World Cup 94 [roleplays]

by **Milchama** » Thu Jul 06, 2023 10:24 am

"We're up at the halfway point!"

"No we're not"

"Well we're in first place"

"But it's not the halfway point"

"Are you sure?"

"Look at how many teams are in the group, look at how many matches have been played"

*They look*

"Oh you're right!"

"I know I'm right"

"Ok well we're still doing well"

"Definitely"

"The big thing was beating Yakk."

"That's really weird right that it was Yakk of all teams?"

"Oh definitely"

"Why Yakk?"

"They've had the toughest schedule so far and had beaten Cassadaigua and tied Nephara"

"Oh that's pretty good"

"It is!"

"So we beat them 5-1"

"That's much better"

"Yep exactly what needed to happen to some upstarts who name their country after a cool animal"

"Yeah you should name your country after concepts"

"Exactly, concepts like war"

"Mostly war"

"Almost certainly war"

"Definitely war"

"What is a nation if not war?"

"You need war"

"War is necessary"

"War is the point of the nationstate"

"Violence is the essence of sovereignty thus we need war"

"War"

"War"

"War"

"It's all about war"

"Soccer is war"

"Baseball is war"

"War is war"

"And yet Milchama hasn't gotten into a foreign conflict in a long time"

"That's not true we sent an expeditionary force near Jamal Akhbar"

"Oh yeah the Green Mountain"

"Exactly"

"Is that near Mlima Kijani?"

"No but there are also a green mountain"

"What about Har Yarok?"

"Our unrelated but not unloved pseudo cousins. Very green mountains"

"So many green mountains"

"Is everybody a green mountain?"

"Yes"

"Ok then"

"We are all green mountains"

"I feel much bigger"

"That is because you are a green mountain"

"I see"

"So what does that mean?"

"I don't know but I'm pretty sure we just did performance art"

"Great"

"End it here?"

"Probably, I need to go to a doctor's appointment"

"Sounds good, see you soon"

"See ya"

by **Dod Rava** » Thu Jul 06, 2023 11:27 am

http://www.forumsportu.dor/sekcje/memy

by krul stadionu, posted today, 42 minutes ago

Dod Ravian training thought (DRTT) - the totality of ideas, concepts, studies, issues, considerations, opinions, guidelines, recommendations, commands, statements, theses, antitheses, conclusions, rantings and other written and unwritten trivia, the chief of which is to lead to Dod Ravian athletes being successful, winning championship titles and medals. This is an academic example of the separation of profound theory from practice, implemented with the persistence of a maniac and at the sacrifice of resources.

Main tenets of Dod Ravian Training Thought:

Dod Ravian Training Thought is far superior to Foreign Training Thought because it is ours and unleavened.
Dod Ravian Training Thought can never arise on its own, because the individual is nothing against the wisdom of the collective.
Dod Ravian Training Thought is constant and unchanging, because why improve something that is Dod Ravian Training Thought.
Dod Ravian Training Thought never contradicts itself, and contradictions arise from a misunderstanding of Dod Ravian Training Thought.
Dod Ravian Training Thought assumes that theory is everything, while practice is a distortion of theory.
Dod Ravian Training Thought realizes itself, by itself and for itself.
Understanding Dod Ravian Training Thought comes with age and the amount absorbed alcohol.
If the whole world applied Dod Ravian Training Thought, it would enjoy the kind of successes it can't even imagine now.
The fact that our football players are not successful, according to the assumptions of Dod Ravian Training Thought, is due to the worldwide sabotage of the said.
When nobody expects the Dod Ravian Training Thought performs miracles.

by **Naixi** » Thu Jul 06, 2023 11:28 am

CW: Once again, sexual assault is mentioned in this RP in the context of Chinese pirates rebelling against imperialist shitheads, and once again, I'd like to think I kept it extremely mild, but of course skip it if you don't think it's for you.

"Why do they always do that?"

"Do what?"

"Any time we're out here on the aft deck and one of those ships passes us going the other direction - sailing away from the Old Land, I mean - they have gatherings out on the main deck. More than gatherings. Celebrations. They stand out there on the main deck waving their arms in the air and screaming in delight. Have none of them heard where they're going? Do none of them know what they're in for? You would think they're being taken to a banquet at the Forbidden Palace."

She was right, they were making quite the racket. Music was audible even from here, 500 meters away.

"I think they know where they're going, Yue Feng," I answered sadly, not looking up from the mind-deadening task of washing the captain's uniform. "They've just heard different things from different people, and they're choosing to believe the story that lets them believe something can improve their lives."

"What, leave the Old Land?"

"Have you talked to any of the people who enlist themselves as indentured servants to work on the railroads in the New Land? They always say the same things to me: 'I know the work there might be awful, and I know a lot of other people go there and never come back, but it'll be different for me.'"

"That doesn't make any sense, Xiao Bo."

"Would you rather believe a non-sensical myth in which you are the hero, succeeding against all the odds as a paragon of freedom? Or would you rather live with the truth: that our country is dying? More than that: our world is dying, and a new one cannot yet be born."

"You sound like one of those Heavenly Kingdom types."

"At least they fight back against someone rather than giggle out on the deck like chickens drowning in the rain."

"Fair enough," she replied.

My back was aching terribly, so I stood up. Here we were, standing on the deck of the HMS Jackal, the vessel Yue Feng and I had once hoped to purloin away from the Golden People, and instead now we were captives on it. It had been this way for several months since we were seized by this awful captain. He had killed the rest of our pirate crew, seemingly finding one gruesome and unique way to murder each sailor. One poor bloke had holes shot in his feet and was told he'd live if he could stand on the plank for an hour without falling off. He barely made it thirty seconds, of course.

Yue Feng and I were the only two left, yet our fates were possibly the worst. The captain had made good on his promise to turn us both into his concubines, and would nightly ask his men to enter his quarters and hold our arms while he raped each of us. I couldn't live with it - I had freed myself from an awful life of sexual bondage and was now being thrown back into it. I never slept and barely ate. My mental state was disastrous. Yue Feng was - well, I don't want to say handling it better, because I had to hold her while she cried on a daily basis - but was more stoic, and found it easier to build relationships with the captain's lackeys than I did.

To add insult to injury, the captain insisted on tossing us out on the aft deck in the middle of the blasting afternoon heat to wash his soiled clothes and uniforms. He said that it was "so that the Admiral of the Golden People's navy doesn't find out what you two do to me at night," and maybe it was so, the Admiral would take issue with our treatment and maybe the captain did have much to fear, but it also seemed as though he enjoyed forcing us into further forms of degrading servitude. He would often come back to inspect our work on the aft deck and took great pleasure in kicking over washing up buckets and telling us to start over. If there was one tiny silver lining, it's that he would periodically leave us be, and we often used that time to talk privately, just the two of us.

A gull floated down from the sky and positioned itself matter-of-factly on the aft deck railing. It sat there watching us for a few minutes, a wise look in its eye. "Hello," Yue Feng said politely to it. It made no reply.

"Xiao Bo," she said, suddenly speaking quietly, "listen to me. One of the Golden People told me we cannot sail to the Isle of the Two Rivers, as the captain had planned. There's a terrible storm on the way. So we're passing down through the Radish Islands instead. We'll dock tomorrow morning. They'll need to submit to an inspection there."

"An inspection? Why?"

"The Golden People don't require cargo manifests to be checked and verified. If a captain turns over a parchment with the proper seal, the customs authorities of their ports will accept that as good enough. But the Radish Islands have their own customs process - the Golden People haven't been able to enforce their ways. And they have fierce hounds they will want to bring aboard to inspect the goods on board, so we'll all have to disembark."

There were a lot of "goods" on board; the Jackal was an opium-trading vessel. She had just snared a massive haul on the Vilexi Ghum, a peninsula where the spice trade made every man so wealthy that the merchants wore powdered lapis lazuli on their faces. It would take a long time for the Radishian authorities to check the cargo of the Jackal... a very long time.

"What will the Radishians do with two escaped pirates like us? Won't they just hang us?"

"I don't plan to find out. Harrowby is going to find us safe passage to Kelk Gimihen."

Kelk Gimihen was a peaceful city-state a ways up a passable river in the midst of an eponymous forest. The forest, which contained an odd type of tree whose branches turned a gleaming silvery purple during the long, cold, and dry winters, was known to be quite dangerous. There were even old wives tales about the trees being carnivorous. But the waterway was well guarded (as any pirate of the Southern Sea can tell you) and the Golden People would be very, very hard pressed to find us there. And, if we wanted to take it, a long, lonely, and unattended road through the endless forest stretched from Kelk Gimihen to the Old Land. I looked down at Yue Feng, tears welling in my eyes. "You just don't give up, do you?"

"Of course not."

"Who is Harrowby?" I demanded to know, hastily wiping the tears aside. "I'm already certain I don't trust him."

"That one there, the big stupid-looking one with the curly dark brown hair."

Harrowby was indeed a rather awful looking lump of a man, with one shoulder hanging noticeably lower than the other and curls of hair wafting out from below his tri-cornered hat. I would never have thought to befriend any of the Golden People sailors aboard, let alone this one. He was currently pounding his chest like an ape of some variety, while the other sailors drunkenly watched on. (The captain ran quite the loose ship.)

"Well, I'll assume looks can be deceiving."

"I promise, Xiao Bo. This will work out. It has to."

"You're a stronger woman than I."

"No, I most certainly am not. I'm amazed by you, my dear friend. From the moment you shot the captain of that pirate ship and marched out of his quarters, soaked in his blood, grasping the parchment that meant you were a free pirate, I've known you would be my ally, fierce in the face of anything. Without you, I don't know if any of the women on that boat would ever have been freed from their lives as pirate wives."

"Yeah," I said bitterly, "and now half of them are burying bodies in the New Land."

"Maybe so, but as you said: our world is dying and a new one cannot yet be born. These things are no fault of your own. You protect the people you can protect. And you are a ferocious protector. Your skill with a sword is unmatched. Your flying kick can take a man's head off. And even with that dreadful old black powder pistol, you can still pick off your mark from forty yards. I envy you, Xiao Bo. I'm quick. Quick feet and a quick mind. That's all I can really say for myself. I wish I could say more, I honestly do. But I'm no fighter. I need you, now and always."

There was a look in her eye.

"What you you mean, 'now and always,' Yue Feng?"

She sighed, creating a brief pause. The gull obligingly squawked.

"I've been getting sick in the mornings," she said in a barely audible whisper.

I gazed back at her, my eyes becoming glassy in the afternoon sun. Now I understood. My dear Yue Feng had known: it was only a matter of time before the captain found out she was pregnant, and while it was hard to say exactly what he'd do if he did, it was certain to be awful. She'd begun desperately making plans and scheming to escape for every second of every day while I wallowed in self-pity. Now not only did I feel a deep sense of gratitude for my friend's hard work, but a burning anger that I couldn't repress. Anger at the captain, yes, of course, but anger at myself, as well.

"We've got to get you off the Jackal."

"Oh, I know. I know. Just be ready when Harrowby gives the signal tomorrow."

I was. After one final, terrible night of suffering the captain's tortures, we woke in the morning and indeed discovered we were coming into port in the Radish Islands. The crew were notified of the alteration in their port of call (which caused no shortage of grumbling), and began to all file off of the ship. On the dock, we saw the Radishians waiting to inspect the Jackal. They were fearsome characters, all dressed in dyed furs of bright pink and lime green despite the soaring temperatures. Their dogs stood obediently at their sides, but it was plain that it would take only a word from one of the Radishians and they'd lunge forward and tear us apart. With all of us gathered on the dock of this unfamiliar port, they boarded our vessel, their hounds still eyeing us angrily. The captain loudly conversed with the main Radishian customs official. The customs official, I'm happy to report, appeared unimpressed, but then he towered over the captain by a head and a half.

I waited for the signal that Yue Feng had told me to wait for, then, when it came (Harrowby "accidentally" knocked a crate over while showing off his lifting skills), Yue Feng and I ducked behind a row of stacked crates. While Harrowby created a ridiculous disturbance by loudly blaming another Golden People sailor, we frantically scampered along the dock. Once we rounded a corner, a large schooner prevented anyone down on the end of the dock from seeing us. Still, we tried to be as quick as we could. Inside a pot left floating in the water, we found the money Harrowby had secured for us. We walked with an extra spring in our step as we located the galley bound for Kelk Gimihen and interacted as best we could with the gruff, green-fur-wearing Radishian who would eventually grant us passage.

That is how we escaped the Golden People - I hope for the last time. Our lives as pirates were over - we both knew it - and perhaps that was for the best. There are a great many people whose bones now rest on the bottom of the Southern Sea because of what Yue Feng and I did while we were violent buccaneers. When we arrived in Kelk Gimihen, I think we both knew we had to become new women in a new world.

Yue Feng's daughter Xue Mei, a little black-haired darling with a sing-song voice, was born in Kelk Gimihen while a kind, frail, old doctor refuged us. We talked for a long time about staying there, but fate decided for us that we could not when the elderly physician fell ill and died. We prepared ourselves thoroughly for the journey along the forest road, and counted ourselves fortunate that we were able to make the voyage during the summer when the forest was not so dangerous. We made it back to the Old Land as the days were beginning to grow shorter at the end of the summer, and we followed up on a rumor that a sifu at a martial arts school in a small town was accepting anyone, to stay and to learn. We needed to find somewhere to hide from the captain's bounty hunters, as we had come to know that he had put bounties on our heads.

We stayed with Tan Sifu and his two assistants for a month or two, and he was as generous as we had been told. His daily trainings were austere but educational, and Xue Mei was well-taken care of by one of the sifu's distant female relatives. We ultimately did not stay, however, as I found his Confucian conservatism deeply aggravating. Yue Feng, I'm sure, would have preferred to have stayed. She had already begun to see the sifu as something of a father figure to her daughter. I, however, learned of a newly organized community made up of members of the Heavenly Kingdom religious sect. Their radicalism was impressive and compelling, I thought, and I insisted that we go, and that the Golden People would not find us.

I was so wrong. It will always been the greatest regret of my life that we left Tan Sifu.

OOC Note: This and future roleplays borrow themes and concepts from the roleplaying game Feng Shui 2. All storylines and characters are original creations. ICly, events take place in Naixi and within the Naixese timeline, not in RL Hong Kong, which is the setting for the game.

Matchday 8

Pyazhnaya 1 ⇨ Chupov, Stezhenskaya (Vetochkin), Davydova, Pshenichnikova, Zabolotnaya, Malykin, Retyunskikh, Novoseltseva, Terentyev (Nikiforov), Bogolyubsky ⚽x1, Mukhametshin
Naixi 0 ⇨ Huang, Pao (Yep), Geng, Dong (Chang), Tsung, Tian, Yap, Hark, Yuan, Jin, Ling (Chu)

8' Yellow Card ⇨ Dong (NIX)
18' Yellow Card ⇨ Pao (NIX)
33' Goal ⇨ Bogolyubsky (PYA)
33' Yellow Card ⇨ Yuan (NIX)
58' Substitution ⇨ Ling OFF Chu ON (NIX)
60' Substitution ⇨ Pao OFF Yep ON (NIX)
60' Substitution ⇨ Stezhenskaya OFF Vetochkin ON (PYA)
67' Yellow Card ⇨ Yep (NIX)
72' Yellow Card ⇨ Terentyev (PYA)
75' Yellow Card ⇨ Huang (NIX)
84' Yellow Card ⇨ Hark (NIX)
86' Substitution ⇨ Dong OFF Chang ON (NIX)
89' Substitution ⇨ Terentyev OFF Nikiforov ON (PYA)

Matchday 9

Naixi 0 ⇨ Huang, Pao, Geng (Z.B. Tan), Dong (Ming), Tsung, Tian, Yap, Chang, Yuan, Jin, Ling
Huayramarca 0 ⇨ J. Mamani, Fernández (Manco), Quispe, Chumacero, Vilca (Olaya), Allauca, Mina, Sayritupac, I. Mamani, Mendoza, Tello (Castillo)

27' Yellow Card ⇨ J. Mamani (HUA)
40' Yellow Card ⇨ Mina (HUA)
40' Yellow Card ⇨ Vilca (HUA)
44' Yellow Card ⇨ Dong (NIX)
56' Substitution ⇨ Vilca OFF Olaya ON (HUA)
58' Substitution ⇨ Geng OFF Z.B. Tan ON (NIX)
60' Substitution ⇨ Dong OFF Ming ON (NIX)
62' Yellow Card ⇨ Quispe (HUA)
62' Substitution ⇨ Fernández OFF Manco ON (HUA)
79' Substitution ⇨ Tello OFF Castillo ON (HUA)
89' Second Yellow Card ⇨ Quispe (HUA)
89' Yellow Card ⇨ Mendoza (HUA)
93' Yellow Card ⇨ Yap (NIX)

by **Dantopia** » Thu Jul 06, 2023 2:15 pm

DANTOPIA ✓

@Dantopia
@Vilita prove too much for our #Lions as they lose 5-3 in the #WorldCupQualifiers

#Dantopia : #Lions : #WorldCupQualifiers

Match Details
Final Score:   Vilita 5 - 3 Dantopia
Date:          Wednesday 5 July 2023
Venue:         Alikki-Corra Academy, Alikki-Corra, Vilita
Weather:       Rain
Temperature:   29ºC (84ºF)
Wind:          16kmph (10mph)
Precipitation: 100%
Humidity:      79%

Team Details
Manager:     E. Rotropii                                             Manager:     H. Northgate
Formation:   3-1-4-2                                                 Formation:   3-2-4-1
Starting Line-ups:
                   Z. Milake Jr.                                                                J. Danchevy
       R. Tiones   E. Rotropii   N. Sebapilo                                         L. Runner   J. Rock   B. Yesterdi
                     L. Vulitn                                                            D. Spaghetti   L. Shank
R. Kasslin   F. Miateal   T. Rokopolis   S.Samii’i                   A. Adeyemi   B. Bartholomew-B.   E. Cunningham   W. Fodderingham
              T. Tlikara   K. Tlikara                                                           M. Danchevy

Substitutes: A. Touiniki (GK), I. Klizlo, K. Jyvaiij (71’),          Substitutes: R. Bishop (GK), R. John (71’), G. McGoldrick,
             A. Davaflei (90+1’), M. Alasita, J. Naboyavi (58’),                  G. Warmwell, G. Hendrickson, K. Peters (60’),
             L. Purama, N. Milaaso (71’), C. Refiami (90+1’)                      C. Clamber (71’), J. Sanchez (60’), M. Moses (83’)

Match Events
Goals:        K. Tlikara 17’                                          Goals:        M. Danchevy 23’
              T. Rokopolis 26’ 38’                                                  A. Adeyemi 45+2’
              S. Samii’i 30’                                                        C. Clamber 76’
              N. Milaaso 82’
Assists:      F. Miateal 17’ 26’                                      Assists:      B. Bartholomew-B. 23’
              L. Vulitn 38’                                                         J. Sanchez 76’
              T. Rokopolis 82’
Yellow Cards: E. Rotropii 23’                                         Yellow Cards: J. Rock 6’
              L. Vulitn 28’                                                         L. Shank 40’
              T. Rokoplis 86’                                                       M. Danchevy 61’
              Z. Milake Jr. 90+3’                                     Red Cards:    L. Shank 65’

6 JULY 2023

Rotropii Revels in Vilitan Victory

Wednesday 5 July 2023
Alikki-Corra Academy, Alikki-Corra, Vilita
Vilita           5 - 3 Dantopia
K. Tlikara 17’       M. Danchevy 23’
Rokopolis 26’, 38’   Adeyemi 45+2’
Samii’i 30’          Clamber 76’
Milaaso 82’

The Dantopian national team tasted defeat again last night whilst facing Vilita at the Alikki-Corra Academy in the host nation’s capital. The Vilitans, fresh off a defeat of their own against Trolleborg, have been struggling so far in the world cup qualifying stages, amassing two wins, two draws and three losses ahead of their match against Dantopia. This poor record is in stark contrast to their typically terrific side, who rank eighteenth in the world and are managed by former defender and world cup winner Endur Rotropii.

In fact, the burden for his side to improve has been so heavy, the fifty-three-year-old head coach came out of retirement last night to play in the back line against the Lions! This sent shockwaves around the footballing world and sufficiently rattled the Dantopian dressing room before the match kicked off. Rotropii has certainly lost some pace and agility over the years, but almost seamlessly slid into the central ‘libero’ role in the Vilitan back three. The man the head coach would be marking would be none other than Michael Danchevy, the in-form Dartford Devils forward who just came off a hat-trick performance against Trolleborg in the Lions’ most recent game of the group stages.

Danchevy would get on the scoresheet once again last night, but not before Kunaro Tlikara fired the Jungle Rebels into the lead after seventeen minutes, following an excellent pass from midfield maestro Fyin Miateal. Danchevy’s pace proved too much for the fifty-three-year-old Rotropii who fouled the Dartford Devils man in the build-up to the goal, though the referee played the advantage and allowed the Dantopian attacker to stumble past the flailing player-manager and rifle one past Zelkki Milake Jr. in net. A brace from Vilitan midfielder Trezisi Rokopolis and another from winger Sami Samii’i gave the hosts a three-goal lead before Adebayo Adeyemi recovered one for the Lions to bring the deficit down to just two goals heading into half-time, the score sitting at 4-2.

Despite the obvious drawbacks of playing their manager in defence, the Vilitans had dominated possession in the game, funnily enough in part to Rotroppi’s successful marshalling of their team. It certainly didn’t seem as though all the Vilitan problems had been solved by the bold decision to come out of retirement by the manager, but the hands-on approach clearly inspired the Vilitan players to perform better than they have been of late. Following half-time, the Jungle Rebels began to dominate possession again, with the Lions failing to take command at any point during the match. Dantopia did try to rally but the damage had already been done, especially after defender Lewis Shank picked up his second yellow card of the match, leaving the Lions down to ten men after sixty-five minutes. Shank will miss the next game as a result. Still, a ten-man Dantopia team did manage to get one goal back through substitute Cliff Clamber, but Vilita snatched a fifth and final goal through their own substitute Nii’arala Milaaso and the match finished in a thrilling 5-3 result for the Jungle Rebels, who climb to fifth in the group table. The victors from today’s match will be looking to turn their fortunes around if they are to qualify from Group 15, which they had initially been favourites for before the qualifiers began.

Group 15                             Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts
 1 Valentine Z                         8    5   3   0    17   10   +7    18
 2 Flavovespia                         8    5   2   1    23   11  +12    17
 3 Ziwana                              8    4   1   3    22   14   +8    13
 4 Dantopia                            8    3   3   2    18   14   +4    12
 5 Vilita                              8    3   2   3    22   17   +5    11
 6 Trolleborg                          8    2   5   1     6    5   +1    11
 7 Patriotlandia                       8    3   2   3    18   17   +1    11
 8 Tanirinthia                         8    3   2   3    15   20   −5    11
 9 Saint-Jean-Jacques-sur-Mer          9    1   3   5    12   23  −11     6
10 Euran Oceania Territories           9    1   3   5     9   23  −14     6
11 Neibeskiya                          8    0   4   4     7   15   −8     4

As for the Dantopians, fixtures against Euran Oceania Territories and Patriotlandia come next, then the Lions will have to get ready to face all the Group 15 members once more in the respective reverse fixtures. The Lions sit in fourth place, a point above Vilita, and just two above Trolleborg, Patriotlandia and Tanirinthia. Whilst the Dantopian national team have outperformed expectations, Harold Northgate and his men will be ruing the missed opportunities to have taken more from their eight games so far. If the Dantopians hope to qualify for the world cup finals, they will need to finish in third place or above, a tall order given the impressive competition from the nations mentioned already, not to mention Ziwana, Flavovespia and Valentine Z who all sit above the Lions.

DANTOPIA ✓

@Dantopia
Northgate selects a rotated #Lions team to face @EOTerritories in the #WorldCupQualifiers

#Dantopia : #Lions : #WorldCupQualifiers

1 min ago

The starting line-up has been revealed for the game against Euran Oceania Territories and national team manager Harold Northgate is making some changes ahead of the matchday 10 fixture due to kick off from the DT Centre in Portland momentarily. Michael Danchevy captains the Lions for the first time this evening, though with his recent displays, it isn't hard to imagine the Dartford Devils forward being trusted with the captain's armband more often in the future. Danchevy's twenty goals in twenty-four appearances for his country is a truly remarkable record, and with four goals in his last two games, the twenty-five-year-old has been in red-hot form. With Lewis Shank suspended for his red card in the previous match against Vilita, Northgate has entrusted Kevin Peters with the job alongside Dani Spaghetti at the base of his midfield. Typically, Northgate has opted for an inverted full back in this position to offer more defensive flexibility, but the selection of Peters offers the Lions someone more naturally suited to the defensive midfield role.

Jason Sanchez, Cliff Clamber, Kevin Peters, Rhys John and Rick Bishop make their way into a rotated Dantopian eleven.

Other amendments to the starting line-up include a rotation at goalkeeper – with deputy, Rick Bishop coming in – the addition of Rhys John in defence, and another rotation in attacking midfield, with Cliff Clamber and Jason Sanchez returning to the fold after they paired up of the bench for a goal late in the second half of the match against the Jungle Rebels on Wednesday. The in-form trio of Brent Bartholomew-Barnham, Adebayo Adeyemi and Michael Danchevy all keep their places ahead of the game against Euran Oceania Territories. The Lions need a string of good results to keep them within a fight of a top three finish in Group 15, which could potentially see them advance the World Cup proper, which would be the nation’s first in its history. Euran Oceania Territories sit tenth in the qualifying group, having only won one fixture in nine attempts. The Lions will go into this game expecting a good performance.

DANTOPIA ✓

@Dantopia
More rotation as your #Lions take on @Patriotlandia in the #WorldCupQualifiers

#Dantopia : #Lions : #WorldCupQualifiers

6 mins ago

Harold Northgate has rotated his side once again for the upcoming game against Patriotlandia taking place at Champs-de-Mars, Conflans. With the players selected, it seems very likely the national team manager is employing a different tactical set-up against the Patriotlandians – that of a more traditional 4-3-3, though the returning Lyle Runner could potentially invert to form the base of a box midfield with Geoff Hendrickson. If Runner inverts, it would mean that left back Glen Warmwell – more a wing-back than a defensive back – would have to slot into a back three, which may not be a particularly comfortable role for the Lion City F.C. defender. This is why it is more likely the formation will sport a back four rather than the back three which the Lions have been using of late.

It is highly likely Harold Northgate reverts back to a 4-3-3 against Patriotlandia with his heavily rotated side.

A consecutive change in goal sees Alex Bullvale make his second appearance for the national team, the Lion City Grenadiers goalkeeper often serving as one of the understudies for preferred national team keeper Jeffrey Danchevy. Lyle Runner plays alongside Tyrell Bing, Gary McGoldrick and Glen Warmwell in defence. A midfield three of Bartholomew-Barnham, Hendrickson and Cunningham seems quite forward thinking in nature. The attacking trio of Dollar, Moses and Fodderingham means that Adebayo Adeyemi and Michael Danchevy see some much-needed rest, though both are available off the bench should the manager feel the need to turn to in-form pair.

by **TJUN-ia** » Thu Jul 06, 2023 2:59 pm

After bouncing back with the most consistent spell of our WCQ so far, the Jaguars of TJUN-ia were certainly back in contention and certainly feeling like a team that could indeed pull off a turnaround of the ages. David Seems and Li Xiu Ying admitted that last fortnight was the shot in the arm that this team needed to get back on track and winning back-to-back certainly did feel good after all this time. But was it sustainable? Heading into our final 2 games before our mandated bye, many were hoping for more of the same...but could we do it?

Let's start at Ke Kahua Pāʻani o Pua Aloalo in Kepu Manu as the UO played host to a winless Hopal squad looking for their own kickstart to their campaign. We were on a hot streak and they were searching for something of their own but in the end, we simply ended up being too hot for the visitors to handle. Jackson Smith-Scott managed a brace in the first half an hour, but Hopal did add a goal in the 44th before the break did arrive. Jackson Smith-Scott and Captain Kim Choi-ya added to the score before Hopal got a consolation and that was that. 4-2, job done...what's next?

Well, Ethane was next in fact. We travelled to face a Red Kites squad that was also looking for their first win of this campaign, under the command of Clarissa Marshman, and we knew that they were going to try and use their counter to full effect...but that didn't end up helping them at all. They tried and tried to break us, but our strength was just overwhelming and goals from Max van Oosterend, Malhrani al-Kalhrani and JSS means we entered HT 3-0 up on the hosts. They tried to change their tactics in the 2nd half, really put us under pressure and exploit cracks where possible, but we didn't really crack...and Regina McDuff added a 4th in the 76th to really make things certain. We were on fire...and what a perfect way to enter the bye.

$ wins on the trot means we enter the bye with huge smiles on our faces and P4 in the table...but we will have one game to play before our first half is complete. That will come at Zebra Stadium against Arjunnagar, a team who may well enter Toropo without a single point to their name. Every game can be a slip-up opportunity...so we will have to take this seriously. GO JAGS!

MD1: @República Guanacasteca (73) - Estadio Tiburcio Carías Andino, Estelí D 1-1 (T-3rd)
---------------Boot It!---------------
MD2: vs Delte (39) - Beregozera Stadium, Szensky L 0-1 (T-6th)
MD3: @Aleirave (66) L 1-3 (8th)
---------------Boot It!---------------
MD4: vs Zwangzug (3) - National Stadium. TJUN-ia City W 1-0 (T-6th)
MD5: @Sharktail (85) - Stadium Biru, Sharktail L 1-4 (7th)
---------------Boot It!---------------
MD6: vs Kingdom of Castille (232) - Tallawah Stadium, Port Town/Portuaria W 5-1 (6th)
MD7: @Torisakia (298) - New Logan Stadium, New Logan W 3-0 (5th)
---------------Boot It!---------------
MD8: vs Hopal (109) - Ke Kahua Pāʻani o Pua Aloalo, Kepu Manu W 4-2 (5th)
MD9: @Ethane (167) W 4-0 (4th)
---------------Boot It!---------------
MD10: BYE
MD11: vs Arjunnagar (205) - Zebra Stadium, Toropo/Almadinat
---------------Boot It!---------------
MD12: vs República Guanacasteca (73) - Estadio Universidad Carlandas, Carlandas
MD13: @Delte (39) - Ildemorton Road, Oswark-upon-Delte
---------------Boot It!---------------
MD14: vs Aleirave (66) - Stade de la Victoire, Roi Ville
MD15: @Zwangzug (3) - ZS^3, Zwischen
---------------Boot It!---------------
MD16: vs Sharktail (85) - Tiankong Stadium, Tiankong
MD17: @vs Kingdom of Castille (232) - Jaén FC Stadium, Atocha
---------------Boot It!---------------
MD18: vs Torisakia (298) - Salam Liljamie Stadium, Al Kalifa
MD19: @Hopal (109)
---------------Boot It!---------------
MD20: vs Ethane (167) - Estádio do Pacífico, Rio Pacífico
MD21: BYE
---------------Boot It!---------------
MD22: @Arjunnagar (205)

by **Flavovespia** » Thu Jul 06, 2023 3:01 pm

Flavovespia 4 - 5 Patriotlandia

This game seemed to have everything, an own goal, a penalty, a hat-trick, a 3 goal comeback, and a late winner. Sadly for Flavovespia, they were on the wrong side of this nine goal thriller, falling to their first loss of the Qualifiers.

2 debuts for Flavovespia’s game in the capital. Scott Gillespie and Christopher Hill received their first caps. Daniel Lansdell also returned to the starting line up, as Flavovespia rotated the defence and midfield a little. Michael Cole, Charles Shepherd and Jonathan Bagshaw started for an attack that had been looking formidable in previous games.

Flavovespia’s strong attack showed their prowess with a goal in the 6th minute to open the scoring. A quick bit of passing through the midfield, and Michael Cole gave the defence the slip. A powerful shot was high, past Paul Lataupe and into the back of the net, making it 1-0 to the hosts. Flavovespia wanted an early goal to continue their good form, and they had it not long after kick-off.

Flavovespia were hoping to press their advantage further, but conceded in the 16th minute, somewhat against the initial run of play. Alexandre Desrives got the goal, a half volley on the edge of the box, that had enough power and a bit of curve on it, to take it out of reach of Nathan Crewe. Then just 2 minutes later, and a cross in by Bertrand Langlais hit Daniel Lansdell as he attempted to clear it. All he could do instead was put it over his own goal line, to make it 1-2 to Patriotlandia. In the space of a handful of minutes, Flavovespia were thrown from a commanding position to being behind.

25 minutes in, and a third for the visitors. David Rodin got this one, after Nathan Crewe could only parry away a shot by Francis Fortinello, Rodin got to the rebound first. His shot was well placed, to go across the face of goal and exploit the space that Crewe had left in making the first save, and Scott Gillespie sliding in to try and stop the shot on the line was in vain. 1-3 now, Flavovespia were sinking.

Patriotlandia put a fourth up on the scoreboard in the 43rd minute. A miscommunication in defence saw Francis Fortinello end up free at the back post for a corner. From that range he wasn’t going to miss, and miss he didn’t. Flavovespia were completely stunned, their defence all over the place. Their only glimmer of hope was that on the brink of half time, substitute Adrian Jones, on because of a slight knock to Charles Shepherd, headed in a Kieron Player free kick. 2-4 at the break, and it’d take a big comeback from there for Flavovespia.

Flavovespia came out fighting in the second half, but encountered fairly stiff resistance from Patriotlandia, keen to hold their lead and take the three points back home. The 3rd for Flavovespia came shortly before the hour mark. Jonathan Bagshaw saw his cross strike the arm of Bruno Vaillancourt. Initially not given, the video referee overturned the on field decision, to give a penalty. Michael Cole stepped up, and sent Paul Lataupe the wrong way to make it 3-4.

As the minutes ticked on, Flavovespians hoped for an equaliser. In the 77th minute, they got their wish. A scrappy bit of play in the box saw both Michael Cole and Adrian Jones have shots deflected off a defender, before Jonathan Bagshaw eventually jabbed the ball with his foot over the line, from close range. Not elegant football, but enough to have turned a 3 goal deficit into a potential point, or more.

Alas, the comeback was to be for nothing. In the 84th minute, a long ball over the top found Lucien Graham, who’d just beaten the offside trap. He was able to round Nathan Crewe, before slotting in to the net. An incredible 4-5 scoreline now, in a thrilling game. Unfortunately for Flavovespia, that was the last goal of the game. The unbeaten record had fallen, and it’s left Flavovespia much more vulnerable in 2nd to Ziwana, Dantopia and Patriotlandia, with a visit to the first of those coming up.

Ziwana 2 – 4 Flavovespia

A good second half display ensured Flavovespia got back to winning ways. Their remarkable record away from home continues on, as they look to keep the pressure up in a tough Group 15.

Having lost to Patriotlandia, Flavovespia were looking to bounce back quickly. And they got the perfect start to do so. Just 4 minutes in, and with their first real attack of the game, Kieron Player slotted the ball with the perfect weighting to Jonathan Bagshaw. He struck his shot well, avoiding leaning back and skying it, and William Tembo was left unable to make the save. 0-1 to Flavovespia, a brilliant start for them in Ziwana.

Flavovespia were hoping to capitalise further, but buoyed by an enthusiastic home crowd, Ziwana found an equaliser in the 19th minute. Defending set pieces proved again to be a weakness for Flavovespia, this time it was defender James Kaunda rising high from a corner, to head the ball with power and direct it past Nathan Crewe and into the goal. 1-1, with Flavovespia frustrated and worried this would go the way of their previous game.

Ziwana looked strong in the first half, but were struggling to convert it into solid chances. At the other end, chances were few for Flavovespia, but they were thrown a brilliant one when Anuiha Mikil knocked over Michael Cole in the box, with a clumsy attempt to win the ball. Cole was back up to take the penalty, and made no mistake, with power and precision.

Ziwana however weren’t done with the first half yet. In the dying seconds, an effort by Richard Mumba deflected awkwardly off Stuart Cookson, and fell to Pilirani Mtambo. Mtambo struck it cleanly, and beat Nathan Crewe, who was off-balance having committed to the dive for Mumba’s shot. 2-2 at the break, and it was going to be a key 45 minutes to finish the game in this Group 15 clash near the top of the table.

The second half was delicately poised, until the hour mark. There, Adrian Jones got his second in as many games. A smart one two with Michael Cole allowed him to shoot first time, and beat the onrushing William Tembo. Flavovespia had the lead now, and knew this one would be important to defend to the finish.

Ziwana began to attack with more intensity, but that would be their undoing. With 9 minutes to go, a quick counter attack saw Michael Cole collect the ball about 30 metres out, but with plenty of pitch to run into. Beating Apekaloma Aneko with good dribbling, he committed William Tembo one way, before quickly shooting into the corner the other way, to make it 2-4. That took the wind out of Ziwana’s sails, as Flavovespia controlled the rest of the game, giving a debut to Peter Langdon in the final minutes.

Flavovespia still lie just 1 point behind Valentine Z, and know their visit to the group leaders to end the first half of the qualifiers will be key. The gap to 3rd is a relatively healthy 4 points, but it’s a big pack close behind, to exploit any errors by Flavovespia. Winless, and now mysterious Neibeskiya are visiting Flavovespia for the next matchday, before that important trip to Valentine Z.

Provisional Starting Line Ups:

MD10: Aarif Muhammad, Lyons(C)--Cookson--Hussain--Scott-Wilson, Hill--Wassell--Edwards, Cole--Langdon--Singh
MD11: Aarif Muhammad, Lyons(C)--Cookson--Taylor-- Scott-Wilson, Adams--Player--Goldstone, Cole--Jones--Bagshaw

by **Yue Zhou** » Thu Jul 06, 2023 3:24 pm

Note: "Sporting Buddha" is a rough translation of the Yue podcast, whose name in Yue is 体佛 ("Ti-Fo"). Definitely not a reference to anything.

ZW: “Welcome back to Sporting Buddha podcast! I’m Zhen Wuxi...”

TJ:: “...and I’m Tong Jiewen, and what we were going to talk about is how hot Elaine Ashdown's seat was just a year into her five-year contract..."

ZW: "But then wow! A six-point window, including a 6-2 thrashing of four-time world champions The Holy Empire, and Yuezhou have shot into second place in a closely-contested Group 13."

TJ: "Of course, it would've been nice to not get throttled by Baggieland, let alone the points dropped to Elmyia and the Republic of Aiyland? And there's three teams in the group with sixteen points to the Dragons' seventeen, with Pemecutan still on the schedule. So it's hardly a secure position."

ZW: "But after a frankly underwhelming Copa Rushmori and a slower start to these qualifiers, the win over The Holy Empire really feels like a statement win. The first really big win of what will hopefully be many during Ashdown's tenure."

TJ: "I agree! And if you look at the numbers - well, nineteen goals for to nine goals against is pretty good. But the offense is overperforming their xG quite a bit, around two goals, which is pretty significant in such a small sample size. And even with that, they're only fifth in the group for goals scored, behind teams that aren't exactly Farfadillis."

ZW: "It is a pretty attacking group, to be fair. If you look at how we stack up against the world as a whole...ah yeah, we can't afford OptaPoaf anymore. But nineteen goals from eight matches is a solid enough return."

TJ: "What about thirteen from seven? Against the kind of opposition they faced before the Holy Empire?"

ZW: "Oh, do the goals not count now? But as to the xG - isn't that kind of Elaine Ashdown's modus operandi here? Make sure the team is solid at the back and has a strong foundation to build off of - then rely on individual attackers to bring home the goals? And with Jiang Jieren and Luo Nanwei both operating at a high level, that's exactly what's been happening."

TJ: "Yeah, at a surface level the wingers are doing great. Three goals from Luo so far, and two goals and two assists from Jiang in this qualifying campaign so far. Ashdown's playing them both pretty narrowly, giving them the opportunity to get more direct contributions, and I do like that she's identified them as the star-level talents a lot of Dragons fans know they are."

ZW: "Yeah, that's something I've liked that Chen Huikang could never fully unlock - how to get more out of them than just crossing."

TJ: "But that has its own costs. When both of them pinch in, things get very cramped in attack - you've seen this a bit in Ji Weibo's relative lack of opportunities - and you end up looking very disjointed if you can't get more bodies into the box. And that sort of contradicts Ashdown's philosophy of keeping things steady. I mean, 'my turn, your turn' works fine against poorer teams, and Ji Weibo still has two non-penalty goals - but when it's just Luo and Jiang taking turns dribbling at fullbacks, things tend to seize up pretty quickly, and other players can be disengaged."

ZW: "I think Luo especially could be more selfless, but with his contract situation at FC Inter Nantwich a little dicey, he really seems to be trying to get his first, which Ashdown really needs to notice and steer him away from. But other than that, this strategy of maintaining the shape and letting these brilliant creative types put in the work seems to be doing pretty well!"

TJ: "I'd honestly consider sticking Jiang on the right and Huang Han on the left."

ZW: "Luo's still been better than either of them."

TJ: "Yeah, but I want to see what happens if Jiang gets to play in a more natural position. Have you seen him play on the right for Osarese? He's not bad with the Dragons, but if we could get that version of him...I don't know. What I do think is that Ashdown certainly hasn't experimented much since arriving here - that 4-2-3-1 is virtually identical to how her Copa Rushmori team was set up."

ZW: "Yeah, the ideas and the combinations have been pretty much intact. We've seen managers have success in that more dogmatic style of - you know, international breaks are short, and you have pretty limited time to impose your ideas on your squad. I'm not worried about Ashdown's tactical flexibility, even if the playstyle has been on the simpler side."

TJ: "Chen Huikang had the same issues, and he made the World Cup on the second try."

ZW: "You hated Chen Huikang. Said he'd never beat the big guns. Aren't you glad they replaced him?"

TJ: "Well, first off, I didn't see him taking Cassadaigua to - what, two, three trophies already? That's for sure. If I knew he had that in his bag, I would've been much more distraught that they forced him out. I mean, not even the most diehard fan of Chen Huikang saw this coming, so major props to him and to Cassadaigua for recognizing his ability. But the thing is - I didn't want Chen Huikang as the guy long-term because I didn't think he'd be adaptable enough in the big games. But Ashdown isn't even making good adjustments in the small games! And five years for that - I don't get what the YFA's long-term strategy is."

ZW: "Oh, please. She's adjusting just fine. The team's 5-2-1 with a win over The Holy Empire. You haven't seen other strategies because this one's been doing well enough."

TJ: "Every game it's just putting in Huang Han at left-back if we're losing and putting in Guo Hong if we're winning."

ZW: "That's happened, like, three times."

TJ: "Can you name a time when she genuinely turned a game around with her substitutions when the original plan wasn't working? In the entire year-plus we've seen her at the helm. One time."

ZW: "Easy. Huang Han on for Jiang Jieren against the Holy Empire."

TJ: "Wuxi, we were winning when she did that."

ZW: "Barely. It was 3-2, and they had just pulled one back, too! It was really tenuous at that point in the match. And Lyrill-tlo was absolutely carving up Lu Lanying on our left flank - he'd scored the first and the second, while scored by Hendera, Demon-Slayer, came from one of his crosses. I mean, having an invisible speed demon-"

TJ: "-shadow elf, I think. Technically."

ZW: "Yeah, whatever. Even with the infrared sensors that the YFA provided the players with, you could tell Lu was barely staying in front of him because he was starting his runs from so deep. So getting Huang Han, a wingback, on the left wing, having him almost man-mark Lyrill-tlo in case he drifted crossfield to start a run before passing him off to Lu in a zonal marking setup - that shut him down and gave Yuezhou some great counterattacking chances that created the fourth and sixth goals."

TJ: "Sure, great. But we were already up. My point is that if things are going badly, I don't trust her to turn it around."

ZW: "Things were going badly."

TJ: "If you say so. Hm. People have also noted that Elaine Ashdown is the first manager since Yuan Zilai to have any assistants on the team, as nobody has taken any on since the Alba and Cymru Incident back in WCQ86. People have particularly been curious what influence Corinne Mersiades and Kang Guilin have had on this setup."

ZW: "I think Mersiades has talked Ashdown into this safer setup, if the rumors I'm hearing are correct. I mean, while Ashdown was pretty conservative with her team selection relative to Chen Huikang, she still had the aggressive Huang Han starting at left-back, instead of the more solid Lu Lanying. I think Lu is Mersiades' preferred player there. As for Kang - honestly, I don't think Ashdown wants Kang there at all."

TJ: "Yeah, I've also heard that Kang was really Chen Huikang's guy. After all, Chen played under Kang during the latter's legendary tenure at Nangang Royals. And Kang reportedly served as a close mentor as Chen went first to CSKA Quebec, then to Glenmount Town, and finally back to the national team. I think if Ashdown had her say, Kang wouldn't be there right now at all."

ZW: "I wouldn't be surprised if there was some kind of deal - I mean, the YFA got hit pretty hard by the fallout of Alba and Cymru, too. Something like, you get Mersiades, but we also put Kang on as an advisor."

TJ: "I can see it. So the last question for today, Mr. Optimist, is...how will the Pemecutan match and the second half of qualifiers go? Can Ashdown's Dragons keep this up?"

ZW: "I don't see why not. There were those early jitters, sure. But after that slow start, they're gone 4-1-0 - that's thirteen of a possible fifteen points! I think they have a fighting chance to at least salvage a point against Pemecutan, and now that they've settled down somewhat, I think the second half will go great. Something like a comfortable second place."

TJ: "You think they can qualify?"

ZW: "That's up to the draw, of course - we've had some interesting playoff ties lately, with our qualification hopes going to added time in each of the last three cycles, as everyone knows. But I think they can put themselves in a strong position to do so. I'd give it better than even odds."

TJ: "Yeah, I could see them making it to the playoffs still. I just think this group is tougher than you've let on. That loss to Baggieland wasn't just early qualifier jitters - they smoked us 4-1, and we had no answer for Jeff Richardson. Elmyia are dangerous, The Holy Empire is much better than they looked yesterday, Pemecutan are winning the group, and even Nekohime are starting like a tough matchup. The philosophy of just letting your attacking players cook - and relying on that for goals - has a terrible track record against both lower-ranked teams who will park the bus, and higher-ranked teams who will just out-talent you. I really hope it works, but I'm skeptical."

ZW: "Next up on Ti-Fo - a more nuanced tactical preview of Yuezhou's key match against Pemecutan. And how have Olympic Nangang won the title again? But first up, a message from our sponsors..."

by **Audioslavia** » Thu Jul 06, 2023 3:37 pm

Reich In The Feels
Bulls Humiliated, Graintfjall/Kelssek Distant

When Audioslavian teams defy expectation, it's rarely a good thing. The world expects Audioslavia to be annoying, to be lucky, to be a contender in the deepest reaches of major tournaments, and to play the sort of football that could out-dire a nation called Dystopian Reich while at least on the way to a nothing-all draw. I mean, this is Audioslavia! We've done <thing> and we were the first team to do <other thing>, and remember that time we did that other thing?

So the expectation is: Beat dross like Dystopian Reich and qualify for the World Cup. And the reality is, currently, that neither of those things look likely to happen. Audioslavia lie fourth, two points away from third and the prospect of being unseeded in a single-game elimination playoff, four away from second and four from top. Weirdly enough, the side have taken five points from the three teams above them in the table - top seeds Kandorith, a strong HUElavia and a somewhat surprisingly resurgent Sajnur - and only seven from the seven below, with victories over United Adaikes and perennial rivals Zeta Reka and desperate 0-0 draws against Germenia and a Quakmybush side so removed from their vintage that they might actually be pure mould at this point. Had those zero-each draws gone in Audioslavia's favour, and had the side managed to actually avoid humilation against a turgid Dystopian Reich, we'd be top. And so, why aren't we?

Well, the team defies expectation. You don't expect two whole repatriated Savigliani in an Audioslavian team, nor do you expect two whole strikers, neither of which appear to be on scoring form for either club or country, with Helios Roy in and out of his Raynor City United team and Zendagorta misfiring for Cazadores. You don't expect an Audioslavia side to be largely devoid of depth, but the options to replace the two strikers largely begin and end with 'an attacking midfielder or two', because Gunnar Laursen has zero experience at this level and Danil Lanziego as thirty and not even a starter at Osarese Marcadia. Manager Ager Alaba has usually opted for at least some level of youth and vigour in his squads - all Audioslavia managers have - but his insistence on sticking with the same spine of the team that tumbled meekly from the CAFA Cup appears to not be playing dividends at all. Audioslavia defy expectations, except our opponents' expectations of how exactly we'll try to put the ball in the net. Eight goals have come in eight games, with the side having scored half of those in first half muggings of superior HUElavia and Zeta Reka sides. Strugglers Quakmybush, Germenia and now Dystopian Reich have successfully held the Bull at bay - its horn now protruding hilariously from a stable door with only the corner of a red rag attached.

Of our next opponents, an Equestria side who have fallen from grace more sharply, if not as dedicatedly, than Quakmybush, would appear to be the most beatable, but then this side have shown a marked drop in form against any team considered 'beatable'. Qasden, on the other hand, have beaten us one-nothing in each of our previous three encounters, yet you wouldn't be at all surprised to see the Bulls pummel them 4-1 in front of their own fans.

Alaba had the machine purring last cycle, in which the side registered a top-ten qualifying performance only to be cruelly denied in the playoffs, followed by a third-place finish in the Cup of Harmony. A messy exit from the CAFA Cup could only be forgiven if he improves his side's fortunes in the World Cup. From here, assuming the likes of Kandorith and HUElavia will be leaving the rockier of their form behind them, only huge performances in the second half of qualifying will save the side. And even then: Miss out on first place, and the playoffs look as cruel as they've ever done before. It's not unreasonable to suggest that, between here and the playoffs, Ager win 80% of the games, draw the rest, and still get bounced into the CoH on a shoot-out.

The Bulls haven't been to the big ring for a generation now, but the nation still expects. Anything worse than a playoff and, you feel, Alaba's number might be up.

by **Ochre Islands** » Thu Jul 06, 2023 4:07 pm

Willow opened her eyes, looking around at the open field she was in, as the palm of her right hand pressed into the black volcanic ash covering the soil beneath to steady herself as she rose up to her feet. She walked quickly across the field, passing low walls protecting grapevines which would soon be turned into a wine with a sulphuric taste to it. On the edge of the rather open field, next to a public road, was her own car, which she had driven from the island capital of Easington to a site a few miles north of Shotton, the second largest settlement on the island of Grand Ochre.

She reached her car and opened the door on the passenger side, pulling her phone out of the glovebox, barely paying any attention to the four by four Jerrick ScoutWork parked behind her own vehicle, which held her protection staff. She leaned her back on the outside of the car as she flicked through her contacts and pressed call on a familiar number.

'Hell-' 'They've told me it's not safe here.' 'The Mother and Father? Where's not safe?' '"Here". I was told "here"' 'That's understandable: a call came in from Ko-oren. The phone line was bad but it was clear enough to hear 'escalate'. We've spotted a Ko-orenite fleet heading roughly this way too.' That's all there was time for. Willow looked across at the lava fields which covered once fertile land and spied the clouds on the horizon, still descending slowly yet surely across the islands. She hung up the call, got back into the car and rather than head toward an airport, as a Prime Minister facing threat of invasion might do, she instead drove in the opposite direction of it and even deeper into the centre of the island.

by **Archalit** » Thu Jul 06, 2023 6:15 pm

The Jolliest Roger
Archalit's Biggest Sports Network
Clinging to Hope for Dear Life
Archalit 2–0 North-Khrakozia
Ranoria 3–0 Archalit
You remember when we wrote how "anything but six points out of these two games would be a disappointing result for Archalit," in our last article? Oh boy, I have news to deliver. On the plus-side, Aeragny happened to lose a game themself, against Eraman, and Eraman only managed a draw on matchday 8 against Valanora. On the downside, what the f*ck is Elvatoes doing? You cannot tell me that this team is the one vying for the playoff match, there's simply no way. Elvatoes is brand new, only coming into competition during this World Cup cycle in the Baptism of Fire. And can we stop sugarcoating thing here? Baptism of Fire 81 was not nearly as strong as Baptism of Fire 80, and Elvatoes didn't even qualify for the finals there. No way does this team not only have an edge against us, but against Aeragny and Eraman as well. Who gave Elvatoes the right?

Sorry, sorry, this is about our matches, and there's still a lot to talk about here. On Matchday 8, we had the North-Khrakozian team, backed by an extremely small group of supporters, visiting the Archalit Olympic Stadium. Who were the guys that walked on to the field? Beats me. For all we knew, their whole team was just a bunch of impersonators pretending to be from North-Khrakozia with how little is known about this team and country. Frankly, though, they at least had some skill. Heck, they fended us off for the opening thirty minutes of the game as we continued making attempt after attempt. Whoever it was, their centre-back was really good at tackles and was not afraid to get aggressive to get the ball. The defenders were reluctant to push forward, so they made it very hard for us to launch counter-attacks. Fortunately for us, their strength was all in the defense, and we were really brushing off their attacks. They were getting outran by most of our players and Terry Yang commanded a brilliant defense while North-Khrakozia was attacking. Eventually, the Archalitian players were passing back-and-forth, making gradual progress, when Duke Sondas got the ball and broke away, dribbling past that annoying CB to shoot the ball over the goalkeepers hands into the net. The game continued to half-time with no more goals.

Come the second-half, the game was just about routine. Archalit had possession much more often, but were having trouble breaking through the tough defensive line created by the Khrakozian team. Just like the first half, however, there were opportunities to score, and Cynthia Harmonia noticed one quickly, shooting a cross to Micha Sooza who expertly finished with a header right past the goalkeeper. 2-0 on minute 78, and 2-0 at full-time as the team that came to play against us(?) left for... somewhere. Remember, North-Khrakozia has ceased to exist, we have no idea where this team went except for the next nation they're playing against.

Who cares about where they're playing though, we have problems right in front of us. "Conservative" my ass, this team's offense was relentless and we were not able to keep it together. Was it pressure? I suppose that wouldn't be unreasonable given we were still just tied with Aeragny after matchday 8, and we desperately wanted to grow our gap from the teams below us. I mean, winning is nice after all, but were you really under so much pressure that it didn't even take 15 minutes to give up a goal? I literally just came from the last article talking about how "it's pretty apparent that this team will not be beating Archalit without a miracle" and "they're in quite an unfortunate predicament right now if they can't pull themselves together." Well, it turns out they pulled themselves together against us specifically (that's actually not true, they also won the last match, but it was against Safiloa so who cares) since they not only scored once, but proceeded to score on minute 31 and 73, a hat-trick for Tatiana Queen who looked exceedingly satisfied with her, and with her teams, performance. To be honest, it was really good news for us that Aeragny lost to Eraman on the same day, because we did not have a good time at Smith Field.
To round out the first half...
Archalit vs Geektopia @ Archalit Olympic Arena
Archalit vs Legalese @ Legalese Arena
The good news is that Aeragny is facing Quebec and Valanora over the last two matchdays of this first-half, which should be a big relief for us unless they really put in some work. The bad news is Geektopia is our tenth matchday opponent, and they are not bad at football. In fact, they are ranked 62 in this tournament, and while not strictly impressive, this does supersede Archalit at rank 99. Not to mention, these guys haven't been slacking off this tournament. Well, in theory, at least, since in practice their current record is 1-5-2. This is not a good result, but we have no doubt they've got loads left in reserve and are ready to push during the second half (this is the time to clarify that we're just scared of underestimating our opponents after the Ranoria disaster).

On the flip side, Legalese on matchday 11 shouldn't be that hard to beat. Eraman beat these guys, and they've been struggling to find wins throughout this season. Also, their record is literally 0-2-6 and I think I would cry myself to sleep if we somehow managed to lose. Now, Legalese is one of those teams that exists if you know what I mean. They've been around for a while and have much more history with the World Cup than Archalit. Still, that shouldn't undermine the fact that they are having a subpar season and have not lived up to their history. Who knows though, Archalit has already shown cracks under pressure, maybe they'll find their win here and now.

Suppose we won the next two matches. Aeragny is likely to take a draw or loss against Valanora and Quebec, so we can assume that we'll overtake them, especially with Valanora's record currently sitting at 7-2-0. Elvatoes will have the pleasure of facing Eraman and Quebec who should both defeat Elvatoes handily. If my calculations are correct, we should be in a beneficial position to take the third-place spot out of the first half. Still, it's football, just about anything can happen. Elvatoes could defeat Quebec and it would still just be another Tuesday for anyone but Elvatoes fans. Ultimately, this is just a problem of whether Archalit can beat Geektopia, as Eraman, only one point behind us, has the much easier task to defeat Safiloa and Elvatoes as we mentioned. While I'd never say our odds are good, I'm pretty confident in the Pirates doing reasonably over the course of the next two matchdays. As always,
SAIL PIRATES, SAIL!

by **Acastanha** » Thu Jul 06, 2023 7:30 pm

Increase Alarm

The situation in Ketampi Gulf has really heated up after Kierahan Supreme Court decision to arrested everyone that involved in the Keise Islands referendum. This morning Acastanha navy patrol caught a floating ship near the Ketampi Oil Block which is the maritime border between Acastanha and Kieraha. The ship, with 7 people on board was trying to enter Acastanha maritime when the navy was patrolling the area early this morning. They were escorted to the nearby Praia do Emerita naval base and taken into custody. No names were released yet by the navy of who are the person on the ship. But as soon as the navy announced the caught, Keirahan authority immediately asked for them to be deported back to Kieraha.

Following the incident, Acastanhada Navy General, Fluvio Asmarander, stated that the navy will increase their patrolling time especially in Ketampi Oil Block. He said that the incident have to be prevented. A request was also made by MG Oil, Pemecutan-based petroleum company who have a drilling operation in Ketampi Oil Block, to increase the safety in their oil rig there. The company was afraid that the increase tension in the area might affected the safety of their property there. The company was also stated that they might close the operation of the rig for a while and bring home all of the workers there if the situation got worsen. While Acastanha Ministry of Defense stated that they will in cooperation with the armed forced to protect all of the property within Acastanha authority. Although they also asked Kierahan authority to keep the safety of the area as well so their domestic matter won't spoil out of their own country.

A similar request was also announced by the Foreign Minister of Leihitu. Leihitu is a country to the west of Kieraha which also have the authority over 2 islands that adjacent to Keise Islands Province. They made a statement for the Kierahan authority to tone down the use of military and weapon. Leihituan navy is also patrolling their maritime border near Keise Islands. In the recent news, Kierahan authority currently closed the maritime border with both their neighbors, Acastanha in the east and Leihitu in the west. They are also blockade the waters around Keise Islands to prevent the convicted running away from the country. While the Federal Government is preparing for a fresh election in the dispute area of Keise Islands.

by **HUElavia** » Thu Jul 06, 2023 7:33 pm

Sajnur 0–3 HUElavia
(Ueyama 28' (P), Lombardi 45+2', Brousseau 68') 

HUElavia 4–3 Germenia
(Asteinza 6', Mayordomo 20', Soares 72', Valdovinos 90+5' | REDACTED 15', REDACTED 44', REDACTED 88')
Stadion Helles, Bish, HUElavia

Gold

The Story of HUElavia's run in IAC 15.

Part 5

Matchday 2

Match Announcer: "Welcome back to Curumba this afternoon, as HUElavia will play hosts on Matchday 2 against The Republic of Dansen to open up the matches in Group C today!"

Leonardo Conavacio: "Coming into Matchday 2, we were taking on The Republic of Dansen and we were coming off our late victory against The 14 Stars. The team really looked worn out and given we had a weaker opponent in them, I opted to roll out with our back up players."

Match Announcer: "A very surprising call by Coach Conavacio, the entire team starting will be essentially the B-Team, with Casillas in goal, Regnard, Ardance, Pillpe and Larrangoz in the back, the midfield is with Mayordomo and Noffke, and the attack is with Duarte, Yom, Lopes and Balderas."

Ringo Honda: "We were surprised that we were all benched, but Coach Conavacio stated that he wanted us at our best to be able to take on stronger opponents in the coming matches."

LC: "The Players were very understanding and while they wanted to play, I wanted to make sure everyone had minutes in this tournament and felt they had a proper role in the matches. Once the pre-match ceremonies were performed, the match was underway."

Match Announcer: "Duarte on the ball, she's covered by REDACTED, she looks for an opening, passes it to Lopes... She's loose! sends a chip over the keeper... GOAL! GOAL GOAL GOAL! WHAT A CHEEKY SHOT AND GOAL FROM LOPES! AND THE CROWD IS LOVING IT!"

David Navarro-Hamada: "It was a nice play drawn up from both Duarte and Lopes, just had the Dansen defense focusing on Duarte and the final touch from Lopes was amazing, the whole bench got up and we applauded the goal for how good it was."

Match Announcer: "Yom on the ball, he's looking for help, he's being covered. Nobody seems to be open, I think he's giving a shot... He's making a move... GOAL!!! GOALGOALGOALGOAL!!! WHAT A SHOT!!! AMAZING GOAL THERE, THE DEFENDER AND GOALIE HAD NO WAY TO STOP THAT!!! IT'S 2-0 AND WHAT A PLAY THAT WAS!!!"

Julieta Higashi Fernandes: "It really was a spectacular shot, it was a tough angle he scored from, but at the end he managed to hit it at a nice spin and angle to just score it in the top corner. Very underrated goal from that tournament."

Match Announcer: "At the half, HUElavia leads 2-0 over The Republic of Dansen and the team really is giving a fantastic performance, these backup players really are proving why they were called up to this tournament."

LC: "At the half time talk, I made sure the players knew not to get too full of themselves and to keep the pressure coming. They were hungry, but I wanted them to play with ease and make it at least somewhat competitive."

Match Announcer: "Mayordomo is running on the side, it's a counter attack here, he's looking for a player. He's sending the cross... Yom!!! IT"S IN!!! GOAL GOAL GOAL!!! HUELAVIA MAKES IT 3-0, YOM HAS A BRACE!!! WHAT A HEADER TO MAKE IT ESSENTIALLY DEFINITIVE!!!"

Lucas Lettmann: "It was a solid run up to play, Mayordomo was just prancing along the wing, nobody was close to cover him and he just pinpointed the ball into the box for Yom to score that great header, really was a fun play to watch."

Match Announcer: "The Republic of Dansen has a corner to take here, REDACTED looks to take the kick. They send it in... REDACTED! Goal! Dansen gets a goal scored in, they're running to center circle, and Casillas has a bitter look on his face for that conceded goal. Tough goal to let in I'll tell you."

JHF: "It was tough to see us concede our first goal in the tournament, especially against a weaker opponent like Dansen, but nobody is perfect and we still had a strong lead."

Match Announcer: "Casillas catches the ball, he runs to find someone open, sends it Regnard. Regard on the ball, making a run. Regnard to Noffke, he's running on the wings. He's being covered by REDACTED, he's looking for an opening. Passes it to Duarte... GOAL!!! GOAL GOAL GOAL GOAL!!! THAT MAKES IT 4-1!!! WHAT A FANTASTIC FIRST TOUCH FOR THE GOAL!!! DUARTE SCORES HER FIRST EVER INTERNATIONAL GOAL AND WHAT A WAY TO DO IT!!! AND THAT SEALS THE MATCH!!!"

RH: "It really was a fantastic play, and just the teamwork from the backups really showed how much unity, chemistry and depth the team had. Going from one end to the other in about 40 seconds was a crazy build up, but we got a great goal and that really cemented that we had a strong team to contend for the title."

Match Announcer: "It's over! The referee blows their whistle and HUElavia dismantles The Republic of Dansen, 4-1 and take a commanding lead in Group C!"

LC: "While the victory was enjoyable, we could not step off the gas pedal, especially since we were facing off against our direct rival for Matchday 3: Abanhfleft."

To be continued...

World Cup 81/82/83/84

Commonwealth NT exceeding expectations
Scott McCrae
The Daily Mail Chief Soccer Writer

The halfway point of the Qualifying for World Cup 94 is around the corner and the BPNT will find itself no lower than second in the table regardless of the results of the final matchday doubleheader as a loss to Farfadillis will only draw the top seeds to within two points with their match in hand coming with Baker Park on a bye.

There are enough nations ranked among the top 50 in the KPB—roughly covering the top 3 seed pots—that currently find themselves involved in battles well below the top of the table that seemingly put several major giants of the sport needing a second half rally.

Vilita, Brenecia and Zwangzug—all former WC Champions—as well as 10th ranked Nyowani Kitara currently are four top seeds that reside fifth or sixth heading into the turnaround, while Cabo Azure, Juvencus, and the Ochre Islands are second seeds trying to fight their way up the table.
Drawkland are currently 12 points behind Turori in Group 5, tied on points with BOF participants Lionsguard and Kewlz for third; BOF Champions Kamijiro are tied for fourth with five times WC winners The Holy Empire in Group 13; and second seeds Tikariot are 12 points ahead of Chromatika in Group 9.

Manager Will Barnard sat down for a chat ahead of the trip to Farfadillis to reflect upon his first 15 matches in charge.

Scott McCrae: "I appreciate you taking a bit of time from your busy schedule to talk, so we'll jump right in at the deep end: this fixture will be your 16th match in charge so how satisfied are you with the results so far?"
Will Barnard: "So, only the women get a softball question to open the proceedings? I'll remember that for future reference, Scott" (laughs)
SM: "You have to at least feed me for softball questions. Sorry, Daily Mail policy."
WB: (laughs) "To answer your question, I'm extremely pleased with the performance of this (National Team) group as we've exceeded my preliminary expectations going back to before the Eagles Cup. We've got a lot of talent that's coming into their own who are hungry to learn from these veterans and want to be in a NT player pool that is playing at a level internationally that their childhood idols were at."
SM: "I think that's a really important element that has been brought to the forefront as the qualis have progressed, the prominence of those players with a lot of caps that are still 25, 26, 27 years old and the progress of the 23 and 24 year old cohort that seem even more formidable than the Second Wave."
WB: "That's a really salient point Scott, because Zoe and I have talked a lot about that exact subject; the bunch that came through starting in 18's under Darren (Kirby) and Zoe who we've just seen the tail end of at senior level are the immediate icons that a lot of post 21's and this group that are getting up past bantam level have emulated and looked up to**. They saw those players on the big stage and want to be able to have the same opportunity."
SM: "You've made some adjustments to overall setup of the “System” that are not so obvious to the casual viewer, but clearly are rooted in Pam Scott's philosophy with a bit of Jen's (Prescott) influence."
WB: (laughs) "I'm sure I learned from something from them that I've carried over to the present. When Kate (DiMarini) went on (maternity) leave, I had access to her 'Red Book' where she had all of her notes and the tactical stuff she'd learned under Pam, so I might have also cribbed a few things from that as well."
SM: "Continued success the rest of the way, and thanks again for your time."
WB: "You're very welcome."

**This applies to the age cohort that were on the DBC 53 title squad, who were pre/early teens for AOCAF 60/62/63 Semi Finals, the SWC 9 win & SWC 11 hosted in BP

MD 10 lineup vs Farfadillis

Callaway; Bruce, Edmonds, Schulman; C Logan, D'Alessandro, Vetter, Altman; Price; Gibson (C), Harris
subs: Rossi, Hardwick, Bauer, Ryan, Wiley, Garfield, Camille Prince, Diaz, Baum

by **Stevencousin** » Fri Jul 07, 2023 12:25 am

Cheap Hotels In Fixmouth
LocalSpotStar

The WCQ94 10th matchday against Carpathia and Ruthenia will take place at Readymann Ground, Fixmouth. Lina Salucci's team is rumored to be using a 3-4-3 formation (with two Defensive Midfielders). For those who want to witness this match, there are several affordable hotels around Fixmouth, including:

1. Chamberwood Hotel
It is located near Siegal Road only 10 minutes' driving distance. This hotel is located in a very strategic city area and is also close to First Town Museum, Fixmouth City Zoo, and Aberhound River Cruise. It also provides swimming pool facilities and free wifi service for visitors. At night, visitors will be able to see the glittering lights in the corners of the city. The provision of multi-level parking spaces makes it easier for visitors to park their cars more safely.

2. Central Hotel
This hotel is located in the center of Fixmouth City and has a 3-star rating. If you spend the night here, visitors will be able to enjoy the beautiful view of the Aberhound River and the green mangrove area in the morning just from the room. The family can do various activities, including fishing, crossing the river, and many more. For those who like to shop, you can visit the nearby shopping center because there are various interesting items to own.

3. Grand Sol de Amur Hotel
Among the leading hotels in Fixmouth, its location in the middle of the city makes it easy for visitors to spend the night here. Providing a bubble bath in the bathtub is definitely fun. This location is also not far from Tiko Park and also near the Union Megamall shopping center. If you don't have a chance to go out for breakfast, why not just enjoy breakfast at Tiko Coffee House which offers Local and Western dishes every

4. White & Brown Hotel
Decorated in white and brown colors, this hotel features a rather simple decoration. However, the comfort of visitors remains a priority. The mattress and the soft pillow will surely make the visitors sleep at night lulled by dreams. Among other things, the special thing here is the breakfast which is said to be quite appetizing. In addition, its location, which is located near the Fixmouth Municipal Square, also hosts a variety of food from food trucks at night. The distance from the hotel to Fixmouth Parade and Readymann Ground is only about 350 meters.

by **Xanneria** » Fri Jul 07, 2023 12:35 am

"Meet the Andies" turns 30
a non Esportivans guide to the iconic Xannerian TV show

One of Xanneria's most iconic shows is turning middle age! Yes Meet the Andies is 30! The iconic TV show created by Brad Hocking in 2023, is now in it's 30 season, an amazing feet for a sitcom, let alone an animated one. Meet the Andies has been delighting audiences aged 18-35 with its humor, and realistic Xannerian family dynamics. Created by Brad Hocking the show follows the Andies Family

MAIN CAST

Andrew Andies: The General Manager at "Rickenbahls Sporting Goods" he's an opportunistic father of two who wants to adventure, but cant due to work. He always wants to do adventurous things when he can. He is also a coach for his son's travel football team.

Andrea Andies: Andrews wife. she's a bit of a wild child, but in ways different from being an owner of a motorcycle to having a arm sleeve of tattoos.

Kyle Andrews: Star striker on the Piedmont High School football team, Kyle is the older brother of Kylie. He's very focused on sports and has little other in the way of hobbies. His best friend Peter Granderson is the goalie for rival school South Creek Academy.

Kylie Andrews: an artist who takes after her mom, she's adventurous like her family but usually seen as significantly more cynical than her brother or parents.

SUPPORTING CAST

The Grandersons: The Neighbors who live behind the Andies. Dad James, Wife Grace, and Son Peter are usually seen socializing with the Andies.

Paul Skopper: Paul is the regional manager of "Rickenbahls" he is the straight man foil to Andrew.

Irv Garcia: A teammate of Kyle, he is also a kicker on the schools gridiron team and is also on the Rugby team, the Gaelic Football team and the Kangaroo Rules Football team. (Irv is traditionally seen as the straight man with Kyle though)

Brad Turner: Brad is another friend of Kyle's. He is a star on the basketball team, but usually hides a nerdy persona from the public.

Dawson Reed: Dawson is Kyle's cheerleader girlfriend and Kylie's school rival.

Now that you have primer of the series. We will be going over several lists of top episodes in a season!

AUST SCOR - 3
??? 27' 59'
??? 90+5

XANNERIA - 2
Burns 67'
Plante 84'

XANNERIA - 1
R Hailey 73' (PK)

SOUTH AMERICASTAN - 0
NONE'

by **Jeruselem** » Fri Jul 07, 2023 12:57 am

A pretty naked Asian girl which looks like a porn star at Dazza Dallas Stadium ...

Hello! This is NOT Princess Stella Annabelle Dallas ... but I do work for Naked News Jeruselem.
Once again it's the World Cup 94 qualification round, and we're of course back home at Dazza Dallas Stadium.
Oh yes, as I said ... I am not the Princess, but I'm known as Princess Miko!
My actual name is Miko Takahashi, but everyone calls me Princess Miko.
Stella isn't here because she's recovering from allergic reaction to a wasp sting.
I'm not allergic to wasps by the way ...

It's qualification round 9, but as usual remind people what happened the round before for context.
Round 8 was ... interesting, but there were no draws at least.
Pyazhnaya knocked over the high flying Naixi, winning 1-0 at home. Well, did you know that was first goal Naixi conceded?
Ko-oren at home cruised to 4-0 win over hapless The Cherven Cities.
Ile de Richelieu were at home but disappointed the home crowd crashing to 3-2 loss to Greater Cebu. The Cardinals didn't have God ... Good day.
Sannyamathland at home, finally scored their first win. They should have lost but the opponent was Darmen who have gone off the rails again.
Mameath had the bye.
AND Jeruselem went to Huayramarca and got soundly thrashed 5-2. That leaves Huayramarca as the only undefeated in Group 2.

A few upsets in Round 8, what about today.
Before we go on, because for some reason Jeruselem seems to be like a magnet for Asian teams like Ko-oren and Naixi. And friends Quebec are also Asian.
I kinda get dragged in because I can read Asian scripts, well sort off. Not much fun going to a web site, and it's complete unreadable.

Back to today, Darmen had the bye. They probably needed a break ...
Greater Cebu made sure Sannyamathland didn't have winning streak of two, beating them 1-0. They seem to be improving as we go along.
The Cherven Cities secured their second win, a home win over the Cardinals or Ile de Richelieu who seem to have lost momentum.
Naixi at home had to host the same Huayramarca who recently beat us 5-2. I guess they did learn something from that game and they locked out Huayramarca to hold on for scoreless draw.
I would have taken a scoreless draw with Huayramarca.
Mameath at home back off their bye and wished it was bye. Pyazhnaya dropped in and beat the crap out of them 6-3.

So Jeruselem after going to Huayramarca, had to host 2nd top seed Ko-oren.
Nope, not fun playing number one and two in row.
Well, this time we didn't lose 5-2!
OK we didn't win today
OK we didn't draw today
But it was only 1-0 loss!
I guess that's the best kind of loss.
Doesn't wreck the goal difference too much

We've not had productive two rounds, also conceding 6 goals for two losses.
But we did play the top 2 seeds so it wasn't out of the question.
Sannyamathland despite their recent win, are still last on 4 points.
The Cherven Cities sank back to 10th on 7 points.
Mameath 9th on 8th points then we have 3 teams on 9 points namely Pyazhnaya, Darmen and the Cardinals.
Greater Cebu rose to 5th on 12 points, and Naixi hold 4th on 15.
Jeruselem out of the top 2, back in 3rd on 16 ... which is still not bad.
Huayramarca 2nd on 18 point AND Ko-oren are on TOP with 21.

Well, the goods is the horror games are over1
We visit the Cardinals in Ile de Richelieu next, I hear it's very bloody cold over there. You know like -18 centigrade ... and we're bunch of desert dwellers.
And then we host Sannyamathland for the last game of the 1st half.
If we win those two, we should be in the top 3 for now.

The REAL Princess should be back soon.
I wouldn't want to be stung by a wasp either.
Yes some might recognise me from other job! Err, one that involves being rather indecent constantly.
Working at Naked News Jeruselem is my actual brain stimulatinng job, I have actually think ...
That's it from Princess Miko, not Princess Stella.
But well MIKO OUT!
I don't have Annabelle in my name ...

Have to go, there's people who want some autographs!

by **Ko-oren** » Fri Jul 07, 2023 2:35 am

Pinta and Aukudigelthen Adamant that Navy Joins Interregional Exercise

Minister of Defence Baudilio Pinta and newly appointed Minister of the Navy Zakuth Aukudigelthen have restated their ambition to join the maritime military exercise near Cardenao with allied nations Banija and Quebec and Shingoryeo. Participation is instrumental for the experience and confidence of our young institution, they say, and necessary to create some goodwill among nearby nations. Other Anaian nations have long stood ready to defend the Ko-orenite homeland in absence of a military of our own - a result of multiple pacifist articles in our constitution. Pinta emphasised that those articles are not to change, despite our constitution also calling for periodic reform to bring it up to speed with the times, that a land army would not be established, and that the navy exists for our self-defence. As an island nation, he reiterated, a navy is the perfect institution to defend us and it allows us to help out regionally, for instance in the event of natural disasters.

The invitation to the exercise was initially sent by staff from Cardenao upon hearing from our establishment of a navy, and to strengthen diplomatic ties which have not always been as strong as they are now. The appearance of Cardenao in the military fabric of Anaia initially worried us, given that the two halves of Cardenao are able to limit our access to the Hogan Sea and the Strait of Chie, thereby cutting off trade between us and the developed markets in eastern Nova Calania and the many rich nations in the Sea of Champions. The fact that they invite us to this event is the latest chapter of the governments of Ko-oren and Cardenao reconciling, and as the northern and southern entrances to the Ocean of Ayes, collaboration between our two nations might bring safety and stability to a large part of western Anaia.

Standing in our way, literally, are the Ochre Islands, a chain of islands located just north of Cardenao, also capable of limiting our access of the great blue ocean beyond them. Relations between Ko-oren and the Ochre Islands have been good for most of our history, though the establishment of a navy and us joining the interregional exercise has worried their government to the extent that local media accuse us of imperialist intentions and that the goal of our reforms is unrest on the Ochre Islands. Embassy staff in Bellflower - in the Ochre Islands - and New Cardonia - in Cardenao - are working overtime to communicate our intentions and to limit the spread of disinformation by Ochre media.

It is important to note that Cardenao-Ochre relations are troubled yet mending as well, with rumours of an apology by President Mihaly of Cardenao targeted at the Ochre Islands.

Grand Admirals Riichi Kozuki hasn't dispatched his forces to Isla Aloshaki yet, waiting for the OK from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as well as Minister of Defence Baudilio Pinta. Sending the fleet now, where it has to pass the Ochre Islands in some form, could be seen as aggression, and not knowing how the Ochre Islands will respond is too much of a risk. Two other options remain: sending the fleet between Avorago and the Ochre Islands, then going directly east, hitting Nova Calania between Tropanaia and eastern Cardenao, and then descending to meet with the other three fleets is one option, avoiding the Ochre Islands. The other option involves sending the fleet westward, rounding StrayaRoos and all of the continent of Lurhautsia, then sailing north to join the exercise.

Pinta and Prime Minister Laurderinthen have contacted President Mihaly to hear his advice and ask for confirmation allowing us to join the exercise. It is expected that a diplomatic delegation will join them, heading for Cardenao to view a part of the exercise, then heading for the Ochre Islands to end any rumours of aggression.

by **Nephara** » Fri Jul 07, 2023 3:59 am

Nephara 0 - 1 Koronavia
(4-4-2) 1 - Strand; 17 - Swain, 5 - Roback, 6 - Scales, 3 - Xu; 13 - Brewer (23 - Drake), 15 - Constantine, 24 - Sebold (26 - Kvasina), 11 - Loeher (16 - Drnaso); 9 - Kulesza (7 - Anharbour), 21 - Vetiver

Adab 1 - 4 Nephara
(4-4-2) 1 - Strand; 17 - Swain, 5 - Roback, 6 - Scales, 3 - Xu (25 - Mueller); 13 - Brewer (23 - Drake), 15 - Constantine (19 - Rosziter), 24 - Sebold (8 - Anhope), 11 - Loeher; 9 - Kulesza, 21 - Vetiver (10 - Harper)
Goals: Roback 19', Loeher 31', Kulesza 44', Drake 72'

THE HERALD
A MOMENT OF APPRECIATION FOR VETTA ROBACK, UNSUNG HEROINE
Sisi Sharpe Football Correspondent

It was startling. The throw-in came in, Limid raced down the wing, knocked the ball past Astrid Swain and beat her to the ball; Cormorants fans could have been forgiven for cursing the injury-enforced absence of Tiamat Holden. But Limid got to the ball, one way or another, and hooked in a cross. Levovich ran forward, and Vetta Roback turned, and... fell over.

The replay was unflattering. She kicked her own ankle and collapsed to the floor of the Eagles Club box, briefly claiming a foul before her head caught up to her nervous system, and by then it was too late. No foul was forthcoming - the much-loathed VAR would have had little trouble ruling it out, even if it had been - as substitute Levovich chested down the cross and leathered it past Medusa Strand. Nephara failed to equalise, and slumped to a painful defeat.

Roback did not shy away from the press. It was odd to hear her scratchy voice at the press conference, a thick east Sabrefell accent, all 'yeah nahs' and 'too right's, and one realised: when was the last time anyone heard her speak at all? Taking up her Testiculos nomination, perhaps? You can hear her voice on the pitch, true, but that's her low, imperious bellow, getting her teammates into place. She isn't shy about using it at Anaximander Scales, either, by a distance her senior.

"I should've had my man," she lamented, without wallowing in self-pity. "We dropped three points, and one of those is down to me. I just have to hope that by the time the campaign's over, I've earned us more than enough to make up for it. I think I will. My record backs that up." There was a slightly passive-aggressive tone to that remark, as though she has grown tired of flying under the radar.

Roback's a classic centre-half. Tall, long-shanked, broad-shouldered, she excels at the rough and tumble aspects of the game, with an eye for a sliding challenge but with the critical knowledge of when to turn it down at the international level, lessons that the likes of Miska Brabanzon never learned in the green and black, and part of why she's usurped Sven Copperhead's place in the team. But her eye for a pass can be remarkable, too; she even chalked up an assist against Notricia.

And without ever quite being seen as a hot prospect, never even being capped at youth level, she's gutted her way into Sabrefell Athletic's regular starting XI just as they ascended dramatically to become not only the predominant force in Nephara, but re-establishing Nephara as a predominant force worldwide. Little wonder Cantor trusts her to do the same for the Cormorants, yet to truly flare into life under her vigil.

So it wasn't a surprise, really, that early on against Adab, it was Vetta Roback that rose highest in search of a Loeher corner, to drive a forceful header down into the dust and past the goalkeeper and open the scores in a visit to a difficult opponent. It wasn't a surprise she didn't put a foot wrong all game as Nephara picked up a much-needed three points.

It wasn't a surprise that she wasn't voted player of the match, either. That, understandably, went to Arachne Loeher, who went on to score herself and then assist the third for Ravil Kulesza. But Roback was noticed by enough people. She'll be there next match, and the match after that. And yes, she will earn back that point, with interest. Her record bears that out.

NEPHARAN NATIONAL TEAM SELECTION - FORTNIGHT 5
Goalkeepers: 1 - Medusa Strand (Chromatik, CMT), 12 - Toxothea Sebring (Crisisbless), 20 - Chary Longstreet (CA Paulinthal, PAS)
Defenders: 2 - Tiamat Holden (AFC Treason), 3 - Tanith Xu (Myana, CMT), 5 - Vetta Roback (Sabrefell Athletic), 6 - Anaximander Scales (Brinemouth), 17 - Astrid Swain (Anomalies, CMT), 18 - Sven Copperhead (Crisisbless), 22 - Tamiika Vine (Starling), 25 - Catheline Mueller (Ulsa, EUR)
Midfielders: 4 - Seeker Biscan (Sabrefell Athletic), 8 - Petra Anhope (La Nueva Avenida, FFD), 11 - Arachne Loeher (Wirr Tsi, CMT), 13 - Madita Brewer (Northern Union, BRE), 15 - Demeter Constantine (Crisisbless), 16 - Tryna Drnaso (1923 Esca, MYT), 19 - Chandra Rosziter (Dynamo Sjoedrhavn, SVJ), 23 - Tabithe Drake (AFC Treason), 24 - Bellona Sebold (Crisisbless), 26 - Lindse Kvasina (Istria City FC, BNJ)
Forwards: 7 - Kestrel Anharbour (Crisisbless), 9 - Ravil Kulesza (Maethoru FC, KOR), 10 - Bravura Harper (Ulsa, EUR), 14 - Leandra Berenguer (Anomalies, CMT), 21 - Felixe Vetiver (1830 Cathair, AUD)

Yakk 0 - 0 Nephara
Nephara 2 - 0 Ascvalion
Cassadaigua 3 - 1 Nephara
Nephara 1 - 0 Astograth
Notricia 0 - 2 Nephara
Nephara 2 - 1 Milchama
Brascocia 0 - 3 Nephara
Nephara 0 - 1 Koronavia
Adab 1 - 4 Nephara
BYE
Nephara vs. Olastor
Nephara vs. Yakk
Ascvalion vs. Nephara
Nephara vs. Cassadaigua
Astograth vs. Nephara
Nephara vs. Notricia
Milchama vs. Nephara
Nephara vs. Brascocia
Koronavia svs. Nephara
Nephara vs. Adab
BYE
Olastor vs. Nephara

by **Brenecia** » Fri Jul 07, 2023 4:44 am

"We'll re-evaluate it at the halfway mark."
It was infuriating. That was the same answer Camden had been asked, word-for-word, in four straight press conferences.
How many fortnights had it been? How many squad selections? Well, one. How many of the same bloody squad selection? And Alaoise Rourke, always on the bench. Always picked up by the camera. Always smiling. Of late, she'd started to wink.
They'd been 3-0-5 a few days ago, and on track for 3-0-6 twenty minutes in against the Dominion. At least Rourke did make it off the bench. And chalked up two assists.
"We'll re-evaluate it," said Camden wearily, "at the halfway mark."
Camden was maybe the greatest Brenecian manager of all time. But she could probably stand to re-evaluate it a little fucking sooner. What precisely was left unknown that one more game would elucidate?
Her veterans were failing. Everyone was failing, sure, but it was invariably the younger players paying the price. Cheschon, Harcourt and Stokes were joining Rourke on the bench; nobody wanted that! Meade and Corder had both had chances between the posts, and neither had impressed. And Iseult Conway was being leaned on more and more, even as her actual ability to dictate the match waned and waned.
The only consolation was that all was, somehow, not yet lost. Brenecia somehow had the best goal difference in the group, even from sixth, and the failure of any other side to take the group by the scruff of the neck made success a possibility, albeit a remote one. Scandalously remote, for quarterfinalists last edition.
But that side wasn't recognisable, now... or was, perhaps, too recognisable. That side had beaten St. Eleanor 4-1 at home in the playoff; now they'd lost the same fixture 2-1 just two years later. The faces were too old, too stale, too familiar. Okay, there might not be anyone better coming through, but... at least it would be a roll of the dice, right?
Nevertheless: no sign of anything different in Nephara's next match.
Something needed to force Camden's hand. Maybe not another defeat; hopefully not. That would be disastrous.
But it came, and nobody quite expected the form it would take.
Three days later, Iseult Conway, Brenecia's captain with well over a century of caps, announced her international retirement. She would see out the next match. But it would be her last.
Everyone hoped, at the very least, it would not be an ignominious occasion.

by **Delte** » Fri Jul 07, 2023 5:31 am

Delte 5–2 Sharktail
Sports Correspondent Kim Samrodd at Ildemorton Road for the Ughmirren Broadsheets

I won't dwell overly long on the finer details of this match, and it goes without saying that Enor Perro was our best player yet again, but certainly mention should be made of Perran Garimund's performance at right back, which was notable for two things: first, that the River Patrol Officer is now getting in the starting line-up ahead of me for no discernible reason that coach Perro has chosen to share with me and which I can only assume is because he is proving a spectacular success running up and down the right wing, overlapping seamlessly with team barber Tai Tunnyo and putting in a good number of assists far in excess of what I am able to manage; and second, that he spent the match proving a spectacular success running up and down the right wing, overlapping seamlessly with team barber Tai Tunnyo and putting in a good number of assists as The Representatives overpowered early pace-setters Sharktail, who came into the game unbeaten and dreaming of a glorious World Cup Finals appearance in Polar Islandstates and New Montreal States (dreams can be funny like that). Whilst still top, the Tails are now back in catching range of the Delts, providing we Represent well and keep grinding out the wins, where we can.

At the same time, or maybe a few minutes before...

Kingdom of Castille 2–4 Delte
Segmental Paving Specialist & temporary Player-Reporter Cerril Nysald in Jaén, Castille for Stoic Times Magazine

I've been briefed not to dwell overly long on the finer details of our match but suffice it to say the Away Team Mission completed a rather unstoiclike thriller at the Jaen FC Stadium against recent Boffers, Castille FC - as they call themselves (well, it's better than pigs, the self-deprecating nickname of the Guanacastecans that seems a little too self-deprecating in my opinion - come on lads, believe in yourselves! Anyway, I digress and pixel-space is short so...) It was quite the back and forth between the locals and the Away Team Mission with the scores tied moving late into the game before our wonderkid Henry Lightman, 17, hit a late double to confirm the points and add to his earlier goal in the first half, thus securing the record for the youngest player to score a hattrick for The Representatives - another of those unverifiable records we are wont to make up to create some handy reportage for the Stoic Times. The boy is quite remarkable, and anyone still reading this far into the depths of these Deltic masterpieces who run a professional league club competing for IFCF honours would do well to follow the lead of the scouts at Rülândéá Kôstä in Farfadillis by telegramming a proposal to the appropriate authorities to make young Henry the second professional footballer in the valley. I will leave it to you readers to figure out where to send that telegram.

I hear the home team did extremely well and the first professional footballer in the valley - so far the only professional footballer in the valley - was once again spectacular by Deltic standards. Is it any wonder he signed up for the first team that came in with a telegram for him and subsequently won hearts, minds and medals in the Shango-Fogoa Basin All-Stars Galaxy Pro-Plus Championship?

Every Day I Roleplay About Football
Subject: Welfare

From: bot.welfare@ediraf.co.sb
To: distribution-list.nssports-monitorbots@ediraf.co.sb
cc: fred.oakenshield@ediraf.co.sb

Loving what @bot.kirolawatch has come up with for The Game. Total Intrigue indeed! I do want to raise a couple of concerns before we start playing in earnest though. Also, before that even, and not meaning to be mean, but we can’t have bots that still have a number after their designated name joining this distribution list. We really are a closed group for primary bots only. Sorry @bot.kirolawatch, you’ll have to tell @bot.cargo-router198 no dice for the time being. (And @bot.kirolawatch, should you really be hanging around the cooler.plugin with a numbered bot? No offense.)

My first main point of order is the use of Employee #345.8374.874 appell.Raul Valk. I suppose I would not be the appointed primary welfare bot if I did not at least raise this. Now I know we did plenty of psychometrolosis on the subject before we arranged to have him win the employee of the month award, and there is no doubt he has done a sterling job making ediraf the leading sportswear supplier in the territory. I just wonder, is he a bit fragile? Didn’t you all get the faintest whiff of wimpery in his email updates when he first went to the valley - like when he ran away from the fire and brimstone preacher and straight into the stronghold of the River Patrol? Maybe I would have liked to see him hold his ground and have a jolly good punch-up with the Reverend Turing and his thuggish diciples. Is that just me?

A second point, following on from that. Being that he seems to be a very adept sales rep, and as such has made us number one in the territory - maybe the only one in the territory if @kirolawatch is right about the burning of Kirola-wear at the docks - should we risk our market standing in the valley? I know it’s a tiny place, but I’m thinking about access to nearby Taxhavn and the millions of filthy rich residents of a heavily industrialised island to buy our superior lines… not to mention the tens of millions of filthy poor residents ready to man a new manufactory or two with virtually no wage demands whatsoever.

I invite Fred Oakenshield to comment here regarding The Game, as human handler of Employee #345.8374.874 and Chief Territories Officer for that particular zone of influence.

[Insert agreed sign-off slogan] 
@bot.welfare

by **Sylestone** » Fri Jul 07, 2023 6:24 am

The Sylestonean > Culture > Esportivan Culture Festival

LITERATURE: ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT ORGANIC CHEMISTRY BY JOHN SMITH

While most other nations have entered works of classic fantasy literature to this field, Sylestone’s authorities have elected to do things… a little bit differently. While authors such as Robert Benn and Amelia Stagwell have both produced bestselling works of fiction over the past century, it is renowned chemist and high school teacher John Smith who will be presenting his own work in Cap Nord for the Esportivan Culture Festival. Yes, a chemist.

All You Need To Know About Organic Chemistry. A nightmare for… everyone who reads it. 1276 pages of mindnumbing content about the bloody carbon atom. Fifteen chapters, ranging from an overview that comes with the package of mass neuron death, to the torturous properties of organic acids and bases and hydrocarbon reactions. Even Smith himself has admitted that he despised self-editing the textbook, indicating that he might not quite be the monster he is perceived to be. Well, as little of a monster as someone writing a 1276-page organic chemistry textbook can be. What a wanker.

The Sylestonean > Sport > Football > World Cup Qualifiers

SENTIENTS JUMP INTO PLAYOFF SPOT IN SPITE OF OCHRE ISLANDS LOSS

A triumph in Boring Paradise has proven to be enough as Mojmir Anac’s Sentients’ jumped into third after the latest international break, even with a loss in Betham to the Ochre Islands resulting in a conclusion to their six-game undefeated streak that included an away victory at Starblaydia and a scoreless draw in Anac’s old home town of Thessia against Mytanija. With Sargossa suffering a loss at the Spartan Dominion and the Ochre Islands joining the growing club of teams to succumb to a devastating Banija side determined to defend their title against stiff competition, the Sentients are now leading a pack of six nations that are separated by four points, albeit with a two point buffer to Sargossa in fourth. With a negative goal difference as a result of that 4-0 in Banija and now a 2-0 loss to the Ochre Islands, it would not be surprising if that two-point lead is the difference between Sylestone and the chasing pack - let’s be real here, no one’s chasing down Banija in first, with Mytanija having established a five-point gap ahead of third with their extra game in hand.

Let’s start with the positive game first - a relatively straightforward 1-0 victory in Esportivan neighbours (well, they’re in the same region) Boring Paradise with the Sentients’ more or less third team. While the hosts tried to get something going early on by pressing their opponents in the first quarter of an hour, once that initial drive was over the game fell into the rhythm expected by those watching, with the visitors resorting to their usual tactic of sitting back and forcing the mistake. Against the stronger teams, it might be a tactic that relied on a kick of something else to get the Sentients over the line, but against the weaker sides it more often than not paid off. And sure enough, on the verge of half time, Callum Blair knocked his header home to put the visitors 1-0 up, cutting off all hope of an upset as they began stacking the defence and not Boring Paradise a way through. Minor mistakes here and there saw the hosts record a chance or two, but neither exactly troubled Callum Holmes in goal for by the time the final whistle was blown, the score was still 1-0.

But while forcing an opposition error may have worked against Boring Paradise, the Ochre Islands were not about to fall into the same trap. Instead, they attempted to employ the same strategy Banija had - trying to score early and heap pressure on the defensive-minded Sentients. It was a risky tactic, for if it went wrong it fell straight into the trap Mojmir Anac had set up but on the flip side, Sylestone had always struggled with conceding first, particularly early. And indeed, that’s exactly what happened, as Richard Valens’ side took the lead just five minutes into the encounter, reducing the noise in Betham’s Bay Reserve to nothing. With flashbacks of that devastating 4-0 loss in Banija still fresh, you couldn’t blame the local fans for feeling as though the game was over only five minutes in. Even with the Sentients clawing back in everything save that finishing touch by half time, there was still that underlying notion of defeat, and ultimately, that might’ve cost Sylestone in the end. However, a disallowed goal on the verge of the hour mark truly ended the host resistance, snuffing out all hope under the damp heat of the Betham night sky. For a side that has had mental strength drilled into them from day one under Mojmir Anac, the eventual 2-0 defeat will no doubt anger the former Mytanar centre back, especially after appearing their opponents’ equal for the majority of the match. It was just in those key moments that the rank and status of this Ochre Islands outfit shone through - even considering how far they’ve come in the last three years, there is still a long way to go for Sylestone.

Boring Paradise vs Sylestone @ Somewhere, Boring Paradise

Boring Paradise: Unknown

Sylestone (4-4-1-1): Holmes; Holt (Davis 67’) - Nutt - Hand Sanitiser - Toilet; Stanton (Holmes 57’) - Paterson - Blair (Fridge 90’) - Barclay (Lawson 67’); Barkman; Blamey

Boring Paradise 0-1 Sylestone
                                                                 Blair 44’

Sylestone vs Ochre Islands @ The Bay Reserve, Betham, Sylestone

Sylestone (4-4-1-1 → 4-2-3-1): Macleay; Cross (Holt 73’) - Mornington ( 76’) - Faucett - Keller ( 79’); Ryland - Brown (Barkman 73’) - Rodway - Lawson ( 21’) (Jones 60’); Fleetwood (Sarcav-Jones 60’); Strathfield (Eastwood 88’)

Ochre Islands (4-3-3): Softstep; Waterton - Newcomer (( 53’) (Streamcarers 75’) - D’entro - Featherborn (Gorgewalker 55’); Bridgebuilder ( 80’) - Withlinens (Sunteller 55’) - Mikkels; Builder - Gibson (Clearedway 89’) - Northbrook (Lucksmith 75’)

Sylestone 0-2 Ochre Islands
                                                           Gibson 5’
                                                           Waterton 82’

Starting Lineup vs The Spartan Dominion @ Somewhere, The Spartan Dominion

Brick Wall; Davis - Brown - Pearson - Statton; Stanton - Paterson - Bar Stool - Fridge; Keyes; Eastwood

Starting Lineup vs Sargossa @ The Trees, Pesfield, Sylestone

Fuller; Holt - Mornington - Nutt - Toilet; Holmes - Blair - Rodway - Jones; Sarcav-Jones; Strathfield

by **Chromatika** » Fri Jul 07, 2023 6:51 am

MD8: Katterimunk 0-2 Chromatika
Goals: Nodis 61', Howard-Dawes 90+2'
Starting XI: Sourtois; Paterson - Ansoll - Nodis; Christelle (C) - Ju - Françine-Miklavivec - Womack; Phoen; Oveni - Fucheux
Substitutes: Howard-Dawes -> Oveni (53'), Laurette -> Phoen (72'), Muir -> Paterson (72'), Mesic-Mizayaki -> Ju (83'), Haitou -> Christelle (83')
Summary: After a tense first half, a mid-range volley from a roaming Cylie Nodis broke the tie as Chromatika posted only their third win this qualifying campaign with a 2-0 win over hosts Katterimunk. The home team had managed to hold the Anomalies to a scoreless first half with some solid defense and transition play, but Nodis hit a volley from just past the half-field line that shocked the keeper. Sourtois and the defense held, and Elaine Howard-Dawes was able to score an insurance goal in injury time for the final margin. It was a key result for the Anomalies, still reeling from four negative results in their first six matches.

MD9: Chromatika 4-2 StrayaRoos
Starting XI: Sourtois; Paterson - Ansoll - Nodis; Christelle (C) - Ju - Françine-Miklavivec - Womack; Phoen; Oveni - Fucheux
Goals: Fucheux 4', Phoen 10', Howard-Dawes 62', 88'
Substitutes: Howard-Dawes -> Oveni (61'), Jackson-Jones -> Ansoll (70'), Iara -> Womack (70'), Mixon -> Nodis (79'), Zuniga -> Ju (79')
Summary: Despite some growing pains from Hailee Sourtois, who had two bad calls that resulted in visiting goals by halftime, an Elaine Howard-Dawes brace in the second half helped the Anomalies as they recovered to post a 4-2 victory at home and regain third place in the group. Yes, Sourtois's gaffes were pretty bad, and yes, Chromatika remains twelve points off an impeccable Tikariot, but it's still far better showing from the early days. Howard-Dawes has proven to, at least from the bench against lesser sides, be effective; it'll remain to be seen if her form can continue.

Fortnight 6: @ Atheara, vs. Kimi-suomi
Starting XI: Begley (C); Coulibaly - Régine - Aimée; Kruetzberg - Si - Hauser - Ighv; Phoen; Park - Killian.
Substitutes: GK Hailee Sourtois, GK Do Seung-Min, DCR Moira Ansov, DC Henri de Aea, DCL Keira Anbient, DC Gwina Ansoll, WBR Grayson Fillar, WBL Edith Fillar, WBR Cyrus Vette, BWM Kaia Larriet-Cortes, CDM Amélie Ju, AP Haley Hauser, AF Lavrentiy Xuen-Zhukov, AF Marie Fucheux, AF Elaine Howard-Dawes
Preview: If the previous two matches showed Chromatika can win against lesser sides, these two games are crucial to keep up the momentum aa they are against the fifth and fourth seeds in the group. Also of note is the availability of Howard-Dawes on the bench and whether Repin will opt to use her even with a second string team. A sweep here would close Tikariot's lead to nine - and with the home tie against them at the Capitalizt Dome looming, that could put all the pressure back on the Owls.

by **Mertagne** » Fri Jul 07, 2023 7:16 am

You can barely remember the last few weeks, as if you've spent them in some sort of haze. In a way, it has been, a rote performance of your craft. Wake up. Train if it's not a matchday. Get ready for the match if it is a matchday. Play the match. Eat something in between all of that. Sleep.

INTELLECT - The last few weeks? It's been six. Six weeks, according to your planner diary, that you - luckily - have still been dutifully filling out. You are set to play United Hawkland in three days time.

PSYCHE - Not that you've wanted to, of course. That means putting in the results. A draw to Tumbra. A loss to Acastanha. A draw to Carpathia and Ruthenia. A loss to Pasarga. A loss to Brusseldorf.

DIARY - The word 'loss' jumps out at you on the page, even if the rest is swimming around in your head in this rare moment of lucidity. Too many of those. The team's performance has been sluggish in this half of the qualifiers, and you don't know why. A general malaise has descended over the team, as if they expected to do well just by turning up.

MOTORICS - But why shouldn't you do well just by turning up? Football is a numbers game, so they say. Your number is clearly better than many others - your base level of talent surpasses most national team compositions. Why didn't you batter the opposition?

PSYCHE - Because your team lacked what the opponent had. Drive. Grit. Determination.

HOUSE - You take a look around your apartment in an attempt to ground yourself back in reality now that you've disabled cruise control on your own life. Many of your things are still in boxes - you haven't bothered to unpack while you've been here in Mertagne.

INTELLECT - This is your parents' new house, in rural Fyle. You bought it for them after it was announced that the National Team would be moving its operations to Brandistock. That seems like a silly idea now that you've decided that this cycle will be your last with the team.

PSYCHE - Your parents wanted to move away from Kurtz. Besides, it's not far to Lake Shoda from here. Your father can finally fish regularly like he wanted to as a boy.

BOXES - You lift one of the boxes and place it on the bed.

PHYSIQUE - Lifting heavy things makes you feel better. That's a scientific fact.

INTELLECT - Exercise releases endorphins, among other things. These reduce stress. Being physically active can be good for you.

PHYSIQUE - But do too much and you start to get huffy and puffy. Like in the game against Carpathia and Ruthenia. They had you going box-to-box, and that was a bit too much for you. You let the team down towards the end of the second half when Carpathia and Ruthenia equalised, and you didn't have the energy to help bring the ball back up for a solid counterattack.

BOXES - Opening the box, you see why it was heavy - there are a set of weights inside, among other things.

MOTORICS - You spot a set of weights, a flat-pack trolley that needs constructing, and a variety of knick-knacks including a snowglobe, a polished stone elephant, and an Osarian book called 'Constructing the Pyramid: The Development of Novel Football Tactics', that has several paper tabs sticking out of it.

BOXES - Things you were fine leaving in Mertagne while you were in Astograth.

BOXES - You unpack the items and place them all on the bed before finding a spot for them on the polished wooden shelves and in the wardrobe. The space in this room - your room, in perpetuity - feels a little bit less clinical. A bit more yours.

MIRROR - You take a look at yourself in the mirror, and blink heavily several times. You haven't been feeling yourself lately - why is that?

PHYSIQUE - I can answer that.

PSYCHE - I can answer that.

▐

INTELLECT - Mertagne went into this competition as the third seed in their group. They are currently sitting seventh on the table, a clear ten points off of the top spot. The likelihood of that happening is rare, given the mental simulations you have done in your head.

MIRROR - You straighten yourself out a bit, carrying your posture in a way more befitting of an international athlete. You breathe deeply, searching to intake something that you've lost.

PSYCHE - Something's got to change, here. You need to try harder.

MOTORICS - At one time you thought you were the best player in the world. Try and act like it.

LOCKER ROOM - The first half of the match has gone well. You're playing well, and actually communicating like a captain that's engaged in the game, instead of half-in-half-out-of-the-world. Two goals have been scored and Mertagne look like they could carry their first victory in six games. You've got approximately forty-five minutes to seal the deal.

LOCKER ROOM - The locker room looks around expectantly at Fëanáro, as it's usually around this time she delivers some sort of sound bite that gets everyone through the second half.

PSYCHE - It's not like in the movies, however. Most of the time it's quite boring. Ázëwyn Fëanáro is a very sensible individual. You think it's exactly why she's hired Kristie Ettrick as her number two, who is anything but. The classic 'cool person, intense person' that many a duo - policing, comedic, or musical - have employed.

ÁZËWYN FËANÁRO - "Great work out there in this half, United Hawkland haven't known what hit them. Sabrina, your defending has been really solid, but I think that Ludvig will be looking to get his players to put the pressure on you in the second half. Don't step to it, just keep doing what you're doing. Ellerby, Briac, I want you two to support her, so that means a slight right bias in defence and Ellerby falling back. Pia - cover the centre to make up for Ellerby and provide a through line with Woodhouse if the defence get the ball."

KRISTIE ETTRICK - "We can easily turn this into a five-goal barnstormer. If we manage that I'll buy you all dinner tonight. I've got a good restaurant recommendation here in Royal Ryan." Ettrick crosses her arms, seemingly proud, as if she's just put the cherry onto Fëanáro's cake of a speech. She begins talking to Cedric Millard, who is running keeper in this match.

LOCKER ROOM - The team seem pumped by this, happy that they're finally turning things around.

MOTORICS - That's great, but this is a match we were expected to win. Being happy about this result is like being happy that you've managed to lace your boots correctly.

PSYCHE - Yes, in that when you don't you fall on your face.

LOCKER ROOM - As the break continues, and vast quantities of isotonic sports drink are consumed, you feel that you should say something to the team.

INTELLECT - You should give the team the facts - things haven't been great, but it looks like right now we're winning. If we tighten the tactics there's no way we'll lose this.

PSYCHE - You should celebrate the passion that's allowed the team to get out of this slump. You've been handed a bit of a soft ball here, but you don't need to say it. Right now we are more comfortably winning than at any point in the qualifiers. Tell the team that with this passion, we are so back.

PHYSIQUE - The team doesn't even look tired. Tell them to keep up the pressure, the attack. Ettrick wanted a barnstormer. Let's give her one - you would love to be able to order off the menu without having to worry about the price. Spend those Hawklandian Dollars, baby.

MOTORICS - Your team has finally unlocked that skill that they were holding back on in the first half of these qualifiers. Tell them to continue unleashing it all over the Hawklandians. Quick passes, fast pace, nutmegging, dirty celebrations, flair and finesse. Let's do the lot.

▐

LOCKER ROOM - The players seem receptive to your words, and as they sit chatting with each other, you believe that for the moment at least, you have improved team morale.

PSYCHE - That might be half the battle.

PHYSIQUE - Just don't flag behind on the pitch this time.

by **Ochre Islands** » Fri Jul 07, 2023 7:23 am

'And just where is the Prime Minister in all of this? A large Ko-orenite fleet is on its way south, firmly steaming toward Ochre waters, and so far it's showing no signs of stopping!' Exasperation ruled the day and Edmond Swaithe, the Defence Minister, wasn't afraid of carrying on his sentence. 'The Ochre Maritime Guard' (OMG!) 'isn't anywhere near capable of dealing with an armed fleet of that size for very long. We all know that!'

'She's on a solo commune on Grand Ochre' the Home Affairs Minister, Jamie Clark, who was in charge of organising the Carabiniers, told him. 'Well, solo enough, security detail are nearby' she added.

The Defence Minister made an approving noise and gave a knowing nod, his attitude swiftly changing for the better. 'Well that's sensible enough' he began. 'I'm ordering almost all of the Ochre Maritime Guard OMG! out to the border of our EEZ... it should buy us enough time for the Prime Minister to attain guidance from the Ochrenatiks. At this time, seeking their advice is probably the wisest thing that can be done. Hopefully their powers are enough to prevail against the aggressor where our mortal bodies are not and our man-made equipment cannot either.'

The Environment Minister now added her voice 'Yet further proof, Minister Swaithe, that it is our natural world and her protectors that are superior to our creations.'

There was an agreement around the Cabinet table that this was in fact true and a prayer session began, asking for the protection of the islands and their islanders.

by **The Jovannic** » Fri Jul 07, 2023 7:58 am

Headline Match Reports: The Jovannic 1-2 Eura

The Emperors struggled against an away side that dominated the play for the majority of the game. Goals by Woodman and Miller gave Eura a 2 goal cushion, and a late attempt by Juyt Dersa would result in little more than a consolation.

Goals: Dersa 88
Assists: Redder

Headline Match Reports: Panamer 0-3 The Jovannic

Perhaps the most winnable game in group, the Emperors produced a workmanlike performance to shut down the Panamer threat that was lively in the first few matchdays. Shawn Leon, Caruana Ionnais, Baron Caltico and Lan Tze all received their first gametime as Barella Lee, Huli Maringar and Juyt Dersa all got on the scoresheet.

Goals: Lee 25, Maringar 28, Dersa 51
Assists: Clarkey, Dersa, Redder

Headline Match Reports: The Jovannic 0-2 Polar Islandstates

Another game that the Jovannic would have hoped to get a result in, but eventually would not be able to get out with any points against a Valhallan team that were more clinical on the day. An injection of power from John Crackers got the home side closer but ultimately unable to capitalise on their monopoly of possession. This would be the first game this season the Emperors would be unable to score.

Goals: NIL

Headline Match Reports: Matchday Previews

The Emperors currently sit 8th in a 11 group table, which may seem quite dismal at first. However, with only 5 points seperating 1st and 8th, anything and everything can happen. Eura currently sit atop with 16 points, 2 points ahead of Saint Eleanor and the Polar Islandstates. At the polar end of the scale, Lisander are the big underperformers in this group; terrible form in general have seen them obtain just three points over 8 games. Panamer have also faltered, and after a brief period of resurgence which saw them get 6 points on matchdays 4 and 5 they would obtain only 1 in the next four, being unable to score in 3 of those 4 games.

The Jovannic will next face Lisander away at Soria Park, whose caretaker manager has done questionably at best. The other nation with a fleur-de-lis on their flag, they will be looking to finally get a win this season. On paper an easier team to beat, all pressure remains on the Emperors to get three points and remain competitive among the top.

Following that, Cox's men will then face West Barrack and East Obama, who've always hovered in the middle to the top half of the table. They now have a 4-1-3 record, but they've definitely had some slip-ups, most recently a drab 1-1 draw with above Lisander.

Goals:
Juyt Dersa 7
Hashan Redder 2
Barella Lee 1
Huli Maringar 1

World Cup 94 [roleplays]

Boot It!: Back On Track!

WCQ-94 MD-8/9

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