Jenna Raven Cup II/15th Women's World Cup Everything Thread

[Eshialand]

The Return

"...look, William, I'm only telling you the cold hard facts here..." Coach Morgan explained to the monarch, "...we don't need a Women's World Cup. Why would we need it? Our women play in the regular World Cup Qualifying, and they do a damned good job if I do say so myself! What use could you possibly have--"
"Frankly, it's more money for the association."

How did we get here? How did we wind up in a situation where the king and Coach Morgan were arguing about the Jenna Raven Cup, of all things? Well, I'll let the coach do the talking.

"The first tournament wasn't seen well in the association's eyes, Will. I'm telling you the truth, we thought it was useless and a failure. Not only was it something that, again, is far from necessary in a gender-integrated nation, but that elimination against Saterun only served to damper the national morale! Why, oh why..."
"How did you recruit Faith Krupp for the national team?"
"Well, through the Jenna Raven--"
"And has she been successful?"
"Sir, she only has 2 caps. How is that--"
"She fills a valuable role on the team. We need backup strikers, simple as that. And didn't she score a goal in her only start?"
"I suppose... wait, you're still being irrational! Use this as a development tournament?! Be reasonable!"
"I am reasonable."
"Please, can we have any other reason for this?"
"I have plenty. Think of all the women who can't break into the national team. They want a chance to play, a chance to represent the national team. This is their chance! Aren't you all about every player getting a chance to shine?"

"Don't guilt me into this William..."
"So it's working."
"No, but..."
"It's working."

"Fine, you're right," Coach admitted, "I'll do it... on one condition!"
"You name it!"
"You make more investments into sporting academies across the country."
"Double the funding!!"

"Well, I guess it was a pleasure doing business with you..."
"And one more thing!" the king yelled as Coach Morgan was leaving the room.
"Hm?"
"We're playing all of those home matches in Cincinnati! I've heard there was a lot of anti-Eshian, pro-American sentiment bubbling up there, so one of my advisors decided that we could use some sports-themed political influence in there!"
"Of course they did, that's just like your advisors... have a nice day, William."
"And to you as well!"

---

2 weeks later...

"Coach Morgan! Lovely to see you today!"
"You called me..."
"So you heard about the draw for the Jenna Raven Cup?"
"No, I slept through it..."
"Oh, then I have some news for you..."
"What about?"
"We're moving one of the matches to Eshialand City after all."
"Why?"
"Just think, what kind of opponent would sell out Cincinnati so quickly that I'd have to move it to Eshialand City..."
"You've gotta be kidding me."

Group A
Sarzonia
Eshialand
HUElavia
Atheara

"...of course you weren't kidding me."
"Why would I kid about a match like that?"
"...you always confuse me."
"Isn't that my job?"
"Your job is exerting a small amount of political influence and rubber-stamping laws that have already passed for all intents and purposes!"
"...I like this job better."

Coach Morgan leaves the room in frustration at the king's continued childishness. He expected this from someone like Alice Carroll, not the King of Eshialand, of all people.

[Sarzonia]

We're done waiting. Let the games begin and let's get the party started!

Group A
Sarzonia 1-1 Atheara
Eshialand 1-HUElavia 2

- Group A              Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts
1 HUElavia              1    1  0  0    2   1  +1   3
2 Atheara               1    0  1  0    1   1   0   1
3 Sarzonia              1    0  1  0    1   1   0   1
4 Eshialand             1    0  0  1    1   2  -1   0

Group B
Abanhfleft 1-2 The 14 Stars
Galliena 2-2 StrayaRoos

- Group A              Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts
1 The 14 Stars          1    1  0  0    2   1  +1   3
2 Galliena              1    0  1  0    2   2   0   1
3 StrayaRoos            1    0  1  0    2   2   0   1
4 Abanhfleft            1    0  0  1    1   2  -1   0

Group C
Sharktail 5-0 United States of Devonta
Muralos 2-0 Qasden

- Group A              Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts
1 Sharktail             1    1  0  0    5   0  +5   3
2 Muralos               1    1  0  0    2   0  +2   3
3 Qasden                1    0  0  1    0   2  -2   0
4 Devonta               1    0  0  1    0   5  -5   0

Group D
Lisander 4-1 Equestria
Banija 2-1 Baker Park

- Group A              Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts
1 Lisander              1    1  0  0    4   1  +3   3
2 Banija                1    1  0  0    2   1  +1   3
3 Baker Park            1    0  0  1    1   2  -1   0
4 Equestria             1    0  0  1    1   4  -3   0

Group E
Schima Bas 3-0 Kriegiersien
United Adaikes 4-2 Zeta, Reka and Hugeltaldom

- Group A              Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts
1 Schima Bas            1    1  0  0    3   0  +3   3
2 United Adaikes        1    1  0  0    4   2  +2   3
3 ZRH*                  1    0  0  1    2   4  -2   0
4 Kriegiersien          1    0  0  1    0   3  -3   0

*Note: ZRH stands for Zeta, Reka and Hugeltaldom, as the full name wouldn't fit on the table as formatted

[Atheara]

One - One, Recentico Fever
Atheara draws level with Sarzonia, and to prepare for El Recentico yet again.

FULL TIME RESULTS
Sarzonia 1 - 1 Atheara
Carly Wilcox (4') / Ayera Livendottir (87')

The same opening matchday, the same scoreline, the same result, and a quite familiar opponent. An interesting way to start off the 2nd Jenna Raven Cup, to say the very least. The defending champions Atheara had to face off against last tournament groupmate, host, and fourth place finisher Sarzonia to kick things off in the JRC. Carly Wilcox had obliterated the opening with a free kick several yards outside the box on the 4th minute, with Irena Svaneska barely tipping the ball over her hand, but the ball had hit the crossbar and rebounded into the net. An unlucky goal is what that is. Diana Kurettengard had tackled Carly to give Sarzonia the free kick they needed to open up the score board. She was also booked a yellow card.

Whilst the game progresses, Atheara had made several changes. Feliana Von Airenburthen was subbed on for Alexandra Neier - Heitsdel on the 39th minute, after Neier getting headbutted square on her own head by Winnie Taunton on accident. And then on the 66th minute, Lille Danshouvera was subbed off for Ayera Livendottir. Ayera would make the entire difference for Atheara in this game, as on the 87th minute, she had equalized for Atheara, after Erna Linotrovski had striked a powerful right corner into the center of the box, with a great diving header. Sarzonia once again falls to the late game equalizer, a trick that Atheara has been constantly playing for the entire past of their football existence internationally.

Meanwhile elsewhere, Eshialand would lose 1 - 2 to groupmates HUElavia, putting Eshialand at the bottom of the group, and HUElavia on top. The anticipated game between Athearan and Eshialand has caused some nervousness, but nothing the Frozen Regiment couldn't handle. Anandria Stertcthen and Dyvia Lanell - Myrta have both agreed that extra training should be a good idea, then a slight hangout for the team so that they can relax for the match. Afterall, this is Eshialand they were talking about. Eshialand tends to have the upper hand when the two sides meet, and it is a possibility that this meeting is no exceptions. However, they won't give up until they try.

And that only means that they won't go out without a fight in this JRC.

[The 14 Stars]

Starsians Women Win First Match!

In the first match against Abanhfleft they showed us their skill and why they are here, with main roles for captain Kira Blade and ace striker Holly Moonlight deciding the match in favor of the Starsian in the Jenna Raven Cup.

The Match

The crowd cheers, many people came to the match and even quite a bit of Starsians aswell as the teams readied themselves to enter the field where they would play their match just in a few minutes away.
While the older players were calm younger players shared eachothers excitement many of them not chosen for the mixed national team but still able through this team to make their international debut in the Multiverse.
Then the signal was given and both teams walked on the field they readied themselves for the game while the anthems played and all that left was shaking hands and a coinflip for kickoff which Abanhfleft won

''To a great match, may the best team win!'' Kira spoke to the opposing captain

Kickoff started, while the ball goes around in midfield playmaker Nadya Cross was busy analyzing the opponents positioning aswell trying to find gaps and weaknesses for the first ten minutes of the game.
After a good 12 minutes defender Chiara Noleia commits a foul and Abanhfleft is awarded a free kick which is narrowly missed but is a very clear warning to our Starsian girls to be on their guard while playing.
After 27 Minutes of several attack here and there by both teams a good attack from Abanhfleft is coming but this time the Starsian are prepared and use their new tactic as Klara readied herself

''Alright defense tight, attack get off you marks now, its time for the Catenaccio Counter!''

All defenders and multiple midfielders surrounded the player with the ball now being Josefine Vitagliano, she cant pass or dribble anywhere because she is encircled and Klara as acting sweeper swiftly steals the ball and delivers a long pass.
This long pass was not to Kira Blade as they expected but instead to ace striker Holly Moonlight who controlled the ball with her upper leg before taking a direct long-shot at the goal completely unexpected and within seconds surprising their goalie.
This shot is a GOAL and puts The 14 Stars at a 1 point lead before halftime, but it is not over yet.

In the 44th minute it once again happens this time Hiroko Kellerman the one being encircled, Klara once again uses the Catenaccio Counter to steal the ball and deliver a long pass this time actually to Kira Blade instead.
Now Kira has the ball there is no stopping her, she manages on her own to play herself through 5 defenders and one of them Rose Bane even getting the ball played through between her legs after a show of skill from Kira Blade who takes on the goal 1 on 1 and SCORES!!!
Now within 45 minutes The 14 Stars was at a very comfortable lead again their opponents

Halftime

''Alright girls, you perfectly executed these tactics in the first half and as you have seen we are at a two point lead.
We are now gonna kill the match, literally by only defending instead and annoying the other team to force them to get annoyed and make fouls which will be in our favor and when we can we can counter and go for even a third goal."
But most importantly is maintaining this lead and ensuring our win here, we need those first 3 points to have a headstart because we also have to play two other opponents yet of which we barely know anything.

So go out there girls and win that match, prove that you are the best on the field here today!''

2nd Half

In the second half as expected a very attacking attitude from their opponents forced them into defense but the quick technical game of the Starsian and the fact that their defense was also very good made that a hard task.
Our girls went for every pass every shot and would defend our lead at any cost but in the end in Abanhfleft managed to score atleast 1 goal to save their own honor respectfully done by Claudia Roos who from a corner in the 66th minute scored with a great header, that had to be said there was simply no stopping in such a strong attack and even the Starsian critics describe it as an deserved goal.
Further the game remained deadlocked, with trying to equalize the score but the defense was tight and also 2 new subs from The 14 Stars were brought in in the midfield to create a more defensive line-up and finally ending the match in a 1-2 win for us

Match summary

The 14 Stars:
Goals: Holly Moonlight & Kira Blade
Substitutions
In: Laura Cosmora, Sarah Nolan
Out: Nadya Cross, Bertha Bernard

Abanhfleft:
Goals: Claudia Roos

Looking to the next match

For Our next match we dont know much on our opponent Galliena, what we do know is that they play with two forwards which makes them a more offensive team then Abanhfleft with a single forward.
Furhter their 4 defenders prove quite a challenge but on the midfield we do have an advantage due to their 4-3-1-2 formation and seemingy offensive style leaving gaps in the defence every now and then.
In this match the Catenaccio Counter will surely not work, it is expected an offensive formation with support from the midield by pressuring the sides of the field will have to be the key to beat this less known team here, further they are a mystery.

[United Adaikes]

In their first international football match, Everill scored a hat-trick. Adaikesians won at home 4-2.

But just before they savored their win, they had an awful start. Eleven minutes into the match, DCL Leta Delgado turned a low cross into her net, with the visitors taking the lead (0-1).

But right before the half ended, STR Aveline Everill put a header from the center of the box to the bottom right corner (1-1). MCR Charmaine Maldonaldo assisted the goal with a cross following a corner.

The first half ended after 3 minutes of additional time.

Before the second half started, midfielder Tilly Huff replaced AMC Joanne Lane.

Everill got her second goal in the 56th minute after she put a left-footed shot from the center of the box to the high center of the goal, assisted again by Maldonaldo (2-1). Maldonado exchanged passes with DR Sparrow Loyola on the left before cutting back for Everill to calmly slot in.

Zeta, Reka and Hugeltaldom missed a clear chance when their star forward, which was clean through on goal, fluffed her attempted chip over Adaikesian captain GK Abby Kidd.

Eleven minutes after the last goal, Everill scored another goal by another left-footed shot from very close range to the bottom left corner, assisted by Huff (3-1).

In the 72nd minute, ST Dona Scarlett replaced Everill, much to the dismay of (but full of gratitude from) the Adaikesian fans watching the game. But less than ten minutes into the game, Scarlett placed a right-footed shot from the center of the box to the bottom right corner, assist coming again from Huff (4-1). MF Alexina Willoughby then replaced Maldonado right after.

A late strike from Zeta, Reka and Hugeltaldom from the edge of the area reduced the deficit (4-2), but by then, they knew that they were already well-beaten.

United Adaikes will play next in Kriegiersien, who lost big in Schima Bas, 3-0.

United Adaikes Sports Arena (Attendance: 56, 532)
United Adaikes 4 - 2 Zeta, Reka and Hugeltaldom
Aveline Everill (45', 56', 67'), Dona Scarlett (81') - FT - Leta Delgado (11' og), unnamed (86')
HT 1-1

[Schima Bas]

Match Reports

Matchday 1: Schima Bas (3-0) Kriegiersien

‘20 Alve Hartung
‘31 Gloria Hudson
‘64 Gloria Hudson

An Explainer of the Coastal League

The Coastal League is a post-war invention, created by the Basian Women’s Sporting Association, headquartered in Dos Arbores. It is responsible for overseeing the 6 team league, its 40 game schedule, and its bizarre championship format that takes place at the end of the regular season to determine the victor.

The Basian Women’s Sporting Association was created informally during the Basian civil war, as women in the major cities saw an expansion in their personal rights because the war economy necessitated a larger non-male workforce. Women legally won the right to drive, own a firearm, and open a business, largely through the organizing of powerful women’s groups of that time.

During the war, women took over many leadership positions in places of education and medicine, as men were conscripted into the military. While before male instructors and sporting directors scoffed at the idea of young women playing football, their replacements thought of it as a way to empower the future generation of women to continue fighting for equality, a war on the pitch and in their hearts.

In this way much of the understanding of what women’s football is like in Schima Bas in tied into an understanding of the feminist movement in the country. Many of the rights won during this period only apply to major cities in Schima Bas — heavy in “Crown Authority” (Areas directly controlled by, taxed by, and owned by the Emir). Local laws may supersede these laws, and the situation for women in rural areas has been relatively unchanged for the past 200 years because of this. The Crown Authority along the Southern Coast, an area of growing development in the past 50 years, has seen a growing upper-class feminist movement, wild about football.

Women’s football exhibitions grew in size and attendance numbers as women saw a rise in wages following the post-war investment boom, and some women in the Coast saw success in starting their own businesses. These women often were motivated to give back to the schooling and upbringing of the young girls of the country. One of these women was Elanor F. Princeton, who owned the Oriole Company, a major textile producer in the region.

Princeton founded the Basian Women’s Sporting Association along with 19 other women, many capitalists like herself. In the beginning of its history, the association was a charitable organization, christian and progressive in branding and rhetoric. It established funding drives for women’s initiatives across the country, expanding access to contraceptives and raising awareness about lung cancer, a major killer of women in the country. It also worked to found girl’s sporting organizations, setting up football, baseball, and volleyball facilities around the country.

Later on, the group expanded into the realm of organizing a professional women’s league, focused in the Southern Coast region. Funding primarily came from the donation that Princeton gave the association shortly before she passed, but was supplemented with large donations from Alquerdi capitalist giants Jenny Harrelsoni, owner of Giatanio Motors, and Hope Derechi, Chief Executive at Harborough Banking Group.

The league consisted of 6 teams that would play a 40 game season. The winner of the season, on points, is named the league champion. After the season, the top 4 teams in the league table enter a playoff, with the first round being two-legged. This is where the real excitement happens for fans across the league, as the playoff-hopeful teams won’t play in their home grounds. The losing two teams will host the playoffs in their home stadiums, and then the final location is decided on a coinflip between the stadiums of the two clubs that exited the playoff in the first round. Fans attempt to attend the playoffs every year, even if their team doesn’t feature, as the tickets have been locked at an affordable rate to incentivise attendance.

The teams of the league are as follows:

Cruz AFC

Dos Arbores CF

Estrella CF

Desert Eye

Zoraboros CF

Haissa United

---

Lineup for MD2: Zeta Reka and Hugeltaldom, @ Unknown.

Abdia Tame,
Attica Houseman, Occia Allim, (C) Jis Greana, Djanne Vuzuhalle,
Shaffan Basha, Nour Abamari,
Bimi Audresi, Justice Feeley, Alve Hartung,
Hannah Junitsh

[Sarzonia]

The result of Sarzonia's opening match of the second Jenna Raven Cup, also trading as the 15th Women's World Cup could have started worse for the Sarzonian women's national football team in front of a sold out crowd of 18,194 at Nottingham Pavilion in Woodstock. They drew the defending champions Atheara 1-1, but the way the result panned out for the Stars left manager Brenda Allison fuming.

"We had the lead for nearly 83 minutes," she said as she glanced at the scoresheet given to her by a member of the Sarzonian media information personnel. "We suffered a breakdown defensively on that corner [by Erna Linotrovski, who crossed the ball to substitute Ayera Livendottir for a diving header]. We just can't afford defensive breakdowns like that. Points are just too tough to come by in this group."

It turned out to not put the Stars (0-1-0, one point) behind the eight-ball as HUElavia's Las Armarillas defeated Eshialand 2-1 in their opener to assume top of the Group A table after one match. With two teams from each group qualifying for the knockout rounds, the Stars still have time to make up ground. However, Allison said the team didn't have much room for error.

"We can't afford defensive breakdowns when we should have stepped up and controlled possession," she said. "You can't blame Marcé [George, the team's starting goalkeeper] for Livendottir's strike. We've gotta do a better job of holding onto the lead when we have one."

Sarzonia's Carly Wilcox got the team onto the scoresheet first after Diana Kurettengard tackled Wilcox outside the 18-yard box to set up the free kick. Allison argued that Kurttengard should have been booked for the tackle to no avail. However, she smiled when she was asked about Wilcox's success on the set piece goal.

"That's why we put her out there in that situation," Allison said. "We thought about Jolene [Walker-Campos] taking that kick, but Carly wanted to take it and said she was feeling good enough to do it."

Sarzonia will have to rebound quickly as their next match is away to HUElavia at Nuevo Estadio del Rio at Rio de HUEska. The 80,000-seat stadium will be a sharp contrast from the cozy Nottingham Pavilion for the Stars, but George isn't deterred by the potentially intimidating atmosphere.

"We could be playing at Dave Wilson Stadium if we make it to the final," she said, even though event organisers said the plan was to play the final at a temporarily-expanded Franz Braddock Stadium. However, if the Stars rallied and earned a spot in the final, they conceded that playing at the 105,900-seat Dave Wilson Stadium was not out of the question for the Women's World Cup.

"We're seeing strong interest for this tournament," said one organiser who asked not to be identified based on the sensitive nature of the deliberations by the Incorporated Football Federation. "We think it's entirely possible for this tournament to stand its own ground regardless of whether it gains any sanction from the WCC."

[Abanhfleft]

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

WHAT DID I TELL YA? WHAT DID I TELL YA!

Hello and welcome to The Football Fallacies. Right, so the Women's World Cup, aka the Jenna Raven Cup, has finally begun, and true to form, Abanhfleft have gone and bottled it in front of a sold out crowd at the bloody May 26 Revolution Stadium itself. Now let's take a closer look at how exactly Abanhfleft bottled a game of football all over again. You'll be surprised at how many times our women's team managed to drop the ball and snatch defeat from the jaws of victory in what was supposed to be an easily winnable game, I'll tell you that much!

So the Starsian game plan is to overload and strike on the counter. Kate Bernanos really doesn't know how to counteract this though, so all she could really do was try to beat the Starsians at their own game. And from pretty much that point on, the game was ours to lose, and we certainly did. That didn't mean we didn't give it the good old college try though. Bernanos may not have had the tactics to fit the players that she had, but that didn't stop her from trying to deliver all three points on home soil. And to their credit, the lasses were able to keep up for at least the first half hour! In fact, it was Abanhfleft who got the first shot in anger thanks to a free kick awarded to us after Josefine Vitagliano was chopped down just outside the box. Sohaila Magomedova grazed the top of the bar from this free kick, but it was a sign that Abanhfleft could also land a hit against The 14 Stars. It wasn't going to be just all them… until it was.

The 14 Stars scored the first goal of the game in the 27th minute after Holly Moonlight took a very cheeky shot at goal after noticing that Mihaela Hristova was way off of her line. It's not unusual for goalkeepers to be that far off of her line when it looks like their side has the other side pinned in their own third. But what is unusual is the fact that Moonlight was able to react so quickly to the opportunity and just sent the ball towards goal. But Mishka Hristova wasn't blameless in this whole debacle as well, and I'm not saying that just because she's from that team in that city in the salt flats! No, really, Hristova could have made a better effort to go back to her line and stop that goal from coming through! Look, I'm not asking her to suddenly grow as tall as Stephanie Bryan and use those long limbs to push or punch the ball away, but the least Hristova could do is to actually look like she's trying to get back as fast as she could! I've never seen someone less interested in going on a fast walk than the time the original Gaelic Gamers went on that jog and Dara Keane just plain didn't care for it. Christ above, Mishka. I know you're a bloody Sky Blue, but you don't have to make the entire nation suffer alongside me just because I'm a Forester through and through!

Nevertheless, it really looked to me like Abanhfleft had more than a decent chance of getting back into the game. We were just one goal down. We had more than enough time to score one or maybe even two goals! Yeah, sounds like a sound strategy, doesn't it? Except The 14 Stars wouldn't let us get this plan into motion! When at first their plan to overload the midfield and hit us on the counterattack seemed to be getting countered by our own attempts at countering them (that's a lot of counters!), they turned to just out and out swarming our own girls to steal the ball off of them. At first, it wasn't really working because our lasses were just offloading the ball when they were getting a little too much attention, but then the Starsians started adding more and more defenders to surround whoever's got the ball, and things started to go crazy. Never in my life have I seen six players actually rushing to surround one! A more savvy team might have been able to use it to their own advantage, but unfortunately for us, we're not savvy enough.

So the ball got stolen off of Hiroko Kellerman, and then it got punted off to the Starsians' "future superstar" Kira Blade, who soon found herself having to go through a significant number of Fleftic defenders. Well, I say she has to go through them, and she did. Like a bastard hot knife through bloody butter, even! That midfield of Sibusizwe Kiggwancha and Tatiana Tos might have been very effective at blocking channels and stopping many a counterattack, but when it comes to actually moving around in the midfield, oh boy! You might as well just plant two brick walls in the midfield for all the mobility that they provide! My grandmama's grandmama has got more mobility than Sibusizwe and Tos combined, and she's been six feet under for seventy years now! And then just to show us just how much they have us in the palm of their hand, Blade had the audacity to nutmeg Rose Bane before thumping it into the top right corner! A bloody bastard nutmeg!

And that's the story of how Abanhfleft went into halftime two goals down in front of a capacity crowd in the capital of the whole bastard nation. At least this time Kate Bernanos knew what she had to do to salvage the team's reputation in front of the fans, but unfortunately, The 14 Stars also knew what they had to do to maintain their lead, maybe even increase it even more. They already had us by the throat; why stop at just two goals? And Christ above, they were really trying! I don't know how in the name of all that is holy we managed to keep them to just two bloody goals, but I would be lying if I said that I wasn't thankful for that! But despite all that, the bloody momentum finally began to swing Abanhfleft's way. We were finally able to get out of their swarm tactics, we were actually moving the ball, we were actually putting their goalkeeper under pressure after an entire half of her just sitting around and watching! And we finally managed to put one past them, a thumping Claudia Roos header from Sohaila Magomedova's corner. It's good that we finally managed to bring their chemistry back into this team after a long time of them getting passed over for the likes of They-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. Abanhfleft have been in sore need of a pair of wingers who can work together seamlessly and on a subconscious level like Adelaide Singh and Lillian Prescott used to be able to do, and I've always believed that Roos and Magomedova should have been in that women's team for far longer than they actually were. At least we can still enjoy watching them play in the later years of their primes. But after that goal from Roos, the Starsians hit the reset button and locked down their defense once again, and once again Abanhfleft were booed back to the tunnel by their own fans.

Well, that’s all that there is for me now. If you’ve got any comments or thoughts of your own about the match against The 14 Stars or predictions for our match against StrayaRoos then feel free to leave them down below. Until then, I’ve been the Man from Markovsky, hoping that I won’t be disappointed by my country once again.

ABANHFLEFT 1 - 2 THE 14 STARS
ROOS (66')       MOONLIGHT (27')
                 BLADE (44')

[Eshialand]

Never a Good Sign
Eshialand 1-2 HUElavia

"And Pierrette Giroud breaks the tie for HUElavia!"
"I told you this couldn't--"
"You've gotta be kidding me Karsten."
"Huh?"
"You didn't wanna watch baseball, so now we're watching soccer. I thought you liked soccer!"
"I do, but this group just gives me the heebie-jeebies... they're almost as bad as the heebie-jeebies I felt when I decided to follow my friends into that abandoned factory in tenth grade..."

---

"Okay, so... what was that?" Coach asked his team.
"I really don't know..." Faith Krupp replied.
"Look, we're gonna have to put in a lot of work if we're--"
"Now you're starting to sound like Glinda!" Melissa joked.
"Please, nobody could possibly be as bad as that lunatic... anyway, we really do have a lot of work to do if we want to humiliate the Athearans."
"But aren't they the def--"
"Come on Alice, they're still Athearan. We still have to beat them, you should know this!"
"But the point is still having fun, right?"
"Of course it is, but it's fun to win the big matches! Also, getting to the knockouts would be nice..."
"True, true... so what do you want us to work on next?"
"I... uh... figure it out for yourselves?"
"That's a terrible plan!"
"It worked well enough in the BoF..." Harriet remarked.
"I... don't even know what to say..."
"How about, 'you're right Harriet, we're just that good'?"
"Haha, maybe..."

Eshialand - 1 (Krupp 41')
HUElavia - 2 (Yamane 17'; Giroud 76')

[Sarzonia]

It's true that after a long day, girls just want to have fun, but come to think of it, so does anyone regardless of gender.

Anyway, let's CUTOFF for Matchday 2!

Group A
Atheara 2--1 Eshialand
HUElavia 3-1 Sarzonia

- Group A              Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts
1 HUElavia              2    2  0  0    5   2  +3   6
2 Atheara               2    1  1  0    3   2  +1   4
3 Sarzonia              2    0  1  1    2   4  -2   1
4 Eshialand             2    0  0  2    2   4  -2   0

Group B
The 14 Stars 2-2 Galliena
StrayaRoos 0-2 Abanhfleft

- Group A              Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts
1 The 14 Stars          2    1  1  0    4   3  +1   4
2 Abanhfleft            2    1  0  1    3   2  +1   3
3 Galliena              2    0  2  0    4   4   0   2 
4 StrayaRoos            2    0  1  1    2   4  -2   1

Group C
United States of Devonta 3-0 Muralos
Qasden 4-0 Sharktail

- Group A              Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts
1 Qasden                2    1  0  1    4   2  +2   3
2 Sharktail             2    1  0  1    5   4  +1   3 
3 Muralos               2    1  0  1    2   3  -1   3
4 Devonta               2    1  0  1    3   5  -2   3

Four-way tie sorted by goal differential.

Group D
Equestria 3-0 Banija
Baker Park 2-1 Lisander

- Group A              Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts
1 Lisander              2    1  0  1    5   3  +2   3
2 Baker Park            2    1  0  1    3   3   0   3
3 Equestria             2    1  0  1    4   4   0   3
4 Banija                2    1  0  1    2   4  -2   3

Baker Park ahead of Equestria on head-to-head result; otherwise, four-way tie sorted by goal differential.

Group E
Kriegiersien 1-1 United Adaikes
Zeta, Reka and Hugeltaldom 1-0 Schima Bas

- Group A              Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts
1 United Adaikes        2    1  1  0    5   3  +2   4
2 Schima Bas            2    1  0  1    3   1  +2   3
3 ZRH*                  2    1  0  1    3   4  -1   3
4 Kriegiersien          2    0  1  1    1   4  -3   1

*Note: ZRH stands for Zeta, Reka and Hugeltaldom, as the full name wouldn't fit on the table as formatted
Schima Bas ahead of Zeta, Reka and Hugeltaldom on goal differential.

[Commonwealth of Baker Park]

© Sporting Times Daily 2021
BP splits pair in Jenna Raven Cup, keeps same place
by Fiona Devlin, National Soccer Writer

The Baker Park Women's National Team have kicked off their Group D fixture list by splitting a pair of 2-1 results in the 15th Women's World Cup/Jenna Raven Cup II, which is under the organization of Sarzonia's Incorporated Football Federation once again.

A trip to Banija for the opening matchday saw a spirited performance from the relatively inexperienced squad, as Haley Gibson got the lone tally for the Lady Elks at St Sava Park in Askatasuna--the same place where the full NT's met in a friendly prior to the start of World Cup 89 qualifications--but the Wanawake Kadongo Kamu had just a bit more on the day to come away with the one goal victory.
Although she kept a low profile, new Banijan NT manager Pam Scott was in attendance and dropped by for a few words with Manager Tony Weiss and AM Hailey Reinhart-Zavaros after the match. Asked later about Scott's visit, Weiss explained that there was nothing in it except for social pleasantries.

"She asked about how we were, the family. Pryna (Rasanamira) and Susana (Aguilar) stepped out of the dressing room to say hi to her as well. The thing about this bunch is none of them really know Pam personally as a manager. She did tell me pass along a message to Jen (Prescott)--"don't try to duck out on me in Belle Haven (laughter in the room), so they might have a girls night for the return. (more laughter)"

The second matchday against Lisander, which kicked off a three game homestand, saw the teams at Anson Stadium in Fairport in front of a nearly sellout crowd for the city's first ever international soccer match; Shelby Engels, who plays for nearby Greenlea Ladies, partnered debutante Phan My Kieu--the first player of Vietnamese descent to earn a cap for Baker Park--up front and scored the opening goal on 26 minutes.

Aguilar wore the armband for the first time in her career on the occasion of her 50th appearance for the national side, and assisted on the game winner by Carly Logan in the 63rd minute, after Lisander had drawn level 8 minutes into the 2nd Half. Gillian Albertson stopped the other 5 shots on target she faced to win her NT debut in goal, and Magda Kucera was the third 'cappie' to earn a maiden cap in defense.

The round robin after two matches has seen all four group sides win and lose, and the Lady Elks will face their other competitor when the Ponies from Equestria will visit Jamestown on matchday 3.
Originally nominated by the FAC for an afternoon kickoff at the Claymore Ground, once the fixture list was confirmed the move to Wright-Stearns Stadium was a no-brainer, and a shift to an early evening slot for TV was accommodated as well.

There's not much known about the squad the World Cup 83 & two times AO Champions will field for the match, but Weiss knows that you underestimate the Ponies at your peril.

"No one here (at the FAC Development Center in Birkenfeld) will take this match lightly, in the same way we take Banija and Lisander very seriously in this tournament. They (Equestria) may be in a bit of a down period compared to their mid 80's success, but they're going to have players with exceptional skill and the belief."

He then went on to talk about how the women's game has changed since that first mixed-gender squad at the 5th Under 18's Tournament in Abanhfleft.

"We're trying to teach this generation how to approach playing nations with pedigree and history. I love the mental toughness these gal...no, ladies. Sorry. I love the mental toughness these ladies have shown. One of things that's been a huge change during the mixed gender squad Era here is that our women have become more...hmmm...badass. (laughter) They started with the idea that they were gonna show they could take it and dish it out within the NT player pool at the beginning, then move on to actual international play. Nobody who knows anything about this sport would say that Baker Park's women are not every bit as tough as Nephara's, Cassadaigua's, Chromatika's. We know from foreign players who are in our leagues. They tell our people. And then you look at the players we have who play overseas, in the leagues they perform at the highest level in. That attitude is becoming ingrained in our younger women's psyche."

At the conclusion of the media session as Weiss stood up to depart the dais, Prescott stretched her head around the corner of the backdrop, and could be heard by most of the assembled crowd saying, "Pammy's not here, is she?"

[Atheara]

El Recentico Fever Hits Town
Atheara scrapes a 2 - 1 win against Eshialand.

FULL TIME RESULTS
Atheara 2 - 1 Eshialand
Lille Danshouvera (67' ; 83') / Alice Carroll (44')

The stadium was filled to the brim. No one expected for the entire stadium to sell out within just a few days. Although to be fair, who couldn't expect it? Atheara and Eshialand are two friendly rivals internationally, always supporting one another. Chants filled the air and flags were waved before the game even began. The original objective was to have fun, but it seems whilst the Eshian fans just want to watch, the Athearans might be taking this a little too seriously. No one has actually seen an Athearan stadium filled to the brim, but yet here we are. The first time in ever that a stadium in Atheara is sold out. As the anthems played, everyone was tense and nervous. Although... They have no need to, for what it's really worth.

"Just relax and have fun!" Banners were plastered outside the stadium. This was just supposed to be a fun time between two teams, but also in some serious competitive enviroment. As the coin is flipped, and so is decided who gets the ball first. Eshialand starts with the ball. Eshialand were with their usual squad, but Atheara had made a few rotations. Amelia Westfield was in net, and the entire first backline were swapped for the second team backline. And with the blow of a single whistle, the match had begun. In a slightly rainy and night time setting, it was the perfect moment for a match as good as Atheara vs Eshialand. One begs to differ however... "Will the results change?"

At first, everyone thought Eshialand was going to win again. Well, Alice Carroll scoring just before added stoppage time in the first half kind of helped the fans to convince that. Alice had dribbled past the defense, brutally nutmegging Nila Wattenhoulst in the process, and shooting the ball with a curve to the upper right corner to beat Amelia who was in net. The score was 1 - 0 to Eshialand, and it was not looking bright for Atheara right now. However, a second half mini pep talk helped the team get it straight. "You must show that you are not champions for nothing." Quoted Anandria Stertcthen in an interview on what she said to the team during the half time break. And now, the second half rolled in.

In the second half, is where things really do get tense. Atheara was starting to play more offensively, something that most of the fans did not expect. And when one slip up happens, more tend to come. On the 67th minute, Clara Donaldson had tackled Mediya Peterov - Trenska in the Eshian box, meaning that Atheara was given a penalty, a chance to make things equal. Lille Danshouvera runned up to the ball, jumping before the kick, and shooting it straight down. Elizabeth Michaels had dived to the right, giving Atheara a goal back. It was now level at the scoreline of 1 - 1. And it was after this point, both sides were starting to tire out throughout the remainder of the match. The question is, "Which side will break first?"

And as the scoreline suggests, Eshialand broke first. On a counterattack on the 83rd minute of the match, Lille had dribbled to the left then right, driving the ball forward past Lisa Devers, and with what you could call a strike of a volley to the left side of the net, worth more than what people think it's worth, she scored the third goal of the match and the second for Atheara. Michaels had dived to reach the ball, with only her fingers grazing the ball slightly before it entered the net. And with a few final minutes left to spare, Atheara won the match by a scoreline of 2 - 1. A hard fought battle between two teams whom were not only friends, but also rivals in a way.

And then, what's next? Well, next is to prepare for HUElavia, first in the group after defeating the Stars 3 - 1. It won't be easy, but it certainly was possible for a victory to be seized, and maybe to start Atheara's momentum and stops HUElavia's.

[Sarzonia]

One match and a draw that kept the Sarzonian women's national football team level for second place in Group A wasn't necessarily a bad result to start the second Jenna Raven Cup. Losing away to a HUElavia side that was the only one of the four teams in the group to win their opening match? That's a different story.

But that's exactly what happened to the Stars, as they lost 3-1 to Las Armarillas to drop their record to 0-1-1, dropping them three points behind Atheara for the second and final knockout round berth from Group A. The Stars are also five points behind HUElavia for the group lead and will face a critical match back at Nottingham Pavilion in Woodstock against Eshialand, who have been hard luck losers of both their matches thus far.

Sarzonia manager Brenda Allison said she was disappointed with the team's effort.

"We started out flat from the opening kickoff," she said. "By the time we matched HUElavia's intensity on the pitch, we were already down 2-0. We can't afford that against Eshialand or we might as well pack it in."

The Stars stormed out of the dressing room to start the second half with an intensity they lacked in the first half, but a critical mishit on a clearance attempt by midfielder Winnie Taunton put the homestanding Las Armarillas back on the scoresheet to make it 3-0 in the 54th minute. That led to Allison sending goalkeeper Marcé George to the substitutes' bench in favour of Carly Parsons. Allison said George would return to the starting 11 against Eshialand.

"I still have every confidence in Marcé," Allison said. "I just felt like we needed a spark and sending Carly out there would help give us one."

The Stars finally got a goal in the 89th minute to prevent a clean sheet by HUElavia goalkeeper Marta Marquez through an unlikely source. Blayre West headed a ball she would admit later she intended to serve to striker Jolene Walker-Campos, but the ball took an odd bounce off the crossbar and into the back of the net before Marquez could retrieve it. West's wide-eyed, but muted celebration of her first international goal told the tale of the match. It wouldn't make a difference in the grand scheme of the team trying to get a result despite not playing hard for a full 90 minutes.

"I was stunned about scoring that goal," West said after the match. "We weren't going to come back to win the match, so I didn't see any point in celebrating too much."

If the Stars don't get a victory over a desperate Eshialand at home, there may not be much celebrating in Woodstock at the conclusion of the group stage. And that may lead to questions about Allison, who clearly can't bank on her team winning the Wonder Cup as an underdog for much longer.

"At some point, the team will need results," said a source familiar with Incorporated Football Federation chairman Zack Wilson's thinking. "Yes, getting to the semifinals last time was good, but the team will have to show something and they're running out of time to show it."

[The 14 Stars]

The 14 Stars takes a draw, deserved way more

After the win over Abanhfleft The Starsian side really was pumped for their next match despite having little clue about the power of their opponent but they knew the could win this one from them.
And as they walked on the field, sang the anthems and tossed a coin for kickoff again the first minutes the teams remained stable and then The 14 Stars went into an attacking phase against their opponent.
In the 6th minute it was already 1 goal for The 14 Stars scored by Kira Blade after again a great play in which she went through 4 defenders before finding the top corner with her shot.
However the score was quickly equalized by their opponents of Galliena where a defensive miscommunication led to a dangerous attack with a goal despite Bressing's best efforts to save the shot

Halftime

''Alright girls, there is nothing lost yet everything is possible i want you all to go out there and play like you've never played before and make our fans all across the country happy!''

Second Half

After that talk in 59th minute Kira Blade scored her 2nd goal making a clear mark on the game as the matchwinner with a great long-assist by Holly Moonlight who saw Kira was in a way better position.
Once again our defensive lock was put on the door hoping to also win this match with a one goal diffrence but sadly in 92th minute a great longshot went in out of reach for the keeper and turned the game into an undeserved draw for our ladies.
They will look forward to their game with StrayaRoos later who is currently ranked in last place.

[United Adaikes]

17th Floor
United Adaikes Football Association (UAFA) Headquarters
Steskia, Thraproy, United Adaikes
A couple of days after this happened.

Myron heard a knock on the door. That just meant that his visitors had arrived. He stood up and went near the door, preparing for them to enter his office.

When the door opened, Myron welcomed Primula Wood, the Chairwoman of the Adaikes Premier Football League (APFL), and her companions. He then ushered them to the conference room beside his room through a door connecting the two. Tiana followed into the room after a few minutes.

"Okay," Myron started, "let me get straight into it, Prim. I like all of the suggestions. Last year was grueling. Looking at 31 teams playing double round-robin, a total of 60 matches per team, was tiring for everyone. The UAFA, the APFL Leadership, the team's management, the players."

"That's why the suggestions, Myron," Primula replied. "Two months before the last fixtures in the league, the team owners sat down with the APFL leadership to discuss changes in the league. You might have heard that some of the team's staff and our own flew to different countries to benchmark other countries' leagues. Two months ago, we met with everyone again, and we pooled all that we have learned from the different countries."

Myron held up the papers he received a few days ago, the initial request of Wood for the changes in the APFL, and asked, "And this is everything that you have learned from those countries?"

"No, Myron," Primula answered. "Believe me. There were many things that we have learned. And, of course, some were unfeasible. Yes, we could do some in the next years, but some don't need to be reciprocated here in the United Adaikes. It's the first time that everyone agreed on something. And so, we consolidated everything and gave a shortlist of what we think should be done in the next season of the APFL. The suggestions are to divide the 31 teams into two leagues, the preseason friendly games and the Adaikesian Football Cup."

"Okay, Prim, let's start with the division of the 31 teams. We retain the APFL as the name of the first-tier league. I suggest the top 16 teams from the previous season remain in the APFL, while the bottom 15 are to be in the second-tier. From your shortlist of names, I like the sound of the Adaikes Candidates Football League. ACFL. Yes, I like it. For the relegation, I'll let APFL vote on it. But if I may, the team at the bottom of the standings in the APFL at the end of the season will be relegated to the ACFL, while the team at the top of the standings in the ACFL will be promoted to the APFL. Relegation playoffs would be APFL #14 vs. ACFL #3 and APFL #15 vs. ACFL #2. The winners in the relegation playoffs get to be in the APFL, while the losers are in the ACFL. Your thoughts?"

We'll take note of that, Myron, and we'll surely give you feedback right after we can have a unanimous vote on this. How about the preseason games?"

"I like your idea of setting a minimum and a maximum number of matches for a team as preseason friendlies," Myron pondered, looking at the papers he's holding, before proceeding, "Minimum of three, maximum of four, regardless of division. If they want to play with teams that are not from the APFL and ACFL, let them, as long as it counts in the number of games they can have in the preseason. Next."

"Lastly, Myron," Primula asked, "what are your thoughts for the Adaikes Football Cup?"

"So far, Prim, I like all the ideas. As to the Adaikes Football Cup, 31 teams vying for the Cup is still a small number."

"We can include the UAAUA member schools," Primula suggested.

Myron sighed before answering. "Okay, for this coming season, only the 31 teams will vie for the Cup. Next season, we include the UAAUA schools." He then faced his executive assistant. "Tiana, for our next meeting with the APFL, invite the UAAUA Football representatives."

"Copy on that, sir," Tiana replied.

Myron then returned to look at Primula and her companions. "So are we done? Do stay for the doughnuts and coffee. They will be served in a few. In our next meeting, present the APFL's response to my suggestions. Also, we include the discussion for the marketing, sponsorship, and viewership opportunities for this revamp. Meet with the marketing department of the UAFA so that we won't have a long time agreeing on something. Let our teams talk, let them come up with a plan, then we decide to push through or get back to the drawing board to improve our marketing."

Myron stood up. "I have to leave first because I'll have another meeting in the United Adaikes Sports Commission. Thank you for coming and see you the soonest."

[HUElavia]

The Girls just want to have fun!

HUElavia overcomes and dominates in opening matches of the Women's World Cup!

Eshialand 1-2 HUElavia
(Krupp 41' | Yamane 17', Giroud 76')
(The Southern Sportsplex, Cincinnati, Eshialand)

HUElavia 3-1 Sarzonia
(Doisneau 12', Yamane 21', Chanca 54' | West 89')
(Nuevo Estadio del Rio, Rio de HUEska, HUElavia)

HUElavia entered their opening matches of the Women's World Cup looking to go out for the kill, wanting to make up for the shocking elimination four years ago and to make a name for themselves and for the millions of HUElavian women within the country. The team had to open up visiting a very tricky Eshialand, followed by hosting the main organizers of the tournament, Sarzonia. Coach Conavacio picked a mix of experienced and novice women, wanting to give them a solid amount of play time to see which of them would serve well for the National Football Team in the future. The matches both saw the A-Team playing for the matches with Fonseca-Mantovani serving as the Captain and Marquez in goal. The Home Uniform was worn for the opening match, followed by the Special Uniform against Sarzonia. In two sold-out matches set to be played at The Southern Sportsplex (45,000) in Cincinnati and Nuevo Estadio del Rio (80,000), at Rio de HUEska, the team looked to give it their all.

The first match saw HUElavia go all out with precision and timing, wanting to get the opening shots in to set the tone. The opening goal came in the 17th minute, when Orozco was on the ball and gave a long pass to a sprinting Yamane, who sped past Silver and was played onside by Donaldson, who went all alone against Michaels and gave a blistering, curving shot into the top corner of the goal to make it 0-1. The crowd was silenced while Yamane was mobbed by her teammates, giving a high-five and hug to Orozco for the set up to the goal. In the 41st minute, Copeland was being covered by Mitarte, where she gave a cross into the box and Krupp won the ball from Resendes to give a half-volley past the reach of Marquez into the goal, making it 1-1. The crowd jumped up and cheered with joy, while Krupp was mobbed by her teammates for the goal. The game progressed and it looked as if it was heading into a draw, when in the 76th minute, a misdirected pass from MacDougall reached nobody, allowing Giroud to get the ball and run unopposed towards Michaels, giving a shimmy to pass the goalie and slide it into the empty goal, making it the definitive 1-2. Despite attacks from Eshialand, HUElavia held out and got the vital three points and victory to open things up.

The second match saw HUElavia host Sarzonia, with a banner being raised to show support to the ladies for their cause and for representing HUElavia. The opening goal came in the 12th minute, when Braz-Bittencourt was being covered by Hawley, when she tried to go for a shot at an awkward angle, where the ball hit the post and went out, only for Doisneau to get the ball and give a curving shot right outside the box to go past the fingertips of George into the goal, making it 1-0. The crowd erupted to jump and cheer, making the stadium rumble, while Doisneau kneeled down at the corner while her teammates mobbed her for the goal. Lightining would strike twice, as in the 21st minute, Yamane was on the ball being covered by Tyler, where she moved swiftly to give a low, curving shot past a diving George into the right corner of the goal, making it 2-0. The crowd erupted once again, cheering with passion and celebrating the goal, while Yamane got hugs and high-fives from her teammates for the goal. Sarzonia would try to attack, but the HUElavian defense stood strong, snuffing out chances that would come their way. In the 2nd half, in the 54th minute, HUElavia was attacking deep when Taunton tried to clear the ball, but missed the hit, allowing Chanca (in for Braz-Bittencourt) to give a one-time shot to blast past George into the goal, making it 3-0. HUElavia was running wild, with Chanca being mobbed by her teammates and the bench, as the laughed and had a big smile for her first-international goal, while the crowd jumped up with joy and passion to make the stadium rumble in the celebrations. Sarzonia would manage to get a goal, as in the 89th minute, West tried to head a ball into the box for Walker-Campos, but it took an odd bounce and hit the bar to bounce into the goal past a stunned Marquez, making it 3-1. The crowd and team was left stunned as the bizarre play of events, with West getting her first ever goal and celebrated a little, but it was too little, too late, as HUElavia held out to get another crucial 3 points and victory.

HUElavia leads Group A with 6 Points (2-0-0), now coming up against 2nd Place Atheara, who have 4 Points (1-1-0). They will meet at Estádio Costeiro (78,000) in HUEsilia, where a sold out crowd awaits the teams in what will be a fight for 1st Place in Group A. HUElavia and Atheara are two of the 4 remaining teams without a loss, meaning it can set up Matchday 4 with all groups having genuine life in them with the positions still up for grabs. With the game at hand, HUElavia will play with the A-Team, with notable changes being Chanca starting over Braz-Bittencourt, el-Nouri over Orozco, and Rosado over Amaru. The Home Uniform will be worn for the match. Here's to hoping it can be an entertaining and memorable match between the Reigning Champions and Group Leaders.

FORCA HUELAVIA! VAMOS HUELAVIA! GO HUELAVIA!

[Schima Bas]

Match Reports

Matchday 2: Zeta Reka and Hugeltaldom (1-0) Schima Bas @ Unknown

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Coastal League Stadiums

The Coastal League has provided the national team with many talented players, and has also been held responsible for providing stadiums for the national team’s home appearances. The Basian Sporting Complex, home for the men’s national team, is not accessible to the women’s national team, which is not recognized by the Basian FA. Women's clubs are typically housed in their own stadiums, as gender segregation is still common in many areas of Schima Bas.

Here are the stadiums of the Coastal League, many of which will host the women’s national team and its competition in the group stage of the tournament.

Cruz AFC - Tiger Field (9,900), Coparti

Tiger Field is a colorful, lively place, and a center of social life for women and young children. Because of gender segregation laws, men are not allowed to attend football matches with female players. Over the years, Tiger Field and the surrounding neighborhood of Greenpoint Village has become a female-only gathering space to discuss politics and philosophy far from the male ear.

The stands surround the entirety of the pitch, and the stadium is well known for having childcare available for a small fee. This service is subsidized with the funds received from season ticket holders. The club has been one of the most successful in the young league, winning the league in its inaugural season, and claiming the Coastal Cup the next season. Traditionally, when the home team scores a goal, the lights around the stadium flash in rainbow colors as the scoring player runs for the corner of the pitch.

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Dos Arbores CF - Equal Opportunity Field (11,000), Dos Arbores

Another big player in the league, Dos Arbores sport an impressive-looking 2-side stand design, with covered seating on either side of the pitch. Home fans won’t have the opportunity to cheer down on opposing goalkeepers, but the wall of sound coming from the two sides has still been a notable quality reported by players when asked about the stadium.

An iconic view of the mountains can be seen from the pitch, and many players have taken to shooting selfies facing the iconic two palm trees that sit back behind one of the goals after a win.

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Desert Eye - Ocean Child Park (8,000), Alquierdi

Desert Eye’s stadium is constructed beside the Ocean Child Hospital of Alquierdi, and fans cheer for the children of the hospital at the 33rd minute. The band plays the club’s song, “Let’s go down to a place along the river”, which is to the tune of a popular hymn in the city. This stadium also uses the two-sided approach, with two mirrored stands for 4,000 attendants each.

Alquierdi is a newly-constructed city, housing many Crown properties. The area surrounding Ocean Child Park has been developed extensively since the stadium opened, and features many new business fronts, offices for the club, and moderately priced apartment spaces.

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Estrella CF - Baruama Orange Park (6,000), Marimego

Baruama Orange Park is small, but has plenty of room to grow. The uncovered stands that surround the pitch don’t provide a whole lot of cover, which has been a negative on sunny games, where long-sleeves and brimmed hats are commonly used by home supporters to fight against the exhausting rays.

The stadium’s rights were purchased by the Baruama Orange Company, a Marimego-based fruit company known for supplying the popular Basian drink company Leevas with raw product. The club has started proposing plans for covered seating, but designs have not yet been released to the public.

The home fans are known for being the most artistic in the league, with several large, beautifully designed tifos. Small tangerines are commonly eaten by fans, so commonly, in fact, that peel baskets have been installed every 6 seats. Once you're done with the peel, just pass it down! It's considered good luck to peel all in one go!

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Haissa United - Expat Park (4,000), Allento

Expat Park is another immigrant-built club, born from the football-loving culture of Allento’s migrants. While in most of Schima Bas alcohol is illegal, Expat Park is one of the few stadiums with a license to sell it.

The attendants of the games were so insistent upon having their pints that when the starting whistle sounded on the inaugural matchday, the stands were empty. Fans had boycotted their own opening day. They boycotted the first 15 games of the season.

The front office scrambled to find a solution as costs accumulated, eventually petitioning the local government to apply for a rarely-given alcohol license. Through some miracle, they earned the right, and the taps have flown consistently since then on match day, until they run dry at around halftime.

The atmosphere at Expat Park is unlike any other in the Coastal League, offering attendances a glimpse into a different footballing world. Bratwurst, sandwiches, and stews are common, especially when the wind picks up from the oceanfront, chilling the stadium during late autumn.

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Zoraboros CF - Horace Arts Stadium (12,000), Tolejara

Horace Arts Stadium, proclaimed the successor of Marcos Stadium, a baseball stadium that once occupied the space, is less a new construction and more a rebranding of the decrepit stadium - painting over the more unsightly parts of old Marcos. The stands still sit in formations familiar to a ballpark’s grandstand, with seats forming a long L shape around the northwest corner of the stadium.

The stadium rights holders are Horace Arts, a growing design firm in Alquierdi. Why an Alquerdi design firm has purchased the rights to a stadium in a smaller market than their home market is anyone’s guess, but it’s likely that Horace Arts Stadium will need major restorations in the next few years if it wants to remain structurally sound. These restorations are costly, and if the owners didn’t want to make the investment the first time, they likely won’t invest in what’s needed to keep the stadium maintained. For now the stadium sits mostly abandoned, a bizarre husk of its old self.

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Lineup for MD3: United Adaikes @ Tiger Field (9,900). Coparti

Abdia Tame,
Amira Otago, Homer Laisa, (C) Jis Greana, Gamila Horus,
Autumn Grassley, Shaffan Basha,
Allie Castile, Jestina Drake, Crystal Panayiota,
Gloria Hudson

[Abanhfleft]

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.

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Gaelic Gamers
Presents...

The Football Fallacies
with The Man from Markovsky

DELICIOUS, FINALLY, A GOOD F****NG RESULT

Hello and welcome to The Football Fallacies. Right, so the Abanhfleft women's team was reeling from a shocking defeat at the hands of The 14 Stars to start off this Women's World Cup. Typically typical for Abanhfleft, wouldn't you say? So it stands to reason that a visit to potential whipping boys (or whipping girls, but that doesn't sound very PC, does it?) might just be exactly what the doctor ordered. Then again, in this kind of situation, it also stands to reason that this is the kind of game where Abanhfleft gets their butts whipped once again, huh?

Well, it's a good thing that the ladies were able to find their feet once again and grabbed three very important points from StrayaRoos. Goals early on in the first half for Sohaila Magomedova and Sibusizwe Kiggwancha were enough to seal the deal for the women's team and make sure that we're not repeating what happened the last time we were in the Women's World Cup. You have to admit, those were some pretty dark times for Fleftic football, that was. Imagine it, two losses in the first two games of the group stage. Everyone was saying that Abanhfleft was dead in the water, and we absolutely were. It must have taken Kate Bernanos everything that she had and more to motivate the lasses to finally doing the right thing and win games. And then of course we fucking bottled it against Saterun, but guess what? There's no Saterun to torment us in the Women's World Cup now! Granted, someone else could easily come in and take their place, but for the moment, I am going to enjoy the fact that we are not currently reliving the previous Women's World Cup step by step. Sometimes it's the small victories like these that truly make a man's day.

The match against StrayaRoos was definitely a far cry from the one against The 14 Stars. Kate Bernanos and the ladies were able to impose themselves upon the opposition, and they finally managed to make use of that short passing and playing out the back style that had now become the norm across the land, at least for the teams who could afford to buy and sign the players to do it. This resulted in Abanhfleft getting a number of early corners in the first half, and it was via one of those corners, sent in by Claudia Roos, that Sibusizwe would smash that thumping header into the back of the net. The strength and speed of the header itself was impressive, but how in the world was Sibusizwe allowed to have that much room inside the penalty area?! Literally no one was marking her! I've never seen a whole bunch of people back off of somebody like that since that botched SWAT mission on that hijacked bus in the Petrovsky Gardens! Although it is a bit of a welcome change that our players are now the ones finding space instead of giving it!

And what about that defending from the home side? Girls, I know that the slide looks very impressive when done right, but that's just the thing! It only looks good when it's done right! And when it's done wrong, it makes you look like an absolute mong of a muppet! And that's not even talking about the vastly increased possibility of seeing either yellow or red from the referee. Such was the case when that StrayaRoos defender literally crashed into the back of Josefine Vitagliano's kneecaps. That girl was very lucky to have been shown only a yellow card! Put another referee in there, or even just a different VAR official then we're surely talking an early shower! In any case though, we still got the free kick in a good position. It looked like there was some discussion between Hiroko Kellerman, Vitagliano, and Sohaila Magomedova about who should take the free kick, and then come the whistle, Magomedova took up the free kick and just absolutely blasted it into the back of the net. It was like watching Isabella bloody Maynard making and scoring from those free kicks for both club and country. I mean, that free kick is just so beautiful that I almost forgot what year it was! It was so beautiful, so perfect, that I can't find or speak of a single bad thing about it. I can only wish we get more of it from Sohaila.

Nothing much else to report on in the second half. There was a time StrayaRoos finally got their first goal against us becausd they distracted the defenders, and gave themselves chances to get back into the game. It was around the 55th minute and went on for around ten minutes before the ladies of Abanhfleft finally recovered from the pressure and reset themselves. But like I said, we were in control from the start of the match. StrayaRoos was getting bombarded, and their only relief came once the final whistle had been blown. It does feel strange, finally winning a game in which we were favorites, and I hope our lasses become addicted, or maybe just conditioned, to love wins and hate losses.

Well, that’s all that there is for me now. If you’ve got any comments or thoughts of your own about the match against StrayaRoos or predictions for our match against Galliena then feel free to leave them down below. Until then, I’ve been the Man from Markovsky, hoping that this time I won't be disappointed by my country once again.

STRAYAROOS 0 - 2 ABANHFLEFT
                 SIBUSIZWE (6')
                 MAGOMEDOVA (35')

[Eshialand]

Ouch, That Hurts!
Atheara 2-1 Eshialand

"Hello and welcome back to ENN Tournament Report, I'm Josh Seametzle."
"And I'm Karsten Rhodes..."
"And we're not doing... great in the Jenna Raven Cup..."
"Face it, we're forked."
"You can say that again..."
"Face it, we're forked."
"I... ugghhh..."
"Anyway, despite Alice giving me an excuse to pound the Nutmeg Alarm..."
"You know I hate the Nutmeg Alar--"

You just got... NUTMEEEEEEEEEEEGED!

"Please stop."
"Fine..."
"So yeah, losing to Atheara... well they're Atheara, guess how it feels."
"Like garbage."
"But I bet you don't want to hear from us... so our reporter on the scene Barry Enson decided to talk to Coach Morgan, to get his take. Roll the clip!"

---

"So, Coach Morgan, what have your thoughts been on the Eshian Women's team in the Jenna Raven Cup?"

"Well, that's gonna be a difficult one. To be completely honest, I think they're doing okay. They're a good team who absolutely deserve to make it to at least the quarterfinals again..."

"So, how can you explain their performance in the first two matches?"

"I just don't think they got a good draw. In any other group, they'd absolutely be able to perform, but this draw was brutal. When you get the group of death, you have to expect to lose."

"Does losing feel any different when it's against Atheara?"

"Well... yes and no. Atheara is one of those teams, one of those nations as a whole in fact, where every match against them is automatically more important. In that sense, losing feels a lot harder. But then again, they're the defending champions
and all-around great people, so in that sense, I'm okay with it."

"Of all twenty teams in the Jenna Raven Cup, Eshialand's the only one who's started off 0-0-2, with only Sarzonia, StrayaRoos, and Kriegiersien coming even close at 0-1-1... how does it feel being in this position?"

"I said it during the Cup of Harmony, I said it 2 minutes ago, and I'll say it again. It's all in the draw. We didn't get a good draw, and we know that. All we can do is try our hardest to steal points from whoever we can get them from, and that starts against Sarzonia in the next match."

"Do you think the Owls have a chance in the next match?"

"Absolutely. Don't count them out just yet."

---

"Don't count them out just yet? What a load of bullcrap!"
"He's been right before..."
"I've been right before too, and you never listen to me until it's too late!"
"Shut up Karsten"
"No you."

"...on that pleasant note, it's about time to end our show."
"But I wasn't done with--"
"Until next time, he's been Karsten Rhodes, I've been Josh Seametzle, and the Jenna Raven Cup has been a disaster."
"PREACH!!"

Atheara - 2 (Danshouvera 67', 83')
Eshialand - 1 (Carroll 44')

[Banija]

Kabaka- King
Isebantu- Crown Prince
Waziri- Foreign Minister
Lukiiko- Parliament
Katikkiro- Prime Minister
SUB(Shirika la Ujasusi Banija)- Intelligence Agency of Banija
Omugabe/Omugaba- Prince/Princess

Background Info on NYK
Timeline of the NYK Crisis- as written by Nephara

NYK Sub-Cabinet Meeting

The Kabaka was walking down the stairs at Mujaguzo Palace. There was a lot going on. Amid trying to, you know, manage a war that was happening all the way in Rushmore, his grandson wanted to get married to an Olympic athlete from Quebec. He had another granddaughter who was engaged to be married to the younger brother of Her Majesty, Queen-Emperor Christine II, of Quebec. The nephew hadn't proposed, of course- there was the slight issue of having to work through the fact that Omugabe Lallo's spouse was not baptized. IT was not a conversation that Omugabe had with his girlfriend yet- something which frustrated the Kabaka.

"These damn youngsters." The Kabaka grumbled as he walked from one meeting to the next. Those damned 20-something year olds- no respect for traditions, no understanding of long-term vision. He hadn't been introduced to Lallo's prospective wife yet, but that did not necessarily matter at the moment. It didn't help that he just watched Banija's women national soccer team get rocked by Equestria, 3-0. The Kabaka knew that he had a much more important meeting to worry about at the moment, than the young love interests of his grandchildren. Not that they weren't important, of course- but right now was neither the time, nor the place.

NYK Sub-Cabinet Committee

His Majesty the Kabaka- Mwanga
His Royal Highness the Isebantu- Mutungi
The Katikkiro- Kobe Azizi
Minister of Defense- Opiyo Ogol
Director of SUB- Lt. Gen. Issa Shawel
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs- Admiral Luke Agina
Government Chief Whip/Leader of the House- Japhia Ahenda

As the Kabaka walked into the room, the rest of the sub-cabinet stood up, in obvious respect for the Kabaka. "Sit down, sit down." The Kabaka grunted. He was still in a bad mood because of his last meeting. All the principals were here- as the Kabaka was promptly late, by about 7 minutes. The doors were shut behind him, as, per tradition, the Kabaka was never made to wait for anybody. You weren't here by the time the Kabaka showed up? You missed your meeting. "So, I called this our regularly scheduled meeting, but my son, the Isebantu, said that he had a rather special update?"

"Well, yes." Isebantu Mutungi said. The heir to the throne stood up. "Your Majesty, my fellow Banijans." The Kabaka simply gave his son a glare. No need to start this like he was giving a speech in an election campaign, saying 'my fellow Banijans'. "I have received interesting news from the Nepharan Ambassador. A message from Ulrica Lindt, via her Ambassador. I am assuming everybody has seen her most recent press conference?" Everybody in the room nodded. "The Margravine wants us to help bring the Kitara Freedom Front to the peace negotiations. And our involvement in those negotiations."

There was silence in the room. And then, a smile from the Katikkiro, Kobe Azizi. "Well- we've gotta take this, don't we?" The Katikkiro said. "We are in a good position to get a peaceful resolution, and maybe the Rushmoris will be more... Reasonable at the bargaining table, than they've been on the battlefied." The Katikkiro looked around, and then continued speaking. "The KFF has taken some losses in the battlefield. We can continue sending them funds, but ever since our ability to send them actual hardware was functionally eliminated by the no fly zone, alongside the Euran blockade, our ability to help the KFF dwindles by the day."

"Why should we rescue the Nepharans from this war of their own doing?" Admiral Luke Agina said. "The KFF has gone backwards, but they have the ability to hold out on the land they hold for a very long time. Here's what the Nepharans do not want to do- a counter-insurgency, and especially, a brutal firefight for the region surrounding Inhalo. It's not that they are incapable of doing so or anything. But such a fight would the KFF's fight for their lives. Lindt knows that the KFF leadership would do anything to avoid being captured by the Kitara Revolutionary Forces. If they are captured and under the full control of Nafuna Akongo, it will be a swift and painful end- which is why such fighting would be so bloody. Could the Margravine take that from a political point of view at home? No- we need some sustained, successful offensives from the KFF- then sue for peace."

The Government's Chief Whip, Japhia Ahenda, then spoke. "Look- I speak for the caucus when I say that many of them think that Banija needs to look for a way out of this war." She paused, and then continued. "The popular support for the KFF is there. But... Look, we've got to look at it realistically. The KFF are losing. The KFF cannot win this war. They lost so much territory in the southeast- a sustained, combined offensive from Nepharans, Eurans, even Yue Communists, as well as the KRF, was enough to defeat the Kitara Freedom Front. It's a near fortress what they have surrounding Inhalo- but let's face it. I don't have a military background, but I can see as clear as anybody- they would be doomed. If the Nepharans had the mettle for a long-term, sustained offensive... We would have to call it a wrap."

"Lt. Gen. Shawel." The Kabaka said. Everybody turned to His Majesty. "Give me the assessment from our people on the ground, in the KFF. What's the situation? Is this winnable?"

The SUB Director, Lt. Gen. Shawel, stood up. "Unfortunately, there is nothing more to report than what has been reported publicly." Lt. Gen. Shawel passed around some documents to the rest of the table. "If you go through the numbers, they are facing problems. We can fund them probably indefinitely, help them meet payroll. But beyond that? Their ability to procure more weapons, especially up to date technology, is dwindling. They can still produce weapons- but the smuggling of foreign weapons has slowed almost to a crawl. As well as foreign fighters. Plus, it's hard to read morale. If they keep getting squeezed... This is an improved fighting force, yes. But lowered morale can put them at high risk of desertion. If they really get squeezed."

"Fuck." The Kabaka swore. "What are your thoughts on the idea of trying to launch an offensive before suing for peace? Are they capable?"

"Ever since they lost those southeastern territories, that prospect has severely shrunk." Lt. Gen. Shawel said. "They had a great ability to spread the KRF thin, when they occupied the entire southern coast. But not so much anymore. The advantage of where they stand, of course, is that everything is so compact- much easier to defend. Booby traps, mines, trenches, etc... for Nafuna Akongo's forces and allies to get through, it would be an absolute bloodbath. But to take an amount of land significant enough to really gain a political victory, increasing leverage before suing for peace? Almost nil."

"Remember what the Margravine said in her speech." Chimed in the Minister of Defense, Opiyo Ogol. "Free and fair elections." He tried to let the point ring home for a moment. When everybody stared at him, he kept speaking. "They want elections. Maybe they follow through, maybe they don't? But there's a high risk, small reward if we encourage the KFF to launch an offensive before a ceasefire. One- they look bad. Don't gain much international support by rejecting a ceasefire. Two- what if it fails? How much leverage will they lack then? What if the failure is massive? Three- even if it works, how much land would they have to capture to really change their leverage? They'd probably have to get very close to the capitol, which seems unlikely, if not impossible."

"Well, there's no way a Nephara backed KPWC Government, even if it actually followed through on free and fair elections- which is unlikely, knowing the KPWC- would allow Malik Akongo to run in such an election." The Kabaka said. "We'll have to see- do we want to abandon the man? I do not. But there's no reason to not support peace. Forces are weary of fighting. I think we should support a ceasefire. The DFLK has already done so, publicly- let's squeeze President Akongo. We all know that's the absolute last thing she wants to do. Let's make it happen, and see how much we can help the Kitaran people at the table. Despite, of course, Nephara and Eura's insistence on helping the most tyrannical government in the region."

The Sub-Cabinet came to an agreement, and then quickly agreed with the full cabinet. The Banijan Foreign Ministry told reporters their position was 'revolving' on the Margravine's public support for a ceasefire. And then, of course, the Isebantu held a call with Malik Akongo.

Malik Akongo, in a War Council with the Leadership of the Kitara Freedom Front

KFF War Council
Malik Akongo- Commander, Chairman
Kathleen Abura- Head of Public Relations
Irumba Mbabazi- Head of Foreign Relations
Obasey Okafo- Former exile, returned for the war
Chi Udegbunam- Former political prisoner
Fakebba Hairte- Former political prisoner
Momodou Dibba- Former political prisoner
Malamin Ngum- Treasurer
Jibril Mendy- Fugitive

Malik Akongo had just gotten off the phone with the Isebantu. He had called, in response to the Margravine's press conference a few days ago. The conversation was about 30 minutes, but the point could be condensed into just a few sentences. Banija supported this effort at talks, and believed that the KFF would be able to make an actual difference at the talks, rather than simply accepting surrender terms handed out by Malik's younger sister. Banija would not comment publicly until the KFF agreed, but Malik Akongo was encouraged to get the support of his body as soon as possible.

When Malik Akongo brought it up to the War Council, he was surprised- basically everybody was for it. Kathleen Abura said it best. "Look, this war is as much a war of public relations as it is a war on the battlefield. Nafuna Akongo is a liability. Denying that they were involved with Gustav Isaksson's attempted assassination of Max Ulf, and yet- launching a failed rescue op the day before he was to be transferred north. She's winning on the battlefield alone, and that has nothing to do with her or her Generals. It's thanks to General Leander and the other Nepharans on the ground. We take her to the conference rooms, in front of cameras who can ask tougher questions than the journalists she has on payroll, and she'll falter."

Malamin Ngum, the Treasurer, also supported the move. "The key is to rattle your sister ahead of negotiations." He told Malik Akongo. "She's erratic. She's always panicking. She's like your Father- she trusts nobody. Right now, we do not have a ton of leverage. But here is what a ceasefire can do. We can conserve our resources. Allow our soldiers to rest. Take people off of high-alert, allow them to visit their families, help hold ceremonies for those killed by the KRF during this war. Conserving our bullets, our guns- that's good news for us."

"I will say." Irumba Mbabazi said. "We do not have a ton of leverage at peace negotiations. But with Banija there, we have something. And that's all we need. We need just a little bit of leverage, which can go a long way. If we play our cards right. I'm not sure what kind of terms they will be asking for- but considering the fact that President Akongo hasn't said anything about it, I'm assuming this wasn't her idea." They continued to discuss amongst themselves, and then they reached an agreement. They, too, would publicly agree to a ceasefire.

Malik Akongo prepared a live statement that he held in front of the cameras, and posted on twii.tur.

"Today, the KFF War Council has unanimously agreed to support a ceasefire, to stop fighting for the moment so that we can engage in peace negotiations for the future of Nyowani Kitara." He paused, and then continued- being careful not to insult the allies of President Akongo that had made this possible in the first place. "While there are legitimate disagreements on the future of the country, they should be decided in free and fair elections. We need broad-based reforms to our country and this government, and we will work with our allies, particularly Banija, to make sure that we can leave peace negotiations with a peace agreement in hand that not only improves the lives of Kitarans here at home, but allows refugees to return home safely."

The Banijan Foreign Ministry released a similar statement at the same time.

[Sarzonia]

The first half of qualifying comes to a close, but don't write yourselves off yet if you're not doing as well as you hoped!

We're still in the middle of this ride we call the Jenna Raven Cup and the Women's World Cup! Let's CUTOFF RPs and bring this first half to an end!

Group A
Sarzonia 0-2 Eshialand
HUElavia 3-1 Atheara

- Group A              Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts
1 HUElavia              3    3  0  0    8   3  +5   9
2 Atheara               3    1  1  1    4   5  -1   4
3 Eshialand             3    1  0  2    4   4   0   3
4 Sarzonia              3    0  1  2    2   6  -4   1

Group B
Abanhfleft 5-0 Galliena
StrayaRoos 3-0 The 14 Stars

- Group A              Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts
1 Abanhfleft            3    2  0  1    8   2  +6   6
2 StrayaRoos            3    1  1  1    5   4  +1   4
3 The 14 Stars          3    1  1  1    4   6  -2   4
4 Galliena              3    0  2  1    4   9  -5   2

StrayaRoos ahead of The 14 Stars on head-to-head result

Group C
Sharktail 2-1 Muralos
Qasden 2-0 Devonta

- Group A              Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts
1 Qasden                3    2  0  1    6   2  +4   6
2 Sharktail             3    2  0  1    7   5  +2   6 
3 Devonta               3    1  0  2    3   7  -4   3
4 Muralos               3    1  0  2    3   5  -2   3

Ties sorted by head-to-head results

Group D
Lisander 0-0 Banija
Baker Park 2-0 Equestria

- Group A              Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts
1 Baker Park            3    2  0  1    5   3  +2   6
2 Lisander              3    1  1  1    5   3  +2   4
3 Banija                3    1  1  1    2   4  -2   4
4 Equestria             3    1  0  2    4   6  -2   3

Lisander ahead of Banija on goal differential, as head-to-head result is even.

Group E
Schima Bas 3-1 United Adaikes
Zeta, Reka and Hugeltaldom 1-1 Kriegiersien

- Group A              Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts
1 Schima Bas            3    2  0  1    6   2  +4   6
2 United Adaikes        3    1  1  1    6   6   0   4
3 ZRH*                  3    1  1  1    4   5  -1   4
4 Kriegiersien          3    0  2  1    2   5  -3   2

*Note: ZRH stands for Zeta, Reka and Hugeltaldom, as the full name wouldn't fit on the table as formatted. United Adaikes ahead of Zeta, Reka and Hugeltaldom on head-to-head result.

[Muralos]

The Muralosian women's national team just beat Qasden, one of the most dominant and fearsome teams in their group. The two goals they scored were unusually impressive, too. Daniela Safonova scored off an elaborate play that involved her passing the ball to Valora Lin, Lin passing it back to her, and her taking the thoroughly unexpected shot. Then, Galina Shchedrina scored off a free kick, in an eerily similar fashion to her Baptism of Fire debut.

Yet the Hawks fell apart against the United States of Devonta. The Hawks were able to create chances just as well as the Devontans, but they faltered at every turn. Valora Lin's three shots were alternately blocked by Devonta's goalkeeper, the post, and the crossbar. Anka's efforts were too careful, it seemed; Devonta's goalkeeper saw them coming from a mile away. Galina Shchedrina wanted to repeat the magic of the Hawks' first game, but she did not have things nearly under control.

Perhaps the biggest reason for the Hawks' poor performance was their travel schedule. The group stage of the Jenna Raven Cup sees them shuttling between Muralos and other countries. Yesterday's game against Devonta was the Hawks' first away game of the JRC; the fatigue from flying to Devonta certainly took its toll on a squad that has hardly done this kind of thing. But, as head coach Jozefo Koltakov says, it can only get better from here.

[Zeta Reka and Hugeltaldom]

Zeta Reka & Hügeltaldom Women's National Football Team
Ženska fudbalska reprezentacija Zeta Reka i Hugeltaldom, Rekadom-hügeltaldom Fußballnationalmannschaft der Frauen
Jenna Raven Cup II/15th Women's World Cup
Team Information

---

Roster

---

Pos. ##   Name                    Age     Height     Club  
GK   01   Martja Nuleši           23      1.86m      Duisgrade Athletik*
GK   12   Verena Reutter          23      1.79m      ŽFK Porto Nowi
GK   23   Marija Gal              28      1.77m      Ogroven Vanguardi ŽFK
C/LB 02   Kathinka Bauer          24      1.78m      Ogroven Vanguardi ŽFK
CB   03   Sara Krakić             26      1.75m      ŽFK Porto Nowi
CB   04   Vanessa Semmelrogge     22      1.71m      ŽFK Hügeltalian
LB   05   Innocenze Krause        18      1.65m      Ogroven Vanguardi ŽFK
RB   06   Steffi Rhoder           28      1.62m      ŽFK Porto Nowi
CB   13   Sojana Menes            29      1.69m      Ogroven Vanguardi ŽFK
CB   14   Marka Prokawić          22      1.72m      FK Norlyr*
LB   16   Maria Klinken           19      1.59m      ŽFK Porto Nowi
RB/M 15   Djurdjina Lukamirić     24      1.65m      ŽFK Astra
MF   07   Konstantina Popowić     21      1.49m      Newmarket Ladies* (Baker Park)
MF   10   Maria Wieder (c)        25      1.67m      ŽFK Porto Nowi
MF   08   Zorana Jewowić          26      1.72m      ŽFK Porto Nowi
M/F  21   Anna Kluge              31      1.64m      ŽFK Astra
MF   19   Vesna Gudilub           19      1.72m      FKP Ottowić Okrug Jrs*
MF   18   Anna Kwesić             23      1.70m      ŽFK Porto Nowi
DM   17   Ena Bratić              20      1.68m      Hüelhunde FK*
ST   09   Jowana Jewowić          21      1.70m      Halpenley City FC* (Sylestone)
2S   11   Dženita Wladmirowić     24      1.81m      ŽFK Porto Nowi
ST   20   Ana Rumen               18      1.74m      ŽFK Porto Nowi
2S   22   Hana Wukicawić          33      1.79m      Ogroven Vanguardi ŽFK
HC   ~~   Lissy Bachman           35      1.73m      ~~
*Team is a part of the co-ed but almost exclusively male ZRH system, or in a foreign league

A mix of players with domestic, and international resumes, the Women's Nation Team of Zeta Reka has multiple players with co-ed national team experience, but even more players from the dominant ŽFK Porto Nowi club, which has won four of the last five women's seasons. The players assemble to form a counter attacking and athletic 3-5-2 formation coached by former olympian Lissy Bachman.

---

Kits

---

With some controversy, a bid by Mens NT kit provider Početak: 19.11 was rejected and former Men’s NT kit maker Čast was given a new contract. Početak: 19.11, owned by people connected to the Preobrazhensky family fortune, which funds the Preo Team football club, had its offices raided. The investigation into Početak’s status as a money laundering front has also implicated a former vice president of the Football Federation, Jurgen Caffier, who was reportedly interrogated according to leaks published by RekanSport. In more fashion related terms, Čast made kits adapted from an Olympic event years ago, using newer fibers developed by Zeta Reka’s largest sportswear manufacturer.

---

OOC

Formation: 5-3-2/3-5-2 Counter Attack
Style: 0

---

If RPing first, you have permission to…
Godmod scoring and chose scorers
Award cards and injuries
and other events too { :-) }

[HUElavia]

Dominating with Style!

HUElavia take down Atheara in statement victory to put the team a win away from the Knockouts!

HUElavia 3-1 Atheara
(Yamane 7', Chanca 25', el-Nouri 39' | Kiralski 81')
(Estádio Costeiro, HUEsilia, HUElavia)

Entering Matchday 3, HUElavia was running on a high with their matches. Defeating Eshialand and hosts Sarzonia brought HUElavia a higher win count that what they had four years ago, bringing a feeling of confidence among As Amarelas/Las Amarillas. They were one of four teams remaining without a loss, and the only team to have won their two opening matches. In other words, HUElavia had all the momentum going towards them. Now, they had their sights set on reigning champions Atheara, who were coming off a victory over Eshialand to put them in striking distance of 1st Place. The match was set to be played at Estádio Costeiro (78,000) in HUEsilia, where a sold out crowd offering support to the ladies await there. Once again, a banner was dropped to show support to the cause, this time getting a few chirps from President Barbosa Fagundes showing his ire to the message. The A-Team was playing, with the starts of Chanca, el-Nouri and Rosado over Braz-Bittencourt, Orozco, and Amaru, with the Home Uniform being worn. The match was underway, with cheers from a rabid HUElavian crowd.

The opening goal came in the 7th minute, when el-Nouri robbed the ball from Innings and gave a pass to Giroud, who was covered by Nier-Heitsdel. She gave a pass to her left, and Yamane got the ball, taking a one-time curving shot past the reach of Svaneska into the top corner of the goal, making it 1-0. The crowd jumped up and cheered, throwing beverages and confetti around, making the stadium rumble, while Yamane celebrated with a dance and celebration with her teammates for the goal. In the 25th minute, Fonseca-Mantovani was on the ball, being covered by Innings, where she gave a pass to her right, giving it to Chanca, who was covered by Nier-Heitsdel, giving a pass to Giroud, who gave a short pass back to a sprinting Chanca, where she went one-on-one with Svaneska and chipped it over the goalie into the goal, making it 2-0. The crowd erupted once more, cheering with passion and chanting Chanca's name, while Chanca was hugged and congratulated for the cheeky goal. In the 39th minute, a foul by Kurettengard over Giroud gave way for a free kick. Fonseca-Mantovani took the kick and sent it over players, only for el-Nouri to head the ball past a deflection of Svaneska into the goal, making it 3-0, an utter humiliation. The crowd jumped up to cheer and scream, making the stadium rumble for the goal, while el-Nouri was mobbed by her teammates, as she celebrated her first ever goal for the Team. Right before the half, a foul by Kiralski over Marquez saw the goalie get injured, allowing Aguni come in her place, given she was born not far out in the city of Sega. HUElavia calmed down for the remainder of the match, until the 81st minute, when a counter attack saw Von Guhender (in for Danshouvera) give a pass to Kiralski, who gave a low shot past the fingertips of Aguni into the goal, making it 3-1. Kiralski got the ball and ran back, but it was too little, too late, as HUElavia held out and got the victory once again, keeping first place all to themselves.

At the midway break of the Group Stage, HUElavia leads Group A with 9 Points (3-0-0), with a single victory giving them their ticket to Sarzonia for the knockout round. In 2nd Place is Atheara with 4 Points (1-1-1), followed by Eshialand in 3rd Place (1-0-2) and hosts Sarzonia in 4th Place with 1 Point (0-1-2). Coach Conavacio praised the team after the game, stating "These ladies are really playing to their very best they can, they are very hungry not only for the title, but for spreading the message the are promoting for freedom and better civil rights. There's still things we'd have to work on, but the fact that we are outperforming what we did four years ago is a very good sign that we've improved. We still have three games to go and nothing is guaranteed, but we're motivated to make a deep run in another tournament." The next match for As Amarelas/Las Amarillas will be their final home game for the Group Stage, against Eshialand. HUElavia will wear their Special Uniform for the match, with Eshialand being given their Home Uniform for the match. The B-Team will start, with Perillo-Amaru starting in goal for the injured Marquez. Notario will be named as Captain for the match. The game is set to be played at Estadio Hueti (63,000) in Jinaqa, where a sold out crowd is expected once more. One victory separates HUElavia from making their first ever appearance in the Knockouts, and one can only hope and pray they succeed in punching their tickets to Sarzonia. Here's to a fantastic game!

FORCA HUELAVIA! VAMOS HUELAVIA! GO HUELAVIA!

[Sarzonia]

Brenda Allison isn't exactly given to temper tantrums.

In her position as a women's football coach, she's experienced all the highs and lows that come with being a manager. As a player, same thing.

But when the Sarzonian women's national football team came out on the wrong end of a 2-0 defeat at the hands of Eshialand in front of a crowd of 16,992 at Nottingham Pavilion in Woodstock, she hit the roof. It took her 10 minutes after her post-match media availability was supposed to begin for her to storm into the press room at the stadium, still fuming.

"Just lack of effort," she said with an audible rasp, barely waiting for the sports information director to finish introducing her. "We played that match with a complete lack of urgency. Just unacceptable. Completely unacceptable."

The Owls jumped out to a 1-0 lead through a direct free kick off the boot of Alyssa Longfield after Taunton drew a yellow card for fouling striker Alice Carroll. The caution drew the ire of Allison, who received her own booking for dissent in arguing the call. Allison wouldn't answer questions about the call against Taunton, saying, "I'm not trying to get fined." When a reporter asked her about the team's midfield play, she said, "you wanna try coaching?" before she glared at him and stormed out of the press room.

The next day, she looked at the match video again and shook her head. She picked up the phone and asked the secretary to call the reporter who'd asked about the team's shoddy midfield play.

"He's a stringer, I think," the secretary noted, saying she didn't have the reporter's mobile phone number stored in their records.

"See if you can find his mobile, his email. Something," Allison retorted. "I'm having [assistant manager] Dean [Gold] running training today for this."

"OK, I've got the website where he's working. There's his email."

"What is it?" Allison got the email and sent a brief message asking the reporter to call her. A few minutes later, a number she didn't recognise rang. She let it go to voice mail. As soon as she listened to the message, she called right back."

"Hey, it's Brenda," Allison said after the reporter said, "Hello?" "Listen, I just watched the game video again. You were absolutely right about the midfield play. Eshialand completely dominated out there. I'm sorry I overreacted."

The reporter listened to Allison, who continued. "Look, regardless of the midfield battle, Eshialand played with urgency befitting a team that was 0-0-2. We should have since we were 0-1-1 ourselves. And now we're in last place with an away match to the defending champions up next. I was disappointed with how we played in all phases of the match, but I was more disappointed with the lack of effort compared to how well the Owls were playing."

It was well and good that Allison decided to at least attempt to make amends because she then got a phone call from a displeased Zack Wilson. The Incorporated Football Federation chairman and chief executive was once a star player for Sarzonia's men's national football team and was a star forward for the over-35 national team. To accuse Zack Wilson of not "getting it" about the frustrations involved with playing or managing would be ridiculous on its face, so Allison knew better than to even try it. She nodded and said "yeah, uh huh," but she also knew in her heart of hearts that Wilson's message to her to retain her professionalism was not coming from the place of someone wearing wing-tips and three-piece suits who'd never competed at the highest levels of football. Clearly, Zack Wilson had. And he was not about to accept disrespect from one of his coaches toward anyone, be it player or journalist, no matter what the outcome was on the pitch.