and Jonathan Liu
October 21, 2020

INKOPOLIS, SQUIDROIDIA. The national soccer team of Muralos has returned to the international stage for the first time since the summer of 2016, when it bowed out of the Asian Archipelago Embassy Cup after a 2 - 1 loss to to Sheng China of Asiana.

Finally emerging from self-sufficiency, the Hawks played two matches in the group stage of the Second International Football Cup in Squidroidia – one against The Jovannic (from Atlantian Oceania), and one against the hosts Squidroidia. It was a sight to behold back in Muralos. Photographers captured bars bustling with young and old alike; IT personnel fixing school wi-fi networks as schoolboys tried to stream the games in class; fishermen in Kurilo holding Rossiya 303s, Soviet-era shortwave radios, to their ears like young Muralosians do with seashells. RTM-1 covered the matches with live broadcasts on TV, radio, and the Internet for truly every person in the country.

Muralos first played The Jovannic early Tuesday to a scoreless draw. The anticipation and tension in Inkopolis City Stadium was real. A sizable delegation of Muralosians were at the match, including some erudite youth soccer team members who came, in the words of Urbego High School forward Hideyaki Yamashita, to study “the play of some of our most respected athletes, whether they win or lose or draw.”

Ending a game 0-0 left mixed feelings among Muralosians. On the one hand, the Muralosian squad had reconvened only in May 2020. Their training up to the IFC "could only go so far," coach Jozefo Koltakov conceded; he maintained, however that "it's important for [the team] to take these competition opportunities sooner than later." On the other hand, beating The Jovannic was not out of the question, and some statistical models gave hope for a 2-0 or 3-0 victory. They were, however, built with little information to go by. As of yet, footage of The Jovannic's matches is scarce.

Notwithstanding the result, Muralos shined at moments in the match: Rikardo Lei delivered an exceptional cross that Rui answered seamlessly, but the shot hit the crossbar. Vilhelmo Lumin and Johano Abramovich took shots from far afield, with all but one landing on target. Last but not least, Rodion Markov's saves failed to disappoint; he made five against a rather aggressive Jovannician offense.

FINAL
Muralos 0 - 0 The Jovannic

For the record: The Gazeto wrote earlier that The Jovannic has not published a team roster, and we wrote that this complicated statistical models of the Muralos-The Jovannic match. We were mistaken. The Jovannic has published a team roster in September 2020 for the AOCAF tournament.

by **Hebitaka** » Thu Oct 22, 2020 1:01 am

Sports News Daily

Jayesh welcomed to the Athletics, Vijay about to leave

Jayesh Raj, a young player from the Blasters is to arrive from the Blasters to the team of Athletics. The Athletics performed average in the previous season while Vijay could not show his game up to the point he should have. The same happened in the previous game against the Daehwi. Even after getting multiple chances the man could not score. This has surely and deeply affected the future of this twenty seven year old striker. Even the Athletics are having a talk to transfer him out.

Last Game, Last Hope

With two matchdays of IFC finishing, the games were harsh for the Hebitaki. The first match was a loss with Indusse by 1-0 and second match was a tie against Daehwi with no score. The Hebitaka team is in the bottom of the table with 1 point and has to win the final match. But this one is going to be a harsh one, not only because it is a must win but also because it is against the defending champions, Takariots. Best of luck to the whole team. DO YOUR BEST HEBITAKA!!!

by **Hebitaka** » Thu Oct 22, 2020 1:57 am

Hebitaka's performance

Hebitaka 0-1 Indusse

An amazing performance and display of gameplay. A bit possession dominating game by the winning side, the match was clean for the winners. Indusse were on the best from the very beginning, the Hebitaka really had very less chance. An expected result of the team to lose. This match was rather more close than expected. It was expected to be more dominated by the winning team. There were three cards shown in total. They are:
Hebitaka: Losh(Yellow), Farhan(Yellow)
Indusse:Mcmuller(Yellow)

Hebitaka 0-0 Daehwi

The game was all towards Hebitaka except the goals scored. A poor game for Vijay for missing almost 10 shots and a shot accuracy of below 30%. It should have been a win for the Hebitaka if only Vijay would have played a bit better. The game though was quite fair with no cards shown to either teams and only 14 fouls. Here are the Match Facts:-

by **Central Shaneville** » Thu Oct 22, 2020 8:35 am

CENTRAL SHANEVILLE LOOK AHEAD TO IMPORTANT GAME TONIGHT
Tonight Central Shaneville's attention once again turns to the International Football Cup and to its next opponent: Megistos.

Tonight's game is one of great matter to both teams as they look to win this game as the winners will advance to the knockout rounds however a draw for Megistos would see them go through on goal difference so its either win or go home for both teams, training at the Central Shaneville camp has been, as usual, a busy affair with Jay Bucks encouraging his players ahead of the big game.

Matchdays 1 and 2 may have been a wild rollercoaster for the team but the victory against Free Ravensburg the other day really put a statement forward saying that Central Shaneville are back and better than ever however also that day they lost 5-0 to ZSeperatists which left alot to be desired for Central Shaneville this match has since been dismissed as "rust" by manager Jay Bucks.

Josh Smith, the striker that "put the nail in the Free Ravensburg coffin" as he said during an interview post match on Central Shaneville TV, will be hoping to do the same against Megistos but he pointed out it wont be easy as they have the same record and better goal difference he added that going into this game there are more questions than answers also calling the game a massive unknown.

by **Megistos** » Thu Oct 22, 2020 9:11 am

Free Ravensburg 1–2 Megistos
In a game that was expected to be a big defeat for Free Ravensburg, they almost drew it.

The game began with Megistos kicking off, and they dominated possession for a while. Both teams were playing on the defensive, but the Megistians were the first ones to realize if they were going to both play defensive, they could lose first. A good attack was launched by Lukovic, tripping up 2 Ravensburg players and passing to a open Robertson, but he got fouled at the edge of the box. VAR went to see if it was a penalty or free-kick, and the decision was a free-kick. Robertson shot the ball at the far corner, tricking the goalkeeper who was too late to save it, and it went into the net, and the Megistians were off to a good start in the 24th minute.

Megistos got 2 just before halftime in the 44th minute with Lukovic running from the goal, dragging 2 Ravensburg players with him. He spotted Lam on the side and he passed to him, who did a no-look chip to Robertson, who shot the ball into the net between the goalkeeper's legs. Then the halftime whistle blew, Megistos 2-0 up.

Listen, we've got a good lead, don't blow it up. Go on the defensive, this team is good at countering. Most of all, win! GLORIA MEGISTIA!

The Megistians came out stronger, but also the Free Ravensburg players came out stronger. Megistos still controlled most of the possession, and in the 54th minute, Megistos came out on a quick counter attack following a shot from the opposition hitting the crossbar. Cringan saw Lukovic's run, and passed it in front of him, and crossed it to Jorgenson, who got his head to the ball, but amazing reflexes from the goalkeeper kept it out.

The Ravensburg players got one back too late to make a comeback, but rather a consolation, in the 89th minute. Their striker took advantage of a open midfield and ran past it, shooting from range with success. The whistle blew 2 minutes later though, and Megistos got their 3 points.

ZSeparatists 2–1 Megistos
ZSeparatists got away with the win in this tight match, but the laziness of some players ultimately made the way for ZSeparatists to win.

In the 4th minute, ZSeparatists struck first with a early goal. Timbuck got the ball, and unguarded, Fri went to mark him, leading way for a pass to Gaston. With the easy chance, he made the Megistians regret their unawareness.

Megistos went full-on pressure mode, and kept ZSeparatists from getting an attack. A good attack in the 28th minute by Howard was started, as the man passed to Lam who blitzed past Metzger and Zanaka well, he got the shot but it hit the post and went out.

In the 34th minute Megistos finally got a goal, it would be Williams scoring the goal, a corner from Fran went toward the back post, where Williams was there to head the ball in, no worries.

Halftime blew, and Martinez had nothing to say, as he was too surprised. The changes for the half were that Megistos were to be playing a moderate tempo, yet still attacking.

Megistos almost got 2 when Robertson fought for the header against Zanaka, got it but it was more of a pass to Lukovic who dived in and got the head to the ball, he almost scored but Zaloka got the leg to the ball and it got cleared.

In the 81st minute Gaston scored. He dribbled past Lam who made a clumsy challenge, yet he still went on, past Fri and Sears, and he shot the ball just over Becks stretching legs and into the net. And then, 10 minutes later, the game ended. A poor result, but Megistos weren't knocked out; yet. Sitting 2nd in the table against unranked Central Shaneville, the Megistos know that a draw or win will see them through. A loss would knock them out. The fate rests here. We shall see if it turns to Megistos soon enough.

by **HUElavia** » Thu Oct 22, 2020 1:13 pm

HUElavia experiences a Mixed Bag of Results!

Quemorr Isles 0–1 HUElavia
(Leite-Reis 17')

Sylestone 3–2 HUElavia
(Tumble Dryer 20', Sofa 70', Fridge 87'| Conti 30', Moutinho 78')

HUElavia's debut participation in the IFC has been one with a mixed bag of results. While the goals have come in left and right, the team has equally had the same amount of goals hemorrhage into their goal. The opening game versus the Quemorr Isles saw a cross from Savedra go into the box, only for Leite-Reis get a header go past Blue Whale. That ended up being the only goal of the match, with Vannier having a very strong performance as the starter for the match. The second match versus Sylestone had HUElavia fall short in a back and forth match. Solid strikes from Conti and Moutinho gave life for Los Amarillos/Os Amarelos, but it wasn't enough as goals from sentient household appliances gave HUElavia one of their most surprising upsets in their football history.

Thus, HUElavia will once again need to pull a favorable result against Murphtannia. Currently, the team leads over them on goals scored, 3 versus 2. Regardless, Coach Garcia Kimura wants to put out a decent team to continue getting sensations from the back up players. Tran will start in goal, while a mix of the supposed starters and backups will be on the pitch. HUElavians will come looking to cheer on the team for an important match in order to have a good showing in this tournament. All the team can do is train and prepare themselves, while the fans in Squidroidia, in HUElavia, and all around the multiverse can hope and pray for a favorable result for the team.

FORCA HUELAVIA! VAMOS HUELAVIA! GO HUELAVIA!

by **Squidroidia** » Thu Oct 22, 2020 1:27 pm

https://www.seventeenthirtysix.sqr/ifc2/odds

SeventeenThirtySix
Your home for odds on Squidroidian sports

--HOME-- --INTERNATIONAL FOOTBALL CUP 2-- --WORLD BOWL XL-- --DOMESTIC FOOTBALL-- --WGPC-- --OTHER KNICK-KNACKS--

International Football Cup 2 - Odds
Odds are simulated using a high tech simulation machine that includes previous games aka xkoranate 10 times

GROUP A

NATION	GROUP WINNERS	GROUP RUNNERS UP	GROUP 3RD PLACE	GROUP 4TH PLACE
Squidroidia	50%	50%	0%	0%
Crystalline Caverns	30%	0%	50%	20%
Muralos	20%	40%	0%	40%
The Jovannic	0%	10%	50%	40%

GROUP B

NATION	GROUP WINNERS	GROUP RUNNERS UP	GROUP 3RD PLACE	GROUP 4TH PLACE
Sylestone	100%	0%	Already Advanced	Already Advanced
HUElavia	0%	70%	30%	20%
Murphtannia	0%	30%	70%	40%
Quemorr Isles	Already Eliminated	Already Eliminated	0%	100%

GROUP C

NATION	GROUP WINNERS	GROUP RUNNERS UP	GROUP 3RD PLACE	GROUP 4TH PLACE
Tikariot	100%	0%	Already Advanced	Already Advanced
Indusse	0%	90%	10%	0%
Daehwi	0%	10%	70%	40%
Hebitaka*	0%	0%	50%	50%

GROUP D

NATION	GROUP WINNERS	GROUP RUNNERS UP	GROUP 3RD PLACE	GROUP 4TH PLACE
ZSeparatists	100%	0%	Already Advanced	Already Advanced
Megistos	0%	100%	0%	0%
Central Shaneville*	0%	0%	100%	0%
Free Ravensburg	Already Eliminated	Already Eliminated	0%	100%

*To Central Shaneville and Hebitaka - Relax! You can still mathematically make it!

by **Sylestone** » Thu Oct 22, 2020 1:31 pm

Sylestone 2-0 Murphtannia
The Sentients have continued their strong run with a commanding 2-0 win over Murphtannia. Sylestone were on top during the entire game, and the opposition side barely got a chance. However, their defence was strong as they kept the Syleatoneans at bay until the final half-hour when they began to tire. It was the 61st minute and the Tumble Dryer shot the ball straight at the goalkeeper, who completely missed it. It was an odd moment, but the Sentients took it and they were 1-0 up. A few minutes later it was 2-0 as the Fridge passed the ball to the Mixer, who shot for goal. The ball rebounded off the post and straight to the Sofa, who flicked it into the back of the net. No more goals were scored after this.

SYLESTONE - 2
Tumble Dryer 61’
Sofa 65’

MURPHTANNIA

Sylestone 3-2 HUElavia
It was 2-2. Three minutes left. The Fridge walked into the goal. And scored. Now it was 3-2. And Sylestone were happy. They had beaten the best team in the IFC. And qualified for the quarters. What could go wrong?

SYLESTONE -3
Tumble Dryer 20’
Sofa 70’
Fridge 87’

HUELAVIA
Conti 30’
Moutinho 78’

by **Muralos** » Thu Oct 22, 2020 2:59 pm

Training Site of the Muralosian National Soccer Team, October 21
The sky had just begun to show signs of day. Stars were very much still visible as the Muralosians went through a series of dynamic warm-up exercises. Soon after, Coach Koltakov blew a whistle to call everyone over.

Koltakov resembled Adamo Brava in build and stature, but with a gentle, bespectacled countenance. He could have been easily mistaken for a Zamenhof University professor who really likes to work out in his spare time. On his face was a smile that spoke volumes about Muralos’ play in the past two days. One could read his pleasant surprise at the fact that these talented hermits held their own against two world-ranked teams who had played multiple tournaments this year, including the WC86 qualifiers. But Koltakov’s smile stopped short of beaming pride. There was so much more that the Muralosian squad could give to the game and to their compatriots. More than two draws and a precarious standing in their group.

“Okay everyone,” Koltakov began as the players gathered around him. "We've already had a bit of discussion at dinner yesterday and I know you all get the gist of things. But let me sum it up again for everyone. Is that cool?"

Rui and some others raised their thumbs and nodded, as though giving a toast. "Jes!" came the reply. (The Esperanto word for "yes," which is pronounced the same.)

"All right. Some people are over the moon seeing that we are doing okay in this stage and that we stand a chance at advancing. We didn't do as well as hoped against The Jovannic, but our lot improved with Squidroidia by far. We talked about playing a more coordinated offense and being a bit less 'trigger-happy' like the young ones have told us" – Koltakov extended a hand to Lerta Donaldson and Georgo Zhong, both sophomores at Havenurbo Tech – "and it's paid off!"

"Ayyyyyy," Georgo replied, mostly for comic relief.

Opposite Georgo, Adamo Brava tried not to laugh. The college kids and their shenanigans were pretty good for Muralos' team chemistry. Lerta and Georgo in particular knew how to let loose without disrupting practice.

Indeed, some smooth passing among the Muralosians helped secure their one goal against Squidroidia. In the 29th minute, Koralo Petrov took possession of the ball and made a wide pass across the pitch to Nikolaj Granda. Granda found Lerta Donaldson to the left, who assisted Rui in making a swift goal close to the ground. A wave of exhilaration rushed through the squad and the audience, and though there were thunderstorms back home in most parts of Muralos, it was not the weather that electrified viewers of that goal.

GOAL 32' - Muralos

"You all did well to break up Squidroidia's offense," Koltakov continued, "but we'll need to do some defensive drilling so as to not get too far into the rhythm of that. We can't count on punting the ball when a team decides to amp up its attack. Let's start off with some 2-on-2 drilling and go from there. We'll also need some practice defending corner kicks."

GOAL 66' - Squidroidia

Final:
Muralos 1 - 1 Squidroidia
Rui 32' | Hoshi 66'

"But of course, that's not all we need to brush up on today. We will spend most of our time working on passing and acceleration." On those three words, "passing and acceleration," Koltakov quickened the pace of his speech, as if to illustrate the very idea of acceleration. In all likelihood, though, he was being mindful of the time.

He was referring to Muralos' upcoming match against The Crystalline Caverns. The latter boasts an exceptionally strong defense, while the Hawks are relatively attack-minded, but – according to Koltakov – need another half a day to internalize their attack strategy.

"We know that we need to train with our opponents in mind. Let's make sure to today. We're confident and confidence is one of our greatest strengths, but we'll need the right preparation to back it up." Yes, the Muralosians' confidence – and excitement – were valuable assets in a game that would decide Muralos' destiny in the IFC.

It was clear that Koltakov was about to end his morning pep-talk, so Adamo Brava extended a hand out, palm down, toward the rest of the Muralosian squad. This was cheesy, and perhaps other teams would find it so, but no matter. The whole squad stacked their hands over Adamo's.

"Ni iru, Muralos!" Adamo began.

"Ni iru!" the rest of the team joined in unison.

by **Squidroidia** » Thu Oct 22, 2020 5:11 pm

No music. No second chances. Cutoff for Matchday 3 of the group stage. Good luck to you all.

Group A
Muralos 1–0 Crystalline Caverns
The Jovannic 0–3 Squidroidia

Group A                  Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Squidroidia              3   2  1  0    5   1  +4    7
2 Muralos                  3   1  2  0    2   1  +1    5
3 Crystalline Caverns      3   1  0  2    1   2  −1    3
4 The Jovannic             3   0  1  2    0   4  −4    1

Group B
Quemorr Isles 2–1 Sylestone
HUElavia 4–2 Murphtannia

Group B                  Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 HUElavia                 3   2  0  1    7   5  +2    6
2 Sylestone                3   2  0  1    6   4  +2    6
3 Murphtannia              3   1  0  2    4   6  −2    3
4 Quemorr Isles            3   1  0  2    2   4  −2    3

Group C
Hebitaka 1–6 Tikariot
Indusse 5–2 Daehwi

Group C                  Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Tikariot                 3   3  0  0   15   6  +9    9
2 Indusse                  3   2  0  1    9   8  +1    6
3 Daehwi                   3   0  1  2    4   8  −4    1
4 Hebitaka                 3   0  1  2    1   7  −6    1

Group D
Free Ravensburg 0–2 ZSeparatists
Megistos 1–0 Central Shaneville

Group D                  Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 ZSeparatists             3   3  0  0    9   1  +8    9
2 Megistos                 3   2  0  1    4   3  +1    6
3 Central Shaneville       3   1  0  2    3   6  −3    3
4 Free Ravensburg          3   0  0  3    1   7  −6    0

Congratulations to all of those that advanced, and I'm sorry for those who finished outside the top 2 of their group. You deserved better, and even though that some of you fell short, there is always a next time.

Quarter-Finals Matchups

Squidroidia vs Sylestone
Darkness Stadium, Midnight

HUElavia vs Indusse
County Stadium, Calamari County

Tikariot vs Megistos
Newton Nuclear Stadium, Newton

ZSeparatists vs Muralos
Tractor Arena, Sawayama

by **Indusse** » Thu Oct 22, 2020 11:29 pm

IFA NEWS NETWORK
Hip Hop on the Cop

Indussean National Team qualifies for their first ever IFC tournament. The team qualified as the runners up in the group of 4 consisting of Hebitaka, Tikariot and Daehwi. The group champs Tikariot defeated Indusse on their second Matchday for a score of 6-3. Indusse could defeat Hebitaka for a score of 1-0 and Daehwi for a score of 5-2. As the tournament was going on, Panther Singh who is the assistant fitness trainer of the team created problems on the shops near the venue. He smashed the nose of a Cop who tried to arrest him and he was arrested and was made to pay a fine of 12,000 Indussean rupees. He was also removed from the national fitness trainer post and was suspended from the Indussean Verified Sports Trainee Association. He will be barred from training any sports team or player for 3 months.

Standings

Group C                  Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Tikariot                 3   3  0  0   15   6  +9    9
2 Indusse                  3   2  0  1    9   8  +1    6
3 Daehwi                   3   0  1  2    4   8  −4    1
4 Hebitaka                 3   0  1  2    1   7  −6    1

Match Reports

Top Scorers

1.      Baskar H Kumar   5
2.      Mersiás   3
3.      Butea   1

by **HUElavia** » Fri Oct 23, 2020 4:22 pm

HUElavia Miraculously Wins Group B!

HUElavia 4–2 Murphtannia
(R. Almeida 3', Sakaguchi 39', 52', Belleza 89' | REDACTED 23', 70')

HUElavia came into Matchday 3 needing at least a draw to advance to the Quarter-Finals of the IFC. Squidroidian Newspapers had slated that HUElavia had virtually a 0% chance to win Group B, but a 70% chance to advance as runner-up of Group B. Regardless, these statistics and scenarios meant nothing to the team. Coach Garcia Kimura gave out a mix of starters and bench players, along with Tran in goal. HUElavia just went on the pitch looking to win matches and keep their IFC dreams going. The match was a great one of HUElavia, the best one yet. An early strike from R. Almeida had Los Amarillos/Os Amarelos up 1-0, until REDACTED tied it up in the 23rd minute. Sakaguchi would shine in the match, getting two goals, one in each half. REDACTED would get another goal to keep the game close, but the Pinay-HUElavian winger Belleza would score a beautiful curve to make it the definitive 4-2. With the result, along with Quemorr Isles surprisingly defeating Sylestone 2-1, allowed Los Amarillos/Os Amarelos to win Group B.

The next match for HUElavia is against Indusse in the Quarter-Finals, who were the Runner-Up of Group C. Vannier will start, along with a mix of starters and bench players on the pitch. The team will train hard for the match while the fans hope and pray for another victory by Los Amarillos/Os Amarelos while flocking to the stadium. Here's to hoping the team makes it into the Semi-Finals in what can be a very exciting and interesting match up, as well as a historic run in their IFC debut.

FORCA HUELAVIA! VAMOS HUELAVIA! GO HUELAVIA!

by **Tikariot** » Fri Oct 23, 2020 5:53 pm

The Tikariot Premier League, sometimes referred to as the TPL, is a professional association football league in Tikariot. At the top of the Tikariot football league system, the Tikariot Premier League is Tikariot's primary football competition. The Tikariot Premier League comprises 24 teams and operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the Tikariot Second League. Seasons run from August to May. Most games are played on Saturdays and Sundays, with a few games played on weekdays. All of the TPL clubs qualify for the Cup of Tikariot. The winner of the TPL qualifies for the Tikariot Supercup.

Forty-seven clubs have competed in the Tikariot Premier League since its founding. Morannon Athletic FC has won the title 11 times, the most among TPL clubs. However, the Tikariot Premier League has seen other champions, with Parakleion Firebirds FC, Oriannor Mountaineers FC, Carathyr Emeralds FC, Eivora Athletic FC, and Baraldhur AFC most prominent among them.

The Tikariot Premier League is composed of two divisions: the Tikariot Premier League, and, below that, the Tikariot Second League, which has been the second tier of German football since season 50. The Leagues are professional leagues.

Below the level of the Tikariot Second League there are three more divisions, united under the Tikariot National League banner, consisting of a single-tier 22 team National League 1 and two two-tier, 20 team National League 2 and 3.

Every team in the two top leagues must have a licence to play in the league, or else they are relegated into the regional leagues. To obtain a licence, teams must be financially healthy and meet certain standards of conduct as organisations.

The Tikariot Premier League is financially strong, and the Tikariot Second League has begun to evolve in a similar direction, becoming more stable organizationally and financially, and reflecting an increasingly higher standard of professional play.

In season 50, the TPL instated a system of promotion and relegation, with the bottom four finishes being relegated to the Tikariot Second League.

History
Origins
After the independence of Tikariot during the Velvet Revolution, Tikariotians flocked to football as the one constant in their lives. Many of the clubs in existence during the pre-Tikariotian union ceased to be as remnants of the old regime and new clubs were founded all across the nation. At first mostly provincial, calls for a nation-wide league became louder and eventually the Tikariot Football Federation announced the foundation of the Tikariot Premier League with 20 teams from all over Tikariot. Originally the TPL was a closed league with no promotion or relegation, allowing for professionalism to take root and prosper.

With the immense success the league was enjoying, lower level clubs started a petition to open the league for other clubs and in season 22 four teams were admitted into the league, but the TFF did not introduce promotion and relegation. It took 28 more years until lower league teams were allowed into the TPL, with the bottom four teams relegated to the Tikariot Second League and the top four promoted to the TPL.

Foundation
Over 100 clubs from all across Tikariot applied for a spot in the newly founded Tikariot Premier League and at an extraordinary TFF convention in Port Rhovanyon delegates from all provincial football federations evaluated all application and after days of deliberation announced the 20 teams to compete in the first ever season of the Tikariot Premier League.

From Acrassia: Alcassar United FC, Port Tacassam FC
From Dhaencunor: Vilharady Owls FC, Viathyn Park AFC, Tikariot City FC, Bul Khungur Miners FC
From the Emerald Coast: Carathyr Emeralds FC
From Frahaul: Guillarim Blades FC
From Khazagh: Oriannor Mountaineers FC
From Paladon: Avanaroch White Wings FC, Vantanoch FC, Miruan City FC, Parakleion Firebirds FC
From Rhovannyr: Esmora Cove Rangers FC, Port Rhovanyon AFC
From Saburnia: Morannon Athletic FC
From Soharr: Saevaroy Town FC
From Taeria: Tovaca Thunder FC
From Viljamark: Fort Viljan Northern FC
From Xark: Xanark City FC
The first ever TPL champion was Miruan City FC, ahead of Tikariot City FC and Xanark City FC.

Competition format
The Tikariotian football champion is decided strictly by play in the Tikariot Premier League. Each club plays every other club once at home and once away. A victory is worth three points, while a draw is worth a single point, and zero points are given for a loss. The club with the most points at the end of the season becomes Tikariotian champion without any playoffs. Currently, the top clubs in the table qualifies automatically for the IFCF Champions League. The four teams at the bottom of the table are relegated into the Tikariot Second League, while the top four teams in the TSL are promoted.

If teams are level on points, tie-breakers are applied in the following order:

Goal difference for the entire season
Total goals scored for the entire season
Head-to-head results (total points)
Head-to-head goals scored
Head-to-head away goals scored
Total away goals scored for the entire season
If two clubs are still tied after all of these tie-breakers have been applied, a single match is held at a neutral site to determine the placement. However, this has never been necessary in the history of the Tikariot Premier League.

Changes in league structure
Number of teams:
Seasons 0-21: 20
Season 22 to present: 24
Number of teams relegated (automatic relegation):
Seasons 0-50: 0
Seasons 51-present: 4

Qualification for international competitions
1st place: IFCF Champions League
2nd-4th place: IFCF Challengers Cup
1st-3rd place of the Tikariot Second League: Liga B Champions' Trophy
Cup of Tikariot winner: Cup Winners' Cup
The number of Tikariotian clubs which may participate in IFCF competitions is determined by IFCF coefficients, which take into account the results of a particular nation's clubs in IFCF competitions over the preceding five years.

Clubs

Club			 Season 100 First TPL Seasons  TPL    Last
			             season   in TPL  titles  title
Ancarea FC	      	   17		97	  4	0	 –
Anhedron Wanderers FC	   4		56	 27	0	 –
Avanaroch White Wings FC   19		 1	 70	1	 19
Baraldhur AFC		   23		75	 58	7	 95
Bul Khungur Miners FC	   18		 1	100	4	 57
Carathyr Emeralds FC	   13		 1	100	7	 74
Dhun Lagarr FC		    - 	       101	  0	0	 -
Eivora Athletic FC	   11		23	 78	7	 87
Emerald Coast Raiders FC    4 (TSL)	51	 29	0	 -
Guillarim Blades	   15		 1	 92	0	 -
Kyethas Rivermen FC	   20		23	 78	2	 77
Miruan City FC		    8		 1	 95	3	 75
Oriannor Mountaineers FC    3		 1	100	7	 65
Parakleion Firebirds FC	   10		 1	100	10	 99
Port Rhovanyon AFCab	    1		 1	100	3	100
Port Tacassam FCa	    6		 1	100	5	 76
Pyathora Mariners FC	    2		61	 33	6	 96
Tikariot City FC	    7		 1	 69	0	 -
Valnohar Rovers FC	   12		52	 36	1	 89
Vantanoch FC		    1 (TSL)	 1	 80	5	 44
Veriasod Lakers FC	    5		62	 32    71	 -
Vilharady Owls FC	    2 (TSL)	 1	 69	1	  5
Xanark City FC		    3 (TSL)	 1	 85	0	 -
Ysgrann Bay Eagles FC	   16		97	  2	0	 -

Stadiums for 2020–21
Stadium			 Club(s)		   Location	  Capacity
Old Church Road		 Ancarea FC		   Ancarea	  46,000
Pineridge Park		 Anhedron Wanderers FC	   Anhedron	  44,000
Paladon Park		 Avanaroch White Wings FC  Avanaroch	  78,000
Creighton Park		 Baraldhur AFC		   Baraldhur	  61,000
Temple of the Crow	 Bul Khungur Miners FC	   Bul Khungur	  26,000
Jewel of the Coast	 Carathyr Emeralds FC	   Carathyr	  72,000
Melnock House		 Eivora Athletic FC	   Eivora	  43,000
Curse of the Black Pearl Emerald Coast Raiders FC  Port Rhovanyon 42,000
Dhunmoor		 Dhun Lagarr FC		   Dhun Lagarr	  57,800
Frahaul National Stadium Guillarim Blades FC	   Guillarim	  31,250
Scorross Park		 Kyethas Rivermen FC	   Kyethas	  39,000
Mary A. Sharad Park	 Miruan City FC		   Miruan	  33,000
Mountain Fortress	 Oriannor Mountaineers FC  Oriannor	  54,000
Tech Park		 Parakleion Firebords FC   Parakleion	  40,000
Oceanview Stadium	 Port Rhovanyon AFC	   Port Rhovanyon 63,000
Dragonscrest Stadium	 Port Tacassam FC	   Port Tacassam  79,000
Southside Docks		 Pyathora Mariners FC	   Pyathora	  49,500
Dhaencunor Arena	 Tikariot City FC	   Tikariot City  84,000
Weston Road		 Valnohar Rovers FC	   Valnohar	  40,500
Knightsbridge Park	 Vantanoch FC		   Vantanoch	  51,000
Lakeside Stadium	 Veriasod Lakers FC	   Veriasod	  49,000
The Nest		 Vilharady Owls FC	   Vilharady	  21,500
Fire & Ice Stadium	 Xanark City FC	  	   Xanark	  25,000
Bay Area Park		 Ysgrann Bay Eagles FC	   Ysgrann Bay	  31,000

by **Sylestone** » Sat Oct 24, 2020 2:54 pm

"You lost to fish. HOW DID YOU DO THIS! They weren't even that good! We just didn't play well. We should have done better. But we didn't. I want you all to think very deeply about what has happened here and learn from your mistakes. They should not have scored a goal, and I know it's a box jellyfish, but that still doesn't mean you shouldn't go try your best. Now let's get training. We have hosts Squidroidia in the quarter-final and they won't be easy."
These were the words of the Toaster following the side's 2-1 loss to Quemorr Isles.

This was probably the first time the Sentients had seen a side as weird as them in the footballing world. Talking fish? Who would have thought? It clearly affected the game plan, too, as the sailfish had three good shots at goal within the first thirty minutes. But the Mixer was planning and he dribbled past the Quemorr defence and flicked it pst the Blue Whale in goals in the 40th minute. Just before half-time, the Box Jellyfish struck back with an odd shot off its tentacles that completely fooled the Brick Wall.
At 1-1, both sides were desperate not to lose to a side that they had old relations with. There is a portal to Sonnel in Sylestone and the fish in Quemor Isles came originally from Sylestone. The Sylestoneans were not happy about this when it happened, and now here they are, drawing 1-1 with them in a football game. It was about to get worse, too. In the 66th minute, The Box Jellyfish took a corner and curved it past the Brick Wall and into the goal. 2-1 to Quemorr Isles. The Sylestonean offensive manoeuvres got more and more desperate and finally at 90+6', Sylestone had a chance. The Tumble Dryer placed the ball on the penalty spot and walked back to take it. The ominous Blue Whale was in goals, sweat dripping. The Tumble Dryer ran up to the goal and shot the ball. It hit the Blue Whale in the stomach and rebounded to the Mixer. The Mixer shot the ball, but the Blue Whale was up and about as it deflected the ball out of play. Sylestone had lost and succumbed to second place in the Group B table, behind HUElavia. Now they have to play hosts Squidroidia. Why, oh why, did they have to do this?

SYLESTONE - 1
Mixer 40'

QUEMORR ISLES - 2
Box Jellyfish 44' 66'

by **Megistos** » Sun Oct 25, 2020 9:26 am

Slips Through; To Face Tikariot

Oh, man. What a painful ride we've been on. But we've made it through, second in our group. Not how we anticipated, but we'll have to deal with it, as we face Tikariot next. The best team in the group, like IFC1, was up against the team that barely qualified, us. But we shall show the world, how we are! We will show the might, of Megistos! Every team shall bow down to us!

The only goal of the game was by Sears just after halftime, a good attack was started, the ball came to Robertson who shot, but it was deflected out for a corner. Fran took it, and Sears towering body pounded the ball in the back of the net.

Megistos - 1
Sears 49'

Central Shaneville - 0

by **Muralos** » Sun Oct 25, 2020 3:54 pm

La Gazeto de Sportatoj
A Week In Review: Muralos Advances to International Football Cup’s Quarter-finals
By Adamo Tanaka and Jonathan Liu

INKOPOLIS, SQUIDROIDIA. In the Gazeto’s previous coverage of the Muralosian national soccer team’s return to international competition, much was made of the team’s four-year hiatus, not to mention the sense of uncertainty many felt about the level of competition beyond the former Asian Archipelago. Of course, Muralosian fans were undeterred by the expression of these sentiments. They have felt considerable excitement for what social media users now call #MurFutbalaRenaskiĝo (Mur Soccer Rebirth, “Mur” being shorthand for Muralos). Muralosian Twitter users posted with the hashtag over 3 million times in the past week, making it the highest-trending hashtag in the country. Together with #MurFutbalaRenaskiĝo, an 8-year-old boy’s remarks to Nord-Urbo local news made the rounds for their surprising maturity: “You know, how the team does is honestly not as important; it’s just great to see them on the pitch again.” Social media met these remarks with comments along the lines of “Amen!” and “RT!”

Perhaps this Internet phenomenon stemmed from Muralos’ early performance in the IFC group stage. Yes, it signaled a “Soccer Rebirth,” but into what appeared as a slightly less dominant squad. Sports analysts were quick to adjust their expectations after the Hawks’ tied 0 - 0 with The Jovannic: there was to be less trouncing and more evenly matched, hard-fought games, with less reliance on shots from outside the penalty box. The remainder of the group stage supported that theory. Shortly after their game against The Jovannic, Muralos scored their first goal in the tournament and tied with hosts Squidroidia 1 - 1, with controlled passes being the name of the game. Rui’s close-range goal in that match was not a spur-of-the-moment decision, but the product of what Coach Jozefo Koltakov called “our team’s new priorities: accuracy and coordination over the appearance of a spectacular finish.”

The Gazeto and the sports correspondents of RTM-1 were quick to give credit to the Muralosian team for their results against Squidroidia. However, Muralos remained in a difficult spot, third in Group A with two points and a goal difference of zero. Their final match against The Crystalline Caverns would make or break their tournament run. Depending on last matchday’s results, Muralos could have ended up in any place in its group. To be sure, the players paid little mind to this, including the Zamenhof University graduate Vilhelmo Lumin.

“The outcomes are fun to think about, but only when you aren’t playing in any matches. I would say our team is focused more on honing our skills and going for a win, and not as much on the margin of victory or loss,” said the midfielder during The Gazeto’s post-game interview with him.

And win they did on Thursday, against one of the most defensively minded teams in the entire IFC. The Crystalline Caverns squad relentlessly marked each Muralosian player, but their defense led to a hard foul against Nikolaj Granda in the match’s 43rd minute. A free kick was awarded to Granda, who made a sweeping goal into the top third of the net as The Crystalline Caverns’ keeper Dungren Clerk dove to the left, perhaps overestimating the shot’s curvature.

The rest of the match proceeded without any more scoring. The Crystalline Caverns concerned itself primarily with thwarting the few chances that the Muralosian team managed to create at close- to mid-range. For the Muralosians, a disciplined defense kept offensive threats at bay. In addition, The Crystalline Caverns’ reserve strikers were at times slow to receive passes from the midfield, opening the door to interceptions by the Muralosian side.

FINAL
Muralos 1 - 0 The Crystalline Caverns
Granda 43’

With that, Muralos secured the victory it needed to advance to the IFC’s quarter-final round, where they will play ZSeparatists on Sunday, October 25th at Tractor Arena in Sawayama, Squidroidia. The stadium is famed for its on-site farm, which inspired the manager of FC Havenurbo to begin talks with the Havenurbo City Council on building a similar farm in Muralos, most likely in the City Stadium of Havenurbo.

Coach Jozefo Koltakov has confirmed that, unless circumstances change, the Hawks will adopt a 2-3-5 formation to counter ZSeparatists, which has adopted that formation throughout the tournament. Regarding ZSeparatists’ attack-minded style of play, Koltakov noted that he would continue to practice defensive drills with the Muralosian players, and that “the results have begun to pay off; we now have a much larger arsenal of defensive tactics.”

by **Squidroidia** » Sun Oct 25, 2020 5:03 pm

Ladies and gentlemen, Fasten your seatbelts. Cutoff for the IFC 2 Quarter-Finals!

Squidroidia 1–0 Sylestone
Darkness Stadium, Midnight

HUElavia 2–0 Indusse
County Stadium, Calamari County

Tikariot 0–3 Megistos
Newton Nuclear Stadium, Newton

ZSeparatists 0–1 Muralos
Tractor Arena, Sawayama

Semi-Finals Matchups

Squidroidia vs HUElavia
Tower Stadium, Inkopolis

Megistos vs Muralos
Inkopolis City Stadium, Inkopolis

by **Megistos** » Mon Oct 26, 2020 7:36 am

A Bit Of Goals for the Entree, Please? With Revenge as the Drink?

Oh, boy. How glad we are to have torn apart Tikariot as easy as relaxing is for Megistians. Before in the IFC1, we had been smashed 2 times against Tikariot. This evening, however, they would be the ones getting smashed, as the Megistians only sailed further to the final, their first ever final. They were so close in the SWC, but at the last seconds of the game, they had lost it to Vdara. Heartbreak.

But then came another tournament. The World Cup Qualifiers. They finished 7th in the group, though, and had to go to the Cup of Harmony, only to lose in the Round of 32 against Xanneria. Revenge for them as we had knocked them out in the SWC.

Finally, this came. And it was a decent job done in the group stage, but they had finished 2nd, and as such, had to face Tikariot... who was the best team in the group stage.

Evening in Newton Nuclear Stadium. Weird name, indeed. Didn't scare the Megistians a bit about the things that could happen, like a nuclear device exploding in the stadium. Because this was their day. Their day to shine.

Kick-off in Newton Nuclear Stadium went to the Megistians. The thunder clap of Tikariot was done, but it didn't faze the Megistians. And then the game started.

Martinez had opted for a change, a more of a space filling change. A 3-6-1 was made, with Williams going up on the wing with Lukovic, pushing the rest further away, dominating the midfield.

The Megistians had their first chance in the 9th minute, after Lukovic blasted past Thorniley with speed, not after much time breaking Grime's ankles with a bit of flair, then crossing the ball in, toward Robertson, but the ball sailed higher, but on the opposite post came Cringan, who volleyed it. The ball hit the inside of the post, and went towards Chatelet, who parried it away, but only to Robertson, who with an open goal, got slided on by McNair, who took him down without the ball... you know what happens next. Yellow card, penalty. Yellow card only because of the minimal shove on McNair just seconds after the tackle by Lam. Robertson set up the ball on the spot, and knew where he was going to go: Left side. Chatelet was leaning toward the right side, just slightly, and Robertson curled the ball to perfection, hitting the side-netting, much past Chatelet's diving hands, which were too late to save the ball from going in the back of the net. 1-0 to the Megistians.

Megistos went 2 up just before the middle of the first half, in the 21st minute, Lam sparked the attack, lobbing it over to Robertson, who had no choice to pass it back to Lam who was not being covered. Since Chatelet was running back to his net after attempting to catch the lob from Lam, Lam lobbed it over him, and Chatelet made a diving save. The defense was running to get back on defense and McNair stole the ball, but Robertson stole it back and curved it in the net from outside the box. 2-0.

It became 3-0 thanks to a brilliant corner from Lukovic, which sailed to the far post for Cringan to tap it in, marked from behind by Mosnyk in the 67th minute. It had became clear that the Megistians had won; as such, they relaxed and went on defense, making sure the Tikariot attack didn't score. And then the game was done. Revenge had been made, and a statement also; Megistos were up for the challenge.

Megistos face Muralos next, who was the more favorable pick of the other 2 teams, the hosts and HUElavia. However, it will still be a amazing game, as they face each other in the best stadium out of all of them... and Muralos had beaten a team Megistos lost to...

by **HUElavia** » Tue Oct 27, 2020 2:35 pm

HUElavia launches into the Semi-Finals with Ease!

HUElavia 2-0 Indusse
(Villca 18' 67')

HUElavia came into the Quarter-Finals looking to build on their sudden spark while sticking to another rotation in the squad. A mix of starters and backups came into the starting XI, while Vannier was the starting goalie. The match was played and Villca was dominant during the match. Leblanc sent two crosses into the box, in the 18th and 67th minute respectively, ending in a volley shot by the Native HUElavian winger to go past Leghourn, to score two goals. Guilbert also had a great time dispossessing the players for Indusse, while Vannier had a phenomenal match making saves with ease. At the end, HUElavia won 2-0, and advanced to the Semi-Finals of the IFC for the first time with Villca as the player of the match.

HUElavia will play against the hosts Squidroidia, once again betting with a mix of starters and backups on the squad, while Patricio-Leite will be the starter. While HUElavians will be minorities in the stands, they look forward to cheer on the team against the host. The team will train hard looking to upset the hosts and make the Final. Here's to hoping we can make another appearance in a Final of a football tournament.

FORCA HUELAVIA! VAMOS HUELAVIA! GO HUELAVIA!

by **Muralos** » Tue Oct 27, 2020 4:10 pm

La Gazeto de Sportatoj: Multitasker's Edition
Muralos Advances to Semifinal of Second International Football Cup: As It Happened
Live coverage by Adamo Tanaka and Jonathan Liu from Tractor Stadium, Sawayama, Squidroidia; archived for future readers

The Gazeto's live, text-based updates are for those unable to tune into a broadcast of the match, whether that may be on RTM-1 (television), rtmnet.mur (the Internet streaming platform) or Radio Muralana-Sportema. The Gazeto does not condone the reading of live updates during class or other important obligations, but its staff knows that the temptation is there, and has endeavored to make our text-based updates as concise as possible.

0': Kickoff
ZSeparatists are in their 2-3-5 formation, which Muralos has mirrored with a 5-3-2 formation. This differs from Coach Jozefo Koltakov's announcement that Muralos would also play the 2-3-5 formation, an announcement that sent sports analysts and fans into a frenzy. A 2-3-5 formation would theoretically give Muralos an equal attacking potential to that of ZSeparatists, but it would seriously undermine their defense.

Many on Twitter are expressing relief that Koltakov used a 5-3-2 formation instead. There are now as many Muralosian defenders as there are ZSeparatist attackers. La Gazeto's Klara Antonova just posted a social media message with the words "What a relief!!!"

5': ZSeparatists Make a Push
After considerable back and forth, ZSeparatists' Igor Zadama receives the ball and pushes forward, and Muralos' Aleksandro Kim is caught off guard by the sudden change of pace in his attack. Zadama makes a pass to Dimitriye Gastun, but Rikardo Lei rushes in to intercept it. Lei volleys the ball to the midfielder Mikhail Zheng.

At this point, the crowd reacts in a mix of elation and indignation. The change in audience cheers, from cheering ZSeparatist fans to cheering Muralos fans, is clear.

8': Adamo Brava's Shot is Denied
The ball has made its way to the Muralosian attacking third, and striker Adamo Brava takes a shot to the left, but ZSeparatists' Zadanpa Zaloka knocks it out of the goal with an outstretched hand. This would have been the Muralosian team captain's first goal in the tournament; according to Coach Jozefo Koltakov, he has shied away from scoring, but continues to play a major role in leading team drills. On the pitch, Brava's sportsmanship stands out as well; the missed shot has scarcely fazed him.

9': Corner Kick Awarded to Muralos
Mikhail Zheng takes the corner; the Muralosian fans are riled up by this, but Lasajkl Zanaka is first to touch the ball, and he overtakes Adamo Brava and Rui.
ZSeparatists has regained possession.

15': ZSeparatists Are Unrelenting; Muralos Holds Down the Fort
ZSeparatist has maintained possession of the ball 60 percent of the time, according to the Muralosian Sporting Association. Rodion Markov has been the Muralosian defense's greatest asset. At this time, ZSeparatist's midfielder Jovan Meztger has just taken a shot from mid-range after running with the ball and outmaneuvering Koralo Petrov.

Markov managed to sense Metzger's scoring threat and catch the ball, which was off to his left.

17': A Much-Needed Opportunity for Muralos
Markov punts the ball and Mikhail Zheng finds it, propelling it forward, before passing it to Havenurbo Tech's Georgo Zhong, who Coach Jozefo Koltakov decided to start in today's match as a fellow center midfielder. Zhong makes an impressive cross into the penalty area, but Rui is unable to answer it. ZSeparatists' Zaloka catches the ball as Rui runs after it.

22': Chance for ZSeparatists' Zimbolia Olkalia
ZSeparatists' side has been aggressive on offense, but the Muralosian defense has put considerable pressure on them. Zimbolia Opakla looked open as he wound up for a close-range goal, but Muralosian defender Ryo Takeda slid in at the last moment. Takeda fails to stop Olkalia from shooting, but he seems to have added some pressure, prompting Olkalia to react impulsively, with more power than usual. Olkalia's shot ricochets off the post.

Play restarts with Takeda fielding the ball.

28': Coach Jozefo Koltakov Substitutes Georgo Zhong
Nikolaj Granda, the usual starter, takes the field.

43': Now Too Wide, Now Too Narrow
ZSeparatists has created more chances since the 22nd minute, but most of them have suffered from inaccuracies. On the Muralosian side, Ryo Takeda and Koralo Petrov continue to be proactive, and Rodion Markov has made two more saves.

On the attacking front, the Muralosians are making their fair share of errors as well, a critical one being made by Johano Abramovich, who attempted to volley the ball toward Adamo Brava, but landed it far off to Brava's right.

Halftime: Muralos 0, ZSeparatists 0
Events early on this match have set the tenor for this match. Perhaps Muralos' greatest strength in this first half lies in preventing ZSeparatists from scoring. A number of analysts, including The Gazeto's own Adamo Tanaka, expressed fears that ZSeparatists would rout Muralos early on, with The Gazeto's model giving them a 50% chance of scoring 2 goals against Muralos in the first half. This has clearly not been the case, and the Muralosian squad can breathe a sigh of relief at this half-time break.

89': GOAL! Muralos

by **Squidroidia** » Tue Oct 27, 2020 5:05 pm

I'm sorry for cutting off with terrible, horrible. insufferable music, but 2 of you are going to be cancelled... To 3rd place. Cutoff for the IFC 2 semi-finals!

Squidroidia 3-5 HUElavia
Tower Stadium, Inkopolis, scorinated by Sylestone

Megistos 1–2 Muralos
Inkopolis City Stadium, Inkopolis

3rd Place Match

Squidroidia vs Megistos
Tower Stadium, Inkopolis

THE FINAL

HUElavia vs Muralos

Inkopolis City Stadium, Inkopolis

Good luck to our finalists! I will have a special closing ceremony RP up for you 2.

by **HUElavia** » Wed Oct 28, 2020 11:57 am

HUElavia throttles Hosts en route to The Final!

Squidroidia 3-5 HUElavia
(Hideo 1', Shiko 22', Toki 25' | Leite-Reis 27', Colombres 43', Bitencourt 56', Conti 59', Sissoko 80' (P))

HUElavia came into the Semi-Finals of the IFC already feeling good with the team's performance throughout the tournament. They were one game away from making the Final for another tournament, but had one team to face: The Host Nation, Squidroidia. Playing in front of a sold out crowd filled with Squidriodians and with some HUElavians, Los Amarillos/Os Amarelos looked to upset the hosts in the match. Although, this would not be the case in the beginning. Within 40 seconds of kick-off, Hideo managed to blast one past Patricio to make it 1-0. Then, in the 22nd and 25th minute, crosses from Jun allowed two goals from Shiko and Toki to make it 3-0. The crowd was roaring and celebrating while it looked like HUElavia was going to suffer a humiliating elimination. But the team got motivated, and shots from Leite-Reis and Colombres cut the lead to 1 goal at 3-2 for halftime. The second half came, and HUElavia played like they traditionally do: Aggressively and strong in the attack, getting goals from Bitencourt to make it 3-3, and then Conti to make it 3-4. Late in the game a foul by Moronobu on Savedra allowed Sissoko to score a penalty kick past Shingen to make it the definitive 3-5. The whistle blew and HUElavia was in another Final.

The Final will be against Muralos, who won their match 2-1 against Megistos. Another mix of starters and backups will play, although notably Vannier will start in the Final. The crowd will be filled with a significant amount of HUElavians looking to cheer on their team for what could be the first ever title in the Senior Team's history. Even more so with a very nerfed down team from previous competitions. Regardless, the team will train hard for the Final while the fans hope and pray for a victory. Here's to winning the Final, for all HUElavians in the multiverse.

FORCA HUELAVIA! VAMOS HUELAVIA! GO HUELAVIA!

International Football Cup 2 - Everything Thread

International Football Cup 2 - Everything Thread

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