RTC Under 18 World Cup 13 -- Everything Thread

works? · by **Abanhfleft** » Thu Apr 01, 2021 12:48 pm

DISCLAIMER: Gaelic Gamers is an independents sports blogging website created by four cousins with a common liking and passion for sports of all kinds and is in no way or form affiliated with or organized by any official news organization in the Democratic Republic of Abanhfleft. All statements and opinions posted here are our own and not anyone else's.

Gaelic Gamers
Presents...

The Football Fallacies
with The Man from Markovsky

WELCOME TO HEART ATTACK CENTRAL

Hello and welcome to The Football Fallacies. Right, this Under-18 World Cup is getting a bit crazy now if I'm being honest. I don't even know what to fucking say now nowadays. I've got so many emotions going through my mind right now. It's probably not the best thing trying to balance being a football armchair analyst with getting that online degree, but then again, it's my life I'm living here. Nobody can tell me what I want to do with my life! Nobody!

Okay, that got a little bit personal when it didn't need to. Let's go back to the topic of football then, shall we? After the first game against Tequilo in this competition turned into the Braydon and Bradley Show, spirits could be said as being high in the Abanhfleft camp. The youngsters were certainly in high spirits when they came out to play against Kohnhead. They were clearly carrying some momentum over from the last match, and soon we've found the back of the net twice in the span of twenty minutes through Braydon Aquino and Mavis McGlamery. Who else but Braydon would score the opening goal of the game, right? And of course it had to be an absolute thundercunt as well. Carl Wells knew very well that the only way that he was going to remain on the pitch was to just let the ball tear through the back of the net instead of tearing a whole through his chest. I'm telling you, anyone unlucky enough to stand in the way of a Braydon Aquino shot is going to lose a limb if they get hit by it or try to block it. There's just no stopping that bastard ball!

But whatever Levi Baak said to the young guns during the break, it definitely was weaker than what Elijah Godwin told his charges because them Kohnheadians just went out and started smashing us up in the second half! And I think I might have a theory why. In comparison to the Independent Associations Championship which happens to be running concurrently to the Under-18 World Cup, we've got two vastly different midfields in these two competitions. In the Independents Cup we have two midfielders who are too busy smashing up shins to even bother with creating chances, while in the Under-18 World Cup, we've got two midfielders who are too busy creating chances to even kick some shins. Not that I would recommend Griffith Salter to go crazy and just start tackling people willy-nilly. The state that his legs are in right now, he's liable to snap one of his own. The midfield was being overrun, sure, but then again, why in the world did Kohnhead have to resort to set pieces to draw themselves level? They've got only one guy handling most of their set piece duties, which is something I personally wouldn't do if I'm a coach, but then again I'm not a coach so the question is kinda moot. Anyway, from 2-0 up to level at 2-2, oh, it's just so bloody typically Abanhfleft of us. Such shite goals to concede as well. Inocencia Pendergraft should be saving both of those. Yeah, those bastard goals are going to haunt her when she goes to sleep tonight.

Facts, the only reason why Inocencia's going to get some sleep tonight at all is because Cleveland Sung saved her arse, as well as the arses of everyone else on this team. And once again it's from a set piece that we find what's turned out to be the winning goal. I mean, of course I like the fact that he scored for us, but then again, it's still a set piece! I expect this from a bunch of olive farmer and accountants like what the Fhulghamous Peninsula's got in the Campionato Esportiva, but not from a team that's supposed to be made of the best young talents Abanhfleft has to offer. I mean, Christ above, man!

Anyway, that's all that there is for me. If you've got comments of your own about this game or predictions for the next one then feel free to leave them down below. Until then, this has been the Man from Markovsky, still disappointed in our country.

█████KOHNHEAD 2 - 3 ABANHFLEFT
BARNARD (51')       BRAYDON (10')
 CURRIE (63')       McGLAMERY (19')
                    SUNG (82')

World Cup 81/82/83/84

© Sporting Times Daily 2021
"Time to wake up"--Harper
by Fiona Devlin, National Soccer Writer

The Baker Park Under 18 National Team will need the performance of their young lives, in addition to a bit of help, if they want to extend their streak of making the knockout stage of the U18 World Cup to nine straight.

Following two consecutive defeats—the first time ever in U18 history during the NSS era—BP will face Graintfjell needing to take all the points and also a win against Pratapgadh in the final group match if they want to get remotely close to one of the top two spots in Group E here in Platastingrad.

Grey County sit first with 7 points from 3 matches, followed my Sannyamathalnd with 4 from their 2 played, then the Snow Wolves, who like the Bees will playing their third match, sitting with a solitary win and then Pratapgadh with a pair of draws from their 3 appearances thus far.

Danielle Harper swapped the entire lineup for the previous match against Sannyamathland, and although the 2-1 loss looked better on paper, it did little to give comfort to the manager.
"We used the bye to really get back to some basic concepts, and to smooth out some of the kinks. I know this is the first time a lot them have played in the system, but some of things we've seen on tape go straight to technique and confidence issues. This is a passing offense, we move the ball upfield by stringing together passes, a lot of them. Losing possession cheaply is not part of that."

Against Grey County, the side had a passing rate of 7.6 per minute of possession in play (MPP), with a completion percentage of 77%, both near the lower end of the range that is the baseline for national team performance; against Sannyamathland those numbers dropped to 7.3 and 71, which Harper stressed was unacceptable.
"We've made it clear that 8 and 80 are the minimal numbers we expect to see when we've had the ball so much more than the opponent in these first two matches (nearly 63% in the first match, 61% in the second). We need these guys and gals to wake up so they can execute tactics, or we'll be going home quick-like. It may seem a bit strange to those of you not from Baker Park, but there is a certain amount of carryover when it comes to expectations and a sense of pride among our 18's. The squads that have won this (U18WC) previously are respected to the highest degree, and every new wave of 16 and 17 year olds who are called up are reminded by the, I call them seniors, because it's like a school team hierarchy in a way, that there is standard that needs to be upheld."

Harper did field a question about the impact that the elevation here might be playing on the side. "I don't think it affects us any more or less that anyone else. Are the Grey County kids struggling with the elevation, or the air? Our problems belong to us, not discrediting the opposition for their play. If we take care of our business, we'll be fine."

by **Graintfjall** » Thu Apr 01, 2021 5:17 pm

Posted on the Kæja’s Korner blog.

Blue-and-white melts into grey

Græntfjall – 2 (0)
Kjársson; Spiderlair, Tístransson, Leonhardsson (90+3’ Þorvaldsson ), Sæbergsson; Dittósdóttir; Þorfinnsson (67’ Bjarnlaugsson ), Hólmkelsson (69’); Finnvarðsdóttir; Hrafnþórsdóttir (55’), Tyrfingsson (74’ Sverrisdóttir )

Grey County – 4 (2)

by **Zeta Reka and Hugeltaldom** » Thu Apr 01, 2021 5:41 pm

Cutoff! A small delay won't effect your chances of winning, I swear.

Prompt: Did you get a bye yet, or are you finished with the group stage? What is there to do when there is nothing to do?

Group A
Zeta Reka and Hugeltaldom 1–2 Equestria
Sarzonia 1–4 Tumbra

Group A
                             Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
1 Tumbra                       4    2   1   1     6    3   +3     7
2 Zeta Reka and Hugeltaldom    3    2   0   1     3    2   +1     6
3 Equestria                    3    1   2   0     4    3   +1     5
4 Sarzonia                     3    1   0   2     4    6   −2     3
5 Sorianora                    3    0   1   2     2    5   −3     1

Group B
Hispinas 2–4 BohemiaIV
Islands of Ventro 0–1 Independent Athletes from Quebec

Group B
                                    Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
1 BohemiaIV                           3    2   0   1     8    6   +2     6
2 Independent Athletes from Quebec    4    1   2   1     4    4    0     5
3 Islands of Ventro                   3    1   1   1     3    3    0     4
4 Delaclava                           3    1   1   1     4    4    0     4
5 Hispinas                            3    0   2   1     5    7   −2     2

Group C
Pemecutan 2–1 Poafmersia
HUElavia 1–3 Juvencus

Group C
                        Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
1 Juvencus                4    3   1   0    11    6   +5    10
2 Pemecutan               3    1   1   1     6    6    0     4
3 Hebitaka                3    1   1   1     5    6   −1     4
4 Poafmersia              3    0   2   1     2    3   −1     2
5 HUElavia                3    0   1   2     3    6   −3     1

Group D
Iba Dwa 2–1 Cassadaigua
Talkasa 0–1 Srednjaci

Group D
                        Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
1 Iba Dwa                 3    3   0   0     7    4   +3     9
2 Srednjaci               4    2   1   1     8    7   +1     7
3 Indusse                 3    1   1   1     6    7   −1     4
4 Cassadaigua             3    1   0   2     7    6   +1     3
5 Talkasa                 3    0   0   3     2    6   −4     0

Group E
Sannyamathland 3–4 Græntfjall
Baker Park 1–2 Pratapgadh

Group E
                        Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
1 Grey County             3    2   1   0     8    5   +3     7
2 Græntfjall              3    2   0   1     7    7    0     6
3 Pratapgadh              4    1   2   1     7    7    0     5
4 Sannyamathland          3    1   1   1     7    7    0     4
5 Baker Park              3    0   0   3     2    5   −3     0

Group F
Ziwana 2–3 Kriegiersien
Garbelia 1–3 Lorrana

Group F
                        Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
1 Kriegiersien            3    2   1   0     6    4   +2     7
2 Lorrana                 4    2   0   2     6    7   −1     6
3 Starblaydia             3    1   1   1     3    3    0     4
4 Garbelia                3    1   0   2     3    5   −2     3
5 Ziwana                  3    1   0   2     8    7   +1     3

Group G
Devonta 0–0 Britland Isles
Chromatika 1–4 Oberour Ar Moro

Group G
                        Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
1 Oberour Ar Moro         4    2   2   0     8    4   +4     8
2 Britland Isles          3    1   2   0     2    1   +1     5
3 Devonta                 3    0   3   0     3    3    0     3
4 Chromatika              3    0   2   1     6    9   −3     2
5 Sharktail               3    0   1   2     6    8   −2     1

Group H
Abanhfleft 3–5 Qasden
Tequilo 6–2 Kohnhead

Group H
                        Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
1 Qasden                  3    2   0   1     8    5   +3     6
2 Abanhfleft              3    2   0   1     8    7   +1     6
3 Tequilo                 3    2   0   1     7    4   +3     6
4 Kohnhead                4    1   0   3     6   12   −6     3
5 Yesopalitha             3    1   0   2     1    2   −1     3

by **Kriegiersien** » Fri Apr 02, 2021 2:24 pm

The Schoenwetter Herald

Sport – Football

RTC Under 18 World Cup 13

Ziwana 2–3 Kriegiersien

Kriegiersen team reaches play-offs.

The young players had to coach themselves and played a refreshing style, that saved them a decisive win against Ziwana.

„We didn’t think much, we just played. And with some rest before, with some more chill and relaxing we were able to regain strength and overcome our opponent. Doesn’t matter that we got two unlucky goal against, we scored three and are ready for the play-offs. Of course we want to win the match against Garbelia to go as first into the play-off. Now the tournament begins anew“, said Captain Che Lopera happy on the press conference after the match.

by **Zeta Reka and Hugeltaldom** » Fri Apr 02, 2021 6:40 pm

Cutting off... your saga is over, unless it isn't :blink:

Prompt: Now that you've been in Zeta Reka for a while, what do you think of it?

Group A
Equestria 1–1 Sarzonia
Sorianora 1–0 Zeta Reka and Hugeltaldom

Group A
                             Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
1 Tumbra                       4    2   1   1     6    3   +3     7
2 Equestria                    4    1   3   0     5    4   +1     6*
3 Zeta Reka and Hugeltaldom    4    2   0   2     3    3    0     6*
4 Sarzonia                     4    1   1   2     5    7   −2     4^
5 Sorianora                    4    1   1   2     3    5   −2     4^
*H2H points, Equestria 3, Zeta Reka 0
^H2H points: Sarzonia 3, Sorianora 0

Group B
BohemiaIV 1–2 Islands of Ventro
Delaclava 0–4 Hispinas

Group B
                                    Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
1 Islands of Ventro                   4    2   1   1     5    4   +1     7
2 BohemiaIV                           4    2   0   2     9    8   +1     6
3 Hispinas                            4    1   2   1     9    7   +2     5*
4 Independent Athletes from Quebec    4    1   2   1     4    4    0     5*
5 Delaclava                           4    1   1   2     4    8   −4     4
*H2H, Hispinas 1, Independent Athletes from Quebec 1
Goal difference gap of 2 for Hispinas

Group C
Poafmersia 2–3 HUElavia
Hebitaka 5–3 Pemecutan

Group C
                        Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
1 Juvencus                4    3   1   0    11    6   +5    10
2 Hebitaka                4    2   1   1    10    9   +1     7
3 Pemecutan               4    1   1   2     9   11   −2     4*
4 HUElavia                4    1   1   2     6    8   −2     4*
5 Poafmersia              4    0   2   2     4    6   −2     2
*H2H points: Pemecutan 1, HUElavia 1
Goal difference gap of 0
Goals for gap of 3 for Pemecutan

Group D
Cassadaigua 1–0 Talkasa
Indusse 2–1 Iba Dwa

Group D
                        Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
1 Iba Dwa                 4    3   0   1     8    6   +2     9
2 Srednjaci               4    2   1   1     8    7   +1     7*
3 Indusse                 4    2   1   1     8    8    0     7*
4 Cassadaigua             4    2   0   2     8    6   +2     6
5 Talkasa                 4    0   0   4     2    7   −5     0
*H2H points: Srednjaci 1, Indusse 1
Goal difference gap of 1 for Srednjaci

Group E
Græntfjall 2–2 Baker Park
Grey County 3–1 Sannyamathland

Group E
                        Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
1 Grey County             4    3   1   0    11    6   +5    10
2 Græntfjall              4    2   1   1     9    9    0     7
3 Pratapgadh              4    1   2   1     7    7    0     5
4 Sannyamathland          4    1   1   2     8   10   −2     4
5 Baker Park              4    0   1   3     4    7   −3     1

Group F
Kriegiersien 0–1 Garbelia
Starblaydia 1–3 Ziwana

Group F
                        Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
1 Kriegiersien            4    2   1   1     6    5   +1     7
2 Ziwana                  4    2   0   2    11    8   +3     6*
3 Lorrana                 4    2   0   2     6    7   −1     6*
4 Garbelia                4    2   0   2     4    5   −1     6*
5 Starblaydia             4    1   1   2     4    6   −2     4
*H2H points; Ziwana 3, Lorrana 3, Garbelia 3
Goal difference gap of 4 for Ziwana
Goal scored gap of 2 for Lorrana

Group G
Britland Isles 3–3 Chromatika
Sharktail 2–1 Devonta

Group G
                        Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
1 Oberour Ar Moro         4    2   2   0     8    4   +4     8
2 Britland Isles          4    1   3   0     5    4   +1     6
3 Sharktail               4    1   1   2     8    9   −1     4
4 Devonta                 4    0   3   1     4    5   −1     3*
5 Chromatika              4    0   3   1     9   12   −3     3*
*H2H; Devonta 1, Chromatika 1
Goal difference gap of 2 for Devonta

Group H
Qasden 4–5 Tequilo
Yesopalitha 4–3 Abanhfleft

Group H
                        Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
1 Tequilo                 4    3   0   1    12    8   +4     9
2 Yesopalitha             4    2   0   2     5    5    0     6*
3 Qasden                  4    2   0   2    12   10   +2     6*
4 Abanhfleft              4    2   0   2    11   11    0     6*
5 Kohnhead                4    1   0   3     6   12   −6     3
H2H; Yesopalitha 6, Qasden 3, Abahnfleft 0

Round of 16

Seedings:

E1 Grey County             4    3   1   0    11    6   +5    10*
C1 Juvencus                4    3   1   0    11    6   +5    10*
H1 Tequilo                 4    3   0   1    12    8   +4     9
D1 Iba Dwa                 4    3   0   1     8    6   +2     9
G1 Oberour Ar Moro         4    2   2   0     8    4   +4     8
A1 Tumbra                  4    2   1   1     6    3   +3     7
F1 Kriegiersien            4    2   1   1     6    5   +1     7
B1 Islands of Ventro       4    2   1   1     5    4   +1     7

C2 Hebitaka                4    2   1   1    10    9   +1     7
D2 Srednjaci               4    2   1   1     8    7   +1     7
E2 Græntfjall              4    2   1   1     9    9    0     7
F2 Ziwana                  4    2   0   2    11    8   +3     6
B2 BohemiaIV               4    2   0   2     9    8   +1     6
A2 Equestria               4    1   3   0     5    4   +1     6*
G2 Britland Isles          4    1   3   0     5    4   +1     6*
H2 Yesopalitha             4    2   0   2     5    5    0     6
*Tie broken by coin flip (OOC: No rosters, no RPs, so I had to flip coins)

Zeta Reka Group
Grey County (1) vs. Yesopalitha (16) @ Antonijewić Stadion
Islands of Ventro (8) vs. Hebitaka (9) @ Ofau Stadion
Iba Dwa (4) vs. BohemiaIV (13) @ Opštinski Stadion u Ogroven
Oberour Ar Moro (5) vs. Ziwana (12) @ Puding Gaj

Hugeltaldom Group
Juvencus (2) vs. Britland Isles (15) @ Studentenstadion
Kriegiersien (7) vs. Srednjaci (10) @ Seestadion
Tequilo (3) vs. Equestria (14) @ Rhein Jokaimić-Muller Stadion
Tumbra (6) vs. Græntfjall (11) @ Zeta Reka Travel Korp Staidion

by **Tumbra** » Fri Apr 02, 2021 11:48 pm

Sarzonia 1-4 Tumbra

(4-3-3) 1 - Russell; 3 - Renton, 20 - Wyatt, 4 - Kerr, 2 - Mercurio (19 - Green, 68'); 6 - Harrison, 8 - Finnemore (15 - Robertson, 74'), 10 - Batten (23 - Monaghan, 81'); 9 - Wells, 17 - Hardaker; 11 - Greer

Scorers: Valerie Wells (9', 38'), David Greer (82'), Stephen Kerr (90+3')
Player of the Match: Valerie Wells

ELECTION 2021
Towards An Ever Closer Union?

STRATON - The third and final debate, held in Kingsbury and largely on the topic of foreign policy, surprised many when the Prime Minister revealed he was open to the idea of an economic or customs union with other nations in Esportiva, throwing the debate open and sparking a conversation that may have wide-reaching consequences on not just the election, but also the future of Tumbran foreign policy.

Citing the Gregoryisgodistani regime that terrified the inhabitants of South Covello a long time ago, the Prime Minister raised the dismal diplomatic and economic response towards the regime that the region of Esportiva held towards the totalitarian regime, and mentioned that a collective union of Esportivan nations focused on such universal values as democracy, the rule of law and human rights would have done much better in a "unified response" towards the Gregoryisgodistani regime.

He also stated, however, that such a union would primarily focus on "economic priorities, such as the lowering of tariffs across the board for participating nations", akin to a "comprehensive free trade agreement" to ensure new markets for Tumbran products to break into and gain a foothold on. The remarks immediately drew attention onto inter-Esportivan affairs, with the Prime Minister having to defend his statements by stating that these were just "hypothetical statements" and that Tumbra "had not yet received any word of other nations in Esportiva who were interested in such an enterprise."

Kenneth Everett wrote:And I must say - for the Leader of the Opposition to be united with the Leader of the Conservatives on the policy of an open Tumbra is simply absurd! I thought the Liberals were more open-minded than their counterparts on the right, or even within their party. To play to the worst instincts of some Tumbrans who do not believe in international co-operation when it comes down to staking our place in a world that's already smaller than at any point in the last 4,000 years of human history is simply reprehensible and playing politics for the sake of it, which is what the Liberals have done for the past four years and more.

Anne Monteiro wrote:And the Prime Minister goes around putting words in other people's mouths yet again. I did not state my outright opposition to any such policy - I merely stated that if we were to enter such a union, we'd have to pay proper and close attention to the ramifications of such a plan - we don't want to go around losing our sovereignty to some nameless bureaucrat in Rutupiae or something.

The combativeness and hostility of the debate continued after the debate, with Conservative Party promotional material accusing Everett of attempting to bring Tumbra into an Esportivan super-state, while Labour emphasised the importance of international co-operation and seemingly back-tracked on the prospect of an Esportivan Union, as the project has been dubbed on twii.tur.

Response to it has largely been positive - citing positive relationships with the country's western neighbour, Damukuni, 63% of those surveyed supported the idea of an economic and customs agreement with multiple countries in Esportiva, while 28% were opposed. It remains to be seen whether such an agreement will remain a pipe dream or slowly move to become a reality, but the very act of it being brought up at such a crucial time during an election campaign has certainly captured the public's imagination, for better or for worse - and bringing Tumbra into a position on the Esportivan stage.

Such an economic union could provide for a unified tariff structure for goods outside of it, while removing tariffs for goods within - in essence creating a common market, for goods to flow unrestrictedly, within Esportivan borders. While that would probably be the maximum extent of any deal struck in the short term, it is not beyond the realm of impossibility - a dream for some, a nightmare for others - that such a project could expand to encompass other aspects of international trade and diplomacy, to strengthen Esportiva's hand in an increasingly connected yet fractured world.

Yet as a vote getter, Everett's statement has certainly turned attention back onto him and away from the ugly scandal in Linden, which saw the National Party candidate (and former MP) Charles Buckworth run a series of allegedly racist ads against his Labour opponent and current MP, Mohamad Khalid. Was the idea of a Union just a pipe dream, or will it lead into something concrete?

by **Talkasa** » Sat Apr 03, 2021 3:08 am

Group D
Cassadaigua 1–0 Talkasa
Indusse 2–1 Iba Dwa

Group D
                        Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
1 Iba Dwa                 4    3   0   1     8    6   +2     9
2 Srednjaci               4    2   1   1     8    7   +1     7*
3 Indusse                 4    2   1   1     8    8    0     7*
4 Cassadaigua             4    2   0   2     8    6   +2     6
5 Talkasa                 4    0   0   4     2    7   −5     0
*H2H points: Srednjaci 1, Indusse 1
Goal difference gap of 1 for Srednjaci

Now, a statement from Coach Hugh Johnson-Wells.

"What a disaster. We had a fair amount of high hopes for this competition, but we didn't expect such an onslaught. We're out. It wasn't expected that we'd win or something. Nor that we would even get close to it. We'll just have to keep training our squad and hope for some victories in the next competition. We wish the best of luck to the numerous teams that qualified."

by **Kriegiersien** » Sat Apr 03, 2021 4:17 pm

The Schoenwetter Herald

Sport – Football

RTC Under 18 World Cup 13

Kriegiersien 0–1 Garbelia

Even with this loss the Kriegiersien team ended as first in the group, managing to escape out of a bleak group that had more big names (Nationwise) than action.

Now a trip to Hugeltaldom awaits. In the Seestadion Srednjaci is the opponent who has to be beaten to reach the round of 8 and go on with the dream of the title.

Meanwhile Eetu Peerson saw himself making a goal on TV in the IAC. A fan, who represented him with his jersey, scored against TJUN-ia in his name.

“These are crazy times. I have seen more mad things in the last weeks than in my whole life before”, Peerson commented.
Asked about the next opponent he just shrugged.
“All teams left in the competition are close. Everyone can beat everyone. This is our last chance for a title. We have to take them out by all means. And we will.”

by **Islands Of Ventro** » Sun Apr 04, 2021 11:19 am

IOV in the round of 16!

In a spectacular turn of events IOV yet again scored in the final 5 minutes of the game. This seems to be when the team really comes out to play. With a win the clinches Group B qualifiers.
In the few moments that we were able to get with the coach he seemed very unoptimistic about the round of 16, he stated,

“I don’t know how we won those games we played terribly! I expect when going up against actually GOOD teams that we will lose”

Many people are wondering if he is the correct coach for the job.

More info expert later

by **Graintfjall** » Sun Apr 04, 2021 5:13 pm

Posted on the Op-ed section of the GS SuperSports+ website.

Junior Snow Wolves restore sense of fun

fun

Sannyamathland – 3 (2)

Græntfjall – 4 (2)
Sigurmundsson; Sigþórsson, Asksson, Þorvaldsson, Sæbergsson; Raknarsson (90+2’ Dittósdóttir ); Þorfinnsson (34’), Hólmkelsson; Finnvarðsdóttir; Hrafnþórsdóttir (28’) (55’ Magngeirsdóttir (65’)), Tyrfingsson (72’ Sverrisdóttir (79’))

Græntfjall – 2 (1)
Sigurmundsson (90+5’); Spiderlair, Tístransson, Asksson (76’ Þorvaldsson ), Sæbergsson; Dittósdóttir (57’ Raknarsson ); Þorfinnsson, Hólmkelsson; Finnvarðsdóttir (90+4’); Hrafnþórsdóttir (36’) (50’ Tyrfingsson ), Magngeirsdóttir

Baker Park – 2 (2)

by **Zeta Reka and Hugeltaldom** » Sun Apr 04, 2021 6:01 pm

Cut-off. Let's see if any of you get rewarded for sticking around. Some of you won't, up to eight of you in fact.

Prompt: Things are getting scary now, some nations with good pedigree are still here, others are less famous. What does this event mean for your people's footballing future?

Zeta Reka Group

Grey County       0–0 (0–0 AET) (2–4 pen.) Yesopalitha
Islands of Ventro 1–2 Hebitaka
Iba Dwa           4–3 BohemiaIV
Oberour Ar Moro   0–0 (0–0 AET) (4–3 pen.) Ziwana

Hügeltaldom Group

Juvencus          0–1 Britland Isles
Kriegiersien      3–1 Srednjaci
Tequilo           1–0 Equestria
Tumbra            1–0 Graintfjall

Quarter-Finals
Zeta Reka Group
Yesopalitha (16) vs. Hebitaka (9) @ Opštinski Stadion u Ogroven
Iba Dwa (4) vs. Oberour Ar Moro (5) @ Ofau Stadion

Hügeltaldom Group
Britland Isles (15) vs. Kriegiersien (7) @ Zeta Reka Travel Korp Staidion
Tequilo (3) vs. Tumbra (6) @ Studentenstadion

by **Tumbra** » Mon Apr 05, 2021 3:17 am

Tumbra 1-0 Græntfjall

(4-3-3) 1 - Russell; 18 - Hawthorn (3 - Renton, 66'), 14 - Pritchett (5 - Perkins, 75'), 5 - Kerr, 2 - Mercurio; 6 - Harrison, 8 - Finnemore, 10 - Batten; 9 - Crossley, 7 - Wells (21 - Ferguson, 88'); 22 - Harding

Scorers: Wells (5')

Player of the Match: Valerie Wells

Kven Okrug, Hügeltaldom

The imposing shadow of Mount Prinzessin loomed large over the small, picturesque town. It was also relatively cold for this time of year, but perhaps that was mainly due to the altitude of the town, more than anything else. They wouldn't be spending much more time in this town - a trip up north to face Tequilo awaited them in Platinastigrade, and knowing that the teens needed a day off, Barton had cancelled training and allowed the players a free and easy day - perhaps to take their mind off the hardest of their matches yet. Tequilo were known for their entertaining style, and their junior teams were probably no different. So, he thought, letting them spend a day in the prettiest part of Hügeltaldom to ease nerves probably would help matters.

So it was this that Stephen Kerr - who had amassed five caps for the Under-18 side, and having started four of the five matches so far - was faced with. Looking to make some memories before the match before Tequilo, Kerr whipped out his phone, trying to snap some pictures of the impressive Mount Prinzessin. It was a lovely evening, all things considered - pigeons stood by idly in the town square, the fountain's continual stream letting out a nice whirr that underpinned the whole thing. He glanced around, saw a few of his team-mates; but they were all goofing off with each other.

Then, as his eyes swept around the town square, he zoomed in on a white-walled cafe. And inside? Trudy Harrison, the normally determined and outspoken defensive midfielder, sipping on an iced drink while looking pensievely at her phone. Alone, unusually, for she was normally seen with the rest of the girls. A true leader, she was a commander on and off the pitch, and had basically become captain by proxy.

The team had no captains, though the guys and girls, perhaps awkward at having to share a pitch, had gravitated to Kerr and Harrison for guidance. They'd struck up a cordial, if strictly professional, relationship. And it'd worked, for the most part - bar a few hiccups near the start of the cup, it'd been relatively smooth sailing for the team so far, and some of them had gelled together.

So why was she alone? Stephen, against his better judgement, decided to enter the cafe and talk to her. Despite the fact that he had no idea how to talk to girls. It did tend to be one of the skills one missed out on when your social circles were entirely male, thanks to the profession of your choosing. He had no idea how to approach it - he just knew something was vaguely wrong, and that he wanted to help.

The door opened, with a little ring. The cashier took his order in halting English - an iced chocolate, with a waffle - and he duly sat down next to Trudy, who hadn't responded to Stephen opening the door, but shifted a glance at him when he sat down, and promptly turned off her phone and turned towards him when he did.

"Beautiful day, isn't i--"
"Stephen. What do you want."
"It's nice to see you too, Trudy. Anyway, I spotted you. Alone. Which is...rather unlike you."
"Yeah, it's an off day. So I decided to leave football behind for a bit. Enjoy the time I have. While I can."
"That is...remarkably...pessmistic coming from someone like you."
"Yeah. So what? We've known each other for like, a week. We've talked about one thing at most. Football. So what's to say you knew anything about me?"
"You're right. I'm sorry. It's just that I always thought you were...a determined character, one who never gave up."
"On the pitch, I am. But off it? Faced with the rest of...this?" She waved her arms around in a slight motion. "It's not much better, believe me."
"Is something...wrong? Look, we're both eighteen. You can tell me."
"Stephen, what the fuck does both of us being eighteen have to do with what's bugging me?
"Right...I'm sorry." he said sheepishly. "I just wanted to help, that's all."
"You wouldn't get it, Stephen. You're lucky." Now she was firmly turned towards him, and Stephen, for the first time proper, observed Trudy. Typically, her hair was tied back in a ponytail - as were the rest of the females in the squad - but, today, however, she'd let it down, and her dirty blonde hair flowed down to slightly below her shoulders. It was a small change, for sure, but one that left a deep impression on Stephen. Here was another person, who played football, and had the same hopes and dreams as he did. It was why they were here, anyway - anyone who would accept a U-18 callup was probably pretty bloody serious about becoming a professional footballer.
"Whaddya mean, lucky?"
"Stephen. However well or badly we do, we'll go back to Tumbra. You're going to be lauded with a professional contract, and a career in football. Me? Oh, good job, Trudy, now go back to playing in stadiums with shite pitches and have almost nobody turn up for your matches. Why do you think most female professionals in Tumbra call it quits before the age of 30?"
"Because nobody gives a shit?"
"You're smarter than you look."
"Hey!" A small smile escaped Trudy's mouth, as she stirred her drink. She was clearly enjoying this.
"It's true, though. For all we've done for the team so far, half of us will remain at the amateur level until we retire." She took a sip. "It's why we're giving so much of a fuck, you know. Because for many of us, this could be our last taste of international football."
"But...you guys are talented. More so than some of us."
She grimaced. "Exactly. But nobody, nobody gives a shit about us in Tumbra. Why? Becuase we were born into the wrong half of the population. Nobody in Tumbra gives a shit about women's football, Stephen."
"You could...go overseas."
"It's...really expensive, Stephen."
The conversation was interrupted by the waffle and iced chocolate arriving. The iced chocolate, delicate as it was, and topped with a dollop of whipped cream and a cherry, was tall, and a sight to behold. But all the more impressive was the waffle, dripping in maple syrup and powdered sugar, and which was somehow bigger than Stephen's hand.
"I...can't finish all this by myself. D'you wanna...?"
"Eh, why not." She grabbed a fork and knife from the cutlery holder, carved out a piece, and munched on it. "It's good. You should try some."
He did the same. It was good, and it was fresh. And warm.
"You could try and get a scholarship."
"Mmmph, Stephen, not right now. Waffle."
They sat in silence, and sipped on their drinks, preoccupied by their food as their forks fought each other for every last bit of the waffle, slowly eating the hot waffle as the sun slowly set, illuminating the peak of the mountain in bright orange. When they had finished, Trudy sighed, and bit her lip.
"I'm not smart enough for a scholarship, Stephen. Football's all I've known for my entire life."
"You're kidding. And no, you're not. What would you be if you weren't a footballer?"
"I dunno, Stephen. I really don't. I suppose...a businesswoman or something. Actually, sod that. I haven't paid much thought to it, Stephen, going pro really is my only option. If you spoke to Val or Lynne they'd probably give you an answer in three seconds, flat, the speed at which they talk, but for me? It's football."
She drained the last dregs of her coffee, then stood up.
"It was nice talking to you, Stevie," she grinned as she walked out the door.
"Stevie? Hey! Come back!"
He ran out of the door, trying to locate her, but she was already gone. Guess the next chance he had of talking to her was at the hotel, but then there'd be...everyone. Huh. Talking to girls was difficult. But that'd gone...better than he expected. Who knew it was that easy?

by **Kriegiersien** » Mon Apr 05, 2021 1:46 pm

The Schoenwetter Herald

Sport – Football

RTC Under 18 World Cup 13

Kriegiersien 3–1 Srednjaci

Now staying in the way to the semi final: Britland Isles.

This will show if these generation is on the way to greatness. Viktor Vorotsov-Dashkov, who had scored the three goals to secure the victory against Srednjaci looked relaxed while writing autographs.
“That wasn’t and won’t be the last time with pressure on our shoulders. We will have to bear it.”

Since now most of the big football nations are out of the competition, it seems that a shiny new winner could be crowned.

by **Tequilo** » Tue Apr 06, 2021 9:32 am

KICKADVISER
THE SCOUTING APP... FOR SCOUTS

Part 2: Just How Good Is 24 out of 20?

My friend Raï tells me that if anyone ever asks him to rate himself out of 10, for whatever, he always goes for 12. Because less than 10 is underselling yourself - either false modesty or lack of confidence; 10 is too obvious; and the extra-confident ones always go for 11. No-one thinks to go past 11. So Raï sells himself as a 12/10. Fair play. He's got a point. It's a good call.

When we think about the best players in Tequilo, within the context of the KickAdviser scouting app designed by nerdy Alturas Comercí at stat whizz company XK-OpTeq, you have to look no further than star striker Tlacolotl, defensive midfield giant Ixtub Tün and handsome young attacking midfielder Niño Pinto, the three national heroes of the senior Pitxileros team who play for Pitxi-Pitxi 77, Olympia Borograd (STL) and Jlinal Cove FC (VIL) respectively - and the 77o veteran Roca, who has never been selected for the national team, is now 38, and is probably still the best midfielder in the league. So how do they rate? When Alturas first launched his app, they were all scoring 24/20 - thus appearing to live up to the exacting standards of my good mate Raï. The problem for Alturas and the KickAdviser app, if he wants it to be taken seriously by scouts around the world, is that 24/20 does sound precisely like the kind of joke good old Raï is telling down the cantina - it is difficult to take it very seriously. This season, the second full season of KickAdviser ratings, the techies improved the algae riddims so that now, ratings are out of 30 instead of 20. Niño Pinto, Ixtub Tün and Xaime Medal, our man at 1830 Cathair in Audioslavia, are all presently rated 28/30 on the latest version of KickAdviser. Tlacolotl, still playing domestically, has also improved by 4 points to 28 out of 30... and Roca, approaching 39 years old and so evergreen that his stats keep going up, just posted a remarkable 29/30 - the best on the app.

Generally, by these standards, we can see that the average Tequiloan superstar is hitting about 28. The last full international team avegared 24.8; whilst the current under-18 team comes in at a shade over 21. In context, Pitxi-Pitxi 77 - the best team in Tequilo - has a squad average of 20.76, while the community club Hipopótamo-Joaxha, in the second tier of state football where they nearly got promoted last season, averaged 11.48. How good is a 24/20 - well, about Tequilo international level. That's a team that has yet to qualify for a World Cup. We know what you are thinking - how about a Laborious Hawk, winner of the last Galacticos award for best player in the multiverse? Well, according to Alturas, KickAdviser crashes when it tries to rate elves because the three or four-figure age datapoint blows all the algae. But Cierra Anderson and Finn Townsend, who came second and third respectively, score in the high thirties... out of thirty.

Somewhere, in a secret lab deep inside XK-OpTeq, they are running KickAdviser up to a maximum 40-point ceiling. But so far, Alturas Comercí says the world is not ready for a 40-point rating.

Our Daily match reporter Cariño Niebla couldn't decide whether to go to Muralos for the Independent Associations Championship or Zeta Reka and Hugeltaldom for the under-18 World Cup, so inexplicably went to Kelssek instead. He also says he lost his phone and his laptop and couldn't remember the fax number to the office, so it has taken him nearly a week to post some reports about Los Pitxileros Juniors in a random web forum where he hoped the Daily sports desk would find it. Seriously, he's more disorganised than the results collators at the IFCF. Here is a distillation of his indepth but extremely late analysis, for your reading pleasure. We would like to apologise in advance to regular 'letters to the editor' contributor Rùben Curto of Chanco Cóndor who likes to remind us how rubbish and disorganised we are. Clearly we are living up to his dismal expectations of us. Sorry about that.

TWINS WIN
ABANHFLEFT 2-0 TEQUILO HT: 1-0

Location: @ Zeta Reka Travel Korp Staidion, Kven Okrug, Hügeltaldom
Attendance: Some lunchtime picnickers from the office district
Scorers: Braydon Aquino 27' Bradley Aquino 74'
Assists: Bradley Aquino 27' Braydon Aquino 74'
Booked: Xan Rana (Tequilo)
Sent Off: -
Tequilo Line-Up: (4-1-3-2) Antti Gatica | Quiseo, Pascual Arias, Xan Rana, Sota Tunsi | Mateo Zuhume | Juanito de Chupapén, Andreu Bricat, Mendo de las Cuevas | Monné, Martin Hondarraga
Player of the Match: B. Aquino (Abanhfleft) - we couldn't tell which one; those Aquinos all look the same to us.

SIX IN
TEQUILO 6-2 KOHNHEAD HT: 2-2

Location: @ Zeta Reka Travel Korp Staidion, Kven Okrug, Hügeltaldom
Attendance: Class 6 from the Platinastigrade Gymnasia School + two dentists on a romantic interlude
Scorers: Sota Tunsi 4' 73' Chupo 21' 87' Monné 51' Xan Rana 52' | Josiah Randall 13' Oscar Lindsay 32'
Assists: Xan Rana 4' 73' Monné 51' Libio Baptista 52' Martin Hondarraga (sub) 87' | Seb Irvine 13' 32'
Booked: Caca, Monné, Chupo | Josiah Randall, Jareth Currie
Sent Off: -
Tequilo Line-Up: (4-1-3-2) Antti Gatica | Quiseo, Tomàs Vilardell, Xan Rana, Sota Tunsi | Chiuhihua | Caca, Libio Baptista, Berti | Monné, Chupo
Player of the Match: Chupo (Tequilo)

BEST OF NINE
QASDEN 4-5 TEQUILO HT: 2-2

Location: @ Zeta Reka Travel Korp Staidion, Kven Okrug, Hügeltaldom
Attendance: Miloš
Scorers: Qas#10 14' 24' Qas#8 74' Qas#3 90' | Mendo de las Cuevas 7' Isaac Coello 35' Andreu Bricat 50' Tomàs Vilardell 61' Juanito de Chupapén 87'
Assists: Qas#11 14' 27' Qas#10 90' | Alaman Basabiligartua 50' Isaac Coello 61' Andreu Bricat 87'
Booked: -
Sent Off: -
Tequilo Line-Up: (4-1-3-2) Antti Gatica | Hugo Águila-Prota, Tomàs Vilardell, Aide Langa, Kim Densulene | Chiuhihua | Juanito de Chupapén, Andreu Bricat, Mendo de las Cuevas | Alaman Basabiligartua, Isaac Coello
Player of the Match: Isaac Coello

BESTED EQUINE
TEQUILO 1-0 EQUESTRIA HT: 0-0

Location: @ Rhein Jokaimić-Muller Stadion, Bauernhaus Okrug, Hügeltaldom
Attendance: 37 rising to 43, with a low 32
Scorers: Libio Baptista 45+1'
Assists: -
Booked: Mateo Zuhume | Pony, Mule, & Donkey
Sent Off: Mendo de las Cuevas
Tequilo Line-Up: (4-1-3-2) Bisa | Quiseo, Pascual Arias, Xan Rana, Kim Densulene | Mateo Zuhume | Caca, Libio Baptista, Mendo de las Cuevas | Monné, Isaac Coello
Player of the Match: Libio Baptista

TEQUILO STAT SUMMARY
Competition goals: Sota Tunsi & Chupo (2) Hugo Águila-Prota, Monné, Xan Rana, Mendo de las Cuevas, Isaac Coello, Andreu Bricat, Tomàs Vilardell, Juanito de Chupapén, Libio Baptista (1)
Competition assists: Xan Rana(2) Mateo Zuhume, Monné, Libio Baptista, Martin Hondarraga, Alaman Basabiligartua, Isaac Coello, Andreu Bricat (1)
Competition PoMs: Pascual Arias, Chupo, Isaac Cuello & Libio Baptista (1)
Competition cards: Mendo de las Cuevas (1 red) Andreu Bricat, Xan Rana, Caca, Monné, Chupo, Mateo Zuhume (1 yellow)

Confirmed Line-Up for TEQUILO vs. Tumbra
@ Studentenstadion, Platinastigrade, Hügeltaldom
(4-1-3-2)
Antti Gatica (VC) | Quiseo, Pascual Arias, Aide Langa, Kim Densulene | Chiuhihua | Caca, Libio Baptista, Berti | Monné (C), Chupo

Unavailable: Mendo de las Cuevas (suspended)

by **Zeta Reka and Hugeltaldom** » Tue Apr 06, 2021 6:05 pm

I am never late... cutting off. Who's getting into the home stretch? Who's going home?

Prompt: You're in the semi finals, and I'm evil when I'm powerful. I want a reference to the dairy industry. Yeah, you heard me.

Zeta Reka Group

Yesopalitha 1–1 (1–1 AET) (4–2 pen.) Hebitaka
Iba Dwa 0–1 Oberour Ar Moro

Hügeltaldom Group

Britland Isles 1–2 Kriegiersien
Tequilo 2–2 (2–3 AET) Tumbra

Semi-Finals
Zeta Reka Group
Yesopalitha (16) vs. Oberour Ar Moro (5) @ Ofau Stadion

Hügeltaldom Group
Kriegiersien (7) vs. Tumbra (6) @ Rhein Jokaimić-Muller Stadion

by **Yesopalitha** » Tue Apr 06, 2021 8:27 pm

The Sparks' Unlikely Run to the U-18 Semifinals

First, take a loss. No, really. It's good for you. Águila-Prota scored and that was that; the Yesopalithans just looked scared than anything, themselves being scary and all.

Second, lose again. No, it's fine - you'll recover. A'i'e suffers, Mnache Gwim plays well enough but not well, and that's that. No, it'll be fine.

Third, win. No, really, win by one goal. Bund Missar pounces on one loose ball and that's enough. Did they actually win?

Then, finally show up to play. Have Nandrin and Enathos just take up so much space that Anvar Hussar and Gund Missar get ample chances up front. A brace apiece for the twin "horrors", and the Sparks move through, the last ranked team.

Then, win a game that you had absolutely no business winning. Mnache Gwim stops all shots on goal, including two during shootouts; Sh'e'la'rr'os scores, Gund Missar scores, Anvar Hussar, scores, and Nadrin scores. What are they doing?!

Then... Win again? Again on penalties? Mnache Gwim the penalty shootout machine? It's Nadrin that gets on the board first due to free kick; then, the Sparks just do it again.

What is this, where is this form coming from?

Simple. Kids aren't used to playing against monstrous creatures. Sure. Tequiloa did - but they're from Tequilo. Sure, Kohnhead did - but they're called the Brains. Everyone else? Can you blame them breaking form when there are teenage Vampires, Wraiths, Skeletons, Orcs, Drow, Werewolves, Ogres, Mummies, Zombies, Shadow Demons, or even Shadow Riders swooping down on you?

So, run the other way, Oberour Ar Moro. Or don't. That's all up to you.

Doom and gloom, doom and gloom.

by **Oberour Ar Moro** » Tue Apr 06, 2021 9:25 pm

Dominion of Oberour Ar Moro
National Under-18 Football Team

Thirteenth Under-18 World Championship Roster

Staff

Manager: Celestin de Houlande, age 39 (former National Team interim Manager)
Assistant Manager: Mathieu Demarcque, age 41 (Naucratis Assistant)
Assistant Manager: François-Xavier Canele, age 30 (National Coaching Academy graduate)

Players
Starters in bold (Domestic Club)

Goalkeepers

1 GK Ioen de la Bessiere, age 17 (Patrons)
12 GK Euzen Bescanceny, age 17 (Myrrh-Streamer)
24 GK Pêr Frie, age 18 (Saint Louis)

Defenders

2 LB Kongal Cayn, age 18 (Myrrh-Streamer) CAPTAIN
3 RB Iwan l’Afineeur, age 18 (Regium United)
14 LB Eliez Guerrier, age 16 (Celeritas)
15 RB Kolaz la Meigrete, age 18 (Confessor)

Sweepers

10 SW Jean-Pierre Asce, age 18 (Cyrene Bay)
11 SW Deniel Tourneur, age 16 (Estipen United)
22 SW Konan de Boues, age 16 (du Mont Saint Eloy)
23 SW Dominic aus Porees, age 18 (RC le Especier)

Midfielders

5 LM Louennig Brunet, age 18 (Altair)
6 RM Tomaz Sadur, age 17 (Hibernus)
4 CM Peter Clouzot, age 16 (Patrons)
17 LM Maeldoi qui Brodele, age 18 (Cyrene Bay)
18 RM Mikael Domyngieulx, age 16 (Esperance)
16 CM Tomaz Mercier, age 18 (Politoria Lions)

Forwards

7 LW Junan Amable, age 17 (Fleuriot)
8 RW Kieran la Pasquiere, age 18 (Meteor)
9 ST Gonery Francillon, age 18 (Hibernus)
19 LW Jean-Joseph de Chardonne, age 17 (Vitoria)
20 RW Thélo Comporteresse, age 18 (Meridian)
21 ST Jehan de Bellièvre, age 17 (Pescium)

Formation

First and Second-Choice Shirts

RP Permissions

My opponent, if they RP first, may do the following:
Choose my scorers: Yes
Choose my scoring events: Yes
Godmod scoring events: TG me first, and then I should say Yes
RP injuries to my players: Yes
Godmod Injuries to my players: TG me first, and then I should say Yes
Give Yellow Cards to my players: Yes
Give Red Cards to my players: Yes
Godmod other events: TG me first, and then I should say Yes

Style Modifier: +5

by **Tumbra** » Tue Apr 06, 2021 11:24 pm

Tequilo 2-3 Tumbra (aet)

Tequilo (4-1-3-2): 1 - Antti Gatica; 12 - Quiseo, 14 - Aide Langa (15 - Sota Tunsi, 97'), 5 - Kim Densulene, 3 - Pascual Arias (13 - Tomàs Vilardell, 77') ; 6 - Chiuhihua (24 - Cambali Acal, 86'); 17 - Caca, 18 - Libio Baptista, 22 - Berti; 9 - Monné, 19 - Chupo

Scorers: Monné (16', 32')

Tumbra (4-3-3): 13 - Jones; 3 - Renton, 5 - Perkins (20 - Wyatt, 63'), 4 - Kerr, 2 - Mercurio; 6 - Harrison, 8 - Finnemore, 10 - Batten (23 - Monaghan, 74'); 9 - Wells, 7 - Crossley; 11 - Greer (22 - Harding, 98')

Scorers: Greer (78'), Mercurio (84'), Crossley (114')

Player of the Match: Monné (TEQ)

Platinastigrade, Hügeltaldom

80 minutes of hell.

80 minutes on the clock, and Stephen Kerr had been wheezing and panting for the first time in forever. He was bushed, tired, whatever. These Tequiloa played football well, and they played it aggressively. Run, run, run. Attack, attack, attack. Never a break with these guys. Their captain Monné - by all accounts a quiet, easy-going bloke - pushed the defense hard, springing up from god knew where to deliver two early goals past the outstretched hands of Victoria Jones. The first time, she shouted at Dean Perkins that he hadn't chased done Monné enough, and that he'd come from nowhere. He couldn't begrudge her that - the slippery little striker had escaped Perkins' grasp and popped out on the far post to shoot one in. Fifteen minutes later, he'd left Perkins on his arse with a utterly fantastic piece of dribbling, and, Vic couldn't really do much about the all-powerful shot that sailed past her...into the net, once more.

Vic looked broken, and sat down at a goalpost - she'd asked for a chance to show her worth, and she'd gotten it. But now she'd conceded two goals in thirty minutes, when it had taken Richard Russell about a hundred and fifty minutes to concede the same amount. Kerr had begun walking towards Vic when Trudy Harrison walked in, showed him her outstretched palm, and began talking to the girl, kneeling down to her level as she comforted the novice goalkeeper. From what he'd seen of her in training, Vic had tons of potential - with her feet, she was extremely handy, and when training as a defensive unit, her calls often turned out to be just as salient - if not more accurate - than the typical starting goalkeeper, Richard Russell. To give her a chance, as coach Barton had mentioned, was only fair.

Five minutes later, Vic pulled off a worldie of a save from Caca, and when the ball was taken out for a corner Trudy had run over to Vic and embraced her, the smiles on their faces evidence enough that whatever Trudy had told Vic had worked. And she'd been safe-hands ever since, with Vic keeping out pretty much every ball that came close to the penalty box.

And now they were just trying to find a way through, however possible. Greer had found a way back into the match via a Finnemore through ball just over two minutes ago; now they were searching for a second, in order to take the game to extra time. Barton, perhaps frustrated with Perkins' mis-placed passes all day - a key reason why Stephen was as tired as he was now, having to chase after stray balls and stray Tequiloa who had made their way through the Tumbran defences all match long - had substituted Perkins for Ricardo Wyatt, who proved to be much more solid on the ball, giving Kerr a bit of a reprieve.

Now they were on the attack again. Harrison was moving backwards as Libio Baptista moved forward with the ball. With nobody to either side of him, he had to go forward and see that his team-mates would keep up with the ball. Here comes my shot, Kerr thought as he moved in for the tackle. Then Baptista went right, and when pivoting, Kerr lost balance, and fell on the ground.

Oh, fuck.

He recovered his balance for long enough to see Baptista bounding through on goal, perhaps with the lethal third shot on his hands, before a speedy blur of black, yellow and a ponytail of brown charged in. The blur went onto the floor; Baptista went flying into the air, and the ball slid off the pitch, ignored by all as the referee blew a shrill whistle and everyone who was on the pitch converged on the referee.

A stern man who looked about 45, he clearly was unimpressed with what he just saw, and withdrew a yellow card from his pocket and waved it in Trudy's face. The team wanted to complain, but emotionless, Trudy accepted the booking, before shaking her head at the rest of the team and walking off. The rest of the team resumed their positions, ready for the free kick, but Trudy walked up to Stephen, first, got perhaps uncomfortably close to him, and jabbed a finger into Stephen's chest.

"You owe me one, mister." she said, trying her hardest to sound strict.
"Sure. Thanks." was all he could muster before she marched off. But as she did, Stephen caught the unmistakable glimpse of a huge grin on her face as she prepared for the resumption of play. The free kick, in any case, went sailing over the bar, and hell began to resume.

Later

They'd won, but only just. A goal-mouth scrabble had led to Lynne Crossley putting the ball in the net, giving the Junior Eagles (which had always been a dumb name, Stephen thought - why not Black Egrets or something?) a slender one-goal lead that necessitated sitting back for the last six minutes and trying to frustrate the Agave-Blues in whatever manner they attacked. The speed and chaos of their attacks just kept ramping up, and up, and up, but the defence didn't give.

And suddenly, it was over. They were into the semi-finals. Celebrations were wild, but dampened by the fact that they still had two more games to fight - against Kriegiersen, then one of Yesopalitha and Oberour Ar Moro, whomever made it to the final. Bottles of cold, fresh milk were being handed out - and as Stephen took a swig from the bottle, he remarked he'd never tasted better tasting milk before.

He approached Trudy, trying to talk.

"Hey, Stevie," she said, as Stephen approached her.
"I thought you got over that already, Trudy."
"No, I hadn't. What do you want now?"
"Err...just to say thanks for just now, really."
"...I heard you the first time, y'know." She laughed, and the rest of the girls did too. He felt his cheeks turning red. "And you're welcome. Now shoo."
But before he turned away once more, he saw her mouth the words "11pm. Rooftop." That piqued his interest, and he kept unbroken eye contact with her before she mouthed the same words and glared at him. Intimidated, he averted his gaze immediately.

11pm. Rooftop.

So here he was. He'd gotten there 10 minutes early, having excused himself from the day's debrief and then the awkward questions from Perkins to catch the fresh air - or what could reasonably pass off as fresh air in the mining town. The hotel was in a relatively nice part of the city, but the low-rise buildings reminded him of home, in Shepperton. The mountain air hit him as a breeze hit him from the east, reminding him of that time in Kven Okrug when the team stared down the mountain.

He checked his watch. Why was he even here? Was she playing another trick on him? Was this her way of making him pay her back, by coming to the rooftop at a time when he'd normally be starting to wind down and go to bed? Or was this --

The door to the rooftop slammed open, and out came Trudy Harrison.

"Huh, you're actually here. I didn't think you'd be smart enough to catch me mouthing the words at you." She strolled casually to the edge of the rooftop where Stephen had ben standing.
"I--"
"Beautiful day, isn't it?" she remarked as she turned around, with her back to the wall that separated the two of them from sixty metres of a sheer drop.
"Why'd you tell me to come here?"
"To talk. It's difficult to talk when everyone's around, you know?"
"Yeah, but why me specifically?"
"Because I thought it'd be interesting."
"What about this is any interesting?'
"That's for me to know, and for you to find out. First, however, it's time for payback. Your phone, please." she said authoritatively, stretching out her hand, awaiting the black glass brick.
"What are you gonna do with it?"
"Not throw it off the rooftop, for one. I respect property rights. It's nothing. Just hand it over. It's just for a teeny, tiny bit."
"Well, if it's nothing, then I could do it myself."
"You're annoying, you know."
"Not as annoying as disappearing after eating half my waffle."
"You're still hung up about that? Listen, Stevie, if you ever get a girlfriend, god forbid, and you get hung up on every little matter like that, you're not gonna have her for very long." She laughed. Then she walked towards Stephen, before dramatically pirouetting and collapsing onto the floor.
"Trudy!" He immediately knelt down to help her, but she was fine.
Trudy just laughed. Propping herself up, she mimicked a commentator, going "And that was a re-enactment of Stephen Kerr's dramatic fall against Tequilo, which required the brave Trudy Harrison to come in, suffering a yellow card in the process." She then extended her free arm into Kerr's back pocket, where he'd been keeping his phone and withdrew it.
"Hey!" Stephen did not like having the piss taken out of him. "Fine." He grabbed the phone back, unlocked it, and handed it back to her. Squatting down, he began looking over Trudy's shoulder, waiting to see if she'd do anything suspicious to his phone.
"Thank~~you~~", she said, as she scrolled through his phone. "First, l'Instagramme...there." He watched as she clicked on an account - trudyharrison6 - tapped "Follow", and then exited out of the app. "...twii.tur..." She opened up another account - @trudyharrison this time - and hit 'Follow', then re-tweeted a pinned twiit. Stephen was riveted by her actions.
"Whaddya think you're doing?"
"I'm not done yet."
She opened up his Contacts, tapped "New contact", and then typed in a series of ten digits, before hitting "Save" and then she finally handed the phone back to him. Utterly bewildered, Stephen tried to open his mouth, but no discernible words came out, only a series of sounds.
"A-a-a-a,", she mockingly teased, mimicking the aghast defender. "Stephen, there's no point in opening your mouth if you're not gonna speak, you know. Sooner or later a fly'll go in there." She stood up.
"...What have you done?"
"You saw what I did. Come on, are you really that dumb?"
"But why?"
"Because I find you interesting. Next question."
"What's the point of all this if we're just going to go our separate ways after the tournament?"
"God, Stephen, you really are as dumb as you look. Me - a girl, no less - voluntarily giving a guy her phone number implies that she wishes to be friends, and keep in contact after the tournament ends."
"Friends?"
"You know, I'm beginning to regret my choice with every passing moment," she said, while folding her arms. "But I've made it, and I'll live by it. Personal motto, y'know? Anyway, that's all. Consider your debt repaid. See you tomorrow."
And she left the rooftop, leaving Stephen Kerr standing there, dumbfounded, wondering what had just happened.
Friends?

by **Kriegiersien** » Thu Apr 08, 2021 5:42 am

Commercial

“Do you want to become a great player like Zero?”
Zero looking with Smouldering Intensity into the camera.

“Then you need the power of milk!”
Che Lopera can been seen milking a cow, smiling.

“All the calcium makes you fit for sport and live.”
Adrian Schneider heading a ball.

“With our Milkburgers who are not only healthy, but yummy.”
Zero biting into a milkburger, dropping with chocolate milk.

“Become a star, like our National team!”
Miguel Owomoyela kicks a Milkburger into the goal. Fans are celebrating, all with a burger in the hand.

Commercial

The Schoenwetter Herald

Sport – Football

RTC Under 18 World Cup 13
Britland Isles 1–2 Kriegiersien

Kriegiersien reaches semifinal in the Youth World Cup. Two goals from Viktor Vorotsov-Dashkov, the Top Scorer of the team without affectations and an endorsement deal brought the team to the Rhein Jokaimić-Muller Stadion against Tumbra in an otherwise dull match.

“From what I have seen until now, that is for me the early final. We have to give over 300% and then we can win this”, the coach said, while eating a milkburger, grimacing.

by **Oberour Ar Moro** » Thu Apr 08, 2021 4:45 pm

Celestin de Houlande woke up with a start, completely unsure where he was. It was a hotel, but where? Alalia? Cyrene? Aigsvinger? Ankole? As the sleep drifted away he began to remember. He was in a hotel in Zeta Reka and Hugeltaldom. He was managing the Oberour Ar Moro Under-18 team, and they had a match against Yesopalitha coming that day.

Celestin rolled onto his back and stared up into the darkness, and sighed. He was glad to be here, but it was a strange journey. After he retired from Confessor he was hired to serve on Thoumas d'Herbigny's National Team staff. The National Team had a rough, listless World Cup qualification attempt. The results were so unimpressive the Dragoons were not invited to participate in the Cup of Harmony.

The poor results led to incredible turnover. The Football Management Committee, that hired d'Herbigny and de Houlande, was almost completely replaced. Celestin was looking for a job and Oberour Ar Moro was looking for new football management. And they kept looking, and kept looking. It got so bad that mere weeks before the Copa Rushmori, the FMC came to Celestin and gave him an offer: Serve as interim National Team manager, and he would be then hired as U-18 manager. What a deal. He was given a job he didn't want...to be given a second job he didn't want. He hadn't enjoyed his time with the National Team, and he really wanted to work somewhere in the Football System instead.

But alas. Interim National Team manager he was. He took a discouraged roster he had little control over and lost all three matches in Eura. But the FMC followed through, and appointed him U-18 manager, and off he went.

And he surprised himself. Somehow, coaching in Zeta Reka and Hugeltaldom with minimal attention suited him and his young charges. They won their group, and were one of five teams to go undefeated during group play. This made Oberour Ar Moro's fourth appearance in the semifinals of a U-18 World Cup. If they could find their way past the...interesting...players of Yesopalitha, they could go to their second U-18 final.

Celestin resolved to get up and start his day. Maybe have some cereal and milk and start preparing.

Schedule

MD 1 Oberour Ar Moro 0 – 0 Britland Isles
MD 2 Sharktail 3 – 4 Oberour Ar Moro
MD 3 Oberour Ar Moro 0 – 0 Devonta
MD 4 Chromatika 1 – 4 Oberour Ar Moro
Round of 16 Oberour Ar Moro 0 – 0 (0 – 0 AET) (4 – 3 pen.) Ziwana
Quarterfinals Iba Dwa 0–1 Oberour Ar Moro
Semifinals Yesopalitha (4-0-2) vs. Oberour Ar Moro (4-2-0)

by **Zeta Reka and Hugeltaldom** » Thu Apr 08, 2021 5:43 pm

Cutoff. You're really really in the home stretch now. Only three things that can stop you now, and you'll face at least two of them.

Zeta Reka Final

Yesopalitha 1–2 Oberour Ar Moro

Hügeltaldom Final

Kriegiersien 0–0 (0–1 AET) Tumbra

Finals

3ppo

by **Tumbra** » Thu Apr 08, 2021 9:44 pm

Kriegiersien 0–1 Tumbra (aet)

(4-3-3) 13 - Jones; 18 - Hawthorn, 20 - Wyatt, 14 - Pritchett (4 - Kerr, 75'), 19 - Green; 8 - Finnemore, 16 - Murphy (6 - Harrison, 75'), 23 - Monaghan; 9 - Wells, 7 - Crossley; 22 - Harding (11 - Greer, 97')

Scorers: Harrison (118')

Player of the Match: Ricardo Wyatt

Bauernhaus Okrug, Hügeltaldom

Sitting on the bench was a painfully boring experience.

Sitting on the bench for a semi-final, against a bunch of players who were wearing close to nothing - or at least as close to nothing as the regulations allowed - was...worse. These players could be taken. But, of course, he'd been stuck on the bench.

Who? Stephen Kerr, of course. He'd been benched after the match against Tequilo. Fair was fair - after the 120 minutes of non-stop running against the Agave-Blues, which would be chalked up as their hardest match yet - Barton had decided he needed rest. And so Ricardo Wyatt and Wendy Pritchett - two defenders who complemented each other in the same way that him and Dean did - would start in the semi-final against Kriegiersien. But 70 minutes had passed, and it'd been...dour. Wendy and Wyatt had been solid, he'd give them that - Wendy playing in the quintessential role of the ball-playing defender, beginning attacks by playing passes and going ahead a bit more, while Wyatt hung back and tackled more often, when the Kriegiersien players broke through. Not that they did much of that, to be fair.

The game, to put it simply, had been crap. Despite the presence of a more attacking midfield - Mark Finnemore, a reliable, sturdy midfielder serving as the sole pivot, while Brian Murphy and Susan Monaghan venturing forward, sending passes to the wingers and striker.

Despite the pivot to the more attacking formation, however, the game still was dour. The game was missing its dynamo - someone who could run, pass, shout, tackle...basically someone with boundless energy and was key to the Tumbran national team's strategy - essentially on all levels. On the senior team, that role was filled by Vincent Hicks. On the U21s, who were beginning their tournament the very same day, and who had been getting a lot more media attention than them - by accident or by design (Kerr had thought it the latter, a sentiment that shared by a majority on the team) - that role was to be filled by Chris Tipple. And on this team, well...

...she was on the bench, too. Nodding off, next to him. To be fair to Trudy Harrison, it had been a long trip against to Bauernhaus Okrug. And she'd played every minute of the tournament so far. Until the preceeding 60, of course.

The team was missing its dynamo. That much was obvious to anyone who had followed Tumbran football before, and had followed the National Team's exploits during the World Cup qualifiers. And Toby Barton had been trying to force Finnemore into the role, telling him to run, Mark, run! - but it just didn't suit the lanky midfielder, who much preferred ambling around the pitch, holding on to the ball, looking to redistribute whenever necessary. It was his niche - the easygoing passer, dribbler, but with a massive eye for the game - and he looked remarkably uncomfortable trying to fit in for Trudy, who groggily opened her eyes, squinting as she tried to focus on the game. The ball had just gone out for a throw, which Finnemore had been slowly moving over to take.

"Has anything happened yet?"
"No."
"I'd go back to sleep, but I think we're going to go on soon."
"What makes you think that?"
"The team's been playing like shit since half-time. We, in these previous six matches, have proven that we're indispensible. Me more than you, of course." A slight grin formed on her face. "So it's only natural that we're going to be the first two subs. Try and see if we can get anything done. You're going to go on..." she squinted again, examining the defence. "You're going to go on for Wendy. She looks bushed, poor girl. And I'm going to go on for Brian."
"How did you come to that conclusion?"
"Team's not playing in formation, and the 4-3-3 with a double pivot's worked so far when I'm on the pitch. Of course, I could do it alone, too, but poor old Marky Finnemore's ego would be hurt so bad if he was taken off for doing what he does best. And wouldn't you love to be the one, oh Captain of the Boys, to try and fix up that ego before we go into the Final?"
"Good point. How did you get so good at reading the game?"
"When you're playing as a pivot, you've either got to read the whole game within seconds or you lose. And I-" she said as she stood up and took off her tracksuit jacket, revealing her shirt, "-don't like losing. Come on."
Stephen stared blankly back at Trudy, nonplussed.
"I said, come ON!" she hissed as she slapped Stephen on the forearm. It stung. Bloody hell, she could slap.
"Fine, I'll go with you," he said through gnashed teeth as he tried to play off the slap. He stood up, and began warming up with Harrison as she took the duo through their paces.

Fifteen minutes later, they were indeed subbed on for the two that Trudy had mentioned, and once she'd Trudy began running, she didn't really stop. She was back to her usual best - running around, barking orders at Finnemore to hang back and sweep up any loose balls that came through midfield, while telling Crossley to shape up on her defensive roles. And all of a sudden, the team was back to its very best.

"Mate, you see that?", Ricardo Wyatt asked when Kerr joined him in the centre of defence.
"Yeah, I do."
"Of course you do, you two're practically inseparable," Wyatt chuckled as he punched Stephen on the other arm. Lighter this time, though. "You two're all the whole squad's been talking about."
"Wha-what?"
"I'll tell you all about it later."

117'

The match, predictably, had gone into extra time. Again. And of course this had been expected - Barton had only used two subs. The last, striker David Greer, had come on for the misfiring Paul Harding, who looked relieved that his nightmare was over. All match he had been bullied by the Kriegiersen defenders, and he looked visibly relieved once he was off the pitch.

The offence had been shaped up since Trudy arrived on pitch - several dangerous chances had gone amiss, only thanks to the strength of the Kriegiserien defenders - and Barton had obviously hoped that Greer, who was shaping up to be a star in his own right, was looking to take advantage of them and score. And he nearly came close two minutes after he came on, too - he rounded a defender before shooting, but his effort was denied by the crossbar.

"She's mad, that's what she is," Wyatt wheezed out after Trudy, who exhibited basically no signs of tiredness, shouted at him for not going after a ball that went loose. "How's she able to run for so bloody long?"
"She's our dynamo, mate."
"Are you in love with her or something? Our dynamo. Soppy shite, really."
"Her? No. She's annoying. But she seems to count me as a friend, for some reason. Stay out of the way, Vic's going to take the kick."

The kick was taken in short order, making the landing in midfield, where Finnemore scooped it up, and passed to Monaghan. Stephen and Wyatt began advancing - Wyatt slightly ahead, for he'd taken over the role of ball-playing defender - before Trudy began sprinting into the box. The ball, meanwhile, had found its way to Lynne Crossley, who was advancing quickly, beating the Kriegersien defence - who somehow were playing with more men on the left than on the right side of defence - and crossed the ball. From his perspective, Stephen arrived on the halfway line, ready if any counter-attacks were to happen. The ball met Greer's chest, and he confidently brought it to the ground, and he took a shot which ricocheted off the Krieg goalkeeper, but fell to Trudy's feet. She advanced, taking one step, two steps, before she thwacked the ball, cool and composed, sending it sailing past the flailing Krieg goalkeeper.

1-0.

"Guess you were right, mate. She's our dynamo after all. Though she might as well be your dynamo, eh? Mwah-mwah-mwah!" Ricardo began, making a kissy face and teasing Stephen.
"Step off, Stephen, you git," he said, jokingly. But he couldn't wipe off that smile off her face. Truly a friend to have, huh.

Later

The mood was light on the way back to the hotel, where they'd spend the night before heading for Aleusia. Barton was fast asleep, his mind fatigued by the two matches that had gone to extra time already and the added stress of trying to explain the whole female player situation to the TFF on his return to the country. None of the players, however, knew this, and as with any bus full of teenagers, it was...chaotic, to say the least.

Stephen, however, was on his phone, listening to the latest tune from Yuseong. Quebpop was never his style, but after giving this song a listen...he'd gotten it stuck in his mind and it was all he'd listened to the past few days.

Then the notification popped up.

@dangalbraith (Daniel Galbraith) retweeted your twiit that you retweeted from @trudyharrison: 9 of the players included in Tumbra's U-18 Squad - all female - are looking to further their professional careers outside of Tumbra...

He frowned. Was that the twiit that Trudy had retwiited while on the roof? He turned around, to see Trudy with earbuds in her ears, staring wistfully at the passing roads.

"Trudy!"
"What is it, Stevie?"
"Care to explain...this?" He gingerly showed the phone to her, and instantly her eyes seemed to light up.
"Daniel Galbraith? Daniel fucking Galbraith? Holyshitholyshitholyshit..." She tried to grab the phone from his hands, but this time, he grasped onto it. Firmly. "Stephen..."
"Listen, Trudy, if this is all you wanted to be friends for, you might've well asked, and I would've just re-twiited it for you! No need to...well...make me think you wanted to be...friends..." His voice trailed off as his heart sank, slowly coming to a realisation. He sank back into his seat.
Immediately, Trudy darted out of her seat and moved into the one next to him.
"Whaddya want?"
'Listen, I'm...sorry. It was a shitty thing to do. But...that aside, I...really do want to be your friend. It's, well, because..."
"Don't tell me it's because I'm interesting, please."
"You really wanna know why...? Fine. Because you were the only one who cared why I was in that cafe. That's what makes you interesting, Stephen Kerr. Because you've got empathy, not a quality a lot of footballers have. And I'm sorry for making use of you like that. It was shitty of me. I didn't mean for it to be interpreted otherwise."
"I..." Stephen said. "I don't know, Trudy."
"Please," she replied, almost pleadingly. "I don't want to lose this friendship."
"It's okay, then. I accept your apology. But please, don't do it again."
"Right. I won't. I promise," she adopted a faux serious tone, saluting. But he could tell that she meant it this time.
"And get ready."
"For what?"
It was Stephen's turn to smile, albeit worryingly. He knew what was about to happen, and...it felt kinda good, for all the times she'd held her knowledge above him.
"For the media storm. Dan Galbraith retwiiting this...we're about to be in the middle of a media storm. And you, Trudy Harrison," he said, slowly choosing his words, "...and I, for that matter, will be in the middle of it."

The colour slowly drained from her face as the bus turned into the hotel.

OOC Notes:

1. Daniel Galbraith is Tumbra's most famous player, whose career pretty much predates that of (new) Tumbra's entrance into WCC-affliated tournaments. Now playing for Pearce Town in Quebec, he still holds considerable sway in the footballing parts of twii.tur. He follows a lowly youth player like Stephen because during a training camp held for his previous club (Straton FC), Kerr was the only one to dare to tackle Galbraith head on.

2. The Tumbran media is...intense. Like, really intense.

by **Oberour Ar Moro** » Thu Apr 08, 2021 10:10 pm

Celestin de Houlande was 30 during the first season of Oberour Ar Moro professional football.

The thought suddenly occurred to him in the tunnel of the Zeta Reka National Sports Complex. He's now 39, so he's been a paid professional in football for nine years? That couldn't be right, it had to be more. And yet.

When Celestin was 18, he was at Oesyme University. He played on their football team, but they were just a club, nothing more. And what was there to do when he graduated? Nothing but to go to work, real work. He worked as an engineer. Football was long past him.

But then there was an announcement of a professional football league in Oberour Ar Moro. His wife encouraged him to try-out, despite his doubts, so he went to one of the regional scouting combines. Then another more selective combine. And then a further selective combine. And then he was the regular starting left midfielder for Cyrene Bay. Suddenly he's being paid to play a child's game. Though he took it seriously. He paid attention. He worked hard.

Celestin looked forward. In a row in front of him were 23 young men. Surprisingly serious, hiding whatever nerves they had, they had left the jesting and joking behind in the locker room. They were 16, 17, and 18 year olds, already with professional contracts with minutes and starts in Oberour football. He couldn't see his captain Kongal Cayn, but if Kongal was on a build-site in a hardhat when he was 28, instead of on the pitch in Marisca, something would have gone wrong in his life somewhere. But for Celestin that was the only option there was. That was a sign of his life going on the right track, at the time, in the world he lived in.

Radiating nervous energy and rocking on his heels behind him was François-Xavier Canele. One of his two assistant managers, he was a young 30, who had been assigned to his coaching staff straight from the National Football Coaching Academy. François-Xavier, fellow Assistant Mathieu Demarcque, and Celestin had plenty of opportunities to talk since they suffered through the 0-0-3 Copa Rushmori effort together, and had become fire-forged friends. François-Xavier grew up loving football, but hadn't made the Encreier University team as a freshman, and gave up on the dream of being a player completely. He replaced that by playing football video games and volunteering as coaches at local clubs. He finally was accepted to the Academy, letting him leave his job bussing tables behind. Celestin marvelled that this was an option today. To become a coach he had watched Kouig Belhumeur, and then Eo Angout, and then Thoumas d'Herbigny to a certain extent, and learned from experience.

Celestin looked to ahead to his right, at the Junior Eagles of Tumbra. Valerie Wells was their leading scorer from the left side, Kongal Cayn and Iwan l’Afineeur were instructed to keep their eyes open for her. The defensive midfielder Trudy Harrison seemed to be the point of gravity the rest of the teams rotated around. But it seemed she might be to self-sacrificing for her own good. Tomaz Sadur and Peter Clouzot were tasked with making her life on the pitch difficult, and if she would foul herself to a red card, all that much the better. Tumbra had a quick, counter-attacking style, and the Oberours would give them plenty of attacks to counter. Sweepers down the gullet until they said when, hopefully followed by lifting a Under-18 World Cup trophy.

The Oberours would hunt for the Tumbrans veins and pulse. Twenty-three young men in sang-de-bœuf versus twenty three young men (and women, which Celestin still found hard to believe) in blue-and-white. Celestin closed his eyes and lifted his head, breathing in through his nose and breathing out his mouth. The Dragoons had sauntered carelessly through the tournament and found themselves in the finals. In Rushmore, tt felt as if the entire nation of Oberour Ar Moro had fallen asleep only to wake up for the final act of the play.

Celestin could hear cleats start to click-clack along the floor. He breathed out deeply, opened his eyes, and started a purposeful gait to the pitch. "It's still strange though," he spoke to no one in particular.

Schedule

MD 1 Oberour Ar Moro 0 – 0 Britland Isles
MD 2 Sharktail 3 – 4 Oberour Ar Moro
MD 3 Oberour Ar Moro 0 – 0 Devonta
MD 4 Chromatika 1 – 4 Oberour Ar Moro
Round of 16 Oberour Ar Moro 0 – 0 (0 – 0 AET) (4 – 3 pen.) Ziwana
Quarterfinals Iba Dwa 0–1 Oberour Ar Moro
Semifinals Yesopalitha 1 - 2 Oberour Ar Moro
Finals Oberour Ar Moro (5-2-0) vs. Tumbra (5-1-1)

by **Zeta Reka and Hugeltaldom** » Sat Apr 10, 2021 6:25 pm

Alright, you're in the final, or not. But, your game is happening now. Cutting off.

With an amazing match in Ofau, and another in Aleiusia, the 13th RTC U-18 World Cup has crowned it's king, many congratulations to the winner, and condolences to the losers.

RTC Under 18 World Cup 13 -- Everything Thread

RTC u18 World Cup 13 RP#2

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