World Cup 96 - Roleplay Thread

[Juvencus]

Il Scudelliano is under new management, one that presents the news about la squadra as it should instead of being a third party newspaper that supports the team only when it wants, and will remain that way until further notice

LA SQUADRA PROVES WORTH AGAINST BROOKSTATION - ADAMANTINA CAMPANA BRACE NOT ENOUGH AGAINST SREDNJACI

La squadra saw itself in a do or die situation against the top seeds, Brookstation. The Dreamers have mostly sealed their first place lead, but are eager to remain on their toes. The thought process of this game was to avoid yet another first-half slip up like the game at Nuovo Olimpico, a task deemed insurmountable seeing Brookstation's lead. However, a quick Audiol goal was exactly what gli attaccanti needed to set up the pace. Couple that with Callejon, Puig and Carlos Coste all closing up their gaps and the home side was not able to find the spaces necessary to capitalise on their swift counter-attacks. Despite Audiol's goal, pressure seemed to have mostly watered down seeing as the Dreamers' defence was focused on keeping him out of the way with strong marking. Gaetan, in an attempt to keep Audiol from injury managed to substitute him early on in the second half. Julio Campana and Edu Coste would blindly cooperate with each other making it 0-2, while the entry of Bevilacqua in the 80th minute saw him scoring immediately on his first touch with the ball to increase the lead to 3. Defeating Brookstation temporarily reduced the difference between the two national teams until the game with Srednjaci.

Again, home games have been a major weakness for la squadra this cycle. The team's only home victory has been against Qasden thus far as Srednjaci managed to get yet another upset against la squadra. A game that under normal circumstances should not have been back and forth ended up being exactly that. Petra Marinović proved to be a tough striker to crack scoring a brace herself, a brace only matched by Adamantina Campana's equally exceptional performance to salvage a point. With a 5-point difference to Brookstation, the team needs God's hand and a lot of upsets to get to that coveted top spot. Meanwhile teams like The 14 Stars are still breathing on gli attaccanti's neck, making even getting the playoff a competition that should not be one.

Gael Gaetan's comments on team performances have been encouraging stating that: "La squadra is on a good path, the players have not changed skill levels or lost anything because I came to be in charge. Now as we keep moving forward in the qualifiers, we want your full support to the path to victory. The match against Qasden will be intense, but a longer break will be exactly what the team needs moving forward."

Starting XI against Qasden:
GK:Juan Carlos Ungaro
CB:Carlo Callejon
CB:Lucia Agnelli
CB:Ignacio Lopes
CDM:Sara Ponce
CDM:Giuseppe Conte
RM:Simon Oliveira
LM:Chimo Quaranta
RF:Gilberto Soares
LF:Carlo Bevilacqua
CF:Benedikto Urruchi

[Ko-oren]

Most questions to the candidates for Prime Minister were simple. Direct questions as to their specific platform or expertise. Laurderinthen took time to list his achievements as the incumbent, and produced a well-rehearsed reply to a question about his past in the judicial branch. He had the easiest time, not just due to his experience as a public speaker, but because his two terms went over so well for Ko-oren - whether it was all due to his government's planning, or just to chance, we'll never know. Gelogathingun had all the answers about our nation on the international stage, her visibility during the Ochre Island crisis during which she polished her public image as a capable, calculating leader. One that knew the ins and outs of our role in the region and can probably foster some relations and broker some deals that others can't.

Sushorthinden, to his own surprise named as one of the three frontrunners, had a heartfelt discussion with himself about the traditional political axes in the country: his own history as a democratically elected official in a meritocratic country, on behalf of the Meritocratic Party, talking about the fragile balance between the two that was established so recently. How we're sometimes viewed as a paragon of human rights by one NGO but demonised as an authoritarian backwater by the other given the odd nature of our government. He also touched on the division, real or perceived, between the centre and the periphery, which is where we got our first real debate of the day.

Gelogathingun and Laurderinthen shared a clear argument: that any division must be attestable via data and that that data showed that any gap is closing rather than growing - the only thing that feeds the idea that there is a gap is bad PR. Whether Sushorthinden was willing to improve PR while making sure the division wouldn't grow again was left to the imagination of the audience as the discussion moved on from there.

Raupostinden, the current minister of Health, was given few opportunities to speak out, but argued in favour of the 'centre' side of the debate. Few resources would have to be used somewhere, and each region excels in a certain area - let's keep it that way while services for all inhabitants improve. The remaining three barely got a word in edgewise, each more in the race to secure a better spot in the next cabinet rather than directly shooting for the office of PM.



Job well done, six points in the bag from this split. That opens up the final stretch of the qualifiers; three games left and they're all six-pointers. Versus Sarzonia in the Rikalathen is up first. It's usually not the liveliest venue, certainly compared to the Orange Bowl, Suzumebachi, or any of the four major southeastern stadiums, but the local Maethorians tend to show up for the national team. The Dragonflies will need all the home advantage they can get - we might have two points over the Stars but they have a game in hand. Following that is our final bye day, with a visit to Carpathia and Ruthenia immediately after that, and we close the book on the group stage with the Ochre Islands coming to Amahne.

If you had said that the final two games would consist of one contender and one team who've dropped off, we would have believed you, but most Ko-orenites would probably have given switched the teams. Carpathia and Ruthenia are four points off of us and two points off of Sarzonia and Saint-Jean-Jacques. The Ochre Islands, meanwhile, have failed to impress, winning only 25% of their games so far. Let's hope they wallow in that form and not show up in Amahne as usually happens with regional games.

Heading into the next slate of qualifiers, we get some Fantasy stats:

Most Fantasy Points 1) Valanora, Chromatika (31), 3) The Holy Empire (28). Valanora continues its dominance over what's proven to be a mediocre group while Chromatika has turned Group 5 into a battle for second (and even that's decided more or less in West Barack and East Obama's favour). The 5-0 of match day 10 gave them five extra points to get level with Valanora. The Holy Empire's goal difference makes the difference, as they're getting plenty of big wins proving their recent trouble was just a fluke.

Most Fantasy Points per Match 1) Valanora, Chromatika (3.44), 3) Delte (3.13). At this point this list is almost the same as the previous. When everyone's played four games but you've played three, early in the cycle, there's a big gap between both lists, but as everyone's played eight or nine times, the differences between FP and FP/Match get smaller and smaller. Still, Delte sneaks in on a bye day difference, with their six point lead over TJUN-ia and Gnejs in group 14.

Most Fantasy Points per Match minus Pot Fantasy Points 1) Auprussia (1.61), 2) Crpostran (1.51), 3) Myrtle Beach (1.45). It's the same as last time, now with Auprussia's early cycle shenanigans slowly reverting to the mean. They're sitting in a decent 3rd behind Saint Eleanor and Tumbra on an over 50% win rate. Crpostran are leading their group all the way from Pot 6. You'd expect them to lead this category but as the group's all a little close together with no frontrunner and everyone dropping some points here and there, they're just a tad below Auprussia. It helps that Auprussia is from Pot 7, which has a much lower 'Pot Average Fantasy Points' than Pot 6. Myrtle Beach are from Pot 4 - which means they must be overperforming a lot lot to compensate for their much higher Pot Average. And yes, they're leading Group 10 over Xanneria, Poafmersia, and the surprising decline of Banija.

Some of the better overperformers went unpicked: Raspotochje are putting together a pretty solid cycle in Group 12, even overtaking Jeruselem, Ardsk are still in contention in Group 6, level on points with Drawkland and Tikariot, and Aphrilia are third behind Audioslavia and Cabo Azure in their group. Another home run pick would have been Tanirinthia in a group with BoF winners Hakushiya and long term Fantasy darlings Polar Islandstates - shame nobody picked the group leaders.

On the other hand, Mytanija are a solid 1.43 Fantasy Points below Pot 1 average in what's turning out to be by far the biggest shocker of a cycle in recent memory - but they're still a fairly popular pick. Cardenao, Kimi-Suomi, and Vilwandia, let alone the Polar Islandstates in the aforementioned situation, all have turned out to not deliver on hype.

As far as Ko-oren goes: with no picks (at a very expensive cost) and 20 FP we're on an average to mediocre cycle, scoring a tad below the average of our fellow Pot Ones. The real battle starts here, with back to back games against the top of Group 18.

[Indusse]

Hind Tribune
Silent Voices II

Lord Pembroke, would be a name forgotten from the history of the nation if the large park, the lake in it and the small street towards its end wasn't named after him. Lord Pembroke, a distinguished general in the emperor's army, is renowned for his significant contributions to both military and civic endeavors during his lifetime. Born into a noble family of immigrants, Pembroke rose to prominence through his exceptional leadership skills and dedication to his duties.

One of Lord Pembroke's most enduring legacies is his role in the establishment of Pembroke Park and Pembroke Lake, formerly known as The Parade Gardens and Parade Lake. Recognizing the importance of providing green spaces for public enjoyment, Pembroke spearheaded the development of these iconic landmarks.

Upon his passing at the age of 76, Lord Pembroke was laid to rest in what is now known as Pembroke Avenue, a road leading to Pembroke Bungalow and his mausoleum. His Bungalow now serves as the Museum of National Biosphere remembering the contributions he made for the environmental progress in the nation. A Statue of Lord Pembroke was unraveled in the Pembroke Park. One could get to visit this statue as they enter from the Pembroke Avenue gate and move towards the Pembroke Lake.

Pembroke Lake also serves as a boundary for numerous streets and roads in the city. Some of these roads have got a lot of history to talk about. Two of them would be the Cantonment Road and the Parade Street.

The Cantonment Road

Cantonment Road, one that is so important in history and heritage, is a major artery in New Hind City, tracing its origins back to the colonial era. Named after the Military Cantonments that once existed and is still visible in its path, this historic road has witnessed the evolution of the city and stands as a testament to its enduring legacy.

It covers four major localities which are Hind Cantonment (Where the Old Military Cantonment is located which is now the Cantonment Museum and Hotel. The New Cantonment is also built nearby), Pareekshit Nagar, Cantonment Layout (Formerly the settlements of the military officials, now a well planned colony), Shaktankulangara and Prestyne Town (Named after Fr. Joseph Prestyne, the first archbishop of the Hind Archdiocese).

Cantonment Road intersects with several significant crossroads, each adding to its allure and accessibility:

Pembroke Avenue (Pembroke Ave): A prominent crossroad intersecting Cantonment Road, Pembroke Avenue pays homage to Lord Pembroke, a key figure in the city's military and civic history.

Joseph Prestyne Ave: Named in honor of Fr. Joseph Prestyne, the first archbishop of the Hind Archdiocese, this crossroad is home to the Administrative Headquarters of the Archdiocese of Hind.

Cantonment Cross Roads (1st, 2nd, and 3rd): Serving as vital junctures along Cantonment Road, these crossroads facilitate smooth traffic flow and connectivity within the city.

Puzhayoor Road: An important artery intersecting Cantonment Road, Puzhayoor Road provides access to Puzhayoor Town and the Railway Halt nearby.

All Saints Cross Road: Connecting Cantonment Road with All Saints Road, this crossroad serves as a gateway to bustling commercial districts and residential areas.

St. Patrick's Road: Running parallel to Cantonment Road, St. Patrick's Road offers an alternative route for commuters and connects the Cantonment Road with the St. Patrick's Cathedral.

Cantonment Road is also home to a lot of major attractions that draw visitors from far and wide:

Cantonment Museum and Hotel: Housed within the premises of the Hind Military Cantonment, the Cantonment Museum offers a captivating glimpse into the city's military history, while the adjoining hotel provides a luxurious retreat for travelers.

Hind Military Cantonment: The Current Military Cantonment and Training School of the Indussean Army. It also headquarters the Hind Regiment of the Indussean Army.

Pembroke's Bungalow (National Biosphere Museum): Formerly the residence of Lord Pembroke, this bungalow has been transformed into the National Biosphere Museum, showcasing the region's rich biodiversity and ecological conservation efforts.

House of the Archbishop (Archdiocese of Hind): Serving as the residence and administrative headquarters of the archbishop, this iconic structure embodies the spiritual heritage of the city. This also served as the residence of Fr. Joseph Prestyne and has a small parish hall named after him.

St. Patrick's Cathedral: A majestic structure located along Cantonment Road, St. Patrick's Cathedral is a symbol of faith and devotion, attracting worshippers and visitors alike with its architectural splendor. The Cathedral has gone through a lot of renovation works changing its appearance throughout the years.

All Images in the Post are AI Generated.

[Vyktoria]

OOC: No Project Kalliope for the rest of the qualifying. I'm a little burnt out from roleplaying so much in the BoF and WCQ, plus IRL is getting hectic.

---

NOW FEATURING NEWS FROM THE ITAVRAN SECTOR

WORLD CUP 96: VYKTORIA BRUSH OFF DOUBEIA LEAD TO WIN 2-1

Vyktoria 2–1 Doubeia
12' N. Angus (L. Merrison)
56' K. Arland III (G. Goldman)
77' K. Arland III (E. Wright)
Attendance: 48,173

In Wyckham today, Vyktoria defeated Doubeia in a thrilling match, with Niall Angus opening the scoring for Doubeia with a thrilling through ball from Luka Merrison reaching the incisive feet of Angus who slotted the goal past Martin Kingston. In the 56th minute, Kevin Arland III then scored a lovely header off a wicked cross at the near post from Garry Goldman on the left wing, and it sailed right by Yohannes Wilkinson, who was picking the ball out of the net again in the 77th minute after the captain scored his second off an incisive through ball from defensive midfielder Edison Wright, clinching the Maroon Dragons their third win of the campaign.

SECTOR FOOTBALL: VYKTORIA TO HOST ITAVRAN NATIONS CUP II IN 60 IC
OOC: This is essentially for a domestic tournament in the regional newswire. The region is essentially for my puppets, as it is passworded.
Vyktoria has been announced as the solo host of the next Itavran Nations Cup, a pseudo-regional football tournament between the varying nations of the Itavran Sector who don't play IFCF, IAC, or WCC sanctioned football. The previous winner was Nekohime, a nation with WCC experience but who stepped aside for Vyktoria to become the sole representative in the WCC for WC96, while Itavr (aka The Draconian Commonwealth) also stepped aside from IFCF competition for Vyktoria's sake. The competition will be held in 60IC during the Baptism of Fire 84.

SECTOR FOOTBALL: NEKOHOME TO BEGIN DOMESTIC CLUB FOOTBALL WITH N-LEAGUE
Nekohime, the Itavran Sector representative for World Cup 94 has announced plans to create a domestic football league called the N-League. Intended to eventually split across 3 divisions, the N-League 1, 2, and 3 will all be fully professional 16 team leagues upon full expansion, with the current amateur Nekohime Football League being the 4th tier semi-pro league before the system delves into the regional, prefectural, and sub-prefectural leagues. The Nekohime Football Association All-Nekohime Empress' Royal Football Challenge Cup will also feature teams from the top four tiers, with the regional playoff semi-finalists, prefectural playoff finalists, and subprefectural playoff winners all planned to enter the cup as well. However, for the 58 IC cycle, they will only have a 16 team N-League, with the N-League Cup being the Cup Winners' Cup entry. The sixteen teams will be announced at a later date.

SECTOR FOOTBALL: AOGASHIMA CELESTE ANNOUNCE N-LEAGUE BID
OOC: Nekohime is essentially an alternate-universe Japan ruled by catgirls, and comprised of catgirls, foxgirls, and wolfgirls, with humans treated as slaves. So there's that.
Aogashima Celeste/青ヶ島セレステ, a football club from the tiny Nekohimean island of Aogashima/青ヶ島 has made an application to join the N-League. The tiny island of roughly 160 people is part of the Neko City Prefecture/猫市 県 and Neko Islands Subprefecture/猫諸島サブ県 and the team plans to play out of a 5,000 seater stadium built on an artifical island being built by the island's billionaire mayoress, Haruka Hayashida/林田 遥. It is not expected to be selected in any of the three expansion phases of the N-League.

[Josifovo]

Спортски Журнал
All the sports, by the people, for the people

COMFORTABLE VICTORIES SEE JOSIFOVO ONE STEP CLOSER TO THE DREAM

The Zlatni Lavovi keep on marching in their unlikely campaign as a pot 3 team. Kuzmanović led the team by example, Karandzhulov kept the team's spirits high across both games. The Celestial Emapier proved to be a difficult opponent at home, with an attack that pressured forward much more than was expected of them looking to make the upset. They came close, however the defensive core of the team was there to stop them every single time. A Dušan Vujić header in additional time was enough for the Zlatni Lavovi to lock onto yet another victory to the quest of glory. Such victory elevated the team's hopes in topping the group and help their cinderella run live to see another day.

With their heads up, they headed to Semarland. In Semarland, the team stuck to its tactics and managed to play its game at ease. Uroš Tadić's magic prevailed, with significant help from Nusret Mehić as they both led the Josifski midfield throught the entirety of the game. The former orchistrating chances while the latter's iron lungs and goal were vital in the team's performance. The second goal of the team was scored by Trajkovski, who seems to be in a great run of form in a generational Josifski squad. With Zwangzug falling to the Squornshellan Remnant States, Josifovo is 5 points ahead the closest competition and could be locking on to the top spot with just 2 wins.

With the only game being against Bears Armed this international break, Josifovo will be looking to maintain and even extend its lead should Zwangzug or SRS fail to keep up in their own games. The bar has now been lifted and every game from now on is a final for this team. A clean record in home games is exactly what keeps this run going and what should keep it going in the following matches.

Živko Janković, who received playing time during the game against Semarland seems proud of the team's progress so far and the enviroment in the locker rooms stating: "We have come a long way as a team these last few years. We have created a positive enviroment that helps all of us grow as players and as people. We always focused on the task at hand and this will especially not change now, ONWARDS ZLATNI LAVOVI!"

[Aphrilia]

Make Or Break

Aphrilia's match against Sannyamathland was just a routine result, a 1 - 0 victory.

The switching of tempos due to the team's new tactics have been working quite well so far, and most of the critiques regarding Aphrilia's new playstyle have come to pass, except for a rather vocal minority. The team won't listen to them however, as these new tactics seem to be effective and has improved the team's capability in one way or another. But the next few matches will be quite the challenge. Tero al Disco is behind Aphrilia in the group stage table, Audioslavia is leading Group 19 in it's standings with only one loss so far, and Cabo Azure is the top seed of the group. The next several matches could potentially make or break Aphrilia's qualifying for this year, and the team is ready to do their best.

There is a, albeit very small chance, that Aphrilia could go through to the playoffs. The Anchors are only a single point behind Cabo Azure, afterall. Winning the group outright has been deemed impossible for Aphrilia due to Audioslavia's incredible form, hence why playoffs seem to be the best hope. And even if the opportunity is slim, even if it seems unlikely, Aphrilia will try it's best because who knows what will happen? Things might just go in their favor. That's what everyone on the team thought, what the staff thought, what the fans thought. Everyone will be doing their damn hardest to attempt at making the unlikely to happen. And even if failure is the end result, as least the can say that they tried.

And despite knowing that failing would still be fine in the end, it still puts doubt in plenty of people.

Phillip Karnwell may have gotten over the uneasiness of guarding the net for his country, no longer having fear of a bad result due to his mistakes or the faults of his teammates, or even the pressure given upon him all the time. But this time, that feeling of uneasiness is also mixed with doubt and fright. An odd pot of emotions stirring inside of him, as he is unsure on how to navigate all of it. It's like he has a much larger responsibility upon his shoulders than he thought he could handle. There was a lot within his mind as he watched TV, some news regarding domestic football within Aphrilia and updates regarding the teams. Nothing much has been going on except for a few domestic transfers and academy promotions.

As the thoughts swelled within his mind, Ines Forrestal could be seen returning with two cups of tea. As she laid the cups of tea on the nearby table, she sat down beside Karnwell. He hadn't been like this again up until now, so she just stayed there beside him as a sign that she's there for him. This somewhat pulled him out of hi own thoughts as he proceeded to cuddle with her. Karnwell seemed to enjoy physical affection a lot, which Forrestal didn't mind at all. As they got comfortable, Karnwell finally opened up on what was in his mind. The new mix of emotions and feelings that he was experiencing. She only said some words to Karnwell, but those words were good enough.

"You know that I'll still love you, even if you end up breaking our season right?"

"...I know. I love you."

"I love you too. Now come on, let's watch something else on TV."

MATCHDAY 9
Aphrilia 1 - 0 Sannyamathland
(11'') Farrow Stewart --
(45+2'') Mike Aston --
(61'') Erick Marshall

[Alasdair I Frosticus]

A STATEMENT FROM THE HOLY EMPIRE FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION

The Holy Empire Football Association would like to apologise profusely for the incident in yesterday's home match against Vdara.

In particular, we would like to apologise to the Vdaran National Team, all travelling supporters from Vdara, and Vdara manager Markos Moustakakos for the nature of the leaflets left in the visitor's dressing room, the visitor's bench, and the seats of all of the visiting fans.

We wish to make it perfectly clear that the following slogans do not reflect the views of HEFA, the State Bureau for Imperial Security, the Imperial Secretariat of the Purple Inkwell, the Imperial Secretariat of the Lesser Red Inkwell, the Basileus, or the Prince Imperial, and that we refute them utterly:

- Kyprianou Likes A Spanking, Ooh, Err, Missus
- Moustakakos Cannae Pronounce 'Cannot'
- The VdarArena is a Slightly Past It
- La Rosa is Going to Wilt
- She's Called Le Brun Because She's a Bit Shit
- Why Does Fotellis Wear 69? Fnar, Fnar
- Tantalopoulos or Poopylopoulos?
- Vdarans go Home!
- Foreigners Out!
- KKK Forever!

We are embarrassed and appalled, and wish to further apologise for the anger and hurt caused, and in particular for the manner in which the resulting upset appeared to put our visitors off their game, and subdued the visiting fans.

We wish to make it clear that while they are our official representatives in World Cup 96, we do not endorse the political sentiments of the Krazy Klown Kollege. Visitors are always welcome in the Holy Empire provided they have been appropriately invited, have signed - or have had someone sign on their behalf - the necessary paperwork (in triplicate), have found an appropriate portal to the Dreamed Realm, can cope with the shifting nature of reality in the Realm, have no violent intent, and disavow any association with the Oneiromancer or his agents.

The Empire has a long tradition of welcoming visiting fans across World Cups, and has hosted several past versions of the tournament. HEFA are actively considering whether to issue a bid to co-host World Cup 100. We fully appreciate that incidents like the one that occurred last night do nothing to advance our reputation in this regard.

Furthermore, we appreciate that two aspects of the messages in the leaflets have caused particular distress:

1) The content was frequently scatological in a particularly juvenile manner that suggests a strange obsession with mundy bodily functions.

2) While 'KKK' is simply the acronym of the Krazy Klown Kollege, there seem to be realities where the acronym has particularly unfortunate associations when it comes to expressions of bigotry; we further apologise if Vdara is one of those realities.

We wish to make it perfectly clear that it is our earnest wish that, henceforth, the clowns focus on either playing football or making the supporters - particularly the children in the crowd - laugh through their hilarious slapstick hijinks and strangely elaborate balloon animals. While we appreciate that citizens of the Empire have (almost) complete personal freedom of expression, we would like the clowns to consider how their behaviour over issues of politics is negatively impacting perceptions of the Empire and Dreamed Realm across the multiverse.

We hope that this makes our thoughts on yesterday's match clearer, and we would apologise again to all Vdarans.

The Holy Empire Football Association

[Aleirave]

Picking up Steam
Aleirave 2-0 Lisander

tweet tweet!

"Alrighty gang, that was a solid performance there!" Haulafo said as the final whistle blew on the Seagulls' match against Lisander at the Old Grounds. While this match hadn't done much to improve Aleirave's spot in the standings (other results plus the fact they were headed into a bye MD meant they were still just as fourth place as ever), it did send a message that this team was far from out of contention in the race to the finish line... although their next two matches would be their toughest tests in this final push: away in Chromatika, home against West Barack and East Obama.

While at least one win out of these two matches would be a good haul for them, especially considering these were teams they needed to slow down in order to catch up, many bystanders weren't too optimistic about these. Both of these matchups had been pretty demoralizing losses in the first half, and things didn't look to be changing all that much in the second half. However, Haulafo had a bit more optimism.

"You know, that's what this bye MD is for..." Haulafo said. "We're getting extra time to train for a reason, and we're gonna make the best use of this time that we possibly can. Never, ever count us out until we well and truly are out, because we always have more tricks up our sleeves that we just haven't pulled out yet."

While a lot of fans had some definite questions as to what kind of tricks would be powerful enough to knock down the top two seeds, others remained somewhat optimistic. "Haulafo has always known exactly how to win when nobody else has," one young woman said when interviewed outside the Old Grounds. "And I'm sure we'll see what surprises he has in store when the time comes."

[Auprussia]

MILITARY HISTORY OF AUPRUSSIA INTERREGNE BASONY 2

Accounts by deu Lithos written in 195 ASE
Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 - Remaiy -Basony 1

La Verin Meets De Moriquet (17 ASE)
A bit after De Moriquet's battle with the Morgavinds Choetrie La Verin makes it to Aescanaux where De Moriquet retreated to. Charles was relieved to hear that the Salvans did not resist when the situation explained but he still had no idea about Marquis' campaign. La Verin then gave De Moriquet his forces and retired to the Salvan countryside. La Verin never wanted to deal with the realm's politics and he had sensed that Marquis' actions was a part of a larger plan by the king. La Verin wanted nothing to do with it.

De Moriquet now had 8600 men and wanted to counterattack towards the Morgavind city of Leithambe. So he marched down towards the village of Sarsillac and use it as a launching point to the Morgavind heartland. Scirmig on the other hand had marched towards the Morgavind capital and drew nearer to Leithambe themselves. Once Charles' scouts made it clear that Scirmig was in the viscinity of Leithambe De Moriquet launched his forces to action.

Battle of Leithambe (17 ASE)
Scirmig realized that the Basonic army was heading towards his way and had to make a decision. Does he stay and defend Leithambe? or does he attempt to lure De Moriquet deeper into the Morgavind heartland to surround him? Scirmig's initial thought was to do the latter, he would have the numbers and the positional advantage as well as the ability to bog down De Moriquet's army. So he started to march south away from Leithambe but De Moriquet had the initiative at this point. Scirmig's 6000 men army had been blocked by the 1000 Salvans that La Verin gave to De Moriquet. The Salvans were ferocious axemen (some even say the best axemen at the time) and to get to the Morgavind heartland Scirmig had to go through them.

Meanwhile De Moriquet had marched the rest of his army towards Scirmig. Since De Moriquet had the numbers and the positional advantage outright he was going to through the full weight of the army onto Scirmig. Scirmig ordered his army to fight through the Salvan contingent but they never waivered. Seeing that Scirmig's withdrawal was slowed down De Moriquet threw his forces unto Scirmig's army, Surrounding them in the process. Scirmig attempted to fight out several times but De Moriquet's army was too well rested and disciplined for Scirmig to break out. Scirmig shortly surrendered losing 2000 men in the process while De Moriquet only lost 300.

De Moriquet and Scirmig agreed to make piece and to pay De Moriquet tribute. De Moriquet also asked Scirmig to grant an audience with his king. Charles De Moriquet was going to turn his army around and attack Marquis at the first chance he got but in his mind, needed the support from the Morgavind king in order to gain legitimacy among the rulers around him. Marquis' betrayal had made Charles snap and cemented his ambition for the Basonic crown.

Into The Abyss (17 ASE) [Same time as the Battle of Leithambe]
Marquis Eschellin stared across at the Bervica homeland, a land he seeks to conquer and control for his religion. Marquis had some of his spies intercept De Moriquet's scout and killed them to keep the campaign as quiet as possible. With a deep breath and full resolve, Marquis Eschellin marched into Bervica and waged war. Within the first few days he started to burn Bervic villages and plunder them for supplies.

Marquis swept through and rounded up whatever raiders were still encamped into Bervica and executed them. He then started to drive towards the Bervic capital burning all the stood in his way. Outside of a village the Bervics called "Bastellavinia" a Bervic army stood in Marquis' way. Led by Trabarsc Visice the 9000 men strong army had resolved to defend their homeland but they were not professional troops. They had mostly spears and slings and some makeshift weapons as well (some sources say small swords and daggers). Marquis' army by contrast had 8000 men who were professionally trained and prepared.

The Battle of Bastellavinia (17-18 ASE)
Marquis had lined up his Archers in front of his Swordsmen in the middle. Marquis held his Spearmen in reserve and lined up his Cavalry on the wings. With 1000 Light Lancers on each wing he was planning on executing a hammer and anvil strategy which needed his infantry to hold the center after the Archers launched their volleys of arrows. Once the Infantry held on the cavalry will deliver devastating charges from the flanks and butcher the Bervic army in front of them. The Archers started to launch their volleys and Marquis moved his men towards the 9000 strong "Army" that Trabarsc led.

What Marquis did not know is that Trabarsc had multiple Bervic tribes retreat from their villages for a reason. As the Bervic tribes crept up behind Marquis he realized his predicament. Even if the Bervic tribes did not have a professional army he was very unsure if they could hold on when surrounded on all sides. Thus Marquis commanded his army to smash into the army in front of them so they can break through and contest the rest of the Bervics in the rear. Marquis then saw more, and more, and more Bervics pile in and had realized he walked right into a trap.

Surrounded the Basonic army tried to fight as hard as they could to get out but there was no escape. The Basonic army was destroyed and Marquis killed in the fighting. When word reached King Erdric about Marquis' defeat he knew De Moriquet could contest the throne. So King Erdric prepared his host and the rest of Basony's fighting force and marched them southward near where De Moriquet first campaigned against the Morgavinds. Erdric was going to put De Moriquet down by any means necessary.

The Morgavind scouts had told Charles De Moriquet of the situation and he used it to persuade the Morgavind king to support him. The final battle is upon them.

In A Time Far Removed...

Darmen 3-3 Auprussia @Green Ensign Arena
Darmen Goals: Marianne Lee 20' (Assisted by James January) 36' (Solo run)
James January 63' (Assisted by Kayen Aleshire)

Auprussian Goals:
Martin Ivicer 30' (Assisted by Pierre Nens)
Mourastaire Ashafeu 50' (Assisted by Ingalcer "Payday" Pardau)
Roquen Perugignac 84' (Subbed in for Ashafeu, Assisted by Vitore Enetac)

Auprussia 0-0 Tumbra @Parc De Nasional

[Tumbra]

LABOUR WINS SURPRISE OVERALL MAJORITY AS CROSSBENCHES REDUCED TO LESS THAN 30 SEATS
Young, Berkeley, Browne All Announce Resignation; Billionaire Kim defeated in Foxchester; Stephen Williams Wins Decisively in Yarwood

STRATON: Bertram Andrews, 59, is set to be the next Prime Minister of the Federal Republic of Tumbra after his Labour party won a surprise overall majority on Saturday morning. Running on a policy-heavy platform which him and his party touted as "a long-term plan for government," Mr. Andrews survived a temporary heart scare in the final weeks of the campaign, and used public confidence in his leadership team in order to ride a wave of momentum off a late scandal afflicting the governing United Party to win an outright majority on Friday evening.

The former civil servant, who entered politics in 2021 and rose rapidly through the ranks of the Labour Party, was chosen by Prime Minister Michael Kirkland as his deputy after he assumed the role in 2027; and nearly became Prime Minister in 2029 as a compromise candidate when it became apparent that the centre-left Labour Party would require the support of the progressive, environmentalist Alliance to form government. He won the leadership unopposed after Mr. Kirkland stepped down early in 2030, and led Labour to a respectable recovery in its electoral fortunes in 2033, but failed to prevent an overall majority for the centrist government of Stephen Williams. Since then, Labour under Andrews has vaulted towards the left, seemingly in a bid to differentiate itself from the then-Liberals (now the United Party); but exhibited more centrist rhetoric after the conservatives took over the United Party.

Mr. Andrews' victory was seen as a surprise, especially as polls throughout the campaign put Labour's result either close to a majority or near-equal to that of the United Party; few, if any, would predict Labour to win an overall majority. However, Tumbra's main broadcaster TBC projected that Labour would win government just before midnight, meaning that the United Party had no viable path to government; and Labour would be projected to win a majority government at 3.14am. Mr. Andrews would claim victory at a rally stage in Straton, saying that he would form a government "for all Tumbrans," and that him "and his leadership team would govern Tumbra for the common man." While he did not give interviews to the media, several Andrews surrogates on the night gave interviews indicating that Mr. Andrews was likely to stick largely with the more solidly leftist manifesto commitments, instead of the more centrist manner of governing he implied during the second debate with Mr. Young.

Much has been made of a potential Andrews administration and the roles that key figures would occupy. Deputy leader and noted progressive Sandra Campbell is expected to be named as Deputy Prime Minister and is expected to be given the Northlands brief; in a break with tradition where the Prime Minister also assumes responsibility for the Northlands. The Shadow Cabinet is expected to assume their roles in the full Cabinet without much change.

It was an ignominous night for the other parties taking part in the election; United prime ministerial candidate Max Young, beset by allegations about infidelity during his time as Premier of Georgia; announced his resignation as United leader; which opens the pathway for Prime Minister Lawrence Newell to become leader of the United Party for the first time. Mr. Newell, who lost a leadership primary to Mr. Young, was easily re-elected in his seat of Holsworth in Pesvern; he declined to speak to the media aside from a brief congratulatory speech after his result. The third character in that leadership race, tech billionaire Thomas Kim, lost the seat of Foxchester West to the Labour candidate by ten points; in his concession speech, he readily admitted that he was going to "step away from the political arena for the forseeable future." Mr. Young, speaking in public for the first time since the allegations of infidelity, admitted that it had been a "very troubling time personally," but that he had the "full support of his family as [he] worked through this tough time, while having faith in the grace of God."

Foxchester West ended up being one of forty-five losses for the United Party, whose "blue wall" that they built up in 2029 with promises of improving development with the west. The Millsburgh Chronicle, which focused on the west in its election coverage, reported a slight sense of "dissatisfaction" with the way that the government had gone since Mr. Newell took over. The overall two-party swing to Labour was 4.5% nationally, but reached as high as 7% in certain seats in the West. Labour held, at the time of printing, a two-point lead in the two-party preferred vote, but were leading the first-preference vote by about 0.1% as of the time of printing; one of the closest election results in federal election history.

The polarisation of political ideas during the election, however, doomed the crossbench to its lowest number since 1973; with just 27 non-Labour or United Members of Parliament elected to the next Parliament. The leaders of the Alliance and Moderate parties, Michael Berkeley and Johanna Browne, both announced their resignations on election night; both lost seven MPs as voters flocked to the two major parties. Sources from within the Alliance have reported that the Alliance, comprised of the Progressive and Green parties, might formalise their alliance into a single, as-of-yet un-named party.

But the night was not all doom and gloom; Parliament gained its first independent elected at a federal election this century when former Prime Minister Stephen Williams, who was expelled from the United Party, won re-election in Yarwood. Mr. Williams, who pledged to serve "his constituency first in all matters," beat his United Party challenger with over sixty percent of the two-party vote, a resounding endorsement of the former Prime Minister and a rejection of the new party which some have said is a shift in the national Overton window to the right.

Mr. Andrews is expected to be sworn in as Prime Minister on Wednesday, when Parliament first convenes, and after he wins a confidence vote in the House of Representatives.

WCQ96 QUALIFIERS SQUAD FOR TUMBRA v ARJUNNAGAR, EURAN OCEANIAN TERRITORIES v TUMBRA -- Full Roster
Goalkeepers: 1 - Victoria Jones (Lakewood City), 12 - Richard Russell (Lakewood United), 27 - Mike Hahn (Ridgewell Rovers)
Defenders: 2 - Annie Renton (Serrapince), 28 - Mátyás Boullogne (Kingsbury United); 4 - Stephen Kerr (Chromatik, CMT), 5 - Wendy Pritchett (Lakewood United), 14 - Christine Whitfield,(Myana, CMT), 20 - Yvonne Lawson (St. John's Arsenal, QUE) 24 - Belinda Proudfoot (Lakewood United); 3 - Tracey Mercurio (Kingston, QUE), 19 - James Green (Bavingtor, FVA)
Midfielders: 6 - Trudy Harrison (Chromatik, CMT), 15 - Lucas McCormick (Lakewood City), 32 - Mark Finnemore (Couno Rangers); 8 - Ian Robertson (Ridgewell Rovers), 16 - Victor Leighton (Lakewood City), 25 - Stella Harrington (Hesham); 10 - Susan Monaghan (Lakewood City)
Wingers: 7 - Valerie Wells (Lakewood United), 17 - Erin Robertson (Couno Rangers); 9 - Lynne Crossley (Chromatik, CMT), 21 - Audrey Pearson, (Rülândéá Kôstä, RÜL)
Strikers: 11 - Charlotte Henshaw (Lakewood City), 22 - Edward Maddison (Avondale City, SYL) 26 - Julie Hardaker (Myana, CMT)

Schedule: @ DAR, Bye//v AUP, @ ARJ//v EOT, @ EXT//v ERA, v DAR//Bye, @ AUP//v ARJ, @EOT//v EXT, @ ERA
v ARJ: Fontwell; v EOT: Nantwich; v DAR, v AUP: Couno; v ERA: Lakewood; v EXT: Straton

[Carpathia and Ruthenia]

Carpathia and Ruthenia let pressure get to them and get thoroughly cooked

Well perhaps Saint-Jean-Jacques et Burnham-on-Stove's felling off top seeds Ko-oren should have been taken more seriously than a lucky break with our opposition giving another impressive performance to add our feather to their cap for this cycle. Carpathia and Ruthenia's attack was thoroughly contained by the Saint-Jean-Jacques et Burnham-on-Stove defense, and their midfield and attack eventually wore down our defense to go two goals clear. Clara Bassi who can hold her head high with pretty much the sole good performance from the squad did manage to get us back within a goal of parity, but given the fact we have fallen behind the pace, manager Lucia Kovács made the gamble to bring on fresh legs and try to overwhelm the Saint-Jean-Jacques et Burnham-on-Stove defense, but the gamble failed and in fact backfired with two goals scored on the counter attack by Gibouleau and O'Hara putting the nail in the coffin within the dying moments of the game, to inflict one of the worst home losses in recent memory.

Carpathia and Ruthenia fans made their displeasure known with an ugly display of booing the team as they left the pitch, yes I may agree and have problems with how they played but in my opinion we should never boo those who are playing for our beloved nation, as they know what it means, do you really think that any of these players aren't trying their best on the field? You don't push down someone in trouble you offer them a hand up.

So my offer of a hand up is this, we do have talent on the pitch to challenge for World Cup qualification what we need is more time for the time to gel together, all to often there is perhaps one training session before international matches, and we aren't playing a huge amount of games I can't remember the last time we played a friendly which would allow us time to experiment without the pressure of each match being important.

By Margita Ongaro
CBC Ruthenia

                 Carpathia and Ruthenia 1 - 4 Saint-Jean-Jacques et Burnham-on-Stove
               Bassi 82'      FT       Berlinguette 62', 71'
                                 Gibouleau 88'
                                O'Hara 90+4'

Stadio dei Sogni, Rivalto, Carpathia and Ruthenia

[West Barack and East Obama]

"Smash it up. Clean it up. Build it up. Smash it up. Build it up. Clean it u-CLANGCLANGCLANGCLANG!!!"

"Woah, woah, what the hell is going on? What's with the jackhammer? Why are you destroying MY HOUSE! IT'S 7AM IN THE MORNING!"

"Sorry mate, government orders. We need grab as many construction materials as we can. They're making us destroy all these houses for concrete to build stuff."

"What a load of horseshit. Building what exactly? Another drab apartment block? I dunno, my old one looked pretty alright. And, couldn't this wait until the afternoon? Or after I've grabbed my stuff and left?"

"We need to grab as many things as we can to send to build the new World Cup Hall of Fame. Apparently a sentient results generator lives inside it and can predict any upcoming football result. We need to build reinforced concrete walls around it to protect it."

"Sentient robots now? You're having a laugh! If you don't end this nonsense now, I'm going to just lie in front of your bulldozer so you can't take my house."

"It's accurate! I've seen it work its magic with my own eyeballs. Last week it predicted "good times", and boom, we won!"

"Good times could mean almost anything! We've been undefeated in the qualification group stage so far, it just made a lucky guess. Unless it can actually predict scorelines and help my parlay, I'm not sending a single chunk of my walls to house it."

"What about community? Doesn't it make you feel good to contribute to a great cause celebrated by our fellow sports fanatics? Surely you'd do it for the greater good?"

"I literally don't care."

"Okay, last resort. Take 500 dollars and buzz off."

"Deal!"

[Eshialand]

Investigation Overload
Eshialand 1-1 Ile de Richelieu

Papa Gino led Josh and the king upstairs to the news headquarters of the Eshialand City Investigator, still not believing their little food delivery lie worked.

"Why would these guys even want delivery from Nora's when there's a pizzeria right downstairs?" Josh asked.
"I dunno," Will responded, "why does anyone eat at Nora's? It's damn good food.".

"Alrighty you two..." Gino told them, "here's the door. Now, they don't let me see what goes on in there, so I have to leave... but I'm sure they'll let you in if I knock."

"Oh no..." the two said to each other.

Knock knock knock...

"Hello?" one of the "journalists" at the Investigator said as he opened the door.
"Hello there, we have food here for Jerry and Sarah?" Josh told him.
"I'm sorry but we don't have a Jerry and Sarah called in sick--"

"Heyy hey hey there," Will said as he stuck his foot in the door to stop it from slamming in his face, "listen here buddy, I'm the King of Eshialand and when I want an answer to a question, I damn well get it."
"What the hell are you doing..." Josh asked.
"So you're gonna let us in, or this 'paper' is shutting down faster than the Golden Palace when they found a rat in the wonton soup. Capiche?"

This threat, understandably, would be enough for the journalist to let the two into the office. "I actually can't believe we've got the king here live in the flesh..."
"Please, I'm just another guy like anyone else, no need to make it seem like something too special... anyway, what's your name?"
"My name is Garrett, and I'm one of the interns around here. I haven't written anything for the paper -- or at least, nothing Maria accepted -- yet, but I'm hoping to get my big break soon!"

"And Maria would be..." Josh interjected.
"She's the editor-in-chief around here, she calls all the shots about what gets printed and when."
"Okay so she's the one we really wanna talk to right now... can you get us in touch with her?"
"I can sure try! And your name is, by the way?"
"Josh Seametzle."
"Oh, ohohohoh! I know that name..."
"But yet somehow you didn't know either of our faces?"
"I'm sorry, I'm just so used to getting people's faces wrong that I never say 'hey I recognize you!' because I just know I won't be right..."
"I don't think our faces are that mistakable but..."

"Hey Maria?" Garrett shouted through her door.
"Gary?" she yelled back, "what do you want?"
"She'll never learn my name..." he lamented before replying, "We've got the king and Josh Seametzle here and they're threatening legal action!"
"Why the hell would you lead with that???" Will asked.
"Because she likes it when I'm upfront about everything..."
"Tell them to go to hell and stuff a--"

"That's it..." Josh said as he prepared to kick down the door.

SLAM!

"Why did you do that????" Will asked.
"Someone's gotta take charge around here..." Josh replied.
"Oh no Maria's gonna make me pay for this now..." Garrett told them.

[Crpostran]

---

[*]OOC: The images of players celebrating in the three scorecards & pic of N.T Coach had been generated by AI-Image generators. Image of the Election Commissioner & the "Welcome to Hell" tifo was found on the web. Credits to the creators.

[Abanhfleft]

Gennady Chernenko’s tenure as manager of the Abanhfleft women’s national football team may have gotten off to a rocky start courtesy of a 3-0 defeat against West Barack and East Obama, but there was no denying that results had definitely picked up after that particular game. It also most probably helped that Abanhfleft had a scheduled bye day in the World Cup qualifiers after the game with the Obamen, and Chernenko took that opportunity to play a friendly game in a controlled environment through which he could more accurately assess the strengths and weaknesses of his new team. The new-look Lady Revolutionaries thus steamrolled through the rest of their competition in the first half of the qualifiers, even netting a shock victory over Aleirave, to put themselves within touching distance of the top two. But now, the women of Abanhfleft were about to be put to the ultimate test against Chromatika, the top seed in all of Group 5 and currently in second place with just one point between them and the Obamen. In the same weekend that Abanhfleft shocked the analysts by triumphing over Aleirave, Chromatika and WB&EO had played out a goalless draw that ensured that the status quo between the two would remain until at least the next qualifying window. Now though, if Abanhfleft could do the same thing that they did in Aleirave and get another shocking victory against the Anomalies, the Lady Revolutionaries could very well take second spot in the group.

Sadly, there were some things that just wouldn’t change no matter what, and one of those things was Abanhfleft falling flat on their faces against a highly ranked opponent. Of course, there was no shame in losing to Chromatika; in fact, it was pretty much to be expected given the gulf of quality between the two teams, and not even Gennady Chernenko’s new tactics could help with that. But there was most definitely an air of disappointment because, for a brief window of six minutes near the end of the second half, the Lady Revolutionaries and the rest of Abanhfleft believed that they could actually snatch a point against the Anomalies. The first twenty minutes of that match really set the tone of what was to come, with Chromatika netting two in quick succession before Abanhfleft was able to find a reply through none other than the now-veteran striker Hiroko Kellerman. The Anomalies did restore their two-goal cushion eight minutes from the end of the first half, but in the second half, the Lady Revolutionaries entered the ascendancy, and they were rewarded with two goals that allowed them to draw level and Chromatika and make everyone believe, even if only for six minutes, that they had a chance to steal points against the top seed in Group 5. Alas, it was not to be, and Chromatika would score the fourth and decisive goal in the dying minutes, although there was some confusion on whether it was Fucheux or Xuen-Zhukov who scored the winning goal.

And the test wasn’t about to end there, because right after Chromatika was the rematch between Abanhfleft and West Barack and East Obama, the first team that Gennady Chernenko ever faced as manager of the women’s team. The Lady Revolutionaries had lost 3-0 against the Obamen, and there were many people ready and willing to claim that that was the moment when Chernenko realized that he had his work cut out for him. Many months after that game though, and the Abanhfleft team that was welcoming WB&EO was a much different team from the one that had lost that previous contest. Sure, most of the same players who had started that ill-fated game were also starting the rematch, but the formation and the mentality was what had changed since their last meeting, and some would argue that those changes were the ones that really mattered. And given how Abanhfleft had come so close to claiming a point against Chromatika, the top seed in the group, it was no longer that improbable that the Lady Revolutionaries could claim one or even all three points against the Obamen.

But much like that first meeting between the two countries in the qualifiers, West Barack and East Obama took an early lead once again, and this time they took it much earlier than their home game against the Lady Revolutionaries. Tatiana Tos didn’t take too lightly to Wolfgang Obamadeus-Mozart’s unpredictability and two-footed the rapper-slash-part-time footballer just five minutes into the game, perhaps in an attempt to send a message. The Obamen did receive the message, and Lily Chobamya delivered their reply in the form of a free kick. However, instead of the Obamen going wild on Abanhfleft and scoring for fun as many would have expected them to do after taking such an early lead, West Barack and East Obama failed to find the telling breakthrough even despite having the advantage in terms of both possession and shots on goal. Brett Pogama would double the away side’s advantage after using his natural evasiveness to escape the three Fleftic center backs and head in the cross from Jenny Barracki. History thus repeated itself with Abanhfleft going into half-time two goals down against the Obamen, but there was a feeling that it definitely could have gotten worse.

Gennady Chernenko’s tactics had been working out well in the first half of the World Cup qualifiers, but now that he had gone up against the top two seeds in the team, he could tell that there were still a few things that he needed to tweak in order to bring out the absolute best in this Lady Revolutionaries team. One of those things was the right wingback position. Ilda Fausti, whose regular position in the team back in the Kate Bernanos days was right back, had been slotted into that position because of her pace and natural fitness. Ilda had been doing pretty much the same thing under the previous manager, but her role back then had been primarily a defensive one. Under Chernenko though, Ilda was also expected to contribute to the attack, and that was the one part of Ilda’s game in which she had been lacking. The previous victories had helped to cover up her deficiencies, but even then her lack of offensive capability was beginning to be exposed against the likes of Lisander and Aleirave. And Chernenko couldn’t exactly dip into his bench to solve this problem as Evridiki Kontos (another Fhulghamousian-born player recruited to play for Abanhfleft itself) had the same limitations as Fausti, and Laura Abel had the reverse problem (great on offense but a liability in defense).

This was why Chernenko had wanted to expand the player pool available for the World Cup qualifiers, since he could tell that his current options had their own drawbacks that wouldn’t allow him to maximize his tactic’s results. And there was one player whom Chernenko had his eyes on, someone whom he believed could be Ilda Fausti’s long-term replacement on the right side of the defense: none other than Beth Anderson, the girl who had once represented Abanhfleft along with her father for one brief summer. Despite having grown into a respective right winger with Rosenpfelblatz City Women, Beth had been snubbed of a call-up almost as soon as the under-18 team had returned from Gortolekua after that ill-fated penalty shootout, but with Gennady Chernenko now in charge of the senior women’s team, Beth looked like she was finally about to get that long-awaited (and some would also say well-deserved) cap.

Beth had already had a couple of substitute appearances for Chernenko’s Lady Revolutionaries in the past few qualifying games, but she was still yet to start a game. That said, she had been getting more and more minutes off the bench in the more recent games, and after seeing West Barack and East Obama go two goals up in the first half of their second game against Abanhfleft, Beth received her instructions to get warmed up and ready to come on for the second half, which she did. And, almost immediately after her introduction, things started to turn for the better for the Lady Revolutionaries. In the first half, most of their attacks (which were themselves a rarity) came down the left side because of the aforementioned lack of offensive ability on the part of Ilda Fausti and so the Obamen were able to shut down most of these attempts. But because there was now an actual offensive threat on the right side of the pitch for Abanhfleft, the home side was able to spread themselves out and give the Obamen more to think about. That said, even though Abanhfleft were now getting more chances, they were still not as clear-cut as Gennady Chernenko and the fans would have wanted, and WB&EO themselves were also still a credible threat.

That said, the momentum was slowly but surely beginning to turn towards the home side, and by the last ten minutes of the game, it was now the Lady Revolutionaries who were on the ascendancy. As soon as they hit that high water mark, Abanhfleft finally netted their first goal of the match when substitute striker Jordyn Bernardino headed in Beth Anderson’s cross, and it was just like the game against Chromatika a few days ago. Suddenly the fans, the people were starting to believe that their team might actually have a chance to take points against the second-highest seed in Group 5. Abanhfleft never really felt like being able to do that against the Obamen in the reverse fixture given how much that team suffocated them back then, but things felt different now. And it was no longer just because of the so-called “new manager bounce” either; Gennady Chernenko had been in the dugout for more than six months at this point, and the players had had more than enough time to familiarize themselves with his tactics and make sure that they could get the results that they wanted using said tactics. There was actual hope that their team could actually attain a positive result.

Then again, while Abanhfleft had become the more dominant team in the final ten minutes of the game, the Lady Revolutionaries hadn’t actually done anything with that dominance apart from that Jordyn Bernardino goal. That was another common theme with Fleftic teams of past: not being able to make their ascendancy count for much. Yes, they did have the opportunity to snatch points against West Barack and East Obama, but time was running out for them to do so, even in the era of inflated stoppage time numbers. In this particular game, six additional minutes might seem like a lot of time, but from the Fleftic perspective it could still be nothing but the blink of an eye. Meanwhile, for the Obamen, six minutes could feel like an eternity given how they had to cling on to their lead. But one minute became two, and then it became three, and Abanhfleft still looked like they were no closer to scoring that equalizer that they so desired, even with all three of their forward players and even the two wingbacks knocking on the doors.

Ironically, after all of the team’s focus on scoring from open play, it would be a set piece from which the Lady Revolutionaries would actually take one step closer to potentially qualifying for the World Cup finals. Beth Anderson, who had turned herself into an absolute nuisance, was fouled on the right flank, giving Abanhfleft the chance to send the ball into the box via a free kick. Beth sent in a cross with some zip in it, and there appeared to be some confusion in the box as to who was supposed to take care of it. The Obamen goalkeeper appeared to have caught the ball, only for them to drop it right in front of the box. Anyone could have gotten there first, but in the end it was another Obamen player who managed to clear it away. Except it only got as far as the edge of the box where a certain Ingrid Mindoro, hero of the Jenna Raven Cup final against Sarzonia, got on the ball and unleashed a ferocious strike with her first touch.

The sound of synthetic leather hitting the underside of the crossbar and then smashing into one of the cameras in the net was the sound of Ingrid Mindoro going down in history as a modern Fleftic football hero.

---

             EQUESTRIA 1 - 2 ABANHFLEFT               
  NATIVIDAD (27' o.g.)       MARAURI (55')
                             ADCOCK (79')

[Adab]

Monday, November 9, 2048
Kandorith 1-4 Adab
Adab scorers: Barzani (47’), Sinmuballit (61’), Akaptaha (64’, 79’)

---

Monday, November 16, 2048
Adab 1-2 Ekhistan
Adab scorer: Yargab (78’)

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

---

NEWS | WORLD CUP QUALIFIERS
By: Enlilbani Hussain

Kaykali to squad: come as we are

Speaking in a press conference ahead of their showdown against Flavovespia in the World Cup qualifiers, Adab national team manager Saad Kaykali declared that the squad are “in bloom” and that qualification is a “likely possibility”.

With ten matches concluded in the qualifiers so far, Adab sit third on Group 7 with 13 points. Adab, StrayaRoos, and Kandorith all share the same amount of points – with goal difference proving the difference as StrayaRoos (+6) clinch second over Adab (+3) and Kandorith (+1).

Flavovespia, Adab’s next opponents, are first with 19 points and the runaway favorites from the group to qualify for the World Cup.

“For sure, if you look at the standings, we have been outperforming expectations a little bit,” Kaykali said. “Flavovespia, Kandorith, StrayaRoos, those are tough opponents that we have proven that we are up to the challenge.

“We have a squad that’s a bit older than average, yes, but nevermind that. We are playing well and now I think we can go all the way.

“And the best thing is that we have younger players waiting in the wings. The future of Adabian football is in utero, in development.”

Responding to a question over whether he believes the next generation of players can live up to the achievements of their predecessors in the national team, Kaykali brashly asserted that this will be the case.

“I will go into the pines and drink bleach or pennyroyal tea before saying I have no faith in my own people,” he declared. “All apologies to the naysayers, but things will only get better for Adab.”

Kaykali stated that he “looks forward” to the team’s next match against Flavovespia, who beat them 2-3 in their thrilling last meeting. “They are definitely the best team in this group. I particularly enjoy watching Jonathan Bagshaw. I think he’s one of their best players.

“I’ve said to my players, but first and foremost, we must come as we are – as eleven great football players competing for a spot in the World Cup. We must fear no one, fear nothing. We are not gonna crack.

“God willing, Adab will have their revenge on Flavovespia.”

[Valanora]

Qualification, it had come quite early for the Marauders during this campaign and it afforded Millet all three matches where she was allowed to experiment a little with a few tactical shifts or personnel swaps as she prepared to take on the challenge that was no certain to come in the Finals. The early qualification also came as a bit of a surprise, with many within the Empire not expecting the team to have secured their passage into the Finals for until after the upcoming window had been completed, as Eura had been tipped to give the Marauders a bit more of a difficult time than what they have provided so far in the group. It is a bit of a relief to some of the fanbase who had grown anxious and slightly nervy over the way that the squad has had to fight tooth and nail through near on perfect records in recent qualification campaigns to find themselves in the Finals. One time even they had to qualify through the playoff, such had been the way that qualification had been testing their patience and ability to bend but not break over many of the last few World Cup cycles.

There is a question as to if the Marauders are as dominant as they appear or if the group that they are competing in has not been to a sufficient level to test the team in any strenuous way. There have been a few matches over the campaign that have pushed the Marauders and where the team needed to give a little something extra to collect the full three points and where it seemed like they might have been in danger of falling to a draw. To have held on or come back in those situations does showcase a certain amount of resiliency and a bit of grit and determination in the squad, which some have said has been lacking at times while the squad was under Dan Eastwood's care. The pessimist would say that the group has lacked the sustained challenge to bring the best out of the team from the Empire and that the Finals are going to be quite a different beast for the team to try and tackle, as they will have not had the adequate preparation against the best of competition to do so. An optimist will show how the team has been performing the best that they have done in years as a whole even if individual matches or moments in matches may fail to compare to how well they were playing with Eastwood and that as the team grows and gets even more comfortable with the new manager and formation that those individual performances will start to pick up to match the greater whole.

The Marauders have their second of their two byes in the upcoming window before they will then travel to Rushmore and take on Ceni as their only match for the window. The Rushmore outfit currently sits second to last in the group with seven points and a defense that has looked quite shaky for prolonged periods of the qualifying campaign, having surrendered twenty-five goals in nine games for a near on three goals a match conceded average. For the Marauders who are averaging just a tick under four goals a game scored, it looks to be quite the promising opportunity as well as another good chance to rotate the squad a little bit. Haaland may well get the start but with how well the Turkish striker has played off the bench and in the two starts that he is already been given, he's likely earned his spot in the final twenty-six while a few others might still need to convince Millet of their worthiness. A change in goal is definitely likely on the cards and we're likely to see three different keepers in these last three games as Millet tries to decide who is the last keeper to make the plane to the Finals.

These last few games are going to hopefully answer the last few remaining questions about the roster that Millet will be looking to construct for the Finals, especially now that the passage to them has been confirmed as it was heavily expected to have done so with the team's ranking and the talent in the pool. As the domestic seasons also start to come to their close, that will also likely play a factor as club form has shown to be a preference for Millet into getting on the team or for getting into the starting eleven over someone else who may be considered better at your position. This is perhaps best illustrated by the fact that Nikolai Simonsen is the current starting keeper for the national team despite being only twenty-three years of age for the Finals and there being on paper better players at the position, yet he has started and excelled for Baskita in the last three years and earned that number one spot. Whether or not someone comes out of left field with a good club campaign is unknown but it will definitely play a factor like the performances of the players in these last few games as the Marauders ready themselves for what they now know is ahead.

[Milchama]

Alexandria Times-Tribune-Sun-Moon-Sky-Picayune-Courier-Post-Pre-Forward-Current-Reader

Sports Section

Part 1 Accomplished

The Milchama Warriors had a clear mandate for the second half of qualifying after their ugly losses to Crpostran (we were recently informed by some good sources that we have been spelling the country wrong and for that we apologize) and Yuezhou which was win every single game. So far, so good. The Warriors cleaned up in the last international window with a 2-0 win over perennially underachieving Eastfield Lodge and last place Kiqueven. While the wins were expected and relatively straightforward, though there were some nerves against Kiqueven until the first goal was scored in the 37th minute, but in the end the window went exactly as planned for the Warriors.

The big thing, however, was what happened elsewhere in the group. Yuezhou lost to Britonisea while Crpostran got the bye meaning that Milchama moved to only 1 point back of the Dragons and 3 points back of the Sapphire Strikers (what a great name! Brilliant nickname). The Warriors then are, at least, not in a terrible position for at least the playoffs and do still have a chance at advancing to the World Cup. Of course, again, here is where we say that this involves Milchama not dropping another game the rest of the way. Even a draw would make things dicey and that becomes difficult.

However, that was not the only big news of the window. Near the end of the break, midfielder Kelly Filimitov became the first Milchamian in at least over 100 years, and possibly ever (some records have been lost due to time and poor record keeping), to sign for a foreign team as she signed with Biyambi unit Mansanduni Union. Union, as they are known in Biyambi, are the best team in the Super League Biyambi. Filimitov will also become the first professional female footballer in Biyambian history. This is a big deal and the direct result of the new strategy of attempting to market players abroad. The Alexandria Times-Tribune-Sun-Moon-Sky-Picayune-Courier-Post-Pre-Forward-Current-Reader will be providing updates of Filimitov's progress as well as the Biyambi Super League when the league starts up again next season. In the meantime we're super excited for this!

It's a good start to the true second half and now Milchama needs to double down and starting grabbing some victories over some other more established teams. Now comes the hard part, getting the Warriors out of the doldrums and into the good stuff. We were going to do some analysis but frankly we're tired and lazy so we'll just end this now.

[Pasarga]

A short memory is what is going to be needed for the Wanderers are they prepare for a very difficult last four games of their campaign which might all come down to rest on a last day match at Amenria, who currently once against sit in second and three points ahead of the Wanderers. The side from the Dual Islands does have a game in hand and currently hold the tiebreaker against them, but there is always the preference to actually have the points in hand already than the games in hand and those potential points that could come. The points already on the board is something tangible and wont have a way of slipping out of your grasp compared to the points that might be earned with the games in hand, which seems as likely as not for the Wanderers who have been upset in four of the eight games that they have played in. This past trip to Quebec was a slap right in the face of everything that had gone right for the team in the break before hand where they had clawed their way back into contention with their first six point window, only for it to be made moot after their bye and the loss against the group leaders. The road back once again is a difficult prospect for the side.

The attack has been far from what has been expected to have been free flowing and clinical underneath the tudorship of Thor, the record holder for the most goals in a Wanderers kit. It appears as if age has finally caught up to the team's attacking force, which is a real shame considering how well the defense has flourished underneath the former international striker, even with it giving up three goals in the last match, nearly doubling up its previous conceded tally. Bogdan Laszlo might be the answer going forward, but the Algolia does not look ready to be the focus of the attack right now and would need a partner to pair up with him to not allow teams the ability to simply mark him out of the game. There however is no one that currently is in the pool or on the fringes of it who might look ready to fill that role but if the team keeps on as it is, it is more than likely to miss out of the Finals for a second tournament running. While winning the Cup of Harmony does present a bit of relief, as it has done in the last two times the side has entered the competition, it would be a bit of a sour pill to swallow to be there once more when the aim had been so much higher off the back of that success last cycle.

The team starts this gauntlet of four games with perhaps on paper the most difficult game left on the schedule and that is hosting third seed Cardenao in the Stade de Torgos. In Cardenao the Wanderers had their first of a pair of scoreless draws that first indicated that the team was likely to suffer through the campaign rather than march through it with a bit of pep in their step. However the third seeds have not played up to that level for the rest of the campaign, with only four points and those coming in four draws as they prop up the rest of the table despite having come into the group as a darkhorse to win it. Taking three points here is a must, especially with the game in the Stade de Torgos as they team looks to reestablish their ability to defend the home ground. Following that, it is a trip away to BoF darling Doubeia, who held the Wanderers in Torgos in the first meeting and had been the third of three games where the side failed to pick up full points and set them behind the eight ball which they are still staring at directly in the face. A win and two other draws for the side has shown that they have some teeth but the Wanderers can ill afford anything but a victory, despite having played poorly on the road for a few cycles now.

After that there will be the last home game of the qualifying campaign and it will be against Vyktoria, who when the Wanderers traveled there had sat ten men behind the ball and tried to play for a scoreless draw as the two previous opponents had done to the Wanderers, but an eighty-seventh minute strike from Salai saved the side blushes and still kept them in touch of the top. The disparity in talent between the two is large but that they might once more look to bog down the team does give worry given the lack of ability has to get goals and in bunches these campaign. Be it by any measure necessary, they need to find another victory, as the last game of the campaign is in Amenria who has played far above their station for this cycle and does present a serious challenge. If the team has gathered nine points from nine leading into this game, a draw should in theory be enough to get second but it really would be for the best if the team could find the form that they had been in during last cycle and go on a tear of four wins for four. It likely will not be enough to see the side contend with Quebec for the group title, but as things stand, the side has to fight tooth and nail just to ensure progression to the playoffs and hope their luck turns better there and to try and rediscover the ability to score.

[Yue Zhou]

WORLD CUP 96 QUALIFIERS, MATCHDAY 1: Yuezhou 5 - 3 Milchama
Starting Lineup: Zhao; Huang, Hu, Deng (Sha 74), Dong; Zhaxi (Guo 65), Pan; Lin (Lu 74), Mingsdottír Zhang, Luo (Fu 65); Tsang (Li 84)
Goals: Tsang 25, Luo 34, Hu 45+1, Lin 72, Pan 83 // Kamet 8, Kouriea 17, Purce 48
Yuezhou's World Cup Qualifiers got off to a bit of a sloppy start, but an MD1 win against the second seeds is never a bad thing. Twenty minutes into the match, it became clear that this was not the cool, crisp, and clinical 14-0-0 squad from two years ago, as the Dragons found themselves down 2-0 nearly immediately. But Leona Tsang, hugely impressive after a somewhat rocky debut at the Copa Rushmori, ran rampant over Clara Tresa and the undermanned Warriors defense. She had a goal from just outside the box to halve the gap, and Milchama gave away the lead in calamitous fashion when Luo Nanwei intercepted a muffed back-pass and slotted home from close range.

If Tsang and Luo were the heroes of the first half, the heroes of the second half were Zhao Deliang - who denied two clear scoring chances after letting in the substitute Purce's deflected effort - and Pan Xilei, who shut down a high-powered offense and scored an absolute wondergoal from forty yards out to put Milchama away for good. Elaine Ashdown was reportedly irate after the match behind closed doors - but a win is a win, especially against a team as good as Milchama.

WORLD CUP 96 QUALIFIERS, MATCHDAY 4: Crpostran 3 - 3 Yuezhou
Starting Lineup: Zhao; Huang (Lu 81), Hu (Shangyuan 68), Zeminsson Yao (s/o 90'), Milosevic (Dong 54); Guo, Zhaxi; Tong (Lin 68), Mingsdottír Zhang, Fu (Luo 54); Tsang
Goals: Hudson 3, Moreau 44, Brown 90+1 (p) // Tsang 15, Mingsdottír Zhang 32, Luo 63
Despite the Sapphire Strikers' hot start, Elaine Ashdown clearly didn't think them to be a threat, opting to rotate heavily ahead of the teams' MD4 clash. This proved to be a mistake, as an energized Crpostran side went blow-for-blow with the Dragons, and found an equalizer at the death. While the Dragons didn't turn in their best defensive performance - Hu Jiewen was weirdly aggressive, an aggression that Hudson and Moreau frequently exploited by running behind into gaps left in the defense. And while Esekiel Zeminsson Yao was solid for most of the tonight, his rash and badly mistimed challenge gave Crpostran the stoppage-time they needed, as Zhao could only get fingertips to the penalty. The Sapphire Strikers would remain unbeaten for much of the qualifiers, putting Yuezhou's World Cup chances in peril despite the team's unprecedented ninth-place ranking.

WORLD CUP 96 QUALIFIERS, MATCHDAY 8: Milchama 1 - 3 Yuezhou
Starting Lineup: Zhao; Huang, Hu, Deng (Sha 74), Dong; Zhaxi (Hong 74), Pan; Lin (Lu 65), Mingsdottír Zhang, Luo (Tong 65); Tsang (Liang 82)
Goals: Kaleten 35 // Tsang 48, 53, Tong 87
After a high-octane win at home, Yuezhou took to the road against a Milchama team desperate for revenge. It was once again Leona Tsang feasting in acres of space behind the Warriors' three-man back-line, with Kara Mingsdottír Zhang delivering through-ball after through-ball. Still, Morc Entersher single-handedly kept his team in it with a number of sumptuous saves, and Kaleten's brilliant effort put the Dragons down 1-0 heading into the break.

In the second half, though, Leona Tsang was undeniable, firing home twice in quick succession before Ashdown opted to defend the lead. The first was off a brilliant delivery from Mingsdottír Zhang, while the second was a rare attacking contribution from Zhaxi Jianzan, who stormed down the center of the pitch before deferring to the striker. Milchama had a number of opportunities to equalize, but Zhao Deliang stepped up as Entersher had to keep Yuezhou ahead. Vincent Tong's late goal, the first of a hopefully long and fruitful career with Yuezhou for the Euran dual national.

WORLD CUP 96 QUALIFIERS, MATCHDAY 11: Yuezhou v. Crpostran
Starting Lineup: Zhao; Huang, Hu, Deng, Dong; Zhaxi, Pan; Lin, Mingsdottír Zhang, Luo; Tsang
After the team's MD4 humbling, Elaine Ashdown is taking this battle for the group lead very seriously. With just three matches to play, a win will throw the outcome into doubt - but a draw or loss could all but hand the group title and the automatic qualification berth to the surprise package that started qualifiers unranked. And with Milchama nipping on the Dragons' heels after Yuezhou's calamitous loss to minnows Britonisea, not even the top two is assured, as Yuezhou could still very well fail to qualify altogether. Hu Jiewen will get a chance at redemption after being culpable for a goal or two in the reverse fixture, as Elaine Ashdown plays her strongest eleven. After the smooth sailing of the team's 14-0-0 WCQ95, WCQ96 has been far rockier. But the flame is still alive as we enter the stretch run: will it be enough?

[Chromatika]

World Cup 96 Qualifying Fortnight 5 Results

Matchday 9: Chromatika 3-0 Sawenia
Goals: Mátyás 11', Vette 38', Panaś 81'
Starting XI: Swanson; Kyouka - Harry - Saburo; Vette - Mesic-Mizayaki - Phoen (C) - Mátyás; Françine-Miklavivec; Park - Nam.
Substitutes: Mixon -> Saburo (55'), Howard-Dawes -> Nam (55'), Hauser -> Françine-Miklavivec (70'), Panaś -> Mátyás (70'), Lethbridge-Antonio -> Mesic-Mizayaki (81')
Summary: A key game for many of the young Chromatikas as so many make their first official start and win; Jill Swanson is rarely touched, the goals come off the wings, and the Anomalies make short work of underdogs Sawenia on the return leg after struggling against them in the first leg. It turns out trusting your bench works.

Matchday 10: Lisadner 0-5 Chromatika
Goals: Park 9', Phoen 22', Nam 38', Hauser 81', Fucheux 90+1'
Starting XI: Swanson; Kyouka - Harry - Saburo; Vette - Mesic-Mizayaki - Phoen (C) - Mátyás; Françine-Miklavivec; Park - Nam.
Substitutes: Jackson-Jones -> Harry (58'), Nodis -> Saburo (58'), Muir -> Kyouka (66'), Hauser -> Françine-Miklavivec (66'), Fucheux -> Park (79')
Summary: A thorough shellacking of Lisander on the road by an Anomalies team still mostly using their bench players was not expected; the result keeps them four points clear of second with three matches remaining, meaning a win and a draw will see them through to the World Cup Proper. Massive kudos to Jill Swanson, who didn't concede a single goal in her first two starts for the Anomalies, showing she does have a future with the team.

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World Cup 96 Qualifying Fortnight 6 Pool (vs. Aleirave)

Starters: GK Hailee Sourtois (Directus, Eura); DCR Paisley Paterson (Shamrock Cathair, Audioslavia) - DC Eileen Jackson-Jones (Avanaroch White Wings FC, Tikariot), DCL Cylie Nodis (Chormatik, Chromatika); WBR Emilie Kruetzberg (Lakewood United, Tumbra) - CDM Amélie Ju (RGS Athletic, Eastfield Lodge) - AP Haley Hauser (Spartangrad, Eura) - WBL Manda Iara (Alnio, Chromatika); AM Vasiliy Marten Kuznetsov (Herzegovina City FC, Banija); AF Elaine Howard-Dawes (Couno Rangers, Tumbra) - AF Marietta "Marie" Fucheux (Perce Town, Quebec and Shingoryeo)
Reserves: GK Do Seung-Min (1923 Esca, Mytanija), GK Juxon Fillar (Montreal Koreana, Quebec and Shingoryeo), DCR Ami Coulibaly (Chromatik, Chromatika), DC Klavida Régine (Serrapince, Tumbra), DCL Ipati Aimée (Lakewood United, Tumbra), DC Rowan Harry (Chamberley City, Sylestone), WBR Grayson Fillar (1896 Ebor, Mytanija), WBL Edith Fillar (Myana, Chromatika), WBL Nemes Mátyás (Auprussia NF, Auprussia), BWM Kaia Larriet-Cortes (La Nueva Avenida, Farfadillis), AP Baillaire Fillar (Sivolvia Capitalizt, Squornshelan Remnant States), AP Evin Françine-Miklavivec (1923 Esca, Mytanija), AF Lavrentiy Xuen-Zhukov (Myana, Chromatika), CF Candice Delaya (Holdenberg, Eura), P Sandara Park (Montreal Koreana, Quebec and Shingoryeo)
Preview: The beauty of the Chromatik schedule is that they can ramp up the quality of players now; this will likely be the last start for the second string players unless West Barack and East Obama lose one of their next two matches to hand the Chromatiks the group before they play each other. Aleirave are playing for their qualification lives, so this will be a test for Sourtois and company; Howard-Dawes looks to continue her stellar play in the attack.

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Five Players Making a Mark in this Qualifying Campaign

With nine matches having been played throughout this qualifying cycle, five players have made a mark on the Anomalies team, the coaching staff, and the fans. Let us take a look at the five to see where they were, what they've done so far this cycle, and how much clout they've gained with the Anomalies.

GK Jill Swanson

This is completely off of the last two matches that they Anomalies have played, and the opponents were comparably easier - Sawenia and Lisander are lower seeds after all - but Swanson did turn her first two starts into clean sheets - the second and third clean sheets of this campaign. It helped that the team was playing well in front of her, but she did stop all fifteen shots that she faced, and the way that she commanded the pitch was very natural. As the fourth choice keeper, Swanson will be behind Juxon Fillar, Hailee Sourtois, and Do Seung-Min for a long time, but the fact that she's done so well in the first two starts should mean that she will be in the conversation for at least the next cycle to come. She is a player with tremendous upside who should continue to develop in the competitive environment that is the Chromatik Red League.

DCR Aoi Kyouka

In her first time on the Anomalies roster, Kyouka - recently called up after a breakout season in Sylestone - has done an ample job while filling in whenever needed. Both as a substitute and as a starter, she's shown composure, physicality, and the ability to not be shy in the spotlight, both tackling and even getting fouls as needed. It's this kind of dogged determination and fearlessness that the Chromatik team needs at her position, and the fact that she's possessed that even in the early days of her international career is a huge boon to both the Anomalies and Aoi's future.

DC Eileen Jackson-Jones

She may have been overlooked for a while due to the nature of playing in the TPL - it may be one of the leagues with the most parity in the multiverse - but Eileen has definitely put a stake into her role as the heir apparent to the center defense position. Having the most caps of anyone during the qualifying cycle, her vision has improved dramatically compared to when she was a rookie. She still is that lynchpin that is decent at everything, but she's added an actual calling card - the ability to box out anyone in the air due to her height and jumping reach. Régine is aging, so there will be a time coming soon where Jackson-Jones is the starter.

AP Evin Françine-Miklavivec

Ever since moving to 1923 Esca, Evin has really taken off. Being the key playmaker in all the lineups she's been inserted into, her ability to both play defensively and creatively up front has been amazing. She's also shown to possess a great kick, having scored off of free kicks during the qualifying cycle already. Baillaire Fillar won't be going away for a long time, but with Haley Hauser and Alissar Pheon in their thirties, the age of Evin will come.

AF Elaine Howard-Dawes

Candice Delaya should feel threatened. Elaine Howard-Dawes isn't going anywhere. She's led the team in scoring in this qualifying cycle, continuing to show great decision making skills alongside the ability to play with teammates up front. She'll likely be that striker paired up with Lavrentiy Xuen-Zhukov should the Anomalies make the World Cup, and she'll have earned it.

It's going to be fun to see how these players fit into the Anomalies going forward.

[Cassadaigua]

Cassie II Has Passed On,
by Natalie Stevenson, Concord Heights Times- Palace Affairs

It is with great sadness that I write this article tonight. We have received word from Palace that the former Queen of Cassadaigua, Cassie II, has passed away this afternoon. This is something that we all have feared would be imminent, and her daughter, Queen Cassie III, has just released a statement concerning it. Here is a transcript:

“My sisters and brothers in Cassadaigua and all throughout the world, it comes with great sadness that I must announced the passing of my mother, Cassie II. Her condition had only gotten worse over the last few weeks, and I have had numerous conversations with my father, Charles I, to prepare me and the rest of the family for what seemed to be inevitable. The medical staff did all they could, but no one can live forever, and now that includes my mother, Cassie II. Please keep her in your prayers, and for my family as we make it through this difficult time.”

After fighting back some tears, the Queen continued:

“This is difficult. There is no way you can ever be prepared for this in your life, and for the next few days, please give the family some space as we cope with our loss. Princess Brianna will be appointed to make any urgent ruling decisions that may come about in the next day or two, but hopefully none of that will be needed. Brianna, too, is shaken by the loss of her aunt. On Tuesday, three days from now, we will have a private gathering for family members and friends as well as for any international leaders or representatives that wish to say their goodbyes in a more private manner. This is an open invitation for any foreign leader, or their representation to visit on Tuesday if they are able. Then, on Thursday, we will have a public funeral that will allow the masses to view it either in Concord Heights, or to either watch it or stream it from home. Thursday will be declared a national holiday in remembrance of Cassie II.”

Princess Brianna also released a statement:

“I join in with the Queen to mourn the loss of my aunt, Cassie II, who did great things for our nation. This is a highly difficult time for me and for all Cassadagans. She was a great leader, and should be remembered fondly.” As far as being appointed to make any critical leadership decisions over the next couple days, “This is a more a case of needing to be prepared. Hopefully, I will not need to make any such decisions, but if need be, they will be made with some consultation with Cassie III. As the Queen has said, we welcome any foreign leader or representative to join us in three days, on Tuesday, to say their final words to our former leader in a private manner at the Royal Palace.”

It will be a tough week or so for Cassadagans, with the passing certainly impacting some people more than others, but in a nation where the Royal Family is highly regarded and genuinely cares for their citizens, it is hard to think that anyone will try to get through this while thinking it will be business as usual. A national holiday has been declared for Thursday, and other government projects will be shut down for the entire week. Even up in the Cooper River Region, we expect that most people will have plenty of sorrow for the passing. If there is any good news, it is that the nation has been under the leadership of Queen Cassie III for ten years now, so outside of coping with the emotions of the loss, the nation will not miss a beat in terms of its governance.

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World Cup team responds to Queen Cassie II news,
by Caitlyn Dufresne, Concord Heights Times

Like all other Cassadagans, the national soccer team is in the state of mourning following the news of Queen Cassie II’s passing. Their game tomorrow, which is a big one against Mytanija at Five Star Mobile Stadium is a big one, and it will still go on as scheduled. Players say that once the game gets underway, they will be able to tune everything else out and focus on the game at hand, but otherwise they know the minds of the nation have their attention elsewhere with this tragic news. Even Chen Huikang, a Yuezhou native says that he feels the impact of the loss, “I have made Cassadaigua my home away from home, so I am no stranger to what is going on in the country,” Chen began, “I did have the good fortune of meeting her when I took on the job and when she is in better health. So she is in my thoughts as well.” The manager did say that the team has been able to focus just fine on the upcoming matches, “They are all big games. Unfortunately, with a couple losses that we have had, we have put ourselves in a position where all of these games are must wins in order to win this group, including the one right here. We had a locker room meeting this evening simply to voice out our thoughts and memories of the former Queen, but we also know that we must move on, and we will do that.”

Heading into matchday 11, the Fillies have a record of 4-2-2, which has them in third place, but they have game in hand on the two teams in front of them so most definitely do still control their own destiny at this time. To get there, the Fillies recently defeated The Erishlands 2-1, in a game that not many people are going to say they were impressed with, but the pink and black were the better team throughout. Lauren Engle scored the first goal of the match, coming in the 23rd minute, but needed a Lexi McGregor penalty shot goal in the 68th to break a 1-1 deadlock. McGregor says the team will be cautious when using a “win one for Cassie II” type approach. “Well, yes, you want to win the games for her, but you cannot start pressing, and that is the type of thing that will happen if we start trying to say win for her. We want to win for everyone, all of our fans who have stuck with us. We mourn the Queen, but still need to get results on the field."

Prior to the match against Mytanija in Brattleboro, there will be a lengthy moment of silence and overall ceremony to honor Cassie II. We have been told that there will a guest speaker giving a short speech that was a closer friend of Cassie II, but no members of the Royal Family will be there now, as they are obviously in Concord Heights at the Palace. Candles will be given to all of the fans, and they will be asked to light them during the moment of silence. Once that is concluded, the focus will be on the match, at the request of the players.

The team will wear a commemorative patch on the jerseys to honor the Cassie II, and flags will be half staff not only at the stadium, but throughout Cassadaigua, for at least one week.

[Brookstation]

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CLUBE DE NORWEGIAN WOOD

Football was introduced pretty late to the city of Norwegian wood, where the game of cricket was much more popular during the late 19th century and the first few attempts to establish a football club in the town was met with little to no success. In 1889, the local football association at Rottenham arrived at the city to play an exhibition match at the Recreation Ground, the home of Ilholm Cricket Club. The match would prove to be nothing but a massive failure. In 1901, Ilholm moved to a bigger and a better situated location and acquired a huge amount of land in Lankshire, establishing their home over there and naming the stadium- Lankshire Road. Sadly for Ilholm, the club had to be disbanded in 1905, following an insufferable financial debt.

Nonetheless, Georgetown, the forerunners of Clube de Norwegian wood, also one of the more successful cricket clubs in the city decided to form a football-section in 1916 comprising mainly of men who worked in the city's factories. The Cadets as they were popularly known, struggled to fit into the Brook football scene and within a span of one year, they were disbanded, without being able to acquire a proper field to play on. The silver lining however was the inducement of the idea of forming a football club in the city, which the directors were by now pretty comvinced of. When Ilholhm disbanded its operations, the Georgetown men found the perfect opportunity and occupied the Lankshire Road and finally formed a proper football club. Thus came the formation of Norwegian wood FC in 1920. If you thought that this was the perfect beginning, you were highly mistaken. In their very first season playing in the lower North Division, Norwegian wood were accused of buying players into their team without any proper clause.

It was disappointing for the club to undergo another change but a meeting was held in the Town Hall, resulting in the birth of Clube de Norwegian wood. The name of the club was purposely kept in Latin as the council at the time felt that Latin was a much 'classier' way to represent themselves.

Norwegian wood never really had a distinct nickname. Today, they are mostly referred to as the 'Snowflakes' or 'Blues' after their kit colour. Initially, the club played in white and blue which were most probably adopted based on the city's coat of arms but 1966 brought about the introduction of an all blue kit, although the women's team continued to start in the original colours. There was no proper justification behind the change but the only reason given by the directors were to make the kits look more simplistic and distinct. Lucky for the club, the club's new pair of kits did bring a substantial amount of success to the club compared to it's previous form. A decade later, the kits would see the addition of a darker blue stripes, which would finally go on to become the main kit design of the club.

The club has seen an array of changes when it came to its crest however. It all started with the very coat of arms of the city (which were also the club's original colours) , when the club ran out of all ideas. The coat of arms is classic however, representing an eagle on top of a sickle, the eagle being a symbol of the wealthy Sir James Bouganville, the first council member of Norwegian wood and one of the forefathers in the development of the city as a whole, and the sickle obviously representing the socialist ideology which was prominent throughout the north.

After the first emblem, the club saw the removal of the town emblem, barring the eagle, elegantly perched on a branch, in a circular badge. Over the years, the poise of the eagle was altered from time to time but the badge remained for quite a vast period and infact the crest was also worn by the club in the Harrison Shield Final in 1974. In 1976, the eagle was altogether dropped from the logo eventually on the request of the owner of the club, a highly superstitious man to say the least who all of a sudden started believing that the eagle was not a symbol of good omen.

The next badge would feature the letter CDNW, the initial of the club printed in a unique font which was sold to the club's owner by an expert salesman. The calligraphy soon became popular within the club and the significance of the new badge was further amplified by the massive renovation of Lankshire Road to The Fortress, which in my opinion is the most iconic stadium in Brookstation situated right atop the massive York Peak. The craze over the badge was short lived however and after only a few months after its introduction, the badge became unpopular among the fans and the board finally came to the realization that the badge was rather confusing to interpret. The short longevity of the badge makes it a rare one and today sportswear featuring the badge is sold off at exorbitantly high prices in auctions.

Now that all their previous badges were dropped, the club had to do something about their crest and that is when the club called for a badge designing competition which was won by Alfie Lang, a highschool student who came up with the quasi football snowflake badge which remained for the rest of the club's history. The snowflake finally seemed settling to the club's ambience, the snowflake being the perfect representation of the city's notably cold atmosphere. Well, at the end of the day , it was satisfactory to see Clube de Norwegian wood finally find an emblem which appealed to them perfectly.

[TJUN-ia]

The Random Rambles of a Jaguar - World Cup 96 Edition
with Killian Looker

Welcome back to this Random Ramble. Last time we saw an epic rise and an epic fall for the Jaguars of TJUN-ia with a combined 16 goals across both games and several questions to answer. But the main one was pretty simple: was there any hope of a fightback? Let's see what answer they came up with.

MD9: Sudilia 1-2 TJUN-ia
MD10: TJUN-ia 4-0 Ishadonia

My Take
The people wanted a response to the 1-6...and that's exactly what they got. In Sudilia, things were poor to start with as Luca Dubois headed home after only 9 minutes...but we had nothing to worry about. Fernandino levelled things up before halftime and Stephan Fiedtkou ended up scoring the winner off the bench in the 71st minute. A simple 2-1 win...but it was one we desperately needed.

Then it was off to Kepu Manu to face Ishadonia...and things were certainly back on track in the Manufano Islands. Jackson Smith-Scott got a brace, Odysseas Issigonis got the 3rd and how about Kendra Robertson with the 4th? 4-0, a well done job overall...and that means 2nd in the group. The Quest is back on...and in some style.
Reactions
Things definitely feel like they have reset as the fans are now laser-focused on the three games that are to come. There still may be some anger towards the Co-Managers, but that has moved into the background out of necessity...in order to back the team during this crucial time.
Next Fixtures

MD11: @Gnejs (3rd*, 14pts)
MD12: vs Conania (5th, 10pts) - Tiankong

To say this game in Port Kejm is massive for our hopes is an understatement with our final bye on the second-to-last MD, we need a result here to keep our noses in front of Gnejs before we face Conania in our final home game of the campaign in Tiankong.

Three games to go. All important for us all.

---

SCHEDULE (Group 14)
Revert to this post for stadium information.
MD1: @Delte (3) - Ildemorton Road, Oswark-upon-Delte L 0-1 (5th)
MD2: vs Sudilia (77) - Stade de la Victoire, Roi Ville D 2-2 (5th)
---------------------------------------------------------------
MD3: @Ishadonia (269) W 2-1 (4th)
MD4: vs Gnejs (42) - Beregozera Stadium, Szensky L 0-1 (5th)
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MD5: @Conania (236) W 3-2 (3rd)
MD6: BYE (4th)
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MD7: vs United Hawkland (142) - Estadio Universidad Carlandas, Carlandas W 5-4 (3rd)
MD8: vs Delte (3) - National Stadium, TJUN-ia City L 1-6 (3rd)
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MD9: @Sudilia (77) W 2-1 (3rd)
MD10: vs Ishadonia (269) - Ke Kahua Pāʻani o Pua Aloalo, Kepu Manu W 4-0 (2nd)
---------------------------------------------------------------
MD11: @Gnejs (42) - Kejm Park, Port Kejm
MD12: vs Conania (236) - Tiankong Stadium, Tiankong
---------------------------------------------------------------
MD13: BYE
MD14: @United Hawkland (142) - Østad Colliseum, Østad (TBC)

[Tikariot]

OOC Disclaimer: Content warning - this true crime series may contain imagery (no actual images, just words) that some people may find disconcerting. Reader discretion is advised.

Good evening Tikariot, welcome back to The Tikariot Files, where we look at some of Tikariot's most outrageous, brutal, mysterious criminal cases the nation has to offer - all of them unsolved.

The picture cuts to the logo of the show while images of prison cells, blood spatter and other crime-related footage are shown in the background, with a lone, sombre piano melody playing.

Welcome to episode 6 of the Tikariot Files, I am your host Christoffer Akerbrandt and today is a little bit different. Usually, we present the crime, or series of crimes, with nobody being much wiser about who the actual perpetrator or perpetrators are. However, in this story, almost everybody involved is quite convinced they know exactly who the guilty party is. Yet, no arrests have ever been made, not even firm accusations have been able to be brought, despite the cases spanning over 130 years, maybe even longer. Welcome to the Carathyr Casket Co.

Carathyr is one of Tikariot's oldest towns and for its entire history has been an important trading hub in the region of Rushmore and has remained one of its largest ports ever since. But where there is trade, there is crime and Carathyr was no different. Money attracts crime and where there's crime, someone has to do it. Today's story begins over 130 years ago, when the police were faced with a rising number of people disappearing. Now, back in the day, it was something that was not necessarily something outrageously rare, people would skip town, jump on a departing ship or just move around and nobody would really think too much about it. Unless you were family, of course, and this is how these cases were brought to the police's attention.

Still, the first whispers of a growing number of disappearances starting to become a little disconcerting began to echo through the cobblestone streets, sending a chill down the spines of those who called Carathyr home. What makes these disappearances all the more baffling is the apparent lack of connection between the victims. Traders, merchants, and even those with ties to the criminal underworld had all fallen prey to this insidious phenomenon. Despite the best efforts of law enforcement, investigations have routinely hit dead ends, leaving behind a void of uncertainty and fear, as nobody felt safe, on both sides of the law.

As one would expect, this gave rise to a multitude of rumours and theories, each more outlandish than the last. Some whispered of kidnappers lurking in the shadows, preying on unsuspecting victims under the cover of night. Others spoke of extraterrestrial abductions, citing strange lights in the sky as evidence of otherworldly interference. Yet, perhaps the most persistent rumour revolves around a local business known as the Carathyr Casket Co.

The Carathyr Casket Co. is a large funeral parlour with roots dating back over 150 years. Initially established as a humble builder of coffins, the business quickly expanded its services to include embalming and cremation as a booming city and seaport would inevitably create a steady supply of clients. Yet, beneath this facade of mourning and grief lies a chilling theory—one that suggests the Carathyr Casket Co. is more than it appears.

According to this theory, the Carathyr Casket Co. serves as a front for a clandestine syndicate of professional hitmen, specializing in making people disappear without a trace. With access to embalming fluid and other materials through their legitimate business operations, they operate with impunity, leaving behind no evidence of their nefarious deeds. But to make matters even more suspicious, the theorists claim that their multi-furnace crematorium provides them with the means to dispose of any incriminating evidence, ensuring that their dark secrets remain hidden from prying eyes.

Despite the persistent suspicions surrounding the Carathyr Casket Co., law enforcement's attempts to find concrete evidence linking the disappearances to the company have consistently fallen short. Over the years, various investigative tactics have been employed in an effort to find cracks in the seemingly impenetrable company, only to be met with frustration and dead ends.

One avenue of investigation involved extensive surveillance of the Carathyr Casket Co. premises, with undercover officers monitoring the comings and goings of employees and visitors alike. However, despite their efforts, no evidence of illicit activity was ever uncovered. The business operated with a veneer of legitimacy, leaving investigators with nothing more than circumstantial suspicions. Another approach focused on forensic analysis, with law enforcement combing through records and conducting thorough examinations of the crematorium facilities. Despite the presence of state-of-the-art equipment, forensic experts were unable to find any traces of foul play. The Carathyr Casket Co. maintained meticulous records of their operations, further complicating efforts to find any incriminating evidence.

In a bid to infiltrate the inner workings of the syndicate, undercover officers attempted to gain the trust of employees within the Carathyr Casket Co. Yet, despite their best efforts to uncover any illicit activities, they were met with a wall of secrecy and suspicion. All employees cited the nature of their business demanded full privacy for their clients, living and deceased, and saw it as an affront that the police would even consider them divulging any information.

Law enforcement also explored the possibility of utilizing informants within the criminal underworld to gather intelligence on the Carathyr Casket Co. However, these efforts would also lead nowhere, leaving investigators with no leads to pursue.

For decades now, law enforcement has been locked in a desperate struggle to uncover the possible truth behind the Carathyr Casket Co. Yet, despite their best efforts, they have been unable to penetrate the veil of secrecy that surrounds the business. Attempts to find dirt on the company have yielded little results, and suspicion falls upon them like a shroud of darkness.

Meanwhile, the disappearances continue unabated, casting a pall of fear and uncertainty over the town of Carathyr. Families live in constant dread of receiving that dreaded knock on the door, while whispers of the Carathyr Casket Co.'s involvement linger in the air like a haunting melody to this very day.