Independent Associations Championship 13 - Everything Thread

[Eshialand]

Disappointment
Eshialand 1-1 Malandrin

GK #1 Alexander KOLEK (M, 31)
LB #7 David GORMAN (M, 28)
LCB #20 Dominique LaPLANTE (F, 26)
RCB #22 George HABISBRAUER (M, 26)
RB #8 Sarah SILVER (F, 30)
LM #32 Lucas MEILLING (M, 19)
CM #19 Avery MacDOUGALL (F, 27)
RM #12 Melissa CAREY (F, 28, CAPTAIN)
LW #9 Alyssa LONGFIELD (F, 27)
RW #10 Jacob HARRAN (M, 24)
ST #24 Alice CARROLL (F, 23)

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The Owls' first match was going so well.

As early as the 14th minute, Alice scored her team's first goal of the Independent Associations Championship to make the score 1-0. All they had to do now was hold this score against a team that nobody expected to score on them to begin with. Easy, right?

Well, yes, for the most part. The majority of this match played out with a score of 1-0 on the board, with a few opportunities popping up here and there to make it 2-0, none of which panned out. However, the Malandrian side showed no signs of getting a goal at all, and the win seemed all but assured.

What came next, however, was nothing short of tragic. In the 71st minute, George stole the ball from REDACTED and accidentally made contact with the striker's shin. The referee decided that he was trying to trip them and awarded Malandrin a penalty kick, much to the Owls' chagrin.

On the bright side, they could rest assured that Alex would stop the ball. After all, he was by far their best goalie, and usually had no trouble saving a penalty kick.

Except this time. The score went to 1-1, leaving Eshialand with a tie and about 20 minutes with which to break it. Coach Morgan called for the Golden Goose formation, and the team went hard on the attack.

Sadly though, it wasn't enough, and they escaped with only one point, despite this being proclaimed the easiest match of the tournament. Now, they would have to fight an uphill battle in order to make it to the group stage, with matches against Reçueçn, Felinetopia, and Kohnhead all being far harder than Malandrin.

There was a very good chance that the Owls wouldn't be playing in the group stage.

Eshialand - 1 (Carroll 14')
Malandrin - 1 (REDACTED 71' (pen.))

[Drawkland]

DRAWKLAND NATIONAL SOCCER TEAM

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NATION INFO
Region: Sonnel
Trigramme: DRK
Leader: Iarocav
Currency: Lolad
Capital City: Metropolon
Largest City: Drawk City

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TEAM INFO
Manager: none
Formation: 3-3-4
Style Mod: +4

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THE ELITE ELEVEN

Starting Lineup
=================================================================
##   Pos   Name              Age
7    GK    Septimus Xander    ??
10   LB    Elias Keys         ??
8    CB    Nicholas Kingston  ??
16   RB    Craig Bakker       ??
22   LM    Trevor Garnet      ??
0    CM    Dominic Southers   ??
2    RM    Richard Hanson     ??
17   LF    Roger Apollo       ??
11   WF    Mike Rodney        ??
1    RF    Jaxon Madison      ??
5    CF    Ross Hunter        ??
=================================================================

PENALTY SHOOTOUT ORDER

1. It doesn't matter, they're all good at shooting.
2. Just choose 5 at random.

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FIELD FORMATION

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TEAM HISTORY
This is the official roster, featuring the Elite Eleven, an independent squad of Drawkians who have played all sports at a professional level for a confusingly long time. The old Kick Corps has been essentially removed, the players let go, and replaced by this squad of ridiculously skilled, annoyingly arrogant, and possibly immortal sportsmen. Nobody knows where they came from, or why DISC decided to replace the Kick Corps with them, but here they are. Just don't ask the baseball fans about them.
Drawkian soccer, and indeed, sporting in general, is mostly offensive-minded. This is reflected in the style indicator and in the formation. Drawkian soccer has not really been exposed to outside influences, and thus may look or feel strange to those used to "normal" football. Nevertheless, the Eleven are still good at what they do, and prize in an enduring game, moving the ball around nearly constantly and keeping energy going, aiming to tire out the opposing team. Of course, Drawkians aren't humans, but you can read about that elsewhere. Despite the fact that usually soccer is a female-only sport in Drawkland, the Elite Eleven have overturned that caveat as the higher-ups deemed them a suitable replacement in the interim as the real Kick Corps hides away for a few cycles and gets their shit back together.

OVERALL RECORD: 193-78-77
WC Sanctioned: 129-50-52
Non-WCC: 64-28-25

TEAM RECORDS
First Match:                              Drawkland 3-3 Averyickan City
First Win:                 Capital District, Ward 1 4-6 Drawkland
First Loss:      Great Caledonia and North Hybernia 2-2 Drawkland (2-2 AET) [3-1 PKs]
Highest Score:             Capital District, Ward 1 4-6 Drawkland
Lowest Score:                    Drawkland 0-0 Ko-oren (0-0 AET) (1-3 pen.)
Best Win:                                 Drawkland 5-0 Sharktail
Worst Loss:                             Farfadillis 6-1 Drawkland
Most Important:                           Drawkland 2-2 Omerica (2-2 AET) [4-3 PKs]
Best End Result:                       1st Place (Independents Cup 6)

Here is a quick list of the tournaments Drawkland has been in, their group stage record and goal differential, and their final result.

Global Cup of Soccer 1: 1-2-0, +2, Third Place loss to Free Republics
Independents Cup 1: 1-0-2, -4, Round of 16 loss to Flardania
Baptism of Fire 64: 1-2-0, +3, Third Placed win over Great Caledonia and North Hybernia
World Cup 77 Qualifying: 11-5-2, +14, Qualified
World Cup 77: 0-1-2, -3, Group Stage Elimination
Independents Cup 2: 2-1-0, +6, Quarterfinal loss to Flardania
World Cup 78 Qualifying: 11-2-3, +16, Qualified
World Cup 78: 1-0-2, -8, Group Stage Elimination
Independents Cup 3: 2-0-1, +3, Round of 16 loss to Kel Assuk
World Cup 79: 1-1-1, -1, Group Stage Elimination
Independents Cup 4: 2-0-1, +2, Final loss to Free Republics
World Cup 80 Qualifying: 11-4-3, +16, Qualified
World Cup 80: 0-2-1, -1, Group Stage Elimination
Independents Cup 5: 3-1-0, +6, Final loss to Mercedini
World Cup 81 Qualifying: 14-1-3, +39, Playoff loss to Saltstead
Independents Cup 6: 2-1-0, +9, Final win over Omerica
World Cup 82 Qualifying: 8-6-4, +7, Did Not Qualify
Cup of Harmony 74: 3-0-0, +8, QF loss to Ko-oren
Independents Cup 7: 3-0-0, +8, Final loss to Omerica
World Cup Qualifiers 83: 5-4-3, +6, Did Not Qualify
Cup of Harmony 75: 3-1-0, +8, Ro16 loss to Port Ember
Independents Cup 8: 4-1-0, +13, 3PPO loss to Squornshelan Remnant States
World Cup Qualifiers 84: 13-4-3, +17, Qualified
World Cup 84: 0-0-3, -5, Group Stage Elimination
Independents Cup 9: 2-1-0, +3, Ro16 loss to Poafmersia
World Cup Qualifiers 85: 14-3-7, +13, Qualified
World Cup 85: 1-0-2, -2, Group Stage Elimination
Independents Cup X: 3-1-0, +6, QF loss to Tequilo
World Cup 86: 1-2-0, +2, Ro16 loss to Vilita
Independents Cup 11: 2-1-1, Ro16 loss to TJUN-ia
World Cup 87: disgusting garbage

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TEAM KITS
Beautifully Crafted by ediraf.
From Left to Right: Home, Away, Goalkeeper.

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My opponent, if they RP first, may do the following:
Choose my Scorers:              Yes
Choose Scoring Events:          Yes
Godmod Scoring Events:          Yes
RP Injuries to my Players:      Yes
Godmod Injuries to my Players:  Yes
Yellow Card my Players:         Yes
Red Card my Players:            Yes
Godmod Other Events:            Yes

As far as these go, I'm fair game for anything. You should know what is and isn't drastic RP, and if you think your RP is on the drastic side, TG me first. But I'm still basically up for anything.
I'd like to request that injuries or cards don't do anything outside of the scope of a single game or maybe 2. Don't want anything tournament or cycle-ending. Red cards should be limited to late knockout stages, and I'd probably think that there should be no more than 2 players red carded per tournament.
The Elite Eleven are sorta oddballs. I mean, they're a group of 11 dudebros, but they're supposedly immortal or something. Keep that in mind.

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Disclaimers of various sorts:
I don't know very much about soccer. If I RP something weird, it's because I have little to no experience with this sport. But whatever.
If you have any questions about anything involving me, this team, my nation, this competition, life, etc., feel free to telegram me.

[Montana Verde]

EJNU-ia – 1 (1)
Green (38’)

Montaña Verde – 1 (1)
Mateo; Zalladen (77’ Iñigo Mallén ), Arquímedes, Jairo, Justin; Cristo Díaz (71’ Valentinha (77’)); Julia Varela (67’), Kristjana (68’ Emma ); Sara Ariadna; Thiago Montilla, Osito (34’)

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Montaña Verde – 2 (2)
Dávalos; Castiglione (56’) (68’ Roberta ), Edelberto (67’ Jairo ), Moreau, Justin; Ana-Ximena; Emma, Kristjana; Primitivo (60’ Verónica Ximena ); Thiago Montilla (27’) (27’) (77’ Naomí Berrocal (85’)), Osito (21’) (50’ Morterero )

Zita Reka y Catedral del Valle de la Colina – 2 (1)
Gröss (10’), Schwartzhammer (54’)

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Indujo – 2 (0)
McMuller (71’), Butea (85’)

Montaña Verde – 1 (0)
Mateo; Castiglione, Jairo (77’) (84’ Efraim ), Arquímedes, Justin (89’ Cristo Díaz ); Ana-Ximena; Valentinha (87’ Emma ), Kristjana; Primitivo (54’) (82’); Thiago Montilla, Osito

From the website of the news magazine The New Week National Atlantic News Spectating Economist Time Man.

In the Heart of the Moon, Ancient Artifacts Reignite Modern Debates

Montaña Verde’s relationship with fútbol began in the 19th century, when the game was introduced in missionary schools established to provide a Christianizing education to native populations. Morning instruction in the catechism and scripture would be followed by an afternoon of sports as the “Muscular Christian” ethos sought to reform both the minds and bodies of a people regarded by contemporary ethnologists as “uncivilized”. The boys who learned in these schools returned to their villages filled with the love of the Holy Spirit – and of the noble game of fútbol, spreading both with equal vigor to their native communities. They grew up to attend the Universidad in Santa Margarita, establishing a fútbol club that gave birth to the modern club, Universidad de Montaña Verde, competing in the Campeonato Nacional. These doctors, lawyers, and journalists – and, crucially, teachers – spread the beautiful game to the next generation. A national infatuation was born. And it was all thanks to the work of austere Græntfjaller and Schutzenphalian missionaries.

So, for a century or a more, has the traditional story gone, of explaining how the game of fútbol came to Montaña Verde. And this time of change, when Verdeans are newly asserting their independence and agency, there seems no more fitting moment to tear it down and tell a very different story: one which dates the Verdean interest in fútbol to long before blonde colonizers bearing guns, germs and steel ever set foot on the shores of the Rainforest Republic. “We have been forced to tell someone else’s story and told we have no story of our own,” says Veronica Pilar Murillo Sáenz, a researcher in paleoanthropology whose dig project is unearthing new evidence of ancient connections to ball games in Verdean pre-history. “And now is our opportunity to stand tall, reject those missionary lies, and tell the true story of our people.”

There’s an irony to Murillo’s words: she is, standing tall, around 4’10”; and anyone seeking missionary zeal need look no further than her intense dark eyes. But she is unquestionably a driven and dedicated woman, an archeologist who has spent the best part of her adult life unearthing a forgotten – suppressed, she would argue – history of her people and her country, defying improbable odds, and never wavering from the mission of reclaiming sacred identities. She is also a self-confessed fútbol nut who claims to organize her lecture schedule around Olimpia La Limana’s schedule and shouts herself hoarse on the terraces every time her favorite player, Osito, touches the ball. (She has met his decision to leave the Verdean league for the riches of Mancomunidad de la Parque Panadero with a measure of understanding, respecting his desire to play at a higher level, while clearly personally heartbroken.)

Murillo’s work has not always been popular. Under the previous National Republican governments, which cosied up to – or, in Murillo’s characteristically brusque language, “whored themselves” to – foreign commercial interests and anti-communist concerns, she faced hostility and derision. “A century after the rest of the world had woken to the nonsense of ‘scientific racism’, these hacks were still pouring out bile about Verdeans being ‘in need of civilizing influences’,” Murillo fumes in reference to her academic opponents, many of whom have fled the Republic since its leftwards turn in the past year. She was banned from attending academic conferences abroad and had her visa revoked; her sit-in protest at the Museum of Ethnology over an exhibition that she argued “misrepresented native beliefs and minimized indigenous cultural achievements” led to her being beset by tear gas and batons. She was undeterred. And her long fight has finally seen success as the political weather changes.

Foreign mercenaries are flooding out of Montaña Verde. Græntfjall’s change of government has seen its government cease its anti-communist operations and even open a formal inquiry into the disappearance – at this stage, now presumed death – of former reformist President Santángel. Strange rumors swirl over his wife and children, who were slain by a death squad, or are marching on the capital at the head of a peasant army, depending which shady corner of the bar one sups at. The ultra-leftist People’s Army of Liberation turns the map redder every day as vast swathes of territory fall without a bullet fired. Amidst this frenzy of intellectual revolution, as newspapers at long last freely print manifestos demanding land reform and serf emancipation, as parliamentarians openly demand recompense for colonial wrongs without fearing they will be disappeared in the middle of the night, as student protestors find last week’s cause has already become government policy and struggle to keep their radicalism one pace ahead of their middle-aged parents, Murillo’s arguments have suddenly found receptive audiences.

In the depths of the Forest of the Moon, she claims to have unearthed evidence of ball games played by ancient indigenous Verdeans centuries ago, long before a white face was seen in the Americas. Part sacred rite, part community bonding exercise – and part just plain fun – these ball games are the real beginnings of the Verdean love of fútbol, she claims. The first wave of colonization – by the Spanish Empire* in the 16th century – led to the native traditions being abandoned, as millions of Verdeans were killed by infectious disease or through attrition as they toiled in the hellish silver mines as slave labor. The second wave of colonization – by Rushmori nations in the 19th century rush for resources to fuel the industrial revolution, especially the rubber abundant in Verdean plantations and timber to build railroads – was even more destructive. Native traditions were not merely forgotten, but actively suppressed. Missionaries portrayed ancient religions as cults of human sacrifice worshipping animals and led by drug-crazed priests.

Murillo’s exhibition will open next month at the Museum of Ethnology where she was once gassed and beaten for her beliefs. And, with words rather than weapons, she will fire back with the same force: “The True Story of Verdean Fútbol” is the typically bold title of the exhibition, arguing that ancient Verdeans played many ball games, including ones with substantial similarities to medieval ball games that evolved into football. The exhibition exposes the missionary schools as places, not of learning and culture, but of brutality and genocide, of mass child graves still yet to be fully counted, much less exhumed. And there is place, in the final section, for a look at the modern game. There is even an Olimpia La Luna shirt. Murillo smiles. The name on the back reads, of course, Osito.

* OOC: Feel free to handwave this away however you like. But otherwise the Spanish language aspect just doesn’t make sense.

[Kohnhead]

Kohnhead start off IAC with 3-1 victory

Taking on Saterun a team appearing in their first IAC our Brains were the heavy favorites in this one but we have really underperformed in the most recent IACs most notably failing to make it out of the Group Stage last time. Fans were eager to see how Michael White would perform with his job officially on the hot seat. Overall the team would perform really well beating an opposition they were supposed to beat and allowing no chance for the upset.

From the opening whistle it was clear that we were the better team as evidenced by our opening goal just 9 minutes in when Rallyton chipped the keeper off of a pass from Charles Laker showing our top two midfielders excelling as per usual. Up to that point The Brains had 72% possession and were in clear dominance although Saterun would get a few chances in the next 15 minutes because we as we often do took our foot off of the gas following a goal.

Fortunately they failed to find the back of the net and when Suzanna Barter went down in the box in the 42nd minute the skipper converted the penalty to make it 2-0 Kohnhead putting us firmly in control. Unfortunately at halftime Nicholas Radison our best defender had to exit the game and has been ruled out for our next match against Squidroidia. On came Callie Porsha at left back to replace Radison and while Porsha is good, Radison is clearly a superior player. Porsha will be starting said match against Squidroidia in place of Radison.

However at fault for Saterun's only goal was not Porsha nor was it a defender rather it was keeper Bertha Sanders who had a great Qualifying campaign and year in Indusse. Sanders received a pass back from Corton and lazily kicked it out in front of her where the Saterun attacker rushed in and managed to steal the ball and score in the 59th minute to make this a game.

However the man the myth the legend himself off of the bench Al Torgan scored in the 81st minute to put the game away thanks to an assist from Erin Maltos and Kohnhead would walk away with the 3-1 victory. Torgan continues to show his quality even in a reduced role for both club and National team off the bench.

Our next match as suggested at above is against Squidroidia a much better opponent than Saterun who only managed to beat Minardinia 1-0 in their first game which should give us some hope. The only other time we met they beat us 3-2 in a Cup of Harmony Group Stage match although both teams ultimately advanced to the knockouts.

[Omerica]

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Kahali National Stadium changing room, Salisbury, Kalumba
Baptism of Fire 56 matchday 2

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Ave, filii Bricii!

“Hail, children of Bricius…” In so many ways, a mythological king was the basis this very strange country’s national identity. From his legendary crest came the ancient royal family’s coat of arms, which in turn provided the design of the world-famous Sublime Union. Generations of tyrants and despots tried to legitimise their claim to rule the ‘ome realm through their imagined bloodline, allegedly hailing all the way back to the folkloric monarch. In fact, Bricius had become so central to the conception of this country that the revolution which overthrew its monarchy—unlike the numerous revolutions which had preceded it—posed an existential question to it: what exactly did it mean to be an Omerican? A revolutionary zeal for freedom and justice? A calling to the expansive oceans or the majestic mountains which bounded their ‘ome? The ability to put up with the bloody earth rumbling every other minute of every other hour of every other day?

By any reasonable definition, the United Republics of Omerica would not qualify as a nation. It had never been united by a common language, it had not had a common religious faith for centuries and had little in the way of a common culture to speak of. The only things binding this odd polity together were a shared history and the sheer force of inertia developed over the course of centuries. That and a love of football that could occasionally be seen as bordering on obsession.

And it was as the manager of this strange country’s national football team that Jean-Manuel entered the main part of the changing room in Salisbury, passing by a small pennant, the first of more than four hundred of its kind…

FŒDERATIO PEDILVIDII OMERICANA
LVIta BAPTISMA IGNIS
PHASIS SERIERVM SECVNDVM CERTAMEN

OMERICA
— CONTRA —
RVBEAM ATERIAM

STADIVM NATIONALIS CAHALIS
SARISBERIA

It was a bit curious that the match was being played in Kalumba rather than the nominal host nation, what with Schiavonia being far to small to fit all the teams that had filed the necessary paperwork and met the criteria to compete in the most unusual football tournament in the multiverse. Omerica had simply been floating along, playing football internally, but never actually bothering to challenge outsiders in its most beloved sport. Maybe it was a bit of arrogance, maybe no one at the Federation ever bothered to do the paperwork to compete. Whatever the reason, it was all about to change. Those foreign bastards were about to learn pain and not the gallophone bread kind!

The hosts had kindly extended the offer of a friendly to all the participating nations, but the Football Gryphons politely declined the opportunity. De Rosas was going to use Omerica’s opening day bye to study the opposition in action: Melthing, Casagrande, Subspace Embassy, Lavertezzo, Laiyenda and—most importantly of all—Red Blackiland. Starting off with the most challenging opposition is always a double-edged sword. If you win, it’s a great momentum-builder. But that it as far from a guarantee as can be had. Red Blackiland could win, as they proved decisively against Melthing, and they’d be hungry to unleash hell on the Omericans.

In the changing room itself, Guillaume Dessaints grasped his goalkeeping gloves in his hands. Yves Bercée put the finishing touches on his bootlaces. George Kostas finished his short prayer. Angelo Zapatero eyed the pennant he’d carry out onto the pitch. Thomas Castille, Marvin Sessions, Louis-Pierre Matignon, Stéphane Delacroix and Mani de la Cruz all waited patiently for the manager’s opening words of the tournament. De Rosas stepped up and gave his remarks, short and sweet as he was known for. Slightly clichéd, sure, but the passion with with he delivered his speech lit a fire under every player’s bum and now was the time to prove that Omerica could compete at a top level.

But no one in that room knew what was about to happen to Jean-Manuel or how their tournament would come to an abrupt end. No one knew that this would merely be the first in a series of many heartbreaks and tragedies. Margaret’s mission to break the haughty was just beginning and break them she absolutely would.

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Fédération républiques-unienne de soccer · United Republican Soccer Federation
6 Jean-Jacques la Rouge Road
Port Alexandre, MS 18-A40
RÉPUBLIQUES UNIES DE L’OMERIQUE · UNITED REPUBLICS OF OMERICA

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Omerica 0–0 Republic of Indian States
Independent Associations Championship 13 first stage — Matchday One
Davarsi Bria, Holhot, Poafmersia
Omerica goalscorer(s): [none]
Omerica lineup (4–3–3): José Calvo; Charlotte Léon, Sydney Collins, Noémi Belmonte, Zane Smith (captain); Erica Walsh, Alexandrine Bourreau, Lena Blair; Jasmine Fabien, Arielle Poirier, Terrance Parker
Substitutions: Blair > Máel Coluim Mac Ealair (46’); Fabien > Jean-Paul Campagne (61’); Parker > Lionel Stavros (61’)

Omerica v Indusse
Independent Associations Championship 13 first stage — Matchday Two
Offsdi Stadium, Kingsford, Poafmersia
Omerica lineup (4–3–3): José Calvo; Kara Félix, Sydney Collins, Noémi Belmonte, Zane Smith (captain); Máel Coluim Mac Ealair, Mathéo Assendorp, Ronan Neuville; Jean-Paul Campagne, Ollie Tate, Lionel Stavros
Substitutes: Magalie Jansen, Zavier Street; Charlotte Léon, Jacques Laurent, London Mac Gille Fhaolain, Frédéric Dufour; Erica Walsh, Alexandrine Bourreau, Lena Blair; Jasmine Fabien, Arielle Poirier, Terrance Parker

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[Felinetopia]

OOC: in the perspective of Captain Emer Clery

Man. It was a long day for us. First we had to take a long bus ride that we kinda lost count of the hours it took to get to Bikarish. It was fascinating seeing all the tech companies located in Nitrishi-Pai. Their tech probably looks different from the tech back at home.We arrived at Bikarish Stadium which stood out amongst the city skyline when we approached Bikarish. Our opponent, Squornshelan Remnant States, had a lot of multiversal competition experience including qualifying for the most recent World Cup in Cassadaigua and Chromatika so we knew that this match wouldn’t be easy. It’s quite fortunate that we came out of that match with a 0-0 draw. I wished I that I scored some goals but getting that result should encourage our cats for the rest of the first stage.

Currently, we are heading back to our hotel in Fiskadaha City. It was entertaining seeing all the people in the hotel react to us being here. I guess most of them haven’t heard cats talking before, nevermind the Leopards and Cheetahs in the lobby. Admittedly, the bus seat is actually comfy. The seat fits purrfectly to go asleep on. Meanwhile, we had to assign a Leopard or Cheetah to an entire row of seats on the bus because the seats were too small for the big cats to sit in one.

“Hey Emer,” said Birgit. I turn my head to look at her. “ How do you think Monaghan is going to fit into the Rovers?”

“They recently announced her so I can’t say too much.” I responded. “However, at the 1st match against Eshialand she looked fairly confident and composed although she was sneezing a lot during the match. Though I didn’t see her in our match at Eshialand which was odd. So I asked Sarah Silver who is also in Poafmersia for the tournament if I could talk to her later this week about Monaghan.”

“That’s actually fairly responsible. No wonder why you’re team captain.”

“Thank you.”

“Anyways, our club just got a new manager as well. I was kinda surprised that the new manager was a sentient Toilet. Apparently he led a team of sentient appliances through World Cup qualifiers and participated in the most recent Cup of Harmony.”

“Interesting but sounds like he’s a decent coach. But sentient appliances?!”

Thandi Ayodele pokes her head over the seats. “Yeah. Out of what I heard from my teammates over in Sylestone that sentient appliances are a thing over there and that until recently have been representing them at multiversal competitions,” Thandi said. “However, I heard that he doesn’t mind playing unothrodoxedly and that you should remain on his good side.”

“Thank you Thandi. I’ll try to avoid his bad side” said Birgit.

“Yeah, you don’t want to hear his potty mouth,” I teased.

[Minardinia]

Minardinia National Team/Nazionale Squadra Minardi
(yep, I’m aware how hilariously late this is. at least we’ve turned up, right?)

The proud and cultured nation of Minardinia is delighted to announce its squad for the upcoming IAC tournament. While we don’t exactly expect any sort of success due to our limited budget and small facilities, we DO have great coffee, a small group of die-hard fans, and a lot of people ready to celebrate like mad if we score any points at all. After all, it’s not every day you’re able to achieve something, right?

Introduction to Minardinia:
Minardinia is a small island plonked in the middle of a vast expanse of sea. It’s got beautiful beaches, a small population, and a passion for coffee and all things fast. It’s the perfect island for people just wanting to get away from the usual hardships of life - after all, a typical day in Minardinia consists of waking up early, drinking far too many cups of coffee, eating pastries, and watching the sun dip below the horizon. Nevertheless, you’re not here for the relaxing, you’re here for the footballing - and if it’s footballing you’ve come for, it’s footballing you’ll get.

On Matchdays:
When at home, teams will arrive at our home stadium, Il Fabbrica Minardi. There, they will be guided to their dressing room, where a well-engineered coffee machine, twenty-three copies of Il Gazzetta della Minardinia and a large packet of cigarettes awaits them - we don’t treat opponents as enemies, we treat them as old friends coming down to visit! Some of the previous sides we have faced described this as “mind games” that were “deliberately engineered to lull their opponents into a false sense of security”. We just like to describe it as “courtesy”.

When away, the Minardinia team will travel to the opposition stadium in the team motorhome, as its comfortable and its also got its own coffee machine. If you couldn’t tell by now, we quite like coffee.

Kits
images TBC, but the general designs are:
Home: black shirt with “SILD MEVEN” on the front
Away: blue and grey shirt with “MENDFOTAL” on the front
Goalkeeper: neon green shirt with “Foleteneca” on the front

Manager: Gabriozi Tredele

Starting Squad:
Goalkeeper - Alessini Nannandro
Left Back - Piermartini Luigi (CAPTAIN)
Centreback - Pailla Barolo
Centreback - Giadelli Morbinni
Right Back - Alessardi Zanandro
Central Midfielder - Fabrazza Barbizio
Central Midfielder - Micheto Alborele
Central Midfielder - Ludoer Baca
Left Winger - Gianichella Fiscarlo
Striker - Giovaggi Lavanni
Right Winger - Gascane Mazzatón

Substitutes:
Goalkeeper - Gianbruni Maria
Centreback - Baum Zsoltgartner
Central Midfielder - Tarques Marso
Central Midfielder - Estuero Teban
Left/Right Winger - Stépazin Sarrhane
Striker - Marc Gounonjean
Any Position - Robereno Morto

RP Permissions:
Do what you want, unless “what you want” is to murder my players in cold blood.

Style Mod:
A solid +2 will do.

Other Miscellaneous Info:
Just ask, telegrams are open! :)

[Kencana]

Kencana started the 13th Independents Associations Championship with pride as they managed to hold on to a draw against a much stronger Sannyamathland 1-1 at the Matty Horis Stadium in Poafmersia. The results were well received back home. They were expecting a thrashing but the national team players proved them wrong and rise to the occasion.

This is something that the Kencanans never thought of 3 years ago before the government decided to form the national team. Kencana is a small country. The budget is very limited. Football is the least important thing to invest in when almost all of the population is still illiterate. Education received the most budget and it is with that money that Kencana has its first and only football field in the country, the Kota Damai High School Field.

The Kota Damai High School is central to the development of football in the country. All matches of Liga Kencana are played in the historical field. And it was in one of the matches in Liga Kencana where it was announced that Kencana will be participating in the World Cup qualification for the first time 3 years ago. Kencana participated twice before the government decided that it was a waste of money flying all over the world to get a trashing.

The government decided that Kencana is more well suited playing in the Independent Associations Cup where it only requires 2 flights plus stop-overs, from Kencana to Poafmersia and from Poafmersia to Kencana rather than traveling all over the world. And all that money spent on sending the team to Poafmersia paid off with the draw against Sannyamathland, a team that is far stronger than Kencana.

[PotatoFarmers]

Poafmersia 0–0 Miena San Hosana
@ Naksa Stadium, Naksa, Trimidau Island, Poafmersia
Poafmersia Lineup (4-3-3): Nicole Potts; Mitchel Rosales, Nasri Sanchez, Hollis Stephenson, Natalia Abbott; Nero Wood, Woden Sweet, Arnold Shwentin; Dargis Walshor, Makana Tuft (c), Whitney Rios
Substitutes: Daas Taisg (Wood 69'); Joel Haodao (Walshor 80')

Goalless draw in opening game as team targets 3rd title
Reported by Sporting Daily
Naksa - Nicole Potts showed her goal stopping abilities with a 0-0 draw against minows Miena San Hosana, giving the hosts the most average of starts possible.

Dargis Walshor moving forward in a 4-3-3 formation was the first for the Sarim Potato FC player, with Whitney Rios on the other side of the field. It was a completely experimental trial for Adnan Suliaha, who decided that the first stage could act as a "friendly" for the national team, a warm-up before the actual set of games. And while the defence aced the test, with the half of the backline having moved to new clubs in the recent transfer window. Nicole Potts moved to St. John's Arsenal in Quebec; Mitchel Rosales moved out of Quebec to Crisisbless in Nephara, and Hollis Stephenson became Rosales' opponent in Nephara at Sabrefell Athletic. Nasri Sanchez moved to centerback, fgiving way for Rosales to play the leftback position. Natalia Abbott, who shone brightly for Dury FC, continued in rightback.

It was rather dissapointing in front, with the opposition side using a really tight defence technique to steal the points from the last defending champions. The side, who utilised the classic technique of "not naming any players" to confuse opponents, was able to do just enough. Even as Daas Taisg and Joel Haodao came on to provide more firepower in front, it was not enough to allow Poafmersia to open the scoring.

The goalless draw puts Poafmersia at joint-17th, with 11 other teams having opened their tournament with a draw. Poafmersia will go to Mancodas to play Juvencus, in front of a sold-out crowd in the really big clash. A good result in the Mancodas Complex is what the team is looking for - every point would help the team get higher seeding in the Second Stage draw.

[PotatoFarmers]

MD2 Cutoff!

---

RP Prompt for the MD: Glorious moments
You know, I was held up because I was looking at the RLstates Olympics Opening Ceremony. For many athletes from around the world, participating in the biggest sporting event is a moment that they always treasure. Being able to compete alongside the very best from other countries, fighting for honour and glory, is a dream come true for many of these athletes. How about your football team? For your players and your team, what are some of their glorious moments? Share about some of the moments that are recorded in the history of your football team. It may be qualification for the World Cup, being a medallist in a sporting event, etc. etc.

---

MD2 Results

4.30pm
Sixty-ninE X 2–1 Malandrin @ Potato Villa
Raspotochje 0–0 Galimencia @ Dreamers Park
Roless 1–4 Kencana @ Naksa Stadium
Felinetopia 1–0 Franco-Canadian Michigan @ Stadia Cochin
A Mushroom Kingdom 0–1 Saterun @ Sporting Dalaris Stadium
Miena San Hosana 2–5 Montaña Verde @ United Park
Lewhoten 0–2 Volinovia @ Holtin Kash Stadium
HUElavia 3–2 Kriegiersien @ Theatre of Light
TJUN-ia 1–1 Almuzahara @ Bikarish Stadium
Space 1–2 Srednjaci @ Agureo Stadium
Squidroidia 0–1 Kohnhead @ Matty Horis Stadium

8pm
Minardinia 1–1 Quintessence of Dust @ Potato Villa
Tandeg Suci 3–0 Federative Republic of Brasilia @ Dalaris State Stadium
Dari Sultanate 0–0 The H Corporation @ Stadia Cochin
Republic of Indian States 1–1 Adab @ Agureo Stadium
Squornshelan Remnant States 1–0 Sajnur @ Rukiya Sports Stadium
Drawkland 4–5 Sannyamathland @ Red Mudra Lane
Poafmersia 4–3 Juvencus @ Mancodas Complex
Omerica 3–0 Indusse @ Offsdi Stadium
Trolleborg 2–1 Abanhfleft @ Theatre of Light
Reçueçn 3–1 Eshialand @ Davarsi Bria
New Lusitania 0–0 Garbelia @ Stadiun of Legends

Stage 1 Table

Pos  Team                             P   W   D   L  GF  GA   GD  Pts
  1  Reçueçn                          2   2   0   0   7   1    6    6
  2  Tandeg Suci                      2   2   0   0   4   0    4    6
  3  HUElavia                         2   2   0   0   7   4    3    6
     Kohnhead                         2   2   0   0   4   1    3    6
     Srednjaci                        2   2   0   0   5   2    3    6
  6  Trolleborg                       2   2   0   0   3   1    2    6
  7  New Lusitania                    2   1   1   0   4   1    3    4
     Omerica                          2   1   1   0   3   0    3    4
     Kencana                          2   1   1   0   5   2    3    4
 10  Garbelia                         2   1   1   0   2   0    2    4
 11  Poafmersia                       2   1   1   0   4   3    1    4
     TJUN-ia                          2   1   1   0   2   1    1    4
     Squornshelan Remnant States      2   1   1   0   1   0    1    4
     Sannyamathland                   2   1   1   0   6   5    1    4
     Adab                             2   1   1   0   3   2    1    4
     Felinetopia                      2   1   1   0   1   0    1    4
 17  Sajnur                           2   1   0   1   5   1    4    3
 18  Drawkland                        2   1   0   1   7   5    2    3
     Montaña Verde                    2   1   0   1   6   4    2    3
 20  Juvencus                         2   1   0   1   5   4    1    3
     Kriegiersien                     2   1   0   1   5   4    1    3
 22  Squidroidia                      2   1   0   1   1   1    0    3
     Volinovia                        2   1   0   1   2   2    0    3
 24  Saterun                          2   1   0   1   2   3   -1    3
 25  Indusse                          2   1   0   1   2   4   -2    3
     Sixty-ninE X                     2   1   0   1   3   5   -2    3
 27  Almuzahara                       2   0   2   0   4   4    0    2
     Quintessence of Dust             2   0   2   0   4   4    0    2
     Republic of Indian States        2   0   2   0   1   1    0    2
 30  Malandrin                        2   0   1   1   2   3   -1    1
     Minardinia                       2   0   1   1   1   2   -1    1
     Dari Sultanate                   2   0   1   1   0   1   -1    1
     Raspotochje                      2   0   1   1   0   1   -1    1
 34  Eshialand                        2   0   1   1   2   4   -2    1
     Galimencia                       2   0   1   1   0   2   -2    1
     The H Corporation                2   0   1   1   1   3   -2    1
 37  Miena San Hosana                 2   0   1   1   2   5   -3    1
 38  Space                            2   0   0   2   1   3   -2    0
     Abanhfleft                       2   0   0   2   2   4   -2    0
 40  Franco-Canadian Michigan         2   0   0   2   1   4   -3    0
 41  A Mushroom Kingdom               2   0   0   2   0   4   -4    0
 42  Roless                           2   0   0   2   3   8   -5    0
 43  Lewhoten                         2   0   0   2   0   6   -6    0
 44  Federative Republic of Brasilia  2   0   0   2   0   8   -8    0

How to read the table:
The top 32 teams at the end of the First Stage will qualify for the Second Stage. Teams are ranked in order of the following criteria: 1) Points (3 for a win, 1 for a draw); 2) Goal Difference; 3) Wins; 4) IAC ranking coefficient (ONLY in determining pots); 5) Coin Flip (OOC: Scorinated matched between tied teams)

The ranking numbers are purely based on the first 3 tiebreakers as above. The first 8 teams will be Pot 1 for the Second Stage, 9-16 Pot 2, 17-24 Pot 3, and 25-32 Pot 4.

The full ranking system can be found at the IAC spreadsheet. (https://bit.ly/NSSIAC13)

---

OOC: RP Scale Information

A total of 28 RPs were received in total thus far. (Multiple posts by 1 nation before 1 cutoff counts as 1 RP, for this number)
The maximum RP bonus for a team per cutoff is 3 points.

Among the graded RPs, here are the statistics:
25th percentile: 1.85
50th percentile: 2.35
75th percentile: 2.50
Mean RP given: 2.16

92.86% of RPs get at least 50% bonus.
46.43% of RPs get at least 80% bonus.

The above information can also be found in the IAC spreadsheet.

[Quintessence of Dust]

After the sluggish start against Almuzahara, Quintessence of Dust came to Potato Villa needing to show a little more energy. Kaycee Thurstan sent a shot of espresso through the team early on with a sharp spin move and snapped off a shot that forced a good diving save from Alessini Nannandro. This time, there was going to be no sleep-walking through the first half…


…leading to a performance that was, if anything, a little overcaffeinated. Shots flew on goal but Thurstan and J. J. Rousseau struggled to adjust their radars. This was just one of a number of good plays built up by effective quick passing only to be wasted with a wayward shot sent wide of the post.


At the other end, there was a grande opportunity for Minardinia when Giovaggi Lavanni forced a close range save from Oddmar Snævarsson. The ball rolled back into the path of Gascane Mazzatón who fired off a rebound shot, but Snævarsson dived to smother the chance.


Quintessence of Dust’s best chance of the half came when Thurstan was fouled by Pailla Barolo, setting up a free-kick opportunity. Chi Hương Huỳnh whipped in a kick that beat both the wall and Nannandro – but rebounded off the post and rolled away down the flat white line.


The half-time stats showed how frenetic, but also inefficient, Quintessence of Dust, with all the froth of a cappuccino – but none of the actual coffee.


The second half calmed down somewhat. Minardinia’s press began to be more effective, winning the ball back more often. They used their increased share of possession to good impact, and it was no surprise when they broke the drought first. In the 69th minute, Gianichella Fiscarlo swung in from the left and lobbed Snævarsson, whose despairing leap could only graze the ball on its way into the back of the net.


But Kaycee Thurstan came up with a brilliant equalizer in the 80th minute, picking up the ball around the 30 yard mark and dribbling past Giadelli Morbinni before unleashing a wicked curling strike into the top left corner of the goal. After the game, a modest Thurstan gave credit for the draw to center backs Jan Muff and Jón Þór Ármannsson for their hard working performances. “A one goal draw seemed a fair trade,” she admitted.

[Volinovia]

FIRST INTERNATIONAL VICTORY

The Volinovian National team has done it! After a heartbreaking loss in our opening match we have bounced back to beat Lewhoten 2-0. This is Volinovia’s first ever international victory, and the teams first win in the Independent Association’s Championship. We reached out to the team for comments on their performance and what they thought of the match. But first let’s talk about some of the match moments.

29’ - Twenty Nine minutes into the match and you can see Rodney Cabral putting the ball into the back of the net with an excellent finish which has made his teammates proud.

63’ - In the Sixty Third minute Rodney Cabral will do it again scoring another fantastic goal this time off a corner kick. Bouncing off the right side of his head past a diving goalkeeper.

75’ - In the Seventy Fifth minute Koehler Rhinehart was given a yellow card for a bad tackle he attempted on the Lewhoten Striker. He was playing the defense a little too hard when Volinovia had a very comfortable lead.

—

Reaching out to the team this is what they had to say about their performance.

Rodney Cabral - “It was great to bounce back after the tough loss in our first Matchday. It has given us faith that we can be able to move on and be able to better ourselves for future games. Everyone has practiced so hard, and we have all worked our rears off preparing for this, and now that we actually have a win to take from it, it’s an amazing feeling. We may all be rivals when we’re not in these jerseys, but when we are, it’s a brotherhood.”

Coach Hughes - “I’m very proud of the team, everyone has worked so hard to ensure that we cover all of our bases. The team is practicing every day, talking formations and watching film. It is a dream come true for a manager to have a team as motivated as these guys are. I will continue to do my best for these guys because I know they’re doing their best for each other.”

—

It is only Matchday two of the opening leg of the IAC. There is still plenty of time to go. But these men are motivated, with friendships that have been built on and off the pitch. Ready to face any opponent that we may face in the IAC. As Rodney Cabral said, they will better themselves for future games and continue to strengthen their own relationships so that the team as a whole gets stronger. We can only wait and hope to see the fruits of their labor.

[TJUN-ia]

By Peter Davis

After a drab game that saw TJUN-ia kick off the tournament with a 1-0 win, the Jags looked to try and improve upon their previous performance in any way they could as they entered the 2nd game of Stage 1 in Bikarish. Of course, David Seems and Li Xiu Ying were happy with getting the 3 points, but the way TJUN-ia got those 3 points could've been better and they were certainly looking for more against the co-host of the previous IAC in the form of #19 ranked Almuzahara and their Panthers. Oh, a Big Cat Derby!

In the battle of the big cats, both Jags and Panthers would play out a stalemate in the first half, with both Harold Gylfisson and Abdel Bekkaye putting in brilliant efforts in between the sticks. Kepo Ulawaya and Tariq Ben Labrat came the closest to break the deadlock within the first 45, but it wasn't to be. The real fun would be in the 2nd half as Vladimir Podolov broke through in the 47th to finally give this game some life and from there, TJUN-ia looked to take control of this contest. But the Panthers, fair play to them, weren't going to give up today and they would find a much-deserved equaliser in the 84th, substitute Cyril Elneny heading home from a corner by Araz Fernandez to give our opponents a deserved point. The spoils were shared but considering both team's performances, I don't think many will be unhappy with how things went today.

Our 4 points put us in Pot 2 of Stage 2 at the moment, but we still have 2 more games to try and boost that up to the Top 8 overall. Next up in the weird nation of Franco-Canadian Michigan in Agureo, who are certainly fighting for their IAC lives at the moment. Anything other than the 3 points here would be a bit of a disaster. GO JAGS!

---

SCHEDULE
Stage 1
MD1: vs Raspotochje (UR) - Theatre of Light, Kistina W 1-0 (???)
MD2: vs Almuzahara (19) - Bikarish Stadium, Bikarish D 1-1 (T-11th)
MD3: vs Franco-Canadian Michigan (UR) - Agureo Stadium, Agureo Township
MD4: vs Squidroidia (2) - Potato Villa, Sarim

[Eshialand]

She's Baaaack...
Reçueçn 3-1 Eshialand

GK #11 Christian MEERS (M, 27)
LB #7 David GORMAN (M, 28)
LCB #20 Dominique LaPLANTE (F, 26)
RCB #22 George HABISBRAUER (M, 26)
RB #8 Sarah SILVER (F, 30)
LM #32 Lucas MEILLING (M, 19)
CM #19 Avery MacDOUGALL (F, 27)
RM #12 Melissa CAREY (F, 28, CAPTAIN)
LW #9 Alyssa LONGFIELD (F, 27)
RW #10 Jacob HARRAN (M, 24)
ST #24 Alice CARROLL (F, 23)

---

"Wait, what??"
"Her??"
"Yeah, I can talk later this week..."
"Okay, see ya then!"

Sarah hung up the phone, clearly looking distraught.

"What's wrong?" Melissa asked.
"That was Emer Clery..."
"The Feline captain?"
"Yeah, and... Monaghan got a job in Felinetopia."
"Wait, isn't that the coach you were telling me about?" Jake whispered into Alice's ear.
"YES!!!" she yelled in response. "How did any team actually want to hire her??" she then asked Sarah.
"I really don't know, but Emer and I are gonna talk about it later on, once we get to Mancodas."
"That poor team that'll have to deal with her..." Avery replied as the rest of the team fell silent. "I feel so sorry for anyone who has to meet, let alone be coached by, that control freak..."

This news weighed heavily on the Owls, who couldn't focus on their next match, losing by a score of 3-1. But they didn't even know the worst part of this situation, because they didn't know who was getting on the next plane from Felis to Mancodas...

"So, you're going to Poafmersia?" the calico at the Felis Airport ticket-checking counter asked.
"Yes." Glinda Monaghan responded flatly.
"Gonna watch that Eshialand-Felinetopia match?"
"Of course!"
"You must be from Eshialand, aren't you? You certainly don't look like you're from around here..."
"Gee, how did you guess?" she answered sarcastically.
"Ha ha ha, you can go right ahead. Enjoy the match!"

"I think I will..." she ominously says once she's out of earshot.

Reçueçn - 3 (REDACTED 6', 58'; REDACTED 23')
Eshialand - 1 (Harran 31')

---

"Hello and welcome back to ENN Tournament Report, I'm your host Josh Seametzle, and the Owls are disappointing."

"I didn't expect a result against Reçueçn, and really, nobody did, but this is where that draw with Malandrin goes from bad to worse. Eshialand, despite being in the top half of the rankings, are now in a position to be eliminated before we even get to the group stage. Yeah, disappointing. So, how can they get out of this situation?"

"In short, beat Felinetopia. Losing or drawing won't make advancing mathematically impossible, but you really don't want your hopes hinging on a match against 19th-ranked Kohnhead."

"Felinetopia will not be an easy match. They're a really good team on a 1-1-0 record, and there's a good chance they could win. However, they're the Owls' best bet, and that's extremely scary right now."

"Well, all we can do is hope for the best. Until next time, I've been Josh Seametzle, and this has been Tournament Report."

[Adab]

KickTheBall.com
Bringing you the latest news and rumors in football, in Adab and abroad

---

Sunday, June 18, 2034 / 1 Rabi’ al-Thani 1456
Republic of Indian States 1-1 Adab
REDACTED (14’) | Yargab (77')

NEWS | IAC 13
By: John Oldman

Adab tie against Republic of Indian States

Adab’s sluggish start to the Independents Association Championship 13 continued as Enlilbani Yargab’s 77th-minute equalizer prevented the team from going down against unranked Republic of Indian States.

Adab’s dramatic 1-2 victory against IAC powerhouses Abanhfleft on Thursday had raised hopes that the team might make it out of Stage 1 of IAC 13, despite the team’s generally unsatisfying performance and inability to mount a prolonged offense. Yet this tie against the Indians at Poafmersia’s Agureo Stadium once again raises questions on whether the team truly have what it takes to proceed to the next stage.

The Adabians started the match competently, with a seemingly refreshed Alulim Sinmuballit and Emma Arthur – fresh off a weak performance at the Abanhfleft match – controlling the midfield during the first ten minutes of the match and denying their opponents an opportunity to break too deep into the Adabian defense. Yet a failed attempt at a goal by Adab’s Jushur al-Kufa in the 11th minute – the ball bounced off the crossbar and out of the pitch – was a worrying sign of things to come for the team.

The tables turned quickly in the 14th minute, as Ephraim Orlev was too slow in greeting Arthur’s ball and found himself beaten to it by an onrushing REDACTED. In a dramatic dash, REDACTED managed to blitz his way through Adab’s side of the pitch, with Adab defenders taken by surprise by the sudden advance and only able to feebly look in amazement as REDACTED fired the ball from just outside the penalty box line, with keeper Mohammed Marramzi just beginning to leap to meet the ball when it flashed past him into the top corner of the net.

Having fallen behind in just under fifteen minutes, the Adabians would now have to make another comeback just like the one they did against Abanhfleft.

Adabian fans at the stadium maintained their faith, chanting and singing throughout the entire match, but their faith was tested from time to time, as Rebekah Yissakar’s inswinging cross from a corner in the 30th minute met Indian keeper REDACTED’s head, sending it down to nearby Indian defenders who promptly drove it away from their goal. Orlev produced an impressive long ball from inside the center circle in the 43rd minute which momentarily seemed to threaten the Indian goal, but ultimately hit the upper crossbar and was saved by REDACTED.

Adab’s finishing woes continued in the second half, as the team dominated possession but were unable to convert it into a goal. Yissakar’s attempt in the 65th minute, off an Enlilbani Yargab cross, missed the target by some distance. Al-Kufa’s own shot in the 72nd minute, a powerful left-footed strike from right outside the penalty box, was saved – if only barely – by REDACTED, who had gone rather too far to the right after being distracted by Yissakar and had to dash back to halt the ball.

Eventually, it fell to the 35-year-old veteran Yargab to save the day. Cutting through the middle of the Indian defense in the 77th minute, Yargab then fired the ball to his right, with Yissakar dashing forward to receive it as they entered the penalty box, whereupon she passed it back to Yargab, who calmly chipped it home for the equalizer.

Subsequent Indian counterattacks were unsuccessful, with their players visibly tiring, and the Adabians themselves elected to conserve their energy, retreating to their own half of the pitch and holding on against the Indians. Adab’s own attempts to add a second goal produced no results, but they held on long enough for a draw.

Kaykali: We need to improve

At the post-match press conference, Adab manager Saad Kaykali made it clear that he expects his players to “do more” if they want to advance to Stage 2 of the IAC.

“I’m going to be honest here, our level of play so far has been unsatisfactory,” Kaykali said. “We fell behind early in the matches against Abanhfleft and now against Indian States.

“We did manage to equalize, of course, but it would have been much better for us to establish a lead from the beginning and, of course, to win.”

Kaykali then reiterated his stance that the team’s lack of matches in the year between the Cup of Harmony and the IAC had negatively impacted them. “Of course they still got to play in their respective clubs, but with the national team, it’s a whole different environment, not to mention different teammates and different tactics.

“We need to improve, and we will try to improve. That’s what we will do in the next matches.”

Adab will next travel back to Bikarish Stadium – venue of the Abanhfleft match – to face off against New Lusitania for the third match of Stage 1.

[Space]

SPACE TEAM




The Starting Players for Space Team

GK: The Keeper of the Milky Way
D: The Defender of Orion's Belt
D: The Defender of Outpost Beta
D: The Defender of Mars
D: The Defender of Alpha Centauri

M: The Protector of Polaris
M: The Guardian of Ursa Minor
M: The Transporter of Pluto
M: The Big Bang of Boötes

F: The Explosion of the Pinwheel Galaxy
F: Saturnia

The Space Team compete usually in the Independant Cup and is happy to return. After the cup terminates we are happy to welcome back our friends for a match of enjoyment IN SPACE! The Academy of Space is home to a fully enclosed, gravity containing event facility known as the "Extraterrestrial Dome of Sport". The dome is constructed of clear plasticized glass allowing a clear view of the stars and planets above. The dome rotates with respect to its surroundings during matches for enhanced viewing, though any nearby stars (Stars within 2 or fewer Astronomical Units) will remain on the backside of the playing field to prevent glaring and temperature control. The Dome of Sport also serves as the official training facility for Team Space Team in preparation for international competition and away games.


Uniform:


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

[Almuzahara]

continued from
the sea and the sailor

august 11, 1517
From the journal of Yahya Léonidas del Toro

The port city of Hims-al-Khilafah, The Pearl of the Ocean, shone brightly in the distance as our maiden voyage found its way home. Shouts of joy and murmurs of plans once the sailors were no longer adrift spread throughout the ships like wildfire, while in the officer's quarters, Abdel Simon and I feverishly confer about what we saw Almuzaharan jungle, and how we could deal with it.

In the monthlong journey back to the Old World, we've confirmed that Hassan Saqat - the same Hassan Saqat we had seen vanish after drinking of the Fountain of Youth - was not only back on board, but if not completely unaware of the events of our previous months, then very good at hiding his knowledge. While Oumar Bennani, the dog, had long since vanished, the sailors seemed to all believe he had fallen overboard and drowned, without any indication that he had gone into the jungle with us. Clearly greater forces were at play - had we simply dreamt our month adrift, or had the jungle scrambled our minds? Something must have happened - but as a humble explorer, I have no idea where I would even begin to look.

Yesterday, though, a first clue may have presented itself. For the briefest instant, I made eye contact with a well-built, swarthy man who I instantly knew I had seen in the jungle. But who that apparent sailor was, or how I remembered him, remain a mystery, and I will need to locate him as soon as possible.

december 26, XXX459

The next day at sunrise, they are in another tower. Again near the top, again with a soaring view over the shining buildings and distant vistas of the landscape, but in a room clearly designed for battle. Aside from an enormous contraption in the center of the room, it is only plain white walls and empty space and the two of them.

"This is where you will train," the woman says.

"Train for what? You haven't told me anything."

"The less you know, the better."

"For you, maybe. I can't fight Herrera for you if you don't tell me what he's doing."

She sighs, weighing her words. "In the future, at the confluence of two rivers, there will be a confederation of all times, brought together by now-undiscovered technology and dedicated to the maintenance of peace and order in its temporal jurisdiction. But it is not the only state of its time. There are others, less concerned with the fate of the past, and content to leave their timelines in chaos."

"What does our doctor have to do with any of this?"

For a brief moment he thinks she's about to open up, but instead, she remains sanguine. "I've already said too much. Now, to your training. Step into this enclosure for me." For all intents and purposes, it looks like a solid-chrome death trap. It's an enormous metal pen, firmly shut in all directions, with what appear to be jagged spikes on the walls.

"What is that thing?"

"You'll see. Now, in-" unsure, he does so, and with a blood-chilling click does she shut the door behind him - "and you'll need to get out of this box now."

"What are you talking about?"

"Meet me on the twelfth floor when you get out. If I'm not there, just ring me." He pounds at the walls, but from the distant footsteps he senses she has already gone.

He tries to wedge his fingertips into the crack of the gate, but to no avail. He shifts around, briefly hoping to knock it over while carefully working around the spikes, but the box he has somehow allowed himself to be locked inside of is far too large for that. He scours every last inch of the surface for some secret compartment, but there is none. And he isn't sure if it's just his imagination, but with every loop around the inside of the enclosure, with every step over a spike and every return to square one, the box feels just a bit smaller...

[Montana Verde]

Miena San Hosana – 2 (1)
(35’), (42’, 76’)

Montaña Verde – 5 (3)
Mateo; Castiglione, Jairo (35’ Tafalla ), Arquímedes, Justin (87’); Ana-Ximena (81’); Valentinha (39’) (69’ Emma (83’)), Primitivo (19’ pen.) (72’ Julia Varela ), Kristjana; Thiago Montilla (60’), Osito (24’, 32’)

Article from the Verdean soccer magazine, Cuatro-Cuatro-Dos.

Glorious moments fade into past as clubs struggle to hold on to key players

Three years ago, Calequén had the greatest run of any Verdean club in the history of international club fútbol. Popular domestic champions from the Verdean second city of Chicupilla, Calequén were totally unheralded at the international level, but made it all the way to the semi-finals of the FFI’s Taça das Confederações. It was a true Citlalmina* story. But now, most of the players associated with the Sun Kings’ most glorious moment are fleeing overseas, seeking a bigger pay day, a more competitive league – or just a safer place to play. It leaves many Verdean fútbol fans concerned about the future of the Campeanato Nacional if it is unable to hold on to the best players, as well as fearing a slide back into international irrelevance for their clubs.

Calequén were led by Edelberto, at the time also the captain of the national team. Along with Jairo, Castiglione and Ana-Ximena, the Sun Kings provided the majority of the starting defense for the Condors, as well as strikers Isabel Páez and Morterero. Their journey began in The Sarian, unexpectedly holding CF Bonstad to a 2–2 draw when midfielder Xico snatched a 77th minute equalizer, following Castiglione’s early strike. On the return trip to Chicupilla, the Sun Kings pulled off a famous victory, with their strong defense holding firm, and Isabel Páez smashing in a goal that would send them to the group stage of the Liga dos Vencedores.

There they faced a tough draw, including Calamari Wanderers CFC – the Squidroidian team who would end up winning the LdV title – along with experienced Blue Strike Zoloroni from Mercedini and Porter City out of Kohnhead. They drew the latter two at home but were smashed by the Wanderers, while struggled on the road with high-scoring defeats in Mercedini and Kohnhead. But another famous, historic victory beckoned in Squidroidia, where tiny Calequén of unheralded Montaña Verde defeated the eventual champions, the Wanderers, in their own stadium. Xico’s 89th minute winner brought rapture to the Rainforest Republic even as the Sun Kings finished 3rd in their group and were relegated to the TdC.

Drawn against Dury FC from Poafmersia, a high ranked nation in international football, the Sun Kings’ defense held firm, Gabriel Sancho notching up two more clean sheets behind a superb defensive showing from Jairo and Edelberto. During the LdV group stage Isabel Páez had led the way with 4 goals, but now it was Xico’s turn to step up, scoring in both legs of the tie as the Sun Kings swept Dury 2–0 (Jairo the other scorer) and 1–0. The Sun Kings had a date with destiny in Pemecutan. A 2–1 win followed, Morterero scoring a brace including the 90th minute winner, to give them a huge advantage with 2 away goals.

Back home, they looked to have blown their chance. Pesetih Titih wiped out the away goal advantage in just 36 minutes and the Sun Kings were staring at elimination. But with time running out, Ana-Ximena showed her class with a rocket strike to square up the tie at 3–3 and force extra time. The defense redoubled, and half an hour later the Sun Kings were going to penaltes. Xico, Castiglione, and captain Edelberto all stepped up and scored, while Gabriel Sancho pulled off two great saves. It was left to Isabel Páez to take the decisive fourth penalty, which she blasted two inches inside the left post. The Sun Kings had won!

In the spirit of a true Citlalmina, there was no happy ending. Sporting Esper ground them down in the semi-finals; it was a year when Zwangzug’s clubs were not messing around. But reaching the competiton semi-finals was a momentous achievement for Calequén. Ordinarily, it would be one that a legacy could be built on. Instead, that legacy’s foundations are crumbling as most of the players associated with it flee.

Ana-Ximena and Isabel Páez were the first to go, heading for Cassadaigua. A year later Edelberto retired from international play. Jairo was expected to succeed him as captain – but instead put in for a transfer. Morterero and Castiglione followed suit, and Xico and Gabriel Sancho too are now demanding more money than Calequén can afford to keep them. The core of that successful team is crumbling as the Sun Kings find themselves unable to offer the financial security – or actual security, as violence continues to rumble on in the background of the Rainforest Republic – to convince those who gave them those glorious moments of the past to help them write another great story.

* Citlalmina is a Verdean folk story figure. In the fairy tale, Citlalmina was a poor urchin who was given a chance to attend a lavish ceremony at the Palace of the Jaguar Prince, with her humble rags turned into a fine feathered dress and everyday knick-knacks into magnificent jade jewelry. However, her finery would turn back at the stroke of midnight, forcing her to flee early from the ball, leaving the Jaguar Prince heartbroken, and searching for the owner of a jade bracelet – the only item she left behind. After searching the kingdom for a woman whose wrist was a perfect fit for the bracelet, the Jaguar Prince discovered the impoverished Citlalmina was the perfect fit. Unfortunately for Citlalmina she didn’t look half as good when not all magically scrubbed up, so the Jaguar Prince pretended the bracelet was a better fit for another girl, who didn’t have such a heartwarming backstory but whose ass was an absolute peach (explaining why the pre-Christian story is one of the few the notoriously callipygian Græntfjallers permitted to survive their campaign of Christianization [see previous RP]). Citlalmina died in poverty or something, idk who cares. For this reason, in Verdean sports terminology, a Citlalmina story is often used colloquially to refer to a sporting minnow overcoming a giant or having a successful tournament, only to fail at the last moment.

[HUElavia]

Colossal Comeback!

HUElavia overcomes and survives Kriegiersien in thrilling comeback!

HUElavia 3-2 Kriegiersien
(Navarro 72', Hamada-Navarro 83', Mendieta 90+3'| Peerson 23', Rothschild 45+2')
(Theatre of Light, Kistina, Poafmersia)

(OOC: Decided to put the title and scoreline due to time issues, chose to write with RP prompt)

Looking back at the Football History of HUElavia, the team had mainly been a team just sent out to the World Cup Qualifiers. First ever match for HUElavia ended in a 2-1 victory, although the team ended up losing several matches and finished last in their group. The first real taste of success was in IAC 8, where HUElavia lost the first two matches and was staring at another possible early elimination. From there, the team began to grow and won three straight to advance as runners up in the Group, behind Omerica. The Round-of-16 match against Lisander was notable, given that we had a growing rivalry in Futsal, and with HUElavia winning, it showed we meant business. But, the genuine point that put us on the NSS Multiverse map was the Quarter-Finals against Kelssek. With the odds very much against us, a 3-0 hammering in the match put the entire IAC on notice. Despite finishing runners up to Recuecn, the hosts of IAC 8, it was a great tournament for HUElavia, and the start of the team's strong showings.

The Qualifiers for World Cup 84 was a historic one for the team, which included the first ever female players on the roster (including Hamada-Navarro). We swept Mercedini, which was another growing rival at the time, and a first in sweeping a better team than us. We dominated the group, only finishing behind Group Favorites, Starblaydia. It truly was an exciting time for the team and country, making our first ever World Cup. From there, we made an impact from the start, with Navarro (who was 17 at the time) coming on late, and scoring HUElavia's first ever World Cup goal to win over Zwangzug. A tough match against Banija came upon us, which the team fell short in a 0-2 loss. The final match against Farfadillis was filled with emotions, with goals flying in left and right. Hamada scored a late goal to give us a 4-3 victory, and making her the first ever female player to score at a World Cup, but a late winner by Banija saw us eliminated on tiebreakers, despite getting 6 Points. Regardless, it was the best showing of the team to date at the World Cup.

IAC 9 is truly the most special IAC tournament for the team and country. Being the first major football tournament hosted by the country, we went all out with the hosting. Major stadiums located throughout our large country in different time zones, all highlighting the different cultures and societies in our nation. We really went all out with our matches, getting 7 Points in the Group Stage, including a historic 2-0 opening victory over Kriegiersien in Curumba. There were plenty of upsets, including the early elimination of tournament favorites Free Republics, Lisander, and SRS. Early exits of Recuecn, Drawkland, and Terre Septentrionale. We saw the surprising runs of TJUN-ia, Port Ember, and Poafmersia. At the end, it was an all Lusophone Final, with HUElavia taking on New Luisitania. To this date, out of the 4 consecutive finals we lost, that final in Curumba stings the most. We felt very certain we had the momentum, team and crowd to lift the title in our National Stadium. Alas, it was not meant to be. The "Curumbazo" was given, with New Luisitania winning 4-3, and we were left to wonder what could have been.

Since then, it's been difficult moments for the team. Two more losses in the IAC Finals to Poafmersia, along with a terrible Group Stage exits in WC 85 and 88 (although with the positive of playing in an opening match of World Cup 85 against Champions and Co-hosts Farfadillis), two surprising early exits in the Cup of Harmony knockouts, all culminated in a 3-0 Quarter-Finals loss against Tequillo in IAC 12, signaling the end of a golden era for the team and the need for a "rebuild."

We've had difficult moments, and with this current team, it may be the last run some of these players have to make something happen. Despite the struggles of the team, we've always held our heads high, and we're always determined to bring home an international title. For now, we focus on the Play-in round in IAC 13, with a solid squad of experienced players before the new crop of players come onto the main roster. With Coach Conavacio, we feel optimistic of the possibilities this team has in both the IAC and the WC/CoH, as well as our strong youth teams. Here's to a great tournament and bright future.

FORCA HUELAVIA! VAMOS HUELAVIA! GO HUELAVIA!

[The H Corporation]

- First Eleven
PO - Sierra Gill Willis (Bill) | 21 years | H District FC
Born in the richest capital city of the H Corporation, he played in the youth academy of the H New District but was called up to play for H District FC. He was outstanding in the first season and became one of the youngsters with a bright future, winning most of the league cups with the team that picked him up and has very big ambitions
LB - America Hansen Grows | 32 years | H Maquina Force
Born in a very conflictive neighborhood, he is fierce, strong, and very smart. He is known for getting the most red cards in the league, but overall a great man that it isn't intimidated by the enemy in front of him. He works at the H Maquina and is a very serious man
CB - Pearl Torres Jennings | 25 years |H Agricultural Corps
Living comfy in a small village in the mountains, he joined the Agricultural Corps to get something to do on his free time, he became the team captain of his team on the 17th Season, giving his team their first promotion to the League A
RB - Dale Fernandez Potter | 18 years | H District FC
A very strong kid, he cannot be stopped and he can take you down just by staying close to you. He always goes to the gym and runs every 2 days 100K, and he was immediately called up for the first team and proved himself to be the strongest Right-Back in the league
CDM - Duscha Gomez May (Captain) | 38 years | H District FC
Served in the youth academy of One AC but was sold to the best bidder, and so the H District got their hands on him. They made him the best CDM of the league who lead the H District FC to what it is now, one of the strongest teams with the most cups in their history
CM - Dallas Moore Dalton | 26 years | H Red Jeans
He played for the H Loopers but was contacted by the reds to help them to get their promotion to League A. But it is known to be the fastest CM, but not the smartest
CM - Jowan Perez Shah | 26 years | H Faster Boots
As the name of the team says, they focus on agility and speed plus some technique with the ball on their feet. Even though the team has been involved in serious cases of corruption, Jowan is an honest man who plays for the people and only for the people, he accepted to be on the national team because the people wanted him to be there
LM - Onofre Sanchez Eaton | 28 years | H People's Team
He is a very tall man, and even though he would be a great man on the front he prefers to be on the sides serving as great support for the offensive and defensive, he moves around and can dribble his enemies. He is a man of great values and plays the way he wants
RM - Henning Palmer Singleton | 24 years | H District FC
He is the definition of the perfect man, he has the money, the beauty, and the abilities that made him being admired, he is a very respectful man. But on the field he is fierce, making fun of his enemies and destroying them and he was involved in corruption scandals with other players. The perfect man to deceive the enemy players
CF - Roald Harris Simon | 35 years | H Nordian Districts
He is a man born in the capital, the man who describes very well the culture of the H Corporation. He cares only for the money and a good salary, he played for the H District, H Kleinmerg, H Red Jeans, and now with the Nordians, he only cares for himself and wants to be the center of attention and has everything he calls a "Simple life"
ST - Harris Quinn Brewer | 20 years | H District FC
Scoring 100th goals in just 3 seasons, Harris never misses a shot and no one can stop him. He was born in a small town nearby a Japanese community and every day watched Captain Tsubasa, making him the most dramatic top scorer in the league
- Substitutes
PO - Jac Rose Hoffman | 41 years | H Nordian Districts
LB - Urbano Mitchell Pennington | 25 years | H Kleinmerg
CB - Benjamin Cook Roach (Ben) | 19 years | H Maquina Force
RB - Quan Cole Huber (Klas) | 20 years | H District FC
CDM - Leandro Young Turner | 34 years | H District FC
CM - Sol Sanders Potts | 26 years | H Pleems
CM - Hope Kemp Leon | 27 years | H Pleems
LM - Niels Morton Perez (Cole) | 23 years | H Haarvey
RM - Alvaro John Griffin (Gino) | 32 years | H District
CF - Rolf Gibson Ingram | 25 years | H Pleems
ST - Viggo Kay Mueller | 19 years | H Pleems
- Reserves
PO - Elmo Rogers Hensley | 23 years | H District FC
CB/RB - Diesel White Mullen | 25 years | H Mini Reds
CM/CDM - Addai Anderson Lynn (Dru) | 34 years | H Nordian Districts
RM/CM - Princeton Line Donnelly | 22 years | H Faster Boots
ST - Kalim Nelson Berger (Nels) | 26 years | H District FC
LM/LB - Sara Jacobs Horton | 40 years | H White Shirts
- Coach
Dr. Zeus Brown Torres | 56 years | Free Agent

3-5-1-1

My opponent, if they RP first, may do the following:
Choose my goalscorers: Yes
Godmod scoring events: No
RP injuries to my players: Yes
Godmod injuries to my players: No
Hand out yellow cards to my players: Yes
Hand out red cards to my players: Yes
Godmod other events: Yes

[Trolleborg]

Greetings, compatriots!
It’s TTV from Poafmersia, where our team take part in IAC-13. Our second opponent is very well known to the every football-conscious inhabitant of Trolleborg – we play them in our first ever game in World Cup Qualifiers and very often after that. No one we meet on the football field more times than Abanhfleft. Looked like in recent season they are have some sort of bleak times in the life, but as much more experienced team, opponents always put a serious problems for our lads, but nonetheless luck was usually on our side and this somehow evened chances.

And what happened this evening, can also be counted as a rather unlucky defeat for Abanhfleft.
Altought our lads opened score with a great shot of Finnsnes from distance (with wind and slight ricochet helped a lot)

but after that Abanhfleft bring game totally on our side of the field, ball almost don’t crossed central line for a twenty minutes. “This was really tough!”, – tell us our defence strongman Troger. – “They are always tough opponents to have to deal with, but this time it’s something special”. Under pressure our team cracked, with one of forwards move fast into the box on the seemingly unproblematical cross and put the ball into the net with only one touch.

Almost immediately Abanhfleft can score second goal: after a cross from the flank our goalkeeper will be powerless to do something after header from blank point, but, fortunately, ball flew wide of the post.

Near the halftime our lads, with visible troubles, move game to the mid field, and after the break begin to press forward. Somewhere in the middle of second half Abanhfleft players moved forward in numbers, trying to change course of game. And our lads craftily use this moment. Long ball almost from our box find a feet of Stuart Kerr and he was run right to the box and score. Altought many in our own camp agreed with defenders, who argue that our player was offside, referee decide otherwise – and electronic devices prove him right.

Abanhfleft players spend not a small amount of efforts, but don’t change a score on the table. “Probably, they are under influence of their too-long protracted serie of undeserved failures”, – summed up one well-known Trolleborg pundit.

[Kohnhead]

Johnson's goal the difference between Kohnhead and Squidroidia

In a battle between two of the better teams in the IAC in Kohnhead and Squidroida, The Brains knocked off the defending runner ups in this first stage matchup as we improve to 2-0-0 with what many would consider to be an upset. The Inklings much like us are coming off of a very poor Cup of Harmony after they too failed to make it out of the Group Stage with Murphtannia being their kryptonite while ours was Eraman. And also like us they beat a much lower ranked team in their first game as they took down Minardinia 1-0 thanks to a goal from Villa player Makino Hideo.

At Matty Horis Stadium the two would meet and it would be The Brains who walked away with the win thanks to a 29th minute goal from Sophie Johnson which led to an hour of us furiously defending and trying to hold. Squidroidia are known for their defensive tactics and so it was a bit of a surprise when we scored so early but as one might expect from us it was on a counter attack.

A shot from Sho Itō was blocked by Claire Corton on the edge of the box and the ball fortunately bounced right to Suzanna Barter. Barter saw Laker to her left on the wing and played him the ball with lots of open space. Laker centered the ball into Rallyton who turned and passed it on to Korkson who drove before playing a through ball to Sophie Johnson who finished with perfection passed Takemoto Shingen in goal. Just like that it was 1-0 Kohnhead ahead of a quality side for the first time this tournament.

We were content to let Squidroidia control the possession and most of the attacks for the rest of the game opting to try and counter if the opportunity presented itself which it did a few times while keeping lots of bodies back. We brought on Donaldson for the goalscorer at around 60 minutes to slide back and pitch in defensively and Rodar was removed for Prius-Leonard in the 72nd minute after looking gassed. Squidroidia's best chance would come in the 84th minute with time running out when Hideo got behind the defense but a last second clean tackle from behind by Atkinson right before Hideo was to shoot a surefire goal would keep us in the lead.

Michael White was extremely pleased with our performance after the game saying this was the exact start that we needed if we wanted to go far in the tournament something that we really haven't done at the IAC with our best result being the Round of 16. In the broad scheme of stage 1 things this sets Kohnhead in tied for 3rd in the table with HUElavia and Srednjaci behind Tandeg Suci and Reçueçn in first.

Our next match will be against the aforementioned Tandeg Suci who came into this unranked in their first ever tournament and they as you can see from the table have done quite well upsetting Space in their first match before dominating the Federative Republic of Brasilia 3-0 in their second. I think that we should and will be able to take them but they have shown they are not a team to mess around with. Kohnhead are already secured a spot in the next round pretty much but I would like us to do well here to ensure that we get into the first pot and have the momentum for the second stage.

[Kencana]

Kencana's second match in the International Associations Championship was against Roless, a nation making its debut on the international stage. Kencana came into the match without much knowledge about their opponent. Roless lost 4-2 to HUElavia in their first match. That’s all the Kencanans know about Roless. The defeat to HUElavia cannot be an indicator of how strong Roless is because HUElavia is a top team that Kencana themselves will have a hard time playing against.

So the players gave their all and find themselves a goal up as early as the 6th minute. Merdeka Ali with a simple tap-in converting a very good team moves into a goal to make it 1-0. He got his second just five minutes later through a penalty kick after he was brought down in the penalty box by the goalkeeper. Kencana, now brimming with confidence upped their game and found their third and fourth in the 22nd and 31st respectively through Lukman Aslam and Shakil Moktar.

Leading 4-0 at the break, Kencana was in a celebration mood in the dressing room. It was all smiles. They thought they had won the match. It was the most impressive 45 minutes they have ever played. Kencana’s head coach Ali Azam made three changes to the team by resting the front three Merdeka Ali, Lukman Aslam, and Shakil Moktar in favor of Zainal Hassan, Zulkifli Said, and Dollah Zahir.

Complacent with the result, Kencana slowed down their tempo in the second half. No sense of urgency and just happy to kill time. Roless took advantage of this and scored a goal in the 79th minute. But it proved to be no more than a consolation as they were no more goal scored after that. 4-1 at Naksa Stadium. Kencana got their first victory in the International Associations Championship. That was one of the most glorious moments for the Kencana national team.

But the real test for Kencana will come in the next match where they will face HUElavia who won their first 2 matches in the championship. Ranked 28 in the world, HUElavia is one of the best sides in the championship and is the clear favorite for the match against Kencana. For the Kencanans back home, this is what they want to see, Kencana playing against top nations. Kencana playing against World Cup qualifiers.

[Felinetopia]

OOC: Emer Clery's POV

The train slowly came to a stop. Welcome to Mancodas. The doors opened as everyone rushed to get out. We stayed back to let the rush through as to not get crushed by the crowd. The Mwangi sisters wouldn't have to worry about that but being a small cat, I do risk getting crushed by the crowd or falling through the gap. The crowd thined out and we got off the train and onto the platform. Walking into the train station lobby, we marveled at the wooden interior and the marbled floors. To be honest, I'm shocked that the station looked old-fashioned compared to the modernity of Mancodas that I have read about while riding the train here. I can still feel last night's game though we did win against Franco-Canadian Michigan 1-0. I guess the long travel times have really taken a toll on us especially the day after the game. Thankfully Sarah Silver agreed to meet at the coffee shop near the train station. It feels quite weird talking to an international opponent days before we play them but it seems like it's the best day to talk to her about this. Eshianland's prospects in the tournament aren't great and might exit the tournament early.

"Alright, I have some important business to attend to the coffee shop across the street." I said to the Mwangi sisters. "It shouldn't take more than an hour. Have fun and see you later!" As we all chirped good-bye in the train station. I walked into the streets of Mancodas and damn, these buildings are really tall! Looking up at the buildings trying to find the sign for the coffee shop, The Owlery. I spotted the sign for it and rushed across the walkway to the coffee shop. After pushing the door opened, I noticed a familiar face. So I sauntered over to her and jumped up to the table. Upon jumping up onto the table, the barista scorned me for being a cat before I told her that I was here for someone. He looked shocked when I talked to him and he sheepishly left us alone.

"Hello Emer," said Sarah Silver. "Aren't you going to order some coffee?"

"Hi Sarah!" I replied. "No. Only a few cats can drink it as it poisons most of us. Anyways, I hope you're doing well despite the first two games."

"Yeah, everything's fine. It just that we had an off game after finding out that Monaghan has found a job."

"Wow. Sounds like she was not a great coach. Out of what I heard from the board, that she was a very successful coach who lead you guys through the group stage with 5 victories and one draw. Out of what I saw, she was a fine coach during the game in Kampawla but she was strangely missing in our game against you guys in Eshialand City."

"Yeah, there's a reason why she was not there for that game. We left her in Kampawla."

"Wait. Why?"

"Well... she was very abusive towards us as she expected us to constantly train as soccer is the ONLY thing that we should be doing. It's if we were robots to her and expected perfection which is nigh on impossible, you know. Besides, we aren't made to just do one thing over and over such as training. We need to have fun in order to play well and she just sucked the fun out of soccer."

Oh wow. I didn't know that she was like that. No wonder she was left behind in Kampawla. I thought she was fine when you played us the first time but apparently something more was going on behind her demeanor in that game. But I have to ask, how did you leave her behind?"

"On the trip to Kampawla, she took allergy medication because she had some cat allergy issues. Harriet sneakily stole the medication which caused her to have a sneezing fit throughout the match. I initially felt guilty for letting Harriet steal the medication but her abuse was just too much to handle. Thankfully we got a new coach after that match who treated us much better."

"and yet somehow she got a job at my club. How in the world did she deal with her cat allergies. The mail? Special order through the pharmacy?!" I took a deep breath to calm myself down. "I guess I have to tell my teammates about her and I'm transfering out of the club as soon as I get back. Monaghan may get mad at me but based off what I've heard from you, I'm not going to deal with her and hopefully at least some of my teammates will also get out of dodge."

"Yeah. Hopefully she doesn't last long there. Anyways, I have a question. What do you guys eat in Felinetopia?"

I answered her question and we talked about our homelands which I find Eshialand pretty fascinating.

[Sajnur]

IAC 13: Sajnur Roster

Core players in bold

Player                  Age  G  Position       Club

Alek Khadur             34   M  GK             Crossroads 
Piotr Laghiev           37   M  GK             FK Khadur
Natasha Kirai           26   F  GK             Capitals Javoser

Taulant Haji            31   M  RB/RM/LB/LM    Hondo FC 
Silja Jorse             24   F  RB/RW/LB/LW    AFC Treason 
Hatu Raglan             27   M  RB/CB          Canalave Dragons 
Tomasi Vuierev          33   M  CB/RB          Chuckio FC 
Kabas Verjez            28   M  CB/CDM         Rivers Roskjepa
Stefan Jana             32   M  CB             Ciarkhan City
Kahala Murje [vc]       26   F  LB/CB          AFC Treason 
Hela Isarghie           28   F  LB/LM          Latrobe Athletic 

Kaori Hajat             33   M  CDM/CB         Capitals Javoser
Zain Hasan              32   M  CDM/CM         Rivers Roskjepa
Toljo Latvala           25   F  CDM/CB         Ka'in United
Metiria Ocango          31   F  CDM/CM         Capitals Javoser
Tatiana Pavlov          27   F  CM/LM/LW       Border FC
Dario Tule              35   M  RM/RW          Hamiltonian Cambria 
Jessica Siafik [c]      30   F  CM/CAM/CF      Kingsgrove 
Cristiano Karaji        27   M  LM/LB          Marinos Metropolis 
Sian Levici             34   M  CAM/LW/CM      Red Star Tisinar

Parjazu                 28   O  CF/RW/RM/ST    Sarim Potato FC[/b] (Poafmersia)
Ella Ciuru              25   F  CF/LW/ST       Stormers FC
Andre Naulo             32   M  ST             Sabrefell Athletic 
Basuli Maktar           30   M  ST             Traal Athletics[/b] 
Ahmed Nazar             32   M  LW/ST/LM       Capital FC (Xanneria)

Manager: Kayla Dosarya (40)
Typical Formations: 3-5-2, 3-4-3, 4-3-3
Style Modifier: +4
Free Kicks: Siafik, Jorse, Ocango
Corners: Siafik, Nazar, Jorse
Penalties: Anyone on a hattrick, otherwise whoever wins the penalty

I Give My Opponent Permission To:
=================================
Choose My Goalscorers:        Y
Godmod Goalscoring Events:    Y, but TG me for FIFA style bullshit
Injure Players:               Y
Godmod Injury Events:         Y, but I decide severity
Red Card Players:             Y
Yellow Card Players:          Y
Godmod other events:          TG me
=================================

Jerseys, by Brusseldorf