Baptism of Fire and Ice [BoF74 rosters/RPs/scores]

[Hafamarimyht]

[Freechi]

Freechi scores another cold win!

The Freechi Football Confederation

Team Roster

Yesterday's game was a hyped (at least on one side) match between Freechi and Ranoria. Every Freechian soccer enthusiast knew the succesful career of Barry Chlorid, a famous Ranorian player. Freechian coach Sofiya Kuznetsova knew about this threat, instructing the players to focus on the defense (again). "Neutralizing this enemy threat, Chlorid, is the key to winning this match", said Sofiya with a thunderous war-like vocabulary.

With everything prepared in Sanktjakobvöllur, the stadium based on the civilized south of Háttmark, Freechian citizens commuted every street around the stadium, just to sadly be adverted that the arena didn't had the infrastructure to support everyone in there.

With the first whistle of the match, Freechi Team had a moderated strategical positioning, studying the opponent to find any breach in their defense. It was surprisingly efficient, with Buri Bulchiru doing a wonderful cross to Kondo Achebe, that scored with a bicycle kick in the 6th minute of the first half, making his 2nd goal on the BoF!

From this point, Sofiya Kuznetsova strategy was already clear, focusing on a strategical game in the defense, with the objective to neutralize Barry Chlorid's threat. A succesful strategy, the Ranorian strikers trio (Chlorid, Graf and Hamilton) couldn't pass the Freechian defense, with only 3 dangerous kicks from Chlorid, kicks that were defended with mastery by the goalkeeper: Nel Patenaude.

With the end of the match, the noisy Freechian fans celebrated the victory, and both teams greeted each other amicably.

However, winning both games still puts the Freechi Team in 2nd on group G, as the defensive strategy only gathered 1 goal per game, Freechi is behind Caryton in the GD score. Now, the team is looking forward to another important game, the MD3 against Acastanha.

Match Report:
Goals: Achebe, 6'
MVP: Patenaude, 8.64
Yellow Cards: N/A
Red Cards: N/A

Group G
Caryton 3–0 Acastanha
Freechi 1–0 Ranoria
Silvedania 1–0 Magnecia and Galmencia

                          Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
1 Caryton                   2    2   0   0     4    0   +4     6
2 Freechi                   2    2   0   0     2    0   +2     6
3 Silvedania                2    1   0   1     1    1    0     3
4 Ranoria                   2    0   1   1     1    2   −1     1
5 Acastanha                 2    0   1   1     1    4   −3     1
6 Magnecia and Galmencia    2    0   0   2     0    2   −2     0

[Stevid]

FINAL WHISTLE - BoF 74
Stevidia Changing It Up

Thank you for joining us LIVE for this hotly anticipated match - Stevidia versus Saint-Domingues (SD). Both teams are looking to build on what has been a rocky start to the tournament, although SD notched their first win yesterday, the Vids are yet to get off the mark. Both sides need a victory today and high scoring ones too in order to kill off each other’s hopes.

But we’ve had a look at the newly released Stevidia team sheet for todays game and, just as expected, there has been a lot of changes:

Formation: 4-3-3 (Narrow)
Style: 3+


Straight away we’re seeing a formation familiar from Davidicus’ club days that has blended tiki-taka with more traditional roles – essentially simplifying what would be a complex strategy. The previous formation was good at attack but poor in defence, so the manager is evidently sacrificing some creativity for some solidness at the back. But it is a fast-paced possession football and Stevidia will be looking to cut open SD’s solid backline with a more traditional approach than the flamboyance of the last two showings.

There have been a few player changes too. Performers Jordan Smith and Lukas Cooper retain their places, as does keeper Lindsey, but the midfield has had a shake up with midfield architect Darren Smith giving way to playmaker Miles Wilson. Wingbacks Watts and Bostock have lost their places following poor defensive showings and have made way for Watts and Shelly. There’s little change upfront other than Paul Massey.

We can now go live to manager Davidicus or his take on the changes and up coming match:

Davidicus, do you feel forced into making these changes?

I suppose there is an element of that sort of pressure yes. We’ve been fighting hard and the effort is clear to see. But, simply put, it’s not working. I can give you a team that gives 100% max effort, but that is useless if we don’t score. So… twice we’ve tried the same thing. Fine, first time is nil-nil draw, but you can chalk that up to first time jitters. The second time is completely unacceptable – yes, we scored twice but it was a poor showing. Only a fool would keep that trend going and we did switch it up halfway through. I wouldn’t say I was forced, per se, but the circumstances were such that I had to try something a little different.

Any reason why you dropped both the wingbacks?

Well, we’re two games in with no good result in a formation that was extremely taxing on them. It’s purely rotational. If I kept them in they’re likely to fall apart. The replacements are more than capable and rotation was always on the cards. It’s just coincidence I’ve switch up the formation and results have been poor.

How confident do you feel going into this match?

The team and I are determined to grind out a result. SD will be on a high after winning their last match – but they’ve had a rocky start too so… I fancy my chances here; plus we’ve got more to prove here because we need that first win.

Do you still feel like you can qualify?

Absolutely. Granted, we have not made it easy for ourselves but I thrive on that sort of pressure and so does the team. We have to at least equal everything thrown at us and then grind out a win. Goals will be good, but so long as we’re ahead and get the 3 points I’m happy. If we can do that we’ll go through.

Davidicus… thank you!

Stay tuned here on Final Whistle for a break down of all of yesterday’s games and then for the third match of the tournament at 2100hrs UTC!

[/blocktext]

[Bonbokh u Piche]

The Bonbo-Picheans are a people full of pride. Their love for their national identity makes them very passionate fans, and they show it every time the national team plays a match. But what good is this display of euphoria and fanaticism if they can’t show it to the world? Bonbokh u Piche is not a very large country, and there are not that many fans to fill the large terraces of the international stadiums where the Baptism of Fire is played. It would be a shame so many empty seats from friends who couldn’t attend.

A Bonbo-Pichean saying is ’is bonbo-pichoso les dral barlesokh piompuarokh,’ which translates to ‘a Bonbo-Pichean is like three regular people.’ What it means is that a Bonbo-Pichean’s predisposition to hard work is unmatched throughout the world. For this reason, it’s no surprise how they have solved their attendance problem.

For hours, a heroic Bonbo-Pichean sat in front of his computer monitor creating a masterpiece. A piece of art so amazing, so incomparable to anything else seen before, that it stumped both his compatriots and the international community. The newspapers of the world spoke of the great feat of this fan. This is the jewel of Bonbo-Pichean socialism. It’s the red star that rises, glorious, in the starry sky of Mokh Bonbokh. The sun, shining on the horizon, bringing a new dawn to Am Piche. The golden fruit of the lush tree that the Bonbo-Pichean people planted, triumphant, in the Revolution. With you, the largest [tab][/tab] flag ever made:

Some people say the retinas of the author of this work were melted, and their corneas burned. The laborious task killed even the last bit of their strength. Their legend will be told for generations. Their legacy will be of great pride to Bonbokh u Piche. Their last words: “at least I didn’t have to write a quality RP.”

OOC: In case you want to see how this crap looks like in BBCode

[Bluecliff]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: press-footballfederation-government-inq ... ll.bcl.gov

Bluecliff League Football Federation Releases Statement on Recent Allegations of Disunity within Bluecliff League Baptism of Fire Squad

The Football Federation of the Fourteen Free Cities of the Bluecliff League's Standing Organizational Committee for Press Inquiries and the Football Federation of the Fourteen Free Cities of the Bluecliff League's Standing Organizational Committee for Press Contacts earlier formed a joint task force with the goal of providing press communication and clarification. That task force's relevant subcommittee on media releases, in conjunction with the local sports ministries of the fourteen free cities (and urban areas) of the Bluecliff League released today the following statement concerning allegations that the Bluecliff League's representation at the seventy-fourth Baptism of Fire is composed of a chaotic mix of talented players who dislike each other, are rife with sectarian and regional tension, and are uninterested in competition in WCC-sanctioned events, preferring domestic glory or individual pursuits to the freezing cold of the White Winter Queendom of Græntfjall:

Allegations that the Bluecliff League's representation at the seventy-fourth Baptism of Fire is composed of a chaotic mix of talented players who dislike each other, are rife with sectarian and regional tension, and are uninterested in competition in WCC-sanctioned events, preferring domestic glory or individual pursuits to the freezing cold of the White Winter Queendom of Græntfjall are false. It is the official position of the Football Federation of the Fourteen Free Cities of the Bluecliff League's Standing Organizational Committee for Press Inquiries and the Football Federation of the Fourteen Free Cities of the Bluecliff League's Standing Organizational Committee for Press Contacts to take extreme umbrage at the suggestion, sadly all too common in the national and international media, that the Bluecliff League's representation at the seventy-fourth Baptism of Fire is composed of a chaotic mix of talented players who dislike each other, are rife with sectarian and regional tension, and are uninterested in competition in WCC-sanctioned events, preferring domestic glory or individual pursuits to the freezing cold of the White Winter Queendom of Græntfjall.

The previous policy of the Bluecliff League that

The Bluecliff League can barely agree on whether it's composed of fourteen free cities or fourteen free cities and urban areas, and doesn't have the time, ability, or inclination to deal with you.

has been amended to a policy of issuing this statement.

Ridiculous notions such as those being currently bandied about in the Stevidian press that the Bluecliff League's representation at the Baptism of Fire has delivered an "efficient performance" should be rejected whole cloth, as should the dangerous conception that the play on the field by the Bluecliff League is in any way influenced by political factors. Mark Cota Ramire, a Vardedan, is the team's current top scorer. No sort of political battle could ever be won by a Vardedan. This is common knowledge.

The fact that the Bluecliff League has scored more goals than any other nation at the Baptism of Fire, with seven, should also put to bed fanciful twinklings of the idea that Ninyan Makkak is a less-than-mediocre manager. The Football Federation of the Fourteen Free Cities of the Bluecliff League's Standing Organizational Committee for Press Inquiries and the Football Federation of the Fourteen Free Cities of the Bluecliff League's Standing Organizational Committee for Press Contacts is proud to firmly attest to Mr. Makkak's mediocrity.

Equally nonsensical is Saint-Dominguan magazine RTD's baseless assertion that for twenty minutes of their match with that nation, the Bluecliff League delegation was the better team. Cohesive, unified, and firing on all cylinders as they are, the Football Federation of the Fourteen Free Cities of the Bluecliff League's Standing Organizational Committee for Press Inquiries and the Football Federation of the Fourteen Free Cities of the Bluecliff League's Standing Organizational Committee for Press Contacts in fact identified twenty-three minutes and eighteen seconds of the opening match where the Bluecliff League played eye-catching, organized football that was unmarred by regional allegiances or outright vitriol between the players. This figure, 25.8889 per cent of the entire game, is substantially higher than the 22.2222 per cent figure quoted in RTD's match report.

As the second half of group stage play begins this evening, the Football Federation of the Fourteen Free Cities of the Bluecliff League's Standing Organizational Committee for Press Inquiries and the Football Federation of the Fourteen Free Cities of the Bluecliff League's Standing Organizational Committee for Press Contacts would strongly recommend that the press delegations from future opponents such as the United Pink States follow the example of Hindu Ram Rajya and Logano Fraza. These nations have exhibited model behavior throughout the tournament, never once deigning to traffic in unsubstantiated nonsense or even in some of the more substantiated bits of nonsense that have been happening on the pitch. Indeed, the disinterested population of Bluecliff, wholly focused on other affairs, has forged a great bond of brotherhood with those nations.

This statement was released as the Federation prepared for the Bluecliff Championship, now just months away, and has not yet been picked up by any local or international media outlet.

###

---

Makara Keho's cluelessness increased today to previously unpredicted levels.

---

Ninyan Makkak, having reaffirmed once again that he passes the bare minimum level of competence (as had always been thought) is riding high after two victories. A traditional guy, he has nevertheless made a few changes in the starting lineup to take on Hindu Ram Rajya. Saompaorn Bonag, the man from Kahiang, is in at the right back position to give Himeno Rosadyo Reyes a needed break. Olegärjo Damjôn Lukas Roča is being deposed today in his grandfather's complicated financial scandal, and Makkak doesn't care enough about that stuff to object. He'll be replaced by Luwik Leɣan.
Makkak's still stumped as to how to remove the incompetent Tīnisivitolīno Vīlalatonosatānatino from the lineup. The ten others have mostly been playing around him.

GK: Fridèk Hòjak

LCB: Fiak Bunir
CB: Tīnisivitolīno Vīlalatonosatānatino
RCB: Saompaorn Bonag

LCM: Luwik Leɣan
DM: Mātusupa'ulīno Palamē'iloteletāto
RCM: Vasit Acram Nur Addin Ajme

LW: Sumāne Éloi Dubois
CF: Sua'ili Po'ipelo Salamono
ST: Mark Cota Ramire
RW: Zul Buru

[Red Kelp]

Crimson football team

Starting eleven

goalkeeper bob ross
defender nicola bell
defender motorola 19
defender elzabeth afton
defender chris afton
midfielder michaela afton
midfielder michael afton
midfielder clara afton
attacker vincent tiger
attacker gabriel claus
attacker william afton

changes

goalkeeper charli emily
defender liam emily
midfielder henry emily
attacker fritz pirate

coach jeremy tree

kits

home half purple below half white above black stripes
away half purple above half white below black stripes

[Saint-Domingues]

Saint-Domingue 1–0 Logano Fraza: Lone Babesco goal earns Avengers all three points
HT 1-0

---

Julien Babesco struck in the first-half to win the game for Saint-Domingue and kick their Baptism of Fire campaign into life.

It was opening day winners versus opening day losers at the Folte Arena, with both sides in the hunt for qualification to the next round. Logano Fraza had managed a narrow win over Hindu Ram Rajya, whilst Saint-Domingue faltered against Bluecliff League after conceding twice in the final ten minutes of the match. Each side came into the game with a point to prove - could Logan Fraza prove that they were genuine challengers for the top spot? Could Saint-Domingue shrug off a blip and show their quality?

Saint-Domingue began on the front foot. Alfredo Cotilla hit the bar with an unlikely shot from distance after charging forwards from the back, and soon after Logan Fraza's goalkeeper [REDACTED] had to make a great reflex save from Babesco's header and then an even better stop to prevent the rebound being put in by Diego Palacio. A strong start and portions of the crowd that were partisan to the Avengers loudly cheered in encouragement of their team.

Josep Carpeña exchanged passes with down the left-hand side and after a clever dummy run by Raoul Gimenez, the playmaker was able to burst forwards towards the touchline and float in a delicious ball which was volleyed in at the far post by Babesco. First blood drawn and in Saint-Domingue's favour.

The Frazans crafted one first-half chance, when midfielder [REDACTED] played striker [REDACTED] in with a reverse pass but the resulting effort was saved by Jules Binet in the Dominguan goal. Over than that, it was one-way traffic. Josep Carpeña went close himself and Pareja drew the goalkeeper into a save, as did Babesco again.

The second-half was a quieter affair, as the Dominguans looked to conserve their energy and play a less fluid, and certainly less attacking game. Safe play was characterised by the cool presence of Carlos Sanabria, whose ball retention was excellent. Guillaume Boleyn meanwhile kept the backline on their toes and ready to deal with any threat. The Frazans did not muster another effort on target during the game, which was ultimately seen out quiet comfortably.

This win means that Saint-Domingue rise up the table and leapfrog today's opponents to move into third place. Logano Fraza fall to fourth. But there are plenty of games to go as both teams chase a spot in the top two. Next up for Canisbro's team is winless Stevidia, whilst Logano Fraza have a tough ask - they face unbeaten United Pink States.

Across the group
United Pink States mustered their first win in Group F, conquering Hindu Ram Rajya 2-1 to move into 2nd place. UPS are just one of two unbeaten teams in the group. Bluecliff League continue to lead the way, winning once more versus Stevidia. Bluecliff retain a two point lead over nearest challengers United Pink States, whilst a poor day at the office for Stevidia means that they are second-bottom and have just a point thus far, only Hindu Ram Rajya have fewer points (0).

Saint-Domingue head coach Camilo Canisbro: "This might seem surprising but I am going to say that I do not think that the performance was that different from how we did against Bluecliff. And that is not meant as a criticism. We were good against Bluecliff for the most part, even though we lost. But we lost the game through two short spells of poor play. Today from the first minute to the final one, we were very professional, organised, and consistent. Today it was us who got the first goal, and that changes the game a lot. We had something to defend, and we did so finely. Out of possession our shape was spot on, we were very comfortable out of possession. No disrespect to Logano Fraza but I think today we nullified them, we identified a couple weaknesses in their game and worked on how we stop them gaining any foothold and then executed that plan."

"Good goal by Julien. His movement is good, he was very sharp and aware of his surrounding. The ball in is excellent, that kind of delivery combined with intelligent forward play, and we are going to find a lot of success. This team has played a lot of games in quick succession, from the Wonder Cup straight out to Græntfjall to play in the Baptism of Fire. It's all about building momentum with a string of good performances, builds a positive atmosphere in the camp and helps spur on more good performances and hopefully results. Stevidia is going to be a tough game next, they're a really good side and have been unlucky so far. They attack in numbers and have such fast, deadly interplay. We will need to be at our best to get the result we want."

---

Lineups:
Binet
Cotilla
Boleyn
Cojuangco
Pareja
Campos
Sanabria
Carpeña <- Lacourse 86'
Gimenez
Babesco <- Pozo 86'
Palacio <- Le Guen 90+1'

Saint-Domingue: Babesco (32')
Logano Fraza: N/A
Venue: Folte Arena, Folte

[Gouvanarch]

We assume we are still in Gouvanarch. Assuming as it is still pitch black with a thunderstorm and the occasional lightning outside sending its jagged, jarring light into the richly decorated room where the Messieurs de Bethencourt and de Montchrestien seem to reside for anything related to the Baptism of Fire. There is some commotion that can be heard within the darkness.

Yezekaël de Bethencourt: Je profite de cette occasion pour me présenter en tant que Yezekaël de Bethencourt--

Sulhoiarn de Montchrestien: Oh, pas encore! (Oh, not again!)

Monsieur de Bethencourt's voice cuts off abruptly during further commotion. We hear the shuffling of feet, followed by a thud and loud clatter as well as a cry of pain and a few choice words better left untranslated.

Sulhoiarn de Montchrestien: My dear fellow Gouvanarchais, I am Sulhoiarn de Montchrestien, minister of sports for the government of Gouvanarch. Unfortunately we still seem to be without electricity.

A low male voice mutters "no shit, Einstein."

Sulhoiarn de Montchrestien: Who was that? Show yourself immediately!

Unknown voice: I'm right here!

Sulhoiarn de Montchrestien: Identify yourself!

Unknown voice: Nope, I'm good.

The scraping of chairs.

Sulhoiarn de Montchrestien: Insubordinance! I will have your head for this!

A female voice clears her throat.

Unknown female voice: Monsieur, we are live.

Sulhoiarn de Montchrestien: Oh yes, I forgot. Apologies. So my fellow Gouvanarchais, the second game is over and once again our wonderful strikers helped us take the next step towards our ultimate victory. The defense only failed us once, so I have decreed that there shall be no lashes tonight.

The male voice returns.

Unknown male voice: There haven't been any lashes last time either, Monsieur. We are not in the middle ages.

Sulhoiarn de Montchrestien: You again? What is he still doing here?

Unknown female voice: He works here.

Sulhoiarn de Montchrestien: Not anymore!

Unknown male voice: Wanna bet?

The ire in the Monsieur's voice is rapidly reaching explosion level.

Sulhoiarn de Montchrestien: You!

Several voices: Who?

Sulhoiarn de Montchrestien: Mon dieu, quelles imbeciles.

Unknown female voice: Ahem, we are still live, Monsieur.

Sulhoiarn de Montchrestien (taking a deep breath): We had prepared some elaborate graphics for our glorious victory, but I do not think they are very useful at this moment. So we defeated Quemorr Isles and their, their seafood 3-1.

Our next enemy on the pitch is, ahem, PSTCT. This sounds like an illicit substance, how depraved to allow something like this into such an honourable tournament. At first seafood and now this?

Unknown female voice: It is The Ponyvillian Separatists of Twicetagrien Canterlotine Territories, Monsieur.

After a moment of silence the Monsieur is very slowly repeating the words.

Sulhoiarn de Montchrestien: The Ponyvillian Separatists of Twicetagrien Canterlotine Territories. What is this?

The male voice returns, barely being able to stifle laughter.

Unknown male voice: They are ponies, Monsieur.

A long silence.

Sulhoiarn de Montchrestien: Uh, ponies?

Unknown male voice (still very amused): Yes, Monsieur, ponies. Like horses, just smaller.

Sulhoiarn de Montchrestien: I know what a pony is!

Yezekaël de Bethencourt: Je profite de cette occasion pour me présenter en tant que Yezekaël de Bethencourt--

Sulhoiarn de Montchrestien: WILL YOU SHUT UP ALREADY!?

Unknown female voice: Cut! CUT, people! Now!

[Regmotto]

A disappointing loss.How do you feel?
Very angry with my lads.*frowns*

How will your team continue?
With caution. One more slip-up and I'll start to be way more stricter.

What do you think about the team's chances to qualify now?
Very little.We need to win a game or two ASAP.


What do you feel now?
Lots of anger.


Your team looks eliminated now. What will you do to combat this?
Show the team what they need to do.

[Ranoria]

A Brief Overview of the Association of Ranorian Soccer, for those of you whom may be interested!


So, Ranoria's (OG) football isn't a huge thing at any level really. You're probably going to see the most popularity at the middle and high school levels before it tapers off with in college, where its scholarships (such as are available for gridiron, hockey, or even basketball), just aren't going to get you through school on their own.

Anyway, the ARS comes in as the 6th most popular professional sport in the country. With the perceived level of play, it doesn't exactly draw much international attention either, but we haven't actually seen any Ranorian soccer players abroad, so it remains to be seen whether or not that impression holds true. Regardless, the low viewership means that Ranorian soccer players are generally in the bottom 10% of the nation in terms of actual salary, although a few do rake in some cash from sponsorships. If not for the country's roaring economy, this could be an issue, but thankfully, it isn't.

With just a dozen teams in the league, it would be fair to point out that it's aimed towards a more niche crowd, although it was originally started up in 2010 with the intention of drawing in from an untapped market. That market turns out to be untapped for good reason. The league has been able to scrape by in unglamorous fashion for the past few years, but after seeing what the World Baseball Classic has done for the Federation of Ranorian Baseball, they decided to jump in on the trend of international sports. With any luck, a bit of modest success on this front could result in more popularity at home!

The season is also a relatively short one due to a low level of interest meaning that a drawn out affair could lead to people being burnt out. The twelve teams play a fifteen game regular season over the course of seven weeks, with the top 8 teams per record earning a spot in the playoffs, which are a single elimination format. The most recent champions would be the Richardson Revolt, who have a few representatives on this international squad.

That means that a modest twelve team league could soon expand, tapping into new cities, new markets, and new money. But it's all reliant, apparently, on having some level of international success.

Of course, it isn't exactly looking good so far, with our Krauts stumbling out to an 0-1-1 record. Barry Chlorid, who was a bit of a wild card who a lot of people were high on, has yet to score a goal despite taking three shots on goal in the last outing. At this rate the team is going to do poorly in the Baptism of Fire, which is the equivalent of dipping one's toes in the water before the actual World Cup comes along. If we can't do well here, don't expect much to change once the real tournament comes along.

[Muralos]

La Gazeto de Sportatoj
Muralosian National Soccer Team Shows Out in 74th Baptism of Fire Tournament
In First International Appearances As Co-ed Team, Hawks Concede Zero Goals
By Adamo Tanaka and Jonathan Liu
December 21st, 2020

On Saturday and Sunday, the newly formed Muralosian national soccer team played its first two matches in the 74th Baptism of Fire Tournament, an international tournament designed for newcomers to the NationStates Football World Cup. Two nations, Sylestone and Graintfjall (officially Græntfjall), are co-hosting the tournament, while the Hawks have been playing their games in Græntfjall.

This year, Muralosian athletics shined internationally with the former Muralosian men's national soccer team. They earned a championship victory at the Second International Football Cup in Squidroidia and reached the eighth-finals at the 11th Independent Associations' Championship in Havynwilde, where team captain Adamo Brava acted as a last minute player-manager. Yet, after IAC11, sports analysts worried about a slump in the Hawk's performance. Player-manager Brava expressed concerns about his understanding of defensive strategies, and he took the blame for the Hawks' winning by extremely narrow margins: 3-2 against United Hemand Insia and 4-3 against New Lusitania and the Algarves.

To complicate matters, the Muralosian Soccer Association had arranged an international friendly for the day after the Muralosian men's national soccer team returned from Havynwilde. Against Tikariot's national soccer team, the Hawks lost 3-1, with all goals scored in the second half. La Gazeto's own Jonathan Liu described the match as a "shock loss, with Muralos' play in the first half scarcely suggesting they would lose."

Councilmembers of the Muralosian Soccer Association began to question whether any Muralosian national teams should be sent to the Baptism of Fire or to World Cup qualification. However these questions were settled in a press conference on December 12th, at which Coach Jozefo Koltakov made a statement to great effect. "Our national team must be able to handle losses and to bounce back from them. We will benefit from more international competition this year, and that includes the Baptism of Fire and the World Cup qualifiers. This will build the sportsmanship and character of our Hawks, and we will go to inspire our nation."

Uncertainty still remained around the Hawks' Baptism of Fire run. The tournament coincides with the Muralosian Soccer Association's merging of Muralos' men's national soccer team with its women's national soccer team, resulting in one co-ed national football team. Jozefo Koltakov returned as head coach, while Pavel Li and Hina Kageyama were added as assistant coaches. In this new arrangement, the team had precious little time to train; the three coaches finalized their roster on December 7th, just twelve days before arriving in Græntfjall. Sports analysts continued to voice concern: La Gazeto's Klara Antonova wrote on Friday that "this could go amazingly well, but the Hawks must be forgiven if it doesn't. Undoubtedly, the World Cup qualifiers will be better."

Antonova's first prediction was closer to the truth. The co-ed Hawks played their first group stage match on Saturday against Quemorr Isles, a team made up of sentient sea creatures. Social media was aglow as Muralosians and Quemorr Islesians bantered. In Quemorr Isles, a publication proclaimed that the Muralosian team was sure to lose, as the final syllable of "Muralos" sounds similar to the English word "loss." This remark led many Muralosians to post links to websites and videos explaining the origin of Muralos' name. Muralosian schoolchildren know that the name "Muralos" is a corruption of the Esperanto word for "walls" (muroj). It emphasizes the country's strength against potential invasions, as open as it is to cross-cultural collaboration.

The last syllable of "Muralos" has nothing to do with the word "loss." Reserve striker and women's captain Valora Lin proved this further against Quemorr Isles. In the match's 76th minute, Lerta Donaldson delivered a careful pass to Lin, who converted it instantly into a goal. She was undeterred by Quemorr Isles' Barramundi and Whale Shark.

FINAL
Muralos 1 - 0 Quemorr Isles
Lin 76'

Not only did the co-ed Hawks win their first match in team history, they also won it thanks to some excellent female players. As Lin noted in La Gazeto's post-game interview with her, "a lot of us on the women's team felt like we were at a disadvantage, since we lack the men's international experience. But I think we turned that perception around today, and I'm glad that the co-ed team's chemistry has let us be at our best."

The co-ed Hawks replicated their success with a 3-0 victory against The H Corporation. For the first time in two months, Rodion Markov played less than a full game, having been substituted in the second half by Tanya Lubimova. During that time, Lubimova recorded three saves, matching many of Markov's celebrated performances. Commentators including Radio Muralana-Sportema's Kirill Chen, embraced the new team's success. Chen tweeted Sunday that "Lubimova has demonstrated incredible focus and some absolutely impeccable goalkeeping. I would not be surprised if she and Markov became interchangeable by the World Cup Qualifiers. How great it is to have these two formidable goalkeepers in one squad!"

FINAL
Muralos 3 - 0 The H Corporation
Brava 28'
Kim 68'
Granda 73'

Muralos' next group stage match will take place on Monday against Sannyamathland, a fellow competitor in the Independent Associations' Championship. It will be broadcast live on RTM-1, Radio Muralana-Sportema, and rtmnet.mur.

For the record: La Gazeto misstated the length of time Muralosian goalkeeper Rodion Markov had gone without being substituted. It had been two months, not three.

[Quemorr Isles]

"We are now 2-0-0!"
"Shark, we're 0-0-2."
"Manta, I'm saying that we're unbeaten on losing."
"Hopefully that won't stay the case."
"I'm thinking we'll go 3-0-2 now."
"You're starting to learn."
"We WILL."
"Hopefully, yes. That would put us into the round of 32."
"And from there, we will win five straight games, right, Manta?"
"That would be pretty awesome."
"And we will. We only have to defeat the H Corporation, Sannyamathland and PSTCT now. They'll all be easy as pie."
"Except PSTCT beat us 4-3 in the qualifiers for the holy Seven Nation Cup."
"I don't CARE."
"Calm down."
"WE SHALL WIN, END OF STORY."
"If you say so, big guy."
"I AM NO BIG GUY OR SHARK MAN OR MR SHARK, I AM THE SPECTACULAR HORRIBULUS SHARK OR THE TERRIBLE EARTH-DESTROYING SHARKIE."
"If you say so."
"Thank you very much."
"I need to go sort out our fishies for tomorrow, nice talking to you, Sharkie."
"I AM NOT SHARKIE..."

[Sylestone]

Here are some headlines from today:

• Betham rocked by magnitude 4 earthquake, 10 in hospital
• Kirkham hit with 45C temperatures, Avondale, Chamberley and Betham all above 40C
• Guild spots concealed knife in Avondale from notorious local

And it's cutoff time!

---

Group A
Bonbokh u Piche 2–2 Hafamarimet
Cascadia 0–0 Jabal Akhdar
Regmotto 3–1 Mexi Catcha

Group A              Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Jabal Akhdar           3   1  2  0    4   2  +2    5
2 Cascadia               3   1  2  0    5   2  +3    5
3 Hafamarimet            3   1  2  0    5   3  +2    5
4 Bonbokh u Piche        3   1  1  1    6   5  +1    4
5 Regmotto               3   1  1  1    5   5   0    4
6 Mexi Catcha            3   0  0  3    1   9  −8    0

Group B
Red Kelp 2–0 Arklanda
Chartistan 3–0 Critical Operations
Mand Blustopia 0–3 U-Koro

Group B                Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Chartistan               3   2  1  0    6   1  +5    7
2 Red Kelp                 3   2  0  1    5   3  +2    6
3 Arklanda                 3   1  1  1    2   3  −1    4
  Critical Operations      3   1  1  1    3   4  −1    4
5 U-Koro                   3   1  1  1    4   3  +1    4
6 Mand Blustopia           3   0  0  3    1   7  −6    0

Group C
Treekidistan 2–0 Belac
ArmedKing 0–1 Cirrus Azale
North Japan 0–4 Yerapia

Group C              Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Cirrus Azale           3   2  1  0    6   1  +5    7
2 Treekidistan           3   2  1  0    3   0  +3    7
3 Yerapia                3   2  0  1    7   1  +6    6
4 ArmedKing              3   1  0  2    3   4  −1    3
5 Belac                  3   1  0  2    5   8  −3    3
6 North Japan            3   0  0  3    1  11 −10    0

Group D
T Republic 0–0 Socialist New Britain
Sett Forest 3–3 Rwekazaland
North Alezia 2–4 Hispinas

Group D                  Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 T Republic                 3   1  2  0    5   3  +2    5
2 Sett Forest                3   1  2  0    6   5  +1    5
3 Hispinas                   3   1  1  1    8   7  +1    4
4 Rwekazaland                3   1  1  1    4   5  −1    4
5 Socialist New Britain      3   0  2  1    0   1  −1    2
6 North Alezia               3   0  2  1    3   5  −2    2

[Graintfjall]

Apologies for the slightly late cut-off today, which is because of…

In Altendalur, the KJT Trans, the largest tanker in Überolía’s fleet, came in to port, causing major delays at the docks. Überolía is Græntfjall’s largest corporation, with major concerns in oil and gas exploitation. They are also major political contributors to the Blue-Greens who, totally coincidentally, have recently announced a round of tax cuts to benefit off-shore gas.

In Hintersfjörður, protests over the government’s proposed infrastructure bill, which includes funds for economic development in the East but largely ignores the West, blocked streets for several hours before protestors decided it was too cold and writing a letter to their MT from the warmth of their homes seemed a more responsible course of action.

In Þingsnitz, the local Buddhist community celebrated a holiday with street processions and distributions of food. Græntfjall is not a very religiously diverse country, heavily dominated by Roman Catholicism, but small non-confirming communities can be found, particularly in major cities.

In Folte, an enormous shipment of turnips was spilled onto the roads causing traffic backlogs. Turnips are one of Græntfjall’s major crops and feature in many Christmas and Yule recipes, from bland stews to spicy curries, festive pickles or just given raw to particularly misbehaved children in lieu of chocolate.

In Mühlrich, a National Democratic Front demonstration blocked off the central square for several hours. Some speakers praised the Blue-Green-led coalition government for their tough line on immigration enforcement, but others barracked them for allowing an exception for students and academics.

In Maigburg, an arts fair overran and caused some delays in opening up streets. Landscape painting does not have a particularly strong tradition in Græntfjall because everything’s covered in snow all the time, but the country has produced a few notable portrait artists.

In Gunzlach, a minor industrial accident saw no fatalities but severe traffic delays. Gunzlach remains a basically working-class area despite the high-flying fortunes of its elite football club, and visitors to the stadium will often find themselves walking past long lines of (increasingly immigrant) factory workers punching in for the night shifts.

In Korsbach, an incident occurred involving a hamster. The less said about this the better.

In Molding, streets were closed for production of a movie outdoor shot. Græntfjaller’s cinematic traditions are most associated with the horror genre: even in the holiday season, families will generally prefer to settle in for a good slasher flick rather than turn to any more schmaltzy fare. However, the prevalent use of kraken ex machina plot devices has limited the popularity of these films overseas.

In Steinaux, police were called to an unexpectedly raucous local council meeting that ended in heated words and a few punches thrown. Housing has become a contentious issue, with questions about gentrification and NIMBYism proving the upmarket suburb something of a microcosm for the ructions in the rapidly economically liberalizing Græntfjall.

In Hagejoki, streets were closed as police carried out a raid on a suspected drugs warehouse. Græntfjall has moderately liberal policies on personal consumption of some minor drugs, but harder substances remain prohibited. Amphetamine trafficking into industrial areas has been a major problem in recent years.

In Kuodorf, snowploughs struggled with the unusually heavy – even for Græntfjall – snowfall that has come down in recent days. Substantial municipal budgets are expended on snow clearance, but long term Háttmark is looking to develop an underground metro to try to eliminate the annual gridlock caused by heavy winters.

Fortunately all those delays have been resolved, now. So we can have some results! Cutoff for MD3.

---

Group E
State of Trinity 1–3 Aeprelh
Icecliff 0–2 Khytonya
Fjorsz 0–0 Hebitaka

                        Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
1 Khytonya                3    3   0   0     7    3   +4     9
2 Hebitaka                3    2   1   0     6    1   +5     7
3 Fjorsz                  3    2   1   0     3    0   +3     7
4 Aeprelh                 3    1   0   2     4    5   −1     3
5 Icecliff                3    0   0   3     0    5   −5     0
6 State of Trinity        3    0   0   3     4   10   −6     0

Group F
Stevidia 3–2 Saint-Domingue
Hindu Ram Rajya 0–2 Bluecliff League
Logano Fraza 2–5 United Pink States

                        Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
1 Bluecliff League        3    3   0   0     9    4   +5     9
2 United Pink States      3    2   1   0     7    3   +4     7
3 Stevidia                3    1   1   1     5    5    0     4
4 Saint-Domingue          3    1   0   2     5    7   −2     3
5 Logano Fraza            3    1   0   2     3    6   −3     3
6 Hindu Ram Rajya         3    0   0   3     1    5   −4     0

Group G
Magnecia and Galmencia 0–1 Caryton
Ranoria 2–1 Silvedania
Acastanha 0–3 Freechi

                          Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
1 Caryton                   3    3   0   0     5    0   +5     9
  Freechi                   3    3   0   0     5    0   +5     9
3 Ranoria                   3    1   1   1     3    3    0     4
4 Silvedania                3    1   0   2     2    3   −1     3
5 Acastanha                 3    0   1   2     1    7   −6     1
6 Magnecia and Galmencia    3    0   0   3     0    3   −3     0

Group H
PSTCT 2–4 Gouvanarch
Muralos 4–1 Sannyamathland
Quemorr Isles 3–4 The H Corporation

                        Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
1 Muralos                 3    3   0   0     8    1   +7     9
2 Gouvanarch              3    3   0   0    10    5   +5     9
3 The H Corporation       3    2   0   1     5    6   −1     6
4 Sannyamathland          3    1   0   2     5    8   −3     3
5 PSTCT                   3    0   0   3     3    7   −4     0
  Quemorr Isles           3    0   0   3     4    8   −4     0

[Silvedania]

Silvedania Off to a Mixed, Yet Expected Start at the Baptism of Fire and Ice

Two games in and one in progress, the international Silvedanian soccer team's position in this tournament is quite unknown. As of now, Silvedania stands in 3rd place of Group G. So how did the first two games go?

Game 1: Silvedania vs. Caryton

STATS:
Winner: Caryton
Score: 1-0

OVERVIEW:
The game started out in a sort of stalemate. No one scored for the first two quarters, but with one missed shot by Keith Beaumanoir(Silvedania) in the first quarter. Both teams have a rather defenceful strategy, so almost no attempts to score made it past the defence and all that did were stopped by the two goalies. In the beginning of the third quarter, goalkeeper Ryan Brown(Silvedania) was injured while blocking a scoring attempt. After this, Daniel Ruff(Caryton), Tyson Alger(Caryton), and Tupu Nu'tok'a(Caryton) all had nearly successful attempts to score all blocked by Brown's replacement, Auguste Connor(Silvedania). But the ball got through once, kicked by Ruff.

Game 2: Silvedania vs. Magnecia and Galmencia

STATS:
Winner: Silvedania
Score: 1-0

OVERVIEW:
In the first quarter, Raymond Jung(Silvedania) scored the first and only goal of the game. The rest of the game was ordinary with nobody getting injured, getting penalties, or scoring.

Position in Group G:

Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
1 Caryton                   2    2   0   0     4    0   +4     6
2 Freechi                   2    2   0   0     2    0   +2     6
3 Silvedania                2    1   0   1     1    1    0     3
4 Ranoria                   2    0   1   1     1    2   −1     1
5 Acastanha                 2    0   1   1     1    4   −3     1
6 Magnecia and Galmencia    2    0   0   2     0    2   −2     0

[Hafamarimyht]

[Treekidistan]

TREEKIDISTAN FOOTBALL FEDERATION OFFICIAL
Carving out a new world

Group C
Treekidistan 2–0 Belac
ArmedKing 0–1 Cirrus Azale
North Japan 0–4 Yerapia

Group C              Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Cirrus Azale           3   2  1  0    6   1  +5    7
2 Treekidistan           3   2  1  0    3   0  +3    7
3 Yerapia                3   2  0  1    7   1  +6    6
4 ArmedKing              3   1  0  2    3   4  −1    3
5 Belac                  3   1  0  2    5   8  −3    3
6 North Japan            3   0  0  3    1  11 −10    0

Treekidistan isn't just a green state, it is now a place where soccer is regarded as a big event. Three matches of the Baptism of Fire and Ice ended, the team without losing a game is currently in a hiatus with Cirrus Azale on the first position. Both teams having the same points are trying their best to regain a first position. In the third Matchday, Treekidistan defeated Belac for a score of 2-0, where Gonzales scored both the goals. The goals were scored at the sixth and eighty fourth minutes of the game. Eventhough Treekidistan is in a good position, The nationals from Yerapia is going to be a threat to the team. The coach has decided to increase the training and make the team fit for scoring more goals from any position in the game. The Goalkeeper is getting trained by Steve Longhorn the goalkeeper from Indusse, which is the state which has Treekidistan as a protectorate.

Treekidistan Football Federation (TFF), called on a meeting yesterday and published he official logo of the Federation. The federation has decided to call tenders for kit making.

Different Officials, Players tweeted about the games and changes of TFF.

Treekidistan Football Federation @TFFOfficial Ahoy, Viewers! In this occasion of The BoF tournament. We have published out all new Federation logo.#Baptismoffireandice RETWEETSFAVORITE 1.2K3.2K 14:43 pm - 21 December 20

:ugeek: Gonzales @Captgonzal Good to see the increase in the fan percentage of TFF national team. My special thanks to TFF for arranging our participation for this event. #Tffforca RETWEETSFAVORITE 1.5K6.1K 17:10 pm - 22 December 20

The coach who's the incharge of the team didn't react to the tweets and is waiting for the newly designed kits of the team. Let Treekidistan go forward! Herbal remedies throughout Nationstates!

[Sannyamathland]

National Humiliation
The United Soviet Republic's National Team were in for a rude shock as the Muralos national football team thrashed the Red Lions to a humiliating 4-1 defeat.Adama Brava scored twice,while Rui scored once and Joe Wallow scored an own goal to make the scoreline 4-0 in favour of Muralos.Ansu Mbiki scored a consolation goal for Sannyamathland in the 78th minute,but that was not enough to prevent Sannyamathland's worst defeat in the last twelve years.There has been serious repercussions of this defeat in Sannyamathland,with several people and former players claiming that these bunch of players are unworthy of representing the nation in the World Cup.A disappointed Carlos Mathew,the former captain of the Red Lions,said in a recent interview:"Sannyamathland is home to the richest and one of the most watched leagues in the world,but inspite of that such results are very very disappointing.I also have some problems with the coach's strategy.Thus,I feel these team must undergo a big change,if we hope to play some decent football in the World Cup."


A disappointed Mount,after the match

[Khytonya]

Do Bad Things Come in Threes?: Hartley's Men Says No
By: Wilco Mendy

Have you ever heard the phrase "bad things come in threes"? It's a scary belief that after encountering an unlucky event twice, it will happen again the third time. However, here at Knight Light Footy, that's simply not the case. Forget about three cats and lighting three cigarettes with a single match. Matchday three against Icecliff proves to be a major success, acting as an atonement for the previous encounters where Khytonya and Icecliff battled out for a draw in the Wonder Cup. Because of this, the Magical Bhoys propelled from 3rd to 1st after Fjorsz and Hebitaka agree to a goal-less nil-nil game. You have to hand it to Hartley himself. The way he effectively rolls out attacking-minded gameplans is as impressive as a sculpted renaissance statue: future football fans will look at his tactics and learn the mechanisms behind it. Then it'll go through the process of deconstructing Hartley's philosophy before reconstructing it again as a new and improved version.

Honestly, there's supposed to be a challenge in this match. So far, it's more like a gentle breeze blowing in front of Khytonya. At least with both Aeprelh and the State of Trinity, they make efforts to bag in goals (though both do benefit from terrible defensive errors flying over the place). Pundits and football fans couldn't predict how much impact unranked teams like the aforementioned two teams, but here they are; 2-1 victory in matchday 1 followed by a 3-2 win. It's a promising match that ended with a redemption win stemming from a mistake five minutes ago. Here, Icecliff just couldn't get out of this horror show. In those 3 games, they are not even able to score one goal. Instead, Icecliff hopelessly watched those five goals entering their breached defense lines. As it turns out, the way they move the ball forward contributed to their shambolic performance (we'll talk about it in the next post).

Going back to Khytonya, with the exception of a free-kick goal by maestro Alice Matthews, the rest of the goals belong to the forward trio: the unstoppable giants of Larsen Reinhardt, Thomas Liaw, and Nigel Neilson. With such an untouchable force to be reckoned with, the Magical Bhoys are able to cruise through the first three matches which all ended with a win. The first time Hartley implemented it stretches back during the final game of the last AOCAF game when Khytonya pulls out a victory over Yesopalthia despite being eliminated from the tournament. Since then, it has opened with great success in the Wonder Cup where they finished their campaign in fourth place following a loss against Saint Domingue (who has beaten Khytonya twice during the previous meetings), a fellow debutant to the tournament.

The next game against Fjorsz should prove a tough one. The penultimate matchup between two attacking teams will be a sight to behold. An interesting fact about Fjorsz is that they haven't conceded a single goal across three matches. Today, it's all about to change. Personally, I'd love to see the winning streak extended to four. Even more, if the Magical Bhoys keep dominating the field. At the end of the group stage sequence, no team in Group E can beat the almighty beast known as Khytonya. Show your support to them and keep waving our country's flag. Your voice will play a big part in their awesome campaign. Break a leg, everyone!

[Stevid]

FINAL WHISTLE - BoF 74
Stevidia 3 – 2 Saint-Domingues
Win sends Vids third with good run-in for push for second

What was billed as a close and supremely important match in this round of the Baptism of Fire and Ice lived up to expectation with a close match, fraught nerves, and an eventual win for Stevid.
The win sends this fledging side third with an excellent run-in to come from two games against the group’s out of form sides Logano Fraza and Hindu Ram Rajya – which we will revisit later.

Davidicus had elected to change things up for this game and went with an attacking 4-3-3 formation that was narrower and sharper on the passing than the former 4-1-4-1, and with it came some personnel changes in a bid to turn around Stevidia’s fortunes. Saint-Domingues (SD) would be equal to the challenge too, desperate to build on a good win and keep their hopes alive a top three finish.

From the blow of the whistle the Vids went forward with intent, playing some slick and fast short balls – but SD knew what to expect and the dogged defence that had been tested this tournament held form for twenty gruelling minutes. But as the clock ticked relentlessly onwards it was SD that took the lead at the half hour mark. Their patient defence soaked up a flurry of attempts and then spectacularly broke into a counter attack completely against the run of play. Stevidia was overcommitted, as usual, and struggled to contain the attack. As the defence was carved up the in-form Palacio made no mistake slotting past keeper Lindsay with a side footed curler.

Despite the setback, the Vids stuck to their game plan. The team had been threatening all game and it was likely only a matter of time. But time was of essence and the first half ended with Saint-Domingues ahead by virtue of a solid defence.

At the beginning of the second, both teams went on the attack. SD, wanting to kill the game off; Stevidia, with something to prove. The Vids finally converted a chance as midfielder Middleton fired in a loose ball at the edge of the area and a cruel deflection sent it home for 1-1. But the Avengers weren’t done yet, who went straight up the other end after kick off with some swish direct passing finding a winger open on the edge of the Vids’ area and fired a near post shot past the scrambling Lindsay.

Now at 1-2, Stevidia needed some magic as their hopes of a first win and tournament progression began to fade. At sixty minutes the huffing and puffing of the Vids’ front line paid off. Fresh wingback Jack Lee picked up a neat through ball from Massey on the overlap and punted a dangerous cross along the ground. Lukas Cooper got to it first and put it past the SD keeper who had no hope at such close range. This galvanised Stevidia who pushed home for the kill, but SD weren’t done either and had one effort palmed way Lindsay on seventy-five and another effort deflected off a Vid defender’s leg unluckily onto the upright.

Both teams were tired but it was Stevidia that got the final killer stroke. Miquel Adams, who has had no luck so far in this competition picked up a loose ball in the area as SD defended a corner. It came from a deflected shot and he was simply in the right place at the right time, and fired off an instinctive pile driver that send the Vid fans, manger and team, into pandemonium.

3-2 was not a flattering score line and SD knew that it was only over when it’s over. Stevidia was immediately pushed back and only a rear-guard action and lucky escapes for nearly ten minutes saved Stevidia from a hapless draw.

Manager Davidicus:

“I’m really happy to get the win, but I’m under no illusions we deserved a draw – or that it is the least Saint-Domingues deserved. We keep leaking goals and, I know, it’s problem quite specific to me. But a win is a win and we’ve an excellent opportunity to build on it. We have one of the best run ins in the group, up against the two bottom sides, whereas UPS are up against Bluecliff and Saint-Domingues. We just need to ensure we take control of our situation and we could very easily end up second. The one truly annoying drawback is our neutral goal difference. Wins against Logano Fraza and Hindu Ram Rajya with either clean sheets or good goal difference will see us to second.”

Stevidia’s next matched is at 2100hrs UTC against Hindu Ram Rajya. Join us later for our pre-match coverage.

[Hebitaka]

BoF 74 in favour of the Falcons(Yet?)

Baptism of Fire, a tournament held for the newbie nations to increase their ranks is held every year before the World Cup. The 74th Baptism of Fire and Ice held in Sylestone and Graintjfall consisted of 48 teams. All teams were divided to 8 groups of 6 teams each for the tournament. And now 3 games has been played for all the teams with two more remaining in the group Stage. So here we are with the analysis of the first three games of the BoF GS.

State of Trinity 1–4 Hebitaka

The game was the first BoF game for the Hebitaka. And after the IFC it was also the first football game for the Falcons. The game began with a kickoff for the Trinity. The Hebitakish team got their grip in the game to begin with. Vijay scored the first goal at 25' followed by another score in 41' by Tarun Masake. The second half began followed by a foul from the Hebitakish team. Ravi got Red Carded and was to miss this match as well as the following game. This weakened the Hebitakish team as a score was soon scored by the Trinity team in 65'. But the Falcons were soon back in the game with Vijay scoring in the 75' and then closing the match with a certain victory at 87' when Vijay scores his third and gets the Hat-trick.

MOTM: Ram Vijay(3 goals)

Hebitaka 2–0 Icecliff

The first victory of the Hebitakish team was a phenomenal one. The next game for Hebitaka was another great one as well as the first clean sheet for the Falcons. The Icecliff defense was completely shattered with two goals, both from Vijay at 31' and 72'. The game was played with 24 yr old Chahar Rai replacing Red carded Ravi.

MOTM: Ram Vijay(2 goals)

Fjorsz 0–0 Hebitaka

The Victory streak of the Hebitaki team was finished with this draw against the Fjorsz. Both the teams had no goals scored with the Young Hebitakish keeper Tinnu shining for the MOTM. The Fjorsz did not receive any goals. Thanks to the likes of Turner and Kennard that the Fjorsz was able to defend the oncoming attacks of Masake and Vijay to end the game up in a draw. The game , though proved to be a bit against the Falcons as Nitin got a Yellow for fouling and injuring Patrick Malone. The man is likely to miss the next game.

MOTM: Ganesh Tinnu(6 saves)

The player Patrick Malone has had a calf Injury and is likely to miss the next the next BoF game.

[Khytonya]

[Chartistan]

Chartistan 3-0 Critical Operations
Mama Coriel '45 '73 (CHA)
Jhawn Corerra '83 (CHA)

"Doctor Lucas, huge win against Critical Operations today. A brace for Mama Coriel as well as Jhawn Corerra's first goal in the Baptism of Fire. What do you think about the result?"

"That right there was a fantastic result for the team. No beating around the bush, compared to that U-Koro game they were ambushing the hell out of our opponents and that's what given us these 3 points. We woke up today and we were fighting mad, and even though Adult Royce was moaning on about his job and the time he had with his long lost friend, Critical Operations looked as good as gone."

"With Red Kelp coming up your team has a chance to qualify for the knockout stage with a win against Jeremy Tree's squad. Do you think that with these crucial games coming up, is rotating an option?"

"Trust me, if you told me after that Wonder Cup result against Kohnhead that we were going to challenge for a Baptism of Fire title, it would probably be like winning a hundred bucks off of a scratch off ticket. But yeah, I don't think we're rotating for the Arklanda game and especially not the Red Kelp game coming up. I've been getting letters from former and future national team prospects that I have to start players like Chessus Cheesus and Kimi Hootjuice to rest the squad a bit in time for the knockouts when we play ArmedKing or something, and to that I'd say to them, why not call me back when you're caller #5 on a radio station giveaway, huh?"

"Speaking of the knockouts, I know that barely anyone has qualified yet, but who do you think will be the biggest challenge in the knockout stage for your Chartistan national team should they get far?"

"Well you'd have to obviously shy away the nations who get the last parking spot, they'd flop against higher caliber opponents in the first round like it was nothing, I'll tell you. As for the contenders, I have to say Bluecliff League or Gouvanarch. If we ever get them, it will be a challenge just to keep our heads afloat, because with Gouvanarch and Bluecliff League, as well as the likes of Freechi and Khytonya, they can hit you hard and leave you on your back if you aren't careful. We aren't going to chuck in 5 shots and leave out of here with a free round of golf with the team now, will we?"

"Well thanks for talking with you today, Doctor Lucas."

"Thank you too."

---

"For the starting elevens, we're going to bring it down to a certain William Scott who is standing near the pitch of Carson Stadium. William?"

"Thanks James. Starting with Red Kelp then. Bob Ross will man the sticks for the team after surviving a clean sheet against Arklanda in their 2-0 win back at Chamberley. Nicola Bell will pop in the chat on the left while the ever resilient centerback pairing of Motorola 19 and Elizabeth Afton will return, with Chris Afton in the chat on the right. Moving on pretty bloody quick to the center of the pitch it's Michaela Afton, Michael Afton and Clara Afton, who will hit it off to the attacking trio of Vincent Tiger, Gabriel Claus and William Afton.

"Sitting on top of the group, however, with an undefeated record of 2 wins, 1 draw and no losses are Chartistan. Callie Deadbrush, who also had a clean sheet, this time a three nothing win against Critical Operations, will return to the sticks, with manager Combbrush deciding not to replace her for the Arklanda game if they win here today against Red Kelp. On the left side of the chat will be Adult Royce who had an incident against the aforementioned Critical Operations, but will still stay with Nico Celestium, Michael Williams and Tatertot Crazy in defense. In the midfield stands Little Exnash, Kimmi Yamjune, Player Cee and Jhawn Corerra, the latter of whom scored the 3rd goal in that previous game, and a potential one click away from the insanity of a potential group stage win are Air Latte and captain Mama Coriel, the latter of whom scored herself a brace against Critical Operations."

"And, uh, William, what do you think is going to happen?"

"I don't know, to be honest. Don't give me a restraining order, I just want to be noticed."

[Fjorsz]

Wonderful People - Culture

Hey! Look who it is! People! Of course, we can conclude that you are not Fjorszi, and you are obviously not aware of the Fjorszi culture, or it's difference to the rest of the world. Of course, now you can learn about the Fjorszi culture.

1 - Food

Food is an everyday aspect of our life, different from the world or not. And it's an important thing to think about in life. After all, who likes a disgusting dinner? Not me. Anyway, most middle-class breakfasts in Fjorsz is a normal Scrambled Eggs or Bacon. The lunch in the normal person in Fjorsz would be a soup, or salmon, and for dinner it would probably be a chicken sandwich or something similar. For the rich class, the breakfast is the main focus, with most breakfasts being chilled Coun' Keppa (A special french toast). For lunch, it would be Devon'F'oure (salmon cooked specially) and for dinner it would be, well, anything fancy. Pretty broad. For the poor, however, we could not get diagnostics, and as such will not be included. Not like there is any 'poor', just 'poor' in the comparision to the rich in Fjorsz.

2 - Clothing

Well, most clothing in Fjorsz is like in the real world. It's pretty normal, with most people wearing dark blue clothes on important days and anything on casual days.

3 - Sport

Sport is important to Fjorszi. The most coveted sport is soccer (football) with many sports-lovers watching the game. Fjorsz also created a national team for the sport, and is now competing in the Baptism of Fire.

Well, there you have it. 3 important aspects about culture in Fjorsz. Of course, there's more to this beautiful nation.

Hebitika 0-0 Fjorsz

[Bonbokh u Piche]

BONBOKH U PICHE 2-2 HAFAMARIMET

In the third matchday for Group A of the Baptism of Fire 74, the Bonbokh u Peeps faced the Hafamarimet national team. The game was played at the Sentient Oval in Kirkham. The overwhelming heat experienced throughout the island made the ninety minutes an ordeal for both teams, who had to pause the game twice to hydrate. Still, the general atmosphere among the fans was of celebration. And in case you were wondering: yes, they took the flag to the match. No, it is not flammable, nor is it palpable.

The city of Kirkham has welcomed Bonbo-Picheans fans, who have forged a close relationship with local sentients. Many Bonbo-Picheans can be seen roaming the city with jerseys from the teams of Kitkham, particularly from Kirkham Appliances. The Baptism of Fire furor is brewing attachment for Kirkham in the Bonbo-Picheans. Even despite the fact that 'fire' is being less figurative than expected.

As for the match itself, the Bonbokh u Peeps did not show off, and neither team really did credit for the three points. The pace of the match was rather slow. Both teams were going from one box to the other. Hafamarimet controlled the ball most of the time, trying to get the ball to Sït Ničïh without much success. The Pogalokh-Gochoforal-Donoche trio rejected lots of balls throughout the game. Occasionally, one of those loose balls came under the control of the Bonbo-Pichean midfielders, who attempted a counterattack.

At 30 minutes into the game, Ničïh broke the tie. A cross pass from the left wing leaked into the Bonbokh u Peeps box. Donoche failed to stop it, and Pogalokh contested it with Ničïh. But the striker seems unstoppable. He headed hard and beat the goalkeeper. The game was not looking good for Bonbokh u Piche, who had difficulties to gain possession.

Just 7 minutes later, Hafamarimet tried a very similar move. On the left wing, cross ball to Ničïh. However, the Bonbo-Pichean defenders intercepted the pass. Datare took the ball, turned on the spot and after a quick glance, he threw a long pass to Kereldulo. The forward received the ball with his chest, passed it to Grude and sprinted to receive the wall-pass. Cedre ran and lunged for the ball, but the striker delivered a smooth, graceful shot. The ball passed right over the goalkeeper and went in. With the scoreboard at 1-1, the teams went to the locker room.

The second half was similar. Hafamarimet dominating the ball, trying to filter a pass, and Bonbokh u Piche defending and counterattacking. The 1-1 seemed to be final. But again Hafamarimet made a good move. Bremeb received the ball. Two players went to tackle him, but he got rid of both and made a pass to the center. Nögan Rëtnetka received it calmly. He looked at the goal and kicked hard to the far-post. Loskhal jumped but didn't even get close to the ball. An ovation from the terraces. On the side of Bonbokh u Piche, long faces.

The Bonbokh u Peeps' unease was evident. The same explosiveness was no longer visible. On the contrary, Hafamarimet had two more occasions when the ball narrowly missed the goal. Coach Lubupo decided on a radical change to reverse the situation. A key substitution. Gochoforal came out, and Naskhopo entered in his place. The team switched to a 4-3-3 and went on the attack. Hafamarimet looked puzzled, they were taken by surprise. The Bonbokh u Peeps made some good plays, but they couldn't make it through. The 45 minutes were up, the referee added 3 minutes of extra time. Bonbokh u Piche despaired.

At the end of the match, and to everyone's surprise, Bonbokh u Piche achieved the unthinkable. The equalizer came from a corner kick. Nixel Suños passed the ball to Grude. The midfielder made a low pass, which reached Gildonosda. Without thinking twice, he shot with a lot of power. But the ball hit the crossbar and fell close to the goal line. The goalkeeper was unstable, and no defender was around. Fasul Bomoi was the first to arrive, and without much complication he pushed the ball to the back of the net.

With this draw, Bonbokh u Piche is tied for fourth place with Regmotto, just one point behind Jabal Akhdar, Cascadia, and Hafamarimet. The next two matchdays, in which the Bonbokh u Peeps will face Cascadia and Regmotto, will define which teams advance to the next phase. Bonbokh u Piche will have to win at Pesfield to show they are at the top level in this competition, despite the rough start.