Di Bradini Cup 52/U21WC73 RP And Scores Thread

by **Chromatika** » Mon Jan 24, 2022 9:27 pm

DBC 52 Group Stage Matchday 2: Chromatika 3-3 Cabo Azure
Goals: Fillar, E. '15, Kruetzberg '28, Oveni '81 (pen.)
Starting XI: Sundrifter; Fillar, G. - Nodis - Mixon; Baum - Aleksandrova - Fillar, B. - Keel; Kruetzberg - Oveni - Fillar, E.
Reserves: Maximovna -> Aleksandrova ('62), Kornijchuk -> Mixon ('74), Park -> Oveni ('84)

The State of the CCFA - Which Universities Have Been the Most Successful?
Part 1: Seasons 1 through 5 - Jaguars' Ru of Misery: Three Straight Defeats

Overall Table, Seasons 1-5 (Ordered by Wins)

College                              TW  TD   TP  TGF  TGA  TGD    
Z'ai'ai Institute of Technology      76  47  275  223  168  +55
University of Myana                  71  42  255  246  208  +38
Eyrods Tech                          71  41  254  254  194  +60
Deprí Sanar University               70  44  254  250  202  +48
Chromatik City College University    65  40  235  183  150  +33
Alnio University of the Arts         64  36  228  219  216   +3
Felswyr State University             63  40  229  255  227  +28
Chromatik State University           58  50  224  206  202   +4
Urrheddiao State University          57  44  215  147  154   -7
Pùr State University                 56  51  219  172  172    0
Deprí Lanar University               55  49  214  204  216  -12
Pria Technical College               55  36  201  212  236  -24
Deprí Theological Seminary           50  45  195  155  188  -33
University of the Islands            49  49  196  144  193  -49
Southern Chromatik University        48  45  189  155  190  -35
University of Wirr Tsi               40  37  157  191  310 -119

Overall Table, Seasons 1-5 (Ordered by Postseason Victories)

Eyrods Tech - 17 (One Quarterfinals Exit, One Semifinals exit, Three Second Places)
Z'ai'ai Institute of Technology - 16 (One Ro12 Exit, One Quarterfinals Exit, One Semifinals Exit, Two Championships) 
University of Myana - 15 (One Ro12 Exit, One Quarterfinals Exit, One Semifinals Exit, One Second Place, One Championship)
Deprí Sanar University - 14 (One Ro12 Exit, Two Quarterfinals Exits, One Second Place, One Championship)
Felswyr State University - 12 (Two Ro12 Exits, One Quarterfinals Exit, One Semifinals Exit, One Championship)
Alnio University of the Arts - 10 (Two Quarterfinals Exits, Two Semifinals Exits)
Chromatik City College University - 8 (One Ro12 Exit, Two Quarterfinals Exits, One Semifinal Exit)
Pùr State University - 8 (Three Ro12 Exits, One Quarterfinals Exit, One Semifinals Exit)
Deprí Lanar University - 8 (Three Ro12 Exits, One Quarterfinals Exit, One Semifinals Exit)
Chromatik State University - 7 (One Ro12 Exit, Three Quarterfinals Exits)
Urrheddiao State University - 6 (Two Ro12 Exits, Two Quarterfinals Exits)
Southern Chromatik University - 5 (One Ro12 Exit, Two Quarterfinals Exits) 
University of the Islands - 4 (One Ro12 Exit, One Semifinal Exit)
Pria Technical College - 2 (One Quarterfinal Exit)
Deprí Theological Seminary - 2 (Two Ro12 Exits)
University of Wirr Tsi - 1 (One Ro12 Exit)

Notable Players to Play During CCFA Seasons 1-5
GK Nova Williams (Part of inaugural champions, Deprí Sanar University) - longtime keeper in the Chromatik NT Pool, ended up in Chatswood of the Zenith for multiple seasons
LB Miles Austic (Part of inaugural champions, Deprí Sanar University) - longtime left back in the Chromatik NT Pool
ST Innox Xarillon (Part of inaugural champions, Deprí Sanar University) - part of Chromatik U-21 Team
ST Maricela Throop (Part of CCFA 2 champions, University of Myana) - longtime player in the Red League
CM Steve Soule (Part of CCFA 3 champions, Z'ai'ai Institute of Technology) - longtime player in the Red League
GK Ferret Tioux (Part of CCFA 4 champions, Z'ai'ai Institute of Technology) - longtime keeper in the Chromatik NT Pool, ended up in the Euraleague's Oakstone
GK Jacob Descombes (Part of CCFA 5 champions, Felswyr State University) - longtime/current keeper in the Chromatik NT Pool, ended up in Valladares's Metropolis Alligators
ST Kristian Non (Part of CCFA 5 champions, Felswyr State University) - longtime striker in the Chromatik NT Pool
LW Élie Dembélé (Part of CCFA 5 champions, Felswyr State University) - longtime striker in the Red League, part of Chromatik NT Pool

Three Major Points:

1. Eyrods Tech fell short three times. 1-0 in extra time, 3-0, 4-2. Never had a chance. The Jaguars made it to the title game three times in a row, but could never get it done. As the years went on, they'd realize that this was the best chance that they'd had.

2. Goalkeeper talent was on early. Juxon Fillar and Laurée Bautista would come later, but even in the early days, the CCFA had some good keepers. Nova Williams, Ferret Tioux, Jacob Descombes? Some great keeping has come from them, for both club and country.

3. Even then, CCCU was doing well, just not in the playoffs. The best school in the history of the CCFA was just getting warmed up - didn't get to a title game yet, but fifth in most number of wins? Then, they made a fateful hiring, and everything changed.

by **New Zhengguo** » Mon Jan 24, 2022 9:49 pm

So close but so far. That seems to be the general feeling about New Zhengguo's debuts into international football. Yes, they are lucky to be getting such good results in international competition with less preparation than most national football teams. Their region-mates in Muralos study every opponent and design drills accordingly. Their level of training and cohesion is exceptional; while their senior team may be struggling right now, it's not any team that can go up against some of the world's best squads and emerge unscathed, even victorious. Anyway, New Zhengguo's level of effort pales in comparison. Zheng football players may be pretty skilled, athletic, and imaginative, but their training is generic and unchanging, and their knowledge of other teams is minimal so far.

Anyway, back to this so close yet so far thing. In the senior World Cup, you get scorelines like New Zhengguo 3 - 6 Nephara. Three goals scored on Nephara. New Zhengguo 2 - 4 Quebec isn't too bad either. But the cumulative effect of this is 0 points and a last-place standing in World Cup qualifying group 9. Now to the Di Bradini Cup, you see New Zhengguo 2 - 3 Qasden; not bad at all, but zero points. They have managed to beat StrayaRoos, but also in a very close scoreline of 4-3. At least the goals were spectacular. In the first half, Sun Tian delivered a beautiful corner directly to Qi Chunhua, who struck the ball into the middle of the net as Luke Jamuer, the StrayaRoosian goalkeeper, mistakenly dove to the left. Ten minutes later, as if they were following the beat of a drum, the four starting midfielders exchanged the ball amongst themselves until striker Ren Yunru was open. Ren outmaneuvered an advancing StrayaRoosian defender (Kai Kuyta) and scored yet another high-flying goal. Half-time saw New Zhengguo trailing 2-3 to StrayaRoos. Fifteen minutes into the second half, Ren Yunru took a clean penalty kick after a particularly tough tackle from Daniel Poalian. The score became 3-3, though in the 67th minute, a cross from substitute midfielder Wang Shang to central midfielder Sun Tian secured New Zhengguo's victory.

What is the lesson out of all this? Zheng football players can score. But they concede a lot. It's tempting to blame New Zhengguo's goalkeeping. The Zheng U-21 goalkeeper, Qin Yongliang, is also skilled at an instrument that requires very deft plucking of strings. Being a Zheng goalkeeper leads to a serious trade-off: tap the ball the wrong way, and you may have to sacrifice your ability to play music for a while, but you also become a bit of a defensive liability. Just a little bit. Should New Zhengguo offer citizenship to foreign goalkeepers who don't play any instruments? Should Zheng youth consider, just for a minute, not learning an instrument? Or will we have a goalkeeper who is at once likened to Rodion Markov (the aging but legendary Muralosian goalkeeper) and Zhang Jianwen (a Zheng virtuoso on the guitar)?

by **Octapolis** » Mon Jan 24, 2022 10:04 pm

About Octapolis: Octapolis is a megacity that is contained in a spaceship that orbits the known universe. This megacity is split into eight distinct sections, Districts 1-8, which have their own inhabitants, cultures, and functions. Octapolis is ruled over by the Council of Eight, of which one is the OmegaCaptain. Currently, the OmegaCaptain, K'sh'ar Hynn, a Brinoghan, has decided that a scout craft will be allowed to take some of the best youth footballers of Octapolis (straight out of the Academy League) to the U-21 tournament.

The Species of Octapolis:
Brinoghan: Akin to earth's turtles that stand on their hind two feet, Brinoghans have a tough shell that protect most of their body. In Ocatapois, most of the Brinoghans inhabit District 1, where they are responsible for the star drive and machinery that keep the megacity spaceship running. They are quick-thinking, industrious, and work well together with the other species. In sports, Brinoghans are used best in situations where they can collaborate with others to set up plays. In football, they usually play in the midfield or on the wings, ready to create at all times.

Fashtel: A thin, spindly humanoid race, Fashtel are recognizable by their almost transparent skin and bald features. Monogendered, Fashtel are created at the very place where the previous one died, which has led to a culture that treats death as a celebration. Fashtel find themselves mostly in District 2, where they task themselves being the industrial center of Octapolis, making the various household goods and appliances that are needed for the city to run. In sports, Fashtel are best used in situations where physicality is not needed. In football, Fashtel are a rare sight, but can make appearances as strikers who just happen to be at the right spot.

Kan Goren: A quadrupedal race that average about five feet six inches in height, Kan Goren are recognizable by the twin horns that protrude from their forehead and the glorious mane that flow down their backs. Kan Goren are a race that love to be in community. Living in District 3, Kan Goren are, by nature, strong and hardworking farmers that grow all the food that the megacity needs in order to survive. In sports, Kan Goren are used in situations where power is needed more than speed. In football, Kan Goren make great defenders.

Ysrbi: Yserbi are a hive of insectoid creatures that resemble that of a praying mantis with four wings on the back. Yserbi work well together, being able to communicate with each other telepathically. This makes them absolutely great soldiers, making District 4 the military district of Octapolis. Yserbi make up more than 80% of the Octapolis military, making great foot soldiers, space marines, and the like. Yserbi are used very often in sports due to their telepathic nature, often times being pairs on football teams.

Basalt-Ani: A robotic species that gained sapience during the journeys of Octapolis, Basalt-Ani make up more than 61% of the population of Octapolis, and inhabit Districts 5-8, where they are responsible for everything else. They can vary in size and configuration, there being more than twenty different models. Basalt-Ani are in almost any sports team, and football is no exception.

Gaban'Hasana: Gaban'Hasana take care of the spiritual needs of Octapolis. A priesthood of spiritual beings - other species would call them "ghosts", Gaban'Hasana have been with Octapolis since it was launched from the home galaxy eons ago, and remain there still. The words of the Gaban'Hasana are revered, and their direction has never been questioned. There are nine Gaban'Hasana, and each of them have their own distinct form. As they are the Priesthood, they don't play sports.

Part 1: The Challenge
Part 2: The Ceremony

the red wing
Part 3: The Duel

As the ceremonial drumbeats continued to rise, Vlinka and the OmegaCaptain circled each other, neither one wanting to make the first move and open up any angle for a counterattack. The fact that they were both wielding a weapon in each hand gave them equal reach, and as they had never crossed blades, it didn't make sense to commit to the first move.

Brinoghan did have their natural shell, and using that backside, K'sh'ar Hynn swung her pike at Vlinka's head. The Fashteli, to their credit, did a double somersault in the air and landed perfectly on their feet, before aiming their hooked spear at the shell of the OmeagCaptain, which she parried without much trouble.

As expected, they were fast and fearless. This would be a matter of timing for the OmegaCaptain, as well as holding up her defenses to make sure that she didn't get whittled down.

With a series of rapid somersaults, Vlinka converged at her from the front, not being shy about the intentions of committing to a feint. K'sh'ar Hynn bared her teeth and turned her shield to intercept them, and then used the leverage to push them off while going for a low cut. It caught Vlinka by surprise, and she grunted in satisfaction as her pike cut open a shallow cut on their left leg.

After that, Vlinka became, as expected, a bit more cautious. She was starting to wear on them, pound on them with the flat side of the pike, gain the advantage needed to try to negotiate a surrender, until...

A loud crack filled the air as a single gunshot rang throughout the courtyard. The intensity of the volume as well as the fact that such an event was happening at all implied that it was a long distance shot, but who would dare do such a thing?

As she ducked and put her shield over her for protection, the last thing she noticed before a series of high impact shots riddled through her body was the lifeless form of Vlinka in front of her, already dead.

by **Adab** » Tue Jan 25, 2022 12:08 pm

Thursday, July 10, 2036 / 16 Jumada al-Awwal 1458 / 15 Tammuz 5796
Pasarga 2-2 Adab
Adab scorers: Abbas (10’, 29’)

A Dance with Football
Snapshots of the lives of the people involved in Adabian football and those associated with them
For a full list of chapters click here. To read all the chapters in one go click here
For an (incomplete) list of major/prominent characters in this story click here and scroll down to the ‘Football’ section

Chapter 54: He Ain’t Heavy, He’s Our Father

November 11, 2036
Faraby City, Faraby

“We can’t keep him here,” Rashid Abbas shook his head sadly on the corridor as his sister held his shoulders, her head bowed. “This isn’t good for him. He can’t stay in a windowless basement apartment like this, he’s basically a prisoner here.”

“I know, but what can we do?” Kara Abbas sighed, gently running her hand up and down her brother’s shoulders. Hidden by the thin stretch wall that ran along the narrow corridor, he glanced over at their father at the far corner in the living room, seated almost motionless on the sofa, the nurses Sabiha and Maria standing by his side as they took in a TV show. “House prices are expensive and all the above-ground units are taken. I don’t know where else to look, and I don’t know what else I can do, and I’m scared about how moving elsewhere will affect him.”

“He needs somewhere with fresh air, and I mean 24/7, not just on some special occasion where we feel good enough to take him out,” Rashid said, gradually reducing his voice to a half-whisper and leaning closer to his sister’s ear. “The drugs may be staving off the progression for now but… you know they won’t be able to fend it off forever, they’ll just… slow it down.”

“Yeah,” Kara replied, clenching her lips, her hands traveling up to her brother’s cheeks as her head lowered even more towards his chest. “Why are we all so busy with our lives? I lost you, then you came back, but then there’s this assistant manager job-“

“I know, sis. Look, I’ll see if I can, you know, take a break-“

“No, no, don’t,” Kara shook her head rapidly. “I know this is what you want and, after all those years hiding or whatever it was that you’re doing you deserved to have your life back, a-and I don’t want to intervene-“

“You’re not intervening, sis,” Rashid said, gently tapping on the corridor wall. “No, look, it’s okay, everything is fine, we’re all here now-“

“But we’re also busy with our jobs,” Kara continued, slower than before, almost in hushed tones. “I have the FBC, you have the football stuff, Celal with his business. I don’t know, I just feel like we’re… never here.”

“But sis, we are here. We’re gathered here, you and me, in the same room with Dad,” Rashid nodded. “But you know we can’t go on living here. Dad can’t go on living here and you and Celal. It’s too cramped for us. We need somewhere more… comfy, so Dad can be more comfortable-“

“Before he dies.”

“I’m not saying that- look, it’s still in the – what did the doctors say? – it’s still in the middle stage,” Rashid continued, now himself grasping his sister on her shoulders. “He’s not going off the cliff- okay no, that’s a terrible metaphor, but the point is Dad is still with us, there’s still a long way to go, it’s not over – who knows, maybe tomorrow they’ll finally discover the miracle drug and voila there’ll be no more Alzheimer’s – but the point is, like you said yourself, we’re busy at work, we can’t give our full attention to Dad, all these drugs aren’t cheap, it’s putting a strain on all of us and continuing to live in this cramped space will just worsen it.”

“But where will we go?”

Rashid was reduced into silence for a moment, closing his eyes as he took a deep breath and recomposed himself. “Sis, I’m thinking… I’m thinking of moving him to Adab City. There’s this pretty little house that’s on sale, it’s not far from my apartment there and not far from the AFA office, and Dad and Sabiha and Maria can live there-“

“But I have a job here. I won’t be able to see him again if-“

“That’s why I’m still thinking about it,” Rashid said, his sentences interspersed with heavy, distressed breathing. “I… I don’t want to tear this family apart, but you said it yourself, there’s no place on this goddamn island fit for Dad to live in. But… Adab City is the capital of this goddamn empire. Dad will have access to the best hospitals, the best care, the kind of care that is not available here-“

“I just… I just don’t want to lose Dad. And you’re traveling the world anyway, so if Dad moved there most of the time he’ll just be with Sabiha and Maria.”

“I know, I know, which is why I told you I’m still thinking,” Rashid held Kara’s shoulders even tighter, nearly shaking her. “This isn’t set in stone. If I can come up with a better solution I’d tell you. But God, I mean look this place, we’re on Basement 4, we’re below ground by a good margin and there’s no freaking window, no trees, no birds for him to look at-“

“Uh, Mr. Rashid, Mrs. Kara,” Sabiha’s voices suddenly rang out from the living room. “I think you might want to see this.”

“Oh, sure, what is it?” Rashid inquired as he and Kara released their hold on each other and headed for the living room, where their father and his nurses were closely watching whatever was going on in the TV broadcast. Sabiha’s mouth was agape, Maria was squinting her eyes in disbelief. On the screen they could see a plane in the distance.

“The plane is just circling around and around,” Alulim Abbas commented almost monotonously. “Why is it like that?”

He had already asked, and she had already answered, but once again Sabiha answered. “They say it’s the plane carrying the national football team, Mr. Abbas. They haven’t landed, apparently they don’t have permission to land, they’re just flying above the airport now.”

“Wait, what?” Rashid interrupted in shock, shifting his head back and forth between Sabiha and the TV.

“That’s what the news guy said, Mr. Rashid,” Sabiha said. “And they want someone to resign. Who is it again?”

“He said it’s the president, the football president,” Maria continued. “And there’s protests outside the president’s office, and fans heading to the airport…”

“Wait, protests?”

“You think this is about that Emma and Alu thing?” Sabiha inquired, her voice taking on a gossipy tone as the broadcast zoomed out even further, showing the plane just going around and around above the airport terminal.

“Rashid, is everything alright? What’s happening? Are they alright?” Kara asked, evidently detecting the shock and worry on her brother’s face as she herself reached down to her pocket for the phone, leading Sabiha to do precisely the same.

“D-do… do you…” Maria, meanwhile, turned almost over her shoulder at Rashid, stuttering. “…do you know what’s happening Mr. Rashid?”

Holy fuck, they actually did it. Now he himself reached for the pocket, finding his phone. But his eyes were glued on the screen, and the plane circling overhead Adab City International Airport. “I’m not… I’m not sure, really.”

We have received reports that there have been phone calls made in and out of the plane and they are from members of the national team and the staff. We have been unable to verify these latest reports, however the information that we have now heavily indicates that this is indeed the plane carrying the national team. We do not know yet why they have not landed. There are no indications the plane has been hijacked. We are also currently unable to verify reports that fans are heading to the airport in droves but we expect to have confirmation soon.

works? · by **Abanhfleft** » Tue Jan 25, 2022 12:19 pm

From the diary of Ashley Jaxson

This is the exact thing that I was worried about when we were training for the game against United Adaikes! We can't afford to drop any points here in the DBC! Every single point counts at this stage! This was just shambolic on our part, and probably the reason why we, Abanhfleft, will never win a football trophy so long as I live. I warned them that this was a possibility. I warned them! But this is the bed we've made, and now we have to lie in it.

We had this win in the bag. We had it! We should have been the clear leader of our group by now. Instead, it all has to come down to that final game against Græntfjall. Did I mention that I absolutely hate playing against Græntfjall? Those guys look jacked! Like they're not going to let some puny kids from a country that can't see a win through to the end stop them from winning the DBC. We just cannot have any more slip-ups like the one we had at the end of the game against United Adaikes. If that happens again, we can just kiss any chance of winning the DBC goodbye!

I should have known that things were not going to end well when Iraklis [Babalioutas] twanged his knee while we were training for United Adaikes. Like, I've heard of training injuries before, but how in the world did he even manage to do that to his knee? Like, how is that even possible? Needless to say, that's put him out of action for the rest of the tournament. And you-know-who was called in to replace him in the lineup. I mean, that's why he's here, right? To serve as a backup for our starting midfielders and step in for them should one get suspended or injured, just like what happened with Iraklis. He's not here to preen on social media and farm those likes or hearts or updoots or whatever. We're all supposed to be professionals here, right? In both senses of the word?

We really should have won this. We had the whole thing under control. We scored some early goals, and we were keeping United Adaikes at bay. I don't know what happened to make us collapse like that and allow them a way back. There was nothing like this when we played Starblaydia. Maybe we underestimated the Adaikesians? I certainly wouldn't put it past us. Fuck me, man. How are we going to be taken seriously as contenders for the Di Bradini Cup if we don't take each and every team that we face seriously? There's no grand conspiracy to cheat us out of every single footballing trophy there is. Clearly, we're our own worst enemy. And until we find a way to learn to deal with ourselves, we're never going to win jack shit.

 UNITED ADAIKES 2 - 2 ABANHFLEFT        
    SMALL (70')       CARLOS LADO (12')
   TYRELL (89')       ADCOCK (21')

STARTING ELEVEN VS. GRÆNTFJALL
GK: Ayesha Okamura
DF: Paul Smeets, Vidar Solheim, Chris Bellingham, Ashley Jaxson
MF: Şəmistan Baburov, Whitney Zilahi, Christieta-Jennifer Mireilles
CAM: Sven Fahrni
FW: Laura Abel, Sebastian Wilczkowski

by **Montana Verde** » Tue Jan 25, 2022 7:00 pm

Montaña Verde – 1 (1)
Moises; Roberto Dylan, Cambeiro (43’), Mandito, Ignacio Espina; Coco, Schutzán; Aramis (64’ Abi ), Covarrubias (65’) (72’ Tatiano ); Monaguillo, Tino (31’) (67’ Maestas )

Muralos – 0 (0)

Aguinaldo’s Scouting Report

Player of the Game: Roberto Dylan

Roberto Dylan brought exactly the increased physical intensity I was looking for. He was really relentless in his tackling, without ever crossing the line into picking up an unnecessary booking. Verdean full-backs always get judged by their attacking credentials: running with the ball, providing width, putting in crosses. It’s why Castiglione and Roberta have been preferred at right-back for the senior team despite neither being particularly good defenders. I once saw a statistic that Castiglione had completed more passes in the opposition half than any other player in the Campeanato. OK – but what about all the times she got beaten in her defensive duties!? Roberto Dylan looks to have a much better defensive make-up, tackling hard, sticking to his assignments but also reading the game well enough to quickly pick up interceptions, and still fast on the counter-attack, too. This was a much more complete game from him and he made very difficult for Muralos down their left wing.

Needs Improvement: Coco

After playing well against Estación de Arroyo, this wasn’t such a great game for Coco. The crisp passing from Schutzán and Aramis just made it all the more obvious that Coco wasn’t on top form: he completed just 64% of his passes on a day when we completed 89% overall! Now, in mitigation, he didn’t do anything terribly wrong: a missed tackle or loose pass here and there didn’t add up to much. But all it takes is one sloppy error to lead to disaster. I was also disappointed in his fitness, huffing and blowing by the 70 minute mark. The holding midfielders have the toughest job on the field and it’s the most venerated position in Verdean football: if he’s to wear the ‘5’ shirt he will have to work harder on all facets of his game, but that starts with better conditioning.

Best Goal: Tino

Again? Well, not much chance this time. I’m tempted to give it to Schutzán: that long-range strike deserved to score and it was only half a post’s width from curling in and being a goal, not just of the game, but of the tournament contender. But – it didn’t! So I have to go with that one that did score, Tino getting on the end of the Aramis through-ball. Chest? Knee? Thigh? I’m not sure what it came off, but he did a great job to outleap Aminda Mori to the ball and then to control it from such an awkward height. Not a spectacular goal exactly but a good finish to round off the build-up. After lots of great passing, it would have been a shame to leave the game without the reward of the goal. And as it qualified us for the Round of Sixteen? Very nice!

Worst Moment: Moises

And Moises nearly undid that qualification just after the half! Rebeka Mori tested him with a long shot which sat up nicely, and he stupidly punched away a ball he could easily have caught. That led to a corner and Eunji Lee coming far too close. The team congratulated Moises on saving her shot, but really, she should have never had that shot had he done his job! It shows how the goalkeeper can be a deceiving position: making lots of diving saves is sometimes a sign that you’re not positioning yourself well, and punching the ball away looks dramatic but is riskier than just hauling in the catch. If Moises ends up having a very boring tournament I will be much happier than if he injects any more excitement into proceedings!

Possible Changes: Maestas for Monaguillo, Tatiano for Covarrubias, Tíntín for Mandito

I don’t want to see the team change completely just because we have qualified. Losing momentum by resting all our starters is silly in a short tournament like this. That said, let’s be realistic: we have three players on yellows and they’ll reset after the group stage.* There’s no point risking them. So Maestas will play for Monaguillo and Tatiano for Covarrubias. Cambeiro is also on a yellow, but with Mandito picking up a niggle, I don’t want to change out both our starting center-backs. So he’ll just have to be careful! While Tíntín will come in for Mandito.

* OOC: In our canon. We make no claims this is how it works for everyone.

by **Graintfjall** » Tue Jan 25, 2022 9:38 pm

Græntfjall – 2 (2)
Hanif; Asbjørn, Eyvar, Klængur (22’); Alyssia, Wilhelm, Sveinbjörg (67’ Harmony (74’)); Sara, Kæja (12’) (90+4’ Charlotte ), Danny; Joel (54’ Miljka )

Starblaydia – 2 (0)
Al Faizan (65’), Bell (90+5’)

Card maker not go brrr today. So instead: Posted on the Kæja’s Korner blog.

Pavolan Power!

Pride comes before a fall.

We wear rainbow sleeve patches to support LGBT Pride.

by **Waisnor** » Tue Jan 25, 2022 10:49 pm

/ooc

This may be a but rude, but where are the results for Day 3?
Is Valanora busy to post them or something?

by **Valanora** » Tue Jan 25, 2022 10:50 pm

Group A
Qasden 2–1 StrayaRoos
New Zhengguo 2–3 Valanora

P Group A                      Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Valanora                       3   3  0  0    8   2  +6    9
2 Qasden                         3   2  0  1    5   5   0    6
3 New Zhengguo                   3   1  0  2    8   9  −1    3
4 StrayaRoos                     3   0  0  3    4   9  −5    0

Group B
Sharktail 0–1 Octapolis
Quebec 0–1 Baker Park

P Group B                      Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Octapolis                      3   2  1  0    3   1  +2    7
2 Baker Park                     3   1  2  0    4   3  +1    5
3 Sharktail                      3   0  2  1    3   4  −1    2
4 Quebec                         3   0  1  2    1   3  −2    1

Group C
Delaclava 1–1 Montaña Verde
Muralos 1–1 Brookstation

P Group C                      Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Montaña Verde                  3   2  1  0    5   2  +3    7
2 Brookstation                   3   1  1  1    6   7  −1    4
3 Delaclava                      3   0  2  1    6   7  −1    2
4 Muralos                        3   0  2  1    3   4  −1    2

Group D
Cabo Azure 5–2 The 14 Stars
Tumbra 1–0 Chromatika

P Group D                      Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Tumbra                         3   2  1  0    4   2  +2    7
2 Cabo Azure                     3   1  2  0   10   7  +3    5
3 Chromatika                     3   1  1  1    8   6  +2    4
4 The 14 Stars                   3   0  0  3    4  11  −7    0

Group E
Kriegiersien 0–1 Pasarga
Adab 2–1 Ranoria

P Group E                      Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Pasarga                        3   2  1  0    5   2  +3    7
2 Adab                           3   2  1  0    5   3  +2    7
3 Kriegiersien                   3   1  0  2    1   2  −1    3
4 Ranoria                        3   0  0  3    1   5  −4    0

Group F
Zeta Reka and Hügeltaldom 1–1 Darmen
Melbergia 0–1 Cassadaigua

P Group F                      Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Cassadaigua                    3   2  1  0    5   3  +2    7
2 Darmen                         3   1  2  0    5   4  +1    5
3 Zeta Reka and Hügeltaldom      3   1  1  1    2   2   0    4
4 Melbergia                      3   0  0  3    0   3  −3    0

Group G
Waisnor 3–3 Sarzonia
Firnsymnia 4–1 HUElavia

P Group G                      Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Sarzonia                       3   1  2  0    9   8  +1    5
2 Waisnor                        3   1  1  1    8   7  +1    4
3 Firnsymnia                     3   1  1  1    9   8  +1    4
4 HUElavia                       3   1  0  2    5   8  −3    3

Group H
Starblaydia 2–1 United Adaikes
Abanhfleft 2–4 Græntfjall

P Group H                      Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Græntfjall                     3   2  1  0    9   4  +5    7
2 Abanhfleft                     3   1  1  1    8   8   0    4
3 Starblaydia                    3   1  1  1    6   7  −1    4
4 United Adaikes                 3   0  1  2    3   7  −4    1

Round of Sixteen Fixtures
Valanora v Cabo Azure @ Hatire Memorial, Capri
Octapolis v Brookstation @ Castle de Mot, Wexax
Montaña Verde v Baker Park @ Rose Gardens, Kareen
Tumbra v Qasden @ Aranfield Bridge, Everlin
Pasarga v Abanhfleft @ Sabinal Stadium, Sabinal
Cassadaigua v Waisnor @ Haramos Park, Cartmot
Sarzonia v Darmen @ Raynor Memorial, Hondos
Græntfjall v Adab @ Metropolis, Ibini

by **Cabo Azure** » Wed Jan 26, 2022 5:11 am

Cabo Azure 5–2 The 14 Stars
Starters: Cruz | Soares (goal 40'), Queiros, Mata, Gusmão | Rathbone, de Sa, Cunha (goal 9', 55') | Mendonca (off 67'), Corte-Real (45+2'), Fontes
Substitutes: Rocha (on 67')

A robust, confident win by the Maçaricitas to seal their berth in the knockouts of their second consecutive Di Bradini Cup, despite an otherwise rocky start. The Azureans played compactly, executed their gameplan, and played the best defense we've seen from them to keep the Storm Wolves out of their area and punish mistakes with startling efficiency.

The scoring started early as the teams traded goals, Bento Cunha and Christian Fourseasons each found the back of their opponents' nets with relatively wide-open shots. Both teams would bunker and counterattack for the next twenty-five to thirty minutes, until a hard tackle by Edgar Queiros on Zeyna Chardan in the box gave up a direct kick. Cruz managed to save and, emboldened by the near-miss, the Maçaricitas pressed up the right side, from Soares to de Sá to Mendonça, back to an overlapping Soares who whipped in a one-timer past the trailing hands of Fortuna.

Now with a lead, the Cabo Azure side continued their attack on an increasingly shaky 14 Stars defense and scored another goal in extra time on a long corner kick by Rathbone which Corte-Real managed to head in. Down two goals, 14 Stars were on their heels to start the second half, but did not give up; a careless giveaway by de Sá at midfield left Christian Fourseasons unmarked with miles of space, a mistake he quickly punished by burying the ball in the upper ninety, making in 3-2.

Cunha would answer fairly quickly, scoring on the half-volley from a long cross from Rathbone. Despite Paulinho making defensive substitutions aimed at preserving a lead, replacing Mendonca with a third centerback, the Azureans would find one more goal before the evening was out, as the ever-selfless Tomé Fontes slipped one past the near post on a routine play in the box.

As noted, the Azureans will advance to the Round of 16 for the second time in as many DI Bradini Cups, a rare note of consistency for a program which has struggled since the senior team took second in its Baptism of Fire. Their road to advancement will be anything but easy; they face a Valanora team which has won 3 out of 3 matches in the group stage and allowed only two goals.

Liga Hidalgo, pt 2 "Aho"
The island of Aho is the largest and most populated in the chain that makes up Cabo Azure. Home to the capital of Sao Simone and the only international airport, Aho is also home to more teams both in the Liga Hidalgo Primer and the Liga Hidalgo overall, than any other island. Six of the original twelve LHP teams--Cidade de Prata, Natal, Pilotos, Villa Arboles, Villa del Sol, and Villa Silva--all came from the Liga Aho and while Pilotos has since been relegated, Pemba, which was promoted for the third LHP season in 2014-15, keeps the overall number at six. The island also has the second-most trophies with three.

Prior to the foundation of the Liga Hidalgo, the Liga Aho was one of the two "major" leagues in Cabo Azure along with the Liga Dulce Muerte. The leagues table, which fluctuated between eight and twelve clubs, played a regular double-round-robin season, and in the summers clubs would play exhibitions against teams from Dulce Muerte and barnstorming teams from other islands, such as Sao Vicente and Cidadela.

Of the so-called "Big Three" clubs, one, Villa Silva, is located on Aho, though the relevance of that term in the contemporary era is debated. Named for and representing one of Sao Simone's wealthiest neighborhoods, itself named after the ancestral home of the blueblood Silva family, one of Cabo Azure's most influential, Villa Silva has always had among the most resources of any club in Cabo Azure. The club retains the distinction of having the most Liga Aho titles of any club, and its total number of "island league" titles eclipses that of rivals Lagostim on Dulce Muerte, but the club's wealth and pedigree have not translated directly into success in the Liga Hidalgo Primer.

In the four seasons since the introduction of the consolidated league, Villa Silva has yet to win a trophy and yet to win a Challengers' Cup match, though it has qualified for that competition on three occasions. Its old Aho League foes, including crosstown rivals Villa del Sol from the tourist area of Sao Simone and teams from the towns of Pemba and Natal, have all etched their names in the annals of the new Azurean football history, but Silva remains in the hunt for silverware.

by **Sarzonia** » Wed Jan 26, 2022 12:00 pm

Colton Longley couldn't bear to watch.

He'd just witnessed the Sarzonian Under 21 national football team blow a 3-1 lead with 11 minutes remaining before stoppage time en route to a 3-3 draw. He turned away from the pitch after a quick, curt handshake with his Waisnor counterpart and began a long, slow walk from the pitch back to his side's dressing room. He was thinking about and preparing what he was going to tell his team after it had an additional three points and a group title in their grasp, only to fritter it away.

He stormed past a reporter who was trying to get him for an interview, only to stop when he heard them announce Firnsymnia routed HUElavia 4-1, giving the Junior Stars the group crown anyway. He'd thought his Junior Stars missed out on their opportunity to qualify for the knockout rounds for the third straight Di Bradini Cup. He'd thought he'd have to answer for yet again failing to get his team over the hump and into the Round of 16. He'd thought about having to put his resume out there for a job, any job. But now, he had a different task on hand.

He stopped his walk to the dressing room, turned around slowly and looked the reporter in the eye.

"What did you say? Firnsymnia won?"

"Four to one," the reporter answered.

"OK, what questions do you have?"

"Hi, it's Dylan Spence from The Sporting Ledger. He, him, his. Have you thought about what your tactics will be against Darmen?"

Longley paused for a moment. He'd been caught off guard by hearing Spence give out his pronouns after his name, but after a second or two, he realised what they signified. He could now start thinking of Dylan as a he instead of a gender neutral they. Now the question on his mind had to do with the media outlet. It was fairly new, but it was an ambitious news magazine devoted to covering the national teams in Sarzonia with some attention paid to the teams in Delaclava. He'd not seen the new outlet in action yet, but he was aware of its existence.

"I haven't had a chance to study video on them yet," Longley said. "I'm only now hearing that we're about to face Darmen. I'll have a chance to look at the video over the next couple of days and we'll decide from there how to approach them."

"This is Sarzonia's first trip to the knockouts in the Di Bradini Cup in three attempts. What do you have to say about that accomplishment?"

Longley paused. Yes, it was an accomplishment to get back to the knockout rounds after missing out the previous two editions. The fallout from Diego Cristobal's 0-0-3 flameout in DBC 50 was still reverberating through the IFF, as was his sudden abandonment of his duties as national team manager that thrust Longley into this position. The Junior Stars improving to 3-0-2 with a positive goal differential in the next edition was good progress, but it still wasn't good enough to get the Junior Stars back where they felt they belonged. Now, they were back in win-or-go-home mode.

Still, getting to the knockout rounds wasn't his goal. Winning a match to advance to the quarterfinals wasn't the goal. Winning Sarzonia's second World Cup title was. Etching his name among the legends of Sarzonian football was his ultimate goal. And, while Sarzonia may not have the pedigree of a Valanora or a Starblaydia, it had a place in football history. There was the dominant 6-0-0 run through the third Baptism of Fire Cup. There was the Stars becoming the first team to win a WCC triple crown of the Baptism of FIre Cup, a Cup of Harmony, and a World Cup. There was becoming the first nation to win a Grand Slam with two AOCAF titles in tow. There was becoming the third country to advance to four consecutive World Cup semifinals, and a Hall of Fame berth after World Cup 25.

Sarzonia may not have the same pedigree, but they were a footballing country teams knew better than to take for granted at any level.

"I'm ... relieved," Longley said. "While I'm pleased that we're playing knockout round football, we have bigger goals than to get back into the knockouts. I want to help this team get there."

by **Ranoria** » Wed Jan 26, 2022 1:46 pm

Introducing: The Teams of The National Alliance of Association Football!

In this series, we'll be giving a brief history lesson on all of the current members of Ranoria's domestic soccer league. So unfortunately, no focused article on the flash-in-the-pan Cold Hill Couriers. In our fifth edition of this series, you'll be regaled with the tragic history of a team that has likely induced depression in thousands of its fans!
*all stats as of 2028 season

1:Highport Heroes
2: Ranoria City Privateers
3: Memphis Delta Blues
4: Port Kruger Cougars
5: Richardson Revolt
6: Ashialand Blizzard - you're here!
\/Coming Soon!\/
7: Vricksinburg Thunder
8: Dietrich Dirks

Overall Record: 22-13-21 regular season, 2-2 elimination games
Best Finish: 9-0-5 (2025), 1-1 elimination (runners-up)
Worst Finish: 3-4-7 (2026)
Championships/Appearances: 0/2

(Un)steady As She Goes: The Ashialand Blizzard

The Blizzard are an enigma. They entered the Alliance as one of two expansion teams in 2025 and limped their way to a 3-5-6 record to get things going. One of the worst teams in the league, as can be expected of an expansion squad. Everyone figured it would take a few years before things really got rolling, but then out of nowhere, Ranorian legend Rayko Grossman - a midfielder, signed with the squad.

With his help, they won 9 games in their next season to secure the first seed. All the hype was there, and they knocked off a perennial powerhouse in the Richardson Revolt in the semifinals to cement a trip to the championship game. Then the Dietrich Dirks did what the Dietrich Dirks do, and the Blizzard left empty-handed.

Rather than bounce back in 2027, they experienced a horrible championship hangover, finishing the season at 3-4-7, two wins shy even of tying the fifth-seeded Memphis Delta Blues for the second play-in spot. It was even worse than their first season and a shock to everyone in the organization, and fans of the young team were disheartened, stars were threatening to sit out. Stars like Rayko Grossman even threatened to sit out, but they got it turned around and went on to secure a second playoff berth in four seasons. They edged the Vricksinburg Thunder out for the second seed at 7-4-3, and beat out that same Thunder team in the first round...before once again facing Dietrich in the playoffs and dropping the championship 1-0.

So what's next? If the current trend holds, three wins followed by a runner up campaign. This team has talent, though. Striker Julian Morris, defender Sam Murphy, and goalkeeper Tony Berg are all on the national team, with the former two listed as starters. They also still have Rayko Grossman under contract, but he is projected to retire after World Cup 90 at 36 years of age. If he doesn't he's likely to only participate in World Cup 91 before performing his last locker clean-out.

His potential replacement comes in 19 year old Janina Louise, who's currently competing on Ranoria's winless U21 squad. She's a different prototype than Grossman, but Louise is more than capable of putting her team into prime position with high end talent as a passer. On their defense, 18 year old David Yarbrough is an aggressive defender who's likely to have a long career with the Blizzard, giving them two talented youngsters to look forward to as their current core ages out.

by **Cassadaigua** » Wed Jan 26, 2022 7:55 pm

Universities Ponder Their Soccer Future,
By Chelsea Dufresne, Concord Heights Times

Left in limbo a little bit with the decision by CASE, Cassadagan universities are wondering what new challenges will await them with the elimination of the entry draft. College sports in Cassadaigua are not as big of a deal as they may be in other nations unless you are talking about basketball. Perhaps it is the large tournament that exists on the hardwood, and the NSCAA Tournament that has led to that, but you don’t hear college sports talked about all that much, otherwise. Yeah, there will be some that want to lump gridiron into the mix with Cassadaigua now sending two schools to the NSCF, but even that isn’t as popular here. The reason is simple: Any gifted athlete at 18 is not going to college to play their sport, they are going pro right away. Basketball, probably due to the smaller rosters, does not offer as many professional opportunities, so you have seen more of an interest in that.

Why would a gifted Cassadagan want to play college sports? To get an education? That is often the answer that people will give as to the value of not going pro right away, or they will talk about the value of falling back on their education if the professional career does not work out. That is really a flawed response. Is there a reason why a person who goes pro at 18, plays two years then completely bombs out, cannot then enroll in a school to get an education? No. College athletes do not get paid a salary, obviously, but unlike systems that might exist elsewhere, they can collect royalties for use of their likeness in any form of advertisement. Otherwise, their payment comes in the form of a scholarship. Sure, the example I used of the player who bombed out professionally after two years might not get the full scholarship, but they have made two years of salary in the professional ranks, so that can pay for some of the college expenses.

Collegiate soccer exists in Cassadaigua. All big schools and small schools have their programs in some capacity, and games are played. Not many people are watching outside of friends and family, but the games are out there. With multiple divisions existing within the Cassadagan Soccer League, any top recruit would have been going into the entry draft for their 18 year old season, leaving colleges with the leftovers. And if anyone was a late bloomer, say at 19 or 20 finally getting it all together, they could declare for the entry draft if they were not in it previously and if they were and went undrafted, they were eligible to sign with any club at any time. Therefore, they would take this route, leaving Cassadagan collegiate soccer to be seen to be as entertaining as games within the third division. The elimination of the entry draft is going to create the opportunity for 14-17 year olds to play for academies of CSL clubs. What does that mean, then, for collegiate soccer? Well, there are two schools of thought.

The first is that it will help college soccer. And before we start, CASE never mentioned the impact on college soccer in their decision, whether it be positive or negative. There are only so many spots out there for players on these academy teams, and then from there, even fewer on the big clubs. Therefore, college programs will have more visibility on the top young prospects instead of having to send scouts to high schools across the country to see potential players and then hope that said players will not be good enough to go pro. Big CSL clubs will only be able to sign so many people to their teams, so while the players will have options within other divisions or to play overseas, then college soccer can become a lot more appealing. For example, if a player in Brattleboro FC’s academy was not picked up by BFC or another team within the CSL, they may be hesitant to sign with a second division team and may use the college ranks as a chance to show their talents in hopes of persuading the top division CSL team to sign them. This would lead to better people playing college soccer and perhaps making it something that our sports fans would actually want to follow.

The other school of thought is obviously the flip side: that it will harm collegiate soccer. How much worse can it get? Well, that’s another point, entirely. This argument suggests that players who go to the academy system and fail to get picked up by a CSL top level club lose interest in the sport entirely, or go to play in the lower divisions. Or, to be interested in playing in any ol’ league out there. I’m not so sure that I believe this will be the case, however, as I honestly believe that this will strengthen Cassadagan collegiate soccer. It’s never going to be something as exciting as college basketball here, but I would love to see it grow.

Well, if you have been following the Di Bradini Cup, it’s good to see that all of this has not been a distraction for our players whether they are under or over the age 18 and under a professional contract or not. The Fillies were 2-1-0 in Group F, winning the Group and will play Waisnor in the next round. This may be a bit rude, but I like our chances of picking up the victory!

by **Octapolis** » Wed Jan 26, 2022 10:21 pm

About Octapolis: Octapolis is a megacity that is contained in a spaceship that orbits the known universe. This megacity is split into eight distinct sections, Districts 1-8, which have their own inhabitants, cultures, and functions. Octapolis is ruled over by the Council of Eight, of which one is the OmegaCaptain. Currently, the OmegaCaptain, K'sh'ar Hynn, a Brinoghan, has decided that a scout craft will be allowed to take some of the best youth footballers of Octapolis (straight out of the Academy League) to the U-21 tournament.

The Species of Octapolis:
Brinoghan: Akin to earth's turtles that stand on their hind two feet, Brinoghans have a tough shell that protect most of their body. In Ocatapois, most of the Brinoghans inhabit District 1, where they are responsible for the star drive and machinery that keep the megacity spaceship running. They are quick-thinking, industrious, and work well together with the other species. In sports, Brinoghans are used best in situations where they can collaborate with others to set up plays. In football, they usually play in the midfield or on the wings, ready to create at all times.

Fashtel: A thin, spindly humanoid race, Fashtel are recognizable by their almost transparent skin and bald features. Monogendered, Fashtel are created at the very place where the previous one died, which has led to a culture that treats death as a celebration. Fashtel find themselves mostly in District 2, where they task themselves being the industrial center of Octapolis, making the various household goods and appliances that are needed for the city to run. In sports, Fashtel are best used in situations where physicality is not needed. In football, Fashtel are a rare sight, but can make appearances as strikers who just happen to be at the right spot.

Kan Goren: A quadrupedal race that average about five feet six inches in height, Kan Goren are recognizable by the twin horns that protrude from their forehead and the glorious mane that flow down their backs. Kan Goren are a race that love to be in community. Living in District 3, Kan Goren are, by nature, strong and hardworking farmers that grow all the food that the megacity needs in order to survive. In sports, Kan Goren are used in situations where power is needed more than speed. In football, Kan Goren make great defenders.

Ysrbi: Yserbi are a hive of insectoid creatures that resemble that of a praying mantis with four wings on the back. Yserbi work well together, being able to communicate with each other telepathically. This makes them absolutely great soldiers, making District 4 the military district of Octapolis. Yserbi make up more than 80% of the Octapolis military, making great foot soldiers, space marines, and the like. Yserbi are used very often in sports due to their telepathic nature, often times being pairs on football teams.

Basalt-Ani: A robotic species that gained sapience during the journeys of Octapolis, Basalt-Ani make up more than 61% of the population of Octapolis, and inhabit Districts 5-8, where they are responsible for everything else. They can vary in size and configuration, there being more than twenty different models. Basalt-Ani are in almost any sports team, and football is no exception.

Gaban'Hasana: Gaban'Hasana take care of the spiritual needs of Octapolis. A priesthood of spiritual beings - other species would call them "ghosts", Gaban'Hasana have been with Octapolis since it was launched from the home galaxy eons ago, and remain there still. The words of the Gaban'Hasana are revered, and their direction has never been questioned. There are nine Gaban'Hasana, and each of them have their own distinct form. As they are the Priesthood, they don't play sports.

Part 1: The Challenge
Part 2: The Ceremony
Part 3: The Duel

the red wing
Part 4: The Stray Bullet

Two days later, when K'sh'ar Hynn awoke in a VIP medical ward, she was covered in bandages from head to toe. She could feel four bullet holes in her body - two of them that even went through her shell - and it hurt to even breathe.

However, she was alive, Vlinka was dead, and though the Rite of Kh'Ara had been interrupted, she still remained the OmegaCaptain of Octapolis. Octapolis Security was combing through the scene to see just what had stopped the Rite, but nothing was turning up so far; there hadn't been any dissent among the denizens of Octapolis in a hundred years, so there wasn't an easy target to blame.

Coming into the room was her assistant, a Fashteli named Gregorian. Gregorian was one of the most faithful friends and servants that she had ever had, and she trusted them with everything that went on. As she tried to get up and acknowledge them, they raised a hand to stop her.

"They found the weapon that did the deed," they started cautiously, "A military grade laser sniper rifle. It was found almost a kilometer away. Whoever did it found a spot that could aim from that far away - it was an amazing shot."

"How many citizens of Octapolis have that kind of skills, you think?" asked the OmegaCaptain weakly.

"Thirty-six people are licensed to carry that kind of rifle," they answered, "Though obviously it's possible to gain access to some illegally."

"The fact that nobody has claimed the act is good," commented K'sh'ar, "But having someone who can hit from that far away on the loose is bad for the safety of the city."

The Fashteli bowed, and made their way out of the room.

As K'sh'ar Hynn laid back to relax, she noticed a note that was below one of the many vases that people had brought into the room to wish her health.

It was a small piece of black parchment, with white lettering that looked like written from a scrawny hand.

Code: Select all: Apologies for the stray bullets. Without them, people may think that you were in on it. You're not, so let your conscience be free. Vlinka had it coming - they owed way too much to way too many people, and I am glad to be the one to collect. You owe me nothing, the city even less. Don't look for me, and it'll be all right.

It wasn't signed, and with the paper disintegrating before her very eyes, she was left even more flummoxed than ever.

by **Qasden** » Thu Jan 27, 2022 1:42 am

Oh Hey, Guess We're Doing This Again
By Harrsion St. Almond

HQ seemed a bit off when they sent me to Valanora. Tomathan is here, alive and well (physically, mentally TBD), but once I got to Raynor City, I was digitally handed my travel needs for Everlin and told to take over for my coworker in terms of DBC coverage. Something about wanting him to be the one watching the tire fire in the qualifiers, while also having a sneaking suspicion that I may possess luck given my time in Sarzonia. I could overanalyze the whole situation, but wouldn't it be a bit better to just take the extra paycheck and roll with it?

While Qasden's primary team flails haphazardly in the dense squabbles of an impossible Group 3 (seriously, two of the best nations in the entire qualifiers just happen to be in our group?!), the eyes of fans at home began to skew away from the impending defeat towards one less opaque. The Di Bradini Cup, the premier U21 tournament of the multiverse, was ready to conclude its group stage, with only 1 match left to go across the board. The UnderVans stood 3rd in their group after a long recess from the cup, having beaten New Zhegguo and being beat by Valanora themselves. Qasden was in uneven territory, and star manager, Valentijn Munson, had her post-career legacy on the line. The crew accrued for the DBC was densely speckled with title takers and domestic players, many from JRC and MSMT notoriety. Cloveria No'Bell, now a forward for Cassadaigua's Longwood Lionesses, stood as captain of an attack heavy arrangement. Gaunting Norwood, a developing keeper who won hearts from an interstellar performance during Sanar's perfect season, championed a troika of goalies, each fixed with a job on the side. Even Gregory Nana, a defender for San Ortelio's Pro Stampano, made an appearance after declaring to not move teams despite the league undergoing an indefinite hiatus. There was a genuine sense of talent in this team, one that reeks of the same stuff, if not, more-so that monarchizes the National Team. Defeat to Valanora on their front porch was of no surprise, but the idea that a team like this would die so early felt like a great heaping pile of balderdash.

So that's where this story takes us. The U-Vans teetered between the chasms of success and defeat, a balance only able to be thrown off in one, last, match. The Qads packed their belongings stored in the locker rooms of Hellgate, the Raynor City stadium that homed them the past two matches, and ventured across town to the crown jewel of the Glorious Southwest. The Battleground, a sporting monolith rivalling the Royal's in the hearts of Qads themselves. World Cup champions have been crowned here, it's sparkling walls aching in a cascade of wonderous endeavors and history. So much has happened here...and yet, the adventure of the UnderVans' return gets to make an interesting pitstop. In a battle for their competitive lives, the Blue-Reds are tasked to take down the resident groupmate of Raynor City: the unflashy StrayaRoos. The Junior Roos (I'm going to assume) haven't faired too well so far, having been blanked by both Marauders and Zheng, all but guaranteeing their end in the DBC. Of course, the debuting team can't really be viewed as a total pushover; a forward of theirs, 16yo Cruz Kaiplo, secured a domestic contract with Turori's Cedniavella, an impressive one at such a young age (who knows, maybe Destin Harmonica will join them, if we ever find out where they went, exactly). There was a pungent aura of restlessness that came from the Raynor-struck Strayans, now knowing they had nothing to lose, bar an uncanny demolition of both us and New Zhengguo. As the match itself went on, it felt as if we were playing an organized riot.

StrayaRoos fought ferociously to come out of this game with something to celebrate. 30 minutes in, the gateway to Norwood's net opened like thread to a neck, soon awarding our opponents a lead to victory. Thankfully, it didn't last much, with a lucky kick in from newcomer, Corrine Alter-Silex, 7 minutes later. The tie forged with it stood strong for much of the match's remainder, firm like a tough fabric's defiance to break. A fear broke out among the fans clad in blue-red and calico, one where their great return to the Starblaydii-named, Vanorian tournament would end before it started. A bit of a hyperbole, but you get the gist, Qads began to actually care about football and, more importantly, the legacy of Munson's JRC run. 84 minutes in, the fearmongering was shut in by a hat-trick over the keeper. Shock and awe, Ellienne Paumontaro delivered a glistening dose of hope. The match would end a few minutes later, and with it, the addition of another chapter towards the elongated list of times Qad fans nearly had heart attacks. 2-1 Qasden, 6 points and a 2nd Place secured, courtesy of Valanora themselves.

The first firefights were over, the UnderVans lived to see another day, the Victory Committee coming ever closer to fastening a purple star to the FA crest. Victory may come from gold, but if we want to be the very best, then we need to beat the very best. That, my friends, is why we venture to Everlin, site of Aranfield Bridge and our head-to-head battle to the grave against the ones wearing the medals.

If the average Qasdonian were asked what national programs they fear the most, it'd be rare to find one mention the underappreciated Tumbra. A staple nation in Esportiva whose return to the athletic plains shook the heavens above, the FA was not someone Qads believed we'd have to deal with, especially one that holds a title. Yet here we are, a up-and-coming U-Van squad tasked with taking on Tumbra's might Junior Eagles, defenders of the DBC crown, spangled with players across their victories in Valanora and the RTC U18 World Cup beyond that. It's a team of champions versus a team of champions. Since that fateful night, when Tumbra historically defeated Adab in a narrow penalty shootout, the Junior Eagles had been hungry to keep their success on all fronts. The World Cup qualifiers finds the nation atop a group marred by Adab and Starblaydia, their U18 status shifted towards hosting, and in U21, Tumbra took their group in dramatic fashion by vanquishing an equally fearsome Chromatika on the last day of the stage, ending the first phase with 7 points. Now their title defense shifts Qadward, Edmund Finnegan poised to challenge Valentijn Munson to see who really owns the non-regional, non-WCC footballing domain. This heated match of greats comes with a grand reward: a quarter-final setup with the likes of either Montaña Verde or Baker Park, an event you surely don't want to miss.

Can Munson and the UnderVans continue their streak of luck by finishing off the very defending champions in front of them? Will Tumbra use Qasden like a mere stepstool in their raging road to a successful hold on a title defense not done since DBC 45? Stay tuned, stay updated, and stay alert for more reports, straight from the elven highlands of Valanora!
Someone get Tomathan on the phone...

by **Montana Verde** » Thu Jan 27, 2022 9:31 am

Delaclava – 1 (0)
Wijnberg (73’)

Montaña Verde – 1 (1)
Moises; Roberto Dylan, Cambeiro (78’ Valery Feijoo ), Tíntín, Ignacio Espina (68’); Coco (69’ Abi ), Schutzán (74’); Aramis, Tatiano (64’ Lozano ); Maestas, Tino (13’)

Aguinaldo’s Scouting Report

Player of the Game: Coco

Ignacio Espina fully justified being preferred to Japón, with an excellent performance challenging Mathias Gretler on both sides of the ball. Moises cut out the silly errors and made a couple of good saves, as well as positioning himself better at set-pieces. But the award must go to Coco who rebounded from some question marks against Muralos with a stirling effort. His tackling was relentless and he just owned the middle of the pitch.* The Delaclav offence sputtered as Coco’s pressing disrupted their quick passing, and Wijnberg only really got free – and scored – once Coco had come off. (On which note fitness work still clearly needed, but let’s give him a pass after a great game and chalk that up as more of a long term aspiration!)

Needs Improvement: Maestas

Given a chance at starting to that Monaguillo could be rested, Maestas did not really thrive or show much worthy of a regular starting role. While Monaguillo is a pacy winger who can slot in as a deep-lying forward and create, and Tino is an orthodox centre forward, Maestas doesn’t really have a clear strength. He’s not big and strong enough to hold up the defence, but not fast enough to exploit holes created by overlaps. He has a decent finishing touch to judge by his domestic goal scoring record but against Delaclava he was never able to get into enough space to have a chance of showing off that side of his game. He needs to work on developing the things that aren’t just goal scoring – getting into space, quick accurate passing, and coming back to help out in midfield when Aramis and Covarrubias/Tatiano are pressing up. Although I suspect right now, what he needs to work on most of all is his drinks-bottle carrying technique, because it will be back to the bench!

Best Goal: Tino

Again! And again, it was hardly a spectacular worldy: he just blasted it in. It was a tight angle, off his less favoured foot, with the chance coming sharp from the corner, but still… six yards out, he couldn’t really miss, and so long as he lifted the ball, James had no chance. Tino has scored in every group stage game, and has done so without breaking much of a sweat. We don’t need fancy tricks and skills, or attempts at dramatic long range strikes; we just need someone who can reliably convert the chances when they come, and so far he’s excelling at that. I’d still like to see him work on the physical side of his game as Cian Barry bossed him about a bit, so some strength & conditioning, or maybe experience playing overseas, would be good.

Worst Moment: Tatiano

Tatiano has looked really good in his substitute appearances for Covarrubias, bringing a very different energy: he’s quite tall and strong, where Covarrubias is small and fast. So it was disappointing that giving him a start didn’t quite work out. He cut inside well and produced some good link-up play with Aramis, and had half a hand in the goal in that it was his cross that led to the corner. On the other hand, he had the other half of his hand in the Delaclav goal! It was his missed marking assignment to pick up Wijnberg on the edge of the box; instead, Tatiano was ambling 20 yards away! It gave Wijnberg to tee up a nice shot that was too well placed for Moises to have a chance. You can argue you don’t judge an attacking winger by a defensive slip, but I think it was enough to show he’s better off bringing some energy off the bench than playing as a starter.

Possible Changes: Mandito, Monaguillo and Covarrubias back in

Other than Ignacio Espina, the general theme was that the replacements didn’t impress. Tíntín played OK, but I would rather have Mandito’s experience if he his fit, and Monaguillo and Covarrubias definitely off the pace we need against Mancomunidad de la Parque Panadero. So, assuming match-day fitness, it should be back to a full-strength starting team. The only reserve who’s made a real case to start is Abi, with three great performances, but I would rather keep her back so that Coco and Schutzán can give 101%. Mancomunidad de la Parque Pandero offer a tough challenge as they’re a very experienced side, more than half of whom have played in past DBC tournaments. They were a little inconsistent in the group stage. Their 3-at-the-back approach should offer some opportunities for counter-attacks when their wide players press high. Coco has a big job to do contain Edward Ogwumike.

* Not literally; Montaña Verde has recently made private land ownership illegal.

by **Adab** » Thu Jan 27, 2022 9:43 am

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

Monday, July 14, 2036 / 20 Jumada al-Awwal 1458 / 19 Tammuz 5796
Adab 2-1 Ranoria
Barzani (66’, 80’) | Queen (29’)

NEWS | DI BRADINI CUP
By: Sargon al-Basri

Barzani the hero as Adab secure round of 16 spot

Adab came back from one goal down to overcome a gritty Ranoria side to reach the round of 16 of the Di Bradini Cup in Valanora, with Nadje Barzani scoring the two goals in the second half of the Group E encounter that put Adab over the line.

The young Adabians pressed high from the start of the match but struggled against the defensive Ranorian side, with Andrew Parrish and Sabra Sapharina proving to be pivotal in denying the Adabians a path to the goal and clearing the ball every time it came their way. Barzani came close to scoring in the 15th minute from a tight angle but ended up sending the ball just over the crossbar.

It would fall for the Ranorians to draw first blood, with star striker Tatiana Queen heading the ball into Satchit Chandrasekar’s net in the 29th minute off a Janina Louise corner. The Adabians continued charging for the rest of the first half but also found themselves falling victim to Ranoria’s counterattacks, with the latter side remaining calm and composed even as Adab continually put them under pressure.

The second half remained relatively balanced early on, featuring box-to-box action with Ranoria keeper Frenkie Busch denying an Omar Abbas shot from outside the box in the 55th minute and Chandrasekar, in turn, making some impressive saves as Ranoria sought, in vain, to increase their lead. The Ranorians had a golden chance in the 57th minute as Marian Korngold drew Chandrasekar far out of position and passed to Annika Amann, whose shot into the open net however hit the crossbar and bounced back to Joseph Sassoon, who promptly cleared it away.

Eventually Nadje Barzani would come to the rescue, receiving the ball from Dasia Khoury in the left wing in the 66th minute and tapping it in past a stumbling Busch. With the score now tied, the Ranorians became increasingly aggressive and attack-minded, pushing the Adabians back into their own half. But the hard work of Chandrasekar and the defenders managed to keep their opponents at bay, and from the 70th minute onwards Adab once again began to dominate possession, particularly at midfield, blunting further Ranorian offensives.

Barzani put the finishing touch in the 80th minute with a sublime left-footed shot which found its way into the inner right of the net. Ranoria came close to equalizing in the 89th minute, but Queen’s bicycle kick was slightly overpowered and slid above the crossbar. In the end, Barzani’s goal was enough to secure victory, putting Adab in second place in Group E with seven points, beaten to pole position by Pasarga – whom Adab had fought to a 2-2 tie – on goal difference, with both Adab and Pasarga having scored five goals throughout the group stage and Pasarga conceding two, one less than Adab.

Adab will next face Group H winners Græntfjall in the round of 16.

by **Waisnor** » Thu Jan 27, 2022 9:50 am

And just like that, we're in knock out stage

Before the last match of the group stage with Sarzonia, the only way Waisnor would get a safe spot in the knock out stage was by winning it. But instead of easy victory, fans of bith sides were treated to very different kind of football:

From the very beginning, Waisnor switched to an attacking tactic, intending to immediately score a goal in order to go on the defensive later. However, Sarzonia's defense was strong enough to hold Waisnor's punches. It cracked only in the 33rd minute after Viktor Gusev broke through the defense and one very fast and very accurate blow, thanks to which the score was opened, and the Waisnorian team got hope for the best.
However, after that, Sarzonia began to attack more intensely, intending to even the score, because they also need a victory in order to definitely go to the playoffs. Such pressure was restrained by the Waisnorian defense for only 10 minutes – in the 43rd minute, Thurman West received a long pass from the center of the field and took advantage of the moment perfectly by sending the ball into the goal of Svyatoslav Vostrikov and leveling the score.
The first half ended with a score of 1-1, but in the second, Sarzonia became the dominant force on the field. Encouraged by West's goal, they continued to attack, this time to take the lead. Their goal was reached in the 67th minute after Arkady Dikov's foul in the penalty area and a well-placed penalty of Marc Kemp, while the Waisnorian team was already beginning to lose heart after losing their advantage in goals.
However, Sarzonia was not going to stop there and was going to assert her advantage, and therefore the pressure on Vostrikov did not even think of stopping. The ball was in his net again after 5 minutes - John Taylor was able to catch a corner with his head and redirect it into the net, making it 3-1 and practically destroying the chances of Waisnor getting into the playoffs.
And then something rather strange happened - Waisnor, who seemed to have completely stopped attacking, suddenly began to create good chances, one of which was realized very soon - in the 79th minute, Evgeny Ivanenko was able to perfectly convert a free kick, sending the ball into the top corner of the goal, rekindling hope for a good result for the Waisnorian team, at least a draw.
This goal was able to finally awaken Waisnorian team and their attacks became commonplace again, but at least one more goal had to be scored. In the 85th minute, this is exactly what happened - Dmitry Epifanov received a pass from Grzegorz Stefański, was able to enter the penalty area and sent the ball into the goal with one shot, making a comeback for the Waisnorian team, which was able to level the score. And although in the remaining few minutes there were still a couple of chances for another goal advantage, the score remained 3-3.
Talking about another match in Group G, results in it greatly helped Waisnor - Firinsymnia won over HUElavia 4-1 and so, they now got exact same statistics, but thanks to a Waisnorian victory over Firinsymnia in Matchday 1, Waisnor made their way to Round of 16, where they will meet Cassadaigua.

Waisnorian team's 11 for the match against Sarzonia:
Goalkeeper: Svyatoslav Vostrikov
Defenders: Vitaly Zubenkov, Andrey Volokhovich, Grzegorz Stefański, Kirill Sokov
Midfielders: Victor Gusev, Dmitry Epifanov, Anton Namistyuk, Renat Marchenko
Forwards: Evgeny Ivanenko, Mariusz Orzechowski, Dmitry Yanushkevich

works? · by **Abanhfleft** » Thu Jan 27, 2022 11:42 am

From the diary of Ashley Jaxson

Talk about a double whammy. Not only did we lose the game against Græntfjall after I had specifically warned them about this, now we also have to play against one of our biggest bogey teams: Pasarga. I mean, come on! We made it out of the group, sure, but then our reward for getting out of there is playing against the one team that has consistently beaten us in the DBC? Get outta here!

Dammit, I hate myself for thinking so negatively about this. Accepting the inevitable never got us anywhere. Then again, neither did going out there doing the best and hoping for the best. It's just a damn catch-22: hoping for the best isn't going to do us a whole lot, but on the other hand, accepting the inevitable means we just roll over and let it happen. Personally, neither of those options really appeal to me. There has to be some other way that we can do this. There has to be a way for us to do this in a way where it ends with us as the winners. I don't know how we're gonna do it, personally, but I know that we gotta do it.

I only wish that everyone else is taking this as seriously as I am. Some of the other guys have taken the draw against Pasarga as an excuse to not bother with anything anymore. Especially him, you-know-who. I heard him going around asking everyone else if we thought we had a chance against Pasarga. And hearing all of these saying no way… let's just say that I'm disappointed. Not just at the guys, but also at the team officials and the SFA [Samahang Futbol ng Abanhfleft] for letting this whole culture of "why bother if it's Pasarga?" become so pervasive that anyone else who dares to think different gets laughed at for being an, and I quote, "insufferable optimist." I mean, am I missing something here? Clearly, being pessimistic about it hasn't worked out for us for over two decades, so why not try something new?

You-know-who and I got into a bit of an argument about it when he asked me. I was the only one who said that we had a chance against Pasarga, so it obviously piqued his interest that someone was going so hard against the grain about this. He said the usual stuff about how even if we did our best and looked like we could actually beat Pasarga, the referees would just start calling stuff against us like they've done so many times before. And I said that if we let small and stupid things like biased refereeing get into our heads then we're never gonna get anywhere far as a team. So he just said that I should just sit back, relax, and take in the sights because no matter what happens, this will be my last time in Valanora in the near future.

Not like he's not in the same boat though. In fact, he's got it worse because this is the only time that he actually got to Valanora for the DBC because this was the first time he got called up for the under-21s. Sure, he can have as much fun as he wants, and he can drag everyone he wants with him. But I won't stand for the fact that he can basically tell everyone that we have no chance and everyone agrees with him too! Can we all stop being a self-fulfilling prophecy, please? Pessimism clearly doesn't work. But how can optimism work if there's only one optimist and 22 others are actively or even just passively working against her?

Damn, I really hate playing against Pasarga. At least we're trying a formation change to shake things up. Not sure if it'll work after everything I just wrote down. Nope, I can't start thinking like this. This new formation will work. We will win against Pasarga. Believe it, Ash. I believe!

       ABANHFLEFT 2 - 4 GRÆNTFJALL      
WILCZKOWSKI (60')       AMANDARA (15')
     FAHRNI (79')       JOEL (36', 41')
                        HARMONY (52')

STARTING ELEVEN VS. PASARGA
GK: Ayesha Okamura
DF: Paul Smeets, Vidar Solheim, Chris Bellingham, Ashley Jaxson
MF: Şəmistan Baburov, Whitney Zilahi, Christieta-Jennifer Mireilles
FW: Roberto Carlos Lado, Sebastian Wilczkowski, Sacit Közalmaz

by **Graintfjall** » Thu Jan 27, 2022 5:38 pm

Abanhfleft – 2 (0)
Wilczkowski (60’), Fahrni (79’)

Græntfjall – 4 (3)
Hanif; Asbjørn (70’), Eyvar, Klængur; Wilhelm (83’), Danny; Alyssia, Kæja (72’ Charlotte ), Harmony (52’) (87’ Ayaan ); Amandara (15’), Joel (36’, 41’) (53’ Franz )

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

In A Queendom Wrestling With A Double-Headed Kraken, A Tale Of Two Kaijas

“Kaija! Kaija! Kaija!”

æ

ai

“Kaijaaa!!!”

by **Tumbra** » Thu Jan 27, 2022 5:46 pm

Tumbra 1-0 Chromatika

TMB (4-2-3-1): 13 - Patel; 18 - Pearson, S., 20 - Bond (14 - Pearson, L., 72'), 5 - Proudfoot, 19 - Crittenden; 6 - Maguire, 8 - McCabe (16 - Batten, 82'), 10 - Coleman; 17 - Haines (7 - McDermott, 63'), 21 - Woodhouse, F.; 22 - Deighton

TMB scorers: Natalie Coleman (24')

Player of the Match: Natalie Coleman (TMB)

INSIDER: The Highest-Rated Tumbrans On This Year's Edition Of Back Of The Net Football™

WITH three podium finishes in three attempts in the Under-18 World Cup, and a Di Bradini Cup trophy under their belt, it's not a controversial opinion nowadays to say that Tumbran football may well be one of the world's best producers of footballing talent. Guided by a consistent counterattacking philosophy at all levels of the game, the tactical influence of senior manager Yuan Zilai is clear, even on teams at this level. It's made Tumbra a port of call for several of the world's biggest leagues, hoping to uncover the next Trudy Harrison or Lynne Crossley. With a team currently playing in Valanora, attempting to defend their title with a completely new squad, we've turned our eyes there to try and see who are the most promising players on those teams.

Here are some of the Tumbrans on that Under-21 team we think could be your next big signing, managers; and possibly develop into worldbeaters. Who knows, they may even make an instant impact on your team.

#1 — Farzana Patel

Currently Columbia City's backup goalkeeper, Patel burst onto the stage during the 14th Under-18 World Cup, and saw that Tumbran team progress to the semifinals of that tournament, before losing 2-0 to eventual champions Mertagne there. Since then, however, she's established herself as a solid, athletic and acrobatic goalkeeper for the Southerners; and has shown flashes of her potential regardless of whether she starts for the national team or for club level. She likely won't cost much for your first transfer; since Columbia already have a ready-made first team goalkeeper in the form of George Danvers. Best suited for a traditional goalkeeper role,

#2 — Martin Hawthorn

A defensive fullback in the vein of national team starter Ryan Hughes, Hawthorn is a sprightly, hard-tackling left-back currently playing for West Couno United. The son of current Washington City FC manager Scott Hawthorn, the left-back may be slightly down in physical stats (having low Strength and Natural Fitness at the beginning of a save) but he's certainly one to cast your eye on if you're looking for a talent to develop.

#3 — Cathal Maguire

The difficulty in signing Maguire is that he's already at an established club — picked off by Wirr Tsi after Tumbra's run in the 14th Under-18 World Cup. Maguire's potential was on show there and here, with a great degree of composure and vision even at such a young age. Best deployed as a deep-lying playmaker, Maguire has attributes that can help him all over the midfield. The only problem, as we mentioned, is that he's already signed to one of the biggest clubs in world football in Wirr Tsi — but perhaps you could persuade them to send him on loan to your club, and persuade him life with you is better than with them...

#4 — Natalie Coleman

One of Tumbra's highest-rated creative midfielders — and for good reason. Coleman may be just 19, but she's already renowned for her vision, pace and goalscoring threat even as an attacking midfielder. Best deployed as a enganche, she can and will make things happen in the opponent's half if given the ball, drifting everywhere and giving defenders a nightmare trying to mark her as she pulls opposition defenders all out of position. With Clyde Park's recent troubles, too, the promise of a new project may be enough to tempt her away from the heart of Clearmont and become the next big attacking phenomenon in your save.

#5 — Charlotte Henshaw

The highest-rated player on this list, Henshaw is already starting regularly for one of the biggest clubs in Tumbra — Lakewood City — and it's not difficult to see why. Even at 19, her pace, energy, positional and dribbling abilities — not to mention that rocket of a right foot — has her pegged as a future national team starter, and maybe someone who can go all the way to the very top. Best deployed as an advanced forward, will you be able to bring her to her full potential at your club?

Back Of The Net 10 is the latest edition in the award-winning series of football management simulation games published by Interact Games, and gives you the ability to step into the shoes of a football manager anywhere. Be it somewhere in the Indigo League of Chromatika, or the Mytanar Top League, there's always a club ready to give you an opportunity to take charge. How will you write your story?

Back Of The Net Football 10 is available for 44 NSD and equivalent price in all major retailers and online.

by **Brookstation** » Thu Jan 27, 2022 8:48 pm

The clock was ticking faster than ever. The scores were leveled and as each minute passed by, every Brook football fan's started beating a bit faster. If Brookstation could clinch on to the tied scoreline of the game, they could make it to the round of 16 of yet another tournament. It could be easily understood that the players themselves were getting excited as the minutes slowly passed by. Anyone could easily tell by looking at the expressions of the players. Soham Misra on the other hand kept his head down , with his hands folded behind his back and started pacing across the field. He didn't say anything nor did he look up except at times when he needed to check the time. It is said that time passes by pretty quickly but for some reason, here the scenario was different. It seemed like the match was going to take an eternity to end and as always a lot could happen in those few minutes. The injury time added on by the referee just made things worse.

Anyway, the whistle was going to be blown at one point of time after all. When the whistle actually blew, it took everyone by surprise. There were a few seconds of silence and this was the little amount of time everyone got to understand whatever had happened. Then started the celebration. The Brook players were confused. They didn't know which direction to run at and whether to throw their jerseys at the crowd or not. But professionalism was something that stopped them eventually although they didnt seem to stop very willingly. After all, they were just teenagers.

They shook their hands with the players and faced the media before arriving at the locker room. The entire team left out a roar once and then sat at their respective places. The amount of celebration had made the players tired and they gasped for breath when they actually sat down. But deep down, the joy of qualifying still remained.
" Not a great day in term of results but anyway we qualified. Round of 16 is the first step towards victory. There's still a long way to go." said Coach Misra
" Well, our campaign has been pretty much fine, I guess" said Andre
" Except our loss to Montana Verde" muttered Hoogewarf from the corner while taking a sip of his energy drink.
" Fuck's sake. Forget it already. Focus on the positive side of things, always." replied the captain.
" Anyway, whom are we facing next ?"
" Octapolis. I don't know much about the nation, to be honest. In fact, with the little bit of research I did, I didn't seem to find any sporting record of Octapolis" said coach Misra
"Strange. But they have been quite impressive in this tournament. They have topped a group with giants like Baker Park and Quebec. Thus, they are surely going to be tough opponents." said Quincy
" Anyway, there's nothing to worry about boys. We have Grandpa Soham with us. Man defeated Tikariot and Sarzonia, he's not let us down." remarked Juan
Soham blushed despite of his old age before replying, " That was not me who made us win. It was the players themselves. We won primarily because we believed in ourselves and that's what I am trying to inculcate in you all. My butterfly days are over now and it won't be long till I leave this world forever. Anyway, there's not much to speak about and unfortunately we won't be able to hit a pub either thanks to the number of teenagers here."
" Fine, see you tomorrow, coach. Everyone let's head towards home."
" Quincy man you need to get a better celebration dude. It doesn't seem good to see you just running around the field after scoring a goal." commented Lekas
"I'll try." was all Quincy could help himself to.

After everyone had left the room. Soham began to reflect on whatever had happened in the course of the last few days. He never knew that his team would be able to come this far. Even though, this qualification seemed to be something very exciting, deep down he knew that his team lagged behind. After all, the team could only manage to one win throughout the group stages. Had Poe not equalized this matchday, everything would be over for them. Soham didn't like his team to be standing in the borderline where loss is on one side and win on the other. He always wanted his team to be standing on the other side. Would their campaign again end in the Round of 16 as usual ? Well one thing seemed very probable. Soham had a long night to stay up to reflect on his thoughts and more importantly find solutions to them.

BROOKSTATION   1-1   MURALOS
Poe (56)             Zhong (34)

Brookstation starting lineup vs Octapolis
GK:Logan
LB: Jamieson, CB:Brookes, CB:Angeles, RB:Rhine
CM:Butterfield, CM:van Zyl , AM:Vandendriessche
LW:Hoogewarf, CF:Poe , RW:Kirchmann

World Cup 81/82/83/84

© Sporting Times Daily 2022
U21's to face Montana Verde in Round of 16
by Mindy Cartwright, National Soccer Editor

The Commonwealth Under 21 National Team advanced to the knockout stage of the 52nd Di Bradini Cup with a 1-0 victory over Quebec & Shingoryeo to finish runner up in Group B behind debutantes Octapolis; in the draw for the opening playoff matchup, the Junior Bees were paired with Montana Verde--where the senior NT were the first ever opponents on their home soil in World Cup Qualifying 88--and have made their way from Sabine & Caddonia to Kareen on Capri Island, where they split a pair of group stage matches in DBC 50.

The Rose Gardens is a familiar venue for the BP side, and although Montana Verde's Junior Condors are a new opponent, it should prove to be a straight forward contest between a BP side with aggressive intent and an opponent who will look to stay compact and break on the counter.

by **Valanora** » Fri Jan 28, 2022 12:08 am

Round of Sixteen
Valanora 4–0 Cabo Azure
Octapolis 2–1 Brookstation
Montaña Verde 3–3(3–3 AET)[4–2 PKs] Baker Park
Tumbra 3–2 Qasden
Pasarga 2–2(2–2 AET)[5–4 PKs] Abanhfleft
Cassadaigua 2–2(2–2 AET)[4–5 PKs] Waisnor
Sarzonia 3–0 Darmen
Græntfjall 1–1(1–1 AET)[4–3 PKs] Adab

Quarterfinal Fixtures
Valanora v Octapolis @ Donna Cathedral, Mar Sara
Montaña Verde v Tumbra @ Angelotic Temple, Longview
Pasarga v Waisnor @ Duran Palace, Valanari
Sarzonia v Græntfjall @ Rose Gardens, Kareen

by **Sarzonia** » Fri Jan 28, 2022 10:23 am

One thing became clear after the Sarzonian Under 21 national football team put the finishing touches on a 3-0 victory over Darmen in the Round of 16 at Di Bradini Cup 52.

The Junior Stars first efforts toward erasing the memory of two Under 21 World Cups where they failed to advance from the group stages have been largely successful. Not only that, but the unstated goal putting the dysfunction of the previous edition where now-former manager Diego Cristobal abruptly ghosted the team before the start of the group stages into the realm of faded memories has also been accomplished.

Manager Colton Longley, who stepped into a difficult situation as interim manager in the previous edition of this competition, now has gotten his team into the quarterfinals for just the second time since its return to this competition after a long period of isolation. Longley joins current senior national team manager Nathan Hanifer as the only managers to take Sarzonia into the quarterfinals. The Junior Stars went 3-0-2 but still missed out on the knockout rounds one Cup after Cristobal's last, disastrous campaign where Sarzonia went 0-0-3, scoring only one goal and conceding 11.

Now, Longley brings a 2-2-0 mark into the quarterfinals against an emerging rival in sport, Græntfjall. That team survived a penalty round against Adab by notching four scores to Adab's three following a 1-1 draw through regulation and extra time. The Junior Stars hope to build on the momentum they gained with the easy triumph over Darmen.

"It felt good to get out there and play a full 90 minutes the way we're capable of playing," Longley said. "Big credit to the entire squad."

For goalkeeper Glen Baker, the victory marks yet another effort on his part to cast aside poor memories from this tournament. Besides the 0-0-3 debacle, there was also the incident where he made a homophobic comment during a match. It drew the then-backup goalkeeper a three-match suspension from Hanifer and sent Baker on a long journey toward forgiveness, both from himself and from a longtime friend. In the match against Darmen, he made five saves and commanded the back.

"It was important for us to go out and set the tone," Baker said. "I feel like we did that."

Sarzonia set the tone by going on attack almost from the moment of the opening kickoff. The Junior Stars began an attack run and nearly capitalised on a cross from midfielder Joanie Rhys to forward Suzi Calderon in the second minute, but bid grazed the crossbar and flew harmlessly behind the goal. The Junior Stars had sent their message, however, and would soon reap the rewards for their aggressive offence with a ninth minute goal from Thurman West.

Nick Raiden would step into the lineup to start the second half as Sarzonia had gone into the halftime dressing room with just the 1-0 lead. He scored in the 58th and 74th minutes and the defence stiffened, dominating possession by a margin of 63 to 37.

“We just wanted to make sure we played an aggressive match for the full duration,” Raiden said. “We may have had the run of play in the first half, but with the score only one-nil, we felt we needed to bury them.”

And that’s exactly what the Junior Stars did.

Di Bradini Cup 52/U21WC73 RP And Scores Thread

Who is online