Domestic Sports Newswire of Naixi

[Naixi]

SEASON 2 MATCHDAY 25

We usually don't have football on Thursday night in Naixi, so when we do, we expect the quality of play to elevate the occasion. Our expectations were not met in any way on a damp night at the Sha Dadao. Perhaps it's on us. We probably should have looked at Aierlanren versus Xue and thought "hmm... probably going to be an attritional, low-scoring game." If we had, our expectations would have been met, for the Irish refused to commit many players forward despite bossing possession entirely and Xue looked content with a nil-nil from about minute 15 onwards. We have Chen Ling to thank for the fact that her 81st minute volley did give us a decision, plus, her technique while volleying a Chin Chih Yap cross into the roof of the net was lovely.

Next up, on Friday night (also in Qiawutian), it was a showdown for second-place that, under different circumstances, would have been a much tenser affair. But Fuchou and Nongmin, while level on points at kickoff, have already secured their IFCF Challenger's Cup places, and the title race was (easily) won by Chongjibo a month ago. A relevant six-pointer it was not. Like the match the night before, neither side looked terribly interested in throwing too many people forward - lest they expend energy that could be otherwise allocated to, like, beach volleyball or something - and like the match the night before, a late goal put a slightly more respectable sheen on the dull game (Sa Kota Yue scored that one). There was one big difference: the rain stopped. That's basically it, though.

On Saturday night, the Sha Dadao saw use for a third consecutive evening as the rain stayed away and temperatures rose. (Aren't we supposed to be heading into winter, here?) The contest this time around was a Qiawutian derby between the city's two most left-wing clubs, Baomao and Zhayao. The Miners were great during the first half - it certainly seemed like the Black Cats were very much struggling to shake off the stupor that had fallen on them following back-to-back drubbings, one in the league and one in the cup. But they held the line and looked born again in the second half, with Cheuk Yan Tsang rifling in the opening goal of the match in the 48th minute and using a cheeky panenka to convert a penalty in the 56th. Neither side seemed to object to the two nil scoreline after that, and the Black and Brown notched a victory that officially guarantees their safety and formally relegates Xue.

Finally, on Sunday afternoon, we had two simultaneous games. The weather was absolutely splendid in both Qiawutian and Chumeichang, where the temperatures hovered around 67°F/19°C. Yanjiang had to win at the Sha Dadao to stay alive by way of pulling to within four points of their foes on the day, Sheshou. A goal in the 53rd second of the match put the Lava Monsters (who were wearing their lucky olive green third kit) out in front, but then the Marksmen equalized in the 9th minute. The remainder of the first half was tense, and then the game opened up following half time. The All-Whites missed a sitter in the 47th minute, and that gut punch sent the momentum the other way. Wei Yan Lin restored Yanjiang's lead on 69 minutes (nice), and it seemed like the Lava Monsters were going to live to see another day in the relegation dogfight. But then, in the 85th minute, VAR chalked off a third goal (the ball had gone out of play before being passed back into traffic and blasted in by Lin), and yet again the positive chi changed hands. Sheshou battered the visitors for the final ten minutes and once again obtained an equalizer, deep into stoppage time. The draw ensures that Yanjiang, like Xue, are headed back to the League of Ascension. Meanwhile, in Chumeichang, a much less interesting game. Chongjibo are showing no signs of mercy despite having lifted the trophy long ago, and every week seem to scythe down a different opponent. Their victims this week, Qiji, could prove to be their victims in three weeks time as the two will meet in the Zhen Li Jiang Cup final. One can only hope that game is at least competitive; this one wasn't as the Shockwaves were two nil up at half time and then added a third in the second half. For the Wizards, it's one point collected from a possible six in the league over the last two matches, and they still haven't formally secured a Challenger's Cup berth.

MATCHDAY 25
Aierlanren 1-0 Xue
Fuchou 0-1 Nongmin
Baomao 2-0 Zhayao
Sheshou 2-2 Yanjiang
Chongjibo 3-0 Qiji

League of the Two Sapphires Standings

   Team             P   W  D   L For  Ag  +/- Pts
01 Chongjibo       25  20  3   2  50   9  +41  63
02 Nongmin         25  14  4   7  45  27  +18  46
 3 Fuchou          25  12  7   6  55  19  +36  43
04 Qiji            25  10 10   5  34  25   +9  40
 5 Aierlanren      25  10  4  11  25  30   -5  34
 6 Zhayao          25   7  8  10  27  36   -9  29
 7 Baomao          25   7  6  12  22  37  -15  27
 8 Sheshou         25   5 10  10  22  36  -14  25
09 Xue             25   5  3  17  13  39  -26  18
10 Yanjiang        25   3  9  13  24  59  -35  18

With Baiyi collecting an astounding come-from-behind win from their fixture with a spirited-but-as-usual-defensively-porous Jingying side, and the Shadows of Yinying ripping two points from the hands of Zhanshi in stoppage time, the race for the final Promotion Playoff place is still on heading into the League of Ascension's final matchday. Both clubs face tough challenges there; Baiyi will have to travel to Wanqianganga to square off with already-promoted Qi'e, and in Chumeichang, second-place Xiniu lie in wait for Zhanshi. Zhanshi's superior goal difference virtually guarantees that the Termites will need a win and a Warriors loss to go through, but with the Penguins on the beach, having already lifted the trophy, that's not completely impossible.

MATCHDAY 29
Jingying 3-4 Baiyi
Zhanshi 1-1 Yinying
Xiniu 1-0 Qi'e

League of Ascension Standings

   Team           P   W  D   L For  Ag  +/- Pts
01 Qi'e          29  21  4   4  70  18  +52  67
02 Xiniu         29  17  5   7  51  23  +28  56
03 Zhanshi       29  10  9  10  29  30   -1  39
 4 Baiyi         29   9 10  10  30  43  -13  37
 5 Yinying       29   6  7  16  28  48  -20  25
 6 Jingying      29   3  7  19  15  61  -46  16

[Naixi]

SEASON 2 MATCHDAY 26

Another unseasonably warm late autumn night brought us another Friday night doubleheader, with simultaneous games in Chumeichang and Qiawutian. We'll start in the capital, where the Farmers were hosting the Marksmen. Sheshou got off to a dreadful start when a scrum in the six-yard box following a 16th-minute corner resulted in the loose ball falling to the foot of Chong Xian Ye. But the All-Whites redoubled their defensive efforts and avoided any further mistakes - perhaps if Tak Hing Jin had been available, they could have mustered an equalizer, but the mercurial striker was still unavailable due to suspension. He'll be back next week, but that's no consolation to Marksmen supporters. Meanwhile, at the Sha Dadao, Fuchou could virtually guarantee they'd finish third as long as they won their match against "hosts" Zhayao. It certainly started out well for the Avengers, as Yue Hsieh rocketed a shot off the underside of the crossbar and in on 10 minutes. But Zhayao were courageous in attack and sturdy in defense from about the twenty minute mark on, and Kuang Yin Cao scored from a one-on-one with the Fuchou keeper in the 30th minute. The Avengers held on for dear life for an hour plus, just trying to get through the surprisingly brutal contest with a point. But Zhayao, who knew they could provide a favor to their ideological allies Qiji with a victory, were utterly ruthless, scoring in the third minute of stoppage time to give the Wizards a chance to finish third. Once again questions are being asked about the future of Lian Wei Chew's employment with the Avengers... it's been a terrible season by their standards.

The next day, the cold downpours of the Naixese winter at last began. In the afternoon game, in Qiawutian, Baomao maintained their high from a week before when they felled Zhayao, on this afternoon versus the champions Chongjibo. During the first half, Lu Fang Huang was spared the worst of the Black Cats' ferocious attacks thanks to solid organization by Iomelda van Hoogstraaten and the rest of the Shockwaves vaunted defense. But Mei Huo's grandiose half time speech made Baomao even more brilliant than they'd been in the first half, and that ultimately resulted in Cheuk Yan Tsang's one-on-one chance versus Huang in the 71st minute. Tsang beat Huang with a wicked stutter-step, and Huang made a tactical choice to reach out his right arm and trip Tsang. The referee correctly gave the Naixi number one his marching orders and pointed to the spot. Obviously, Chongjibo were permitted to change their keeper, but Tsang was still obviously thrilled that he wouldn't have to face down Huang. Unfortunately, his confidence was a liability. He missed the penalty; wide to the right. Even with ten men, the battle turned in favor of the Pink and Black, and it took until the 84th minute for Kian Zhi Yuan to score from a direct free kick, but it was enough for the Shockwaves to win yet another league contest. That evening, on a squalid and muddy pitch at the Ruan Tu, the soon-to-be League of Ascension clubs Xue and Yanjiang battled to a meaningless draw (they're both already down). The only redeeming incident in the game was Zong Yuan Ti's fabulous solo effort in the 69th minute, when he left most of Yanjiang's outfield players in his wake and then opened up his hips and gently curled the ball around the Lava Monsters' keeper. But even that moment of quality was wrecked by Yanjiang's equalizer nine minutes later. Frankly, we're ready to be rid of these two; they've been disgraceful.

Finally, on Sunday afternoon, at the Huangse Migong, with yet more frigid rain falling, it was perhaps the last six-pointer of the season, as Aierlanren, six points behind Qiji at kickoff, could pull to within striking distance of the Wizards with a victory. But the entirely partisan crowd wasn't having it. The purple-adorned fans in attendance unfurled an incredible tifo banner. It read "Eat the Rich," plainly referencing the fact that the bourgeois of Qiawutian make up a clear majority of Irish supporters. The psychological impact was obvious, and Qiji resurrected the splendor of their demolition of Baomao that had happened two weeks prior. Goals in the 34th, 47th, 82nd, and 91st minutes assured Aierlanren's complete and utter destruction and sealed the Wizards' place in the IFCF Challenger's Cup.

MATCHDAY 26
Nongmin 1-0 Sheshou
Zhayao 2-1 Fuchou
Baomao 0-1 Chongjibo
Xue 1-1 Yanjiang
Qiji 4-0 Aierlanren

League of the Two Sapphires Standings

   Team             P   W  D   L For  Ag  +/- Pts
01 Chongjibo       26  21  3   2  51   9  +42  66
02 Nongmin         26  15  4   7  46  27  +19  49
 3 Fuchou          26  12  7   7  56  21  +35  43
 4 Qiji            26  11 10   5  38  25  +13  43
 5 Aierlanren      26  10  4  12  25  34   -9  34
 6 Zhayao          26   8  8  10  29  37   -8  32
 7 Baomao          26   7  6  13  22  38  -16  27
 8 Sheshou         26   5 10  11  22  37  -15  25
09 Xue             26   5  4  17  14  40  -26  19
10 Yanjiang        26   3 10  13  25  60  -35  19

The regular season is complete down in the League of Ascension. We've known for a while, but we'll say it again: Qi'e are deserved champions and it will be a pleasure to see the Penguins in the top flight next year. So who would join them? Could Baiyi nick the last spot in the Promotion Playoff? It would be tough, with the Penguins standing in their way and the Termites needing a victory and a Zhanshi loss. They certainly got the latter, as the two one scoreline at the Sha Dadao flattered the Warriors, who were comprehensively outplayed. They nearly got the former, too. Qi'e were the boss in the initial half hour of the showdown, and scored in the 25th minute, but Baiyi equalized just before half time. Their game plans in tatters, Qi'e were horrific after the break. No less than three times did the Termites hit the woodwork, true to their name. But the Gold and Black showed that they aren't just about attacking energy, and dug deep to hang on for a one all draw. Qi'e climb triumphantly into the top flight, and relegate Baiyi's dreams of accompanying them to the dustbin of history. Zhanshi may have backed their way in, so to speak, but it's they who will be facing off with the Blue Rhinos instead. The winner goes up.

MATCHDAY 30
Yinying 2-1 Jingying
Qi'e 1-1 Baiyi
Xiniu 2-1 Zhanshi

League of Ascension Standings

   Team           P   W   D   L For  Ag  +/- Pts
01 Qi'e          30  21   5   4  71  19  +52  68
02 Xiniu         30  18   5   7  53  24  +29  59
 3 Zhanshi       30  10   9  11  30  32   -2  39
 4 Baiyi         30   9  11  10  31  44  -13  38
 5 Yinying       30   7   7  16  30  49  -19  28
 6 Jingying      30   3   7  20  16  63  -47  16

[Naixi]

SEASON 2 MATCHDAY 27

The last day of the league is finally upon us, which is always bittersweet but thrilling. Well, just bittersweet, I guess. It wasn't nearly as thrilling as the final matchday last season, as nothing of any major consequence could be decided. Chongjibo were crowned repeat champions months ago and are once again headed for the IFCF Champions League. Nongmin, Qiji, and Fuchou, in one order or another, are all going to the Challenger's Cup. And the gooses of Xue and Yanjiang have been cooked for a hot sec. As a consequence, it was a bit quiet around the grounds on a cool but dry Friday night, with both the Huangse Migong and the Sha Dadao hosting simultaneous matches. In the former, Zhayao finished the season very poorly in a difficult faceoff with Nongmin. All throughout, they were generally careless in possession, and frantically flailing about when they made silly defensive errors, which they did frequently. The Farmers will surely be frustrated that they didn't win by more; Sa Kota Yue finished her wonderful season in style by scorpion-kicking a cross to the far post into the back of the net in the 5th minute, and Chong Xian Ye's shin deflected a loose ball over the goal line in the 87th, but there were probably a dozen or more half chances that should have come to something and didn't. It's no big deal: they're still finishing second. Meanwhile, in Qiawutian, Tak Hing Jin returned, and boy did the long rest of his suspension look like it did him good. He earned himself a brace, with quality goals in the 19th and 88th minutes. The only problem? Xue did what they have massively struggled to do all season long: bring a gun to a gun fight. Their typically-ineffectual strikers corps actually turned up, and sandwiched three goals between Jin's two to give the Snowmen an impressive victory. Zong Yuan Ti's laser bolt off the underside of the bar was the pick of the bunch. It's a shame we're losing this plucky little club from Futengma - they just so often seemed overawed by the top flight. At least they can say they went down swinging with this fabulous win.

The next afternoon, Qiji knew they just needed to collect more points than Fuchou in order to finish 3rd. (And Fuchou's fixture was that night against Chongjibo. Not exactly an easy test.) But fate conspired against them: though the weather was warm for the Wizards' matchup with Yanjiang, the early-winter rains came pouring down in Bao and the pitch at the Zidan Jie couldn't handle it. The referee probably should have called the game off, but when exactly would they have made up this fixture? It's the end of the year. So the "action" continued. Note the scare quotes, as the game was one of the worst you'll ever see and ended goalless. The Lava Monsters, like the Blue and Green a day before, can suffer relegation consoled by the fact that they stuck a finger in the eye of a very good team as they went down. The Purple and White now had to hope that the Shockwaves beat Fuchou that evening. The rain continued, and the players and fans in Chumeichang were indeed soaked as the Pink and Black and the Burgundy faced off one last time. Luckily, the drainage at the Huangse Migong is much better than out east in Bao, and the quality of the game was brilliant. Fuchou started the scoring in the 8th minute, but by and large Chongjibo were in the ascendancy for the first 45 minutes. Iomelda van Hoogstraaten's equalizer in the 40th minute and Kian Zhi Yuan's well-taken penalty in the second minute of first-half stoppage time sent the Shockwaves into the dressing rooms with a slim lead. But the absence of Lu Fang Huang (who is suspended due to last week's red card) was felt in earnest in the second period. Jen Ta Jin in particular was superb against his former club and scored in the 52nd and 56th minutes. It seemed like he wouldn't quite register a hat trick late on as the Avengers were coasting when Yue Hsieh rocketed in a fourth goal on 88 minutes, but in the third minute of stoppage time he noticed Chongjibo's replacement keeper was a bit too far off their line. Eager to spit in the eye of the pink-wearing fans who shunned him after his dismissal in the Zhen Li Jiang Cup final twelve months ago, he launched an ambitious, looping shot from his own half. It sailed over the Shockwaves' keeper's gloved hand to give him a hat trick and Fuchou a stunning blowout win over the champions. The home crowd in Chumeichang, was of course displeased, and Jin once again received boos as he exited the field, just as he had a year before. This time, however, he had a smile on his face.

Finally, on Sunday afternoon under yet more chilly precipitation, we witnessed probably the least entertaining East Qiawutian Derby we have ever seen. The fans made plenty of noise, but it was apparent from all the laughter and chit-chat between the two sets of players that both outfits were on the beach. Aierlanren already knew they were finishing fifth, and Sheshou's earlier loss had guaranteed Baomao seventh. The Irish at least sort of seemed to be playing with a little bit to prove; the plastering they'd suffered versus Qiji a week before had been a humiliation. But here's the thing: when the Gold and White play with a little bit to prove, they don't go out and attack. They just park the bus. They draw pride from keeping the other team out. The Irish did win... eventually. They hit the Black and Brown on the counter and picked up the game's first goal in the 89th minute, and then, three minutes later, with the Black Cats fully showing their bellies and surrendering, Chin Chih Yap sent a wonderful curling effort buzzing over the heads of both Hang Ki Tan and Jun Ming to double the lead. Again, though, it's that clean sheet they will really be happy about as the offseason starts.

MATCHDAY 27
Nongmin 2-0 Zhayao
Sheshou 2-3 Xue
Yanjiang 0-0 Qiji
Chongjibo 2-5 Fuchou
Aierlanren 2-0 Baomao

League of the Two Sapphires Standings

   Team             P   W   D   L For  Ag  +/- Pts
01 Chongjibo       27  21   3   3  53  14  +39  66
02 Nongmin         27  16   4   7  48  27  +21  52
 3 Fuchou          27  13   7   7  61  23  +38  46
 4 Qiji            27  11  11   5  38  25  +13  44
 5 Aierlanren      27  11   4  12  27  34   -7  37
 6 Zhayao          27   8   8  11  29  39  -10  32
 7 Baomao          27   7   6  14  22  40  -18  27
 8 Sheshou         27   5  10  12  24  40  -16  25
09 Xue             27   6   4  17  17  42  -25  22
10 Yanjiang        27   3  11  13  25  60  -35  20

PROMOTION PLAYOFF

The real excitement was to be found on Sunday night at the Huangse Migong for the Promotion Playo- oh, wait, nope, it was also rather dull. The home side (Xiniu, or the Blue Rhinos, as their fans call them) were totally dominant for the whole game against Zhanshi. Honestly, it was like watching Chongjibo take on a pub team. The scoreline should have been ten nil at the final whistle, but Xiniu's finishing wasn't great. They still went into stoppage time with a four nil lead and were coasting to promotion when we saw yet more comically bad goalkeeping by their captain Lao Che Cai. With a low-speed cross headed for his feet, all Cai really needed to do was fall on the ball. Instead he... tried to... you know what, it's hard to divine was he was trying to do. What he did was let the cross go into his five hole, at which point he flapped at hit with his boots and caused it to fly into the back of the net. Surely they've got to get rid of this bozo before they return to the League of the Two Sapphires, right?!

Xiniu 4-1 Zhanshi

[Naixi]

SEASON 2 FINAL

Now we're talking. It was a warm and mild fall, but on Saturday night in Chumeichang, as the Zhen Li Jiang Cup final got started, the weather was bitterly cold and rainy. Temperatures in western Naixi averaged around 49°F/9°C as the game began, with Chongjibo sporting their home pink and black colors and Qiji in their traveling white. Verily, it did feel like an unambiguous home game for the Shockwaves for the first quarter of an hour - there were more fans in pink by far and Chongjibo dominated play by quickly distributing the ball outside to exploit Qiji's narrow full backs in transition.

But Chumeichang native Lai Hung was fantastic during this spell, thrice tipping viciously swerving Kian Zhi Yuan shots wide. Slowly, the Wizards fought their way back into the contest. Staying wider when in possession allowed them to shut down Chongjibo's wing transitions, and the Pink and Black started to fall back. Then, in the 33rd minute, a major event for both sides. Iomelda van Hoogstraaten's pace failed her as a Wizards winger raced in behind. As a last-ditch option, she went all in with a slide tackle from behind. The reckless action attracted the indignant attentions of Qiji's whole starting eleven, as well as the attentions of the Purple and White fans in attendance. The Shockwaves contingent went quiet, fearing the worst. But the referee showed only a yellow, and the "visitors" were furious. Their outrage powered them on for the rest of the half. Lu Fang Huang had to be at his absolute best as shots rained down on him.

But the break came at the wrong time for Qiji. With a chance to regroup in the dressing room, the Pink and Black were a side reborn following half time. Last season, the league-cup double had eluded them. They weren't letting it happen again. No way. In the 49th minute, Yuan bested Hung at last. Done with the dainty finessed finishes, he simply put his laces through the ball once he'd worked it into a half yard of space at the top of the D. The ball was still rising as it set the net on fire. Six minutes later, he hit paydirt again, catching Hung off guard with a snap shot off the outside of his boot. Ten minutes into the second period, and the Pink and Black were firing on all cylinders.

Yet once again, the Wizards clawed their way back into it. In the 68th minute, Ma Huan Yep continued his stellar form by going outside rather than his usual in and beating van Hoogstraaten to a long ball with forty yards between himself and the goal. Convincingly playing the part of an inverted winger, he stepped back inside and hammered a grass-cutter underneath the outstretched arms of Huang. Qiji's fans were elated at having halved the deficit. But their hearts sank as the referee prevented the restart from occurring: VAR, as it turns out, was yapping in his ear. Telemetry measured and angles analyzed, the video assistant gave the head referee the bad news... the goal had to be ruled out for offside.

That stung for the Wizards. One got the feeling they wouldn't find a better opportunity against Chongjibo's excellent defense, and they didn't. When the final whistle blew, Yep had to put his arm around a sobbing Hung. For Chongjibo, it was a stupendous triumph. With two trophies to their name, plus the one from last year, the rest of Naixi's elite football clubs will be worried. What's most ominous is seeing how quickly the Shockwaves took to Gui Fan Ren's new tactical regime. Last season, you couldn't stop their strikers. This season, you still can't stop their strikers, but now you can't break them down either. Hundreds more new deadly tactical innovations could yet be loaded into the pink and black cannon, and no fortifications other clubs possess appear robust enough to repel them.

Chongjibo 2-0 Qiji

[Naixi]

SEASON 3 PREVIEW

It feels like it's been forever, but perhaps that's just the chilly winter we've had! The sophomore season of top flight football in Naixi is history, and we can now begin to take stock of domestic football in our splendid, increasingly racially pure nation. The obvious first topic of discussion is Chongjibo. The Pink and Black appear to be emerging as a dynastic juggernaut, and to make matters worse for other teams, a huge investment in the club's international clout is threatening to take their dominance to impossible new heights. A single late goal is all that kept the Shockwaves out of the IFCF Champions League group stage. A trailing three (the Challenger's Cup three, if you like) of Qiji, Nongmin, and Fuchou are also easily identifiable as excellent, well-run clubs... though none can pretend to be a league contender. Aierlanren continue to produce mentally resilient defensive warriors, and finished the season in excellent form, though they failed to make a meaningful splash in general. But huge changes could throw this delicately-balanced system into flux - in the fourth season of the League of the Two Sapphires, the division will be expanding to twelve teams. There will still be two teams going down this season, but four will be promoted from the League of Ascension at season's end. So... about time we get started, wouldn't you agree?

The colossus that is Chongjibo seems to grow mightier and mightier with every passing day. As you might have heard intimated, the Dragomir Lazic era has begun in our nation's capital. Within seconds of the intense Mytanar's arrival at the Huangse Migong, bookies were lengthening their odds on every other team to win the title. Though his tactical vision towards the attacking and direct will undoubtedly be a major shift away from Gui Fan Ren's austere philosophies (and perhaps even the club culture), he has been welcomed by fans of the traditionally left-wing club who see him as a developer rather than a big-budget spender. Cheuk Yan Tsang's arrival on a free transfer from Baomao is a shining example of the thrifty business they like to see, and the profit the club made on Iomelda van Hoogstraaten (who's off to astronomical overspenders Nongmin) is an added benefit. The international competitions could perhaps have gone a bit better for the Pink and Black - they missed out on qualifying for the group stage of the IFCF Champions League after choking at home against Vida de Rico, they finished last in their Challengers Cup group by a wide margin, and they crashed out of the Cup Winners' Cup more or less instantly. But their run to the quarterfinals of the Copa de Campeones does offer some glimpses of a bright future under Lazic, and at the end of the day supporters do understand that this is still a rather new and inexperienced club by international standards. Oh yeah, and we almost forgot: NK Dyka didn't just send over their manager... in the biggest transfer ever in Naixese history, Mytanija national team right back Leontiy Korchagin has also signed for the Shockwaves!

You'd think climbing from a fifth place finish in Season 1 to a runners-up finish last year would be enough for the fans and the board. You'd be wrong. Yet another massive revolution at Chongjibo's archrivals Nongmin has seen their manager Jiawei Sangu sacked and their best two midfielders (Sa Kota Yue and Tan Hung Xun) sold for a fraction of their true value. (Also chased out of the club was perennial bench-dweller Cheng Ji Jung, who is off to Chippewa Valley United in Darmen.) Nothing short of a title is good enough for the Farmers - so named because of their fans' tendency to be middle-class conservatives from rural areas - which the rest of the league finds as befuddling as you do. To be fair, the super-team they've assembled is impressive; Hai Ying Fu is a superb center back, Iomelda van Hoogstraaten is a literal champion, and Tak Hing Jin is a proven League of the Two Sapphires goalscorer. (Just don't look at the bill when the waiter drops it off.) They sure haven't made the worst decision in terms of Jiawei Sangu's replacement, either. Longtime Zhayao boss Chun Lin, a believer in exciting and relentless pressing - and violent tackling, if needs be - has taken the reins. Though at 75 she'll be the league's oldest boss, she has shown no signs of taking her foot off the gas. She has all the pieces she had when she helped the Miners to finish 6th last season, but they are much, much higher quality pieces. Claims that the title race is on are perhaps dubious - Chongjibo are obviously just a class above - but the ceiling is high for Chumeichang's second side.

The magic just wasn't in the air for Fuchou the way it was for them in their first season. They were horrifically inconsistent for the first third of the season, stomping the living daylights out of one or two minnows, but then slouching to several draws that let Chongjibo pull way out in front. The Avengers never recovered, and were in fourth place at the halfway point. As the colors of Naixi's trees began to transform into the illustrious colors of Fuchou's kit, Lian Wei Chew's talented side did begin to look a tad more respectable (thanks in no small part to the emergence of the intellectual midfielder You Liang Mok), but at no point did they ever look like a club that could match the Pink and Black. With supporters demanding an inquest, the Burgundy have made a few changes. Vinicio Juapuala, while having had a generally strong year in maroon, made a few blunders that turned some attitudes sour at the Sha Dadao. He's off to Zhayao, a club where his aggressive tackling will be viewed more charitably. With the club flush with cash from that sale, the Avengers went and bought the goalkeeper Jaromír Janoušek from Tanrısal. With Dalma Kollár dominating the position for the Pasargan heavyweights, Janoušek seems pleased to be held in high regard at Fuchou. So will this Qiawutian side be able to press Chongjibo or Nongmin in the title race? It's very unlikely. Even Avengers partisans acknowledge Yue Hsieh just hasn't been quite at the level she reached in Season 1, and while Jen Ta Jin is definitely a brilliant direct dribbler, he is at times mercurial and unreliable.

Chun Hsia Teoh's reputation as a sophisticated and cosmopolitan thinker precedes her, and during the first League of the Two Sapphires season, it felt at times like an albatross. But the quick and direct Kee Tian, brilliant as he is, proved to be the square peg in the round hole... and it turns out there was nothing actually wrong with the hole. Qiji rose from seventh to fourth by sticking to Teoh's principles of building out of the back and maintaining possession. Goalkeeper Lai Hung and center back Zhen Bang Tan redefined what defenders could be and do in Naixi by becoming integral playmakers, and of course club legend Ma Huan Yep continued to feature as an attacking inverted right back. Next year ought to be a continuation of the Purple and White's excellence, but there are one or two blips on the radar to be concerned with if you are a Wizards supporter. The first and most concerning issue is the departure of Lai Hung. Unsettled following her less-than-brilliant end to the season, she was tempted away from Chumeichang by Qi'e, an affluent newly promoted club that will probably pay her very well but could wreck her career. Highly rated assistant coach Wu Jiang Fa has also been poached by a newly promoted club - Xiniu have appointed him as their manager. Finally, the Wizards' worrying penalty shootout disaster versus Sendhang's KS Gunung Kayasu doesn't augur well for the upcoming campaign. But Teoh is wise, and she's done what every good manager does after sensing rough waters ahead: buy a good striker. 1 million NSD on Cassadagan striker Nicole Carpenter is a steal, and she's bound to knock in a few goals for the Purple and White.

For being a club infamous for their inexhaustible wealth and buying power, Aierlanren sure do sell a lot of good players. Perhaps, the sage and knowledgeable Naixese football expert might reply, that's because the Irish are more than just a giant piggy bank whose fans are all millionaires. The Gold and White are actually highly adept at buying good players at affordable prices at the right time in their careers, and they are just as good at helping talent develop. They also cannot be branded with the same mark as right-wing fellow travelers Nongmin, as rather than hiring and firing a manager (along with a hefty gaggle of first-team players) every offseason, they have stuck with defensive mastermind Kwang Chih Lo through thick and thin. It's for this reason that nobody seems particularly worried about the sale of starting center back Hai Ying Fu to the Farmers. Once more, the Irish will almost certainly be fine next year... but there is an unsaid truth hanging over the club that ought to be concerning for Lo and the ownership group: this lot won the Zhen Li Jiang Cup in Season 1, and supporters feel the name Aierlanren belongs etched onto silverware. Some ambition - some plan to build the club into something bigger - must be invoked eventually. A mid-table finish every single season won't cut it. With no incoming transfers of any kind announced over this close season window, the tiniest rumblings are beginning to issue from the Aierlanren faithful. The pace at which that moaning is to accelerate is as yet unknown.

True to their name, working-class Zhayao are explosive and fiery. So why is the mood so gloomy and damp down in the Valley Districts where the Red and White are beloved? The way fans tell it, their board has sold them out. Long-time boss and steward of the team's fierce identity Chun Lin has been permitted to leave - tempted away by the foully large number of zeroes tacked onto the edge of her salary by the evil Nongmin. Two of their best players are gone, too. Lan Fang Fen is off to Sporting Noordende in Cap Nord; his lovely first touch and free kick skills will be terribly missed. Also vanishing into the fog of "playing abroad" is wingback Lao Shih Xin, whose frightening acceleration and directness seem impossible to replace. Perhaps the biggest disappointment for supporters is the fact that Yuezhou's Jiawei Sangu has been named as Lin's successor. (He is seen as much too tactically old-fashioned for the Miners.) Pundits, too, look at Jiawei Sangu's preference for big, burly target men, and suspect there could be a dilemma waiting in the wings for him, a dilemma in the form of the famously false nine Kuang Yin Cao. But Zhayao should not be regarded as a lock for relegation... not yet, at least. Vinicio Juapuala's transfer is practically mana from heaven; it's hard to imagine a player better suited for the Miners' system. The Cardenaoan is already a fan favorite. And let's not forget the crown jewel of this feisty outfit: the ferocious Qi Chao Hark. If he's on the pitch, the Red and White have a chance to take points off of anyone. If he isn't (and since he has a penchant for having his name taken by referees, he might not be), then the Miners could be flirting with the drop.

It's hard to believe, but around this time last year we were all quietly muttering that Baomao were possibly in danger of being relegated. But they put all of that speculation to rest real quick. For the first third of Season 2, the Black Cats were outstanding. They finished third in the Casaran phase of the Zhen Li Jiang Cup and persistently stayed in mid-table in the League of the Two Sapphires. Yes, the Black and Brown dropped off a bit during the summer and the autumn (although it should not be forgotten that they were cup semifinalists), but they had banked enough points in the league by then that they were nowhere even remotely close to the drop in the end. So, with all of that behind them, will Mei Huo's indomitable side be able to claw their way back into the IFCF competitions next season? It's doubtful, but there is hope... after a season away from the Black Cats (she was only at Nongmin finishing second in the league), Tan Hung Xun is back! The measured and unflappable holding midfielder has returned to the club where she began her career, and the expectation is that the veteran will drive Baomao back into the top half. (After all, the last time she touched a ball in a Baomao shirt, it was to curl in a legendary goal that sent the Black and Brown to the Challengers Cup.) There are a few lingering doubts about who will replace the goals scored by Cheuk Yan Tsang, who was out of contract and went on a free to Chongjibo, but with Xun back, Jun Ming and Hang Ki Tan are likely to be even deadlier than usual on set pieces.

Everyone's already heard about it (and if you read the Nongmin blurb above, you're included in "everyone"), but it still bears repeating that Mr. Sheshou Tak Hing Jin is no longer playing in white and orange. The club's captain and hometown hero was such an embedded fixture within the club culture that statues of him were erected in the Hai's Ferry neighborhood of Qiawutian. I guess they'll all have to be taken down, now... he's been purchased by Nongmin for an undisclosed figure. With the benefit of hindsight, the writing was on the wall. Beloved as Jin might have been, he was terrible for the Marksmen in many games last year. For every chance he put away, there was a chance he lashed wide, and the cherry on top was his incredibly stupid red card during the autumn of Season 2. His resultant suspension occurred at exactly the wrong time for the All-Whites: at one point the club were within two points of the relegation zone with only a few weeks to spare. Therefore, if you take the sentiment away, it makes complete sense that Sheshou opted to cash in. Add to that the substantial payment they'll have received after the Brookstation national team signed Liangde He, and you've got a decent bit of cash to throw around. While the image of He scowling on the touchline, cigarette hanging out of his mouth, will live long in the memory, it must be retired, as a totally new era has begun under the recently-retired Cassadagan right back Caitlyn Kaleta. At 36, she'll be the joint-youngest manager in the division, so it benefits her that the Jin-less Marksmen are a totally empty slate. Striker Tse Peng Chu and midfielder Di Na Sa are probably the two best assets she has to work with.

Moving on to the two newly promoted sides, we start with the flavorless and family-friendly Blue Rhinos. A popular club in the southern Chumeichang residential suburb of Guobiyu, Xiniu were a total catastrophe during their Season 1 spent in the League of the Two Sapphires. Cursed with the division's worst defense, Xiniu disintegrated week after week. Despite this, they still went down carrying a fair number of valuable players, and were able to exchange some of those assets for cold, hard cash. (Lan Fang Fen, who went to Zhayao, and Guan Cai Tsung, who went to Cazadores Cathair, are the two main ones.) That solid financial situation turned out to be critical to life down in the League of Ascension, as they made some astute and inexpensive purchases. Of these, Tse Peng Chu was self-evidently the cream of the crop. His wonderful pace and ability to slip in behind confounded many defenses, and he took home the second flight's Golden Boot award in the end as Xiniu went straight back up. But the more things change, the more things stay the same; Chu was immediately signed by Sheshou as a replacement for Tak Hing Jin. Without their star player, Blue Rhinos fans are left with two dicey hopes: one, that new manager Wu Jiang Fa, a former assistant for the Wizards, can turn Xiniu into a new Qiji, and two, that Lao Che Cai has some slender shred of the old Lao Che Cai left in him. (He once wore the number one shirt for the national team. He can do it again, fans say. But they're almost certainly wrong.)

Finally, our country's third most populous city at last gets a team in the League of the Two Sapphires, and boy is it a team. Qi'e ruled the roost in the League of Ascension in Season 2 of Naixese football, and made a splash in the Zhen Li Jiang Cup as well, reaching the quarterfinals and only going out because they slammed head-on into eventual winners Chongjibo. Having lifted the second division's championship trophy, the Penguins stormed onward through the third qualifying round of the Liga B Champions Trophy, where they pasted Cassadaigua's Jefferson United. They received a rather unfavorable draw in the next round, and were crushed by Nepharan side North Laithland, but kept their faultless domestic reputation intact. During Season 3, Qi'e will be the only team from outside the Two Sapphires to play in the... uh... League of the Two Sapphires, but they aren't likely to be just any old embattled minnow from the east (Yanjiang and Xue send their regards). The Penguins are owned by a billionaire titan of the aviation industry, and have endless pockets. Goalkeeper Lai Hung, formerly of Qiji, is just the first of many marquee transfers they are going to make, or so the board declares. The Goldenrods certainly would have the look of a new domestic powerhouse, if not for their utterly baffling decision to hire Kharakian manager Aleks Treás to lead them during the upcoming campaign. Treás is mostly known in his home country for his utter unwillingness to cooperate with ownership, and at a club like Qi'e, that would seem to be a major problem.

Well, that's all ten teams! Who do you have money on to take home the title? Chongjibo, for a third year running? Outside money on Nongmin? Who's going to the IFCF competitions? Fuchou? Qiji? Probably. What about Aierlanren or Baomao? Do they have it in them? Can either of Qi'e or Xiniu stay up? We can only wait and see...

HISTORY

Season #    League Champion         League Runner-Up        Cup Champion            Cup Runner-Up
1           Chongjibo               Fuchou                  Aierlanren              Chongjibo
2           Chongjibo               Nongmin                 Chongjibo               Qiji

RETIREMENTS

None

TRANSFERS

INTO LEAGUE OF THE TWO SAPPHIRES

RB Leontiy Korchagin from NK Dyka (Mytanija) to Chongjibo
GK Jaromír Janoušek from Tanrısal (Pasarga) to Fuchou
ST Nicole Carpenter from Rutland FC (Cassadaigua) to Qiji

OUT OF LEAGUE OF THE TWO SAPPHIRES

ST Cheng Ji Jung from Nongmin to Chippewa Valley United (Darmen)
CM Sa Kota Yue from Nongmin to Sanar (Chromatika)
RW Wei Yan Lin from Yanjiang to Mazinaw Vanorian (Kelssek)
DM Lan Fang Fen from Zhayao to Sporting Noordende (Cap Nord)
LB Lao Shih Xin from Zhayao to Veriasod Wolves (Tikariot)

WITHIN LEAGUE OF THE TWO SAPPHIRES

DM Tan Hung Xun from Nongmin to Baomao
ST Cheuk Yan Tsang from Baomao to Chongjibo
CB Hai Ying Fu from Aierlanren to Nongmin
LB Iomelda van Hoogstraaten from Chongjibo to Nongmin
ST Tak Hing Jin from Sheshou to Nongmin
GK Lai Hung from Qiji to Qi’e
ST Tse Peng Chu from Xiniu to Sheshou
CB Vinicio Juapuala from Fuchou to Zhayao

MANAGERIAL CHANGES

DEPARTURES

Gui Fan Ren from Chongjibo (bought away by Naixi national team)
Jiawei Sangu from Nongmin (sacked)
Liangde He from Sheshou (bought away by Brookstation national team)
Zhi Gong An from Xue (sacked)
Xiao Niao Ding from Yanjiang (sacked)
Chun Lin from Zhayao (bought away by Nongmin)

ARRIVALS

Dragomir Lazic (Mytanija) at Chongjibo (bought away from NK Dyka)
Chun Lin at Nongmin (bought away from Zhayao)
Aleks Treás (Kharakia) at Qi'e (hired as free agent)
Caitlyn Kaleta (Cassadaigua) at Sheshou (hired as free agent)
Wu Jiang Fa at Xiniu (former Qiji assistant)
Jiawei Sangu (Yuezhou) at Zhayao (hired as free agent)

FOREIGN PLAYERS

Vinicio Juapuala (Cardenao, Zhayao)
Nicole Carpenter (Cassadaigua, Qiji)
Leontiy Korchagin (Mytanija, Chongjibo)
Jaromír Janoušek (Pasarga, Fuchou)
Iomelda van Hoogstraaten (Tikariot, Nongmin)

TEAM-BY-TEAM BREAKDOWN

AIERLANREN

Nickname(s): The Irish
Colors: Metallic gold and white, with trim in green and orange
City: Qiawutian
Stadium: Sha Dadao (27,190 seats)
Manager: Kwang Chih Lo (he/him, 48)
Notable Players: Chen Ling, Chin Chih Yap
Finish Last Year: 5th
Aierlanren in Twelve Words: Trophies? Pretty doubtful... but nobody's defense is more organized than the Irish's.
Supporter Politics: Right
Supporter Expectations: IFCF spots

BAOMAO

Nickname(s): The Black Cats
Colors: Black and light brown
City: Qiawutian
Stadium: Sha Dadao (27,190 seats)
Manager: Mei Huo (he/him, 42)
Notable Players: Hang Ki Tan, Jun Ming, Tan Hung Xun
Finish Last Year: 7th
Baomao in Twelve Words: Prodigal Daughter Xun returns, so naturally Black Cats eye international competitions again.
Supporter Politics: Far left
Supporter Expectations: Mid-table

CHONGJIBO

Nickname(s): The Shockwaves
Colors: Pink and black
City: Chumeichang
Stadium: Huangse Migong (34,117 seats)
Manager: Dragomir Lazic (MYT) (he/him, 62)
Notable Players: Cheuk Yan Tsang, Kian Zhi Yuan, Leontiy Korchagin, Lu Fang Huang, Mei Ying Chang
Finish Last Year: Champions
Chongjibo in Twelve Words: Mytanar-flavored juggernaut possesses best goalkeeper and best midfield. Lock for threepeat.
Supporter Politics: Left
Supporter Expectations: Title

FUCHOU

Nickname(s): The Avengers
Colors: Burgundy and tangerine
City: Qiawutian
Stadium: Sha Dadao (27,190 seats)
Manager: Lian Wei Chew (he/him, 36)
Notable Players: Jaromír Janoušek, Jen Ta Jin, You Liang Mok, Yue Hsieh
Finish Last Year: 3rd
Fuchou in Twelve Words: Until Mok broke through, midfield was horrible. Still needs work. Why Janoušek?
Supporter Politics: Apathetic
Supporter Expectations: IFCF spots

NONGMIN

Nickname(s): The Farmers
Colors: Silver and red
City: Chumeichang
Stadium: Huangse Migong (34,117 seats)
Manager: Chun Lin (she/her, 75)
Notable Players: Chong Xian Ye, Hai Ying Fu, Iomelda van Hoogstraaten, Tak Hing Jin
Finish Last Year: 2nd
Nongmin in Twelve Words: Latest Farmers overhaul reckless but impressive. Lin's squad should finish second again.
Supporter Politics: Right
Supporter Expectations: Title

QI'E

Nickname(s): The Penguins
Colors: Goldenrod and black
City: Wanqianganga
Stadium: Huangtong Ta (20,520 seats)
Manager: Aleks Treás (KRK) (he/him, 44)
Notable Players: Lai Hung
Finish Last Year: Champions, League of Ascension
Qi'e in Twelve Words: Rich Penguins of Wanqianganga too big for their britches. Hung's incredible, though.
Supporter Politics: Far right
Supporter Expectations: Escape relegation

QIJI

Nickname(s): The Wizards
Colors: Purple and white
City: Chumeichang
Stadium: Huangse Migong (34,117 seats)
Manager: Chun Hsia Teoh (she/her, 43)
Notable Players: Ma Huan Yep, Nicole Carpenter, Zhen Bang Tan
Finish Last Year: 4th
Qiji in Twelve Words: Carpenter gives Purple and White great chance to stay in top four.
Supporter Politics: Left
Supporter Expectations: IFCF spots

SHESHOU

Nickname(s): The Marksmen
Colors: White and aerospace orange
City: Qiawutian
Stadium: Sha Dadao (27,190 seats)
Manager: Caitlyn Kaleta (CDG) (she/her, 36)
Notable Players: Di Na Sa, Tse Peng Chu
Finish Last Year: 8th
Sheshou in Twelve Words: Losing Jin's excruciating, but Kaleta's rebooting. Can't get worse than last year.
Supporter Politics: Far right
Supporter Expectations: Mid-table

XINIU

Nickname(s): The Blue Rhinos
Colors: Navy blue and sea blue
City: Chumeichang
Stadium: Huangse Migong (34,117 seats)
Manager: Wu Jiang Fa (he/him, 37)
Notable Players: Lao Che Cai
Finish Last Year: 2nd, League of Ascension
Xiniu in Twelve Words: Cai was once brilliant, but never came back from Baptism of Fire.
Supporter Politics: Apathetic
Supporter Expectations: Escape relegation

ZHAYAO

Nickname(s): The Miners
Colors: Red and white
City: Qiawutian
Stadium: Sha Dadao (27,190 seats)
Manager: Jiawei Sangu (YZH) (he/him, 60)
Notable Players: Kuang Yin Cao, Qi Chao Hark, Vinicio Juapuala, Yung Ping Shao
Finish Last Year: 6th
Zhayao in Twelve Words: Juapuala and Hark are Miners' only hope. Relegation struggle will be arduous.
Supporter Politics: Left
Supporter Expectations: Escape relegation

[Naixi]

SEASON 3 PREVIEW

Zhen Li Jiang is a modern artist who resides in Chumeichang. Her body of work is considered engaging, colorful, and original by Naixese art scholars. Perhaps those scholars are biased, though, as Jiang is a national hero due to her service in the armed forces during the independence conflict. (International art scholars - weirdly - take an extremely dim view of Jiang's output, calling it "dull," "so ordinary it may as well be the work of a child," and "quality comparable to a collision between two paint trucks.") So renowned is she as a national figure that her namesake has been bestowed upon the nation's foremost domestic cup competition, and she is the person who designed most of its branding.

So what do we know about the Zhen Li Jiang Cup? Well, last year Chongjibo won it, while also taking home the trophy for the League of the Two Sapphires, giving them a domestic league-cup double. But let's be fair, their path was made a bit easier by some amazing underperformances early on. Remember when Zhayao, Nongmin, and Aierlanren all failed to make the quarterfinals? They just couldn't handle the jaw-dropping intensity! In no way was it because they fielded weaker teams. All of this is simply to remind and reassure you that some great football gets played in this tournament, and there's a pretty cool prize obtained in the end for winning it: appearing in the IFCF Cup Winners' Cup.

So who will we find in this little tournament? We've got all ten teams in the League of the Two Sapphires, for one. And, we've also got twelve teams from the second tier, the League of Ascension. That makes twenty two teams total. Could we simply start with a qualification phase prior to a round of octofinals? Sure. But that would be too uncomplicated. Instead, the first four rounds of the tournament are run in the Casaran system, which pairs teams off based on how well they've done so far. The more you win, the more likely you are to play another team that's winning.

After we get done with the Casaran, we'll have a final table, and the top eight teams in that table will advance to the quarterfinals. The quarterfinals, semifinals, and final will resemble a much simpler knockout cup system. The final will be a single match played at the stadium of the higher-seeded team (based on the Casaran). The quarters and semis will be two-legged, but again, the higher-seeded team (based on the Casaran) will play the second leg at home.

Fixtures in the Casaran will be published immediately upon completion of each round. The first round of fixtures is generated entirely randomly. We've just conducted the draw for that first round... would you like to give it a look?

Baomao v Qi'e
Wangzi v Chongjibo
Qiji v Wenzi
Jingying v Zhanshi
Fuchou v Zhayao
Xue v Xiniu
Baiyi v Yanjiang
Sheshou v Youyi
Aierlanren v Nongmin
Yinying v Shenmi
Leiyu v Shuqin

Best of luck to all participants! We've got some really tasty fixtures to gawk at already. A couple of opening fixtures are copies of last season's first round schedule. Nongmin have drawn Season 1 winners Aierlanren and, in the battle of the X's, Xue have got Xiniu once more. Elsewhere, last season's semifinalists Baomao will host newly-promoted Qi'e, and our silver medalists Qiji will be at home to the Mosquitoes of Wenzi. We'll reconvene in a few weeks after all these games are played.

[Naixi]

SEASON 3 SUPER CUP

Stadium: Huangse Migong
City: Chumeichang
Date: Friday, August 1
Time: 20:00
Temperature: 56°F/13°C
Weather: ☂ Downpour

Result: Chongjibo 2-1 Qiji
Goal Minutes: 12' 46' 60'
Player of the Match: Ma Huan Yep (assist)

Despite the Shockwaves' attractive first half play, Ma Huan Yep's control of the midfield made the Wizards look much the better team after the restart, and he assisted on the equalizer seconds into the second half. Of course, to lose the Super Cup on a goal against the run of play on the hour mark seems harsh. But, in a year after the Pink and Black did the double, perhaps it's only just and fair that they won the Super Cup. What business did the Purple and White have appearing in this match, after all?

[Naixi]

SEASON 3 MATCHDAY 1

Stadium: Huangtong Ta
City: Wanqianganga
Date: Friday, August 8
Time: 20:00
Temperature: 50°F/10°C
Weather: ☁ Cloudy

Result: Qi'e 0-7 Chongjibo
Goal Minutes: 25' 28' 31' 41' 53' 66' 89'
Player of the Match: Kian Zhi Yuan (3 assists)

Ouch. Under the cosh for virtually the entirety of the season's opening fixture, the Goldenrods took as bad a beating as they are likely to take all year. The home fans shivered morosely in the stands all night long, surely concerned that this could be how the rest of the campaign goes. For the Shockwaves, it was hardly the largest obstacle they'll crash into during the upcoming year, but nonetheless Dragomir Lazic can plausibly claim that he's turned an already deadly weapon into a big-ass pink flamethrower.

Stadium: Huangse Migong
City: Chumeichang
Date: Saturday, August 9
Time: 20:00
Temperature: 56°F/13°C
Weather: ☂ Drizzle

Result: Xiniu 1-2 Nongmin
Goal Minutes: 1' 47' 67'
Player of the Match: Tak Hing Jin (goal, assist)

44 seconds into the affair, Blue Rhinos fans were in disbelief. Channeling their boss' former club, the "hosts" put together a splendid passing move to stun last season's league runners-up. But the Silver and Red were unfazed. Tak Hing Jin was particularly superb. Lurking eternally halfway between Xiniu's defense and midfield, he always looked like scoring. He restored parity on behalf of his new club two minutes after half time and provided the dinked cross that a midfielder blasted in to nab all three points.

Stadium: Sha Dadao
City: Qiawutian
Date: Saturday, August 9
Time: 20:00
Temperature: 53°F/12°C
Weather: ☂ Drizzle

Result: Zhayao 1-0 Baomao
Goal Minutes: 71'
Player of the Match: Vinicio Juapuala (clean sheet)

The honest truth is that the better team lost this game. The Black and Brown ought to have converted 3 full-on clear-cut chances - just look at their incredibly high xG - but time after time they came up short, growing increasingly frustrated as the game went on. So what happened? Vinicio Juapuala wanted a clean sheet on his debut, that's what happened. Absolutely determined not to concede, he kept the Miners organized at the back and his side ultimately crushed Baomao's hopes with a late winner.

Stadium: Sha Dadao
City: Qiawutian
Date: Sunday, August 10
Time: 20:00
Temperature: 50°F/10°C
Weather: ☂ Downpour

Result: Sheshou 1-1 Qiji
Goal Minutes: 64' 75'
Player of the Match: Zhen Bang Tan (goal)

The groundskeeper at the Sha Dadao proved he's worth every penny on Sunday night, as the pitch weathered a severe beating from the torrential rain and ultimately produced a fine game. Caitlyn Kaleta's new-look All-Whites were great in the first half as they tortured the Purple and White with accurate long balls. But in the second half they dropped off. Even though the Marksmen scored in the 64th, they had no answer for Zhen Bang Tan's midfield wandering and the Wizards' libero equalized on 75 minutes.

Stadium: Sha Dadao
City: Qiawutian
Date: Monday, August 11
Time: 20:00
Temperature: 51°F/11°C
Weather: ☂ Drizzle

Result: Fuchou 1-0 Aierlanren
Goal Minutes: 80'
Player of the Match: Jen Ta Jin (assist)

Creative and energetic, Jen Ta Jin has always been monitored by tactical analysts because he makes life so difficult for opponents who want to keep it tight and play for a draw. Aierlanren are without a doubt one such team, and they will be bitterly disappointed that they mostly succeeded in keeping the mercurial Avengers winger quiet for an hour plus and came away with nothing. Jin had the last laugh, slaloming through the Irish defense and back-heeling an assist through traffic with ten minutes to spare.

League of the Two Sapphires Standings

   Team           P W D L For Ag +/- Pts
01 Chongjibo      1 1 0 0  7  0  +7  3
02 Nongmin        1 1 0 0  2  1  +1  3
 3 Zhayao         1 1 0 0  1  0  +1  3
 4 Fuchou         1 1 0 0  1  0  +1  3
 5 Sheshou        1 0 1 0  1  1  +0  1
 6 Qiji           1 0 1 0  1  1  +0  1
 7 Xiniu          1 0 0 1  1  2  -1  0
 8 Aierlanren     1 0 0 1  0  1  -1  0
09 Baomao         1 0 0 1  0  1  -1  0
10 Qi'e           1 0 0 1  0  7  -7  0

[Naixi]

SEASON 3 MATCHDAY 1

MATCHDAY 1
Yinying 3-0 Wangzi
Shenmi 1-2 Xue
Youyi 2-3 Shuqin
Wenzi 4-1 Yanjiang
Zhanshi 0-0 Leiyu
Jingying 2-1 Baiyi

League of Ascension Standings

    Team         P W D L For Ag +/- Pts
001 Wenzi        1 1 0 0  4  1  +3  3
  2 Yinying      1 1 0 0  3  0  +3  3
  3 Shuqin       1 1 0 0  3  2  +1  3
004 Jingying     1 1 0 0  2  1  +1  3
  5 Xue          1 1 0 0  2  1  +1  3
006 Zhanshi      1 0 1 0  0  0  +0  1
  7 Leiyu        1 0 1 0  0  0  +0  1
  8 Youyi        1 0 0 1  2  3  -1  0
  9 Shenmi       1 0 0 1  1  2  -1  0
 10 Baiyi        1 0 0 1  1  2  -1  0
 11 Yanjiang     1 0 0 1  1  4  -3  0
 12 Wangzi       1 0 0 1  0  3  -3  0

[Naixi]

SEASON 3 MATCHDAY 2

Stadium: Huangse Migong
City: Chumeichang
Date: Friday, August 15
Time: 20:00
Temperature: 53°F/12°C 
Weather: ☾ Partly Clear

Result: Chongjibo 1-0 Zhayao
Goal Minutes: 3'
Player of the Match: Mei Ying Chang (goal)

Jiawei Sangu might feel as though an injustice was done in Chumeichang on Friday night; the Miners' xG was 2.4 and Chongjibo's was 1.7 at full time. But let's not forget: a week ago the Black Cats thoroughly outplayed the Red and White but still lost. This is, sadly, a case of living by the sword and dying by the sword. Despite threatening the Shockwaves' back line multiple times, Zhayao never found a breakthrough, and Mei Ying Chang's very early finessed finish was enough for the Pink and Black to win.

Stadium: Huangse Migong
City: Chumeichang
Date: Saturday, August 16
Time: 15:00
Temperature: 63°F/17°C
Weather: ☂ Downpour

Result: Qiji 1-1 Nongmin
Goal Minutes: 27' 69'
Player of the Match: Iomelda van Hoogstraaten (assist)

It's a minor Chumeichang derby, to be sure (both sides consider Chongjibo to be their major rivals), but it's a Chumeichang derby nonetheless when Qiji and Nongmin square off. The heavy winter rain kept the quality of the match low, but the Purple and White had a clear plan to deal with it, and relentlessly pounded the Farmers' flanks all game long. Iomelda van Hoogstraaten was defensively excellent, and she capped off her performance providing a lovely curling cross for the Silver and Red's equalizer.

Stadium: Sha Dadao
City: Qiawutian
Date: Saturday, August 16
Time: 15:00
Temperature: 58°F/14°C
Weather: ☂ Rain

Result: Fuchou 2-0 Qi'e
Goal Minutes: 27' 85'
Player of the Match: You Liang Mok (2 assists)

The fixture computer's been a spiteful god from the Penguins' perspective: no-one would start the year well if they had to play Chongjibo and Fuchou in consecutive games. Still, Qi'e looks... really bad. Doesn't look like they're going to stay up on the basis of what we've seen so far. The Avengers should frankly have won by a wider margin, but You Liang Mok's distinguished passing performance is still worthy of praise. That's two wins to start the year for the Burgundy and they're level on points with Chongjibo.

Stadium: Sha Dadao
City: Qiawutian
Date: Sunday, August 17
Time: 20:00
Temperature: 45°F/7°C
Weather: ☂ Drizzle

Result: Baomao 1-0 Xiniu
Goal Minutes: 1'
Player of the Match: Hang Ki Tan (assist, clean sheet)

That's two confident performances in a row from the Black and Brown - they should have defeated the Miners on opening day, but simply got unlucky. Karma sent them a check just 27 seconds into their matchup with the Blue Rhinos - Hang Ki Tan simply got it launched for the Black Cats' number nine and Cai (unsurprisingly) made an error reading the flight of the ball. Take nothing away from Tan... he spent the second half cranking out interception after interception. Baomao look good early on this year.

Stadium: Sha Dadao
City: Qiawutian
Date: Monday, August 18
Time: 20:00
Temperature: 44°F/7°C
Weather: ☁ Cloudy

Result: Aierlanren 1-1 Sheshou
Goal Minutes: 3' 52'
Player of the Match: Chin Chih Yap (goal)

In yet another rare Monday night game (not so rare anymore, I guess... this is the second week in a row), the Irish and the Marksmen braved the bitter cold at the Sha Dadao. This much was clear: neither side wanted to lose. It makes sense when you remember that neither club won on Matchday 1. Well... they got their wish... but neither won, either. The Gold and White were vaguely better (Chin Chih Yap's outside-of-the-boot strike to snap up an early lead was remarkable), but will have to take the point.

League of the Two Sapphires Standings

   Team            P  W  D  L For Ag +/- Pts
01 Chongjibo       2  2  0  0  8  0  +8  6
02 Fuchou          2  2  0  0  3  0  +3  6
 3 Nongmin         2  1  1  0  3  2  +1  4
 4 Zhayao          2  1  0  1  1  1  +0  3
 5 Baomao          2  1  0  1  1  1  +0  3
 6 Sheshou         2  0  2  0  2  2  +0  2
 7 Qiji            2  0  2  0  2  2  +0  2
 8 Aierlanren      2  0  1  1  1  2  -1  1
09 Xiniu           2  0  0  2  1  3  -2  0
10 Qi'e            2  0  0  2  0  9  -9  0

[Naixi]

SEASON 3 MATCHDAY 2

MATCHDAY 2
Xue 0-2 Yinying
Shuqin 3-4 Wangzi
Yanjiang 0-3 Shenmi
Leiyu 6-0 Youyi
Baiyi 0-2 Wenzi
Jingying 2-3 Zhanshi

League of Ascension Standings

    Team          P  W D  L For Ag +/- Pts
001 Wenzi         2  2 0  0  6  1  +5  6
  2 Yinying       2  2 0  0  5  0  +5  6
  3 Leiyu         2  1 1  0  6  0  +6  4
004 Zhanshi       2  1 1  0  3  2  +1  4
  5 Shenmi        2  1 0  1  4  2  +2  3
006 Shuqin        2  1 0  1  6  6  +0  3
  7 Jingying      2  1 0  1  4  4  +0  3
  8 Xue           2  1 0  1  2  3  -1  3
  9 Wangzi        2  1 0  1  4  6  -2  3
 10 Baiyi         2  0 0  2  1  4  -3  0
 11 Yanjiang      2  0 0  2  1  7  -6  0
 12 Youyi         2  0 0  2  2  9  -7  0

[Naixi]

SEASON 3 MATCHDAY 3

Stadium: Sha Dadao
City: Qiawutian
Date: Friday, August 22
Time: 20:00
Temperature: 48°F/9°C 
Weather: ☾ Partly Clear

Result: Sheshou 1-1 Qi'e
Goal Minutes: 51' 70'
Player of the Match: Di Na Sa (goal)

Well, the Penguins finally got a point. But you'll have to really dig deep to find anyone outside of Wanqianganga who thinks it was legitimate. By rights, Di Na Sa's serpentine run through the heart of the Goldenrods' defense - that ended with a 51st minute goal - should have been the game's single scoring event. Instead, an absolutely baffling VAR decision awarded a penalty to the visitors when an All-Whites defender delivered the tiniest nudge in the box. Qi'e used the penalty to equalize, and took a point.

Stadium: Huangse Migong
City: Chumeichang
Date: Friday, August 22
Time: 20:00
Temperature: 44°F/7°C
Weather: ☾ Partly Clear

Result: Nongmin 3-0 Aierlanren
Goal Minutes: 20' 66' 68'
Player of the Match: Tak Hing Jin (2 goals, assist)

Chun Lin's Zhayao seemed semi-permanently down to ten men last year, such was the rate at which they had players sent off. She'll be mightily relieved that during this match, played under dry but cold conditions at the Huangse Migong, went the other way. An Irish center back was shown a red in the 10th minute, and the hosts coasted from there. Tak Hing Jin earned a first half assist for a fabulous no-look through ball, then nabbed a second half brace. He currently leads the league's scoring charts.

Stadium: Sha Dadao
City: Qiawutian
Date: Saturday, August 23
Time: 15:00
Temperature: 59°F/15°C 
Weather: ☂ Drizzle

Result: Zhayao 0-0 Fuchou
Goal Minutes: -
Player of the Match: Yung Ping Shao (clean sheet)

Everyone worried thunderously on the Miners' behalf when Jiawei Sangu was appointed that his tactical style would conflict with the players he had available at his new club. On the basis of what we've seen so far this year, they were right (Kuang Yin Cao has been terrible), but failed to realize how well Zhayao would defend. Yet again the Red and White battled courageously for a clean sheet. For the "visiting" Avengers, it was an infuriating result - one that sees Nongmin leap ahead of them in the table.

Stadium: Huangse Migong
City: Chumeichang
Date: Saturday, August 23
Time: 20:00
Temperature: 48°F/9°C
Weather: ☂ Downpour

Result: Xiniu 0-2 Qiji
Goal Minutes: 28' 82'
Player of the Match: Ma Huan Yep (2 assists)

Nothing feels worse than being left behind. 24 hours after the Penguins picked up a precious point and moved off the bottom of the table, the pressure was on the other recently-promoted club to do the same. But the Blue Rhinos tragically had the misfortune of facing a Qiji side who felt equally backed into a corner after going winless in their first two games. Ma Huan Yep was astonishingly good yet again; the inverted right back's passing masterclass tore Xiniu apart and he assisted on both the Wizards' goals.

Stadium: Sha Dadao
City: Qiawutian
Date: Sunday, August 24
Time: 15:00
Temperature: 60°F/16°C
Weather: ☂ Rain

Result: Baomao 1-0 Chongjibo
Goal Minutes: 80'
Player of the Match: Tan Hung Xun (assist)

Now we're cooking with gas. On a damp Sunday afternoon in Qiawutian, we finally got the first true upset of the season. The Black and Brown, who had shown hints over Matchdays 1 and 2 that they had this in them, threw the League of the Two Sapphires into chaos by stunning the champions. It would have been a surprising result if all the Black Cats had done was keep it scoreless, but it was positively jaw-dropping when Tan Hung Xun's aerial through ball was converted into a winner for the hosts.

League of the Two Sapphires Standings

   Team            P  W  D  L For Ag +/- Pts
01 Nongmin         3  2  1  0  6  2  +4  7
02 Fuchou          3  2  1  0  3  0  +3  7
 3 Chongjibo       3  2  0  1  8  1  +7  6
 4 Baomao          3  2  0  1  2  1  +1  6
 5 Qiji            3  1  2  0  4  2  +2  5
 6 Zhayao          3  1  1  1  1  1  +0  4
 7 Sheshou         3  0  3  0  3  3  +0  3
 8 Aierlanren      3  0  1  2  1  5  -4  1
09 Qi'e            3  0  1  2  1 10  -9  1
10 Xiniu           3  0  0  3  1  5  -4  0

[Naixi]

SEASON 3 MATCHDAY 3

MATCHDAY 3
Yinying 1-1 Shuqin
Xue 4-1 Yanjiang
Wangzi 1-1 Leiyu
Shenmi 3-0 Baiyi
Youyi 0-1 Jingying
Wenzi 1-0 Zhanshi

League of Ascension Standings

    Team          P  W  D  L For  Ag +/- Pts
001 Wenzi         3  3  0  0  7   1  +6  9
  2 Yinying       3  2  1  0  6   1  +5  7
  3 Shenmi        3  2  0  1  7   2  +5  6
004 Xue           3  2  0  1  6   4  +2  6
  5 Jingying      3  2  0  1  5   4  +1  6
006 Leiyu         3  1  2  0  7   1  +6  5
  7 Shuqin        3  1  1  1  7   7  +0  4
  8 Zhanshi       3  1  1  1  3   3  +0  4
  9 Wangzi        3  1  1  1  5   7  -2  4
 10 Baiyi         3  0  0  3  1   7  -6  0
 11 Youyi         3  0  0  3  2  10  -8  0
 12 Yanjiang      3  0  0  3  2  11  -9  0

[Naixi]

SEASON 3 CASARAN ROUND 1

With their blowout win over the Penguins, Baomao fully christen themselves as the form team in the early part of Season 3. Chongjibo, Fuchou, Nongmin, Qiji, and a few lower division stragglers with easy draws also follow them into the win column. The Qiawutian clubs Aierlanren, Zhayao, and Sheshou all lose, with the latter having the most to worry about considering how weak their opponent was (League of Ascension club Youyi). Life gets no easier for the Marksmen; their Round 2 opponent is going to be the Miners. Speaking of Round 2, the biggest matchup is certain to be the showdown between Fuchou and Nongmin in Chumeichang. Baomao and Chongjibo will both have splendid opportunities to double their points tally as they've drawn lower-division sides, and Qiji have to play fellow League of the Two Sapphires outfit Xiniu, but don't forget: the Blue Rhinos are dead last in the league.

Baomao 4-0 Qi'e
Wangzi 0-2 Chongjibo
Qiji 2-1 Wenzi
Jingying 1-1 Zhanshi
Fuchou 4-1 Zhayao
Xue 1-1 Xiniu
Baiyi 2-1 Yanjiang
Sheshou 0-1 Youyi
Aierlanren 2-3 Nongmin
Yinying 1-3 Shenmi
Leiyu 4-1 Shuqin

                         Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
01 Baomao                  1    1   0   0     4    0   +4     3
 2 Fuchou                  1    1   0   0     4    1   +3     3
   Leiyu                   1    1   0   0     4    1   +3     3
 4 Shenmi                  1    1   0   0     3    1   +2     3
 5 Chongjibo               1    1   0   0     2    0   +2     3
 6 Nongmin                 1    1   0   0     3    2   +1     3
 7 Baiyi                   1    1   0   0     2    1   +1     3
   Qiji                    1    1   0   0     2    1   +1     3
 9 Youyi                   1    1   0   0     1    0   +1     3
10 Jingying                1    0   1   0     1    1    0     1
   Xiniu                   1    0   1   0     1    1    0     1
   Xue                     1    0   1   0     1    1    0     1
   Zhanshi                 1    0   1   0     1    1    0     1
14 Aierlanren              1    0   0   1     2    3   −1     0
15 Wenzi                   1    0   0   1     1    2   −1     0
   Yanjiang                1    0   0   1     1    2   −1     0
17 Sheshou                 1    0   0   1     0    1   −1     0
18 Yinying                 1    0   0   1     1    3   −2     0
19 Wangzi                  1    0   0   1     0    2   −2     0
20 Shuqin                  1    0   0   1     1    4   −3     0
   Zhayao                  1    0   0   1     1    4   −3     0
22 Qi'e                    1    0   0   1     0    4   −4     0

Next Round Schedule

Shenmi v Baomao
Chongjibo v Leiyu
Nongmin v Fuchou
Youyi v Baiyi
Xiniu v Qiji
Zhanshi v Xue
Yanjiang v Jingying
Wenzi v Aierlanren
Zhayao v Sheshou
Shuqin v Yinying
Qi'e v Wangzi

[Naixi]

SEASON 3 MATCHDAY 4

Stadium: Sha Dadao
City: Qiawutian
Date: Friday, September 12
Time: 20:00
Temperature: 54°F/12°C 
Weather: ☂ Drizzle

Result: Sheshou 2-2 Zhayao
Goal Minutes: 7' 49' 56' 84'
Player of the Match: Yung Ping Shao (2 goals)

Stadium: Huangse Migong
City: Chumeichang
Date: Friday, September 12
Time: 20:00
Temperature: 53°F/12°C
Weather: ☂ Rain

Result: Chongjibo 3-0 Xiniu
Goal Minutes: 8' 27' 29'
Player of the Match: Cheuk Yan Tsang (3 assists)

Stadium: Sha Dadao
City: Qiawutian
Date: Saturday, September 13
Time: 15:00
Temperature: 63°F/17°C
Weather: ☀ Clear

Result: Aierlanren 1-1 Qiji
Goal Minutes: 32' 34'
Player of the Match: Zhen Bang Tan (goal)

Stadium: Huangtong Ta
City: Wanqianganga
Date: Saturday, September 13
Time: 20:00
Temperature: 57°F/14°C
Weather: ☂ Rain

Result: Qi'e 1-4 Nongmin
Goal Minutes: 26' 56' 73' 77' 86'
Player of the Match: Iomelda van Hoogstraaten (3 assists)

Stadium: Sha Dadao
City: Qiawutian
Date: Sunday, September 14
Time: 20:00
Temperature: 56°F/13°C
Weather: ☂ Downpour

Result: Fuchou 1-1 Baomao
Goal Minutes: 34' 42'
Player of the Match: Jun Ming (assist)

League of the Two Sapphires Standings

   Team            P  W  D  L For  Ag  +/- Pts
01 Nongmin         4  3  1  0  10   3   +7 10
02 Chongjibo       4  3  0  1  11   1  +10  9
 3 Fuchou          4  2  2  0   4   1   +3  8
 4 Baomao          4  2  1  1   3   2   +1  7
 5 Qiji            4  1  3  0   5   3   +2  6
 6 Zhayao          4  1  2  1   3   3   +0  5
 7 Sheshou         4  0  4  0   5   5   +0  4
 8 Aierlanren      4  0  2  2   2   6   -4  2
09 Qi'e            4  0  1  3   2  14  -12  1
10 Xiniu           4  0  0  4   1   8   -7  0

[Naixi]

SEASON 3 MATCHDAY 4

MATCHDAY 4
Yanjiang 2-1 Yinying
Leiyu 0-0 Shuqin
Baiyi 0-1 Xue
Jingying 0-3 Wangzi
Zhanshi 1-1 Shenmi
Wenzi 1-0 Youyi

League of Ascension Standings

    Team          P  W  D  L For  Ag +/- Pts
001 Wenzi         4  4  0  0  8   1  +7  12
  2 Xue           4  3  0  1  7   4  +3   9
  3 Shenmi        4  2  1  1  8   3  +5   7
004 Yinying       4  2  1  1  7   3  +4   7
  5 Wangzi        4  2  1  1  8   7  +1   7
006 Leiyu         4  1  3  0  7   1  +6   6
  7 Jingying      4  2  0  2  5   7  -2   6
  8 Shuqin        4  1  2  1  7   7  +0   5
  9 Zhanshi       4  1  2  1  4   4  +0   5
 10 Yanjiang      4  1  0  3  4  12  -8   3
 11 Baiyi         4  0  0  4  1   8  -7   0
 12 Youyi         4  0  0  4  2  11  -9   0

[Naixi]

SEASON 3 MATCHDAY 5

Stadium: Huangse Migong
City: Chumeichang
Date: Friday, September 19
Time: 20:00
Temperature: 59°F/15°C
Weather: ☂ Downpour

Result: Xiniu 0-1 Aierlanren
Goal Minutes: 26'
Player of the Match: Chin Chih Yap (assist)

Stadium: Sha Dadao
City: Qiawutian
Date: Saturday, September 20
Time: 15:00
Temperature: 54°F/12°C
Weather: ☀ Partly Clear

Result: Baomao 0-1 Sheshou
Goal Minutes: 1'
Player of the Match: Di Na Sa (assist)

Stadium: Huangse Migong
City: Chumeichang
Date: Saturday, September 20
Time: 15:00
Temperature: 58°F/14°C
Weather: ☁ Cloudy

Result: Qiji 3-0 Qi'e
Goal Minutes: 44' 57' 92'
Player of the Match: Ma Huan Yep (2 goals)

Stadium: Huangse Migong
City: Chumeichang
Date: Sunday, September 21
Time: 20:00
Temperature: 57°F/14°C
Weather: ☂ Downpour

Result: Nongmin 1-0 Zhayao
Goal Minutes: 25'
Player of the Match: Hai Ying Fu (clean sheet)

Stadium: Huangse Migong
City: Chumeichang
Date: Monday, September 22
Time: 20:00
Temperature: 55°F/13°C
Weather: ☾ Partly Clear

Result: Chongjibo 0-0 Fuchou
Goal Minutes: -
Player of the Match: Lu Fang Huang (clean sheet)

League of the Two Sapphires Standings

   Team            P  W  D  L For  Ag  +/- Pts
01 Nongmin         5  4  1  0  11   3   +8  13
02 Chongjibo       5  3  1  1  11   1  +10  10
 3 Qiji            5  2  3  0   8   3   +5   9
 4 Fuchou          5  2  3  0   4   1   +3   9
 5 Sheshou         5  1  4  0   6   5   +1   7
 6 Baomao          5  2  1  2   3   3   +0   7
 7 Zhayao          5  1  2  2   3   4   -1   5
 8 Aierlanren      5  1  2  2   3   6   -3   5
09 Qi'e            5  0  1  4   2  17  -15   1
10 Xiniu           5  0  0  5   1   9   -8   0

[Naixi]

SEASON 3 MATCHDAY 5

MATCHDAY 5
Yinying 2-2 Leiyu
Yanjiang 3-1 Baiyi
Shuqin 2-0 Jingying
Xue 2-0 Zhanshi
Wangzi 1-0 Wenzi
Shenmi 2-0 Youyi

League of Ascension Standings

    Team          P  W  D  L For  Ag  +/- Pts
001 Wenzi         5  4  0  1  8   2   +6  12
  2 Xue           5  4  0  1  9   4   +5  12
  3 Shenmi        5  3  1  1 10   3   +7  10
004 Wangzi        5  3  1  1  9   7   +2  10
  5 Yinying       5  2  2  1  9   5   +4   8
006 Shuqin        5  2  2  1  9   7   +2   8
  7 Leiyu         5  1  4  0  9   3   +6   7
  8 Jingying      5  2  0  3  5   9   -4   6
  9 Yanjiang      5  2  0  3  7  13   -6   6
 10 Zhanshi       5  1  2  2  4   6   -2   5
 11 Baiyi         5  0  0  5  2  11   -9   0
 12 Youyi         5  0  0  5  2  13  -11   0

[Naixi]

SEASON 3 MATCHDAY 6

Stadium: Huangtong Ta
City: Wanqianganga
Date: Friday, September 26
Time: 20:00
Temperature: 51°F/11°C 
Weather: ☾ Partly Clear

Result: Qi'e 0-1 Aierlanren
Goal Minutes: 67'
Player of the Match: Chen Ling (assist)

Stadium: Sha Dadao
City: Qiawutian
Date: Friday, September 26
Time: 20:00
Temperature: 59°F/15°C
Weather: ☾ Partly Clear

Result: Zhayao 1-1 Qiji
Goal Minutes: 9' 86'
Player of the Match: Kuang Yin Cao (assist)

Stadium: Sha Dadao
City: Qiawutian
Date: Saturday, September 27
Time: 15:00
Temperature: 63°F/17°C
Weather: ☁ Cloudy

Result: Fuchou 1-0 Xiniu
Goal Minutes: 6'
Player of the Match: Jen Ta Jin (goal)

Stadium: Huangse Migong
City: Chumeichang
Date: Saturday, September 27
Time: 20:00
Temperature: 53°F/12°C
Weather: ☂ Downpour

Result: Nongmin 5-1 Baomao
Goal Minutes: 31' 47' 51' 74' 78' 86'
Player of the Match: Tan Hung Xun (goal)

Stadium: Sha Dadao
City: Qiawutian
Date: Sunday, September 28
Time: 20:00
Temperature: 51°F/11°C
Weather: ☁ Cloudy

Result: Sheshou 0-2 Chongjibo
Goal Minutes: 49' 56'
Player of the Match: Lu Fang Huang (clean sheet)

League of the Two Sapphires Standings

   Team            P  W  D  L For  Ag  +/- Pts
01 Nongmin         6  5  1  0  16   4  +12  16
02 Chongjibo       6  4  1  1  13   1  +12  13
 3 Fuchou          6  3  3  0   5   1   +4  12
 4 Qiji            6  2  4  0   9   4   +5  10
 5 Aierlanren      6  2  2  2   4   6   -2   8
 6 Sheshou         6  1  4  1   6   7   -1   7
 7 Baomao          6  2  1  3   4   8   -4   7
 8 Zhayao          6  1  3  2   4   5   -1   6
09 Qi'e            6  0  1  5   2  18  -16   1
10 Xiniu           6  0  0  6   1  10   -9   0

[Naixi]

SEASON 3 MATCHDAY 6

MATCHDAY 6
Baiyi 0-2 Yinying
Jingying 0-2 Leiyu
Zhanshi 1-0 Yanjiang
Wenzi 1-1 Shuqin
Youyi 3-1 Xue
Shenmi 3-0 Wangzi

League of Ascension Standings

    Team          P  W  D  L For  Ag  +/- Pts
001 Shenmi        6  4  1  1  13   3  +10  13
  2 Wenzi         6  4  1  1   9   3   +6  13
  3 Xue           6  4  0  2  10   7   +3  12
004 Yinying       6  3  2  1  11   5   +6  11
  5 Leiyu         6  2  4  0  11   3   +8  10
006 Wangzi        6  3  1  2   9  10   -1  10
  7 Shuqin        6  2  3  1  10   8   +2   9
  8 Zhanshi       6  2  2  2   5   6   -1   8
  9 Jingying      6  2  0  4   5  11   -6   6
 10 Yanjiang      6  2  0  4   7  14   -7   6
 11 Youyi         6  1  0  5   5  14   -9   3
 12 Baiyi         6  0  0  6   2  13  -11   0

[Naixi]

SEASON 3 CASARAN ROUND 2

Shenmi 1-1 Baomao
Chongjibo 2-0 Leiyu
Nongmin 1-1 Fuchou
Youyi 3-1 Baiyi
Xiniu 2-2 Qiji
Zhanshi 1-1 Xue
Yanjiang 1-1 Jingying
Wenzi 1-1 Aierlanren
Zhayao 0-1 Sheshou
Shuqin 0-1 Yinying
Qi'e 4-1 Wangzi

                         Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
01 Chongjibo               2    2   0   0     4    0   +4     6
 2 Youyi                   2    2   0   0     4    1   +3     6
 3 Baomao                  2    1   1   0     5    1   +4     4
 4 Fuchou                  2    1   1   0     5    2   +3     4
 5 Shenmi                  2    1   1   0     4    2   +2     4
 6 Nongmin                 2    1   1   0     4    3   +1     4
   Qiji                    2    1   1   0     4    3   +1     4
 8 Leiyu                   2    1   0   1     4    3   +1     3
 9 Sheshou                 2    1   0   1     1    1    0     3
10 Qi'e                    2    1   0   1     4    5   −1     3
11 Baiyi                   2    1   0   1     3    4   −1     3
12 Yinying                 2    1   0   1     2    3   −1     3
13 Xiniu                   2    0   2   0     3    3    0     2
14 Zhanshi                 2    0   2   0     2    2    0     2
15 Jingying                2    0   2   0     2    2    0     2
   Xue                     2    0   2   0     2    2    0     2
17 Aierlanren              2    0   1   1     3    4   −1     1
18 Wenzi                   2    0   1   1     2    3   −1     1
   Yanjiang                2    0   1   1     2    3   −1     1
20 Shuqin                  2    0   0   2     1    5   −4     0
   Zhayao                  2    0   0   2     1    5   −4     0
22 Wangzi                  2    0   0   2     1    6   −5     0

Next Round Schedule

Youyi v Chongjibo
Baomao v Fuchou
Shenmi v Qiji
Nongmin v Leiyu
Sheshou v Baiyi
Qi'e v Yinying
Zhanshi v Xiniu
Xue v Jingying
Aierlanren v Yanjiang
Shuqin v Wenzi
Wangzi v Zhayao

[Naixi]

SEASON 3 MATCHDAY 7

Stadium: Sha Dadao
City: Qiawutian
Date: Friday, October 17
Time: 20:00
Temperature: 50°F/10°C
Weather: ☾ Partly Clear

Result: Aierlanren 1-0 Zhayao
Goal Minutes: 89'
Player of the Match: Chen Ling (goal)

Stadium: Huangse Migong
City: Chumeichang
Date: Friday, October 17
Time: 20:00
Temperature: 53°F/12°C
Weather: ☁ Cloudy

Result: Xiniu 2-1 Qi'e
Goal Minutes: 18' 75' 83'
Player of the Match: Lai Hung

Stadium: Sha Dadao
City: Qiawutian
Date: Saturday, October 18
Time: 15:00
Temperature: 69°F/21°C
Weather: ☂ Drizzle

Result: Fuchou 2-1 Sheshou
Goal Minutes: 31' 75' 93'
Player of the Match: You Liang Mok (goal, assist)

Stadium: Huangse Migong
City: Chumeichang
Date: Saturday, October 18
Time: 20:00
Temperature: 54°F/12°C
Weather: ☾ Clear

Result: Qiji 3-2 Baomao
Goal Minutes: 9' 44' 50' 65' 85'
Player of the Match: Ma Huan Yep (3 assists)

Stadium: Huangse Migong
City: Chumeichang
Date: Sunday, October 19
Time: 20:00
Temperature: 63°F/17°C
Weather: ☁ Cloudy

Result: Chongjibo 1-2 Nongmin
Goal Minutes: 9' 37' 88'
Player of the Match: Iomelda van Hoogstraaten (goal, assist)

League of the Two Sapphires Standings

   Team            P  W  D  L For  Ag  +/- Pts
01 Nongmin         7  6  1  0  18   5  +13  19
02 Fuchou          7  4  3  0   7   2   +5  15
 3 Chongjibo       7  4  1  2  14   3  +11  13
 4 Qiji            7  3  4  0  12   6   +6  13
 5 Aierlanren      7  3  2  2   5   6   -1  11
 6 Sheshou         7  1  4  2   7   9   -2   7
 7 Baomao          7  2  1  4   6  11   -5   7
 8 Zhayao          7  1  3  3   4   6   -2   6
09 Xiniu           7  1  0  6   3  11   -8   3
10 Qi'e            7  0  1  6   3  20  -17   1

[Naixi]

SEASON 3 MATCHDAY 7

MATCHDAY 7
Yinying 3-0 Jingying
Baiyi 1-0 Zhanshi
Leiyu 2-0 Wenzi
Yanjiang 2-1 Youyi
Shuqin 1-0 Shenmi
Xue 1-3 Wangzi

League of Ascension Standings

    Team          P  W  D  L For  Ag +/- Pts
001 Yinying       7  4  2  1  14   5  +9  14
  2 Leiyu         7  3  4  0  13   3 +10  13
  3 Shenmi        7  4  1  2  13   4  +9  13
004 Wenzi         7  4  1  2   9   5  +4  13
  5 Wangzi        7  4  1  2  12  11  +1  13
006 Shuqin        7  3  3  1  11   8  +3  12
  7 Xue           7  4  0  3  11  10  +1  12
  8 Yanjiang      7  3  0  4   9  15  -6   9
  9 Zhanshi       7  2  2  3   5   7  -2   8
 10 Jingying      7  2  0  5   5  14  -9   6
 11 Youyi         7  1  0  6   6  16 -10   3
 12 Baiyi         7  1  0  6   3  13 -10   3

[Naixi]

SEASON 3 MATCHDAY 8

Stadium: Sha Dadao
City: Qiawutian
Date: Friday, October 24
Time: 20:00
Temperature: 52°F/11°C
Weather: ☂ Rain

Result: Zhayao 1-0 Qi'e
Goal Minutes: 70'
Player of the Match: Kuang Yin Cao (goal)

Stadium: Sha Dadao
City: Qiawutian
Date: Saturday, October 25
Time: 20:00
Temperature: 63°F/17°C
Weather: ☁ Cloudy

Result: Baomao 0-1 Aierlanren
Goal Minutes: 30'
Player of the Match: Chen Ling (assist)

Stadium: Huangse Migong
City: Chumeichang
Date: Saturday, October 25
Time: 20:00
Temperature: 63°F/17°C
Weather: ☾ Clear

Result: Qiji 1-2 Chongjibo
Goal Minutes: 20' 43' 61'
Player of the Match: Leontiy Korchagin (goal, assist)

Stadium: Huangse Migong
City: Chumeichang
Date: Sunday, October 26
Time: 15:00
Temperature: 63°F/17°C
Weather: ☁ Cloudy

Result: Nongmin 0-1 Fuchou
Goal Minutes: 6'
Player of the Match: Jaromír Janoušek (clean sheet)

Stadium: Sha Dadao
City: Qiawutian
Date: Sunday, October 26
Time: 20:00
Temperature: 56°F/13°C
Weather: ☂ Rain

Result: Sheshou 3-0 Xiniu
Goal Minutes: 60' 72' 74'
Player of the Match: Tse Peng Chu (goal, 2 assists)

League of the Two Sapphires Standings

   Team            P  W  D  L For  Ag  +/- Pts
01 Nongmin         8  6  1  1  18   6  +12  19
02 Fuchou          8  5  3  0   8   2   +6  18
 3 Chongjibo       8  5  1  2  16   4  +12  16
 4 Aierlanren      8  4  2  2   6   6   +0  14
 5 Qiji            8  3  4  1  13   8   +5  13
 6 Sheshou         8  2  4  2  10   9   +1  10
 7 Zhayao          8  2  3  3   5   6   -1   9
 8 Baomao          8  2  1  5   6  12   -6   7
09 Xiniu           8  1  0  7   3  14  -11   3
10 Qi'e            8  0  1  7   3  21  -18   1

[Naixi]

SEASON 3 MATCHDAY 8

MATCHDAY 8
Zhanshi 0-3 Yinying
Wenzi 0-1 Jingying
Youyi 3-3 Baiyi
Shenmi 0-1 Leiyu
Wangzi 2-0 Yanjiang
Xue 1-1 Shuqin


League of Ascension Standings

    Team          P  W  D  L For  Ag  +/- Pts
001 Yinying       8  5  2  1  17   5  +12  17
  2 Leiyu         8  4  4  0  14   3  +11  16
  3 Wangzi        8  5  1  2  14  11   +3  16
004 Shenmi        8  4  1  3  13   5   +8  13
  5 Shuqin        8  3  4  1  12   9   +3  13
006 Wenzi         8  4  1  3   9   6   +3  13
  7 Xue           8  4  1  3  12  11   +1  13
  8 Yanjiang      8  3  0  5   9  17   -8   9
  9 Jingying      8  3  0  5   6  14   -8   9
 10 Zhanshi       8  2  2  4   5  10   -5   8
 11 Youyi         8  1  1  6   9  19  -10   4
 12 Baiyi         8  1  1  6   6  16  -10   4