Cup of Harmony 82 [rosters/RPs/scores]

[Mercedini]

82nd Cup Of Harmony R32 Condensed Highlights
Mercedini vs. Savigliane
@ Adamson Park - Montfort Parish, The Licentian Isles

Good evening everyone and welcome back to the Licentian Isles for more Cup Of Harmony action. Today we are in Montfort Parish for Mercedini's first knockout game in four cycles! That's right, following three consecutive group stage exits in the World Cup, the NSWC's secondary tournament as bought solace to the national team, but giving them a chance to stretch their proverbial wings. Their wings were clipped in the most recent match however, as Acastanha scored the only goal in match which decided the overall group winner. That loss meant they finished second, giving them the rather difficult task of having to beat Savigliane in the Round of 32 fixture. Going into the game, it is very unclear who is going to come away as winners from this game with only a single ranking spot between these two sides. Combine that with both Dini and Savigliane finishing second in their group, and you have a matchup that is mostly equal when it comes to quality on paper, and momentum of these teams coming into this match. It's the first match for Mercedini outside of Abingdon, so let's see how they will fair against their most difficult opposition thus far, in a setting that they will certainly be unfamiliar with.

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0' - The lights are shining down on the pitch in Montfort as both teams walk out to a capacity crowd in Adamson Park. We are approaching the business end of the tournament, and big teams are already beginning to go home, and one of these bracket favourites will join them following the conclusion of this match. For Mercedini, they will want to bounce back following their loss to Acastanha, but with many players rested in their third group game, we are now expected big things from those players who should be at full fitness for this game. Savigliane are also putting out their strongest side for this one, so both sides have given themselves the best chance of winning and having the privilege of playing either Savojarna or Eraman in the Round of 16. So let's see who comes out on top in front of a prime time viewing audience, both in Mortfort and in millions of televisions across the multiverse.

32' - (MRC 0-1 SAV) - It's been a long time coming in this game, but the deadlock has finally been broken by Savigliane. Roman Palomer needed two bites at the cherry but he eventually rifled the ball into the net to give his side the lead. It was a heavy investment from the Swans to committed many bodies forward for this play. Squarchiafichi made space down the middle with a ball over the top to find Adrian Toscani as he was entering the box. The Mercedinian defence did a good job in holding up the play, but that just gave Toscani time to look up and spot Palomer in space on the edge of the box. Palomer took a touch before blasting the ball past Wandai, only for the ball to ricochet off the bar and back into play. Fortunately for the Swans' winger who plays in Astogarth, the ball landed right at his feet, and he didn't need a second invitation to tuck the ball home and give his side the lead in this one. 1-0!

38' - (MRC 0-2 SAV) - After a relatively close start tot he game, Savigliane have taken the game by the scruff of the neck, they claim a second and it's Palomer again in the right place at the right time. This time it's from a corner swung in with pace, the ball was flicked towards goal by Blanco, and Palomer was there at the back post for a simple tap-in. What a game for the Savigliane left-wingback, a first half brace is what has separated these two teams after a fairly drab first half hour. Billic looks on with some Savilgiane fans going crazy behind him, he must find a way to stop the rot and bring his team back into this one. Two-nil to the Swans, and they could arguably go for more, Mercedini's defence is rocking!

43' - (MRC 1-2 SAV) - What an end to this first half, we have a third goal in this game and it's Mercedini who halve the deficit from the penalty spot. It was a clumsy challenge from Garcia as Chillotov went round him. The Savigliane defender stuck out a leg which invited the Mercedinian striker to go down and claim a spot kick, which the referee almost immediately obliged. On his return to the team, Dostalok stepped up and blasted the ball to his right, sending the keeper the wrong way to bring Dini back within touching distance as we approach the half time whistle. 2-1 here and we have a game on our hands!

45+3' - (MRC 1-3 SAV) - The Golden Eagles are in crisis mode as Toscani rolls the ball home for a Savigliane third all before half time. Not content with his two goals, Palomer has chalked up and assist to his name as well. For this one, he used his pace and trickery to work his way down the wing. A quick one-two with Vitale gave the winger the space to work his way into the box with several Mercedinians tracking him down. Palomer looked up, squared the ball over to Toscani, and the Cazadores Cathair striker rolled it home to make the first half a bit of a romp for the higher ranked side. Billic looks disappointed with his players who thought they were back in it. Plenty of soul searching to find in the dressing room during the half time break, it's all Savigliane in this match as they lead by three goals to one.

HALF TIME
Mercedini 1 - 3 Savigliane
Dostalok 43' (P) • Palomer 32', 38', Toscani 45+3'

Has Dini's luck finally ran out? That's what many are saying on social media following what began as a good first half, but quickly unravelled into a shambolic defensive display from the Golden Eagles. Fair play to Savigliane, they have proved why they are the rank that they are, and with quality movement like what we saw in the first half, they can certainly challenge anyone on their day. The players are back on the pitch ready for the seconds half, with the crowds slowly filing back to their seats ready for whatever the second half brings them. Concerned looks fill the faces of the Golden Eagles' supporters, we need someone to turn up big for this second half just to have a sniff of taking it to extra time.

55' - (MRC 2-3 SAV) - Goal. The deficit has been halved for the second time in this game as Chillotov scores to give his team a fighting chance. It comes from a fast counter attack following a free kick at the other end, something which Dini are known for. For this one, it was Gucci and Chillotov the two to carry this one all the way. Gucci did most of the leg work in braking free of his marker and finding space down the wing following a heavy boot down field from Wandai. Gucci controlled it before lofting a ball into the box, it was a straight duel between Dutto and Chillotov, but it was the Mercedinian who rose highest and flicked the ball on. There were appeals for a foul on Dutto as the ball landed inside of the far post, but it wasn't called by the refs, and Chillotov picked up the ball for a quick restart. 3-2!

79' - (MRC 3-3 SAV) - Another! The comeback is complete as Chillotov bags his own brace to bring it back to 3-3 with ten minutes to go! The Lajuno striker and Mercedinian captain as lead his team back from the brink with a screamer from about twenty-five yards out. Dini had been hogging the ball for a good five minutes as they looked for a mistake in the Swans' defence. That never really came, but was did come was an opening in the back line which Chillotov fully exploited. He picked up the ball following a quick pass from Karlovic, and with the fans ahead of him calling for him to shoot, he took his chance a blasted the ball into the top corner to bring the game back to a stalemate. Not even the fans asking for him to shoot could believe it, even some of his own teammates took a second to wonder 'Hang on, did that just go in?' before running over to celebrate with him. Is that the turning point? We're back level at 3-3.

90+2' - (MRC 4-3 SAV) - GOOOOALLLL! The comeback is complete, the Chillotov hattrick is complete, and I think the evening for many Mercedinians is complete now too. After looking dead and buried in the first half, Chillotov has turned it on when he needed to and come up with three goals to turn this Round of 32 tie on it's head. You want drama at the Cup of Harmony? Well we've got it for you! This time it's Gucci again with a corner floated in to the box. D'Ambrosio came out and punched the ball away, only for it to be immediately returned by Di Sansev. Karlovic gathered the ball, turned and shot the ball through a field of bodies and towards goal. The ball was blocked on the line by of the outfield players, and all hell broke loose inside the six yard box. With the ball loose, a mass of flailing legs was seen trying to kick the ball one way or the other. One kick meant the ball deflected off the leg of D'Ambrosio, and flicked in front of Chillotov to stab it home. What a crazy end to this game, but we aren't done yet, there's still plenty of time for Savigliane to claim an equaliser of their own.

90+10' - (MRC 5-3 SAV) - One final goal scored, and that is that inside Adamson Park. It's Chillotov who has netted his fourth and Dini's fifth in this game from the penalty spot, after a rather ugly end to the game. Going for a last minute equaliser, Savigliane sent everyone forward bar the goalkeeper to get a head onto a lofted ball forward. It came to nothing and was finally cleared by Brindliev, with Gucci waiting on the half way line to steal another goal at the end. Gucci couldn't do what usually happens in this situation, but was brought down by D'Ambrosio in the box to deny the goal and concede another penalty at the same time. It was only Chillotov present at that end of the field, with the game all but over as we entered the tenth minutes of added time. Chillotov hit it to the right again, and scored Dini's fifth with the last kick of the game. Dini finish with a flurry following a major scare in the first half. Four goals send the Golden Eagles through to face Savojarna, but it's finished here; Mercedini 5, Savigliane 3.

FULL TIME
Mercedini 5 - 3 Savigliane
Dostalok 43' (P), Chillotov 55', 79', 90+2', 90+10 (P) • Palomer 32', 38', Toscani 45+3'

God dayyyum, what a dramatic game, but it is the Golden Eagles who live to fight another day. As mentioned briefly at the end of our highlights, it will be Savojarna next, who came through a tight affair and beat Eraman by a goal to nil. Both of the top two seeds in this half of the bracket, Savigliane and Tikariot, were knocked out at the Round of 32 stage, with Krytenia confirming the other half of that fact by beating Tikariot 6-3! We hope you will join us tomorrow as we give you all of the action and reaction from Mercedini's match against Savojarna for a spot in the quarter finals. See you then!

[Starblaydia]

Episode 11 - The Nemesis
S01 | E01 | E02 | E03 | E04 | E05 | E06 | E07 | E08 | E09 | E10

Two of the greatest teams in the history of football
go head-to-head to decide once and for all who really is
the best in the multiverse, and it's a battle of the elves.

Ázëwyn Fëanáro, Midfielder,
World Cup 47 training session

Narrator: Great duels between nations in the World Cup have happened throughout its history. Whether Bedistan and Liventia, Ariddia and Bettia, or The Holy Empire and Candelaria And Marquez, sometimes the title of best in the multiverse is a heavyweight fight between just two teams. Between the fortieth and forty-fourth World Cups, a run of five successive finals, there were only two winners. Valanora where the team to beat, being champions on three occasions. Their nemesis appeared to be Starblaydia, as the two times Valanora did not win the tournament, they were knocked out by the team in white and purple in the Semi-Finals, who would go on to win the title. During this era, they would meet in only one Final: World Cup Forty-Seven, the first 'modern' tournament.

World Cup 47 is a brave new world in terms of organisation, in terms of numbers, in terms of being innately discoverable by the average viewer. There was this sudden - and rather ironic - jolt of viewership and entrants into the Qualifiers. Take World Cup 46, for instance, that had just 90 entrants in the Qualifiers. That was a reasonable number, sure, an increase on the 80 of the previous few Cups, but suddenly World Cup 47 jumped to 120 teams from across the multiverse. The World Cup Committee has never looked back and now the World Cup is this gargantuan endeavour, this behemoth of a conveyor belt, grinding along the three tournaments, chewing up sides and spitting them out the other side. It's the first one that you don't need anything special to be able to look back on, and that makes it a real game-changer and a watershed moment for the tournament.

The oversight of this was accomplished by former Starblaydi midfielder, captain and World Cup-winning manager Lex Panarii, then President of the World Cup Committee, in the middle of the first of his two terms at the helm. The new technology was here and he made the decision to exploit it. Turned out alright in the end, I guess? The Baptism of Fire in Bostopia and Liventia had a massive 37 teams in five groups of five and two of six, it was a huge increase in the amount of football being played across the multiverse, eyeballs on the product and - crucially - there were many more high quality teams beginning their fight for the title.

Narrator: After drawing level with Rejistania and Bedistan as one of the most-decorated sides in World Cup history, an elite club of four-time champions, World Cup 41-winner Bazrador Drakkiborgo became Starblaydia's manager.

Drakkiborgo had one mission in life - live up to his great hero, Khim Azanulbizarn. Both of these Dwarves made their name as left-sided full back, starting out at the main Dwarvish side, Karak Ungor Chiefs. Now Azanulbizarn was the architect of one of Starblaydia's previously most-dominant period, as Manager he took them to the top three of the World Cup three times in four tournaments, winning a medal of each colour. Now yes, Drakkiborgo was already ahead of his idol with a World and Regional Cup to his name as a player, in that great Double-winning side who defeated Capitalizt SLANI in World Cup 41, but in his one cycle in charge of the national team so far, he'd made the Quarter-Finals of the World Cup.

As a warm-up to the World Cup, Starblaydia took part in the OXEN Cup in Qazox, smashing aside Delaclava, Sativaville, Taeshan and Sarzonia, before falling to Jeruselem in the Semi and Newmanistan in the play-off to finish fourth. It was a reasonable work-out, but not quite what the SFA had in mind. Then, as was the tradition around the time, they entered the Mike Sarzo Memorial Tournament. Played across the qualifiers of the World Cup, it offered up a great chance to keep match fitness going, and with just a few short games it was always great to have the prospect of an international trophy to lift, however minor, and build a team spirit around. The was only one goal in mind, and everyone in the multiverse knew it:

Starblaydia's WC47 Roster
It's time to step up for number five

Regarded as the second-best team in the multiverse, Starblaydia's Dwarven-led side counted four World Cup winners, six Elves, six women, and ten different nations' worth of club teams represented in their official squad list, from Krytenia to Valanora, from Candelaria And Marquez to Quintessence of Dust. Their goalkeeper, Dacil Taniquentar, sat between the sticks for the greatest club side of the time - Cafundéu's Petardos S/A - and the midfield was anchored and spearheaded by a spine from Raynor City United, Valanora's most famous club.

Narrator: Through the Qualifying Campaign for World Cup Forty-Seven, a draw away in Dariusville meant that Starblaydia started more slowly than expected, but they won nine qualifying matches in succession, conceding just four goals and scoring thirty-five. Only Bazalonia managed to come away with three points from Starblaydia, and nobody managed to score twice against them.

There was definitely something in the waters of the Bekk around this time. Lex Panarii was the President of the World Cup Committee, Starblaydia were named the number-one side in the official rankings for the first time in sixty-four years, Starblaydi coaches and their style of play were setting the standard right at the top of the game. In style, too, Starblaydi manufacturer ediraf were setting the trends, providing the kits for Qazox, The Macabees, Sarzonia, Sargossa, Cafundéu, Pasarga, Peisandros, Candelaria And Marquez and Valanora, as well as their home nation.

A Starblaydi is the manager of the top three sides in the world. Bazrador Drakkiborgo [Starblaydia, first], Lii Chong-sun [Daehanjeiguk, second] and Jaime Kuu: [Valanora, third) what a way to sew up the footballing world that is. Kuu has generally proven to have the edge over Starblaydia, with his tough central midfielders to combat Starblaydia's attacking talent combined with excellent wingers to expose and overrun Starblaydia's forward-minded full-backs. Thankfully, the only way Starblaydia and Valanora will meet is if they both make it to one of the final matches to decide the top four placings.

World and Regional title winner while playing for Starblaydia, Jaime Kuu had the Vanorian Football Association's full backing, with the organisation even securing the rights to co-host this particular World Cup to ensure the Marauders would have home advantage to boost them along the way.

Before they got to the Finals, or the World Cup 'proper', Starblaydia had a date with Silexhera in the Final of the fourth Mike Sarzo Memorial Tournament. Though they weren't a name that has echoed down through the ages, they certainly managed to pick up a famous fan or two...

The Banana on Sunday Introduces Jeremy Jaffacake's Return to 'Journalism'

Five Reasons Silexhera are going to slaughter Starblaydia
1: Only Twats Trim their Shirts with Purple
The last time you saw a grown man wearing purple what did you think? Exactly

2: They Hide Behind their Poofy Names
Any idea what Valrauncion means in English? Viagra Union. If he played in Silexhera the name on the back of his shirt would be 'V. Union'. Doesn't sound quite so exotic now does he? Roshanak is 'Testicle' in at least six languages and what about the Brady Bunch? Sorry, 'Di Bradini' Bunch. Diamontii? Give me a break. Your names Montgomery and you know it.

3: Cafundeu 0-1 Silexhera, Sarzonia 0-3 Silexhera, Jeruselem 0-1 Silexhera
Look it up.

4: Starblaydia 2-3 Iansisle, Starblaydia 0-1 Melmond, Starblaydia 1-2 Audioslavia
Look them up too.

5: They've got a defender called 'Hindenburg'
And none of them see the irony of calling him 'good in the air'. Don't tackle him too hard mate, he's full of fucking hydrogen. The explosion'll rip your ears off. Well that went down like a lead balloon.

"It's time to step up for number five" is it, Mr. SFA Marketing man? Well at least we don't have to sit down for a number one.

I've been Jeremy Jaffacake, G'nite bitches.

For all the cake-or-biscuited one's ranting and raving, Starblaydia did defeat Silexhera, although they would need a Valrauncion equaliser followed by a Starblaydi masterclass in penalties, three to nil, thanks to Valrauncion, Alessandro Gomes and Ázëwyn Fëanáro. The MSMT is a minor trophy, of course, but the spectre of a Starblaydi team lifting the silverware suddenly made everyone sit up and take notice, because now confirmed as the best team in the multiverse going into the World Cup, they could easily be the ones to lift the most prestigious trophy of them all. There were more than a few obstacles in the way, however, and one of them could well be the team they had faced more than a few times in the past editions: Valanora.

Thankfully, the only way Starblaydia and Valanora will meet is if they both make it to one of the final matches to decide the top four placings.

Starblaydia have their mission: that tantalising, near-impossible dream of a fifth World title. They have the players, the staff, the support and the fans to do it, now they just need the luck. Tuomas Hindenburg has already lifted the Mike Sarzo Memorial Trophy in the past few months: can he lift the greatest trophy of them all, too?

The title charge began with a 4-1 thrashing of Jasi'yun. Fëanáro, Valrauncion and Gomes again on the scoresheet. Against co-hosts Kura-Pelland, a 1-1 draw was on the cards, but Starblaydia finised top of Group E after a 6-2 annihilation of The Macabees, including a Valrauncion hat-trick, although the crowd seemed more distracted by the appearance of Simeone Di Bradini in the crowd on the big screen than hey did paying rightful attention to the elven striker's on-field exploits. Starblaydia would finish as Group E winners, with the co-hosts coming in behind them, heading into the knockout phases as expected.

What nobody expected, however, was a 4-1 win by Bears Armed over Daehanjeiguk, putting the Bears into the driving seat and meaning that Starblaydia and Daehanjeiguk - Drakkiborgo and Lii - would face each other a round earlier than either would have expected. Certainly the Starblaydia/Daehanjeiguk match will be the tie of the Round, seeing the top two teams in the world right now, both with enormous attacking intentions, come head to head, with the losers going home. Arguably this match should have been to decide a place in the Semi-Finals, but fate has intervened to make it a truly tasty Second Round clash to begin the Knockout stages and really set the World Cup up for some real excitement.

As tasty as the Daehangeijuk match looked on paper: first versus second in the world, two Starblaydi managers coming head-to-head in the knockouts, two heavyweights seeking to prove their worth and take each other out. Neither side were particularly happy about it, expecially considering the co-hosts had ended up playing Jeruselem and Septentronia, two sides who were a much easier prospect on paper.

In the end, Starblaydia ran riot, again. Four goals to one, with Valrauncion scoring his 16th of the campaign as part of the victory. This team, if they were in the right mental space and feeling sharp, could absolutely obliterate any defence put in front of them, even the second-best team in the world.

Everything rests on the simple matter of the attack scoring more goals than the opposition. That doesn't appear to worry Bazrador Drakkiborgo, however, as any combination of Valrauncion, Ázëwyn Fëanáro, Alessandro Gomes, Soronúmë, Soraya Roshanak, Carnophin Narquelie and Nicole Maitland-Banks appears to be able to blow away any other team in the world, on their day. They just have to make sure that they have three such game days in a row, and Starblaydia will be crowned the greatest team of all time.

Just a single slip-up, however, and it will all come crashing down around them.

The Last Eight was no mean feat, either, as Cafundéu came a-calling for a World Cup 44 Final rematch. They were sent a-packing, too, with Francisco Martinez's goal from midfield, and Valrauncion's winner providing a 2-1 win and a place in the Final Four. This was no easy victory, though, it was a hard-fought performance, built on a high intensity work-rate to overcome the slick movement and passing of the Monopolists side. Starblaydia needed to get physical and overpower their opponents, but all in all it came down to one of the greatest strikers in the world to give Starblaydia the lead with around 20 minutes to go, something that they were determined not to relinquish.

Their reward was another meeting with co-hosts Kura-Pelland in the Semi-Final, the only team Starblaydia had failed to beat in their run so far. It would doubtlessly prove to be a difficult match, but no-one could realistically concentrate on it when there was such a mouth-watering prospect waiting just 90 more tantalising minutes away.

Starblaydia have to face a nation, playing at home in the most important match in its history. Kura-Pelland have the chance to give themselves a place in the Final in Valanora. Either the Vanorians await, or the Sortherners. What price a Starblaydia-Valanora final, in Valanora, to decide once and for all who the greatest nation in footballing history is?

The the Shanvley Stadium in Kura-Pelland had to be negotiated first, and there was always the chance of stumbling at the penultimate hurdle if you're concentrating too hard on the final one. Ninety-thousand fans, mostly supporting the home side. For forty minutes, however, Kura-Pelland managed to completely lock down the attacking quartet of Starblaydi forwards. Valrauncion, in particular, was practically chained to Alfie Thirlwell, with the sweeper being given licence to stick to Valrauncion like glue. The elf was frustrated and barely getting a sniff of the ball, such was the pressure coming from Thirlwell. But then the worst happened.

One of Dante's clearances went high and long into the Kura-Pelland half, which Valrauncion went for. Thirlwell, of course, was just a step behind him and both jumped for the ball. Valrauncion, the taller of the two, flicked the ball on, landed and turned to sprint away after it. Thirlwell, too, landed and turned, but moments later he fell to the floor in agony. Fëanáro, sprinting past, immediately raised her arm, looking over to the Kura-Pelland bench and waving their physio on. Alfie Thirlwell was curled up, not moving, holding the lower part of his lower leg, a wordless cry coming out of his mouth. He was substituted, Koenraad Jekabsone coming on as an orthodox right-back with Ali Al-Fayyoumi moving into the heart of midfield as the Kura-Pellandi coach made some fast choices.

It was the type of turning point that no-one wants to see; a freak injury occurring out of nothing that changes a working game plan into a hastily-assembled tactic to try and see the rest of the game out. It wasn't, unfortunately, going to work for Kura-Pelland. Barely a minute later and Valrauncion had struck the bar, he was getting free at will now without his Thirlwell-shaped shadow. Gomes equalised before half time, then Fëanáro put the team in white and purple into the lead, before substitute Soraya Roshanak sealed the game with seven minutes of normal time left. As Starblaydia celebrated their victory, they only had one thing in mind: who would be in the Final with them? The answer came swiftly: Valanora.

Narrator: The dream match-up was on. Whether it was the game the entire multiverse wanted to see, or the game that absolutely nobody wanted to see, it was two of the best teams playing to decide who really was the best. To be the man, you've gotta beat the man, and these two teams were working out who that really was. The Valanora-Starblaydia final has never been fully seen played out, but here we present the highlights.

Jaime Kuu had set out the 3-4-1-2, with the legendary Laborious Hawk in the hole behind the two strikers, including one of the best int he world: Ikles Razov of Petardos S/A. He knew well the task that was in front of him, trying to score past his club teammate in the opposition goalmouth. These match-ups were everywhere, including on the benches where former World Cup 41-winning team-mates in Kuu and Drakkiborgo would face off in opposite technical areas. Solomon Dante in Starblaydia's left midfield spot would line up against his Cafundó do Juta team-mate Hizzen Hocn on the right side of the Vanorian defence. The entire Raynor City United midfield would face each other, With Rafaelo and Alessandro Gomes in white, versus Faeron Soldarian and Melfanosion Morose. Starblaydia picked up Bazrador Drakkiborgo's 4-2-3-1, spearheaded by Valrauncion, backed up by three phenomenal players in Soronúmë, Gomes and Fëanáro.

It was a final defined by those individual match-ups, all across the pitch, elves versus elves, the team that had stopped a potential five-peat versus the team whole defined an entire - yet untitled - way of evaluating the World Cup. But in this match, Starblaydia would strike first.

Alessandro Gomes scored his eighth goal of the campaign and third of the tournament with just under half an hour to go. driving the ball high into the top corner when a half-cleared cross from Soronúmë fell kindly into his path. The lead would barely last for fifteen minutes as Razov would prove his undeniable class by spinning Avanti Alfonso and wrong-footing Taniquentar, leaving the experienced elven goalkeeper rooted in pace as he expected a near post finish down low to his right, but saw the ball roll past his left side on it's way to clip the post and into the net behind him. It was just before half time and the roar of the Vanorian crowd was enormous, urging their heroes on now that they were back in the game.

The second half was an incredibly intense affair. Both sides knew they had the quality to hurt each other, but also the confidence to weather any storm the opposition could bring. Back and forth the momentum went, like a pendulum forced from one wide swing to another.

But when Ázëwyn Fëanáro, Starblaydia's midfield golden girl, a World Cup 44 winner, a future Captain and Manager of the national side, picked the ball up on the Vanorian edge of the centre circle, you could she had only one thing in mind. Her first touch took Durosa out of the play, turning her and racing away. As Minyatur came to cover she slipped it out wide to Soronúmë, who's curving run took him around the back of Dwier Titenburg Jr. Soronúmë look up to the back post where he expected Valrauncion and Gomes to be lurking, but instead sharply cut it back to the edge of the penalty area, where Fëanáro herself was steaming in at a full sprint and met the ball with the connection of a rail gun, slamming the ball into the back of the net and scoring the goal that would end up winning the World Cup for Starblaydia. Try as Valanora might, they simply could not find the net at the other end, such was the lion-hearted defence put up by the likes of the captain Tuomas Hindenburg and Taniquentar in goal. The final whistle sounded, and Starblaydia had achieved what had previously thought to have been impossible.

Narrator: Starblaydia had won the World Cup trophy for a record fifth time. To date, it is still their last.

Final score from The Battleground, Raynor City, Valanora:
_Valanora_ 1-2 _Starblaydia_
_Razov 43_ - _Gomes 28, Fëanáro 77_

[Savojarna]

SavojarSports.sj - inside reports from all Savojarna
Lijushkin writes history as Northlights clear double octos

By Jaukka Halanen

Savojarna have been on a massive eight game win streak under new coach Dmitri Lijushkin, who is still yet to lose or draw a game after taking over the Northlights in last October. After continuing his perfect record of the five final qualifying games in Montaña Verde, the side moved on to the Licentian Isles in a multi-day ship travel (check out the social media highlights of the trip in this article) to face Eraman at LTI Stadium in Montfort - and thanks to a second half goal scored by Rika Lundell, Savojarna have won this game 1-0, their ninth victory in a row. This is now the single longest win streak in Northlights history, an honour previously shared with the middle leg of the WC86 qualifier, where Mikaela Rangren’s Savojarna strung together eight straight wins before losing their home game against Baker Park. With this victory under his belt, the next thing on Lijushkin’s radar will be the Cup of Harmony quarterfinal - the first WCC-sanctioned quarterfinal in 16 years, when Lise Asbeck’s women’s team lost a Cup of Harmony quarterfinal to Ko-oren in penalties.

The hurdle on the way there will be Mercedini, a team that the Northlights faced twice during the WC86 campaign. En route to the WC proper, they had beaten Dini 1-0 at the Bjurman and 4-2 away, a good omen for the game to come. In the focus will be Savojarna’s defence, which has been splendid so far: When starting with the Zirkova/Nymark pairing, they are yet to concede a goal in this tournament. Only Flavovespia managed to get the ball past Virulainen, in a game that fullback Milla Viipuri had described as “a bit of a free for all, we were having some fun with not much on the line and I think the same goes for them”. With the octofinal on the line, the fun will be toned back, although it should not be completely gone.

Lone goal scorer and Woman of the Match Rika Lundell said after the victory over Eraman: “We’ve struggled out there against a well organised team, but we’ve never gotten into frustration like we had so often in the qualifiers. With the burden of this terrible record lifted, we’re playing with so much fun out there that it’s just swimming. We need to take this joy and fun onwards into the octofinals, and I think we’ll be able to do just that”. The good chemistry in the team was also mentioned in the winner’s interview by Lijushkin himself. “We’ve all got to know each other a lot over the last weeks, especially at sea, and we’re playing not just for the nation but also really for each other. There are so many beautiful moments with this team, we’ve got a real special group here, and that’s just what we need to make these difficult games”. The next game will be played tomorrow night - and hopefully not be the last one. Should Lijushkin truly want to shatter records, he’ll need to hold on six more games - at which point he’d also be holding the longest unbeaten streak in Northlights history.

[The Licentian Isles]

This is the cutoff for the Cup of Harmony 82 Round of 16!

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Round of 16

Savojarna 1–4 Mercedini – LTI Stadium, Montfort, Montfort Parish
Qasden 1–1 Krytenia (1–3 AET) – Gardiner-Stewart Stadium, Abingdon, Abingdon Parish
Yuezhou 0–1 Trolleborg – St Bart’s Oval, St Bart’s, St Bart’s Parish
Valentine Z 1–0 Electrum – Barton Software Arena, Colesham, Colesham Parish

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Quarter Finals

Mercedini vs Krytenia – St Bart’s Oval, St Bart’s, St Bart’s Parish
Trolleborg vs Valentine Z – Barton Software Arena, Colesham, Colesham Parish

[Montana Verde]

Results (Verdean bracket)

Poafmersia 2–2 Gyatso-kai (4–2 AET)
Chromatika 3–3 Omerica (4–3 AET)
Starblaydia 0–0 Flavovespia (0–0 AET) (9–8 pen.)
Nyowani Kitara 3–1 Cabo Azure

Quarterfinals

Poafmersia v Chromatika
Starblaydia v Nyowani Kitara

Venues listed here.

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RP bonus info

At this point we're going to discontinue publishing RP bonus breakdown. The intention was to provide a broad overview, but with a smaller number of teams remaining anonymity is harder to maintain and the data is arguably less useful anyway. We will provide a wrap-up after the final!

[Krytenia]

Merce Beaucoup
By Rami Niblick in St Bart's, The Licentian Isles

AND so, we meet again. Tonight sees Krytenia face a familiar foe from recent years, as the gods of seeding have seen fit to pit them against Mercedini. Having only met for the first time barely thirty years ago, the match between the two will be the sixth overall between the sides...and they have had a tendency to get in our way.

Their first meeting, early in World Cup 82 qualifying was painted amongst the backdrop of two coaches under pressure. On the Mercedini side, there was Elidyr Lyndainium, under pressure following a less than stellar opening to the qualis that had seen them lose two out of three. On the Krytenian side? The Cock himself, Valrauncion. The Starblaydi-turned-Krytenian had led the Dragons to an undefeated start; they were behind Mercedini in the table, however, owing to the fact that all three matches had been drawn. Lyndainium probably saved his job with the Golden Eagles' performance, as Krytenia's midfield had no answer to their opponents. Mercedini were three goals to the good before half-time, and a four-one final scoreline was honestly kind on the Krytenians. As for Valrauncion? He was unrepentant even in the face of such an embarrassing defeat. His arrogant denial that anything was wrong turned the nation against him, and he wouldn't be much longer in the role, as an extraordinary meltdown against Garifunya saw him out of a job.

By the time the two sides met in Ousevale later in the cycle, caretaker Alexander Sampson had stamped his authority on the team, who came into the match on an excellent run of form. Sadly for Krytenia, though, they were again to come up short. A spirited performance kept the Dragons in the game, but Liam Toivonen, who had earlier seen his deflection from a Joshua Coquelin shot result in the equaliser, atoned for his poor fortune by grabbing the winner three minutes from time.

The following cycle would see the two sides drawn into the same qualifying group once again. History would appear to repeat itself in the two teams' first meeting of the cycle, as Krytenia went to Zoloroni and got their backsides handed to them. To be fair to the Dragons, they were far from the pathetic shell of the corresponding fixture four years prior, but the defeat was still painful, and would have implications down the line. Things, however, got better for the men in sky blue and white when the Golden Eagles came to the Isserson. Stephen Mariner, who had broken onto the scene during the qualifiers, was the star of the show as the Dragons finally registered a win over Mercedini at the fourth attempt. That early defeat, though, would prove crucial, as Mercedini grabbed top spot and sent Krytenia into an absolute meat-grinder of a playoff group, where they had few answers for the likes of Savojarna, Kelssek, and Omerica.

Which brings us to our most recent meeting - the last sixteen of this very competition, a scant twelve years ago. Krytenia came into the game not only as favourites, but as reigning champions, having finally broken their WCC duck in the previous edition against Astograth. Mercedini, however, were - and are - no slouches. They had destroyed Kohnhead in the previous round, and were looking to strike out another K here. Mercedini started the game on top, and looked certain to roll over the Dragons once more, until a rare breakaway provided Neil Smith with a free header to give Krytenia the lead. The Golden Eagles, though, maintained the intensity, and ran their opponents ragged for much of the rest of the game. Even then, it took a howler from the normally reliable Damien Carpenter for them to score. The match went to penalties, and it was the Krytenians who held their nerve, scoring all four of their penalties whilst Gonzalo Lorano hit the post and Ross Presic had his spot-kick saved. Sadly, though, the after-effects of such a physically and psychologically draining game took their toll, and Krytenia went out to Newmanistan in the last eight.

History suggests this will be a stern test for Richard Valens' charges, and not an easy one to overcome. Recent form, though, paints a different picture. Krytenia's performances in this Cup of Harmony have gone cagey, unplayable, cagey, unplayable, cagey. Hopefully this means that Mercedini will be put to the sword by a rampant Dragons unit. Hopefully. Onward!

[Chromatika]

Chromatika vs. Omerica - A Five Part Story

1. Juxon Fillar

Yesterday, I was going through routine saves - tap-ins, headers, short-range, midrange, from a third of the pitch away - when it happened. A ball hit by Haley Hauser hit my hand. She does hit them strong and true, but I've saved hundreds of them, and this time was different. The shot grazed my left middle finger and left pointer finger, and the angle of impact and the force behind the ball caused a shooting pain to go through my left hand. I signaled the physio, Zoe Benne, and she came by; we went to the sideline to take a longer look, and made the startling discovery that I had dislocated those two fingers. A simple fix, if painful, but the swelling would not go down by the Omerica match, and that became a point of concern. A long conversation with both Sandra and Zoe later, we decided that I would go for the start, but that Kathie would be on call in case she was needed.

This morning, the fingers were sore and a bit swollen, but they felt fine. As long as I didn't have to make any delicate saves by the fingertips, I would be good to go. I checked with Kathie, and she said that she was also ready to go, but understood that if I was ready, I would have her blessing as usual. As the new Captain for a span of just four matches, I really didn't want to miss out, so I said I'd give it a go.

Now, thirteen minutes into the game, I was regretting it. Nathanaël Thomas from the left post, past my stretched out left hand, which could've been saved if I had my full length. Two more shots that I had barely saved. Gritting my teeth, I looked at the back four of the Anomalies, who looked back at me with confidence. This was a team built on possible comebacks, this was a team built on runs of play, and a team that could take over a match at any moment.

Making a routine back pass, Henri de Aea said one word back to me: "Focus!"

And so, I zeroed back in. There was a lot of time left in the game, and there was a lot more that can happen. This was the most important match in the history of the country in terms of footballing spirit, after all.

2. Vasiliy Marten Kuznetsov

The situation: We're down by two goals, and it's been only twenty minutes. Omerica is running the pitch, and the fact that Kateryna Zuniga and Kaia Larriet-Cortes isn't able to get past the half-pitch line means that we're absolutely struggling in the goalscoring front. A momentum shift needs to happen, and that's where everyone looks to me.

My name is Vasiliy Marten Kuznetsov, and I'm one of the few people to abscond the Chromatik Collegiate Football Association for the Red League, and then from the Red League to Kitara Athletic Association. We won the S-FPL, then we won the Champions' League. My potential had been realized, and everyone started to refer to me as "VMK". I was one of the premier players to wear the Black and White, and that was a role that I didn't take lightly.

Seeing Haley Hauser split two midfielders, I made my way deep into the Omerica side of the pitch and found a tendency - there was a gap between the left front and the keeper. Haley noticed me, and a long pass was delivered perfectly to me. Taking three steps forward, I noticed the Omerican keeper - Jessie Pierce - favoring the left side. My shot was delivered low and to the right, and Chromatika had gotten one back.

When you cut the lead by a goal, the momentum shifts absolutely. Everyone started to play more aggressively, and Omerica was on the back foot.

Right before halftime, another opportunity resulted in me drawing three defenders, leaving Alicia Gainsbourg wide-open. That's the best thing about being one of the premier players on the team - you get to act as decoy. Alicia drew the game level, and things looked better for us heading into the locker room.

We all knew what was on the line - Sandra's job, but also the spirit of football in Chromatika. We'd see this through.

3. Haley Hauser

Coming out of halftime, two things became clear: Juxon couldn't do saves that required all ten of his fingers, which would be something that Sandra and Rachel would have to decide, and we had all the momentum in the world.

Kateryna Zuniga and Kaia Larriet-Cortes have the potential to play further up the field when they are given space - all great DMs can do that as the play allows - and with me as the arrowhead, everything was flowing more freely. Omerica had only crossed to the Chromatik side of the field three times in the second half, as we played keep-away while looking for a way to score.

A run by Wen Xhose resulted drew a foul, which resulted in one of the funniest things about this Chromatik squad - everyone looking at each other to see who will be the one to take the kick. VMK looked at me, and raised an eyebrow. We were two of the better players when it came to taking free kicks, and he had already scored a goal.

I nodded, and went up to the spot indicated by the referee.

Looking at the Omerican wall and the position of the keeper, I could tell that either I'd have to bend it to the left or from the top. I chose the former - a right footed shot to the left side of the top of the wall would have to do.

The referee blew the whistle, and, taking the steps in a slow buildup, I made solid contact with the ball with my right foot, making sure to enact the follow-through like I had practiced a thousand times.

The shot was, if I dare say so myself, perfect. It went over the Omerican wall and buried itself at the top left corner of the net.

For the first time, Chromatika had the lead. For the first time, we could see redemption.

4. Sandra Sybill

Some people hate injury time. "Empty minutes added to the end of the game that's under too much referee control", they bemoan. However, for Managers, injury time before halftime of extra time is great, because it gives you a chance to think. To strategize. To talk to your assistant and see what move you can make.

The score is three-three. Haley's shot had been answered just five minutes later on a neat header by Frère that Juxon had no chance to save. We were lucky enough to get to extra time at all, with Omerica knocking at the door in the last five minutes; thankfully, Juxon's fists don't need all the fingers in them to work as a unit, and we'd kept the tie.

Things were remaining at a deadlock past one hundred and five minutes of play. The possibility of penalties loomed, and I had a decision to make - the most important decision in my brief but storied managerial career.

I could use the extra substitution given out during extra time in one of two potential ways. This decision would dictate the pace and the philosophy of play in the last fifteen minutes, and I was aware of all the implications.

The first would be to replace Juxon with Kathie Begley. As an experienced keeper and one of the best in the Red League, Kathie was the best choice if we were going to play for the tie and contest Omerica in penalty kicks. When it comes to saving penalties, having ten working fingers remained a top priority, and having someone who was a veteran like Kathie would give us the edge that Juxon simply didn't have with a bum hand.

The other alternative would be to play for the win. The best way to do that with the substitutions made so far - Kruetzberg for Wen, Phoen for Hauser, and Ansov for Anbient - would be to replace Kaia Larriet-Cortes with Baillaire Fillar, moving the Chromatiks to be a 4-1-4-1 and putting numbers forward. This would mean that if the team didn't score that all-important game-winner, they'd face Omerica in the penalty kicks with Juxon's bum hand.

As she considered her options, she looked over at Kathie, who was watching the pitch with a discerning eye. Not much escaped the Wirr Tsi keeper, and when she looked over at me, I knew she had an idea of what I was thinking about.

"I'm up for it if you need me," she stated, "But I understand if you go for the win. Trust your gut."

Then, I looked over at Baillaire, who had been following the question.

No, Chromatika had gotten to this point because we'd played it so safely. The time for caution was over.

"Bailalire, you're going in," I said as she looked back, astonished, "Get us that goal to send us through. We need to win it in the next fifteen minutes, you hear me?"

"Yes Ma'am," she answered almost as if in reflex. Then, she made eye contact, and after a long moment later, she repeated, more surely, "Yes, Ma'am."

I prayed it was the right choice.

5. Baillaire Fillar

When I saw Moira Ansov warming up to replace Keira Anbient, I had started to relax, letting the gameday jitters leave me. We were still leading by a goal at that point, and saw no signs of conceding; it was going to be a tough yet needed victory, and we'd move on to the Quarterfinals to face the next opponent.

Then, Omerica equalized, and the butterflies returned - especially when I realized that we'd head into extra time. Extra time meant one more substitution per team, and as one of the Attacking Midfielders in the squad, after noticing that Alissar had been subbed in for Haley, I knew that I could be up if the team decided to go more offensive.

As play dragged on in the first half of extra time, I looked at the match as a whole. Everyone knew that Juxon was nursing some dislocated fingers that were giving him trouble, and that he would probably rather not face penalty kicks. That probably meant that Kathie would go in the longer the game went on, and so the butterflies started to leave again.

That was until Sandra Sybill looked at me and said that I was going in.

Five minutes later, eleven minutes before the game would go to penalties, Kaia Larriet-Cortes came to the sideline and tagged me in, giving me a look of encouragement. I jogged onto the pitch, giving Grayson and Juxon looks as the team switched to a 4-1-4-1. Omerica followed with a defensive substitution, and it became the classic battle of spear versus shield.

Time and time again, Chromatika sent numbers forward, trying to get the ball past the Omerican net for the fourth time this game. Time and time again, Omerica defended, fielding clear after clear.

As time ticked on, we became more and more desperate, and more and more risk-prone. We really needed that goal.

Making a deep run down the left side for what felt like the tenth time in the game, VMK drew two defenders, and their clearance of his run ended up in a corner. A glance at the side clock showed there were four minutes left - we wouldn't have too many more chances like this to get the job done.

As VMK went to take the corner, I took my spot as being just off the line. I was hardly the tallest nor the most aggressive - we had better options for headers. My job was to get the rebounds and follow through, or just to see if I could be at the right place at the right time.

The ball delivery, per usual, was pristine. It went off center back Claire Loup's head, and I managed to gather it on the bounce. Before an Omerican defender could come and collect me, I took two steps and hit the ball with my left foot.

I will remember the next two seconds for the rest of my life. Time slowed down as I saw the ball split between two Omerican defenders and hit the back of the net, keeper Pearce too late by a half second.

As my teammates mobbed me on the field, I looked at the sideline and caught the eye of Sandra Sybill, who had taken a chance on me when she could've played for the tie and penalties.

She smiled, and simply nodded back. Chromatika was saved.

---

CoH 82 Quarterfinals Preview: Poafmersia vs. Chromatika

After surviving Omerica to save Sandra Sybill's job, Chromatika faces a Poafmersia side that is also trying to overcome a disappointing qualifying campaign. Having knocked off Gyatso-kai by scoring two goals in extra time, the Poafmersians are ranked just below the Chromatiks in the world rankings, meaning this will be a close matchup indeed. Has Chromatika burned out by getting the important win? Or will Sybill and Hellion coax the team to the first of three additional victories that would put them in the history books?

[Nyowani Kitara]

Note: This government owned media source is the most biased media sources in the entire country, so read this media source, especially the other news section, with a critical eye. Foreign media observers would call it a KPWC propaganda outlet, a charge that they would most certainly deny. They routinely charge the Free Press with straight up fabrications, something the newspaper rigorously denies. With recent legalization of opposition outlets within the country, its reach will inevitably decline, but in response it is doubling down on its loyalty to the President, and particularly, the party. Obviously, everything is strictly IC.

The Kitara People's Free Press
The voice for the working people of Nyowani Kitara

SPORTS- Excellent performance powers Nyowani Kitara to the CoH Quarterfinals with a 3-1 victory over Cabo Azure


Nyowani Kitara celebrates the opening goal in their victory over Eshialand

VALERIGUA, MONTAÑA VERDE- This round of the Cup of Harmony, at least here in the Rainforest Republic, has been one of the best sets of football that we've ever seen. Three of the games dramatic, all four games high-scoring and coming down to the final moments. The round started with Poafmersia going to extra time against Gyatso-Kai with the scores level at 2 goals a piece, with Poafmersia not able to establish themselves as winners until extra time, when they scored two more to put down Gyatso-Kai's hunt for a WCC Trophy. In the next one, there were six goals in the match between Chromatika and Omerica, but they were even split between the two opponents in a fierce match. Not to mention that Chromatika were 2-0 down in the early stages of the match, and still fought and clawed their way to extra time. The Anomalies were able to get the game's seventh and decisive goal after 90 minutes, to advance. And then, Starblaydia and Flavovespia had a penalty shootout that ended 9-8- a stunning shootout.

That left high expectations for one hell of a match between Nyowani Kitara and Cabo Azure. And this game, while not needing 120 minutes, definitely proved thrilling in its own way. Remember, Cabo Azure is also a nation that does not fear the big boys. They went throughout World Cup Qualifying with a performance to be proud of. Away draws against both Banija and Brenecia, who ran away with the top two slots in their Qualifying group, showed that, on any given day, they are capable. Of course, they lacked the consistency to be a real threat to qualify for the World Cup. They don't have a ton of depth- they've got a national population of only about a half million people, which makes it hard when you're playing these gigantic footballing nations. But they've done well in the Cup of Harmony, both getting out of their group and winning a knockout stage game to reach the Round of 16.

In the Round of 32, Nyowani Kitara blitzed out to a fast start against their opponents, and never looked back as they boat raced Eshialand to the tune of 3-0 to knock them out of the tournament with plenty of ease, and clinch their own berth in the Round of 16. Liang Wei's side has always been a side that liked to get forward, right? And that is exactly what they did against Cabo Azure. Their goal was to play Las Maçaricas off the field the same way they played Eshialand. And in the early going, they had a distinct advantage. The Kitarans were maintaining possession in the final third, and although the finishing was quite there just yet, the chance creation was. Angonga had an open header that he headed about 5 yards wide in just the 7th minute, while Olaf Svante had an opportunity first time. The angle wasn't entirely great, but there wasn't a lot of pressure on him. Unfortunately, he hit the ball about 5 yards over the net, not troubling the goalkeeper even though he was in a dangerous position.

But if you keep creating the opportunities, Nyowani Kitara is good enough to eventually take some of them. And in the 17th minute, Nyowani Kitara did just that. Now, of course, Cabo Azure is a team that loves to try and get forward. Their defenders can get out of position going into offense, and the five in the back can turn into three men under pressure real quick. When the ball was stolen at midfield by Abong'o, and de Lima was way far up the pitch, that meant Angonga was in a one on one matchup with Medeiro. A brilliant long ball by Abong'o meant that Angonga received the ball, going towards goal, with Medeiro draped all over his back. But Odede Angonga had the strength to brush off the Cabo Azure defender, and turn his shot towards goal. He brought all the power behind the shot, went high, and Cabo Azure's goalkeeper did not have a chance. 17 minutes in, Nyowani Kitara had once again jumped out to a strong start. Odede Angonga simply held up one finger to the Cabo Azure fans in front of him, shushing the crowd.

Per usual, Nyowani Kitara would not stop pressing for a goal just because they had scored one. It would not take long for them to score another goal- although this would be a completely different style of goal. This second goal for our national team involved a lot of build-up, and particularly, a lot of sideways passing about 30 yards from Cabo Azure's goal. But Owino Odede saw Armoni Okombo flash by him making a run, and Odede hit Okombo with the through ball. Okombo then flicked the ball over the head of the Cabo Azure defender, quite brilliantly, and then brought the ball back down and smashed it towards the back of the net. With that kind of pace, from that kind of range, the Cabo Azure goalkeeper, for the second time in 6 minutes, simply did not stand a chance. 23 minutes into the contest, Nyowani Kitara were up 2-0 on Cabo Azure, and seemed well on our way for a date with Starblaydia.

The two teams went into halftime with that same score, Nyowani Kitara up 2-0. Many thought that our squad, who has been in fantastic form as this tournament has gone along, would simply cruise to a victory. But Nyowani Kitara would have to go through some adversity first. Our defense could not keep up with Cleto Silveira's blistering pace, and in the 57th minute, he cut our lead in half. Suddenly, things were getting nervous. Up only one. The first goal we had conceded all tournament, in our fifth match. How would we respond? While Cabo Azure kept upping the ante and the pressure, we were able to stand up to the pressure that was given us, again and again and again. Our defenders played well, cutting down spaces and not giving them any real opportunities for chance creation. Odour Bigombe stepped up big when he had to, making a few key saves, and most importantly, not allowing those bouncing rebounds that could've easily seen the game tied at 2 goals a piece.

In the 2nd minute of stoppage time in the second half, Salem Lagum would swipe the ball from a Cabo Azure central midfielder, and found Wang Jiahui blitzing up the right side of the pitch. Almost everybody else was in the box, and nobody had a chance of catching Wang. The former Yue international was one on one with the Cabo Azure goalkeeper, and Wang kept it simple. He simply dribbled around the goalkeeper and just passed the ball into the back of the net, making the score 3-1 and officially ending the trophy dreams of Cabo Azure. As Nyowani Kitara's fans celebrated directly in front of him, he walked up and bowed- his second straight game with a knockout stage goal showing why Liang Wei wanted him so bad in the first place.

Liang Wei said that he was 'proud' of his team after the win. "Look, winning four matches and drawing the fifth out of your first five games at the Cup of Harmony is an excellent return." Liang Wei said. "We understand just how tough this tournament is. There's plenty of depth, plenty of frustration, plenty of motivation. What we've done so far- it is absolutely impressive. We are Rushmore's last team standing in either tournament, as no Rushmore nations made the quarterfinals of either this tournament or the World Cup, besides ours. But our national team is continuing to play closer and closer towards its peak, as the big games start to come up. As a unified nation, we are going to continue to play without fear, and take the game to whoever we have in front of us."

When team captain was asked about the challenge that top-ranked Starblaydia would face, he praised them profusely. "There's a reason they sit as five-time world champions. There's a reason that there are five stars on their shirt." Okombo told them. "They sit here, rather unlucky, to be in the Cup of Harmony. But despite the fact that we are deserved underdogs, and by a major gap at that, we are not going to play with fear. While not all of them are human, they are certainly not Gods. They eat the same food we do, put one boot on after the other like we do. We've had the ethos of we don't fear anybody for a terribly long time, and although this is one of the most storied nations in the entire sport, we certainly aren't going to play scared now. If they beat us, they will have to earn a tough victory through blood, sweat, and tears if they want to send us home."

@KWFA

[Trolleborg]

Greetings, compatriots!
It’s TTV and we propose to remember and relive the moments of our team's game in the Cup of Harmony against Yuezhou.

The game turned out to be quite hard. Our team has somewhat updated its line-up compared to the match against SWEN, but this time Trogil did not deviate from his favorite method of fighting against teams that fielded three forwards, however, now he entrust flank defenders positions to the players with serious experience of playing in the center. Both of them ran about as much kilometers as it is considered decent in our team for a flank defender, but mostly not along the field, but across, constantly moving to help the central defenders and the defensive midfielder. Again, two substitutions had to be spent on adding fresh strength to the defense players, so serious problems were brought to the team by the trinity of blue-and-yellow forwards. Ahead in the field, our team fought for the ball in every episode, with tenacity, but without too much success. Many in the stands and among the experts with a sigh recalled Tom Gulbranden who many times successfully destroyed just such a defense – and after the veteran stopped playing for the national team, she has not yet been able to find a suitable replacement. All the players from the attacking line that we have in the squad are of a completely different sort: masters of maneuver, high-speed attacks, and they had a hard time in the fight against the four skillful defenders of the Yuezhou team. Nevertheless, they created some very dangerous situations at the gates of opponents. Several times it seemed that the pressure would finally be crowned with the desired goal. But the main events all happened within three minutes a quarter of an hour before the end of the game.

At first, Skrta powerfully and strongly hit the goal, and it seemed that the ball was already flying into the net, but the goalkeeper of the opponents, albeit not without difficulty, however, managed to parry it,

Literally a minute later, no less beautiful shot was delivered by Luo Dan – however, our goalkeeper parry this with fingertips.

And a minute later, our lads played an excellent high-speed combination - after a cross into the penalty area, the attacking and midfield players performed a clearly thought-out and worked out in training sessions system of maneuvers, stretching the defenders in all directions, and the ball rolled right under the shot of Kroonquist, who got off his guard. And he brilliantly used the situation organized by his comrades-in-arms, sending the ball into the goal with a strong and accurate shot.

In response, Yuezhou stormed our gates, had a chance to equalize the score several times, and when the referee blew the whistle at the end of the game, several thousand sips breathed a sigh of relief at once. It was a difficult victory - hard, but this make it even more honorable.

However, to the joy of victory, we must add some surprise and offer a debate on this issue. Here's the thing: this time our fan army is unusually quiet outside the stadium. As a result, Licentian Isles, where the tournament takes place, did not experience such a culture shock as many countries in the early years of our team's appearance on the international stage. Now, unfortunately, noisy parades with orchestras, cultural camps in the squares, remote fan zones with 3D football and much more are a thing of the past. No new forms of fan activity have been proposed, and this is not very encouraging. It seems to us that it's time to move the support style to the next level, and to do this, understand what it should be like. From our point of view, tournaments only win from the our fans arrival in brilliance and multidimensionality. We don’t know, however, whether residents of the countries hosting tournaments strongly regret such performances, since they often do not even prepare a cultural program for tourists, and maybe don’t find our own schedule and what we have to offer too much of interest, but we would like to raise the question of whether we should return to such events and what else we can offer the world for his entertainment alone or collectively with someone.

[Starblaydia]

Episode 12 - The Robbery
S01 | E01 | E02 | E03 | E04 | E05 | E06 | E07 | E08 | E09 | E10 | E11

Two unfashionable teams from outside the top 30
make the World Cup Final in a classic clash of styles,
but who will emerge the victor, and how will it affect the future?

Sergio Di Bradini, Midfielder, and Frederico Blassii Jr, defender
conduct an informal on-field performance appraisal, World Cup 63

Narrator: Fans of the World Cup, from right across the multiverse, all love an underdog story. Plucky teams of overachievers fighting hard and bringing the high and mighty low is a story to warm the heart of football watchers everywhere. The sixty-third World Cup had several underdogs go on winning runs, but this was not to everybody's taste...

World Cup 63 came a few editions after the team's second international hiatus, between World Cups 58 and 60. After having become outright the most decorated football nation in the history of the game, it seems like the SFA was more concerned with basking in the glory of that achievement, rather than trying to build on it. 'Where can you climb if you're already at the top of the mountain?', they'd say, but no-one in the organisation ever considered continuing the journey upwards. The team had a new manager, in the form of former Iskara Daii and international striker Jeremy Kintz, who took over from the late Father Juan, who was known as the Fifth Taklian.

Kintz set his team out in a classic 4-4-2 Diamond formation. Holding midfielder, attacking midfielder, full-backs providing width, all the standard, typical style of play that you'd expect from a team in white and purple at that time, and any time in the previous 200 years. They were mostly in their late twenties and early thirties, so this was a side with lots of experience but overall not a lot of pizzazz. Sure, they had a sprinkling of talent at the top foreign clubs in Valanora and Vilita, but this was mostly domestic, mostly veterans. Standouts included Lena Kochanska up front, Sergio Di Bradini in the midfield and Azestella Ajhabekk at left full-back, but you couldn't call this side individually brilliant, or expected world-beaters. They were barely ranked inside the top forty, so everyone knew it would be a long, strange trip if this team as going to make the World Cup Finals. Outside of a couple of players, they just didn't have any spark that generated the media buzz. Even other nations had gotten bored of writing about Starblaydia, believe it or not, but at least they all found something to say.

Starblaydia (38)
They have the Di Bradini Cup every WC.
Bloodbath Generation (UR)
I don't know.
West Angola (47)
I don't know.
Vakolic (UR)
I don't know.
Anollasia (92)
I don't know.
Cambirano (UR)
I don't know.
The Holy Empire (1)
The Holy Empire are the winners of the World Cup 62.
Kishrael (40)
They are a Jewish nation in Flegavia. Too bad that's the only thing I can say.
Vettrera (UR)
Believe it or not, they've hosted the U15 World Championships.

By: Will Dervis

2. Starblaydia (38)- The World Cup’s purple-clad stalwarts, Starblaydia is one of the older nations in the World Cup, although not quite as much as The Holy Empire. While slightly favored to claim the second qualifying spot in the group, the Starblaydi team must also contend with West Angola, who is ranked just below them and will fight hard for upsets as they attempt to claim the qualifying spot. This spot, as well as the one below it, will come down to head-to-head and how many points (if any) the two can take away from top seed The Holy Empire.
Prediction: Loss away, win at home. Points: 3

The qualifying campaign was a solid if unspectacular one, played out across a mammoth 18 matches. Groups of ten can be a real slog for everyone involved, but Kintz and his team were hoping only to clinch a playoff spot. In their qualifying group was The Holy Empire, the defending champions and undoubted best team in the multiverse, who would undoubtedly claim the top of the group and the automatic qualifying spot that went with it. Although there were six further automatic spots available for the group runners-up with the best qualification records, there were plenty of teams stretched out amid the eighteen qualifying groups of 180 nations that would doubtlessly do better than Starblaydia. A play-off place was all that was hoped for, because once you're there, anything can happen.

Everything started well, with five wins from the first six matches, only losing at home to West Angola, who were the biggest threat to Starblaydia finishing in that coveted playoff place. The next six games, however, only produced two wins, as the team drew twice and lost twice, all high-scoring affairs. Somehow Kintz's team, led by that strike partnership of Joe Copeland and Lena Kochanska, scored 19 goals in those 6 matches, but only managed to win twice. Two 3-3 draws, including to the Holy Empire, and two 3-2 losses showed that the Starblaydi defence was a leaky one. No matter how much Juan Torres, the captain, put himself about, they just couldn't close that back door. The last six matches faired slightly better, and after a run of three wins on the bounce, losing 1-0 away in the Dreamed Realm was still enough to put Starblaydia in the driving seat for second place going into the last Matchday. As their two chasing rivals, West Angola and Anollasia, would play each other, hosting Kishrael to a 1-1 draw was exactly what Starblaydia needed to finish in that second position. They hadn't been all that pretty, and the defending had made for some exciting, nervous and goal-filled games, but Starblaydia were nearly there. Just one playoff to negotiate, home and away, to Licentiapacisterra.

Most looked at the official rankings and point to the fact that the nation attached to the relatively low numbers was Starblaydia, meaning that anything was possible. "It is, after all, the five-time World Champions" they would say, always covering their own backs just in case the famous old name, way past their best, tripped up their high flying national team.

It's easy for other teams to see the name, know the history off by heart - if not the whole thing then at least the legend that has been built up around it - and not look at the current ranking Starblaydia had. If you looked closely you could see it - the team bus was old and decrepit, the coaching staff was minimal, the physio never managed to sprint onto the field - only a huffing and puffing red-cheeked jog to apply the magic sponge. This was not a team with big funding, or a huge entourage, massive media following or even any real expectations. They were just getting by in their own little bubble, largely ignored, except for the results they were quietly churning out against the analysts expectations.

Writing about Starblaydia being out of the depth, even now, seems farcical, yet a glance through the roster yields only Iskara Daii's Lena Kochanska as a truly world-class player. The side, with an average age of about thirty, weren't even supposed to be in the World Cup, expected by most to, firstly, not make it to the playoffs, then to succumb to the talented Licentiapacisterrans.

Against Licentiapacisterra, the team won the first game at home by 3 goals to 2. It was a slender lead, but still a lead, going into the second match. Away from home again they conceded twice to the Licentiapacisterrans, but again managed to get on the scoresheet twice themselves. 2-2 the game ended, and Starblaydia made it through to the World Cup Finals in Turori and Aguazul as one of the lowest-ranked teams in the competition. Their prize? Another meeting with their former player Simeone Di Bradini, on the coaching staff of the defending champions, as Starblaydia were drawn into the most difficult group in the Finals.

Undoubtedly this tournament's Group of Death, with world champions and #1 ranked Holy Empire, a strong Pasarga side, and former champs Sylvanaes Queendom. The opening day 3-2 victory over the holy men shocked the world (although with the monks' failure to beat United Gordonopia in that second round, doubts have been cast over the true power of this year's incarnation of the team that swept all before them four years ago), and two spirited draws catapulted the artists formerly known as Blades into the second round. They were supposed to be brushed aside by Sargossa. They didn't. They were supposed to be finally put in their place by the rampaging marauders of Valanora, but again, the Starblaydians refused the guillotine and raised their swords to the necks of their supposed conquerors, daring the then-favourites to make a forward step, something Valanora utterly failed to do in a miserable 1-0 defeat.

Somehow, unbelievably, they managed to make it through. A brilliant win against the Holy Empire, a tough-fought 0-0 where they finally managed to keep the back door shut against The Sylvanaes Queendom, then another draw with Pasarga sent them through in second spot. No-one thought Starblaydia would make it to the knockouts, and then no-one thought they'd progress anywhere through them either - they would surely be dumped out at the first available opportunity. That opportunity was Sargossa, and instead Jeremy Kintz's side dominated them in a 3-0 win. Surely, then, old rivals Valanora would send them packing in the last eight? The Marauders were the favourites going into this round, but even then Lena Kochanska's goal was what separated the two sides, and again Kintz had claimed one of the highest profile scalps it was possible to claim.

From barely scraping through Qualifying with a manager in his first World Cup Qualifying campaign, via giving West Angolan striker Luke Parrish the greatest moment of his life, to scoring three goals against the number one nation in the world in both Qualifying to draw and Finals to win, going undefeated in the Group Stage despite being one of the lowest-ranked teams in the competition, to meeting the other lowest-ranked team in the competition in the Semi-Finals of all places, while on the way having scraped a 1-0 win over one of their biggest, yet friendliest, rivals in sports history... Starblaydi football continues to surprise and astound us just as much as their propensity for extremely long one-sentence paragraphs in their round-up reports.

Surely, then, it would be the Semi-Final where this dream run would finally come undone. Three wins and two draws in the World Cup Finals was far beyond any team with a ranking such as Starblaydia's... except when that team was United Gordonopia. It was outrageous. Looking at the Final Four, only The Babbage Islands were a genuinely good team, counted among the pre-tournament favourites. Every other side was counting themselves extremely lucky to even be in this position.

The fact that both of these nations [Starblaydia and United Gordonopia] were outside the Top 32 coming into the tournament is proof enough that the world of international football is undergoing one of its more substantial shake-ups. The massive influx of nations into what are continually becoming record numbers of entrants in each and every World Cup is driving on the quality, depth and breadth of football right across the world. One half of the draw sees the 35th and 58th best nations in the world face each other, while the other matches up the 3rd and 39th ranked sides. The lowest-interest World Cup in history, you might think, with so few of the 'big' teams around in the final stages?

What difference between Starblaydia and Chenkorya, or United Gordonopia and Boring Paradise? Three teams in the Semi-Finals are of a lower rank than Legalese (24th), who are Finalists in the Cup of Harmony. It's even possible that the Cup of Harmony can have a match of higher-ranked teams than the Final of the World Cup itself! Jeru FC vs Legalese could be worthy of a World Cup Final, while Starblaydia vs Audioslavia (in terms of their rank, rather than famous names) would be much more fitting for the world's second-tier tournament. But the world isn't that way around right now. There is substantial proof that the lifting the World Cup, becoming World Champions, is a closer fight amongst more teams than ever before.

Suddenly the interest levels in Starblaydia shot up. The national football team, so recently ignored and even pilloried, with football itself under a critical microscope thanks to a match-fixing scandal rocking the domestic game in the Protectorate, was gathering fans and momentum in the public interest. The songs were beginning again, chants like "Away in Krytenia", "Ooh-Aah Kochanska", "There's only several Di Bradinis" and the Hessenthaler Swimming Pool tune were being bellowed at the tops of fans voices as they found their fervour once more. The team - the players - were forging a togetherness that was working. the 4-4-2 Diamond was nothing new, everyone knew how to prepare for it and how to pick it apart, but nobody seemed to be controlling the matches against Kintz's charges and managing to do it on a consistent basis. For every time a team unpicked the Starblaydi defence, the likes of Copeland and Kochanska tore them apart at the other end. Tie down that strike force and suddenly the Starblaydi defence would step up as a white and purple wall. This team had such an amazing spirit, they played hard for each other. That was the crucial difference. They weren't playing for the fans, or the glory, or anything else except for each other. They won together and they lost together, and that unbreakable spirit had taken them past Frosticans and Marauders alike. Next was Gordons.

Audioslavian advertisement for the World Cup 63 Final

And they did it again. 2-1. Di Bradni and Kochanska. World Cup Final. Dreamland. Bloody hell, football, eh?

Narrator: Starblaydia versus Audioslavia were drawn together on a fairly consistent basis since World Cup 15 - indeed they were Starblaydia's first ever opponent in the World Cup Finals, in the seventeenth edition. These were two teams that knew how each other played on a intimate level, and though the saying postulates that familiarity breeds contempt, in the case of these two teams it certainly bred needle.

There was so much backstory - is it lore at this point? - to this fixture. Starblaydia and Audioslavia was, and still is, one of the great rivalries in football history: a clash of neighbours, play styles, kit styles, attractiveness levels and silly accents. At both World and Regional level, these two teams have enough baggage with each other to fill a cargo hold. Goals and games, jibes and japes, penalties and pain, scores and scars. Sometimes a match-up just means more than two names with two ranks and twenty-two beings kicking a football around. Sometimes, it's in your soul.

The match itself was, for the first twenty minutes, a staid, cautious affair barely fitting of the occasion. Audioslavia played the football that brought them to the heady heights of the final - wary, defensive, not taking risks, eager to keep possession at all costs - whilst the glamourous Starblaydi sports-car, resplendent in bright white with distinctive purple, charcoal and gold livery, made countless attempts to 'hollywood' the ball into the danger-zone.

Well, it was in your soul if your soul wanted to be frustrated as all hell half the time. There was so much contrast in this match that you practically had to turn it down in your TV settings. Even as the match started, nails were bitten down to their beds, seat-edges were worn thin and nerves were frayed beyond the ability to withstand.

Sergio Di Bradini was living up to the expectations his name demanded - a feat fortunately not managed by any Audioslavian - and controlling the play from the Starblaydi midfield, his crosses and forward-passes working better against the Audioslavia defence than any other playmaker had managed thus far in the tournament. Starblaydia, then, were in the ascendancy, with Audioslavian possession not insubstatial, but generally directionless amid a technically impressive Starblaydi 'full court press' of a defence.

The work Jeremy Kintz had been putting into the Starblaydi defence was obviously paying off. Leaking goals all over the place throughout the qualifiers, suddenly in the Finals they were setting up defensive masterclasses. Clean sheets against Valanora, The Sylvanaes Queendom and Sargossa, out-scoring The Holy Empire and matching Pasarga goal for goal. This team knew that, perhaps, this was their only shot at glory. They had to keep it tight, they had to defend as a unit, not give an inch of ground and make the opposition fight for every blade of perfectly-manicured, semi-synthetic grass. It was certainly working, for the first twenty minutes, at least.

Then you know exactly what would come next.

...a beautifully weighted ball to the feet of Karsten Eiger, arriving on the edge of the penalty area. Eiger looked for Weverton arriving to this right to help the ball on to, first time, saw the pass wasn't on, and instead clumsily tried to roun Pablo Del Astra. Eiger might not be known for his blistering pace, but he did enough to get a shoulder in front of the Starblaydi defender and to muscle him and the ball into the box. Del Astra held out an arm, grabbed a portion of the Audioslavian's shirt as he went past and... well, what happens next depends whether your favourite colour is claret, purple [or cyan]. Claret-covered Audioslavian fans insist the striker was hoiked down by a defender who knew he'd been beaten all ends up. Mauve men argue that the striker went to ground like the proverbial sack of potatoes.

Obviously a dive. Blatant. Stonewall free kick the other way. Breathed on and went down like a sniper had been stationed at the top of the Cednia Beach Center. Absolute travesty. It's not Sarzoball like Eiger was playing, you can't shove the defender like that. Del Astra did nothing wrong. 'Unbelievable, Jeff', as they say. And of course Eiger would stand back up to take it, smashing it right down the middle. Good penalty, for sure, but not a penalty in a hundred years.

The narrative to every other Audioslavia game in the knockout stages was playing itself out, it seemed. Soaking up pressure, killing on the counter. All that remained for Audioslavia, for the next seventy minutes, was to keep their opposition at bay and kill the game in the last ten minutes. Stamina, concentration and discipline the three watch-words of the modern Audioslavian game.

Narrator: Audioslavia were famed - notorious even - for losing the World Cup Final. World Cup Twelve. Ninteen. Twenty and Twenty-Nine. All defeats for the Bulls. It was their first loss that had scarred the Audioslavian psyche the most, being overcome by the famed System Karela of Rejistania. That defeat had seared itself into the very soul of Audioslavian football, forever making an indelible mark on their style of play. Defensive, solid and considered were their hallmarks. High efficiency, low risk and low block were their calling cards, and being one goal to the good was the time to bring their natural style into action.

Everywhere you looked was that bloody red shirt with the green and white stripes. There was always a body in the way, an outstretched boot, a crowd of players around any Starblaydi with the ball. Sergio Di Bradini saw all his options heavily marked, all his passing lanes blocked with runners forced down dead-ends. The Bulls were hunting the ball, controlling the space, forcing the Starblaydi team further and further back into increasing desperation. Against other sides, this Starblaydi team would be laying siege to the goalmouth, but in this match they were ineffectually sallying into a storm of red and green, time and again, in vain. Il Voile Vile, they call us, but the only thing vile was the anti-football that Audioslavia were playing on defence, contrasted with this incredible juxtaposition of incisive, counter-attacking play. When they broke, they broke in numbers, against what had been seen to be a very dodgy Starblaydi defence.

Sergio Di Bradini, a player with more natural talent in his little toe than most players had in the rest of their body, lost the battle with this rolls-royce of a defender [John Ryan], and if the game was won anywhere, it was won there, at that battle.

Ryan versus Di Bradini is a tussle that is studied by defenders to this day. The way that John Ryan managed to completely close down the playmaker of the Starblaydi team is one of the great all-time individual match performances by a defensive player. Sergio was closed down, cut off and shackled. Without Di Bradini pulling the strings, the only real world class player in the side, Lena Kochanska, had little to no service to rely on. Named in the team of the tournament in the run-up to the Final, Kochanska was Starblaydia's golden girl. Four goals in the Finals, twelve across the whole campaign, but she just wasn't getting the ball in the situations and areas that could allow her to excel. All thanks to John Ryan cutting off her supply.

1-0 it would stay until the final minutes, with Bulls fans whistling loudly to call time on the game as the clock ticked inexorably past 90 and into an almost excessive amount of injury time. When you're 1-0 up in a World Cup Final with 20 seconds of injury time to go, you don't waste possession. You keep it, head to the opposition corner, and shield that ball like it's your first born child. No fancy footwork, no wonder-goal attempts, no giving it away under any circumstances. So when John Ryan managed to take the ball practically off Lena Kochanska's forehead when she was preparing a bullet header to try and equalise, then Rijsbergen tidies up and wins the ball, it's not really a counter-attack. It's time to get it up the pitch, get rid of the danger, and just hold on until the referee blows the whistle. Even when you're Audioslavian, compensating for having feet like concrete blocks on the end of legs that flail like Bambi on ice, by developing a cardiopulmonary system that's more a perpetual motion machine than a pair of lungs (lactic acid, what's that?) and you break with four players. You don't go for it. You just don't.

We all know what happened next.

Narrator: Karsten Eiger fucking blootered it.

Final score from Cednia Beach Center, Cednia, Turori:
_Audioslavia_ 2-0 _Starblaydia_
_Eiger 26 & 90+3_ - _None_

[Mercedini]

82nd Cup Of Harmony Round Of 16 Highlights
Savojarna vs. Mercedini
@ LTI Stadium - Montfort Parish, The Licentian Isles

Good afternoon everyone and welcome back once again to Montfort in the Licentian Isles, as we bring you all the action from the 82nd Cup Of Harmony. Today it's Round Of 16 day as Mercedini are rewarded for their comeback heroics against Savigliane, with a chance to knockout another savvy side, Savojarna! With the field being cut down to the final eight following tonight's games, it is a chance for one of these teams to set their stalls out for the title with only three more games between them and the crown, for whichever teams wins in the LTI Stadium.

For Mercedini, it's a second successive Pot 1 side they will need to face in the knockouts. After resting key players in their third and final group game versus Acastanha, they put everything on the line in that second half comeback versus a stubborn Savigliane side, where Chillotov ruled to roost with four goals to send his team through by a margin of five goals to three. Questions marks were raised ahead of this game about match fitness, asking if Dini can knock off another top tier opponent so soon after beating one of the favourites for the tournament. For Savojarna, they come into this game with all of the momentum, with the team playing in navy for this game putting together a flawless run in the group stage to notch the number one seed out of all of the teams that qualified. In the knockouts, the Savojars put together a comprehensive performance to overcome Eraman, with the latter's last-ditch defending keeping the score line to a modest 1-0 in favour of the top seeds. Head Coach Lijushkin's side come into this game with a nine game winning streak behind them, so Dini will have to pull out all of the stops to stop that from reaching double digits. The sun is going down in Montfort as the fans begin to fill their seats.

---

0' - High stakes on the table for both teams as they enter the field of play for the first quarter final of the night. An even distribution of Mercedinians, Savojars and neutrals are present in the stadium, with everyone making themselves heard to the players and the coaches watching on, making it an intimidating atmosphere. With Savojarna the designated home team, and their home kit consisting of a deep navy colour, it's a first run out for the Mercedinian away kit with the team hoping that their red and white striped shirts bring them good luck in such a challenging game. For Dini, it's another full strength side put out with Chillotov and Dostalok upfront for the Golden Eagles. The same can be said for their opponents, with Savojarna's Sven Ehlers up top and looking to make headlines. The stage is set for another clash of the titans in Montfort, with the winner playing against either Qasden or Krytenia who play later on tonight. Here we go, we hope you have your fingers crossed.

9' - (SVJ 0-0 MRC) - Dini have hit the ground running in this game with Chillotov flashing a shot wide following an opening in the Savojar defence. The large pitch in the LTI Stadium is causing a few problems for both attackers and defenders, as there is more space to cover when compared to what we have seen in other Licentian stadiums. One long ball to flip the play could be enough to open up the field and unlock other players who may be far from the ball. It's something to keep an eye on as the match progresses, tired legs and a large pitch spells chaos and craziness in the latter period of this game.

12' - (SVJ 0-1 MRC) - The early pressure has finally told for Mercedini as they open the scoring in this one. It looked unclear who got the final touch on the ball, but a replay has shown that Karlovic tipped the ball into the net for his first goal of the tournament. Corners for the Golden Eagles have been hit and miss throughout the Cup Of Harmony, but this come came good for them, even if it was a messy end to scramble the ball in. Gucci whipped in a vicious ball with plenty of speed and inswing towards the Savojar net. Santorino managed to sneak in front of the near post to flick the ball towards goal. Virulainen didn't know too much about it as he parried the ball with his forearm, but that sent the ball into Karlovic's knee, which knocked the ball over the line for a Mercedinian opener. Some celebrated with Karlovic, some celebrated with Santorino, but it will go down as a Karlovic goal, and it will go down as a Mercedinian opener.

21' - (SVJ 0-1 MRC) - Savojarna have finally come into this game following that early pressure from Mercedini, and it's clear that the front three setup from the Rushmore nation is causing come problems for the back four of Mercedini. Their fluid passing and constant movement has kept Brindliev and Dalamai on their toes, but they haven't found a way to find an end product just set. Ehlers and Jashkin have been limited to long range chances and hopeful balls forward thus far, but they are getting much more time on the ball, and are getting more comfortable as the game goes on. Twenty minutes gone and Dini still have their one goal lead.

25' - (SVJ 0-1 MRC) - They thought they were level, but Savojarna have had their equaliser chalked off by an offside flag, to the dismay of Ehlers who expertly flicked the ball in a one-on-one versus Wandai. It all started with a dangerous free kick sent in by Lundell, but four of the five Savojarna players who went forward were caught out by the high Mercedinian line and were flagged offside immediately by the linesman once contact was made. There was a moment of pause to check whether the one onside player was the one who made contact with the ball. Alas, and thankfully for the Mercedinian, Zirkova was no where near the play, and it was Ehlers who fired home after starting from an offside position. Relief for the Dinian defence, it remains 1-0 for the moment.

30' - (SVJ 0-2 MRC) - Just when you throught Savojarna were back in the game, it's a second goal for Dini. Savojarna's winning streak is seriously at risk as Dostalok nets for a second successive game to double the lead at the half-hour mark. It was a simple move forward as the Golden Eagles pushed with four players into the Savojarna defence. Chillotov held the ball for a while before a quick one-two with Karlovic sent the Mercedinian striker through on goal via a ball over the top. Most people were expecting him to shoot, but he worked his way to the by-line, and pulled the ball back to a waiting Dostalok. There, the Starling striker only needed one touch to send the ball flying inside the far post to nestle into the net for 2-0. Dini have looked in formidable form so far in this match, can Savojarna muster a chance for themselves before this half is done? Let's see as we have about fifteen minutes of this half to go plus stoppage time.

37' - (SVJ 0-2 MRC) - Time ticking away in the first half as Savojarna come forward again, looking for a way back into this one. Lundell is now joining the front three to push as a four man bloc, with the Savojar fans behind them willing them on with their own national chants. Billic and Lijushkin are both on the edge of their technical areas, barking commands at their players. It seems as if Dini want to make it through the first half unscathed, rather than dish out any further damage to Savojarna. It's the team in navy blue which is on top at the moment, can the Golden Eagles hold out for another fifteen minutes, or will Savojarna go into the break at he team on top?

44' - (SVJ 0-2 MRC) - Final minutes of the game and Dini have slowed this game down to a grinding halt, they have been passing it around the back for a good couple of minutes now, to the clear frustrations of some of the Savojarna fans who want their team to press, and who want Dini to play football, rather than play tactically. It's forcing their opponents to push forward and out of position, so there is a potential for a good ball forward to scythe open the defence and find a third for the end of the half. However, with all four defenders plus the two central midfielders tracking back to keep hold of the ball, it's unlikely a play like that will take place, with such a heavy investment from both sides in Dini's final third.

45+2' - (SVJ 0-2 MRC) - The referee blows his whistle to bring an end to what has been an interesting first half to this Round of 16 fixture between Mercedini and Savojarna. The Golden Eagles are two goals to the good after fortunate placement from Karlovic tipped the ball home for the first, before a well worked move sliced through the Savojar defence and ended with Dostalok curving the ball into the net with his first touch. After those theatrics, Dini slowed the game down to a stop, and the half ended with a relative whimper as the team in red and white locked in their two goal lead. Half time in Montfort, it's Savojarna 0, Mercedini 2.

HALF TIME
Savojarna 0 - 2 Mercedini
Karlovic 12', Dostalok 30'

Has Savojarna's streak finally come to an end? By the evidence of the first half it certainly looks like it! Lijushkin must be giving his players the team talk of his career to keep Savojarna in this one. With Billic's tactic to blitz his opponents to find a lead, before sitting back and holding out for a win, it must have been a frustrating end to the first half, where Savojarna had the momentum but couldn't find enough time on the ball to make it count. It means they need to score at least twice in the second half to force extra time, and need to net three goals without reply to win the game outright. It's a tall order, but Savojarna are a team of quality, especially with a front three which has threatened throughout much of the first half. We're underway in the second half, will Dini hang on?

49' - (SVJ 0-3 MRC) - Well, well, well. We we're all talking about the attacking prowess of Savojarna, forgetting that Dini have a brilliant duo of their own, and they have come up trumps once again at the beginning of this half. Not content with his four goals in the Round of 32, Chillotov has added another to his collection finishing another simple move with a nice finish. Savojarna losing of possession in the centre circle meant Dini could break forward and challenge the Savojarna goal very early on. Nymark, who has been relatively quiet this tournament, sent a ball through the last line of defence to start a foot race between Chillotov and Zirkova, a race which would only really have one winner. The Mercedinian striker got to the ball first and dinked the ball over the arriving keeper with his first touch to seemingly secure Dini's passage through to the Quarterfinals. 3-0, is this game done and dusted?

55' - (SVJ 0-4 MRC) - Savojarna are falling apart at the seams and have started this second half disastrously. Santorino is in on the action with a near carbon copy of Mercedini's first goal to put four on the board for Dini and almost certainly end the winning streak of Savojarna in emphatic fashion. It was Gucci again who lined up a corner, and sent it in with speed and curve, swinging in towards the far post. Santorino arrived late to the play but his slight flick on the ball redirected it to the centre of the goal mouth with all of the speed it went in with. Virulainen got two strong hands to the ball which was excellent given how quick he needed to react, but even then, the ball could only be parried into the roof of the net and over the line for a fourth goal, fifty-five minutes into this game. Dini are threatening to run up the score in this one, but this game looks done.

63' - (SVJ 0-4 MRC) - How do you recover from that? Well, Savojarna are keeping their head up and are fighting to the bitter end, this game still has legs in it, despite the score line. Since that goal, Dini have been on the back foot with Wandai having to make to quick saves from Ehlers and Hartikainen to keep his clean sheet intact, but it's clear that the team in navy want a goal, but maybe that goal can turn in to something more. Time is ticking away, and every second that does tick away means Dini can be more sure for a spot in the quarterfinals. Can Jashkin and Lijushkin bring their team back from a devastating start to this second half? They have steadied the ship, now they need to go full speed ahead.

69' - (SVJ 1-4 MRC) - Savojarna have their first step back from oblivion through a Viipuri strike. Corners have been the main source of goals in this game, and this goal was no different. Klaebo lofted a ball into the box for anyone to reach, and strong punch from Wandai initially cleared any danger. However, an errant pass from Armani gifted the ball back to Savojarna, with Klaey sending it back into the melee. Jashkin tracked back to eet the ball in the air as he headed back to the centre of the box, where Viipuri was rewarded for sticking around. No Mercedinian was there to mark Viipuri, who took a touch before firing high into the net to deny a clean sheet to Wandai and get a goal back to mellow the score line. Still a long way to go, 4-1 now the score.

77' - (SVJ 1-4 MRC) - Savojarna have a new lease of life in this one as they come forward again. Wandai's goal has been under pressure ever since that goal from Savojarna went in, and the Golden Eagles are scrambling to stop any more shots from flying in. It's last ditch defending for now, but their main friend is the clock right now as the second tick away on a comeback. As long as they can postpone the next shot that comes in, and as long as they drag out the match, they will win to time. Ehlers is the catalyst for this side, can he come up with the goods under pressure, and with his team looking for goals.

85' - (SVJ 1-4 MRC) - Just like the end of the first half, Billic has pulled out the 'dither and delay' tactic for the final ten minutes of this game, as his team run down the clock once again. At 4-1 up, you would think the team would be playing with confidence, but that goal from Viipuri seems to have rattled the Golden Eagles. With so much at stake, it's no wonder that Dini are going for the low-risk, low-glamour tactic of passing it around the back. The boos and whistles are ringing around the LTI Stadium, while Savojarna are slowly suffocating in this game. Players are running after the ball, but they simply cannot get it back. The Mercedinians are replying to the jeers with some ironic Ole's, I think they know they are heading to the quarterfinals in rather convincing fashion.

90+2' - (SVJ 1-4 MRC) - The referee blows his whistle, and Savojarna's tournament life and nine game winning streak has come to an end in devastating fashion, and Dini chocked them out of the game with four clinical goals combined with frustrating tactical play at the end of both halves. What a display from the Mercedinian National Team as they put Savojarna to the sword. Most of the damage was dome in the first half, where Karlovic and Dostalok netted without reply. Before two more were added to the Dini column in the first ten minutes of proceedings. At 4-0 down, there seemed to be no way back for Lijushkin's team, but they have themselves a brief glimpse of a comeback with a well taken strike from Viipuri, but that was all they could conjure up as they are eliminated at the Round of 16 stage, giving them their first loss in ten games. For Dini they go marching on the final eight, and with that performance, they are certainly looking good for a spot in the final. In Montfort, it's finished Savojarna 1, Mercedini 4.

FULL TIME
Savojarna 1 - 4 Mercedini
Viipuri 69' • Karlovic 12', Dostalok 30', Chillotov 49', Santorino 55'

Mercedini are beginning to go through the gears at the Cup of Harmony, and with them dispatching a fellow Pot 1 in such a clinical way, they may be finally entering the conversation of tournament favourites after that blip versus Acastanha. Next up for the Golden Eagles is another page in the bible that is Cy'un versus Mercedini Sports Daily, as Dini face Krytenia for a spot in the final four. Will Billic and co. stick one on Rami Niblick, or will Krytenia do as they did in our previous meeting, and knock us out of the Cup of Harmony once again. We hope you will join us for that, it's sure to be a fiery affair. Goodnight!

[Montana Verde]

Cutoff for quarterfinals.

---

Results (Verdean bracket)

Poafmersia 2–3 Chromatika
Starblaydia 5–2 Nyowani Kitara

Semifinal

Chromatika v Starblaydia

Venue listed here.

[The Licentian Isles]

Quarter Finals

Mercedini 3–0 Krytenia – St Bart’s Oval, St Bart’s, St Bart’s Parish
Trolleborg 2–3 Valentine Z – Barton Software Arena, Colesham, Colesham Parish

---

Semi Final

Mercedini vs Valentine Z – Gardiner-Stewart Stadium, Abingdon, Abingdon Parish

[PotatoFarmers]

Just posting box scores here...

Poafmersia 4-2 Gyasto-Kai (2-2 FT)
Poafmersian Goalscorers: Iulianus Innocenti 18' (assisted by Jackson), 99', 117' (assisted by Jackson), Makana Tuft 52' (assisted by Murphy)

Poafmersian Lineup: Shirou Amatore; Hollis Stephenson, Nasri Sanchez, Ali Berger; Leonara Hall, Michael Jackson, Lesia Astrauskas, Valentin Gotti; Makana Tuft (c), Iulianus Innocenti, Aleka Dufour
Poafmersian Substitutes: Agapito Murphy (Dufour 80'); Nicole Potts (Amatore 90'); Sylvia Fusco (Astrauskas 101'); Jordan Huerta (Tuft 114')

Poafmersia 2-3 Chromatika
Poafmersian Goalscorers: Makana Tuft 27'; Iulianus Innocenti 85'

Poafmersian Lineup: Nicole Potts; Hollis Stephenson, Ali Berger, Diamond Byan; Leonara Hall, Michael Jackson, Sylvia Fusco, Valentin Gotti; Makana Tuft (c), Jordan Huerta, Iulianus Innocenti
Poafmersian Substitutes: Lesia Astrauskas (Fusco 60'); Agapito Murphy (Huerta 78'); Aleka Dufour (Byan 82')

[Starblaydia]

Episode 13 - The Bottom
S01 | E01 | E02 | E03 | E04 | E05 | E06 | E07 | E08 | E09 | E10 | E11 | E12

Having not qualified for the World Cup in 40 years and with
the campaign for the AOCAF Cup going poorly, a final group game
against one of their old rivals offers a repreive for an embattled coach.

Ella Kabeya, reserve Striker, AOCAF Cup 53

Narrator: The Final of the Sixty-Third World Cup would prove to be the apex of the Starblaydi national football team in their third era of participation in the World Cup. Following that unexpected run to the Final, they would begin a long, slow decline across World, Regional and Youth tournaments. The personnel would change, but the direction was continually in one direction: downward.

You make the World Cup Final and it's like: fantastic, great, we're back. Jeremy Kintz is hailed as this amazing coach, and the next Cup you go undefeated in the Qualifiers and dumped out in the Second Round. It's ok, still the knockouts. Forget the fact you didn't score in three AOCAF Cup games, ride a 5-0 opening game win to Zomni and then out on penalties in the Second Round. Then again, World Cup 65, qualify pretty well, spank Krytenia twice, everything's good until you're out in the Second Round again. AOCAF 40 Second Round exit to Vilita. AOCAF 41 Second Round exit to Wight. There's a pattern developing here.

Or at least there was a pattern, until the World Cup 66 Qualifiers. Held in The Inevitable Syndicate and Audioslavia, literal neighbours, there was no better time to be essentially playing at home in a World Cup; getting there would have been as simple as jumping in the car or on a train for a short cross-border trip, grab the ferry if you're on your way to Audioslavia, nice and easy. Evisceratomatoes, Scoutimont, Estope, Åsløtten-Bëðerbørg så Česky and Fiendish Snackers. They're basically nobodies, right? Or they are, at least, until Kintz's team drops seven points across ten matches, finishes second in the group and don't make it to the cup. Thirty groups of six, win the group or go home. And Scoutimont nick it by a point, because they beat you 4-3 with three games to go. Out, gone, dreams over. And Jeremy Kintz went too.

So in comes one one of those better players from the World Cup 63 Final, sixteen years before. Frederico Blassii, who always had that slight shadow over him from his dad's match-fixing scandal, took charge. The regional picture was the same, eliminated in the Second Round - this time by Farfadillis - but there was a little bit of magic in the air for World Cup 67. Equestria and Cassadaigua awaited, and somehow Blassii's team finished top of their group. There's a feel-good win over United Gordonopia in the Group Stage, reminding everyone what it was like in the heady days of World Cup 63, but then immediately Blassii's team gets dumped out in - you guessed it - the Second Round by the defending champions, Eura. Like, okay, fair enough, we're not ready for that test yet, but there's a bronze medal at the following Di Bradini Cup and a fourth place at the 43rd AOCAF Cup, so this is real progress, right? Two deep knockout runs in a row to get over the disappointment, then away you go. Right?

Narrator: Frederico Blassii's reign would end eight years later. Starblaydia failed to qualify for the 68th World Cup via the two rounds of play-offs, were knocked out of the AOCAF Cup by 95X on penalties in the second round, and failed to make it to World Cup 69, too. Blassii was let go, and replaced by Starblaydia's former golden girl, Lena Kochanska.

Lena Kochanska was probably the last great striker that Starblaydi fans had seen when she came on the scene, but that was thirty years before, at that point. Sure, Lucas Cable had undoubtedly been the best goalie in the multiverse in the years in between, but Kochanska was the last time the entire nation had a favourite player. Ex-Daii striker, sixty-one goals for her country and the top human scorer of all time in white and purple... you couldn't not love her.

World Cup 70, out in the play-offs, out of the Cup of Harmony in the Second Round - how many times have we said that in this interview? - to Cosumar. AOCAF: Second Round again, losing to Mendoya on penalties. World Cup 71, Falcus slap us around in both legs of a play-off. AOCAF 47, lose to Mendoya on penalties in the Second Round, again, and then fourth in group of eight for World Cup 72 qualifiers. She had a decade to show her stuff as a manger, but AOCAF 48 came and Starblaydia fails to win a match, scraping through to the Second Round with three draws where, guess what, they lose to Vilita and Turori. The SFA had enough, fans had enough, Kochanska was gone.

In comes Lucas Cable, the 'best in the world', for the 73rd Wrld Cup. He picks a veteran team, late twenties and early thirties with lots of caps between them and spearheads the attack with Carmella Catanneo. Kai Rodriguez captains from right full-back, and Jerzy "The Chef" Makuszewski is in goal. Ranked 62nd in the world at this point, they win every match bar a single 1-0 loss at home to Brenecia, and finish top of the group. Eight clean sheets in 12 matches, with 11 victories. It's incredible, it's amazing, there's this wonderful new manager bounce as he makes these amazing game-changing substitutions that pay off basically every single time... then we're dumped out at the group stage of the Finals with two draws. It was an improvement, sure, but still not in the same league as Pasarga, Turori and Vallladares, who all finish above us in the Finals group. The next AOCAF saw an improvement as they reached the Quater-Finals, but again out on penalties, this time to Krytenia. Cable's magic touch just didn't last, one World Cup qualification and a last eight in the regionals was about as good as it got.

Narrator: The national team under Lucas Cable would go on to be eliminated at the first opportunity of almost every subsequent tournament under his tenure.

Can we skip cycles 74 to 77? Looking back through around 75 years of football history, from World Cup 61 onwards, the final against Audioslavia in '63 was just this enormous blip, the one glimmer of hope that bucked all the trends. In this period, Starblaydia was entirely not a good team, languishing in the rankings, bobbing up and down with no direction, no verve, and very little interest. It was like the SFA had an auto-reply to any tournament entrance and just kept churning it out, sending whatever set of players Lucas Cable could beg, borrow or steal from increasingly internationally isolated club sides in Liga Starblaydia. Generations of football fans growing up in the country just had to live with the fact that Starblaydia were not very good at football any more.

Almost ridiculous when you think about it, when you look back at the players this country has produced, the teams, the fans, the passion and the involvement in the game. It's so strange, as an analyst, too, because taking a historical perspective and looking back at it, the win ratio was still above 50%. This team won more often than not, they were not actually all that bad in the grand scheme of things, but compared to such massive peaks, this was a disparate trough and the team had basically never been worse, bar when the country was first learning how to kick a football between some white sticks way back in nineteen-hundred-and-odd.

So we get to the 53rd AOCAF Cup. We're in Chromatika, now a free state. At the top of the regional rankings we have Vilita and Turori, Osarius, Valanora and Audioslavia, who have eighteen world titles between them. Defending champions Krytenia are in the mix, hosts Chromatika, and even the Cup of Harmony champions Qasden are ready to show what they can do. Starblaydia, a pot four team, ready to make a splash and get back into form. And you look at the team Starblaydia released - I say 'released', it was more anxiously shoveled out on badly-photocopied scraps of dog-eared paper, crumpled from being in a pocket and forgotten about. I mean, this side, Great Tiby's Ghost they were pretty bad.

The average age of the side was more than twenty-eight, which is never a good sign if they've not achieved anything. Players like Jared Ward and Brian Carter were starters, so that tells you how much this barrel was being scraped in terms of talent. Heavy, heavy reliance on Corinthian Spirits players, six of them in the squad, along with five Jhanna City players. Never a great combination, that, as those two teams have some real needle going back generations. There's maybe three decent players in the starting line-up. Keira Matranga was a good wide midfielder, Clayton Skye a half-decent striker who racked up a reasonable number of international goals in his career, probably. This was a team without many goal threats, without much pace or creativity, and they were going to have to rely on solid hard work to lift each other up. Nobody really gave Starblaydia a second thought, never mind an actual chance.

Predicted Order of Finish:
Capital Group: 1. Audioslavia 2. Chromatika 3. Qasden 4. The Redvale 5. Starblaydia 6. Semarland

Expect Audioslavia to finish atop the group, snatching an astonishing total of thirteen out of fifteen points with all wins except for one draw against Chromatika. Expect the hosts to follow behind them with a loss against The Redvale, and for Qasden to finish third by a point ahead of The Redvale, this group's dark horse. Starblaydia will mull to a fifth place finish while Semarland will be the one having the most issues.

The AOCAF Cup campaign doesn't exactly start brightly. Semarland are first up, exactly the kind of team Cable needs to beat to have any chance of snatching one of the play-in places for the knockouts. Top team proceeds directly to the Quarter-Finals, second place team has their own mini round of eight before the real last eight. Such are the vagaries of regional tournaments, they can be a lot more fluid with how they are structured for the maximum entertainment and competition. The Semarland match is a 1-1 draw, with Starblaydia rescued by Viktor Haldorsson, coming off the bench to score from wide on the left. It's the only time he appears for the rest of the tournament.

Up comes Qasden next, on Matchday Two, who are probably - technically - not quite as good as Starblaydia on paper at this point, but they have a Cup of Harmony trophy still shiny and new in their possession, proven tournament winners on a run of form. It's a 2-1 loss, made tolerable only by 21 year old striker Ella Kabeya coming off the bench to score a consolation goal on her international debut - her first of thirty-five strikes in what would become a long and rather storied career. Two games gone out of five, with one point on the board, the play-ins are still in reach, Cable's team just need to get the lead out and settle down to really play. Luckily, it seems, the worst team in the group is up next - The Redvale. The forty-sixth best team in Atlantian Oceania, this should be nothing, this should be easy. Cable is even resting some hard-working players to bring the substitutes in, refresh the squad and gain some momentum. Starting from the outset, Ella Kabeya scores her second goal in her second match and puts the team in white into the lead. The Redvale had once won the Second Global Cup of Soccer, whatever that is, and been in Esportiva before shifting their allegiance to Atlantian Oceania. They were international nobodies; nothing compared to the great Protectorate of Starblaydia, and their five-times world champion national team.

Narrator: Starblaydia would lose, 2-1, to the Redvali side.

So [*contributor sighs*] they're bottom of the group after three, two to play. Semarland are the team they need to overtake, four points ahead. Who's next? The hosts, Chromatika, top of the group with two wins and a draw. Lucas Cable knuckles down, crunches the numbers with his backroom staff, and puts out his strongest eleven, the starters, the team he feels most confident in, and sends them out to rescue not only this tournament, but potentially even his job.

Narrator: Starblaydia would lose, 2-0, to the Chromatik side, eliminating them with one game remaining. Their final group game in the fifty-third AOCAF Cup would be against one of their oldest rivals: Audioslavia.

Capital Group                Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Chromatika                   4   3  1  0   10   4  +6   10
2 Qasden                       4   2  1  1    4   5  −1    7
3 Audioslavia                  4   2  0  2    5   3  +2    6 Can't Finish First
4 Semarland                    4   1  2  1    5   6  −1    5 Can't Finish First
5 The Redvale                  4   1  1  2    3   5  −2    4 Can't Finish First
6 Starblaydia                  4   0  1  3    3   7  −4    1 Eliminated

At this point, Lucas Cable is on the verge of presiding over the most disastrous AOCAF Cup campaign in his nation's long history. They'd not progressed from the group stage, scored small amounts of goals, or not-won a match on several of the forty-seven occasions they'd entered the tournament before, but one point from four was an absolute nightmare of a haul. It was a national embarrassment, as football fans could only shrug in the manner of those who know something inevitable was about to happen, and there's nothing you can do about it to change the situation or even prepare yourself for the outcome.

You'd think the situation was impossible, but Starblaydia has never run on facts. Whether it's politics, economics, culture or sport, this is a nation that has always run on passion. The people of the country are never at their best when everything is fine and peaceful, they've always gained their strength through the application of passion. Passion is power, and power brings victory. That's always been the way, the code that the Starblaydi people have lived by, it's their inherent qualities that have always driven them forward.

This match would be about passion. It would be about showing the not only the entire multiverse, but each and every one of the players and staff in the organisation that Starblaydia could achieve whatever they set their mind to. Hard training, rousing speeches, motivational coaches, celebrity endorsements and meticulous planning went into the build-up for this game.

For Lucas Cable, his staff and his players, this was their final, most important battle. This was every cliche, every training montage to inspirational music. It was do or die, now or never. Shit or bust and, genuinely, all or nothing. Cable and his player could not accept defeat, they'd leave everything out on the pitch and give the 110%, fighting until the end in the spirit and imitation of the world-conquering heroes of the past. The path to victory flows through the veins of every Starblaydi, and to claim their destiny they just had to reach out and take it. Beat Audioslavia and reclaim your pride, the team were told, write your names into history so that whenever the next time that these two old rivals meet, some journalist has to look back into the record books and see that here, in Wirr Tsi, Chromatika, even the Starblaydi side at their lowest ebb were able to rise up against the favourites, avenge their past and step into a bold new future.

Starblaydia absolutely had to win the match.

Final score from The Shock, Wirr Tsi, Chromatika:
_Starblaydia_ 0-2 _Audioslavia_
_None_ - _Guerricaechevarria 13, Mariezkurrena 69_

Narrator: Starblaydia would not, in fact, win the match.

The miserable capitulation to Audioslavia sent the Bulls into the play-in round, where they would defeat 95X, while in Jhanna the defeat signaled changes throughout the SFA hierarchy. The organisation would once again begin the long and arduous climb up the rankings with fresh injections of personnel, ideas and funds, with but a single - defined and overarching - goal in mind for the entire national football team setup, from grass roots to senior squad, to achieve: "Six."

[Chromatika]

Cup of Harmony 82 Quarterfinals: Poafmersia 2-3 Chromatika
Chromatik Goals: Kuznetsov '28, Gainsbourg '64, Hauser '71
Starting XI (4-2-3-1): Begley; Fillar, G. - de Aea - Anbient - Ighv; Zuniga - Larriet-Cortes; Wen - Hauser - Kuznetsov (C); Gainsbourg.
Substitutes: Kruetzberg -> Wen ('59), Aimée -> Ighv ('68), Ansov -> de Aea ('82)
Projected Lineup vs. Starblaydia (4-1-4-1): Fillar, J. (C); Fillar, G. - de Aea - Anbient - Ighv; Zuniga; Wen - Hauser - Fillar, B. - Kuznetsov; Gainsbourg.

---

An Open Letter to the Chromatik Public

To the present and future Anomalies:

Hello, my name is Kaia Larriet-Cortes and I am one of the players on the twenty-three person roster for Chromatika's Cup of Harmony 82 team.

I am also the niece of the late great Franscesca Larriet-Cortes. During my childhood, I was made to watch the execution of my aunt - my dad's best friend and one of my confidants from a very young age. It was traumatic - I will never forget it for the rest of my life. However, it shaped my psyche, and I grew up to be who I am. I loved football when it was used to help the revolution, and I loved football when it became presented to me. My parents were against it from the beginning, but when they realized that I was serious about my love for football, they relented. I love playing, and I love my role - the Defensive Midfielder allows you to have a say on both ends of the pitch while being at the forefront of both putting the ball forward and for containing the opposition.

Much has been said about the political nature of the Anomalies. The Chromatik Party was the one that put us in the forefront by banishing us for being a symbol of the revolution; that act made us gravitate more toward embracing that ideal, and that embracing has brought the Chromatik national team to the forefront of everything Chromatik when it comes to politics. Now, the Anomalies are watched for more than just the results on the pitch - everyone wants to know what we endorse, and for what reason. This has been both a positive and a negative - it means that we have reach that many other people do not, but it also means that everything we do gets looked at from more than just the angle of sports.

Yes, we've struggled as of late. The defeat to Nyowani Kitara wasn't the best - not when we had just given up a great Managerial pair in Valens and Landers for not getting us to the Round of Sixteen, and not when Chromatika had made the statement of providing asylum to two Nyowani Kitara defectors before suffering that key defeat. We offer our sincerest condolences and apologies for that defeat, and are paying for it. Our previous Captain, Enigma Armageddon, remains suspended until World Cup 91 - he will also miss the next CAFA if the CFF deems that it we will field a complete squad. Our new Manager, Sandra Sybill, was told that if she didn't lead the team to the Quarterfinals of the Cup of Harmony, she would be sacked. We said good bye to a lot of veterans and doubled down on youth.

However, this is a team that is still built on winning, and built on playing together. After a narrow victory over The 14 Stars and a draw against Drawkland, the team has successfully won three out of the next four games by a goal each time. After defeating Qasden to finish atop the group, we blanked Astograth, outlasted Omerica, and defeated Poafmersia by a narrow margin. We've handled early deficits, furious comebacks by the opposition, and also managed to just continue winning when it wasn't expected from us. Now, I understand that the Cup of Harmony isn't the World Cup, and I concede that by not making the World Cup, we've set the Chromatik footballing program back by a few margins.

I wish to submit to you, though, that the Chromatik footballing spirit is not dead. We could've folded under pressure. We could've given up Sandra Sybill and Rachel Hellion as a lost cause and just given up. Instead, we've started to play the best brand of football that we can under the circumstances, and this change in mindset has resulted in the current run of form that the team has been showing.

I am not saying to expect better from us. You should - we've shown as Anomalies that we can, in fact, play well. We have reached the World Cup Quarterfinals on multiple occurrences in the past, and we've also once reached the World Cup Semifinal. That ceiling showed that the Chromatik brand of football works, and remains an endorsement to more aggressive tactics to keep that mindset going.

I am imploring you, Chromatik public, to believe in us again. We will face Starblaydia in a few days - the top ranked team to not make the World Cup, a squad steeped so much in history that anything other than a Cup of Harmony title would be deemed a failure. We will be the underdog for the first time this tournament, but we are relishing the concept. It has been a mission to prove the naysayers wrong from the very moment that we faltered at the precipice of the World Cup Qualifying Playoffs. Though we've been favorites on paper, there have always been people who are excited at the prospect of watching us fail. We've managed to fend all of those people off, and we are more than ready for the position for being a true underdog.

This is a team that is worth believing in. We understand our role in Chromatik history, and in the Chromatik culture. We understand exactly how much it means for us to do well, and how the nation draws together every time we take to the pitch to root for the same side, how the nation wishes - no, implores - us to continue to turn in good results on the pitch. Though that kind of devotion and attention can be a bit unnerving at times, it's appreciated and understood.

It's okay to believe in us again. We've a core that plays for each other and as a team; it's a core that understands just what we stand for and what football means to Chromatiks. Regardless of win or loss, regardless of pretty or ugly, it's that spirit that you can put your trust in.

Please believe in us. We are honored to play for you.

Sincerely,

Kaia Larriet-Cortes
Chromatika Anomalies Footballer

[Mercedini]

82nd Cup Of Harmony Quarterfinal Condensed Highlights & Semifinal Preview
Mercedini vs. Krytenia
@ St Bart’s Oval - St Bart’s, The Licentian Isles

Good evening everyone and welcome back to another edition of Mercedini Sports Daily. I'm sure you are sick of seeing us by now but we're back with coverage of Mercedini's quarterfinal game versus Krytenia, plus a small preview of what to expect for the semi-finals with four teams remaining in the tournament with two games between them and lifting the 82nd Cup Of Harmony. It has been a long and gruelling campaign for those remaining, and they have already come through six games to get to this point. There have been some surprise exits and some knockout shocks, but everything can happen in the Cup Of Harmony, and Dini have been on the right and wrong end of those shocks. So no one should be underestimated from this point forward.

However, it's back to the Quarterfinals where Dini had the small task of enacting revenge on the Cyans of Krytenia. You only have to look back to the last meeting between these two teams to see why these teams are quickly becoming bogey teams of each other. After qualifying at the expense of Krytenia in the previous cycles, and having the run of the green in previous matchups, Mercedini we're knocked out of the Cup Of Harmony by the Cyans, cutting their run short. Now the two nations line up against each other once again, in very similar circumstances to that previous meeting. With a semi-final match against either Trolleborg or Valantine Z on offer, both teams will want to advance and secure themselves two more games in Montana Verde and the Licentian Isles.

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0' - The sun has gone down on a rather windy St. Bart's Oval as the teams enter the field of play for the sixth time at this tournament. Since that loss versus Acastanha, Dini seem to have gone through the gears in their knockout fixtures, beating two Pot 1 sides in a row to get to this point. Their most recent match, a 4-1 victory over Savojarna, was probably their best performance as a team so far, with the Golden Eagles ending Lijushkin's nine game winning stream to send them home at the Round of 16 stage. Billic's reward for that win is a meeting with their third Pot 1 opponent in a row, Krytenia. The Cyans are entering their tercentennial for this tournament and have certainly caught eyes with their triple-crested kit, detailing the history of the football association since it's inception in 1992. Their knockout run so far has been equally as eye catching, as they started their bracket run with a 6-3 win over Tikariot, the then highest ranked team in the half. That opened up the bracket for everyone, with the Cyans since beating Qasden in extra time to set up the Quarterfinal match. It's all hands on deck in the St Bart's Oval, one of these teams will be advancing to the final four.

62' - (MRC 1-0 KRY) - It's been a long time coming but the deadlock has finally been broken in this one by Karlovic . Armani came forward looking for a play down the wing, he was held up by some great defensive play by Molinari but a quick one-two with Dostalok unlocked the winger into the box. With the narrow angle he was approaching from, few expected him to shoot, but good vision meant he could quickly square the ball over to an arriving Chillotov into the six-yard box. The Mercedinian striker lunged forward but couldn't get enough on the ball to poke it home. Lispalle was muscling him off the ball all the way, and did enough to deter his opponent from netting an opener. Chillotov could only poke the ball into the chest of Orwell as he dived down to gather the ball. That meant the ball was deflected back into the box for anyone to pick up. Karlovic was in the right place and the right time and took a swipe at the ball which was left rather deserted by that earlier play. Nobody could stop the ball from flying into the net, sending the Mercedinian fans at the other end of the pitch absolutely berserk. We have waited over for an hour for a breakthrough, but it's the Golden Eagles who take first blood!

66' - (MRC 2-0 KRY) - Well, we we're talking about how Dini draw first blood, but the wound is even bigger now with Dalamai scoring Mercedini's second goal in four minutes to put Krytenian backs against the proverbial wall. There was no style or glamour to the second goal, it was a simple move which seemed to catch out a number of Krytenian defenders. Nymark sent in a corner which floated through the air, as numerous players of both sides jostled for position to get to the ball first. Brindliev was there first but was shoved away from the ball before he had a chance to jump. However, Dalamai arrived late and rose highest to the ball and used his arrival speed to connect a strong header onto the ball. Orwell dive for it but the angle was good enough for the ball to bounce in off the post as Dalamai strolled away to celebrate his first goal of the tournament. Krytenia look stunned after looked so good throughout vast swathes of the first half. They now have a mountain to climb, with the peak being at least two goals without reply.

85' - (MRC 3-0 KRY) - Third goal in this game and that should be that for Krytenia in the Cup Of Harmony. It's substitute Talisky who has added the cherry on the cake, the bow on the present, the full stop on the Rami Niblick match report. It's Talisky and Chillotov who have combined once again at this tournament for this third goal. Chillotov was set free by a Nymark ball over the top, with the Mercedinian striker controlling it with his chest to keep it from rolling too far ahead of him. Instead of curling it towards goal, he took the last defender and the goalie out of the equation with a back pass to Talisky on the other side of the box, and the youngster made no mistake as he rolled the ball home to complete another great performance. Krytenia have had their chances in front of goal, not least that shot off the bar in the first half, but when it mattered, Dini were just too clinical as they run out comfortable winners in this one. 3-0 Dini with about five minutes to go pls added time.

90+4' - (MRC 3-0 KRY) - As the sun set on the St Bart's Oval a couple hours ago, so it sets on the Krytenian run in this edition of the Cup Of Harmony. Mercedini have now beaten three Pot 1 sides in a row, scoring four goals per game on average while conceding just over one on average. This match was very similar in terms of performances from the Golden Eagles, but Krytenia were stubborn throughout much of the game, and even threatened themselves on multiple occasions in the first half. A Cande Montalban piledriver in first half added time was the closest that either team got in the first forty-five, and the closest that Krytenia got in the entire game. In the second half, it was Mercedinian domination as time ticked away and as fatigue became a factor. Whether Krytenia were suffering the effects of their extra time match versus Qasden was unknown, but that didn't stop the Golden Eagles from turning the screw and applying more and more pressure as the game went on. A great spell from the Mercedinians saw Karlovic and Dalamai score within four minutes of each other to put one foot into the semi-finals just past the hour mark. After all that, the result was done and dusted with a goal engineered by Nymark and Chillotov, and finished off by Talisky, five minutes from time. 3-0 is a big result against a big team at this point in the tournament. Who knows how far they could go! It's finished in St Barts; Mercedini 3, Krytenia 0.

FULL TIME
Mercedini 3 - 0 Krytenia
Karlovic 62', Dalamai 66', Talisky 85'

Well there we go. Mercedini are through to the semi-finals of the Cup Of Harmony and are in esteemed company as we enter the business end of the tournament. Every team left in contention is guaranteed to play two more games before this tournament is done. The first will be their semi-final clash, while the result in that match will determine if their second match will be a third-place playoff or the tournament final itself. After dispatching three fellow Pot 1 sides to get this far, Dini will now go against a very different opponent from the ones that are used to, Pot 4 and 118th ranked Valentine Z. Val Z were one of the teams to mastermind HUElavia's early exit from the tournament, with the fourth seeded side in the group bridging the gap to qualify second behind Nyowani Kitara with four points. Following that, it has been nothing short of a dream run for the Kittens who have seen off three Pot 1 sides of their own on their way to the final four.

In the Round of 32, it was the Independent Athletes from Quebec who fell foul of the Kittens, with Val Z recording yet another upset in the Cup of Harmony as they beat IAQ by two goals to one. Valentine Z were slowly navigating their way through the rounds, with the bracket opened up massively with their win over IAQ combined with Krytenia hitting Tikariot (the highest ranked team in the half) for 6. However, the Kittens weren't done there. Not content with knocking one big side out, they went on to cause and second shock by beating Electrum in Colesham by a goal to nil. All of those games may have been close margins, but Val Z were on the right side of those margins, so they clearly knew how to cause a shock and how to navigate through a game and come out on shock. Rounding out their run to the semi-final, Val Z made it a hattrick of Pot 1 scalps by overcoming Trolleborg in similar fasion to their previous two victims. Another one goal margin, but their three goals was enough to see them through to face Dini for a chance in the finals. What a story for the Kittens, and what a story for the minnows looking to create a bit of history.

If the Mercedini-Valantine Z fixture was the matinee performance, then the other semi-final will be the no-expense spared, evening VIP experience. When you think of Starblaydia versus Chormatika, your mind will often drift towards the glory days of perennial World Cup appearances, knockout round victories, and the odd trophy or two. In this day and age, the two are fighting for a Cup of Harmony final appearance following shock eliminations from the World Cup Qualifiers. Looking to make the most of this tournament, both teams are juggernauts of the footballing world. The winner of that semi final is almost certainly going to be the favoured team going into the final, with the loser favoured to finish third overall following the playoff. For both sides, the Round of 32 was a formality, with Starblaydia inching a seven goal thriller against Sarzonia, while Chromatika ran it back to beat Astogarth. However, both sides were pushed all the way by their respective opponents in the Round of 16. Starblaydia needed nine converted penalties to beat Flavovespia following a goalless 120 minutes, with Chormatike also needing the full two hours of football to knock out Omerica, beating them 4-3 after extra time. The Quarterfinals were where both teams began to feel their mojo, with Chromatika beating Poafmersia 3-2, while Starblaydia finally showed their star power by beating Nyowani Kitara by five goals to two. It's sets up an all-star semi, with the winner of that match facing either Dini or Val Z in the final.

That's all we have time for in this edition of Mercedini Sports Daily, we hope you have everything crossed at the Golden Eagles attempt to make it back to the Cup of Harmony final for the first time in ten editions. We will be giving you all of the coverage of that match and the second semi-final, plus all the preview you need for the Grand Final. See you then!

[Valentine Z]

Part 5 – All I Wanna Do! Is to win this CoH! All the love you give, makes me feel so good!

Exuberant Superintendent T-2000/2904-3 Surveillant Clarissa Alanis Star Breya « La Amoureux Chéri » Millie Taissa Butterfly Mélody Coraline Jolijn Trini Clementine Hollie Samantha Zeta Harumi and The Valentian Kittens got themselves a pulse check on this one, perhaps even exaggerating to go as far as a reality test of sorts to make sure that they are actually in, well, reality. This is something they do privately in groups, lest they fear that those outside of Valentine Z will think that they are playing it in snide and in other words, humblebragging in a way. For the Valentians, it is more of an actual common cause because the virtual world that they can visit any time on their devices or on their facilities have become more and more advanced. Established first in 2026, the project was reminiscent of the virtual chat games and programs from the older decades, serving as a little more than an interactive world for their virtual personas. Those who are better-off could have a headset along with the sound system to get a bit more feel of the virtual world, but for the most parts, it was a primitive precursor. After Valentine Z has been established and with more focus on the non-essential quality of life technologies, the virtual world has been improved to a significant degree, becoming a gateway not just for the people in the real world to take part in, but also others to transfer their consciousness inside of it, ultimately living in a virtual world where everything is abundant, though controlled in a way or two to prevent power-hungry and rogue users. That is perhaps going to be another story for another time. The virtual reality is simply brought up, because for a good while, a few of the Valentian Kittens were convinced that they might have been in there, and as a result, these outcomes just being pure miracles.

As it turns out, miracles can do happen even in real life. After the exhilarating match that was against the Reapers, the Valentians thought that was already going further than they normally used to. However, when the Kittens went for that match against the Electrumite team (official name Electrum National Football Team), the Valentians were stumped. It was an intensive match for the whole of 60 minutes, and neither the Electrums nor the Valentians have scored at that point (0–0). As fate would have it, however, the goal happened in the form of Holly Annemiek Gerrieke Van De Hoogte (#3) who managed to score a straight shot into the net. The Valentians were ecstatic, to say the least. With a goal advantage, they now have a bit of a room and leeway to relax a little, instead of either ending up with a tie or worse, with the Electrums scoring a goal. For that to happen, however, they have to go through likes of a goalkeeper like Martina Anastasia Hedvig X. Luna Bukvić, who has been denying goal after goal as the Electrums got more and more aggressive. It would definitely be fitting to mention that the Electrums only got aggressive in terms of playing the game; nowhere at any point they posed a danger to the Valentians, and for that they have been more than happy. "Better than playing against a group of women from the anarchy. They scared me, they really do," was the thought Martina had in her mind at the moment, having blocked a countless number of attempted goal kicks. Lethargy was kicking in, to which she tried to avert by walking around and not staying in the middle of the goalpost. Substitution cannot be called since no one has been injured, no fouls and violations, and no balls going out of bounds. It was a terrifyingly perfect match from the Electrums, and they have been wearing the Valentians down all these time. As the 90th minute struck, the Valentian Kittens took home the win with a 1–0, moving towards the quarter-finals against Trolleborg's National Team – The Trolls. It seemed like a match made in heaven for the Valentians, or perhaps even a slightly hellish. Both the Trolls and Kittens are well-versed in playing offensively, and were able to upset the Kittens by scoring their first goal, leaving the Kittens behind with a 0–1. It was a brief moment of panic for the Valentians as they tried to score goals of their own. "If this is going to end up like that match against Electrum, except we are going to be the one not scoring goals, it's all over," Kortnev Grigoriy (Grisha) Konstantinovich (#11) thought to himself, having been on the field again after a slight shuffling of the team. The rest of the players have been getting slightly restless, even with adequate rest and sleep and all of the healthy food.

Still, the Kittens pressed on, looking for weak spots on the opponents and from what they have learned of their opponents. Players like Morten Kroonquist and Stuart Kerr gave the Kittens a lot of trouble, their swift and relatively smaller bodies weaving in and out around the Valentians and passing the ball with such a precision. Then there is a goalkeeper by the name of Jesper Krogh who has also proven to be extremely fast when it comes to intercepting and making well sure that the Trolls are not getting a goal against them. The Valentians tried relentlessly, and at the end of it, they ended up with a 1–2; the Trolls were leading the game with one goal ahead of the Kittens, with 33 minutes left into the game. Will the Valentians be able to spark a miracle of some sort? Or will their Cup of Harmony 82 career end here, to prepare for the next World Cup and to start over again and perhaps to hope for the best?

The outcome, as we know, was a different one. With Holly trying her absolute best, she scored a goal against the Trolls at the 61st minute mark, through a series of misdirections that they have tried against the Reapers which was a few games ago. They made a series of convoluted and calculated passes around the field while trying to play as fairly and clearly as possible within the rules. At times, they would even false getting intercepted to lure the Trolls into a position that the Valentians were kind of certain that they would go to. That was the keyword – "kind of certain". The Kittens were pulling some of the most absurd and extremely risky manoeuvres, and if the Trolls were able to catch on or the Kittens fumbled on their precise planning, it would have been a 1–3 for the Trolls. However, as Fate would have it, it was a definite 2–2, with aforementioned Holly being able to deliver a clean and straight shot to the trolls. Then they did it again at the 85th minute mark, with the score of 3–2 for the Kittens. The goals were not earned as easily as they used to when they were playing in the World Cup Qualifiers, and the Kittens knew. The players here were playing for the keeps, and they were well-aware of the shortcomings they have towards these bigger and well-established teams. The announcers were going wilder with each passing second and minute, citing and making neutral comments on whether or not the Kittens will be bringing their game to the next bracket, or throwing the towel as the literal giants simply could not match against the figurative giants in the international sports. The Kittens knew that all they needed to do was to play as defensively as possible for the last 4 minutes, with Martina (#64) trying her best and making sure that none of the goal kicks are going to go in. "I will not falter!" she said.

However, the thought and her comments only came out as small and pained voices, not the epic-filled and thundering boast in the likes of "They shall not goal!" These few days have been quite a dizzying moment for her – both physically and emotionally. With Dawson out for a few games, it was up to Martina for most of the matches, intercepting goals left, right, and centre. The plan was for Dawson to pick up the pace, as Martina felt that she is not that good just yet against the semi-finalist team that they might be facing. For the most parts, she did her job well, and she did what she is good at. On the other hand, the fatigue was kicking in, as well as the pressure from both her teammates and from the crowds of audience both at the stadium and on the televisions across the multiverse. Billions, perhaps even trillions, are watching the game, and she simply could not crumble right at that very moment. She clutched and curled up her fists, daring any of the Trolls to come in and attempt a goal kick at the last minute. Torben Kranforde broke the Kittens' defences, weaved around, aimed for Martina, she jumped towards the ball…

"INTERCEPT!" she thought to herself loudly, with the clock ticking down to the last 10 seconds, "No more time for the Trolls to make a goal," standing up as she then readied her stance in the case of surprise goals. 5, 4, 3, 2, 1…

"Anddddd that is a wrap! What an amazing game, ladies and gentlemen!" the announcers went wild, and so did the Valentian fans who were supporting their national team, "3–2, the victory goes to the Kittens! Good luck with the semi-finals, you guys did it!" and the usual songs of praises and pats and attaboys. The Valentians were all right with that, they could perhaps even get used to it. Still, humility is still their utmost priority and at the end of the day, they thanked and offered a hug to the Trolls for making it this far as well and for giving the Kittens such a memorable and a formidable match to play. On top of that, the Kittens were extremely happy with the way the game turned out. Perhaps ironically for a team named the Trolls, one can tell that every single one of their players have been tested to the strictest requirements, performance-wise and etiquette-wise. No fouls, not even one yellow card for all.

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That evening, Martina lied down on her bed, celebrating alongside with the Kittens in their dropship, but one can tell that she has been through quite a fair lot. Sure, the goalkeeper does not run as much as the rest of the players, but her (and Dawson's) role have been equally as important, ensuring that the Valentians can score their offensive goals as much as possible, while also denying the opponents from scoring back at them. They have learned this many-a-times during their Qualifications, ones where they were able to score a lot of goals, but were not able to defend well. That was the pitfall that Clarissa was afraid of, and thus her program to make sure that her team is going all-out on scoring as many goals as possible. "We cannot defend well, our heights are actually a disadvantage," her words echoed through the debrief room, "But what we can do, is to strike a mean and absolutely nice kick."

With Martina out and resting, along with Joaquina (#10, Forward) still not recovering from her injuries against the Electrum's team, the roster has changed once again, with the players all agreeing upon the plans laid out nicely by Clarissa. "You guys have been equally awesome, and you guys did a lot of great this season all around," Clarissa started off transmitting her voice through the shell, whilst trying her best to move the shell's body as unawkwardly as possible, "I am amazed, very amazed, haha! The fact that we made it this far into the Semifinals, and not going to lie, it's not that I doubt you guys, oh dear no. It's just, well, you know how it is like. You guys were more or less the first-timers on the international football grounds, and yet here you are, already making quite a history as the run-in team taking goals and scores and surpassing quite a lot of bigger teams out there! Part of it may be luck, that I shall not deny! A lot of luck and little random events play a lot into these scores, you guys know that by now – I have been calculating millions of matches. Maybe billions by now. Maybe even more, haha! The point is, I will admit that luck plays a lot of part- I already said that, sorry. However, while luck does take us places, we also have to remember that it would not have been possible without the hardwork of you guys! You guys have been relentless, and I mean that in an awesome way! You guys did your best for every match, you didn't foul anyone, and the usual stuff. I mean yeah, don't worry about the injuries, they are part and parcel of sports, just make sure you don't injure someone else, haha! Anyway, I have been great here in NSSCRA as well; my races are, well, they could be better, but that is my problem to take care of, it's not a burden on you guys, nor from you guys. Next match is Mercedini."

She paused for a moment, before continuing on. "Mercedini vs Valentine Z, Semi-Finals. Venue is Gardiner-Stewart Stadium, Abingdon, Abingdon Parish, please don't be late. Ask Angeline to go there right now, if needed. Better to be early and have all the clearance than going there late and having extra trouble. As for the team, you guys have the attachment of the opponents and some degrees of their bio. All I can say is: Do be careful! Very much careful! I don't want to frighten you guys and hey, it's okay if you guys lose this one. We have come this far, right?" A loud cheer and claps suddenly came in from the team, fired up despite their general lethargy from the match of the day. "But like I said, do our best! And maybe, just maybe, there will be a miracle!" The Kittens, along with their staff and other personnel (some of them part of The Sixty) strapped in, clearing their dropship for takeoff to the next venue.

Clarissa disconnected from the call, still happy and humming a little song to herself. This is all the while she took the historical data of Mercedini's team, then the Kittens, then she ran scenarios. A lot of scenarios, perhaps more than her usual runs. Just like with the prediction she made for Kittens vs The Reapers, but this one she kept this to herself, not wanting to disappoint or make her team overconfident. After few seconds, the simulations were done.

"1,331,557 matches won… against 500,000,000 simulated matches," Clarissa thought to herself, still smiling, "Good odds considering the differences. Good luck, Kittens!"

OOC: Roster updated for Semi-finals. It's edited in my Roster post, but I am posting it here for convenience sake.

Current Roster: Formation 3-3-4 (3 forward, 3 midfielders, 4 defenders, 1 goalkeeper.)

Goalkeeper:
# 1  - Dawson Joshiah Davidson Brooks Marshall    - 429.80 cm - M - 31 - Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, Alanis Star, Valentine Z
# 64 - Martina Anastasia Hedvig X. Luna Bukvić    - 428.50 cm - F - 32 - Martian Territories of Valentine Z

Forward:
# 3  - Holly Annemiek Gerrieke Van De Hoogte      - 431.60 cm - F - 35 - Zaanstad, Netherlands, Victoriaans Nederlands, Valentine Z
# 11 - Kortnev Grigoriy (Grisha) Konstantinovich  - 432.16 cm - M - 36 - Saint Petersburg, Russia, Valentine Z
# 7  - Emerson Jamie Taylor Erin Scott Maddox     - 426.14 cm - M - 32 - Mankato, Minnesota, United States of America, Voorzichtigheid, Valentine Z
# 6  - Štěpánka Caitlin Madeline W. Sedláčková    - 433.47 cm - F - 30 - Brno, South Moravian, Czech Republic, Valentine Z
# 5  - Elisabetta Enzo Hannah Lodovica D'Elia     - 425.41 cm - F - 27 - Florence, Tuscany, Italy, Valentine Z
# 10 - Joaquina Samanta Alonso Clara Lombardo     - 424.20 cm - F - 29 - Lanús, Buenos Aires, Argentina, Alanis Star, Valentine Z

Midfielders:
# 20 - Sammie Arif Raihan Bin Mohamamad Andika    - 427.31 cm - M - 34 - Singapore, Singapore, Valentine Z
# 31 - Daina Allison Leela Phon Seng Sreynuon     - 419.50 cm - F - 28 - Sihanoukville, Cambodia, Valentine Z
# 88 - Clemente Kenneth Evans L. Jiang Guanyu     - 430.20 cm - M - 29 - Taiyuan, Shanxi, China, Vostrov, Valentine Z
# 30 - Antel Marcel Georgia Katona Vass Dániel    - 432.11 cm - M - 33 - Székesfehérvár, Central Transdanubia, Hungary, Valentine Z
# 14 - Katarzyna Violetta Zofia Aleks Polańska    - 438.50 cm - F - 33 - Chorzów, Poland, Valentine Z

Defenders:
# 40 - Iraj Alexander Soroosh Homayoun Hashempour - 425.00 cm - M - 31 - Ahvaz, Khuzestan, Iran, Valentine Z
# 50 - Helen Jennifier Hiroto Morishita Chiyumi   - 434.50 cm - F - 27 - Osaka, Kansai, Honshu, Japan, Vostrov, Valentine Z
# 70 - Vanuza Poliane Elaine Castro dos Reis      - 425.31 cm - F - 28 - Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, Alanis Star, Valentine Z
# 60 - Marlene Isabelle Lisa Roselyne Pasquier    - 420.22 cm - F - 30 - Saint-Denis, Paris, France, Victoriaans Nederlands, Valentine Z
# 55 - Nathaniel Orla Hayden Johnstone McMahon    - 432.00 cm - M - 35 - East Kilbride, South Lanarkshire, Scotland, United Kingdom, Victoriaans Nederlands, Valentine Z
# 65 - Sigfreður Gamalíel Onyx Jason Steinason    - 431.10 cm - M - 40 - Martian Territories of Valentine Z

Green means available as sub. Red means injured and out until I follow-up.

[Montana Verde]

RP cutoff (Verdean side) as both semifinalists have agreed to early cutoff.

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Result (Verdean bracket)

Chromatika 5–4 Starblaydia

[The Licentian Isles]

And cutoff for the Licentian semi-final, since we have RPs from both involved parties!

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Semi Final

Mercedini 6–3 Valentine Z

Starblaydia vs Valentine Z - Estadio Olímpico Salvador Pozo Brito, Valerigua, Montaña Verde

Chromatika vs Mercedini - LTI Stadium, Montfort, the Licentian Isles

[Starblaydia]

Episode 14 - The Fightback
S01 | E01 | E02 | E03 | E04 | E05 | E06 | E07 | E08 | E09 | E10 | E11 | E12 | E13

With the new coach revitalising the entire organisation of
the team from the ground up, an appearance in a youth cup
final beckons with a rematch from earlier in the tournament.

Sutter McCloud, Striker,
Under-18 World Cup 7

Narrator: After the departure of Lucas Cable at the end of the 53rd AOCAF Cup, the entire Starblaydi Football Association was reorganised from top to bottom. Everywhere from grass roots to the upper echelons of the game was analysed in a year-long internal inquiry that brought vast changes at an operational and management level. There was only one goal for this Association-wide transformation, summed up in the social media hashtag "We Want Six."

#wewantsix

Nine characters. Ten if you include the hashtag. Halatyrion is an elf of great eloquence and can wax lyrical about most subjects a footballer or administrator is required to, but he can also be succinct and effective. No more so than when he hit 'Publish' on that post. Why would Starblaydia be entering the World Cup Qualifiers if the intent wasn't to win it? What was the point? The whole idea is to win the World Cup, otherwise you're just there to make up the numbers, and Starblaydia has never been about just making up the numbers. Everything Halatyrion has done since has been as part of a singular determination to make his hashtag come true. The appointment of Ázëwyn Fëanáro as manager, the urging of ediraf to create a fifth generation of kits, the bringing up of young Dwarven talent and spotting the best of the three races that make up Starblaydia.

"We want six," they said. They shouted it in bold font neon light fireworks across the night sky. From children in the park to the bright lights of a World Cup Final, that was the only motivation to do anything, and the reason why everything should happen. It may not quite have worked out, yet - I mean, uh, spoilers, I guess - but changing and revitalising and refreshing is a good thing; no sense in just doing the same thing over and over again, hoping that it'll work like it did thirty or fifty or whoever many tournaments before. Fëanáro was a proven winner, with two World Cups to her name, and she had all the qualities to slide straight into the vacant role, not only as manager, bust as vison-maker for the entire SFA. At Tororin Halatyrion's instruction, of course, as President of the SFA, she oversaw the complete restyle, the move from a 4-4-2 Diamond to a much more modern 4-3-3, the building of Oberyn Park as an elite national football centre, and the revamp of Liga Starblaydia.

By implementing this from the bottom to the top, there was an ability to mold the kids on the playground into exactly the sort of players that she'd need in the future. When you have the lifespan of an elf, a 'project' that would be several lifetimes of work for a human might as well be tinkering in the shed at the bottom of the garden for a couple of months.

This entire team is Ázëwyn Fëanáro's. There are no holdovers from previous coaches, no bad habits to unlearn to get into the Fëanáro mindset of doing things. Every single one of them was born after the debacle of AOCAF Cup 53. Since they were crying babies, Starblaydia has only known World Cup Qualification, rising from just inside the top 50 to solidly in the top 20. If Starblaydia are going to break into the top 16 or the top 10 and genuinely have a realistic chance of winning a record-breaking sixth World Cup title, these are the players that will be doing it in the foreseeable future.

The national team, at senior level, had climbed the rankings at a reasonable rate, with the Under-21 side participating in the Di Bradini Cup to gain experience and the chance of some lifting some silverware, but for Fëanáro it wasn't enough. She wanted her players to get used to the format of tournaments earlier, and cultivate that "Starblaydia FC" environment in their early teenage years and as late as the Under-21s. With that in mind she authorised Starblaydia's entry into the Under-18 World Cup, something the SFA had largely ignored for the previous six editions since its inception. Here, Fëanáro reasoned, would be a worthy early test of the players and system she had been developing. After a third place medal in the 56th AOCAF Cup put her team back into the forefront of people's minds, the Olympic Games had just some slightly to early for the development of her sides, and the Under-23 sides needed to be sent to those gender-separated tournaments were full of teenagers. How perfect, though, for the Under-18 World Cup, where those who already had a taste of the international game in a white and purple shirt and could bring those learnings to Equestria and take a tilt at the title?

There were a number of promising players, but only one truly stood out from the crowd at this age. He was a player who, at the Olympics earlier in the year, striker and captain of the team Aaron Cole had described as "one of the best strike partners I've ever had": Sutter McCloud.

10. Sutter McCloud, SC, 18 - Foxchester Raiders
3 Caps, 3 Goals (3 Caps, 1 Goal at Under-21 level)
Already announced himself on the world stage with a hat-trick at the Olympics against Polynesia, McCloud is fast, strong and has a great left foot to strike from all distances and angles. The sky's the limit with this kid and as long as he stays committed, healthy and out of trouble he's fully expected to be the next golden boy of Starblaydi football.

McCloud, both with his name and the connection of the city of Foxchester to the Starblaydi Air Force, was continually compared to a jet fighter or some other popular supersonic, super-deadly combat plane thanks to his speed and deadly accuracy while shooting. As trite as those comparisons were, it certainly seemed that he had both afterburners and laser-guided munitions, as he bagged a hat-trick first in the opening match against Vakolicci Haven & Celeria, then incredibly a second one in the very next match against Sharktail. From 'Ready for Take-Off' to 'McCloud Flying High', the press were having a field day with the puns.

McCloud Flying High
Starblaydia Soar into Second Round

Sutter McCloud became the first Starblaydi player at any level to score a hat-trick in two consecutive matches by netting another three goals in the second match of the 7th Under-18 World Cup. The seventeen year old star has already racked up more goals in a junior tournament than any other Starblaydi player in the modern era and, when added to his single goal in the last Di Bradini Cup, has already lifted himself to joint-thirteenth on the all-time list of goalscorers at junior level. His incredible tally [of seven] has come in just five matches and, with Starblaydia's attack in this tournament looking absolutely lethal, there's no telling quite how many he might get before he's done.

Three in a 4-1 win against Vakolicci Haven, three in a 7-1 win against Sharktail, and one in a 3-1 win over Mercedini to decide the fate of the top two positions in Group E as both Starblaydia and the Young Eaglets were lighting up the tournament. Starblaydia's prize in the Second Round was Darmen, second in Group F, while Mercedini faced their table-toppers the Commonwealth of Baker Park. This time McCloud got two of a 3-0 win, either side of a Kaori Yamaguchi free kick, and Starblaydia advanced to the Quarter-Finals, having won all of their matches and conceded just three goals. By no means a demolition of Darmen, though, Starblaydia had managed to put two poor and underprepared sides to the sword early on, while the teams who had solid youth programs were certainly putting up a real fight against Fëanáro's side - her young charges were just taking their chances more often than not.

When Starblaydia came out for the second half, however, they'd either had the hairdryer treatment from Jerzy Makuszewski, new tactical instructions from Ázëwyn Fëanáro, a particularly tasty half time orange, or some combination of all three. Starblaydia pinged the ball around with confidence and flair, giving Sutter McCloud his first real opportunity of the game - a header from Yamaguchi's short cross that he buried in the bottom corner of the [Darmeni] net, much to Sergio Salas' dismay.

Up next was a familiar foe in the form of Abanhfleft, one of the umpteen matches these two teams had at all levels of the game; they were probably getting sick of the sight of each other. Sutter McCloud managed to score his team's opening goal to equalise after an hour played, but managed to injure himself in the process, coming off shortly after. It was his tenth goal in as few as five appearances for his country, potentially underlining his entirely OP status and potential godmod-hood, but thankfully for the rest of the team they were able to go on and win the match on their own terms, as captain and winger Arkady Krakowski made it two with his second goal of the tournament, and put the game beyond Abanhfleft. These kids were proving that they weren't just a one-man team.

One team that does appear to be a one-man team, however, is Abanhfleft. The Young Young Revolutionaries have been almost completely focused on getting their ball to the Uranium City Radiation striker, as evidenced in the first game of the tournament against Eraman, where Bakayoko slotted himself four of Abanhfleft's six goals in a ten out of ten performance. The tactic is an obvious one, but when your lone striker is that good, then you need to get the ball to him as often as possible. With a couple of chances in the opening few minutes, it was only a matter of time before Bakayoko made the breakthrough, slotting into the corner past Cosmo Leopoldi in the Starblaydi goal. It was only the second time that Starblaydia have been behind the entire tournament, having been behind for 41 minutes against Mercedini in the Group Stage, and they had to dig deep to get back in the match as Abanhfleft looked to put the game beyond Starblaydia in the opening half hour.

The win, though, ultimately proved Starblaydia that were not a one-man team. It was a real battle to overcome the Fleftic side, but they managed it in the end. Ko-oren awaited them in the Semi-Final, having cruised through both their knockout matches by two goals to nil, in classic Dragonfly style. Starblaydi teams in general and Fëanáro sides in particular always opt for attacking, progressive play, relying on direct, vertical play with the ball and distinct pressure without it to regain possession as soon as possible. Ko-oren sides were, and still are, tight, disciplined units who don't tend to score a lot of goals, but even more rarely do they concede them. Every forward knows they're in for a long afternoon when they line up against the Dragonflies, and a Semi-Final would be no exception.

I'm hearing Starblaydia have won their semi-final by a narrow margin which will indeed set up the blockbuster finish both sets of fans had desperately wanted. Starblaydia have the advantage with that earlier group stage victory plus the momentum of six wins on the bounce, but Mercedini have done it all before, albeit with a completely different team from this one. At the Wild Grounds, it finished Oberour Ar Moto 0, Mercedini 4! The Young Eaglets will have another crack at Starblaydia, with the star quality of Vacek Jr facing off against the tournament top scorer and almost certainly future Galactico winner McCloud on the field for the second and final time at this tournament.

Anyone who was even remotely paying attention to this tournament knew what a gem Fëanáro had in her team. There was a question over McCloud's fitness following that injury against Abanhfleft, but he was able to score the winning goal in the Semi-Final, making it 2-1 early in the second half. Again, though, this was a game where Starblaydia went behind at first and had to claw it back, so you can see that though the defence was a little leaky at times, the group definitely had both the mental strength and attacking potential to get back into games after early setbacks. They'd face Mercedini in the final in a rematch from the group stage that a lot of pundits predicted as the championship match, such was the relative strength of the two sides. Thought it was the first appearance for the team in white and purple, the Young Eaglets already had a championship to their name from the fifth edition.

"Don't forget that Mercedini have won this competition already," [defender and MVP of the semi-final] Ursula Naaman said, "or, rather, before. Their system is used to that success, works off the back of it to push on, and there's a repeatable goal to aim for. For us, we know we've not won anything as a nation for what seems like forever. Just because the Manager did it before as a player, doesn't mean that's automatically going to be ours without maximum effort for the remainder of this tournament."

SCB:Sports advertisement for the U18WC7 Final

In the Royal Equestria Stadium, Starblaydia Under-18s and the Young Eaglets met for the second time that tournament. It was a marketer's dream to have such a heavyweight rematch, doubly so for both sides to be expertly kitted out by ediraf, with the black and white contrasting brilliantly, and the accent colours all complimenting each other, too. Rather swish, I thought. Brenecia-bound Calindra Apelles opened the scoring for the Fëanáro's side, showing exactly the kind of form that earned her a move to Northern Union, one of the best club sides in the multiverse. It was her fourth goal of the tournament, and her second against Mercedini, and Starblaydia went in at the half ahead.

Second half, though, Christian Vacek Jr pulled one back for Mercedini, exactly as everyone predicted, because he was the absolute best player in this Young Eaglet side by a country mile, already playing in Abanhfleft. It was an exciting game, no doubt, back and forth as both teams pushed to try and take the lead for themselves. After a lot of hard work the referee blew for the end of normal time, and to extra time it went. Thanks to the Young Eaglet defence, this was the first time in the tournament that Starblaydia had been kept to a single goal in ninety minutes.

Two fifteen minute halves of extra time, then penalties if it wasn't settled. One team would pick up the silverware, the other would only go home with silver medals. As much as it was Starblaydia versus Mercedini, it was all eyes on McCloud and Vacek. Surely, one of these two would make the breakthrough and win the game for their side? In the end, there was only one who could be the winner.

Narrator: Scoring his side's 600th international goal at youth level and setting a new record of twelve in one youth tournament, Sutter McCloud won the match, and the championship, for his team with five minutes remaining in extra time. More importantly than the trophy, however, it showed that Ázëwyn Fëanáro had the ability to mold a team from nothing to be title-winners, giving a new sense of purpose and drive to the quest for more gold.

Final score from Royal Equestria Stadium, Canterlot:
_Starblaydia_ 2-1 _Mercedini_
_Apelles 34, McCloud 115_ - _Vacek 51_

[Mercedini]

82nd Cup Of Harmony Semifinal Consensed Highlights & Final Preview
Mercedini vs. Valentine Z
@ Gardiner-Stewart Stadium - Abingdon, The Licentian Isles

Good evening one and all and welcome back to Mercedini Sports Daily for yet another match report at this cycle's Cup of Harmony. We have had to extend our visa here in the Licentian Isles for tonight's semi-final clash versus Valentine Z. Going into this match, I'm sure no one expected these two sides to be left, given the sheer talent and pedigree in the Licentian half of the draw. Alas, they have fallen by the wayside, and it's 28th versus 118th in this half's semi-final which will produce an unlikely finalist to play against one of the two juggernauts in the other half. Starblaydia and Chormatika will be kicking off shortly in Montana Verde to complete the final and third-place playoff line-up, but let's turn our attention back to the Golden Eagles and their semi versus Valentine Z.

It's sure to be an historic day for everyone associated with Valentine Z, the Kittens have been one of the breakout stories in this edition of the Cup of Harmony. They have caused shock after shock after shock to completely blow open the bracket and sit two games away from a famous tournament victory. Mercedini have thanked Val Z for getting rid of so many rivals, but now they have to beat the giant slayer themselves. Both teams come into this game in fine form, with both sides dispatching three Pot 1 sides each, with Dini hitting five against Savigliane, four against Savojarna and three goals unanswered versus Krytenia to send them into the semis. On paper, this should be a forgone conclusion, but that is what IAQ, Electrum and Trolleborg thought before their untimely demise to the Kittens. It's back to the familiar surroundings of Abingdon's Gardiner-Stewart Stadium, will this setting bring them luck like it has in the past? Let's find out as we review the highlights.

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0' - Ladies and gentlemen, boys, girls and enbies. Welcome to Abingdon for this semi-final clash between Mercedini and Valentine Z. That's right, Mercedini are back in semi-final territory after what has felt like an aeon away from the business end of tournaments. The lights are shining down on the Gardiner-Stewart Stadium which is packed to the rafters for this one. It has been the talk of the town in Abingdon as the Licentian half comes to a conclusion, with Dini or Val Z moving on to play in the LTI Stadium for the tournament final. A massive contingency of Mercedinians are seated in the far corner of the stadium, with all of them dressed in the familiar blue and black national colours. Some have travelled in especially for this game, while some stayed put following the conclusion of the group stages, and Dini's three group games in this very stadium. Abingdon has turned into the Licantian Isles' very own Little Dini over the past two weeks, but even more so now, given the nation's passage through to the later stages. Val Z's fans are out in full force too, wearing their colours and making plenty of noise in the build up to this game.

Out come the teams into the cauldron of noise and colour that is the Gardiner-Stewart Stadium, if this isn't the place to be in Abingdon tonight, then I'd like to know what beats this. Some of the players are looking round as they hold hands with their young mascots to guide them onto the pitch, while some are stone faced in their approach to psych themselves up for the task to come. The coins are flipped, the national anthems have been played, now it's time to kick some balls (and some ass).

4' - (MRC 1-0 VLT) - It's first blood to Dini very early on in this game and it's Dostalok who has opened the scoring with a nice finish inside the near post. It all began with a simple ball over the top from Nymark to find Dostalok making a run on the far side of the pitch. There were suspicions of offside as he chased the ball and gathered it on the edge of the box. The Mercedinian striker took a touch to control it before firing it high inside the top corner, to blast it past the oncoming goalkeeper who was spread wide to block any low shot from his opponent. A quick look from Dostalok showed that he wasn't sure about the legitimacy of the goal, but no flag from the official meant he could wheel away and knee slide in front of the Mercedinian fans. What a dream start for the Golden Eagles, they lead by a goal to nil with not even five minutes on the clock.

9' - (MRC 2-0 VLT) - A good start has turned into a great start for Mercedini as they score a second goal before the ten minute mark. This time it's defender Brindliev who head in from a corner to keep his scoring tally ticking over. It has been all Dini at the beginning of this game and they have showed no mercy at the beginning of this game. Armani sent in high ball which slowly floated into the box. There wasn't much action as players were trying to judge the trajectory of the ball, with Marshall in two minds whether to go for the ball or not. That indecisiveness left the ball open for a chance at the back post, with Brindliev beating his marker to rise highest at the back post and nod in from a tight angle. A very good start from Dini with two goals, how will Valentine Z respond?

34' - (MRC 3-0 VLT) - After coming to close to a goal of their own just moments ago, the Kittens have shipped a third in this game, with Dostalok scoring a second to put clear distance between themselves and their opponents. This one was more luck than judgement but they will take them however they come. It was from a goal kick following that missed shot from Konstantinovich, which was flicked on brilliantly by Karlovic to send Chillotov sprinting for the ball. The Mercedinian striker beat the offside trap and bounded into the box with the ball, looking to release a shot. Instead of that, Chillotov pulled it back to his strike partner with the Dinian fans on their feet in an anticipation. The pass wasn't the best, so Dostalok had to take aa touch before letting a off a weak shot towards goal. In a spot of luck, Marshall simply couldn't get down fast enough, and the ball deflected off of him and into the net for an unfortunate third. Is this game over already? It's 3-0 with about ten minutes in this first half to go.

45+2' - (MRC 4-0 VLT) - Mercedini have seemingly killed this game off before it has even got going. It's a first half hattrick completed by Dostalok via the penalty spot to round out a clinical first half from Mercedini. It was another attacking move forward which started with Armani finding space down the wing and whipping in a cross with pace towards a melee of players in the box. A group of players went up for the ball which originally came to nothing, with the ball being cleared by the Valentine Z defence to reset the field of play. There were some faint shouts for handball behind the goal by the Mercedinian fans, and they were followed up by the referee's whistle as he pointed to the spot. The stoppage even caught some of the Mercedinian players by surprise, with Chillotov initially having his hands up in protest over a potential foul for a shove on Chiyumi. However, it was a Pasquier handball which drew the attention of the referee.

Dostalok grabbed the ball from Chillotov who initially stepped up to take the spot kick, but with a hattrick on the line, there was really only one winner of that argument. After a couple of seconds of pause, Dostalok stepped up and fired low to his left. Marshall went the right way up couldn't stretch far enough to stop the ball from rippling the net. A light stroll from Dostalok as he showed three fingers the Mercedinians. 4-0 now, this game is surely dead and buried unless Valentine Z put together an unlikely comeback.

HALF TIME
Mercedini 4 - 0 Valentine Z
Dostalok 4', 34', 45+2', Brindliev 9'

52' - (MRC 5-0 VLT) - It was originally thought that the half-time whistle gave Valentine Z some sort of solace from the relentless pressure of the Mercedinian attacking line, but it seems normal business has resumed with Armani now on the scoresheet to make it five-nil. The wings have been where Dini have found real purchasing power on the pitch, with this goal no different. Gucci skinned his marker to find space to enter the box with three more players from each team joining him in the mix to challenge for the ball. Gucci fired a low drive across the face of goal and managed to miss every single leg on it's way to the back post, where Armani was waiting to tap it in for his first and Mercedini's fifth of the game. It's beginning to get ugly with Dini threatening to put up a cricket score in Abingdon.

68' - (MRC 5-1 VLT) - Goal! Valentine find a goal in this game which is nothing more than they deserve. They have been knocking on the door for some time but have only now found the breakthrough to deny Wandai of his clean sheet and give Val Z a small window to come back into this one. It's Maddox with the goal which was very similar to Dini's fifth. Andika down the wing, a low drive into the box and across the face of goal wasn't dealt with adequately, and Maddox stuck out a leg to send it past Wandai and into the net. Their fans have something to cheer about, it's now 5-1 with just over twenty minutes to go here.

70' - (MRC 5-2 VLT) - Valentine have found a new lease of life in this game as they score again. The leaky defence of Mercedini has returned as Konstantinovich curls a beauty past Wandai after being put through on goal. Mercedini looked shaken following their goal earlier in the game, and they weren't playing fluidly as they gave the ball away and were picked apart by a single pass from Sreynuon. Konstantinovich made the perfect run and let the ball roll across his body before curling the ball inside the near post, over the leg of a sprawling Wandai. The belief is back in the side, but the damage may have already been done. Twenty minutes to go and the score looks much more respectable now.

90+1' - (MRC 5-3 VLT) - Wow! The side ranked 118th in the world have finished this game with a real flurry as they end their tournament with a three-goal haul, Van De Hoogte has added yet more polish to what originally was a big stinking steaming turd. This one was down to a misunderstanding between Di Sansev and Dalamai on a corner who let van de Hoogte have a free shot on goal. Guanyu got the assist with a standard corner routine, there was nothing really special about the move, apart from the fact that the ball ended up with a Kitten who was in acres of space. Van De Hoogte controlled it with her chest before letting the ball drop and firing low and into the net to bring Dini within touching distance. Time is ticking away with Val Z needing two more goals, surely they can't, can they?

90+6' - (MRC 6-3 VLT) - The Golden Eagles have honestly been dire in the later stages of this second half but they have the last laugh to finally put the nail in Valentine's coffin. Talisky grabs his substitute goal as he normally does, and he literally couldn't miss the open net which he was gifted following a sweeper keeper error from Marshall. We were into the dying embers of the game when Marshall came out to clear a bad back pass. Talisky was chasing, and managed to block the clearance from Marshall on the half way line. Thankfully, the deflection was kind to the Mercedinian substitute, and he was able to gather the ball and shoot from the centre circle before the referee had a chance to blow his whistle. No chance of saving that after being caught out, Dini with a sixth the stamp their ticket in the final!

FULL TIME
Mercedini 6 - 3 Valentine Z
Dostalok 4', 34', 45+2', Brindliev 9', Armani 52', Talisky 90+6' • Maddox 68', Konstantinovich 70', van de Hoogte 90+1'

Oh my goodness they have done it! After traversing an extended knockout run which has seen them see off numerous high quality teams, Dini are back in the final of the Cup Of Harmony for the first time in ten editions. We knew it would be a difficult final regardless of whoever made it from the other semi-final, but we now know it will be Chromatika who they must get past to secure a second Cup of Harmony title. It is the ultimate boss for the Golden Eagles, with Chromatika the third seeds in the entire tournament. Dini have been free scoring in the knockouts, but Chromatika have aged like fine wine as this tournament has gone on, which culminating in their five-goal haul versus Starblaydia to see them into the final.

Mercedini go into this final as the underdogs, and they have to leave everything on the pitch if they are to come out on top against one of the most storied national teams in the multiverse. Dini have underdog experience in the finals, and they used it to their advantage when they beat Audioslavia to block their triple crown and to lift their first major senior trophy. Will lightning strike twice? Find out as we bring you all of the build up, the action on the pitch, and all of the reaction from the game as we find out who will lift the 82nd Cup of Harmony. Andiamo!

[Chromatika]

Cup of Harmony 82 Semifinal: Chromatika 5-4 Starblaydia
Goals: Kuznetsov '19, Hauser '30, Wen '41, Ighv '68, Fillar, B. '82
Starting XI (4-1-4-1): Fillar, J. (C); Fillar, G. - de Aea - Anbient - Ighv; Zuniga; Wen - Hauser - Fillar, B. - Kuznetsov; Gainsbourg.
Substitutes: Killian -> Gainsbourg ('53), Phoen -> Hauser ('74), Si -> Zuniga ('81)
Projected Lineup vs. Mercedini (4-1-4-1): Fillar, J. (C); Fillar, G. - de Aea - Anbient - Ighv; Zuniga; Wen - Hauser - Fillar, B. - Kuznetsov; Gainsbourg.

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Chromatik Sports Network
Presents...
Anomalies Tonight

LEE KYUNG-NAM: "Welcome, everyone, to a special edition of Anomalies Tonight. I'm one of your two hosts, Lee Kyung-Nam, and it is my honor to bring you to the scene of the momentous occasion that will occur tomorrow - LTI Stadium in Montfort, the Licentian Isles. Before we go too far into what you can expect from us tonight, let me turn to the better looking half of this duo. Krystal, how are you doing?"

KRYSTAL DÉSETTE: "Hello there, Kyung-Nam. I'm doing well, excited for this show, and excited for the game ahead of us tomorrow. Boy do we have a show for you all tonight - we will be reviewing the path that it took for the Anomalies to get here, look at a few of the storylines that have emerged leading up to the final, and then finally, hear from one of the best players to ever wear the Black & White of Chromatika. You don't want to miss that, so make sure you are with us till the end as we continue to generate hype ahead of this very first World Cup-sanctioned final in Chromatik history."

LEE KYUNG-NAM: "It's crazy to think that the final is tomorrow! Sure, most of the eyes on the multiverse are more looking forward to the World Cup Final between Pemecutan and The Holy Empire, but there are plenty of people looking at this match, too. It will be the Anomalies playing the Golden Eagles of Mercedini in the final. How do you think the travel from Montaña Verde to The Licentian Isles have affected the players, Krystal?"

KRYSTAL DÉSETTE: "According to some preliminary comments from Zoe "Z" Benne, the players should be well rested. They left Montaña Verde the very next morning after the thrilling win over Starblaydia, and have been on Licentian soil for more than half a week now. These are all professionals - they should've overcome jetlag and be prepared to go out there and play their best come tomorrow."

LEE KYUNG-NAM: "Before we delve too much into that, let us start at the beginning. Now... Unfortunately, the beginning of this particular run for Chromatika started with the most soul-crushing defeat Chromatika has had in years - that two-three defeat at the Tidal Wave against Nyowani Kitara in front of the Premier, the Banijan Ambassdaor to Chromatika, and the two defectors from Nyowani Kitara that Chromatika was offering asylum to. That defeat shook our nation's footballing spirit to the core - everyone was left wondering just how the team would pick up the pieces. Thankfully, Viktor Karras, Jr. gave Sandra Sybill and Rachel Hellion one more chance, the duo trimmed the roster to twenty-three, and the team flew to Montaña Verde for the Cup of Harmony."

KRYSTAL DÉSETTE: "Yes, that result was particularly devastating, as well was the loss of Enigma Armageddon for the entire cycle. It's still to be decided if the previous Captain of the Anomalies will even be welcomed back in time for World Cup 91, but to lose the lynchpin of your defense and a leader in the locker room is not something to take lightly. Thankfully, Juxon Fillar and Vasiliy Marten Kuznetsov stepped up to the plate, and the Anomalies were able to move on - not without some emotional baggage, though, as was shown during the opening victory over The 14 Stars."

LEE KYUNG-NAM: "Absolutely. Chromatika looked flat against The 14 Stars, needing that late-game goal by Edith Fillar to get those three points, but that was the most important part of that match - they persevered and ultimately won, reminding the Chromatik public that they do, in fact, know how to win. Nobody was very happy after the match, but even the likes of Sybill and Juxon Fillar admitted that the win was important, quoting the need for a mental reset. Thankfully, it would be the worst game of the Cup of Harmony for Chromatika as they started to rev up."

KRYSTAL DÉSETTE: "It's hard to call a draw a step forward, but the match against Drawkland was a step up. Matching the Drawkians' intensity and their height with the Chromatik speed, the Anomalies survived after scoring an early goal, only conceding one. Kateryna Zuniga was influential in this one, helping coordinate the defense to salvage that point. Then, against Qasden, Baillaire Fillar came in the second half, and her cross toward Edith Fillar would result in the only goal that Chromatika needed to finish atop the group and head into the Round of Thirty-Two. By then, we in the know had an inkling about this squad, didn't we, Lee?"

LEE KYUNG-NAM: "Absolutely the case, Krystal. The intensity with which they played, the outlook of the squad as a whole... But most of all, you could tell by looking at the body language of Sandra Sybill on the bench. She looked at east, in control, and at last, like an actual Manager. That game against Astograth really put the rest of the field on notice - the Anomalies scored first and never looked back, even cruising in the second half. They had no idea what awaited them in the next three rounds to come."

KRYSTAL DÉSETTE: "The match against Omerica felt like it was three matches long. Juxon Fillar playing with a bum hand. Baillaire Fillar going in as the team went for the win, and scoring the game-winner. The team never quitting, never looking lost, as the Omericans came at them, wave after wave. Then, against Poafmersia in the Quarterfinals, two goals in the second half in the span of ten minutes caused the winning result, pushing the team to the Semifinals, against... Starblaydia."

LEE KYUNG-NAM: "If you want our detailed analysis about the game against Starblaydia, please check out the show we did on the night of the victory. Basically, it was a very back and forth affair, with Ha'nei Ighv and Baillaire Fillar scoring late to give Chromatika the lead that it would not relinquish. Baillaire has really showed up as a key player this tournament, and her play continued against Starblaydia. Juxon Fillar, despite conceding four, did just enough in injury time, and the team made its way to the Championship Game."

KRYSTAL DÉSETTE: "And what a journey it has been. This has been a recap of the Chromatik journey so far. Before we start talking about the match to come, let us answer some questions from our viewers that have been sent in."

LEE KYUNG-NAM: "The first question comes from Lars Durham, from Lhor, Coastal District. Lars asks, 'The Anomalies have been playing some of their best football without Enigma Armageddon. Does Armageddon still have a spot in this lineup at all, if he is to return?' That's an interesting one, Krystal. What are your thoughts?"

KRYSTAL DÉSETTE: "Oh, absolutely. Sure, he went off and lost his cool, but he's one of the best players on the Anomalies' roster for a reason. Nothing against Kateryna Zuniga and Kaia Larriet-Cortes, but Enigma is Enigma. To get rid of him would be a travesty - unless he wants to go, I suppose."

LEE KYUNG-NAM: "I absolutely agree. Having Armageddon with Zuniga is the best two-DM combination that Chromatika can field, and having that flexibility will do wonders going forward."

KRYSTAL DÉSETTE: "Next is a question from Harold Granderson of Myana. He asks, 'Who is the player that has stepped up the most during this run?'"

LEE KYUNG-NAM: "Baillaire Fillar. So many key goals at so many key moments, whether it be from the bench or starting off. The older of the Fillar sisters has been brilliant - and she's earning her stripes to be that player to play alongside Haley Hauser going forward, especially with Hermaeus Mora fading into the horizon. It's so good to see the other Fillars start to play well."

KRYSTAL DÉSETTE: "Kateryna Zuniga. She had huge shoes to fill, and she's done admirably. Kaia Larriet-Cortes has also stepped up alongside her, but Zuniga has been excellent. She would be the best player on any side without Enigma Armageddon."

LEE KYUNG-NAM: "We'll get to some more of those questions at the end of the show, but let us turn to the match in front of us: Mercedini. How would you rate this match in terms of difficulty, Krystal?

KRYSTAL DÉSETTE: "Mercedini has defeated Savigliane 5-3, Savojarna 4-1, Krytenia 3-0, and Mercedini 6-3 - they haven't had a game in which they didn't win by at least two goals. In fact, 'Dini has also defeated the Alezian Union 4-0 and New Lusitania 4-2, and haven't lost since Acastanha beat them one-nil in the third match of the Group Stage. Basically, they score and they score often; they run away with games, and will definitely put the Anomalies' defense to the test."

LEE KYUNG-NAM: "In comparison, the Chromatik team has only won by two goals once - in the match against Astograth. If Chromatika keeps this game close, they'll have a leg up; they just need to not get run over by the Golden Eagles."

KRYSTAL DÉSETTE: "We can go on and on, but let us instead welcome one of the players that have been at the forefront of this run by the Chromatiks: Vasiliy Marten Kuznetsov!"

VASILIY MARTEN KUZNETSOV: "Thank you. It's great to be here and represent the team. Thank you so much for always being in our corner."

LEE KYUNG-NAM: "Thank you for being here, Vasiliy. What do you think about the vibe of the team?"

VASILIY MARTEN KUZNETSOV: "It's been a grind, getting by all these opponents by a single goal. However, we're learning how to play with each other, we're learning how to play in close matches."

KRYSTAL DÉSETTE: "What do you think will be the key to victory in the match tomorrow?"

VASILIY MARTEN KUZNETSOV: "It's all about making sure that we don't fall back too much too early. If we can keep the game close, we'll be fine."

LEE KYUNG-NAM: "What's it been like to get so far in this tournament?"

VASILIY MARTEN KUZNETSOV: "It's nice to know that we are still playing well together, and that Chromatika is behind us."

KRYSTAL DÉSETTE: "What do you want to tell the Chromatik public?"

VASILIY MARTEN KUZNETSOV: "We have made it here, for you. We will do our best to earn back your trust, and this would be such a big step. Please root for us."

LEE KYUNG-NAM: "Well said. Now, let's talk through some of the matches to see exactly what you think about the journey so far..."

The interview and the show went on for the next hour.

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• Juxon Fillar, Zoe "Z" Benne join team late after taking late flight via Aviamonde to finish work on Juxon's hand
• Baillaire Fillar to start alongside Haley Hauser for CoH Final
• Ha'nei Ighv given great odds to score in CoH Final - very high for a defender

[Valentine Z]

Part 6 – Go out with a ROAR, not a Mew.

Valentijn “De Sierlijke en Vrij Valkyrie General ov Valentine Z” Samantha Maxwell Delta Weston Stijn Angelus Tracey Mitchell Tristian Marnix Basilisk Lewis Hyatt X. Constantine Sein Lin Zaw Naing had quite a fair amount of free time after the disaster that was her DNF on her most recent race. It was probably something to do with the engine, or she overturned, or someone rear-ended her, but the end result being that she, along with her close friend – Marcus Alan Ariel Reynolds, had a not very serious but still race-ending crash. "We will definitely do it for the next race, don't worry about," Marcus reassured her calmly, accepting it as part and parcel of the motorsports scene. In a way, he was right; motorsports has its own gains and losses, just like with the other sports. And the two sports in particular were basketball and football, the two which the Valentians were involved in. Valentijn sat down along with her wife, the two watching the rerun of a few basketball matches on their big screen. A won against both Srednjaci's team and Magnecia's team, with the latter taking place in Valentine Z's own basketball court on Mars. Both of them were close matches, with Valentine Z winning both, and there was a cut to Gwen Tracer Allison Oxton who was cheering for her team as she was doing practice runs around a race track in her bright blue-and-green #31.

Then it all went back to Cup of Harmony, the Valentians having been making it this far, and then soon to be facing one more literal giant in the way to their finals – Mercedini. The Kittens were slightly worried about this, knowing full well that they might not be able to make it for this one. Even Clarissa's calculations were not a reassurance that they are going to win this one. As soon as the match starts, the Kittens were already in trouble with a 4th minute goal from the Mercedini team. Then another, and another, and another. Dawson simply could not keep up, and so couldn't the rest of the Valentians, especially the defenders. Odds are stacked against each other. Clarissa, who have read the team's roster, was expecting this to happen, "Sooner or later this was bound to happen, Vallie. Look at Mercedini's team – some of their best players from their own country, on top of talents from the likes of other leading countries –Audioslavia, Starblaydia, and so many more. A teams from both locals and from the other countries." Valentijn was intrigued, certainly not angry nor mad, for she has no reason to be. Just like Clarissa, she only wished for the well-being and the fun the players have from the seasons. It won't be the end of the world for the Valentians if they did not even get off from the qualifications. "Ahh, that's okay. I mean, the fact that they made it through till the semifinals, though? That's pretty amazing, isn't it? You trained them so well, dearie," Valentijn said, arm wrapping around Clarissa's shoulder. Clarissa smiled and laughed wholeheartedly in turn, "Aww, thank you! They are also the ones who made it possible as well! They have been training and training, and strategizing!" The two of them simple enjoyed each other's company as they watched the match going on. With 5 goals in the lead, and having been only scored a paltry single goal, the Valentians were in trouble. Even after scoring goal after goal, it was way too late with only half-time to go, as the game concluded with a 6–3. The Kittens were expecting a loss, but not until they got steamrolled to the point of having their opponent score twice as much. Still, fair is fair, and with that, the Valentian Kittens approached Mercedini's team, offering a handshake and even a hug if wanted.

"You guys played amazing!" Holly said to Talisky, while Dawson congratulated Dostalok and Brindliev, "You guys really gave me a run for my money, haha! Good games, good games. Best of luck against Chromatika!" The Kittens then went back to their lounge, almost preparing for a flight back to Valentine Z, had it not for the fact that they still got the good news in the form of playing a second round. "Guys, this isn't over yet!" Clarissa said cheerfully via her shell, "There's still one more game to go, you know that, right? After losing the semifinals, you get another game!" The Kittens pondered at first, then uniformly agreed and listened to Clarissa. With Chormatika's team winning the match on the other bracket, along with only being 4 teams left at this very moment, all roads pointed the same direction, and to the same opponent. The Kittens gasped a little, a little fearful of their possible fate and a stomp.

"We will be playing against the legends themselves – against the Starblaydi Team! And hey, since we don't have a race anytime soon, Valentijn and I will come along to cheer you guys up!" In the distance, one can hear the slight and very rare drop in optimism of the Valentian Kittens. "Oh, boy," they thought to themselves.

[Montana Verde]

Cutoff for 3PPO. Final cutoff may be a bit later.

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3PPO

Starblaydia 3–2 Valentine Z

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RP bonus info

Based on averaging the grades of both hosts, counting all RPs submitted within one cutoff as one RP, and not grading any RPs from eliminated teams.

There were 177 RPs in total, with 51 players earning RP bonus at least once. The mean RP bonus was around 80% and median around 90%. 18 players earned more than 90% of the total available RP bonus at every cutoff for which they were available.